I have been getting a lot of requests lately for vegetarian recipes...but I wanted to find things that you can enjoy at the holidays or just good old comfort food to eat while it's cold outside.  I thing this one fits the bill in both categories!

Acorn Squash with Walnuts and Cranberries

Ingredients

• 1 Acorn Squash, cut in half
• ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• ½ cup cranberries, frozen or fresh
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter or butter substitute

Instructions

1. Turn your oven to 375F.
2. Combine walnuts, cranberries and brown sugar. Toss to combine.
3. Cut each acorn squash in half. Remove and discard seeds.
4. Split the mixture between two halves of the squash. Top with 1/2 tablespoon butter each half.
5. Place in a baking dish, loosely cover with foil and bake in a for 1 hour 15 minutes, to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until fork inserted into the squash goes in easily.
6. Remove from the oven, place on a plate and serve right away.

To eat:

With each spoonful try to catch a little bit of everything, the walnuts, the cranberries and some of the syrup built up at the bottom of the squash. If it is not sweet enough, add a spoon of honey. Enjoy!

Our AMAZING Team Girls Night

Last week our AMAZING team got together for an evening of friendship, good wine and a GREAT time!  I feel so lucky that all of these women have come into my life because of coaching!  I have been surrounded by people that LIFT me up, not bring be down.  It is amazing how much positive people can impact your life in such an amazing way.  And it is a ripple effect.....the women on my team are getting healthier, both physically, emotionally and financially.  And they are sharing their experiences with others.  I am so proud of these gals and feel so fortunate to have them in my life!  Thank you for an amazing evening!

 

One Pot Burriot Bowl

How good does this look????  One pot.....thirty minutes.....MEXICAN HEAVEN!!!!  Quick, healthy an delicious! 

One Pot Burrito Bowls

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced sweet onion
1 pound lean hamburger
1/3 cup salsa
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can corn, drained or frozen & thawed
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 4 oz can diced green chiles
1 cup brown rice
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese
S & P to taste
Optional toppings:
Plain Greek Yogurt/Low Fat Sour Cream
Cilantro
Green Onions
Tomatoes
Avocado

Directions:

In a large pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions and red peppers. Add in hamburger and cook until browned. Stir in salsa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, jasmine rice, taco seasoning and chili powder. Pour in chicken stock and then bring to a light boil. Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is all the way cooked.
When rice is done add the cheese, S&P to taste. Top with your favorite toppings.  Nom, nom, nom!

SHAKEOLOGY - HERE'S THE 411

Shakeology has been a game changer for me!  I have tried other meal replacement shakes before, but they never did what I wanted them to do.  I was always starving within an hour of drinking them and I never lost weight.  Shakeology is different. The shakes keep me full until the next meal, curbs my cravings, and I have energy that I have never had before!  My digestion is so much better and it has helped me lose weight!  Shakeology really is the healthiest meal of my day!

I received my Shakeology order and my first shake I blended 1 cup almond milk, banana, and a cup of frozen berries.  I got better at mixing the shakes as the days went on and now they taste amazing.  I drink my shake for either breakfast or lunch.  You can make it however you would like.  My favorite is mixing it with almond milk, peanut butter powder, banana and ice.  MMMMM!!!!!!

What is Shakeology?

Shakeology is a nutritional protein shake that provides a wide spectrum of healthy nutrients in a low-calorie formula.  Whether you use it as a meal replacement for weight loss or simply to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs for optimal health, Shakeology takes the guesswork out of nutrition.

What's in it?

Shakeology contains over 70 ultra high-quality ingredients conveniently located in one glass, to deliver nearly all the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy diet.  It's good for you, and good for everyone, because everyone's diet is deficient in some of the key nutrient groups packed into just one Shakeology serving.

 

Protein from whey, which is highly absorbable, gives you 8 essential amino acids that help you build muscle, lose weight, support brain function, and keep your skin and bones healthy.

Vitamins and minerals support optimum health.

Antioxidants boost the immune system and help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, blood pressure, and stroke.

Phytonutrients support immune function and have anit-inflammatory properties.

Prebiotics support digestive and immune health.

Digestive enzymes help in the digestion of foods and increase the absorption rate of those foods for optimum health.

What can Shakeology do for you?

It is an effective way to help you lose weight, increase your energy and be the healthiest you can possibly be.  Shakeology can help you reduce cravings and promote healthy digestion and regularity. Shakeology recommends that you replace one meal per day with a shake along with regular exercise and a balanced diet.  It can reduce your total cholesterol, reduce LDL cholesterol, reduce cardiovascular risk, and reduce oxidative damage caused by free radicals.

Why Shakeology?

I love Shakeology because it is a quick and convenient way to get complete nutrition.  It supplies me with the energy I need to help keep up with work, the kids and my hectic lifestyle.  It is also easier to make and tastier than a salad, and it is an excellent way to eat healthy when eating a full meal is not possible.  If you don't like eating fruits and vegetables then this is a great way to get all the benefits of eating a full bowl of fruits and vegetables without having to actually eat them.  If you have high cholesterol then this will help you lower total and LDL as well.

How to use it.

It's very simple.

Mix 1 scoop of Shakeology with 1/2 cup of almond milk and 3/4 cup of water.  If you like, add 1 cup of ice.  I also like to add 1/2 a banana and depending on the flavor, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter....mmmmmmmmm!

Three Day Refresh Round 2

Well, any skepticism I had the first time around is now GONE!  My results the second time are just as good as my first!  Five pounds in three days!!!!  And I wasn't hungry, I had energy the entire time, no headaches (I was worried because I couldn't drink coffee....and I LOVE my coffee in the morning).

I really needed to get back on track after our trip last month.  I couldn't stop eating!!!!!  And I was in a downward spiral of eating JUNK.  Does that happen to you????  We are all human and indulgences happen.....but the question is, How LONG will you keep going?  I really didn't want to go into the holiday season with an extra 9 pounds.....because then I will have an even BIGGER hurdle to climb in January.  This was what I needed!  Since my refresh I have been making better food choices, sticking with my PiYo workouts and my pants are FITTING!!!!!!

I have been searching for a chicken casserole recipe that uses raw chicken, that is easy, that is HEALTHY, and MOST importantly, that the kids will eat.  I found a recipe similar to this recipe on Pinterest and I made some modifications to "clean it up" a bit.  End result CLEAN PLATES!!!!!!  This is without a doubt going into our regular rotation!!!!

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
For the casserole:
1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 1/2 cup milk
2 10.75-oz. cans condensed cheddar cheese soup* (such as Campbell’s)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large (or 4 small) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt, pepper and garlic powder
2 12-oz. bag frozen broccoli florets (or about 3 cups fresh)
For the topping:
1 sleeve butter crackers, crushed (such as Ritz or Town House)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Spray the bottom and sides of a 13x9 or two 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together milk, cheddar soups and 3/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Set aside 1 cup of the soup mixture. To the remaining soup mixture, stir in uncooked rice then pour mixture into prepared baking dish (if making two smaller casseroles, evenly divide between the two).

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces then season with salt, pepper and garlic. Arrange chicken pieces on top of rice mixture.

Arrange broccoli florets on top of the chicken.

Pour reserved soup mixture evenly over broccoli. Cover dish very tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Consider covering with a double layer of foil to ensure a tight fit - we need all the steam to stay in the dish to ensure everything cooks properly.
of freezing, you will freeze at this step.

Combine crushed crackers, melted butter and garlic and mix well. Remove casserole from oven, remove aluminum foil then sprinkle cracker topping evenly over casserole. Continue baking, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes then serve. Don't skip this step - it's needed for the rice to continue cooking and the casserole to set up properly.

NOTE: If you prepare this ahead of time and refrigerate before cooking you will need to cook for an additional 15 minutes before adding cracker topping.  If freezing, be sure to thaw before baking.