Garlic Roasted Broccoli

I'm always on the hunt for new and interesting ways to prepare veggies.  And ways that my kids will eat their veggies without me having to drown them in some sort of cheese sauce (or bribe them).

So far, the one way that we ALL seem to love our veggies is roasted!  They take on a great flavor, and you can add any spices or seasonings that you like.  My 5-year old gobbled up 3 servings of this broccoli.  Unfortunately, I added a bit too much red pepper flakes for my other two younger ones, but know better for next time! 

Lots of garlic, salt and pepper to taste and red pepper flakes if you like.  Toss with olive oil (the above picture is before they went in the oven).  Is simple and easy and is an awesome side dish for fish or chicken. 

  

Serves 4

Garlic Roasted Broccoli

2 big or 3 smaller heads of broccoli

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

pinch of red pepper flakes 

sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Cut the broccoli florets off of the stalks and cut each one into bite size pieces.  Place the broccoli on a baking sheet large enough to have them in a single layer.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle the garlic, red pepper and salt and pepper over top and mix with your hands until all the broccoli pieces are coated evenly with everything.  Roast for 20-25 minutes or until they are crisp-tender and some of the florets are browned.  Serve immediately. 

21-Day Fix Meal Plan: June 15, 2015

Just three more weeks left of P90X3!!  This week is Block 3, Week 3.  We just got back from vacation so I am MORE than ready to commit back fully to the 21-Day Fix meal plan while wrapping up X3.  This month the weeks alternate so this is a repeat of Block 3, Week 1.  Love this week!  Complex Lower is amazing - and truthfully I'm glad it's Yoga instead of Pilates as the active recovery day.  

Here is the meal plan I am following this week.  Like I said, it is following the 21-Day Fix.  Each color represents a different color coded portion control container (want more info?  Keep scrolling). 

  

{Click the picture to download or print this meal plan} 

I am following the 1800-2099 calorie bracket.  I am on the maintenance plan, plus nursing so I need the calories.  I did try to do one bracket lower and just ended up cheating way too often.  

Here are a couple of the recipes from this week: 

Balsamic Vinaigrette

6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Combine vinegar, lemon juice and honey in a medium bowl; whisk to blend.  Stir in mustard; mix well.  Slowly add the oil while whisking; mix well. 

Asian Marinade Salmon

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place pieces of salmon in the middle. Fold up all four sides, drizzle the marinade evenly over the salmon, then fold the foil over the salmon, sealing the packet closed.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes, then open the packet and broil for 2-3 minutes until you get a little caramelization.  

Honey Cilantro-Lime Grilled Chicken

Eggplant Parm

Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Veggie Corn Chowder from 100 Days of Real Food cookbook 

Turkey Paninis from the Skinnytaste cookbook (but I use tomato instead of roasted red pepper)

~ Other Beachbody News ~ 

Upcoming Challenge Groups and Sales:

The 21-Day Fix Original and Extreme are on SALE this month for just $10 more than Shakeology alone.  Such a GREAT deal!  I love 21-Day Fix meal plan and have never felt better following it. More energy, less bloat, sleeping great!  If you are interested in learning more about the 21-Day Fix workouts (Extreme or original) or even Shakeology, be sure to fill out the form below.  Or if you are ready to purchase, click the links below!

 Yes, I'm interested in learning more!

Purchase the 21-Day Fix Challenge Pack

Purchase the 21-Day Fix Extreme Challenge Pack

Have you heard about Beachbody On Demand yet??  With BOD, you get unlimited access to stream hundreds of world-class Beachbody workouts - anytime, anywhere.  Workout from your laptop, smartphone or tablet.  As long as you can connect to the Internet, you can work out with Beachbody, no DVDs required!

Get More Info

Beachbody On Demand Enrollment Form

Purchase the Club Member Challenge Pack

Still have additional questions?  Feel free to fill out the form to get in touch with me!

Name:

Email *

Message *

Homemade Magic Shell

This, to me and especially my kids, IS like MAGIC!  How very cool to watch it go from runny to a crisp, chocolate shell when poured over ice cream.

Only two ingredients - chocolate and coconut oil.  Which, if you are like our house, we are never without coconut oil.  It has pretty much become a replacement for all butters and oils and we all love it!  I love knowing that this is so much better for my kids than the store-bought version full of preservatives.  

You can use dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet, peanut butter chips or even a combination!  How good would chocolate peanut butter be?! 

I store mine in a little jelly jar I saved.  Just reheat whenever you feel like a bit of ice cream, drizzle, watch the magic happen, and enjoy!!

Makes about 1 cup

Homemade Magic Shell 

1 1/2 cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 TBSP coconut oil

Melt together in the microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted. Drizzle over ice cream and store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge.  Reheat in the microwave when serving again.

21-Day Fix Meal Plan: June 8, 2015

This week will be Block 3, Week 2 of P90X3.  It quickly became my favorite program and I know I'll have a hard time doing something else after I'm done!  My goal was to build muscle, which I have - and in fact have gained 6 pounds since I stared two months ago.  Feeling fit and strong!  Add in clean eating and Shakeology everyday, I'm the healthiest I have EVER been.    

Here is the meal plan I am following this week.  It is following the 21-Day Fix.  Each color represents a different color coded portion control container (want more info?  Keep scrolling...) ~ 

{Click the picture to download or print this meal plan} 

I am following the 1800-2099 calorie bracket.  I am on the maintenance plan, plus nursing so I need the calories.  I did try to do one bracket lower and just ended up cheating way too often.  

Here are a couple of the recipes from this week: 

Creamy Herb Dressing

1 medium avocado

1 1/2 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt

4 tablespoons cilantro (or tarragon, mint, dill, etc)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 dash of ground pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place avocado, yogurt, herbs, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Continue blending and slowly add the olive oil.  Store in the fridge, tightly covered until ready to use. 

Honey Cilantro-Lime Grilled Chicken

Eggplant Parm

Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken

Turkey Paninis - from the Skinnytaste Cookbook (but I use tomato instead of roasted red pepper)

~ Other Beachbody News ~ 

Upcoming Challenge Groups and Sales:

The 21-Day Fix Original and Extreme are on SALE this month for just $10 more than Shakeology alone.  Such a GREAT deal!  I love 21-Day Fix meal plan and have never felt better following it. More energy, less bloat, sleeping great!  If you are interested in learning more about the 21-Day Fix workouts (Extreme or original) or even Shakeology, be sure to fill out the form below.  Or if you are ready to purchase, click the links below!

 Yes, I'm interested in learning more!

Purchase the 21-Day Fix Challenge Pack

Purchase the 21-Day Fix Extreme Challenge Pack

PiYo is one of my absolute favorite programs (Pilates + yoga fusion).  You will move and you will sweat, but you will feel BETTER when you are done.  I'm actually adding new challengers to my PiYo group EVERY Monday since this program is so popular.  It's on SALE this month with Shakeology for practically the cost of Shakeology alone (but only until June 15th!).  You can sign up to learn more about my PiYo challenge group or if you are ready now, click to purchase! 

PiYo Challenge Group

Click to purchase the PiYo Challenge Pack

Have you heard about Beachbody On Demand yet??  With BOD, you get unlimited access to stream hundreds of world-class Beachbody workouts - anytime, anywhere.  Workout from your laptop, smartphone or tablet.  As long as you can connect to the Internet, you can work out with Beachbody, no DVDs required!

Get More Info

Beachbody On Demand Enrollment Form

Purchase the Club Member Challenge Pack

Still have additional questions?  Feel free to fill out the form to get in touch with me!

Name:

Email *

Message *

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Ok so if you follow me and my blog, you know I'm ALL about easy.  Well, this dinner goes beyond easy to E-A-S-Y.  Two ingredients - chicken and salsa.  That. Is. It!!

This is not a new invention.  I mean I'm hardly even writing a recipe here.  I just wonder WHY I have never done this before.  It was so perfect to throw together when I had a busy afternoon, but was having company for dinner.  Company that included kids so tacos was kind of the perfect solution anyway!

  

Dump the chicken and salsa into the Crock Pot, turn on and go about your day.  This will take you 30 seconds and your dinner will be done.  Just prepare your fixings/toppings and you'll be set!  For our tacos, I did tomato, red onion, lettuce, avocado and a squeeze of lime. 

  

Makes about 6 cups

Salsa Crock Pot Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups homemade or favorite jarred salsa

Combine the chicken and salsa in the Crock Pot and cook on low for 8 hours, high for 4 hours.  Serve warm on tortillas, lettuce, etc. with your favorite taco toppings.

Tzatziki

This to me is the freshest of fresh tasting dips!  I think it's the cucumbers - really just reminds me of summertime.  Plus, I got them from my local farmers' market so I think that makes it all the more fresh tasting.  

Yes, I was dipping cucumbers in my tzatziki!  I couldn't help myself.  It was so good.  I served this with another recipe that is coming up soon - Crock Pot Chicken Gyros.  Tender chicken, slow cooked with lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, red onion - oh my!  The cool tzatziki went so well with it!!

If you are using regular plain yogurt, you will have to allow several hours to strain it - really to get it to about the thickness of Greek yogurt.  So, I just used Greek yogurt.  No waiting!  This actually freezes really well too.  Just place in the fridge overnight to defrost the day before you plan on using. 

Makes about 3 cups

Tzatziki

32 ounces plain Greek or regular yogurt

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and seeded

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

salt and pepper to taste

Strain yogurt using a cheesecloth over a bowl (coffee filter will work too) for a couple of hours or overnight to get out as much moisture as possible.  If using Greek yogurt, you can omit this step.  

Shred or grate the cucumbers (I used the shredder attachment on my food processor) and blot them with a paper tower or clean kitchen towel to get rid of as much moisture as possible.

In a food processor (or mix by hand), combine the yogurt, shredded cucumbers, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice.  Pulse on low until just combined.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Keep in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.  Store leftovers in fridge or freezer and always serve cold.