Sweet Heat Bean Salsa & Southwest Turkey Bites

I love how you can't tell on your little phone screen that a picture is blurry... Oh well!

So... Sweet Heat Bean Salsa!

 

You will need:

*1 can of black beans

*1 can of corn

* 1 tomato, diced

*1 red pepper, diced

*1/3 red onion, diced (or more, to taste)

*1 jalapeno (seeded & finely diced)

*1/2 can tidbits pineapple (or more, depending on tastes)

*Cilantro (I used 2 tsp of the tubed cilantro)

*2 tsp granulated garlic

*1/2-1 tsp cumin

*1 tsp sea salt

 

Mix & enjoy!

 

Southwest Turkey Bites

 

*1 lb extra lean ground turkey (or chicken)

*1/4-1/3 C almond flour

*1 egg

*1-2 tsp granulated garlic

*1 tsp cumin

*1 tsp sea salt

*2 tsp cilantro (dry)

 

Mix all ingredients together, adding more almond flour if desired

(breadcrumbs may be subbed in if you so desire)

Mixture will be sticky. Drop onto cookie sheet covered with greased foil.

Bake at 390 F 12-15 min (I didn't really time it...just took them out when they started to brown & they were still really moist!)

 

Hope you enjoy these clean recipes!

 

p.s. I thought this was really funny...not meant to offend!

 

My "Healthy Sludge" Drink

So this is my little creation that I (try to) take every day.

You will need:
*2oz MonaVie Max Acai juice
*extra water
*1 TBSP Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate Gelatin
*2 TBSP psyllium husk
*1 TBSP chia seeds

MonaVie Mx : Benefits ~
*Promotes overall health and well being
*Fights oxidative damage and the signs of aging
*Increases joint mobility and flexibility
*Helps safeguard your body against potentially harmful microorganisms
*Optimizes your immune system
*Boasts 19 antioxidant rich fruits and 11 vegetables

Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate Gelatin - I found out about this gelatin from my dear friend, Kristi, who has taught me a lot about health & wellness! Collagen "is a  hydrolyzed gelatin...recommended as a pure protein source and collagen supplement...As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, causing our skin and bones to lose their flexibility, and we experience stiff joints and wrinkles associated with aging.  Athletes whose bodies are required to regenerate collagen fibers for optimal body fitness find that hydrolyzed gelatin, a protein source that is both tryptophan-free and sugar-free, also enhances athletic performance and speeds recovery.  Great Lakes Hydrolysate Gelatin is also recommended as a weight loss suppressant because of its ability to suppress the appetite.  Supplementing our diets with Great Lakes Hydrolyzed Gelatin is a healthy way to add a protein in its most absorbable, rapidly available form for maximum joint care and anti-aging effect."

Pysllium Husk:
Psyllium husk is a type of soluble fiber that's sometimes used for treating high blood sugar, constipation, diarrhea and high cholesterol. It absorbs water, which makes it bulkier and may help you feel fuller. Also...since I have a lot of protein in my diet, it helps to keep things moving :)

Chia Seeds: (info from here)
10 reasons to add chia seeds to your diet:
1) Combat Diabetes
Chia is being studied as a potential natural treatment for type-2 diabetes because of its ability to slow down digestion. The gelatinous coating chia seeds develops when exposed to liquids-can also prevent blood sugar spikes.
2) Get More Fibre
Just a 28-gram or one-ounce serving of chia has 11 grams of dietary fibre — about a third of the recommended daily intake for adults. Adding some chia to your diet is an easy way to make sure you're getting a good amount of fibre, which is important for digestive health.
3) Stock Up On Omega-3
Chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, with nearly five grams in a one-ounce serving. These fats are important for brain health. "There's better conversion of omega 3s into the plasma or into the food than with flax seed," said researcher Wayne Coates.
4) Stronger Teeth And Bones
A serving of chia seeds has 18 per cent of the recommended daily intake for calcium, which puts your well on your way to maintaining bone and oral health, and preventing osteoporosis.
5) Don't Forget Manganese
Manganese isn't a well-known nutrient, but it's important for our health: it's good for your bones and helps your body use other essential nutrients like biotin and thiamin. One serving of chia seeds, or 28 grams, has 30 per cent of your recommended intake of this mineral.
6) Plenty Of Phosphorus
With 27 per cent of your daily value for phosphorus, chia seeds also helps you maintain healthy bones and teeth. Phosphorus is also used by the body to synthesize protein for cell and tissue growth and repair.
7) Pack In The Protein
Chia seeds also make a great source of protein for vegetarians and don't have any cholesterol. One 28-gram serving of these super seeds has 4.4 grams of protein, nearly 10 per cent of the daily value.
8) Fight Belly Fat
Chia's stabilizing effect on blood sugar also fights insulin resistance which can be tied to an increase in belly fat, according to Live Strong. This type of resistance can also be harmful for your overall health.
9) Get Full. Faster
Tryptophan, an amino acid found in turkey, is also found in chia seeds. While tryptophan is responsible for that strong urge to nap after a big Thanksgiving dinner for example, it also helps regulate appetite, sleep and improve mood.
10) Improve Heart Health
According to the Cleveland Clinic, chia seeds have been shown to improve blood pressure in diabetics, and may also increase healthy cholesterol while lowering total, LDL, and triglyceride cholesterol. All good news for your ticker!

So there you have it...suck it up & drink it down!

21 DSD Green Apple Coconut 2-Bites...with a Twist

Found this recipe in my Facebook feed (thanks Diane Sanfilippo) & thought I'd give it a try. It's from the amazing PaleOMG.

Check out the original recipe if you are doing the 21 Day Sugar Detox...or give this one a try...I just made a couple of changes :)

 

You will need:

*1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored & diced

*1/2 C coconut butter (I used a bit more than 1/2 C & divided the amount I used evenly between these 3 products: Nutiva's Coconut Manna, Nikki's Coconut Butter in Vanilla Cake Batter, & Macadamia Nut Cookie)

*3 TBSP Coconut Oil

*2 tsp cinnamon

*pinch of salt

*1 tsp granulated stevia (I used Krisda's for baking)

*3 TBSP (about) Rockwell's Coconut Chips

*1-2 TBSP more coconut oil for sautéing the apples

 

Here's what you do:

*Saute the diced apples in coconut oil.

*Soften/melt the coconut butter & oil in a bowl in the microwave (I did 39 seconds to be precise)

*Add in the coconut chips, stevia, cinnamon & salt.

*By this time the apples should be ready (you want them soft, but not burned); add them to the coconut butter mixture.

*Spoon the mixture (about 1 TBSP at a time) into mini muffin cups of choice in a muffin tin (I used parchment paper mini muffin cups bc that's all I had...worked great!)

*Place muffin tin in the freezer (for the shortest hardening time...you could also put into the fridge)

*When solid, unwrap & enjoy!

 

The disaster I create when I bake!

The final result!

 

p.s. they are soooo good!!!

Quest Nutrition Chocolate Chunk Almond Cookies...Review

So I found a recipe I wanted to try on Instagram (as usual, these days) from Quest Nutrition ... Quest Choc Chunk Almond Cookies. . I LOVE Quest Bars! They are amazing! The flavors are so good & the macros in them are really good too! The only other time I've baked with Quest bars, I made little mini cheesecakes & they turned out pretty good.

Here's the recipe (copied from here):
Ingredients

• 1 Double Chocolate Chunk Quest Bar, cut into small chunks
• 2 egg whites
• ¼ cup all natural almond butter
• 1/3 cup oat flour
• ¼ cup almond meal flour
• ½ scoop vanilla protein powder
• 2 Tbsp. granulated stevia
• ¼ tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup Chocolate Chips, optional

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 4 small ramekins with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Place egg whites and almond butter in a mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add in the remainder of the ingredients and stir until well combined. Place cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.
3. Take about ¼ cup (or ¼ of the total amount) of the cookie batter and spoon into one of the ramekins. Repeat this process until all 4 ramekins are filled. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 14-16 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
Nicolette’s Tips
* You may substitute almond butter with any all natural nut butter.

 

They turned out pretty awesome! They were really goof when they were warm, right out of the oven...but a little dry when they cooled down. The trick was to heat them up in the microwave a little & they were good to go!  Good little snack...great recipe!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Protein Pudding

So I like to whip things up sometimes...throw things in until I think it will be good. Today my creation was a success! So yummy!

You will need:

 

*3/4 C ff greek yogurt

*2/3 scoop protein powder (I used Cellucor's Cookies n' Cream)

*1/4 packet of sugar free/ff cheesecake pudding mix

*1-2 TBSP of PB2 (depending on how peanut buttery you want it)

*1-2 TBSP unsw vanilla almond milk (depending on the consistency you want)

*1 tsp vanilla extract

*Sweet Drops Vanilla Crème (liquid stevia) to taste

*1-2 TBSP sf syrup (depending on the sweetness you want)

 

Mix together & enjoy!

 

Calories: 286  C:27 F:2 P:40