Sweet and Tangy Sloppy Joes

I am a big sloppy joes fanatic! They are so yummy so I was extremely excited to find this recipe at Masonfit.com. With some slight modifications, it is approved for the Medifast or Optavia plan! Check out his site for some delicious healthy recipes! 

I love the sweet and tangy flavors in this recipe! The sweetness comes from Walden Farms pancake syrup which is a great replacement for honey or maple syrup while you are trying to watch your waistline. The tang is from the yellow mustard and apple cider vinegar. If you are a fan of Carolina mustard bbq sauce, you need to try this recipe!

I started off browning the ground beef in a skillet. Then added the sauce and stirred until combined. Heated on low for 4 to 5 min or until heated thoroughly.

They are wonderful as lettuce wraps!

But not without adding cheese first! Cheese on everything! Or eat it straight from a bowl! Topped with cheese of course!

Also try it with the Cali'flour Foods Flatbreads! Use Code Sandy to save 10% off and click the link below!

Cali'flour Foods Flatbreads

Bake the flatbreads at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 min. Then use them as as taco shells! 

Divide the recipe below into 3 servings. Each serving would then provide 2/3 Lean with 2 Condiments. The flatbreads count as 1/3 Lean and 2 Greens so add 1 more Green to complete your Lean and Green meal! Enjoy!

Sweet and Tangy Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

8.75 oz 93% lean ground beef, cooked and drained of fat (1 and 3/4 Lean)

1/4 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (1/4 Lean)

Or use 10 oz of lean ground beef if omitting cheese

For the Sauce:

3 tbsp reduced sugar ketchup (3 Condiments)

1 tbsp yellow mustard (1 Condiment)

1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (1/8 Condiment)

1 tbsp Walden Farms pancake syrup (1/4 Condiment)

1/2 tsp chili powder (1 Condiment)

1/8 tsp salt (1/2 Condiment)

Directions:

Brown ground beef in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Drain fat and measure out 8.75 oz. Return to skillet. Save the rest for another use.

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Pour sauce over ground beef. Heat skillet over low heat. Stir until combined. Continue cooking for 4 to 5 min or until heated thoroughly stirring often.

Divide mixture in half and top each portion with 2 tbsp cheese.

Makes 2 Servings

Each serving provides

1 Lean and 3 Condiments

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Want to serve these with the Cali'flour Foods flatbreads? Divide the recipe into 3 servings instead of 2 servings. Each serving will provide 2/3 Lean with 2 Condiments. The flatbreads count as 1/3 Lean and 2 Greens so add 1 more Green to complete your Lean and Green meal!

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Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

I am loving these quick and easy slow cooker meals! This Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken is so delicious! It uses only a few ingredients, but has a ton of flavor and is absolutely amazing! Eat this creamy chicken served with your favorite veggies, as chicken tacos, on top of cauliflower rice, or in salads! It is so versatile! Double the recipe and freeze the other half for later because it makes a great freezer meal!

I had this Green Chile Chicken two ways for the past two nights! The first night I had it with jicama shells (1 Green for 2 shells) that I picked up at Whole Foods Market in the produce section. The tortillas are made from raw jicama sliced thin. They are very mild tasting, and have a nice, crisp texture which make them a great alternative to traditional taco shells or tortillas. Plus they hold fillings perfectly!

The second night I had the chicken over cauliflower rice. Both ways were really yummy! I will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation! Enjoy the recipe! 

Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (4 Leaner)

2 (4 oz) cans chopped mild green chiles (2 Greens)

1 tsp garlic powder (2 Condiments)

1 tsp ground cumin (1 Condiment)

1 tsp chili powder (2 Condiments)

1/2 tsp salt (2 Condiments)

1/2 tsp black pepper (1 Condiment)

4 oz reduced fat cream cheese (4 Healthy Fats)

1/4 cup regular sour cream (4 Condiments)

Directions:

Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover the chicken with green chiles, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 1/2 hours.

When done, use forks to shred the chicken and mix with the juices. Stir the cream cheese into chicken and continue cooking for 30 more min on LOW. Then stir in sour cream until combined. Serve immediately.

*Freeze this meal for later! Place the chicken, chilies, and spices in a freezer safe ziploc bag. Label and freeze up until 6 months.

Thaw bag in fridge. Empty the bag into the slow cooker. Cook on Low 4 to 5 hours. 30 min before serving, shred the chicken and add the cream cheese. Continue cooking for 30 more min. Stir in sour cream at the end. Enjoy!

4 Servings (about 1 cup) with

1 Leaner, 1/2 Green (still need 2 1/2 Greens more such as 1 1/4 cup cauliflower rice), 3 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat per serving

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Slightly adapted from The Pinning Mama

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Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

Who likes Chinese takeout? I DO!!!

Here is a healthier and tastier version of Cashew Chicken that comes straight from the slow cooker! 

Start off by cutting the chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces and then browning the chicken in a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray for about 3 to 4 min. Then add the chicken to a slow cooker along with the sauce. Cook on LOW for only 2 1/2 to 3 hours. This allows the chicken to marinate and absorb the yummy sauce while cooking.

You could always place whole chicken breasts in the slow cooker (skipping the browning step) with the sauce and cook for a longer amount of time, but this results in shredded chicken. Shredded chicken would be delicious on salads or lettuce wraps!

When the chicken is done cooking, divide into 3 portions with the sauce and garnish with cashews and thinly sliced green onions. There won't be a lot of sauce, but it makes yummy marinated chicken! Just make sure you do not overcook the chicken to prevent dryness. I chose to add the cashews at the end to individual portions for two reasons. I prefer the cashews to be crunchier when adding it as a garnish. Plus, it is easier to keep count of the correct portion size (1/3 ounce is 1 Healthy Fat) of the cashews when their not already mixed into the dish.

I served this dish with 1 1/2 cups of Trader Joe's fried cauliflower rice (3 Greens) and it was a delicious combination! Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs or 24 oz raw chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces (3 Leaner)

For Sauce:

1/4 cup lite soy sauce (4 Condiments)

2 tbsp reduced sugar ketchup (2 Condiments)

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (1/2 Condiment)

1 packet of stevia or sweetener of choice (1 Condiment)

1 tsp minced garlic (1 Condiment)

1/4 tsp ground ginger (1/2 Condiment)

Garnish:

1 ounce cashews, chopped (3 Healthy Fats)

Sliced green onions ~ optional but subtract from your Greens if using

Directions:

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and season chicken with salt and pepper, if desired. Brown chicken in skillet, stirring occasionally for about 3 to 4 min. It will continue to cook in the slow cooker. Add chicken to the slow cooker.

Make the sauce. Combine soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, sweetener of choice, garlic and ginger in a small bowl. Pour the sauce over chicken. Gently toss chicken with sauce to coat. Cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Since the chicken is browned in the skillet first, it doesn't need a lot of time in the slow cooker. This method results in moist cubed chunks of chicken.

Garnish with 1/3 ounce of chopped cashews and sliced green onions per serving. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

3 Servings with

1 Leaner, 3 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat per serving

*Add 3 Greens to complete your Lean and Green meal. 1 1/2 cups of grated cauliflower or 1 1/2 cups of steamed tri -color cabbage are great options!

Click Here to Print

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Crock Pot Beef Taco Soup

I absolutely love Fall and with Fall comes all the delicious warm soup recipes! This creamy, low carb, lightened up recipe is absolutely delicious! I used less cream cheese than other taco soups and added plain Greek yogurt which allowed the soup to remain creamy without adding all the fat and calories. A touch of Hidden Valley ranch seasoning mix adds a touch of zip and blends so nicely with the taco seasoning and plain Greek yogurt. I topped it with a little bit of sharp cheddar cheese and some fresh chopped cilantro! It was pretty amazing! This recipe makes 5 large servings plus you can enjoy 2 additional Greens on the side! I had a cup of  mini bell peppers from the air fryer. So yummy! Enjoy!

Crock Pot Beef Taco Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs 95 to 97% lean ground beef (4 Leaner)

4 1/2 ounces or 9 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese (4 1/2 Healthy Fats)

2 (10 ounce) cans Rotel (5 Greens)

1 tbsp low sodium taco seasoning (6 Condiments)

2 tsp Hidden Valley ranch seasoning mix (4 Condiments)

4 cups low sodium chicken broth (4 Condiments)

3/4 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt (1/2 Leaner)

1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 Lean)

5 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (1/3 Condiment)

Directions:

Brown ground beef until fully cooked.

While meat is cooking, place cream cheese, Rotel tomatoes, taco seasoning and ranch seasoning in the slow cooker.

Drain grease from meat and put the meat in the slow cooker.

Stir to combine meat with cream cheese and Rotel.

Pour chicken broth over meat mixture.

Cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours.

Before serving, stir in Greek yogurt.

Divide portions into 5 servings (about 2 generous cups per serving).

Add cheddar cheese (almost 2 tbsp per bowl) and garnish with cilantro (1 tbsp per bowl), if desired.

Makes 5 Servings

with 1 Leaner, 1 Green, 3 Condiments and 1 Healthy Fat per serving

*Add 2 more Greens to complete your Lean and Green meal

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Ground Beef Cauliflower Hash

This is an easy dish to throw together on those busy hectic days! A wonderful weekday meal! You got to love those skillet meals! Super easy and quick to make, but yet so yummy requiring only a few ingredients! You can always change out the peppers to veggies of your choice or add more veggies to the dish since you still have 1 and 1/2 more Greens to complete your Lean and Green meal. Delish!

Start off with chopping your peppers and onions. Then saute in a pan with olive oil cooking spray until onions are translucent and peppers are soft. Then add the ground beef and continuing cooking until cooked through.

I did not drain the meat because there wasn't much fat since I used a leaner beef. Next, add the chopped cauliflower and spices. Continue cooking until cauliflower is tender.

Add cheese on top of the ground beef and cauliflower mixture. Lower the temperature to low and cover the skillet with a lid. Allow the cheese to melt. 

Divide into 4 equal portions, about 1 cup each serving. Add 1 1/2 Greens of your choice on the side such as 3/4 cup roasted green beans! Enjoy!

Ground Beef Cauliflower Hash

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups frozen cauliflower, defrosted, drained and chopped (5 Greens)

1/2 cup bell peppers of your choice, chopped (1 Green)

1/4 cup onion, chopped (4 Condiments)

14 ounces 93% lean ground beef ~ 10 ounces cooked (2 Leans)

2 cups reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (2 Leans)

3/4 tsp garlic powder (1 1/2 Condiments)

3/4 tsp salt, use less if desired (3 Condiments)

1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)

Directions:

Spray a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium high heat.

Add onions and peppers. Then cook until onions are translucent and peppers are tender for about 3 to 4 min.

Add ground beef and cook until cooked through.

Add cauliflower, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until cauliflower is tender.

Add cheddar cheese on top of the cauliflower and beef mixture.

Turn heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and allow the cheese to melt.

Enjoy!

4 Servings (about 1 cup)
Each serving provides

1 Lean, 1 1/2 Greens, 2.25 Condiments

(Still need 1 1/2 Greens to complete your Lean and Green meal such as 3/4 cup green beans)

Click Here to Print

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SARAH LEE POUND CAKE CLONE

I don't know how many times I've tried a clone recipe and later thought..."close, but no cigar".  But this one is the real deal !!!

Not only is this cake made from standard pantry staples, but it is rich, buttery and it has a very fine and velvety crumb, just like a Sarah Lee Pound Cake. I can think of a million great uses for this quick and easy cake, but I doubt it will last that long around here. I'm definitely going to be putting one of these beauties in the freezer for unexpected guests.

8 ounces butter at room temperature (no substitutions)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 2/3 cups CAKE FLOUR  (important, no substitutes)
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe calls for an 8 1/2" loaf pan. If you are using Pyrex, preheat your oven to 325°. If you are using a metal pan, preheat the oven to 350°. Spray the pan with cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper (or foil) and spray again.

Cream the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for a full FIVE MINUTES.

Add one of the eggs and a couple spoons of the flour and beat another TWO MINUTES.

Add the 2nd egg and half of the remaining flour  and beat another TWO MINUTES.

Add the sour cream and the rest of the flour and the extracts, and beat another TWO MINUTES.

Spread the batter into the greased parchment paper lined loaf pan and bake  65 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean.

Cool in the pan (on a rack) for 20 minutes before you take it out of the pan.  Wrap the HOT pound cake snugly in plastic wrap and cool completely (yes, right on the surface of the hot cake).

NOTES: It is important to use cake flour. With all of the mixing in this recipe, all purpose flour or bread flour wouldn't give you a very good cake.

ENJOY !!!!!

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