For the Crust:
138 grams Carolina Crunch cinnamon square protein cereal (or similar crunchy style cereal)
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup Swerve brown sugar
For the filling:
1 cup PB2 powder, prepared with water to be like peanut butter
1 brick low fat cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cup Swerve powdered sugar
1 tub of zero sugar Cool Whip
First, make the crust. In a food processor, grind the cereal into crumbs and add the brown sugar with a few final pulses. Drizzle in the butter and pulse the processor until it is evenly distributed. Spray a pie plate with avocado oil cooking spray and press the crust mixture evenly into the pie plate and freeze for 20 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter mixture and the cream cheese on medium speed until well combined. Beat in the powdered sugar, and then fold in the whipped topping until it is all mixed well.
Spoon 1/2 of the mixture into the pie crust. Take 1/3 cup of the preserves and swirl it into the peanut butter mixture, then repeat the process. Chill for at least four hours, but overnight is best.
I saw this recipe in a food magazine that was not exactly like this. It called for ritz crackers in the crust, and of course real peanut butter and full sugared and fat everything. I said you know what? I can make it better. This was the macros on the original recipe:
As you can see, your girl cooked. Except this was a no bake pie!
I thought these cookies would be a great idea. I made those protein peanut butter balls and my kid said they might make good cookies. I got a box of zero sugar cake mix, and instead of using it to make cake or cupcakes, I decided to try to add some things and make cookies. I used the box, added a half cup of PB2 powder, then a cup of high protein Greek yogurt along with two eggs. I had to add a smidge of water to get it to a cookie dough consistency and then dropped it onto the parchment with a cookie scoop and baked it at 350 for about 12 minutes.
Now, these taste great and I think the stats are good enough to use as a sweet treat when needed. I will post them below though, and let you decide for yourself. The stats are per cookie, so take that as you will.
Ingredients:
2 12 ounce packages of steam in bag frozen cauliflower
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
Seasoning to taste
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 packet ranch dressing
1 cup no sugar added barbecue sauce
1 package shredded cheese of your choice
1 package bacon crumbles
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Microwave cauliflower for five minutes. Cut chicken breast into small pieces and brown in a skillet with the seasoning of choice. I used my usual house meat seasoning. It’s ok if the chicken doesn’t get fully done, as it’s going to finish in the oven. Once it’s browned, on a parchment lined sheet pan arrange layers. Start off with cauliflower then add the chicken in a layer on top. Mix the Greek yogurt with the ranch packet, then spread it over top the chicken. Drizzle the barbecue sauce evenly over the top, then add the cheese. You can use fat free cheese if you want here, but I just had a bag of colby jack in the fridge that I decided to use up. Sprinkle the bacon crumbles on top, then bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
This makes four servings, and this is the nutritional information Nourish gave me:
Change does not happen overnight. Sometimes making gradual changes by way of substitutions is a good start. It’s how I did, using things that the family would not easily discern, like mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes (I even fooled my dad on that one, one time!) or a carb friendly tortilla instead of a regular one. Using PB2 powder mixed with water takes a ton of fat and calories out of peanut butter!
I do not like the taste of greek yogurt on its own, but I have found that using it in recipes makes it tolerable for my taste buds. I use it mixed with low fat sour cream and add taco seasoning for Mexican dishes. I mix it with zero sugar cool whip and pudding mix for a fluff to curb my sweet tooth. Cottage cheese is the same! I hate it on its own, but blended or used as a cheese substitute when cooked makes the texture and taste change a bit. I used it in a calzone and it was much like ricotta instead of cottage cheese.
I have a zero sugar cake mix that I’m going to attempt to use greek yogurt to make a cake batter for protein cupcakes. That is my endeavor next weekend – we’ll see how it goes! What is your favorite way to substitute for healthy living?
Ingredients:
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 pound ground turkey
Meat Seasonings
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 package sausage and cheese stuffed tortellini
Vegetables to taste
Cook the tortellini according to package instructions. While it cooks, brown the ground turkey, any vegetables you are adding, and seasonings in the oil, adding the garlic at the end. In a blender, blend the spaghetti sauce and cottage cheese until it is well combined and smooth. Turn off the heat and add the sauce and tortellini to the browned turkey along with a splash of pasta water, then add the parmesan cheese. mix until well combined.
The first thing you might ask is “vegetables to taste?” Yes. Not everyone likes the same things. I sauteed an onion and sliced mini bell peppers and cooked them beforehand, because my husband does not like that. I wish I’d had mushrooms to add as well, but alas I did not. And as far as “meat seasoning,” I decided to use the meat house seasoning blend I keep on hand to make it a little “beefier” since it was ground turkey. The avocado oil is being used because the ground turkey does not produce much fat.
Ingredients:
1 cup PB2 Protein Powder
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup Lily’s sugar free chocolate chips
Mix the protein powder and applesauce together until it forms a dough. You might need to add a little powder or applesauce to adjust if it is too sticky or too dry. Once it’s mixed to a good dough, add in the chocolate chips and mix well. Use a small scoop or your hands to get the dough into balls and then place on a parchment paper, and let dry out a little bit before putting them into an airtight container for storage.
These little bombs are so delicious! Low calorie and high protein, just like a snack should be. This recipe makes about 15 if you use a small cookie scoop or roll them about that big. I put the ingredients into AI and broke it down with one ball being the serving.
Ingredients: For The Chicken
2 large chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1 cup flour
2 eggs
2 cups Porq pork panko bread crumbs (or ground pork rinds)
Seasonings YOU like!
1 Cup grated parmesan cheese
Olive or Avocado oil spray For The Fries
2 lbs Russet Potatoes
Olive or Avocado oil spray
Salt or other seasonings you like
In one shallow bowl or dish, mix the flour with a generous amount of the seasonings you are gonna use. I use a house blend that I keep on hand that is salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, Texjoy, Tony’s, and Kinder’s Buttery Steakhouse seasoning. In another dish beat the two eggs well with about 1/4 cup of water. In a third dish, mix the porq crumbs, liberal seasoning (the same you used in the flour) and the parmesan cheese. I just use the kind from the shelf-stable container but you can be fancy and use fresh grated if you want. I just find that the finely grated sawdust type tends to mix better with the crumbs. Preheat the air fryer to 400 while you are dredging your chicken.
Dredge the Chicken: Drag the chicken through the flour, then knock off the excess before repeating the process in the egg mixture. Press it into the crumbs in the third dish, making sure it is fully coated, and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment to sit. Repeat this process with all the other chicken. Take over to the air fryer, and spray a little oil on the bottom of the fryer then arrange chicken in a single layer. Hit the top with a light dusting of spray and cook at 400 for 8-10 minutes.
The Fries: I start the fries a few hours before I’m going to be cooking, because of this crucial step. Cut off the top and bottom of the potatoes, and then cut the potatoes into even sticks. I made mine pretty thin. You can also peel the potato if you prefer no peel but remember – that’s where the nutrients are! Once they are all sliced I submerge in a bowl of water and soak for a few hours to get the starches out. Once I’m done soaking I drain into a colander and dry further with paper towels.
Fries are ready to cook! you can bake them in the oven if you want to cook at the same time as the chicken, but I like them in the air fryer. I just put the chicken in the oven on a warm setting while I do the fries. Either way they get a spray of the oil, shaken around in it, and into the apparatus they go. They cook at 390 for 25 minutes with a shaking around every 5 minutes or so. once they come out hit them immediately with whatever you are going to season them with. I did a pink salt and kept it basic, but you could use anything you want.
To be EXTRA extra, I made a sauce for everything. I mixed low fat mayo, no sugar ketchup, mustard, a smidge of swerve brown sugar substitute, and extremely finely chopped dill pickle with a trickle of the juice together. It was delicious!
For this plate, this is what Nourish told me the macros are:
The only thing that is not great about this meal is it is kinda low fiber for my liking. I might pair it with some fiber rich veggie for another side if you have the wiggle room for calories and other allotments! These were better than any fast food tendies I’ve gotten recently and even my skinny husband gobbled them down! I have leftovers for today as well, so I’m pumped.
INGREDIENTS:
♥ 2 cups plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
♥ 1 8 oz. tub of sugar free cool whip, thawed
♥ 1 package zero sugar banana pudding mix
♥ 2 bananas, chopped
♥ 1/4 cup Catalina Crunch cinnamon square protein cereal (or any protein cereal of your choice) per serving
In a large container, mix the yogurt and the pudding mix until well combined. Fold in the cool whip. At this point it is fine to add any sugar free syrups you wish to add. I am a fan of the Skinny Syrups marshmallow sugar free syrup with this particular flavor profile. Mix everything until well combined, and then fold in the bananas. Cover and chill for at least a few hours. Serve one cup of the pudding fluff with 1/4 cup of your protein cereal.
MACROS:
Calories: 202
Protein: 21.3g
Carbs: 22g
Fat: 5.1g
Fiber: 5.7g These are estimated values, not exact science. They are close though! Used through Nourish AI
This is amazing for people with a sweet tooth that love banana! I’m going to experiment with other fruits and flavors. I have some more skinny syrups coming too for add-ins. When I tell you that a cup of it is filling, sweet, decadent tasting, and full of protein which is important on a weight loss journey, it makes dieting seem a little less daunting. I hope that you all get to try this!
Costco has become one of my favorite biweekly stops. Not only has it helped me find some new treats to enjoy by the samples they give out (which are usually plentiful on a Saturday!) They’ve helped me plan and prep meals that are healthy and keep them affordable. This photo here is what was included in my haul today (along with some other non-related goodies) that will help me.
♥ The rotisserie chickens are such a value! I shred and use in the spanish bowls and burritos I love to keep in the freezer. I’m going to be using at least part of this for chicken salad to make lettuce wraps.
♥ I got a brisket to heat up! We’re going to have some for dinner tonight and then I’ll use the rest to prepare brisket wraps for the freezer.
♥ Bell Pepper Crisps – I don’t know what I was expecting with these, but they were better than I thought! They are these really crispy dehydrated pieces of bell pepper, all the colors. I enjoyed them today with a few pieces of Babybel cheese. Big fan!
♥ Guacamole cups – Better to keep around than fresh avocado because you have more than a three second ripeness window, in single servings, and I compared it to the cups of smashed avocado. For .5 oz more of a cup, it was less calories. Probably because there’s ingredients other than avocado and avocado can get up there in calories. Oh, but the fiber!
♥ Catalina Crunch Protein Cereal – I got this for a specific reason. I’m making “fluff” with greek yogurt, sugar free jello puddings, fruit and fat/sugar free cool whip. This will add a nice crunch factor that is low cal and high fiber/protein. I might have some for breakfast sometimes too!
♥ Wilde Protein Chips & Garden Crisp Crackers – I’ve had the wilde chips just in a different flavor before, and they are pretty good. The garden crisps were the best “bang for your buck” cracker that had the least carbs but most fiber and protein.
♥ PB2 Powder – I’ve been enjoying this from a smaller container for a bit, but this was a great deal! I’m going to mix with unsweetened applesauce to make protein balls (and add some lily’s choco chips or banana as well).
♥ Crunchy Chickpeas – I tried two flavors of these and they were amazing! They are very crispy and super dry! I would say they’d be great as garnish for salads, but one pack of them is 120 calories and packed with protein and fiber, just like real chickpeas!
♥ Canned Chicken – I am so stoked to get this stocked up. I have seen a few videos on tiktok that I want to use with this canned chicken. I even saw how to make chicken nuggets! We are gonna have fun with future recipes, that’s for sure. This is for when I want a different texture than the rotisserie will give.
I am so excited to start creating with these. Today I also started my new medicines and so far so good! I can already tell a difference with my hunger. It’s wild. Next post I will talk about my regular grocery haul for the week!
I live a crazy busy life. My alarm goes off at 6 am and I roll out of bed immediately and stumble to my home office and log into my work computer, and thusly my day starts. There’s a 6am rush that trickles down about 6:30, a 7 am rush that lasts about twenty minutes, then it’s a steady but random influx of work requests for the rest of the day. My first meal is grabbed around 8 am so that I can take my morning medicine and supplements with it, but I do not have the time to be away from my computer for very long. Whatever I do in the morning has to be fairly fast and something I can gnosh on while I am working at my desk.
Lunchtime isn’t really that much more leisurely; I like to take a shower or get tasks done on my thirty minute break, so that doesn’t leave much time for lunch. It’s funny because before my lifestyle changes and surgery I nibbled and let myself be hungry all day then binge ate when it was time to leave the house to pick up the kiddo. Taking him to school was my morning break and it almost always either ended in a coffee or McDonald’s breakfast run. Those habits are done for, thankfully — so I needed to do some stuff that was easy to get going and wouldn’t ruin what I was trying to accomplish. Enter, TikTok and Meal Prep.
My nutritionist stressed about how important it is to eat more than once a day. We focused on healthy, protein and fiber rich foods to eat. I grabbed some rotisserie chicken and supplies, and did meal preps for the freezer. This was what I grabbed for ingredients:
♥ Rotisserie Chicken (Costco or Sam’s Club memberships are great for this!)
♥ Carb Friendly Tortillas (I prefer La Banderita carb counter over mission. Lower net carb and higher fiber – and bigger)
♥ Greek Yogurt
♥ Low Fat or Fat Free Sour Cream
♥ Taco Seasonings
♥ Brown Rice, Cooked to instructions
♥ Mini Tri-color Bell Peppers
♥ Onions
♥ Mushrooms
♥ Jarred Salsa
♥ Black Beans
♥ Shredded cheese of your choice
These supplies will make two different dishes. First thing you want to do is remove the chicken from the bones, discard the skin (I like to keep the bones to make chicken broth with) If you sautee the onions, peppers, and mushrooms (add garlic if you wish for razzle dazzle) in avocado oil and mix with the chicken, drained and rinsed black beans, cheese and salsa, then it’s ready to divide up. I took the greek yogurt and sour cream, mixed it together along with the taco seasoning. For the bowls, I put a scoop of brown rice at the bottom, the chicken mixture on top, then topped with the yogurt and sour cream mixture. delicious!
For the burritos: I packaged these individually for the freezer so it could be easily pulled out and dropped into the air fryer. I laid out a large square of wax paper then placed a tortilla on top of it. I put a little of the yogurt and sour cream mixture, then the chicken mixture. I wrapped it into a burrito, then wrapped the wax paper around it. I then placed it into a gallon-sized ziploc bag and put them all into the freezer. When I want one, I will take it out and drop it into the air fryer at 375 around 9 minutes. I sometimes smear one of those individual things of guacamole on top of it for some “Freshness”. These things have been a staple of mine along with other quick meals, which I’ll save for another post!
