Product Review: Indulgent Pudding by Kozy Shack

I was invited to join a campaign through BzzAgent for Kozy Shack Indulgent Pudding.  I was sent a coupon to try two of these products for free so naturally we ran straight to Kroger to get some!  At first, I couldn't find this product in my store, but then realized it probably wasn't in the dairy section, but it WAS in the pudding aisle with the refrigerated pudding products.  There are four different flavors of this pudding including Chocolate Truffle, Dark Chocolate, Salted Caramel and Vanilla Bean.

I had my little shopper/helper with me, so I let her choose which ones we would get (she could pick 2).  I think we were in this aisle for at least 4 minutes while she agonized over which ones to get.  (Honestly, if she would have taken any longer, I was going to stick all four in my cart!).  Although I was secretly trying to get her to choose salted caramel (via mental telepathy) she choose the two chocolate ones instead (she really is my child though!).
  
These are delicious!!  They are rich and creamy and thick!  They really are a wonderful treat or a great way to end a meal, end a day, just as a reward for getting your to-do list done.  Ha!  They are slightly higher in calories though so they aren't something we will be eating a lot of in my house at one sitting (for example chocolate truffle has 200 calories and 9 grams of fat), but I will definitely be buying these again and trying the other two flavors!
  

You can find out more about Kozy Shack products, but especially their Indulgent pudding by checking out their website, or following them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  

#1.635: Yogurt Based Chicken Salad

Although I usually don't use Greek yogurt in my chicken salad (not that I'm opposed to it but I try to limit my dairy) I figured I'd give this recipe a try.  I omitted the celery because I'm not a huge fan of it. I do like the added crunch celery would have given this recipe though and probably will add a little bit (or diced peppers) next time. I did like this though.  It was good eaten on lettuce leaves, but it would have been just as good (or better) served on some organic crackers!  :) 

2 large cooked chicken breasts, shredded

1 cup thin sliced celery

1 cup seedless red grapes

2 Tbsp finely diced red onion

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 splash hot sauce, such as tabasco – optional

Combine gently, cover and chill for an hour or two in the refrigerator

#1,634: Gluten-free, Paleo Crockpot Meatballs

Well now this was an easy recipe, especially when you use frozen gluten-free meatballs!  Basically you just have to blend the sauce ingredients together, pour it over the frozen meatballs and let it cook for a few hours on high.  Personally I would definitely double (if not triple) the sauce recipe next time.  I only used 1 lb of frozen meatballs and the full sauce recipe and it just barely covered the meatballs in the crockpot.  If I would have used the 2 lbs of meatballs like this recipe calls for, it wouldn't have been nearly enough.  

2 lbs gluten-free meatballs 

1 can tomato sauce, no sugar added (I used organic crushed tomatoes)

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp backstrap molasses (I used just a little bit)

2 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp cumin, optional 

1 tbsp cayenne pepper, optional (I omitted)

1 tbsp red pepper flakes, optional 

oregano, basil, fresh onions, etc (add as you'd like, to taste)

In crockpot bowl, mix tomato sauce, molasses, vinegar and powders. Add meatballs.

Cook for 2 hours on high or until sauce is cooked down to a sauce like consistency.

Add salt, pepper, and additional garlic/onion powder to taste.

#1,633: Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites

These look way better than they photograph, yet they look nothing like the original recipe I found.  NOTHING like it.  These are good, but I would not make them again.  They were too soft to keep in the fridge, and yet didn't completely solidify in the freezer, so they just had a cold popsicle texture to it (which I personally hate eating/biting cold popsicles).

The flavor was really good though and these are healthy, but not something I could transport too easily without fear of it just kind of mushing all together.  

1 cup pitted Medjool dates

1/2 cup pecans

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Pinch of salt

Place the dates into a small bowl and cover with water. Let soak for 10 minutes, then drain.

Place the pecans into a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add in the rest of the ingredients, including the soaked dates. Pulse until combined. Adjust the spices to taste. Place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.

Use your hands to form the dough into small balls. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

#1,632: Balsamic Chicken with Asparagus and Tomatoes

Here is another "make for Jaime" recipes.  :) This one I loved and it was really easy to make.  My family loved the chicken part of this recipe but of course, did not eat any of the veggies.  Was this my favorite chicken dish to make, not really, but it was easy, especially since it calls for the "matchstick" carrots that are already pre-cut and shredded.  The only thing I changed about this recipe, was that I forgot to add the tomatoes.  Worst part about that too was that I had fresh tomatoes from my garden and I even chopped them up!!  

¼ cup bottled Italian salad dressing

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound chicken breast tenderloins

10 ounces fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup purchased shredded carrot

1 small tomato, seeded and chopped

In a small bowl, stir together salad dressing, balsamic vinegar, honey, and crushed red pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink, turning once. Add half of the dressing mixture to skillet; turn chicken to coat. Transfer chicken to a serving platter; cover and keep warm.

Add asparagus and carrot to skillet. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender; transfer to serving platter.

Stir remaining dressing mixture; add to skillet. Cook and stir for 1 minute, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Drizzle the dressing mixture over chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with tomato. Makes 4 servings.

#1,631: Easy Skillet Oregano Chicken

As I made this recipe, every single person in my family came into the house and asked if I was making spaghetti for dinner.  This recipe really has a fresh "Italian" cooking smell to it I guess.  I don't know if I necessarily think that, but I do think it smelled fantastic while cooking and my family loved this chicken.  It was so super moist, and really, really easy to make.  I will definitely be making this one again.  

2 tbsp olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (8 oz. each), halved horizontally to form 4 cutlets

6 sprigs fresh oregano

3 tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook until golden on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn; add the oregano, butter and half the garlic. Cook, basting with the butter, until cooked through, about 3 minutes.

#1,630: Jamaican Jerk Pork Tenderloin (in the crockpot)

This was a really, really easy recipe that I threw together in the morning and let cook all day in the crockpot.  Ignore the smaller pork tenderloin pieces, as I halved a large one that I bought and ended up using it for two different recipes and meals.  We thought this was really good and would definitely make it again.  I preferred it with the extra juice/sauce drizzled on it because I thought it gave it more moisture and flavor.  

2 cups reduced fat beef broth

1 Tbsp dried onions

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp red chili pepper flakes

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 lb. pork tenderloin

Pour beef broth into the crock of your slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine all of the spices until blended. Rub the jerk spice mixture into the pork tenderloin until it is covered all over. Place the tenderloin into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, until pork is cooked through, or until a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees F. Serves four.

#1,629: Skinny Baked Pork Chops

I'll be honest, I never thought my family (ahem, my husband) was going to like this recipe.  I pinned this recipe quite a while ago and keep pushing it off my menu.  I finally gave in and figured I'd just try it and see what my family thought.  Shockingly, they really liked it.  I didn't think my husband would like the sauce on this, but it was actually really easy to make and really good.

4 — 4 oz pork chops (I used boneless, thin chops)

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

3 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced (I omitted)

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

⅓ cup reduced-sugar orange juice

½ cup reduced-sugar BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Season pork chops lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a large oven proof skillet over high heat. Add the pork chops to pan.  Cook until they are lightly brown (1 to 2 minutes per side). Transfer to a plate.  

Add the remaining 1 tsp oil to the pan.  Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened (3 to 4 minutes).  Add orange juice and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated (about 1 minute). Stir in barbecue sauce.

Return the pork chops to the pan, turning several times to coat with the sauce. 

Place the oven proof skillet in the oven and continue baking for 10-12 minutes, or until the pork chops are not pink in the middle.

#1,628: Spaghetti Casserole

This was a super easy meal to make during the school week, and it made such a large pan that it gave us leftovers for another meal!  My family really, really enjoyed this spaghetti dinner and I would definitely make this again!

½ pound whole-wheat spaghetti noodles (I used regular noodles)

2 eggs

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil + extra for greasing the casserole dish

½ onion, peeled and diced

½ green bell pepper, de-seeded and diced (I omitted)

1 pound ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon salt

Crushed red pepper, to taste 

26 oz jar of your favorite red spaghetti sauce 

¾ cup ricotta cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

¼ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a rectangular baking dish with olive oil and set aside.

Cook the spaghetti noodles al dente, drain, and then mix with the eggs and ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese. Put in the bottom of the casserole dish.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until soft, but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the beef to the pan and break up the meat with a spatula. Cook until the beef is brown all the way through. Drain and discard the fat.  

Add the garlic, salt, and red pepper, and cook for 1 more minute before adding the red sauce to pan. Heat for an additional few minutes.

Pour the meat/sauce mixture on top of the noodles in the casserole dish. Top with dollops of ricotta cheese, grated mozzarella, breadcrumbs, and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm and enjoy.

#1,627: Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

I was kind of surprised that only one of my kids liked this recipe.  I thought these were good but they are quite dense.  I would definitely make this again because it does taste good, but it isn't my most favorite muffin I've ever made, so I'd probably try out a different recipe next time.  Make sure you store these in the fridge, because they release some moisture!

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare 12 cup muffin tin by greasing.  In a mixer, beat the egg, yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract.  In a medium sized bowl, stir together the flour, white sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until combined.  Gently fold in the blueberries.  Fill the muffin tins 3/4 of the way full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.

#1,626: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread

I had two things sitting in my fridge/counter that needed to get used up: zucchini and bananas.  So what does one do?  Make zucchini banana bread of course!  I made these for the girls to eat for breakfast at school and they loved this recipe.  The loved that it tasted like banana bread.  I loved that it has a veggie in it!  It was really simple to make, but took forever to bake (like probably 80-90 minutes!).  I seriously am starting to wonder if something is wrong with my oven!  Hopefully yours won't take that long to bake. 

1½ cups mashed bananas - approximately 4 ripe bananas

¾ c brown sugar

6 Tbsp butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1½ c grated zucchini

¾ c all-purpose flour

½ c wheat flour

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ c mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan and set aside.

Peel and mash the bananas.

Stir in brown sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla until well combined.  Stir in grated zucchini.

Combine dry ingredients and and add to the wet ingredients stirring just until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 60-70 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing.

#1,625: Zucchini and Corn Chili

It's no surprise (by the lack of posts) that I am back in school and trying to re-adjust to the routine of everyone being back in school.  The beginning of the year is always so challenging and takes me a few weeks to dig myself out of the never-ending mound of work to do!

This was an easy recipe that I made for lunches back at work.  I love all the veggies in this, but especially the crunch and sweetness of the corn.  I will definitely make this recipe again.  

2 poblanos or other mild chiles

2 large ears corn, kernels cut off the cob

2 tablespoons olive oil 

3 small to medium firm zucchini, quartered lengthwise and diced (I used 2)

1 onion, chopped

3 - 4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin 

Salt and pepper

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed (I omitted because I forgot to buy some)

2 - 3 cups vegetable stock

1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes

1 rounded tsp. honey 

A small handful cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced (about 2 tbsp.)

I threw mine in the oven for a little while.  Working over an open flame on a gas burner or under the broiler, cook the chiles, turning, until charred all over. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Peel, seed and dice the chiles. 

Meanwhile, heat a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium-high. Add the oil, two turns of the pan. When the oil shimmers, add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the zucchini, onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Stir until the spices are toasted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in half the beans. 

I obviously skipped this step since I omitted the beans.  In a medium bowl, mash the remaining beans with a fork; stir into the vegetables (this will help thicken the chili). 

Add the stock, tomatoes, honey and chiles. Cover and simmer until the flavors combine, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. 

Product Review: Coca-Cola Life

I recently was invited to join a BzzAgent Campaign for a new Coca-Cola product called Coca-Cola Life.  I will admit I am a Diet Coke girl, but really try not to drink it often because of the artificial sweeteners that are used in this drink.  So when I was introduced to this product and given the cutest glass bottle of pop (yes it's pop, not soda!) to try I was skeptical but willing to try it.  Let me tell you a little bit about this product first... According to the website and brand, Coca-Cola Life "is a reduced-calorie cola sweetened with a blend of sugar and Stevia leaf extract. It contains 35% fewer calories per fl oz compared to other leading colas."  Although I don't love that this has calories (I'd rather eat my calories!), I do like that it is much less than a traditional or regular Coke.  But I do love that this uses Stevia (a product I use regularly!).

The taste of this was very good.  I actually enjoyed it and so did everyone else in my family when I gave them some.  I was excited to try to see if I could find it at my local grocery store and they did have it (see photo at right) but they only had it in cans and glass bottles.  I personally would have bought it if they had it in a 2 liter though, so hopefully I can find that in another store or it will be coming soon.  

Want to know more about Coca-Cola Life?  You can check out their website, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 

Note: Although I received these products to try for free, it in no way influenced my opinion of them, or the opinions expressed above. 

#1,624: Five Minute Granola Bars

Don't make these....I'm warning you if you make these you just might try to eat the whole pan.  These are fantastic!!  I let the kids each have one for lunch and only 2 of them enjoyed it, but I think these are really, really good.  I packed these up in freezer bags and will let Allison take these in her lunch instead of a sandwich.  This is a great recipe to make ahead of time and freeze.  

2 cups quick or rolled oats
1 1/4 cup peanut butter or sunbutter (I used a whole jar of sunbutter)
1/2 cup pepitas or sunflower seeds (I omitted)
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

In a food processor, combine the oats, peanut butter, pepitas, salt and maple syrup (or honey). Then add in the chips and pulse a few times to get them evenly mixed in.

Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Leave enough paper to come out the sides.

Press the mixture down well into the 8x8 pan. You really want to pack it so the bars hold together.

Place the pan in the fridge to set. Should take 30 minutes.

Once set, pull the whole thing out of the pan by the extra ends of parchment paper. Use a pizza cutter to cut them into bars or squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. They should last a couple weeks. 

#1,623: Banana Granola Yogurt Bowls

My kids eat a lot of Greek yogurt at our house, but they aren't big PLAIN Greek yogurt fans.  So I wanted to try this recipe on them, but thought a flavored yogurt might go over well.  So I decided to try this with blueberry flavored yogurt and omit the honey.  My kids devoured this recipe!  They even asked for seconds.  Here is another recipe going into my "kids favorite" file!

1 cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt (I used blueberry flavored Greek yogurt)
1 banana, sliced
1-2 table spoons of pure raw honey (I omitted)
1/2 cup of organic granola

In a bowl, add Greek yogurt.  Mix in banana slices and honey if desired.  Top with granola and serve.  

#1,622: Spaghetti Squash Breakfast Casserole

I honestly wasn't so sure I was going to like this recipe because I really have a love/hate relationship with spaghetti squash, but man was this recipe good.  The squash really resembles the texture of hashbrown potatoes (which I love) so I was a huge fan of this.  The kids tried it and thought it was ok, and hey, I'm ok with that!!

About 3 cups of cooked spaghetti squash
½  lb. breakfast sausage, cooked and drained
4 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (divided)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on the desired amount of spice)
1 bell pepper, finely diced
½ onion, finely diced
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup almond flour

Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Butter or grease the inside of a 9X13 inch pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, blend the cooked spaghetti squash, cooked breakfast sausage, 4 beaten eggs, sour cream, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, bell pepper, onion, garlic powder, almond flour, and about 3 oz of cheddar cheese. Mix well and pour mixture into prepared pan and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 40 minutes or until center is set and the edges are a little crisp. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

#1,621: Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I made these for the girls to take for breakfast next week and let them try one today after they cooled.  They LOVED these cookies and Chloe isn't even a fan of peanut butter.  These were really, really good.  I had to portion and freeze them immediately so I am not tempted by these babies.  I'm definitely going to be making these again. 

1 cup (100g) instant oats (measured correctly: see note below)
¾ cup (90g) whole wheat flour (measured correctly)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 large egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup organic peanut butter
½ cup honey
2 tbsp dark chocolate chips
1 ½ tbsp miniature chocolate chips

Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg white, vanilla, peanut butter, and honey until smooth. Add into the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the dark chocolate chips and miniature chocolate chips.

Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten to the desired thickness and width. Bake at 325°F for 11-14 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Notes: It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and flour correctly using the spoon-and-level method or a kitchen scale. Too much of either will dry out the cookies and leave them crumbly instead of chewy.

#1,620:Garden Veggie and Herb Meatballs

I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy these meatballs, but I have to admit, I really did like these.  They are no means my favorite meatballs, but it's a great way to get a protein and veggie in (especially for the kids!).  

1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 and 1/2 cups packed shredded vegetables (I used zucchini, carrots, and mushrooms)
¼ tsp sea salt
2 tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped (basil, cilantro, or parsley)
1/4 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg, whipped

Preheat oven to 400’F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Roll into desired sized meatballs and place onto baking sheet.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until brown and cooked all the way through.  Serve immediately or allow to cool and freeze for later.

#1,619: Almond Oat Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Who doesn't like a pink drink??  I decided to make this super easy smoothie recipe for the kids for breakfast this weekend.  Two of the three kids loved this and asked for seconds (the third one doesn't like smoothies very much).  They already asked that I make this again for breakfast tomorrow.  I'd say that was a success!

The recipe below serves 1.   

1/8 cup old-fashioned oats

2 oz. fresh strawberries, I used frozen

1/4 large banana

1 tbps almond flour

1/3 cups unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup ice (I omitted since the berries were frozen)

Put all ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.

#1,618: Low Calorie Greek Yogurt Brownies

I found this recipe on a Facebook Group and it claims that these brownies are only 37 calories each.  I did not go through the effort to check to make sure this is correct though.  These were really easy to make, but my kids didn't like them at all and I thought they were just ok.  Would I make these again?  No.  Would I eat one if someone put it in front of me...of course.  :) 

3/4 c nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 c skim milk
1/2 c cocoa powder
1/2 c old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 c sugar substitute
1 egg
1/3 c applesauce
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a square 8x8 baking dish with non stick spray (I used my square brownie/muffin pan).  Combine all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth (about 1 minute).  Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 15 minutes.  Allow to cool completely before cutting into 9 squares.  

#1,617: Grilled Pork Tenderloin

I found this recipe on the Hy-Vee recipe page and although it is a more elaborate recipe where you actually grill potatoes and green beans, I just used this for the pork recipe.  At this time of year, I'm happy just to throw whole potatoes in the oven...or microwave!  We all enjoyed this recipe and I would definitely make this again.  It was so simple!!

2 pork tenderloins, trimmed (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
2 tbsp olive oil
6 roasted garlic-and-herb seasoning rub

Brush tenderloins with olive oil and coat with seasoning rub; leave tenderloins at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.

Grill tenderloin, covered, over direct medium heat for about 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pork every 5 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove pork from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.

#1,616: Paleo Sausage and Zucchini Breakfast Meatballs

So this recipe didn't have the zucchini originally added to it, but taking some bulk sausage and adding baking powder and almond flour just didn't seem like enough for me.  I needed a way to sneak in a veggie for my kids.  So I grated up a zucchini and added it right to the mixture.  My kids (and I) loved these little meatballs.  We ate them for breakfast and for dinner.  Oh how I love versatile meals.  :)  These are a tiny bit greasy so I made them a second time but with half ground turkey and half pork sausage (see photo below).  The kids loved them even more.  This recipe is/was a huge hit in our house!

I made these again but with half pork sausage
and half ground turkey.  My kids LOVED these
even more!

1 lb of breakfast sausage (I used 1/2 lb organic pork sausage and 1/2 lb ground turkey)
1 tsp of Baking Powder
1/2 cup of Almond Flour
1 small to medium zucchini, finely grated (squeeze out the excess water if needed.  I chopped mine in the food processor and didn't need to wring out any liquid)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Make sure that the almond flour and baking powder are mixed in well to ensure even cooking.

Mold sausage into about 2 inch balls and place evenly on a foil covered cookie sheet. And place them in your preheated oven for 15  minutes.  Pull out of oven and turn each meatball. Replace in oven and continue cooking for another 15 minutes or until cooked all the way through.    

#1,615: Make Ahead Caprese Salad (In a mason jar)

My jar photo does not look anything as nice as the original recipe/photo, but that's because I chopped up my tomatoes and the original recipe poster left hers whole. Plus she jused pretty mozzarella pearls and I couldn't find those at my grocery store, so I got a ball of fresh mozzarella and just chopped it up.  It all tastes the same!!

I really, really loved this salad.  It was a great thing to be able to make ahead of time and then just grab out of the fridge when it was time for lunch.  Next time I will add some red onion to this as well.  I might make this again next week (yes it was that good).  

Layer from the bottom up in a ½ pint or pint size jar:
1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt
tsp balsamic vinegar
a large handful of organic grape/cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh all natural mozzarella pearls

Then fill the rest of the way with spinach leaves
You can also add a little bit of chopped basil as well (optional)

When you’re ready to eat, simply shake or stir.  

I usually only prep these 2 days in advance.  Keep refrigerated with a tightly sealed lid.

#1,614: Broccoli Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing

Let me start by saying, I made a few alterations/substitutions to this meal becasue I was cooking with things I had on hand or could find.  LOL  Where in the world do you find red miso?!?!?!  I'm all for looking for/buying/trying new ingredients, but I do not have time to run from store to store looking for ONE ingredient.  So I eventually decided just to leave out the red miso and use some sesame oil instead.  Yes, I know this totally changes the flavor of this recipe but my goodness, close enough!

I didn't totally love this recipe (and no, it's not b/c of the lack of red miso), but I don't love raw broccoli. I actually want to try this recipe again but roast the broccoli first.  That sounds so much better to me! I also do not have patience to dry out the mushrooms, so I just roasted those for about 15 minutes as well.  

Now with all that said, I did LIKE this recipe, I just didn't fall in love with it like I wanted to.  

4 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
¼ cup avocado oil or organic canola oil, divided (I used olive oil)
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons red miso (I used sesame oil)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoons agave or honey
6 cups chopped raw broccoli
½ cup dried sweetened cranberries (I omitted b/c I took them to school for the girls to have for breakfast!)
¼ cup minced red onion
¼ cup toasted unsalted sunflower seeds (I swore I had some sort of nut in my house but didn't, so I just used sesame seeds.  Any other nut/seed would have been better)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Toss shiitake mushrooms, 1 tablespoon oil, smoked paprika and salt in a medium bowl. Spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake, stirring and turning occasionally until the mushrooms are dried out and browned, 22 to 28 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet.

Whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, miso, vinegar and agave in a large bowl. Add broccoli, cranberries, onion, sunflower seeds and the shiitake mushrooms. Toss to coat.

#1,613: Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Soup

I made this easy, healthy soup to eat as a quick meal this week.  I love making meals that can help me get lunch or dinner on the table super quickly.  HA...that makes it sounds like my family at this...they did not.  I loved this though and plan to make it again to have in the fridge for meals this week too.  

1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut in 1-inch chunks
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 slices bacon, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE SOUP
4 slices bacon, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, or more, to taste
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (I omitted)
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.

Place butternut squash, onion, bell pepper and bacon in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Add olive oil and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Gently toss to combine.

Place into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until butternut squash is tender, stirring half way through. 

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add butternut squash mixture and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in chicken stock and puree with an immersion blender.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5-10 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add more chicken stock as needed until desired consistency is reached.

Serve immediately, garnished with bacon, goat cheese and chives, if desired.

#1,612: Cauliflower Chowder

I don't totally love the idea of a cauliflower soup, but shockingly, I really, really enjoyed this soup!  I decided to use my immersion blender to puree this and get this a little creamier, but it didn't puree all the way, so it was a little chunky but not too much.  It was a tad watery but still really good.  I loved the addition of bacon in this soup and would definitely make it again.  

1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
1¼ tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground turmeric
½ tsp. ground coriander
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt about 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan placed over a medium heat.  Add the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (about 5 minutes).

Stir in the cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.  Add in the chicken stock, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and coconut milk, and stir together.  Bring to a boil; then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Season to taste and serve garnished with bacon.