This one has comfort food written all over it! I love stuffed cabbages, but they can be a little time consuming to make and this recipe was way more easier to prepare! No stuffing required! Ground beef, tomatoes and cabbage always make a wonderful combination and will be great served on a cool or cold day.

The 1/8 tsp of cinnamon left just a hint of cinnamon flavor, which is just the way I like it. You can always leave it out if you don't care for cinnamon in your meats. Cook the ground beef and chop the cabbage the night before and you can have this recipe made in less than 30 minutes. Definitely a keeper!


Brown your lean ground beef and weigh out 25 oz cooked.


Add chopped cabbage to the 25 oz of cooked ground beef.


Then add the diced tomatoes, vinegar and water.


Next add the spices.


Stir until combined, bring to a boil, and then cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.

Divide into 5 equal portions. This is a great meal to freeze for later!


Unstuffed Cabbage Roll

Ingredients:
25 oz 93% lean ground beef, cooked (5 Leans)
1/2 tsp onion powder (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
4 cups cabbage, chopped (8 Greens)
2 (14.5 oz each) cans Great Value Italian diced tomatoes (7 Greens)
1 tbsp. cider vinegar (1/4 Condiment)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon (1/4 Condiment)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (1 Condiment)
1 tsp sea salt (4 Condiments)
1 packet stevia - optional (1 Condiment)
1/2 cup water

Directions:
Combine cooked ground beef with cabbage, diced tomatoes, vinegar and water over medium high heat.

Add  garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, black pepper, salt and sweetener. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Divide into 5 equal portions.

5 Servings with 
1 Lean, 3 Greens, 2 Condiments per serving

Click Here to Print


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One of my favorite meals to enjoy during the Fall and Winter is chili! It isn't cold here in the desert yet, but it is never too early to make chili! This one sure did hit the spot! Pure comfort food!


With the addition of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green peppers and spices... this chili has quickly become a favorite of mine. What is great about this recipe is that it uses the crock pot. Now who doesn't like their crock pot? If you don't have one, I urge you to get one!


To save time... I cook the ground beef the night before. I like to cook the green peppers with the ground beef, but you can always throw the green peppers in the crock pot with all the other ingredients. They will soften up in the crock pot.


This is halfway through the cooking process. Mmmmm the house smells sooooo good! A yummy bowl of chili waiting for me by the end of the day!


Crock Pot Chili

Ingredients:
25 oz cooked 93% lean ground beef (5 Leans)
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Great Value Italian diced tomatoes (7 Greens)
1/2 cup Hunts tomato sauce (2 Greens)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup green peppers, diced (1 Green)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp chili powder (8 Condiments)
1 tsp cumin (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp black pepper (1 Condiment)
3/4 tsp salt (3 Condiments)
1 packet splenda or stevia - optional (1 Condiment)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a crock pot.
Cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours.

5 Servings (about 1 1/2 cups) with 
1 Lean, 2 Greens (need 1 more Green per serving), and 3 Condiments

You can also cook this on the stove. Bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 min.

Want to add cheese? Use 20 oz cooked 93% lean ground beef instead of 25 ounces. Divide 1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese among the 5 servings about 0.8 ounces per bowl. 

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 Here is a simple dish if you enjoy eating Frank's hot sauce on EVERYTHING! This recipe has cooked spaghetti squash, shredded cabbage, cooked chicken breasts, Frank's hot sauce, ranch dressing and mozzarella cheese! If you don't want to add the cheese, just use 6 oz of cooked chicken instead of the 4.5 oz so you can get a full Lean for the day. For a short cut, use the breast meat from a store bought rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store. The ranch dressing is the healthy fat, but another variation to try is using 2 tbsp of light cream cheese instead of the ranch dressing. Stir the cream cheese into the spaghetti squash mixture to give it a creamy texture. Just leave out the ranch dressing if you decide to do this. Also, this recipe only makes 1 serving, but feel free to increase the amount of servings by doubling, tripling, etc!


The spaghetti squash and chicken are already prepared. I just grilled the chicken and chopped it up into pieces. If you would like a tutorial on how to cook spaghetti squash, you can check out this post Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Pesto.


In a skillet, add the spaghetti squash, cabbage and spices. Then add the chicken and Frank's hot sauce. Mix it all up until it is combined. Top it with yummy mozzarella cheese! Then drizzle with ranch dressing. If you prefer to bake this instead, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 12 to 15 min or until the cheese is melted and the squash is heated through. Then drizzle the ranch dressing on top before serving.


 Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked spaghetti squash (2 Greens)
1/2 cup cabbage, chopped - Use tri color cole slaw mix and take out the carrots to save time (1 Green)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/8 tsp onion powder (1/4 Condiment)
4.5 oz of grilled, baked or cooked chicken breasts, chopped into pieces (3/4 Leaner)
2 tbsp Frank's buffalo hot sauce (1 Condiment)
1/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/4 lean)
1 1/2 tbsp light ranch dressing (3/4 Healthy Fat)

Directions:
In a non-stick skillet, add spaghetti squash and cabbage over medium high heat.
Add garlic powder, onion powder, chicken and Frank's hot sauce and stir until combined and heated thoroughly.
Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese and let melt.
Drizzle ranch dressing on top before serving.

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, 2 Condiments, and 3/4 Healthy Fat per serving (for the chicken)

 If you prefer to bake this instead, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 12 to 15 min or until the cheese is melted and the squash is heated through. Then drizzle the ranch dressing on top before serving.


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This a great way to enhance the flavor of the cappuccino, especially if you like chocolate :) It is called a Tiramisu Milkshake, but I think it reminds me more of a Chocolate Frappuccino. The original recipe calls for 2 tbsp of chocolate syrup, but it was way too sweet for me so I only used 1 tbsp. Sooooo much better!



Tiramisu Milkshake

Ingredients:

1 package cappuccino mix (1 Meal)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup crushed ice
1 tbsp Walden Farms Chocolate Syrup (1/2 Condiment)

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a small blender and blend for about 15 seconds.

1 Medifast Meal and 1/2 Condiment


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I am a huge pesto sauce lover! I usually make my own pesto using olive oil, basil, parmesan cheese and pine nuts, but I wanted to try it with an Italian salad dressing in place of olive oil for added extra flavor! It was a success!


This recipe uses all the usual ingredients when making pesto except the olive oil. In place of olive oil, I used Italian salad dressing. Ken's Steakhouse makes a wonderful basil and romano dressing that is perfect for this recipe.


Using this dressing instead of olive oil, allows you to use 2 tablespoons instead of 1 teaspoon as one healthy fat with chicken! The more the merrier!


I used my magic bullet to make the pesto sauce. First I added the dressing.


Then I added the chopped fresh basil.


Finally, I added the parmesan cheese, pine nuts and garlic.


Blend away until you get that desired consistency.


Yum! Look at that creamy goodness! Set aside until ready to use.

Spaghetti squash is one of those veggies that make a wonderful alternative to pasta. I love the slight crunch and sweetness of this veggie. Actually, I use it quite often when I am craving a pasta substitute. You can't go wrong with only 40 calories and 8 grams of carbs per 1 cup! Not to mention it is sooooo easy to prepare. The microwave is my preferred cooking method.


First, poke some holes around the spaghetti squash so steam  can be released. Otherwise, your spaghetti squash just might explode in your microwave! You can use a knife but I used a metal skewer. Place the squash on a plate and microwave in 3 minute intervals, turning the squash around between intervals so that the squash can cook more evenly. You know when it is done when it begins to get soft. Mine usually takes between 9 to 11 minutes, depending on the size of your squash.


 Let the squash cool before handling. Cut the squash in half lengthwise.


Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard.


Make sure you remove all the excess strands and the seeds.


Scrape the inside of the squash with a fork to loosen the spaghetti strands into a bowl or plate.


Spaghetti squash noodles!


Gather all your ingredients together... 2 1/2 cups prepared spaghetti squash, grilled or baked chicken chopped into pieces, 1/2 cup Italian diced tomatoes (not pictured) and 1/3 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese (not pictured). You don't have to use mozzarella cheese but I am a firm believer in cheese making everything taste better :) If you want to leave the cheese out, then use 12 oz grilled or baked chicken.


Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and add the spaghetti squash, chicken and pesto over medium high heat. Toss the squash and chicken with the pesto sauce until evenly coated. I added the diced tomatoes at the last minutes. Divide the mixture into two portions and sprinkle with mozzarella.

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Pesto

Ingredients:
For the Pesto:
1/4 cup Kens Steakhouse Lite Northern Italian with Basil and Romano Dressing (2 Healthy Fats)
1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped (1 Condiment)
2 tbsp reduced fat grated Kraft parmesan cheese (1 Condiment)
40 pine nuts (2 Condiments)
1 tsp minced garlic (1 Condiment)

 For the Chicken Spaghetti Squash Dish:
10 oz grilled or baked chicken (1 2/3 Lean)
1/3 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese (1/3 Lean)
2 1/2 cups spaghetti squash strands, cooked (5 Greens)
1/2 cup Great Value Italian diced tomatoes, drained (1 Green)

Directions:
To make pesto, combine all the ingredients for the pesto in a small blender or food processor. I used my magic bullet. Blend until desired consistency. Set aside.

Lightly spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti squash, chicken and pesto. Stir until combined and heated thoroughly. When heated, toss in the diced tomatoes. Divide the mixture into two portions. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese between the two portions. Enjoy!

2 servings with 
1 Leaner Lean, 3 Greens, 2.5 Condiments and 1 Healthy Fat per serving

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This avocado chicken salad is pretty amazing! I was a little surprised on how much I really enjoyed it. I mean come on... it's just chicken salad ... well chicken salad that is all jazzed up! We all know the combination of avocado, lime and cilantro go great together. Add some Greek yogurt instead of mayo and it makes a fabulous Lean! Serve with your favorite Greens and you have a complete Lean and Green meal. Yum! Talk about a fiesta in my mouth!

I grilled some chicken breasts and cut them into bite size pieces. Measure out 10 oz of cooked chicken. You can also use a whole rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Use the breast of the chicken with skin and bones removed.


Then I added the avocado and used my food scale to measure out 3 oz. Add cilantro, lime juice and your seasonings. Then add the Greek yogurt to give it that creamy goodness without all the fat of mayo. Enjoy!

Avocado Chicken Salad

 Ingredients:
10 oz finely diced chicken, about 2 cups but weigh for accuracy (1 2/3 Lean)
1/2 cup 2% Plain Greek yogurt (1/3 Lean)
3 oz chopped avocado (2 Healthy Fats)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1/8 tsp pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp lime juice (2 Condiments)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (1/4 Condiment)

 Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Divide into 2 servings.

 2 Servings with 
1 Lean, 2.37 Condiments and 1 Healthy Fat per serving





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I really love potato salad, but potato salad is higher in carbs. How I miss potatoes, but alas ... I found another substitute. Cauliflower is an awesome alternative to potatoes and it is much lower in carbs. Cut up some florets and you are golden.

Now for the mayo? I got a substitute for you too! Plain low fat Greek yogurt! You can still have that creamy goodness of potato salad without adding only 1 or 2 tbsp of light mayo because yogurt counts as part of your Lean rather than a Healthy Fat. Add a little bit of Dijon mustard, pickles, salt, pepper, paprika, hard boiled eggs and you got a wonderful faux potato salad. The entire recipe is 1 Lean and Green but I like to split it into 3 equal portions. I mean I love potato salad, but not enough to have a big bowl as my entire meal. If you divide it into 3 portions, then you will have 1/3 Lean, 1 Green, 1 Condiment and 1/3 Snack. You would still need 2/3 Lean such as 4 oz of chicken or 4.6 oz of tilapia. Here is a chart that will help you determine how much 2/3 Lean would be:


I have this printed and posted on my fridge!


Cook your cauliflower in boiling water. I used frozen cauliflower and followed the directions on the back of the package.


Drain the cauliflower and pat dry. Cut the cauliflower into small florets or chunks. Place in a medium sized bowl.


Add two chopped pickle spears which you must deduct from your Snack for the day.


Add chopped hard boiled eggs to the mixture. You can always buy the eggs already hard boiled at the grocery store if you want to save time.


Combine the yogurt with Dijon mustard, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Then add it to the cauliflower mixture. Toss until combined.


Great for those hot BBQ grilling parties!

Cauliflower Salad

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups or 9.5 oz cauliflower, cooked from frozen (3 Greens)*
2 cooked hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped (2/3 Lean)
1/2 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt (1/3 Lean)
2 tsp Dijon mustard (2 Condiments)
1/8 tsp salt (1/2 Condiment)
1/8 tsp fresh black pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1/8 tsp paprika (1/4 Condiment)
2 pickle spears, chopped (1 Snack)

Directions:
Chop cooked cauliflower into small florets. Place in a medium sized bowl.
Add eggs and pickles.

In another small bowl, combine yogurt, dijon mustard, salt, pepper and paprika.
Add to the cauliflower mixture and toss to coat.
Refrigerate until serving.

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments and 1 Optional Snack

 * If you would like to add celery, decrease the cauliflower to 1 1/4 cups and add 1/4 cup chopped celery.

You can also divide this salad into 3 equal portions as
1/3 Lean, 1 Green, 1 Condiment and 1/3 Optional Snack

 or in 2 equal portions as
1/2 Lean, 1 1/2 Greens, 1 1/2 Condiments, and 1/2 Optional Snack


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Oh pasta... how I love you, but I must admit... my waistline doesn't! What to do, oh what to do, but find an alternative! By golly... I think I've got it!

Zucchini!

I know zucchini isn't pasta, but it sure does make a great substitute. You won't even miss pasta if you give zukes a try. My favorite way is to saute them in a pan with a little bit of water, oil or butter (depending on what I am making) but only a few minutes.

I have already been a fan of substituting zucchini for pasta for quite some time now (ever since I started doing Medifast), but I have never tried cooking it with a lemon cream sauce. The lemon flavor is not overpowering and it tastes great with the slight crunchiness of the zucchini and the acidity of the tomatoes. It is a colorful dish that is sure to impress!


Instead of using a julienne peeler, I used this amazing contraption I got from Amazon. It is called a Paderno World Cuisine Spiral Vegetable Slicer. I love this spiralizer! It is so easy to use and clean up is a breeze so what's not to love? You get these really neat spiral cut veggies in a matter of minutes and it makes your dish look oh so pretty! Simply stick the zucchini on the slicer and turn the handle. It's that easy!


If you are interested in purchasing one, you can head on over to Amazon or you can always use a julienne peeler and make thin zucchini strips as your pasta.


Saute 1 teaspoon of olive oil with garlic over medium-high heat.


Add the laughing cow cheese and lemon juice.


Stir until the cheese is melted.


Add the zucchini.

As you can tell from the photo, the laughing cow cheese was still clumpy and thick on the zucchini so I added 1 1/2 tbsp of water.


After adding the tiny bit of water, the sauce was smooth.


Toss the sliced cherry tomatoes in and let it cook for about a minute or until the tomatoes get warm. Serve with your favorite Leanest Lean!


Zucchini Pasta in a Lemon Cream Sauce

 Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup zucchini, peeled with a julienne peeler (2 1/2  Greens)
1 tsp olive oil (1 Healthy Fat)
1/2 tsp minced garlic (1/2 Condiment)
2 garlic and herb light laughing cow cheese wedges (1 Healthy Fat) 
2 tsp lemon juice (1 Condiment)
1 1/2 tbsp water
1/4 tsp kosher salt (1 Condiment) 
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper, to taste (1/4 Condiment)
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced (1/2 Green)

Directions:
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, heat olive oil and add garlic. Cook for 30 seconds.
Add laughing cow cheese, lemon juice, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of water stirring until cheese is melted.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add zucchini noodles, tossing to coat in sauce, and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until wilted. 
You don't want to overcook the noodles -- you want that slightly crisp texture! 
Toss in the cherry tomatoes and heat until warm, about 1 minute. Serve with your favorite Leanest Lean immediately.

 1 Serving with 
3 Greens, 2 Healthy Fats, and 2.75 Condiments

Click Here to Print

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Vacation is officially over for me! Boo hoo! Boy... time sure flies by when you are having fun, but unfortunately vacation time always comes to an end and reality sets in again. I spent 10 wonderful days in Florida visiting family and friends which explains why I have been MIA for some time.

One of the highlights of our trip was when we went to the beach!


My son, who is now almost 16 months old, has never seen the beach. We have only lived in Colorado and Nevada since he was born. On the other hand, hubby and I grew up in Florida so we were lucky enough to experience the beautiful waters quite often. I really missed being in Florida so it was great to be back if only for a few days. It was so cute... my son did not know what to think of the sand that touched his feet for the first time. At first, he was a little bit hesitant about walking on it, but then he loved it! We definitely made some wonderful memories we will cherish forever!

Also, I can't forget the fabulous times we had with both sides of our family. It was great to see everyone again because we missed them deeply, but what usually comes with family gatherings is food and LOTS of it! Whether it be going out to restaurants more often than usual or the tons of food that gets served at family gatherings, it is soooooo hard to stay on plan. Temptation was everywhere!

I am happy to say that I did maintain my weight while on vacation and actually lost one pound since being back which was Friday. Now that I am home and I have SOME normalcy in my life, I am ready to be 100% OP and get the rest of the weight off!


As for the recipe...

This Oven Baked Chicken Fajita recipe is so easy to make and both hubby and I enjoyed it. I think marinating the chicken in the olive oil and fajita seasoning mix is key. It adds more flavor to the chicken the longer you let it marinade. Also, if you don't like zucchini and yellow squash, feel free to switch them out with more peppers or to one of your favorite veggies. This is a great dish if you are craving Mexican!


Marinade the chicken strips in olive oil and fajita seasoning mix. I left the chicken in the marinade overnight.


Slice your peppers, dice your squash and toss with rotel tomatoes.


 Stir the veggies with the marinated chicken strips until completely combined. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake until done!

 
Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips (3 Leans)
1 tbsp olive oil (3 Healthy Fats)
2 tsp chili powder (4 Condiments)
1 1/2 tsp cumin (1 1/2 Condiments)
1/4 tsp paprika (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1 cup Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained (2 Greens)
1 cup red bell pepper, cut into strips (2 Greens)
1 cup green bell pepper, cut into strips (2 Greens)
1 1/2 cups zucchini or yellow squash (3 Greens)
Juice from half a lime , about 2 tsp (1 Condiment)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine chicken strips with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder and salt. Marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours or more if desired.

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Add the tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and squash to the chicken and stir until combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Squeeze juice from half a lime over chicken and veggies before serving.

 Makes 3 Servings
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Condiments, 3 Greens, and 1 Healthy Fat


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