Resolutions, Meal Planning, & Free Printables

This year I didn't exactly make a New Years Resolution since my Resolution started in October when I started P90X3 and a healthier lifestyle. One thing I am working to get better about this year compared to last year however is meal planning. I tend to be a little lazy about my meal planning, which leads to my husband and I going out for Subway or Chipotle runs for dinner. But one great way to keep me on track with my healthy choices is to meal plan for the week and get my groceries early. This week I'm ahead of schedule and have already started the process of meal planning for the upcoming week. As soon as I finished my meal planning I got all the groceries I needed as well. 

I like to use handy meal planning documents on my computer because they allow me to add links to the recipes I'm making along with the ingredients I'll input on the Shopping List side before I print it. This week I'll be making Chipotle Burrito Bowls (Vegetarian and Chicken versions), Balsamic Tofu & Avocado Tacos, Zucchini Pizzas, Sweet & Sour Spicy Tofu Stir Fry, Spinach Burgers, Avocado Quesadillas, and Crockpot Minestrone Soup. The great thing about the Soup I make on Sunday is that I'll have enough leftovers after that to last 1-2 extra days of the next week. As the week goes on I'll post my recipes for any I don't already have on the blog.

I'm pretty happy with the ingredients I bought. For the recipes I've picked I have the majority of the ingredients around my house normally. For the ingredients that I had to pick up it was mostly fresh ingredients or reduced sodium/organic ingredients. Plus for what I had to buy for recipes this week I spent less than $40 total. That makes my Shakeology breakfast shake I budget of $4.00 per day even more reasonable this week. 

Here's the free printable I've made to use. Feel free to download or print for your use as well. 

What are your favorite go to meals while meal planning? Do you use a printable document or an app on your phone to meal plan?

Copycat Smashburger Avocado Ranch Black Bean Burger

My fiancé is a huge meat eater and loves a burger every now and then. Recently we decided to try Smashburger's because I saw that they had a black bean burger I could eat. I love am obsessed with this veggie burger! The mix of the black bean burger with chipotle mayo, ranch, pepperjack cheese, and avocado slices to top it off is perfection. Due to this obsession I decided it was pertinent that I find out how to make it myself at home. I figured a great veggie burger is absolutely necessary with this upcoming holiday that will consist of family, friends, and outdoor BBQ's. Due to that I got to work researching. I found this recipe through Pinterest. I had to tweak it a little, but in the end I was very pleased. 

After assembling my ingredients I got to work prepping everything. I used my Food Network Chopper to crush the blue corn chips and dice the onion. It seems like with my contacts in I have even more issues with dicing onions than I do with my glasses on. Therefore, to make it easy on myself I'll use the chopper.

After mixing everything up and getting my hands really dirty I then formed the mix into 12 small patties. I made my patties pretty thin so that is why I ended up with so many. If you like your patties thicker you'll probably get about 8 out of this recipe.

I normally like my burgers best on the grill, but I decided to try it on my frying pan. My husband just got a new grill and he doesn't have anything I can use to cook my burgers on it without pieces falling through the slots. I was happily not disappointed. You want to cook them about 3-5 minutes per side on medium heat. I wanted to make them like the ones you get at Smashburgers so I "smashed" mine while they were cooking.

The smell was divine as they were cooking. My stomach kept growling so I was sneaking bites off my cooked patties as I cooked the rest. It was so good!

Now you can try them!

Enjoy! They are a great alternative for non-meat eaters or even for meat eaters. My fiancé loved them. I had to slow him down or he would've eaten 4 whole burgers in one sitting. I think the secret to these delicious patties is the blue corn tortilla chips and the chipotle mayo. If you make these you have got to buy Kraft Chipotle Mayo. I love love love this stuff!

Sweet Potato, Chickpea, and Quinoa Veggie Burger

Sometimes finding a dinner that pleases both myself as a vegetarian and my meat-loving very hungry fiancé is not that easy. I always search Pinterest for new inspirations for tasty meal options. I recently happened upon a recipe for a spicy quinoa veggie burger and decided I had to give it a shot. The recipe was originally taken from the PopSugar Fitness blog that has tons of inspiration for healthy meals and great easy to do at home workouts. 

Here's how to make this tasty veggie burger:

INGREDIENTS

1 small sweet potato, baked
1/4 cup dry quinoa
1/4 cup dry barley
15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons parsley
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 fresh red peppers

                             

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake the sweet potato for 45-60 minutes or until soft.
2. While the sweet potato is baking, cook the quinoa and barley in separate pots until soft, about 30-60 minutes (barley takes a little longer).
3. Remove the stem and seeds from the red peppers. Cut the whole pepper in quarters and the half a pepper in half, and roast all six pieces in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Once the sweet potato is baked and cooled, combine garbanzo beans, sweet potato, parsley, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper, flour, and one tablespoon oil in a food processor.
5. Allow the grains to cool, and then in a separate bowl, mix the bean mixture with the quinoa and barley.
6. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pan on medium heat. Place heaping spoonfuls of the mixture onto the hot pan, and use the back of the spoon to pat them flat and form four-inch diameter patties. Brown both sides of each burger. Serve on a bun with one piece of the roasted pepper, sliced into thirds.

Yield: 6 servings

NUTRITION

Calories per serving
 
202

It was definitely not the easiest veggie burger I have ever made, but it was definitely the best. My fiancé asked twice during dinner when I would be making this again. I believe that is a good sign.

<3 Kelly Jean