Coconut-Almond Breakfast Quinoa

Recipe submitted by Tana

Recipe taken from Ourbestbites.com

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1 cup light coconut milk (from a carton, such as Silk brand)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
For serving:
fresh berries
toasted coconut
additional coconut milk
honey or agave syrup
additional brown sugar if desired

Place rinsed and drained quinoa, coconut milk, brown sugar, and almond extract in a medium-sized pot. Stir ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover pot, preferably with a clear lid (so you can see through it and keep an eye on the quinoa). Stir a few times during cooking. If mixture seems to be boiling out, crack the lid to release steam, otherwise, keep covered. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. In the last few minutes of cooking, feel free to add a little more liquid (water is fine, or additional coconut milk) until desired consistency is reached. I prefer my breakfast quinoa on the soft side with enough liquid to make it more of a porridge.

Hawaiian Haystacks: Chicken Sauce Reinvented

Recipe submitted by Tana

YIELD:MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS CHICKEN SAUCE (ENOUGH TO SERVE 4-6 FOR HAWAIIAN HAYSTACKS)

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks (or leftover cooked chicken, cubed)
3 tablespoons butter
½ onion (about ½ cup), finely chopped
3 cloves garlic; finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion and raw chicken (if using leftover cooked chicken, don’t add it to the skillet now, you’ll add it later). Saute the onion and chicken, if using, until the onions are soft and translucent and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute, stirring, until fragrant.
Sprinkle the flour over the onions and chicken and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for one minute – this helps get rid of the starchy, flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. Add the salt and pepper. If you are using leftover cooked chicken, add it now. Continue simmering, stirring the sauce frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 5-8 minutes.
Serve the chicken sauce over rice with your toppings of choice, such as olives, tomatoes, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, mandarin oranges and chow mein noodles.

Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins

Recipe submitted by Tana

YIELD:MAKES 12 MUFFINS

I always double this recipe because they freeze so well!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rolled/old-fashioned oats
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the muffin cups. Set aside..
In a medium bowl, stir together the oatmeal, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt (and cranberries or raisins if using). Make a well in the center and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir until just combined (don't overmix or the muffins will be dense and dry). The muffin batter texture might be a bit different (wetter?) than other muffin batters but no fear, carry on!
Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake or the muffins will be dry.
Remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely. Once cool, I place 6-9 muffins in a large freezer ziploc bag, suck all the air out (oh yes I do) and seal the bag, then freeze, pulling them out one by one to stick in my kids lunches or warm slightly for a snack.

Garlic Green Beans

Recipe submitted by Courtney

1 pound green beans
3 large cloves of garlic, finely diced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss green beans, olive oil, and garlic in a bowl. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or until tender and crispy.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Recipe submitted by Courtney

1 cup carrot juice
1 cup raw sweet potato, peeled and chopped
½ cup raw butternut squash, peeled and chopped
½ avocado
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Liquid stevia drops to taste
Directions: Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
(This tastes yummy like pumpkin pie, but you have to get used to the texture! )

Green Smoothie

Recipe submitted by Courtney

1 ½ cups water
6 romaine lettuce leaves
1 handful spinach
1 apple
1 carrot
1 banana
¼ beet
juice of ½ lemon
(I also like to add 2 tablespoons of hemp protein and lots of ice to this to use as a meal)
Blend for 2 to 3 minutes and enjoy!

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Recipe submitted by Gary

Recipe taken from Skinnytaste.com

Servings: 8 • Size: 1 roll • Old Points: 3 • Weight Watcher Points+: 4 pt
Calories: 169 • Fat: 5 g • Carb: 8 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 25 g • Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 177 mg (without salt) • Cholest: 31 mg


Ingredients:

cooking spray or oil mister
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped scallions
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and juice squeezed out
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp fresh dill
1/2 cup (2.5 oz) crumbled Feta cheese
1/3 cup fat free ricotta
1/4 tsp kosher salt and pepper, plus more to taste
8 thin skinless chicken breast cutlets (1.5 lbs total)
1 large egg
1 tbsp water
1/2 cup whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a large baking sheet with spray.

Heat the oil a medium sauté pan. Add onions, garlic and scallions and sauté about 1 minute. Add spinach, parsley, dill, 1/4 tsp kosher salt and pepper and cook another minute or until heated through. Remove from heat and mix in the feta and ricotta cheese.

Season chicken lightly with more kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Place about 1/4 cup of spinach mixture in the center of the chicken and roll, then lay the chicken seam side down on a platter or piece of wax paper. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Place the breadcrumbs in another bowl.

Dip the chicken rolls into the egg wash, then into the breadcrumbs and place seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remainder then lightly spray to top of the chicken with cooking spray. Bake about 25 minutes or until cooked through.