Meal Plan and Recipes

Alright folks, I know I usually don't post twice in one day, but I had a request for a recipe. I thought I would go ahead and share my meal plan for the week, along with the recipes. Hope you enjoy!

Meal#1:

Turkey Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and peas

You will need 2 lbs. of ground turkey, 1 package of onion soup mix, 1/2 c of bread crumbs, 1/4 c of shredded mozzarella, and 1/4 c ketchup for the meatloaf. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except for the cheese and ketchup, in a medium bowl. Once you have mixed well, place half of meatloaf mix into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle cheese on the layer you have placed in the loaf pan. Spread the remaining mixture on top of cheese, and top with ketchup. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour (or until no longer pink in the center). 

* I make my own homemade mashed potatoes and use frozen peas. I usually use organic red potatoes in making the mashed potatoes, and then use either mayonaise or sour cream, along with a little milk, salt, and butter. And no, mashed potatoes aren't all that nutritious, but homemade is by far better than the box kind. 

Meal #2:

Classic Minestrone Soup (See previous post for recipe.)

Meal #3:

Pork Chops with Cider Sauce, steamed broccoli, and acorn squash

For the pork chops you will need center-cut bone-in pork chops, salt & pepper, 2 TBS olive oil, 2 onions thinly sliced, 1 tsp. ground sage, 1 1/2 c of apple cider. Season chops with salt & pepper.  In a non-stick skillet over med-high heat, warm olive oil. Add onions and cook, stirring until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Push onions to edges of skillet and add chops. Cook, turning once, until browned, about 6 minutes total. Sprinkle sage over chops and pour cider into pan. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to med-low. Simmer until chops are cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. remove chops from pan, raise heat to high, and boil sauce until reduced and thickened, 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce and onions over chops & serve. 

For the acorn squash, you will need at least one acorn squash, maple syrup, and salt & pepper. Split the acorn squash in half. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place both halves onto a baking sheet. Pour just a little maple syrup into the center of each half, and then salt & pepper to taste. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the centers are soft.

*For the broccoli, I purchase a steamable bag in the frozen section, or buy fresh and place in my steamer.

Meal #4:

Turkey, dressing, and green beans

For the turkey you will need: sliced turkey breasts (sliced to your liking), salt, and pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place turkey in a greased baking dish, and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. (Yep, pretty plain, I know). Bake for about 20 minutes, or until done.

For the dressing you will need: A batch of homemade whole-grain cornbread, olive oil, 1 medium onion, 2 cloves of garlic (minced), 3 ribs of celery (sliced), 8 oz. mushrooms (optional), 3 oz. whole wheat bread, 1 tsp ground sage, dried parsley, ¼ tsp salt, pepper, 1 large egg, and 2 TBS milk (your choice of milk). Place a little oil in a large skillet and place over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add the celery and cook for another 7-10 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove to a mixing bowl and add a little oil. Add the sliced mushrooms (if you are using them). Add the cornbread and the whole wheat bread with the sage, parsley, salt & pepper. Toss the ingredients together. In a separate bowl whisk the egg and milk together until well blended. Add the mixture to the large mixing bowl with the stuffing and toss to coat well. Press the mixture into a 9-inch Pyrex casserole dish and bake for 30-40 minutes.

 For the homemade cornbread you will need: 2/3 c plus 1 TBS of whole wheat flour, 1/2 c whole grain corn meal, 1 TBS baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt, 4 TBS butter, 3/4 c corn, 1/2 c heavy cream, 1 TBS 100% maple syrup, 2 eggs, 1/2 c sour cream, and 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Whisk 2/3 c whole-wheat flour together with corn meal, baking powder & salt. In a small pan over medium heat melt the butter. Whisk in 1 TBS whole wheat flour and keep whisking until it begins to brown. Add the frozen corn and let thaw in pan for a minute. Pour in heavy cream and whisk entire mixture together until it thickens. Mix in TBS of maple syrup and remove from heat. Add creamed corn mixture, eggs, sour cream and grated cheese to dry flour mixture. Blend together well without over mixing. Pour batter into a square or round glass baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. 

* For the green beans, I usually get the frozen cut green beans. Place in skillet with a little olive oil or coconut oil, and saute' for a about 3-5 minutes. Then drizzle soy sauce over the green beans and cover. Cook on med-low heat for about 10-12 minutes, or until desired tenderness. 

Meal #5

Turkey Chili with homemade bread

For the turkey chili you will need: 1 lb of ground turkey, 5 cloves of garlic (minced), 1 medium onion (chopped), 1 tsp olive oil, 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes, 15 oz. canned kidney beans, 15 oz. canned black beans, 1 lb. frozen corn (optional), 2 tsp. ground cumin, 1 TBS chili powder, and 12 oz. jar of your favorite salsa. In a large pot, saute' the garlic and onion in the olive oil. Stir in the meat and brown. Stir in everything else and cook over med-high heat until the meat is cooked through. Stir frequently to avoid burning. If you need extra liquid, you can always stir in a little chicken broth. Enjoy!

Meal #6

BBQ chicken legs, corn on the cob, and cabbage

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking dish and set aside. Take your chicken legs and place them in the dish. Cover the legs with your choice of BBQ sauce (I like to use Stubb's, as I can pronounce the ingredients). Bake in the oven for about 45-50 minutes. 

While the chicken is cooking, cut up your cabbage and place in a large pot. Cover the cabbage with water and sprinkle just a bit of salt to taste. Boil the cabbage for about 20-30 minutes. 

Boil the corn on the cob until done (usually about 10 minutes). 

Most recipes were taken from www.thegraciouspantry.com and www.100daysofrealfood.com. 

Classic Minestrone Soup Recipe

Mmmmm, it's Fall and that means it is time for soups! I absolutely love soups, chowders, chili, and stews. Of course, I really love food. But there is something about soups during the cooler seasons. Now I know that the temps haven't dropped to an extreme cool level, but Fall is still in the air. I couldn't resist having soup on my weekly menu plan this week (I even have chili later on during the week). I love minestrone soup, and I found a great clean recipe last year and decided I would bust it out again. It's easy, cheap, and healthy! What's not to love? Here's the recipe adapted from "All You" magazine. I hope you enjoy!

Classic Minestrone Soup (yields about 6 servings)

Ingredients:
2 carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth (homemade if you have some)
28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
salt & pepper
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 c small shell pasta or elbow macaroni
1 c shredded kale
15.5 oz canned cannellini or navy beans, drained

Combine carrots, celery, garlic, broth, and tomatoes in your crockpot. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, & the Italian seasoning over the combined ingredients. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Thirty minutes before serving, stir in pasta, beans, and kale. You can increase the heat to high if you choose. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired, upon serving. Enjoy with Back to Nature's Organic Stoneground Wheat Crackers or homemade wheat bread.

This is a favorite in our house! I actually had a bowl today for lunch.

Which Workout is Best for Me?

We all know that working out is good for us. We know that any form of staying active helps to keep us healthy and fit. But sometimes, deciding what type of workout to do can be a bit difficult. We see other people jumping on board with certain workouts and really killing it, but when we try that same workout it just doesn't give us the "Wow factor." This begins, what can be, a disheartening journey of trying to be active but eventually just throwing in the towel. I know about this all too well. I have done it. I have seen others do it.
"Yoga looks nice, so let's give that a try. Nope. Not for me. Ooooo, pilates! Maybe that's MY workout. No way! Check out the guns on Tony Horton! I want to do P90X! Oh no! There's no way I can do what he does. Oh wait, check out that guy's abs! Man, Shaun T. knows what he's talking about! What?!? He wants me to do that? He's crazy." And the list goes on and on. Why is that? I mean, if working out is good for us why are there so many of us throwing in the towel and deciding against it?

I think it is because we aren't setting our goals. We aren't evaluating what it is we want. Yes, we want to be healthy and fit. That's a given. But what are the specific goals? What is it that we want this workout to do for us? What are we wanting out of it? What are the results we want? And then we also have to ask ourselves, what motivates us? What are the things we enjoy doing? If you don't enjoy more of a slow paced workout, then pilates and yoga are probably not for you. If you don't enjoy working out with weights, then P90X isn't the right choice for you. If you are just starting out in your workout journey, then Insanity is not for you. Know your goals. Know the results you want. Know your abilities. Know what drives you and gets you going. If you have found yourself easily bored with a certain type of workout, then go in a different direction. If you like to dance and like more of a fast paced workout, then go with something like Turbo Fire or Zumba or Turbo Jam. If you want to do a little strength training, try Chalean Extreme. If you are wanting to be pushed and challenged, and you have the endurance and capability, then go ahead and take on P90x or Insanity.

Folks, there is a workout for EVERYBODY! Don't try to pull the whole, "There's not any workout out there for me," excuse. You've just been going about it all wrong. So, before committing to that new workout, first sit down and write down your goals. Write down what you want. Be honest. Write down the results you want to see. Second, be honest enough with yourself to know you. Know your limits. Know your capabilities. Know your level (beginner, intermediate, advanced). Third, know what drives you. Know what keeps your attention and keeps you focused. And last, use all of the info to help you best select the right workout for you and then CRUSH IT!

I would love to help you with your health and fitness journey. If you have any questions, or would like to have me as your coach please email me at jaclynturner1@beachbodycoach.com

Grace & Peace, Jac

Stop with All the Food Rewards

We've all done it. Shoot, as kids once we all have lived it. To what am I referring to? Treats as a reward. Everything from ice cream cones, ice cream bars or bowls, candies, doughnuts, pizza, and other sources of food items, have been used as rewards for kids. Parents do it. Doctors do it. Dentists even do it. Teachers do it. You name it, just about everybody has used food as a means of reward (or bribery) for kids. But just because "everybody" has done it, and the vast majority are still doing it, does it make it right? In my opinion, absolutely not!

I am not one to say that you should never allow your kid an ice cream, a sucker, a slice of pizza, or a doughnut ever. I mean, I enjoy these things every now and then. What I am saying, though, is that food (no matter what type it is) should NEVER be used as a reward (or form of bribery). Just because your kid comes home with smiley faces for the week doesn't mean that you have to reward him/her with a double fudge sundae. Or just because your kid got an A on his/her test doesn't mean that you need to throw your kid a pizza party. One of the new trends I have noticed within the last few years is that teachers will hold "pizza parties", "popcorn parties", and/or "doughnut parties" if the students behave and earn all the letters to spell out the party. Say what? My kid doesn't need a Krispy Kreme with extra sprinkles just because the class was on its best behavior. Now, I'm not going to have my kid sit out while the rest of the class enjoys the party, but I don't want to teach her that she needs a doughnut every time she does what she is told to do.

I am sure some of you are getting all huffy & puffy as you read this post. I know what you're thinking. "But rewarding a kid's good behavior is important." True, but that doesn't mean that it has to come in the form of high sugar, high in empty calories and fat foods. There are other ways to reward kids for good behavior. Time at the park. A certificate. Speaking positively and praising them for doing well. Maybe a movie night. Most importantly, I believe that just being there and telling your kid, "Way to go! I'm so proud of you!" goes a lot further than any sundae or doughnut could go. Food isn't meant to be a source of reward. It is meant to be a source of fueling our bodies with the energy needed to function properly.

If you would like to see just what is in some of the "treats" check out this website.http://www.sugarstacks.com/desserts.htm

You can contact me at jaclynturner1@beachbodycoach.com

Eating Clean versus Eating Non-Clean

Have you ever had someone look at you funny for what you choose to eat, or not eat? Maybe you have had someone say something to you about your choice of clean eating lifestyle? Clean eating is not just some idea that fell out of the sky, although with the way that some people react to it you would think that it was. Clean eating really has existed since the beginning of time. As a Christian, I believe in the story of creation. You know, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God created the heavens and the earth, and all that exists. And when God created He provided all that the earth would need in order to live. He provided fruits and vegetables for man to eat (women, don't get all upset because I used "man". I use it as a generic term.), as well as water to drink. There were not Twinkies, hotdogs, Cheetos, fried Oreos, sodas, candies, or even fried chicken in the beginning. God provided CLEAN foods for nourishment. And if you want to debate me on the whole "no fried chicken" thing, well, in all honesty we were not created to even consume meat in the beginning. It wasn't until sin entered the world that we became carnivorous creatures. Ok, enough of explaining that.

You see, our bodies were never intended to consume anything but clean foods. Yes, we do have organs that function to remove toxins from our bodies, but that doesn't mean that we were meant to eat a bag of Doritos. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy some "non-clean foods" every now and then, but I don't make it my main source of food. Look at your body in the way you would look at your shower drain. Your shower drain serves the purpose of draining out all the water from the shower. It gets rid of the water, soap, shampoo/conditioner, and other stuff that falls into the drain as you shower. But, too much of the stuff (like your hair) can clog the drain causing it to not function properly. Our bodies work the same way. Take an alcoholic for instance. Our liver is one of the organs that functions to remove toxins from our bodies, but an alcoholic puts so much toxins into his/her body that the liver cannot function properly. This results in cirrhosis of the liver. When we overload our bodies with junk (non-clean foods), we are abusing our bodies. Yep, I went there. We send our bodies into overdrive when we overload it with junk. When our bodies are in overdrive, they cannot function properly and this results in sickness, fatigue, excess body fat, and other health issues.

When we eat clean we provide our bodies with the nutrition and energy that it needs to function properly. You wouldn't put sugar in the gas tank of your car, would you? No! You know that putting the right gasoline in the gas tank of you car is exactly what your car needs in order for you to drive it. Our bodies need fruits, vegetable, whole grains, lean protein, and water so that they can operate. Have you ever wondered why you crave all that junk? It is more than likely because you aren't providing your body with enough of the right foods that it needs. You see, when we fuel our bodies right by eating clean, we provide our bodies with the nutrients that it needs. And when your body has the right amount nutrients it won't crave all that junk. When you are craving those Doritos or snickers body, your body is actually telling you that it is still lacking nutrients. An apple will leave your body feeling more full and nourished than a bag of Cheetos.

Next time you want to reach for the fried foods, the Cheetos, the sodas, or the candies think about what your body needs. Treat your body right! Supply your body with more clean foods than non-clean foods. And the next time you unclog your shower drain, remember that is how your body is when you supply it with more non-clean foods than clean foods.

If you would like more info on eating clean, please contact me at jaclynturner1@beachbodycoach.com.

Just Because I'm Little.....

I sometimes get comments like, "You don't need to workout! You are little enough!" Or, "You're so tiny. Why are you working out?" Or, "You don't have to worry about what you eat." I have even been asked if I eat! These comments actually kind of hurt my feelings at times. I can get a bit defensive when it comes to this matter. Yes, I have a small frame (5'2"). Yes, I understand that I am smaller than some people. Yes, I get that you think that I don't have anything to worry about in regards to my size. But, just because I have a small frame and might be smaller than you, doesn't mean that I don't have to be concerned with my health. And just because I am of small size doesn't mean that I do not eat. (Believe me, I eat all the time! My close friends and family can confirm that.) 

I haven't always been the size that I am now. I mean, yes, I have always been short. There is no changing that. I guess I could walk on stilts, but I am not coordinated enough to pull that off. Although, I do have a few pair of high heels that allow me to feel like one of the "tall" people. Ok, enough of that digression. Back when I was in high school, I weighed more than what I weigh now. I ate poorly, just as most teenagers do. Oh my Mom cooked great healthy meals for the family, but that wasn't the only food I had all day. I ate hot fries, chef boyardee, pizza, french fries, potato chips. cookies, candy, junk, junk, and more junk, whenever I could get my hands on it.

It wasn't until after I suffered a miscarriage in 2003, that my weight changed. The change in my weight wasn't from any workout or healthy eating habits either. I lost a lot of weight due to sinking into a depression. I didn't want to eat. I had no appetite. Food just didn't appeal to me. So, as I quit eating, my body changed. I actually began liking the change too. I mean, what woman doesn't like to go to her closet and discover that she needs new clothes because all of her current clothes are TOO BIG? I thought I was doing pretty good. I didn't see that I had lost weight in a very unhealthy way.

As my appetite returned, I decided to eat a little better. I didn't want to go back to the size I was before. I wanted to at least maintain the weight that I was at during that time. So, my eating habits got a little better. Eventually I started exercising. I began with working out with Denise Austin in the mornings before heading off to work. It wasn't anything too tough, but it was still something. During this time those nasty comments that I mentioned in the beginning of my post began.

At first, I would shrug off the comments as compliments, but after a few years I no longer saw remarks such as these as any form of encouragement. Sure, some people actually spoke them out of encouragement, but not everybody was supportive in their words. I mean, when you approach my Mom and voice your concern over my size, you are not being supportive. (At no point during this time was my weight ever at an unhealthy level.)

So, fast forward to the present. I am now a little more educated on what it means to live a healthy lifestyle. I know now that when I first starting shedding weight, I went about it all wrong and completely unhealthy. I work my butt off now to stay healthy. I don't workout to be "skinny","small", or "thin." I work my butt off so that I can be healthy! I am not working out to lose weight. I do not avoid certain foods or eat certain foods because "I am on a diet" (anyone close to me knows that I hate that word, and do not believe in that word). I eat healthy to be healthy! I don't deprive my body of the fuel that it needs. I want to treat my body right. I want to take care of the body that God has given me, because it is His temple. I want to set an example for my kids, my friends, and my whole family. I want to set an example for strangers. I choose to live a healthy lifestyle, because I want to give my body the best of what it needs, and give other people the best of me.

My motivation here in writing this is not so that I can talk about my size, and have it mean that I am any better than anyone else. I wanted to write this in hopes that it would inspire someone to continue on his/her healthy lifestyle journey. I want to shed light to the fact that just because someone might be smaller than you, doesn't mean they do not have to be concerned with their health. There is a big difference in being skinny and being healthy. I want to be healthy, so I choose to eat clean and workout. Be careful in how you speak into people's lives. Seek to be an encourager.

If you would like to know more about how you can live a healthy lifestyle, I would love to help you. You can visit my website at www.beachbodycoach.com/jaclynturner1, or email me at jaclynturner1@beachbodycoach.com.

*And please, if you or someone you know is at a truly unhealthy weight, speak up. I am not speaking against helping people.

Parenting Is Not About Being BFFs

"Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it." Proverbs 22:6, NLT

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord." Ephesians 6:4, NLT

Did you ever get this look from your parents? Oh, I did. I got it more times than I would care to admit. I can remember thinking to myself, "Oh no! I'm in trouble," whenever my parents gave me this look. I can also remember times when I would think that my parents just needed to lighten up a little. You know, chill out. Relax. Quit being such tyrants. Don't tell me you never thought that your parents were kin to Hitler at one point. (I mean no harm here, folks.) I use to think that I had the strictest parents in the town world! I saw some of my friends' parents, and I thought they were way cooler than my parents/ I mean, their parents let them do what they wanted to do! These friends could stay out as late as they wanted to. They could smoke and drink if they wanted to. They had no rules! I thought these friends were living the good life. I mean, their parents wanted to be their friend. 

Boy was I ever wrong. Of course, I didn't see the error of my ways until I became a parent of my own. When I became a Mom, I knew right then exactly how much love my parents had (and still have) for me. They weren't tyrants. They weren't mean and cruel, and totally out of touch as I thought they were. My parents loved me like crazy! They wanted the best for me. They saw the things in my life that were not good, and they wanted to do their best to help me make the right choices. They gave me rules, not out of control and this "power hungry" drive, but out of the great love for me. They chose to be my parents instead of my best friend, because they cared about me. I had friends I could talk to and cut up with, but I needed my parents to be my parents. 

You see, being a parent isn't about making sure your kids like you all the time. It's not about making sure your kids get ever materialistic wish that they could ever imagine. It's not about whether or not you help our kid to be popular in school. It's not about being your child's friend. Being a parent is about just that, BEING YOUR CHILD"S PARENT! It's about loving your kids enough to tell them no. Loving your kids so much that you would rather have them so mad at you, than to see them go down a destructive path. It's about caring about your child's well-being enough to step in and set boundaries. It's about choosing to be your child's parent and not their friend. 

As the new school year begins, I encourage each of us as parents to leave being a friend to our kids to their friends. I encourage each of us to love our kids enough to tell them no. Care enough to set boundaries. Want what is best for your child and do our parts as their parents to see that they do their best in life. Let's stop trying to make sure that our kids like us all the time, and let's start showing them how much we love them by being their parents and not their friends. 

I know being a parent isn't always easy. And I know that some days are more joyous than other days, but your child is a blessing from God. God has entrusted you with this child. He is counting on you to be their parent. Will you step up to the challenge and be your kids' parent?