I was craving something different and something I haven’t had before so I immediately started searching the internet for recipes.

I stumbled upon a Chicken Piccata recipe and the lemons caught my eye. I’m not a caper fan so I knew right away I would be leaving that out! I tried to make the recipe my own because sometimes I don’t agree or like everything I see. I omitted the added sugar, changed the flour, and used some dried herbs. It turned out great.

If you are a fan of lemon flavor this recipe will definitely be a hit. Marc and I both enjoyed it!!

HEALTHY LEMON CHICKEN

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2lbs of chicken breast cut into 5 pieces and pounded to 1/2-3/4 inch thin
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 garlic cloves, quartered
• 1 lemon cut into thin rounds
• 1 tbsp brown rice flour, or regular white/wheat flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp grated garlic
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Combine Lemon slices & garlic in a bowl.

2. Season chicken with Salt & Pepper. Heat large skillet to high heat. Add 2 tsp olive oil. Add chicken and cook about 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and place on plate. Add lemon and 1 clove of garlic to the pan with 1 tsp olive oil, turn frequently until lemon is browned. Remove lemon mixture and add to bowl.

3. Heat pan to medium heat add butter, grated garlic, oregano, thyme, onion powder and white wine to pan. Scrape up and bits on the bottom of the pan. Add chicken stock brown rice flour and 1 tsp butter to pan. Bring to a boil and stir. Simmer for a few minutes. Add chicken back to the pan and cook another 2-4 minutes on medium heat. Place chicken on plate and top with Lemon mixture.

We served this with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans in olive oil.  We’ve had this recipe twice and we loved it both times!

After spending NUMEROUS Super Bowl Sundays feeling stuffed and uncomfortable after eating way too much I have learned to enjoy my favorite game day eats in a healthier way.

I’ve also learned to pick and choose wisely rather then stuffing my face and eating when I’m not hungry. It’s okay to enjoy the foods you love but keeping in mind portions will help your waistband later!!

Two of my favorite football foods are WINGS & CHILI. I absolutely love them both but I can get a killer belly ache after eating too much of those yummy snacks.

I have a few LIGHTER recipes to share with you and it will help you enjoy your favorite foods without breaking the calorie bank during Superbowl Sunday.

HEALTHY CREAMY BUFFALO PULLED CHICKEN

(Make sure to add more hot sauce to this recipe if you like it spicy!!)

While I do love wings, they are a bit time consuming to make and they can be super messy. I have a toddler to run after and messy hands just won’t work so I will take a pulled buffalo chicken sandwich smothered in hot sauce any day!

This recipe can be served on lettuce wraps, sandwich buns, as a dip or even in a taco shell!

PALEO LEAN BEEF CHILI

Chili is awesome whether served with rice in a bowl or just as an appetizer dipped with chips.

This chili sneaks in veggies, uses lean beef which cuts some of that unnecessary saturated fat and tastes amazing!!

(You could add beans, cheese or rice if you want which is what I did with the above picture)

Who are you picking to win the Superbowl? I’m choosing the Panthers.

For more Super Bowl appetizers and recipes check out these links below:

Healthy Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Buffalo Chicken Chili

What’s your favorite super bowl food?

do you tend to overeat on Superbowl?

I had them for lunch that day and I was hooked. That week I had them a couple more times until the package was gone.They became a frequent purchase for me, until one day I went to Stop and Shop and they were no longer on the shelves.

I had a panic attack. Well not really, but I did think to myself “what am I going to do without these at lunch time!!”

It was an easy way for me to sneak in some veggies and I loved having a healthy option to pair with some chicken cutlets during lunch time. I told myself I was going to make them, but to be honest I was lazy and the thought of shredding sweet potato sounded like too much work.

I finally just let it go and moved on.

About 13 weeks into my pregnancy I was determined to get in more veggies on a daily basis and I really wanted to like sweet potatoes so I decided to give the “burgers” a try. I searched through some recipes online but there wasn’t one that really stood out to me and resembled the Stop & Shop burger. I found a recipe on naturalcomfortkitchen.com and I liked it but there were too many ingredients and it used Kale.

I decided to use some ideas from that recipe but I ended up creating my own. Marc and I were skeptical about how they would come out.. we split the first one, we split the second one, we split the 3rd one and I’m sure you can guess we loved them. How is something so healthy so tasty?! Don’t worry we made made more and we ate more

I couldn’t help but share our results with you. This recipe is a win and I can’t wait to make them again for the 2nd time this week.

Our first batch was a little salty & garlicky so I made some switches and came up with this recipe:

SWEET POTATO & SPINACH CAKES

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato (about 2 cups shredded)

2 1/2 cups baby spinach chopped

1/2 garlic clove chopped finely

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 eggs

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 tsp onion powder

Directions:

1. Shred sweet potato using a grater and chop baby spinach.

2. In a large mixing bowl addbread crumbs, baking soda, onion powder, garlic, salt & pepper, mix well.

3. Whisk eggs together in a separate bowl and combine with breadcrumb mixture. Add in the sweet potatoes & spinach and mix well.

4. In a large pan add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and turn heat to medium.

5. Using a 1/4 measuring cup scoop 4 individual scoops onto the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then flatten the cakes. Once flattened, carefully flip them over and cook another 3-4 minutes.

6. Serve warm!!

Makes 8 cakes, Serving size 2 cakes. Per Serving Approximately 191 Calories, 10g fat, 7.2g protein, 14.8g carbs

I have another Pumpkin Bread recipe on my blog that is super TASTY too, but it uses whole wheat flour and white sugar. I’m by no means avoiding those 2 ingredients but to be honest I wanted to experiment with new ingredients and flavors, plus I’m always looking for new ways to make foods I like!

I was in Stop and Shop last week and stumbled upon Brown Rice Flour. I was intrigued because I knew it was gluten free but I’ve heard great things about the taste and quality of Hodgson Mill brand. I didn’t hesitate and I put it in my cart. (it was also on sale and I wish I bought more)

My first thought was, I should make pumpkin bread. My body was telling me it needed pumpkin ASAP. After looking over several recipes and of course my own I came up with a short list of ingredients that were healthy, clean, & tasty. I had no clue how the brown rice flour would taste and hold up with this recipe, but once I mixed everything together I knew it was going to be good.

When my first loaf was done, I cut a slice for me & Marc. My mom and brother stopped by so they tried it too. We all went back for seconds and before I knew it the loaf was gone. Luckily Marc snapped this quick picture of it.

I guess I need to make another loaf!

For my second loaf I added in chocolate chips, cause… why not?? Pumpkin + chocolate = AMAZING.

The second loaf was great, but I was still trying to master the cooking temperature and time on this bread. The ends cooked up super fast but the middle was a little under cooked. I didn’t care for myself because I could just toast up my slice and it would come out perfect but for my readers I needed to figure it out.

The 3rd round happened on day 3 except this time I made Pumpkin Muffins. You think I would be sick of this recipe by now! Even Cooper wanted some more. I was finally able to get the time right for MY OVEN, but of course yours may vary so its good to keep an eye on it in the oven when you are baking this bread.

(someone’s little hands couldn’t wait to touch my muffin)

So if I didn’t tempt you already, and you are looking for a healthy snack that will satisfy your sweet tooth and carb fix at the same time you should definitely give this a try. It only takes about 10 minutes to throw together and then 40 minutes later your house smells like fresh pumpkin spice.

PUMPKIN BREAD (gluten free, milk free)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup Brown Rice Flour (I used Hodgson Mill)
• 1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan sea salt (or regular sea salt)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 3/4 cup pumpkin
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted) or butter
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional) not included in nutrition

Directions;

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. combine all wet ingredients in one bowl and dry ingredients in another bowl.
3. Mix 2 bowls together until evenly combined.
4. Spray muffin pan with baking spray and evenly distribute mixture for 9 muffins bake muffins for about 15-18 minutes. (check at 15 minutes using a toothpick)

Serve warm!!

Makes about 9 little muffins: each serving approximately 184 calories, 8.2g fat, 24.7g carb, 1.8g fiber, 3.7g protein

If you want to make a pumpkin bread preheat oven to 325 and bake for about 45 minutes (every oven is different so monitor the loaf) Makes about 8 Slices: each serving approximately 207 calories, 9.2g fat, 27.8g carbs, 2.0g fiber, 4.1g protein

We did smear a little bit of whipped butter on top, it kept the bread moist!

Oh yeah I have a confession……I actually made these 4 times in 1 week (GUILTY) and….. I have the recipe memorized and…….. I need to buy more ingredients.

The last batch was a special request from my brother so I let him take 75% of the batch of muffins and I just saved a couple for us.

Don’t worry I will be making more soon

Do you like pumpkin bread or muffins?

Have you ever cooked with brown rice flour?

Yesterday I made a trip to Trader Joe’s with little miss Ava. I don’t know which one of us loves that store more. She has a blast pushing her little grocery cart around the store and I enjoy looking at all the new products that they keep stocking their shelves with.

After stumbling across Trader Joe’s pumpkin display of all things pumpkin my brain started thinking of all the things I need to start baking. I looked at the boxes of pumpkin pancake mix, waffle mix, pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars, pumpkin everything and as I looked at the ingredients I got frustrated when I saw the word SUGAR as either the first, second or third ingredient. I get it… baked goods should have some sort of sweetness, but sugar shouldn’t be the first ingredient right?

Okay, so I got home from the store and immediately started looking up recipes and I really couldn’t find one that I wanted to make, they were all packed with white flour and sugar. I didn’t have flour, I didn’t have vanilla extract, my ingredients needed to be simple and clean.

As I was making these muffins, I’m pretty sure Marc started questioning how they would turn out. I debated whether or not to use almond butter, but I went with my belly I mean gut and chose peanut butter. I tossed up the idea of maple syrup but Marc chose honey, and I used oat flour because Kelly’s kitchen was out of every other type of flour.

So I whipped up a FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN MUFFIN. It has the spice of pumpkin, it’s moist, there’s a hint of peanut butter and a delicious touch of pumpkin and just like that I’m hooked on my creation. (I think Marc is too!!)

His response to his first bite of muffin was, “I think I could eat all of these!”

(WIN!)

Now for the recipe:

FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN MUFFIN

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 5 tsp honey
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Optional: add 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips (which I am definitely trying next time!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line muffin tin with 8 liners.
2. Put 2 cups of oats in a food processor. Mix until oats become flour. Pour flour in a container.
3. Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until mixture is smooth.
4. Pour mixture in each muffin tray until filled 3/4 of the way to the top.
5. Place in oven and cook for 12-14 minutes or until cooked through (I use a toothpick to test)

ENJOY!

(yields 8 small muffins!)

I can’t wait to eat one of these for a morning snack! They might not make it to the weekend!

What’s your favorite healthy pumpkin recipe? 

Do you prefer pumpkin spice baked goods or apple baked goods?

I am always trying to sneak veggies into foods for Ava because lets face it, even the “good eaters” have a tough time getting the correct amount of veggies in on a daily basis. Although we all eat healthy I decided sneaking in some peppers would make this burger more flavorful & crunchy and that it did.

We all agreed that these were tasty and satisfying. I will definitely be making them again.

QUICK & EASY TURKEY BURGERS

1 lb Ground Turkey Meat

2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp water

1/2 cup red bell pepper (chopped into tiny pieces)

1/2 cup orange bell pepper (chopped into tiny pieces)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

Makes 5 burgers 

Directions:

• Chop peppers into tiny pieces.
• In a large mixing bowl add in all ingredients, mix until everything is combined. I used my hands but you can use a large spoon.
• Form into 5 burgers. Some of the pepper pieces might fall out but you can stuff them back in.
• Heat grill to high (about 400 degrees) cook approximately 8-10 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

These burgers are delicious served over a salad, in a lettuce wrap, on a bun or in a wrap. I don’t know about you guys but even though summer is coming to an end I will NOT stop grilling until the snow piles up over our grill

What foods do you try to sneak veggies into?

Do you like turkey burgers?

In the summer I always forget to use the crockpot, but when I do I’m always pleased with the outcome! I’m glad I took out the crockpot for this delicious Stew recipe because it opened my eyes to future summer cooking in a jiffy. I was extremely HAPPY with how simple it was to cook this tasty meal.

Another bonus: it works right into the 21 day fix meal plan!! So for all of you out there looking for a healthy dinner recipe that is also comforting, this is a win.

I really do enjoy following recipes, but I can’t say I ever follow them entirely. I work with what I have in my fridge & pantry and I wing it. Sometimes its good and sometimes It’s ehhh. Those recipes I don’t share

When Ava & Marc approve, I know I put together a great dinner!

BEEF & SWEET POTATO STEW RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Beef round or Beef stew meat (in chunks)
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow squash
• 1 medium onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt (or regular sea salt)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Fresh Parsley

Directions:

1. Chop & dice up all the veggies.
2. Place all ingredients into crockpot & mix well
3. Set heat to low for 6 hours. (mix occasionally)
4. Serve in a bowl and top with fresh parsley!

I loved the simplicity and taste of this meal. The original 21 day fix recipe calls for Butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes and a green pepper instead of a yellow squash, plus a few smaller changes. I am all about working with what you have and what you like to eat so feel free to substitute in any veggies you like, I’m sure it will taste great!

Do you follow recipes 100%?

What’s your favorite crockpot meal?

I have always been a good veggie eater and so has Ava but lately she has been choosing fruits over veggies.

I decided to create a recipe using one of her favorite veggies – green beans.

It’s so important for toddlers to eat a balanced diet and more importantly to eat healthy fats so their bodies can develop properly. By choosing to include almonds in this recipe I knew she would be getting heart healthy fats and antioxidants into her diet!

Raising a healthy child is my number one goal, so I’m always mindful of using healthy ingredients whenever I cook for our family.

Did you know:

“A single serving of sliced almonds provides 6 grams of protein to help your body maintain and build muscle.” Almonds also contain a ton of vitamins: vitamin E, calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium!

We all know kids can be picky eaters, but they are also adventurous. That is why it’s so important to try out new foods when they are young. Ava is a big fan of crunchy snacks so adding some tasty almonds gave this side dish a CRUNCH that I knew she would approve of!!

As an added bonus this recipe only contains 4 ingredients and it took me approximately 5 minutes to make 

GREEN BEANS WITH SLICED ALMONDS

Ingredients:

1 Pound of Green Beans

1/4 Cup of Almonds (slivered)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Directions:

Fill a large pot with about an inch of water and boil on high heat. Add green beans & cover pot. Let the green beans cook about 5-6 minutes, drain them and return them to the pot.  Add oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Mix well and then top with slivered almonds! Enjoy

We all loved this side dish, including Ava. She actually ate all the almonds before she touched her green beans!

Head on over to Nuts.com for more information and healthy tips plus some yummy products! 

What’s your favorite way to enjoy almonds?

Are your kids picky eaters?

It’s much easier to get together with my friends at someone’s house instead of a restaurant because they kids are able to entertain each other and they aren’t forced to sit in a chair for more then an hour! It works out for all of us.

A few weeks ago I had mentioned that I love Chicken Marsala. Actually I love when my mom makes it and I get the leftovers, because clearly moms make the best dinners!

I attempted to make my own using Rice Flour, I’m not Gluten Free but ironically that’s the only type of flour we had in our house at the time, so I went with it. I’m not against white or wheat flour, I actually enjoy all different types of flour but in moderation.

If you want to replace the Rice Flour with your choice of flour I think the recipe would still turn out healthy & tasty!

CHICKEN MARSALA RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

2 Boneless Chicken Breasts (about 1 lb)

1/2 cup Rice Flour

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 tbsp Whipped Butter

1/2 Cup Marsala Wine

1/4 Cup White Wine

1/4 Chicken Stock

2 tbsp Whole Milk (mixed with 1 tbsp Rice Flour)

1 teaspoon dried Parsley or 1 Tbsp chopped Fresh Parsley

Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

• Cut Chicken breast into 4 pieces. Place plastic wrap over them and pound each one to about an inch thick.
• Place Flour on a plate and dredge each piece of chicken in it. Sprinkle with salt, pepper & parsley.
• Heat Oil over medium heat and once oil is hot, fry each piece of chicken for about 3-4 minutes on each side (until golden brown). Remove chicken and place them on a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium and add butter & mushrooms.
• Salute for 4-5 minutes. Add both wines, milk, & chicken stock. Let cook for 4 more minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Mix all the ingredients well.
• Serve with potatoes, broccoli or salad!

I love the fact that I was able to put a healthier twist on the chicken marsala recipe without sacrificing flavors.

You don’t need a ton of cream, milk, butter, oil to make a recipe taste good, but I do believe that you need some!

Have you ever tried cooking with Rice Flour? Did you notice a difference in taste?

The weather around here is supposed to be pretty nice today & tomorrow so I’m excited to be outside and hopefully play with Ava in the pool at her Grandparent’s house! She gets so excited when you say POOL!

We are dog sitting my friend’s dog Barley this weekend. I think I sense doggie love when Cooper is around her. He literally smiles so big and wags his tail for hours & hours. It’s pretty fun to watch them play together.

Ava enjoys giving them treats too!

Besides dog sitting I have a secret party I can’t really talk about. If I gave you details the person might find out!  Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up!

Anyways, last night before Boot Camp I whipped up a SUPER EASY Chili recipe that took me about 3 minutes to throw together. So any lazy chefs out there, feel free to give this recipe a go because there’s no prep involved and its very healthy!

This chili doesn’t have beans and that’s because I wasn’t in the mood, but feel free to add a can of whatever beans you like it would be delicious.

We served this chili over a little brown rice and I topped it with Avocado. If you are a cheese lover, cheddar cheese goes great and for added spice sliced jalapeños would kick it up a notch.

Easy Peasy Turkey & Veggie Chili Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1lb Ground Turkey
• 1 can Petite Diced Tomatoes
• 1/2 bag of frozen butternut squash chunks
• 1/2 bag of frozen mixed bell pepper strips
• 2 tbsp Chili Powder
• 2 tsp Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Garlic
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS:

Drizzle oil in a large pot on medium heat, add ground turkey break it up as it cooks. Let cook for 5 minutes until evenly browned. Add in spices & mix. Add in diced tomatoes, squash & peppers plus the water. Mix well. Let cook on medium-low for about 20 minutes. Enjoy with sliced Avocado, Cheese, or salsa over Brown Rice or a corn tortilla!

I usually choose simple meals before boot camp for the pure fact that I am jumping around like a crazy woman instructing and working out. Bland foods are usually preferred but I was really in the mood for chili so I went with it.

About 2 minutes into the warm up I got a big cramp in the side of my stomach but I fought through it and it was totally WORTH IT!! I’m still happy I ate that chili it gave me great energy, but now I know why I usually choose bland foods.

Okay enough rambling over here, it’s time to head to work. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Do you like chili? If so, do you like it spicy?

Are there certain foods you can’t eat before a workout?