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A Week of Spring Meal Ideas

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Looking for some ways to use your fresh spring produce? Here’s a roundup with a week of spring meal ideas to inspire you!

A Week of Spring Meals

Hi Friends!

Time for more meal planning help! As you’re planning your menu for next week, take a look at this week of spring meal ideas!

Looking for new ways to use your spring produce? Here's a week of spring meal ideas!

Make them all or just make a few but hopefully this round up will give you some new ideas and inspiration for using up all of the delicious spring produce that’s currently in season!

Ready? Here we go!

 Breakfast

Easy breakfast ideas using spring fruits and vegetables.

Lunch

Easy lunch ideas using spring vegetables!

 Dinner

Easy dinner ideas using spring produce!

If you’re adding some of these to your meal plan, be sure to spend a little time food prepping as well to make your week easier!

Here are some ideas:

  • Make a double batch of quiche cups. Freeze half for later and have the other half on hand for a grab and go breakfast.
  • Bake a batch of oatmeals. Simply cut and reheat throughout the week.
  • Make some pancakes ahead of time, or just shred the carrots so you can whip up the batter quickly.
  • Prep the crockpot minestrone so all you have to do is dump it in and turn it on one night during the week.
  • Roast or grill your veggies for the cobb salad and hard boil some eggs while you’re at it!
  • Slice the veggies for the buddha bowl and salad for quick assembly.
  • Cook a batch of dried beans and freeze some for later.
  • Grill or bake some chicken so you can easily slice it to top salads and pizza.
  • Make the spring pea sauce for your salmon.
  • Chop the veggies for the pad thai.
  • Make a batch of soup.

weekly meal plans

Want more ideas? Check out the full gallery of weekly meal plans here!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Potato Soup

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Made with simple ingredients, this Potato Soup is nutritious, flavorful and perfect for busy weeks!

This potato soup is made with two kinds of potatoes and makes a great, nutritious option for lunch or dinner!

Hi Friends!

I realize that some of you may be approaching the end of soup weather, but it’s been raining here for pretty much 5 days straight and to me, rain = soup weather. Plus, I happily eat soup year round, but that’s a whole other thing.

Anyways, I wanted to pop in and share this Potato Soup recipe with you guys because I’ve made it several times over the past few weeks.

This potato soup is made with two kinds of potatoes and makes a great, nutritious option for lunch or dinner!

When I first made this soup, I intended to just make it with white potatoes, but I didn’t have enough of them so I had to throw in a sweet potato. It ended up turning out well so I keep making it like that, but you could use all white potatoes or all sweet potatoes if you wanted to!

Here’s how you make it:

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Potato Soup

two potato soup 1
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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

This potato soup is made with two kinds of potatoes and makes a great, nutritious option for lunch or dinner!

  • Author: Lindsay L
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 strips bacon, diced
  • 1 orange or red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped (I use 2 russet, 1 sweet potato)
  • 1.5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1.5 cups milk (I use skim)
  • 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. In a large dutch oven or pot, saute bacon, peppers, onions and potatoes for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
  2. Add broth and milk and bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat and let simmer until potatoes are tender (15-20 minutes).
  4. Use an immersion blender (or regular blender) to puree. Feel free to leave some chunks if you’d like.
  5. Add cheese and spices and stir until melted.

You could easily make it vegetarian by omitting the bacon, but I think it adds great flavor!

This potato soup is made with two kinds of potatoes and makes a great, nutritious option for lunch or dinner!

[Tweet “Enjoy this simple Potato Soup from @leangrnbeanblog for a quick lunch or dinner!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

PS. If you like sweet potatoes, be sure to check out my favorite Curried Sweet Potato Soup!

Coffee Protein Shake

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With just a few simple ingredients, this Coffee Protein Shake is the perfect way to refuel after a tough workout!

Made with just a few ingredients, this Coffee Protein Shake is the perfect way to refuel after a tough workout!

Hi friends!

Today I thought I’d pop in and share my hubby’s new favorite post-workout drink. This Coffee Protein Shake is super easy to make and Mr. Bean says it tastes like coffee ice cream- his favorite!

I’m not a huge fan of coffee-flavored stuff…but if you are, then you’ll definitely like this.

It does require a little bit of prep work. And by prep work I mean you need to brew a pot of coffee, pour it into ice cube trays and stick them in the freezer. That’s it.

Think you can handle it?

Made with just a few ingredients, this Coffee Protein Shake is the perfect way to refuel after a tough workout!

Here’s how you make the shake:

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Coffee Protein Shake

coffee protein shake
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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

With just a few simple ingredients, this Coffee Protein Shake is the perfect way to refuel after a tough workout!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz milk (chocolate is recommended but any cow or non-dairy milk would work)
  • 1 scoop protein powder (we use vanilla but any flavor should work)
  • Coffee ice cubes (I usually use 5. Amount will vary based on how much coffee you want in your shake)
  • Regular ice cubes- optional

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

So there you have it! Like I mentioned above, my ice cube tray holds about 10 oz of coffee so you can estimate how much coffee you’re putting in each shake by the amount of cubes you use.

Made with just a few ingredients, this Coffee Protein Shake is the perfect way to refuel after a tough workout!

If you want a thicker shake, just add some regular ice cubes!

[Tweet “Refuel after a tough workout with this Coffee Protein Shake from @leangrnbeanblog!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

You’re Still A Great Mom If

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Hi Friends!

As a new mom, it’s easy to compare yourself to all the other moms out there…especially today when Pinterest is all the rage and social media makes it easy to see what other moms are doing all the time.

Over the past five months I’ve learned that there are a million ways to be a mom…and even though it may not always feel like it, you’re still a great mom even if you do things a little differently than others.

great mom

I thought I’d share a few examples today.

You’re still a great mom if:

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1) Your baby doesn’t have a set nap or sleep schedule.
Squish sleeps when he’s tired and is awake when he’s not. Some days that means getting up at 8am and napping at 9. Some days that means he’s awake from 9am to 2pm without a nap. It’s ok.

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2) Your baby still sleeps in the pack and play.
I had every intention of having him in his crib when he hit 3 months. He’s 5 months and still sleeps within arms reach. Why? Because it’s easier for me to just reach out and flip him over or give him his binkie at 3am instead of getting up and going to the next room to do it.

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3) You let your baby watch tv.
Everything you read says no screen time before age 2. Squish watches a little TV every day and I don’t feel bad about it.

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4) You let your child cry when you’re busy.
Sometimes, I let my kid cry. If he’s safe, fed and has a clean diaper and he’s still crying when I need to finish up something for work, take a few pictures for the blog or finish cooking dinner, I let him cry. And it’s ok.

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5) You take your child out of the house occasionally without checking the weather.
Sometimes I take Squish with me to run a quick errand and it turns out it’s 40 degrees instead of 60 degrees like I thought it was. Should he have on pants and socks instead of shorts and bare feet? Probably. But is it the end of the world? No, he’ll be fine.

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6) You play rap songs for your baby because they like the beat.
Sometimes we turn up the rap music and dance with Squish. Are the lyrics completely inappropriate for kids? Yes. Does he love it? Yes. Do I think it’s ok right now because he’s only 5 months old? Yes.

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7) You sometimes let baby go 5 days without a bath.
I’m definitely not in the bathe your kid every day camp, but my goal is to get him in the tub every 2-3 days. However, sometimes the week flies by and I realize it’s been 5 days since he had a bath. Whoops. Gross? Kind of. End of the world? Nope. He’ll be fine.

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8) You rock your child to sleep instead of putting them to bed awake.
Yes, I know it’s supposed to be better if he puts himself to sleep. Can he do that? Some nights. Other nights I rock him to sleep because I’m tired/It’s easier/I like doing it…and you know what? It’s ok.

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9) You rarely sanitize stuff.
Baby put everything in his mouth….and I mean EVERYTHING. Is some of it dirty? Yes. Should I be cleaning his toys/binkie/etc more often? Probably…but it just doesn’t always happen…and that’s ok!

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10) Your kid is not always dressed and/or matching.
Squish has a lot of cute outfits…but there have been many a day where he stays in his pjs all day long. Some days it’s just easier that way. And some days he looks ridiculous because no part of his outfit matches…And that’s ok too.

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11) Sometimes you forget to read to your baby.
I love reading…Squish loves books. I love when we read together, but some days I just forget to get the books out. And that’s ok. There’s always time for extra reading tomorrow.

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12) Sometimes you count down the minutes until help arrives.
I love being home with baby all day. Most days we survive without a major incident. But some days, ohhhhh some days, you better believe I’m counting the minutes until hubby gets home from work. And that doesn’t make me a bad mom.

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13) You let the dogs lick your kid’s face.
Sweet? Yes. Unsanitary? Yes. Does it happen? You betcha.

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14) All the baby toys have dog hair on them.
With two dogs and two cats, that struggle is real. I’m not proud of it but my kid probably ingests enough pet hair to form his own hairball. But that’s ok.

So there you go. In case you didn’t pick up on it, I do every single one of the things on this list…and I don’t think that makes me a bad mom! I’m certain there are people out there judging me for it, but the most important thing I’ve learned about parenting so far is that the best things you can do are the things that work best for you and your family. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. It’s not worth your time!

[Tweet “You’re still a great mom if you do things a little differently via @leangrnbeanblog!”]

Let’s chat:

What’s one thing you do as a mom that might be “frowned upon” by others?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

I was inspired to write this post after I read You’re Still A Great Mom Even If… on Scary Mommy.

A Week of Vegan Meals

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Looking to add more meatless meals to your diet? Here’s a week of vegan meals to inspire you during your weekly meal planning session!

vegan meals

Hi Friends!

This week’s meal plan features a week of vegan meals. I’m not vegan and probably never will be, but I do believe that everyone can benefit from adding some plant-based, nutrient-rich meals to their diet!

Menu planning? Check out this week of vegan meals for some delicious meatless breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas!

This isn’t a meal plan I’m following and you don’t have to follow it exactly either, but here are 5 vegan breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas for you to check out. Consider adding a few of them to your meal plan for next week!

Breakfast

Menu planning? Check out this week of vegan meals for some delicious meatless breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas!

 Lunch

Menu planning? Check out this week of vegan meals for some delicious meatless breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas!

 

Dinner

A week of vegan dinners

[Tweet “Add some meatless meals to your menu! A week of vegan meals from @leangrnbeanblog!”]

 

Want to make your week even easier? Do some food prep. Here are a few ideas based on this meal plan:

  • Make a batch of the apple pie bars or a few batches of protein overnight oats to keep in the fridge for a quick grab and go breakfast.
  • Chop veggies and cook the beans you’ll need for a tofu breakfast scramble.
  • Make a batch of lentil chili and you can reheat it all week.
  • Make a big bowl of quinoa edamame salad. Eat it for lunch or add it to dinner as a side dish.
  • Bake some quinoa bean bites. Grab a few when packing your lunch to put in a wrap or on a salad.
  • Chop and cook the veggies for your Philly sandwiches for quick assembly.
  • Make a batch of chickpea burgers and freeze them. Pull them out and reheat as needed for quick weeknight dinners.
  • Make a double batch of lentil mushroom ragu and freeze half to have on hand for a busy week later!

weekly meal plans

Looking for more ideas? Check out the full gallery of weekly meal plans here. 

 

Let’s chat:
What’s your favorite vegan meal? Leave a link in the comments!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Fitness Friday 70

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Hi Friends!

Hard to believe it’s been two months since I posted my last Crossfit After Baby post!  I’ve now officially been back at Crossfit for 3 months! Here’s a recap of my workouts for the past two months…plus some thoughts.

I had a bit of a slump for a couple weeks where I took a few more rest days than usual. I was sick, then baby wasn’t sleeping, then just life. I’m trying to adjust to the fact that this is my new normal and sometimes getting to Crossfit just won’t happen. I’m also grateful for all the workout equipment we have at home!

ff1

1. Lots of pull-ups and burpees…the the wod. Finished in 11:07 with hand release push-ups instead of handstand push-ups
2. A workout, then some time in the sun with the boys!
3. 7×5 back squats (110#) at home, then a tough EMOTM, then 8:25 for the wod with manmakers and 145# DL
4. Front squats, then a long wod. One round of cindy is 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats. Then you do 1 clean and jerk, another round of cindy + 2 clean and jerks…repeat up to 10 c&j. Finished in 27:58 with 85# <– the most weight I’ve put overhead since I’ve been back!

ff2

1. Squats – 8×4 @ 115#
2. 6 +35 Rx with slooooow burpees.
3. Did a nice little partner wod this morning – harder than it looks. Then 6×6 back squats at 110# – a little tough after 10×3 at 122.5# yesterday.
4. Each round is 8 minutes. If you finish early, you rest until the end of the 8 minutes. Only round I didn’t finish was the second round. I did man makers for muscle ups, hand release push-ups instead of hspu and dips with the red band. My TTB were slow but I did them all for the first time since I’ve been back!

ff3

1. Survived my squats tonight! 7×5 at 120#.
2. Holy hard. 2, 1+15, 1+7, 1+5, 1+6 Rx. #toomanythrusters — time for a homemade protein bar and lots of water!
3. When it’s late…and you’re tired…and you feel like skipping…that’s when it counts.  8×4 at 125#
4. Good workout tonight! Part 1- 6:11 // Part 2- 3:11 // Part 3- 5:48 // I used 65# and did regular pull-ups

Snowing like crazy outside, squatting like crazy inside! 10×3 at 135#! #crossfit #squat #fitcolumbus #fitfluential

A video posted by Lindsay L, RD (@theleangreenbean) on


ff4

1. Not my best effort. TTB will be the death of me. Almost finished 6 rounds Rx but didn’t quite get my toes to the bar on the last few so I didn’t count them. Making progress though!
2. So many pull-ups. 9:35 Rx
3. Crushed it. 8:28 Rx
4. Grandparents watch baby, mom & dad do partner wod!

I do my best thrusters with @yakattack7 & @scootboody! #crossfit

A video posted by Lindsay L, RD (@theleangreenbean) on


ff5

1. Holy legs! 12:51 Rx
2. Lots of TTB – Finally back to stringing 4-5 together at a time!!! Then 8+17 for the wod. I subbed 6 push-ups for the hspu
3. If you were to design an open workout that included my 3 least favorite movements, this would be it. 86 reps thanks to a mental struggle with my snatches and 105# clean and jerk. Cleaned 115 but need to work on my jerk. Glad it’s over. Bring on 15.2!
4. Lots of squat cleans, then 6+20 Rx for the wod

ff6

1. Pretty much a double workout. 4/6/9/9 for the tabata, then 12:53 for the wod with regular pull-ups for 30 and 20 and 25 muscle up progressions on the rings for the muscle ups
2. Cross 15.2 off the list! Not quite as good as last year but I got 66 reps and I’m feeling pretty darn good about it 🙂 Squish got to hang out with his adoring fans
3. I did ’em both! Redid 15.2 and got 8 more reps for a score of 72, then did the wod in 9:06 rx
4. Not fast but I kept moving! 2+ 26 then 1+13

ff7

1. Garage wod with my little man.
2. Brutal, especially after 100 burpees! Finished in 3:51 Rx
3. Finished in 14:15
4. Busy being a blur of awesomeness during 15.4 – 8 min AMRAP – 10 push press (65#) 10 cleans (75#). Finished 105 reps

If you were paying close attention, you’ll notice I didn’t do workout 15.3 of the Open. I have mixed feelings about the Open this year. This was my third year doing it and I was way less excited going into it…mainly because I knew I wasn’t in the best shape. But they also made a lot of changes to the Open this year, including adding a scaled option which I don’t love. Anyways, I won’t get into a whole rant on my feelings but suffice it to say that 15.3 started with muscle-ups, which I can’t do and I felt like the scaled option was terrible and not really a “scaled” representation of the Rx workout so I didn’t do it. 

ff8

1. 13:38 Rx.
2. Loved this one! My pullups felt strong! Shoulder burner! 425 reps Rx
3. One of the worst workouts I’ve ever done. More thrusters than Fran…and worse than Fran because it’s ALL legs, no break to do pullups. Finished in 13:08 and my legs were sore for 4 days.
4. Hit a post-baby PR squat clean @ 130#! Was feeling pretty proud considering my legs were shot from the day before. Then 7:52 Rx for the wod.

And then, yesterday we did Grace.

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Grace is actually one of my favorites as far as benchmarks go…but yesterday it was HARD. 95# used to be easy for me. What made it hard was doing it as fast as I could. Now, getting 95# over my head is HEAVY. And hard. And just finishing this workout was hard, let alone doing it with any sort of speed. I finished in 5:41 Rx. My old PR was 4:30 I think so in reality finishing only a minute slower than that is pretty good.

But that’s the thing about Crossfit. It builds you up, strings you along, makes you feel pretty good about yourself and then BAM, a workout totally humbles you.

And that’s why I love it!

Overall I feel pretty good after being back for 3 months….but I’ve still got a ways to go…and I can ALWAYS get better!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

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Nutrient rich and super simple, this chocolate avocado pudding makes a great snack or dessert. 

Nutrient dense and made with just four ingredients, this Chocolate Avocado Pudding makes a great snack or dessert!

Hi Friends!

Today I’m finally sharing that delicious Chocolate Avocado Pudding recipe I’ve been teasing you with for the past week. I’ve never been a huge pudding fan myself but hubby likes chocolate pudding and I’ve had it on my list of things to make for a while now. I’ve looked at TONS of recipes and was just never crazy about the ingredients that most of them used.

Nutrient dense and made with just four ingredients, this Chocolate Avocado Pudding makes a great snack or dessert!

When I did find a few recipes that I liked the ingredients in, several of them used bananas and nut butter to thicken them. Hubby doesn’t like bananas and I wanted this to be truly chocolatey, not overshadowed by nut butter mixed in.

Nutrient dense and made with just four ingredients, this Chocolate Avocado Pudding makes a great snack or dessert!

I decided to use dates as the base. They’re naturally sweet and I like how you can puree them to be totally smooth. I figured I could combine them with avocado for a thick, smooth pudding.  I added a little cocoa powder to get the chocolate flavor and some milk to help blend it all together and voila! 4 ingredients and crazy delicious.

Here’s the recipe (inspired by Minimalist Baker):

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4 Ingredient Chocolate Pudding

chocolate pudding 3
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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.8 from 4 reviews

Nutrient rich and super simple, this 4 ingredient chocolate pudding makes a great snack or dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ – ⅔ cup chopped, pitted dates
  • ½ cup smashed avocado
  • ½ cup milk
  • 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • Optional toppings: bananas, nut butter, seeds, etc

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor and process until smooth.
  2. Taste and add more dates if not sweet enough or more milk if too thick for your preference.
  3. Top as desired

When I told hubby what was in this pudding, he said “No f*!@king way!”.

Mind. Blown.

Even Squish can help make this recipe! Take a look:

Since I love peanut butter and banana I chose to add those to mine as toppings. Feel free to add whatever toppings you want or eat it as is.

Nutrient dense and made with just four ingredients, this Chocolate Avocado Pudding makes a great snack or dessert!

Keep in mind that while I would consider this a healthy pudding option full of nutrients, it’s still calorie dense….so a small serving is all you need! If you divide one batch into 3 small servings, it’ll probably around 225 calories.

[Tweet “You’re just 4 ingredients away from this Chocolate Avocado Pudding from @LeanGrnBeanBlog!”]

Let’s chat:
Are you a pudding lover?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

A Week of Slow Cooker Meals

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A week of slow cooker meals that includes 15 recipes made in the crockpot- ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

slow cooker meals

Hi Friends!

After taking last Saturday off to share my 12 Ways To Use Leftovers post, I’m back today with a week of slow cooker meals to inspire for you! Like I mentioned previously, this isn’t a meal plan that I’m following, nor does it need to be followed exactly. It’s just meant to give you some ideas for meals you could add to your menu for next week! This week I’m sharing 15 recipes that can all be made in the crockpot!

Need some new meal ideas? Here are 15 recipes (breakfast, lunch & dinner!) that can all be made in the crockpot!

Be sure to pin this post so you can refer back to it later! Hopefully you can find an idea or two that appeals to you!

Breakfast

Crockpot Breakfast Ideas

 

 

Lunch

Crockpot Lunch Ideas

 

 

Dinner

Crockpot Dinner Ideas

weekly meal plans

Need more ideas? Check out the full gallery of weekly meal plans here!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Lentil Macaroni and Cheese

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A childhood favorite kicked up a notch! This Lentil Macaroni and Cheese is packed with vegetables and lentils for a hearty vegetarian meal. 

A childhood favorite kicked up a notch! This Lentil Macaroni and Cheese is packed with vegetables and lentils for a hearty vegetarian meal.

Hi Friends!

Time for another second-look recipe. This Lentil Macaroni and Cheese is one of my absolute favorites. I first shared it on the blog back in 2012 and I’ve probably made it 100 times since then. What can I say? I love mac and cheese. Always have. Always will. Plain old mac and cheese will probably always be my favorite, but to make it a more complete meal, I’ve added lots of veggies and some extra protein to this version. I can easily make a batch and eat it for lunch or dinner several days in a row. So good.

A childhood favorite kicked up a notch! This Lentil Macaroni and Cheese is packed with vegetables and lentils for a hearty vegetarian meal.

I made a few tweaks to the original recipe and took some new pics so I thought I’d share it again! The best part about it is that it’s a very forgiving recipe so you can really vary it based on what veggies you have on hand, add extra cheese or a different kind if you want (I’ve been known to throw in some goat cheese!), throw in some meat or beans instead of or in addition to the lentils, etc.

Here’s how you make it.

Print

Lentil Macaroni and Cheese

lentil mac and cheese 377x550
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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4 from 1 review

A childhood favorite kicked up a notch! This Lentil Macaroni and Cheese is packed with vegetables and lentils for a hearty vegetarian meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup pasta, uncooked
  • 3/4 cup lentils, uncooked
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3–4 cups mixed vegetables, diced (fresh, frozen or combination)
  • 5 oz frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed to remove excess moisture (or 3 handfuls fresh baby spinach)
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1.5 cups milk
  • 5 oz cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  2. Cook lentils according to package directions.
  3. While pasta and lentils are cooking, melt butter in a large saute pan. Add garlic and vegetables and saute for 10 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle vegetables with flour.
  5. Add milk and cheese and stir until well combined.
  6. Stir in cooked pasta and lentils, add spices and serve warm.

I usually make it with fresh spinach and think I like it slightly better that way, but frozen was all I had on hand this time and it worked just as well! If you don’t like spinach, leave it out all together. For veggies, I usually use fresh red peppers and onions and then add a couple cups of frozen mixed veggies. Broccoli, green beans, peas, carrots, etc are all great options. I’ve also added sweet potatoes.

A childhood favorite kicked up a notch! This Lentil Macaroni and Cheese is packed with vegetables and lentils for a hearty vegetarian meal.

If you’re feeling adventurous, check out my How To Sprout Lentils post and use those when you make it! If you don’t like lentils, sub your favorite protein – it’s a great way to use up leftover chicken or pork and I often add chicken sausage when I make it!

A childhood favorite kicked up a notch! This Lentil Macaroni and Cheese is packed with vegetables and lentils for a hearty vegetarian meal.

You get the idea. As you can see, this is just a base recipe. Put your own twist on it!

[Tweet “A childhood favorite kicked up a notch! Lentil Veggie Mac and Cheese from @Leangrnbeanblog!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Slow Cooker Loaded Sweet Potatoes

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Let the crockpot do all the work with these Slow Cooker Loaded Sweet Potatoes. Individual foil packets make them easy to serve and cleanup is a breeze!

Let the crockpot do all the work with these Slow Cooker Loaded Sweet Potatoes. Individual foil packets make them easy to serve and cleanup is a breeze!

Hi Friends!

Just popping in with super simple dinner idea for you! I’ve professed my love for loaded sweet potatoes many times but this time I made it even easier by using my slow cooker.

Basically, this is another fix it and forget it meal idea that just requires you to make up a few foil packets, throw them in the crockpot and go on about your day. When you come back, you’ll have a delicious packet of Mexican goodness waiting for you. The foil packets pretty much go straight from crockpot to table leaving you with no messy crockpot to clean and hardly any dirty dishes!

Let the crockpot do all the work with these Slow Cooker Loaded Sweet Potatoes. Individual foil packets make them easy to serve and cleanup is a breeze!

This recipe is easy to customize based on flavor preferences and doesn’t need exact quantities. Just pick your favorite toppings, pile them on and voila!

Here’s what you need:

Print

Slow Cooker Loaded Sweet Potatoes

crockpot loaded sweet potatoes
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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

Sweet potatoes loaded with all your favorite Mexican toppings and cooked in the crockpot!

Ingredients

  • sweet potatoes
  • cooked rice (or quinoa, wheatberries, etc)
  • black beans, cooked
  • cooked meat (optional- try chicken, pork, chicken sausage, etc)
  • peppers
  • onions
  • cumin
  • shredded cheese
  • Additional toppings as desired: avocado, salsa, lettuce, etc

Instructions

  1. Cut the sweet potatoes in half. Depending on their size, put either one or both halves on a large sheet of foil.
  2. Top each potato with rice, beans, meat (if desired), peppers and onions.
  3. Sprinkle with cumin.
  4. Top with cheese.
  5. Fold foil to make a closed packet around each potato and place in the slow cooker.
  6. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
  7. Remove and serve warm. Top with avocado, salsa, lettuce, etc as desired.

I kept these vegetarian by omitting the meat, but you could easily add some leftover chicken or pork, or some pre-cooked chicken sausage, etc if you’re a meat-eater. I forgot to include this idea in my 12 Ways To Use Leftovers post! Choose your favorite grain. I used wheat berries but rice, quinoa etc would work just as well!

Let the crockpot do all the work with these Slow Cooker Loaded Sweet Potatoes. Individual foil packets make them easy to serve and cleanup is a breeze!

I chose small sweet potatoes at the store specifically for this recipe so I put a whole one in each packet. If your sweet potatoes are larger, consider using only half in each packet.

Let the crockpot do all the work with these Slow Cooker Loaded Sweet Potatoes. Individual foil packets make them easy to serve and cleanup is a breeze!

Clearly I forgot to add the avocado before I took these pictures! But make no mistake, it was added when I ate one for lunch!

Let the crockpot do all the work with these Slow Cooker Loaded Sweet Potatoes. Individual foil packets make them easy to serve and cleanup is a breeze!

[Tweet “Add these Slow Cooker Loaded Sweet Potatoes from @Leangrnbeanblog to your dinner rotation!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

12 Ways To Use Leftovers

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Hi Friends!

Today we’re going to talk about ways to use leftovers. It’s Recipe Redux day and this month’s challenge was:

Two for One

We’re all about cooking once and eating twice. In short, double dinners are better. Show us how you take a favorite recipe already on your blog – and ReDux the leftovers into a new dish. Or, whip up a new healthy recipe and give suggestions on how to make it a second meal. For example, slow cooker pot roast could become shredded beef tacos; or grilled chicken breasts might morph into chicken salad.

Guys, is this right up my alley or what?! We all know I love food prep. I pretty much complete this challenge weekly. I love cooking once and then repurposing the leftovers into a new dish. I’ve actually been meaning to put together a post about using leftovers for you so this was just the push I needed!

Once I got the ball rolling, I couldn’t stop! Instead of just sharing one idea, I went a little bit overboard and have lots for you! I picked three proteins- chicken, pork and salmon- that we eat a lot of give you a few ideas for repurposing each one!

Looking for some ways to use leftovers? Here are 12 ideas for repurposing leftover chicken, pork and salmon!

{Salmon image used with permission from Cotter Crunch}

Roasted Chicken

Recipe Ideas for Leftover Chicken

Day one: Make a Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken. (Or roast one in the oven! I just put mine in a cast iron skillet and roast at 425 for about 45 minutes for a 5 pound chicken)

Eat the chicken with a side of vegetables and rice one night.

Later in the week, use the leftovers to:

 Pulled Pork

Recipe Ideas for Leftover Pork

Day one: Make my Beer Braised Pulled Pork.

Eat it with some bbq sauce and a side of veggies for dinner one night.

Later in the week, use the leftovers to:

  • Make pulled pork sandwiches! Add a fried egg and avocado for an epic sandwich!
  • Make nachos! Top your favorite tortilla chips with pork, beans, peppers, onions and cheese. Microwave or bake to melt the cheese and top with tomato and avocado.
  • Put it in a quesadilla. Add beans, veggies and a little cheese and top with salsa.
  • Make enchiladas (can you tell we like Mexican?!) Or make another casserole using leftover meat, frozen veggies and your favorite whole grain!

 Salmon

Recipe Ideas for Leftover Salmon

Day one: Grill or bake some salmon and your favorite vegetable for an easy weeknight dinner.

Later in the week, use the leftovers to:

Keep in mind that these suggestions aren’t protein-specific. For example, you can definitely use leftover chicken in any of the ideas listed above for pork, etc! Or use the above ideas for different proteins like black beans, lentils, tofu, shrimp, etc. Have lave leftover black beans- make a veggie burger! Use leftover lentils to make a soup or leftover shrimp to make lettuce wraps. Bonus idea- add eggs. Breakfast for dinner is the perfect way to repurpose leftovers into an omlette or frittata.

[Tweet “Need some inspiration? Here are 12 Ways To Repurpose Leftovers via @leangrnbeanblog!”]

Hopefully this gave you some new ideas for ways to use up those leftovers. This is why I tend to favor prepping ingredients instead of whole meals during my Sunday Food Prep. I’d rather cook a whole chicken and be able to use it 2-3 different ways during the week than cook a big casserole and have just that one option!

If you liked this post, you’ll love my ebook – The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep. It dives into even more detail about how to food prep, troubleshoots common problems and provides tons of tips to make it easier! Click the image below for more details!

The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep Ebook

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

For more Cook Once, Eat Twice ideas, check out all the posts linked up below from other Recipe Redux members!


How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

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Want to learn how to cook spaghetti squash? Try it three ways: in the microwave, the oven or the crockpot!

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

Hi Friends!

Way back in December 2012, I wrote a post sharing 3 ways to cook spaghetti squash. It’s become one of my most popular posts and earlier this week I updated the pictures so I thought it’d be a good time to give it a second look.

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

Learn how to cook spaghetti squash.

Spaghetti squash has become wildly popular lately as a low-carb option to replace spaghetti noodles. It’s paleo-friendly, naturally gluten-free and fairly inexpensive.

Want to learn how to cook spaghetti squash? Here are 3 different ways to try it, plus recipe ideas!

Some people may be hesitant to try it because they’re not sure how to cook spaghetti squash.  Have no fear! I’m here to help.

First let’s talk about how to cut it:

Learn how to cut a spaghetti squash, plus a quick tip for making it easier before you start!

Step 1: Cut the ends off the spaghetti squash.

Step 2: Stand the squash on end and cut in half length-wise.

Step 3: Option 1: Scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard. Option 2: Leave the seeds in and eat them once the squash is cooked. Option 3: Scoop out the seeds and roast them separately.

**Bonus Tip** Spaghetti Squash can be difficult to cut. To make it easier, put the whole squash in the microwave for 2 minutes before trying to cut it!

how to make spaghetti squash easier to cut

There are several ways you can cook spaghetti squash and I think they all have their merits.

3 Ways To Cook Spaghetti Squash

Want to learn how to cook spaghetti squash? Here are three different methods!

I personally like it prepared all three ways but your preparation method of choice may depend on how much time you have. The crockpot method is fix it and forget it. Oven roasted gives it the most flavor. The microwave method is the fastest if you’re pressed for time.

So let’s get started.

Oven Roasted

Oven roasted spaghetti squash

Put the two halves face down on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes. Check doneness by pulling a few strands out and taste them. If you want them softer, cook a little longer.

Another oven possibility- try cutting it into rings and baking it!

 In the Crockpot

Poke holes with a knife, put the whole squash in a crockpot with two cups of water. Cook on low 4-6 hours on low depending on size. Mine was about 7-8 inches long, medium sized I’d say. I cooked it 4 hours and it was perfect for me, but I still like it a bit crunchy. If you want the strands softer, cook it another hour or two.

Once it’s done, slice in half, scoop out seeds and pull strands with a fork.


In the Microwave

How to cook spaghetti squash in the microwave!

You have two options for the microwave method. You can either cook it whole or cut in the microwave. If you want to cut it, follow the directions above, then put it on a plate or in a glass dish with a little water and microwave 10-12 minutes.

spaghetti squash cooked in the microwave

To check to see if it’s done, turn it over and pull at the sides with a fork to separate the strings and taste a few. As you can see, I like to leave the seeds in mine!

If you want to cook it whole, stab it all over with a knife, put it on a plate and microwave for 10-12 minutes, rotating every few minutes until it gets squishy. Then cut and separate strings. Remove the seeds if desired.

So it’s cooked, now what?

oven roasted spaghetti squash

Use a fork to pull the strands away from the sides of the cooked squash. Scoop them out or eat straight from the squash!

Want to know how to cook spaghetti squash? Here are 3 ways!

So there you have it! Now that we’ve learned 3 different ways to cook spaghetti squash, you’re probably looking for some recipes ideas to try, right?

Learn how to cook spaghetti squash and then try one of these six delicious recipes!

And if you like veggie noodles, check out some of my zucchini noodle recipes!

Zoodles with Chicken and Spicy Almond Butter Sauce

[Tweet “Want to learn how to cook spaghetti squash? @Leangrnbeanblog gives you 3 options!”]

Things like spaghetti squash and other veggies are great for food prep! If you liked this post, you’ll love my ebook – The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep. It dives into even more detail about how to food prep, troubleshoots common problems and provides tons of tips to make it easier! Click the image below for more details!

The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep Ebook

Enjoy!
–Lindsay

PS. I’m thinking about making a Squish with vegetables calendar. Best-seller for sure, right? He looks really cute with the squash but don’t let him fool you. That lasted about 5 minutes. The remainder of the hour was more like the middle picture- me trying to take pictures and him laying on the floor screaming 🙂

squish with squash

Berry Green Smoothie

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Packed with brain-boosting fruits and veggies, healthy fats and protein, this Berry Green Smoothie is perfect for breakfast on the run or an afternoon snack!

This post is sponsored by Dole Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. Dole provided me with free coupons and compensated me for my time. As always, all opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Packed with brain-boosting fruits & veggies, yogurt for protein and healthy fats, this Berry Green Smoothie makes a great breakfast or snack!

Hi Friends!

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been on a bit of a smoothie kick lately and I’m quite certain my smoothie love is only going to intensify as the weather gets warmer! Today I’m teaming up with my friends as Dole to share my current favorite smoothie!

Packed with brain-boosting fruits & veggies, yogurt for protein and healthy fats, this Berry Green Smoothie makes a great breakfast or snack!

Dole wants to inspire people to eat more fruits and veggies in 2015 and you guys know I can get on board with that!! This week (March 16-22) is Brain Awareness Week, a week designated to bring awareness to the progress and benefits of brain research. Since many fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that may help improve memory and overall brain function, I thought it would be the perfect time to share this brain-boosting smoothie!

I was asked to include one of the following brain foods in my recipe- strawberries, blueberries, spinach or broccoli- and I managed to use all but broccoli in this smoothie! The berries are packed with antioxidants which are great for brain health- blueberries especially may help protect against dementia. Spinach contains antioxidants as well, plus it’s rich in lutein, which is good for the brain!

Packed with brain-boosting fruits & veggies, yogurt for protein and healthy fats, this Berry Green Smoothie makes a great breakfast or snack!

Over the weekend, I used some Dole Fresh Baby Spinach to restock my freezer with a batch of my Frozen Spinach Cubes so I would have some to use in this Berry Green Smoothie!

In addition to all the fruits and veggies, I added yogurt for a protein boost and nut butter (Crunchy Chocolate Nuttzo is my current fav) for a dose of healthy fats! Bonus- nuts are great for your brain as well!

Ready to make one of your own? Here’s how:

Print

Berry Green Smoothie

Berry Green Smoothie 5
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

Fruits, veggies, protein and healthy fats all in one delicious smoothie!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2/3 cup frozen Dole berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries)
  • 1/4 cup orange juice (or milk)
  • 2 frozen Dole Spinach Cubes or 2 handfuls fresh Dole spinach
  • 1 Tbsp nut butter
  • 1 Tbsp chia seeds
  • 5–6 ounces yogurt (plain or flavored)
  • 2 Tbsp oats, optional

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.
  2. *Note – if you use fresh spinach you may want to add a couple ice cubes

Packed with brain-boosting fruits & veggies, yogurt for protein and healthy fats, this Berry Green Smoothie makes a great breakfast or snack!

[Tweet “A delicious, brain-boosting Berry Green Smoothie from @leangrnbeanblog and @doletweets! #ad”]

 

Want more brain-boosting recipes? Check out these two:

berry spinach salad

Berry Spinach Salad

 green pancakes

Green Pancakes with Pear Lime Relish

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

4 Spring Vegetables To Try

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Don’t be intimidated by the new vegetables you see at the grocery store or in your CSA box this Spring. Here are 4 Spring Vegetables to try and some recipe suggestions!

4 Spring Vegetables you should try this year and recipes to use them in!

Hi Friends!

Let’s talk vegetables, shall we? Specifically Spring vegetables. Spring is an exciting time of year. The weather gets warmer. You might be getting ready to plant the first seeds in your garden. Perhaps you signed up for a CSA and in a few weeks you’ll start enjoying lots of farm-fresh veggies. Or maybe you just get excited about seeing some new produce in the grocery store aisles.

4 Spring Vegetables you should try this year and recipes to use them in!

Whatever the case may be, I bet there’s a few veggies out that there that you’re not sure what to do with. Here are 4 Spring Vegetables To Try and some ideas for using them! Several of these are veggies I don’t eat enough of myself. I had some fun taking pictures of them this weekend and now I’m challenging myself to eat more of them this Spring.

Asparagus

4 Spring Vegetables you should try this year and recipes to use them in!

A great source of Vitamins C & K, folate and fiber, asparagus is also packed with antioxidants! It’s a fairy common spring veggie and is super verstatile. You can roast it whole, steam it, chop it an add to stirfries or shave it to add to salads or pizza! Be sure to snap off the ends and discard them before cooking the remainder of the stalks. To keep it fresh, store it standing up in a mason jar in the fridge in a little bit of water!

Not sure what to make with it? Try these recipes:

Coconut Ginger Braised Asparagus via Teaspoon of Spice
Basil Lemon Chicken Quinoa Salad via The Adventures of MJ & Hungryman
Balsamic Roasted Asparagus via The Lean Green Bean
Asparagus Egg & Bacon Salad via Skinnytaste
Bacon Wrapped Caramelized Sesame Asparagus via How Sweet Eats

Artichokes

4 Spring Vegetables you should try this year and recipes to use them in!

Fun fact – Fresh artichokes are one of my favorite vegetables to look at, but I rarely eat them and I almost never cook them. When I do cook with them, they come from a jar or can, never fresh. My goal is to change that this year! They’re a great source of fiber and folate and Vitamins C and K. If you’ve never prepared fresh ones yourself, here’s a great article on How To Cook and Eat An Artichoke with step by step directions!

If you’re ready to step up your game and cook with fresh artichokes,  here are some recipes to try:

Italian Stuffed Artichokes via An Avocado A Day
Crockpot Artichokes via Family Fresh Meals
Grilled Artichokes via Proud Italian Cook
Stuffed Artichokes via Eatin On The Cheap
Braised Chicken with Artichokes via Feasting At Home

 Snap Peas

4 Spring Vegetables you should try this year and recipes to use them in!

Peas are one of my favorite veggies but I admittedly often forget to use them. I almost always have a bag of frozen green peas in the freezer to add to things like casseroles, but I especially love spring when snap peas are in season. Such a great, crunchy snack!

I usually just eat mine plain but here are some recipes you could use them in:

Roasted Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame Dipping Sauce via Edible Perspective
Sugar Snap Peas and Carrot Soba Noodles via Cookie and Kate
Confetti Quinoa with Snap Peas via Cooking Treaty
Sugar Snap Pea Slaw via Better Homes & Gardens
Minty Grilled Snap Peas via The Wimpy Vegetarian

Radishes

4 Spring Vegetables you should try this year and recipes to use them in!

Pretty much the only memory I have of radishes is that my dad used to eat them when I was growing up. My mom would always have some floating in a bowl of water in the fridge for him to munch on. But yet again, here I am almost 30 years old and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve eaten radishes. But I’m already taking strides to change that! After I took the above photo, I cut up this bunch of beautiful radishes. I added some to my tuna salad and sliced some to use to scoop up my Greek Hummus Plate! I’m loving their crunchy, peppery flavor!

Here are some other ways you can enjoy them:

Ginger Carrot Radish Salad via Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Cinnamon & Sugar Radish Chips via Pinch of Yum
Taco Pickles via Eva Kolenko Photography
Bacon Radish Salad via Nellie Bellie
Radish Avocado Salad via Best Recipe Box

Looking for new ways to use those spring vegetables? Here are 20 recipes ideas!

Like these recipe ideas? Pin the image above to remind you to make them later!

[Tweet “Spring veggies are coming! Here are 4 to try, plus recipe ideas, from @Leangrnbeanblog!”]

Let’s chat:
What’s your favorite spring veggie?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

Petition to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – #RepealTheSeal

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Repeal - basic

I am participating in the #RepealTheSeal campaign to show my disagreement with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ recent decision to allow the Kids Eat Right logo onto food packaging.
I invite my fellow colleagues and bloggers who share this opinion, or who support this campaign, to also post this Open Letter on their own blog, to sign the petition at change.org, and/or to use #RepealTheSeal hashtag via social media

Hi all-

This is a bit of a non-traditional post but it’s an issue that needs to be addressed and I feel it’s important enough to warrant a post. For those of you who don’t know, the New York Times published this article last week: “A Cheese ‘Product” Gains Kids’ Nutrition Seal“. I couldn’t believe it when I read the article and I’ve yet to speak to a single RD who is happy with this decision.

Thanks to a few of my amazing colleagues, Regan Jones, Rachel Begun and Kate Geagan, an open letter to The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has been written and a petition has been started to repeal this decision.

As dietitian/nutritionists, we work hard to provide full transparency in all of our own business relationships, and we expect the same from our Academy. In the business world, a logo on a product label conveys an endorsement, an alignment, and recognition of a paid relationship.

We are making known to the public and the Academy through the OPEN LETTER printed below that (1) we do not support this type of logo placement (2) we request that the on-package logo be repealed and (3) we request full transparency by AND & KER about this partnership to ensure this does not happen in the future.

If you agree our #RepealTheSeal campaign, we’d love for you to join us in signing the petition. You don’t have to be a Registered Dietitian to sign!

Find the #RepealTheSeal petition here and read the open letter to the Academy below. Thanks for helping us make an impact!

–Lindsay–

 

March 16, 2015

To Mary Beth Whalen, President Sonja Connor, leadership at the Academy and the Kids Eat Right (KER) Foundation: 

As long-time members and proud supporters of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), we are dismayed, shocked, and saddened by the blog post in last week’s New York Times.  The piece (http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/12/a-cheese-product-wins-kids-nutrition-seal/?_r=0 – ) reports on the KER Foundation’s Nutrition seal— a seal that the Academy states was not an endorsement of the product, but is an indicator of the brands that support Kids Eat Right.

As dedicated Registered Dietitians/Nutritionists and food and nutrition experts, we are protesting the Academy’s position to allow the Kids Eat Right logo on Kraft Singles, as well as the possibility to allow any future implied endorsement of any product by AND for the following reasons:

Flawed Understanding of the Marketplace

We wholly reject the rationale that the Academy used in their formal press release to defend the nature of the relationship between Kraft and the Academy. A logo on a product label is an endorsement, an alignment, and recognition of a paid relationship. Simply stating otherwise in a press release, no matter how emphatically, doesn’t change this fact. Rather, AND’s actions illustrate how profoundly out of touch AND is with business principles, which has put our professional integrity and credibility at risk. It is also a decision that is out of touch with members’ values.

Failure to Provide Transparency to AND Members and Consumers  

We work hard to provide full transparency in all of our own business relationships, and we expect the same from the Academy. Failure to be transparent about ANDs actions violates the Academy’s own Ethics Policy, which calls for the highest standards of honesty and integrity, and for members to not engage in false or misleading practices of communications.

Actions Requested of the Academy: #RepealtheSeal

We ask that the Academy make available to its members, the media and the public the following:

  • We ask for full transparency regarding the process of approval to allow the KER logo on the Kraft product— including the names of those involved, the meeting minutes of the discussion, and Board’s vote on this issue.
  • We ask for full disclosure of the terms of the financial agreement between KER Foundation and Kraft. We also request full transparency regarding the status of future agreements under consideration for use of our Logo.
  • We ask the Academy to provide their plan for the discontinuation of this specific relationship with Kraft and removal of the KER logo off Kraft Singles product packaging.

Academy members deserve strong leaders who will protect the integrity of the Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist credential. This latest action is an embarrassing misstep that must be corrected swiftly in order to prevent further damage to the RD/RDN brand and to the Academy.

 

Sincerely,

Rachel Begun MS, RDN
Kate Geagan MS, RDN
Regan Jones, RDN
Registered Dietitian/Nutritionists colleagues listed at change.org

A Week of Gluten-Free Meals

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A week of gluten-free meals that covers breakfast, lunch, dinner to provide new recipe ideas and inspiration!

A Week of Gluten-Free Meals

Hi Friends!

I’m back with another week of meal ideas for you.  This week I’m sharing A Week of Gluten-Free Meals!

Looking for some new recipes? Here's a week of gluten-free meal ideas!

Hopefully this will give you some new ideas to add to your weekly menu. Don’t feel like you have to use every single one, even trying just one or two that sound good is a great way to try new recipes!

Breakfast

A Week of Gluten-Free Breakfast Ideas

Strawberry Quinoa Parfait via The Almond Eater

Hemp & Chocolate Breakfast Cookies via Runnin Srilankan

Apple Cinnamon Poptarts via Offbeat + Inspired

Carb Buster Breakfast via The Pioneer Woman

Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes via The Lean Green Bean

 

 

Lunch

A Week of Gluten-Free Lunches

Rainbow Kale Power Salad with Peanut Dijon Dressing via Housewife In Training Files

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup via Healthy Nibbles and Bits

Zucchini Noodle Shrimp Pho via Eat Spin Run Repeat

Curried Tuna Salad with Apples via Lean Green Bean

Turkey Quinoa Meatball Lettuce Wraps via Cookin’ Canuk

 

 Dinner

A Week of Gluten-Free DInners

Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burger via Cookie & Kate *serve bunless or on GF buns

Rice Krispie Chicken Tenders via The Lean Green Bean

Slow Cooker BBQ Meatloaf via All Day I Dream About Food

Chicken Enchilada Casserole via Gimme Some Oven

Crockpot 3 Bean Turkey Chili Baked Potatoes via Fit Foodie Finds

 

 

In case you want a head start on the week, spend a little time prepping food tomorrow. Here are some food prep ideas for this meal plan:

  • Make a batch of breakfast cookies or poptarts to have on hand for a grab and go breakfast during the week.
  • Pre-chop some veggies for the carb buster breakfast so there’s less work to do in the morning.
  • Make a batch of quinoa and granola to have on hand for quick parfait assembly, or assemble a few parfaits ahead of time and keep them in the fridge.
  • Make a big pot of soup or pho to pack for lunches.
  • Make some tuna salad- eat it on a sandwich for lunch one day and with veggies the next to change it up!
  • Make a batch of turkey meatballs so you can quickly pack them in your lunchbox.
  • Make a meatloaf and stick it in the fridge without cooking. One morning next week add it to the crockpot before work.
  • Chop all the veggies and cook the beans and chicken for the enchiladas.
  • Make a pot of chili so all you have to do is reheat and pour over potatoes for dinner.
  • Make a double batch of veggie burgers. Stick half in the fridge to eat this week and half in the freezer for a later week.

weekly meal plans

Want more ideas? Check out the full gallery of weekly meal plans here!

 

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

Registered Dietitians Who Blog

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Hi Friends!

As you may or may not know today is National Registered Dietitian Day. For the past 3 years I’ve rounded up a list of Registered Dietitians Who Blog and today’s post is pretty much the ultimate resource. My list has quadrupled in size over the past 3 years! As an RD who has been involved in blogging and social media since the thought of becoming an RD was just an idea in the back of my mind, I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see so many of my colleagues becoming active in the online world.

There are so many great dietitians out there now sharing CREDIBLE nutrition information, recipes and other great nutrition resources with all of you!

Have nutrition questions? Here are 125 Registered Dietitians who blog - great CREDIBLE resources for nutrition news, diet info, healthy recipes and more!

{some of the images above provided by Alice Henneman}

My challenge to you today is to spend a few minutes checking out some of these blogs that you’re not familiar with and giving these RDs some love and appreciation for all they’re doing to make the world a healthier place!

I don’t care how you pick them- by their name, their tagline, how pretty their header is, randomly- whatever works for you! Just do it!

[Tweet “It’s National RD Day! Check out these 130 Registered Dietitians Who Blog via @leangrnbeanblog!”]

 

Here’s the list from my first post, updated to remove some who no longer blog….clickable links are at the bottom:

 
fanne
3

5
6
7

9
real life
nutrition

healthfully ever after

13

I also gave special shoutouts to Alexis at Hummusapien and Carissa at Fit2Flex who were dietetic students like me at the time. Both are now RDs.

 

 

 

Last year I added a bunch more RD blogs to my Feedly. Here they are with clickable links at the bottom:

foodcoach

avocado a day

delish knowledge

energy we bring

nonsense

food pleasure health

 

wendy

kath

livingwell

love and zest

nutrition awareness

caroline kaufman

fueled

spicy

valentine

Find them here:

dietitian debbie

 

nourish

meal

food confience

nics

real food for fuel
cassie

make healthy easy

soundbites
nutrilicious
mohr
sharon
HA
stone soup
Find them here:

I also gave a special shoutout to two future RDs- Min at MJ and Hungryman and Kylie at Yeah Imma Eat That, who weren’t quite there yet but well on their way! Min is now officially an RD and Kylie is OH SO CLOSE!

mj

imma eat that

 

 

Last year I asked readers to leave their favorite RD blogs in the comments if they weren’t already on the list. Here are some that were recommended:

vegan rd

foodess

flavorrd

sinful nutrition

meals for miles

zen and spice

rebel dietitian

cape fear

down to earth rd

hevil

Find them here:

 

And here we are at year 3. This year I have even MORE new RD blogs to share with you!

chocolate slopes

grateful grazer

holley grainger

mom to mom nutrition

soul of health

kumquat

dietitian brittany

be truly nourished

colleen gerg

nourished simply

enjoy every bite

filipino foodie

robinsbite

marisa moore

simple cravings

Find them here:

skinny louisianabite of health

food doc

foodie dietitian
whole living lauren
eat real food
eating with a purpose
cheryl meyer
organic dietitian
rdelicious kitchen
eat simply
craving something healthy
moms kitchen handbook
newlywed nutrition

Find them here:

low fodmappositively healthytoby amidor
chew the facts
renees healthy weighsmouthful
lauren minchen
simple delightspediatric nutritionabby langerneily on nutrition
kathleenfood family fiestaborn to eateat love thriveFind them here:

farmer's daughterjust the right byte
ingles
no nonsense
bitchin nutrition
mcdaniel
sarah krieger
trim traveler
nutty nutritionist
hispanic
heather jones
performance nutrition
cape cod
dietitian on the run
blonde pantry

Find them here:

foodfitfabulousfoodie on campusraise healthy
baking dietitian
healthy bites
cook it quick
the fresh beetginger hultinthis rd eatschere borkdishing out health

wealth and health

nutritionworks

paige smathers

real bite

Find them here:

eat well with janelsmart nutritionfusion wellness

nutripilotelisa zied

christy wilson

 

Still want more? Find 800+ RD Bloggers at Nutrition Blogs Network!

I’m sure I’ve missed some great ones, but this roundup  should give you a good start if you’re looking for some new reading!

I also can’t let this day pass without giving a huge thank you to every single RD who has helped me on my own personal journey. Special thanks to my mentor and boss Regan, who has believed in me from the day we met…every step of the way…She gives me the opportunity to do what I love every single day and I couldn’t be more grateful.

If you’re an RD who blogs and you’re not on this list, leave your blog URL in the comments!!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Greek Hummus Plate

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Take your hummus to the next level by using it to make this Greek Hummus Plate. Topped with vegetables and feta, it’s the perfect party appetizer!

Hummus, veggies and feta in every bite makes this Greek Hummus Plate the perfect party appetizer or afternoon snack.

Hi Friends!

Time for another second look recipe. I first published this recipe — and I use that term loosely– way back in May 2012. I made it again recently and decided it could use some new photos.

This Greek Hummus Plate is the perfect party appetizer but it also makes a great afternoon snack!

Hummus, veggies and feta in every bite makes this Greek Hummus Plate the perfect party appetizer or afternoon snack.

Does it look good? Be sure to pin it so you remember to try it out later. Or make it immediately. Both good options!

There no specific quantities for this recipe but here’s what you need:

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Greek Hummus Plate

Greek Hummus Plate 2
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5 from 2 reviews

Hummus, veggies and feta in every bite makes this Greek Hummus Plate the perfect party appetizer or afternoon snack.

  • Author: Lindsay L
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 batch hummus (whatever flavor you like)
  • red bell pepper
  • red onion
  • cucumber
  • tomatoes
  • feta, crumbled
  • balsamic vinegar, optional

Instructions

  1. Spread hummus on a plate.
  2. Dice vegetables and mix with feta.
  3. Spread on top of hummus.
  4. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar before serving if desired.
  5. Serve with crackers, pita wedges or sliced veggies.

That’s all there is to it. If you like olives, feel free to add those in as well!

Hummus, veggies and feta in every bite makes this Greek Hummus Plate the perfect party appetizer or afternoon snack.

Use your favorite recipe to make some homemade hummus or grab some at the store if you’re in a pinch! Top with balsamic vinegar before serving if you want to!

Hummus, veggies and feta in every bite makes this Greek Hummus Plate the perfect party appetizer or afternoon snack.

Want more Mediterranean recipes? Try:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

A Week of Quick, Healthy Meals

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Here’s a week of Quick Healthy Meals to inspire you as you start to plan out what recipes you want to cook next week.

A Week of Quick & Healthy Meals

Hi Friends!

I get a lot of requests for weekly meal plans so I decided to start putting some posts together to give you a little inspiration! I’ll share a few recipes to give you ideas for breakfasts, lunches and dinners!

quick, healthy meals

If you guys like this series, I’ll try to keep it up! My thought is to have some kind of theme for each week- this week being “a week of quick, healthy meals”. I brainstormed a few other ideas including a week of:

  • Gluten-Free Meals
  • Paleo Meals
  • Vegan Meals
  • Slow Cooker Meals
  • Meals all from a certain magazine like Cooking Light or Eating Well

Be sure to let me know in the comments if you like this series idea and if you have suggestions for other weekly themes!

Alright…so here we go:

Breakfast

A week of healthy breakfast ideas

Lunch

lunch

Dinner

a week of healthy dinner ideas

————-

Want to get a head start on the week by doing some Food Prep over the weekend? Here are some ideas based on this week of meals:

  • Bake a batch of breakfast cookies for grab and go breakfasts throughout the week.
  • Prep a few jars of oatmeal and keep them in the fridge for breakfast on a busy morning.
  • Make a batch of quinoa and use some in wraps for lunch.
  • Make some tuna salad for a quick packable lunch.
  • Grill or bake some chicken to have on hand to add to salads for lunch.
  • Make a pot of soup to eat for lunch or dinner throughout the week.
  • Make a couple batches of freezer chicken tenders to stock your freezer.
  • Make and bake your meatballs so all you have to do is reheat them for dinner.
  • Chop veggies. Eat them raw for snacks or have them ready to throw on a roasting pan for a side dish.

weekly meal plans

Want more ideas? Check out the full gallery of weekly meal plans here. 

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Italian Wedding Soup

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Packed with veggies and full of mini meatballs for protein, this Italian Wedding Soup is sure to warm you up on even the coldest day!

Packed with vegetables and mini meatballs, this Italian Wedding Soup is hearty, filling and sure to warm you up on even the coldest day!

Hi Friends!

I don’t know about where you are, but it’s cold here. Like really cold. Last night temps went below zero. This time of year it’s supposed to be in the 40’s. Wahhhhhh! #IWantSpring

Anyways, since it’s freezing, I thought now would be a good time to share this Italian Wedding Soup with you guys. I made it about a month ago but I’ve been saving it for a day like today 🙂

Packed with vegetables and mini meatballs, this Italian Wedding Soup is hearty, filling and sure to warm you up on even the coldest day!

I’m a sucker for all things mini, so I love the mini meatballs in this soup, plus orzo is one of my favorite pastas so that’s what I use in my version. Feel free to use whatever tiny pasta makes you happy…you could even use quinoa for a gluten-free version.

Here’s how you make it:

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Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup 1
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Packed with veggies and mini meatballs, this soup is sure to warm you up on even the coldest day!

  • Author: Lindsay L
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup sliced or chopped carrots
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, drained (optional)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh Parsley
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry orzo
  • 3 cups fresh spinach
  • Parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

  1. In a large dutch oven, saute carrots, onions, peppers and garlic over medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, make the meatballs by combining pork, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley and pepper in a small bowl and mixing well with your hands.
  3. Form into small meatballs and set aside.
  4. Add broth and water to dutch oven and bring to a boil.
  5. Meanwhile, In a skillet, brown meatballs on all sides over high heat.
  6. Add meatballs and orzo to boiling pot, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes.
  7. Add spinach and stir until wilted.
  8. Check meatballs and orzo for doneness and serve warm, topped with parmesan cheese if desired

[Tweet “Warm up with a bowl of this Italian Wedding Soup from @LeanGrnBeanBlog!”]

Packed with vegetables and mini meatballs, this Italian Wedding Soup is hearty, filling and sure to warm you up on even the coldest day!

The orzo might absorb some of the liquid if you refrigerate the leftovers, so feel free to add more broth or water before reheating!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–