Category Archives: Main Courses

GUILT FREE PIZZA BITES

GUILT FREE PIZZA BITES

(This recipe is gluten-free, low-carb, higher in protein, guilt-free, low in fat, high in fiber and freaking the best craving solution ever!)

Makes 24 Cauliflower Pizza Bites

Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups Grated Cauliflower (washed, dried and grated using a food processor or cheese grater by hand until rice-like or thinner – Note – Approximately one head of cauliflower)
  • 1/4 Cup Egg Whites
  • 1 Cup 1% Cottage Cheese (drained)
  • 1 Tsp Oregano
  • 2 Tsp Parsley
  • 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil (Optional)
  • 1-2 Tbsp Frank’s Hot Sauce (Optional)

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 450 F.
  2. Using a healthy cooking oil spray your mini muffin tin.
  3. In a hot frying stir fry the “cauliflower rice” until the cauliflower is slightly translucent (about 6-8 minutes). Place in a bowl and let cool.
  4. Place all other ingredients the food processor and blend until smooth.
  5. In a bowl combine both the “cauliflower rice” and blended ingredients. Mix completely.
  6. Evenly spoon mixture into your muffin tin molds. Press pizza dough down evenly and firmly (*The pressing down firmly is very important to make sure these stick together).
  7. Place in your oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
  8. Remove the pizza bites from the oven and let set until cool (This is also very important – let these pizza bites set in their pan for 5 – 10 minutes before removing – If you take them out while they are too hot they will break).
  9. Once cool remove from muffin tin (either by tipping them out OR by running a thin knife down along the side and popping them out).
  10. Use organic, natural pizza or pasta sauce for dipping Enjoy!

Tips – Here are my main tips to make your pizza bites crusty:

  1. Make sure your cauliflower is dry after washing.
  2. Bake until crust-like. If you peak at your crust at the recommended cooking time and they are not golden… cook longer.

Hearty White Bean Chili

Hearty White Bean Chili

YIELD: 8 servings
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 9 hours 5 minutes
Details

Looking for an easy dinner? This thick, hearty slow-cooker chili recipe is delicious any time of the year! Using leaner cuts of poultry, such as turkey or chicken breast, reduces the fat content but delivers a taste sensation.

Ingredients

• 1 lb / 454 g dry great northern beans or white kidney beans, rinsed and picked over
• 4 cups / 950 ml low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups / 480 ml yellow onions, chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp / 10 ml ground cumin
• 1½ tsp / 7.5 ml dried oregano
• 1 tsp / 5 ml dried ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp / 0.625 ml ground cloves
• 1 x 4-oz / 120 ml can chopped green chilies
• 2 lbs / 907 g boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast, grilled and cubed
• 1 tsp / 5 ml sea salt

Preparation

  1. Place beans in a soup kettle or Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover beans by two inches. Bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 1 hour. Drain and rinse. Discard liquid.
  2. Place beans in a slow cooker. Add the chicken broth, onions, garlic and seasonings. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 hours or until beans are not quite tender. Add the chilies, chicken and sea salt. Cook for another hour until beans are tender.
  1. Nutritional Value per Serving:
  2. Calories: 259
    Total Fat: 2 g
    Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
    Total Carbs: 18 g
    Fiber: 5 g
    Protein: 39 g
    Sodium: 818 mg
    Cholesterol: 2.5 mg

Spicy Vegetable Pasta Fagioli

Spicy Vegetable Pasta Fagioli (with chicken or beans)
Homemade recipe by: Mike DeFuria

Ingredients:

1½ cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped sweet green peppers
½ cup chopped sweet red peppers
½ cup chopped sweet yellow peppers
½ cup chopped sweet orange peppers
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup chopped hot chili peppers
2 chopped habanero peppers (optional)
4 tbsp olive oil
2 pounds boneless chicken breast, skin removed
or
3 cups kidney beans
1 ½ cups pinto beans
1 cup green or wax beans
1 cup snow peas
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup zucchini chopped, seeds removed
1 cup summer squash chopped, seeds removed
2 cups cauliflower
2 cups broccoli
6 cups diced tomatoes

Spices:

½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp chipotle chile pepper
½ tsp crushed red chile pepper
2 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano
½ tsp black pepper
sea salt to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot (8 quart) over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, sweet peppers, hot peppers, carrots, and habanero pepper; cook and stir until the onion is transparent.

2. Cut the chicken into bite size chunks, add to the stock pot, add half the spices, cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the meat is no longer pink. Skip this step if making with beans.

3. Add the diced tomatoes, stirring into the onions, garlic, peppers, etc. Add the remaining spices and bring to a slow boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the pinto and kidney beans and bring to a slow boil. Skip this step if making with chicken.

5. Add the longer cooking vegetables, cauliflower, green beans, broccoli, etc. and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the softer vegetables, zucchini, summer squash, celery, snow peas, etc. and continue to simmer. Cook until the vegetables soften but are still crisp, remove from the stove.

Notes:

1. Use all fresh vegetables
2. Nutrition below is with “no salt added” tomatoes
3. Nutrition below is with “no salt added” beans
4. Spice to your preference
5. Salt to your preference
6. Makes 5 quarts (20 servings, 1 cup per serving)
7. Great over brown rice, whole wheat pasta, or any hearty pasta
Nutrition (chicken):

* Calories 147
* Fat 4.6 g
* Saturated Fat 0.9 g
* Cholesterol 39 mg
* Sodium 58 mg
* Carbs 10 g
* Dietary Fiber 2.6 g
* Protein 16 g

Nutrition (beans):

* Calories 120
* Fat 3.2 g
* Saturated Fat 0.4 g
* Cholesterol 0 mg
* Sodium 24 g
* Carbs 19
* Dietary Fiber 5 g
* Protein 5.3 g