Taco Stuffed Summer Squash Boats

I needed to do something with this gigantic summer squash my neighbor gave me.  When I came across this recipe said its a great meal that is packed with vegetables but a good one for veggie haters, I just had to make it!  And I was surprised at how well the squash cooked and had a mild taste.  Great alternative to the traditional tacos.

Ingredients:

4 medium summer squash, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup salsa
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1/2 small onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped fine
4 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheese
1/4 cup chopped scallions or cilantro, for topping

Instructions: 

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees & bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2.  Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds of the squash, reserving 3/4 cup and storing the rest for later use.
3.  Place the squash in the boiling water for 1 minute, than place on a paper towel to drain.
4.  Spoon 1/4 cup salsa into the bottom of a large baking dish and arrange squash face up.  Set aside.
5.  Brown turkey in a large skillet until no longer pink.  Add seasoning, onion, pepper, 3/4 cup reserved chopped squash, tomato sauce, & water.  Stir to combine.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
6.  Fill each squash boat with the turkey mixture, then top with cheese. Cover with foil & bake 35 minutes until squash is soft and cheese is melted.

7.  Garnish and serve with salsa.

Chicken with Mango Avocado Salsa

Wow- did the sweet & spicy flavors combine well together. The sweetness of the mango tamed the strong sriracha marinade to give it some flavor. Make sure you put oil on your grill so chicken does not stick!

Ingredients
12 ounces fresh chicken breast (about 3 small breasts)

Marinade
3 tbsp sriracha
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp honey
pinch of garlic powder

Add together in small bowl.  Whisk to combine & set aside.

Salsa
2 cups mango , diced
1 cup avocado, diced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp red onion, finely diced (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

*missing cilantro in picture

Add all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.  Stir well and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Instructions:

1. Prepare grill to medium- high heat
2. In small bowl, add sriracha, lime juice, honey, & garlic powder.  Whisk to combine & set aside.
3.  Pat chicken breast dry with a paper towel and place on oiled grill grates over high heat for 3-4 minutes each side.  Before turning, baste with sriracha glaze.
4. When the chicken reaches 160F, remove from grill and allow to rest for about 5 minutes.
5. When ready to serve, top with salsa and drizzle any remaining glaze over the top.

Container Equivalence: 1 red, 1/2 purple, 1 blue

Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet

This meal was AH- MAZING! Tasted like a burger and reminded me of a Hamburger Helper meal.  The best part- all made in one pot!  

Ingredients

1. 1 lb lean ground beef
2. 4 slices turkey bacon, coarsely chopped
3. 2 tsp Dijon mustard
4. 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
5. 1 tsp garlic powder
6. 1/2-3/4 cup red onion, finely diced
7. 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
8. 3/4-1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
9. Sea salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1.  In a 12″ skillet, cook turkey bacon until done to your liking. Remove and dice the bacon into small pieces.
2.  Brown beef, breaking it up as it browns.
3.  When beef is brown, add all of the ingredients and mix well.

4. Cover and let simmer on low for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. Sprinkle cheese over meat, recover until melted.

6. Serve over fresh lettuce, in a whole grain pita pocket, or over whole wheat pasta.  YUM!

21 Day Fix container counts:

1. 1 1/4 Red, 1/2 Green (plus any green you serve it with!), 1 Blue

Lasagna Roll Ups

These tasted AMAZING! Just like lasagna with half the prep work and healthier. Plus, love when dishes from prepping it are washed before meal is all done. A quick and easy meal to prep for whole family to enjoy.

Ingredients:

9 Cooked Lasagna Noodles
1.5 Cups Fresh Baby Spinach
2 Cups Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 egg
1/2 Teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound Ground Turkey Cooked
Jar of Spaghetti Sauce
1 Cup Mozzarella Shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cook Lasagna Noodles according to package instructions. Put ground turkey on skillet and add salt and pepper to taste. Crumble and cook until all pink has cooked out. Set aside.
2. Mix Ricotta Cheese, spinach, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt in bowl. Add in ground turkey. Set aside.

3. In a baking dish, place 1 cup of pasta sauce around the bottom of the dish. Spread evenly.
4. Lay a piece of wax paper on your counter, place lasagna noodles on paper and dab with paper towel to make sure all moisture is gone.
5. Spread cheese mixture evenly over each piece of lasagna. Begin rolling one strip of lasagna at one end and roll all the way up. Place in baking dish seam side down. Continue process with all lasagna pieces.

6. Top lasagna rolls with sauce and mozzarella cheese. Place aluminum foil over dish tightly and place in preheated oven. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

If you're on the 21 day fix 2 of these rolls equals out 1 Red, 1 Purple, 1 Yellow, 1 Blue, 1 Green

Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 cooked rotisserie chicken, skin removed
2. Plain greek 1% yogurt (or plain 2% yogurt), to taste
3. Poultry seasoning, to taste
4. Black pepper, to taste
5. 3 celery stalks, diced into small cubes
6. 1 cup of red grapes, halved
7. Lemon juice (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pull all of the cooked chicken off of the bones and place into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add in plain greek yogurt until you get a consistency you like. Add enough poultry seasoning and black pepper for your personal taste.
3. Mix in the diced celery and grapes. Add a squirt of lemon juice (optional) for a little flavor boost.

NOTES

1. 21 Day Fix Container Equivalents for a 1 cup serving of chicken salad: 0.5 green, 1.5 red, 0.5 purple