Posts Tagged ‘#Macros’

Im Baaack with Macro Friendly Mexi Salad

Well well, apparenmexisaladtly when I said I was only going to post when I was really feeling it….that meant never! :/

I apologize for my absence, as it was not for lack of thought about posting but rather a scattered summer mind as well as schedule!!!

Anyway, it is time to put excuses aside and get back atter for this amazingly simple and deeeelicious go-to macro friendly meal of mine.

This is my signature salad (seems too good to call it that) and is old fave for me that has all the makings of a perfect cure to training meal boredom…( that is rainbowsaladif you love Mexican food…as I definitely dmexisalad2o 🙂

Don’t believe me? Check out its credentials ;p

  • Macro friendly
  • tastes like a cheat
  • fast to make ( and consume;)
  • Inexpensive
  • Ingredients that can be made/stored in bulk

Nuff said!

Macro Friendly Mexi Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Spring greens mix
  • 4 oz Organic ground turkey
  • Preservative free taco spice ( 3 Tbsp to 1/3 cup water)
    Ingredients:
    1/2 cup chili powder
    1/4 cup onion powder
    2 tbsp. ground cumin
    2 tbsp. garlic powder
    1 tbsp. smoked paprika
    2 tbsp. kosher (or sea) salt
    1 tbsp. black pepper
    compliments of the The Country Cook
  • 1/4 cup Refried beans (I try and mostly use the organic ones by Pacific because they come in tetra packs instead of unhealthy aluminum cans)
  • 1 tbsp Bolthouse Farms cilantro avocado yogurt dressing (ranch works if you dont like cilantro (whats wrong with you!! jjk) ) Or sub in dairy free dressing and change the macros
  • 1/4 cup Salsa
  • 22 grams Sliced mushrooms
  • 30 grams Chopped red pepper
  • 15 g (approx 1/2 stalk) Green onion
  • 1/4 cucumber chopped
  • Optional – Sliced pickled jalapenos 1/4 cup , 15 g grated Paradise Island skim organic cheese ( both these are counted in the macro listing)

Directions

Saute mushrooms, onions, 1/2 of your peppers lightly. Add Ground turkey and cook until lightly browned. Add mexi spice and water boil then turn down and let simmer for 5- 10 mins (thickened up). Heat beans. Put salad mix in a bowl and toss with the other half of your peppers and the cucumber. Top with meat mix and beans, then the cheese. Finish with the dressing, salsa and jalapenos and be amazed…and delightfully full 🙂

Macros

Calories: 311

Protein: 34 g

Carbs: 19 g

Fat 11 g

Fiber: 6 g

Sugar: 5 g

Balsamic Mushrooms & Egg Bake

image

It’s about time I added a recipe involving mushrooms. After all..these deliciously meaty morsels are my all time fave veggie, and in case you haven’t noticed …they are also having a bit of a health food superstar moment!

This easy and filling breakfast is a great way to switch it up in the morning (I often get in a breaky rut), as well as a great new way to enjoy this superfood that is said to help ward off breast cancer, fight tumors, and improve circulation among many other immune boosting benefits.

I urge you to branch out and give this warming winter dish a go…your taste buds and overall health will thank you ;P

Ingredients:image

  • 2 cups quartered organic white button or crimini mushrooms
  • 2 large organic eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. Organic balsamic vinegar
  • 1/8 cup shaved Parmesan flakes or GoVeggie dairy free grated “Parmesan”
  • Pink or sea salt and pepper to your liking
  • Optional- top with 1/4 avocado cubed AFTER cooking.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Wash and quarter 2 cups worth mushrooms. Grease a small oven safe dish with your choice of high temperature safe oil ( coconut and avocado are both good options) and cover the bottom with your cut mushrooms. Drizzle the shrooms with balsamic and scatter the Parmesan to cover them all. GENTLY crack the two eggs on top of the mushroom mix side by side with yolks in tact. Sprinkle with salt and pep and place in the oven to bake for approx 12 mins (this will vary depending on your oven, so watch closely to not overcook). When all the egg white is solid and the yolks are set but still bright yellow and semi soft, remove from the oven and top with avocado. Devour and enjoy your day :p XO

image

Macros:

With Avocado

Cals: 337

Fat: 18.5

Protein: 17.5

Carbs: 14.5

Without Avocado:

Cals: 282

Fat: 13.5

Protein: 16.5

Carbs: 11.5

Vegan Pumpkin Tarts

2015-10-17 19.19.48It’s that time of year again. Beautiful Autumn colours, Thanksgiving, cozy sweaters and Halloween…which means its also the time for everything pumpkin!

I adore Fall on the West Coast. Its mild out still but your craving comforting clothes, flavours and smells. The most familiar of these comforting Autumn aromatic blends, is the pumpkin and cinnamon combo. Naturally I wanted to bake up something healthy and scrumptious with this dynamically delicious duo.

There are so many amazing options out there (once again I wasted an obscene amount of time lost in the sea of recipes on Pinterest). I wanted something vegan, refined sugar free, more bite sized than a pie and easy ….that’s not too much to ask is it?? ;p

With these qualities in mind I narrowed my options and delightfully stumbled upon THIS pumpkin cupcake recipe that almost fit the bill. The next step was to tweak it to my liking, and as I began looking through the cupboards and brainstorming …it transformed from cupcake to tart with the addition of a quick homemade grain free crust I compiled of dates, shredded coconut and walnuts. Mission accomplished!

This date bar/pumpkin pie rebirth is positively mind blowing (modest aren’t I…jeeze), and going to be a staple for all my Fall get togethers and feasts!

I think you and your family will feel the same when you see how simple and warming this clean treat is 🙂

Vegan Pumpkin Tarts

Makes 12 regular muffin tin sized tartsfilling

Ingredients

For the filling:
  • 1 can pumpkin or 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 2 very ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar ( I adjusted this amount, the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup)
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

For the crust:

  • 1/4 cup dried unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup dry walnuts (not soaked)
  • 1 cup dates
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350.crusts

Start by adding all your crust ingredients to your food processor and pulsing until it is all “mulched” with a slightly mealy/chunky texture. It should press and ball together in your hand. Scoop generous slightly overfilled tablespoon for each tart crust. Ball up and then press into the bottom of the muffin tin with the backside of the spoon.

In a clean food processor bowl, combine all the filling ingredients and blend until there are no lumps and everything is mixed through. Spoon the filling into the muffin tins over top the crusts. I used silicone muffin molds and used thin strips I made from parchment paper under the crusts so there are handy “tabs” to help remove the tarts (when cooled). .Bake for 20-25 minutes. Place in the fridge to cool completely (2 hours) before attempting to remove them, as they are very soft.

XO

Notice there is only one tart left in the picture now …mmmm ;p

2015-10-17 12.58.09Macros for 1 serving:

Cals: 158

Fat: 6.6g

Carbs: 24.4g

Protein: 2.2g

Healthy Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers – Vegan Optional

pep  When you think of having a “cheat meal”, what comes to mind?

For me the answer is almost always Mexican food! You know, the Tex Mex version…not really too much like authentic Mexican food, which can actually be pretty healthy. Nope, I am thinking more like high in not whole grain carbs, ridiculously large and smothered in cheese! Is anyone else now hungry?? ;P

That being said, since I have learned about nutrition on a deeper level than just fat content and calorie counting…I see a whole lot more wrong with those types of meals, and it is now harder for me to indulge in them (harder, not impossible…I am human).  For the most part, I keep my eating very clean and conscious. If I do eat out, I would try to find a restaurant with a more authentic, ethical and fresh approach to their ingredients. Usually though, it is healthier, cheaper and easier to  make my own version of my fave foods, and that is what I have done here!

Stuffed peppers are a very easy, fast and healthful option to get your Mexi fix, and although I am not reinventing the wheel here, I thought it was worth sharing my take on this clean “cheat” to inspire you to try them if you haven’t (where have you been!?;), or maybe give you a new flavor idea for your next batch:)pep4

Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers

serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1/2 large tomato diced
  • 1 lb organic ground turkey (or mashed chickpeas for vegan-just toss with other cooked ingredients and roughly mash)
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped fine
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 1 cup mushrooms sliced
  • 2 large bell peppers halved lengthwise
  • 2 Tbsp pickled jalapenos or banana peppers chopped fine
  • Taco seasoning – either homemade (recipe below, or cleanest no msg version you can find)
  • Fresh cilantro chopped for inside and some to garnish
  • Optional: 1/4 cup black beans, (I don’t use corn because of extra cooking for fresh or most other is GMO), 1/2 cup daiya vegan shreds or grated organic skim mozzarella ( I like Paradise Island).

Salt free mexi spice mix

1 serving for 1 lb of protein

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seed
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or dried garlic

Directions

Pre mix your spice blend and set aside. Clean and cut all veggies. Saute your onions, mushrooms and garlic until lightly browned. Add in turkey and cook until no longer pink, add in spice mix, stir well. Add 3/4 cup water and stir. Cook over medium heat until the water is

fully absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside. Place pepper halves open side down in a pan with an inch of simmering water and allow to steam until lightly softened (still standing in shape) not overcooked or mushy. Approx 5 minutes. Remove peppers and place on a foiled baking sheet (if you are melting cheese, if not you can plate them). Stir diced tomatoes and jalapenos and cilantro into your meat mix and spoon into each pepper evenly. Top with shredded daiya or cheese and bake just until melted and a bit browned. Top with cilantro sprig and serve 🙂

pep1

Enjoy xo

Macros: 1 serving of half pepper, without cheese, or optional ingredients.The meat is measured into 3 1/2 ounce portions per half pepper.

Calories: 183

Fat: 6.8

Carbs: 10.4

Protein: 17.1

Fiber: 3.1

1 2