#STARTNOW

Energy? YES
Weight Loss? YES
Muscle Definition? YES

I've found something that works for me, and has changed my life! These super foods have given me the energy to keep up with my toddler and infant!

Real Life

This is only the beginning!

January 2017 vs October 2016.
Nutrition at its best! No working out here...I can only imagine if I could find 2 extra hours in a day to work out!

Pretzel Encrusted Chicken Nuggets



A simple meal that is delicious & healthy!

 

Ingredients:

• 2 Eggs
• Pretzel Crisps (really you could use any flavor or any type of pretzel).
• 1 package of chicken breasts
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to Taste

Instructions:

• Cut the chicken breasts into bite size pieces.
• Pre-Heat the oven to 350 degrees
• Beat the 2 eggs.
• Crush a couple handfuls of pretzels (you can crush them any way you desire)
• Dip each piece of chicken into the egg and then into the crushes pretzels.
• Take the dipped pieces of chicken and put onto a wax paper covered baking pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked fully.
• Enjoy!

These are something your spouse and even kids would enjoy! You can serve with ranch, ketchup, chili sauce, and the list could go on. They taste just as good without any dipping sauce also!

You could also make these for an appetizer dish! 

Healthy Egg Muffins

These are easy, and you all know I like easy!
Sometimes in the mornings when I am running around getting myself ready, Hadley ready, Daisy fed, etc etc, I just wish I had pre-made something the night before to eat for breakfest. This way I do not have the temptation to go purchase a donut. So, last night, I made these Healthy Egg Muffins.

{Sorry, the picture is not the best, but trust me they were delicious.}

Ingredients:

• 12 Eggs
• Broccoli (I just used left over broccoli from dinner the night before), and you could use any vegetable you would like.
• 1/2 Cup Onion, chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to Taste
• Couple splashes of Almond Milk
• I added a 1/2 piece of bacon to 6 of them for my husband (not pictured)

Instructions:

• Slice all the vegetables.
• Pre-Heat the oven to 350 degrees
• Beat all 12 eggs
• Mix in vegetables and spices
• Pour into greased muffin tins
• Cook for 20 - 25 minutes
• Enjoy!

You really could add any kind of vegetables or spices to these muffins! You could even add turkey sausage if you wanted.

 

Chicken Sausage with Quinoa

This recipe is very similar to the one found here.

Ingredients:

• 1 package Chicken Sausage (any type)
• 1 Orange Pepper
• 1 Green Pepper
• 1 Yellow Squash
• 1 cup Quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup spinach

Instructions:

• Slice all the vegetables.
• Heat pan over medium heat, add the vegetables and vegetable broth.
• Saute vegetables.
• Add sliced chicken sausage to pan.
• Add salt and pepper to taste (or any other sesoning).
• Add cup of uncooked quinoa. Cover the pan with lid and let the quinoa simmer for 15 minutes or until tender.
• Enjoy!

You can add any type of vegetable to this recipe and make it your own. It is always nice to use what is inseason!

 

 

Gingery Broccoli and Beef + Easter

My sister and I are doing a 21 Day Paleo Challenge, I've done my best, but I have not eaten 100% Paleo. Here is a recipe I made for this challenge. (Husband tested and approved).

Ingredients:

•  2 Tbs Coconut Oil
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 lb sirloin steak, cut into very thin strips
• 2 Tbs Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup broth (beef or vegetable)
• 2 cups broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced

Instructions:

1. Heat the 1 Tbs coconut oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium to high heat.
2. Add the sliced beef and 1/4 tsp sea salt, and brown. Remove beef from pan to a side dish, and get rid of excess juice left in pan.
3. In a small bowl mix lemon juice, grated ginger, and black pepper with 1/4 cup broth.
4. Heat pan again over medium heat. Add 1 Tbs coconut oil when pan is hot.
5. Add broccoli and carrots to pan. Pour liquid ingredients on top and toss to coat.
6. Cook over medium heat until broccoli is tender.
7. Return the beef to the pan and add the green onions. Add the extra broth if preferred.
8. Stir beef in until it's coated with sauce, and let simmer for a few minutes until beef warmed through.

This makes dinner for 2, with some leftovers for lunch the next day!

Easter, what a beautiful day it was!

We spent a lot of time outside, planting our vegetable garden, fixing up stuff around the house! What a fabulous and beautiful weekend!

 

 

Fat Blasting Baked Egg Casserole

Ahh Friday! So glad you are back!! Here's another recipe for the books.

They say breakfast is the MOST important meal of that day, and for whatever reason it is the hardest for people to eat.  I know for me, making something the night before helps me out A LOT! Especially when I want it to be on the healthier side. I found this recipe on Pinterest the other day (I can't seem to find the link where I found it, sorry), and thought it would be the perfect morning casserole!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable broth or water (I recommend the broth for a little more flavor)
• 6 oz (2 cups) sliced Crimini Mushrooms (really any kind will work)
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons All Purpose Seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash's, but you could also use Simply Organic)
• 2 teaspoons fresh jalapenos (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups packed fresh spinach, chopped roughly (oops, I forgot to chop mine, but it still worked)
• 4 oz turkey bacon, cooked & chopped
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• 9 egg whites
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Line 7 x 11inch baking dish with parchment paper.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of broth or water, mushrooms, red peppers, seasoning & jalapenos.

• Cook stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes.
• Add spinach, cook down until bright green, about 1 minute.

• Remove pan from heat.
• Stir in the turkey bacon & season with sea salt and pepper.
• Spread the spinach mixture evenly on bottom of the baking dish.

• Whisk egg white, then pour over the spinach mixture. Scatter green onions on top.

• Bake until egg whites are set, 25 minutes.
• The casserole should be moist in the middle, not liquidy.
• Let casserole sit for 5 minutes & serve

I really did enjoy this dish for the AM! I even ate a half portion for some snacks! DELISH!

One of these days I will get it so there are printable versions of my recipes. 

 

Garlic Chicken and Vegetables over Quinoa

Hello all! Happy Friday! I am going to be cheering on my Iowa State Cyclones tonight!!         #cyclONEnation.

Another recipe just for you...

I have found another super tasty and easy recipe! I absolutely love my Fast Metabolism Cookbook. It keeps me on track. I get sick of eating the same foods, so I like that I can look at the cookbook, and be able to find a recipe with the ingredients I have in my fridge (for the most part). This recipe is for Phase 1.

Ingredients:

Quinoa

• 2 cups quinoa
• 2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup sliced onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions (scallions), white and green parts

Chicken

• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces
• 2 cups sliced bell peppers
• 2 cups sliced zucchini
• 2 cups sliced yellow squash
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/3 cup coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons diced red onion

(Missing from the picture: Zuccini, Yellow Squash and Coconut Aminos)

Instructions:

• In a medium pot, combine the quinoa, vegetable and chicken broths, onion, and green onion. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• While the quinoa is cooking, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chicken and cook, stirring continuously, until the chicken is browned. Add the bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, coconut aminos, red pepper flakes, and red onion. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
• Serve 1/2 cup of the quinoa topped with 1 cup of the chicken and vegetables. 
• Serves 8

(Quinoa before boiling)

Gingered Shrimp and Veggie Stir-Fry

OH MY LANTA, this has to be the BEST yet. If you like spicy food, you will enjoy this recipe! I love to try new recipes for the reason of finding one that will be a staple in my house hold. Another great thing about this recipe, it freezes really well. In my book, that is important especially when 75% of the time I am cooking for one.

 Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 2 pounds shrimp, cleaned and deveined
• 2 yellow squash, sliced
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped bok choy
• 1/4 cup sliced asparagus 
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 minced ginger (I used ground ginger)
• 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sea salt herb mix (I used regular sea salt, and then Mrs. Dash Herb and Onion Mix)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 cups cooked wild rice

 Instructions:

• Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or wok over medium head and when hot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil, tipping the pan to coat it. Add the shrimp and stir-fry for about 4 minutes or until pink. Remove from the pan and set aside. Re-coat the pan with the remaining oil and add the squash, mushrooms, bok choy, and asparagus. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly tender. Add the tomatoes, coconut aminos, ginger, sesame seeds, salt mix, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan, mix with the other ingredients, and cook just until everything is headed through. Serve over rice. (I think if you wanted you could serve this over brown rice instead of wild rice.)
• Serves 8

This was the first time I've cooked with bok choy, and I want sure what to expect. Bok Choy is basically Chinese cabbage. When I was looking for it at the store, it was HUGE, so I just tore off a couple leaves. That worked out very well.

I give this recipe 5 STARS! It is from The Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook (Clearly, my favorite cookbook).

Seriously, try this recipe out friends!

Long and Slow Beef Stew

So, I've been debating for days if I was going to even share this recipe, only for the fact that my pictures are terrible. It doesn't look appetizing, but if you trust me, it was delicious! I present to you Long and Slow Beef Stew! This stew has some GREAT flavor!

I've never attempted at making a stew before, but am loving being able to make something like this, and then freeze it into single portions.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds beef stewing meat (preferably grass fed)
• 1/4 cup arrowroot
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup green beans, cut in small pieces (I forgot to add this..oops)
• 1 cup quartered mushrooms
• 1/2 cup diced onions (scallions), white and green parts
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups organic beef broth

I decided to cut up all of my ingredients the night before. This way I could just pour them all into the crock pot right before I ran out the door in the morning. It was then was ready for me at lunch time.
Instructions :

• Put all the ingredients in a slow cooker with 2 cups of water and cook for 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. Remove the bay leaf and serve piping hot. 
• Serves 8

How simple and easy does this look? I am all for crock pot meals, especially healthy ones!
Again, this recipe is from The Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook. If you've checked our information on The Fast Metabolism Diet, this recipe will work for Phase 2.

Hard-Boiled Egg Whites Stuffed with Minced Veggies

Last night I spent a while preparing meals for the next two days (I finally was able to go to the grovery store! I really do enjoy cooking, baking and making recipe's into ones I enjoy! I am currently on Phase 2 of The Fast Metabolism Diet, which means lean proteins and vegetables. (This really is not a diet, more of a way to eat lifestyle)

My week usually looks like this:
Monday & Tuesday: Phase 1
Wednesday & Thursday: Phase 2
Friday, Saturday & Sunday: Phase 3

I am usually one that does not give enough time to myself to make breakfast before I need to walk our the door and head to work, so I do a lot of preparing the night before. Last night I decided to make these Hard-Boiled Egg Whites.

Ingredients:

• 3 hard-boiled eggs
• 1/2 cup cooked, minced veggies (I used Mushrooms, Onion, Garlic and Celery)

Instructions:

• Peel the eggs, cut them in half lengthwise, and discard the yolks. Fill with the minced veggies and serve right away. (I boiled my eggs and cooked my veggies the night before, so this morning I just heated up the veggies, and filled the eggs this morning. I think they turned out well, and I felt full after)

This recipe I also found in the Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook.

This is really easy to prepare the night before, and then take 2 minutes in the morning to put together. I know a lot of people are guilty of missing breakfast in the AM, but it is very important to start your day out with a meal, and of course keeping it healthy. Indulging in Cinnamon Rolls (homemade ones are sitting upstairs at my office, and it has taken a lot of will power not to dig into one today).

You really can add any kind of vegetable to the mixture, pepper, asparagus, cabbage, and the list could go on. Using left over vegetables from the night before will always work well.

I think this recipe is considered Gluten Free and Paleo? Maybe I am wrong, because I do not follow those.

Currently cooking in my crockpot is a Phase 2 stew! Can't wait to share that recipe!