Meatloaf Muffins

One of my children's favorite meals lately is meatloaf. I make it, and they aren't quite sure of it and then I remind them that it's one of their favorite dishes. Then they try it and sing my praises. It's kind of awesome. But making the traditional meatloaf all the time gets a little old so to mix it up, I make meatloaf muffins. To be honest, the name kind of grosses me out. I think muffins is such a breakfast term. But the name stays. The kiddos love it and it's kind of catchy. :)

Meatloaf Muffins
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 40-45 minutes            READY IN: 50-55 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup of milk (I used skim, but any kind should work)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoning 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce

DIRECTIONS

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1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In a large bowl, mix together turkey, egg, quick oats, milk, salt, Lawry's seasoning, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley. 
3. Use a cookie scoop to make 12 even meatloaf balls. Roll out and place into a greased muffin pan.
4. Mix ketchup and BBQ sauce in a small bowl. Place a little bit on top of each meatloaf muffin and spread around.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 serving    84 calories   3.4g fat   4.8g carbs    8.6g protein    2.1g sugar   

Enjoy!

Quick & Easy Wheat Dinner Rolls

SCENE: It's Sunday afternoon and I have a wonderful roast (or something just as wonderful) cooking itself in my best friend: the crockpot. It's been cooking while we've gone to church and have taken cat naps in the afternoon (that's the real reason why the crockpot is my best friend... it gives me naps!). The house smells lovely, and I'm about an hour away from putting dinner on the table.

ME: "What's that? We don't have any sides to go with this roast that I slaved over?"

(dead air... because really, nobody cares...)

And here's how I solve "the no sides" issue. My kids will eat bread like it's nobody's business and I always have these ingredients on hand. Combine this with some veggies and voila! Dinner is served! Here's how I whip up rolls in a 40 minutes. (YES, 40 minutes!)

Quick & Easy Wheat Dinner Rolls
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 12 minutes           COOK: 28 minutes            READY IN: 40 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 1/4 cups wheat flour (I use King Arthur's white whole wheat)
• 1 cup white flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active yeast (or 1 package)
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 egg beaten

DIRECTIONS

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1. Preheat oven to 170º.
2. Heat up milk in microwave for 2 minutes on high.
3. In a mixer combine wheat flour with a 1/2 cup white flour, egg, honey, warm milk, salt, and butter. Mix for 1 minute.
4. Add yeast and mix for 30 seconds.
5. Add remaining white flour (1/2 cup) and mix for 1 more minute. The dough should not be sticking to the sides at this point. If it is, add more flour, a little at a time, until it's all staying in a big ball.
6. Grease a muffin pan, and cut the dough into 12 equal parts, with one in each muffin cup. (No need for perfection here, just do your best).
7. Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until dough has risen to about twice the size. 
8. Set the oven to 350º and bake for 13 more minutes, or until rolls are slightly golden. (Leave the rolls in the oven while the oven is climbing to 350º).
9. Optional: butter tops of the rolls.
10. Serve!

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 roll    133 calories   4g fat   20.9g carbs    4.2g protein    4.3g sugar   

Now go enjoy a good Sunday nap!

Recipe adapted from Jamie Cooks it Up

"Crunchy" French Toast

Breakfast has never been my strong suit. I'm always pushing snooze, until I have to rush to get ready - and run out the door without eating something. Realizing this is extremely unhealthy, besides making me drag throughout the entire day, I try my best to discover breakfast ideas that I just can't resist. This is one of those that I would wake up early for. A delightful french toast coated with cereal adds a little more flavor and gives it a "crunch" that will get you out of bed and excited to start the day!

"Crunchy" French Toast
4 SERVINGS 
PREP: 5 minutes           COOK:10 minutes            READY IN: 15 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 8 slices bread
• 1 cup cereal of choice (I prefer Special K Fruit and Yogurt, but Cinnamon Life is good too)

DIRECTIONS

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1. Beat egg in shallow bowl. Add milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. 
2. In a separate shallow bowl, crush cereal into small pieces. 
3. Place bread in egg mixture, coating both sides, followed by the cereal mixture.
4. Bake on medium-low heated griddle. Add desired toppings.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    2 pieces of bread    158 calories   5 g fat  20.7 g carbs    7.5 g protein    6.6 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Linking up here

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cacao Cookies

My sister, Julie, gave me this incredible recipe for trail cookies a couple weeks ago, which I hope to share with you soon! But first I wanted to modify it to incorporate pumpkin, since I'll be the first to admit that is about all I can think about in the kitchen these days. That and cinnamon. I love fall and it's perfect for baking. These are so delicious and the plate of cookies was gone in less than a day at our house. They're only about 50 calories a cookie, and they are the perfect mix of what fall should taste like. It's like a fall party in your mouth!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cacao Cookies
24 SERVINGS 
PREP: 8 minutes           COOK: 12 minutes            READY IN: 20 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/8 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur's white whole wheat)
• 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup cacao chocolate chips, chopped

DIRECTIONS

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1. Preheat oven to 325º.
2. In a large bowl (or mixer), combine the first 5 ingredients (applesauce, honey, pumkin puree, egg, and vanilla).
3. Add all the dry ingredients and mix together.
4. Hand mix in cacao chips.
5. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottoms.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 cookie serving    51 calories   .5g fat   10.5g carbs    1.6g protein    3.7g sugar   

Enjoy!
Linking up here

Recipe Refresh: Cauliflower Pizza Crust

We have a weekend ritual at our house of having pizza and movies. We lay out a blanket in front of the T.V. and watch a kids' movie to wind down from a busy week. My children love this ritual and it's something they look forward to every week. Plus, it's the only time I let my kids eat in the family room, which makes it even more special. In an attempt to put a healthy spin on a well-loved food at our house, I thought I would try making over our traditional pizza recipe which can be found over at From Valerie's Kitchen.  I've heard a lot about cauliflower pizza crust and thought we'd give it a shot. Could pizza really be low carb and be good at the same time? Find out our review on this recipe refresh below.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust
2 SERVINGS (makes 9" pizza)
PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 17 minutes            READY IN: 37 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 cup cooked rice cauliflower (see directions below on how to prepare and cook)
• 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg 
• 3/4 teaspoon oregano 
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• olive oil
• pizza sauce
• toppings (I used canadian bacon, pineapple, black olives, mozzarella and parmesan cheese)

DIRECTIONS

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1. To Prep and Cook the Cauliflower:
   Take 1 head of fresh cauliflower. Remove stems and leaves so all you have are the florets. Chop into bite sized pieces. Place in your food processor and pulse until it looks like little rice grains. (If you over pulse, it will puree, and that won't work for this recipe). Place the pulsed cauliflower into a bowl and microwave for 8 minutes. You may want to microwave and stir every two to three minutes so the cauliflower doesn't overheat. One head of cauliflower will produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. You can use the remainder to make additional pizzas, or store this in the refrigerator for up to one week.
2. To Make the Pizza Crust:
   Preheat oven to 450º. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, mozzarella cheese, egg, oregano and minced garlic. Once evenly mixed, press into 9" round circle on parchment paper. Brush with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes.
3. Remove pizza crust from oven and add sauce and toppings. Put the oven on broil and bake for 2 minutes, or until golden brown.  (Toppings should be precooked since you are broiling for just a couple minutes).

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 serving    393 calories   21.8g fat   12.2g carbs    36.8g protein    3.5g sugar   

I found that preparing and cooking this pizza took the same amount of time a normal pizza dough would, and my children, as well as my husband and I really loved it. I did pack the pizza sauce full of spice and that seemed to help the flavor. Below you can see a side-by-side comparison on the recipes and see how they differ in preparation and nutritional facts.

Original Recipe	Refresh Recipe
Pizza Dough: 2 1/4 active dry yeast ½ teaspoon sugar 1-1/2 cups warm water 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour	Pizza Dough: 1 cup cooked rice cauliflower 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese 1 egg  3/4 teaspoon oregano  2 large garlic cloves, minced
Let dough rise for an hour.	Dough does not need to rise, but a little bit more time to prep.
460 calories, 13.4g fat, 56g carbs, 27.7g protein, 3g sugar	393 calories, 21.8g fat, 12.2g carbs, 36.8g protein 3.5g sugar

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Your Lighter Side.

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

I feel like you should all thank me ahead of time for this appetizer...they are that good! If you're ever in need of a side dish, or even just a healthy snack, these deviled eggs are the answer to your prayers. They are easy, quick (depending on how fast you can peel an egg...me, not so fast), and best of all, healthy! Make them today, you won't regret it.

Guacamole Deviled Eggs
24 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15-20 minutes           COOK: 30 minutes            READY IN: 30 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 12 eggs
• 1 1/2 avocados
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• handful of cherry tomatoes (optional)
• Olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic, or garlic salt to taste
• 1 squirt lemon juice
• dash of red pepper flakes
• dash of salt

DIRECTIONS

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1. Hard boil your eggs by placing them in a pot of cold water, making sure the water covers the eggs completely. Once water get to a rolling boil, remove from heat and let them sit for 15 minutes
2. Move to ice bath for 15 more minutes (making it easier to peel)
3. Peel eggs and slice them in half length wise
4. Gently remove the egg yolks and place them in a separate bowl and the whites on your serving plate
5. Add avocado to yolks and combined until creamy. If mixture isn't easily spreadable you can add olive oil, a little at a time. 
6. Add in cilantro, onion, tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes to the avocado/yolk mixture. 
7. Spoon or pipe the mixture onto the egg whites. Sprinkle with salt and serve. 

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 serving   57 calories  4.1g fat  2.5g carbs   3.3g protein   1g sugar   

Enjoy!
Linking up here.
Recipe adapted from Primal Women in the Kitchen

Baked Berry Oatmeal

This breakfast dish is a huge crowd pleaser and will leave your guests singing your praises until they leave. You can add just about any toppings you like on your traditional oatmeal and it turns out with little effort. And with a little cinnamon, it makes your kitchen smell yummy too. We like to make this over the weekend and the leftovers make a great reheat in the microwave for busy weekday mornings.

Baked Berry Oatmeal
12 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 35-40 minutes            READY IN: 50-55 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash sea salt
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 cups milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices

DIRECTIONS

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1. Preheat oven to 375º and spray an 9" x 13" baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix the oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt, half of the berries, and half of the white chocolate chips. Pour mixture into the baking pan.
3. Place the remaining berries and chocolate chips on top of the oatmeal as well as the cut up banana.
4. In another bowl, wisk together the milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture on top of the oatmeal.
5. Gently shake the baking pan to make sure the milk mixture is spread throughout the dish.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top of the oatmeal is golden brown and the milk mixture has set.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1/2 cup serving    174 calories   7.3g fat   23.3g carbs    4.3g protein    12.5g sugar   

For variations of this dish, try substituting any berries you have on hand, nuts, regular chocolate chips, etc. The options are endless! Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats.

Breakfast Quesadillas

Step aside, Wheaties, we have a new breakfast of champions in the house! My husband LOVES his breakfast of champions, but if you ask me, these quesadillas compete for the title. This dish is packed with veggies and protein that will be sure to leave you full and satisfied. Just 2 wedges fill me right up and I don't have the urge to snack during the day...what more could a girl ask for?!

Breakfast Quesadillas

2 SERVINGS 

PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 15-20 minutes            READY IN: 30 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 slices low sodium bacon
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon fat free milk
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 jalapeño 
• 1/4 small red onion
• 2 taco size tortillas
• 1/2 cup reduced fat 4-cheese Mexican cheese
• 1/2 avocado
• optional toppings: pico de gallo and table cream or sour cream.

DIRECTIONS

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1. Place bacon on tin foil lined baking sheet. Cook bacon in oven at 350º for 15-20 minutes, depending on how well done you like it. Chop into small pieces when done. 
2. Chop pepper, jalapeño, and red onion. Cook on stove until veggies are soft, and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl beat together egg, egg whites, and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste and scramble eggs on stove top. 
4. Once eggs and bacon are done, get a skillet and spray with cooking spray. Place one tortilla down. Top with half of the cheese, scrambled eggs, veggies, bacon, avocado, the remaining cheese, and then top it all off with the second tortilla.
5. Once the tortilla is a nice golden brown, flip it over to brown the other side. 
6. Cut it up into fourths. Garnish with pico de gallo or table cream. 

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 serving (1/2 tortilla)  325 calories 19.2g fat 20.6g carbs  19.2g protein   2.0g sugar   

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.

Enjoy!