Enhanced Medifast Meals - Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Snickerdoodle Cookies

Yesterday, I found a couple of recipes to spruce up the Medifast meals. I will keep adding to the blog as I try them out.

The first was the Snickerdoodle cookies. I made them last night for my last meal of the day and they were incredible! You just need the Vanilla Shake powder and a few more ingredients. I added an Organic Stevia packet instead of Splenda, so that took off a few calories for a total of 114. For only 4 more calories, you can turn your shake into 2 delicious cookies!

This recipe can be found at: Slim Kicker

Ingredients Needed

1. French Vanilla Shake (2.0 packet)
2. Splenda with Fiber (1.0 packet)
3. Baking Powder (1.0 tsp)
4. Ground Cinnamon (0.25 tsp)
5. Vanilla Extract (1.0 tsp)
6. Water (0.25 cup (8 fl oz))

Instructions

These wonderful cinnamon-sugar cookies are "sinfully delicious". Crispy edges and chewy centers low in carbs and fats for your Medifast diet.

• Mix dry ingredients with a whisk, then slowly add the water.
• When the mixture thickens like a paste, spoon the cookies by tablespoonful on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
• You should get about 4 cookies then bake at 350 degress for 8 minutes. Two cookies each serving. Enjoy!

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Now for the Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Are you ready for this? It's made of the Tomato Basil Soup packet. That's right. A soup packet is going to be turned into a delicious grilled cheese sandwich. I ended up having to make mine a bit differently because I couldn't seem to find my sandwich maker anywhere. I have a feeling it never got unpacked from my last move and is at the bottom of a box somewhere. 

My modification was to use diced tomatoes instead of salsa and then make this in a pan. I blended the ingredients as I heated up the pan on medium heat. Make sure to not get it too hot as the mixture can burn. When the pan was hot, I made 2 circles with the mixture. As soon as one side was crisp enough (a couple minutes or so), I flipped the circle to get the other side. After I flipped, I put a slice of low fat cheese on top and let it melt for about two minutes before making the "sandwich". As soon as the sandwich was made, I let it sit another 30 seconds or so and placed it on my plate. Overall time to make - about 5 minutes. 

The original recipe using a sandwich maker and salsa is from: New Beautiful Me blog.

1 packet Medifast Cream of Tomato Soup
1/4 cup egg beaters
2 TB salsa
1 oz moderate fat cheese 3-6 grams fat/oz


This counts as 1 Medifast meal, 1/3 lean, 2 condiments.


Mix soup, egg beaters and salsa together.

Pour evenly among the 4 squares. Cook for 3 minutes.

Fold in half and add cheese in the middle.  Enjoy!

Eating 6 Meals Per Day - The 5 & 1 Plan

I'm sure you've heard by now that eating 6 small meals per day is a healthy way to live. There have surely been some criticisms if you don't actually keep them small. If you would eat a 700 calorie breakfast, lunch and dinner and then add in three 100-200 calorie snacks, you would be consuming a fairly large amount of calories during the day.

However, if you truly eat small meals rather than 3 medium size and 3 small, you could still get the appropriate number of calories per day without feeling hungry. Hunger can happen when you go a long time without a meal. When you skip meals or wait 6-8 hours in between meals, you can end up binging because of hunger. How many of us have had those days where we hardly ate anything for breakfast or lunch then ended up with a 3,000+ calorie meal for dinner cause we were "starving"? I'm pretty sure we have all been there at some point. And some people do that on a regular basis. 

Guess what? Your body burns calories throughout the day to run your organs and get you moving. It needs fuel throughout the day to keep that process going smoothly. Eating 6 small meals a day can keep you from getting hungry and binging and it will also keep your metabolism kicking. If the body is digesting food every 2-3 hours, it is working a lot more frequently and burning more calories. 

Many of you looking at this blog may be wondering what Take Shape For Life's 5 & 1 plan is all about. This plan consists of eating 5 balanced, healthy meal replacements and 1 "lean and green" meal consisting of lean protein and vegetables. Each of the meal replacements has been designed to have the right protein/carb balance and also be interechangable. Want cereal or oatmeal for lunch? That's OK! How about having a delicious brownie or cookie for breakfast. Yes, that's perfectly fine too! The lean and green meals are designed to be low calorie, low carb and low glycemic. All the meals on this blog are within the lean and green meal guidelines and are delicious. I have tried each one and can definitely recommend all of them. 

Are you still not sure about this eating 6 meals a day thing? What about the ease of doing this or how it all works? Here is a nifty chart that I found that explains a typical day on the 5 & 1 plan:

That doesn't look too hard, does it? Take Shape for Life has made this program about as easy as it could possibly be. If you think you'll forget to eat, after a few days of doing this, your body will most likely let you know that it's hungry and time. If it is still not letting you know, sometimes it's easy to just set an alarm on your phone. 

The meals are also so easy to make or you can get the "on-the-go" meals such as the bars, pretzels or shakes. I have found a nice balance between having the on-the-go, hearty meals and soft bakes. Have I mentioned that the soft bake brownies are amazing? Yum! It really depends on what your typical day is like. Do you have access to a microwave or would on-the-go meals be easier while you're at work? The good news is that you only have to cook for yourself a maximum of one time per day. If you're like me, I make meals with 2-3 days of leftovers, so I only end up having to cook around 3 times per week.

If you have any questions about the meals or would like to take a look at the selection, feel free to contact me at dreambelievecommit@gmail.com or you can go to my website at www.dreambelievecommit.tsfl.com and look under the SHOP tab the "Shop Now". On the left side, you can look under "Weight-Loss Meals". There is a great selection of many different types of foods. Like Brownies. 

Dream BIG!

Have you ever said to yourself, "I'll always just be a little chunky. It's just the way it's going to be." or something along those lines?

I did.

That's exactly what I have said to myself for as long as I can remember. Probably since early high school, actually. I was a bit of a chunky kid growing up until my growth spurt. After growing 3 inches in a year and then another inch, I was suddenly tall and skinny. That lasted until around the end of my freshman year in high school and then the weight started catching up with me.

I was unhappy and tried different diets, none of which worked. Then I went to college and gained the "Freshman 20". As much as I tried, I couldn't lose that weight and keep it off for years. I kept saying to myself that this will be my body forever. I need to accept that I will never have the body I really want. Then I was introduced to a diet with supplements and I lost close to 30 lbs when I was about 27. I'd wanted to go lower, but seemed to stall and couldn't keep up the diet for too long. It was too expensive and frankly boring since I didn't like vegetables and a daily salad was my only option for that. I was able to keep most of that off for the about 2 years then it slowly started creeping back. I look back and realize that I only did the diet a short time to lose the weight, but didn't make any good habits to keep when I was off it. I told myself that I could just go back on the supplements and diet and lose it. Needless to say, that didn't work. Over these last 2 years, I had gained back every single pound.  My metabolism slowed after I hit 30 and I couldn't seem to lose the weight like I had before. Not only that, I was gaining weight rapidly. This last Christmas, I saw myself in a picture and hated my body all over again. When I finally got up the courage to step on the scale, I realized I had gained about 18 lbs last year alone! I couldn't believe it. Especially since I'd thought that I was eating healthy enough and doing the whole foods thing. Processed foods were out, so why was I gaining the weight?

At that point, I decided to do something about it. I called my cousin, who is a health coach for Take Shape for Life, and told her I was ready. Exercise hadn't ever been too much of a problem for me, but I needed a good kick in the butt to really start eating right. I had seen the results on her and others, but still wasn't totally sure this was going to work. But I started it anyway.

Then the weight started falling off. In the first 2 weeks, I had lost 14 lbs. After about 7 weeks, I am down 26 lbs and still losing. My clothes not only fit better, but I have my confidence back and am starting to love the way I look. And I feel the best that I have in years. It didn't take long to realize I could get exactly the body that I wanted...and be able to keep it.

You can too!

Don't talk yourself into believing that you will never have the body that you want. The life that you want. It all starts with a dream. Wave that magic wand and figure out what your dream is. Then start to believe you can do it. If I can do it after years of failed diets, you can too! Let's do this together.

Are you ready?

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Enchiladas

I recently found a fantastic recipe on Pinterest that gave me an idea to put enchilada filling into a spaghetti squash. By the end, it not only looked and smelled fantastic, but the taste was incredible! I have a feeling this will become one of my favorite dishes to make. 

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 cup diced tomatoes 

1 1/3 cups low fat cheese 

1 tsp onion powder 

1 tsp oregano 

2 tsp cumin 

1 Tbsp chili powder 

2 tsp garlic, chopped (or 1 Tbsp powder) 

4 oz lean ground beef (cooked weight)

pinch of salt and pepper

Makes 2  servings

Instructions:

Start with cooking the squash. I have roasted and cooked in the microwave and tend to prefer the latter. The microwave is not only faster, but I feel it is easier to tell when it's done. If you want instructions on roasting in the oven, look up the post for the lasagna. 

Poke 9-10 holes in the squash. Place in microwave and cook for 12-14 minutes, stopping and turning the squash every 3-4 minutes. The squash is done when the skin starts to buckle. Set aside squash to cool.

Set oven to broil.

While the squash is cooling, start enchilada sauce - add tomatoes (mix in food processor first to get more of a sauce texture), and herbs/spices. Heat on medium while stirring. 

As sauce is heating up, put ground beef in a pan and brown.

Once sauce is heated and turkey is browned, it is time to make the enchiladas! To start, cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out the middle with the seeds. Then take a fork and start pulling away the spaghetti-like noodles. Leave approximately 1 cup of "noodles" in each squash and store the rest. Now let's start filling!

Place the squash halves squash side up in a foil lined pan or casserole dish. Start with adding a layer of sauce over the squash (I like to mix in this layer a bit). Then layer some cheese followed by some ground beef. Repeat each layer until you have a nice overflowing squash, ending with a layer of sauce then cheese.

Lastly, broil the squash for about 5-7 minutes or until the cheese on top is browned. Enjoy!!

No Gym Membership? You can still exercise!

You don't need a gym membership to be able to exercise. There are so many ways to get a workout in without spending money or feeling like you have to kill yourself each day.

If the weather isn't very good outside (as is the case a good chunk of the year in Oregon), there are plenty of ways to still get exercise inside. Here are a few ideas:

1) Walk around the living room at a brisk pace.

2) Jog in place while watching tv or listening to music.

3) Pop an exercise video into the DVD player (I recommend T25. It's only 25 minutes per day!).

4) Turn on the music and DANCE! Nobody is watching. Have at it!

5) Watch a free exercise video online. Popsugar has really fun workout videos that range from   5 to 30 minutes. You can find the different videos at http://www.popsugar.com/Fitness-Video. My favorite video is the Victoria's Secret 10 minute circuit. The 10 minutes flies by and it's fun too. Check it out at http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Victoria-Secret-Model-Full-Body-Workout-21416942

5) Set a time or number of reps and do bodyweight exercises such as squats, pushups, crunches, lunges, and planks.


If you want to get outside, there are some great options for that as well:

1) Go for a walk or run (with or without the dog). I love walking or jogging with my dog to the nearby dog park. It's great exercise for the both of us.

2) Take that bike out of the shed and go for a ride. It doesn't have to be really long. Just get on and enjoy the scenery as you ride. Each time you go, try and push yourself to ride a bit further or faster than last time.

3) Go for a hike. In Oregon, there are fantastic places to hike. You don't need to be a mountaineer to go hiking. Try a good trail in the forest.

4) Head to the beach for a day. If the roads or trails around your home are getting boring, why not walk around the beach? The sand will make walking a bit more difficult and burn more calories than walking on a sidewalk.

5) Go swimming or kayaking in the lake. You can always reward yourself afterwards with a nice, light picnic.

6) In the winter, you can go skiing or snowboarding. If you haven't been before, let me tell you it is definitely a workout and will burn a ton of calories while you're having fun blasting down the mountain.

Of course, there are many other options that I didn't list. These are just a few. There is no excuse to not exercise just because you can't afford a gym membership. Just find things that you enjoy doing that get you moving and burn calories. If you so something everyday, you'll not only make it a habit soon enough, but you'll feel great and be a lot healthier with the regular exercise.

Activity Trackers

Do you have an activity tracker (i.e. Fuelband, Fitbit, UP, etc)?

If you don't have one and want some easy motivation for keeping track of your healthy habits, GET ONE!

I recently purchased a Jawbone UP24. While my friends have the Nike Fuelband or FitBit, I decided on the Jawbone for 2 reasons. One, it is much cheaper than the other two popular bands (I got mine on Groupon for $62 and they are also on Amazon for between $48 for the UP and $79 for the UP24). The Fuelband and FitBit run for $100 and up. The second reason for getting the Jawbone was because it syncs to my Strava app. If you aren't familiar with Strava, it is a fitness tracker app for cycling, walking and running. I enjoy cycling and want to make sure that activity is tracked accurately. Some cyclists wrap the other bands around their shoe. Some just manually enter the activity and how hard they perceived they went. Neither is a perfect option. When the app syncs to Strava, it can tell my distance and speed. Using the calculation for my weight, it should be able to get a fairly accurate account of how many calories I've burned. (*Note: as I'm a fair weather rider and I live in Oregon, I have not yet been on my bike in the 2 weeks I've had the UP24).

A quick run down of an activity tracker's abilities. The primary things it tracks is activity, food and sleep. You have to manually enter your food, but it has many choices to pick from, including foods from restaurants. For activity and sleep, it tracks automatically. However, you can put in a workout so the app knows you were doing more than walking and updates your calories burned. What I like about having this app is that I can look at my calories burned vs how much I have eaten and see the difference. As I am in the weight loss phase, I am shooting for a significant deficit.

The thing about the activity trackers is that you can really become obsessed with hitting your goals for the day. I had a busy morning today with few steps and only tend to average about 3,000 steps at work, so I know that I'll be doing some activity when I get home to get to that magic 10,000 steps. If I can't get outside, I walk around the living room, jog in place or do an exercise video. Those bump up the steps pretty well and I feel great at the end of the day having achieved a small, but significant goal.

Sometimes you just need motivation to get up and do activity. Sometimes you just need a reality check to see that you really don't move as much as you think you do. When I bought this, my reason was the latter, but as I started using it, I found that it really gives me that motivation to just MOVE.

Cauliflower Ranch Chips and Nachos

I tried this recipe a couple weeks ago and modified a bit to fit Lean and Green guidelines and also make nachos. One recommendation I would have after trying this is to add an egg white to the cauliflower mixture to hold it together a bit better. I have modified the recipe below to fit guidelines. If you want the original recipe, click on the link.

The recipe is from Mom, what's for dinner? blog.

Caulifower Ranch Chips

by: Christi Silbaugh (modified by Elissa)

Makes 2 Lean and Green meals

3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 egg white

3 cup grated raw cauliflower

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp basil

1 tsp dill

1 tsp chives

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir.

Line a baking sheet or stone with parchment paper.

Place about 1 TBSP of mixture on prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Flatten out so they are VERY thin.

Bake at 450 degrees for 5- 7 minutes.

Remove and turn cauliflower chips over. (Make sure they are crisp before you try and turn them over)

Bake for another 5 -7 minutes.

Enjoy!

Now for the Nachos modification!
This makes 2 lean and green meals

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup low fat mexican blend cheese

2 oz ground beef (cooked)

1 tsp sour cream (if desired)

1 egg white

3 cup grated raw cauliflower

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp basil

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Mix mozzarella cheese, grated cauliflower, egg white and seasoning in bowl. 

Line a baking sheet or stone with parchment paper.

Place about 1 TBSP of mixture on prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Flatten out so they are VERY thin.

Bake at 450 degrees for 5- 7 minutes.

Remove and turn cauliflower chips over. (Make sure they are crisp before you try and turn them over)

Bake for another 5 minutes until somewhat crispy. Start browning the beef as the chips are baking.

Place chips in 2 piles and add mexican cheese and browned ground beef on top (distribute evenly).

Bake for another 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Top with sour cream and enjoy!

Chinese Fried "Rice"

I came upon this delicious recipe on the Take Shape for Life Meltdown Challenge website. Decided to make it tonight to try it out. I never know about these cauliflower recipes and whether or not they will taste good. Well, let me tell you this tasted pretty close to fried rice!

I personally modified this recipe a little bit, so that I could add some more protein on the side (like grilled chicken). To do that, I just put a small amount of egg beaters in the pan instead of the whole eggs. It still turned out perfectly and it goes great with my slightly smaller amount of chicken on the side. To make the adjustment, just figure out the amount of egg beaters you are putting in the dish and what the percentage of the lean amount it is. The rest you can use as your lean protein. For example, 2 cups of egg beaters is allowed for an entire lean portion. Since I'm going to use chicken and it is in a different category, I'll stick with the 6 oz portion. That would mean 1 cup of egg beaters would equal about 3 oz of protein, right? Well, if I only put in 1/3 cup per serving, I would have a 5 oz portion of chicken left over to eat.

If you still aren't sure exactly how to make the switch, either stick to the original recipe or contact nutritional support at nutritionsupport@tsfl.com. They'll tell you the exact amounts allowed of each ingredient in your dish.

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 Cauliflower (raw head, grated to make 3 1/2 cups)
• Green Onion
• 1 clv Garlic (minced, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
• 1⁄2 t Ginger
• 3 T Soy Sauce
• 6 Eggs (beaten)
• Olive Oil

Directions

In a wok or large flat skillet, heat enough oil to cover the bottom. Fry minced garlic (or garlic powder) with finely diced white part of onions for approximately 1 minute. Add grated cauliflower and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add soy, ginger, diced green onion tops, and pre-cooked cubed meat or baby shrimp.

Stir to mix well and brown a bit. Push mixture to one side of pan. Add more oil if necessary and scramble eggs in empty side of pan until done but still moist. Stir eggs into “rice” mix and remove from heat. Stores and re-heats beautifully.

This makes about 4 lean and green meals.

Low Glycemic Foods

What are low glycemic foods and why are they used in the TSFL program?

The Glycemic Index (GI) was created as a way to determine the level of carbohydrates in foods and the impact they have on blood sugar. When we eat high glycemic foods (i.e. russet potatoes, white bread, pretzels, graham crackers, etc), insulin gets turned on and stimulates an enzyme that then turns on the fat storage system. In contrast, when we eat low glycemic foods, insulin doesn't need to come in and the food doesn't get stored as fat, rather gets used as an energy source.

When we eat a lot of high glycemic foods, what happens throughout the day is our blood sugar is constantly being spiked and then drops very low again. This can happen several times a day, all the while insulin levels are staying high, which is keeping the fat storage system turned on.

What are the benefits of eating a low-glycemic diet?

   - Maintains metabolism during weight loss
   - Maintains cardiovascular health
   - Prevents diseases (like Type II diabetes and heart disease)
   - Increased energy (no crashes from huge drops in blood sugar after a spike)
   - Improved mood

Take Shape for Life promotes a low-glycemic diet during weight loss and afterwards as you maintain your weight. This proven program helps you lose weight and keep it off for good. During the weight loss phase, the 5-and-1 plan, you will be eating low-glycemic meal replacements and then a healthy lean and green meal made of low glycemic lean proteins and vegetables. As you move into maintenance, you can add in more foods, but are encouraged to still eat mostly low glycemic foods to keep your blood sugar steady throughout the day. The difference with this program is that you don't just lose the weight and get forgotten or let go of everything you did during the weight loss phase. You have your full support of the health coach and will have built habits that can continue as you maintain your weight.

In my first 2 weeks on the 5-and-1 plan, I lost 14 lbs and 5 inches overall. I can't even begin to describe to you how amazing I feel. For the first time in my adult life, I don't feel like I need caffeine and am not having any cravings whatsoever. I went into this program thinking I would be starving and not have any energy since I wasn't getting my lattes for evening shifts at work. I was completely wrong. With 6 meals a day, I'm eating so regularly that I rarely even get hungry. I'm also not getting those crashes after a meal. Keeping your blood sugar steady makes an immediate difference that you can feel.

Do you want more information about Take Shape for Life's low-glycemic diet? Email me at dream.believe.commit@gmail.com.

Dancing for exercise

You don't need to have a gym membership to be able to exercise. You can go for a walk or jog in place for a few minutes. You can go for a bike ride on a sunny day or take your dog to the park.

Or you can DANCE!

You don't have to be a good dancer to get the benefits from it. Just walk into your living room or bedroom, turn up the music and move! Not only is it a fun way to get exercise, but you can also burn a lot of calories. Not much makes me feel better than dancing. I love music and rocking to it is just about the best thing ever.

Haven't danced by yourself? Try it! Once you let go of any fears or insecurities you might have, I guarantee you'll fee great when you're finished.

Mom's Mexican Spaghetti (modified)

As I was growing up, my mom had her main specialty dishes to cook. One of my favorites was Mexican Spaghetti. I have continued to make it over the years and enjoyed every bit of the food. When I started TSFL, I really wanted to find a way to modify the recipe to fit Lean and Green standards. The result was slightly different, but still delicious! What is nice about this is that is it truly all natural and non-processed (for all you whole foods and Paleo lovers out there).

*Side note - my mom is also doing TSFL with me, so this modification is for her too!

Ingredients: 

20 oz (cooked weight) of lean ground turkey or lean ground beef

1 medium Spaghetti Squash (4 cups)

2 cups italian diced tomatoes

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp oregano

1 Tbsp cumin

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Start with cooking the squash. I have roasted and cooked in the microwave and tend to prefer the latter. The microwave is not only faster, but I feel that it is easier to tell when it's done. 

Poke 9-10 holes in the squash. Place in microwave and cook for 12-14 minutes, stopping and turning the squash every 3-4 minutes. The squash is done when the skin starts to buckle. Set squash aside to cool.

Start browning your meat in the pan. While this is going on, place tomatoes in a blender and pulse 2-3 times to get more of a sauce texture. When the meat is browned, add the tomatoes to the pan. Add all the seasoning, mix well and slowly bring to a boil.

While the sauce is heating, cut your squash in half and scoop out the middle that has the seeds. Then use your fork to start scraping out the "spaghetti". Measure 4 cups and add them to the pan. 

Let boil for 2 minutes while stirring frequently and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer and stir occasionally for about 15 minutes until sauce is a bit thicker. 

Divide into 4 servings and enjoy! 

This super easy and very filling meal is just over 300 calories per serving. A delicious and healthy lean and green meal!

Not a "veggie person"?

At some point, you will probably wonder why most of these recipes will be made from spaghetti squash or cauliflower. This is because I have never really liked veggies. If I would look at the approved non-starchy vegetable list, the only ones I would have found that I eat on a regular basis is lettuce and cucumbers. That's it. I'd had spaghetti squash before, but only with a good sauce. I consider myself a meat and potatoes girl. And apparently potatoes don't really count when you say you eat vegetables. Dang!

When I started Take Shape for Life, I knew that I needed to take another look at that list. My health coach had told me that there were some great cauliflower recipes that didn't taste like cauliflower. I figured it was worth a try, even though I considered the smell and taste of cauliflower absolutely disgusting.

However, if I didn't try some other things, I would be having salad on a daily basis. I've tried diets before that consisted of eating salad every single day (because I didn't like anything else on the approved list). Can you imagine eating the same food every single day? Needless to say, I got bored easily and wasn't very successful with those diets. I knew that I had to get some variety with my veggies, but still enjoy what I was eating.

I have found some fantastic recipes with cauliflower and spaghetti squash and absolutely love the food. I still get the salad in there every once in a while. I figure it's a perfect side dish for my grilled meat or chicken. But at least I can still get my pizza, Mexican and Italian food with the other two veggies and still enjoy what I'm eating every day.

At my 2 week weigh in (14 lbs lost!), my health coach was shocked that the "veggie hater" had done so well on the program. I not only had success with the weight loss, but have enjoyed discovering new foods and new recipes. To say that my meals are pretty awesome on a daily basis would be an understatement. My coworkers and friends keep asking me what I'm eating because it looks delicious.

Do you still think that you can't do this program if you hate veggies? I promise that you will find some recipes that minimize or eliminate the taste of at least some of the approved vegetables. If you still aren't sure, try some recipes out before committing. If one of the pickiest eaters on the planet can do find veggies to eat and like them (ME!), you can too!

Cauliflower tacos

Ingredients:

“Tortilla”:

1 medium head of cauliflower (about 3 cups) 

1 cup shredded mozzarella 

1 egg white

Filling:

4 oz (cooked) Lean ground beef or ground turkey 

1 cup low fat mexican cheese blend

You can add up to 2 oz of tomatoes if you like, but decrease cauliflower by equal amount

Up to 2 tsp low fat sour cream (no more than 1g carbs/serving)

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp oregano 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp garlic powder

Makes 2 servings of 3 tacos each

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Make tortillas first so they have a chance to cool. Cut and chop (preferably in food processor) cauliflower until it is a fine texture. Mix in 1 cup of cheese and egg white. 

Place spoonfuls of mixture onto a large pan with parchment paper. I found that it is easiest to make 6 small crusts but flattening out the dough with your hand until it is a very thin circle. Make this as thin as you can. Any extra thickness may result in a mushy middle and longer baking time. Making small crusts also will make them easier to flip.

Once formed, bake for 10-12 minutes. Check to see if the crust is starting to get crispy. If not, it will fall apart when you flip it. Add time if needed to get crisp.

Flip crust to get crisp on both sides. Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Brown beef or turkey in a pan. Add seasoning and mix together. Once browned, fold tortillas into a taco shape, with cut parchment paper on outside of each taco (leave opening at the top). Stack your individual tacos horizontally in a loaf pan, so the pan holds the tacos up and in place. Add in filling.

Place back in oven for about 7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Remove from oven, distribute up to 2 tsp of sour cream over the 6 tacos. Enjoy!

Cauliflower pizza

Here is another recipe that I've used a few times. Instead of making a pizza crust, you can make a cauliflower tortilla to make enchiladas or tacos.

http://www.mommybknowsbest.com/cauliflower-pizza-gluten-free-medifast-recipe/

The recipe from the website is listed below. My main tips would be to make 6 small pizza crusts and make them very thin. If they are thin enough, they will be crispy throughout and taste more like real pizza. And smaller crusts are a lot easier to flip. This recipe makes 2 lean and green servings. 3 small pizzas each serving!

"Ingredients:

1 medium head of cauliflower {grated makes about 3-4 cups}
1 egg white
2 cups shredded Reduced Fat 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese {1 cup for mix 1 cup for topping}
Turkey Pepperoni {use as desired or count out for caloric intake}
Marinara Sauce
The following herbs and seasonings to taste – garlic powder, pinch of salt {depending on your diet plan}, freeze dried basil, pepper.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450.

Chop cauliflower until it resembles a rice-like texture.

Mix RAW chopped cauliflower, 1 egg white, 1 cup of cheese, herbs and seasonings together in a bowl until combined.

Line a cookie sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper preferably.

Spread mixture onto parchment paper, trying to make an even layer of “dough”. My personal preference is as thin as possible so as not to get a mushy texture, and trying to get my edges even as much as possible.

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes and flip the “dough”, baking for another 5 minutes or so to brown both sides of your pizza crust. {VERY IMPORTANT STEP, and will save you from mushy pizza.}

Remove crust from the oven, add the marinara sauce, and any toppings, including the last cup of cheese, we used Turkey pepperoni, and place back in the oven for another 7-10 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. *Don’t worry about the edges browning, this is typical of cauliflower pizza and tastes great regardless.

Let the pizza set for 2 minutes and then enjoy!"

Here's what my pizza ended up looking like and let me tell you - it was delicious!