Mindy's favorite slow cooker vegetarian chili

Ingredients:

2 cups of mixed dried beans (navy, black, great northern, pinto, whatever you have hanging around in your cupboards)
1/2 cup lentils
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 28 oz. can of stewed or diced tomatoes (or 3 large fresh tomatoes, diced)
2 tablespoons oregano
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper or Mrs. Dash
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
4 vegetable bouillon cubes (or 4 teaspoons vegetable broth base)
1/4 pound salt pork (optional for "truly" vegetarian)
water, for soaking and cooking

Instructions:

1. Rinse beans and pick over for nasty ones or stones.
2. Cover beans with about 5 cups of cold water and soak over night (or at least 6 hrs.) in your 6-quart slow cooker crock.
3. Add bouillon cubes, tomatoes, both peppers, onion, garlic, and seasonings -- stir.
4. Add cold water to cover ingredients, if needed.
5. Cover, cook on low setting for 6-8 hours.
6. Halfway through cooking process add lentils and top with more water, if needed.

Almond Joy Low-Fat, sugar-free, high protein Muffins

Ingredients:

1 C Splenda (or sugar)

1.5 C Old fashioned oatmeal

.5 C Oat bran

1 C Coconut flour

.5 C Almond flour (or meal)

.5 C Whole Wheat flour

2 t baking powder

.5 t salt
.5 C unsweetened coconut
.33 C vanilla whey powder
1 t vanilla extract

6 eggs

3 C milk (divided)

1.5 C chocolate chips

.5 C slivered or chopped almonds

Directions:

• 1.       Combine first 12 ingredients in mixing bowl with 2 cups milk.
• 2.       Let mixture rest for .5 to 1 hour.
• 3.       Add remaining cup of milk and mix well.
• 4.       Stir in chips & nuts.
• 5.       Heap into a greased muffin tins and bake @ 350° for 30-35 minutes until plump and slightly browned.
• 6.       Cool, wrap, & refrigerate.
• 7.       Yield: 12 large muffins or 24 small.
• 8.       Muffins are dense and filling!

Mindy"s Almond Joy Pancakes

1 C Oatmeal
.5 C Coconut Flour
.5 C Almond Flour
.33 C Vanilla Whey Powder
1 t. Baking Powder
3 T Splenda or any sweetner
5 Eggs
1.5 C Milk
.5 C Chocolate chips

1. Mix all ingredients except for .5 C milk.
2. Let set in fridge for 30 mins.  Mixture will thicken.
3. Thin mixture with remaining .5 C milk.
4. Drop .33 (1/3)C batter onto griddle sprinkle with chocolate chips and cook on medium heat until bubbles toward the center begin to burst.  Flip and cook other side.  
5. Serve with Sugar-free syrup or Jam.
6. Very Healthy!

Louise's Healthy Power Bars

Instead of spending $$$ on expensive granola and/or power bars in the questionable section of your local supermarket . . . Try making these yourself.  Change up ingredients (like different kinds of fruit, nuts, flavored whey powders, add coconut, etc.).  The following is my favorite recipe:

Ingredients:

1/3 C unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C almond butter
2 T peanut oil
10 packets of splenda (or 3 T sugar or other sweetener)
1/4 C agave nectar
3 large eggs
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 C whole wheat flour (feel free to experiment with some of the newer flours on the market, like almond, coconut, or soy)
1/2 t baking soda
1 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ginger
1/2 C vanilla whey powder
2 C oats
1 C dried apricots (snipped into quarters with kitchen shears)
1/2 C sliced almonds (or similar nuts)
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat together first seven ingredients.
3. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Fold in dry fruit and nuts.
5. Thoroughly spray a 9 X 13 glass baking dish with nonstick spray.
6. Spread batter evenly in sprayed pan.
7. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cut into 24 bars.
9. Store in a covered container or glass cookie jar. 

Note: each cookie contains approximately 128 calories and packs a powerful protein punch!

Louise's Stuffed Shrooms

2 Lg portabella mushrooms
4 oz. low fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 C Shredded Mozzerella

Directions:

1. Cut stems out of washed mushrooms.
2. Mix softened cream cheese with parmesan cheese and garlic salt.
3. Fill mushroom caps with mixture.  Top with Mozzerella Cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.

SO yummy and good for you too!

Mindy's Oatmeal-Coconut Pancakes

1.5 C Oatmeal
.5 C Coconut Flour
.33 C Vanilla Whey Powder
1 t. Baking Powder
3 T Splenda or any sweetner
5 Eggs
1.5 C Milk

1. Mix all ingredients except for .5 C milk.
2. Let set in fridge for 30 mins.  Mixture will thicken.
3. Thin mixture with remaining .5 C milk.
4. Drop .33 (1/3)C batter onto griddle and cook on medium heat until bubbles toward the center begin to burst.  Flip and cook other side.  
5. Serve with syrup or Sugar-free Jam.
6. Very Healthy!

Quinoa/Kale Patties

2 ½ cups cooked quinoa, cooled
4 cups kale or spinach, cleaned, deveined, & chopped small
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp sea salt
1 small yellow onion, diced 
½ cup chives, chopped
½ cup Parmesan, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup finely ground bread crumbs (use gluten free breadcrumbs to make this dish gluten free or pork rinds to lower carbs)
2 Tbsp olive oil plus more for frying

1. Combine quinoa, eggs, Parmesan, chives and salt in medium mixing bowl.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in skillet on medium heat then sweat onions and garlic, approximately 3 minutes. Add kale to skillet and cook until kale is bright green and soft.
3. Add kale mixture to quinoa mixture, then add breadcrumbs and stir to combine.
4. Place large clean skillet on medium heat and add enough oil to coat bottom of pan.  Form patties using ½ cup of quinoa mixture and place patties in skillet being careful not to overcrowd the pan. 
5. Fry until golden brown on each side, approximately 5 minutes per side.
Remove patties, drain on paper towel and serve. 
6. Makes: 10 patties

Note: okay to use frozen chopped spinach, thawed in the microwave.

Chai Breeze Beverage

Chai Breeze Beverage


1 Cup Almond Breeze Milk Original
1 Chai Tea Bag


Place all ingredients in a large mug, microwave on "high" for 1.5 minutes. Cover with saucer and allow to steep for 1-2 minutes. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash - Preparation

Spaghetti Squash - Preparation
Categories: Low, Fat, Vegetable
------------------------------------
In answer to how to prepare spaghetti squash, I found this in the June, 94 issue of Southern Living:
The flesh of spaghetti squash, when cooked, comes out like strands of  cooked spaghetti and makes a great light stand-in for pasta lovers.

Prepare squash by cutting in half lengthwise and removing seeds. Pierce skin several times with a fork and follow one of the cooking methods below.

To bake, prepare squash, and place, cut side down, in a large baking pan. Bake at 350 oF for 45 minutes or until skin is tender and strands may be loosened easily with a fork.

To microwave, prepare squash, and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add 1/4 cup water; cover with plastic wrap, folding back a small edge of wrap to allow steam to escape. Cook on HIGH 7 to 10 minutes.

To boil, prepare squash, and place, cut side down, in a Dutch oven, add water to a depth of 2 inches. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Cool cooked squash. Using a fork, remove spaghetti-like strands of pulp. Discard shell.

Yield: 1 medium spaghetti squash equals about 4 cups cooked.