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Skinny Mexican Summer Squash Casserole

Some of my best recipes come from a last minute scan of my kitchen to find some ingredients that might come together and make something edible! Last night was one of those occasions. I had originally planned something entirely different, but had to change plans last minute. I had 1 hour to plan and prepare a meal the whole family would eat (or at least most of them!). 😉

I recently acquired LOTS of summer squash from our farm share, and I was hoping to incorporate at least a couple of them! That was my starting point. Anything “Mexican” is always a big hit at my house, so that was next. Next came some protein, and flavorful additions and boom! This was really very simple to make, and it came together quite quickly. OH! And it’s 21 Day Fix friendly! So there you go!

And here YOU go!

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Mexican Summer Squash Casserole

  • 1-1.25 pounds of lean ground turkey
  • 2-3 medium summer squash (sliced) – I used yellow squash and zucchini
  • 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
  • 1/2 medium onion (chopped)
  • 2-3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 T. chili powder
  • 1 t. cumin
  • 1 t. paprika
  • 1 t. oregano
  • 1/4 t. chipotle chili powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded colby jack (whatever variety you like)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a 9×13 inch pan and set aside. In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the ground turkey and cook until brown and done. (Drain if necessary) Remove from pan and set aside. Add squash, beans, and tomatoes, and cook over medium-low for about 5-6 minutes until the squash is just tender. Put meat back into the pan and add the chili power, cumin, paprika, oregano, chipotle chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir everything together over low heat until incorporated and heated through. Pour into the 9×13 inch pan and top with shredded cheese. Bake for approximately 15 minutes – until cheese is bubbly. Let cool for another 15 minutes before cutting into it.

Serves 8: 208 calories/21 g. protein/13 g. carb/4 g. fat – per serving

This recipe is IDEAL for 21 Day Fixers! (See container equivalents in the picture above.)

Not familiar with the 21 Day Fix? Check it out!

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My challengers are getting such GREAT results with it!

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21 Day Fix Approved BBQ Chicken Pizza

This was my quick and easy lunch today, so I thought I’d share the delicious, happy love!

To start, I had leftover rotisserie chicken, and 1 Ezekiel tortilla. I scratched my head for a bit and remembered it was Friday. Friday means pizza, at least it does in my book! Then I saw the BBQ sauce and that’s what sealed the deal!

I whipped out my 21 Day Fix containers and 5 minutes later I was eating this delicious treat!

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PS – 21 Day Fix & 21 Day Fix Extreme NOW AVAILABLE with the all new all new Annual ALL ACCESS Beachbody on Demand Membership (like workout Netflix)! Get 12 months ALL Access to every Beachbody Program ever made, including all new releases, for 12 months!

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*If you decide to try one, be sure to sign up for my next VIP support group!

Anyway…on to the recipe! This was SO delicious…I think it’ll become part of my rotation!

So here is what I did:

21 Day Fix-Approved BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 Ezekiel (or whole grain) tortilla
  • 1 orange container of bbq sauce (use natural or make your own! see below)
  • 1 blue container of shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 red container of shredded chicken
  • *optional – a purple (or half a purple) container of fresh pineapple would be amazing!

Directions:

I spray my tortilla with a little olive oil and pop into the toaster oven for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the chicken and bbq sauce together. Place on top of pre-warmed/toasted tortilla. Top with shredded cheese. Bake in oven (or toaster oven) for about 5 more minutes until the cheese is all melty and scrumptious-looking!

Take it out and enjoy!

*Clean-eating/21 Day Fix-Approved BBQ sauce

  • 1/4 c tomato paste
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup (or raw honey)
  • 2 tsp coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Pour 1/2 c water into a small saucepan. Add all of ingredients except the olive oil and whisk together. Bring the sauce to a boil and continue boiling for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly stir in the olive oil.

* This recipe will equal about 2 orange containers. Use half for the pizza and save some for later!

If you have the 21 Day Fix program, but lack the support to help you plan your meals, stay on track with your workouts, stay motivated and reach your goals…I can be your FREE coach! And I would be happy to help you!

*Message me to get started: angie@angieinprogress.com

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On a Quest for Good Protein Bars?

I’ve been thinking about trying out one of the bazillion recipes out there for copycat Quest bars, and in the end…wouldn’t you know it…I kinda did my own thang!

But the results were pretty darn tasty if I do say so myself!

I actually made 2 batches: one chocolate chip cookie dough, and one chocolate brownie batter!

And I’ll show you how I did it, so that you can try it, and/or change it to your tastes, TOO!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 4 scoops of your favorite vanilla protein powder (about 1/3 cup a scoop) – I used Beachbody whey.  (I’m thinking you could use Shakeology for these too! For some extra nutrients!)
  • ¼ cup natural nut or seed butter of choice (smooth, not crunchy) – I used peanut for this batch.
  • 1/3 (I used Stevia, less if you like – feel free to sub honey, agave, etc…adjust water accordingly)
  • 2-5 tbsp. water (add 1 T. at a time, add more or less as needed)
  • ¼ cup oat flour
  • optional extras: I added 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips for my chocolate chip cookie dough batch, and 2 T. cocoa powder for my brownie batter batch. Experiment adding other fun ingredients like cinnamon, vanilla, dried fruit, etc…

 

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Directions

  • In a large bowl, combine the protein powder, oat flour, nut butter and sweetener together. Add quest5water 1 Tablespoon at a time – If using Stevia (dry sweetener) you’ll need more water than if using honey or agave.
  • Stir together – get your hand in there to smoosh it all together until you can form a ball with no little bits coming out.
  • Scoop out the dough onto a piece of wax paper and shape into a rectangle.
  • Cut into 5 bars and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes until firm.
  • ENJOY!

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Refrigerate & ENJOY!!!

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And for those of you following the 21 Day Fix…here is your container count!

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For more information about the 21 Day Fix & the 21 Day Fix Extreme…

*Check out some of the before and after pictures, transformations and testimonials!

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For traditional calorie counters:

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April Fools Day Dinner Fake-Out!

I’ve already been sprayed in the face twice at my kitchen sink and there are booby-traps all over my house. And it’s all my fault! I’ve pulled some good pranks on my kids over the years! Once, when my husband was traveling for work, I made an entire ‘fake Daddy’ and propped him up at the kitchen table, holding a newspaper. When the kids ran around to hug him, they stopped dead in their tracks! Daddy’s head was made of newspaper! BAHAHAHA! There have been frozen bowls of cereal, taped up computer mice, and lots of other hijinks! And now they think it’s pretty fun to ‘get me’!

Well….it’s payback time!

I’ve actually done this one with my kids before, and it’s always good for a laugh! 🙂

Kids: “Mom, what’s for dinner?”

Mom: “Cupcakes and french fries!”

Kids: “Mom has lost her marbles…AGAIN!”

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“Cupcakes” (Individual Turkey Meatloafs)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
  • 1 medium zucchini, shredded
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce or ketchup w/honey (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously spray a nonstick muffin pan with cooking spray.
  2. Gently mix turkey, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, oatmeal, egg, Worcestershire, mustard, pepper and salt in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Equally divide the mixture among the muffin cups. Spread barbecue sauce or ketchup w/honey on top of each loaf, if using.
  3. Bake until the meatloaves are cooked through or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, about 25 minutes. Let the loaves stand in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.

 

“Frosting” (Mashed Cauliflower)

*Recipe from SkinnyMs.com

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1/4 cup skim or reduced fat milk, unsweetened nondairy milk, or 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Boil a large pot of salted water. Add cauliflower and cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a separate saute pan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat, add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic is golden and fragrant. Remove from the heat.

Mash with a potato masher in a large bowl. For a smoother mashed cauliflower, use an immersion or hand blender to puree, or puree it in the food processor. While mixing, slowly add in the milk until the desired consistency is achieved. Mix in the salt and pepper and the minced garlic with the olive oil. Serve.

Mashed cauliflower can be topped with chopped scallions if desired.

*Use a little food coloring if desired!

“French Fries” (Cinnamon Apples)

Simply cut up a couple of apples. Use a fancy slicer if you have one! Toss with a dash of cinnamon and serve with a side of strawberry or raspberry preserves!

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Healthy O’Dinner

I’m half Irish, but man O’man my ancestors ate a lot of starches and fatty meats! And of course, they washed it down with lots O’beer! So, when you’re trying to keep it light on St. Patty’s Day…it can be a little tricky.

Tomorrow, we’re going with a healthier version of Shepherd’s Pie! I’ve made this recipe several times, and we all LOVED it! *Inspired by a recipe from Skinny Taste.

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Turkey & Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:

  • 3-4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup low-fat milk
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the filling:

  • apx. 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • 10 oz frozen mixed vegetables
  • 2 tbsp flour (leave out to make gluten-free)
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp freshly chopped rosemary (or a little less dry if you don’t have fresh)
  • salt and pepper
  • paprika

Directions:

Boil sweet potatoes and garlic in a pot of salted water until cooked and soft. Drain and mash with chicken broth, Greek yogurt or sour cream, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a 9×13″ pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large pan cook turkey until evenly browned; season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Add olive oil to the pan, then add the onion and sauté for one minute. Add the celery, parsnip, salt and pepper to taste; cook about 12 minutes, until celery is soft.

Add garlic and sauté another 3-4 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper and mix well. Add frozen vegetables, chicken broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, cooked turkey, and mix well. Simmer on low about 5-10 minutes.

Spoon mixture into prepared baking pan, and top with mashed sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and bake for 20-30 minutes or until heated through and potatoes turn golden.

Sláinte!

FIX Containers: 1 Green, 1 yellow, 1 red 1 tsp

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How to Get Kids to Eat Their Veggies!

This idea is really going to blow your mind! I mean…it’s just so BIG and ingenious, I can’t wait to share it with you…

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If there is one thing that I’ve learned in my 15 years as a parent and another 7 years as an educator…kids are opportunists! And we as parents can use that to our advantage!

My kids will generally eat veggies when they are cooked and put on their plates for dinner. It can take some doing, and some kids are more receptive than others, but we have some sorta veggie at most every dinner. And usually something GREEN at that! My mom was a firm believer that every dinner plate needed something green on it! Even if that meant double (or TRIPLE) veggies, because she had already cooked carrots and cauliflower! If she looked down at the plate and didn’t see something green…she’d whip up a salad and sleep better at night! 😉

I guess that stuck. Because I kinda feel the same way. My body needs GREEN veggies!

My kids don’t feel that way…yet! But we’re working on it. Every day.

Raw veggies are something that most of my kids tend shy away from, usually. I do have one child who will eat most any veggie: cooked, raw, red, green, etc. She’s my salad eater. If I make myself a salad, she wants one too. Of course she wants hers slathered in ranch dressing, but that’s an issue for another day.

So in my challenge group the other day, I challenged my participants to set out some healthy snacks, like fruits and veggies, and just make them available to their kids without even suggesting they eat it. I decided to catch my project on hidden camera, and my kids played RIGHT into it! When they saw this video later, they all laughed and applauded my sneakiness! Take a look:

The bottom line is that if we make healthy foods available, easy to access, kids WILL go for it! Maybe not every time, but I believe over time you’ll see them grabbing foods you thought they might never eat on their own. No need to force or persuade. Just put them on your counter and see what happens. A good time for this is after school. Kids come home starving and start looking for quick snacks to stuff in their face. If there’s food RIGHT there, that they don’t have to search for, or prepare…chances are good that they’ll take the easy opportunity!

TRY it! 🙂

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Clean Eating Chicken Salad

Best. Lunch. Ever.

My husband was telling me about his lunch out the other day and it got me craving chicken salad!

I pulled out my 21 Day Fix containers and got to work.

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What I ended up with, was heaven in a bowl! I might eat this every day for the rest of my life!

Ingredients

  • shredded chicken breast (I love to buy the cut up rotisserie chicken at Costco – so convenient!)
  • celery – chopped
  • 1/2 green apple – chopped
  • raw walnuts – chopped
  • Greek yogurt
  • sea salt

Stir it all together and enjoy on whole grain bread or a whole grain tortilla (such as Ezekiel), a bed of lettuce, or just right out of the bowl!

Container count, for the 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme, is in the picture below.

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MORE healthy, 21 Day Fix approved salad and homemade dressing recipes in my FREE ebook!

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Save money when you get a 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack!

 

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Busy Mom Nutrition Tip – Healthy Alternatives

I don’t think I’ve ever tried posting a Vlog! But I’m going for it today!

If you’re having trouble convincing your kids to get on-board with healthier eating…I get it! Been there. Done that! My kids did not react well when I told them I would no longer be buying hot dogs or chicken nuggets at the store. That’s not to say that they will never eat them again. I am all for special occasion allowances. However, I just don’t add these items to my grocery list anymore!

I’ve found ways to substitute healthier alternatives, for the foods that they love. And of course, it’s a work in progress! We are always looking for new foods to try! The wonderful thing is that the kids are so much more aware of the foods that they eat. They read labels just like I do! And that makes my heart go pitter-pat!

So here is my vlog! What do you think?

This is one of the examples from the video:yogurt_compare

Which yogurt would you pick? Carrageenan is an ingredient that you will find in some yogurts, soy milk, ice cream, etc. It’s added to make foods thicker, creamier and to create a ‘fuller’ feeling to low-fat foods. The problem is that carrageenan could be causing inflammation, gut irritation and even cancer. Beginning in the 1960s, researchers started linking the ingredient to gastrointestinal disease in lab animals, including ulcerative colitis, intestinal lesions, and colon cancer.

Make sure you scan your labels! If you see the “c” word…RUN!

 

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Clean Eating Chicken Pot Pie

Mmmm… I’m drooling just thinking about how good this was!

I made this for a family visit yesterday, and it was a HIT! The kids loved it too! (Well…all but one, but he hates most everything I cook! Hoping he grows out of that!) 😉

This is creamy comfort food, with WHOLE food ingredients! *No red cans were opened for this recipe!

And…it’s 21 Day Fix approved! SCORE!

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I love the way the quinoa crust on top turned out!

Feel free to get creative with your veggies and spices. There are a lot of combos that would be quite tasty I think!

Ingredients

Quinoa Crust:
    • 2 eggs, large
    • 2 egg whites
    • 1 tsp thyme, dried
    • 2/3 cups sharp cheddar cheese
    • 3 cups quinoa – cooked & cooled
Filling:
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper, ground
  • 1 bunch broccoli – chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves – minced
  • 1/2 large onion – finely chopped
  • 4 cups frozen mixed veggies – thawed
  • 3 cups cooked chicken breast – diced
  • 2 t. olive oil
 Directions
    1. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and egg whites together. Add thyme, cheese, quinoa and stir to combine. Set aside.
    2. Preheat oven to 375° F. In a small bowl, whisk broth, milk, flour, salt, pepper and set aside.
    3. Preheat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat and add oil. Add garlic and onion, saute until translucent. Slowly pour slurry (broth and milk mixture) into the skillet, whisking and making sure no flour is left at the bottom of the bowl. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from heat and add veggies and chicken and stir to combine.
    4. Transfer to a 9 x 13 baking dish and flatten with a spatula. Drop spoonfuls of quinoa mixture on top and spread with a spatula to cover the filling evenly. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 – 10 minutes, cut into 8 portions and serve hot.
21 Day FIX portions:
1 serving = 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 green
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FIT & LEAN in 2015

Are you READY to get FIT & LEAN in 2015?!

DEADLINE TO JOIN IS TOMORROW (MONDAY 12/29)
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IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE!before_marathon

And it’s SO much more WONDERFULLER when you feel good!

2 years and 24 pounds ago, I did not feel so wonderful. I was at a time in my life when I figured I had tried everything, done it all, and just wasn’t getting the results I wanted. I was THIS close to giving up – throwing in the towel.

I am a busy mom of 4, and really…who cares right? WRONG!!! I cared! Of course I did! I was just trying to convince myself that I didn’t, because facing the reality that nothing I was doing was working was hard to swallow.

One more try, I told myself. Give it all you’ve got! Commit 100% and see what happens…

Fast forward 2 years I lost 24 pounds, just by eating healthy foods and working out at HOME – doing programs I LOVE! I feel better than ever, have more energy, more confidence and just a better outlook on life in general! I ran a marathon for crying out loud!!!

And now I get to pay it forward and help others find what works for them! Are you ready to find out? Give it your all? Make 2015 the best year ever! Where do you want to be NEXT December?

START with me on January 5th – set some BIG goals for the NEW year and REACH them!

You can do it and I can help!


Let’s get FIT & LEAN in 2015!

New Challenge Group - Let's Do ThisNew Challenge Group will start Monday, January 5.

  • 21 Days
  • Daily Workouts
  • Clean Eating 
  • Motivation 
  • Accountability
  • And Daily 24/7 support from me!

Will you get all of that from a gym club membership?! I don’t think so.

There are several options for this group. Dust off an old Beachbody program, or try something NEW for the new year!
Purchase a challenge pack and be eligible to win $100! Challenge Packs consist of a NEW program + Shakeology at a discounted ‘bundle’ price PLUS $2 shipping! *BEST VALUE 

DECEMBER CHALLENGE PACK SALESinvest-in-yourself

Save $95 on the Insanity Max:30 Challenge Pack! 
Save $70 on Les Mills Pump
Save $45 on Les Mills Combat
And of course, an EXCELLENT option for this group is the VERY popular 21 DAY FIX!

ANYONE WHO PURCHASES A CHALLENGE PACK WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN $100 for results and participation! (I’ll help you pick a program that you will LOVE and will get you the results you want.) 

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Message me for more information and/or to save your spot!