Turkey Larb

Total time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. red curry paste

1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
1 tsp. canola oil
1/3 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
8 cabbage leaves
Thai chile sauce

 Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute curry paste and turkey until turkey is fully cooked.

 Combine turkey with cucumbers, cilantro and green onions.

Serve on cabbage leaves with chile sauce. Enjoy!

Very flavorful Thai dish. Super easy to make.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-larb-50400000109622/

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Total time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. canola oil
1 lb. pork tenderloin, or pork tenderloin chops, trimmed
1/3 cup bottled salsa
1 Tbsp. seedless raspberry preserves, or jam
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Combine garlic, soy sauce and ginger in a small bowl.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan and spoon soy sauce mixture over pork.

Cook 3 minutes, turn over and cook another 3 minutes, or until done. 

Remove from pan.

Add salsa and preserves to pan. Cook 30 seconds or until slightly thickened.

Drizzle glaze over pork.

Sprinkle with cilantro and Enjoy!

The combination of salsa and preserves scared me at first, but it really work well together and it was so delicious and super easy to make. 

Recipe adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-sweet-pork-tenderloin-10000001065570/

Whole Wheat Double Chocolate Pancakes

Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 & 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup wheat germ
1 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
5 & 1/3 Tbsp. applesauce (or butter)
2 & 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. cocoa

Directions

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Start mixing in applesauce (or butter) until mixture becomes a sandy texture.

Make a well in the mixture and pour the milk and eggs into the middle. 

Stir to combine. Add cocoa and chocolate chips.

Heat a large pan over medium heat and spray with nonstick spray.

Ladle spoonfuls of mixture onto pan and flip when bubble appear.

(The first few pancakes will take a bit longer to cook, but as the pan really gets hot, they will cook quickly.) Enjoy!

A few variations I enjoy are spreading peanut butter on them and drizzling with chocolate syrup. I like them with bosenberry and regular syrup and recently I tried them with honey and I really enjoyed that as well. I like to group them in 2 and put them in sandwich baggies and freeze them. When I want to eat them again, I pop them in the toaster for a couple of minutes. 

Recipe adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/whole-wheat-pancakes/

Banana, Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Total Time: 1 hr 10 minutes
Hands On Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients
2 bananas, preferably ripe with a few brown spots on the peel
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 tsp. cocoa

Directions

Slice bananas and layer on a plate. Freeze for 1 hr.

Place the banana slices in a food processor, and start to blend.

Keep blending until smooth and creamy.

Add peanut butter and cocoa.

Blend until combined.

Enjoy!

Very tasty summer treat, guilt-free :)

Recipe adapted from: http://userealbutter.com/2010/08/12/single-ingredient-ice-cream-recipe/

Quinoa and Roasted Pepper Chili

Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
2 red bell peppers
2 pasilla chiles, or poblanos
4 tsp. olive oil
3 cups chopped zucchini
1 & 1/2 cups chopped onions
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 & 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 & 1/2 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp, smoked paprika
1 & 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can black bean, drained and rinsed
Optional toppings: jalapenos, cheese, toasted corn tortillas

Directions

Preheat broiler. Wash and cut peppers and chiles in half lengthwise. Discard seeds.

Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Broil 10 minutes, or until blacked. Let cool.

 Peel skin and then coarsely chop. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Saute zucchini, onion and garlic for 4 minutes.

Stir in seasonings and saute for 30 seconds.

Add remaining ingredients (except for toppings) and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Very filling and not lacking in flavor at all!

Recipe adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/quinoa-roasted-pepper-chili-50400000117880/

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Brownies

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Bake Time: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Splenda (or can use another 1/2 cup sugar if you prefer)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce (substituted for vegetable oil)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter, creamy

 Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Whisk together all dry ingredients. Add the rest of the ingredient, except the peanut butter.

Spray a small to medium sized baking dish with nonstick spray and pour mixture in.

Heat peanut butter in microwave for 30 seconds, or until melted. Pour onto brownie mixture and use a butter knife to create a design. 

Bake 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

These brownies came out really good. They have a similar texture to Fiber One Brownies. The substitutions worked well together.

Recipe adapted from: http://fakeitfrugal.blogspot.com/2012/04/fake-betty-crocker-brownie-mix.html

Eggplant Parmesan

 

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients
2 eggplants, peeled and sliced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
pepper
Italian seasoning
3 cups of bread crumbs, or 2 slices of bread, toasted and crumbled
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
12 oz. shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup Parmesan
1 tsp. dried basil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Slice eggplant thin.

Combine eggs with a pinch of pepper and some Italian seasoning. 

Dip eggplant in egg mixture and lay on a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and 1 Tbsp. Parmesan.

Bake for 5 minutes, turn once and then bake for another 5 minutes.

 In a large baking dish, spread a little bit of spaghetti sauce to coat the bottom.

Start to layer eggplant slices, sauce and cheeses. End with the cheeses and sprinkle basil over the top.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Enjoy!

I added a little bit of red pepper flakes to mine to give it some heat and it was really good.

Recipe adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/eggplant-parmesan-ii/detail.aspx