Fixate: New Cookbook by Autumn Calabrese

The portion-control Queen is back with a huge announcement. Celebrity Trainer, Autumn Calabrese is once again about to debut another game-changing product to help you blast past your fitness and nutrition goals.

21 Day Fix creator Autumn Calabrese is releasing a 21 Day Fix – based cookbook called FIXATE. This cookbook takes her simple color-coded container portion control system and applies it to 101 of her favorite family recipes.

Each FIXATE recipe lists color-coded container equivalents and nutrition facts. Plus, FIXATE includes Paleo, gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian recipes along with Autumn’s personal tips for preparing meals quickly, and stocking your kitchen with absolute must-haves.

She created the mega-popular 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix EXTREME.  And has now announced her new cookbook, Fixate.

Fixate will teach you how to make healthy, delicious meals that fit into your busy lifestyle. And every recipe includes container equivalents to use with 21 Day Fix, as well as nutritional information you can use with any Beachbody fitness program. 

What is included in the book?  

• 101 portion-controlled recipes for everyone from vegans, vegetarians and those with special diets.  
• 21- Day Fix Friendly recipes and give you many more options to keep using the containers.  
• Recipes that are easy to follow and don't require gourmet-hours-in-the-kitchen instructions.  
• All the container equivalents are listed and the nutritional elements listed as well. 
• Each recipe includes a photo with detailed instructions. 
• You’ll also get Autumn’s tips, even for organizing your pantry and grocery shopping.
• Icons to each recipe that will let readers know if they are paleo, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian.
• A section for every possible meal you can imagine: simple breakfasts, on-the-go lunches, sit down dinners, soups, salads, as well as healthy snacks like kale chips and protein bars.

Autumn reached into her family history for inspiration. “My family was in the restaurant business, so I basically grew up in the kitchen,” she explains. “I was able to take my family’s recipes and make them healthier.”

“We took our time, tested the recipes and I love every single one of them,” she says with pride. “It’s not fancy cooking; there’s a variety of everyday go-to recipes and special recipes for special occasions.”

“This book is for everybody,” says Autumn. “You don’t have to be graduates of 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix EXTREME. You also don’t have to be a chef or great in the kitchen. It’s for anyone who wants to make healthier versions of the foods they love.”

Autumn insisted that all the “on-the-go” lunch recipes be easy and fast for working moms. “I based all of the lunches off leftovers from dinner and even breakfast,” she reveals. “I turned them into delicious, easy-to-make lunch recipes.” Autumn adds, “I also included a few of my favorite Shakeology recipes—even some Fix-approved skinny cocktails.”

And then there’s the desserts. “I have a big sweet tooth so I was really pleased with them,” she says. “I especially love the brownies (made with chick peas), peanut butter cookies and cake recipes, and the desserts are all gluten-free so absolutely everyone can enjoy them.

Click here to for a print-friendly PDF of 5 Fixate recipes!

Here is a taste of some of the recipes!

STRAWBERRY-BANANA ICE CREAM
SERVES: 2 ( 1 ⁄3 cup each)
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
CONTAINER EQUIVALENTS (per serving): 1½ Yellow

Ingredients:
2 medium ripe bananas, cut into pieces
1 cup frozen strawberries
1-2 TBSP Unsweetened almond milk (optional)

Directions: 
Place banana in plastic bag; freeze for 4 hours, or until completely frozen.
Place banana and strawberries in blender (or food processor); cover. Blend until smooth. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. almond milk, if needed, for creamier texture.
Serve immediately

ZUCCHINI CHIPS 
SERVES: 4
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 2 hrs.
CONTAINER EQUIVALENTS (per serving): 1 Green ½ Spoon.

Ingredients:
2 large zucchini, very thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 225° F.
Place zucchini slices in one layer between paper towels to help draw out liquid.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place zucchini slices on prepared baking sheets.
Brush zucchini with oil; sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 2 hours, or until golden brown and crispy.
Cool completely before serving.

Order here!

14 Days of Eating Clean Mini Challenges

With this Challenge I will be posting one Eating Clean Challenge each day for 14 days in our Facebook Event.  Each you can accept the challenge and tell us how it went, what your struggles were or share photos of you meals, groceries etc. 

If you’re interested in giving these daily challenges a shot you can choose build each day on top of the next or simply tackle one daily challenge at a time. My hope is if you take on these mini-challenge, you’ll gain a new perspective from the experience and make at least some positive long-term changes as a result. No matter what though…these mini challenges will get you to start reading ingredient labels (if you don’t already)!

Please join my 14 Days of Eating Clean Mini Challenges Facebook Event for support from others doing the same challenge as you and accountability for the two weeks!  

14 Days of “Eating Clean" Mini-Challenges:

• Day 1: Two fruits and/or vegetables per meal – Eat a minimum of two different fruits or vegetables (preferably organic) with every breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal.
• Day 2: “Real” beverages – Beverages will be limited to coffee, tea, water, and milk (only naturally sweetened with a little honey or 100% pure maple syrup). One cup of juice will be allowed throughout the week for the duration of the challenge, and wine (preferably red) will be allowed in moderation (an average of one drink per day).
• Day 3: Meat – All meat consumed this today will be locally raised (within 100-miles of your hometown). 
• Day 4: Read ingredients – I challenge you to open up your cupboards and read the ingredients lists on your processed foods.  What surprises you?  What ingredients are you unsure of?  Then share with our Facebook group the ingredients you are surprised to find, want more information on or want to share with the group. 
• Day 5: No fast food or deep-fried foods – No fast food or any foods that have been deep-fried in oil.
• Day 6: Try two new whole foods – Try a minimum of two new whole foods that you’ve never had before. Share in the 14 Days of Eating Clean Mini Challenges Facebook Event to tell us what you tried today!
• Day 7: No low-fat, lite or nonfat food products – Do not eat any food products that are labeled as “low-fat,” “lite,” “light,” “reduced fat,” or “nonfat.”
• Day 8: 100% Whole grain – All grains consumed must be 100% whole-grain.
• Day 9: No refined sweeteners – No refined or artificial sweeteners including (but not limited to): white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, sucanat, splenda, stevia, agave, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, and cane juice. Foods and beverages can only be sweetened with a moderate amount of honey or maple syrup.
• Day 10: Stop eating when you feel full – Listen to your internal cues and stop eating when you feel full.
• Day 11: No refined oils – No refined or hydrogenated oils including (but not limited to): vegetable oil, organic vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, organic canola oil, margarine, and grape seed oil.
• Day 12: Eat local foods – Eat at least 1 locally grown or raised food at each meal. This includes, but is not limited to: fruits, vegetables, eggs, grains, nuts, meats, and sweeteners like honey.
• Day 13: Nothing artificial – Avoid all artificial ingredients including, but not limited to: sweeteners, flavors and colors.
• Day 14: No more than 5-ingredients – Avoid any and all packaged food products that contain more than five ingredients no matter what ingredients

By the end of the two weeks what you can and will be able to eat:

1. Whole foods that are more a product of nature than a product of industry
2. Lots of fruits and vegetables 
3. Dairy products like milk, unsweetened yogurt, eggs, and cheese
4. 100% whole-wheat and whole-grains (Find a few of my recommended 100% whole wheat breads on my Which bread is best blog series)
5. Seafood (wild caught is the optimal choice over farm-raised)
6. Locally raised meats such as pork, beef, and chicken.
7. Beverages limited to water, milk, all natural juices, naturally sweetened coffee & tea, and, to help the adults keep their sanity, wine and beer!
8. Snacks like dried fruit, seeds, nuts and popcorn.
9. All natural sweeteners including honey, 100% maple syrup, and fruit juice concentrates are acceptable in moderation.

By the end of the two weeks what you won't be eating:

1. No refined grains such as white flour or white rice (items containing wheat must say WHOLE wheat…not just “wheat”).
2. No refined sweeteners such as sugar, any form of corn syrup, cane juice, or the artificial stuff like Splenda.
3. Nothing out of a box, can, bag, bottle or package that has more than 5 ingredientslisted on the label.
4. No deep fried foods
5. No “fast foods”

Southwestern Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet

I made this yummy breakfast on Sunday Morning and Gord and I both loved it!  I over cooked the eggs slightly but next time I'll know to take it out sooner!  The recipe did use up 1.5 of my Yellow containers for the day which leaves me only .5 yellow left for the day but it was worth it!  In the future I would probably swap the black beans for corn which would add a green container to my count and reduce the yellow containers by 1/2!  

Try it out!  I hope you enjoy!

Southwestern Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet

Serves 2

21 Day Fix Portions: 1.5 Yellow, 1 Red, 1 Blue

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp cumin
1 large sweet potatoe, peeled and chopped or bag of frozen Sweet Potatoes cubed (if doing the 21 day fix measure our two containers of Sweet Potatoes)
1/2 cup black beans/corn or both, canned or homemade (1 Yellow Container)
3/4 tsp Hymalian sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup shredded Old cheddar cheese (2 Blue Containers)
4 eggs (counts as 2 Red Containers)

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for about six minutes until tender. Add cumin and toss well. Add garlic,sweet potatoes and black beans and or Corn, then reduce heat to low, cover skillet and let cook for about 20-25 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender. 

I used black beans as I didn't have any corn on hand but both would be awesome and I would have added corn to it if I'd had some.  If your doing the 21 day fix you may want to leave out the black beans (yellow container) and just use corn.  

Check every five minutes or so to make sure the potatoes aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pan. You can add a little water if mixture seems too dry.

I added a touch of water at the end (before adding in the cheese) to make sure the spices were well mixed and didn't stick to the potatoes or not enough on others. 

Preheat broiler.

Add cayenne pepper and salt to sweet potato mixture then add cheese and stir over low heat until all the cheese has melted. I transferred my hash mixture into a casserole dish before cracking the eggs on top because my Cast iron pans are in the trailer for camping! But if your are using a cast iron frying pan or other oven friendly pan and just crack 4 eggs on top of mixture then transfer to the oven and broil on high for 3-5 minutes until eggs are cooked through. 

Before I cooked the eggs, hubby was so confused at what I
was up to cracking eggs on top of the hash. 

I think I overcooked our eggs slightly but 2 of them were
still runny in the center.  Next time I'll take them out
sooner!  

If it's a Protein Bar does that mean it's Healthy?

One of my Clients messaged me asking if I could tell her what of the 21 Day fix containers she could use for the Pure Protein bars she purchased (a Costco product).  She sent me a photo of the box and the ingredients list and unfortunately I had to tell her that the bars were not something I would approve of for the 21 day fix nor would I say are healthy in any regard. 

This is the second product I've reviewed lately for a client, with the same outcome.  Last time I reviewed the Premier Protein Drink and provided my advice this is another product which is sold at Costco. And no this isn't a reflection on Costco, because I can tell you I shop there weekly and find LOTS of healthy, organic and whole foods products there. But there is also a lot of junk sold there just as there is any store, so it's up to us to educate ourselves on what is truly healthy. 

Here is my facebook post about the Premier Protein drink. 

My advice is to just really think twice about if the product your consuming contains ingredients you feel comfortable with when your eating clean and fueling your body!

Back to the Pure Protein Bars review however... here is the ingredients list which I was able to find online for your reference. 

Ingredients: 

Milk protein isolate, glycerin, gelatin, cocoa, water, whey protein concentrate, maltitol, whey protein isolate, maltitol syrup, modified palm oil, sugar, collagen, whole milk powder, chocolate liquor, flavour, peanut flour, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, sucralose (17 mg / 50 g bar), milk fat, cocoa extract, fructose, vanilla, almondButter
Contains milk, soy, sulfites, peanuts and almonds
May contain sesame seeds and cashews

* I also noted that the box reads 2 grams of Sugar however on the nutrition facts it states 3 grams in addition to Sugar Alcohols (4 grams). 

So what Ingredients made me determine that this is not a product that is healthy but rather it is a product that is quite unhealthy?

I won’t go into all the ingredients I found questionable but there are several which I really am not sure on like modified palm oil or glycerine. In general it’s the ingredients list as a whole  which contains mostly ingredients which I wouldn’t have in my own pantry, so for me that means they don’t belong in my food. If I wouldn’t use them to make something in my own kitchen they shouldn’t been in anything I purchase either. 

Below I will go into a few of the ingredients which made me determine this product was not Approved as being 21 Day fix friendly or being anywhere near healthy. I did a little research on some of the ingredients and this is what I found. 

Maltitol

Maltitol is an artificially produced sweetener that is a member of the sugar alcohol family. It is used in commercial products under trade names such as Lesys, Maltisweet and SweetPearl.

This Bar also contains Maltitol Syrup, the company has listed this ingredient it two different ways in order for it to be lower on the ingredients list (7^th on the list is Maltitol and 9^th on the list is Maltitol Syrup), tricky right!  If you add the Maltitol and Maltitol syrup together I’d bet Maltitol is close to the top of the ingredients list meaning this product likely contains mostly Artificial Sweetner, and probably just as much artificial sweetner as protein.

Sugar

Sugar is also included in the ingredients list.  Usually, the term “sugar” refers to bleached table sugar, those fine-white granulated crystals that come from sugar cane or sugar beets. The bleaching is done with sulfur dioxide.

The terms “sugar,” “granulated sugar,” “cane sugar,” “pure cane sugar,” “beet sugar,” and “table sugar” all refer to the bleached stuff.  So if you just see any of those on the ingredient list, it’s probably that (though the only way to know for sure is to ask the company).

Soy Lecithin

Soy lecithin is one of the most ubiquitous additives in our food supply. It’s used primarily as an emulsifier, and you can find it in everything from salad dressing to tea bags. Clean eaters avoid the brunt of it by eliminating most processed foods, but it almost always pops up in chocolate and often appears in supplements. I won’t get into the WHOLE processing of Soy Lecithin, but lets just say the Lecithin is bleached using Hydrogen Peroxide and in one of the many steps it takes to process this product, the crude oil undergoes a multi-step process to remove the hexan in it.  Honestly if my food needs to undergoe multi-step processes in a lab to remove bad stuff and is then bleached I’m pretty sure it’s not going in my body.

In an excerpt from the book “The Whole Soy Story“, Dr. Kaayla T. Daniels explains:

“Soybean lecithin comes from sludge left after crude soy oil goes through a ‘degumming’ process. It is a waste product containing solvents and pesticides and has a consistency ranging from a gummy fluid to a plastic solid. Before being bleached to a more appealing light yellow, the color of lecithin ranges from a dirty tan to reddish brown. The hexane extraction process commonly used in soybean oil manufacture today yields less lecithin than the older ethanol-benzol process, but produces a more marketable lecithin with better color, reduced odor and less bitter flavor.

Not only is Soy Lecithin a concern for people with allergies to soy, but also the fact that most soy beans in the U.S. market are Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is just as concerning. The only way to avoid GMOs is to purchase items that explicitly say “organic soy”; but even then, the organic soy still contains properties that can be harmful to your health like naturally occurring toxins, plant estrogens, and anti-nutrients.

Sucralose

Sucralose another artificial Sweetner.  Common brand names of sucralose-based sweeteners are Splenda, Zerocal, Sukrana, SucraPlus, Candys, Cukren, and Nevella. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, stay away from artificial sweetners. 

As you can see Sugars can be listed under various names (since, strictly speaking, they’re different foods), so manufacturers will frequently use more than one type of sugar so they can move them further down the list. In this product we are seeing 3 Types of Artificial Sugar and the bleached table sugar.

Artificial Sweetners increase carb cravings and make you hungry so even if you think you’re doing good by avoiding sugar with these, you’re probably stuffing down more food anyways.

Is this product Healthy?

So with all that said, if your asking me if I would consider this product healthy the answer is NO.  

If you asking if it's unhealthy my answer is that because it contains artificial sweetners YES I believe this product is unhealthy for your body.  Even if it only contained a small amount of real sugar I wouldn't have considered it unhealthy but truly the biggest factor here for me is the Artificial sweetners.  

Always look for the 3 big No Nos: Soy or Soy lecithin, Artificial Sweetners and Artificial Flavours.  

21 Day Fix Chocolate Bar

I was having a sweet tooth all day, and I happened to miss having my shake this morning as I was at the last day of School assembly so I still needed to fit in a protein but all I really just wanted a treat.  

I remembered seeing one of my fellow coaches post about making a Shakeology Chocolate Bar by just mixing one scoop of Chocolate Shakeology with a Tsp of melted coconut oil.... So I figured I'd experiment with it and give it a try!  

Well let me tell you this Chocolate bar turned out amazing !  Plus it only took me 2 minutes to make, and it hardened in less than 30 minutes in the freezer so I didn't have to wait and be tempted by items which aren't on my meal plan this week.  

21 Day Fix Chocolate Bar

Ingredients

1-2 Tsp Coconut Oil 
1 Scoop or packet of Chocolate Shakeology
1 TBSP Sliced Almonds

Directions

• Melt a tsp of coconut oil in a microwave safe measuring cup
• Dump in the Chocolate shakeology and give it a stir until all the powder is combined with the oil
• Next pour the mixture onto a parchment lined baking pan.  
• Top with some slivered almonds and put it into the freezer for 30 minutes.  
• Done!

Now you have a chocolate bar that counts as one protein and 1/2 orange container!  How awesome is that!

Looking back to when I started

I was listening to a call yesterday that got me thinking back to when I started coaching.  I never in a million years thought that this coaching thing would ever be more than a hobby or something to keep me accountable to my fitness goals!! 

But the more I learned and listened the more I saw the possibilities! I didn't have any idea how to get started or how to be successful but I truly allowed myself to dream big!!! I remember sitting in the car with a fellow coach and talking about my goals and as I said them I thought, wow I sound crazy, but I truly believe I can do this! 

I started with 1 person and daily posts on social media! I experimented with Facebook and a blog! I had no system or process! I woke up every day with the intention of adding value to just 1 persons life!!! 

With that simple mindset and the drive to figure out what actually works I started building a business based on helping others!!! 

Now 1.5 years later I have a system, I know how to get started and I am helping my team duplicate my success which in turn is creating some amazing opportunities like financial freedom, sustainability and happiness!!! I want to help other people like me do the same thing!!! 

This business is truly about the small seemingly insignificant things that you repeatedly do (like take photos of your meals and share your workouts) over time that compound to bring about success!  So every day I chose to be as INTERESTING as possible on Facebook!  Every day I would show up, tired, sick kids, lack of energy and do it anyways.  I would share it all and my GOAL was to EMPOWER other people that followed me to know they could make a healthy lifestyle change too! GUESS what?!  It worked! The compound effect has worked for me and the more I talk to people the more they were inspired by my own dedication to my health and fitness and the more that they were encouraged and committed to joining along with me!!!  

I didn't have any networking skills and I had no idea about building a team.  But I was passionate about helping people and I self taught myself the skills I needed to get the job done.  I have grown a steady income from my kitchen counter working for any block of time I could steal away (nap time, before or after the kids got up etc.)!  This business not only fit our lifestyle but it fit ME!!!  I get a HIGH from seeing my customers have fitness results and now I get a HIGH from seeing my COACHES have success in the business too!

Over the past 1.5 years I have committed myself to my personal fitness goals but I am committed to helping each and every coach that joins my team to make this business FIT THEM!!!  Beachbody is such a great platform, so no matter what your vision is for your future you can use Beachbody to make it come true.

Whether you are  a stay at home mom, a full time working woman with a great job, a fitness instructor, a nutritionist, teacher, doctor or lawyer you can be a Beachbody coach! This business can literally keep you accountable to your health and fitness goals and it can create a seriously substantial income!!  It's up to you and you get to choose how little or how much you work which determines your bottom line!

You can be VERY successful with 1-2 hours per day and you can be a top 10 coach or more with a little more focused effort and consistency!  The best part is that once you build this foundation in your business it is the gift that keeps on giving. 

I have had a lot of success and achievements in this business and I know it's time to really start sharing that with others.  I want to teach you how to do it too!

Interested in learning more about coaching!?!? 

Join my no strings attached 5 day Sneak peak into coaching!!!
🔹learn how you earn money
🔹how a shy girl with no social media or fitness background became a Diamond Coach in 30 days.
🔹how much does it cost to get started?
🔹what do I do if I am not at my goal weight and more!!!
🔹if you want to check it out and be a fly on the wall for the next 5 days starting June 29--- message me at crystalpfitnessfood@gmail.com to be added to the group!!!

Peanut Butter Banana Cups

I'm doing the 21 Day fix this week and my usual evening snack is a sliced apple and my Homemade Peanut Butter.  But I decided tonight would be a good night for a little treat and to try a new recipe.  

These little peanut butter banana cups were so easy to make and I just popped them into the freezer for a couple hours and they were done!  

I love using the silicon muffin cups and use them in so many recipes.  They work great and I love that I can just pop my Peanut Butter Cups right out of them so easily! I have used them for mini cheese cakes as well and they are perfect.  

These little Peanut Butter Banana Cups have just one slice of Banana in them so I can't really count it as any fraction of a purple container for the 21 Day Fix but each one uses about 2 Tsp of Peanut Butter and a tiny bit of honey and coconut oil so I'll be counting each one as 2 Tsp for the day.  Not bad for such a tasty treat!  

Peanut Butter Banana Cups

Servings: about 12 cups

21 Day Fix Portions: 2 TSP per 1 Cup
Preparation time: 10 minutes

• 1 ripe banana
• 3/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter (I used my Homemade Peanut Butter)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil 
• 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

1. Cut the banana into slices between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick.

2. Mix all remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.

3. Place a bit of the peanut butter mixture to cover the bottom of each of the silicone muffin cups. 

4. Place a banana slice on top of the peanut butter.

5. With a spoon, scoop the peanut mixture onto each banana slice and cover completely.

6. Place in the freezer to set.

7. Store in the fridge or freezer.

I hope you enjoy and it cures any sweet tooth craving you have!  

Chicken Artichoke Pesto Pizza

Yes I'm doing the 21 day fix this week and yes you can eat pizza for lunch!!

Having a toaster in the office allows me to get creative with my lunches! My co-workers are always commenting on my meals cause I don't often bring just a sandwich or salad. I've even been known to bring in salmon and cook it on a piece of parchment paper in the toaster oven! 

Today I packed all my pizza toppings and a tortilla for the crust in my lunch and assembled it in the office to bake in the toaster oven. 

This lunch was so satisfying and healthy too! 

Here is the recipe and 21 Day fix container portions. 

Chicken Artichoke Pesto Pizza

1 red container Chicken breast

1 green container Artichokes (or half artichokes half spinach) 

1 blue container white cheddar

1 orange container pesto

1 yellow container whole wheat wrap

To assemble; spread pesto onto tortilla wrap, top with chicken, artichoke hearts cut into quarters and cheese. 

Bake in toaster oven at 400 for 15 minutes or until brown. 

I used one of the Natural Wraps from Costco. I like the ingredients in these as they are very clean (flour, water, salt) and super thin and crispy when baked too! 

I'm telling you these wraps are awesome!  For this pizza which is pretty heavy with chicken and artichokes it got a bit floppy but on a lighter pizza they are great and hold up no problem!  

5 Day 21 Day Fix Meal Plan for Summer

Prepping our meal plan today to start the 21 Day fix on Monday with hubby!  Beach days are coming and we both want to feel confident and comfortable in shorts and swim suits so it's time to crack down and do this thang!  

Heading the the grocery store shortly and I'm making my list based off my meal plan for the next 5 days.  

I use my 21 Day Fix Tally Sheet that I created which makes our meal planning so much easier!  

You can just print it off and either slide it into a page protector so that you can write each days meal plan out or you can print off 5 and write down each days on the paper.  I personally like to have each day pre-written down so I'm planning to get 5 page protectors so that I can reuse them but still have my days planned in advance.  

This week I will be doing the 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts and following the regular meal plan. I love the intensity of the workouts but I prefer the regular less restrictive meal plan. I find if I restrict too much then I just don't stick to it.  

Here is this weeks Meal plan...

Our breakfasts and Lunches
 prepped for Monday morning!

Monday

Breakfast: Greek Yogurt with Raspberries and whole wheat waffle ( 1 Red 1 Purple 1 Yellow)
Snack: Chocolate Shakeology with water and ice (1 Red)
Lunch: Chicken Pesto Pizza with Spinach and artichoke (1 Yellow, 1 Blue, 1 Green, 1 red)
Snack: Cucumber slices (1 green)
Dinner: Taco Salad (1 Red, 2 Green)
Snack: Peanut Butter and Apple Slices (1 Purple 2 Spoons)

Tuesday

Breakfast: Greek Yogurt with Raspberries ( 1 Red 1 Purple)
Snack: Chocolate Shakeology with water and ice (1 Red)
Lunch: Chicken Enchilada ( 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Green, 1 Blue)
Snack: Cucumbers and Tomatoes (1 Green)
Dinner: Chicken Fried Rice (1 Yellow, 1 Red, 1 Green)
Snack: Peanut Butter and Apple Slices (1 Purple 2 Spoons)

Wednesday

Breakfast: Greek Yogurt with Raspberries ( 1 Red 1 Purple)
Snack: Chocolate Shakeology with water and ice (1 Red)
Lunch: Chicken and Black Bean Burrito Salad in a Mason Jar (Recipe below)
Snack:1/2 red container cottage cheese (1/2 Red)
Dinner: Chicken Ciabatta Sandwich (recipe below) (1 Green 1 Yellow 1 Red 1 Blue)
Snack: Peanut Butter and Apple Slices (1 Purple 2 Spoons)

Thursday

Breakfast: Greek Yogurt with Raspberries ( 1 Red 1 Purple)
Snack: Chocolate Shakeology with water and ice (1 Red)
Lunch: Chicken Pesto Wrap (1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Green)
Snack: Cucumbers and Tomatoes ( 1 Green)
Dinner: Slow cooker Pork Carnitas (1 Yellow, 1 Red, 1 Blue, 1 Green)
Snack: Peanut Butter and Apple Slices (1 Purple 2 Spoons)

Friday

Breakfast: Greek Yogurt with Raspberries ( 1 Red 1 Purple)
Snack: Chocolate Shakeology with water and ice (1 Red)
Lunch: Pesto Goat Cheese Veggie Wrap (1 Yellow, 1 Green, 1 blue)
Snack: Cucumber slices (1 Green)
Dinner: Turkey Black Bean Lettuce Wraps (2 Red, 1 Green)
Snack: Peanut Butter and Apple Slices (1 Purple 2 Spoons)

Recipes

Chicken and Black Bean Burrito Salad in a Mason Jar

Total Time: 20 min.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
½ cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. + ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, divided use
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1 medium jalapeno, seeds and veins removed, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups canned black beans
4 oz. shredded cooked chicken breast
1 cup chopped jicama
½ cup thinly sliced radishes
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

Preparation:
1. Place lime juice, 2 Tbsp. cilantro, garlic, and jalapeno in a blender; cover. Blend until smooth.
2. Slowly add oil, blending continuously, until well mixed. Evenly divide dressing between 4 one-quart Mason jars. Set aside.
3. Evenly layer beans, chicken, jicama, radishes, onion, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, and remaining ½ cup cilantro on top of dressing in jars.

4. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Shake before serving.

2 Green, 1 Yellow, 1/2 Red, 1/2 Blue

Chicken Ciabatta Sandwiches

1 Green 1 Yellow 1 Red 1 Blue

Make your own delicious chicken patties seasoned with garlic and spices and build them into a memorable sandwich with Swiss cheese and whole grain ciabatta rolls.

Total Time: 27 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 12 min.
Yield: 4 servings, 1 sandwich each

Ingredients:
1 lb. raw chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks
1 medium carrot, grated
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 dash ground white pepper
½ tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. olive oil
4 whole grain ciabatta rolls, cut in half
4 tsp. Dijon mustard
8 slices medium tomato
4 thin slices medium red onion
4 thin slices Swiss cheese (about 1 oz.)

Preparation:
1. Combine chicken, carrot, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, pepper, and cumin in food processor; mix until combined.
2. Form chicken mixture into 4 patties. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.
4. Add patties; cook for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat.
5. Top bottom of each ciabatta with 1 tsp. mustard, chicken patty, 2 tomato slices, 1 onion slice, 1 slice of cheese, and top of each ciabatta.

When I'm meal planning I usually plan around my dinner or lunch recipes, so having a good source of dinner ideas is key!  I recently created this list of 20+ Dinner recipes  for the 21 Day Fix, which I will be adding to as I create and find more.  If your in need of more dinner recipes check it out.  And if you have a great dinner or lunch recipe please share I'd love to add it to the list!