Healthy Double Chocolate Brownies

OK... OK... I know it's literally been FOREVER since I've posted ANYTHING!! This last year was C-R-A-Z-Y  to say the least... lots of traveling, having a baby, and moving across country!! I definitely put my blogging on hold... but I'm back!!! You could say these brownies inspired me to blog again... they're that good!!

I have been searching and searching to find, or create, a really great HEALTHY brownie recipe... FOUND IT!! My friend and practically 2nd mom, Tammy Windsor, introduced these bad boys to me but in the form of cookies.. they were delicious!! While going through the recipe it dawned on me... "This would make the perfect brownie!" So I just made a few changes and turned them into moist gooey brownies! My husbands exact words "WOW, these taste like real brownies!" Especially with hitting that New Years resolution of getting back on track to a healthy lifestyle, these have been making that possible! It feels like I'm cheating but I'm NOT... I love that feeling! Anyone with me?! It's that good!

Ingrediants:

1 (16oz) Jar Thick Almond Butter (creamy or with nuts)

3/4 Cup Honey 

2 Eggs, whisked

1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

2 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt

Preheat Oven 350

~ In a large bowl, mix together almond butter, honey, and eggs.

~ Add cocoa powder 1/4 cup at a time, baking soda, vanilla, salt and mix until completely combined. It should be a very thick dough and may need to use your hands, worth it!

~ Spread dough out onto a greased 13x9 Baking pan

~ Bake 15-18min (honestly depends on how soft you like your brownies... I do 15min)

~ Let cool and set for about 20min before indulging.

NOTE: Brownies will rise high while baking and then sink a little while cooling, that's normal.

Quinoa Salad

 Cold, fresh, and delicious! Great for summer BBQ's or a nice simple dinner at home! This salad is amazing with grilled shrimp!! Oh hot summer nights how I love you... nothing better than grilling outside while the kids are playing in the yard! It's the small things that get me!!

Ingredients:
1/2 red onion, Minced
5 tomatoes, roma, dice
1 large cucumber, dice
1-1/2 cup quinoa
1 Tbs chopped cilantro

Dressing:
1/8 Olive Oil
1/8 Tamari
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 lime, juice


~ Cook quinoa as directed (use chicken broth instead of water)
~ Place cooked quinoa in fridge for at least 1hr.
~ Cut all veggies. Mix dressing in separate small bowl.
~ Remove quinoa from fridge. In large bowl toss quinoa, veggies, and dressing.
~ Place back in fridge for 30 min for all flavors to marinate. Enjoy

Bacon Date Shrimp

 

Hot night in the Desert called for these babies!!! You won't be sorry!!! Sweet and Salty... probably every women's perfect combination of flavors!!

 

 

Ingredients:

17 jumbo shrimp

34 pitted dates

17 slices of bacon
 

 

Servings 4

~ Peel and clean shrimp

~ Grill bacon for about 6-8 minutes then remove (Bacon takes longer to cook than shrimp)

~ Slice dates in-half but not completely through (butterfly cut). Place 2 dates on shrimp (1 lower, 1 higher).

~ Wrap shrimp and dates with bacon. use toothpicks to hold in place.

~ Grill until shrimp and bacon are finished and crisp.


*Tip- try not to double layer bacon when wrapping shrimp... under layer won't cook as well.

Oriental Cabbage Salad - "Cook With Me"

A MUST TRY!!!! I have made this so so so many times since it was introduced to me by the one-and-only Monica Valadez!! AMAZING flavor, unbelievably EASY, and CLEAN ingredients!!! Tamari is just too good to be true... it adds incredible flavor to this dish and perfect for parties or just a simple dinner with the family! This is NOT YOUR AVERAGE ORIENTAL SALAD... so try it and be amazed!!!

Ingredients:
1 head green cabbage, thinly shredded
2-3 green onions
almonds, toasted
sesame seeds, toasted


Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tamari
2 TBS rice wine vinegar


Servings 4
~ Thinly shred cabbage, rinse, and place in bowl
~ In separate bowl whisk olive oil, tamari, and vinegar.
~ Pour tamari dressing over cabbage and toss. Top with almonds, sesame seeds, and green onion.

Joe's Scramble

Joe's Scramble is a dish from the famous Pikes place Market... while visiting Seattle  (where I'm originally from) my mom and I walked down to Pikes Place for a great breakfast at Lowe's. She ordered her usual breakfast "Joe's Scramble" and I followed... AMAZING!! So of course because it was so delicious I had to re-create this dish to share with YOU!! Sometimes you fall in love with a restaurant dish and then try to re-make it at home, only to result in total failure.. but this was not the case.  Joes scramble was super easy and turned out exactly like I hoped!!! Perfect switch up for morning eggs!!

Ingredients:
9 eggs
10-12oz sausage (a little spicy is good)
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 cup spinach
3 green onions, chopped
fresh parmesan cheese, shredded


*For fluffier eggs, add 1/8 cup half & half (or milk) while whisking eggs


Servings 4
~ In frying pan cook sausage over medium-high heat until done. Add mushrooms and cook another minute.
~ whisk eggs together in small bowl and add to sausage mix.
~ Cook until almost done, add spinach, cook until slightly wilted.
~ Top with green onion, parmesan, and Serve.

Creamy Balsamic Chicken

This recipe... WOW!!! Here is another dish from one of my dearest friends, Monica Valadez who I absolutely LOVE cooking with... This girl can cook!!! We've been having a blast wiping up some dishes together... great talks, great laughs, and great food!! This dish is AMAZING and yet extremely easy!!! I was actually a little shocked by the flavor... I knew it was going to be good but this was better than good!! Monica also threw together an oriental cabbage salad that was equally as shocking and amazing, which I will share in my next post. Basically the whole night was a home run and she continues to surprise me!!

 So thank you Monica for sharing yet another amazing recipe with The Girl Cooks Clean!!!

 

 

Ingredients:

6 Thighs & 6 drumsticks, with skin (Or your choice of chicken)

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 TBS balsamic

salt & pepper

coconut oil

 

 

Servings 4-6 

~ Salt and pepper both sides of chicken

~ In large pan fry chicken in some coconut oil over medium-high until cooked through and golden brown (slight crispness to skin)

~ Romove chicken from pan and set aside. Keep chicken drippings in pan.

~ Add heavy cream and balsamic to pan with chicken drippings. Wisk together (add a little salt if needed).

~ Place chicken back in pan and simmer in sauce for 10 minutes.

 

 

The Best Shish Kabobs - "Cook With Me"

This recipe is definitely close to home and one of my all time favorites!!! It's my dads famous barbequing and my moms famous marinade... Craved by many friends and family!!! My mom also has her own fabulous low carb food blog, The LC Kitchen!! 

When we have a BBQ with guests, this dish is always the huge hit and LOVED by all!!

This was a family affair... I chopped everything, mom marinated, and dad grilled. Nothing better than a warm night under the stars with an amazing family and great food!! Try this Family Favorite and I promise it will become YOUR summer hit!!!

Ingredients:

5 lbs. ribeye beef (or choice beef)

 OR chicken breasts

5 Zucchini or squash

5 red peppers

5 white onions

10 mushrooms

30 oz tamari

1/2 cup sesame oil

3 TBS garlic paste

skewers

 

  

**Tip - When using wood skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before using to prevent them from burning.

 

 

Servings 6-8 

~ Cut all meat and vegetables the same size... about 1 inch thick

~ in a bowl combine tamari, sesame oil, and garlic (Marinade)

~ Place Meat in large bowl and pour 1/2 marinade over and marinate for 45 minutes (if using beef) or 15-20 minutes for chicken. toss often to soak all meat.

~ Place veggies except mushrooms in a large bowl and pour the rest of the marinade over and marinate for 20 minutes. Toss often to soak all veggies.

~ Remove veggies from marinade and set aside. Place mushrooms in the same marinade and toss for 1 minute and remove from marinade. (mushrooms are like a sponge they will soak up very very fast so only leave in for 1 minute)

~ Build your kabobs!

~ Grill until meat is finished and enjoy!!

 

 

Marinate:

Meat 45 min

Chicken 15-20 min

Vegetables 20 min

Mushrooms 1 min