Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Flowerless Cupcake Brownies w/ Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
3 large eggs
⅓ cup + ¼ cup pure maple syrup, divided use
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ cup all-natural peanut butter
¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
⅔ cup Vanilla Shakeology

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Prepare 12 muffin cups by lining with muffin papers or coating with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
3. Place chickpeas, eggs, ⅓ cup maple syrup, cocoa powder, baking soda, coconut oil, and extract in blender or food processor; cover. Blend until smooth.
4. Divide batter among 12 prepared muffin cups.
5. Top each cupcake with about four chocolate chips; push into batter.
6. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely and enjoy!
8. To make frosting while cupcakes are baking, whip peanut butter in a medium bowl; beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until creamy.
9. Add almond milk; beat until well blended.
10. Add Shakeology; beat until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally.
11. Slowly add remaining ¼ cup maple syrup while beating on medium speed. (If frosting is too stiff, add 1 to 2 tbsp. additional almond milk.) Set aside.
12. Once cupcakes are cool, evenly spread with frosting.

[From teambeachbody.com]

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Chicken Penne Pasta

Hey ya'll this is a super simple meal that I made this week for dinner. If you cook a bunch of pasta and chicken on your food prep day, then this is a quick meal!

Prep: 5 minutes (if you cook pasta and chicken earlier)
Cook Time: 10 minutes

1/2 cup whole wheat pasta (I used penne pasta)
1/2 cup cooked spinach
1/2 cup tomatoes
3/4 cup shredded chicken breast
1.5 tsp olive oil
Seasonings to taste

In a pan, put 1/2 tsp olive oil, tomatoes, spinach, and seasoning. Cook over medium/high heat until spinach is cooked. Remove from heat. In a bowl heat up your pasta and chicken. Combine spinach and tomatoes from the pan with your chicken and pasta. Add 1 tsp olive oil and mix. Enjoy!

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Total Time: 1 hr. 16 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 61 min.
Yield: 10 servings, about 1½ cups each

Ingredients:
1 lb. dry whole wheat macaroni
1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, chopped
3 cups cubed butternut squash
1¾ cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
1 cup low-fat (1%) milk
2 Tbsp. low-fat (1%) plain Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
Nonstick cooking spray
Finely chopped fresh parsley (for garnish; optional)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add onion and bell peppers; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Set aside.
5. Combine squash, broth, and milk in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; gently boil for 22 to 25 minutes, or until squash is tender.
6. Place squash mixture in a blender or food processor; cover with lid and kitchen towel. Blend until smooth.
7. Combine squash mixture, macaroni, onion mixture, yogurt, and cheeses. Season with salt and pepper if desired; mix well.
8. Place macaroni mixture in a 13 x 9-inch ceramic or glass baking dish that has been coated with spray. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling.
9. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Tip: Blend small batches of hot liquids in blender or food processor since they expand during the blending process, therefore decreasing the chance of overflowing.

(From Beachbody.com)

Friday, July 1, 2016

Veggie Scrambled Eggs, Peaches, and Wheat Toast

This is what my breakfast typically looks like. Super easy and quick to make but packed full of nutritional goodness. There is no real prep time because I use my food processor to chop up a ton of bell peppers on Sundays.

Meal prep: 2 min
Cook Time: 7 min

1/2 cup spinach/kale mix
1/2 cup bell pepper
2 large eggs
1 tsp olive oil
1 piece wheat bread
1 peach

Put toast in toaster. Crack eggs in the pan and use a spatula to stir them together. I like to add some pepper for taste. Continue to cook eggs. Once eggs are almost cooked to my liking (I like them scrambled hard), add olive oile, spinach/kale mix, and bell pepper. Continue to cook until spinach/kale mix is wilted. Put eggs, toast, and peaches on a plate and enjoy!