Turkey & Veggie Meatloaf

My kids devoured this and there are so many veggies in it, which made my dietitian-mommy heart happy! It also holds up amazingly as leftovers! 

Smashed Sweet Potatoes (Instant Pot!)

I’m so excited to share my first Instant pot recipe!  I’ve been loving my new kitchen toy and it’s transformed the ease with which I meal prep and plan! I made these sweet potatoes the other night and they turned out so delicious, I knew I had to share! The spices are sweet and savory at the same time, and they make the perfect and nutritious accompaniment to any meal. I hope you enjoy!  

Rosemary Garlic Chicken

I always dry out chicken. To the point where I don't even want to make it anymore and have been making ground turkey our meal staple for 5 months. But, I told myself to try one last attempt at a baked chicken recipe, and it was a hit! The secret is to put some broth in the casserole dish, and enough butter/oil to keep the chicken moist. Here is my recipe for Rosemary Garlic Chicken that is easy to make, could be doubled or tripled to always have on hand, and goes with practically anything! Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

This recipe turned out delicious and was so easy to whip up! There is so much flavor in these ingredients, so when you put them all together, magic happens! Plus it took under an hour to put together from start to finish, AND produced a ton of leftovers...win-win!

How delicious do these look!? And even better, they TASTE amazing! I had 2-halves with a side salad and the meal completely hit the spot! Healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated. Plus, this meal is jam packed with vitamin C from the peppers, protein from the turkey, fiber from the beans, and lots of flavor from the cheese and enchilada sauce! 

I hope you all get to try this recipe soon! Let me know how you like it! 

Healthy Carrot Cake

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! I have a new recipe for you all today and, surprise surprise, it's something BAKED! What can I say, I just love making my favorite baked goods healthier so I can enjoy them! :) My dad is a huge carrot cake fan so I decided to do our own little rendition of carrot cake! This recipe came out tasting great, moist, and delicious! It is also gluten-free, high in protein, and full of one of my favorite vegetables, carrots! Carrots are filled with vitamins and antioxidants that are so healthy for us and help fight certain cancers and improve our eye sight! I hope you all get to try this recipe soon!

And here is the finished product! I just love my baked goods so much! :) They taste great and also allow me to enjoy the deliciousness of my favorite foods without the added sugars and butters that most of them contain. There are so many varieties that you can try (check out my other recipes!) to make any of your favorite baked goods healthier! I hope you all get to enjoy this yummy and nutrient-dense cake! Nutrition facts are below:

1 square: 70 calories, 2.5 g fat, 5.5 g carbs, 5g protein, 13% daily need of Vitamin A!

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Zucchini Stew

Last night, my mom and I cooked one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. My family makes an amazing zucchini stew that is usually served over rice, but since adopting a more grain-free diet, I've eaten it just by its lonesome without the rice, and have never looked back! I don't even miss the rice because the zucchini, beef, and tomato sauce give so much flavor to this dish that is still tastes delicious even on its own. It is the perfect bowl of comforting nutrients, which is why I put it on the menu for last night! I wanted to make a meal that was warm, nourishing, and that would make enough for leftovers for me to take to my first day of work today! This meal was just that!

We thoroughly enjoyed this meal last night; my parents added rice to theirs, but I enjoyed the stew as is! I hope you all get to try this dish this winter; it's perfect for cold and cozy nights! Not to mention it is gluten/grain free, paleo, and Whole 30 approved!

Cajun-style Chicken & Rice

The creation of this recipe was one of those "throw-everything-in-the-pot-and-hope-it's-delicious" type of experiences...and I was definitely NOT disappointed! And the best part...it only took 30 minutes to put together! I was in a huge rush on Monday morning to put together a meal that would last me the week for lunches at work. I usually do my meal prep Sundays, but since I had quite a busy weekend (I got engaged woooo!), I had to scrounge something up on Monday morning. I had bought some of my favorite prepared lemon pepper chicken from Trader Joe's, and definitely wanted to use it in a meal that would not only taste great but would make an easy lunch for the week! This recipe was so simple and delicious, I'm excited for you all to try it! Here is my Cajun-style Chicken & Rice Recipe!

Mix the seasonings throughly, and then you are done! The smell of this meal was so amazing!

This recipe provides the perfect mix of nutrients: protein, healthy carbohydrate, veggies, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fat from the olive oil! Check out the nutrition facts below!

1 serving (about 1 cup): 280 calories, 10g fat, 23 g carbs, 26 g protein, 90% daily need for Vitamin C!

I hope you all get to enjoy this dish soon! It was prepped in 30 minutes, has been making the perfect lunches for my week, is healthy, and most importantly, IT IS DELICIOUS! :)

I wish you all a happy Wednesday!!!

Eggplant and Zucchini Marinara

I thought I would share a recipe I whipped up last night. It's a random combination of foods but came out tasting great! I am calling it Eggplant and Zucchini Marinara with Lentils! I had some eggplant and zucchini in the fridge that I didn't want to go back...plus half a jar of marinara sauce. So I got working in my kitchen!

First, I chopped up my eggplant and a bag of mini zucchinis I got from Trader Joe's...if you have normal sized zucchini, you would only need about 3-4! After chopping them up, I steamed them on my stovetop. While the veggies steamed, I boiled 2/3 cup of green lentils in some water for about 25-30 minutes until they softened up!

Once the veggies were done steaming, I poured out all the water from underneath the steamer, then used to same pot (what can I say, I am a minimalist) to put the steamed veggies in. Then I mixed in half the jar of marinara sauce. Once the lentils were done, I drained the water and added them as well!

This dish turned out so warm, delicious, and filling! It's so easy and quick and is perfect to make in bulk to take to school or work with you!

Quinoa Eeech

This recipe is a quick, tasty, and healthy summer dish to have on hand. My family has made eeech as far back as I remember (probably not how it's spelled, but that's how I like to spell it!) Eeech is traditionally made with bulgar, which is a healthy whole grain, but it is also cracked wheat and contains gluten. Since I have been trying to lay of the big G, I usually make this dish with quinoa! It tastes the same, is gluten free, and is a complete protein! I made a quick batch last night, so I thought I would share the recipe!

And here is the finished product! Lovely fluffed quinoa in a yummy tomato sauce!! This is the perfect light dinner and is usually served chilled, which is perfect on a summer night! It can also be paired with some hard boiled eggs for some added protein!! Here are the nutrition facts if anyone is interested: 

Makes 4 servings: 1 serving contains 250 calories, 9g fat, 36g carbs, 4g fiber, 7.5g protein! 

Enjoy this recipe and this beautiful Tuesday everyone!

Cheesy Cauliflower Bars

I have been craving some garlic cheesy bread lately. I don't know what it is, but that gooey warm flavor has been missing from my life. I decided to create a healthy version using a cauliflower crust! Usually, my cauliflower crusts have always fallen apart, but I was so excited when this recipe was not only delicious, but could actually be HELD UP! It was definitely one of the highlights of my day! This recipe is easy, quick, and delicious, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is craving some cheesy garlic bread!

How amazing does that look?! I let it cool for 15 mins before cutting it and hoping it was sturdy enough to hold up. It was a complete success!!