Penne with Tomato-Eggplant Sauce

This recipe was found in Better Homes and Gardens and happens to be 21 Day Fix friendly! Its delicious and soooo easy! What's better than a crockpot meal in the dead of winter after a long day at work!?

Ingredients:

• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1" cubes (peeled if you prefer)
• 1 28 oz can italian-style whole peeled tomatoes in puree, undrained and cut up
• 1 6 oz can no salt added tomato paste
• 1 4oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1/2 c water
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 3 cups hot, cooked whole wheat penne
• 3/4 cups kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 Tbsp snipped fresh Italian parsley
• 3/4 c grated parmesan (optional)

Directions:

Place eggplant, tomatoes, paste, mushrooms, onions, water, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper into a crockpot. Cook on low 7-8 hours, or high 3 1/2-4 hours. Serve over hot pasta and top with olives, parsley and cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving: 1 1/2 green, 1 yellow, 1 orange, 1/2 blue (if you use the cheese)

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad

This recipe is THE BEST!! It is my favorite "21 Day Fix recipe" that I've run into! Just try it, I promise you'll love it! It makes 5 servings, so its perfect for a week's worth of lunches! The recipe was originally written by Kendra Fletcher.

Ingredients:

Salad:
5 Green Containers of: (use what ever combination you'd like)
-Sweet peppers
-Shredded carrots
-Green or finely chopped purple onions
-Tomatoes
-Celery

5 Yellow Containers of: (use what ever combination you'd like)
-Cooked Quinoa
-Black beans
-Corn

5 Red Containers of cooked and shredded chicken breast.

Sauce:
-5 tsp olive oil
-1/4 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
-2 tsp chili powder
-1/4 tsp paprika
-1/4 tsp cumin
-1/8 tsp garlic powder
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 packet stevia

Directions:
Mix all ingredients of salad in a big bowl. Mix together sauce, pour over salad and gently stir until well coated. This salad tastes better the longer it sits! Makes 5 servings, every serving: 1 Green, 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 teaspoon.

Fajita Chicken Bake

This recipe could not be any easier!!! I will definitely put it on my monthly dinner rotation. Its like a crockpot meal, but thrown in the oven and done in 35-45 minutes! This recipe is from The Pinning Mama.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1-2 tsp Taco seasoning, I like McCormick's Mexican blend
• 2 Bell peppers in assorted colors, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1-2 Tbsp Oilve oil
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese

Spray your pan, place chicken breast in and sprinkle mexican or taco season over them. Then place the sliced peppers and onions on top of that, drizzle with oil and cover with cheese! Pop in a 375 degree oven for 35-45 minutes and you'll have juicy chicken, slightly crunchy veggies and a crispy cheese topping. Perfect alone, with rice or shredded and placed in a tortilla! So easy and so delicious!

Asian Slaw Stir Fry

Day one of closely tracking my nutrition went well! I goofed and thought I was supposed to be -500 cals today, but it should have been -750. I will just switch it with tomorow! :) But I was right on point and got in a killer shoulder/chest/tri workout! Feeling good!

I wish I would have taken a picture, but this dish was yummy and SUPER filling...all for under 400 calories! Save this for when you're starving because you will be STUFFED!

Ingredients:

• 4.5 oz organic tempeh (sub chicken breast or tofu if you'd like!)
• 1/2 Tbsp oil
• 5 cups shredded Asian slaw
• 2 Tbsp Just Great Stuff powdered PB (or PB2)
• 1/4 C low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 8 oz Shiratake noodles, prepared per directions on package
• Optional: 1 Tbsp crushed peanuts

Directions:

Saute tempeh in oil until brown. Remove tempeh and sauté slaw for 5 minutes, leaving it still slightly crunchy. Drain out the excess water. Mix together PB, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and vinegar and then pour over slaw. Add tempeh and noodles to mixture and toss. Add crushed peanuts if you have room for extra calories.

I promise you'll be filled and happy after this meal! :)

2015, I'm comin' at cha!

Happy New Year! So I've hmmed and hawwed about whether I was going to make my big, scary resolution public, but in the end, I've decided I need the accountability, so here it is! I am going to compete in a figure competition in 2015! I've had the idea in my head for a few years, but truthfully, I didn't have the belief in myself to even put the idea into words. This past year I have put almost all of my attention on emotional and mental healing (first year following my divorce, new city, new house, new job), and even though it has brought me to a place where I feel stronger and better than ever, I have neglected my body in the meantime! Strong soul + less than best body = time for a new challenge! And a figure competition was on my radar!

I have a ways to go. I would like to dedicate the next 2-3 months just to getting my body where it SHOULD be, and only then will I buckle down and begin rigorous competition training. I am giving myself TIME. I am dedicating PATIENCE to this. I have accepted I will cry, laugh, regret, hope and probably cry some more during these next 6 months! I will have to push myself like I've never pushed before, but I need this. I need to prove to myself that I can achieve what ever I put my mind to, as crazy as it may sound. 

I'm going to be using my blog to journal my experience, to keep myself accountable and to share tips and tricks that I discover along the way! If I can do this, anyone can, and I just want to remind anyone out there that may have this goal in the back of their head that its WORTH IT to go after that goal, no matter how far away it may seem! I'm definitely a candid person, so I apologize in advance for any TMI!! And if you are prepping to compete or have big physical changes you want to make this year, please connect with me! I would love to stay connected with those who have big dreams so we can keep each other motivated!

Obviously this takes guts to put yourself out there and show the world your "before" pictures, but there is NOTHING like accountability to stay focused and motivated to reach your goals. There's true power in saying "I'm going to do it" out loud! But that doesn't mean you need to announce it to the world. ;) Even a small, private group of people to check in with daily makes a difference! If you have struggled with keeping motivated, I'd like to help you! Together we can do it! Just fill this out so I know what your goals are and I will be in contact with you! :)

Coconut Macaroons

So I was SERIOUSLY craving something sweet yesterday and happened to run across these cookies from Skinny Ms. What a life saver! They were so sweet one did the job!



Ingredients:

• 2 medium (very ripe) banana
• 2 cups finely shredded coconut (I used unsweetened coconut)
• 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips, (gluten-free/vegan used in this recipe, Enjoy Life brand)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the bananas and coconut until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Shape into 16 cookies or drops and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Don't allow the cookies to touch. Bake until coconut is golden and cookies are set, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature while still on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container.

Garlic & Romano Cheese Mashed Cauliflower

Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE meal of the year. So I am going to be real honest, I'm not sacrificing flavor on this day. But when you come across a healthy swap that tastes just as good, I'm down with that. Here's a great example from Faithfulness Farm...


Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• salt & freshly cracked pepper
• 4-6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 c cream
• 1/3 c grated Romano cheese
• Salt & freshly cracked pepper

Directions:

Clean cauliflower and break into large pieces. In a large piece of aluminum foil, tightly wrap cauliflower and peeled garlic cloves that have been seasoned with salt and pepper and place in 350°F oven and bake for 45-55 minutes or until tender. Put into casserole dish and mash to desired consistency (I like a little texture to mine, but if you want them really smooth, use an immersion blender in another bowl!). Add EVOO and cream and mix in well. Add the grated Romano cheese and season with salt and pepper as desired. Makes 3-4 servings. Can be made ahead and reheated in a 350°F oven until piping hot.

Spicy Roasted Squash

I love squash, but I struggle most with what to do with Acorn Squash! This looks like a perfect side dish...maybe even for Thanksgiving! This recipe is from Howsweeteats.com

Ingredients:

• 1 large acorn squash, seeded and cut into slices
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the oil, sugar and chili garlic sauce in a bowl. Lay the squash in a pan, drizzle with sauce and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, toss the squash around a little, then roast for another 20 minutes. Sprinkle on the herbs and feta after the squash is cooked, drizzle with any left over sauce from the pan and serve! 

Protein Cookies (G/F)

A perfect cookie for kiddos...sweet and yummy, but packed with nutrients! This recipe is by Kula Mama.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup coconut oil (unrefined, organic)
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup almond butter (or any nut butter you choose, sunflower seed butter will react with baking soda and turn the cookies green however)
• 2½ cups GF oats (just sub regular oats if you don't follow a gluten free diet)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup chocolate chips (use dairy-free if needed, you can also use dried fruit here instead)
• ¼ cup chia seeds (or any seed or chopped nut) (you can omit seeds if your kids don't like them)
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds (or any seed or chopped nut) (you can omit seeds if your kids don't like them)

Directions:

Combine the coconut oil and maple syrup until creamy, then add eggs, vanilla and baking soda. Blend in the almond butter, and finally stir in the oats, chocolate chips and seeds/nuts. Bake @350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. 

Creamy Lentil Soup

There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of soup when the snow begins to fly. I have always loved the taste of lentil soup, but sometimes the texture of lentils is less than appealing. This is the perfect way to enjoy the health benefits of lentils but get the satisfaction of a creamy bowl of soup!! This recipe is from Skinnytaste.com.


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped scallions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium chopped tomato
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 cup cup dried lentils
• 1 small red potato, peeled and diced
• 4 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• Optional: light sour cream and 2 Tbsp scallions for garnish

Directions:

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil, scallions, garlic and tomato to the pot, season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro, cumin and cook 1 minute more.

Add the lentils, potato, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook until the lentils become tender about 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf, and puree the soup in the blender in 2 batches (so it doesn't explode) until very smooth. Adjust soup with salt and pepper to taste, then ladle into bowls and top with sour cream, scallions and cilantro, if desired; serve immediately.

Egg Muffins

An easy and delicious breakfast...make once and have breakfast ready for 4 days! Great for snacks, too!

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs 
• 3 egg whites 
• 1 c chopped fresh spinach* 
• 1 1/2 c chopped fresh broccoli* 
• 1 1/2 c chopped fresh mushroom* 
• 1 tsp minced onion 
• 1 tsp Sriracha sauce 
• Splash of milk 
• Salt 
• Pepper 
• 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese 

*Sub out your favorite veggies! Just make sure you have 4 cups worth!

Directions:

Set oven to 350. Mix everything but cheese together in a bowl, divide evenly between 12 muffins in a tin and sprinkle with cheese. Cook for 20-25 minutes until set. Serving is 3 muffins. For you 21 Day Fixers: 1 red, 1 green 1/2 blue :)

Greek Chicken Pitas

Here's an easy, healthy lunch!! This recipe is from eMeals blog.

Ingredients

• ½ cup 2% reduced-fat plain Greek yogurt
• ⅓ grated (peeled and seeded) cucumber
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1½ cups chopped deli rotisserie chicken
• 4 whole-wheat mini pita rounds, split
• ½ cup baby spinach
• 2 plum tomatoes, sliced

Directions:

Mix Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat. Fill the pitas with chicken mixture, spinach and tomatoes!  Easy and delicious!

Mushroom and Tomato Frittata

I love a frittata. Easy, one pan, good for any meal, reheats well... Never a bad time for a frittata. :)

The trick for the best frittatas is GOOD QUALITY INGREDIENTS! There are so few ingredients in a frittata that its the perfect time to let strong flavors shine! Splurge on heirloom tomatoes or top quality parmesan to really make this dish sparkle!

This recipe is modified from ReluctantEntertainer.com

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 8 oz. Crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 12 eggs
• 3 Tbsp skim or 1% milk
• 2 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
• 1 cup good quality Parmesan cheese, grated and divided
• 2-3 tomatoes, sliced
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in oven safe pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for a minute, then add the green and red onions and sauté for another 3-4 minutes until tender. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the liquid has been released and evaporated from the mushrooms and they are soft, about 7-9 minutes.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and milk together. Add the parsley and 3/4C of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Turn the heat in the pan to medium-high and add the second Tbsp of oil to the pan. Pour the egg mixture over the mushroom/onion mix and tip pan to evenly distribute. Let cook for about 4-5 minutes until the sides begin to set.

Place the sliced tomatoes on the top of the egg mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Put the pan in the oven and cook for about 25 minutes until the top begins to lightly brown and the middle of the frittata is set. Makes about 6 servings.

Homemade Clean Mayo

I am a mayo fanatic. I could eat the stuff with a spoon! But since eating clean I have eliminated it from my diet because the store bought mayo has some questionable ingredients, and truthfully, it took a little piece of my soul along with it. Then I stumbled upon this recipe and realized I could still have my mayo and eat it too!! Ahhh, its the little things in life!! (Just make sure its in moderation and count it towards your macros as a fat!) This recipe is by the Healthy Foodie.

Ingredients:

1. One egg, either large or extra large. Use two eggs if you only have medium on hand.
2. One cup Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil (use good quality, EXTRA LIGHT tasting!)
3. The juice of half a lemon or lime (about 2-3 teaspoons)
4. A generous pinch of salt

In a tall glass jar, wide enough to use an immersion blender in, crack the egg and pour in the olive oil and add the lemon juice and salt. Let the egg settle to the bottom of the jar, under the oil. Now if you want to add anything to the mayo, such as garlic, horseradish, mustard, etc, do so now. Next, place the blender at the bottom of the jar, turn it on and let it sit at the bottom for a good 20 seconds. The mayo will begin to form before your eyes! After about 20 seconds, slowly raise the blender as it continues to blend all the way to the top, keeping it in the mayo so you don't get sprayed. Move the blender around to make sure you have all the oil mixed in well, and then you're done! Homemade, healthy mayo!

Greek Chopped Salad

I struggle with lunch each and every day. It's like I forget that I have to eat that meal so at 2pm when I'm starving I scavenge for some high carb delight to keep me from passing out. Terrible! So I'm on the hunt for something healthy and veggie heavy that I can keep prepared in the fridge. I stumbled upon this gorgeous salad so I am making it tonight to have in the fridge for the next two days! This recipe is from A Farmgirl's Dabbles.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 3 c. halved cherry or grape tomatoes (quarter the tomatoes if they are larger)
• 2 large English cucumbers or 8 smaller Persian cucumbers, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 c. diced red onion
• 1 c. pitted and roughly chopped Kalamata olives
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh mint
• 1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3 c. chopped fresh oregano
• 1 8-oz. block of feta, diced (or use crumbled feta)

For the salad dressing:

• 1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 c. white balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus additional sprinkled over the top before serving
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus additional sprinkled over the top before serving

This is best when prepared ahead of time. Toss together all of the salad ingredients except for the feta.  Mix up the salad dressing and pour about 2/3 over the salad. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, tossing every hour to let the flavors meld. Before serving, add the feta and remaining dressing and gently fold. Follow up with a sprinkle of salt and pepper!

Because I Love My Body, And Yours!

Sometimes I feel like my true message is lost in the pressures of society to be thin. I don't want to help you get skinny. I really don't. I'm not skinny, and I never want to be. My passion for fitness and eating well comes from my background as a nurse. It stems from the biology of HEALTH, of eating for nutrition and exercising to keep our muscles lean, our hearts strong, our lungs powerful, and our blood vessels elastic. I want to help people reduce their body fat in order to have more energy and stress their bodies less. More energy and less weight allows for more movement and the cycle of health is perpetuated. I want to keep people from becoming or remaining obese because I want to fight against the chronic diseases I see my patients suffer from. Diabetes, heart failure, and cardiovascular disease  may not kill you right away, but I see it strip people of life, independence, hope and the motivation to live.  These diseases aren't just "part of life" and pills don't make things better.  I want to help people live long, healthy lives free of avoidable diseases.

My second motive is to help people feel confident about themselves. I want people to love the healthy, strong body they see in the mirror. Sometimes that extra 10lbs is all it takes to take a toll on your self esteem and this can steal joy from your life. If that extra 10lbs doesn't bother you, then it sure as hell doesn't bother me!! But when it makes you uncomfortable and you find that it is keeping you from feeling happy with your body or it's enough to weigh on your mind, then I want to help you find a way to get rid of it in a healthy, natural way. I want to help free your mind and your soul of that concern so that you can feel happy and confident. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman that is confident in her skin, no matter what size!!

I hope my passion of helping people live physically and mentally healthy lives is apparent and understood! There is NO IDEALSIZE OR WEIGHT! I want to help you be the healthiest and happiest version of YOU! I workout and eat well because I love my body and value my health. I wish to spread that attitude to those I work with! Let's make health and happiness contagious! ❤️

Coconut Mango Chia Pudding

This is an awesome breakfast or dessert for the warmer months! It's creamy, cool and you can replace the mango and coconut if that's not your thing. But it is MY thing. Is it ever...

I ran across this recipe originally at skinnytaste.com, but I've modified it to fit nicely in the 21 Day Fix plan. Here's how I made it:

Ingredients: (makes 2 servings)

• 1/3 C lite coconut milk
• 2/3 C unsweetened almond milk
• A few drops of Stevia (optional)
• 2 Tbsp Chia seeds
• 2 Cup chopped mango (I used frozen and just thawed them in the fridge)
• 2 Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut

Place the coconut milk, almond milk, Stevia (if using) and chia seeds in a small mason jar or other jar with a tight fitting lid. Stir well and let sit on the counter for about 15 minutes. Shake the jar well again (make sure the seeds are not clumped on the bottom of the jar) and place in the fridge at least overnight. When ready to eat, add chopped mango and coconut. I make a few of these at a time and they keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. Each serving as made above is 1/2 blue, 1/2 yellow, 1 purple and 1 orange container.

Summer Veggie Frittata

Last night I was pressed for time and hadn't grocery shopped so my options were limited for dinner. I had eggs and veggies and cheese...FRITTATA TIME!

This is easy to make, its a perfect way to clean out your fridge and you only have to clean one pan...can't beat that!

Ingredients:

• 8 whole eggs
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 C chopped kale (fresh or frozen)
• 1 C chopped summer squash
• 1 C chopped broccoli florets
• 1/2-3/4 C cheese (I used some feta, parmesan and mozzarella)
• salt + pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl beat eggs until well mixed, add garlic and salt and pepper to taste. In cast iron or oven safe skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté veggies until soft, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl beat eggs until well mixed, add garlic, cheeses and salt and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture over veggies, pressing veggies down so they are covered with the egg. Place in oven and cook for 15 minutes, until center of frittata is firm. Don't be afraid to mix up what ever vegetables you have on hand! Serve with homemade hash browns for a well-rounded meal!

Coconut Butter

So I've been stalking this blog "My Whole Food Life," drooling over her posts for awhile. They are all whole (obviously) and clean, and perfect for a family not watching calories, but unfortunately I'm still keeping an eye on mine so I haven't gotten to make much from her site. This "coconut butter" did catch my eye though (coconut and butter, um, yes please) so I gave it a whirl! It was SO easy and SO yummy!! I used my Nutribullet to blend the coconut and it took all of 2 minutes.

All you need to do is blend 2 1/2 Cups unsweetened, shredded coconut in either a food processor or blender. She says in a processor it can take up to 20 minutes of blending, scraping the sides, blending, etc...but like I said, the Nutribullet was super fast! This yummy butter can be used as a spread or dip, and if you want to splurge, you should definitely try some of her recipes that call for coconut butter! Once I'm done with the 21 Day Fix, I will splurging on these pretty little guys...

Strawberry Creme Truffles

Super Skinny Margarita

Is there anything more delicious than a Margarita, tortilla chips and gaucomole?? Here's a good recipe for a lower calorie drink so maybe you can enjoy two! ;)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz 100% agave blanco tequila
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz Cointreau
• Ice 

Place all ingredients in a shaker, shake well and strain into glass rimmed with salt. Makes one serving. 144 calories :)