Sausage Skillet

We often cook sausage onion potatoes and bell pepper for an easy affordable dinner. I started cooking it from watching Simplified Saver on YouTube. But I was out of bell pepper tonight, but we had some cabbage left over from last week's groceries. It was still good and I was glad to find an opportunity to use it. I knew it would go well with the sausage because Irish meals often eat sausage with cabbage. My husband loved the meal so much he ate 75% of the whole pot, and was licking the plate. He thought it was revolutionary, and thought it must be shared with the world. So here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Turkey smoked sausage
• 1 onion
• 1/2 Cabbage (I used nappa cabbage, so I can't say if regular is just as good)
• 3 medium russet potatoes
• 1 - 2tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 pats of butter
• 2 Tbps Oil

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat
2. Rough chop onion put in pan
3. Dice potatoes and put in pan
4. Sauté onion and potatoes for a few minutes
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste and 1 tsp coriander
6. Cut turkey sausage length wise then chop in other direction down the sausage
7. Put the sausage in the pan and cook until it starts to get brown you can let it sit for a while for it to darken
8. While it is cooking chop your cabbage first separate the leaves and clean them and cut into one inch pieces
9. Stir up the pan and then put in the cabbage top with 3 pats of butter and garlic powder and another sprinkle of salt.
10. Cover and cook until cabbage is wilted.
11. Stir and taste to see if you need to add more seasoning.
12. Enjoy!

Chocolate Greek Yogurt Pudding - Empowered 30 approved

I discovered something magical...

Chocolate (Greek yogurt) Pudding.

Since plain greek yogurt and honey are approved on the empowered snack list (other dairy or other sweetener is not approved) I thought wouldn't it be wonderful to make a chocolate pudding out of greek yogurt. This also works with chocolate protein powder for a meal replacement but this is more for a dessert. 

Based on this recipe: 

Chocolate Greek Yogurt Recipe Link

Modifications: sub teaspoon of honey, add pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla extract. If you are a spice girl you have the option of adding cinnamon or cayanne. I added chai spice because I have that on hand. 

Enjoy! 

One Pot Yellow Rice with Chicken and Veggies

I was looking for a recipe for a one pot yellow rice with chicken and veggies using the packet but I couldn't find one online, so I thought I would publish the recipe after I made it successfully on my own. 

This recipe is really adaptable, so just use what vegetables you have on hand. 

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts (you can make it with frozen like I did) 
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 1 onion diced (I was out of onion and it was fine without it because the rice has onion in it)
• 2 carrots peeled and diced 
• 1 ear Corn (I had an ear on hand that I cut off) 
• Or you can use frozen or canned peas corn and carrots 
• 1 packet of yellow rice and seasoning packet (2.5 serving size)
• Water according to package directions
• Oil 
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in pan on medium high heat sautee onion bell pepper and carrot until they have softened (carrots will soften more later) 
2. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper and brown or if it is frozen cook until it is thawed through
3. Add water according to rice package directions if you are using frozen or canned veggies you can add those now or add the fresh corn 
4. Once the water has come to boil add the rice and cover and simmer on medium for 20 min 
5. Towards the end of cooking shred the chicken with two forks, Stir. If there is extra water take the lid off and lower the heat to very low 
6. Enjoy 

$1 30 day Challenge Conclusion (Week 4 Recipes)

Caprese Spaghetti Squash Boat 

(I added red bell pepper)

These were surprisingly really good. So simple but tasty, vegetarian too. Hubby approved. (This was actually from week 3 recipes)

No left overs so I had to order out for lunch the next day, chose a healthy option.

Spicy Salmon with Cauliflower Rice (I added red bell pepper)

Such a simple recipe just seasoned with paprika and garlic. I ate the left overs the next day with salad and a homemade dressing I had saved.

Chia pudding for breakfast

This turned out really good I added the frozen berries the night before with vanilla almond milk honey and chia seeds and nuts and gave it a shake. As the berries melted it created a flavorful sauce. Best chia pudding I've made yet.

Chicken Burrito Bowls 

Served with plain Greek yogurt and salsa, garnished with fresh jalapeno and cliantro

Spaghetti Squash Hashbrowns (from week 2)

Wanted to use up leftover spaghetti squash. Seasoned with larwys seasoning salt. It was very tasty. A little sweet I don't know if it was the seasoning or the squash. 

Vegetable Cauliflower Fried Rice

This was SOOO good. I even went to the trouble of getting the gluten free soy sauce alternative coconut album and seseme oil. This was delicious. I will definitely have to make this again. I was quite full with it too, even though it didn't have any meat. 

Bonus recipe: Strawberry Milkshake/Soft Serve 

Refrigerate a can of coconut milk. After it is cooled give it a shake. Blend half a can with frozen strawberries and a little honey. Just use a ratio enough so the blender doesn't get clogged. So delicious 😋

I didn't make the chicken avocado salad and sweet potato egg bowls. I think I made the berries and greens smoothie but I didn't take a picture. I remember it being too green. Maybe I didn't get the ratio right or didn't get it mixed up good enough. 

I think I'm going to wait to go grocery shopping and try and use up some stuff I have before I jump into returing to week 1 that I skipped. I still have some ingredients to make smoothies. And some chicken and eggs. As I have ended week 4 recipes I have been ordering out and eating bars for breakfast. It really is nice taking my lunch to work. It is also better on the wallet. I have been making healthy choices. I'll talk more about some of the things I have been eating off plan on my next post. 

At the end I have lost about 13 lbs and about 1.5 inches in each of my major areas. 

Week 4 (Week 3 meal plan) $1 30 day challenge

I did week 3 meal plan this week. Even though my count is on week 4. I will be doing week 4 recipes next week. So I will be going over the 30 days. I might even go another week after that and do week 1 meal plan that I skipped, because I did the welcome package meal plan first. Go to the bottom to see my results this far.

Monday (Day 24) I made turkey quinoa stuffed peppers. Sorry no picture.

Tuesday (Day 25) I made spaghetti squash pizza casserole. A recipe from a previous week. I made a larger portion. Chris ate half the pan.

Wednesday (Day 26) I made Balsamic Chicken and vegetables.

Thursday (Day 27) I made roasted vegetables and fish salad. It called for shrimp but I don't eat shrimp, so I used Pollock.

Friday (Day 28) morning I made the Banana Cinnamon Pancakes

I was surprised it was basically just banana and egg. It reminded me of French toast. 

For Friday Dinner I made Southwest Chicken and quinoa. I think it was supposed to be a sauce over quinoa, but I made it into a soup. I put the quinoa in uncooked doubled what it called for, and a whole carton of broth. It turned out like a chowder. It also had coconut milk milk in it that made it creamy.

I exercised Wednesday. It was really difficult. But I was proud I actually exercised. I did exercise 4 from week 2. Hip taps, wall situps, hip dips, Mason twists 20-15-10.

I have lost 10 pounds since I started the detox. And about one inch on each of my measurements.

Looking forward to loosing more as I move on to two more weeks. I need to get in the mind frame of being Determined2bdetermined in getting my exercises done. 

I was off from work Friday. I was really happy I was Finding Excitement in the Mundane and got some housework done. The shower and tub, sink and toilet are now white white after being dirty. I also did some laundry and put away clean clothes that was laying around. Washed the sheets. It was nice to take a shower in the clean bath and get into a clean made bed. It was a true prep day. Now to rest for Sabbath. 

Week 3 -$1 30 day challenge

This post is technically week 3 for me but I am at the end of week 2 recipes and improvised before I got a chance to buy groceries for week 3. 

Wednesday (Day 19) chicken butternut squash chili. I made it on the stove top till the chicken shredded. (Pictured below top)

Thursday (Day 20) I made chicken curry with red peppers and tomatoes. I served mine with cauliflower rice and my husband's with regular rice. This meal was not on the menu I was just done with the recipes from week 2 besides the avacado chicken salad. I still had some chicken left though, so I used it to make the curry. (Pictured above bottom)

Friday (Day 21) I was off work and went to the doctor. I had to fast in the morning, but after I got a smoothie bowl.

I got the dragon bowl with chia seeds and almomds no chocolate syrup no granola. I also got freshly ground peanut butter from there too. For snacks later.

I stopped by the mall to get my ring cleaned but they were closed. I was temped by the food court and bought a squewier of Mediterranean chicken. I saved it for dinner.

I also bought some grab and go food from Newks. I got steak, homemade coleslaw, and their version of cowboy caviar. I couldn't resist their homemade pimento cheese, but mainly was for my husband. I did taste it though. I was really pleased with the grab and go from Newks. I don't think I got any pictures of dinner. 

Saturday (Day 22) I mostly ate leftovers. 

Sunday (Day 23) I worked Sunday and ate the rest of the curry chicken for lunch. We were waiting for money to come in to buy groceries, so we ordered to go food for dinner. I got brisket enchiladas with black beans, it also came with a salad but I didn't eat it. It did have cheese which was not approved. But I did do gluten free. 

Day 18 - $1 30 day challenge

Tuesday - Back on Track

Breakfast I went through the Planet Smoothie Drive through. I chose from their lite menu and added pea protein to a medium smoothie. It kept me full.

Lunch I had leftover rositerie chicken and garlic broccoli. 

On the drive home from work I was mentally preparing for the work I had to do to get dinner ready, because I really wanted to eat on plan. I also was mentally preparing for laundry. I got the dinner ready first, because I was pretty hungry. It was Turkey Kale Sweet Potato Skillet. I used spinach instead of kale. I was surprised how quickly the sweet potatoes cooked on the stove. 

After dinner I did my exercises, YAY! It had been so long since I did the exercises. So I am really proud of myself for getting dinner and exercise both done. Back on track!

Exercise was squat jumps, crisscross abs, skiers, and tricep dips. I did 25-15-10. 

I had a little indigestion from exercing right after I ate, but I didn't throw up. 

I am really happy about getting back on track. So far I have lost about 9 pounds. I've gotta keep going!

Day 17 - $1 30 day challenge

Monday - Discuss Eating Restaurant Food

Still didn't get the Crock-Pot going, so I still haven't had the chicken dishes ready. So I had to improvise for breakfast and lunch.  

For breakfast I had banana and apple.

Lunch I had a leftover steak. It wasn't seasoned or anything, so I added salt pepper and ketchup. It was pretty though, but the ketchup helped. 

I was pretty hungry when I got home and it was too difficult to get the dishes ready. So we ordered Togo from the rotisserie chicken restaurant. For the sides I got garlic broccoli and quinoa veggie salad. I also tried some of their sauce, but just a little. The garlic broccoli was really good. The quinoa salad wasn't my favorite. I would have liked a warm quinoa side dish better. 

I thought I made a really good choice about my to go food. I kept it gluten free, green vegetables and not fried, lean meat. 

Sometimes you will have to eat from a restaurant and it is important to still eat healthy. I think I made a good choice in my food. 

Day 15 & 16 - $1 30 day

Saturday and Sunday

Saturday I ate a homemade smoothie and for lunch was bean salad from Trader Joes And various approved snacks.

I had some of the leftover tortilla soup when my husband got home.

Sunday I had some fruit for breakfast. It was Shavout - Feast of Weeks, so we cooked out. I had a steak with some A1 sauce. Some corn and sweet potato but they weren't really good so I didn't eat much. We also had watermelon and cantelope. I refrained from eating the two loafs of bread I bought for the feast. 

I did not workout these days. 

Day 14 - $1 30 day challenge - Reflections

Breakfast I had a Greek yogurt and fruit bowl on the go. 

Lunch I had the leftover chicken tortilla less soup. 

The Crock-Pot recipes kind of threw me for a loop in this week's menu. I really had a block when it came to doing those recipes. I still managed to do some recipes. Maybe I will get the Crock-Pot going Sunday and I can finish those recipes. In the Facebook group I heard the avacado chicken salad was really good. 

Today after work I didn't know what I would do for dinner. I went to the grocery store to get some things for shavout - feast of weeks. We decided we would cook out, so I got some steaks and vegetables. 

Since I had those edamame yesterday I was thinking about sushi. And we often have sushi of Friday night. I decided to get a sushi burrito. I thought it would be okay if I made it with brown rice, which they had. And I tried to pick a sauce that didn't have sugar. I got it with tuna, carrot, cucumber, and avacado, with ginger dressing. It was good but not amazing. A little underwhelming. And I still felt a little hungry. 

I went to another grocery store, because I felt like I needed something more stuff that I didn't get it at the last store. I bought some more fruit and Greek yogurt. And looked at their heat up meals. I decided on an Indian chickpea dish. When I got home to make it though, I realized it had mango powder in it and I am allergic to mango. Even though it smelled really good I didn't want to risk it. So I ate hummus with baby bell peppers instead. 

While I was shopping at the grocery store I was reflecting on this lifestyle change. As I went through the isles and didn't buy candy or other unhealthy things, I was proud. I have stopped drinking sugary drinks and stopped eating candy and stopped eating gluten. That is a big deal. 

Although I wasn't in the mind set to work out today I was happy with the diet changes I have made and that is a big accomplishment in itself.