3 ingredient Low Carb Chicken Nuggets

Quick and easy low carb Chicken nuggets with only 3 ingredients!

Ingredients:⁣⁣

1 pack Shrewd Foods protein puffs (only 2g carbs)⁣⁣

1 Meats2u chicken breast ⁣⁣

1tbs sugar free syrup ⁣⁣

You will also need a cooling rack + baking sheet (key to get them crispy)⁣⁣ and a Food processor ⁣⁣

Directions: ⁣

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. ⁣⁣

Dice chicken breast into 1 inch cubes. Set aside. ⁣⁣

2. Pulse protein puffs in food processor until they are a course powder (like Panko bread crumbs) and dump into a shallow Tupperware dish. ⁣⁣

3. In a separate bowl mix chicken breast with 1 tbs of sugar free syrup. Once evenly coated in syrup, add each piece one by one to your protein puff powder coating evenly. ⁣⁣

3. Immediately transfer to your lightly greased cooling rack. Space them out evenly and bake for 12-15 min. ⁣Enjoy while warm! ⁣

If you try this recipe, make sure to let me know what you think!

#ShrewdCrew #ShrewdFoodie

Crockpot shredded chicken

This has easily become one of my favorite and quick ways to prep a good amount of chicken for my boyfriend and I especially since we are so busy with our hectic work schedules

It was nice to dust off my crockpot that I was not using at all anymore and it’s gotten to the point where we actually think we want to get a second one just to make even more!

This recipe can be used with basically any sauce that you like depending on what you were going to be adding your chicken to our use the shredded chicken on top of salads, tacos, rice, etc. Because it is extremely versatile and easy to eat cold if you are one of those people who are always on the go.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 Meats2u Chicken Breast
• https://meats2u.com/product-category/poultry/?aff=kelsey&coupon=VIPKELSEY
• 1 Carton organic low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• Sauce of your choosing

Instructions:

1. Place defrosted chicken breast in crock pot. Add as much broth to fully cover chicken and a little bit more I usually use about 3/4 of a carton

2. Cook on high for about three hours or low for six just depending on how long you are going to be leaving your crockpot.

3. Once cooked, drain excess liquid and let it cool down. You can either use a hand mixer or two forks (pull forks in opposite direction)to shred the chicken.

4. Transfer to a large container add your favorite sauce, salsa, or leave unseasoned and add sauce later!

Mix well and store for up to about 3 days.

Chunky Meats2u Shrimp Burgers

Burgers:

• 1 pound @meats2u shrimp, shelled and deveined

https://meats2u.com/product-category/seafood/?aff=kelsey&coupon=VIPKELSEY

• 1 egg

• 1/4c chopped cilantro

• 2 tbs minced garlic

• 1/2 cup Panko

• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1 large shallot, minced

• 1 tsp salt & pepper

• 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped small

Aioli

• 1 avocado,

• 1/2 c plain greek yogurt

• 1 tbs fresh lime juice

• 2 tbs minced garlic

• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1/4c chopped cilantro

• 1 tsp salt & pepper

Instructions

Burgers

• Divide the shrimp in half. Coarsely chop one half and set aside. Put half in a food processor. And grind to a coarse puree. Add in egg, shallot, cilantro, jalapeño and garlic to processor. Process until smooth. Sprinkle mixture with breadcrumbs and process again. Transfer contents of food processor to a bowl & add coarsely chopped shrimp and red pepper. Season with salt and black. Mix well. Form burgers and chill for 1 hour (covered).

• Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Fry the shrimp burgers until golden, about 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Drain on paper towels.

Avocado Aioli

• Remove peel and seed of avocado and scoop into food processor.

• Add greek yogurt, lime juice, garlic cloves, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.

• Place in a dish, cover and chill for an hour.

Seared Scallops and Cauliflower Risotto

I was looking for a relatively clean meal to enjoy on a Sunday evening while my boyfriend and I are both home to enjoy a meal that’s not in a melaprep container. Keith had never tried scallops before but absolutely loved this recipe! Traditionally risotto is made with quite a bit of fat and it would be way more carbs if I didn’t use the cauliflower rice so the substitution fits your macros while still having a savory meal.

If you don’t like scallops you can also substitute shrimp or chicken.

Ingredients:

Seared Scallops

• 1 lb Meats2u Jumbo scallops

• 3 Tbs avocado oil

• Salt and Pepper

Cauliflower Risotto

• 4 cups of riced cauliflower

• 2 tbsp avocado oil

• 3 garlic cloves minced

• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated

• 1/4 tsp

• 1/4 tsp

1 bunch asparagus

Lemon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Cut off ends of asparagus and place of a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 9 mine while prepping the rest of meal.

2. Bring a medium skillet to medium heat

3. Add garlic and green onions to the skillet and cook ~3 minutes

4. Add the riced cauliflower to the skillet and continue to cook until the riced cauliflower is almost tender (~3 minutes)

5. Stir until the parmesan cheese is well incorporated. Lower the heat so that the rice does not stick and cook until the cauliflower rice reaches your desired level of tenderness. Turn off the heat.

6. Pat the scallops with a paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top (about 1/4 tsp of each if you’re not sure about sprinkling)

7. Bring a frying pan to medium heat; Add avocado oil and wait about 30 seconds for it to heat up

8. Add scallops to the pan and cook for 3 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and pan so that they do not continue to cook.

9.Add a large spoon of risotto to a plate. Top with asparagus, scallops, green onions.

Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna

I love the cheesy carb-loaded goodness of my Italian family roots just as much as the next person BUT my waistline, not so much!

I have substituted zucchini noodles previously when I made an enchilada style dish and it was absolutely amazing so I decided to try it with a lasagna dish!

Although I am I’m not sure what my grandpa would think about me subbing zucchini for noodles but for me it was absolutely delicious! I was worried about the dish being too soggy because there is a lot of moisture in the zucchini but I didn’t have any issues.

Traditionally I like to make my family recipe tomato sauce but I’m trying to make these recipes short and easy!

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 jar of pasta sauce
• 3 large zucchini
• 1/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 large egg
• 20 oz ricotta cheese
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 pack of Meats2u House Seasoned Chicken*
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Pepper
• Oregano
• 2 Tbs Fresh Basil
• Olive oil cooking spray

*Pre-cook your defrosted Meats2u Chicken in a crockpot for about 2.5-3 hours, drain, and shred with an electric mixer

You will also need a 9×13 baking dish and a Y peeler

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese and egg with fresh basil, 1/4 tsp oregano, and pinch/salt pepper. Refrigerate until ready to assemble

2. Using a Y peeler make thick noodle like strips with your zucchini, set aside.

3. Lightly grease your deep 9 x 13 pan and preheat your oven to 375°

4. To assemble have your chicken, Baby spinach, cheese mix, and sauce ready to go. Starting with the zucchini noodles line them along the bottom of the pan (2 Columns lengthwise seems to work best). Then top with ricotta cheese and spoon the pasta sauce over the top. Add your shredded chicken and top with baby spinach. Repeat one more time.

5. Your final layer should be a layer of zucchini topped with a bit of pasta sauce and sprinkled lightly with the mozzarella cheese. You can add the shredded cheese to each layer but I am trying to keep this low fat! Who doesn’t love cheese though?

6. Top with foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for an additional 25 minutes to allow cheese to brown. Serve warm!

 

Try Meats2u using code VIPKELSEY on your next order!

Eggs Florentine: Protein Style

If you have been following me for a while then you would know that I absolutely love breakfast and brunch! Breakfast is definitely a meal where it’s easy to load up on the carbs and sugars so often times I try to find more “leaner” alternates to enjoy. One of my absolute favorite breakfast dishes is Eggs Benedict. I decided to make a high protein alternate to Eggs Florine utilizing one of my favorite items from Meats2U, their chicken breakfast patties!

Just look a that yolk drip…

Ingredients:

1 pack Meats2u Breakfast Sausage patties – defrosted

1 Small bag baby spinach

4 Eggs

Pinch of paprika to garnish

2 tsp. White wine vinegar

Spray olive oil

Pink Himalayan Salt (or regular)

Pepper

1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:
1. In a medium sauce pan fill 3/4 way full with water. add vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
2. While you are waiting for the water to boil, in a well oiled cast iron skillet (preferable but you can use a regular skillet) cook your defrosted Meats2u Breakfast Patties. Cook on each side 3-6 min.
3. Carefully, using the handle of a wooden or silicone cooking utensil, swirl the water in a clockwise motion into a small whirl pool is created. Gently break egg into the water. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer until the eggs are just set, about 3 minutes. The yolks should still be runny. Remove the egg from the water with a slotted spoon and set aside on a warm paper-towel-lined plate. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet sauté your spinach and lemon over low heat. We all know that we start off with a huge pile of spinach in end up with nothing so make sure you sauté the whole bag. Season with salt & pepper.
5. Time to assemble: Place or sausage patties on a plate them top with a generous helping of spinach, and finally add your poached egg. Garnish with paprika. Enjoy!

Use my code VIPKELSEY to save on your next Meats2u order!

Taco Tuesday with a twist

So does this count as taco Tuesday? I was craving tacos with all the fixins’ But I decided to loaded up on a sweet potato instead. I used Meats2u Chicken patties to stuff them full of lean protein. It is part of the Chicken Lovers pack. You can get it here and use VIPKELSEY 1/2 off shipping and next day delivery Monday-Thursday

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, approximately 2 lbs total 
• 1 package of Meats2u Chicken Patties
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt, more or less, to taste

Garnishment:

• 1 medium avocado,  peeled and pitted
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp salt, more or less, to taste
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, more or less, to taste
• 1-2 tbsp lime juice, to taste
• Salsa

Additional Garnishment:

• freshly chopped cilantro
• chives
• Sliced lime, to squeeze
• plain greek yogurt or sour cream
• sliced jalapeños

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Poke each sweet potato all over with a fork. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Bake the sweet potatoes for approximately 40-50 minutes, or until fork tender. You can also microwave instead to cut down on time.

2. During the last 10-15 minutes the sweet potatoes are baking, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet placed over medium heat. Once the oil is heated add the Meat2u patties breaking it apart as it cooks, so that there are no large chunks. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until the meet is no longer pink.

3. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool before handling. They will be too hot to handle and slice into to stuff right out of the oven.

4. While they are cooling, combine the avocado, salt, pepper, lime juice, and garlic powder into a small mixing bowl. Mash thoroughly to combine. Adjust seasonings and juice to your taste preference.

5. To serve, cut each sweet potato in half and scoop out the centers into a bowl. Mash and mix up with salt/pepper. Refill the potatoes then top with mashed avocado mixture and salsa

6. Garnish with any additional toppings of your choosing!

Protein Crazy: I want it clean!

When was the last time you investigated the ingredients in your protein powder? My meal schedule includes alternating between a meal and a protein every 2.5-3 hours so its safe to say I eat a good amount of protein every day! So I have been on the hunt for a “clean” protein powder that also tastes good!

My wish list included:

1. non-soy
2. low in sugar
3. dairy free
4. no harsh chemicals
5. no sugar substitutes

I connected with Maggie Yount who is a leader of the My Whole Healthy Revolution, a Certified Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach.

 

Website: https://linkinprofile.com/mywholehealthy
IG: https://www.instagram.com/mywholehealthy/

 

Maggie and I connected on Instagram after another Thyroid Cancer Survivor I follow on Instagram posted  a picture of Life’s Abundance Vanilla Plant based protein powder. We were talking about my concerns and she was extremely helpful and responded quickly! I decided to try the powder and oh my goodness was it delicious!

Since yesterday was National Icecream day and I did not partake I was craving a post workout milkshake! I decided to mix the protein powder, a 1/4 c of frozen bananas, and unsweetened almond milk in my Nutri Bullet. It was so creamy I felt like I was cheating! I added some cacao nibs from Navita’s Naturals to the brim! This was so delicious that I had to break out a spoon to scoop out every last bit in my cup!

I think this protein would be the perfect powder to use in baking because it didn’t have a after taste that you find in a lot of protein powders on the market and it mixed very smooth! I use protein powder in my waffles, oatmeal, pancakes, breakfast muffins, and so much more! A lot of times adding a protien powder leaves a distinct taste which makes it a bit unappetizing!

Ingredients:

My sister, who just recently graduated nursing school, is my non-official ingredient investigator. She gave this two thumbs up and wants to try it herself! “Rebaudioside A” was the only thing I personally was not familiar with but my sister quickly informed me that is Stevia (Stevia is a sweetener and sugar substitute extracted from the leaves of the plant species Steviarebaudiana (1)) -more info bellow in FAQS

Other info:

• Non-GMO
• Vegan
• Gluten Free
• Soy Free
• Dairy Free
• Grain free
• No Added Sugar
• No Artificial Flavors
• No Artificial Preservatives
• No Artificial Colors

Why no soy? I believe (and so does Life’s Abundance) that soy can disrupt thyroid function which may lead to hypothyroidism and thyroid problems. I have been avoiding soy since my thyroid cancer diagnosis in 2013.

I would definitely recommend trying this protein powder! Reach out to Maggie: maggie@mywholehealthy.com

FAQ

I also wanted to the FAQ PAGE from Life’s Abundance that I found was extremely helpful:

Why should I choose foods that are non-GMO?

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms. Genetic modification is a technique that alters living cells to produce new chemicals and functions in plants and animals. Many food scientists question the safety of genetically modified foods because they do not know if eating GMO foods over a lifetime can damage our health.

What is vegan?

A vegan is a person who does not eat or use animal products.

What does gluten free mean and why is it important?

Gluten is the sticky protein found in certain grains including wheat, barley and rye.

To people with celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is very important because it is the only known treatment for celiac disease, an autoimmune digestive disease. People with celiac cannot digest gluten, which causes inflammation in the digestive system and affects the small intestine’s ability to absorb nutrients from food. Symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea, bloating, fatigue, and anemia.

People with gluten sensitivity have similar symptoms to those with celiac disease but test negative for it as well as wheat allergies. These people may feel fatigued, depressed, bloated and have abdominal pain.

Gluten-free grains include rice, corn, quinoa and buckwheat.

I have noticed “soy free” foods lately and I want to know if soy products are unhealthy?

Soy is one of the top food allergies, especially among babies and children. Symptoms of soy allergy are typically mild, although anaphylaxis is possible. People avoiding GMOs may avoid soy since more than 90% of soybeans grown in the U.S. are genetically modified.

Soy can disrupt thyroid function which may lead to hypothyroidism and thyroid problems.

Soy contains phytoestrogens, compounds that mimic human estrogen.

Is eating dairy free healthy?

People may go dairy free if they are lactose-intolerant, have a milk allergy or are vegan.

People with lactose intolerance do not have the enzyme lactase which helps to digest milk and they can experience diarrhea, nausea, bloating and cramps when eating dairy products.

Milk allergies, which are one of the top 8 food allergies, occur either minutes or hours after having milk or milk products and can cause hives, wheezing, vomiting, diarrhea and cramps.

People may also avoid dairy for ethical reasons or believe it helps keep their skin clear.

Sugar is a natural ingredient so why do I care if there’s no sugar added?

Eating too much sugar has been linked to inflammation throughout the body and increased health risks. It is important to check labels since manufacturers frequently add sugar to many products that you would not think of as sweet, such as pasta sauces, chicken nuggets, cured meats, and ketchup. Also, sugar comes in many forms such as cane syrup, high fructose corn syrup and crystalline fructose.

What is rebaudioside A?

Rebaudioside A is an ingredient that is extracted from stevia leaves. It is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, so very little is needed to sweeten foods and/or beverages.

What is monk fruit extract?

This fruit grown in Southeast Asia is one to one-and-one-half times sweeter than sugar so very little is needed to sweeten foods and/or beverages.

Are natural flavors healthier than artificial flavors?

In general, artificial flavors tend to be in foods that are overly processed. If a food product contains artificial flavors, check to make sure that it doesn’t also contain other less desirable additives like artificial colors and preservatives.

What’s wrong with artificial colors?

Artificial colors may cause hyperactivity and behavioral changes in children. Some artificial colors have been linked to increased health risks.

What’s wrong with artificial preservatives?

Some artificial preservatives have been linked to increased health risks.

What are the manufacturer’s credentials?

This dietary supplement is manufactured by a company that is GMP certified and FDA regulated in the USA.

 

DISCLAIMER: all statements made are cited and my own personal options are not medical advise as I am not a doctor! Any health concerns should be directed to your doctor!

 

St.Pattys Day Spinach Protein Pancakes

Happy St.Pattys Day!

Tired of the same old breakfast or looking to give yourself a morning energy boost?  

Here are some delicious Spinach Protein Pancakes to kickstart your day!

I know at first you may be thinking “why would I ever put spinach in my pancakes!” because the same thought went through my head… And my roommates! I am not a picky eater, so I decided to try it! I definitely was looking for an alternative to my every day go to: spinach and egg whites with a side of oats. I was excited to try this new spin on breakfast even if the concept sounded a bit unsual. 

They were delicious ! I’ve made them a couple times and thought today would be the perfect time to share! Let me know what you think in the comments below!

  

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups rolled oats 
• 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
• 4 Stevia packets or 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 a tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 2 egg whites 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1.5 cups water 
• 2-3 handfuls of Baby Spinach

Instructions:

1. Add all your ingredients to your Nutri bullet or blender
2. Blend them all together until smooth
3. Pour the batter onto a pan or hot griddle about 6 inches in size
4. Once you see bubbles in the edges cooked flip over

   
Recipe credit: MooMoo Jackson