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

 

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

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

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

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

Healthy Whole Grain Penne Pasta w/ ground lamb smothered in pesto garlic lemon sauce

[caption id="attachment_583" align="aligncenter" width="360"] penne with lamb and pesto[/caption]

What you will need:

8 oz Whole grain penne pasta

3/4 lb ground lamb-hard to find but so worth it!

1/2 c feta cheese

2 c spinach leaves

1/3 c pesto paste

1/4 lemon juice

1 cup pasta water

1/2 c skim ricotta cheese

2 tsp minced garlic

1/4 c chopped onion (white or spanish)

salt, pepper to taste

pine nuts to garnish

Optional: 1 c beef stock-mine was homemade from left over short ribs (celery, carrots, onion, basil, oregano and burgundy wine) I am pretty sure this contributed to the awesomeness but you should be fine with low sodium store-bought beef stock or without it at all. Lamb has a very powerful taste all on its own!!

Cooking Directions:

Cook lamb in skillet over med heat and drain fat

Cook pasta and set aside to cool-saving one cup of the pasta water for sauce

Add beef stock, garlic, onion, ricotta, feta, seasonings, pesto paste and  lemon juice to the lamb and mix together well

Let cook for 8 o 10 min on low to med heat then add in pasta water and pasta giving it all a good mix again

Lastly,  add spinach and pine nuts until all melted down and in together then serve

Warning!!! This smells divine from the minute you start to cook the lamb and you will want to taste it several times throughout the cooking process....its just so good!

(p.s. great for kids too! My 3 year old had 2 helpings!!)

(p.p.s remember portion control-you can eat this and not feel guilty about being what feels like  indulgent but remember to save some for lunch the next day!! )

Makes about 5 total servings and I served it with a tomato and feta salad dressed in olive oil and red wine vinegar!

Enjoy!

xoxo-A

 

Twice baked sweet potatoes w/Greek yogurt, ricotta, black beans and blue cheese

 

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes-maybe my favorite thing to eat in the whole world!

Step 1: Microwave sweet potatoes until able to cut in half and scoop out 3/4 of the inside.

Step 2: Add scooped sweet potato to 1 heaping tbsp plain Greek yogurt, 1 heaping tbsp skim ricotta cheese, 1/4 c almond milk (optional), 1/4 c black beans and 1/4 c  crumbled blue cheese.

Step 3: Mix together with hand mixer until well blended and slightly fluffy

Step 4: Bake for 15 to 20 min at 375 degrees

Other combos to try for the stuffing:

Spinach, black beans, Greek yogurt and feta cheese

Ricotta cheese, tuna, red onion and Greek yogurt

Enjoy!

xoxo-A

Coconut & Dates Granola

 

COCONUT & DATES GRANOLA

Pre-heat oven to 380 degrees

mix together the following:

4 c Old Fashioned Oats

1 c raw natural silvered almonds

2 to 3 tbsp honey

1/4 c dark brown sugar

1/4 c cinnamon

Bake  on big cookie sheet, spreading as evenly as you can to ensure even toasting for 15 min

Add 1/4 flaxseed meal, 1 c shredded coconut on top and place back in oven for 10 additional min

***Let cool completely, add 1/2 chopped dates and then place in the fridge to store***

Serving suggestions: 1/4 c topping Greek yogurt, alone when you are hungry in the car or on the go or with milk.

Enjoy!

xoxoxo-A

 

 

 

Jambalaya Recipe

JAMBALAYA!

I started with this recipe I found from Emeril when I got the notion that I wanted to make a jambalaya:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/cajun-jambalaya-recipe2/index.html

Then I saw that I had on hand already "baby salad size frozen shrimp" and "spicy chicken sausage" so I bought the chicken and went from there....Protein is most important to me so that is what I tend to focus on the most and then let the rest fall into place.

Step 1: cube about 1/2 lb. chicken breast and cook on med  heat with the following seasonings:1 teaspoon each paprika, oregano, blk pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic powder and dash of cinnamon (place together in a small bowl and stir as you will need half of the mixture for the shrimp/sausage in a min)  for about 10 to 12 min using a teaspoon of olive oil to coat the pan prior.

Step 2: cook the shrimp and sausage (use about 1/2 lb combined of both) with the same seasoning mixture you used on the chicken (you should have about half left over) on med heat for about 6 to 8 min.

 Step 3: chop 1/2 c each spanish onion, green onion, green pepper and sautéed those in a deep skillet on low to med for about 8 min with a little bit of olive oil.

Step 4: chop 3/4 c tomatoes and 1/4 c fresh parsley and add to the veg mix, stirring for another 4 min.

Step 5: add all protein to veggies in deep skillet along with 2 cups rice (brown or jasmine) and approx 3 cups hot water. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer on low for about 15 min until the rice is cooked-but has not soaked up the liquid....you need and want some liquid when all said and done! Feel free to add hot sauce to kick it up a notch here...mine was only med spice temp.

I took his recipe and tried to make it budget (I didn't use all of the Emeril suggested ingredients) and a little more health friendly!

Try this with all recipies.....you can see from his picture in the recipe and my picture they don't look the same but it still tasted incredible!!!

Enjoy!

xoxoxo-A

Meals made EASY all week!

In this post I want to try to show you how easy and quick it can be to eat healthy.....

On Tuesday I chopped my veggies-tomatoes, zucchini, red onion and green onion-about 2.5 cups total

I cooked 1 package of chicken and cubed it so I can easily throw it in a pita pocket, salad or mix it with some rice or quinoa.

I boiled 2 eggs so I had them ready for when I wanted to add them too!
I had on hand already brown rice, quinoa, tuna, feta and mozzarella cheeses and lettuce.

If you take a little time 1 or 2 days a week to prepare your meals or part of your meals you will be more inclined to throw together something healthy quickly rather than stopping and grabbing something quick-that rarely ends well!! Try it this week and see if it works for you!! 

This is what I ate all week for lunch and dinner. I spent maybe 5 min at the most putting it together and making a little homemade dressing each time if I wanted to add it. Below are pictures so you can see how I basically ate the same thing over and over again BUT I never got bored with it.....

Healthy balanced meal-smashed black beans topping roasted sweet potatoes with asparagus, mushrooms and chicken

3 oz chicken, handful of mushrooms, steamed asparagus made only with lemon juice and balsamic vinegar, roasted sweet potatoes brushed with olive oil, cinnamon and black pepper then topped with smashed black beans.

Let me tell you some of the awesome health benefits of this meal! Not only does it include roughly 1 part good fat, 3 parts carbs and 2 parts protein but it is packed with  vitamin D, high in fiber, vitamin A and C-these antioxidants also work as anti-inflammatories, and can reduce the symptoms of arthritis and asthma. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of copper, manganese, potassium, iron and vitamin B6. They also contain thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. I cannot say enough awesome things about sweet potatoes!!! The black beans are packed with vitamins,  minerals, fiber and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids! Then there is the asparagus-deliciously made with only lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. Asparagus has hardly any calories, no fat, no cholesterol and no sodium....it may make your pee smell but the folate-good for heart health, the fiber and the inulin-good for digestive health is well worth the trade off!!! This meal makes me smile big! It tastes so good and is so ridiculously good for you!

Enjoy!!!

xoxoxo-A

 

Simple 6: Example meal plan of what you could be eating to live a healthy lifestyle

Simple 6 Healthy Meal Plan example:



one: plain oatmeal w/ cinnamon, egg white omelette w veggies w/ plain wheat toast or Smoothie

two: 1 c Greek Plain Yogurt w/ fresh berries & 1/4 c granola

three: grilled chicken breast, small sweet potato or brown rice, green vegetable

four: handful of almonds or apple or pear

five: grilled steak or fish, big green salad, olive oil dressing

six: plain rice cake or celery with tsp. peanut butter

This is a simple meal plan example in case you are not eating at all, not eating enough times per day, only eating junk or have no idea what to eat or where to start to live a healthy lifestyle....

Now go.....eat.....be healthy! (And don't forget to exercise!!!)

xoxoxo-A

Food:Lifestyle Basics 101

• Always eat at least 5 times a day- 3 meals and 2 snacks works well


• Each meal or snack should consist of approx. 1 part fat, 2 parts protein and 3 parts carbs-in general....see the next bullet


• When you sit down to eat ask yourself this: What will I be doing in the next 3 hours? If you are going to take a nap go easy on the carbs. If you are going to workout have some more carbs...adjust your carbs based on your anticipated energy output. If you are sitting at your desk at work and will be buried for the next few hours eat some plain & delicious almonds...maybe even some Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and a touch of granola!


• Eliminate junk food-if it isn't in the house you are not likely to eat it. Fast food, pastries and processed food mostly contain high amounts of fat, sugar and sodium....see bullet two-that is not what we want our meals to be made up of!


• Drink water! Eliminate soda or pop-whichever you call it and NO Diet is not ok!!!! Eliminate sugar and please for the love eliminate fake sugar!


• Fiber is your friend-you can find your friend in some of the following: apples, blackberries, oranges, carrots, lentils, sunflower seeds, cauliflower and oats to name a few-it is recommended that you consume 25 to 30 g per day of fiber. Ease into it adding a few grams at a time until your body gets used to this new fabulous "regular" routine of yours!


• Carbs-you need carbs-the best source of energy comes from carbs! You want to choose COMPLEX CARBS-whole grains, nuts, fruits, veggies, beans, oats, quinoa, yams, sweet potatoes,  brown rice, and barley would be some to start adding into your life.


• Protein-the leaner the meat the better! Ground turkey, chicken, fish, lean beef, Greek yogurt, beans, cheese, milk, peanut butter or almond butter, egg whites, almonds, Whey protein supplement would be some to start adding into your life. ***immediately following your workout your body craves amino acids, please give it whey protein in the form of a shake if you can afford to add this to your life(whey protein is high in glutamine and branched-chain amino acids) ***


• Lastly, Fats-olive oil, avocados, nuts are my favorite 3 fats! Remember bullet two, each meal can be 1 part good fats!

You can live this life 80% to 90% of the time and be a healthy & happy human! If you are body building to compete or want more serious results you will have to up that percentage to 95 to 100% of the time clearly.  I simply want to feel and look good, prevent disease and maintain my awesomeness.... so I follow this I would say 90% of the time and the other 10% of the time I don't feel guilty or bad because I had a beer and a piece of pizza or a cupcake etc. because I know how I live my life and I know how good it feels to eat right and exercise regularly!!!