Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies (GF & DF)

I shared this recipe with you all and said I was working on making it healthy enough for breakfast! Well.... I did it! Here ya go!!  You're welcome!

I substituted honey for the sugar.  Then I  added flax and protein powder in with the oats.  If you loved my other recipe... Believe it or not, these taste just the same!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies (GF & DF)

1 c natural peanut butter

2 eggs

1/2 c honey

1/2 c quick cooking GF oats

1/4 c flax seed meal

1/4 c vanilla brown rice protein powder

1 t baking soda

2/3 c Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips
1/2 c chopped pecans (I'm calling these optional, but I think they are necessary!)

Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a large bowl beat the eggs.  Add the peanut butter and honey and stir til smooth.  Throw in the oats, flax, protein powder, and baking soda.  Mix until well incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Use a cookie scoop to place dough onto the parchment paper.  Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Don't overbake! Let them cool on the pan for about 10 minutes... If you can wait that long! 😉

Enjoy your Sunday Funday friends!!

Cholula Chicken Broccoli Zo Mein

This looks a bit complicated, but really it isn't so bad.  Regardless, it is definitely worth the effort!

I know a lot of my Celiac friends miss being able to order in Chinese food... so here you go!

Cholula Chicken Broccoli Zo Mein

I forgot the green onions... ooops!
At least I didn't forget the chop sticks! :)

Ingredients:

3 C fresh broccoli (2 med heads)- cut into bite size pieces

2 T EVOO

1 lb boneless chicken- cut into bite size pieces

1 T sesame oil

1 T Cholula

3 garlic cloves- minced

1/2 C GF soy sauce

2 T water

2 T brown sugar

2 T cornstarch

3 small zucchini- make into zoodles with your spiralizer

1 T brown sugar

2 T GF soy sauce

1 1/2 T Cholula

1 t fresh ginger- minced

1 t sesame oil

1 T butter

1/2 t crushed red pepper

2 eggs- lightly beaten

1 T EVOO

1/2 C shredded carrots

1/2 C snow peas

3 garlic cloves- minced

2 green onions-  thinly sliced

Make It:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Prepare an ice bath and set aside.  Once the water is boiling add the broccoli.  Cook only to blanch, about 4 minutes.  Remove from water and immediately put into the ice bath.

2.  Heat the 2 T of EVOO in a large pan.  Add the chicken and brown it on both sides.

3.  While the chicken is browning whisk together the sauce ingredients: 1 T sesame oil, 1 T Cholula, 3 garlic cloves- minced, 1/2 C GF soy sauce, 2 T water, 2 T brown sugar, & 2 T cornstarch.  Set aside.

4.  Once the chicken is browned add the broccoli in with it.  Reduce heat to medium and add the sauce.  Stir to coat everything and let it simmer to thicken the sauce while you make the lo mein.  Remember to stir it occasionally.

5.  Mix together the sauce ingredients for the zoodles: 1 T brown sugar, 2 T soy sauce,1 1/2 T Cholula, 1 t minced ginger, & 1 t sesame oil.  Set aside.

6.  In the large pot that you cooked your broccoli in add a bit of EVOO.  Throw your zoodles in and cook a bit, just until they are softened. (You can do regular noodles here if you want, I just an obsessed with zoodles- and they are healthier!)

7. While they are cooking melt the butter in a small pan over medium-low heat.  Add the crushed red pepper.  Once the butter is fully melted whisk in the eggs.  Stir gently and cook for about 3 minutes.  Once done transfer the eggs to a small plate and set aside. 

8.  Add 1 T EVOO to that same small pan.  Increase the heat to med-high and add the carrots and snow peas.  Stir fry for about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. 

9.  Your zoodles should be done by now so add the carrot mixture, the eggs, and the sauce to the zoodles and stir to coat. 

10.  To serve top the zoodle mixture with the chicken broccoli mixture.  Garnish with some green onions and serve.

The inspiration recipe is here. 

Slow Cooker Barbacoa (GF & DF)

I couldn't wait to make this recipe I found for Chipotle's Copycat Barbacoa from The Slow Roasted Italian. This Italian sure does know how to do Mexican!

Slow Cooker Barbacoa

 1 teaspoon sea salt
3-4 pound chuck roast, fat trimmed
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 bay leaves

Sauce
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
6 cloves garlic
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
4 chipotle peppers (from a can, packed in adobo sauce)
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (also from the can)
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup fresh lime juice
chopped cilantro for garnish

 Prepare roast.  Make sure all visible fat is trimmed.  Cut into 8 chunks.  Sprinkle all sides of cut beef with ½ of the salt (1 teaspoon), reserving the remaining 1 teaspoon.  Set aside.

In a blender or food processor combine the sauce ingredients.  Blend until smooth.  Set aside. 

Warm a large pot over medium high heat.  Add EVOO.  Sear all sides of cut beef.  Place seared beef into slow cooker.  Pour sauce over top.  Add bay leaves. Cook for 5-6 hours on high (or 8 hours on low) covered.

After about 5 hours (or 7 hours on low) shred beef using 2 forks to pull it apart.  Taste, and adjust seasoning if you want... I didn't need to.  Stir to completely coat in sauce.  Cover and cook for 1 more hour.  Serve or leave your cooker on warm until ready to serve.

This is so good on its own.  We served it along side this Cilantro Lime Brown Rice.  It would be great as a sandwich or layered with the rice, some boiled black beans and some fresh pico in a burrito or burrito bowl.  Yum!! 

Seriously the best leftover lunch ever!
Made my whole day!

Cilantro Lime Brown Rice (GF & DF)

Click here for the original recipe... It's said to be better than Chipotle!  I've never had Chipotle's, but I can't imagine their version could top this one!

Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon EVOO
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange juice

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice, salt, and bay leaf.  Return to boil.  Reduce to simmer, cover 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, leave covered for 5 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.

Fluff rice with fork, add oil and juices.  Stir to combine.  Turn the heat back on and let the rice brown a bit with the oil/juice mixture.  Add cilantro right before serving.



This was delicious topped with a little fresh pico!

Chicken Zoodle Soup (GF & DF)

It snowed.... again...

It is officially spring... someone upstairs must have forgotten that!

Needless to say this white stuff all over the ground made me crave soup!

Mr. Kat has been on this health kick after watching some infomercial type thing about heart health.  He wants to load up on veges and cut back on grains.... blah blah blah....

While the snow made me want comfort food, I wanted to do it in a way so that I didn't hear anymore about how we need to be eating healthier.... as if we can really be eating must healthier! Come on now!

This was the perfect compromise!

Chicken Zoodle Soup

2 lbs chicken breast- cut into bite sized pieces

1 onion- diced

2 large carrots- sliced
3 stalks of celery- diced
4 C chicken broth
4 C vegetable broth
3 medium zucchini- spiralized

4 garlic cloves- minced

salt & pepper- to taste

1 T nutritional yeast

1 T parsley

1 T chopped chives

Throw your broth in a large soup pot.  Turn the heat up to medium and let it come to a boil while you chop your veges.  Throw your veges into the pot.  Dice your chicken, throw that in too.  Let it boil for about 20 more minutes, until the veges are tender and the chicken is done.  While that is cooking make your zoodles.  Once the veges and chicken are done throw the zoodles in with all the seasoning.  Let simmer for about 5 more minutes, until the zoodles are soft.

Quick Pepper Steak (GF & DF)

We had some delicious Asian food on our trip to Punta Cana.  I was missing it! 

For my inspiration click here!

Quick Pepper Steak

Marinade:

1/4 C soy sauce- Make sure it's GF!!

1/3 C water

2 T rice vinegar

1 T corn starch

1/8 t black pepper

1 lb flank steak- slice it thin

2 T EVOO

12 mini sweet peppers- sliced

2 scallions- sliced into 1 inch pieces

1 T fresh ginger- minced

4 garlic cloves- minced

sesame seeds- just for a fancy garnish

Add all marinade ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the sliced steak, and toss in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sweet peppers and white part of the scallions, ginger, garlic, and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a plate.  Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to the pan. Remove the steak from the marinade with a slotted spoon (reserving the marinade) and saute about 2-3 minutes until browned, stirring occasionally. Transfer steak to plate with the veggies.  Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and cook for 1 minute or until thickened. Add the steak, veggies and green parts of the scallions to the skillet, and stir to combine. Cook for an additional minute, then remove from heat.  Garnish with the green part of the scallions and some sesame seeds (these aren't in my picture... sorry!)


Serve with a side of steamed Asian veges and some brown rice!

DIY Mouthwash

So funny story:  Not only do I do my squats while I brush my teeth, I plank while I swirl my mouthwash!  It's hilarious, and it's efficient.  This way I always know I spent enough time taking care of my smile.. and I get my squats and planks done for the day!


I loved Hello Products... but my local target stopped carrying them :(


I completely ran our of mouthwash, and instead of worry about it I opted to figure it out.  I made my own!  And as usual, it is cheaper, so simple, and better for us!


There is no real science to this... as with most things I do (even though I am technically a scientist.. haha!! the piece of paper on my all says so!)


1 part hydrogen peroxide
1 part distilled water
throw in a teaspoon or so of baking soda
peppermint essential oil- enough until you reach your desired scent/flavor


Mix it all together in a bottle.  Shake it a bit before you use it each time. Swirl it around (planking optional!) and spit!  You don't want to swallow peroxide (or the oil for that matter), unless you want to evacuate your belly!

Another funny story:
 I store this in an empty Jack Daniel's bottle! :)
 It's so pretty!

Ever since I have been using this my dentist has been commenting about how healthy the tissues in my mouth are!  She asked me what I've been doing  :)