Turkey Taco Bake

The recipe below makes TWO 9×13 dishes because one serving is 1/4 of the pan. Say what!?!? I made this “mini prep” and since being a parent means I have to feed all these children 😉 I made 2 pans worth so they could enjoy too. Thumbs up all around BUT, I thought is was pretty bland. Next time I may use a pre-packaged taco seasoning pack and add more jalapenos and hot sauce.  This recipe does freeze well.

INGREDIENTS:

▪️2 cups uncooked Brown Rice

▪️2 Yellow Onions, chopped

▪️6 Cloves of Garlic, minced

▪️2 Jalapeños, chopped

▪️48oz (3 pkgs.) Lean or Extra Lean Ground Turkey

▪️2 Bell Peppers (any color), chopped

▪️3 Limes – Squeezed for fresh juice

▪️4 Tbsp. Chili Powder

▪️2 tsp. Oregano

▪️1 tsp. Thyme

▪️Hot Sauce to taste (you’re gonna want to use this if you like a little kick)

▪️2 cups Shredded Mexican Four Cheese

▪️2 – 15oz cans of Tomato Sauce (no added sodium)

DIRECTIONS:

1️⃣Cook Brown Rice according to box instructions and set aside.

2️⃣Let’s get everything chopped, minced and juiced so it’s ready to go! Chop/Mince onions, garlic and jalapeño and set aside in same bowl. Chop peppers and set aside in same bowl. Juice limes and set aside.

3️⃣Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray two 9×13 baking dishes with cooking spray.

4️⃣In a large pot set to medium/high heat, sauté Onion, Garlic and Jalapeños until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.

5️⃣Add ground turkey to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add peppers and continue to cook until the turkey is no longer pink.

6️⃣Drain turkey mixture and return to the pot. Add lime juice and seasonings stirring to combine. Then add tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of cheese and hot sauce (if using), stirring well.

7️⃣Split the turkey mixture into the two baking dishes and top both with the remaining cheese. Cover each dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

8️⃣Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted and the edges are bubbling. Let it cool 10 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

 

MACROS for my exact ingredients…

46g Protein

29.5g Carbs

14.4g Fat

439 Calories

If You’re Struggling with Your Fitness/Health Goals, or Starving, PLEASE READ!

Confused by the image below? I don’t blame you, it’s a little crazy looking; but scroll down and read the information below the image. You’ll be happy you did.

These printouts are from my personal body scan that I do at a local nutrition shop. I’ve been doing these scans since January 10, 2015 at the same location, using the same machine.

On November 12, 2016 (the left image), I discovered that my calorie counting alone was no longer working because I lost 3 pounds of muscle and gained 3% body fat since my previous scan on October 25, 2016. Please Note: Calorie counting is a GREAT way to lose weight and it worked for me for a very long time.

At the discovery of the fat gain and muscle loss, I decided that it was time to start counting my macros (protein, carbs, fat). I have avoided macro counting for a while for two very good reasons…

1. I was progressing fine with calorie counting alone, losing fat and gaining/maintaining muscle.
2. I know how tedious macro counting can be and if I didn’t have to, I wasn’t going to. Because sanity matters people. 😉

I calculated my macros for my protein, carbs and fat and since implementing this new lifestyle change a little over a week ago, I have done pretty good at hitting those numbers. Not perfect, but good.

The printout on the right is from today, December 1, 2016. There is less than 3 weeks between the two images and check out those numbers!!

From November 12, 2016 to December 1, 2016 I gained 2.2 pounds (that doesn’t matter and I’ll explain why below*), BUT my body fat percentage went DOWN from 25.2% to 22.1% and my muscle went UP from 74.5 pounds of muscle to 79.6 pounds of muscle.

In less than 3 weeks I put on 5.1 pounds of muscle and dropped my body fat a little over 3%.

*Let’s talk Body Composition. The number on the scale doesn’t tell me how much fat or muscle I have or even how heavy my bones are and how much my organs and blood weighs. And in addition to that, it also doesn’t tell me how hard I work in the gym, how smart I am or what my worth is on this planet. DON’T GIVE THE SCALE SO MUCH POWER! Because I gained muscle and lost fat, my body composition has improved and physically I will appear leaner because although muscle weighs more than fat, it takes up less space. So that increase in the scale doesn’t bother me one bit!

When figuring out what my macros should be, I ended up with an additional 600 calories a day that I could eat. I don’t know anyone who’s on a fitness journey who would hate to hear the words, “Eat More Calories”. I’m sure those words may be scary but it works! And the proof is in the paperwork.

I knew immediately what changes needed to be made in order to correct my muscle loss and fat gain but you may not know what to do. If you’re frustrated and struggling, if you’re hungry and on the verge of quitting all together – DON’T! I can help you. And me helping you doesn’t mean that you have to start counting macros and buy a food scale. Me helping you may just mean that you need an adjustment to your caloric intake. 

Let’s fuel your body with the nutrients it needs and with exercising and patience, you’ll be on your way!

Contact me TODAY!

 

Zucchini Pizza Bites

Zucchini Pizza Bites, a guilt-free alternative to one of my favorite foods and probably a lot of yours as well.

I kept it simple with a pre-made sauce and cheese but you can definitely jazz these up a bit more.

Use a homemade sauce for an even lighter option and top with mini pepperoni, turkey sausage, etc. One thing to remember is that the cook time is quite short (see below), so if you’re putting any meat other than pepperoni on these, it will need to be precooked.

HOW TO MAKE

1. Set your oven to broil. If you don’t have a broil function, 500 degrees should be sufficient.
2. Using a baking sheet, line with foil and spray with cooking spray. I use an Olive Oil spray.
3. Using a medium to large size zucchini, cut in 1/4” slices. If you have a smaller zucchini you can cut at an angle to create larger oval-shaped slices.
4. Place sliced zucchini on baking sheet, spray tops with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Bake zucchini for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from oven, top with sauce, cheese and any other toppings you desire and bake for 1-2 more minutes, careful not to burn the cheese.

ENJOY!

Mini Turkey Meat Loaves w/Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans

Yesterday I prepped this delicious meal for myself and my husband with plenty of leftovers for our 3 kids, who all loved it too!

The recipe is below for 4 servings but I, of course, multiplied that. I made 17 servings for my husband and I and his are a double serving of the meat loaves (2 instead of only 1) plus all the extras you can see in the photos below.

I used 7-8lbs of Ground Turkey, 4lbs of Green Beans and 10lbs of Potatoes.

Meal Prepping can be quite intimidating at first but I assure you, it is very simple and such a time saver when you don’t have to worry about cooking lunch or dinner for the next 7-10 days.

I’ve created a Meal Prep Guide to help others understand and get started with prepping. It isn’t difficult, it just takes a bit of planning and it can definitely help you hit your goals. If you’re interested in the guide, it is only $5.00 and is in PDF format so it will be sent via email.

MINI MEAT LOAVES, GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES – 4 Servings

Prep: 10 Minutes  Bake: 40 Minutes  Stand: 10 Minutes

• Nonstick Cooking Spray
• 12oz. Fingerling and/or New Potatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• Salt and Black Pepper
• 1/3 cup Barbecue Sauce
• 1/4 cup Fine Dry Bread Crumbs
• 1/4 cup Finely Chopped Onion
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 lb. Lean Ground Beef (I used Turkey)
• 8oz. Green Beans, trimmed
• 1 tsp. Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Barbecue Sauce

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 15×10 inch baking pan with foil; coat foil with cooking spray. Place potatoes on 1/2 of the prepared pan. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp Olive Oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes, stirring once.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine next four ingredients (through Garlic Powder). Add ground beef (or turkey); mix well. Shape into four 3-1/2 x 2 inch loaves.
3. In a medium bowl drizzle the green beans with 1 tsp. Olive Oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Place loaves and green beans in the pan with the potatoes. Bake 20 to 23 minutes more or until loaves are done (160 degrees F) and potatoes and beans are tender.
4. Spoon 1/4 cup barbecue sauce over meat loaves; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Serve with potatoes and beans. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING:

• 455 Calories
• 18g Fat (6g Sat Fat)
• 100mg Chol.
• 805mg Sodium
• 39g Carbs
• 4g Fiber
• 34g Protein

Recipe Credit: Better Homes & Gardens One-Pan Recipes

 

Protein

How important is Protein? It’s so important that without it, we could die or become severely malnourished.

All of your enzymes, cell transporters, blood transporters, all your cells scaffolding and structures, 100% of your hair and fingernails, much of your muscle, bone and internal organs and many hormones are mostly protein.

Makes sense now why Protein is so important.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Protein is 0.8g per kg of body weight (0.4g/lb) for the sedentary adult. For strength athletes that number increases to about 1.2-1.7g per kg of body weight(0.5-0.8g/lb) and for endurance athletes the RDA is 1.2-1.4g per kg of body weight (0.5-0.6g/lb).

There are many different factors that play a role in how much protein you should be consuming each day. Some of those factors are…

• Age
• Sex
• Activity Level
• How many total calories we eat/need
• Our carbohydrate intake

Finding the right amount of protein to consume can involve a bit of trial and error. The RDA’s provided above are a good starting point. Determine which category you fall under and begin there. I personally consume a little less than 1g of Protein per pound of body weight.

For those who have a plant-based diet (Vegetarian or Vegan), you’ll have to work a little harder to get more protein from a mix of different sources in order to meet your protein needs.

Crockpot Paleo Turkey Meatballs and Garlic Parmesan Zoodles

This weeks meal prep is Crockpot Paleo Turkey Meatballs and Garlic Parmesan Zoodles. This meal is full of flavor and really filling!

I used a recipe from Pinterest to make the meatballs. Link below.

Crockpot Paleo Turkey Meatballs

I saw a video on Facebook of the Garlic Parmesan Zoodles and quickly jotted down the steps so I don’t have a real recipe for that but I’ll share what I did.

 

 

Garlic Parmesan Zoodles

1. Zoodle your Zucchini (I use a spiralizer).

2. Add Ghee (clarified butter) and chopped garlic to a pan set on medium and allow Ghee to melt.

3. Add Zoodles to pan and cook for a few minutes before adding the shredded Parmesan, tossing Zoodles to help melt the Parmesan.

4. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.

Here’s the problem I had…the Parmesan didn’t melt very pretty and was kind of clumpy. I think next time I’ll prepare the Zoodles the same way but only add the Parmesan once the Zoodles are done. The kick provided by the red pepper flakes was perfect!

I “plated” the food in my meal prep containers sans tomato sauce and additional Parmesan. I’ll only add those two elements when I’m ready to eat, as seen in this photo above.

Patience

This picture is a great example of patience. Sometimes we get so frustrated by the tiny changes that we seriously consider just quitting our fitness journey all together. 

DON’T QUIT!!! Every tiny change will grow to big changes.

The January picture shows 64.4 lbs of body fat mass and 32.6% body fat. In yesterday’s picture, the measurements are considerably different at 36.8 lbs of body fat mass and 21.9% body fat. 

That’s nearly 30 pounds of body fat gone!

These results were obtained by eating healthy and exercising, that’s it! 

ARE YOU READY FOR A CHANGE??

Message me and let’s get started!

Lunch. Easy. Healthy. Good. A quick tip…

Lunch. Easy. Healthy. Good. A quick tip (which ended up being a long tip, sorry) for those who are struggling to eat healthy while at home or when you’re in a hurry and starving.

PLAN FOR SUCCESS

I don’t just mean meal prepping but that helps A LOT! I also suggest you have healthy foods that you enjoy in your home at all times. Don’t run out!

I always have tuna, hardboiled eggs, ready-to-eat salad and a light dressing, protein bars, fruit, rice cakes, all natural peanut butter, protein sweets i.e. ice cream & cookies, no sugar added fruit popsicles and Smartfood or SkinnyPop popcorn.

When I meal prep, that’s usually just for dinner so what about breakfast and lunch?

Breakfast is easy! Eggs, egg whites, oats, frittata, protein pancakes, English muffins, fruit, etc. Lunch can be tough for me. I’m usually coming home from the gym and a few errands and have a cranky baby and (during the summer), two older children who would happily agree to any form of fast food. I CAN’T CAVE, I HAVE GOALS!

That’s when the foods I mentioned above and what you see in the photo, come in handy. I make the tuna when I’m not rushed or starving and I make enough to eat for lunch for 2 or 3 days. These can be done with other foods that are your favorite.

When I’m out and about and I know we may be eating dinner later or maybe I’ll get hungry while driving around or end up stopping for ice cream for the kids (that happens a lot), I ALWAYS have a protein bar with me. My healthier option. My favorite, Oh Yeah ONE in Peanut Butter Pie flavor. I HATE protein bars and it took me about 3 years of trying different ones until I found something I could stand.

If you think you can’t do it, if you think you’ll never like healthier options and always feel like you’re suffering for your goals, it does NOT have to be that way. There are ways to conquer your goals without the misery. Trust me.

My children ate Bagel Bites for lunch today. I LOVEEEEE Bagel Bites! But oddly enough, I was not tempted and I enjoyed my healthy lunch. This is a strange feeling for me still which is why I was inspired to write this insanely long post. (Sorry again)

Lastly, if you need help, accountability, or you want to bounce ideas off of someone, I’m happy to help.

London Broil w/Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprouts

It’s August!! One of my favorite months because I was born in August. Yay!!

We have a delicious Meal Prep this week…

London Broil that was marinated for 24 hours and grilled to a beautiful medium-rare (the picture makes the meat look a bit more pink than it is in person). This was my first time (successfully) cooking on the grill. The last meal I attempted to grill was turkey burgers and they ended up becoming burnt turkey crumbles because they fell apart and into the fire.

Ingredients for the marinade per 2 pounds of London Broil are:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 clove of garlic, minced

 

Easy Meal Prep – Turkey Patties with Sauteed Asparagus and Mushrooms

 

Another easy Meal Prep idea for you guys. Here we have Turkey patties with sautéed asparagus and mushrooms. These are His and Hers, mine have the 3 patties (bottom of the photo) and my husband has 5 patties.

I honestly do not go into the grocery store knowing exactly how much of everything I need. I go in thinking, “I need a lot!” This prep made 16 meals and it included everything that you see in the ingredients photo.

Have a question or comment, I’d love to hear it. Let’s Chat!