...Sweet Potato Nachos

Happy sunday friends! 

I hope you had a nice weekend! Ours was pretty calm, as last weekend we were in Cleveland at a dear friend's wedding. Like most Americans (or at least Southerners), we spent yesterday watching football with a couple of brewskis. Luckily both the Tigers and the Tide won, or it would have been an uncomfortable evening. Shout out to Clemson for beating Miami 58-0-- the biggest loss in the Canes history! 

With football, comes tailgating, and with tailgating comes fried, fatty foods. As soon as we turned on ESPN, I immediately had a craving for wings, nachos, and sliders. Not wanting to throw away my hard work at the gym that morning, I decided to make a twist on my personal favorite tailgate food: nachos. I swapped sweet potatos for chips, used lean ground beef, lots of veggies, and BOY- were the results delicious.  I promise, if you make these at your next tailgate or game-watching party, they will be a huge hit!

You may be wondering why I decided to use sweet potatoes. Well, they have an incredible amount of vitamin A, as well as calcium, potassium, and fiber. As I have mentioned before, fiber is a necessary to regulate digestion, and keeps you fuller longer. Studies have also shown that eating sweet potatoes, can help decrease your risk of obesity, heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. They are also my personal favorite superfood- and I believe, the tastiest. 

This recipe also includes one of my favorite grocery store finds- refried black beans. They are high in fiber and protein, and make for a tasty addition to any Mexican dish. I will do another post that goes more in depth into beans, but for now..

Let's get cooking!

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato, sliced into rounds
• 5 tablespoons refried black beans
• 1.5 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 oz lean ground beef (I use 96% lean)
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite salsa (I used Trader Joe's Fall Harvest Salsa, because there is pumpkin in it and I am #basic.)
• 1/2 cup of your favorite Pico de gallo (homemade or store bought. I used a store-bought one with black beans and corn. Just make sure if you are buying it from a store it's just tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc. and no added sugar or salt!)
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 2 tablespoons guacamole
• cilantro
• garlic powder
• salt
• pepper
• cumin
• ground cayenne 

Pre-heat the oven to 375*. Spray a cooking sheet with non-stick olive oil spray and place the circular sweet potatoes on it. Cook them for about 25 minutes, and then flip to the other side. Keep an eye on them as they should be roasted and toasted but not burnt.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, spray a pan and add the ground beef to it. Season with salt, pepper, cilantro, garlic powder, cumin, and cilantro. I go pretty easy on the salt, but pretty heavy with the cilantro, cumin, and garlic powder. Once the meat is broken up in the pan, add the diced onion. Continue to stir, until the onions are translucent, and the meat shows no signs of red or pink. 
(P.S.- this is a great recipe to do some improvising! If you have some green bell peppers or jalapeños laying around the house, dice those up and toss them in with the beef!)

Remove the sweet potatoes. If they are not yet crispy, put them back in the oven on broil for about 2 minutes. Make sure to watch them- broil can make them go from tasty to toasted really quick!

You can see a few of mine got too toasty on the edges!

Once the sweet potatoes chips are done, remove them from the oven, and squish them together "nacho style". Spread the refried black beans on the "chips," then top with the ground beef and onion mixture, followed by the shredded cheese. Pop the pan back in the oven, or transfer to a microwaveable safe plate, and put them in the microwave.  The goal here is to heat up the beans, and let the cheese melt. 

Once the cheese is melted and bubbly, remove from real or microwave oven.  Top with pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. Head back to watch the game, with delicious nachos in hand. Hopefully even if your team loses, at least you'll have enjoyed some tasty nom noms.

Nutrition:

Makes: 2 servings

Per serving:

Calories: 299

Fat: 12.8g

Carbs: 24.3g

Protein: 20.4g

Sugar: 7.2g

Fiber: 5.4g

Sodium: 467.1mg

Stay happy & healthy,

Molly

...Procuitto & Veggie Pasta

Pasta. Is there much better in the world? Nope, not really. And if you're like me, when you go on a "diet", pasta (and other carbs) are the first thing you cut out. You vow to stay away from fettuccine, ravioli, and saddest of all, mac & cheese. But never fear friends, I am here as your carb angel- with long, golden strands of hair made of spaghetti. 

Carbohydrates are a key part of any balanced diet- after all they are one of the three Macronutrients. Along with fat and protein, carbs are a key component of the human diet. But growing up in an Atkins world has caused a lot of us to demonize carbs and blame them for our bigger pants. However, like with most things in life, it's all about right choice: or in this case the right carb. And the right carb, is WHOLE GRAINS.

Why whole grains? Well for starters, they are full of fiber which keeps you fuller longer. They are also full of glucose which is your body's number one source of natural energy. Glucose not only gives you energy, but it also powers your brain- making it easier to learn and remember things. And last, but certainly not least, they literally make you happy. Carbohydrates are filled with tryptophan, which helps serotonin production. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter associated with feelings of well-being and happiness. You're more likely to get depressed if you don't eat carbs, as well as be moody and have difficulty sleeping. If that alone doesn't make you want to grab a big bowl of pasta, then nothing will!

One of the biggest mistakes when it comes to pasta is having a heaping helping of dairy (sauce & cheese) and oversized portions of noodles, while not adding tons of vegetables. Pasta dishes are one of the easiest ways to use veggies to add flavor and substance to the meal, so that is exactly what we are going to do today!

Here's a little dish I mixed up this afternoon using ingredients we had around the house. Of course, you can always swap out the veggies and meat for what you have handy (I always recommend chicken or turkey)!

Ingredients:

-2 oz. (dry) of your favorite whole wheat pasta. I used Trader Joe's Organic Brown Rice and Quinoa Spaghetti. 

-2 large slices of prosciutto

-1 1/2 cups of broccoli, diced

-1/2 of a large white onion, diced

-3/4 cup of mushrooms, diced

-1/2 green bell pepper, diced

-.75 cup of  shredded lite mozzarella cheese 

-2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan

-garlic powder

-salt

-pepper

-oregano

-extra virgin olive oil

Let's get cooking:

First of all, place a large pot of water on the stove. Add the pasta, along with a dash of salt, to assist in boiling, and olive oil, to prevent the dreaded boil-over.

While the water is heating up dice the vegetables.  Coat a medium sized pan with cooking spray and place on medium-high heat.  Add the onions first, followed by the pepper, mushrooms, and broccoli. Season generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. 

Continue to stir both the vegetables and the pasta.  Slice the prosciutto into bite size pieces, and add to the skillet with the veggies. If needed, turn down the heat to prevent burning. 

The pasta should be ready to strain in about 8-10 minutes, after cooking in boiling water. Make sure to try a noodle before you drain so you know it's ready!

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet, combining thoroughly.

Once the pasta, vegetables, and prosciutto are completely mixed, sprinkle in shredded mozzarella. Continue stirring, and the cheese will get all "melty" and delicious. 

Transfer the pasta to  your serving dishes, and top each bowl with the Parmesan. Now pour yourself a glass of red and enjoy!

His and her servings, pre Parmesan.

Nutritional Information: 

(Disclaimer: does not include wine)

Yields: 2 equal servings

Calories: 368 calories

Total Fat: 10.2g

Saturated Fat: 2.1g

Total Carbs: 48.6g

Fiber: 5.4g

Sugar: 2.5g

Protein: 22.4g

Stay happy & healthy,

Molly

  

...Turkey Chili.

Ahh, fall. My favorite time of year filled with football, colored leaves, and pumpkin spice everything. #Basic 

And, just because it's still in the 90's here in Houston doesn't mean it's too early to bust out some delicious autumn recipes! Today, I'll be posting one of the all-time favorite fall dishes: CHILI! And, because this blog is all about healthy eating, this recipe is full of lean protein, veggies, and of course, tons of flavor! 

One thing to note, is that we use lean ground turkey instead of beef in our chili. Not saying that we always substitute bird for cow, but in this case, turkey is a great choice.  It's more subtle than beef, so it doesn't overpower the delicious peppers and other flavors.  Plus, one serving (4oz) of lean ground turkey has 27g of protein- that's almost half of the recommended daily amount for the average woman! It also contains a good amount of vitamin B-6, which helps with nerve function and protection against heart disease. It has only 120 calories and 1.5g of fat, making it a filling, lean, and delicious choice. But that's enough numbers- let's get cooking!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. 99% lean ground turkey
• 1 red onion
• 1 can corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 qt. low sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy!)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cilantro
• sour cream (optional)
• shredded cheddar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450*. Next, pour olive oil and garlic cloves in a pot on a heated stove with the diced red onion. While the onions are sweating, roast the poblano pepper in the heated oven for about 5 minutes. You'll know it's ready if the pepper is soft, with the skin slightly blackened. Continue to stir the pot until the onion is translucent. Then, add the turkey. Stir on occasion.

While turkey is cooking, dice the peppers and drain the canned ingredients. Once meat is fully cooked, mix in peppers, corn, and beans. Continue stirring, and add cumin, cilantro, and cayenne pepper. Also, flavor with salt & pepper to taste. 

While stirring, pour quart of chicken broth into pot. Let soup simmer for 20 minutes. Taste, and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Top with a tablespoon of sour cream and some shredded cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!

Nutritional Information: 

(Nutritional Information does not include cheese or sour cream)

Serving Size: about 1.25 cups

Yields: 4 servings

Calories: 225

Total Fat: 4.9g

Saturated Fat: .4g

Total Carbs: 14.4g

Fiber: 2.9g

Sugar: 3.6g

Protein: 32.4g

What are your favorite fall recipes and flavors? Leave them in the comments!

Stay happy & healthy,

Molly

...a grocery list.

Before we get cooking, we have to get shopping! 


I know you've ALWAYS wanted to know what we keep in our pantry and fridge, and I am here to make that dream come true. Of course our list changes from week to week, but these are items we always have handy. That way, no matter if it's dinner or snack time, we are prepared with the right ingredients for a healthy, delicious meal. 

For the most part, our kitchen is stocked with whole, unprocessed foods. There are a few exceptions below, but we make sure to select the least processed choices possible.  This means items with the fewest ingredients, and more importantly, ingredients you can pronounce. Later posts will certainly go into more detail about why, but for now, let's get shopping!

Fruits and veggies are a huge part of our diet- as they should be! They are chock-full of vitamins and minerals, add tons of flavor to any meal, and are super easy to prepare (some are even grab and go!). I'll be highlighting each of these in various posts and recipes, but for now, just stock up!

• Apples
• Artichoke Hearts- usually canned. Just make sure there isn't added salt or sugar!
• Arugula              
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Bell Peppers
• Blueberries
• Corn- also, usually canned. Same rule with the sugar and salt!
• Jalapeños
• Lemons
• Limes
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Strawberries
• Spaghetti Squash
• Spinach
• Sweet potatoes
• Pico De Gallo - Luckily our grocery store sells individual size containers of Pico- ranging from mango to black bean & corn to medium or hot. Of course, it's cheaper to make your own, but these are so easy and such a quick way to add lots of veggies and flavor to most meals. I'll take that trade-off.
• Romaine Lettuce
• Watermelon
• Yellow Squash
• Zucchini

FROZEN: 

For certain items, we opt for frozen over fresh. As long as there isn't anything added (think sugar or salt), these contain the same amount of amazing nutrients as their fresh counterparts- plus they last much, much longer.

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Fruit- we like to make lots of smoothies and dessert around here, so we always have several bags of frozen fruit in the freezer. I prefer berry mixes, and Alan loves a tropical mix with mango, pineapple, and banana.
• Green Beans
• Leafy Greens: another smoothie component for me. I like the Dole "Power Green" mix of spinach, kale, and chard, but any frozen spinach or kale will do!

Meat & Dairy

Being a vegetarian or vegan isn't the only way to be healthy. If that is the lifestyle you choose, then hats off to you! But for me, I think animals and their products are just too darn tasty to live without. But as they say- everything in moderation. 

• Cheese- if you know me at all, you know cheese is my hands-down favorite food. But make sure it's worth the calories! Get real cheese, where cheese (and maybe cultures) is the only ingredient.
• Chicken- breasts, usually a big bag we can stick in the freezer and pull out pieces as needed.
• Eggs
• Egg Whites
• Greek yogurt- plain, 0% milk-fat. Again, fewest ingredients as possible (perhaps just cultured non-fat milk).
• Ground Beef- the leanest there is! (96% lean)
• Mahi mahi- fillets, again usually a big bag we can freeze.
• Milk- Technically, the kind we prefer isn't dairy. I like vanilla almond milk, or the almond/coconut blend. Get everything unsweetened to watch the sugar.
• Shrimp- frozen, de-veined and no tails. (makes it easy!)
• Turkey- also, the leanest we can find. (99% lean)

*Remember, with any frozen meat, to check the ingredients. Avoid as many additives as possible, and always check the sodium content.

Grains, Legumes, & Nuts

If you're like me, the first thing (after cupcakes) you give up on a diet is bread. But it doesn't have to be this way! The right grains (whole grains) are a great source of protein, fiber, and much more!

• Black beans- canned or bagged. Just make sure there isn't anything added!
• Chia Seeds
• Chickpeas
• Ezekiel Bread- found in the freezer section, it's made out of sprouted grain so there is no processed wheat.
• Peanut Butter- check for added sugar. Choose the jar with just peanuts and oil.
• Pistachios
• Quinoa
• Whole Wheat Pasta- choose your favorite shapes! We go for rotini and angel hair. And follow the same rule as the tortillas below.
• Whole Wheat Tortillas- remember, the fewer ingredients, the better! Also, make sure it's whole wheat flour, not enriched wheat flour.

Herbs, Spices, & Other Essentials

• Balsamic Vinegar
• Basil
• Butter
• Chili Powder
• Cilantro
• Coconut Oil- unrefined.
• Coffee
• Cooking Spray
• Cumin
• Dark Chocolate Chips- the more cacao the better. And of course- less is more with ingredients.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Garlic Powder
• Honey- natural.
• Onion Powder
• Oregano
• Red Wine- the most essential of them all.
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Salsa
• Salt
• Soy Sauce
• Stock- low sodium chicken and beef
• Pepper
• Popcorn- wasn't quite sure where to put this on the list. But if you're like me, or Olivia Pope, this IS an essential. Aim for air-popped!
• Vanilla Extract

Well, that seems like more than enough to get started. I'll see you back here in a few days- for my debut recipe. Now, get shopping!

Stay Happy & Healthy,

Molly

PS: Pro tip- stay on the outside of the grocery store as much as possible. The freshest, most natural ingredients are along the walls in most supermarkets. The further you go into the store, the more processed the products.

...introductions.

Hi there! 

I'm Molly and that's Alan, and we're the {future} McCormacks. We're just your average mid-20's couple who loves eating, drinking, our dogs, and spending time with friends and family. I'm a proud Clemson Tiger, and Alan is a graduate from the University of Alabama. We met at the Most Magical Place On Earth, Walt Disney World, where we lived and worked for the first 2 years of our relationship. Now we are engaged, and enjoying life in the Lone Star State- Houston, to be specific. 

Now enough about us (you'll get more of that if you keep reading), and onto why I created this blog...

I, like most women in America, have struggled with my weight since I can remember. And, again, like most women in America, have tried every trendy diet and trick out there. Low-carb, no-dairy, high protein, counting calories, counting points, 7 day cleanses, 21 day challenges...you name it, I tried it! And while I'd see results initially, they were never sustainable long term. And even worse- whatever food (or foods) I was depriving myself of, I eventually gave up and over indulged in them (think, an entire pizza in one sitting, washed down with a 6 pack). This would make me feel terrible about myself, and search for the next diet. It was a vicious cycle of binging, and restricting, and tracking, and crying. 

When we got engaged a year ago, I, like most brides, started thinking about the dreaded "wedding diet." I wanted (still do) to look perfect on my big day, and was overcome with panic of how to do it. Luckily, before starting any crazy challenges, I read a few books (my favorite is Michael Pollan's Food Rules), and watched a few documentaries (if you haven't seen "Fed Up" go watch it. Now. Seriously, stop reading this and go watch it. I'll wait). I started doing my own research on how to lose weight, and more importantly, how to be healthy. The answer I came to is pretty simple: eat whole, unprocessed foods, and move your body around once a day. 

But eating healthy doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite foods or recipes! Trust me- I am literally drinking a glass of wine as I type this, and we had pizza for dinner. Sound too good to be true? It isn't. 

Look at me, going off on a tangent. I am not here to be preachy, or act like I know the secret to a perfect lifestyle, or that I am above wings or cheesy fries. (Anyone who says they are above cheesy fries, does not deserve a seat at my dinner table). I've just found a few ways and recipes to make life a little healthier. And, I am just so darn excited about it, that I can't help but share it with anyone who cares enough to read this blog. 

So, hopefully, you're still with me. And, it would sure be neat if you'd follow me on this never-ending journey to revamp old favorite recipes (and create brand new ones) that will leave your taste buds dancing, without making your pants cry. Along the way, I'll be sharing the science behind food. As they say, knowledge is power. Understanding how food works, and how it effects my body, is easily the best tool I've found to keep up with this lifestyle. 

Well, I think that's enough for now. Until next time! 

Stay healthy and happy,

Molly