Chicken Florentine 2

Chicken Florentine
from Clean Eating Quick and Easy Meals

1 tsp olive oil
4- 4oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh basil
10 oz fresh spinach
2 tbsp freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
sea salt and black pepper to taste

In a large skillet over med high heat, heat the oil and cook chicken seasoned with sea salt and pepper until lightly browned on each side- approximately 6 min

Reduce heat to medium and stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil. Place spinach on top of chicken, and cover tightly.

Simmer, stirring occasional until chicken is cooked through, approximately 15 more minutes. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese

Total calories 186
Total Fats 4g
Saturated fats 1g
Sodium 336 mg
Total Carbs- 9g
Sugars 0
Protein 30 g

This is a very beautiful looking dish, easy and tastes great!

Balsamic Crockpot Chicken

Balsamic Chicken

Posted by Leslie Marshall on the Skinny Crockpot facebook page

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
2 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 onion thinly sliced (Not chopped)
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp each: dried oregano,basil, and rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
ground black pepper and salt to taste

Preparation:

Pour the olive oil on bottom of crock pot
place in chicken breasts, salt and pepper each breast
put sliced onion on top of chicken
then put in all the dried herbs and garlic cloves
pour in vinegar and top with tomatoes

Cook on high 4 hours, serve over whole wheat angel hair pasta.

I changed it up a little and added some crushed red pepper and a little bit of reduced fat feta cheese on top of mine. It was amazing. The kids ate it up! I served it with a side salad

Chicken Feta Stir Fry

1/2 lb of chicken cut into chunks
olive oil
minced garlic
sea salt
pepper
1/2 yellow onion chopped
1/2 green Bell pepper chopped
1 vine ripened tomato chopped
sliced fresh mushrooms
balsamic vinegar
fresh spinach leaves torn
Feta cheese

Sautee chicken with onion and pepper in olive oil and splash of balsamic vinegar, minced garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper until done

Add tomato and mushrooms and sautee, then add torn spinach leaves and feta cheese, sautee until leaves are still green but begin to wilt

You can eat this by itself, in a wrap or over quinoa. It is really good and fast!

There is no quick fix!

Today I ran across a post on facebook of a lady selling detoxifying wraps that will melt inches off of your body after only 7 applications. I was floored that 32 people responded and wanted info on how they can get this miracle product! You see crazy diets all the time that put people on a dangerously low calorie count or have them just eating grapefruits or cabbage. Shows on TV show people dropping massive amounts of weight in a few weeks. No wonder we are conditioned to think that weight loss should be quick and easy. We want quick and instant results! Guess what....there are NO quick fixes! Weight loss is a process that takes time. What happens when you go on a fad diet and lose 20 lbs when you start back to eating how you normally ate? You gain it back plus more. How many people do you know that are constantly on a diet?? It obviously is not working for them. So many people start an exercise program and give up after a week or two because "it is too hard", they do not want to step outside if their comfort zone, they do not want to give it time to let the body adjust. Of course it is hard, if it wasn't tough then you would not see changes. Your body has to be challenged to get the results that you want. And why are people so hesitant to start to eat healthy? They will try all of these diets but they will not cut out processed foods, or limit sugar or eat 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Why is taking care of your body and treating it and fueling it like it should be so difficult? You are given 1 body in this life, why fuel it with junk? Weight loss that is permanent requires consistent exercise and a consistent healthy diet, it is a lifestyle change. No cream, wrap, 500 calorie diet, etc is going to do it for you. Remember it takes time to lose weight and inches. Be patient, change your habits, live a healthy life and stop buying into the quick fix garbage.

Chicken Sautee with Quinoa

I was inspired by my sister in law Ali Cameron to make this dish. She made it when we were visiting the inlaws and I loved it. I made a few changes to the recipe, but I have to give credit to her for the original recipe and the inspiration. She has a wonderful blog if you would like to follow her. fitformotherhood.blogspot

Chicken Sautee with Quinoa

Sesame Oil
Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 lb Chicken breast cut into chunks
Red Bell Pepper cut into strips
Yellow onion cut into strips
Fresh Mushrooms
Bunch of Kale
Quinoa (cook following directions on box or bag)

Heat tbsp of oil in pan. Add chicken and a dash of soy sauce, cook chicken until done, add onion and bell pepper and sautee until tender, next add mushrooms, sautee until warm, add as much Kale as you would like torn into pieces,add a little more soy sauce and sautee until Kale is still green and begins to soften. Remove from heat and serve over cooked quinoa. It is amazing!! You can also serve this on a wrap that has a tiny bit of hummus on it. I prefer Ezekial wraps or Flat Out Bread. This is such a quick and easy meal and my kids love it. Vegetarians, you can substitute the chicken for Tempah which is how I had the meal the first time I had it.

Lasagna

Lasagna is one of our family favorites! The spinach adds extra nutrients for you and the Greek Yogurt adds extra protein.

Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles
1 lb Extra Lean Ground Beef or Ground Turkey Breast
1 chopped onion
jar minced garlic- around 2 tsp- depends on your taste
9oz package of frozen chopped spinach
1 5 oz container of plain Greek Yogurt
1 15 oz container of part skim ricotta cheese
15 oz canned tomato sauce
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
park skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400
Cook meat, onion, minced garlic and drain. Return to pan. Thaw spinach in microwave and then add and stir, mixing up for 3-5 min

Add tomato sauce, salt, oregano, dried basil and red pepper flakes.
Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes

Mix ricotta cheese and Greek yogurt together

Spray dish with cooking spray and place a layer of uncooked lasagna on bottom covering the bottom of dish, add layer of ricotta mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover with sauce mix- save some for top layer, add another layer of noodles and ricotta mixture and top with sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, cover with foil and bake on 400 until noodles are done - usually around 45 min. Turn off oven and allow lasagna to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving

ENJOY!

Guiltless Taco Salad

I came up with this tonight for dinner and it was so good! The kids loved it! WARNING the way I make it is very spicy. You can omit the jalepenos and hot sauce if you like it milder

1 lb lean ground turkey breast
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of rotel
jalepenos
1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp black pepper
dash of Franks hot sauce
large leave of romaine lettuce
fat free sour cream- optional

Brown ground turkey. Meanwhile mix together all seasonings in a small bowl and put to the side. When turkey is cooked add mixed seasonings, can of black beans, rotel, and sprinkle in some jalepenos and a dash of hot sauce. Stir and simmer for 5-10 min. Lay Romaine lettuce leaf on plate and top with turkey mixture, add a dollop of sour cream if you would like. This was so good! It tasted just like a taco salad without all the fat and calories.

Directions for LivingSocial voucher purchasers

First of all thank you for purchasing!! We have a great program and I cannot wait to get you girls started. Due to the high volume of sales we are going to have to cap how many can start each session. This is due to your safety during the session, quality of your workout and also some of of locations are smaller and cannot accommodate a large influx of people. Please follow the follow directions to redeem your voucher:

1. YOU MUST EMAIL ME WITH THE DATE, LOCATION, AND CLASS TIME THAT YOU WANT TO START!! The Richmond County location is available with the voucher- it was not listed on the living social deal but you can use it there. The email address is bethanysbikinibootcamp@gmail.com Once a session is full you cannot start that session and will have to put your name on the next available session. Once your 30 days are up and if we are in the middle of a session, you will be given the option to continue at a prorated cost. It is best to start class at the start of a boot camp session and the start dates are listed on the website

2. Print your registration forms from www.bikinifitbody.com and attach your voucher to the registration form and present to trainer at first class. You may NOT start class without the registration form or the voucher. You will receive a pink card from your trainer. This card HAS to be presented every time you come to class, no card, no class.

3. You need to bring a set of hand weights- please no lower than 5 lbs a piece, 8 lbs is a good start, and a mat to lay on

4. Please try to attend one of the form clinics. The dates will be posted on the facebook page this week.

Thanks!! See you in class!

Quick and Easy Chicken and Veggie Quesadilla

This makes a great lunch or quick dinner and you can throw in whatever you have on hand. This is the one I made:

whole wheat tortilla
cooked chicken strips
mushrooms sauteed in olive oil
spinach leaves
roasted red peppers (I buy them in a jar)
jalepenos
small amount of reduced fat mild cheddar cheese (you can omit the cheese if you want. I only added a sprinkle on mine)

Heat a frying pan on med heat
Prepare Quesadilla on plate by placing the ingredients on one side of the tortilla, fold in half and place in pan. Cook for about 5 min or until cheese is melted and tortilla starts to brown, flip a couple of times while cooking

Enjoy!!

Back at it!

I received full clearance from my doctor yesterday to get back to my regular workouts. I had a C Section 6 weeks ago and finally received no restrictions!! It was like Christmas morning for me! Until today I have been walking 6 days a week and doing very light weights- this had all been cleared and been given the OK from my doctor. I was careful to not lift anything heavier than my baby or do anything that placed any kind of pressure on my abdomen. While I was grateful to be able to do some activity it just wasn't what I am used to. I love to work my body hard. I love to give 100% of me, nothing but my best!!

I started today with a test jog. I wanted to see if I could jog a mile. I worked out my whole pregnancy, but around 34 weeks I gave up running, it just became too uncomfortable. I gave it a go this morning and made it! 9:37 sec! While this is over 2 minutes slower than my normal pace it was a start!! I had no pain when running, nothing was uncomfortable and I felt free! I felt like me!!! It was wonderful! The remaining 30 min I spent doing walk jog intervals. The humidity was so high today so I came home literally drenched in sweat and I loved it!!!

I decided to go lower body today with weights. Best thing I did when pregnant was create my own home gym, it is nothing fancy but it is enough to get a good workout while the baby is so young and it also gives me a reason to not have any excuses to workout. I upped my weight today, still not close to my normal but it was nice to not feel restricted.

I missed my workouts so much! I am so glad that I am back!!!

Spring Chicken Sautee

New recipe that we tried tonight! I liked it! Very colorful and pretty dish loaded with vitamins and low in calories and fat. I found this recipe on eatbetteramerica.com

Spring Chicken Sautee

prep time:20 min
start to finish:40 min
makes:4 servings

2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch-long pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme
2 cups sliced yellow summer squash and/or zucchini
1 can (15 oz) Progresso® cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Progresso® reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. In a covered medium saucepan, cook green beans in a small amount of boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; submerge beans in enough ice water to cover and let stand until cool. Drain again; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a very large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. In a large bowl, toss chicken with oregano. Add chicken to hot oil in skillet; cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
3. Add squash to skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Stir in chicken, green beans, cannellini beans, chicken broth, and garlic. Bring to boiling. Add tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook about 1 minute or until heated through.

Mediterranean Vegetable, White Bean & Feta Penne

This came from the Feb 2011 Clean Eating Magazine
I loved it

6oz whole grain penne pasta
1 cup cooked or canned white beans, drained and rinsed
2 med tomatoes chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 med zucchini, cut into eighths lengthwise and then into 2 in pieces
1 med bell pepper cut into small pieces
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese

Cook penne according to pasta directions, add beans during last min of cooking

Meanwhile in a med bowl combine tomatoes, 2garlic cloves, vinegar, basil, pepper flakes and salt, set aside

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in nonstick skillet, tilt to coat pan, add zucchini and bell pepper and cook 4 min or until edges begin to brown, stir frequently. Add remaining 2 garlic cloves and cook for 15 sec stirring constantly. Remove from heat ,stir in tomato mixture and drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Cover to keep warm

Drain penne and bean mixture , place in serving bowl, sprinkle evenly with rosemary and all but 1/4 cup of feta. Spoon zucchini mixture over top and top with remaining feta

Chicken Taco Fiesta

This recipe was sent to me by a boot camper, I changed a little but of it, took out the packaged taco seasoning and added my own. It was very good!!

1 1/4 lb chicken tenders cut into small pieces
14 oz can of chicken broth
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tbs chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
14 oz canned white corn
1 can black beans
1 1/2 c uncooked brown minute rice

Mix together all seasonings and place to side

In large saucepan saute chicken in olive oil until done, add chicken broth, tomato sauce and mixed seasonings, bring to boil, simmer for 5 min. Add corn, beans and rice. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand until rice is donw

You can top with a sprinkle of reduced fat cheese, sour cream if you would like. I added some extra Frank's Hot Sauce to mine because I like it really spicy.
I served it with a salad

Leftovers can be placed in a whole grain tortilla for a great lunch wrap

Chili Macaroni

My aunt sent me this recipe that was given to her by a friend. It is a Weight Watchers Recipe

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey breast
2 med onions chopped
29 oz canned stewed Mexican Style tomatoes undrained
2 1/2 cups of canned tomato juice
4 oz diced green chili peppers (I used 2 cans)
2 tsp Chili Powder (I also added ground cumin and ground pepper to taste)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat macaroni uncooked
31 oz Pinto Beans canned, rinsed and drained

Brown beef and onions, drain
Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, chili peppers, chili powder and other seasonings if desired
Bring mixture to a boil
Stir in macaroni and beans, return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender- around 15 min. Spoon 1 cup of chili into bowls. I added some Frank Red Hot Sauce to mine because I like mine very spicy!

It was really good, we enjoyed it

Sirloin & Peppery Tomato Reduction

This was very good! I loved the sauce that went over the steak. I made 2 mistakes. 1. My steaks were too thin and 2. I overcooked the steaks but it was still very good

Ingredients:
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt divided
1 lb boneless sirloin steak about 3/4 in thick,trimmed of visible fat
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 med zucchini cut into eighths lengthwise and then 2 inch pieces
1 med squash cut into eighths lengthwise and then 2 in pieces
1 med yellow onion , quartered, layers separated

Sauce
1/2 cup of canned diced tomato
1/2 cup of water
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl combine chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle evenly over both sides of steak and press lightly to adhere, let sit for 10 min

Heat 1 tsp of oil in large nonstick skillet on med high tilting to coat pan. Add zucchini, squash and onion and cook until tender crisp, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of salt and place in med bowl, cover to keep warm

Heat 1 tsp of oil in same skillet on med heat, tilt to coat pan. Cook steak until desired doneness

Meanwhile prepare sauce in small bowl adding all ingredients except oil

Remove steak from skillet and place on cutting board. Return skillet to med heat and add sauce mixture to pan residue. Bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 min or until reduced to 1/4 cup liquid, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, stir in 2 tsp of oil and serve over steak. Serve beside squash-onion stir fry

Taken from Clean Eating Magazine Feb 2011

Nutrients per serving:
( 3 oz steak, 1/2 cup of cup squash stir fry and 1 tbs of sauce)

Calories: 235
Total Fat 11g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Carbs 7g
Fiber 2g
Sugars 4g
Protein 22 g
Sodium 246 mg
Cholesterol 55 mg

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Tried this tonight and it was very good! I do need to learn how to butterfly chicken because I did not do a good job on that!

4 boneless chicken breasts
5 oz fresh spinach- chopped
2 red ripe tomatoes- chopped
1/2 yellow onion- chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
reduced fat feta cheese
Lawry's Seasoned Pepper

1. Flatten and butterfly chicken breasts and season both sides with Lawry's Seasoned Pepper- be careful not to add too much
2. Brown chicken and cook until no longer pink
3. While chicken is cooking, in a second pan add olive oil and heat. Add spinach, tomatoes, onion and garlic and sautee until hot
4. Spoon spinach mixture into chicken breasts and then sprinkle with feta cheese if desired
5. Close chicken breast and cook 1 min on each side

Serve with steamed veggies of your choice and a salad

Enjoy!

** recipe was adapted from one I found on sparkpeople.com

Pita Pizza

Another favorite at our house. Very quick and easy and a good alternative to your local pizza place.

Pita Pizzas

whole wheat flat bread
2 cans of Muir Glen Organic Pizza Sauce (I get it at Kroger in the Organic section)
grilled chicken strips
spinach
4 Roma tomatoes
part skim mozzarella cheese
crushed red pepper if desired

Heat oven to 350. Put flat breads on a cookie sheet, top with spinach leaves, grilled chicken, thinly sliced roma tomatoes, pizza sauce, crushed red pepper if you want and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, I do not use much cheese.

Cook for 15- 20 min

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Pork Chops

1-2 pounds of pork chops
onion powder
garlic pepper seasoning

Put pork chops in crockpot
season with onion powder and garlic pepper
add a tiny bit of water
cook on low for 8-10 hours

Very good! Tender and a great flavor
Serve with steamed veggies and a salad

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Love these! You can add more red hot sauce if you like it spicier!

2 tbs hot pepper sauce- I use Frank's RedHot
3 tbs white vinegar- divided
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb chicken tenders
2 tbs reduced fat mayo
2 tbs nonfat plain yogurt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup crumbled reduced fat bleu cheese
whole wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1 large tomato diced

Whisk hot sauce, 2 tbs vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken tenders, cooked untl cooked through and no longer pink in the middle. Add chicken to the bowl with the hot sauce and toss to coat

Whisk mayo, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tbs of vinegar in a bowl, stir in bleu cheese

Lay tortilla on plate, spread with 1 tbs of bleu cheese sauce ,top with 1/4 of chicken, lettuce and tomato, drizzle with hot sauce mixture, roll into wrap

Enjoy

Put down those light weights!!!

Not seeing the results that you want to be seeing from your workout?? Better check the size of those weights! Women are so scared of heavy weights, I just do not understand this. We do not have testosterone like men to develop large muscles and unless you are taking steroids you are not going to end up looking like one of those women body builders, it just is not going to happen! If you think that working out every muscle group with 5 lb weights is going to give you the results that you want to see, you are kidding yourself. You cannot work the shoulders (which require a lighter weight) with the same amount of weight that you are going to work your quads- one of the largest muscles in the body, they require a heavier weight. The biceps and triceps can work with a heavier weight than the shoulders too. Girls, when you come to boot camp, you should not be working with one size weight. You should be bringing a moderate (notice I did NOT say light- 3lbs is NOT going to cut it!) and a heavier weight. Your reps should not be easy. If you can breeze through your reps then you weights are too light! If we are doing 3 sets of 10, then at 10 you should not be able to do any more without taking a rest. Now really ask yourself, be honest, are your weights heavy enough?? I can tell you that every boot camper should have a set of 8lb weights and a set of 10 lbs weights and you girls who have been there awhile should have 12s or 15s and 10s. You WANT it to be hard, you WANT to reach muscle failure, if you are not then you are not going to see the results that you want. Building lean muscle is what you want to do, that lean muscle is going to burn more calories and a pound of lean muscle takes up more space in the body so the more muscle that you put on the leaner you are. You will not look like a body builder, so do not use that as an excuse. And you are not going to "bulk" up. If you think you are bulking up then chances are this is your natural build. If you have been working with the same weight for a long time, you HAVE to go up in weight. Your body is going to plateau, it needs t be challenged, don't look for the easy workout, challenge your body and just wait until you see the changes, you will love it!

To quote Mr Jack LaLanne, fitness pioneer:

"So many people will just take five pound weights and do something 10 times. What are they getting out of it? Nothing!"

Here are a few good articles on the subject
http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/a/liftingheavy.htm

http://www.elitefts.com/documents/female_athletes.htm

http://realwomensfitness.com/upper-body-exercises/should-you-use-heavy-weights-for-toned-womens-arms/

Turkey Black Bean Burritos

Mexican is one of my family's favorites. Tonight I threw together some burritos with ingredients that I had on hand and they turned out great

1 lb lean ground turkey
chopped onion
1 can of black beans rinsed
1 can chopped green chilies
Salsa
cumin, chili powder,garlic powder
whole wheat tortillas
shredded reduced fat cheddar if desired

Brown turkey and onion together
Add green chiles, black beans and cumin, chili powder and garlic powder to taste
add salsa to desired consistency
Simmer for 5-10 min
warm tortillas and place mixture on tortilla and roll, top with tomatoes,dark leafy green- we use spinach, and salsa

I served with a salad

Enjoy!

Kale Chips

I love Chips, but they are so horrible for you so I have cut them out of my diet but sometimes I just crave that salty and crunchy texture. One of my boot campers shared a recipe that her friend gave her. Kale Chips

I admit I was a bit skeptical. I wasn't sure how I would like them or how the kids would like them. Well, we made a trial batch tonight. They were amazing!!! My kids loved them and begged me to make another batch. Kale is such an awesome food for you! Kale is chocked full of vitamin A and C and low in calories. You can read more about Kale here
http://www.peertrainer.com/DFcaloriecounterB.aspx?id=2666

Here is the recipe given to me by Tracey Durbin and given to her by Kate Loder Luke. Enjoy!


KALE CHIPS
take the Kale leaves off of the stalk, spread them out on a baking sheet, spray lightly with olive oil, and sea salt, bake 8-10(ish) minutes at 350 degrees! just keep an eye on it, we like it green but crispy and it can burn easily!

No Bake Protein Bars

I got this recipe from Oxygen Magazine. These are so quick and easy! Love them!

Ingredients
1/2 cup All Natural Peanut Butter
2 cups Quick Oats
4 scoops vanilla or chocolate Protein Powder
1 tbsp Ground Flax Seed
1/2 cup Water

Directions
Knead all ingredients together in large bowl. Place in square baking dish lined with wax paper and freeze for 30 minutes. Cut into bars.

Spinach and Turkey Enchiladas

This is one of my family's favorites! It is so yummy!!


1 lb lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 box (9 oz) frozen chopped spinach
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, undrained
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic-pepper blend
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (3 oz)
1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce
8 whole wheat tortillas tortillas (8 inch)
1/2 cup Thick 'n Chunky salsa

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook turkey and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until turkey is no longer pink.

2. Stir in spinach; cook, stirring frequently, until thawed. Stir in green chiles, cumin, garlic-pepper blend, sour cream and 1/4 cup of the cheese.

3. Spread about 1 teaspoon enchilada sauce on each tortilla. Top each with about 1/2 cup turkey mixture. Roll up tortillas; place seam sides down in baking dish. In small bowl, mix remaining enchilada sauce and the salsa; spoon over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

4. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray; cover baking dish with foil, sprayed side down. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

From eatbetteramerica.com

Fiesta Chicken and Rice in Crockpot

I threw this together today and it turned out pretty good

1-2 lbs of chicken breasts
ground cumin
2 cans of Rotel
1 Can of Black Beans
1 Can of Corn
brown rice

light shredded cheese if desired.

In Crockpot put chicken and season with ground cumin
add 2 cans of rotel, black beans drained, and corn drained
Cook on low for 8 hours
Cook brown rice according to directions

Serve the crockpot mixture over the brown rice, I shredded the chicken after it was cooked. You can add a sprinkle of reduced fat cheddar cheese if desired or leave it off to save calories. It is good either way. I added some more hot sauce to mine because I like things spicy

Serve with a side salad
Enjoy

Healthier spaghetti pie

For those with kids sometimes it is hard to get them to eat foods that are healthy. It is a good idea to start them on healthy foods early. Here is a "healthier" version of one of my kids favorites, spaghetti pie:

1 lb extra lean ground beef or ground turkey breast
Garlic Pepper Seasoning
8 oz of whole wheat spaghetti noodles
2 tbs of olive oil
2 eggs beaten
1 cup grated Parmesean cheese
Non- stick cooking spray
1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
1 jar of marinara sauce- I use Classico because it has few ingredients and lower sugar
1/2 to 1 cup of park skim shredded mozzarella

1. Season meat with garlic pepper and brown, drain if needed, add marinara sauce and simmer
2. Cook noodles as directed
3. Heat oven to 350
4. Place spaghetti in a large bowl and toss with olive oil
5. In a small boil combine, combine eggs, and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
6. Add to pasta and mix
7. Spray a pie pan with cooking spray and pour spaghetti into pie pan
8. Spread ricotta cheese on top of noodles
9. Pour marinara meat sauce on top
10. Bake for 25 min
11. Add Mozzarella and remainder of Parmesean Cheese
12. Cook for 5-10 min or until cheese is melted

**Recipe was adapted from Everything Cooking for Kids Cookbook

Serve with a side spinach salad with grape tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, etc

Setting GOALS, not resolutions

Let's face it. Most people do not succeed in making New Years "Resolutions". It is as if people already expect to break them before they even start. This year I am not making resolutions. I am making goals and I am writing them down and I am going to do everything I can to attain these goals. For me, fitness is not a problem. I do not need to make it a part of my new year goal, but I do have a few personal fitness goals that I do want to attain. My goals for 2011 are

1. Get organized. This is so hard for me. My brain just doesn't work this way, but I am going to make an honest attempt to clean out closets, get rid of junk and try to organize myself.

2. Save more money

3. Be prepared for the 2011 Marine Mud Run Challenge in Sept- baby is due in June so I have a lot of work to do!

4. Finish my nutrition certfication

5. Work on another fitness certification

6. Continue to grow my fitness business and branch out in a few other areas of fitness

Chicken Florentine

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One of my boot campers gave me the recipe and it is fantastic!

1 1/2 lb chicken breasts or tenders
10 oz bag of fresh spinach
8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
4 roma tomatoes sliced
5 ox reduced fat feta cheese
8 oz bottle light Balsamic Vinagrette dressing, I use Newman's Own
12 oz whole wheat angel hair pasta

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and saute in olive oil- you can salt and pepper them a little
Spray 9x13 dish
layer spinach, cooked chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, feta cheese, and then pour dressing all over
Bake at 350 for 30 min and serve over pasta

ENJOY!! It is a great and healthy dish