I love Mexican rice and I thought hmmm... fried rice from grated cauliflower tastes yummy so why not Mexican rice? Well, it turned out yummy too! I decided to try it as a casserole by layering the Mexican rice with grilled cut up chicken that was marinated in olive oil and fajita seasoning. Then layered with shredded Mexican cheese of course! It definitely fulfilled my craving for Mexican food!


It was even better the second day! After re-heating it, I just mixed it all up together and it became a big bowl of spicy goodness!


Mexican Chicken and Cauliflower "Rice" Casserole

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups grated cooked cauliflower (5 Greens)
1/2 cup mild rotel diced tomatoes (1 Green)
1/4 cup salsa (4 Condiments)
1/8 tsp salt (1/2 Condiments)
1/8 tsp pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1/8 tsp garlic powder (1/4 Condiment)
1 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese, grated (1 Lean)
8 oz raw chicken breast (1 Leaner Lean)
1/2 tsp low sodium taco seasoning (1 Condiment)
1 tsp olive oil (1 Healthy Fat)

Directions:
Season chicken with taco seasoning and toss with olive oil. Marinate for at least 4 hours. Grill, bake or broil. Chop into bite sized pieces and set aside.

 In a large bowl, combine grated cauliflower, rotel tomatoes, salsa, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour mixture into a casserole dish (I used a 9 inch pie plate), layer with chicken and then cover with cheese. Bake in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Divide into 2 equal portions.

 Makes 2 servings
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments per Serving




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The Super Bowl is coming up so I wanted to try something different. Everyone knows that you never eat anything healthy while watching the Super Bowl! You are suppose to have all this meat and ooey gooey cheese! Okay maybe not everyone agrees with me on that one, but this would make an awesome dish for the game! What's best about this dish is that hubby gives it two thumbs up!


Anyways, this makes 4 servings so you will have to cut that sucker into 4 pieces and share with someone. Make that 3 someones! But that's okay because they will love you for sharing once they try this dish. You will also have to add 2 more servings of greens and you still have 2 other condiments left over to spice them up if you like! Feel free to add more veggies or change up the spices. Make this YOUR pizza!


This is the whole enchilada! Oops, I meant pizza! I cooked it in a pie plate but for a thinner crust, I may try cooking it on a pizza pan instead. The pie plate made it more like a casserole because the meat layer was thicker. Enjoy this yummy dish! 

No Dough Meat Crust Pizza

 Ingredients:
9 oz 93% lean ground beef, cooked (2 Leans with the 1 oz of turkey pepperoni)
2 cups shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese,  divided (2 Leans)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp onion powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (1 Condiment)
1 tbsp grated reduced fat parmesan cheese (1/2 Condiment)
1 cup Great Value Italian Diced Tomatoes - must be 5g of carbs or less per 1/2 cup or you can use 1/2 cup low carb Marinara Sauce (2 Greens)
1/4 cup red bell peppers (1/2 Green)
1/4 cup green bell peppers (1/2 Green)
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped (1 Green)
1 oz turkey pepperoni slices ~ subtract 1 oz from Lean

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ground beef in a mixing bowl and mix with 1 cup of mozzarella. Add salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese until combined. Spread the mixture into a circle on a round pizza pan or use a round baking dish. 

I placed the diced tomatoes in a small chopper and blended until the sauce was smooth. Top the meat mixture with the blended tomatoes. Top with 1 cup mozzarella, red peppers, green peppers, zucchini, and turkey pepperoni. Bake for about 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.

Makes 4 Servings
Each serving provides
 1 Lean, 1 Green, and 1 Condiment per Serving
(Still need 2 Greens per serving)

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Tomorrow is my weigh in day for the 50 pound weight loss challenge I am doing. I will be happy with any loss right about now. Now, if I gained... then I will kick, scream and throw a fit! Nonetheless, I can't wait to see what my scale has in store for me. I started exercising this past Monday which is HUGE for me! I haven't been active in anything for quite some time. I really started moving my butt because of this 50 lb weigh loss challenge! One of our mini challenges is to exercise for at least 30 minutes fives times during the week. Well, today is my second day of walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes (33 minutes to be exact, but whose counting!). I feel pretty good about adding exercise to my daily routine and I find myself looking forward to it.

If you haven't already joined some type of a challenge or maybe a support group on Facebook, I highly suggest you do so. I am in a couple of social groups and what you get out of those groups is beyond words. The groups that I belong to are simply amazing! The people are wonderful, they know what you are going through because they are going through the same thing, and you will meet some very inspirational people! You learn so much from others on program, whether it might be a new recipe, tips and tricks to add variety to the meals, or how to cope with stress through this whole weight loss process. It isn't easy going through this journey alone so take advantage of all the resources out there!

Now, it is recipe time! This chicken is especially yummy because it has the subtle sweetness from the pancake syrup and a slight crunch from the almonds, while the lemon brightens it up with a little tang. It adds some variety to plain old chicken breasts!


Almond Maple Chicken

 Ingredients:
8 oz raw chicken breasts - should yield 6 oz cooked (1 Leaner Lean)
2 tbsp Walden Farms pancake syrup (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tbsp grated fresh lemon zest (1/2 Condiment)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1/8 tsp pepper (1/4 Condiment)
10 whole almonds, chopped (1 Optional Snack)

 Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in a shallow baking pan and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine pancake syrup, lemon rind, lemon juice, and almonds in a small bowl. Pour mixture over chicken. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.

 Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Leaner Lean, 2.75 Condiments and 1 Optional Snack
(needs 1 Healthy Fat)
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Here is an easy meatless weekday meal! Just mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, pour it in a casserole dish and bake! Easy, easy, peasy! Not to mention this screams comfort food that the entire family would love! 


Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Ingredients:
1/4 cup egg beaters (1/8 Leanest Lean)
1 1/2 cups broccoli (3 Greens)
4.5 oz 1% cottage cheese (3/8 Leanest Lean)
1/2 tsp Mrs Dash garlic and herb seasoning (1 Condiment)
2 tbsp grated reduced fat parmesan cheese (1 Condiment)
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese (1/2 Lean)
1/2 tbsp light butter (1/2 Healthy Fat for the cottage cheese and egg beaters)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a bowl except parmesan cheese and shredded cheddar cheese. Pour into a casserole dish sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Bake for 40 min. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese on top. Bake an additional 20 minutes.

1 Serving with
 1 Lean, 3 Greens, 2 Condiments and 1/2 Healthy per Serving
(No additional Healthy Fat needed)

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No need for take out! Try this yummy classic dish made with tender beef and fresh veggies in a savory sauce! Serve this stir fry with cauliflower rice for a yummy lean and green meal!


Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients:
14 oz flank or boneless sirloin steak, cut into strips, raw weight (2 Leans)
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp McCormick lower sodium brown gravy mix (3 Condiments)
2 tbsp lite soy sauce (2 Condiments)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1 cup broccoli florets (2 Greens)
1/2 cup green bell peppers, sliced (1 Green)
1/2 cup red bell peppers, sliced (1 Green)
1 cup grated cauliflower, cooked (2 Greens)

Directions:
Combine gravy mix, soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, and water in a small bowl. Set aside.

Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add steak; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until desired doneness. Do not over cook.

Stir in broccoli, peppers, and gravy mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 to 8 minutes or until broccoli is tender crisp. Serve each portion with 1/2 cup grated cauliflower.

2 Servings

Per Serving:
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments per Serving

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I have been pretty slow on getting these recipes up on my blog. I decided to post them on my blog first and then put them on my facebook page. I just get so excited when I make something that I really enjoy and I want to hurry and share it with you guys! Then I kind of forget about them until I realize hey whatever happened to that one recipe I liked so much. Hmmm... it's not on my blog. It must be on my facebook page! Then I have to search for the recipe... oh well... you know how that goes :) So now comes this catfish recipe I plan on adding to my rotation of yummy meals!

I love, love, love fried catfish! Did I say that I love it? Yeah, I really love FRIED catfish. What can you expect from a girl who lived in Louisiana and Texas most of her growing up years! I used to go with my grandparents to a place called Catfish King as a special treat when I came over to visit during the summers. Gosh, I loved that place. Then we started going to Dorothy's Porch until they closed down and finally to the large chain Black eyed Peas! It wasn't the same but it still helped my fried catfish fix! Yeah, I know fried catfish isn't very medifast friendly, but grilled is! Honestly, I really enjoyed this fish just as much as I would have fried. It has TONS of flavor. Almost too much! Can anything ever have too much flavor?! Well, I cut the salt in half and cut the cayenne red pepper in half. It was much more to my liking. Some of you guys like it really spicy and if so add more cayenne pepper. Knock yourself out! It may get you to drink that extra water we have to drink on medifast! Also, if you really want to use Cajun seasoning, go right ahead. It's just more fun to make your own! Anyways, hubby and I really liked this one and he isn't much of a fish eater so that is a plus. He didn't eat the cole slaw because he doesn't like mayo so I made him some corn instead. I like how this fish doesn't use any healthy fats so you can get your healthy fats into your sides such as this cole slaw recipe or good old fashioned mashed cauliflower! I never had cole slaw before and this one is a little sweet. Is it suppose to be sweet? Maybe I may decreaswe the splenda next time. Enjoy!


Grilled Cajun Catfish

Ingredients:
18 oz raw wild catfish (2 Leanest Lean)
1/2 tsp thyme leaves (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp black pepper (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp cayenne red pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp onion powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp lemon pepper (1/4 Condiment)

Directions:
Combine seasonings in a small bowl. Sprinkle on both sides of the catfish. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily. You can also bake it at 375 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

2 Servings with
1 Leanest Lean, 2.12 Condiments per Serving
( You need 2 Healthy Fats to complete this Lean)


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 I have been missing, but I finally found my way back. It has been a very long time since I last blogged. With moving to a new city (Las Vegas Baby!), getting situated in our new home, and getting my son's doctors appointments squared away, blogging just seemed to be placed on the back burner. (Not to mention, I fell off plan and ate everything under the desert sun! I think Vegas is the BUFFET capital of the world! Everywhere I go there is a buffet calling out my name. Geesh! Don't come to Vegas when you are dieting or at least if you are dieting and unprepared!) Now that I am all binged out, I really feel good this time around. Today is my third day back on plan and for the first time in a very long time I feel I can honestly get it done! I think it may be my twentieth time re-starting... okay... okay.... maybe more like the hundredth time, but who's counting? What is important is what I do today. I can't change the past so now I must move on. Forget that I had almost a dozen donuts one day last week, or the large pizza at one sitting and other unhealthy foods I won't mention. I think we can all relate to how difficult it is to lose weight. If it were easy, everyone would be skinny, right? I am not even quite sure why I love to eat so much. The comforting and happy feeling of eating that piece of cake or maybe two or possibly three pieces doesn't even last long because by the time I finish eating, I feel disappointed, disgusted, and even upset at myself. Well, change is coming... and I like it :) I will keep you posted on how my weight loss goes.

As for the recipe. I really enjoyed this one. I was looking for a tomato based soup that would remind me of spaghetti and meatballs and this did the trick. I think what I liked most about this recipe is that it uses only a few ingredients so it is great weekday meal for us busy people. My husband is hard to please and he really liked this recipe too. Not bad, considering he isn't on a weight loss plan. I would only have this occasionally because of the sodium content. Between the canned, diced tomatoes, beef broth and meatballs, you better drink lots of water! Enjoy the recipe!


Mama Mia Meatball Soup

Ingredients:
5 Trader Joe Flame Broiled Turkey Meatballs or 10 Butterball Italian Style Turkey Meatballs or 5 Jennie-O Homestyle Meatballs (1 Lean)
1 cup Great Value Italian diced tomatoes, less than 5 g of carbs per 1/2 cup (2 Greens)
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped (1 Green)
1 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth (1 1/2 Condiments)
1/8 tsp black pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1/2 tsp Dried Basil Leaves (1/4 Condiment)

Directions:
Heat meatballs in microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. I did this so I could cut the meatballs in 4 pieces. You could place them in the saucepan whole, if desired.

Puree diced tomatoes in a small chopper, blender or magic bullet until desired consistency. I did it for about 5 seconds so that it resembled more of a sauce than chunks of tomatoes.

Combine meatballs, zucchini, tomatoes, beef broth and basil in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
 
 1 Lean, 3 Greens and 2 Condiments


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This is a dish that I grew up with and that I absolutely love! My father grew up in a small town in Texas near the border closest to Louisiana so he was influenced by Cajun cooking. I spent most of my growing up years living in both Louisiana and Texas so dirty rice and gumbo were commonly seen on our kitchen table. I  used lean ground beef and andouille chicken sausage, but you can also use Jennie-O bulk turkey sausage instead of ground beef if you desire. I also replaced traditional rice with grated cauliflower making this dish healthier and low carb! Enjoy this recipe!


Cauliflower Dirty Rice

Ingredients:
14 oz 93% lean ground beef or 14 oz Jennie-O bulk turkey sausage, uncooked (2 Leans)
1/4 cup green peppers, chopped (1/2 Green)
1/4 cup celery, chopped (1/2 Green)
3 tbsp onion, chopped (3 Condiments)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1 tsp Creole seasoning (4 Condiments)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 cup chicken broth (1/2 Condiment)
2 links Al Fresco Andouille Chicken Sausage, chopped * (1 Lean)
4 cups grated cauliflower (8 Greens)
parsley to garnish

Directions:
In a large skillet, add ground beef, green peppers, celery, onion, garlic powder, creole seasoning and black pepper. Cook over medium heat until ground beef is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Drain any excess liquid. Stir in chicken broth, chopped sausage, and cauliflower. Cover and cook for about 8 to 10 min or until liquid is absorbed. Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!

Makes 3 servings
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments

* If you would like to omit the Al Fresco sausage, you would need to add 1/3 Lean more to each serving such as 2 oz of chicken breasts or 2.3 oz shrimp. Or you can increase the ground beef or turkey sausage to 21 oz instead of 14 oz to get 3 full Lean and Green meals.

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You guys are not going to believe what is used in this dessert instead of coconut! Spaghetti squash! I questioned how spaghetti squash could replace coconut but it works and it’s delicious! It has the crunchiness and sweet flavor similar to coconut. It definitely can pass as coconut pie! This Is a great way to use up a Green and a part of your Lean so you can  have a yummy dessert after your Lean and Green meal! Definitely will be making this again!  Enjoy!


Mock Coconut Pie

Ingredients:
3 packets stevia (3 Condiments)
1 egg (1/3 Lean)
1 tbsp light butter, melted (1 Healthy Fat)
1 tsp lemon juice (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (1/4 Condiment)
1 cup cooked, shredded spaghetti squash (2 Greens)
1/4 tsp coconut extract (1/4 Condiment)
Dust of cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Beat the stevia and egg together until light and frothy. Beat in lemon juice, vanilla and butter until well blended. Pulse the spaghetti squash in a blender a few times so that you get small strands that resemble coconut. Stir in spaghetti squash. Pour the mixture into two ramekins. Dust the top with cinnamon, if desired. Bake in preheated oven, until a knife inserted in center comes out clean 40 to 45 min. Cool on rack before serving.'

 2 servings with 
1/6 Lean, 1 Green, 2 Condiments, and 1/2 Healthy Fat per serving


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If you are craving lasagna and you want a complete lean and green meal, then this is a great recipe! I really like the use of spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta and it works so well in this recipe. This casserole is layered with spaghetti squash, a ricotta cheese mixture, Italian seasoned ground turkey, diced tomatoes and mozzarella! You can easily make your out Italian ground turkey, but hubby had picked up some Jennie O Italian seasoned ground turkey from the grocery store so I decided to use that in this recipe. It was easily convenient and I didn't have to add any other seasonings to the meat which meant no additional condiments for the meat!


I used a 9" square casserole dish to assemble the casserole and then divided it up into four servings. One serving was for tonight, one is for tomorrow and two of them are in the freezer for later.


I have to say that this is going to be another favorite of mine that I will continue to make time and time again. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!


Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Casserole

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked spaghetti squash (8 Greens)
8 oz part skim ricotta cheese (1 Lean)
8 oz reduced fat mozzarella cheese, divided (2 Leans)
2 tbsp egg beaters
2 tbsp reduced fat grated parmesan cheese (1 Condiment)
2 cups Great Value Italian diced tomatoes, divided (4 Greens)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/8 tsp pepper (1/4 Condiment)
5 oz Jennie O Italian seasoned ground turkey 93%, cooked  (1 Lean)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick squash with fork or metal skewer and roast in oven for an 45 to 50 min or until it seems soft when you press on it. Take it out and leave on the counter until cool.

When squash is cool, cut in half and scoop out the seeds and discard. Use a fork or spoon to scoop out the rest of the squash and set aside in a bowl. Measure out 4 cups of spaghetti squash and store the rest in the fridge. Add garlic powder and pepper.

Mix ricotta cheese, parmesan, egg beaters and 4 oz or 1 cup of mozzarella cheese together.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour 1 cup Italian diced tomatoes on the bottom of a 9 inch or 8 inch square casserole dish and spread evenly. Add squash. Top the squash with the ricotta cheese mixture. Then top the ricotta cheese mixture with the cooked ground turkey. Spread 1 cup of Italian diced over the meat. 

 Bake for 30 minutes. Spread the rest of the mozzarella cheese over the top (1 cup) and bake an additional 20 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly brown. Let rest for 10 minutes or so to serve.

4 servings with 
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and  Less than 1 Condiment per serving

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