Sometimes all you need is a good book, a cup of tea and a chocolate muffin right? Especially when you’re settling in for a Sunday read. These muffins are super chocolatey, but not too sweet. The zucchini totally disappears into these muffins but helps to keep them lovely and moist.
To make 15 mini muffins:
🥄 1/2 c rolled oats, ground into flour by running through your food processor
🥄 3 tbsp cocoa powder
🥄 a pinch of salt
🥄 1 tsp baking soda
🥄 1 tsp baking powder
🥄 2 tbsp granulated @swervesweetie
🥄 2 eggs
🥄 1/2 c grated and squeezed zucchini (about 1 medium)
🥄 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients together. Divide into a mini muffin tray (I sprayed mine with non-stick spray first) and bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
Make Ahead
Chipotle Chicken Pinwheels
These chipotle chicken pinwheels go together in a snap. These make a healthy appetizer if you’re willing to share. If not, they make a great lunch!
Ingredients:
🥄 300 g shredded chicken
🥄 150 g cream cheese
🥄 4 diced green onions
🥄 4 chipotle pepers in adobo sauce, well chopped
🥄 1/4 c sugar-free barbecue sauce
🥄 6 tortilla wraps
To make the shredded chicken, cook 3 chicken breasts covered in broth for 8 hours on low in the slow cooker. Remove from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients except for the wraps. You may have to work a bit hard to fully mix in the cream cheese. Once mixed spread 1/6th of the mixture into onto each tortilla, spreading to the edges of the tortilla as much as possible. Tightly roll the wrap then slice into 3/4” thick coins.
To make this ahead of time, make the filling and then freeze. When you’re ready to eat, allow the filling to thaw in the frozen, then proceed with making the pinwheels.
Veggie Tray & Dip
Truth…I eat a giant bag of raw veggies every afternoon at 3:00. And 99% of the time I just eat the veggies as they are. But this week I was working on how to get all my protein in and decided to make a savoury dip to go along with my veggies. And it turned out to be great. This takes seconds to put together, but real with me…who doesn’t love dip?
1/2c Skyr + 1 scant tbsp tatziki powder + 1 thinly sliced green onion = yum!
Greek yogourt totally works too, but I love how thick and rich the Skyr tastes!
Mocha Yogourt
Mocha Yogourt 🥄
This is an absolute go-to meal for me. It’s high protein, caffeinates you for the day, has just the right amount of chocolatey taste and goes together in a snap. Could you ask for more?
Mix together: 1 cup of greek yogourt or Skyr, 1 tbsp instant coffer granules, 1 tbsp cocoa powder and a few drops of Stevia. That’s all!
Enjoy!
Paella
This paella is a healthified spin on a recipe I’ve been making for years. It’s one of my favourite winter dishes. Since it’s snowing today, it seems time to share!
Marinade 2 lb chicken thighs overnight in: 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1/3c chopped fresh parsley, juice of 2 lemons, 4 chopped cloves of garlic, 3 roughly chopped red onions, 1 sprig of rosemary diced, 1/2c water and salt and pepper.
Put the chicken thighs, onions, a pint of cherry tomatoes and 1 chopped green bell pepper casserole dish and bake for 40 minutes at 375F. During the last 10 minutes add 1 lb shrimp.
While the chicken is cooking cook 1c brown rice in chicken broth (instead of water) along with a pinch of saffron threads.
Scoop the chicken, shrimp and veggies out from the casserole dish and serve over rice. Use a little bit of the cooking liquid from the bottom of the dish to add additional moisture to the finished dish.
Enjoy! 😋
Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
These 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 are inspired by the taste of cinnamon rolls, but are waaayyyy healthier! Perfect for breakfast or a mid-day snack
To make 12 muffins, mix together:
🥄 120g rolled oats – ground in your food processor
🥄 3 scoops protein powder (I like Magnum Quattro for Baking)
🥄 1/3c Sukrin Gold (or other brown sugar style sweetener)
🥄 1 tbsp cinnamon
🥄 1 c peeled, shredded zucchini that has been squeezed of excess moisture
🥄 1/4 tsp salt
🥄 1/2 tsp vanilla
🥄 2 eggs
🥄 1 cup almond milk
Portion the mixed batter into 12 lined muffin cups (it will be thin!) and bake at 350F for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
For the frosting, use a hand-held electric beater or stand mixed to whip together 6 tbsp cream cheese, 1/4c icing sugar style zero cal sweetener, and about 1 tsp almond milk. (If you need more almond milk add it slowly!). Frost once the muffins are fully cooled.
Chai Spice Breakfast Muffins
I’m so happy to be home and to get back to these awesome 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘪 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘴! You better believe this is what I’m eating for breakfast today! Chai is a bold flavour, so feel free to reduce the amount in the muffins, if you’d like something a little more subtle.
To make 12 muffins, mix together:
🥄 120g rolled oats – ground in your food processor
🥄 3 scoops protein powder (I like Magnum Quattro for Baking)
🥄 1/2c granulated swerve
🥄 1 tbsp chai spice powder
🥄 1 c peeled, shredded zucchini that has been squeezed of excess moisture
🥄 1/4 tsp salt
🥄 2 eggs
🥄 1 cup almond milk
🥄 30g chopped walnuts
Portion the mixed batter into 12 lined muffin cups (it will be thin!) and bake at 350F for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Overnight Oats – Strawberries & Cream
🍓Strawberries & Cream Overnight Oats 🍓
These are perfect in the morning. They also make a mad 3:00 pm snack. You know what I’m talking about…mid-afternoon when the temptation to jump in on the cookies sitting in kitchen at the office is so high. These overnight oats are full of complex carbs, protein, and if you throw some nuts on top, healthy fats too. They’ll leave you way happier than that cookie. 😉 I’ll be eating these for afternoon snack all week long.
To make 1 serving:
🥄 1/3c rolled oats
🥄 1 c plain Greek yogourt
🥄 3/4c sliced strawberries
🥄 1/3c almond milk
🥄 A few drops of vanilla flavoured liquid stevia
Mix all these ingredients together, pop in the fridge and eat when you’re ready. You can prep these on Sunday and eat all week.
This week I used frozen strawberries…they’re cheaper and frankly taste better when strawberries aren’t in season.
Adjust the almond milk to achieve the consistency you like and the stevia to achieve the sweetness level you like.
Mason jars are pretty for photos, but any container you have in your kitchen will do!
White Turkey Chili
This WHITE TURKEY CHILI is soooo good!!! I cannot get enough of it!
To make 8 servings:
🥄 4 lb extra lean ground turkey
🥄 2 tsp garlic powder
🥄 3 cans white kidney beans
🥄 4 cloves garlic
🥄 2 yellow onions, diced
🥄 2 cans diced green chilies 🥄 1 tbsp cumin
🥄 1 tbsp oregano
🥄 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
🥄 1 tsp salt
🥄 2 bay leaves
🥄 6 cups chicken stock
Cook the ground turkey with the garlic powder in a frying pan over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon as the turkey cooks. (I did this in two batches). Drain excess fat from the pan and set the turkey aside.
Spray a large stock pot with non-stick cooking spray and sautee the onions and garlic. Once softened, add the beans, all of the spices, that chicken stock and the turkey you set aside.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer for 1h.
To serve: top each serving of chili with a spoonful of Greek yogourt, a handful of cheddar cheese, a handful of crushed tortilla chips, some sliced green onions and some fresh cilantro.
Faro, Pesto, Chicken & Broccoli
This dish is an oldie but a goodie…and apparently doesn’t photograph particularly well. Don’t let the lack of photogenic genes here put you off.
Farro, pesto, chicken and broccoli bowl. Quick, easy and oh so tasty. For those not familiar, farro is a whole grain with a nutty tasty and chewy consistency.
Cook chicken as you like (I like to grill mine on the BBQ).
Cook the farro according to package directions. I always use chicken broth instead of water for extra flavour.
To save time, I use frozen broccoli, so cook a bag or two of that.
Mix together a generous handful of diced chicken breast, a scoop of farro, a helping of broccoli and 2 tbsp pesto. Enjoy! 😋😋😋