Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

A few weeks ago I had this brilliant idea that would not only save me money on my meal prep but also save me TIME.

It all started at a local farmers market when I visited a table from one of our local farmers and started talking to him about his chicken.

I've talked about switching to organic, free range chicken for months now but my budget just said NO.

Obviously no part of me wanted to consume chicken full of steroids, antibiotics, and hormones... but I couldn't give up my chicken and buying all organic literally made me cringe.

As I talked to this farmer, he told me I could get a 5lb. chicken for $10! I don't think he even finished his sentence before I started pulling out my wallet. I WAS SOLD.

I brought this chicken home and looked at it like a foreign object... What in the world was I supposed to do with this thing??

Two words. CROCK POT.

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken 

• 1 whole chicken, frozen or thawed (mine was roughly 5 pounds)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. pink Himalayan salt
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 onion, sliced 
• 2 lemons, sliced

To Make:

1. If your chicken is thawed take your sliced onion and stuff it inside the cavity of the chicken.
2. Place the chicken breast side up and drizzle with olive oil.
3. Mix together all of your seasonings and rub on to chicken. Be sure to get into EVERY single crevice. This flavors your chicken so don't be scarce with your seasonings!
4. Sliced up 2 lemons and add slices all over the top of your chicken.
5. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours

Your chicken will be so tender it will literally fall off the bone!

ENJOY!

XOXO Brianna

Crockpot Apple Pork Tenderloin

Time after time I have people tell me they don't have time to eat clean, they definitely don't have time for meal prepping, and therefore result in various convenience foods that usually don't fall into the way of eating they are trying the accomplish.

Can I be honest? Everyone has 24 hours in a day and we are completely in control of how those hours are spent. I prioritize my health so meal prepping isn't an option to exchange for another task on the to do list each week. BUT that doesn't mean I spend half of my weekend cooking! Hello, we only get 2 days right?!?!

So my secret??

I'M OBSESSED WITH MY SLOW COOKER!

Last week I found pork tenderloin at my local market for CHEAP so I knew it had to be apart of my weekly meal plan! My weekly budget is almost laughable trying to get all organic produce so anytime I find a deal i'm all over it!

This recipe can be made in bulk, then put in the freezer for later use.

Talk about convenience food on a whole new level!

Whole 30 Slow Cooker Apple Pork Tenderloin

INGREDIENTS

1 TBSP Coconut Oil or Olive Oil

4 lb. Pork Tenderloin

4 cups low sodium all-natural Chicken Stock

2 medium apples – sliced (I used Gala Apples)

1 medium onion – sliced

1 TBSP of Rosemary, dried or fresh

Pepper to Taste

Slow cooker bags (these are AMAZING for quick and easy clean up!)

DIRECTIONS

1.  Lightly grease the bottom of slow cooker with the coconut oil or olive oil

2.  Slice onion and player on the bottom of slow cooker. 

3. Place pork tenderloin on top of onions.

4. Place sliced apples on top of pork.

5. Sprinkle rosemary over the pork.

6. Pour chicken stock over all ingredients.

7. Cook for 4 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low.

Pair with vegetables and a sweet potato for a yummy fall/winter dinner!

Thanks for stopping by! 

XOXO Brianna

Gluten Free No Bake Protein Bars

If you've ever taken a protein bar from the shelf in a gas station or even some health food stores, you know that 90% of them are pretty equal to that of a snickers bar in terms of ingredients and macro-nutrients. The only difference is that little bit of added protein which most of the time is from a source of protein your body has a hard time breaking down anyways.

I'm sure many of you are thinking "are there ANY healthy yet convenient ways to get in some quality protein without drinking protein shakes all day long??" I have good news- THERE IS! It's called make your own protein bars and keep them stored in the fridge or on your counter top in portioned sizes so they're super simple to just grab and go! PROBLEM SOLVED!

Oh, and you'll save a ton of money doing it this way also ;)

What you will need:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3/4 cup organic almond butter (no sugar added)
• 2 tsp raw honey
• 1 cup vanilla/chocolate protein powder (I used shakeology for the added nutrition)
• 1.5 cups gluten free rolled oats
• 1/4 cup flax seeds
• 1/4 cup popped amaranth 
• 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips (I used ENJOY dairy, nut, soy, and gluten free chips)\

What to do:

1. In a medium sized bowl, toss old fashioned oats, flax seed, protein powder, and popped amaranth together. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, almond butter, and honey over low-medium heat. Stir until the almond butter is melted and mixed well. 
3. slowly fold in the oat/seed mixture and stir until well combined.
4. Press mixture firmly into a 9x9 pan.
5. if using, sprinkle dark chocolate chips on top. 
6. let sit until cooled and slightly hardened before cutting into bars.
7. Cut into 9-12 bars.

Note** you can add in whatever you like to spice it up! Next time I may add some unsweetened coconut and cacao powder for a "almond joy"makeover :) 

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Brianna

Cut the sugar, cut the salt, cut the CRAVINGS

It's no surprise part of my Sundays are ALWAYS spent in the kitchen- but that time never fails to be time that pays itself off throughout the week! Imagine spending 4 hours prepping EVERY SINGLE MEAL for your week ahead... seriously, just 4 hours to ensure what you eat is the LAST thing you have to worry about throughout your week.

This weeks meal plan include FIVE daily meals -

1. Vegan chocolate shakeology + 1/8 cup. rolled oats + 1/2 grapefruit + 1 tsp almond butter 
2. 1/2 cup Cottage cheese + 1/2 scoop protein powder + 1 apple + 2 strawberries 
3. 4 oz. Cod + mango + 1/2 cup roasted cauliflower + 1/2 cup roasted peppers + 1 tsp flaxseed oil
4. 3 oz. Roasted turkey breast + 1/4 cup brown rice + 1/2 cup sautéed spinach + 1 tsp flaxseed oil
5. 3 oz. Chicken + 1/2 cup roasted peppers + 1 tsp flaxseed oil

Do you have 4 hours to get this done so you can save triple that time this week?!

Lets get started then! :)

FIRST- Cut the fat off your chicken and add it to the crockpot on high for 3 hours. I added 1 quart of low sodium vegetable broth and filled the rest of the way with water

NEXT- Preheat your oven to 350F. Add your cod to a baking dish filled about an inch of the way up with low sodium vegetable broth. Top each fish fillet lemon juice, garlic powder, and vegetable seasoning. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.

THEN- While the fish is cooking, cut up your peppers, cauliflower, and whatever other vegetables you want to use. Add them to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with vegetable seasoning and lemon pepper seasoning (with no salt). When the fish is finished, preheat your oven to 400F and roast the veggies for 20-30 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

NEXT- Portion out your cottage cheese (1/2 cup) into a tupperware and then mix in your protein powder (1/2 scoop). Add handful of berries and a dash of cinnamon. Then cut up your mango into 5 servings (1 serving = 1/3 mango). Next slice your apples and sprinkle with cinnamon (after sitting in the fridge the apple slices absorb the cinnamon and taste just like *guiltless* cinnamon apples)!

THEN- Add 1 quart of no sodium beef broth. Bring to a boil then once boiling, add 1 cup brown rice and bring back to a boil. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes until rice is tender. While rice is cooking, sauce spinach with minced ginger and lemon pepper seasoning until wilted.

**NOTE- I bought the no sodium turkey breast from Publix so it's one less thing I had to cook. It's Boars Head brand! ;)**

Once everything is cooked, begin portioning out your food. Then stick in the fridge until it's time to eat again!

Questions? Post them below and I would be happy to help!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

xoxo,

Brianna

Crockpot Sausage & Peppers

This is one of those recipes that may become a family favorite. I know it did in my household! It resembles gumbo, with a twist!

Everytime I make this recipe, I make it in BULK because it freezes SO well! I've kept in the freezer for up to 6 weeks and it thaws out just as tasty as when it's first cooked. Convenient right?!

What you will need for this recipe: Make 8-10 servings

2 lbs. chicken sausage (cooked and chopped)

1 Green Pepper (chopped)

2 Red peppers (chopped)

1 Yellow pepper (chopped)

2 onions (chopped)

1 bag of frozen okra

6 cloves garlic (minced)

1 tbs. oregano (dried)

1/2 cup basil (fresh and chopped)

2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes 

2 tbsp. tomato paste

To Make:

1. Add sausage, peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, and basil to the crockpot.

2. Mix tomatoes and tomato paste together, then ass to the crockpot.

3. Cook on low for 6 hours.

4. 1 hour before finishing, add the frozen okra.

5. Serve over rice, quinoa, or pair with sweet potatoe bites like I did! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

xoxo

Brianna

Week 3 {vegan} Meal Prep

This weeks meal prep is a little different than the past preps i've posted (if you want to check out my previous meal prep's, click here!) because this week is mostly vegan (minus some chicken sausage in a soup)!

Vegan isn't for everyone (including ME!), but cutting out meat for short periods of time can be so beneficial to your digestive system and to get you to explore new foods!

This weeks menu consists of: 

• Kale, Quinoa, & Tomato Soup
• Lentil Soup Topped Sweet Potato
• Creamy Eggplant & Tomato Soup
• Vegan Shepard's Pie (recipe below)
• Mason Jar Salad & Homemade Dressings

Creamy Eggplant & Tomato Soup

For starters, all of this made 50ish meals in one prep! Completely budget friendly, vegan friendly, gluten free, dairy free, and will fit perfectly into your nutrition plan!

If you are NOT vegan, I did make a few modifications for the days we did want to incorporate meat. For example, I added Chicken Sausage to the Kale, Quinoa, & Tomato Soup. The lentil soup with a sweet potato I just added extra veggies. I added Venison to the Creamy Eggplant & Tomato Soup (would also be great with chicken!), and then Vegan Shepard's pie would be yummy with ground turkey (though I didn't use it).

I knew I wanted to make a shepard's pie and had seen a few recipes, but none were exactly what I was looking for. So here's the "made over" version I put together & let me tell you, it turned out amazing!

Vegan Shepard's Pie

What You Will Need

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 10-ounce bag frozen mixed veggies: peas, carrots, green beans and corn
• 3 pounds of sweet potatoes (or about 5 medium sized potatoes)

Instructions

1. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and fill with water until they’re just covered. Bring to a low boil on medium high heat, then cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or until you can pierce them easily with a fork.
2. Once cooked, drain, add back to the pot to evaporate any remaining water, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Use a masher or large fork to mash until smooth. 
3. While potatoes are cooking, preheat oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish (or comparable sized dish, such as 9x13 pan. An 8x8 won’t fit it all but close!).
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in 1 Tbsp olive oil until lightly browned and caramelized - about 5 minutes.
5. Add a pinch each salt and pepper. Then add lentils, stock, thyme and stir. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Continue cooking until lentils are tender (30 minutes).
6. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the frozen veggies, stir, and cover to meld the flavors together.
7. Transfer to your prepared oven-safe baking dish and carefully top with mashed sweet potatoes. Smooth down with a spoon or fork and season with another crack of pepper and a little sea salt.
8. Place on a baking sheet to catch overflow and bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes, or until the mashers are lightly browned on top.
9. Let cool briefly before serving. The longer it sits, the more it will thicken. Let cool completely before covering, and then store in the fridge for up to a few days. Reheats well in the microwave. You can also freeze and thaw out the night before eating.

For more recipes & tips, head HERE!

If you try any of these recipes or have a recipe you make each week for meal prep, share it below! I'm always up for trying new things!

Happy Meal Prepping!

With Love,

Brianna

Mason Jar Salads & Homemade Dressings

I'll let you in on a little secret... these salad's are a meal prep MUST for 3 reasons:

1. Eating a salad a day ensures you're getting your greens in 

2. They stay fresh all week (i've kept mine up to 9 days!)

3. There's a million different ways you can make them so you never get bored!

Making a mason jar salad is SIMPLE - layer from bottom to top (obviously...)

• dressing (2 tablespoons)
• non-absorbance veggies like peppers, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, etc.
• veggies that tend to absorb liquid (cucumbers, tomatoes)
• Starch (if using) - I like to use quinoa or lentils, especially in my vegan salads
• Seeds, nuts - my favorites are sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds
• Cheese (if using)
• GREENS - spinach, kale, spring mix, etc.

No matter what ingredients you're using, follow these steps and you'll be fine every time!

Now, salad dressings... 99% of the dressings you get in store are practically ruining every effort of you trying to eat clean. I like to make a batch of a few different dressings all at once, put them in mason jars and then take them out when i'm ready to prep my salads.

My favorite dressing is a Strawberry Vinaigrette recipe that i've been so long now I don't remember where the original ever came from...

Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing

You Will Need:

• 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves 
• 2 tablespoons lime juice 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 
• 1 tsp. mustard 
• dash of pink Himalayan salt & pepper

Blend together and keep in a glass, air tight container.

Carrot Ginger Sesame Dressing

You Will Need:

• 1 cup shredded peeled carrot
• ½ cup sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark pure maple syrup or agave nectar
• 2 teaspoons miso paste (found in refridgerated section of health food store!)
• 1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper

Blend together and keep in a glass, air tight container

Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette: makes about 1/2 cup dressing

• 1/2 cup diced strawberries (fresh)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt to taste (I love pink Himalayan salt)
• honey (optional, only use if your strawberries aren't sweet)

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
2. Keep leftovers in an air tight glass jar in the refrigerator.  

Whole 30 approved SWEET dressing:

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder 
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes 
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano flakes 
• 1/2 teaspoon basil flakes 
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper 
• 1/2 cup organic olive oil
• 1/4 cup organic grape juice (make sure to check the ingredients for added sugars)
• 1/2 cup organic balsamic vinegar 
• 2 ounces pureed beets (baby food)

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

**NOTE: I used an organic baby food blend with beets, zucchini, and strawberries

If you have a favorite dressing recipe you use, i'd love to try it! Just post it in the comments below. 

As always, thanks for stopping by -

With Love, 

Brianna

Week Two Meal Prep

Guess what?? After SO much traffic last week with my 21 Day Fix Meal Prep post, i've decided to make a meal prep series to provide you with recipes I use and how I utilize them into my weekly prep!

I'm pretty pumped that so many people found that last post helpful with their personal meal prepping! That is a huge win in my book!!! :)

With all of this being said, if you have requests, please leave them in the comments below and I promise to get back with you as soon as I possibly can! :)

Now to the good stuff! 

Have you heard of carb cycling?? My boyfriend has been reading a lot on it and we thought it would be fun to give it try for the 3 weeks leading up to our vacation to Hawaii (literally we leave in 21 days)!

The purpose behind it is to never let your glycogen reach a "full" tank. Many times when we eat too many carbs, starches, starchey vegetabels, etc. our glycogen levels are over flowing! Anything past the "full" line is automatically stored and turned into body fat... hello weight gain. 

As the sweet-aholic that I am, I thought this would be a GREAT way for me to cut back and get my glucose levels down. PLUS carb cycling is a GREAT way to burn fat quick!!

So, although all of this food is 21 day fix approved, i'll show you how we incorporated it into our carb cycling meal plan, week one!

First, we threw a full chicken into the corckpot on low for 8 hours. I sprinkled it with flavorgod everything seasoning, threw in some minced garlic, and lemon slices. Then I poured about 8 oz. of low sodium chicken broth on top and let that baby cook!

Then, I started cutting and roasting vegetables! I chopped up broccoli, carrots, squash, zucchini, peppers, cauliflower, and mushrooms then laid them out on baking sheet covered with parchment paper (makes for an easy clean up)! 

To roast:

1. Heat your oven to 390F. 

2. Spray veggies with coconut oil or olive oil then season with your favorite seasoning. I love the flavorgod seasonings or mrs. dash garlic and herb!

3. Cook for about 20-30 minutes. Check your veggies after 20 minutes and determine if they are done enough for you!

Next, I started prepping the fish. This week I made tilapia and salmon!

To make: 

1. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil.

2. Add your salmon to one baking sheet and tilapia to the other. 

• To cook the salmon, spray each fillet with coconut oil. Then rub each fillet with smoked paprika, pink Himalayan salt, and garlic powder. Cook on 350F for 15 minutes!
• To cook the tilapia, spray each fillet with olive oil. Then rub each fillet with smoked paprika, tumeric, a little cayenne pepper, and pink Himalayan salt. Cook on 375F for 8 to 10 minutes or until fish is flakey.

Next, I cooked my quinoa according to the package and boiled sweet potatoes to mash. 

To make mash sweet potatoes simply fill a pot halfway with water (enough to cover the sweet potatoes) and bring to a boil. Then add your sweet potatoes and cover. Cook for about 15-20 or until sweet potatoes are soft. Once cooled, peel off the skin, mash with a fork, and sprinkle cinnamon on top!

YOU'RE DONE!!!! This seriously took a whopping 2 hours. It's simple, but delicious! 

This weeks meals:

Low Carb-

1. 6 oz. tilapia with 1 cup of roasted vegetables and 1 tablespoon of trader joes soyaki

2. 5 oz. salmon with 1 cup roasted vegetables and 1 tablespoon of trader joes soyaki

3. Salad with spinach, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrots, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, chicken, and avocado!

High Carb- 

1. 4 oz. tilapia with 1 cup of roasted vegetables, 1/2 cup quinoa, and 1 tablespoon of trader joes soyaki

2. 4 oz. salmon with 1 cup roasted vegetables, 1/2 cup quinoa, and 1 tablespoon of trader joes soyaki

3. Salad with spinach, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrots, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, and 1/2 sweet potato

4. 4 oz. grilled chicken with roasted vegetables and 1/2 cup of sweet potato mash

Seriously this week was one of the easiest and cleanest meal preps and everything is amazing!

I can't wait for you to give it a try!! :)

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to submit them below!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Brianna

Interested in a customized meal plan and one on one coaching?

CLICK HERE.

21 Day Fix Meal Prep!

One of the biggest struggles in every one of my online accountability groups is always the meal planning and prepping. Although the 21 Day Fix makes it much simpler to pair foods and create a meal within your nutritional guidelines, many of my challengers just need help getting started!

I just started another round of the 21 Day Fix Extreme so i've decided to log my weekly meal plan to give my challengers some ideas on recipes and meals for their own personal plans.

If you also are following the 21 day fix (or even if you are not), my prayers are that this post will also help you with wherever you may be struggling! Please feel free to ask any questions you may have in the comments below and i'll answer them as quickly as I can!

21 Day Fix Meal Plan

Each week I try to make at least 2 breakfast, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners to alternate each day! Then I like to portion out some snacks that are ready to grab and go for convenience. 

This week were having Cottage Cheese Pancakes and Oatmeal Muffins for breakfast. 

Our lunches will consist of Sweet Potato Lasagna and Chicken Burrito Bowls. 

Then for dinner we have Sausage & Peppers and Grilled Chicken with Veggies!

The grab and go snacks for the week are baggies with mixed nuts (1 blue), hardboiled eggs (2 eggs = 1 red), and apple slices with cinnamon (1 purple)!

I'd love to hear what you're meals look like for the week or what some of your favorite recipes are!

Thanks for stopping by,

XO

Brianna

Interested in a customized meal plan and one on one coaching?
CLICK HERE.

Protein Pancakes With A Twist!

I originally saw this recipe on the Fit Men Cook instagram and rolled my eyes. Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes didn't even sound appeasing... Don't get me wrong, I love cottage cheese, and I love pancakes, but I never thought i'd love them TOGETHER!

These high protein, low carb pancakes are soon to become one of your clean breakfast go to's for many reasons!

1. The ingredients are all CLEAN.

2. The pancakes have SO much flavor and are so MOIST!

3. The recipe can be very versatile, yet still taste amazing.

4. They go with literally any topping you can imagine!

Makes 4 servings - 1 serving is equivalent to 3 pancakes!

What You Will Need:

• 2 eggs
• 4 egg whites 
• 1 1/3 cup 2% cottage cheese
• 1 1/3 cup oat flour (or blended oatmeal)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon 
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• olive oil spray 
• Toppings: berries, granola, homemade berry jam, coconut, nuts, protein "icing" etc.

To Make:

1. Beat eggs together in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients - oat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix together. 
3. The add the cottage cheese and mix together. 
4. Pour in the eggs and mix thoroughly. 
5. Spray a non-stick skillet with olive oil and set the skillet on medium heat. 
6. Once the skillet is hot, add 2 big tablespoons of the batter to the skillet for each pancake. Cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side.
7. Top with your preferred toppings and ENJOY!

Notes: If you need more protein, I recommend trying the "protein icing". Just add 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder, 1-2 spoonfuls of greek yogurt, and 1/8 cup unsweetened almond milk. Mix together and if your icing is still too thick, add more almond milk until your desired consistency. Add in a dash of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract for added flavor.

21 Day Fix Containers (without toppings): `1 Red, 1/2 Yellow

The BEST Lasagna You Will Ever Try!

Sweet Potato Lasagna is one of those terms you hear and just kind of throw your nose up at the thought of. Am I right??

Traditional lasagna in it's fatty, high carbohydrate state has been more like a "cheat meal" favorite for years! But what if by substituting the bad ingredients and replacing them with healthy ingredients, you could actually enjoy this recipes as apart of your CLEAN EATING meal plan?

Be ready to fall in love.

What You Will Need:

• 2 lbs. lean ground turkey (93% and higher is preferred!)
• 3 medium sweet potatoes 
• 1 cup of cottage cheese (2%)
• 3 egg whites 
• 1 jar of organic tomato sauce (I used a basil herb sauce)
• 1 cup of mushrooms, chopped 
• 2 bell peppers, chopped 
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning 
• pink Himalayan sea salt 
• pepper 
• Mozzarella cheese (optional)

To Make:

1. Set your oven to 375F

2. Slice your sweet potatoes into THIN slices so once they're cooked they become soft. If you have a mandolin, i've found this is the easiest and quickest way to get your slices thin and even. 

3. Chop up your mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion. Set aside.

4. Mix your cottage cheese with the egg whites and set aside.

5. Saute onion with your minced garlic, then add the ground turkey once your onion becomes transparent. Add tomato sauce, mushrooms, bell peppers, and italian seasoning. Set aside.

6. Start building your lasagna! First spray your dish with non-stick spray. Then start layering your sweet potatoes, meat sauce, cottage cheese, and repeat!

7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes or until your sweet potatoes are soft.

Note: The thicker your slices are, the longer the lasagna will take to cook. Be sure to take a tooth pick and stab the center of the lasagna to make sure the sweet potatoes are soft before turning the oven off. I've had to cook mine up to an hour. 

Your top layer should be the cottage cheese mixture! You can also add mozzarella cheese to the top if you're a cheese lover!

21 Day Fix Containers: 1.5 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Green, 1 Blue (only if using mozzarella cheese!)

Crockpot Chicken Burrito Bowl

I LOVE CROCKPOTS!!!

Seriously, you throw everything into the pot, put the lid on, and let it cook! Not to mention, allowing everything to just sit and simmer for HOURS always perfects the taste of any dish! It allows the meat to marinate, the veggies to absorb extra flavor, and needs no additional work!

This recipe is not only simple, but it's delicious, and 21 day fix approved!

What You'll Need:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 4 large breasts
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of onion powder
• 4 tsp. of garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons of chili powder
• 4 tsp. of cumin
• 2 tsp. of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bell peppers, chopped 
• 12 oz. mushrooms 
• (2) 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
• (1) 14 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 3/4 cups of instant whole grain brown rice (optional)
• 1 cup shredded colby jack OR cheddar cheese 

 
Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts in slow cooker.
2. Pour chicken broth over chicken breasts and stir in canned tomatoes, olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
3. Cook on low for about 4 hours.
4. Remove chicken breasts from slow cooker.
5. Turn slow cooker to high and stir in instant rice and black beans.
6. Let cook 30-45 minutes on high, or until rice is tender.
7. Add chicken back in, cook for 20 minutes on high, or until chicken is warm.
8. Serve with fresh diced tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, avocados or guacamole, top with cheese. 

Serving Size: 1 Cup
21 Day Fix: 1/2 Yellow, 1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Blue

Notes: Once finished, you can create a bowl with your choice of a complex carb (brown rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa) OR you can roll up in a burrito wrap (whole grain, spinach, kale, flax, etc.)! Prep a week of a lunches 5 different ways if you want! :)

Meal Prep - KID edition!

Meal prepping is one thing... meal prepping for kids is a completely different subject! If the meal doesn't contain cookies, french fries, pizza, or a sandwich, most kids don't want to touch it. Sound familiar???

BUT what if there's a way around it! I was DETERMINED to find healthy lunches that were kid lunchbox friendly and I think I found a few solutions... :)

These can be made at the beginning of the week and readily available to grab each morning and throw in lunch boxes. No more morning lunch packing madness!

Lunch #1: Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups

Ready for the simplest recipe known to human kind??

What you will need:

1. deli turkey (look for one with low sodium, organic if possible, and no msg)

2. your favorite block of cheese (I kept it simple with a block of cheddar cheese)

3. Raw veggies (carriots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers... whatever your child will eat!)

4. FRUIT. I picked grapes but anything will work :)

5. Muffin Tins

6. Skewers

To Make:

1. Soak your skewers in water for 30 minutes

2. Cut your raw veggies 

3. Fill your muffin tins with veggies and fruit

4. Take out your skewers and start building them! Roll your meat, slide on cheese, repeat.

THAT'S IT. So simple yet SO fun and of course, SO healthy!! :)

Stay tuned for lunch #2! 

XOXO,

Brianna

Quinoa Salad with Salmon

I know, i'm on a total quinoa kick! Did you know quinoa is super high in vitamins B1, B2, B6, and E, is super high in fiber and protein, contains all 8 of the essential amino acids making it a "complete" protein, has a low glycemic index, AND it's high in both iron and magnesium - two minerals that most Americans are low in!

Okay my quinoa rant is over... but now can you see why i'm boarder line obsessed??

I made salmon for lunches this week and needed something to pair with it. I knew I wanted something NEW and fun, but obviously super healthy and filling. Quinoa salad was the PERFECT match!

Doesn't this picture just make you want to grab a handful and shove it in your mouth??? It can't just be me right...?? :)

Even better news, this recipe is SO simple to make!

What you will need:

• 1 lb. baked salmon 
• 2 cups quinoa, cooked
• 1 cup edamame
• 1 cup cucumber 
• 1 whole carrots, chopped 
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper 
• handful of fresh cilantro, chopped 
• 1/2 cup feta cheese 
• 1/2 dried cranberries
• pink himalayan salt 
• juice of 2 lemons
• balsamic vinegar (to your liking)

To make:

• Bake salmon at 400 for 15 minutes (I drizzled avocado oil, smoked paprika, and pink Himalayan salt on mine!)
• Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl and store in the fridge until it's time to eat!
• That's it... seriously!

Since I did this recipe as a meal prep, I went ahead and divided 4 oz. of salmon and split the quinoa up into 4 different containers. Now I can just grab & go!