Coconut Almond Banana Oat Muffins

Coconut Almond Banana Oat Muffins / Makes 24
What you’ll need:
2 very overripe bananas
½ cup coconut oil
1 cup sugar
½ tsp almond extract
1 ½ cup rolled oats
¾ cup unbleached flour (up to ½ cup of which can be whole wheat flour)
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¾ cup toasted sliced almonds
¾ cup shredded coconut
2 Tbsp flax seed meal
How to make it:
1.    Preheat oven to 350, line 24 muffin cups
2.    Spread the almonds on an ungreased baking sheet and toast in oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, mash the bananas in a medium mixing bowl. Mix with sugar, oil, flax seed meal and almond extract until smooth.
3.    In a separate mixing bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour and oats.
4.    Add banana mixture to oat mixture, mix until just combined.
5.    Fold in almonds and coconut, careful not to overmix.
6.    Divide mixture into muffin cups. Bake for 17-19 minutes or until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
**modified version of Runner's World Cookbook Banana Oat Energy Bars**

Turkey Vegetable Soup

4 cups chicken broth

2 diced russet potatoes

3 diced bell peppers

2 cups diced cooked turkey breast

1 can corn

1 can fire-roasted diced garlic tomatoes

1 can carrots

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic sea salt

Cook in crockpot on low 6-8 hours or until potatoes are tender.

Game On Nachos

2 bell peppers cut up into 1-2" squares
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat mexican cheese
1/4 cup hummus with kalamata olives (I used Trader Joe's brand)
3/4 cup salsa

Spread bell peppers slices onto plate and sprinkle cheese over top.  Melt in microwave (about 1.5 minutes). Allow to cool slightly and then dip in hummus and salsa.

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = hummus and salsa
Palm sized portion of protein = cheese
Thumb sized healthy fat = olives in hummus
Fist sized portions of vegetables = bell peppers

Iced Coffee and Greek Yogurt

1 6oz fruit flavored greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon of chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
8 oz of Iced Coffee
1 teaspoon sweetener (agave nectar, maple syrup, etc.)
1/2 cup milk

Mix sweetener and milk into iced coffee.  Mix nuts into greek yogurt.  Stir and enjoy.


Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = fruit in yogurt, milk
Palm sized portion of protein = greek yogurt
Thumb sized healthy fat = chopped nuts

Game On Five-ingredient Cookies

Original "two-ingredient cookie" recipe can be found online at : http://www.theburlapbag.com/2012/07/2-ingredient-cookies-plus-the-mix-ins-of-your-choice/

Ingredients:
2 large old bananas
1 cup of  oats (quick or regular! if you use regular, we’d suggest chopping them a little so everything holds together better)
sprinkle of cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
2 scoops protein powder

Mix the banana and oats together, then stir in cinnamon, nuts, and protein powder.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes on a GREASED cookie sheet. You could also use parchment paper for easy clean-up.

Depending on size these should make 12 cookies for a total of 3 servings.

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = banana and oats
Palm sized portion of protein = protein powder
Thumb sized healthy fat = nuts

Veggie Quesadilla and Kale Chips

This recipe makes two servings, so it's great for a date night, or can be broken up into two different meals for one healthy person on the go.
Kale chips recipe I used was found here: http://www.eat-yourself-skinny.com/2012/08/kale-chips.html  I've used other recipes and found that my chips burned, so I like that this one required a lower cooking temperature for a longer time.

2 whole wheat tortillas
2 cups shredded reduced-fat cheese
2 cups vegetables (sliced mushrooms, diced zucchini, diced bell peppers, etc.)
1 bunch kale (cut into 2-inch pieces)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Seasoned salt

for kale chips:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Throw kale pieces in a bowl and toss with 1 Tablespoon olive oil.  Lay out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with seasoned salt.  Bake kale for about 20 minutes, or until crisp.
for quesadilla:
Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in saute pan, add vegetables and cook until soft. I used a quesadilla maker, but you could also cook your quesadilla using a frying pan or george forman grill. Place cooked vegetables and cheese in between tortillas and heat until the cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and enjoy.


Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = whole wheat tortilla
Palm sized portion of protein = cheese
Thumb sized healthy fat = olive oil
 Fist sized portions of vegetables = mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, kale

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Wrap

I'm getting ready to finally start another round of Game On and have been brainstorming for new ways to follow the diet.  I've been really enjoying buffalo ranch chicken wraps lately, but I would hate to waste my 100 calories just on the sauce (I've been mixing Hidden Valley Ranch with Sweet Baby Ray's Buffalo Wing Sauce).  I decided to do a quick google search to see if anyone has used greek yogurt to make a buffalo ranch sauch and this is what I found:

Buffalo Ranch Dipping Sauce
2 cups plain greek yogurt
1 packet ranch seasoning
3/4 cup hot sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot Wings sauce)
In a small mixing bowl, whisk ranch seasoning into greek yogurt. When mixture is smooth, fold in hot sauce. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Refrigerate leftovers.

http://www.bakingserendipity.com/2012/08/20/buffalo-ranch-dipping-sauce/

This way the greek yogurt can count as part of my protein and the amount of ranch seasoning and hot sauce involved will only use up a few of my calories, not all of them.


1 whole wheat wrap or tortilla
1 fully cooked chicken breast, diced



1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese
1 Tablespoon Buffalo Ranch dipping sauce made with greek yogurt
5 green olives
Optional: add sliced or diced bell peppers



Spread sauce on whole wheat wrap, add chicken, olives, cheese and (optional peppers).  Fold wrap in half and microwave until cheese is melted.

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = whole wheat wrap
Palm sized portion of protein = chicken, cheese, greek yogurt
Thumb sized healthy fat = olives
Fist sized portions of vegetables = peppers

Peanut Butter Coffee Green Smoothie

2 big handfuls of spinach
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup iced coffee (sweetened with agave nectar)
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 scoop protein powder (I used Pure Protein brand chocolate whey protein)
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
sprinkle of cinnamon
2 big ice cubes

Blend together until smooth, then enjoy.


Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = milk and banana
Palm sized portion of protein = greek yogurt and protein powder
Thumb sized healthy fat = peanut butter
Fist sized portions of vegetables = spinach

Veggified Chili in the Crockpot

1 lb ground turkey
1 lb lean ground beef
2 cans beans (I use a mix of kidney and cannellini beans)
2-3 bell peppers chopped
2 zucchini or yellow squash chopped
1 can mild Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilis
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons Chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper




*Healthy Fat options - either add olives to the chili or a small serving of nuts on the side as a snack



Brown turkey and beef and drain.  Transfer to crockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4 hours.
Makes about 8 servings, according to MyFitnessPal calculations, roughly 335 calories per serving. 


Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = beans and tomatoes
Palm sized portion of protein = turkey and beef
Thumb sized healthy fat = either olives or nuts
Fist sized portions of vegetables = bell peppers, zucchini and squash

Chocolate Strawberry Yogurt

1/2 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 scoop protein powder (I used Pure Protein brand chocolate whey protein)
6 strawberries, diced (roughly 6, use more or less, depending on the size)
1 Tablespoon chopped pecans
drizzle of honey

Mix all together and enjoy with a spoon. For a real treat, put in the freezer for an hour before eating.

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = strawberries
Palm sized portion of protein = greek yogurt/protein powder
Thumb sized healthy fat = chopped pecans

More Healthy Snacks

1 Larabar (any flavor)
2 reduced fat cheese sticks

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = fruit in Larabar
Palm sized portion of protein = cheese sticks
Thumb sized healthy fat = nuts in Larabar





Fruit salad made up of cut up apples and oranges
2 reduced fat cheese sticks
3 macadamia nuts

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = apples and oranges
Palm sized portion of protein = cheese sticks
Thumb sized healthy fat = macadamia nuts





1 serving whole wheat crackers
2 slices reduced fat cheese
5 green olives
Sliced dill pickles

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = whole wheat crackers
Palm sized portion of protein = cheese slices
Thumb sized healthy fat = olives

Strawberry Banana Yogurt

1/2 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 banana
3 strawberries, diced (roughly 3, use more or less, depending on the size)
1 Tablespoon chopped pecans
drizzle of honey

Mix all together and enjoy with a spoon. For a real treat, put in the freezer for an hour before eating.

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = banana/strawberries
Palm sized portion of protein = greek yogurt
Thumb sized healthy fat = chopped pecans

Green Smoothie

2 big handfuls of romaine lettuce (or spinach)
1/2 cup milk
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 scoop protein powder (I used Pure Protein brand chocolate whey protein)
3 macadamia nuts (or any other kind of nut)
sprinkle of cinnamon
2 big ice cubes

Blend together until smooth, then enjoy.


Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = milk and banana
Palm sized portion of protein = greek yogurt and protein powder
Thumb sized healthy fat = macadamia nuts
Fist sized portions of vegetables = romaine lettuce

Potato Salad

1 medium cooked potato, diced
2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
1 mini cucumber, diced
1/4 bell pepper, diced
1/2 Tablespoon mayo with olive oil
Sprinkle of seasoned salt

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy. One option would be to use celery or zucchini in place of or in addition to the cucumber or bell pepper.


Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = potatoes
Palm sized portion of protein = egg whites
Thumb sized healthy fat = egg yolks (and olive oil in mayo)
Fist sized portions of vegetables = cucumbers, peppers

HG's Cheesy Zucchini Skins and Sweet Potato Fries

The Cheesy Zucchini Skins recipe was emailed to me yesterday by Hungry Girl, link to original recipe is:
http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/2558

I realized that the little bit of tomato I used wasn't going to be enough of a carb, so I added some of Mann's Sweet Potato Fries to complete my Game On meal. I was able to break up this recipe into 2 meals.


2 slices center-cut bacon or turkey bacon
2 medium-large zucchini, stem ends removed
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1 bag of Mann's Sweet Potato Fries (I found these at Shoprite in the refrigerated veggie section)
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8" X 8" baking pan with nonstick spray (I used olive oil spray).
Cook bacon until crispy, either in a skillet over medium heat or on a microwave-safe plate in the microwave. (See package for cook times.)
Pierce zucchini several times with a fork. Place zucchini on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave for 2 minutes.
Flip zucchini and microwave for 2 more minutes, or until softened.
Pat dry. Let cool, about 5 minutes. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Gently scoop out and discard the inside flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch inside the skin. Thoroughly pat dry.
Place hollowed-out zucchini in the baking pan, cut sides up.
Distribute cheese among the zucchini. Chop or crumble bacon, and sprinkle over cheese.
Bake until cheese has melted and bacon is hot, about 5 minutes.
Cut each piece in half width-wise, and sprinkle with tomato.
Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees and cook sweet potato fries according to directions on bag.

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = tomatoes and sweet potato fries
Palm sized portion of protein = bacon and cheese
Thumb sized healthy fat = olive oil
Fist sized portions of vegetables = zucchini

Tuna-stuffed Tomatoes

1 large tomato (or 2 smaller tomatoes)
1/2 can of tuna fish (about 2.5 oz)
1/2 bell pepper diced
1 mini cucumber diced
1/2 cup broccoli slaw diced (I buy Mann's brand broccoli slaw)
1/2 Tablespoon mayo with olive oil
1 Tablespoon dill relish
3 green olives diced

Cut out center of tomato/es and scoop out the inside.  Mix together the rest of the ingredients and stuff inside.  Grab a fork and knife and enjoy. 

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = tomatoes
Palm sized portion of protein = tuna
Thumb sized healthy fat = olives (and olive oil in mayo)
Fist sized portions of vegetables = cucumbers, peppers, broccoli slaw

Chicken Quesadillas and Side Salad

I like to give credit where credit is due and I first found the shredded taco chicken recipe on pinterest, the link to the blog is http://www.mychocolatetherapy.com/2012/01/crockpot-chicken-tacos.html

2 whole wheat soft taco shells
about 2 oz of shredded taco chicken
1/3 cup shredded reduced fat mexican cheese
2 cups lettuce
4 kalamata olives, diced

I used a quesadilla maker, but you could also cook your quesadilla using a frying pan or george forman grill. Place chicken and cheese in between taco shells and heat until the cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and enjoy.  Combine lettuce and olives (and other vegetables if desired) to make side salad. 


Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = soft taco shells and salsa (in shredded chicken)
Palm sized portion of protein = chicken and cheese
Thumb sized healthy fat = olives
Fist sized portions of vegetables = lettuce

Chicken Taco Salad

2 cups of lettuce (any kind, I used a variety of mixed greens)
about 4 oz of shredded taco chicken (made in crockpot with chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning)
1/8 cup shredded reduced fat mexican cheese
1/3 cup salsa
4 kalamata olives, diced

Mix together and enjoy.


Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = salsa
Palm sized portion of protein = chicken and cheese
Thumb sized healthy fat = olives
Fist sized portions of vegetables = lettuce

Pumpkin Banana Yogurt

1/2 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
1 banana
1 Tablespoon pumpkin butter
drizzle of honey

Mix all together and enjoy with a spoon.

Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = banana
Palm sized portion of protein = greek yogurt
Thumb sized healthy fat = pumpkin butter

Veggified Breakfast Wrap

1 Flatout flatbread wrap
1 egg
1 slice of reduced fat cheese (I used provolone)
1 bell pepper diced (you could substitute or add other vegetables)
1 Tablespoon salsa
olive oil cooking spray
minced garlic
pepper

Coat frying pan with olive oil cooking spray and heat diced bell peppers until they begin to soften.  Add minced garlic if desired.  Move peppers to one side of the pan and add egg to the frying pan.  Shake a little bit of pepper on egg if desired.  Flip egg and place slice of cheese on top so that it melts while the egg finishes cooking.   Spread salsa on flatbread wrap, remove bell peppers from frying pan and spread on flatbread wrap.  Use the spatula to divide egg/cheese into 2 pieces and place both on flatbread wrap.  Roll-up carefully and enjoy.


Game On Diet plan
Fist sized portion of fruit or carbohydrate = flatbread wrap
Palm sized portion of protein = egg white and cheese
Thumb sized healthy fat = egg yolk and olive oil
Fist sized portions of vegetables = bell peppers