Meal Prep: Where do I start!?

Does the thought of prepping meals for an ENTIRE week kinda overwhelm you!? Don't worry, it did for me too! I thought, there's NO way I'm going to be able to make a whole week's worth of food!

Well guess what? You don't have to! Here's a short guide to get you started with some meal preppin' ;)

But FIRST. Why should you even meal prep!? Some reasons are:

• Help you with portion control
• Achieve your fitness goals
• Save money
• Super convenient
• Keep you on track
• and SO much more!

Step 1: Choose a prep idea.

Start simple! Stick to something that doesn't require any complicated cooking techniques or something that doesn't need to many ingredients. Start off with just prepping for one meal (for example, lunch every day at work). You can gradually build up to prepping multiple meals for each day!

Step 2: Make a grocery list.

Buy ONLY what you'll need for a week's worth of prep. This saves you money and keeps you from eating other stuff that you didn't plan for. Determine exactly how much of each thing you need to buy based on what you need to prep.

Step 3: Get your containers.
Use existing tupperware or buy some new stuff! I know getting new containers really got me excited to use them (I'm lame, I know!!). Try to use containers big enough to fit a whole meal and that stack easily. I prep my food in separate containers because Trevor is on a different meal plan than I am and needs more protein so it's easier for us to do it this way. Pack your food up in a way that's convenient for YOU

Step 4: Start prepping. 
Make some time in your day (and space in your kitchen) and get going. It's really important that you set aside this time so that you don't feel rushed or skip it altogether. I usually prep on Sunday or Monday BUT sometimes I do it on Tuesday depending on how I plan my schedule. It will start to become a habit and you'll realize how much time and money you're actually saving. I find that even pre-cutting my veggies (onions, peppers, mushrooms) REALLY help when I want to make a quick salad or sauté some fresh veggies!

Step 5: Stick to your plan.
The hard part is over! Now enjoy all your extra time and enjoy your home cooked meals ;) take note of what works and what doesn't so that next week, you know what to do or not do!

I hope this gave you a good starting point! :) Remember, don't be too hard on yourself if you find this challenging in the beginning. Meal prepping isn't about perfection, it's about improvement!

Xo,
Andrea

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Turkey Meatballs

Okay who doesn't love a big plate of pasta with some delicious sauce!? My family is Italian and I love my pasta but I learned how to eat it in a cleaner way :) You can make these deeeelicious meatballs with any red sauce, but I use a 21 day fix approved sauce and the link is below!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 lbs. raw ground 93% lean ground turkey
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
• 4 cups homemade spaghetti sauce (<-- click for recipe)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Get a large baking sheet and line with parchment paper lightly coated with cooking spray.
3. Place milk and bread crumbs in a small bowl and let soak for 10 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.
5. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes or until onion is translucent.
6. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
7. Combine onion mixture, turkey, eggs, parsley, cheese, oregano, salt, pepper, and bread crumb mixture in a large bowl. Mix well with a wooden spoon or clean hands. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour.
8. With clean, wet hands, form turkey mixture into 1-inch meatballs. It'll make roughly 40 to 45 meatballs. 
9. Bake for 13 to 18 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
10. Serve topped with spaghetti sauce over whole-grain pasta.

Hope you enjoy them! Makes for an easy and delicious dinner :)

Container Count

With Sauce: 1 R, 1/4 B

Without Sauce: 2 G, 1R, 1/2 B

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Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Delicious sauce that tastes just right - and without all the bad stuff! :)

Ingredients
(Serves 12, approx. 1/2 cup each)

• 2tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste, no salt added
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 cans (28-oz. each) whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. agave nectar
• 1 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1/4 tsp. groundblack pepper
• 1 (3-oz.) Parmesan cheese rind (or parmigiano)
• 3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
3. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Don't let the tomato paste burn!
4. Add wine; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, agave, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, gently boil, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
6. Add cheese; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
7. Add basil; mix well.
8. Serve with turkey meatballs (<-- click for recipe) over whole-grain pasta.

Container Count: 3 G, 1/2tsp.

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Macaroni & Cheese with Chicken & Broccoli

You're going to LOVE this one! A pretty AMAZING substitute for regular fatty-but-yummy mac and cheese. I got the recipe from Autumn Calabrese's Fixate but tweaked it a bit! Not gonna lie, I was pretty disappointed when we didn't have leftovers!

Ingredients

• 4 oz. dry whole wheat macaroni or pasta
• 4 tsp. extra-virgin organic coconut oil (I used that but you could also use organic grass-fed butter)
• 2 tbsp. whole wheat flour
• 11/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 11/2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 cups cooked chopped chicken breast
• 4 cups steamed chopped broccoli
• 1 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook macaroni and set aside. Don't add salt to it.
2. Melt coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute or until brown. Don't let it burn!
4. Sloooowly which in almond milk; cook, whisking constantly, until there are no lumps (1 to 2 minutes).
5. Reduce heat to low and add cheese. Whisk constantly for 2-3 minutes or until completely melted.
6. Add chicken, broccoli, salt, and pepper. Stir until heated through.
7. Serve! I mixed the noodles in with everything but if you want you can just top your noodles with it.

Serves: 8 (2 cups each)

Container Equivalents (per serving): 1/2 G, 1/2 Y, 1/2 R, 1 B, 1/2 tsp.

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Eating Clean While Eating Out

Heeeelllloooo <3

Did you know that eating out is about THREE times the amount of calories that you would consume making dinner at home!?

When I first started eating clean I had so much trouble whenever anyone asked me to go out for dinner or lunch. I didn't want to be rude and say no but I also didn't want to go and eat enough calories to last me my next 3 days. These following tips help me TREMENDOUSLY to stay on track and still enjoy myself :)

Tip #1: Pick the restaurant! Stay away from big chain restaurants (Chili's, Cheesecake Factory, etc.) and try a smaller place. Look up the menu in advance and see if there are any yummy foods that still keep you eating healthy.

Tip #2: NEVER leave the house starving. When that waiter walks by with that basket of bread and asks if you want a roll, it's way easier to say no if you had a little something before you leave your house. Even a full glass of water or a piece of fruit so that you're not famished!

Tip #3: Avoid foods that have the words "crispy", "buttery", "breaded", "smothered", or "covered in cream sauce." I think this tip speaks for itself ;)

Tip #4: Ask about their soups. Soups are usually filling, easy, and don't come with extra sides. Go for a broth based soup and avoid any cream soups.

Tip #5: Before your entree hits the table, decide how much of it you're going to eat. "I will be done when I eat a quarter of my entree, and all of my greens."

Tip #6: Going back to Tip #3, if you absolutely, really want to get an entree with one of those words, ask the waiter if they can hold the butter or oil. Almost everything can be modified for you. I worked in the service industry so I definitely can vouch for this one ;)

Tip #7: Eat the foods with the lowest calories on your plate first.

Tip #8: When you're done, put your napkin over your plate. This helps prevent you from picking at it and signals the waiter that you're done so he/she can take the plate. If you want to take it home, I suggest asking for a box as soon as the entree is dropped so that when you decide you're done you don't have to wait on the waiter (haha, unintentional pun).

Tip #9: Follow the three bite rule. If there's something that's completely unhealthy but you just HAVE to have it, take 3 bites. The first bite is because this is delicious and I love sweets and I'm going to eat this! The second bite is because I am ENJOYING it and I can control myself. And the third bite, is because I'm satisfied.

And last but not least...

Tip #10: Watch the cocktails!!! Each cocktail has tons of sugar and empty-calories your body doesn't need. Alcohol never leads to good decisions and you'll regret getting that big piece of chocolate cake when you wake up the next morning! :D

Hope this will help you plan your weekend festivities :)

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Crockpot Turbofire Chili

Okay this recipe takes the cake for easiness and yumminess! AND it's made in the crockpot so that's a big plus for me :) If you don't like beans you can sub them out for green peppers, mushrooms, or any other veggie you like. Just follow the correct portion sizes so you don't overindulge. It's easy to do with this one!

Crockpot Turbofire Chili

Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
8 oz. whole kernel corn, canned
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
8 oz. black beans, canned
8 oz. pinto, chili, or kidney beans canned
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 package chili seasoning
4 oz. low-fat shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions
Brown turkey. Drain and discard any fat. Place all ingredients except cheese into a slow cooker. Cook for 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high. Top with 1 oz. cheese if desired.

Enjoy! Recipe serves four but we always have extra so I freeze the leftovers and have a small portion for lunch on a bed of spinach :)

Xoxo,
Andrea


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Skinny Pancakes

This is a super quick and yummy breakfast recipe that I LOVE because my whole family can enjoy them! Even Cami likes them :) Bonus - there are only two ingredients. Win! It's gluten free and dairy free and there are endless options to flavor it up or leave it the same. Hope you enjoy them! <3

Skinny Pancakes

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 banana
1/4 tsp baking powder (optional)

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl
2. Pulse in blender, with a hand mixer or even a food processor until there are no clumps
3. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add a little EVOO or non stick cooking spray
4. Cook pancakes until they begin to bubble on one side and begin to take form. From there, flip them and cook for 30 seconds longer.
5. Serve with maple syrup if desired

OPTIONAL: If you're feeling in need of a treat toss in some chocolate chips, cinnamon, or frozen/fresh fruit :) I have a HUGE sweet tooth so this helps satisfy the craving without getting myself way off track!

Xoxo

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