January 11, 2016

Taco chicken/Quinoa Mini Meatloafs

January 11, 2016/ sherri d'alessandro

Hi friends! I'm back today with a quick recipe. I've been dabbling in the "meal prep" club lately because it makes it much easier to pack lunches and keep me away from the Whole Foods hot/cold bar. It's healthier and more cost effective, so win-win! On Sunday night, I posted a quick snap of my mini taco meatloafs and received a few texts offline asking for the recipe so I'm bringing it to you today! Be warned, the photos aren't pretty because I wasn't sure that I'd post it. I'm glad I took a few though because they honestly came out SO GOOD and are super-duper healthy.

These mini meatloafs were inspired by two meals I've been making often lately. SarahFit recently posted about buffalo chicken meatloafs that I've now made twice. They are so good and a great lunch option. The other meal I've made consistently is the "Protein Stuffed Peppers". That recipe calls for mixing ground chicken and quinoa together. I like this idea because it bulks up the recipe a bit to make more mini loafs. It also adds more protein, fiber, Iron, and Magnesium with the quinoa.

So, let's get to it, shall we?

Taco Quinoa/Chicken Mini Meatloafs
Makes 12 mini meatloafs (6 servings)

Need:
- 1Lb of organic ground chicken or turkey
- 1/2 cup of dry quinoa
- Half pint of cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 red onion
- Packet of taco seasoning
- 1 egg + 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs

Chop up the red onion and organic cherry tomatoes then set aside.

Cook up both the ground chicken/onion and the quinoa, separately. Then, add the tomatoes, taco seasoning, and cooked quinoa to the meat mixture. Mix, set aside, and let cool (I put it in the fridge for a little bit).

Once it's cooled a bit, add the egg, bread crumbs, and tomatoes and mix evenly. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool!

For this week, I also washed, dried, and cut up two heads of romaine lettuce to have in a bag for salads during the week.

Here's how I ate my muffins on Monday... Romaine, squeeze of lime, two loafs (re-heated) and topped on salad.

Delish and so easy! Enjoy!

January 08, 2016

Friday Favs

January 08, 2016/ sherri d'alessandro

Happy Friday! Did you all feel like this week dragged a little? That's what I keep hearing. I actually didn't feel that way because I worked last weekend and a little bit over the holiday break, so I don't think it was as much of a shock to the system! Plus, I'm off today and I love a day off on FRIDAY!

Moving on, I'm back with the zillionth edition of Friday Favs. This is that time of year when most photos contain comfort foods and smoothie bowls, because you know... cold weather and BALANCE. I hope your weekends are filled with relaxation, laughter, fresh air, and fun! Enjoy!

{Penny filled bar top at the new Worden Hall in Southie.}

{Comforting pasta, aglio olio style, with julienne asparagus. Simple and delightful.}

{Brisk day on Castle Island.}

{Smoothie bowl made with Icelandic greek yogurt, cherries, blueberries, almond butter, pecans, coconut butter, and cinnamon.}

{It's the weekend. Take some time to put yo' phone down!}

January 06, 2016

Bits & Bites #11

January 06, 2016/ sherri d'alessandro

Good morning and happy Wednesday! I hope you are all having a productive first week of the new year!

I'm back today with the 11th edition of "Bites & Bites". I like sharing these posts as I hope they provide some healthier meal ideas for you all. I also really like to go back through the old posts to see what I was into during past seasons or phases. They always give me some solid reminders of healthy eats that I can add back into my routine.

Obviously, my diet the last month or so included more 'treats' than normal. I shared most of those delectable little bites on my instagram account. Today, however, I have some proof of the "balance" I maintained throughout the holiday season. Note: Bits & Bites photos are never pretty. They are usually quick snaps right before I stuff my face. Let's get to it, shall we?

Saturday Lunch: Chickpeas, tomatoes, parsley, feta, evoo, balsamic vinegar, salt & crushed red pepper. I made this one Saturday afternoon for lunch for Rob and me. I think we had dinner plans that night and I wanted to make sure we had something hearty but, light for lunch.

Lunch: Miso and udon noodle soup bowl, simple green salad, and popcorn.

Dinner: Quinoa made with peppers and onions, topped with grilled chicken and sriracha.

Sunday night dinner: Barilla protein plus pasta served scampi style with pea pods and shrimp.

Dinner: Fish stick tacos and roasted sweet potatoes.

Lunch: Udon soup noodle bowl and grapefruit.

Lunch: Salad with peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, turkey, a little provolone with balsamic vinegar and evoo.

Lunch: Whole Foods Taco salad bar. I chose romaine, salsa, jalapeños, pulled chicken, a sprinkle of quinoa, a sprinkle of cheese, and a squeeze of lime.