Turkey Burgers with a Mediterranean Twist

These Mediterranean turkey burgers are juicy and delicious. The secret is the spinach. It helps to hold them together but also keeps the turkey tender as it cooks. The sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and feta cheese give them their yummy Mediterranean flavor.

Ingredients

• 1lb lean, ground turkey 
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water and finely chopped
• 2 oz frozen spinach thawed, excess liquid squeezed out using paper towel
• 6 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup whole grain bread crumbs
• sea salt and black pepper to taste 

Instructions

• Combine turkey, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, chopped onion, feta, garlic, oregano, bread crumbs, and egg in a medium bowl. 
• Season with salt and pepper 
• Mix well with clean hands 
• Form turkey mixture into six evenly-sized patties 
• Turn broiler to high (or preheat grill) 
• Grill or broil patties for 5 minutes on each side, until they have an internal temp of 165°F
• Serve on sprouted grain bread with hummus and tomato 

These burgers are my favorite, because they make 6 patties we can have them for dinner and leftovers for lunch or dinner again the next day. We always roast veggies or have carrot fries as a side with these burgers to make it a full meal. 

Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

We just got an Instant Pot (okay, it's really the crock pot version) for Christmas and we absolutely love it! I love that it can cook chicken for our salads in 20 minutes, I love that dinners that used to take HOURS in the crockpot can be done in such a short amount of time without diminishing any of the flavor.

As I've told you before, I could eat tacos multiple times in a week and be a happy camper. I've gotten Nate on this bandwagon too. So these tacos have been showing up in our meal plan almost weekly for a while now. Guess what, they never get old!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces, low-sodium chicken broth 
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp chili powder 
• 2 Tbsp cumin 
• 2 tsp smoked paprika (I love this little kick of smoky flavor, omit if it's not for you) 
• ½ tsp sea salt 
• 1 lb raw boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 1 cup pico de gallo or fresh salsa, divided 
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced 
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• lime wedges (optional)

Instructions

• Place chicken broth, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika and salt into the instant pot. Mix well 
• Add the chicken and stir again 
• Cover and seal instant pot 
• Press poultry and hit start. 
• You may do quick or natural release
• When done, transfer chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks 
• Evenly divide chicken (this makes 8 tacos) between tortillas. 
• Top evenly with pico de gallo, avocado slices, and cilantro. 
• Squeeze a bit of lime if you'd like!

That's it! They're delicious. If you'd like you can also crisp up your tortillas and make tostadas instead. Sometimes we add a bit of plain greek yogurt to the top as well. Dress them as you please. There are a lot of ways to make these tacos fun. I hope you love them as much as we do! 

Kid's Meal: Corn Dog Muffins

Gabe LOVES corn dogs. To be honest, so does Nate. If we're being real, we know that the packaged and frozen ones aren't that great of a choice nutrition wise. These are homemade. You will know and be able to pronounce every ingredient that you put into them. I promise, if Gabe loves them, your littles will too. 

Corn Dog Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 c all purpose flour 
• 1 c corn meal 
• 1½ tsp baking powder tsp 
• ¼ baking soda  
• ¼ cup and 2 Tbsp Coconut Sugar 
• ¾ tsp sea salt 
• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
• 3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 3 turkey or all-beef hot dogs, nitrate and nitrite free, cut into quarters 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Coat a 12 cup muffin tin lightly with cooking spray, set aside
• Combine all dry ingredients (flour, corn meal, baking powder, baking soda, coconut sugar and sea salt) in a large bowl, mix well 
• Combine buttermilk, oil, and eggs in a medium bowl, whisk to blend together 
• Add wet ingredients slowly to dry ingredients, whisking until just blended 
• Fill muffin cups with corn muffin mix (about ¾ full) 
• Press hot dog quarter into the center of each muffin cup 
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

These are a wonderful option for kids, but can also be great for tailgates, potlucks, or even game day at home! I hope they're as big of a hit at your house as they are at ours!

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dark chocolate, walnuts, and almond flour make a delicious cookie with a great texture. They're gluten free, and use pure maple syrup to sweeten. They help curb my sweet tooth cravings and are DEFINITELY a bit of a healthier version of the original chocolate chip cookies we all love. Nate and Gabe actually prefer these to my normal chocolate chip cookies. So they're a hit with all ages! 

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, room temperature 
• 1 large egg 
• 2 egg whites 
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (I always let a little bit run over the tsp) 
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (I let this one run over a little bit too) 
• 3 cups almond flour 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt 
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (60% or greater Cacao)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper 
• Combine dry ingredients (almond flour, baking soda, sea salt), mix, and set aside 
• Mix coconut oil and pure maple syrup in a mixer for about 5 minutes. 
• Add whole egg, egg whites, and your vanilla and almond extracts, mix for 2 more minutes 
• Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mix until just combined 
• Add in chocolate chips and walnuts, mix until well combined
• Use a tablespoon and place large, rounded tablespoons on your prepared baking sheets 
• Using the back of the spoon lightly flatten each ball of dough 
• Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown

They're fairly easy and pretty quick. If you're in the mood for cookies, these are a great option. Store in a sealed container on at room temperature for about a week. Enjoy!

Almond Crusted Chicken with Sauteed Vegetables

This Almond-Crusted Chicken is a perfect and quick meal for dinner on a busy weeknight. The recipe makes 6 servings, so we often have it for dinner two nights and I'll bring leftovers in my lunch. It's just as yummy reheated! 

Ingredients for Chicken

• 1 cup almond flour 
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 
• 1 large egg, beaten 
• 1/4 cup water 
• 6 raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 

Ingredients for Vegetables 

• 6 cups fresh vegetables of choice (we used Onion, Pepper, Asparagus, and Carrots) 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tsp minced garlic

Instructions for Chicken

• Preheat oven to 425°F
• Combine almond flour, lemon peel, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix well and set aside 
• Combine egg and water in a shallow bowl; whisk to blend 
• Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture, move it to the flour mixture and evenly coat the chicken, set aside.
• Heat Olive Oil in in a large skillet over medium-high heat
• Add chicken breasts and cook for 4 minutes on each side
• Move chicken from the skillet to a parchment-lined baking sheet; bake for 12-15 minutes until a cooking thermometer reads 165°F

Instructions for Vegetables

• While the chicken is baking, heat olive oil and garlic in skillet over medium heat
• Add chopped vegetables
• Cook the veggies, stirring frequently for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender crisp. 

Serve one chicken breast and one cup of vegetables per serving.  Remember, these make great leftovers and lunches! It's a healthy meal, husband approved!

Ultimate Portion Fix Nutrition Program

Ultimate Portion Fix Nutrition Program

About 4 years ago, I learned about a new nutrition system. It's easy to follow and, best of all, it works! The 21 Day Fix introduced us all to the fun rainbow-colored portion control containers. yes! Those simple little color-coded containers help you to get a handle on your nutrition and lose and maintain weight.

Now, the creator, Autumn Calabrese has revamped the nutrition program to make it new, exciting, and even better than before!

Portion control containers helped me learn to eat healthy foods in the right quantities and combinations to help me achieve my ultimate health and wellness goals. However, portion control is just the beginning!

In the new and improved program, Autumn goes deeper into other nutrition principles including balanced macronutrients and eliminating processed foods from your diet as much as possible. No more frozen diet meals or packaged diet snacks to count your calories. The Ultimate Portion Fix will help you break your sugar addiction, and get your whole family on board with healthy eating. It will also teach you how to maximize your nutrition to fuel your body for your workouts.

The Ultimate Portion Fix is about giving your body exactly what it needs to operate at its best! No quick fixes, no fasting, no trendy fad, and NO starving! You get to enjoy food and get the most out of what you eat because you will learn to feed your body what it needs in the proper ratios. I know that for me, this was a GAME changer. I was proud of how we ate and my clean eating. Yet, when I was introduced to the containers, I found that I was eating TOO MUCH of some healthy foods and NOT ENOUGH of the others. This took out the guesswork for me. My weight loss and fitness results in just a week on the original program were amazing. I can't wai tto see what happens with the new and improved programs!

What's Included in the Ultimate Portion Fix Nutrition Program? 

• Over 30 new videos about the containers and principles of the nutrition plans 
• Portion control containers 
• A workbook and daily logbook 
• Fixate Volume 2 Cookbook with 102 new recipes 
• Access to over 200 episodes of the Fixate Cooking Show
• 75 Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids PDF
• Tracking with the Nutrition+ and Beachbody On Demand Apps

Bonus: When you purchase the Ultimate Portion Fix before April 1st, you'll get real-time streaming of 21 Day FIx and 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts, so you can work out together with Autumn Calabrese and the cast starting April 1, 2019

The combo package will also include an Insulated Tote Bag that comes with large partitioned containers, ice packs, and plenty of storage so you can take your food with wherever you go.

But the BEST part of purchasing the Ultimate Portion Fix is that you get access to me as your coach as well as an invite to my Ultimate Portion Fix Accountability Group! 

When is the Ultimate Portion Fix Available? 

The program comes out March 18, 2019 for customers and live workouts will start April 1st. If you are interested in earning a discount or joining my team and making an income, you grab early access to the program on March 4, 2019 by signing up as a coach. If you're interested in learning more about coaching click here.

Why Should I Jump In With Kate? 

Anyone can try the Ultimate Portion Fix on their own, but I can tell you from experience that jumping into an accountability group is crucial for your success. We are more successful when we are surrounded by like-minded people! We will work together to keep each other on track and, along the way, I'll share my tips and tricks that will help make the program and life easier for you!

I'm interested in the Ultimate Portion Fix

Click the link above, fill out the form, and I'll be in touch soon!

Baked Oatmeal with Craisins and Walnuts

This baked oatmeal is the perfect on-the-go healthy breakfast. They're super easy to grab on your way out the door. They're the perfect mix of sweet and savory. The walnuts add a little crunch for the perfect finish.

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 
• 2 large, ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk 
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts 
• 1/4 cup craisins

Instructions

• Preheat Oven to 350°F 
• Prepare 12 muffin cups, coat lightly with cooking spray, set aside 
• Combine lightly beaten eggs, mashed bananas, honey, and extract in a large bowl; mix well, set aside 
• Combine oats, cinnamon, and baking powder in a medium bowl, mix well 
• Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix well 
• Add almond milk and mix again 
• Divide mixture evenly between prepared muffin cups 
• Top with walnuts and craisins 
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

That's it! You have 12 servings of baked oatmeal!

Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can reheat them if you'd like to eat it warm. They also freeze very well. If you'd like it for breakfast the next morning, just pull it out of the freezer the night before and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator.

As always, enjoy!