Yes, I know the title is a mouth full, but so is the muffin... a mouth full of deliciousness!  I am not even going to begin to take credit for it either!  I am an fan of Amanda's blog Running With Spoons.  She has great recipes and she recently posted her version of the Banana Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins.  

Her picture she took of the muffins won me over.  Obviously the ingredients did too, but man, I need her to teach me a lesson in taking pictures of food because I suck at it.  No lie.  Anyway, I had all of the ingredients at home and loved that it didn't have flour, butter, or too much sugar in it, so I knew it was a must for me to make for Ryan and I.

I did tweak it just slightly (added just a few more ingredients), which is why I am posting my version up here too.  My picture is horrible and I totally overfilled my muffin liners so the tops did not rise like they should but it was still mouth-watering!  They are moist and delicious and I do not feel guilty eating them.  My only note is, do not do what I did and over fill the liner, you must obey the golden rule: fill only 3/4 the way on each liner.

To view the original recipe, view Amanda's here.

Here is my tweaked version since I love vanilla, protein, and love cinnamon.

Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins

by Sherri Schwartz

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

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Ingredients (12 muffins)

• 1 c. Plain Greek Yogurt
• 3 Ripe Bananas
• 2 Eggs
• 2.5 c. Old Fashion Oats (could use quick too)
• 1/4 c. Brown Sugar (I used light brown sugar)
• 1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder (I used aluminum free baking powder)
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• Splash of Vanilla Extract
• 1 scoop of Vanilla protein (I use True Athlete's Natural Whey Vanilla Protein)
• 1/2 c. Dark Chocolate Chips and/or Blueberries, Walnuts, etc.
• Cooking Spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line muffin pan with liners. Spray the liners with cooking spray so that the mixture will not stick. (You do not have to use liners, but if you do not, spray the pan with cooking spray.)

Add all of the ingredients into a food processor (except chocolate chips) and blend until smooth. Then stir in the chocolate chips.

(At this point, you could also add in any other ingredients you may want: i.e., blueberries, walnuts, etc.)

Pour mixture into muffin liners until each is 3/4 full and top with chocolate chips.

Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

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Kale, Broccoli, Rice, and Chicken Casserole

I recently took a look back at my weekly meals and realized I was making the same thing over and over again... either tacos or breakfast burritos.  Let's be real, I wanted to make the fastest and quickest thing for Ryan and I.  Ryan has a tendency to expect dinner as soon as we walk in the door from daycare.  Talk about pressure!

But looking back, I was not providing a lot of options for him to enjoy and I was rather bored.  There are only so many meals I can whip up in t-minus 5 minutes.  When Russell is home from traveling, I am able to whip up a more adventurous dish, but that is simply because he is keeping Ryan entertained outside or somewhere away from the kitchen.  If he wasn't home, Ryan would be koala bear glued to my leg having a scream session, and I would be downing a glass of wine.

I had heard great things about meal prepping but just always brushed it off, but I knew I needed to really reconsider it so that Ryan and I could eat some different meals that would normally take me a long time in the kitchen to cook.  So, I decided to start planning my meals for the week on Sunday's and even meal prepping to have at least 2-3 dinners on hand, ready to go.  I am jumping on the meal prep bandwagon late, but man it has really helped me and it is only week 1.  This week, I have meal prepped our Turkey Spinach Nuggets AND a new favorite, Kale, Broccoli, Rice, and Chicken Casserole.  I made both of these earlier this week, froze half of each in the freezer for another week, and the other half in the fridge to just reheat quickly for meals this week.

I can't tell you how much I have loved coming home to pre-made delicious meals that have already been cooked.  Why did I NOT jump on the meal-prep bandwagon sooner?  I am already writing down meal ideas to prep for on Sunday for next week!

The casserole dish I made was a recent discovery.  It was loaded in veggies and I really wanted us to try it.  I tweaked the recipe a bit and it was a total hit... to the point that Ryan ate 2 plate fulls yesterday.  Happy son, happy mom.  Want to know about the recipe??  Great!  Here it is:

Turkey Stuffed Zucchini

Leading up to going on vacation, I try my hardest to eat everything in my fridge so that I don't waste anything and have it spoil when I am away.  The other day, I realized I had a ton of organic zucchini lying around and organic ground turkey, so I decided to whip up a dish using both.  I have seen many different versions of Turkey Stuffed Zucchini on the web, but some required more ingredients than I had lying around.  So, I improvised and made my own version with what I did have and added extra veggies.  It turned out to be a family hit, and Ryan thoroughly enjoyed digging in.  It was hearty, and loaded in veggie!

Hmmm, I think I like it....

Let me think about it...

Yep, I do!  Now dig in!

Lobster Veggie Pasta using the Veggetti

Have you ever gotten sucked into watching infomercials/As Seen on TV and thought, "Hmmm, I think I want that?"  I do, all the time.  I can't tell you how many times I am tempted to call in and try Cindy Crawford's Meaningful Beauty line or the Magic Mesh screen door cover but lets be real, half the items I contemplate purchasing, I have no real practical use for.  But there are always the few that are actually worth it.  Like my Shark vacuum and steam mop, man those are winners.  Oh and my new favorite, the Veggetti.

About a six months ago, I was watching an infomercial on the Veggetti, a tool that can turn almost any veggie into pasta.  I knew it was an instant hit and needed to get in my kitchen tool drawer immediately.  I purchased and it has truly been a staple to many meals.

Source: http://www.buyveggetti.com/

Russell, my hubs, was bitten by a tick five years ago and developed a chronic condition of Lyme's disease along with some of the multiple co-infections that you can get with it.  Through the years of treating, he has developed very bad food allergies (among other symptoms). Since one of his food allergies is to gluten, I have become savvy at finding alternative ways for him to enjoy many meals he would have a hard time eating.  And the Veggetti has done just that.  It has helped me continue to make dishes that would call for pasta, and by using the Veggetti, I have been able to turn veggies into pasta as an alternative.


Last weekend, we decided to tackle making lobster pasta by using zucchini as the pasta sub.  I wanted to share this recipe with you, as it was such a hit!  I was amazed at how delicious it was and look forward to making it again soon.  It was super filling, but light on your tummy (unlike when you eat regular pasta).  We made our own homemade scampi (no wine) sauce and it was great.  Oh and side note, while I may not have added wine to the sauce, I certainly had a glass of wine with the meal. :)

Recipe Wednesday | Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

I am a huge fan of the hearty classic spaghetti.  I mean, who isn't?  But, I always tend to overindulge and then regret piling the pasta on.

Over the years, I have made a conscience decision to eat healthier and really try hard at making our family meals delicious but also healthy.  A few years ago, I had heard about making spaghetti using spaghetti squash instead of pasta and from that point on, it was no turning back. NEVER AGAIN will I feel guilty loading my plate, and this low calorie/fat-free pasta alternative still allows me to feel like I am eating a hearty and filling meal.

If you are not totally familiar with Spaghetti Squash, it is a large yellow veggie you see that in the grocery store but are always afraid to buy because you don't know what to do with it.  At least, that is what I use to think. (See image to left.)

Once cooked, you can take your fork and "score" it and the insides shred like pasta (see image to right).  There is very little/no flavor, which makes it a GREAT pasta alternative.  The only real difference is that it does have a slightly crunchier texture that you may have to get used to the first time you make it, but you quickly forget about the second time around.


Here is my favorite recipe that I make using the veggie, turning a hearty classic into a healthy option!

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

Prep Time: 10min

Cook Time: 1hr

Ingredients

• 1 Spaghetti Squash
• 1lb ground hamburger meat (we use Organic Grass-Fed hamburger from Costco)
• 1 jar of Pasta Sauce (we use Muir Glen Organic Garlic Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce)
• 3/4 Small onion
• 2 Garlic cloves
• Dash of Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

-Preheat oven to 350. Pierce the whole spaghetti squash several times and place the whole squash in the oven once preheated. Let it cook for 1 hr.

-Dice up 3/4 of onion and mince garlic, set aside until read to mix with hamburger.

-Once squash is almost done, start browning your hamburger meat on medium/high on stove in skillet. Once done, drain hamburger.

-Return drained, return meat to skillet and mix in onion and garlic, sauteing for 2 minutes on medium/high. Then, mix pasta sauce in and let mixture heat up.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

-Pull squash out of oven after 1hr. Cut in half and scoop out seeds in the middle. Then, take fork and score the spaghetti squash (this removes the flesh in pasta like strands)

-After all scoring has been done, grab a plate and combine squash with meat mixture and enjoy!

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XOXO,

Sherri

Questions:

Do you have a favorite recipe you use with Spaghetti Squash?

Recipe Wednesday: Spinach Cheddar Turkey Nuggets

It's HUMP Day! Yay!

Annnd, for the first time, I am linking up with Healthy Living Blogs for their Recipe Wednesday!

As a mother of a toddler, I have quickly discovered just how picky my child can be.  While I basked in the glory that my child loved veggies, he has now decided he doesn't want anything other than cheese or bread.  And since I am trying to raise a future Notre Dame football player (or Olympic Athlete, you take your pick), this refusal to eat anything other than cheese and bread is inhibiting this optimal athlete growth from happening.

I want to fuel his little body, and at the same time encourage him to eat all of the healthy options.  I don't want to force it, as I believes force just backfires and he pushes back, but I also don't want to ONLY "sneak" veggies in.  If you only offer veggies by "sneaking" them, then they just never learn to like it when it is in front of them.  I approach it in a combo kind of way.  At every meal, I offer veggies with whatever else Ryan is having.  Yes, it almost always ends up on the floor for our dog to eat, but Ryan knows it will always be there.  And while I always have a veggie out front and center, I do "sneak" some in his other food that I know he will eat, just to guarantee he is getting some in.

I am a HUGE fan of using spinach when making his food.  I food process it so that it breaks down in teeny tiny bits to easily mix in food and it also has such a mild taste, that it doesn't mess up the flavor of the food.  I mix it with his eggs in the mornings, his grilled cheese (when I give in to his obsession), etc.

I love making homemade nuggets for him at dinner too, and love processing veggies to mix in.  It gives me complete control over how much breadcrumb to use so that I know his nuggets are more meat and veggie loaded than breading.

Last night, I made Spinach Cheddar Turkey Nuggets and they were an absolute hit!  Ryan devoured them.  It had his cheese and a little bit of bread crumb (which he loves) but it also had lean turkey and spinach (which mommy loves).  We both were happy and I also devoured them.

So enjoy this recipe, my FIRST, for Recipe Wednesday!

Spinach Cheddar Chicken Nuggets

Prep Time: 10min

Cook Time: 30min

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Ingredients

• 1 pound of lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2/3 cup whole wheat bread crumb
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup finely chopped spinach
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet

2. Reserve 1/3 cup of breadcrumb.

3. Mix all remaining ingredients (minus the 1/3 breadcrumb) together.

4. Measure each nugget with a tablespoon and form into nugget shape. Dip into the 1/3 c. breadcrumbs for a light coat and spread evenly on baking sheet.

5. Bake for 15 minutes. Take out and flip, then bake for an additional 15 minutes until turkey is completely cooked.

6. Serve and enjoy or freeze!

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Dessert for Breakfast? My love for Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

With Russell on the road traveling during the week, life is hectic!  Juggling getting myself and Ryan up and ready for daycare and work leaves me little time to make a wholesome breakfast for myself.  Lets be real, I am one who MUST GET 7-8 hours of sleep every single night to function semi-normally, so me getting up very early to make a great breakfast just ain't happening.

Daycare provides breakfast for Ryan, so that helps me a ton, but what about myself?  A couple months ago, I stumbled upon a recipe for overnight oats that has changed my life!  Overnight oats calls for making your breakfast the night before and letting it set in the refrigerator.  Now I know what you are thinking... cold oatmeal?  I am definitely a lover of a warm bowl of oatmeal so the idea of cold oatmeal was something for me to get used to.  BUT, when I stumbled across the recipe for Cookie Dough Overnight Oats from Sara @ Fresh Fit N Healthy, I decided to give it a go and it did not disappoint.  

The ingredients are simple, and you add protein powder to it as well, so this really does fill you up.  Best news of all is that it tastes soooo close to real cookie dough so it's like eating dessert for breakfast!  (The inner kid in me is jumping for joy.)  The recipe is actually enough to make 2 bowls of it and it keeps great in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, so you can just take 5 minutes of your evening to make 2 days worth of breakfast = SCORE!

I changed the recipe just slightly from the original in this post, but here you go:

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

by Sherri Schwartz

Prep Time: 5min

Cook Time: 3hr

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Ingredients (2 servings)

• 1c. of oatmeal (I use the Quaker Oats Old Fashion Oatmeal)
• 1c. Almond milk (You can use any milk, but switching to almond milk lowers the fat and calorie content. I use Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk)
• 1tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 banana mashed (I use my ninja food processor to make it nice and smooth, but a fork mashing would do just fine)
• 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (I use True Athlete's Natural Whey Protein)
• a dash of salt

Instructions

After mashing your banana, combine all ingredients and split into 2 containers. Let it sit overnight before eating. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you want to have some in the evening (because it tastes that yummy) just make sure it is in the fridge at least 3 hours before eating. Letting it sit thickens it up and enhances the flavor.

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Since my discovery of this recipe, I have literally had this for breakfast every day since I stumbled on it.  It takes 5 minutes to make the night before and its the perfect grab-n-go to eat at work at my desk.  (Or scarf down before you head out the door.)

Hope you enjoy!

XOXO, 

Sherri