Cajun Stuffed Chicken

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 min
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded (you can use up to 6 oz.)

1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (you can also use fresh cooked spinach)

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Lots of toothpicks 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. In a medium bowl, combine the cheese, spinach, salt and pepper. Spoon about 1/4 c of the spinach mixture onto each chicken breast. Roll each chicken breast tightly and fasten the seams with several toothpicks. Usually 8 toothpicks in each roll. Be sure to count how many total toothpicks were used! Brush each chicken breast with the olive oil. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning evenly over all. Sprinkle any remaining spinach and cheese on top of chicken. Place the chicken seam-side up onto a tin foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the toothpicks before serving.

Cucumbers

Ingredients:
1 Cucumber
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chili powder

Slice cucumber and mix ingredients in a bowl using your own preference for amounts. Add cucumbers to bowl and allow them to soak for 10-15 minutes.

Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients:

5 medium zucchini
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 onion, diced
2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped small
2 cups fresh cauliflower, chopped small
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Sprinkle of seasoning salt & pepper

1 25 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce
2 cups cottage cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425◦. Line a cookie tray with parchment paper, set aside. Slice zucchini into 1/8 inch slices. Arrange zucchini on cookie sheet and bake at 425◦ for 5 minutes on each side. Remove from oven and then turn oven to 375◦. For meat sauce - In a large non-stick skillet, cook meat until it’s browned. To the skillet, add the veggies, seasonings, and the entire jar of spaghetti sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes, (or until veggies begin to soften), stirring occasionally. For cheese layer - Mix the cottage cheese and parmesan cheese together.

To assemble your lasagna - Spray 2 8 X8 pans with cooking spray. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 375◦ for 50 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes, uncovered. Remove from oven and let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving to re-absorb some of the liquid. If you find your lasagna is really soupy then serve it with a slotted spoon.

Crockpot Bell Peppers

Serves 4

Ingredients:

 2 pounds ground pork or beef

 4 large green peppers

 1 large onion

 2 carrots

 4 cloves of garlic

 1/2 head of cauliflower

 6 ounce can of tomato paste

 1 tablespoon dry oregano

 1 tablespoon dry or fresh tarragon

 Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut the tops of the peppers and clean the seeds out. Arrange peppers in the Crock-Pot standing up and make sure they fit securely. Grate onion, carrots, garlic and cauliflower in the food processor. You can also just chop them into small pieces with a knife if you don’t have a food processor. In a big bowl, combine ground pork, shredded vegetables, seasonings and tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the peppers with the mixture and arrange leftover meat between the peppers. Add half a cup of water, cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. If you don’t have a slow-cooker, the dish can be cooked in the oven, covered, for 1-2 hours.

Green Pepper Chips

Net Carbs <1

Ingredients:

Sliced green bell pepper                                                                                                                       

Pam cooking spray

Garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sliced green bell peppers in the oven for 10 minutes until crispy and serve with salsa. For added fun try using different color peppers.

Egg & Bacon Muffin

Egg & Bacon Muffin

Makes 12 cups

Ingredients:

12 slices bacon
8 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whip the eggs, salt, pepper and cheese with a fork. Spray nonstick spray in 12 muffin tins. Wrap each piece of bacon inside the sides of each muffin cup. Fill each bacon lined muffin cup 3/4 of the way with the egg mixture. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the egg cups are golden brown and don’t jiggle. Use a knife to scoop them out of the tins. 

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