Garlicky Shrimp Kebabs

Hey everyone!

I know you are going to love these Garlicy Shrimp Kebabs with peppers, onions, and mushrooms as much as Paul and I do. Shhh! The best part is it is SO simple.

Ingredients:

~2lb bag of JUMBO shrimp

~a red, orange, and yellow pepper, cut in bite-sized chunks

~a red onion, cut in bite-sized chunks

~8oz container of whole mushrooms cut in half

~a bottle of Garlic Expressions dressing (found usually near the fresh baked bread).

Prepare:

If you buy the shrimp raw you will need to thaw in cool water and then drop into a pot of boiling water for 5ish minutes until the shrimp turn pink. Peel the shrimp and skewer onto small wooden skewers. I put 8 jumbo shrimp per wooden skewer. Put the skewers in a shallow dish and drizzle the garlic expressions dressing over the shrimp to thoroughly coat. Grill the shrimp on the grill for a few minutes each side until seared. Wallha! Ready to eat!

For the Veggie side dish: Put all ingredients into a hot pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook till crisp tender.  Drizzle a little of the garlic expressions dressing over the veggies and if you want a garlicy kick cut up a few of the garlic cloves from the bottom of the garlic expressions bottle (I used the skewer to retrieve the whole garlic cloves from the bottle). Cook until crisp tender. Serve as a side dish to the grilled shrimp kebab.

For dessert or for a mid day snack give these brownie chocolate chip oat muffins a try: http://www.trishzfitness.com/clean-eating-brownie-bite/

Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup

I have a comforting, healthy soup recipe for you today! :)

....Because it felt like Spring was coming, and now it's cold again, so I think we all need some yummy soup this weekend.

What better than chicken noodle? 

Not the canned soup loaded with additives and preservatives but something fresh and actually good for your body.

Here's the recipe!

Hope you will add it to your meal prep this week!

PS. I found this recipe on the cooking show that is available on the same website where I stream my workouts, which is so great! Sometimes when I look up recipes on Pinterest it can be hard to make them healthy enough or to figure out how to portion control everything, and I like that in this cooking show all the framework is already laid out for me... so achieving my goals becomes really attainable :)

Ingredients:

-2 tsp. Olive oil

-1⁄2 cup chopped onion (approx 3/4 medium)

-2 cups  sliced celery (approx. 5 medium stalks)

-8 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
-1 tsp. Dried oregano leaves
-1⁄2 tsp. Sea salt (or Himalayan salt)

-1⁄2 tsp. Ground black pepper

-1 1/2 cups sliced carrots (approx. 2 medium)

-1 1/4 cups dry whole wheat pasta

-3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast, boneless, skinless

-1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until

onion is translucent.

3. Add broth, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, over high heat, stirring occasionally.

4. Add carrots and pasta; boil, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Remove from heat.

5. Add chicken and cilantro; mix well.

VARIATION:

• Substitute rice pasta or quinoa pasta for whole wheat pasta for a gluten- free choice.

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Blueberry Pecan Banana Oat Muffins

Let’s talk about baked goods for a moment. I love them. But…

they are often loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients. Treats are great, but too many can often lead to conditions like obesity and diabetes if we are not careful. I definitely aim for balance in my life and treat myself… but 90% of the time I like to have healthy baked goods on hand so I can satisfy the part of my brain that wants to reach for the cookies.

These muffins are low in sugar and packed with fiber from the oats.  I love packing them as quick snacks for the kids when we have busy days and you can feel good about what you are eating because they aren’t loaded with fake ingredients. Plus, they are seriously EASY to whip up. You can add any fruit you have on hand, but I love the blueberry pecan combination. Although I think peach or cherry would be a great summer flavor to try!!

Do try these and let me know what you think!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Blend Dry Ingredients:

~2 Cups whole oats

~1/2 tsp salt

~1/2 tsp baking soda

~1/2 tsp baking powder

2. Pour dry ingredients into a separate mixing bowl

3. Blend Wet Ingredients:

~2 ripe bananas

~1 cup plain greek yogurt

~1 egg

~2T honey

~1tsp vanilla

3. Pour Wet Ingredients into dry and combine

4. Fold in:

~1 pint of washed blueberries (I use fit fruit wash)

~1/4 crushed pecans

5. Spray a 12 count muffin pan with olive oil or coconut oil spray. Spoon in batter until each

muffin is about ¾ full. This will ensure that the muffin puffs up over the top giving

it a nice muffin top.

6. Put one whole Pecan on top of each muffin.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Muffins are finished when a knife

inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Mediterranean Quinoa

Can I just say, that I am obsessed with quinoa?

I’ve recently swapped out most of my brown rice stapes for quinoa. I love it because it is packed with protein, contains every amino acid & is particularly rich in lysine, which promotes healthy tissue growth throughout the body. Quinoa is also a good source of iron, magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, and fiber. LOVE IT!  Plus… You can pick it up at Aldi… which makes me love it that much more.

But this quinoa recipe is especially near & dear to me right now because the weather is warming up and who wants to spend too much time cooking in the hot summer months!? I love this dish because it’s quick to put together for a weeknight dinner and it’s great as a simple side OR you can add chicken or fish to it & make it an even better main course.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

~4 cups quinoa, prepared and cooled

~2 cups cucumber, diced small

~1 cup tomato, diced small

~1 cup kalamata olives, diced small

~1 cup red onion, diced small

~1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

~juice of one large lemon

~1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir. Enjoy!

Chicken & Chickpea Curry

Chicken & Chickpea Curry

Who doesn’t love a good curry recipe?!

This one is packed with protein from the chicken & chickpeas and is made all in one pot – which makes it easy to put together during the week.

Don’t like spice? No worries! For a milder version, just adjust the amount of chili powder to your taste.

Will you try it and let me know what you think?

Have a great day!




Ingredients:

~1 Tbsp. olive oil
~1.5 lbs grilled chicken breast, chunked
~1 medium onion, chopped
~3 cloves garlic, crushed
~½ tsp. mustard seed
~1 tsp. ground turmeric
~1 tsp. ground cumin, divided use
~1 tsp. ground coriander
~1 tsp. chili powder
~1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
~1 (14.5-oz.) can low-sodium diced tomatoes
~1 cup low-sodium organic chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

Preparation:

1. Grill and chunk up chicken breast and set aside.
2. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, cumin, and mustard seed; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften.
3. Add turmeric, coriander, chili powder, chickpeas, tomatoes, chicken broth, and chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low; gently boil for 10 to 15 minutes.

*Serve over brown rice. Enjoy!

How to Transition to a Healthier Lifestyle

1. Believe in yourself and your vision for a healthier life.

Your past failures DO NOT MATTER.

Push aside self doubt. Put your eyes on the future and concentrate on being consistent on the below steps of Meal Planning and Prepping and YOU WILL achieve your health and fitness goals.

2. Get rid of all of the processed food in the house.

(If it is not in the house you are less likely to eat it.) If loved ones complain, ask them to please eat their processed junk food outside of the house or hide it where you can not see it. When in doubt whether an item is overly processed look on the ingredient list. Here are a few ingredients to stay away from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/555420566519628151/

3. Start Meal Planning.

Go online or to your recipe books and find some clean recipes to make for the coming week. You will want to stick to recipes that contain whole fresh foods: lean proteins, complex carbs, fruits, veggies, and healthy fats. One site that I use to find clean eating recipes is: www.graciouspantry.com You can also find recipes and meal prep ideas that I use for my own family at www.pinterest.com/trishzelenak

4. Go to the Grocery.

Shop for your needed clean eating ingredients for the coming week based on your meal planning list. Stick to the outside of the grocery for as much as possible. Go into the aisles strategically to get specific items. Some of the things I go into the aisles for: oats, canned tomatoes and beans, coffee, nuts, whole kernel popcorn, and nut butters. Here is your guide to a healthy grocery cart: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/555420566519672905/

5. Start Meal Prepping.

I get out all of the ingredients that I will need for each recipe I am making.

Invite your family to help. I put my husband on grilling all of the lean proteins. My daughters like to put the eggs in the egg steamer to hard boil them. They also like to cut veggies. The family will appreciate your efforts more if they participate and see the work that goes into creating a healthy clean eating lifestyle for the family

I then start with anything that has a multi step process or takes a long time to cook. For example if I am preparing a slow cooker recipe or making brown rice. Both have long cook times so I start with these items first.

The next step is to work on anything that will use the same tools. For example cutting vegetables for my veggie tray and cutting veggies for a stew. I will do both of these things at once. If I crush garlic for the stew and also plan to make hummus, I will crush the garlic all at once and set aside the garlic so that it is ready for the next recipe.

Some of the things I make every week: hard boiled eggs, grilled chicken, a whole grain (brown rice, quinoa, faro, wheat berries, barley, etc.), a veggie tray w/lid (that has a small container with a healthy dip – ex: hummus), cut up fresh fruit, and a batch of blanched or roasted vegetables. I also like to make a stew or soup to freeze for later in the week when my fresh options are running low.

6. Move your body.

Whether you go to a gym or work out at home, find a type of exercise that you enjoy and works for your life. Make sure you are combining both cardio and strength training. If you would like to try out some options, I can provide you for FREE a 30 Day access to Beachbody on Demand to try dozens of different options to find what works best for you.

7. Accountability to another human.

Do not skip this step. Whether it is a best friend, mom, spouse, neighbor, a personal trainer, or online health & fitness coach (ME :)) to make sure you stay on track. You are motivated now, but that motivation is likely to fall by the way side when life takes over...that is unless you have someone to answer to so that you stay on track. It would be my pleasure to be that daily accountability partner for you.

8. Track Your Progress.

Take beginning weight, measurements, and pictures to establish a starting point. DO NOT weigh yourself frequently. In fact, I recommend that you put the scale in the back of a closet and only pull it out every 2-3 weeks to check your progress. Do not get on the scale unless you are committed to also checking your measurements. It is normal to only lose a few pounds yet drop drastically in inches especially when you are strength training and putting on muscle as you are losing fat.

9. CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS.

Once a week I recommend ONE (1) “treat” meal or other small treat to celebrate sticking to clean eating throughout the week. This is NOT a “cheat meal.” This is a celebration of you successfully sticking to clean eating throughout the week and fitting in your workouts on most days.

10. Share your success.

This is where the magic happens. When you share with your family and friends the steps you have taken to be healthier they in turn become healthier. When the student becomes the teacher...this is when your journey is secured and you know that even if you have a slight hiccup that you can get right back on track because you know the process :).

GOOD LUCK! I would love to help you through this process in one of my online healthy lifestyle accountability groups that I host monthly.