Guacamole Chicken Burgers

OH EM GEE!!! You GUYS!! These burgers are to DIE for!! I am totally a guacamole girl and always looking for ways to squeeze it in with out having to eat chips with it. This recipe is one of the best chicken burgers I've had, then top it with guac and BAM- we have a WINNER!

These are 21 day fix approved (1 red and one blue) AND will satisfy your cravings for a yummy burger any day! I didn't use any carb with this particular dinner BUT you could use a pita pocket with some lettuce and tomato -- that would give you 1 yellow and 1/2 a green all depending on how much lettuce and tomato you use!

GUACAMOLE CHICKEN BURGERS (Serves 2)

Ingredients:
1/2-pound ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2  teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 avocado (2 blue containers when mashed)
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:
1. Mix the ground turkey together with the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Split into two parts and form into patties
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 3 teaspoons of olive oil
4. Cook the patties, making sure they brown on both sides AND no longer pink on the inside.

Meanwhile, make your guacamole.
1. Mash together the avocados, lime juice, garlic powder in a bowl.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Serve burgers with a dollop (1 blue container's worth) of guacamole on each patty.

Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate pudding without the guilt! Give this a try this.

Total Time: 1 hr. 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1½ scoops Chocolate Shakeology
1 ripe medium avocado
1 medium banana, cut into chunks
1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Directions:
1. Place Shakeology, avocado, banana, and almond milk in blender; cover. Blend until smooth. (If too thick add additional almond milk.)
2. Pour into four dessert cups; refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until set.

21 Day Fix Containers- 1/2 red, 1/2 purple, 1 blue

Clean Eating Made Easy!

Lunch is served ❤️

Chopped spinach, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, baked chicken & avocado with fresh cracked pepper drizzled with a French vinaigrette.

Chicken & Zucchini Tex-Mex Stir Fry

Here is one of my fav Mexican dishes! Its super easy to make and is just as good the next day! I tend to use left over chicken to make this a quick and easy meal on the nights I don't want to cook! Give it a try & let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 lb. boneless, skinless COOKED chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
1 cup frozen corn (fresh works too!)
14 oz can of black beans, drained & rinsed
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp taco seasoning (homemade recipe here)
1 large zucchini, diced
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (optional - I didn't use this!)

Directions:

1. Preheat large deep skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion and garlic, saute until tender. Add bell pepper and saute for a few additional minutes until onions are translucent. Add in chicken and stir to combine.Sprinkle with cumin, salt and black pepper. Allow to cook for a few minutes to heat up the chicken.
2. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add zucchini and stir. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Top with green onions and cilantro. Serve hot, on its own or with brown rice.

Additional Toppings: Sour Cream (Plain Greek Yogurt), Avocado. Can also serve in tortillas!

Store leftovers in refrigerator covered for up to 3-4 days.

Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers

This is a great alternative to a traditional philly cheese steak!! My entire family LOVED it!!

Ingredients:

2 Green Peppers

1/2 Sweet Onion

1 Lbs Minute/Shaved Steak

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella cheese / any cheese of your liking

1 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

1. Cut peppers length wise and remove seeds and ribs. They should look like little cups! Place in a glass casserole dish and pop in the oven for about 10 minutes. Take out and set aside.

1. While the peppers are cooking, cut onions into long strings and sauté, on high, in olive oil until they're translucent.

2. Add steak, worcerstershire, and seasonings to cooked onions and cook until it's no longer pink

3. Return to your peppers and fill bottom of the peppers with a layer of shredded cheese

4. Layer on the onion and meat mixture

5. Add a final layer of cheese

6. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Until cheese is melted. If you want a softer pepper, add some water to the bottom of the pan and cover with tin foil.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

This right here, is one of my all time favorite desserts! Its so simply to make, no baking time, no wait time, just mix it all together and DONE!

This is not my photo but its the exact recipe I use :)

Chicken Sausage, Pepper, Onion & Potato Hash

Dinners at my house are always a little bit of struggle for me.

Generally the kids are cranky and I'm ready to relax from the long day but yep, dinner has to be made. Plus the Hubby is a steak and potatoes type guy and doesn't really love chicken or turkey. So I'm always trying to find a healthy balance between proteins and make yummy meals that he won't have to suffer through that aren't beef.

Normally, I'm a HUGE fan of prepping many things on Sunday so it lessens my work during the week. This Sunday was a major fail in that department so I'm paying for it now!!

Anyways, I found this recipe (on thetwobiteclub.com) and decided to give it a try and to my surprise it's really good!! I did change quite a few things from the original recipe to make it my own.

Chicken Sausage, Pepper, Onion and Potato Hash

Ingredients:

-1 package chicken sausage (I used Coleman Organic Italian Chicken Sausage) cut into 1/4 inch rounds.

-1 green bell pepper, diced

- 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, diced (I used all green! That's just what I had and I wasn't about to go to the store for a different colored pepper )

-1 onion, diced 

-3 small or 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced (I used organic yellow potatoes that didn't need to be peeled. Note: the bigger you dice your potatoes the longer they will take to cook)

-olive oil

-garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder (to taste, I added about 1 tsp. during cooking of the potatoes)

-salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1. In a skillet heat about 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced potatoes and season with salt, pepper and if you choose garlic, onion and chili powders. Cook until golden brown and completely done through. Make sure to stir a few times to brown on all sides. Mine took about 15 minutes to cook. 

2. In a separate skillet, brown the sliced chicken sausage in about 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Make sure to flip the sausage at least once to brown on both sides. If you sausage isn't cooked be sure to cook it fully. 

3. Remove sausage from pan and add the peppers and onions to the skillet and season with a pinch of pepper. At this point I did add a sprinkling of garlic powder but you don't have to. Cook until veggies are softened, stirring occasionally. 

4. Add the cooked potatoes and sausage into the skillet with the onions and peppers. Combine everything well and serve hot! 

((Note: I used two skillets for this recipe because I wanted to keep the potatoes crispy so I cooked them along side the other things so when the peppers, onions and sausage were finished the potatoes could go right in without cooling down!))

I served with this steamed broccoli and it was yummy! I hope you enjoy :)

15 Salads to Eat This Summer

Need some new salad recipes to add to your meal plan?! Well I've found some pretty different salads that look yummy but are definitely different!! Take a look at the 15 salads below! What one will you try?!?!

Arugula Salad with Chicken and Black Beans

Sometimes, the simplest salads are the best. Like this hearty 21 Day Fix recipe that has only 5 ingredients and can be made in minutes. Chicken and black beans add protein and fiber, and avocado adds healthy fats to make it a satisfying meal for lunch or dinner. Get the recipe.

Grilled Peach Panzanella

Panzanella is an Italian salad made with crisp, day-old bread that soaks up the juices of tomatoes and dressing. Our version gets luscious sweetness from grilled peaches, which are beautifully ripe right now. Get the recipe.

Spinach Salad with Quinoa, Chickpeas, and Paprika Dressing

This colorful salad is a show-stopper. Make it for your next potluck or picnic, or amaze your family for dinner any night of the week. Quinoa and chickpeas give it a hearty serving of protein, but the stars of the recipe are the piquant paprika dressing and the full cup of torn mint leaves. Once you taste this salad, you’ll want to add mint to all of your salads. Get the recipe.

Spinach and White Bean Salad with Orange and Grapefruit 

Brightly flavored citrus and creamy white beans make a perfect salad for any season. This recipe is light and refreshing for summer, and the orange and grapefruit slices are a real pick-me-up. It makes a great lunch to pack for work. Get the recipe.

Cucumber, Watermelon, and Mango Salad with Mint

Cucumber, watermelon, and mango make this summer salad refreshing and colorful, and chicken adds hearty protein to make it a satisfying meal. Top with as much fresh mint as you like! It’s a great make-ahead salad for a picnic or to pack for lunch. Get the recipe.

Summer Chickpea Salad

This salad of crunchy radishes, juicy cherry tomatoes, mild green onions, avocado, chickpeas, and feta is delicious with or without lettuce. For a different spin, I combined my leftover bean mixture with a can of tuna…and it was a revelation. Get the recipe.

Greek Cucumber Salad

Cucumber and onion go perfectly with salty feta and kalamata olives. Chopped fresh dill is a flavorful finishing touch. Get the recipe.

Orange-Jicama Salad

Jicama makes this salad crunchy and really filling! Soaking the matchstick-sized pieces of jicama in a lime juice and red wine vinegar dressing infuses it with lots of extra flavor. Orange wedges make it bright and refreshing. Get the recipe.

Tuna and White Bean Salad

This delicious tuna and white bean salad with tomatoes and artichoke hearts makes a hearty lunch or dinner thanks to 24 g of protein and 8 g of fiber. Get the recipe.

Watermelon, Feta, and Kalamata Olive Salad

Here is a new take on the popular watermelon and feta salad. Our recipe adds salty kalamata olives and fresh herbs for a surprisingly delicious Mediterranean twist. Get the recipe.

Kale Salad with Turkey Bacon, Egg, and Avocado

Our Social Media Manager came up with what she calls a “breakfast salad.” She topped kale with all of the fixings of a BLAT, and then we went crazy and added a soft-boiled egg and sunflower seeds. The result has become one of my favorites. I love the added crunchiness of the sunflower seeds and turkey bacon with the tenderness of the soft-boiled egg and tomatoes.  Get the recipe.

Fig Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing

Figs are one of those special summertime treats that should be enjoyed all season long. They add dimension and sweetness to this easy salad. Pile this on top of your favorite lean protein and dig in.   Get the recipe.

Kale Salad with Chicken

This crunchy kale salad with chicken, tomatoes, and sunflower seeds takes just a few minutes to make, so even people with busy schedules can find time to eat this healthy meal. It keeps well in the fridge for several days, so it’s also great for meal prep!  Get the recipe.

Arugula Salad with Peaches and Mozzarella

This recipe is one of my favorite ways to eat the sweet, juicy peaches that are filling the farmers markets right now. Slice them and toss with some peppery arugula, fresh mozzarella, and a drizzling of good balsamic vinegar. Not all balsamic vinegar is created equal, aged balsamic has a sweeter, more complex flavor that makes this salad sing. Get the recipe.

Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Walnuts

Fresh baby spinach is topped with protein-packed chicken, sweet strawberries, and crunchy walnuts. If you have cooked chicken on hand, and a bag of pre-washed spinach, this could be dinner in under 5 minutes. Get the recipe.

From: Beachbody Blog

Lemon Bar Shakeology

This shake uses real lemon juice and grated lemon zest to get the sweet and tangy flavor of a lemon bar cookie. The scent of lemons is a real pick-me-up, making this a great drink to wake up your morning.

Ingredients:¾ cup nonfat milk or almond milk
¼ cup water
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
1 tsp. finely chopped lemon peel (lemon zest)
1 cup ice

Preparation:1. Place milk, water, lemon juice, extract, Shakeology, lemon, peel, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.
2. Serve immediately.

Fixate

I feel AWFUL for not sharing this with you!!! So the 21 Day Fix is awesome, it is a program that everyone can do, it features 30 minute workouts and a simple meal plan that uses these cute portion control containers. I LOVE IT!!! 

Anyways, Autumn Calabrese, the creator of the 21 Day Fix and the 21 Day Fix Extreme, created a cookbook just for you Fixers, AND those who aren't! The brand-new cookbook FIXATE is filled with 101 fantastic recipes and it’s available today! Inside, you’ll find recipes for each meal as well as tasty treats for snacks and dessert. PLUS, there are gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian recipes as well!

This is a cookbook you WILL want in your collection!! For more details shoot me an email at JaclynCrowellFitness@gmail.com 

To purchase go HERE and you will find Fixate in the menu!!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

I don't know about you but I LOVE buffalo chicken. Its on of my favorites! Actually when I was pregnant with my oldest all I wanted to spicy foods. This was my go to when we ate out. I'm pretty sure I ate my weight in buffalo sauce back then!! Anyways, I found this awesome recipe for a healthier buffalo chicken and just had to share :)

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Servings: 26 • Size: 1 meatball Calories: 37 • Fat: 2 g • Carb: 1 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 4 g

Found at www.skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

oil spray
1 1/4 lb ground chicken
1/4 cup panko crumbs
1 large egg
1/3 cup finely minced celery
1/3 cup finely minced carrot
1 clove crushed garlic
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup Franks Hot sauce
1/4 cup skinny blue cheese dressing (optional) > recipe here
finely chopped celery leaf for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Reheat oven to 400 degrees! 

Combine the chicken, panko, celery, carrots, garlic, egg, salt and pepper into a large bowl and mix well.

Roll the mixture into uniform balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. 

 Cook for roughly 15-18 minutes all depending the the size of the meatballs you made. The internal temperate must be 165 to be safe to eat! 

Once out of the oven you can pour the hot sauce on them or do it per serving! 

I serve with skinny blue cheese (recipe link above!) 

Enjoy!! 

Eggs in Bell Pepper Ring

Sick of eating the same old eggs everyday?! This dish is easy and sure to add a little color to your morning with these fun eggs cooked in bell pepper rings. They are an easy brunch dish, too! Garnish with fresh herbs, like basil, dill, chives, if desired.

Total Time: 31 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 21 min.
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 large bell pepper, cored, sliced into 6 rings
6 large eggs
Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)

Preparation:
1. Heat large nonstick skillet, lightly coated with spray, over medium-low heat.
2. Place bell pepper rings in skillet. Crack an egg into the center of each ring. Season with salt and pepper if desired; cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until egg are cooked to desired doneness.

From Beachbody Blog

Homemade Energy Bars

Do you love granola or power bars?! The bulk of prepackaged bars sold at gas stations or convenience stores are loaded with sugar, preservatives, and empty calories. These homemade bars can be made in minutes and contain only good-for-you ingredients like fruit and nuts.

Homemade Energy Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup whole pitted dates (or prunes)
1 cup dried fruit (like apricots, prunes, figs, raisins, cranberries, blueberries, or cherries)
1 cup chopped nuts (or seeds) (like almonds, walnuts, cashews, sesame seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, or sunflower seeds)
2 scoops Shakeology, any flavor

Preparation:
1. Place dates, fruit, and nuts in a food processor. Pulse for 1 to 2 minutes; scrape sides of bowl.
2. Add Shakeology; process for 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture becomes tiny crumbs that can come together to form a loose ball.
3. Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with cellophane. Press mixture into pan until flat. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Cut into 12 bars. Store in refrigerator.

Calories per serving: 124

Tip: For additional flair add one or more of the following: ½ tsp. rum extract, ½ tsp. cinnamon, 1 Tbsp. raw honey, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, 1–2 oz dark chocolate chips, or 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger. Adding any of these items may change the nutritional information.

Vanilla PB Shakeology

This is a recipe I threw together because I didn't have ANYTHING left for fruit to put in my shakeo!! Normally I will throw in a half a banana and create a Snickerdoodle shakeo, which is absolutely delicious, but I didn't have the ingredients. It was right after my workout so I really didn't want to go searching for a recipe so I decided to try it with JUST peanut butter and cinnamon! Ah was it YUMMY! So I just had to share it with you!

Vanilla PB Shakeo

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
2 tsp. peanut butter
1 tsp. cinnamon (I wing it and just shake some in!)
4 ice cubes
Water (8-12oz!)

***
As always you can adjust the water and ice according to your liking!

For a thicker shake, add more ice.

For a creamer shake, use 1/4 cup milk (almond, rice, coconut, regular). Then more milk you add the creamer it gets!
***

This is expensive?

When I first heard about Shakeology I laughed at the price. It seemed so outrageously expensive until I really took a look at the ingredients. That's when I realized the value I was getting.

Shakeology is simply nutrition simplified. It's made with over 70 super foods with no artificial ingredients... I'll stop there and just SHOW you the nutrition value you are getting.

In one shake you are eating the nutrition equivalent of---

A bowl of exotic fruit  $4.40

4 cups of broccoli $3.94

7 whole carrots $1.99

10 cups of raw cauliflower $4.30

3 cups romaine lettuce $2.99

4 cups of uncooked mushrooms $8.97

3 raw onions $2.91

A cup of peas $1.09

4 cups of red radishes $5.16

4 cups of nonfat yogurt $3.49

PLUS

A shot of wheat grass $1.95

Now that is a lot of food! Can you imagine eating ALL of that? No I can't. 

I can however drink ONE shake per day that will help me lose weight, build energy and feel good. Not to mention this shake comes in a variety of flavors (chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, greenberry plus vegan chocolate and tropical strawberry). 

Now let's talk price. In one shake you would need to eat all the food mentioned above which totals $41.19 FOR ONE MEAL!!! Now that's an expensive meal! OR you could get the same nutrition with the ease of making it in 60 seconds for $4.33. That seems pretty reasonable doesn't it? Throw on the fact that you can get a discount to decrease the price even further and you are looking at the best shake for the value on the market.

Want to learn some more information? Feel free to contact me with any questions :)

Memorial Day Weekend!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!!!

This weekend is all about remembering all of our fallen solders and is generally accompanied by good food, celebrations and a 3 day weekend. When I was younger, my family would always do huge cookouts and spent time together. Many of my family members served so it was a special weekend for them. Now that we are so far from family, we generally try to get together with some friends or just stay home and do a mini cookout of our own.

As always cookouts and family gatherings brings yummy food that totally doesn't help our diets out! From the mayonnaise pasta and potato salads, the sweet and sour meatballs, baked beans, cheeseburgers. hot dogs and pounds of cookies, pies and chocolate, I get that its so hard to eat well, never mind sticking to your portions! I mean who can resist snacking here and there when the food SMELLS soooooo good!?

This year we decided to make it a little healthier but still just as yummy. Of course it made it easier that we #1 live so far from family so huge cookouts are not available and #2 it has been an extremely RAINY weekend which isn't really suitable for outdoor cookouts anyways. Anyways, one of the things we decided on was Steak Kabobs!!! I love grilled steak and veggies so this is right up my ally.

Picture of our first attempt at Steak Kabobs! It was the
perfect meal and even better as left over the next day!

To start we needed a marinade for the meat! I stumbled upon this recipe on Food.com and it was pretty awesome! You can tweak it to your tastes but make sure you marinade the meat in it for at least 6 hours, overnight is the best :)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
***Beef Kabob Marinade***

Ingredients
Yield 3 1/2 cups

1 1⁄2 cups oil
3⁄4 cup soy sauce (can use low-sodium)
1⁄4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dry parsley flakes
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup wine vinegar (I used white)
1 -2 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (or to taste, I used 1T)
1⁄3 cup teriyaki sauce
1⁄2 cup honey (do NOT use any substitutions use only honey)
2 small green onions, chopped (optional)


Directions

Put all ingredients except the green onions into a bowl and whisk vigorously for about 30-40 seconds (you can also use a blender!)

Mix in in green onions.

This recipe makes 3-1/2 cups of marinade, but may be stored in the refrigerator tightly covered in a glass container for up to 3 weeks.

*NOTE* marinate the beef, pork or lamb for 8 hours or up to 24 hours chicken up to 8 hours.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Once we were ready to assemble the kabobs, I just cut up the veggies. We used peppers (all colors), an onion, and whole baby Portobello mushrooms. We chopped them into bigger squares and the mushrooms in half.

Line up of the kabob went something like this:

steak-pepper-onion-mushroom-steak-pepper-onion-mushroom-pepper-steak-onion, pepper, mushroom-steak

START WITH STEAK- END WITH STEAK as my hubby would say :) Can't you tell we are meat eaters here!?!

We ended up bringing these kabobs to our friends house on Saturday and they were a hit!! Juicy and tender and grilled to perfection! It was the perfect way to control portions and get in your vegetables!

PLUS we had left overs so tomorrow night I'll take the meat and veggies off the skewers, heat it up and serve it over brown rice. Simple and easy meal made from our Memorial Day feast :)

Kabobs are awesome, just sayin' :) HAPPY GRILLIN'!!!!!

8 Healthy Condiments

Lets talk condiments... this topic can be pretty tricky since there are SO many out there. From ketchup to salad dressings you can find the right flavor to change up those healthy foods you are eating. You DON'T and SHOULD'T have to eat bland foods just because you think your new clean eating diet says so. It totally doesn't so please, PLEASE don't kill yourself trying to cut out all flavor.  Sure, if you really want to move the needle on the scale, you're going to have to cut out a lot of fat, sugar, and sodium, but that doesn't mean your new regimen of steaming, blanching, and boiling has to condemn you to a life of bland eating. Many condiments can spice up your cuisine without adding any calories, and in some cases, they can even accelerate your weight loss! Here are eight of our favorites.

 1. Ketchup

 Until recently, ketchup had been the king of the condiments. Americans have found very few meals that couldn't be improved by being drenched in tomato-ey goodness. And ketchup has quite a number of healthy properties. It's chock-full of lycopene, one of the most potent antioxidants around. The only problem is that most brands are also chock-full of sodium, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and sugar, which substantially defrays the health benefits of the tomatoes. But more and more ketchup manufacturers are offering low-salt, low-HFCS brands; and if you can get your hands on them, you can drench your favorite meals with nutritional impunity. Or for the culinarily inclined, you can make your own ketchup and add the amount of sugar and salt that is right for you.

Bottom Line: Look for organic brands that are low in sodium, contain no high-fructose corn syrup or buckets or sugar.

 2. Mustard

 This sharp paste made from the crushed seeds of the mustard plant comes in colors ranging from yellow to brown and in sharpness ranging from tangy to eye-watering. Mustard has practically no calories or fat to speak of, and even if it did, a little goes a long way. After all, it is one of the only condiments to be weaponized. It is worth checking the labels as some are high in sodium and others can add sugar or oil for flavor and texture, but generally, mustard can be consumed guilt free—as much as your palate can handle. There are lots of gourmet varieties with ingredients like horseradish, white wine, or jalapeños added for extra zest.

Bottom Line: READ THE LABELS! Also this is a FREE food for the 21 Day Fix!

 

 3. Salsa

 In the last decade or so, salsa has overtaken ketchup as the number-one condiment in America. There are literally thousands of different kinds of salsas, though most contain tomatoes, onions, and peppers as their base. Very low in calories and high in flavor, salsas are a great accent to any dish, but as with all commercially prepared items, attention should be paid to the levels of sodium and high-fructose corn syrup. It's a pretty easy thing to make yourself. A simple pico de gallo can be made by combining diced tomatoes and onions with minced cilantro and jalapeño and marinating those ingredients in lime juice. Make a big bowl on Sunday and have a healthy snack or sauce all week long!

Bottom Line: Stay away from jarred salsa. In the fruits and veggie section in your grocery store, they normally have FRESH salsa. Check the ingredients to make sure there are no added sugars or crazy sodium levels but many times there are just fine. Or make your own. Its simple and YOU can control what it is in!

 4. Hot sauce

I really don't use this condiment as much BUT I always have it in the house just in case! A little bit of hot sauce gives a ton of flavor with practically no calories, and the capsaicin (the "burning" component in chili peppers) is even believed to boost your metabolism. As always, keeping an eye on the sodium content is advisable.

Bottom Line: If you want HOT, use it!

 

 5. Soy sauce

 Needless to say, this isn't a very good part of a low-sodium diet, but there are low-sodium versions available (although low-sodium soy sauce has through-the-roof levels of sodium compared to most other foods). Some studies have shown that soy sauce contains even more antioxidants than red wine and, as a result of the fermentation process used to make it, high levels of probiotics. It doesn't have all the health benefits found in other soy products like edamame or tofu, but as a substitute for salt as a seasoning, you get a lot more nutritional bang for your buck.

Bottom Line: Don't drowned your food in it. A lot goes a long way when it comes to soy sauce. Limit using it to every other week and you will be good to go.

 

 6. Vinegar

 Vinegar comes in many different varieties—malt, wine, rice, cider, sherry, balsamic, and on and on. The word itself comes from the French vin aigre, or "sour wine." But unlike wine, vinegar has no alcohol and, depending on the variety, very few or zero calories. But it does have plenty of zip and tang. I find that a dash to my favorite soup or a sprinkle on my sandwich or salad adds lots of flavor without adding salt, fat, or sugar. In fact, studies have shown that vinegar helps stabilize blood sugar levels, and in one study, a test group of people who drank two tablespoons of vinegar before meals showed more weight loss than the group who didn't.

Bottom Line: USE IT! Its considered a FREE food in the 21 Day Fix!

 

 7. Yogurt

 Yogurt has the most calories and potentially the most fat of any of the condiments on this list. Full-fat yogurt, in fact, can have milkfat levels as high as ice cream. But low-fat and nonfat varieties serve as great substitutes for mayonnaise or a creamy dressing without adding too many calories to your dish. And with high levels of L. acidophilus and other probiotics, yogurt can also be very beneficial to your digestive system. Try mixing some plain nonfat yogurt with your favorite herbs or a little mustard or curry as a salad dressing or dipping sauce. Or try goat's-milk yogurt for some flavor variety.

Bottom Line: Go for Plain Greek Yogurt. I love Chobani and think it tastes the best out of all brands. Check it out the next time you are in the grocery store. At first I hated it but slowly my taste buds changed and now I use it a lot! Even in muffins! Check out this recipe>> Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

 8. Curry

 In different parts of the world curry can mean almost any number of combinations of savory spices. Besides the powder derived from the curry plant, curry powders and paste can contain many spices, including turmeric, coriander, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, and fenugreek. There are commercially prepared curries from all over the world, from India to Thailand to the Caribbean. Keep an eye out for salt and fat content, and you'll be on your way to giving your sauces, meats, fish, and vegetables a hit of amazing flavor without adding calories.

Bottom Line: Read the labels! Go for the brands with no salt or fat content in them!

10 Tips for Getting Your Kids to WANT to eat healthy!

As hard as it is to fight your junk food urges, if you have kids, you probably know that getting them to make smart food choices is triple the challenge. It'd be excellent if you could just yell, "Hey, you! Eat your spinach!" But you can't. As is the case when dealing with most aspects of a child's life, it takes commitment, patience, and some serious cunning to steer them down the right path.

Here are some ways to wean them into eating healthier!

1. Portion control
Digging into the entire box of goldfish crackers, or any other kid's snack, is a bad idea. So it's a good idea to empty out that box into smaller ziplock bags, for better portion control. Do this the moment the treats are pulled from the grocery store bags! This helps children understand what a healthy portion looks like. Meals and portion sizes have increased nearly 40 percent over the last decade. As parents, we have to teach our children that it's not deprivation—it's proper nutrition.

2. Sneak in the whole grains
Use whole-grain pasta and brown rice, but don't tell your kids. They'll never know the difference. No one, especially children, likes change when it comes to food. I like to use the "stealth" approach, i.e., fly low under the radar! When I switched my kids from regular pasta to whole-grain, whole wheat pasta, I did it in stages. First, I added just a 1/4 cup of the healthier noodles. Each time I added more, until eventually they were eating the whole-grain stuff and had no idea! They still have no idea! We had spaghetti at a restaurant the other night (the enriched-flour kind), and the kids said the restaurant pasta was "weird . . . kinda slimy!" How fantastic is that? The key is making the changes gradually and not making a big deal about them.

3. Lead by example
If you're giving your kids apples but you're eating Snickers, it's never going to work. Following a healthy diet needs to be part of the commitment of good parenting. Never use the "D" ["Diet"] word in front of children. When you do, and they see you eating healthily, they assume that healthy food is something you're forced to eat as a punishment. Lead by example. Say, "Mommy is eating this for more energy and to be stronger." Make negative comments about food without nutritional value. For example, when I do have the occasional "treat," I will often say, "Wow, that piece of cake gave me a sugar crash and a headache. Now I feel so sluggish!" Use positive comments about healthy food without reference to weight. Try, "I feel so much stronger when I eat fruit for a snack!"

4. Make food fun
Taste is something that changes over time. Our taste buds actually change as we age; this explains why some children will eat broccoli and green beans and others find the smell and taste worse than starvation! Continually introduce healthy food and find unique ways to introduce the food in stages. For example, your children might try a small amount of broccoli mixed in with their mac and cheese. Once you've gotten them to accept that as a regular staple, transition to broccoli with a creamy cheese soup. Eventually, your children may acquire a taste for steamed broccoli! Can you imagine the day? But starting right out of the gates with a big plate of steamed broccoli in front of a child who doesn't eat green things is asking for a battle! Baby steps!

5. Don't pressure kids to eat
Present the food, but don't force kids to eat it. Making demands will just polarize your kids, while letting them eat healthy foods on their own terms leads to healthy habits. If your first attempt doesn't work, don't take it personally or assume that this is a life-or-death situation. Take a deep breath, let it go, and try it again another day—try serving those healthy foods prepared in new ways. It often takes several times before your child will decide to try something new. Oh, and I don't know if this works for everyone, but I find that my children will often try new food with their grandparents and at their friends' houses, foods that they won't try with me! Ask what new foods they tried and then offer to prepare them, and get excited about their willingness to try new foods.

6. Be careful what you say
Everything a woman says about her body is like writing on the slate of her female child's self-esteem. I volunteer to teach exercise to children of all ages in the public school system. I have personally heard children as young as 6 say, "I'm fat!" Or, "I have a big belly like my mommy." Or, "My mommy doesn't want you to see her because she got fat." Seriously! Not only do kids hear what you're saying on the phone to your girlfriend, but they are projecting those negative images on themselves. It's unhealthy for you and your young children to be thinking anything other than positive thoughts about this amazing body that God gave you! Do your best to serve as a positive role model by speaking lovingly about your body and your journey to health!

7. Relax!
Food shouldn't be a source of angst for your family. Try to get your kids to eat healthier, but be creative, consistent, and calm. The bigger you make the issue of eating healthy foods, the more resistance you may feel. Play it cool. There are many studies proving that you can place salad on the table 10 to 15 times before a child will decide to try it. Remember that "insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result." If it didn't work the first time, try a different approach, a new way to prepare and disguise the food, and, again, remember the importance of doing this in slow, small steps.

8. Get kids involved
Let them help cook meals and learn to read food labels. Teach them what's too much sugar and what's an appropriate amount of fat. Teach your children what purpose carbohydrates serve in moderation and what they turn into when we eat them in excess. Pick one item and just find that on your labels. For example, this week my children have been looking at the sodium content on labels. They get a kick out of trying to find the canned soup with the lowest sodium content or shocking each other by reading a label with an off-the-chart level of sodium. Food shouldn't be a mystery. I meet adults every day who have no idea how much sodium, carbs, or protein they should be consuming, let alone how many calories. Let's create a more educated generation when it comes to food!

9. Think daily
Young children have shifts when they are hungry. A child will not starve himself or herself. We are so focused on eating huge portions three times a day, but naturally, most children will eat one full meal and graze at other meals. Avoid the bad habit of saying, "One more bite," or, "Clean your plate." These phrases teach our children that they are good if they eat more, when what we want to teach our children is to respond to their bodies when they feel full. Young children eat to provide themselves with energy. Eating to soothe sadness, eating to stuff ourselves, or eating because it's simply that time of the day are all bad habits we pass along to our children.

10. Read up on nutrition
Read books about food. Explain where it comes from. I highly recommend Eat This Not That! for Kids!: Be the Leanest, Fittest Family on the Block! It has giant pictures of common kid foods. It's fun to make a game out of learning which foods are best! Also, check out CalorieKing.com, which lists the calories for most every food you can imagine, not to mention the nutritional information for nearly every restaurant in America!

I hope this helps you in making your family healthier! Kids can be tricky but it can be done!!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is a yummy cookie recipe sure to satisfy your sweet tooth while sticking to your clean eating lifestyle!

 

 

Dine Out Without Diving Off Your Diet

When you start to eat healthily, dining out, which was once a bliss-filled, belt-notch-loosening pleasure, becomes a culinary terror.

Servings are super sized and smothered in butter. Enormous gallons of soda abound. Fries come with your order whether you want them or not. Very little veggies can be seen for miles. Not bad if you want a SUPER sized meal that probably accounts for two days worth of your caloric intake, but what if you DON'T what that? What do you do?

 No fear, I'm here to help.

 ***Please remember that even with our tips, restaurant dining is almost always going to be less healthy than what you can make at home. Try to limit eating out to once a week and make that meal your cheat. Its nearly impossible to make it as healthy as you could at home.

That said, here are a few pointers:

1. Make smart choices
Almost every menu contains chicken or fish cooked in a healthy way. Look for words like "grilled," "broiled," or "steamed," and avoid "sautéed", "smothered" and "fried."

2. Skip the appetizer
By definition, an appetizer is intended to get your appetite going. But when some appetizers contain more than 1,000 calories, that's not an appetizer—that's a full meal and more! If you do want an appetizer, ask your table if they'd be willing to split one of the healthier options like a salad, bruschetta, ceviche, or anything that's light on sauce and heavy on fruits, veggies, or lean protein.

3. Eat a salad
Greens are also a great option, but not all salads are created equal. Stick with salads that don't contain mayo (in other words, avoid the tuna and chicken salad), and ask for the dressing on the side. This way you can add your tablespoon or two, instead of having your salad drenched in it.

4. Skip the Side dishes
At many restaurants, the "side" is a baked potato, fries, or coleslaw. What does that equal? Unnecessary calories. If you'd like a side, request the salad (dressing on the side), fruit, or steamed veggies, even if you don't see them as an option.

5. No bread
Don't eat the bread. Does it taste good? Sure! But instead of eating something because it's in front of you, swap those empty calories for something you'd actually enjoy.

6. Eat half
Over time, American portion sizes have enlarged to gargantuan sizes. Restaurants often provide you not with one serving of pasta, but with as many as 4 or more. But if you have a hard time not cleaning your plate—after all, the food does taste good—request that the waiter split your order in half before they bring it to the table. That way you can enjoy your dinner as lunch later in the week.

7. No soda
If bread is bad, soda might be worse. That's because it's easy to consume massive amounts of calories fast. And don't even think about going the "diet" route. Those artificial sweeteners aren't healthy, and they can lead you to crave more sugary substances. Talk about a lose-lose! If you want something other than water, ask for unsweetened iced tea. It's calorie free, so you can drink as much as you want!

8. Dessert
Hmmm dessert is awesome but is it worth it? Granted, some restaurants use restraint, and focus more on unique flavors than on quantity, but if you're out with friends at the type of place where the dessert has more calories than your meal, and they insist upon ordering it, suggest the table split it. Then take a single bite and put your spoon down. It's not about denying yourself, but about making smart choices. If you really want dessert, skip the appetizer or reduce the portion of your main course, and again, portions matter. OR skip it and if you're still craving something sweet when you get home, enjoy some yogurt and berries or a piece of fruit.


9. Watch your Alcohol Intake

Alcohol inhibits your judgment and is VERY high in sugar. But if you do have an alcoholic drink with a meal, reduce your other carbohydrate intake. Best choices for alcoholic drinks are a glass of wine and light beer. Choose plain liquors, like vodka, whiskey, or gin, with low-calorie mixers, such as club soda, instead of jaeger or kahlua. Avoid mixed or specialty drinks like piña coladas or mai tais—they’re loaded with calories and sugar.

I hope this will help you make better decisions while eating out. Going out to eat should be fun and about eating good food but that doesn't mean you need to stuff yourself so full that you will sorely regret it in a few hours. Instead make going out to eat about the company that is joining you. Eating slowly and engage in conversations that will keep your mind off the food and on them.