Turkey and Bean Chili

Post by Tisha
(Inspired by Jamie Eason)

Yields: appro 10 cups

Ingredients:
approx. 2 lbs lean ground turkey (we get ours from Costco)
1/2 chopped onion
1 Tbsp garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic minced
1 15oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 14.5oz. cans diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 Tbsp brown sugar (or calorie free sweetener like xylitol)
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp white vinegar
3 Tbsp yellow mustard
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt (optional)
2 tsp adobo sauce

Directions:
1. In a large pot or dutch oven, saute onions and meat, sprinkled with garlic powder and cook until no longer pink
2. Next add the beans, tomatoes, sweetener, and spices and stir until combined
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes
4. Serve hot

Per serving (1 cup):
Calories: 266
Carbs: 21g
Protein: 26g
Fat: 8g
Sugar: 7g
Sodium: 866mg

Pumpkin Protein Bars

Post by Tisha


Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar (natural sweetener)
4 oz. of unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp apple pie spice (optional, see January 2011 post)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large egg whites
15 oz. 100% pure pumpkin (e.g. Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin)
2 cups oat flour (see previous post) or any other flour you have on hand.
4 scoops whey protein powder (e.g. ON Gold Standard Natural 100% Whey Protein Powder - Vanilla)
3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk (or any milk you have on hand)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*F
2. Spray a 9X13 pyrex dish with non-stick spray.
3. Combine dry ingredients (spices, baking powder, baking soda, oat flour, whey protein) in medium bowl. Stir well.
4. Combine wet ingredients (agave nectar, applesauce, vanilla, eggs, pumpkin, almond milk) in large bowl.  Stir well.
5. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
6. Add optional walnuts and mix until incorporated.
7. Spread batter into the Pyrex dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Makes 12 squares.  1 serving=1 square.


Tip: Store in fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.


Per Serving: (w/out walnuts)
Calories- 142
Carbs- 20g
Fat- 2g
Protein- 12g
Sugar- 5g
Sodium- 231mg

Whole Grain Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Post by Tisha
(Also see "Whole Grain Sandwich Bread" post in January 2011)

Yields: 2 loaves/18 slices per loaf

For a while I was buying Food For Life's "Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Cinnamon and Raisin Bread," but paying a premium price for this product week after week wasn't working.  Thus, I set out to make my own.  This is my version of their cinnamon raisin bread, minus the sprouted grain aspect. (I haven't dabbled into sprouted grains, yet.)

Night Before:
1 cup spelt flour
2 cups whole-wheat bread flour
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 tsp dry active yeast
-Combine all ingredients together and mix until well incorporated, then cover and let sit overnight.

Day of:
2 cups spelt flour
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat bread flour
4 Tbsp or ¼ cup sugar
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
1/4 cup water
2 tsp kosher salt
1  tsp yeast
(2 cups of raisins and several TBSPs of cinnamon for later)
-First, stir in sugar, evoo, water, salt, and yeast until they are pretty well incorporated.  Then add your flour by the 1/2 cup.

-The dough is going to be a sticky mess, but that's ok. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and work it the best you can.   You may want to incorporate some stretch and folds into this stage of the breadmaking process (see youtube video clip for this technique here).  Shape your dough into a ball and put into an oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and let rise for 45 minutes.

-Do your first of two stretch and folds, put the dough back in the bowl, let it rise for another 45 minutes.  Then do your second stretch and fold.

-Now let the dough rise until double its original size.  Approximately 75 minutes for me.

-Now, divide your dough evenly in half.  Add 1 cup of raisins to each half of dough, incorporate throughout.  Let rest for 10 min

-Roll out dough into approx. 8X8 square with roughly 1" thickness.  Sprinkle cinnamon all over the top of the dough.  Roll up the dough into sandwich loft shapes.

-Then, put in oiled bread pans (see youtube video clip for a similar rolling technique here).  Cover them loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
.
-Once your loaves are risen, slash them down the middle, and throw in the oven at 425*F, close the oven door and lower temperature to 350*F.  Cook until they are a deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom or until the internal temperature reaches 195*F.

Per Slice:
Calories-
Carbs-g
Fat-g
Protein-g
Sugar-g
Sodium-mg
Yields: 2 loaves/18 slices per loaf

Chocolate Blueberry Protein Bars

Post by Tisha
(Inspired by Jamie Eason)

The title says "Protein Bar," but is tastes like a sweet baked treat!

Yields 12 squares=1 serving

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup homemade oat flour (see previous post in January 2011)
4 egg whites
3 scoops vanilla whey protein powder (e.g. Gold Standard-Natural 100% Whey-Rich Vanilla)
1/2 cup splenda, truvia or ideal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup frozen blueberries, defrost (blend with applesauce before adding to the batter)
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (blend with defrosted blueberries before adding to the batter)
3 Tbsp baking cocoa
4 oz water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*F
2. Blend defrosted blueberries and applesauce together
3. Mix dry ingredients (oat flour, vanilla whey protein, baking soda, salt and baking coca) together in a large bowl
4. Mix wet ingredients (egg whites, sweetener, berry/applesauce mixture and water) together in a medium sized bowl
5. Mix wet into dry ingredients
6. Spray cooking dish with a non stick spray or add butter
7. Bake 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick is removed from batter clear
8. Allow to cool and cut into 12 even squares

-Store in fridge or freeze for up to 3 months.

Tip: Double the recipe and freeze extras in individual serving sized bags.  This makes for an easy "grab and go" snack throughout the week.

Per serving:
Calories= 86
Carbs= 14g
Fat= 1g
Protein= 7g
Sugar= 4g
Sodium= 118g

Homemade Cornbread

(Picture will be posted soon)

Post by Brandon

Ingredients:

Dry

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

1/2 cup whole wheat bread flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

3 tsp baking powder

Wet

1 cup milk

1/2 cup canola oil

2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F

2. Mix dry ingredients together

3. Mix wet ingredients together

4. Mix dry and wet together

5. Pour batter into well-greased (pref. veg. shortening) 8X8 pan

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes

Pork Sirloin Tip Roast Chili

(Picture will be posted soon.)

Post by Brandon

Ingredients:
1 lean Pork Sirloin Tip Roast (approx 28 oz.)
(mixture of 1 Tbsp flour, salt, pepper)
3 tsp Organic "Better Than Bouillon" Beef Base
3 cups water
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp oregano flakes
1/2 Tbsp cayenne (optional)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:
1. Coat meat with flour, salt and pepper mixture, brown in hot pan with canola oil, move to crock pot, and cover with beef base. (To make beef base, whisk "Better Than Bouillon" Beef base with warmed water.)
2. Saute onions, garlic, add to pot
3. Add spices, tomatoes, and tomato paste
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours
5. Add beans shortly before serving

Note: We get our Pork Sirloin Tip Roast from Costco and have been satisfied with the quality, as well as the price of the product.

Hummus

Post by Tisha

For the first 6 years of my relationship with my now husband, he did 99% of the cooking.  Roughly 5 years ago I started to slowly make my way into the kitchen.  One of my first creations was hummus.  Hummus is simple, easy, and delicious.  Now this classic recipe is being paired with homemade pita chips.  (Why did it take me 5 years to make my own pita chips?  I have no idea.)

Lemon Basil Hummus
Yields approx. 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 15oz. can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cloves of garlic (minced & mashed)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon (or less if you want less lemon flavor yielding "Basil Hummus")
Handful of freshly chopped basil
Dash of parsley (optional)
1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
*Mix together in a food processor, blender, or bullet

Note: I was inspire to make this dish for a MOMSClub's Iron Chief Event where the theme was "dips."  Hayden was about 11 months old, and I kid you not, he gobbled up the Lemon Basil Hummus like it was ice cream!

Regular Hummus
Yields approx. 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 15oz. can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cloves of garlic (minced & mashed)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/4-1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
*Mix together in a food processor, blender, or bullet