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Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats

8/4/2016

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Zucchini season is here which means it's coming out of my ears and I'm always on the search for fun new recipes! This zucchini boat recipe however is one we use over and over again because it's so simple and delicious. 

Ingredients 
  • 2-3 cooked and shredded chicken breasts
  • Zucchini sliced in half the longways {Number of zucchini's needed is dependent on how big they are because the ones from my garden are huge so I'm a terrible judge of size!}
  • Olive oil 
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion {I'll even use the onion stems from the garden and it tastes great}
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 can or 15 ounces of tomato sauce {I have used tomato paste too you'll just need more water}
  • 1-2 tablespoons of chili powder dependent on how spicy you like it
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika 
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2/3-1 cup water
  • 1 cup of either corn,  black beans or both 
  • Shredded cheese to top
  • Optional: diced tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and sour cream for serving 

As you can tell by my ingredients list I don't always make my recipes the exact same way and sometimes I just throw things in the pan without measuring like olive oil or water for example! 
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Not the prettiest picture but it gives you an idea of what the boats look like while in the oven. You could make them smaller before cooking but I prefer to cut them after that way all the ingredients are contained and not spilling in the dish. 
Directions
Preheat over to 400 degrees. Using a spoon scoop the centers and seeds from zucchini while leaving yourself with a rim to create "boats". Brush tops and bottoms with olive oil then place in baking dish of choice. Bake in oven approximately 30 minutes or until zucchini is nearly tender. 

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a sauce pan. Once hot add the onion and garlic, saute until soft. Remove from heat then pour in tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, paprika and turmeric. Next, add water to make sauce desired thickness. Bring to a light boil, stirring constantly so it does not burn then add in the shredded chicken and either corn or black beans. 

Remove zucchini from oven and spoon chicken enchilada mixture into your boat. Sprinkle the tops with cheese and return them to the oven from approximately 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts. Top with desired toppings and serve warm. 

*This recipe was adapted from Cooking Classy 
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Homemade Fajita Seasoning 

6/3/2016

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​Ever since learning how to cook and eat cleaner I rarely use store bought seasoning or sauces, instead I make my own! Taco seasoning, pasta sauce, soup base, chicken broth, etc. The flavor is always amazing and I love knowing exactly what's going into our food {no sneaky sodium or other extra ingredients} Plus, they are so simple to make from ingredients most kitchens already have.

Here is a homemade fajita seasoning that's perfect paired with sliced bell peppers, onions and sliced chicken breast! 
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Coconut Steamed Veggies

6/2/2016

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I recently completed the 3 Day Refresh and just have to share this recipe with you! So simple but so delicious and definitely getting added to our weekly veggie rotation!

Coconut Steamed Veggies
1/2 cup water
1/2 chopped fresh broccoli or green beans
1/2 cup sliced fresh carrot
1/2 chopped fresh cauliflower
1/2 tsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp sea salt

1. Add water to saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Add veggies to saucepan, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until tender-crisp. 
3. Place veggies in serving bowl. Add coconut oil and salt, toss gently to coat.
4. ENJOY :)
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Extra tip: I used frozen cauliflower and they still turned out great! Typically frozen veggies are just as good as fresh in terms of nutrients as long as they are plain veggies. None of those with the extra ingredients like butter or seasoning. Plus, frozen is usually cheaper so it's a win, win!
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21 Day Fix Approved: Quinoa Stir Fry 

1/25/2016

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Something I hear quite often is,“I don’t know how to cook healthy.” My tip? Just try it! Yes, there will be flops but you’ll never learn if you don’t try.


When I first started cooking cleaner I had no idea what I was doing because it was completely different than what I had grown up on for dinner. I’m a Minnesota girl who comes from a big family so “hot dish” was usually on the menu and don’t get me wrong casserole is amazing but it packs a lot of carbs and not always the best ingredients {like 3 cans of soup and a bucket of ketchup}. But after a few flops and some wins too my husband still said, “this is the best cooking since we’ve been married!”

I kept finding new recipes to try, experimented with my own and now cooking healthy is just second nature! Quinoa Stir Fry was one of my first meals that the whole family loved and is now a staple in our household. Plus, it’s 21 Day Fix approved!

Quinoa Stir Fry
4 cups mixed veggies
½ cup dry quinoa
1 ½ cups shredded chicken {I always use leftovers but you can cook the chicken before hand too}
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon turmeric

To cut down on dishes I make this all in one pan :) Start by cooking your veggies then set them aside in a bowl. Next cook the quinoa as directed. Once the quinoa is finished add in the veggies, chicken, paprika, chili powder and turmeric. Stir and enjoy!

If you’re a 21 Day Fixer you can eat HALF of this entire pan, yes I said half! Which equals 2 reds, 2 greens and 1 yellow.

I make this for my husband, myself and our 2 year old. If you have a bigger family just double or triple the ingredients to suit your needs! 

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Tasty Taco Soup!

9/21/2015

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The coolness of fall has me leaning towards soup for dinner because it’s easy, delicious and the recipe doesn’t always have to be “perfect” because let’s face it cooking with kids is not an easy task! Plus, there is usually leftovers for lunch the next day which both Chase and I appreciate. One of our family favorites is a hearty, taco soup that has more the consistency of chili versus soup. The best part? You can use whatever taco style ingredients you have on hand!


Ingredients

1 pound ground lean turkey or hamburger
2 cans diced tomatoes (I use the equivalence of this in fresh tomatoes or ones canned from my own garden)
1 package taco seasoning (I use home taco seasoning to taste)
1 can tomato soup with or without the water (I don’t add the water because we like it better thick like chili)
1 can black beans
1 can corn
3 small cans diced olives
*You can add or take away veggies as you wish and can definitely use fresh ingredients versus canned! Some of our favorite things to add is jalapenos and bell peppers.
*Shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chip toppings are optional (and delicious!)

Directions
Brown ground meat, add all the ingredients together in pot, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: http://therecipecritic.com/2012/11/skinny-taco-soup/


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Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream

8/31/2015

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One of my all time favorite clean eating tips on a budget is to buy the brown, day old bananas. Why? Because I take them straight home, peel and freeze! They are perfect for adding into my Shakeology and are already set to go for baking or cooking. I've had a bag of frozen bananas that needed to get used up staring me down for weeks and finally I put them to good use...ice cream! 

I've seen lots of different recipes while browsing Pinterest, healthy cookbooks or blogs for banana ice cream and have always been curious to try it out, now my only regret is not doing it sooner! It was the perfect treat to cure my sweet tooth all while sticking to my clean eating. Plus, it's so easy to make! I kept mine simple with two of my favorite ingredients; peanut butter and bananas. 

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream 

Ingredients
  • Frozen Bananas - Amount dependent on how many people you are serving, I used 3 for my husband and I. 
  • Peanut Butter - Again dependent on how peanut buttery you'd like your ice cream, I used two big spoonfuls! 
Directions
Freeze peeled bananas. Place frozen bananas and peanut butter in food processor, mix until desired consistency. You can enjoy your ice cream immediately as a custard textured ice cream or freeze it for later which will make it more hard scoop style. Simple and easy right? Now I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! 
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Peach Crisp - A "Healthier" Version

6/30/2015

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If you follow us on Facebook then you may have saw how I posted about starting to follow a recipe for “clean peach cobbler,” getting distracted and essentially making up my own recipe...this happens A LOT when I’m in the kitchen. Maybe it's adult ADHD or the fact I'm usually cooking with a toddler but that's beside the point! My first peach creation wasn’t bad but needed a little sweetening up before I could share it with all of you so into the kitchen I went for round two and success was mine! This recipe isn’t 100% clean eating approved but for an occasional treat it’s definitely a healthier option and just plain delicious.

“Healthier” Peach Crisp Recipe

Ingredients
  • 2 large peaches diced and sprinkled lightly with sugar

  • 4 tablespoons whole wheat flour (split between mixtures)

  • ½ cup dry oatmeal

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (split between mixtures)

  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon melted butter


Directions
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Depending on what type of dish you choose to bake in you may need to grease it. I love baking  in glass mason jars because it’s the perfect way to split the recipe evenly. Plus, you can eat it right from the jar which means less dishwashing!

  • Combine diced peaches, vanilla, 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl then pour mixture into your prepared baking dish or mason jars.

  • Next combine oatmeal, maple syrup, butter, 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in bowl and pour over peach mixture.

  • Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until the oatmeal mixture is to your desired “crisp”. Let cool at room temperature for desired amount of time before enjoying. I chose to let it sit for approximately 1 hour which allowed the peach mixture to thicken but it was still warm and the perfect temperature to not melt our ice cream topping. Yes, the ice cream is optional but it’s definitely delicious and completes the mason jar look especially if you're serving it to others!


*This recipe is two servings, feel free to double or triple it if serving others. Also, if going for looks when serving I would suggest scooping the mixtures into the jars versus pouring to avoid the crisp I got on my upper edges. As always enjoy!
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Clean Turkey Meatballs

6/10/2015

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Every once in a while we completely eat our self out of house and home to make sure we aren't letting things go to waste. Plus, it's good for the grocery budget! When this happens dinner sometimes gets interesting and I've got to put my cooking skills to the test. This go round I had ground turkey, carrots and celery to work with so turkey meatballs it was. The only problem? No eggs which most recipes call for. I decided to just go for it anyways and came up with a new recipe that had my husband asking what smelled so good before the meatballs even went in the oven! It's safe to say this easy, clean recipe was a hit and will now be a staple at our household and hopefully yours too!

Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey 
 1 teaspoon ground onion
1 teaspoon ground garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon sea salt  
Olive oil - as needed for rolling meatballs
Breadcrumbs optional - I had one slice of homemade beer bread left so I crumbled it up and threw it in but easily could have omitted it. (If wanting meatballs to be 21 Day Fix approved without counting your yellow container then omit breadcrumbs.)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°f and grease baking sheet. Combine the ground turkey, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, salt and breadcrumbs together in a bowl. Roll mixture into meatballs and then gently roll them in a bowl of olive oil so they are lightly coated. Place meatballs on baking sheet and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until cooked completely through. 

The number of servings is dependent on how big you make your meatballs, with this batch I was able to make approximately 25. Enough for dinner tonight and leftovers tomorrow!

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Homemade Beer Bread & Cream of Something Soup

6/3/2015

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The only good thing about cool summer days? Making homemade soup and beer bread is completely acceptable! I’ll admit I used to be afraid of making soup because I was worried it wouldn't turn out, silly right? Now it's one of my favorite things to make because it's easy, cheap and uses up leftovers brilliantly! Which is why I want to share my simple way to start out any pot or crockpot full of warm, homemade goodness with you. I was first introduced to this recipe last fall at my local moms group and it’s called “cream of something soup.” In addition to a soup base I have also used the mix in place of canned soup for certain recipes like casserole or roast in the crockpot. It’s always been delicious and definitely a cheaper, healthier, lower sodium option than chicken stock or canned soup!

Cream of Something Soup Recipe


¾ cup flour (I use whole wheat)
2 tablespoons chicken boullion (look for a low sodium, natural version)
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon each of thyme, parsley, basil and black pepper

*To use combine 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons dry mix.

This recipe makes approximately two pint size mason jars so it lasts forever unless of course you make soup daily! Keep in mind this is just the soup base and you’ll have to add whatever vegetables, noodles and meat you like. *Dependent on what I’m making I’ll either use water or milk as my base liquid but always REAL butter! Also you’ll have to double or triple the amount of liquid and mix depending on how big of a pot of soup you're making.

Ps - Mason jars filled with this soup mix, wrapped in raffia and a cute label make an awesome holiday gift! If you want to get extra crafty make a whole basket of soup necessities like noodles, fun bowls, big spoons, etc.

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You can’t have soup without fresh bread and beer bread is a favorite at our house! We love the Tastefully Simple version but at $6 a loaf it doesn’t fit in the budget and is now reserved for special occasions. Luckily, I stumbled across this homemade beer bread recipe a couple years ago in a local magazine and have been hooked ever since.

Homemade Beer Bread Recipe

3 cups flour (I use whole wheat)
¼ cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (I use sea salt)
12 ounce bottle or can of room temperature beer
2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions: Set oven to 375 degrees and grease loaf pan. In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Gently stir in the beer and melted butter (batter will be lumpy). Spread in pan and bake 40-50 minutes. Brush top of loaf with additional melted butter. Let cool and enjoy!


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{Clean} Caramel Corn

6/1/2015

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In need of a sweet treat? Try out this sticky, clean eating approved recipe we love for movie night!

Ingredients
1/4 cup peanut or almond butter
1/2 cup honey
8-10 cups popped popcorn

Directions
Pop popcorn and place it in a large, brown paper bag. Next, melt the peanut butter and honey in a microwave safe bowl and pour mixture over popcorn then SHAKE, dance and move that bag! Pour popcorn into large bowl continuing to stir as it cools. Enjoy and be warned of sticky fingers!
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