Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Muffins

I've been in a kick lately to make my own protein bars and muffins that way I am not eating a bunch of un-natural ingredients my body does not need. After some messing around in my kitchen playing with different flour combinations I came up with a pretty yummy sugar free chocolate chip protein muffins that has both bananas and oats!

Ingredients:

1 cup Oat Flour

2 scoops Vanilla protein powder

3 TB Stevia

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

2 bananas mashed

6oz vanilla Greek yogurt

1tsp vanilla (I use vanilla bean paste)

1/3 cup sugar free chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate

Process:

Heat oven to 350 and spray a muffin tin with baking spray. I made 12 large muffins but mini muffins are good too!

Combine all wet ingredients in bowl 1 and mix well.

Combine all dry ingredients in bowl 2 and mix well.

Add wet to dry and stir until just combined.

Add to pan and bake approx 15-20 min. Cool on wire rack and store in the fridge. These also freeze really well.

If you try these let me know! 

Happy eating :)

~Jenn

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Oh hey! I'm back!

With life finally getting back to normal I have really missed blogging and recipe testing! I am starting to eat a more vegetarian meal plan in a effort to drop my last 20 lbs so I guess we will see how that goes. So as time goes on I am going to try and blog daily meal plans and post recipes here and there of things that have come out really well and probley those that did not come out so great.

Yesterday for breakfast I concocted a delish new protein shake. It's green and milkshake like and I like to call it Pistachio Dream.

Here is how you make it.
In a blender ( I use my Ninja) combine the following:
8oz Almond milk or your milk of choice
2TB sugar free Pistachio pudding dry mix
1 scoop Vanilla protein powder
4 ice cubes

Mix up and enjoy! I like to top mine with a little sugar free whipped topping.

If you try this let me know how you like it!

~Jenn

Very Berry Protein Shake

Post WLS I still love my protein shakes. I am always trying new combinations of powders, fruits, add in's etc. Since I am working on recipes for the center newsletter I have been taste testing some new creations. Here is one of my favorites: Very Berry Protein Shake!

Here is what you need:

1 scoop Vanilla protein powder- any kind you like

3 strawberries - I use Fresh fruit but you can always use frozen!

1/4 cup blueberries

1/2 medium size Peach 

1TB Sugar Free Vanilla Torani (optional)

3-4 Ice Cubes

Squirt of Sugar Free Whipped Topping (optional)

Put all ingredients into your blender except for the whipped topping and blend until combined.

I like to put mine in a pretty glass and top with some whipped topping and a few pieces of fruit. If I am making it a meal, I want it to not only look good but taste good too. You do eat with your eyes first after all!

If you try this recipe let me know.... and if you have any combo ideas pass them along, I am willing to try just about anything!

I think next up will be something chocolate, peppermint, and ....?

You can also follow me on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/jenniegrl

My love of baking

I must admit I have a love of baking. It used to be I loved to eat all of the goodies I made, but these days full sugar treats are a thing of the past for me. I still do however love to make my full sugar yummy goodies for loved ones, and friends. People see a plate of cookies, batch of cupcakes, or slices of cake and their eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning.
Seeing other people enjoy my baked goods makes me smile. Plus I get to taste test my recipes on people who I know will be honest with me.

I have a obsession recently with cupcakes and sugar cookies.
Here are some past creations over the last year or so....

I am planning another batch of sugar cookies soon to ship to my cousin, just have to pick out some cool shapes!

Local and need baked goods?? Let me know....I do parties :)

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Frosting, Chocolate Drizzle and a Banana Chip

Disney Princess Cookies- Belle, Snow White and some others

Cheeseburger Cake- Vanilla and Chocolate Pound Cake- decorated with Fondant

Chocolate Chipolte Cupcakes with Hazelnut Cream Cheese Frosting

Vanilla Cow Sugar Cookies- I Heart Cows

Vanilla Cupcake Sugar Cookies

The "Princess" Basket- Disney Princess Dresses, Castles, Cupcakes, and Crowns

Dad's Tackle Box Birthday Cake

TV Dinner Cupcakes

Easter Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream frosting and a Tulip Decorated Sugar Cookie Topper

"Watermelon" Cake - Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream frosting and fondant

Stevie's Pokemon Cake- my first attempt at Pokemon...

Chocolate Fudge Pie! Healthy & Sugar Free

For all of you who asked, here is the original link the the Chocolate Fudge Pie made with Tofu Chocolate Bar Pie by Chocolate Covered Katie.

Of course I can't leave a recipe well enough alone so I made a few changes. Make sure you use the FIRM tofu. I made mine with 1TB cocoa powder, sugar free chocolate chips and with Stevia in the Raw as my sweetener. Make sure you mix really well. I use my NINJA!

Now, this time I also made a crust. Next time, I won't. I am going with Katie on this one...so much better minus the crust!

Here is what I used for my crust:

1-3/4" cups of Fiber One Cereal (the one that looks like rabbet food) crushed up to look like graham cracker crumbs

4tsp melted butter- I use Earth Balance Vegan Spread

2TB Stevia (or sugar, splenda, or agave)

1tsp cinnamon

Mix all together and mash into a 9" pie pan. Bake a 350 for about 8-9 min.
Let cool completely before filling.

I didn't think so many people were going to ask for the recipe so I only took one pic of my piece yesterday. But it is delish! You can't see it but there is some Sugar Free Whipped Topping on the side...

If you try this recipe let me know how you like it! I am not really a tofu fan, but  a new way of eating introduces you to so many new things!

Pork, Bean, and Sweet Potato Quesadillas!

So last night's dinner was inspired by this recipe.. Pork and Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Picture from FoodNetwork.com

I of course can't leave a recipe well enough alone so I changed it up a bit and they were so delicious. Even the wife ate them and she does not eat sweet potato unless it is in the shape of a fry.


Here is my take on the original:
Ingredients:
1 Medium-Lg Sweet potato
2 TB Olive Oil or Butter
1lb ground pork
1TSP Chipolte Chili Powder (use less if you don't like hot)
Sea Saltl
3 Cloves Garlic minced fine, almost into a paste
1 small yellow sweet onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 can of Cuban Style Black Beans ( I like trader joes brand)
Flour tortillas (at least 4 but this makes enough for really 6 or 8)
2 cups shredded cheese- I like a mix of Mexican and Cheddar
Sour Cream and Avocado for serving. I like the huge spanish Avacados not those silly Haas ones.


Heat oven to about 200.
Toss the sweet potato in the microwave oven for about 7-8 min depending on size. Make sure you prick it or it might blow up :)


Heat some olive oil in the pan and add the ground pork. Cook till almost done and add salt and chili powder and yellow onion. Cook about 2 min.


Mash the sweet potato in a bowl and mix in garlic. Add to ground pork mix. Also mix in can of black beans. Cook 2-3 more min and add a little more salt for seasoning and the chopped cilantro.
Transfer mix into a bowl.


In another pan (or I like to wash out and reuse) put a little butter or olive oil. Add tortilla and cover one half with about 1/2 cup of the mixture and top with a medium handful of cheese. Fold the tortilla over and cook until brown. Flip and cook other side. About 2-3 min each side. When done, transfer to pan in oven to keep warm while cooking the others.  I served ours with sour cream, avocado, and some honey mustard sauce for the wife.


We have a TON of leftovers so tonight, with the mix we didn't use, I am going to heat and top with a fried egg...I think it will be delish!


If you try this out let me know! It is full of protein and is pretty healthy overall! It is also great re-heated and made into other dishes.

Have any ideas for dishes the leftover filling could be made into?

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip cookies pre-weight loss surgery were one of my favorite things. Fresh from the oven the warm melty goodness of chocolate chips used to scream my name. These days good old full fat, full sugar chocolate chip cookies would do a number on my pouch.

A few weeks ago I was doing some online research and found this really great blog called Spoonful of Sugar Free. There are some really great recipes on here including one for Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I was iffy about this one, but after baking them, mine looked a little different than the original bloggers, they were pretty tasty. Not the exact same yummy goodness, but good in their own right. I even fed one to my dad and didn't tell them they were made with beans. I said" so how was it" and he said " good....interesting". He didn't want to know what was in them so I didn't tell him.

Here is a link to the original blog. I used Sugar Free Chocolate Chips and I used about 6 oz instead of the listed ammt. I would totally make these again. Next time I think I will add some Torani Syrup and see what happens....

Let me know if you try these out and what you think!
http://spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/06/15/high-protein-cookies/

Black Bean and Mango Salad

As we (the wife and I ) were walking through Whole Foods the other day she saw a listing for what looked like a yummy and wls friendly recipe. She is always thinking of what I can and can't eat and typically does eat everything I cook. I appreciate not having to make two different meals each night. Because she is now eating what I eat, she is down 20 lbs! We are both going to look super fab for our cruise in November.

Here is what we had with our dinner last night.

Black Bean and Mango Salad

What you will need:

2 15oz cans of Black Beans- drained and rinsed well

1 large Mango - cut into chunks (I suggest buying one that is already cut up for you)

1 small red onion- minced

1 medium red bell pepper- minced ( orange or yellow bell pepper would be good too)

1 jalapeno- minced and seeded

4 generous TB of minced fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic - minced

1 fresh and juicy lime- zested and juiced

Salt & Pepper to taste ( I like sea salt and fresh ground pepper)

Mix beans (rinsed well), mango, onion, peppers, cilantro, and garlic in bowl.

I like to put the onion and garlic in last.

Top with lime rest and juice. Let sit 2 min so the lime juice starts to cut down on the onion taste. Toss.

Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Chill and serve

SO DELICIOUS!

Makes 4-6 regular size servings.

WLS Grill Cheese & Turkey Half-wich

The other day I was watching Food Network which is my favorite channel. Giada made the most delicious looking grill cheese sandwich with meat, cheese, and super delicious looking bread.  I have to say I typically stear clear of bread these days unless I am using a tortilla  or a flatbread to make a pizza.

The grill cheese looked so darn good and since it was one of my favorite pre-op foods I had to give it a go.
Here is what you will need:

Earth Balance Soy Buttery Spread
2oz Deli Meat - I like Thin & Trim Turkey Breast
Mini Bree Wheel- I get these at Trader Joes
Flatout Bread Slice- Cut in half. Or you can use a 8" tortilla cut in half





Cut the flat out in half and then cut in half again so you have two slices (sorry there are no pics...next time I promise!) and put the smallest dab of butter on the outside of each slice. In the center spead half of the mini bree wheel on the inside of each slice. Top with deli meat. I added a tiny drizzle of mustard and top with 2nd slice.  Place your half-wich in a small fry pan and cook just like you would regular grill chesse.

This sandwich was so delicious I am going to have to buy another package of flatouts!

Let me know if you try this and how you liked it or how you spiced it up!

Happy Eating :)
Jenn