Shrimp, Black Bean & Pineapple Foil Packets

LOVE grilling whenever I possibly can.  With the weather changing, I am looking forward to grilling more.  However, one thing I tend to forget about is foil pack cooking.  In the past, we used to make foil packets of sausage and potatoes (what my husband and his family called Hobo's).  They were always tasty and SUPER easy clean up.  But since incorporating more clean eating recipes into our weekly meal lists, Hobos don't happen very often.

So, when I saw this recipe recently I knew I had to try it.  It was full of ingredients our family enjoys and let me just say the reviews from my 7 year old were fantastic.  He kept saying how good they were and kept asking for more until there was no more left.  I always ask after we try new recipes if I can make them again, and hands down he said YES!!!  PLUS, the super easy clean up made up for the time it took to prep the packets.  Give them a try!  Let me know what you think if you try them.

Shrimp, Black Bean & Pineapple Foil Packets

Ingredients:


12oz. Raw, Medium sized Shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails removed)
1 cp. Black Beans, cooked
3/4cp. Finely Diced Pineapple
1/3cp. Finely Chopped Red Onion
2tbsp. Finely Chopped Jalapeno Pepper (seeded and ribs scraped out)
Ground Ginger
1tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice, divided
1/2 tsp. Ground Corriander
3/4 tsp. Ground Cumin, divided
1/4 tsp. Chili Powder
Pinch Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Fresh Chopped Cilantro (optional)
1/2 Avocado, diced

Directions:

- Preheat grill to medium.

-  Rinse the peeled, deveined shrimp and pat dry.  Place in a medium bowl and sprinkle 1/4 tsp. cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper over the shrimp.  Toss to coat and set aside.

-  In a medium, bowl - combine the black beans, pineapple, red onion, jalapeno and ground ginger.  Stir in 1/2 tbsp. Lime Juice, corriander and remaining 1/2 tsp. cumin.

-  Spray 2 large pieces of aluminum foil with cooking spray.  Spoon half the black bean mixture into the center of each and top with half of the shrimp.  Squeeze the remaining lime juice over the shrimp.  Bring the edges of the foil up to meet in the center above the shrimp and black bean mixture.  Fold down the foil and seal well.

-  Place the foil packets on the grill, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes until the shrimp are opaque.  (I cooked ours for about 12 minutes.)

-  Carefully open the foil packets - WATCH FOR THE STEAM - and stir the contents.  Top with diced avocado and sprinkle with fresh cilantro if desired.

- ENJOY!!!!  You can serve this over brown rice, tortillas or lettuce wraps.  I served mine with brown rice I prepped a day or so prior.

***Can't wait to try this but use chicken sometime instead of shrimp in the near future.

Let me know what you think!!  Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog!

~Sarah Strubhar
Independent Team Beachbody Coach

Chicken Fajita Pita Pizzas

After making a double batch of the slow cooker chicken fajitas on Friday night, I knew I wanted to try a chicken fajita pizza, I mean why not?!?!  And lately in our house, Saturday night has been pizza night, so that's exactly what I did!  Let's just say, yet again, I was NOT disappointed.  They were DELICIOUS and can't wait to have them for lunch this week as well!

Chicken Fajita Pita Pizzas

Ingredients:
1 Red Container Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Meat (click here for the recipe)
1/4 Green Container of Cooked Peppers and Onions from the Chicken Fajitas
1 6-inch Whole Wheat Pita Pocket
1 Blue Container of Shredded Cheese (I used Mexican Cheese)
Couple tablespoons of Fresh Salsa

Directions:

-  Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

-  Spread the salsa over the whole wheat pita.

- Top with the chicken. (I used about 1/2 my container and then used the rest on a large salad.)

- Top with cheese, then the peppers and onions.

- Place in pre-heated oven for about 8-10 minutes (or until your cheese is melted and bubbly).

ENJOY!!!

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you enjoy!!  Feel free to leave some feedback if you try this out and check back often for more new recipes!

~Sarah Strubhar
Independent Beachbody Coach

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

I was looking for some new recipes to try recently and I have seen this one for a while on Team Beachbody's blog site.  It has been on my list to try and I am SOOOO glad I finally gave it a try.  It was easy to prep and do and didn't disappoint.  Not to mention short of the toppings you add if desired, dinner was in one pot and done!  Give it a try for a new "Mexican Monday", "Taco Tuesday" whatever you want to call it recipe!!!

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

1 (14.5-oz.) can Diced Tomatoes (or diced tomatoes with green chiles), no salt added
1 med, Onion, cut into quarters, sliced
1 med. Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 med. Orange Bell Pepper, cut into strips
2 tsp. Chile Powder
1 tsp. Cumin
½ tsp. Black Pepper
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp. fresh Lime Juice
1 lb. raw Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless, (sliced if desired)
8 6-inch Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas, warm OR Corn Tortillas
½ cup Fresh Tomato Salsa
8 tsp. low-fat (1%) plain Greek Yogurt
½ medium Avocado, sliced (optional)
Finely chopped cilantro
Taco Toppings if desired - Romaine Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cheese, etc.

Directions:

1. Place tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, chile powder, cumin, pepper, and lime juice in a 3-quart slow cooker; mix well.

2. Add chicken; cook, covered, on low temperature for 4 to 5 hours (or on high or 2 to 3 hours), stirring once or twice, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

3. Evenly divide mixture between tortillas. Top evenly with salsa, yogurt, avocado, and cilantro.

Serves:  4, 2 Fajitas each (everything divided evenly among the tortillas)

21 Day Fix approved - I measured mine the following:

Chicken = 1 Red

2 corn tortilas = 1 Yellow

1/4 of a green container of cooked Peppers/Onion = 1/2 Green

Remaining Toppings into Green

Avocado OR Cheese = 1 Blue

Hope you enjoy this as m

uch as my family did!  Can't wait to have this again!  Oh and I will be, as I made a double batch to have enough for snacks, salads and BONUS I made Chicken Fajita Pita Pizzas!!!  Talk about a delicious way to change up the normal pizza night!

Thanks for stopping by!  Feel free to leave your comments once you try this out!

~Sarah Strubhar

Independent Team Beachbody Coach

3-Cheese Spaghetti Squash Casserole Bake

Have you ever tried spaghetti squash?  It might sound crazy to you to even try it.  I thought the same thing when I tried it at first.  And, honestly, I DID NOT like it.  The first time I tried it I microwaved it and actually threw it in the trash.  But, since that time over 7 years ago, I have given it another try or two or three or four and have finally come to LIKE it!!!

But, I usually just roast it and serve it with sauce and meatballs.  I have tried different recipes with it and haven't found any I have liked as much - UNTIL NOW!!!!!  Found this recipe in an issue of the Clean Eating Magazine and altered it a little bit.  Let's just say it was SOOOO yummy, I could have eaten the entire dish, thank goodness for my 21 Day Fix container to keep me on track.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

3-Cheese Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Ingredients:
1 medium Spaghetti Squash, halved lengthwise with seeds removed
2 tsp. Olive Oil, divided
10oz. Mushrooms, sliced
1 medium Yellow Onion, diced
1 large Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and diced
Garlic Powder (or 1 clove garlic, minced)
1-2cp. Spinach leaves (I added this and only added 1cp. of spinach and wished I would have added more)
25 Grape Tomatoes, halved (I added this and would add more next time)
6oz. Pepper Jack Cheese - grated or shredded
2oz. Mozzerella Cheese - grated or shredded
1/2 cp. Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
1 1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1 tbsp. Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs (optional)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prick the halved and seeded spaghetti squash with a fork all over.  Place in a 9x13 baking dish cut sides down and add 1/2 inch water.  Bake for 1 hour.  Then let cool a bit to be able to touch.

2.  In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp. oil on medium high heat.  Add the mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes.  Add in the last 1 tsp. olive oil, onion, jalapeno and garlic clove or garlic powder.  Saute until the onion is translucent (about 5 more minutes).  Then stir in the spinach and tomatoes if desired and cook until the spinach begins to wilt down.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

3.  With a fork scrape the insides of the squash into a large bowl.  Add in the mushroom mixture, cheese, paprika, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Spread in a casserole dish.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs if desired.  Bake for 25 more minutes until bubbly.

*When I ate this, I measured out 1 1/2 containers of this in my green container and counted it as 2 green containers and 1 blue container.  I omitted the bread crumbs as I am not a fan of  bread crumbs on casserole dishes.
*  I also served this with some meatballs on the side for a proteinAND a piece of whole grain garlic bread.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Feel free to leave some feedback if you try this recipe or any other recipe I have posted.

Thanks for stopping by and check back again for more recipes.

~Sarah Strubhar
Independent Team Beachbody 
Ruby Coach

22 Minute Hard Corps Kick Off

I have been so excited about the newest program coming out 22 Minute Hard Corps.  It is just that 22 minutes long - start to finish!!!  Seriously, who doesn't have time to fit in 22 minutes of exercise a day!?!?!

Let me just say, I am on day 2 and am LOVING it!  When I was in my early 20s my husband and I had a discussion of me going to OCS school for the military (well me asking and him adamently saying NO).  

Not to mention, secretly I have always wondered what his PT days were like when he went through boot camp many years ago.  Well, if this is any small indication, no wonder boot camp graduates are super fit upon graduation!

Believe me, if you don't think 22 minutes is enough I encourage you do contact me to try it out!  I just completed 3 months of P90X3 and I am sweating the same if not more in the 22 minutes as I did for the 30 minutes.  

My goal for the next 8 weeks is not only complete the workout as laid out by Tony Horton, but to STICK to the meal plan.  I have always struggled with completing the meal plan side of a program.  I always tend to have WAY to many treats, cheats and extra bites.  So with that said, please help hold me accountable and on track!  Oh yeah and you want to know one of the best things is, this program is designed to work with the containers I ALREADY have from 21 Day Fix - BONUS!  No guessing on portion sizes here!!!

My meal plan is a decrease for me compared to X3, so I have been hungry yesterday and today so far.  I am hoping things will get better as my body adjusts.  Stay posted to see how that goes.  But, to get an idea of my meal plan bracket, here is what I have planned for the week nutrition wise.

Have a great week and if you are interested in learning more, reach out to me or complete my Wufoo application using this link:  https://sarahstrubhar.wufoo.com/forms/m1t99jv41lmfhbc/!

Thanks so much for stopping by and check back often for more info on the program!

~Sarah Strubhar

Independent Team Beachbody

Ruby Coach

3 Day Refresh Recap

As many of you may have seen last week I posted about preparing for resetting my body and finally (after many months) completing the 3 Day Refresh.

Were there struggles?  YEP.
Were there benefits?  YEP.
Were there moments of HANGRY?  YEP.
Were there moments of joy?  YEP.

But, I will say it was well worth the struggle, hangry moments to feel better.

Leading up to the Refresh

Prior to completing the refresh, I was on vacation for a week but even prior to that, I really wasn't focused on my eating.  Even though I was doing my meal plans, I would find I would have an extra bite here or there of something.  I had too many glasses of wine.  I ate ice cream.  All in all, my nutrition had just started to slide downhill it seems like since the holidays.

So, when a relative texted me asking if I had ever done the 3 Day Refresh, I said nope, but I would be happy to do it with them, considering I would need it after all the above PLUS vacation.

While on vacation, I tried to stay on track, but it was hard when there weren't many healthy options.  I had burgers, white rolls, french fries a few times.  Some SUPER yummy nachos, dessert and you know how it goes.  Once you start, your body craves those types of food even when you don't normally eat them.

I got home and my Refresh was waiting for me.  I opened the box and was greeted by the drink mixes, Shakeology packets, and nutrition guide.  The guide really was easy to follow, I just had to determine what I wanted when.

The Plan:

Each of the 3 days I would start every morning with a glass of water and then have my Shakeology with a side of fruit within an hour of waking up.  I chose to eat my fruit but you could have mixed it in!

About an hour later I would have a cup of hot green tea.  Then an hour later (mid-morning) I would have the fiber sweep.  I actually didn't mind the fiber sweep at all.  Prior to completing the Refresh, many people said they couldn't stomach the fiber sweep.  But, it reminded me of the lemon Nestea iced tea instant tea mix my mom used to make when I was a kid.

Two hours after the fiber sweep, I would have lunch which consisted of a Vanilla Fresh shake, some fruit, veggies & a healthy fat.  The afternoon then consisted of a snack at least an hour after lunch, then a cup of hot green tea, and then by then it would be dinner time which was another Vanilla Fresh shake and a dinner option.  I will say the Vanilla Fresh shake was the toughest one for me to drink.  I struggled with that one each time I drank it, and was about ready to jump through the roof with excitement after I drank my last one on Day 3.

The nutrition guide is fantastic and comes with 9 different meal options for dinner.  I tried the stir fry and spinach salad and really liked both.  I can't wait to do the spinach salad but add some protein on it.

I will say I drank at least a gallon of water every day as the guide recommended and then also added a cup of organic vegetable broth as well.

All in all, I was consuming between 900-1000 calories.  It isn't recommended to restrict your calories to this level daily but for a short period of time it was fine.

During the Refresh

So, at the end of Day 1, I was tired and had a headache for sure.  I would be kidding you if I didn't tell you this.  I was tired, but then again I did a pretty decent workout the morning of Day 1.  It is suggested in the guide to not do an intense workout while doing the refresh.

I learned my lesson on Day 2 and 3.  I still had a headache, but by day 3 it was minimal until I waited to long to eat in the afternoon.  I wasn't tired.  It was also great to get 8+ hours of sleep per night each night. I found by the time I got the kids to bed I wasn't far from being in bed either so I wouldn't be tempted by anything.

Honestly, it was probably a good thing I didn't have too many things going on those 3 days though.  Between my kids coming off the vacation high, and all of us getting back in the swing of things, I wasn't the most pleasant person to be around I am sure.  So, to my kids and anyone I may have encountered those 3 days, I apologize for my hangry mood.

After the Refresh

I will say on Friday morning when I woke up, I felt wonderful.  I was full of energy and was ready to conquer the day.  It felt great to wake up with that feeling as I hadn't felt that way in a while.

Was the hangry worth it?  Yes it was.  That bloated feeling I had finally went away and I can say I felt great.  For me one of the biggest victories from completing the 3 Day Refresh was I was able to know I could say no to certain foods and stay strong.  It helped me re-focus my nutrition and has helped me stay on track without too many slip ups since last week.

In fact, we had an impromptu birthday celebration for one of our neighbors over the weekend, I didn't have a single glass of wine and I didn't keep going back munching on food like I had done the month before.  In fact at one point we were chatting and there was a bowl of chips sitting in front of me on the counter, I put my hand in to get a chip and then pulled it back without taking a chip.  It just wasn't worth it!  I woke up the next morning feeling victorious that I actually made it through the night without wine and too much food.  However, I did have one small piece of cake, but that was it.  In the past I would have gone back for more.

My Results

So, my overall results were I lost 3 inches and 3.6 lbs.  I would definitely do the 3 Day Refresh again to get over the bloat and help me get back on track when I lose focus.  Because let's be honest, as much as we try to stay on track and not have too many treats, we are not perfect and sometimes a little help to reset and re-focus is what is needed.

Thanks for stopping by and all your support.  Have a great day and check back again for future blog posts.

**Also, as a side note, for the relatives that did the refresh with me last week, both lost 4lbs. in 3 days!  Great job!!!!

~Sarah Strubhar
Independent Team Beachbody 
Ruby Coach

Enchilladas - Cleaned Up

As you may have seen in the past, we greatly enjoy Tex-Mex/Mexican style dishes.  One I used to make frequently pre-clean eating days was enchilladas.  I used to buy the canned enchillada sauce and follow the directions on the can.  Once we started eating clean, I knew that wasn't going to work anymore.  I mean seriously, the sodium alone used to make me drink like a fish for the entire day after.

So, one day I was searching for "cleaner" versions of enchilladas and came upon this recipe. When I first saw it, I thought wow, there are a ton of ingredients and it is going to take forever to make.  But decided it was worth a shot and let me tell you:

IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!!!!  The ingredients and time it took yes are more than the canned sauce steps, but I will NEVER go back to doing enchilladas any other way.  

Let me put it this way, I have to quickly fill the tortillas before I eat the filling.  The filling IS that GOOD!!!!  Hope you try them out and give them a shot!

Enchilladas

Sauce Ingredients:

1-29oz. can of Tomato Sauce (I use crushed tomatoes or sauce with Low-No Sodium)

5 tbsp. of Olive Oil 

Garlic Powder (or you can use 3 cloves of crushed garlic)

1/4 cp. Fresh Cilantro (no stems)

1/2 Sweet Yellow Onion

1/2 Red Bell Pepper

1/2 can Rotel (with juice)

1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

1/2 tsp. EACH of Chili Powder, Cumin, Paprika* 

Whole Wheat Flour (optional, if needed to add to sauce to thicken)

*You can use all the following Mrs. Dash's seasonings, but I don't have them and didn't want to buy 

them each - Table Blend, Southwest Chipotle, Chili Lime seasonings)

Sauce Directions:

1.  In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients for the sauce (except the flour) and puree until smooth.

2.  Once blended smooth, pour the sauce in the pan and cook on low and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

Enchillada Filling Ingredients:

1 lb. package Lean Ground Turkey (could also use super lean ground beef or even ground chicken)

1/2 Sweet Yellow Onion, chopped

1/2 Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1/2 can Rotel, juice drained

1/2 cp. Frozen Sweet Corn

1/2 cp. Black Beans, drained

1/4 cp. Fresh Cilantro (no stems)

1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

1 cp. Cottage Cheese

1/2 tsp. each of Chili Powder, Cumin & Paprika*

*You can use all the following Mrs. Dash's seasonings, but I don't have them and didn't want to buy them each - Table Blend, Southwest Chipotle, Chili Lime seasonings)

Filling Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Start browing the ground meat in a medium pan on the stove and add the chopped pepper and onion cooking until the turkey is browned and the onion and pepper are soft and tender.  Once cooked set aside to cool.

3.  In a seperate large bowl, combine the Rotel, sweet corn, black beans, cilantro, black pepper, cottage cheese and seasonings.  Once the turkey mixture has cooled, add that to the cottage cheese mixture and stir to combine.

4.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and assemble your tortillas with the filling mixture.  If you are using the 21 Day Fix Containers, I fill each tortilla with 1 red container of meat.  The more filling the better. I would rather fill up on what is inside the tortilla than the tortilla itself.

5.  Place each rolled tortilla in the sprayed casserole dish.  You should be able to fit all 8 in the baking dish.

6.  Once all the tortillas are assembled and in the baking dish, pour all the simmered sauce over them.  DO NOT sprinkle with cheese yet!

7.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Then remove the foil, sprinkle with the cheese and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.

ENJOY!!!

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!  Feel free to come back and leave some feedback once you try them out.

~Sarah Strubhar

Independent Team Beachbody

Ruby Coach