Cleaner Twist on Southern biscuits and gravy

It has been about 8 months since my last post mainly because I an teaching 3rd grade now and have 0 time to be creative in the kitchen AND because we pretty much eat the same things over and over again.

I woke up this Sunday morning craving a southern favorite. Being a daughter of an Akers, I was really wanting some biscuits with sausage white pepper gravy. Being dedicated to a clean eating lifestyle, I couldn't bring myself to eat the simple carbs of a white flour drop biscuit (my absolute FAVORITE homemade biscuit) and the saturated fat of sausage (which I don't have in my apt anyway).

SO, I began to think of ways I could twist this meal into my favor. The recipe I share is NOT what I would consider clean but rather a cleaner version of this southern breakfast. It is a tasty favorite of mine, but also reminiscent of both grandmothers and my grandfather's wife, Maxine. So here's to Grammy and Nanny and to all those who wage war on unclean foods.

Ingredients

- 1/4 pound lean, ground beef or turkey
- 1 tablespoon crab boil
- Cajun seasoning
- 4 pieces of whole wheat bread
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon, Light Smart Balance or yogurt butter (again I said cleaner not clean :)) see note
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup of milk

To prepare beef to taste like sausage

Brown in skillet with crab boil and cajun seasoning. Be sure to drain any grease

White Pepper Gravy

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil for 1 minute, continuing to stir. Remove gravy from heat and add to beef.

Toast the bread and pour the gravy over it.

Pure southern greatness without the yucky feeling.

I have quit using Smart balance and other butter "products" because they contain partially hydrogenated oils (aka TRANS fat) and a list of other foreign ingredients I can't pronounce. USE REAL BUTTER where the ingredients are cream and salt. If you live and eat a balanced life, 1 T of natural butter that people have been eating for thousands of years is not going to hurt you. 

A quick word of hydrogenated oils and the claims of trans fat free foods- the FDA allows a producer to claim no trans fats as long as there is less than 0.5 grams per serving. If you have more than one serving, guess what? You are getting grams of trans fats. yikes.

Beating the Sonic Temptation

My favorite summer drink is a Cranberry Limeade from Sonic. Sadly, it carries as much sugar as a coke (37g)* and because I know the food industry takes the cheap route, I'm willing to bet it's not made with 100% no sugar added cranberry juice. And even though I can get a medium CrL during happy hour at 85 cents, that can begin to add up (so can my sugar content). Remember, in clean eating and weight loss, the hidden enemy is SUGAR.

So I did some thinking on how I could make clean version. It seems simple enough - sprite, cranberry juice, and lime wedge - only sprite and cranberry juice cocktail (aka sugar loaded) are not even close to being clean. So I came up with an alternative.


Clean Summer Drink


1 can sparkling water (I get this from Kroger at 2.50 a 12-pack)
a splash of 100% juice (by 100%, I mean check the ingredients. If sugar is anywhere in that list, it's not what   you want. Also, a splash is the key here)
Lime Wedge - optional


That's it! My nieces are 7 and 5, and they approve. 


WARNING - It's not very sweet. It you must have sweetness, add a packet of Stevia or Truvia 


Also, juice isn't exactly cheap, but if you are truly splashing your drink and not mixing it, it will last a while. Juice is one of those things that kill a lot of people's weightloss. Even with no added sugar, juice still carries a high sugar content. Granted, this is natural sugar, however, you are not getting most of nutrients of the fruit. Moderation is key here. Enjoy life with balance! :)


*nutrition information from www.sonic.com

Homemade Protein Pancakes

I love pancakes on a Saturday morning. But most boxed mixes are TERRIBLE for you not to mention the butter and gobs of syrup we tend to add. :)

I discovered soy protein at Sprouts that you can buy by the pound. I add it to everything I bake! It is unflavored so it doesn't change the taste of what I am baking.

Homemade Wheat Protein Pancakes - adapted from my Sister's recipe

1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp unflavored protein powder (I promise you won't taste it)
1 Tbsp of natural sweetener, such as cane sugar or stevia
1 egg
2 tsp oil
1 tsp apple cider vingegar (the vinegar + baking soda yields fluffy wheat pancakes)
about 1 cup of milk (this is tricky but I'll explain)

Mix dry ingredients first and then add vinegar, egg, and oil. Add milk last and add it slowly. Add enough milk so that you have a smooth batter. I usually use a little less than 1 cup.

Allow batter to rest for 5 minutes while you heat up the griddle or skillet. If you have an electric stove, I cook my pancakes on about a 5 or medium heat. My pancakes tend to be thick so I want them to cook through.

Using a 1/4 cup, pour batter onto hot skillet. (My mom always said a skillet is ready when a drop water "dances" on the surface)

Pancakes are ready to flip when the sides are slightly dry and small bubbles form in the batter.

Yields 5-6 pancakes.

Top with peanut butter and sugar free syrup OR fat free whipped topped and fruit (apples, banana, strawberries, blueberries)

Healthy Ranch Dip

It's been awhile since I last wrote. That is mostly due to a new eating plan we started that is protein heavy. So we cook a whole bunch on Saturday and Sunday so that we have pre-made healthy meals for the week. Everyday is pretty much the same, but hey it takes the stress out of writing a menu or figuring out what to have for supper every night. :) I came up with this recipe just now. I have to admit, I DO NOT enjoy eating greek yogurt. It is, however, a healthy way to make a dish creamy. And considering that just one cup of Greek yogurt yields 23 grams of protein, 340 mg of potassium, and 0 grams of fat, I think I can manage. Now that I have you unsure about whether or not to try this, here it is. The good thing about this is it does not have that sharp greek yogurt taste so it is pretty tasty.

NonFat Ranch Dip (with protein!)

1 dry ranch packet
Greek Yogurt
Fat Free Milk (This is just for consistentcy purposes)

Note: I did this as an experiment. I combined about 2 tablespoons of greek yogurt with about 1 tsp of dry ranch dressing and 1 tsp of milk. If you like a stronger ranch flavor, add more seasoning. If you like a thinner ranch dip, add more milk.

Pizza Sauce

I tend to cook the same things over and over, which is why I haven't posted in a while. But tonight, I discoverd a really yummy pizza sauce.

Tomato Sauce
Garlic sauce
A tiny squirt of yellow mustrad
Basil
Parsley

I am generous with the parsely and basil, but add all ingredients according to taste. I used the pizza crust from a previous post and topped it with mozzarella cheese and turkey pepperoni. Very easy meal and very inexpensive. Hopefully I will get some new recipes soon!

Homemade Apple Cider

I have really been wanting some apple cider lately. Not the kind in the packets but real apple cider. Growing up in French Camp, I had a neighbor who made the BEST apple cider. I have always wanted to learn how to make it but I just can't bring myself to spend the money on the pre-made jugs in the store. There are just other things we need. Then I thought, "Why can't I make my own?" So I did some research and stumbled across this recipe. It is SO easy and it makes the entire apartment smell like cinammon and nutmeg. It takes about 3 hours, though, so make sure you try it on a day you will be home.

Homemade Apple Cider

8-10 apples - I only used 4 cuz that's what I had and I only feed 2 people.. I just lessened the water
1 orange
1/2 - 1 cup brown sugar
4 cinnamon sticks (ground cinnamon works too, I just guessed on how much to put)
1 - 2 tsp of nutmeg
1 T whole cloves
1 tsp all-spice(optional) - I didn't have this on hand
Water

Cut fruit into quarters (no need to peel or remove stem or seeds)
Place into a large stock pot (Thank you DAVE for giving me a stock pot) :)
Add sugar (start with less, you can always add more), cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and all spice.
Cover with water until the pot is almost full
Bring to a rapid boil and allow the mixture to boil for 1 hour
Reduce to simmer, cover, and allow it to simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally

Periodically, use a spoon or tongs to mash the apple and orange slices. After simmering, strain the cider into a pitcher. I have a wire strainer but you could also use a cheese cloth.

Serve hot and it keeps well in the fridge so you can reheat it later.

If you want clean apple cider, don't add the sugar. You can add a natural sweetner like Stevia later.

Source: gimmesomeoven.com

Italian Chkn

I haven't been cery creative lately, thus the lack of posts.

Italian Chkn

2 Chkn breasts
Italian dressing
Lemon Pepper

1. Marinate chkn breasts in lemon pepper and Italian dressing
2. Bake at 350 until no longer pink in the middle

I usually pair this with brown rice or fried pasta (see below)

Fried pasta

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Place cooked pasta in a skillet with 1 T of Olive Oil
3. Sprinkle pasta with Garlic Salt, Pepper, and a couple of drops of Crab Boil (this is great flavor, but spicy too so don't use too much)

I mentioned in an earlier post about how I decided to try buying my veggies fresh and freezing them myself. So far it has been a success! I can a zucchini and a squash for less than $1 together. I chop them up and place them in a freezer bag. Push all of the air out of the bag. When I am ready to use them, I sautee them in a skillet with a little bit of garlic salt.