Protein Powder Shake

(Prep time: 5 minutes, Serves 2, Calories per serving 300)

Ingredients:

  • 4 scoops protein powder  
  •  2 cups frozen berries
  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt

 

Instructions:

Add ingredients to blender and blend until smooth

Rice Cakes with Almond Butter

(Prep time: 5 minutes, Serves 2, Calories per serving 320)

Ingredients:

  • 2 brown rice cakes                                                                        
  • Fresh raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries (1/4 c)
  • 4 Tbsp. almond butter

Instructions:

Top rice cakes with 2 Tbsp. almond butter on each.

Garnish with fruit.

Guacamole

(Prep time: 10 min., Serves 2, Calories per serving 250)

Ingredients:

  • 2 avocadoes, halved, seeded and peeled  
  • ½ jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • 1 lime, juiced  
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper  
  • 1 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
  • ½ small red onion, diced     
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Roma tomato, seeded and diced

Instructions:

In a large bowl, place the scooped avocado and lime juice, toss to coat.

Add the salt and cayenne pepper and mash with potato masher.

Fold in the onions, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic.

Serve with cherry tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers or cucumbers.

Quick & Easy Hummus

(Prep time: 5 min., Serves 2, Calories per serving 255)

 

Ingredients:

  • One 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans (checkpeas)
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/8 cup of olive oil 
  • ¼ pink Himalayan salt
  • ½ Tbsp. lemon juice 
  •  ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • Dipping veggies: carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumber, bell peppers

 

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients into blender or food processor and blend until creamy.

Serve with your favorite veggies.

Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad

(Prep time: 10 min., Serves 2, Calories per serving 230)

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups fresh baby spinach  
  • ½ avocado, pitted and diced
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil   
  • ¼ red onion, thin-sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • ½pint fresh strawberries, diced
  • ½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. sliced raw almonds

Instructions:

Pour olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice together in small bowl. Whisk to mix thoroughly.  Set aside.

Mix spinach, strawberries, avocadoes, onions and almonds together in salad bowl.

Top with desired amount of vinaigrette.

Grilled Chicken Breast with Sweet Peaches

(Cooking time: 20 minutes, Serves 2, Calories per serving 300)

Ingredients:

  • ½ Tbsp. apple cider vinegar  
  • pink Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ Tbsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped grated 
  • 1 medium red onion, cut into wedges              
  • ½ Tsp. fresh thyme leaves    
  • 2 peaches, cut into wedges
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed    
  • 2 boneless chicken breast halves
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil   

*may substitute turkey breast for chicken

 

Instructions:

Heat your grill. 

Combine vinegar, herbs, 1 ½ Tbsp. oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

Combine onions, peaches, remaining oil, salt, and pepper.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Grill chicken and onions until chicken is done throughout and onions are tender, 5-6 min. per side on med-high.

Place peaches on grill and cook until tender, 3-4 min. per side.

Drizzle vinaigrette onto chicken and serve with onions and peaches.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

(Cooking time: 2 hours (can split into 45 min. prep and 1 hr. baking), Serves 2, Calories per serving 300)

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil                                                                                             
  • ½ cup quinoa
  • ½ medium onion, chopped                                                                         
  • ¾ cup carrots, peeled and grated
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped                                                                                
  • 1 tsp serrano/jalapeno pepper chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. cumin                                                                                               
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed                                                                                 
  • ½ tsp. pink Himalayan salt
  • 5 oz. fresh spinach                                                                                       
  • 2 large bell peppers cut in half, remove seeds
  • One 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained but keep liquid on side            
  • One 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained            

Instructions:

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 min.

Add cumin and garlic and sauté for 1 min.

Stir in spinach and tomatoes, saving the liquid from the tomatoes. Cook for 5 min. until most liquid has evaporated.

Mix in black beans, quinoa, carrots, hot peppers, salt and water. Cover and bring to a boil.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 min, until quinoa is tender.

Pour liquid from tomatoes into bottom of glass baking dish.

Fill each bell pepper half with quinoa mix and place in baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Uncover and bake for an additional 15 min., until tops of peppers are browned

Let stand for 5 min and serve.

Spaghetti Squash with Meaty Marinara Sauce

(Cooking time: 1 hour, Serves 2, Calories per serving 250)

Ingredients:

  • 1 large spaghetti squash  
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil    
  • ¼ lb. ground grass-fed beef (or substitute)
  • ½ cup yellow onion, chopped 
  • Two 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped       
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 1 clove garlic, minced     
  • ¼ Tbsp. fresh rosemary
  • ½ Tbsp. fresh parsley      
  • ½ Tbsp. fresh basil

Squash Instructions:

Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place squash cut side down in baking dish at 375F for 40 min.

Let cool. Gently scrape the edges of the squash with a fork to shred into strands resembling spaghetti.

Transfer shreds to a separate bowl. 

Marinara Sauce Instructions (Start while squash is baking):

Heat olive oil, onion, carrots and celery over medium high heat.

Add herbs (except bay leaf) and cook for about 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Pour in bowl and set aside.

Brown meat (or substitute) for about 5-10 minutes until cooked. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add 2 cans of tomatoes including juice, bay leaf and bowl of vegetables to meat and bring to a boil.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and summer for 20 min. stirring often.

Serve sauce over squash in individual plates.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

(Cooking time: 20 min., Serves 4, Calories per serving 275)

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil                                                                                                            
  • ¼ tsp. thyme       
  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped                                                                           
  • 1 tsp. chili powder                             
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced                                                                                                
  • 1 Tbsp. cumin
  • ½ cup bell pepper, chopped                                                                                       
  • One 4 oz. can diced green chilies
  • 1 jalapeno seeded and chopped                                                                                
  • 16 oz. vegetable or chicken broth
  • Two 15 oz. cans black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 lime
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

Heat oil in pot over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, green chilies, bell peppers and jalapenos.  Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 min.

Add beans, broth, chili powder, cumin and thyme.

Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 min.

Puree soup in batches in blender and return to pot.

Add lime and cilantro to garnish.

Lemon Chicken Kabobs

(Marinate: 2 hrs. or overnight., Serves 2, Calories per serving 300)

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided 
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil                                 
  • ¾ Tbsp. garlic, minced
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • ¾ oregano     
  • 1 bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 ½ inch cubes 
  • 1 large onion cut into 1 inch pieces

Instructions:

Combine lemon juice, garlic, oregano and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil, stirring with a whisk.

Add chicken and stir; marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours to overnight, covered.

Remove chicken from bowl and discard marinade. Thread chicken, tomatoes, peppers and onions onto skewers. Heat a grill pan over high heat.

Add skewers; cook 6 minutes or until done, turning often.

Remove from skewers, add squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top if desired