MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP

Ingredients

• 4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts (~20oz)
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 small red pepper, chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 quarts low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 (14.5 oz ) can fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed
• 1 C kidney beans
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the chicken breasts on a pan.  Lightly rub with olive oil.  Bake 25-30 mins, or until 170 degrees.  When the chicken is cool enough to handle shred the meat.  Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pot.  Add onion, jalapeno, celery, carrot, and red peppers and cook over medium heat for ~10 minutes, or until onions begin to brown.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

4. Add stock, tomatoes, beans, spices, and cilantro.  Allow soup to come to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 25 mins.  Add the shredded chicken and adjust seasoning to taste.  

5. Serve soup with your choice of garnishes.  I used avocado, Greek yogurt, and fresh cilantro.

SPINACH, TOMATO AND QUINOA BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
2½ cups cooked quinoa
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup reduced-fat (2%) cottage cheese (or part-skim ricotta)
4 cups raw spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup finely chopped basil
Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375° F.

2. Lightly coat 9×12-inch baking dish with spray. Set aside.

3. Combine quinoa, eggs, cottage cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and basil in a large bowl; mix well. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

4. Pour quinoa mixture into baking dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

**photo credit team BB 

MEAL PLAN 1800 - 2100 CALORIES

This Week’s Meal Prep Menu

Breakfast: Whole-grain waffle with Greek yogurt and fresh berries

Shakeology Snack: Shakeology with strawberries, spinach, and nut butter

Snack: Cottage cheese with cucumber and tomato, and almonds

Lunch (M/W/F): Salad with sliced turkey, and an orange or apple

Lunch (T/Th):  Zucchini noodles with chicken sausage and whole grain crackers

Dinner (M/W/F): Tuna salad with white beans and pita bread

Dinner (T/Th): Southwestern salad with rotisserie chicken

Here’s what your meal prep for the week will look like when you’re done.

BREAKFAST: Whole-grain waffle with Greek yogurt and fresh berries

(¾ cup Greek yogurt with one cup berries and a whole-grain waffle = 1 red, 1 purple, 1 yellow)

SHAKEOLOGY SNACK: Shakeology with strawberries, spinach, and nut butter

(One scoop Shakeology with ½ cup strawberries, ½ cup blueberries, one cup spinach, and three tsp. peanut butter = 1 red, 1 purple, 1 green, 3 tsp.)

SNACK: Cottage cheese with cucumber and tomato, and almonds

(¾ cup cottage cheese with ½ cup cucumber and ½ cup cherry tomatoes, and 12 almonds = 1 green, 1 red, 1 blue)

LUNCHES
M/W/F: Salad with sliced turkey, and an orange or apple

(4 oz. sliced turkey, one cup lettuce, ¼ yellow bell pepper, ¼ cup shredded carrots, two sliced radishes, ¼ cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup shelled edamame, salad dressing, and one orange = 2 green, 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange, 1 purple)

T/TH: Zucchini noodles with chicken sausage and whole grain crackers

(One cup zucchini noodles with 4 oz. chicken sausage, ¾ cup tomato sauce, 10 kalamata olives, and whole grain crackers = 1 green, 1 red, 1 purple, 1 yellow, 1 orange)

DINNERS
M/W/F: Tuna salad sandwiches in pita bread

(One can light tuna, ½ cup white beans, ¾ cup shredded lettuce, 1/4 yellow bell peppers, One green onion, two tsp. olive oil, and two tsp. balsamic vinegar = 1 red, 2 yellow, 1 green, 2 tsp.)

T/TH: Southwestern salad with chicken

(One cup shredded lettuce, 4 oz. cooked chicken breast, ½ cup black beans, ½ cup corn, cilantro, ½ cup cherry tomatoes, 2 tsp olive oil = 1 red, 2 yellow, 2 green, 2 tsp.)

Here are the meals you’ll eat on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Here are the meals you’ll eat Tuesday and Thursday

Here is your step by step plan for how to assemble this no-cook meal prep:

1. Place ¾ cup plain lowfat Greek yogurt in a food storage container. Top with one cup mixed berries (or other fresh fruit). Serve with one whole-grain, frozen waffle that has been thawed or toasted.

2. Prepare smoothie bags for your Shakeology snack. Measure ½ cup each of strawberries and blueberries, 1 cup of spinach, and 3 tsp. nut butter into a bag and refrigerate. You do not need to remove the leafy strawberry tops; they blend up perfectly, just like the spinach does. You can also measure out the nut butter when you make your shake, if you prefer. To prepare you smoothie, pour one pre-portioned smoothie bag into a blender with Shakeology, water, and ice, then blend.

3. Fill five plastic bags or small containers with 12 raw almonds. Arrange five small food containers and place ¾ cup cottage cheese into each. Top each with ½ cup cucumber slices and ½ cup cherry tomatoes. For extra flavor, these can be topped with pepper, smoked paprika, hot sauce, or balsamic vinegar if desired.

4. Place one cup spinach (or lettuce) into each of three food containers. Top each with ¼ chopped yellow bell pepper, ¼ cup shredded carrots, two sliced radishes, ¼ cup cherry tomatoes, and ½ cup frozen, shelled edamame. Divide 12 oz. sliced deli turkey evenly between the containers. Serve with your favorite vinaigrette and an orange (or apple).

5. Use a spiralizer or follow these instructions to to make noodles out of two zucchinis: Using a vegetable peeler, cut each zucchini into lengthwise strips about ⅛ inch thick. Turn each zucchini slightly after cutting each strip to work evenly around the outside, stopping when you hit the seeds at the core. Discard cores. Cut slices lengthwise into ½-inch ribbons. Divide zucchini noodles evenly between two food containers. Top each with one fully cooked chicken sausage, ¾ cup marinara sauce, and 10 olives. When it’s time to eat, heat for two to three minutes in a microwave. Serve with one yellow container filled with whole grain crackers.

6. Prepare tuna salad for pita sandwiches. In a medium bowl combine three cans of tuna, drained, one can of white beans that have been drained and rinsed, the rest of the chopped yellow bell pepper (about ¼ pepper), three chopped green onions, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with two Tbsp. olive olive and two Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, and stir to combine. Prepare three food containers each with 1 cup spinach (or lettuce). Divide tuna mixture evenly between the containers and place in refrigerator. When it’s time to eat, stuff the tuna and lettuce into two halves of a whole grain pita. It’s best to keep the pita separate from the tuna salad until it’s time to eat to prevent the bread from getting soggy.

7. Fill two food containers each with 1½ cups of shredded lettuce. In a medium bowl, combine one cup canned black beans that have been drained and rinsed, one cup frozen corn, one cup halved cherry tomatoes, four tsp. olive oil, and as much cilantro as you want. Divide bean mixture evenly between the two containers. Chop two cooked chicken breasts (or rotisserie chicken breasts), divide evenly between the containers and place in the fridge. OPTION: Instead of eating this dish as a salad, omit the corn, and when it’s time to eat, wrap all ingredients in a whole grain tortilla.

Grocery List:

Fruit
5 cups berries
3 cups strawberries
2 blueberries
3 oranges/apples

Vegetables
5 cups spinach
3 heads romaine
2 yellow bell peppers
1 bag shredded carrots
1 bunch radishes
2 containers of cherry tomatoes
2 cucumbers
tomato
3 zucchini
celery
red bell pepper
frozen corn
arugula
cilantro
scallions
1½ cups shelled edamame

Dry and Canned Goods
peanut butter
black beans
1 can white beans
1½ cups pasta sauce
20 olives
5 frozen waffles
60 almonds
whole grain crackers (or bread, or chickpeas)
whole grain pita bread

Protein
3 cans tuna in water, no salt added
30 oz. lowfat plain Greek yogurt
1 rotisserie chicken or 8 oz. cooked chicken breast
12 oz. deli turkey
2 chicken sausages
32 oz. cottage cheese

Pantry
vinaigrette dressing
olive oil
balsamic vinegar