Spicy Citrus Salmon

I'm getting a little fed up with this extremely cold weather.  I'm doing everything possible to stay optimistic that warmer days are to come which includes making many summer inspired dishes.  Although I'm longing for some grilled salmon, roasting and broiling it will have to do for now.  The strong citrus flavors of this salmon mixed with the spicy cayenne pepper make for a flavorful combination.

Spicy Citrus Salmon

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. fresh salmon; skin removed
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 t lime juice
• 1/2 t apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate for at least 8 hours to marinate
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray
3. Roast the salmon for 12-14 minutes or until cooked through

Buffalo Turkey Burger

Since my  boyfriend refuses to eat hummus, I had to come up with another burger option for him to enjoy while I had my Hummus Burger.  I nailed it with this Buffalo Burger!

 I know he loves buffalo sauce and we had a special bottle that we bought from Yuengling so I decided to throw that into a burger for him.  He's not a fan of blue cheese or ranch dressing, but feel free to add some to the burger for even more flavor!

Buffalo Turkey Burger

 

Makes 2 Burgers

 Makes 2 Burgers

Ingredients

• 7 oz. ground turkey or chicken
• 2-3 T Franks Hot Sauce (or buffalo sauce of choice)
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 1/8 cup onion; chopped
• 1/8 cup celery; chopped
• 2 T panko bread crumbs or oatmeal
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish: lettuce, tomatoes, blue cheese, carrots, celery, onions, etc. 
• 1/2 T olive oil/cooking spray

Directions

1. Combine the turkey, hot sauce, garlic powder,onion , celery, bread crumbs/oatmeal, and salt and pepper to taste
2. Shape mixture into two patties, each about 1/2" thick
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 1/2 T olive oil
4. Add patties and cook until cooked through and lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side
5. Top with desired garnishing

2 Ingredient Hummus Turkey Burger

It's the dead of winter and all I'm praying for is summer's hot days!  What better way to stay optimistic than to make a meal that reminds me of the season.

Flavored hummus is a quick way to create deliciously flavored dishes.  Not only is it versatile because of the endless flavor combinations, but it acts as a great binding agent for this burger without drying out the meat.  It actually preserves some of the moisture to give you a juicy burger which is exactly what I was craving!

2 Ingredient Hummus Turkey Burger

 Makes 2 Burgers

Ingredients

• 7 oz. ground turkey
• 2-3 T roasted red pepper hummus (or hummus flavor of choice)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish: lettuce, tomatoes, roasted peppers, onions, etc. 
• 1/2 T olive oil/cooking spray

Directions

1. Combine the turkey, hummus, parsley, coriander, and salt and pepper to taste
2. Shape mixture into two patties, each about 1/2" thick
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 1/2 T olive oil
4. Add patties and cook until cooked through and lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side
5. Top with desired garnishing

Ginger Soy Salmon

This recipe is my preferred method of cooking my salmon because it yields fantastic results.  There are specialty olive oil and vinegar stores popping up everywhere and I can't walk by one without going in and browsing their selection.  I'm more  drawn to the vinegars because I find them to be more versatile and flavorful.  I use them to dress my salad, marinate meats, and saute vegetables.  I suggest stopping in to one next time you come across one and sampling their flavors!  They'll get your imaginative juices flowing!

Ginger Soy Salmon

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 8 oz. fresh salmon; skin removed
• 1 T honey/ginger balsamic vinegar (or regular)
• 2 T liquid aminos/low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove; minced
• 1/2 t ginger

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a zip-lock bag
2. Make sure the salmon is well coated in the marinade
3. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line baking sheet with foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray
5. Transfer the salmon and remaining marinade to the baking sheet
6. Roast for about 12 minutes or until cooked through 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake with Peanut Butter Pie Mousse

It's BIRTHDAY time!  Michael's birthday is this week.  Since it falls in the middle of the week and we will be celebrating with family this coming weekend with Sunday Brunch, he decided that he didn't want a huge cake with all of the unnecessary leftovers.  Coming from a sweet-tooth addict, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make him a special birthday treat, so I decided to make him a mug cake.  He picked this decadent Mug Cake that turned out the be the perfect birthday treat!

THE PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE alone is to die for.  It's so rich and creamy and when dolloped onto the warm cake, it just melted into the cake to add an even bigger peanut butter explosion!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake

Ingredients

• 2 T butter
• 2 T creamy peanut butter
• ½ t vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 stevia packets
• 2 T whole wheat pastry flour
• 3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 t salt
• 1/8 t baking powder
• 3 T chocolate chips

Directions

1. Spray a ramekin with cooking spray
2. Melt the butter in a small dish
3. Add the peanut butter and mix well
4. In a separate bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients
5. Beat in the egg and vanilla to the dry mixture
6. Add the peanut butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until combined
7. Stir in the chocolate chips
8. Pour the mixture into the ramekin
9. Microwave for 1-2 minutes or until desired doneness
10. Top with Peanut Butter Pie Mousse

Peanut Butter Pie Mousse

Ingredients

• 1 T plain Greek yogurt, softened
• 1 T creamy peanut butter
• ½ t vanilla extract
• 2 T fat-free cool whip
• 1 T powdered sugar

Directions

• Combine the first 3 ingredients until smooth
• Fold in the cool whip and then the powdered sugar until combined

Peanut Butter Curry Chicken

Last week I enjoyed a delicious Peanut Butter sauce that I had bought a while back.  The sauce was so yummy that I intend to remake it myself and share my results very soon, but in the mean time, I saw this recipe, posted by The Coconut Diaries.  I've never been let down by her uniquely combined recipes, so I knew that I needed to try her peanut butter sauce since!  Here's a peanut curry sauce with a slight kick!

Peanut Butter Curry Chicken

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 4 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 T PB2
• 1 t curry powder
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1 t apple cider vinegar
• 2 t water

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a zip-lock bag and mix well to coat the chicken evenly in the mixture
2. Refrigerate the mixture for 5-8 hours
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
4. Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes, or until completely cooked through

Adapted From The Coconut Diaries

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Protein Muffins

I decided to change it up for breakfast the week and made these tasty muffins!  These have been the perfect, with the perfect balance of cinnamon.  They're great for breakfast or a mid-morning snack because they're dense and filling and will keep you feeling full for several hours.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Protein Muffins

 

Makes: 12

Calories per Muffin: 70

Fat: 1.2g – Carbs: 9g – Fiber: 2.3g – Protein: 7g

Muffin Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup oats; ground into flour
• 2 scoops cinnamon swirl whey
• 1 T coconut flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 2 stevia packets (add more if you want a sweeter muffin)
• 1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 4 egg whites
• 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Cinnamon Swirl Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar free pancake syrup (Walden Farms)
• 2 t cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray
2. Add all of the ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth and fully combined
3. Pour the batter into the muffin tins
4. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and pancake syrup
5. Swirl a little of the syrup onto each muffin
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
7. I store these in the refrigerator and microwave them for 1 minute before eating

Adapted From Tasty Health

Cinnamon Swirl Protein French Toast

I'm sorry I've been MIA for a while.  I seem to have overstuffed my cabinets and I've been slowly using up pre-made marinades and sauces that I've acquired over the past year. 

I'm back today with a delicious alternative to my Protein Pancakes.  French Toast is another popular breakfast option, so I've decided to create a healthier version of this breakfast favorite!

Protein Cinnamon French Toast

Serves 1

Calories per Serving: 233 (without toppings)

Fat: 1.7g – Carbs: 29.8g – Fiber: 3.4g – Protein: 22.4g

Ingredients

• 3 pieces of Pepperidge Farm Light whole wheat bread
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 scoop cinnamon swirl protein powder
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 t vanilla extract

Toppings

• 1/8 t cinnamon
• 1 T Walden Farm blueberry syrup
• 1/4 cup blueberries

Directions

1. Blend the egg white, protein powder, almond milk and vanilla extract
2. Allow each piece of bread to soak in the mixture for about 30/45 seconds per side
3. Spray with non-stick spray a griddle or pan and put the stove to medium heat
4. Cook each side until lightly browned then flip and cook the other side
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon, blueberry syrup, and fruit

Moroccan Salmon

I like mixing sweet and spicy flavors, so here's a quick dry rub that might seem like an interesting combination, but it's defiantly a winner!

Moroccan Salmon

 Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. fresh salmon
• 1/2 t ground coriander
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/8 t allspice
• 1 t EVOO

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil sprayed with healthy cooking spray
2. Combine all of the spices with the EVOO
3. Rub the spices over the salmon, pressing the spices into the meaty flesh
4. Roast the salmon for about 12 minutes until cooked through

Thai Turkey Burger with Peanut Sauce

It might be winter, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying my burgers!  Instead of grilling you can pan cook or bake the patties and still get the same great results.  This Thai burger has the slightly spicy hint from the sriracha sauce, but it's balanced out with the peanut sauce dressing which makes for a great combination!

Thai Turkey Burger with Peanut Sauce

 Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. 99% lean ground turkey
• 1 T green onions; chopped
• 1 t Sriracha sauce
• 1 t ground ginger
• 1/8 cup cilantro; chopped
• 1 t minced garlic
• 1 egg white
• 1 T Thai Peanut Sauce
• Garnish: buns, lettuce leaves, cilantro, etc.

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the Peanut Sauce
3. Form the mixture into 4 equal sized patties
4. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until cooked through
5. Garnish each patty in desired way and top with the Thai Peanut Sauce