Beef Burrito Bowl

This recipe is the fourth in a series on "A Month of Meal Plans and Groceries in 30 Minutes." - link HERE

We shop for a month at a time, for more explanation on how we do this see the above blog post link. It saves a ton of time, money, and calories from buying off plan items. I will also be sharing with you a week of my eating and how I plan these recipes into my diet.



My kids and husband love this simple recipe, everyone can personalize their own bowl!  It is easy to make and makes plenty for a crowd. It also freezes and reheats well, so you could make a batch for your whole work week of lunches or dinners.

Burrito Bowl

Serves 5

Ingredients
2.25 lean ground beef (I used 90% lean)
2.5 cup cooked rice (I use white Minute Rice)
2.5 cup cooked pinto beans (you can also sub black beans)
15 tbsp salsa
10 tbsp plain, fat-free Greek yougurt
taco seasoning - you can buy it or HERE is my recipe from scratch
*optional toppings: shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, diced onion, diced bell peppers

Directions:
Brown beef with taco seasoning. Cook rice and beans. I do my rice in the microwave as directed and my beans in the crockpot all day. HERE is the recipe for how I do beans in the crockpot, just stop at the refry part. I freeze extra beans for future use.

On a place or bowl, layer 1/2 cup cooked rice. Then top with 1/2 cup cooked beans. Top with 6 oz beef taco meat, 3 tbsp salsa, and 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt. Finish with toppings as desired but be sure to count those in!

browning the beef

microwaving the rice as directed

beans in the crockpot!

Nutritional stats per serving

499 calories
52 g protein
46 g carbs
9 g fat

Red Chili with Chicken and Beans

This recipe is the third in a series on "A Month of Meal Plans and Groceries in 30 Minutes." - link HERE

We shop for a month at a time, for more explanation on how we do this see the above blog post link. It saves a ton of time, money, and calories from buying off plan items. I will also be sharing with you a week of my eating and how I plan these recipes into my diet.

This chili is a nice change of pace from my normal beef chili recipe. It is easy to make and makes plenty for a crowd. It also freezes and reheats well, so you could make a batch for your whole work week of lunches or dinners.

Red Chili with Chicken and Beans

6 Hearty Servings 

Ingredients:
1 large bell pepper, diced
2 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
30 oz pinto beans, cooked or canned
2 cans diced tomatoes
2/3 cup Chili-O Seasoning Mix
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
Optional toppings - green onions, plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, or sour cream

Directions:
In a large pan or pot over medium-high heat, saute the onions, bell pepper, and garlic until onions are translucent. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and chili seasoning. Once the mixture is boiling, add in the chicken. Allow the chili to come to a boil and then turn the heat down to low-medium. Allow chili to simmer for 15-20 minutes for the flavors to come together. Top as desired, but be sure to count those calories that are added. I like to top mine with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, enjoy!

Nutritional Info

Per serving

428 calories
5.3 g fat
51.8 g carbs
41.1 g protein

Chocolate PB&J Protein Oats

This recipe is the second in a series on "A Month of Meal Plans and Groceries in 30 Minutes." - link HERE

We shop for a month at a time, for more explanation on how we do this see the above blog post link. It saves a ton of time, money, and calories from buying off plan items. I will also be sharing with you a week of my eating and how I plan these recipes into my diet.

This recipe is one of my weekday favorites. I can prep the oats while I get my coffee ready and it travels well in a container until I am ready to eat it! I have a *slight* addiction to peanut butter too, so this hits that craving in a macro friendly way ;) and it will keep me full until lunch! The carbs and protein are also pretty perfect for post workout too!

Chocolate PB&J Protein Oats

Serves 1

Ingredients

0.5 cup dry oats

1 cup water

0.5 cup strawberries (I used the bagged strawberries that are frozen and sliced)

1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (I used Optimum Nutrition Extreme Milk Chocolate)

1 tbsp peanut butter

Directions:

Prepare oats in water with strawberries in the microwave, I use quick cooking oats and do 1 minute and 15 seconds in the microwave. You can also leave the oats, water, and strawberries in the fridge overnight then just warm them the next morning for about 30 seconds. 

Stir in the whey powder. Top with a dollop of peanut butter and enjoy!

I have also discovered that you can blend a cup of baby spinach into your water before cooking! Cannot even taste it, but such a great nutritional boost. Just add 7 cals to nutritional stats below; )

Nutrition Facts
Servings 1.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 313
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10 g	16 %
Saturated Fat 2 g	10 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 30 mg	10 %
Sodium 202 mg	8 %
Potassium 182 mg	5 %
Total Carbohydrate 25 g	8 %
Dietary Fiber 5 g	18 %
Sugars 8 g
Protein 31 g	62 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	74 %
Calcium	10 %
Iron	10 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S.

Hashbrown Omelet

This recipe is the first in a series on "A Month of Meal Plans and Groceries in 30 Minutes." - link HERE

We shop for a month at a time, for more explanation on how we do this see the above blog post link. It saves a ton of time, money, and calories from buying off plan items. I will also be sharing with you a week of my eating and how I plan these recipes into my diet.

This recipe is one of my favorites. Both my kids and my husband like it too. It is easy to make for a crowd and just as easy to make for one. It also reheats well, so you could make a batch for your whole work week of breakfast.

Hashbrowns Omelet

Serves 1

Ingredients
0.75 cup shredded potatoes (can use dehydrated potatoes)
2 oz deli ham, cut into ribbons (could sub turkey too)
1/4 cup cheese (I used cheddar)
0.75 cup liquid egg whites or egg beaters

Directions:
If using dehydrated potatoes (which is what I use), soak potatoes in an equal amount of hot water as potatoes for 15 minutes. Spray a small skillet with nonstick spray and lay out your hashbrowns in an even layer. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are golden, about 7 minutes. Flip potatoes and cook for about 5 more minutes. Then add ham, cheese, and egg whites on top of  hashbrowns. Cover and cook about 2 minutes until egg whites are set. Flip out onto plate and enjoy. I like to top mine with a little ketchup too! Just be sure to count it in your macros.


Scaling this recipe up for oven- you can also scale this recipe up and cook it like a casserole, just multiply the ingredients by the amount of servings that you need. I found a 6" round pan is perfect for 1 serving, an  8x8" pan works great for 2 servings, and a 13x9" works well for 4 servings.

Directions: Preheat oven to 450*F. Spray pan with nonstick spray. Cook hashbrowns in a single layer for 10-15 minutes until golden. Top with ham, cheese, and egg whites. Cook another 5-10 minutes until egg is set.

Nutrition Facts per Serving
Servings 1.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 379
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11 g	17 %
Saturated Fat 5 g	27 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 29 mg	10 %
Sodium 979 mg	41 %
Potassium 546 mg	16 %
Total Carbohydrate 23 g	8 %
Dietary Fiber 3 g	12 %
Sugars 0 g
Protein 41 g	83 %
Vitamin A	6 %
Vitamin C	23 %
Calcium	19 %
Iron	3 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

A Month of Meal Plans and Groceries in 30 Minutes

Yep, you heard me. 30 minutes is all the time it took us to order our entire month's worth of meal plan groceries online earlier this week. My husband and I used the Sam's Club online order and pick up service. And were SO pleasantly surprised how perfectly it worked.

We walked into the store during the hour we selected, ran by the case to grab the ground beef (it would not add to our online order for whatever reason) and waltzed up to the pick up counter where our entire order was waiting already in carts. We paid and loaded it into the car. It literally took 10 minutes total.

Next month, the ordering process will be even faster, because Sam's online pick up ordering system saves your list. All we will have to do is go down the list and check what we want.

Let me tell you the benefits of this idea:
1) Time saved. I estimate 8 hours of my life back per month. (This why I am a big fan, ain't nobody got time for grocery shopping especially me LOL)

2) ZERO off plan items purchased.

3) Money saved, refer to #2

Below is our list, it includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner for an entire month. I estimate we will eat out 6 times for whichever meals. Our bill was $421 for a family of four. I used to spend $1200 a month in groceries when I shopped weekly, And I cannot tell you how much spoiled food I tossed out. Let me also assure you that you have room for this. We have a VERY small refrigerator with the tiny top freezer, a TINY old house pantry, and a chest freezer in the garage. This is probably less space than the average american home since our house was built in 1937.

The Shopping List

• plain fat free Greek Yogurt
• oatmeal
• tortillas (corn or flour)
• chicken breast
• lean ground beef
• salsa
• canned, diced tomatoes
• kidney, black, and/or pinto beans (dried or canned)
• rice
• apples
• beef jerky
• almonds
• cottage cheese
• shredded cheese
• PB powder
• almond milk
• shredded potatoes
• egg whites
• deli ham
• bell peppers
• baby carrots
• spinach and/or lettuce of choice
• strawberries (frozen sliced)
• whey powder
• canned tuna in water
• pickle relish
• mustard
• chili seasoning
• taco seasoning
• garlic
• protein bars (Pure Protein)
• sandwich thin bread
• peanut butter
• K cup coffee
• coffee creamer
• bottled water
• milk
• butter
• eggs
• whipping cream
• individual mac n' cheese
• vienna sausages
• fiber one bars
• tortilla chips
• frozen breakfast sandwiches
• claritin
• nutella
• whole wheat sandwich bread
• paper towels
• toilet paper
• toiletries (shampoo, body wash, etc)
• detergent
• dog food
• dog treats

At "milk", starts the kids and household stuff. Above that is the meal prep items that my husband and I eat for breakfast and lunch, and make for family dinners. 

So what do we turn this into? The kids eat a different breakfast than my husband and I do and lunch at school, so I will only speak to our side of the meals.

My Weekly Meal Plans HERE including calorie and macros for each meal/snack

Breakfast:

• PB Cup Protein Shake - RECIPE HERE
• Hashbrowns Omelet - RECIPE HERE
• Chocolate PB&J Protein Oatmeal - RECIPE HERE

Lunches and Dinners (I make 2 extra servings of dinner for our lunches the next day)

• Chicken Tacos (2 corn tortillas topped with 6 oz chicken breast and 2 TBSP salsa + 10 baby carrots)
• Lean Tuna Salad - RECIPE HERE
• Red Chili with Chicken and Beans - RECIPE HERE
• Burrito Bowls - RECIPE HERE
• Taco Salad - RECIPE HERE

Snacks / Dessert

• Apple and Beef Jerky (generally 1 apple and 1-2 oz)
• Apple and Almonds (generally 1 apple and 1 oz of almonds)
• Cottage Cheese and Strawberries (generally 1/2-1 cup of each as fits into the day)
• Greek Yogurt and Strawberries (generally 1/2-1 cup of each as fits into the day)
• Protein Bars (We do Pure Protein variety box or Quest bars - 160-200 cals)

My Weekly Meal Plans HERE including calorie and macros for each meal/snack

X- Liss

P.S. all opinions are my own, I was in no way compensated for this post by Sam's Club

Never Quit - My Playa Del Carmen Shoot

I want to share some images from my shoot in Playa last week, and tell you the story of how I almost did not go. Seriously.

But first, I have been creating lots of exercise videos along with Coach Jenny lately on my YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe there when you get a chance! Here is a link to my YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM3j1Tr4e1M9E47c3Svx5bw


Here are a couple of videos that were shot in Playa at the resort gym. We stayed at the Valentin Imperial Maya. I cannot say enough great things about this place, it was better than my honeymoon. Literally ZERO negative things to say.

Dumbbell swings - these are great for the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and shoulders!

Squeeze your glutes as you come up and control the dumbbell coming up with your shoulders. 

You can do these with a kettle bell too!

Glute Bridges and Variations 

This is the Glute Bridge (bottom video) along with two level up variations. This exercise is amazing for your glutes!

Top left is the next level up - the foot elevated glute bridge.

Top right is the highest level - foot and shoulder elevated glute bridge.

Be sure to squeeze the glutes SO that your hammies don't take over.

Hold it at the end for a pulse of 5 or so for extra burn!

Flyes, a great movement for your chest! Be sure to extend to your full range of motion at the bottom of the movement. Drive the motion with your chest, I have to focus or my arms will take over!

These are Cable Lateral Raises! Great for your shoulders! 

I LOVED this cable machine, I want one for my house!

A few shots from my shoot

So I had spent about 12 weeks on a slow deficit for this shoot and vacation. I just wanted to lose about an inch of waist. It had gone well and I was happy when I left the States.

The morning of the shoot, I woke up bloated - up 4 POUNDS and my waist was up 0.25". AND my monthly visitor arrived early. I could see the bloat in the mirror. I was upset after all that hard work to have an unexpected set back. But Coach Jenny was there waiting on me that morning. And it was happening. I was not coming all this way for nothing. Surely we could get some decent shots.

And we did. So... even if you feel like you are not where you should be, do the thing you planned on. There will be some good from sticking to the plan. Finish out what you set out to do. 

X- Liss

Vanilla Protein Zoats

Ever heard of zoats? How about protein oats?

Well if you are into oatmeal, but hate the calorie to protein ratio then I have just the recipe for you today!

It might sound little funny but there is a reason for every ingredient in this recipe. And you cannot even tell there are veggies in it!

Why the zoat? So the zucchini adds bulk and vegetable goodness to the oatmeal. The protein powder adds decent protein! So smart huh? And cinnamon is a proven appetite suppressant, but I like oatmeal with cinnamon anyway ;)

Thinking this would be good with apple chunks or raisins!

Also another thought was that you could soak steel cut oats in water overnight then heat them with the zucchini in the microwave in the morning.  I have lots of ideas haha!

Vanilla Protein Zoats

Serves 2

Ingredients
1.00 tsp, Cinnamon, ground
0.50 cup Oats, regular
1 cup Water
0.50 cup, zucchini, includes skin, raw
2.00 scoop, Vanilla Milkshake (I used Premiere Protein in Vanilla Milkshake which is 180 cals and 30 g protein per scoop)
3.00 tsp Stevia, or to taste

Directions:
Finely grate a small zucchini, should be 0.5 cup. Add oats and water. Cook in microwave bowl for 3.5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Enjoy!

Nutritional stats per serving

Nutrition Facts
Servings 2.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 225
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4 g	6 %
Saturated Fat 2 g	11 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 95 mg	32 %
Sodium 153 mg	6 %
Potassium 119 mg	3 %
Total Carbohydrate 16 g	5 %
Dietary Fiber 2 g	8 %
Sugars 5 g
Protein 32 g	64 %
Vitamin A	3 %
Vitamin C	10 %
Calcium	22 %
Iron	7 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.