First off, I cannot take credit for this simple, delicious pancake recipe! I made a similar pancake recipe years ago, but never quite perfected it. I read about this recipe from Kelsey and decided to give it a try. I was blown away! It is super fluffy, dense, and satiating. I love that you can modify the base recipe. For example, I’ve tried adding in a tablespoon of pumpkin puree and cinnamon or adding in cocoa powder for chocolate pancakes with great results.
Ingredients:
5g psyllium husk
5g coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
sweetener, to taste
dash of vanilla extract
140g egg whites
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl and whisk thoroughly. The batter will seem a little too thin at this stage!
Let mixture sit to thicken for 10 minutes or more.
Heat up a greased medium size skillet on medium-high heat.
Pour thickened batter into skillet and go ahead and drop in any fun add-ins (blueberries or chocolate chips are my go-tos).
Let cook on one side until the edges start to pull away from the pan (3-4 minutes).
Flip pancake over and let cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
I found my old donut maker while organizing my pantry a few days ago (typical quarantine activity, I know). This donut maker is fantastic; it’s probably from the 1970’s and has the classically old-fashioned look to it. After finding the donut maker, I decided to try out a new recipe I’ve been toying with.
I have doubted the donut maker’s ability to function, but it surprises me every time! I have no idea what temperature it cooks at (I’m guessing it’s around 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit), but it works beautifully. I think this recipe would work great in a donut/bagel pan at 375 degree for 12-15 minutes or until firm to the touch.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tbsp coconut flour
1 cup oat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 scoop (30g) protein powder (I used a pea protein blend)
1/2 tsp xanthan gum (optional)
2 egg whites
1/2 c + 2 tbsp almond milk (or preferred type of milk)
Add in all wet ingredients except for miracle rice and combine well. If mix is too thick, slowly add in one additional tablespoon of milk at time until the mix is a thick dough consistency.
Fold in miracle rice and mix until well combined.
Pour mix into well greased donut pan (or donut maker) and cook at 375 for 12-15 minutes.
Let donuts sit for five minutes to cool, remove from pan, and let cool on a wire rack until cool.
Top with melted chocolate, frosting, or powdered sugar and enjoy! I had so much fun decorating mine 🙂
Use code HANNAH for a discount when you order from Miracle Noodle!
Note: If you’re feeling lazy or don’t have a donut/bagel pan, these also bake well as small drop cookies! Just bake at 350 for 8 minutes.
I’ve been loving goat cheese even more than usual recently; it’s so flavorful and creamy plus it adds something special to virtually every dish. I came up with a few plant-based recipes using goat cheese during the past few weeks that I wanted to share. Goat cheese is not only delicious, but it’s also a great alternative for those who are lactose intolerant. Plus, it contains a decent amount of protein, healthy fats, and probiotics.
It might take a few tries to warm up to the tangy flavor, but it grew on me pretty quickly. If you want to start slow and ease into your relationship with goat cheese, try a little bit crumbled on top of a salad–it’s particularly delicious when paired with berries or other fruits in a salad.
Here are a few of my more recent exotic goat cheese recipes:
Grown Up Goat Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Ingredients:
1 bag Miracle Noodle ziti (or noodle shape of choice)
1 oz. goat cheese
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions:
1) Prepare Miracle Noodles according to the instructions on the bag.
2) Add 1 oz. goat cheese (or more) and heat on the stove until cheese is melted throughout. You can also heat it up in the microwave using 30 second increments.
3) Top noodle mix with red pepper flakes for a little kick and voila 🤩
Plant-Based Marinara Pasta with a Twist
Ingredients:
1 veggie burger (I like Boca Burgers)
1 bag Miracle Noodles prepared according to instructions
1/2c marinara sauce
1/2 oz goat cheese
Directions
1) Place prepared miracle noodles in a bowl.
2) Heat up marinara sauces and pour on top of noodles.
3) Cook veggie burger, slice it into cubes, and pour on top of noodle mix.
4) Finally, crumble your goat cheese on top (feel free to add more for a stronger flavor).
5) Enjoy!
Almost ready, but missing the key ingredient…
Now, it’s complete!
Use code HANNAH for a discount when you order from Miracle Noodle!
I have been feeling in a rut with my meal prep, but I felt inspired while shopping at Sprouts! I picked up some beautiful red cabbage and felt like making English-inspired meals for the week. It’s a pretty simple recipe and many of the ingredients are anti-inflammatory like the red cabbage, olive oil, cauliflower, and turmeric. I don’t frequently meal prep with meat, but I was excited to try a new brand of turkey sausage; you can easily replace this with a vegan sausage or other meat alternative. This recipe makes 2-3 servings.
-1 box Jones All Natural Turkey Sausage (can easily swap for a vegan friendly alternative)
Directions:
1) Put olive oil and garlic in a large skillet on medium high heat and after 2-3 minutes, add entire bag of red cabbage. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
2) Prepare @miraclenoodle rice according to instructions on the bag and place the rice in a separate skillet with the cauliflower rice, liquid aminos, turmeric, and rosemary. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.
3) Prepare turkey sausage according to instructions on the package (I was lazy and cooked them in the microwave) and add them to skillet with cabbage. Continue simmering for 15-20 minutes.
4) Serve cabbage mixture with sausage over rice mixture and enjoy!
Use code HANNAH for a discount when you order from Miracle Noodle!
I love choosing vegan options when I can; it has numerous health benefits, plus benefits for the environment. Here are just a few of the health benefits:
Your diet will likely include more nutrient-dense foods like fruit, veggies, and whole grains.
Plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of certain types of cancer.
Vegan diets are correlated with decreased risk of heart disease.
The environmental impact is just as profound; the fewer plant-based products we eat, the less we contribute to the generation of methane and carbon dioxide–two greenhouse gases that impact climate change. There is a misconception that we need to make big changes to make a difference, but that is simply not the case. Making the effort to eat a plant-based even once or twice a week can be powerful. A study from the University of Minnesota found that swapping out one beef-based meal a week for beans or another plant protein, you can decrease your contribution of carbon dioxide by 730 pounds every year.
Health benefits, positive environmental impact, and cost savings–what’s not to love? I try to whip up a plant-based meal at least once a week and I actively avoid eating beef. Plant-based recipes can be easy and simple. I made this meal in less than 20 minutes!
1) Prepare Miracle Noodle according to instructions on the bag.
2) Combine all ingredients except burger in a skillet and simmer on medium-high heat for at least ten minutes.
3) While your noodle mix is simmering, prepare your burger (I microwave it because I’m lazy as all get out). Once cooked, chop the burger into small chunks.
4) Add chopped burger into noodle mix and stir well.
5) Enjoy!
***
Don’t forget to use code HANNAH for a discount when you order from Miracle Noodle!
A dear friend of mine works for an amazing publishing company and recently reached out to me about a new cookbook her firm is publishing on Southern cooking. Given that I was born and raised in Nashville, TN, I have a love for Southern cuisine, but unfortunately it’s often pretty unhealthy. Luckily, this Southern cookbook is full of healthy changes to make Southern classics taste good and feel good. I had a chance to interview the author, Lara Lyn Carter, and I learned a lot about her approach to cooking and health.
Tell me about yourself:
“I am a 48 year old mother of three boys ages 22, 16, and my after 40 surprise is 5. My husband and I have been married for almost 25 years. I love to read historical fiction novels and was a trained dancer when I was young.”
How did you become interested in cooking?
“I don’t remember not loving to cook. I think because both my mother and grandmother loved to cook and I was always in the kitchen with them that it was just part of me. I absolutely love to cook!”
Why do you care about healthy eating? What prompted your interest in health?
“Just a few months before my 47thbirthday I was the heaviest that I had ever been and I was having issues with sleep, acid reflux, stomach problems, etc. I knew that I needed to lose weight and “clean” my body. I also knew that if I did this that it would have to be a lifestyle that I would need to maintain my health. I also was struggling with my youngest sons allergies and trying to figure out how I could help him. I cut out gluten, refined sugars, “bad” carbs and started seeing results in how I felt and my weigh immediately. I also began pushing myself as a chef to create new healthy recipes and reinventing the classics that I love in a healthy way.”
What is your favorite food?
“My favorite foods areanything with pecans in it. I am an absolute nut about pecans.And seafood, particularly crab!”
Doesn’t this crab dip look amazing? Find the recipe in the Skinny Southern cookbook!
What is your favorite southern dish?
“My favorite Southern dish is definitely fried green tomatoes with Remoulade sauce!”
What is your number one health tip?
“I think the best thing that anyone can do for their health is to avoid processed foods and most of all doing away with gluten!”
Do you have any resolutions for 2019? Any tips for achieving a New Years resolution?
“My resolution for 2019 is to take more time to just breathe and take a moment to myself. We all stay so busy and attached to social media that I think we don’t take time to just be still and breathe and relax.
The best tip I can give anyone is make whatever your resolution is part of your lifestyle. Just like the way I eat is my lifestyle not a diet. Whatever someone wants to incorporate into their life needs to become part of their life not just something they do once in a while.”
In addition to speaking with Lara Lyn, I had the chance to try out a few recipes from her cookbook! My favorite was the Lemon Blueberry Muffin recipe.
I made it with my boyfriend and we shared a few with his roommates. It was such a simple easy recipe that turned out perfectly. Everyone loved the muffins–common responses included:
“These are super delicious”
“How are they so moist?”
“I could eat so many of these”
Needless to say, these were a hit! Plus, no one could tell they were healthy and gluten free.
Muffins fresh out of the oven!
I can’t wait to make these again and try out more recipes from Skinny Southern.
Look for Lara Lyn’s book on Amazon and in stores near you!
