The recipe for a Breakfast Smoothie seems like a good breakfast alternative. And if you have the ingredients prepped and ready to be blended it seems like a pretty quick recipe as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients

* 1 banana
* 1/2 apple
* 1 kiwi, peeled
* 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
* 1 cup orange juice
* 1/2 cup soy milk
* 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
* 1/2 cup tofu
* 3 tablespoons unsalted natural peanut butter
* 2 tablespoons aloe vera juice
* 2 tablespoons flaxseed oil
* 1 teaspoon barley grass powder (optional)

Directions

1 In a blender, combine banana, apple, kiwi, mixed berries and orange juice. Blend until smooth. Add soy milk, yogurt, tofu, peanut butter…Keep reading.

Well, when I was looking for a soup recipe I came across this recipe for African Sweet Potato Stew and it seemed like a good fit for obvious reasons. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 cups chopped cabbage (to save time, use packaged slaw mix)
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 18-ounce can sweet potatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 14 1/2-ounce can tomato wedges or diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 1/2 cups tomato juice
• 3/4 cup apple juice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups frozen cut green beans
• 1/3 cup natural peanutbutter

Directions

1. Heal oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion; Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Mix in cabbage and garlic; Cook, stirring, until cabbage is tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tomato juice, apple juice, ginger, and red pepper flakes….Keep reading.

Weekends are the time to add a little fun to the diet. If you try to eat really well during the week then there’s no reason you can’t relax a bit on the weekends. Here’s a recipe for Chocolate Chip Muffins from Mr. Breakfast. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

(12 servings) Printable Version

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup light-brown sugar
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup milk
* 1/2 cup butter — melted and cooled
* 2 eggs – beaten
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 package (12 oz) chocolate chips
* 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans — chopped

Preheat oven to 400 F. and grease up twelve muffin cups…Keep reading.

Here’s a great sandwich alternative from the Food Network. I would use whole wheat tortillas and perhaps spinach instead of lettuce as a way to get in some veggies and whole grains, but other than that the recipe seems really tasty. If anyone tries it let me know.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• Four 10-inch flour tortillas
• 8 to 12 trimmed leaves of green or red leaf lettuce, washed and dried
• 12 ounces sliced cooked turkey breast
• 12 slices apple-wood smoked bacon, cooked
• 1 vine-ripened tomato, cored and cut into 16 wedges
• 1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 16 slices tossed with 2 teaspoons lime juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup arugula or watercress, washed and dried
• 1/2 recipe Ranch dressing, recipe follows

Directions

Wrap tortillas in barely damp, doubled layers of paper towels and microwave on high for 45 to 60 seconds. Alternatively, heat the tortillas individually in an un-greased large skillet over medium heat.

Lay the tortillas on a cutting board and start to layer the ingredients. Fan the leaf lettuce on the top three-quarters of each tortilla then lay the turkey slices on top, followed by the bacon, tomato, and avocado. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with the arugula and some of the dressing. Fold up the bottom quarter of the tortilla and then start to roll each sandwich into a cone shape. Secure the tortilla with a toothpick...Keep reading.

Pancakes always make a good Sunday breakfast. You just can’t go wrong with a nice, fluffy, golden pancakes. In honor of the upcoming Vancouver Winter Olympics this weekend’s recipe is Fluffy Canadian Pancakes from allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

Ingredients

* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 cup milk
* 3 egg yolks
* 3 egg whites

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Stir in milk and egg yolk until smooth.
2. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain…Keep reading.

I love a good chicken salad or tuna salad or salmon salad, hell add turkey to the list. Something about noodles, fish or fowl, mayo and assorted seasoning that makes me a happy girl. Check out this Rotini Chicken Salad recipe from Allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

Directions

1. Fill a pot with lightly-salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the chicken breast in the boiling water until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken breast should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Cut the breast into cubes and spread in a single layer on a plate; place chicken in refrigerator for 1 hour, or until completely cooled...Keep reading.

It’s cold.

And while it’s warming in the south, I know you northern folk are still pulling out those long johns to keep your tushies from feeling like icicles. In times like these you need meals that are going to not only feel you up, but keep you warm as well.

Enter this weeks Weekend Recipe: New England Clam Chowder.

Nothing is more filling (and warming) then a good bowl of chowder. So fire up those stoves and prepare to get warm. Enjoy!

Ingredients

* 4 slices bacon, diced
* 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* ground black pepper to taste
* 3 cups half-and-half
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 2 (10 ounce) cans minced clams

Directions

1. Place diced bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in water and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
2. Pour in half-and-half, and add butter. Drain clams, reserving clam liquid; stir clams and 1/2 of the clam liquid into the soup. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Do not allow to boil.

Okay, french toast may not be the healthies thing you can eat, but I think form time to time you should have some fun food. Having french toast for breakfast from time to time won’t kill you. I found this great recipe from the Flavor Diva – which is a REALLY great site by the way if you’ve never checked it out:

Classic French Toast
Serves 2 – 4

4 slices of brioche or challah bread
1 cup of milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons maple syrup plus more for serving
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Generous sprinkle of cinnamon
Generous pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter

In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Slice bread into one inch thick slices. One at a time, place the bread in the bowl with the milk and egg mixture for about 30 seconds, then flip to soak the other side for another 15 – 30 seconds. Set soaked bread aside.

Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Melt one tablespoon of butter and then put two of the soaked bread slices into the skillet (all four slices if they fit easily). Cook on one side for about four minutes. Then flip and cook on the other side for another 4 minutes (re-flip if necessary to get a nice golden brown color)….Keep reading

Here’s a healthy sweet potato pie recipe, great for dessert and perfect for holiday dinners .

Mock-Southern Sweet Potato Pie*

There’s nothing fake about the flavor in this heart healthy treat.

For the Crust

• 1¼ cup flour
• ¼ tsp sugar
• ⅓ cup skim milk or soy milk
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

For the Filling

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 3 large eggs, beaten or egg substitute
• ¼ cup canned evaporated skim milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups sweet potatoes, cooked, mashed

Yield: 16 servings

Serving size: 1 slice

Each serving provides:
Calories: 147
Total fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg
Sodium: 98 mg
Total fiber: 2 g
Protein: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Potassium: 293 mg

Keep reading

As promised!

1 pkg frozen tilapia (four pieces)
2 tblsp olive oil
garlic powder, pepper, sea salt, to taste
1 pat of butter
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1/2 lemon

I have one of those stovetop grills/griddles which works really well with not only fish, but any meat! If you dont have one of these, thaw the fish before cooking in a nonstick pan.

Heat grill – coat with nonstick spray if needed.
Place two pieces of fish on grill. Sprinkle 1/2 olive oil over fish.

Add garlic powder, pepper and sea salt to taste. Cover fish with a lid and cook on high for two minutes or until exposed side turns white.

Turn fish – add other half of olive oil and seasonings. Cover fish again and cook on medium for three minutes.

Uncover fish and top with spinach, some of the lemon juice and 1 pat of butter. Cover and cook on medium until the spinach just wilts.

Remove fish, squeeze rest of lemon on top and enjoy!!

Total carbs – 5 gr

Now that is eating!!