Menu Plan Monday!

Busy week means that this mama needs quick, easy, healthy recipes to prepare in a flash for the fam. Here's the plan for the week...

Monday: Fire Roasted Shrimp and Edamame Rotini (so quick, so delish!)
Tuesday: Taco Salad with homemade taco shells (double up on the ground turkey saving some for tmrw!)
Wednesday: Turkey Sloppy Joes served on baked sweet potatoes with roasted okra
Thursday: LEFTOVERS!!!
Weekend: Andy and Elizabeth's wedding festivities!!!

 Here's the details on tonight's recipe...

 Fire Roasted Shrimp and Edamame Rotini 
(adapted from Bob Green's The Best Life Diet)

Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp EVOO
2 tspn minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
1/2 tspn red pepper flakes
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes (could use two cans of fire roasted if you're feeling spicy!!)
1 tspn dried basil (fresh would be a DELISH alternative)
8 oz frozen shelled edamame (I use half of a normal freezer bag)
12oz whole wheat rotini
Parmesan to taste (optional)

Preparation: Bring large pot of water to a boil. Salt water generously (I don't add salt to many things...but I do feel it is important to salt pasta water!). Add pasta and plan to cook according to package directions. When there are about 3 minutes left in the pasta cook time, toss the frozen edamame into boiling water. 

While pasta is boiling, heat skillet over med/medhigh heat. Add EVOO to pan to warm. Toss in garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds. Add shrimp to skillet. Cook until pink and curled (3-4 minutes). Add fire roasted tomatoes to shrimp and heat through.

Drain pasta and edamame, and return to pot. Toss shrimp/tomato mixture into large pot to combine. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.

Summery Chicken Tostadas

STAAR testing....selling our house soon....a revolving door of colds cycling through each family member...needless to say, this week has been a doozie. This is the kind of dinner I know that I can throw together in a jiffy, be content that we're eating well, and be totally satisfied because it is de-stinking-licious. I almost always have the ingredients to throw these yummy tostadas together on a week night, so it's a go-to in my kitchen.

Summery Chicken Tostadas
Ingredients:
2-4 whole wheat tortillas
1-2 cups chicken, precooked and either chopped or shredded (I love to use a slow cooker chicken like this one from SkinnyTaste)
1 tspn oil of your choice (I used coconut oil, but EVOO or vegetable oil are other options)
1 zucchini, diced
1 med red onion, diced
1 cup corn kernals (kernals cut off grilled cobs are my fave, but frozen corn works just as well!)
1 tspn cumin
1/2 tspn garlic powder
3-4 tbsp verde salsa (I adore HEB's All Natural Hatch Green Chile Salsa Verde)
1-2 cups chicken, precooked and either chopped or shredded (I love to use a slow cooker chicken like this one from SkinnyTaste)
3/4 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
Topping options: chopped cilantro, avocado, HEB's "That Green Sauce", additional salsa verde

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay tortillas on a foil lined baking sheet (you know I ain't got time to clean baking sheets every time I use 'em!), and lightly spray both sides with cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 8-10 min on each side (or until reach desired crispiness), checking frequently to ensure the edges aren't burning.

While the tortillas are toasting, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan. Toss in zucchini and red onion, stirring often. You'll want to saute these two ingredients for 6-8 minutes (or at least until onions are soft. I like the zucchini to have time to get a little browned). Add corn to pan and stir (if using frozen, give a few minutes for the heat to warm the kernals through.). Toss in spices and salsa and stir. Stir chicken into vegetable mixture.

Top each tortilla with approximately a 1/2 cup of the topping mixture (there will be leftovers!). Divide cheese evenly between the tostadas, and return baking sheet to oven just long enough for the cheese to melt.

Serve with desired toppings!

**Note about leftovers: I like to repurpose the leftovers as a "chicken burrito bowl" similar to what you might see at Freebirds or Chipotle. I mix the remaining topping with brown rice or quinoa, add black beans, and a little shredded romaine lettuce for crunch--completely different, totally delicious meal!!

Meal Plan Monday!

I typically like to meal plan and grocery shop on the weekend, but this weekend was the first time in a LONG time that we were able to slow down and enjoy time together as a family. We kicked the weekend off with a nasty stomach bug for the little, but she rallied through it like a champ. In true Texas springtime tradition, we hauled her out to take some pics in bluebonnets (didn't haul her very far...the park near our house had a small patch that mama and daddy deemed sufficient for the first go 'round!), and followed it up with some family time at one of our neighborhood favorites, Onion Creek. Sunday started bright and early with an "al fresco" service at church that C LOVED. It was the greatest combination of three of her favorites--singing, being outside, and smiling at people. She was such a delight all weekend, even despite her little tummy bug!!

Anywho, I let family take the number one spot all weekend, so now it's time to get down to business! I'm going to do my best to share our weekly meal plans on Mondays and will share recipes throughout the week of meals we particularly like. If something pops up on the meal plan that you think sounds good and you want the deets, just drop a comment below and I'll work it in to a post soon!!

You'll notice the meals below may not all sounds the healthiest, but with certain subs and portions in mind, they are all completely realistic. Even looking at this through the lens of the 21 Day Fix, I know I could make this match my containers : )

Monday Meal Plan: April 21

Monday: Freebirds and Shiner Bock (it's Aggie Muster today, so I want to conjure up some good college memories! Plus grocery shopping after bedtime means mama needs some help with dinner tonight.). I typically stick to a burrito bowl and keep the choices *moderately* healthy : )

Tuesday: Girls' dinner! (two nights out in a row?? Who am I???)

Wednesday: Chicken Stir Fry (bought the ingredients for this last week, but never got around to making it...life got in the way!)

Thursday: Summer Chicken Tostadas
**will definitely blog this healthy spin on tostadas!! So super easy and SOOO yummy!

Friday: Chicken Taco Bowls (using leftovers from Thursday)

Saturday: Spicy Chicken Thighs served with green bean and potato salad

Sunday: BBQ chicken pizza (using leftover chicken from last night) and salad

**Will add pics to the post later! Off to the store!!

21 Day Fix Wrap Up ...and easy Tilapia Tacos!

Today marks day 21 of the 21 Day Fix!! I couldn't be more pumped about how I feel, how I look, and how my eating habits have changed. The program not only get your butt in gear, it resets the way you think about portions and food groups. Autumn Calabrese did an amazing job putting together a work out plan that is manageable, and yet still leaves you sweating. The meal guidelines are clear, but flexible enough to accommodate cooking preferences, cravings, and even the occasional glass of wine :)

Things I learned during this process:
1. Meal planning is amazingly helpful in the land of the working mom with a seven month old. It was great to map out what I needed for the week and to grocery shop once a week.
2. Meal prep was crucial--I would grocery shop on Saturday or Sunday and spend Sunday evenings after little went to bed chopping and preparing anything that could be done in advance.
3. Sure, yogurt parfaits are pretty, but I did much better spacing the containers out and having a separate snack from the red container and the purple container.
4. I sure don't need to eat as much as I had been before the 21 Day Fix--it really got my eyes and my stomach on the same page on what is really needed.

I really think I'll continue to think with "containers" in  mind as I plan our meals and pack my snacks and lunch for the day. I'm starting a T25 Challenge group tomorrow and am stoked about continuing my journey towards a healthier and more fit me!!

Shameless plug--T25 Challenge Packs are still on sale!! Order by April 30 to save $90!!!

And the results...we've never had a scale in our home. I'm much more comfortable tracking goals and measuring progress with how I feel and how clothes fit (or don't fit, haha!). And today I got into my favorite jeans!! Haven't been able to squeeze into these since at least October 2012--but I held on to them!! And am dang glad I did!!

And for sticking till the end of this long post, here's a quick recipe to add to your weekly meal plan. Despite a little cheating on my fix this morning at Easter brunch with the family, this was almost 100% 21 Day Fix approved. If you're completing the fix, one serving would equal a red container, 1 yellows, and a green. The El Tiempo green sauce...well, that's negotiable how you'd count that :) We served it with a quinoa, black bean, corn, and pico de gallo salad that would also count as a yellow.

Quick Tilapia Tacos:

Ingredients:

3 tilapia loins

1 tspn cumin

1 tspn chipotle chile powder

1/2 to 1 tspn coconut oil (EVOO or cooking spray could be subbed)

4 corn tortillas, warmed

2 cups coleslaw mix

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 lime

2-3 tbsp El Tiempo Green Sauce (HEB has a sauce called "That Green Sauce" that would work great, too!)

Preparation:

Mix coleslaw, green sauce, juice of 1/2 lime, and cilantro in a small bowl and set aside. Heat skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle tilapia loins with spices on both sides. Add coconut oil to pan. When oil is hot, add fish to pan cook for 3-4 minutes per side till fish flakes easily. Break fish into small pieces, and serve with coleslaw and green sauce on tortillas. Serving size is two tacos. Sliced avocado would have been yummy as a topping also, but ours had sadly gone bad. 

21 Day Fix Meal Plan: Week Three

Ok...I won't say that the creativity is fizzling, because I know that's not the case....but a weekend with the husband away has led me to short cut this week a bit and revert back to the week one meal plan with just some minor tweaks. Gotta make it to the grocery store before nap time this morning!! Sorry y'all!! I'll definitely blog some of the recipes I neglected to during week one, so you won't be left high and dry :)

I've been completely floored by the progress I've made using the 21 Day Fix. My body looks different. I feel different. I am thinking about portions differently. Just a little three week "reboot' has done me a whole lot of good :)

While I'm looking forward to the days where I don't have to mentally bargain with myself as to whether or not I really want another yellow container in my day or if a glass of wine would just be the wiser choice (haha!!), I know that many of the changes I've made in this short, short time will certainly be longer term than the 21 days I committed to this program.

Want to give the 21 Day Fix a shot? Comment below and let me know!! I would love to help you see these positive changes in your life!!

21 Day Fix Dinner -- Pineapple Shrimp Stir Fry

I lovelovelove birthdays, and get so excited when the people I lovelovelove have birthdays!! So when I meal planned for this week, I budgeted my 21 Day Fix containers so that we would be able to go out to dinner and celebrate the husband's 32nd birthday. Only I made that plan without checking with the birthday boy himself, who actually wanted to stay home. Oops. So change of plans it was!! I didn't want to have to waste time at the grocery store on his birthday, so I decided to improvise a bit...and it turned out great!

Pineapple Shrimp Stir Fry

(makes 3-4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1 tspn garlic, minced

2 tspn coconut oil (EVOO would be a fine substitute)

1/2 tspn red pepper flakes

Splash of soy sauce

2-3 tbsp cilantro chopped

2 servings brown rice, cooked (for the brand I used, this was one cup dry rice)

Preparation:

Heat 1 tspn coconut oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion to pan and cook to softened (I like the edges to blacken a bit!). Toss in pineapple, and cook mixture till pineapple gets a little golden color to it (3-4 minutes). Remove mixture from pan and set aside. Add remaining coconut oil to pan to melt. Toss in garlic and pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring. Add shrimp, and cook till tails curl and they turn pink. Return veggie mixture to pan, and stir in soy sauce, lime juice and cilantro. Add rice to pan to soak up all the goodness, and enjoy!!

21 Day Fix Meals -- Loaded Tex-Mex Sweet Potatoes!

Didn't intend to post this recipe...seemed a little too "easy". But then I took a bite. The spiceyness of the ground turkey, the sweetness of the potato, and warmth from the chile powder and cinnamon. It. Was. Delish. And then I had to share. Make sure you check yesterday's post for Turkey Tostadas--the ground turkey used here was prepared during that meal! And if I'm being honest, the sweet potatoes were even baked in advance during a massive baby food making session I had this weekend. I wasn't kidding when I said this was easy!

I love thinking of different, more health-savvy ways of serving "normal" things. Swapping the tortilla for the sweet potato completely changes the nutritional profile of taco night, giving a huge dose vitamins A and C plus a large concentration of beta-carotene. I also serve Sloppy Joe loaded sweet potatoes often, it's just not super 21 Day Fix friendly. I promise to blog my homemade Sloppy Joe recipe later!!

Loaded Tex-Mex Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey, browned and seasoned (prepared for previous post!)
2 sweet potatoes, baked and halved (I baked ours on Sunday when I made a ton of babyfood for the little, so I halved and placed the pre-baked potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet and warmed them for 10-15 in a 350 degree oven BEFORE scooping out some of the flesh as noted in the preparation)
Pinch chile powder
1/2 pinch cinnamon


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove a bit of the sweet potato flesh (I reserved ours to make dinner for the little tomorrow!) to create a well for the turkey. Sprinkle the potato with the spices. Top with ground turkey mixture and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes (or until warmed through).

21 Day Fix Meals -- Tasty Turkey Tostadas

Lots of yummy stuff happening with 21 Day Fix this week!! If you've read the meal plan for this week, you'll notice a bit of a tex-mex theme. This is probably my favorite type of food to prepare (I really can't keep cumin and chile powder stocked in my pantry!), so I love that I've been able to keep it in the rotation despite participating in the challenge. Here are some quick recipes ideas that received the husband stamp of approval AND didn't cause me to deviate from my 21 Day Fix requirements!! I'll post the 21 Day Fix day nine recipe in just a bit!!

Turkey Tostadas (adapted slightly from Ecstatic Erin Gets Fit)

Ingredients:
2 lb ground turkey (I use 90/10; will save half for tomorrow's dinner)
1 can Rotel
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tbsp McCormicks Low Sodium Steak Seasoning (I use this with almost all ground meat I prepare)
1 can refried black beans, warmed
Shredded lettuce (for topping)
Shredded cheddar (for topping)
Salsa (for topping)
4-6 white corn tortillas

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tortillas on a foil lined baking sheet. Spray both sides of each tortilla lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 8-10 min; flip, and bake for 8-10 min longer (they should be pretty crispy, but will harden more as they cool).

Brown turkey with all seasonings listed. If need, drain. Add Rotel to pan.

To build the tostadas, spread a layer of black beans and a layer of ground turkey on the tortilla. Top with lettuce, cheese, and salsa as desired!

**Save 1/2 of the ground turkey mixture for tomorrow!!
***A "21 Day Fix friendly" serving would be two tostadas, and would count as a red, 1 1/2 yellow, blue, and green container.

21 Day Fix--Meal Plan Week Two

Can't believe week one wraps up tomorrow! Y'all....the progress is real. I had to tighten the waist band on our Ergo baby carrier this AM so little would be snug and safe on our walk. I....wait for it...noticed my abs for the first time in a LONG time. Even before I became pregnant, I was a little "softer" around the middle than I had been, so to actually see the beginning of definition in my mid-section was super exciting :)

Things I learned during week one:

1. I'm much more likely to workout if I layout or pack my clothes in the AM. It's like they stare at me alllllll day long, haha!! I've really enjoyed getting a workout in at school with some of my coworkers--nothing works better than accountability partners!

2. Meal planning needs to have more overlapping ingredients and intentional meal prep on the weekend--with the babe becoming more active (which is SO fun), I'm exhausted by her bedtime. Having ingredients ready to throw together makes it a lot easier to not stop by Freebirds on the way home.

3. While yogurt parfaits and rice cake/PB/banana are pretty snacks, personally I need to be able to break the snack apart into pieces that can be eaten separately. You'll notice more "broken down" snacks this week--things I can munch on quickly during the breaks between my classes. This helps curb hunger and keep me focused.

4. Autumn Calabrese doesn't mess around! Her workouts are legit, y'all.

5. It was easy to focus on the meal plan last week because I made it a priorirty. I wanted to make sure I got used to the portion sizes and kept control of quality of ingredients myself. This coming week, there are a few places where I could definitely go off the deep end if I wanted (I'll share a pic of hte dessert table at our Teacher Appreciation Lunch....it's ridiculous!!), but I'm going to mentally focus on what the container sizes would look like while loading up at the buffet. Plus, it's hubby's 32nd birthday on Wednesday!! Going to sub a yellow container for some vino...totally worth it :)

Here's the meal plan! Underlined dinners are ones I hope to blog the recipes of during the week, so be on the lookout for those posts. I will also try super hard to post a grocery list for this week tomorrow (requested by the BFF!).

Shout out to Erin at Ecstatic Erin Gets Fit for the tostada recipe!! Visit and LIKE her FB page!!

Have questions about 21 Day Fix? Have goals I can help you reach? Let me know!!

21 Day Fix Dinner: Cedar-infused salmon and strawberry spinach salad

Day three of the 21 day fix is in the books! I really feel that the portion control aspect of the program has taught me so much--I'm eating more frequently, but the right amounts. And I'm not going hungry at all which tells me that my body is getting what it needs. And I just think the little containers are adorable! Haha!!

For workouts, I haven't been very good about sticking with Autumn's DVDs--there is a small group of us that workout together after work, and we've been sampling various Beachbody programs. Tuesday we did T25 (Beta round Core Cardio!) and today we tried Brazil Butt Lift--it was a blast!!! I can't get over that both of these programs are on sale this month!!! Both are AMAZING ways to tone up before summer arrives and brings with it swimsuits, shorts, and tank tops. Comment below if you'd like more info about the challenge pack promotions for the month.

I'm also super pumped to share that in honor of the sale, I'm cohosting a T25 challenge group that is set to begin April 21! Participating in a challenge group was the way I became hooked on Beachbody--the accountability is wonderful. Again, let me know if you'd like to know  more!!

On to the good stuff!! Tonight's meal was cedar-paper wrapped salmon and a yummy salad. Easy, delicious mid week meal that was a snap to throw together. Details below!!

Cedar-infused Salmon and Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients:
2 4-6oz pieces of salmon
Cedar paper
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 teaspoon Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute (I use this stuff ALL THE TIME!! So good!)
3-4 cups baby spinach
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup pecans, chopped and toasted (pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds would be great here, too!)
1/4 cup feta cheese
Dressing of choice (I just doused with a favorite Cabernet Balsamic Vinegar I scored at Vincent Arroyo Winery on a girls' trip a few years back)

Preparation:
Submerge cedar paper in water, and soak for at least ten minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle salmon with the 21SS and top with a few lemon slices. Wrap in cedar paper so that the seam will be on the bottom of the salmon filet (alternatively, you could wrap with kitchen twine--you may want to soak that also). Place salmon bundles in a baking dish and roast for 18-21 minutes (depending on thickness and your preference).

While salmon roasts, arrange spinach on each plate. Divide berries, pecans, and feta between each salad, and dress as desired.

When salmon is cooked through, remove from cedar paper, discard lemons, and enjoy!!

A crisp sauv blanc would be delicious with this meal...post 21 Day Fix, of course!!