Copycat Panera Apple Cinnamon Muffins

If you know me, you know I LOVE Panera. Mostly because of their baked goods. One of my favorite items that they have is their Apple Crunch muffin. It's so delicious and fluffy and tastes like apple pie in a muffin form. I wanted to recreate the recipe in a healthier, gluten-free way, and I think this recipe is SPOT ON to how these muffins taste! My husband tried one this morning and immediately said that I have to blog this recipe because they are THAT good. So here we go! 

Makes 12-15 muffins

1 cup Pamela's Gluten-free all purpose flour

3/4 cup almond meal

1/2 cup oats

3/4 cup sweetener of choice (I used sugar but usually use stevia, but I'm all out!)

1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened

2 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 small apple, chopped 

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a muffin tin or use lining.

Mix all the ingredients together except for the apple. Then, chop the apple and fold it into the batter. Pour into muffin tins and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy warm! Store in the fridge for 4-5 days. These taste so good with a cup of coffee in the morning! I hope you all enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

I have been craving baked goods lately, like WHOA. I'm 37 weeks pregnant today and until now sweets weren't really my thing (except for a small bout with brownies in my second trimester). But lately, I've been all about the sweets. I really like baking my own treats and sweets because it's fun for me and I get to control what goes in them. So I decided to whip up some banana chocolate chip bread over the weekend, and it turned out delicious! Super easy ingredients and ready in under an hour!

Makes 1 loaf

4 bananas (the browner the better!)

3/4 cup gluten free pancake and baking mix

3/4 cup almond flour

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

10-12 packets stevia

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2-3 T chocolate chip morsels 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Then, place the bananas in a mixer and blend them up until they are mashed and smooth. Then, add the rest of the ingredients except for the chocolate chips and mix thoroughly. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips!

Spray or grease a standard loaf pan. Then pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean! 

Enjoy on its own or smeared with some peanut butter! So delicious! 

Tabbouleh & Soujoukh

This meal is one of my all-time favorites, which is why I am so excited to be posting it today! My mom and I made this last night for dinner and it totally hits the spot when you want something delicious, nutritious, and light, yet filling! Let's start with the yummy tabbouleh recipe :) 

Makes about 4-6 servings:

2-3 bunches parsley

1.5 cups diced tomatoes

3 stems green onions, chopped

1/4 cup fine bulgar wheat (or quinoa if you are gluten intolerance...or you can omit the grain all together to make it grain free, paleo, whole30, etc...I've tried this salad all 3 ways and it tastes delicious each time!)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4-1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 t salt

1/4 t red pepper

Pinch of black pepper

Pinch of all spice

Chop the parsley and place in food processor. Pulse until the parsley is minced. Place parsley in a bowl along with the chopped green onions and tomatoes. I usually pour the bulgar on top of the tomatoes at this point and let the juice from the tomatoes soften up the bulgar for about 5-10 minutes. While you wait for this to happen, you can season and start cooking the soujoukh (or Armenian sausage).

Makes 15-18 patties

1 lb ground beef (we used 96/4 from Trader Joe's, but make sure that when you use a meat this lean, you add some olive oil to the pan before grilling the sausage patties!)

1/2 t cinnamon

1 t cloves

1 t cumin

1 t all spice

1 t salt

1 t black pepper

1 t red pepper

2-3 cloves garlic

Mix all the seasonings in with the meat and form little sausage patties. Heat a skillet with 1 T olive oil and start grilling! These sausages cook up pretty fast so be sure to watch them!

While the sausages are cooking, you can mix in the seasonings, olive oil, and lemon juice into the tabbouleh salad. You can eat this tabbouleh on its own, with pita bread, or with lettuce leaves, which is how we did it last night!

 nce the sausages are done, your meal is ready to go!

There you have it! One of my favorite dinners EVER. The leftovers taste amazing too! The tabbouleh gets better the next day, and you can always use to leftover sausages in an omelet or rice bowl with some steamed veggies! Hope you all enjoy this meal!

Chicken & Sweet Potato Casserole

My mom used to make this dish at least once a week while I was growing up. I absolutely love the flavors, seasonings, and even the scent of this dish baking in the oven. We made it again a couple of days ago, but this time, I used sweet potatoes instead of our usual white potatoes. Once I discovered sweet potatoes a few years ago, I have rarely turned back to white potatoes! Here is our Chicken & Sweet Potato Casserole recipe that is gluten-free as well as Whole 30 and paleo approved! I am sure you will love it just as much as I do! Makes 6 servings (or enough for a 9x13 inch casserole dish)

3 sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch disks

1 T olive oil

1.5-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 T tomato paste

3 cloves garlic

1/2 t salt

1/2 t red pepper

2 T olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 green bell pepper

Preheat the oven on 450 degrees. Heat a skillet over medium heat on the stove with 1 T olive oil. Wash the sweet potatoes and cut them into about 1/4 inch disks. Brown the potatoes on the skillet for 5-10 minutes to start the cooking process. This helps the potatoes cook faster in the oven and helps them stay moist and not dry out.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, marinate the chicken breasts with the olive oil, tomato paste, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and garlic in a bowl. Leave some of the marinade in the bowl and evenly place the chicken breasts in a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Place the semi-cooked sweet potatoes in the rest of the marinade and coat evenly. Place the sweet potatoes disks over the chicken. Lastly, wash and slice the green bell pepper and place these slices over the potatoes.

Cover the dish in foil and bake the casserole in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked evenly.

And here is the finished product! You can eat this meal on its own, with a side salad, or with some brown rice. This dish goes a long way and also makes the perfect leftovers! Enjoy! :)

Mama's Chili Recipe!

Yesterday evening, I decided to ring in the first rainy day of fall with my family's famous chili recipe! My mom has been making this chili recipe for years and it is a hit every single time. This is a gluten/grain free recipe, and you can easily make it paleo by omitting the kidney beans and adding extra vegetables such as zucchini, squash, or even more bell peppers! This dish tastes great, is healthy, and leaves the house smelling amazing afterwards! Here is my Mama's Chili recipe!  

Makes 4 servings

1 T olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 lb lean ground beef (we used 96/4 from Trader Joe's)

1 cup kidney beans, canned and rinsed

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes, or diced tomatoes with green chiles

2 T tomato paste mixed with 1/2 a cup of water

2 t chili powder

1/2 t salt

1 t cumin

Start by heating the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Chop up the onion and pepper and saute in the oil for about 5 minutes until they are browned and softened. Add the ground beef and cook thoroughly! Make sure you grind up the beef into as little pieces as possible to ensure it cooks well. Once the meat is cooked, add the tomatoes and beans. These are the brands we used! But you can definitely use whichever ones you love!

Once you add these, make a tomato "sauce" by mixing 2 T tomato paste with about 1/2 a cup of water. Add this to the pot as well.

Add the remaining seasonings (chili powder, salt, and cumin) and mix all the ingredients together. Set the burner on medium-low heat and let the chili simmer for about one hour, stirring occasionally. Add some water if the mixture becomes too thick!

And here is the finished product! This was such a comforting bowl of goodness on our rainy night last night and is definitely on our menu almost weekly during the fall and winter seasons! I hope you all enjoy! Here is the nutrition info in case anyone is wondering :)

Serving size is 1/4 of the pot, or about 1.5 cups: 250 calories, 8g fat (only 2g saturated fat, the rest is from the healthy olive oil!), 17g carbs, 26g protein

Cashew Chicken Fried Rice

This is definitely one of those recipes that I made up as I went along, and it came out incredible! I love Asian foods and have loved using coconut aminos as a substitute to soy sauce since the aminos do not contain gluten. I knew I wanted to make a chicken stir fry, and decided to add the coconut aminos and some toasted cashews to give this dish some Asian flair! At the last minute, I added an egg and some brown rice and turned this dish into a fried rice sort of creation! I used simple ingredients and whatever veggies I had on hand! This dish could easily be made whole30 or paleo by simply omitting the rice! Here is my quick and easy cashew chicken stir fry/fried rice recipe! Makes 2 servings

4 chicken tenders

1/2 T olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic

6-8 baby carrots

1/3 cup sugar snap peas

1-2 sweet bell peppers

2 T coconut aminos (I buy mine at Whole Foods!)

1/2 t Aleppo red pepper OR 1 t cayenne pepper

1 whole egg

2 T cashews

Heat the oil and garlic in a large skillet. Chop the chicken into cubes and add to the heated oil. While the chicken is sizzling, chop the carrots, snap peas, and bell peppers, or whatever veggies you have on hand that you would like to use up. Once the chicken is cooked, add the veggies to the skillet. Once the veggies soften up, add the coconut aminos and red pepper.

Let this mixture cook on the pan on medium-low heat so the sauce can thicken up a bit, which should only take about 5 minutes. Once the chicken and veggies are glazed by the sauce, move the ingredients to one side of the pain. Crack the egg on the other side and scramble the egg until it is cooked. Then, mix the scrambled egg with the rest of the ingredients.

To toast the cashews, simply use a smaller pot over medium heat and put the 2 T of cashews into the pot. Stir the nuts for about 5-7 minutes, or until they are nice and brown! Once they are browned, add the nuts to the chicken, veggie, and egg mixture as well! And that's it!

You can eat this dish on its own or with a side of rice, spaghetti squash, cauliflower rice, or more veggies! I hope you all enjoy this tasty and healthy Asian dish!

Nutrition facts for 1 serving without rice/sides (1/2 the recipe): 240 calories, 10g fat, 11g carbs, 26g protein, and about 50-75% of your daily need of vitamins A and C!

Blueberry Oat Bake

Good morning everyone! I had quite an interesting morning today, as my brain was in about 40 places at once. I have been wanting to bake a Blueberry Oat Bake recipe that I had thought up as a way to use all of the blueberries we have in the house! I brainstormed the recipe this week and finally decided to bake it this morning as a pre-workout snack before heading to the gym! After my morning quiet time, I headed to the kitchen and got to work:

Makes 16 squares (one 8x8 baking dish)

1/2 cup Gluten-free oats

2/3 cup Pamela's Gluten-free Pancake and Baking Mix

1/4 cup almond flour

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 T olive oil

1 whole egg

1/3 cup liquid egg whites

1/3-1/2 cup blueberries, washed and dried

16-20 packets stevia (optional)

I mixed all of the ingredients, first the dry...then the wet, then folded in the blueberries. In the meantime, I was separating laundry, and starting to make tea for my Mama. I sprayed my 8x8 baking dish, poured the batter into the dish, and stuck it in the oven. Then I changed into my workout clothes, continued separating laundry, and took the tea to my Mama. About 15 minutes later, I went to check on the bake and saw that it wasn't cooking! I was so confused and stared at the oven for about 30 seconds before figuring out that I had forgotten to turn the oven ON! Oh goodness, it was one of those mornings! I was definitely trying to do too many things at once, so it was inevitable that one vital component of baking would get lost in the process! I turned the oven on (350 degrees by the way) and decided to just scramble an egg while I waited for the bake in order to digest my food before my workout:

After 30 minutes, I pulled the bake out of the oven (and turned the oven OFF). I headed to the gym, resolving that I would just taste my bake when I got back. It looked so good, so I was definitely excited!

I can't wait to enjoy these little baked squares with my tea the next few days since we have some cold weather coming!

So, lessons for today: don't try to do too many things at once and always turn the oven ON when you are attempting to bake something. I hope you guys get to try this recipe soon!

Nutrition facts per square: 60 calories, 2g fat, 6g carb, 2.5g protein

Mujedereh (Bulgar and Rice)

Happy Monday everyone! I don't know about anyone else, but the time change really hit me hard today! But not until about 10am. I still woke up at 5am per usual, went to the gym, got ready, headed to work, and felt super energized! Until 10am hit...and then I felt like I just wanted to find the nearest bed and knock out! Thank God I made it through the work day and finally got home! My mom made one of my favorite dishes for dinner tonight, so I thought I'd share it. It's called Mujedereh but it is basically a type of lentil rice, but with bulgar wheat! Bulgar has a ton of fiber and nutrients, and pairing it with the lentils makes this a nutritious and filling meal! You can also substitute the bulgar with rice or quinoa to make this gluten free! I've tried both versions in addition to the original one and all taste incredible! Mujedereh (makes 5-6 servings)

1 cup lentils

1/2 cup bulgar

3 cups low sodiumchicken broth

salt to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup sliced onions

2 T pine nuts

Start by bringing the chicken broth to a boil. Add the lentils and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Then, add the bulgar, cover the pot, and let the lentils and bulgar cook together for another 20 minutes, or until the mixture is mushy and soft. Add salt to taste.

While the lentils and bulgar are cooking, heat up the olive oil in a skillet. Add the sliced onions and pine nuts and sauté until they are browned. Once everything is done, serve up the Mujedereh and top with the sautéed onions and pine nuts!

And that's it! This is a pretty simple recipe that is easy to make and is great for leftovers! Have a great night everyone!

Oatmeal Breakfast Biscuits

Before limiting my gluten intake, I used to love spreading peanut butter on whole grain toast or tortillas as a pre workout meal. I looked forward to it nearly every morning! Well now, I have a gluten-free option for this as well! These oatmeal biscuits are healthy and delicious and are perfect for spreading peanut butter, jam, or anything else you may want to! They taste great fresh out of the oven and can be reheated in the toaster for a few days after!! Here is my recipe for Oatmeal Breakfast Biscuits!  

Makes 9-10 biscuits

3/4 cup gluten free pancake and baking mix (I use Pamela's...the BEST!)

1 cup gluten free rolled oats

1/4 cup almond flour

2 scoops vanilla protein powder

1/2 cup applesauce

1 whole egg

1 t cinnamon

1 t vanilla extract

stevia if desired

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry, then wet ingredients into a mixing bowl. The batter should resemble a muffin-type drop batter consistency.

Drop the batter onto a lined and sprayed cookie sheet. Make sure to leave enough room between the biscuits because these spread!!! Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. These turned out sooooo huge and unbelievably delicious!

I stored them in a tupperware container and have been reheating them in the mornings in my toaster, then spreading some peanut butter on top! YUM-O!

I hope you all get to try this recipe soon! It's easy, delicious, and the perfect pre workout treat!!!

Nutrition facts per biscuit: 125 calories, 4g fat, 17g carb, 8g protein

*Don't fear the fat people! It comes from the egg and almond flour...both good sources!! :) And the combination of fat, protein, and carbohydrate in this biscuit makes it the perfect fuel before your workout! I hope you all get to try out this recipe soon! Have a great Monday!

Cajun-style Chicken & Rice

The creation of this recipe was one of those "throw-everything-in-the-pot-and-hope-it's-delicious" type of experiences...and I was definitely NOT disappointed! And the best part...it only took 30 minutes to put together! I was in a huge rush on Monday morning to put together a meal that would last me the week for lunches at work. I usually do my meal prep Sundays, but since I had quite a busy weekend (I got engaged woooo!), I had to scrounge something up on Monday morning. I had bought some of my favorite prepared lemon pepper chicken from Trader Joe's, and definitely wanted to use it in a meal that would not only taste great but would make an easy lunch for the week! This recipe was so simple and delicious, I'm excited for you all to try it! Here is my Cajun-style Chicken & Rice Recipe!

Makes 4 servings:

1 package Lemon pepper chicken (or about 12 oz of cooked chicken)

2 Spicy Jalapeño Chicken sausage links

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

1 1/4 cup water

1 cup broccoli

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1/2 cup sugar snap peas

1 T olive oil

1-2 t cajun seasoning (or to taste)

1 t garlic powder

1/2 t salt

Start by cooking your chicken. The lemon pepper chicken cooks easily in the microwave, just follow the instructions on the package! Once your chicken and sausage is cooked up, chop them up. Meanwhile, sauté the snap peas and peppers with the olive oil over medium heat. I steamed my broccoli. While you are cooking your veggies, cook the brown rice according to the instructions. I used 1/2 cup dry rice with 1 1/4 cups water. Once the rice is cooked, add the veggies to the pot!

Add the sausage and chicken to the pot as well.

Once all the ingredients are mixed up, you can add the cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. I used the Cajun seasoning from Whole Foods that my cousin bought me...it's my favorite!

Mix the seasonings throughly, and then you are done! The smell of this meal was so amazing!

This recipe provides the perfect mix of nutrients: protein, healthy carbohydrate, veggies, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fat from the olive oil! Check out the nutrition facts below!

1 serving (about 1 cup): 280 calories, 10g fat, 23 g carbs, 26 g protein, 90% daily need for Vitamin C!

I hope you all get to enjoy this dish soon! It was prepped in 30 minutes, has been making the perfect lunches for my week, is healthy, and most importantly, IT IS DELICIOUS! :)

I wish you all a happy Wednesday!!!