Peanut Butter Cookies.

Let me confess.  I have a small giant sweet tooth.  I love sweets.  So, in my journey to become a happier healthier me, i've learned to make some tasty treats that don't lots of yuck in them.

Because holy cow- have you read all the stuff out there lately about sugar?

Here are a few articles to skim if you haven't heard anything bad about this tricky like substance yet:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/08/23/is-sugar-more-addictive-than-cocaine.aspx

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/study-saccharin-and-sugar-found-more-addictive-cocaine

(i encourage you to do your own research as well- please!)

Anyways, these cookies are so yum.  And let me say, EASY PEASY!!!!!

Check out these ingredients:

1 cup natural peanut butter (make sure the only ingredient is "peanuts")

8 oz (1 pk) cream cheese.  (make sure to buy the 1/3 fat kind.)

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 egg

Mix it all together. Bake at 350 for about 12-13 minutes and leave about 2" apart.  

That's it.
kind of a weird shot...but they are so yummy and moist! Not dry at all.

of course they have some fat in them, but SUCH a good choice if you need something sweet (like i often do)  You'll feel so much better having a few of these then if you go through the drive through at the DQ!  (which let me say...that's pretty delicious too. Just not as delicious on the waist linnnnne)

Yet another Soup. Sweet Potato Black Bean.

There are few things that make me feel better then feeding my kids all these colors.

This soup is hearty, delicious, and healthy! And is totally customizable!  Add or subtract spice based on your likes.

It's simple and easy!

Here's what you'll need to do:

1 T olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 roasted red pepper, chopped (you can use jarred)
2 cans low sodium vegetable broth (15 oz. size)
2 cups water
3 cans low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 T chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
Dash of red pepper flakes
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add in the onion and cook until tender. Add in the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the sweet potato and roasted red pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add in the broth, water, black beans, and tomatoes. Stir well.
4. Add the chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Stir and toss in the cilantro. Stir again. Let the soup simmer on medium low for 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft.
5. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

**You can garnish the soup with cilantro, avocado slices, cheese, tortilla strips, and/or sour cream. To freeze-cool completely and put the soup in freezer safe containers. **

Enjoy.

Sausage Kale Butternut Squash Stew!

This was such a yummy and hearty fall meal for tonight!

I paired it with some homemade gf cheese biscuts! 

For the soup, here's what you need:

-Chicken Sausage- 3 links ( i used the kind with no nitrates or preservites that were already precooked)

-1 large bunch of kale

-1 medium onion

-1 red pepper

-1 can of cannelini beans (white kidney beans. you could use garbanzo or really whatever you wanted)

-8 cups chicken broth

- 2 garlic cloves

-3 cups butternut squash (about 1 small squash)

-salt and pepper to taste

-parm cheese for topping if so desired.

Here's what you do!

1.  Peel and chop the butternut squash, dice into cubes and cook for a while however you prefer  (you can do it in the microwave, the oven, or even the stove top! Cook until a little bit soft)

2. Meanwhile, put some olive oil in the bottom of your LARGE soup pan.  Could use veggie oil or cocout oil too.  Add minced garlic and let cook about a minute.  then add onions and peppers and cook for another 4ish minutes

3. Add all other ingredients, and let come to a boil so veggies are fully soft and heated through out!  After veggies are all cooked, let simmer a couple minutes!!

Easy peasy.

Here is the recipe for the biscuits. Which i thought paired excellently with this soup.

Here's what you need:

- 2 cups grated cheese (use whatever you have on hand.  I think cheddar and mozza were awesome)

-1.5 cups rice flour

-2 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp salt

-2 TBspns. honey or agave nectar

-1 egg

-1 cup of milk (i used 2%)

Here's whatcha do:

1. preheat oven to 410 degrees

2. Beat the egg and milk together

3. Mix all dry ingredients together. (this includes the cheese)

4.  Add dry ingredients to the wet ones, and don't over mix.

5. Bake for about 12 ish minutes.  You can add things to them if you want! Onions, bacon, etc.

ENJOY! and happy fall.

Eggplant Roll ups (lasagna roll ups minus the noodles)

Guys.  Don't skip this recipe because you don't like eggplant.  Because we aren't eggplant fans either.  Except...we GOBBLE this up.

It is SO good.

I give you, egg-plant roll ups

It's super simple, it just takes some time to chop those veggies!!  Because i LOAD them on

So, here is what you need (this will feed a family of 4)

-2 LARGE eggplants (if your eggplants are small, get 3)

-Pasta Sauce.  Make your own, or buy a jar with no yucky ingredients :)

-Mozzarella Cheese

-Veggies!!!  You can use whatever you have on hand, i used

*carrots

*zucchini

*onion

*red pepper

Here's what you'll need to do!

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Slice eggplant into long, thin slices, like this

it should look like this

lay them on a cookie sheet, shake salt and pepper on them, and cook for about 10-15 minutes until they are flexible.

3. While your eggplant slices are baking, chop up all your veggies, put in a pan with olive oil, minced garlic, and all the seasonings of your choice.  Cook up until slightly soft!

4. Combine half the sauce, and half the cheese in a bowl together.

5. Once your veggies and eggplant are all ready, put a spoonful of the sauce/cheese mixture on the end of one slice of egg plant, and then a spoonful of the veggies, and ROLL IT UP, and place in a baking dish.

Repeat this with all of your eggplant

6.  After they are all in the baking dish, use the rest of the sauce you have and cover them, and then sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese and bake for about 12 minutes

:)

then..

EAT.

my kids devour these too.

Nothing makes this mama happy like watching her babes consume mass amounts of veggies.

LOADED gluten and sugar free mac and cheese.

My kids gobble this.  GOBBLE it.  (and my husband does too)

I will say, it has a LOT of cheese in it.  So, this meal is higher in fat for sure.

BUT, it's a GREAT alternative to other mac and cheese meals, and the loads of veggies snuck in are AWESOME.

Here's whatcha need:

1 bag of brown rice elbow noodles

(could also use corn noodles)

Broccoli (about 1 cup)

red pepper (about 1/2 cup)

onion (small)

carrots (about 1/2 cup)

1 bag of sargento sharp cheddar cheese (this brand works BEST)

*you can definitely change up these veggies if you'd prefer different ones! I tend to add zucchini and yellow squash and sometimes spinach and mushrooms to mine ! the possibilities are ENDLESS.

:)

Here's what you do!

1. Pre-heat oven to 400

2. Boil your noodles.

3. While your noodles are boiling, chop all your veggies into small pieces, put on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil salt and pepper, mix with hands, and bake for about 20 minutes or until veggies are soft!

4. Once noodles and veggies are done, mix together in a casserole dish and set aside while you make your cheese sauce! 

5. For the sauce:

- put about 4 tablespoons oil in a pan, and heat up 1-2 cloves of garlic in it! 

- Then add 3 TBspns of coconut flour (could prob sub brown rice or any gf flour) stir really well. 

- Once well incorporated, add 1&1/2 cups milk. Stir until mixture is really hot.

-Dump in the entire bag of cheese, take off the heat, and mix constantly until cheese is melted.

6. dump the cheese sauce over the noodles and veggies, stir really well.

7. This step is optional.  I like to add some cheese on top, and stick in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.   you could skip the add cheese part, and just heat it up in oven until hot and serve!

Easy, yummy and a hit with everyone 

:)

*you can add spices of your liking

I've used red pepper flakes for a little more spice before, i've also used some oregano! The great thing about this recipe is you can sub things in and out to your liking!! :)

if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask!

another SUPER simple side.

I give you...

kale chips.

I'm sure you've probably heard of them before.

I had heard lots about them, and tried them multiple times but wasn't impressed!

Well, I think they just take practice to get them the way you want them!

We love them, and they make their appearance at our table frequently!!

here's whatcha do!

Grab a head of kale.

(oven to 350)

Tear it.

Put it on a cookie sheet

Drizzle with olive oil, add pepper and garlic salt.

Mix with your hands to get it all covered really well!

Put in the oven!!

Watch closely.  I find they go for about 4 minutes, then stir them around, then go not quite another 5.  Basically, when you touch them and they "crunch" they are good to go!

Sit out for a couple minutes, to let cool, and then Munch!

:)

Easiest side ever.

carrot fries!!!

They are SOOO yummy.  Taste a lot like sweet potato fries to me :) but healthier.

So i bought pre-cut carrots at meijer.  A bag would do, you'd just have to cut them to size :) I took the lazy way...

:)

Spread them out on a cookie sheet

add olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper.

Mix WELL with your hands.

put in a 400 degree oven for about 20 mins or so.

Boom.

Easy. Peasy. Tasty.