Spiced Up Breakfast Potatoes

I LOOOOOVE breakfast!! So much LOL!  I enjoy these tasty guilt free spuds pretty much every weekend :)  The best thing about them besides tasting amazing is that they are so easy to throw together.  I like to use baby red potatoes, bell peppers, and sweet onion in mine, but go with whatever your craving.  LOL or whatever the fridge is offering up.  My favorite way to serve these is alongside some scrambled eggs and a couple slices of BACON! :)  Also as far as the spices go they are basically at your discretion. I don't really measure them because I just do a light dusting of each.  This recipe will make 2 servings each is equal to 1 yellow, 1/2 green and 1 spoon :)

Spiced Up Breakfast Potatoes

Ingredients

1 Cup Red Potatoes Sliced (about 2 small potatoes)

1/2 Red Bell Pepper Chopped

1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper Chopped

1/2 Orange Bell Pepper Chopped

1/2 Sweet Onion Chopped

2 Tsp Coconut Oil

Chili Powder

Onion Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Garlic Powder

Fresh Ground Pepper

Sea Salt

Directions

In a medium sized saute pan heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  Add in your sliced red potatoes and move them around until they are spread evenly over the bottom of the pan allow them to sit over the heat for 5 minutes.  Add in your peppers and onion and lightly dust mixture with all of your spices.  Feel free to add more spice if you'd like to :)  I personally love chili powder and cayenne soooo I go a little heavier on those!  Continue to cook over medium heat for another 15 minutes or so, stirring mixture every 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat, plate up and ENJOY!!

Mojito Fruit Salad

I want to start by saying that I did not come up with this tasty creation on my own.  Once upon a time there was a BBQ and this little delight showed up!  I don't remember where the BBQ was, who was there, why we were having one....all I remember when I think back is this fruit salad!  So to the lovely person who is the genius behind this from the bottom of my heart I thank you!  This fruit salad is great and healthy as well :)  All I use for the dressing is fresh squeezed lime and chopped mint, with all of the tasty fruit there's no reason to add in extra sweeteners like honey and what not.  I like to use a melon baller to scoop out my honeydew but if you don't have one have no fear you can chop up the melon using a knife.  Also be for warned peeling the kiwi is super not fun, but it's totally worth it to have yummy kiwi in the salad!  If you are having more of an adult get together this salad makes one delicious drink too!  Just toss the fruit and some of the juices into your cup, add in some white wine, or white rum or vodka and top with some club soda or sprite....CHEERS!! For the 21 Day Fix your serving size will be 1 cup.

Mojito Fruit Salad

Ingredients

2 Granny Smith Apples

5 Kiwis

1 Honeydew Melon

1/2lb Green Grapes

2 Limes

3 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Mint

Directions

Cut all of your fruit into bite sized pieces.  Like I said I really like to use a melon baller for the honeydew.  Also I suggest cutting up your apples last because the longer they sit with their flesh exposed the browner they will get.  I've decided that cutting the grapes in half is a nice touch...LOL have you ever tried to stab a whole grape with a fork??  I would usually just give up and use my fingers :)  Once all of your fruit is ready to go mix the juice from both limes with the chopped mint.  Pour lime/mint mixture all over your fruit and lightly toss to combine everything.  And that's it!!! I let it chill for about an hour before serving. Super tasty and healthy :)

Getting Back On Track!

It's been waaaaay too long!! I know you guys I'm so sorry for my absence over the last month!!  Life has been insane to say the least.  I started a new full time job that I love, we had to put Paige in daycare, and Tim has been working graveyard shifts (BOOOO!).  Of course because Paige was making new little friends with runny noses she brought home every sickness that has been going around this season....and because she's a sweetheart she shared all of them!!!  The icky sick stuff is finally making it's way out of the house and it's time to get back to making time for a couple of things I love!  That would be Fit Foodie Forever and Beachbody! 

To help me get back on track I decided to give the 3 Day Refresh a go, not going to lie I LOVE it!!! It is basically a detoxifying cleanse that gets rid of bloat that's been building up and gives you a perfect springboard to jump back into your heath and fitness goals.  There were some trying times where I had to talk myself off the chili cheese dip ledge BUT I made it!  I proved to myself that I can stick to my guns and achieve any goal I set.  So maybe you're thinking "3 days?? That's easy!!" you would be both right and wrong.  The easy part is that it is only 3 days that's 72 hours and totally doable it will fly by actually!! Where you're wrong is that it is only 3 days LOL!  There is not any room for a cheat here or there not if you want to see some results and have the self gratification of completing something :)

The meals were super easy I actually prepped everything for the 3 days in under an hour.  The 3 Day Refresh comes with a food guide and eating schedule for your day.  I decided for convenience to just have the same thing everyday.  Since I was doing it by myself I didn't have to listen to anyone whining about the lack of variety LOL!  Also I really didn't want to spend a ton for only 3 days!!  Here's what each day looked like for me....

Breakfast - Vegan Chocolate Shakeology blended with frozen berries and water.
Mid Morning - Fiber Sweep drink (honestly not terrible!) and green tea.
Lunch - Vanilla Fresh shake mixed with water, roasted artichokes with avocado and hot sauce, and grapes.
Afternoon - Roasted artichokes with avocado and hot sauce.
Dinner - Vanilla Fresh shake mixed with water and Cucumber Tomato Salad
Evening - Green tea

Pretty simple right?!  So having made it through the 3 Day Refresh I am officially down 5.5 lbs and 1.5" of my waist line!!!  Super exciting I know :)  Is it probably water weight? Yup!  But I feel 100lbs lighter and my energy is through the roof.  It's really set me up for my next step which is....THE 21 DAY FIX EXTREME!!  I'm so excited for this I loved the original 21 Day Fix and saw some great results.  It's time to kick things up a notch though :)

The 3 Day Refresh was the kick start that I needed to get back on my health and fitness journey.  After all...this journey is a marathon not a sprint.  It is a lifestyle not a fad.  Sometimes life throws you a curve ball and that can slow you down, but you can never give up!  The obesity trend is no joke my friends...it's scary just how real it is.  For myself I need to be vigillent, both of my grandmothers and my mom suffer from diabetes.  At one point they could've changed their lifestyle habits to embrace clean eating and fitness.  That would've put them in a drastically different place than they are now.  It's never too late though I'm still holding out hope especially for my mom...I don't want to lose her any sooner than I have too.  For my daughter I need to set the best example possible.  I want her to have a first hand experience of how amazing a clean lifestyle can be.  I know eventually she will have to make her own choices and mistakes...my goal is to make sure she has the best foundation possible to fall back on.

Alrightly!  So that's it...I just wanted to give you guys a quick update.  If you find yourself in a similar spot...you know the one.  Summer is knocking on your door and the comfort that you find in your baggy pants and sweatshirts is causing you perspire like a fountain, but the thought of a tank top and shorts is terrifying.  If you are ready to start your own journey or maybe need a kick in the butt to get back on track send me a message through here, hit me up on Facebook, or fill out the app below.  I will have accountability groups going throughout the summer for fitness and clean eating.  Whatever you decide to do please know that it is never too late to make positive life changes.  You might as well give it a shot, honestly what's the worse thing that could happen?!  You get some new yummy clean recipes for your family and you lose some weight so you can fit into that old pair of jeans....that sounds terrible LOL!!  Will it be easy?...probably not.  Worth it?...YES!!

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Shrimp Fried (Cauliflower) Rice

 

All I can say about this one is OMG YUUUUM!!!  I love fried rice and the flavors on this dish are right on.  It's no secret that most Chinese food is crazy high in sodium...this meal, however, is NOT!  The secret ingredient is Bragg Liquid Aminos (check it out here) it tastes just like soy sauce without all of the MSG and sodium.  I received a few tips on getting the cauliflower to right consistancy for this recipe.  Personally I pulse the fresh florets in my Ninja blender until the cauliflower is diced into rice size pieces.  I've also heard that using a grater works really well and that using partially thawed frozen cauliflower is a great option!  One thing to be cautious with when it comes to rice cauliflower...it's super easy to OVERCOOK!  LOL I've had this challenge several times :)  Make sure you have everything ready to go when it's time to cook the "rice" and just toss it all in a hot oiled skillet, scoot it around a bit, and then eat it!  If you let it cook too long it turns to mush!  You have been warned.  Also if you're on the 21 Day Fix and you're trying to avoid using your yellow containers sub out the peas for a different vegetable...broccoli would be awesome in this recipe :)  This is a great meal for a date night or if you are wanting some leftovers for lunch the next day because it makes 2 servings.  Alright let's do this!!

Shrimp Fried (Cauliflower) Rice

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 12 Minutes

Ingredients

14 Medium Sized Shrimp (Raw)

1 1/2 Cups "Riced" Cauliflower

1/2 Cup Grated Carrots

1 Cup Frozen Peas

1 Bunch Green Onions Chopped

2 Eggs

1 Clove Garlic Minced

2 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos

1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tsp Coconut Oil

1/4 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 Tsp Onion Powder

2 Tsp Turmeric

Non-Stick Spray

Sriracha

Directions

To start we need to get the shrimp marinating for about 20 minutes.  Grab a shallow dish or a ziplock bag, toss in your raw shrimp and then add in 1/2 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Mix everything together so the shrimp are coated and set aside while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.  Heat a small skillet over medium heat and coat with your non-stick spray.  Scramble your eggs together and pour them into the heated skillet.  Quickly scramble the eggs into bite size pieces, once they are done remove from heat.  Heat a large and a medium skillet over medium high heat.  The medium sized skillet will be for your shrimp and the large skillet will be for your fried "rice".  Once your medium skillet is hot throw your shrimp and marinade in cook the shrimp for about 12 minutes turning them halfway until they are cooked all the way through.  While your shrimp are cooking melt the coconut oil in your large skillet, saute the carrots and peas for about 5 minutes until they are warmed through.  To the large skillet add in the scrambled eggs, green onions, "riced" cauliflower, remaining Bragg Liquid Aminos, garlic powder, onion powder and turmeric.  Mix everything together and continue stir until everything is warmed through...remember to be careful not to overcook the "rice".  Once everything is done divide mixture between 2 plates, top with the shrimp and drizzle with Sriracha!!  Enjoy!! :)

Yummy Pasta Bake

This is one tasty and crazy easy dinner to make!  Nothing makes you feel cozier on a rainy spring evening than curling up with some yummy Italian food.  I always make this meal using some of my leftover spaghetti sauce that I have stashed away in the freezer...which makes it an extremely cheap dish to make too! :) Even with the sinful goodness of this dish it is a relatively clean meal especially if you keep your portion small and pair it with a garden salad.  Tim isn't always on board with my healthy meals so this is one that I can make for him and then he has leftovers to work on throughout the week.  Also the bechamel sauce adds the perfect amount of creamy goodness to the dish without the need for extra cheese or heavy cream.  And by using whole grain pasta it fills you up and keeps you full longer!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups Spaghetti Sauce (check out my recipe here)

7oz Dried Whole Grain Pasta (I like to use Penne)

6oz Shredded Italian Cheese

Ingredients for Bechamel Sauce

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

2 Tbsp Flour

1 Cup Milk (I use 1%)

Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg, and Cayenne

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.  I use an 8x8x2 glass dish for baking but whatever you have handy should work.  In a large pot start boiling water for your pasta, once the water is boiling add pasta and boil for 10 minutes or until it is barely Al Dente (DO NOT overcook because the pasta will continue to cook once it's in the oven).  Once your pasta is done drain the water, rinse with cold water, and set aside.  While you're preparing the pasta place a small sauce pan over medium heat and melt your butter.  Once the butter is melted wisk in your flour until it becomes paste like (roux).  Slowly add your milk to the flour/butter mixture stirring constantly.  Add some salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg and cayenne, allow mixture to come to a boil (turn up the heat if necessary) and continue stirring, once it starts boiling it will start to thicken quickly.  Once your sauce is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon remove from the heat and set aside.  Now let mix it all TOGETHER!! In bowl combine your cooked pasta, spaghetti sauce, and bechamel sauce. Pour half of your mixture in into your baking dish and sprinkle half of your cheese over it, pour in the rest of your mixture and top with the remaining cheese.  Slide your dish into the oven for 40-45 minutes.  Remove when the top is nice and bubbly and  starting to slightly brown on top.  Enjoy!!

Healthy Chicken Nuggets

Tonight I was struck with a mean craving for CHICKEN NUGGETS!!  LOL unfortunately for me McD's isn't allowed on the 21 Day Fix Extreme meal plan!?  Now I know that stuff is complete garbage and barely even food buuuuut sometimes a girl needs to be nostalgic.  So I found myself pondering the possibilities and looking around my kitchen in search of a way to solve this problem before diving head first into a bowl of Tim's goldfish!!  As luck would have it I was on my normal extreme eating day which I get to do after 2 days of the countdown to competition meal plan...and that means fruit and a few servings of carbs :) So here's what I came up with and not going to lie it was freaking DELISH!!  Bonus this would make a great dinner for your little ones instead of stuffing them with Mcd's or store bought "chicken" nuggets! This makes one serving and counts for 1 Red, 1 Yellow, and 1 Spoon.

Ingredients

1 Small Chicken Breast

1 Egg

1 Yellow Container of Uncooked Organic Oatmeal

1 Tsp Melted Coconut Oil

Directions

To start get a large skillet warming up over medium heat.  In a food processor or blender pulse all of the oatmeal until it is the consistency of rock salt (lol I know, but I couldn't think of another size comparison!). For me I did several quick pulses for about 30 seconds and then it was good to go!  Place your oatmeal in a bowl feel free to add some seasonings if you would like such as salt, pepper, garlic or onion powder.  In a separate beat your egg and set aside.  For the chicken, because I'm a weirdo, I like to flatten it out with a kitchen mallet.  I get it to where it is around 1/4 inch thick.  I then slice the chicken up into bite size pieces.  Add your melted coconut oil to your oatmeal and mix well to combine.  You are now ready to get cooking!! Take the chicken one piece at a time and coat with egg then dredge through your oatmeal until well coated place in the pan and repeat until all of your chicken is cooking!  I cook the chicken for about 10 minutes on each side, before removing from the heat make sure your chicken as an internal temp of 165!  I like to have mine with mustard because it's a 21 Day Fix freebie, but sauce yours up however you please!! Enjoy :)

Healthy Sloppy Joes!

Who doesn't enjoy a tasty sloppy joe?! LOL sloppy joes were a dinner table staple growing up...unfortunately Manwich isn't the healthiest thing out there.  I'll even go so far as to say it's not healthy at all, nor does it taste as good as my childhood memories lead me to believe!  In light of that revelation I decided to get busy in the kitchen and create my own healthy version of this American classic.  So yes this recipe is clean eating and 21 Day Fix approved!  Now if you've tried any of my other recipes on here you know that I'm a fan of spicy food!  So if you want to cut the heat I would recommend removing all of the seeds from the jalapeno as well as reducing or omitting the crushed red pepper flakes :)  These sloppy joes are a great way to sneak in veggies for those kiddos or spouses who tend to avoid them!  These can also be turned into a vegan dish by taking out the ground turkey and replacing it with either textured veggie protein or chopped up mushrooms (I personally prefer the shrooms!)  I also like to freeze half of the sauce for a quick and easy dinner down the road.  For the 21 Day Fix the container count is for 1 1/3 cup of sauce and equals 1 green, 1 red, and 1/2 purple...the 1 yellow accounts for the whole wheat bun (I like the sandwich thins) however if you're on a low carb journey this would be great as a lettuce wrap too! Enjoy!! :)

Ingredients

20oz Cooked Ground Turkey

5 Celery Stalks Diced

1 Sweet Onion Diced

1/2 Red Bell Pepper Diced

1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper Diced

1/2 Orange Bell Pepper Diced

1 Jalapeno Minced

2 Garlic Cloves Minced

1 28oz Can Tomato Sauce (low sodium if available)

1 6oz Can Tomato Paste (low sodium if avaliable)

2 Tbsp Chili Powder

1/2 Tsp Cumin

1/4 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 Tsp Worcestershire

1 Tsp Bragg Liquid Aminos (or low sodium soy sauce)

2 Tsp Olive Oil
Whole Wheat Buns
Plain Greek Yogurt

Directions

Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and toss in your onions.  Saute for about 7 minutes or until the onions start to sweat.  Add in your jalapenos and saute for an additional 3 minutes.  Add the rest of your veggies to the skillet (celery and peppers) reduce heat to low, cover with lid, and allow to cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  Once your veggies have softened slightly add in your cooked ground turkey mix well so everything is combined.  Add your tomato sauce and tomato paste to the mixture and stir very well...it can take a little work to mix in the tomato paste.  Add in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, worcestershire and Bragg liquid aminos and mix well.  Cover and allow sauce to simmer for about 20 minutes so all of the flavors can combine.  Serve on top of toasted whole wheat buns or lettuce cups and top with a dollop of plain greek yogurt if you like to! :)