Avocado Cauliflower Rice

I absolutely love grated cauliflower, especially when it is used as rice.

Trader Joes and a few other grocery stores sell pre-packaged grated cauliflower ready to use! Customers were going Ga-Ga over them! I remember when Trader Joes first started selling them, they were always sold out and it took some time before they had them in stock again! It was crazy! I guess I can understand why so many people loved them... they were convenient and required a little less prep work when preparing meals. I have used the pre-packaged grated cauliflower, but I actually prefer to grate it myself. I think it saves a little bit of money and it is so easy to do with a food processor. No matter if you purchase cauliflower already grated or if you grate it yourself, there are some creative ways to eat it such as avocado cauliflower rice!

This avocado cauliflower rice is creamy and delicious! It kind of reminds me of yummy guacamole mixed with rice since it has cilantro and lime in it. This is the perfect side dish that is sure to be a definite crowd pleaser! Keep in mind that if you are following the Optavia 5 and 1 plan, you need to choose a Leanest Lean to accompany this dish since this it already contains 2 Healthy Fats. Some great options are fish, shellfish, ground turkey or other meat that is more than 98% lean.

Start off by mashing 1 1/2 ounces of avocado with a fork.  Add fresh lime juice, garlic powder, salt and chopped cilantro. Set aside.

Heat a tsp of oil in a skillet. I used Stacey Hawkins Roasted Garlic oil to give the cauliflower more flavor. I love her flavored oils! If interested, you can purchase it HERE. Cook cauliflower rice over medium heat for about 5 to 8 minute in a covered skillet.

Add the avocado mixture to the cauliflower rice. Stir until combined and heated thoroughly. If you have the cauliflower rice already prepped, this side dish is ready in less than 15 minutes! It is a nice change from eating plain cauliflower rice! I served it with grilled tilapia seasoned with Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle Seasoning Blend. What a delicious Lean and Green! Enjoy!

Avocado Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces avocado (1 Healthy Fat)

2 tsp fresh lime juice (1 Condiment)

1/8 tsp garlic powder (1/4 Condiment)

1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (1/4 Condiment)

1 tsp Stacey Hawkins Roasted Garlic Oil or Olive Oil (1 Healthy Fat)

1 1/2 cups raw grated cauliflower (3 Greens)

Directions:

In a small bowl, mash avocado with a fork. 

Add lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and cilantro. Stir until combined. 

Continue mashing to get the mixture as smooth as possible.

Set aside.

Add 1 tsp oil to a medium sized skillet and heat over medium heat.

Add grated cauliflower. 

Cover skillet with a lid so that the cauliflower steams and becomes tender. 

Cook for about 5 to 8 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add avocado mixture to the cauliflower.

Mix until cauliflower is evenly coated. Heat thoroughly.

Makes 1 Serving

Each serving provides

3 Greens, 2.5 Condiments and 2 Healthy Fats

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The Perfect Burger

I found this recipe several years ago on www.Food.com and it has been my "go to" burger recipe from then on out. The recipe is pretty basic without any flavor add-ins... just a juicy delicious burger. I have experimented with some of the suggested flavor add-ins and some of them are really tasty such as BBQ sauce, teriyaki sauce, cajun seasoning, sour cream, fresh herbs, diced jalapenos, sesame oil and more! If you decide to use any of them, don't forget to count them towards your condiments or healthy fats. Also, if you choose one of the healthy fats, you will have to choose a leaner ground beef. I used 93% lean ground beef, so no healthy fat is required.

Here is the original recipe, if you want to check out some of their flavor add-ins.

The Perfect Burger

I think the important part to remember when making a great burger is to loosely make the patties. Handle the meat as little as possible. Don't keep squishing and patting the meat together. This helps make them juicier!

Also when grilling, do not press the burgers down with a spatula. My husband thinks he is the number one grill master and he does this all the time! I constantly have to tell him he is letting all the wonderful juices escape when he does that! One more thing... don't flip the burgers frequently; just one time only. Be kind to your burgers and they will turn out wonderful! I absolutely hate dry burgers! Don't you?

I made the basic recipe for my burgers, but I did top it off with a tablespoon of Guy's Smokey Garlic BBQ sauce. This is one of my favorite sugar free BBQ sauce that I get from www.Netrition.com. I use it a lot on grilled chicken or hamburgers. Guy's BBQ sauce comes in 4 flavors: Original, Smokey Bacon, Smokey Garlic and Spicy. I have tried all 4 and all of them are excellent!

A very close second is G Hughes Smokehouse Sugar Free Hickory BBQ sauce, which you can find at Wal-mart. They also come in 4 flavors: Maple Brown, Original, Hickory, and Honey. I have only tried 2 out of the 4 flavors which were Hickory and Maple Brown. The Hickory was pretty darn good, but their Maple Brown BBQ sauce? Blech... I had to toss it. It did not taste like Maple at all. I just didn't enjoy it and I won't be getting it again. Everyone has their own opinions and different taste buds so if you try it, let me know what you think of it!

The Perfect Burger

Slightly adapted from www.Food.com

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs 93% lean ground beef

1 egg

1 tsp prepared mustard (1/3 Condiment)

1 tsp worcestershire sauce (2 Condiments)

1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)

1/4 tsp onion powder (1/2 Condiment)

1/2 tsp salt (2 Condiments)

1/2 tsp black pepper (1 Condiment)

Directions:

Lightly oil the grill and heat the grill to medium.

Whisk egg with next five ingredients in a medium bowl.

Crumble in beef and use your hands or a fork to gently mix together.

Handle the meat as little as possible. 

The more you work it, the tougher it gets.

Gently shape (don't firmly press) mixture into burgers about 3/4 inch thick.

Using your thumb, make a shallow depression in the center of each burger 

to prevent puffing up during cooking.

Place burgers on the grill and close the lid. 

Grill until no longer pink inside, turning once, about 6 to 8 minutes per side.

An instant read thermometer should read 160 F.

Don't abuse your burger by pressing with a spatula, 

pricking with a fork, or turning frequently as precious juices will be lost!

4 Servings with 1 Lean and 1.5 Condiments per serving

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Salted Caramel Jicama Salad

I try my best to come up with new and exciting recipes so you will not get bored with the same old recipes such as grilled chicken salad. Don't get me wrong... I love a great grilled chicken salad, but sometimes you need a little bit of variety. I could not stay on track if I only had grilled chicken salad everyday.

So... 

I was craving a yummy sweet treat that fits the 5 and 1 plan, but still left some room to have a yummy Lean and Green as well. This truly hit the spot! A delicious dessert to enjoy after a hearty Lean and Green meal.

Jicama is juicy, crunchy, nutty and slightly sweet. It's flavor reminds me of chowing down on a savory apple. I decided to try it as a fruit salad, although it really isn't a fruit at all. It's actually a root veggie. It still makes a great substitute for a delicious caramel apple salad using lower carb jicama instead. It turned out pretty darn good!

Look at that yummy goodness! Topped with toasted walnuts!

This dessert had all the yummy flavors of a caramel apple salad, but without all the carbs.

Jicama is quickly becoming a favorite veggie of mine. Being only 25 calories and providing 3 grams of fiber per half cup, I think I am in love!

You do need to cut the tough brown skin off with a sharp knife. Don't use a vegetable peeler since the skin is thick and tough. You will get better and safer results using a chef knife or you can purchase it pre-cut at Trader Joes!

Trim a slice off the top and the bottom so that the jicama is sitting on a flat surface. This makes it safer and sturdier for cutting away the skin. Once you remove the skin, chop the jicama into 1 inch pieces.

Place jicama in a medium sized bowl and add plain Greek yogurt. The yogurt gives this salad it's creamy goodness! Then add vanilla extract and ground cinnamon to the mixture. I used Sinful Cinnamon Blend from Stacey Hawkins. I absolutely love her seasoning blends! Check it out over HERE!

Add stevia or your favorite brand of sweetener. I like to use the packets of NuStevia which I get from Amazon. Click HERE for the link.

Next add a tbsp of Walden Farms caramel syrup.

Then stir in the toasted walnuts. Don't skip the toasting! Toasting the walnuts really brings out the flavor of the nuts. It gives them a richer and deeper flavor.

Pour the mixture into a small casserole dish. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of caramel syrup and sprinkle toasted walnuts on top. 

Lastly, sprinkle coarse sea salt on top and enjoy this guilt free dessert!

Salted Caramel Jicama Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups raw jicama, peeled and chopped (6 Greens)
1 1/2 cups 2% plain Fage Greek yogurt (1 Leaner)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (1 Condiment)
1 packet stevia (1 Condiment)
3 tbsp Walden Farms caramel syrup, divided (1 1/2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt (2 Condiments)
28 walnut halves (4 Snacks)

Directions:
Toast walnut halves:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Spread walnut on prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 10 minutes. Frequently stir the nuts to ensure even baking. Nuts are done when they appear a shade darker and smell toasted. Let cool and then chop. Set aside.

Combine chopped jicama, yogurt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, stevia, 1 tbsp caramel syrup and half of the chopped walnuts in a medium bowl. Stir until jicama is evenly coated.

Pour into a serving dish. Drizzle 2 tbsp caramel syrup on top and then top with the other half of walnuts. Sprinkle sea salt on top. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 Servings
Each serving provides
1/4 Leaner, 1 1/2 Greens, 1 1/2 Condiments and 1 Optional Snack

Add 3/4 Lean option and 1 1/2 Greens to make a complete Lean and Green meal 

Examples:

4.5 oz grilled chicken breasts (3/4 Leaner) with 2 tbsp light Italian salad dressing as a marinade (1 Healthy Fat) and 3/4 cup broccoli (1 1/2 Greens)

5.25 oz cooked shrimp (3/4 Leanest) with 1 1/2 cups mixed greens (1 1/2 Greens), 2 tbsp light ranch dressing (1 Healthy Fat) and 1.5 oz avocado (1 Healthy Fat)

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Stacey Hawkins One Day Flavor Fix System

Now that the New Year is here, some of you have already started working on your resolutions!

I know I have!

If one of your New Year resolutions is to lose weight or have a healthier body, but you just don't know where to start... check out Stacey Hawkins One Day Flavor Fix Systems. There are three different systems to choose from depending on how many different seasonings, condiments, pantry staples and other products you want.

Click HERE if you would like to purchase!

The variety of flavors help make your meals taste better without forcing you to get bored of the same old seasonings. I remember when I first started cooking... many, many years ago :), I used to use ordinary salt, pepper, and garlic powder and that was it. Then I started playing around with other spices and seasonings and learned that you can come up with soooo many great tasting meals with just some added spice! Well... Stacey has already come up with delicious flavor combination so that you don't have to! Some of the flavor blends are Italian, Skinny Scampi, Southwestern, Ranch, Cinnamon Chipotle etc, depending on what type of system you choose.

With her guides, variety of products, and easy recipes... meal planning and prepping just got easier!

I absolutely love her products and I use them daily! If I didn't enjoy them, I wouldn't be using them in my recipes. I really love the variety of flavor combinations and how easy my meals come together when I don't have enough time, especially with two young boys!

What do you get with each system?

All of the systems include the Complete Kitchen Toolkit:

Quick Start Guide

Link to Welcome Video with personalized instruction and advice

Kitchen Basics Card

Menu Planner

Recipe Booklet with a dozen approved recipes

Basic Principles of Healthy Cooking Guide

and what each system includes is listed below!

Basic Flavor Fix System

This kit includes the Complete Kitchen Toolkit PLUS:

Spices and Seasonings:

Garlic Gusto

Citrus Dill

Viva Italiano

Sinful Cinnamon

Condiments and Pantry Staples:

Roasted Garlic Oil

Balsamic Mosto Cotto

Deluxe Flavor Fix System

This kit includes the Complete Kitchen Toolkit PLUS:

Spices and Seasonings:

Garlic Gusto

Citrus Dill

Viva Italiano

Sinful Cinnamon

plus

Tuscan Fantasy

Southwestern Seasoning

Skinny Scampi

Classic Chicken

Condiments and Pantry Staples:

Roasted Garlic Oil

Balsamic Mosto Cotto

plus

Luscious Lemon Oil

Bonus Materials:

Guide to the well-stocked pantry

Guide to the Well-stocked Fridge

Guide to the Well-Stocked Freezer

Stacey's signature how to guide "Low Carb Living and Loving it!

Ultimate Flavor Fix System

This kit includes the Complete Kitchen Toolkit PLUS:

Spices and Seasonings:

Garlic Gusto

Citrus Dill

Viva Italiano

Sinful Cinnamon

Tuscan Fantasy

Southwestern Seasoning

Skinny Scampi

Classic Chicken

plus

Cinnamon Chipotle

Garlic and Spring Onion

Dash of Desperation

Rockin Ranch

Condiments and Pantry Staples:

Roasted Garlic Oil

Balsamic Mosto Cotto

plus

Luscious Lemon Oil

Bonus Materials:

Guide to the well-stocked pantry

Guide to the Well-stocked Fridge

Guide to the Well-Stocked Freezer

Stacey's signature how to guide "Low Carb Living and Loving it!

plus

Stacey's signature booklet 

"From Bland to Wow - the secret to perfectly seasoned meals every time"

So if meal planning stresses you out and you are tired of eating the same old thing, give one of these systems a shot! Or take a look at some of her seasoning blends, flavored oils, cookbooks and other products. Stacey also has a  Lean and Green Low Carb Cookbook with 125 recipes discounted to $25 if you purchase it with one of the systems!

Check it out over HERE!

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