Orange Maple Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Did you read that title?!?! As if orange maple dressing wasn't enough, then adding roasted sweet potatoes in too?? Heaven in a jar! I will say though, you have to like the sweet/savory meal, because this salad is on the sweeter side. But it is sooo good! And as usual, super easy! Spend an hour or so on the weekend making all 5 lunches for the week and you're good to go!

The quantities listed below are enough for 5 pint sized mason jars. If you are making more or less salads, adjust the quantities as necessary.

Completed Mason Jars

Ingredients for Dressing:
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1.5 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for Salad:
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch squares (I left the peel on)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 medium apple, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup red grapes, cut in half
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
2-4 cups kale or choice of greens (enough to fill jars)

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg F.
2. Spread the sweet potato chunks on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over them and roll around to coat. If desired, season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are cooked thoroughly and slightly crispy on the outside.
4. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
5. Mix together all dressing ingredients in a bowl. Add the dressing evenly to each of the 5 mason jars.
6. Add the ingredients evenly to the mason jars in the following order (bottom to top): apples, sweet potato, grapes, cranberries, goat cheese, quinoa, walnuts, greens.
7. Shake, dump, and ENJOY!

You can then add whatever type of protein on top that you prefer or eat it just as is. Pumpkin seeds, chicken, or a sweet chicken sausage would all pair well with this salad!

With no protein added, one serving is 330 calories, 48g of carbs (thank you quinoa!), 13g of fat, 8g of protein, 74g of sodium, and 18g of sugar.

Like I said, this one is a winner!! If you try it out, let us know how awesome you think it is!!

Ready To Devour!!!

Hawaiian Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Are you a pizza lover like me who still wants to eat clean?! If so, are you constantly dreaming about eating a nice, hot, cheesy pizza? It doesn't quite fit into the clean eating lifestyle, does it?! It does NOW! Keep reading....I will warn you, this is quite time consuming to make versus popping a frozen pizza in the oven, but the result and healthiness is SO worth it.

Ingredients for pizza crust:
1 medium sized head of cauliflower, washed and dried (about 4-5 cups of cauliflower "rice")
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of crushed red pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 egg
Parchment paper

Ingredients for pizza:
4oz sliced ham, cut into 1/2 squares (I just used low sodium deli meat)
1/2 cup cubed pineapple
1/4 cup pizza sauce (low sodium!)
1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I used cheddar and mozzarella)

Directions for crust:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place pizza stone or baking sheet in oven.
2. Place a large piece of parchment paper on counter or cutting board and spray with nonstick cooking oil.
3. Cut off the florets from the cauliflower head and place in food processor. Pulse for approximately 30 seconds, until the cauliflower is fully ground (should have the consistency of snow).
4. Place the cauliflower snow into a microwave safe bowl and cover. Microwave for 4 minutes.
5. Put cooked cauliflower onto a thin towel and let cool.
6. Wrap up the towel and squeeze out as much water from the cauliflower as possible. Take your time on this step as leaving too much water will make the crust crumbly. If you can get out enough water, you will be able to eat the pizza with your hands like normal! Otherwise, you'll be forced to use a fork to enjoy (but the taste is still there)!
7. Put the dry cauliflower into a medium bowl and add Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, salt, basil, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper, and egg. Mix thoroughly. It's easier to use your hands at this step to mix, especially since you're going to have to get them dirty anyways on step 8!
8. Form the dough into a pizza shaped crust on parchment paper. Firmly press down to keep it tightly formed. 

Pizza crust before baking

9. Carefully slide the parchment paper onto the hot pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 8-11 minutes or until lightly brown on top.
10. Remove from oven and add pizza sauce, toppings, and cheese. Put back in oven for another 5-7 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browned on top.

Pizza with toppings before baking

11. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Slice up and enjoy!

Time to Enjoy!!!

Finished Pizza!

Nutritional Info:
1/2 pizza: 344 calories, 20g carbs, 16.5g fat, 31g protein, 1,240mg sodium (ouch!!), 10g sugar

Honey Mustard Chicken Mason Jar Salad

Another AMAZING one!!! I've had this for 3 days now and each day, I'm counting down the minutes/hours until lunch time. It fills me up, but still leaves me wanting more because it is so good! This is a very slightly modified recipe from Autumn Calabrese's new cookbook Fixate!

The amounts listed below will make 4 - 16oz mason jar salads. If you are making more or less, adjust the quantities as necessary.

Finished Product!

Ingredients in Honey Mustard Dressing:

1/4 cup reduced fat (2%) plain Greek yogurt
1.5 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp raw honey
1.5 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients in Salad:

3 cups chopped chicken (I used grilled boneless, skinless, chicken breasts)
1/2 cup chopped green apple
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/3 cup sliced raw almonds (I chopped up whole almonds)
1 oz raisins
2 sliced green onions
2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon (I left this out)
8 cup shredded romaine lettuce (or your greens of choice)

To make the dressing, combine the yogurt, mustard, honey, and vinegar in a bowl and mix well. Slowly add the olive oil and whisk until blended. Add salt to taste (I didn't add any). Add the dressing evenly to the bottom of the four mason jars.

Next, add the following ingredients, in order to form the salad: Chicken, green apple, grapes, raisins, onions, lettuce, and almonds. Stuff the lettuce in there so that each jar is completely full.

You can also add other fruits, such as mandarin oranges or blueberries. And celery would be good as well. The celery could go at the bottom because it is a harder vegetable. The oranges should go in between the apple and grapes (away from the lettuce since they will cause wilting) and blueberries can go on top of the grapes. You can also substitute other nuts on top.

Then store these in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you're ready to enjoy, just take one out. The dressing is thicker, so it doesn't mix up when you shake the mason jar. Dump the contents into a bowl and stir to get the dressing to coat all of the lettuce. Have I mentioned this salad is so so tasty?? I can't wait to eat more tomorrow for lunch!

YUM!!!!!

Nutritional Facts (each):
Calories: 437 Carbs: 31g Fat: 19g Protein: 38g Sodium: 351mg Sugar: 21g Fiber: 4g

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Get ready for the easiest protein bar recipe ever! And these are so yummy! They make the perfect pre or post workout snack or eat them as a pick me up when you need just a little boost.

This recipe makes 14 bars in an 8x8 pan. Adjust the quantity of ingredients if you want more or less.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh ground peanut butter (can also use natural peanut butter)
10 Tbsp PB2 powder
10 Tbsp water, divided
1 1/2 cups chocolate whey protein powder (I used Extreme Milk Chocolate from Optimum Nutrition)
1 cup uncooked old fashioned oats
5 Tbsp honey

Directions:
Mix the PB2 and 5 tablespoons of water together in a small bowl. It will be thick, but do not add extra water. Combine the fresh ground peanut butter, PB2 peanut butter, and honey together in a bowl. Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds. Add in the protein powder, oats, and remaining water. Stir together. The mixture should be thick, but slightly moist.

Press the mixture into an 8x8 tray lined with parchment paper. You will need to press down rather hard so the bars stay together when they're done. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, then cut into 14 equal bars. I then wrapped each one in a small piece of parchment paper and put them in ziploc bags (7 in each). You can also put them into individual plastic baggies so you can grab them and enjoy on the go! Keep them refrigerated. I'm not sure how long they'll keep, but I would guess you'll eat them too fast anyways!

A few adaptations that I will be experimenting with:

-The bars are very sticky, I'm guessing because of the honey. The next time I make these, I am going to use a mixture of agave and honey to see how the consistency is.
-You can use a full cup of fresh ground peanut butter instead of mixing in the PB2 and 5T water. I did this to reduce the amount of fat in the bars and I don't notice a difference in taste.
-These would be good with add ins such as chopped up nuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, or other chopped dried fruit. You may need to play with the amount of water to achieve the same consistency.
-Feel free to use other flavors of protein powder, such as vanilla or cookies and cream. One idea is to use the PB2 with cocoa powder and vanilla protein powder. It wouldn't be as chocolaty, but I bet it would taste great!

Nutrition facts for ONE serving:
Calories: 131
Carbs: 13g
Fat: 4g
Protein: 14g
Sodium: 89g
Sugar: 5g
Fiber 3g

Tastes great and is that healthy?! Yes please!! This one is a keeper for sure!

Creamy Garlic Mason Jar Salad

Woohoo! Time for another mason jar salad recipe! This is a good one too!

 The "guts" are basically the same as the microgreen salad that I previously posted, but the dressing and surprise at the bottom is where the true yummyness lies!

Confession, I have never actually tried to "make" an artichoke. Growing up, I would eat the leaves with my mom. As I've gotten older, I love artichoke hearts on a salad or from a salad bar. But, I've never taken the plunge to prepare one at home. Until now. During my latest trip to Fresh Field farms, I saw the artichokes and thought, yes please! So yes, the artichoke hearts make this salad even more amazing. I believe you can buy them in a can as well, but I don't know about sodium content or taste. Proceed at your own risk!

Ingredients for dressing:

1/4C extra virgin olive oil
1/8C apple cider vinegar (I was out, so I used mostly red wine vinegar with a splash of balsamic)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1.5T fresh lemon juice
1T chopped parsley
1/2tsp Dijon mustard
1/2T pure maple syrup (you can also use raw honey)

Ingredients for salad:

1 medium carrot, shredded (I cut into matchstick sized pieces)
1 large cucumber, chopped
1-2 medium red bell peppers, chopped (you can use any color)
20-25 cherry tomatoes (you can also use a whole tomato, but the cherry ones stay fresher)
1-2 fresh artichokes (again, you can use canned hearts...I think!)
Lemon Juice (to use while preparing the artichoke hearts)
3-4C chopped napa cabbage
3-4C romaine (or your favorite salad greens)

Now for the easy part. Mix all of the dressing ingredients together and blend in a food processor. I didn't have one, so I whisked all of the ingredients together, let it sit in the fridge for about an hour, and then strained some of the garlic out (not all of it).

To prepare the artichoke, take all of the tough outer green leaves off. If you like to eat the meat off of the leaves, save them. You can blanch them all together. Otherwise, you can throw the leaves away. Trim off all of the outer green skin at the base of the artichoke and the stem. Rub lemon juice on the exposed artichoke. This will slow the browning process. Cut the remaining artichoke in half. Use a spoon (or melon baller if you have one) to scoop out all of the choke (the hairy "stuff"). Drop the remaining parts of the artichoke in boiling water for about 3-5 minutes. If you want to eat the leaves, add them to the boiling water. You can dip the leaves in lemon juice, any prepared dressing, or just eat them plain! Remove the artichoke from the boiling water and let dry/cool. Once they have cooled off, chop them up for the salad.

To make the salad, just layer the parts in the following order. Make sure the artichoke hearts are on the bottom to allow them to marinate in the dressing. Delish!! Then add: carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and finally the greens (mixed together). Stuff as much greens in the mason jars as will fit. You want it to be tight!

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you're ready to eat, just shake, dump, and enjoy! You can top the salad with any protein as well. My go to right now is roasted raw pumpkin seeds. Grilled chicken would be great too.

Ready to EAT!

Ultimate Reset Reflections!

Have you heard of the Ultimate Reset? What is it? It is a program designed to return your body to it's optimal health. The first week is all about reclaiming your body, then releasing harmful toxins in week two, and finally, restoring your system to it's maximum health. It's not a typical cleanse...I never had to run to the bathroom or starve myself.

I finalized my plan to do the Ultimate Reset (UR) about a month before I actually started. You are not supposed to do intense workouts while doing the program, and therefore, I had to carefully plan the UR when I didn't have a race already scheduled. Before the program started, I read the entire book that comes with the package. I planned out all of my meals for week one. I wrote down an approximate schedule for when to take the supplements and when to eat my meals/snacks. And most importantly, I went shopping!

A lot of the ingredients were new to me. Miso paste, bok choy, Braggs Liquid Aminos, tahini paste, raw pumpkin seeds, etc. In addition, several of the ingredients weren't sold at my local grocery store (Publix), so I had to take trips to specialty stores. But, on Day 1, I had all of the ingredients and I was ready to go!

Each week, I did a bit of meal prep on Sundays. It really helped each day during the week go more smoothly when I didn't have as much time in the evenings or following mornings. The main things I prepped were a big batch of brown rice, quinoa, sometimes lentils, and of course some type of mason jar salad! I'm not a big fan of cutting up my veggies or fruit the weekend before because it get's soggy or brown in the fridge. So I leave those for each day or at most, the night before.

I honestly can say that it was very easy to follow the meal plan. There were only two things I tried that I did not care for (miso soup...I think because I added too much seaweed...and roasted fennel bulb). Everything else was delicious! I also ate and prepared so many new things during this. Acorn squash, tahini, bok choy, homemade dressings, etc. I also learned to enjoy cooking! Score!

Did I miss anything during the UR? Of course! But it honestly wasn't like I craved anything. I can't wait to eat peanut butter again, but it's not like I was waiting until the clock struck midnight on Day 21 to have a scoop. I woke up this morning on Day 22 and didn't touch it. I will probably have a small scoop tomorrow morning before my run just for energy/endurance. I can truly say that I really don't miss meat. Having said that, I will go back to it as a source of lean protein for running and also for more variety.

I think the hardest part of the program was being put into situations that tested my willpower and not having the option of a cheat meal here or there. For instance, this weekend watching my son and boyfriend (and friends) eat pizza and hamburgers was difficult. Going to a Mexican restaurant with chips, salsa, and margaritas with sole sisters was rough. Not being able to go out to eat on a date or to relax was hard. But, those are all manageable activities to get through!

The biggest benefit of the entire program was one I had never even considered. For the past 6 months to a year, I have been struggling with daily headaches. I've never had a migraine, but on most days, I would wake up with a headache and go to bed with one. On really bad days, I would probably take 15-20 Advil. I have not had a single headache in 14 days. THAT'S HUGE!!! Had I known this could have been an outcome, I would have done this program 6 months ago in a heartbeat! My plan is to introduce foods back into my diet very very slowly, to try and understand the triggers. I maintained my mileage with running while doing UR (85 miles total in 21 days), so I don't have to worry about slowly introducing exercise back.

Some other physical benefits that I realized are:
*8.8 pounds of weight loss
*Sleeping better than I ever have
*Increase energy in the afternoon/evening
*Overall well being - it's hard to put this one into words, I just feel healthier and stronger than I ever have

Would I recommend the Ultimate Reset?! What do you think??!! If you have any questions about the program or would like more information, send me an email or comment below!

Miso Sesame Ginger Dressing...AMAZING!!!

I'm currently on day 18 of the Ultimate Reset. It has been amazing so far and I'll have a complete wrap up on Day 22 complete with results! But....I must share with you the most amazing thing I've had so far - it's a Miso Sesame Ginger Dressing. So so so so so good. Put it on your favorite salad, in a mason jar, or just use it as a dip for fresh veggies! It's also great on rice or quinoa to give extra flavor!

Ingredients (this makes about 4 servings - perfect to make 4 mason jars at a time!):
1 Tbsp Miso Paste (organic is best)
1/8 C rice vinegar
1/2 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos
1/8 C sesame oil
1/2 tsp chopped or ground ginger
1/8 C water

Microgreen Salad (see previous blog post) with Miso Sesame Ginger Dressing

Get ready for the easy part....just mix it all together. If you have a food processor, you can add all the ingredients in that and blend until smooth. I don't have one, so I mix everything together except for the water, whisk until the miso paste is dissolved, and then add the water. Takes about 5 minutes total! So easy and so tasty! Did I also mention healthy?? No added sugars or extra salt like in many store bought dressings. Definitely worth trying!!

If you don't have miso paste, I got some at the Eastside Asian Market on Colonial (if you're local to Orlando). Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or Fresh Market are great places to go as well. My Publix does not carry it. Bragg Liquid Aminos is an all natural alternative to soy sauce and can be purchased at most grocery stores, including Publix. It's in the dressing aisle.