DAY 1

Here is my first daily menu post. You should know that I'm not a master photographer, and I have no clue about food presentation. Consider yourself warned. =)


Breakfast!!!

This is a pretty typical breakfast for me. Yoplait Yogurt is all gluten-free (that could always change so check labels). This muffin is one of my new favorite recipes! It's Quinoa Banana and it's amazing. I may have eaten more than one....but this is about what I eat, not how much, right? ;)

Here's the recipe:

Banana Quinoa Muffins

2 mashed bananas

2 Tbs Canola Oil

1 egg

1/2 C fat free milk

3/4 tsp vanilla

2/3 C Rice flour (I used Bob's Red Mill All Purpose, you can use plain rice)

1/2 C quinoa

1/3 C sugar

1 3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

dash nutmeg

1/2 C chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Combine bananas with wet ingredients, mix well. Mix dry ingredients in another bowl. Combine mixtures but don't stir too much! Grease muffin tin, fill 12 muffin cups. You can fill them almost all the way as these don't rise much. Bake for about 16 minutes. You won't be sorry.

Lunch

I had leftover Bear Creek Potato Soup. Did you know you can eat that? The brocolli and chilli ones, too! I love them because they're so filling and they're not terribly high in calories. I always add extra brocolli, this one has cauliflauer and carrots, too. The other half of the banana went to the little sugar bear. Actually, so did most of this half, too.

The bread is Whole Foods' brand rice bread. This is the first time I bought it and I'll for sure buy it again! It's in the frozen section. It's about the same price as other brands out there but it's a bigger loaf, therefore actually cheaper. It tastes pretty good. I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of gluten-free bread anyway, but this is a good one. I always toast GF bread. Then it's as if it's supposed to be the texture/density that it is. =)

FYI, I also like Kinnikinnick's Rice Bread. I've found it at Harmon's and other health food stores like Good Earth. It tastes a lot like the Whole Foods bread.




DINNER

This is one of our favorite recipes! It's called Mandarin Chicken, it's from my mom's ward cookbook and it's divine! I love recipes that are simple and don't call for any "weird" ingredients (weird=something I don't keep in my pantry..._). It's served over quinoa, and the orange mushy stuff is acorn squash with butter and brown sugar.

Mandarin Chicken Recipe

3 Chicken Breasts (you can leave them whole but I cut mine into smaller pieces)

Sauce:

3/4 c. sugar

1 Tbsp soy sauce

4 Tbsp ketchup

1/2 c vinegar

1/4 c chicken broth

Pour sauce into 9x13 pan.  Roll chicken in beaten egg and then cover with corn starch.  Fry on stovetop in 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil.  Place chicken ontop of sauce in pan and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.  Serve over rice or quionoa with brocolli.

About quinoa....it's delicious. It's a whole grain, high in protein and fiber. It has a really great texture and taste. It's a nice alternative to rice, which gets a little old. Phil was just enlightening me about how it comes from South America and something about the Spanish overcoming the aztecs....anyway, you can read about it here, but definitely try it if you haven't already.

DESSERT


Unfortunately, I completely devoured this before taking a picture. These treats are our all-time favorite dessert ever in our whole lives! You can buy this on Amazon, or at Whole Foods, Good Earth, or Harmon's. I add 1 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup cinnamon chips (I use the Hershey brand...they're only around during the holidays so you have to stock up!).