Vegan Garlic Mushroom Gravy

Crowd pleasing gravy for your holiday!  This delicious gravy consists of garlic and mushrooms!  This low fat, meat free gravy will certainly satisfy any meat eaters taste buds! 

Total Time: 25 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 15 min.
Yield: 13 servings, 3 Tbsp. each

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup arrowroot
3 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
1½ tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
6 fresh parsley sprigs, chopped (for garnish; optional)

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft.
3. Add arrowroot; mix well to form a smooth paste.
4. Slowly add broth; whisking constantly to blend. Season with soy sauce and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; gently boil, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.
6. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 27
Total Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 56 mg
Carbohydrate: 4 g
Fiber: 0 g
Sugar: 1 g
Protein: 0 g

Portion:
1/2 Tsp

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

I'm a HUGE fan of my crock pot!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE cooking in my cock pot and when a meal is EASY I'm an even BIGGER fan!
Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas are a staple in my home and will soon be in yours too!
Ingredients: 
3 bell peppers
2 large white onion
2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken
Low sodium taco seasoning
1 can of diced tomatoes
Juice of 1 lime

Fried Brown Rice

I LOOOOVE going to Kobe's Japanese Steakhouse but with all of the extra oils they add it's not exactly 21 Day Fix friendly!  I prefer indulging in chocolates rather than treating myself to a treat meal.  After some some experimenting in the kitchen I decided to WHIP up something kinda fancy!  This behavior typically happens when Keith is on duty too!

Here's recipe that's sure to solve your salty tooth for some fried rice!  Hope you enjoy this one as much as we did!!

Homemade Teriyaki Marinade

If you're anything like me you enjoy a gooooood teriyaki marinade!  When you're working towards your health and fitness goals and are craving that salty sweet goodness it can be quite tempting to step into that Chinese restaurant.  

Before you take one step further, STOP right there and try out this tasty marinade!  I like to add this to chicken and make easy chicken kabobs!  Toss those bad boys on the grill and put over easy homemade fried rice and you're golden!

5 Minute Pumpkin Mug Pie

It's that time of season FOLKS and let me tell you how happy this "basic" girl is!  There's something about the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and of course PUMPKIN!

I've been DYING for something PUMPKIN but my GOALS are top priority!  I really wanted something that could satisfy my craving without cutting too deep into my nutrition plan.

Simple Fresh Margarita

There is just something about a margarita that I have ALWAYS loved. I remember being a small child sneaking a sip of the margarita mix without the alcohol of course. 

The first time I had tequila was in the kitchen with my mom. I was 17 or so and she had asked me if I had ever had a shot before. My answer being no she took advantage of my dad being away at the store. 

Guilt Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes you truly just need a treat!  Or you're tired of always being the person that brings the healthy dish!

Here I've solved the problem!  I've been making these bad boys for years; even before Beach Body!  Little did I know that my friends and family would fall in love with them!  Super simple and quick recipe with ingredients you probably have laying around!

INGREDIENTS: 

1 1/2 cups of quick oats
2 table spoons of peanut butter
1 medium ripe banana
1/4 cup of carob or dark chocolate chips
1 tsp of honey or agave nectar

What is clean eating?

Many of you might be asking yourself, "what is clean eating?"  And when I mentioned portion sizes; you might be asking yourself, "how much should I eat?" or "am I eating too much or not enough?"  Here I am hoping to clear up any questions or concerns on what "clean eating" is.

Clean eating is a general term for a diet that consists of little to no processed foods.  Processed foods often come in boxes or jar and have added sugars, are low in fiber and whole grains.  These processed foods are high in sodium, high in fat or include trans fats and lots and lots of saturated fat.

How do I eat clean?

Eating "clean" is a relatively easy and simple principle once you get the hang of avoiding processed foods as much as possible and learn to read nutrition labels.  Follow the easy principles below:

7 Clean eating principles:

• Eat more and more often approximately 6 meals a day.  This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack.  Breakfast should be the largest meal of the day with a snack about 3 hours later followed by a moderately sized lunch another snack and dinner which should be your smaller meal of the day.
• You should be eating this way because if you're not eating enough your body will actually make the most of what you're eating by hanging onto the fat to store for future energy.  Your body actually goes into "starvation mode."
• Eat breakfast every day!
• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  You've probably heard this statement since you were a child and this couldn't be truer.  Eating a healthy breakfast can give you energy to fuel you through your day, satisfy your appetite and sets the stage for making smart decisions all day!
• Skipping breakfast can also cause you to over eat later in the day.  
• For an easy breakfast I like eating egg muffins!  These have vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbs necessary for me to start my day on the right food!  Check out the recipe HERE.
• Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbs at each meal.
• An excellent lean protein for breakfast is eggs!  Pair up eggs with green veggies or whole grains such as whole grain bread or oatmeal (no seasoning or sugars added).
• Eat sufficient (two to three servings) healthy fats every day.
• Healthy fats consist of coconut oil, olive oil or avocado.
• Carry a cooler packed with clean foods each day.
• Rather than eating out or going through a drive through; BE PREPARED!
• If you fail to plan you plan to fail!
• Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.
• You should be consuming LOTS of fruits and veggies!  Fruits and veggies are LOADED with fiber, vitamins and nutrients needed to fuel you for the day! 
• Be mindful of high sugar fruits such as grapes and bananas.  Eat these in moderation.
• Adhere to proper portion sizes.
• Many of us are under eating but a lot of us are OVER eating!!  Or eating too much sugar from fruits! 

What foods should I avoid eating?

• Avoid all over-processed foods, particularly white flour and white sugar.
• Avoid all chemically charge foods.
• Avoid foods containing preservatives.
• Benzoate Preservatives (BHT, BHA, TBHQ)
• Avoid artificial sugars.
• Acesulfame potassium, aspartame, Sucralose 
• Avoid artificial foods such as processed cheese slices.
• Avoid saturated and trans fats.
• Avoid sugar loaded beverages, including colas and juices (even if they are from 100% juice).
• Avoid or do your best to limit alcohol intake.
• Avoid all calorie dense foods containing little or no nutritional value. I call these anti-foods.
• Avoid super sizing your meals.

Proud Moment

Sometimes I think that we forget to pat ourselves on the back.  I've been working vigorously to provide excellent content to my audience, training material for my team and continuing to help others.

Today I have stopped to take a look at my accomplishments this week.  While my laundry is clean and still needs to be put away I have done a lot!

The house is a hot mess but hey, something's gotta give!

I am SOOOOO proud of myself for getting my website going and truly cannot wait to provide nothing but THE BEST stuff for you folks!

Are you excited?!  I am!  

I'm taking some suggestion now for content.  What are YOU in need of?  Motivation?  Support?  Recipes?  Need more tutorial videos?  

Whatever it is I want to know!

XoXo,

Jam <3

21 Day Fix Ranch Dressing Dip

Everyone loves a good ranch dressing dip to go with your favorite veggies or side of chicken wings!  Try this 21 Day Fix "APPROVED" recipe to bring to your next gathering!  

2 servings as a dip; 4 servings as a dressing

6 tbs for a dip; 3 tbs for a dressing

Counts as a red container

Spinach & Kale Cubes

Okay, so how many of you have gone to make a smoothie and found your spinach or kale wilted at the bottom of the produce bin in the fridge?  I know that I am guilty of not eating my greens and they spoil so quickly.

Because of this I have come up with a solution and a great way to get those extra super foods into your smoothies when you need to using my spinach & kale ice cubes!