Perfected Oatmeal Puffs

Somewhere between a pancake and a muffin,these are a great portable breakfast or pre-workout snack - complex carbs, fiber, a little protein. For a complete breakfast on the go, add a second protein source (eggs or a shake).

This was originally in Muscle & Fitness when female bodybuilder Laura Creavalle had a recipe every issue. I tweaked it a little.

Ingredients:

• Old Fashioned Quaker Oatmeal- Plain (1/2 cup dry), 6 serving
• *Dole Pineapple Chunks in 100% Pineapple juice No Sugar Added, 1.5 cup, run in blender to puree.
• Egg, fresh, 2 large
• egg white, fresh, 10 large
• Milk, 1%, 3/4 cup
• Cinnamon, ground, 1/2 tbsp
• Raisins, 1 miniature box (.5 oz)
• *Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, 3 tbsp-4 tbsp

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and let stand for 10-15 minutes to soften and meld flavors.

Preheat a large non-stick pan over med-high heat . Her recipe said use cooking spray, I have always found cooking spray burns and gives a nasty flavor when pan cooking like this. I brush my pan with coconut oil (this will add a little calories, but it is good fat).

Pour batter in 1/4 cupful amounts into pan,like pancakes. Cook til golden brown one one side, flip and repeat. if they are still soggy in the middle, turn your heat down a little so they can cook longer but not get burnt.

makes 20 - 1/4c puffs.

Orange Ginger Soup

It has been a long time since I posted! It isn't that I haven't been cooking or eating, though!

I have been busy lifting, working and going to school..whew.

Here is a recipe we made recently, it is from "Gourmet Nutrition: The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover" by John Berardi, Micheal Williams and Kristina Andrew This cookbook is full of amazing recipes! I haven't made anything pout of it that wasn't good.

You can purchase a copy of it here :
http://www.gourmetnutrition.com/ it is well worth the money :)

Carrot, Orange and Ginger Soup
makes 4 large servings or 8 small servings

Soup base:

2 tsbp coconut oil (or butter)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder
6 cups baby carrots
3/4c fresh orange juice
1/2 can coconut milk
3 cups lowfat milk (I used the entire can of cocnut milk, 14oz, and 2 cups milk)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

I added 3 stalks of celery, chopped, to the soup base.

Garnish (to make it a complete meal):

cooked chicken breast, cubed. Add what yopu need to make it a meal per servong (I added 5oz per serving)

Preheat  a large pot on med-high heat. Add 1 tbsp cocnut oil, then the onions and celery, saute until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add the remaining oil, ginger, cinnamon and chili powder and saute 1 minute more. Add the carrots, OJ, cocnut milk and milk. Bring to a boil. reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer until carrots are soft (10-15 minutes). let mixture cool for a few m inutes (go walk the dog). Add salt & Pepper and then puree with food processor or blender until smooth.

Divide into 4 large serving or 8 small, add chicken and enjoy :)

A large serving has approximately (approximate because I added celery and changed the amount of coconut milk/milk)
Calories 513
Fat 20g (mostly good coconut fat)
Carbohydrates 38g
Fiber 6g
Protein 44g (this must be with the chicken added)

Awesome reheated and even tasty cold...