1 package vanilla Shakeology
1 frozen clementine (peeled and sectioned)
1/2 frozen banana
1 cup water
3-4 ice cubes
Blend together until smooth and creamy.
21 Day Fix Conversion: 1 red, 1 purple
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Creamsicle Shake
This Creamsicle Shake was the perfect pick-me-up today. I've been battling a cold, and the creamy orangy goodness hit the spot!
1 package vanilla Shakeology
1 frozen clementine (peeled and sectioned)
1/2 frozen banana
1 cup water
3-4 ice cubes
Blend together until smooth and creamy.
21 Day Fix Conversion: 1 red, 1 purple
1 package vanilla Shakeology
1 frozen clementine (peeled and sectioned)
1/2 frozen banana
1 cup water
3-4 ice cubes
Blend together until smooth and creamy.
21 Day Fix Conversion: 1 red, 1 purple
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Apple Pie Shake
We are counting down to our tropical vacation! We can not wait to be in the sun and sand, but with that sun and sand comes swimsuits. No matter how long I have to prepare to wear a swim suit in public, it's never long enough. I made my mom an Apple Pie Shake today in an attempt to eat clean for the next few days before our vacation. It's also delicious with a little banana as well!
21 Day Fix Conversion: 1 red, 1 purple, 1 tsp
1 packet Vanilla Shakeology
1 apple, frozen
1 tsp nut butter
1 cup water
Blend the ingredients until smooth. For a sweeter shake, add banana.
21 Day Fix Conversion: 1 red, 1 purple, 1 tsp
Monday, May 27, 2013
Spicy Chicken Chili
Chili is my go-to recipe when I am not in the mood to cook and I want to save a little money. You can get the meat on sale (or leave it out if you're a vegetarian) and all most all of the other ingredients come in a can. You could use dried beans*, but I don't plan ahead well. If you find that not everyone in your house is excited about chili as you are, try serving it over a corn bread waffle. Mix up your favorite corn bread mix, cook it in a waffle iron, and you have a yummy side dish for your chili.
You Will Need:
1 pound ground chicken (or whatever meat is on sale that week)
2 cans Hot Rotel
2 cans chickpeas
2 cans black beans
2 cans white beans
1 can corn (or frozen)
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup water
1 package taco seasoning
4 TBSP chili seasoning
corn bread waffles- optional
*note: if you use dried beans, you will need to add salt and possibly extra liquid.
Directions:
Brown the meat in a large pot. Add the taco seasoning, chili powder and stir to combine. Add the Rotel, beans and corn and all of their juices. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 1 hour. Combine the water and corn meal to create a thin paste, and stir into the chili to thicken. Cook 5-10 minutes more. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. If the chili is too spicy, add a TBSP of sugar and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Add more sugar as needed (or don't use the hot Rotel if you don't like spicy food). Serve over a corn bread waffle and top with cheese. Makes 16 servings. Leftovers freeze great!
 |
| with cheese of course! |
1 pound ground chicken (or whatever meat is on sale that week)
2 cans Hot Rotel
2 cans chickpeas
2 cans black beans
2 cans white beans
1 can corn (or frozen)
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup water
1 package taco seasoning
4 TBSP chili seasoning
corn bread waffles- optional
*note: if you use dried beans, you will need to add salt and possibly extra liquid.
Directions:
Brown the meat in a large pot. Add the taco seasoning, chili powder and stir to combine. Add the Rotel, beans and corn and all of their juices. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 1 hour. Combine the water and corn meal to create a thin paste, and stir into the chili to thicken. Cook 5-10 minutes more. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. If the chili is too spicy, add a TBSP of sugar and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Add more sugar as needed (or don't use the hot Rotel if you don't like spicy food). Serve over a corn bread waffle and top with cheese. Makes 16 servings. Leftovers freeze great!
 |
| at 186 calories per cup of chili, there's room for a corn bread waffle! |
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Protein Oat Cakes
Whenever I feel like a need a jolt of balance in my mornings, I make these oat cakes for breakfast. My husband likes them because they are sort of like pancakes, I like that they are full of fiber and something else I can put chocolate better 'n peanut butter on. Even better, a serving is 2 oatcakes, which seems like a ton of food when you are used to limiting your carbs. They also reheat really well, so make a bunch and eat them through out the week!
You Will Need:
2 cups rolled oats (not instant, not steel cut)
1 cup egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 TBSP pumpkin pie seasoning- optional
1 dash of vanilla- optional
4 TBSP ground flax meal
2 TBSP raw local honey- optional
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Directions:
In a coffee grinder or blender, grind 1 cup of the oats, salt and baking powder together until you get something resembling oat flour. Mix together with the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and spoon two heaping TBSP into the pan for each oat cake. Cook a few minutes per side until golden brown. Serve with your favorite pancake toppings. Makes 8 oatcakes, serves 4.
21 Day Fix Conversion:
A few things about the ingredients:
1. This recipe calls for egg whites. You could substitute whole eggs, but I really like using eggs whites in this recipe. 1/3 cup of egg whites is equal to about 2 whole eggs (also known as 1 red 21 Day Fix container), but so technically that would be 6 eggs for this recipe. I haven't tested that though, so let me know how it goes if you try it.
2. Make sure you used rolled oats. Not instant, not steel cut. If you aren't gluten free, you can just buy the big can of old fashioned oats. I am gluten free, so I buy gluten free rolled oats. You do not have to grid the oats as the instructions suggest, but the oat cakes can be a little "rough" on the digestive system, so I highly recommend grinding at least half of them. Don't let that scare you, just know that I am speaking from personal experience. I use a coffee grinder for my oats, but any sort of food processor should work. If you don't grind them, do yourself a favor and avoid any long hikes or road trips without bathroom access. You've been warned...
You Will Need:
2 cups rolled oats (not instant, not steel cut)
1 cup egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 TBSP pumpkin pie seasoning- optional
1 dash of vanilla- optional
4 TBSP ground flax meal
2 TBSP raw local honey- optional
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Directions:
In a coffee grinder or blender, grind 1 cup of the oats, salt and baking powder together until you get something resembling oat flour. Mix together with the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and spoon two heaping TBSP into the pan for each oat cake. Cook a few minutes per side until golden brown. Serve with your favorite pancake toppings. Makes 8 oatcakes, serves 4.
 |
| Chocolate Better 'n Peanut Butter goes on everything! |
21 Day Fix Conversion:
1 yellow, 3/4 red, 1/4 orange, 1/8 purple
Monday, April 8, 2013
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Since becoming Paleo, I have updated this recipe to make it healthier and allow for vegan cheese substitutions. It still tastes just as delicious!
Every Tuesday and Thursday night, my friend Lauren comes over for dinner before we go to a bootcamp class together. Actually, we try to get in a quick 5K before bootcamp, followed by another short walk after bootcamp, depending on our step total for the day. We are a little step crazy. All of the exercise means we usually burn enough calories for a pretty serious dinner. Occasionally, we will have cheat meals, but usually we try to keep things pretty balanced. Lauren and I both love cheese, and spaghetti but lately I felt like I should mix it up. As usual, Pinterest came to the rescue and gave me this fabulous recipe for Spaghetti Squash Alfredo. I followed this recipe for the most part, but I did make a few changes.
 |
| This is half of a serving. 1 serving is half a squash. |
You Will Need:
1 spaghetti squash, cut in half with the seeds removed.
1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup milk (I prefer cashew milk)
1 diced shallot
8 oz ricotta cheese (or this vegan cheese recipe)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper blend
1 clove minced garlic
Italian seasoning
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Drizzle the cut surface of the spaghetti squash with about 1/2 a Tbsp of olive oil. Sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes. The skins will start to turn brown, and you will be able to squeeze the squash, similar to a baked potato, when it is done. Allow it to cool enough to handle, flip the squash halves cut side up and then using a fork, scrape the flesh to make "spaghetti".
While the squash is roasting, add the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Sauté the shallot until soft, and stir in the garlic and ricotta cheese. Add the milk slowly to thin the cheese into a sauce and add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning to taste. Spoon the sauce over the squash, and gently toss together. Top the squash with the mozzarella cheese, and place under the broiler to brown. Serves 2 hungry people.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Roasted Red Pepper Baked Ziti- Updated
Update: Since I made this a few years ago, I've had some more requests for the recipe. I've tweaked it a little to make it healthier and added in the 21 Day Fix Conversions below.
Hey everybody! Things have been crazy busy lately. My best friend got married this past weekend, so I finally have time to sit down and post all the yummy food I have been making lately. My friends and I did another cook-a-thon 2 weeks ago, so today I have one of the dishes I made for our food co-op. For those of you who may not know what I am talking about- basically we all split the cost of groceries and then we divide up all the food. We are able to buy in bulk, and save a ton of money. It ends up costing less than $1.50 a serving, and no one has to eat the same thing every day for a week.
In addition to being gluten free, one of my friends also has to watch her tomato intake. So, when I wanted to make an Italian dish, I needed to come up with something that didn't have a tomato sauce. Last time we did and Alfredo sauce, so I really wanted a red sauce this time. Enter Roasted Red Peppers. I'd like to say that I roasted fresh peppers, but that would be a lie. That was my original plan, but I decided to take the easy way out. By easy, I mean eliminating an unnecessary step in an already busy day of cooking. I guess if the idea of eating roasted red peppers from a jar or salad bar makes you cringe, you could roast them yourself- but I didn't. This recipe makes a double batch. I would make it in two baking dishes, freeze one, and eat the other one now!
You Will Need:
2 jars Roasted Red Peppers in brine, drained (approx. 4 green containters)
2 packages Italian sausage (I used Turkey- 1 hot, 1 sweet) (approx. 8 red containers)
1 16 ounce container of part skim ricotta. (approx. 4 red containers)
2 eggs (1 red)
1 12 ounce package Tinkyada gluten free pasta (1 package dry = 12 yellow cooked)
8 ounces shredded Italian cheese (3 blue)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (1.5 blue)
1 TBSP minced garlic
2 TBSP 21 Day Fix Mediterranean Blend (or Italian Seasoning)
Garlic powder, about 1 tsp- optional
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, remove the sausage casings and brown the sausage in a large skillet until crumbly. In a large bowl, combine the Ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, Mediterranean seasoning, salt and pepper. You will not need a lot of salt because of the parmesan cheese, but you should definitely taste the cheese mixture and add additional seasonings as necessary. Add the eggs to the cheese mixture and stir to incorporate. Place the drained red peppers in a blender with the minced garlic. Blend until smooth, adding water to reach the desired constancy (I didn't have to add any, but my blender is powered by Thor :). You shouldn't need any extra salt in the sauce, but taste it just in case.
To Assemble: (Divide the ingredients between 2 baking dishes or use 1 giant pan)
Place a small amount of the roasted red pepper sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Spread 1/3 of the pasta in the pan. Top with 1/3 of the sausage, 1/3 of the cheese mixture and a little more sauce. Repeat the layers 2 more times, ending with the sauce and top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Serves 12
21 Day Fix Conversion: 1 yellow, approx. 1 red, 1/3 green*, 1/3 blue,
*To up the vegetable percentage, without any picky eaters knowing, you can add 1 pound steamed baby carrots to the red pepper sauce. You may have to add a small amount of low sodium vegetable broth or water to the blender, but I promise no one will know you added carrots. 1 pound of carrots will add 1/3 of a serving of vegetables, taking the total green count to 2/3rds.
Hey everybody! Things have been crazy busy lately. My best friend got married this past weekend, so I finally have time to sit down and post all the yummy food I have been making lately. My friends and I did another cook-a-thon 2 weeks ago, so today I have one of the dishes I made for our food co-op. For those of you who may not know what I am talking about- basically we all split the cost of groceries and then we divide up all the food. We are able to buy in bulk, and save a ton of money. It ends up costing less than $1.50 a serving, and no one has to eat the same thing every day for a week.
 |
| Cheesy, sausagy goodness |
In addition to being gluten free, one of my friends also has to watch her tomato intake. So, when I wanted to make an Italian dish, I needed to come up with something that didn't have a tomato sauce. Last time we did and Alfredo sauce, so I really wanted a red sauce this time. Enter Roasted Red Peppers. I'd like to say that I roasted fresh peppers, but that would be a lie. That was my original plan, but I decided to take the easy way out. By easy, I mean eliminating an unnecessary step in an already busy day of cooking. I guess if the idea of eating roasted red peppers from a jar or salad bar makes you cringe, you could roast them yourself- but I didn't. This recipe makes a double batch. I would make it in two baking dishes, freeze one, and eat the other one now!
You Will Need:
2 jars Roasted Red Peppers in brine, drained (approx. 4 green containters)
2 packages Italian sausage (I used Turkey- 1 hot, 1 sweet) (approx. 8 red containers)
1 16 ounce container of part skim ricotta. (approx. 4 red containers)
2 eggs (1 red)
1 12 ounce package Tinkyada gluten free pasta (1 package dry = 12 yellow cooked)
8 ounces shredded Italian cheese (3 blue)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (1.5 blue)
1 TBSP minced garlic
2 TBSP 21 Day Fix Mediterranean Blend (or Italian Seasoning)
Garlic powder, about 1 tsp- optional
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, remove the sausage casings and brown the sausage in a large skillet until crumbly. In a large bowl, combine the Ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, Mediterranean seasoning, salt and pepper. You will not need a lot of salt because of the parmesan cheese, but you should definitely taste the cheese mixture and add additional seasonings as necessary. Add the eggs to the cheese mixture and stir to incorporate. Place the drained red peppers in a blender with the minced garlic. Blend until smooth, adding water to reach the desired constancy (I didn't have to add any, but my blender is powered by Thor :). You shouldn't need any extra salt in the sauce, but taste it just in case.
To Assemble: (Divide the ingredients between 2 baking dishes or use 1 giant pan)
Place a small amount of the roasted red pepper sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Spread 1/3 of the pasta in the pan. Top with 1/3 of the sausage, 1/3 of the cheese mixture and a little more sauce. Repeat the layers 2 more times, ending with the sauce and top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Serves 12
21 Day Fix Conversion: 1 yellow, approx. 1 red, 1/3 green*, 1/3 blue,
*To up the vegetable percentage, without any picky eaters knowing, you can add 1 pound steamed baby carrots to the red pepper sauce. You may have to add a small amount of low sodium vegetable broth or water to the blender, but I promise no one will know you added carrots. 1 pound of carrots will add 1/3 of a serving of vegetables, taking the total green count to 2/3rds.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Black Bean Brownies
I have been meaning to make black bean brownies for a long time. Yesterday, my fitness instructor posted on her blog about going sugar free for 6 weeks. With a challenge like that, I felt like I had to make them. I scoured the internet for a better version of my old black bean brownies which used a box mix. Not that those aren't delicious, but I am trying to be better about making things from scratch. Not only is it cheaper, but I can make it healthier than the processed version. I found one recipe on The Food Network and one at Chocolate Covered Katie. They were both close to what I was looking for, but still needed to change a few things. I was looking for a recipe that was gluten free, oil free, sugar free and egg free...but didn't have to be vegan (so I could use honey). Also, part of the challenge was no chocolate (except unsweetened cocoa powder) so I had to replace the chocolate chips. I ended up with these...
You Will Need:
1 can of black beans, rinsed well and drained
1/2 cup rolled oats (I might use more next time)
1/4 cocoa powder
1/4 raw honey (buy local!)
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 package figs
Blender or food processor
Directions:
Put all of your ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides and add water a little at a time, but try not to add more than 1/2 a cup max. Your batter will be thick. The less water you add, the more brownie like they will be. Pour into a 9X9 baking dish that is either lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean*. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before devouring. The texture is a cross between fudge and brownies, but they firm up the longer you let them cool. Enjoy!
 |
| Super fudgy brownies! Let them cool for a more "brownie" like texture. |
You Will Need:
1 can of black beans, rinsed well and drained
1/2 cup rolled oats (I might use more next time)
1/4 cocoa powder
1/4 raw honey (buy local!)
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 package figs
Blender or food processor
Directions:
Put all of your ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides and add water a little at a time, but try not to add more than 1/2 a cup max. Your batter will be thick. The less water you add, the more brownie like they will be. Pour into a 9X9 baking dish that is either lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean*. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before devouring. The texture is a cross between fudge and brownies, but they firm up the longer you let them cool. Enjoy!
 |
| * because I added a little too much water, mine took about 25 minutes. They are done when you start to see little cracks on the surface. |
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