Category: nutrition

Meals for 2+

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I don’t know about you, but leftovers are not my favorite to eat. To mitigate having so many, I have started cutting everything in half and it is the perfect amount for our small 3 person family. Sometimes there are even leftovers for me or my daughter to have lunch the next day.

So today I wanted to share our go to meatloaf recipe, a perfect comfort food for those cold day cravings. It’s pretty basic and classic, but it’s how we like it. I also started a food Instagram recently, so if you want more meal ideas then I have time to blog check it out!

—–>> https://www.instagram.com/sahmthingtasty/ <<—–

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of 80/20 ground beef
  • ½ envelope of dried onion soup mix
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 3 ounces water
  • ½ Tbsp. Italian seasoning
  • ¾ cup crushed Ritz crackers
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 2 to 3 garlic cloves
  • Glaze:
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • Mix, and brush evenly on top of the meatloaf before it goes into the oven.

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Line a loaf pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together onion soup mix, egg, water, and Italian seasoning.
  4. Add the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onions, and garlic, and mix thoroughly until just combined
  5. Place mixture in the loaf pan, pressing down lightly. It is smaller so you will make a “loaf” shape as it won’t fill out the pan. (it might if you double the recipe!)
  6. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes or until the middle reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit
  7. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan and serving

Notes

  • Don’t overmix the meatloaf or try to press down too much when you fill the pan; this will result in an overly-dense, tough meatloaf.
  • I make the glaze twice so I have extra to drizzle on top after we bake it, yum!

Chicken Duo Meal

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Chicken Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet and Chicken Quesadillas is how we are going to use a 2 lb. package of chicken.

I’m not sure if we were extra hungry or not, but we finished the whole skillet at one dinner. We made 3 quesadillas and had left over, I’m thinking you could get 6 to 8, depending how you fill them.

you will use the following ingredients in both recipes

  • yellow onion
  • garlic
  • red bell pepper
  • yellow bell pepper
  • chicken
  • corn
  • black beans
  • cheese

Chicken Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet

Ingredients

  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1/2 lb. chicken (breast or thigh), shredded
  • 1/2 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2” chunks
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup + 1/3 cup freshly grated cheese
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉. 
  2. Boil chicken for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through.
  3. Heat a large cast iron or oven safe skillet to medium-high heat. Add avocado oil or olive oil. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are translucent and peppers are tender. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  4. Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, the sweet potato, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and chicken broth and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  5. Add shredded chicken, cook 5 additional minutes
  6. Remove from heat and add corn, black beans, ½ cup grated cheese. Stir to combine.
  7. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup shredded cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly and sweet potato is cooked through.
  8. Let sit for a few minutes to cool. Optional to top with Greek yogurt or sour cream, cilantro, scallions, and lime wedges!

Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients

  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1/2 lb. chicken, shredded
  • 1/2 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels 
  • 1/2 tsp each onion powder, dried oregano, salt
  • 1 tsp each cumin powder, paprika
  • a pinch each black pepper, cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 cup grated cheese
  • 3-4 flour tortillas

Instructions

  • Saute all ingredients (except cheese and tortillas) for 5 to 10 minutes until cooked through.
  • Spray tortilla with avocado oil, place tortilla on work surface, and rub around to evenly coat. Sprinkle bottom half of unoiled side with a bit of cheese, filling, more cheese, fold in half.
  • I prefer to use a panini press or George foreman grill, they take about 2 minutes inside.
  • You can also preheat non stick skillet over medium low heat (no oil, if pan is not non-stick use 2 tsp oil).
  • Place quesadilla in skillet, press down lightly, cover with lid. Cook for 3 minutes until underside is super golden brown and crispy.
  • Carefully flip over the folded edge. Press down lightly. Cook for 3 minutes until crispy (no lid).
  • Transfer to cutting board, cut in slices. Serve immediately!
  • Dipping Sauce options: Sour cream, salsa, Avocado Sauce 

Enjoy!

New Idea for 2021!

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Last year I made a new year’s resolution to lose weight by eating healthier, and so inspired one healthy snack a week. Check out my 52 different recipes in previous blog posts!

For 2021, I decided to slowly attack another one of my household problems, leftovers. How many of you save left overs just to toss them in the garbage a few days later? or are just plain sick of that same casserole for the 4th day?

I noticed when I was single, I would eat out more often because it seemed more expensive and wasteful to cook a meal for myself, even being married with a 1 year old we still aren’t finishing a 9 by 13 casserole in a timely fashion.

So 2021 will be about sharing recipes that make enough for 2 meals (maybe 3 depending on your appetite) so you don’t have to worry about eating the same meal for the next week or tossing out any uneaten food at the end of the week.

To reach this goal I usually split my meat purchases in half, in those scenarios (and probably most others) my recipes will come in pairs to utilize all the ingredients we’ve acquired.

Hope you enjoy this year’s idea 💡 what are your nutrition goals for 2021?

Week 52

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Wow. We made it y’all. The last week of 2020! I’m sure no one remembers, but I actually started doing a healthy snack a week as a New Years Resolution in hopes to lose the baby weight I still hadn’t managed to shed.

At the beginning of 2020, I was still 170 lbs, 4 months post-partum. A combination of eating healthier and hiking with my little one enabled me to hit my pre-pregnancy weight of 140 by mid-summer, even getting down to 135, because hiking with a baby is hardwork, haha!

I’m also going to add that this is the first time in my 32 years of living that I have actually kept a new years resolution all the way to the end of the year! And I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to check out my lovely creations each week. If it wasn’t for the random “I love your videos” private messages from a lot of you, I may have given up. So thank you!

I would love to hear what you are writing on your resolutions list for 2021! I think as a whole we will all be looking forward to it for many reasons 🙃

So for week 52, the last and final week of healthy snacks of 2020 I give you Mediterranean Bites and Parfait Bites. I devoured all 15 I made while I was editing the video….They’re even better than I thought they would be!

Mediterranean Bites

  • 30 Athens mini fillo shells 2 boxes, defrosted
  • 3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons hummus
  • 1/2 cup diced English cucumber
  • 1 roasted red pepper 2 halves, diced
  • 1 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup hempseed
  • 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

  • Fill each mini fillo shell with 1 ½ teaspoon hummus.
  • Divide the cucumber, roasted red pepper, feta cheese, hempseed, and parsley evenly between the fillo shells. Serve.

Parfait Bites

  • 30 Athens mini fillo shells 2 boxes, defrosted
  • 3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup strawberries
  • 1/4 cup hempseed
  • 1/4 cup toasted coconut

Instructions

  • Fill each mini fillo shell with 1 ½ teaspoon greek yogurt.
  • Divide the blueberry, strawberry, hempseed, and toasted coconut evenly between the fillo shells. Serve.

And for those reading this blog, if you want to see any of the food videos they are on my Instagram at @indigocrystal11 🙃 not every week has one, but a majority of them do because they’re fun!

Week 51

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I have officially exhausted my sweet tooth (whoops) before Christmas day. I am so sick of cookies. Lol, so, for week 51 we are going savory and healthy goodness! This week I bring you Savory Energy Balls! If you have been following my snack regime this year you’ll know we have tried a few different kinds of sweet bliss balls, but as I stated earlier, I am so done with sweets. I hope you enjoy these tasty combos like I have been!

For the Pizza Balls:

  • 1/2 cup Almonds
  • 1/2 cup White Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp Rice Flour
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • Pinch of Salt

For the Curry Balls:

  • 1/2 cup Cashews
  • 1/2 cup White Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp Rice Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Curry Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • Pinch of Salt

For the Garlic & Herb Balls:

  • 1/2 cup Mixed Nuts
  • 1/2 cup White Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp. Rice Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • Pinch of Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Assemble all Bliss Balls as follows:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender and pulse until well-incorporated.
  2. Wet your fingers slightly (this prevents the dough from sticking) and use a 1/2 tbsp measure to scoop out the ball “dough” and roll it into spheres. Each recipe will create between 10 and 12 balls.
  3. Store your Bliss Balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to two months.

White Beans may be substituted with Black Beans or Pinto Beans. I would not recommend using Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans in this recipe, as they are not as moist.

Rice flour may be substituted with any flour of choice.

Week 50!

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It is still the season for cookies, although today I had a little bit of a cookie fail 🤣 sooooo week 50’s healthy snack is Apple Donuts!

I’m in love with how fast and easy these were! The versatility of options are endless.

I ended up make 6 different kinds


1. Peanut butter base with shredded coconut and yogurt chips
2. Peanut butter base with cinnamon and raisins
3. Blueberry greek yogurt base with pumpkin seeds and dried blueberries
4. Blueberry greek yogurt base with sunflower seeds and yogurt chips
5. Mascarpone base with walnuts and honey drizzle
6. Mascarpone base with cinnamon and dried cranberries

My favorite was between the mascarpone with walnuts and honey or the yogurt with pumpkin seeds and dried blueberries…but whoa, it was hard to pick because these all turned out killer.

I’ve included a picture of my failed attempt at naturally dyed wreath cookies for tax lol.

Week 49

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Tis the season for Christmas Cookies!! For week 49 I bring you Almond Thumbprint Cookies! I had to fill in cooling time with some art projects to not tempt myself into eating … so I worked on our Christmas stockings. The little one and I both agree they were worth the wait!

Almond Thumbprint cookies

For the jam filling

  • 1 1/2 cups mixed berries
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the almond cookies

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1 cup all purpose or 1-for-1 gluten free flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 5 tablespoons melted butter (sub coconut oil or vegan butter for vegan)

For the glaze (you’ll use about 3/4 of this)

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk (or oat or almond milk for vegan)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Make the homemade jam: Add the berries, maple syrup, and cinnamon to a small saucepan. Cook on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes until the berries break down. Run the mixture through a mesh strainer into a clean bowl, mashing the berries with a spatula. Return the sauce to the same saucepan, then add the cornstarch and heat on low 2 more minutes until bubbly and thick. Remove from the heat and allow to cool while making the cookies. (This step can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 1 week before making the cookies.)
  2. Bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the almond flour, all purpose flour, baking powder and kosher salt in medium bowl.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and maple syrup. Mix in the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until well combined.
  5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Take about 1 tablespoon of the dough and roll it into small balls, about 12 for one tray, 24 in all. Start with one tray only, then refrigerate the dough for the second tray. Gently press your thumb into the center of the ball. (You can re-form the cookie with your fingers if it cracks a little.) Then add about 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each cookie.
  6. Bake the first tray 13 to 15 minutes until browned on the bottom. Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then place on a baking rack to cool. Meanwhile, prepare and bake the second tray and allow it to cool (baking the trays separately allows for the most even bake).
  7. Ice the cookies (optional – if freezing, add after): Once the cookies have cooled to room temperature (about 20 to 30 minutes), make the powdered sugar icing. Stir together the confectioners’ sugar and milk (start with a little less if using non-dairy milk) until a smooth sauce forms and all lumps are dissolved. Place the cookies on parchment paper, dip a fork into the glaze and drizzle in a zigzag pattern. Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the glaze is dry, about 15 minutes.
  8. Store at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for 1 week. To freeze, place baked cookies without icing in an airtight container and freeze for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the icing after thawing to room temperature.

Week 48

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I don’t think I got enough apple pie all of last weekend, yet I have no more to eat. Extreme dilemma…..So breakfast today was an Apple Pie Smoothie, which is healthier than it sounds!

  • 1 frozen apple
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. flaxseed
  • 1 Tbsp. chia seed
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup almond milk (or any milk)
  • 5 pitted dates

Blend!

If you want to omit dates, try some honey or pure maple syrup to sweeten it up!

A little post Thanksgiving treat you won’t regret 🙃

Week 47

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With 2 days until Thanksgiving 🦃 I decided to pick a snack that had a holiday feel to it this week, Sweet Potato Rounds with Herbed Ricotta and Walnuts. Continuing the holiday spirit, two things I am grateful for are handwritten letters and creating new family traditions, what are two things YOU are grateful for today?

  • 2 to 3 large sweet potatoes sliced into ¼-inch rounds
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt

Herbed Ricotta:

  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1-½ tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp honey
  • ¼ tsp sea salt or to taste

For Serving:

  • 1 cup raw walnuts roasted and chopped
  • ¾ cup dried cranberries
  • honey

Instructions

  1. Add all of the ingredients for the herbed ricotta to a small bowl and stir well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add the sweet potato slices to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with avocado oil. Sprinkle sea salt and ground cinnamon over rounds. Use your hands to rub the oil and seasoning on both sides of the sweet potato rounds. Arrange rounds on a large baking sheet (or two if necessary). Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the rounds, then bake for another 17 to 20 minutes, or until rounds are cooked through and crispy on the edges
  3. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet. 10 minutes before the potato rounds are finished cooking, place the walnuts in the oven to roast.
  4. Remove sweet potato rounds and walnuts from the oven. Place walnuts on a cutting board and chop.
  5. Place oven on high broil setting and move the oven wrack second to the top shelf. Place a dollop of herbed ricotta on each sweet potato round and place in the oven for 2 minutes, just until ricotta is melty and warm.
  6. Add chopped walnuts and dried cranberries to the rounds. Drizzle with honey and serve!