Taco Salad

Ingredients:

8 c dark leafy greens
1 1/4 lbs extra lean ground turkey
1/8 c water
1 can black beans, no salt added, rinsed, drained
homemade taco seasoning
2 mangos, diced
1/2 c homemade guacamole
1/2 c salsa (no sugar added)

Directions:

1. Add ground turkey to large skillet over medium high heat.
2. While turkey is cooking, add spices together for taco seasoning in a small dish. When turkey is no longer pink and cooked through, add taco seasoning and water to cooked turkey. Stir together until turkey is well coated with seasoning.
3. Add black beans to cooked turkey. Simmer about 5 minutes, or until black beans are cooked through.
4. Divide leafy greens between 4 bowls (about 2 c in each bowl). Add 1/2 c of turkey and black bean mixture on top of greens. Top with mango, 2 tbsp. guacamole, and 2 tbsp. salsa.

Yields 4 servings, serving size 1 salad

Coconut Rolled Dates | My favorite dessert

Ingredients:
1/2 c unsweetened coconut
1 lb pitted Deglet dates

Directions:
1. Place coconut flakes in small bowl. Set aside.

2. Add dates to food processor attached with multipurpose blade. Pulse until dates are chopped finely. Since they are very sticky, they will form a ball in the food processor. It might be necessary to run a rubber spatula down the side of the processor bowl and pulse a few more times.

3. Scoop out 1/2 tbsp. of dates and roll in the palm of your hands to shape. Roll shaped dates in coconut flakes.

4. Store in air tight container.

Yields about 25 dates, Serving size 2 coconut rolled dates

Pineapple, Pepper, Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

Gluten free whole grain pizza crust mix (I like and use Bob’s Red Mill)

2 eggs

1 1/2 c warm water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

yeast packet (comes with the pizza crust mix)

3 Cajun seasoned grilled chicken tenders, chopped

1/4 c tri-colored peppers, diced

1/3 c pineapple tidbits in 100% pineapple juice, drained

1/2 c pizza sauce (I use an organic, no sugar added brand)

Directions:

1. Combine water and yeast packet in large bowl. Let stand for about 5 minutes. 

2. Add eggs and oil to water/yeast mixture. Mix briefly until egg yolks are broken and stated to mix together (no longer than 1 minute). 

3. Add in dry pizza mix and mix for about 1 minute or until well combined. Leave in bowl, split in half, and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 20 minutes. 

4. Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray. 

5. Place pizza dough on prepared pizza pan. Using wet hands, spread dough out evenly on pizza pan. If dough starts to stick to fingers, rewet fingers with water.    

6. Bake pizza crust, without toppings for 7 minutes in oven. 

7. Remove pizza crust, top with pizza sauce, peppers, pineapple, and chicken pieces. Place pizza back in oven and cook an additional 15 minutes. 

8. Cut pizza into 8 slices with pizza cutter. 

 

Yields 4 servings, serving size 2 pieces

Cajun Chicken Rub

Ingredients:

1 tbsp cajun seasoning

1 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a small bowl with lid. Place lid on bowl. Shake until all ingredients are well mixed.

2. Generously rub on cleaned, raw chicken. Cook as desired (I prefer using this with chicken cooked on the grill)

*Will cover 4 large chicken breasts

Advocare Chocolate Strawberry Breakfast Shake

Ingredients:

1 packet chocolate mocha Advocare meal replacement shake powder

1/2 c strawberries, frozen

1 medium banana, frozen

6-8 oz. water

Directions:

1. Place water in blender. Add shake powder, banana, and strawberries. Blend until smooth.

 

Yields 1 serving

Advocare Raspberry Chocolate Breakfast Shake

Ingredients:

1 packet chocolate mocha Advocare meal replacement shake powder

1/2 c raspberries, frozen

1 medium banana, frozen

6-8 oz. water

Directions:

1. Place water in blender. Add shake powder, banana, and raspberries. Blend until smooth.

 

Yields 1 serving

Advocare Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Shake

Ingredients:

1 packet chocolate mocha Advocare meal replacement shake powder

1 medium banana, frozen

1 tbsp natural peanut butter

6-8 oz. water

Directions:

1. Place water in blender. Add shake powder, banana, and peanut butter. Blend until smooth.

 

Yields 1 serving

Advocare Peanut Butter Apple Breakfast Shake

Ingredients:

1 packet chocolate mocha Advocare meal replacement shake powder

1 small apple, quartered

1 tbsp natural peanut butter

6-8 ice cubes

6-8 oz. water

Directions:

1. Place ice and water in blender. Add shake powder, apple, and peanut butter. Blend until smooth.

 

Yields 1 serving

Mango & Black Bean Cajun Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:

for the chicken-

2 chicken breasts
1/2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tbsp Lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder

for the taco-

1 can black beans, drained, rinsed
3 tbsp salsa
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 mango, diced
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 c leafy greens (I used a 50/50 mix of baby spring mix and baby spinach)
homemade guacamole
fresh cilantro, for garnish
Whole wheat wrap (you could even leave out the wrap and use more leafy greens to make it a salad)

Directions:

1. Preheat grill. Mix Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder in a small container and mix thoroughly. Rub generously on chicken. Place on hot grill until cooked through. Cut cooked chicken into strips.
2. Mix black beans, salsa, and cumin together in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Mix mango and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Assemble taco:
–Place four wraps on flat counter space. Divide leafy greens evenly between the four wraps on bottom.
–Assemble about 1/4 of the chicken strips onto each taco
–Spoon on about 2 tbsp of the black bean mixture over the chicken strips
–Add 2 tbsp of mango
–Top with 1 tbsp of guacamole and garnish with fresh cilantro

 

Yields 4 servings, serving size 1 Cajun chicken taco

 

recipe modified from 24-day-challenge-cookbook

Tomato Basil Spaghetti

Ingredients:

12 oz. whole wheat spaghetti noodles, dry

1 can mild Rotel (do not drain)

1 large onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (omit if you don’t want it with a spicy kick)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried basil 

4 c vegetable broth

2 tbsp basil pesto made with extra virgin olive oil

Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Directions:

1. Add diced onion and Rotel to a large stock pot. Pour vegetable broth over onion and Rotel. 

2. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, oregano, and dried basil to the stock pot. 

3. Add dry spaghetti to the stock pot mixture (I break my noodles in half). Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. 

4. Remove lid and stir in pesto until well incorporated and evenly distributed throughout the pasta. 

5. Serve and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

 

*I served this along side my homemade garlic bread bagels. I used my jalapeno bagel recipe, and omitted the red pepper flakes and jalapenos for a plain bagel. Then mixed 1/2 c Smart balance light butter and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Split the bagels in half, buttered them with garlic butter and put them under the broiler for about 5-6 minutes on low. As always, watch anything in the broiler as it can burn very quickly.

 

Yields 12 servings, serving size 1/2 c

 

recipe modified from www.myfridgefood.com