Panera's Broccoli Cheddar Soup

 original recipe found here

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1/2 lb broccoli, chopped
• 1 cup carrot, grated
• 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Melt the 1/4 cup butter. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
2. Whisk in the half & half and chicken stock.
3. Add the broccoli and carrots. Cook over low heat for 20-25 minutes or until the broccoli and carrots are tender.
4. Add salt and pepper. You can leave the soup chunky or blend about 1 cup of the soup and stir it in for a smoother soup (that's what I do). Return to low heat and add the cheese. If your heat is too high your soup can get grainy.

Homemade Biscuits

original recipe found here

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 TBSP baking powder

1 TBSP granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

6 TBSP salted butter

3/4 cup of whole milk, buttermilk, or 2% milk

• For best results, chill your butter in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before beginning this recipe. It's ideal that the butter is very cold for light, flaky, buttery biscuits.
• Preheat oven to 425°F and line a cookie sheet with nonstick parchment paper. Set aside.
• Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside.
• Remove your butter from the refrigerator and either cut it into your flour mixture using a pastry cutter or (preferred) use a box grater to shred the butter into small pieces and then add to the flour mixture and stir.
• Cut the butter or combine the grated butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add milk, use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir until combined (don't over-work the dough).
• Transfer your biscuit dough to a well-floured surface and use your hands to gently work the dough together. If the dough is too sticky, add flour until it is manageable. 
• Once the dough is cohesive, fold in half over itself and use your hands to gently flatten layers together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again, repeating this step 5-6 times but taking care to not overwork the dough.
• Use your hands (do not use a rolling pin) to flatten the dough to 1" thick and lightly dust a 2 ¾" round biscuit cutter with flour. 
• Making close cuts, press the biscuit cutter straight down into the dough and drop the biscuit onto your prepared baking sheet.
• Repeat until you have gotten as many biscuits as possible and place less than ½" apart on baking sheet. 
• Once you have gotten as many biscuits as possible out of the dough, gently re-work the dough to get out another biscuit or two until you have at least 6 biscuits.
• Bake on 425°F for 12 minutes or until tops are beginning to just turn lightly golden brown.
• If desired, brush with melted salted butter immediately after removing from oven. Serve warm and enjoy.

Low FODMAP Red Enchilada Sauce

 original recipe found here

• 1/4 cup Garlic-Infused Oil
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ to 2 teaspoons chilli powder
• 2 cups Low FODMAP Chicken Stock (I use Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken)
• 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat until hot, then whisk in flour and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Whisk in chili powder and cook for 15 to 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in stock or broth, then tomatoes, cumin, oregano and salt until combined. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. Use immersion blender for a smoother sauce.

**This makes about 3 cups of sauce

Potato, Corn & Carrot Chowder

 original recipes found here

3 lbs potatoes, diced
1 16-ounce package frozen corn

1 16-ounce package frozen carrots
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

12 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons salted butter
1/2  cup heavy cream

1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

--Place veggies in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle flour over top, and then stir to coat veggies with flour. 

--Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Stir in butter and heavy cream. Stir in cheese if desired.

--Optional toppings: bacon, sour cream, cheese

20 Minute Honey Garlic Shrimp

 original recipe found here

1/3 c honey

1/4 c soy sauce

1 TBSP minced garlic

1 lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled & deveined

2 TBSP olive oil

1) Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger (if using) together in a medium bowl. You will use half for the marinade in step 2 and half for cooking the shrimp in step 3.

2) Place shrimp in a large sealable container or zipped-top bag. Pour 1/2 of the marinade/sauce mixture on top, give it all a shake or stir, then allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or for up to 8-12 hours. Cover and refrigerate the rest of the marinade for step 3. (Time-saving tip: while the shrimp is marinating, we usually steam broccoli and microwave some quick brown rice)

3) Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place shrimp in the skillet. (Discard used marinade.) Cook shrimp on one side until pink, about 45 seconds, then flip shrimp over. Pour in remaining marinade/sauce and cook it all until shrimp is cooked through, about 1-2 more minutes.

4) Serve shrimp with cooked marinade sauce and a garnish of green onion. The sauce is excellent on brown rice and steamed vegetables on the side.

Homemade Peanut Butter

 original recipe found here

2 cups unsalted, dry roasted peanuts

1/2 tsp sea salt

1-2 tsp honey

1/2 tsp vegetable oil

-Add the peanuts to the bowl of a food processor. Process 1 minute then scrape sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Process another 2 to 3 minutes until the peanut butter is shiny and smooth.

-Add your desired amount of salt and honey then process until combined. Check the consistency, if it seems too thick, add oil, a 1/2 tsp at a time, until you are happy with the consistency.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

 original recipe here

1 cup butter, softened to room temp
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
3/4-1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups mashed banana
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
**chocolate chips (optional, and as much or as little as you want)

-Preheat oven to 350º

-Beat together wet ingredients well until smooth (make sure that butter is SOFT so there won't be clumps of butter). Whisk together dry ingredients, then mix to combine with wet ingredients. 

-Put liners in the muffin tin, then fill with about 3 TPSP of batter. Bake for 20-24 minutes.

Oatmeal Protein Muffins

 Original recipe found here

3 very ripe bananas (or 1 cup applesauce)

1 cup milk

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

2 eggs

1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey)

1 tsp vanilla

1 TBSP baking powder

1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal

1 TBSP chia seeds

3 cups whole oats

chocolate chips to taste (optional)

--Preheat oven to 375•. Spray muffin pan, or spray muffin liners.

--Mash bananas in large mixing bowl, then add all other ingredients. Stir well.

--Scoop into muffin pan, about 2/3 full. Bake for 25 mins and cook on rack.

Protein Pancakes

 original recipe found here

1 cup rolled oats

5 eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 TBSP sugar

--Blend all ingredients in a blender. Pour batter by 1/4 cup onto heated skillet and cook both sides until done.

Cauliflower Gratin

 original recipe found here

1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets

Kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups hot milk

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

-Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

-Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

-Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

 original recipe found here

6 TBSP salted butter

1 TBSP garlic, minced

2 TBSP flour

1.5 cups heavy cream

1.5 cups whole milk

1/2 cup romano cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
• Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. 
• Add the heavy cream in splashes, stirring continuously. Add the milk in the same manner.
• Bring to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat to low to bubble. It will continue to thicken as it simmers.
• Slowly stir in the cheese. Taste and season with salt/pepper if desired.