Coconut-berry Nice Cream

I started giving up treats during the week about 14 months ago. To get my dessert fix, I became a big fan of nice cream - frozen bananas, almond milk, a scoop of chocolate protein powder (or vanilla protein powder and a T of cocoa powder), and peanut butter or served with walnuts or shredded coconut. This berry version popped up on facebook and it was so good!

Blend:

2 C frozen berries

1 C coconut milk

2 T honey

1 t vanilla

In the pictures, it looked like perfectly scooped balls of icecream, but when you make it, it is more of a shake. After freezing, it's just hard, but so tasty! I supposed you could try scooping it.

Honey Garlic Chicken

 I was looking for healthy recipes and found this one from Healthy Fitness Meals. Evan really loved it and so did Eli. I didn't bread the chicken with the egg and cornstarch, though, I merely cooked my frozen chicken breasts in a skillet with the lid on the stove, added the broccoli, cooked it, then put the sauce on top, and served with the option of quinoa or rice.

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided, or any other oil
• ▢4 chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces
• ▢1 large egg, beaten
• ▢3 tablespoons cornstarch, or more if needed.
• ▢1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• ▢1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
• ▢2 cups cooked quinoa

Honey Garlic Sauce:

• ▢2 tablespoons honey
• ▢2 tablespoons sriracha sauce, use 1 tablespoon for a less spicy option
• ▢2 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ▢1 teaspoon sesame oil

To garnish: (I didn't do this)

• ▢2 green onions, thinly sliced
• ▢1-2 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds, or as desire

• Prepare 2 bowls, one with beaten 1 large egg, and the second with 3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with a pinch of salt and pepper. (about 1 tsp from 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt)
• Dip the diced 4 chicken breasts into the beaten egg. Place all the pieces into the cornstarch and toss to lightly and evenly coat.
• Heat one tablespoon of the 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer without overlapping.
• Cook until golden brown on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl whisk all the sauce ingredients (2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil). Pour sauce over the chicken and toss to coat, then set aside.
• Quickly wipe the pan with a paper towel, and add the remaining one tablespoon of oil.
• Preheat the skillet again, and stir-fry the 1 head broccoli florets until they start to brown. About 2-3 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
• Add about 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa (2 cups cooked quinoa divided) to each meal prep bowl. Divide the broccoli and chicken among your bowls and arrange them over the quinoa.
• Garnish with 2 green onions (diced), 1-2 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds, and lime wedges.
• Refrigerated for up to 4 days. Serve cold or reheated, as desired.

Tuscan Roasted Veg and White Bean Bake

I also saw this recipe on FB and it linked to this site. It was so yummy too! It says it serves 4, but I'd say it serves at least 8!!

1 zucchini, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 small eggplant, cubed
1 red onion, sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 can (400g) white beans (cannellini or navy), drained & rinsed
3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
Salt & black pepper to taste (1/2 t each?)
½ cup crushed tomatoes or passata
¼ cup vegetable broth
¼ cup grated Parmesan (optional, or vegan alternative)
Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
Prepare vegetables: Place zucchini, peppers, eggplant (I left the skins on), onion, and cherry tomatoes on a large baking tray. (I put them in a bowl first, combined the following ingredients, then drizzled it on top of the veggies, and mixed.)
Season: Drizzle with olive oil, add garlic, oregano, thyme, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss well. 
Roast: Bake for 25–30 minutes, until tender and slightly caramelized. (Mine didn't caramelize.)
Add beans & sauce: Remove from oven, gently mix in white beans, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable broth. (I didn't add crushed tomatoes or veg broth, but had a little spag sauce left over in the fridge and that was really yummy with it.)
Bake again: Return to oven for 15 minutes to let flavors meld.
Finish: Sprinkle with Parmesan (if using) and bake 5 more minutes until slightly golden.
Serve: Garnish with fresh herbs and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Tuscan Chicken - Crock Pot or Stovetop

 We've been killing it with the recipes lately. This one was posted on Facebook in an anti-inflammatory group. I didn't make it in the Crock-Pot, so I'll add stovetop instructions at the end.

Ingredients:
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp paprika (optional)

1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter or olive oil

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 cup heavy cream
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups fresh spinach
Fresh basil for garnish (optional)

Instructions:
Place chicken breasts in the crockpot
Season with salt, pepper, paprika & Italian seasoning
Add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes around the chicken
Pour chicken broth over the chicken
Add butter or drizzle olive oil on top
Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours until chicken is tender
Remove lid and stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese
Add fresh spinach and stir until wilted (about 5 minutes)
Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken the sauce
Garnish with fresh basil if desired
Serve hot!

Stovetop: I put frozen chicken breasts in my skillet on the stove and added the salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, tomatoes (I used fresh, but dried would be good too), garlic, and a little olive oil. Then I cooked, covered, until the chicken was done. Then I stirred in the cream (part milk, but would be good with all cream) and let it thicken a bit. Then I put the cheese in and let it thicken a bit more. Then I threw in the spinach until it was wilted. **I did not add extra chicken broth because it seemed too runny.**