You guys, this is the bomb! I deviated from the recipe below by using self-rushing whole wheat flour because I couldn't find the other two in Australia, but it was a crowd pleaser so I'd say that's an option for you too. let me know if you wind up making this, I love feedback! And don't tell anyone it's clean...they'll never know they're missing out on butter, oil, sugar or eggs. And my kids loved it! Serving size is 1 slice (1 yellow) and add with ¾ cup plain greek yogurt OR 2 eggs (cooked any style) (1 red) for a delicious breakfast. Otherwise, it's a great snack to have on hand.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c spelt flour (or GF oat flour) * I used whole wheat self-rising flour in mine and it was a hit
1 t baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp (heaping) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 TBSP ground flax seed
3 TBSP warm water
1 c pumpkin puree
1/2 c applesauce
1 banana, mashed
3 TBSP maple syrup
1/2 c chocolate chips (or more depending on your taste) nuts could be added instead
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Whisk together the ground flax seed and warm water in a small bowl or mug. Let stand for at least 2 minutes
3. In a medium bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients.
4. In another medium bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, including the flax seed/water mixture.
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients . Mix until smooth and without lumps.
6. Fold in chocolate chips
7. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
**I doubled the recipe so I had one for my family and one to give away! It was the thought that counts because my family ate this whole loaf in 24 hours so we used the second loaf. That someone else turned into being US :)
Sunflower seed protein balls (GF & nut free)
A lot of my customers have nut allergies and cannot eat my all time favorite granola ball recipe (AKA Amazeballs) so I found this one and tweaked it a little. It's just as heavenly and still gluten free and for those that prefer no oats, HERE YOU GO! :) And best part, it's so easy that my 4.5 yr old made the whole thing!
-1 over ripe banana, mashed
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 C sunflower butter (if nuts aren't an issue in your home, I used salted peanut butter)
-1/2 C Craisans, chopped (could use raisins or chocolate chips instead)
-1/2 C sunflower seeds
-2 scoops vanilla Shakeology (I used vegan chocolate in mine because that's what I had on hand, but as soon as m vanilla arrives, we will make this again)
**If you make it with chocolate it will look like this, and apparently disappear faster than you plan. I had ideas of serving this at mom's night out or wth yogurt for breakfast, but really my family devoured it! Yielded 16 servings.
Oh man, these were good :)
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.
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 :)
One Pan Lemon Artichoke Chicken
Ingredients
6 chicken breasts, pat dry
1 fresh lemon
1 large sliced red onion
1.5 cups natural marinated artichoke hearts
Ingredients for dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive, or avocado oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
Whisk to combine.
Instructions can be found HERE.
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.
My famous granola bars recipe!
I literally make this recipe AT LEAST twice a week, never fail! We've even made them on vacation. It is super easy and kind of makes you feel like a rockstar because through the week you have quick breakfasts, healthy snacks on-the-go, substantial food for new moms or those that are sick. I mean, it's a cure all and your kids can be a part of making this.
Another huge perk to these...they are so impressive at mom's nights out!! See bottom right pic :) I make these into balls instead of bars and then roll in chocolate. if you're rushed on time you can buy melting chips (come in white chocolate or milk chocolate) and just microwave and roll balls in it and then put in fridge to harden. TIP - store these on a baking sheet so they don't harden together. I learned this the hard way. :(
Otherwise, I melt chocolate chips with a little bit of cream and sugar and roll the balls in that so then I can chose semi-sweet or dark chocolate which I prefer.
Recipe:
-5 1/2 cups quick oats (this is import! do not use old fashioned oats unless you have to and then cut to 5 cups and put in food processor first. they are too large to stick together and soak up too much of the honey so they dry out)
-1 cup honey (doesn't have to be fancy and I actually would go for cheapest. always best to chose local honey to help with allergies)
-1 1/2 cups nut butter (I prefer peanut butter, but you can chose any just make sure it's clean. and "natural" does not mean clean!! no added oil OR sugar, just nuts and maybe salt if you chose)
-1/2 cup chocolate chips (mini semi-sweet or dark chocolate, regular size choc chips are too big to stick together), OR coconut, OR craisans. If you add 2 or more of these toppings, drop the oats 1/2 cup so they aren't too dry.
Mix well. Doesn't require a fancy mixer, but your wrist might get sore. Ha! Pour into a 9"x13" pan if making granola bars. Smooth it out with wax paper and press down. Put in fridge for an hour and cut with a knife or brownie slicer (I liked them to be even in size so I use this). Wrap in aluminum foil and separate layers with wax paper so they don't stick together.
Granola straight from the freezer tastes like cookie dough. You've been warned :) It's hard to just have one bite.
Servings: 20 bars. freezes for 2 months or can go in the fridge, but don't leave out because it will get too sticky. I like to freeze them so that when I have them for a snack or lunch later they are perfectly soft. FYI - straight out of the freezer they taste like cookie dough...just sayin' :)
21 day containers: 1 bar = 2 yellows, 2 tsp. if you roll into heaping TBSP balls then each ball = 1 yellow, 1 tsp.
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.
Chocolate Shakeology Energy Balls
We are back at our corporate apartment for 1 last week before we can move into our house. I cannot wait to have SPACE!! I’m so excited that I started nesting and bought this second-hand Kitchenaid mixer from a professional chef on Gumtree (the “Craigslist” of Australia) and its in like-new condition. YAY!
Here's the best part of the sale 😂😂...she said, "I'm selling it because I used to be a pastry chef, but now I'm into clean eating and there's NOTHING HEALTHY YOU CAN MAKE with it!!" 😳😱 ummmmm...Yeahhhhhhhhh right!!!
I make tons of recipes ALL THE TIME in my mixer!! Pumpkin muffins (to die for), granola bars (my kids hate pre-packaged ones now and mine are cleaner / cheaper), and my new Shakeology energy balls...so many options!! But I didn't elaborate on all that, I shared a little of my story, my website, smiled, and happily took my $750 mixer for $400 and marched right out. No need to convince her. 😂😂
Here's the recipe, but feel free to tweak it as desired. I've made them a few times and make them different each time.
INGREDIENTS:
-1 scoop / packet of vegan chocolate Shakeology (Vegan is richer in flavor, but either are fine)
-1.5 cup nut butter (make sure it’s “clean” The label should just be nuts, and possibly salt. No added sugar or oils ever!)
-1 cup honey (use your favorite day-to-day honey). Always try to buy local honey so it helps with allergies
-5 1/2 cups quick oats (cheapest brand will do). * I don’t use Old Fashioned Oats because it makes them to dry.
21-Day Fix container equivalents: serving size 1 heaping TBSP rolled into a ball = 1 yellow, 2 tsp
You can freeze these for weeks, maybe even longer, they've just never lasted that long in our house. I always keep them in the fridge / freezer though because otherwise they get too sticky. But they won't spoil, it's just a cleanliness issue. ** you don't need a fancy mixer for this, but your wrist might get tired. ha! ENJOY!!!
Baked Balsamic Honey Chicken with Broccoli
Ingredients
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup honey
2 garlic cloves, grated
½ teaspoon italian seasoning
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper (opt)
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lb broccoli florets
Instructions can be found HERE.
Watermelon Mango Slushie
You can have sometime beverages by the pool without going way off track. Here is a virgin slushie recipes, or add a little vodka or gin for a 21+ version of a delicious summer time cocktail :)
Ingredients (serves 2)
2 C watermelon Chopped
8 ice cubes
1 C mangoes cubed frozen
2 lime wedges
Directions 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.
Anyone a little thirsty???
This is not only festive for July, but it is delicious!! let me know what you think if you try it!
Blueberry Strawberry Mojito
Ingredients:
- 3 TBSP fresh blueberries, plus additional for garnish
- 2 fresh strawberries, diced, plus additional for garnish
- 10-15 fresh mint leaves (a small handful), plus additional for garnish
- 1/2 medium lime, juiced (about 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice)
- 1 tsp stevia
- 1 1/2 oz white rum
- Ice
- Club soda
Directions can be found HERE.
21-day pumpkin muffins you've been waiting for!!!
I have gotten so many requests for these that I wanted to share it with everyone!! Here you go! My favorite way to eat these is with ¾ cup plain greek yogurt, or 2 eggs. It's a great breakfast or snack choice.
Pumpkin Muffins
1 1⁄2 cups whole wheat flour or spelt flour for milder flavor
1 TB pumpkin pie spice*
1 tsp baking soda
1⁄4 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1⁄2 cup honey
1/3 cup melted butter 1 cup pumpkin puree
Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin pan with liners or use nonstick spray. Using a whisk or fork, mix together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and drop in the eggs, honey and melted butter. Mix together until well combined. Fold in the pumpkin puree. DO NOT over mix. Pour batter evenly into muffin pan. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes or 10-12 minutes for mini muffins. Store at room temperature or freeze. Serving size 1 muffin.
21 day fix container: 1 yellow
***Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? Make your own! Here is that recipe!***
1 1⁄2 TB cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg
Directions: Place all in small, sealable container and mix together. Store in cool dry place up to 6 months. Yields almost 3 TB.