Turkey & Veggie Meatloaf

My kids devoured this and there are so many veggies in it, which made my dietitian-mommy heart happy! It also holds up amazingly as leftovers! 

Makes 1 meatloaf 

1 small onion chopped 

3 mini bell peppers chopped 

1 cup cauliflower rice 

1 carrot grated 

1 zucchini grated 

1 T olive oil 

1 lb ground turkey 

1/2 cup almond flour 

1 egg

1/2 tsp thyme & oregano 

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp garlic powder 

1/2 tsp black pepper 

Sauté the vegetables with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft. Then let the veggies cool for about 10 mins.

Once the veggies cool off, mix th em with the turkey, egg, almond flour, and spices. Spray a bread loaf pan and pour the meat mixture into it. 

Bake on 400 F for about 50-60 mins or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.

Enjoy with a side of rice and/or salad! 

Smashed Sweet Potatoes (Instant Pot!)

I’m so excited to share my first Instant pot recipe!  I’ve been loving my new kitchen toy and it’s transformed the ease with which I meal prep and plan! I made these sweet potatoes the other night and they turned out so delicious, I knew I had to share! The spices are sweet and savory at the same time, and they make the perfect and nutritious accompaniment to any meal. I hope you enjoy!  

Makes 4 servings  

4 medium sized sweet potatoes  

1 T olive oil    

1/8 tsp cinnamon  

1/8 tsp paprika  

salt to taste  

1/2 cup water  

Wash, scrub, and dice up your sweet potatoes, then toss evenly with the olive oil and spices. Use the trivet at the bottom of your instant pot, then add the potatoes along with the 1/2 cup of water. 

Lock your instant pot lid and make sure the valve is set to steam. Manually set it to 6 minutes, then forget about it!

I did the quick release to release the pressure once the machine beeped and made sure the pressure had been completely released. Then open the pot and scoop out your sweet potatoes into a bowl. They should be soft enough to mash with a fork and viola! You’ve got delicious smashed sweet potatoes.   

Serve these with some chicken and veggies, or just eat as a snack because they are THAT good! I hope you enjoy!

Rosemary Garlic Chicken

I always dry out chicken. To the point where I don't even want to make it anymore and have been making ground turkey our meal staple for 5 months. But, I told myself to try one last attempt at a baked chicken recipe, and it was a hit! The secret is to put some broth in the casserole dish, and enough butter/oil to keep the chicken moist. Here is my recipe for Rosemary Garlic Chicken that is easy to make, could be doubled or tripled to always have on hand, and goes with practically anything! Enjoy!

Rosemary Garlic Chicken

1.5 lbs chicken tenders

2 T grass fed butter or ghee

1/2 T rosemary

2 T lemon juice

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 - 1/3 cup chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Make sure your butter is softened. Then, add the rosemary, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to the butter and mix until it becomes a paste.

Rub the butter mixture onto the chicken tenders and place in a greased casserole dish. Pour the chicken broth into the dish.

Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes or until there is no pink in the chicken.

I've had this chicken with potatoes, atop a fresh salad, and even with some marinara and steamed veggies! It is so versatile and tasty, I hope you enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

This recipe turned out delicious and was so easy to whip up! There is so much flavor in these ingredients, so when you put them all together, magic happens! Plus it took under an hour to put together from start to finish, AND produced a ton of leftovers...win-win!

Here are the ingredients for my stuffed peppers recipe! 

Makes 8, 1/2 peppers, serving size is 2 halves

4 bell peppers (I did 1 each of yellow, orange, red, and green)

1.5 cups white rice

3 cups chicken broth

1 lb ground turkey

2 T taco seasoning

1 can black beans

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1/4 cup enchilada sauce

1/2 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese

First things first, wash the bell peppers and cut them in half. Take out the pits and place them face down on a greased or foiled baking pan. Brush the tops with olive oil and salt, then bake on 350 for about 10 minutes.

At the same time, start cooking the rice in the chicken broth. In a separate pan, cook up the ground turkey with the taco seasoning. Once the rice and meat are done cooking, mix them together in a large pot. Then mix in the black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, and enchilada sauce. 

** Don't forget to take out the peppers from the oven! We are just partially cooking them at this point ;) 

Once the peppers are done and the filling is made, it's time to assemble the peppers! Flip over the half peppers and stuff them with the filling. Sprinkle on some shredded cheese...just enough to cover the top!

Once they are all covered in cheese, pop the peppers back into the oven for another 20 minutes, until the cheese gets melty on top!

How delicious do these look!? And even better, they TASTE amazing! I had 2-halves with a side salad and the meal completely hit the spot! Healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated. Plus, this meal is jam packed with vitamin C from the peppers, protein from the turkey, fiber from the beans, and lots of flavor from the cheese and enchilada sauce! 

I hope you all get to try this recipe soon! Let me know how you like it! 

Healthy Carrot Cake

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! I have a new recipe for you all today and, surprise surprise, it's something BAKED! What can I say, I just love making my favorite baked goods healthier so I can enjoy them! :) My dad is a huge carrot cake fan so I decided to do our own little rendition of carrot cake! This recipe came out tasting great, moist, and delicious! It is also gluten-free, high in protein, and full of one of my favorite vegetables, carrots! Carrots are filled with vitamins and antioxidants that are so healthy for us and help fight certain cancers and improve our eye sight! I hope you all get to try this recipe soon!

Carrot Cake (makes one 8x8 dish, or 16 squares)

3/4 cup Pamela's Gluten Free Pancake and Baking mix

1/4 cup almond flour

2 scoops vanilla protein powder

3/4 cup baby carrots

1/2 cup liquid egg whites

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 T olive oil

2 T chopped walnuts

1/2 T cinnamon

1/2 T nutmeg

16-18 packets stevia

1/2 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray your dish to pour the batter in.

The first thing I did was place the baby carrots in my ninja chopper. A food processor would work for this step as well!  

Pulse the carrots in the food processor until they reach a grain-like consistency, like rice.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together and add the water until the mixture becomes like a batter. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean!

And here is the finished product! I just love my baked goods so much! :) They taste great and also allow me to enjoy the deliciousness of my favorite foods without the added sugars and butters that most of them contain. There are so many varieties that you can try (check out my other recipes!) to make any of your favorite baked goods healthier! I hope you all get to enjoy this yummy and nutrient-dense cake! Nutrition facts are below:

1 square: 70 calories, 2.5 g fat, 5.5 g carbs, 5g protein, 13% daily need of Vitamin A!

Zucchini Stew

Last night, my mom and I cooked one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. My family makes an amazing zucchini stew that is usually served over rice, but since adopting a more grain-free diet, I've eaten it just by its lonesome without the rice, and have never looked back! I don't even miss the rice because the zucchini, beef, and tomato sauce give so much flavor to this dish that is still tastes delicious even on its own. It is the perfect bowl of comforting nutrients, which is why I put it on the menu for last night! I wanted to make a meal that was warm, nourishing, and that would make enough for leftovers for me to take to my first day of work today! This meal was just that!

Zucchini Stew (makes 6 servings)

2 T olive oil

1 cup diced onions

1 lb ground beef (we used the grass fed 85/15 from Trader Joe's)

6 medium-sized zucchini

1 15 oz diced tomatoes

3 T tomato paste

1 t salt

1/2 t red pepper

1/2 t black pepper

1/2 t all spice

Start by heating up the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add the ground beef and chop it up into tiny pieces until it is cooked through.

While the beef is cooking, wash and slice up your zucchini into thin disks!

Once the meat is cooked all the way through, add the zucchini, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings! Mix all the ingredients together, then leave the pot over medium heat, covered, for about 1 hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes. There should be enough liquid in the pot since zucchini release a lot of moisture, but if the mixture ever gets dry, add a bit of water to it!

Once the zucchini cooks through and gets mushy, the dish is done! It should resemble a stew-like consistency.

We thoroughly enjoyed this meal last night; my parents added rice to theirs, but I enjoyed the stew as is! I hope you all get to try this dish this winter; it's perfect for cold and cozy nights! Not to mention it is gluten/grain free, paleo, and Whole 30 approved!

Cajun-style Chicken & Rice

The creation of this recipe was one of those "throw-everything-in-the-pot-and-hope-it's-delicious" type of experiences...and I was definitely NOT disappointed! And the best part...it only took 30 minutes to put together! I was in a huge rush on Monday morning to put together a meal that would last me the week for lunches at work. I usually do my meal prep Sundays, but since I had quite a busy weekend (I got engaged woooo!), I had to scrounge something up on Monday morning. I had bought some of my favorite prepared lemon pepper chicken from Trader Joe's, and definitely wanted to use it in a meal that would not only taste great but would make an easy lunch for the week! This recipe was so simple and delicious, I'm excited for you all to try it! Here is my Cajun-style Chicken & Rice Recipe!

Makes 4 servings:

1 package Lemon pepper chicken (or about 12 oz of cooked chicken)

2 Spicy Jalapeño Chicken sausage links

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

1 1/4 cup water

1 cup broccoli

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1/2 cup sugar snap peas

1 T olive oil

1-2 t cajun seasoning (or to taste)

1 t garlic powder

1/2 t salt

Start by cooking your chicken. The lemon pepper chicken cooks easily in the microwave, just follow the instructions on the package! Once your chicken and sausage is cooked up, chop them up. Meanwhile, sauté the snap peas and peppers with the olive oil over medium heat. I steamed my broccoli. While you are cooking your veggies, cook the brown rice according to the instructions. I used 1/2 cup dry rice with 1 1/4 cups water. Once the rice is cooked, add the veggies to the pot!

Add the sausage and chicken to the pot as well.

Once all the ingredients are mixed up, you can add the cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. I used the Cajun seasoning from Whole Foods that my cousin bought me...it's my favorite!

Mix the seasonings throughly, and then you are done! The smell of this meal was so amazing!

This recipe provides the perfect mix of nutrients: protein, healthy carbohydrate, veggies, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fat from the olive oil! Check out the nutrition facts below!

1 serving (about 1 cup): 280 calories, 10g fat, 23 g carbs, 26 g protein, 90% daily need for Vitamin C!

I hope you all get to enjoy this dish soon! It was prepped in 30 minutes, has been making the perfect lunches for my week, is healthy, and most importantly, IT IS DELICIOUS! :)

I wish you all a happy Wednesday!!!

Eggplant and Zucchini Marinara

I thought I would share a recipe I whipped up last night. It's a random combination of foods but came out tasting great! I am calling it Eggplant and Zucchini Marinara with Lentils! I had some eggplant and zucchini in the fridge that I didn't want to go back...plus half a jar of marinara sauce. So I got working in my kitchen!

First, I chopped up my eggplant and a bag of mini zucchinis I got from Trader Joe's...if you have normal sized zucchini, you would only need about 3-4! After chopping them up, I steamed them on my stovetop. While the veggies steamed, I boiled 2/3 cup of green lentils in some water for about 25-30 minutes until they softened up!

Once the veggies were done steaming, I poured out all the water from underneath the steamer, then used to same pot (what can I say, I am a minimalist) to put the steamed veggies in. Then I mixed in half the jar of marinara sauce. Once the lentils were done, I drained the water and added them as well!

This dish turned out so warm, delicious, and filling! It's so easy and quick and is perfect to make in bulk to take to school or work with you!

Quinoa Eeech

This recipe is a quick, tasty, and healthy summer dish to have on hand. My family has made eeech as far back as I remember (probably not how it's spelled, but that's how I like to spell it!) Eeech is traditionally made with bulgar, which is a healthy whole grain, but it is also cracked wheat and contains gluten. Since I have been trying to lay of the big G, I usually make this dish with quinoa! It tastes the same, is gluten free, and is a complete protein! I made a quick batch last night, so I thought I would share the recipe!

Makes 4 servings 

2 T olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onions 1/4 cup tomato paste mixed with 3/4 cup water 1 cup dry quinoa 2 cups water 1 t salt 1/2 t garlic powder 

In a medium pot, sauté the onions in olive oil over medium heat. While that cooks up, mix the tomato paste with water until it becomes like a sauce. Once the onions are cooked and translucent, add the tomato paste mixture. 

Bring this to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. Add the quinoa, water, salt, and garlic powder. 

Cover the pot over medium heat and let that simmer for about 30-40 minutes until the quinoa is cooked and the water is gone.

And here is the finished product! Lovely fluffed quinoa in a yummy tomato sauce!! This is the perfect light dinner and is usually served chilled, which is perfect on a summer night! It can also be paired with some hard boiled eggs for some added protein!! Here are the nutrition facts if anyone is interested: 

Makes 4 servings: 1 serving contains 250 calories, 9g fat, 36g carbs, 4g fiber, 7.5g protein! 

Enjoy this recipe and this beautiful Tuesday everyone!

Cheesy Cauliflower Bars

I have been craving some garlic cheesy bread lately. I don't know what it is, but that gooey warm flavor has been missing from my life. I decided to create a healthy version using a cauliflower crust! Usually, my cauliflower crusts have always fallen apart, but I was so excited when this recipe was not only delicious, but could actually be HELD UP! It was definitely one of the highlights of my day! This recipe is easy, quick, and delicious, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is craving some cheesy garlic bread!

Makes about 6 squares 

1.5 cups cauliflower florets 3/4 cup lite shredded mozzarella cheese 1 whole egg Garlic powder Basil 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking pan with some foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 

Rice the cauliflower by placing the florets in a food professor and pulsing until the cauliflower resembles actual rice.

Place the "rice" in a microwaveable bowl and heat in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Let the cauliflower cool, then add 1/2 cup of the cheese and the egg until it becomes a dough. Add the spices to taste.

Spread the dough out on the baking pan. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the edges start to brown. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese on top, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts.

ow amazing does that look?! I let it cool for 15 mins before cutting it and hoping it was sturdy enough to hold up. It was a complete success!!