Sweet Potato & Roasted Red Pepper Bisque SAY WHAT?!??!!

If you can't tell by the weather...FALL is upon us and that means #comfortFOOD, right?!!?!? At least for me that's what cold weather means! hahahaha!!!

BUT in all seriousness....I LOVE me some comfort food BUT I also like to keep it healthy! AND this right here had my mouth watering just thinking about it!! 

Save this for future reference.....because BELIEVE ME.....coming from the PICKIEST eater, EVER, you will LOVE THIS!!! And I'm pretty sure your hubs will love it too!! #winwin

ENJOY!!! 

-xoxoxoxoxoxo
Jenn

Ground Chicken & Brown Rice Taco Casserole

Ok soooooo I LOVE Mexican food, like I REALLY LOVE it!! I could eat Mexican food all day, everyday and never get sick of it! So of course I needed to find a recipe that would feed my Mexican food cravings and not KILL my meal plan. I started experimenting in the kitchen this weekend and I found myself a WINNER! A mixture of ground chicken, peppers, brown rice and a little bit of cheesy goodness! Seriously you guys it's pure HEAVEN in the kitchen! And the best part about it is.....it fits into my Hammer & Chisel meal plan! WIN/WIN! Sooooo now that I have your mouth watering, here is the recipe ----->>>>>

*21 Day Fix & (now) Hammer & Chisel Approved: Taco Casserole*

Ingredients: 

3 - 1 lb. pkgs of ground chicken

2 - green bell peppers 

1 - orange pepper/ 1- red pepper/ 1- yellow pepper 

2 - cups Jasmine brown rice (cooked)

1/2 - can of organic black beans 

1 - can of LaCostena Mexican Salsa 

1 - cup of Organic Shredded Mozzarella cheese (I use Organic Valley Farms brand)

about 12 Multi Grain Tortilla chips

Directions: 

Cook ground chicken in skillet until done. Dice/Cut up pepped and sauté with black beans in EVO until tender. Cook rice according to pkg. Once the chicken and the peppers are done, mix with all other ingredients in a large bowl. Layer the meat/pepper mixture in a 9x11 greased baking dish, then crunch 2-3 of the multi grain chips over top of that layer (continue to do so until you are at the top of the pan). Sprinkle mozzarella cheese & left over chips on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. and ENJOY! 

21 Day Fix/Hammer & Chisel Counts in ENTIRE RECIPE: 9 Reds/6 Yellows/3 Blues/3 Greens......1 GREEN container is 1 serving, equivalent to 1.5 Red/1 Yellow/1/2 Blue/1/2 Green. Makes 6-8 servings. 

This recipe will be a STAPLE in our house each week for sure!! It's GREAT for leftovers and will freeze well too!! 

-xoxoxoxo

Jenn

3 Ingredient Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

The 1 thing I really struggle with when trying to eat clean and stick to my meal plan is my cravings for sweets!!! I do so well during the day and don't want to undo all my hardwork after dinner with my snack cravings. Sooooooo when I found a recipe for these 3 Ingredient Reese's Peanut Butter Cups I was SUPER excited and just had to share it with you AND 1 of the ingredients is Shakeology, I clearly have enough of that in this house!! 

This recipe takes about 10 minutes to put together. I love how they turned out and they are theeeee perfect dessert bite to curb that after dinner craving for chocolate and/or sweets! I used my Farberware muffin tin, but you could use an ice cube tray if that's all you have.

What you will need: (This will make 9 peanut butter cups)

*3 Tblsp of coconut oil

*2 packets of Vegan Chocolate Shakeology 

*All natural smooth peanut butter (I chose to use my favorite brand, Skippy)

What you will do: 

Microwave the coconut oil for about 30 seconds to get it to liquid form, add your Shakeology and mix until smooth. 

Fill only the bottom of your muffin tin (I'd say about a 1/2 tblsp full) with the chocolate mixture. 

Freeze for 2 minutes then add 1/2 tsp. of peanut butter to each and then add the remainder of the mixture on top. 

Smooth out so they are flat on top and all the peanut butter is covered. Freeze for another 10 minutes and store in fridge to maintain best consistency.

*BOOM* just like that you have yourself a tasty, BUT healthy snack!! 

Mix coconut oil and Shakeology until smooth

Try them out for yourself and let me know how you liked them! They definitely don't disappoint! 

My husband and I LOVE these and I make them at least once a week now so we always have a healthy snack option on hand! 

ENJOY!! 

-xoxoxoxoxoxo

Jenn 

Tips for Eating Smart This Labor Day Weekend

I cannot believe the summer is finally coming to an end!! Labor day weekend is the official 'end' of summer. The pools & parks are closing and kiddos are back to school. We celebrate the end of summer with picnics/parties with our family & friends.....grilling some yummy eats and drinking some yummy drinks. It can definitely be a struggle to eat healthy & smart with all those eats and drinks surrounding you. So I wanted to make it a little easier on your with MY top 10 tips on eating smart this labor day weekend!!

10 Tips for Eating Smart this Labor Day Weekend: 

#1 Fill up before you go to the party. Avoid getting to the party or cookout on an empty stomach. Eat a healthy snack, like a banana, greek yogurt or Shakeology before heading out to the party. Going with something in your stomach will allow you to taste your favorite BBQ without filling up on it! 

#2 Skip the buns!! Enjoy your burger, but skip out on the bun, they are usually highly processed, sugar laden baked goods that are full of empty calories! 

#3 Top your burger with a mashed avocado instead of mayo. Avocado is loaded with healthy fats and helps your body with the nutrients it needs. Mayo is an unhealthy fat! 

#4 Put down the hotdog! But no seriously the average hot dog contains 513 mg of sodium which is about 20% of your recommended daily dose. 

#5 YOU host the party, if you are the host you get to choose the menu! You can opt for healthier versions of your favorite picnic foods. 

#6 Bring a healthy side dish to the party that you will enjoy as well as everyone else. 

#7 Skip out on the 1st round of drinks with everyone and opt for a bottle of water instead, then join in the fun! 

#8 If you are worried about over drinking.......have a glass of water in between every alcoholic beverage. (P.S. not only will this help with the empty calories but it will also help you with that ohhhhh soooo dreaded hangover tomorrow!)

#9 Skip the potato salad. Potato & macaroni salads are loaded with tons of calories and unhealthy fats!

#10 Walk right past that baked goods table and head for the fruit table!! 


I hope these tips help you to eat a little more SMART this holiday weekend!!! I wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday!! 

If you wanna get back on track after all the summer eats & treats, JOIN ME in my upcoming Facebook accountability group, I would love to have ya!!! The kids are going back to school, now its time to focus on YOU again!! All you gotta do is fill out this form below!! 

https://jennstevens.wufoo.com/forms/m1bkz2vn1fbwmht/

-xoxoxxoxoxxoxo
Jenn 

White Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Ohhhhhh I LOVE me some Hummus!!!! And who doesn't like to shake up their snack game, or make any sandwich more interesting?? I know I DO!!! And with this super-flavorful twist on hummus. This garlicky, roasted red pepper hummus is absolutely delicious, and you can make it in just a few minutes, no cooking required. Four cloves of garlic give it a spicy kick! You can adjust the amount of garlic to your preference, or skip it entirely. White beans make it smooth and creamy, and you can also use chickpeas in a pinch.

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 10 servings, about 3 Tbsp. each

What You'll Need: 
1 (15-oz.) can white beans or (cannellini beans), drained, rinsed
½ (12-oz.) jar roasted red peppers (not packed in oil), drained
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves removed and coarsely chopped,
stems discarded
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil

What You'll Do: 
1. Place beans, peppers, rosemary, and garlic in in blender or food processor; cover. Blend until smooth.
2. Slowly add oil, blending constantly until blended.
3. Serve as a dipping sauce for fresh veggies.

(*Recipe courtesy of the TeamBeachbody Blog*)

AND BOOM some yummy Hummus for you and your family to enjoy!!! AND even better Don't forget, the 21 Day Fix cookbook, Fixate, is available NOW!!! Wanna know how you can get yours? Shoot me an email at sis6481@hotmail.com and I get you all the info!! 

Wanna see more healthy tips & recipes just like this one? Join me in my next accountability group (starting August 3rd!).....just fill out the application, at the link below!! 

https://jennstevens.wufoo.com/forms/m1bkz2vn1fbwmht/

-xoxoxoxo

Jenn