Are you cutting? Trying cutting up some celery stalks to about 3-4 in a piece and use them instead of chips for salsa, same great spice and crunch!

Start with making sure you have a food processor or blender.

Ingredients:

6 Roma tomamtos

1 Large Lime

Cilantro- for normal use about 3 table spoons of th cilantro diced, my houses loves spice so we use more
1 clove of garlic- 2-3 pieces diced or one table spoon of the diced jar stuff, both work great. If you happen to love garlic and who doesn’t feel free to throw a few more pieces in!

1/2 onion diced- I prefer white ones

2 jalapeño peppers - Every week I try to change my receipe up a little bit, my new favorite pepper, the New Mexico Hatch Peppers roasted, I use one and get plenty of spice!

Pepper, Salt, Oregeno, throw in about a table spoon of each, more or less for taste

I like to process the tomatos first so that salsa has some "liquid" to work with then the onions and so on. Get everything in, give it a good processing and BAM fresh super healthy salsa in under 5 min for much less than the cost of the jarred funky stuff.

If you happen to have an avacado laying around dice it up and throw it on top…. yum yum!

Enjoy

So here we are walking and we noticed how many people are at the bars, we both kinda miss going out but we agree being fit right now is sooo much more important that drinking.  Thinking to myself its going to take 15 min of good cardio to burn off one miller lite keeps me from wanting to go to the bar, instead i treat myself to a yummy fuzzy navel flavored protein shake ( Nectar Brand) in my big wine glass….

Keep telling myself that there is a girl somewhere out there that will be next to me on stage who did an extra 5 min of cardio today and if I go out and drink that I am letting her win the trophy or medal that is mine all because mentally she was stronger than me.

So our hot date tonight was the gym, central market & protein shakes! Baby it doesn’t get hotter than this.

I say that while i am eating them, the are so gross that the make the hairs on my arm tingle.

I keep telling myself that this amazing little bowl of green ick balls is 50 calories, no fat, 3 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein, and the good thing is they are so gross I am no longer hungry….

Thank you brussell sprouts.

One big misconception about eating clean is that it is boring and bland…. SO NOT TRUE! I am a true foodie which means I love food and good food at that!

Some pantry basics:

Proteins

Tuna packets - there are a main stay in my lunchbox and my work locker, no draining needed! Be sure to get the ones packed in water

Canned chicken- for when the idea of eating another can of tuna makes you violent

Egg Whites- I get the egg whites international ones becuase honestly @ 4am I don’t want to crack eggs, I order a couple at a time since they freeze well.

Frozen Tilapia or Orange Roughy Fillets, most grocery stores carry these now in 10-20 individually frozen fillets in a case. Perfect for the george foreman grill! In less than 5 min you have a perfectly grilled fish fillet!

Ground turkey rolls, Do you remember how ground beef came in the plastic rolls? Now jennie O makes a turkey version and it gives you an option to get the all white meat one. ( the green and white roll) I have used these for turkey meatloaf, turkey spaghetti and turkey burgers, yum!!  Plus last week I price compared $1.47lbs vs the ground beef was $3.89lb. Go Turkey!

Turkey Bacon- For the comfort food moment with your scrambled egg whites ( new way to cook it…. george foreman! Makes it yummy and fat slides off into the little dish!

Peanut Butter, good rule of thumb, the only ingredient should be peanuts!

Last but not least, chicken breast! the yummy boneless skinless kind. For those of us on a budget, try the frozen bags of chicken breast at all grocery stores, can help keep the price per lb under $2.50 and thrown on the grill cooks up in no time.

Carbs

Rice- Brown & Jasmine, when not cutting i love to mix these two and cook them together, that way I am gets the yummy taste of jasmine with all the nutrients from its brown cousin.

Whole wheat pancake mix, I am a breakfast girl and cook for 3 boys so I have to be creative, mix in some of your favorite protein powder ( I like the BSN Lean Dessert Banana Creme) for some flavor and top with sugar free maple syrup, smuckers makes a great one.

Beans- I love black beans in my eggs whites, on salads etc, great source of fiber & protein.

High Fiber Pasta- I have been finding a much larger selection of low carb high fiber pastas in the grocery store!

Oats- A given, I am a quaker girl, love the old fashion ones. Although recently I have been finding the whole foods/ central market style stores carry steel cut oats in bulk, great way to save money and cut down the processing.

Sweet Potatoes another given.

Flax Seed Bread, yum-o!

Whole Wheat Tortillas- throw these in the fridge to get a longer shelf life.

Veggies

Try the ziploc steamer bags…. I love them… totally love them, fresh steamed veggies in under 5 min!

Broccoli
Mushrooms

Bell Peppers of all colors!

Tomatoes - if you want a recipe for fresh salsa let me know!

Onions - total super food

romaine Lettuce- If you tight on a schedule I buy it in 32oz pre cut/washed bags, last about 2-3 days.

lemons and limes whatever is on sale, helps jazz up fish on the grill

Cucumbers

Garlic - I am Italian and cook tons with garlic!

Squash, amazing in the steamer bags!

Spinach, add a little EVOO and some garlic- heaven!

Dairy- Happy Cows time.

Low Fat Cottage Cheese- backbone of my snacks
Skim Milk

No Sugar Added Yogurt- Actually really good mixed in with your morning oats.

Other randoms,

Sugar Free Ketcup, this is actually amazing tasting

No Sugar Added Jams, with a slice of the flax seed bread and cure a carb craving in no time. Plus everyone needs a good PB&J every now and then.

Fat Free Sugar Free Puddings - can get through any sugar craving.
Spices, you can make the blandest foods amazing with good spices, try to stick to low-no sodium ones like Mrs Dash.

Sugar free chocolate syrup - okay another crazy crissy recipe, mix it with the egg whites for a quickie protein shake! trust me taste amazing!
Add depending on your taste and style! Eating Clean can still be Eating Amazing!

A co-worker of mine told me she would love to eat as healthy as I do but its too expensive…. I looked at her like she was a space alien. Now despite popular believe eating clean can be extremely affordable. People forget all the processed stuff they are cutting out ends up costing more than fresh whole food.

An example, One of my roommates asking what I am making for dinner…. We keep about 8lbs + of chicken breast in the house at all times so you can guess it was going to involve chicken, he likes this campbells lemon chicken dinner kit which is basically white rice, herbs and some cream of chicken gunk. It cost $3.50, do not include the chicken. I told him why don’t I just throw some chicky ( my word for chicken) on the geroge foreman and put some Mrs Dash lemon pepper seasoning on it and make some brown rice….. wouldn’t cost anything because u learn to make dinner around clean stables you keep at the house.

Another great example is my coffee, no creamer anymore… Saves me $3 a week…. $156 a yr on coffee creamer!

$156 is an amazing new outfit for when I hit my goal weight!

Central Market has on WEDNESDAYS ONLY, 1.99 per lb hormone free organic chicken breast! Thats cheaper than Costco!! If you sign up for their monthly newletter there is also a coupon for $10 worth of your choice of steak with a $40 purchase. In my house this is a super fine ( I live with 3 guys!)

My workout today was cardio @ 11am ( I slept in) weights @ 3pm and cardio again @ about 8 ( i hate the gym when its busy).

So I love to devote my time off to my family, friends and the gym. I know if I am going to go pro I am going to have to find a way to work more efficantly with my schedule for now I do the best I can with what I have.

But this morning it wasn’t that bad…. kind of a comfortable reminder of the lifestyle I missed so much.

How high are the stakes
How much fortune can you make
How high are the stakes
How much fortune can you make

It’s funny, I spent my whole life wanting to be talked about
I did it, just about everything to see my name in lights

Was it all worth it
And how did I earn it
Nobody’s perfect
I guess I deserved it

Chorus:

How high are the stakes
How much fortune can you make
Does this get any better
Should I carry on
Will it matter when I’m gone
Will any of this matter

It’s funny how everybody mentions my name but they’re never very nice
I took it, just about everything except my own advice

Was it all worth it
And how did I earn it
Nobody’s perfect
I guess I deserved it

Chorus2:

How high are the stakes
How much fortune can you make
[Nothing lasts forever]
Does this get any better
Should I carry on
Will it matter when I’m gone
[Does it make a difference]
Will any of this matter

How high, does it make a difference
Nothing lasts forever
Should I, will it matter when I’m gone
Will any of this matter

How high are the stakes
How much fortune can you make
Should I carry on
Will it matter when I’m gone

(chorus)

How high are the stakes [How high]
Does it make a difference
Nothing lasts forever
Does this get any better
Should I carry on [Should I]
Will it matter when I’m gone
Does it make a difference
Will any of this matter

How high are the stakes
How much fortune can you make
Should I carry on
Will it matter when I’m gone
(repeat)