Beef and Avocado Enchiladas

I could eat Mexican food all week long.  I love enchiladas (although I'm kinda picky with them...don't like the red sauce) so I decided to create my own with a few different recipes as inspiration.  I have a chicken and green chile enchilada recipe that I have used and love, so decided to mix it up with some beef!  I typically use ground turkey but felt like changing it up today.  This recipe you could totally make with ground turkey or chicken!

Ingredients

Beef and Avocado Enchiladas

1.5 lb ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken)
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika


Avocado Cream Filling
1 ripe avocado, mashed
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup green chili salsa (or you can use 1-2 jars of green chilis)
1/2 - 1 lime, juiced

12 corn tortillas
1/2 cup - 1.5 cups shredded cheese (this varies depending on how much you want to add to the top of the enchiladas, it's completely a preference).

Directions:
Chop onions and red bell pepper, sauté with a touch of oil until soft.  Add ground beef and brown the meat until cooked through.  Add cumin, chili powder, salt, garlic powder and paprika and mix meat mixture.  Set aside.

Combine avocado filling.  Add mashed avocado, Greek yogurt, salsa and lime juice and stir together. If you want to ensure it is creamy you can add to a food processor.  I mixed mine by hand and it was just fine.

Because the corn tortillas will break when you roll them up, you may want to steam the tortillas before adding the mixture to the tortillas.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a 9x13 baking dish, spread a small amount of avocado filling on the bottom of the baking dish, just enough to lightly cover the bottom.  
3. Take one corn tortilla and place a small amount of avocado filling in the tortilla, then add a spoonful of meat mixture to the tortilla.  (I add about the amount I would like in a taco).
4. Wrap the tortilla and place in baking dish with the seam down.  
5. Repeat until you've used all tortillas and meat mixture.  
6. Place remaining avocado mixture on top of the rolled tortillas.  (I also placed some extra green salsa on top too, as I wanted mine a little more moist). 
7. Top with shredded cheese.  (You can vary the amount of cheese depending on your liking).
8. Place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and heated throughout.

Serve immediately and you can top with extra avocado if you desire!  Enjoy!!

21 Day Fix containers:  1 serving (1 enchilada worth)

1/2  yellow

1 red (this counts for the meat and small amount of greek yogurt)

1 blue (avocado)

[Add a side of asparagus for a green container]

(Personally I would probably just count the 1 tortilla as a full yellow, because when I cut these it never seems to just be the single tortilla that is served, just based on how it cuts for me.)

Mexican Bake - Chicken, Rice and Black Bean - One Dish Meal

Well, this is kind of a new creation.  I was searching online for something that was simple, one dish and Mexican.  I was really in the mood for some kind of Mexican dish, but we just had tacos the other night.  As I was looking through these one dish meals, I decided I'd just create my own!

So, this really doesn't have measurements...It was kind of a "whatever I have that sounds good" type of dish!  I'll try and recreate it as best I can!!  And...I'm not real good at adding spices and knowing what to add...so feel free to adapt and adjust the recipe, spices, etc.


Cooked brown rice (3-5 cups)
1-2 cans black beans
2 cans of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 zucchini, diced
1 onion, diced
1/2 - 1 cup of corn
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup salsa verde (my favorite is Trader Joe's)
~ 1 tsp cumin
~ 1 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese for top
sprinkle of garlic salt or fresh garlic


Directions:

Combine cooked rice, black beans, Rotel tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, garlic and salt together in a large bowl.  In a skillet cook the diced onion until translucent.  Add to the rice mixture.  Cook diced zucchini for a few minutes in same skillet.  Add to rice mixture.  Add corn to mixture.
Combine Greek yogurt and salsa verde together.  Add to mixture and stir.
Once everything is combined and stirred together, pour into a 9x13 dish.  Top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is melted and warmed throughout!

If you try this, let me know how you like it or if you change it up too, I'd love to hear your modifications!  This literally was a creation that kept evolving into one thing after another!  :)

Roasted Green Beans

This was definitely a surprise of how delicious these turned out to be!  My kids even loved them!  Super easy, and they even saved well for left overs!

I got the big bag of long skinny green beans from Costco and drizzled them with some olive oil, sprinkled Kosher Salt on them and stuck them in the oven at 425 degrees for about 12-15 minutes!  They turned out absolutely delicious!

Roasted Green Beans

Green Beans
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt

Drizzle green beans with olive oil and sprinkle Kosher Salt on top.  Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes!

21 Day Fix Approved
Green Container

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shakeology Ice Cream

Ice Cream and 4th of July simply go hand in hand!  I remember as a little girl our neighborhood would have a pot luck and every family would bring out their own homemade ice cream (ohh so delicious!!!), so this recipe just shouts 4th of July for me!!

Seriously, can it get much better than this?  All of my favorite foods in ONE recipe...chocolate, peanut butter, Shakeology and ice cream!  Why NOT combine them all together for a delicious healthy dessert! 

Here you go...4 ingredients, 10 minutes to make (plus freezing time) and a healthy ice cream all in one!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shakeology Ice Cream

Total Time:  4 hours 10 minutes

Prep Time:  10 minutes

Cooking Time: none

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium banana, cut into chunks

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 scoops Chocolate Shakeology

2 Tbsp. al-natural smooth peanut butter

Preparation:

1. Place banana in plastic bag; freeze for 4 hours or until completely frozen.
2. Place almond milk, bananas, Shakeology and peanut butter in blender (or food processor); cover.  Blend until smooth
3. Serve immediately!!

Containers for 21 Day Fix:  1/2 yellow, 1 red, 1 purple, 1/2 orange

Interested in joining a 21 Day Fix Challenge Group?  Click here to fill out an application!

Recipe & picture compliments of teambeachbody.com

Easy and Healthy Tomato Soup - Healthy Comfort Food!

So I haven't tried this recipe yet, but my mom sent this to me and said it is her new favorite!  So I thought I'd post it up here and see what ya'll think!  I'd love to hear your feedback...I hope to try it this week!  Tell me how you like it!

Tomato Soup

·      1 medium onion, chopped  (or more)

·      4 stalks celery, chopped (or more)

·      1 can chicken or vegetable broth, fat free, low sodium (14-15oz)

·      1 large can crushed tomatoes (28oz)

·      1 can diced tomatoes (14-15oz)

·      1 teaspoon dried basil (or more to taste)

·      1 teaspoon dried oregano

·      1 teaspoon dried thyme   (…or 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning instead of oregano and thyme)

·      2 teaspoons granulated garlic or garlic powder (not garlic salt)

·      2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

·      A dash of hot sauce if desired (Tabasco, Cholula…)

·      Salt and pepper to taste

(Approximately 45 calories per 1 cup serving) 

1.   Cook chopped onion and chopped celery with the chicken broth until onions and celery are softened.

2.   Add tomatoes, seasonings, apple cider vinegar, and hot sauce. 

3.   Bring to a boil and then simmer 5-10 minutes.

4.   Remove from heat.

5.   With an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender, blend until smooth. (Let it cool a bit if using a standard blender)

6.   Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

This soup is also good served chunky…not blended.  You can add chopped carrots, peppers, etc.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes - 21 Day Fix Approved Recipe

Ever since I was a little girl I've always loved sweet potatoes...Now this is still a staple for me in my meal plans!

So, there are tons of health benefits to sweet potatoes.  Honestly, I'm not going to go into huge detail about it...but if you want to read about those, here's an article I found that gives great info!!  (Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes, livescience.com).

Sweet potatoes have become a huge staple in my diet as I have been eating clean.  It's a great carb (or yellow container if you follow the 21 Day Fix nutrition guide!) to use daily and is so satisfying!!

Of course there are many ways to make your sweet potatoes, cooking them whole, roasting, pureed, and I'm sure there are more!

My favorite ways are roasting and just good old fashioned cooking them whole!

Ingredients

Roasted Sweet Potatoes - 21 Day Fix Approved!

• Sweet Potatoes (I like to have leftovers, so I will do a 3-4 medium to large potatoes)
• about 1 tbsp coconut oil
• salt (optional)
• cinnamon (optional)
• (Or any other spice or herb you'd like to add)

Other herb options:
Fresh Sage
Rosemary


Directions:

1. Chop Sweet potatoes into cubes
2. melt coconut oil and toss the sweet potatoes in it
3. sprinkle salt (if desired)
4. sprinkle cinnamon (if desired)
5. top with herbs (if desired)

Bake at 425 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until desired softness.

If following the 21 Day Fix-

Yellow Container

Shakeology Mug Cake - a.k.a Heaven in a MUG! (21 Day Fix Approved)

Oh my goodness...So I was searching for a new Shakeology recipe to just change it up a bit and happened upon a new recipe!!  Ummm...can you say, really great new "sweet tooth recipe"!?!?

The best part about this recipe is that it's 21 Day Fix APPROVED Recipe!!  It's easy to break up into your  containers and just hits the spot!  I just had mine for snack and it was perfect because it was nice and hot and warmed me up!!

Here it is...

Ingredients
-1/4 tsp baking powder
-1 scoop Shakeology/protein powder
-1 tbs sweetener of your choice ( I used liquid Stevia, about a dropper full was enough)
-dash of salt
-1 egg
-optional mix in: peanut butter, unsweetened cocoa powder (I used both...1 tsp of PB and 1 tbsp cocoa powder)
-2 or 3 tbs water/milk

Directions
-In a mug mix Shakeology, baking powder, salt, cocoa, and sweetener.
-Next, mix in an egg and  2-3 tablespoons of water/milk.
-Mix until dry ingredients are wet.
-If you’d like to add peanut butter, put one dollop in the center and push it down a bit.
-Microwave for 90 sec. (mine only took about 60-70 sec)
-When it is done the edges will pull from the sides.
-Enjoy!

21 Day Fix Containers

1.5 - RED

1 - teaspoon (if you have Peanut Butter)

Pumpkin Spice Latte (a healthier alternative to Starbucks PSL)

Fall is in the air (ok, that's just me dreaming as it is going to be over 100 degrees here in SoCal this weekend...).  Pumpkin everything is starting to come out everywhere!  If you're like me, fall is my favorite time of the year (and also my least favorite!).  I grew up in Kansas and lived a few years in Northern Virginia and love, love, love Fall.  Like, really love Fall!  Ever since I moved to Southern California, well, that is the "season" we really just don't have.  We get it for maybe a couple weeks in late November, if we're lucky...but, there's really nothing like a true fall with the changing of the leaves and the cool crisp in the air!

I love the fall leaves changing!

So, when pumpkin "everything" comes out this time of year, it's a love/hate relationship.  But deep down I absolutely love it still because I just LOVE pumpkin anything!!

Well, I used to get really excited about Starbucks coming out with their Pumpkin Spice Lattes.  Over the last few years as I started being more concerned about what I was eating and drinking I would only get them maybe one or two times a year.  HOWEVER...now that I'm being even more conscious about not only the calories in but also the other ingredients that are in my foods, I've decided I will NEVER be having a Starbucks PSL again!

Picture from Foodbabe.com

So a friend (thank you Melissa!) shared this article with me from Foodbabe.com and I was really so shocked that I wanted to share it with you!!  Now, Vani, the Food Babe,  goes through all the details that I'm not going to go into depth with, because she did a great job at it!  But, I wanted to share at least this link with you so you can go and make the decision for yourself after reading the facts!

Picture from Foodbabe.com

Let's just say this...it ain't natural stuff in the "delicious" Pumpkin Spice Latte!

However...there is good news!!  Vani came up whit this amazing HOMEMADE Pumpkin Spice Latte that I just had to try out myself this morning and it is SO delicious!  So...I get to save the $5 for a grande PSL, plus all the harmful chemicals that are in it, and make it myself for next to nothing!!

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Here are some recipes for healthier alternative to the Pumpkin Spice crave in all the coffee shops!! Make your own!! (Recipes from Foodbabe.com)

Pumpkin Spice Recipes

Here's another great option if you want to try out a Pumpkin Spice Latte Shakeology.  Why not mix your "used to be favorite drink" with Shakeology!!  If you've never tried Shakeology (your healthiest meal of the day), then send me a message for more information or to order a single packet!!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Shakeology

Pumpkin Spice Latte Shakeology

• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup brewed chilled coffee
• 1/3 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
• Ice cubes

For more information on clean eating and meal planning please feel free to email me!

Cilantro Dressing

I love cilantro, it's one of my favorite herbs!  Here's a dressing that is clean and doesn't use straight oil.  It's delicious!

Cilantro Dressing

• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• 1/4 cup of cashews or pumpkin seeds
• salt to taste
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1 lime squeezed (or you can use lemon instead)

Blend in blender (I love my VitaMix!)

You can adjust the measurements as you see fit!

Enjoy!!

Cilantro Dressing