Homemade Energy Bars

Homemade Energy Bars

 

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Want to try your hand at making your own fruit and nut-based snack bar? In just a few minutes, you can create a healthy, customizable snack to help you eat right when you're on the go.

Author: Beachbody

Recipe type: Snack

Serves: 12 servings, 1 bar each

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole pitted dates (or prunes)
• 1 cup dried fruit (like apricots, prunes, figs, raisins, cranberries, blueberries, or cherries)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (or seeds) (like almonds, walnuts, cashews, sesame seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, or sunflower seeds)
• 2 scoops Shakeology, any flavor

Instructions

1. Place dates, fruit, and nuts in a food processor. Pulse for 1 to 2 minutes; scrape sides of bowl.
2. Add Shakeology; process for 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture becomes tiny crumbs that can come together to form a loose ball.
3. Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with cellophane. Press mixture into pan until flat. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Cut into 12 bars. Store in refrigerator.
5. Tip: For additional flair add one or more of the following: ½ tsp. rum extract, ½ tsp. cinnamon, 1 Tbsp. raw honey, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, 1–2 oz dark chocolate chips, or 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger. Adding any of these items may change the nutritional information.

Rainbow Veggie Skewers

Rainbow Veggie Skewers

 

Author: Beachbody

Recipe type: Appetizer

Serves: 4 servings, 2 skewers each

Ingredients

• 2 cooked medium beets, cut into 8 ½ to 1-inch slices
• ½ medium red onion, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 8 slices
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut 16 pieces
• 1 medium summer squash, cut into 8 slices
• 1 medium orange bell pepper, cut 16 pieces
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces
• 8 cherry (or grape) tomatoes
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. Italian herbs (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat grill or broiler on high.
2. Place a piece of beet, a piece of onion, two pieces of green bell pepper, a piece of zucchini, two pieces of yellow bell pepper, a piece of squash, two pieces of orange bell pepper, two pieces of red bell pepper, and a tomato onto a skewer. Repeat with seven remaining skewers.
3. Brush skewers evenly with oil. Sprinkle with herbs if desired.
4. Grill skewers for 6 to 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until vegetables are tender-crisp.

Summer White Bean Salad with Lemon and Dill

Summer White Bean Salad with Lemon and Dill

(Recipe taken from The Beachbody Blog)

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

Author: Beachbody

Recipe type: Lunch/Dinner

Serves: 6 servings, about 1 cup each

Ingredients

• 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon peel (lemon zest)
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• 8 oz. green beans, ends trimmed, cut into ½ inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• 1 (15-oz.) can navy beans (or black eyed peas), rinsed, drained
• 1 (15-oz.) can butter beans (or lima beans), rinsed, drained
• ½ cup fresh dill (or basil, or parsley), chopped
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)

Instructions

1. Combine shallot, lemon peel, and lemon juice in a large bowl; mix well. Let sit for five minutes.
2. Add green beans, navy beans, butter beans, dill, and oil. Season with salt and pepper if desired; toss gently to blend.
3. Chill, covered, in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Zucchini Noodle Breakfast Bowl

Zucchini Noodle Breakfast Bowl

(Recipe taken from The Beachbody Blog)

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

58 mins

Total time

1 hour 13 mins

Author: Beachbody

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped
• 4 tsp. olive oil, divided use
• ½ medium ripe avocado, cut into chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• Water, divided use
• 3 medium zucchini
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
• 2 medium green onions, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with ½ tsp. oil; mix well. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Set aside.
3. While sweet potatoes are baking, place avocado, garlic, 2 Tbsp. water, and remaining 3½ tsp. oil in a food processor (or blender). Pulse until well blended. Set aside.
4. Using a vegetable peeler, cut each zucchini into lengthwise strips about ⅛ inch thick. Turn each zucchini slightly after cutting each strip to work evenly around the outside, stopping when you hit the seeds at the core. Discard cores. Cut slices lengthwise into ½- inch ribbons. Set aside.
5. Place water in medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add lemon juice; reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil.
6. Break eggs into a small bowl. Hold bowl close to the water’s surface and slip the eggs, one by one, into the water. Cook until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken, about 5 minutes. Gently lift eggs out of water; keep warm.
7. Boil water in steamer or large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Place zucchini in steamer basket; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat.
8. Place zucchini in a medium serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Add avocado mixture; toss gently to blend.
9. Divide zucchini between two bowls; top evenly with sweet potatoes, green onions, and an egg. Serve immediately.

Tips:

1. Zucchini can also be sliced on a mandolin; adjust to a very thin slice.
2. This recipes would be a great way to use leftover (cooked) sweet potatoes, and it would reduce the time to make the recipe.

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

So, I saw someone on my Facebook share something about doing a spaghetti squash lasagna and I was definitely intrigued!  I googled it and came across a few different recipes and so I adapted it to my preferences and WOW it was SO good!!  My 5.5 year old daughter even gobbled it all up!  I've always loved spaghetti squash but I had never tried it other than like, well, spaghetti... You know.. with a meat sauce?  Yeah... the thought of using it in a lasagna type dish completely blew my mind!!  

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 pepper chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• 24 oz cottage cheese
• 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, seperated
• 3 eggs
• 3 gloves of garlic, diced
• 2 cups of spaghetti sauce

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half length wise and scoop out the seeds.  Drizzle olive oil on both halves and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Place face down on a baking sheet and place in oven for 30 mins.
3. While the squash is cooking brown the meat in a pan with the pepper and onion.
4. Mix the cottage cheese, eggs, 1 cup of mozzarella and garlic and then add the meat and mix in.
5. Once the squash is cooked, remove from oven and scrape all the insides out with a fork.
6. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and put 1/3 of the meat mixture on the bottom. Top that with 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce and 1/2 of the spaghetti squash
7. Repeat that 1 more time topping off with the last third of the meat mixture and then the last third of the spaghetti sauce
8. Top with the rest of the mozzarella cheese
9. Place in oven, uncovered for 30 minutes.
10. Enjoy!

Makes 8 servings

21 day fix containers

1 green

1.5 red

1 blue

Ground Beef Stew

Ground Beef Stew (This will serve 4): 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb extra lean ground beef (organic, grass fed if possible)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• pink himalayan salt or sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil & parsley to taste
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced stewed tomatoes
• 2 cups low sodium beef or vegetable broth
• 2 cups chunked baby potatoes

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown onion and ground beef.  Drain excess fat.  
2. Add sliced celery stalks, chopped carrots, sliced mushrooms and continue to sauté briefly with 1 tsp of the following suggested seasonings (use whatever you like): sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, and parsley. 
3. Add diced stewed tomatoes (run it through the blender first if you or your family don't like chunks) and 2 cups (32 oz) of low sodium beef or vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil, 
4. Add potatoes and reduce to high simmer for about 30 minutes or until veggies are fork tender.  *My hubby likes to add red pepper flakes to his-try it if you like spicy!

Clean Eating Chocolate PB Oats - My new addiction!

My new most favourite breakfast addiction is Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal!  OH my goodness!  I seriously go to bed earlier some nights just because I want morning to come sooner so I can have them again!!  Tastes like it should be SO bad for you, but they are actually SO good for you!  And very simple to make! 

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup quick cooking oats (you can use steel cut that would be your healthiest option, but I like fast and simple so I use quick oats)
• 1 heaping teaspoon stevia
• 1 heaping teaspoon pure organic cacao powder
• 1 teaspoon natural peanut butter

Directions

1. Place oats in a microwave safe bowl and cover with water.  You want more water than oats because they will cook and absorb it all.
2. Place in microwave for 90 seconds or until all the water is absorbed and oats are soft 
3. Add stevia, cacao powder & peanut butter and mix well
4. ENJOY!