Delicious & Moist Zucchini Muffins

Every Summer I get to enjoy lots of Zucchinis courtesy of my parent's garden. I love eating them steamed along with other veggies, baked into a pasta, or even fried then topped with parmesan, but my favorite way to enjoy them are as delicious muffins.

Sure, muffins may not be "calorie friendly", but these are so good you won't even feel guilty for eating them.  These muffins are really easy to make and taste like you have been baking for hours. They even taste better the next day so these are a great for preparing a day ahead. Great for picnics and barbecues! They also freeze really well. 

Ingredients: 
4 cups shredded zucchini
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
6 eggs
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
6 cups of flour
3 1/2 cups white sugar
2 1/4 cups vegetable oil

Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions: 

1. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 

2. Mix in brown and white sugar. 

3. Add vanilla, cinnamon and eggs....mix well

4. Slowly add in shredded zucchini and mix well

5. Add mixture to cupcake liners

6. Bake for around 30 minutes in 350 degrees.

7. Sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Beans, Brown Rice and Diced Potatoes

Recently, my husband and I decided to go gluten free for a while. Yes, you guess it, that means no more bread, flour tortillas cookies, couscous (this one is hard) or even.....pizza (unless they are GF). Of course we can find alternatives for these foods such as brown rice tortillas (yuck) or even GF pizza dough, but it's going to take some getting used to. Many people who give up grains that contain gluten do not do it by choice but my husband and I are always experimenting with different lifestyles (when it comes to diet) so we decided to see if the gluten free diet works for us. Hey, if it helps us with tummy aches and headaches while at the same time helping me lose some weight (notice how I said me...my hubby is naturally thin) then why not?

Giving up grains is harder than I thought, the Pizza Hut commercials keep torturing me (I guess I should of had pizza before starting this diet...but I haven't had some in over a month), I keep wanting to bake some cookies or cupcakes, and I miss eating my black bean couscous. But I really want to give this a shot for a few months to see if I notice any difference. 

Normally I liked adding breadcrumbs to my stuffed peppers but being that these are GF, breadcrumbs are not allowed. 

What you will need  (meal for 2):

2 bell peppers (color of choice, I prefer green though)

1/4 cup Black beans (cooked, drained and seasoned with sea salt)

1/4 cup Brown rice (fully cooked. I will post my brown rice recipe soon)

1 medium sized golden potato 

1/4 cup Shredded mozzarella

Cilantro

1/2 Roma Tomato diced

1/4 diced onion

1/2 Serrano Pepper (diced) 

Salsa of choice (I used a homemade tomatillo salsa)

Water

Sea Salt

Garlic Salt

2 Tbsp Cilantro (chopped)

Directions: 

1. Cut the top of the peppers off and remove all the seeds. Set aside. 

2. layer in the following, beans, rice then potatoes. 

3. After the last layer top with 1/2 mozzarella (this will create a nice crust)

4. Place stuffed peppers in a baking dish with foil and a little bit of water on the bottom.

5. Place in oven at 350° for about 40 minutes

6.then top with the rest of the mozzarella and let it melt for about five  more minutes. 

7. Remove from oven 

8. While the peppers are cooling mix the diced tomato with the diced onions and pepper. Add a little bit of salt and garlic salt to taste. 

9. Top stuffed peppers with tomato mixture, salsa and cilantro. 

Tip: If you do not need for this recipe to be GF go ahead and add some panko bread crumbs as well =) 

Enjoy! 

Mexican Chicken Soup with Chipotle Peppers & Corn

Mexican Pozole is one of my most cherished meals but one that I cannot eat much too often due to the fact it is very high in calories and fat content. Sure, you can substitute chicken in place of beef, but the truth is preparing this Mexican favorite does require some time and planning (not to mention a bunch of ingredients). So when you are in a time crunch, or are looking for a healthy version of this dish, coming up with a mock version is ideal. Therefore, I decided to come up with a healthier (and yummier according to my husband) version of this delicious and savory soup.

My husband and I really enjoy spicy food and something we always have in our pantry is a small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. If you have never tried cooking with chipotle peppers, you will be amazed by how much flavor it adds to a dish. When I first started cooking with chipotle I would only use it to make Tinga tostadas (another favorite of mine) but since then have experimented with these peppers and have created several dishes with it. Yes you guess it, the star of my chicken soup (or caldo as us Hispanics call it) is the chipotle peppers. Get ready to give your taste buds something to write home about.


What you will need:

1 large chicken breast
1/2 onion
4 garlic cloves
1/2 onion diced
1/2 cup of corn (frozen, fresh or canned)
1/2 can of Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (about 3.5 oz)
1 cup shredded green cabbage
1/4 cup of cilantro
2 green onions diced
Sea Salt
Black Ground Pepper
Water for cooking


Directions:


1. In a large pan bring about 3 cups of water to boil. Add 1/2 onion, salt, garlic cloves and chicken breast. Cover pot and cook for about 25 minutes.
2. Once chicken is done cooking remove from pot, let it cool then shred. Set aside. Save the chicken broth (you will need this).
3. In a blender, blend the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce with 1/4 cup of chicken broth. Once blended, add mixture to shredded chicken and mix well. Add a little bit salt and pepper.
4. Remove onion and garlic from the chicken broth and add the chicken mixture.
5. Add diced onions and corn and cook for about 10 minutes.
6. Serve in deep bowls and top with shredded cabbage, green onions and cilantro. Eat on it's own or with a tostada (our favorite way to eat this).

Tip: For a more authentic feel, try adding hominy instead of corn.

Warning: This soup is pretty spicy. Therefore if you would like it to be more mild, use less chipotle peppers or vice-versa.