Julie’s Protein Balls

Ingredients

1 c natural PB (creamy or crunchy)

1 ½ c rice crispy cereal

½ c honey (little less)

1 tsp vanilla

¾ scoop vanilla protein powder

Optional:  mini chocolate chips

From Juile Gerrard

 Mexican Ground Beef Skillet

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs olive oil

• 2 Tbs minced garlic

• ½ medium yellow onion, minced

• 2 large bell peppers, diced

• 1 lb ground beef

• 3 Tbs taco seasoning

• ½ c tomato sauce

• 2 Tbs green chilies (opt)

• 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 c quick-cooking brown rice *white works, too

• 1.5 c beef broth

• ½ c MX shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Heat oil over medium/high heat in large skillet.

• When oil is fragrant, add garlic, onion, and pepper.  Saute 3-5 min.

• Remove veggies and keep warm. Add ground beef.  Saute for 7-9 min until fully cooked.  Mix everything together in pan.

• Add taco seasoning, tomato sauce, chilies, black beans, cook a few min. 

• Add quick cooking rice and broth.  Bring to a boil over med/high heat.

• Once boiling, turn down to low and cover.  Let simmer for about 20 min, (or only a few min. if using white rice) until rice has absorbed most of the liquid.

• Sprinkle cheese on top of skillet.

• Serve with chips and salsa.

*From fitfoodiefinds.com / Emily

Monster Cookie Bars

 

Monster Cookie Bars

Yield: 24 Bars (9X13-inch pan)

 

Prep Time: 15minutes mins

Cook Time: 25minutes mins

Total Time: 40minutes mins

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• ⅔ cup (141 g) granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup (141 g) packed light brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (255 g) creamy peanut butter
• ⅓ cup (75 g) salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 ½ cups (255 g) chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups (300 g) quick oats
• 1 cup (198 g) M&M's

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter and butter. Mix until creamy and well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, baking soda and oatmeal. Mix well.
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan and press lightly into an even layer. Sprinkle the M&M's evenly across the top and gently press them into the dough.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden and set. Let the bars cool completely in the pan. For a cleaner cut, refrigerate the bars before slicing and serving.

©Mel's Kitchen Cafe — https://www.melskitchencafe.com/monster-cookie-bars/

• Jelly roll pan:  Make 1 1/2 the recipe.  Bake 23 min to be gooey.  Perfect the next day though.

Mashed Potato Soup

 

• Ingredients:
• 2 Tbs Salted Butter
• ▢½ small Onion diced
• ▢1 Tbs All-purpose flour
• ▢2-½ cups 2% milk
• ▢3-4 cups Leftover mashed potatoes
• ▢salt and pepper to taste
• ▢1 tsp Dried parsley
• ▢½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• ▢4 slices Cooked Bacon diced, or ham chunks

Instructions

• In a large stock pot melt butter on medium heat.
  (2 tablespoons Salted Butter)
• Then add in onion. Caramelize until golden brown mixing periodically, for 10 minutes.
  (½ small Onion)
• Once the onions are golden in color add the all-purpose flour and mix well until the onions have been coated with the flour mixture.
  (1 tablespoon All-purpose flour)
• Pour the milk into the pot and stir for one minute.
  (2-½ cups 2% milk)
• Then add in the mashed potatoes. Mixing until all the potatoes have broken up. Cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are smooth. Taste the soup and add salt and black pepper if desired.
  (3-4 cups Leftover mashed potatoes,salt and pepper to taste)
• Ladle into bowls and top with dried parsley, shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
  1 teaspoon Dried parsley,½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, 
• (4 slices Cooked Bacon)

Homemade PB Granola Bars

1 1/2 c creamy/chunky peanut butter

1/2 c + 1/3 c honey/maple syrup/brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tbs canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 1/2 c instant oats

3/4 tsp salt

2/3 min chocolate/PB chips

• In a large bowl, beat the PB, honey, egg oil, and vanilla until blended.
• Add oats and salt and mix well.  
• Stir in chips.  Batter will be sticky.
• Transfer to a sprayed 9 x 13" pan.  
• Bake at 350 for about 17 min, until edges are lightly browned.  
• Cool on rack.  Cut into bars.

Salmon Bowls

 

Salmon Bowls

Ingredients:

• 12 oz salmon

• ⅓ c soy sauce

• ⅓ c honey

• 4 cloves minced garlic

• 2 tsp minced ginger

• 1 tsp onion powder

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes

• Sesame seeds

• Rice, cooked

• Cucumbers, quartered

• Avocado

• Green onion

• Spicy mayo 

• edamame

Directions:

• 1. Cube salmon (without the skin), and mix in a bowl with ⅓ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup honey, 4 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp minced ginger, 1 tsp onion powder, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 

• 2. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat and add your salmon and sauce. Cook for 5 minutes then flip and cook for another 5 mins. Add sesame seeds 

• 3. Build your own with whatever toppings you want. 

*From Kyla

No Bake Cookies

In a saucepan combine:
1/4 c butter
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c milk
4 tsp cocoa (1Tbs plus 1 tsp)
dash salt

Bring mixture to a boil on medium heat.  Boil 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add quickly:
1/4 c flour
1/4 c PB
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c quick oats

Chicken Taco Bowls

Chicken Taco Bowls

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb raw chicken (original recipe calls for 1 1/2 lbs)
1-16 oz jar salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz can black beans, drained

1/4 c water
1/2 lb frozen corn 
1 Tbs chili powder
1/2 Tbs cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
black pepper
2 c uncooked rice
sour cream (Yes! so good with sour cream!)
shredded cheese
green onions/cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

Combine chicken through black pepper in crockpot.  Stir.  Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours.

When done, shred chicken in crock pot.  Add salt if needed

To build bowls place rice at bottom, top with chicken mixture, cheese, sour cream and anything else!  

From Janeen. (Budgetbytes)

Cowboy Caviar

 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 can white corn (drained)

1 bunch cilantro (1/2 c)

1 bunch green onions

3-4 large tomatoes

1 pkg Good Seasons Italian Dressing (make to directions.  Use balsamic vinegar & only 1-2 Tbs oil.  (1/3 c vinegar 1/3 c water)

Combine all.  Pour dressing over top.  Eat with chips or in a cheesy tortilla

From Emily

Tin Foil Dinners (in a 9x13)

 4 potatoes, sliced thin

6 carrots, sliced thin

1-2 onions, sliced

1 lb ground beef

1 slice of bread

ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce

1/2 can cream of chicken soup

Preheat oven to 425.  Spray pan.

Layer potatoes, carrots, and onions in pan.  Squirt on ketchup, BBQ sauce, and drop cream of chicken soup around.

In a large bowl soak bread in some milk until soggy.  Add ground beef.  Squirt in ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, other seasonings.  Mix well and form into 6 hamburger patties.  Place on top of veggies.  Top patties with ketchup.  Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour.  Sere with ketchup

*Or use 1 lb cooked ground beef.  Bake at 400 for 45 min.  Can add cheese to the top.

Roasted Carrots

 6 big carrots, cut fry-size

1 1/2 Tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp  course salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp parsley.                                 

Toss.  Bake at 400 on convection for 20 min

No Bake Peanut Butter Buckeye Bars

1/2 c plus 1 Tbs butter, softened and divided

2 c creamy PB

3 1/2 c powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla 

2 c chocolate chips (12 oz)

1. Place 1/2 c of butter, PB, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bow.  Beat using an electric mixer until smooth.  The dough will be very thick and a little crumbly.
2. Line a 9x13" pan with parchment paper.  Transfer the PB dough into the pan.  Press the dough firmly into the dish.
3. Add chocolate chips and the remaining 1 Tbs butter into microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave in 30-second intervals, until smooth (about a min and half).
4. Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the bars and spread evenly.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Carefully remove the bars from the pan by pulling up on the excess parchment paper, and transfer to a cutting board.  Slice with a sharp knife.
5. Return to the fridge for at least 1 more hour, or until ready to serve.

*For best results, refrigerate the bars for 30-60 min before cutting.  Don't allow the chocolate to fully set before cutting, or it will crack

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

EASY CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

yield: 8 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 35 MINS

cook time: 55 MINS

total time: 1 HR 30 MINS

INGREDIENTS

• 20 ounces green enchilada sauce
• 12 ounces salsa verde
• 4 cups cooked shredded or chopped chicken
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 14 white or yellow corn tortillas, cut in half
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
•  Fresh chopped cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Whisk together the enchilada sauce and salsa verde.
• Toss the chicken with the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
• Spread 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer eight tortilla halves across the sauce (see pictures in the post for a visual). Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the tortillas followed by 1/2 of the chicken. Drizzle with 1/3 of the sauce.
• Layer another eight tortilla halves, 1/3 of the cheese, last 1/2 of the chicken, another 8-9 tortilla halves, remaining 1/3 cheese and remaining sauce.
• Cover with greased foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Let rest for 10-15 minutes (it will set up and be less runny as it rests) before serving.

NOTES

Sauce: you can use all enchilada sauce if you want (omit the salsa verde and increase the amount of green enchilada sauce by 10-12 ounces).

Make Ahead: the casserole can be assembled and refrigerated for up to 8 hours (the tortillas will soften more than if baked right away).
From Mel's