Need a new idea for a casual family dinner? Try a Burrito Bowl Bar! We have an affinity for Mexican food in our house, and while we love tacos and burritos, sometimes it's also fun to throw it all together in a big bowl to enjoy. Also, everyone can choose their favorite ingredients to create their own burrito bowl masterpieces! We recently hosted some family for dinner, and served up burrito bowls. They were a big hit! I picked up most of our ingredients at Trader Joe's, but you can definitely set up a great spread with everything from your local grocery store. First, you'll need some good, wide bowls. Our everyday bowls are a bit more tall than wide, so I picked these up at Target for $2 each. If you are serving a larger crowd, paper bowls are certainly acceptable! Try some like these, pictured below. Next, consider the base for your bowl. You can go with rice, quinoa, shredded lettuce, whatever you like! We went with two options - brown rice and jasmine rice. These are easy, you just pop in the microwave and get perfect rice every time! And no chemicals or additives! Now consider your protein. We did both chicken and steak (pre-marinated from Trader Joe's to make it extra easy!), but you can also do crumbled tofu or plant-based meat if you have vegetarians or vegans in attendance. The sky's the limit for toppings! Trader Joe's has plenty of prepared salsas and guacamole... You could also roast some peppers and onions for fajita veggies! I added a corn salad, similar to Chipotle's recipe. This roasted corn from Trader Joe's adds a delicious grilled flavor! Add a couple of chopped jalapenos, a chopped roasted poblano pepper, red onion, cilantro, and toss in some fresh lemon and lime juice. Salt to your taste. You can serve the black beans as is, just rinse and serve! Or, I like to drain (but not rinse) and put them in a pot to warm them up. Add some salt, cumin and chili powder and give them a good mash! Set up your burrito bowl bar with all of the fixings and let your guests use their creativity to create their favorite (healthy!) meal. Serve with margaritas and ENJOY! XO
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If you carb cycle or follow a keto diet, you know the struggle...sometimes you just need a sweet treat! Fat bombs are a great way to get some extra fat into your day, while satisfying your sweet tooth! And who doesn't love a peppermint patty? These fat bombs are sure to please every low carb eater in the house. The recipe calls for both coconut butter and coconut oil. Coconut oil is a superfood, which may promote heart and brain health, boost immunity and encourage fat burn. Coconut butter has similar benefits, but it is made from the meat of the coconut. Similar to other nut butters, it can be enjoyed with your favorite fruit, blended into smoothies, or just by the spoonful! Peppermint Patty Fat Bombs
Makes 24 fat bombs For the mint layer: 1/2 cup melted coconut butter 1/2 cup melted coconut oil 2 Tbls. collagen peptides 1 tsp. peppermint extract 12 drops liquid stevia Combine the above ingredients together and use a tablespoon to fill a mini muffin tray, silicone molds or ice cube trays. Pop into the freezer for a few minutes until solid. While freezing, make the chocolate layer! For the chocolate layer: 1/2 cup melted coconut oil 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1 tsp. vanilla extract 20 drops liquid stevia Mix the above ingredients together. When the mint layer is frozen, take out of the freezer and use a teaspoon to top each bomb with a layer of chocolate. Pop back into the freezer for a few minutes until frozen. Remove from your molds and ENJOY! Store the leftovers in the freezer. XO Each fat bomb contains 119 calories, 12.2 grams of fat, 0.7 net carbs and 1.4 grams of protein. Are you Team Pumpkin or Team Apple? Gotta admit...I'm both! But today I'm sharing a favorite pumpkin recipe that's perfect for the fall season. ENJOY!
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/2 cup rolled oats 1/3 cup canned pumpkin 1-2 tsp maple syrup (or a few drops of liquid stevia) Pumpkin pie spice, to taste Add ingredients to a mason jar, or other container with a lid, and refrigerate for at least three hours, or overnight. When ready to eat, stir and add: 1 banana, chopped Collagen peptides (for protein!) Be sure to let me know if you give it a try! XO We are in the middle of a sugar elimination challenge in the FASTer Way VIP group, and surprisingly, it hasn't been as difficult as I thought it might be! I think the hardest/most disappointing part is realizing how many of my regular foods contain sugar. Bacon has sugar?? So do many of our favorite spice mixes!
We are not about deprivation on the FASTer Way program. In fact, we celebrate our leg day workouts with donuts!! So this elimination is not about completely removing sugar for the rest of our lives, but rather to bring awareness to the foods that we regularly consume that contain sugar. My beloved granola contains coconut sugar, so that means I have to find a new go-to lunch, for at least the next few weeks. I love to have a smoothie or smoothie bowl for lunch because I think they're delicious and refreshing and full of so many nutrients! I whipped this one up today and it was so good I had to share! PB Banana Date Smoothie 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 1 banana (frozen is ideal!) 2 Tbls natural peanut butter 1-2 Medjool dates 1-2 servings of collagen (or your favorite protein powder) cinnamon, to taste Add ingredients to blender and mix well. It takes a little longer to get the date chopped small enough to fit through your straw! If your banana is not frozen, add some ice to thicken it up. ENJOY! XO Low carb days typically consist of lots of nuts, nut butters, eggs, avocado, fish and other proteins, lots of veggies, and very little fruit. But my body CRAVES those carbs, and by the end of low carb day #2, I need to figure out a way to satisfy my sweet tooth!
I recently added this low carb PB&J Smoothie to my Monday and Tuesday menu, and it really hits the spot! It includes lots of fat from peanut butter, loads of fiber from chia seeds, and some sweet but tart frozen raspberries. Add some collagen peptides for protein and you have a healthy, filling and low-carb friendly snack or dessert! Here is how I make it, but feel free to tweak the ingredient measurements if you are tracking macros and need to make it work for you! PB&J Smoothie 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 3-4 tablespoons of your favorite natural peanut butter 1 serving of collagen peptides 2 tablespoons chia seeds 6 fluid ounces frozen raspberries Blend together and ENJOY! XO Who doesn't love nachos? We eat these quite a bit when we need a nacho fix. This version is dairy free and gluten free, and it DOES. NOT. DISAPPOINT!
Layers of seasoned baked (or air-fried) sweet potato chips and shredded salsa chicken make up the base, and you can top with your favorite nacho toppings! And trust me, you won't even miss the cheese on these! (Thank you, avo.) Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. The orange color (beta carotene) helps support the immune system and may improve eye health and prevent vision loss. Sweet potatoes also have anti-cancer properties! Here's how we make the nachos: For the chicken, add the following to your crockpot and cook on high for at least a few hours: 3 chicken breasts jar of salsa verde cumin salt For the sweet potato "chips," thinly slice sweet potatoes, and either layer on a sheet pan or toss in your air fryer. Season with more salt and cumin. Roast in the oven at 425 until done, or in the air fryer until somewhat crispy. (They never really get as crispy as the real deal, but you won't even care!) When ready to assemble, layer sweet potato chips on a plate and top with salsa verde chicken. Then add your favorite toppings! We like: black beans chopped tomatoes avocado green onions Trader Joe's Hot & Sweet Jalapenos (do yourself a favor and pick these up next time you're at TJ) You can easily make these vegan by omitting the chicken and adding more black beans. I hope you ENJOY! XO I have been waiting for the Jicama Wraps to arrive at my at Trader Joe's for months and I finally found them this week! A perfect excuse to make some shrimp tacos! Jicama is a root vegetable that is kind of like a cross between an apple and a water chestnut. It's has a delicious and cool crunch! It's also packed with antioxidants to prevent cell damage, boost heart health, improve digestion, and more.
These tacos were quick and easy to throw together. Here's how I did it: 1 bag Trader Joe's Argentinian Shrimp Trader Joe's Chili Lime seasoning Shredded cabbage Trader Joe's Jicama Wraps FASTer Way to Fat Loss Chipotle Lime Dressing, optional (could also choose your favorite salsa!) - see below for recipe Season shrimp with LOTS of chili lime. I popped in our air fryer for about 10 minutes, but you can saute in a bit of olive oil or avocado oil if you prefer. Once cooked through, assemble tacos and ENJOY!! FASTer Way to Fat Loss Chili Lime Dressing We have been doing an "Epic Salad Challenge" in the FASTer Way to Fat Loss VIP group this month, and the dressings have been amazing. I had some leftover Chipotle Lime Dressing in the fridge and it was perfect for these tacos! Here is the recipe if you'd like to try it: 1 cup cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped 1/2 avocado (could sub 1/2 cup plain vegan yogurt) 2 Tbls. fresh lime juice 1/4 cup olive oil 1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar 1/8 tsp. salt Add agave and cumin to taste Blend together and ENJOY!! XO Protein balls are a delicious and healthy snack! I love to whip up a batch and keep them in the freezer so I can grab one or two here and there throughout the day. This recipe is based on our favorite homemade Perfect Bar recipe, but I cut back on the oats, added chia seeds and rolled into balls! Chia seeds are loaded with fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. They're very nutritious without adding a ton of extra calories, so I like to add them to anything I can! You can get creative with these - add coconut, chocolate chips, mini m&ms, raisins, etc. Make it fun so your entire family can enjoy them! We have a peanut allergy in our house, and the other two don't care for peanut butter, so I get to make them the way I like :) Here's what you need: 1 cup gluten free rolled oats 1/4 cup chia seeds 1 cup vanilla protein powder (we prefer vegan to keep these dairy free) 1 cup natural peanut butter (I like crunchy!) 3/4 cup honey Grind the oats and chia seeds in the blender. I like to leave a tiny bit of whole oats, but up to you as to how long you blend. Pour into mixing bowl, add protein powder and stir until combined. Add honey and peanut butter. Stir until well combined. Give it a taste....SO GOOD! I have a #70 cookie scoop, which is just shy of a tablespoon, and that gives me 44 protein balls. Use whatever scoop or spoon you have! Roll them out and put them on a piece of waxed paper. Transfer to a zipper freezer bag and store in the freezer. They won't last that long, but I imagine they'll be okay in there for a week or two. ENJOY! XO
Is it weird that salad is my favorite food? Always has been, apparently, from what my mom tells me. (Guess I didn't pass that gene on to my own three, ha!)
I prefer the big salads from a restaurant because, let's face it, it always tastes better when someone else does all of the work. But this one, you all.... WOW. Amazing flavors, and not a lot of effort! The Px4 Salad was born on our summer trip to Florida this year. We had delicious meals all week, and in an effort to clear out the leftovers on the last night, we made a big salad bar with all of the grilled meats, roasted veggies, fruits and whatever else was left in the kitchen. I piled my plate with greens, then added some pork tenderloin, then peaches, then pistachios, and finally poppyseed dressing! And voila...the Px4 arrived and will forever live on repeat in my meal plan. You can do any portion size of the ingredients that you like, especially if you are a macro tracker. But, here's how I made this one: Mixed greens 4oz grilled pork tenderloin (I seasoned this one with a little bit of brown sugar, cloves and salt, but use your favorite marinade and/or seasoning!) 1 peach, chopped 1/2 cup pistachios 4 Tbls Skinny Girl poppyseed dressing (use your favorite!) Give this one a try and ENJOY! XO Two things I know for certain: #1 cherries are the best fruit ever, and #2 smoothie bowls are life. Now, you may disagree with me on one or both of those, but even so, give this one a try because it just might change your mind!
This beauty cools you off on a hot summer day, and whether you eat it for lunch, dinner or a snack, it's a healthy, whole food option that will leave you feeling totally satisfied. Cherries give you a good dose of antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory, so they can keep you looking young while protecting you from illnesses like cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, and obesity. Cherries also contain melatonin, which promotes a restful night of sleep! Here is how I make my bowl (feel free to change up measurements if you are tracking macros and need to adjust): 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 1 frozen banana 1 cup frozen cherries (save about 6 or 8 to chop for the top!) 1 tablespoon flax seeds 1 serving collagen peptides or vanilla protein powder Blend together, pour into a bowl and top with chopped cherries and your favorite granola! ENJOY! XO |
Food is fuel.I love to cook and bake recipes that incorporate healthy whole foods and those nutritious macro and micronutrients into our daily diets. I also like to make treats though, because let's face it, everyone loves a good sweet now and then! My favorite part about cooking, though, is sharing my latest recipes with others. ENJOY! XO Archives
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