goals and accountability

hey friends! i'm back again and feeling pretty great. my weight loss continues to be slow, but my workouts have been solid and i'm feeling strong. i'm completely on board with yoga now too--love how it makes me feel. in addition, i have an accountability group now! three friends and i have joined together to check in with one another, encourage, and motivate towards our fitness goals. (my goal is to not have my mother-in-law look better than me in a bathing suit when we go to florida in september.) :-)  accountability and a goal are, perhaps, a big part of what i've been missing in this journey, so i'm excited to see how things progress. (i'll work on fine-tuning my goal... perhaps to something a bit more measurable and slightly less self-deprecating.) :-)

anyway, let's get to my favorite part of this blog. recipe reviews! buckle your seat belts, folks, because i've got some good ones today.

sweet potato and kale grilled cheese

this first recipe is my favorite. sweet potato and kale grilled cheese. my mouth starts to salivate when i say those words. it's all of my favorite things living together in blissful unity between two slices of nutty, multigrain bread. i can't much more about, lest i start to cry -- because you guys, this sandwich was perfect. eat it and forevermore be changed.

asian turkey lettuce wraps

these beautiful asian turkey lettuce wraps come in at a close second for my favorite recipe in this batch. they are quick and easy to make and sooooo tasty. and let's be honest -- they are super adorable. everything looks cuter when wrapped in lusciously green, tender boston lettuce.

cheesy avocado quesadillas

these baked avocado quesadillas were a surprising treat. i'm ever-wary of the avocado craze, but at the recommendation of a friend, i gave this recipe a try.  great flavor!  and i love, love, love that they are baked instead of fried! 

oven baked blackened tilapia

i made this oven baked blackened tilapia on a whim -- an oh-no-i-forgot-to-put-my-planned-meal-in-the-crockpot-before-work-and-now-i-don't-know-what's-for-dinner whim.  though this recipe has a lot of ingredients, they are all fairly standard.  it came together nicely!  TONS of flavor and the homemade tartar sauce really brought it home.

 cranberry pecan quinoa salad

yum. another win for quinoa. this cranberry pecan quinoa salad with honey orange dressing is perfect for lunch or a light dinner. i have two bits of advice for this recipe. 1.) add some feta crumbles! somehow, that made it feel like more of an entree rather than just a side. and 2.) you MUST toast your pecans. i love pretty much all nuts raw, but toasting them brings them to a whole different level of amazingness. i think it's super important to the overall flavor of this salad, so don't skip that step!

feta and date toast

this isn't really a recipe. i saw a pin of various toast ideas, and this one caught my eye.  multigrain bread + feta + dates + nuts.  (the original pin recommended almonds, but i had some delicious pine nuts on hand.)  just top your bread with some sliced feta (the crumbles would probably work too, but i had a block of it), then add chopped dates and pine nuts.  put in your toaster oven for a few minutes until it starts to get golden.  oh man, the saltiness of the feta in contrast with the sweetness of the dates is total perfection. and the toasted pine nuts just melt in your mouth. soooo good!  satisfies pretty much every craving i could ever have. and totally gives me energy to make it through the morning!

paleo lemon bars

easter is over now so i'm back on sugar. (what you can't hear is the fact that i'm cheering right now!) but during my lenten sugar fast, i tried this recipe for paleo lemon bars. my expectations were low because -- if you know me at all -- you know that i'm OBSESSED with lemon desserts. i have very high standards for lemon bars. and while this paleo version was not as good as the sugar-filled variety, they were mighty impressive. the crust in particular was surprising. i kept these in my fridge for a full week, and by the end, the crust was still crispy! i couldn't believe it. the lemon layer was a little zingy-ier than a regular lemon bar, but i suppose that's to be expected when you sweeten it only with honey. overall, a great recipe. definitely worth a try, especially if you are of the paleo-persuasion.

for the love of food

hello friends.  after an intense winter, it's finally starting to feel like spring (kinda sorta) in central pennsylvania.  and i couldn't be happier.  sunshine is just what this girl needs to break out of her funk.  in the weight loss department, i'm just... stumped.  i feel like i've been making reasonable nutrition choices, but my efforts haven't reflected on the scale.  i'm discouraged but also determined to break through the plateau.

while i have a strong desire to be healthy and active and responsible with the body God gave me, i believe i also have a God-given passion for food.  it's just how i'm wired.  i love exploring new recipes and creating weekly menus and experimenting with flavors.  i enjoy eating and seeing my family and friends enjoy the foods i have prepared.  i don't think there is anything wrong with that.  i keep seeing motivational blogs and posts from fitness gurus who say, "eat to live, don't live to eat."  and geesh, that's super sad to me.  i totally understand the point, but to a foodie like myself, it takes the wind right out of my sails.  there's nothing inherently wrong with enjoying food, but i know i need to be smarter about it.  so how do i marry these two vastly different worlds?

i have no idea.  i'll get back to you when i figure it out.  in the meantime, here are a few new recipes to pass along.  enjoy!

low carb taco pie

unfortunately, i didn't get a great picture of this low carb taco pie.  but it was a big hit with me and steve!  i'd actually classify it more as a taco quiche -- although that sounds kinda gross.  it's made with 6 eggs, so it has a quiche-like vibe, but it's loaded with taco flavor.  i'll likely try this again with ground turkey instead of beef to save a few calories.  one slice was around 300 calories, plus a little extra for toppings (small dollop of sour cream, avocado, salsa, whatever).  we ate ours with a side salad, and it was filling and delicious!  it's even better the next day!

sweet potato and kale hash

this sweet potato and kale hash is definitely one of my favorites.  sorry, me iphone picture does it absolutely no justice....  (i can only make this on days when steve is away, since he will absolutely not ever in a million years consume sweet potatoes.  whatevs, dude.)  ;-)  i think this recipe is a perfect blend of sweet and spicy.  i added a bit of chipotle chili pepper this time, and mmmm.  yes.  so good.  i enjoyed my hash with a fried egg, but it's also great with sausage or chicken.

rosemary and ravioli chicken soup

this rosemary and ravioli chicken soup is probably my favorite of the lot, primarily because steve found the recipe in a better homes and gardens magazine and asked if we could try it.  (i can probably count on one hand the number of recipes steve has ever asked me to try.  he's not quite as passionate about new recipes as i am.) :-)  i honestly wasn't too sure about it...  seemed like a weird combination -- chicken, ravioli, potatoes, and green beans?  but it was stellar!  loved it!  i used asiago and spinach ravioli from my local Giant grocery store.  so much flavor!  and just 362 calories per serving.

paleo banana pancakes

and finally, something a little different -- paleo banana pancakes!  i know you're skeptical.  but if you love pancakes, these are worth a try.   i've tried banana pancakes in the past and was not impressed.  but these were great!  made primarily with eggs, bananas, and coconut flour, these are surprisingly fluffy and not overly "banana-y" in flavor...  i topped mine with a few blueberries, pecans, and maple syrup.  the best part is that two large pancakes clocked in at just 250 calories (plus toppings) and tons of protein!  i will absolutely make these again.  a few notes: (1) i used baking powder instead of baking soda as the recipe states.  and (2) the batter is weird.  you'll wonder "how the heck is this gonna make a pancake?!"  but i promise it will!  just be super careful when flipping them.

hope you see something new and exciting to try!  stay tuned for next time -- i have a few recipes on this week's menu that i'm super excited about!

here comes the sun...

this winter.  it's been killer.  i've felt sick and tired and unmotivated for weeks now, and ugh.  i'm so done.  spring is coming.  i'm ready to kick this funk and get moving.  who's with me?

but despite the funk, i've found a few good recipes that i'd love to pass along.  so here we go...

morning baked oatmeal with berries and coconut

i'm not even exaggerating when i say that this was the BEST baked oatmeal i've ever made.  and get this -- no refined sugar!  this amazing baked oatmeal with berries and coconut is sweetened only with pure maple syrup.  (well, and the berries.)  i used frozen blueberries, but you could use anything.  strawberries?  raspberries?  maybe even peaches?  so many possibilities!  isla enjoyed making this with me and even ate it, which is huge since she typically won't eat anything that looks like it's mixed together with something else.  woohoo, oatmeal for the win!  for the record, i enjoyed mine fresh out of the oven with a bit of milk poured over top.

lasagna soup

alright, this lasagna soup isn't going to rank super duper high on the healthy scale, but mercy.  it is tasty.  a bowl of this goodness will cost you about 580 calories, but as an entire dinner, i find that to be perfectly acceptable.  (you could save some calories, too, by adding a smaller dollop of ricotta, but where's the fun in that?) ;-)  since spring is finally rolling in, i imagine i won't make this again for a while, but this cozy soup was filling and delicious, and the leftovers made for some delightful lunches throughout the week!

pesto turkey meatloaf

i love meatloaf (weird?  perhaps...) and i love pesto, so i knew this recipe would be a win for me.  takes a while to bake (as most meatloaf does), so i can only make this on the weekend.  but mmmm, very good.  this recipe comes in a close second to my favorite turkey meatloaf recipe -- honey barbecue turkey meatloaf.

lazy sunday casserole

i saved my favorite entree for last.  lazy sunday casserole is an incredible pan full of chopped potatoes, carrots, peppers, onions, fennel bulb, garlic, and sausage (i used spicy turkey sausage) roasted together with chicken broth, italian herbs, and a hearty dose of balsamic vinegar.  it was aaaaaaamazing!  so simple, and yet that flavor.  i can't say enough about it!  (in the interest of full disclosure, my husband would only eat the potatoes and sausage... and my daughter would only eat the sausage.  sigh...)  but truly, i loved this dish and would make it again in a heartbeat!

paleo coconut flour brownies

since we are in the season of lent, i am doing my best to steer clear of refined sugar.  but sometimes, a girl just needs some chocolate.  (am i right?)  ;-)  so i have discovered the most amazing gem of a recipe -- paleo coconut flour brownies.  sweetened with pure maple syrup (or honey, if you prefer).  and oooooohmygoodness.  surprisingly good.  i have to discipline myself to go easy on these (because the point of lent is not to replace one vice with another).  but i'm ok with indulging here and there.  mmmmm, happiness.  :-)  and for the record, about 110 calories per serving.


so there you go!  hope you see something new and yummy to try!  now that it's getting warmer, i'm looking forward to eating some salads and fresher food again...  happy almost springtime, friends! :-)

cozy cold-weather meals

hey folks!  ready for some cozy cold-weather recipes?  i've had fun jumping back into health(ier) recipe testing and have found a few winners in the past couple of weeks.  although, if i'm being completely honest, my taste buds cannot be trusted at the moment.  i'm recovering from a nasty cold which left me couch-bound for three straight days and completely destroyed my ability to taste (and smell and breathe).  so if the recipes seems questionable, i apologize.  :-)

honey bbq chicken meatballs

these honey bbq chicken meatballs were a big hit.  the homemade bbq sauce provided great flavor!  a great tip i read in the recipe was to handle the ground chicken as little as possible -- incorporate the ingredients until they are just mixed.  overworked ground chicken has a tendency of becoming tough.  (as an aside, yes, i made baked mac 'n cheese with this meal.  definitely not "diet approved," but i was sick and the temperature outside was in the single digits, so comfort food was my top priority.)

marinated kale and whipped ricotta pizza

 

here we go, pizza again.  not a low calorie food, BUT this one has kale on it!  marinated, crispy, mouth-watering kale!  so it was a fun, clear-conscience splurge.  great for the weekend!  i loved this.  like truly, madly, deeply.  my pictures are so ugly and do it no justice whatsoever.  you simply must try this marinated kale and whipped ricotta pizza.  even kale-haters (ahem, keri altland....) might enjoy this one!

slow cooker quinoa chicken chili

 

i thought this recipe for slow cooker quinoa chicken chili seemed like a bit of a gamble.  a little outside of my taste preference comfort zone... but it was really good!  very hearty, extremely filling, and super cozy for a cold winter's night.  i only added one can of black beans instead of two, and i thought it was just right.  next time, i might add a chopped onion to the mix.

spicy sausage, kale, and orecchiette soup

this spicy sausage, kale, and orecchiette soup is another superstar kale recipe.  kale is so perfect for soup because it doesn't get all mushy and gross.  the simplicity of this recipe almost scared me away because i thought it would be bland.  but no.  it was basically perfect.  definitely get the hot/spicy sausage (instead of sweet or country style)  -- it adds a lot of kick!

chickpea salad

in my search for some good lunch ideas, i found this recipe for black-eyed pea salad.  however, whilst at the grocery store, i could not find black-eyed peas anywhere.  i must have searched the canned food aisle for 10 minutes.  so after a bit of annoyance and a few black-eyed pea band jokes from my super helpful husband ;-) i decided to go with chickpeas instead.  so, i followed the recipe in the link above and substituted two cans of chickpeas... i also substituted a tiny bit of honey for the sugar (because Lent started on wednesday, and i'm officially off sugar until Easter).  i sprinkled on some feta just before i ate it.  and oh my, delish!  lots of flavor and very filling.  it keeps well in the fridge for several days, and the flavor gets better with time, so make this on a monday, and you've got lunch for the week.

chicken mozzarella pasta with sundried tomatoes

one last recipe, and no, it's not a healthy one.  but it was too good not to share.  if you're looking for a tasty splurge meal, you might want to try this chicken mozzarella pasta with sundried tomatoes.  i made this over valentine's weekend, and wow.  even my 3-year-old liked it.  i've honestly never cooked with sun-dried tomatoes before, but this recipe made me a believer!  (again, i apologize for the less-than-appealing picture... check out the link for prettier pictures of this yummy meal!)

and that's a wrap, folks!  oh, except to mention that i'm down a few pounds, but i think that has more to do with my illness than my eating habits.  i'm still trucking along and trying to make good choices... one step at a time. :-)

happy cooking, folks!

here we go again...

oh man, you guys.  i'm struggling.  the holidays? -- they ruined me.  like, in the most delicious way possible.  :-)  i was totally prepared to gain back a few pounds, and i even considered it to be entirely worth it.  "i'll just work it off in january," i told myself.  "no big deal."  but what i did not anticipate was how difficult it would be for me to get back on track.  here we are at the first week in february, and i'm still making horrible food choices.  i feel sluggish and frumpy and all around disappointed in myself.

i hate these vicious cycles.  but the worst thing i can do is to let it defeat and define me.  so, we get up and try again.  here are two good things i've been working on:

• i've been very consistent about getting on the treadmill at 5am each morning.  AND i've been running for longer periods of time.  so that's something.
• steve and i have starting doing yoga together in the evenings (using the Yoga Studio app).  isla joins in too (when her attention span allows... other times she just sits and laughs at us when we get into unusual positions), so it's been fun to make this into a family event / comedy act.

what i really need to focus on now is putting better food into my body.  and the mindless snacking has got.to.stop.  so it's time to count calories again and to eat more veggies and lean proteins and less processed stuff, etc., etc.  you know the drill.  i've tried a lot of disappointing recipes in the past month, but there were a few winners.  allow me to share...

chipotle chicken sweet potato skins
these were INCREDIBLE.  the sweetness of the potato + the chipotle heat + the sharp melty white cheddar was winning combination.  a little time consuming (mostly to bake the sweet potatoes), but otherwise easy to assemble and well worth the time investment.  the leftovers heat up nicely in the toaster oven, which hey, whaddaya know?  i'm eating the leftovers as i type this. :-)

honey glazed salmon
this is hands-down my new favorite way to prepare salmon.  honey-crusted salmon topped with a browned butter lime sauce.  let me say that again: browned butter lime sauce.  amazing.  go easy on the butter sauce if you're worried about calories, but it's SO GOOD.  with a heaping pile of veggies, i think you'll be ok.

roasted cauliflower pizza
i guess the nutritional value of a pizza is debatable...  but this pizza contains cauliflower.  roasted cauliflower.  and we know of my love affair with roasted vegetables.  can't get enough!  so this meal is a bit of a splurge in the calorie department, but it's loaded with flavor.  yuuuuummm.

here are a few other highly recommended recipes that i failed to photograph:

• pizza roasted chickpeas -- my first ever cooking attempt with chickpeas, and i was super impressed!  these were great!  can be served as a snack, a side, or (if you have a family that refuses to try them like mine did) as a whole meal for yourself. :-)
• kale salad with meyer lemon vinaigrette -- oh yes.  this was great.  a new favorite, as far as lemon vinaigrettes go.  and don't worry if you can't find meyer lemons!  just add a splash of orange juice in with your lemon.
• kale salad with warm cranberry vinaigrette -- another winning kale recipe in my book.  LOVED the warm vinaigrette!  and shallots!  i adore shallots.  let's put shallots in ALL the food!

so there you go.  time to whip myself out of winter hibernation mode and get focused!  hopefully by "going public" again, i'll feel a little more motivated to make good choices.  bathing suit season is just a few months away... let's do this!