Watermelon Pizza- 21 Day Fix Approved

Flipping through channels one afternoon while making a baby blanket, I came across Rachel Ray and she was making healthy meals/snacks.

This idea stems from there- (although some one else may have come up with it) and after having leftover watermelon from  meal prep, I knew exactly what to do with  it. I have modified it to fit into the fix diet- it really is delicious!

Ingredients:

1-2 tsp olive oil or coconut oil- melted

1/4 tsp Himalayan salt or sea salt

1 round slice of watermelon

1/2 cup Feta cheese

Fresh basil- to taste

Balsamic vinegar- to taste

Directions: 

First, take the oil and brush it over both sides of the watermelon, sprinkle Himalayan salt, over both sides of the watermelon. Place on indoor grill or BBQ to get the sear lines. Transfer to large dish or cutting board.

Top with feta cheese, basil, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Cut into 8 wedges.

You can also add black olives to add an extra boost of flavour, just add an orange to your container count. 

2 slices of pizza counts as:

 1 purple

1/4 blue

1/2 tsp

Again portion sizes will vary based on size of watermelon.

I hope you enjoy! 

Myranda 

Day 1- P90x3

Okay ladies and gents, it is OFFICIALLY day 7- one week in and I could not be any more thrilled with my results- down 7lbs!! 

I have not been 165 lbs in about two years: my honeymoon.  My skinny jeans are becoming loose and i feel incredible. I have been more cautious as to what I am putting in my body as fuel- choosing complex carbs instead of simple carbs and reducing my dairy intake: especially in week two where I am following my plant based/vegan diet(diet as intake of foods, not restrictions- my choice after all). You can read all about my week one and week two diets here: http://littlebutfiercefitness.blogspot.com/2015/08/meal-planning-p90x3-or-21-day-fix.html

A few weeks ago, My husband and I went vegetarian for the week and felt great- I was a little scared about protein intake, but after reading more information on plant based diets and protein in veggies(yes, even celery has protein) I feel more knowledgable and capable of living this lifestyle or giving it a week or two to see how it fits with me and my body.

Meal Planning- P90x3 or 21 Day Fix

Nutrition is key. Repeat it and feel it. Seriously, it is one of the most VITAL components of losing weight, getting in shape and getting that beloved 6-pack.

So, to avoid the temptation of reaching for a fructose filled snack bar- we meal plan and prep. Being prepared isn't half the battle, it IS the battle. So today, before we start our program, I am going to show you how to quickly meal plan- for an entire family and a few options to meal prep.

Now, I am a firm believer in FOLLOWING the program. The meal plan and workout schedule is set for many reasons- although sometimes we need to slightly tweak it for our own personal reasons ex: health problems, allergies, sensitivities.

The reason I am really LOVING p90x3 nutrition plan right now more than our usual simple 21 Day Fix is the versatility for each diet.

Tony and the nutritionalists set up a stystem that deals in macros- which is more beneficial to vegetarians/vegans. OUR family loves the fact that we can have more veggies on one day or more fruit or grains on another. It sets up a basic guide for what macros to eat at each meal/snack which really simplifies meal planning.

So I have attached my meal plan for my 1800 (plan b) calorie diet as well as my husbands 3000(plan F I believe). It would be simple to add/remove a macro to fit into any plan though. So the first week, my husband and I had the same lunch and dinners. 

For breakfast, I alternated between Protein & banana pancakes and oatmeal with blueberries and pecans.

Snacks for me were simple veggies and hummus in the morning and overnight oats or toffee dip with apples in the afternoon.

And a few of our dinners:

Black bean burgers: 

http://littlebutfiercefitness.blogspot.com/2015/08/black-bean-mushroom-zucchini-burgers.html

Chicken salad bowl: 

Lay down lettuce, top with tomatoes, sliced onion, pineapple and baked chicken(marinated in reduced sodium soy sauce, worshestershire sauce and honey)

Pita pizza:

Pita, pizza sauce, ham slices, pineapple, mushrooms, onion, cheese, Italian seasoning.

Chicken & Black Bean wraps

(Tortilla, lettuce, onion, sprouts, cucumber, chicken, black beans, hot sauce, mustard)

Whole wheat Spaghetti with Fixate Tomato Sauce and Turkey Meatballs

Whole wheat spaghetti(2 yellow)

Fixate spaghetti sauce(yum)

Turkey meatballs:

2lbs ground turkey

1/2 cup rolled oats

Italian seasoning

Red pepper flakes

Garlic

Chopped onion

Chicken fajitas on corn tortillas

For my husbands and my meal plans for our first week, we eat the same lunch and supper (supper leftovers become next days lunch)- we eat the same things there. My husband needs to leave the house by 5:45, so he makes a breakfast sandwhich and has his Chocolate Shakeology. It is a REAL struggle getting him to eat breakfast, so he has a few leftovers that he can use for a later snack at night- crackers and avocado, peanut butter sandwhich, pita chips and guacamole, etc. our snacks are also different to suit our tastes- I prefer to have a few different snacks to keep my week interesting- my husband likes routine. My kids will use any leftover foods( an oz of chicken, a bit of rice, pieces of pineapple, bananas, wheat crackers, yogurt,) to cut down on our grocery bill. I will buy them cheese strings and make healthy banana bread or pumpkin chip muffins for a 'treat'. 

 So my 2nd weeks meal plan is a plant based meal plan. It doesn't follow P90x3 or 21 Day Fix meal plan, but somewhere in the middle. I love Dana from Rebel Dietitian- she really lays out clean eating and plant-based diets for beginners. The first week is using her meal plan which you can find here:https://rebeldietitian.us/eat-clean-meal-planning/ . Here is my Plant Based/ Vegan/Vegetarian Meal Plan which revolves around fruits & greens and beans/lentils/quinoa as protein. I don't use oil to cook so I have 4 tsps every day which I use for more extra fats- avocado/guacamole, nuts, and some nut butters occasionally which is why you may see an extra orange container or blue container every day.

***Ooh- side note- chocolate is 'approved' in 21 day fix and is plant based: just follow Dana's recommendations. I put them in my afternoon snack,  I believe in moderation of treats: 80-90% diet and 10-20% treats/life. This helps me from getting a super sweet tooth and derailing from my plan by indulging in a dozen donuts** 

Ps. The black bean burgers are my absolute favourite!!!

The sunshine and crab are L's favourite:

Meal planning/prepping is the easiest way to stay on track and achieve your goals. If you need help planning, reach out to me- i would LOVE to help you. It's honestly my favourite- Planning a week that fits everyone's needs is equivalent to completing the Sunday crossword. ;)

Myranda 

P90x3 90 Day Program- Behind the Scenes

Welcome, welcome, welcome! Many of you have probably wandered here through Pinterest when searching for a meal plan or perhaps from my Facebook Page: fb.com/littlebutfiercefitnessmyrandabritton . Like I said- welcome and I hope you find a few extra meal ideas, plans and motivation to stay on track for the next 90 days- if you need help making it through ninety days- reach out to myself or a fellow coach- we are here to help YOU get past those struggles, temptations and excuses so that you become a stronger, healthier and happier version of yourself. Sounds awesome right? 

So usually I love 21 Day Fix- it has been a life changing, program that has helped my family go from a SAD (standard American diet) to a healthier lifestyle.

Okay so after doing many rounds of 21 Day fix, my results have come to a screeching halt. When you stil have 50 pounds to lose it can be discouraging and *sometimes* can lead to you giving up or throwing your hands in the air at your unrewarded efforts- even half way through a program.

I can also admit, that I am controlled by the scale- each week of poor results leads to discouragement and I revert to old habits and that my friends, leads to that regretful *but so very delicious* downward-spiralling cupcake. I am my own worst enemy. 

So, the moral of this story, is after defeating myself each week, I have finally had enough- enough of this roller coaster- this is my fresh start. I feel the only way to really feel accountable is to tell people. I will be joining a challenge group and documenting my results and journey for the next 30 days. Meal plans, recipes, transformation photos, documenting each step and day in the process. I hope this information will help someone starting a new program or stuck in a rut after many months.

I don't know about you, but when I start a new program (which is often), I want to know EVERY single detail about their journey. What program did you do? What did you eat? 3 carrots or 4? I want to know EXACLTY how to achieve their results. So, here I am documenting my results while following P90x3 nutritional plan and Lean workout plan. 

Now, there may be a few people who read this and say "people are all unique, and no two people will get the same results- there are so many contributing factors." You know what, I agree- it took me a LONG time to step away from my coach's success and her process and find something that worked for ME. 

So if this sounds familiar or you are wanting some meal plans, recipes or results from little ol me- then these posts are for you. 

So, whenever you start a new program or journey- document yourself. Measure, take pictures, take a fit test if suggested, jot down a few feelings, reasons why you want to change or hang that "dream" outfit up so you have something to work towards in case your journey or diet waivers.. Create a dream or motivation board to keep you on track  ! My before and current picture after a few months of changing my lifestyle but still enjoying myself during seasonal get togethers. Left: 191 lbs- unhappy with myself. The right- my current weight- 170 lbs- getting happier with my progress and really digging the lifestyle change and FRESH food. 

If you need additional help, feel free to reach out to me. Even if you have a coach, are a coach or don't have a coach, I would be happy to answer any questions you have about my journey to help you with yours, your challengers or someone who may like a recipe  :)

Okay so on with the show- 90 days is nothing- we got this  :) Tomorrow we talk about my meal plan, how I plan my husbands- AND even our kids ;)

Myranda  <3

Fixate- My Honest Review

Is Fixate worth it???

Okay so we all know about this 21 day fix program that has recently taken over the nation and helping people lose weight.  I love the simplicity of the system and how easily it has taught myself AND my husband how to portion our meals and eat clean, while eating sensible foods.

Recently, Fixate was released. A new cookbook from Autumn herself and I am going to give my honest review of it and each recipe that I try- so I hope you can bear with me! Yes, I am a beachbody coach, yes I LOVE their products. BUT, (obviously) I LOVE food- I would not lie to you about food or flavour. If it tastes good, I'll eat it again and again and again. If not, then I will rip that recipe page right out and let everyone know. 😋 But, also let it be known that my taste buds don't like certain foods either. 

Okay, enough babbling- on with the show! Erm... Review.

I will update often as I try out every recipe! 

Soups: 

Chicken Noodle soup: not bad. I made this in my crockpot, by combining all the raw ingredients at low for 8 hours and upon fishing up, found me a mushy stew- next time I will be more prepared- it did taste pretty good though.

Salads: 

1.Caesar salad with Caesar dressing- this  was actually really good. For eating "clean" you really don't compromise much in the creamy dressing. 

2. Calabrese Salad- a simple caprese salad- I LOVE basil so of course I loved this recipe. 

3. Red Fruit Salad- okay, usually my husband scoffs at me when I put mango or diced apple or any other fruit in my salad- so when he ACTUALLY tried this one with me and said "it's not bad" then you know it's GOOD! I served mine up with Balsamic Dressing from the 21DFX meal guide as well as hemp seeds and subbing feta and it was delicious! 

Dressings & Spreads

Let me just tell you which ones I approve of:

-Asian vinaigrette

-blueberry jam( I actually used mixed berries and it my my family's FAVE!)

-Caesar salad- of course- I mentioned above!

-homemade salsa- I LOVE pico de gallo so yes, yes- this is FIVE thumbs up!

Breakfasts-

1. French Toast- is my favourite breakfast. In the whole world- for eternity, always has and always will be. These are so delicious. I would eat them more often if I didn't feel bad about eating maple syrup everyday- even if it's 1 tsp :(

I love pears and blueberries sprinkled with cinnamon as a side/topping too <3

2. Protein Pancakes: these were not ky fave. They were dry, but That may be my fault as the batter sat and really thickened up between batches. I will try them again, but will use vanilla protein powder this time. 😐

3. Protein Waffles: I LOVE these. I used some of my husband's Cookies & Cream protein powder and they have a tiny bit of sweetness even without a tap of maple syrup. Top with bananas and cinnamon and they are an awesome quick breakfast. 

 

Lunch:

1. Caprese Chicken. Do you want to know how I eat my chicken? This style- honestly fricken awesome flavour!  I wish I took a picture, but I always gobble it up.

2. Pizza- this is simple, we've actually made this before the fixate book. We LOVE using pitas they have a much better "pizza" flavour.

Dinner:

1. Mac & Cheese: I never actually ate very much of this recipe. I made this for my kids the week we first went vegetarian and my daughter gobbled it up- my son preferred waffles for lunch that week. I left out the chicken and broccoli and it wasn't bad- although I will add some chipotle spice or red pepper flakes if I make it for us "big" kids.

Update- we made this last week and it was pretty good. Mind you I subbed ground turkey for a protein and added some paprika and Cajun spice to the milk-cheese sauce but it was pretty tasty. Tasted like a super less salty hamburger helper.

Sides:

1. Roasted Squash- I used butternut as it was in season and it was pretty delicious. That butter and maple syrup topping sure makes it a great side dish!

2. Baked Zucchini: I LOVED it, my husband and son- not so much. My husband disliked the lemon but I really loved it- I actually added extra! This picture is horrible- my apologies!

Snacks:

1. Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese. Yup. And they are to DIE for. That gooey sweet filling is so amazing and it makes you forget that you are even eating healthy- I freeze them in a Tupperware container and warm them up! You NEED to make these now if you haven't already. 

Almond Chocolate Protein Squares: pretty good. I keep them in my freezer and pop them out 5 minutes before eating. Takes the sweet tooth craving away. 

Desserts:

1. Chocolate Chia Pudding: when I made this I had no idea what chia pudding was or how it was going to feel/taste. It was pretty good- definitely tastes like chocolate pudding, the texture is different but honestly not bad- I wish this portion was larger! I topped mine with strawberries and banana 🍓🍌

That's all for now folks! Like I said, I will try to update often, but as you can see, the Fixate cookbook is worth EVERY single penny in my books! For the $20 it costs- it's a great investment for a healthier lifestyle or transition. It is a valued cookbook in our home and many of my challengers! If you want to get your hands on one of these and learn all about the portion control system that helped me lose 30 lbs message me at mbritton96@beachbodycoach.com and we can discuss how to fit this program into your lifestyle

Coach Myranda 

Black Bean & Rice Burritos- 21 Day Fix Friendly

I think my new favourite food is black beans. I have enjoyed them everyday for a week at lunch and supper and I have NOT got sick of them.... Yet. 

These Black bean and Rice burritos really hit the spot- even my husband approved of them: which is saying ALOT. Yup, pretty much if he likes anything, I post the recipe because while j like to experiment with different foods and textures, he does  not. 😏

This recipe makes 10 burritos: you can halve or freeze extras- I mean who doesn't like having extra options ready to go?

Ingredients:

2 cans of black beans- rinsed and drained

1 cup of corn

1/2 white onion- chopped or diced

1 bell pepper

Juice from 1/2 of a lime

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 tbsp coconut or olive oil

1/4 tsp Himalayan or sea salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp cumin

2.5 cups of cooked brown rice

Shredded cheese- I like Tex next for these 👍🏻

10 whole wheat 6" tortillas

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in large pan- add all of the ingredients except tortillas, cheese and rice. Sauté for 2-3 minutes to mend flavours. Remove from heat.

2. Measure out 1/4 cup or 1 blue container of rice and place in a small bowl. Measure out about 1/2 cup or 1 yellow container of bean mixture and either an orange or blue container of shredded cheese (count as 1/2 blue or 1 blue). Mix together

3. Place the entire mixture into the centre of a tortilla and fold all sides in to close.

4. Place onto a heated panini press, Sean side down for a few minutes. Repeat steps 2-4 for remaining tortillas.

When you are done, wrap extras in cling wrap and place in fridge- i keep 3 days in the fridge at a time. If you would like to freeze extras, first wrap in Saran Wrap as stated above and place all extras in a freezer Ziploc bag. Warm up and serve with salsa, hot sauce and/or Greek yogurt. :)

 

*You can also add diced cook chicken or lean ground cooked meats to these to get some protein in there if you do not follow a vegetarian diet.*

**Recipe Notes- I do not count the pepper, onion, salsa or Greek yogurt in my meal plan. The pepper, corn and onion are such little amounts over the 10 wraps that I use them as "flavour enhancers" . Plus it's veggies and a good carb- I mean c'mon! 😉 same for salsa and Greek yogurt. I use 1 tbsp of each. I personally reduce another purple or red serving that day by a tiny bit to counter it but it's up to you.

I count this as:

2.5- yellow(tortilla, beans & rice)

1 tsp (olive oil)

1/2-1 blue (cheese)

Vegetarian:

1.5 yellow ( tortilla and rice)

1 red (beans)

1/2-1 blue (cheese)

1 tsp (olive oil)

I hope you enjoy- like I said, they were a HUGE hit- definitely serve up with a side of fresh pico de gallo for a kick in the taste buds! 🍴

Coach Myranda 

Black Bean & Mushroom Zucchini Burgers- Husband Approved!!

Okay, my birthday is officially over and I am back on course with my clean eating and workouts. It feels good to be back- I was definitely not myself the last 3 week but it really gave me a wakeup call that even I can derail quickly if I don’t keep my head in the game.

So some of you may know from my Facebook page that I have been wanting to do a more plant-based diet. Maybe vegetarian, possibly vegan in the future or maybe just a larger diet of plant based foods. Well, with that decision, I turned to my BEST friend- PINTEREST of course! I found these AMAZING Black Bean and Mushroom burgers that were delicious but I made some extra tweaks to suit my meat-loving husband’s tastes. This recipe is adapted from http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2012/05/black-bean-mushroom-burgers.html - I made a few tweaks I hope you like it! Ahem, scratch that. You'll like them- if my husband gives me the ol' A-OK, then they are damn delicious!

Ingredients:

15 oz. can black beans

1 1/2 cups mushrooms

1 cup of grated zucchini

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 large onion

3-4 garlic cloves

1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

4-6 whole wheat English muffins or sprouted grain buns

***Use a flax egg instead of egg to make vegan friendly.***

Optional for non-specific diets:

-Generous splash of Worcestershire sauce: about a tbsp

 -Splash of sodium reduced soy sauce: about a tsp

Burger toppings: I LOVE a smear of hummus, hot sauce, mustard, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, red onion, and a sprinkle of cheese on a toasted English muffin. 

Directions

1.  Rinse, drain and pat dryblack beans. Place onion and garlic in food processor or dice. Chop mushrooms and grate zucchini 

2. Sauté onion, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, salt, oregano, and basil over med-high heat until softened.

3. Put beans in a bowl and mash well (I use a potato masher or fork- does not need to be mushy- I like mine to be slightly mashed but still have squished beans). Add egg, sautéed vegetables, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and salt/pepper.

4. Mix well to combine and shape into about 5-6 patties- I use a 1/3 measuring cup to scoop consistent amounts. It works best if you refrigerate them for at least an hour or overnight to really enhance the flavours. I place on wax paper in a larger Tupperware, layering wax paper between each layer of burgers.

5. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over and bake another 10 minutes. It is also yummy to lightly pan fry the burgers to get a nice sear and bake.

If adding cheese, take out, place cheese over top and return to oven for 5 minutes to melt cheese.

I doubled the recipe to get about 12 burgers, and then I freeze extras for days when I need a quick lunch. Place burgers on wax paper and layer wax paper in between each patty. Place in Ziploc bag and freeze. 

P.S. If you follow me, you know that I follow a 21 Day Fix Meal Plan:
I count these as:
1 red (veggie burger)
2 yellow( 2 english muffin halves)
1 green (burger toppings)
1/2- 1 blue (cheese and hummus)
hot sauce and mustard-FREE :)


I served the burgers up with a side of Zucchini Pizza Bites: sliced zucchini with a small dab of clean pizza sauce and a sprinkle of cheese: 1 green, 1/2 blue and 1/4 purple

Enjoy!

 Coach Myranda