Biscuits and Gravy

This is one of the mainstays of comfort food that has been off of my menu for several years now. I was looking around in an Amish cookbook and figured I could easily modify this recipe to make it a little healthier and in line with my dietary needs.

Banana Blueberry Ice Cream

Who doesn't love ice cream? However, I don't love the prices of store-bought vegan ice cream which can be over $6 per pint! This is a healthy, no-sugar-added recipe that is best served slightly softened. Best of all, you just put all of the ingredients in a blender and you're done in less than 5 minutes. If you're feeling a little more indulgent, scoop it into balls to make Unfried Ice Cream. I also turned this into a smoothie by adding some vanilla protein powder and enough soy milk to make it a creamy texture.

Mediterranean Hummus Pizza

I can't remember where I saw the idea for using hummus instead of tomato or garlic sauce on a pizza but it sounded so good! I used tomatoes and peppers from my garden but feel free to mix it up. The tomato and basil flavored feta was amazing and really kicked it up a notch.

Sun-dried Tomatoes

I always love sun-dried tomatoes when I get them on an entree at a restaurant but considered them too expensive to buy. I never knew how easy they are to make yourself! I used 13 tomatoes from my garden and made almost 2 cups of these flavorful bites. I've used them on Mediterranean Hummus Pizza, a toasted sandwich with mozzarella, feta, lettuce, and avocado, and chicken pasta with tomato sauce.

BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Burrito

This has just enough BBQ flavor without being overly sweet. It's chock full of protein! So quick and easy, too.

Chickpea Burgers

I was nervous about starting the Ripped in 30 meal plan because the calorie allowance was pretty low, but I soon realized that Jillian Michaels didn't let me down on great tasting meals, just like those in her cookbook! These remind me so much of falafel but without the added fat and calories from frying.

Blueberry Tart

I loved making this tart with local Michigan blueberries! It was so much simpler than I imagined it would be and tasted great. I used lemon juice and zest instead of the listed orange, but it came out just a little too tart so I suggest sticking to orange.