Trim Down Tuesday: Eggplant Medallions w/ Turkey Tomato Sauce

So I was standing in the produce section of Trader Joe's on Sunday...with absolutely no mojo. 

I was tired of making the same healthy meals. I like healthy foods, but I usually get "on" certain go-to meals and then I get sick of them. 

So I go get Chick-Fil-A. Complete with a large waffle fry.
Unless it's Sunday. Then I get Whataburger.

But, I take engagement pictures TODAY so I decided to persevere. 

Then my eyes landed on an eggplant. I LOVE eggplant. But I forget I love eggplant. It just doesn't naturally come to mind for me. 

But by golly, I bought that eggplant. And I made me some dinner with that eggplant. And my faith in healthy food options was restored. And all the people said amen. 

So today I'm sharing my Eggplant Medallions with Turkey Tomato Sauce!

And please do not be fooled. "Eggplant Medallion" is fancy terminology for "eggplant that I cut into circles." But it sounds cool, right? It's all in how you present it, people. All in the presentation. 

Aren't they pretty?! Also, please note that the serving-ware are plates that my sister used in college. #notyetmarried #donthavenicethings #prettierplatescomeNovember

Okay, so this is quite simple. As I say every time I post a recipe. Cause that's how I roll. 

What You'll Need

-1 eggplant

-1 lb (ish) of ground turkey

-1 jar marinara (see below)

-EVOO, onion powder, fresh garlic

-seasonings to top (I used oregano and parsley)

What You'll Do

Preheat the oven to 400. Slice the eggplant into rings and place on a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle both sides of eggplant with EVOO. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Roast for 25 minutes.

While the eggplant is roasting, brown the turkey in a skillet over medium heat. Add in garlic and onion powder. Once meat is cooked, drain the meat and add in marinara sauce.

Once eggplant is cooked, top turkey/tomato mixture onto eggplant and top with seasoning. 

(I just fold my eggplants into a little taco to eat!)

So this is my favorite marinara. Fresh ingredients, wonderful taste, and pre-made from Trader Joe's. 

OH - and also Charlie approved :)

 One eggplant makes about a bajillion medallions so you can feed to a family or eat as leftovers for the rest of the week! I would just store the eggplant and marinara separately. 

Alright. I have to go primp. Pictures are in like 12 hours. Time is a 'tickin!!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Until next time,

Katy

Trim Down Tuesday: Shrimp and Sausage Skillet

Oh Tuesday. 

Anyone else's Monday feel like it could have counted for three days in one? I mean my goodness. 

Today I have a quick, clean, and yummy meal that can be made in less than twenty minutes with just a few ingredients. You know what that means? It means that if you're sitting there reading this and have no current dinner plans, I've got you covered. Just swing by the store, grab the list below, and eat guilt-free. 

You're welcome :)

This recipe is really merely framework. You can throw in any of your favorites, exclude any of your foes, and mix it up with your go-to spices. I also didn't include quantity, just throw in as much as you want for as many as you're feeding.

What You'll Need

 -Shrimp, peeled and deveined

-Sausage of your choice (pre-cooked)

-Red and yellow bell pepper

-Diced Onion

-Sliced zucchini 

-Seasonings of choice (I used Old Bay)

What You'll Do

Drizzle a little EVOO in a saucepan and bring to medium heat. Season the shrimp and cook in skillet - 2 to 3 minutes - or until the shrimp are no longer transparent. Once the shrimp are cooked, remove and set aside. 

Add the veggies (peppers, onions, and zucchini) in the skillet and cook until tender. Add in sausage and heat thoroughly. Add back in the shrimp and mix together. Salt as needed. 

BOOM. That's all.

Oh, and if you're worried this won't be enough sustenance for your other half (or yourself), just serve over quinoa or brown rice. I fed this to a 6'6 man and he was quite full. I mean it's surf-n-turf in a skillet. It's a man meal. 

And 100% healthy.Bring it on bathing suit season!

Actually no. Please don't. Not yet. Not quite ready.  Need 3 more months.

See other Trim Down Tuesday recipes HERE.

Have a great day everyone!

Until next time,
Katy

Trim Down Tuesday: Breakfasts of Champions

I am obsessed with breakfast. 

Which is funny, because when I was a kid, I only ate chocolate chip muffins for breakfast. And sadly I'm not kidding. I just really didn't like breakfast. 

And then I reached adulthood, got addicted to coffee, and figured I needed a meal to go with it. And my love of breakfast was born.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love all the breakfasts - including the muffins, cinnamon rolls, pancakes, coffee cakes, etc. I mean my mouth is legit watering just talking about them. BUT, when trying to control your waistline (and therefore your diet), I find that breakfast is the most controllable meal. I mean let's face it - any meal you don't make yourself is hard to control. And since you're usually eating breakfast at your house before you start your day, it by default is the easiest to manage. 

Plus, if I'm healthy during the week, I feel a little less guilty when Jeff and I stop by Panera after church on Sunday and indulge in the wonder that is the Cinnamon Crunch bagel. OH the wonder. 

So today I thought I'd share five easy breakfasts that are in my go-to rotation. I wake up excited to eat these dishes. And the beauty of them is they use similar ingredients (so you don't have to buy the whole grocery store), are quite simple (because hello you just woke up), and all take less than ten minutes to make. Most take no more than five. 

My mom used to always say that cooking wasn't the difficult part, it was deciding what to cook that proved to be the challenge. So in the breakfast department - I've got you covered! No thinking required. And all the people said amen. 

Oh, and not pictured below: copious amounts of coffee. 

1 - Eggs, avocado, and fruit

  
Yes. I'm aware this is simple. But while I could take or leave a couple of eggs, I craaaave the eggs that come with avocado. Eggs are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and high quality proteins, so when you add them with a "good" fat - a simple dish can keep you full until your next meal or munchie. Add some fresh berries because... well, it's fruit, and you're good to go! Simple, yummy, and three total ingredients. Totally manageable on a quick morning!

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2 - The Breakfast Bowl

I am so beyond obsessed with this here dish. It's the meal above, but on steroids. One of my very favorite brunch places created this dish, and I just recreate my version at home. You can do it in a number of different ways (as in, throw in whatever sounds good), but here's my run down:

-one or two eggs

-sweet potato, peeled and cubed

-sliced or ground sausage (I usually used sliced chicken sausage or ground turkey)

-avocado

-salt and pepper to taste

All you do is throw your sweet potatoes in a skillet and cook until tender, add in your sausage and cook thoroughly. (Tidbit: most sliced sausage comes pre-cooked and just needs to be re-heated. If you're using ground turkey, cook it in the skillet first, drain it, and then add the sweet potatoes). Throw your taters and sausage in a bowl. Fry and egg (or two) to your liking and add on top. Slice a half an avocado, throw it on top, add salt and pepper, and chow down. 

The sweet and the salty flavors in this dish will just own your life.
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3 - Fruit and 'Leafy Green' Smoothie

Okay, don't be scared by the leafy greens. Fun fact about smoothies: you can't taste the leafy green. Whether you choose spinach or kale or straight up grass - you won't be able to taste it. But I probably wouldn't eat grass. Not too sure of the nutrients in that one. 

You can mix in any form of fruit/green, but here's my go-to:

-1 cup pure apple juice*

-handful of baby kale

-frozen blueberries, blackberries, strawberries

*My favorite is this organic honeycrisp apple juice from Whole Foods!

Place all of the ingredients in a blender (I use a little Nutribullet), blend, and go! These are also nice because you can make them the night before and put them in the fridge. Plus, quite frankly, these smoothies often turn into snacks on a hot summer day. Sometimes I just crave a cold smoothie. 

And if you are thinking "yeah, um, there's no way that smoothie could keep me full until lunch time..."

See number 4 :)
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4 - DIY Jamba Juice Bowl 

Okay, so I am obsessed with the acai berry bowl at Jamba, but 1) it can get expensive, 2) it almost has too much food, and 3) I'm still not entirely sure what ingredients make up the base smoothie. 

But it's so good. 

So one day when I was eating Jamba's bowl, I thought ya know what - I can totally make this. So I did a little DIY version. 

All you do is take the smoothie from above (and I blend in a handful of ice cubes to make it thicker since we eat this with a spoon rather than a straw), pour it into a bowl, add a sliced banana, add granola, drizzle with honey, and BAM you're done! 

The Jamba version has bananas, strawberries, blueberries, granola, coconut, and honey all on top, but that's just a bit much for me. This version still gives you your daily dosage of berries and is a refreshing chilly treat, but the nanners and granola keep you a little more full. 

I prefer KIND's Oats and Honey Clusters granola, but if you're doing the paleo thing (or are GF), try Trader Joe's grainless granola and skip the honey!
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5 - Overnight Oats

So I posted about this last April, but it is most definitely still in my rotation. Not to mention this was like my breakfast staple in my little apartment in Australia. 

I said it in April and I'll say it again - cold soggy oats sound disgusting (I'm really selling this here..), but theyre SO good! Jeff hates oatmeal (texture thing), but he loves this little dish. 

You can see the whole recipe HERE. The best part about this is the keyword "overnight." You make them the night before, so when you wake up, all you do is grub. Perfect for the person who hates mornings and wakes up right before they have to walk out the door :) 
_____

And those are my 5 easy, yet healthy, breakfasts! You could make these Whole30, paleo, vegan, etc. with a few changes, but if you're just looking to make better eating choices and slim down a little - these will get you there :) 

Plus, I'll be honest with you - I ate a pint of Blue Bell last night. #allinmoderation

If you want to see other Trim Down Tuesday recipes, click here. Happy Tuesday! 

Until next time,
Katy

Trim Down Tuesday: Chicken Caesar Spaghetti Squash Bake

I wasn't going to blog this year.

I'd gone back and forth, back and forth, and decided (just yesterday) that I was officially taking a break. If you've been around here much you know that it is a goal of mine to write a book. And that's proving to be quite hard. It's already hard to find time to blog, so I just felt like any time devoted to blogging should be channeled into writing a book. 

...and then I made this recipe last night and wanted to share it with you. 

...and I'm currently reading several books I really want to share with you.

...and I just have random ruminations that I really just think you should know about.

So here I am. 

I figure that since trying to write a book during busy season is - well - a knee slapper, I'd keep this up for now and take a break later in the year. 

So there's that. But y'all. Let's talk recipes. 

So it's a new year. Chances are you've hit the reset button. 

In fact I don't know of anyone who hasn't hit the reset button. It's what human beings DO. We do it on the first of the year, we do it on the first of the month, we do it on a Monday - and (obviously) we can't quite seem to keep it up. 

If you're in the .00001% population that hasn't reset your health, 1) I want to be you, and 2) please eat Blue Bell for me. I really fear their sales will suffer while I'm on my hiatus. 

...we'll see how long this hiatus shall last....

Okay, but seriously. So we're all trying to eat better, right? Some are doing Whole 30, some are doing cleanses, some are juicing, and we're all crying into our pillows at night. 

I'm not doing anything "special" - but just trying to eat better. I found this Whole 30 recipe on pinterest and knew I had to give it a try. It is only 4 ingredients and looked deeelicious. And I'm here to tell you it tasted just as good. 

Chicken Caesar Spaghetti Squash Bake

What You'll Need

- 1 spaghetti squash, cooked

- 2 cups of chicken, cooked

- 2 cups leafy green (I used sweet pea shoots, but think kale, spinach, etc.)

- 3/4 cup of Tessemae's Whole 30 Creamy Caesar Dressing

What You'll Do

Cook your spaghetti squash. I cut holes in the squash with a knife and then heat in the microwave in 10 minute increments until soft (usually takes 2-3 times depending on the size).

While the squash is cooking, prepare your chicken. You can bake it if you want, but I personally just buy a rotisserie chicken and pull it apart. Whoever invented rotisserie chickens gets a huge hug from this girl. 

Once the spaghetti squash is cooked, cut it in half, pull out the seeds, and "fork" the squash into spaghetti like strands. Mix the spaghetti squash in a bowl with the dressing. Add in leafy greens. Add in chicken. Mix thoroughly. 

**I did a larger spaghetti squash so I put more like 3 cups of chicken (but kept the dressing and leafy green portion sizes the same).

Place in an 8x8 Pyrex dish and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (to heat through). 

Fall on the floor in amazement. 

Jeff and I were sold. This was our first experience with Tessemae's brand of dressing and were both flat out shocked. It tasted exactly like Caesar dressing, but was paleo friendly, gluten free, whole 30 approved - all those tag names.  

This is what it looks like. I found it at Whole Foods, but it looks like it's heading into Krogers and Tom Thumbs as well. I mean, I can't say enough good things. I want to try them all. 

I suspect this dish would also be good with a little bacon and mushrooms too. Which is likely what I'll try next time. So as soon as I'm out of leftovers. 

Happy Trim Down Tuesday everyone! 

For a refresher on other trim down recipes you may need in your 2017 reset rotation, click HERE. 

Until next time,

Katy

Trim Down Tuesday: Pumpkin Muffins

Okay. I have done my research. 

I have studied several pinterest recipes.

I have tried various versions of recipes.

And I have finally found a healthy pumpkin muffin that I absolutely love. 

Because everyone needs a pumpkin muffin without worrying about the muffin top. 

I have a serious love affair with muffins. Like, it's the pastry that speaks to my soul, calls my name from the bakery window,and whispers sweet-flavored-nothings in my ear. I heart the muffin. 

But for muffins you need metabolism, and I'm almost 30.

So instead of working out (ew), we just make healthier muffins. 

Today I introduce you to...

The Guilt Free Pumpkin Muffin!

What You'll Need

3/4 cup coconut flour*

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup maple syrup

6 eggs

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 teaspoon lemon juice

*To get the consistency I wanted, I put between 3/4 cup to 1 cup

What You'll Do

Throw all ingredients into a bowl and mix (I love these types of recipes)

Line a muffin tin with muffin cups - this recipe made about 15-16 muffins for me

Fill each muffin cup to about 3/4 of the way full

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes

And guys. Don't be afraid of coconut flour. At first, it freaked me out too, but then I just bought some, measured it out, threw it in the bowl, and never gave it another thought. If you just don't think too much about it, it'll be fine. 

And yes, these are paleo, gluten-free, and really dang good. 

To see other Trim Down Tuesday recipes, click here.

Enjoy!

Until next time,
Katy

Trim Down Tuesday: Lisa's Paleo Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie. 

I mean does anyone even know what Shepherd's Pie really is? 

Cause I didn't. Not until this week anyways. 

The extent of my Shepherd Pie knowledge began and ended with the one where Rachel makes the Thanksgiving trifle but the recipe pages are stuck together and so she makes half trifle/half Shepherd's Pie. Joey loved it and Ross thought it tasted like feet. #mylifeexperiencesarebasedonFriends

That right there is all I thought of when I heard the words "Shepherd's Pie."

So when I asked Lisa for some easy recipes to make after Baylor Homecoming, I not-so-subtly grimaced when she mentioned this dish. 

She swore to me it was delicious and easy, so I bit the bullet and gave it a try. Only after feeding it to my mother. #guineapignamedsusie

And the verdict was? We both really liked it! I surprised myself and got seconds. My mom surprised herself and liked a healthy meal. There were just so many pleasant surprises that came with this here dish!

You can click over to see Lisa's write up of this dish here, or if you're thumbs are feeling sluggish, I included it below, too :)

OH - and the best part? Lisa recommends all the Trader Joe's prepacked things - so this literally takes like 10-15 minutes to throw together. Hallelu. 

What You'll Need

1 lb ground meat (I used turkey)

1 container of TJ's Mirepoix**

1 bag of TJ's cauliflower florets

2 cloves of garlic (or 2 tsp garlic powder)
1 tbsp EVOO

Dried Basil

Salt-n-Peppa (#shoop)

**Mirepoix from Trader Joes is a pre-diced mix of celery, onion and carrots. If you prefer to slice-n-dice your own you can get the amounts of each on Lisa's page.

 What You'll Do

Brown the meat in a skillet until it's cooked, and add in the veggies until soft
Season with basil, salt, and pepper

Steam the cauliflower in the microwave and place into a blender or food processor (I used the magic bullet) with EVOO and the garlic. Blend until smooshy and soft (they'll look like whipped potatoes).

Pour the meat and veggie mix into an 8x8 baking dish, and spread the mashed cauliflower on top. 

Season with more basil, salt, and pepper. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

BOOM. Shepherd's Pie. (No trifle included.)

And y'all it really was good. I had a back-up dish planned for today just in case it wasn't (sorry, Lis - I just wasn't sure). But alas, my girl knows what she's talking about and I'm pumped to be grubbin on these leftovers all week! 

Happy Tuesday everyone!
AND THANKS LISA!

Until next time,
Katy

Trim Down Tuesday: No Bake Energy Bites

Oh man. First of all - the amount of love, support, and downright excitement from my last post was just amazing. Y'all are too good to me. 

In fact, everything was just so dang wonderful, that from Thursday to Sunday I was in bed. The jet lag, the celebrating, the eating ice cream like it was my day job - it alllllll came to bite me with like the mother of all nose/sneeze/throat/cough situations. 

Oh the amount of tissues I have gone through.

But now I'm back. 

And once I could breathe through my nose again, I decided it was time to get the eating habits back on track. Plus - aren't you like supposed to be in the best shape of your life for your wedding or something? Well I'll never completely give up ice cream so I might as well start that process now :)

I've seen about 4.57 million pinterest versions of these no bake bites, so I decided to make my own little version. 

...Y'all I am SUCH a fan. Some recipes said to freeze them (so I did) and they are the best little treat post-dog walk (ya know, when you're dripping sweat from every pore the Lord gave you) that also hold you over while you whip up some dinner. Plus they're naturally sweet - so they cure your cravings :) 

So here we go - my personal rendition of:

No Bake Energy Bites

Please note: if you're a fan of the almond butter chocolate chip cookies I gave you, these have very similar ingredients :)

What You'll Need

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup almond butter

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (I used mini!)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp chia seeds

What You'll Do

Throw it all in a bowl, mix it on up, roll it into balls, and freeze! 

Like what else do you want from me? That's so stinking easy. Some recipes use peanut butter, some use flax seed - there are seriously a ton of variations on this little bite. So choose what you like and throw it in the bowl. Some even used pumpkin, and I think I'll have to try that in my next batch!

For you doubters, you should know that these also have Jeff's stamp of approval - and he's not even a fan of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. So basically that means you have no excuse and you have to try them. :)

If you want to check out my other Trim Down Tuesday recipes, click here.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Until next time,
Katy

Trim Down Tuesday: Veggietales

Today we're talking Veggietales. 

But not the "Larry the Cucumber" kind. 

This past weekend I made some pretty unfortunate eating decisions (wamp wamp), and decided that by Sunday night, all I needed was a hearty dose of veggies. 

Now, normally I'm not a "veggie a la carte" girl. I'm more of a meat + veggie + starch/carb kinda girl. You know, based on the food pyramid you learned in 2nd grade. Eating a plate full of veggies as a meal just never really crossed my mind. My Shape magazines tell me that all the skinny people we see on TV (Jennifer, Carrie, Kate, etc.) do this often. So I decided to channel my inner skinny girl (she was on Mars) and give it a go. 

The result? This masterpiece.

What are you looking at? You're looking at sauteed garlic mushrooms on a bed of steamed kale/spinach, roasted butternut squash, and roasted colorful carrots. Yes, people. Orange, yellow, and purple carrots. Lisa introduced me to these puppies the other week, and when I saw them in Trader Joe's, I decided to give them a try. 

Here's another thing: this entire meal was seasoned with nothing but olive oil, salt, and pepper, but it was beyond flavorful and delicious. Like the "eat a little more when you're packing up the leftovers" kind of delicious. And it's easy, too!

What You'll Need:

Organic Colorful Carrots (I use TJs)
Butternut Squash, cubed
Mushrooms
Some type of leafy green (I used a spinach/kale/chard combo)

Garlic, salt, and pepper to taste

What You'll Do:

Carrots: Cut the end off the carrots, cut into halves or thirds (to make the carrots about 3-in long), and then halve each of those carrots lengthwise. Place on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. 

Butternut Squash: Since cutting raw butternut squash is about as easy as doing a back-flip on a balance beam, I buy the Trader Joe's pre-cubed butternut squash. Bless the person who thought of that. Once the squash is cubed, just place on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. 

Note: I roasted the carrots and squash together - easy peasy!

Mushrooms: In a medium skillet, saute olive oil and garlic clove. Mix in sliced mushrooms and stir until cooked. 

Greens: Place fresh greens in a bowl and microwave for 20 seconds, 3 times, stirring in between. 

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And that's it! A delicious, easy, and extremely healthy meal. All kinds of wins. 

Even if you're a meat-eater, give it a try. You won't be disappointed! And you might even put it in your regular routine. Never know until you try :)

AND - to see other Trim Down Tuesday recipes, click here. 

Have a great Tuesday!

Until next time,
Katy

Trim Down Tuesday: Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These chocolate chip cookies are paleo-friendly, gluten free, and quite frankly.... I think they're better than "real" chocolate chip cookies. 

I found this recipe on pinterest over four years ago, and they're still one of my #1 go-to guilt-free indulgences. What makes them even better? They're made with 6 ingredients, and 4 out of the 6 you probably already have in your kitchen. 

So there's really no excuse to NOT give these a try. 

I fed these to Jeff and his roommate the other night and they were huge fans. Jeff also said he liked them better than the real thing. These cookies are no joke. 

What You'll Need

1 cup almond butter (I prefer Justin's brand)

1 egg

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips

What You'll Do

Mix together the almond butter, egg, honey, baking soda, and salt until the ingredients form a batter. 

Mix in dark chocolate chips. 

Spoon dollops (yes, dollops) of dough onto a prepared cookie sheet (foil + olive oil).

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes (until the edges look cooked). Then let the cookies "set" on the pan while cooling. 

Disclaimer: these cookies won't look cooked when you pull them out. Walk away, let them cool, and come back and they'll look like sure-fire cookies. 

And there you go! Simple, no sugar, real food, and will cure any and every sweet tooth. 

Oh - and you're going to want a glass of milk with these. Whether it's almond milk or real milk, your call. I won't tell :) 

To see other "Trim Down Tuesday" items, click here!

Until next time,
Katy

Trim Down Tuesday: Clean Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is my kryptonite. 

Especially when the weather heats up. 

My all-time favorite chicken salad comes from this tiny little restaurant in my hometown. My dad and I would go there at least twice a week when I worked for him during the summer, and even to this day, every time I come home for a visit, there's a to-go container in the fridge waiting for me :)

The bad news is - it has a cream cheese base. And while cream cheese is all that is goodness and delicious....it's not going to assist in the trim down process. 

And just for the record, that is SO lame. 

Nevertheless, I decided to try my hand at a healthy chicken salad, and I must say, my first go-around was a success! It's extremely easy to throw together, and pretty cheap too.

You know when you're eating healthy and you don't really look forward to meals? #squashonsquashonsquash
Well this one I actually look forward to :) Serve it on a piece of wheat bread for a little extra sustenance and you're good to go!

Also....don't judge the picture. Chicken salad just isn't very.....pretty. 

What You'll Need

3-4 cooked chicken breasts
(or buy a cooked rotisserie chicken and call it a day)

1 single serving plain greek yogurt (I use Chobani)

2 tbsp lemon juice

Cluster of grapes, halved

Celery...or not

Salt and pepper to tast

What You'll Do

Shred the chicken (little tip: it's easier when it's warm!)

Stir in single serving of yogurt and lemon juice

Add in grapes, celery, and anything else you want in your salad

Mix and add salt and pepper to taste

And there you have it! Simple, delicious, and a lighter on the hips. Yes, yes, and yes.

To see other Trim Down Tuesday foods, click here.

We will conquer bathing suit season. We will!! (fist pump)

Until next time,
Katy