21 DAY FIX SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN CHILI

OH CHILI! What can I even say? My family loves ♡ this healthy, slightly spicy, extremely basic and wonderful turkey chili loaded with everything sweet potato and yummy. It's fall, it's cold outside and this chili always hits just the right spot! 

Ingredients

• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds of ground turkey
• 1 small or ½ large onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes
• 2 cups of kale, chopped into small pieces
• 2 med/large sweet potatoes, diced (measure about 4 cups)
• 2+ cups of chicken stock
• 3 T salt free taco seasoning
• up to 1 T chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
• salt and pepper
• optional - maple syrup
• toppings:
• cheddar cheese
• cilantro
• chives
• avocado

Instructions

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 2 tsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add turkey to pan, along with 1 ½ tablespoons of the Salt Free Taco Seasoning and cook through; then add onions and kale and cook until soft. Season turkey and veggies with salt and pepper, then remove from pot.
2. Add the remaining 2 tsp of olive oil to pan and saute sweet potatoes just until they start to brown. Add the garlic, 1 ½ tablespoons of the Salt Free Taco Seasoning, a sprinkle of salt, a can of fire roasted tomatoes, and 2 cups of chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes or so, until the sweet potatoes are very soft.
3. You can leave the potatoes as is, but I **highly recommend** the following step to get an amazing texture to your chili. This is also the way to go if you have picky eaters in your house who “don’t like sweet potatoes” **Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency (you can also transfer to a regular blender and puree that way, which is what I did! I just pulsed a few times).
4. Add turkey mixture back to pot and stir in black beans. Add additional stock to reach desired thickness, as the chili will continue to thicken up as it cooks. Season with chili powder to taste, starting 1 teaspoon at a time so you don’t overdo it. And, if you want to bring out the flavor of the sweet potato a little more, you can add a spoon of maple syrup. If you want a little more spice, add the cayenne! Simmer for a few more minutes before devouring!
5. Top with fresh chives, cilantro, shredded cheddar and avocado. YUM!

21 Day Fix Container Count:

Makes six (1 ¼ cup) servings: 21 Day Fix 1 R, 1 G, 1 Y, ½ B (Blue - toppings)

Fall Favorites Free 5 Day Clean Eating Group

It's been several months since I hosted a Free 5 Day Clean Eating Group and I am super excited about this one!

Life has been overwhelming these past few months and now that thngs are finally calming down I've been able to re-focus and get back on track. 

It's been lost of fun testing yummy fall recipes and this next challenge is going to ROCK! I’m so excited to finally share it with you all! —I’m hosting a FREE 5-Day Healthy Eating challenge featuring—-drumroll please—FALL FAVORITES!

Please join me while we transform some of our yummy fall favorite dishes into clean healthier versions. 

I will share a yummy 5 day menu, a grocery list and tons of encouragement.

*please no coaches or those working with other coaches.
**refer a friend who completes the challenge and if you finish, you BOTH will earn a free gift!

Click here to join --->Fall Favorites 5 Day Group

Free Military Coaching

Are you an active duty military member or a spouse? Or are you a veteran?

If you are, I want to first thank you for your services! What you do for my family and our country does not go unnoticed. Thank you for that! As a small way to say Thank you, Team Beachbody wants to offer men and women in our military forces the amazing opportunity to become a Team Beachbody coach FOR FREE!!

This just means that you get the full 25% off of any Beachbody product on our site. INCLUDING Shakeology and supplements! Any fitness program from P90X, to Insanity right up to the most popular, 21 Day Fix. All 25% off. Also included in the savings for you is any equipment we offer. Such as bands, pull up bars, balls, you name it.

On top of the 25% discount, you have the opportunity to create a second income from it and be your own boss if that is a path you want to take. You get to help others while you are on your own health and fitness journey. You get to pick your own hours working as much as you want, as little as you want, full time, part time, your time. And this opportunity is given to YOU for FREE! (Normally people have to pay a business fee of $15.95 a month! Yours is waived to say thanks!)

If you are interested in taking advantage of the Military Discount we have to offer and/or starting your own home fitness business for free! Please contact me today so i can get you started as soon as possible!

Spaghetti Squash Boats with Spicy Sausage

Spaghetti Squash Boats with Spicy Sausage

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ripe spaghetti squash
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lb. ground hot turkey sausage (I used Jennie-O)
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes (I used no salt original)
• ¼ cup half and half
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• ½ cup part skim Mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
• 2 Tbsp basil, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the spaghetti squash, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and cut squash right down the middle. Scoop out all the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with oil. DO NOT PIERCE WITH A FORK!! Many recipes say to do this, but we are using these cuts of squash later as bowls so you want them to remain intact.
2. Bake squash in the oven for 45 minutes until tender.
3. Meanwhile, drizzle oil into a large skillet and saute onion and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add turkey sausage and cook until crumbled and lightly brown, draining if necessary, then add chicken broth, tomatoes, half and half, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring everything to a boil then cover and allow flavors to simmer on low to medium heat until spaghetti squash is ready.
4. Remove squash from the oven and scrape out all the strands of spaghetti using a fork. Add all the spaghetti squash to your skillet along with a ¼ cup of cheese. Toss well until cheese is melted and squash is fully coated with sauce.
5. Transfer squash mixture into your now scraped out squash bowls and top with the rest of your cheese. Place them back in the oven for about 3 to 4 minutes until cheese is melted and squash is heated through.
6. Top with basil, serve and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 squash boat • Calories: 278 • Fat: 13.5 g • Saturated Fat: 1.9 g • Carbs: 16.8 g • Fiber: 2.4 g • Protein: 21.9 g • Sugars: 8.9 g • WW Points+: 7 • Smart Points: 8

recipe from:eatyourselfskinny.com

Clean Eating - A Better Way of Life

Clean eating - is it a trend? What the heck is everyone talking about? I spent a few years noticing more and more people talk about clean eating and finally decided I wanted to see what it was all about. It turns out clean eating is simple - it is a basic way to focus your eating habits. Defined - I would say it is simply eating only foods that are in their natural state or have minimal ingredients and processing. You consume lots of fruits, veggies, proteins and some carbs. For most, cutting out those addicting "white" ingredients - white bread, white sugar, white carbohydrates can be the most difficult. 

Sugar really is addicting but what you will find is when you don't have it, you don't crave it. It took me a very short period of time to get rid of most all sugar in processed from from my diet and I am so glad I did. I have much more energy and feel so much better. 

What I have come to notice is that if you want to truly live a healthy lifestyle you MUST focus on clean eating. Losing weight is about an 80/ 20 ratio. It requires you to focus 80% of your efforts on clean healthy eating and 20% of your efforts on exercise. You can workout all the time but if your eating like crap your not going to see the same results. You have to put in the time and focus on your nutrition if you want to truly make a change. 

When you live this type of lifestyle you will find that you are not on a diet, you are not starving, you are simply changing your habits for the better. Often times the habits also wear off on others including your loved ones. I know personally when I started focusing my eating habits on clean eating my husbands and sons changed as well. When practicing this lifestyle you will want to eat 5-6 small meals per day so that your metabolism is continually being fueled throughout the day. I eat every two to three hours and that seems to work best for me. You will also want to consume half of your weight in ounces of water each day to reduce bloating and cravings. I suggest not eating anything 3 hours prior to bedtime for your body. If you find that you are still craving something in the evening a cup of hot green tea can often do the trick. Put in the work and your body will reward you for it. 

Prep Days - If you want to be successful with this lifestyle you will need to spend one day a week prepping food so that it is not so overwhelming. This does require some time and work but if you put in the effort your going to be successful. I like to spend my Sundays meal planning, grocery shopping and prepping foods so that I am ready for the week ahead of me. This is so that I can avoid the excuse that I do not have enough time. Which in turn leads to me cheating and eating foods that are not "clean" rather just "quick." 

Cucumber Avocado Roll-Ups

Turn an average gathering into a culinary extravaganza with these Cucumber Avocado Roll-ups. These vegan-friendly appetizers are filled with a blend of avocado, fresh basil, and tangy lime, and they’re deceptively simple to put together. A sprinkling of smoked paprika adds color and a gentle spiciness. Each roll has less than 35 calories, so you can enjoy a few without filling yourself up for the main course.

Tip: This recipe suggests making the avocado mixture in a blender, but if you’re whipping up a batch of these for yourself, a good mashing with a fork will do the job.

Total Time: 15 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4 servings, 3 roll-ups each

Ingredients:
1 medium avocado, cut into chunks
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
2 large cucumbers
Toothpicks
Ground paprika (for garnish; optional)

Preparation:
1. Place avocado, basil, garlic, and lime juice in a food processor (or blender). Season with salt and pepper if desired; pulse until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
2. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off long, thin slices of cucumbers.
3. Spread avocado mixture evenly on each cucumber slice.
4. Pick up one end of the cucumber slice and roll cucumber loosely around the filling. End with the seam on bottom and secure with a toothpick.
5. Garnish with paprika if desired.

Cred: Beachbody

Score Fixate for FREE!

I'm Feeling a EXTRA Generous TODAY😀 This program changed my life and how I look at and treat food and my body! It has helped me loose 36+ lbs and my hubby 44+ lbs!! IT IS A Game Changer! For Real!!

So for those of you who have inquired, you're in luck!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

It's the last weekend of February, so I'm giving away FIXATE, The 21 Day Fix cookbook, to ANYONE who grabs a Challenge Pack TODAYONLY😀 (A challenge pack is a bundle pack that is offered at a discount!)

This month Beachbody is offering The 21 Day Fix, The 21 Day Fix Extreme or CIZE for a discounted price!

Did you know that if you purchase Shakeology you can get any of those programs for ONLY $10!

Crazy Good Deals!

Let me know if you are interested!

FIXATE is:

A DELICIOUS, SIMPLE WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT

Autumn Calabrese Presents Fixate—101 Personal Recipes to Use with the 21 Day Fix Portion-Control Program takes a unique approach to healthy eating by making it simple to eat just the right amount of your favorite foods.

21 Day Fix creator Autumn Calabrese applies her simple color-coded container system for measuring perfect portions to 101 of her personal recipes, so you can have the best of both worlds: the delicious foods you crave along with the nutrition you need to hit your fitness goals.

FIXATE includes:

Easy-to-follow recipes (each marked with their color-coded container equivalents) designed to work with 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix EXTREME®, and Portion Fix™—or use the deliciously nutritious recipes to create balanced meals for any other Beachbody® program.

SIMPLE, TIME-SAVING,
AND DELICIOUS MEALS

---

Get Autumn's personal tips on preparing meals quickly and upgrading leftovers, so you can have delicious dishes even on your busiest days.

VEGETARIAN, VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE, AND PALEO RECIPES

---

Autumn knows we all make different food choices, so Fixate includes a variety of recipes fit for every nutritional need.

TASTY TREATS AND MOUTHWATERING DRINKS

---

Enjoy snacks, desserts, and the occasional cocktail—eating clean doesn't mean depriving yourself!

AN INSIDE LOOK AT AUTUMN'S PERSONAL JOURNEY

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Follow Autumn's path to healthier eating and get firsthand advice on making the best food choices, organizing your kitchen, and creating your own lifelong healthy habits.

Spring into Fitness - March Meltdown 5 Day Clean Eating Challenge

Spring into Fitness -March Meltdown 

5 Day Clean Eating Challenge

Hey friends! It's almost that time again... Spring Break!! YAY!! Warm, sun, beaches, fun!!! Can you believe it? Are you Spring Break ready???  And with Spring fast approaching it is time to melt off some of those extra winter lbs we all tend to collect in the long cold winter months I know I need to buckle down on my nutrition to feel good in my cute summer clothes.... How about you? 

Are you ready to rock some cute summer clothes?? SoooOo to jump start my Beach Ready Bod I am running another clean eating group for extra accountibility and support and I am extending an invitation to you all to join me! It is a FREE 5 Day Clean Eating Challenge and get ready for Spring Break!  These groups are so much fun and great for anyone who loves clean eating, is new to clean eating, wants to jump start their health and nutrition goals, is looking for a life style change is maybe just was some extra support/ motivation/accountability!

I will provide you with a FREE:
Grocery List
Daily Menus
Support
Accountability
Coaching
and MORE!!

To join----> Just click this link: https://www.facebook.com/events/848788525229684/ or reach out below :) 

I'd love for you to join my next 5 day group so we can work together to reach our goals! 

Power Protein Egg Cups

Mornings can be tough. Especially as a busy family, There are a hundred things to do to before rushing out the door, and often my breakfast is an afterthought. It’s tempting to reach for a breakfast bar, grab a “healthy” muffin at the coffee counter (it has blueberries in it, so it counts, right?), or worse, skip breakfast altogether.

That’s where these protein-packed egg cups come in. The simple recipes for these grab-and-go mini-omelets make enough for a week’s worth of breakfasts. Trust me they are super easy and delish! Perfect for us busy momma who are wanting a healthy breakfast while on the go! Got extra? Store them in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave.

Power Protein Egg Cups
Start your morning off strong with this low-fat, high-protein egg cup recipe with turkey bacon, shredded chicken, and sweet onions and peppers.

Total Time: 35 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 20 min.
Yield: Makes 6 servings, 2 egg cups each

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
16 large egg whites (2 cups)
Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
2 slices cooked turkey bacon, chopped
3 oz. cooked shredded chicken breast
2 cups chopped red bell peppers
1 cup chopped onion

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Prepare twelve muffin cups by coating with spray. Set aside.
3. Combine almond milk and egg whites in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired; whisk to blend. Set aside.
4. Evenly divide turkey bacon, chicken, bell peppers, and onion between prepared muffin cups.
5. Evenly pour egg white mixture over turkey bacon mixture.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of egg cups comes out clean, and eggs are set.

For My Fixers this recipe is 1 Red and 1 Green Container

Recipe Courtesy of beachbody.com

My Transformation Inside and Out

This is my favorite #transformationtuesday story so far!! Why is it my favorite? Well because it is ours heart emoticon. Mine and my husbands. We have been together for almost 14 years and through out all those years we have been on an amazing journey called life.... It wasn't always fun, easy or full of grace and believe me there have been lots of trials, hardships, and learning experiences but we have gotten through them all TOGETHER. We are better together!
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The picture on the left was us- 4 years ago. The picture of the right is us a couple months ago, CELEBRATING life!
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Can you you see the difference between us from then to now? Some are really obvious, some are on the surface and yet others are extremely skin deep. I am sure you see the weight loss, maybe the better skin and whiter/ straighter teeth, changes in our hair smile emoticon Well Mine at least! lol! but what you can't see in the old us is how we were struggling, suffering from extreme exhaustion, fear, unhappiness. How we felt like we were just surviving day to day.
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Two years ago I hit a breaking point with my own personal reflection in the mirror and my own unhappiness. That low time led to me to seek to change for the first time in what seemed like forever. That is how I found Beachbody, Since then I have learned to take better care of me, to make healthier foods for my family and for us to eat proper portions, Drinks less wine frown emoticon and even Exercise. It is amazing how much better I feel!! Those changes flowed over to my husband and my children. I love that we are teaching our children to be healthy all by example!
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Of course we we still have rough days and life is still busy with 3 little blessings to chase after BUT now we are now stronger, healthier, happier and it is not just on the surface but Mentally, Emotionally, Physically, Financially, and Spiritually!
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Are all wonderful improvements results of a shake called Shakeology? or even an at home workout? No, of course not. BUT It was that leap of faith which led me to take a chance on myself, step out of comfort zone and join Beachbody. I can not share all of the wonderful opportunities our family now has nor care I share how deeply wonderful it feels to help other amazing women get better , stronger, and healthier ...
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Oh and Shakeology and those effective at home workouts are life changing TOOLS that I use to help change me from the inside out. Yep! Better skin, a smaller waistline and a lower number on the scale are a few of the perks BUT what is most important for you to see here in our #transformationstory is the deeper changes!! Personal growth, Passion, CONFIDENCE, HAPPINESS, JOY, LIVING life rather than just Surviving it!

YOU too Can experience this transformation! If you don't jump out of bed on Monday morning excited about the possibilities and the opportunities the new week will bring you and your family, lets's chat!
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I can help you design a life that allows you to be excited about Monday vs counting down the days til Friday!!! Don't limit yourself...Opportunity is knocking but will you answer!?!

21 Day Fix Fixate Stuffed Peppers

As a busy family easy to prep on a weeknight is super important in our house and this tasty 21 Day Fix  Approved Stuffed Pepper recipe delivers! (especially so if you brown the turkey and veggies the night before as I did), delicious and totally easy to reheat the next day at work! 

Ingredients: 

4 bell peppers ( Get big ones!) 1 lbs package 93% lean ground turkey breast or ground chicken 1 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes - no salt added2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 jalapeno pepper, de-seeded and chopped
5 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp each of each, cumin, garlic powder, 
1/4- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (to add heat if desired)
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 cup tomato sauce (look for lower sugar/salt option if possible) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. 

2.Cook quinoa according to package instructions (if using brown rice I use the Trader Joe's packets of frozen brown rice and LOVE it! Super convenient and especially so if the family isn't converted to brown rice as is true of mine!)

3. Dice the onion and garlic. Cut the peppers in half, remove seeds, set aside for later use.  

4. Heat olive oil in a pan and saute onion and garlic until tender. Add ground turkey and seasonings, cook until no longer pink.

5. Add in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, jalapeno pepper, quinoa, beans, corn, cilantro and lime juice. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook; stirring occasionally until heated through (about 3-5 minutes)

6. Fill each pepper half with 1/2 cup of the mixture. Once filled place into baking dish. Lightly cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes, or until tender; remove foil and top each pepper with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bale for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

7. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and hot sauce if desired.

Each pepper 1/2 is one serving. 

Colored container equivalents per serving are : 1 Green/1 Yellow/1 Red/ 1/2 Blue

21 Day Fix Turkey Chili

My family LOVES Chili...pretty much all types of the hearty stuff! Something about it warms you from the inside out. It is comfort food and it taste great!  I could even eat it in the summer months when it's not so cool outside!  So when Autumn Calabrese released her brand new Fixate cookbook and I saw that there was a chili recipe in it we had to try it out! I love the chance to try out any new chili recipe and this one was no different! AND... it is a GREAT one and plus it's 21 Day Fix Approved!!!  SooOo It is Even better! 

My family loved this so much that we had NO leftovers...I was kinda thinking I would have some for lunch the next day but well my family scarfed it all up and cleaned out the pot! Lesson learned, Next time I'll be making a double batch!! 

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey

1 medium onion

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste; optional)

2 (15 oz) cans black beans (or pinto beans) drained, rinsed

1 (15 oz) can all-natural diced tomatoes, no sugar added

12 fresh cilantro sprigs, finely chopped (for garnish; optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium-high heat
2. Add turkey, onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink
3. Add cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute
4. Add beans and tomatoes (with liquid). Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low; gently bio, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened.
5. Serve warm, sprinkle with cilantro.

Container Equivalents:

1 Green

1 Red

1 Yellow

This recipe is perfect to use in CROCKPOTS...or you can make ahead of time and place in a freezer ziplock bag (gallon size after it's cooled) and freeze for later...great for meal prep!!

(recipe from the 21 Day Fix Extreme Nutrition Guide)

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