Spicy Turkey Chili - Mrs. Dash w/Avocado

I recently started this new beach body program called 21 Day Fix. I feel really proud that I have been keeping up with the program. The program is basically portion control combined with an every day 30 minute work out. For most days, I have eating healthy and well portioned meals. I must say that it feels amazing to feel content after a meal instead of stuffed. I feel that eating clean is something that is difficult for everyone since we are so used to all the fried foods, carbs, and fast food. I feel that we have too much good food around us and most times we don't know when to stop. It is especially difficult when the portion sizes at restaurants are way more than you can even eat. All we want to do is keep eating our meals until we finish though.

Since I started the 21 Day Fix Challenge, I also joined a support group on Facebook. We basically motivate one another as well as update our progress. In that motivational group, we also share the foods we eat and what workout we did that day. We talk about our lows and our highs. I feel that I have tried more at keeping up with the workouts and healthier eating habits since I participated more in the group on Facebook. Anyways, someone in that support group posted a chili recipe. So I went online and searched for a Mrs. Dash seasoning packets for chili. Lucky for me, that seasoning packet actually existed. The hard part was looking for the seasoning packets. I went to a couple different places but only one store had it, Smiths. I don't normally shop there but I will take what I can get!

Recipe adapted from Mrs. Dash seasoning packets

Ingredients:
~1lb ground turkey
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) black beans, undrained
1 green bell pepper
Red onions - amount desired
Tabasco sauce (amount desired/optional)
Crushed red peppers (amount desired/optional)

Directions:
Chop the green bell peppers and onions. Cook the turkey until it is browned (I used a pot so that I don't have to transfer the meat after). When the turkey is finished cooking, add tomatoes, tomato sauce, black beans, bell peppers, onions, Tabasco sauce and crushed red peppers. Bring to boil then cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve with extra Tabasco sauce if desired (I love the heat it gives). You can also serve with brown rice and avocados or add a couple pieces of blue corn tortilla chips. Yumm!

21 Day Fix containers:
Turkey Chili - 1 Red, 1 Yellow
Turkey Chili, Brown Rice, Avocados - 1 Red, 2 Yellow, 1 Blue
Turkey Chili, Tortilla Chips - 1 Red, 1 Yellow

Turkey Meatballs - New Year's Eve Dinner

Happy New Year's Everyone! 

As always, I'm a little late. A little late is better than never though they say. I feel that every year is the same. Everyone starts by writing a list of resolutions.. I guess deciding what they want to accomplish by the end of the next year. This year I didn't think about it much I guess because every year I have the same goals. I feel that New Year's isn't the only time to make a new goal but you can do that any time throughout the year. Every day is another day to better your life, your health and of course helping those around you better themselves as well. I understand that a new year signifies a new start and I agree that some people may need that. I remember two years ago, I didn't know who I was at all. I felt lost and negative. All I did before the year 2012 was go clubbing then sleep. I would also go to work of course. I had a job at school but sometimes I could barely even make it to work with my heavy drinking. I would say that my biggest influence would be my boyfriend though. Since I meant him, I feel that all I want to do is become a better me. I never met anyone who would go to the gym everyday except my mom. I guess seeing it from someone else made a difference especially if it was someone I could possibly be with almost every waking moment. I have to admit that I am still not working out as much as I want to or eating as healthy as I want but I am better than I was two years ago before I meant him. I am more positive, more healthy, more happy with life. Most importantly, I am trying to improve myself even though I was better than two years ago when I was depressed, drinking and partying all the time. This year I didn't get to celebrate New Year's Eve with my boyfriend who I felt has made me a better person. I didn't go to any huge parties or count down with people dancing around me but yet I still felt happy. I was with one of my lovely sisters and my adoring nephew but yet it was so exciting. I spent my night tickling my nephew until he laughed like there was no tomorrow. I listened to my little sister yell and scream with exciting/anger as she was playing Settlers of Catan online but I still felt so content. I also of course cooked us New Year's Eve dinner. I could never leave the food out! I wanted to try something new from the usual food I cook. New Year, new recipe right?! Hahaha. I decided to make turkey meatballs so I went on a hunt once again for another recipe! :)

I would have to say that my turkey meat balls were pretty successful. I was a little worried that the meatballs weren't cooked fully so I put them in the oven for another 5 minutes. I would say that was a bad idea on my part. The turkey meatball turned out to be a bit dry. Luckily, I had some left over marinara in the fridge so I put some on my meatballs for a moist taste! Perfect idea and delicious!

Recipe adapted by Shannons's Knits .
Yields: 12 meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey breast
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
3-4 cloves of garlic - minced
1/2 small yellow onion - diced
2 eggs
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 cup instant oatmeal

 Directions:
1. Preheat oven at 450 degrees F.
2. While waiting for the oven to preheat, chop cilantro. Mince garlic, and dice the onions.
3. Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix using your hands. Add egg whites if the ingredients do not bind together (I used a little over 1 lb of turkey so I added a little egg whites so all my ingredients would stick together).
4. Shape the ingredients into 12 balls and place into the baking dish evenly.

5. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to keep meat moist while cooking.

6. Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until meat is fully cooked.
7. Serve meatballs with marinara sauce or salsa and enjoy.

I ate my meatballs with marinara and a side of brown rice and asparagus.

Brown Rice Spam Musubi

Every once in a while, I get this craving for spam musubi. I don't feel good about eating a large amount of brown rice so I asked my boyfriend to make a brown rice version. I know it still isn't that healthy to eat spam musubi. When I really want to eat spam musubi though, I would rather have brown rice. Spam musubi is probably the only thing my boyfriend actually knows how to cook so I gave this project to him. He is the one who made the brown rice spam musubi in these pictures. It was really delicious! Good thing he doesn't cook much so we only eat this once in a while :)

I used hot & spicy spam. You can use any brand or flavor of spam you want. You can even use meat that you have cooked at home.

Rice vinegar: 

Recipe adapted from singleguychef.

Yields: 6-7 spam musubi (depending on thickness of spam)

Appliance and cookware used: rice cooker and spam musubi maker

First, add rice into a rice cooker pot then add 4 1/2 cups of drinking water. Cook the rice for about 90 mins in a rice cooker; brown rice will turn out best if there is a setting for brown rice on the rice cooker.

2 cups brown rice

4 1/2 cups of water

Next: You will have to cook the spam on a skillet. I would suggest waiting until the rice is almost done to cook the spam. 

Slice the spam into about 6-7 slice pieces while you are waiting for the rice; set aside

When the rice is almost ready, heat the pan on high. Once the pan is hot, turn the heat to medium. No oil is needed to cook the spam. Cook both sides of the sliced spam until brown.

1 can of spam of choice

Add rice vinegar into brown rice right after the rice is ready. You must add the vinegar into the rice while it is warm. Avoid using a metal bowl to mix the rice vinegar with the brown rice (the vinegar might react with the metal).

2 tbsp rice vinegar

Assemble your spam musubi using a spam musubi maker.

3-4 half sheets of nori cut in half

Here is a video to help you assemble the spam musubi if you do not have a spam musubi maker; CLICK HERE.

Place 1 half sheet of nori (cut in half) on a cutting board, the place the spam musubi making on top of the nori. Add rice into the spam musubi maker. 

Place the spam on top of the rice. 

Add another layer of rice on top of the spam.

Remove the spam musubi maker then use a small amount of water to "glue" the nori together.

Here is the final product :)

Calories may vary depending on the type of meat used. 

Source: Calorie Count

Brown Rice Chicken Congee

I love congee especially the congee my aunt makes. Congee = a lot of white rice which is why I never eat it. I decided I needed to make a healthy alternative. I mean.. it's still carbs but at least I can eat congee and not feel as guilty :) I never made congee using brown rice and I think this year was the first time I ever even made congee. I make all these complicated desserts and food but yet I have never made congee. So today I went on a mission to make my boyfriend's favorite chicken congee but with brown rice instead.

I used the homemade chicken broth that my aunt made since she had extra. I also made some changes to my aunt's chicken congee to give the brown rice congee a twist.

Yields: ~4 servings

First, wash the brown rice in water and drain then repeat a couple of times. Add water to the brown rice and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook; remember to stir occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. After an hour, stir in the carrots, shredded chicken and sprinkles of Original Blend Mrs. Dash seasoning. I also add some homemade chicken broth to give the congee more flavor. Cook for another 30 minutes and your congee is ready to eat! :)

1 cup brown rice
~5 cups water (you can always add more liquids if there isn't enough)
~1.5 cups homemade chicken broth
1 large carrot, chopped
2tsp Original Blend Mrs. Dash Seasoning
1/2 piece of cooked chicken breast, shredded
Ginger

I added some spinach to my congee later on for more vegetables. If you would like to add spinach, add it right before you eat the congee. I thought that eating brown rice congee was a nice change. I always feel healthier when I eat brown rice instead of white rice. I also grew to love the flavor of brown rice over white rice.

For more flavor, place ginger (the size of a tablespoon) into a blender and add about a tablespoon of water then blend. Pour the mixture into your congee.

This is for one serving of brown rice congee.

Source: Calorie Counter