Peanut Butter Oat Blender Waffles

These waffles are full of flavor. The outside is crispy with a soft inside. I love that there are no flours involved just one whole grain. Plus the kids love them. You can use any favorite waffle topping but with the peanut butter bananas and honey is very good.

Ingredients:

2 c. milk or milk alternative
2 1/4 c. oats
1/2 c. peanut butter or other nut butter
2 tbsp. brown sugar or maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Optional: Vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate chips...

Directions:

Add all ingredients to your blender. Blend for about a minute. Pour into the waffle iron and cook according to the waffle irons directions. Serve.

Healthy Potato Skins

I was recently suggesting to a client that she increase the potassium in her diet to reduce the occurance of muscle cramps. I suggested bananas and potato skins. She responded that potato skins are really unhealthy and packed with calories. Well, this can be true in a restaurant but they definitely don't have to be unhealthy at all and provide some great nutrition for your body.

Directions:

Take as many russet potatoes as you would like and scrub all of the dirt off of them with cold water.

Prick each potato a few times with a fork and bake for about an hour on 400 degrees.

Let the potatoes cool.

Cut each potato in half and dig out the insides (save the insides for something like potato salad or breakfast potatoes).

Place the potato skins skin side up on a cookie sheet and spray with a little cooking spray. Season as desired. I make a potato seasoning with coarse sea salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and dill.

Bake at 450 for about 15 minutes or until they start to get crispy.

Pull them out of the oven and fill with your favorite toppings. Here are some suggestions:
Green Onions
Homemade Chili
Tomatoes and Basil (maybe a drizzle of balsamic vinegar)
Shredded Chicken or Pork
Guacamole
Tossed Salad

I could go on all day! Just keep the toppings healthy and you are good to go.

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Muffins

I love these muffins. Sometimes I just make them as a quick bread, but when I am feeling brave enough to clean the muffin tin the kids get spoiled with muffins.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup Pamela's Baking Mix (this can probably be substituted if needed)
1/4 c. coconut oil
1 cup milk
1/4 cup granulated splenda (I guess you could use sugar if you wanted to)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Mix together milk, melted coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla. In another bowl mix together the flour, splenda, and cinnamon. Then mix the two together. It's pretty simple...dry, wet, combine, bake.

Add fruit if desired. My daughter is not a fan of fruit in her bread so we have to go plain. But I love a good blueberry or strawberry or mixed berry muffin.

Now I try to avoid things like shortening, but between the evil muffin tins and gluten-free baking it is a must here. You could use cooking spray if you want to stick with the healthy theme though.

Bake at 350 until the tops start to turn a golden brown. 20 minutes or so for muffins and more like 40 for a bread pan.

Oven Fried Ranch Chicken

This was a winner. Served with PW's skillet cornbread and a salad. Scored points with the family.

First, a note on the cornbread. I swap the flour for Pamela's baking mix and butter for the shortening. This is a big hit with the fam and a great option for gluten-free eaters.

Onto the oven fried ranch chicken:

This is a simple meal. Great for a busy evening as long as there is time for the baking part.

Ingredients:

• Chicken. I used 3 chicken breasts. But you could use any part or combo that you would like.
• 1 cup Cornmeal
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Put the cornmeal and ranch mix in a plastic bag or seal-able container.

Add the chicken and shake. This reminds me of being a kid. We made shake and bake chicken all of the time when I was a kid.

Bake until the chicken is cooked through. It depends on the size of your chicken pieces, but it will probably be about 40 minutes.

Groceries, Mostly Healthy, Mostly Gluten Free

Here is my weekly grocery shopping. Today I went to Trader Joes to hold me over before the next Costco trip.

Here is the receipt breakdown:

Baked onion rings: 1.99
Plain Bagels: 1.69
GF Bagels: 4.99
GF Oats: 3.99 x 2
Rice Crisps: 1.99
Romaine Hearts: 2.49
Sugar snap peas: 2.49
GF pizza crusts: 1.99 x 2
1 lb GF Pasta: 1.99 x 2
3 lbs apples: 2.99 x 2
Fresh basil: 2.49
2 lbs fat free greek yogurt: 4.99
12oz shredded cheddar cheese: 4.29
6 oz Canadian bacon: 2.49
Cream cheese: 1.69
Eggs, 1 dozen: 1.79

Looking at the receipt I have some thoughts. The basil is expensive for what I am getting and what it adds to my meals. I love fresh pesto but I will have to decide if the cost is worth it. I grabbed the wrong bag of cheese and it cost more than I had planned. Also, the bagels were a treat that we don't normally buy.

Total was $53.31. Not too bad if I can stretch it out over the week.

Baked Chicken, Baked Red Potatoes, and a Mixed Green Salad

Tonight I wanted simple but flavorful. So, I baked some chicken and potatoes and threw some mixed greens out.

Chicken toppings: coarse salt, pepper, dried basil, dried rosemary, a drizzle of honey, mustard powder, garlic powder, grated parmesan cheese.

Baked at 375 for an hour.

Baked Potatoes: cleaned, forked, tossed in olive oil and potato seasoning (I make this with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and dill).

Mixed green salad: greens, homemade balsamic dressing (olive oil, balsamic, salt, pepper, garlic powder, brown sugar, dill)

Simple, delicious.

Easy Enchiladas

This is my favorite easy way to make enchiladas. Sometimes I use chicken and other times it is just beans and cheese for a meatless night. This week I used a leftover pulled pork.

 

Ingredients:

 

beans (I like to use refried but they could be whole too)

shredded cheese

enchilada sauce

corn tortillas

*optional: peppers and onions, salsa, corn, etc

 

Directions:

 

Mix your toppings together in a bowl. Put a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the bottom of your baking dish.

 

Spread the mixture lightly on the corn tortilla and place it flat in your pan (set to med-low).

 

After a minute or so roll up the tortilla and let set for 30 seconds. Place the rolled up enchilada into the dish with the sauce.

 

When you have the desired amount of enchiladas cover with the remainder of the enchilada sauce and top with more shredded cheese.

 

Bake at 400 until cheese begins to brown. About 20-30 minutes.

 

Serve with a salad, guacamole, lime, hot sauce, or whatever else sounds fitting.



 

 

 

Amish Oatmeal

Love this recipe. Served warm with a little milk. mmm. Regular recipes aren't very healthy (great for special occassions. But we can't load up on fat and sugar every morning so this is a healthier version.

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashioned oats
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup granulated splenda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together, except the oats. After ingredients are mixed add the oats. Pour mixure into baking dish and cover. Place in the fridge overnight.

Bake at 350 about 30 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

Meal Plan 1/16/13

6 Dinners

Turkey meatloaf and salad
Easy bean and cheese enchiladas
Apple chicken meatballs, roasted potatoes, veggies (I thought they were great but not as kid friendly as I had hoped. Probably won't make again.)
Crockpot pork roast, parm noodles, salad
Teriyaki chicken, rice, sauteed veggies
Breakfast for dinner
Leftover night

Breakfast:
cereal
eggs
waffles

Lunches:
leftovers
nachos
apples and peanut butter
cheese and crackers

Shopping list:
I am trying to clean out my cupboards so I am trying to keep the list short
eggs
potatoes
milk
onions
zucchini
celery