Tag: gluten free

Greek Yogurt Protein Pancakes

 

Whenever I’m looking to make a healthier version of typically nutrient lacking foods (aka everything baked goods) I turn to Jamie Eason’s recipes. She has some go-to’s that I use often. This is the first time I’ve tried her Pumped up Pancake recipe though and it did not disappoint! Something I really liked about this recipe was how these pancakes held their fluffiness and were more similar to the texture of regular pancakes compared to some other protein pancake recipes I’ve tried. This recipe makes a fair amount of pancakes so I always freeze the leftovers so my kids can pop them in the toaster on a morning we are pressed for time. I adjusted some of the ingredients on this list to fit what I had in my pantry so don’t be afraid to fiddle with it until they taste just how you like them!

pumped-up-protein-pancakes-2

photo from: thecakechica.com

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 cups oat flour (you can make your own oat flour by grinding whole oats in your vitamix or blentec)
  • 3 scoops protein powder. The recipe calls for vanilla protein but you could use any flavor you like, or try collagen protein powder for a pancake that isn’t so sweet.
  • 2 T honey or other sweetener
  • 3/4 t baking soda
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 6 oz plain Greek yogurt- we use the FAGE Greek yogurt because there is no added sugar and its packed with protein!
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 t vanilla extract (because I use 1 t of vanilla regardless of what I’m cooking)
  • 2 eggs or 4 egg whites ( I cant bear to throw away yolks for some reason so I use whole eggs)

Because of some of the thicker ingredients in this recipe you could blend all this up in your blender or you can mix it with a hand mixer. Another thing I love about protein pancakes, especially if you use vanilla protein powder, is that the pancakes stand alone. We don’t even buy syrup at my house because we simply don’t need it! If we want a little something extra on our pancakes our go-to toppings are:

Depending on the type of protein powder, Greek yogurt, and sweetener you use these pancakes will turn out a little differently. Don’t be afraid to fiddle with the recipe until you find the mix that tastes best to you! I hope you give these protein pancakes a try and enjoy this healthy twist on a favorite breakfast.

Zucchini Boats

How is it, that of all the plants in my garden, Zucchini is the most fool proof one?! We tried to go conservative this year and only planted two plants but have still been taken over by wheelbarrows full of zucchini. It’s wonderful, don’t get me wrong, but those suckers grow BIG and FAST! Most days when I remember to pick the zucchini it’s already the size of my forearm arm or larger. That’s a heck of a lot of zucchini noodles!

Gary likes to cut zucchini and squash into rounds and sauté them until they are caramelized or even a bit crispy. But this year my stomach just couldn’t do it every day. He had been such a champ and has eaten zucchini almost every meal this summer but I hit a breaking point and needed. A different option.

One day my cute neighbor reminded me about Zucchini boats! How could I have forgotten?! I was so stuck on what I couldn’t stand eating any more that I had a mind block and lost all cooking creativity whatsoever.

Typically with zucchini boats you use nice, cute, appropriately sized zucchini to make sweet, little personal boats of deliciousness. But let’s face it, I had monster zucchini I had to get rid of. So now I’m sharing my ah-ha moment with you.

We decided to use our giant zucchini to make two huge boats that we then sliced up to serve. And even though the zucchini was extra large it still tasted delicious!

I am pretty Plain Jane when it comes to things I like so I often times just re-use the same list of ingredients I’m different dishes. For my zucchini boats I used the same meat/cheese combo I often times use for stuffed mushrooms and quinoa meatballs. I also try and use what I have on hand that day to avoid a trip to the store if possible. Change the recipe to suit your preferences but you can use my ingredients as a guide:)

Zucchini Boat Ingredients

(Serves 2 very hungry people or 4 -6 people who are less of gluttons than we are 😉)

  • 1/2 lb of sausage
  • 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 8oz container of Parmesan cheese
  • 1 8oz package of mushrooms
  • 1-2 large zucchini or 4-6 normal size small zucchini
  • Salt/pepper/seasoning to taste

Directions

1. Preheat overnight to 375 degrees. Slice the zucchini length wise (hot-dog style ;)) and remove all seeds, leaving a large space for meat/cheese mixture. 2. Slice mushrooms then combine them with sausage, ground beef, 1 egg, 3/4 of the Parmesan cheese, and seasoning until all ingredients are mixed together well (sometimes I just have to use my hands an mash it all together…I don’t have the patience to daintily mash it slowly with a fork)3. Fill the zucchini boats with the meat mixture until it is heaping. The meat will cook down …I personally like a healthy meat to veggie ratio. 4. Bake until the meat is cooked thoroughly and a fork can easily be inserted into the zucchini. (You May like your zucchini firmer/softer than me so cooking time may vary). My food is usually ready in about 20 minutes. 5. When food is about done, sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top and let melt for about 5 minutes and then remove from oven.

(We decided to make stuffed mushrooms with the extra meat mix and used the stems of the mushrooms for the zucchini boats! I get a lot of enjoyment from not wasting food and finding ways to use it all up!)

This is definitely a basic recipe and I love that it is quick to prepare yet delicious. And it gets rid of those giant zucchinis taking up all your counter space. Many people like to put pasta sauce on top or use other meats or cheeses to give it a different flavor. You can even add cream cheese to make it even creamier. This is our favorite combo so far and I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think! Katie

Sweet Potato Lava Brownies

My girls asked for a treat tonight and I had a sweet potato in the fridge and thought….well let’s find a recipe for sweet potato brownies! I made sweet potato brownies once before, a few years ago, but lost the recipe. After searching good old google and not finding any recipes that looked good or that I had all the ingredients for, I just made my own recipe…and… it turned out AWESOME! I was too excited to not share it right away.

A few weeks ago I was at Happy Sumo for sushi and decided to try out their “lava” cake for dessert. There wasn’t so much “lava” in it but it was moist and dense and delicious. My sweet potato brownies had the EXACT same consistency + a bit more lava. I have some friends who are always looking for desserts that are healthy but also tasty enough that their non-healthy friends will eat them. This recipe checks both boxes! Throw some vanilla protein goat milk ice cream on top and you’re golden! (I’ll share my goat milk protein ice cream recipe soon).

If you need a chocolate fix this recipe will do the trick! PLUS you can feel good about knowing you’re using wholesome ingredients + free of gluten and refined sugar. Try it out yourself or tweak the recipe like I did and tell me what you think! I plan to use applesauce instead of butter next time to see how it turns out and maybe even add a bit of protein powder too…hmm…

Ingredients

  • 1 cup baked sweet potato (bake 1 large potato at 400 degrees until its super soft)…now that I think of it, you could probably use pumpkin instead of sweet potato too… now my wheels are turning! ha
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 stick butter melted (sub 1/2 cup coconut oil or other “fat” and see how you like it!)
  • 1/3 c cocoa
  • 1/4 c honey (you could sub agave or pure maple syrup)
  • 3/4 c oat flower (I just put whole oats in my Vitamix and blend until flour-like)…try other flour substitutes and tell me what you like best!
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1 c dark-no sugar added chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Pre-cook your sweet potato @ 400 degrees. Then turn oven temp to 350 degrees to prepare to cook brownies. Melt butter in a sauce pan.
  2. Combine wet ingredients and mix on low speed until smooth
  3. Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated
  4. Add chocolate chips and stir in
  5. Pour into greased 9×9 baking dish. Cook at 350 degrees for about 22-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Let cool for a few minutes before cutting + Enjoy!

 

Spaghetti Squash & Quinoa Meatballs

When Gary and I first got together I was on a pretty strict no flour/sugar diet. I almost never ate sweets and I NEVER ate pasta. Come to find out Italian food is one of Gary’s favorites. Lucky for me I am married to the best man ever and he has met me in the “middle” (the term middle being questionable, I think I got the better end of the deal). I decided I wanted to be able to make spaghetti and meatballs that we both liked, that our kids would be willing to eat, and that allowed me to steer clear of flour and sugar (they are my “trigger” foods). Thus was born spaghetti Squash and Quinoa meatballs. It has been a hit at our house and is one of my favorites…(ok, so I have a lot of favorites…I just love food).

Some people really love noodles but for me they just taste empty. I over eat them and then feel yucky afterward. I really appreciate the flavor that noodle substitutes add to meals and prefer them over traditional pasta. If you are trying to make healthier choices in your food but come from a pasta loving family, spaghetti squash may help make the transition a bit easier.

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is a simple food to prepare and is such a tasty substitute to regular noodles. We also use zucchini noodles and sweet potato noodles as other pasta substitutes. Try them all and let me know which one you like best!

Directions: 

Cut a spaghetti squash in half and remove the guts. The “meat” of spaghetti squash is stringy and will separate easily after cooking. I like to cover both faces of my squash with a bit of olive oil or coconut oil and sprinkle them with seasoned salt. Place the squash face up on a cookie sheet and place in the oven. I bake the squash at 400 degrees until I can easily stick a fork in. While the squash is cooking I prepare my meatballs.

spaghetti noodles

~

Quinoa Meatballls

Most meatball recipes have a lot of flour in them to help the meat stick together. Although it is convenient to use it isn’t necessary. I mean, lets be honest. We just need them to look round and stay put until we’re ready to cut them up anyway…its not like we are going to be playing catch with them.

My meatballs can hold together without flour or you can use a bit of flour substitute or corn starch if you are having a hard time getting the mixture to stick together. The quinoa is like a “filler” that helps the meatballs to stay light and adds a healthy form of complete protein.

  • 1/2 lb ground beef/turkey
  • 1/2 lb sausage
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 c quinoa
  • 1 can Italian style diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (3/4 cup for meatballs, 1/4 cup for topping)
  • (optional) 1/8-1/4 c of flour substitute, corn starch, or flour if you aren’t GF.
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 1/4 t pepper
  • 1/4 t everything seasoning

1. Mix everything except the diced tomatoes in a bowl. You can mix it with a fork or just use your hands until everything is combined well.
2. Roll into 25-30 meatballs and place in a 9 x13 baking dish
3. Cover meatballs with the diced tomatoes. I don’t like a lot of sauce on my meatballs so one can is  enough for me. If you like a lot of sauce, go ahead and double the sauce.

meatballs2
4. Bake @ 400 degrees for 18-22 minutes until the inside of the meatballs are no longer pink.
~OR~
You can cook the meatballs on the stove in a large saucepan. They taste great either way. If you don’t have a double oven or oven large enough to cook the spaghetti squash + meatballs at the same time then cooking on the stove is a great option.
5. Remove from oven/stove and sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top
6. Serve your meatballs on top of your spaghetti squash and enjoy!

If you get a chance to try this yummy dinner I hope you’ll give me your feedback! If you like it, please share the recipe with others! I’m all about spreading the goodness.

Love,

Katie

 

 

Grain Lovers Breakfast Ideas

Some breakfast foods that can really be hard for people to avoid are cereal, pancakes, french toast, etc. When you cut out gluten and sugar from your diet these things become a big no-no and they are often times difficult to replace. Some of these breakfast ideas help my family to get some good grains in our diet that are more filling, tasty, and nutritious.

Katie’s Protein Pancakes/Waffles

This pancake recipe is my go-to for pancakes or waffles in the morning. They are more dense than regular pancakes and far more tasty. Don’t be surprised that they don’t taste like regular pancakes, they are definitely different, but I personally enjoy them much more.

Ingredients: Serves about 3 people

  • 1/2 cup whole steel cut oats
  • 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (whichever protein is your favorite)
  • 1/4 t baking soda
  • 1/4 t baking powder
  • pinch of salt

Directions: 

  • Put all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until the consistency is smooth
  • Cook on low-medium heat until pancakes are firm.

Toppings: 

  • Peanut Butter (this is my favorite)
  • Sugar Free Jam/Syrup*
  • Nothing- they taste great plain too

Sugar Free Strawberry Jam Recipe (from my sweet friend Lacey):

Sweet Lacey in my neighborhood knew that Gary wasn’t eating sugar or flour so she sent her boys over with a jar of the most delicious home made strawberry jam one day. It was the perfect amount of sweet and I loved the texture that the Chia seeds added. It is my girls new favorite jam for their protein pancakes and waffles and the best part is there are only 3 ingredients! I plan to test this recipe with raspberries and other fruits too!

Ingredients/Directions:

  • 2 cups fresh strawberries washed and stemmed
    • put into a blender with
  • 2 T chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup raw honey
    • blend until it is as chunky/smooth as you want
    • put into a pan and bring to a light boil + stir for 5 minutes

    • pour into mason jars suitable for fridge or freezer

    • let cool in the jar and either freeze or refrigerate

Home Made Granola Cereal

If you simply cant live your life without some sort of cereal then I suggest you make your own granola that you can eat to satisfy your cravings while actually giving you some sort of nutrition instead of eating empty calories. Even though I do substitute oats for flour in some of my recipes these should still be eaten sparingly and should not dominate your diet in any way. Check your allotted macro levels (go to bodybuilding.com for an easy macro calculator) and makes sure any grains/complex carbs you do eat stay within the healthy limits you have.

Granola is great because you can definitely make it your own and add the things you love to help you truly enjoy your food. To make your own granola you’ll need a few components:

  • Raw Whole Oats- the backbone of your granola
  • Honey/Agave/Maple Syrup – to make it “stick”
  • Flax Seed Meal, Protein Powder or another gluten free “powder” that will act as the “mortar” to bond the honey/agave to the oats/other ingredients and make yummy clumps
  • Yummy add-ins – we like dried blueberries, cranberries, almond slivers, & raw coconut flakes
  • Other flavors- Mexican vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc, & salt to bring our flavors
  • Oil/fat- helps make the granola a bit crispy.. if you’re into that

Ingredients/amounts

  • 4 cups oats
  • 3/4 cup honey/agave
  • 2 cups nuts, seeds, dried berries,
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder and/or 1/3 cup ground flax seed
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1/4 c oil
  • 1 t sea salt
  • 1/2 t cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of any other flavors you like

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet/cake pan with parchment paper. Add all dry ingredients into a bowl, stir.
  2. Add honey, vanilla, oil and stir until the “glue” is evenly coating the dry ingredients.
  3. Pour mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet/pan and cook until the oats turn golden. about 20-25 minutes. Stir the ingredients after about 10 minutes to make sure all sides cook evenly and get crispy. Press the mixture  back into the pan to get it to stick together as it cooks the rest of the way.
  4. Let cool before breaking into pieces & enjoy!

 

Protein Oatmeal

In college, my friend Zach introduced me to quinoa, pre-workout, and protein oatmeal. I loved this simple way protein oatmeal turned a carb loaded breakfast into a power breakfast that incorporates healthy grains, proteins & fats..and its so quick! The protein powder you use will make a big difference in the taste so give a few tries before you make up your mind about it:)

PB Chocolate Protein Oatmeal:

Directions: Prepare oatmeal as usual with oats and water. When oats are cooked (either on the stove or microwave) add the protein powder + peanut butter and possibly a bit more water or milk depending on how thick you like your oatmeal.

Vanilla/Fruity Protein Oatmeal:

  • 1/2 cup Whole Oats
  • 1 cup water/milk
  • 1/2-1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • dried berries, nuts, fruit, cinnamon, or any other add ins you might like

Other Ideas:

  1. Peaches + Cream: Vanilla protein, milk, peaches
  2. Berries + Cream: Vanilla protein, milk, berries
  3. Mexican Hot Chocolate: Chocolate protein, milk, cinnamon
  4. Fruit + Nut: Vanilla protein, fruits, nuts
  5. Try something different and send me your idea!

 

I have so many more ideas to share and they are coming soon! Hopefully these can give you a starting point in your search for breakfast alternatives! Enjoy!