This is a nice alternative for a vegetarian meal. Something different for the Lenten season as well.
Ingredients
1 bag of riced cauliflower
½- ¾ cup of finely chopped white mushrooms
1 small diced onion
3 tablespoons of taco sauce
2 tablespoons of chili or taco seasoning
1 small diced tomato
2 ounces of cream cheese
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast or ¼ cup of cheddar cheese
Chopped peppers or jalapenos or crushed red pepper- optional
Directions
Microwave cauliflower for about 3 minutes and squeeze excess water out ( i use a nut bag).
Spray a skillet and cook the mushrooms, onion, cauliflower rice and peppers if using on medium heat until browned.
Add the cream cheese, tomato, taco sauce, seasoning to the mixture. You can add ore taco sauce or a little water if it’s too dry. Let it simmer to thicken up.
Make a lettuce wrap or a carrot wrap. Top with sour cream.
Notes~ I made a chili from my leftovers. I added some tomato sauce and paste. You can also make nachos, spread some tortilla chips on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Top with mixture and cheddar cheese and bake for 15 minutes on 350 degrees.
I have been thinking a lot lately about how I got where I am~ and how I have stayed here. I have worked so hard to lose my weight & work harder than I imagined to keep it off. We hear the words “ DON’T QUIT” all the time, so much that we really don’t take them seriously. NOT QUITTING is how I got to where I am today-along with many of my clients. Many of us have lost weight, some of us over and over.The people who have kept it off are consistent in their exercise & eating plan-forever. The reason so many have gained the weight back is because they wanted to try a different “diet”, take a break, or use excuses.
**The day you quit means another day you need to start over~until one day you realize you are tired of the cycle of feeling sluggish. Consistency forms habits that lead you to long term success
There are days that I would like to sleep in rather than getting up to exercise or enjoy some ice cream- and I do on occasion.
What keeps me going?
We all have a love-hate relationship with scale. It could bring us from a super high to a low in a matter of one day. I weigh in every day to monitor my progress, keep me accountable and motivate me- either way. This winter I have been trying to achieve a goal of 150 pounds, which I accomplished last week! This is extra motivating for me!
I have lost over 120 pounds before my son was born 19 years ago. The reason I have maintained this loss for all these years is because I STILL work hard every day without quitting! I have learned so many techniques, skills, and motivational tricks for myself as well as my clients.
How can I help as a Certified Health Coach & trainer?
I can help identify what’s standing in your way of losing weight
Focus on individual’s goals, listening to clients find answers to their own answers
Identify how and why you might be emotional eating
Keep clients motivated & accountable
Focus on long term success & set up menu plans
Passionate about helping others reach their goals and finding success.
How following my menu plan has worked for me~ and why
How much time do you spend planning, preparing & shopping for food? Implementing a planned menu has been so beneficial to my sustained weight loss as well as lowering my stress! My plan is simple and it includes eating a variety of real food, focusing on weight loss. It is not based on any specific diet. Over the last 18 years, & trying all different diets I have learned what has worked to keep the weight off!
Why having a planned menu has been advantageous for myself as well as my clients.
I have experienced less stress regarding shopping, recipes, & ingredients. It is more convenient to prepare meals that are already planned out.
I was less tempted to get take out or go through the drive- thru. When I had a plan
I didn’t find myself thinking about food all day.
I have more control with what I’m eating.
I have Increased time in my day and week.
I aimed for a variety of options and maybe even tried new food!
TIPS FOR THE PLAN:
Pay attention to serving sizes~ portion control is still very important!
Snacks should be limited to 1x a day
Feel free to make minor adjustments in recipes. I understand that there will be some things that everyone does not like. You can replace or omit certain ingredients with a different veggie or protein.
1 bag of riced cauliflower-cooked and drained of excess water
1-2 cups of shredded romaine
SAUCE:
½ cup mayo
2 tablespoons of ketchup- look for low sugar
2 tablespoons of diced pickle or 1 tablespoon dill relish
1-2 tablespoons of sweet relish
2 tsp mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
In a large skillet sautee your ground beef until no longer pink. Add the cooked cauliflower rice and rotel to skillet.
In a separate bowl combine the sauce ingredients.
Add ½ of the sauce to the beef mixture and combine.
Scoop mixture on top of lettuce and sprinkle with cheddar cheese, sliced pickles and more dressing.
* * Note- you will have plenty of leftover beef mixture for a couple of salads.You can also place the remainder in a casserole dish and heat it up for another day!
INGREDIENTS:
⦁ 1 pound ground chicken-organic
⦁ 2 zucchinis – spiralized
⦁ ½ cup of ricotta
⦁ 2 cups of sauce
⦁ ¼ cup of mozzarella
⦁ 2 tsp of italian seasoning
⦁ Pepperoni and parmesan for topping-optional
⦁ Mushrooms-optional
DIRECTIONS: 1. Let your spiralized zucchini sit in a strainer with a little salt to absorb the moisture. 2. In a large sprayed skillet, cook your chicken. Add the zucchini and mushrooms to the chicken and continue cooking for 5 minutes. 3. Add marinara sauce, ricotta, seasoning,and mozzarella to skillet and stir. 4. Pour into a 9×13 sprayed pan. Top with cheese and pepperoni. Bake at 350 until pepperoni becomes a little crispy.
How I have made promises instead of resolutions to keep my weight off
Are you ready to make changes for good? We often associate January with “fresh start”. However, focusing on the word start means there will be an end. I will tell you there is no “end” to a healthy lifestyle.
I believe there are new opportunities each and every day~and no day will be the same!
Are you worried about staying motivated and committed come February or March? You might be someone who needs accountability. Losing weight and keeping it off are two different things. Creating and sticking with new habits is difficult. Some days you might not care about exercising or eating that donut. Most importantly DON’T QUIT! Even if you fall off for a couple of days or weeks, get right back on. The further you fall the harder it is to pick back up your healthy habits.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WILL PREVENT YOU FROM EXERCISING OR MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES! JUST DON’T QUIT!
Find what is motivating you right now.
How to succeed and stay motivated, after January
Motivation and success is often a concern when you are trying to lose weight. It comes from within, and sometimes you need support.
1. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR GOAL?Be specific and honest with yourself. Don’t generalize your goals- for instance “I want to be healthy”.Why do you want to be healthy? Do you want your clothes to fit better? Be more active with your kids or family? Walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath
2. CELEBRATE SMALL VICTORIES: We all seem to be motivated at first, you want to achieve everything at once. Sound familiar. I am going to exercise everyday, eliminate sweets, stop eating out, start to cook healthy and the list goes on. Chances are it will be more difficult to achieve your goals. Start small, focus on one thing at a time. Strive to lose 5 pounds instead of 40.
3. KNOW YOU WILL FAIL: Expect it. If you never fail it was probably too easy. It takes courage and motivation to continue.
4. WHAT’S WORKED FOR YOU IN THE PAST: Have you had success with weight loss or specific exercise program? It can be done again. Also ask yourself what happened and why did you fail?
5.CREATE DAILY HABITS:It’s important to create habits you can stick with.
6. BE ACCOUNTABLE: Try journaling, it’s important to track your food but more importantly your emotions. Express the reasons you want to change. Specify when, where, and how you will complete it. Be accountable either to yourself or a friend.
2 tablespoons of palm sugar combined with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon for rolling
2 tsp of ground ginger if you want “gingerbread” balls.
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl except water. In a separate bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Roll the dough into small balls. You can add a little water or almond milk to thin, then roll them into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
*can add some ground ginger into the cinnamon/sugar mixture for rolling.
In a sprayed large skillet cook chicken until no longer pink. Microwave your cauliflower rice and squeeze all the moisture out with a “nut bag” or cheese cloth. This is an important step!
Add the riced cauliflower, celery, cream cheese and the broth to chicken. Continue stirring and add hot sauce and blue cheese. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes.
You can eat immediately or sprinkle with any cheese and bake for a few minutes.
As a Holistic Health Coach, my focus is on the “whole person”, it’s not just about nutrition and exercise. Sleeping well, managing stress & taking care of yourself mentally and emotionally is just as important.
We all want balance in our lives but that is a very difficult thing to achieve. We associate balance with perfection and we have to accept that nothing is perfect.
How I stay positive during the season:
I HAVE TO COME FIRST. I know I have to take care of myself and my body. This means staying on my exercise routine, which by the way is proven to be the #1 anti-depressant.
Secondly, I stay focused on making healthier food choices most of the time. I choose carefully on what I want to indulge in.
2. I STRIVE TO SPREAD POSITIVITY & ENJOY THE SEASON.It’s easy to get down and stressed but it’s important to be the positive person and block out negativity- set the tone! I am also trying not to complain. Do fun activities to enjoy the season and try not to make it all about “chores”. Getting together with family or friends to bake cook, wrap or shop, it makes a huge impact on your mood as well.
3. I PRACTICE MODERATION AND PLAN AHEAD.I pick and choose what I really want ( mostly Christmas cookies) but also practice portion control. This prevents me from gaining weight come January. I also pay attention to if I’m feeling run down, sick, bloated or fatigued. Eating right, exercising, lots of water, and taking care of my body boosts my energy! I MAKE LISTS. Writing down a quick list at night or in the morning helps manage stress. Prioritize each item from most important to least. Set a goal for what you want to accomplish.
4. I CELEBRATE MY GOALS AND PROGRESS. I try to make a goal and plan ahead when I’m going out or to a party. I then can be so proud of my accomplishments at the end of the night. We have the power to do good things for our bodies. Also know you can get back on track if you eat a couple of cookies. Regret only makes you feel worse and may lead to more overindulging and negative feelings.
5. I do random acts of kindness. Doing nice things for others also helps you feel better. Occasionally I pay for the person behind me in the drive thru.
