Chicken-Cauli-Rice Stuffed Bell Peps + PWO grocery shopping

 awesome workout early this morniiiiing!  finally. after monday's sugar slump (my sister's baby shower was the day before lol) i feel SO much better.  i was determined to flip this week around cause it sure didn't start off too great physically and my motivation was shot. anyway, my cuz Diane told me she would come try my Lifetime classes and by golly she came!! not everybody is ready for HIIT at 5:30am but she totally was and kept her word!  we did some cardio together after this morning's weight class and i'm so glad she enjoyed herself and the club.

every time i wear this shirt sent to me by my good friend @babyfatboss somebody reads it then looks at me and asks, 'right now????' hahaha! no. not yet.

don't shop for groceries when you're hungry!!! i am good for that and  i'll never learn cause my Sprouts is in the same lot as my gym.

#itsawrap

recent purchases from Sprouts Farmers Market i cannot wait to use at breakfast tomorrow:

yep, you read that right. got my fingers crossed on this one!

making the switch to dairy-free creamer as of today.  this was the only size they had and i need a half-gallon carton or larger for sure.  i've been downing at least one cup of 1/2 caff in the mornings for a while now.

so we are now on week 5 of small group already, my goodness!  i have truly been blessed by meeting with these women to discuss the Word each week and will definitely be open to hosting a small group again in the future. we feasted on these lean ground Chicken-Cauli-Rice Stuffed Bell Peps that you have GOT to try. and when ya do, tag me on Instagram and let me know so i can see!

 i know green bell peppers are the cheapest to buy but i LOVE the taste of, well, all the other colors. ha. especially red! and we know that red bell peps are a collagen boosting food great for helping us moms snap back after pregnancy and for keeping our skin looking great in general.

i used 'riced' cauliflower instead of brown rice so these are chock-full of veggies! do the following:

1. if raw, wash large cauli head thoroughly and break up into small florets (if frozen, let thaw first then break into florets)
2. add to food processor and pulse until a rice-like consistency is obtained
3. in a clean cup towel, add riced cauli and squeeze as tightly as you can to get ALL the moisture out
4. in a wok coated with no stick cooking spray over med-high heat, add cauli and sprinkle a little garlic and onion powder over it. that's optional though.  stir constantly for about 5-6 minutes or until slightly crispy/cooked.

Chicken-Cauli-Rice Stuffed Bell Peps

the stuff:

• 1 lb extra lean ground chicken
• 1/2 cup red kidney beans
• 1 ear fresh sweet corn (or 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn)
• 1/2 large green bell pep, diced
• 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes w/ garlic
• 10 oz 'riced' cauliflower (see steps above)
• 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese of your choice (optional to put on top only)
• 2 tsp sweet smokey paprika (reg paprika will be fine too)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro (just grab a small bunch and chop it up)
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms of your choice
• sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste
• 5 red bell peppers (discard the seeds but don't you dare throw away those tops after you cut them off! dice them up and eat them later)

do this: 

1. preheat your oven to 350 degrees and coat a baking pan large enough to hold all 5 peppers at once with no stick cooking spray
2. coat a large skillet with no-stick cooking spray and set it to med-high heat
3. add garlic, onion, and green bell pepper and saute until translucent (2-3 min)
4. add lean ground chicken breast and continue to break it up with your spoon into smaller bits as it cooks
5. once cooked through, add kidney beans, corn, cilantro, tomatoes, and mushrooms, and stir until combined
6. add cumin, paprika, chili powder, red pepper flakes and 2 tsp of the parsley flakes
7. add the cauli-rice and 1 cup of shredded cheese and blend once more and taste!
8. add salt & pepper to your liking and taste again
9. cut the bottoms flat across the peppers and situate them in your pan (see pic below)
10. stuff peppers with your chicken mixture and fill them to the brim
11. add about 3/4 cup of chicken or vegetable broth to the baking pan and bake for 30 minutes covered with foil
12. remove pan from oven and top peps with remaining cheese; put back in for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts
13. top with remaining tsp of parsley flakes to make it pretty ;)

yummerrrrrrs. enjoy!

Q: what seasonal item have you ever just HAD to try?

le

updated oats & flashbacks

i am all over the place today and don't even know where to friggin' start! ok how about with....breakfast:

i've been saying i'm gonna post my updated morning bowl of oats recipe and i need to do it already. less talking and more action is what i'm putting into 2013.  i mean really.

this particular bowl was made with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, real vanilla, vanilla creme stevia, and topped with bananas, chopped almonds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon <3

fitfoodiele's BBO (basic bowl of oats) 

the stuff:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 tsp of pure vanilla extract

1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

do this:

bring the almond milk to a boil, add the vanilla, then add the oats. stir them around until every oat is wet lol, then turn your burner on low.  after 3 minutes it's pretty much done!  i like mine not too lose, and not too tight.. so if a little liquid left is left that's cool wit me.

**this is THE most basic way to make the oats...like ever.   when i post recipes in the future, this will almost always be the very base of the recipe...before i go crazy and start adding stuff all willy nilly.   sometimes i like to use 1 cup of almond milk + 1 cup of water which makes for one big huuuuuge bowl of oatmeal.  you know oats expand  in volume and soak up alotta the liquid it's cooked in, so it's like you're eating more but really, you're not.  i usually add a heaping tablespoon of cinnamon in there too- i like A LOT.  now, the toppings are endless i tell you, ENDLESS.  i usually do bananas (as if you didn't know lol) but apple chunks and raisins, and blueberries work well as far as fruit goes, and all kinds of nuts pair well too.  my fave are almond, pecans, and pistachios.  a lot of people throw in a big scoop of nut butter (PB2, the real thang, almond butter, etc.) which adds incredible flavor. add what ya like!!!**

here's the break down on the types of oats so you won't be in the bulk aisle lookin' clueless:

old fashioned - not that great for smooth pancakes UNLESS you grind them first.  even when making a bowl of regular oatmeal, they don't soak up much liquid, and take the longest to cook.

quick cooking / rolled oats  (1-3 minute cooking time) - these are pressed old-fashioned oats into thinner flakes which makes for a quicker cooking time, hence the name.  they work best for pancakes IMO. makes a huge difference in the texture of your cake.  buuut again, if you grind them up first, it doesn't really matter now does it!

steel-cut - chopped up oat groats. (oat groats are the real whole oat, hulled and unprocessed). they produce a rougher, chewier bowl of regular oatmeal and take as long as old-fashioned oats to cook...maybe longer.

instant - i don't do instant and you shouldn't either :shock:

after breakfast, i hit the gym and worked on my core, glutes, and ended with a little cardio.  you remember that ab machine that looks like a little tire wheel with two handles on either side? we had one of those growing up lol! the thought of my parents attempting to use that thing back then is HILARIOUS to me now.  matter fact, i don't even remember anybody using it correctly, ever.  i like the cooler looking one above- i saw somebody else with one and grabbed one too.   i did 5 reps of 10 of these and was feelin' it by the 2nd set, MY GOODNESS.

then, grocery shopping! yeah i had a pretty awesome day! got lots of fresh produce and restocked Produce Island (e.g. my kitchen island, even though you prolly figured that out).  i have a lot of work to do in my test kitchen this month:)

aaaand of course i restocked my snack corner too. all good stuff, i promise.

sooo, yesterday i made nachos for lunch. not just any nachos though, 

grilled, JUMBO shrimp nachos!!!!

i marinated the shrimp in liquid aminos, smokehouse maple seasoning, fresh chopped cilantro, and black pepper for a few minutes first,

then went to work with my grill pan.  before i started that, i sliced up  some of my low carb La Tortilla Factory soft wraps, put them on a baking sheet, and cooked them until they were crispy.

then...the magic happened.

semi-homemade chips, shredded kale, chopped roma tomatoes, green onion, cilantro, shredded almond cheese, and SCRIMPS! i only had one small corner of almond cheese left and nachos MUST HAVE CHEESE! i scrounged up what i could, but they were still so good!  next time, way more cheese. way more. i also made some homemade guacamole:  avocado, tomato, cilantro, liquid aminos, pepper, and lemon juice.

KILLED IT!

so i taught my very first class of 2013 this past Wed- i subbed a weight's class for another instructor and got my burn ON baby!  i also realized that this is the beginning of my 5th year as an instructor. MY how time has flown. i have super-duper BIG news for my Houston area readers and gymers- just you wait!!

all these progress and throwback pics on IG have me going back looking through my own photo archives these days!  i came across this one from Sonny's frat brother's wedding in 2011.  

fluffaaaaay!  and look at my posture:( however, my boobs were so heavy from breastfeeding.  i was darn  near hiding behind Sonny!!   i felt and definitely looked self-conscious and unconfident. i said on IG that Chiso was less than a year when we took this, but i later realized that he was 4 months old at the time.

now, it didn't take me an entire year to trim down to this size, but it's something very gratifying about being able to look back to see where you WERE.  one bikini comp down and a current, consistent exercise/nutrition off-season regiment and i'm grabbing a fist full of that dress behind me cause it won't stay up on its own these days!  i can finally say i'm content with my body; i'm staying right here. HEY Chiso, dang!!!!!!!

never, ever limit exercise to physical benefits only; i tell people this over and over again!  exercise reduces stress... it's an escape.. it's a form of therapy.  along with looking fitter, it makes you FEEL better emotionally too.  i even sleep better!  this is why i was ITCHING to get back into the gym after having to sit down and recover from my dental surgery.  all of  those reasons above!

so, other than the physical benefits, WHY do you exercise?  (2013 gym newbies AND veterans!)

le

light & lean black bean pumpkin chicken chili

this morning started out with an invigorating weight workout.  every time i drive to the gym early in the AM feeling crappy from not enough sleep or just plain tired, i always, and i do mean always, end up feeling the complete opposite immediately afterwards.

then my day REALLY got started with some pancakes.

banana -oat surprise! pancakes.

surprise.  i promise i'll use a different fruit sooner than later.

i drizzled them with my precious Walden Farms syrup.  i now have  a small inventory of bottles in my pantry.  ever hit the store and the one (or few ) item you need is completely gone!? that's been happening to me lately.  Hunt's reduced sugar ketchup....GONE. every other freakin kind of  hunts ketchup is just sitting there collecting dust, untouched.  rows perfectly straight.  Mc Cormick smokehouse maple seasoning... nowhere to be found.  the entire row! coincidence?!?  vegan whipped topping... :roll:  do all my readers live in this area or what LOL

well HEB did have fresh salmon on sale and plenty of it.  i always keep my eye on it and 3.97 is the lowest i've ever seen it go.  so, i got a few pounds.  large shrimp were also going for that same price, so that went in my cart too.  i seasoned a hunk of salmon with garlic and herb seasoning and roasted it in the oven along with some zucchini for lunch today.   healthy,  fresh, and light.  clean eating makes you FEEL that way too.  i also had two slices of sprouted grain sesame Ezekiel bread along with it.

i also bought some 99% lean ground turkey and cooked it up with cilantro, onions, shallots, curry, chili powder, pepper, and liquid aminos  last night for dinner.  i had just come in from the gym and had a craving for some cheesy enchiladas!!!

so i used that turkey mix and combined it with fresh spinach, La Tortilla Factory white-wheat soft wraps, Trader Joe's organic pizza sauce, plenty of shredded rice cheese, and fresh avocado.  healthy, low-fat, low-carb, delish, and GUILT-FREE.

so as i was checking out of HEB, the best grocery store ever in life, this caught my eye.  look at all those special options!!

did i mention i was still inside HEB?

who puts a mini self-serve fro-yo shop complete with not only low/no fat options but gluten and dairy-free as well inside a grocery store!?

it doesn't matter. *sheds a tear or four* two of my fave things under one roof.

did you know that a red bell pepper is green first?  it doesn't grow red. did you know that? i didn't.  i believe my co-worker told me that a while ago.  now, it's happening on my kitchen island. cool.

nugget of info about red bell peps:

'These are more mature than green, orange or yellow bell peppers. They are rich in carotenoid phytonutrients and contain almost eleven times more beta-carotene than green bell peppers as well as one and a half times more vitamin C. Red Bell Peppers have a sweet, almost fruity taste. Pimento and paprika are both prepared from red bell peppers.'

must be why they are so expensive :shock:

almost done, last thing!

light & lean black bean pumpkin chicken chili

the stuff:

• 1/2 cup sweet corn
• 2 medium chopped tomatoes
• 4oz lean ground chicken breast
• 2 tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos
• 1 can pure pumpkin
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp smoked papripka
• 1 4 oz can no salt added tomato sauce
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth (or water)
• 1/2 cup no salt added black beans (drained and rinsed)
•  1 medium shallot, chopped
• 1 medium-large yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• couple sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1-2 tsp sea salt (to taste)
• 1 cup mushrooms (optional)

i split the entire pot into 5 bowls of chili.

1 serving = 1 bowl

do this:

chop up the onions, shallots, and  half of the cilantro, and cook it in a medium heated pot until translucent.  throw in your ground chicken along with your spices and liquid aminos and cook it until there is no more pink. dump all your vegetables, canned pumpkin, tomato sauce, beans and chicken stock in...everything except the cilantro and salt.  bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10-15 minutes on low heat. add more chopped cilantro and stir.  now, taste it, and add the appropriate amount of salt to your liking.  this will taste EVER better the next day!

i made a bowl for myself and topped it with fresh avocado, goat cheese, and corn thins on the side.

Sonny had a nice big helping of it too.

i'm so excited- i had a cooking date tonight with one of my dear friends!! can't wait to share what we created- good times and good food.

nite!

le

@ my desk

no more start/stop- catching up NOW.

good monday that is almost over to you!!

this will be crazy random but just stay with me.

i hope you guys are using and being creative the IG food pics- that's definitely some of my motivation for posting.

this was lunch @ my desk last Friday:

100 calorie multi-grain english muffin, grilled chicken breast, avocado, spicy mustard, and a crispy red bell pepper.  since my job is waaaaaaaaay closer to Trader Joe's than my house, i stopped by there to get a few specialty items on my lunch break that day.

more eggplant humus wish it came in a big TUB.

i can pronounce everything. that's the kind of ingredient list i like to see and the kind you should look for as often as possible.  also, natural, no additives or preservatives means eat it sooner than later! won't last but a few days.

also got some sweet sugar snap peas for dipping! in the car.

 i walked into TJ's with intent to restock my fig butter, but as soon as those double entrance doors parted, i walked straight up to a tower of pumpkin butter.  clever is that seasonal marketing. they also had honey apple butter and i couldn't leave without it.  i did leave the mango butter for next time though.

i hit up HEB, Whole Foods, and Sams this weekend to do my real shopping.  i got my sample on of course,

  *high five*, HEB.  but zero points for presentation.  steak pizzaiola, italian chicken sausage soup, and creamy potato casserole was served at one of their live sample stations. oh God, those potatoes though :shock: . i always grab a recipe card to see just what they put in those samples and they never fail to freak me out.  full-fat heavy cream and cream cheese is what made those potatoes so darn good!  but they were sample size sooooo i proceeded to enjoy.

i got outta there with my usual stuff plus a few specialty items.

my kitchen island stays just like this for the most part.  i like to keep my produce out where i can see it cause i'll forget about it in the fridge and it's more likely to spoil.  gonna go ahead and add 'personal grocery shopper' to my resume, seriously!!! i could do this every day.

i've been using the sesame Ezekiel bread for the past few weeks, so i picked up the cinnamon raisin loaf this time.

i have sweet and savory dishes in mind for this puppy.

fat-free feta and goat cheese are still two dairy cheeses i won't be giving up (will expand on that shortly), but i was inspired to try almond cheese from a fellow health and fitness IGer.  i figure i love almond milk, so i'd prolly like the cheese too. uh, yeah! it melts, grates, and tastes just like dairy cheese and nutritional stats are awesome.  i'm impressed and sold.  gonna try some rice cheese too.

i've been a fan of Blue Diamond brand almond milk since Hungry-Girl introduced me to it a few years ago, but decided to try the Silk brand because of the lower calorie count.

it is so much more creamier than i was expecting! i may have been converted indefinitely...

I picked up some of Sonny's fav granola from Whole Foods - pumpkin flax.  it's the best granola (nutrtion-wise) in the bulk aisle line up.  140 cals and 5g of sugar per serving. read your labels- granola is more like a treat/dessert as the sugar content can be super high for some of them.  a few spoonfuls over some cottage cheese or yogurt or a small serving of it is just enough.

 granola + almond milk = one great bed time snack.  if only i could stop eating bowl after bowl.

lunch today @ my desk:

seeing red today for meal 2-  grilled chicken breast, avocado, red bell pepper, tomato, spicy mustard and honey apple butter.  wrapped all up in a La Tortilla Factory white-wheat soft wrap with some strawberries on the side.

i snuck in some sugar snap peas and eggplant humus too.

we had some GORGEOUS weather in Houston today!! Sonny hates the cold and is already griping about having to stop his outside runs.  he still has time to take advantage though cause it will be hot again like tomorrow.

cajun crusted tilapia recipe coming up next.

le

____-free

posing practice, weight training, cardio, grocery shopping, church, and family time.

that was my weekend.  how was yours?

this particular trip to HEB was one to remember!  i have been hearing about Walden Farms this and Walden farms that in cyberspace recently.  Walden Farms products claim to be:

calorie-free

sugar-free

fat-free

carbohydrate-free

gluten-free

cholesterol-free

not ALL products are free of ALL of the things i listed, but just read the label to be sure!

my ears perk up when i hear  '____ - free' regardless, but not once have i heard so many in the same sentence and referring to one product!!!!!  my curiosity got the best of me and i ordered the infamous Walden Farms pancake syrup online.  however, man, sometimes all you have to do is ASK.  'do you carry Walden Farms products?' i asked the store associate.  i just knew she would look at me crazy and reply with 'who!?', but nope, HEB always come through for meeeeeee.

could that be?...no... calorie-free ketchup!? yeah it scares me too...i'll go back for it later though lol

i read A LOT of product reviews (i do hope for the best that they aren't fake or anything) and the Walden Farms dips (chocolate, caramel, marshmallow, etc.) aren't sounding too good.  so, i left them alone for now.

there they are...in all their glory!  bbq sauce too!  WF is on a roll.

and dressings! so for those of you who like to eat salad with your dressing lol, you should give these a try.

this is what i got outta there with in addition to my fresh fruits, veggies, and proteins.  syrup (pancake and chocolate) sesame ginger dressing (which is nothing short of awesome) and more PB2- there was a 50 cents off coupon running and i couldn't pass it up.

saturday morning, i made Chiso a bowl of oatmeal and topped it with fresh blueberries, chia seeds, peanut butter, and almond milk.

then i made some more of those oatmeal pancakes i had last week (i am HOOKED!!).  i made up the batter the night before this time and let it sit in the fridge.

 we had them again this morning. ready to try them?! here's that recipe:

super moist banana oat pancakes

the stuff:

• 1/3 cup rolled oats (***you can use pre-ground oat flower, or ground them yourself in your blender or food processor***)
• 2 egg whites
• couple dashes of cinnamon (be generous)
• splash of  real vanilla extract (OR you can use a couple drops of vanilla creme stevia if you want them sweeter!)
• 1/2 a mashed ripe banana
• 1/8th tsp of baking powder
• 2 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 heaping tbsp greek yogurt or unsweetened applesauce

do this:

1. mix all the ingredients well in your blender or food processor!  *s/n: if the batter is too thick for you, add some unsweetened vanilla almond milk to stretch it.  i've been adding water to keep my nutritional stats the same for my competition diet though.*
2. pour into a non-stick/sprayed skillet or griddle. you can make 1 big cake like they do at restaurants, or a stack. i like to do 4 mini cakes.
3. 3-4 min on each side.
4. you can add SO many things to your batter- the options are simply endless. top or incorporate your fav fruit or nuts and don't forget that sugar-free syrup.  i also sprayed mine with some 'i can't believe it's not butter'.  this is too easy!!! i don't even need a pancake cheat meal anymore!  tastes so darn good.  i'll be adding some PB2 into my batter when i can have it again.  enjoy and get creative.

 (for the ENTIRE recipe)

   Chiso is a fan.

heck, oatmeal hating Sonny likes them AND the syrup too. jackpot.

About Time sent me some free samples of their whey protein this past week- chocolate and birthday cake flavor.  no carbs, no fat, no aftertaste, and all natural. hmmmmmmmmmm!  as usual, i will be trying, next month.

don't wait til morning, go make some pancakes right now.  have a blessed rest of your sunday.

what is your experience with Walden Farms!? any products by them the world should know about? share!

le