Shepherd’s Pie with Parmesan Brussel Sprouts

Normally, comfort food does not involve kale or carrots but carbs, cream, sugar, and all things that leave us bloated and slightly disappointed with ourselves. But, one of the best ways to keep your diet on track is to put a healthy spin on that comfort food you crave.

For this shepherd’s pie, we’ve upped the veggies and replaced the white potato for its orange cousin. It certainly is a great, warm recipe for the cool weather and will fill you up without the enhanced belly.

Ingredients: Bunch of diced carrots, sliced mushrooms, kale, Brussel sprouts, half of white onion, half of bag of frozen peas, 1 1/2 lbs lean beef, 2 large sweet potatoes

Meat and Veggies: Heat a large skillet with olive oil on low. Add onions, mushrooms and carrots first and cover for about 15 minutes. Add kale, diced carrots, and peas.

Season beef as you like (we added garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar). Gradually add meat to the skillet. Raise heat.

Sweet Potatoes: Peel sweet potatoes and slice. Bring a medium size pot of water to boil and add potatoes. Once soft, strain and let cool. In a large bowl, add butter or coconut oil and salt. Smash with a masher until smooth.

Pie: In a casserole dish, spread out veggie meat mixture. Top with mashed sweet potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes. Broil for 5.

Brussel Sprouts: Cut Brussel Spouts vertically. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dip in olive oil. Spread out on an a cooking sheet and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake on 350 for 20 minutes. Broil for 5.

It’s best if served with a spatula. The smooth sweet potatoes and savory beef compliment each other amazingly that you forget all about those regular, old white potatoes.

Junkless Peanut Butter Cups

Happy Halloween! For the kids, it’s all about the candy and for the adults, it’s either about boozing while wearing a ridiculous outfit or waiting for the kids to pass out so you can have your crack at their loot. Either way, your health doesn’t take first priority.

While this may seem like the perfect opportunity to cheat a bit, keep in mind, the next two months are perhaps the most tempting, so play it safe with a more healthy alternative to processed sugar, artificial colors, and a host of other horribly addicting bad stuff.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup coconut oil, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 tablespoons (or to liking) almond milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons of agave or maple syrup, 1 jar of peanut butter, small size cupcake liners

Directions: Mix together oil, cocoa powder, almond milk, vanilla and agave or syrup. Without the almond milk, the mixture will lean towards more of a dark chocolate taste. If to your liking, add less milk. If not, add more.

Fill each mini cupcake liner (recipe makes about 13-how appropriate 😱) a little less than halfway. Glob an appropriate amount of peanut butter into each as shown above. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

After confirming that each cup is solid, top each one off with the remaining mixture. Make sure peanut butter is covered. Refrigerate again for 10-15 minutes.

These are great if you’re having a party or just for something fun to do with your kids for the holiday. We don’t recommend handing these out to trick-or-treaters because Halloween is the one holiday where homemade treats are not appreciated 😱. Snack wisely and have a happy and safe Halloween 👻🎃!

All American Granola Bars (V)

Regardless if keeping a healthy diet or not, we all like a good bar. But the purpose of the handheld treat differs greatly: A snickers bar to appease a sweet tooth, a protein bar post workout, or a breakfast bar when running out the door in the morning. Most bars, however, are pumped full of artificial sweeteners and other harmful additives that sacrifice nutritional value for convenience. That’s why it’s always best to make your own!

Ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats, 2 tablespoons of flax seeds, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, handful of strawberries, handful of blueberries, 1 scoop of vegan protein powder, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Add honey/agave to taste.

Directions: Soak flax seeds in 4 1/2 tablespoons of water for 5 minutes. Mix oats, protein powder, chia seeds, coconut oil, and flax mixture. Cut strawberries and blueberries in half. Add to mixture. Make sure to mix thoroughly so protein powder is fully dissolved.

Once mixed, form bars onto greased tin foil on pan (recipe makes 6). Bake for 15 mins. Let cool for at least 5 minutes.

You can see that we chose our berries with America in mind. Happy (belated) Independence Day to all our American followers!

While the honey or agave will give it additional sweetness, the berries and protein give plenty of natural sugar so it’s not necessary. These are great in the morning, post workout, or when you just need something sweet. Hey, looks like we fulfilled all three!

Apple Peanut Butter Breakfast Bars (V)

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The problem is, it’s also at the most hectic time of the day. Mornings tend to consume us rather than us consuming the necessary nutrients to have a productive day. And worse than that, McDonald’s breakfast makes the allure of the drive-through all the more appealing.

But, breakfast prep is possible! These bars (which we could even call “breakfast brownies” due to their mouth watering moisture) are filled with protein and good carbs from an unlikely source to successfully prepare you for the day.

Ingredients: 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and dried (yes, you read that right), 1/2 cup peanut butter, 2 tablespoons of agave nectar, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, 2 scoops of protein powder (vegan used here), 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, 3 apples (any kind), 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, pinch of sea salt

Directions: Dice apples. Sauté in pan for about 15 mins or until a bit browned while adding cinnamon. Let cool once completed.

Once cooled, process all ingredients together (chickpeas, peanut butter, agave, etc.). You should have a peanut butter cookie-like batter (but foodborne illness free!). Pour into greased cake pan (recipe caters to 8×8, but a 12×8 is all that we had available). Bake for 30 mins at 350°.

We cut the bars quite large to give a filling portion for the morning. If using as a dessert (which they are also excellent for), you may want to cut to more of a brownie size.

The bars are packed with protein (about 20 g per bar if you cut in 6’s) and are gluten free and vegan. They are sure to keep you full and fueled for your busy day.

Clean Baking: Carrot Cake Muffins

carrotcake

Happy Easter! Easter has to be one of the top, if not the most, sugar saturated holidays. Peeps, Cadbury Eggs, Reese’s…the list of the artificially sweetened treats goes on and on. It seems like it’s unavoidable. But, there are ways to indulge in a healthy way. That’s where these little delights come in.

Yields: 12 muffins

Tools Needed: 6 cup muffin tin, Food Processor or mixer

Ingredients: 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour, 1/2 cup Coconut Oil, 2 cups Organic Sugar, 1 Egg, 2 Large Carrots, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, 3 teaspoons of Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon Nutmeg, 1 teaspoon Ginger, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1/4 cup of Almond Milk

Batter: Mix together dry ingredients. Cut carrots in 1 inch segments. Boil until soft (about 20 minutes). After giving the carrots a few minutes to cool, place them in processor with oil and almond milk until smooth. Add carrot/oil with dry ingredient mixture and mix in egg until no lumps remain.

Bake: Spoon mixture into tins. Do NOT exceed the levels of each tin. The muffins will, of course, rise. Bake for about 30 minutes at 360°. Let cool for 10 minutes.

These muffins are flavorful, filling, and anything but dry. Not only do they make a great desert, but also a quick go-to for breakfast during a busy week.