Meals for the Week!

Happy Friday and welcome to the weekend! For once it is not 100 degrees outside and we're hoping to get outside and soak up some vitamin D. Call me crazy, but I think I'm getting the Fall itch! Anyone else?

If there is anything in particular you would like to see in this weekly post please comment below! I'd love to hear your favorites! In the meantime enjoy these top 5 meals!

1. One of our favorites this week was Rainbow Thai Chicken Salad by Gimme Some Oven. Not only does this salad look absolutely beautiful but the taste is marvelous! To avoid soggy leftovers the next day, serve the peanut dressing on the side.

2. Another great dish and one pot meal is Healthy Arroz Con Pollo from Women's Health Magazine. I prefer the texture of brown basmati rice over brown short grain and felt the basmati rice gave the dish a lighter texture. Use fresh rather than canned tomatoes if you have them on hand.

3. If you haven't tried my Turkey Panini with Almond Basil Pesto you are missing out my friend! This recipe could easily end up on a weekly rotation at my house. The easy homemade pesto is also a great way to use garden basil.

4. We all love fast and easy meals and Rachel Ray's Mexican Lasagna is just that. I've made this recipe with ground chicken, turkey, beef and even meatless and each time is still delicious! Use whole wheat tortillas instead of white for a healthy substitute. 

5. And lastly Falafel from Melissa d'Arabian. I serve these tasty patties with whole wheat pita pockets, fresh sliced tomatoes, spinach, red onions and my favorite Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce. 

Enjoy!

Kale & Feta Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is delicious, super quick to whip up and reminisce of a Mediterranean Greek salad. Enjoy as a tasty vegetarian meal on its own or serve with some marinated grilled chicken on the side. Either way, light, summery and the perfect weeknight meal.

Yield: 2 Servings

Kala & Feta Pasta Salad
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pasta shells, cooked
1 cup kale, chopped and tightly packed
1 large tomato, diced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Dash of pepper
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon chives

Bring a medium pot of water to boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain, rinse and run under cool water then set aside. Saute kale in a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat until lightly wilted. Whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard and pepper in a small bowl. Combine pasta, diced tomato, and kale. Drizzle with the olive oil mixture and stir. Gently fold in feta cheese and chives. Serve cold.

Graze Box Review and FREE Box for You

I'm a snacker, grazer and a 2nd and 3rd supper type of person. I really like snacks. It's a good thing I'm married to a snacker or else I might have to be a closet muncher. Okay, maybe not really, but it's not uncommon for the Hubs and I to pull out something to nibble on after the dinner dishes are cleared. All that to say, when I heard about a company that delivers healthy snacks to your home or work I was intrigued. Graze runs as a subscription service delivering to you four individually packaged snacks anywhere from once a week or as you request them.

They offer over 90 snack choices that you can rank as trash, try, like or love.You never know what you'll get in your Grazebox but the higher you rank an item the more often Graze will send you that particular snack. If you never want to try a certain snack you can select trash. They also offer a low calorie option with snacks between 50-150 calories per package. For those with dietary preferences you can trash packs containing gluten, milk, spicy foods and snacks that are not vegan friendly. Currently all snacks are vegetarian. All this sounded awesome to me, my only hesitation was the $6.49 per box price tag so I set off to determine if the product was worth the price.

My 1st box arrived this morning in good shape and with no dents or rips in the brown cardboard like box. I opened the package to find four small but very trendy looking individually packaged snacks. Included in the box was a nutrition facts card with all of the ingredients and nutrition information listed. 

My box contained the following snacks:

Mississippi BBQ Pistachios- Smoked BBQ Pistachios

Garden of England- Mini strawberries, apple and blackcurrants

Hot Cross Yum- Orange raisins, sponge pieces & cinnamon honey almonds

Fruity Mango Chutney with Black Pepper Dippers

Overall I was impressed with the flavors; the mango chutney tasted fresh and had the perfect chutney to dipper ratio. The dried fruit was sweetened only by fruit and the nuts were crunchy as desired. My only complaint was the size. For a $1.62 per snack I would have liked to receive for than 1/3 of a cup. Graze did get the packaging, taste and the element of opening a surprise package spot on. Personally, for me even though the snacks were delicious and pretty healthy, I just couldn't justify paying $6.49 for the portion size at least not on a regular basis. 

Now you're probably wondering where the FREE part comes in? If you want to try Graze you can use the following code and you'll receive a FREE box, no shipping, no taxes and if you decide after the 1st one that don't want any more you can easily cancel. So here's the code and link!

Grazebox

QJ3F7MK2B

If you decide after the first box that you want to continue to receive them the code will also give you your 5th box for FREE. 

Happy grazing!


***This review was neither sponsored by or received compensation from Graze.***

Free 5-Day Clean Eating Challenge {Guest Post}

Have you ever wished that you had a personal coach who would help you eat healthy, exercise, provide nutrition tips and support you and your goals ? I know I have! I am thrilled today to have my friend Britney Ammen writing and sharing some EXCITING news with you!!! 

~Alyssa~

Hello! When Alyssa asked me to write a guest post for her blog, I was beyond excited. As a fellow clean-eater and mama to a sweet one year old, I have often found myself pouring over Alyssa’s blog for fun, healthy meal ideas. And let me tell you- we have not once been disappointed. (The Cinnamon Swirl Whole Wheat Bread and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad are currently on a weekly rotation at our house. As they should be in every household.)

I am also so excited to be able to offer my FREE 5-Day Clean Eating Challenge to anyone interested! After becoming a mom, I realized much more fully my need for simple, nutritious meal ideas that don’t consist of mac and cheese or pb and j (though don’t get me wrong- a good stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth pb and j will always have a spot in my heart). And so began my journey of clean eating.

As a Beachbody coach, I have the opportunity to help people define their health, fitness, dietary, and financial goals, and then provide them with the support, accountability, and resources they need to reach those goals through challenge groups and one-on-one coaching. It has been a fantastic way for me to share all that I have learned over the past several years and to inspire others to really look at their eating and lifestyle habits.

My clean eating challenge will begin on Monday, August 11 and will consist of meal plans, a grocery list, healthy snack ideas, nutrition tips, and support/accountability. The goal is to encourage your body to become less dependent on processed foods as well as to help you realize that not only is clean eating affordable and simple, but it is delicious as well! Hopefully by the end of the 5 days you will be able to tell a difference in your energy and want to continue choosing to eat less processed foods.

All you have to do to join is find me on facebook and from there I will add you to the challenge group page. This is where I will post the grocery list, daily recipes, tips, answers to questions, etc. Each day, you be able to check in, post any questions or insights, and get the meal plans for the day.

Each day also incorporates Shakeology into one the meals/snacks. Shakeology is a dense superfood protein shake filled with naturally derived vitamins and nutrients and is soy-free. I personally drink shakeology every day and have noticed a huge difference in my energy levels and reduced cravings, as well as my overall health. For more information, or if you are interested in adding Shakeology to your challenge, click here.

I hope you will join me in my challenge as I seek to transform the lives of those around me through clean eating. It will be delicious!

Turkey Panini with Almond Basil Pesto

Looking for an easy and delicious dinner? These sandwiches are fast and taste fantastic! The hubs and I are currently in love with these toasted sandwiches and think you will be too. They are super tasty and fast to whip up for a quick lunch or dinner. What better way to serve a delicious warm panini than with a fresh basil pesto. I love using whole wheat pita pockets, Monterrey Jack cheese, fresh spinach and some Cajun rubbed sliced turkey breast.

Yield: 4 Sandwiches and 1/3 cup Pesto

Almond Basil Pesto
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons raw unsalted almonds
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
Dash of black pepper
Approximately 3 tablespoons olive oil (more or less depending on your preference)

Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, almonds, lemon juice and pepper in a food processor or blender, slowly drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Turkey Panini
1/2 pound sliced turkey breast (our favorite is Cajun rubbed)
8 thin slices of Monterrey Jack cheese
Handful of fresh spinach
8 pita pocket halves
A couple shakes of garlic powder
Olive oil

Build panini, layering one pita half, one slice of cheese, a couple slices of turkey breast, a few spinach leaves and another slice of cheese. Top with a pita pocket half and set aside while you prepare the rest of the sandwiches.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, drizzle in a little olive oil and add a couple shakes of garlic powder. When oil sizzles add sandwiches, using a firm spatula press down on the panini, flip when golden brown and repeat on the other side.

Serve warm with basil pesto.

Meals for the Week

Can you believe it's August? I seriously think summer gets shorter each year! This morning I harvested onions and cut a bunch of fresh basil to dry and use over the fall and winter. My tomatoes will be ripe in the next week or so and I can't wait to try my hand at canning fresh pasta and pizza sauces.

Enjoy these favorite FIVE meals!

1. First up is my Roasted Honey Dijon Potatoes with Chicken Pepper and Onion. I just posted the recipe this week and thought it was too good not to include in this week's meals. Healthy, budget friendly and easy prep; your family will love this tasty dinner.

2.  Vegetarian and delicious Healthy Mexican Sweet Potato Skins from Pinch of Yum. Serve with a  mixed green salad and you've got a complete meal.

3. We love this moist, flavorful and delicious Tomato Stuffed Chicken by One Sweet Appetite. Calling for six tomatoes this recipe is a fantastic way to incorporate your garden delights. Try serving this dish with my Roasted Asparagus with Lemon.

4. Dairy free Coconut Chicken Satay is divine and one of our favorite meals! Pair with a side of brown basmati rice and steamed broccoli.

5. And lastly, vegetarian Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake by Two Peas and Their Pod. Tons of fresh veggies and a little spicy kick easily make this meal a new family favorite.

BONUS!

Healthy Snack

These Key Lime Coconut Energy Bites by Spoonful of Flavor are simply incredible. Free from refined sugar, portion sized and super EASY. I added 1/2 cup quick oats and 1/2 cup rice crisp cereal for an extra crunch but either way they are delicious and the perfect grab and go snack.

No Bake Mini Key Lime Pies

So confession, growing up I wasn't really in to sweets, crazy right? I didn't like candy bars, wouldn't eat chocolate ice cream, hated frosting and usually requested angel food cake (no frosting or glaze) with strawberries for my birthday cake. Over time my dessert palette has expanded and while I'm still picky about my sweets (still not a frosting fan) there are a few treats I have a serious weakness for. One of them is the key lime pie.  In this picture, a buttery cinnamon crust meets creamy citrus with a fresh layer of whipped cream to marry all the flavors together. It's a beautiful thing!

A word of advice if you were hoping to find a healthy treat, you're looking at the wrong dessert. These aren't really healthy, not low carb and not even low sugar, but they are darn delicious and you will not regret eating one...or...two of these delicious summery treats.

I brought in a platter of these beauties to the Hubs work and they were gone in about 5 minutes flat. I think that means that they liked them?!?

Yield: 18 Mini Pies

No Bake Mini Key Lime Pies
1 and 1/2 sleeves honey graham crackers
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
12 oz cream cheese, set at room temperature for at least an hour or until very soft
1-14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh squeezed key lime juice
Zest from 2 key limes
Whipped cream
Additional lime zest, for garnish

Combine graham crackers in a food processor or blender and pulse until fine crumbs form. Toss graham cracker crumbs with butter and cinnamon.

Place liners into muffin pan and add 1 heaping tablespoon of the crumb mixture to each liner. Press crumbs down with the bottom of a small glass or measuring cup.

Using a hand mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth and then add the sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice, beating again until smooth. Stir in the lime zest. Fill muffin cups with cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and grated lime zest.