Clean Eats!

 


Hey Friends!! I know it has been a while since my last post. I promise, I've been prepping! I've also been renovating my house, raising 4 rescue pups, working full time as a PA, coaching my current challengers, reading/studying nutrition, & spending time with my husband. Phew! Busyyyyy It's the sole reason why its CRUCIAL that I meal prep!

I recently started reading the book "How to End Diabetes" by Dr. Furhman. I'm stepping into this new diabetic educator role at work and to be honest, it's blown my mind! He has this concept of "Eat to Live" which is actually the title of another book. I highly recommend looking it up, or his website. I've tried to adopt some of his practices because how can I possibly tell patients/challengers to do something if I'm not doing it, too?! So lets dive in - this weeks theme is EAT FRESH.


I first went to the grocery store and got SO much produce to put on salads, eat as sides, put in smoothies, etc. I was actually quite surprised how cheap it was! Check out my spread:

I washed and dried all of my produce and then got to work. I chopped up vegetables and put them into containers for the ultimate salad bar. I even included vegetables I hate (mushrooms, tomatoes, tofu) because I realized I am not eating a VARIETY.

Check out this power salad! Spinach, kale, green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, corn, carrots, bell pepper, radishes, cucumbers, avocado, purple cabbage, carrots, red onion, mushrooms, celery and tofu. I am not usually a fan of tomatoes, tofu, or mushrooms, but when you mix it in a massive salad, WOW. My taste buds go nuts. I literally CRAVE salads. Nutrient dense salads. I dont measure or portion size - if its a fruit or vegetable its fair game!

Another way I'm making sure to fill my diet full of fruits and veggies is a smoothie bowl! There's sooo many recipes out there! Today I had kale, spinach, strawberries, mango, kiwi, chia seeds, banana, coconut, & almond milk. 

I couldnt believe how filling it was.

Now, for meals this week. I plan on having those salads daily for lunch. For dinners, I'll be eating Spaghetti squash and fried rice.

Both of the recipes were a way to hide so many more veggies. SO if you have a picky eater, hide them!

Spaghetti squash:
1. Cut the squash in half, scooped out seeds, and baked at 400 degrees for 30-40 mins until tender.
2. While that baked, start the pasta sauce. In a sauce pan, add mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, chicken broth, minced garlic, and herbs (parsley, basil, oregano). Cook until veggies were tender and then add your favorite pasta sauce (Side note: this summer I'm so geeked to have my own garden so I can make my own sauce!). I also added some leftover shredded chicken to the sauce to add some more protein also. I cooked sauce on low until spaghetti squash was done.
3. Once squash is done, shred with a fork and place into meal prep containers. Top with pasta sauce.

Fried rice: I modified this recipe.
1. Make 1.5c brown rice in cooker (After making this meal, I realized you could go without rice if you wanted. You could also add quinoa too)
2. Cook ground chicken ( I wanted more protein in my rice but you can make veggie friendly) Set aside.
3. Saute your fav fried rice veggies. I used 1/2 head purple cabbage, 1 chopped yellow onion, 1 chopped bell pepper, 2 chopped large carrots, 1/2c peas and 1/2c corn in olive oil. Add vegetable broth if needed so veggies dont burn. Cook 5-7 mins.
4. Add minced garlic adn ginger to veggies. Cook until fragrant
5. Add rice, chiken, and veggie mix into fry pan or wok. Add 3-4T liquid aminos and 4 beaten eggs. I recommend following the link when it says to make a well with the rice and cook eggs on the inside, then mix in. I did not do that and it took longer to cook.

I have noticed an increase in my energy since I started eating many more fruits and vegetables than normal. I'm SO excited to see where this takes me. I never aim for a specific number on the scale and my goals continuously change as I grow older. I want energy, longevity, and wellness. I want to feel good and confident. I want to love myself even on days I eat pizza and forget to work out. My goal is to live a life of balance and I'm proud to say that after years of trying and failing, I've finally figured it out. Don't take your life for granted. I'm always here to hopefully inspire you and motivate you. It's never too late to to be a stronger, healthier, better version of YOU.

Next challenge group starts in 1 week. Who's joining?!

In good health,

Jessie

Comfort food meal prep

This week's meal prep only took 1.5 hours. It was so simple and made a TON of servings. The best part, I spent $64.431 & that includes organic chicken breasts & produce. When you PLAN, you SAVE. :)


First, I threw everything into the slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie 
Recipe HERE

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3½ celery stalks, diced
• 2 (10.5-ounce) cans Campbell's® Healthy Request condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 (12-ounce) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Jr. Golden Layers Flaky Biscuits

** instead of using Grands biscuits, I made dumplings :) **

Next, I started this skillet meal. It was actually very quick!

Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta 
Recipe HERE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups dried orecchiette pasta
• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes in olive oil, julienned
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (if you're sensitive to spice, you might want to start out with 1/4 teaspoon)
• 1 chicken breast, cubed
• 4 tablespoons basil pesto (homemade or store-bought) - see note below
• 1 cup broccoli, blanched
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

** Feel free to use whole grain or veggie noodles**

Lastly, I made this meal. While the meatloaf muffins were cooking, I used that time to clean up all my dishes. 

Turkey meatloaf muffins 

Recipe HERE

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds lean ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
• ½ cup onion, diced
• ½ cup green pepper, diced
• ½ cup carrot, grated
• ½ cup low sugar tomato ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

I paired mine with broccoli & red skinned mashed potatoes! 

Since I'm just cooking for my husband and I, these recipes made PLENTY to last the week. Snacks consist of side salads, apples, grape fruits, AdvoBars, mixed nuts, & Greek yogurt.

I'm so chilly here in Texas. Theses dishes will be the ultimate HEALTHY comfort foods. Happy Prepping!  

1 week meal prep for 2!

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
1	Meal Replacement	Zucchini Casserole  (6)	Turkey Meatloaf (6)
2	Meal Replacement	Turkey Meatloaf (6)	BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes (6)
3	Meal Replacement	Slow Cooker Enchiladas (6)	Zucchini Casserole  (6)
4	Meal Replacement	Slow Cooker Enchiladas (6)	BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes (6)
5	Meal Replacement	Zucchini Casserole  (6)	Slow Cooker Enchiladas (6)
6	Meal Replacement	BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes (6)	Turkey Meatloaf (6)
7	Meal Replacement	Out of town	Out of town

*We are going out of town, but find a meal with 4 servings and plug into 2 remaining slots!*

Cheesy Zucchini and Turkey Casserole

Recipe HERE

 Ingredients

•                     2 tablespoons olive oil

•                     1 lb ground turkey

•                     ½ cup diced onion

•                     2 cloves garlic, minced

•                     1½lbs of zucchini, diced

•                     2 cups prepared groats (or brown rice, quinoa, etc.)

•                     1 can diced tomatoes

•                     ½ teaspoon dried oregano

•                     ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

•                     ½ cup finely chopped fresh basil

•                     7 oz Kerrygold aged cheddar, shredded

** I used brown rice** 

Fool Proof Turkey Meatloaf

Recipe HERE

Ingredients

•                     1 pound extra-lean ground turkey breast

•                     ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup

•                     1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

•                     2 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)

•                     1 large egg

•                     1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs

•                     2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

•                     1 teaspoon dried thyme

•                     1 teaspoon dried oregano

•                     ½ teaspoon salt

•                     ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes (6)

Recipe HERE

Ingredients

For The Barbecue Chicken:

• ·         2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• ·         ½ cup water or chicken broth
• ·         ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ·         ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ·         2 cups Smoky Spicy Barbecue Sauce from Get Sauced (you can also substitute the Sweet Barbecue Sauce if you prefer)

For the Sweet Potatoes:

• ·         6 medium sized sweet potatoes or yams

For the Garnish (optional):

• ·         Chopped red onion
• ·         Chopped cilantro
• ·         Avocado

Slow Cooker Enchiladas (6)

recipe HERE

Ingredients

• ·         2 half chicken breasts on the bone with skin (remove skin before adding to enchiladas)
• ·         1 (16 ounce) jar red enchilada sauce (no sugar added) (Quick & Easy Enchilada Sauce recipe)
• ·         1 (4 ounce) can green chile peppers
• ·         1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ·         1 teaspoon cumin
• ·         1 teaspoon chili powder
• ·         1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• ·         1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, reduced fat
• ·         1 (8 oz.) container sour cream, fat free
• ·         6 medium whole wheat tortillas, low sodium if possible (corn tortillas are not recommended as they tend to fall apart) Homemade Whole Grain Tortillas Recipe

7 day meal prep for 2!

Hey friends! Tomorrow starts day 1 of my 24 Day Challenge and so I will be LASER FOCUSED with prepping. I decided to share with you my meal plan & grocery guide over the course of the next 24 days. This blog contains the first week (cleanse approved meals).

Like every week, I search online to find well balanced recipes, and then I plug them into a calendar. I'm a visual person, so this really helps me figure out how many meals I need.

From there I created my grocery list. 

Parmesan crustedcod & Broccoli

INGREDIENTS

1. ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2.  2 teaspoons paprika
3. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
4. ¼ teaspoon sea salt
5. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6. 4 cod filets (about 6 oz. each)
7. lemon, cut into wedges
8. Broccoli 

• 
  

Baked spinach turkey meatball,veggies, whole grain pasta

INGREDIENTS

1. 10 Oz Fresh Spinach (or frozen Spinach, defrosted and excess water removed)
2. 1.25 lbs 93/7 Ground Turkey
3. 1 Large Egg, beaten
4. 1/2 Cup Oat Flour or Breadcrumbs
5. 3/4 Cup Onions or Green Onions, finely chopped
6. 1 Tbsp Garlic, finely chopped
7. 1/2 Tbsp Dried Parsley (or 1.5 Tbsp of Fresh Parsely, chopped)
8. 2 Tsp Olive Oil
9. 1/2 Tsp Oregano
10. 1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
11. Salt & Black Pepper to taste
12. Cooking Spray
13. Optional: 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar or Honey (recommended if using oat flour)
14. Frozen/Fresh veggie as side (I used broccoli)
15. Whole grain pasta (make sure to measure portion size! :) ) 
16. Low sugar/low sodium pasta sauce 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

INGREDIENTS 

1. 2 1/2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth (4 1/2 cups)
2. 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
3. 1 1/4 cups finely chopped yellow onion
4. 3 cloves garlic, minced
5. 1 Tbsp chili powder
6. 2 tsp ground cumin
7. 3/4 tsp paprika
8. 1/2 tsp ground coriander
9. Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10. 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
11. 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
12. 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
13. 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
14. 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For serving:

1. Tortilla strips or tortilla chips **OMIT IF ON CLEANSE**
2.  Shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese **OMIT IF ON CLEANSE**
3. Diced avocado, diced roma tomatoes, sour cream/plain greek yogurt (optional)

Mason Jar Salad:

·         

Layer bottom to top:Bolthouse Farms Greek yogurt dressing or vinaigrette of choice. 
Chopped Veggies of Choice (I did tomatoes, peppers, onions, carrots)
Romaine/Green leaf/Spring mix (Whatever is on sale. I got a head of Organic Green leaf lettuce for $1.50)

One pan chicken pesto

INGREDIENTS

1. 2 tablespoons olive oil

2. 1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, sliced into strips

3. 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained of oil, chopped

4. 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, cut in half, if large

5. 1/4 cup basil pesto

6. 1 cup cherry tomatoes, yellow and red, halved

Slow Cooker chicken enchilada quinoa

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 pound ground chicken
2.  1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed
3. 1 can (15-ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed
4. 1 cup frozen corn
5.   1 can (15-ounce) diced fire roasted tomatoes
6.  2 cloves garlic, minced
7. 1 medium onion, chopped
8. 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (depending o the heat level you want)
9. 1 cup water
10. 1 can (10-ounces) enchilada sauce
11.  2 tablespoons Mexican chili powder
12. 1 tablespoon cumin
13. 2 teaspoons ground coriander
14. 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
15. 3 green onions, chopped
16. 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

I compared grocery list to what I had in my pantry/freezer, and went shopping. Here was my grocery haul. All of this food for $77!

To start, I put the ingredients to the Tortilla soup in the slow cooker.

This is a picture when its done 

Next, I started the Parmesan crusted cod with broccoli and put it in the oven.

Finished! I sampled a piece, its sooooo gooooood! 

While that was cooking, I threw some brown rice & frozen veggies (peas and carrrots) in my rice cooker with chicken broth. I am following the 24DC guide, and so I am trying to eat a veggie, protein, and complex carb with every meal. If you dont have a rice cooker, you can do the same in a pot on the stove. 

While the fish, broccoli and rice cooked, I started prepping for my turkey spinach meatballs. 

Finished product! 

The cod only took 15-20 mins to cook, and so I was able to throw the meatballs in the oven right after. Boil your water for pasta, add your sauce to cooked & drained noodles, and then throw your food in containers.

**Meal prep hack** Put frozen veggies in your container as a side. When you microwave your food, it will steam your veggies. 

Next up : One pan chicken pesto. This was extremely easy to make! 

Lastly, I made the enchilada quinoa slow cooker meal. In hindsight, I should have started this at the beginning with my other slow cooker meal and had them both cooking at the same time. 

And there you have it! 7 days of meals for 2!

If you'd like, you can also buy the grocery list and cook each meal before dinner and have the left overs for lunch. With Clint working 24H shifts at the fire station and with me working 10s at the urgent care, that is not feasible. 

Well, we are prepped and ready for this challenge! Tune in next week for another meal plan. 

A few of my favorite things! (Healthy Alternatives!)

The other day I was grocery shopping for my week, and I noticed the amount of people just grabbing jars and boxes without ever looking at a label. I picked up a few of the items and snagged a picture. 

Let's start with this "healthy", organic soup. The front of the box makes it look super healthy, right? I mean, only 90 calories? 

And then you look closer. 90 calories per 1/2 cup serving. Who only eats a 1/2 cup of soup?! Then sodium.. Holy mother of Pearl. 850mg * 2.5 servings in this box = 2125 mg sodium. Yikes! 

Next up, black beans! These cans look very similar, but the one on the left has no salt added. 1400mg sodium in 1 can of regular black beans..... Scared yet?

When I look at labels, I look at sodium, Sugar, and I quickly browse the ingredients list. I'm not going to get into the specifics of what you need to look for, but I'm going to share with you my healthier alternatives. 

If you want to learn more about food labels, try watching some documentaries.  Some of my favorites are "Hungry For Change", "Food, Inc", "Food Matters", & "Sugar coated". It'll change the way you eat. 

So what do I do? 

1. Buy fresh over canned. Rarely do I buy ANYTHING in a can. Veggies are fresh or frozen, and even my frozen veggies are plain frozen ones. Don't get the kind covered in cheese or flavoring. Fruits are ALWAYS fresh or sometimes I get the plain frozen berries. 

2. Black beans & Brown rice - I buy them in the bags and make them myself. It does take longer, but it's WAY healthier.

3. Pasta sauce? I make my own! 

No, I am not a distributor for Wildtree, but I stand behind their products 110%! They have healthy BBQ sauces, taco seasonings, fajita seasonings, spaghetti sauce blend, and bouillon bases. I use them every single week during my meal prep. My cupboard... :)

If you dont want to pay the money for Wildtree, some over the counter alternatives are Tony's salt free seasoning  (Again, make sure you get SALT FREE), and Mrs. Dash.  

4. Liquid Aminos instead of soy sauce. Click here  and you can actually sign up to get some free samples. 

5. Plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, butter, milk, or mayo. I just swap it out when I make things. My favorite is Chobani. I also use almond milk instead of regular milk in a lot of my recipes as well.

6. Save your money and your health, do not even buy a single pre-packages frozen meal... 

7. Noodles? Buy whole grain, or use spaghetti squash or make zoodles! (Zucchini noodles). Don't make this feel like a diet, you CAN still eat pasta, there's just healthier alternatives. :)

8. Bread & wraps-  I LOVE Ezekial brand. In frozen health food section. 

9. Drinks? My most consumed beverages are: A. Water B. Spark C. Rehydrate D. Plain black coffee. When you have energy & you FEEL good, you start to show it in your smile and the way you carry yourself. Don't be the girl on the left. The life sucking, exhausted, negative Nancy.

Looking at what you're drinking is very important. It's always the added ingredients that go unnoticed. The sugar in the sweet tea & juices, the crap in the creamer for your coffee, the energy drinks - don't even get me started. I did a lot of research to find healthy alternatives, and I chose to use the products that Doctors & pro athletes use. 

10. Your mindset. It's important to understand that the things I listed above should never make you feel like you're on a diet. IF you go out to eat or go to a party in which you consume something not so healthy, you shouldn't beat yourself up about it. I host challenge groups solely to teach others what they SHOULD eat, how to swap ingredients, and that this is a lifestyle change with the goals of eating 80% healthy, and 20% whatever. This is coming from a girl that just ate a cold slice of leftover pizza before I go running with my dog. #balance

Be strong. Be fierce. And continue to make small changes each day. Over time, BIG changes occur.

Happy Sunday, ya'll! Hope to see more of you joining the next round of our challenge group!