Tuscan Kale Soup

Tuscan Kale Soup

Kale is a powerhouse superfood that I am determined to make part of my regular eating. At just 33 calories, one cup of raw kale has: 

• Nearly 3 grams of protein
• 2.5 grams of fiber (which helps manage blood sugar and makes you feel full)
• Vitamins A, C, and K.

With the winter weather finally showing its head this year, I have been craving soup all the time. This morning, I saw a "kale soup" while watching the Food Network (Trisha Yearwood's home southern cooking show). When I looked at the ingredients in her original recipe, it was super easy to come up with a challenge-friendly version....

The result: I've finally found a way to really enjoy eating kale! Give this one a try.....you will NOT be disappointed.

Ingredients:

1 lbs ground chicken/turkey
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp fennel seed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground thyme
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp black pepper
16 oz carrots
5-6 celery stalks
2 whole tomatoes
16 oz. kale (cleaned and cut)
10 cups water
3 tbsp sodium-free bouillon (OPTIONAL...not Challenge Approved)
coconut oil/spray

Directions:

1. Mix meat with all dried spices listed above (except bouillon) using your hand. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
2. In a large stock pot on medium-high heat, spray bottom of pan with coconut spray. Brown meat in bottom of pan, breaking in up into small pieces as it cooks.
3. Once meat is almost cooked, add chopped carrots and celery and let cook slightly for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add water, tomatoes (chopped up small), bouillon, and  extra salt to taste. Bring to a boil and let simmer covered on low heat for 30 minutes.
5. Add kale and let simmer covered on low heat for 20 more minutes.

Serving size: 1 1/2 cups
Makes roughly 8-10 servings

Veggie Chicken Meatballs

Veggie Chicken Meatballs

These are great for a snack on the go! They taste great cold or you can warm them up for a meal. Veggies and protein are incorporated, so have 2 of them in your bag with an apple and your meal is set!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken
1 egg
6 cups fresh chopped spinach
3/4 bell pepper diced
1 tsp Himalayan Salt
1 tbsp Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl with your hands. Spray baking pan with coconut spray. Form meat into balls roughly 1.5-inch diameter. Place on baking pan spread evenly. Bake on 350 for 22 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Turkey Tacos with Cauliflower Tortillas

Turkey Tacos with Cauliflower Tortillas

In honor of Cinco De Mayo tomorrow, I bring you my very own turkey tacos with homemade cauliflower tortillas. To say these were AWESOME is an understatement. The tortillas are like a soft shell. Also, please note that the seasoning in the turkey taco meat is salt free. It is impossible to find any store bought taco seasoning without any salt....guaranteed you can't taste the difference! Enjoy!!!

Turkey Taco Meat:

1 lbs ground turkey

2 tbsp cumin powder

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

2 tbsp water

Brown turkey in sauté pan on medium high heat. Once browned, add remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

 Makes 6 servings

Ciliantro Lime Cauliflower Tortillas:

1 medium head of cauliflower

3 eggs

1 lime

½ cup cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In food processor, pulse cauliflower florets until it looks like couscous or rice. Add cauliflower to microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 4 minutes, stirring halfway through. Using a kitchen towel or cheese cloth, squeeze out as much water as possible from the cauliflower to make flour (*NOTE: the cauliflower and water will be very hot…kitchen gloves are recommended for this part). In a medium bowl whisk the eggs. Add cauliflower powder, lime, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. On a baking sheet sprayed with coconut cooking spray (or using parchment paper, which works best if available), shape 4-inch diameter small, thin tortillas. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully flip each tortilla and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes. 

Makes 6-8 tortillas

Frozen Banana Nut Bites

Frozen Banana Nut Bites

Quick and simple meal #2....

Ingredients:

1 banana

2 tbsp raw almond butter

Slice banana into even amount of slices. Spread raw almond butter on half of the banana slices. Cover with other half of the banana slices. Freeze for at least 2 hours.

Ginger Jalepeno Chicken

Ginger Jalepeno Chicken

This week marks week #10 since I started the Transformation Center's #6weeks20pounds Challenge on January 5, 2015. I'm down over 45 pounds and over 6 inches in my waist. The coolest part is I've been eating some really tasty, clean and healthy food along the way.  

This week, I recommitted for myself to go back to basics with my food. I have 4 weeks left to lose as much weight as possible. I'm going to have to be disciplined and really stick to the nutrition program.

My mantra of the week: BACK TO BASICS does NOT mean BLAND!

My plan was to stick to grilled chicken breasts and salad for my final meal of the day after my workout. In order to stick to this plan, I knew I had to come up with a chicken marinade that is so good, I wouldn't get sick of it by the end of the week. This was really good...

 Ingredients:
2 pounds organic boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Jalepeno Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp pink himalayan salt
1.5 tbsp ground ginger
1.5 tbsp Mrs. Dash Table Blend
1 diced jalepeno with seeds

Combine all ingredients over chicken in a bowl and mix well by hand.  Cover and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours, stirring about 12 hours through. Grill, broil or bake.










The flavor of this chicken was AWESOME!  It went so well with my salad and side of spinach for meal #5. Super easy, back to basics, but still DELICIOUS! Here's to a successful week!!

Mexican Fried "Rice"

Mexican Fried "Rice"

I needed a quick meal #4 today so, here's what I came up with....it was so good!

Ingredients:

1 cup of my Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Couscous

1 egg and 2 egg whites lightly scrambled

Cholula Hot Sauce

In a hot non-stick frying pan sprayed with coconut oil, "fry" couscous for 3-4 minutes on high heat stirring regularly.  Create a hole in the middle of the couscous and drop egg in it.  Let egg set slightly and then begin to fold egg into couscous until cooked through. Top with Cholula hot sauce.

It was quick, easy and tasted great!

Pumpkin Pie Sweet Potato Pancakes

Pumpkin Pie Sweet Potato Pancakes

My friend and co-challenger JoAnna asked if anybody had a good sweet potato pancake recipe.  Although I really didn't have one, I immediately thought to myself, "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" Here's what I came up with...

Ingredients:

4 oz. baked skinless sweet potato

1 whole egg*

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon

After baking potato, peel skin off by hand. Mash potato with fork in bowl and mix in remaining ingredients to make your batter. Spoon batter onto hot griddle or non-stick frying pan sprayed with coconut spray. Cook until underside is firm and then flip.

Makes 3-4 small pancakes

I can't wait to try these tomorrow for meal 3 with some berry balsamic drizzled on top!

*PLEASE NOTE: since this is for meal 3 and you are adding an egg to your pancakes, be sure to reduce your protein item slightly for that meal since you are getting  6 grams of protein from the egg...