Food, Food, and More Food! (ft. Coach Lindsay)

  July 14, 2017

Some of us love to cook, others feel that it is a task to avoid at all cost. However, we all want convenience. When we get hungry we want to be able to eat right then. This is known as being “hangry” & I am the world’s worst. Since I’ve started meal prepping I’ve learned a few tricks or ways to simplify the process. I’m going to share a few tips I’ve discovered as well as some easy recipes.

1. The crockpot is your friend!!! You can cook chicken a million different ways & it all comes out fabulous. Throw in some chicken breast, salt, pepper & lemon pepper one week. The next week wrap the breast in foil with BBQ sauce. The following week spice it up with Cajun seasoning or hot sauce. Just about any seasoning is good on chicken. You can even make your own tomato paste, throw in a little Italian seasoning & you have some amazing tasting chicken. The great thing is that you can put the crockpot on in the morning or the night before, set the timer & it’s ready when you get ready. Another great thing to use your crockpot for is cooking sweet potatoes. This saves from turning on the oven! Wash, prick with a fork, wrap in foil & cook those babies on high all day….YUM!

2. Uncle Ben’s Instant Rice. Yes, carbs are good for you. 90 seconds & you have rice. Throw your chicken or fish over it & you have a meal. I buy the frozen fish from Sam’s. Cook yourself a couple fish loins with olive oil & lemon pepper (microwave 8 min) then toss it over rice. You have a good quality meal in less than 10 minutes.

3. The Honeysuckle brand of turkey breast at Sam’s is amazing!! I used this for my snacks when I need more protein. Add cheese or some nuts & you have a great little snack.

4. Greek yogurt mixed with protein powder & some fruit is so delicious & good for you. I buy the plain Greek yogurt to avoid all the fat, then add my protein powder & whatever fruit I have. You can make this the night before or even a couple days before.

5. Don’t be afraid to add spices! Flavor is the key. Who wants to eat a plain piece of chicken? My only caution here is to read the label. Buy spices with NO sugar.

Have fun & try new things!! Here are a few of my favorite recipes I fix often. I prefer recipes that are simple & less than 8 ingredients.

Breakfast Casserole

1lb. meat (sausage, chicken, hamburger…) Green pepper (chopped) Onion (chopped) Fresh spinach or broccoli (2-4 cups) Eggs (12) or substitute egg whites ½ c. Almond milk Salt & pepper Hot sauce (to taste) Mix all together & bake in a 13X9 or muffin pan. 350 for 40min (13X9) or 20-25 for muffins.

Paleo Granola

2 cups walnuts (chopped) 1 cup slivered almonds 1 cup sunflower seeds 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup raisins Pinch of salt 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 3 tablespoons honey Make & bake on parchment lined cookie sheet. 300 for 18-20 min. Toss

Baked Apples

1 apple ½ tablespoon coconut oil, melted 1 teaspoon cinnamon Pinch of nutmeg Slice apple & mix with spices. Microwave on high 2-3 minutes

Paleo Taco Seasoning

4 tablespoons chili powder 3 tablespoons cumin 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon oregano 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes Mix well, store in an airtight container.

Garlic Brussel Sprouts

1lb. sprouts, cut in half 8-12 garlic cloves ¼ cup olive oil 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Salt & pepper Mix & Bake. 425 for 20-25min.

Maple Dijon Glazed Chicken

1 ½ lb. chicken breast 1 cup Dijon mustard ½ cup maple syrup 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar Salt & pepper Combine & cook in crockpot all day.

Crockpot Pineapple Pulled Pork (or Chicken)

Pork shoulder (or chicken breast) 3-4 lb. 1 can chunk or chrushed pineapple, drained ½ cup coconut aminos 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 tablespoon chili powder 2-3 fresh jalapenos, chopped Salt to taste Mix & cook in crockpot all day. Shred with fork.

Committed To Your Success,

Coach Lindsey