PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (BASE RECIPE)

(makes about 40 mini-cookie muffins or small cookies)
– 1 c peanut butter
– 1 c almond butter
– 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
– 3/4 c shredded coconut
– 2 eggs
– 2 c coconut sugar (or brown sugar, if that’s all you have)
– 2 tsp vanilla
– pinch of salt

add-ins…
mini-marshmallows
chocolate chips
Hershey Kisses

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1.  Combine all the ingredients, except for the add-ins, in a large bowl.  Mix by hand or with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined.  

You should be able to grab a tablespoon of this mixture and press it together. If this is not possible it is too dry, so add a tablespoon of coconut oil or ghee at a time.

If adding chocolate chips or marshmallows, fold them in by hand at this time.

2. On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet or in a greased mini-muffin pan, place tablespoon-sized mounds. 

Using your hands, press them into a 1/2″ thick disc on the cookie sheet or into the muffin pan 

If you’re using a muffin pan, make a small hole in the mixture with your fingers and stuff the chocolate and marshmallows into it.


3. Bake the muffins for 8-10 minutes and the cookies for 10-12. They will be very soft when taken out of the oven, so let them cool completely or stick them in the refrigerator for best results.

ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

GROUND CHICKEN AND SPINACH MIXTURE
–  1 lb ground chicken
– 2 c baby spinach, chopped
– 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 tsp salt
– 1/2 tsp pepper
– 1 tsp Italian seasoning

1. Drizzle a little olive oil into a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, as well as  pinch of salt and pepper and cook until it becomes translucent.

2. Add the chicken and cook through, trying to break it up as much as possible. Then add the seasoning. 
 

     3.  Turn off the heat and add the spinach. It will start to wilt quickly and once it does, you are done.

ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

(Serves 4)

– 1 large zucchini
– 12 oz part skim ricotta
– 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed
– 1 egg
– 2 c marinara
– 1/2 of the ground chicken and spinach mixture (recipe above)
– parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Using a vegetable peeler, or the thinnest setting on a mandolin, Cut the zucchini into thin strips.
   
2. Mix the ricotta, spinach and egg together in a bowl and set aside. 

    3.  Mix the chicken and marinara together in another bowl.

This mixture of chicken and marinara should be thick.

4.   In an 8’’ x 8’’ baking dish, add 1/4 c of the meat sauce mixture and layer it with half the zucchini slices. 

Top this with half the ricotta mixture

Then add half of the remaining meat sauce on top of this.

Repeat one more time.

Then top with Parmesan if desired.


Bake it for 30 minutes. Let it cool a little before cutting.

Overnight No-Cook Chocolate Mint Pudding

– 1  1/2 c milk (any kind)
– 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
– 1/4 c chia seeds
– 2 tablespoon coconut oil
– 1 tsp mint extract or essential oil

– 1/3 c raw honey
– 1 heaping tsp instant coffee (optional)
– pinch of salt

1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend them on high for at least 30 seconds and up to a minute. This mixture should be very smooth.

2.  Pour it into a big mason jar, jelly jars or your serving dishes.  Cover it and place it in the refrigerator for at least eight hours or overnight. Stir it right before serving.

Loaded Sweet Potato Casserole

– 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into about 1/2″ cubes
– 1 lb (2-3) chicken breasts, cubed
– 1/4 c oil (used coconut)
– 3 tablespoons hot sauce (used Frank’s)
– 2 tsp garlic powder
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp pepper
– 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (omit this if you don’t want it to be spicy)
– 2 tsp paprika
– 3 tablespoons chives (or 1-2 green onions)
– 5 slices of bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped
– 1/4 c raw cheddar cheese (optional)

Preheat the Oven to 500 degrees.

1. Whisk the oil, hot sauce, and spices together and toss them with the sweet potatoes. Pour into a greased 13×9″ baking dish, reserving what sauce you can in the bowl.

2.  Bake for 45 min-1 hr, until crispy, tossing every 10-15 minutes. While they are cooking, toss the chicken into the sauce, let sit and set aside. Then prepare the bacon and onions as stated in the beginning.

3.  Top the potatoes with the raw chicken followed by the topping. Lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly.  Let cool slightly before serving.

*Recipes and photos used with permission from Ashley Branoff

Source and Photos/ Ashley Branoff