Chicken Sausage and Veggie Stir Fry

Well, I've decided to start posting some of my healthy meals, regardless if there is an actual recipe or not.  I need to keep motivated, and looking back on here for healthy meal ideas will help me do that :)

Anyhow, I just threw this together for lunch...I had a package of broccoli/broccoli slaw/snow pea mix that I needed to use up and half a bag of quinoa/brown rice that needed to be used as well.  So this is what I came up with.  Now, this isn't 100% 21-Day Fix approved.  I did add an orange container of stir fry sauce, but I highly doubt 2 Tbsp of sauce is going to ruin my day!

I'm always looking for new ways to switch things up on this diet...feel free to share!

I counted this recipe as follows:

2 GREEN  
1.5 YELLOW  
1 ORANGE  
1 RED
2 tsp

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Stir Fry 
(for my one serving)

3/4 cup Seeds of Change quinoa/brown rice mix
2 Cups mixed veggies (I used broccoli, carrots, snow peas, broccoli slaw)
3/4 cup sliced chicken sausage
2 Tbsp Stir Fry Sauce
2 tsp coconut oil

Cook up sausage and veggies in coconut oil until tender and heated through.  Heat Seeds of change as indicated on package.  Stir stirfry sauce into veggie mixture until coated.  Enjoy!

21-Day Fix No Bake Cookies

21 Day Fix Round One Summary

Well, finished 21 days, and overall I think I am doing ok.  My total tally after 21 days is 7 pounds, 3.8% of my body weight.  I know I could have lost more, but lets just say I wasn't super strict to the eating plan...I went more by the 80/20 rule.  By the 80/20 rule I mean I stuck to my diet plan 80 percent of the time, which is pretty good.  I still saw results, even with going up a calorie level with the breastfeeding.    My biggest struggle....pop.  I love it.  I drink Diet, and I know that really isn't much better so I am trying to wean myself down to once a week like my hubby is doing.  I'm just not there yet.  The containers really aren't hard to follow, and I never feel STARVING, but I have had a few days the breastfeeding munchies have gotten the best of me.  

The exercises have made me stronger.  I can see more definition, and in the photos I took of myself I can see a big difference in the size of my belly especially.  As I continue the diet up, I plan on mixing up my exercises with the 21-Day Fix and T-25.  I am not quite ready for Insanity yet...maybe after this next round.  

Moving on...these cookies are great!  I dare say that I like these better than their butter-loaded counterparts!  I definitely got my chocolate fix from these and was able to enjoy a few out of the fridge the whole next week.  They are super easy...a 10-minute dessert that my whole family enjoyed.  Win-win!

21-Day Fix No Bake Cookies

1 cup natural peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup oatmeal
6 Tbsp cocoa powder

Melt peanut butter, honey and coconut oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Stir.  Once melted remove from heat and add vanilla, cocoa powder, and oatmeal.

Stir and drop by spoonfuls on parchment paper.  Place in fridge to harden.  Enjoy!  Place extra cookies back in the fridge for later.

I usually can make between 24-30 cookies with this recipe, depending on the size.

21 day fix container:  1 yellow treat swap

Recipe Source:  Pearls and Pushups

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

After my indulgent weekend with Mother's Day and Cinco de Mayo celebrations, I am getting back on track.  I am SOOO close to my pre-baby weight, my goal is to at least hit that by this Friday if not more.  That means no more cheats until the weekend!  I found this recipe that totally gave me satisfaction for lunch today.  I LOVE those little boneless buffalo bites you can get from Buffalo Wild Wings, Chilis, Applebees, and probably a bunch of other places.  I was reading on Beachboy that each of those little things can be over 72 calories EACH.  When an order comes with about a dozen or so, that adds up super quick!  

These little cauliflower nuggets totally gave me the feeling of my favorite little boneless buffalo bites and instead of using the dressing suggested below, I just ate a red container of cottage cheese on the side in between the cauliflower to cool my mouth off.  It really was a tasty lunch!


Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Yield: 6 servings, approximately ¾ cup Bites and 3 Tbsp. Sauce each

Container Count:  1 GREEN and 1 tsp. (per Beachboy)
½ cup low-fat (1%) plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
Nonstick cooking spray
6 cups cauliflower florets
½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt), divided use
½ cup hot pepper sauce
⅓ cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch, gluten-free (preferably GMO free)
2 tsp. ground chili powder
¼ tsp. ground smoked paprika
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine yogurt and cheese in a small bowl; mix well. Refrigerate until needed.
3. Lightly coat large baking sheet with spray.
4. Place cauliflower florets on baking sheet. Coat cauliflower lightly with spray. Season evenly with ¼ tsp. salt.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tender-crisp.
6. While cauliflower is baking, combine hot sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch in medium saucepan; whisk until cornstarch is dissolved.
7. Add chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, maple syrup, oil, and remaining ¼ tsp. salt; whisk to blend.
8. Heat hot sauce mixture over medium-high heat; cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Set aside.
9. Pour hot sauce mixture over baked cauliflower (on baking sheet); mix well.
10. Return cauliflower to oven. Bake for 5 minutes.

11. Serve hot with sauce.

*Note on equivalents: Per serving, the amount of yogurt and cheese found in this recipe is not enough to count toward a day’s Red or Blue allowance. As such, these ingredients (and calories) have been calculated into the tsp. equivalent.

Recipe Source:  Beachbody

21 Day Fix Creamy Chicken Salad

 Well, here's a newsflash for you...I have NEVER finished a diet plan, ever.  I also am just hitting my 6-week mark post-baby boy and am desperate to get these unwanted baby pounds gone...plus some.  So I am really putting my heart all-in this time.  Plus, the hubs is actually doing it with me this time which will make a huge difference.  AND I am in a weightless challenge to keep me accountable.  So, between all these things, I am hoping to stay on track.

The program I chose to follow is the 21-Day Fix.  If you have not heard of it, it is a portion-controlled diet along with 30-minute exercises.  The reason I chose this was the length of the exercises, the fact that it does not eliminate any food group, and I am hoping teaches me good habits for the future.  I have been experimenting with the workouts and a few recipes the last few weeks, but today is my day #1 of doing this full-out.  So far, I have been impressed.  I feel like there is no way I will ever eat the calories allowed (I bumped myself up  to the next higher calorie bracket since I am breastfeeding).  The best part is I do not feel limited on what I can have (besides the junk stuff)...just how much.

The other part of the diet I have really enjoyed and have been doing for about a week is drinking Shakeology.  The stuff is pricy, but it is delicious.  It definitely makes me want less junk and sugar by curbing my cravings, and keeps me fuller longer.  I am going to bite the bullet of the cost and keep it going, because it is full of goodness.  

This chicken salad is super yummy and the dressing is tasty as well.  Keep watching for my final review of the program after 21 days!

21-Day Fix Creamy Chicken Salad

Serves 4 (1 1/4 cups each) | Containers: 1 green if serving over romaine or 1 yellow if eating over 1 piece whole grain bread, 1/2 purple, 1 red, 1/2 blue, 1/2 orange

3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken breast (boneless, skinless) (I used turkey breast this time)
1/2 cup chopped green apple
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, cut in half
1/3 cup raw almonds
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup honey mustard salad dressing (see below)
8 cups shredded romaine lettuce

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

1/2 cup reduced fat (2%) plain greek yogurt
3T Dijon mustard, gluten-free
3T raw honey
3T rice vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
pink salt to taste
Combine the yogurt, mustard, honey, and vinegar in a medium bowl and whisk until combined

Then slowly add oil, whisking until well blended.

Adjust the salt until it’s totally awesome for ya!

…putting it all together

Combine all ingredients except for the lettuce in a large bowl, mix well, and refrigerate (covered) for 2 hours

Serve 1 1/4 cups of the creamy chicken salad over 2 cups of romaine lettuce or whole grain bread.

Recipe Source:  Fit Baby Steps

Turkey Wrap with Cucumber Cream Cheese

• Summer lunches for me generally consist of some sort of salad thrown together with whatever is on hand, sandwiches, or leftovers from the night before.  Every now and again I get on these kicks for making all sorts of wraps, which I love greatly and are so simple to make.  This one has 4 ingredients...including the tortilla.  Talk about a no brainer!  It reminds me of one of my favorite sandwiches from Einstein Bagels...yummy :)
• 
  
• Turkey Wrap with Cucumber Cream Cheese
• 
  
• 1/4 cup chopped cucumber
• 4 tablespoons softened cream cheese (or hummus, or laughing cow wedge)
• 3 flour or wheat tortillas
• 1/4 pound sliced smoked turkey breast
• (some sandwich sprouts would taste awesome on this as well :)
• 
  
• Stir cucumber into cream cheese, spread on tortillas, layer with turkey slices and roll up.
• 
  
• Recipe Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray