Meal Prep like a BOSS!

Weekly Meal Prep:

I spend a few hours every Sunday prepping for the week.Honestly, I hate it. I don't think i'll ever enjoy it but when you're on a mission and live a CRAZY busy life...you do what you have to do.

The purpose: NOT relying on convenience food-regardless of what happens during the busy week.

■ I assemble 3-4 (a good number for a family is 8-10) meals in containers: chicken breast, organic steamed broccoli/brussels, brown rice…or something similar, so that a nutritious meal is always within reach. These are for my "oh shit" days. But for the most part I have time to put a few things together FROM everything that i've prepped/prepared. Please keep in mind...I am just ONE person. So if you're prepping for more than one...adjust accordingly.

■ Grill or bake a ton of hormone free chicken breasts.  Freeze half, place the other half in single baggies for quick meals. I typically do several different kinds of seasons/marinades  to offer variety throughout the week. ((You do NOT have to eat this chicken plain. In a pinch I do but when I have more time...I use it for salads, wraps, in eggs, the possibilities are ENDLESS...you just have to think OUTSIDE the box :P ))

■ I like to bake halibut or salmon while my chicken is on the grill. Fish goes into a large glass sealed container, to be eaten within 48 hours. BUT, if you're to get the MOST our of ONE time meal prepping...skip the fish OR plan on the second half of your week not including fish.

■ I boil 2 dozen eggs (double if you're prepping for several people). This makes mornings easy! Try pre-peeling the shells to make it even simpler! Again..you do NOT have to eat these plain. You can add them to salads, make deviled eggs, egg salad etc.

■ Green Tea is pre-brewed & refrigerated in a glass sealed container. I am cool with just water ALL day, ERRday but I know that most arent. Green tea is not only great for your metabolism but it will break up the monotany of water all day long.

■ I rinse berries & store in glass jars (let air dry first). The glass jars allow them to be kept fresh longer. A quick go to for fruit-->>apples because they last FOREVER. I have found that if the berries/grapes are truly ready to grab & eat, I use them faster. I’m more likely to throw them on oatmeal, or as a snack if they are ready. It's better to buy fresh fruit that is NOT quite ripe as they will last longer that way as well. As far as cost goes, go to a FOOD Stand! You will save a TON of $. Fresh is ALWAYS preferred to frozen and canned. Canned is a NO-NO. 

■  “Glass Jar Salads” Prep & EAT for 5 days! Ingredients must be dry. Moisture is the enemy. Vinaigrette at the bottom-chopped veggies in the middle/greens on top. Folded paper towel at the very top (before lid) absorbs moisture. This is ALSO an amazing trick for a spinach container :)

■ Pre chop or dice celery, cucumber, zucchini, peppers, carrots, green beans, etc. Quick meal prep all week! Again...use glass containers to keep fresh longer WITH a paper towel to absorb moisture. Also, fresh vs. frozen. Canned is DEF a NO-NO. Go to food stands or WORST case scenario go frozen for cost effectiveness.

■ Sliced lemon wedges-always ready to use, if lemon is your thing. 

■ In the freezer you will find: An entire shelf of frozen/peeled bananas (smoothies & banana ice-cream), frozen fruit, frozen grapes for snacks, berries, frozen broccoli, frozen green beans. Frozen precooked shrimp (stir fry in minutes) Frozen cooked & shredded chicken (soup & chicken tacos). Ground lean turkey (precooked). Salmon filets. ALL of these are either grab and go OR can me cooked/reheated in less than just a few mins!

It does take 2-3 hours to complete, BUT the entire week ahead is 10x easier! Also, stay tuned because I'll additionally be creating blog posts for individual recipe/food category MASS meal prep ideas!

Put on some music, have the kids help, after a few weeks you’ll be a PRO!

Hope this gives you an idea or two! Bring on 2017! Our next 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge is starting soon.

If you want to feel the healthy results of simply eating REAL, RAW FOOD everyday for a month, then I would LOVE to work with you. 

For more info click HERE

♡ Ali

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Y'all know that I'm about that hot sauce :P Or anything buffalo really. So, when I put together this Clean Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip, I was on cloud MF 9! And if it's an EASY recipe...oh hold the PHONEEE <3 You can use this as a dip, but it in a taco, in a wrap...ENDLESS possibilities!

INGREDIENTS:

One pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast
3/4 c of greek yogurt 
1/2 c of cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of Franks Red Hot
Garlic Powder
Diced Garlic
Diced Onion
............................................................................................................................................

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spray Crockpot with Olive Oil Spray
2. Add in chicken (whole and raw)
3. Top with Franks & yogurt.
4. Sprinkle top with garlic powder, minced onion and onion powder.
5. Top with cheese.
6. Cook on low for 3 hours (make sure chicken is always well coated).
7. Chicken will shred easily.
8. Add optional toppings--green onions, feta, chopped celery.
9. Enjoy!

XOXO
Ali

Tips to STOP Emotional Eating

I’ve been there. It starts with a handful of carrots, moves to a few pieces of cheese, and the next thing you know, you’re elbow deep in a pint of ice cream. Or maybe you have a bad day at work and the ONLY thing that you can foresee soothing that frustration is an ENTIRE bag of chips.

You go to bed exhausted and sick, feeling out of control and like you’re sabotaging yourself.

Can you relate?

It’s called emotional eating, and it happens more often than you might think. You don’t always have to clean out your fridge in one night to fall victim to emotional eating, either.

This phenomenon can strike at any time, when you find yourself eating for reasons other than satisfying actual physical hunger.

What I've found in my own quest to control my emotional eating is that food companies constantly strive to make a connection between food and emotion. In order to create appeal, food marketing promises an emotional benefit beyond the food itself —  such as comfort, excitement, belonging, etc.

When I made this connection I stopped watching ads in ANY way that I could to start the healing. This included getting rid of cable and only being on the internet for job. Now help other women do the same by ending their emotional eating patterns, learning how to create new and healthy eating habits, alternative ways to deal with emotions and reconnecting with their bodies.

I’ve come up with five powerful tools for how to put an end to emotional eating for good. Following these steps takes practice and a little bravery, but if you follow them not only will you stop eating emotionally, but you'll also learn to start enjoying your food — and your life — in a whole new way.

1. Don't abandon yourself.

Emotional eating provides a release from discomfort, providing a momentary sense of pleasure and satisfaction when you’re feeling something you don’t want to feel. Overeating has a numbing, softening effect on our unwanted sentiments, and takes our attention away from them. The key to ending this pattern is to not abandon yourself when your emotions go awry, but instead to invite them in and allow yourself to feel.

Tell yourself that it's OK to feel sad, mad, scared, tired — you name it. Welcome your negative emotions with kindness and curiosity, and ask them what they want from you. This includes those intense feelings of guilt or anger that tend to follow an emotional eating episode. Approach your feelings with kindness, and your body will begin to understand that it no longer has to overeat to protect you from your feelings. Plus, through listening to your emotions, you’ll discover what it is you truly want, and can create new strategies for deeper satisfaction.

2. Maintain the pleasure principle.

Make pleasure a priority in your life! Flavor your water with fruit, wear soft, comfortable clothes, take bubble baths. Give your body other ways to experience feeling good, aside from eating. When you binge again, and you will binge again...thats OK...try allowing yourself to fully enjoy it. Sit down and savor every bite. The more focused you are on how good it feels to eat, the harder it will be to eat to the point of pain. Many times emotional eating is just our body’s attempt at experiencing pleasure.

3. Eat only when you're actually hungry.

Emotional eaters tend to not eat when they’re actually hungry, which only makes them want to eat a lot more later. As the author Geneen Roth says, “For every diet, there’s an equal and opposite binge.” So instead, eat real, healthy, and nourishing foods whenever you experience physical hunger. Doing so will teach your body that you are no longer in the starvation mode. The starvation mode is when you become very efficient at storing fat and you lose the ability to burn it. This means that eating when you’re hungry will not only make you less inclined to binge, but it will also tell your body that it’s safe to lose weight.

4. Prepare for your next binge by knowing your triggers.

Discover your triggers and strategize. If you know you eat when you’re lonely, plan to call a friend or write in your journal instead. Also, always carry food with you so that you never feel deprived. Emotional eating can be your body’s reaction to feeling deprived, so create new ways to nourish yourself. Stock your fridge with delicious, healthy foods, pack your calendar with exciting things to do, and be disciplined about setting aside time for yourself to relax.

5. Wake up to your own beauty.

If you knew how beautiful you were, you wouldn’t deny yourself food to try to change yourself. You also wouldn’t emotionally eat as a release, because there’d be no tension from which to release. Any shift in diet would be out of self-love and care for your beautiful body. We are a culture of gorgeous women expected to fit into an impossible mold for the sake of capital gain. It’s time to wake up to your beauty and feed your body with the love and tenderness it truly deserves. I wake up and tell myself everyday that my body deserves respect, love and the best nutrition possible. One has everything to do with the other. 

These are some of the awesome tips I've put together but feel FREE to reach ou to me for some more 1:1 help in this area! I run online accountability groups MONTHLY where I help you not only address your emotional eating triggers but I also help you come up with specific ways to combat them as well as come up with affirmations to strengthen the mind in the process. Click HERE for more info on my upcoming accountability group!

Chicken Fried Rice

Ahhhhh! It seems I'm ALWAYS craving Chinese. So I thought, why not make a healthy version of my absolutely favorite take out dish! And it was a HUGE HIT! My friends tell me it tastes almost exactly like if you were to get it from take out! 

Here is the recipe I put together:

Ingredients: (This makes TWO servings)
2 yellow containers Brown Rice
2 cups Mixed Veggies (Carrots & Peas & Green Beans-- I added a little more)
2 red containers of Grilled Chicken
2 whole Eggs
4 Tbsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos Soy Sauce Alternative

Directions:
1.) Scramble two eggs in a pan
2.) When done, throw in Brown Rice, Grilled Chicken, Mixed Veggies and Onions
3.) Cook until warm
4.) Mix in 4 Tbsp of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
5.) Stir around until golden & Enjoy!

And the bonus of it all… IT WAS SO EASY TO MAKE! I legit decided, ‘Do I have everything? I am going to make this now! and BOOM! haha — Serving size & container equivalent depends on how you make it. This recipe above is for TWO servings!  Each serving accounts for:

1 Yellow – Brown Rice
1 Red – Chicken and 1 Egg
1 Green – Mixed Veggies
1 Orange – Liquid Aminos (2Tbsp)

But as you can see.. adjust accordingly! I hope you Enjoy!

Sausage & Kale Soup

Sausage and Kale Soup

It might not be soup season but LORDY this soup was CALLING my name. Not to mention ALL the amazing flavors that I was throwing together. Ugh! It's a MUST! Not to mention its super quick and easy! Additionally this IS 21 Day Fix, 22 min Hard Corps AND Hammer & Chisel Approved! It accounts for 1 and 1/2 green, 1 blue, 1 red and 2 teaspoons!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 12 oz beef Polska Kiebasa Sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices (I used Hillshire Farm and really liked it)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots (about 3) OR double up on the other veggies for a LOWER glycemic index--that's what I did!
• 1 1/3 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
• 1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 (14.5 oz cans) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 oz kale, thick ribs removed, chopped (about 1 1/2 bunches. 5 oz if using pre-cut)
• Shredded parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until slightly browned, tossing occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage, while leaving oil in pan, and drain sausage on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
• Return pot with oil to medium heat, add carrots, onion, and celery and saute 3 minutes (while scraping bottom of pan to get the browned bits), add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Stir in chicken broth, water, parsley, rosemary, oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and allow to gently boil 10 minutes. Add kale and allow to boil 10 minutes longer until kale and veggies are tender. Stir in cooked sausage and cannellini beans (you can add more broth at this point to thin if desired). Serve warm, top each serving with parmesan cheese.

Banana Pancakes

For someone that HATES Bananas...these are seriously AMAZING! I seriously recommend doubling the recipe :P I was surprised at how delicious these “treats” were! Let me know what you think if you try them.

Banana Pancakes:

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup oatmeal (1 yellow container)

- 1/2 banana

- 2 eggs

- Dash of cinnamon and vanilla extract

- Optional: Honey or Maple Syrup

PS-->>This is for ONE serving.

Directions:

1. Blend oatmeal until it becomes the consistency of flour- can still be lumpy

2. Add the 2 eggs, 1/2 banana and cinnamon and vanilla extract and blend until mixed

3. Heat non-stick skillet

4. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to make pancakes on hot skillet

5. Makes anywhere from 1-4 pancakes depending on size!

6. Drizzle with 1tsp honey or maple syrup (OPTIONAL)

7. Enjoy

Accounts for 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 purple and 1-2 tsp IF honey/maple syrup is used!

PS-->> Please feel free to follow me on SNAPCHAT ((alirae42)) for more REAL-TIME updates about my life, journey and of COURSE food! <3

Popcorn Snack!

I mean come ON! Who doesn't love popcorn AND chocolate TOGETHER? This snack is AMAZING and sure to BLOW your socks off!

YES! It is 21 day fix, 22 min Hard Corps AND Hammer & Chisel Approved.

I'm calling it the Popcorn Snack and it accounts for 1 yellow, 1 orange and 1 tsp! Remember, this IS a treat so try to have this snack SPARINGLY! I know it will be HARD to resist! 

Popcorn Snack:

What you will need:

-Popcorn

-Your favorite nuts

-Craisins

-Dark chocolate chips

Directions:

-Mix everything together

-Enjoy!

PS-->> Please feel free to follow me on SNAPCHAT ((alirae42)) for more REAL-TIME updates about my life, journey and of COURSE food! <3

Taco Casserole

One word....YUM! 

This super easy taco casserole is PERFECT for meal prep. You can even freeze it for a later time! I doubled this recipe for the entire week with one WHOLE serving left over! This recipe makes 4 servings. And YES, you do get 1/4 of the entire recipe as just one serving! hehe!

Taco Casserole:

Ingredients: 

2 c. Brown Rice, cook according to package

1 lb. lean ground turkey

1 c. (green container) of red/yellow onion (Really any combination of veggies will work!)

1 can low sodium diced tomatoes

taco seasonings to taste

2 8oz. cans tomato sauce, low sodium

4 blue containers of shredded cheese

Directions:

1.Preheat to 350. 

2. While you cook the rice, brown the meat and drain if needed. 

3. Prep the meat as you would for making tacos, either by following the package instructions or using your own spices.

4. Then add the veggies and tomato sauce.

5. Bring to low boil then simmer for a few minutes to let flavors mix. 

6. Add cooked rice and 3 of the cheese containers, mix and spread in a 9x13 pan

7. Top with remaining container of cheese, cover with foil and cook for 20 min, then remove foil and cook another 10 min

8. Let cool in pan for several min. before serving

4 large servings! Divide the pan in 1/4 - for the 21 Day Fix, Hammer & Chisel and 22 min Hard Corps--->> each serving is 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 green and 1 blue. 

OPTIONAL:

Add hot sauce or a dollop of Greek yogurt and enjoy!

PS-->> Please feel free to follow me on SNAPCHAT ((alirae42)) for more REAL-TIME updates about my life, journey and of COURSE food! <3

Leave a comment below to let me know how you like it!

Ali...the Emotional Eater turned EMPOWERER (is that a word?)

I was an emotional eater. I was a negative nancy. I was a binge eater. I was STUCK in an perpetual loop of self sabotage. I was tired of it and had NO idea how to stop it.

****************************************

Every SINGLE day my body was SCREAMING at me. It was a struggle to JUST get out of bed and socialize with the people I lived with. Most of the time I barricaded myself in my room. I'd either be eating, thinking about eating, hating on the people that seemed to have it "all" or sleeping.

I'd eat crap because I was unhappy, and then I would be unhappy because I ate crap. Have you been there?

Even with the inability to functional on a normal level and the emotional side effects of my unhealthy lifestyle (anxiety, low self esteem, depression), I somehow allowed it to become my norm.

I had pretty much allowed it to define me. "I'm just the pretty fat girl." We cant have it all. I'm pretty and smart, so I cant be in shape too. I'm sure you've said that before, or some variation of it. "This is how it goes, all the big pretty girls feel like this too."(because face it, a lot of them do.)

I was WRONG. DEAD wrong!

Its NOT healthy to CONSTANTLY tell yourself that you CANT be something or aren't capable of something.

Over a year ago, a friend of mine offered me a spot in a "challenge group" with her!

I was to join her, workout from HOME and follow the step by step meal plan she gave me daily, and cut back on the binging (recovering emotional eater) and negative self talk--all with this group of people who supposedly had the same goals as ME and would help support me and encourage me after my many failed attempts at weight loss while we all reached our goals together...

First thought: SCAM!

It's a scam, it's on the internet so it has to be right?

...NOPE!

I joined that little group and not only lost 32 lbs but I gained back my confidence! I found "ME" again--That girl that doesn't take crap and thinks she can do ANYTHING she sets her mind to. I found a way OUT of the perpetual loop of self sabotage! Most importantly I found "my calling"!

I TRULY want to help you do the same. I'm thankful beyond words where being a health and fitness coach has brought me and I want to share my knowledge with you!

Let's work together, you and I, on hitting those goals, even if it's a big scary one!! YOU are worth IT!

You don't have to be STUCK in that perpetual loop of self sabotage like I was. You don't have to eat away your feelings. You don't have to see yourself as "pretty, but fat." You don't have to define yourself by your weight ANYMORE! <3

🙌💗

**I have Challenge Groups starting twice a month and would LOVE to have you join!**

DROP A comment BELOW or email me and I'll send you more info. I want to see you in there with us! Spaces are limited as I like to keep them small and devote my energy to everyone! <3

Email-->> BoldandBeautifulFitness@gmail.com

Fruity Oatmeal Bake

Who has a hard time getting breakfast in?!

....ME :p

I dont know about you but I HATE cooking first thing in the morning. If it's anything more than shaking up my Shakeology or throwing something in the microwave...I just won't do it. Not to mention, most people just DONT have the time for it.

Most days I do my shake in the morning for convenience purposes but sometimes I just want FOOD food. So, I threw this little baby together.

I'm calling it Fruity Oatmeal Bake. This made 8 servings and only took 40 mins total to make. It also came out to be about $1.88/serving.  Whether you're cooking to serve immediately or meal prepping--this is an awesome (an incredibly easy) oatmeal bake! It can be served hot OR cold and can even be modified for everyone's fruit preferences!

Fruity Oatmeal Bake:

Prep Takes MAYBE 5 minutes but requires 35 mins to bake. Spending a total of about 40 minutes for this deliciousness!

This recipe calls for 4 servings and the 21 Day Fix/Hammer and Chisel Portions are as follows:

1 Yellow, 1 Purple, 1 Blue and 0.25 Red

Trust me when I say that you get PLENTY to fill you up!

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp baking powder

4 cups of mixed berries ( I used strawberries and blueberries)

1 cup slivered almonds

2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup honey (option here to use pure maple syrup and no maple flavoring)

2 tsp maple flavoring

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray a 9x13 pan with coconut oil/olive oil spray.

2. Mix oats, honey, baking power, half of nuts, cinnamon and half of berries.

3. In another bowl mix eggs, vanilla and milk. Be sure the eggs are beaten well.

4.Spread the oatmeal mix into the pan. Be sure to press it into corners and that its even.

5. Pour the milk mixture over the oat mix.

6. Top with remaining berries and nuts.

7. Bake for 35 minutes.

8. Serve <3

Enjoy! Please be sure to comment below if you end up making this or adding your own tweaks with different fruit!

-Ali xoxo