Transformation Challenge: Week One

The Transformation Challenge kicked off today, so here's a peak into what we're eating this week and a few recipes, too. 

MENU.

Breakfast.

Egg & bacon muffins

Scrambled eggs with red bell pepper, spinach, basil, carrots, etc.

Banana walnut muffins

Lunch.

Bunless burgers / avocado / fried eggs

Rotisserie chicken / guacamole / spinach salad

Chicken salad / fruit

Dinner.

Bacon wrapped chicken skewers / squash / zucchini / asparagus

Salmon / sweet potato hash / grilled eggplant & tomatoes

Orange chicken / broccoli / cauliflower / bell peppers / pineapple

Kielbasa sausage / cabbage / fried okra

Pork tenderloin / squash / zucchini / carrots

Snacks.

Almond milk yogurt

Nut mix

Apples with almond butter

Muffins

Fudge babies (mini Lara bars)

RECIPES.

Egg & bacon muffins.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wrap a piece of bacon around each muffin tin.  Whip eggs, salt and any other ingredients you like together and pour into each tin.  Fill about 3/4 full.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  (Yield: one muffin per egg)

Banana walnut muffins.

2 cups almond four

1/3 cup coconut flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 cup toasted walnuts (place raw walnuts in oven on 350 for 15 minutes)

2 ripe bananas

1 tbsp vanilla

3 eggs

3 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp almond butter

2 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce (I used one whole apple and processed in my Vitamix.)

Combine dry ingredients and mix together. In separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Combine dry and wet ingredients until well blended then evenly distribute batter amongst muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Grilled Eggplant and Tomatoes.

1 large eggplant
3 large tomatoes, to match the diameter of the eggplant
0.4 lbs Bulgarian feta, crumbled (to make this recipe Paleo, we are omitting the feta.)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
juice of half lemon
2 garlic cloves
½ extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut of the eggplant crosswise into ½” thick rounds. Lightly season them with salt and leave them for 30 minutes on a side to let water to come out of the eggplant.  Once ready drizzle some olive oil on top of each slice and grill them on a lightly oiled grill rack for 2 -3 minutes each side.  Blend the basil leaves with 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt in an immersion blender until smooth.  Cut the tomatoes crosswise to 1/4” thick rounds.  Lightly oil the baking pan. Arrange 4 eggplant rounds side by side. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of the basil-garlic mixture on top of each one, then generously sprinkle feta crumbs. Top each with tomato rings. Add another layer of eggplant, basil spread, feta and tomato rounds and top with the rest of the crumbled feta.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  Drizzle some olive oil on top of each stack and bake for 15 minutes.

Orange chicken.

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken (cut into bite size pieces)

3 tbsp coconut oil

juice of 2 oranges

zest from 1 orange

1 tsp ginger

3 tbsp coconut aminos

1 tsp chili garlic sauce or sriracha

3 green onions, chopped

In a medium size sauce pot, add the orange juice, zest, ginger, coconut aminos and chili garlic sauce or sriracha. Set over medium heat and let simmer to reduce and thicken while the chicken cooks.

In a saute pan, heat coconut oil over medium high heat. Add the chopped chicken and cook until a nice brown crust has developed on the chicken pieces, about 6 minutes.

Add the chicken to the sauce pot and stir to coat with the orange sauce.

Serve topped with sliced green onions.