This was absolutely delicious, I made 2 batches to have for leftovers!

Enjoy! Xo Jen

Ingredients
* 1 (12 oz.) box of protein pasta I used Rotini
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Toppings
* 1 large cucumber diced
* 2 cups grape tomatoes halved
* 1 cup mozzarella cheese balls
* ¼ cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped
* ½ cup red onion diced
* 1 cup bell peppers I used mini
* 1 cup favorite Italian dressing (I use Fannys lite Italian)
Instructions
* Boil the pasta with the salt in the water according to the package until al dente.
* While the pasta is cooking, wash and dice all of the vegetables.
* After the pasta is finished, rinse it under cold tap water. Drain well.
* In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, and all chopped vegetables. Toss in cheese balls. Drizzle the Italian dressing on top, then toss to combine.
* Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and fresh cracked black pepper.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐛 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬!!! 🌅

They are so delicious and super filling! You are going to love them! Enjoy! Xo Jen

𝐈𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬:

– 2/3 cup roughly chopped pecans

– 2 cups old-fashioned oats

– 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

– 1 teaspoon baking powder

– 3/4 teaspoon sea salt

– 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

– 1 3/4 cups almond milk

– ⅓ cup organic maple syrup

– 2 large eggs or flax eggs

– 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

– 1 pint of blueberries

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:

1️⃣ Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish. Once the oven has finished preheating, pour the nuts onto a rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 4 to 5 minutes.

2️⃣ In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, toasted nuts, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. In a smaller mixing bowl, combine the milk, maple syrup, egg, half of the coconut oil, and vanilla. Whisk until blended.

3️⃣ Use about ½ cup of the berries for topping the baked oatmeal, then arrange the remaining berries evenly over the bottom of the baking dish (no need to defrost frozen fruit first). Cover the fruit with the dry oat mixture, then drizzle the wet ingredients over the oats.

4️⃣ Scatter the remaining berries across the top.

5️⃣ Bake for 42 to 45 minutes until the top is nice and golden. Remove your baked oatmeal from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Drizzle the remaining melted coconut oil on the top before serving.

This is a delicious and refreshing summer salad my whole family enjoys! xo Jen

Watermelon Caprese Salad!

INGREDIENTS

1 small watermelon, sliced
1 mozzarella ball, sliced
2 tbsp. sliced fresh basil

Pink Himalayan sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
extra-virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Slice watermelon into 1/2” thick squares, about 3”-x- 3”.

Slice mozzarella into 1/2” slices.

On a serving dish, alternate slices of mozzarella and watermelon.

Sprinkle with basil, sea salt and pepper.

Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic  and serve

This recipe is SO SIMPLE… and absolutely delicious!!! 😋

📝 Ingredients:

• 1¼ lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1 cup organic low-sugar barbeque sauce

👩‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker.
2. Top with chopped onion and barbeque sauce.
3. Cook on High for 4 hours.
4. Shred chicken with 2 forks.
5. Continue cooking on Low for another 4 hours.

AND BOOM! 💥 You’ve got perfect shredded BBQ chicken!

ENJOY! ❤️

xoxo,

Jen

This recipe is soo delicious and makes a great main course or even a side to some grilled protein!

You can even experiment with this recipe by adding different vegetables!

Enjoy! xo Jen

Spring Veggie Grain Bowl

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked farro
• 3 cups of water
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped beet greens or arugula
• 1/4 cup blanched English peas
• 2 baby carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
• 1 small red beet, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine farro, 3 cups water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium-low; cook, covered, 25 minutes or until farro becomes tender.
2. Place farro in a strainer; drain well.
3. Place hot farro in a large bowl. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, oil, vinegar, greens, peas, carrots, onion, celery, and beet; stir gently to combine.
4. Top evenly with cheese and parsley.

I love a good protein bowl! Especially when it’s filled with tons of protein, vegetables, and good fats!

This is a great make-ahead meal too!  You can make everything and then just assemble them when you are ready to eat!  Protein bowls are the perfect meal prep for lunches or dinners!

High-Protein Shrimp Burrito Bowl

Ingredients:

For the cilantro black beans and rice:

• 3/4 cup (135 grams) uncooked long-grain brown rice (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 1/2 cups (355 grams) water
• 1 (15.5-ounce or 420 grams) can black beans, rinsed and drained (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 cup (5 grams) chopped fresh cilantro

For the burrito bowl:

• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 medium (55 grams) onion, sliced
• 2 medium (240 grams) bell peppers, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound (455 grams) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 cups (95 grams) loosely packed chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 medium (125 grams) tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium (150 grams) ripe avocado, diced

Directions:

1. Prepare cilantro black beans and rice. Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 35–40 minutes, or until tender. Stir in black beans; cook 2–3 minutes until heated through. Stir in lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro. Set aside and keep warm.
2. While rice cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat. Add onion, bell peppers, garlic, cumin, and salt. Cook 3 minutes, covered and stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender.
3. Stir in shrimp; cook 2–3 minutes, stirring often.
4. Place 1 cup rice and bean mixture in each of 4 bowls. Top each with 1 1/4 cups shrimp and vegetable mixture. Top each serving evenly with romaine, tomato, and avocado.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 cup beans and rice + 1 1/4 cups shrimp and vegetables + 1/2 cup lettuce + 1/3 cup chopped tomato + 1/4 cup avocado

Per serving: Calories: 450; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 172mg; Sodium: 452mg; Carbohydrate: 56g; Dietary Fiber: 13g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 34g

Spring is officially here!!!

Enjoy!!

Xox Jen

Ingredients

* 1 lb. sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2″ cubes
* 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
* 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
* 7 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided
* 3 tsp. grated garlic, divided
* Kosher salt
* 1/4 cup smooth tahini
* 1 tsp. honey
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 8 oz. dried orzo (about 1 1/4 c.)
* 2 1/2 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth
* Neutral oil, for grilling
* 1 red onion, cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
* 1 large yellow or orange bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
* 10 oz. grape tomatoes (about 2 c.)
* 4 Persian or 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced into quarter-moons
* 5 oz. baby spinach
* 1 small bunch fresh chives, finely sliced

Directions

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine steak, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and let marinate at room temperature at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, or refrigerate up to 4 hours.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon garlic; season with a large pinch of salt. Let sit about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Add tahini, honey, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and 3 tablespoons water to dressing. Vigorously whisk, adding more water as needed, until smooth and easily pourable; season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Step 4

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add orzo and cook, stirring, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally and adding more broth 1/4 cup at a time if needed, until broth is absorbed and orzo is tender, 8 to 10 minutes; season with salt and black pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Step 5

Prepare a grill for high heat; preheat 5 minutes. Brush grates with neutral oil. Thread 8 skewers with steak, onion, bell pepper, and tomatoes, alternating with 3 to 4 steak cubes per skewer. Drizzle kebabs with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and black pepper.

Step 6

Grill skewers, turning occasionally, until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked to desired degree of doneness, 8 to 15 minutes total (grills can vary). Transfer kebabs to a plate.

Step 7

In a large bowl, toss cucumbers and spinach with half of reserved dressing. Stir chives into orzo mixture.

Step 8

Divide salad and orzo among bowls; top with kebabs. Drizzle remaining dressing over bowls.

We sort of killed Taco Tuesdays so we’ve been switching it up to fajitas!!

Enjoy! Xo Jen

Ingredients

Seasoning mix:

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Fajitas:

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

• 3 medium bell peppers – cut into thin strips; or 1 pound of frozen sliced peppers

• 1 medium onion – thinly sliced

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast – cut into strips

Instructions

• In a small bowl, combine the seasoning ingredients: sea salt, black pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Divide the mixture into two bowls. One will be used to season the veggies, and the other will be used to season the chicken.

  1 teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers, onions, and half the seasoning mix. Cook, stirring often, until just tender, about 5 minutes. If the bottom of the skillet becomes too dry, add water, a tablespoon at a time. You can also reduce the heat to medium.

  2 tablespoons avocado oil, 3 medium bell peppers, 1 medium onion

• Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables to a plate. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, then add the chicken slices and the second half of the seasonings. Stir-fry until the chicken is almost fully cooked, about 4 minutes. Again, if the bottom of the skillet becomes too dry while you cook the chicken, add a splash of water.

• Return the vegetables to the skillet. Stir-fry everything together for 1-2 more minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the dish is heated through.

• Serve the fajitas in bowls, drizzled with the pan juices, and topped with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and/or shredded cheddar. You can also spoon them into warm tortillas or serve them in lettuce cups.

Listen, guys… back to school means QUICK dinners!

I mean 1 pan to clean? Sign me up!

This one was a fan fave in our house and I will definitely be making this again

(This recipe called for red and yellow potatoes, but I chose to swap them out for sweet potatoes.  So feel free to use whatever you have on hand.)

Lemon Dijon One Sheet Chicken & Veggies

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts (about 4 cups), quartered
• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• Coarsely ground pepper, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, mix the first 4 ingredients; gradually whisk in oil. Reserve 1 tablespoon mixture. Add vegetables to the remaining mixture; toss to coat.
2. Place chicken and vegetables in a 15x10x1-in. pan coated with cooking spray. Brush chicken breast with reserved mustard mixture. Roast 10 minutes.
3. Turn chicken and stir vegetables; roast until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165° and vegetables are tender, 10-15 minutes longer.
4. If desired, sprinkle with pepper.
5. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.