Naked Kitchen Single Serving Snack Cake

               http://www.thenakedkitchen.com/single-serve-snack-cake/

Ingredients:
1 tbsp unsweetened apricot preserves/jam (blueberry and plum are good too)
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup low fat unsweetened almond milk or other non-dairy milk
1/2 tbsp ground flax
oil to grease baking dish
Fresh fruit to garnish (optional)

Preparation:
In a smal bowl mix together the milk and flax seed. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Stir in the apricot preserves.
Add in all the other dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
Grease a small microwave safe dish (I used a 7 ounce ramekin) and spoon in the dough.
Microwave on high 1:45 -2 minutes or until the center is set.
Dig in and eat while still warm.

Nutritional Info:        Makes 1 single serving.

Nutrients per serving (nutrition info will vary depending on the fruit preserve you use.): 

 Calories: 202, Cal. from Fat: 39, Total Fat: 4g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 35g, Fiber: 5g, Sugars: 11g, Protein: 3g, Sodium: 280mg, Chol: 0mg

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Thin Mint Diet Coke Cake (single serving)
Ingredients:
2 heaping tablespoons of chocolate cake mix
2 tbsp. diet coke
1 thin mint cookie (or keebler alternative)
optional: vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce

Instructions:
1. Grease and oven safe mug or ramekin with shortening.
2. Add cake mix. Mix in diet coke, until smooth and cake batter-like.
3. Press a thin mint into the batter until the batter comes up a little over the edges of the cookie.
4. Either bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes OR microwave for 60 seconds (as always, you will get the better results by baking).
5. Top with sundae sauce and ice cream if desired (which it will be).

Low Calorie Alternatives:Use a reduced sugar cake mix
Use lite cool whip instead of ice cream on top

Beef & Broccoli

     SERVES 2

1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 tsp ginger, chopped
1/2 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 small bunch broccoli florets in small pieces
12 oz flank or skirt steak, thinly sliced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch

1. Heat a large saute pan or wok to medium heat. Add olive oil and beef and cook for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Scoop meat out of the pan and keep warm.

2. Add garlic and ginger to pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Add yellow onion, broccoli, 14 cup of water, sesame oil, soy sauce. Cook 6-8 minutes or until broccoli is bright green.

3. Add cooked beef back to pan and season with soy sauce.

4. Mix 1/2 cup of water with cornstarch and add to pan. Bring to a boil. Add lime juice. Serve with brown rice and hot sauce if desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 385 calories, 38 g protein, 10 g carbs, 20 g fat, 4 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 250 mg sodium

Spundekäs

Spundekäs’ + Brezel (Cheese spread + pretzels)

500g low-fat cream cheese (Magerquark), substitute: Philadelphia (German Frischkäse)

250g plain yoghurt or crème fraiche

1-2 onions (diced)

2-3 table spoons paprika

1 tea spoon salt

Preparation:
1) Mix all ingredients well together.

2) Serve with pretzels. The pretzels can be either fresh from the bakery or snack pretzels that you buy in the supermarket. You dip the pretzels in the cream cheese.

To complete your Oktoberfest feast, serve Sauerkraut, sausages or pork chops, and of course free flow of German beer!

Zum Wohl!

Confetti Rice and Bean Salad (Chipotle)

Instead of paying $8 at Chipotle, try this!

INGREDIENTS:

Salad:
3 cups cooked rice, cooled to room temperature (see note)
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
4 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
1 red pepper, seeded, cored and diced
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Dressing:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients and toss. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss to coat. Chill the salad for at least 2 hours before serving to let the flavors blend.

Recipe Source: Mel's kitchen adapted slightly from Dawn P., mother to my neighbor with the amazing garden

christmas crunch granola.

6 c. rolled oats
1 c. raw sunflower seeds
1 c. raw pumpkin seeds
1 c. raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1 c. unsweetened coconut
1/4 c. ground flax
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. canola oil
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. pure maple syrup
1 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. unsalted pistachios, shelled + chopped



Preheat oven to 350*.

Mix oats, seeds, almonds, coconut, flax, cinnamon & salt together in a large bowl.

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat oil with brown sugar and maple syrup. Stir to combine, pour over oat mixture, and mix thoroughly. Toast for 20-30 minutes, tossing gently every 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Add cranberries and pistachios. Store in an airtight container.

I made the recipe 3x. I saved a little for myself, of course, to enjoy for our simple Christmas morning meal. It is wonderful accompanied with plain Greek yogurt and a juicy Harry & David pear.

from: Nutrition Nut on the Run
I made 1/3 of the recipe, which made 10 servings (40 grams), each being 211 calories.

Coconut Flour Peaches n Cream “Oatmeal”

A grain, dairy, and sugar free comforting breakfast that reminds me of my oatmeal eating days. 

1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 ripe banana
1 Egg
Salt, Cinnamon, Vanilla
1/2 c Peach for topping

In a pot over medium heat combine coconut flour, coconut milk, water and thinly sliced 1/2 of a ripe banana. Stir continusly until the banana has fully incorporated into a smooth texture. Crack the egg into the pot and continue to stir until fully combined.

Add a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Continue cooking until an oatmeal like texture has been reaches, about 3-4 minutes. Do not overcook or it will become dry.

Place in a bowl and chop up one peach for a topping. 

Calories: 305

Perfect Popcorn

INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp canola, peanut or grapeseed oil (high smoke point oil)
1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels
1 3-quart covered saucepan
2 Tbsp or more (to taste) of butter
Salt to taste

METHOD

- Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium high heat.

- Put 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pan.

- When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover, remove from heat and count 30 seconds. (Count out loud; it's fun to do with kids.) This method first heats the oil to the right temperature, then waiting 30 seconds brings all of the other kernels to a near-popping temperature so that when they are put back on the heat, they all pop at about the same time.

- Return the pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest, gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl.

With this technique, nearly all of the kernels pop (I counted 4 unpopped kernels in my last batch), and nothing burns.

- If you are adding butter, you can easily melt it by placing the butter in the now empty, but hot pan.

- Salt to taste.

Additional tips: 
- If you add salt to the oil in the pan before popping, when the popcorn pops, the salt will be well distributed throughout the popcorn.
- Fun toppings for the popcorn - Spanish smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, cayenne powder, chili pepper, curry powder, cumin, grated Parmesan cheese.

Cleanse & Detox Smoothie: Dairy, Sugar & Gluten Free

Servings: 1 |  Calories 200

Ingredients:
1 apple, cored
1 cup spinach
2 stalk celery
1/2 cucumber
1/2 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon flax seed
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cup ice

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in your high powdered blender until smooth.

from: Sugar Free Mom
nutrition

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

Olive Oil ( I used Tahitian lime olive oil)
1/2 lb lean ground turkey breast
1 cup chopped onions
1 heaping tbsp taco seasoning
2 cups of cooked rice
3-4 organic bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 can of black beans, drained & rinsed
½ cup of organic frozen corn
1 (15 -16 ounce) jar of salsa
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

   Toppings:
fresh cilantro
sour cream
sliced avocado


Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil and roast in a baking dish about 20-25 minutes just until cooked thru.

Remove the peppers from the oven and allow to cool until you can handle them.

*Note: make sure you cook your turkey ahead of time that way you do not have to worry about it later. Also, I sauteed the onions until cooked thru, I then added in my cooked rice, black beans and corn.

In a bowl add the taco seasoning, cooked ground turkey, chopped onions, black beans, corn and rice.

Add in the jar of salsa and mix well.

Spoon the turkey mixture into each half of the bell peppers and place back into the baking dish.

Cook the peppers for another 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are cooked all the way thru.

Before removing from the oven sprinkle the tops of each pepper with shredded cheddar cheese.
Place back into the oven just until the cheese has melted.

Remove from the oven and top with fresh cilantro, avocado slices and/or sour cream before serving.

from Simply Love Food