Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites

I love sweet treats!  After seeing a few recipes for no-bake energy bites, I wanted to create a version as well.  I noticed most of them contained a large amount of honey or agave to hold the bites together.  I wanted to reduce the amount of sugar in these (even though honey and agave are non-refined sugars, they are still a form of sugar).  I thought I'd use egg whites as a binder instead to cut down on the sweetness and increase the amount of healthy protein.  These are not overly sweet energy bites, but I like them.  They were also kid-approved by a 9, 7 and 2 year old!

These are super easy to make!  Here is what you'll need: rolled oats, unsweetened coconut, peanut butter, chocolate chips, coconut sugar, egg whites.

Just 4 easy steps: beat, mix, form, bake!  First I beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.

Next, add the rest of the ingredients into a separate bowl and mix them together.  Then fold in the egg whites until you have a nice sticky mixture.

I used a small ice cream scoop to portion them out and then rolled them into balls.

I then baked them at 325F for 12-15 min.  Let them cool and enjoy!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites

1/4 c. egg whites, beaten into stiff peaks
1/4 c. natural peanut butter (at room temperature)
1 c. rolled oats (regular, not quick cooking)
35 g unsweetened shredded coconut
45 g chocolate chips
2 tsp coconut sugar

Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.  In a separate bowl, add in the remaining ingredients and mix together.  Fold the egg whites into the peanut butter/oats mixture.  Shape into balls and bake at 325F for 12-15 minutes.  Makes 17 energy bites.

Choco-Almond Cookies (no refined sugar)

Who doesn't love a sweet treat?!  I made these for my sweet nieces and nephew over the weekend...they loved them and gobbled them up within minutes!

They were super easy to make and only took a few minutes.  First I pre-heated the oven to 350F.  Next I added 3/4 c. of rolled oats (regular, not the quick cooking kind) into my Vitamix along with 1/3 tsp of baking soda and blended on high until the oats were a fine powder. Note: I have only tried this recipe in my Vitamix, so I am not sure how it will work using a food processor or basic blender).

Next I added 1 tbsp of coconut oil, 2 tbsp of room-temperature almond butter, 1 tbsp of unsweetened shredded coconut, 2 tsp coconut sugar, 1 egg, 2 tbsp of egg whites and 2 tsp of vanilla.  I then processed the works in the Vitamix until smooth.  Dump out the batter into a bowl and add 2 tbsp of chocolate chips.

I used a small ice cream scoop to put the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake in a 350F oven for 12-15 minutes, or until done.  Enjoy!!!  My batch made 10 cookies.

Choco-Almond Cookies

3/4 c. rolled oats (not the quick cook ones)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tsp coconut sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp chocolate chips.

Process the oats and baking soda until it is a fine flour.  Add all the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips and blend well.  Pour into a bowl and mix in the chocolate chips.  Spoon out onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 12-15 min.

Enjoy!!!

Citrus Garlic Shrimp

Shrimp makes such a great meal!  It is high in protein, low in fat, and quick to cook!  I love this recipe for shrimp, since it takes minutes to make and can be kept in the fridge for a few days and be ready for when a quick lunch or dinner is needed.

I start with frozen shrimp that are pre-cooked, peeled and de-veined.  I usually place them in a large bowl with cold water and let them thaw in the fridge (I find the water helps take away some of the salt).

Once defrosted, I take the tails off and place them in a bowl.  To the bowl, I grate in the zest from 1 lemon and 1 lime, I then squeeze in the juice of half the lemon and half the lime.  I then add a few tablespoons of rice vinegar to the mix.

Next I chop up a handful of parsley and a close of garlic and add it to the mix.

Then, stir to combine (I like to put them in a container that has a lid and shake the works together).  I let them sit for a few hours to allow them to soak up all the great flavours -- they will last in the fridge for about 2 days or so (if they aren't gobbled up before then!).  Serve cold.   Enjoy!!

Turkey-Zucchini Meatloaf Muffins (with Mushrooms)

I love having quick and convenient "grab and go foods" -- something that is healthy and has a nice ratio of carbs/protein/fat is even better!  I had read some great reviews of Jamie Eason's Turkey Meatloaf Muffins, so I wanted to try and create a version that was tasty, but with more veggies in them.  This is my version of the recipe -- I really like them.  They taste delicious and remind me of the hamburgers my Ukrainian grandmother used to make.

If you have a food processor with a grater attachment, then the prep of these is easy.  If you don't happen to have a food processor, you can use a box grater and some elbow grease!

To make the muffins, I grate 1/2 a sweet onion and 2 zucchinis in the food processor and then dump them into a large mixing bowl.  The onion lets off some water -- I leave it in the mix for added moistness.

Next, I replace the grater blade with the chopping blade, and add 4 oz of a mixture of cremini and button mushrooms, 1 handful of italian parsley, 4-5 springs of fresh thyme, and 1-2 cloves of peeled garlic to the food processor and blend them together until finely chopped.  Feel free to leave out the mushrooms.  I have also made this recipe where I added 2 cups of spinach as well -- another great addition!!

Add this chopped mixture to the bowl with the zucchini and onion.  The rest of the ingredients can then be added to the mix: 1 lb extra-lean ground turkey, 1/2 c. egg whites, 1 c regular rolled oats, 1 tbsp. dijon mustard, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp pepper, and some chopped green onion.

Now comes the fun part -- with clean hands mix the work thoroughly.  Feel free to use a wooden spoon to mix everything together if you don't want to use your hands.

 Once mixed, I use a large ice cream scoop to portion them out.  I have baked them in muffin tins, or also just as "scoops" on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat (or parchment paper).

Bake at 375F for 40-45 minutes, until they are cooked.  Wait for them to cool, and then enjoy! I think they taste best the next day after all the flavours have had a chance to meld together.  I enjoy eating them cold, right out of the fridge!  You can also double the recipe to make a nice big batch!

Turkey-Zucchini Meatloaf Muffins (with Mushrooms)

1/2 sweet yellow onion, grated (about 200 g)

2 zucchini, grated (about 350 g)

4 oz mushrooms, finely chopped (I use a mixture of cremini and button mushrooms)

4-5 sprigs of thyme, stems removed, finely chopped
1 handful of parsley, finely chopped (along with any other fresh herbs you may have on hand -- oregano, rosemary, etc)
1 tsp dried 'Herbes de Province' (optional)

1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2-3 tbsp green onion, chopped

1 lb extra-lean ground turkey

1/2 c. egg whites

1 c. rolled oats (I use regular, but you can also use the quick cooking oats)

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Grate the onion and zucchini and add it to a large mixing bowl.  Finely chop the mushrooms, garlic, parsley and thyme (and other herbs) and add it to the mix.  Add in the additional ingredients and mix well.  Scoop out into muffin tins or onto a parchment lined baking sheet. I use an ice cream scoop that is about 1/4 c size. Bake at 375F for 40-45 min.  Makes about 20 muffins.

Nutritional Information (per muffin)