Satisfying that nagging craving!

Alternate recipes to combat cravings for unhealthy foods!

The New Year is upon us and that means a good chunk of people have vowed their resolution to lose weight. But, how can a person possibly lose weight when there are so many delicious foods haunting our taste buds! The answer is simple, find alternate foods that are healthier (and still delicious) options.

Cheeseburger

Who can turn away from a big, juicy cheeseburger with all the fixings? I assure you it is no easy feat. However, I have found this healthier alternative to being just as satisfying!

The Best Black Bean Burgers I’ve Ever Had

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best-black-bean-burgers/

Ingredients

• 2 (14 ounces) cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper (1/2 of a pepper)
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs or oat flour
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tablespoons ketchup, mayo, or BBQ sauce
• pinch salt + pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Spread beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until slightly dried out.
2. Meanwhile, sauté olive oil, chopped pepper, onion, and garlic over medium heat until peppers and onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Gently blot some of the moisture out. Place in a large bowl or in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Stir or pulse everything together, then add the black beans. Mash with a fork or pulse the mixture, leaving some larger chunks of beans.
3. Form into patties– about 1/3 cup of mixture in each.

To bake:

1. Place patties on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F (191°C) for 10 minutes on each side, 20 minutes total. To grill: Place patties on greased aluminum foil and grill 8 minutes on each side. Heat temperature is personal preference as all grills differ. Generally, black bean burgers should grill on medium-high heat about 350°F (177°C) – 400°F (204°C).
2. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Pizza

Ah, pizza! Everyone’s favorite food! It is possibly one of the most versatile foods in the world. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most unhealthy.

Portobello pizzas

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a22144243/pizza-portobellos-recipe/

Ingredients

• Cooking spray, for pan
• 6 large portobellos, cleaned and stems removed
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c. pizza sauce
• 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 c. mini pepperoni
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• Red pepper flakes
• Sliced basil, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° and spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Place mushrooms on the baking sheet and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. Top mushrooms with pizza sauce then mozzarella and pepperoni. Sprinkle with oregano and red pepper flakes. Bake again until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted, 10 minutes. Garnish with the basil to serve.

French fries

This is one of my personal favorites. There is something so perfect about these golden, crispy, salty fried strips of starchy potatoes. They definitely get my taste buds going but are not very kind to my waistline.

Oven-Baked Carrot Fries with Sriracha Mayo Sauce

Source: Oven Baked Carrot Fries

Ingredients

Carrots

• 4 large carrots
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 pinch salt and pepper

Sriracha Mayo Sauce

• 1/3 cup avocado mayo
• 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
• 1 whole lemon, juiced
• 1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees
2. Wash and peel the carrots, also cut the ends off. Cut the carrots in half then slice each half in the middle (the long way). From each half, you can get 3-4 carrot fries. When done slicing all the carrots, place them on a large baking sheet
3. Pour over the carrots the remaining ingredients and with your hands toss the carrots to coat evenly.
4. Spread carrots in a single layer leaving enough space between them to bake properly.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning them about halfway through.
6. Meanwhile, mix the sriracha mayo in a small glass bowl. When the carrots are done, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with this delicious sriracha mayo sauce.