Candied Pecans

32 oz bag of pecans

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 egg whites, beaten until frothy 

1 T cinnamon

1 tsp salt

Pour the pecans into a large bowl.

Pour the beaten egg whites over the pecans and stir to make sure everything

is coated.

Top with both sugars, the cinnamon, and salt. Stir really well to evenly distribute everything.

Spread pecans on a large parchment paper lined baking sheet, and bake at 300° for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the pecans from the oven. Stir them and flip them with a spatula. Put them back in the oven for 20 more minutes.

 

Watch them at the end so they don’t burn.

Protein Packed Mac n Cheese

1 box protein pasta (or regular pasta)

1 cup cottage cheese

½ cup mozzarella cheese

½ cup cheddar cheese

1 T arrowroot powder or cornstarch

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Salt & pepper to taste

1 -2 T butter

1-2 T milk, only if needed

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, for garnish

Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions until pasta is al dente. Drain and set aside.

Make the cheese sauce. In a food processor, combine cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) & seasonings, minus the red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth and creamy.

In a large pan over medium heat, melt 1–2 T of butter. Add cooked pasta and pour the cheese sauce over top.

Stir gently over medium-low heat until warmed through and thickened slightly. If the sauce is too thick you can add a bit of milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. You can also add an additional ¼ cup of cheese here to make it extra gooey!

Top with red pepper flakes and serve hot! You can also sprinkle with fresh parsley or a drizzle of hot honey if desired.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

2 (15-oz cans) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 large cucumber, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup red onion, diced

4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

¼ cup chopped parsley

lemon vinaigrette (use as much or as little as you'd like)

Lemon vinaigrette:

⅓ cup olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp honey, or maple syrup

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper, to taste