Homemade Copycat Perfect Bars

Photo: Eat The Grains

We love to grab these at the store for an on-the-go meal, but they’re so expensive, so why not pack a little extra protein in your life without having to fire up the oven?

Ingredients

• 1 cup natural peanut butter (256 grams) (you can use smooth or chunky)

• 1 cup egg white protein powder (80 grams) - see notes for substitutions

• 1/4 cup maple syrup (see notes)

• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (60 grams)

• Flaked sea salt, for topping

Instructions

1. Add your peanut butter, protein powder and maple syrup to a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to mix until a dough forms, about 30 seconds to one minute. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a food processor or just mix by hand with a fork in a medium-sized bowl.

2. Add in 3 tablespoons of the chocolate chips and mix again until combined about 5 seconds. Be careful not to overmix as the dough will become crumbly.

3. Line an 8x8 glass baking dish or bread pan (an 8x8 will give you 8 thinner bars and a bread pan will give you 6 thicker bars)* with parchment paper (this makes for easy removal) and press mixture into the bottom of the pan until evenly distributed. Top with the remaining chocolate chips and a little bit of sea salt. Cut into 8 equal-size bars. To firm them up a little, you can place them in the fridge. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Thanks to Kelly with Eat the Gains for this fabulous recipe. Make sure to check out the original for tips, tricks and other mix-ins. There are so many versions of this recipe out there, but we chose this one because of its’ high protein and low sugar content.

Calories: 292kcal

Protein: 16g

Carbs: 20g

Fat: 19g

Chicken And Cauliflower Rice Soup With All The Herbs

Photo: Goop

Just what the doctor (and your stomach) ordered.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 2 carrots, diced

• ½ bulb fennel, diced

• 2 quarts chicken stock

• 2 cups cauliflower rice (about ½ head)

• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken

• 2 lemons, in wedges

• Any combination of fresh parsley, tarragon, dill, cilantro, and mint, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot.

2. Add the onions and garlic and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and translucent.

3. Add the carrots and fennel. Sauté for another 5 to 10 minutes until tender.

4. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

5. Add the cauliflower and chicken 5 to 10 minutes before serving, just to heat the chicken through and gently cook the cauliflower—it should be al dente.

6. Ladle into bowls, top with lots of herbs, and squeeze a few lemon wedges over the top. (Pack the herbs and lemon separately and add in before serving leftovers).

Thanks to Goop for this fabulous recipe. We love GP and Goop. This is one of the many delicious recipes you can find on their site. If you want to up your detox game beyond this soup, check out the Higher Dose Infrared Sauna Bag featured in our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide.

Greek Turkey Meatballs With Tzatziki

Photo: Erin Lives Whole

Perfect for mixing up your midweek menu or holiday hosting.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground turkey (I prefer 93/7 lean)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 large red onion

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or almond flour (use almond flour to make this gluten-free)

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

• 1/2 tbsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 2 tbsp olive oil

  Here’s a Tzatziki Recipe (cut in half), or you can use store-bought tzatziki

INSTRUCTIONS 

• In a large bowl, add ground turkey and minced garlic.

• Grate 1/4 red onion into turkey; alternatively, chop red onion very small.

• Add egg, breadcrumbs, dill, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, I use my hands.

• Form into 14 meatballs.

• Heat a saucepan with olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add meatballs and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning every constantly to ensure even cooking on all sides. Once meatballs reach 165F, they are done.

• While meatballs are cooking, make Tzatziki.

• Serve over rice!

Thanks to Erin Lives Whole for this culinary delight! We’re not trying to claim we came up with the recipe (we’re followers, not creators, when it comes to recipes). We’re simply sharing her excellent and delicious work.

Healthified Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

Photo: Unsplash

Everyone’s favorite nuggets done right.

For the Paleo Chicken Nuggets:

• 2 chicken breasts

• ½ cup pickle juice

• ½ cup almond flour

• ¼ cup tapioca starch (can also be subbed for arrowroot for a similar outcome)

• 2 tbsp coconut flour

• 2 eggs

• 1 tbsp water

• 2-4 tbsps avocado oil (or one with a similar smoke point)

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp salt

For the Chick-fil-A Inspired Dipping Sauce:

• ½ cup mayo

• 3 tbsp yellow mustard

• ¼ cup barbecue sauce

• ¼ cup honey (omit or sub with date paste for Whole30)

• Small pinch of salt

Directions:

For the Healthy Chick-fil-A Nuggets:

• Cut chicken breast into 1” nuggets and add to a Ziploc bag with the pickle juice. Let marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or up to overnight (If you’re in a pinch, 30 minutes will work too)

• While the chicken is marinating, work on the dipping sauce. Mix together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, barbecue sauce, and honey. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Store in an airtight jar and refrigerate until using.

• Set up a dredging station for your chicken.

• In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and water until frothy.

• In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, coconut flour, garlic powder, pepper, smoked paprika, and ¼ tsp salt.

• Dip the chicken pieces individually into the beaten eggs.

• Transfer to the flour mixture to coat. Squeeze the nuggets a bit to get the breading to stick, then coat in the flour mixture again.

• Place the coated chicken pieces onto a plate and set aside until all chicken has been coated.

• Heat 2-4 tbsps of oil to a large skillet on medium. It should be enough to coat the bottom of the pan.

• Add the chicken nuggets to the pan in batches to ensure not to crowd the pan.

• Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside and season immediately with a pinch of salt.

• Continue cooking in batches until all chicken is done.

• Serve with the dipping sauce and enjoy!

The recipe is courtesy of Rockin’ Meals. We’re not trying to claim we came up with it (like we’re that talented)! We’re simply sharing her good work. There are great tips (like buying the right flour, adjusting serving sizes) and tricks (like paleo-friendly flour burns faster than regular flour), etc. on the original recipe if you’d like to check that out.

Cowboy Caviar

Photo: Shutterstock

It's too hot to cook in the summer, and who wants to be stuck in the kitchen? This week's recipe, Cowboy Caviar, is versatile, easy and delicious.

Ingredients

• 2 - 15 oz. cans of black-eyed peas, drained

• 1 - 15 oz. can black beans, drained

• 2 cups corn, fresh, canned or frozen

• 1 cup red onion, minced

• 1 green bell pepper, small diced

• 1 red bell pepper, small diced

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 cup minced cilantro

• 3 scallions, sliced thin

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• Juice of 1 lime

Optional additions if you please:

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

• A dash or two of ground cumin or hot sauce

• This recipe is a compilation of a few different recipes. Modify for your preferences. Less garlic? Sure. More spice? Go for it.

• Pro tip - We are not all about kitchen gadgets but this chopper will change your life (and is fun and safe for kids who want to help). It takes about 15 mins to do this whole recipe (dicing and chopping included) with this.

Instructions

1. Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and refrigerate. Let it sit for an hour or up to 24 hours for the flavors to combine before serving.

2. Serve with tortilla chips, on top of burgers or grilled fish or as a side dish.

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Bacon Fried Rice

Photo: Unsplash

Breakfast for dinner never looked so good.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of bacon, chopped

• 1 small white onion chopped

• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots

• 3 eggs lightly beaten (omit for vegan)

• 3 cups cooked white rice

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce to taste

• Green onions, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Add your chopped bacon to a medium-sized skillet or work. Cook over medium-high heat until it is crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain the grease leaving about 1 tablespoon.

2. Next, add your chopped onion and frozen peas and carrots and sauté for 1-2 minutes until they are tender.

3. Slide your veggies to one side and add the beaten egg to the other side. Scramble the egg until it is cooked through. Combine it with the peas and carrots.

4. Add cooked rice and bacon back to the skillet and combine. Add sesame oil and soy sauce to taste. Let it heat through and garnish with chopped green onions.

Thanks to The Recipe Critic for this outstanding recipe. She has so many more delicious dishes on her website so check it out.

Easy Fall Off The Bone BBQ Ribs

Photo: Unsplash

These are so easy but no one will have any idea since they taste like you’re a barbecue champion-level chef.

Ingredients

• One rack of pork baby back ribs

• Juice of one lemon

• 1/4 cup dry rub (your own or Jenny’s recipe). If you want to prep them gluten-free, make sure to check the ingredients in your dry rub before using.

• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (your own or Jenny’s recipe) Make sure to check your barbeque sauce if you’re prepping these for a keto/paleo or Whole30 diet.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300° F.

2. Remove excess fat from ribs. Peel the silver skin off the back of the ribs - lift with a sharp knife and grab with a paper towel to remove.

3. Cut ribs apart into individual pieces.

4. Rub ribs all over with lemon juice.

5. Coat ribs with a dry rub. Place meat side down in a large baking pan, & cover tightly with foil, shiny side out.

6. Bake in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.

7. Remove from oven & pour off liquid.

8. Brush bbq sauce over all sides of ribs.

9. Grill: To finish ribs on the grill, remove from the pan and place ribs on the grill (I use a basket over direct but low heat) basting and turning a few times for about 10 minutes.

10. Oven: To finish ribs in the oven, set oven to broil and return ribs to the same middle oven rack, uncovered, basting and broiling about 5 minutes per side, watching so they don’t burn. They will be so tender, so it’s best to turn them using gloved hands. (If foil starts to burn, transfer ribs to a clean sheet of foil for broiling)

This recipe is courtesy of Jenny Can Cook. We scoured a bunch of recipes and this one seemed to be the most straightforward and simple. Enjoy!

PS: Prefer beef ribs? She has a recipe for that too.

Simple Tips For A Quick Meal

Photo: Unsplash

The need for speed isn’t reserved only for Tom Cruise. A true talent is the ability to throw together a dinner (that’s not cereal) that people will actually want to eat.

Here are some of our favorite tips to make your life easier:

• Use frozen fish sticks for fish tacos vs. breading and baking/frying the fish yourself. 

• Double a recipe and freeze the leftovers. The night before, put the frozen portion in the refrigerator so it’s ready to go when you get home after work. You can even order an extra pizza on takeout night, put it in the freezer and then reheat it in your oven later. 

• Use what you have for a “kitchen sink” dinner like stir fry or this thai curry. 

• Wash and prep your veggies, etc when you get home from the store to save prep time on weeknights. 

• Your broiler is your BFF. From English muffin pizzas to quick quesadillas to fast-cooking fish, a thin cut will cook quickly without burning. 

• Keep your pantry stocked with the essentials like beans, rice, pasta and canned tomatoes for quick dinners. (Full list here).  

• Invest in a pressure cooker that can have dinner ready in under 30 minutes or a slow cooker where you can toss everything in before work and it’ll be ready when you get home.