Dark Chocolate Strawberry Brownie Baked Oats

Yes I ate this for breakfast.
Yes it was delicious.
Yes it is completely healthy.
Yes I suggest you try this.

Dark Chocolate Strawberry Brownie Baked Oats

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup raw old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 T plain Greek yogurt
• 1 stevia packet
• 1 T unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 2 t coconut flour
• 1/4 cup strawberries; chopped
• 1/2 Chocolate Brownie Quest bar; chopped up

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and spray a ramekin with cooking spray
2. Combine all of the ingredients in the ramekin
3. Bake for 30 minutes
4. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before eating

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Protein Oat Bran

It seems as if all I eat is peanut butter, oats, and bananas, but they're all sooo good that I don't think I could go a day without eating the three - be it separate or together.

To get the most out of my peanut butter addiction, I love using PB2 or peanut butter protein powder to help give me the peanut flavor without the added fat content.  PB2 also allows you to create your own flavor combinations.  These cinnamon and peanut butter oats are the perfect example.  Try mixing 2T of PB2 with 1/2-1t cinnamon for a great flavor take on Peanut Butter & Co. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl!

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Oat Bran 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 T plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1 T Cellucor peanut butter marshmallow whey protein powder
• 1 T PB2
• 1 stevia packet
• 1/2 banana; sliced

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients (except the banana)
2. Microwave on high for 3 minutes; stopping at 1 minute increments to stir the oats
3. Top with the sliced banana and additional cinnamon and peanut butter, if desired

Basic PROYO Base

I'm a froyo addict.  It could be the coldest day, I could be freezing cold, but I still wouldn't turn down a bowl of froyo with all it's fun toppings.  Since I believe that everything can be enjoyed in moderation, nightly I make these tasty dessert bowls.

The below recipe is my "base proportions".  The picture below is Optimum Nutrition Cookies and Cream Casein with one of my Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Brownies broken up.  The picture to the right is my favorite flavor which is Optimum Nutrition Chocolate Peanut Butter Casein with a dollop of PB Crave ChocoChoco peanut butter and 1t of broken up dark chocolate chunks.

PROYO

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 T unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 scoop casein protein powder

Directions

1. Blend the yogurt, milk, and casein
2. Freeze for 10-15 minutes to thicken
3. Remove from the freezer and stir to soften slightly
4. Top with cool whip, sprinkles, and desired toppings

Broiled Bananas

The health benefits that you get from bananas are significant.  Some of the note worthy benefits include: enhanced brain power and focus, increased energy, and improved mood and happiness.  Since the benefits are high, the cost is low, and the flavor is amazing, I'm always stocking up on bananas to add to my oats, smoothies, or snacks.

My favorite way to enjoy bananas is to broil them so the natural sugars are released and they become soft.  I usually have this as a dessert, but it would also make the perfect breakfast option to your oatmeal or layered with Greek yogurt, honey, and cinnamon. 

Broiled Bananas

Ingredients

• 1 medium ripe banana; sliced length wise down the middle
• 1 T PB Crave Coco Banana Peanut Butter or peanut butter of choice
• 2 t Walden Farms chocolate sauce

Directions

1. Place the 2 banana slices on a baking sheet lined with foil
2. Broil the banana on high for 4-6 minutes
3. While the banana is broiling, melt 1 T peanut butter until smooth
4. Once the banana is lightly brown and bubbly, remove it from the oven
5. Top the banana with the melted peanut butter and chocolate sauce

Very Berry White Chocolate Raspberry Oat Bran

 Breakfast bliss is what I call this wonderful creation!  As I'm writing this right now I'm actually sad that this breakfast bowl was consumed so quickly.  They're flavored with a melted White Chocolate Raspberry Quest Bar to give added protein and fiber.

If you've never had a Quest Bar you're missing out.  I consider these bars the best protein bar on the market because they're gluten free, contain no added sugar (stevia sweetened), and contain only 3-4 grams of active carbs.  Plus they're so versatile, as you'll see in some coming treats that I'll be posting.

Very Berry White Chocolate Raspberry Oat Bran

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup raw old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 stevia packet
• 1/4 t raspberry extract
• 1/2 white chocolate raspberry Quest Bar
• 1/4 cup frozen mixed berries

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl
2. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes; stopping in 1 minute increments to stir the oats

Chipolte Ranch Tortilla Pizza

I must say that my intuition has been on point lately and my creative juices have been flowing.  This pizza turned out exactly as I had hoped! Substitute the thick pizza crust for a low carb tortilla and you can still get a tasty pizza-like meal!  This specific Southwest version is just like enjoying loaded nachos!

Chipolte Ranch Tortilla Pizza

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 low carb tortilla 
• 4 oz. cooked chicken breast; diced
• 2-3 T Walden Farms Chipolte Ranch salad dressing
• 1/4 cup tomatoes; chopped
• 1/4 cup corn kernels
• 2 T cilantro chopped
• 1/2 t chipolte spice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Arrange the tortilla on a baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes until lightly crispy
3. Remove the tortilla  from the oven, spread the salad dressing on it as the "sauce"
4. Add the remaining toppings and sprinkle with the chipolte seasoning
5. Return to the oven and bake for another 5-7 minutes

Cinnamon Caramel Banana Oat Bran

I love a nice voluminous bowl of oats.  In previous posts I've shown several different ways to create more volume (oat bran, zucchini, egg whites, etc.).  People are always wondering what to do with ripening bananas, so next time you have one that's too soft to eat, add it to your oats to pump up your breakfast bowl. 

Cinnamon Caramel Banana Oat Bran 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup raw old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 stevia packet
• 1 t caramel extract
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 ripe banana; mashed

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl
2. Microwave for 3-4 minutes; stopping in 1 minute increments to stir the oats

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Popcorn

The minute I saw this idea, I know it was something I needed to try.  Growing up I was known as the Popcorn Queen.  I still enjoy a bowl of popcorn on most Sunday afternoons while watching some sappy movie, so it's only fitting that I combine three of my food loves (popcorn, peanut butter, and chocolate) to enjoy the ultimate Sunday afternoon snack.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Popcorn

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 4 cups air popped popcorn
• 2 T chocolate PB2
• 2 T Cellucor Peanut Butter Marshmallow whey protein
• 3-4 T water

Directions

1. Combine the chocolate PB2, protein powder, and water
2. Pour the mixture over the popcorn
3. Let the mix sit for a minute to absorb into the popcorn

Unfortunately, I can't remember where I saw this idea/recipe.  I would love to give credit where credit is due, but I can't seem to find the original feed.

Lemon Blueberry Muffin ZOATS

Get a full serving of vegetables in your morning oats without even noticing the flavor difference.  How you ask?  The answer is zucchini.  Simply process a zucchini down to fine pieces and add it into your oats.  I love this idea because it adds volume to my breakfast to help keep me full for hours!

Lemon Blueberry Muffin ZOATS

 Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw old fashioned oats
• 1 small zucchini
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 stevia packet
• 1/2 t lemon extract
• 1/4 t butter extract
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

Directions

1. In a food processor, process the zucchini until it's finely broken down
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl
3. Microwave for 3-4 minutes; stopping in 1 minute increments to stir the oats

Lemon Pepper Flounder

I was looking to change up my fish selection and seasoning and stumbled upon this tasty creation.  Paired with steamed peppered vegetables and a roasted red pepper quinoa/brown rice blend, it created a perfectly flavorful meal!

Lemon Pepper Flounder Fillet

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh flounder fillets
• 1/2 - 1 t dried thyme
• 1 t Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper seasoning
• 1 lemon juiced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil that's been sprayed with cooking spray
2. Arrange the fish on the baking sheet
3. Sprinkle with the thyme and lemon/pepper spices
4. Drizzle the lemon juice over the fish
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through

Red Velvet Protein Oat Bran

For some reason I've been in a steady rut with my morning oats.  That was until a trip to Marshal's sparked my creative buzz back to life!  I stumbled upon Red Velvet and Cream Cheese Emulsions.  These emulsions are similar to extracts, but they retain more of the flavor after being baked which make them great for flavoring my oats!

Not only have I found some great new flavor combinations, but I've also changed up my base oat recipe.  I'm a volume eater, I prefer to eat a large quantity of food as opposed to a small, dense bowl.  Therefore, I've started to add oat bran to my oats.  Oat bran has more volume and contains slightly less carbohydrates but more fiber, so it does a better job at holding me over until my next meal.

With my new flavors and base consistency, I was like a little kid waiting for the cake to come out of the oven while I stood in front of my microwave waiting to sample the finished product!  The results can only be described as pure perfection!!  It was like I was actually eating a piece of cake!

Red Velvet Protein Oat Bran

Oat Ingredients

• 1/4 cup raw old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 T plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 t red velvet emulsion

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/4 t cream cheese emulsion
• 3-5 vanilla cream stevia drops
• 1-2 T low fat cottage cheese

Directions

1. Combine all of the oat ingredients in an airtight jar
2. Refrigerate overnight
3. In the morning, stir the mixture
4. Microwave for 1 minute, stir again, and microwave for 1 more minute
5. Combine all of the cream cheese frosting ingredients
6. Once the oats are cooked, top with frosting

Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Brownies

I have finally found, modified, and perfected the perfect healthy brownie recipe!

HEAVEN! Pure heaven in the form of a fudgy brownie!  I have no words for how delicious these are!  It's taking will power to not eat every brownie in the pan.

Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Brownies

Makes 9 - Serving Size: 1/9

Calories per Serving (without toppings): 102

Fat: 10.5g - Carbs: 8.4g (Fiber: 2.7g) - Protein: 13.5g

Ingredients

• 3 scoops (1 cup) Cellucore chocolate peanut butter casein (do not use whey)
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 t baking powder
• 3 stevia packets
• 1/2 t salt
• 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3 egg white (1/2 cup liquid egg white) 
• 3 T dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray
2. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl (except the chocolate chips)
3. Add in the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined; the batter with be very thick
4. Spread the batter into the baking dish
5. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the batter
6. Bake for 13-15 minutes; the brownies will be very moist, but do not over bake them
7. Allow to cool before storing in the refrigerator

Dijon Turkey Burger

Warmer weather is coming which means grilling, but until then I'm forced to cook my burgers on the stove top or in the oven.   I honestly wasn't expecting much from this burger, but the flavors that came through were WOW!  Definitely one worth repeating when I dust off the grill!

Dijon Turkey Burger

Serves 2

Calories for 1/2 the Recipe: 138

Fat: 1.1 g - Carbs: 4g - Protein: 28.4g

Ingredients

• 8 oz. extra lean ground turkey
• 1 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 t honey Dijon mustard
• 1/8 t garlic powder
• 1/4 cup onion; chopped
• 1 T parsley

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
3. Form the mixture into 4 equal sized patties
4. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until cooked through
5. Garnish each patty as desired with additional mustard, lettuce, tomato, onions, etc.

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

This past weekend I helped host a Surprise 60th Birthday Party for my mom!   The party was a huge success and she was completely surprised!

Since the party was to honor and celebrate my mom, I planned to make some of her favorite dishes.  The idea for this pasta salad originated from one of our favorite dips.  To transform the dip into pasta salad, I simply added pasta and 4-6 oz. more salad dressing.  This can be served cold as well as warmed up.

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

• 10-12 oz. bow tie pasta
• Dash of salt
• 1 can black beans; rinsed and drained
• 1 can sweet corn kernels; rinsed and drained
• 1 can black eyed peas; rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes with chili peppers
• 1/2 a sweet onion; chopped
• 1 handful cilantro; chopped
• 8 - 12 oz. fat free zesty Italian salad dressing

Directions

1. Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions
2. Once cooked, drain and rinse the pasta under cold water
3. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and add in the black beans, corn, black eyed peas, diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and zesty Italian dressing
4. Toss well to fully coat the pasta with the dressing