Texas Oven Fajitas

Fajitas are one of my weekly go-to healthy dinner menu options that the whole family enjoys. I also frequently entertain with them- they are easy and quick. Everybody enjoys them! And they feel decadent but are perfect for anyone who is watching what they eat and fit into almost any diet plan.

Texas Oven Fajitas

Serves 8

The stuff
1 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lbs lean skirt steak (or flat iron steak or lean stew meat)
4 large onions
4 bell peppers
2 jalapenos (optional)
8 oz Claude's Fajita Marinade
Cooking spray
2 limes (optional)

What you do

Put the meat into a large bag with the marinade. Allow the meat to marinade several hours, I generally allow it to sit overnight while the chicken thaws in the fridge.

Preheat the oven on broil (mine is 500 degree F when on broil), this is basically setting the top element to max temp which turns your oven into a grill more or less. (side note- I love to broil everything- veggies, meat- it keeps the temperature more even than the grill and my husband does not have to help cook! Ha!) Line two large cookie sheets with foil and spray with cooking spray.

 

Cut the onions and bell peppers into strips. Cut the jalapenos in half. Place on bottom rack of oven for 25 minutes, tossing halfway through the cooking time. They are done when the onions are turning translucent.

Meanwhile, place the chicken breasts on a cookie sheet. Place into top rack of oven. When you pull the vegetables to flip, add the beef and cut the chicken breasts into strips. Both pans should be ready in 25 to 30 minutes from the start. Watch the beef especially- you do not want to overcook it.

I cut the beef into strips and throw all the meat on top of the vegetables on one pan.

How to serve-

I squeeze a couple of limes over the top of everything and salt and pepper it generously.

I serve fajitas with some or all of the following accompanyments-
*Corn and flour tortillas (warmed)
*Tortilla chips
*Black beans and/or fat free refried beans
* Salsa
*Sour cream
*Guacamole
*Shredded Lettuce and cheese

 

How we eat it-

Me- over a huge bed of lettuce with black beans, salsa dressing, and a dollop of sour cream
The husband- on flour tortillas with cheese and guacamole
The son- on flour tortilla with refried beans, salsa, and cheese
The daughter- on flour tortillas (or over tortilla chips) with refried beans, cheese, and sour cream

Nutritional Stats (for 1/8th of recipe)

• Calories- 196
• Carbs- 11g
• Fat- 5g
• Protein- 27g

Weekly Healthy Dinner Menus for the Whole Family

I make breakfast and dinner for my family most every day. I have a 45 minute commute each way, and teach an hour long gym class 4 days a week. Both of my littles play sports and my husband works a crazy shift which means he is only there to help about 25% of the time. If I can cook most of the time, I bet anyone can if they plan accordingly.

Why do I cook most nights? There are actually several reasons for this:

• My husband is in law enforcement, so when you go out to eat in a small town- chances are the he has arrested someone along the food line... trust no person. Sad but true.
• I can control what goes into what I am eating so it is easier to manage calories and contents.
• It is cheaper than eating out, and actually faster most of the time.

I have two littles that are somewhat picky- but the older they are getting, the more accustomed they are to eating what my husband and I eat.

Get ready for a tangent here....I think that is a HUGE mistake that many parents do- thinking young children need to eat something different that the rest of the family because they will not eat what you serve. I will admit that I am guilty in the past! My husband and I would have chicken breasts, sweet potatoes, and broccoli at dinner for example, and I would cook my kids chicken nuggets and fries. WHY DID I DO THAT?! They need to eat healthy too! But instead of getting their palates accustomed to what we were eating- nutritious whole foods, I got their palates used to eating junk! And now it has taken several years to get them accustomed to a better diet. Kids will come around though, just continue having them take a "no, thank you" bite and eating what they like on their plate. They do not have to eat it all. Rant over.

I plan out my menu for the week, then shop on Sunday afternoon for the whole week.

Breakfast

Most mornings the kids have

• cereal with almond milk or
• a quick breakfast burrito (2 eggs and some cheese zapped in a baggie for 1 min then throw in a tortilla) or
• PB sandwich (I like the Arnold Healthfull bread and JIF natural PB).

I have my morning coffee and a protein shake (I like the ON brand wheys- rocky road, extreme milk chocolate, or peanut butter chocolate. I like mine with 1 cup almond milk, handful spinach, 3 handfuls ice, and 1/2 frozen banana). My husband usually has what I do, without the spinach. He refuses to try it LOL

Lunch

Lunch is leftovers from the night before. The kids eat at school or take a lunch.

Snack

The kids usually have a granola bar and a banana. My husband and I usually have a Pure Protein Bar (I like Chocolate Deluxe and he likes the Chocolate Peanut Butter)

Dinner

Here are some ideas of what I cook on a weekly rotating basis for dinner-

• Sunday-Buffalo burgers on Arnold sandwich thins with fresh veggies dipped in Ranch (made out of Greek yogurt and a packet of Ranch dip)
  
  
  
• Monday- Broiled mustard tilapia with roasted Brussels sprouts and red potatoes (Frozen tilapia with spicy or regular mustard and a little Greek yogurt or sour cream on top broiled until done)
• Tuesday- Slow Cooked Tex Mex Shredded Chicken (I like mine over salad, my husband likes his on tortillas, and my kids like theirs with refried beans on tortilla chips)

• Wednesday- Honey Lime Salmon with roasted lemon ginger asparagus and brown rice
• Thursday- Breakfast for dinner- Omeletes and turkey bacon (We pick out our own fillings and cutsomize them! The kids both like cheese, my husband likes mushroom and cheese, I like lots o' veggies like broccoli, peppers, and onions! My kids omeletes are made out of whole eggs only, I make mine out of egg whites only, my husband gets a mix! I like to do them in the oven broiler.)
• Friday- Steak and/or chicken Texas Oven Fajitas (So easy just broil or grill with onion and bell peppers, I love Claude's fajita marinade or I make my own... I like my fajitas over lettuce with black beans, the rest of the fam likes theirs on tortillas)
  
• Saturday- Slow roasted pork loin in the crock pot with carrots, onions, and red potatoes (throw it all in there on low for about 8 hours and season! EASY!)

Other easy meals that go into the rotation:

• Mediterranean Shrimp Foil Dinner Packets with Mango-Avocado Salsa

• Chipotle Lime Fish tacos with Creamy slaw (sub Greek yogurt for mayo) and roasted zucchini
• Steak with Roasted Cauli and Sweet Potatoes
• Chicken, Beef, or Shrimp Stirfry with lots of veggies and brown rice
• Brown Sugar and Balsamic Pork Loin (sub splenda for brown sugar) with Roasted Winter Vegetables and spinach salad

Dessert

Most nights, I have some "Greek cheesecake" AKA Greek yogurt topped with fresh fruit for dessert, and the kids have a flavored yogurt or some frozen yogurt. My husband does coffee usually- he is not much for sweets of any kind!

As I have time, I will make a blog post on each of these recipes with pictures....since we make them often and all :)

XO Liss

Celebrating One Year of VI

This past Tuesday was my 1 year anniversary since I embarked on my Venus journey. So I decided to take some inpromptu pics in my "before" bikini! I honestly had not worn it since those "before" pics a year ago, because... well honestly, those pics left a BAD taste in my mouth for that swimsuit!

Physical Changes

Well, it is not the swimsuit's fault! It actually looks pretty nice now. This is me on a normal evening by the way, no special lights, no water manipulation. Just me. I am not cut down for pics or anything. I just wanted to see what I really look like on a normal day after doing these workouts for the past year.

My shape has really changed. In a good way. I really have no lost all that much scale weight either- but I have put on some muscle mass and shed fat. Metrics matter, the scale really has no say once you get into striking distance of VI metrics. You need to focus on the measurements and put away the scale, or at least stop focusing on it.

Mental Changes

My mindset about "dieting" and "fitness" has completely shifted since last year. I workout to build muscle. I run or go to kickboxing/insanity/spin for cardio conditioning. I eat to shed fat and/or fuel my body. I try to keep the idea of good foods and bad foods out of my mind. I can have whatever I want, just not all the time. I count calories and I try to eat lots of lean protein and veggies. This is no longer a diet. It is just the way I live now. All of the reasons I mention are exactly why I have been able to maintain and improve my physique over the past year. I can honestly say that I am off the diet roller coaster for good! No more yo-yo dieting!

My Current Routine

 

Fitness

I workout 6 days a week.

• I teach Venus Index Phase 3 at my gym 4 days a week (approx 1 hour of heavy weightlifting for shape)
• I do 2x1 hour cardio sessions each week. It varies depending on my mood. Some days I run (or do 90 sec walk-run intervals), some days I split up time between the stairmaster and the elliptical, some days I do to a class at my gym- spin, kickboxing, Insanity, or step. I just do whatever strikes my fancy that day mostly.

Nutrition

At 5'9", I count calories to match my body's needs. I look at my calories over the course of a week, and just have a general aim each day so that I meet my weekly goal. I am cutting right now at a very slight deficit and aim for 7500-8500 calories per week. I try to get 40-50% of my calories from lean proteins- that is just a personal preference of mine. I limit refined carbs such as bread and pasta- mostly again, just a personal prefence. I would rather get my calories elsewhere- like fruit and Greek yogurt (love!).

Oh, and on a side note- the husband and I got mountain bikes this past weekend! I am super excited to go trail riding. Just another way to be active with the family, yay!

Stephanie's Life Insurance Policy is VI

Today I am interviewing Stephanie. She has been one of the founding members of my VI class since it started in September of 2012. When I found out her age, I was stunned. This woman has defied time. Stephanie is in her early 60’s and was already in amazing shape by anyone’s standards for any age. She has lived a fit lifestyle for most of her life and it shows, I think that is her secret to aging so well. She has done triathalons, half marathons, and 100 mile bike rides. I first met her in a pilates class which she continues to do to this day. I honestly wondered the first time she came to VI class if she could even improve her physique. To my amazement, VI can take above average physiques to exceptional ones. Her metrics improved over the 12 weeks- Stephanie added an inch to her shoulders, dropped 2 inches from her waist, and lost 1.75 inches on her hips.

  

 ·         (Liss) So what is your history with regard to diet, weight, and fitness?  

[Stephanie] I am a true believer in fitness.  It is my life insurance policy.  Diet and weight are within my control whereas many other areas are not such as genetic factors.

·         (Liss) How did you find VI class and what made you come? What made you keep coming to class?  

[Stephanie] I found the VI Class conveniently available at my local YMCA.  Liss's enthusiasm, her results and other participant's results kept me interested.

 

 ·         (Liss) Did you incorporate the Anything Goes Diet and/or Eat Stop Eat style fasting?

[Stephanie] Neither.  Through conversations with Liss and others, I realized I needed to make improvements to my style of eating.  This mainly consisted of understanding the role of protein in muscle development and recovery.

·         (Liss) What did you do during your transformation to make such a change?  

[Stephanie] I had to better understand my caloric intake, percentages of protein/fat/carbohydrates and portion sizes.  This included much reading of labels, converting grams and ounces, and a scale.  I enjoyed Liss's class so much that the VI classes were something I looked forward to.  Liss gives a very good class - my style - quick paced and with a lot of instruction and self-deprecating humor. 

 

·         (Liss) Did you have any “ah-ha” moments with regards to your fitness or diet lifestyle and sustainability?  

[Stephanie] If I had a "ah-ha" moment, it was that one is never too old to see results from applied effort.  VI and Liss gave my life a wonderful spark.

·         (Liss) How has your body changed since starting VI?  

[Stephanie] I have baby "six pack abs".  Never had 'em before in my life.

 

·         (Liss) What did you think of your pictures when you saw them?  

[Stephanie] I don't like my knees.

·         (Liss) What are your future goals?  

 [Stephanie] Improve my thighs and my knees.  Continue to improve my knowledge of nutrition and weight resistance training VI style.

 

·         (Liss) What is your advice for other people who want to make a transformation like you have?  

 

[Stephanie] Believe in yourself.  You can do it too!

 

How Data Saves the Day

 

Knowledge is power.

I even apply that philosophy to my fitness and nutrition goals.
Since embarking on VI last year, I have kept meticulous records which have literally saved me from backsliding or giving up. They serve as a record void of emotion where I can study trends and data mine.

Photo by {forever} Grace Photography

Continue Reading article at VenusIndex.com...

Miru gets in Bikini Shape at 59

Today I am interviewing my friend Miru who has made an amazing transformation while taking the Venus Index class that I teach at the gym. Miru was there from the start in September of 2012 and is one of my most regular attendees. I can count on her to be in class! Miru has also been one of my biggest cheerleaders by spreading the word about class and bringing in new girls. She has definitely pushed me to be a better instructor! Here is her amazing before and after pictures, taken just 12 weeks apart-

Now let’s hear what she has to say!

• (Liss) So what is your history with regard to diet, weight, and fitness?

[Miru] I was never a fan of the GYM. My first time ever at a GYM was to attend a Pilates Class twice a week at YMCA in early 2012 and that was it. I started training to run a marathon by running at lunch time with the help of an app on my iphone; I didn’t last but two weeks. I went up to 178 lbs and today I am at 143 lbs after VI phase II at 5’6” tall.

• (Liss) How did you find VI class and what made you come? What made you keep coming to class?

[Miru] I saw a flyer posted at the YMCA with a header VENUS INDEX and a class starting in September 2012, with some pictures of Liss both before and after her VI transformation. What caught my attention was the definition of the body on the after photos, and mostly waist and hips- which is where I have a problem. I then went into the website only to find people like me trying different diets without success. What keeps me going to class is mainly the instructor Liss- she keeps us motivated all the time, another important reason is that she is well educated in the matter and always shares a bit of information with us. Talking to others within our group, we all agree that we learn a lot from Liss, besides just working out.

Another important fact is the way the program is designed. It takes you slowly to want to lift more and more, and you don’t even notice it. The workouts are written in such a way that keeps your attention on what is next and what are we doing the following class. VENUS INDEX made me become addicted to weight lifting- I never miss a class and always try to lift more and more weight.

• (Liss) Did you incorporate the Anything Goes Diet and/or Eat Stop Eat style fasting?

[Miru] Being 59 years old and a breast cancer survivor, my diet changed radically after treatment some 7-8 years ago. I was all into no sugar in my diet but eating sugary fruits, juicing greens, having salads, protein, nuts and grain for dinner.  I was eating healthy, but with no calorie intake control at all and zero workouts.

At the beginning when I started VI Phase I (in September 2012)- I did not even diet. I was waiting (as always) for this program to do its magic on me.  I didn’t see the scale moving at all (or was a couple of pounds up and down) but I was seeing more definition on my arms and legs.

One day during a class, Liss was sharing some information on how fasting helps create a deficit and how counting calories is important. She even encouraged us to start measuring and weighing our food until we were capable enough to eye ball it. Of course, I was not doing any of that, not even counting calories, but I never missed a class. During another class, she shared a little more about fasting and that’s when I got interested and started fasting too. So, to answer your question, I started with the Anything Goes Diet and recently incorporated Eat Stop Eat style fasting as well.

• (Liss) What did you do during your transformation to make such a change?

[Miru] I never missed a class and increase the weight lifting constantly. All, after I heard Liss saying ~ “if the last three reps you can easily do, it only means you can do more weight.”~

• (Liss) Did you have any “ah-ha” moments with regards to your fitness or diet lifestyle and sustainability?

[Miru] I sure did, when I understood that working out is not going to do it all. The calories you burn at the GYM can easily be gain back again, in a simple piece of cake, ice-cream, or any other junk food. I learned I needed to watch what I was eating and start counting the calories.

• (Liss) How has your body changed since starting VI?

[Miru] My body is more toned and leaned out.

• (Liss) What did you think of your pictures when you saw them?

[Miru] It’s really scary to have the before and after pictures. I was asked to take before and after pictures in September when we started phase I and I did not do it. I loved my pictures after phase II. I am so grateful I found Liss, which has become my inspiration, and VENUS INDEX  I definitely believe that both are now part of my life and will keep me healthy and in good shape.

You try for years to be better with no success- that frustration, that “luggage” I call it- is a paradigm, a set of beliefs that live with you.  Instead of overcoming them, you say this:   ~”I don’t like my body… I don’t have a nice body... I don’t like my thighs and my butt.”~

In January- at the beginning of Phase II in class, I decided to take the before pictures. At the end of the 12 weeks of Phase II, I decided to have some professional after pictures taken- and I loved them. There are still things I need to tone more, but I like what I saw. Also, Liss mentioned we need to positively criticize our pictures in the same way we would do to others and not only see what we didn’t like.  That alone created a huge change in my self esteem and gave me more confidence. Today, I know I can do more…

• (Liss) What are your future goals?

[Miru] VI is the only program that has worked for me. Based on my pictures, and as much as I liked them, I can see I am only halfway there. I will keep coming to the GYM to all the phases that VI designs for us. Remember? I became an addict to VI! 

• (Liss) What is your advice for other people who want to make a transformation like you have?

[Miru] My advice is for people to educate themselves by reading on VI‘s website, blogs, and podcasts. You will find the answer that you are looking for. Start your transformation from day one- counting calories, increasing the weights you are lifting, and never miss a class- if you miss, try to make it up. Weigh in once a week and then take your metrics. But mostly ~have no fear~. Don’t give up, keep trying and trying…

Lower Calorie Sparkling Wine Trick

Say what?! Today, I am going to share my little trick with you- how I stretch one glass of wine into 3 or 4!!!

But FIRST- I have to show you what my dearest husband spoiled me with this week- a Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor! I have been wanting one for the longest time, and he just ordered me one out of the blue. I am one lucky lady right?! Love my man!

Here she is in all her glory-

I am a teacher too, so my principal at school came up with the idea of my students trying to see which class could keep my average heart rate the lowest. It was a hoot, the students actually got into it. Opposed to normal biological rhythms, my heart rate actually got lower and lower throughout the day and my last period won with an avg heart rate of 62!

After school, I was off the gym to get in some cardio time! I had to put my Polar FT4 through the paces! I loved how it automatically synced to the gym machines too. I did 20 minutes on the stairmill, 20 min doing 90 sec HIIT on the treadmill (alternating 90 sec 6.5 mph jogging with 4.5 mph fast walking), then I finished up with 20 min on the elliptical. Here is the final workout summary-

So if you are a number and data lover like me, you need a heart rate monitor as your next gadget! I cannot wait to collect more data and graph it up!

Onto the real post now- I love to drink wine but the calories add up quickly. I have a couple of booze tips that I use when I want to indulge. I will share the others later, but this one is my go-to. It cuts the calories in your glass of wine by 75%!!!! And makes you drink lots of water while you are drinking alcohol!

So what is the secret???

This my friends- *ta-da music*

Clearly American Sparkling Water

Lower Calorie Sparkling Wine

You need:

• Wine of choice (I prefer Moscato, Blush, or Riesling... but any red, blush, or white works! I have tried many!)
• Clearly American Sparkling Water (I buy these at Walmart. I prefer Black Cherry, Peach, Cherry, Strawberry, and White Grape... but have not met one yet that I dislike!)
• Optional but good too- fresh or frozen fruit (berries, pineapple, grapes, citrus, apples)

What you do:
Pour 1 ounce of wine in the bottom of your glass, top with sparkling water to the top. Garnish with fruit for a low-cal sangria!

This is now one of my all time favorite drinks! It has a couple of perks that I did not plan on but have come in handy-
1) Gross dry wine that I cannot hardly stomach tastes really good this way and I will actually drink it!
2) I keep hydrated since I am drinking so much water along with my wine! This equals less hangover in the morning if you are going hard!
3) The "drunk" does not sneak up on you! (You know what I am talking about, right?! Which is excellent if you are a light weight like me!)
4) Now the calories of ONE glass of wine are split into FOUR glasses which actually might last longer than 10 minutes while you socialize. Score!