i love to cook and bake (especially bake...), but sometimes, after a long work day, it's hard to find enjoyment in spending two more hours cooking and cleaning in the kitchen. i've been trying to find recipes that require minimal time in the kitchen while still making home-made and healthy meals.
today, i would like to share one of my favorite week day meals with you.
tadaaa!!!!!
black bean turkey tacos
one pound of ground turkey breast
olive oil
taco seasoning
one yellow onion
two bell peppers (i used red, but yellow or orange are yummy options as well!)
one can of black beans
[one] gather your ingredients
(always a bub-hub required first step)
[two] chop and dice your onion and peppers
[three] in a skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil in the pan, about a tablespoon or so. when the oil is hot, add your onion and peppers, and cook for about 5 minutes. next, add in the turkey meat and generously sprinkle with taco seasoning. once the meat is cooked through, you can stir in the black beans. keep stirring until everything is warmed through.
[four] get your toppings ready! i like to add guacamole and lots of salsa to mine. right now, our favorite salsa is the central market "green chile salsa roja".
a.k.a. the bomb[dot]com.
[five] assemble your tacos! you can use tortillas, taco shells, or use lettuce to make taco salad.
[six] fill your tummy and clean your plate! :)
this is super easy to make and is one of our go-to meals. we probably have some variety of this once a week. it is full of lean protein and nutritious veggies and it's easy to change it up so there's no risk of burn out! it also freezes really well, so it's great to make a big batch, and split it up for a quick dinner during a busy work week.
it's ok to not be able to stop thinking about fro-yo and cheerios right??
ever since i started the advocare 24 day challenge, i have not been able to stop the cravings for fro-yo an cheerios...it's a problem people. thank goodness it's only for 10 days.
the diet for the 24 day challenge is pretty straight forward,
but with all of the yummy pinterest recipes floating around out there,
it's really easy to be bummed out and think you're going to be stuck eating celery and peanut butter for the 10 day cleanse phase of the challenge.
i would not survive.
but it's only 10 days, and after that, you're home free!
you can do it! :)
for the 10 day cleanse portion of the challenge, here were are few of my go-to's:
my go to snacks:
apple slices with peanut butter
rice cakes with peanut butter
as much fruit as i can fit in my grocery cart: grapes, nectarines and more nectarines, oranges (regular size and minis!), bananas
raw veggies and hummus
my go to at-home meals:
grilled chicken and broccoli
baked chicken and green beans (original right??)
taco salad (with ground turkey)
salad, but be careful with the choice dressing! avoid creamy or sugary dressings.
fajitas sans tortillas :(
omelets and scrambled eggs
on-the-go meals:
chipotle - you can load up with chicken, veggies, brown rice, black beans, salsa and even guac! just no cheese or sour cream.
boston market - chicken and veggies to go! i order the half chicken meal and it's the perfect amount for bub-hub and i to split! just be sure you pull the skin off the chicken first, and try and avoid the dark meat, and good luck resisting the corn bread, which is basically impossible.
pappasitos (or your favorite mexican food haven) - fajitas are my go-to here.
it's so hard to say no to the chips and salsa and green sauce, but you can do it! you can also swap out your rice and beans for grilled veggies! avoiding temptation at every turn!
after you wrap up the cleanse,
you can incorporate carbs, dairy and sugars back into your diet, but don't go crazy!
try to stick to complex carbs and whole wheat & high fiber breads.
be smart with your sugars and avoid yogurts and dairy products that are high sugar and low protein. try greek yogurt, like chobani!, and load it up with extra fruit or honey for additional sweetness.
and of course, avoid fried foods.
want to learn what the 24 day challenge is all about? [here you go!] want to take the challenge with me? you can purchase your 24 day challenge bundle here: [https://www.advocare.com/12082838/]
ladies, i have a little confession.... i'm obsessed with my new workout...pure barre!
i've talked about it so many times and i've gotten so many questions about it,
so i thought i'd share a little about pure barre with you all! :)
pure barre is a combination of pilates and dance that focuses on small isometric movements using tiny weights, a ball, and a ballet bar. between each strength set, there is a stretching set which helps create long and lean muscles.
the four strength sets focus on 4 key areas: arms, thighs, seat, and core
their key phrase is "lift, tone & burn",
and they own it.
instictively, you'd think that small movements have small results, but no....tiny movements are key. the smaller the movement, the bigger the results, the greater the burn.
in one of my classes, the instructor encouragingly said "if your legs are shaking and you feel like you're about to fall, push through it, and sink a little lower."
heh...if you say so...
each workout is done in socks on a studio floor. they offer 2, 3 and 5 pound weights, which sounds like nothing, but i promise you, even using the 2 pound weights, your arms will be burning!
you don't have to be in great physical shape to start, but you have to be mentally prepared to work hard. this is definitely not for the faint at heart. you have to be ready, willing, and prepared for a booty-busting working.
i love that pure barre is low impact.
i have terrible joint problems and so many exercices like running or weight lifting, leave me in a lot of pain. on the other hand, low impact exercises, like yoga, leave me feeling like i didn't work hard at all. there is minimal cardio: there's no running around or jumping, it's is very low impact and easy on the joints.
i love that pure barre requires focus.
i've mentioned before that i'm making a big effort to slow down in life and focus on one thing at a time. in pure barre, each exercise requires intense focus. i get sucked in to making sure my hips are tucked and my shoulders are back, and that i'm doing each exercise correctly. the instructors help correct your position and adjust to give you the best workout possible.
i love the results. after one month of pure barre, i already feel stronger and can feel a difference in the way my clothes fit.
i'm not crazy about the price.
one weekend, my bestie told me about pure barre, and just like magic, the next monday morning, i got an email from Houston Tibits for a $50/month deal!meant-to-be!
so that was a great start. they have new-member deals, $100/month, $40/4 classes, but a standard rate of $165/month is a little steep for me. the bub-hub might have had a minor heart attack when i threw that out there in a casual convo. oops. needless to say, i might not be able to do it forever, but i'm going to enjoy it while it lasts! :)
i've completed my first month, and i can already feel a major difference.
i wanted to find a video clip to show you guys, and the best i could find was this clip:
if you're interested in trying pure barre, i would definitely recommend checking out a class. [purebarre] also, i've noticed a lot of pilates studios offer barre type classes, but under a different name, so if you do some digging, i'm sure there is a class in your area! :)
they also have dvds, which i'm sure are great, but because the technique is so important, and it is so much easier to focus on your workout when you don't have any distractions around you, i'd recommend taking a few classes before making that investment.
what do you think?? would you be up for trying it out?
