Protein Bars

My sister-in-law sent me this recipe a while back.  It took me a while to make them because I had to gather the ingredients (which, where I live, takes a few different stores and a bit of searching!)  But they were so worth it!  So, if you have a bit of time to chop, grind and mix all 21 of these ingredients together, you won't be sorry.  I kept them in my freezer and would take out a few at a time when I was on the go.  Needless to say, they didn't last too long.  My 3 year old and I devoured the entire batch within a couple of weeks!

Raw Protein Bars

Mixture 1:

3 cups almond flour (I ground my almonds in the blender, then strained them through a fine strainer/colander)

1 cup golden flax seeds

2 cups oats

Mixture 2:

¼ cup agave

¼ cup maple syrup

3 TBSP raw honey

¼ cup flax oil

¼ cup + 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice

¼ cup fresh orange juice

2 TBSP raw coconut oil (or almond oil)

2 tsp Vanilla

1/8 tsp Almond extract

1 ¼ tsp salt

Mixture 3:

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup golden raisins

½ cup dates

1 cup pecans

¼ cup sesame seeds

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup dried apricots

½ cup unsweetened coconut shreads

Directions:  Grind Mixture 1 in blender really well (I used my vita-mix).  Pour into large bread mixer bowl (My bosch was the perfect size).  Combine Mixture 2 in blender until creamy, then combine with Mixture 1 in bread mixer.  Blend Mixture 3 ingredients in Food Processor (a few ingredients at a time) then add to Mixture 1 & 2.  The dough is very stiff.  Spread into 9x13 glass pan.  Refrigerate to cool.  Cut into 1 inch squares.  Stays fresh in refrigerator for 2 weeks.  Or it freezes nicely.  Great for breakfast, snacks, roadtrips, etc!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Found this recipe here

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound of boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1" chunks
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 10-ounce can pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
• 1/4 cup juice from the canned pineapple
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
• 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cooking oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

METHOD

1 In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white, salt and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

2 In the meantime, whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, salt, and brown sugar.

3 Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot. Add the chicken and spread the chicken out in one layer. Let the chicken fry, untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned. Flip and fry the other side the same for 1 minute. The chicken should still be pinkish in the middle. Dish out the chicken onto a clean plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.

4 Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat up and then add the bell pepper chunks and ginger. Fry for 1 minute. Add the pineapple chunks and the sweet and sour sauce. Turn the heat to high and when the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking.

Taco Soup

This is probably one of my favorite "go to" recipes of all time.  I almost always have all of the ingredients on hand, and it is a cinch to throw together.  The only problem, I never measure anything, so I have no idea how to measure this recipe out, but here's a shot.

Ingredients:

Ground Beef (about a pound)

Onion, finely chopped

Seasonings (salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, etc.)

Quart tomato sauce

Frozen Corn

Variety of Canned beans, drained (black, kidney, garbanzo, etc.)

Brown the hamburger with chopped onion and seasonings, drain.  Now, either in a large soup pot, or in the crockpot, stir everything together.  If it seems a little thick, sometimes I add some water.  Heat it through for an hour or so.  If I do it in the crockpot, I just keep it on low for a few hours.

Serve with grated cheese, avacado, corn chips, sour cream, fresh cilantro, or whatever floats your boat.

My kids, who don't love soup, love this dish.  And I love it too, because it is gluten, dairy (I don't add the cheese garnishments), sugar, and soy free.  Awesome.  

Brussels Sprouts

They have a bad rap.  I have to honestly say I don't think I'd ever had them before Christmas.  If my mom ever made them I either didn't eat them, or I've chosen to completely forget them.

I watched The Pioneer Woman's Christmas Special on Food Network and she made Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries.  They looked so good.  I wanted them instantly and added them to our Christmas menu.  The verdict?  They were good.  But I liked them better before adding the glaze to them.  Just roasted in the oven with some olive oil.  I couldn't stop eating them.  That's how I make them now.  Simply roasted.

I make them by washing and halving them.  Then spreading them on a cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle some salt.  Toss them around a bit, then bake them in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes.


{photo from the Pioneer Woman}

I want to try this recipe next - with Garlic.  Yum.

How do you like your Brussels Sprouts?