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Take THAT!

I am always SO inspired by the pretty food pictures and delicious sounding recipes on Pinterest. But let’s be real…they NEVER really turn out as pretty as the picture, RIGHT?!

Well…not this time bub! I was so pleased with how pretty this dish was when I made it last week…I had to take a picture of it. In my opinion…it is a work of art! But was it worth ALL of the effort…

take_that

I do believe it WAS!

It really wasn’t ALL that difficult. Just a little time consuming to slice and place all of the veggies just so. So here is what I did for a 9 x 13 inch dish:

Take That Pinterest

  • 1/2 medium sweet onion – diced
  • 3-4 garlic cloves – minced
  • 2-3 zucchinis
  • 2-3 yellow squash
  • 5-6 roma tomatoes (Or adjust depending on the size tomato you want to use.)
  • olive oil
  • 3 T. chopped fresh basil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • freshly grated parmesan cheese (Or a little sharp cheddar would be good, too.)

Directions: Preheat oven to 400°. Drizzle the bottom of a glass pan with a little olive oil. Saute onions and garlic in a little olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, slice up all of the veggies! I used a knife, I didn’t want them to be paper thin (using a mandolin would be ok…but just don’t use the thinnest setting). Place the slices int the pan in an alternating pattern. Sprinkle the top with sea salt, pepper and the fresh basil. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Take out, remove foil and sprinkle on a little freshly grated parmesan cheese!

TA Die For!

Take a picture of YOUR masterpiece and share it with me HERE!

Like this recipe? Want MORE?! Join me on Monday, August 18 for my FREE 7 Day Slim Down group on Facebook! Past groups have lost an average of 5-7 pounds…in one week! You won’t be starving either! We’re eating 5-6 meals/day of good, clean foods!

What’s Included?
✔Daily Meal Plan
✔Shopping List
✔Daily Support
✔Accountability (in a private Facebook group)
✔Daily workout suggestions (or just commit to 30 minutes/day!)

DEADLINE TO SIGN UP Friday August 15th!

Click here for more information and get signed up ➡ CLICK HERE

 

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Better Late than Never!

I did the meal plan! I swear! But I got caught up in all of the Father’s Day festivities yesterday, and just didn’t find a minute to post about it!

I had a couple of splurges over the weekend, just keepin’ it real! We went out for ice cream, and I used to always say, “No thank you”. But my kids began to hate that about me. They wanted to see me enjoying a dish of ice cream as much as they were. And so I decided, that since we go rather infrequently, it’s o.k. to have a scoop or two here and there. And for me I know that it’s not a slippery slope. I like ice cream, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not a ticket to nutrition disaster for me. Now french fries on the other hand…that’s going to be a problem. Therefore, I tend to avoid that temptation all-together!

Anyway…I digress. The point of my splurge admission, is that I’m looking forward to a week of planned meals and staying on track nutritionally. So far, I’m off to a great start! 🙂 And I’m going to need it, because I also just started the second phase of Insanity. Today was the first workout of that madness, and OMG! Have you ever had to crawl to your water bottle?!

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Click here to print and link to recipes.
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Meal Plan and a VLOG!

That’s like a video blog, I think.

So today I wanted to share a video that I made to explain how very EASY it is to do a weekly meal plan! Seriously, anyone who knows me well, knows that I am not a terribly well-organized person. I’m a fly by the seat of my pants, scatter-brained, willy-nilly, chicken with the  head cut-off, kinda gal. So I even surprise myself at my ability to stick with this meal-planning gig of mine, which is a testament to how very EASY it is! A real no-brainer that even the most scattered of brains can manage. 🙂 It’s my kind a gig!

So first, the video:

(The lighting isn’t the greatest, but you’ll get the idea.)

And now the plan:

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Click here to print and link to recipes.

Have a SIMPLE week! 🙂

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Can’t Live Without It!

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Ever since my friend Carin suggested that I share my meal plan with my challenge groups, it’s become something I do that keeps me sane (at least partially). Last week I accidentally took a vacation from my meal plan and felt LOST without it! What’s for dinner? I DON’T KNOW!!! With the meal plan, it just forces me to think and plan ahead. I love that I can hang it on the frig and then everyone knows what’s for dinner, without even asking me. Even better is that I know what’s for dinner, so there’s no need for that 5:00 scramble through the kitchen searching high and low for some ingredients to throw together and call “dinner”. Oye! I hate that! Usually while you’re doing that, you’re starving and searching for things to munch on while you’re searching for dinner ingredients, and it’s all just a big mess!

So I’m happy to report that I’m back in action this week! I’ve got the meals all planned. I’m grocery shopping today to make sure I have everything I’ll need for the week, and life is good. (Deep breath…)

Here is what’s cookin’ this week. 🙂

 

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I Got Your BARS Right Here!

This past week was a week that we were on the go a LOT! I needed a variety of quick and easy snacks and meals and drinks, that were pack-able and family friendly. It was a week that screamed GRANOLA BARS! I tried a couple different recipes, changed them up to our tastes, and they were both a hit! The first one is a baked ‘power bar’ recipe. They were fruity, nutty and tasty. We stored them in the fridge and they were an easy-peasy grab and go snack. Based on my calculations, these come in around 140 calories per bar.

power_bar

The second batch is my favorite, and the kids’ favorite as well. It is a no-bake crispy granola bar. I made mine chocolate-y, but as with the above recipe, there is a lot of room for variation. You could make them with just about anything you like. Here is how I made mine.

This will make a LARGE batch or 48 bars. I have 4 kids and I need to make it worth my while. If I want them to last more than a day, I have to make a TON! So, if you want less…well…I think you understand. 🙂

granolabar1

Ingredients:

5 C. of Crispy Rice cereal (I used Mom’s Best-no artificial flavors or preservatives…also gluten free!)

3 C. oats (quick cooking OR old-fashioned work fine)   granolabar2

1 C. raisins (or Craisins, whatever you like)

1 C. honey

3/4 C. Almond butter (any nut butter)

1/4 C. coconut oil (as you can see I used mine all up!)

2 t. vanilla extract

Directions:

1.In a large bowl, stir together the rice cereal, oats and raisins. Set aside. Spray a large jelly roll pan, or 2- 9×13″ pans with cooking spray.

2. Combine honey and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until JUST bubbling, then remove from heat and stir in the almond butter and vanilla until smooth. Pour over cereal and oat mixture and toss until evenly coated.

3. Pour mixture into pan and press firmly using the back of a spoon, spatula OR even better – use your hands! (I rub mine with a little coconut oil first). It will seem like a hopeless mess at this point, but if you keep pressing until it comes together…everything will be ok. Trust me! Allow to cool and then cut into squares.

4. Definitely keep these in the fridge OR even the freezer until you’re ready to eat. The coconut oil really helps to keep these together nicely.

5. Enjoy! Made this way, each bar is about 95 calories! 🙂

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Another Sunday, Another Meal Plan

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I have a little bit of ADD. Seriously…don’t we all? I sat down to do my meal plan, got about 20 minutes into it, and found myself making turkey meatloaf muffins and cleaning the kitchen. I like to start a project, and then start 3 more projects in the meantime. I’m not sure why that is, but it is. I will go to do a load of laundry. On the way to the laundry room, I’ll get sidetracked by a library book that should have been returned weeks ago! I’ll pick that up and go to put it in my bag, so that I won’t forget, and notice my checkbook. Oops, forgot to write that check for gymnastics class. Looking for a pen, I see the phone. First I’ll call my mom back and see what she wanted. While I’m talking, I’ll walk around and put the kids’ toys away that they left out all over the house. I’ll walk up to their bedrooms and notice my laptop that they swiped from me. I’ll carry that downstairs and remember I was looking for a pen. I’ll go get a pen and see the dogs bowl is empty…better feed him. Go get the dog food and see the laundry basket that I set in front of the washer 2 hours ago. And that’s how it goes most days. It’s a wonder I get anything done at all!

But I DID get my meal plan done for the week! So at least there’s that!

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Click here to print and link to recipes.
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Another Meal Plan! Is it Sunday Already?!

This weekend, in a nutshell, was AWESOME! Super Saturday was 10 tons of fun! I got in killer workout with my childhood BFF Jenelle Summers. And after that workout, we all got to do a preview of Shaun T’s new program, coming out this summer, Focus T-25! It was simple yet intense! Basic moves are combined to create a heart-pumping cardio workout for the full 25 minutes…no breaks! The craziest move was 1-armed burpees! Not a surprise from the creator of Insanity, I guess! 🙂 I give it 2 thumbs up! If you’d like to be notified when it comes out and is available to purchase, provide your email below and I’ll let you know!

So without further ado…here is this weeks meal plan.

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Click here to print and link to recipes.
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Oh Happy Day!

Happy Halloween!

So good news first! If you’ve been following along, you know that I decided to start Beachbody coaching about 2 months ago. Since then, I have lost 12 pounds and almost 10 inches! This alone is so fantastic and thrilling, but on top of that I’ve been working with friends and family members who are all on their fitness journeys, too. It’s been so fun to connect with friends and family and new people as well!  Thanks for being supportive, and please feel free to contact me if you’d like any information about the programs I use, the food I eat, or the coaching opportunity!

So here are my updates for days 20-23 of the cleaner eating challenge.

Actually…there really isn’t anything too exciting to report in terms of food, come to think of it. I think the most exciting thing I did was to make a warm-up for Thanksgiving meal last night that was all squeaky clean! I cooked a turkey breast in my crock pot all day, with some carrots and celery, and made some green beans (which happen to be one of my favorite veggies!). The hubs and kids wanted Stove Top stuffing of all things with it…though I did not partake. Enjoy the turkey recipe, maybe it’ll come in handy for your Thanksgiving! 🙂 I need to start thinking about how I’m going to clean up that holiday menu…it’s going to be a real challenge, but I’m up for it.

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Challenge Update & Yummy Recipes

Day 10 was a hurry hurry day. I was running around from the second I woke up in the morning.  That’s the one tricky thing about clean eating, your ‘grab-and-go’ food items are limited to fruits, some veggies and food that is leftover from a previous meal. Even cereal is off my list because it’s processed. So for breakfast I microwaved an egg, threw it on some Ezekiel toast and sliced up some avocado on top.  It was fast, and surprisingly tasty. I like the egg and avocado together.  For lunch I made my favorite Greek salad…again.  For a snack I had a bowl of plain Greek yogurt (I have a thing for Greeks) sweetened with a Stevia packet, and cut up strawberries and almonds on top.  Very satisfying!  Even though I was short on time, I made Tilapia, quinoa and lemon roasted broccoli.  It came together quickly and everything was delicious.  Here are the recipes.  *You could probably use any fish with this recipe.

  and 

Eleven is my favorite number and it was a good day, too.  I woke up and made breakfast for 5, I packed up lunches for 5 (we were going to be out all day again…surprise!) and put dinner for 6 in my crock pot!  All before 9:00! I had oatmeal with strawberries and almond milk for breakfast and Shakeology on the road. For lunch I used my leftover quinoa to make a tasty salad to go.  For dinner we ate the delicious turkey chili that my crock pot made for us  while we were gone.  It was super tasty!  There were a few healthy snacks tossed in throughout the day as well…but let’s get on with the recipes, shall we?

Quinoa Avocado Salad

(for 1, modify for additional servings)

1 C. quinoa

1 tomato (I used a roma)

1/4 fresh, chopped cilantro

1/2 avocado (cut into chunks)

 1  T. chopped onion OR 1/2 t. onion powder

1 garlic clove, minced OR 1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 fresh lime, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

* Toss everything together in a bowl and serve!

Turkey Crockpot Chili

 1 1/4 pound lean ground turkey, I use the EXTRA lean ground turkey breast:

3/4 C. yellow cornmeal

1 C. chicken or vegetable broth

1 – 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

small can of green chilis

1/2 C. or your favorite salsa

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup frozen (or canned) corn

1 can kidney beans, rinsed & drained

2-3 T. chili powder

1t. cumin

Directions:  Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and cook turkey until it’s browned and cooked through. Meanwhile, soak cornmeal in broth, whisk and let sit for about 5 minutes. Add cooked turkey and cornmeal mixture to the crock pot along with all of the other ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

Optional toppings:  reduced fat shredded cheese, low-fat sour cream, black olives, avocado, whatever you like 🙂

Nice for a chili weekend, get it?! 😉

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The Glass is Almost Totally Full! and Challenge Catch Up

I am an optimist.  It has mostly served me well in my life.  I say ‘mostly’ because I can think of a few instances where it hasn’t…like believing that people are always good, nobody will ever hurt me, and nothing bad could possibly happen.  I’ve been wrong a few times about those things.  But overall I’d say I’m right most of the time.  I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.  Actually, I have no choice.  I’m a die-hard optimist.

I was thinking about this today in terms of health and nutrition.  Here’s how an optimist looks at these particular goals: I like to think of what I CAN eat, as opposed to what I CAN’T.  As you know I’m participating in this cleaner eating challenge, and when I look at the pictures I’m taking, I can’t help but think how pretty and delicious everything looks.  It doesn’t seem like a sacrifice at all to me when I GET to eat all of that yummy food.  I go to the store with a different mindset.  I’m looking for what I can have, and not begrudging what I can not have. I come home with bags of fruits and veggies and other healthy foods. I get excited to cook new recipes and try new foods.  Maybe I’m weird.  Ya, probably.  😉

For exercise, I like to think of what I CAN do, and not what I CAN’T.  Maybe not everyone can, or wants to try, to run.  So, what CAN you do?  Can you walk?  I bet you can.  Maybe not everyone has weights in their house.  Can you do push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups (there are a lot of “ups” here that require only your body as weight) squats, lunges, etc? I bet you can.  Maybe you can’t go to the gym, but do you own a DVD player?  I’ve got some awesome workouts I could recommend to you.  And they’re FUN, too!  You see where I’m going here.  Start with what you CAN do.  Focus on what you CAN eat. Your mindset will change, and so will your habits. You’ll be on your way to eternal optimism. Well…maybe. 🙂

Who would think that they could start a new health and fitness business at 40?…Me! But this one was kind of a no-brainer for me.  I love to workout.  I enjoy eating healthy foods. And I LOVE to talk.  That just about sums up my new job.  These are things I most definitely CAN do.  🙂

So here are my weekend Clean Eating Challenge pictures and a couple of recipes:

 Nothing remarkable on Day 5, except I learned how to make my own “almost” fat free coffee cream.  Want the recipe? Click here:   Oh, and the pretty green drink is a spinach, kale, strawberry, pineapple smoothie that was delicious!  Seriously, don’t knock it til you try it.

Day 6 looked like this:

  This was my “cheat” day, well sort of.  I ate really clean during the day and then it was “Ladies Night Out”.  So for dinner I splurged on 2 small pieces of veggie pizza and a salad with a little drizzle of raspberry vinaigrette dressing…oh…and 2 vodka tonics :o. Ladies night out doesn’t happen very often, so I forgave me.

Day 7 looked like this:

 I had a big salad for lunch, with lots of veggies and 1/2 of a very lean turkey burger sliced on top. Raw almonds are an excellent snack to keep in the house. I had mine with half of a honey crisp apple and a tall glass of water and felt very full.  Dinner was so yummy, I’ll have to share the recipe.  I made a spinach, ricotta (low-fat), tomato frittata.  It was delicious!  Recipe here:  (I added tomatoes to mine, but it wasn’t part of the original recipe).

So there you go!  What CAN you do today?