I kept seeing this recipe floating around Pinterest that included pasta, bacon, and cream of chicken soup in a casserole.  I decided I was going to try it "healthy" by using whole wheat noodles, turkey bacon, and homemade cream of chicken.  However, after I had all the ingredients ready to go, my oven stopped working.  I decided to try making it as a hotdish on the stove top instead, and it was amazing!!! You will need everything pictured below.  I also add things as I go, so you will also need chopped garlic,  an onion,  and onion powder. 

Start by cooking the bacon in a skillet.  I used 5 pieces.  While it is frying, cut 3 chicken breasts into chunks and cut up part of an onion.  

Take the bacon off and set it aside.  Cook the chicken in onion in the same pan.  They will soak up some of the bacon flavor.  While the chicken is cooking, mix the following in a bowl: 2 cups of milk, 2 packets of chicken bouillon, half a cup of whipped cream cheese, and 4 T of flour.  Stir until most of the chunks are out. 

Stir in the chicken once it is cooked being sure it is well, coated.  While you are doing this, boil the noodles.  I used about 3/4 of the box.   Drain the noodles and put them back in the pot.  Pour the chicken mixture over the noodles and stir well.  Add about a cup of Colby Jack cheese and the crumpled bacon. 
Cook on medium heat. I added some chopped garlic and onion powder while it simmered.   It will be runny at first, but thickens as it cooks.  I cooked it for about 25 mintues. 

Yum!  It was good.  Oh look, my friend the sandwich thin with butter and garlic salt :)

Walking Tacos.  The ultimate comfort food!  The only problem is, well,  you have to walk them off when you are done. :)  At least you did before.  I was in the organic food section at my grocery store the other day when I saw a bag of chips that looked like Doritos.  I read the label and found they were actually made from beans and were healthy.  I thought I would try them as a snack at first, but then decided to try them as a walking taco.  Let me tell you, they were good!  The texture was slightly different, but it had ALL the flavor.  Pair it with ground turkey, homemade taco seasoning, and your favorite veggie toppings and you have a  low calorie walking taco that is so yummy. 

To make the meat, brown one pound of ground turkey seasoned with a little Lawry's salt.  Once brown, add 1.5 T each of cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder.  Pour about 1/4 cup of water and stir it all in.  Let it simmer until it is all absorbed.   I crushed my chips in a baggie as shown, then put them in a bowl for easier eating.  The baggie was not as thick as a Dorito bag :)  My taco may look a bit boring to you because I don't like tomatoes, but you could add whatever toppings you like.  I really liked the taste of mine! 

I used about 3/4 of a cup or so.

I got the idea to make parmesean chicken meatball from Pinterest, but none of the recipes I found sounded like chicken parmesean to me, soooooo I adapted it.  I took my regular chicken parm recipe and, well, I meatballed it :)  All you need is some ground chicken, string cheese, whole wheat bread crumbs, spaghetti sauce, 1 egg, and a small amount of flour. 

I started my sauce simmering right away so I could season it and let it cook.  I think it tastes better the longer it cooks.  I add garlic cloves, italian seasoning, and onion powder to my sauce.  Next, I made a "work station" of sorts so I could easily make the meatballs.  Put egg in one bowl, flour in one bowl, and split the string cheese into about thirds. 

Take a meatball sized chuck of chicken and form it into a ball around a piece of cheese.  Dip it in the flour first, then the egg, and finally the bread crumbs.  I put the balls into muffin tins so they would keep their shape. 

Bake the meatballs at 400 for about thirty minutes.  Meanwhile, cook your spaghetti noodles.  I LOVE Smart Taste noodles.  They taste exactly like white noodles, but they are not enriched.   The final product was amazing!!!!  I admit this is not the easiest recipe as far as time goes, but  I will make this again for sure!

AAHG.  The Monday morning workout.  I think it is probably the hardest one to do.  Not only is it Monday, but if you are like me you eat less healthy on the weekend and just feel a little more sluggish Monday morning.  If so, doing a strength training work out that doesn't feel so strenuous can be just the ticket not to hit the snooze button.  It doesn't have to be long.  25 minutes is enough to see results if you truly push yourself.  I do strength training while I watch my favorite shows I have DVR'd.  I do each exercise for one minute instead of counting reps.  I rest for a minute, then repeat two more times.  I switch up the toning I do often to keep it interesting, but these are a few of my "go to" favorites.  You can use any size dumbbell you like.  Even 5 pounds will show results with consistency.   Start with a five minute warm up.  You could run in place or do jumping jacks.  Sometimes I get on my treadmill for a few minutes.  Just be sure you move to loosen up your muscles. 

The first one is done in four steps.  Start with the weights at your thighs.  Bending your legs in a slight squat will also work your legs at the same time.....bonus!  Lift into a curl, then a shoulder press, and finally up, back to shoulder press, and back to thighs. 

This exercise also works your arms.  It is best to do it slow and hold each rep for a few seconds.  Basically, you just swing your arms like you are running, then switch which arm is in front.  Again, do a slight squat at the same time for an added bonus.  Remember to breath through this one.  It gets tough at the end of the minute!

Give your arms a little break by doing a balancing exercise next.  Balancing exercises are nice because they work your whole core, a must for a strong body.  Simply balance on one leg, then the other for a minute each using the weights as anchors. 

To continue working the core, the next arm move is done on an ab ball.  Start with your weights by your ears, then push them slightly forward as you extend your arms.  Again, do for a minute if you can.  Work your way up if this is too hard. 

Finish up the arms by doing a pushup on the ball.  Be sure to keep your body straight when you do this.  Don't let your legs flop down.  One minute, you CAN do it!!!

One more core move while you have the ball.  This is my FAVORITE ab move.  It is easy and super effective.  Use the wall as a balance and lay on the ball.  Make sure you wrap your back around the ball so you have to bend all the way up.  Do a crunch squeezing at the top of the move.  One minute, rest, three reps. 

You are done!  25 minutes is all you need to get a good workout in.  You will never regret a workout you did, but you may regret one you skipped!   HAPPY MONDAY! 

I love meatloaf as much as the average 80-year-old man, but I don't like the coronary heart disease that comes with it.  What if we could make a healthy, low calorie meatloaf??? Oh, that's right.  WE CAN! All we need is some ground turkey and a few other ingredients you likely already have.  I made this the other night and my husband actually said he liked it better than my old meatloaf! Add some green beans on the side or the twice baked cauliflower in my previous post and you have a very filling but low calorie and healthy meal.  I will be making this again for sure. 

Start with a pound of ground turkey.  Place it in a bowl and cover it with a 1/4 cup each of ketchup and BBQ sauce.  Add 1/8 cup of mustard, one egg, and about 1/4 cup shredded cheese.  Take about 5 whole wheat saltines (don't forget to read the label!) and crush them in a baggy until they are very fine.  Pour these on top as well.  Now for the ewe part!!! Fold it together with your hands until all the ingredients are mixed. 

Put it in a loaf pan and spread evenly.  Cook it for about 20 minutes then pour a can of tomato soup (no milk or water added) on top.  Continue cooking for about 10-15 more minutes.  Serve hot.  DUH.  :)

I have found that it is easy to come up with a healthy main course, but side dishes are more difficult.  Sure, you can always just throw a veggie on the side but sometimes you want something with a little more pizazz!  I love to make twice baked cauliflower.  I make mine without bacon to keep it healthier, but you could  use crumpled cooked turkey bacon if you wanted to add it.  All you need is a fresh head of cauliflower, some cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese.  Since you are doing an entire head, the sour cream and cream cheese is not eaten in large quantities so it is still an okay side.   It tastes as good as potatoes and is waaaaay lower in carbs.  Yummy side dish that is guilt free??? Shut the front door!  The best part for me is my family won't eat it, so I get to enjoy it for about a week.  It reheats amazingly!!! 

Simply cut up the cauliflower and boil the pieces for about 12 minutes.  Mash it up until it is this consistency. 

Stir in half a cup each of sour cream and whipped cream cheese.  If you are adding turkey bacon, add it crumpled at this point as well.   Pour the cauliflower into a pan and sprinkle the cheese on top.  Bake it at 350 for about 35 minutes.  ENJOY.  It is seriously soooo goood!!!

This morning I did an interval run.  Similar to a HIIT workout, I run hard for one minute and walk for a minute.  Then I run for 2, walk for 2.  I continue this pattern until I do 10 and 10.  When I am running, I run as hard as I can.  When I walk, I do it at a 7 incline.  Its a killer workout, but I feel so accomplished when I finish! You will never regret doing a workout. :)

 This crust was already made! All I had to do was add toppings!!!!!

Yesterday was Halloween and a very, very bad eating day.  I brought Oreos and gummy worms for my students and by 2:30, I had eaten my weight in Oreos and consumed more worms than the early bird.  However, that did not stop me from eating a ton of candy while my kids were trick-or-treating and handing out candy!  I always say I won't beat myself up over a bad day, but today was time to get back on track.  That is the thing about a bad day.  You have to be sure it does not lead into a week of bad days.  We all have occasional "cheat days" and we need them!    Normally, Friday night is my cheat meal and we order pizza.  I decided since yesterday was so full of junk for all of us, I would opt for a healthier homemade pizza.  The best part was, I even found personal size for the kids (including my biggest kid)  so it would be fun for them to make.  These were not whole grain, but I don't worry about this as  much for my little people (or my big guy :)) The pizza crust I bought was 100% whole wheat.  I brushed it with a little olive oil and then added some sauce, a little cheese, and TONS of veggies.  It was delicious!  I was a little weary of how the crust would taste since it was so healthy, but it was really really good.  The best part about homemade pizza is you can make it just the way you want.  I think I may do this more often on Friday nights! 

I also did a HIIT workout this morning because I was feeling sluggish.  It was a great way to get myself back into a  healthy mindset!