Slower Cooker Turkey Meatballs

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs

Meatballs:

1 pound Ground Turkey- I used 94% lean (640 calories)

1/4 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs- I used Panko since I had it on hand (100 calories)

1/4 cup Parsley, minced

1 Egg (80 calories)

2 medium Garlic Cloves- minced

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, plus Pepper

Sauce:

4 Garlic Cloves, minced

28 ounce can Crushed Tomatoes (315 calories)

1 medium Onion, diced (40 calories)

1 Bay Leaf

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/4 cup Parsley, minced

Mix all meatball ingredients in bowl and form small meatballs. Place in slow cooker. Add all sauce ingredients, except parsley. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Add minced parsley when meatballs are done. Serve over Zoodles.

Yields: About 18 meatballs. 65 calories per meatball, or divide 1175 by the number of meatballs you make.

Zoodles

Zoodles(Zucchini Noodles)

These are my latest craze! I am not Italian, so when I eat pasta it's basically only for the texture and is lacking vitamins and adds worthless calories. I decided to add shredded carrots to my zoodles this time and turned out great!

This recipe can replace the noodles in any pasta dish recipe. Time to get creative!…I am thinking of trying a stir-fry.

Recipe

Shredded Carrots (optional)

2-3 Medium Garlic Cloves, minced

4 Medium Zucchinis (about 80 calories)

2 Teaspoons Olive Oil (80 calories)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Thin slice zucchini stopping at the seeds.

Heat oil in medium pan over medium high heat. Add shredded carrots (if using carrot), cover and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and zucchini. Cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Yields 3 servings. About 53 calories per serving. I may lower the amount of oil, which will lower the calories.

Cleanse Day!

Yesterday was my 4th cleanse! So far, I have only been able to handle 1-day cleanses. By the halfway mark of my IsaBody Challenge, I will be trying to start the 2-day cleanses. My first cleanse day was anything except good. I hated to the fact of not being able to eat and as expected, my body wasn't used to cleansing. Usually Sundays are my cleanse days, but I pushed it forward a day due to running my 5k.

I was a little worried about doing it on a week day when I have school and homework to get done. To my surprise, I actually never got very hungry. Although, I have adding in a serving of almonds and half an apple on top of the cleanse system. At this point I am pretty sure it is just mental mindset thinking I need the extra almonds and will be lowering the amount next Sunday! I have to keep reminding myself that I am doing my body a huge favor and think about how awesome I will feel the next day. I have had so much more energy and I end up enjoying eating a meal standing up at my table rather than sitting, weird.

I am only 2 pounds away from hitting the 15 pound mark! WOO HOO! It's almost time to treat myself. I'm thinking I desperately need a pedicure at my all time favorite salon, The Haute Spot nail boutique.

I already signed up for 2 more 5k races and a half marathon! Gotta run…

-Jenna
Follow on Twitter @CommitToCleanse

Race Day

I ran my first 5k of the year this morning along with 30,000 other runners! This morning's race sparked my love for the thrill of running and actually considering doing the Publix Half Marathon in March, uh oh…But, why not! Honestly, I didn't properly train for the 5k, but I was doing P90X. I quickly found out that running 3.1 miles is actually a lot easier when you're not carrying 11 extra pounds and finished just after 35 minutes.

It was definitely a chilly one and of course refueled with my IsaLean Shake. Instead of cleansing today, like I usually do on Sundays, tomorrow will be the weekly cleanse. You know what that means…IsaDelight Chocolates :)

Can't wait for the next race.

Regarding my IsaBody Challenge, this week I started noticing that I have lost some weight in my face. Didn't know that was possible!

-Jenna

Don't forget to follow on Twitter @CommitToCleanse

Love Your Body

I am horrified to say that last semester I was drinking AT LEAST 128 ounces of Coca-Cola per week! It certainly didn't seem like that much at the time. It was just my routine to get the Subway special of the day every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, which comes with a 32 ounce soft drink. I could just feel my teeth rotting away with every sip I took, but I didn't care because I was hooked to the sugar!

You are what you eat and I can definitely vouch for that. I had no clue that what I was eating was causing me to feel the way I did. Eventually, I got to the point that I thought nothing of having to take medicine for a headache almost every day. I tried calling them "tension" headaches, but now I realize I was just lying to myself. I have officially gone 3 weeks without needing to take one single pain killer! WOW!

Here are some interesting facts about the ingredients in my Almond Spice Cookies:

I had never heard of half of the ingredients in the recipe. I gave chia seeds a try and they actually have a good nutty flavor by themselves along with being FULL of fiber. They are known to be very absorbent, making you feel full for longer. I actually think the flavor would go well in oatmeal, I will have to give that a try.
http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/lindsey-duncan-nd-cn/chia-ancient-super-secret

Coconut palm sugar is actually quite interesting. It is an equal equivalent to brown sugar and is known to not make you crave even more sugar (like Coke did with me).
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/coconut-palm-sugar-best-new-sugar-alternative

I will be making more recipes with the leftover ingredients from the cookies so stay tuned!

Do your body a favor and watch this video to understand more why Isagenix will help you achieve a healthy lifestyle and fill you with vital nutrients!

*Note: Video may not appear on mobile devices.

Oh, by the way I am down 11 pounds since starting Isagenix 3 weeks ago :)

-Jenna

Connect on Twitter- @CommitToCleanse

It's FRIDAY, Treat Yourself!

What better way to kick off the weekend than with a flourless, eggless, health-filled cookie! Who ever said dieting couldn't taste good?! Since I live alone, I will definitely never finish all these cookies by myself! The whole reason I love to bake is to SHARE the joy of treating yourself. It's rare to find anyone these days that still gets enjoyment out of baking because it's another mess to clean up and the biggest question is "Who is going to eat all these desserts???"

Challenge yourself this weekend to bake a batch of cookies and share with at least one friend, if not several friends. With our busy lives, you come in contact with a plethora of people that you may "know," but have never held a real conversation with before. Have you ever talked to the staff in your apartment complex or landlord discussing more than rent or the problems you need fixed in your home? There's a start. You will be amazed by the stories and experiences other people have had that you may never get a chance to hear about.

I have always found that any type of homemade food is a great conversation starter! I began investing more into my love for baking not because I love to eat it, but because I connect and bond with new friends over the dessert.

These cookies will make your kitchen smell like Christmas! And be sure to subscribe by entering your e-mail address in the bar at the top of the page to stay up-to-date on my postings!

Almond Spice Cookies

Gluten-Free and Vegan!
Very moist and chewy!

2 tablespoons chia seeds- 120

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water

2 1/2 cups finely ground almond meal/flour- 1800

1/2 cup coconut flour- 280

2 teaspoons cream of tarter

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt (I used sea salt just for fun)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup solid unrefined coconut oil (because a dry cookie is a waste of calories)- 1920

1 1/2 cups coconut palm sugar- 768

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together the 2 tablespoons chia seeds and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water in a small bowl (I microwaved my water for about 30 seconds). Set aside to thicken.

Whisk together 2 1/2 cups finely ground almond meal, 1/2 cup coconut flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tarter, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup coconut oil and 1 1/2 cups coconut palm sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract at medium speed until well combined. Add the chia seed mixture and beat until well mixed. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture gradually until well incorporated. 

Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Clean up time! :)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough into your palm and roll it into a 1-inch ball and repeat with the rest of the batter. Flatten balls with a fork, make a pattern on top of the cookie if you like.

Bake at 350 for 13 minutes, or until cookies are golden around the edges. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack. (Or onto a plate if you are like me and don't feel the need to own a wire rack)

Freeze in an airtight container.

Comment below with how your's turn out, or any substitutions you made!

Yields: about 38 cookies

About 128 calories per cookie. Yikes! These aren't any higher in calories than most other cookies. Keep in mind the almond meal is made from ONLY almonds (which are high in calories) and these are high in fiber, unlike most cookies!

The almond meal adds about 80 calories per 1/4 cup compared to using "regular flour." I've never understood why we think all-purpose "flour" is real flour and should have the word BLEACH in it…that can't be good. Last time I checked bleach was toxic to our bodies.

If your batch makes more or less than 38 cookies, just divide 4,888 by the number of cookies.

On a side note, I might be the first person to ever be brave enough to post the calories per serving for a dessert :)

-Jenna

Guess What Day It Is...

It's Hump Day!

It's a whopping 21 degrees this morning, plus the wind tunnels from the tall buildings downtown! Thank goodness for my IsaLean Shake to get me going for my longest day of classes and replenish after my workout. Yum yum

For some reason I saw a guy wearing short sleeves and shorts, it's way too cold for that!

My Odd (Not So) Guilty Pleasure

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe

I could eat roasted veggies all day, every day! There is nothing more enjoyable than a guilt-free crunch.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Ingredients:

4 brussels sprouts (40 calories)

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil (60 calories)

Salt and pepper to taste

Marinade Brush

Directions:

Wash and dry 4 brussels sprouts

Slice each sprout in half or 4 quarters

Place sliced sprouts onto baking sheet

Use marinade brush to lightly brush sprouts with oil

Season with salt and pepper

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes

Yields 1 serving

Enjoy the 100 calorie snack :)

Challenge Accepted

I finally made a soon-to-be life changing decision to get healthy! It finally became time to enter in the IsaBody Challenge after being insecure about my weight for as long as I can remember. Based on my body mass index (BMI), I am considered overweight. While I have never been called "fat," I am still putting unnecessary strain on my body, causing it to not function to it's greatest ability. It will be very interesting, yet exciting to see how much better my body will look on the outside and function on the inside at the end of the 16 week challenge. I never appreciated the beauty of our bodies enough to care about what I was putting inside of it, but I already feel a huge change in my mood and energy.

My first two weeks got me off to a great start! Week one consisted of searching for healthy and clean recipes to make for my one meal each day (partnered with two IsaLean Shakes). I also started walking for at least 30 minutes each day to get my body back into the exercising gear. The second week, I started my new semester and started the P90X lean program. Even after one week I could feel my body improving with each workout!

Also, I got a FitBit that clips onto my pocket. I wear it all day and it calculates my steps, mileage, and calories burned. It connects to the application on my phone where I can enter what I have eaten for the day. Since January 6th, I have lost 7 pounds and not stopping there!