Cupcakes & Coffee Breaks

I'm sort of at the point where I've cut so many things out of my diet, that things I once hated are now delicious. Example: sweet potatoes. So how did I manage the cheesy mess that is pictured directly to the left? Enter cheesy sweet potato fries. They aren't actual fries, though I suppose you could cut them into fry shapes. However, if you're like me, you won't care, and will choose to simply have your husband cut sweet potatoes into slices. The following recipe will let you treat yourself with a healthier version of cheese fries that tastes suspiciously similar to it's fattening alter ego. You will need: 2 sweet potatoes 5 tbsp of olive oil 1 tsp of salt 4 tsp garlic Cheese (cheddar, mexican blend, etc) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, and cut your sweet potatoes into slices that are roughly 1/4 inch thick. Place the slices into a bowl, pour in the olive oil, salt, and garlic, and toss until the slices of sweet potato are covered. Spread the sweet potato slice

Finding a low carb or grain free alternative to pizza is not the easiest task, but if you like (or don't mind) mushrooms, this may be the answer to your pizza cravings. There are no measurements, as this is a fairly straightforward recipe using a few simple ingredients: Portobella mushroom caps Pizza sauce of your choice Mozzarella cheese Pizza toppings, if desired You need to cook the mushrooms before adding the toppings. You could probably cook them for a few minutes in the oven, but I chose to grill them using a counter-top grill/sandwich maker. First, wash the mushrooms, removing the stems and gills, which should come out easily with a spoon. Coat with olive oil, and grill for 3-5 minutes on each side. Remove from heat. Add some sauce, your cheese, and toppings, and cook for about 5 minutes in 350 degree oven, or until cheese is melted, Then, enjoy! These little pizzas are filling, low carb meal or snack, or could even be served as an appetizer. You may also be interested in: M

This moussaka-style casserole is made with lean meat, eggplant, and feta cheese for a tasty casserole that is even better the next day. This recipe was inspired by the one found here , though the one that I actually made, detailed below, is slightly different. In my effort to eat more veggies, the husband and I picked up two eggplant about a week ago at the grocery store. Not wanting to waste it, after I found it still sitting in the refrigerator, I scrambled to find an eggplant recipe that looked intriguing, but wouldn't take up the greater part of the day. You will need: 2 pounds of ground turkey, or other lean meat 2 tsp olive oil 2 large eggplant 2 pounds of cauliflower (I thawed and salted a bag of frozen) 2 tablespoons of garlic 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 cup of tomato sauce 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar Shredded mozzarella & feta cheese Jar of Alfredo sauce First, I recommend salting the eggplant to draw out excess

Peanut Butter Dip If you are looking to add a little something extra to your fresh fruit, but you don't want to pack on the calories, you should definitely try this simple and amazing peanut butter fruit dip! Why should you try it? It's delicious. It's easy to make. It's low carb. It's gluten free. You will need: 3/4 cup of plain, non fat greek yogurt 1-2 tbsp of peanut butter (room temperature works well) cinnamon, to taste 1 teaspoon of sugar or sweetener (I used Truvia ) To make the peanut butter dip, simply mix everything together. The peanut butter was a little hard to mix at first, but blended after a few stirs. Serve with sliced fruit, such as apples or bananas! You may also enjoy: Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes Breakfast Muffins