Protein Pumpkin Muffins

Yes it's the start of fall so of course I am going to post something with pumpkin in it.

However, I've been making these for the past few months and it just dawned on me that I have yet to blog about these amazing muffins that I devour weekly.

Pumpkin has ~Vitamin A 2650 IU that, my friends, is a A LOT of Vitamin A.
Why does this matter?
Well because Vitamin A has a multitude of health benefits for the body including, eye health, skin health, teeth and bone health, and is made from the powerful antioxidant beta-carotene which in current studies has helped fight cancer.

So eat up my friends.

Oh did I mention each muffin is ~64 calories, 8 carbs, 4g protein, and 2g fiber? Yup.


Enjoy.

Makes ~18 muffins
Ingredients
1 15oz can of pumpkin
2 cups oat flour
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 large egg whites (~9tbs)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

*Optional: a handful chopped walnuts


Directions:
Preheat oven 350 F. 
Mix everything in a large bowl.
Scoop about 1/4 cup into each muffin tin compartment.

Bake for 15-18 min, until toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

p.s. Serving size is ~3 muffins.

Quinoa Chili

I have wanted to buy and make something out quinoa (Keen-wah) since I learned about it MONTHS ago!!!! Seriously, Months! So finally, when a dear new friend of mine offered to let me join her for a Costco trip (the glorious bulk store of the world in my opinion) I knew I was going to splurge. 

Go BIG or go home. 

So after reading around on the inter-web and being chilled to bones recently with the cold weather brewing I went for a easy to make chili.

Gluten Free, protein enriched, and fiber-full this seed from the Andes is a blessing to us health foodies who want a full stomach.

Follow the first 5 steps to get plain quinoa that you can make any recipe with, follow the rest for the chili.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
chopped chili pepper (only if you want some more spicy)
1/3 cup black beans
1/4 cup diced tomatoes + some juice
1/3 cup corn

Making Quinoa

1. Measure out 1/3 cup Quinoa seed and rinse VERY VERY VERY VERY WELL. 2 min Min under constant, handled seed, cool water. Doing this step helps get rid of bitter taste many find when they cook it straight out the bag.
2. Drain 
3. Heat 1 tsp olive oil on medium-high and add rinsed quinoa. Cook for a minute or so, till water is evaporated and Quinoa is toasted.
4. Add the 1 cup of water and bring to a rapid boil for 5-8 min
5. Either add flavoring (chicken broth, sat, etc) or simply reduce heat to medium low 10 min.
6. At 5 min of that simmer, add beans and spices. 
7. At 8 min of that simmer add dices tomatoes
8. At 10 min at corn and pepper and turn heat to medium-high
9. Cook for 1-2 min for rest of water to evaporate. NOT ALL THE WAY, just enough to keep everything moist not runny. 
10. Reduce heat to low while serving.

Top chili with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and shredded cheese. 

Enjoy!!!!

Funny short story: 

This pepper:

  was the hottest pepper I have ever eaten. 

My mouth burned for 1+ hours afterward.   

Pumpkin Cookies

Fall went fast here. Everything went from summer green, to multicolored, to pretty bare stumps in just a few short weeks. 

But since it was my first time ever seeing Fall's glorious gift of colored leaves it was still beautiful! 

So now as I sit waiting for the snow (something I also have yet to experience) I decided to make cookies, and of course since it's October, they were going to be made with pumpkin! 

Yummy.

Adapted from The Baker Chick
Makes approx 3 doz.

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1 cup white all purpose
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar 
1 cup pumpkin puree (not the pie mix but 100% natural!) 
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder,salt,cinnamon,nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl.
Mix, applesauce and white sugar first, then add in pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla. 
Slowly add wet mixture into dry and mix until well combined. 

Dollop spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 min. 

Let cool on a cooling rack and then dig in. 

****I had some extra cream cheese frosting mixture from my homemade cinnamon rolls so I added some cinnamon to that and lightly topped the cookies for a little extra sweetness. ****

WARNING! 

THIS WILL MAKE YOUR HOUSE SMELL LIKE FALL BLISS.

 ALL SHOULD BE SUPERVISED AROUND COOKIES. 

IF FOOD COMA OCCURS, TAKE DEEP BREATHS AND REST ON COUCH WITH A CUP OF COCOA. 

ENJOY!!!!

Apple Sauce Bread

This was an experiment bread that turned out wonderful! 

I had half of a jar of applesauce (about 4 cups of apple sauce!) and it needed to go soon (it molds so fast!). 

SO I pulled from a concoction of  bread recipes  to make this spice-full, perfect for fall, Apple Sauce Bread.

Feel free to adapt/add what you want to make it yours!

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 cup White Flour
• 2 tbs cinnamon
• 1 tbs nutmeg
• 1 tsp all spice, ground
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 cup all natural apple sauce
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar + 1tbs, divided
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1tbs ground flaxseed + 3tbs water
• 1/2 cup of raisins

Directions:

Mix flaxseed and water in a small dish and set a side for 3-5 min. (allows it to get gummy)

Mix flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder  in a large bowl

Mix apple sauce, brown and white sugar, flaxseed mix, nutmeg, and all spice in a smaller bowl

Blend wet ingredients into dry and stir until well combined. Then gently fold in raisins. 

Pour mix in a 9x5 Pan

Sprinkle 1 tbs brown sugar on top

Bake 50-60 min or until knife comes out clean. 

 

Let cool for 20 min and then serve.

ENJOY!!!!

Black Bean Burgers (Spicy!)

oh my goodness these black been burgers are wonderful and soooooooooooooooooooooooo EASY to make! 

Make Em' and Feel Good Eatin' Them! 

Oh but be careful, they come with spicy edge!

Adapted from skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, no sodium added.

3 cherry tomatoes

2 tbs spicy/chunky salsa 

(should have some spicy pepper, onion, etc.)

1 tbs sriracha

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tbs ground flaxseed + 3tbs water

1 tbs cumin

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

½ cup old fashioned oats

  

Directions:

Mix flaxseed and water and set aside to gummy-fy while making rest of mix 

Rinse and pat dry black beans. Smash with a fork in a bowl. 

In either a food processor or single cup blender, blend garlic cloves, tomatoes, salsa, and sriracha. 

Then add cumin, salt, pepper, flaxseed mix, and oats. Quick blend. Mixture should be chunky.

Add blender mix to smashed black beans and combine with a spatula.

Equally pat out 4 patties and place on a plate covered with wax paper. (this took a bit of back and forth hand toss to make it flat)

Freeze for at least 2 hours or until ready to cook.
 (Freezing helps with the cooking! Nothing is as bad as a gooey patty)

*I just froze them as shown in picture. I encourage you to add another piece of wax paper on top and press lightly to make them flat on both sides.

Cook Frozen patties on lightly oiled pan for  5-7 min each side.

  Enjoy!!!!

 

Sweet Potato Chili

I loved this so much. Seriously ate 2 bowls every sitting..and well with the nutrition info like this it was not a problem.  

Recipe Credit: ChocolateCoveredKatie.com

Ingredient: 

• 2 cups sliced onion (1 large)
• 20 oz peeled and cubed sweet potato
• 2/3 cup diced zucchini
• 1-2 cans black beans (or another bean)
• 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tbs chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp orange zest
•  1 cup corn
• 1 cup water (or broth)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a big pot, and bring to a boil. Then lower and cook until the sweet potatoes are soft. The chili tastes even better the next day, after the flavors have had a chance to combine.

 ENJOY!!!! 

Nutrition Info:

1 Serving (about 1 cup): 136 cal * 1 g Fat *6g protein; 26 carbs* 7 g fiber*