I’ve written about these before, but they’ve been so popular amongst my challengers, that I was to share about them again. And there are so many ways to modify these Superfood / Power muffins, that I don’t want you to limit yourself to the recipe I shared HERE. Try adding 1 packet / scoop Vegan Vanilla Shakeology, or chopped apples / pears . When I made these this time I used liners to save on dishes and it made 14 instead of 12, so I’ll change the serving to 4.5 muffins for 3 days with an extra .5 muffin on a hungry day or later for snack.
These are great for any day, but I esp love them for 80-Day Obsession, LIIFT4 and Transform 20 where I find containers more helpful to follow. As written it’s 1R, 1G, 1Y and whether or not you use liners, the oil spray would be negligible so don’t count a tsp. If you add 1 fruit add .5P to each serving, or if you add Shakeology, add .5 R (rounding). I love warming them and adding 1 tsp peanut butter across the top. YUMMMM ;)
Let me know what you think! Here’s the batch I made today while on the phone…talk about multi-tasking! And it prevented me from tossing veggies we wouldn’t be able to eat before they were over due! #winning
NOTE - If you’re following 2B Mindset nutrition this would be a great breakfast with your FFCs and protein being equal and veggies for extra credit. Remember to drink 16 oz water first. :) #2bunnies
Sundays are prep days!!
You might not like to prep, but you can’t dislike it more than me. Sundays I’m like…really? it’s been 7 days already? But, Monday thru Saturday NEVER EVER go as planned. When that happens, Uber Eats sounds convenient, something from the freezer, etc and I always wish I had food on hand. I’m a huge fan of leftovers since I don’t enjoy cooking and it saves my butt S E V E N days a week. Try it.
Here’s my secret… Give the kids a game in the other room or an outdoor activity, pour yourself a glass of wine, turn on some good music and prepare to knock out a lot in 1-2 hours.
My go to list is:
-boil 6 eggs
-wash & chop veggies (leave 1/2 raw, bake 1/2)
-steam sweet potatoes
-grill 4-6 chicken breasts (depending on how busy the week is and if I’ll be home for lunch, also I prefer thighs so I mix it up)
-cook bacon (I do this Sunday morning so we can enjoy it fresh and then cook an extra 8-10 pieces for the week and do this about every other week.
-we also double our Saturday and Sunday breakfasts if we do something using the stove (ie pancakes, waffles, french toast, dutch baby - I like to have extra on hand for fast breakfast before school).
These smell just as amazing as they taste and I use the veggies in omelettes, as sides, in salads, on wraps, the options are really endless and they’re gone before they go back. For a family of 4, this baking sheet lasts us about 3 days. I use ANY veggie I have on hand in the fridge: zucchini, carrots, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, and beets. It’s a great way to use up veggies that are close to turning too and it keeps it exciting by always being different. I spray olive oil on it and sea salt, italian herb seasoning and in the oven it goes. Let me know if you try it and what you think.
breakfast taco with sautéed veggies
leftover Florentine Meatloaf (see earlier post) and sautéed veggies
Which veggie replaces bananas in smoothies?
I read an article in Rachel Ray Magazine regarding cauliflower vs bananas in smoothies. It peaked my curiousity. Not enough to TRY it, but enough to share it with my clients and hope someone decided to try it. NO TAKERS. After sitting on this idea for a YEAR, I decided to try it (see article below).
First, make sure you cook it! Raw cauliflower in a smoothie is no bueno! Add 4-5 florets in your blender and any other veggies, free toppings (cinnamon, vanilla, mint / almond extracts are all freebies), ice and liquid of choice (water is free, soy milk, coconut milk and unsweetened almond milk are 1 tsp, milk is 1 yellow) and BLEND! Sit, relax, think how hard you just worked (ha!), and ENJOY!
Meatloaf Florentine
STRAIGHT FROM THE OVEN - YUMMM!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey (you can play with this, in the picture I used 2/3 lbs ground lamb and 2/3 lbs 97% fat free ground pork, but you could also use ground chicken, ground beef, or my favorite is to combine a fattier meat with a lean meat so it will stick together, but be more healthy)
- 1 cup of your favorite clean spaghetti sauce (you could also opt for tomato paste or pizza sauce, which is my personal favorite and a little richer, less liquidy)
- 1/2 cup of quick oats
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 eggs, beaten (for lower fat – 1 egg & 2 egg whites)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 TBSP Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed (this is optional and I didn’t use it because only my husband is a fan)
- 1 cup low fat shredded cheese, mozzarella (or what you have on hand. In the pic, I used colby, but I’ve made this with cheddar too and equally as delicious)
- 2 cups spinach (I used 3 cups for the next batch and put it in a food processor with the 3/4 of the cheese and pureed it just slightly so it would shrink and it was delicious! I’m a firm believer, the more veggies you can sneak in, the better!
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a meatloaf pan with olive oil or line with foil, but I prefer the pans that have the fat drip below so they’re a little leaner, but equally as flavorful!
1) In mixing bowl, combine turkey with 1/4 cup of sauce, quick oats, onion, garlic, eggs, Worcestershire Sauce, seasonings, parm cheese and optional fennel. Mix well.
2) Press half the meat mixture above in the pan.
3) With the back of a spoon, press a 1 inch deep indentations down the center, leaving a inch border on all sides.
4) In a separate bowl, toss the spinach and 3/4 cup of the cheese of choice. Spoon the spinach mixture down the indentation.
5) Spread the remaining meat mixture over the top, sealing edges along the side of pan. Put remaining sauce over the meat mixture and put in oven for 35 minutes.
6) Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until meat is cooked through and sauce is bubbling. (Check this)
7) Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. If you try and serve right away, it may fall apart, since it needs time to set.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Yields 6 with kids eating, or adults
DINNER 1 NIGHT - ONE DISH WONDER!
LEFTOVERS - 2ND NIGHT - VEGGIES MOST!
Another "cake" option!
Don't you love when you're working out and you hear Autumn say "ah this is a piece of cake, yummmm cake!" so maybe you're in the mood like I am now. Problem solved. If you're doing 2B mindset, I would replace the squash with zucchini since you have 2 FFCs in this and only need 1. Or you could leave both and serve it with a side of plain greek yogurt to even out your "plate". If you have questions about 2B Mindset, let me know. You can do that nutrition plan with 80 Day Obsession and still get great results, but I think you should do either timed nutrition as Autumn lays out, or 2B Mindset, don't try and combine the two.
Banana pancakes
Pancakes = 1R, 1P, 1Tsp
Sweet pot !Y, Rocket 1G (you can combine all these ingredients into pancakes as well and you don't notice the carbs or veggie, but use spinach not rocket...it's too strong in flavor).
I know I have a few versions of pancakes on my blog...banana pancakes, sweet potato pancakes, green pancakes, etc but y'all...I LOVE PANCAKES. Like, LOVE! My favorite are lemon pancakes my hubby makes, but they are not clean and it will cause all kinds of drool on my computer, so for now, I'm not blogging about them. Mother's Day is coming up, it might be on my list. Seriously though, I'm so obsessed with sweet potatoes, not sure I can leave them out of my breakfast every again as long as I live. haha
Ok, super easy. Grab a Ninja / Magic Bullet blender, doesn't need to be fancy and throw all these ingredients together.
Ingredients:
-1/2 banana
-2 eggs
Directions: blend, pour in pan sprayed with Olive Oil and cook. Enjoy! 1 serving size and 1R & 1P. Top with 1 tsp PB if you wish (it's still delish without it) for 1Tsp if you need / want more containers.
I feel silly even blogging about this because it's so stinking easy. But, after I made this I thought about sweet potatoes and spinach...they both are 2 ingredients that can do undetected in most foods (yes, spinach might change the color, but not the taste). So, I tried it again adding in 1G of Spinach and 3 slices of previously cooked sweet potatoes (1Y) and I got the perfect post workout meal in just pancakes. Feel free to top with PB if your containers / plan allows.
My kids like these with just bananas and eggs, but you could throw in sliced bananas also for texture, or chocolate chips for a treat!
These last in the fridge a few days so I usually make 2-4 days worth at a time if I have 2 over rip bananas. Let me know what you think!
Power Muffins!
I don't know if you're like me, but if you shop at Costco, then chances are, you might be. Lots of times I have a veggie for dinner in mind and then I change my mind because there's zucchini, spinach or some veggie that 'needs to be eaten stat'. There are multiple ways to make these so feel free to use that veggie that just needs to go ;) When I made these I did zucchini and carrots, but I've seen broccoli, spinach, carrots, zucchini, and every combination in between. As long as you're measuring your veggies with your green container, you're staying on track.
INGREDIENTS:
-¾ C quick oats
-1 large zucchini and 3 medium carrots (use a cheese grater or food processor to grind them up)
-6 eggs
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp vanilla
DIRECTIONS:
Mix all together and spoon into a muffin tin. Makes 12 and 4 are a serving so yields 3 portions. Bake 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Another variation is to add Shakeology to them. If you do this, cut the eggs by 2 for every scoop / packet of Shakeology you use. I personally wouldn't add more than one because you lose some of the nutrition in Shakeology when it's heated over 175 degrees so no need to waste it. But the flavor of vanilla Shakeology is delicious in these. let me know what you try!!
These are an excellent pre or post workout meal. If using as "pre-workout meal" then just top with creamy peanut butter or coconut oil and you're good to go. If you're eating them as a "post-workout meal" then add peanut butter and a fruit on the side. How easy is this? And it makes 3 servings so the next two days you can relax knowing you just wake, heat, and eat. 30-90 minutes later you are ready to exercise.
21 Day Fix & 80 Day Obsession containers: 1R, 1G, 1Y, 1tsp (with nut butter or oil on top)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar
Y'all, it's time to ROCK some Shakeology worlds!!! This is for those concerned about noisy morning blenders, those that don't want to drink a shake (I don't understand this, but that's ok), not having time to make stuff, or NEEDING that sweet treat. PLUS...This is NOT a refeed item so you can have it any, and every day.
Step 2 (after mashed bananas, water and peanut butter are well blended, heat in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds. Or you can heat before, whatever your preference is, just make sure you do this step BEFORE adding Shakeology.
I used Vegan Chocolate in this recipe, but you could use Vanilla or Cafe Latte just the same and it doesn't matter if it's the Whey or Vegan formula (I'm lactose intolerant so I use Vegan). You can also call them "Amaze Bars" because they are pretty AMAZING! Each is equivalent to ❤️💜🥄 , but if you need a green, add spinach before blending and that works too. But make sure you blend long enough because no one wants to bite in a chocolate bar and get a spinach leave :/
Last step, smooth batter into a longer size tupperware so bark won't be too thick, otherwise it's hard to bite into. 4" x 6" is good.
This is super simple to make and you’ll store them in the freezer to grab-and-go so feel free to double, or triple, the batch. They will disappear well before they could ever go bad.
These are NOT to take in your purse for later or you will have a sloppy mess and hate me; these are a 'remove and eat now' kind of thing.
FYI - Freezing Shkeology is fine, but it should not be heated over 175 degrees or it will lose it's nutritional content. No one wants that because there is good stuff in here and 70 Superfoods in one meal is hard to come by for this price! Can't beat a nutritious $5 meal!
Then enjoy, you don't have to share if you don't want to! This is ONE PORTION!
Ingredients:
1/2 Banana (mashed),
1/4 cup water,
1 tsp peanut butter
Add the above ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and once stirred together, heat for 30 sec in the microwave to soften. Mix with electric hand mixer.
Then add 1 scoop/packet of whatever flavor you choose of Shakeology and mix until smooth. (AGAIN, you do not want to heat shakeology, it looses it's nutritional goodness so it's important to add AFTER microwaving). Keep this in mind if you add coffee to your shakes...add cooled coffee for an iced coffee shake or just buy Cafe Latte and make life easy!
This is vanilla, 1/2 banana, peanut butter
Lightly spray flat container with olive/coconut oil (I used olive oil). Put mixture into a long container and smooth out into corners and tap to level out. If you use a short container the bar will be very thick and harder to bite into. Place lid on container and freeze 3-4 hours. Bar should be hard when you try to remove it so if it's not, leave it in the freezer longer.
Remove from container and wrap in aluminum foil. Store in freezer. ENJOY!!!
Updated based on questions I've received, yes, you can also use Strawberry or Greenberry! I'd use berries, peaches, kiwi, or pineapple instead of banana if you want. You can add berries to Vanilla as well. There is no wrong way to eat this!!
Sweet potato waffles
how easy is this? took 3 minutes :)
Would you believe that at one point in my life (that happened to last for 37 yrs) I did not like sweet potatoes? I mean, I borderline hated them and would have rather starved than eat them. First world problems right? Not super proud, but keeping it real. Insert 21-Day Ultimate Reset where you eat a lot of sweet potatoes and other foods I disliked like jicama, olives, sunflower seeds. But when you're hungry and following a plan to a T, you. will. eat. it. And now, I feel like most of my recipes incorporate sweet potatoes somehow. And I LOVE THEM!
So, try this new one... 4 ingredients plus any extras you want to throw in for flavor
Ingredients:
-2 eggs
-1/2 c (or a yellow container) mashed sweet potatoes, skin off
-1 c (or a green container) spinach, or you can combine green onions, spinach, arugula, zucchini however you want so that it all equals 1 green container
-1 tsp olive oil for cooking
-salt & pepper to taste (or any seasoning you like as long as it doesn't have sugar)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and pour into heated, greased, waffle iron. If you don't have that, feel free to make pancakes instead ;) This makes exactly one waffle as pictured and the 21-day fix containers are 1 R, 1 Y, 1 G, 1 tsp. This is an ideal pre-workout breakfast so make it the night before or in the morning, it's super fast, and then press play 30 min later and be prepared to work it! You've properly fueled your body so now let it do the work!
These freeze well too if you want to triple or quadruple the recipe. Enjoy!
EASY homemade Bagels!
First attempt, it gets prettier with practice. I made 1 everything, 2 cinnamon & sugar and 1 pumpkin spice. Everyone can season them the way they want and chose wether to add eggs and bacon or not.
Y'all I love bagels and I haven't eaten them in FOREVER because one bagel can make me sleep for hours. When I did a road trip from Houston, TX to Maplewood, NJ, I had to watch my carbs if I was driving because 30 min after I'd eat something heavy I'd be like a newborn baby and ready to crash for 1-2 hours. True story. Ha! These however, are different, and I'm so thankful for this! If I could be any food on this earth...I'd be a grain. Bread probably. (The Italian in me runs very deep)
This homemade bagel recipe is easy (who would have thought that was possible - making bread just stresses me out) and only five ingredients – flour, Greek yogurt, egg whites (or eggs), baking powder and salt! No yeast, no boiling, no mixer. Bake them in the oven or if you're fancy and own one, use your air-fryer! (I think this and an insta-pot are on my Christmas list)
INGREDIENTS: (yieleds 4)
Before the oven (25 min)
After :) One child snuck his before I could take a photo. Both boys wanted seconds! I'd say this was a win!
1 c (5 oz) unbleached all purpose flour (if you want them to be clean, use whole wheat) or gluten-free mix*
2 tsp baking powder (make sure it’s not expired or it won’t rise)
3/4 tsp kosher salt (use less if using table salt)
1 c non-fat Greek yogurt (not regular yogurt, it will be too sticky)
1 egg white, beaten (whole egg ok too, just to use as wash over bagel)
Variations:
Everything bagel: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes (shake amt desired for ea)
Cinnamon & Sugar: 1 tsp cinnamon & 2 tsp sugar. Mix and spread evenly.
Chocolate Chip bagel: yummmm...choclate chips. this could probably work for blueberries too, but I didn't have any on hand to try. Let me know if you do!
Pumpkin Spice bagel: 1.5 TBSP ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp ground cloves. Mis and spread over top evenly.
** in my house everyone gets to make their own for two reasons... 1) no complaining, you get what you get and you don't cause a fit :) and 2) it gets them involved in cooking and the sooner this happens, the better. Put them on the parchment paper and let everyone add the seasoning they want.
Directions and GF instructions can be found HERE . They freeze well too so this is a win for the whole week!
80 Day Obsession and 21-day fix container counts are: 1Y, ⅓ R
Pumpkin Cookies
These taste like warm oatmeal cookies with a creamy pumpkin filling you'd find in a donut. Yes I said the word donut on my blog ;) The fat content is minimal because we use organic extra-virgin coconut oil, plus they’re gluten-free! It's always a win if you can stay on target with your goals and please the whole family, while indulging. You don't have to disown sweets to tone and lose weight and these are in line with 21-Day Fix container system.
SERVES: 9 (1 pie each)
INGREDIENTS - COOKIES:
I served these with creamy peanut butter on top and they were delicious too. I stored in the fridge and we used them in school lunches, breakfast with yogurt, dessert with cream filling or like this (above). You can't go wrong.
1 cup dry old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. sea salt (I prefer Himalayan salt)
¼ cup extra-virgin organic coconut oil
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 large egg
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup chopped raw walnuts (opt)
INGREIDENTS - PUMPKIN FILLING:
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
½ tsp. unflavored gelatin (preferably from grass-fed cows)
½ cup 100% pure pumpkin puree (this is hard to find in Australia)
2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
1 pinch sea salt (I prefer Himalayan salt)
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 dash ground cloves
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS - COOKIES:
Preheat oven to 350º F or 160º C
Line baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with spray (I prefer Olive Oil spray).
Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; mix well. Set aside.
Combine oil and sugar in a medium bowl. Using electric mixer beat until light and fluffy.
Add egg and extract; beat until well blended.
Gently fold in oat mixture and mix until just blended.
Fold in walnuts (if desired) and mix until just blended.
Spread 18 rounded Tbsp. of dough onto lined baking sheet.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes, rotating baking sheet once halfway through, or until golden brown.
Cool cookies completely before filling (hot cookies will melt the cream filling).
DIRECTIONS - PUMPKIN FILLING:
While cookies are baking, combine cream and gelatin in a large mixing bowl; whisk to blend. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Add pumpkin, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and extract to cream mixture; whisk to blend.
Add pumpkin mixture to a large skillet. Bring to a gentle boil, over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until mixture has thickened slightly.
Place pumpkin mixture in heat-proof bowl, then place bowl in ice bath. Chill for 5 to 10 minutes, or until pumpkin mixture has set to the consistency of pudding.
Transfer pumpkin filling to a large resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate until it’s time to fill the pies.
DIRECTIONS - WHOOPIE PIES:
Snip off one corner of plastic bag (containing pumpkin filling) with a pair of scissors.
Pipe approx. 1 Tbsp. filling on the flat bottom of a cookie; press another cookie on top to form a sandwich. Continue with remaining cookies and filling until nine pies are complete.
Whoopie pies may be enjoyed immediately or refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
21 Day Fix containers: 1.5 Y, .5 B, 1 tsp
80 Day Obsession containers: use this for re-feed days only (always before leg day).
Fixate Whoopie Pies can be found in Autumn Calabrese's Fixate cookbook, along with hundreds of other 21-Day Fix approved recipes. You can buy it HERE.
Sweet potato pancakes!
As the recipe is written :) Thanks Rebecca Ray, fellow Beachbody Coach
Me modifying a recipe I'd never made before and doubling spinach. Tasted fine, but you might not always want green food :)
Too easy, just pour in the pan and there you go! 4 breakfasts ready for the week!
So I've been on a roll trying new recipes in the past month and it's paying off! I honestly thought this "timed nutrition" thing was going to be super hard and I don't love too much structure. Oh you bet I'm a rule followers, you can tell me how much to eat, but to tell me when to eat, and how to group it together, I thought Autumn Calabrese was over stepping her boundaries at first. But now I'm down 3.5 lbs and multiple inches (lost my tape measure, but I can see and feel a difference, so it's legit) and I feel like I get to eat ALL DAY! Ha! This foodie is in heaven and I'm even eating more than any Beachbody program I've done before.
Rebecca Ray shared this recipe with me and I'm always trying to sneak more greens in, so I took it upon MYSELF to question her .5G count and double the greens so I get my full 1G portion in one meal. Don't. There's a reason you follow directions :) So here is the recipe as it's written and how it will turn out.
Ingredients:
-2 roasted sweet potatoes, skinned (skin before you cook, much easier)
-8 eggs
-1/2 tsp baking powder
-1/8 c almond flour (it's impossible to find in Australia so I make my own - just grind almonds!)
-2 greens Spinach (read that 2, not 4, like I did the 1st time)
-Vanilla & cinnamon to taste
Mix with hand mixer if you want texture, or a blender if you don't care and want it fast and smooth. Cook on griddle or frying pan (I spray with olive oil). Makes 4 servings so divide evenly as you're cooking it. Mine were larger so I had 4 each servings. Rebecca's were silver dollar size so she had 8-10 per serving.
80 Day Obsession containers: 1R, 1Y, .5G, 1tsp. Wait at least 30 min, or up to 1.5 hours, to workout. (assuming this is your pre-workout meal) .
Carrot bread! You have to try it!!!
Not only did this taste good, and was healthy, but it smelled amazing as it cooked. That's always very important, right? Ha!
If you make multiple servings, like I did, store it in the fridge so it doesn't go bad, and then warm it up slightly when you're ready to eat it. Top with your choice of nut butter (for pre-workout meal) or save your nut butter for your fruit serving if you're enjoying this post-workout. The portion feels rather large, which I'm thankful for, so enjoy it!
Here's the recipe, shared by a fellow coach in the 80 day Obsession Exclusive Coach Test Group. Love that we are all accountable to each other for sharing knowledge and encouraging one another. 80 days is long, but it's going to pass either way, so might as well have something to show for it, right?!? And I'm honestly having a TON OF FUN!!
Ingredients:
1/2 c Quick Oats
2 eggs
1 scoop regular Vanilla Shakeology (I like having whey in this even though I'm lactose intolerant, it didn't bother me maybe because I cooked it?)
2 c shredded carrots
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
Nut butter, optional
Mix all together by hand (you don't need a mixer for this, but if you wanted it more cake like, then put in your blender). Pour into a greased loaf pan (I use olive oil spray) and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. You could do this in an air fryer as well if you have one. Top with 2 tsp nut butter and ENJOY! This is TWO SERVINGS.
80 day Obsession containers per serving: 1R, 1Y, 1G, 1tsp Wait at least 30 min, or up to 1.5 hours, to workout. (assuming this is your pre-workout meal)
**you can also cook this in muffin tins, but shorten cooking time as it will cook much faster
Green pancakes & kid-friendly!
This is our Ninja Food processor. Super easy to do and the kids can do all of it, but the stove work.
These are delicious and I'm not just saying that because they are clean! My hubby wanted some, but I only made one portion because... well... they're green and I wasn't sure they'd be any good! ha! But they were so they will go in my 80 Day Obsession rotation for sure!
Here's the recipe that one of the coaches shared in our Exclusive Coach Test Group. It's such an honor to be included in this and since I don't love to cook and am in no way, shape or form, creative, I love that others like to play around with recipes and share it when it's perfected! Thanks friends!
Ingredients:
-1 green container Spinach (portion fix)
-1 egg white (or whole egg, I used whole egg in mine)
-⅓ c cottage cheese (don't be afraid of fat, but look at the ingredients. you want it to be clean!)
-¼ c oats
-1 tsp clean nut butter (when serving)
Blend together if you want smooth and less texture, or put in a food processor (like I did) to have more texture and variation. Same taste, just preference. I always say, do what's easier and less mess to clean up. Serve warm and double if you want more than 1 serving.
This is 1R, 1G, 1Y, 1tsp. Wait at least 30 min, or up to 1.5 hours, to workout. (assuming this is your pre-workout meal)
Not-so-spooky Jack-o'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Who says you can't play with your food?? As long as it's not a food fight, I'm all for being creative and festive. And you can easily make adult entrees kid-friendly this way.
Prep Time: 25m, Cook Time: 35m, yields 4, 1 bell pepper each
Ingredients:
4 medium orange bell peppers
2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. raw 93% lean ground turkey
½ medium onion chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 Tbsp. chili powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
Ground black pepper to taste; optional
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce, no sugar added
1 cup black beans drained, rinsed
1 cup cooked brown rice
¼ cup water
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions: Preheat oven to 400º F
1) Slice stem end off peppers. (Reserve for later use.) Remove seeds and veins from peppers. Cut a jack-o-lantern face out of one side of each pepper. Stand peppers upright in baking dish. Set aside.
2) Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add turkey; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until almost browned.
3) Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and then add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Next, add chili powder, cumin, pepper (if desired), tomato sauce, and beans; cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4) Add rice; mix well.
5) Fill peppers with turkey mixture. Top with reserved stem end of peppers Add water to the baking dish. Cover with foil.
6) Bake peppers for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender-crisp.11) Remove stem top of peppers, sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.12) Replace tops and serve.
21 day fix containers: 2G, 1Y, 1R, 1/2B, 1/2 tsp
**Thanks Beachbody Blog for this fun idea!!
Impressive breakfasts to fool everyone!
Y'all...this is seriously the bomb! I tell my kids it's rude to "omggeeeee" or make groaning noise at the table, but today this has me all making kinds of noises. LOL. And don't even think I was willing to share one bite of it.
Ingredients:
-sweet potato chips (from night before, see super easy instructions HERE),
-baby spinach,
-prosciutto (expensive, but only clean lunch meat I know of and doesn't take much of it to add a lot of flavor),
-egg whites, and
-marinated feta. I'm obsessed with this lately. This was olive oil, basil, feta and garlic, but I've also had sun-dried tomato too. I can use the marinade as dressing for salads and it's clean, so nothing gets wasted! Probably could make this on my own, but if it's not broke, why fix it! :)
I'm hosting my first FREE challenge group since January! It's time for me to share some secrets about steps, clean eating, calorie counting and Shakeology. Join me while there's still space! This is completely free so invite co-workers, friends, and family to join you! And you can win prizes. It just gets better and better.
It really can be so simple!
This meal was brought to you by poor planning. haha Sorry, but it's true! I opened my fridge and had NO CLUE what we were going to have. I had cheese, tortillas, veggies galore, but noting that stood out to my 4 year old and said "YESSSS I want that mommy!" And then it hit me. Mini pizzas!!!
I made mine on a whole wheat tortilla and I made his on whole wheat bread. We love the "thins" bread by Tip Top Bakery in OZ (or Arnold in the US). I made his with clean pizza sauce (you have to really read the ingredients carefully, most have added sugar, vegetable oil, and other chemicals to make it last forever and aren't great for you). This was Woolworth brand and made of tomatoes, tomatoes paste, salt, water, Garlic, Onion, Oregano and Basil. SCORE! Store brand, cheapest option, 100% clean.
I topped his with tomato sauce, cheese, and mild salami and he gave raving reviews. He said "I want this every day mommy" to be exact and it was the fastest I've even seen him eat lunch. EVER. In 4.5 years! #done
As you can see I made mine a lot more fun and interesting. Tomato sauce, heaping handful of spinach, ⅓ yellow pepper (any color will do), 1 mushroom, and 2 slices of prosciutto. Guys, this was soooo good that I did it again today! And I might just do it tomorrow too for dinner instead because this would go damn well with a glass of Chardonnay! #winning
I would totally make this for a luncheon with a side of blueberries or strawberries, served with wine or champagne and I'd for sure have to send the recipe because it's that ah-mazing!
TIP - while making these pizzas, I went ahead and sliced extras of the food I had out (spinach, peppers and mushrooms) and went ahead and packed peppers for snack and a salad for dinner. When 6pm rolled around, all I needed was to grill some shrimp. Score for easy days and planning ahead. Prep work seems hard and time consuming, but if you break it down and are flexible, you can plan meals together!
Homemade Sweet Potato Chips!
Ok, let me start by saying this...I don't do fancy and I don't do hard. But when you can find something easy, that looks fancy...well so be it!!!! As my college professor used to say, "I"ll buy that!" :)
If you've never made sweet potatoes "chips" before, please try them tomorrow. I got a bag of sweet potatoes at Costco because they are so expensive here in Brisbane and they stay good for a while so it seemed smart. Another tip, use a better slicer than what I used below. I was pretty close to losing a finger with every slice and thankful I finished this with all 10 fingers. ha!
Slice 2-3 small, or 1-2 large, sweet potatoes very thin. Try to be consistent with thickness so the thins ones don't burn and the large ones get soggy. Put them all in a bowl and mix with whatever seasonings you like. They absorb the flavor really well, so have fun with it. I've made these a few times now and tried garlic, salt, pepper the first time and Italian seasoning the second. Both were equally delicious and the kids liked them both ways. Once you have potatoes seasoned in the bowl, spray, or drizzle, with olive oil (you really don't need much, just enough to lightly cover the potatoes).
If you have kids, everything except the slicing is PERFECT for them. They can wash the potatoes, season them, mix them around in the bowl, and the next step which is to lay them in a single layer on a flat cookie sheet. I like to use aluminum foil so I don't have dishes to wash (#lazy), but that's personal preference. I know a lot don't like to cook with aluminum foil these days.
Once they are spread evenly, put them in your preheated oven 160 degrees celsius (or 175 degrees Fahrenheit) till they start to dry out and crinkle a little. If they start browning, take them out immediately. I'm not giving a specific time because it all depends on the thickness of your potatoes and it will vary greatly. I tend to cook mine about 20 min.
Here are 3 different ways I've used sweet potato chips to enhance a dish. I am currently obsessed with making hashes for breakfast. You can top sweet potatoes with any kind of meat (I prefer seasoned ground turkey or bacon) and then add spinach, cheese (any kind, I prefer brie) and tomatoes (I forgot spinach when I made it) and top it with 2 over easy, or poached, eggs. DE-ILC-IOUS!! Prepare to get lots of compliments, impress and hear "thank you" for a while. You can also serve as chips or on top of a salad. I grew up HATING sweet potatoes and I now owe my parents a big apology for all those years and complaining. Because now, I am obsessed!!! :)
Chicken and Avocado Salad with Lime and Cilantro
Sour cream and mayonnaise are overused in my opinion. I can substitute plain greek yogurt and my family doesn't notice unless they catch me in the act. :) Try it at your house and see. It's an easy way to keep the dish "clean" and cut the calories. Who wants all those chemicals in their body anyways and makes it pointless to have a "healthy salad" all ladened with processed stuff, right? Humor me and try this...
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded into large pieces
2 medium avocados, diced
2 TBSP fresh squeezed lime juice (you'll divide this later)
salt, to taste
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (or chop it more coarsely if you prefer)
2 TBSP plain greek yogurt *this keeps it 21-Day Fix, 80 Day Obsession & Shift Shop compliant
Instructions can be found HERE.
Roasted Asparagus Recipe with Feta and Pistachios
This is Shift Shop approved and delicious!
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed
Zest from 1 lemon
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup pistachios, shelled and unsalted
1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed
1/4 cup feta cheese
Juice from 1 lemon
Directions can be found HERE.