Jennifer's Collection of Recipes

Brian's Ginger Beef

2011-12-16T13:46:00.000-06:00

1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp sesame oil

Mix these ingredients together and set aside. (Add more honey if you like it sweeter.)

1/2 cup cornstarch
2 eggs
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 tsp peeled gingerroot

Carrots, julienne-cut
Green onions, optional

Blend all these ingredients together.  Cut up a sirloin steak or beef into 1/8 inch strips and soak the strips in the mixture for 1 hour or more. If you'd like, you can add more ginger powder.

In a wok or frying pan with enough oil for strips to float, fry the 6 - 8 beef strips at a time.  Remove once golden brown and set aside.

Once you have done all the beef, empty the oil so that you have only 2 tbsp in wok.  Add carrots, green onions and 1 tbsp chopped gingerroot. Once the carrots are tender, add beef strips and the first honey mixture.

Let thicken and serve . Enjoy!

Roasted Rosemary Garlic Mashed "Potatoes"

2011-11-16T20:55:00.000-06:00

1 or 2 bags frozen cauliflower (or 1 large head)
1 oz non-fat milk (from your morning coffee allowance)
4-6 tsp olive oil
1-2 tsp or more dry rosemary
1/2 tsp garlic
Sea Salt & Pepper
1-3 tsp horseradish

On baking paper on an oven tray, lay out cauliflower. Spray the cauliflower with olive oil. Sprinkle on rosemary, salt, pepper and garlic. Roast at 400 until golden, about 15-20 minutes. In a blender or food processor, add 4-6 tsp olive oil. If desired, add a little more rosemary and spices to the oil. Add in roasted cauliflower and horseradish. Pour milk on top and blend until creamy. (You will most likely need to turn off the blender and stir, then start again to ensure a creamy blend. You can add a little more milk if needed, but don't add too much or the potatoes will become runny.) Taste and add sea salt/ pepper if needed. If you'd like them extra fluffy, you can transfer them to a bowl and beat with a hand beater. Add fresh parsley for garnish.

Carmelized Brussel Sprouts

2011-11-16T20:48:00.001-06:00

2 cups small, firm fresh Brussels sprouts
1 tsp Stevia granules
2 tbsp Walden Farms pancake syrup
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup water
pinch sea salt

Prepare the Brussels sprouts by peeling off two or three of the dark outer leaves from each brussel sprout; trim stem ends. In a skillet, heat the stevia over medium heat until it begins to melt, shaking pan occasionally to heat stevia evenly. Once stevia starts to melt, reduce heat and cook until brown. Add olive oil; stir. Add vinegar and pancake syrup. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Carefully add the water and salt. Bring to a boil; add the Brussels sprouts. Return to boiling and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 6 minutes. Uncover and cook about 15 minutes more or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the sprouts are coated with a golden glaze, gently stirring occasionally. Makes 2 servings.

IP Blueberry Smoothie

2011-11-16T20:45:00.000-06:00

1 IP Blueberry pudding packet 1 IP Vanilla ready-made drink
3-4 oz cold water
1 cup ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes 2 servings.

Cinnamon Sweet Meatballs

2011-11-16T20:41:00.000-06:00

1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

Mix all ingredients well and form 1 inch wide meatballs. Cook in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until all sides are browned. Makes 2 - 3 servings.

Herb Roasted Turkey

2011-11-16T20:38:00.001-06:00

1/2 cup olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 turkey
8 fresh sage leaves plus 4 fresh sage sprigs, divided
6 fresh thyme sprigs, divided
6 fresh rosemary sprigs, divided
2 medium onions
4 celery ribs

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup oil, garlic, salt and pepper. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from the turkey breast; rub mixture under the skin. Place sage leaves, and two rosemary sprigs and two thyme sprigs under the skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks (if needed). Cut onions into wedges and the celery into 2-in. lengths. Place the onions and celery in the turkey cavity; add the remaining herbs. Place turkey, breast side up, Brush with remaining oil. Bake at 325 until done, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving turkey. Discard vegetables; You can use drippings to make gravy.

Pizza Salad

2011-11-16T20:34:00.000-06:00

Lettuce
Slices of turkey or chicken meat
Pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni slices
Other pizza toppings

It might be interesting to try warming this up.

IP Banana "Bread"

2011-11-16T20:31:00.000-06:00

Stretch your pudding and create a tasty snack that makes 9 medium or 6 large portions... All for you and all together count as only 1 non-restricted item!

2 beaten egg whites
1 package IP Banana Pudding
1 cup or more shredded zucchini
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Splenda
1 tsp or more cinnamon
1/2 tsp or more cardamom
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 - 1 tsp nutmeg
Optional: 1 tsp Rum extract and/or vanilla extract

Grate zucchini Use a paper towel to soak up the moisture/water from the zucchini. Dust the shredded zucchini with the various spices (cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg) and let sit for about 2 minutes. While waiting, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold a shape. Add in IP Banana pudding, baking powder, and sweetener. Blend. Add in zucchini and rum/vanilla extract if using and blend. Spray a muffin tin with Pam or other non-stick spray. Pour batter into muffin tins. Cook for about 10-15 minutes at 350 until top turns dark, but not burned. (Watch carefully).

NOTE: This "bread" will puff up gorgeously when baking, but will often deflate after taking from the oven. You can try cooking them a bit longer or just enjoy the funny looking, but tasty, treats as they fall.

This recipe will also work with Chocolate & Lemon IP Pudding.

Wildberry Pancakes

2011-11-16T20:23:00.002-06:00

1 pkg IP Wildberry Yogurt
1 pkg IP Crispy Cereal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c egg whites

Take package of each IP wildberry yogurt and IP Cereal and blend up in blender. Add baking powder and egg whites, mix. Thin out with water to pancake batter consistency. Divide into 2 equal portions; reserve one for another meal/snack. Cook like pancakes in pan approx 2-3 minutes per side.

Oatmeal Zucchini Muffins

2011-11-16T20:20:00.001-06:00

1 package of IP Oatmeal
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 tsp of Stevia
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2-3/4 of small zucchini finely grated (squeeze out excess juice)
2-3 oz water

Beat the egg in a bowl. Add Oatmeal, baking powder, salt, Stevia, cinnamon, and zucchini. Mix and gradually add water until you have a good batter. Bake at 385 for 20 minutes. Makes 3 regular muffins or 12-bite size.

IP Chicken and Dumplings

2011-11-16T20:16:00.000-06:00

Uncooked chicken
1 can chicken broth
1 package IP Crepe
Sea Salt
Pepper

Cook chicken in slow cooker with broth for about 6 hours. Remove chicken and cut into pieces. Pour broth into pot over high heat and bring to a boil.

Mix crepe mix into a thick dough. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Even if you don't like it, you'll still need quite a bit.) Roll into a few small dough balls and drop into boiling broth. (If the broth isn't boiling, they will come apart.) Stir in cooked chicken and enjoy.

This is a basic recipe and could be doctored up with seasonings and veggies to make a more hearty soup with dumplings.

Ranch "Chips"

2011-11-16T20:05:00.000-06:00

2 packets IP Crepes
4 oz water
1/2 - 3/4 packet of ranch dip mix

Preheat oven to 350. Add all ingredients together. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread mixture as think as possible on parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes, turn the oven off and leave the baking in the oven for another 20 minutes. Once cooled, break into pieces. You can try this with different types of mixes, such as onion dip.

Green and Yellow Beans with Wild Mushrooms

2011-11-16T19:55:00.000-06:00

1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 pound yellow wax beans, trimmed
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle, oyster or porcini, trimmed and sliced (see Substitution Note)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and wax beans and cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. (Cook for another minute or two if you like your green beans more tender.) Drain well. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their juices and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Reserve 1 tbsp of the mushrooms for garnish. Add the cooked beans to the mushrooms in the pan and cook, stirring to combine, until heated through, 1 to 3 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Serve topped with the reserved mushrooms.

Substitution note: If you can’t find wild mushrooms, use button or cremini mushrooms.

Herbed Au Jus

2011-11-16T19:42:00.000-06:00

2 tsp dried sage
1 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup defatted pan drippings

Combine the sage, thyme, parsley, chicken stock in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until reduced. Add the defatted pan drippings from your turkey and bring to a low boil, stirring often. Carve the turkey and drizzle turkey slices with the herbed au jus. Serve immediately.

Very Low Carb Homemade Cranberry Sauce

2011-11-16T19:35:00.001-06:00

Ideal Protein Phase 3 Breakfast, Phase 4
Here's a note from my sister/coach: "This is fine for phase 1 and 2 because it is very very low in carbs for the 1-2T you would use."

Cranberries aren't very sweet on their own, but you can make a sauce from scratch, sweetened with Splenda. A whole cup of raw cranberries has 13 grams of carbohydrate, 5 of which are from fiber. That leaves 8 grams total, in a cup, of carbohydrate. If you sweetened with a non-caloric sweetener, and had a reasonable 2 tbsp serving, that's only about a single gram of carbohydrate.

This recipe has a small amount of cornstarch to thicken - you could omit if you felt it necessary, but again, it's a very small amount and you are only eating a very small portion.

1 tsp cornstarch
1 cup Splenda

1/2 cup water
3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 medium orange, zested

Combine cornstarch, Splenda and water in a medium saucepan, stirring until Splenda and cornstarch dissolve. Stir in cranberries and orange zest; bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 5 minutes or until cranberry skins begin to pop and mixture begins to thicken. Set aside to cool. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.

Asparagus (or any vegetable) Frittata

2011-11-16T19:27:00.002-06:00

This is a Phase 4 IP recipe.

2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 pound asparagus, ends snapped off, spears cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice

Heat olive oil into a pan over medium high heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the asparagus are barely tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour in eggs and cook until almost set, but still runny on top, about 2 minutes. While cooking, pre-heat oven broiler.

Sprinkle cheese over eggs and put in oven to broil until cheese is melted and browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven with oven mitts and slide frittata onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges.

You can switch out the vegetables and cheese to alter the frittata in endless ways....mushroom and cheese, tomato & green onion, zucchini & mushroom...and so on!

Makes 4 servings.

IP Flat Bread Crackers

2011-11-16T19:19:00.001-06:00

2 packets of IP Plain Crepe
3 1/2 to 4 oz water
1/4 tsp Redmond's salt
Dehydrated minced garlic
Cracked Pepper
Rosemary
Sea Salt

In a bowl, mix crepe packets with Redmond's salt and water to a paste-like, but spreadable, consistency. Spread very thin on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Season top with garlic, cracked pepper, rosemary and salt.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until browned. Once golden brown, turn off the oven and let sit in oven for approximately 20 minutes more, or until you can break apart into cracker pieces.

IP Pumpkin Layered Parfait

2011-11-16T19:15:00.000-06:00

IP Vanilla Pudding Mix – mix with 4 ½ oz water then stir in a tiny bit of grated orange zest. Chill.
IP Butterscotch Pudding Mix- mix with 4 ½ oz water and as much pumpkin pie spice as desired. Chill.

Layer each chilled pudding in a beautiful glass and top with a small amount of Sugar Free Whip Cream (this is a holiday, after all!)

Variations:
Use a few ounces of the vanilla readymade in place of some of the water in the puddings.
Try adding in a splash of rum extract to the vanilla pudding.
Crush up the apple cinnamon puffs and place between layers and on the top.
Vary the flavors with sweet leaf drops (english toffee or vanilla cream) added to both these puddings.

S'more Cupcakes

2011-11-12T21:01:00.000-06:00

8 graham crackers (about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs)
2 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 Devil's Food chocolate cake mix
Eggs, oil and water for cake mix
24 marshmallows

Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until finely ground. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Spoon 1 tbsp graham cracker mixture into each cupcake liner. Press flat with the bottom of a cup. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle 8 - 10 chocolate chips on top of each graham cracker crust.

Mix together the cake mix according to package directions. Divide cake batter evenly into the cupcake liners on top of the graham cracker crust and chocolate. Bake for about 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven, but do not turn the oven off.

Let the cupcakes stand for about 5 minutes. Once they are cool enough to handle, move cupcakes to a cookie sheet.

Carefully place 1 marshmallow on top of each cupcake. Return to the oven for 3 minutes, working in batches if necessary. After 3 minutes, quickly press down on each marshmallow to cover the top of the cupcake. Turn the oven to broil, and place the cupcakes back inside the oven, leaving the door cracked open. Watch the marshmallows closely! Once they are browned, remove from the oven and let cool.

S'more Granola Bars

2011-11-12T20:50:00.000-06:00

4 tbsp butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 1/2 cup granola

1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup crushed graham crackers (not crumbs)

1 cup mini marshmallows

In large saucepan, mix together the butter, brown sugar, honey and maple syrup. Bring to a boil. Boil while stirring continuously for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Quickly fold in crushed grahams and granola. Add chocolate and marshmallows. Spread into a parchment lined 9x13 dish. Press firmly into pan, cover, and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. Cut into rectangle bars, store tightly covered.

Banana Split Cheesecake

2011-11-12T20:46:00.000-06:00

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup melted butter
3 cups icing sugar
2 - 8 oz cream cheese
12 oz can crushed pineapple, well drained
3 bananas, sliced
1 pint strawberries
12 oz cool whip
Maraschino cherries
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
Handful of chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecan halves

Blend butter and graham crackers; press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan (or two pie plates). Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

Blend icing sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Spread over cooled crust. Layer pineapple, bananas and sliced strawberries over cream cheese. Spread cool whip over top. Decorate with cherries and chocolate chips. Drizzle syrup and sprinkle with pecans. Chill for 4 hours and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2011-11-12T20:40:00.000-06:00

15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
4 oz jar roasted red peppers
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In food processor, puree the beans, red peppers, tahini, lemon juice and seasonings. Process until smooth and slightly fluffy. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Sprinkle with parsley.

Avalanche Rice Krispies

2011-11-12T20:33:00.000-06:00

2 bags white chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 cups rice krispies
1 cup mini chocolate chips
3 cups mini marshmallows

Melt white chocolate chips and peanut butter together until creamy. Fold in rice krispies. Allow to cool to room temperature (about 15 - 20 minutes). Stir in mini chips and marshmallows. Pour into greased 9x13 pan, pressing lightly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Nutella No-Bake Cookies

2011-11-12T20:29:00.000-06:00

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup Nutella
3 cups quick oats

Over medium heat, cook sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine. Boil one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, salt, peanut butter, Nutella and oats. Stir until combined. Drop by teaspoon on wax paper and cool. Refrigerate. Eat. Repeat.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

2011-11-12T17:03:00.000-06:00

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and whisk until sugar dissolves. When mixture starts to bubble, set aside to cool. Whisk in vanilla.

Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy. On low, add in cooled brown sugar and butter mixture. Mix until combined and add chocolate chips. Serve with pretzels, animal crackers, graham sticks, etc.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

2011-11-12T16:58:00.000-06:00

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
12 oz chocolate coating, melted (you can also use vanilla, to dip or drizzle)

Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat in flour and salt. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop (about 1 - 2 tbsp) onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Freeze for about 2 hours (or overnight).

Using two forks, dip into melted chocolate coating and return to parchment. Drizzle with melted vanilla coating. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Caramel Cracker Bars

2011-11-12T16:49:00.000-06:00

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 box Ritz crackers
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter

In a saucepan, heat graham cracker crumbs, sugars, butter and milk. Bring to a boil and continue stirring while boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. In foil lined and buttered 9x13 pan, layer Ritz crackers over bottom. Pour half of caramel mixture over the crackers, then lay another layer of crackers over the caramel mixture, and cover that with the remaining caramel. Repeat with one more layer of Ritz crackers. Refrigerate while continuing with the next step.

In a small saucepan, melt butterscotch and chocolate chips with peanut butter. Stir until smooth and creamy. Pour over crackers and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold.

Homemade Mayonnaise

2011-11-12T16:42:00.000-06:00

1 egg
1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

In a food processor or blender, blend egg and lemon juice. While processor is on, slowly add oil until it thickens to a white pudding texture (as mayonnaise is supposed to look). Stop the processor, add salt and pepper, then pulsate 5 times.

Feel free to add roasted peppers,garlic, herbs or other ingredients for more or different flavor.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-11-12T16:37:00.000-06:00

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp cinnamon
4 1/2 cups icing sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Good for cakes, cookies, etc.

Banana Cookies

2011-11-12T16:35:00.001-06:00

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 sour cream
2 large ripe bananas, smashed
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Beat butter and sugars. Mix in the sour cream, bananas, vanilla and egg. Add the remaining ingredients. Use a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 10- 12 minutes. Cool and frost with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting if desired.

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

2011-11-11T20:58:00.000-06:00

42 Oreos - 30 left whole and 12 coarsely chopped
32 oz cream cheese, room temperature (You can use light, but not fat-free.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream (light is ok, but not fat-free)
Pinch of salt

Line muffin tins with paper liners. Place one whole cookie in the bottom of each cup. With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.

Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake at 275, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least four hours before serving.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes

2011-11-11T20:51:00.000-06:00

Jelly Syrup:
1 cup grape jelly
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water

Pancakes:
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups baking mix
2 eggs
Cooking spray

Syrup:
Heat the grape jelly in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water. When the jelly has become liquid, stir in the cornstarch mixture. Simmer until a syrup consistency is reached, about 5 -10 minutes.

Pancakes:
In a small saucepan warm the milk over low heat. Whisk in the peanut butter and combine until completely smooth, then remove from the heat. In a large mixing bowl, add the baking me. Stir in the eggs and milk mixture and combine until just incorporated. Preheat frying pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Put 1/4 cup of pancake batter in the skillet and cook until golden brown. (When bubble in the center of the pancake have deflated, flip over and cook the other side.) Keep warm by storing on cookie sheet in 200 degree oven. Serve with warm grape syrup.

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

2011-11-11T20:34:00.000-06:00

2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini peanut butter cups, roughly chopped

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together. In a separate bowl, cream the brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. Gradually add these two mixtures together and stir in peanut butter cups. Bake in greased 9x13 pan at 350 until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean - about 20 - 25 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

2011-11-11T19:24:00.000-06:00

2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup half-and-half cream
Whipped topping or frosting of your choice

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners. If using paper liners, lightly coat them with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and half-and-half until well combined. Add in dry ingredients and whisk until no streaks of flour remain and batter is smooth. Distribute batter evenly in the muffin tin. (They should be about 3/4 of the way full.) Bake for 20 minutes at 350. (They will sink as they cool.) Chill before serving. Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

2011-11-11T19:11:00.000-06:00

1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup butter
3 cups icing sugar
2 (8") prepared graham cracker crusts
2 cups milk
1 (3.9 oz) pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed (optional)

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and peanut butter. Heat in the microwave until soft; mix well. Gradually stir in icing sugar until the mixture resembles a soft dough. Spread the mixture into 2 pie crusts. In a small bowl, mix the milk with the instant pudding. Pour over the peanut butter mixture in each crust. Chill until firm. Top with whipped topping when ready to serve.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares

2011-11-11T18:27:00.000-06:00

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Whisk together pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt and flour. In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and butter on medium-high speed until creamy. Add vanilla and egg; beat, then add pumpkin puree.

Combine the two bowls together, and stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon batter into a 9x13 pan coated with cooking spray and lightly floured. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Low Carb Honey Mustard Sauce

2011-11-11T13:54:00.000-06:00

Please note, this is *not* IP-approved.

1/2 cup real mayonnaise
2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
Splenda to taste

Toffee Crunch Cookies

2011-11-11T13:51:00.000-06:00

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups quick oats
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1 1/4 milk chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows

Beat butter with sugars. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Beat in flour, baking soda and baking powder. Fold in oats, cereal, chips and marshmallows. Drop onto parchment lined cookie sheet (it's very important to use parchment paper for this recipe) and bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes.

Mini Pizza Bites

2011-11-11T13:45:00.000-06:00

2 lbs ground sausage
2 (12 oz) cans pizza sauce
2 packets of Won Ton wrappers
2 cups mozzarella cheese
10 slices of thinly cut salami (sliced thin into strip)

Other pizza toppings, if desired

Brown sausage and cook thoroughly. Drain on plate lined with paper towel. Add the sausage back to the pan and pour in the pizza sauce. Let it bubble for a few minutes. Cut the won ton wrappers with a biscuit cutter and place them one at a time into a mini-muffin tin. Fill the won tons with the pizza sauce and sausage mixture about 3/4 of the way full. Top with cheese, salami and other pizza toppings. Cook at 375 for about 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Cheesy Pepperoni Bread

2011-11-11T13:21:00.000-06:00

1 (1 lb) loaf of frozen bread dough, thawed
1 egg, beaten
4 oz sliced pepperoni
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

Roll frozen bread dough out into a rectangle. Brush dough with beaten egg. Arrange pepperoni and cheeses over the dough. Sprinkle on the Italian seasoning. Roll up the dough like a jelly roll and pinch seam to seal; place, seam side down, on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes, or until golden.

Peach Pie Smoothies

2011-11-11T13:13:00.000-06:00

2 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced
1 cup vanilla frozen yogurt
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 vanilla wafer cookies, crumbled (or try snickerdoodles)

Puree all ingredients except cookies into a blender until smooth. Pour into 2 chilled glasses and top with cookie crumbles. Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Stromboli

2011-11-11T13:09:00.002-06:00

1/2 lb lean cooked ground beef, sausage or chopped pepperoni
1 can (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza crust
1/4 cup pizza sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped vegetables
1/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning

Unroll dough and place on cookie sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Press out dough with hands to form 12x8 rectangle. Spread sauce on dough to within 2" of long sides and 1/2" of short sides. Place cooked meat and vegetables lengthwise down center, forming 3" wide strip and to within 1/2" of short sides. Top with cheese and Italian seasoning. Fold long sides of dough over filling; press edges to seal. Bake at 400 for 15 - 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Frozen Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Banana Bites

2011-11-11T13:01:00.002-06:00

3 very ripe bananas
16 oz semisweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup peanut butter

Slice the bananas into 1" pieces. Place pieces into the freezer for an hour, or until thoroughly frozen.

Melt chocolate on the stove, using a double boiler. When bananas are completely frozen, dip each of the pieces into the melted chocolate using a toothpick, and place dipped banana bites onto wax paper.

In a microwave, melt the peanut butter in a container. Using a spoon, simply drip the melted peanut butter over the top of your banana bites. Then, place back in the freezer until you're ready to enjoy!

Mars Bars Squares

2011-11-11T12:53:00.000-06:00

4 Mars bars
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 cups Rice Krispies

1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine

Melt the bars with butter in a pot. Mix the Rice Krispies in with them, then transfer to a well greased 9×9 pan. Melt the chocolate chips and butter for the topping, then pour it on top. Cool in the fridge, then cut into pieces and serve.

Breakfast Pizza

2011-11-11T12:37:00.001-06:00

1 pound sausage (turkey sausage or turkey bacon would work, too)
1 1/4 cups frozen shredded hash brown patties, thawed (or make an IP pizza cauliflower crust)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped veggies of your choice (mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers)
5 eggs
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Grated parmesan cheese

In a skillet, brown sausage; drain. Spoon into ungreased 10" pie pan. Top with potatoes, cheddar cheese and vegetables. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper, pour over cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshakes

2011-11-11T12:27:00.001-06:00

4 large scoops vanilla ice cream
1 cup sliced strawberries, plus 4 additional whole strawberries for garnish
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 whole graham crackers, crushed
Whipped cream (optional)

Combine ice cream, sliced strawberries, cream cheese, milk, and vanilla in blender. Pulse until well-blended, added more milk if it's too thick. Pour blended ice cream into four glasses.Garnish with whole strawberries, graham crackers crumbles, and whipped cream. Serve immediately.

IP Shake and Bake

2011-09-22T21:39:00.000-05:00

Crush Southwest Cheese Curls into a bag, and add whatever spices you'd like.

Mix the egg in a bowl, dip the meat in there, then shake and bake the meat.

More IP Pancakes

2011-09-22T21:36:00.000-05:00

1 IP pudding, any flavor
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Cinnamon, to taste
3 tbsp water
1 egg white

Blend all ingredients, adding a little more egg white if you prefer your pancakes a little thinner. Spray a skillet with non-stick spray or use 1 tsp oil and heat to low heat. Cook the pancakes and enjoy with WF pancake syrup.

IP Carrot Cake

2011-09-22T21:33:00.002-05:00

1 IP White-Choco Cinnamon bar

Just heat in the microwave for 15 - 20 seconds and close your eyes and enjoy your carrot cake!

Rice Krispy Cereal Cakes

2011-09-22T21:32:00.000-05:00

1 IP packet of crispy cereal
1 tsp water
2 tbsp WF chocolate dip
1 egg white

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour this mixture into a muffin pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. You can replace the chocolate dip with WF strawberry spread or pancake syrup.

IP Stuffed Peppers

2011-09-22T21:30:00.000-05:00

6 green peppers
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup soy sauce
Sugar-free salsa
Cilantro and sea salt to taste

Cut the tops off the peppers and clean out the seeds. Cook the peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and sprinkle salt inside each pepper. In a large skillet, saute beef in olive oil and soy sauce. Preheat oven to 350. Stuff each pepper with the beef and a spoonful of salsa. Bake covered for 25 - 35 minutes.

IP Croutons

2011-09-22T20:23:00.002-05:00

Add some Southwest Cheese Curls, Salt and Vinegar chips, or BBQ Ridges to your salad. You can use just a handful and it won't even count as a serving!

Wildberry Yogurt Popsicles

2011-09-22T20:22:00.000-05:00

5 oz cold water
1 packet IP Wildberry yogurt mix
Popsicle molds

Warm Rhubarb

2011-09-22T20:20:00.000-05:00

4 cups fresh rhubarb (or unsweetened frozen rhubarb)

Put it in a microwaveable bowl and add a little Splenda or Stevia. Microwave it for 10 minutes or so (stir it at about 3 minutes in) and enjoy.

Depending on your microwave, it may need more or less time. It will be significantly less in the bowl once cooked, because of the water content of the rhubarb.

Serving suggestion: Serve with a portion of vanilla pudding as a dessert. Pudding may also be made with less water to get more "whipping cream" consistency.

IP Latte

2011-09-22T20:13:00.000-05:00

2 cups cold coffee
1 packet IP Cappuccino mix
3 tbsp IP vanilla pre-made drink
1 packet Splenda or Stevia
Crushed ice

Add all ingredients to shaker. Shake and enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Biscuits

2011-09-22T20:10:00.000-05:00

1 packet IP butterscotch pudding
2 tbsp water
1 egg white
Pumpkin pie spice, to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Spray cooking spray in mini-muffin pan. Drop spoonfuls of dough in the muffin pan. Cook for 12 - 15 minutes.

Makes 1 IP serving.

Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream

2011-09-22T20:07:00.000-05:00

1 packet IP vanilla pudding
1 heaping tbsp WF caramel syrup
2 tsp Splenda or a dash of Stevia
1 shot vanilla extract
3/4 cup water
Ice

Mix vanilla pudding with water in blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Drink with a straw like a milkshake or place in freezer for half an hour.

IP Chocolate Cookies

2011-09-22T20:01:00.000-05:00

1/4 cup water
1 packet Splenda or Stevia
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 pkg IP Chocolate Pancake Mix
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients and stir until well mixed. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Makes 6 cookies (3 per serving). Bake for about 15 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

Makes 2 IP servings.

Oatmeal Zucchini Muffins

2011-09-22T19:55:00.000-05:00

1 packet IP Maple Oatmeal
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Splenda or Stevia
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 - 3/4 of a zucchini, finely grated (squeeze out excess juice)
1/4 - 1/3 cup water
Pinch of sea salt

Beat the egg in a bowl. Add the oatmeal, baking powder, salt, sweetener, cinnamon and zucchini. Mix and gradually add water until you have a good batter. Bake at 385 for 20 minutes. Makes 3 regular muffins or 12 bite-size.

Makes 1 IP serving.

Pizza-stuffed Zucchini

2011-09-22T19:40:00.000-05:00

2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 whole large zucchini
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2/3 cups pizza sauce
1/2 cup turkey pepperoni
4 sliced deli ham,chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion
1/2 tsp oregano

For the Tomato Topping:
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 leaves fresh basil
Sea salt and pepper (to taste)

Preheat skillet over medium heat with olive oil and garlic. Scoop all the seeds out so you are left with a skinny, boat-shaped zucchini about 1/3 - 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle each zucchini with salt and pepper. Remove garlic from pan. Place zucchini cut side down in the pan and cover. Cook 5 minutes and turn. Edges should be brown. Cover and cook another 5 minutes. Transfer cooked zucchini to a sheet pan. Fill with pizza sauce and desired toppings. Sprinkle with oregano. Bake under the broiler for 3 - 5 minutes. In small bowl, combine tomatoes with basil, salt and pepper. Top zucchinis with tomato mixture.

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes and Vanilla Frosting

2011-09-22T19:31:00.000-05:00

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
1 packet IP chocolate chip pancake mix
1/3 cup water
Small pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients very well and divide among 3 olive oil-sprayed mini-muffin pans. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Let cool slightly. Remove from pan and split horizontally.

Vanilla Frosting
1 packet IP vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp almond extract
Small pinch sea salt
3.5 - 4 oz water (about halfway between 1/3 and 1/2 cup)

Mix all ingredients together very well, forming a smooth frosting. Frost cooled cupcakes and top with stewed rhubarb or WF jam.

Makes 6 cupcakes.

IP Cauliflower Pizza Crust and Sauce

2011-09-22T19:22:00.000-05:00

Pizza Crust:
1 bag cauliflower
1/4 cup egg whites

Steam cauliflower according to directions on bag, then pour it on a clean dishcloth that has been heavily lined with paper towels. Cover with another layer of paper towels, fold the dish towel over itself and press hard to squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the cauliflower. Feed the cauliflower through the shredding disk of your food processor. Repreat the squeezing step with fresh paper towels. Get as much moisture out until you have something resembling dough. Combine the shreds with the egg whites. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (not foil as it will stick). Mound the cauliflower mixture in the center of the pan.

Using slightly damp hands, press from the center outward to creat a thin crust. Gently blot excess moisture off the top with a paper towel. Make it very thin; if it's too thick, it will be soggy.

Bake at 450 for 20 - 25 minutes. The crust should be browned, perhaps slightly burned in some spots. DO NOT under-bake. Because the top will tend to be more crusty, flip it to add the sauce and toppings.

All-Natural, Excellent Pizza Sauce:
About 12 plum tomatoes, seeded, skinned and pureed in a food processor
1 white onion, chopped fine
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp garlic
1 tbsp garlic
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp red pepper
2 tbsp minced garlic

Heat your oil in an 8 quart pan. Add your onions and saute them until they are transparent, about 6 minutes.

Add your garlic, tomator puree, salt and red pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, as the sauce thickens. The sauce should be pretty smooth when finished, provided the food processing went smoothly.

This pizza sauce recipe can be canned or frozen.

Chocolate-Banana Split Dessert

2011-09-22T19:07:00.000-05:00

30 Oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 tbsp butter, melted
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp cold milk
3 cups thawed Cool Whip whipped topping, divided
4 bananas, sliced
2 pkg (4 serving size each) chocolate pudding
3 1/4 cups cold milk
1/3 cup maraschino cherries, halved
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 tbsp chocolate syrup

Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9x13 dish. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 tbsp milk in medium bowl with whisk until well blended. Stir in 1 cup Cool Whip; spread over crust. Top with bananas.

Beat pudding mixes and 3 1/4 cups milk with whisk for 2 minutes; spread over bananas. Let stand 5 minutes or until thickened; cover with remaining Cool Whip. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Top with cherries, nuts and syrup just before serving.

IP Vanilla Frosting

2011-05-12T12:51:00.000-05:00

1 packet of Ideal Protein vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp almond extract
Small pinch sea salt
3.5 - 4 oz water

Mix all ingredients together very well forming a smooth frosting. Frost cooled cupcakes and top with the stewed Rhubarb or with Walden Farms strawberry jam. Makes 6 cupcakes. ENJOY!

IP Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

2011-05-12T12:29:00.000-05:00

1 packet Ideal Protein chocolate chip pancake mix
2.5 - 3 oz water
Small pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients very well and divide among 3 olive oil sprayed mini muffin pans.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Let cool slightly. Remove from pan and split horizontally.

Vanilla Frosting:
1 packet of Ideal Protein vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp almond extract
Small pinch sea salt
3.5 - 4 oz water

Mix all ingredients together very well forming a smooth frosting. Frost cooled cupcakes and top with the stewed Rhubarb or with Walden Farms strawberry jam. Makes 6 cupcakes. ENJOY!

IP - Friendly Stirfry Sauce

2011-05-03T10:46:00.000-05:00

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sweetener
1/2 tsp rice vinegar

IP - Friendly Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2011-05-03T10:26:00.002-05:00

2 tablespoons oil
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup bean spouts
1 - 2 cups mushroom
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 tbsp minced garlic
Iceburg lettuce leaves

Special Sauce

1/4 cup sweetener(splenda)
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 ttbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1-2 tsp garlic
10 drops Tabasco sauce

Stir Fry Sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sweetener
1/2 tsp rice vinegar

Make the special sauce by dissolving the sweetener in water in a small bowl. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve. In another bowl, mix together garlic and Tabasco sauce. Eventually add your desired measurement of garlic/Tabasco sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.

Bring 1 tablespoon oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done. Remove chicken from the pan and cool. Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.

As chicken cools, mince bean sprouts, zucchini and mushrooms to about the size of small peas. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, sweetener, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.

When chicken is cool, chop it to the size of small peas. With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce "cups". Top with "Special Sauce".

Makes 4 servings

IP Sweet and Sour Sauce

2011-05-03T09:59:00.000-05:00

1/2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp Splenda
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 tsp onion powder

IP Coleslaw

2011-05-03T09:48:00.000-05:00

4 cups coleslaw mix, or plain cabbage mix
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup Splenda
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp pepper

In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix and pepper. In a smaller bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Pour over the cabbage mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

IP - Friendly Pork Marinade

2011-05-03T09:41:00.004-05:00

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Splenda
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

IP Vegetable Souffle

2011-05-03T09:38:00.002-05:00

4 egg whites
2 cups of your favorite vegetable(s) shredded
1 packet of Ideal Protein Maple Oatmeal
Olive oil
Seasoning, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place Maple Oatmeal in blender and process until finely ground. Place shredded veggies in medium to large bowl.

Prepare souffle dish by lightly spraying with olive oil, then dust with ground oatmeal, shaking excess oatmeal into veggies. Combine oatmeal, seasonings, and veggies, stirring until completely coated(this is especially important if working with high-moisture veggies such as zucchini.)

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold half of beaten egg whites into veggies, mix thoroughly to get eggs to blend with mixture, and then gently fold in the remaining whites. Pour into prepared dish and bake for 20 minutes or until firm.

IP (or Low Sugar) Ketchup

2011-05-01T23:37:00.001-05:00

6 oz can tomato paste
*8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp white vinegar
3 tbsp Splenda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/16 tsp allspice
1/16 tsp ground cloves
1/16 tsp cinnamon
1/16 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients. Keep refrigerated. Do not freeze.

*Make sure to read the label. Sometimes they add sugar to the sauce.

Makes 1 3/4 cups.

Made with Splenda, 1 tbsp:
8 calories
trace fat
trace protein
2 g carbohydrates
trace dietary fibre
1.5 g net carbs

IP Teriyaki Sauce 2

2011-05-01T22:51:00.001-05:00

1 bottle soy sauce
2 tbsp vinegar
6 tbsp Splenda
3 tbsp ginger powder
2 tbsp garlic powder

Shake and let sit overnight, adjust flavorings according to taste. This one is a bit more tangy because of the vinegar.

IP Teriyaki Sauce 1

2011-05-01T22:49:00.001-05:00

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp oil of your choice
1 tbsp Splenda
1 clove crushed garlic

This will make enough for 1 pound of meat and can cook well in a crock pot.

IP Meatballs

2011-05-01T22:47:00.002-05:00

1 lb ground meat
2 egg whites
1/4 cup dried parsley
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1tsp onion powder
11/2 tsp minced garlic
3/4 cup grated zucchini
3/4 cup finely chopped or grated cauliflower tops
1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms or spinach

Mix ingredients; make into balls. Place on a cookie sheet or rectangular cake pan covered in foil. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until done.

If cooking in teriyaki sauce (here are IP teriyaki sauce recipes - 1 and 2) place meatballs in slow cooker, cover with sauce and cook on low until done.

IP Boneless Hot Wings

2011-05-01T22:32:00.000-05:00

Warning... this will be HOT.. (depending on how hot your chili powder is), but good!!

16 ounces of boneless skinless chicken breast tenders
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup chili powder

Mix vinegar, water and cayenne pepper. Add chicken to mixture and let marinate in refrigerator for a couple hours. Put chili powder on a plate and gently dip each tender in chili powder and then place on a rack in a baking pan. Bake at 350º for about 15-20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

IP Stuffed Mushrooms

2011-05-01T22:07:00.000-05:00

1/2 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/3 cup Walden Farms alfredo sauce (optional)
8 large mushrooms

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove stems from mushrooms and chop. Crumble turkey in skillet, add mushroom stems, onion powder and pepper and cook until turkey is browned. Add garlic, Italian seasoning and alfredo sauce cook 1 minute longer. Set aside. Place mushrooms in baking dish. Stuff mushrooms with meat mixture and bake at 400 for 25 minutes.

IP "Potato" Salad

2011-05-01T21:52:00.002-05:00

3 turnips diced
*3 egg whites boiled and diced (optional)
3/4 cup red onions
1/2 cup celery diced into tiny pieces
1/2 cup dill pickles dices into tiny pieces
1 cup Walden Farms Mayo
2 tbsp mustard of your choice
2 tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup Splenda
Salt and pepper to taste

Dice turnips and cook them in boiling water until tender. Strain and rinse in cold water. Add remaining ingredients, stir together, refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld together.

IP Meringue Cookies

2011-05-01T21:45:00.001-05:00

2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Splenda
Dash of food color (optional)

Preheat oven to 300. Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla. Beat until the whites form soft peaks. Slowly add Splenda; beat until stiff peaks form, and mixture becomes glossy. Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls on to a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Makes 1 dozen cookies at 3.5 calories each.

IP "Rice" Pudding

2011-05-01T21:43:00.002-05:00

This includes one IP packet plus your 2 cups of veggies!! If you make this up the night before, it has plenty of time to set.

1 tsp Knox Gelatin or Agar Agar
1 IP Vanilla Pudding mixed with 6 oz water
2 Cups of cauliflower – Put it through a food processor first to chop it into small rice size pieces, then cook in the microwave (covered) for 6 minutes, no need to add water or anything. You can pulse in blender if you don't have a food processor. You can also cook it first then chop it up into small rice-like pieces.
1 - 2 packets of Splenda
1 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon to taste

Mix gelatin with 1/4 cup of water until dissolved and add pudding. Add cauliflower and flavorings - stir and adjust to taste. Refrigerate until set.

Must be very cold for best results.

Kale Cheese Chips

2011-05-01T21:26:00.000-05:00

2 bunches kale, washed and dried
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 425. Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray.

Remove the stems and ribs from the kale and shred into small pieces. Spread the kale on the baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes, watching very carefully to prevent burning, until kale is crisp and cheese is browned.

Warm Mushroom Dip

2011-05-01T21:18:00.000-05:00

2 tbsp margarine or vegetable oil
1 lb (500 g) fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup light sour cream
2 tsp each dill weed and paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; stir in mushrooms, lemon juice, garlic and onions. Saute until tender and the liquid given off by the mushrooms has evaporated, about 5 - 7 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer; mix in sour cream, dill weed, paprika, salt and pepper and simmer until slightly thickened and warm. Serve warm with pita crisps, multigrain, low fat cracker or breadsticks. Makes 1 cup.

Chocolate Toffee Cheesecake Bites

2011-05-01T21:08:00.000-05:00

1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
2/3 cup skor toffee bits, divided
Whipped cream

Line 24 mini muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat oven to 325. Beat cream cheese until very smooth. Beat in brown sugar and sour cream until well combined. On low, beat in egg, just until well combined (do not overbeat).

Stir in chocolate chips and 1/2 cup toffee bits. Divide mixture between prepared muffin cups. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until just set.

Cool to room temperature, then chill completely. Just before serving, pipe whipped cream onto each cheesecake; sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Serve chilled.

Easy Pizza Dough

2011-05-01T21:00:00.000-05:00

5 cups flour, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp quick-rise yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cold water
1/4 cup olive oil

Mix four cups flour, cheese, yeast and salt in large bowl. Add water and oil; stir until mixture forms a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface 5 inutes or until dough is smooth and elastic, gradually adding remaining flour.

Cut dough into 4 peices. (Each piece is enough for a 12" pizza.) Spray each piece with cooking spray. If using immediately, cover desired number of dough pieces loosely with plastic wrap; let stand 15 minutes.

Place each remaining dough piece in separate resealable freezer-weight plastic bag that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Seal bags; refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. If freezing dough, thaw in refrigerator before using.

To make pizza:
Heat oven to 450. Roll dough into 12" circle on lightly floured surface. Press onto bottom of 12" pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray, stretching to fit. Let stand 10 minutes. Spread with desired sauce; top with desired toppings. Bake on bottom oven rack 17 to 18 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

2011-04-04T08:32:00.000-05:00

1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
12 oz cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
12 oz lasagna noodles, uncooked
3 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in frypan.
Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano.
Cook long enough to get it warm.
Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker.
Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses.
Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

Basic Stir-fry Tips

2011-04-03T22:50:00.002-05:00

Prepare everything you need before you begin to stir-fry.

Make sure the vegetables and meat are cut roughly the same size (bite size).

You can cook the meat separately, then take it out and add it back in at the end, if you want.

Heat the pan first, then add oil. When the oil is hot, add aromatics, such as ginger and garlic, and stir-fry for a few seconds, or until you smell them.

Add your sauce when the food is about 2/3 done. If the food will take more than a few minutes more to cook, cover and steam until done. (If it'll just take a couple more minutes of cooking, then keep stir-frying.)

Use the basic technique of lifting under the food in the wok with a spatula or other flat utensil and moving it to the side.

Meat is normally stir-fried on high heat to seal in the juices.

Never add more than a cup of meat at a time to the wok. Lay the meat out flat to cook.

Remove the meat from the wok when it changes color - for example, the redness in the beef is gone. At this point the meat is approximately 80% cooked.

If possible, wash the vegetables ahead of time to ensure that they have drained and are not too wet.

If the vegetables are too dry, try adding a few drops of water while stir-frying.

When stir-frying meat, wait a few seconds before tossing so that it has a chance to brown; when stir-frying vegetables,begin moving them immediately.

When adding sauce to vegetables and/or meat, form a "well" in the middle by pushing the ingredients up the sides of the wok. Add the sauce in the middle and stir to thicken before combining with the other ingredients.

Separate the bok choy into stalks. Wash bok choy in several changes of cold water and allow to thoroughly drain in a colander. Trim 1/4-inch from the bottom of each stalk. Halve each stalk lengthwise and cut bok choy into 2-inch-long pieces.

For leftovers, it is VERY important to drain the excess sauce out of the stir-fry before refrigerating it. If you want to keep the sauce in a separate container, that's fine. I've found that if the leftovers sit in their juices, it goes limp really, really fast, whereas when I drain them, they last much longer. When I scoop out leftovers for the next meal, I also check the liquid level and redrain, if necessary.

My favorite marinade/sauce is Amanda's IP-Friendly Marinade. I make it up ahead of time, without the olive oil, and use the non-olive oil for a stir-fry sauce. If I want to use it as a marinade, I add olive oil as required.

I cook my stir-fries as follows:

Peppers and celery (until they glisten)

Bok choy

Mushrooms (I cut mine up thinly)

Once the mushrooms are half-cooked, I add in any sauce.

While the stir-fry is cooking, I steam broccoli and cauliflower at the same time, then drain it and add it last. My broccoli and cauliflower gets cut finely, not bite-sized.

Added last is the pre-cooked meat.

Guilt Free IP Italian Dressing/Marinade

2011-03-26T18:08:00.003-05:00

2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
Sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a bottle (something you can shake). This can be used on salads or on your meat before cooking. This will yield 6-8 cups of salad or a whole head of lettuce.

Put lettuce in a bowl with fresh veggies, pour pour dressing on, lid the bowl, and shake it. This will coat the lettuce nicely and the rest will go to the bottom of the bowl so you aren't drowning the salad.

Reminds me of Olive Garden salad!

This will be another great one for chicken.

Amanda used the Italiano spice from clubhouse, which does have salt, but that's not too bad.

Phases 1 - 4

Turnip or Rutabaga Fries

2011-03-24T21:50:00.000-05:00

Peel a turnip or rutabaga and cut into thin fries. Throw into a ziplock bag with some extra virgin olive oil and paprika; shake until well mixed. Spread on a cookie sheet; sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake at 450 until done. It usually takes 45 - 60 minutes for me to cook them, depending on the size of the turnip/rutabaga. I pile them all onto one cookie sheet, and cook them until they are no longer crisp.

Kale Chips

2011-03-24T21:38:00.003-05:00

1 bunch kale
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

Preheat an oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake until the edges are brown but not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

You could always try sprinkling on some Mrs Dash or other seasonings (such as chili powder) before baking.

Ideal Protein Boot Camp

2011-03-21T08:11:00.001-05:00

*for when you hit a plateau*

NO RESTRICTED ITEMS. NO OCCASIONAL VEGGIES.

Stick to soups, jello, juices, and pudding packets.

Breakfast: packet, as usual.
Lunch: packet, veggies, and salad.
Supper: no meat protein. You can do 1 or 2 packets here. Still have veggies and salad.
Snack: packet, as usual.

You can make an omelet with 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites and your veggies for supper if you want. Again – you can add another packet if you want to double the protein.

You can decide if you want one or two packets for supper. That would put you at 4-5 packets for the day. Try this for 2-3 days. I often found that 2 days was enough to get the scale moving.

Remember LOTS of water. Add some lemon juice to your water early in the day to flush out your system.

As much as we don't want to hear it, sometimes restricteds can slow the weight loss, so a few days without should shake things up!

Garlic Clove to Powder

2011-03-13T17:08:00.002-05:00

One garlic clove is 1/8 tsp powder.

Cheese Stuffed Meatballs

2011-03-12T09:19:00.000-06:00

1/3 cup milk
1 cup breadcrumbs
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 pounds ground beef
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/3 pound mozzarella cheese
Olive oil (for frying)
48 ounces tomato sauce (use pre-made or make your own)

In a large bowl, combine the milk and breadcrumbs. Whip eggs in separate bowl. Then add to larger bowl along with the meat, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix ingredients briefly with hands and make into 2-inch balls. Seal cheese cube into center of each meatball very securely!

In a large skillet set on medium-high, heat oil to almost-smoking, browning meatballs for about a minute or so. Transfer meatballs to tray (lined with paper towels).

Discard oil and place tomato sauce in skillet, heating to medium-high until it starts to simmer. Add meatballs, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for 10 minutes more.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

2011-03-12T09:15:00.001-06:00

Brownies:
1 package brownie mix (or your favorite recipe)
1/2 cup chocolate chips, added to mix

Bake brownies according to package. Cool completely.

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour

Beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar until fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour and mix well. Spread mixture over cooled brownies.

Chocolate glaze topping:
1 (6-oz.) package chocolate chips
1 tablespoon corn oil, margarine, or shortening

Melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Spoon glaze over filling and spread to cover.

Ice Cream Sundae Dessert

2011-03-12T09:10:00.000-06:00

20 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 gallon ice cream softened (any flavor you like will do)
1 - 8 ounce container of frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 to 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1/4 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into a 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Carefully spread ice cream over crust. Spread whipped topping over ice cream. Drizzle chocolate syrup on top; sprinkle with nuts. Freeze until firm, about 2-4 hours.

Amanda's IP-Friendly Stirfry Marinade

2011-03-12T00:01:00.009-06:00

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2-3 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ginger
2 small onions, finely chopped (or 1/2 tbsp onion powder)
3 - 6 garlic cloves finely chopped OR 3/8 - 3/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp vinegar
1/4 c packed brown sugar or use stevia instead
Sea salt

Edit: I've also made this without the extra virgin olive oil for a stirfry sauce. Sooooo good!!

I use this recipe a lot, and often make 2, 4 or even 6 times the recipe. It sits in the fridge (sans olive oil) until I'm ready to use it. I'm actually going to mark the recipe times 2, 4 and times 6 down here for convenience.

Marinade Times 2
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup worchestershire sauce
2 tsp ginger
1 tbsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup vinegar
Stevia
Sea salt

Marinade Times 4
3 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup worchestershire sauce
1 1/3 tbsp ginger
2 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 cup vinegar
Stevia
Sea salt

Marinade Times 6
4 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups soy sauce
1 cup worchestershire sauce
2 tbsp ginger
3 tbsp onion powder
1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
3/4 cup vinegar
Stevia
Sea salt

Crockpot Swiss Chicken Casserole

2011-02-23T16:34:00.000-06:00

6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
6 slices Swiss cheese (if you aren't a Swiss fan, put your fav cheese on there)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)
1/4 cup milk
2 cups stuffing mix (try flavored stuffing)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Lightly grease crockpot with spray. Place chicken breasts in crockpot. Top with a cheese slice.

Combine soup and milk, stirring well. Spoon over cheese. Sprinkle with stuffing mix. Drizzle melted butter over stuffing mix. Top with a few spices.

Cook on low 8 to 10 hours or high 4 to 6 hours.

Pair with your favorite veggies, and you have a simple, delicious dinner!

Super Easy Cinna-Buns

2011-02-23T16:31:00.000-06:00

1 loaf frozen white bread dough

Filling:

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp ground cinnamon

Icing:

3 ounce cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

Place loaf of dough on plate and let sit at room temperature until thawed. Once thawed, roll out onto floured surface to a size of about nine inches by sixteen inches. Spread 1/4 C margarine over dough.

In small bowl mix together brown sugar and 3 T cinnamon. Sprinkle over top of cinnamon roll, stopping about 1/2 an inch away from the sides so it will seal (see photos). Carefully roll up cinnamon roll into a log and press lightly to seal. Slice into one inch slices with serrated knife. Place in greased 9×13 inch pan and cover with cling wrap.

Place in warm spot and allow to rise until doubled in size. Remove cling wrap and bake at 400 for about 15 minutes, or until done.

Icing: Mix all ingredients together and beat with electric mixer until creamy. Spread over cinnamon rolls.

Honey Mustard Chicken

2011-02-23T15:45:00.002-06:00

Chicken breasts
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Honey Mustard Dressing

Preheat your oven to 375. Trim the excess fat from your chicken breasts. Cover them in honey mustard dressing and then toss in bread crumbs. Lay in glass baking dish and bake for roughly 50 minutes, rotating halfway through, and remove when bread crumbs are golden brown. Finish by drizzling with honey mustard.

PIzza Fondue

2011-02-23T15:44:00.000-06:00

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (10 oz.) cans pizza sauce
1 (16-ounce) jar four cheese Alfredo sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. dried basil leaves

Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in heavy skillet. Drain well. Add remaining ingredients and cook slowly, stirring frequently, until cheeses melt and mixture is blended. Pour into fondue pot and dig in!

Serves 8.

Stuffed Mushrooms

2011-02-23T14:44:00.000-06:00

12 - 16 medium mushrooms
3 Tbsp butter butter
1 small finely chopped shallot (or 4 Tbsp onion)
2 Tbsp crumbled bacon

1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/3 c fine bread crumbs

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese with 1/8 tsp poultry seasoning OR
1/2 c grated cheddar

Remove stems from mushrooms with a gentle twist and pull. Arrange hollowed out mushrooms on baking sheet. Put butter, chopped stems, chopped shallot, bacon, salt and pepper in frying pan. Fry slowly until shallot (onion) is soft. Mix crumbs and half the cheese and add to onion mixture. Stuff caps with a little mound on top. Sprinkle with extra cheese. Bake at 350F 10 - 15 min.