Pseudo "Shortcake"

Shortcake with fresh strawberries & whipped cream

2 c. HDMB Pancake & Biscuit Mix
1 c. nonfat milk
1/4 c. Splenda, granulated
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350F.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet with spray oil. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined (dough will be be sticky). Drop onto cookie sheet into four equal "lumps".

Bake for 30 minutes. Can be served warm or cold.

Serves 4

Per serving
Calories - 233
Carbohydrates - 36.4g
Sugars - 1.6g
Fiber - 3.6g
Fat - 2.8g
Saturated Fat - 0.7g
Cholesterol - 64.2mg
Protein - 14g
Sodium - 326.4mg

Toppings are extra. (As pictured above,  385 calories)

Protein Pancakes

Pancakes with fresh raspberries and whipped cream

2.5 c. HDMB - Pancake & Biscuit Mix
1.5 c. nonfat milk
1 Tbsp flax seed, ground
3 Tbsp water

Preheat skillet.

Mix flax and water in a small bowl and set aside. Combine pancake mix and milk until consistency is smooth. Add flax mix and combine thoroughly.

Spray skillet lightly with spray oil. Pour 1/4 c. of the batter onto the hot skillet. When edges of pancakes are dry, and bubbles popped do not fill in with wet batter, flip the pancake. Cook for 2-3 more minutes.

Serve hot.

Serves 4 (3, 1/4 c. pancake)

Per serving
Calories - 271.5
Carbohydrates - 46.5g
Sugars - 5.9g
Fiber - 4.9g
Fat - 2.4g
Saturated Fat - 0.4g
Cholesterol - 165.9mg
Protein - 16.7g
Sodium - 395.6mg

Pancake & Biscuit Mix

5 c. white flour
4 c. whole wheat flour
3 c. wheat graham flour (can use whole wheat)
2.5 c. instant nonfat dry milk
1/4 c. baking powder
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1.5 c. Splenda, granulated (or other bake safe dry sweetener)
8 scoops whey protein powder, unflavored
1/2 c. flax seed, ground
2 Tbsp vanilla powder (optional)

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight container. (If you're like me and keep protein powder around, wash and save an empty 2 lb container. It will make the perfect storage vessel)

Makes 18 cups
Serving size 1 cup (approx. 130g)

HDMB Pancake & Biscuit Mix 1 cup (130g)	Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix 1 cup (122.7g)	Jiffy Pancake/Waffle Mix 1 cup (114.2g)
Calories - 368.4 Carbohydrates - 65.8g Sugars - 2.2g Fiber - 7.1g Fat - 2.9g Saturated Fat - 0.5g Cholesterol - 20mg Protein - 20.7g Sodium - 553.6mg	Calories 485 Carbohydrate 78.8g Sugars - 3g Fiber 3g Fat 15.2g Saturated Fat 4.5g Cholesterol 0mg Protein 9.1g Sodium 1485mg	Calories -520 Carbohydrates - 88g Sugars - 4g Fiber - 4g Fat - 18g Saturated Fat - 4g Cholesterol - 9mg Protein - 8g Sodium - 1280mg

Sweet & Spicy Lemon Chicken

Inspired by Eating Well's Lime Honey Glazed Chicken

Sweet & Spicy Lemon Chicken with brown rice and salad

3 Tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp soy sauce, light
4 tsp Lemon peel/zest
6 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp dill weed, dried
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
20 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast (Four 5 oz breasts)

Mix honey, soy sauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, and spices in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 400°F

Remove the chicken from the marinade (reserve marinade) and place in a shallow baking dish.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and boil until reduced by about half and thickened to a glaze, 8 to 10 minutes.

Brush chicken with glaze and continue to bake for 10-20 minutes more or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 165°F.

Serving Size: 1 breast (approximately 3.5-4 oz. cooked)

Per serving
Calories - 169.1
Carbohydrates - 10g
Sugars - 8.5g
Fiber - 0.2g
Fat - 0.8g
Saturated Fat - 0g
Cholesterol - 77mg
Protein - 33.1g
Sodium - 765.2mg

Chicken Taco/Burrito filling

Served over lettuce with cheddar cheese,
toasted thin corn tortillas (cut in strips),
tomato, sour cream, and
HDMB Greek Dressing. Calories - 474

300 gr chicken breast meat, no skin, cut into strips
1 med. tomato, diced (Image)
1/4 c. water
2 tsp cumin, ground
1 tsp garlic, minced (Image)

Put all ingredients in a skillet over medium heat. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked.

Serve over salad; or as a taco, burrito, enchilada filling

Served as a burrito with flour tortilla, cheddar cheese
tomato, sour cream. Calories - 504

Serves 4

Per serving (approx. 75gr)
Calories - 97
Carbohydrates - 2.3g
Sugars - 0.6g
Fiber - 0.5g
Fat - 0.8g
Saturated Fat - 0.1g
Cholesterol - 0.2mg
Protein - 17.9g
Sodium - 35.3mg

Creamy Lemon Chicken

This is one of those recipes where you can really have fun with spices. I used Sumac because I'd just replenished my supply and had missed it. You could just as easily use dill or oregano or curry or any other spice that sounds appealing to you.

Creamy Lemon Chicken w/broccoli

1 tsp olive oil
1 med onion, diced (Image)
1 Tbsp garlic, minced (Image)
1-3/4 cup skim milk
2 Tbsp potato flour
1 Tbsp sumac (dried)
1 Tbsp lemon zest (or 1 tsp dried lemon peel)
1/4 tsp garlic salt
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (approx 700 g)
1 cup cous cous (optional)

Heat olive oil in skillet over med-high heat. Add onions and garlic, stirring lightly for 2-5 minutes. Whisk potato flour into milk. Pour over onions and garlic. Reduce heat to med-low and stir in spices.

"Covered" chicken

Place chicken thighs in mixture, covering completely (see image right).
Cover and simmer for 35 min or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Remove chicken and add cous cous to liquid. Stir and cook over low for 5 minutes.

Serve.

Serves 4
Chicken only - 80g, cooked weight
Complete meal - 230g, cooked

Per serving (approx. 230g)
Calories - 447.3
Carbohydrates - 45.3g
Sugars - 5.7g
Fiber - 3.2g
Fat - 8.4g
Saturated Fat - 2g
Cholesterol - 300.5mg
Protein - 44.4g
Sodium - 296.5mg

Greek Salad Dressing/Vinaigrette

1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. basalmic vinegar
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp garlic, minced (Image)
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 Tbso McCormick Greek Seasoning blend
1 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients well, with a whisk or shaker. Allow to sit for at least 2 hours before serving. I recommend recycling an old salad dressing bottle/jar or other tightly sealed container for storage.  Shake/Stir well before serving.

Makes 10 servings

Per serving (2 Tbsp)
Calories - 53
Carbohydrates - 1.5
Sugars - 1g
Fiber - 0g
Fat - 5.5g
Saturated Fat - 1g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Protein - 0g
Sodium - 64mg

Bison Tomato Curry

Bison Tomato Curry with quinoa and salad

1 tsp olive oil 

5 oz bison sirloin, lean only, cubed (Image)

1 med. onion, chopped (Image)

1 Tbsp garlic, minced (Image)

1-3/4 cup tomatoes, diced 

1Tbsp curry powder 

1 tsp baharat

Heat olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Add bison, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly until meat is browned. Add tomatoes and spices, stir well. Reduce heat to med-low and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over quinoa, cous cous, or brown rice.

Serves 2

Per serving (approx. 207gr)
Calories - 168.9
Carbohydrates - 15.4g
Sugars - 0.1g
Fiber - 3.8g
Fat - 4.6g
Saturated Fat - 0.9g
Cholesterol - 43.9mg
Protein - 17.7g
Sodium - 55.7mg

Apricot Pork Loin w/ Saute'd Mushrooms & Onions

Apricot Pork Loin w/ Saute'd Mushrooms & Onions, baked potato & salad.

16 oz. pork tenderloin, lean only
3 apricots
1 Tbsp basalmic vinegar
1/2 tsp cloves, ground
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp olive oil
1 med onions, sliced and halved (Image)
1 pt mushrooms, sliced (227 g)
1 Tbsp garlic, minced (Image)

Marinade - Cut apricots in half and remove the pit. Place in small microwavable bowl and microwave for 60 seconds. Mash apricots slightly, with fork, and mix in basalmic vinegar.

Place pork and marinade in a small, flat container (or ziploc bag) and cover. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (can be overnight or all day if that's convenient).

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place pork in shallow baking dish. Set marinade aside in a small bowl. Measure out the cloves, sprinkle a dash on the pork loins, and dump the rest in the marinade. Measure out the garlic powder, sprinkle a dash on the pork loins, and dump the rest in the marinade. Put the pork in the oven and cook for 30-45 minutes, or until it has an internal temperature of 160 F.

While the pork is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Add onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent. Add marinade. Mix and cook for at least 5 minutes more. Can simmer on warm or low until pork is ready.

Serves 4

Per serving (approx. gr)
Calories - 189
Carbohydrates - 9g
Sugars - 5g
Fiber - 2g
Fat - 5g
Saturated Fat - 2g
Cholesterol - 74mg
Protein - 26g
Sodium - 61mg

The Spice Rack: Herbs & Spices

No recipe on this post, just a bit of thoughts of spices. This post is archived here.

Spices** make the difference between bland and fabulous when preparing any dish. It's easy to add a little salt or a little fat to add flavor, but when you're trying to eat healthier these are the most frequently omitted parts of any recipe; resulting in boring, bland foods that no one really likes.

If you're not familiar with the huge variety of spices available, or are uncomfortable using them, look for recipes that push your envelope a little. Look for the recipe that uses a spice you've only read about, or even one you've never heard of.

Follow the recipes directions exactly when you're just discovering the amazing world of flavor spices provide. Eventually, you'll find that you like dill better than thyme or sage a little less than marjoram.

Once you're familiar with the flavors, and sometimes textures, that different spices give to your food; you'll feel more comfortable experimenting and use oregano instead of cilantro or chili instead of black pepper.

Happy Cooking!





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These are currently the spices I have in my house which may be used in any of my recipes.


On the rack (or in the cupboard)

*allspice baharat, arabic *basil *bay leaf, whole bay leaf, ground *black pepper cayenne chili powder *cinnamon, ground *clove, ground *cream of tartar *cumin *dill

*dried onion *garam masala *garlic powder garlic salt *ginger, ground greek seasoning (McCormick) kharcho lemon peel, dried mace Madras Curry Powder marjoram mustard, ground nutmeg, ground

*oregano paprika *rosemary *sage, rubbed *salt sumac svaneti salt tarragon *thyme tumeric *vanilla extract vanilla powder

Perishable or refrigerated

cilantro chili sauce fish sauce

*garlic (minced or whole) *onion

soy sauce *worcesteshire sauce

*Essentials of a well-stocked spice rack
Essentials for my spice rack (in addition to *)

**Spices is used as a general term for herbs and spices, fresh and dried.

Bisquick Pancakes with a healthy-ish twist

I started with Bisquick's traditional pancake recipe and took off from there.

Pancakes with fresh strawberries and whipped cream

2 cups Bisquick - Original Pancake & Baking Mix
1/4 c. Whole Wheat Graham Flour
1-1/2 c. Nonfat (skim) Milk
1 Tbsp Vanilla Powder
2 Tbsp Flax Seed, ground
6 Tbsp water

Start by mixing the flax and water in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together Bisquick, graham flour, and vanilla powder. Add milk and stir briskly (or use a whisk or mixer) until mixture is mostly smooth (approximately 2 minutes). Add flax/water, mixing completely.

Spray preheated skillet lightly with spray oil. Pour by 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle. Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden.

Serves 5

Per 3 pancake serving
Calories -264
Carbohydrates - 42g
Sugars - 1g
Fiber - 3g
Fat - 7g
Saturated Fat - 1g
Cholesterol - 1mg
Protein - 8g
Sodium - 531mg

Traditional Bisquick Pancakes	HDMB Bisquick Pancakes
One 1/4 c. pancake (recipe makes 12)	One 1/4 c. pancake (recipe makes 15)
Calories 90 Carbohydrate 12 g Sugars - 1g Fiber 0g Fat 3 g Saturated Fat 1 g Cholesterol 30 mg Protein 3 g Sodium 280 mg	Calories - 88 Carbohydrates - 14g Sugars - 0g Fiber - 1g Fat - 2g Saturated Fat - 0g Cholesterol - 0mg Protein - 3g Sodium - 177mg

Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas with Spanish Rice, Refried beans, corn tortillas, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.

10.5 oz. (300g) chicken breast, long slices (or tenders cut in half lengthwise)
1 tsp olive oil
1 med. (180g) onion, halved and sliced (Image)
1 Tbsp garlic, minced (Image)
1 med. (115g) tomato, diced
1 cup (25g) cilantro, shredded
1 Tbsp cumin, ground
1 med. (200g) red bell pepper, sliced
1 med. (170g) orange bell pepper, sliced

Heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add chicken breast slices, garlic, and onion slices. Saute until chicken is cooked (white and opaque all the way through). Reduce heat to medium-low. Add tomato, cumin and cilantro. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add bell pepper slices and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until peppers are at the desired doneness (I like them with a little crisp left).

Serve with Spanish Rice, Refried Beans, and tortillas (Mission Extra Thin Corn Tortillas are a great healthy option).

Serves 4

Per serving
Calories - 142
Carbohydrates - 10g
Sugars - 5g
Fiber - 3g
Fat - 2g
Saturated Fat - 0g
Cholesterol - 44mg
Protein - 19g
Sodium - 70mg

Refried Beans

1 c. pinto beans, dry
1 c. mayocoba beans, dry
2 Tbsp garlic, minced (Image)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Add beans and sufficient water to cover them well (at least 3" over top of beans) to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for at least 1 hour. Drain.

Replace water, return bean pan to stove. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer for at least 1 hour. Drain.

Mash beans using a mixer or food processor (my preference). Return beans to saucepan. Add garlic, olive oil, salt, and 1 cup water. Mix well. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Optional: Return refried beans to mixer or food processor, mashing to desired consistency.

Serves 8

Per 1/2 c. serving (approx. 122.5g)
Calories - 159
Carbohydrates - 25g
Sugars - 1g
Fiber - 6g
Fat - 4g
Saturated Fat - 1g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Protein - 9g
Sodium - 129mg

"Spanish" Rice

2 c. brown rice, cooked
1 med. tomato, diced
1/2 Tbsp Brummel & Brown
1 tsp garlic powder

Melt Brummel & Brown in a high sided skillet. Add garlic powder, stir. Add cooked rice and tomato. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Serve. Excellent with any Spanish or Mexican main dish, added to burritos or enchiladas, etc.

Serves 4
Per 2/3 c. serving (approx. 140g)
Calories - 121
Carbohydrates - 25g
Sugars - 1g
Fiber - 2g
Fat - 2g
Saturated Fat - 1g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Protein - 3g
Sodium - 14mg