Homemade Falafel

Homemade Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Ingredients:
2 cups roughly chopped white onion
6 garlic cloves
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
1 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup all-purpose flour
Canola oil, for sauteing 
Pita bread, for serving
1¼ cups plain yogurt (full fat or non-fat)
¼ cup tahini (sesame paste)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions:

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 90 min (includes chilling time)

Cook Time: 6 min

For the falafel:

For the tahini sauce:

Add the onion and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and pulse just until they are finely minced. Remove the mixture and set it aside.

Add the chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, salt, chili powder, and cumin to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until they are roughly blended but not pureed.

Return the onion mixture to the food processor, along with the baking powder and just enough flour so that when you pulse the processor, the mixture begins to form a small ball and is not sticky. (Note: Start by adding ¼ cup of flour, and then the remaining ¼ cup. You can add more if the mixture is still too wet.)

Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour.

While the falafel mixture is chilling, prepare the tahini sauce by whisking together the yogurt, tahini and lemon juice. Season it with salt and pepper, cover it and place it in the fridge.

Once the falafel mixture has chilled, use a small ice cream scoop or spoons to form the mixture into balls (roughly 3 Tablespoons per ball). (Note: You can also add additional flour at this point, if the mixture is too wet to scoop.)

Set a large sauté pan over medium heat and add a liberal amount of canola oil so that the pan is well-coated. Let the pan pre-heat for 3 minutes then add the falafel one by one, browning them on the first side for 3 minutes, then flipping them once and browning the second side until the mixture is cooked throughout.

Transfer the falafel to a paper towel-lined cooling wrack and immediately season them with salt. Repeat this process until you have cooked all of the falafel.

Place three or four falafel inside a halved, warmed pita and drizzle with the prepared tahini sauce.

Recipe and picture from Just A Taste.

Sriracha Chicken Salad

This looks so yummy and easy to make!

1 deboned rotisserie chicken

1 bag coleslaw

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Sriracha to taste

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and enjoy! 

Makes approximately 8 servings.

Recipe and picture from Kristen's Losing It Blog.

Acai Bowl

I'm going to dive into the Acai Bowl trend as soon as I move. This looks so easy to make!!

How to Make a Homemade Acai BowlMakes 1 bowl
Ingredients1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 Sambazon unsweetened acai smoothie packs, thawed for 30 minutes or run under hot water for a few seconds
1/2 large frozen ripe banana
1 tsp honey or agave nectar (vegan if using agave nectar)
2/3 cup frozen mixed berries*
1/2 cup granola or cereal*
*You can great creative with your toppings.  These are simply my go-tos.  I often see people topping their bowls with fresh banana slices, shredded coconut, nuts, and/or seeds.
Directions1. Place almond milk, acai smoothie packs, banana, and honey or agave nectar  into high-powered blender.
2. Blend until well-combined and all chunks have disappeared.  The texture will be similar to a very thick smoothie.
3. Poor acai mixture into bowl and top with desired toppings.  I always select frozen mixed berries and granola for mine.
Recipe and photos from Clean Eating Veggie Girl.

“Fried" Honey Bananas

Fried Honey Bananas

Serves 1

1 slightly under-ripened banana, sliced

1 tablespoon honey

Cinnamon

Olive oil

Lightly drizzle olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Arrange banana slices in pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.

http://rachelschultz.com/2013/05/15/fried-honey-bananas/

Cilantro Chili Chicken Skewers

Cilantro Chili Chicken Skewers

2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs or breast meat
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, mince
3/4 bunch fresh cilantro (save remaining for garnish)
1 teaspoon salt & pepper
Sweet chili sauce for basting

Cooking Process:
Soak skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning.
Cut chicken into 1" cubes and place into bowl.  Add olive oil, garlic and cilantro in a food processor and pulverize. Pour the marinade into the bowl with the chicken, add teaspoon of salt and pepper and marinate overnite if possible.
Preheat the grill to medium heat and coat with oil. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and put 5-6 pieces of chicken on each skewer.  Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. Brush chili sauce on chicken just before done cooking to create a nice glaze.

http://cookinghawaiianstyle.com/index.php/hawaiian-recipes/recipes/detail/2654/cilantro-chili-chicken-skewers

Chicken Paprikash

Chicken Paprikash

  

1/4 cup canola oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced

3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup sweet Hungarian paprika, plus more for sprinkling

1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds, ground

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

2 bay leaves

2 thyme sprigs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, bell peppers and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the paprika, caraway and flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the stock, bay leaves and thyme sprigs, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are very tender and the sauce is thickened, about 1 hour.

Add the chicken to the sauce and cook over high heat until just white throughout, about 6 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Spoon the chicken into bowls, and top with sour cream. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

NOTES One Serving 257 cal, 10 gm fat, 1.5 gm sat fat, 11 gm carb, 2.3 gm fiber.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chicken-paprikash

Cauliflower Shepards Pie

Cauliflower Shepards Pie

Cauliflower Shepards Pie

For the meat filling

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chopped parsely
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas
salt and pepper
splash of milk
white cheddar (optional)
butter (optional)
chives

for the cauliflower mash

2 heads cauliflower, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2. Chop 2 heads of cauliflower and place in large pot of water to boil

3. While the cauliflower is boiling, sauté onions and carrots in the oil in a saucepan over medium heat until they begin to get color.

4. Add garlic and stir to combine then add lamb, salt, pepper, and cook until brown. Then sprinkle the meat with the flour, stir and cook for another minutes.

5. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, and parsley and stir to combine.

6. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer about 10 minutes.

7. Add the corn and peas to the lamb and spread evenly into individual ramekins or an 11.5 by 8 inch baking dish.

8. Put boiled cauliflower in food processor and season with salt pepper and butter if you wish ( I also added a splash of milk)

9. Top lamb mixture with cauliflower – and sprinkle with white cheddar and chives. Bake until golden brown and bubbling about  25 minutes.

http://vancityfoodie.com/2012/11/24/cauliflower-shepards-pie/

Homemade Healthy Barbecue Sauce

 

Homemade Healthy Barbecue Sauce

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons

Calories per serving: 15

Fat per serving: 0 grams

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons low sodium tamari (You can use regular soy sauce if you want, or coconut aminos for a soy and grain free option.)
• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 packets stevia (You can use more or less, depending on how sweet you want your sauce.)
• 1 teaspoon liquid aminos
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium-large bowl, whisk all ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. That's it!

http://www.foodiefiasco.com/homemade-healthy-barbecue-sauce/

Cheesy Taco Shells

Recipe/Instructions:

I sprayed a frying pan with some non-stick spray and added about a ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese. I cooked it on high until it got bubbly and the edges started to brown. (You can also do this in the microwave on some parchment paper, but mine is not very powerful and I like the results on the stove much better). I then carefully removed with a spatula and formed around a turkey baster shaft while it was still warm and left it there for about 10 minutes to get the right shape.

http://tifanietbd.blogspot.com/2013/06/ta-keto-shells.html

Cream Cheese Pancakes

Cream Cheese Pancakes

Yield: Four 6-inch pancakes

Serving Size: 1 pancake

Ingredients

• 2 oz cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 packet stevia (or any) sweetener
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

• Put all ingredients in a blender or magic bullet. Blend until smooth. Let rest for 2 minutes so the bubbles can settle. Pour 1/4 of the batter into a hot pan greased with butter or pam spray. Cook for 2 minutes until golden, flip and cook 1 minute on the other side. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Serve with sugar free syrup (or any syrup of your choice) and fresh berries.

http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2012/01/cream-cheese-pancakes.html

Lacy Cheese Crackers

Lacy Cheese Crackers

• Shredded Cheese of your choice. 

Preheat oven to 350F. Using a one teaspoon measure, place shredded cheese in six piles spread out evenly on the lined baking pan.  You must leave a lot of space between the piles as these little piles of cheese will spread.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until the color starts to get golden and it looks like all the oil from the cheese has seeped out.  Remove from the oven and allow the crackers to cool before moving to a paper towel.  Allow the extra oil to be absorbed by the paper towel.  Store in an airtight container.

Cauliflower Bread Sticks

Cauliflower Bread Sticks 

Ingredients:
1 cup raw grated cauliflower or 100 grams (2 Greens)
1/4 cup egg (whites for Phase 2) substitute * you are able to add up to 2 oz of additional protein per Nutrition Support
1 cup shredded or 4 oz 2% light mozzarella, divided (1 Lean)(leave off for Phase 2)
Garlic salt and Italian seasonings, to taste

Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup Italian diced tomatoes - less than 5 g of carbs per serving (1 Green)
You can also use Walden Farms Marinara Sauce, but 1/4 cup is considered to be 2 condiments and is not a vegetable. You would have to add a third of veggies to your meal if you choose this option. 

Directions:
Puree Italian diced tomatoes in a small chopper. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cauliflower, 1/4 cup egg substitute, and 3 oz or 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella together in a bowl until combined. Line a 9 x13 loaf pan with parchment and lightly spray with Pam. Pour mixture into pan about 1 -1/2 inch deep. (It is okay if the mixture does not cover the entire pan). Bake at 350 for 30 min or until set. Lift the edges of the parchment and place bread with parchment on to cookie sheet. Carefully use a spatula to lift the edges of the dough off the parchment and flip the dough. Bake for an additional 15 minutes at 450 degrees. Take out of oven and with a pizza cutter, slice strips through set dough. Separate slightly. Sprinkle with garlic salt, Italian seasonings and 1 oz or 1/4 cup 2% reduced fat mozzarella or three cheese blend. Continue baking at 450 degrees for about 10 more minutes until cheese is melted. Serve with marinara sauce.

1 Complete Lean and Green Meal, No Healthy Fat Required

Found on Sandy's Kitchen: Cauliflower Bread Sticks

http://myhcgdietrecipeblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/cauliflower-bread-sticks-hcg-phase-2-3.html

Cheesy Pizza Crust

Ingredients

1 cup fresh shredded parmigiano cheese
3 slices provolone cheese
½ cup peperoni, diced
3-4 tablespoons pizza sauce
– optional –
your favorite pizza toppings, diced

Directions

Warm up a non-stick or well-seasoned cast iron pan over medium heat. Dump in the parmigiano and make sure it covers the bottom of the pan evenly. Add the provolone on top.

 

Spread out the pepperoni or other toppings.

Don’t use big slices, dice everything nice and small. The pieces you cut this into will be much smaller than regular pizza, and you’ll want to have a good distribution of toppings.

When the cheese is bubbling and starting to turn brown on the edges, slip a spatula under and make sure it isn’t sticking. 

Once you’re sure it’s not sticking — you should be able to shake the pan and the cheese will slide around — add just enough sauce to cover almost up to the edge.

Slide the pizza out onto a cutting board and let it rest for a minute or two.

This gives the cheese time to set up a little bit, and the sauce time to warm up. (Starting with room-temperature sauce instead of refrigerated is a good idea.)

Slice the pizza before transferring to a plate to serve.

http://cooklikeyourgrandmother.com/2011/07/how-to-make-crustless-pizza/

Fauxtato Skin

Fauxtato Skin

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Sized Eggplant
• 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
• Grassfed Cheese
• 4 Green Onions
• Bacon 
• 2-3 tablespoons Avocado Oil (or Olive Oil, or non-corn /soy based oil of your choice)

Directions:

• Preheat your oven at 350°C
• Slice eggplant into rounds (the thinner the slice the more crispy and the shorter cooking time)
• Rub both sides of the eggplant with oil, and place on to baking sheet
• Sprinkle a small amount of Garlic powder onto top of each eggplant round
• Bake for 15 minutes (may do more or less depending on how thin your rounds are)
• While eggplant is baking, cook bacon until almost crispy and crumble
• Remove eggplant from oven and grate cheese on top of each round
• Sprinkle top of each eggplant with crumbled bacon
• Bake for another 5 minutes, then ENJOY! 

http://bayareastylefile.blogspot.com/2013/09/fauxtato-skin-recipe.html

Brown Sugar Spiced Baked Chicken

Brown Sugar Spiced Baked Chicken

Serves 3-4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salt & pepper

Pour brown sugar, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and salt & pepper into a plastic bag. Add chicken breasts and seal. Shake to coat chicken.

Leave chicken in fridge for 1-3 hours (or even overnight) to absorb flavors. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange chicken breasts on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-23 minutes.

http://rachelschultz.com/2013/09/30/brown-sugar-spiced-baked-chicken/

Baked Parsnip Fries

Baked Parsnip Fries

What you will need:

• 4- 5 parsnips
• 3 tbs of olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of sea salt
• 1/2 tsp of pepper
• 1/2 tsp of garlic powder

Directions:

1. Wash and peel the parsnips.
2. Cut them into french fry like slices. Try to make them all pretty similar in size so they bake evenly.
3. Place all the ingredients into a bowl and toss parsnip slices into mixture making sure to coat them all evenly.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (easy cleanup) and bake at 400 degrees for 3o minutes. Turn them once while baking. After 20 minutes check on them. A little crispy brown texture is what you are looking for. If they look done before the 30 minutes is up take them out.
5. Consume!

http://www.delightedmomma.com/2012/01/baked-parsnip-fries.html

Fried Honey Bananas

Fried Honey Bananas

Serves 1

1 slightly under-ripened banana, sliced
1 tablespoon honey
Cinnamon
Olive oil

Lightly drizzle olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Arrange banana slices in pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, whisk together honey and 1 tablespoon of water. Remove pan from heat and pour honey mixture over banana.

Allow to cool and sprinkle with cinnamon.

http://rachelschultz.com/2013/05/15/fried-honey-bananas/

Baked Cauliflower Poppers

Baked Cauliflower Poppers

What you will need:

• 2 heads of cauliflower
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Wash and clean the cauliflower. Cut off and discard the stem. Cut the cauliflower up into small pieces.
3. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the cauliflower pieces and thoroughly coat each piece.
4. Place cauliflower pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for one hour and turn 3 times during cooking until each piece has a nice brown coloring. The browner they are the better.
5. Remove from oven and enjoy!

http://www.delightedmomma.com/2012/01/baked-cauliflower-poppers.html

Bacon Jalapeno Deviled Eggs

Bacon Jalapeno Deviled Eggs

Author: StaceyBacon

Ingredients

• 12 large eggs, hard boiled and peeled
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1½ tsp rice vinegar
• ¾ tsp ground mustard
• ½ tsp sugar
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 6 pieces bacon, cooked, crisp, and crumbled
• paprika

Instructions

1. Slice the hard boiled eggs in half, lengthwise
2. Remove the yolks and put them in a mixing bowl
3. Mash the egg yolks with a fork
4. Add the mayonnaise, rice vinegar, ground mustard, and sugar to the mashed egg yolks and stir until well combined
5. Mix in the jalapenos and bacon
6. Put the mixture in a ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the corner of the bag
7. Fill each egg hole with the mixture
8. Sprinkle with paprika
9. Chill until ready to serve

http://www.realhousemoms.com/bacon-jalapeno-deviled-eggs/

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken

4 chicken breasts cut in thirds (12 pieces)

Bacon slices

salt and pepper to taste

garlic powder

chili powder

brown sugar

Cut each breast into 3 pieces, season all the chicken with the spices, then wrap a bacon slice around each piece, roll in brown sugar and place into an oven proof dish....make sure you have some olive oil in the dish too, like 2 or 3 tablespoons is fine {I skipped this since I grilled them.  I honestly think you could coat your dish with nonstick cooking spray instead to save a few calories}.  

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and bacon is nice and brown and crispy.  Delicious served with mashed potatoes with some of the gravy from the chicken drizzled on top.

http://diaryofarecipeaddict.blogspot.com/2011/07/sweet-spicy-bacon-chicken.html