Chicken & Squash with Tomato Basil Pasta

Chicken & Squash with Tomato Basil Pasta

You will need 1/2 lb to 3/4 lb chicken breast or tenders. Cook chicken w/ a little salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, paprika and lemon juice.  Then set aside.

 

Cook the following in skillet over med heat for about 8 to 10 min while the water for the pasta is boiling:

2 c sliced yellow squash and zucchini

1/4 c chopped white onion

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves

1tsp. light olive oil

2 tsp. lemon juice and a bit of zest

 

 

Cook pasta-I found these amazing tomato basil noodles by "Amish Wedding"-no preservatives, colors or salt in them AND 9 g of protein in each serving!

 

Add 2 c marinara sauce-I like "Mama Rosa" brand to the veggies. Also,  add the chicken back in. Let it simmer on low together while the pasta is cooking for about 12 min.

 

Drain the pasta and then combine in skillet with everything else. Give it a toss and let them all become friends for a few min before serving.

 

Serve with green salad and make sure everyone is a member of the "Clean Plate Club"-that is what we do here at our house and how we encourage our 4 yr old to eat it all up-yes even that mushy squash he ate so he could be in the club!!

 

Enjoy! xoxo-A

 



Greek ground turkey tacos

 

Greek Ground Turkey Tacos

Step 1:

Cook 1 lb ground turkey in skillet with 2 tsp minced garlic

After the turkey starts to brown a little add the following:

1/2 c chopped green and yellow or red pepper

1/4 c chopped sweet onion

2 tsp kalamata paste

1/4 c chopped kalamata olives

Season with pinch of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder and 1 tsp oregano

I used a bag of "Steamfresh" brown rice and added into the mix at this point (totally optional though)

Step 2:

For the toppings chop the following:

Tomatoes

Spinach leaves

Cucumber

Feta cheese

Makes a great salad, wrap or taco!!! The ground turkey/rice mixture also is great on its own for a meal the next day!

Enjoy! A

 

 

Ultimate Oatmeal

Ultimate Oatmeal w/ greek yogurt, almond butter, almond milk, protein powder, strawberries and cinnamon!

Mix together:

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Microwave for 1 min

Add and stir in:

1/2 scoop vanilla creme protein powder

1 tsp plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp almond butter

As much cinnamon as you want-about 1/4 tsp or so

Microwave for another 1 and 1/2 min (oatmeal is tricky so you have to keep an eye on it when it is in the microwave or it will explode-not fun to clean up but not the worst thing that can happen in your day!)

Slice your favorite berries or apples and top off (about 1/2 cup chopped)

Essential to a balanced breakfast, you have your clean oats (complex carbs) and protein (Greek yogurt, almond butter and powder) with a kiss of natural sugar from the berries!!

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!!!

xoxoxo-A

 

Chicken, peppers and angel hair tossed with pnb & soy sauce

What you will need:

Seasonings: (1/2 tsp of each)

ginger

garlic powder

cinnamon

dry mustard

blk pepper

Sauce:

2 tsp Light olive oil or reg olive oil

1 tsp natural peanut butter

1/4 c lite sodium soy sauce

2 tsp sriracha or hot sauce

whisk together and add into pan right before you drop the pasta in to toss

Peppers and onions:

1/2 cup sliced red onion, 2 cups chopped sweet peppers-yellow, red, orange

Chicken:

cube 1 and 1/2 lbs chicken breast and boil in water for 8 min. Drain and then add back to pan with 1/4 c water remaining. Add to the skillet 1 tsp unsalted butter, 2 tsp minced garlic, the peppers and onions. Season with the above seasonings evenly and cook for 10 min on med while the pasta cooks.

Angel hair or other pasta:

Whole grain, 4 servings-cook according to package

Toss all together and serve! Serves 3 adult portions and one hungry 4 year old!



Enjoy! A

Mustard chicken, roasted butternut squash and blue cheese salad

Mustard chicken, butternut squash and blue cheese salad!!!

(Inspired by two fellow blogger’s recipes!)

Chicken-cook ½ lb chicken breast or tenders in skillet with:

2 tsp lime juice and pineapple juice, dash salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder and 2 tsp honey or spicy mustard

Roast 2 c cubed butternut squash in pan with dash salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and parsley on 350 for 40 to 45 min

Assemble the following for the “salad”: 2 c chopped Iceberg lettuce, 1 c arugula, 1 chopped tomato, ¼ c crumbled blue cheese and ¼ c chopped red onions

Dressing: I used Chef Tim’s sweet balsamic vinaigrette (it is so good!!)

I also did this on a day that I worked from 6 am to 1 pm then again from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm….so during the afternoon I made the chicken and stored it in the fridge. I prepared the squash and then my boyfriend put it in the oven at 7:15 so when I came home at 8 pm all I had to do was put the lettuce and veggies together then add the squash and chicken. The squash had cooled down a little bit but was still warm (not hot). I microwaved the chicken for 45 sec just so it wasn’t cold but again not hot.

Timing and Teamwork made this happen with little effort and it was so good!!! Even if you get home late you can still eat healthy-just takes a little planning!

Makes 2 adult sized dinner salads!

 

ENJOY!!!

XOXO-A

 

1250 Calorie Meal Plan

Awesome Like Adrienne Meal Plan

Plain & Simple 6

7 am Breakfast: 3/4 cup plain oatmeal w/ cinnamon with 2 hard-boiled eggs, OR  2 to 3 egg white omelet w/ veggies w/ 1 pc. plain whole grain toast OR veggie/fruit Smoothie with protein powder and flaxseeds. (250 calories)

 

10 am Snack: 3/4 c Greek Plain Yogurt w/ ¼  c fresh berries OR handful of raw almonds with small apple. (150 calories)

 

1 pm Lunch: 3 to 4 oz. grilled chicken breast (or other lean protein source) with half sweet or plain baked potato OR ½ c rice and 1 c vegetable (250 calories)

 

4 pm Snack: Handful of almonds OR plain rice cake with all natural almond butter or peanut butter OR 2 tbsp. humus with raw veggies OR 1 c mixed berries with handful of no salt roasted sunflower seeds or ¼ c granola with skim or almond milk. (150 calories)

 

6:30 pm Dinner: 3 to 4 oz. grilled chicken, steak or fish (or other lean protein source-turkey or pork tenderloin), big green salad or 1 c vegetable, if salad use dash of olive oil dressing, with ½ c quinoa, jasmine rice, sweet potato or in a flat out wrap. (350 calories)

 

9 pm Snack: plain rice cake or celery with 1 tsp. peanut butter (100 calories)

Use my blog to help create new ideas for meals/snacks/smoothies…..this is a general guideline and can be altered if you find comparable items with similar nutritional value and calorie count. Make the most of your calories as far as fiber and protein content-you want those to be high! Keep it fun by changing it up!  The more you care about the variety, the better you will be at sticking to it! Use a “fitness pal app” or something similar to track your calories!   (This is based on 1250 calorie daily diet)

Stuffed peppers with rice and spicy tomato sauce

Stuffed peppers with jasmine rice and spicy tomato sauce!

Meat mixture:

3/4 lb ground turkey

2 chopped shallots

1/4 c chopped celery

1/4 c chopped carrot

1/4 c chopped red onion

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 egg-beaten

1/2 c whole grain breadcrumbs

Season with: oregano, red pepper flakes, cumin,  parsley, garlic powder, pepper, pinch of salt

 

Peppers:

Wash and cut off the tops. Empty the middle of the peppers out and fill with the meat mixture. Bake for 45 min on 350 degrees. Add a sprinkle of cheese for the last 5 min.

Rice and sauce:

Cook the rice according to the directions. Take 4 to 5 chopped stem tomatoes and boil them with a tsp of olive oil in a skillet until cooked out and a sauce is formed. Add a pinch of salt, pepper and garlic to the sauce. Last add 4 to 6 tsp of hot sauce or sriracha to the tomato sauce.

Place your pepper on top of your rice and pour the sauce over the whole thing. This recipe makes 4 delicious and clean stuffed peppers!

Enjoy!! xoxoxo-A

Mexican Chicken Bake

Buckle up! This is a good one and  figure friendly too!!! This would also be great with ground turkey instead of chicken!

Step one:

Take 3/4 lb chicken breast and cut into cubes. Cook over med heat for 10 min in skillet adding the following:

1/4c  lime juice

1/4 c lemon juice

1/4 c chicken stock-low sodium

Season with cilantro, pepper, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, garlic powder-all to your liking. (I used about 1 tsp of each)

Step two:

Boil whole grain penne pasta just under the suggested time on the package-I used 3 to 3 1/2 cups dry (this will give you about 5 servings in the dish)

Step three:

Combine in baking dish the following:

8 oz container of lite sour cream

1/2 c chopped onion

1/2 c peach/mango salsa (or whatever salsa you like)

1/2 c chopped pepper (whatever you like)

1/2 c skim milk

5 to 6 oz corn

***If you like it spicy add Sriracha and or hot sauce at this point too!

***You can add other garnishing like diced green onion or fresh parsley or cilantro on top-I just didn't have any on hand!

Step four:

Combine ALL ingredients together and mix well in baking dish. Top with 1/2 c shredded cheese of your liking.

Bake at 385 degrees for 30 min. Serving size should be 1 1/2 cups. Great to make for dinner and have for leftovers the day or even two!

Enjoy!

A

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Pineapple & Coconut Almond Chicken Tenders

Baked Sweet Potatoes

2 large yams or sweet potatoes-peeled and sliced or cubed

8 oz chopped pineapple

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tbsp butter

1/3 c orange juice

Toss together in baking dish and bake covered in 385 degree oven for 45 to 55 min (yes, it's that easy!)

Coconut Almond Chicken

Take 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut almond milk and whisk together with 1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt in a shallow dish and set aside. In another shallow dish take 1/4 c millet flour, flaxseed meal or almond meal and mix together with 1/2 c panko or whole grain bread crumbs, 1/2 c unsweetened coconut flakes and 1/4 c finely chopped almonds.

Take 1.5 lbs chicken or turkey breast and cut into tenders. Dip each tender in the milk/yogurt and then in the flour/coconut/breadcrumb mix.

Place on baking sheet and bake at 385 for 35 to 40 min flipping over halfway through.

***FIT Tip***chose your ingredients wisely- Millet flour vs white flour, unsweetened coconut vs. sweetened, Greek yogurt vs. regular yogurt. Better ingredients=a better you!!!

[caption id="attachment_699" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Choose better ingredients!!!![/caption]

Spinach & feta stuffed chicken breast with lemon & parm baby potatoes

SPINACH AND FETA STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST

WITH

LEMON AND PARMESAN BABY POTATOES

Chicken:

Pre-heat oven to 385 degrees

Suntee' 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tbsp butter, 2 c frozen spinach leaves, 2 tsp lemon juice and 1/2 c crumbled feta in pan until spinach is warm throughout.

Butterfly chicken breast and stuff half of the spinach mixture into the chicken breast. Bake for approx 40 min (your oven may vary by 5 min or so)

Potatoes:

Rough chop baby potatoes to equal 2 c worth, place in baking dish and add 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp pepper, dash of salt, sprinkle red pepper flakes to your liking, chop 1/4 tbsp butter and place in 4 corners of dish. Add 2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 c chopped red onion and 1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese-give it a stir and bake for 45 min at  385 degrees.

Enjoy! A

Healthy Enchilada Lasagna

Enchilada lasagna!

So clean and healthy and the whole family will love this one!

What you will need:

12 small white corn tortillas

1/2 or 3/4 lb diced chicken breast or ground turkey (or omit meat for a vegetarian dish or add black beans)

Yellow, orange, red or green pepper-pick at least 2 of those 4

1/2 c chopped onion-which ever kind you like

1 c chopped tomatoes

1/2 c corn-frozen or fresh off the cob

2 cups salsa- I used a pineapple mango flavored for extra flavor

1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c lime juice

1/4 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 c hot sauce

Fresh cilantro, pepper, Badia seasoning, red pepper flakes

8 oz Creamy citrus avocado dressing that I got from Whole Foods-which was the inspiration for this entire meal

DIRECTIONS:

1.Layer 5 tortillas on the bottom of the 9 by 13 baking dish then add 1/2 of the meat and veggie mixture that you cooked in a skillet already (add the hot sauce, lime juice, butter and seasonings as  it cooked down in the skillet)

2.Next, add the tomatoes and half of the salsa, half the cheese and then half of the avocado dressing.

3.Layer 4 more tortillas and add the rest of the meat and veggie mix, then repeat step 2.

4.Layer 3 more tortillas and sprinkle remaining cheese on top

Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 min.

Enjoy!! A

Coconut, currants and chocolate granola

Ingredients:

6 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cup combined chopped and silvered plain almonds

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/4 cup cinnamon

Combine above ingredients and bake into 3 batches on cookie sheet at 350 for 20 min-giving it a shake halfway through

When you take pan out of the oven drizzle 1 tbsp of pure honey over baked mixture and let cool.

Let cool for 10 min then add 1/3 c dried black currants, 1 heaping tbsp of the coconut flakes and 1/4 c mini choc chips to each "batch".

Store in tight container in fridge. 1 serving is 1/4 cup which makes about 40 servings. My rule with granola making-always share with your friends and family-spread the love!!

Some facts about the black currant:
*More than 5 times the vitamin C of oranges
*As high as banana in potassium
*More calcium than any fruit
*Contain more phosphorus and potassium than any other fruit
*Second only to elderberry in iron and protein

Enjoy with milk, plain by the handful or with Greek Yogurt!! Pairs really well with Almond Breeze Coconut Almond unsweeteded almond milk! (45 calories per cup!!)
xoxoxo-A

Green tea fruit smoothie

Instead of milk I used green tea with extra tea extract and other added natural ingredients that help with cleansing and also have anti oxidant benefits!

Ingredients:

1/2 c cold green tea (from a tea bag, no sugar added)

1/2 c plain Greek yogurt

handful (combined) of strawberries, cranberries and pineapple

1 med banana

2 tsp glutamine

3 tsp oats

4 ice cubes

Blend & Enjoy! I hope you like it and its added benefits from the tea!!

xoxoxo-A

Lemon Pepper Tuna Bake

Well, it's official...I am obsessed with making different Tuna Casseroles/Bakes!!! My mom used to make them when we were little but with Velveeta and always the same! I like to make them healthier and mix them up with different flavors.

I made this one with 2 lemon pepper tuna (from Starkist) pouches pictured below!



Directions:

Cook 2 cups dry pasta-I used Dreamfields Rotini (just under cook it according to the directions because you  are then going to bake it) I love Dreamfields pasta-it is a smart way to eat pasta because it is high in protein and fiber too!

Add the drained pasta to your casserole dish filled with tuna, 1 small can reduced sodium cream of celery, one c skim or almond milk, 1/2 c chopped green pepper, 1/2 c chopped celery, 1/3 c chopped onion, the juice if one half lemon, season with parsley, garlic powder, pepper, add 1/4 c parmesan cheese-Mix all together well. Top that sparingly with 3 tsp whole wheat breadcrumbs or panko bread crumbs, more parsley and pepper,  1/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese and last finish off with the zest of the half lemon you juiced!

***As a rule I always go easy on the cheese and also the breadcrumbs-this is how you can still eat what you want by just tweaking it to make it more figure friendly!! I also try to use almond milk or skim to cut some fat out there too!  Eat smarter!!

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min



ENJOY!! A

Tacos

Tacos!!! Who doesn't love a taco! I filled these babies with chicken sausage, peppers, pineapple, onions and tomatoes then topped them with avocados, cheese and salsa.

I know a lot of my recipes are not "Super duper clean" but I try to make them as healthy as I can but still making sure they have flavor and can keep everyone happy!  In my head I have a scale that goes something like this:

Super-duper clean

Pretty clean

Clean

Not too shabby

Bad

I would give these somewhere between not too shabby and clean!! (Because of the shells and chicken sausage) I stay happy and satisfied by staying mostly in the pretty clean to clean scale and every once in a while I go super-duper clean and of course every once in a while I go bad-I am human!!! I hope you can relate to that scale!!

Directions:

Brown protein in skillet-I chose to use 2 links of chicken sausage or a super clean choice would be ground turkey or chicken breast. I then added chopped pineapple, tomatoes, onion and red peppers. Next I took pepper and Badia seasoning (I use this a lot) and just a touch of the seasoning and sauce that came with the shells in the box. The key here is to NOT use the packaged sauce and seasonings that they provide. Frozen and boxed meals come with sauces and powdered seasonings-that is where most of the sodium and bad stuff is hiding!! Another tip that I try to keep in mind is when making a "filling" for something try to make the bulk of it veggies like I did here, a little meat and mostly veggies goes a long way.

Offer healthy toppings, going light on the cheese and heavier on the healthier picks like avocados and salsa.

Remember portion control too! I had 2 tacos at 5:30 and was full all night-did not need to snack! Happy, healthy, satisfied and full!

I hope you enjoy this recipe idea!

xoxoxo-A

Wraps

What an awesome way to sneak in veggies to your meals, wraps! When you get tired of salads and want just a little more try these Flat out multi grain wraps, the nutritional facts on these are amazing! Check it out:

1 wrap offers 8 g of FIBER, 9 g of PROTEIN and only 17g of total carbs at 100 calories. Load these up with veggies mostly then protein and cheese! I add hot sauce to mine and in these pictured above I used pesto paste, olive oil and greek yogurt to flavor the chicken as I cooked it.  So this combo was super fabulous and spicy with red onion, red pepper, cucumbers, banana peppers and a slice of mozzarella cheese.

One way, I find,  to keep eating healthy and not get bored is to think of the wrap, quinoa, rice,  whatever the grainy source as your blank canvas and keep creating from there! Have a healthy foundation to your meal always available or on hand! Also, trying different ethnic ways of cooking will add variety your meals so mix it up and get the whole family involved in finding new recipes. I am thinking next week I will keep my family fed while I try a different taste from around the world Monday through Friday, from Greek to Cuban to German-anything can be made healthier (even my YiaYia's Pastitsio)!



I hope these wraps make their way into your life! I know a package of 6 wraps is more expensive than a loaf of bread but to me it is totally worth it!!! I don't want just bread or even anything with the word "loaf' in it-ha! I want more for myself  and I want to make the most out of each bite that goes into fueling my body!

Enjoy! xo! A

HEALTHY ITALIAN TUNA BAKE

Directions & Ingredients:

6 oz Greek yogurt

8 oz lite sour cream

2 tsp tomato paste

1/4 c parmesan cheese

1/4 c white or spanish onion chopped

1/2 c chopped mushrooms

1/2 c chopped yellow, green or red peppers (or a combo)

2 cans white albacore tuna

2 cups dry mini penne or rotini whole grain pasta

1 c shredded mozzarella

1/4 to 1/2 c Italian breadcrumbs (whole wheat)-depending on your taste (go easy)

First, boil pasta just under what the directions tell you to because you are going to bake it for additional time.

At the same time in a pan on the stove on med heat mix the yogurt, sour cream and tomato paste with the following seasonings: garlic powder, basil, oregano, pepper, red pepperflakes and paprika. Mix well and let sit for 5 min until warmed all the way through.

Pour the cheesy sauce mixture into the baking dish-I used a 9x13. Strain the pasta and also pour into baking dish.

In the same pan add the veggies along with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and let cook down for 5 to 7 min.

Lastly, combine all ingredients into the baking dish-finishing off with the shredded mozzarella, parmesan and breadcrumbs. (I also added fresh parsley and more black pepper at this point)

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 min.

Enjoy!!!
A

Egg Bake

DIRECTIONS:

Cook 5 or so pancakes to line the bottom of your baking dish with-I used a  healthy buckwheat mix and only added water and unsweetened applesauce to make them. (You can also use Greek yogurt instead of applesauce.)

Add 1 cup frozen hash browns

Next, rough chop mushrooms-about 1/2 cup and cook 1/4 lb of sweet or spicy sausage with minced garlic and  some chopped onions to add to the mixture (mine was left over from another dinner so I didn't have to make it this go around)

Layer the meat and mushroom mixture on top of the pancakes and hash browns.

Next, add a 1/2 cup shredded cheese-I used a Colby jack mixture

Lastly, mix 4 eggs, 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup flour with pepper, parsley, red pepper flakes and hot sauce. pour egg mixture over and bake at 375 for 30 to 35 min.

Packed with protein and good carbs!!! So delicious! I love this so much because you can use whatever you have around, add any veggies you have, salsa, use ground turkey instead of sausage, omit the pancakes, change the cheese (spinach and feta with egg and hash would be great!!!) No butter was used to make this masterpiece. This my friends is what heaven looks like or at least what a kick ass brinner (breakfast+dinner) looks like !

 

Enjoy!!!

xoxoxo-A

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps! Love this idea and there are endless combinations you can prepare! Make it fun, think outside of the box...make them your own!

I used :

1 lb cubed chicken breast

1 c corn

1/4 c each onions, celery, carrots, silvered raw unsalted almonds

Seasoning for the mixture:

lime juice, cumin, Badia complete seasoning, cilantro,  parsley, ginger, crushed red pepper, pepper, garlic, 1/4 c lite sodium soy sauce (I would have made it spicier for sure with wasabi, Sriracha  and Red Hot if my son wasn't eating it too-he handled the above flavors great though!)

I sautéed the chicken first with all the seasonings/juice/sauce and slowly added in the veggies and then spot checked for taste and added more of whatever I thought it needed. Total cook time 20 min. Wrap in iceberg lettuce and serve-I need a little help on my wrapping skills but that will come! Enjoy!!! xoxoxo-A

Apple Tart Smoothie

Ingredients:

3/4 c Plain Greek yogurt (can sub with a banana and 1 scoop protein powder...will be less "tart' though)-which you may like even better!

1 small granny smith apple chopped-skin on

1/2 c almond milk, soy, skim or whatever you like-but keep it on the lite side

3 tsp oats

1 tsp chia seeds

2 tsp flax seeds

throw in a few of each: walnuts and almonds

3 ice cubes

Blend

Enjoy!

xoxoxo-A