...Southwest Stuffed Avocados

Man, has it been a while since I posted on here. I guess wedding planning, a bachelorette party, and another dress fitting take up more time than I thought!

On the beach at my Bachelorette party!

Throughout this year I have made it my goal be proud of the way I look on my wedding day, but I never wanted to do it by depriving myself of delicious food and wine, or by feeling guilty about indulging during the celebrations! After all, this is the only time in life that I plan on being a fiance, and I want to enjoy it! 

During my last dress fitting, 2 very interesting things happened:
1) I weighed 2 pounds more than my previous fitting, but the seamstress told me I went down an inch in my waist. This was a great reminder that the scale isn't always an accurate reflection of your progress!
2) My dress fit perfectly! Which was great- and so exciting! I can't wait to wear it on the greatest day of my life. That's also horrifying, since they told me not to gain or lose any more weight or inches, or my dress wouldn't look as perfect as possible. While some people might be thrilled at the idea of not having to lose any more weight- it actually terrified me.  For me, losing weight hasn't been the hardest part- it's been maintaining it.

Picking up my dress!

So recently I have focused on eating well, toning up with barre and weights, and, of course, enjoying the last few weeks of being a fiance with much deserved glasses of wine.

Tonight's meal was no exception. In fact I think we have a new staple in the McCarpenter (soon to be McCormack) household. It's simple, filling, and delicious. This dish features one of my top three favorite foods: AVOCADOS. Avocados sometimes get a bad rap, because they are high in fat. But people don't realize that they are high in the GOOD fat, mono-saturated fat to be specific- which can help lower cholesterol. Avocados are also packed with almost 20 vitamins and minerals, including potassium (keeps blood pressure low), vitamin B (helps fight disease and infection, and lutein (good for your eye health.) They are also low in sugar and high in fiber, so keep you fuller longer! 

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Ingredients:

• 2 small avocados
• 5.5 oz of chicken, cooked and shredded
• 1/4 cup of your favorite pico or salsa
• 1/4 cup diced green pepper
• Sriracha
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese, your choice!
• salt,  to taste
• pepper,  to taste

Preheat your oven to 350*. Halve both avocados and remove the pits.

Using a big spoon, carefully remove the avocado meat, leaving the skin in tact in the shape of small bowls.

Mash the avocados, then mix in the sriracha, and pico. 

Once the mix is complete, it will look a lot like delicious guacamole. TRY NOT TO EAT IT!

Add the shredded chicken and green peppers to the avocado mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fill each of the "shells" with the delicious avocado mixture. You may have extra- we did and filled a small ramekin. Can't let it go to waste!

Top each of the avocados with shredded cheese, and pop in the oven. Use whatever cheese you have around the house- we used smokey gouda and it was VERY good-a (I had to). Next time, I was thinking pepper jack.

These will need about 15 minutes to cook. You will know they are ready when the cheese is all melty and bubbly!

Serve on their own, or top with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, if you'd like. Let me know how you like them!

Nutritional Information:

(does not include sour cream)

Serving: 1 avocado half

Yields: 4

Calories: 203

Fat: 14.8g

Carbs: 7.7g

Sugar: <1 g

Protein: 14.6g

Stay happy & healthy,

Molly

...Baked Coconut Shrimp

Happy February! 

I am sure everyone has big plans to watch the Super Bowl Beyonce concert tonight! 

And what is the Super Bowl without some delicious food! According to a Mashable article, Americans will consume 1.23 BILLION chicken wings, 325.5 millon gallons of beer,  and 14,500 tons of chips, and (my personal favorite) 120 million pounds of avocados (holy guacamole!) on Super Bowl Sunday. I've just been told I am rooting for the Carolina Panthers*- so go team, keep pounding, and stuff. 

*I am ok with this because I was also just told that Michael Oher (who's story was featured in The Blind Side) plays for the Panthers. And I love that movie and Sandra's sass. Also, let's be honest, I am here for two reasons- to cry at the Budweiser draft horse commercial, and watch Beyonce slay. 

Anyway, if you're looking for a tasty, easy, and healthy protein for tonight (or any night), then look no further! I whipped this up the other night when I was craving anything BUT chicken. It was so good, I made another batch to take to work the next day! So, why shrimp? Well, they are a great source of protein- 3oz. has 20g! They are also low in calorie (84 cals in 3oz), but high in vitamins and minerals such as B12, phosphorus, and selenium. Selenium is an antioxidant that helps fight off damaging particles, as well as assists in thyroid function. Alright, enough science, let's hit the kitchen!

Ingredients:

• 3oz small shrimp (get them detailed and deveined and save yourself the headache)
• 1.5 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1.5 tbsp whole wheat panko crumbs (pro tip: if you don't have any, crush up a few whole wheat crackers)
• 3 tbsp whole wheat flour (you won't use all of this)
• 1/4 cup egg whites

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp pepper jelly (I used my aunt's homemade that she gave to me for Christmas (my favorite!!), but they have it at any grocery store in the jelly section. Tabasco Brand is pretty decent.)
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Balsalmic vinegar
• Garlic Powder
• Salt

Preheat your oven to 375*. If your shrimp are frozen, defrost them by placing them in a bowl of hot water. 

Get your "breading assembly line" ready by lining up three small bowls- one contains the egg whites, one with the flour, and one with the coconut and crumbs mixed together. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and thinly coat with cooking spray.

Once your shrimp are ready, coat them in the breading as follows: 

1. Cover in flour, and shake off the excess.

2. Submerge in egg whites.

3. Coat in coconut/crumb mix.

4. Transfer to baking sheet.

Repeat these steps until all the shrimp are breaded. Toss out any remaining egg whites and flour, but sprinkle remaining coconut mixture atop the shrimp.

Place in oven for 9-10 minutes. Remove, and flip. Return to oven for an additional 7-8 minutes. 

While the shrimp are in the oven, prepare your sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Simply combine jelly and vinegars, with a dash of salt and garlic pepper to taste. 

Check your shrimp- when the breading is browned, you will know they are ready!

Pair your shrimp and sauce with your favorite vegetable or salad and enjoy!

Paired here with an arugula salad.

Nutritional Information:

Yields: 1 serving

Shrimp:

Calories: 184 calories

Total Fat: 6.8g

Total Carbs: 11.2g

Sugar: 1.5g

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 21.3g

Sweet & Spicy Pepper Sauce:

Calories: 47 calories

Total Fat: 0g

Sugar: 11.7g

Stay happy & healthy,

Molly

...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

...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