Just a friendly reminder that eating healthy doesn’t mean eating boring. Burgers are 100% part of my rotation! Here’s how to keep it healthy!
➡️ start with extra lean ground beef
➡️ use a reasonable amount of cheese and skip the bacon
➡️ eat it on a sprouted grain or whole grain bun
➡️ swap your side from chips/fries to freshly cut veggies
And there you have it. Burger goodness, just in time for warm weather!
I had lots of cut up veggie sticks with my burger, but I ate those before I got to take this picture! 😕 sometimes a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do!
Freezer Friendly
Turkey, Quinoa & Brussel Sprouts
I’ve been eating this yummy mix all week for my lunches and I’m actually sad today is the last day I had these prepped for! The bowl for of goodness will keep you full for hours.
To make 4 servings:
1️⃣ Pan fry 1 1/2 lb ground turkey. Drain and set aside.
2️⃣ Cook quinoa per package directions – 1 1/2c prepared
3️⃣ Saturday together in 1/4c olive oil:
🥄 3 c Brussels sprouts (halved or quartered)
🥄 2 diced red onions
🥄 3 c brown mushrooms
Until well softened
4️⃣ Add the quinoa and turkey to the frying pan. Stir through and add salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary to taste.
Chicken & Broccoli Pesto
This is an unusual combo but nonetheless one of my favourites, originally inspired by the lifting goddess @built_by_balance.
It’s freezer friendly, perfect to cook in a batch and oh so satisfying!
Per serving:
🥄 2 tbsp pesto
🥄 1 grilled chicken breast, diced
🥄 1 c broccoli, blanched
🥄 1/2 c brown rice
Mix it up and you’re good to go!
Steak Flatbread
Basic? ✅
Still totally delicious? ✅✅
Just because you’ve only got 5 minutes to prep your dinner doesn’t mean you should settle for something that isn’t both healthy and delicious!
Spread some @thelaughingcowusaspicy cheese on a flat bread then top with sirloin (pre-cooked and sliced from the freezer), red onion, banana peppers, cheddar and a little BBQ sauce. Yum!
Kale, White Bean & Meatball Soup
I’m loving this kale and white bean soup with mini meatballs right now! This is a great lunch to pack up and take with you to work. It freezes really well and can easily be made in a batch. This recipe looks long, but it’s pretty simple, and when you get 4 days of lunches as the result, it’s well worth it!
For the soup ➡️ sautée 1 diced yellow onion and 3 cloves of chopped garlic in a stock pot. Once softened, add 1.5L chicken stock, 1 can drained and rinsed white kidney beans, the juice of one lemon and the zest of one lemon, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about an hour. Add 1 bunch of ribbed and cut kale, allow to heat just until the kale is softened, and remove from heat.
For the meatballs ➡️ while your soup is cooking mix together 1 lb extra lean ground turkey, 1 egg, salt, pepper and the zest of one lemon. Roll the mixture into meatballs. I like mine to be minis so that they fit easily on my spoon while eating the soup. Cook the meatballs in your air fryer (about 13 minutes) or in the oven (25 min @ 350). Please double check to make sure the meatballs are cooked through! If not, add a little more time.
For the parmesan crisps ➡️ finely grate 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Lay a sheet of parchment paper over a cookie sheet. Divide the cheese into quarters, and gently pile each quarter onto the cookie sheet. Broil for 5 minutes. Keep a close eye here! Once the Parmesan is melted and starting to brown, remove from the oven. The crisps will “crisp” as they cool.
To assemble ➡️ portion soup into 4 bowls. Add 1/4 of the meatballs to each bowl and top with a Parmesan crisp. If making ahead, store the crisps separately and add to the soup after reheating.
Chai Spiced Quinoa
Chai Spiced Quinoa
So, quinoa for breakfast? Heck yes! This is delicious and perfect for fall.
In a small pot, bring 1 cup quinoa, 2 cups of almond milk, 1 tsp chai spice, and 1 tbsp brown-sugar stevia sweetener to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until all of the almond milk is absorbed. (Keep an eye on your pot and try to avoid letting the almond milk bubble over.)
Divide into 4 portions and top each portion with chopped pecans, cinnamon, and additional almond milk. Enjoy! 😋
Poutine
Tag a friend who wants to eat healthy but also loves poutine! 😍
You’ve gotta spin this up yourself because it’s so simple and so good!
First, make your pulled pork in your crock pot ➡️ Pul 1 diced yellow onion, 1 can tomato paste, 1/4c stevia-based brown sugar sweetener, 1/4c apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper into your crock pot. Add 2 c chicken stock and mix well. Add 2 pork tenderloins, and top with sufficient broth to cover the tenderloins fully (about 4-5 cups). Set your slow cooker on low for 8h. Once cooked, remove the pork tenderloins and shred both with two forks. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker.
Next, make your fries ➡️ peel and fry cut russet potatoes, and cook in your air fryer (mine need about 35 minutes).
On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, lay out a pile of fries, top with pulled pork, and then with cheese curds. Put this under your broiler for just a few minutes to melt the cheese. Top with stevia-based BBQ sauce and enjoy! 😋😋😋
Freeze leftover pulled pork so that you can make this poutine quickly another night!
Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups
🍂 Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups 🍂
I’ve been pumpkin spicing for a while, but this week it’s so legit! Thanksgiving is on Sunday and these pumpkin baked oatmeal cups remind me of my mom’s pumpkin pie so much! Like way more than oatmeal should…😂
To make 12 oatmeal cups mix well in a large bowl:
🥄 1 1/3c rolled oats
🥄 2/3 c pure pumpkin purée
🥄 1/2 c stevia based brown sugar sweetener
🥄 3 eggs
🥄 1/2 c almond milk
🥄 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
🥄 1/4 c chopped walnuts
Divide evenly into a muffin tray (I love to use parchment paper or silicone liners) and bake at 350F for 35 minutes.
Turkey & Wild Rice Soup
I’ve promised you ideas of how to use up your leftover turkey…so let’s start with what’s quick and easy – turkey and wild rice soup! This is one of my favourite leftover spins, especially if I’ve taken the time to make the broth myself. If you don’t have the time or inclination to make turkey broth just use prepared chicken stock. 😁
In a heavy bottomed stock pot sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, sauté 2 diced carrots, 1 diced yellow onion and 4 diced celery ribs until softened. Add 8 c turkey (or chicken) stock, and 1 c wild rice. Simmer until rice is cooked through. Before serving add cubed leftover turkey and diced fresh herbs (thyme and rosemary are perfect).
For the stock, use either homemade turkey stock to purchased chicken stock. To make turkey broth, simmer your turkey carcass with lots of water and a few roughly chopped carrots, onion, celery ribs and garlic cloves on low heat for 5h. Strain and use the clear broth.
Breakfast Cookie
Happy Saturday Friends! It’s chilly out this morning! These healthy – husband approved – breakfast cookies will keep the chill out of kitchen – and your tummy! Enjoy!
🥄 2 large bananas (the riper the better!)
🥄 3/4 c rolled oats
🥄 3/4 quick oats
🥄 1 egg
🥄 1/4 c peanut butter
🥄 1/2 tsp vanilla
🥄 1/4 tsp salt
Mash the bananas well in a medium sized bowl. Once the bananas are mashed, add all remaining ingredients and stir well. Scoop the batter onto a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet, about 1/3c at a time to create 8 cookies. They will be large! Shape the cookies up as needed, because these cookies will not spread very much, nor will they rise. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.
To make these like a jam thumbprint cookie, just before you put the cookies in the oven spray the back of a 1/2 tsp measure with non-stick spray, and create a depression in the centre of each cookie. Fill the depression with 1/2 tsp of your favourite jam.