Grilled Stuffed Figs

These are such easy and versatile appetizers! The sweetness of the figs and the savoriness of the cheese can't be beat! I grilled mine but you could roast them as well. There are so many variations of this you could experiment with. I haven't tried this, but wrapping them in bacon comes to mind and sounds so yummy I will probably do that this weekend!

Ingredients:

5-6 medium sized figs (cleaned and the tops cut uff)
4 T marscapone cheese
4 T blue cheese crumbles
Honey to drizzle

Directions:

Heat grill to med-high heat. Mix/mash the marscapone and blue cheese together with a fork. After you've cleaned the figs and lopped off the tops of them, stuff each of them with the cheese mixture. Carefully place them on the grill. Try to put them right side up. You can see in the pictures, mine got a majority of the grilling on the bottom and that's ok. I like them a bit charred but just grill them until the cheese gets melty. It doesn't take long, so keep an eye on them. Once you've got them on a plate, drizzle with honey and enjoy!

Variations could include adding some chopped nuts with the cheese mixture, or just change up the cheese. I think cheddar might be yummy, but definitely wrapping them in bacon sould like a no-brainer! Thanks for reading, y'all! If you make this, please let me know what you think. And share any variations you try!

Meatloaf Hand

In honor of Halloween, I'm posting this fantastically scary recipe for a greusome meatloaf hand. This appendage's final resting place will be upon a layer of mashed potatoes. Well, actually, it'll be in my tummy because it's so totally good! You can actually use any ol' meatloaf recipe, but here's mine:

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground turkey
1 can Rotel tomatoes and peppers
1/2 C chopped onions
2 T minced garlic (or to taste), plus whole cloves for fingernails
1/2 C Gluten free oats 
1/4 C Ketchup
1 egg
1 T Worcestershire Sauce (yes I had to google that spelling) 
Salt and pepper to taste 

Optional: Top with your choice of cheese (i used grated cheddar) about 10 minutes before it finishes baking, just to melt it. You can also "baste" the hand with ketchup during/after the baking, as we have done. I think it just makes it looks creepier.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º. Mix all ingredients togethr in a large bowl, except the whole garlic cloves—you'll need those for the fingernails. Shape mixture in to a hand shape, as shown. Press a raw garlic clove onto the end of each finger, for gross but delicious tasting fingernails.

I also pressed another garlic clove in to the wrist part, to look like sort of the bone marrow part.

Bake for about 30–40 minutes, then (carefully) place it on a bed of mashed potatoes! Voila'!

My adorable sister-in-law had just gotten engaged and thought it would be funny to place the ring on the meatloaf hand. It was hilarious!

We really enoyed this! Hope you do, too!

Protein Energy Hippie Amazeballs

These are the best little snacks to keep on hand at home or work. Whether it's getting you over your 3 o'clock energy slump or satisfying a sweet tooth, these little guys do the trick! They are so healthy and good for you. The numerous health benefits are located at the end of this post.

I’m not a huge breakfast person, but I’ll eat one of these for breakfast just to get something in my tummy, and because of all the protein and the chia seeds (which expand a bit in your stomach), one of these little gems actually keeps me full until lunch!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C Almond Butter*
20 pitted dates 
1 C unsweetened shredded coconut (I use Bob’s Redmill brand)
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli unsweetened Cocoa)
2T Chia seeds
2 T coconut oil (I use Spectrum)
pinch of salt

Pulse the dates in a food processor until they turn into a paste. Place the date paste in large mixing bowl with almond butter. Add the coconut, chia seeds, cocoa powder and salt. Mix well. You may need to knead this with your hands to get it all mixed in. Add in the coconut oil and continue to mix/knead. If your mixture is too dry, you can add a bit of coconut or almond milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the mixture sticks together. If you can roll it in to a 1" ball without it crumbling, you have the correct consistency. Roll all the balls and place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for a few hours until they firm up. Then you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge. I haven't tried freezing them yet.

Note: This recipe is sweetened by the dates. If you need a sweeter ball (ahem), you can always add some stevia or more date paste while you are mixing.

Note: If you are a super body builder and want to kick up the protein, you could add a little protein powder, but I don’t think it really needs any more protein.

*Note: I make my own almond butter, so the oil is already mixed in and it's not perfectly smooth. If you use store bought, please take in to account that it may make your batter "wetter", so you could probably omit or cut down on the coconut oil.

Health Benefits:

Chia Seeds:
• Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, even more so than flax seeds
• Chia is so rich in antioxidants that the seeds don't deteriorate
and can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid
• Unlike Flax, they do not have to be ground to make their nutrients
available to the body
• Chia provide fiber (25 grams give you 6.9 grams of fiber) as well
as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron,
molybdenum, niacin, and zinc.
• When added to water and allowed to sit for 30 minutes, chia forms a
gel. Researchers suggest that this reaction also takes place in the
stomach, slowing the process by which digestive enzymes break down
carbohydrates and convert them into sugar.
Almond Butter:
• High in protein and calcium
• High in monounsaturated fat, the same healthy fats found in olive
oil, which are associated with reducing your risk of heart disease
• Helps reduce your total cholesterol levels, and lower the LDL
levels (bad cholesterol)
• Great source of potassium, vitamin C, magnesium, and antioxidants.

Dates:
Loaded with fiber—both soluble and insoluble—dates are able to
fill you up and keep you regular
An excellent source of potassium and provide numerous other important
vitamins and minerals

Coconut/Coconut oil:
• Speeds up metabolism, providing an immediate source of energy with
fewer calories than other fats
• Improves Heart Health by providing healthy short chain and medium
chain fatty acids (MCFA) that are essential to good health
• Coconut supplies an impressive 61% dietary fiber. Foods contain two
types of carbohydrates - digestible and non-digestible. Digestible
carbohydrates (soluble fiber) consists of starch and sugar and promote
calories. Non-digestible carbohydrates (insoluble fiber) contains NO
calories. Since the body cannot digest the dietary fiber in coconut,
no calories are derived from it and it has no effect on blood sugar.
• Low Glycemic Index—Coconut fiber slows down the release of glucose,
therefore requiring less insulin to utilize the glucose and transport
it into the cell where it is converted into energy
• Reduces Sweet Cravings and improves insulin secretion and
utilization of blood glucose.
• Improves Digestion and many of the symptoms and inflammatory
conditions associatedwith digestive and bowel disorders, by supporting
absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino
acids while also providing beneficial dietary fiber.
• Quick Energy Boost that provides a super nutritious source of extra energy.
• Contains No Trans-Fats, is Gluten-Free, Non-Toxic, Hypoallergenic,
and also containsAntibacterial, Antiviral, Antifungal, and
Anti-parasitic healing properties. Coconut helps to aid and support
overallImmune System functions.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Brace yourself! For I bring you (wait for it....) Flourless pizza crust made with cauliflower! This is for reals, y'all! I have to admit, I was skeptical. And I don't like cauliflower, mostly because it doesn't taste like anything, which makes it perfect for this recipe! Even the hubs loves it—and that's saying a lot. It's pretty easy to make, and you can top it with whatever your little heart desires. It's low carb and almost paleo. Part of the reason I don't go "all the way paleo" is because of my fondness for cheese. Oh, how I love thee...I would not try this recipe without cheese. I just don't think it would work at all.

Adapted from www.recipegirl.com

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower (should make 3 cups shredded)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (you can mix and match different cheeses)
1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Grate the cauliflower into small crumbles, about the size of rice. You can use the food processor if you'd like, but you just want crumbles, not puree. Place the cauliflower crumbles in a large bowl and microwave them for about 7-8 minutes. No need to add water. It was steam on it's own. Let it cool.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with nonstick spray (or use a nonstick surface). In a medium bowl, mix the cauliflower crumbles (about 2 cups since they shrink after cooking) with the remaining crust ingredients. Pat the "crust" into a 9 to 12-inch round on the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Add toppings and broil the pizza 3 to 4 minutes, or until the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into slices or squares and serve immediately.

Warning: Although this is a delicious and low carb way to eat pizza, you will probably need to eat it with a fork. The slices don't crisp up enough to hold it like a normal slice. But it will still taste delicious delivered to your mouth by a fork!

Cheesy Chard Muffins

Here's a healthy and delicious treat that's high in protien, vitamins, antioxidents and fiber. I had a little chard growing in my garden I needed to use. I really didn't want to make a salad with it, so I thought I'd chop it, wilt it and throw it in a muffin! This, my friends, I will def be making again. And with so many variations, it'll never get boring or stale!

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons of full fat Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup of shredded cheese (I used cheddar but you can use any cheese you'd like)
• 1 cup thinly sliced swiss chard (I finely diced the stems, and sliced the leaves)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375º F. Mix eggs, yogurt, and a dash of salt into a medium sized bowl until blended. Add coconut flour and baking powder to wet ingredients and mix until there are no lumps. Mix in cheese, chard and pepper. Line or grease your muffin tin and fill each one 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 minutes. Note: I've been having problems with my muffins sticking to the liners. I found these at Sprouts and they haven't failed me yet. The brand is "If You Care" and nothing will stick to these suckers!

Now you have a delicious snack, apetizer or breakfast! You can very this recipe by adding different cheeses and veggies. You might even go a little bit crazy and add some bacon or breakfast sausage!