Paleo Cashew Cream

Ingredients:

1 c raw unsalted cashews

Water

Instructions:

1. Rinse cashews; drain and place in a bowl or jar. Add enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Cover and let stand at room temperature at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.

2. Drain cashews; rinse under cold water. Place cashews in a high-power blender and add 1 cup of water; process until smooth, scraping down the sides.

3. Store cashew cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

New Year, New You

It's that time of year again. Time to start making our new year's resolutions and the time the most of us are most likely to focus on getting fit, but did you know that only about 8% of people that make resolutions actually succeed?! That's a pretty intimidating statistic.

So I'm challenging 10 ladies to join me for 21 days to start the new year off right and learn the healthy habits you need to stick to your resolution and be part of that 8%. No matter what your fitness level is you can find success with this group. Each workout includes a modifier and different levels of intensity to help you improve your strength, flexibility, and endurance every time you press play.

We start our 21 days on January 1st, just in time to rock those resolutions!

What's included?

>Workout program of your choice, done in the comfort of your own home!
>Simple, easy to follow meal plans
>Delicious recipes
>Superfood nutrition shake that replaces one meal a day
>Online access to my PRIVATE Facebook support group
>Surround yourself with other women on the same journey
>Accountability and support from ME!
>RESULTS OR YOUR MONEY BACK!!

PLUS Beachbody is doing it's HEALTH BET again, which means you have the ability to get fit, lose weight, AND EARN MONEY!!!

During the course of this group you will learn how to navigate your meal plan, get help setting realistic and achievable goals, have daily accountability to help you stay on track, and have access to clean eating recipes that will help you replace bad habits with healthier ones!

While this group will surround you with other women on the same journey, I would also challenge you to INVITE A FRIEND to join you. Success is not only easier to achieve with an accountability partner, but it's just more fun to have a friend with you!!

Ready to join? Click GOING on the Facebook Event Page and I'll be in touch to get you signed up with everything you need.

Let's make 2017 our healthiest year yet!!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas, y'all!! Enjoy your day spent with family and never forget the reason for the season!

FREE Workout + Rock Your Resolution

Next month, I'll be running a Rock Your Resolution Challenge Group to help us kick 2017 off right and knock all of those resolutions out of the park. You definitely won't want to miss out on this group. You can learn more and sign up HERE.

Did you miss this month's 12 Days of Fitmas Challenge Group? Don't worry, I'm sharing the full workout with you right here!! 

Pecan Pie Cookie

Filling Ingredients:

1/3 cup dates, chopped

5 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tablespoon almond milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

Filling Directions:

1. Cover the chopped dates in 1 cup of hot water and set aside for at least 10 minutes.

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Stir until the coconut oil is just melted and then remove from heat.

3. Drain and discard the hot water from the dates, and place the dates in a blender with the saucepan contents. Blend until smooth, pour back into the saucepan (so you don’t dirty another bowl) and then stir in the sea salt and chopped pecans. Set aside.

Cookie Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup blanched almond flour, gently packed

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

5 tablespoons coconut oil, at room temperature

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1-2 tablespoons almond milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cookie Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond meal, sea salt, and baking soda. Whisk in the coconut oil until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, and almond milk. Start with 1 tablespoon of almond milk and add another tablespoon only if the dough needs more moisture to pull it together.

4. Roll the dough into balls (using about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough each) and place on the cookie sheet. Flatten the balls of dough and use your fingers to make a well (or indentation) in the middle of the cookies.

5. Generously fill the cookies with the pecan pie filling (and I do mean generously fill, otherwise you will be left with a lot of filling left over).

6. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown.

7. Allow the cookies to completely cool on the cookie sheet (otherwise they will fall apart).

Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup dates, packed and pitted (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained)

1 medium ripe banana (approx.. 1/2 cup mashed)

2 Tbsp salted creamy peanut butter

1 cup almond meal

1 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup peanut butter chips

1/4 cup dairy free semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Add dates to a food processor and pulse until small bits remain.

2. Add banana and peanut butter and mix again until combined, scraping down the sides as needed.

3. Next add the almond meal and rolled oats and pulse until a loose dough is formed. It will be kind of wet and sticky. That’s OK! You’re on the right track.

4. Scrape your dough into a mixing bowl. If it feels too wet to the touch to form into cookies, add another few Tbsp of almond meal and/or oats and stir. I added another few tablespoons of each until I was able to form them into cookies without them sticking too much to my hands.

5. Add in chocolate and peanut butter chips, then chill dough for 10 minutes and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

6. Scoop out 1 Tbsp amounts of your cookie dough and form into loose discs, then arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. They won’t expand so pack them closer together (but not touching).

7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and somewhat firm to the touch. The good thing about these cookies is a little under-baked is OK since there’s no eggs and they’ll ultimately just be a little more moist.

8. Remove and let set for a few minutes on the pan, then carefully transfer to a plate or cooling rack to cool. Serve immediately.

Skinny Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

3/4 cup ww pastry flour or white flour (See below for notes on a gluten-free option)

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt (just under level)

1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 tablespoons almond milk

1/4 cup vegan butter (i.e. Earth Balance)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 330 F.

2. Combine dry ingredients and mix very, very well.

3. In a separate bowl, melt the butter of choice, then stir in vanilla and milk.

4. Pour dry ingredient mixture into wet and mix again.

5. Form balls. For true snickerdoodles, roll each ball in a mix of cinnamon and sugar (either equal parts OR two parts sugar to one part cinnamon.)

6. If you want soft cookies, you’ll need to get the balls very cold. (So roll the balls, cover in the cinnamon-sugar, then fridge until cold.)

7. Bake for 9-10 minutes. They’ll look way underdone when you take them out, but that’s okay.

Paleo Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

2.5 c almond meal

2 tbsp coconut flour

2 tbsp cocoa powder

½ c coconut sugar + ¼ c coconut sugar for rolling

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 large eggs

¼ c coconut oil, melted

¼ c dairy-free chocolate chips, melted

1 tsp peppermint extract

                         

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine almond meal, coconut flour, cocoa powder, ½ c coconut sugar, baking soda and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, coconut oil, chocolate chips and peppermint extract.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined.

4. Cover bowl and place in fridge for one hour (or overnight) or in freezer for 20 minutes. Dough should harden. DO NOT SKIP!

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Scoop out 1 tbsp worth of dough and roll into a ball between palms.

7. Roll each ball in ¼ c of ground coconut sugar to coat.

8. Place balls on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

9. Remove from oven and let sit on tray for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Do not try to remove before 10 minutes as they will be too soft.

10. Dust with any leftover ground coconut sugar for a more “snowball” like effect.

Guilt-Free Breakfast Recipes

Meal planning always seems so easy when I'm planning lunches and dinners, it's always the breakfasts that throw me off. I often find myself rushing around in the morning and it's easy to forget about breakfast, convince myself I don't have time, or just grab something quick that's definitely NOT on my meal plan.

Today I want to share some of my favorite breakfast recipes with you. If you would like more recipes like this, please take a second to subscribe and you'll have them delivered straight to your inbox!

Guacamole Toast & Egg

Ingredients:

½ avocado

1 tsp lime juice

1 egg

Coconut oil cooking spray

All-natural sea salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Mash the avocado in a small bowl and season with all-natural sea salt, pepper, and lime juice.

2. Put toast in toaster or toast in oven until toasted to your liking.

3. Heat a small nonstick skillet over low heat, spray with cooking spray and gently crack the egg into the skillet. Cook to your liking.

4. Place mashed avocado over toast, top with egg, and enjoy!!

Gluten Free Waffle & Fruit

Ingredients:

¼ c coconut flour (I like Bob’s Red Mill brand)

¼ tsp baking soda

1 tbsp apple pie spice

¾ c egg whites

½ c almond or coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Coconut oil cooking spray

Fruit of your choice (I love it with strawberries)

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients with a hand mixer.

2. Heat waffle iron and spray lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

3. Drop waffle batter into center of iron, fill about ¾ of the area.

4. Waffle is ready when it easily separates from the iron, about 3-5 minutes.

5. In a small skillet, sauté the fruit of your choice for a few minutes to get them warm and soft.

6. Top waffle with warm fruit and enjoy!

Clean Eating Raspberry Crepes

Crepe Batter Ingredients:

½ cup oatmeal

2 eggs

½ c almond milk

¼ c water

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp coconut oil

Raspberry Filling Ingredients:

1 c frozen raspberries

1 tbsp raw honey

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Put the oatmeal into a blender and pulse a few times until it turns into flour.

2. Add the rest of the crepe batter ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.

3. Heat another teaspoon of coconut oil in a frying pan, then pour ¼ of the batter into pan. Swirl the batter around the pan so the crepe is very thin.

4. Cook until the top surface starts to look dry, then flip over and cook the other side.

5. Your crepe should be golden brown when done.

6. Add filling ingredients to a small sauce pan and simmer until thick and bubbly.

7. Fill crepe with filling and enjoy!!

Paleo Gingersnaps

Ingredients:

¼ c coconut oil, melted

1 c coconut sugar, lightly packed (+ more for rolling)

1 egg white

1.5 c + 1 tbsp almond flour

¼ c + 1 tsp coconut flour

1.75 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 tsp ginger powder

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp + 2 tsp molasses

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, and egg white until well mixed. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon. Stir until everything is very well mixed and there are no little clumps of flour.

4. Stir the flour mixture, along with the molasses into the oil mixtures and stir until a slightly sticky dough forms. Place the dough into the refrigerator for 10 minutes, just to allow the coconut flour to absorb some of the moisture.

5. Once the dough has chilled, roll 1 tbsp sized balls and roll the balls around in coconut sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and slightly flatten down.

6. Bake until the edges begin to go darker brown and the top is nice and crackly, about 19-20 minutes. The cookies will feel very soft, but they will crisp up a lot once cooled.

7. Let cool completely on the pan before digging in.

Vegan Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

½ c vegan butter (i.e. Earth balance), softened

½ c organic cane sugar (+extra for topping)

¼ c brown sugar

¼ c pumpkin puree

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1.75 c unbleached all-purpose flour (+extra for rolling into shapes)

½ tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1-2 tsp almond milk

Directions:

1. Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl and mix with mixer.

2. Add sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and beat for 1 minute.

3. Set your sifter over something that will catch the falling ingredients and add flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Use a spoon to briefly stir, then sift over butter and sugar mixture.

4. Mix until incorporated, being careful not to over mix. Then add almond milk and mix until you’ve formed a soft dough. If dough gets too thick, switch to a wooden spoon. If it appears too wet, mix in a bit more flour.

5. Cover and freeze dough for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 30-45 minutes (up to overnight).

6. Five minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and position rack in the center of the oven.

7. Scoop out a heaping 1 tbsp amount of chilled dough and roll into balls. Alternatively, roll out between two pieces of wax paper lightly flouring the bottom layer, remove top layer, and cut out shapes. (NOTE: for shapes, to ensure they keep their form while baking, freeze them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking.)

8. Arrange cookies on a clean baking sheet 2” apart to allow for spreading. If you’ve rolled the dough into balls, dip a glass into cane sugar and gently smash down into a disc to help them cook more evenly.

9. Bake on the center rack for 10-20 minutes or until very slightly golden brown.

10. Remove from oven and let rest on pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Now What?

How many of us spent yesterday binging on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and everything else you can imagine? Or maybe you mixed it up like we did and chose to binge on tacos instead??

Either way, I'm guessing most of us are waking up today feeling heavy, full, and wanting to nip these bad habits in the bud before they spiral out of control and our scale has crept up 10-15 pounds before the end of the year. So what can you do?

1. Drink LOTS of water!! Water flushes out toxins and helps eliminate water weight.

2. Eat fruits and vegetables today. Your body is waking up nutrient deprived, plus fruits and veggies are calorie light!

3. Take time to workout TODAY! Give your metabolism a boost and make that workout happen TODAY...NO EXCUSES!

4. Make a game plan! We haven't made it through the holidays yet and you've got to figure out how you're going to navigate the rest of this season. This doesn't mean you can't indulge. It doesn't mean you have to give up all of your favorite treats. But you need a game plan. You've got to know in advance what you're willing to splurge on and what's just not worth it. 

{Click HERE for more info}

I would love to help you with that!! If you're interested in joining my 12 Days of Fitness Mini Challenge or my 21 Day Resolution Reboot, comment below or email me. Let's make a plan for the rest of the holiday season and let's help you not only make it through, but maybe even shed a few pounds along the way.

{Click HERE for more info}

5. MOVE ON!! You can't change yesterday. What happened, happened. Let it go and seize today.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!! I hope you have a day full of food, football, and fun!

Throwback Thursday

Throwbacks like this make me so thankful for how far I've come. I hardly recognize the girl in the photo from 2011, but seeing that reminds me how she felt. Sad, miserable, unhealthy, lost, and drowning in depression. The sparkle is completely gone from her eyes.✨

For years, I could only dream about running around on the playground with my little girl. To be completely honest just bending over or going up and down the stairs was a struggle. Every slight bit of physical activity was completely exhausting and draining. The more exhausted or winded I felt, the more I would beat myself up. I truly hated what I saw in the mirror and little by little I was losing what was left of myself.

So many of us have been there and I know there are people reading this that are still there. If you're that person, please know you're not alone! I've stood in your shoes, I've lived in them, and I know how easy it is to think there's no way out. That it's too late or too hard to change your life...IT'S NOT!!⏰

Don't wait another day. Shoot, don't wait another minute! This is your wake up call. This is your chance! You too can change your life, get healthy, and put that sparkle back in your eyes...and I'm here to help you THE WHOLE WAY!! 

I'm getting ready to run a 21 day challenge group to help you shed some pounds before the end of the year. Why wait for a new year's resolution when you can get a head start today?!

Resolutions are HARD and if you're anything like me, as the year has dragged on, those resolutions have probably gotten set aside and forgotten about. Don't worry though...this year isn't over yet!! It's not too late to make those resolutions happen!

I'm hosting a Resolution Reboot group next month to help us finish the year stronger than we started! This group will give us the opportunity to get back on track and actually get those resolutions done.

During the course of this group, we'll work through the 21 Day Fix (or 21 Day Fix EXTREME, if you're looking for a bigger challenge) program. By joining this group, you'll get help achieving the best results possible.

What do you need to REBOOT YOUR RESOLUTION?

> Purchase your 21 Day Fix (or 21 Day Fix EXTREME) program or challenge pack

> Commit to doing 1 workout per day (unless you choose to go EXTREME) for at least 21 days

> Participate in the group daily

To reserve a space in the group, please click "going" on THE RESOLUTION REBOOT EVENT PAGE and I will send you the full sign-up details.

This group is your first step to an amazing throwback picture like the one I shared. You'll be looking back at today as the turning point, the time you finally shook off all of your excuses and dove in! You've got this! It's time to be brave and go for it...and I'll be here with you the entire way, cheering you own and holding you accountable to make sure you reach those goals!

Resolution REBOOT

Resolutions are HARD and if you're anything like me, as the year has dragged on, those resolutions have probably gotten set aside and forgotten about. Don't worry though...this year isn't over yet!!

I'm hosting a Resolution Reboot group next month to help us finish the year stronger than we started! This group will give us the opportunity to get back on track and actually get those resolutions done.

During the course of this group, we'll work through the 21 Day Fix (or 21 Day Fix EXTREME, if you're looking for a bigger challenge) program. By joining this group, you'll get help achieving the best results possibile.

What do you need to reboot your resolution?

> Purchase your 21 Day Fix (or 21 Day Fix EXTREME) program or challenge pack

> Commit to doing 1 workout per day (unless you choose to go EXTREME) for at least 21 days

> Participate in the group daily

To reserve a space in the group, please click "going" on this event page and I will send you the full sign-up details.

Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween, y'all!! Have a spooky day and try not to eat all of the candy!

Eat Clean & Give Thanks

A Turkey Day without plates and plates of pumpkin pie, fluffy stuffing, sweet potato pie, and green bean casserole would be just plain wrong. Thanksgiving is a mighty celebration of calories and you would be lying if you said you haven't fallen victim to over-indulging at least once or twice on this epic day of feasting.

Did you know that the typical American consumes a whopping 4,500 CALORIES worth of turkey and all the trimmings on Thanksgiving?! Can you even believe that?! But eating fried onions from a can and MSG-laden condensed mushroom soup is NOT written in the by-laws of this cherished feast.

So, as a way to help us all find healthier, and just as yummy, versions of our favorite holiday foods, I'm running a 14 day Thanksgiving Menu Makeover group. The group will run November 10-November 23, 2016. During the course of this group, you'll have access to some healthier versions of your traditional Thanksgiving recipes. With these delicious clean eating options, you'll be able to focus on stuffing the turkey...not yourself. You can feel free to gobble with a lot less wobble!! (Cheesy, I know!!)

Want in on the fun? Want access to 14 FREE RECIPES? Want to make over your Thanksgiving feast without losing the flavor? Here's how to join:

• LIKE my fitness page, Get Fit With Alina, on Facebook, so you'll be able to see all the posts and updates from me. Just click the link above and hit the LIKE button. 
• RSVP to the Facebook event HERE. Be sure to tag a friend, and invite them to join you.
• Request to join the private Facebook group via the link that will be posted on the event page on Monday, November 7th.

**BE SURE TO LIKE MY PAGE so you'll get the notification when the group link is posted**

Also, coming to Get Fit With Alina in November...

• 30 Days of Gratitude CHALLENGE
• 30 Days of Scripture Writing CHALLENGE

{Photo Cred: Sweet Blessings}

TurboFire Challenge

Last month, I gave TurboFire a try and y'all, it has quickly become my favorite workout. I love the high intensity workouts that I can fit in no matter how little time I have! And now, I'm ready to dive in to the full TurboFire progam, but it's no fun to do it alone!

So, I'm looking for 3-5 women to join me for the next 90 days. Making a commitment to one another to stick with the program for the entire 90 days. Maybe you're not sure exactly what TurboFire really is. You can read a more in depth description HERE, but the short version...it's HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) that includes cardio, dance, kickboxing, and more! And the best part, there are workouts as short as 20 MINUTES!! I mean seriously, who doesn't have 20 minutes?!

What do you need to join? All you need is the TurboFire program! And if this is your first challenge, you can get your first 30 days of the program FREE!!! Sign up below and I'll tell you how to get it FREE!!

So, how can you join? It's simple, just click the sign up button below and you're in! Once you're signed up, I'll email to get you set up with the program and get you added to the Facebook group.

Chicken Fried Rice {21 Day Fix Approved}

Chinese food is a staple in our house so being able to make it at home is a must, but making it healthy has been a struggle until now. Today I'm sharing my favorite Chicken Fried Rice recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (I use THIS RECIPE and make my chicken in advance.)

1-2 tsp coconut oil

2 eggs

1 cup brown rice

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or teriyaki sauce

Directions:

1. If you have not pre-made your chicken, cut into chunks, then saute on medium heat in a large skillet with a tsp of coconut oil for 7-8 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside. 

If you have pre-made your chicken, skip to step 2.

2. Scramble 2 eggs. Set aside.

3. Cook your rice. I use Seeds of Change's Seven Whole Grains, which only takes 90 seconds to make!

4. Add frozen mixed vegetables to pan with a tsp of coconut oil. Heat until thawed.

5. Add all ingredients to pan, add low sodium soy sauce or teriyaki sauce.

If you are following the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan:
Measure out 1 GREEN for portion size

One portion equals:
1 YELLOW
1 RED
.5 GREEN
1 ORANGE

{Photo Cred: Beachbody}

Core De Force Sneak Peek {Review}

One of my favorite things about Beachbody is the sneak peeks they release for their new workouts. Since joining Beachbody, I was able to take advantage of the Country Heat sneak peek, but recently I was able to try out their new MMA style workout program, Core De Force. Y'all I have been so excited for this workout! The promo videos look awesome and I have been counting the days until it was time to try it out.

WHAT IS CORE DE FORCE?

WHAT IS THE FLOW OF CORE DE FORCE?

I tried the MMA Speed workout and it was very fast paced. The rounds seemed to fly by! The warm up was short and sweet and then we dove right in. This workout did come with an instructional video before the actual workout began. I would definitely recommend watching that first to learn the moves and make the workout more effective. 

{Photo Cred: Beachbody}

WHAT MAKES CORE DE FORCE UNIQUE?

{Photo Cred: Beachbody}

MY BREAKDOWN...

I struggled a little to get the moves just right, but when I got them down, it was a great workout. They suggest starting slow until you really have the movements figured out and then incorporate speed and power. While I wasn't able to incorporate the same speed and power that Joel Freeman & Jericho McMatthews were able to, I still got an effective workout.

And as usual, there is a modifier to help you along until you can really figure out the moves. 

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN?

Absolutely!! I am so excited for this program to come out! This workout was so much fun, I can't wait to see what they other workouts offer. 

WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR? WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED?

Something comfortable. You're moving a lot and quickly. You need full range of motion and clothes that you won't constantly have to adjust. And the best part, there is absolutely NO EQUIPMENT NEEDED!!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CORE DE FORCE?

Core De Force is full of short workouts, this one was 25 minutes, and the entire program is only 30 DAYS!!! Can you believe that?! You better believe I'll be ordering this one and I'll be sure to let you guys know what the results look like after my 30 days with Core De Force!

Chicken Stuffed Peppers {21 Day Fix Approved}

Stuffed peppers are one of my husband's favorites and one that I'm guilty of not making very often. In all honesty, I'm generally not that impressed with the recipes that I've found. They generally have the same ingredients and I've always made them with ground beef. Turns out, switching the beef out for chicken made a huge difference! So today I'm sharing my new Chicken Stuffed Peppers recipe and to make it even better...it's 21 Day Fix Approved!!

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Ingredients:

4 medium bell peppers (I used red and green, but you can use any color)

2 tsp coconut oil

1 medium red onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp chili powder

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (I pre-made my chicken using THIS RECIPE)

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 cups brown rice or quinoa (I use Seeds of Change's Brown Rice & Quinoa Mix)

1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp lime juice

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1/2 cup fresh or frozen sliced mushroom

1/2 cup fresh jalapenos, diced

Hot pepper sauce, to taste (optional - we like the new Chipotle Tabasco sauce)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Place bell peppers, skin side down, in baking dish. I used a square 8x8 Pyrex dish which worked well to hold the peppers upright.

3. Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium heat.

4. Add red onion, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until onion is translucent.

5. Add garlic, stirring frequently for 1 minute.

6. If you have not pre-made your chicken, cut it into small cubes and add it to the skillet here with chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. If you have pre-made your chicken, add chili powder to the skillet, let simmer, and move to step 7.

7. In a separate bowl, mix shredded chicken, cumin, salt and pepper.

8. Follow directions on bag for Seeds of Change Brown Rice & Quinoa. Add to bowl, stir.

9. Add beans, cilantro, and lime to juice to bowl and stir.

10. Add mushrooms and jalapenos to skillet and let simmer for 5 minutes.

11. Add 1/2 cup cheese to bowl and stir. Add contents of skillet to bowl and mix together thoroughly.

12. Add a heaping 1/2 cup of chicken mixture to each pepper and cover lightly with foil.

13. Bake for 35 minutes, or until peppers are tender, remove foil and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

14. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and hot sauce (if desired).

If you are following the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan:

1 YELLOW 

1 RED 

1.5 GREEN

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Eating Clean and The Struggle to Eat Out

Y'all I try to never stress about calories. I try to make good food choices and stick to reasonable portion sizes. I've never struggled to find healthy food items when eating out, but late last week I went to dinner with some of my girlfriends. We tried a restaurant that I had never been to and at first I was blown away by all of the seemingly healthy items on the menu. Then I just happened to notice the calories listed in parenthesis, and y'all I was just plain shocked!! These meals were so deceiving!! 

{Roasted Salmon Quinoa Bowl}

Now, mind you the calories aren't listed for every item in the menu, but the menu item that caught my attention was their Roasted Salmon Quinoa Bowl. The menu describes it as "roasted Atlantic salmon with sauteed red onions, mushrooms, fresh asparagus, and fire-roasted red bell peppers served over quinoa and drizzled with soy ginger sauce." Granted, I could easily order it without the sauce, but I seriously doubt that would make a huge difference in the calories...

{Roasted Salmon Quinoa Bowl Nutrition Info}

1040 calories?! Are you kidding me? Y'all nothing in the picture or description gave me any indication that eating this selection, which is found on their "Enlightened Favorites" section of their menu, would mean the intake of an obscene amount of calories!!

{Santa Fe Salad}

Because the majority of the menu items didn't have the nutrition information listed, I decided on the Sante Fe Salad, thinking that HAD to be a better option. The menu describes it as, "romaine, blacked chicken breast, red onions, fire-roasted red bell peppers, jack and cheddar cheese, avocado, corn, diced tomatoes and crisp corn tortilla strips tossed with Santa Fe dressing." It was a better option, but not by much.

{Santa Fe Salad Nutrition Info}

980 calories!! For a SALAD!! Seriously? One might say that you could split it into two portions and it would be reasonable. It wasn't filling at all!! There was no way you could eat half that salad and be full afterwards. Now, don't get me wrong...it was delicious! It was one of the best salads I've had out, but I also wouldn't order it again. 

{Barbeque Bison Burger}

So out of curiosity today, as I was researching the nutrition information I decided to check out some of the other menu items that look less than healthy. They couldn't possibly be better, could they? I found the Barbeque Bison Burger, which the menu describes as "lean, ground buffalo, boldly seasoned then grilled to order. Topped with chipotle BBQ sauce, seared green chilies and pico de gallo and served on a toasted bun with Baja sauce, red onions, and lettuce. Served with tangy slaw tossed with Baja vinaigrette and topped with green onions."

{Barbeque Bison Burger Nutrition Info}

680 calories! That's almost half of the salmon and 300 calories LESS than the salad!! That makes absolutely zero sense! Eating out is hard enough. It's hard to find reasonably sized portions, healthy meals, and clean ingredients. And now, to make it even harder, restaurants like this are offering up "lighter" options with ridiculous amounts of calories. How are we supposed to make educated decisions and not completely derail our hard work.

Obviously, for many of us, avoiding ever eating out is not a real option. We're going to have birthday celebrations, like the one I went to, and other fun events. The point isn't for us to never feel like we can go out or splurge. We should all be able to do this. But we have to know what's going on behind the seemingly healthy description in the menu. Know what you're putting in your body.

I really hate to be that person on my phone looking up each menu item at the table to figure out the healthiest option, but oh, how I wish I had thought to look up the menu in advance and check the nutrition information ahead of time. 

Now there are two reasons why I haven't mentioned the name of this restaurant and haven't linked any of their menu photos to their website. This is a pretty negative post. The experience at the restaurant wasn't all bad, the food really was good, and while I'm using a few of their menu items to educate, I don't want anyone to think that it's all bad. 

After doing research today, I've found that they do offer a few lower calorie menu items. My point in this post, is that the menu items that caught my attention and seemed healthy were terrible choices. Delicious yes, but certainly not healthy choices. So, if you do some research and figure out the name of this restaurant, please don't use this post or the comments below to bash them. They're most certainly not the only restaurant doing this and wrecklessly bashing them on the internet isn't going to change it.

So what can you do? Know before you go. If you have plans to go to your favorite restaurant on Friday, take time to check out the menu and nutritional information beforehand. Plan ahead and know what you're going to order. Not only will this help you make healthy choices, but I bet it will help your food get to the table a little faster too. 

{Celebrating with some of my favorite ladies}