Quinoa Salad (Fix Approved!)

I love quinoa! It's so healthy yet it's got this naturally sweet taste...and it's gluten free!

It's a great base for any dish. Tonight I was inspired by one of Autumn Calabrese's recipes in her new FIXATE cookbook. I didn't have all of the peppers and herbs, but I threw together this healthy meal using what I had and it turned out great!

Ingredients:

-Quinoa (I just made the whole bag for the week)
- Plum tomatoes crushed - I didn't have fresh but I'd recommend that!
-Black beans
-Chickpeas
-Ground turkey meat with a (little) balsamic vinaigrette drizzle 
-Avocado - because I can't get enough!
-can add seasoning, pepper, herbs to taste.

Direction:

-Boil the quinoa
-Brown the turkey meat and add in some olive oil or balsamic if you please
-add everything together....it's that simple! 

That's my kinda cooking for ya! A healthy meal that's filling and that you can make in BULK for the whole week!

What are some things you add to quinoa?

Zucchini Turkey Burgers!

I found this recipe at SkinnyTaste.com and I had to try it!...I'm not a great cook so I was VERY surprised how good these turned out! They are super easy and make for a great meal prep meal for dinners and lunches :)

Ingredients:

1 package of ground turkey

1 zucchini (grated)

1 Tbsp of chopped red onion

1/4 Cup of whole wheat or low sodium bread crumbs

1 Clove garlic (grated)

Pinch of sea salt (optional)

Pinch of pepper

*I tried adding Cilantro the 2nd time I made these :) Spice it up!

Tomato Salad:

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped red onion

1 Tbsp olive oil

Splash of balsamic vinegar

*cubed mozzarella bites optional 

Directions:

-Grate the Zucchini and Garlic ----Ok funny confession --- First time I peeled my entire zucchini because I didn't read the directions correctly...didn't come out so well...oh my novice chef skills!

Trust me, Grate it- it's better!!

-Chop red onion

-Mix in bread crumbs, pepper, salt, chopped onion in a large bowel and mix

-Make into 5-6 small patties on a large plate and flatten out

-Heat a skillet or large pan on the stove to medium heat and spray with non-stick spray ( I use Coconut Oil Spray)

-Place about 3 patties in the skillet and cook 4-5 mins on each side

-You can make the Tomato Salad for the top like I did using chopped red onions, tomatoes, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. 

-Or you can simply add whole wheat bun, ketchup, or sliced avocados :) 

ENJOY!!

Nutrition info from SkinnnyTastes.com:

(I didn't use salt so sodium may vary) 

Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 1 burger • Old Pts: 3 • Weight Watchers Points+: 4

Calories: 161 • Fat: 7 g • Protein: 18 g • Carbs: 4.5 g • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 1 g

Sodium: 385 mg • Cholesterol: 65 mg

Cilantro Lime Crock-Pot Chicken

Cilantro Lime Crock-Pot Chicken

As those of you who know or follow me know, I’m a busy girl always on the go! In my quest to eat healthy whole food meals, I've discovered how amazing a crock-pot can be. 

It allows me to make easy meals for the whole week and I just have to throw all the ingredients in, let it cook, and enjoy! Perfect for a busy girl who wants to eat healthy (and who maybe isn't the best cook!).

I came across this super easy meal a few weeks ago and decided to give it a try! Not only did it taste great, it made a week’s worth of healthy lunches/dinners which helped me stay on track during a busy work week!

Seriously, try this Cilantro Lime Crock-pot Chicken recipe and you won’t be sorry! Plus it can be eaten in a variety of ways….alone, over brown rice, rolled up in tortillas, with salsa,….the ideas are endless!

Ingredients:

-Chicken breasts – I used ~2 lbs but you can use however much you want to make!

-3 limes

-Chicken broth – I used the low sodium for a healthier option!

-Fresh Cilantro

-Black pepper

-Onions – chopped

-Garlic Powder (optional)

Directions:

-Lay chicken breasts into the bottom of the pot

-Cover with chicken broth ( I filled my pot almost half way)

-Squeeze lime juice over the mix – (I got tired of squeezing mine and I threw them into my juicer for extra lime juice)

-Chop up about half an onion and add it to the mix

-Add in black pepper, salt (I don’t add salt but you can), garlic powder

-Lay fresh cilantro leaves/stalks over

-Keep lid closed (allows for better moisture to remain in the chicken)

-Cook on low for approx. 5 hours

*Hint- At about 4 hours I shredded the chicken using 2 forks so that I could have shredded chicken and it allows for the juices to penetrate more!

You can also add in more broth throughout the week for added moisture!

ENJOY!!