Meal made in Minutes: Turkey and Tomato Salsa (over brown rice and / or zoodles)

Sunday Funday this week consisted of catching up on laundry, fitting in a quick HIIT cardio session, and then spending the rest of the day working on Clinical assignments and meal prepping for the week. While Clinical Module assignments are NOT my favorite, preparing this week's Meal Made in Minutes brightened up my day and made my house smell delicious! 

The best part of meal prep today was that it only took me 15 minutes to make everything and I will have healthy options for lunch and dinner for the next 2-3 days! Now, that's a win-win situation! 

This week's Meal made in Minutes: Turkey and Tomato Salsa over brown rice and / or zoodles

Turkey and Tomato Salsa over Zoodles! It's what's for dinner!

Ingredients:

* Turkey and Tomato Salsa (serves 6)

• 1.25 lb extra lean ground turkey
• 1 16-oz jar of salsa
• 1 28-oz can of No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional topping)
• Red Chili flakes (optional topping)

* Brown Rice (serves 4-6)

• 2 cups dry Minute Instant Whole Grain Brown rice

* Zoodles (serves 4-6)

• 4-6 small zucchinis

Turkey and Tomato Salsa ingredients (minus the spices and toppings)

Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized pot, bring water to a boil and cook the Minute rice per package instructions. 
2. While rice is cooking, cook the ground turkey in a large sauce pan (cook thoroughly until no pink is present, about 8-10 minutes).
3. While the turkey is cooking, pour the salsa and diced tomatoes into a large pot and heat on medium heat.
4. When the rice is done, remove the pot from the heat and fluff with a fork. When the turkey is done, turn off the heat and add in the cumin and chili powder (mix spices in well) and then add the cooked turkey to the large pot with the salsa and tomatoes (mix well and continue to heat on medium). 
5. Clean and spiralize the zucchini.
6. Remove the Turkey and Tomato Salsa from the heat and let cool.

Cooking in progress!

Prepared single-serve portion of Zoodles for lunch tomorrow! Made possible by my amazing Kitchen Supreme Spiralizer!

And that's a wrap! A perfect assortment of nutrients in one complete meal made in under 15 minutes! I know I cannot wait to eat my Turkey and Tomato Salsa over brown rice AND zoodles tomorrow for lunch.... and then come home to leftovers for a quick on-the-spot dinner after a long day. 

Enjoy, my friends! Have a Happy Sunday and great week ahead!

Free Fitness Friday: AMRAP Kettle Bell Workout #2

It's finally Friday and this week, more than ever, I am so happy it's the end of the work-week! With my first full week of my Dietetic Internship under my belt, I am ready for some R & R this weekend - after fitting in this quick and effective Kettle Bell workout of course!

Photo compliments of DA Photospot

This week's Free Fitness Friday features a calorie-blasting 30-minute Kettle Bell workout that you can do anytime and anywhere. This quick and convenient workout requires only 1 moderate-weight Kettle Bell and enough space for you to move around, jump, and swing the kettle bell. You want to be sure to use a moderate weight that you can lift 15-20 times for each exercise and to warm-up for 3-5 minutes prior to starting the workout. 

The concept of the workout is to complete As Many Rounds As Possible (A.K.A. "AMRAP") of the 5 different Kettle Bell exercises in 30 minutes, but to do so at a realistic pace so that you are able to continue the workout for 30 minutes.  I will complete this workout at Vitality Fitness and will most likely warm-up on the treadmill, but you can also walk / jog outside, ride a stationary bike, or warm-up on the rowing machine or elliptical.

So here it is! The 30-Minute AMRAP Kettle Bell Workout

1 Round:

1. 20 X Kettle Bell Swing (full swing) *
2. 20 x Kettle Bell Upright row *
3. 10 x left leg forward lunge with Kettle Bell overhead press
4. 10 x right leg forward lunge with Kettle Bell overhead press
5. 10 x Squat Jump (holding Kettle Bell at chest height)

Repeat exercises for the next round(s) until the 30-minutes is up! Trust me, the time goes by quickly and the workout will be over before you know it!

* Here is a short video to demonstrate the first two exercises (Kettle Bell Swing and Kettle Bell Upright Row) in case you are not sure of how to perform these exercises.

Kettle bell swing followed by kettle bell upright row

(Note: I only performed 5 repetitions of each exercise for demonstration purposes, but aim for the designated number of reps for each exercise listed). If you still are not sure how to perform one of the exercises, please feel free to ask me in the comments below!

And that is it, my friends! A very quick (and sweaty) workout for you to blast some calories before the weekend arrives... now it's time to work out and then veg out! 

Have a great Friday and wonderful weekend ahead!

Meal made in minutes: Nut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

I would like to welcome you to my BRAND NEW WEBSITE for Fuel for the Soul, LLC, and I couldn't think of a better way to introduce my new website than to share these Nut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars with you! The best part is that these bars can be made in minutes, do not require baking, and licking the spoon after you are done is highly recommended!

It has been about two weeks since my last recipe post, but I have been busy preparing for my Dietetic Internship (which starts tomorrow morning) and perfecting these tasty protein bars (which I will be eating throughout my first week "on the job" at DaVita Dialysis). 

This week's Meal made in minutes: Nut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

Bars are set in the baking dish and ready for refrigeration! 

Ingredients: (16 squares)

• 1 cup plain Rolled Oats (Certified Gluten-free Oats if needed)
• 2 scoops Vanilla protein powder (whey protein or vegan / plant protein)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup natural nut butter (any nut butter will do)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup (or agave or honey)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk...)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or almond extract)
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

All the ingredients needed for the protein bars (Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk not pictured)

Instructions: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (oats, protein powder, and cinnamon) and mix well with a large spoon.  
2. Add in the nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and non-dairy milk (in that order) to the dry ingredients and mix well. You may have to use some elbow grease to mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined (dough will be sticky).  
3. Add in the chocolate chips and fold into the dough mixture. 
4. Lightly spray an 8X8 baking dish with olive oil spray and pour dough mixture into the bottom of the dish. Use the back of the spoon (or your hands) to flatten the dough evenly to cover the entire dish. (Then you can lick the spoon or eat the dough right off your finger tips!)
5. Cover dish with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to set. After dough has set, cut into 16 even bars and enjoy!

** You can wrap each bar in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

The mixture will form a sticky dough (similar to cookie dough, but try to refrain from eating it straight from the bowl!

Grab a bar (or TWO) before you head out the door for the day for easy on-the-go transport to fuel you throughout the day. Whether you are at work, running errands, or about to work out, these bars are perfect fuel to give you the energy you need to take on any challenge you may face!

There you have it, friends! Hope you enjoy making and eating these delicious protein bars! Remember to come back to www.fuel4soul.com for more easy and healthy recipes, quick and effective workouts, and all around fitness and nutrition tips to help you achieve the healthy lifestyle you deserve! 

Meal made in minutes: Maple Blueberry Overnight Oats

It's already Sunday again! This week really flew by... actually, this whole summer really flew by, and today I am preparing for my trip to NC for Orientation Week at Lenoir-Ryhne University! I am excited for my Dietetic Internship program to start, but I am also very anxious and nervous for the next big step in my journey to becoming a Registered Dietitian. Luckily, I have a long list of "to-do's" today before I leave tomorrow to keep me preoccupied and distracted. One of the most important things on my "to-do" list is to make overnight oats for my husband to eat for breakfast all week while I am gone! I am sure you have heard of overnight oats by now, but if you haven't gotten around to making them then you are missing out! Overnight oats are incredibly easy to make, a delicious way to start your day, and can be made in minutes! I make a couple batches at a time for my husband to eat for breakfast when he is short on time (which is all the time) and have experimented with several different ingredients. After a few trail and error attempts, I have found the perfect recipe for the BEST overnight oats - and today I am going to share it with you!

This week's Meal Made in Minutes: Maple Blueberry Overnight Oats

Maple Blueberry Oats (5)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup rolled oats (Gluten-Free if needed) (I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats)
• 1/2 cup milk (Dairy-Free if needed) (I use 1% milk for my hubby and Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk for me)
• 1/4th cup plain Greek yogurt (I use Fage or Oikos) or 2 tbsp vegan protein powder (I use Bio Chem Vegan Vanilla Bean)
• 1-2 tbsp Maple syrup (to desired sweetness)
• 1-2 tbsp Chia seeds (to desired thickness)
• 1/3 cup fresh blueberries

Maple Blueberry Oats ingredients

(Ingredients for 4 jars of Maple Blueberry Overnight Oats and 1 jar of Gluten-Free & Vegan Maple PB Protein Overnight Oats)

Directions:

1. Place oats, milk, yogurt / protein powder, and maple syrup (in that order) into a mason jar or deep Tupperware container (with a lid). Mix all ingredients well with a spoon.
2. Add in the Chia seeds and mix well again.
3. Add in the blueberries and mix well again.
4. Top with the lid (air-tight) and store in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
5. Remove from the refrigerator when ready to eat and enjoy as-is (straight from the jar) or warm up your oats in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.

** You can add any toppings of your choice to your oats :-) Some of my favorite toppings are banana slices, almond slices, PB2, and cinnamon.

Maple Blueberry Oats (2)

(Step 1: before the ingredients are mixed well)

Maple Blueberry Oats (3)

(Step 2: with the Chia seeds mixed in)

Maple Blueberry Oats (4)

(Step 3: before the blueberries are mixed in)

It really is that simple and SO delicious! You can make the overnight oats in less than 5 minutes and have your breakfast ready to grab-and-go the next morning!

You can play around with the ingredients a little, but be sure to have more liquid than oats (since the oats will absorb the milk and expand) and increase the liquid even more if you add more Chia seeds (since the seeds will also absorb the milk and expand even more)!

Maple PB Protein Oats

(My Gluten-Free & Vegan version: Maple PB Protein Overnight Oats - with GF oats, almond milk, Vegan protein powder, PB2, maple syrup and Chia seeds!)

Have fun experimenting with your Overnight Oats and enjoy a delicious and satisfying breakfast made in minutes :-)

Meal Makeover: Eggplant Turkey Boats

The realization that my summer vacation is coming to an end has officially sent in and I find myself daydreaming about my trip home last week. My favorite part of being home was spending time with my family and cooking in the kitchen with my mom. My mother has become quite the cook these days and, with the help of my creative healthy twists on recipes, she and I made the perfect team. We invited my grandparents, my aunt, and my younger cousin over for dinner the night before I flew back to Tampa and we had quite the task of feeding seven people with seven different "particular tastes".... so I figured that would be a perfect night to try out a new recipe!

This week's Meal Makeover: Eggplant Turkey Boats

Eggplant plated

The best part is that the main ingredients were as "farm-to-table" as we could get - we used the vegetables straight from mother's garden and she felt quite proud of herself!

Ingredients: Serves 6-8 

• 2 lbs extra-lean ground turkey
• 4 medium eggplants
• 6-8 medium zucchini / yellow squash (1 per person)
• 2 16-oz jars of low-sodium marinara / pasta sauce
• 1.5 - 2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese (shredded) (1/4th cup per eggplant half)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• Black pepper (to taste)

Tools needed:

1. Large skillet / sauce pan
2. Spiralizer / Veggetti

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F.
2. Wash the eggplant and zucchini / squash. Cut the ends off each vegetable and set aside the zucchini / squash. Cut the eggplant in half (length wise) and carve out the seeds / flesh with a spoon, leaving 1/2 the flesh remaining in the shell for the "boat" - Note: be careful not to carve too deep / crack the shell of the eggplant! Set the seeds / flesh aside.
3. Spray 2-3 baking dishes with olive oil spray (to prevent sticking) and place each eggplant half on the baking sheet, flesh side up. Spray the flesh of the eggplant with olive oil spray to prevent burning when baking. Bake eggplant in the oven for 10-15 minutes - Note: be sure to watch the flesh of the eggplant and remove them from the oven if they start to burn!
4. While the eggplants are baking, cook the ground turkey in a large sauce pan (no pink remaining) and add in the cumin, chili powder, and black pepper. Turn the heat down to simmer / low and add in the eggplant seeds / flesh and one jar of the marina sauce. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes (just to soften the eggplant and heat the sauce). Stir as needed.
5. When the eggplants are done, remove from the oven and carefully fill each eggplant shell half with the ground turkey mix and top each with 1/4th cup shredded cheese.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 350 deg. F and place the eggplants back into the oven for 5-10 minutes (just until the cheese has melted).
7. While the cheese is melting, spiralize each zucchini / squash onto a serving dish (1 per person).
8. Pour the remaining jar of sauce into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes (stopping the time and stirring the sauce at the 1-minute mark) and spoon some sauce on top of the spiralized zucchini / squash.
9. Remove the eggplants from the oven and place one eggplant "boat" on top of the zucchini / squash noodles and serve! Note: use tongs to transfer the eggplant to each plate!

Eggplant prep

(Eggplant "boats" carved out and ready to bake!)

Eggplant Turkey Filling

(Cooked ground turkey with spices and sauce)

Eggplant filled

(Eggplant "boats" stuffed with turkey & eggplant mix and topped with cheese)

Eggplant done

(Eggplant "boats" baked and ready to eat!)

Zoodles

(All the zucchini and yellow squash spiralized into "noodles")

Eggplant plated

(One plated Eggplant Turkey Boat over a bed of zoodles!)

Now doesn't that look delicious!? The good news is that this dish was as delicious as it looks and my whole family was impressed - even my 21-year-old male cousin in college loved it!

The whole meal was prepared and served within 45 minutes (and consumed within 15 minutes!!) and kept us happy and full all night! Do yourself a favor and serve this meal at your next family dinner - trust me, you won't regret it :-)

Free Fitness Friday: At-Home AMRAP Kettle Bell Workout

Kettle Bell home workout

It's finally Friday! And it's a bitter-sweet one for me since my vacation home is over and I am already missing my family and friends back home in Massachusetts! I had such a nice time back in my home town and truly enjoyed the quality time spent with my loved ones, relaxing at home, and my awesome at-home workouts! Speaking of which, today's Free Fitness Friday features a calorie-blasting 30-minute kettle bell workout that you can do anytime and anywhere. This quick and convenient workout requires only 1 moderate-weight Kettle Bell (or a moderate-weight dumbbell), an exercise mat (or towel), and (ideally) a 200-yard distance (for the "cardio" portion). You want to be sure to use a moderate weight that you can lift 10-12 times for each exercise and you can choose any form of "cardio" exercise that you prefer and have access to (walking / jogging, marching in place, stationary bike, rowing machine, elliptical, jump rope...).

The concept of the workout is to complete As Many Rounds As Possible (A.K.A. "AMRAP") of the 7 different exercises in 30 minutes, but to do so at a realistic pace so that you are able to continue the workout for 30 minutes. You want to set up your Kettle Bell / dumbbell and exercise mat on flat ground before starting the clock and select a good location with enough space for you to perform the exercises. I completed my workout outside on my parents' driveway in the shade and had about a 200-yard distance to run up and down the street for the "cardio" portion.

So here it is! The 30-Minute At-Home AMRAP Kettle Bell Workout

1 Round:

1. 2-minute cardio (walk / run 200- yards out and 200-yards back, jump-rope, bike, row...)
2. 10 x Right arm Kettle Bell swing
3. 10 x Left arm Kettle Bell swing
4. 10 x Squat with right arm high pull
5. 10 x Squat with left arm high pull
6. 10 x Kettle Bell tricep push-ups (can be performed on knees if needed)
7. 15 x Kettle Bell sit-ups with straight arms

Repeat exercises for the next round(s) until the 30-minutes is up! Trust me, the time goes by quickly and the workout will be over before you know it!

Here is a short video to demonstrate each exercise (minus the 2-minute run) in case you are not sure of how to perform each exercise. (Note: I only performed 3 repetitions of each exercise (#2-#7) for demonstration purposes, but aim for the designated number of reps for each exercise listed). If you still are not sure how to perform one of the exercises, please feel free to ask me in the comments below!

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRWXpnkqXRM[/embed]

Have a great workout and weekend ahead :-)

Thirsty Thursday: Mamma Chia and Vanilla Smoothie

Ned's Point

One of my favorite things about being back in my home town (Mattapoisett, MA) is being able to run down to one of the most beautiful ocean-side parks called Ned's Point. Ned's Point is about 1.25 miles from my parents' house and most of the route is covered by huge, beautiful oak trees and surrounded by large beach houses. There is something about Ned's Point that makes me feel "at home" and sitting on the picnic tables and gazing past the lighthouse at the crashing waves against the rocks brings back childhood memories - it is truly my happy place :-)

(Ned's Point - Mattapoisett, MA - My "happy place")

I've started nearly every morning since I arrived back home with a nice jog down to Ned's Point and back to my parents' house and, while it is only 2.5 miles round trip, the "hazy hot and humid" temperatures this week have gotten the best of me and I could not wait to guzzle down an ice-cold smoothie as soon as I walked in the house! There is nothing quite as refreshing as an ice-cold post-workout protein smoothie and my food-shopping-savvy mother has introduced me to some great new smoothie ingredients that led me to create this week's Thirsty Thursday smoothie recipe - Mamma Chia Vanilla Protein Smoothie.

Chia smoothie 1

With only three main ingredients, this smoothie is by far the easiest one to make and easily the most delicious post-workout smoothie yet!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 3.5-oz Mamma Chia Squeeze Vitality Snack packet
• 1 scoop (single-serve packet) of vanilla vegan protein powder
• 5-6 ice cubes
• Natural sweetener of choice (to taste, optional) - I used 1 Stevia packet
• Optional add-ins: 1/4th cup plain Greek yogurt (for more protein, carbohydrates, and creamier texture), 1/4th cup dry oats (for more complex carbohydrates, B vitamin, and thicker consistency), or 1/2 frozen banana (for more carbohydrates, potassium, and more slushy-like consistency).

* I usually travel with a packet or two of protein powder (just in case) and I am a big fan of NutraKey VPro, which is made of organic, non-GMO raw plant proteins and provides all the essential amino acids the body needs.

* My brilliant mother found the Mamma Chia snack packs at BJ's Wholesale Market (similar to Costco or Sam's Club) and these tasty little snack packs provide 1200 mg of Omega-3s and can be purchased in bulk for healthy snacking on-the-go!

Chia smoothie 2

Instructions:

1. Pour almond milk into a blender with the ice cubes.
2. Squeeze the Chia snack pack into the blender and blend on high for 30-60 seconds.
3. Add in the scoop /packet of protein powder (and sweetener if desired) and blend on high again for 30-60 seconds (or until all ingredients are mixed well and the ice cubes are all broken up.
4. And chug away (but not so quickly that you get brain freeze)!!

There you have it! A very easy way to combine simple ingredients with essential nutrients to refuel after a workout or hot run in the summer heat! Stay cool and refuel with lean protein and healthy fats :-)

Meal made in minutes: Turkey Wraps

Happy Sunday! And yes, this Sunday is a very happy one since I am still visiting my family in Massachusetts and soaking up every last bit of vacation! The funny thing is that even though I am on vacation and relaxing, I still have a very busy schedule filled with morning workouts, lunch and dinner dates with friends, and spending quality time with my family. Take yesterday, for example - My parents and I made a last-minute decision to go out on the boat for a few hours (before going to the annual Portuguese Feast and then visiting with family friends) and I had less than 10 minutes to pack a lunch... thankfully I had my go-to quick lunch essentials in their kitchen and I made some delicious Turkey Wraps and packed some raw veggies and guacamole to create a quick, well-balanced meal in minutes.

This week's Meal Made in Minutes: Turkey Wraps

Turkey lettuce wraps 2

*Note: this particular lunch was not taken on the boat, but it was made at my parent's house the last time I was home and it depicts the perfect turkey wrap ensemble (for your viewing pleasure).

Ingredients:

• 4-6 slices No Salt-Added (NSA) all-natural / organic Turkey Breast (3-4 oz)
• 1 small cucumber (washed, peeled, and sliced)
• 1 single-serve Guacamole packet
• 1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Lay out the turkey slices and spread about 1 tbsp of the guacamole on top.
2. Peel the skin and slice the cucumber lengthwise into 4-6 slices (about 1/4th-in thick). Leave the rest of the cucumber half intact (or slice into thicker pieces) and put in a separate plastic bag or wrap in plastic wrap.
3. Wrap each turkey, guacamole, and cucumber combination up in plastic wrap  (like a roll) and place them all in larger plastic bag for easy transportation.
4. Place the tomatoes in a separate plastic bag.
5. Save the rest of the guacamole for dipping. Either cover the container with aluminum foil or put the remaining guacamole in a small Tupperware container for easy transportation.
6. Place all items in a small cooler with a couple ice packs and you are all set! (I also packed a couple waters and homemade trail mix of raw nuts and seeds as a snack for later!)

*Note, you can mix and match any items in this meal to meet your preferences - swap the turkey breast for sliced chicken breast (all-natural / organic) or Tempeh / firm tofu (for a vegan / vegetarian option), swap the cucumber for raw zucchini slices or sliced bell pepper, and swap the tomatoes for baby carrots. You can also wrap your turkey wraps in large Bibb lettuce leaves / kale leaves (for a gluten-free, low carbohydrate option) or wrap them in small whole-grain tortillas (for an extra dose of complex carbohydrates and longer-lasting energy). You can also mix the guacamole with some plain Greek yogurt to add more protein and creaminess to your meal (see picture below).

Turkey lettuce wraps 1

(Same meal, different ingredients: baby carrots and plain Greek yogurt)

And there you have it - a quick and delicious meal with lean protein, healthy fats, and colorful vegetables to fuel you for the day ahead! The best part is that you can make this meal in minutes and take it on the road with you wherever your plans may take you :-)