Coconut Banana Egg-ffles

Ever since I bought a waffle maker last week I have been playing with ingredients… mostly eggs I admit… but I have been trying to come up with a real ‘waffle’ recipe. So far I have not succeeded, but these Coconut Banana Egg-ffles is honestly one of my better failures!

It is kinda eggy but just  not too eggy so it is worthy of a bit of syrup or a some applesauce or fruit for topping.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.  Next time I would add some cinnamon and a bit of vanilla… yes, there WILL be a next time….

My ingredients made 5 waffle ‘squares’… I just divided them between 2 plates to serve.  And if you are a vegetarian and don’t eat bacon, just don’t use it of course.

Coconut Banana Egg-ffles
Makes 2 servings.

• 4 large fresh eggs
• 1 medium banana
• 1 Tbs coconut flour
• 1 Tbs crumbled bacon

1. Blend eggs, banana and coconut flour in a medium bowl.
2. Pour approximately 1/2 cup of mixture into waffle iron, or the amount recommended for your own waffle iron.
3. Sprinkle with a few bits of crumbled bacon on the top.
4. Cook according to instructions.
5. Remove to plate and keep warm.
6. Repeat until all batter is used.
7. Serve warm with a bit of syrup or fruit.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 179; Protein 14g; Carbohydrate 4g; Fat 11g; Fibre 2g.

I used my immersion blender to mash the banana and mix the ingredients.

I don’t overfill my waffle iron with batter cause I am afraid of messy cleanups!

Revmove from waffle iron and keep warm while the rest cook.

Add some topppings and get ready to dig in.

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Bacon and Tomato Sauce

Doesn’t everything just taste better with bacon on it?
 
I don’t eat regular pasta anymore, preferring zoodles or spaghetti squash strands over wheat flour or even brown rice noodles.  But The Captain does like his pasta so I threw this together for lunch on Tuesday after we came home from the tennis court.

I was hungry, and hoped this might be quick. I already had some zoodles prepared and waiting in the fridge, so I put some water on to boil for The Captain’s linguine noodles while I made this sauce. It all came together in about 20 minutes.

I always keep some cooked, crumbled bacon in the freezer. It is just so handy to add a spoonful or two for a little flavor boost.  I also keep peeled garlic cloves in the fridge, too. If you don’t have crushed tomatoes on hand, use diced, or even fresh.. and you could also use your immersion/handheld blender to puree them if you like.

Bacon and Tomato Sauce
Makes 2 servings.

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 3/4 cup white onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh or dried basil for garnish and flavor punch

1. Warm the olive oil in a skillet or saucepan over MEDIUM heat.
2. Add the garlic and onions and saute about till softenened but not browned, about 7 or 8 minutes.
3. Add the bacon and mix.
4. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes and mix again. Allow to heat through.
5. Remove from heat and then ladle sauce over noodles of choice on serving plates. Garnish and season before serving.

Per serving, sauce only.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 132; Protein 8g; Carbohydrate 10g; Fat 7g; Fibre 2g.

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Green Pepper Boats with Egg and Avocado

I have come to really enjoy a few slices of perfectly ripe avocado along with my morning eggs...  ever since I first made these Avocado and Egg Boats.

I was having a hankering for them again when came across a green pepper in the crisper that was looking a little neglected.  So, I decided to use that too and ended up with Green Pepper and Egg Boats with Avocado.

If you are a vegetarian, just leave the bacon out.  But it does add a distinct flavor burst to the whole meal.

This is a big breakfast that will easily keep you going till noon... or it could certainly pass for lunch or even dinner, too.

Green Pepper Boats with Egg and Avocado
Makes 2 servings

• 1 large green pepper, cut in half vertically and cleaned
• 2 eggs
• 3 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut in slices (about 4 oz net)
• crumbled bacon
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Place the green pepper halves on a baking sheet, cut side up.
3. Crack an egg into each ‘boat’.
4. Bake for 15  minutes.
5. Place 3 pieces of cherry tomato in each boat and return them to the oven. Bake for another 5 minutes.
6. Remove to serving plates.
7. Spread the avocado slices onto each boat, and sprinkle with crumbled bacon, salt and pepper before serving.

Per boat, with 1 tsp bacon.
Weight Watchers P+ = 5.
Calories 203; Protein 9g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 15g; Fibre 5g.

You could easily cook 2 eggs in each if the pepper halves are large enough.

After 15 minutes the eggs will still be slightly runny.

Mmmmmm… This is just so good.  Lots of my favorite flavors, all mixed together.

Printable Recipe

Are you a runny egg fan?  

What about avocados.... love 'em or leave 'em?

Best Cookies EVER! Gina's Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

A couple of weeks ago Gina posted this recipe for her Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies…. I had to make them right away!

I knew they would be pretty high in calories and in fat grams, so I used only 2Tbs of crumbled bacon and made 10 cookies instead of the 8 that Gina made in order to spread the calorieso out… but my goodness they are the BEST cookies EVER.  I looooooved them.

They are grain free and made with almond meal so they are right up my low carb alley!

The bacon is not obvious in them at all.  Don't be put off if you are not a bacon fan.

 I gave these cookies to The Captain and he liked them but still never has guessed that there is bacon in them.

But what he did like and what I LOVE about them, is that the bacon adds just a bit of saltness to the mixture and really really enhances the dark chocolate flavor.

Honestly!  You MUST try them… go to Gina’s blog NOW and get the recipe.  You can find it on the Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies post.

Into the oven we go…

Be sure to let them cool completely cause they love to fall apart.. yeah, betcha can’t wait that long!

I did calculate the N.I. as I made them and it turns out not too bad, even from a Weight Watcher's eve view!

Per cookie.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4
Calories 124; Protein 3g; Carbohydrate  6g; Fat 11g; Fibre 1g.


What d’ya think?  Would you try them?

Bacon and Egg Muffins

In preparation for starting another Whole30 Paleo Challenge today, I have been doing a lot of food prep the past few days.

If you you know anything about eating Paleo, you know that it takes planning and preparation… so that you have suitable things on hand to eat, especially for days that you are running short on time.

Yes, you can always throw together a salad and open a can of tuna to plop on the top of it… but you likely don’t want to live on salad… as much as I love salad, I don’t want to eat it 3 times a day either... no matter what the variations might be.

So, a couple of days ago, I made some Curried Coconut Sweet Potato Soup..

and a large batch of Beanless Beef Chili…

This morning, I made some Bacon and Egg Muffins…

and I have a couple of pork roasts with some apples and onions cooking in the crock pot right now, which will become Pulled Pork when done…

It is smelling pretty good around here right now!

I want to share these Bacon and Egg Muffins with you… over the years I have been privvy to some ideas shared by my Weight Watchers friends for easy and quick breakfasts.  Several of them make what they call ‘Breakfast Quiches’.  They mix eggs or egg whites with a variety of chopped veggies and then bake them in muffin cups.

These little quiches are very handy as they can be kept in the fridge for several days. They make quick breakfasts or easy snacks and they are portable and quite tasty.  They are easily reheated in the microwave oven.

But today I wanted something just a bit different, so I added some cooked bacon to the mixture…. they are delicious.  Now, I am sure that in a pinch, you could use pre-cooked bacon bits in these muffins and they would be fine… but I had some bacon in the fridge so I used that… they are truly delicious!

Change the proportions if you like to make more .. or add different veggies too, such as chopped peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, or spinach.

I used silicone muffin cups, set inside a muffin tin, so no other preparation was needed, but if you use a regular muffin pan, you may want to coat it with a non-stick spray.  I haven’t tried paper liners so cannot vouch for them.

And please don't be afraid of these recipes we label 'Paleo'... all it means is that the recipe will be grain free, dairy free and sugar free.  What's scary about that?

Bacon and Egg Muffins
Makes 9 muffins

• 6 slices bacon, cooked till crispy, then cut into small pieces
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/8 cup diced white onion
• 1/2 cup kale, cut into small pieces 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare your muffin tins.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Spoon the mixture into 9 muffin cups, trying to make sure the proportions of bacon, eggs, and veggies are approximately the same in each.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. Allow to cool a bit before removing the muffins from the pan.

Per serving of 1 muffin.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 72; Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 1g; Fibre 0g; Fat 5g.

Printable Recipe

I took the opportunity to bake an egg in each of the 3 empty muffin cups in my 12-cup tin.  I love Baked Eggs… give them a try too!

Baked Potato and Leek Soup

Is there anything nicer that a pot of homemade soup on a gloomy day? It evokes feelings of comfort and warmth... and it makes the house smell so great, too.

I bought 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, with an eye to making another batch of Potato and Leek Soup, but when I got the potatoes out to scrub them up, I decided to bake them before putting them in the soup pot.  I think it makes a creamier soup.

I hope you will give it a try. It makes up very quickly and we really enjoyed it.  Use chicken broth if you like.  I used my homemade vegetable broth in this soup.

Baked Potato and Leek Soup
Makes 6 servings of 1-1/2 cups each

• 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, just over 2 pounds in total
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1 large leek, washed and the white thinly sliced
• 3-1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp salt
• Dashes of pepper and thyme

1. Scrub the potatoes and either bake them in the microwave oven for about 12 minutes or in a conventional oven for about an hour, till they are cooked through.
2. Leeks like to hide sand between the layers so wash thoroughly and then slice the white part very thinly, and discard the green part.
3. Pour the oil into a large saucepan, and gently saute the leek, separating the rings as it cooks.  Keep the heat on LOW until the leek is cooked and tender.  This may take about 10 minutes.
4. When the potatoes are cooked, cut them into chunks and add to the soup pot.  If you have used a variety of potato that does not have tender skins, like a Russet, you may want to just scoop out the cooked flesh to use, and discard the skin.
5. Add broth to the pot, stir, and raise heat to HIGH, and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat, add salt, pepper, and thyme, and let cool for a few minutes.
6. Blend a bit with your hand-held immersion blender, but leave as chunky as you like. 
7. Serve with a sprinkle of real crumbled bacon, a dollop of fat free sour cream or yogurt, and a bit of grated cheddar cheese.  Season as required with salt and pepper.

Per serving, without garnishes.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 86; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 16g; Fat 2g; Fibre 2g.

Scrub potatoes and poke a hole in them before baking them in the microvave oven.

Don't use the green part of the leek.

Heat oil and gently saute leek slices.

You do not want them to brown or get crispy, just tender so keep heat LOW.

Cut baked potatoes into chunks.

Add potatoes and broth to the soup pot and heat through.

A bit of crumbled bacon, grated cheddar and fat free sour cream make nice garnishes and add flavor.

And you may want an extra sprink of salt and pepper too.

Printable Recipe

BSAT Salad

I love BLTs  and they just get even better with the addition of some avocado.  I wanted to have a big salad for lunch, and so I made this up... absolutely delicious!  I used spinach leaves but you could use Romaine or mixed greens if that is what you have on hand.

If you want bread, toast a slice or 2 of whole grain bread to go alongside.



BSAT Salad
Makes 1 serving

• 2 cups cut or torn spinach leaves
• 6 grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/2 small avocado, sliced (about 1-1/2 ounces)
• 1 Tbs cooked crumbled bacon
• 1 tsp EVOO
• 1 Tbs white balsamic vinegar
• dashes of salt and pepper

1. Place the cut spinach leaves on a dinner plate and then layer on the the tomatoes, avocado slices, and bacon crumbles.
2. Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar on top.
3. Season with salt and pepper.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 164; Protein 6g; Carbohydrate 8g; Fat 13g; Fibre 4g.

Printable Recipe

Diner-Style Dinner... Less the Fat and Calories

I am a big fan of eating traditional breakfast foods at dinner time.  For some reason, I find items such as pancakes, waffles, and eggs very comforting and love to use them in preparing homey meals. especially when the weather is wet and stormy.

I baked a few red potatoes a couple of days ago, to have them on hand and ready to use during this rainy, windy weather we are having right now.  Tonight I decided to heat them up with some eggs and make a tasty diner-style meal.... but without all the traditional diner-style fat!

You could add a bit of chopped onion or peppers if you like.  I used some spinach, but mostly for color.  I always keep a bag of real crumbled bacon on hand in the fridge.  It adds really nice flavor to so many dishes. 

You might also want to add a second egg to each plate, for another 2P+ each.  That would make a hearty meal, indeed.  And you could always have it for breakfast, if you like!



Eggs with Baked Hash Browns
Makes 2 servings

• 2 medium-sized potatoes, already baked and cooled
• 1 Tbs crumbled bacon
• handful of spinach leaves, chopped
• 2 whole fresh eggs
• 1/2 ounce of low fat cheddar cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the potatoes into large chunks and place in a microwave safe dish. 
2. Add the crumbled bacon and spinach, and stir altogether.
3. Put in the microwave oven and cook on HIGH for 3 minutes.
4. In the meantime, fry the eggs in a saucepan, till done to your liking.
5. Divide the potato mixture between 2 plates, and top with an egg and half the grated cheese.
6. Season with salt and pepper.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 6.
Calories 220; Protein 12g; Carbohydrate 26g; Fat 8g; Fibre 2g.

Printable Recipe

Quick Beans 'n Bacon over Pasta

This dish was born of the need to get something on the table for dinner, in a hurry!

We had a busy afternoon and by the time I got around to thinking about making something to eat, it was already well past our normal meal time and we were hungry.

I put water on to boil, measured out 4 ounces of spaghetti noodles and started rummaging through the refrigerator for something to put together together to call a sauce.

Here is what I came up with... it was delicious, ready in 15 minutes, and The Captain said he would like to have it again.  It is quite garlicky so if that deters you, either leave it out or use less.  I bet it would be great over brown rice or farro too.

Beans 'n Bacon Over Pasta
Makes 2 servings

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup white onion, chopped coarsely
• 1 cup canned dark red kidney beans
• 2 Tbs pre-cooked real bacon bits
• 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes
• dash of spaghetti seasoning
• 1 Tbs lite parmesan shreds

1. Cook pasta of your choice according to the directions on the package.  I normally allow 2 ounces dry pasta per serving.
2. In the meantime, in a microwave casserole dish, combine the garlic, onion, beans, bacon bits,tomatoes, and seasoning.
3. Cover the dish and place in the microwave oven on HIGH for 3 minutes.
4. Remove the lid, stir the contents and cook for another 3 minutes.
5. Divide the cooked and drained pasta between 2 dinner plates and spoon half of the sauce on top of each serving of pasta. 
6. Sprinkle with parmesan shreds.

Per serving, not including pasta.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 177, Protein 14g; Carbohydrate 23g; Fat 3g, Fibre 6g.

Note:
If you do not have spaghetti seasoning, substitute dashes of dried basil and oregano.

Everything in the mike dish, ready to cook.

15 minutes later, plated and ready to eat.

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