Breakfast for dinner - check this out!

I love breakfast food, but I had been avoiding it for a long time - Until I discovered almond flour!!  Hot damn - it's amazing!

 

I already posted my recipe for pumpkin protein pancakes here, but I wanted you to see what my whole dinner looks like - and tonight I came up with something new and amazing!

 

So tonight, I had three slices of low sodium turkey bacon (25 calories a slice), 1/2 cup 100% liquid egg whites scrambled with 1 cup baby spinach and 3 medium mushrooms, and four pumpkin protein pancakes.  Oh I started making slightly smaller pancakes and got 9 out of tonight's batch (my previous recipe made 7) so now they are 91 calories and 11g protein each!

 

The topping for these pancakes is made of 1/4 cup canned pumpkin, dash vanilla extract, dash stevia, and 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt.  Mix it all up, and put it on top - and in between your pancakes if you so desire (that's what I did and it was like a cake!)

 

The stats for my dinner:

 

588 Calories

20g Fat

31g Carbs

8g Fiber

72g Protein

801mg Sodium

 

This is 588 calories of healthy good for you great tasting food - and breakfast for dinner?  Who doesn't like that?!  

32 Calorie Decadent Cookies!

This was my first attempt at these cookies (hence, they are not very pretty just yet) but hey, they are awesome. I found the original recipe here and tweaked it, because that's how I roll.  I swapped almond flour for coconut flour, and of course had to reduce the amount because coconut flour is a bit different..... used plain ol' sunsweet pitted dates (worked great, and far cheaper than Medjool Dates.  Check out the goodness:

 

You'll need:

6 Sunsweet pitted dates

1/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 tsp allspice

1tsp reduced sodium baking powder

1/4 cup reduced fat unsweetened shredded coconut

1/8 cup organic coconut flour

1 large egg (lightly beaten)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3oz dark chocolate (I melted 10 squares from an XL Hershey's Special Dark Bar)

 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Blend (in food processor) flour & dates.  This will take 2-3 minutes

In bowl, combine flour/date mixture along with baking powder, pumpkin, coconut, egg, & cinnamon.  Mix well.

Spoon onto lined baking sheet (use parchment paper) - will make 20-24 "balls".  Push your finger down in the center to make a 'nest'.

Bake 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool ten minutes.

Melt chocolate, and spoon into cooled cookies. 

Rest 1 hour.

(I refridgerated mine after putting the chocolate in the cookies -- picture was taken while chocolate was still warm)

Mine made 23 cookies.

 

Per Cookie:

32 Calories

2g Fat

4g Carbs

1g Fiber

1g Protein

17mg Sodium



Pumpkin Spice cupcakes w/Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

On with the yummy fall recipes.... These little gems are only 82 calories each!  But they taste sinfully good! 

 

I got the idea for my icing from Hungry Girl!   LOVE HER!  And the cake mix, well that was pure genius on my part.  ;) 

 

You'll need:

1 package Pillsbury Moist Supreme Sugar Free Yellow Cake Mix

1-15oz can + 1/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 sugar free vanilla pudding snack (I used Jell-o brand)

7tbsp cream cheese frosting (I used Betty Crocker Whipped)

cinnamon

nutmeg

allspice

 

Preaheat oven to 325.

In large bowl, combine cake mix, canned pumpkin & coconut milk.  Also add in cinnamon, nutmeg & allspice, to taste. Mix well.  Batter will be very thick, almost like a dough, but not quite that thick.

Spray muffin tin or cake pan with nonstick spray (I like to use the kind with flour) or if you're making cupcakes, use liners.

Spoon batter into pan or tin/cups.

Cupcakes - Bake 20 minutes.

Cake - I made a small cake and it took about 25 minutes - watch the cake, and check the middle with a toothpick for done-ness.

Let cake/cupcakes cool completely before icing.

 

To make icing:

In bowl, mix icing, vanilla pudding, and cinnamon to taste.

Refrigerate while cupcakes are cooling.

Frost cake/cupcakes when they are completely cool.  I used a zip-loc bag as a 'piping' bag. 

 

Makes about 25 cupcakes.

Nutrition Information includes frosting!

82 Calories

2g Fat

18g Carbs

1g Fiber

1g Protein

149mg Sodium

 

 



Skinny Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bites!

 

I found a recipe similar to this online, on about.com, but of course I had to tweak it to make it my own.  I took out most of the butter, switched the brown sugar for Splenda brown sugar blend, used whole wheat flour instead of white flour, and got a whole lot more bites out of the recipe -- Original calorie count was 107 calories per bite - Mine is only 33!!  Major win!  These are so tasty, no one will ever know they're not sinful!

 

You'll Need:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp reduced sodium baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

dash pumpkin pie spice

dash nutmeg

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

1 large egg

1tsp vanilla extract

1 egg whites (or two tbsp liquid egg whites)

1/4 cup no sugar added applesauce

1 cup canned pumpkin (I use Libby's)

1/2 tbsp Smart Balance Low Sodium

4tbsp mini chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 350.

In medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (spices, flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar) - combine until mixed well with whisk.

In large bowl, combine wet ingredients (pumpkin, egg, egg white, vanilla, applesauce, canned pumpkin, butter) with electric mixer until well blended.

Add in flour mixture and stir until just mixed.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Place parchment paper on baking sheet.  Spoon dough onto baking sheet.  I used a melon baller for nice small scoops - spray with non-stick cooking spray to keep dough from sticking to melon baller.

Bake 12-14 minutes (13 minutes was perfect in my oven)

 

Makes 56 Bites - per cookie, here's the breakdown --

33 Calories

1g Fat

6g Carbs

1g Fiber

1g Protein

12mg Sodium

 

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

I've become a big fan of oatmeal in the mornings so here's a skinny comfort food version of it - perfect for fall and winter mornings!  It takes about half an hour - so you can mix it up, pop it in the oven, and go shower!

 

You'll need:

3/8 cup canned pure pumpkin

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt (I used Dannon Oikos)

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/8 tsp reduced sodium baking powder

3tbsp liquid egg whites

cinnamon

3/4 tsp truvia baking blend

1/2tsp packed splenda brown sugar blend

 

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine greek yogurt & egg whites in a small dish and mix well.  Add to oats, baking powder, pumpkin, cinnamon, and truvia.  Mix well. 

Spray baking dish (I used a small little dish and it worked great) with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour in oatmeal mixture. 

Bake 30 minutes

Remove from oven - stir - add splenda brown sugar.

 

244 Calories

3g Fat

40g Carbs

8g Fiber

16g Protein

130mg Sodium

Strawberry Pineapple and Pumpkin Protein shake?!

As you all know, I LOVE to add stuff into my protein shakes that add lots of nutrients, without a lot of calories.  Pumpkin is one of my FAVORITE things to add!  One reason it's great, in addition to all the health benefits it brings, is because it's relatively easy to cover up flavor wise, PLUS it makes the shakes thick and delicious!

The shake I made today is one of my new favorites!

1tbsp Polaner All Fruit Sugar Free w/Fiber - Strawberry Preserves

1/4 cup Pineapple chunks

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (I use So Delicious)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Body Fortress)

1/4 cup canned 100% pumpkin (I use Libby's)

6-7 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender - and DIG IN!

And you're welcome! ;)  So delicious!  Here's the stats!

204 Calories

4g Fat

16g Carbs

6g Fiber

27g Protein

75mg Sodium

*Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats*

Ok another overnight oats idea.... Everyone here should already know I have a slight obsession with Pumpkin.  Love it.  Can't get enough.  Added bonus - it's low in calories, and high in Fiber - and full of nutrients!

I am not a fan of cereal or Oatmeal for breakfast -- too many carbs & not enough protein.  But with oatmeal, you can add protein powder - and BOOM!  Protein Packed Oatmeal!  Which makes it the perfect breakfast!!

1/4 cup quick oats

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/8 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk (I use So Delicious - from the box, not the refrigerated section - 45 cal/cup,, 15mg sodium)

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt (I used Oikos)

1/2 tbsp flax seed

1/2 tbsp chia seeds

packet truvia (or sweetener of choice)

Cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in bowl/jar.  Mix well.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning - grab a spoon and dig in!

244 Calories

7g Fat

26g Carbs

7g Fiber

24g Protein

58mg Sodium



Veggie-fied Protein Shake!

I know there are people out there who don't like vegetables.  This is crazy to me, I guess since I've always loved vegetables.... But anyway, this protein shake is a great way to get some veggies in your diet without actually having to taste the veggies.... Don't think about how weird it sounds - just do it, and enjoy!

1/8 cup canned pumpkin

1/8 cup cannellini beans (white kidney beans - drained/rinsed)

dash cinnamon

dash pumpkin pie spice

1/2tbsp cocoa powder

1 packet splenda

2tbsp plain greek yogurt

1 cup organic light soy milk

1/3 small banana

1/4 scoop vanilla protein powder

dash vanilla

3/4 scoop chocolate protein powder

8 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender - blend until smooth.  Stick a straw in it and enjoy!

284 Calories

4g Fat

32g Carbs

7g Fiber

35g Protein

162mg Sodium

Frozen Pumpkin Pie... or is it?

This is great for an evening snack -- It's sweet so it'll satisfy your sweet tooth, but not over the top, It's got a ton of protein, and it's low in calories -- even has some fiber in there for good measure! 

1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (I used Jillian Michael's Natural Whey Protein)

1/4 cup Canned Pumpkin

small squirt of honey (maybe 1/4Tbsp)

3/4 container Stonyfield Oikos Caramel Greek Yogurt

Pumpkin Pie Spice to taste

Topping: a few Tbsp Cool Whip Free

Combine all ingredients (minus topping) in a bowl -- freeze for an hour or two.  Top with Cool Whip Free - enjoy! 

240 Calories

1g Fat

30.5g Carbs

6g Fiber

108mg Sodium

23g Protein

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Ahhh.... Why didn't I think of this sooner?  This is the perfect breakfast for this time of year - or yesterday I had it as my pre-gym snack!

I use Better Oats OatFit Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal -- This comes in boxes of 5 packets - and the packets actually can be used to measure out the water, so you can make the perfect bowl of oatmeal every time!  You can find BetterOats at Target, and they often have them on sale for $1 per box!  They make various different flavors - I like the OatFit variety because they are only 100 calories per pack.  They have just the right amount of sweetness!

1packet OatFit Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal

1/3 cup Canned Pumpkin (Libby's 100% canned pumpkin)

1/2tsp sugar

1/8 scoop vanilla whey protein (I used Jillian Michael's Natural Whey Protein Powder)

1/10 cup 2% or skim milk

Prepare the oatmeal as you normally would.  Mix in all other ingredients and stir until nicely blended.  ENJOY!

162 Calories

2g Fat

25g Carbs

6g Fiber

240mg Sodium

8g Protein

Bring out the pumpkin!!

I love anything pumpkin... so naturally, Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year just because all things pumpkin come out!  I was super excited yesterday to see that my gym has brought out their Pumpkin Pie recovery shake so I decided it was time for me to make my own!!

Under 150 calories and only cost me about $1! 

just under 1/2 scoop Syntrax Nectar Sweets Protein - Vanilla Bean Torte

1/2 cup Libby's canned 100% Pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Cinnamon - for topping/garnish!

Honey (about a tsp - just a small squeeze!)

1/2Tbsp Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Whipped Cream Cheese

1/4 cup Lactose Free 2% Milk

1/3 cup water

5-10 ice cubes

Combine all items in blender and blend until smooth!  Top with cinnamon!

Almost like drinking Pumpkin Pie - but way better for you!! 

144 Calories

3g Fat

12g Carbs

5g Fiber

104mg Sodium

14g Protein