Clean Eating Sweet and Sour Chicken

Every so often I get a CRAVING for some yummy Chinese food but unfortunately what I want rarely aligns with my health and fitness goals so I have to pass on the take-out, BUT I don't have to pass on my favorite dishes!!

Not too long ago I came up with an AMAZING Chicken Fried Rice recipe that is now a staple in our house. And last night I whipped up this Sweet and Sour Chicken that was to die for!! I think Ruben must have said "babe this is REALLY good" six times...no joke!! And my little picky eater Jayden who'd eat breakfast 24/7 if he could, gobbled it right up!!

          

           

INGREDIENTS: 1/3 cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos 2 tbsp raw local honey 2 cloves garlic, minced (I used a HUGE scoop of minced garlic from the jar...probably 3 tbsp lol) 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (good thing I had a few packets on hand from the last pizza delivery night!) 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 breasts), chopped into 1-inch pieces 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, chopped into chunks 2 cups canned pineapple chunks in juice NOT syrup 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa, optional
INSTRUCTIONS: In a small bowl, whisk together Bragg's Liquid Aminos, honey, garlic and pepper flakes. 

In a gallon sized ziplock bag place chopped chicken and marinade mixture over chicken, tossing gently. zip closed, getting all air out, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 

Add chicken and marinade and sauté for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 

Add bell peppers and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender. 

Add pineapple and cook for 2 more minutes. 

Serve over (optional) brown rice or quinoa!!

21 Day Fix info:
*So I measured everything out with my 21 Day Fix containers using the ingredients above before I mixed it all together so I would have accurate portions.

* The TOTAL recipe was 4 red containers, 4 green containers, 4 orange containers, 2 purple containers. 

*I like to keep things simple so I divided the entire skillet into 4 servings. Each SINGLE SERVING is 1 red, 1 green, 1 orange, 1/2 purple. If you serve it over rice or quinoa you will add 1 yellow

ENJOY!!!

Clean Eating Super Bowl Appetizers and Tips

According to USA Today, the Super Bowl is "only second behind Thanksgiving for the average amount of calories consumed in a day." Is it bad that that statistic didn't surprise me??? It's no wonder when there are so many appetizers, pizzas and beers flowing that in the matter of a couple hours some SERIOUS caloric damage can be done!!

But don't worry!! I have put together some great tips to help keep you in the "healthy lifestyle game" and not sitting on the bench with guilt and stomach cramps all night!! I've also compiled some of my favorite healthy Super Bowl party foods so you can celebrate without the super-high calories, fat, and sodium. Don't forget to get up at halftime and dance to the music or get outside to throw the ball with your friends, neighbors, and loved ones. That way you can enjoy some great food and keep moving too.

The key to any appetizer is to go in moderation.  It is not a meal and it is not a free pass to indulge because it is clean or healthy.  There is such a thing as too much of a good thing!!!  So while hummus and guacamole are good fats they can also be bad if you fill half your plate with them!

If you are attending a football party where you have no control over the menu here are a few suggestions:

1.  Pre-Eat:  Yup! Eat BEFORE you even leave your house! Don't rely on what is being provided and HOPE that it is clean!  Most likely it won't be.  Most parties wont even have a veggie tray or green salad to choose from!  I always have either a shake or a light but filling meal before I go.  Then, spend my time socializing and hanging out with people instead of mingling at the food buffet. I strategically place myself far from the buffet actually, because its SO easy to just be chatting and keep reaching down for anther chicken wing, egg roll or stuffed mushroom!

2.  Choose small plates:  Grab an appetizer plate and load up on veggies and fruit.  Stay away from creamy dips and fried foods.  The small plates will remind you to stay within your portion sizes.  When you have bigger plates you tend to feel the need to fill it up! Also eat slowly from this small plate. Just because its less food than you would put on a bigger plate doesn't mean that its your opportunity to scarf it down and go back for seconds or thirds!

3.  If there is something that you want to splurge on, evaluate the situation.  Is this what you want to splurge on? What else will you forgo instead?  Will you stay away from all other chips and cookies so you can have cake?  Will you stay away from Alcohol for chips?  Your choice, but you can't have a bangin body and eat your cake too!  The power is in your hands, how bad do you want it?

4.  Drink lots of water:  If you decide to have a few drinks, stay hydrated!  Go with your low calorie options like vodka and soda water with a splash of lemon or lime. And for every alcoholic beverage you should drink a large 12 oz glass of water. 

5.  Stay away from certain ingredients:  Stay away from anything that is made with mayonnaise, cream cheese, sour cream or heavy cream and milk.  Lots of unwanted calories and fat hidden in there! It doesn't make a difference if it's low fat cream cheese, light sour cream or mayo it's still not a good option.  To clean up a recipe with those ingredients try Greek yogurt!  Most people can't tell the difference between sour cream and Greek Yogurt!!   

6. Get up and get moving!!: Durning the game it's pretty common to only get off your keyster to get more food or use the restroom. So take advantage of the break at Half-Time to get out and throw your own ball around the yard with the neighbors, take the kids to the local park or if you just absolutely CAN'T miss the coveted Half-Time show round up your guests and do this workout throughout the game and see who can stick it out till the end!

So, now that you are armed with some tips here are the recipes to go with it!

One of my favorite party appetizers are the Turkey, Pepper, Avocado Rolls

Turkey, Pepper & Avocado Rolls

3 slices of low sodium, nitrate free turkey breast 

1/8 medium avocado sliced

1/2 medium bell pepper sliced into 6 pieces

Top each slice of turkey with bell peppers and avocado, roll and enjoy!!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 8oz can crushed pineapple in juice, drained
• 1/2 cup green onions
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ginger
  Sauce:
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium, low fat chicken broth
• 1/3 cup chili sauce
• 3 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine meatball ingredients in medium bowl and mix thoroughly.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place cooking racks in foil lined baking sheet.  Shape meatballs and place on the racks.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.  Transfer the meatballs to a serving dish and cover to keep warm.

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until cornstarch is dissolved.  Place sauce over medium heat and stir intermittently until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, and stir for another minute or until mixture thickens slightly.  Pour sauce over meatballs, and gently toss to coat meatballs and serve warm with toothpicks.

Veggie Shooters:Presentation is EVERYTHING!! I know that when I bring a veggie tray to a party its usually the only thing that goes untouched. But these VeggieShooters are sure to get some love for today's big game!!
 
6 – Dixie cups
3-4 whole carrots, cut into sticks
4-5 celery sticks cut into smaller sticks
18 cherry tomatoes
toothpicks
6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
Hidden Valley Dill Dip packet or dill seasoning

Instructions

Mix 1/2 of the Dill packet with Greek yogurt.
Place 1 oz. of dip into each of the Dixie cups.
Place 5-6 celery sticks & 4-5 carrots sticks each into each cup.
Put 3 grape tomatoes on a toothpick and place in the cup.
Voila! Healthy, Quick, Easy Appetizer


Clean Eating Tex-Mex Dip  I am such a sucker for Mexican Food and this one sounds completely divine.  I honestly am going to have to portion out the 1/4 cup serving otherwise I would eat it all at one sitting.

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) jar of your favorite salsa, no sugar added
1 (15 ounce) can black olives, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can non-fat, re-fried beans, no sugar added
3 avocados
Juice of 1 lime
2 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed

Directions:

Combine the beans and the salsa in a pot and warm while stirring constantly. Once they are warm and well combined, remove from heat and pour the beans into your serving dish.

Next, make your guacamole using the avocados, lime juice, garlic powder and onion powder. Add salt to taste. Layer the guacamole over the beans.

Top with olives and tomatoes next and finish with the fresh cilantro.

Serve with your favorite, clean corn chips or whole grain crackers. 

Bruchetta 

makes about 8-10 servings

Gently blend together in a medium mixing bowl:

6 good sized Roma tomatoes, diced

3/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil-preferably olive oil) finely chopped

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

4 t. minced garlic

1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh basil

2 T. balsamic vinegar

1/4 t. ground pepper

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 400* and spread the mixture in an 8" x 8" baking dish and bake for about 10-15 minutes.  Once the edges are bubbling and it smells amazing.  

I like to serve my Bruschetta with a whole grain baguette that I slice down brush with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and bake until lightly browned.  You can make your own chips that are healthier than the store bought version.

TurboFire Crockpot Chili

1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (I used stewed tomatoes and added 2 cans)
8oz whole kernel corn, canned
1/2 onion diced
2 garlic cloves (I used minced)
8oz can of Black Beans
8oz  can of Kidney Beans
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 packet Lawry's Chili Seasoning (I used low sodium)
4 oz low fat shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Brown the turkey and drain any fat. Place all ingredients except the cheese into the crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Top with 1 oz cheese per serving if desired.

Enjoy your parties this weekend and please share your favorite recipes too!!  I always love hearing your clean appetizers.  It's the one area we all struggle with! 

Most likely you'll still indulge in a few not so clean treats or have a cocktail or two, and thats fine! Life is all about BALANCE right?!!?! But come Monday if you think you'll be ready to get back on track I invite you to join my FREE 7 Day, Valentine's Day inspired Clean Eating Group!!  Get a 7 day clean eating meal plan, shopping list, tips, motivation and support. And as a BONUS you'll get valentines day inspired recipes so that you and your special someone can enjoy Valentines Day at home (without the crowds) without missing out on all the yummy goodness!!

To join this group you MUST not already be a coach or working with a Team Beachbody Coach.

21 Day Fix Results

I am officially a 21 Day Fix graduate!! I was nervous starting this round because of all the knee issues I had at the end of last year, but I am SO glad I didn't let that stop me! I started slow, listened to my body and just took it one day at a time. I modified when I needed to and I pushed harder when I could.

I have been following the 21 Day Fix food part of the program basically since it came out so that part for me wasn't a challenge. But during these three weeks I felt myself wanting to mix things up, try other programs and do something different. But I didn't!! I followed it to a T (almost) for the entire 3 weeks. I did have to travel for work but I still got up early to workout before my flight and did some workouts in my hotel room using Beachbody On Demand!

So am I at my goal weight? Nope! I actually only lost 6 pounds and 2 inches from my belly! And I don't say "only" as if its not awesome! Because 6 pounds in three weeks is freakin awesome!! But I say it because this was just the stepping stone I needed to take me to the next level, I'm not stopping here!! 

Today my husband and I start Hammer and Chisel and I am SOOO excited to see what my body does over the next two months! I love lifting heavy so this is totally my jam!! I also love that it incorporates the same containers from the 21 Day Fix so I wont have to be trying to learn a new way of eating on top of everything else!

If you'd like to join me in my next online health and fitness accountability group starting February 1st I would love to chat with you!! You will get personalized 1:1 support, help with recipes, meal planning, motivation and tons of fun!! Please fill out the application below!

21 Day Fix Week 2 Recap

I was super excited and honestly a little surprised with my week one results of 7.6 pounds. I wasn't in disbelief, I worked hard, I ate clean and drank my Shakeology daily. But I am also realistic!! A drop that big in one week was most likely going to warrant a smaller drop for me the next week. I just didn't realize HOW much smaller. I definitely struggle with patience so when I weighed in yesterday to see my grand total results were only 8.1 I was a little bummed but then slapped myself back into reality!! 8.1 pounds in 2 weeks is phenomenal.

So as I enter week three, my knee started acting up again....go figure, right?!?! So I listened and took yesterday as a rest day and instead did my foam roller and lots of stretching. That seemed to help and this afternoon I'm looking forward to getting back on track with my workouts!

This week is a little crazy too because I'm traveling to LA for our Beachbody National Leadership Conference so my meal plan will not totally be planned out like normal. I'm keeping it pretty basic Monday and Tuesday (Breakfast - Shakeology/spinach/banana. Snacks HB eggs/apple almonds. Dinner Meatloaf, veggies, turkey burger/veggies). Wednesday I will travel but I'll be stocked with healthy eats in my carry on including apple/almond, shakeology and my shaker cup and then make good choices while dining out when I'm there. Beachbody will be covering our meals Thursday night - Friday night so I'm sure they'll be pretty healthy!

Workouts on the trip wont be a problem! When you travel with a whole group of Beachbody coaches workouts just happen!! Plus on Friday morning I'll be joining Tony Horton for a LIVE workout!! I am so excited for that, celebrity trainer workouts are the BEST!!

So as week three rolls out a little out of the norm I plan to roll with the punches, stay on track every step that I can and embrace this round of the 21 Day Fix before I begin Hammer and Chisel on Monday the 25th!!

Our next fitness and accountability group starts February 1st and I would LOVE to have you join us!! Wherever you are in your journey....whether your starting with the 21 Day Fix or ready to conquer Hammer and Chisel this group is for you!! You'll be surrounded my like minded women on a journey to better themselves, get healthy and fit!! For more information please fill out the application below to reserve your spot today!

21 Day Fix Week 1 Results

Last year I started working on "Project Get Your Body Back" and as much as I'd love to say that that was completed....it wasn't. But instead of beating myself up about it I'm choosing to stand back up, dust myself off and get back in the game. 2016 is MY YEAR!!!

So last week, January 4th, I committed 100% to the 21 Day Fix. I created my meal plan, went grocery shopping, prepped my food and got my DVDs ready to start. I was a little nervous because from November-December my knee was in BAD shape, some days not even being able to walk up the stairs. But my doctor said that I was cleared to workout and just listen to my body so thats what I did. I modified when I needed to, pushed when I could and I am so grateful to say that I feel great. It hasn't bothered me at all! 

I am proud to say that at the end of week 1 I am weighing in 7.6 pounds down!!! I was in shock! I had to go to my phone where I've been tracking and make sure I had the numbers right!! Now I know it may not continue to come off this quickly but this was definitely the jump start that I needed!!

Yesterday Ruben and I decided to start the 3 Day Refresh, so in addition to the 21 Day Fix workouts I will be doing the refresh today and tomorrow then back to the 21 Day Fix Meal plan on Wednesday!

Last week we tried 21 Day Fix Beef Stroganoff and it was SO good!! I love the fact that you can still eat some of your favorite comfort foods just cleaned up a bit!! Check it out and let me know what you think...

Ingredeints:

2 cups whole wheat linguini noodles

2 tsp olive oil

1 pound of lean beef

1/2 onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup low sodium beef broth

1/2 cup non fat greek yogurt

Broccoli 

Directions:

*Cook noodles according to package. Drain and set aside. 

*Brown beef, onions and mushrooms together in a medium sauce pan on medium heat with 2 tsp of olive oil. Add garlic and cook for another minute until garlic is fragrant. Remove beef mixture and drain any grease from the pan. 

*Set this mixture aside. Use beef drippings from the pan to make a beef/mushroom sauce. 

*Heat pan on medium heat and add 1 tbsp of cornstarch and the beef broth to the pan, use a wisk to mix everything together and the liquid should thicken in a few minutes. If it becomes too thick you can always add a little more beef broth. 

*Once you have a sauce you can now add the beef mixture and greek yogurt together in the pan. The greek yogurt makes it creamy without adding sour cream. 

*Serve beef stroganoff over cooked noodles with steamed broccoli! 

This plate was one yellow of noodles, one red of beef mixture, 1 green of broccoli.

Week 2 Meal Plan

I look forward to crushing week 2 and am so excited for next weeks results!! If you're interested in joining my Fit for February challenge group on 1/18 please fill out the application below so we can chat and get you started!!

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

I have done the 3 Day Refresh several times now and each time I do it I just keep it pretty simple. I follow the guide book, I pick my fruits, veggies and health fats. I eat my food and I go on about my day. No biggie! But this time I wanted to spice things up a little and I knew I cold get creative with my listed options so I made some Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice!!

I wasn't too sure to tell you the truth when I first saw this recipe. I mean I knew it isn't going to be EXACTLY like the rice from Chipotle but a girl can still hope right?!?!

I used the Cauliflower Crumbles from Green Giant in the refrigerated area of the produce section instead of breaking down my own head of cauliflower but you can definitely do that too. And some of the pieces were still a little big for me so I took out my little hand chopper from Pampered Chef and broke it down a little more to actual "rice size" pieces.

Next I put the cauliflower in a small sauce pan, tossed in some minced garlic and stirred for about 5 minutes constantly. There was no water or oil needed but I do recommend stirring constantly so it gets toasted but not stuck to the bottom.

Then I tossed in some chopped cilantro, squeezed in juice from half a lime and gave it a quick stir. Put in it a bowl and topped with fresh cilantro and a lime curl. (or you could skip all that fancy schmancy stuff and just EAT!!!)

This was DELICIOUS!!! It will definitely make the rotation in our house again!! And if you're following the 21 Day Fix it would just be one GREEN container for the cauliflower :)

Ingredients
* 1 Head of cauliflower or cauliflower crumbles
* 1 Lime
* 2 Tsp chopped garlic (fresh or from a jar)
* Chopped cilantro

Directions
1. Chop Cauliflower (or pour crumbles from bag and chop to desired size)
2. Toss in pan with Garlic, stirring constantly until toasted. About 5 minutes
3. Toss in cilantro and lime juice and stir
4. Serve warm and enjoy!!

If you would like more information on the 3 Day Refresh program or are interested in joining one of my upcoming support and accountability groups to stay healthy through the holiday season please fill out the application below and shoot me a friend request over on Facebook!!

Get Your Body Back

As promised I'm kicking off Project Get Your Body Back today! I just finished up the meal plan and am excited to stick to it 100% as well as my workouts each day. You will see that I have a lot of repeat meals, and while some find this boring or repetitive, I find it a life saver!! I don't have to do a ton of dishes, it cuts the cost WAY down, these are my favorite foods so I'm not torturing myself....plus when you think about it....people who eat unhealthy eat a lot of the same things too...same value meal from the same drive through week after week after week!!

This week I am going to follow the 21 Day Fix because #1 I need to start clearing out some of the foods I can't  eat over the next three weeks while I do the Ultimate Reset that are staring me in the face in the fridge, freezer and pantry. And #2 it is my all time favorite program! The meal plan is SO easy to follow, family friendly, comfort foods (tacos, french toast, Caprese Chicken and Steak!!!) and the workouts are ONLY 30 minutes!! 

My game plan is to do workouts at nap time....I need my morning time to get right to work and I know for sure I will get at least a half hour to work out when they nap. And should they wake up I'll just do it with the littles running around! Not only can they keep busy but they can see mama setting a great example of making health and fitness just part of the every day norm!!

I would absolutely love to have some accountability and partners on my journey!! If you're a new mom, high school mom, empty nester or mom of a fur baby I would LOVE to have you join me!

My October accountability group kicked off this morning and it's not too late to join us!! Our first week we are planning and prepping so that next week we can hit the ground running! If you're interested don't let another day go by!! Join me for Project Get Your Body Back, and fill out the application below!!

21 Day Fix Cookbook is HERE!!! Get ready to FIXATE!!

Sooooo you all know how I'm kinda OBSESSED with the 21 Day Fix right?!?!? I mean how could I NOT be?? It was the program that was a GAME CHANGER in my 50 pound weight loss and truly an eye opener to the way I was eating and feeding my family. We were eating healthy but just too much of  a good thing! YES you can eat too much veggies ;)

I started using the 21 Day Fix in a very, very basic way. Literally just filling my containers with proteins, veggies and carbs and dumping them out on my plate. I really wanted to learn the program before I started getting creative with recipes. But that didn't take long and I started making some REALLY great, family and kid approved recipes. So it never really felt like we were on a diet....because we AREN'T...its a lifestyle change! 

Last week on our Coach National Wake Up Call Autumn Calabrese (the creator of the 21 Day Fix and Fix Extreme) announced that she will be launching an official 21 Day Fix cook book called Fixate!! I was literally jumping up and down as I heard her speak and today I want to share with you some of the details!! Read to the bottom and find out how you can get some sneak peeks at the recipes in the book!!

Who is this cook book for?

"This book is for everybody," says Autumn. "You don't have to be graduates of 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix EXTREME®. You also don't have to be a chef or great in the kitchen. It's for anyone who wants to make healthier versions of the foods they love."

According to Autumn, "Everyone will use the book differently. For some, it will become their "go-to" cookbook they use every single day. Others may use it when they're going to a special event like a barbeque or party."

And in addition to all the amazing recipes, Autumn has also included a detailed checklist for her absolute must-have kitchen and pantry staples, as well as the basic utensils and tools that every cook needs.

What's Inside?

Inside Fixate you'll find a section for every possible meal you can imagine: simple breakfasts, on-the-go lunches, sit down dinners, soups, salads, as well as healthy snacks like kale chips and protein bars.

Autumn insisted that all the "on-the-go" lunch recipes be easy and fast for working moms. "I based all of the lunches off leftovers from dinner and even breakfast," she reveals. "I turned them into delicious, easy-to-make lunch recipes." Autumn adds, "I also included a few of my favorite Shakeology recipes—even some Fix-approved skinny cocktails."

And then there's the desserts. "I have a big sweet tooth so I was really pleased with them," she says. "I especially love the brownies (made with chick peas), peanut butter cookies and cake recipes, and the desserts are all gluten-free so absolutely everyone can enjoy them." 

How do I get it???

Well I'm glad you asked!! So this cook book isn't coming out until July, BUT I get my pretty little hands on it while I'm in Nashville at the Beachbody Summit Convention and I will be bringing home a copy for EVERY person who joins my June 15th challenge group and orders a 21 Day Fix or Fix Extreme challenge pack through me as their Beachbody coach This month!! How cool is THAT!!! 

REQUIREMENTS:
*Purchase your 21 Day Fix or Fix Extreme challenge pack through Me as your Beachbody coach
*Commit to replacing one meal a day with Shakeology
*Commit to a daily 30 minute workout
*Have fun and get amazing results!!!

Like I said I've come up with a few great recipes of my own already that will get you though your first round of the Fix and then just as you're ready to start round 2 you'll have an amazing cookbook right on your kitchen counter!!!

So click the button below, create your free account and then shoot me a message over at Facebook so I can get you ready to roll!! Oh...And I MIGHT just be previewing some of the actual recipes from the book on my Facebook page so make sure we are friends!!

Memorial Day Fun and Recipes!!

For many of us Memorial Day is the official start of Summer, celebrated with BBQs, Picnics at the park, and parties by the pool!! This also usually means a pretty heavy spread when it comes to the food!! While this is all good in moderation keep in mind that it adds up quickly!! Typical BBQ food consists of hot dogs and burgers, potato salad (approx 180 cals), macaroni salad (approx 250 cals), baked beans (approx 140 cals), desserts and drinks!! Just in your sides ALONE you just consumed 570 calories...YIKES!!!! So let's not freak out...let's make a game plan for how you're going to get through the holiday weekend and stay on track!!

First of all sit down and list all of the events that you will be hosting or attending. This way you can see CLEARLY what you're working with! 

Even though it is a holiday weekend make sure you still get in your planned workouts. I know it's easy to want to give yourself a break but what good would that do? Start your day off right and give yourself that energy you'll need for all of the weekend's festivities!! If Sunday is your "rest" day, but you're heading to the park for a picnic or BBQ try a few of these playground workouts while you're playing with your kids, I promise they wont disappoint!! 

Luckily I have a pretty low-key weekend but I'm still sitting down and planning it out. Saturday night we will be grilling steak, asparagus and zucchini and for dessert we will be having strawberry banana creams. I have learned to season and prepare healthy foods that taste amazing so I feel good knowing that I'm not only feeding my guests food that is healthy but that is also tasty and full of flavor!! I also don't feel deprived by having to prepare one menu for everyone else and one that follows MY meal plan.

Sunday morning we have church then off to the grocery store for our weekly shopping and meal prep for the week. I will get up at 6am to do my workout and plan the meals for the week so I can get just what I need at the grocery store and nothing extra! If you don't keep tempting foods in the house then you can't eat them...just sayin ;) Once I get home from the store I will wash, chop and bag my snacks and meals for the week and batch cook my oats, eggs and meats. I'll most likely throw on some TurboFire Chili in the crock pot so I have dinner already done for Tuesday!!

Monday we don't have any real plans but I'm so excited to just lay out and RELAX!!! This year we'll be having grilled chicken and veggies and a yummy watermelon, mint and feta salad. Its so cool and refreshing!! I'll also have some chopped veggies and hummus to snack on since its a favorite of all and fruit infused water for dinner. This is something that I discovered last year and it's SO yummy!! It adds a little flavor and vitamins to your water with nothing artificial! but my main focus is to really spend time with my family!

Recipe and Pics from The Blond Cook

Ingredients

• (1) 7 pound (approximate) seedless watermelon, chilled
• 1 cup fresh chopped mint leaves
• 2 cups crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2/3 cups lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sea salt

Instructions

1. Cut watermelon away from rind and chop into approximately 1 inch cubes. Remove any seeds, if any. Place in colander to drain while you're preparing dressing.
2. Whisk together honey, lime juice and sea salt for the dressing.
3. Gently stir watermelon chunks with mint and feta cheese.
4. Drizzle dressing over salad; gently stir to incorporate dressing

Ingredients:

2 Lemons

8 Strawberries

Water

Ice

Directions:

Slice lemons. Quarter strawberries. Add ingredients to pitcher with ice and water. Refrigerate for an hour. 

I also want to note that it is OK to have a sweet treat!  I firmly believe in the 80/20 rule.  80% of the time you want to stick to your healthy eating routine and then 20% of the time you can have what you would like within reason.  This boils down to one meal per week.  Not one entire day of indulging but one meal!!  Eat what you would like and do not feel guilty about it!  You earned it because of your hard work and you deserve to enjoy without reservation!!! I will be having my cheat on Monday! S'mores are one of my all time favorites and a family tradition I would like to have with my son, I'm SO excited!!

Here are a few other ideas you might enjoy for your holiday weekend gatherings!! 
Thai Shrimp Skewers, 
Clean eating BBQ sauce, 
Black Bean Burgers
Triple Berry Summer Salad
2 Ingredient Cookies
Creamy Santa Fe Chicken Salad Cups!

Have a happy, safe and blessed holiday weekend with your loved ones!!

For MORE recipes and other helpful tips friend me on Facebook and Pinterest!!