Sweet Potato Pancakes

I LOVE being part of an online community of ladies who are like minded working on their fitness like me. Not to say we are perfect, we share our successes and struggles but we also follow the same meal plan and share recipes! 

One of the ladies posted a sweet potato pancake and I thought WOW what an amazing idea. Sweet potatoes are the most nutrient dense carbs you can eat. I am always looking for new ways to have them hence all of the recipes on here featuring them. 

This one deserves a special spot in your recipe collection! Kids and adults love them and if you would like to make these Sneaky pancakes you can absolutely add baby spinach to these and get in an extra veggie for you and the kids! 

These are sweet enough without maple syrup so for me it is just a teaspoon of melted butter on top... YES... butter is ok! We all need healthy fats. I know some people still can get past it but I promise...coming from the lady who lost 50 lbs and has kept it off real butter is ok to eat. If you are still eating butter from the tub PLEASE do yourself a favor and ditch it! With all the love in the world STOP. If it is man made I want you to think Chemical SH!T storm. K.... OK. 

I love to double this recipe because they go quick! This recipe serves 4 3-4 pancakes per serving depending on the size you make them! 

For those who follow Portion Fix - 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 tsp ( if you add spinach this would also be a green and perfect as a pre or post workout meal for 80-day obsession)

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 cups of cooked mashed Sweet Potato
• 8 Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon of Pure Maple Syrup
• 2 packets Stevia
• 1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Teaspoon of salt 
• Coconut oil spray or Olive oil spray

DIRECTIONS

1.  Heat skillet or preferable a griddle to medium heat ( not too high or they will burn.)
2. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth
3. spray skillet with coconut oil spray or olive oil spray, then pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto skillet. 
4. The batter is runny so pour slowly and allow to set up before flipping

These would be wonderful with sliced banana and drizzle of melted Almond or PB over them, and don't forget they can be sneaky by adding in that spinach which I often do because who doesn't need to sneak extra veggies in! 

Instant Pot Tikki Masala

OH MY GOSH! You KNOW how much I have been enjoying my Instant Pot. I swear it is a tool that every woman needs in her life! Now that things are starting to cool down it is time to break out the comfortimg bowls of goodness and this is at the TOP of my list this year hitting the spot like no other! 

Josh was asking if there was enough for seconds after he took the first bite haha! I typically save some of our dinner for leftovers the next day but this made plenty for our dinner plus lunch and his second helping so we were all happy! 

INGREDIENTS 

• 1.25 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts ( you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs as well)
• 1 tablespoon of butter 
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 tablespoon of Garam Masala ( this is a powdered spice that you can find in most stores)
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon tumeric
• 1 teaspoon Chili powder
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger ( or grated fresh if you have it)
• 1 can diced or crushed tomatoes 
• 3 tablespoon of Plain Greek yogurt or 1/4 cup coconut milk canned 
• 3 tablespoons of almond butter or Peanut butter or cashew butter
• OPTIONAL LIME WEDGES
• OPTIONAL CHOPPED SALTED PEANUTS 

DIRECTIONS

1.  Press Saute button on instant pot, add butter and coconut oil along with the diced onion and sautee for 3-5 min
2. In the mean time measure out all spices add them to onion mixture and stir well for 1 min
3. Add Garlic and tomatoes 
4. Add chicken breast to mixture and ensure that they are covered in the sauce
5. Secure lid on Instant Pot turning it to Manual High 16 min and ensure the vent is closed 
6. When done release the steam, remove the chicken and shred it. ( I prefer to transfer it to my kitchen and use the paddle attachment to shred the chicken quickly but you can also use 2 forks)
7. Add shredded chicken back into sauce and stir.
8. Serve just as is or over rice if desiered. I topped mine with a wedge of lime and some Salted peanuts for a crunch!  ENJOY! 

Honey Mustard Chicken

I love a fast east dinner! I used to eat these Rold Gold pretzels that were honey mustard flavor..basically, I am a sucker for anything honey mustard! 

This recipe I baked in the oven it was so easy to mix, make and go! Next time I will for sure throw them on the grill because this was good but I bet it would be a million times better grilled. Now that the weather is nicer I am definitely having it!

CONTAINERS- 1 orange 1 red

INGREDIENTS 

• 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup honey or 1/4 cup honey and 1 packet of stevia 
• 1/4 cup of yellow mustard
• 1/4 Dijon mustard 
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika ( regular works great too)
• salt and pepper to taste I use about 1/4 tsp salt
• Olive oil spray

DIRECTIONS

1.  If using the oven Preheat to 350, spray a baking dish with olive oil spray, set aside
2. In a bowl combine honey, mustard, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika 
3. Toss chicken and sauce together then place all the sauce and chicken in the prepared dish.
4. Bake for 30 min turn chicken and bake for 10 more min

( if using thinner chicken please reduce cooking time to about 25 min) 

For grilling, I usually cut the larger chicken lengthwise in half and cook about 10-12 min until done allowing them to rest on the counter for a few min before cutting into them otherwise you will lose all of your juices. 

Easy Peasy weeknight Roasted Tomato & Basil Soup

Sometimes you just need a grilled cheese and a nice bowl of tomato soup!!!! When I think of those 2 things I immediately think of Campbell's and Kraft! You know that is what you think of too! But we are adults now and we also have health and fitness goals. Knowing that yellow cheesy melted goodness is just fake processed cheese and that warm creamy soup is filled with sodium and laced with preservatives! There is a better way! 

Can we talk about this Cheesy Garlic Bread for just a sec??? Because seriously this is slap yo' mama good and it totally on plan! I know, You are welcome! It is creamy, cheesy, garlicky and delicious the perfect pair with this tomato soup! Coming to the blog next week so stay tuned and get the e-mail subscriptions so you don't miss more of my easy healthy recipes! 

Back the the regularly scheduled program! This soup is fabulous, I have had people who HATE tomato soup and rave about this one! TRY it you'll love it! Let me know what you and your family thinks! 

21 Day Fix Container  1 purple container 

Servings about 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 14 oz can fire roasted tomato ( low sodium or no salt added if you can find that)
• 1/2 can 6 oz tomato paste 
• 2 celery stalks diced 
• 2 large carrots diced 
• 1 yellow onion diced 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 cups of vegetable broth 
• 2 garlic cloves minced or 1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• OPTIONAL - 1/4 cup chopped Fresh basil if in season if not available use a generous 1 teaspoon dried.

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. In a large soup pan on medium high heat add olive oil carrots, celery, onion and a good pinch of salt and pepper, saute until veggies a a bit soft. 
2. Add garlic, saute for about a minute, fold tomato paste into the veggies letting it cook for about 2 min.
3. Add the fore roasted tomatoes and the juices along with vegetable broth into the pot stirring to combine let simmer for 10 min.
4. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender or transfer soup to a blender ( please be careful as the soup will be hot at this point, if you have time allow to cool for a few min) blend soup till smooth adding additional liquid depending on how thick you like it. 
5. Return back to pan, taste add salt and pepper to taste along with fresh chopped or dried basil!
6. ENJOY, optional top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

SHORTCUT OPTION- Purchase the already pre-chopped container of carrots, onions and celery known as a soup starter. You can find this in the produce section usually where they have the other chopped veggies! 

* This soup is perfect for making a double batch and freezing for a lazy or crazy night! 

Easy 5 min Chipotle Lime Marinade

I LOVE chipotle flavors! Mexican anything is a go in my book! I used to reach for the Chipotle Grill Mates seasoning packet but the very first ingredient is sugar and the sodium content is CRAZY! A whopping 4,160 mg of sodium in 1 packet! Man my bubble was burst when I first realized that these were not the best option for my high protien grilled chicken breasts! When I began on my weight loss journey there were so many things that I was doing wrong. If only I  knew then what I know now I would have saved myself tons of frustration and to think I almost gave up on myself thinking I would never be fit just because I was a mom! If you are lost on where to start on your journey just fill out the application at the top of this page! Now back to the Mexican food because that is what is important!  To serve my craving, I came up with this and I truly love this marinade! We use it all the time and it hits the spot for me and I think you and your family will love it too!

Enough marinade for 4 large chicken breast or 6-8 thin breasts

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 package of chicken breast
• 2 Tablespoons of Honey
• 1/2 Tablespoon Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle seasoning 
• 1/2 Tablespoon Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime 
• 1/2 tablespoon of Siracha 
• 1 generous teaspoon salt 
• Juice of 1 lime ( or 2-3 tablespoons or rice wine vinegar)
• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except the olive oil, whisk together until combined. 
2. Once combined whisk in the olive oil until the dressing has become all incorporated
3. Reserve 2 tablespoons for basting if desired
4. Add chicken to marinade and let marinade for at least 10 minutes
5. Grill until no longer Pink basting on the marinade as you grill
6. ENJOY! 

This chicken is great on its own or used in a burrito bowl especially the next day for lunch