Healthy Homemade Meatballs and Sauce: Instant Pot Edition

I'm gonna get straight to the point with this recipe. It's a modification of my favorite recipe from the Fixate Cookbook and when I tried it out in the Instant Pot for the first time last week I was VERY pleased.

I'm all about keeping it simple, reducing the amount of dishes I have to wash AND eating delicious healthy comfort foods. 

Doesn't that look amazing?! Can you believe that that is 21 Day Fix approved? No need for "diet" food or "processed frozen meals" when you can make something that tastes like this and is actually good for you. Bonus that this doesn't take much time at all.

Wanna know how to make it?

Step #1: Prep Meatball mixture to chill

Ingredients:

1/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1/4 cup 2 % milk or unsweetened almond milk

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 lbs organic grass fed beef or organic lean ground turkey (note: we prefer this recipe with beef)

2 large eggs

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp sea salt or Himalayan Salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl add bread crumbs and milk. Let it soak while you cut up the rest of the ingredients. Add diced onions, garlic, turkey, eggs parsley, cheese, oregano, salt, pepper into bread crumb mixture and mix well. Cover bowl and place in fridge for 1 hour.

Step #2: The Sauce

Ingredients:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 (6oz) can organic tomato paste (no salt)

1/8 cup red wine

1 (28oz) can pureed tomatoes (organic, no salt) or you can get canned whole peeled and just blend them before

1 tbsp organic honey or agave nectar

1/2 tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil

Directions:

Set Instant Pot to saute mode. Add oil and onions and stir frequently for about 3-5 mins. Add Garlic, tomato paste, and stir constantly (don't let paste burn) for about 2 mins. Add wine, cook stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Then add pureed tomatoes, honey, salt and pepper. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes. Then switch IP over to "keep warm mode" add basil, mix well and stir occasionally for 20 mins. Then turn off IP until it's time to add the meatballs in and keep the cover on.

Step #3: Time to get cooking!

Take meatball mixture out of the fridge and take lid off instant pot. Give sauce another good stir. Star rolling those meat balls. Use a spoon to scoop the mixture out, roll it and lay them in the sauce mixture inside the instant spot. I start on the outside rim of the pot and do a full circle. Then continue to add meatballs inside the outside circle tell all the space is gone. Cover the lid and set it to manual, high pressure for 5 minutes. Make sure the pressure valve is sealed. Once the pot has pressurized and cooked for 5 minutes put it in "natural release mode" ( set to warm for 10 minutes, then release the valve and remove the lid). 

That's it! Dinner is served! You can poor this meal ball mixture over whole wheat pasta, make open faced meatball sandwiches from the Fixate Cookbook and more! Such and easy recipe that tastes like something you'd get from a Italian restaurant! 

21 Day Fix/Country Heat/Portion Fix Container amounts (per serving): 

2 Greens 1 Red 1/2 Blue (add 1 yellow if you use whole wheat pasta. Make sure you use the container to measure out the portion of the pasta into the bowl and then pour your sauce and meatballs on top.) 2 meatballs = 1 Red Container

Mmmmmm. I like to top mine with a little fresh basil.

So what's the verdict? Well, if you ask myself, my Hubby, my two kids or Nacho Libre they'll tell you...

So what do you think. Will you try them?

Want to see a video of me cooking these? I went on FB Live last night as I was cooking dinner. Check it out:

Want more recipes like this? Want more recipes like this, meal prep tips and/or to get started with a fitness routine? I would LOVE to be your coach! You can reach out to me by going to my Facebook page by clicking the picture below....

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Healthy Homemade Hamburger Helper: Instant Pot Edition

I love Instant Pot, I love Instant Pot, 

Meow Meow Meow Meow...

Did you sing the song in your head?

It's catchy isn't it?

One one of my favorite things to do is take a not so healthy comfort food recipe and convert it to a delicious comforting healthy recipe using organic clean eating ingredients. The next step is to make it something that my kids will eat too. When all of those factors come together,... I may jump for joy. Or do a cartwheel.

I work from home, am beginning a new chapter of Homeschooling my kids and am helping us grow our ranch! So I'm on the go a lot to say the least (ask my fitbit, lol). The Instant Pot and how quickly I can produce yummy, hot, comforting healthy foods has been such a blessing!

I hope you are enjoying these recipes I'm putting on the blog! If you would like MORE recipes like this you can join my new Facebook Group Clean Eats: Instant Pot Edition by clicking the link.

Last night's dinner was another win for the Instant Pot. 4 happy full bellies in our house and I wanted to share the recipe with you! 

This recipe only took 15 minutes to cook and bonus, it's Fix Portion Approved! 

Healthy Hamburger Helper: Instant Pot Edition

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs organic ground beef

2 Cups uncooked whole wheat organic macaroni pasta

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cup shredded cheese

3 TSP "Better than Bouillon" organic Beef Paste

*Note: You can find this paste at most grocery stores right next to the broths. This is SO much better than using bouillon and so much healthier too!)

3 1/2 cups of hot water

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Dry Ingredients:

3 tsp parsley flakes

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp of turmeric (optional)

1/2 tsp celery seed

1 tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt

1 tsp sucanat (or unbleached sugar)

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Directions: 

Turn Instant Pot to "saute" mode. Add EVOO and beef and start to brown beef. While beef is browning add all the dry ingredients into 1 bowl. Add hot water, better than bouillon beef paste and dry ingredients blend together and mix well. 

Continue to stir beef while it cooks and make sure it's crumbled well. Once it has cooked add liquid mixture and uncooked pasta. Put lid on Instant Pot and switch mode to "steam" for 5 minutes. Once this finishes pull the pressure valve for a "quick release" and remove lid. Add cheese and stir well. 

Turn off Instant Pot and serve meal.

Enjoy!

21 Day Fix/Country Heat/Portion Fix Container Equivalent:

1 Red 1 Yellow 1/2  Blue 1 Tsp

*Note I used a Red container to measure out my serving.

Want more recipes like this? Want more recipes like this, meal prep tips and/or to get started with a fitness routine? I would LOVE to be your coach! You can reach out to me by going to my Facebook page by clicking the picture below....

Have a blessed day!

Healthy "Combination Fried Rice": Instant Pot Edition (Recipe)

So as you can see I'm kind of on an Instant Pot blog post kick right now. Yesterday I blogged about how I did all my Meal Prep for the week and how much time I saved HERE.

Now that I've been cooking for a week with this thing I decided to get a little brave tonight. My mission: to convert my 21 Day Fix Approved Chicken "Fried" Rice to the Instant Pot. I didn't want to stop there. I decided to make it a little more decadent and still keep it healthy...

Meet "Healthy Combination Fried Rice: Instant Pot Edition":

Ingredients:

2 cups Brown Rice (uncooked)  or about 2 1/2 cups cooked Brown rice (add more if you prefer)

1/2 chicken breast (cooked)

1 lb organic ground beef

3 eggs

1/2 onion (chopped)

1 cup chopped zucchini

1 cup of a blend of chopped carrots and sweet peppers

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 TBSP Braggs Liquid Aminos

1/2 cup sliced green onions

Other seasonings to tastes

Serves: 6-8

Directions:

You can have some of this pre made on Meal Prep Day or you can cook everything in one evening. Either way it won't take too long!

Step #1: Cook the Brown Rice: Add rice to the Instant Pot. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Close and lock the lid. Press "manual" and then set to 22 minutes pressure cooking time. Once done set pot to "keep warm mode for a Natural Release for 10 minutes.  Then press cancel and turn the pressure valve "venting" position. One steam has finished releasing remove lid, take rice out and place in a bowl and set aside. If you happened to cook your rice ahead of time on Meal Prep Day go ahead and skip this step.

Step #2: Cook the Ground Beef:  Add 2 tsp of  evoo and the onion to the instant pot and set it to "saute" mode. Then add ground beef and stir/flip frequently until beef is cooked all the way through. Remove Beef from instant pot and set aside in a bowl. *Note: this takes about 8 minutes 

Step #3: Time to cook the eggs! Keep IP on saute mode and add another tsp of evoo. Crack 3 eggs into pot and scramble. *Note: this only takes about a minute

Step #4: Add all the things!: Add in your rice, chopped veggies, ground beef, chopped chicken, braggs liquid aminos, green onion and mi everything together well. Toss frequently for about 3 minutes then switch IP to "warm mode" and toss for another 3 minutes. 

Step #5: Serve and enjoy!

Total cook time (rice and chicken already cooked ahead of time): 15 minutes

*Note: If you need to cook up a chicken breast see my recipe here. 

Total Container Servings for those of you doing 21 Day Fix or Country Heat:

1 Red

1 Yellow

1 Green

1 tsp

1 Orange

The verdict? My family LOVED this recipe! Husband gave it two thumbs up, and our 5 year old and 2 1/2 year old gobbled it up without even realizing how many veggies were in it. 

And it fit in with my week #3 meal plan for Country Heat. 

Amazing. I'm one happy Mama!

Want more recipes like this? Want more recipes like this, meal prep tips and/or to get started with a fitness routine? I would LOVE to be your coach! You can reach out to me by going to my Facebook page by clicking the picture below....

Have a blessed day!

Recipe: Incredible Hulk - 21 Day Fix Approved

Happy June, friends! Summer is coming up, the grill is getting fired up all over America and I'm going to share with you one of my family's favorite dishes. 

I made this up on a whim a few years back when I was trying to use up some produce that was going to go bad. Hubby and my then tiny son loved it and it was named the "Incredible Hulk". We use this as taco toppings, as a side dish for BBQ's we attend or even at home. It has a few variations you can do with it too to switch it up.

Wanna know how to make it? 

Here you go :)

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

2 medium cucumbers: peeled and chopped up (chop into smaller pieces if your going to use it as taco toppings)

2 avocados (sliced into small pieces)

1 tbsp grape seed garlic oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp lime juice or lemon juice

sea salt and pepper to taste

That's it!!

Few optional add ons:

1 diced jalapeno (seeds removed)

cilantro

Garlic Powder (if you don't use the grape seed garlic oil I recommend adding a little of this)

Directions:

Add everything into one big bowl, mix well and let chill in the fridge for up to an hour and boom! Enjoy! 

Simple, one pot meal and delicious. My kind of recipe!

Want to know what the 21 Day Fix servings would be for 1 cup?

1 Green

1 blue

1 tsp oil

Looking for more easy summer recipes? You can sign up for my free 7 day Clean Eating Plan by emailing me at CoachJennyM@gmail.com

Have a blessed day!

Recipe: Clean Eats Ranch Dip - 21 Day Fix Approved!

When we begin to adapt habits for a healthy lifestyle change one of the first things we are told is "eat more veggies!" Well it helps to have a delicious dip to eat said veggies with!

I have a 21 Day Fix approved Clean Eats Ranch Dip for that!

This recipe made a huge batch that I made during meal prep that I will be using throughout the week.

Here it is:

Ingredients:

1 cup 2% Greek Fage Yogurt - plain

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/2 tsp Dill

1/2 tsp Parsley

Mix together and BOOM delicious ranch goodness.

This recipe makes 8 servings (2 tbsp each serving).

This recipe would be a great dip to have out for BBQ's over the summer!

Speaking of BBQ's we have a fun new FREE 7 Day Challenge Group that begins a week from today!

Did you know that you are supposed to drink a minimum of 8 

(8oz) glasses of water a day?! It's easy to forget to stay hydrated and get caught up in the business of day to day.

Join us for our FREE 7 Day Water and Healthy BBQ Recipe Challenge! Daily accountability to reach your daily water intake goals and healthy BBQ recipes to use this coming Memorial Day weekend and Summer!

We begin together on Monday 5/23 leading up to Memorial Day! Want to join? Fill out the quick application below to get signed up :)

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Recipe: Egg Roll in a Bowl

We have a new staple recipe in our house... and it's SO good!

Ingredients:

- 1 Lb of ground beef, chicken or pork

- 1 package of coleslaw mix

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 3 cloves garlic, chopped

- 3-4 TBSP Braggs liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce

- 1-2 Tsp of Rice Vinegar

Directions:

Cook ground meat tell done. Add onions and garlic and sauté until nearly cooked. Add slaw package and cook for another 10-15 mins. Add liquid ingredients and simmer for 5-10 mins. Then serve.

1 serving equals 1 red, 1 green and 1 orange for those following 21 Day Fix.

This is also a great Paleo recipe!

Enjoy :)

Want more recipes like this? You can sign up for my free monthly newsletter here or join one of my challenge groups:

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Recipe: Mason Jar Taco Salad

It's not secret that I love Mason Jars. Put some food in it that's healthy, easy to prepare and delicious and I'm a happy girl! This week I decided to switch it up again and got creative.

My newest Mason Jar Salad recipe (drum roll please)....tatatatatatatatatatata..

Taco Salad! (the crowd goes wild) "Yaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Ok maybe I'm a little to excited about this. Haha

This was crazy easy to make and tastes amazing!

Ingredients:

Organic Ground Beef

Salsa (your choice)

Shredded cheese

1 Cucumber (peeled and chopped)

Your Lettuce of choice (I used a coleslaw blend this time)

Directions:

Cook your ground beef how you like it. For taco seasoning I use garlic powder, chili powder, a little Himalayan salt and diced onions. You won't need to use all of your cooked meat, I actually used half for dinner that night and the other half for the 3 mason jar salads I made. If you want to make more salads than that, you'll need to just use the beef  just for the salads.  After your beef is cooked, place in a sealed container and let cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Then it's time to build your salads! I used my 21 Day Fix Portion controlled containers and measured out the proper servings for each ingredient.

1st Layer: Salsa (I used my orange container for this because you don't need much)

2nd Layer: Chopped Cucumber (1/2 a Green Container)

3rd Layer: Ground Taco Meat (1 red container)

4th Layer: Shredded cheese (1/2 a blue container)

5th Layer: Salad Blend of Choice (1 Green Container)

Seal the lid and store in the fridge! It's that easy! When it's time to eat it for your lunch throughout the week, simply shake it up and pour into a bowl and dig in. Delicious!

Want more recipes like this?

You can reach out to me by filling out the quick form below and I'll get back to you asap!

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Have a blessed day!

Recipe: Mason Jar Egg Salad

I love me a good Mason Jar salad. They are great for meal prep days and it stays fresh for up to 6-7 days! I was doing the same Mason Jar salad a few times a week for lunches for about a month now and decided it was time to switch it up.

Here is a super easy egg salad blend I made to go inside!

Ingredients:

6 Hard Boiled Eggs

2 celery stalks, diced

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions, mix all the ingredients together and then dived into 3 mason jars evenly. Next add 1 cup of salad greens on top, seal the jar and store in the fridge.

Super easy right?

21 Day Fix Portion Control Container Amount Per serving is:

1 red and 1 green.

Enjoy!

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Have a Blessed day,

21 Reason to do 21 Day Fix - Holiday Edition

Earlier this year I wrote a blog post titled "21 Day Reasons to do 21 Day Fix" and it's the most read post on this blog! I'm currently on day 7 of this round with our Holiday Fit Club group and thought this would be the perfect time to do a updated list, Holiday style!  

21 Reasons Why You Should do 21 Day Fix during the Holidays:

1. Only 30 minutes of exercise a day: You don't have to spend hours at the gym to reach the goals you have. 30 short minutes a day, with a different workout for each day of the week to keep it fresh, interesting and help you get fit! (Total Body Fix, Upper Fix, Lower Fix, Pilates Fix, Cardio Fix, Dirty 30, and Yoga Fix). Perfect for this time of year when we have lots of parties, events, and other things scheduled. 30 minutes is only 2% of our day, we spend more time on social media then that! 
2. You can still enjoy your favorite Holiday treats in small portions. I know how much you probably love spaghetti with chocolate sauce and sprinkles (I kid, I kid). The easy to follow, simple, clean eating guide and nutrition plan will teach you how to eat in moderation.
   
3. Easy to use Color coded portion control containers. Takes all the guess work out of it! And they are dish washer safe/bpa free. Score! 
4. No Calorie Counting!: Why add stress to your busy holiday season? Theses containers make it so easy to track what you are eating and you don't feel hungry!
5. You will lose weight! Why wait tell the New Year to lose those 5-10 pounds. I've had some challengers lose 15+ lbs in their first round of 21 Day Fix. Amazing!
   
6. Company Christmas Party? No worries! Want to feel great in your favorite Holiday dress? Or maybe you just want more energy to be present for those fun events? By getting your 30 minutes of exercise a day and eating clean you will not only look great but feel great too!
7. It's only 21 Days. 3 weeks that's it! You could already be well on your way to a healthier you before that ball drops on New Years Eve!
8. Fun in the Kitchen: Let's face it this time of year invoices cooking lots of potluck dishes, holiday meals and baking cookies and treats! Freshen up your kitchen with fresh produce and get inspired creating healthy dishes that taste delicious for you and your loved ones!
   
9. Your clothes will fit better: Hello Holiday Party Dress or favorite skinny jeans with boots!
10. Support: You get me as your free coach! I will help you stay accountable through the Holiday season and be here for you every step of the way.
    
    
11. No Choreography: Even those that have 2 left feet (like myself) can follow the moves in the workouts! Autumn gives clear, instruction and the workouts go by fast!
12. Modifier: Whether you are recovering from an injury (and with Dr permission working out) or just need to go at a easier pace to start, the modifier in all 8 workouts is incredible! She's very easy to follow.
13. Winter Weather doesn't have to hinder your workouts! Got snow? Or maybe it's just too cold outside? I've got a solution to that! You can do all your workouts that are effective, quick and fun in the comfort of your own home. (Saving gas and keeping you warm) Double win!
    
14. More Energy! You will have more energy to be present for your loved ones, get your holiday shopping done and making memories! Double boost if you drink your shakeology daily too!
15. Multiple Rounds: The beauty of this program is you can do as many 3 week rounds as you want! By starting this Holiday season you already have your effective program of choice lined up to do another round come Jan 1st! 
16. Accountability Groups: Our Challenge Groups are filled with amazing, inspiring and all around wonderful people! Join us for daily accountability, recipes and fellowship!
17. Share with others: Have your family join in the fun! Its a great opportunity to have family time while everyone improves their health.
    
18. There's an app for that! There is a free 21 Day Fix app in the itunes store you can download to keep it simple while you're on the go. Perfect for this busy time of year!
19. You won't be sorry, I promise. At the end of your 21 Day Fix round you won't be sorry. You will be happy that you did this 
20. Customize your plan based on your goals. This program is so versatile for everyone's goals!
21. You have a choice: You get to make the choice to change your eating habits, improve your strength/mode, lose weight and inspire others to do the same! Why wait tell the new year? Today is a great day to start!
    

I've seen first hand that this program does work! To date I've lost over 30 pounds and 5 pant sizes since beginning my 21 Day Fix journey!

This is just a small bit of the amazing testimonies we've had come out of our 21 Day Fix challenge groups! So proud of all the challengers who I get to do this health and fitness journey with every single day.

So are you ready to take the 21 Day Fix Challenge? Fill out the quick application below and together we will get started on this healthier you!

Have a blessed day!

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Crockpot Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe - Perfect for Fall!

When I think of Fall, I think of cozy sweaters, leggings, boots, hot cups of coffee, family time around the fire and crockpots filled with delicious soups! (Ahh...My happy place)

Do I have a delicious recipe for you today! This was so quick, easy to do and the house smelled amazing! I took a few recipes for Greek Lemon Chicken Soup I've found and modified it a little to our liking.

Here you go!

Serves 5-6

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (frozen)

10 cups organic low sodium chicken broth

1/2 sweet onion (diced)

6 garlic gloves minced 

1/3 cup diced chives

zest of 1 large lemon

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

1 cup brown rice

2 oz crumbled feta (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Add everything into the crockpot except the brown rice and feta. Cook on low in your slow cooker for 6-7 hours. Then take a spatula and shred the chicken gently in the pot. 30 Minutes before it's time to serve add the cup of brown rice, stir and let it do it cook.

Serve and sprinkle with crumbled feta if you'd like!

YUM! So easy, healthy and delicious!

If you are tracking with 21 Day Fix Portion Control containers the serving size for 1 serving of soup would be 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 tsp. 

Enjoy :)

Recipe: Asian Meatballs - 21 Day Fix Approved!

I love when I can find a new recipe that is not only 21 Day Fix approved, but it's meal prep friendly! If I can make something in big batches to use throughout the week that stores well, I'm a happy camper!  These asian meatballs are AH-MAZING! I also love that you can get creative and sneak some extra veggies in there too.

Asian Meatballs

(Makes 20 meatballs (I was able to fit 5 in my red container = 1 Red )

Ingredients:

2lbs lean ground meat of your choice(chicken, turkey or beef)

1/4 cup soy sauce (I used coconut aminos)
1 inch piece of ginger, grated (you can add more if you love ginger)

1 garlic clove, minced

3 green onions, chopped finely

1/2 zucchini grated (optional, and a great way to sneak more veggies in)

Directions:

Oven:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

3. Using your hands, make 20 small meatballs and place on a greased pan (I used coconut oil spray)

4. Bake for about 25 minutes.

5. Serve!

Stove Top:

1. Preheat skillet and add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2. Add meatballs to skillet but don't crowd them ( you will have to do multiple batches depending on the size of your pan.

3. Turn over after about 5 minutes

4. When cooked through, use tongs and place them on a plate with a paper towel.

5. Serve!

These are great to serve with my 21 Day Fix approved fried rice recipe too :)

Want more recipes like this or want a free Coach to help you on your journey? You can reach me here:

Fill out my online form.

Have a blessed day!