This is my years-old, family favorite base granola bar recipe that you can customize for your family. Plus, they’re no bake! When the boys were young, they were also called Mom’s Really Good Granola Bars. 

These homemade granola bars are better than store bought granola bars for several reasons. The most important reason for me is that there are no preservatives to keep them shelf stable, but I also love that I am able to customize them perfectly for my favorite flavors. Store bought bars have nothing on these.

With their perfect chewy texture, these are satisfying to eat and help to kick sugar cravings to the curb. I love that they’re naturally sweetened with honey and so easy to make.

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life, we write recipes that anyone can make – whether you’re brand new to the kitchen or have been cooking for years.

If you’re needing ingredient information, detailed instructions, recipe tips, and calculations for healthy eating plans like Weight Watchers and the 21 Day Fix, you’ll find that information below.

Just need the recipe? You’ll want to scroll down to the bottom of the post to the printable recipe for the ingredient amounts and basic recipe instructions for these Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars.

Ingredients in Healthy Homemade Granola Bars:

This is the base granola bar mixture.

• Oats I usually use regular oats or rolled oats. I’d stay away from steel cut oats because the texture isn’t as easy to eat and they’ll need different peanut butter and honey ratios. If you’re gluten-free, you’ll want to find gluten-free oats that have not been grown in wheat fields.
• Natural Peanut Butter Crunchy peanut butter or creamy peanut butter, whatever your preference is. I buy peanut butter that only has peanuts and salt as an ingredient – I try to stay away from palm oil. Other nut butter options (sunflower seed butter, almond butter) should work just as well.
• Honey Typically I’d say that you could swap this with pure maple syrup, but the consistency of syrup isn’t what you need for this recipe. I’d stick with honey.

Optional ingredients:

Adding these, or other optional ingredients, might mean that you need to use additional peanut butter or honey in your recipe.

2-4 tablespoons of:

• Flax seed
• Chia seeds
• MCT powder
• 7 grain cereal
• Collagen powder

One quarter cup of:

• protein powder
• unsweetened shredded coconut
• chopped nuts: I prefer almonds, walnuts, or cashews
• dried fruits like dried cranberries, raisins, or goji berries (I prefer to chop them so the texture isn’t thrown off, and the bars stick together better)
• chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, dairy free chocolate chips. If you’re looking for a chocolatey taste without the sugar, use chocolate protein powder or some cacao powder.

For the recipe that we make regularly, I use chia seeds, vanilla protein powder, shredded coconut, dried low sugar cranberries and raisins (or goji berries), and dairy free mini chocolate chips.

How to make these Healthy Homemade Peanut Butter Bars:

1. Chop the nuts and dried fruit, if you’re using them.
2. Add peanut butter, honey, oats, and any optional ingredients into a bowl and mix them well. This is SO much easier with a stand mixer.
3. Grab a 9×9 baking sheet and line it with some parchment paper. If you don’t have a 9×9 pan, any pan will do–just keep an eye on how thick your bars are.
4. Pour the peanut butter mixture onto the parchment paper. This will help you handle the granola bars to shape them.
5. Cover the mixture up with another piece of parchment paper, and begin rolling the bars flat. You can use a can of soda or beans if you don’t have a rolling pin that will fit inside the pan.
6. After your oat mixture is nice and flat, throw the top piece of parchment away and use the bottom one to lift out your granola bars onto a cooling rack.
7. Push the granola into a nice firm square on all sides, then let it sit and harden for at least an hour.
8. Cut your granola bars. I use a pizza cutter.

How to store these Peanut Butter Granola Bars:

I store my granola bars in a ziplock container in the fridge. I typically make at least a double batch and have had no problem storing them in the fridge for a month, but they typically don’t last that long.

These granola bars can also be frozen. I freeze them when I travel with them or when I want to prep.

Recipe Tips for making healthy homemade granola bars:

• This recipe is really flexible. Don’t stress about perfect measurements.
• Depending on the brand of peanut butter you’re using, you might wan to add more or leave a little out. Typically, natural peanut butter (with only peanuts and salt) is thinner than peanut butter that contains palm oil. Start by following the recipe directions and if you’re struggling to keep the bars together, add more peanut butter (or honey).

Do these Granola Bars have protein?

Each bar made with just the base recipe has 6 grams of protein before adding any optional ingredients. Adding in protein powder or collagen can increase the amount of protein per bar.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Granola Bars

To make this recipe as compatible as possible with weight loss plans, I’d stick with the healthy additions and opt out of the ones with sugar. This is a calorie-dense recipe, and I wouldn’t rely on it as a daily snack if you’re trying to lose weight.

With all of the teaspoons for honey and peanut butter, it doesn’t work to count these in Portion Fix containers. These are a yellow container treat swap, which means that three times a week you could eat these (or another treat) and swap it for a regular yellow container.

You can read more about both yellow and purple container treat swaps right here.

Weight Watchers Granola Bars:

For 16 servings, each serving counts as 9 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 7 Purple Plan Points

If you’re on the 2023 Point Plan, count each serving as 9 points. If you’d like to reduce the points, divide this recipe into more servings. 32 servings will make each bar 5 points.

More No Bake Snacks:

• No Bake Coconut Bars
• Tahini Protein Balls
• Coconut Lime Balls

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Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars

These Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars are a chewy, easy to make, delicious no bake snack recipe! Base recipe is just 3 simple ingredients.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Granola Bar, healthy

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 16 people

Calories 127kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Pizza Cutter
• Parchment Paper
• Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter crunchy or creamy
• 1 cup honey
• 3 cups oats

Now you have your basic granola bars. Add what you like from the list below to customize them! More options can be found in the recipe post.

• 2-4 tbsps flax seed
• 1-2 scoops protein powder
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut unsweetened
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts almonds/walnuts/cashews
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries raisins, chocolate chips – anything yummy :)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Chop the nuts and dried fruit, if you're using them.
• Add peanut butter, honey, oats, and any optional ingredients into a bowl and mix them well. 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup honey 3 cups oats
• Grab a 9×9 baking sheet and line it with some parchment paper. If you don't have a 9×9 pan, any pan will do–just keep an eye on how thick your bars are.
• Pour the peanut butter mixture onto the parchment paper. This will help you handle the granola bars to shape them.
• Cover the mixture up with another piece of parchment paper, and begin rolling the bars flat. You can use a can of soda or beans if you don't have a rolling pin that will fit inside the pan.
• After your oat mixture is nice and flat, throw the top piece of parchment away and use the bottom one to lift out your granola bars onto a cooling rack.
• Push the granola into a nice firm square on all sides, then let it sit in the fridge and harden for an hour or so if you have the time. They'll be a little easier to cut, but the rest time is optional.
• Cut your granola bars. I use a pizza cutter.

Notes

21 Day Fix Granola Bars

To make this recipe as compatible as possible with weight loss plans, I’d stick with the healthy additions and opt out of the ones with sugar. This is a calorie-dense recipe, and I wouldn’t rely on it as a daily snack if you’re trying to lose weight.

With all of the teaspoons for honey and peanut butter, it doesn’t work to count these in Portion Fix containers. These are a yellow container treat swap, which means that three times a week you could eat these (or another treat) and swap it for a regular yellow container.

You can read more about both yellow and purple container treat swaps right here.

Weight Watchers Granola Bars:

For 16 servings, each serving counts as 9 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 7 Purple Plan Points

If you’re on the 2023 Point Plan, count each serving as 9 points. If you’d like to reduce the points, divide this recipe into more servings. 32 servings will make each bar 5 points.

Nutrition

Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.1g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.9g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 5.9g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

With just the right amount of sweet, spicy, and creamy, this Instant Pot Chinese food recipe will be a hit with the whole family. Plus, this great recipe uses a lower calorie Greek yogurt instead of mayo, cream cheese, or heavy cream, so you can keep the dish creamy while making it healthier.

My family requests that I make my Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta often, as it is one of their favorite pasta recipes. I especially love this shrimp pasta dish for busy weeknights because it’s quick and easy to make, whether you cook it in the Instant Pot, on the stove, or in a slow cooker.

Where’s the Recipe?

Readers with all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen visit My Crazy Good Life for healthy and delicious recipes. To make sure you get great results, whether you just started cooking or have made this recipe before, I like to provide a ton of helpful information in my recipes.

However, if you’d like to skip over different variations for making this dish, as well as recipe tips and healthy eating plan information, please just scroll to the bottom of the post where you’ll find an easy-to-print version of this healthier Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta recipe!

Ingredients in Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

• Dry whole wheat spaghetti noodles: Whole wheat noodles are packed with 3x the fiber and also contain protein, iron, and zinc. You can use angel hair pasta instead of spaghetti if you like. Just note that angel hair pasta doesn’t boil as long as cooked spaghetti noodles.
• Raw FROZEN jumbo, peeled and deveined shrimp: You’ll want to make sure you use raw frozen shrimp because using raw unfrozen or pre-cooked shrimp will affect your cooking times. Definitely make sure to use deveined and peeled shrimp, too. Do not let the frozen shrimp thaw before cooking.
• Minced garlic: Use fresh minced garlic if you can, as it will give a great punch of flavor to this dish. If you’re out of fresh minced garlic, though, garlic powder will do in a pinch.
• Coconut oil: Coconut oil will add a fresh, tropical flavor to this creamy pasta dish. If you don’t have coconut oil, you can swap it for olive oil (but remember that this will change the nutritional counts).
• Honey: A little honey adds just a touch of sweetness to this delicious dish!
• Fresno Pepper: A Fresno pepper is a lot like a jalapeño, but is slightly spicier with smokey undertones. It can add wonderfully complex flavor to a dish. If you prefer, though, a jalapeño will work well in this dish, too! If you don’t want your pasta too spicy or don’t have any peppers on hand, chili powder or red pepper flakes will do, but they will slightly change the flavor of the meal.
• Lime juice: Fresh lime juice will perfectly complement the coconut oil in adding a tropical zing to your pasta.
• Black Pepper: Fresh ground black pepper contrasts so well with the sweetness of the honey.
• Rice vinegar: Look for unsweetened or unflavored rice vinegar to add a bit of tang to this dish.
• Plain 2% Greek yogurt: Instead of using mayo or cream cheese, this healthy version of Bang Bang Shrimp pasta substitutes plain Greek yogurt. Be sure to purchase the 2%.
• Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce: Sriracha sauce is easy to get at most grocery stores, but other hot sauces such as Thai sweet chili sauce will work well, too.
• Green onion: I like using green onions to bring a bit of color and crunch to this pasta dish.

How to Make Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta in the Instant Pot

When calculating your total cooking time, don’t forget to allow a few minutes for your pressure cooker to come to pressure!

1. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Add the coconut oil and allow it to melt and heat up.
2. Next, add the garlic and Fresno peppers. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Break the spaghetti noodles in half and arrange in the Instant Pot. Pour the water over the noodles.
4. Toss in the frozen shrimp, salt, pepper, rice vinegar, honey, and lime on top of the noodles.
5. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing.
6. Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 3 minutes.
7. Release the pressure using a controlled quick release method. To do this use a utensil to open and close the pressure valve so that only a little pressure releases at a time. This will prevent liquid from sputtering out the top.
8. Slowly mix in the Greek yogurt, sriracha, and green onions. If you like your pasta less creamy, use less yogurt.
9. Serve while still hot.

How to Make Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta in a Slow Cooker

1. In the slow cooker, combine all the ingredients except the Greek yogurt and green onions.
2. Add the lid to the slow cooker.
3. Cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours or high heat for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Remove the lid and stir in the Greek yogurt and green onions.
5. Serve.

How to Make Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta on the Stove Top

1. Cook pasta until al dente in a large pot according to the directions on the box. Drain the cooked pasta and rinse in cool water.
2. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil (or olive oil) on medium-high heat.
3. Sauté the garlic and Fresno peppers. Add the shrimp, lime juice, salt and pepper to the skillet.
4. Mix it up and allow the spices to coat the shrimp, and then cover and let cook for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is defrosted.
5. Remove the lid. Mix the honey, rice vinegar, and Sriracha or other hot sauce in a small mixing bowl, and then add to the shrimp.
6. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
7. Turn off the heat. Add the hot pasta noodles to the pan with the shrimp. Mix in the Greek yogurt and green onions.
8. Garnish and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• This delicious recipe has shrimp. We love to eat shrimp, however cooking shrimp can be a little tricky the first time, but you’ll quickly get the hang of it. You’ll be looking for the shrimp to turn pink and a little bit white instead of gray and translucent or “clear.” Uncooked shrimp is usually gray and translucent, so if you are still seeing that color they are not cooked enough. If your shrimp are bright white, you may have overcooked them.
• The internal temperature of shrimp when fully cooked is 120º, as measured by a meat thermometer. You’re looking for the shrimp to form a C shape when they’re finished cooking. If you see an O shape, they’re overcooked.
• The Fresno peppers make this a spicy dish! You can use peppers with less spice or omit the peppers entirely if you’d rather not have spice in this dish, and it won’t affect the cooking time or quality of the dish.
• If, on the other hand, you’d rather this pasta be a bit spicier, I’d recommend using a spicer pepper like serrano instead of Fresno peppers, and adding a teaspoon or two more of red pepper flakes for some serious spice. Do note that using red pepper flakes will modify the overall flavors of the original sauce ingredients.
• This pasta can be made gluten free by using brown rice noodles or zucchini noodles. Both have a much shorter cook time, as do zucchini noodles, so keep that in mind while you’re making this recipe. The sauce recipe will stay the same as it is gluten free already.
• This dish is not dairy free because of the Greek yogurt. You can substitute plain greek yogurt with a dairy free yogurt if you have one that you like, or add an extra bit of olive oil for a dairy free Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta that isn’t dry.

Healthy Eating Plans

Portion Fix & 21 Day Fix

Entire recipe: 6 yellow containers | 4 red containers | 1/2 green containers | 1 tsp | 12 sweetener teaspoons

Per serving: 1 yellow container | Just over 1/2 red container | negligible green container | negligible teaspoon | 2 sweetener teaspoons

2B Mindset

This makes a great lunch, you’ll need to add some extra veggies to make sure you hit your percentages for those.

Weight Watchers

9 2023 Points | 9 Blue Plan Points | 10 Green plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points per serving using sugar free syrup instead of honey, and fat free Greek yogurt.

More Healthy Recipes

• Spring Roll Salad
• Healthy Drunken Noodles
• Healthy Orange Chicken Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein
• Instant Pot Tofu Pad Thai

Print

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

This Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta will satisfy your restaurant cravings without all of the calories you might find in Chinese takeout.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 405kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 3 tsp garlic minced
• 1/4 cup Fresno peppers diced
• 13 oz whole wheat pasta spaghetti noodles, dry
• 4 cups water
• 1 lb shrimp jumbo, raw and FROZEN, peeled & deveined
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp vinegar rice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt plain, 2%
• 1 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce
• 1/2 cup green onions

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Turn the Instant Pot to saute. Add the coconut oil and allow it to melt and heat up. 1 tsp coconut oil
• Next add the garlic and Fresno peppers. Saute for about 30 seconds until fragrant. 3 tsp garlic, 1/4 cup Fresno peppers
• Break the spaghetti noodles in half and arrange in the Instant Pot. Pour the water over the noodles. 13 oz whole wheat pasta, 4 cups water
• Toss in the frozen shrimp, pepper, rice vinegar, honey, and lime on top of the noodles. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. 1 lb shrimp, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 lime
• Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 3 minutes. Release the pressure using a controlled quick release method. To do this use a utensil to open and close the pressure valve so that only a little pressure releases at a time. This will prevent liquid from sputtering out the top.
• Mix in the Greek yogurt, sriracha, and green onions. Serve while still hot. 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp sriracha , 1/2 cup green onions

Stove top:

• Cook the spaghetti noodles according to the directions on the box. Drain and rinse in cool water. 13 oz whole wheat pasta
• In a skillet heat to coconut oil on medium high heat. Saute the garlic and Fresno peppers. Add the shrimp, lime juice, and pepper to the skillet. Mix it up and then cover and let cook for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is defrosted. 1 tsp coconut oil, 3 tsp garlic, 1/4 cup Fresno peppers, 1 lb shrimp, 1 lime, 1/4 tsp pepper
• Remove the lid. Mix in the honey, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is pink and opaque. 1/4 cup honey, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sriracha
• Turn off the heat. Add the noodles to the pan with the shrimp. Mix in the Greek yogurt and green onions. Garnish and serve warm. 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup green onions

Slow cooker:

• In the slow cooker insert combine all the ingredients except the Greek yogurt and green onions. 1 tsp coconut oil, 3 tsp garlic, 1/4 cup Fresno peppers, 13 oz whole wheat pasta, 4 cups water, 1 lb shrimp, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 lime, 1 tbsp sriracha
• Add the lid to the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours or high heat for 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove the lid and stir in the Greek yogurt and green onions. Serve. 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup green onions

Video

Notes

Serves 6

21 Day Fix counts for the entire recipe: 6 yellow containers, 4 red containers, 1 tsp, 12 sweetener teaspoons, 1/2G  green container.

Per serving: 1 yellow container, Just over 1/2 red container, negligible teaspoon, 2 sweetener teaspoons, negligible green container.

Weight Watchers: 9 2023 Points | 9 Blue Plan Points | 10 Green plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points per serving using sugar free syrup instead of honey, and fat free Greek yogurt.

 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 194mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 3mg

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The post Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This easy recipe has all the same flavors as the traditional Cheesy Crack Chicken Casserole, but lightened up so you can enjoy it without the guilt. This version is packed with protein and uses turkey bacon instead of regular bacon to reduce some of the fat and calories. 

You’ll be satisfied with this comfort food recipe, but enjoy the benefits of simple ingredients and less calories. 

Where’s the recipe?

My readers come from all levels of experience in the kitchen, and I receive a ton of questions about my recipes from new cooks.

To better serve all of my readers, I add a lot of helpful information in all of my posts. This includes: recipe tips, detailed cooking instructions, and diet information. Some of these may be useful to you and others may be some that you already know. 

If you’d like to skip over all of the extra information, please scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find this easy to print recipe for this Healthy Crack Chicken Casserole Recipe.

Ingredients in Crack Chicken Casserole with Rice

Recipe Tips

• For Pressure Cooker: Only use frozen chicken and dry, uncooked rice. This recipe will not work if you substitute with thawed chicken or minute rice because the ingredients won’t have enough cooking time. 
• You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. 
• This is a great meal prep recipe! It can be frozen in single servings and reheated in the microwave.
• Serve this recipe as is in a bowl, inside lettuce wraps, on a bed of cauliflower rice, or inside bell peppers.
• Store leftovers or meal prep meals in an airtight container or freezer bag in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

How to make this Casserole in the Instant Pot:

1. Lightly spray your pot insert with cooking spray olive oil and set to sauté. 
2. Place your bacon in a single layer. Fry on one side for 3-5 minutes. Flip your bacon and fry 3-5 more minutes, or until fully cooked and the edges have begun to curl. Transfer your bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess grease. Once your bacon is cool enough to handle, chop into small pieces.
3. Clean pot out, if desired, and place your frozen chicken in the bottom of your pot.
4. Sprinkle the ingredients for the ranch seasoning mix on top of your chicken: garlic, onion powder, dried dill, parsley, and black pepper.
5. Push the frozen chicken breast to one side of your pot, and then add your brown rice to the other side.
6. Add the chicken broth (or 1 cup of water) on top of the brown rice. 
7. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve handle to Sealing. Set your cook time to 25 minutes on high pressure.
8. When the cook time is done, turn off your “keep warm” button if it’s on.
9. Allow the pressure to naturally release in the pot. This means don’t move the valve to Venting, just allow the pot to sit for 10-15 minutes and it will do the work itself. For this recipe, naturally releasing pressure allows the chicken to retain it’s tender texture and also allows the rice to “unstick” itself from the bottom of the pot. 
10. When the pressure valve drops, or after 15 minutes, remove the lid of your Instant pot.
11. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using two forks (or shred chicken with a stand mixer). 
12. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to combine chicken and rice.
13. Allow a few minutes for the contents of the pot to cool and add Greek yogurt, cheese, and cooked turkey bacon.
14. Stir well to combine all of the ingredients. Top with green onions and additional cheddar cheese, as desired. Serve warm.

How to make this Casserole on the Stovetop

1. You will need to defrost your chicken first to make this on the stovetop.
2. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat on the stove. Add diced chicken, garlic, onion powder, dill, parsley, and black pepper.
3. Add in 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring the broth to a boil and stir in your brown rice.
4. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Let the chicken and rice simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
5. When the chicken is cooked (internal temperature reaches 165°F), shred with two forks or using a stand mixer.
6. Remove the skillet from the heat. While the chicken and rice are still hot, mix in the cheese, bacon, and Greek yogurt. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
7. If you’d like to brown the top of your casserole, preheat the oven to 400º and let it brown in a casserole dish for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

How to make this Creamy Chicken Casserole in the Crock Pot

1. You will need to thaw your chicken first to make this in a slow cooker.
2. Add the chicken, garlic, onion powder, pepper, dill, and parsley to your slow cooker insert.
3. Pour the brown rice next to the chicken, and then cover with 1 1/2 cup chicken broth.
4. Cover your slow cooker and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours until your rice and chicken are cooked.
5. Remove the lid, break apart the chicken using two forks or a stand mixer. Then, mix in the cheese, bacon, and Greek yogurt.
6. Let your casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving. 

Healthy Eating Plans

Weight Watchers: Each 1 ¼ cup serving (using fat free yogurt and fat free cheddar cheese) of this Weight Watchers recipe has 8 Blue Plan Points | 11 Green Plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points | 8 Points on the 2023 Plan.

21 Day Fix: For this 21 Day Fix casserole, the entire recipe is counted as: 9 Red Containers, 4 Yellow Containers, and 2 Blue Containers. Per 1 ¼ cup serving, count 2 ¼ Red Containers, 1 Yellow Container, and ½ Blue Container.

2B Mindset: This recipe counts as a protein and FFC. Fill your plate with 50% vegetables for a perfect lunch.

Love this Crack Chicken Recipe? Here’s more like it:  

• Crack Chicken Pasta Salad
• Healthy Crack Chicken 
• Crack Chicken Soup
• Dairy Free Crack Chicken
• Instant Pot Crack Chicken

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Healthy Crack Chicken Casserole with Rice

This Healthy Crack Chicken Casserole with Rice can be made in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stove. This simple recipe is a cheesy gluten free dinner recipe.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword 21 Day Fix Casserole, Crack Chicken and Rice Casserole

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 552kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Sealing Rings
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 8 slices turkey bacon cooked and chopped
• 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast (frozen for Instant Pot method because it takes extra time to cook the dry rice)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dill dried
• 1 tsp parsley dried
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup brown rice dry
• 1 cup chicken broth low sodium, 2 cups if cooking on the stove top
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt plain, 2%
• 2/3 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Instant Pot:

• Lightly spray your pot insert with cooking spray olive oil and set to sauté. 
• Place your bacon in a single layer. Fry on one side for 3-5 minutes. Flip your bacon and fry 3-5 more minutes, or until fully cooked and the edges have begun to curl. Transfer your bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess grease. Once your bacon is cool enough to handle, chop into small pieces.8 slices turkey bacon
• Clean pot out, if desired, and place your frozen chicken in the bottom of your pot. 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast
• Sprinkle the ingredients for the ranch seasoning mix on top of your chicken: garlic, onion powder, dried dill, parsley, and black pepper. 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp pepper
• Push the frozen chicken breast to one side of your pot, and then add your brown rice to the other side. 1 cup brown rice
• Add the chicken broth (or 1 cup of water) on top of the brown rice. 1 cup chicken broth
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve handle to Sealing. Set your cook time to 25 minutes on high pressure.
• When the cook time is done, turn off your "keep warm" button if it's on.
• Allow the pressure to naturally release in the pot.
• When the pressure valve drops, or after 15 minutes, remove the lid of your Instant pot.
• Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using two forks (or shred chicken with a stand mixer). 
• Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to combine chicken and rice.
• Allow a few minutes for the contents of the pot to cool and add Greek yogurt, cheese, and cooked turkey bacon. 3/4 cup Greek yogurt, 2/3 cup cheddar cheese
• Stir well to combine all of the ingredients. Top with green onions and additional cheddar cheese, as desired. Serve warm.

Stove Top:

• You will need to defrost your chicken first to make this on the stovetop. 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast
• Cook bacon according to package directions and chop into small pieces after it's cooled. 8 slices turkey bacon
• Heat a large skillet on high heat on the stove. Add the chicken, garlic, onion powder, dill, parsley, and black pepper. 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp pepper
• Add in 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring the broth to a boil and stir in your brown rice.
• Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Let the chicken and rice simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
• When the chicken is cooked (internal temperature reaches 165°F), shred with two forks or using a stand mixer.
• Remove the skillet from the heat. While the chicken and rice are still hot, mix in the cheese, bacon, and Greek yogurt. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. 2/3 cup cheddar cheese, 8 slices turkey bacon, 3/4 cup Greek yogurt

Slow cooker:

• You will need to thaw your chicken first to make this in a slow cooker.
• Cook bacon according to package directions and chop into small pieces after it's cooled. 8 slices turkey bacon
• Add the chicken, garlic, onion powder, pepper, dill, and parsley to your slow cooker insert. 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp parsley
• Pour the brown rice next to the chicken, and then cover with 1 1/2 cup chicken broth. 1 cup brown rice, 1 cup chicken broth
• Cover your slow cooker and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours until your rice and chicken are cooked.
• Remove the lid, break apart the chicken using two forks or a stand mixer. Then, mix in the cheese, bacon, and Greek yogurt. 2/3 cup cheddar cheese, 8 slices turkey bacon, 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• Let your casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Serves 4 | Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup (3/4 cup meat and 1/2 cup rice)

Healthy Eating Plans 

Weight Watchers Points: Each 1 ¼ cup serving (using fat free yogurt and fat free cheddar cheese) this recipe has 8 Blue Plan Points 11 Green Plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points | 2023 Points: 8

21 Day Fix: For the entire recipe of 21 Day Fix chicken and rice casserole: 9 Red Containers, 4 Yellow Containers, and 2 Blue Containers. (Per 1 ¼ cup serving) 2 ¼ Red Container, 1 Yellow Container, and ½ Blue Container. 

2B Mindset: This recipe counts as a protein and FFC. Fill your plate with 50% vegetables for a perfect lunch.

Recipe Tips 

• For Instant Pot cooking – Only use frozen chicken and dry, uncooked rice. This recipe will not work in the Instant Pot if you substitute with thawed chicken or minute rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 990mg | Potassium: 945mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Healthy Crack Chicken Casserole with Rice appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Homemade pork and beans are the perfect side dish for your next potluck. It’s an easy recipe that has amazing flavor without any added brown sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Turkey bacon and honey are the magic ingredients in this delicious and healthy backyard BBQ recipe.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. From new home chef to experienced cook. To best serve all of my readers I like to provide a lot of helpful information. 

If you’re a confident cook and want to skip over ingredient information, cooking instructions, and recipe tips, please scroll to the bottom of the page. There you will find the recipe card with nutrition information and measurements for this healthy pork and beans recipe.

Ingredients in this Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe

• White beans: White beans are a nutritional powerhouse, as they’re packed with fiber and protein and a good source of numerous micronutrients, including folate, magnesium, and vitamin B6. There are several white bean options, but I typically use great northern beans for this recipe.
• Bacon: One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it uses fresh bacon, rather than pork that’s been sitting in a can for a year. Turkey bacon, while lower in fat than traditional bacon, is highly processed so there are conflicting views about if it’s really healthier than regular bacon. For the sake of this recipe I used turkey bacon, but you can definitely choose what works best for you.
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika: When choosing smoked paprika, look for a brand that is made from high-quality ingredients. Smoked paprika should be bright red in color and have a strong, smoky flavor.
• Molasses: That sweet and smoky flavor of pork and beans is a unique one that many people love, but I never loved opening a can of beans that had sugars and meat in it. The molasses in this recipe is a great way to use a natural sweetener for that deep sweetness and bbq flavor we all love in this recipe.
• Garlic powder: Pantry staples like garlic powder make this a truly easy recipe. If you’d rather use fresh garlic cloves you can absolutely do that. 
• Honey: Honey is a natural sweetener that I love using in place of refined sugar. A new study shows that, in addition to it tasting delicious, it may also have benefits for cardiometabolic health.

How to Make this Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe on the Stove

1. First cook the bacon. You want cooked, not crispy bacon for this recipe.
2. Next, add all of the ingredients into a medium sauce pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. I always spray my pans with olive oil before cooking, if you’re nervous about sticking you can use olive oil, as well. 
3. Then lower the temperature, cover the pan and allow the pork and beans to simmer for 45 minutes or so, stirring a few times so the beans don’t stick. If you like thick sauce I’d leave the top off so some of the moisture can escape. If you’re not worried about thick beans you can leave the top on. 
4. After the beans are done cooking and the sauce has thickened remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately. 

How to Make this Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe in the Instant Pot

1. Add all of the ingredients (cooked bacon included) to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
2. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to Sealing.
3. Then set the Instant Pot on high pressure (or manual setting) for 3 minutes. 
4. When the cook time is done, quick release the pressure and give the beans a stir.
5. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Recipe Tips

• These are tough to under or overcook because of the canned beans, so it’s ok to allow them to simmer longer or for less time. You’re just waiting for the spices and bacon flavors to meld together.
• Use these beans in traditional baked beans recipes, or as their own side dish. You can use these however you’d use traditional canned pork and beans.
• This is a great recipe to prep ahead of time. I love making a big batch of this easy baked beans recipe and then freezing for future use. I’d recommend freezing in single servings after the beans have cooled, and in freezer safe bags or containers. You can simmer the beans on the stove or in the microwave to reheat.
• I love simmering these beans on the grill in a foil pan–if you have a smoker, I highly recommend using that! Just simmer on the grill or smoker for about an hour.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe:​ 4 yellow containers, 2 red containers, and 13 teaspoons

Per serving: Just under 1 yellow container, 1/2 red container, and just over 3 teaspoons. 

To lower the total teaspoons, reduce the amount of honey in the recipe.

Weight Watchers

Per serving: 6 Blue Points | 9 Green Points | 6 Purple Points | 7 points on the 2023 Plan

More Easy Recipes 

• Healthy Baked Beans with Ground Turkey This recipe for Homemade Baked Beans with Ground Turkey makes the best baked beans I’ve ever had! It’s got plenty of beans like kidney beans and black beans, and a tangy sauce that’s made of honey, dry mustard, apple cider vinegar, and ketchup. 
• I love making freezer staples, like these pork and beans, so that I always have healthier alternatives to prepackaged foods in my house. Some of my other favorites are cream of mushroom soup, and brown rice.
• If you’re looking for a delicious, satisfying, and spicy BBQ sauce to go with…everything… you’ll want to make this Low Carb Barbecue Sauce.
• This Instant Pot Cauliflower Potato Salad recipe is a great low carb recipe to make for your next summer BBQ.
• Easy and healthy Crack Chicken Pasta Salad in the crock pot is a creamy, cheesy pasta salad with chicken breasts and a homemade ranch dressing. It’s a perfect side dish for any summer potluck. 
• One of our favorite summer recipes are these Sweet Refrigerator Pickles. They’re perfect for burgers and are so easy!

Print

Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe

These homemade pork and beans are the perfect summer side dish. They’re healthier than traditional canned pork and beans, too! Turkey bacon and honey are the magic ingredients in this delicious backyard BBQ recipe. 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword backyard barbeque, baked beans, BBQ

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 268kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Stock Pot
• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Enameled Cast Iron Pan

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon turkey or nitrate free | cooked, but not crispy. Cut into small pieces.
• 1 can white beans 14 oz can, undrained, I used great northern beans
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp molasses
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup honey

Instructions

Stove Top

• First cook the bacon. You want cooked, not crispy bacon for this recipe. 8 slices bacon
• Next, add all of the ingredients into a medium sauce pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. I always spray my pans with olive oil before cooking, if you’re nervous about sticking you can use olive oil, as well. 1 can white beans, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp molasses, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 cup honey
• Then lower the temperature, cover the pan and allow the pork and beans to simmer for 45 minutes or so, stirring a few times so the beans don't stick. If you like thick sauce I'd leave the top off so some of the moisture can escape. If you’re not worried about thick beans I’d leave the top on. 
• After the beans are done cooking and the sauce has thickened you can remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately. 

Instant Pot

• Add all of the ingredients (cooked bacon included) to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to Sealing.
• Then set the Instant Pot on high pressure (or manual setting) for 3 minutes.
• When the cook time is done, quick release the pressure and give the beans a stir.
• Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Notes

Recipe Tips

• These are tough to under or overcook because of the canned beans, so it’s ok to allow them to simmer longer or for less time. You’re just waiting for the spices and bacon flavors to meld together.
• Use these beans in traditional baked beans recipes, or as their own side dish. You can use these however you’d use traditional canned pork and beans.
• This is a great recipe to prep ahead of time. I love making a big batch of this easy baked beans recipe and then freezing for future use. I’d recommend freezing in single servings after the beans have cooled, and in freezer safe bags or containers. You can simmer the beans on the stove or in the microwave to reheat.
• I love simmering these beans on the grill in a foil pan–if you have a smoker, I highly recommend using that! Just simmer on the grill or smoker for about an hour.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe:​ 4 yellow containers, 2 red containers, and 13 teaspoons

Per serving: Just under 1 yellow container, 1/2 red container, and just over 3 teaspoons. 

To lower the total teaspoons, reduce the amount of honey in the recipe.

Weight Watchers 

Per serving: 6 Blue Points | 9 Green Points | 6 Purple Points | 7 points on the 2023 Plan

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 71IU | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This healthy donut in a blender is one of my favorite recipes to make for weekend breakfast. It’s a gluten free donut recipe that has no refined sugar and is made with simple ingredients. The best part is they are so easy to whip up, and the kids will love the donut shapes. You can add fun toppings to theirs to celebrate special occasions. 

I love a good blender recipe and this baked donut recipe is no exception. It’s a perfect grab and go breakfast for busy weekdays, or one that you can sit and enjoy with a cup of coffee on Saturday morning.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life, we write recipes that anyone can follow–whether you’re brand new to the kitchen or have been coking for years. 

In this post you’ll find information on the healthy ingredients we use, as well as detailed instructions, recipe tips and healthy eating plan calculations. If you’d like to skip past all of that you can find the full recipe for Healthy Donuts in the Blender at the bottom of the post. 

Ingredients in Healthy Donuts in a Blender

• Eggs: eggs are among the most nutritious foods in the planet but, in addition to their health benefits, eggs also play an important role in baking. They will add structure and texture to these healthy blender donuts.  
• Coconut milk: I like to use a dairy free milk alternative like coconut milk or almond milk.
• Pure maple syrup: there’s no white sugar in this recipe. I love using natural, unrefined sweeteners when I bake. 
• Pumpkin puree: make sure you get canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Plain pumpkin puree is a great source of fiber and adds healthy fat and moisture to this recipe.
• Coconut oil: coconut oil is my go-to oil when I bake. I personally believe that unrefined and cold pressed oils are the best choices, and coconut oil is typically processed using these methods. If you’d like to learn more about which oils are healthiest, you can read my post on it here. 
• Almond flour: if you have a nut allergy you can use whole wheat or all purpose flour. Just be sure to adjust your nutrition facts if you keep track of them.
• Coconut flour: using coconut flour makes this a gluten free blender recipe.
• Vanilla extract: get the real thing, please! It makes such a difference in taste. 
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg or ginger
• Cloves
• Salt
• Optional: Coconut sugar or crystals

How to Make Healthy Donuts in a Blender

1. First preheat the oven to 350. 
2. Next, oil the insides of your donut pan really well with nonstick spray. I use coconut or avocado oil spray when I make this recipe.
3. Then place the egg, coconut milk, pumpkin, maple, coconut oil, and vanilla in a blender or food processor. Blend until frothy (about 15 seconds).Note: You can also use a muffin tin.
4. Now add the dry ingredients and blend on low for 10 to 20 seconds.
5. Finally, spoon the batter into the pan, filling each cavity 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. When the donuts are done cooking let them cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan.
7. Before removing, run a knife around the edges of each donut to loosen them from the donut molds. Lift gently to keep the donut from falling apart. 
8. Very lightly spray the donuts with your preferred cooking oil spray and sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and coconut crystals.
9. Let cool on a baking rack until room temperature or just slightly warm. 

Recipe Tips

• These are best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
• One of the best things about this recipe is that it is super customizable to your taste preferences. You can add chocolate chips, cocoa powder, or even make a chocolate glaze to go on top. If chocolate isn’t your thing, you could top these healthy donuts with peanut butter or almond butter.
• Don’t have a blender? You can mix this by hand too. Add the wet ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine. Then, in a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, and then add them to your wet ingredients. 

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix \ Portion Fix

Each donut counts as a treat swap on the 21 Day Fix.

Weight Watchers

8 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 8 Purple Plan Points

7 points on the 2023 Plan (using light, unsweetened coconut milk)

More healthy breakfast recipes

• Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal
• Chia Seeds Pudding
• Instant Pot Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
• Homemade Turkey Sausage Recipe
• Homemade Healthy Bagel Recipe

Print

Healthy Donuts in a Blender

This healthy donut recipe is a weekend breakfast treat! I love a good blender recipe, they’re easy to prep–you’re going to love these healthier donuts!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Healthy Donut Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 176kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Vitamix Blender
• donut pan
• Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• ½ cup coconut milk
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¾ cup almond flour
• ½ cup coconut flour

Spices:

• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg or ginger
• ¼ tsp cloves
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

• First preheat the oven to 350. 
• Next, oil the insides of your donut pan really well with nonstick spray. I use coconut or avocado oil spray when I make this recipe.
• Then place the egg, coconut milk, pumpkin, maple, coconut oil, and vanilla in a blender or food processor. Blend until frothy (about 15 seconds). 5 eggs, ½ cup coconut milk, ½ cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup coconut oil, 1 tsp vanilla
• Now add the dry ingredients and blend on low for 10 to 20 seconds. ¾ cup almond flour, ½ cup coconut flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp cloves, ¼ tsp cloves, ¼ tsp salt
• Finally, spoon the batter into the pan, filling each cavity 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20 minutes.
• When the donuts are done cooking let them cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan.
• Before removing, run a knife around the edges of each donut to loosen them from the donut molds. Lift gently to keep the donut from falling apart. 
• Very lightly spray the donuts with your preferred cooking oil spray and sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and coconut crystals.
• Let cool on a baking rack until room temperature or just slightly warm. 

Notes

Each donut counts as a treat swap on the 21 Day Fix. 

Weight Watchers | 1 Serving (recipe makes 12) | 8 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 8 Purple Plan Points | 7 points on the 2023 Plan (using light, unsweetened coconut milk)

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.4g | Protein: 4.4g | Fat: 10.7g | Saturated Fat: 7.4g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 4.7g | Sugar: 8.7g | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.9mg

The post Healthy Donuts in a Blender appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

These lava cakes are so easy to make in the Instant Pot, and will be a new favorite dessert with your family and friends. It’s the perfect dessert for any peanut butter fan, as well as when chocolate cravings strike but you want to stay away from highly processed foods.

Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake is great for Valentine’s day or date night. But you don’t have to wait for special occasions to make this delicious dessert. The best part about this recipe is that it’s a quick dessert with a rich chocolate flavor, but it’s made with basic ingredients that you won’t feel bad about eating on a typical weeknight. 

Where’s the Recipe?

We have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen here at My Crazy Good Life. Because of that, we want to be sure that our recipes are easy for anyone to understand.

In this article you will find lots of helpful information about ingredients, as well as detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations. If you’re confident in the kitchen and want to get straight to cooking, simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find the recipe card for this delicious chocolate lava cake!

Ingredients in Instant Pot Peanut Butter Lava Cake

• Butter: I use butter or ghee. 
• Dark chocolate: I use dark chocolate because it has less sugar than semi sweet. If you’re not concerned about the sugar content, semi-sweet chocolate chips would work as well.
• Eggs
• Coconut milk: almond milk would also work.
• Brown rice flour: to make this sweet treat gluten free, I use brown rice flour. If you don’t have any restrictions with wheat, you can use whole wheat flour if you’d like.
• Salt
• Honey: honey is one of my favorite natural sweeteners. Maple syrup would also work.
• Baking powder
• Cocoa powder
• Peanut butter: I buy peanut butter where peanuts and salt are the only ingredients. Look for peanut butter without any added oil or sugar.
• Optional toppings: Coconut whipped cream, Stevia, Raspberries

Ingredients for Coconut Whipped Cream

• Coconut milk: you want to get the canned stuff. Where there’s thick coconut cream and milk.
• Stevia​: the stevia is optional and depends on how sweet you want your whipped cream.

How to Make Instant Pot Peanut Butter Lava Cake

Pro tip: the cooking time might have to be adjusted next time you make these, so take notes on how they come out!

1. In a small or medium microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and dark chocolate. Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave for about 1 minute, stirring halfway through the cook time.
2. When the butter and chocolate have melted, use an electric mixer to combine the two until smooth.
3. Next add the eggs, coconut milk, brown rice flour, salt, honey, baking powder, and cocoa powder (everything except the peanut butter) to your mixing bowl. Mix the batter until it is smooth.
4. Lightly spray each cup of your silicone egg bite mold with non-stick spray. Then fill each cup halfway with batter.
5. Add a teaspoon of peanut butter to the center of each cup, and then fill the cups with the remaining cake mix. Each cup should be 3/4 of the way full.
6. Cover the silicone mold with foil and place the mold on a trivet.
7. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert, then slowly lower the lava cakes, using the trivet handles, to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
8. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to Sealing. Cook the molten cake on high pressure using the Manual or Pressure Cook button for 5 minutes.
9. As soon as the cook time is done, quick release the pressure and remove the lava cakes from the Instant Pot. Manually releasing the pressure means that you move the pressure valve from Sealing to Venting with your finger or the end of a wooden spoon. Steam will immediately release out of the valve.
10. While the cakes are still hot, remove the foil and carefully run a spoon around the edge of each cup to loosen the cakes.
11. Place a plate over the top of the lava cakes and then flip them upside down to remove the cakes.
12. Sprinkle with powdered stevia (optional) and serve immediately with a side of coconut whipped cream and raspberries.

How to Make Coconut Whipped Cream

Pro tip: Stick your can of coconut cream in the fridge as soon as you get home from the store so you can use it for this whipped cream recipe!

1. Open the can of coconut cream and separate the milk from the cream. The cream should be hard and the milk watery.
2. Place the cream in a chilled bowl, and then add the Stevia.
3. Whip the coconut cream with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until the coconut cream is soft and has a whipped cream like texture.
4. Store in the fridge until ready to use, but use the same day. The coconut whipped cream will not keep in the fridge for longer than a day.
5. I love this whipped cream dispenser for my homemade whipped cream–it’s so easy to use and I love the way it looks (especially when company comes over!). The presentation of a dessert isn’t super important to me, but I feel like this whipped cream dispenser is easy and fun to use. You could easily make raspberry whipped cream or a different flavor–key lime is so delicious.
6. Check out this post for more detailed instructions on how to make coconut whipped cream.

Ideally, these cakes will pop out of the molds fully intact and have a perfect peanut butter lava center. This doesn’t always happen, and to be honest it takes a little bit of practice and getting to know your pot. Here are some tips that I have learned along the way.

Recipe Tips

• I highly recommend making these before serving them to company to make sure your cooking times are perfect, as some Instant Pots cook differently. If it’s your first time making these it might be stressful to do with a dinner party going on. Want to get it perfect, but don’t have time to troubleshoot? Use a small Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in the middle instead of real peanut butter.
• As you can see in my pictures, it’s tricky to get the lava cakes all to turn out perfect. Lots of spray oil helps (I usually use coconut oil spray), as does not waiting for them to cool before you remove them from the molds.
• I like to make these while we are eating dinner. Even if one breaks, a broken chocolate cake looks much more beautiful when it’s right out of the pressure cooker and still warm.
• Looking for other options to top these with? Try powdered sugar, caramel sauce, melted chocolate sauce, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or even creamy peanut butter.

Troubleshooting Tips

If your Instant Pot lava cakes are too gooey or look as if they’re overcooked, it could be because of several reasons:

• If your lava cakes are too gooey, you should cook them for a minute longer next time you make them. Right now, put the cakes back into the pot and close the lid for 1-2 minutes. Don’t turn the pot on–it should still come to pressure quickly and finish cooking your lava cakes.
• If your lava cakes are overcooked, pull them out of the molds as soon as you can and eat them immediately. Five minutes in the pressure cooker was the perfect time for my cakes, so I don’t think you’ll have this problem. If this is an issue, reduce the cook time by one minute next time you make them. Remember, each pot is slightly different, and elevation plays a part in this too.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix / Portion Fix

• One cake is considered a treat swap on the Fix.

Weight Watchers

• Each cake (without toppings) is 7 Points on the 2023 Plan | 8 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 8 Purple Plan Points – using unsweetened plain almond milk and whole wheat flour instead of brown rice flour.

2B Mindset

• One cake is considered a silly carb–track it and see.

More healthy Instant Pot recipes made in egg bite molds

• Starbucks Egg Bites
• Mini Meatloaf
• Teriyaki Meatballs
• Key Lime Custard Bites
• Egg White Bites
• Lasagna Stacks
• Dairy Free Egg Bites

Print

Instant Pot Peanut Butter Lava Cake

These Instant Pot Peanut Butter Lava Cakes are a delicious healthy dessert recipe. Made in the Instant Pot with egg bite molds, this is an easy recipe that satisfies your sweet tooth! Optional coconut whipped cream recipe included, of course.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Blended Peanut Butter Mocha, chocolate, lava cakes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Calories 215kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Egg Bite Molds
• Sealing Rings

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter or ghee
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate pieces
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp coconut milk or almond milk
• 1/3 cup brown rice flour or whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 7 tsp peanut butter 1 tsp per lava cake

Optional toppings:

• Stevia powdered
• coconut whip cream
• raspberries

Ingredients for coconut whipped cream:

• 1 can coconut milk canned, refrigerated so that it is cold
• 1 tsp Stevia optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and dark chocolate (you can use semi sweet if you're not concerned about the extra sugar). Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments until the butter and chocolate are melted (stir to see if they're melting). This will take about 1 minute. 4 tbsp butter , 1/4 cup dark chocolate
• Using a bowl, mix together butter and chocolate with an electric mixer.
• Add eggs, coconut milk, brown rice flour (you could also use whole wheat flour), salt, honey, baking powder, and cocoa powder (everything except the peanut butter). Mix the batter until smooth. 2 eggs, 4 tbsp coconut milk, 1/3 cup brown rice flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• Lightly spray each cup of your silicone egg bite mold with non-stick spray. Once the cups are greased, fill each cup halfway with batter.
• Add a teaspoon of peanut butter to the center of each cup, then fill the cups with the remaining cake mix. Each cup should be 3/4 of the way full. 7 tsp peanut butter
• Cover the silicone mold with foil and place the mold on a trivet.
• Add 1 cup water to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert. Place trivet at the bottom of the pot using the handles to slowly lower the lava cakes into the Instant Pot.
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to Sealing. Cook the lava cakes on high pressure using the Manual or Pressure Cook button for 5 minutes. (the cooking time might have to be adjusted next time you make these, so take notes on how they come out!)
• As soon as the Instant Pot beeps that the timer is done, quick release the pressure and remove the lava cakes from the Instant Pot. Manually releasing the pressure means that you move the pressure valve from Sealing to Venting with your finger or the end of a wooden spoon. Steam will immediately release out of the valve.
• While the cakes are still hot, remove the foil and carefully run a spoon around the edge of each cup to loosen the cakes.
• Place a plate over the top of the lava cakes and then flip them upside down to remove the cakes.
• Sprinkle with powdered stevia (optional) and serve immediately with a side of coconut whipped cream and raspberries. Stevia, coconut whip cream, raspberries

Coconut Whipped Cream Directions:

• Open the can of coconut cream and separate the milk from the cream. The cream should be hard and the milk watery. 1 can coconut milk
• Place the cream in a chilled bowl. Add the Stevia. 1 tsp Stevia
• Whip the coconut cream with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until the coconut cream is soft and has a whipped cream like texture.
• Store in the fridge until ready to use, but use the same day. The coconut whipped cream will not keep in the fridge for longer than a day.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips

Ideally, these cakes will pop out of the molds fully intact and have a perfect peanut butter lava center. This doesn’t always happen, and to be honest it take a little bit of practice and getting to know your pot. Here are some tips.

• I highly recommend making these before serving them to company to make sure your cooking times are perfect, as some Instant Pots cook differently. If it’s your first time making these it might be stressful to do with a dinner party going on. Want to get it perfect, but don’t have time to troubleshoot? Use a small Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in the middle instead of real peanut butter :)
• Looking for other options to top these with? Try powdered sugar, caramel sauce, melted chocolate sauce, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or even creamy peanut butter.
• As you can see in my pictures, it’s tricky to get the lava cakes all to turn out perfect. Lots of spray oil helps (I usually use coconut oil spray), as does not waiting for them to cool before you remove them from the molds.
• I like to make these while we are eating dinner. Even if one breaks, a broken chocolate cake looks much more beautiful when it’s right out of the pressure cooker and still warm.

Troubleshooting tips:

If your Instant Pot lava cakes are too gooey or look as if they’re overcooked, it could be because of several reasons:

• If your lava cakes are too gooey, you should cook them for a minute longer next time you make them. Right now, put the cakes back into the pot and close the lid for 1-2 minutes. Don’t turn the pot on–it should still come to pressure quickly and finish cooking your lava cakes.
• If your lava cakes are overcooked, pull them out of the molds as soon as you can and eat them immediately. Five minutes in the pressure cooker was perfect for my cakes, so I don’t think you’ll have this problem. If this is an issue, reduce the cook time by one minute next time you make them. Remember, each pot is slightly different, and elevation plays a part in this too.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix/Portion Fix:

• One cake is considered a treat swap on the Fix.

Weight Watchers:

• Each cake (without toppings) is 7 Points on the 2023 Plan | 8 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 8 Purple Plan Points – using unsweetened plain almond milk and whole wheat flour instead of brown rice flour.

2B Mindset:

• One cake is considered a silly carb–track it and see.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 199mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1.7mg

The post Instant Pot Peanut Butter Lava Cake appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This recipe is a spin off my healthy buffalo chicken dip. I used the Ninja Foodi Air Crisp mode for this recipe, and you can use any air fryer or oven to cook yours.

Ingredients in Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups

• chicken breast, sliced into cutlets and flattened
• Shamrock Farms Cottage Cheese, rinsed
• ranch dressing seasonings (in printable recipe, below)
• hot sauce (I used Frank’s hot sauce, not Buffalo wing sauce)
• cheddar cheese
• powdered chili pepper, black pepper
• spinach
• Egg/water/milk to help the breadcrumbs stick
• whole wheat breadcrumbs

How to make Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups:

1. Fillet your chicken Slice breasts in half to make thin chicken cutlets. Pro Tip: If you’re in a hurry or not excited about rolling these up, an alternate prep method is to slice a pocket in the chicken and stuff the ingredients inside.
2. Tenderize Take a meat tenderizer and flatten the chicken as much as you can. This makes it easier to roll. I place parchment paper on top of the chicken and use the flat side of the tenderizer.
3. Make your filling In a food processor, mix together your cottage cheese and spices. Blending the cottage cheese like this makes it smooth. Add in the hot sauce and pulse again to mix it together.
   Tip: If you’re using a blender for this step, I’d add it all together so the cottage cheese doesn’t get stuck below the blades.
4. Add the cheese Remove blade from food processor (or put mixture in a bowl) and add cheese. Mix well.
5. Season the chicken Sprinkle a little bit of black pepper and chili pepper on top of the chicken–if you’d rather not have the extra spice, skip this step.
6. Add the spinach Place spinach leaves on top of the chicken.
7. Add cottage cheese mixture Place the cottage cheese mixture on top of the spinach. Make it a thick layer, as you’ll end up losing a bit in the cooking process.
8. Roll it up Gently roll up your chicken. While you want these to be secure, you don’t want them to be rolled too tight so the cottage cheese mixture comes out the sides. Gentle but firm is the key.
9. Secure the roll ups Add a toothpick into the roll ups so they don’t unroll.
10. Optional: Brush with egg or water This is an optional step. Brushing something in egg helps the breadcrumbs stick. Some people like to use water or milk, but I generally use an egg to coat the chicken roll up.
11. Bread the chicken It’s time for the breading! I use my homemade wheat breadcrumbs, but you could use whatever you like best. To minimize the amount of filling that “escapes,” I like to place these in the bowl of breadcrumbs and gently roll and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the chicken.
12. Cook the roll ups Place the chicken roll ups in your air fryer or oven. In the Ninja Foodi, I cooked these on Air Crisp at 375º for 20 minutes. Internal temperature for cooked chicken is 165º, but these are a little difficult to measure because of the filling. I think use your best judgement for these and maybe cut into one to see.
13. Oven Directions In the oven, cook these at 350º for 20 minutes, taking note of the above thoughts about the temperature.

I add a few extra veggies to my plate when I make this meal–the spinach in the roll ups isn’t enough for me. I love plating these with a bed of spinach under them, and raw veggies are a quick and easy way for me to get veggies in when I’m making a recipe that requires more than a few minutes.

Why cottage cheese?

Cottage cheese is high in protein and a good source of calcium–13 grams of protein for 1/2 cup, and 110mg of calcium! Calcium helps with bone health and can be a great addition to your weight loss menu. Cottage cheese is low in carbs and fat, making it perfect for your low carb diet.

How to lower the sodium in cottage cheese:

Cottage cheese is a bit high in sodium for several reasons–sodium is used to enhance the flavor, it helps with the texture, and is a preservative. You can lower the sodium in cottage cheese by rinsing it out under a strainer. When I do this, I like to blend the cottage cheese in a food processor as well.

On days when I make a recipe like these buffalo chicken roll ups, I make sure to drink plenty of water and avoid other high sodium foods.

Shamrock Farms Cottage Cheese

We prefer our local brand, Shamrock Farms, when we eat cottage cheese and other dairy products. The smooth, creamy texture and always fresh products are what we have come to expect and love from Shamrock Farms, and we love that they offer both traditional and low fat cottage cheeses.

Shamrock Farms recently updated their packaging, so make sure to look for the new green lid at your local grocery store!

Shamrock Farms cares for their family farm cows with a state of the art farm and doesn’t use growth hormones (like rBST). Shamrock Farms provides their cows with nutritious diets, healthy living conditions, and medical care and is proud of their Arizona farm–they invite the public to tour it daily.

More delicious Buffalo Chicken recipes

• Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
• Buffalo Chicken Dip without Cream Cheese
• These air fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are one of my favorite recipes!

Healthy Eating Plans:

21 Day Fix:

Counts for this entire recipe are 5 1/4 red containers, 3 yellow containers, 1 blue container, and 1/2 green container. This doesn’t include the egg if you used it, because you’ll end up using about 1/8 of one egg for each roll up.

One fourth of this recipe is 1 1/3 red container, 3/4 yellow container, 1/4 blue container, and a negligible green container.

2B Mindset: For lunch, eat this chicken with some extra veggies on your plate. For dinner, you’ll want to skip the breading and eat 1/2 a piece of chicken along with a large salad or veggies on the side.

Weight Watchers Points:

One fourth of this recipe is 6 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Points | 6 Purple Points | 6 2023 Points using 2% cottage cheese, and whole wheat breadcrumbs.

Trim Healthy Mama:

This one is a great THM-S meal, but I’d substitute the whole wheat bread crumbs for Ezekiel or sprouted whole wheat bread and maybe top with a little blue cheese?

Print

Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups with Cottage Cheese

These Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups with cottage cheese are an easy dinner recipe that your family will love! Cottage cheese, spinach, and hot sauce with ranch seasonings make for a spicy, creamy, crispy recipe that will be a family favorite in no time!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword buffalo chicken

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 408kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Ninja Foodi
• Kitchen Knife
• Food processor

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds chicken breast cutlets (I used four cutlets)
• 1 cup cottage cheese rinsed
• 3/4 tsp dill
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp parsley
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/3 cup cheddar jack cheese shredded
• 1/4 tsp black pepper or chili pepper optional
• 12 pieces spinach (2-3 for each piece of chicken)
• 1 egg optional, for helping breadcrumbs stick
• 1.5 cups breadcrumbs whole wheat
• ½ cup hot sauce I used Frank's

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Fillet your chicken to make cutlets–I sliced mine in half. Take a meat tenderizer and flatten the chicken as much as you can. This makes it easier to roll. I place parchment paper on top of the chicken and use the flat side of the tenderizer. 1 1/4 pounds chicken breast
• In a food processor, mix together your cottage cheese and spices. Blending the cottage cheese like this makes it smooth. Add in the hot sauce and pulse again to mix it together. 

  If you're using a blender for this step, I'd add it all together at first so the cottage cheese doesn't get stuck below the blades.  1 cup cottage cheese, 3/4 tsp dill, 3/4 tsp onion powder, 3/4 tsp parsley, 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• Remove blade from food processor (or put mixture in a bowl) and add cheese. Mix well. 1/3 cup cheddar jack cheese
• Sprinkle a little bit of black pepper and chili pepper on top of the chicken–if you'd rather not have the extra spice, skip this step. 1/4 tsp black pepper or chili pepper
• Place spinach leaves on top of chicken. 12 pieces spinach
• Place cottage cheese mixture on top of the spinach. Make it a thick layer, as you'll end up losing a bit in the cooking process. 
• Gently roll up your chicken. While you want these to be secure, you don't want them to be rolled too tight so the cottage cheese mixture comes out the sides. Gentle but firm is the key.
• This is an optional step that I wanted to show you. Brushing something in egg helps the breadcrumbs stick. Some people like to use water or milk, but I generally use an egg to coat the chicken roll up. 1 egg
• It's time for the breading! I use my homemade wheat breadcrumbs, but you could use whatever you like best. To minimize the amount of filling that "escapes," I like to place these in the bowl of breadcrumbs and gently roll and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the chicken. 1.5 cups breadcrumbs
• Cook the chicken roll ups until the internal temperature reaches 165 ºF. If cooking in the oven, set to 350º for 20 minutes. If using an air fryer or Ninja Foodi, cook at 375º for 20 minutes.
• Serve with extra hot sauce or by itself! ½ cup hot sauce

Notes

Rinsing cottage cheese can remove up to 50% of the sodium in it. These nutrition facts reflect the rinsed cottage cheese. There is a link in the post above about this if you’d like to read more. 

Nutrition

Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1545mg | Potassium: 722mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 3mg

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Shamrock Farms. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups with Cottage Cheese appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

I love making these fajita bowls because they’re healthy, delicious, and the whole family loves them. We gather tasty toppings and, the best part is, everyone gets a chance to create their own perfect meal.

You can cook this recipe three different ways: the Instant Pot, the Crockpot, or on the stove top. It’s an easy and healthy dinner that also works well for meal prep.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we like to make our recipes simple enough for anyone to recreate. In this article you’ll find lots of information to help you succeed in making this dish. From ingredient information, to three different cooking techniques, to recipe tips, and then healthy eating plan calculations. There’s a lot.

If you feel confident without all of that, and want to get straight to cooking, you can scroll down to the bottom of the page where you’ll find the easy to print recipe card for these delicious steak fajita bowls.

Ingredients in this Steak Fajita Bowl Recipe

• Olive oil: another great option would be avocado oil.
• Coconut aminos: coconut aminos are a healthy soy sauce alternative that you can find in most grocery stores. You can also use low sodium soy sauce or tamari.
• Lime juice: fresh lime juice adds great flavor to the marinated steak.
• Garlic: fresh garlic is best but garlic powder would work if that’s all you have on hand.
• Steak: I prefer using flat iron steak for this recipe because it is more tender than skirt steak or flank steak. Really, any thin fajita steak will work, just be sure to slice against the grain
• Bell peppers: I love using a variety of different colored bells – red pepper, green pepper… pick your favorite!
• Onion: I think fresh onion is essential to fajita veggies. Yellow or red onion will work.
• Quinoa: quinoa is a nutrient dense food that’s high in protein and easy to prepare. I love using quinoa in place of white rice or brown rice. They’re all somewhat comparable in terms of calories, but quinoa is the only one that is a complete protein.
• Beef broth: I use low sodium beef broth for this recipe.
• Cumin: cumin is an earthy tasting seasoning. Just a little bit goes a long way.
• Chili powder: chili powder will add flavor and a little heat to this dish.
• Paprika: paprika is another spice that will add an earthy flavor with a hint of sweetness. I typically use regular paprika, but any variety will work fine.

Optional Additional Toppings

These optional toppings are not included in the nutritional information.

• Tomatoes: diced tomatoes are a great low calorie topping.
• Jalapeños: thin slices of jalapeños add a delicious heat.
• Cilantro: fresh cilantro is one of my favorite toppings for these kinds of bowls.
• Lime: adding fresh lime wedges is a nice way for people to be able to customize the taste of their own fajita bowls.
• Avocado: I love avocado, so this topping is one I think is worth the extra cost in points or calories.
• Black beans: black beans are a great source of fiber, and they’re delicious!
• Corn: fresh corn kernels add great texture and a pop of sweetness to these fajita bowls. You can even go wild and make corn salsa.
• Sour cream: I know a lot of people love to add a little dollop of sour cream to top their fajita bowls.
• Pico de Gallo: pico de gallo is a simple recipe made with tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime and salt.

How to Make Instant Pot Steak Fajita Bowls

1. On a cutting board, slice your fajita veggies and then cut the steak into thin strips.
2. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Press the “adjust” button to turn the sauté mode to “high”. When the Instant Pot insert is hot add the oil.
3. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic to the Instant Pot and sauté the vegetables until they are slightly browned.
4. Next place steak, fajita seasonings, lime juice, and coconut aminos to the pot. Mix the fajitas up and allow the steak to cook for 2-3 minutes until the steak is browned.
5. Turn the Instant Pot off. Push the fajitas to one side of the Instant Pot to make room for the quinoa. Add the quinoa to the open space. Pour the beef broth over the quinoa, but do not stir.
6. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 2 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
7. Remove the lid and assemble your fajita bowl. Garnish with your desired toppings.

How to Make Steak Fajita Bowls on the Stove

1. On a cutting board, slice your fajita veggies and then cut the steak into thin strips.
2. Heat a large pan or cast iron skillet over high heat on your stove top. When the pan is hot add the oil. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, and steak to the pan and sauté for 3-5 minutes to get scorch marks.
3. Reduce heat to medium/low. Add in the fajita seasoning, lime juice, and aminos. Mix together and then push the fajita mix to the side of the pan. Add the quinoa to the empty space and cover with beef broth. Do not stir.
4. Cover the skillet and let cook 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa is done and slightly translucent. Remove the lid and let any excess liquid cook off.
5. Turn the stove off, assemble the bowls, and serve.

How to Make Slow Cooker Steak Fajita Bowls

1. On a cutting board, slice your fajita veggies and then cut the steak into thin strips.
2. In the slow cooker insert mix together all the ingredients for the fajitas minus the quinoa and broth.
3. Push the fajitas to the side and add the quinoa to empty space. Pour the beef broth over the quinoa, but do not mix. It won’t look like there is enough liquid, but the beef will produce liquid as it cooks.
4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high heat for 2 hour or low heat for 4 hours.
5. Turn the slow cooker off, assemble the bowls, and serve.

Recipe Tips

• This is a great recipe for meal prep. The leftovers don’t last long around here, but I can usually snag at least a few extra days from one recipe. I store leftovers in my meal prep containers and then pop them in the microwave to reheat for a quick lunch the next day.
• When you’re slicing the steak you want to make sure to slice against the grain. By doing that you are cutting and shortening the fibers of the meat, which will make the steak more tender and easier to chew.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix

As with most of the tasty recipes you’ll find here at My Crazy Good Life, these steak fajita bowls are 21 Day Fix friendly. Here’s a breakdown of the container counts for both the entire recipe and each serving so you can plan your meal accordingly.

Entire Recipe: 

4 Red, 4 Green, 6 Yellow

Does not include toppings

Per Serving: 

Makes 4 Servings of 1 cup veggies (1 green container), 3/4 cup beef

(1 red container), 1/4 cup quinoa (1/2 yellow container), plus toppings

Weight Watchers

8 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 6 Purple Plan Points | 2023 Points: 9, not including garnish

Looking for more delicious healthy recipes?

• Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Carne Asada Burrito Bowl with Creamy Chili Lime Dressing
• Carne Asada Tostadas
• Steak Fajita Zoodles
• Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce

Print

Steak Fajita Bowl Recipe

Beef fajita bowls are an easy way to eat a balanced and healthy meal. You've got protein, veggies, and nutrient dense quinoa. It checks all of the important boxes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Beef Fajita Bowl

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 354kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion large, sliced
• 2 bell peppers sliced
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 1 lbs steak flat iron, but any thin steak will work (slice against the grain)
• 1 ½ tbsp lime juice about 1 lime worth
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos low sodium
• 1 cup quinoa
• ½ cup beef broth low sodium

Fajita Seasoning:

• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika

Optional Toppings:

• tomatoes
• jalapeños
• cilantro
• lime
• avocado
• black beans canned
• corn kernels

Instructions

Instant Pot:

• Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Press the "adjust" button to turn the sauté mode to "high". When the Instant Pot insert is hot add the oil. 1 tsp olive oil
• Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic to the Instant Pot. sauté the vegetables until they are slightly browned. 1 onion , 2 bell peppers, 1 tbsp garlic
• Next add the steak, fajita seasonings, lime juice, and liquid aminos. Mix the fajitas up and allow the steak to cook for 2-3 minutes until the steak is browned.1 lbs steak , 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 ½ tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp coconut aminos
• Turn the Instant Pot off. Push the fajitas to one side of the Instant Pot to make room for the quinoa. Add the quinoa to the open space. Pour the beef broth over the quinoa, but do not stir. 1 cup quinoa, ½ cup beef broth
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 2 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
• Remove the lid and assemble your fajita bowl. Garnish with your desired toppings. tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, lime, avocado, black beans, corn

Stove:

• Heat a large skilled on high heat on your stove top. When the pan is hot add the oil. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, and steak to the pan and sauté for 3-5 minutes to get scorch marks.1 tsp olive oil, 1 onion , 2 bell peppers, 1 tbsp garlic, 1 lbs steak
• Reduce heat to medium/low. Add in the fajita seasoning, lime juice, and aminos. Mix together then push the side of the pan. Add the quinoa to the empty space and cover with beef broth. Do not stir. 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 ½ tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp coconut aminos, 1 cup quinoa, ½ cup beef broth
• Cover the skillet and let cook 15-20 minutes until the quinoa is done and slightly translucent. Remove the lid and let any excess liquid cook off.
• Turn the stove off, assemble, the bowls, and serve. tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, lime, avocado, black beans, corn

Slow Cooker:

• In the slow cooker insert mix together all the ingredients for the fajitas minus the quinoa and broth. 1 tsp olive oil, 1 onion , 2 bell peppers, 1 tbsp garlic, 1 lbs steak , 1 ½ tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp coconut aminos, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp paprika
• Push the fajitas to the side and add the quinoa to empty space. Pour the beef broth over the quinoa, but do not mix. It won't look like there is enough liquid, but the beef will produce liquid as it cooks. 1 cup quinoa, ½ cup beef broth
• Cover the slow cooker and cook in high heat for 2 hour or low heat for 4 hours.
• Turn the slow cooker off, assemble the bowls, and serve. tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, lime, avocado, black beans, corn

Video

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix

Entire Recipe: 
4 Red, 4 Green, 6 Yellow
Does not include toppings

Per Serving: 
Makes 4 Servings of 1 cup veggies (1 green container), 3/4 cup beef
(1 red container), 1/4 cup quinoa (1/2 yellow container), plus toppings

Weight Watchers

8 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 6 Purple Plan Points | 2023 Points: 9, not including garnish

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 626mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2756IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 4mg

SaveSave

The post Steak Fajita Bowl Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

These healthy brownies are to some of the best I’ve ever had. They’re moist, full of chocolate and coconut, and rich enough that one brownie is a satisfying serving.

Incredibly, they also have no flour and no added sugar. Weird as it might sound, the flour and sugar have been replaced with black beans, gluten free oats, and stevia. These brownies have the perfect texture — I think you’ll love them!

Where’s the Recipe?

I love to provide you with all kinds of tips and tricks for my recipes to make sure you get the best results possible, especially if this is your first time making this recipe.

But I know many of you are experienced bakers and might not need the recipe tips and nutritional information. If so, simply scroll to the bottom and you’ll find the recipe card for fudgy black bean brownies with all the details you need.

Ingredients in Healthy Coconut Brownies

• Black beans: The secret ingredient in these brownies! Unexpected, I know, but they will transform these into super rich, moist, and fudgy brownies with the perfect brownie texture. And don’t worry, these healthy black bean brownies won’t have a black bean flavor even though they are a main ingredient.
• Cocoa powder: I love keeping cocoa powder on hand because I can drop it into so many different recipes when I need a chocolate fix.
• Oats: Looking to avoid gluten? Pure oats are gluten free, but can sometimes become contaminated with gluten during the processing stage. If you need absolutely gluten free oats, make sure to double-check the packaging.
• Honey: A great way to avoid refined sugar is to use honey, which is a natural sweetener. Just a little will go a long way! You can also use pure maple syrup if needed, but remember that will change the counts.
• Stevia (coconut flavored): Stevia is a great sweetener substitute and Sweetleaf Stevia is the brand I prefer. Sweetleaf has so many different flavors of their liquid sweetener, you can find the perfect one for your recipes. I love the coconut one for this black bean brownies recipe.
• Coconut (unsweetened, shredded): Make sure to use unsweetened coconut, as sweetened coconut will change the counts for this recipe.
• Coconut oil: Coconut oil in place of butter makes these brownies so aromatic!
• Vanilla: Vanilla is one of the places I don’t skimp. Imitation vanilla will work in a pinch, but it is often less aromatic and has a much less potent flavor. Go for pure vanilla extract if you can.
• Almond extract: Almond extract gives these brownies a warm, nutty flavor that would otherwise be missing since these brownies contain no nuts.
• Baking powder: A cupboard staple — this is great to keep on hand so you can whip up baked goods whenever you want.
• Dark chocolate chips: I prefer the richer flavor of dark chocolate chips in this recipe to really complement the cocoa powder and black beans.

How to Make Healthy Coconut Brownies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend your black beans in a food processor until very smooth. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a high speed blender! I used my Vitamix and blended them as much as I could on high, then put them in a bowl and used a fork to mash the rest.
3. Add the rest of your ingredients (except the chocolate chips) into the bowl.
4. Blend until smooth.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Grease an 8×8 square pan or baking dish.
7. Pour the brownie batter into the pan and sprinkle coconut on top of the batter if you’d like.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean (except for the melted chocolate chips).
9. Cool until room temperature, then refrigerate.
10. Cut your brownies into 16 servings and then store in an airtight container.

Recipe Tips

• Want to avoid greasing the pan or don’t have anything on hand? Try parchment paper instead! Line your baking pan with parchment paper and once the brownies have cooled you can lift them right out of the pan.
• Looking to make these dairy free? Substitute dairy-free chocolate chips! Just make sure that you’re also using raw cacao powder instead of cocoa powder (which sometimes has dairy added to it). Remember, any substitutions will change the counts.
• Some people prefer these brownies cold, but I love them warm so I can really enjoy the fudgy texture. They are great out of the oven or the next day. These are one of my favorite desserts. I can’t wait to hear what you think!
• Whipped cream makes a delicious topping to these chocolate brownies. It’s optional, so the nutritional values and healthy eating plan counts do not include it.

Healthy Eating Plans

This decadent chocolate treat is a surprisingly great option for people following healthy eating plans. You can find the complete nutritional information (calories, carbs, etc) at the bottom of the printable recipe below, but here’s the serving and points information for different healthy eating plans.

Servings: 16 (entire pan cut into 16 servings)

Serving size: 1 brownie

21 Day Fix

1 yellow container of this healthy brownie (I use the container to cut one) counts as a yellow container treat swap!

Weight Watchers

12 Points on the 2023 Plan | 10 Blue Plan Points | 11 Green Plan Points | 10 Purple Plan

More Delicious Healthy Dessert Recipes

Love this great recipe and looking for more healthy sweet treats or chocolatey treats?

• Tahini Protein Balls: These high protein energy bites are sweet, delicious, and use simple ingredients.
• Healthy Buckeyes: No shortening, powdered sugar, or oils — just four ingredients in this amazing recipe to make these peanut butter treats.
• 21 Day Fix Brownies: Looking for another brownie recipe? Check out this 21 Day Fix option. So easy to make in the Instant Pot, too!
• No Bake Mocha Coconut Bars
• Instant Pot Peanut Butter Lave Cakes

This post is sponsored by SweetLeaf Natural Stevia Sweetener. SweetLeaf is a 0 calorie, 0 carb, 0 glycemic response sweetener with no artificial ingredients. It’s the only stevia sweetener I trust for my family. Find more recipes on the SweetLeaf website.

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Black Bean Brownies with Coconut

This is the best black bean brownie recipe! It's easy to make and tastes so indulgent.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Coconut Brownies, gluten free, healthy brownies, no added sugar

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Calories 224kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Food processor
• Baking Dish
• Vitamix Blender

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 15 ounce black beans rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup oats gluten free if needed
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp Stevia Sweetleaf Coconut flavored
• 1 cup coconut unsweetened shredded
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 10 oz dark chocolate chips

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Blend beans in a food processor until very smooth. I used my Vitamix and blended them as much as I could on high, then put them in a bowl and used a fork to mash the rest.
• Add the rest of your ingredients (except for the chocolate chips) in the bowl
• Blend until smooth
• Stir in chocolate chips
• Pour batter into a greased 8×8 pan and sprinkle coconut on top if you’d like
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean (except for the melted chocolate chips)
• Cool until room temperature, then refrigerate.
• Cut your brownies into 16 servings and then store in an airtight container.

Notes

Weight Watchers:

12 Points on the 2023 Plan | 10 Blue Plan Points | 11 Green Plan Points | 10 Purple Plan

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg

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This easy dinner is one that you can make for dinner or meal prep for the week. It uses simple ingredients that are most likely in your pantry already, except for the cilantro. You’ll probably have to run to the store for that.

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life, we are creating and writing recipes that anyone can make. Whether you’re new to the kitchen or have been cooking for years, you’re going to be successful when making this chicken.

If you’re looking for detailed instructions with cooking tips and healthy eating plan information, read the post below before starting to cook.

If you are familiar with cooking and really just need the ingredient amounts and quick instructions scroll right down to the easy to print easy recipe for these Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Cilantro Lime Seasoning.

Ingredients in Cilantro Lime Drumsticks

• olive oil
• drumsticks
• fresh garlic (minced)
• crushed red peppers
• cayenne pepper (or chili powder if that’s what you have)
• lime
• chopped cilantro
• chicken broth

How to make Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Drumsticks

1. Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and press the Saute button. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken drumsticks. Sprinkle the minced garlic, crushed red peppers, and cayenne pepper seasoning over the drumsticks. Use tongs to move the drumsticks around so they don’t stick to the pot, and brown for 2 minutes on each side.
2. Add the lime juice, cilantro, and chicken stock to the Instant Pot. Lock the lid into place and turn the pressure valve to Sealing.
3. Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes.
4. When the cook time is finished, let release the pressure naturally. This is called NPR, natural release, or natural pressure release, which just means that you’re not going to touch the Sealing/Venting Valve when the cook time is done. After about 10 minutes if your valve hasn’t dropped, go ahead and move the valve to Venting because you can consider the pressure released at that time.
5. Transfer the drumsticks to a baking sheet and broil until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes). Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve while warm.

How to make these in the oven

If making these chicken drumsticks in the oven, go ahead and skip the chicken broth. That is used to make the Instant Pot come to pressure and isn’t needed for this cooking method.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken in a zipper bag with garlic, crushed red peppers, cayenne pepper, lime juice, and cilantro. You might need to split the recipe between two bags.
2. Shake the bags to allow the Cilantro Lime marinade to coat all of the drumsticks.
3. Lightly oil a 9×13 pan. Place drumsticks in a single layer on your pan and add any extra seasonings that are left in the bag to the top of the chicken. You might need a larger pan, depending on how many drumsticks you’re cooking.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn drumsticks carefully with tongs. Bake for 30 minutes more until internal temperature is 165 when read with a meat thermometer.

Recipe Tips

1. If you don’t love spice, go ahead and leave out the cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes.
2. This easy chicken recipe is perfect for meal prep! I feel like the flavors are even better the 2nd day.
3. I love adding fresh lime zest with the cilantro after these come out of the oven.
4. You can use different chicken for this recipe. We have been loving boneless skinless chicken thighs (honestly, even the bone-in thighs are delicious!), boneless skinless chicken breasts, or even chicken wings.
5. Tp prep this recipe ahead of time, put the garlic, crushed red peppers, cayenne peppers, lime juice, and cilantro with the drumsticks in a zip-top bag and store in the fridge until needed.
6. When cooking chicken, you should always take the temperature before removing from the heat source. Cooked chicken should be 165º.

Serve this great recipe with black beans, brown rice or white rice, or raw snacking vegetables.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix / Ultimate Portion Fix

Each serving of 2 drumsticks counts as 1 red container and 1 teaspoon.

Trim Healthy Mama

Use MCT oil or Coconut Oil in place of the olive oil in this recipe, and you could use a drop of Lime Essential Oil in place of the lime juice. After making those changes, these cilantro lime drumsticks would be an S recipe.

Weight Watchers

Two drumsticks is 7 Points on the 2023 Plan| 6 Blue Points | 6 Green Points | 6 Purple Points.

These points were calculated using the WW website using exact ingredients, not nutritional information. Weight Watchers has said that this is the most accurate way to calculate points for their diet.

More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

• Chicken Gyro Bowl with Homemade Tzatziki
• Healthy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
• Healthy Crack Chicken Recipe | Instant Pot Crack Chicken
• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Caprese Chicken Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
• Weight Watchers Orange Chicken

Print

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken Drumsticks

These Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken Drumsticks are the perfect Instant Pot Dinner recipe!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Drumsticks

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Calories 300kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Olive Oil Spray
• Sealing Rings

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 drumsticks
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp crushed red peppers
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• juice from 1 lime
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup chicken broth Low Sodium

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

• Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and press Saute. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken drumsticks. Sprinkle the minced garlic, crushed red peppers, and cayenne pepper seasoning over the drumsticks. Brown for 2 minutes on each side. 1 tbsp olive oil, 6 drumsticks, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp crushed red peppers, 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• Add the lime juice, cilantro, and chicken stock to the Instant Pot. Lock the lid into place and turn the pressure valve to Sealing. juice from 1 lime, 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes.
• When the cook time is finished, let release the pressure naturally.
• Transfer the drumsticks to a baking sheet and broil until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes). Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve while warm.

Oven Instructions

• If making these chicken drumsticks in the oven, skip the chicken broth.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken in a zipper bag with garlic, crushed red peppers, cayenne pepper, lime juice, and cilantro. You might need to split the recipe between two bags. 6 drumsticks, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp crushed red peppers, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil, juice from 1 lime, 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• Shake the bags to allow the Cilantro Lime marinade to coat all of the drumsticks.
• Lightly oil a 9×13 pan. Place drumsticks in a single layer on your pan and add any extra seasonings that are left in the bag to the top of the chicken. You might need a larger pan, depending on how many drumsticks you're cooking.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then turn drumsticks carefully with tongs. Bake for 30 minutes more until internal temperature is 165 when read with a meat thermometer.

Video

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix

Each serving of 2 drumsticks counts as 1 red container and 1 teaspoon.

Trim Healthy Mama

Use MCT oil or Coconut Oil in place of the olive oil in this recipe, and you could use a drop of Lime Essential Oil in place of the lime juice. After making those changes, these cilantro lime drumsticks would be an S recipe.

Weight Watchers

Two drumsticks is 7 Points on the 2023 Plan| 6 Blue Points | 6 Green Points | 6 Purple Points.

These points were calculated using the WW website using exact ingredients, not nutritional information. Weight Watchers has said that this is the most accurate way to calculate points for their diet.

Nutrition

Serving: 2drumsticks | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 469mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1418IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken Drumsticks appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.