Creamy Turkey Soup/Gravy

Turkey is not just for Thanksgiving.  I love to cook a whole turkey or a turkey roast about once a month.  I cook it at 325 degrees in my roaster oven.  All I do is sprinkle minced garlic, salt, and pepper over it.   We will eat it for dinner one night and then I'll usually make soup with it the next night.  I freeze the rest of the leftovers.

I concocted this recipe as a way to secretly get my family to eat vegetables.  I have found that if I blend the cooked vegetables up and make them into a thick broth, my family will gobble it up.  If I leave them as chopped pieces, they will pick out what they think they don't like.

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups chopped, cooked turkey
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 chopped onion
1 TBSP minced garlic

Directions:
Cook veggies in 2 cups chicken broth until tender.  Blend until smooth and add all ingredients together in crockpot.  Allow to simmer until ready to serve.

My husband and kids used it as a gravy over leftover mashed potatoes.  I'm not a big potato fan, so I had brown rice.  It was super delicious and everyone LOVED it!!!  They had no idea that it was FULL of vegetables.

Shakeology recipes

This is the easiest post that I have ever written!!!  

Or rather copied and pasted.

Just click on the calendar to see a larger view 

or print it out.

Chocolate

Vanilla

Green Berry

Strawberry

EEK-My First CLEANSE

It seems like we are being bombarded with the words CLEANSE, DETOX and TOXINS lately.  I have been on the fence about what to think about all of this.  I think that it's the nurse in me, but I just don't agree with putting more chemicals into our bodies in order to pull other chemicals out.  

So I decided to do the research and get off the fence.  After doing my homework, I found this 48 hour cleanse by Dr. Oz.  

*I have included the shopping list and recipes for the cleanse in this post. 

I'm not the biggest Dr. Oz fan, sometimes I think that he can be a bit of a sell out, but I am in love with all of the whole, nutrient dense foods in this cleanse.   

I'm getting ready to start BeachBody's 21 Day Fix on Monday, March 10, so I thought I would kick it off with trying out a CLEANSE.  I will be replacing one of the snacks each day with Shakeology. 

Here is the explanation for Dr. Oz's 48 hour cleanse:

"The practice of detoxifying the body to rid it of unhealthy toxins has been around for centuries. Hippocrates recommended fasting to improve health, and many religious groups have historically used fasting as a way of purifying the spirit. 

Today the marketplace is cluttered with detox diets that promise to help you lose weight, boost your energy levels and more. However, many popular detox diets, especially those that involve extreme low-calorie fasting, can rob the body of important nutrients and place the body in starvation mode, which actually slows your metabolism. Other downsides of many detox diets include: dehydration, fatigue, dizziness, nausea and even colon damage.

The Body’s Detox System
Oftentimes people don’t realize that the body has its own extraordinary internal detoxification system. Here’s a brief look at three critical organs involved:

• The Liver: Your first line of defense against toxins is your liver, which acts like a filter in preventing toxic substances contained in foods from passing into your blood stream.
• The Colon: This organ has bacteria that produce both healthy and unhealthy chemicals. You want to keep your colon flowing regularly since its main role is to flush out toxic chemicals before they can do you any harm.   
• The Kidneys: Like clockwork, the kidneys are constantly filtering your blood and getting rid of toxins in the form of urine.

For a detox diet to truly work, you need to maintain these three key organs by nourishing your body with the right nutrients. Dr. Oz’s 48-Hour Weekend Cleanse is based upon eating certain “detoxifying” foods that will keep these systems running smoothly. The plan couldn’t be simpler to follow so you’re not always focused on what to eat next. You'll need to prepare and eat the following meals and snacks two days in a row. To get ready for the weekend cleanse, print out the complete cleanse shopping list and make a trip to the supermarket. "

Breakfast: Quinoa with Chopped Prunes

Ingredients

Makes 1 serving

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 cup water

1 pinch nutmeg

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tbsp flax seed oil

1/3 cup chopped prunes

1/4 cup rice milk

Directions

In a small pot, stir 1/2 cup quinoa, a pinch of nutmeg and 1 tsp of grated ginger into a cup of water.

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the prunes and rice milk. Cover again and cook another 5 minutes.

Before serving, stir in 1 tbsp of flaxseed oil.

Snack: Detox Drinks

Kale, Pineapple and Ginger Detox Drink

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings (which you can drink throughout the day)

1/2 cup pineapple

2 large cucumbers

1 bunch kale without stems (about 4 cups chopped)

1/2 lemon, squeezed

1/4 inch of ginger

1 bunch of mint (about 1/2 cup)

Directions

Chop ingredients so they are able to fit into juicer. Juice ingredients one at a time. Enjoy!

Alternative: Pineapple, Lemon and Pomegranate Blend-Free Detox Drink

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings (which you can drink throughout the day) 

3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

1 lemon

1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice

3 cups water

Directions

Combine all ingredients and mix in a cup. Enjoy!

You can consume as many of these snacks as you'd like throughout the day.

Alternative Snack: Fresh Veggies 

Ingredients

Celery

Radishes

Cucumber

Green beans

Olive oil

Lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Cut up celery, radishes, cucumber and green beans.

For dressing, combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix well.

You can consume as many of these snacks as you'd like throughout the day.

Lunch: Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients

Makes 1 serving

1/2 cup almond or hemp milk (plain/unsweetened)

1 tbsp ground flaxseed or chia

1/4 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 banana

1/2 cup ice

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.  

Dinner: Vegetable Broth Soup 

Ingredients

Makes 5 servings

2 red onions, roughly chopped

2 stalks celery, roughly chopped

1 fennel bulb, fronds and stalks included, roughly chopped

2 tsp caraway seeds

2 tsp sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup sliced shitake caps

4 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 cabbage, roughly chopped

2 quarts water

2 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

8 sprigs parsley, chopped stems and leaves

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Directions

Combine all ingredients, except for the chopped parsley, in a pot. Add 2 quarts of water.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer covered for about 1 hour. Adjust seasoning.

Remove whole parsley sprigs and serve topped with some freshly chopped parsley.

Serve with a side of traditionally fermented sauerkraut and chopped apples (warm or room temperature). 

Here's the link for the entire article: Dr. Oz 48 Hour Weekend Cleanse

Sweet Sour Meatballs

I got this recipe from BeachBody's Thin Kitchen Recipe Book.  My entire family LOVED it!!!

Meatballs:
1 lb of lean ground turkey
1 cup cooked brown rice (I have used quinoa too)
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, drained
1/2 cup green onion (I have used 1 TBSP dried onion)
1 TBSP light soy sauce
1 tsp ginger (I don't really like ginger, so I didn't add it)

Combine Meatball ingredients, make into golf size balls and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 min (line baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper for easier clean up).   I put the meatballs in my slow cooker on warm and topped with sauce.

Sauce
3/4 cup reduced sodium, low fat chicken broth
1/3 cup chili sauce (if you like A LOT of kick, try Sriracha-WOW)
3 TBSP rice vinegar
2 TBSP brown sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until everything is dissolved.  Place over medium heat and stir intermittently until it comes to a boil.  Reduce to low and stir for another minute until it thickens slightly.

I used Sriracha because that was the only "chili sauce" that I had and it was SPICY.  The next time I made it I added more chicken broth and less Sriracha.  That helped, but it still had a bit of a kick.  If you don't like that much spice, try a more mild chili sauce.

Meals: Ideas, planning and prepping

Planning, prepping, 

shopping,

 

It may seem like a lot of work, but I have found that I am more successful at weight loss, maintenance and sticking to clean eating when I do them.  Here are some suggestions and ideas of what works for me.

These are 2 YouTube videos that I made:

Meal Planning

Meal Prepping

BREAKFAST

Oatmeal, chopped apple, cinnamon/ 4 egg whites
Oatmeal with 1/2 banana, walnuts/ 4 egg whites
smoothies
Shakeology with berries & spinach
Quinoa, almond milk, berries
Teff, almond milk, berries
Greek yogurt, berries, Fiber One cereal
Cottage Cheese, berries, Fiber One cereal
4 Egg whites or whole 2 eggs with peppers/onions/mushrooms
Pumpkin Pancakes


SNACKS

nuts (almonds, cashews, almonds, etc), fruit (apple, orange, pear, etc)
Shakeology/smoothie
2 eggs, berries or veggies
1/2 chicken breast, steamed green beans
canned tuna, apple
chopped veggies (celery, carrots, peppers), Avocado hummus
Almond butter or peanut butter, apple
quinoa, 1/2 banana


LUNCH

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins and Vegetables
leftovers
salad: greens, chopped veggies of choice/ quinoa or beans/ ground turkey, turkey breast, chicken/ dressing
Rice and Black Beans





DINNER

Turbo Fire Chili
Chicken Fajitas
Everyday Marinara Sauce with baked chicken or pork roast
Chicken and Vegetable Bake
Salmon baked on a bed of spinach, baked potato
Roasted turkey breast, steamed broccoli, rice
Tenderloin, roasted carrots, beets, leeks & sweet potato
Baked tilipia, steamed spinach, tomatoes

Everyday Marinara Sauce

My family loves pasta, especially marinara sauce. I adapted this recipe from The Best of Clean Eating 2 Cookbook. I use it for spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, and homemade pizza. My family has no idea how much vegetables are in it.

Everyday Marinara Sauce
5 cups jarred diced tomatoes
1 TBSP olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 medium white onion
2 cups carrots, grated
2 cups celery, diced
1 TBSP tomato paste
2 sprigs fresh oregano
8 basil leaves
1 TBSP honey
sea salt and pepper to taste.

You can add just about any vegetables-mushrooms, pumpkin, zucchini, or peppers to spice it up. I use the above recipe as my base and then add in other vegetables that I have on hand. 

Put all the ingredients in slow cooker and simmer for 4-6 hours. Puree mixture with hand blender or in a food processor until smooth. Makes about 6 cups.

Jamie Eason's Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

Jamie Eason's Turkey Meatloaf muffins 

Ingredients
2 lbs ground turkey (or chicken)
3 egg whites
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dry yellow mustard
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chipotle pepper spice
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp garlic powder (2 cloves minced)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
2 celery stalks (finely chopped)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray muffin pan with canola or olive oil.
Mix all your ingredients together in one large bowl.
Roll the mixture into balls and place in muffin pan. Muffins should be about the size of a racquetball.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins.

Serving Size:
Women: 2 muffins
Men: 4 muffins

Black Beans and Rice

What's for dinner? 
I made this recipe as a side dish for dinner last night and I had the leftovers with some steamed veggies for lunch today. 

Black beans and rice

1 cup brown rice (cook per instructions)
1 can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp Bragg liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup corn
1/4 cup pico de gallo

Mix ingredients together and top with guacamole.
Makes 2 main dish servings

Our family version of guacamole is mashed up avocado with a pinch of sea salt and garlic powder. My daughter is the one that makes it for us and we all love it!

What I eat

Recently my friend Libby (co-host of KPVI More and fellow participant in 6 Figures) asked me how I am able to eat over 1600 calories per day since I am eating clean.  Actually, my problem is trying not to eat over that each day.  Just because a food is clean, it doesn't mean it is low in calories.  Sure, you can eat mounds of spinach, kale, broccoli, asparagus, etc. for very few calories, but nuts, dried foods, oils and the like are very high in calories.  That's probably why I have an addiction to Adam's natural peanut butter and prunes (not together).  I decided to break down what I eat during the day, just to show how easy it is to eat clean and get the proper nutrition.  These are my very favorite meals.  I'm not a nutritionist and if one looked over my meals, they would probably see a lot of things that I am doing wrong.  However, this is what seems to be working for me.  I have been able to keep up a high level of fitness and energy.

Breakfast 
4 squares of Jamie Eason's Carrot Cake Protein Bars covered in 1 cup almond milk and microwaved for about 1 minute.  I top with 1 TBSP chopped walnuts
or
4 egg whites and Everyday Oatmeal

My "Everyday oatmeal"
1/3 cup oats
2/3 cup water
1 TBSP chia seeds
cinnamon to taste
1/2 cup fruit: apples or blueberries are my favorite add ins
I microwave everything for 2 minutes, then I add 1 packet of stevia and almond milk to desired consistency.

Post workout snack
4 eggs whites scrambled with kale or spinach and chopped peppers (pretty much whatever veggies I have)
or
Berry Smoothie:  1/2 banana, 1/2 cup berries (fresh or frozen), scoop of protein powder, water

Lunch
Jamie Eason's Turkey Meatloaf Meatballs, sauteed peppers, salsa, cholula
or
4 oz chicken, sweet potato, veggies (I usually used some kind of frozen mixed veggies)
or
last night's leftovers

Mid afternoon snack
1 oz nuts and apple
or
1 rice cake, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 TBSP raisins, 1 TBSP pecans and cherry tomatoes or cucumbers

Dinner
Salmon and spinach- I line a baking dish with aluminum foil and then lay down a bed of spinach (a couple of handfuls) then I place the salmon on top and sprinkle on a little bit of sea salt and cracked pepper.  I fold the foil around the salmon and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Salmon is such a nice, fatty fish that the oils seep into the spinach and make it oh, so yummy!!!
or
4 oz chicken and salad (whatever is chopped up, so I can just throw it all together) and Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (Lite)

PM Snack
If I'm really hungry then I will make a protein smoothie with lots of ice, a little water and chocolate protein powder.  If I'm really, really hungry and a little bit naughty (so almost every night) I'll add in a little all natural peanut butter.  My goal is to only eat 1 serving of nuts a day, so often I will divide the 1 oz serving between breakfast and my mid afternoon snack.

The total for all of this, including the PM snack is around 1600 calories.  I still need to work on increasing my  intake of carbohydrates from veggies because this breaks down to about 40% protein, 30% carbs, and 30% fats.  Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are my high calorie burn days so I usually eat more on those days.  Now that my mileage is up to 18 miles and increasing for my Saturday long runs, I'm letting myself have that be a freebie day.  I usually use that as my day to go out to eat and get dessert too.  Sundays are my most difficult day because they are notoriously days of gluttony in my home and extended family dinners.  Now that the weather is warmer I am using this day to take my dog for a walk in an attempt to stay out of the kitchen. I'm also keeping my portions smaller, but still eating my 5-6 meals. It hasn't really helped that much, but I'm working on it.  As for the other days, I have good days and bad days too.  I still love and crave chocolate every single minute of each day.  I haven't been buying dark chocolate and I make my kids hide all sweets from me.  My daughter has become the sweets police with me and since she is a lot like me, I'm kind of scared of crossing her.  I guess whatever works!  I love popcorn and I will either make it clean or else eat Jolly Time Healthy Pop-kettle corn.  It's probably not the cleanest choice, but it helps to curb my sweet tooth.