Homemade Honey Cinnamon Granola

I was experimenting with granola recipes the week before my mother came to visit.  During her trip I shared the granola with her, later when I went to grab the granola jar I noticed it was nearly empty, I looked at my mama with a quizzical look, she exclaimed, “I had another bowl, it was SO good!”  This recipe is in fact mother tested and mother approved.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups oats
• 45 grams raw walnuts
• 45 grams roasted almonds
• 30 grams unsweetened coconut
• ¼ cup sugar free maple syrup
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• Dash of salt
• Lots of cinnamon
• Vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients and combine thoroughly
3. Prepare baking sheet with non-stick spray and spread granola mixture on top
4. Bake at 250 degrees for 45 minutes, mixing intermittently

Breakfast Quesadilla

Ingredients:

• 1 Brown rice tortilla
• 2 eggs
• 3 Bacon slices (turkey or pork – pick your fancy)
• 1 slice pepper jack cheese
• ¼ cup purple onion chopped
• ¼ cup green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup zucchini, thinly sliced
• 4 asparagus spears, sliced into small pieces
• ¼ cup fresh spinach
• 4 grape tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ of a medium avocado, sliced
• Salsa (I used salsa verde)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the bacon as the package indicates, I cook it on the stovetop.  Then set aside.  If you’d like to make things easier on yourself, you can use pre-cooked bacon.
2. Prepare your sauté pan with non-stick spray and sauté the purple onion, bell pepper, zucchini, asparagus, spinach, and tomatoes with a dash of oil or butter (pick your preference).  Season vegetables with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Once the vegetables have softened and the onion has caramelized, set aside.
3. Scramble the eggs, season lightly with salt and pepper.  To cut calories, you may use egg whites instead of whole eggs.
4. Fold the tortilla in half.  Place cheese along one side, then add the vegetables, eggs, then layer the bacon, then avocado, and a sprinkle more of cheese.  Place the entire tortilla in a pan that has been prepared with non-stick spray.  Cook evenly on both side.
5. Top quesadilla with salsa or use salsa on the side for dipping.  

Enjoy,

Q

Garlic Honey Crock-Pot Chicken

I'm a girl on the go, waking up before 6am and not returning home until 8:30/9pm, and to be perfectly honest, I can arrive home quite hangry!  Weekend meal prep makes my life easier, it allows me to enjoy delicious and nutritious meals without slaving over the stove for an hour every night (aka. it tames the hangry beast).  I used to make a week's worth of grilled chicken, the first day was quite tasty, but by day five it was slimy and gross.  In search of a better way I invested in Crock-Pot, oh boy, total game changer!  This is one of my favorite chicken recipes...it is SUPER simple and SUPER delicious!  Let your creative juices flow with this juicy chicken...use it in a vegetable and rice bowl, as your burrito or taco meat, wrap it in lettuce, put it on top of salads or in between bread for sandwich meat, or a personal favorite, put it on a pizza!

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breaks (approximately 2 pounds)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Braggs Amino Acids
1/2 cup organic ketchup
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tsp parsley

Instructions:
1. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the Crock-Pot
2. Use to whisk to combine the Aminos, ketchep, honey and spices/garlic.  Tip - when measuring honey, spray the measuring cup with non-stick spray and the honey will slide right out! 
3.  Pour the sauce over the chicken breasts
4. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.  (I prefer low cooking overnight)
5. Use a fork to shred - it will fall apart so easily!

4 ounces = 266 calories
2F/15C/30P

Bon appetite,
Q 

Peanut Butter Banana 7-layer Bars

I find such joy in experimenting with recipes in my kitchen.  Hours quickly pass when I'm wrapped in my apron wrecking havoc across my counter tops.  I always hope for the best - (cross fingers) please taste as good as you smell!  But occasionally, the whole batch ends up in the trash.  I'd like to be better about sharing my recipes with y'all, holler if you have any requests or suggestions!

I made these babies this weekend - Peanut Butter Banana 7-Layer Bars

Ingredients:

1 package of Honey Graham Crackers

3 egg whites (3 tablespoons = 1 egg white)

1/4 c (30g) unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 c (56g) mini chocolate chips

1/2 a banana (60g), diced

4 ounces (113g) fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 tbsp stevia

2 tbsp (32g) creamy peanut butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare a 9x9 glass dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Use a food processor to break the crackers into crumbs.  Combine the egg whites and graham cracker crumbs in a bowl until fully incorporated.  Press into the bottom of the prepared dish.

3. Sprinkle the crust with the coconut, chocolate chips, and then banana.

4. In a small bowl, mix the fat-free sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, stevia, and peanut butter.  Drizzle over the top.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 19-21 minutes until the edges are golden brown.  Allow the bars to cool before you slice them.

Servings: 9

183 Calories per bar

7F/29C/6P