Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

One of my favorite go to 21 Day Fix meals are lasagna roll ups!  They are tasty, freeze and reheat well.

What you need:

10-12 no bake lasagna noodles
15oz of ricotta cheese
1 bag of spinach (some folks use frozen spinach thawed but I like fresh)
ground turkey (optional)
1 egg
1 can of pasta sauce
Mozzarella cheese


Here's what I do:
Preheat your oven to 375.
Soak the lasagna noodles in water (this is to soften the noodles so they bend-about 20 minutes).

Take pan and heat some EVOO and saute the spinach:

 Cook the turkey if you'd like some in your roll ups

Mix the meat, spinach, egg and ricotta cheese together!  Some people add some parm cheese but I prefer just these :)

 in a 9x13 pan coat the bottom with a little sauce.

Take a noodle like so and put some stuffing at the end.  Then roll the top over and tuck it under to form a roll!

Add the remaining sauce on top and shake the container a little so it gets into the cracks!

Top with mozzarella cheese and put tin foil on top.  Cook for 25-30 minutes (make sure the cheese is nice and gooey on top! Enjoy!!!

Meal Planning 101 For the 21 Day Fix

Hey All!!!

So when I started the 21 Day Fix, the workouts were tough, but the hardest part for me was the nutrition.  I didn't realize how much garbage I was eating until I started eating and planning the food I should be eating.  Now let's be honest- It's 80/20 rule. I eat well and to plan 80% of the time.  We aren't perfect.  But even with 80% of clean eating, I feel 100% better!

So I wanted to share some of the meal planning and tips I use during the 21 Day Fix.  I'm doing double workouts but most start with just the fix workouts.

Some tips:

• PLAN PLAN PLAN- Seriously plan out your meals- It makes it so much easier.  Usually I prep fruits and veggies so I can just grab whatever (not so planned on which I'm picking but when I'm going to eat it!).  I use containers and color coded bags or bins.
• Cook a lot and use left over dinners for lunches (less work!).
• Use a designated day (a day with some down time) for meal prep. I PROMISE this will help you stay on track and save you time.

Today is prep day for me so below is my meal planning for the week.  After I'll share some of the recipes for you so you can join in on the fun!

I know they are kind of hard to see so I'll be added them to a file in my Facebook group #sweatyisthenewsexy  Free free to search that and add yourself to the group and I'll add you for access.

Weekend breakfasts are my favorite because I can actually cook (I don't have time otherwise) and during the week I usually just have Shakeo for breakfast.  I've decided to switch it up and add parfaits (greek yogurt (a red) and fruit (a purple)) to spice things up for breakfast and to get more purples in.  I usually always get a purple in with my Shakes because I add fruit to my Shakeology BUT now they have a Cafe Latte flavor that tastes like a Frappacino sooooo I'm addicted to that and will have to use up a purple elsewhere.

An omelette is my favorite with some veggies.  I can add hot sauce (for free-thanks Fix!).  Shakeo is always a great way to throw a meal any time of the day.

The broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken recipe is here: http://teamsweatyisthenewsexy.blogspot.com/2015/06/my-favorite-chicken-recipes.html

Here is the recipe for the Chicken Noodle Soup:
http://teamsweatyisthenewsexy.blogspot.com/2016/01/chicken-noodle-soup-chicken-noodle-soup.html

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats: http://teamsweatyisthenewsexy.blogspot.com/2016/01/spaghetti-squash-lasagna-boats.html

Turkey Chili:
http://teamsweatyisthenewsexy.blogspot.com/2016/01/turkey-chili.html

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats

If we are friends and you have experienced spaghetti squash and never told me, I may need to question our friendship... Just kidding... But seriously.. It's delicious!

This was my first attempt at spaghetti squash and it was SO EASY!  And an easy way to get veggies in.  It is like I'm tricking my brain into thinking it is eating carbs when it is actually eating veggies (mind blown)!

What you need:

• 3 small to medium spaghetti squash (about 5 cups cooked)
• salt and fresh pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley (or basil) (this is optional I don't use it)
• 3/4 cup whole milk shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 can of pasta sauce

So if you haven't cooked spaghetti squash before, the hardest part is cutting it in half... it's like an upper body workout (but so worth it).  Once they are halved, scoop out the inside (this is my least favorite part because it reminds me of Halloween and scooping out pumpkins).  Then sprinkle salt and pepper on them and put them face down on a baking sheet (i use tin foil lined cookie sheet) and put into the oven for an hour at 400 degrees.

Let them cool for a few after you take them out of the oven.  Then use a fork and start scraping the fork into the squash and it literally falls out like spaghetti.  I suggest putting paper towel at the bottom of a bowl and scrap it into that bowl and then after scraping all the spaghetti squash out,putting another paper towel on top.  Then push down.  This will help remove extra moisture.  Then rid of those paper towels and add some of your pasta sauce and mix.  (You could totally just eat it like this but I promise this gets better...).

Take the empty spaghetti squash exterior (the boat) and put it facing up this time back onto the cookie sheet.  Fill each up evenly with the spaghetti squash flesh and pasta sauce you put in the bowl.  

In another bowl (or the same one you put the spaghetti squash in (I won't judge)), mix your ricotta and parmesan cheeses.  Then evenly distribute this mixture to each boat.  Then top each with the remaining pasta sauce and put mozzarella cheese on top.

Cook the boats for another 30 minutes. 

Enjoy!!!!

Chicken Noodle Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup with a... wait a second NO SODA.. don't do it!

I digress.  Here is the soup recipe :) :

What you need:

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts 
• 5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (1 3/4 cups)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
• 4 stalks celery, chopped (1 1/4 cups)
• 3 - 5 cloves garlic, minced (I actually don't use a lot of garlic but throw in a splash of garlic powder because I'm not a huge fan :) )
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (3 - 15 oz cans)
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Add chicken (un-cut), diced carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to slow cooker.
Drizzle olive oil over top then add in chicken broth, water, thyme,  and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and cook on low heat 6 - 7 hours.
Remove cooked chicken and allow to rest 10 minutes, then dice into bite size pieces.
Meanwhile, add egg noodles and parsley to slow cooker.
Increase temperature to high, cover and cook 30 minutes longer (or until noodles are tender).

Enjoy!

Turkey Chili

Here is a yummy Fix Approved Turkey Chili:

Here's what you'll need:

• 1.25lbs of ground turkey (or your ground meat of choice)
• A small white onion diced
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 1 (29oz) can of tomato sauce
• 1 (15oz) can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 (15oz) can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 (14.5oz) can of diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

This is how easy this is:

Throw the onions into a pan to brown them a bit and then throw in the ground turkey and brown.  

Spray the bottom of your crockpot so nothing sticks.  Then put this lovely mixture of meat and onions in the bottom of the crockpot.  Then add all the other ingredients.  It doesn't have to look pretty or be fancy; Just throw it in there! :)

Cook on high for 3 hours and then switch to high for 6-7 hours.  YUM!

Those pesky GREENS!!!: Ways to get those veggies in!

People (especially those on the 21 Day Fix) ask me all the time how the heck I get all those green containers in.  Face it; we all know that veggies are the healthiest way to a healthier YOU!  Veggies do a lot of things for us:
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/vegetables-nutrients-health

^ Here is a link explaining all those things-- You know they are awesome for you-full of nutrients and vitamins that does a body good.  But how do we sneak those veggies in without going into veggie overload?! Let me help:

• Salads- Well duh.  That's an obvious one; but my favorite thing about my salads are they are more veggies than lettuce! haha! It's something about putting them together.
• Veggie with every dinner.  May seem silly; but at one point in my life this was NOT happening or the veggies were cooked and loaded with butter.  Fresh veggies are the best but if you need to get those steamer frozen veggies- any will do!!! Its one portion of veggies out of the way and you can mix it with other things on your plate!
• Mixed in with your favorite foods! Some things I do:
• Put carrots in meatloaf or turkey burgers. You don't even notice they are there!!!!
• Mix veggies with brown rice.
• Put them in your eggs!  Make some veggie egg cups! (scramble some eggs, add some veggies and meat, put them in a cupcake cooking pan (spray the tray first!) and cook them in your oven at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes!
• Mix it with things you like the taste of! Peanut butter is a great dip!  Add crushed turkey bacon to your broccoli! Spice it up!
• Roll it up in your meat!  My favorite is chicken roll ups with broccoli and cheese!!! Check out the recipe in my favorite chicken recipe post in this blog!
• Mixed in with your favorite shake!  You won't taste it; I promise.  Throw a little spinach in that chocolate or berry shake!
• Cauliflower rice (available at Trader Joe's or you can make your own with a head of cauliflower and a food processor): You're welcome... OH and did I mention you can make pizza crust out of it? http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2013/08/cauliflower-crust-pizza/
• Spaghetti Squash-- I've heard of it for some time and was like- SICK, GROSS.. but then I tried it. OMG ITS SO GOOD!!! It legit tastes like Spaghetti!
• Homemade pasta sauce/salsa!  You get to add as many veggies as you want AND you limit the sugar!
• Lettuce wraps- RID OF THE BUNS!!! Seriously-- use it for everything. Sandwiches, tacos, pretty much anything can go on a lettuce wrap!
• Soups and chili!  Add veggies to your favorite soups and chili recipes!
• Cucumber sandwiches- Add some of your favorite sandwich fillings between two slices of cucumber instead of bread! Small  but cute and delicious!  You can even add some PB or hummus and its like a little cracker!
• Add hot sauce.  As a Buffaloian adding Frank's Red Hot to anything tastes like home!!! 
• Veggie chips! Google or pinterest it!  You can turn any veggie into a chip-- and who doesn't like chips!?

These are some examples I use! It's way easier than you think- I promise! :)