Choose HAPPINESS

I get asked a lot - “You are always so happy & positive. How do you do it?”

Usually, I respond with wine helps 🍷🍷🍷.  

But joking aside, I:

✅workout every morning

🍓Make healthy food choices 80% of the time

📚Read personal development books

💁💁Surround myself with positive people

All of that helps to me to develop a mindset to look for the positives, learn from life’s lessons and apply it.

Life is too short to not spread ❤️ & happiness 😁😁😁.

Be HAPPY today & make today GREAT

Italian Tortellini Soup

This recipe is great to come home too!  Love how it can just cook in the crockpot all day long.  The hubby even mentioned it a few times after dinner how delicious it was.  Winner in this house!

Ingredients:

5 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil finely chopped
64 ounces low sodium chicken broth
16 oz turkey sausage, casings removed
28 oz crushed tomatoes
2 cups spinach leaves
14 oz diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp of tomato sauce
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 package refrigerated whole wheat cheese tortellini

Directions:

1. In a large skillet with a little Evoo add sausage and brown for 8-10 minutes, break into small pieces.

2. Saute, onions and garlic in the same skillet until tender. Season with a little italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

3. Add all the ingredients except the tortellini to crock pot Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or all day.

4. Right before dinner time, cook the tortellini according to package instructions. Then add to the soup.

5. Use a GREEN container (or 1 cup) to portion your soup. Then add the parmesan cheese to each bowl

21 Day Fix Containers (per 1 cup serving) 1 Green 1 Yellow 1/2 Red 1 Blue

Nigel's Fish Tacos with Mango Radish Salsa

These tacos have so much flavor going on that they balance each other out and are a good combo.  Watch out - the chili mayo can be spicy!  But the mango radish salsa is a good one to tame it down.

Fish

Ingredients:

2 lbs Fish
2 C flour
3 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups panic bread crumbs
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil

Directions to make fish:

1.  Cut the fish pieces into 1 inch strips.
2. Set up a breading station of flour, eggs (with water), and seasoned Pankos
3.  Dredge the fish in above. Set aside.
4. Once all the fish is dredged & breaded, fry it.  Drain on paper towels.  Keep warm.

Pink Chili Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

1 C sour cream
1 C mayo
3 Chipotles in adobe & 2 TBLS adobe
1/2 lemon, juiced
kosher salt


Directions:

1.  Put chipotles in blender & puree until smooth.
2.  Add sour cream, mayo, adobe sauce, & lemon juice.
3.  Process until the mixture is consistent and creamy.
4.  Season with salt & pepper.  Refrigerate

Mango -Radish Salsa

Ingredients:

2 limes
2 mangos
4-5 red radishes diced
1 red onion
1 TBLS chili powder
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/4 C olive oil

Directions: 

1.  Remove & peel the pith from the limes by cutting between the membranes to remove supremos.
2.  Put these supremos into a bowl & squeeze over the juice from the membranes.
3.  Add remaining ingredients and mix.
4.  Season with salt & pepper.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve tacos:

1.  Place fish in a pile on a plate, pink chili mayonnaise in a bowl, mango radish salsa in another.  Set a pile of shredded savoy cabbage, cilantro leaves, chopped chives & lime wedges to squeeze extra lime juice over top.
2.  Toast flour or corn tortillas lightly and assemble fish taco.

Vegetable Beef Stew

This dinner was a winner in our house!  Everyone ate it up.  And it was great to just throw everything into the crockpot to have a nice hot meal to enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound beef stew meat
2 TBSP cooking oil
2 medium potatoes - peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots - cut up
1 medium onion - cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 9oz package frozen cut beans
3 TBSP quick cooking tapioca
1 TBSP instant beef bouillon granules
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 16oz can tomatoes- cut up
1 1/2 cups water

Directions:

1.  In large skillet brown meat in hot oil. Drain well.
2.  In crockpot, combine: potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, frozen beans.  Mix together.
3.  Add seasonings to crockpot - tapioca, worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, pepper.
4.  Stir in browned meat, undrained tomatoes, and water.
5.  Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or high 5-6 hours.

Come home to dinner already made!!

To prepare the night before:

*Brown meat, let cool, and place in container.  Cut up celery, onions, & carrots together in separate container.  In the crockpot, put the tapioca, bouillon granules, worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt & pepper, undrained tomatoes, & water.  Place all 3 items in refrigerator overnight.  Next morning, cut up potatoes and add to crockpot along with frozen cut beans, vegetables, & meat.

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.