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!

Healthy Enchiladas

Can you tell Mexican is my FAVE! We have taco Tuesdays, We have Enchilada Fridays, We have tortilla soup Sundays in my house! I can't get enough. Mexican CAN be healthy too! I have made these with regular flour tortillas, corn, and wheat, and I actually like the wheat the best!

3 onions

2 cups of chicken cooked and shredded

1 can of low sodium black beans
Whole wheat tortillas
1 jar of roasted red peppers
2-3 heaping tablespoons of cream cheese ( if you really wanna be healthy try subbing this for plain greek yogurt.)
2 garlic cloves
2 jars of chopped green chilies
1 small jar of salsa (check sugar and sodium content. The less the better! I actually make my own. I put tomatoes, a jalapeno, cilantro, ½ onion, 2 garlic cloves, lime juice and a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor.)
A pinch of salt and pepper. 1 T of oregano. 1 T of cumin.
4 blue (or 1 1/3 cups) containers of sharp cheddar cheese
Avocado and plain Greek yogurt to top.

Slice two onions and sauté in a drizzle of oil. Caramelize them until brown, probably will take about 15 minutes. Then add 2 cups of shredded chicken, I use rotisserie breast meat. Chop up the roasted red  peppers and add them. Add black beans. Take off the heat. Add cream cheese.  Mix up.

Meanwhile take the one left over onion, garlic, green chilies, spices and chop in food processor. Add to a separate sauce pan, and add 16 oz of low sodium chicken broth and salsa. Simmer while above mixture is cooking. It will thicken to a gravy consistency.

Add 1/3 of chili mixture to bottom of baking dish. Take a wheat tortilla and put a few heaping spoonful’s of the chicken mixture. Roll up and put seam side down in dish. Repeat until you are out of chicken mixture. Pour the rest of the chili mixture on top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

If following the 21 day fix, sub the greek yogurt for cream cheese, or omit all together. And either omit avocado on top or just use a couple slices. And it will end up being:

1 enchilada: 1 ¼ yellow, ½ purple (or if you use homemade salsa it’s a green), ½ green, 1 red, 1 blue.

Zucchini Soup with Lump Crab





 

 

 



I am always trying to get more veggies in my diet. But without eating a big bowl of salad every single night. Don't get me wrong, I love salad. And I could probably eat it several times a week and never grow tired. But sometimes my mouth wants something creamy and delicious and have it NOT taste like... well, salad. This hit the spot, I literally licked the bowl clean. No one was looking. And I just didn't want the yumminess to be over. You will understand when you make this, so don't judge. :)

 

1/2 small onion, quartered

2 cloves of garlic
3 medium zucchini, skin on and cut in large chunks
32 oz reduced sodium organic chicken broth (veggie is great, too!)
2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (or light sour cream if not following the 21 day fix)
Himalayan salt and black pepper to taste
Recommended add-ins:
fresh grated parmesan cheese or goat cheese(measure with your blue)
fresh herbs ( I used basil)
lemon!
Jumbo lump crab
olive oil

1. Combine chicken broth, onion, garlic, and zucchini in a large pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and purée with an immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender.  Add the yogurt, and herbs (if using) and purée again until smooth.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and adjust to taste.
4.  Squeeze in some lemon and add crab, parmesan cheese or goat cheese and drizzle with a delicious olive oil.  Or eat it plain.

 

Pumpkin Oatmeal Bites

adapted from The Beachbody Blog

Ingredients:

coconut oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 large ripe banana

1 cup of pure pumpkin puree

1 T raw honey

2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 T ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk

toppings of your choice – berries, nuts, pure maple syrup, chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat muffin tin with coconut oil.

2.  Combine eggs, vanilla, bananas, pumpkin and honey in a large bowl. Mash bananas and mix well. Set aside.

3.  Combine oats, cinnamon and baking powder in a small bowl, stir well and combine with banana mixture

4.  Stir in almond milk and mix well.

5.  Divide oatmeal evenly between prepared muffin cups and add toppings of your choice!

6.  Bake 26 to 30 minutes or until brown

Let cool and serve or save for the week ahead!

Each muffin is 1/2 Yellow and 1/2 Purple.  If you add chips or nuts, be sure you factor that in .

If I wasn't on a fix, and wanted a little splurge, I would add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar to them! I like them best served warm with hot coffee!!!  Oh and of the best parts.. It only took 6 minutes to prepare them for the oven, which equals 1 1/2 taylor swift videos, Lila's favorite way to pass time when Mom is cooking!

 

 

Peaches and Goat Cheese flat bread

Dinner or lunch in under 10 minutes! Uhhhh Yes please!

 Now I'm not gonna lie this dinner would not fly for paul. He's a meat guy. So I would need to add prosciutto or something! But this is perfect for me for dinner or for a quick but different lunch!
I know it's almost fall and it's all about squash and pumpkin. But please, we were In our bathing suits last weekend and it's 80 degrees. So it's still summer yall!

Cut up one peach and marinate it in balsamic vinegar. I don't use much because I use the really good kind that is nice and thick, and clings to the peaches. Throw a flat out pizza thin in the oven at 365 for four minutes after you Drizzle a little olive oil and Himalayan sea salt! Take it out, Spread about 2-3 tablespoons of goat cheese. Then place the peaches on, throw back in the oven for another 4 minutes. Take it out and throw on some chopped arugula, or basil and spinach which is all I had. Drizzle a little more balsamic if you fancy. Done! So good! If you are following the 21 day fix, this is 1 yellow, 1 purple, 1/2 blue and 1/3 green.
You can also switch out the goat cheese for Ricotta and it's a red! Anyway for me to save my blues... my precious, BELOVED blues!

Cizing it up

Exercise HAS got to be fun! OR you probably won't keep doing it! Here is a video of me and a few other super awesome amazing dancer/coaches on my team doing the new fitness program, CIZE by shaunt T. LOVE IT! Warning, not everyone can dance this good. So try not to compare yourself too much to us. We have had YEARS of training.


https://youtu.be/rNio9niseVk