Simple Spagetti Squash Skillet

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: 
**Courtesy of Clean Food Crush


Serves 4
For the spaghetti squash Prep:

1. Cut a medium spaghetti squash in half, scoop out seeds.
2. Very lightly coat the inside with olive oil.
3. Bake @375 degrees f skin side up, on a flat sheet pan for about 45 minutes.
4. Cool just a bit
5. Use a fork to shred “spaghetti” out of the skin.
6. Use paper towels to soak up moisture just a bit.

For the Skillet:
Ingredients:

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb lean ground Beef (grass fed, if possible) or lean ground Turkey
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans organic diced tomatoes, OR 3 cups FRESH diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can organic tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Sprinkling of all-natural parmesan cheese (optional, omit for dairy-free)

Instructions

For the spaghetti squash Prep:
1. Cut a medium spaghetti squash in half, scoop out seeds.
2. Very lightly coat the inside with olive oil.
3. Bake @375 degrees f skin side up, on a flat sheet pan for about 45 minutes.
4. Cool just a bit
5. Use a fork to shred "spaghetti" out of the skin.
6. Use paper towels to soak up moisture just a bit.
For the Skillet:
7. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, crumble in meat and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Drain fat, set cooked meat aside.
8. Heat olive oil in skillet, once hot and add onion and green peppers and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes, adding in garlic & mushrooms during last 30 seconds of sautéing.
9. Pour in diced tomatoes, and sauce. Stir in fresh parsley, the basil, oregano, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Bring just to a gentle boil then add cooked spaghetti squash noodles and cooked meat, stir and submerge noodles in liquid, then reduce heat to a simmer for 2 minutes until heated through.
11. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and a touch of parmesan, serve warm.

Clean NO Bake Chocolate Bars

Recipe of the Week: Clean NO Bake Chocolate Bars


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Ingredients:

1 Cup All Natural Peanut Butter ( Almond Butter would also be yummy)

2/3 C Honey

1/2 C Coconut Oil

2 Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1 C Dark Chocolate Chips

3/4 C Craisens

1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions:

Melt PB, Honey, and Coconut oil until melted and delightful in a heavy saucepan - remove from heat and add remaining ingredients - poor into a lightly greased 9×13 pan. The HARDEST part waiting 2-3 hours for the bars to set up!

AND that really is it!! :)

Baked Vanilla Oatmeal with Nutmeg

Recipe of the Day!

Feels like fall in the Boston area today so I've been researching some yummy, but healthy fall recipes. I think that oatmeal is definitely a fall/winter favorite of mine -- cheap, healthy, and easy to make!

Check out this recipe I found on the Team Beachbody Site!

You can literally bake this an have enough bfast for the week!

Baked Vanilla Oatmeal with Nutmeg
(1 serving = 2 yellows on 21-Day Fix or Portion Fix)

Total Time: 50 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 40 min.
Yield: 8 servings, about 2/3 cup each

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp. raw honey

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with spray.
3. Combine oats, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.
4. Combine almond milk, extract, eggs, applesauce, and honey in a large bowl; whisk to blend.
5. Add oat mixture to milk mixture; mix well.
6. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until top has browned.

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

As preseason football is here, here is a great 21-Day Fix friendly appetizer for you to enjoy as you watch the games! 

Serves 2

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

15 min

INGREDIENTS

1. 1/2 cup of cottage cheese
2. 1 cup of baby spinach
3. 1/2 cup canned or bottled artichoke hearts, finely diced
4. 1/4 tsp minced garlic
5. 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
6. Salt and pepper to taste
7. 1 Whole Wheat Pita

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit
2. In a saucepan over medium heat cook your cottage cheese for 1 minute. Add minced garlic and mix around. Cook until cottage cheese starts to bubble.
3. Add spinach and artichoke to the cottage cheese and cook until spinach is wilted. 1-3 more minutes. Add half the cheese and mix just until it begins to melt.
4. Add salt and pepper.
5. Transfer cottage cheese mixture to a food processor and pulse a few times. Do not over-pulse or you will end up with too much liquid. You want the cottage cheese to still be a bit lumpy.
6. Transfer to a small ramekin and pour remainder of cheese on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and starts to bubble.
7. Serve hot with veggies or home-made pita chips (Cut a pita into traingles and place on a baking tray. Spray with cooking spray. Bake them in the oven while your dip is baking)!

CONTAINER COUNT

1. Each serving equals .5, .5, 1 and .5 if served with pita!

21-Day Fix Approved Chipotle Chicken!

This recipe totally reminds me of Chipotle's burrito bowl!!  Since there isn't a Chipotle close to home for me and I can never make a good guess on it's calories, I'll surely be adding this recipe to my family's dinner menu!!

Plus, taking a look at this meal, no one can ever claim that the 21 Day Fix eating plan is bland or will leave you feeling deprived!

This meal makes about 5 servings (or 4 if your husband enjoys a larger portion, such as mine does).

Chipotle Chicken, Lime Quinoa, and Avocado Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Chipotle Chicken

Ingredients

• 1.25 lbs of Chicken Breast Tenders
• 2-3 tsp Chipotle Powder (to your taste)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 tbsp Chopped Cilantro
• 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1.5 Tbsp Honey or 1/2 Tbsp Stevia

Directions

Combine all of the above ingredients into a sealed container or ziploc bag and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for several hours. (I usually throw this together the night before or over my lunch hour.)

Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour the chicken and the marinade into the skillet and cook until browned on both sides and the chicken is cooked through. About 4 minutes per side.

Lime Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 cup Quinoa
• 2 cups Water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tsp Coconut Oil
• Zest and Juice from 2 Limes

Directions

Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve and then transfer to a medium pot. Add all of the ingredients except for the lime zest and juice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes, covered, until the water is absorbed. Add the lime juice and zest and fluff with a fork.

Avocado Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Salad Ingredients

• 2 cups Chopped Romaine and Spinach
• 1/2 small Cucumber, sliced
• 1/2 Tomato, chopped
• 1 Green Onion, chopped
• 1 Avocado, sliced

Cilantro Lime Dressing Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Honey or 1/2 tbsp Stevia
• 1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Cilantro, chopped
• 1 Lime, juiced
• Fresh Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

Prepare the vegetables for the salad and toss together in a large bowl. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the Cilantro Lime Dressing and pour over the salad.

If you are following the 21 Day Fix program, per serving: 1 Red for the chicken, 1 Green for the salad, 1 Yellow for quinoa, 1 Blue for the avocado, 1.5 tsp for the dressing!