Turkey taco salad

Remember back in the day when spaghetti was your easy go to meal??  Well turkey taco salad is mine!!

Easy peasy:

Brown your ground turkey add taco seasoning (see recipe below) and place a top your favorites:

Chopped iceberg lettuce

Avocados

Onions

Tomatoes

And salsa

Very few calories and very filling.  And for those mommies out there, I let the kids enjoy all the toppings and trimmings but I make them a side of taco shells or low carb tortillas! Or make you a lettuce taco!

For the first time, I made my own taco seasoning:

3 tbls chili powder

3/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp red pepper flakes

3/4 tsp dried oregano

3/4 tsp onion powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tbls cumin

1 tbls Celtic SeaSalt

1 tbls black pepper

Mix ingredients together and store in air tight container.  2-3 tablespoons is the equivalent to a seasoning packet. 

Enjoy!!

Water, water and more water

A gallon a day to be exact!!  Here's an easy tip, buy the gallon jugs and pour from it. Trust me, if you try counting bottles or cups, you get busy and forget how many you've had.  Buying the gallon and drinking from it keeps you on track!!

Now for variety.... Add in some green tea or naturally flavored water. My favorite recipe:

1/2 Lemmon

1/2 cucumber 

4-5 strawberries

Lemons help filter out the toxins and cucumber will help reduce inflammation.  Strawberries just add a nice little touch of sweet.  Get creative and come up with your favorites!!

BTW- you may want to try and have most of your water drank before 5:00pm or you may end up visiting the potty a few times in the middle of the night!!  ;)

Smoothies

Everyone always asks for my smoothie recipes.  Well I really only have one and it varies only a little. This one is usually my "dessert" around 8:30 at night.  I've replaced my glass of wine for this yummy smoothie. So here you go:

Ingredients:

1 scoop of your favorite protein powder

1 scoop of Green Superfood cacao flavor

1/4 frozen banana

A handful of baby spinach

1 tbls almond butter

Ice

Water

Sometimes I add a splash of coconut or almond milk. That's it!!

When your bananas start to turn brown, freeze them for later!!  Peel and cut your banana into about 4 chunks and freeze. Perfect addition to your smoothie!!  Makes them so creamy!!

Oatmeal muffins

These are perfect for breakfast but we also like them for a midday snack!!  Make a batch on Sunday and warm them up through out the week as needed!  

Ingredients:

2.5 cups of rolled oats

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

1 cup almond or coconut milk

2 eggs

1 banana

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp stevia

1 tbsp flaxseed

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

Dash of cinnamon and nutmeg

Throw all the  ingredients in the food processor and blend until oats are smooth.  Spray your muffin pan and spoon in until its half full.  

Now here is the fun part.... I always add extras after i fill the muffin cups so I can count and know exactly how many goodies are going into each muffin.  Plus you can customize for your family.  I put 4 chocolate chips in each muffin for the kids.  I personally like blueberries or almonds or both!!  Now bake on 400 for 18-20 minutes. 

Enjoy!!

Mini chocolate cakes

I never thought I'd see the day I would be baking a dessert with black beans!!  Seriously, this one is a keeper!!  

Ingredients:

1 can black beans (rinsed)

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1/3 cup puréed pumpkin (I used from a can)

3 tbls Cracked Nut butter cinnamon roll (you can use almond butter or what ever nut butter you have on hand)

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbls stevia

1 tbls honey

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Here is the nut butter I used.  It's so yummy!!

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350

2.  Spray muffin tin

3.  In food processor, add all ingredients except chocolate chips

4.  Spoon batter into muffin tins

5.  I add chocolate chips in by hand so I can count exactly 5 chips per muffin. (Easier to count calories exactly and not over indulge). 😊

6.  Bake for 20 minutes

7.  Let cool

Here is what they look like:

Frosting ingredients:

1 cup puréed pumpkin

2 scoops chocolate protein powder

1/4 cocoa powder

1 tbls honey

4 tbls of Cracked nut butter

1 tsp stevia

1 tsp vanilla extract

I used my mixer to blend until creamy.  Once they are cooled, ice your single serve cakes and serve!!  

Cauliflower "rice"

This is our new favorite side dish.  So easy that Haley, my 12 year old, makes it for us!

Ingredients:

- 1 head of grated cauliflower

- 1/4 cup Vegetable or chicken broth

- 2 Tbsp coconut oil

- 1/4 onion diced

- 1 Tbsp garlic

- Sea salt to taste

Directions:

1. Grate the cauliflower

2. Heat coconut oil in saute' pan over medium high heat.  Saute' onion and garlic for about 3 minutes

3.  Add cauliflower, stir well

4.  Add broth and sea salt.  Saute for about 5 minutes until cauliflower is slightly tender.

5.  Place cauliflower in serving bowl and top with parsley (optional)

Chicken makeover ~ tortilla soup

I feel like I'm turning into my grandmother.... I hate to see food go to waste so I makeover left overs into a new dish!!

This weeks left over chicken .... Tortilla soup!!  Yummmm

You really can't screw this up.  Depends on what I have in the pantry, freezer or left overs in the refrigerator.  For this yummy version, add the following into large crockpot. 

Left over chicken diced

48 oz of chicken broth

2 cans of water

1 can of Black beans

1 can of Rotel

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 diced zucchini

1/2 small onion

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp chili powder

Dash of cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook on high for 4 hours. Garnish with crushed tortilla chips and avocados. 

Muy bueno!!

Menopause, perimenopause or andropause

I'm talking to everyone but especially those in my age group + or - 5 years.  Most of you know my age but for those who don't, I've been 29 for about 10 or so years!  :p

Some call it the "change of life" or "mid-life crisis" but it is what it is..... perimenopause, menopause or andropause (male menopause).  Around 35-45 women AND men, start to feel more tired, lethargic, ran down, in a fog and depressed.  You start really looking at your life and wondering why your job is no longer exciting or why you don't have any fun any more.  You feel overwhelmed, stressed and you either just grin and bare it or you want to just run away!  You know what I'm talking about.... we've all been there and felt like that!  

Well sometimes, just sometimes, its your body talking to you.  Its trying to tell you to slow down and take care of your body.  Guess what, if you do so, you regain your energy and the fog is lifted!  Have you ever noticed when you are really tired, you are negative and in a bad mood?  At this age, most likely your body is tired every day!  You've used and abused your body to the point it can't take much more!  It is time to do something about it!  But for those young pups out there, take care of yourselves now.  Get ahead of the curve.  You will be glad you did!

I recommended the Mood Cure a couple of posts ago.   My 2nd recommendation is one that still sits on my night stand....  Ageless

Don't get the wrong picture and think this is some cheesy celebrity endorsed book.  Suzanne actually uses her celebrity status to interview some of the top doctors and specialists to get some answers about medicine, misdiagnosis, foods and natural healing treatments.  Believe it or not, this book is an easy read and is filled with questions and answers as to how you feel and how you should feel.  It helps you to figure out where to turn and what questions to ask your doctors!

Enjoy!

Easy snack or lunch on the go

Remember how I said you need to always be prepared?  

Well, here is an easy snack or lunch on the go for you busy moms out there.  I keep a tupperware bowl of already boiled eggs and these little tuna packets.  I grab one of each, a plastic fork and off I go!  Also perfect when you are at home and don't feel like preparing anything.  

This is another "non-thinking" meal or snack that will keep you on track!  Remember, keep it easy..... baby steps, baby steps are good!  Before you know it, you will have a routine and can add more variety with out being overwhelmed!

Enjoy!

Sweet potato and Japanese sweet potato

More good carb ideas...sweet potato and Japanese sweet potatoes!! They are both so yummy. My favorite way to bake these are as easy as 1, 2, 3.  

1.  Slice potatoes in thin rounds 

2.  Brush on a little coconut oil

3.  Sprinkle with cinnamon 

4.  Bake for 20 min at 425

Ok so maybe it's as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4!! I like baking them this way because I can count out how many slices I can eat.  I put the others back in the refrigerator to warm up for lunch, dinner or even breakfast at a later date!

 

Farmers breakfast

So I had just a few roasted red potatoes and onions left over from dinner the night before and decided to revamp my left overs again!! 

Btw, red potatoes are good carbs.  I'll be sure to gather and update you on all the good carbs and what they do for you in another blog post soon. Stay tuned!

Threw my potatoes in the skillet to warm them up, then added one egg and some egg whites (cooking for 2).  Tadaa!!  Yummy breakfast.  

My sweet friend Chrissy gave me the fresh home grown yellow tomatoes which I've never eaten till now.  Can I say tasty??  Why yes!!

Gourmet green beans

Well not really but you don't have to tell anyone!  Ha!!   

If your in a hurry but looking to "fancify" your meal, here is a quick and easy side dish!  My entire family eats this up like candy. :)

Steam up some frozen green beans in the microwave (I usually cut a minute off the suggested time), now throw them in an electric skillet with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a spoonful of minced garlic, chopped up piece of bacon and sprinkle in some sliced almonds.  That's it!!