HIGH-PROTEIN PLANT BASED CUCUMBER SALAD

 HIGH-PROTEIN PLANT BASED CUCUMBER SALAD 

⏱ Prep time: 10 min (plus marinating) | Cook time: 15–18 min

🍽 Serves: 2

Ingredients

Tofu Bacon

200g extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cubed

1 Tbsp tomato purée

3 Tbsp light soy sauce

½ tsp smoked paprika

Salad

1 salad cucumber, sliced into coins

½ red onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

160g Greek-style yogurt 

Juice of ½ lemon

Pinch of salt

Pinch of black pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

300g cooked chickpeas

Method

Marinate the tofu:

In a bowl, combine cubed tofu with tomato purée, soy sauce, and smoked paprika. Cover and marinate overnight if possible, or at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Cook the marinated tofu for 15–18 minutes, turning often, until evenly crisp. Allow to cool slightly.

In a container or large bowl, add cucumber, red onion, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, pepper, olive oil, and chickpeas.

Add the crispy tofu bacon, seal the container, and shake (or stir) until everything is well coated.

Per serving: 541 kcal | 31g protein | 13g fibre | 59g carbs | 20g fat

Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

 2/3 c Mayo

1/3 c Greek yogurt 

1 T Olive oil

1/4 c Parmesan 

2 T Lemon juice

3 cloves garlic

2 T Wostershire sauce

2 T Dijon mustard 

Salt dash 

1/2 t black pepper

Cayenne dash

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

 Recipe below ⬇️

To get my KETO pasta with 20g protein, search: Care Free Kitchen Keto Pasta on amazon or go to the link in my bio! It’s currently 20% off ❤️

What you need: 

8 oz low carb pasta, boiled & drained

2-3 chicken breasts

1 block of cream cheese

1 can of enchilada sauce

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

1 cup of diced peppers & onions 

How to make it:

1. Cook all of your ingredients except the shredded cheeee and pasta in a slow cooker for 3 hours on high. 

2. Shred your chicken, add the pasta and cheese. Mix well & enjoy!

Easy No Rise Breadsticks

 2 Tbsp Yeast

2 1/2 Cups Warm Water

2 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp salt

6 cups flour

1/2 cup melted butter

Knead for 10 minutes

Roll out on a floured surface

cut into even pieces

Twist and put on cookie sheet

Melt a cube of butter

Johnny's Garlic Spread Season

350 for 20-25 min

Breakfast Muffins

 Ingredients 

-1/2 cup melted coconut oil or butter

-1/3 cup maple syrup

-1/2 cup peanut butter

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1 cup plain cottage cheese

-1/4 cup Greek yogurt

-2 eggs

-1.5 cups flour

-1 tsp baking soda

-1/4 tsp salt

-2/3- 3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375° and line muffin pan with liners. 

2. In a bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and eggs.

Whisk until well blended.

3. Whisk in the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt.

4. In a separate small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined.

6. Scoop the batter into the muffin liners, filling them completely. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. Let cool and serve.

Sandwich Bread

 Sandwich Bread Loaf

Ingredients:

- 2 cups warm milk.

- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar.

- 1 1/2 Tbsps dry active yeast.

- 1/4 cup honey.

- 1 egg.

- 1/4 cup melted butter.

- 2 tsps salt.

- 6 cups all-purpose flour.

- melted butter for brushing on tops. 

Instructions:

1. In stand mixer bowl, combine and whisk together warm milk, sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5 - 10 min to bloom and become frothy.

2. Add in honey, egg, melted butter, salt and flour. Mix with dough hook attachment for 5 min, or knead by hand until smooth.

3. After kneading to a smooth ball of dough, remove from bowl, oil the bowl good with olive oil, and place dough back in bowl. Coat well.

4. Cover bowl with dry dish towel and let dough rise in warm area for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubles in size.

5. Once risen, punch air out of dough to deflate. Transfer to clean countertop. Cut dough in half and shape first by flattening out dough with palm of hand, fold up each end, then roll to a log. Pinch seam closed. Repeat with second portion of dough.

6. Place rolled loaves into 2 separate well greased large bread loaf pans. Cover both pans with dry dish towel and let rise for 30 min, or until each loaf doubles in size.

7. Bake both in preheated 350°F oven for 25 - 30 min, until lightly golden brown on tops. Immediately brush tops with melted butter and dump both loaves out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely, about 45 min, before slicing.

You're welcome 😉

Dinner Rolls

Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls Ingredients • 2 ½ cups warm water • 2 Tbsp active dry yeast • ½ cup salted butter, melted • 2 tsp salt • ½ cup sugar • 1 egg • 7 cups all-purpose flour Instructions 1. Combine warm water and yeast. 2. Add butter, salt, sugar, egg, and flour; mix and knead for 10 minutes. 3. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 40 minutes. 4. Punch down and divide into rolls. 5. Cover and rise for 30 minutes. 6. Bake at 350°F for 22–25 minutes until golden and soft. Serve warm with butter… or just eat them straight off the pan. I won’t judge. 😄 #DinnerRolls #ThanksgivingSides #HomemadeBread #HolidayBaking #DeliciouslyBold

Chili

My favorite chili Ingredients: 1lb steak 1lb sausage 2 peppers 1 onion 2 cups beef broth Packet of chili seasoning 4 tbsp taco seasoning 1 can tomato sauce 1 can crushed tomatoes 2 cans petite diced tomatoes 1 small can of chopped green chilies 1 can Ranch beans 1 can Pinto beans 1 can great northern beans 2 can kidney beans Drain all beans Garlic Salt #cooking #chilirecipe #wintermeals

Irish Cream Mashed potatoes

ashed potatoes 6 large russets Chop and boil Meanwhile melt the following together 1 stick of butter 1 cream cheese 8oz sour cream 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp southern seasoning 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 8 oz heavy cream Add potatoes and cream together

Ice cream

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Recipe ⬇️ Homemade ice cream lets you skip the artificial flavors, preservatives, and corn syrup you’ll often find in store-bought brands. You’re in control of the ingredients. So you can keep it simple, real, and tailored to your needs. Plus I promise your family will be obsessed with it. Ingredients: Ice-cream: -2 cups heavy cream -1 tbsp vanilla extract -Simple Mills Cocoa & Cashew Butter Cookies (or your favorite Oreo type cookie), crushed Homemade condensed milk: -1 can full-fat coconut milk -1/2 cup honey **You can substitute a can of sweetened condensed milk for the homemade condensed milk** Instructions: -In a saucepan, heat 1 can of coconut milk with 1/2 cup of honey over medium heat. Stir off and on, until the mixture thickens, about 20-30 minutes. -Remove from heat and let it cool. -In a stand mixer, whisk 2 cups of heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. -Fold in the homemade condensed milk, vanilla extract, and crushed cookies. -Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container. -Cover and freeze for several hours or overnight until solid. -When ready to serve, take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit to soften to your desired. It should be ready to scoop right away! #homemadeicecream #homemadesnacks #homemadesnacks #momsoftoddlers

Health Conscious Cookies

For those who wanted my cookie recipe from the previous post, or if you didn't see it and still want it—here you go. 😋 This is a big batch—so if you want to experiment for texture first—you might want to half the recipe. I'm a food experimenter and don't have any hard rules. A lot of times I don't even use recipes. I tend to change this one up sometimes—more flour vs. less flour, melted butter vs. cold/cubed butter, etc. I'm so sorry if that drives you batty! Sometimes I add the shredded coconut & chopped nuts, and other times I just do oats. But they're REALLY good with all the things... If you leave them out, you can add extra oats if you want. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I've even left out the oats too & just did chocolate chip cookies by adding a little extra flour. We make them with either coconut sugar and/or unrefined sugar (Sucanat)—but at times here and there, we do coconut sugar/Sucanat + organic white sugar. If you know me well, you know we almost never use refined sugar, but it does happen on super rare occasion. NOTE: Way too many people still don't know this—but Turbinado, Demarara and Raw sugar are not unrefined. If you want unrefined, use Coconut, Sucanat or Rapadura. They'll be completely opaque like dirt. lol ------ 3 large organic / pasture raised eggs 1 TB. real vanilla 1 1/2 c. organic butter (I usually do room temp, but sometimes I melt or cube) 2 1/2 c. coconut sugar, and/or Sucanat, and/or organic white sugar - 2 1/2 - 3 c. Whole wheat flour (fresh-milled is our favorite) 1 TB. non-aluminum baking powder 1 TB. baking soda 1 tsp. unrefined salt (we use Utah Real Salt) 3 c. rolled oats 2 c. unsweetened, shredded coconut 2 c. chopped pecans (or walnuts, macadamia nuts, almonds, etc.) 3 c. Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips—(you can use another brand, but these are our favorite & are non-GMO with simple ingredients) Optional: If you want a little extra sweetness—especially if you're using all unrefined sugar—you can add 1/2 tsp or so of pure green stevia leaf powder, or organic stevia extract. Before we moved, I grew my own stevia plants (and hope to again soon), and just dried & powdered the leaves. But you can also buy the green powder from online herb shops. - • Pre-heat oven to 350º • Cream the eggs, vanilla, butter, and sugar. • Add the dry ingredients, then the add-ins • Scoop onto your cookie sheet, OR chill in the fridge, then scoop on to your cookie sheet. • Bake for 10-12 mins—(I like them slightly under cooked, so I usually go 11 minutes) ENJOY!

Cottage cheese pizza crust

Full Recipe 3-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Pizza Crust 🍕 Crispy, cheesy, and ready fast. You’ll Need (makes 1 medium crust): • ½ cup cottage cheese (blend smooth) • ½ cup shredded mozzarella • 1 large egg Steps: 1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a pan with parchment. 2. Mix cottage cheese, mozzarella, and egg into a thick batter. 3. Spread into a thin circle (about ¼-inch). 4. Bake 15–18 min until golden and firm. 5. Add toppings. Bake 5–7 min more until melty. Tip: For extra crisp, flip the crust once halfway through the first bake. Servings: 2 • Calories: ~140 • Protein: ~13.5g • Carbs: ~2g • Fat: ~7.5g

Ermine Frosting

This is the same frosting recipe my grandma passed down—she swore it was “fancy enough for weddings but simple enough for Sunday cake.” 🧁 Don’t lose this one! 📝 You’ll Need • 1 cup whole milk • 5 tbsp all-purpose flour • 1 cup unsalted butter (room temp) • 1 cup sugar • 1 tsp vanilla 👩‍🍳 Steps 1️⃣ Whisk milk & flour in a saucepan over medium heat until thick (like pudding). Cool completely. 2️⃣ Beat butter & sugar until fluffy. 3️⃣ Add cooled flour mixture + vanilla. Beat on high until light, whipped, and silky smooth. ✨ Perfect for layer cakes, cupcakes, or anything that needs that old-fashioned magic. #homemadefrosting #familyrecipes #bakinglove

High Protein Crepes

3 ingredients. No flour. Pancakes that actually fuel you. FLOURLESS COTTAGE CHEESE PANCAKES RECIPE High-Protein | No Flour | Quick Breakfast or Snack Quick Description: These flourless cottage cheese pancakes are soft, crepe-like, and naturally high in protein. Made with just 3 ingredients, they’re the perfect fuel for mornings, snacks, or dessert — minus the bloat and carb crash. Servings & Nutrition: Yield: ~6 pancakes Prep Time: 3 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: ~13 minutes Protein (per 2 pancakes): ~18–20g Carbs: ~4–5g WW Points: ~2–3 per serving (depends on sugar used) Ingredients: 200g cottage cheese (~¾ cup, small curd or whipped) 2 large eggs 1 tbsp sugar or sweetener (optional) Optional Flavors: 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg Zest of lemon or orange 1–2 tbsp protein powder (vanilla or unflavored) Optional Toppings & Fillings: Greek yogurt, nut butter, sugar-free jam Cream cheese + berries Cocoa drizzle + crushed nuts Instructions: 1. Blend the Batter Add cottage cheese, eggs, and sugar to a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth and pourable. 2. Heat the Pan Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Lightly grease with cooking spray or butter. 3. Cook the Pancakes Pour 2–3 tbsp batter per pancake into the pan. Use the back of a spoon to spread into a thin circle. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, flipping gently once edges lift easily. 4. Fill or Stack & Serve Roll with your favorite filling or stack and top with fruit, syrup, or cream. Variations: Savory Version: Skip sugar, add salt, herbs, and fill with smoked salmon or avocado. Chocolate Pancakes: Add 1 tbsp cocoa powder + sugar-free chocolate chips. Protein Boost: Add 1 scoop vanilla whey or plant protein to batter. Tips: Don’t skip blending — it smooths the curds for a crepe-like texture. Use medium-low heat to prevent burning and allow gentle browning. If the batter is too thick, thin it with 1–2 tbsp almond milk. Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days, stacked with parchment between. Reheat in a nonstick skillet or microwave for 30 seconds. Freezes well — roll with filling, freeze, and toast later!

Pumpkin Dip or Treat

 Mix 1 can pumpkin purée with ½ tbsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 packet sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix, and 1 container Cool Whip. Chill 30 mins. Serve with crushed grahams or in mini pie crusts for a cozy fall treat!

Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake

 

This mug cake is a delightful little treat that feels like a warm hug on a busy morning. Perfect for satisfying sweet cravings without the fuss, it's a quick indulgence that I can whip up while my kids are still sleeping. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak in some protein!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cottage cheese  

1 egg  

2 tbsp almond flour (or oat flour)  

1 tbsp maple syrup or honey  

1/2 tsp vanilla extract  

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon  

1/4 tsp baking powder  

Pinch of salt  

For the Cinnamon Swirl (Optional but delicious):  

1 tsp maple syrup  

1/4 tsp cinnamon  

Optional Topping:  

1 tbsp Greek yogurt or cream cheese  

A little sweetener for a quick “frosting”  

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl or blender, combine cottage cheese, egg, almond flour, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.  

2. Blend or whisk until smooth and well combined.  

3. Lightly grease a microwave-safe mug or small bowl.  

4. Pour in the batter. If using the swirl, mix cinnamon and syrup, then drizzle or swirl it into the top of the batter.  

5. Microwave on high for 1–1½ minutes, or until the center is set but still moist.  

6. Let cool for 1–2 minutes before topping.  

7. Top with a spoonful of Greek yogurt or sweetened cream cheese for that cinnamon roll finish. Grab a spoon and enjoy!

Yields: 1 mug cake  

Prep: 5 minutes  

Cook: 1–1½ minutes  

Total Time: 6–7 minutes

Honey Butter Skillet Corn

Honey Butter Skillet Corn   

Ingredients: 

- 2 tablespoons butter (salted preferred)

- 2 tablespoons honey

- 1 bag (16 oz) frozen corn

- 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. In a skillet pan, melt the butter and honey over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the frozen corn and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is cooked through.

2. Add the chunks of cream cheese, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir everything together and let it cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cream cheese is melted and the mixture is well combined.

3. Serve the Honey Butter Skillet Corn immediately. Any leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the fridge

Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Ditalini Soup

 Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Ditalini Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb Italian sausage (turkey or chicken sausage as a pork alternative)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup Ditalini pasta

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

Cook the Sausage

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Add the Italian sausage, breaking it into small crumbles, and cook until browned.

Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

Sauté the Vegetables

In the same pot, add the diced onion, minced garlic, sliced carrots, and chopped celery.

Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.

Add Broth and Herbs

Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the oregano and basil.

Bring the mixture to a boil.

Cook the Pasta

Add the Ditalini pasta to the boiling broth.

Cook for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender but still firm.

Make it Creamy

Lower the heat to medium.

Stir in the cooked sausage, heavy cream, and grated Parmesan cheese.

Simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the soup to thicken slightly.

Add Spinach

Stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts into the soup.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve and Garnish

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Cooking Time

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Butterscotch pumpkin bread

 Butterscotch Pudding Browned Butter Pumpkin Bread 

Ingredients:

For the Pumpkin Bread:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 

1 cup canned pumpkin puree 

1 box (3.4 ounces) instant butterscotch pudding mix 

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

2 large eggs 

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. 

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until browned and fragrant. Set aside to cool. 

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, butterscotch pudding mix, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and browned butter. Mix well. 

Beat in eggs one at a time. 

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, stirring until just combined. 

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 65 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Kcal: Approximately 280 kcal per serving | Servings: 10 servings

Zucchini lasagna in muffin tins

 Welcome back to Stupid Simple Sundays!

(265 calories, 22g protein, 5g carbs per muffin)

If you can’t give up lasagna but you’re trying to get in shape, these are for you. So simple and so good. Full recipe

Recipe:

 • 1 lb 93/7 ground beef

 • 1 jar Rao’s Marinara (or homemade)

 • 4 oz mozzarella cheese

 • 1 zucchini

Steps:

 1. Slice zucchini thin

 2. Cook ground beef, season to taste

 3. Add marinara, stir

 4. Grease 6-cup muffin tin

 5. Layer: cheese → zucchini → meat mixture

 6. Bake at 400°F for 25 mins

 7. Cool & enjoy