Turkey + Black Bean Tacos

photo by Clean Eating Magazine

This is a recipe I’ve adapted from a recipe in Clean Eating Magazine. I love it… It’s super quick to throw together, totally good for you (HELLO 300 calorie dinner!), adaptable to whatever’s in your fridge – and did I mention YUMMY? Yes, please.

THE INGREDIENTS

The Essentials:

• 12 tortillas (look for corn or whole grain without extra junk in them – tortillas are NOT all healthy)
• 1 lb extra-lean ground turkey
• 1 can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

The Extras:

• chopped lettuce (I just used some small mixed greens I had on hand)
• salsa (our favourite here is by DL Jardine – all natural and ridiculously delicious)
• fresh chopped cilantro
• sliced avocado
• chopped tomato

And I added a little bit of cheese to the toddler’s taco

THE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Loosely wrap tortillas in foil, making 2 packets of 6 tortillas each. Place packets on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until hot.

2. Coat a skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Add turkey and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, and about 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up meat as you go. Season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Unwrap foil packets and place 2 tortillas on each of 6 plates. For each plate, distribute 1/2 cup turkey, 1/4 cup beans, and all desired toppings evenly between tortillas. Serve immediately.

THE VERDICT

Today was HOT HOT HOT here in Winnipeg and I made these without the heating-the-tortillas step . It was the perfect dinner to make in the heat – especially because everyone in our family likes these. Our two year old pounded back an entire taco and kept on telling me how yummy it was. SUCCESS!

THE SOURCE 

http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Recipes/Recipe/Turkey-Black-Bean-Soft-Tacos.aspx

Banana Pecan Muffins

Mmm… MUFFINS. I had these this morning with a side of coconut milk yogurt and I was a happy, happy girl – a happy girl who didn’t feel like she was missing out on anything at all.

This recipe uses honey + applesauce in place of refined sugar + butter or oil, and works well with alternative flours (I made mine with spelt + coconut flours). And it’s dairy free! Seriously, WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?

 

THE INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup spelt flour*
• 1/2 cup almond or coconut flour*
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 6 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces (or raisins, or whatever makes you happy)

*Substitute in your flour or flour alternative of choice. As always, please note that spelt is not a gluten free flour – merely low gluten. Make the best decisions for yourself!

 

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine the eggs, banana, applesauce, honey, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the pecans.

Fill 12 muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.

Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

 

THE VERDICT

This is another AWESOME recipe that I’ve tweaked and modified a few times to get it right… They’re healthy without tasting healthy, which is pretty fabulous in my books!

The original recipe claims to be 119 calories and 1 gram of fat. This won’t be 100% accurate because of some changes I needed to make, but still… HELLO, guilt-free snack!

 

THE SOURCE

Modified version of this recipe for Honey Banana Muffins at AllRecipes.com: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/honey-banana-muffins/Detail.aspx

Fudge Brownies

I’ve got the ice cream now (Luna + Larry’s Coconut Bliss in Vanilla Island – GO GET SOME NOW). So naturally, I needed some brownies! Hey, a girl needs what a girl needs.

My friend Erin tried out a recipe that I already had in a not-quite-psychoallergenic-approved form and gave me the thumbs up – so it was full steam ahead in my kitchen tonight…

THE INGREDIENTS

• olive oil spray for the pain
• 2/3 cup mild honey*
• 1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour**
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

*I only had a little over 1/2 cup of honey, so I added some agave syrup

**I can’t have whole wheat flour, so I subbed in spelt flour

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray an 8 inch square pan with olive oil. Set aside.

Measure the honey into a large glass measuring cup and microwave 45-60 seconds until runny and just bubbling. Add cocoa and stir with a fork until well combined. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, egg, and vanilla. Whisk together until well blended. Add the honey-cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until no traces of flour remain.

Scrape into prepared pan and bake 25 minutes – until the edges look dry and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it. Cool completely before slicing into squares. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

THE VERDICT

That sound you hear is angels singing.

THE SOURCE

The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook (Jillian Michaels)

At Long Last…

I’ve been waiting a long time to be able to buy proper coconut milk in Winnipeg. Like YEARS. And when the day finally arrived that I could pick up 2L of organic coconut milk AWESOMENESS, I’m not ashamed to admit that I teared up a little bit.

The syrupy $#*! that comes in a can is NOT good coconut milk. And it’s about time I got access to the good stuff – the stuff I can pour on my cereal, stir into my coffee, and add to my recipes without a twinge of conscience.

IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT. It’s delicious. So is the coconut milk ice cream that’s been popping up around town over the last month or so (and it’s made with agave and four ingredients or less total – OH HAPPY DAY!). My husband even sneaks it – and he’s a bit of a *real* ice cream fanatic. Rumour has it that coconut milk based yogurt is next. THE MIND BOGGLES.

It’s been a good month for dairy-free folks in Winnipeg. And YAY FOR US!

-

Awesome so far:

• So Delicious Organic Coconut Milk (Unsweetened)
• Luna + Larry’s Coconut Bliss Ice Cream – Vanilla Island + Dark Chocolate flavours

Chicken Souvlaki

Who doesn’t love chicken souvlaki? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

THE INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup finely chopped oregano
• 2 tsp finely chopped dill
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 16 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast – cut into chunks

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all marinade ingredients. Add chicken and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Thread onto skewers and place on foil-lined baking sheet misted with cooking spray. Broil 7 to 10 minutes.

THE VERDICT

This turned out great! We used it as a marinade on chicken breasts and then threw them on the barbecue, then served them with roasted veggies (squash, zucchini, and carrots). YUM.

THE SOURCE

Clean Eating Magazine

Coconut Banana French Toast

French toast used to be a staple here, ESPECIALLY when hosting breakfast/brunch with the girls (something that happens with a fair amount of frequency). When I saw this recipe, I knew it was worthy of the breakfast I was hosting this morning: a celebration of the beginning of Spring Break with two of my best friends who both teach Grade Three.

THE INGREDIENTS

• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 8 slices whole grain bread*
• something too cook with (oil or vegan margarine)

The original recipe has 2 tbsp cane sugar in it. I left it out entirely and it was awesome. You don’t need it. I promise.

And I added an egg, just because none of us are vegan and I thought it would be good. I didn’t leave anything out – I just added it.

I used Ezekiel bread, but you can use whatever fits your own diet.

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Use a food processor or blender to combine the banana, coconut milk, almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla (I also added an egg during this step). Puree until the ingredients are mixed well and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the batter in a shallow bowl and make french toast as usual – dip the slices of bread in the batter to coat both sides and cook with oil or vegan margarine in a heated skillet over medium heat until golden brown.

Serve with maple syrup.

THE VERDICT

This is a GOOD recipe, and one that will quickly enter my ‘high rotation’ list. It had more coconut flavour than I was expecting (in a good way) and the banana and vanilla and spices just pushed it right over the top. It got major thumbs up from me, my two friends, AND my two year old. Success!

THE SOURCE

Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook (modified)

Blueberry Muffins

THE INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 cups whole spelt flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2/3 cup agave nectar
• 2/3 cup rice milk (I subbed almond milk this time)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pure lemon extract
• 2/3 cup blueberries

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the oil, agave nectar, rice milk, vanilla, and lemon extract to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in the blueberries just until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Pour 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup, almost filling it. Bake the muffins on the centre rack for 22 minutes, rotating the tin 180 degrees after 15 minutes. The finished muffins will bounce back slightly when pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the centre will come out clean.

Let the muffins stand in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely. Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes 12 muffins.

THE VERDICT

Hey, look at me… I’M EATING A BLUEBERRY MUFFIN! hehe

These are light and delicious and totally without that disappointing ‘baking with restrictions’ taste – you know what I mean. And I only got one bowl dirty making them. Pretty awesome.

Score one more for BabyCakes!

THE SOURCE

Babycakes by Erin McKenna

NOTES

This recipe uses spelt flour, so it’s not truly gluten free. It’s okay for me but might not be for you. As always, please do what’s right for you.

Spring Chicken Soup

Hands up if you’re starting to get sick of heavy old winter soup recipes… ME TOO. When I saw Tosca Reno’s “Spring Fresh Chicken Soup” recipe, I knew I had to try it. A few itsy bitsy modifications, and I think I have one of the easiest – and most delicious – twists on chicken soup around.

It’s -40 in Winnipeg today – OBVIOUSLY a soup day. I have a larger-than-life pot of this soup simmering away on my stove right now in anticipation of my mom’s lunchtime visit.

THE INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 low-sodium bouillon cubes (it’s super hard to find this without all kinds of unnecessary junk in it, but well worth the grocery store hunt!)
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 leeks – white + light green parts only, chopped coarsely
• 3 inner stalks celery (including leaves) – chopped coarsely
• 1 or 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 tsp sea salt

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Place stock in a soup pot. Bring to a boil. Add chicken breasts + bouillon cubes and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat and let simmer while you prepare the vegetables.

Make sure leeks are well washed + rinsed before using.

Add chopped leeks + celery to the soup pot. Cook 10 minutes.

Remove cooked chicken breasts from pot and let cool while soup simmers. Cut chicken into thin ribbons and return to pot along with cooked rice. Add bean sprouts and cook 3 minutes more.

Add sea salt. Stir and serve hot.

THE VERDICT

YUM. This soup is filling and fresh – the perfect antidote to a late winter cold snap. I’ve modified it slightly depending on what I have on hand – sometimes using pre-cooked chicken breasts (I plan ahead and make extras when I’m prepping dinner the night before) and cooking rice in the broth instead. WHATEVER WORKS FOR YOU. It’s hard to screw up soup. Which is really good when you’re cooking with a toddler around.

THE SOURCE

Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook

Honeyed Oranges + Carrots

THE INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds very small carrots *or* regular carrots cut into thin sticks
• 1 orange, cut into 8 chunks
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp dill

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oven to 375.

Toss carrots + orange chunks with oil, honey, salt, and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet.

Roast, tossing once, until tender – around 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle with dill.

THE VERDICT

This is so similar to other recipes I’ve tried, but it’s the best one… My other recipes use orange juice instead of actual orange pieces and I don’t know why this is so much better – but it is.

It is SO EASY and it looks kind of fancy, so it’s a perfect side dish to pull out for company (or anytime).

THE SOURCE

Real Simple Magazine

Roasted Maple Cranberry Sauce

THE INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups cranberries
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup (the PC Organics brand is my favourite)
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 lime
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Place cranberries in a pie plate and drizzle with 1/4 cup syrup and water. Using a zester, peel strips of lime and stir into mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for about one hour, stirring occasionally. When the cranberries break down and sauce becomes bubbly, remove from oven. Squeeze in juice from lime and stir in remaining 2 tbsp syrup along with shallot, tarragon, and salt.

This sauce will keep well – covered and refrigerated – up to 2 weeks. The longer it sits, the yummier it will get. Bring to room temperature before serving.

THE VERDICT

This is freaking delicious cranberry sauce. I served it as a topper for plain chicken breasts, but I’m particularly looking forward to using the leftovers in wraps with chicken or turkey, mixed greens, and a little bit of cheese (I finally found dairy free + soy free cheese!).

Honestly, I’ve always bought cranberry sauce because I thought it would be hard to make. This was the easiest thing EVER. And it’s going to be my go-to recipe for cranberry sauce – adding the lime + shallots makes it extra special and extra tasty.

And did I mention 28 calories per 2 tbsp? Put it on EVERYTHING

THE SOURCE

Clean Eating Magazine