Portabello Mushroom and Spinach Chicken

This may be one of my new favorite meals!! I bought some big portobello mushrooms and needed something to do with them!! Chicken and mushrooms always go good together, so here is what I came up with!! Hope you enjoy as much as I did!! :)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Chicken breasts sliced thin length wise
• 3 cups fresh raw spinach
• 1 package fresh portobello mushrooms (sliced)
• 8 oz pack fresh baby tomatoes
• Farmers block cheese (or mozzarella - your personal preference)- sliced thinly to top off chicken (Approx. 8 slices)
• 1/2 medium onion diced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Place raw chicken in a glass baking dish.
3. Put spinach on top, then mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and then cheese.
4. Cook for 50 minutes or until pink is gone from center.
5. ENJOY!!

Whats really cool about this recipe is you can totally just make it a crock pot recipe also!

Simply put all ingredients the same way in the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours! Walk away and come back 4 hours later to an awesome dinner for the family!!

For more recipes, nutrition and health tips, and 1:1 support and motivation to help you reach your fitness and health goals, please fill out the application below to be a part of my next 30 day fitness challenge!

*My fitness challenge/support groups will be held in a closed group on Facebook where I can work with you on a daily basis! Requirements will be incorporating a Beachbody home fitness program of your choice (I help you pick based on your goals and level of fitness), clean eating and Shakeology to help you with your nutrition!

Clean Mediterranean Pizza

Mediterranean Pizza

I am not sure what it is with me and Mediterranean, but I have a small obsession... ok HUGE obsession lol! But as long as I can make it healthy, Im good with it! Tonight, I made my family this awesome clean Mediterranean pizza and my boys absolutely LOVED it!! 

I just realized I totally forget to add tomatoes on my pizza lol, so I'm adding those in my recipe, but its still great without too! 

Ingredients:

1 tube whole wheat pizza crust ( for 9 inch round )

1 large tomato

2 heaping cups raw spinach

3/4 cup organic pizza sauce

4 oz 2% mozzarella cheese block

4 oz feta cheese

3 tbsp Kalamata Olive slices

1 tbsp fresh Basil

Directions:

Roll out whole wheat dough into pizza crust onto a large round pizza pan.

Pour pizza sauce over crust and even out, leaving crust only 1/2 inch around the pizza.

Add raw spinach over sauce and cover the entire pizza.

Slice Mozzarella Cheese into thin slices and cover pizza on top on spinach. Add 4 oz feta cheese.

Slice tomatoes into thin slices and set on top of cheeses.

Add Kalamata Olives.

Sprinkle Fresh Basil on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 17 min.

Let cool for 5 min before serving.

ENJOY your amazing new Mediterranean Pizza!!

Mediterranean Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Mediterranean Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices rustic white bread or sourdough bread (I used Whole Wheat)

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 oz. Mozzerella Cheese (sliced)

1 oz. Wisconsin Feta cheese, crumbled

2 cups fresh spinach

4 Roma tomato slices

2 Tbsp diced black olives

1 Tbsp finely chopped red onion

2 tsp chopped fresh basil

1/4 tsp finely minced garlic (about 1/3 clove)

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a non-stick 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add garlic and spinach and saute until spinach begins to wilt, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, stir in basil and set aside. To assemble sandwich, spread Mozzarella and Feta cheese over one slice of bread into an even layer. Layer tomatoes in a single layer over cheese. Spread spinach mixture over tomatoes then sprinkle olives and red onions over tomatoes. Season with freshly ground black pepper and top with remaining slice of bread.

Spread 1 tsp olive oil evenly over skillet, add sandwich and heat over medium-low heat. Cook until bottom is golden brown, about 3 - 4 minutes, then remove sandwich from pan. Spread remaining 1 tsp olive oil evenly along skillet, carefully rotate sandwich to opposite side and return to pan over medium-low heat. Cover skillet with lid and cook until bottom is golden brown, about 2 - 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

This may be my new favorite lunch!!! 

Day 3 T25~

Day 3 T25 was yet another successful day!! This is what happens when you put your mind to it!!! If you believe, YOU WILL ACHIEVE!!! It is all about having faith in yourself and pushing until you get to where you need to be in life!! This is where I want to be.. healthy and happy with myself! I love the way I feel when I eat this way and I love the way I feel when I get great exercises in! I worked again today a 10 hour shift, but still got my T25 workout in and had great meals! Today was Total Body Circuit and holy crap was it intense! I think that is my favorite T25 workout because it truly works every part of your body.  Even parts you didn’t think you had!  For work, I ate very healthy and enjoyed every bit! I even got my water intake in!

I did get hungry in the afternoon, so I doubled up on my veggies.  Drank extra water and I was good!! I had FIT club tonight where I have a group together to workout and get motivated and didn't have extra food so I stopped at subway and got a 6 in chicken with whole wheat bread and lots of veggies!! Overall, great day and I still feel great, ready to chug some water and hit that sack! Im exhausted now and work again in the morning!! NITE NITE!! :)

Artichoke Lemon Pesto Chicken Pasta

Artichoke Lemon Pesto Chicken Pasta

Prep time:  35 mins Cook time:  20 mins Total time:  55 mins

Serves: 4-5 

Ingredients

•1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed (or chicken thighs if you prefer)

•1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise (get a BIG one)

•12-15 artichoke hearts, cut in half (I used jarred artichokes that were in olive oil for more flavor)

•⅓ cup walnuts

•4-5 tablespoons olive oil

•4-5 tablespoons vegetable broth

•2 garlic cloves, minced

•½ cup fresh parsley

•½ cup fresh basil

•juice of 1 lemon

•salt and pepper, to taste

•3-5 cups of spinach (optional)

Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 405 degrees (not 450, stop questioning me)

2.Cut the squash in half lengthwise, place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until squash gives when you poke the outside of it.

3.Use a spoon to remove the excess seeds then a fork to thread the strings from the squash. To make spaghetti, duh.

4.But while the squash is baking, make the pesto and chicken.

5.Place a large pan over medium-high heat, add a splash of fat and 1 minced garlic clove. As soon as the garlic becomes fragrant, add the halved artichokes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let cook until slightly browned and tender on all sides.

6.Once artichokes are browned, add them to a food processor along with the walnuts, olive oil, vegetable broth, and second garlic clove. Puree until smooth.

7.Then add the parsley, basil, lemon, and salt and pepper. Puree once more until smooth. Taste and add more lemon and salt and pepper to your preference.

8.Once pesto is done pureeing, add the chicken to the same pan that you sautéed the artichokes in.

9.Cook chicken over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.

10.Once chicken is cooked through, add in about ¼ of a cup of the pesto to the chicken along with the spinach, in the pan and mix well to coat. Cover and let cook for 2-4 minutes or until spinach is wilted.

11.Then add the threads of spaghetti squash to the pan (or a large mixing bowl if you need more room). Mix spaghetti squash, pesto, and chicken all together.

12.Serve with some fresh basil on top.

This recipe is from PALEOOMG which is an awesome site that I started looking at after a friend introduced me.. The recipes are awesome and I recommend using them!!

Prep Day!!

PREP DAY!!

I especially love Sundays because I get myself ready for the upcoming week.. It is all about preparing for success!! First thing in the morning, I make my meal plan for the week.  This way, I know exactly what I need ahead of time. Next is going to the grocery store and getting all my goodies!! I only get what is on my list, so this prevents any extra spending.  I go home and get right to prepping my food.  I cook everything, even the meats (yes they stay fine for the week), and separate everything by meal in PORTION SIZES! That is extremely important!  Many people may have something come up or are late and just throw a huge heaping size of whatever food they have and end up eating it all because it is there, not even thinking about the extra calories.  So I separate according to portion sizes so I only have what I need. 

For proteins like fish, chicken, lean meat, I separate into 4 oz sizes.  Yes, protein is great for you, but protein is higher in calories, so you just need to make sure you are getting the right amount!

What I love about veggies is they are a free food!! What this means is you can really have as much as you want and it will not affect you in a negative way.  They are low in calories and even can be used as a snack in the evening if you are in the mood for a snack!!

When I prepare my meals, I make sure I have my complex carbs (breads, pastas) earlier in the day when I am moving around and staying active.  My oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, bread, and wheat wraps are usually in my 1-3^rd meals.  I do 2-3 servings per day of the heavier carbs.  Some people like to stay away, but as long as they are not refined (processed), they are healthy for you and you need them for energy!!! 

YUMMO!!!!

I always make my meal plan so I can keep myself accountable during the week!!
This is part of my lifestyle, but also now my job! I love to do this, especially to post in my challenge groups to give ideas and for people to use it as a guide for themselves. 

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Meal 1	Shakeology w PB2 almond milk	Shakeology w PB2 almond milk	Egg whites , turkey sausage and ¼  c oatmeal	Egg whites, turkey sausage ¼ c oatmeal	Shakeology w PB2 and almond milk	Egg whites, ¼ c oatmeal	Egg whites, ¼ c oatmeal
Meal 2	1 green apple w ff string cheese	1 green apple, 1 ff string cheese	1 oz almonds ff string cheese	1 oz almonds ff string cheese	Yogurt with fresh fruit drizzle with pure maple syrup	1 oz almonds, ff string cheese	1 oz almonds, ff string cheese
Meal 3	Chicken salad made with greek yogurt on lentil chips, spinach salad w feta, cranberry, walnuts, vin oil	Chicken salad made with greek yogrt on lentil chips, spinach salad feta, cranberry, walnuts, vin oil	Mexican salad w meatless crumbles/ Spinach, black beans ff shred cheese, salsa, peppers	Mexican salad w meatless crumbles, spinach,  black beans ff shred cheese, salsa, peppers	chicken salad on whole wheat wrap, veggie stir fry	Shakeology w PB2 almond milk	Chicken salad with spinach , tomato, feta, cranberry, walnuts, vin and oil
Meal 4	Mixed edamame and goji berry,  2 hard boiled eggs without yoke	Mixed edamame and goji berry,  2 hard boiled eggs without yoke	Veggies w hummus	Shakeology w PB2 and almond milk	Veggies w hummus	Westons 1st Birthday party- OFF MEAL, making veggie pizza w whole wheat crust, fruit salad, lean burgers/dogs, taco salad	Lentil chips w chicken salad made with greek yogurt
Meal 5	Turkey burger w veggie stir fry	Turkey burger w veggie stir fry	Spinach salad w chicken, cranberry, walnuts, feta, oil n vin	Wedding- ordered chicken will have vodka with water and lemon to drink	Mexican salad w meatless crumbles spinach ff shredded cheese black beans	Broccoli/cauliflower salad made with greek yogurt, ff shredded cheese, turkey bacon	Broccoli/cauliflower salad left over with lean burger
Meal 6	Raw peppers w hummus	Raw peppers w hummus	2 hard boiled eggs without yoke	2 hard boiled eggs without yoke	2 hard boiled eggs without yoke		Shakeology w PB2 almond milk