Sunday Fun Day Cooking!

The semester is ending soon, and studying is getting the best of us; therefore, it is important to eat right, to stay focused in school! 
I try to dedicate one day for food prepping for a few days, because than I will have enough meals to have energy to study and stay focused! 

Everyone should make a goal this week to prep for 2-3 days in advanced, and see how much better you feel with the proper nutrition. I promise you will feel one hundred times better when you eat right, and plan ahead. It is equally important to eat those "bad" food items you love, but in moderation and poritons. I believe that you should follow the 80:20 rule, eat healthier for 80 % of the time, and treat yourself to your favorite meal so you don't binge (overeat), on it later. 

Most people who are trying to eat healthy 100% of the time, fail. You need to think of it as a lifestyle change, rather than a diet. You should say I eat healthy to enhance my life... not because you want to lose weight. If you think that way once you start seeing results or have a lapse (when you fail to stay on that strict diet), you may break your diet and indulge in those bad items to much. 

Stay focused by eating a healthy BALANCED diet and enjoy life! 

Today I made: 

• Lentil Soup (carrots, lentils, scallions, onions) 
• 6 servings of Cajun Boneless Chicken (Grilled or Baked in the dorm oven )
• More than 10 servings of Cherry Tomato Quiona  *Serving size= 1/4 cup
• Whole Wheat Flaxseed Pumpkin Apple Muffins (no butter, no eggs) 
• 4 servings of Broccoli 

Lentil Soup:

Ingredients: 

- 1 bag of lentils

- 1 bag of carrots, diced 

- 6 celery stalks, diced

- 10 scallions, diced

- 1 medium onion, diced 

- 1-2  tbsp. of fresh herbs: parsley, basil, Italian seasonings. 

Directions:
First, wash the lentils off with water, and than place them in the crock pot with 6 cups of water with the crock pot on high heat. Next, dice all of your vegetables small, and place them in the crock pot. Season the soup with fresh herbs: parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic. Leave in the crock pot for about 4 hours, and stir occasionally.

* serving size= 1 cup of soup, you may want to serve with a piece of whole grain bread, or 4 oz. sweet potato. I typically get full off of the soup because lentils are high in protein.




Baked Boneless Cajun Chicken: (only 10 minutes)
Ingredients: 
- 1 package of 3 boneless chicken breasts (Cut across to make 6 thin pieces)
- Cajun seasoning (no sodium, or the kind that has reduced sodium)

Directions:
Make sure to cut the the chicken diagonally across to make thin! (I know, my cutting wasn't the greatest!) Spray the pan with canola oil, and add 1/4-1/2 Cup of water in the pan. Than, place in the oven on 350 degrees, or place on George foreman grill for about 10 minutes (in oven).

Once the chicken is cooked and cooled, place them into baggies, or small containers for an easy grab lunch on the go. I add mine with 1/4 cup of Quinoa, and 1 cup of a vegetable!




Cherry Tomato Quinoa: 
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of Quinoa
- 3 cups of water
-20 cherry tomatoes (About half the case)

Directions: Put the Quinoa in a plastic container with 2 cups of water microwave for about 6 minutes. Start cutting the cherry tomatoes into small diced pieces.
 Once, the 6 minutes is done place the cover of the container on top and close for about 5 minutes. Than add one more cup of water and microwave for about 5 minutes. (The steaming, than placing back in will insure that it is fully cooked and soft!) Finally, add the diced tomatoes in the container, and season with pepper and fresh herbs if needed!



Broccoli:

Ingredients:
-1 bag of broccoli
-1/4 cup of water

Directions: place the broccoli in the rice cooker with water and steam for 5-10 minutes. OR microwave in the steam bag. (Most bags of broccoli you buy can be steamed in there bag).

Once broccoli is done you can put your meal together! This is a simple meal, and high in protein, low in carbohydrates and fat. Perfect for cooking in the dorms! 

Whole Wheat Apple Pumpkin Flaxseed Muffins: 
                                                               
Ingredients: 
- 2 cups of whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup of ground flax seed
- 1/2 tsp. of salt
-1 tsp. of baking soda
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. of pumpkin spice OR (a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg 3:1 ratio= 1 tbsp.)
- 1 banana, mashed
- 1 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1 apple, diced
- 1/4 cup of water
-1/2 cup of apple sauce




Directions: 

Place all the dry ingredients in one bowl, and than mash the pumpkin, bananas, with the 1/4 cup of water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix in the diced apples. Make sure to cut the apples very small, so when they bake they soften perfectly. If the batter is too dry add more apple sauce by adding 1/4 a cup at a time, and make sure the consistency doesn't become to thin. Finally, Bake on 350 for about 15-20 minutes.

I made about 24 muffins. 

Each muffin is about 80 calories, a perfect snack throughout the day to provide a good source of whole grains, and fiber!