Homemade Guacamole

I have an affinity for anything avocado, so naturally I am a huge Guacamole fan.  With that being said, I am not a big fan of onions, and I'm always striving to come up with the best onion free guacamole recipe.  Last night I concocted something amazing.  So amazing in fact, that it just had to be shared.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 Avocados (seeded and peeled)
Juice of 2 Limes (only use 1 if you don't love the hint of lime taste)
1/2 Red Bell Pepper (seeded and chopped)
8 Champagne Tomatoes (chopped, can substitute grape tomatoes)
1/2 Jalapeno (Seeded and Minced)
1 Clove Garlic (Minced)
1 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt
1-2 tsp Cumin Powder


Directions:
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Enjoy! 

Watermelon-Mango Fruit Protein Smoothie

This one was just amazingly delicious.  I filled it so full, I even got 3 servings out of it.


Ingredients:
1 Cup Frozen strawberries & Blueberries
1 1/2 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder/Shakeology
1/2 Watermelon (Personal Sized, Chopped)
1 Mango (Peeled and Sliced)
1 Apple (Cored & Sliced)
1 Lime (Peeled & sectioned)
20 Blueberries
20 Red Grapes
1 Cup Orange Juice (Not From Concentrate)



Directions:
Add the frozen ingredients into the blender first and then add the protein and the remaining ingredients, top with the orange juice (This helps ensure a better overall blend).  Blend on medium/high speed until well blended and serve.  This gives you 2 smoothies to enjoy so that you can take care of 2 days at once, refrigerate the remaining smoothie.  Enjoy!

Add in all of the ingredients

Blend Well

Serve & Enjoy!

If you interested in more smoothie recipes here are my previously posted recipes

Red Pepper-Peach Protein Smoothie

Apple-Banana-Tomato Protein Smoothie

Cantaloupe-Carrot-Berry Protein Smoothie

Cucumber-Watermelon-Mint Protein Smoothie

Heirloom Carrot-Watermelon Protein Smoothie

Watermelon-Triple-Berry Protein Smoothie with Kale

Pear-Apple-Berry Fruit Protein Smoothie

Hawaiian Chicken over Jasmine Rice

I was inspired by a similar recipe that I had made a couple of months ago, and Liam had really enjoyed it.  When we received two pineapple this week, I instantly thought of this recipe!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Seasoning (Barbecue, Mango Lime, Garlic Powder)
BBQ Sauce
2-3 Pineapple Rounds (Sliced)
1 Cup Jasmine Rice

Directions:
Add the oil to the pan and turn the heat to medium.  Add the chicken and season it generously.  Cook until browned on both sides and turn heat to low.  Cook the rice in a rice or steam cooker.  If you do not have one, you can also cook on the stove-top.  Pour the BBQ sauce over top and allow to warm and soak in.  Add the pineapples on top and cook for another minute or two.  Serve over a bed of rice & enjoy!

Add the chicken to the pan and season it generously

Add the BBQ sauce and cook until warmed

Add the pineapples and turn off the heat, allowing to sit for 1-2 minutes

Serve over a bed of rice and enjoy!

Red Pepper Peach Protein Smoothie

Another weird one, I know, but trust me, it's delicious.  And of course very healthy.  I really enjoyed this one. 


Ingredients:
1 Cup Frozen strawberries & Blueberries
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
2 medium sized Carrots (Peeled & Chopped)
1/2 Red Pepper (Seeded & Chopped)
1/2 Cucumber (Peeled & Sliced)
1 Green Apple (Cored & Sliced)
2 Peach (Pitted & Sliced)
Juice of 1 Lime
1 Cup Apple Juice (Not From Concentrate)

Directions:
Add the frozen ingredients into the blender first and then add the protein and the remaining ingredients, top with the apple juice (This helps ensure a better overall blend).  Blend on medium/high speed until well blended and serve.  This gives you 2 smoothies to enjoy so that you can take care of 2 days at once, refrigerate the remaining smoothie.  Enjoy!

Add all of the ingredients

Blend

Serve & Enjoy!

If you interested in more smoothie recipes here are my previously posted recipes

Apple-Banana-Tomato Protein Smoothie

Cantaloupe-Carrot-Berry Protein Smoothie

Cucumber-Watermelon-Mint Protein Smoothie

Heirloom Carrot-Watermelon Protein Smoothie

Watermelon-Triple-Berry Protein Smoothie with Kale

Pear-Apple-Berry Fruit Protein Smoothie

Orange Mint Chicken Drumsticks

I was wanting to do something with mint, and happened to have drumsticks needing to be cooked.  Viola; Orange Mint Chicken sounded delicious, and here you go:

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Orange Juice
1 tsp Orange Emulsion
1 Tbsp Dried Mint (Juiced)
Seasoning (Alpine Touch & Tarragon)
5-6 Chicken Drumsticks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the Oil, Orange Juice, Emulsion. and seasoning together in a bowl.  Roll the drumsticks one at a time into the mixture and place into a deep pan (I covered with tinfoil to make cleaning easy).  Once complete, pour the remaining mixture over top of the drumsticks in the pan and the sprinkle with additional seasoning.  Cook for 40-50 minutes or until done all the way through.  Serve & Enjoy!

Mix the Oil, OJ, Emulsion and Spices together in a bowl

Roll the Drumsticks in the mixture and place on a foil covered cookie sheet

Take out of the over after about 50 minutes

Serve & Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Pasta

I love the Bear Creek Mixes.  I also love adding onto them to make them heartier and more delicious, which is exactly what I did with this dinner!  Quick and easy, and so I also had to whip up some homemade cinnamon honey butter to put on our toast.

Creamy Chicken Pasta
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Chicken Breast (Chopped)
Seasoning (Rosemary, Garlic, Sea Salt, Mediterranean Basil)
2 Cups Water
2 Cups Milk
1 Bear Creek Creamy Chicken Pasta Mix
1 Large Carrot (Peeled & Chopped)
1 Celery Stalk (Chopped)

Directions
Heat the oil into a skillet.  Add the chicken and generously season.  Cook on med-high heat until browned all the way through.
In a large pot bring the water and milk to a rolling boil.  Add in the celery and carrots and mix thoroughly.  Add the pasta mix and cook until noodles are al dente.  Simmer while adding in the cooked chicken and cook for another 5 minutes. 


Cinnamon Honey Butter
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Butter (1 Sticks, softened)
3 Tbsp Honey
3 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp Heavy Cream
1 Tbsp Cinnamon

Directions:
 Add all ingredients together and mix with a hand mixer until smooth.

I used the Creamy Chicken :)

Add the chicken to the skillet and season while also adding the milk and water to a pot

Continue cooking the chicken and add the celery and carrots to the pot

Cook chicken thoroughly, add the pasta mix to the pot

Add cooked chicken to the pot

Simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens

Soften the butter

Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl

Blend thoroughly

Serve & Enjoy

Apple-Banana-Tomato Protein Smoothie

I know, I know, it sounds gross.  I was honestly nervous about how this one was going to turn out, but I just kept thinking about V8 and how they can make tomatoes work so I gave it a try anyway.  I must say that I am glad that I did because it turned out delicious.  It smelled like banana and the flavor was mostly banana and apple with an occasional fresh tasting bite of kale thrown in. 
*I apologize for missing my initial pretty pre-mixed photo, I accidentally deleted it on my camera :(


Ingredients:
1 Cup Frozen strawberries & Blueberries
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Banana (Sliced)
1 Leaf Kale (Ripped into pieces)
1 Medium Tomato (Seeded & Sliced)
1/2 Cucumber (Peeled & Sliced)
1 Apple (Cored & Sliced)
1 Peach (Pitted & Sliced)
1/4 Cup Blueberries
1 Cup Apple Juice (Not From Concentrate)


Directions:
Add the frozen ingredients into the blender first and then add the protein and the remaining ingredients, top with the apple juice (This helps ensure a better overall blend).  Blend on medium/high speed until well blended and serve.  This gives you 2 smoothies to enjoy so that you can take care of 2 days at once, refrigerate the remaining smoothie.  Enjoy!

Mix all of the ingredients

Serve & Enjoy!

If you interested in more smoothie recipes here are my previously posted recipes

Cantaloupe-Carrot-Berry Protein Smoothie

Cucumber-Watermelon-Mint Protein Smoothie

Heirloom Carrot-Watermelon Protein Smoothie

Watermelon-Triple-Berry Protein Smoothie with Kale

Pear-Apple-Berry Fruit Protein Smoothie

Wine-Infused Leg of Lamb

This is an extremely easy AND extremely delicious recipe!  I am a big lover of lamb, but you could also do this with a nice beef roast. 

Ingredients:
1.5 lb Leg of Lamb (Larger if you are wanting to serve more people)
Seasoning (Garlic, Rosemary, Sea Salt)
Red Wine (I used Sangiovese)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Season the lamb and add it into an oven safe baking dish.  Pour enough wine in to come to the top of the lamb but not cover.  Put in the over for 30-40 minutes for medium rare.  Serve & Enjoy!
*If you want an alcohol free dish, substitute chicken stock. 

Season the lamb and place it in the baking dish

Add the wine and bake

Remove from oven, serve & enjoy

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

I try to do my best to ensure that the least amount of food is wasted in my house so when I noticed that I had a couple of slices of pineapple left, I immediately wanted to make something delicious with it!  Here is the result and it turned out fabulously!  Very quick and easy and delicious!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Seasoning (Barbecue, Hickory Balsamic, Tarragon)
BBQ Sauce
2-3 Pineapple Rounds (Sliced)

Directions:
Add the oil to the pan and turn the heat to medium.  Add the chicken and season it generously.  Cook until browned on both sides and turn heat to low.  Pour the BBQ sauce over top and allow to warm and soak in.  Add the pineapples on top and cook for another minute or two.  Serve & enjoy!

Add the chicken to the pan and season

Brown all the way through

Add the BBQ sauce

Add the pineapples on top

Serve & Enjoy!

Cantaloupe-Carrot-Berrry Protein Smoothie

A nice Summery melon taste in this smoothie, also with all the benefits of carrots and kale to keep it from tasting too sweet.  You can definitely taste the flavors in this one and they make for a delicious combination.


Ingredients:
1 Cup Frozen Strawberries
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
2 Cups Cantaloupe (Rhined & Chopped)
1 Leaf Kale (Ripped into pieces)
3 Large Carrots (Peeled & Chopped)
1/4 Cup Blueberries
1 Cup Milk


Directions:
Add the frozen ingredients into the blender first and then add the protein and the remaining fruit, top with the milk (This helps ensure a better overall blend).  Blend on medium/high speed until well blended and serve.  This gives you 2 smoothies to enjoy so that you can take care of 2 days at once, refrigerate the remaining smoothie.  Enjoy!

Add all ingredients to the blender

Blend thoroughly

Serve & Enjoy

If you interested in more smoothie recipes here are my previously posted recipes

Cucumber-Watermelon-Mint Protein Smoothie

Heirloom Carrot-Watermelon Protein Smoothie

Watermelon-Triple-Berry Protein Smoothie with Kale

Pear-Apple-Berry Fruit Protein Smoothie

Burger Stuffer Trial

For my birthday my mom got me a nifty new burger stuffing tool.  With as much as I love cheese stuffed burgers I have been wanting to try it out.  Here is the recipe and directions for the delicious result! 

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger
Seasoning (Barbecue, Burger Seasoning )
1 Egg
Cheese Slices
Hamburger buns if desired
Condiments as desired

Directions:
Put the hamburger into a bowl and season generously, add an egg.  Mix it all together with your hands.  Grab a big handful of burger mixture and pat it into the burger stuffer.  Press down to make a hollow middle in the burger.  Take two cheese slice and fold them into the hollow middle.  Press down again and remove from the burger. Shape the burger around the cheese.  Repeat for remaining burgers.   Cook in a pan on med-high heat.  Press down with a spatula to flatten some for the hamburger bun.  cook until desired level of completion (you may have to cook in several batches depending on how many burgers you created).  Serve and enjoy!

Mix up the burger, seasoning and egg

Take a handful of burger mixture and press it into the burger stuffer

Press down to create a hollow middle

Press the cheese into the center and remove from the burger stuffer

Reshape the burger around the cheese

Repeat with remaining burgers

Cook on high heat

Serve & Enjoy!

Basil Orange Lime Chicken Drumsticks

I received so many limes with my bountiful basket yesterday that I had to do something with a few of them.  Orange Lime Chicken sounded delicious, and here you go:

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Orange Emulsion
2 Limes (Juiced)
Seasoning (Alpine Touch, Basil, Oregano)
5-6 Chicken Drumsticks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the Oil, Orange, Lime Juice and seasoning together in a bowl.  Roll the drumsticks one at a time into the mixture and place into a deep pan (I covered with tinfoil to make cleaning easy).  Once complete, pour the remaining mixture over top of the drumsticks in the pan and the sprinkle with additional seasoning.  Cook for 40-50 minutes or until done all the way through.  Serve & Enjoy!

Get all of your ingredients ready

Mix up the liquid ingredients

Roll the drumsticks in the marinade and then top in the pan with remains, and add a dash of seasoning

Cook for 40 to 50 minutes, remove, serve & Enjoy!