Food Prep Part II: Foil Veggie Basket

If you followed my previous post about food prep, you may be wondering what to to with all of those awesome veggies.  You could munch on them raw with some hummus, or toss them in a chicken or shrimp stir fry.  Or, you could cook them up in a foil veggie basket to enjoy alongside a couple of turkey muffins!  The veggies I used for my basket included broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, cabbage, onions, and a few small purple potatoes.  Here's what I did:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray.  Place foil on a baking sheet.
3. Spread out 1-2 cloves of minced garlic on the center of the foil.
4. Add chopped cabbage (cut into strips), onions (cut into chunks), small baby carrots, broccoli and cauliflower florets, and halved purple potatoes.
5. Cut the ends of a lemon.  Slice four thin slices.  Take the rest of the lemon and squeeze over the veggies on the foil.  You can add more lemon juice if you want.  Top the veggies with 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil.  You can drizzle with olive oil if you do not have coconut oil.  Top veggies with lemon slices.  Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Voila!  A beautiful medley of veggies :)

Fold the edges over and tuck in the open sides.  Leave some room for steam!  Place in preheated oven for around 30-35 minutes, depending on the size of your veggie basket.  This has a strong lemony flavor, which can be toned down by omitting the lemon slices.  You can also replace the lemon with a splash of soy sauce or a dry wine.  

I just had about half of my veggie basket with two turkey muffins, and it so so yummy and filling!! I didn't even finish it all, so yay for healthy leftovers! 

Prep Day: Egg Muffins and Jamie Eason's Turkey Muffins

Prepping and freezing food has been a lifesaver for me!  I tend to make poor food choices when I don't have foods available, or I lack ambition to try to come up with something to make.  When school gets busy, I love having some quick options that taste great and aren't sabotaging my health goals! Egg muffins are extremely versatile!  Add whatever you need to get rid of, and they will always turn out great! :)

Set up a prep station with cutting boards and good quality knives. Dice two stalks of celery. For the rest of the celery, either cut them into snack sizes for munching later on in the week or dice them for salads, stir-fries, or other meals n the week.  

I had some turkey that I needed to use up, so I chopped that into fine pieces. Although I am not using cauliflower in these recipes, I chopped it up for other uses this week.  I love roasted cauliflower. :)

Chop up one small onion, or about half of a large one into small pieces. I had some leftover green onions that I chopped up for the egg cups.  Chop broccoli for recipes/snacking during the week.  I decided to use some in my egg muffins, so I chopped some up for that in small florets.  

Coconut oil has amazing health benefits, so I used about a tablespoon or two in a medium skillet. I added two cloves of minced garlic.  Once the garlic is fragrant, toss in several handfuls into the skillet.  Add a little water if needed.  Saute the spinach until it is wilted.  Squeeze out excess liquid and drain. Set aside.

I used a carton of egg whites, but regular eggs work great as well!  I added about 1/4 cup of milk into a large bowl.  I whisked it together with a Laughing Cow cheese wedge that I had in my fridge.  I then added about half a carton of egg whites, and the spinach, broccoli, turkey, and green onions.  I added about 1/2 cup of reduced fat colby jack cheese.  I also seasoned the egg mixture with black pepper, sea salt, Mrs. Dash, and chili pepper.  Add the rest of the carton of egg whites as needed to keep mixture liquidy.

Fill a greased muffin tin with egg mixture using a measuring cup.  Try to keep the consistency the same for all of the muffin tins.  Be careful not to overfill. I sprinkled a tiny bit more of cheese on the top. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, or until eggs are set and centers are cooked.  Once cooked, let cool and then remove from the muffin tin.  I let them continue to cool on a lined baking sheet  I then packaged 4-5 muffins to a quart freezer Ziploc bag.  Let cool in fridge and then transfer to freezer!  To eat, set out a bag the night before in the fridge.  Reheat as many as you want and enjoy!

The diced celery and onion is used to make Jamie Eason's turkey muffins.  I mixed up the ingredients while the eggs were cooking, and then baked them up as well!  I had a little extra meat mixture so I made about 12 small turkey meatballs, which cooked up quickly. I froze half of the meatballs, and froze the muffins in pairs of 2.

I am so excited to have healthy breakfasts and meals on hand to enjoy for the next few weeks!  I like the turkey muffins with a clean barbeque sauce, chopped up on salads, or with a clean tomato sauce.  The eggs would be a great protein option in the morning, just add a side of oatmeal or Ezekiel toast and you are set for a great start to your day!  Because the turkey muffins contain oats as a binding ingredient, all you need to add is a veggie side for a healthy meal!
Here is the link for Jamie's turkey muffin recipe!  I didn't include many prep pictures for that because I forgot :)  But she has an even better video that you can check out at Bodybuilding.com.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/video-jamie-eason-turkey-meatloaf-muffins.htm

2013 Challenge

2013 is upon us, and we have the power to make this our best year yet.  But improvement starts with change.  The most successful approach is to pick one or two small changes a month.  When you have mastered these changes, pick a couple more to work on.  Here are some suggestions to consider for your new year!

1. Swap out your morning beverage for one of the following choices:

• Green tea with a lemon wedge
• A mug of hot water with the juice of one lemon
• Your choice of tea with fresh grated ginger
• A cup of coffee with a tablespoon of coconut oil 

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• These options help flush your system, rev your metabolism, and wake you up!  Plus, hot beverages help to satiate one's hunger, which will help prevent overeating. 

   2.  Meditate at least 5-10 minutes per day:

• Choose a location that is quiet and free of distracting stimuli-- leave your phone and other electronics in another room.
• Spend a few minutes clearing your mind and calming your thoughts.
• Choose a mantra to reflect on, or simply sit quietly.
• If the weather is appropriate, consider meditating outdoors.

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• Meditation offers a plethora of health benefits.  It can help with stress management and reduction.  It can also reduce pain perception, improve resilience, reduce mental trauma susceptibility, increase focus, and improve mental capabilities in aging individuals.  

     3.   Eat a salad every day:

• As a side dish to a main entree, salads should consist of a mix of dark leafy greens and your choice of veggies.  Eat it fresh or add a healthy vinaigrette to get some healthy fats.
• As a main dish, salads should also incorporate a lean protein source, such as grilled chicken or fish.  My favorite mix is warm grilled chicken, dark leafy greens, sliced strawberries, mushrooms, and red onions with a balsamic vinaigrette.

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• Adding a salad to your daily intake will help you acquire your recommended amounts of vitamins, fiber, and minerals.  It will also help fill you up!

       4.   Practice good workout nutrition:

• Pre-workout meals should consist of a lean protein source and a complex carbohydrate source, such as brown rice and chicken breast.  Have your pre-workout meal about an hour before your workout.
• Post-workout meals should also have a carb and protein, but choose something faster digesting so the protein is absorbed by your muscles quickly.  Within a half hour of finishing your work out, munch on some fruit with a protein shake.
• Fats such as cheese, fatty fish, nuts, oils, and nut butters should not be considered for post-workout protein sources, as the fat greatly slows down the digestion and absorption process.  
• Some other complex carb choices include oats, yams, Ezekiel bread, and quinoa.  Bananas are great for post-workout snacks with protein, as they have a high glycemic level, which speeds the digestion process and helps proteins quickly replenish tired muscles!
• One of my favorite post-workout meals is plain Greek yogurt mixed with protein powder and fresh fruit.  Sometimes I top it with about a tablespoon of Grape Nuts cereal for a little extra crunch.

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• Workout nutrition is very important for optimizing your time in the gym.  Pre-workout meals fuel your physical activity, and can make or break your workout.  Post-workout meals help finish the job, by replenishing tired muscles and depleted glycogen stores.  Together, pre- and post-workout meals will help you reach fitness goals faster.

These are just a few tips that I thought I would suggest to get your goals started.  Make a list of the changes you wish to see in yourself by 2014.  Every time you incorporate a new healthy habit, or rid yourself of an undesirable one, you can keep track of it.  This will help with your accountability.  The goals I provided today were focused on health and wellness.  However, every individual has his or her own personal journey and can incorporate their own goals, whether they be related to health, finance, academics, career, or anything else! Use the momentum of this brand new year to create a brand new you!  Just a few small changes will bring about positive changes-- I guarantee it!!

here's to living,

T.