Here is a low-carb pizza casserole recipe that every pizza lover will love! Plus it is made in the slow cooker! Super easy to make and a real crowd pleaser! Perfect for tailgating or any get together!


But there is a secret ingredient! Underneath all that cheese and pepperoni, there are hidden veggies!


Cauliflower! It has a neutral flavor so it is a great veggie to sneak in! If you don't want to use cauliflower, feel free to use any veggie combo you like such as assorted bell peppers, mushrooms, or tomatoes. If you leave out the cauliflower, remember to add 1 more Green per serving to complete your Lean and Green meal! Enjoy!


Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb uncooked 95 to 97% lean ground beef ~ 12 oz cooked (2 Leans)
1 tsp garlic powder (2 Condiments)
3/4 tsp salt (3 Condiments)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1 tsp dried oregano leaves (1 Condiment)
1 tsp dried basil leaves (1/2 Condiment)
2 cups roughly chopped fresh cauliflower (4 Greens)
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (4 Condiments)
* 4 cups Great Value Italian diced tomatoes, blended into a sauce or 2 cups approved marinara sauce (8 Greens)
1 and 1/2 cups reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese with
2 oz turkey pepperoni slices, divided (2 Leans)

Directions:
Over medium high heat, cook ground beef in a large skillet. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drain grease. Remove from heat.

Add dried oregano, dried basil, cauliflower, parmesan cheese, marinara sauce and 1 oz of turkey pepperoni that has been cut into fourths to the ground beef until combined. Pour into a slow cooker that has been sprayed lightly with cooking spray.

Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours.
Top with mozzarella cheese and additional 1 ounce of turkey pepperoni. Cook for an additional 30 min on HIGH or until cheese has melted.

4 Servings with
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments per serving

 * Most marinara sauces are no longer approved on the 5 and 1 plan, but canned Italian diced tomatoes is approved. Look for a brand that is less than 5 g of carbs. I like to use Great Value brand. Just be mindful that canned veggies are higher in sodium.

 Guidelines for choosing a tomato sauce:

Tomato Sauce (per 1/4 cup serving)

 less than 50 calories
less than 5 g carbohydrates
less than 200 mg sodium
less than 3 g of fat


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I love sloppy joes! It's a yummy hearty family favorite! The sweet and tangy flavors in this recipe are amazing and really balances out! Serve it as a fresh lettuce wrap, over cauliflower rice, in a salad, or on top of cauliflower flat breads for great low carb options. Either way, it's delicious!


The sweetness comes from Walden Farms syrup which is a great replacement for honey or maple syrup while you are trying to watch your waistline. The tang is from the yellow mustard and apple cider vinegar. If you are a fan of Carolina mustard bbq sauce, you need to try this recipe!

I am a big sloppy joes fanatic! They are so yummy so I was extremely excited to find this recipe at Masonfit.com. With some slight modifications, it is approved for the Medifast or Optavia plan! Check out his site for some delicious healthy recipes! 


I started off browning the ground beef in a skillet. Then added the sauce and stirred until combined. Heated on low for 4 to 5 min or until heated thoroughly.


They are wonderful as lettuce wraps!


But not without adding cheese first! Cheese on everything! Or eat it straight from a bowl! Topped with cheese of course!


Also try it with the Cali'flour Foods Flatbreads! Use Code Sandy to save 10% off and click the link below!

Cali'flour Foods Flatbreads

Bake the flatbreads at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 min. Then use them as as taco shells! 


Divide the recipe below into 3 servings. Each serving would then provide 2/3 Lean with 2 Condiments. The flatbreads count as 1/3 Lean and 2 Greens so add 1 more Green to complete your Lean and Green meal! Enjoy!


Sweet and Tangy Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:
8.75 oz 93% lean ground beef, cooked and drained of fat (1 and 3/4 Lean)
1/4 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (1/4 Lean)
Or use 10 oz of lean ground beef if omitting cheese

For the Sauce:
3 tbsp reduced sugar ketchup (3 Condiments)
1 tbsp yellow mustard (1 Condiment)
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (1/8 Condiment)
1 tbsp Walden Farms pancake syrup (1/4 Condiment)
1/2 tsp chili powder (1 Condiment)
1/8 tsp salt (1/2 Condiment)

Directions:
Brown ground beef in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Drain fat and measure out 8.75 oz. Return to skillet. Save the rest for another use.

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Pour sauce over ground beef. Heat skillet over low heat. Stir until combined. Continue cooking for 4 to 5 min or until heated thoroughly stirring often.

Divide mixture in half and top each portion with 2 tbsp cheese.

Makes 2 Servings
Each serving provides
1 Lean and 3 Condiments
(Add 3 Greens to make a complete Lean and Green meal)

Click Here to Print

Want to serve these with the Cali'flour Foods flatbreads? 
Divide the recipe into 3 servings instead of 2 servings. Each serving will provide 2/3 Lean with 2 Condiments. The flatbreads count as 1/3 Lean and 2 Greens so add 1 more Green to complete your Lean and Green meal!

Don't want cheese? 
Use 10 oz of cooked 93% lean ground beef as 2 Leans.

Want to enjoy a Chobani zero sugar yogurt later in the day? 
Leave out the cheese. Use 8.3 oz cooked 93% lean ground beef which counts as 1 and 2/3 Lean while the yogurt counts as 1/3 leanest.

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I am loving these quick and easy slow cooker meals! This Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken is so delicious! It uses only a few ingredients, but has a ton of flavor and is absolutely amazing! Eat this creamy chicken served with your favorite veggies, as chicken tacos, on top of cauliflower rice, or in salads! It is so versatile! Double the recipe and freeze the other half for later because it makes a great freezer meal!


I had this Green Chile Chicken two ways for the past two nights! The first night I had it with jicama shells (1 Green for 2 shells) that I picked up at Whole Foods Market in the produce section. The tortillas are made from raw jicama sliced thin. They are very mild tasting, and have a nice, crisp texture which make them a great alternative to traditional taco shells or tortillas. Plus they hold fillings perfectly!

The second night I had the chicken over cauliflower rice. Both ways were really yummy! I will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation! Enjoy the recipe! 


Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken

Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (4 Leaner)
2 (4 oz) cans chopped mild green chiles (2 Greens)
1 tsp garlic powder (2 Condiments)
1 tsp ground cumin (1 Condiment)
1 tsp chili powder (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp salt (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp black pepper (1 Condiment)
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese (4 Healthy Fats)
1/4 cup regular sour cream (4 Condiments)

Directions:
Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover the chicken with green chiles, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 1/2 hours.

When done, use forks to shred the chicken and mix with the juices. Stir the cream cheese into chicken and continue cooking for 30 more min on LOW. Then stir in sour cream until combined. Serve immediately.

*Freeze this meal for later! Place the chicken, chilies, and spices in a freezer safe ziploc bag. Label and freeze up until 6 months.

Thaw bag in fridge. Empty the bag into the slow cooker. Cook on Low 4 to 5 hours. 30 min before serving, shred the chicken and add the cream cheese. Continue cooking for 30 more min. Stir in sour cream at the end. Enjoy!

4 Servings (about 1 cup) with
1 Leaner, 1/2 Green (still need 2 1/2 Greens more such as 1 1/4 cup cauliflower rice), 3 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat per serving



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Who likes Chinese takeout? I DO!!!

Here is a healthier and tastier version of Cashew Chicken that comes straight from the slow cooker! 


Start off by cutting the chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces and then browning the chicken in a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray for about 3 to 4 min. Then add the chicken to a slow cooker along with the sauce. Cook on LOW for only 2 1/2 to 3 hours. This allows the chicken to marinate and absorb the yummy sauce while cooking.

You could always place whole chicken breasts in the slow cooker (skipping the browning step) with the sauce and cook for a longer amount of time, but this results in shredded chicken. Shredded chicken would be delicious on salads or lettuce wraps!


When the chicken is done cooking, divide into 3 portions with the sauce and garnish with cashews and thinly sliced green onions. There won't be a lot of sauce, but it makes yummy marinated chicken! Just make sure you do not overcook the chicken to prevent dryness. I chose to add the cashews at the end to individual portions for two reasons. I prefer the cashews to be crunchier when adding it as a garnish. Plus, it is easier to keep count of the correct portion size (1/3 ounce is 1 Healthy Fat) of the cashews when their not already mixed into the dish.

I served this dish with 1 1/2 cups of Trader Joe's fried cauliflower rice (3 Greens) and it was a delicious combination! Enjoy!


Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs or 24 oz raw chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces (3 Leaner)

For Sauce:
1/4 cup lite soy sauce (4 Condiments)
2 tbsp reduced sugar ketchup (2 Condiments)
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (1/2 Condiment)
1 packet of stevia or sweetener of choice (1 Condiment)
1 tsp minced garlic (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp ground ginger (1/2 Condiment)

Garnish:
1 ounce cashews, chopped (3 Healthy Fats)
Sliced green onions ~ optional but subtract from your Greens if using

Directions:
Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and season chicken with salt and pepper, if desired. Brown chicken in skillet, stirring occasionally for about 3 to 4 min. It will continue to cook in the slow cooker. Add chicken to the slow cooker.

Make the sauce. Combine soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, sweetener of choice, garlic and ginger in a small bowl. Pour the sauce over chicken. Gently toss chicken with sauce to coat. Cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Since the chicken is browned in the skillet first, it doesn't need a lot of time in the slow cooker. This method results in moist cubed chunks of chicken.

Garnish with 1/3 ounce of chopped cashews and sliced green onions per serving. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

3 Servings with
1 Leaner, 3 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat per serving

*Add 3 Greens to complete your Lean and Green meal. 1 1/2 cups of grated cauliflower or 1 1/2 cups of steamed tri -color cabbage are great options!

Click Here to Print

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I absolutely love Fall and with Fall comes all the delicious warm soup recipes! This creamy, low carb, lightened up recipe is absolutely delicious! I used less cream cheese than other taco soups and added plain Greek yogurt which allowed the soup to remain creamy without adding all the fat and calories. A touch of Hidden Valley ranch seasoning mix adds a touch of zip and blends so nicely with the taco seasoning and plain Greek yogurt. I topped it with a little bit of sharp cheddar cheese and some fresh chopped cilantro! It was pretty amazing! This recipe makes 5 large servings plus you can enjoy 2 additional Greens on the side! I had a cup of  mini bell peppers from the air fryer. So yummy! Enjoy!


Crock Pot Beef Taco Soup

Ingredients:
2 lbs 95 to 97% lean ground beef (4 Leaner)
4 1/2 ounces or 9 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese (4 1/2 Healthy Fats)
2 (10 ounce) cans Rotel (5 Greens)
1 tbsp low sodium taco seasoning (6 Condiments)
2 tsp Hidden Valley ranch seasoning mix (4 Condiments)
4 cups low sodium chicken broth (4 Condiments)
3/4 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt (1/2 Leaner)
1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 Lean)
5 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (1/3 Condiment)

Directions:
Brown ground beef until fully cooked.
While meat is cooking, place cream cheese, Rotel tomatoes, taco seasoning and ranch seasoning in the slow cooker.
Drain grease from meat and put the meat in the slow cooker.
Stir to combine meat with cream cheese and Rotel.
Pour chicken broth over meat mixture.
Cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours.
Before serving, stir in Greek yogurt.
Divide portions into 5 servings (about 2 generous cups per serving).
Add cheddar cheese (almost 2 tbsp per bowl) and garnish with cilantro (1 tbsp per bowl), if desired.

Makes 5 Servings
with 1 Leaner, 1 Green, 3 Condiments and 1 Healthy Fat per serving
*Add 2 more Greens to complete your Lean and Green meal

Click Here to Print

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This is an easy dish to throw together on those busy hectic days! A wonderful weekday meal! You got to love those skillet meals! Super easy and quick to make, but yet so yummy requiring only a few ingredients! You can always change out the peppers to veggies of your choice or add more veggies to the dish since you still have 1 and 1/2 more Greens to complete your Lean and Green meal. Delish!


Start off with chopping your peppers and onions. Then saute in a pan with olive oil cooking spray until onions are translucent and peppers are soft. Then add the ground beef and continuing cooking until cooked through.


I did not drain the meat because there wasn't much fat since I used a leaner beef. Next, add the chopped cauliflower and spices. Continue cooking until cauliflower is tender.


Add cheese on top of the ground beef and cauliflower mixture. Lower the temperature to low and cover the skillet with a lid. Allow the cheese to melt. 


Divide into 4 equal portions, about 1 cup each serving. Add 1 1/2 Greens of your choice on the side such as 3/4 cup roasted green beans! Enjoy!


Ground Beef Cauliflower Hash

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups frozen cauliflower, defrosted, drained and chopped (5 Greens)
1/2 cup bell peppers of your choice, chopped (1 Green)
1/4 cup onion, chopped (4 Condiments)
14 ounces 93% lean ground beef ~ 10 ounces cooked (2 Leans)
2 cups reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (2 Leans)
3/4 tsp garlic powder (1 1/2 Condiments)
3/4 tsp salt, use less if desired (3 Condiments)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)

Directions:
Spray a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium high heat.
Add onions and peppers. Then cook until onions are translucent and peppers are tender for about 3 to 4 min.
Add ground beef and cook until cooked through.
Add cauliflower, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until cauliflower is tender.
Add cheddar cheese on top of the cauliflower and beef mixture.
Turn heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and allow the cheese to melt.
Enjoy!

4 Servings (about 1 cup)
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 1 1/2 Greens, 2.25 Condiments
(Still need 1 1/2 Greens to complete your Lean and Green meal such as 3/4 cup green beans)


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Looking for a meal that is ready in less than 20 minutes? Here you go! Shrimp seasoned with Cajun seasoning cooked in a cast iron skillet or heavy pan with assorted bell peppers, tomatoes, and grated cauliflower. Grated cauliflower allows this dish to be low carb instead of using rice. I used Trader Joes frozen cauliflower rice that I let sit on the counter for about 15 min as I prepared the rest of the ingredients. Throw everything in one skillet and dinner is done! I just love skillet meals! 


Cajun Style Shrimp Skillet

Ingredients:
1 tbsp light butter (1 Healthy Fat)
1 tbsp olive oil (3 Healthy Fats)
1 tsp minced garlic (1 Condiment)
18 oz raw shrimp, shells and tails removed (2 Leanest Leans)
1 1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning (5 Condiments)
1/2 cup assorted bell peppers, chopped (1 Green)
1/2 cup Great Value Italian diced tomatoes, canned (1 Green)
2 cups frozen cauliflower rice (4 Greens)

Directions:
Heat a large skillet with butter and oil over medium high heat until melted.
Add garlic and saute for about 1 min and then add the shrimp.
Sprinkle Cajun seasoning over shrimp and cook for about 4 min or until shrimp is cooked thoroughly.

Add bell peppers, diced tomatoes, and cauliflower rice to skillet for about 4 min or until heated thoroughly.

2 Servings with
1 Leanest, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments and 2 Healthy Fats per serving


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Looking for a quick and easy meatball recipe to prepare that everyone will enjoy! Try these low carb, gluten-free Italian zucchini meatballs! Both the kiddos and adults will approve! The Bonus? There are veggies in it! Don't tell the kiddos though! The zucchini helps keep the meatballs moist without the use of breadcrumbs. 

 Meatballs are perfect for Monday night football so I will be serving these along with some other goodies tonight!


Shred the zucchini and squeeze out all the excess moisture. I only needed one medium sized zucchini to make 1 cup of shredded zucchini for this recipe. 

A little tip! If you have a french press, use it to squeeze out the moisture from the zucchini. Simply put the shredded zucchini at the bottom of your French Press. Place the top over and press down, like you would with your morning cup of coffee. Then drain! That's it!

Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Definitely, use a large bowl because this recipe makes 6 servings!


Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out the meatballs and place them on a cookie sheet.


I made exactly 42 meatballs which was perfect since I had 6 servings which gave me a nice round number of 7 meatballs per serving.


Bake the meatballs for about 20 to 25 min or until cooked through. I transferred the cooked meatballs to a 9 x 13 casserole dish to remove them from the grease and liquid from the meatballs.


Top the meatballs with 1 cup of an approved marinara sauce and the remaining 2/3 cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 min or until the cheese has melted. Garnish with fresh basil.


   I placed little football flags in the meatballs to be Game Ready! Go Team! Serve this with 2 Greens of your choice! Enjoy!


Italian Zucchini Meatballs

Ingredients:
For the Meatballs
14 oz 93% lean ground beef (2 Leans)
16 oz Jennie-O sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed* (2 Leans)
1 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese (1 Lean)
6 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese (3 Condiments)
1 cup shredded zucchini (2 Greens)
3/4 tsp salt (3 Condiments)
2 tsp onion powder (4 Condiments)
2 tsp fresh minced garlic (2 Condiments)
1 tsp Italian seasoning (2 Condiments)
1 egg (1/3 Lean)

For the Topping
2 cups Great Value Italian diced tomatoes, blended** (4 Greens)
2/3 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese (2/3 Lean)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (1/4 Condiment)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or use a non-stick silicone mat with the baking sheet.
Shred zucchini and squeeze out excess moisture from zucchini using a clean dish cloth or cheesecloth.
Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl.
Use a small cookie scoop and scoop out small meatballs and place them on the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for about 20 to 25 min or until cooked thoroughly. Drain the grease.
Top with tomato sauce and 2/3 cup cheese.
Bake for an additional 5 to 10 min or until cheese has melted.
Garnish with fresh basil.

6 Servings with
1 Lean, 1 Green, and 2 1/2 Condiments per serving

* You can substitute 14 oz of Jennie-O bulk turkey sausage instead of 16 oz Jennie-O sweet Italian turkey sausage or 93% lean ground beef.

** When choosing a brand of Italian diced tomatoes, make sure it has less than or equal to 5 g of carbs per 1/2 cup serving


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Have you made the mashed potato "buns" yet? They are pretty amazing! Their texture is very similar to bread so they make wonderful sandwiches or bagels!


You can shape the "bread" any way you like, but I like to use a donut pan so they have the shape of bagels. You can also form two round circles on a parchment lined cookie sheet to make traditional sandwich "buns".


I used two "buns" which was 1 Fueling, topped it with Pulled Root Beer BBQ Chicken I made in the Instant Pot. The recipe for the chicken is below as well! I topped it with ranch cole slaw and it was delicious! When making this little sandwich, you still have 2/3 Lean, 2 Greens, and 4 other Fuelings to complete your day! Enjoy!

Mashed Potato "Buns"

Ingredients:
1 Optavia Mashed Potatoes (1 Fueling)
2 Egg Whites (1/7 Lean)
1 tsp Baking Powder (2 Condiments)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add the baking powder and mashed potatoes. Whisk until combined. Pour in a ziploc bag and shape the bread into desired shape or use a donut pan. If shaping yourself with a ziploc bag, use parchment paper over a baking sheet. If using a donut pan, lightly spray pan with cooking spray. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until done.

1 Serving with 1 Fueling, 1/7 Leanest and 2 Condiments



Instant Pot Pulled Root Beer 
BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breasts (4 Leaner)
12 oz diet root beer
3/4 cup G Hughes Hickory BBQ Sauce or 1 1/2 cups G Hughes Carolina Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce, divided (12 Condiments)

Directions:
Whisk together root beer and 1/2 cup bbq sauce in a bowl.
Place chicken breasts and bbq mixture in the Instant Pot.
Lock Instant Pot in place and make sure the pressure release valve is set to sealing.
Cook on high pressure for 10 min. 
Instant Pot will take 10 to 15 min to come to pressure then it will countdown 10 minutes.
Do a 10 min NPR (natural pressure release). 
Drain liquid, then shred chicken. 
Add the remaining BBQ sauce and stir until combined.

4 Servings with
1 Lean and 3 Condiments per Serving

* Don't have an Instant Pot? Slow cooker directions also included in the printable recipe link below!



For the Sandwich:
Potato "Buns", 2 oz Pulled BBQ Chicken, 1/2 cup Cole Slaw Mix and 1 tbsp Light Ranch Dressing):

1 Fueling, 1/3 Lean, 1 Green, 1/2 Healthy Fat, and 3 Condiments
*You still need 2/3 Lean, 2 Greens, and 4 other Fuelings to complete your day.

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