FIX n' Shred Hatch Green Chile Chicken

Green Chile Pork Taco w/ Coleslaw

Here's Round 2 of my Hatch Chile love!  I don't know what it is I love about 'em.  Maybe it's because they're only around once a year that makes them special, but I find all kinds of tasty dishes to make with them.  This one is no different, except it is so easy to make, and so versatile, I anticipate this becoming a staple in your weekly meal prep.

Pork for team dinner

I first started out making a couple batches of Hatch Chile Pulled Pork in the Ninja.  The first batch was for my son's high school football team dinner.  It was so tasty and involved nearly zero prep, but I was a little sad that all of it was left with the team.  I really didn't expect the 9 pound pork shoulder to make it back home but I hoped it would.

Roasting chiles (plus red peppers)

Truly, it was only 1/8 of the what was necessary to feed the team, so I simply had to make another batch two days later for another football gathering in my home.  It was a hit!  After two rounds of pork, I figured the recipe should work with chicken too.  I bet it will work with a beef shoulder as well, but I have yet to try.  If you try it out, let me know how it turns out, please.  

As I share this delicious simple recipe with you, heed my warning.  Commit the seasonings to memory as this will become a weekly or bi-weekly staple in your house.  It is that SIMPLE and SO TASTY!

If you don't have hatch chiles available or want to save more time, grab 2 7 oz. cans of diced green chiles.  Total prep time with already roasted and peeled chiles is less than 10 minutes.

FIX n' Shred Hatch Green Chile Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 Ninja (recommended) or crock pot
• 3 pounds Chicken breast (can put in frozen)
• 1 Onion, sliced thin
• 3/4 C Pureed Roasted Hatch Green Chiles, peeled and seeded. (~8-9 fresh chiles)
• 1 tsp. Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
• 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 Cumin
• 1/2 Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 Dried Sage
• 1 Hand Mixer

Directions:

1. Place the onions in the pot
2. Top with chicken
3. Top the chicken with green chiles and spices
4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours
5. Shred with hand mixer on low setting.

To serve: 

Night 1 Dinner

Add to corn tortillas with coleslaw for tacos, mix in soup, serve on top of salad or with veggies.  The first night I enjoyed with faux garlic mashed potatoes and green beans for a super delicious dinner.

FIX proportions: 1 Red.

Enjoy!

Quick FIX Frittata

This veggie frittata is a delicious and super easy anytime meal portion for the Quick 21 Day Fix.

Quick FIX Frittata

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons of olive or avocado oil
• 8 eggs
• 8 Cups veggies (5 C chopped spinach, 1 C green onions, 1 C mushroom, 1 Red Bell pepper)
• 2 Blue containers (1/2 C) grated Parmesan and/or Mozzarella cheese (opt.)
• Pink Himalayan sea salt, black pepper & oregano to taste.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Saute veggies in hot oil until spinach is wilted. (About 4 minutes)
3. Beat 8 eggs.
4. Add seasonings and cheese.
5. Pour into pan with veggies. Stir slowly so it's well mixed, leaving the heat on.
6. Transfer pan to oven and bake 15 minutes.

Let  set for 5 minutes outside the oven before dividing into 4 equal pieces. 1 serving is 1/4 of the frittata.

FIX proportions: 1 Red, 2 Green, 1/2 Blue, 1 teaspoon.

Enjoy!

Take Me Back to Jamaica - Jerk Chicken and Shrimp

Jerk Pork Chop Dinner

Only a few short months ago, I had the honor of watching two dear friends commit their lives to one another in the beautiful city of Negril, Jamaica.  Everything I went through to ensure I could keep my commitment and witness this once in a lifetime event was out of this world and enough for a completely different blog post that I'll have to share soon, but it made my time there even more special.  I will always remember the inviting hospitality, the welcoming atmosphere, the great company of old and new friends alike, the beautiful beaches and of course the delicious jerk seasoning they had on several of the dishes I tried.

My crew

When I first decided to make jerk 'something' I was in search of something I could make that would be tasty enough for me and exciting enough that my teenage son wouldn't get bored with the leftovers.  I remembered a Jerk Catfish recipe from a Cooking Light magazine I did a few years back and luckily I still had the seasoning.  Have you ever found yourself trying out new recipe that calls for a whole bunch of seasonings you don't actually carry in your kitchen?  You go out an buy it and then never really use it again!  I got so fed up with my overflowing non-existent spice cupboard that when I moved out of that house I took a spice purchasing sabbatical.  I was only allowed to buy common spices when I ran out.

Selfie time!

I digress, so back to my dilemma with the Jerk Catfish seasoning...When I checked the ingredients of the seasoning blend, I saw the first item listed was SUGAR!  "Nooooo!," I thought.  This would not do for my 21 Day Fix Extreme eating, so I searched online for a sugar free version.  I settled with this recipe:  http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014722-no-fuss-jerk-chicken, and it did not disappoint.  Even though I did not have all the ingredients, I had enough to make it work.  I actually doubled the recipe so I could use it with the shrimp and chicken I had.  I will list a single batch recipe as I made it, but check out the link for the true recipe as I'm sure I will go through the effort to get some of the real stuff next time, if they make sense.

Jerk Chicken (or Shrimp, or whatever you choose!)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground Allspice
• 1 Tablespoon dried Thyme

  

  Mixed seasonings

• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Jalapenos (the spice factor for jalapenos is very low compared to the habanero chiles.  I wanted to be sure my son would eat this first time around)
• 6 scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger thickly sliced
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• Juice of 2 large limes
• 1 1/2 pounds of boneless chicken tenders, shrimp or whatever you choose

Marinating...

Directions:

Broiled Jerk Shrimp

1. Combine allspice, thyme, garlic, jalapenos (or chiles), scallions, peppercorns, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and lime juice in a blender or food processor and grind to a rough paste.
2. Put meat in a baking dish or plastic Ziploc bag.  Add seasoning paste and coat well.
3. Cover dish or seal bag tightly and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees for chicken or turn on broiler for shrimp.
5. Bring meat to room temperature.
6. Bake/Broil uncovered until well browned and juices run clear when probed with a paring knife - about 20-25 minutes for chicken tenders and 10 minutes for shrimp, turning halfway.

Meal packaged for RJ

Servings: Use your red container to measure your protein, but I found that 1 Red container = 1 1/2 - 2 tenders or 10 shrimp.  This was easy to add with the veggies I roasted during the week or I added them to a spinach salad and sometimes paired with a sweet potato.


Enjoy Mon!

1. 

Fish n' Fries

Who eats fish and fries a.k.a fish n' chips while they're watching what they eat?

Me! Me! Me!  Especially if the fish is broiled and the fries are made from carrots.  Not only is this meal much healthier than the fried version, it is also much quicker to prepare and much quicker to clean up.

So tell me... are you a "Fish n' Fry" person or a "Fish n' Chip" person?  If you're a 'fish n' chipper', you can easily switch out the carrot sticks for carrot coins.

I hope this recipe saves your dinner by letting it be known that you can have fish n' fries (or fish n' chips) when eating healthy, regardless of what you like to call them.

Fish n' Fries

Ingredients:

• 2 baking sheets lined with foil
• 1 1/2 pounds catfish nuggets
• 1 pound carrot sticks (~3 C)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Combine chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt in a small bowl
3. Place carrot stick in a bowl and toss with the olive oil and 1/3 (~1 Tablespoon) of the seasoning mix.
4. Place carrot mixture on 1st baking sheet
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until carrot stick are tender and start to crisp
6. While the carrot sticks are baking, toss the catfish nuggets with the remaining seasoning.  Mix well.
7. Add fish mixture to the 2nd baking sheet.
8. When carrot sticks are finished, turn on the oven broiler.
9. Place fish in broiler for 10 minutes, turning at minute 6.

Servings: 4 - 1 Red & 1 Green  

Perfectly Tempting Pork Tenderloin

I just have to say before I share this recipe, that if you love food (OK, who doesn't?), but don't enjoy cooking or cleaning up, you MUST get a Ninja!  Not only can slow cook, bake, roast and more with it.  But it comes with an awesome recipe booklet which was the start of this recipe.  OK, now that I've given the appropriate shout out to my favorite kitchen tool,  I will share my recipe based off their "Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloins & Potatoes" recipe.

Perfectly Tempting Pork Tenderloin

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut in quarters (or eighths)
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 1 1/2 - 2 pounds baby carrots
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoons Himalayan sea salt
• 1 large pork tenderloin (about 3 pounds)
• 1 1/2 C chicken broth

Directions:

1. Combine chili and garlic powders, cumin and salt.
2. Cut potatoes, onion and carrots and combine in a large bowl.  Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of seasoning mixture.  Toss to coat.  (If you are not using a Ninja, go ahead and toss in a roasting pan.)
3. Rub the pork with the remaining Tablespoon of olive oil and the remaining seasoning.
4. Place the tenderloin in your Ninja pot and cook for about 10 minutes on the STOVETOP setting.  (If you do not a Ninja, you can do this in a skillet.)  Cook until it's browned on all sides, then remove from the pot.
5. Pour the chicken broth into the pot.  Add in the potatoes, carrots and onion mix.
6. Set the roasting rack on top and add the browned tenderloin onto the rack.
7. Cover and cook at 375, checking after the first 20 minutes or so.
8. Make sure pork is cooked through.

Final Meals Prepped for the week!

Servings: Depending on the time of day, grab 1 Yellow of potatoes with 1 Green of carrots (about 8-10 depending on the size) and 1 Red of tenderloin (about 2 slices depending on the thickness).  I had about 8 servings if eating this way, but I like to use the tenderloin for sandwiches and wraps too!


Alternatives: Use any of the 21 Day Fix Seasonings to season this recipe.

Mustard-Glazed Cod

Mustard Glazed Cod Dinner

Eating healthy doesn't mean boring!  Eating is an experience to be enjoyed.  This quick and easy cod dish is a great start to experiencing a healthy dinner.

I got this recipe from the TeamBeachbody Meal Planner that is available at the Club Membership level.  I then modified it to fit the 21 Day Fix portions.  This recipe was so easy and delicious that it will make it back in my meal prep rotation soon.

Mustard Glazed Cod

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 3

Raw cod fillets

Ingredients:

• 1 lbs cod, raw
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon basil, dried

Directions:

Glazed cod before cooking

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Rinse fish and pat it dry with a paper towel.
3. Lightly coat a shallow baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Place fish in prepared pan, tucking under any thin edges.
5. Combine olive oil with lemon juice, mustard and basil.
6. Pour sauce over fish, and bake for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness of fish or until fish flakes easily with fork.



Cooked, flaky cod

7. When ready to serve, place fish on serving plate and spoon sauce over top.

Servings: 1/3 fish is 1 Red and 1 teaspoon.

I enjoyed this dish with 1 Green of sauteed asparagus and 1 Green of Zoodles (zucchinni noodles).  Total meal was 1 Red, 2 Green and 2 teaspoons.


To get your own copy of the 21 Day Fix and join an upcoming group, go to: 21 Day FIx Deal

Ninja Chili

I tend to crave hot soups and chili when the temperatures get cooler.  Last week's unusually early cold snap got me in the mood to whip up a quick batch of chili.  I wanted this chili to include more vegetables than usual, but I know my son who is currently in a "I don't like peppers or zucchini phase" would not eat my chili if he could see them in there.  So I used a little trick I read years ago from a book I have called Stealth Health by Evelyn Tribole, M.S., R.D.  She has many tips to "Eat Right in Spite of Yourself."  One of these tips is to dice the veggies so small they are almost undetectable.  You must be careful to choose veggies that will blend in with what you're cooking, otherwise I would advise pureeing them.  For this chili, I added red and green peppers because they would blend in easily.
  
One more tip to keep this recipe cost effective and healthy is to use your own seasonings.  If you are working towards eating at home more always keep the most generally used seasonings in any recipe.  This includes oregano, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and I'm sure a few more.  I used to always buy the Fowler's 2-Alarm Chili Kit, until I actually read all of the packets and realized I had all the ingredients anyway.  I decided I was wasting my money buying a chili kit so I stopped.  Plus, you can control exactly what goes into your chili and change things up as you get more confident in knowing what you and your family will eat.

Finally, I only call this Ninja Chili because I made it using my Ninja.  This device is a staple in helping me make quick healthy meals.  I enjoy my slow cooker and you can make this recipe using yours.  I prefer my Ninja because I can cook or sear the meat in the same pot where I'm slow cooking.  I also think the cast iron pot gives the food a different taste than the typical ceramic pot of a slow cooker.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ground meat (at least 95% lean ground beef, ground chicken, turkey or even lean pork)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 C stewed tomatoes (I ALWAYS make extra of Brooklyn Farm Girl's and freeze them - BFG Best Stewed Tomatoes)
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 3 8-ounce cans of water
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp basil
• 1 tsp rubbed sage
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
• 1 red pepper, chopped finely
• 1 green pepper, chopped finely
• 1 15 ounce can or 2 Cups cooked, drained and rinsed black or kidney beans (optional)

Directions:

1. Brown the ground meat on high and break apart with a utensil that will not damage your Ninja's coated surface.  (For the recipe in the picture I used 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of ground chicken)
2. Add the garlic and let cook for about 1 minute with the meat.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, except the onions, peppers and optional beans.  Stir and switch to the slow cooker mode.  Choose your temperature based on how much time you have before serving time.  (I  put it on high since dinner needed to be in about 2 hours)
4. Chop your onions and peppers and stir in.  
5. Add your drained and rinsed beans.
6. Cooks Tip: Since the chili has had a few minutes to cook, take a teaspoon of the liquid and see if it will be flavorful enough for your family.
7. Serve hot and enjoy!

For 21 Day Fix portions - 1 1/4 C is 1 Red, 1 Green and 1/2 Yellow

Asian-Fix - 2 Recipes portioned for 21 Day Fix

I had a taste for Asian food after completing my 2nd round of the 3 Day Refresh.  There was something about this Ginger-Carrot recipe they have in the program guide that really had me thinking about what else I could add ginger too.  I could write a whole article about the benefits of ginger for you overall health as it is believed to stimulate digestion by aiding in ridding the body of toxins built up in the liver, colon and other organs, but you probably just want to get to the recipes, right?

OK, before I do, though I have to say just two small things.  The first is that these two dishes were planned close together because I had the ingredients on hand.  It's always a goal to use up the fresh veggies buy so it doesn't go to waste.  I happened to have cabbage, carrots, cilantro and peppers.  It's helpfult to plan your meals this way so you don't waste your money letting your food spoil.  Second, both of these recipes are low-carb.  I'm not a low-carb eater per se. I exercise too intensely for that.  I do try to limit my carbs in the evening, so I try to create dishes that will fit my lifestyle.  I will also add that I do consider portions when cooking and have followed 21 Day Fix eating since March of 2014, so these are perfect for someone who does the same.

Ginger Carrot Chicken Meatballs

• 2/3 C shredded carrots
• 1 C chopped or shredded cabbage
• 5 stalks of green onions chopped
• 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 Tbsp. chopped garlic, or 1 garlic clove pressed
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 egg, beaten (when I tried it out, I used 2 eggs and you can see from the pictures it might have been too much)
• 1 Tbsp. liquid aminos (I use Braggs liquid aminos, but any soy-free seasoning will do)
• Cooking spray

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare baking sheet.  I like to cover with foil for easy clean up.

Combine  first 7 ingredients to a large bowl.  Add the ground chicken.  Beat egg(s) and add aminos.  Pour into mixing bowl.  Use clean hands to combine all ingredients.  Form into 12 equal sized meatballs and place on the baking sheet. (check out Hatch Green Chile Extravaganza! at Green Chile Sliders for directions on scoring meat into equal sections).

Bake for 20 minutes.  (Serve over rice or veggies)

Makes 3 servings (4 meatballs)

21 Day Fix Portions (meatballs only): 1 Red, 1 Green

Flavorful Asian Cod

• 1 lb wild cod, cut into cubes      
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Tbsp. liquid aminos (I use Braggs liquid aminos, but any soy-free seasoning will do)
• 1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
• 1/3 C almond flour (can use almond meal)
• 1/3 C coconut flour
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Peanut Oil
• 2 tsp. Olive oil
• (omit oils if pan frying, otherwise use cooking spray if broiling)

Directions:
After cutting cod into cubes, set aside.  Beat 1 egg in a dish or bowl large enough to hold the cod.  Stir in the liquid aminos and Sriracha sauce.  Add cod to the dish and ensure every piece is coated with the mixture.  Let set for about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, in a separate large flat bowl, combine flours, powders and pepper.  Mix well.  Prepare iron skillet for pan frying with oil, or turn on broiler for if not.  If using the broiler, I recommend lining a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and spraying with cooking spray.

Finally, toss the fish in the flour mixture.  Be sure to shake off the excess when transferring to the pan or baking sheet.  If broiling, top spray generously with cooking oil over the top of the fish as the almond flour tends to burn at high heat.

Pan fry for 3 minutes each side or broil for 8-10 minutes.

Serve over rice or your favorite veggies.  For the picture, I sauteed the remaining cabbage I had from the first recipe, onions and red, yellow and green peppers and mushrooms.

Makes 3 servings.

21 Day Fix Portions (when served over 2 C Veggies and): 1/2 Blue, 1/2 Orange, 1 Red, 2 Green, 3 teaspoons (1 teaspoon for broiled)

Hatch Green Chile Extravaganza!

One way I stick with healthy eating is to enjoy fresh seasonal foods.  Fresh New Mexico Hatch Green Chile add a flavorful twist to nearly any recipe you may normally make.

I had to read up a little so I knew when to be prepared for this season to come up every year.  I've added a link to a blog that gives a small amount of info for my readers as I create this post: http://www.hatch-green-chile.com/when-is-hatch-chile-season/.  As I write this, I know that there is a slight bit of urgency to get this out.  I mainly want to share some of the items I created or 'spruced up' with green chile.  I hope it inspires you to create some of your own or try some of mine and enjoy the deliciousness this season has to offer!

If you haven't checked out my first "Green Chile" post, check out: Hatch Chile Mini Quiches.  So after creating breakfast, I moved onto dinner.  

Green Chile Sliders:

Green Chile Sliders are a delicious twist on your traditional slider.  Some recipes I saw topped a regular slider with green chile, but I prefer the chile mixed in.

So I mixed up about 2 pounds of 96/4 ground beef with a little pink Himalayan salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin and marjoram to taste.  Just sprinkle it in!  I never truly measure my seasonings and if anything, you'll add too little over too much.  I diced 4 large roasted chile.  I definitely took a short cut on all my recipes by buying the chile already roasted.

After thoroughly mixing all ingredients, I formed on huge patty so I could divide the burgers evenly by scoring the huge patty into even sections, just like slicing a pie.  I learned that trick from an episode of Rachel Ray as a way to prevent "the runt" burger.  Another trick I learned from the same episode was to make the center of the patty thinner than the edge of the patty.  This ensures the burger is cooked evenly through and without crispy edges.

I formed all the burgers and cooked them for about 5 minutes at 400 degrees on my panini grill press.  One of the tips I learned from the "Good Stuff" cook book is that the key to a good burger is the bun.  I served these sliders on butter toasted Kings Hawaiian rolls.  The book also suggests to use a higher fat content in hamburger meat, but as you can see, I chose 96/4 so that I could toast the buns with a little bit of butter instead.  With the seasonings and the green chiles the lower fat content of the meat was just fine for this tasty treat.  1 slider with a salad was enough for me.  My football playing son, however had 3 sliders and salad.  It was absolutely delicious and I was proud of this quick and tasty meal!

Green Chile and Flank Steak Breakfast Tacos:

A couple days later, I went back to breakfast.  On a whim one morning I whipped up some Green Chile and Flank Steak Breakfast Tacos!  I'm not sure why I call them breakfast tacos.  I grew up eating breakfast burritos in Colorado.  When I moved to Texas, all I heard about were breakfast tacos.  All the same ingredients, just slightly different folding and or rolling!  So don't get upset if I'm completely wrong about this, but I believe the burrito is folded at the ends and rolled.  The taco is folded in half and then most times folded again, but since its a soft flour tortilla it really seems like a roll to me.  Either way it's YUM!!  My son ate 3!


This recipe is as simple as the burgers.  Dice up some green chiles, onions and cooked flank steak (ours was left over from dinner the night before).  Heat in a spayed skillet with 1 TBSP olive oil.  I cracked 10 brown eggs, but if I didn't have brown eggs, I would have done 10 egg whites plus 2 eggs.  Season with oregano, basil, black pepper and a pinch of sea salt.  The more seasoning the better for eggs.  I absolutely love basil and/or oregano with my eggs.  When the eggs are finished, heat the whole wheat flour tortillas and fill with your ingredients.  I added cheese for my son's tacos and salsa for both.  Since I love to have my breakfasts prepared ahead of time, breakfast tacos/burritos are great to make and reheat.  

New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Stew:

Finally, back to dinner with a New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Stew.  I can't take credit for the recipe, though.  I found it at: http://mjskitchen.com/2013/01/new-mexico-green-chile-stew/.  I froze 2 containers for 2 easy and delicious dinner or lunch in the future.  This stew was a little too spicy for my son's liking, but it was delicious and super easy to make.

 Since you have the recipe at the link, I don't need to elaborate on it too much.  Except for some of the small changes I had to make.  I don't typically make changes to a recipe the first time around, but I did choose to use my own homemade stewed tomatoes because they are delicious!  I even added Hatch Green Chile to the tomatoes.  I also had to use a meat tenderizer to pound the coriander seeds as I did not have a mortar and pestle and wasn't certain I needed to buy one.  

I also used my Ninja for everything, except toasting the coriander seeds, because its so easy.  Just one pot.  I prefer the Ninja over my Crock pot simply because I can sear or brown meat in it.  I also think meat has a distinct 'Crock pot' taste that I'm not too fond of, but I do not get that taste with my Ninja.

What kind of dishes do you love to make with New Mexico Hatch Green Chile?  I'd love to find more healthy dishes to make when I get that New Mexico Hatch Green Chile craving, so share, please.  Thank you!

Plan for Success

By far, the way you eat determines your success in any weight loss regimen.  Even if you're goal is not weight loss, who isn't looking for improved health?  Isn't that the goal anyway?  Improved health means improving the way you feel and the way you look.  That's a complete WIN!

I used to be a person who would workout hard so I could eat anything I wanted.  During my initial weight loss journey, this was fine.  I knew eventually I'd have to start focusing on my eating.  At the time, I didn't understand that focusing on my eating did not mean a diet.  I go into my former struggles in "Getting Fixed", so I won't go into it all again.  Bottom line - you can't out exercise a bad diet.  Plus, when you set your goal for wellness, you will eat in a way that gets you to your ideal weight.

So the biggest deterrent from eating well, is time.  As a single parent to a busy athletic teen,  a full time engineer and a fitness coach, I know a little about managing a busy schedule.  It takes more time to prepare fresh foods than it does to dump something from a can or a box.  However our bodies were not designed to eat the convenient and processed foods.

I know I've done this before.  I started out with the greatest intentions by buying fresh fruits and veggies.  I get everything home and in the refrigerator.  Then, my week gets busy and the prep time scares me.  The fear of getting all that food chopped, cooked and onto the table for myself and my family would allow me to block it out.  Before I knew it, the food would go bad.  What a waist of money!  I've actually heard people say that they just eat out because they waste the food the buy for their homes.

There's no skirting around the issue, but following a nutritious eating plan will take a little bit of planning.  As I always tell the people I work with,  "No one ever plans to fall.  But you can fail to plan."  I find that when I don't plan, I don't get as many fruits and cruciferous vegetables into my meals.  These are the foods that provide you with the biggest bang for your buck in your health improvement effort.  They are packed with so many vitamins, minerals, fiber, you name it.  Plus with their generally lower calorie content, you can eat a lot more, helping to keep you satisfied throughout the day.  I will tell you what how I plan to keep my eating on track and avoiding last minute restaurant food runs.  I hope some of these tips will benefit you and give you ideas of how you can "plan for success," for you and your family.

Create a Meal Calendar

Planning your meals ahead of time can help you shop.  A smart planner will plan to use foods that are on sale and to save on prep time, use foods that can be cooked once and then combined in different recipes.  Baking or grilling chicken for one dinner can then be used in a casserole for another dinner and chicken salad for a couple lunches.  The same goes for the veggies you buy for a recipe.  I used to have a hard time using up celery.  I'd make a recipe that would use 2 stalks of celery and then may not ever get to them again.  Planning meals and snacks that help you use up all the ingredients you buy requires a little extra time, but will save you money in the long run.  

I created this meal planner from a template in Microsoft Excel.  I would get suggestions from family requests, websites or recipes I want to try.  I even add my meals where I plan to dine out with friends.  If you need some help planning your meals, TeamBeachbody has access to meal planners for $2.99/week.  You can get access to this site by going to getfit.techifitness.com, clicking 'Join' and choosing the 'Club Membership.'  There are plenty of other sites that also gives you access to meal planners, as well, but this is the only one when my coaching is included at any level of membership.

Finding ways to use up all your fresh ingredients leads me to my next tips, because they provide more options to ensure you have healthy food available when you need it.

Washing, Cutting and Packaging Fruits and Veggies is a Part of the Shopping Process

This one is a relatively new one for me, but it has proven to be help me out the most.  When you think of getting your fresh fruits and veggies ready for use, just like shopping and unloading the groceries, you are more likely to use them up and you are more likely to grab them in a crunch.  In addition, you are less likely to buy too many of them. 

Always wash any fruits and veggies that you bought before putting them in the refrigerator.  For fruits and veggies I plan to take to work with me that week or want my son to grab as a snack, I package it up in a single serving size.  This way, when I'm packing my meals for the day, I can grab and 'toss' into my lunch bag.  Also, I've noticed that my son will grab grapes quicker when they're washed and in a sandwich bag, than if they are just washed and in the original bag.

Chopped Peppers added to single serving bags

Before you start, make sure you have plenty of containers or sandwich bags (or larger) on hand to package up your fresh fruits and veggies.  If they are being used for a recipe you'll make later, go ahead and package them up right then.  It'll make your recipe prep that much faster.  You'll feel like one of those chefs that are displaying their recipes on the News & Talk Shows.

Prepare Extra and Package It Up! (Freeze if necessary)

I try to double any recipe I'm making for dinner, unless it's for the first time.  This helps me cook once and eat twice.  Plus, if there is a dish you and your family really enjoys, you know that you will not have to fuss over it the second time, which actually makes it taste even better.  Dishes that freeze well include enchiladas, soups and chili, casseroles, stewed tomatoes and so many others.  For your best results, minimize the air in the container and do not freeze longer than 3 months.


When it comes to breakfast, don't be afraid to cook a huge pot of oatmeal or other breakfast cereal and place a single serving into containers.  This really helps getting out of the house in the morning go a little smoother.  My son will grab his "oatmeal circle," as he calls it since the oatmeal is stored in a round container.  He also knows that his containers are the larger 1 C serving while mine is the smaller 1/2 C serving.  I also either boil up eggs for the week, peel them and store in a huge Ziploc bag.  These will not last longer than about 5-6 days.   To change things up, I'll make scrambled eggs (4-5 whites/1 full egg) with the veggies I prepped earlier.  I'll make more than one serving so it will last a couple days.  The same goes for bacon (any kind),  and sausage.  It is easy to pop these in the microwave to heat up a fast hot breakfast before dashing out to start the day.

Go Ahead and Roast Up Those Veggies

Just like I cook up a large quantity of oatmeal, I like to roast many of the veggies I will eat during the week.  Roasting veggies is a nice change from steamed, stove top cooked or microwaved.  You get a wonderful flavor.  It's also something you can do it bulk based on what is on sale.

Cinnamon-Coconut Roasted Sweet Potatoes

 You can roast almost anything! I've tried broccoli and cauliflower, to potatoes (both white and sweet), to peppers, onions, green beans and my latest favorite, baby Brussels sprouts.  Plus you can change up the flavors in so many different ways depending on your tastes.  In the sweet potatoes I have pictured that day I chose to rub coconut oil and them and sprinkle with cinnamon.  This was an idea I learned from a friend.  Sweet potatoes are also super tasty with olive oil, garlic and a little bit of sea salt.

Roasted Green Beans

I saw celebrity fitness trainer Chris Powell talk about roasting green beans on one of his episodes last year.  Roasting green beans turn a vegetable you might normally eat with a fork into finger food.  Here, I toss in olive oil and add marjoram, oregano and sea salt.

I started roasting baby Brussels sprouts just recently as they are more tender over the larger variety.  I love to add garlic and onion and toss in olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, oregano and marjoram.  You can really use any of your favorite seasonings with these.  Pictured are some Red Peppers I purchased that were on sale.  It is easy to add these to a breakfast taco or with eggs for breakfast.  I can also add these to any other veggie with my dinner.or on a sandwich for lunch.  Roasted red peppers add a twist to almost any dish!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts plus Red Peppers

When making a shift towards healthier eating remember to think small.  Think of making small changes over time.  Creating healthy habits help your success in the future.  The better you get at planning, the more likely you are to make it stick!