Beef and Carrots

Last night I made beef and carrots in the crock pot. It turned out so delicious! We even had enough to freeze for another meal. This recipe is very easy and using homemade 21 Day Fix approved taco seasoning that you can find here. The seasoning is quick to make and you can adjust the heat factor to your liking. I actually substituted fajita for the roast last night because it is what I had on hand. My meat did not shred but it was still delicious.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck shoulder roast
• 1-2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped if preferred
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3-4 tablespoons home made taco seasoning (link above)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker.
2. Replace lid.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours or until beef will shred easily with a fork 

Directions to Freeze and cook at a later time

• Place all ingredients in a gallon freezer bag placing the meat in last
• Remove as much air as possible
• Freeze for up to 3 months
• When ready to cook, allow to thaw overnight in the refridgerator
• Cook on low for 8 hours or until the meat begins to shred easily with a fork
• Enjoy your delicious meal

Curious about the 21 Day Fix?

Many of you have heard or seen something about the 21 Day Fix. If you haven't, here is a quick synopsis. A LOT of people are doing the 21 Day Fix program. It is an AMAZING program. There is an emphasis to eat healthy as well as working out. They go hand in hand.  This was designed by Autumn Calabrese, a celebrity fitness trainer. Utilizing a container system to help you measure out how much food you should be eating. 21 Day Fix teaches clean eating and portion control. Because of how this program is set up, you can maintain this long term and not just for a crash diet.  The containers are very deceiving though, it does not look like a lot of food inside the containers.  When you put in on your plate, you can see that you will not be going hungry.

Here are a few tips that will help you get down to business quickly and help you meal plan more efficiently.

1. When you get the system, read the book. Make sure you are reading the book from cover to cover. Read it twice. Keep reading the book until you are familiar with the program. This will help you be so much more successful and reach your goals more efficiently.

2. Plan a weeks worth of meals. I plan my meals a week in advance. This helps when shopping to avoid the dreaded cart full of items you didn't actually need.  When I first started the 21 Day Fix, I planned a weeks worth of 21DF approved meals and just repeated them for all three weeks.

3. Stick to the plan. Make sure to stick to the eating guide, especially the first time. I carried the book with me everywhere to make sure I was eating clean for the first two rounds I completed. Everything I ate was written down. After you get the hang of it, you are able to ease up on how strict you follow the program. Nowadays, I am able to eyeball ingredients and figure container portions in my head.

4. Plan dinners first. Dinner most of the time uses the most containers for me. Once I plan dinner, I can plan the rest of the meals around it.  Some people eat the same thing for breakfast every day. If you are like me, that gets boring quickly. Planning helps me to make sure I am utilizing the program to the fullest.  Shakeology is a great option for breakfast on the go! After you figure out your three meals, planning snacks is a breeze.

5. Find recipes you enjoy.  You will not be successful if you do not enjoy what you eat. Cardboard is not tasty, your food should be. Pinterest has so many different 21 Day Fix recipes? Pinterest can be you new best friend. A simple google search can bring up recipes as well. Watch the ingredient lists though, when in doubt leave it out.

6. Success is multiplied with support. When you have a support system, you are more able to reach and achieve goals. My Beachbody team has an amazing Facebook group, with lots of motivational stories from others, recipes and tips to help you succeed with the system. This support group is free with your program and was created to help you reach your goals. Family is a great support system when they are able to help you stick to your goals.


If you already own 21 Day Fix and would like a free coach and private access to our amazing Facebook group, friend me here Tanya's Facebook profile

If you would like to purchase 21 Day Fix with Shakeology (recommended) or any of the Beach Body products Click Here

Slow Cooker Banana and Walnut Oatmeal

In the mornings, I am usually scrambling for something to feed myself and the kids. 5:40 am is when they must be at the neighbor's house so I can make it to work on time. This slow cooker banana and walnut oatmeal is so delicious that the kids want it everyday! I found this recipe on www.thelemonbowl.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 1 ripe banana - mashed
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 cups almond milk
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons flax seed meal
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker and stir until well combined.
2. Cook overnight on Low for 8 hours.
3. In the morning, stir oatmeal with a fork to loosen the steel cut oats and make sure everything is fully incorporated.
4. Serve warm with banana slices, chopped walnuts or a pinch of brown sugar if you wish.

Each serving of this recipe counts as 1 yellow, 1/2 purple and 1/2 orange

Find Banana Walnut Oatmeal Recipe here!

Hawaiian Inspired Pork Tenderloin

One of my absolute favorite things to cook in the crock pot is pork. When I am looking to just throw something together, this is my go to recipe. All of my recipes are made to have feed my family of four and have some left for me to take to lunch.

Hawaiian Inspired Pork Tenderloin

2 lbs pork tenderloin
2 small bags frozen pineapple chunks
2 bell peppers chopped (I get one green and one red)
1 onion chopped

Place all ingredients in crock pot at low temperature.  Allow the meat to cook until it is no longer pink and begins to fall apart. Voilà! Easy, cost friendly dinner.

For sides, I tend to make green beans or asparagus and some cooked quiona or brown rice.

I still measure out my portions using the 21 Day Fix containers as I am still fairly new to the whole system. Once I have made my plate, I have 1 red (pork), 1/2 purple (pineapple), 1.5 to 2 green (veggies in the mix and the side) and 1 yellow for my rice/quiona.

Decision to Change

Everyone has that final breaking point when it comes to the decision to change.  This happened to me the other day. See, a few months ago I joined Beachbody because my health was getting out of control. The doctor told me to lose weight or I was going to eventually have a heart attack. I am only thirty years old! It really hit home as my grandfather died of a massive heart attack in his 50's. I did great with the 21 Day Fix. Lost some weight and felt great. Then, I lost motivation again. Work was chaotic, kids needed to go to tutoring, therapy sessions, soccer practice. Every reason to not eat right and work out came across my mind and I stopped. Fast forward to today. My beautiful daughter A is 9 years old today. Her birthday wish was that mommy would be able to play and not feel bad. Tears are falling as I type this. I feel horrible that I can't really go and play with my girls. Several factors add into why it is hard for me. I am obese, Fibromyalgia, surgery is needed on my ankle, and basically I get winded very easily. Once again, the doctors words come into my head. The more active I am, the better the Fibromyalgia flares can be. This does not mean they will go away but they can be less severe. The pain every day seems unbearable, yet I must forge through. The decision to get healthy has to come from something that motivates you. My children, fiancé, family, and my doctor all have an impact on why I should get healthy. Only I can make that decision though. Today, December 13th, 2015 will be the first day that I will commit to getting healthy. I am worth the fight. I am going to venture into the realm of using the crock pot to cook healthy meals for my family. Frankly, I am always busy. Most people these days are busy. Every week I will post some new recipes that are 21 Day Fix approved and can be made in the crock pot. Join me and make a commitment to bettering youself.