My non pasta, pasta review!

I love me some pasta. Angel hair, lasagna noodles, spiral or macaroni. I never met a pasta I didn't like! I used to eat the Dreamfields Pasta. Because they said it's better for you. I don't know who "they" are really. But it must be true right? Low glycemic index. Pretty much like eating Kale I suppose? I preferred to stay in denial. Because denial is nice, cozy and warm and filled with things like pasta. And other things that say "no trans fats" and "low in sugar". It makes you feel like you are doing something right, even though you really aren't!!

 But finally I got sick of feeling tired all of the time, so I started eating "clean." What the heck is that? It's basically just wholesome, natural unprocessed foods. I still eat red meat and chocolate. But just in moderation. And I try to stay away from pasta, even Dreamfield low glycemic index pasta! Also, don't be fooled by "hidden veggie" pasta. If you really read the ingredients, it's mostly made from corn. And you have to eat two servings to get that full serving of veggies that they talk about. And really there are a ton of healthier alternatives.  I have officially tried them all! So here is my review of them. While none of them taste like REAL pasta, they are all pretty good. Now I save my real pasta for when I am at a true Italian restaurant with homemade pasta. Then it's balls to the wall, cheat meal time! But for every day stuff, here is what I stick to.

1. Whole wheat pasta: This is probably my favorite. It's firmer than white pasta, but it's basically a vehicle for whatever yumminess you put on top of it! Sweet! Sounds good to me! They have whole wheat lasanga, angel hair, anything you can get that is white pasta, you can surely find whole wheat.

2. Spaghetti squash:I really do like this, since I figured out how to prepare it correctly! Put some marinara and parmeasean shavings, YUM! Turkey Meatsauce or Meatballs! Even better! A little ricotta or some parm cheese! To die for! Here is how I learned to make this and have it actually taste good! https://youtu.be/inlaY-3qfOs

3.  Shiritake: This is made from root veggies, and you will probably find them in your produce section. You need to rinse in hot water for a good minute or two, they have an earthy smell. I love these. They are especially great as a sub for rice noodles, they seem to have that kind of vibe. But I also love them in Italian dishes!

4. Zoodles: These are made from zucchini and shaved into a spiral noodle shape with a zoodle maker! What else?! I got mine off amazon. It's super easy to make them. You can eat raw. Or sautee, the only downside is you can't cook too long or they release a lot of water and they get soggy. But they are good. Especially with shrimp and in a shrimp scampi type meal!

5. Edamame pasta: This was surprisingly good! Not much flavor, but again, vehicle for yumminess! Just like regular pasta really! But a bit firmer, and a bit dry. Nothing a little EVOO can't fix!

What is your favorite pasta substitute? Are they are others out there worth trying?

My Hammer and Chisel Journey: Before pics

I have been doing the 21 day fix and 21 day fix extreme since March. And while I LOVE LOVE LOVE them, they are my soul mate work outs, I needed to change it up! Keeping it fresh and to be honest, I was in a bit of a slump over Christmas. I still worked out but my nutrition was lacking, and I wasn't looking forward to my work outs like I had been in the past. I wanted to push myself, challenge myself. That's when your body changes! And while I don't want to lose weight necessarily...I really want to tone up! So I bought the Hammer and Chisel the day it came out and started my journey officially two weeks ago! Here are my before pics. I think it's soooo important to have before pictures and measurements. 1. Because that dreaded scale lies! And your weight may not go down, it may even go up! But your body may be changing, and measurements and pictures don't lie! 2. It adds a level of accountability. You are basically saying, I am ALL IN! So here they are! This is my body after gaining about 6 lbs over the holidays and losing lots of definition I built last spring and summer. But it's ON LIKE DONKEY KONG. I am in this! 

Here is a little about the Hammer and Chisel. My favorite part is that it follows the 21 day fix nutrition plan. And you can cater it to your needs. If you want to lose weight, there is a different plan, then if you want to bulk up with muscle or tone up! My goal is to TONE TONE TONE! If you want to join me in the Hammer and Chisel, drop me a line! We have our first ever Hammer and Chisel test group going on now! 

https://youtu.be/2nczTuL7BtE

Peanut Butter Bark

Ok, so who has tried that Christmas Crack? It's basically sugar, butter, saltines and chocolate. Sounds kinda gross to me. But it tastes heavenly and it's highly addictive, so I don't recommend it!

This is a great, healthy alternative. And it doesn't put you into a coma for 4 hours after you eat it! BONUS!

Ingredients:
1 cup of plain greek yogurt
1-2 tbsp of agave nectar or honey
3 tbsp of natural peanut butter
dark chocolate chocolate chips

Get out cookie sheet and cover it with parchment paper. NOT wax paper. Yes, I did that once. Not cool. Not the same thing. Don't make that mistake! HAHA! In a medium bowl, mix the first three ingredients, spread a thin layer on cookie sheet with parchment paper. Add a small amount of chocolate chips. I think I used about 4 orange containers worth. Pop in freezer for 3 hours, then break into large pieces. Store in freezer too, because it melts pretty fast. When making for my boys I crush up vanilla wafers or graham crackers on top too. SOOO good! I count each peice of bark as 1/2 yellow (because the chocolate chips are technically a treat, but each piece doesn't even contain 1/2 orange container, so I just count as a half. Also it's 1/4 red and 1 tsp.

Shrimp Wonton Appetizers

If I am going to a nice pot luck or a dinner party where you bring something to share, this is my go to! Heck, I even bring it to a football party. It's so versatile, but also delicious and you would never know it's not bad for you! In fact, it's kind of healthy! And super simple to make! This is perfect for that Christmas or New Years Eve party!

Ingredients:

• 24 wonton wrappers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Chili powder (we really like to use Ancho Chili Powder or Chipotle Chili Powder)
• 2 limes
• 1/2 cup baby arugula leaves
• 3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
• Avocado slices 

1. Directions:
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Prepare wonton shells: Lightly brush wontons with 1 tablespoon of olive oil then arrange in 24 mini muffin/cupcake cups. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.Toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, 2 teaspoons of lime zest and chile powder. Bake shrimp until opaque throughout, 5 to 8 minutes. Fill each wonton cup with a few leaves of arugula, a small dollop of plain greek yogurt, one shrimp then top with a spritz of lime juice and avocado. 
4. I count 4 shrimp cups as 1 yellow, 1/2 blue, 1 red, green is minimal so I didn't even count it, but you can count it as a 1/4 cup if you so desire! 

Crockpot Cashew Chicken

Every now and again, I get a hankering for Chinese food. Kung Pao chicken is my favorite because of the peanuts, but you know it's covered in oil and MSG! Ugh! This is a MUCH healthier version! Soooo good, and 21 day fix approved! My kids even devoured it! Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders or chicken thigh tenders
1/4 cup whole wheat flour or almond flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp oil (EVOO)
1/4 cup soy sauce 
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar (I like white wine vinegar)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp raw sugar (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 sliced green pepper

1 sliced onion
1/2 cup cashews
Directions:
Combine flour and pepper in large Ziploc bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with flour mixture. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken. Throw in the sliced peppers and onions. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Add cashews and stir. Serve over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.top with your favorite herb. i used parsley

4 servings it wold be about 1  Red 1/2 Blue and a 1 Yellow 1/2 green served with brown rice. I measure this with my green container and eat 1 1/2 green container worth! 

Tortilla Soup

Tacos in soup form. I like tacos any way I can get them. In a shell, tortilla, nacho form. Soup form is great, because you can still add all the toppings you love, but it's typically healthier! So here is my favorite version! 


For the taco seasoning (if making your own):

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and reserve until needed.
For the soup:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 lbs. combined)
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 16-ounce jar salsa
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 fresh jalapenos, stems/seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1 15-ounce can black beans
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 large zucchini, chopped
• 2-3 ears fresh corn, removed from the cob (or 1 bag of frozen) Honestly you can omit this if you are on the 21 day fix and saving your yellows! 
• 5 corn tortillas
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, tortilla strips (recipe to follow), yogurt/sour cream, lime wedges

1. Measure 1 tablespoon of your taco seasoning and set aside. Combine the remaining seasoning with the can of diced tomatoes, and pour into the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the 3 chicken breasts in a single layer over the tomato mixture, and top with the whole jar of salsa. Cover, turn on low, and cook for 8-11 hours (I did the full 11, because of my work schedule).
2. In the meantime, prepare your tortilla strips. Turn your oven on to broil. Cut the tortillas in half and then into slices. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and broil for 2-minutes (make sure you keep an eye on these, they will burn quickly! Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use.
3. With the slow cooker still on low after 8-11 hours of cooking, shred the chicken using two forks until all of the large pieces are gone. This step should be very easy as the chicken should be nice and tender. Add the onion, jalapenos, black beans, chicken broth, and water; stir to combine. If you are pressed for time, saute the onion and jalapenos for a few minutes beforehand. Add the zucchini and corn and continue to cook on low for another hour.
4. Serve with suggested toppings above. Makes enough for 6-8 people.1 red, 1/4 purple, 1 1/2 yellow, 1/2 green. If you use homemade salsa, you can count it as a green instead of a purple! And don't forget to add a blue if you add avocado and cheese to the top! I measure this with my green container and eat 1 1/2 greens worth! 

Okay so my cranberry sauce turned out pretty good! And it couldn't have been easier! I put one bag of cranberries in the crock pot. Put about 3/4 of a cup of OJ, the fresh kind not from concentrate. A generous drizzle of honey and about 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. I tried to do without the sugar but it was too tart! I left it on high for about 5 hours and then mashed up the cranberries a bit with a fork. Done! Even tho there is still sugar in there it's way healthier than the canned stuff where the 2nd and 3rd ingredient is corn syrup. And that was for the entire batch, and I only used about 2 tablespoons on my sandwich! I put it on my turkey burger with some melted Brie and it was amazing!