Burrito

I love waking up to these testimonies!

"Maria, thanks to your posts and books I am enjoying a new lifestyle. I am doing a weight loss program and your recipes have been a tremendous help. In less than a year I have lost 86 pounds. I have 14 to go to meet my first goal of loosing 100 pounds. 

So far my diabetes is in remission. No longer using and insulin pump or taking oral hypoglycemic medications. I was so sick and fat and heading for an early grave.  

I look forward to following your page and creating new dishes/ recipes with your help!! 

PS: Your boys are so blessed that you and Craig are their parents. Keep up the great work!!

Sue"

One thing that people often complain to me is that it costs too expensive to eat healthy. One way we save money is by not eating out. In a past life I LOVED Chipotle, but now we make a much healthier version and more affordable version at home.  TIP: Make extras and wrap in foil just like Chipotle does. You have lunches ready for the whole week!

PRICE COMPARISON
Chipotle Burrito = $6 for one serving
"Healthified" Burrito = $2 per one serving


"HEALTHIFIED" BURRITO 
"TORTILLA":
Coconut oil/butter/peanut oil for frying
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup Jay Robb unflavored egg white or whey protein
2 oz cream cheese, softened
FILLING:
2 cups Cauliflower "Rice"
2 cups Organic Lettuce
1 lb Organic Chicken/Beef/Pork Loin
1 jar Marinated Peppers (or sauteed fresh peppers)
1 cup Salsa
1 avocado

"TORTILLA": Separate the eggs (save the yolks for a different recipe), and whip the whites in a clean, dry, cool bowl for a few minutes until VERY stiff). Blend in the whey protein. Slowly stir in the cream cheese (without breaking down the whites). Heat the oil in a fry pan on medium high until a drop of water will sizzle. Once it is hot, place a circle of dough on the pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove from heat and place on a plate. Fill with your desired burrito filling and enjoy! Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per tortilla)
Chipotle Tortilla = 290 calories, 9g fat, 7g protein, 44g carbs, 2g fiber
"Healthified" Tortilla = 126 calories, 8g fat, 11g protein, 1g carb, trace fiber

To make Cauliflower Rice: Cut the cauliflower into pieces and pulse in a food processor until small pieces of "rice." TIP: You can also use the heart of the cauliflower for rice, or use for making "French Fries."  Stir Fry the cauliflower rice in a saute pan for 3-5 minutes or until tender.  Set aside "rice." (TIP: pulse the cauliflower into "rice" ...leave raw...  2 days ahead of time and store in fridge for easy lunch/dinner options). If you want a visual, click HERE to see a video of me making Cauliflower Risotto on KARE 11 TV.


Chicken or Beef Filling: Place chicken breasts, beef roast, or pork tenderloin in a crockpot on low (I also dumped a jar of organic salsa in the crockpot). Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until you can pull the meat apart with a fork. When you get home you have awesome shredded meat to fill the tortillas with. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per burrito)
Chiptole Burrito (with rice, chicken, corn salsa, cheese, sour cream and guac) = 1975 calories, 104g fat, 56g protein, 179g carbs, 20g fiber
"Healthified" Burrito = 310 calories, 18g fat, 15g protein, 8g carbs, 3g fiber (5 effective carbs)

A law firm sued Taco Bell for claiming they use TACO "MEAT"...but they "meat" is only 35% beef! Most of it is fillers like maltodexterin (which is higher on the glycemic index than sugar!).

I don't know which is worse, Taco Bell for making this junk OR the fact that if they boost the "meat" to 40% the FDA approves it at... "meat!" I don't know which is worse, Taco Bell for making this junk OR the fact that if they boost the "meat" to 40% the FDA approves it at... "meat!"

Corned Beef "Noodle" Casserole

St. Patrick's Day is coming! This recipe is a perfect dish to prepare for that night. Cabbage contains vitamin C and folic acid. Cabbage protects against stress, infection and heart disease, as well as many types of cancers, according to the American Association for Cancer Research. To avoid gas after eating cabbage, add a few fennel, caraway or cumin seeds before cooking. Cabbage is also a good source of blood-sugar-stabilizing fiber, and the raw juice of cabbage is a known cure for stomach ulcers.

This dish can easily be made in a crockpot for an easy dinner when you get home or you can bake it in the oven. It tastes WAY better than it looks:)

1 large head of cabbage
12 ounces cooked corned beef
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup beef broth
4 ounces freshly shredded swiss cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion

Prepare a crockpot by lightly greasing the outside OR preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slice the head of cabbage into long noodle-like strips. Boil the cabbage "noodles" for 5 minutes, drain well. Combine "noodles", corned beef, cheese, cream cheese, broth and onion. Pour into the crockpot or a 2 quart casserole dish. Let cook on low in the crockpot for 6 hours or bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Makes 5 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Casserole = 561 calories, 58.3g carbs, 2.7g fiber
"Healthified" Casserole = 401 calories, 4.3 carbs, 2.2g fiber

Slow Cooker Chicken Gumbo

Here is an easy dinner to throw together the night before. I put everything in a Crockpot and prepared the cauliflower rice the day before. When I woke up, I pulled the Crockpot shell out of the fridge, plugged it in. Then all I had to do when I got home from work was to stir fry the cauliflower for about 5 minutes and "tada" a healthy, yummy dinner!



1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 (10-ounce) package frozen okra, thawed
2 links andouille sausage, diced
1 cup chopped onions
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups Contadina Thick and Zesty sauce
2 cups Cauliflower rice (I prepared the night before and had ready to stir fry when I got home)


In a slow-cooker, combine the chicken and all remaining ingredients except the cauliflower rice. Mix well to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve over cauliflower rice.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cup):
White Rice = 242 calories, 53 carbs, 0 fiber
Brown Rice = 218 calories, 46 carbs, 4 fiber
Cauliflower "Rice" = 28 calories, 3 carbs, 1 fiber

CLICK HERE to find the Food Processor I use to make "cauliflower rice"

Slow Cooker Curried Chicken

Here is an easy dinner for all of you busy families! I put everything in a Crockpot the night before. When I woke up, I pulled the Crockpot shell out of the fridge, plugged it in. When I got home, I had an awesome dinner waiting. I also served NAAN Bread with it.



6 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
4 TBS curry powder
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups Coconut Milk Kefir
6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs, about 2 1/4 pounds
1 1/2 TBS Celtic sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head cauliflower, broken into large florets
1 red pepper, cut into slices
1 yellow pepper, cut into slices
1 green pepper, cut into slices
1 bunch fresh mint or cilantro leaves, chopped
1 lemon, cut in wedges

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Add all the ingredients except the lemon wedge into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours.

Divide curry evenly into bowls and scatter freshly torn mint or cilantro on top. Serve with a wedge of lemon. Easy and yummy!

NUTRITIONAL INFO (per cup) = 292 calories, 10.2 carbs, 2.3g fiber

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Here is an easy dinner to throw together the night before. I put everything in a Crockpot and prepared the cauliflower rice the day before. When I woke up, I pulled the Crockpot shell out of the fridge, plugged it in. Then all I had to do when I got home from work was to stir fry the cauliflower for about 5 minutes and "tada" a spicy, yummy dinner!



1 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 lb andouille sausage, diced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp hot sauce
1 pound frozen peeled and cooked shrimp, thawed
2 cups cauliflower rice

Place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until small pieces of "rice." Saute in a little coconut oil or butter for 5-8 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

In a slow cooker, combine chicken, sausage, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery, and chicken broth. Stir in oregano, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover, and cook on LOW for 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Stir in the thawed shrimp, cover and cook until the shrimp is heated through, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves and spoon mixture over stir fried cauliflower rice. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cup):
White Rice = 242 calories, 53 carbs, 0 fiber
Brown Rice = 218 calories, 46 carbs, 4 fiber
Cauliflower "Rice" = 28 calories, 3 carbs, 1 fiber

Traditional Jambalaya = 472 calories, 13g fat, 39g protein, 42 carbs, 2.5g fiber
"Healthified" Jambalaya = 303 calories, 13g fat, 36.5g protein, 8.1 carbs, 2.5g fiber

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE FOOD PROCESSOR I USE TO MAKE "CAULIFLOWER RICE"

Slow Cooker Chocolate "Cup" Cakes

This is a cute and easy dessert recipe to prepare the night before and have ready to go in the AM. These can also be baked the day before. They also freeze well.

This recipe works great as a large torte if you want to bake it in a cake pan instead...but the "cup" cakes are SO cute!

7 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 ¾ sticks salted butter
1 ¼ cup erythritol (Organic Zero)
2 TBS Stevia Glycerite
5 large eggs
1 TBS peanut flour (optional)

Grease cute coffee cups. OPTIONAL: place the butter in a saucepan and "brown" the butter (if desired…tastes way better!). Once the butter is brown (not black!), slowly add the chocolate (don't burn the chocolate). Add the sweetener. Let cool in fridge for a while. Once cool, add one egg at a time. Last add the peanut flour. Pour into greased coffee cups, and place into crockpot (filled with 1 inch of water, for a "water bath"). Cook uncovered for 4 hours on LOW. Serve with fresh whipped cream OR cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese frosting:
1 stick salted butter or coconut oil
8 ounces cream cheese or coconut cream
3 TBS Vanilla Almond Milk
¼ cup Organic Zero or 1 TBS Stevia Glycerite (to taste)

Brown the butter in a sauce pan (stir constantly on high heat until light golden brown – it makes such a difference!!!). Once brown add the cream cheese, almond milk, and sweetener to taste. Mix until creamy and allow to cool for at least 2 hours, it will thicken. Spread on top of coffee cup tortes and enjoy. SERVES 16

Nutritional facts per serving: 285 Calories, 5 Grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrates, 2.3 GRAMS FIBER.