Margarita Style Portobello Pizzas

You know those recipes you read and think, "OMG I can't wait for my husband to go out of town so I can make that???" ...what? That's only me?? Lol! The hubs HATES pesto. He will grimace if he even senses I may have used it on a dish. He tolerates mushrooms, but that's only been in the last ten years or so. FUN FACT: We've been together for more than half my life! Crazy, right???

Anywho, when I read this recipe originally I knew I would love it but for the two reasons listed above PLUS the fact that it was a vegetarian dish, I knew this was going to be a cooking-for-one sort of night. Who would have thought I would have two back-to-back posts about cooking for one??

This recipe is a great way to use up those end of summer tomatoes. It's also a really great way to satisfy the cravings for a hearty Italian meal when you are trying desperately to stay on track and be good (or...in the land of my 21 Day Fixers, you are trying to save a yellow container for wine!!). 

One of my FAVORITE successes EVER from a
21DF challenger!!!

Speaking of 21DF, I'm so PUMPED to start my next challenge group on Monday! It's a crazy time of year for our family with school starting back up, but that is all the more reason to have a fabulous accountability group making sure I get my workouts in and stay on track nutritionally. My last group just ended and the ladies lost an average of 5.5 inches each--and that's during the summer (aka the season of never ending pool parties and vacations!!). Everyone also reported some great "non scale victories" too--fitting in pants they hadn't worn in years, getting back into prepregnancy clothing, feeling confident, noticing the program become lifestyle not "diet."

 ...AND 21 Day Fix is on SALE through tomorrow. If you commit to giving Shakeology a shot for one month (and you know you're curious!!), you get 21 Day Fix for just $10. That's a no brainer, y'all!! Comment below if you want more info about the challenge group or the sale!! Ok, back to business!! I loved how quickly this recipe came together and how yummy my kitchen smelled! This recipe is a stretch on 21DF, but I would look at it as probably two green containers, a red container, a blue container, and 1-2 of your gray teaspoons. 

Margarita Style Portobello Pizzas 
(yields two servings)

Ingredients:
2 large portobello caps, stems removed and gills scraped out
2 tbsp prepared basil pesto
1 roma tomato
4 slices of fresh mozzarella (from the little ball; not a "Kraft" package ;) )
Salt and pepper
EVOO

Preparation:

You're going to LOVE everything about this.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While over is warming prep mushrooms by wiping with a wet paper towel, removing stems, and gently scraping gills (the blackish part inside the cap). Rub each cap with a small amount of EVOO and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place caps gill side down on a foil-lined baking sheet (clean up is SO EASY this way!) and roast for 5 minutes. Flip mushrooms over (now gill side up) and roast for an additional 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, use a serrated knife to slice the tomato and mozzarella. Remove mushrooms from oven (if any liquid has formed inside the cap, drain this off in the sink before "stuffing" the pizzas). Top each cap with 1 tbsp of pesto, 2 slices of fresh mozzarella, and 2-3 slices of tomato. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top of each pizza, and return to the oven for 5-8 minutes (or until mozzarella has reached your desired state of melty goodness).

 Serving suggestion: I enjoyed my pizza over a bed of quick sauteed spinach to add some "green" to the plate...and my belly :) I just heated a small amount of EVOO in a pan with red pepper flakes and garlic. Careful not to burn the garlic! Add 3-4 handfuls of baby spinach and use tongs to turn it over in the oil. Add a few tbsps of water to the pan and allow spinach to wilt. This whole process seriously takes no more than 3 minutes!!

Dijon Pork Chops with Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Kale Salad

You know when you need a recipe to get you in the right frame of mind for something? No? Only I'm that crazy? Figures.

We are on the final countdown to the last few days of summer vacation. Being a teacher has lots of perks, but one thing I could do without is the annual feelings of trepidation as we lose the freedom of summer and welcome the anxiety of a new year. Don't get me wrong--there is nothing better than the fresh start of a new school year, but that same feeling you got in your belly as a kid the night before the first day of school never goes away!

This recipe was a great way to reintroduce the flavors of fall without the overwhelming pumpkin-spice-on-all-the-things mentality :) This was one of the featured recipes on my clean eating challenge menu this week. If you haven't been following my facebook page or the blog for long, I regularly host FREE five day clean eating challenges. Additionally, if you are looking for a bigger push to get healthy, I host longer fitness based accountability groups, too!

Alright--down to business. The original recipe (as posted below) calls for a full pork tenderloin. Hubby's work schedule didn't allow for him to be home for dinner last night, so I subbed a single boneless pork loin chop. Method stayed EXACTLY the same (quick sear in the pan then off to the oven for a bit)...so don't let cooking for one be a detractor for you!! Buying the single pork chop at the butcher counter yesterday for a whopping $2 allowed me to not wallow in mommy self pity and actually enjoy a delicious dinner after little went to bed.

Dinner for one doesn't have to come in a
cardboard box!

Dijon Pork Chops with Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Kale Salad (serves 4)

Ingredients:

6 oz bonless pork chops (as many as you need!)

2 T Dijon

1/2 tspn thyme

1/2 tspn ground black pepper

1 tspn raw honey

               

Salad (makes about 4 servings)

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tspn onion powder

1/2 tspn oregano

1/2 tspn chili powder

1 cup cooked quinoa

2 cups kale

4 tbsp water

1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp  extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tbsp honey

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Toss sweet potatoes with EVOO, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and chili powder until coated.  Spread sweet potatoes on baking sheet lined with foil in single layer and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, flipping once.  

While the potatoes are getting started, mix dijon, thyme and pepper together and coat pork chops. Sear chops over medium-high heat in EVOO until it’s brown on all sides (about 3 min per side). Scootch the potatoes to one side of the baking sheet and add pork chops to the pan. Roast for 15-25 minutes until internal temperature reads 145 degrees.  Allow pork chops to rest for 4-6 minutes before serving.

While sweet potatoes and pork are finishing up are roasting, wipe out the skillet and add a smidge more EVOO. Toss in the kale and water and saute kale till tender. Stir in cooked quinoa and potatoes. 

In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic through honey and stir into quinoa salad.

Serve pork over quinoa salad.

Clean Eating Sunday Supper: Spicy Chicken Thighs, Okra, and Sweet Potatoes

Ever have one of those meals that just screams Sunday supper? This one does it for me. Every. Single. Time. This is going to be a quick little post, so forgive the brevity, but had to share this with y'all after my clean eating challengers RAVED about the chicken. Those lucky folks got to enjoy the leftover two different ways also--quesadillas and BBQ chicken pit-zas!

Mama, daddy, and toddler approved!

I can't recall where I originally found this recipe, but it is my husband's absolutely favorite way to have chicken. The toddler...well, she's quite picky these days. I've made a concerted effort to have dinner ready early enough that the three of us can eat together to hopefully eliminate some of the dinner time stand-offs. When this meal popped up on the menu for the week, I decided to make her piece of chicken without the spices (just the yummy honey vinegar sauce brushed on at the end). That little stinker of course didn't tough her chicken....but instead ate ALL of the chicken on my plate. Well played, tiny boss, well played.

**21DFers: Sub chicken breasts for the thighs. Change preparation so that chicken is baked for 10 min per side at 425 degrees. Kick on the broiler, then brush with sauce and broil for 60 seconds a side.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Thighs with Roasted Okra and Baked Sweet Potatoes


Ingredients:

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (pardon the large amount--remember how I said we used this for THREE dinners that week??)

3 tspn garlic powder

2 tspn chile powder

1 tspn salt + some for sprinkling

2 tspn cumin

2 tspn parika (smoked paprika is super yummy!!)

½-1 tspn cayenne pepper

6 tbsp honey

2 tspn apple cider vinegar

EVOO

pepper

3 sweet potatoes, cut in half (enjoy ½ a potato with your dinner tonight. We need one full potato for another night’s meal, so add/remove potatoes based on your family size)

1 clamshell okra, sliced from tip to end (leave end in tact)


Preparation:

**Your oven will work overtime with this meal, but if you’re strategic it all comes together easily!

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil to make clean up easy. Rub potatoes halves with EVOO and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Place on baking sheet, cut side up, in the oven for 15 minutes.

While potatoes bake, toss okra with a tspn of EVOO and a little salt and pepper. Set aside. In a large bowl combine garlic powder through cayenne. Toss chicken thighs with spice mixture and leave in bowl to soak up the spices.

When the 15 minutes is up, scoot the potatoes to one side of the baking sheet, and place okra on the other half. Bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn broiler on high. Set baked potatoes aside, but okra will return to the oven on the bottom rack.

Line the bottom of your roasting pan (you know the weird on that comes with your oven??) with foil for easy clean up. Spray the top rack with cooking spray. Lay chicken on pan.  Place chicken on top rack in oven (remember okra is on bottom) and broil for 5 minutes. Flip chicken over and broil for another 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together honey and vinegar. Brush mixture on chicken and return to oven for 60 seconds. Flip chicken again, brush other side, and pop back in oven for a final 60 seconds.

Serve up this yummy supper!! I enjoyed two small pieces of chicken, a half a potato (sprinkled with cinnamon), and 8-10 pieces of okra. Illegal not-so-clean tip: the okra is delish dipped in a little ranch!

Leftovers two different ways! That's what I call a #momwin!

3 Day Refresh Review: The Good, The Bad, and The Results!

The month May in teacher-land goes a little like this: treats in the lounge, teacher appreciation week treats, treats because we're tired, "Yes a latte sounds great," happy hours to celebrate the end of the year, luncheons to celebrate the end of the year, another happy hour to celebrate the last day...you get the idea. So with summer finally upon us and daily bathing suit wearing in my plans (pool in backyard = daily entertainment for toddler. Mom win!), I felt a little "fluffier" than I wanted to. Additionally, I had noticed myself giving in to cravings without being able to drum up an ounce of will power.

Enter the 3 Day Refresh.

I've done one round of 3 Day Refresh before. That was more of a "I want to know what this is all about" adventure." This time was "I need a reset like yesterday."

Day One meals! Fiber Sweep and yummy afternoon snack
not pictured :)

The Good:
-There's real food, y'all. Yes, the food is only in the form of vegetables and fruit, but this isn't juice cleanse or something radical.
-My days started with Vegan Chocolate Shakeology. You can't go wrong there.
-Fell in love with coconut sparkling water all over again. Perfect summertime drink!
-Forgot how much I really enjoy hot tea--was a relaxing way to end each day, and has wayyyyy fewer calories than the glass of red wine I had been sipping nightly before this Refresh.
-Dinner each night was followed with Vanilla Fresh (a protein packed vegan shake), so it was sort of like having dessert :)

The Bad:
-10AM Fiber Sweep drink. I will admit that this is 100% better than other fiber drinks I've gulped while doing things like a 10 day cleanse (why on earth did I ever do something like this for ten days when it can be done in three??????)
-Little hasn't been sleeping super great lately, so I really missed coffee on Day Two. Toughed it out and made it through the day thanks to some accountability from the husband and some friends!

The Results:
-Down four pounds
-Feel less "fluffy"...the perpetual teacher's lounge bloat is gone.
-Didn't go for coffee first thing this AM! I eventually had some because I love it, but I actually had enough energy to get my workout in first thing this morning.
-Got the slap in the face I needed. I do not need to eat every scrap that Little leaves on her plate. I will enjoy veggies with hummus as much as I would pretzels or pita chips.

I feel ready to dig in and cross some goals off my list now. It's almost like I needed this little wake up call to remind myself of why maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important to me. In fact, my lunch today was almost identical to the lunch I had yesterday on Day Three because that was what sounded good to me.

I needed this reminder!!

Check my facebook page (fb.com/fitfoodiefam) soon to see my hot husband's results! He's been such a trooper. I'm super impressed with how well he has stuck to the plan despite it being a really low calorie cleanse. He didn't even bat an eyelash when I reminded him we would be "refreshing" on our 8th wedding anniversary. Our toast to many more years just featured sparkling coconut water instead of prosecco this year :)

Interested in trying 3 Day Refresh? Follow this link, or comment below and I'll send you the deets and help you get back on track!

Hello Fresh Review!

If you've hung out on this blog long enough, you probably have a pretty good idea about how much I love to cook. I love preparing new dishes, I love making old favorites, I love sharing food with family and friends...I even love meal planning! Ha!

A friend recently shared her experience with the company, Hello Fresh, and I was intrigued. I'm not the best a bargain grocery shopping--but I can tell you that the cost of $69 for three meals that serve two people didn't feel like a steal. But...throw in a $40 discount on your first box with ZERO obligation to order another box? That felt just frivolous enough to hook me.

Individually wrapped, perfectly portioned dinners deliver to
to my door step? Yes, please.

Here's the premise: once a week, you log into your account and select three of the meals offered for the next delivery. So far, each week they have had a chicken dish, a pork option, a beef entree, and some sort of seafood to choose from. They deliver it the following week in a ridiculously well insulated box (with like a crazy layer of wool and MULTIPLE ice packs) sometime between 8a-8p. Each week our boxes have actually arrived after 8pm, but weather has been so nuts in Texas the past few weeks that I'm sure UPS is running like mad trying to stay on top of things.

First Hello Fresh meal: Pork al Mojo! Hubby's fave!

Week one we enjoyed:
-Pan-seared Chicken with Tomato-Barley Hash & Charred Broccoli
-Argentine-Spiced Steak with Couscous Salad and Cilantro-Scallion Chimchurri
-Pork al Mojo with Cuban Rice and Beans (hubby's fave of all the meals we've sampled so far!)

Mmmmm...the chimichurri was SO good.

Week two we've sampled:
-Cuban-Style Beef Picadillo
-Old Bay Spiced Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes with Tomato and Arugula Salad (my fave--but I added some much needed heat with smoked paprika and cayenne)
-Tarragon Chicken and Wheat Berry Salad
***I actually forgot to select me preferred meals for this week, so I was on pins and needles waiting to see what we'd be sent!

As someone who cooks often and tweaks recipes instinctively, I found myself modifying the recipes a bit to adjust to our tastes, but overall each meal was delicious. I loved that we were eating things that while the recipes would have intrigued me when I read them, I doubt I really would have added them to the meal plan. The flavor profiles have been far out of my comfort zone, but have all been super yummy. The clean up has been a cinch each meal, too (HUGE plus!). Biggest downside has been that we don't have much on hand for leftovers after these dinners, and I am a BIG fan of leftovers for lunch (both hubby and I have no problem eating the same thing for a few days, haha!).

Overall thoughts? I think I'll keep Hello Fresh in my back pocket for weeks that look I don't want to think about what we're eating and can't get my act together enough to grocery shop. It's definitely a splurge, but thanks to my little Beachbody income, it's one I can justify every now and then :) I love that by helping others meet health and fitness goals, I can have some "fun" money to spend!!

So...if you've stuck it out this far, here's a referral code you can use to earn $40 off your first Hello Fresh box! Can't wait to hear what you think!!

http://www.hellofresh.com/?c=KSBELW

Spicy BBQ Pulled Pork and Green Apple Coleslaw

As the temps climb, it's funny how quickly my food cravings change. Out goes the soups and stews; in comes the BBQ, cold crisp slaw, and fresh summer veggies. This recipe has been shared a few times on my facebook page, but a recent request for it caused me to dig it out again. It's proof that A) BBQ doesn't necessarily have to mean stretchy pants for days and B) that your crockpot isn't only good at serving up deliciousness when it's cold out! And when you crave some BBQ deliciousness on a holiday weekend like this one, but the rain keeps your grill out of commission, this is a PERFECT solution!

Want to serve it up a little healthier? Skip the bun and serve the pulled pork either in lettuce cups or over half of a baked sweet potato (sounds weird, but the spicy-sweet combo is delish!)

And...y'all. Don't skip the slaw. I have dreams about this coleslaw. It is THAT good.

Perfect Memorial Day meal!

Crockpot Spicy Pulled Pork

(adapted slightly from Pioneer Woman)

1 onion, cut into wedges

1 pork roast (mine was about 3.75lbs)

Salt and pepper

1 can (11 oz) chipotles in adobe

1 20oz bottle Dr. Pepper

2 tbpn brown sugar

Line crockpot with a slow cooker bag, or generously spray with cooking spray. Drop onion wedges in bottom of pot. Add pork—generously salt and pepper whole roast. Pour chipotles (and the sauce—that stuff is money!) and Dr. Pepper over roast. Sprinkle brown sugar over everything, place lid on, and cook on LOW for 6-7 hrs (pork should be falling apart at end of cooking).

Then I removed the meat, and used a slotted spoon to remove onions and peppers from the cooking liquid. I returned the pork to the crock pot and shredded with forks. There is a lot of excess juice—to serve, I used the slotted spoon to remove the shredded pork, and served on a whole wheat bun, topped with BBQ sauce (I love Stubb’s—no high-fructose corn syrup!) and coleslaw (see yesterday’s post!!)

Leftovers are AWESOME—pork enchiladas, tostadas, nachos…you get the idea! Or freeze the leftovers and enjoy sometime in the next three months!

Even the coleslaw leftovers are delish!!

Green Apple Coleslaw with Poppyseed Dressing

(adapted from Foodnetwork.com)

¼ apple cider vinegar

¼ cup mayo (I know, I know…)

¼ cup Greek yogurt (now I’m back!)

1-2 tbsp Dijon mustard

¼ cup raw honey

1 tspn salt

½ tspn ground black pepper

2 tbsp poppy seeds

1 bag coleslaw mix

1 bunch scallions, diced

1 large green apple, cored and julienned

In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider through poppy seeds. I poured about ½ a cup of the dressing into a small container to set aside leaving about ½ cup of liquid in the bowl—you’ll want to dress the coleslaw to taste. Toss in coleslaw mix, apple, and scallion. Cover bowl with saran wrap and let rest in refrigerator for 1 hour.

21 Day Fix Approved: Baked Chicken Fajitas

I have a GREAT group of ladies in the middle of their 21 Day Fix journey right now. I'm always inspired by my challengers, but something about this group and their tenacity, dedication, and positivity has me pretty overwhelmed. Add in that each of them has a list a mile long (don't we all???) of reasons to NOT be taking care of themselves ("I have a small baby at home," "I work full time," "I HATE cooking."....I could go on and on!), and I'm even more inspired by their successes. After just ten days, here are a few of the victories (scale and non-scale!!) they shared with me...

-"I didn't skip a single workout!"
-"I...realized how much water I was not drinking. I'm carrying a water bottle now."
-"I think I'm more flexible."
-"I zipped a pair of shorts I haven't worn in two years, and my waist is down a 1/2 an inch!"
-"I'm just proud of myself for not giving up...I'm only down a few pounds, but I love how Autumn reminds me it is one pound at a time."

Y'all. That's the reason I do this. It isn't about a quick fix. And even though this program is only three weeks long and usually has pretty ridiculous results (one of my challengers is down 18 lbs after two rounds of 21 Day Fix!!!), it's not about the "get fit quick" scheme. You aren't ingesting anything that isn't whole food based and good for you. There aren't weird supplements or creams. If quick results are all you are after, you need to find a different blog to read because I'm more impressed with the little victories like the ones I shared. These women have committed to making LIFE STYLE changes. Is it always easy? No. Are there days that are harder than others? Yes. But are we making small changes that over time will have a lasting effect for the health and well being of both ourselves and those we live with and love? Absolutely.

OK. Stepping down from my soap box :)

Last night I asked my gals what had been their favorite meal so far. The first vote was for this quick and easy Baked Chicken Fajita dish...that I coincidentally was making as the comment was posted to facebook, lol! I LOVE that in the time that it takes for my oven to preheat, I have the whole dish ready to go. Heat up some tortillas and slice an avocado while the fajitas are baking, and dinner is served!

Warning...your home will smell like a fiesta!

Baked Chicken Fajitas
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 Tbsp EVOO
2 tsp chili powder (I usually opt for 1/2 chipotle chili powder and 1/2 regular...I like heat!)
2 tsp tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as Rotel)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 small green bell pepper, cut into strips

Sliced avocado (optional)

Salsa (optional)

Corn tortillas

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
In a small bowl combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt.
Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat. Next add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are done. Top corn tortillas with chicken, vegetables, avocado, and salsa.