High Protein, Low Fat Breakfast

I've been loading up on protein, cutting down on fat & carbs lately and have come up with a pretty good quick breakfast that I make pretty much every weekday. This is prepared in my GTXpress101 cooking device, but can be made in a skillet. Unfortunately, I don't find the skillet version to be as good as the GTXpress version, but it's still pretty good.



Take a couple slices of some healthy bread, I use the Franz brand 40 calorie per slice whole wheat bread (yes, that's the name) that has loads of fiber, a bit of protein and only half a gram of fat per slice. Sometimes I lightly toast it, sometimes I do not. The bread doesn't make or break this breakfast, just use something low-cal if possible.

An aside about the skillet mix used... I've started mixing my own skillet mix, but it's easier to start with a nice pre-made mix. For that, I suggest Morning Star's Vegetarian Breakfast Starters. It's a hundred times healthier than the Jimmy Dean skillet mix I used to use. The nutritional part of the skillet mix isn't too important, since very little of it is added to the recipe, much less than one actual serving. Making your own mix is not difficult, just get a bunch of the same ingredients that are in these mixes ("cooked sausage/veggie sausage," diced green peppers, diced red peppers, diced onions, home-fry sized mostly cooked potatoes.

Ingredients
1/4 cup skillet mix
3-4 egg whites (how much protein do you want?)
1/4 cup Egg Beaters (0g fat, 30 cals, 6g protein)
2 slices healthy bread
1 slice fat-free american or cheddar cheese

Method

• Spray GTXpress with non-stick spray
• Split skillet mix between the two cooking chambers
• Turn it on, skillet mix will be cooked in just 2 minutes (or less)
• Mix 3-4 egg whites (6g protein each, 0g fat, 17 cal) with 1/4 cup Egg Beaters
• After the skillet mix has been in the unit for 2 minutes, split the egg mixture between both chambers
• Cook for 7 minutes exactly, works every time
• Place both bread slices apart on a plate
• Put 1 "omelette" on each bread slice
• Tear cheese slice in half, lay half on each omelette
• Pepper to taste
• Let dish sit for about a minute so the cheese melts
  

This breakfast is surprisingly tasty and healthy, and with a GTXpress it's super easy.

You can do the same thing with a traditional skillet, just prepare it as if it were scrambled eggs.

Nutrition info:
4 egg whites = 68 cals, 24g protein, 0g fat
1/4 cup Egg Beaters == 30 cal, 6g protein, 0g fat
Skillet mix = 30 cal, 3g protein, 0g fat (if vegetarian)
2 slices bread = 80 cal, 6g protein, 1g fat
1 slice fat-free cheese = 30 cal, 4g protein, 0g fat

Total nutrition:
253 calories, 39g protein, 1g fat

The Egg Beaters are a recent addition to this meal. Egg whites alone are very plain, and the consistency and color are greatly improved by adding the 1/4 cup of beaters. I've also found that Egg Beater brand egg substitute has a gram of fat, however the similar product at Costco has no fat. The costco version is also much, much cheaper than the name brand.

I purchased my GTXpress unit new at the local thrift store for 4 bucks, but for this use alone, I would've paid $40. It's that useful.

Jewish Coffee Cake

One of Craig's requested birthday cakes (2005).



Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan. Combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar, butter and eggs until smooth. Add the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Finally, stir in the sour cream and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the nuts, confectioners' sugar and cinnamon.
• Spread half of the batter into the 9x9 inch pan. Sprinkle a layer of the nut mixture, then spread the remaining batter and top with the rest of the nut mixture. Spread the melted butter over the top.
• Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, until cake springs back to the touch.
  

Luscious Layer Bars

Jessie in all of her sweettoothedness prepared this dish one day and Craig's lack of such a sweet tooth was skeptical. However it was good.. really good. I recommend cutting this into small squares when it's finally cooled, because the amount of sweetness is ridiculous! Definitely a treat.



Ingredients
1 bag Betty Crocker choc. chip cookie dry mix (in cake aisle, near brownies)
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup flaked coconuts
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 deg. Fah.
• Spray 13x9" glass dish with non-stick spray
• Mix cookie mix, butter & egg
• Press dough into pan
• Bake 15 minutes
• Take out of oven
• Sprinkle w/
• Butterscotch chips
• Chocolate chips
• Coconut
• Walnuts
• Drizzle evenly w/ condensed milk
• Return to oven, bake 30-35 minutes longer (until light brown)
• Cool completely, about 2 hours, before serving
  

Chocolate Roll

This is a classic household dessert, served at every Thanksgiving. It isn't too much work and is great for kids to make. There are two varieties, one with walnuts and another with coconut. I enjoy both but some people don't like walnuts and others are opposed to coconut, so if you have a crowd, make both. The method below describes a chocolate roll created with both walnuts and coconut, change as desired. If you're in charge of dessert for party, this is a good one that many people haven't yet had the pleasure to try.

Ingredients
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 beaten egg
10 oz. package mini marshmallows
1 tbsp butter
1 pkg German sweet chocolate
Salt
1 capful (tsp) Vanilla
Walnuts
or Coconut

Method

• Mix together sugar and egg in a mixing bowl
• Melt butter and chocolate together and mix into sugar mixture
• Stir in a pinch of salt
• Add marshmallows and a handful of chopped walnuts
• Wash up and mix together with your hands
• You could try it with a spoon, but hands will give you the best mixing
• Mix well
• Line wax paper with coconut (or walnuts if you desire no coconut) and pour the mixture in a log on the paper
• Roll the log until it is covered with coconut (this is where you could be rolling it in walnuts instead)
• Wrap with the wax paper like a giant Tootsie Roll, twist off ends, store in a cool place (fridge is okay) until ready to serve
• Serve in slices, about 1/4" or a little thicker in width
  

Cincinnati Chili

I hadn't heard of "Cincinnati Chili" until visiting my mom in Cinci for Christmas in 2001, but it was clear that I had to try this local favorite while there. It's nothing like Texas chili, but I recommend you try it at least once because it is pretty unique. This is great as a crock pot recipe. I haven't tried it with vegetarian ground "beef," but I'd expect it to be pretty good (as I've been using more vegetarian meats in my cooking and many are the same or better than real meats).

Ingredients
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 can (29 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) peeled whole tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 clove garlic (whole)
3 bay leaves
Prepared spaghetti
A heap of small shredded mild cheddar cheese (mild is important, as is small)

Method

• Brown beef, cook onions with it and drain
• Add beef & onions to crock pot
• Add rest of ingredients to crock pot (this recipe is so easy!)
• Cook on low, 4-5 hours
• Remove bay leaves and garlic
• Serve on a bed of spaghetti

Options - 3-way, 4-way, 5-way

• 3-way
• Add a heap of shredded mild cheddar on top of chili
• 4-way
• Add a heap of shredded mild cheddar on top of chili
• Add fresh chopped onion on top of cheese
• 5-way
• Add a heap of shredded mild cheddar on top of chili
• Add fresh chopped onion on top of cheese
• Add kidney beans on top
• Coneys (little hot dogs)
• Place a prepared hot dog in a bun, top with chili, serve as is or 3- 4- or 5-way
• If desired add mustard to hot dog before topping

Baked Linguine with Cheese

Pasta with sauce is terribly easy and terribly boring. Baked linguine with cheese takes only a bit more effort and tastes great!



Ingredients
12 oz. linguine
4-6 oz. Colby-Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 jar preferred spaghetti sauce
Pam non-stick spray
Parmesan+Romano (+Asiago) "shaker cheese"

Method

• Prepare linguine as you would any other pasta
• Spray a 9" square glass dish with non-stick spray
• Cover the bottom of glass dish with 1/2 sauce (1/4 jar)
• Very lightly add shaker cheese to sauce in dish
• Drain linguine, allow to dry for a few minutes
• Lay linguine on top of sauce
• Add remaining sauce by tablespoon-fulls to top of linguine, do not spread
• Add another light dusting of shaker cheese atop of sauce
• Spread Colby-Jack shredded cheese evenly on top
• Cover with tin foil, bake at 350 deg. Fah. for 20-25 min.