Muffin in a Minute - MIM

This is a very popular breakfast recipe over at the Wheat Belly site.  There are many different versions you can play with - based upon what you like and what you want to try!  You are limited only by your imagination here.  One of the things I miss MOST is my daily chocolate chip bagel with cream cheese from the deli so I added dark chocolate chips and some truvia and topped it with cream cheese.  Bubba likes the version I make with cinnamon and walnuts.  I made a savory version with butter and parmesan and used it as a dinner roll.

Lots of people put fruit or various seasonings in them to get either a sweet version or a savory version.  Since it's a quick and easy 'muffin in a mug' you can make a different one for each person at the table.  It's wonderful for those on Stage 1 who are missing the grains because the almond flour and flaxseed meal are nuts and seeds and not grains, so enjoy!

QUICK TIP - measure/mix up the dry ingredients ahead of time and then whip it all together in the morning.

Other ideas for this recipe include slicing it up and using it for french toast or cutting it up to make a bun for a sandwich.  I cut it up and put my runny eggs on it.

This may not seem like a lot but it's very filling! 
PS:  don't sub coconut flour, when I tried that it was a flop.  :(

Muffin in a Minute

1 egg

1/4 cup almond flour

2 tbsp flaxseed meal or ground flaxseed

1 tbsp. coconut oil or butter melted

1/2 tsp baking powder

*SWEET version - also add  1 tsp sweetener, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp vanilla,
(may also add chopped pecans, walnuts, strawberries, blueberries, dark choc. chips.)

*SAVORY version:  also add garlic or onion powder, parmesan cheese or rosemary

Put the oil or butter at the bottom of a coffee mug and zap it to melt it (this also coats the mug so the muffin doesn't stick)

Stir the rest of the ingredients into the mug until smooth and microwave 1.5 to 2 minutes, until the top is no longer wet. 

I like to run a knife around the edges to free it up and it just pops out onto the plate.

Spread with butter or cream cheese or nut butter.

Print the recipe along with a picture of my favorite Wonder Woman mug:  Muffin in a Minute 

Please comment below and share your ideas on what YOU'D put in your muffin - thanks!

Butter Chicken (Indian Style)

This was really really really good.  And it was very creamy, rich and filling.  I served this by itself but I bet it would be great with Cauliflower Rice made with a touch of curry powder.

Well okay....I'll admit it but I won't show the picture - I tried to make the Indian style naan bread out of oopsie roll dough by frying it in coconut oil but it was a disaster.  :( 

Please be careful going down the list of ingredients.  I accidentally put in too much garam masala (because I was going 1/2 tsp all the way down the line and oops...) and that seasoning is STRONG.   I even went to brag to my Indian co-worker about making this dish and she said 'dang we don't even use garam masala-it's too strong!'   So if you don't have any, don't feel like to you have to run out and buy some for this recipe.

TIP - tomato paste:  I hate opening a can and having so much leftover.  So, I measure it out in tablespoons and plop them on a paper plate (not touching) and put in the freezer, then when they're frozen, toss them together in a baggie and keep frozen until you need some.  No waste and tomato paste is so good in many dishes.

Butter Chicken

makes 4 servings

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp chili powder (use less if you don't like it too hot)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garam masala

14 oz uncooked chicken, cut into cubes (2 large chicken breasts)

3 1/2 oz tomato paste

3/4 cup of cream

parsley, fresh or dried

Mix all of spices together, then the add spices to the chicken cubes, mix and set aside.  I did this all in a baggie and it was easy.

Melt the butter and fry the onion and garlic gently for 2 minutes. Add the spiced chicken and continue to fry gently for a further 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley before serving to make it pretty.

Print the recipe:  Butter Chicken

Chocolate Chiapioca Pudding

I loves me some chocolate pudding and I'm also interested in using chia seeds so I was eager to try this recipe.  I have a mixer at home and I'll use it at the drop of a hat so I did a cheater version and put everything in the mixer bowl and just turned it on every five minutes until it was ready.


I can't really tell you how much sweetener to use - it's a Jersey thing...no, but really, it's personal preference.  And I kept adding agave and it just didn't taste right, so I added some Truvia and that did it for me.  Wait until it thickens up a little and add the sweetener, mix, taste and then see what more you'd like to do. 


OH - and guess what else?  I had this after dinner one night and I had energy to get up and go - so out I went grocery shopping - and I also did a lot more chores around the house that night than I usually would so this will give you some 'get up and go'.   Best of all, the Kid, who continually mocks my chia gel ate a big bowl of this and thought it was tapioca - so neener neener on her!


One morning I had forgotten to make a new batch of chia gel for my smoothie so I plopped in some of this pudding instead and it worked just fine!  Pudding Smoothie, anyone?


It tastes better than it looks!



PS:  Isn't 'chiapioca' a cute word!  I can't take credit for it though, I got that from Robert on the Wheat Belly Facebook site.  He also gave me a regular chiapioca pudding recipe to try.  I'll have to get back to you on that one.

Chocolate “Chiapioca” Pudding

makes 4 servings

adapted from Maria's Delicious and Nutritious Journal

3/4 cup chia seeds

2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk

    (or use plain almond milk and add a little more vanilla extract)

 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

 

pinch of salt

sweetener of your choice (agave nectar, Stevia or Truvia) to taste



In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together and then let the pudding set up for a few minutes.

Stir the pudding every five minutes.

After sitting for 20 minutes the chia seeds will thicken up and it resembles tapioca pudding.

Print the recipe:  Chocolate Chiapioca Pudding

Breakfast Muffins

I doubled the recipe and made a dozen
I stored them away for quick breakfasts on the go!

I was really happy with this recipe, it's very flexible.  The original recipe calls for bacon but I decided to use chopped nitrate free chicken sausages instead and also add some sauteed mushrooms.  I think it would also be good with other sauteed veggies, you wouldn't necessarily have to use meat if you don't have something suitable to use.

These reheated very nicely and I was sure happy to see them the next day when we were in a hurry to get out the door.  Bubba liked ketchup on his. 

Breakfast Muffins

makes 6 muffins

adapted from Free Coconut Recipes

1 large link of chicken sausage 

1/2 cup chopped veggies

3 eggs

2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil, olive oil or melted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons coconut flour

1/4 teaspoons baking powder

4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded/diced

Coconut oil (for greasing muffin tin)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop up sausage and/or veggies and fry in a skillet with coconut oil or butter. Set aside. 

Blend eggs, 2 tablespoons of oil or butter, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Add coconut flour and baking powder. Mix until there are no lumps.

Add sausage and veggies to batter along with cheese. Mix until incorporated.

Grease your muffin pan with coconut oil or use paper inserts.

Pour batter into muffin tin and bake for 15 minutes.

Print this recipe - Breakfast Muffins

Turkey Summer Squash Casserole

This wasn't too difficult to throw together and it makes so much.  Any of the recipes that make huge amounts should be your cue to portion out the rest and freeze them in serving sizes for those nights when you just can't face another salad or need a quick lunch to take to work. 

Do you know the trick to freezing portion sizes?  I didn't and it was so stupid-easy that I was a bit embarrassed.  I'm almost embarrassed to assume that you don't either.

Cut the item(s) into serving slices.  Put them on paper plate(s) - make sure they don't touch each other - and put plates in freezer.  When the item is frozen solid, grab them all and throw them in a freezer bag.  Since they are individually frozen, they won't stick together.  Easy peasy!

Don't skimp on the yogurt/sour cream - I didn't have quite enough and it was a little dry but the casserole was really tasty.  Try to use organic seasonings if you have them but don't beat yourself up about it.  Do the best you can with what you have!

Turkey Summer Squash Casserole

Servings: 8

adapted from Free Coconut Recipes

1 lb ground turkey

2 tablespoons taco seasoning or steak seasoning

2 cups shredded raw sharp cheddar

1/2 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped peppers (your choice of what you prefer)

2-3 cups summer squash, diced (yellow, patty pan, zucchini)

1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

2 tablespoons coconut oil

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large skillet on med high heat, sauté onions and peppers with half the coconut oil and salt and pepper to taste until soft, remove from pan. Brown turkey using the rest of the coconut oil in the skillet, until just cooked and tender.

While turkey is cooking, dice the squash. Drain any extra liquid from turkey and add the seasoning.

Grease a 9x13" glass dish. Place half of the squash, peppers and onion in dish. Cover with half of the turkey mixture and half of the shredded cheese. Spread yogurt over cheese. Add in the rest of the squash, peppers and onion and cover with the rest of the turkey mixture, topping with the rest of the cheese and some fresh cracked pepper.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the top is starting to brown. If cheese starts to brown too soon, cover with foil.

This was good with a dollop of sour cream and salsa on top.

Print this recipe - Turkey Summer Squash Casserole

Tamari Mushrooms

This was a big hit the other night.  I served it with some salmon that I cooked using the Bronzed Sea Bass recipe I've posted previously.  Bubba doesn't like mushrooms, so he ate one, then first gave one to me, one to the Kid, etc.  He's a smart guy.

Most soy sauce contains gluten (wheat) but tamari is soy sauce that is more natural and it's not too difficult to find.  If you have an Asian ingredient aisle in your grocery store, check it out.

Tamari Mushrooms

2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces white button mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons tamari

ground black pepper to taste

Parsley, dried or fresh

Melt the butter in frying pan over medium heat; add the mushrooms; cook and stir until the mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic; continue to cook and stir for 1 minute.

Add the tamari; cook the mushrooms in the tamari until the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top for garnish.

1/2 cup of mushrooms = 1 serving of veggies

Print the recipe:  Tamari Mushrooms

Protein Pancakes

Someone shared this recipe over on the Wheat Belly Facebook page.  They said "They are thick and crispy and taste like heaven!"  She was right.  This batch made about 3 pancakes the size of my hand and I enjoyed them with lots of melted butter and half a banana on top.  I put together the dry ingredients the night before to save time so all I had to do was stir and cook.  Not only that but I was really surprised at how much energy I had that morning and that I forgot to eat lunch too.  They were really filling!

Protein Pancakes

feeds one hungry person or two not-so-hungry

3 tablespoons vanilla whey protein
   (if you have regular flavor, use that and also add 1 teaspoon vanilla)

 

2 tablespoons almond flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon truvia (optional)

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon melted butter

1-2 teaspoons water or milk

coconut oil for frying

In a bowl mix up all ingredients except the coconut oil.

Spoon batter into a frying pan loaded with hot coconut oil (the type with coconut flavor). Cook till brown, flip then cook again till other side is brown. Don't overcook!

Top with banana, blueberries or strawberries or raspberries or a dollop of full-fat Greek yogurt, try some whipped cream, drizzle agave or melted butter or smear a little nut butter. 

If you ate the entire batch, I'd guesstimate it was 1 serving of protein and 1/2 serving of fat.....

Print the recipe:  Protein Pancakes