Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Skinny Muffin


This recipe came from this website:

Jorge’s Skinny Muffin
Traditional energy bars are often packed with sugar, which can cause a spike and a subsequent crash. These muffins are designed to provide sustainable energy that lasts through lunch, thanks to coconut oil, a healthy fat that’s good for your brain, fiber-rich flaxseed and egg protein.

Ingredients
Makes one serving

1/4 cup ground flax
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coconut oil
1 egg
1 packet stevia

Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a mug and microwave for 50 seconds. Allow to cool to a safe temperature and enjoy!

I made this for the first time two days ago and in my tired, groggy state I swapped the baking powder for baking soda.  YUCK!!  I do not recommend doing that.  I decided to give it another try this morning with the correct ingredients and was delightfully surprised.  It was delicious and so easy!  And, it kept me full until lunch time!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Egg Muffins

Lately I have been on a quest to find new, healthy, easy recipes.  I found this "Egg Muffins" recipe on this website: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2006/10/egg-muffins-revisited-again.html  I'm going to post the original recipe, and then I'm going to post my version of it.


Original:

(Makes 12 muffins, recipe created by Kalyn with inspiration from The South Beach Diet book.

15 eggs (for silicone muffin pans, use 12 eggs for metal muffin tins or individual silicone cups. You can use less egg yolks and more egg white if you prefer.)
1-2 tsp. Spike Seasoning (side note: I don't know what spike seasoning is . . . .)
1-2 cups grated low fat cheese (I like sharp cheddar or a blend of cheddar/Jack cheese, use less cheese if using meat)
Optional, but highly recommended, 3 green onions diced small.
Optional: chopped veggies such as blanched broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. (Using veggies will reduce the fat content)
Optional: diced Canadian bacon, lean ham, or crumbled cooked turkey sausage

Preheat oven to 375 F. Use regular or silicone muffin pan, 12 muffin size. If using silicone pan, spray with nonstick spray. If using regular muffin pan, put two paper liners into each slot, then spray liner with nonstick spray.
In the bottom of the muffin cups layer diced meat, if using, vegetables, if using, cheese and green onions. You want the muffin cups to be about 2/3 full, with just enough room to pour a little egg around the other ingredients. Break eggs into large measuring bowl with pour spout, add Spike, and beat well. (I used to add a bit of half and half or milk, but lately I like the way they turn out without it.) Pour egg into each muffin cup until it is 3/4 full. I like to stir slightly with a fork. Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set.

Muffins will keep more than a week in the refrigerator. Egg muffins can be frozen and reheated, but I like them best when they are just refrigerated. For best results, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Microwave on high about 2 minutes to reheat.

My Version:
Makes 6 muffins

4 eggs 
3 pieces of turkey lunch meat chopped up
some cheese
some milk
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

I layered the bottom of my muffin tins with a thin layer of lunch meat.  Then I sprinkled it with cheese.  I used about a pinch, a generous pinch . . . My thinking was, "how much would I use if I were making scrambled eggs in this little tin."  I cracked the eggs together in a separate bowl and added some milk, again, thinking, "how much would I add for scrambled eggs?"  I mixed it all together with a fork, just like scrambled eggs.  I then dumped the egg mix on top of the meat and cheese in the little muffin tins.  I tried to fill it about 3/4 full like she recommends, but it poured so fast . . . I added the salt and pepper last, but I think next time I'll just mix it in with the milk.  Then I stirred slightly with a fork and baked for about 25 minutes, until they had risen and were slightly browned and set.

I didn't try them right away, I waited until this morning and then I reheated them like she recommends.  My husband and I had them for breakfast with chocolate slim fast shakes.  They were really good!! I really like that you can make a bunch of them ahead of time, store them in the fridge and then quickly reheat them.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Cranberry Chicken

I made this last night and LOVED it.  It was so easy and so tasty!

6 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 1/2 (1 ounce) packages dry onion soup-mix
1 (16 ounce) can cranberry sauce
1 cup French or Russian salad dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place the chicken breasts in a baking pan.  In a small bowl, combine the onion soup mix, cranberry sauce, and dressing.  Stir until well blended.  Pour sauce mixture over the chicken breasts. Cover with foil and bake for 60-75 minutes or until top is bubbly and slightly browned.

*For a more flavorful dish, let chicken marinate in the sauce for several hours.

I came home from work yesterday and threw this together.  I didn't really thaw my chicken before putting it in the dish and pouring the mixture over it.  I let it marinate for about 40 minutes while I went jogging and then I came home and threw it in the oven.  I served it with brown rice.  My husband and I both loved it, it was so tender and juicy.  And, super easy to throw together after a really long day.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Easy-Peasy Tuna Casserole

This is the meal you fix when you need to feel like you're being the domestic housewife ("Look, I'm cooking!") but don't actually want to do REAL cooking. Its not the most amazing tuna casserole I've ever turned out, but its definitely the fastest and it doesn't taste like circa 1987 Cafeteria fare. So I'm keeping the recipe to pull out now and again.

Easy-Peasy Tuna Casserole
(BARELY adapted from Allrecipes.com)
1 box of Macaroni & Cheese dinner
1 can of tuna, drained
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of milk
3 heaping tablespoons of breadcrumbs
1/8 c. butter

Make the macaroni & cheese according to package directions (i.e. boil, drain, add milk, butter and cheesy powder). Add the tuna, soup and 1/2 cup of milk. Pour it all into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Melt the butter and mix with the bread crumbs. Sprinkle on top of the casserole. Bake for approximately 20-minutes in a 350 degree oven. 

Serve with steamed veggies and a green salad. Ooooh...so "fancy."