Balsamic glaze (good on Brussel Sprouts)

In small nonstick saucepan, boil balsamic vinegar at medium heat, then turn heat down to simmer.
Continuously stir for about 15-20 min.
Do not let it cool before serving or else it will congeal!

Good for one night only.

*American

Frozen Whipped Pineapple

Just made these via @CleanFoodCrush on instagram

Ingredients:
-5-6 cups of frozen pineapple chunks, let sit out for 3 min = 1 large pineapple
-1 cup of milk (used coconut milk)
-touch of sweetener (used a little honey)

Directions:
Blend on low

Notes:
Pineapple was frozen in ziploc bag for 4-5 hours which was definitely not long enough for it to get frozen. Tasted good more like a drink since not frozen enough. Probably didn’t need the honey.
Can try different milk if needed.
Made 9 servings using 3 small square bowls and 6 of the small Pyrex stored in the freezer.

Could work as pops instead.

*Dessert

Frozen Green Beans - Coronavirus Cooking

Have both kids tonight, so split a rotisserie chicken with a bag of frozen green beans and frozen sweet potato frites.

Ingredients:
-bag of frozen green beans (supposed to thaw, but I didn’t)
-1 Tbsp of butter
-Spices I used: garlic powder, minced garlic, onion powder, Italian, salt, pepper, cayenne

Directions:
1. Melt butter in pan
2. Add bag of frozen green beans
3. Add spices
4. Stir until hot (takes a bit of time if frozen)

Was pretty good, so would do again.

*American

*Sides

French Toast....a work in progress

So, I stopped eating sandwiches and have a lot of bread right now.  Over the weekend, I decided to make French Toast for dinner for Eric, Thomas, and me.  Used a few different websites including addapinch.com and the Almond Breeze website.

The problem was that I wanted to use 12 slices of bread (4 each). In the first batch of 4 slices, I was quick with the dipping.  The 2nd batch, I was more generous with soaking the bread.  The 3rd batch, I ran out of mixture for the last piece of bread.

Overall, I thought it was dry and definitely needed the maple syrup.  But I like more eggy tasting, Eric does not.
I think the below mixture would be good for 9 slices of bread with good soaking, so 1 egg and 1/3 cup of milk per 3 slices of bread. So if I needed to do 12 slices again, would do 4 eggs + 1 1/3 cup of milk.  Add in a little extra of everything else.

Ingredients:
-3 eggs 
-1 cup of almond milk 
-1 tablespoon of coconut sugar (alt. honey, maple syrup, monk fruit)
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract (consider doing a full 1 tsp)
-1 tsp ground cinnamon
-1 pinch of salt
-1 T butter (melted in bowl and used to grease pan before each batch)
-above mixture good for 9 slices of bread

Directions:
1. Leave bread out for a couple of hours to get dry
2. Whisk ingredients in dish (used the 9x9 glass dish)
3. Use butter to grease pan
4. Dip bread on both sides
5. Cook in pan - seemed to take a while, so make sure pan is hot around 7 setting
6. Put finished pieces in the oven at 200 to keep warm - recipe also considered baking for 15 min at 400 afterwards to prevent soggy centers

*Breakfast

Hawaiian Turkey Burger

Taken from various, but mainly Spidesinmydna.com

Ingredients:
-1 lb lean ground turkey
-2 scallions, thinly sliced
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 tsp ginger (used ground bc didn't have time for fresh)
-1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (maybe use 1/2 cup)
-1 egg (maybe don't use next time)
-2 T soy sauce (next time use 1 T)
-2 T hoisin sauce
-pinch of salt
-1/2 tsp ground black pepper
-red pepper flakes'
-1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

Toppings:
-pineapple - grilled the slices
-red onion, sliced
-green bell pepper, sliced
-avocado - didn't use this time bc didn't have time

Directions:
-Mix turkey in bowl and make patties


Note: Used 99% lean and always will I don't care.  None of the recipes called for an egg, but I felt that that other burger recipes did, so I added it in anyways. The mixture was super sticky.  Probably needed some more bread crumbs/panko.

I also used the cast iron griddle pan. Cleaning it is super painful.  Not sure if it is worth it.

Steps to clean it.
-water and salt paste
-use brush
-can heat on stove to get bits off
-no soap
-completely dry

-clean right after cooking - blah

*Burger

*American

*Hawaiian

*Pineapple

Overnight oats - Bulking series

Because I read a post on how healthy oatmeal is, I did try it a few months ago, but didn't take.  However, now that I got almond milk, I think it is definitely tastier.  I did think about almond milk using too much water, but technically, so do cows. 
Also, last week I stopped doing intermittent fasting.  Basically, I would just skip breakfast and not eat until 12:30.  However, I want to try and gain weight to build muscle, see if I can do a lean bulk or "body recomposition" because I don't want to do the classic bulk and cut.  I'm no body builder, but I just want to get stronger.  My goal is to do a 50 lb weighted pull up.  Currently, I'm at 48 lbs. 
Anyways, I have also been using myfitnesspal to count calories, and I have been consistently over 2000 (3000 yesterday).  And now, I have had oatmeal 2 days in a row now this weekend for breakfast. :)

Original recipe referenced from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup rolled oats
-1/2 cup of milk
-1 tsp chia seeds
-frozen blueberries

Extra add ons: bananas, other fruit, peanut butter, nuts, vanilla extract
Hmm - try protein powder?
Hmm - try greek yogurt? (1/2 cup per recipe)

Directions:
1. Add oats, milk, chia seeds, (yogurt) and stir
2. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 5 hours
3. Add the add-ons if needed

Will last for 4 days supposedly.

*Breakfast

*Snack

*Lunch

Vanilla Cocoa Almond Milk Popsicles - Eric's series

Because I bought almond milk last week, I had been using in overnight oats, but Eric thought about making them into cocoa popsicles!
He referenced this recipe from nutritiouslife.com, but looked at some others to make his own.

Ingredients:
-1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 T honey (or to taste)
-1 tsp monkfruit sweetener (1 packet)
-1 T cocoa powder 
-other: he made another set with peanut butter - yuumm

Directions:
1. Blend all ingredients until smooth
2. Spoon into mold
3. Freeze

Eric did his own thing when making, but they were sooooo good.  Will definitely be a new dessert staple in the house.

*Dessert