Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

Chocolate Chips. No, they are not paying me, but I only use Ghiradelli Chocolate Chips. They are way more delicious and way less full of the weird, fake ingredients that greatly lower my enjoyment of food. These babies are expensive at some stores but they are affordable at Target and frequently on sale. 

If you get something else, get a good kind. They make all the difference. Plus these bars do not have a ton of sugar like cookies so the chips have an even more important job to do.

Preheat oven to 325*

Here's what you need:

• Vanilla- 1t
• Eggs- 1 Whole, 2 Whites
• Brown Sugar- 0.5C
• Natural Peanut Butter- 1C
• Water- 1/2-1C   Make it good water you would put in a glass and drink
• Coconut Flakes- 1 C 
• Chopped Nuts- 0.5     Pecans/Walnuts/Almonds/Peanuts whatever you like
• Whole Oats- 2C
• Quinoa- 2C    Ground but not fully flour 
• Flaxseed- 0.5 C        If you have it or care to add it
• Chocolate Chips-  1.5 bags

Combine wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl

Mix in dry ingredients save ch. chips

Once all is well combined, add the chips
Start small with the water, add a more water as needed to get to a very thick cookie dough consistency.  

Plop mix onto large greased baking dish. I use 11x14. 

Spread it around and smash evenly into all corners of the pan creating a giant flat cookie.

*Hint: I wet the palm of my hand to keep the mix from sticking.

Bake for 10-15 Minutes, let cool completely, cut into squares

Once cooked, cut and and enjoy, I freeze about half the bars in sandwich bags and use them as needed for snacks and packed lunches :)

Edit:
Change up the type of nuts or try adding dried fruit instead of chips.
I sometimes ad a couple scoops of protein powder for even more protein. 

Chicken Vegetable Chowder

Every so often we offer up our house to an organization called Young Life and a group of Junior High kids along with their leaders, comes  over for dinner and to learn a little about the Lord. There are some really great questions, discussion, encouragement and lots of eating. We try to make something the kids will enjoy that is also good for them and can be made in mass quantities, as most of them are literally undergoing the biggest growth spurt of their lives. This balance of nutritious/delicious is hard to get right when a junior high kid is the target audience but I know we've done it when several girls ask me for the recipe at the end of the night. Victory.

So here it is: 

• Chicken bones boiled in 2-3 C water to make stock. Separate out bones and add stock to crockpot
• 2 Onions, 1bushel celery plus 1C water in blender til pulpy, cook down in pan til thick, no liquid. I also add a couple shakes of salt to help the vegetable sweat and bring out the flavor. Add to crock pot with:
• 1 Can cream of chicken
• 2 Cans cream of pablano/jalapeño
• 16oz shredded carrots
• 1bag Frozen corn
• 2-3 Chicken breast cut small and cooked separately
• As needed  add 1-2 C good water, like the kind you would drink from a glass

You can serve the soup alone or with noodles. I keep them separate and let kids combine them in their bowl.

Cauliflower Cheesy shells
Cook 1 box/bag of shells (or whatever noodle you like), drain, add 1-2 bags previously frozen cauliflower to pot with1 can cream of chicken.
Once all is warm add 1C shredded cheese on medium/low til cheese is melted.

*This is also a really good way to make mac n cheese but with a 2:1 vegetable to pasta ratio. 
The cauliflower is mild and dense enough to mimic the noodles and work well with the cheese. 

Sorry for the lack of finished product pics. Things got a little hectic and in the end all the food was gone. I guess that counts as success. 

Red, White and Blueberry

This morning when I woke up I remembered I wanted to make something delicious and patriotic for the 4th of July. A brilliant plan of course but I remembered it on the 4th and had absolutely no desire to go to the store and mingle with all the other procrastinators ;)

So I scoped out the ingredients on hand, thought of a delicious italian torte my favorite Italian Grandma taught me to make, got out the blender and went for it. Here's the finished product:

Here's how I got there:

Part 1: Crust and Crumble Preheat to 425
I am not a measurer. I use guess and check. I eyeball and I adjust. When I give a measurement you should always insert an imaginary "ish" after, as in 2ish Cups.
In a blender combine:

1.5 C Oats
1C Quinoa*
Blend about 30 seconds then add
2-3T Olive Oil, any kind will do
3-4T Water add more if needed
1/4 C Brown Sugar
Few Shakes of salt
Few Shakes Cinnamon

I have to scrape down the sides and give my blender some assistance in this process but maybe yours is cooler than mine.

The Mixture should be crumbly but incorporated and stick together when smooshed.

Take half of the mix and press it into the bottom of a pie pan or baking dish. I wet my hands and use the heel of my hand to spread it about. It will be sticky and the water helps.
Crumble the other half onto a cookie sheet and bake both the crust and the crumble for about 15 minutes. Use a spatula to turn the crumble about halfway through. All is finished when crumbly and a light golden.



Part 2: Filling 
Oven to 350 once the crust is out
In blender combine
3C Cottage Cheese**- I use fat free but it is your call.
Blend until about twice as smooth as start
3 Eggs
1/4C Brown Sugar
1t Vanilla
Few Shakes of Salt
Blend until smooth

Pour all but about 2/3 C into precooked crust
Add 1/2C Raspberries to blender- this step is optional I added them because I wanted to have something red in the dish but it would still be yummy without.
Blend
Spoon or pour rest of filling into crust. I poured it in three lines /// then used  a fork to marble it by dragging the fork across the mix perpendicular to the lines. You can use any technique you like.  Be Creative.

Bake. Mine was in there for about 22 minutes. The edges got a little golden and the center was just barely firm to the touch.

Give it about 30 minutes to cool.

Slice and serve with fresh blueberries (or other seasonal berry) and a bit of crumble sprinkled on top.


Quinoa*-if you don't have this amazing grain on hand just use more oats but do consider incorporating quinoa into your diet. Quinoa is a whole grain (digests slowly, keeps you feeling full, won't spike your blood sugar)  that is also a complete protein which means it has all the amino acids your body needs to build new proteins-think building muscle or a good pre or post workout meal/snack.

**Cottage Cheese. Give it a chance. This food is super protein dense and tastes just as good in a low/no fat version-I think better even as it tastes lighter and fresher. I have been interested in experimenting with using cottage cheese in new ways and I'm so glad I did because this recipe is a keeper.

Crab Spinach Artichoke Dip

Dips. I enjoy them. There are many foods I view simply as vehicles for dip delivery- crackers for example; like little portable mouth sized plates.

Here are three of my faves  all melded into one.

This recipe does not have all the greasy/fatty/guilty ingredients you are used to but I promise you it will still be creamy, rich and delicious.

In Blender combine:

2 C Cottage Cheese (FF/LowFat)
1 Egg
1-2 Cloves Minced Garlic

Blend til smooth

~8 oz fresh spinach Coarse chop and cook til barely wilted

In baking dish combine:

Blender mix of egg, cottage cheese and garlic
Spinach
1/2 C Shredded Mozzarella
1/2-1C Crab
1/2-1C Chopped Artichoke Hearts (I use prepared Artichoke hearts. If you are using fresh, cook them first.)
Top with a bit more shredded cheese

Bake @350 for 20 minutes
For a more browned top you can broil for a couple minutes under a watchful eye :)



Edits:
-You can add more or less crab and artichoke depending on availability. If you are using frozen spinach be absolutely sure to get all the water out.

-I am on a fancy, annoying diet called the IC Smart diet which means some super yummy foods are off limits. If this diet was not in play I would have also added sauteed minced onion cooked with an amazing amount of red pepper flakes.

Creamy Jalapeno Spinach Pesto Casserole

Mmmm pesto. Pesto is part of practically one meal a week, if not more. We love it in all its many forms. One of my favorite ways to make it is with spinach and some spice.

I have also been on a bit of a casserole kick. Throw a bunch of stuff in a baking dish and bake it in the oven. How easy is that!? My husband seems to love casserole too. Me not so much. I am one of those terrible people who picks through things like casserole and only takes what they like. So it seemed wrong to make it knowing the temptation I would face. But I'm over it. He likes all the stuff I avoid so these meals turn out super for all involved. 

I get I cut the chicken first and cook it while working on the pesto. 

For the pesto you will need a large blender. Combine:


1 Can Cream of Chicken

1 Can Cream of Jalapeno

9 or so oz Fresh Spinach

Red Pepper if desired

Pulse in spinach a handful or so at a time til all is incorporated. You may need to stir down sides every so often. 

In a large casserole dish combine:

Fresh/Frozen Tortellini, about 8-12 oz (The frozen cheese tortellini from Target is inexpensive and yummy)
Chicken 1-2lbs cut small and precooked
Frozen broccoli, 1 bag about  16 oz
Frozen cauliflower, 1 bag about 16 oz
Pesto Mix from above

Sprinkle top with Monterey Jack or whatever cheese makes you happy.
 
Do not precook veggies or tortellini, if u use dry tortellinin add 1C of water and cover
Bake in advance or combine in advance and bake when ready to eat.

Bake 25-35 min @ 400 for thawed or 45 min @ 350 for unthawed