Foodie Friday: Summer Veggies and Chicken Sausage

Author: Beachbody

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
• 1 lb. green beans, ends removed
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced
• 2 medium summer (crookneck) squash, sliced
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 4 cooked chicken sausages, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. To make marinade, combine oil, vinegar, lime juice, and garlic in a medium bowl; whisk to blend.
2. Season with salt and pepper, if desired; whisk to blend. Set aside.
3. Place green beans, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion in a re-sealable plastic bag (or large bowl). Add marinade; shake to blend. Let sit for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat grill or broiler to high.
5. Place veggie mixture on a large sheet pan (or broiler pan). Add sausages; mix well. Spread out evenly.
6. Grill or broil for 4 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
7. Sprinkle with basil before serving.

Tips:

1. Look for all-natural chicken sausage that does not have preservatives and is not high in sodium.
2. You can start with raw or cooked sausage, just make sure it’s cooked when you add it to the veggies.

Transformation Tuesday: Post Holiday Bloat? 5 Easy Ways to Detox

Holidays are always fun....until the next day. You return to work, you're tired, cranky and bloated. So what are some easy ways to detox your body from the recent increase in intake? Here are five ways to detox your body. No fads or crazy ideas here. Just a few quick ways to recuperate :)

1. Cut Your Sugar Intake-->yesssss....I know I said it lol

Holidays and seasons come and go. It can be very beneficial to do a seasonal detox to clear your body of toxins to facilitate a boost in your m
etabolism and increase your optimal level of functioning. Simply start cutting your sugar consumption. Be mindful of the small, sneaky ways sugar gets added into your diet like your coffee and creamer. When we increase our sugar intake, it changes the way our body utilizes insulin and strains our pancreas which fatigues our body.

2. Get Moving


Regular activity improves your circulatory system. Thus also improving your body's ability to digest food, improve strength, improve mobility in your joints and decrease stress. Those who regularly exercise research proves that their body functions at a higher level and has fewer toxins.

3. Hydrate

Water has more benefits than I can list. Waking up and drinking a glass of water before eating helps to re-hydrate the system and improves digestion. By improving our digestion and level of hydration we also enable our bodies to rid the waste.


4. Drink Tea

Drinking tea has several benefits including it hydrates your body (herbal tea especially), it has beneficial antioxidants and fills our body up. Thus, this can assist in  being less likely to overate or skip the quick snacks. Caffeinated teas versus consuming coffee is less stressful to our system while still gaining the benefits of a boost.

5. Stick to Your Fruits & Veggies

Adding color to your diet is especially beneficial when you are detoxing. Having a colorful variety of veggies and fruits should always be the main focus to your diet along side complex carbs, beans, nuts and seeds when detoxing. Eating whole plan foods are more beneficial because they are not overly processed and maintain their nutrient content that our body needs.

Hope these quick tips help! If you are interested in going the extra mile and getting into a consistent routine then check out my free event breaking down my next health and fitness focus group:

Summertime Survival Online Focus Group Event

Foodie Friday: Lemon Garlic Thighs

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 lbs. raw chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (about 8 thighs)
• Nonstick cooking spray
• ½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges (for garnish; optional)
• Fresh parsley sprigs (for garnish; optional)

Instructions

1. Combine lemon juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic in a nonreactive dish. Add chicken; cover and marinate, in refrigerator, for 1 hour, turning occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 425° F.
3. Remove chicken from dish, reserving marinade. Arrange in a shallow baking pan lightly coated with spray.
4. Pour reserved marinade over chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Bake, basting the first 20 minutes with marinade, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear. Discard any leftover marinade.
6. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley if desired.

Foodie Friday: 21 Day Fix Approved Maple Glazed Salmon

Total Time: 4 hrs. 50 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 35 min.
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 untreated cedar plank (about 17-by-10-1/2 in.)
2 Tbsp. water
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2-inch slice fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch green onions
2½ lbs. raw center-cut salmon fillet with skin

Preparation:
1. Soak plank in water for 3 hours before grilling.
2. Bring water, maple syrup, ginger, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper (if desired) to a boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; gently boil, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until reduced to about ½ cup. Let cool. (Maple glaze may be made 2 days ahead of time and chilled, covered. Bring maple glaze to room temperature before using.)
3. Preheat grill on high.
4. Lightly cover the cedar plank with oil. Arrange green onions in one layer on plank to form a bed for salmon.
5. Place the salmon skin-side down on the cedar plank.
6. Drizzle with half of maple glaze, reserving other half of glaze to serve with grilled salmon.
7. Grill, covered, without turning, for about 20 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.
8. Serve salmon with reserved maple glaze.

Foodie Friday: 21 Day Fix Approved Grilled Pork Chops with Peach and Jalapeño Salsa

Total Time: 30 min.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 10 min.
Yield: 4 servings, 1 pork chop each

Ingredients:
2 medium ripe peaches, peeled, chopped
¼ medium red onion, chopped
1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeds and veins removed, chopped
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
½ tsp. hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
4 (4-oz.) center-cut pork chops, lean, boneless
¼ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation:
1. Combine peaches, onion, jalapeño, red pepper flakes, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, and cilantro; mix well. Set aside.
2. Preheat grill or broiler on high.
3. Season pork chops with salt and pepper.
4. Grill or broil  chops for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness.
5. Top pork chops evenly with salsa; serve immediately.

Foodie Friday: 21 Day Fix Ginger Soy Flank Steak

Ingredients

• 2-inch slice fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. raw honey
• ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame seed oil
• 1½ lbs. flank steak (or tenderized round steak)

Instructions

1. Combine ginger, garlic, red pepper, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and oil in a small bowl; whisk to blend.
2. Place steak in a shallow dish. Pour ginger mixture over steak; marinate, covered, turning once, for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
3. Preheat grill or broiler on high.
4. Grill or broil steak for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches desired temperature on your meat thermometer (rare is 120° F., medium rare is 125° F., medium is 130° F.). Remove from heat; let steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
5. Slice steak thinly against the grain.

Foodie Friday: 21 Day Fix Approved Taco Salad

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. raw 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning Blend (or packaged low-sodium taco seasoning)
• ¼ cup water
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into strips
• ½ medium ripe avocado
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 dash garlic powder
• Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) (to taste; optional)
• 6 cups shredded lettuce
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped

Instructions

1. Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.
2. Add turkey; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until no longer pink.
3. Add taco seasoning and water; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until most water has evaporated. Remove from heat. Set aside.
4. Heat a medium nonstick skillet pan over medium high heat. Lightly coat skillet with spray. Add tortilla strips; cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. Set aside.
5. Mash avocado in a small bowl with a fork.
6. Add lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt (if desired); mix well.
7. Divide lettuce evenly between four serving bowls. Top with turkey mixture, tomatoes, avocado mixture, and tortilla strips; serve immediately.

Foodie Friday: 21 Day Fix Approved Jerk Chicken

Total Time: 8 hrs. 45 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 30 min.
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
¼ cup white vinegar
1 Tbsp. dark rum (optional)
1 medium jalapeño, seeds and veins removed, chopped
½ medium red onion, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil, chopped
¼ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. ground allspice
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 thin slice fresh ginger, peeled, chopped
1 tsp. raw honey
4 (4-oz.) raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
¼ cup fresh lime juice
Nonstick cooking spray

Preparation:
1. Place vinegar, rum (if desired), jalapeño, and onions in blender; cover. Blend until slightly chunky.
2. Add thyme, oil, salt, pepper, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and honey; cover. Blend until almost smooth.
3. Pierce chicken all over with a small knife.
4. Place chicken in resealable plastic bag. Add lime juice; mix until well coated.
5. Add spice mixture; mix until well coated. Marinate, in the refrigerator, for 4 hours or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350° F.
7. Remove chicken from marinade; discard used marinade.
8. Place chicken on baking sheet lightly coated with spray. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear.
9. Serve chicken with black beans if desired.

Foodie Friday: 21 Day Fix Approved Grilled Dijon Chicken

Total Time: 15 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 10 min.
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:
2 (4-oz.) raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
6 fresh parsley sprigs (or thyme, marjoram, or rosemary), finely chopped
1 dash sea salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:
1. Preheat grill or broiler.
2. Combine garlic, mustard, parsley, salt, pepper, and oil in a small bowl; mix well.
3. Brush chicken breasts evenly with garlic mixture.
4. Grill or broil chicken for 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.