Meal Planning Monday!

Yup, this is getting out on Tuesday but my internet was down ALL day yesterday and a bit spotty today so bare with me ;)

This week I'm excited to try something new...and with time I promise it will improve! But I often get asked how I am able to make all my meals on one day or I get told that people just have trouble planning and executing a weeks worth of meals so I thought I'd share my meal plan for the week and include the recipes for you as well as make a quick (just kidding its REALLY long) video for you to see how I get it all done in under an hour and a half! Check out the video at the end of the blog...but keep reading for some awesome recipes!!

When I first started my clean eating lifestyle I wanted to be GREAT!! I wanted new, yummy dinners every night, fancy things that I read about on the blogs, but I quickly found that I was getting overwhelmed. I was stressing out over the prep time, still finding that I needed to put in a lot of time each night to "prepare", what the heck? I thought I did that SUNDAY?!?! So I stepped back and looked at how I could scale it down. Most recipes made 4-6 servings and with my husband and I drinking Shakeology for our lunches we were finding that the fridge was full of left overs at the end of each week. I personally don't mind left overs but I used to, so I know this is not for everyone, but it works for us.

When I created this week's meal plan I wanted to try a few new things, but like a said before, nothing that was going to send me into a tail spin trying to get in on the menu. Every time I purchase a new Beachbody program like Body Beast, TurboFire, Chalean Extreme, T25 etc they come with fabulous cook books!! But it occurred to me that I've never really utilized these while planning my menus so this week was fun!!

Breakfast for me is pretty simple. I need quick and easy. I either have to get my son off to the sitter or be ready for mommy and me time so I don't have time for any fancy souffle or something of the sort. I've typically been cooking up a big batch of oatmeal and just scooping out of it each morning what I need, but when talking to a friend a couple weeks ago she pointed out that even I could use some advice...make the oatmeal and put it into individual servings on my PREP day. That way I don't have to get out the measuring cups, pour the milk, scoop the blue berries etc each and every day!!

I'm really super excited about my snacks!! I prepped as much as I could for these but there are two that will require a few minutes of prep before I eat them...but no more than 5 minutes for sure. I'll check back in with you through the week to let you know what I thought and share the recipes for the Chalean Extreme Wrap n Roll Pinwheels and the T25 Hard Boiled Salsa Boats!! But I know for sure that the T25 Turkey, Avocado, pepper rolls are AMAZING!!!

With dinner I tried to keep it pretty simple and incorporate meals that had similar ingredients so I wasnt having to spend a fortune on ingredients that I would use once here and there at best. So I started with the chili in the Crockpot...I almost feel like its cheating using the crockpot, but I LOVE IT!! Dump it all in and let it work for you! I'm all about convenience and this way I can knock out 4 recipes but really only spend time on three :) Check back in through the week for recipes and reviews, but the TurboFire Chili is a hit hands down!! I usually will double it and freeze for later...just another time saving tip for ya!

So here I am in action...it's quite long but I wanted to show how I can prep snacks and meals while cooking 4 recipes at one time. I hope you enjoy and I look forward to any feedback you have. Also if you have any recipes that you'd like me to showcase I'd love the opportunity!! Send me a friend request on Facebook so we can chat!

TurboFire Chili

When I was creating my meal plan on Sunday for the week I had NO idea how hot it was going to be here in California!!! Panko baked Chicken with steamed veggies and brown rice was NOT going to happen tonight!! I have absolutely no intention of cranking on the oven and the stove to make dinner when its nearly 90 degrees outside!! So I grabbed my handy dandy TurboFire cookbook and found the recipe for TurboFire Chili. This is ALWAYS a favorite plus I had all the ingredients to make a DOUBLE batch and freeze for more nights like this....score!!! BONUS...I added in some mixed veggies an my son was none the wiser!!

TurboFire 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 Lawrey'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.

I am a sucker for grilled veggies and these days mostly asparagus!! I think I'll ask hubby super nicely to start up the BBQ for a few minutes and grill us some asparagus and zucchini!!

Grilled Veggies
Place fresh washed asparagus and zucchini in baking dish
Drizzle with light extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss
Grill for about 10 minutes rotating half way through. Veggies will be tender 

 I'll whip up a baby spinach salad at that's what we're havin for dinner!!!

If you need help with meal planning or clean eating please contact me!! I would love to help you get on the right track to healthy eating!! Friend me on FaceBook for more info and tips on health, fitness and clean eating!!