Healthy Recipes

As you all know, I try to stay on the healthy eating wagon (at least during the week). But let’s be real for a minute ok? It can get really boring. I tend to fall in to the trap of making the same recipes over and over for a month or so and finally either Chris or I will be like ummm let’s change it up this week!!!

I was really excited when I opened the box to my Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook! It has over 350 healthy recipes inside! There is a wide variety of different types of recipes from main dishes, drinks, sides, snacks, etc. Some of these recipes seem quick and easy and others are more advanced.  Now, I knew nothing about Trim Healthy Mama before getting this cookbook, so I didn’t realize they have a whole blog and brand. I just get excited about healthy recipes!

At the beginning of the book it talks about the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle and talks about the different tags for the recipes. Like there is FP for fuel pull, S for satisfying, E for energizing, etc. It also tells you the tools and such that you will need in your kitchen. This book is all about lifestyle, not just a diet.

Some recipes that stand out to me:

-Just Like Campbell’s Tomato Soup

-Jalapeno Onion Burgers

-Banana Bread Pudding

-Drive Thru Sue Cheesy Crackers

One thing that really bothers me about most of the recipes is that they require Trim Healthy Mama products. These products have to be ordered online and they are a tad on the pricey side. See here. I can appreciate the healthy alternatives needed for the recipes but I don’t want to have to get on a website to order those things. What I will say is at the bottom of most of these recipes it will tell you substitutes so you can make it shopping from your regular grocery store. It is just most often, you will be adding calories/changing the nutrition of them.

There are also ingredients that I just don’t keep on hand or use for anything else. They give you a list of things that you may not have on hand that they suggest having for the recipes though, so at least you know in advance.

Now, I wanted to share a recipe from the book for your holiday gatherings!!!

Cranberry Wassail (makes 2 quarts)

What you Need:

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

3 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp who cloves

3 star anise (optional)

1/4 tsp pure stevia extract

2 tsp orange extract (or a few drops of pure essential orange oil)

What you do:

1.Put the cranberries, cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise into a large pot and cover with about 1 1/2 quarts of water. Place lid on pot and bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and brew for 1 hour.

2.Fit a 2 quart jug or larger jug with a circle of fine cheesecloth, tying it over the mouth of the jar, or insert a funnel type coffee filter into the mouth of the jug. (You can use the permanent filter from your coffee maker.) Using  a ladle, scoop the mixture into your filter to strain it into the jar. YOu might need to swish things around in the filter or remove mush to allow the liquid through occasionally.

3. Remove the filter and add very hot water to top of jar. Add the stevia and orange extract, stir very well, and taste.

Serving Suggestion: Pour the wassail into a warmed crockpot to enjoy on Thanksgiving or Christmas day with guests.

Read more about Trim Healthy Mama here. You can follow along with the Trim Healthy Mama on Facebook and Twitter!

**I received this book from Blogging for Books but all opinions are honest and of my own. **