Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ



Pulled Pork BBQ
Yield: 4 servings 
Fix Portions (per serving): 1 red, 1/4 purple, 1/4 green, 1 yellow (if served open-face; 2 if served on whole bun; 0 if served bunless)

Ingredients
1.      1 pork loin
2.      ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
3.      ½ cup water
4.      1 green container (about 1 cup) onions and mushrooms, chopped
5.      1 tsp cayenne pepper
6.      1 tbsp garlic powder
7.      ¼ cup red wine (or apple cider) vinegar
8.      ¼ cup yellow mustard
9.   1 whole wheat bun or roll

Directions
1.      Combine ingredients 1-6 in a crockpot
2.      Cook on low for 7-8 hours
3.      Drain and shred pork. Return to crockpot
4.      Stir in red wine vinegar and mustard (may need to add more, to taste, as well as add additional seasoning like pepper, cayenne, garlic powder)
5.      Serve 1 red container (about 2/3 cup) of pork on whole wheat hamburger bun or deli round




Thursday, April 24, 2014

Chipotle Pork Carnitas, PLUS Carnitas Quesadillas & Pico de Gallo



So, I am one of those people that could pretty much each Mexican food every night. No more late night trips to Taco Bell on 21-day fix, so I’ve gotta appease my tex-mex taste buds somehow.

This recipe for chipotle pork quesadillas was an instant favorite in our household. And its SO easy to make!

Chipotle Pork Quesadillas with Homemade Pico
Fix Portions: 1 red, 2 yellow, 1 green, 1 blue

Ingredients

Pork Quesadillas
·         1 pork loin
·         1 cup water
·         ¼ cup white vinegar
·         1 tsp honey
·         1 tsp lime juice
·         1-3 tsp ground chipotle pepper (depends on how spicy you want it)
·         1-3 tsp Cholula Mexican hot sauce (again depends on heat preference)
·         2 tbsp garlic powder
·         2 tbsp onion powder
·         Whole wheat tortillas
·         Shredded cheese (cheddar, cheddar jack, or Mexican blend)

Homemade Pico
·         1 large tomato, diced
·         ½ sweet or red onion, diced
·         1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
·         Handful cilantro leaves, chopped
·         Black pepper
·         1 tsp cayenne
·         Juice of 1 lime
·         1 tsp ground cumin
·         2 tsp garlic powder

Directions
1.      Combine all pico ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving.
2.      Combine all pork ingredients (expect cheese and tortillas) in a crock-pot. Cook on low for 7-8 hours (or high for 3-4 hours), or until meat shreds apart easily
3.      Build your quesadilla:
a.       Spread Cholula hot sauce on WW tortilla
b.      Add 1 red container of pork
c.       Add ½ green container of pico
d.      Add 1 blue container of cheese
e.       Top with additional WW tortilla
f.       Cook quesadilla on both sides either in skillet or on a pizza pan or cookie sheet in oven broiler, set on high (my preferred way to cook quesadillas- perfectly crispy!)
4.      Serve with ½ green container of additional pico for dipping. You may also use plain nonfat greek yogurt as a replacement to sour cream if you like (just add another red serving to your portion tally). 


P.S. Speaking of Chipotle, did you know you could eat at Chipotle (the restaurant) on the 21-day fix? Yes its true- I may or may not have eaten there 2 days in a row last week :)... Here's what you need to order: Burrito bowl with brown rice (yellow), black beans (yellow), pico and lettuce (green), cheese (blue), meat of choice (red), and if you are brave hot sauce... Now, only eat 1/2 the bowl at a time, and remember you might have to save up some color portions throughout the day to account for it (i.e. those darn yellows), but it will be SO worth it!




Interested in trying the 21-Day Fix for yourself? For more information, please click here or visit www.beachbodycoach.com/melheywardfitness

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Pecan Crusted Chicken Strips



One of the things I enjoy most is taking a recipe I love and converting it into a healthy, substantial meal. Fried chicken is one of those comfort foods everyone loves, but clearly coating chicken in white flour and frying it in oil isn’t the best choice. So how can we mimic the taste and crunch but eliminate the fat and calories? Aahhhh love a challenge.

Pecan Crusted Un-fried Chicken Strips
Fix Portions (per serving: 1 serving = 3 chicken strips): 1 yellow, 1 blue, 1 red

Ingredients
·         1 chicken breast
·         2 slices whole wheat bread
·         2 blue containers pecans
·         ¼ cup Dijon mustard
·         1 tsp honey

Directions
1.      In a food processor, finely chop bread and pecans (until you get the consistency of breadcrumbs)
2.      Slice chicken breast into 6 strips
3.      Combine Dijon mustard and honey in a shallow dish
4.      Coat each chicken strip in honey-mustard mixture, then roll in pecan-breadcrumb mixture
5.      Take a cooling rack (like that you would use to cool cookies) and place that inside a cookie sheet. Place chicken strips on rack and bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes
6.      Serve alongside vegetables or add to your favorite salad.




Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Brunch Burgers



For as far back as I can remember, I have always been a Rachael Ray fan. I have her pots and pans, her cooking utensils, her knife set. I watch her show everyday and subscribe to Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine. Every single recipe she creates is delicious- every.single.one. She is basically my cooking idol.

So last month, her magazine did an entire issue dedicated to breakfast recipes. It was basically the best edition of her magazine ever- I’m saving the eniter magazine for future reference.

One recipe in the magazine was for Brunch Burgers, an ideal breakfast for dinner hybrid dish. I loved the concept and knew with a little tweaking I could make it 21-day fix approved. Here is the revised recipe- it is delicious and you can cook it all in one pan-easy clean up!

Brunch Burgers
Fix Portions (per burger- recipe makes 2 burgers): 1 yellow, 2 red, 1 blue

Ingredients
·         ½ lb ground turkey (93% fat free)
·         4 slices turkey bacon
·         2 eggs
·         2 teaspoons 100% pure maple syrup
·         1 tablespoon grainy mustard
·         1 whole wheat English muffin
·         2 slices cheese (cheddar or provolone)
·         Black Pepper
·         Onion powder
·         Garlic powder
·         Dried sage
·         Cayenne pepper

Directions
1.      Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high
2.      Cook turkey bacon on each side. Brush each slice with maple syrup and sprinkle with black pepper. Remove from pan
3.      Fry eggs until over-easy (leaving the yolk runny). Remove from pan.
4.      In a bowl, season ground turkey with sage, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and black pepper (I just eyeball it…probably about 1 tsp each). Mix into meat and form into patties (tip: make a thumbprint in the center of each patty- this allows for your patties to cook evenly because they rise in the middle when heated)
5.      Mix 1 tsp syrup with grainy mustard.
6.      Cook patties on both sides in cast iron skillet until cooked through. As they are cooking, brush each side with the maple-mustard mixture
7.      Place one slice of cheese on each patty. Cover with foil until cheese melts (about 30 seconds)
8.      Toast English muffin in toaster
9.      Spread remaining maple-mustard on English muffin
10.  Assemble your burgers: muffin, bacon, burger, egg. Sprinkle with ground black pepper and serve. 




Monday, April 21, 2014

Supreme Pita Pizzas


Sometimes when we try to eat healthier, we get this notion in our heads that our food options are limited to salads. This is definitely not the case. There are so many ways you can eat healthy and enjoy a wide variety of meals. In fact, during my first round of 21-day fix, I ate something different so every dingle dinner- not one repeat…

So, over the next few days I will be sharing some of the best fix-approved dinner recipes I have whipped up thus far. Enjoy friends!

Let’s start with one food everyone loves but no one would expect it could be eaten on a “diet”… pizza!


Homemade Supreme Pizzas
Yield: 2-4 pizzas 
Fix Portions (per pizza): 1 red, 1 blue, 1½  green, 1 yellow

Ingredients
·         1 whole wheat pita flatbread (per pizza)
·         1/2 pound lean ground turkey (93% fat free)
·         3 low sodium deli ham slices (diced), or 3 slices turkey bacon (cooked and chopped)
·         Mushrooms, chopped
·         Bell Peppers, diced
·         Onions, chopped
·         1 can san marzano tomatoes (without salt added) OR clean tomato sauce (the one with the best taste, best ingredient list, and best price is Classico Traditional Pizza Sauce- only costs about $2 a jar)
·         Mozzarella cheese
·         Dried oregano or Italian seasoning
·         Garlic and onion powder

Directions
1.      Preheat oven to 400
2.      Place pita directly on the rack and cook for 5-7 minutes (this allows the pita to become crispy like a pizza crust)
3.      Meanwhile, brown ground turkey in a skillet. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper
4.      If you are using a prepared tomato sauce, skip to step 5. If not, keep reading: Mash san marzano tomatoes using a potato masher- it will become the consistency of pasta/pizza sauce. Tip: pour extra sauce in a freezer Ziploc and store in freezer- you can use this later for additional pizzas or pasta.  
5.      Once you remove the crust from the oven, spread sauce (about ½ a green container- or less if you prefer).
6.      Layer 1 red container of mixed ground turkey and ham or bacon
7.      Layer 1 green container of mixed vegetables
8.      Top with 1 blue container of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle dried oregano or Italian seasoning over top
9.      Bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly

Bonus Variations

Instead of using a pita, you can always make mini-pizzas using a whole wheat English muffin, WW deli round, or WW bagel…or even a WW tortilla

I made a buffalo chicken pizza the other night that was delicious- sub Tabasco for the sauce, shredded chicken for the protein (tossed in extra tobasco and garlic powder), sharp cheddar cheese, and some green onions and peppers for the veggies- hit the spot!


And, if you're looking for another way to jazz up your pizza, make it Mexican! Use Mexican hot sauce (I used Cholula) as the sauce, top with shredded chicken or lean ground turkey (that has been tossed in your favorite, preferably clean salsa), diced bell and jalapeno peppers, black beans, and sharp cheddar or mexican blend shredded cheese. Get creative and top with shredded lettuce, avocado, extra salsa, or some plain nonfat greek yogurt (as a sour cream substitute)




P.S. If you are looking for a great take-out pizza, I recommend Brixx Wood-Fired Pizza. They have a whole wheat crust option for all pizzas and the following are fix-approved (and cost only around $10)...
  1. Margherita
  2. Wood- Roasted Vegetable
  3. Wild Mushroom
  4. Zucchini White
  5. Chicken Florentine (minus bacon)
  6. Rosemary Chicken and Mushroom


Interested in trying the 21-Day Fix for yourself? For more information, please click here or visit www.beachbodycoach.com/melheywardfitness

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

French Toast Pancakes



This recipe combines my favorite two breakfast foods into one- pancakes that really do taste like French toast- who doesn’t love that? Plus, they are so healthy and easy to make!


French Toast Pancakes
*I adapted this recipe from one used on the Biggest Loser to meet the 21-Day Fix parameters.
Makes 10-12 pancakes
Serving Size: 3-4 pancakes
21-Day Fix Portion (per serving): 1½ red, 1 yellow

Ingredients
·         1 cup egg whites
·         1 cup fat free cottage cheese
·         1 cup whole grain oats
·         1 tbsp cinnamon
·         1 tsp raw sugar or stevia
·         1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
1.      Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth (about 30 seconds)
2.      Pour onto a lightly greased griddle or griddle pan (I use a very small amount of real, unsalted butter)
3.      Cook until lightly brown on both sides
4.      Drizzle with 1 tsp of 100% pure maple syrup


Monday, April 14, 2014

3 Easy Egg Recipes



Eggs are one of the most versatile breakfast items and a must-have for 21-day fix (in fact, they are on my top 10 list of grocery items you need for 21-day fix). Here are a few very simple, quick egg combinations that made a delicious breakfast (or even breakfast for dinner!)


RECIPE 1: Spinach & Feta Egg Whites
Fix Portions: 1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Blue
This is my go-to breakfast. Delicious by itself, or wrap it up in a whole wheat tortilla (add 1 yellow serving)

Ingredients
·         1/3 cup egg whites
·         1 green container spinach
·         1 blue container feta
·         Garlic powder
·         Ground nutmeg
·         1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions
1.      In EVOO, sautéed spinach until wilted. Season with garlic powder and a dash of nutmeg.
2.      Add egg whites and feta to pan
3.      Cook over medium-low heat until cooked through (5 minutes or less)


RECIPE 2: "Lovely" Eggs and Toast
Fix Portions: ½ Red, 1 Yellow

Ingredients
·         1 egg
·         1 slice whole wheat toast

Directions
1.      Using a cookie cutter, cut a hole in the center of your bread (I make mine heart shaped)
2.      Place bread in a skillet (or griddle) over medium heat
3.      Crack the egg inside the hole in the bread
4.      Once the egg is about set and the toast is browned on the bottom, flip and cook until lightly browned on the other side


RECIPE 3: Everything Omelet
Fix Portions: 2 Red, 1 Green, 1 Blue

Ingredients
·         2 eggs
·         3 slices low sodium deli ham, diced
·         2 slices cooked turkey bacon, chopped
·         1 blue container cheese of choice (I like shredded sharp cheddar)
·         1 green container vegetables of choice (mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach, jalapenos, etc.)
·         1 tbsp water
·         1 tsp EVOO
·         Pepper
·         Garlic powder

Directions
1.      Crack eggs and whisk with water, pepper, and garlic powder
2.      Heat EVOO in pan over medium heat
3.      Add eggs
4.      Add vegetables, proteins, and cheese
5.      When the edges look about set, fold one side over to form an omelet. Allow to finish cooking through before serving



Friday, April 11, 2014

Banana Pancakes



Banana Pancakes

In this house, we LOVE pancakes! There was a while when the first thing Anniston would ask for every single morning was pancakes (or as she calls them “can-cakes”)… In the past I’ve tried dozens of pancake recipes- both homemade and store-bought mixes, searching for a healthy alternative to this wonderful breakfast item.

I think I finally found the pancake recipe I’ve been searching for. Healthy banana pancakes- and they are 21 Day Fix approved! Not only that, but on 21-day fix, 1 pancake is considered a full yellow serving, but with these, you can eat 3 pancakes for ½ a yellow, ½ a red, and ½ purple serving- so you more bang for your buck, plus get fruit and protein in there too!

Oh did I mention they were delicious???




Ingredients
*Makes 6 pancakes.
Fix Portions (for 3 pancakes): 1/4 yellow, ½ red, 1 purple

·         2 eggs
·         1 banana
·        3/4 cup oats
·         ½  cup unsweetened applesauce (I use a 4oz applesauce cup)
·         1 tsp vanilla extract
·         1 tsp cinnamon

Directions
1.      Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth (about 30 seconds)
2.      Pour onto a lightly greased griddle or griddle pan (I use a very small amount of real, unsalted butter)
3.      Cook until lightly brown on both sides
4.      Drizzle with 1 tsp of 100% pure maple syrup (optional- my daughter eats them plain and loves them- I’ve made them 2 days in a row!)

Bonus
Add your favorite fruit (blueberries, strawberries, peaches, etc) or dark chocolate chips to the batter when the pancakes are on the griddle for an extra "sweet" start to your morning!




Thursday, April 10, 2014

Egg White Muffins



Breakfast, they say it’s the most important meal of the day. Unfortunately may people skip breakfast- and I can understand why. I am always running late and breakfast seems like the logical thing to cut when pressed for time. My husband too used to only drink coffee as his breakfast, until he did the 21-day fix and realized how much better he felt and was able to focus at work when he ate breakfast.

So over the next several days, I will be sharing breakfast recipes perfect for whether you are on the 21-day fix or not- portioned, balanced, nutritious, and substantial to get your day started off on the right foot!

Let’s start with a grab-and-go breakfast (because whether you work or not, we are all running out the door on some mornings).


Egg White “Muffins”

Yield: Makes 12 full size muffins

Ingredients:
·         2 regular cartons 100% pure liquid egg whites (or 1 large carton- I buy a 6 pack of regular cartons at Costco)
·         Vegetables of your choice- Suggest spinach, multi-colored bell peppers, mushrooms, and/or onions
·         Pepper
·         Garlic and/or Onion Powder

Directions (Easy Peasy!)
 
1.      Grease a muffin tin with olive oil spray
2.      Fill each muffin compartment with chopped vegetables
3.      Sprinkle with pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder
4.      Fill each compartment to the top with egg whites
5.      Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

Bonus Tips
·         These can be eaten by themselves or you can put them on a whole wheat English muffin or whole wheat mini-bagel and create a breakfast sandwich
·         If you want to jazz it up more, top with some Tabasco or melt cheese over top
·         Store 2 muffins in each Ziploc bag. Stays fresh for 7 days in the fridge.

Fix Portions to Check-Off

·         2 egg white muffins = 1 red, 1 green
·         2 egg white muffins + ww mini-bagel = 1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow
·         2 egg white muffins + ww english muffin = 1 red, 1 green, 2 yellows
·         2 egg white muffins + cheese = 1 red, 1 green, 1 blue