Clean Banana Bread

I have been using the same banana bread recipe for several years.  It is a family favorite so I was very hesitant to try anything different.  Every time I make it I think about subbing in different ingredients to try to make it healthier.  I had a couple of very ripe bananas, so today is the day!  I could have started simple and just traded out the oil for applesauce, but instead I decided to really overhaul it!  This recipe has no sugar and no oil and uses whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 (depending on size) Bananas- mashed
• 3/4 Cup Honey
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Cups of Whole Wheat Flour
• 3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup of Sugar Free Apple Sauce

Makes one loaf

Preheat the oven to 350.  In a large bowl combine flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.  In a medium bowl beat 2 eggs.  To the eggs add the applesauce and honey.  Stir until combined. Add the mashed bananas and gently stir.   Then pour the batter into a lightly greased loaf pan.  Bake for 55-60 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.  Let bread sit in pan for 10 minutes then flip the pan over to remove the bread and let it cool on a wire rack.

Grilled Garlic Cilantro Pork Chops

You are probably thinking the exact same thing that I thought as I was preparing this...."Cilantro...On pork chops?"  Yep!  I bought cilantro earlier this week for a different recipe and I hate to see things go to waste (I have tried growing cilantro twice with no success, if you have any tips please share!) so that is why this marinade was concocted.  My family is very critical when it comes to trying new recipes, so I didn't even want to tell them that I put cilantro in the marinade.  

Ingredients:

• 4-6 Pork Chops (I used 6 boneless thin cut)
• Cilantro
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• Sea Salt
• Pepper

Serves 4-6

Combine all ingredients except pork chops in small food processor and process until well combined.  

 Next I used the new meat tenderizer that I got from Pampered Chef.  It is double sided.  One side is flat for pounding out/flattening meat and the other side is spikey. I used the spikey side and lightly tenderized the pork chops.  Then I Salt and Peppered both sides of pork chops.  

 Pour over pork chops, flip to make sure all sides are coated, and marinate for 30-60 minutes.

 Heat Grill and cook pork chops until desired temperature flipping throughout.

I served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

Check out these other favorite recipes

Grilled Bourbon Pork Medallions

Creamy Garlic Ranch Pork Chops

Dirty Rice with Smoked Sausage and Chicken

Several years ago, a friend of mine brought dinner to our house and we thought it was the BEST dinner ever!  And if I wasn't trying to eliminate processed and packaged food from our dinner rotation I would probably still be making dirty rice from a box.  Tonight I perfected the replacement!!  And I am quite proud of myself!  I started thinking that it was actually possible when Sherrie posted the Cajun Brown Rice recipe.  I took some suggestions from her and this is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

• 2 Small Chicken Breasts (cooked and shredded)
• 1 (13 oz pkg) Smoked Sausage (I used Turkey)
• 1/2 Green Pepper (diced)
• 1/2 Red Pepper (diced)
• 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
• 1/2 Cup Diced Onion
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock
• 1 1/2 Cups Water
• 3 Cups Brown Rice
• 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Minced Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• About a Tablespoon of Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 Cups Corn (I cut the corn off of two ears of cooked corn on the cob)

Serves 6-7

Heat olive oil in large skillet.  Cook onions for about 3-4 minutes.  Add in garlic cook another minute.  Add in red and green peppers.  Cook for 3-4 more minutes.

Pour in water and chicken stock.  Turn heat to high.

 When it comes to a boil add in rice, chicken, and smoked sausage.  Stir in Cajun seasoning, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and parsley.  Bring mixture to boil.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add in corn stir and fluff rice.