In Australia we call it Avocado Smash and it’s just about as good as gold! So delicious and filling. I chose this, with wholemeal sourdough and add 2 poached eggs on top. The macros are perfect for a balanced breakfast and if they have rocket on the menu, add that for flavor and spice!
Ultimate Portion Fix = 1R (with opt 2 eggs), 1Y, 1G (with opt rocket), 2B (chose ¼ avocado for just 1B and stir with lime juice and it will cover more area!). I never get more than 1B so I get creative!
Miso glazed Eggplant
This picture doesn’t do it justice to how delicious it is. It is so flavorful, super filling and such a great serving of vegetables. My entire family loves it which I never dreamed my 6 yr old son would TOUCH. AN. EGGPLANT. There are so many recipes on Pinterest, but a lot have unnecessary sugar. The miso is so strong, I’d let it speak for itself. So often people take a vegetable and douse it in sauces and it’s no longer healthy. What’s the point in that? Fried okra? Why not grill it? I digress…
Cut eggplant in 1/2 lengthwise and soak in a bowl of water, any temperature fro 5 minutes. Meanwhile make the sauce.
SAUCE:
1 TBSP miso glaze
2 tsp cooking sake
1 tsp olive oil (1/2 for sauce and 1/2 for frying pan)
Cook over medium to light heat and stir together until well blended.
Drain bowl with eggplant and slice eggplant meat in criss-crosses (make sure not to cut too deep so skin is cut). Microwave for 4-5 minutes (1000 watts vs 750 watts) and remove carefully. Divide sauce evenly amongst eggplant halves and cook face down on frying pan on medium. Only needs 1-2 minutes on stove. Remove from heat and enjoy with your favorite protein. I ate both halves which was enough vegetables and carbs (~26 carbs per eggplant) so this with Tuna was my dinner portion. I was VERY satisfied.
Let me know if you try it and any modifications you make!
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
Cookie dough - thank me later!
I know you’re thinking, yeah right. I would be too had I not tried it. If you know me well, you know that giving me baked cookies is like a mic drop. WHAT? I’ve literally had people drop off tubs of Tollhouse cookie dough and I think … “these people get me!” haha
Ingredients:
-1 packet / scoop Vegan Vanilla Vanilla Shakeology *whey doesn't turn out as well
-tsp melted coconut oil
-2 tsp nut butter
-¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
-dash of salt (optional)
-1-2 TBSP dark chocolate chips (depending on your plan, you know how much you can have ;)
Mix it all together until it's the consistency of cookie dough and add a little more liquid if you prefer. Then top with chocolate chips and enjoy!
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!
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!
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.
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!!! :)
Garlic Chicken, Zucchini and Corn one-dish wonder!!
I'm a huge fan of one-dish wonders, so it's no surprise that this caught my attention! I even shared it on a newsletter and got lots of feedback that it was Yum-O! let me know if you try it too :) This might be one our rotation for Shift Shop week 1 or week 2 (not compliant with week 3).
Ingredients
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces
1 tsp sesame seed, coconut or avocado oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
1.5 lbs zucchini, cut into half moon shapes
2 cups corn, frozen or fresh (I always prefer fresh and it's not much harder to shuck the corn and throw it in - tastes better - go for it!)
1 tsp sesame seed, coconut or avocado oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped dill, parsley or green onions
Directions can be found here.
Shift Shop Week 2 menu! Yum-O!
Let me start by saying, week 1 of Shift Shop I prepped 3 hours which included grocery shopping with 2 kids, washing and chopping and cooking. I only cooked 2 nights that week and I had breakfast, lunch and dinner ready every day except for Friday which required some creativity because of a school field trip. So this is doable for ANYONE!!! I guarantee in the time you would drive to a restaurant, order, wait, eat and drive home, you can prep and cook these recipes and save a lot of MONEY, TIME and CALORIES!
This week we got our air freight and have enough kitchen gadgets that I actually want to cook more often and deviate from the menu a bit. I'm so excited to see some of my kitchen that I've missed for almost 4 weeks...mainly my Tupperware! Who would have thought!?! LOL It's so easy to get the hang of and I'm starting to enjoy foods I never would have eaten before; sweet potatoes for starters :) SORRY MOM!!
Here is my plan for the next 7 days (Shift Shop week 2): You can download these recipes here!
Monday:
Breakfast - 2 eggs, spinach, sun-dried tomato feta cheese (leftovers)
Lunch - Hawaiian style pineapple salmon (leftovers)
Dinner - Turkey Hash
Tuesday:
Breakfast - Turkey Hash (leftovers - add 2 eggs)
Lunch - Spinach salad with chicken, strawberries and walnuts
Dinner - Hawaiian style pineapple salmon (leftovers)
Wednesday:
Breakfast - Turkey Hash w/ 2 eggs (leftovers)
Lunch - Spinach salad with chicken, strawberries and walnuts (leftovers)
inner - Zucchini, red pepper & sweet potato frittata
Thursday:
Breakfast - Zucchini, red pepper & sweet potato frittata (leftovers)
Lunch - Spinach salad with chicken, strawberries and walnuts (leftovers)
Dinner - Pesto noodles with chicken
Friday:
Breakfast - Plain greek yogurt, mixed berries, almonds
Lunch - Pesto noodles with chicken (leftovers)
inner - chicken and sweet potato kabobs
Saturday:
Breakfast - Zucchini, red pepper & sweet potato frittata (leftovers)
Lunch - chicken and sweet potato kabobs (leftovers)
Dinner - leftovers - we all might eat something different, but we clean out the fridge for a new week. If just enough for adults, the kids get quesadillas, pizza or udon noodles. There 3 favorite things :)
Sunday: - Travy surprise :)
Chicken Zucchini Rolls
If you're looking for more Shift Shop recipes, here's one to add to your list. Remember, if you're a Beachbody on Demand member, you get access to Fixate recipes and TV show for FREE and if you log into your account and go to recipes, you can chose your calorie levels, activity levels and goals and Beachbody will create a weekly menu for you for FREE. This is a HUGE perk!
Ingredients:
-3 cups skinless, cooked shredded chicken breast
-2 cups + 1/2 cup store-bought spaghetti or marinara sauce (make sure to read the ingredients and chose sauce that has no added sugar, oils other than olive oil or chemicals) In the US this is easier to find then in Australia :)
-3 medium zucchini, sliced 1/8″ thick
-1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
For directions, click HERE.
Cioppino
I'm not sure what you favorite way to make Cioppino is, but there are so many variations. As long as it has onion, garlic and chopped tomatoes, you have the base covered the important part. A side of garlic break is a nice compliment, esp with my kids! They finished 1/2 a loaf before my husband and I could sit down. haha I like to buy the Italian seasoned chopped tomatoes and they are the same price and still clean. Always read the back of the labels because the front of them are MARKETING! The back is truth and the important stuff :)
This Cioppino was a mix of Salmon, Barramundi, shrimp, mussels, and calamari. We also added red peppers, although I think orange would have been more colorful. Red peppers are supposed to be the most beneficial for you though.
I find it odd that they sell this "mix" in Australia, but no one has heard of it at the grocery store. I wonder what they do with it here?
Cooking light has some good variations of Cioppinos. Please share your favorites below.
Tip - this is both 21 day fix and Shift Shop approved.
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.
Zucchini Apple Turkey Sliders
These are delicious and I don't care how much your friends, spouse, kids, whoever, don't like ground turkey...MAKE THESE :)))) And thank me later. haha If you are doing low carb, pass on the buns and use romaine lettuce instead (then it's Shift Shop Approved too). The leaves are hearty enough to hold it all together. Or, just go for the burger as the recipe is written and have people talking about your party long after the night is over!
Ingredients
-1 lb ground turkey meat
-1 medium zucchini, grated and liquid squeezed out (about 1 cup)
-1 small apple, grated (about 1 cup)
-1 egg, lightly beaten
-1 heaping TBSP apricot preserves
-2 tsp kosher salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1 tsp garlic powder
-1/2 tsp onion powder
-3/4 - 1 cup quick oats
-Cheddar cheese
-Whole Wheat slider buns (see notes above, for buns I prefer Thins so I can eat 2 pieces and counts as one)
-Arugula
-Ketchup (look for clean ingredients)
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.
Cauliflower Breadsticks
Cauliflower is the rage now and everyone, big and small, in my family loves it too! Our favorite go-to lately has been roasted cauliflower, and thanks to Pinterest, there are 1,000,001 ways to make it. But, I've seen a few variations on pizza crusts and breadsticks too. Check this out! It. Is. Amazing and is 100% Shift Shop approved!! To learn more about Shift Shop click HERE!
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, large (7" - 8" wide)
1/4 cup egg whites
1/2 cup + 3/4 cup (for topping) Mozzarella/Tex Mex cheese, shredded
1 tsp Italian herb seasoning or any dried herbs like rosemary, basil, parsley
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
Marinara sauce for dipping
Directions can be found HERE.
SUN DRIED TOMATO BACON GUACAMOLE
I find when I have weight loss goals, I'm sometimes hesitant about going to parties and getting totally sidetracked on my progress. I might have fun and then I get in this "party depression" afterwards. Please, please, don't get into that rut! Try making something that you can take to the party and stay on board with your goals. Then if there's nothing else healthy to eat, you have fruit, veggies, guacamole, cheese, etc to snack on. Try dipping cucumbers or celery in this guac instead of chips to cut back on carbs and calories. There are always modifications you can make so you can be social, have fun and still stay on track.
SUN DRIED TOMATO BACON GUACAMOLE
INGREDIENTS
4 ripe avocados, mashed
4 pieces of crunchy bacon, chopped
½-1 lime juiced (to taste)
1 clove garlic, minced finely
½ onion, finely chopped
¼ cup minced sun dried tomatoes
½-1/14 cup minced jalapeño
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions can be found HERE.
Chunky Jalapeno Avocado and Bean Dip
Chunky Jalapeno Avocado and Bean Dip
Ingredients
15 oz can chickpeas or white beans, drained & rinsed
1 large avocado, pitted & skin removed
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
1/2 lime, juice of
1 tbsp jalapeños, seeded & chopped (use 1/2 tbsp for kid friendly & more or with seeds to taste)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
Handful cilantro
1/2 cup corn (if using frozen thaw beforehand)
Instructions can be found HERE. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Zoodle Chicken Salad-In-a-Jar
Ingredients:
4 cups spiralized zucchini
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
1/2 cup olives of your choice, pitted
4 Tbsp sliced green onions
Avocado Yogurt Dressing:
1 large ripe avocado
juice of fresh 1 lemon
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup Greek yogurt,
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley
Instructions can be found HERE.
Cover and refrigerate. Lasts 3-4 days. Once ready to eat, shake the jar vigorously, or stir then pour onto a plate.
LOW CARB BRUSCHETTA
This is so ridiculously easy and costco sells them for $14 / bag so save your money and make them from scratch. Plus, doesn't everything taste better when it's made from scratch? Secret - I don't love to cook, but I know it's a necessity for my family and that my kids MUST eat :) so I do it. But what makes it more fun is to assemble all the ingredients together at first and pretend I'm on a cooking show! TRY IT!! It works. Exercise and cooking are both just as much mental as they are capable.
INGREDIENTS
Hand grated, fresh parmesan cheese.
Instructions can he found HERE.