Chocolate Shake with a Healthy Kick

Ingredients

Directions

Place all ingredients in the blender or smoothie maker. Blend VERY WELL until you can’’t see any spinach.

This recipe makes one serving and contains 74 calories, 3g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g cholesterol, 8.2g carbs, 2.6g fiber, 4.1g sugar, and 6g protein.

Chocolate Banana “Ice Cream”

Ingredients

  • 1 banana (frozen in wheels)
  • 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1 splash skim milk (1-3 Tablespoons depending on the consistency you want)
  • 2 packets stevia

Directions

Cut a banana into wheels and freeze. When frozen, take out of the freezer and microwave 5-8 seconds just to make them a little shiny. Place all ingredients in a blender and puree. You may want to add 2 tablespoons of milk and watch the consistency. You can always add more to make it less dense. This should have the consistency of ice cream when you are finished, so blend and continue adding milk until you achieve this.

Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

  • 1 large pork tenderloin
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc freezer bag. Pierce pork with a fork. Place in marinade. Allow to marinate at least 2 hours in refrigerator. Brown pork in a hot, oven safe pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Brown on all sides. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cooked to desired level of doneness.

Turkey Breasts with Cremini Mushrooms and Madiera

Ingredients

  • 1 skinless turkey breast, cut into 4 pieces about 4 ounces each
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3 1/2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 4 tablespoons Madeira
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2/3 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons fat free sour cream or fat free plain Greek yogurt
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Pound turkey breasts until about 1/4 inch thick. Mix flour, salt, and pepper. Coat turkey with flour mixture, shaking off excess.

Heat oil in a large pan. Add turkey pieces. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover to keep warm.

Add onion to the pan. Sauté 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until soft. Stir in the Madeira and leave to bubble about 2 minutes. Stir in the mustard, oregano, and stock. Return turkey to the pan and simmer 3-4 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, spoon the turkey and mushrooms onto a serving platter. Stir the sour cream into the sauce and warm through. Salt and pepper more if necessary. Pour sauce over turkey.

Recipe makes 4 servings. Each serving contains: 271 cal, 7g fat, 1.7g saturated fat, 78mg cholesterol, 10g carb, 1.8g fiber, 3.9g sugar, 40g protein.

Amazing “Banana Split”

Ingredients

  • One small banana, cut lengthwise
  • 1 teaspoon peanut butter, or nut butter of your choice (PB 2 or chocolate PB 2 could work as well to decrease calories)
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain (sweetened yourself to taste with vanilla and sweetener, or just buy vanilla Greek yogurt)
  • 1 Tablespoon crushed whole grain cereal of your choice

Directions

Spread banana halves with peanut butter, laying them close together. Drop Greek yogurt in a pile on top in the center. Top Greek yogurt with cereal pieces.

This entire recipe contains 196 calorie, 3.6 grams of fat, .4 grams of saturated fat, 30.2 carbs, 2.9 grams of fiber, 17.8 grams of sugar, and 13.6 grams of protein.

This recipe was adapted from the Biggest Loser cookbook.

No Bake Oatmeal Cookies

These no bake cookies are quick and simple. They can give you the satisfaction of eating something sweet and chocolate. They also keep well in the freezer. The crumbs are great over vanilla Greek yogurt. These cookies also do not contain flour, so many people find that they are satisfying but do not cause them to crave excess amounts like with traditional cookies.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons grass fed butter
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 2 Stevia packets
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or skim)
  • dash salt
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla
  • 1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter, almond butter, or other nut butter of your choice
  • 1 1/2 cups UNCOOKED oatmeal

Directions

Microwave the butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 15-30 seconds, until the butter is melted. Add 1/4 cup cocoa and blend until the cocoa is dissolved into the butter.
Add the Splenda/stevia, milk, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Blend well.
Add oatmeal. Stir well. Drop by tablespoon-full on waxed paper and allow to cool.
You may have to add a little more peanut butter and milk (just a splash). I usually use dark chocolate almond butter and do not use the cocoa powder, so you could do it that way too.

Dijon Feta Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

  • 1-1/4 lbs. lean ground turkey
  • 1/3 c parsley
  • 3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 T worcestershire sauce
  • 1 T Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1-3/4 oz. feta

Directions

Mix all ingredients together.  Form 5 patties.  Grill or cook on a griddle or pan until cooked thoroughly.

Each pattie contains 140 calories, 2.6 grams of fat, 76.7 mg cholesterol, .3 grams of carb, .3 grams of sugar, and 29.1 grams of protein.

Roasted Tomatoes with Basil

Ingredients

  • 4 Roma tomatoes or a pint of grape tomatoes
  • 16-20 whole basil leaves (about 2 per 1/2 tomato)
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (if desired)

 Directions

Wash tomatoes and cut in 1/2.  Place tomatoes on a baking sheet or in a glass or ceramic baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and sugar if desired.  If tomatoes are in season, they typically do not need sugar.  Place whole basil leaves on top.  Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes or until tomatoes skins start to shrivel.

These can be eaten fresh and hot or cold with a salad.  You can sprinkle parmesan on top.  They are also really great cut up on top of spaghetti squash with parmesan.

Roasted Carrots

This is a very simple recipe, but it is amazing.  Allowing the carrots to caramelize makes them unbelievably sweet!

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs fresh large carrots
  • 1-2 tbs olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

 Directions

Peel and cut the carrots into quarters.  Do not use baby carrots as it does not work as well.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss until well coated.  Sprinkle salt and pepper, and toss again.  Place on a cookie sheet so that carrots are not on top of each other.  They will caramelize better if they are not crowded.  Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, check to see if the carrots are turning brown and bubbly on the bottom (caramelized).  Turn with a spatula and bake until the other side of the carrots have just started to turn brown.  Salt and pepper again if necessary.

These do not taste like pot roast carrots.  I was not a cooked carrot lover until I tried them like this!

Makes 8 servings. Each serving contains 55 calories, 1.8 grams of fat, .2 grams of saturated fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 45 mg. sodium, 9 grams of carb, 2 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients

  • 2 bags frozen cauliflower
  • 1/2  cup water
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions

Steam frozen cauliflower until very tender, placing 1/2 cup water under steamer.  Drain water.  Use an immersion blender or food processor to puree’ cauliflower until creamy.  Add garlic salt, salt, and pepper. Feel free to add more if you think it needs more flavor.  It will take more salt and pepper than you think. Do not add any milk as it can make it runny.

Makes 8 servings. Each serving contains 31 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of cholesterol, 5 grams of carb, 1.2 grams of fiber, 2.5 grams of sugar, and 1.2 grams of protein.