Overnight Slow Cooker Raisin Steel Cut Oats

Here is another fabulous SUPER easy breakfast! What I love about overnight oats is that you literally have breakfast cooking for you while your sleeping! We wake up and breakfast is piping hot waiting for us to enjoy! Everyone in my house loved this one today. Clean, healthy and delicious! Enjoy!!


Overnight Slow Cooker Raisin Steel cut oats

Ingredients:

1 Cup Organic steel cut oats
2 Cups water
2 Cups Almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 cup organic rasins

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker
Cook on warm overnight for 8 hours

Serve and enjoy!!

Recipe Courtesy of Christine Scudder- Fit Mom Of Three

Oven "Fried" Chicken Tenders

Oven "Fried" Chicken Tenders

This is a recipe inspired by Autumn Calabrese's, oven fried chicken and waffles recipe in her Fixate cookbook. I was looking to make something fun for the kids for dinner and this ended up being a total score! I skipped the waffle end of it and substituted a few ingredients.....this is what the end result was! It was Excellent!! An all around crowd pleaser and there were plenty of leftovers for sandwiches the next day. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp oregano leaves
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder- gluten free
1/2 cup almond flourr
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup grated parmigiano cheese
2 large eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degree F
Spray baking sheet with olive oil- set aside
Hand mix eggs in large dish
Mix all ingredients in large shallow dish excluding chicken- set aside
Cut chicken breast into tenders
Coat chicken tenders in egg mixture, then dredge in dry ingredient mixture- coating chicken thoroughly.
Place chicken on prepared baking sheet and bake for 18-20 min or until chicken is no longer pink

I served chicken with hand cut baked sweet potato fries and it was perfect!
Recipe inspired by Autumn Calabrese's Oven Fried Chicken And Protein Waffles recipe located in Fixate cookbook.

21 Day Fix Approved Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are a favorite for every household!! I know they are in mine! My children love them and so do the kids BUT traditional chocolate chip cookies are made with less than whole ingredients. Processed foods, refined sugars and TONS of butter. No good. I can give my children (and treat myself) to yummy sweets like cookies and feel good about it when they are made with whole, clean ingredients. Sweetened with only natural sweetners and gluten free. These cookies have both those qualities and are not lacking taste in any way. They are delicious!! My husband (who is always hesitant when he hears "gluten free", loves them too! Give these a try! They are sure to be a crowd pleaser in your house as well!

Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Ingredients:
3 cups almond flour
1 tsp baking soda- gluten free
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup organic coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine almond flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Beat oil and maple syrup in large mixer bowl until creamy, approx. 4-5 minutes.
Add eggs, egg whites, and extract; beat for an additional 2 minutes.
Add almond flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until blended.
Add chocolate chips and mix until just blended.
Drop by rounded Tbsp. onto prepared baking sheets.
Flatten cookies with spatula if traditional cookie appearance is desired. Bake for 14-16 min or until golden brown.
Store in airtight container.

21 day fix container- one cookie = 11/2 yellow

Recipe courtesy of Autumn Calabrese- Fixate cookbook.

Fit Mom Of Three's own Clean Eating Meatballs And Sauce

Okay- I will start off by saying that after YEARS of trying, I have finally mastered the Italian classic of Meatballs and sauce!! My husband is a huge Italian food fan so his approval finally meant this batch made the cut! This sauce with meatballs is delicious, made with only clean, whole, organic foods and my family loves it! Kid approved too- which is always a tackle in this house! This batch of meatballs and sauce feeds us for two nights and I still have leftover sauce to freeze. I usually take it out of the freezer for my homemade whole wheat pizza and cauliflower crust pizza. You really get a great bang for your buck with this meal! The first night of the batch is usually had with brown rice penne pasta and the second night I make them meatball parm hero's on whole wheat rolls. I choose to have the meatballs alone with a nice mixed green salad on the side loaded with tons of fresh raw veggies and my homemade balsamic dressing.

Meatballs:
2 pound of ground sirloin- hormone and antibiotic free
2 organic free rage brown eggs (large)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried minced onions
1 medium onion finely chopped
1/2 cup panko whole wheat bread crumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line baking sheet with parchment paper- I like to spray with my misto olive oil sprayer. Spray generously. Set aside.
Mix all ingredients well in large bowl
Roll into medium balls ( I make them small to medium).
Place each meatball onto prepared baking sheet.
Once all meatballs are on sheet I spray each meatball with olive oil to create a nice outer layer.
Bake for 15-18 minutes.
Remove from oven and place meatballs in pot of already prepared and simmering sauce- recipe follows this.
I let simmer for at least 1-1/2 hours on low setting.


Classic Italian Sauce:
Ingredients:
3 heaping tablespoons minced garlic ( you can lesson amount if your not a huge garlic fan as I am)
1 29oz can tomato puree -organic
1 29oz can crushed tomato with basil
2 15oz cans organic diced tomatoes
1 15oz can organic tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
2 teaspoons sea salt
3 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons onion salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Red pepper flakes to add to each portion separately if desired

Directions:
Add all ingredients into large sauce pan
Simmer on low covered for 1 1/2 hours
Serve with Fit Mom Of Three's Classic Italian Meatballs

Recipe Courtesy of Christine Scudder- Fit Mom Of Three

Flourless Chocolate Chickpea Brownies- 21 day fix approved

Flourless Chocolate Chickpea Brownies- 21 Day fix approved!

These brownies are easy, delicious and kid approved! Not to mention they are from Autumn Calabreses' "Fixate" cookbook! One of her many wonderful recipes that are fix approved and clean! Clean eating is a way of life. I'll be honest- for me it was easy, but for my husband and children....not so much. It has taken me over a year to explore and test many different recipes, trying to find the best ones that work for everyone in my family. Not an easy task!! But over time, I have finally figured it out! This is one of those recipes that works for everyone. I don't like giving my family processed food loaded with poor ingredients, preservatives and tons of processed sugars. I choose treat like this one. Whole, natural foods with natural sweeteners. Give this one a try! It is sure to satisfy that sweet tooth!! Guilt free sweets- that's my specialty!

Ingredients:

-non-stick cooking spray
-1 15oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
-1/4 cup of organic grass fed butter or organic coconut oil
-2 large eggs
-1/2 cup pure maple syrup or raw honey
-2 tsp pure vanilla extract
-1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
-1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder
-1 pinch sea salt
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. I use vegan chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line 9 by 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly coat with cooking spray and set aside.
Place chickpeas, butter or coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, extract, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Add chocolate chips and mix by hand until blended.
Evenly spread batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 25-28 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean of center of brownies
Let cool and cut into squars.
21 Day fix containers: 1 yellow

Recipe courtesy of : Fixate cookbook. Autumn Calabrese

21 Day Fix Approved Stuffed Peppers

I have become obsessed with this recipe! It's easy, quick and feeds me a super healthy lunch for the entire week! It's delicious and packed with good, whole, clean foods. I have found that for me, having healthy dishes already prepared and in the fridge stops me from eating either nothing (which is so bad for our bodies) or making a poor choice with food due to being famished!! Give these a try! My kids are not crazy about them but that actually works out....more for me!!

Ingredients:

- 4 red, yellow, orange or green
bell peppers cut in half and seeded.

- 2 tsp olive oil

- 1 medium onion chopped

- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped

- 1 1/2 pounds raw chicken breast
chopped into 3/4 inch pieces (I use 1 pound of ground chicken)

- 1 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp ground cumin

- 1/4 tsp sea salt

- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

- 1 cup of tomato sauce

- 2 cups cooked quinoa

- 1 cup canned black beans rinsed and drained

- 1 cup frozen corn kernels

- 5 tbsp chopped cilantro

- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese ( I used vegan cheddar cheese to avoid dairy)

Preheat oven to 375
Place bell peppers skin side down in large baking dish, set aside.
Heat oil in skillet over med heat
Add onion, stirring frequently for one min.
Add garlic, cook for one min.
Add chicken and cook until no longer pink
Add chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and stir.
Add tomato sauce, quinoa, beans, corn, cilantro and lime juice. Reduce heat to med-low. Cook for 3-5 min until heated through.
Add a heaping 1/2 cup to each pepper half, cover lightly with foil and bake for 35 min or until peppers are tender.
Remove foil and cover with cheese. Bake for 3 min or until cheese is melted.
Enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of: Fixate cookbook, Autumn Calabrese

21 day fix portion containers: 1 green, 1 yellow, 1 red, 1/2 purple

Learning how to love yourself

I came across this article and HAD to share it! It really spoke to me and I love this author's advice! Learning how to love yourself is challenging. It's not something we can decide over night and "bam!", it's done. No, no no......it doesn't work that way. It takes time, effort and re-training ourselves! So much popular self-help advice suggests that we must "learn to love ourselves." It’s good advice, but how exactly do we do it?  Check out these three key ways from Deborah Ward-

It's not so simple: We often believe that we do love ourselves, and yet our actions and reactions, and our lives, suggest otherwise. Yet loving yourself is essential to your personal growth, to the fulfillment of your dreams, and to developing healthy, happy relationships with others. Instead of trying to just talk yourself into believing you have self-love, foster compassion for yourself with these three practical steps:

1. Care as much about yourself as you do for others.
   It sounds simple, but many of us simply don’t do this because we think we are being selfish or that our own needs are not important. They are. It is not selfish to care about yourself. Compassion for yourself means showing concern for your own feelings as well as for others. Treat yourself the way you would treat your children or your best friend—with gentleness, concern and caring.
2. Maintain your boundaries.
   Write a list of the things that you need emotionally, things that are important to you and that upset you or hurt your feelings when they are ignored or violated. They could include being listened to; getting sympathy when you’re hurt; being celebrated when you succeed; receiving love and tenderness without asking for it; being cared for; and knowing you can rely on someone. Whatever is important to you is important. And when someone ignores what’s important to you or crosses your boundary, you’ll know—because it hurts. Don’t ignore that. Your feelings are there to tell you what’s right and what’s wrong.
   Let people know what your boundaries are and what you will and will not tolerate. If they apologize, you can forgive them. If they do not, or continue to ignore your boundaries and needs, you need to create consequences. For example, if you tell your partner that you need him to listen to you and to acknowledge your feelings when you talk about something, but he continuously ignores you or tells you to get over it, you should respond with appropriate action, such as finding someone else to confide in. You may also need to reconsider the relationship. Relationships are meant to be a two-way street and you should be getting your needs for love, acceptance and respect met as much as the other person's. Being assertive and taking action to get your own needs met will build your self-esteem because it will reinforce the belief, in yourself and others, that you deserve to be loved and cherished.
3. Do what you need to do to be you.
   First, figure out what makes you feel good. It doesn’t matter what it is, but become aware of how you feel when you do things. Do you feel exhausted at work, but exhilarated when you’re in the garden? Do you feel joyful reading to your children? Fulfilled when you are writing poetry or volunteering? Find out what makes you feel good and do it, as often as you can. Feeling good is all the permission you need to do what you love to do. And the more you do those things, the happier you will be. If it means you have to give up something else, so be it. Perhaps you need to spend more time on your own or schedule an hour every weekend to visit an art gallery to recharge. Maybe you need to save up some money to buy paints and brushes, or ask your family to look after themselves for a few hours while you take a stress-relieving walk. Perhaps you need to join a club to meet like-minded people who inspire you. Do what you need to do to be you and don’t let anyone blame you, criticize you or talk you out of it because they think you are being selfish, silly, or delusional. Ignore them. You will feel better, you will be better able to really be there for others—and you will like yourself more. You may even love yourself.

All of these things will help you to develop a sense of accomplishment, a sense of pride in what you are doing and who you are, and a realization that you are a worthy, talented, capable, lovable person who deserves to be loved. And the most important person to believe that is you.

Author: Deborah Ward, Psychology today

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

I've always been obsessed with buffalo sauce! I love a good kick when it comes to food and taste! As good as buffalo wings are, they are a BIG no no when it comes to healthy eating. These are a great alternative that gives you the "kick" factor!

Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 35 min.
Yield: 6 servings, approximately ¾ cup Bites and 3 Tbsp. Sauce each

Ingredients:
½ cup low-fat (1%) plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
Nonstick cooking spray
6 cups cauliflower florets
½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt), divided use
½ cup hot pepper sauce
⅓ cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch, gluten-free (preferably GMO free)
2 tsp. ground chili powder
¼ tsp. ground smoked paprika
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. olive oil

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine yogurt and cheese in a small bowl; mix well. Refrigerate until needed.
3. Lightly coat large baking sheet with spray.
4. Place cauliflower florets on baking sheet. Coat cauliflower lightly with spray. Season evenly with ¼ tsp. salt.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tender-crisp.
6. While cauliflower is baking, combine hot sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch in medium saucepan; whisk until cornstarch is dissolved.
7. Add chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, maple syrup, oil, and remaining ¼ tsp. salt; whisk to blend.
8. Heat hot sauce mixture over medium-high heat; cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Set aside.
9. Pour hot sauce mixture over baked cauliflower (on baking sheet); mix well.
10. Return cauliflower to oven. Bake for 5 minutes.
11. Serve hot with sauce.

Recipe courtesy of Beachbody.com

Blueberry Buckle Granola

Here’s a delicious yet sensible dessert recipe that contains the healthy fiber of oats, the antioxidant properties of blueberries, and the crunchy goodness of almonds…plus this blueberry buckle tastes great!

Total Time: 25 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 20 min.
Yield: 2 servings, about ½ cup each

Ingredients:
¾ cup steel-cut oats
1/3 cup fresh blueberries
2 Tbsp. slivered raw almonds
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine all ingredients in a glass baking dish.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring twice during baking.

Recipe courtesy of: Beachbody.com

Maple baked sweet potatoes

this is a wonderful recipe that I found from the gracious pantry! I've been on the hunt for Valentine's Day recipes to make for my husband this year, as we have decided to stay in! This goes down in my book as a winner for sure!! I love cooking dinners for my family! This year, Valentine's Day dinner will be consisting of a ginger soy steak and these amazing sweet potatoes as one of our sides! I'm feeling the love already! Enjoy and thanks again to the gracious pantry for sharing this with us!Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe The gracious pantry!

CLEAN EATING VALENTINE’S MAPLE BAKED SWEET POTATOES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large sweet potato.
• 3 tbsp. grass-fed butter
• 3 tbps. pure maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt, plus more to taste after baking

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel and slice your sweet potato. I recommend no thicker than 1/4 inch. But really, more important that thickness is that all the pieces are uniform in thickness, otherwise they won’t all bake at the same rate.
2. In a pot, melt the butter and mix in the maple syrup, cinnamon and salt.
3. Place the sweet potato hearts in the pot and stir to coat the hearts.
4. Pour into a small casserole dish and bake at 350 F. for approximately 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and cooked through.
5. Allow to cool a bit, salt as needed and serve.

Read more: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-valentines-maple-baked-sweet-potatoes/#ixzz3zG7knBym 
© The Gracious Pantry. All rights reserved. 
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Healthier pancakes "Mancakes"!

Who does't love a great stack of pancakes?? I DO! Everyone in my family loves pancakes and these are a great healthy alternative! As good as your classic pancake is- it's loaded with carbs! Enjoy these yummy "Mancakes"!!

Thanks Maegan Blinka - Living a Life of Family, Fun and Fitness for sharing the recipe!!!

Clean Eating Shrimp Scampi- a healthier alternative

I LOVE shrimp scampi, always have. My husband and kids do as well! The problem with traditional scampi is it's loaded with butter. This is a great healthy version of the classic dish! Your family won't even know that it's a healthy! Give it a try!  Enjoy!

Total Time: 22 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 12 min.
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:
3 oz dry whole wheat pasta
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided use
8 oz medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ cup low-sodium, organic vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. white wine
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
Crushed red pepper (to taste; optional)
3 fresh parsley sprigs, finely chopped
2 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

Preparation:
1. Bring large pot of water to boil for pasta.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Set aside.
3. While pasta is cooking, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add shrimp and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until shrimp is opaque and firm. Remove shrimp from pan. Set aside.
5. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft.
6. Add lemon juice, broth, wine, black pepper, and red pepper; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Add shrimp, parsley, and basil; cook until heated through.
8. Divide pasta between 2 plates; top evenly with shrimp mixture.

Recipe courtesy of: Teambeachbody.com

Ginger Soy Flank Steak

Steak night always feels like a special occasion, even when you use a simple recipe like this one. Flavors of ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and honey combine to create an umami sauce that takes lean flank steak to another level of delicious. The marinade takes minutes to make, and about an hour to fully flavor and tenderize the meat, but if you’re in a hurry, you can cook the steak after just 30 minutes. This is also a great Valentine's day dinner if your staying in!

Total Time: 1 hr. 21 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 16 min.
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
2-inch slice fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. raw honey
¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
1½ lbs. flank steak (or tenderized round steak)

Preparation:
1. Combine ginger, garlic, red pepper, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and oil in a small bowl; whisk to blend.
2. Place steak in a shallow dish. Pour ginger mixture over steak; marinate, covered, turning once, for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
3. Preheat grill or broiler on high.
4. Grill or broil steak for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches desired temperature on your meat thermometer (rare is 120° F., medium rare is 125° F., medium is 130° F.). Remove from heat; let steak rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
5. Slice steak thinly against the grain.

Recipe Courtesy of: BeachBody.com