Fudgy Chickpea Brownies: 80 Day Obsession Approved Recipe

Whoever said you can't have tasty things & be on a meal plan..

Well, bless their hearts.

And I hope they find this recipe!

I myself found this delicious concoction from FIXATE (via Beachbody on Demand) when I was hunting for an approved goodie to eat for our "refeed" day during 80 Day Obsession.

Some or none of that might make any sense to you..

First of all, my husband & I are working through a 13 week program called 80 Day Obsession, read more about what it is HERE.

Secondly, at the 6 week mark in this program, we get a day called REFEED.

It's an opportunity to eat some approved goodies to boost our glycogen before leg day. And we get them every other week from week 6-13! Whoop whoop!!

What did we have on our first refeed day??

Well, I had FOUR of these brownies & a cheeseburger with half a bun.

Sounds pretty amazing, right?

Well it was.

ANYWAYS.

Back to the recipe!

I know my Instagram & Facebook followers have been ITCHING for this ever since I posted a picture last week on my stories & wall.

I mean, don't these look awesome?!

*insert drooling emoji*

And YES.

They're made of chickpeas.

But guess what?

They're also made with chocolate..

Plus the mix is blended into oblivion.

So you can't freakin' tell!

Seriously.

Okay, enough teasing.

Here it is.

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FUDGY CHICKPEA BROWNIES

Ingredients:

1 15 ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained & rinsed

1/4 cup of unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1/2 cup of pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1 pinch of himalayan sea salt

1/4 cup of semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 9x9 inch baking dish with parchment paper & lightly coat with spray.

In a blender or food processor, combine chickpeas, butter, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, cocoa powder & salt. Blend until smooth.

Add in chocolate chips & mix by hand.

Spread batter into lined dish.

Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean from the center.

Cut into squares & enjoy!

*This recipe makes 12 servings.*

So you get more than just a bite or two, but not probably the slice you'd normally cut yourself from a brownie dish.

FYI:

For anyone following the portion fix system, one serving counts as a yellow container!

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So whether you're on meal plan or not - of course make sure you factor it in if needed - you've gotta give these bad boys a try!

When the first meal of our refeed day came where I got to eat these - I put the baby down for her nap, heated these up & ate with a teaspoon of natural peanut butter. OH - with a fork. In silence. At the table.

You better believe I took all the necessary steps to enjoy them.

And for the left overs, I quickly wrapped them up & put them in a freezer bag. I'm definitely going to be enjoying these again in 8 days!

Let me know what you think, friends!

Crock Pot Freezer Meals: A Postpartum Mama's Best Friend

One of the things I did to prep for baby #NESTINGFEVER was to make several, like 11 to be exact, crock pot freezer meals to get us through the first few weeks of having a newborn.

I can honestly say that it was THE most helpful thing I did.

The first 30 days of parenthood are literally the equivalent of military survival training. You deserve a freaking patch for making it through AND keeping that little human alive. I'm not saying it's not a wonderful time & full of precious moments - it is. HOWEVER, the first 30 days are full of nothing but the unknown.. exhaustion.. nipple pain.. + unlimited trial/error.

Cooking was the absolute LAST thing I had time for & eating was the #1 thing I'd forget to do. But we all know, it's SO important to eat good foods regularly after baby comes for your milk supply to come in.

So first - you need food.

Secondly - you need healthy foods.

Anddddd we all know that when people BRING you meals, 9 out of 10 times, it's a really unhealthy plethora of casserole type dishes & comfort foods.

Trust me, you'll want to do this.

Make the time.

Prep at least 4 or 5 meals.

But go for 10 if you have the freezer room.

I promise you won't regret it!

I whipped up a couple of my own personal "recipes" during pre baby food prep, but I primarily used THIS post for my inspiration!

We loved the convenience of these crock pot freezer meals so much that about a month or so after Reagan was born, we made about 6 more to get us through the next month!

(our peanut had some ROUGH reflux when she was teeny so these were seriously a blessing to have on hand).

Keep in mind, these are not my original recipes.

The original link/source is a couple sentences up.

Sharing is caring, though!

So here ya go.

First up..

Mushroom Barley Stew

Prep/Bag:

1 pound Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 rib celery, diced

1 onion, diced

1, 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 cup uncooked pearl barley

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon black pepper

Day of:

Add 1 1/2 cups of water to slow cooker before cooking
Cook Time: 8 to 10 hours on low
Serves 6 to 8

Second..

Hearty Lentil Stew

Prep/Bag:

1 onion, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cups peeled and diced (1/4 inch cubes) sweet potatoes

1 cup red lentils

½ cup washed quinoa

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

Day of:

Add 5 cups stock (I used veggie stock) to the slow cooker before cooking.

Cook Time: 6- 8 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high

Serves 6 to 8

Third..

Teriyaki Chicken

Prep/Bag:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken, thighs or breast, cut into bite-size pieces

(I recommend thighs, they don’t dry out as much in the slow cooker)

½ cup soy sauce
(I used liquid aminos in place of soy sauce)

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

¼ cup maple syrup
(I used agave in place of maple syrup)

1, 20-ounce can pineapple chunks

2 cloves garlic, minced

Day of:

Cook Time: 8 hours on low

Serve with: cooked brown rice and green veggies

Serves 6 to 8

Fourth..

Vegetable Beef Stew

Prep/Bag:

2 pounds stew meat

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, sliced

2 cups green beans, broke into bite-sized pieces

1 cup sweet corn

2 tablespoons beef stock base (I like Organic Better than Bullion)

1 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup apple juice
(I left out the apple juice)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Day of:
Add 1 1/2 cups of water to slow cooker before cooking

Cook Time: 8 to 10 hours on low

Serves 6 to 8

Fifth..

Beef Stroganoff

Prep/Bag:

1 pounds stew meat

1 pound sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 onion, diced

½ cup apple juice
(I left out the apple juice)

1 tablespoon beef stock base (I like Organic Better than Bullion)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

Day of: Add 1 cup water to the slow cooker before cooking. Stir in 1 cup of sour cream just before serving.

Day Of:

Cook Time: 8 hours on low

Serve with: quinoa or brown rice and green beans

Serves 6 to 8

*I stirred in greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Additionally, I used turkey in meatball form*

Sixth & final..

White Chicken Chili

Prep/Bag:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

(you can also cook this all together with the breastz whole & shred in the crock pot at the end if you prefer) 

2 cups of frozen corn

1, 15-ounce can black beans

1 can of diced tomatoes and green chilis

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

Juice from 2 limes

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

Day Of:

Add 2 cups of chicken stock to slow cooker before cooking

Cook Time: 6- 8 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high

Serve with: quinoa or tortilla chips.
Top with greek yogurt, cheese, olives and/or salsa!

Serves 6 to 8

 Want more crock pot freezer inspiration??
Pinterest is where it's AT, y'all!!

And don't forget that you can find loads of recipe inspiration that you can always tweak to be healthier or to appeal to your taste buds.

If you end up trying any of these out, be sure let me know what you think and/or what you switched up.

Happy PREPPING, mamas!

Zucchini Lasagna Boat Recipe

I saw a recipe recently, well it was actually just a photo with the recipe title on pinterest, for "Spaghetti Squash Lasagna" & thought I HAD to try it!

But when I went to the store to grab the ingredients, they were out of spaghetti squash. That's where the idea to roll with zucchini came from!

So I never actually read the original recipe...

Often times, I'll see a photo of something & just guess on how I can recreate it.

OR I'll read part of the recipe & decide how to make my own version.

You could say that even a quick parooze on pinterest might just inspire my entire weekly meal plan.

(I'm pretty sure I get that food-creativity from my momma!! She taught me while I was growing up to use what you've got & improvise when you can! She also taught me how to look for great sales & stretch your meals.. super valuable lessons!)

That's actually EXACTLY what happened last week.

I pulled up pinterest - saw photos of the spaghetti squash, stuffed peppers, greek salad & a kale, sweet potato, chicken crock pot recipe - jotted down a rough list & ran to the store within an hour!

Okay, so back to the "recipe."

Since I didn't measure anything, we all have to get a bit creative.

Let's all just agree up front to use our imaginations a bit so you can cater this to your taste/what's in your fridge + be willing to go with your gut to decide when it looks about "right."

Deal?

Zucchini Lasagna Boats

Ingredients:

Zucchini

(grab the largest or widest pieces you can find)

Cottage Cheese

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Egg

Seasonings

(I used Himalayan Salt, Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes & Dried Parsley)

A marinara or sauce of your choice

So how many veggies do you buy..

I would say to plan for at least one zucchini for each person.

We each had a half when we were eating it as a "side" with some grilled chicken, but could have eaten more & definitely would have if it was our primary entree.

When I made this "recipe," I was only cooking for the two of us. So keep in mind that my LOOSE directions are for two zucchinis/people.

Directions:

1. Wash the zucchini, cut in half (long ways) & scoop out the middle part to create your "boats"

When I scooped out the seeds, it still wasn't quite wide enough. So I used my knife to widen it up a bit, then followed with a spoon to clean it up.

Not going to lie, it about killed me not to have a purpose for the scooped-out pieces. If you're a SUPER creative person, maybe you can come up with some ideas. Maybe buy a little more zucchini & use the left over parts with it for zucchini bread?? I don't know.. but if you're a #FrugalFelicia too, let me know what you decide to try!

Then, I seasoned my veggies with some himalayan salt + pepper & placed in a dish.

(I sprayed my dish with a little coconut oil)

2. Create your FILLING

This is where you're going to have to eye-ball//go with your gut.

Because I'm totally spit-balling here as I estimate what I used.

First, I grabbed my cottage cheese. Let's say I used a cup & a half to two cups for the two of us. However, I had some extra filling I ended up scooping on top.

Next, I cracked one egg into the cottage cheese.

Then, I sprinkled a palm full of shredded mozzarella in.. I saved a a little for the tops too!

Finally, I seasoned the mixture with himalayan salt, pepper & dried parsley.

Stir this until it's completely mixed together.

3. Fill your boats!

Like I said, I ended up being PRETTY generous with how much I put in mine!! I definitely could have stretched it to share with a third zucchini.

4. Top with a marinara or sauce of your choice & sprinkle with a little more shredded mozzarella cheese

I personally used a DELICIOUS mushroom marina that I got one sale (BOGO at publix!). You could use anything though, depending on your tastes. Something plain, spicy, with meat, etc!

5. Bake at 350 degrees covered for 30 minutes.

Then, for uncovered for another 30 minutes OR until zucchini is fork tender & the top is golden brown!

Seriously, it's THAT easy!!

And gosh - it tastes great, is inexpensive to make, is healthy & can be tailored to your tastes!

You could totally prep several of these for extra meals during the week OR this would be an easy meal to prepare if you have several guests coming over!

I already have a few variations in mind to try with this "recipe" in the future:

1. I'd love to add some sautéed spinach and/or mushrooms to the cottage cheese mixture!

2. I'd love to try mixing in either a browned meat (turkey or grass-fed beef) OR some chopped veggies (like onion, grape tomatoes or mushrooms) into the marinara on top!

I have no doubt that this SAME concussion could easily fill yellow squash, large tomatoes, spaghetti squash, portobello mushrooms OR be a tasty topping with egg plant! You could even slice any of those veggies in a way that would allow you to make more of a traditional, layered veggie lasagna!

Be sure to let me know if you try any variations of this recipe that turn out extra tasty.

Bon Appetite!

{be sure to SHARE this recipe with your friends!}

Zucchini Noodle + Pesto Chicken Bowl Recipe

I'm a few days behind on this recipe.. you've gotta forgive my foggy brain, please!

This recipe was actually whipped up mainly by the HUBS, so I can't take full credit.

Thanks, boo!

It was EASY, flavorful & healthy.

PLUS, you can definitely tweak it to your tasty or modify the ingredients depending on what you have at home.

Ingredients:

Zucchini (spiralized)

Chicken Breast (cooked & shredded)

Pesto Sauce

Mushrooms (sautéed)

Sun Dried Tomatoes

Garlic (minced)

Himalayan Salt + Fresh Pepper

First of all, we spiralized 2 large zucchinis.

Which fed both of us 3 times each.

You could definitely do a quick sauté & season on these, but we decided to go raw with ours & let the topping warm the "noodles!"

We also used two (large) boiled then shredded chicken breasts, which was the perfect amount for two zucchinis.

Sorry this is how I measure.. or don't measure.

It's mostly guesstimating!

In a pan, we sautéed sliced mushrooms with the minced garlic & then added in sun dried tomatoes. The sun dried tomatoes we had were stored in olive oil so we squeezed them out a bit so they weren't saturated!

Then, we tossed in the shredded chicken & coated everything in pesto sauce!

Top off with some red pepper flakes if you like a little SPICE!

This was awesome night one.. & even better as leftovers!

Give it a try & if you make any tweaks, let me know.

I bet some artichoke hearts or sautéed spinach would be AWESOME in here too!

Go crazy.

BBQ Chicken Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Source: Beachbody Blog

How about this quick, easy to prep ahead recipe that works for a packed lunch or family dinner? This healthy, flavorful recipe is available amongst many others on the Beachbody Blog.

Putting this recipe on my meal planner this week!

Ingredients:

2 small sweet potatoes, washed, pierced with fork

1½ c. shredded cooked chicken breast, boneless, skinless

¼ c. barbecue sauce, reduced-sugar

¼ c. Quick Pickled Red Onions (or 2 Tbsp. chopped red onions)

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or cilantro (for garnish)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Pierce each sweet potato 3 to 4 times with a fork. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender.

While sweet potato is baking, combine chicken and barbecue sauce in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.

Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise.

Top sweet potatoes evenly Quick Pickled Red Onions and chicken mixture. Sprinkle evenly with parsley; serve immediately.

Tips:

Look for barbecue sauce that has an ingredient list that does not contain artificial sweeteners, additives, or preservatives. There are many brands on the market that are sweetened with small amounts of honey, maple syrup, or molasses.

Use Healthy Barbecue Sauce as a homemade alternative to store-bought barbecue sauce.

Happy cooking!!

Fudgy Flourless Black Bean Brownie Bites

Photo & Recipe Courtesy Of: Health Home & Happiness Blog (Author: Cara Comini)

Found this recipe via good ole PINTEREST today & decided they were definitely share worthy!

"No joke, these brownie bites taste as good as they look. I'm forever trying to find recipes like this; recipes that taste great, are simple to make, pack easily in lunchboxes, can be served to guests because they don't taste weird, and that are grain and refined-sugar free."

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups cooked black beans, drained
• ⅓ cup coconut oil or butter, melted
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, ⅛ if your beans were salted
• ½ cup honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup crispy pecans {optional}

Directions

Preheat oven to 350* F.

In a food processor, blend beans, melted coconut oil or butter, and honey until beans are smooth.

Add in cocoa powder, sea salt, and vanilla, and puree until mixed in.

Add eggs and pulse to mix.

Finally, add in crispy pecans and pulse to chop and mix in.

Line a 8x8 or 8x10-inch pan with parchment paper and pour in batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until top starts to crack and brownies are set and not runny when you push down gently in the center.

Allow to cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Serve with sliced strawberries.

Store in the fridge, these are best at room temperature or chilled, making them ideal to pack in lunch boxes!

Yield: 16 bites