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FOODIE FRIDAY! :-) I love foodie friday! Because...well I love food!

Sometimes you just get an inkling some Asian style good eats! But, as we all know, Asian style usually calls for lots of oil, lots of carbs, and generally not the healthiest thing in the world!

I don't know about you, but I never want to sacrifice my love of Asian food!

So...that's when tons of healthy substitutions and swaps come into play!

I have  recently discovered the amazing-ness that is cauliflower as rice! There's so many amazing cauliflower rice recipes - cilantro-lime, Cauliflower Rice Lettuce Wraps, and of course this new one...

Cauliflower Fried Rice! I found this recipe originally from The Recipe Critic!

As for the protein part of this week's MOTW (because I've gotta have me some protein in my life lol)...Asian Meatballs! This recipe I found on Get Fit with Nikki for Asian meatballs!

What do you need to buy?

 For Cauliflower Fried Rice:

  • Head of cauliflower - $2.99
  • Mirepoix frozen vegetbale mix (Carrots, Celery, Onions) - $1.00
  • Eggs - $1.49
  • 2 bundles of Green Onions - $1.38
For Asian Meatballs:
  • 2lbs of ground turkey (I bought 4 because it was cheaper) - $8.99
Things I already had...
  • Sesame/Vegetable Oil
  • Soy Sauce
  • Powdered Ginger
  • Garlic Powder
Total budget (without counting the things I already had!) - $15.85

Directions:

For Cauliflower Rice:
  • Start with prepping the cauliflower rice
    • Cut up the cauliflower head into smaller florets
    • Place into a food processor
    • Process until the cauliflower achieves a rice-like texture and size
  • Now, the vegetables!
    • Empty the entire bag of frozen vegetables into a wok or large saucepan over medium to medium-high heat
    • Cook vegetables until softened
    • Beat 2 eggs lightly
    • Push vegetables to the side in sautee pan and add eggs
    • Scramble the eggs until fully cooked through
    • Once cooked, mix eggs and vegetables together
    • Add Cauliflower rice and soy sauce (to taste)
    • Sautee until rice begins to brown slightly

For Asian Meatballs:
  • SUPER EASY! 
    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
    • Chop up one of the bundles of green onions
    • In a large bowl, use your hands to mix the green onions, garlic powder, powdered ginger and soy sauce into half (2 pounds) of the ground turkey
      • I'm not giving you specific amounts here because the amounts that you use will be fully dependent upon your taste and how much garlic, ginger, or soy flavor you want!
    • Once you've mixed all the ingredients in, start breaking the ground turkey into 24 meatballs...you may even be able to get 28 out of it depending upon how large you would like your meatballs to be!
    • Once you've rolled out your meatballs, place them on a greased baking sheet
    • Bake for 25 minutes

As for your 21 day fix portions...the rice is ALL veggies! So you can do as many green containers of cauliflower rice as you would like! For the meatballs, 5-6 of them should fit within your red container!  Therefore, each serving (depending on how many servings you want) will be 1-2 greens and 1 red! 

As shown, I love to pare this with a kale salad! The image on the top of the page is 1 green of kale salad, 1 green of cauliflower rice, 1 red of meatballs! Such an amazing and fulfilling dinner!

That's it! Enjoy!

There's just something about finding a recipe like this that is just delicious, and so chock full of veggies that you don't feel guilty at all when you eat it!

Paleo Phad Thai is like that.
Butternut Squash, Spring Greens Salad was like that.

I've found a lot of recipes like that lately!

This is one is a winner too! I got home one night from work and was SO hungry so I literally piled a plate SO high with this delicious mix and there really is NO feeling bad about that!

So many nutrients!

So many delicious whole foods!

What's not to LOVE?

 Firstly,  I have to give credit where credit is due! This delicious recipe was originally found on the Roasted Root! I personally tweaked the recipe a little bit to simplify it, AND because I'm obsessed with sriracha I added that too to give it a little extra punch!

A lot of what I modified in this was just simplifying! You may disagree with this, but hear me out! I'm a grad student. You know this. I don't have the budget to have obscure ingredients like grapeseed oil, Portobello mushrooms (okay - not obscure, but more expensive $$), kosher salt, or cayenne pepper (see Portobello mushrooms haha)! Heck, even having fresh garlic is a bit of a stretch for me on occasion because it seems like an extravagance!

I lean heavily on spices in recipes because they LAST! They never go bad! I can get garlic or chili powder at the store and they'll last me for 6 months to a year! So that primarily how I modified this recipe.

What you'll need:

  • Medium spaghetti-squash
  • Olive oil, 2T
  • Garlic or garlic powder
  • Mushrooms (Portobello if possible) - 3 cups, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons of italian spices
  • Chicken - I used 3-5 chicken tenders
  • Kale - original recipe calls for 4 cups
    • I just cut up a bundle of kale without measuring
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Salt, 1/4 teaspoon or to taste
  • Sriracha
Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use a knife to put holes in spaghetti squash and bake for 40-60 minutes. Then set aside until you're ready to use it!
  • In a medium skillet, add the oil and heat to medium. 
  • Add the garlic or a few shakes of garlic powder, and the mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes until the mushrooms just start to soften and brown.
  • Add the chicken tenders. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then add chopped kale leaves. Add the Italian seasoning to taste!
  • Continue cooking for about 5 minutes more. Kale leaves will start to wilt and chicken should cook through.
  • Add the lemon zest (and juice if you'd like!!), and salt! Stir and cook for a minute or so longer. Remove from heat.
  • Use a fork to remove spaghetti squash from shell and place them in a serving bowl.
  • Add the chicken, mushroom, kale mixture to the serving bowl and toss everything together.
  • Before eating, top with sriracha, and ENJOY!
Though I don't know the specific measurements - I do know that this is 21 day fix approved! I would guess 2-3 greens per serving, 1 red, and maybe 1 teaspoon for the oils and the sriracha! 

I hope you all like my version! Let me know what you think!

This one is my NEW favorite salad!

I wanted to make something super easy this week that helped me use up the butternut squash that I had bought and not used the week before. And I didn't want to have to cook much of anything!

So, this is one of those super easy go-to's that you should definitely keep on the back-burner in your recipe stash!

What I like about this recipe?

  • Primarily veggies, and let's face it - you can't go wrong with that! So many recipes I share or that I commonly eat have a huge starch component! What I love about this one is that you don't really HAVE to use the starch if you don't want to!
  • Super versatile - You can add what you do and do not want to this! If you don't like squash, substitute another veggie!
  • Minimal time and minimal cooking - I store bought or already had a lot of these staples. Yes, that adds to the cost, but it also adds to the ease of prep which us graduate students LOVE!
  • No dressing required - This is one of those salads that is so tastey in and of itself that you don't need dressing! And if you're on 21 day fix, that's a MUST because we only get one of those little orange containers!
  • GOAT CHEESE - I might be a little obsessed with goat cheese! But seriously the goat cheese in this recipe, MAKES IT! I promise you! It's incredible! Definitely don't leave it out!
Before, I get started, I have to give credit where credit is due! I originally modified this recipe from this Chili-Roasted Butternut Squash post on Kelly's Kitchen!

What you'll need:
  • 1 bag of frozen butternut squash OR one fresh butternut squash
    • I prefer the fresh variety because then your squash gets a nice texture to it!
  • Chili Powder
  • Cumin
  • Spring greens
  • Quinoa 
    • I pretty much always have pre-pared quinoa in my refrigerator! That way I can cook a big batch and then just add yellow 21 day fix containers of it to whatever I'm eating that day!
    • Optional: If you're not a fan of quinoa, you can use black beans!
  • Goat Cheese
  • Roast chicken - One of those prepared ones from the grocery store!
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) for roasting the squash
Directions:
  • Finish roasting the chicken per package instructions.
  • Prepare quinoa, if not already prepared!
    • Use a 2:1 ratio of quinoa to water! Boil and then reduce heat to low, cooking until quinoa has absorbed all the water.
  • Prepare Butternut Squash
    • Preheat oven to 450 degrees!
    • If using frozen squash-no preparation needed!
    • If using fresh squash...Cut up the squash into cubes, discarding the seeds in the interior.
    • Toss prepared squash in 1 tbps EVOO, chili powder and cumin (to taste), and some kosher salt and pepper - I used about 3 tsp of both cumin and chili powder
    • Evenly distribute on a greased baking sheet
    • Bake for 20 minutes
  • Assembly
    • 1 green container of spring greens
    • Top with:
      • 1 green container of chili-roasted butternut squash
      • 1 yellow container of quinoa (or black beans if you went that route)
      • 1 red container of roasted chicken
      • 1 blue container of goat cheese
Voila!

That's it!

Super easy, delicious and 21 day fix approved! It's great for a quick-and-easy lunch as well as dinner!

21 Day Fix breakdown: 2 greens (for spring greens and butternut squash), 1 yellow (for quinoa/black beans), 1 blue (goat cheese), 1 tsp (for EVOO - or at least that's how I count the oils in this recipe because there's so little!)

ENJOY!

It's a (belated) #FoodieFriday post! Which means I gotta share something delicious and nutritious. So why not stay on the Shakeology train? Haha

A couple posts ago, I told you all about Shakeology and why I'm obsessed with it in "What is Shakeology? AND How is it different?". So, it only seems appropriate that I would do a Shakeology recipe share!

In that last post I told you all about the health benefits of shakeology and why it is beneficial to you from a health standpoint, and worth the cost you pay (which let's be real, is only the price of a latte! Prioritize!)

Today, I'm going to get into the fun part, and my favorite thing about Shakeology - the taste!

Shakeology comes in 4 different flavors - Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry and Greenberry! Though I definitely have my personal preferences, I've tried them all and they're ALL really tasty on their own with just some water/milk and ice!

But today, I want to share with you how we can get a little crazy with our Shakeology recipes, and have a whole lot of fun!

So let's go...flavor by flavor!

Probably my first Shakeology selfie for my challenge group! Enjoying the Supa Tropical!
Greenberry!

The absolute first Shakeology flavor I tried!! I don't know what inspired me. Maybe I just wanted to get a little crazy! Or probably because it was the flavor my coach was drinking when I signed up!

It's delicious! It tastes like a green tea frappucino in my opinion! Nom!

Greenberry definitely isn't for everyone, but I definitely have some AWESOME recipes that you should try!

Greenberry Coffee Kickstart
-1C of drip Coffee (at whatever strength you desire)-1/2 C of nut milk (I like Almond and coconut milk)-Handful of chopped spinach (You can use other greens if you wish, but I like spinach because it's softer and it blends well)-1 scoop of Greenberry Shakeology-1 tsp of PB2 powdered peanut butter-7-8 large ice cubesBlend and Enjoy!

Supa Tropical! ShakeO
-1C of almond/coconut blend
-1C of water
-1C of frozen mixed fruit (mine contained mangos, strawberries, pineapple and grapes)
-1 scoop of Greenberry Shakeology

FAVORITE! Or at least one of them! This CHAI TEA LATTE SHAKEOLOGY is a winner!
Vanilla!
Vanilla is an awesome shakeology flavor to start with! It's super versatile and really yummy! I have a ton of fun jazzing it up!

Here are some of my Vanilla absolute favorites!

**For a lot of these I make tea or some other hot drink. What I will usually do is I will heat the water and let the tea steep and then cool make down during the time that I'm working out! That way the tea is nice and strong and has cooled before I mix it into my Shakeology!**

Pumpkin Spice Latte Shakeology:
-12 oz of STRONG Pumpkin Spice tea-**Optional coffee if desired - I don't think this one needs it**-4-8 oz of almond milk-Scoop of VANILLA Shakeology
-4-8 oz of almond milk
-Scoop of VANILLA Shakeology
-Ice (as much as preferred) and blend

Chai Tea Latte Shakeology**One of my absolute favorites!!**
-12 oz of STRONG Chai Tea
-**Optional coffee if desired - I don't think this one needs it**
-4-8 oz of almond milk
-Scoop of VANILLA Shakeology
-4 ice cubes (or ice to taste)
BLEND AND ENJOY!!

Apple Pie Shakeology
-1C Apple Cider (make hot and let cool)
-1C Almond Milk
-1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
-Couple shakes of Cinnamon
-4 ice cubes (or ice to taste)
BLEND AND ENJOY THE DELICIOUSNESS

 Strawberry Cheesecake Shakeology
-1/2C  almond milk
-1C water
-1 purple 21 day fix container of frozen strawberries (or just frozen berries if you're going for Berry Cheesecake)
-1 read 21 day fix container of greek yogurt
-1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
- Ice if desired
BLEND AND ENJOYE!

Just a little recipe collage with some of my favorite recipes!
CHOCOLATE!
Oh chocolate chocolate chocolate....yummmmmmmmm

I'm telling you right now, I might be a little bit biased on this one. I'm a chocolate girl. I spend most of my time swapping between chocolate and vanilla because I love the versatility. But in my heart, I'll always be a chocolate lover. And these recipes are SUCH amazing treats! I legitimately feel like I'm cheating on my nutrition when I have one! They're THAT GOOD!

Peppermint Mocha Shakeology: **FAVORITE**
-1C STRONG Peppermint Tea
-1C almond milk or drip coffee (cooled) or both half and half
-1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
-Ice to taste
BLEND!

Cinnamon Roll Shakeology: **FAVORITE**
-1C water
-1C Almond mlk
-1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
-A little Vanilla extract
-Couple shakes of cinnamon
-Ice to taste
BLEND!

PB&J Shakeology:
-1C Almond Milk (chocolate if you have it...if not no biggie)
-1C water
-handful of frozen berries
-2T of PB2
-1 scoop shakeology
BLEND & ENJOY!

Mocha Frappuccino ShakeO:
-0.75C Almond Milk (or Almond-Coconut Milk Blend)
-1C Brewed Coffee (refrigerated or cooled)
-1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
-Half a frozen banana **Optional, but does add a great creaminess to your smoothie**
-1tsp of PB2 powdered peanut butter
-Ice to taste
BLEND!

Chocolate Banana ShakeO
-1-2C Almond Milk or WATER
-1 scoop chocolate shakeology
-1/2-1 whole frozen banana
-1T PB2
-Ice to taste
BLEND!

 These all are delicious!! I hope you enjoy them!



Strawberry!
Similarly to greenberry, I found this one to be less versatile but still delicious! I don't have as many recipes with this one, but that's definitely not to say it's not yummy!

Berry Delicious ShakeO:
-1.5C of almond milk
-Handful of chopped greens
-1 scoop of Strawberry Shakeology
-a handful of frozen mixed berries - add more of these for a thicker, fruitier shake
-2-3 large ice cubes
Blend and Enjoy!

Tropical Strawberry ShakeO:
-1-2C of almond milk or WATER
-1 scoop Strawberry Shakeology
-1 frozen banana
-Ice to taste
BLEND! and Enjoy the simple yumminess!


I hope you got some fun recipes out of this! I have a blast making and thinking up NEW shakeology recipes! What's your favorite? If you've got a good one that I just HAVE to try, post below! I would love to check it out!

Have an awesome day!


It's Foodie Friday! And I've got an awesome recipe for you today! But first, a little story...



 I don't like cauliflower...

It's like one of those bad memories from when I was a kid.

Cooked, raw...I just don't like it. It's so BLAND!

 Well, we had a challenge in one of my challenge groups about a month ago where we were supposed to find a recipe that we thought might make us want to try a food that we don't like again. And if we were really feeling bold, to try that recipe out!

Obviously, my food of "choice" was cauliflower.

Yuck.

Anyways, the recipe hunt began...

For me, I knew that I needed a recipe where the cauliflower was as disguised as possible...maybe where the cauliflower was "pretending" to be something else.

Well, fortunately I found a couple that fit the bill!

Cauliflower Rice Lettuce Cups with Sriracha Peanut Sauce from Veggie & the Beast Feast

Cauliflower Pizza Crust which I've found featured in many places, but here is the link to Give Up the Gym.

Well, I decided to tackle the Cauliflower lettuce wraps first...I've been on an Asian food kick lately, and for some reason lettuce wraps of any form remind me of P.F. Changs. Am I alone in this?

What you need:

  • Onion & Pepper frozen veggie mix - 2 packages
  • 4 ounces of shiitake mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 lime
  • Soy sauce, reduced sodium preferably
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • Iceberg or Bibb lettuce
  • Cilantro and chopped peanuts, optional, for topping
  • Chicken tenders, cooked - optional
  • Sriracha Peanut Sauce
    • Natural peanut butter, 1/2 Cup
    • 1C almond or coconut milk (I personally think coconut is better)
    • 3 tablespoons honey
    • sea salt, 1/2 t
    • 1T Rice vinegar
    • Sriracha to taste...I added probably 1/2-2T

What to do:

  • Chop up the cauliflower head into smaller florets so that they'll fit nicely in the food processor. If you have a good food processor, this might not be a problem for you...but I kind of have a crappy small one and really had to use small cauliflower florets.
  • Process the cauliflower in the food processor until it achieves a nice, rice-like texture.
  • Sautee your veggies - for this adventure I used my favorite frozen pepper and onion mix and some fresh shiitake mushrooms
  • Once the veggies are cooked, drain off the excess liquid - that will save your filling from being soggy
  • Add in the cauliflower rice and saute until slightly golden.
    • Optional: Saute some chicken tenders to top your lettuce wraps with
  • While the veggies are cooking, combine the ingrdients for the sauce in a small saucepan and heat over medium. Sauce should start to boil, boil for about 3-5 mins, and then thicken
  • When everything is cooked, all that is left is for you to assemble as desired and then enjoy! :-)
 I personally really like to assemble mine by adding the veggie/cauliflower mixture on top of the lettuce, followed by a grilled chicken tender, then a drizzle of peanut sauce.


For 21 Day Fix: If you measure everything out right, this could count as 1-2 green containers, 1 red container, and two tablespoons for your nut butters! Be careful not to go over on peanut sauce! That's the biggest source of calories in this dish!

I hope you enjoy this one! It's a goodie!

Until next time,
I have recently been feeling like I really don't get enough protein in day-to-day. Especially with this new program I'm doing which involves a lot of weight lifting! If I really want to get shredded - I need to give my body what it needs, right?

 Well since realizing that I have made a concerted effort to get more, good protein into my diet. And one of the best sources of natural protein comes from eggs. But the problem I kept running into is that eggs are also high in fat, especially if you're someone like me who really enjoys nut butters, hummus, etc. in their diet as a way to get their healthy fats. So what's a girl to do when you need the protein, but not the fat!

Egg whites, my friends. Egg whites!

 Here are a couple very simple recipes that have very recently become staples in my diet as a source of high protein, and a little healthy fat!

EGG MUFFINS
I'd seen these on pinterest before, and it had been a while since I'd made them, particularly because of the aforementioned problem--great protein but too much fat for me to be having as a snack.

Well, this time I tried something a little different:

What you'll need:

  • Frozen veggie blend - I used a Pepper & Onion Frozen Veggie blend by Kroger
  • Raw mushrooms - however many you want!
  • Egg Whites - I used 32 ounces of Break free egg whites by Kroger
  • Eggs - 4
  • Monterrey Jack Cheese - 2.5 ounces

Making these was seriously so easy!

 First - preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

 I sauteed the veggies until they were softened - first starting with the frozen veggie blend, then adding the mushrooms until they were soft.

While those were cooking, I scrambled the 4 eggs and then mixed them together with the egg whites in a larger.

After the veggies were cooked, I mixed them into the egg mixture.

Then mix in the cheese. (If you'd prefer, you can reserve the cheese and instead top the muffins with cheese after they're cooked)

Start filling a muffin tin with the mixture--about 3/4 full should do it! Don't fill too full or they will massively bake over.

Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes! They should be a nice golden brown when they're finished cooking!

ENJOY!

**For quick grab-n-go snacks I threw two egg muffins into a ziploc bag and snagged them in the AM for convenient healthy snacks at lab!**

You'll probably notice pretty quickly that you have way more mixture then muffin tins available! If you want, you can just make multiple batches of muffins! OR if you're interested in some more variety, then keep on reading!!

EGG & VEGGIE BREAKFAST BURRITOS
I don't know about you, but I'm a FAN of breakfast burritos! But the ones you by at fast food joints or even at coffee shops are always so oily and loaded with fats. Ew. Pass.

So, I decided that since I had extra egg mixture, I'd whip up some breakfast burritos!

Now, no need to go get more ingredients! All you need to do is this...

Take your leftover egg mixture from above and pour into a pan.

Scramble the eggs.

When fully cooked, remove from heat!


Now for the assembly line!

First, lay down some aluminum foil.

Then, your tortilla.

Top with your egg mixture.

Then cheese (if you so choose).

Fold up your burrito -- side, ends, other side--and place seam side down on the aluminum foil.

Wrap up and repeat!

Refrigerate these goodies and enjoy! :-)




These goodies are rapidly becoming my new favorite AM snack! They're packed with good ingredients and hold me over until lunch and then some!

I highly suggest you try them out!

Eggs (especially egg whites) are your friend when you need more protein in your life!

 Until next time!
How have I not published this??? I'm freaking out right now!!

 I legitimately thought that I had posted this recipe a LONG time ago, but without as many awesome pictures...only to realize that I have not! This is a food emergency right now, because you all need to try this recipe!!

 Okay, hold on...let me compose myself...

So, I pretty much gave you the run down of my vacation home in my last post, Home for the Holidays, where I emphasized the things that I did while I was home to ensure that I was at least maintaining my healthy habits! At the end of that post, I started talking about the fact that something you can do for your family while your home to help yourself stay healthy, help your family get introduced to your lifestyle, and also to take some of the workload off of your family in terms of making dinner! I kind of teased you about a recipe that I made for them...and now I'm going to lay it all out for you...

Introducing...one of my absolute favorite recipes that I've ever made...

I originally got this recipe from Pinch of Yum, and have since modified it by a) adding protein, and b) increased the amount of food with more squash and lots of tortillas!!

But here's the jist....

What you'll need...
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped, seeds and ribs removed
  • 2 bell peppers, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 small butternut squash, cubed
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder, or more if you prefer spicier
  • ½ teaspoon cumin, or more if you prefer spicier
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 chicken breasts, cubed
  • 16 ounces of fresh mushrooms, chopped
  • Corn tortillas, I used 2 10 tortilla packages of the small corn tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican mix cheese
  • Cilantro
  • 16 ounces Tomatillo sauce (The original recipe called for homemade tomatillo sauce, but I'm all about simplifying so I bought it at the store)
Directions...

 Squash Filling
The squash and pepper part of the filling is so beautiful! And - your house will probably smell good by this point! AT this time, aunts and uncle arrived and my Aunt Lesa was gushing about how good this all smelled
  • Over high heat, roast the peppers and jalapeño until just brown
  • Add the onions and saute until translucent
  • Add the squash, 1 T of butter, cumin, chili powder, and salt...and saute until the squash is tender by pricking with a knife. This may take a bit of time depending on the size of cubes you cut your squash into so plan accordingly with time.
  • Once the squash is cooked set this mixture aside
At this time you may want to start pre-heating your oven to 400 degrees.

Mushroom Filling
Chicken and Mushroom part of the filling 
  • Add a tablespoon of butter to the plan.
  • At this time, add the cubed chicken breast and cook chicken through until almost fully cooked.
  • Add the mushrooms and saute until softened and slightly brown
  • Season with salt and additional chili powder if desired
Assembly and Cooking
The prep takes longer than all the actual cooking - only approximately 15 minutes until DELICIOUSNESS!
  • Wrap the tortillas (about 5 or 6 at a time) in moist paper towels and zap in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. This is to make the tortillas soft and pliable so that they don't break during the assembly process. Seriously don't skip this step! Also be careful with the tortillas because they'll likely be hot when you handle them!
  • Combine the squash, mushroom & chicken mixes.
  • Fill the tortillas with the mixture and close, placing them seam side down in the pan.
  • Repeat until you've used all the tortillas. You may have some filling leftover. If you do, just sprinkle it over the top of the tortillas. For me, I was able to make two 9x13 dishes full of tortillas and I split the leftover filling between the two platters.
  • Top the dishes with tomatillo sauce and cheese, spreading evenly between the two dishes!
  • Bake for 15-18 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly!
  • Top with cilantro and serve!
I had planned on making this recipe my very last night home for my holiday vacation. It was supposed to just be myself and my parents, but I knew it would be a LOT of food, so I invited my aunts and uncle, and my grandparents over! We even had a surprise visit from my family friend!  So, altogether, I was able to serve 9 people with very hearty appetites with this and had a little bit leftover! And let me tell you, it was a HIT! Can't you tell?
They busted into the first pan before I could even take a picture, and before I knew it BOTH pans were gone!
My grandma brought over a Chinese cabbage salad, which went surprisingly well with the enchiladas! Let me know if you want that recipe too! It's a family favorite!

Anyways, my family really really really enjoyed this recipe and I hope yours does too! :-)

Happy cooking!
Do you have foods that are just like your go-to? When you're busy or stressed or want something that's healthy, easy, and won't break the bank? This is mine!

Quinoa Mac N' Cheese!!

I'm sure I found the inspiration for this somewhere on pinterest, but I have literally been making this for so long now that I don't remember!  
I'm a huge fan of recipes that include all of my main food groups all wrapped up in one, and this one does that in spades! 

You've got your veggies - a mixture of yellow squash, zucchini, and red pepper.
You've got your protein - roasted chicken, chunked and shredded.  
You've got your fats/oils - shredded cheddar cheese.
And you've got your grain - Quinoa! The freaking superman of grains!

Quinoa is probably one of the best grains you can incorporate into your diets! It's so nutrient rich!! Just to provide you with a snap shot...
Here is the nutrient breakdown for 1 C of cooked quinoa...
  • 8 grams of protein
  • 5 grams of fiber
  • 58% of the RDA for Manganese (on of your essential nutrients)
  • 30% of the RDA for Magnesium (essential nutrient)
  • 28% of the RDA for Phosphorus (essential nutrient)
  • 19% of the RDA for Folate (you get the idea...E.N.)
  • 18% of the RDA for Copper
  • 15 for Iron
  • 13% for Zinc
  • 9% for Potassium
  • Over 10% for Vitamins B1, B2, and B6
  • Small amounts of Calcium, B3 (Niacin), and Vitamin E
Also, Quinoa contains molecules that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer, and anti-depressant effects.
Quinoa is super high in fiber, way more than other grains.
It's gluten-free.

It's high in protein, and BONUS, contains all of the essential amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) that we need to survive!

And that's just some of the awesome benefits! Check out more on Authority Nutrition!
So, now that I've blabbed about all the awesome reasons you should love quinoa, let's get to the recipe, shall we?
Grocery List:
  • Quinoa - $5 (approximately - I bought a bit in bulk bag a while ago)
  • 2 medium zucchini - $3.20
  • 1 yellow squash - $1.59
  • 1 red pepper - $1.29
  • 3 cups of roasted chicken - I just bought one of those pre-roasted chickens and shredded the chicken off of the bone $8.99
Things I already had:
  • PAM!
Total = $20.07 total for recipe...And you'll have leftover chicken and quinoa for other dishes!

Directions...
Basically, this is probably the easiest thing I've yet to post about! So, let's get started.
  • Grease a pan with PAM, and cut up your zucchini, yellow squash, and red peppers.
  • Sautee the vegetables in the pan over medium to medium-high heat until soft...about 5-8 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, cook your quinoa per package instructions. I made enough for 2 cups of cooked quinoa.
  • Combine veggies and quinoa together in a bowl, and then add your cooked, shredded, chicken.  
  • When you're ready to eat, portion about 1/4 or so of the mixture into a bowl.
  • Top with shredded cheese and mix in. If fresh, let the cheese get all melty and blended into the veggies and quinoa. If not, zap it in the microwave for a minute or so!
  • Then, ENJOY!
This recipe is seriously a fave of mine! I hope you enjoy it! 
MORE FOOD!!!!!!!! I know you're just really upset about hearing about more delicious recipe awesome-ness, right? **wink wink**

Have you ever stumbled across a recipe on pinterest and you just started salivating immediately?!?! Ya...that happened to me last weekend when I found this one--Chicken, Mushroom, and Spinach Enchiladas from the Girl Who Ate Everything.  If you just take one peak at these pictures, I dare you to tell me these don't look delicious! These just looked delicious and whether or not they were really cheese heavy (ya they kind of are...why do you think I didn't 21 day fix approve them?)...I still had to try these! Because you know what, sometimes you deserve a cheesy treat!

So, for today's meal of the week...Spinach, Mushroom, and Chicken Stuffed Enchiladas! I know some people have strong opinions about mushrooms. So, if you're not a mushroom person, or eating spinach makes you feel like Popeye, than feel free to substitute!  

For mushroom substitution...You'll need another meaty vegetable! Cauliflower or eggplant would probably be sufficient for that. I do not have much experience cooking with eggplant, so I personally would suggest cauliflower, since I anticipate it would hold its shape better than eggplant would and would therefore make a more appetizing consistency for your filling.

For spinach subsitution...I would suggest chard or kale! I personally looooooooove kale, so that would be by personal suggestion!

 First things first, what do you need at the grocery store?

 Grocery List:
  • Sweet Onions - $0.45
  • Mushrooms - $3.99
  • Kroger Low Sodium Chicken Broth - $1.55
  • Fresh Baby Spinach - $4.99
  • Philadelphia Cream Cheese - $0.41
  • Chicken breasts - $10.49 (used approximately half for this recipe and half for Veggie & Chicken Crockpot Chili recipe)
  • Limes - $0.39
  • 8 ounces Daisy Low Fat Sour Cream - $1.39
  • Cilantro - $0.89
  • Kroger Flour Tortillas -$1.99
  • Kroger Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese - $0.69
Things I already had:
  • Butter
  • Garlic Powder
Total = $16.25 total for recipe

Directions...
Start by preheating that oven to 350 degrees and greasing your baking pan. I used a 9 x 13 glass Pyrex baking dish.

Then cook your chicken breast - about 1 1/2 chicken breasts if you haven't already. I kind of forgot this step (oops) so my filling was sitting around while I was cooking the chicken! After you're done, let it cool and then dice it. Once I realized I hadn't cooked my chicken yet, I personally let mine cook while I was preparing the rest of the filling.

For the filling...
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • Small Onion, minced
  • garlic powder
  • Mushrooms - 1lb approximatley, coarsely chopped
  • 10 ounces of coarsely chopped baby spinach
  • 1/4 C of low-sodium chicken broth
  • 4 ounces of cream cheese - low fat
  • cooked and diced chicken

Melt the butter down in a large skillet over medium to medium high heat, add minced onions, garlic powder, and mushrooms until soft. About 5 minutes or so should do it.  

Remove half of the mushroom mixture and set aside.

Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and cook for a couple more minutes.

Add the coarsely chopped spinach and cook down until soft. Then add in 4 ounces of the cream cheese (this was half of my block of cream cheese) until melted, mixing into the mixture as it melts.  Season with salt to taste, and also mix in chopped and cooked chicken.  

For the sauce...
  • Juice of one lime
  • 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • Garlic powder - I didn't measure but 1-1.5 tablespoons should be good
  • Low Fat (or Fat Free) Sour cream - 8 oz
  • Cilantro, chopped

Combine juice of one lime, 1 cup of chicken broth, and garlic powder (about 1 tablespoon or more if you really like garlic).  Then add the reserved mushroom mixture, 8 ounces of low fat sour cream, and chopped cilantro. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Assembly...
  • Filling
  • Sauce
  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 1.5 cups of Monterrey Jack cheese (This was about 6 of the 8 ounces of Monterrey Jack in the bag of shredded cheese)
Divide filling between the 8 tortillas, fill and roll with seam side down...seriously make sure the seam is down! Pour the sauce over the top of the enchiladas, and then top with the shredded cheese.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes!

Enchiladas should be bubbling and golden brown!

Then, enjoy!

 Seriously, these enchiladas are AMAZING! I totally look forward to them at the end of a long day! To offset the heaviness of these, I'll usually pair them with a large salad. And purely to offset that they are a little on the high-fat side, I have not been having them back-to-back days for dinner! I usually alternate between these and my veggie-heavy chili or a large salad with some grilled chicken or hard boiled egg for dinner! But seriously you should check them out! SO DELICIOUS!!

 Happy Eating! 
I love love LOVE crock pot recipes during the winter & fall! I mean--I love these recipes all year round, really but they're especially perfect for warming you up on colder days. And they're even better for us busy busy people because they're just SO easy.  You just toss a bunch of stuff in a pot and leave! What's better than that?

I actually really get irritated by and try to avoid any crockpot recipe that asks you to sautee something before you put it into the pot. It kind of defeats the purpose, don't you think?

Well, anyways, of all the crockpot recipes I've posted, I think the majority of them have been chili recipes! What can I say? I love chili! I promise I'll mix it up with the crock pot recipes eventually, but I have just been craving some chili lately since it's been a while since I've made it.

 So today's recipe is a very simple, very delicious Veggie & Chicken Crockpot Chili!  A very hearty, healthy meal with very basic staple ingredients that are cheap and make preparation a breeze!



Something I LOVE about chili in terms of a hearty dinner is that it's so simple and so few ingredients to prepare. You just need some protein, beans, tomatoes, and veggies! You can pretty much tweak it whatever way you want! 

This way has become my favorite--chicken broth base with lots of tomatoes, veggies, and beans and some protein. I add tons of seasonings as you'll see! Especially lots of chili pepper...

First let's start with what you'll need!

 Grocery List:
  • Kroger Low Sodium Chicken Broth - $1.55
  • Kroger Canned Black Beans - $0.49
  • Kroger Canned Kidney Beans - $0.49
  • Kroger Canned Fire Roasted Tomatoes - $0.79
  • Hunts Tomato Paste - $0.89
  • Frozen Veggie Mix (Soup Mix--contained some potatoes, carrots, beans, peppers, onions, etc.) - $1
  • Chicken Breasts - $10.00 for a 2lb package
  • Shredded Mexican Cheddar Cheese - $2.99
Total = $18.20

Other items you will need (that I already had...):

  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Chili Powder
  • Cumin
  • Black Papper
  • Salt
Cut up 2 large chicken breasts (about 1lb of chicken) into 1" pieces. I didn't use all of the chicken breasts in the package I bought. I used the rest in an another recipe.

Combine your cut up chicken breasts in the crockpot with 1.5 cups of chicken broth, the two cans of beans, roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, and the bag of frozen veggies (about 2 C of mixed veggies I would say). 

Then add all your seasonings! I don't really measure these. I pretty much judge by the flavors I like, and add things in "shakes."  But I'll do my best to estimate what I added here.
  • 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons of onion powder
  • 2-3 Tablespoons of chili powder**
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon of cumin**
  • Salt and pepper to taste
**I usually add more of both of these because I REALLY like the smoky, spicy flavors in my chili!

Then mix everything together.

Leave on low for 6-8 hours. I usually let them go closer to 8 hours because a) that works out better for timing with when I like to eat dinner, and b) all the flavors really melt together that way!

Top with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and enjoy!

 This is a super simple MOTW, but it's hearty, healthy, and so delicious! And who doesn't like coming back from a day out running around doing errands to something as delicious smelling as this?

For my 21 day fix friends: I can't really give you specific measurements because it kind of depends upon what you put in your chili! But my chili came out to about 1 red, 1 yellow, 1.5-2 greens, and 1 blue per serving! I'm not sure how to count the chicken broth, but if you are concerned about that, you could substitute the chicken broth for water and olive oil. Then, the chicken broth would count as 1 orange!

Happy crock-potting!

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