Chicken Fajitas

I adore Mexican food--it is amazing! But for the longest time, I cheated myself out of having amazing Mexican food in my own home. You see, I was taking the "easy" way out and buying seasoning packets. You see them- those easy little packets in the food aisle just looking at you saying, "what you come up with won't be as good as this!" Well, they are liars! And filled to the brim with sodium- yuck! Try my recipe below.

Chicken Fajitas- a clean recipe               

Serves 4

●      2 boneless chicken breasts, about 1 lb, cut into strips (1/4 of this is a red container)

●      1 bell pepper

●      1 onion (I used a Vidalia)

●      6 inch Whole-wheat tortillas (1 larger wheat tortilla = 1 yellow) or smaller, corn tortillas (2 small corn tortillas = 1 yellow)

Seasoning

●      1 tbsp corn starch

●      2 ½ tbsp chili powder

●      1 tsp salt

●      1 tsp raw sugar

●      1 tsp cayenne pepper

●      1 ½ tbsp Goya Adobo seasoning OR 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp more salt

Toppings

Shredded cheddar cheese (blue container)

Plain lowfat Greek Yogurt (in place of sour cream) (red container)

Avocado slices (blue container)

Salsa (purple container)

            Combine spices in small bowl and set aside.

            In large frying pan, sauté chicken in olive oil cooking spray over high heat for about 1 minute before adding onions. Stir continuously until chicken is just about cooked and onions are soft. Add the pepper and seasoning mix with about ½ cup of water. Mix until water is mostly absorbed and a light “sauce” has been created. Serve on tortillas with your choice of toppings.

21 Day Fix Turkey Vegetable Chili

Turkey Vegetable Chili, serves 4-6

●      1 lb. Extra Lean Ground Turkey

●      1 large onion, chopped

●      Cayenne Pepper

●      Chili Pepper

●      2 bell Peppers, different colors

●      2-3 tomatoes, chopped

●      1 can sweet whole kernel corn (optional- more yellows!)

●      1 can tomato sauce or ½ jar marinara sauce (Make sure it's no sugar added or it counts as a purple for the 21 Day Fix, here's my recipe for clean tomato sauce). You can even add salsa (but that's a purple, too!)

●      1 can organic beans (kidney or black bean work well)

Brown ground turkey (the leaner the better) along with onion in a large pan (I usually use a wok for the whole thing because they’re so big, it’s easy and that’s what I have) and add seasoning to taste. Try Goya’s Adobo seasoning because of its interesting blend that is great for poultry. After meat is browned and the aroma of the onions permeates the kitchen, start throwing in everything else, beginning with the peppers, tomatoes and corn. From here, tomato sauce (or even half a jar of marinara sauce) works great in addition to any salsa that remains from my late night tortilla chip binge the night before. Depending on how much chili is desired, add one or two cans of beans. I always add a lot of chili powder and voila!, this dish comes together! Stir for about 5-10 minutes (making this earlier in the evening, leaving it on low heat, could make for a stress-free evening!), taste for level of spiciness and serve with any favorite additions.

Need some toppings? Top with plain low fat greek yogurt and cheddar cheese (blue container). Spice it up even more with some jalapeños.

1 red container

1 yellow container

1 purple (depending on if you use clean tomato sauce and/or salsa)

Chicken Sausage with Roast Vegetables

This dish is SO simple. This dish is SO easy. This dish is SO delicious. Seriously, why are you not making this right now?

Roasted Vegetables with Chicken Sausage

Ingredients, serves 4

2 bags Brussels sprouts, trimmed, peeled and halved

1 butternut squash, peel and chopped

1 red onion, chopped

4 chicken sausages, Italian style (I use Aidells)

Extra virgin olive oil, I use a sprayer, as always!

Crazy Jane’s Mixed Up Salt (or other seasoning of choice)

            Preheat oven to 400. Mix together everything but the chicken sausages on a large cookie sheet, coating in olive oil and seasoning. I love the Mixed Up Salt but you may prefer sage or rosemary. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring at least once. Mix in chicken sausage and roast for another 10-15 minutes. Serve and enjoy! My husband said this one was a winner!

1 red container

2-3 green containers (but I never limit these!)

Honey Mustard Chicken with Vegetables

This is one of those one-dish meals that is so easy to make. Not only is it simple (and CLEAN!), your family will LOVE IT.

Honey Mustard Chicken with Vegetables, serves 4-6

6-8 small, red potatoes, halved

1 large onion, chopped

½ butternut squash, peeled and chopped

4-6 chicken thighs (cook with skin and then remove to eat, if you like)

Salt & Pepper

Fresh Rosemary

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup raw local honey

¼ cup Dijon mustard

            Preheat oven to 350. Line casserole dish with vegetables and potatoes, some sprigs of rosemary, mixing them together.  Place thighs skin up on vegetables and salt slightly.

            In medium bowl, mix together honey, mustard and olive oil with a whisk. Pour mixture over top of chicken and vegetables- a little actually goes a long way.

            Bake for 45-55 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 175 or tops of thighs are browned.

1 red container

1 yellow container

1 green container

1 tsp

21 Day Fix Vegetable Soup

This is my favorite soup and I never grow sick of it! Since you can constantly vary the ingredients, there is always something "new" about it.

BASIC VEGETABLE SOUP (great option for lunch), makes a TON! Freeze some.
1 yellow summer squash, sliced and quartered
1 carrot, diced (I leave this out because my husband hates cooked carrots!)
1 zucchini, sliced and quartered
2 tomatoes, chopped or 1 can organic diced tomatoes
2 celery stalks, peeled and diced
1 bag baby spinach
1 can organic peas or 1 bag fresh peas (I bought some shelled English peas at Trader Joe's that were great!)
¼-½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 onion, chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (I prefer vegetable)
Olive oil, best if used from sprayer (this is the one I have)
*for me, this soup as it is above, is a freebie in the 21 Day Fix meal plan. It's only vegetables, the green container, and I do not limit those!

Optional Add-Ins, Pick Some, Pick All!
2-3 tbsp minced garlic
2-3 cups whole wheat rotini pasta (yellow container)
1 can white beans (yellow container)
2 chicken breasts (boiled and shredded separately and added in later (red container)
Parmesan Cheese (blue container)
Pesto (orange container)

          Begin by sautéing onion, celery and carrot in pan with oil over high heat (add garlic here if desired) in large pot. Cook and stir regularly until onion softens, about 5 minutes (option to add ham or prosciutto). Add tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil and then lower heat so mixture bubbles gently, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. (If adding chicken, boil breasts in water until mostly cooked through and shred. Put aside. If adding pasta, cook and put to the side, as well.) Add the zucchini and squash in addition to the parsley. Adjust the heat again so the mixture can simmer, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. (Now, add chicken, beans and/or pasta, keep stirring mixture and simmer for another 10 minutes). Serve with Parmesan cheese and/or a spoonful of pesto. This simple soup can change with your mood but will always be delightful, even if your mood isn’t.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Chicken Sausage, Onions & Mushrooms

Ingredients, Serves 2

1 acorn squash

2 chicken sausages, italian style or whatever you prefer

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 onion, chopped

½ tbsp minced garlic

olive oli spray

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and halve your squash crosswise and scoop out the seeds. Place them facedown on a baking dish filled slightly with water and bake for 25 minutes. Turn the squash and poke surface a few times with a fork. 25-30 minutes.

Heat oil over medium high heat and add onions and garlic, stirring until fragrant and onions soft. Add mushrooms and continue to saute for a few minutes (I eyeball the whole thing). Add chicken sausage and heat an additional minute or two.

When squash is finished, fill with chicken sausage "stuffing", top with panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese. I always have extra stuffing left that doesn't fit into the squash and I just add that into a tiny baking dish and top. Cook an additional 10 minutes, broil on high for 2 minutes if desired just to crisp the top.

1 Red container
2 green containers
1/2 yellow container 
1/2 blue container

Pork & Pineaplle Shish Kabobs

The perfect combination of sweet an salty!

Pineapple and Pork Shish Kabobs

Ingredients, Serves 4

2 boneless pork chops, 1 lb

½ pineapple, cut into large chunks

1 Vidalia onion, cut into chunk-like sections

1 red bell pepper, cut into large pieces

Skewers

            Assemble your shish kabob nestling your pork in between the pineapple and onion for best flavor. Grill until cooked, about 5 minutes each side. 

1 Red container

1 Purple container

1 Green container