Six Months!

It's been SIX MONTHS since I made a decision to take control of my health. October 11, 2020 was the day before I started on this program. I was nervous and scared, but also so so so tired of feeling like crap. I had zero expectations, and I was positive it wouldn't work for me, but I also told myself I was giving it 100%, so that when I didn't have any results and still felt like crap in two weeks, it was because the program didn't work, not because I didn't follow it properly. <Yeah, read that again - I know how twisted that sounds.>

I actually wrote down "I am going to put 100% into this program. I need it for myself" and "I want to feel healthy. I want my kids to have a good example. I want my boyfriend to be proud of me. I want to fit into my clothes again. I want to travel."

Those are all superficial reasons - but they were all I had at the time. I didn't know how much my life would change from this program. I didn't know that in 4.5 months, I'd lose SIXTY POUNDS and keep it off. I didn't know I'd build healthy habits that will last me the rest of my life. I didn't know that my body would finally balance out, my inflammation would go away, my digestive issues would be nearly completely resolved, I'd be able to eat whatever I wanted again (in moderation), and I'd feel friggin amazing with more energy than I've had in years. I didn't know that I'd be sleeping better, and that making myself a priority is not at all a selfish thing to do, and that taking care of myself feels pretty darn amazing. 

I took that picture on the left on October 12, 2020. I was absolutely certain it wasn't ever going to be seen or shown anywhere and I was going to delete it (but I didn't, because I needed some sort of visual to see if I made any progress). You can see the defeat on my face. The picture on the right is from this month - April 2021. I can't even put into words the difference in my outlook and demeanor. I feel alive again. I have hope - maybe for the first time in my entire adult life. I HAVE HOPE FOR MY FUTURE.

It took me three days to know this program was different. 

It took me three weeks to know I had to share it with others, because keeping it to myself was not ok. 

I changed my life in a matter of weeks. After struggling for YEARS to make a difference, I found my health on this program. And I want that for everyone I know. I am HERE for it. When you're ready, I'm here for you. I want to help you, too. I want you to feel this amazing, and experience this level of freedom. I want to share it with everyone I know. It's too good to keep to myself. 

Six Months on OPTAVIA - MyJourneyToAHealthyMe.com

www.MyJourneyToAHealthyMe.com

Progress Update - Almost 6 months

For two years, I was completely confident that I was so different, so special, with such unique and weird food issues, that this program wouldn't work for me. I straight up told my friend (who is now my coach) that it wasn't going to work and I wasn't going to do it...and I didn't say that just once, I said it repeatedly for two years. 

By October of 2020, I hit a point where I had nothing else to lose by trying this program. I was following my own special elimination diet. I was feeling like crap from nearly every food I ate. I was so sure that this program wouldn't work, that I twisted it around in my mind and thought it would be one more thing to add to my list of failures (up there with whole30, keto, WW, intermittent fasting, dairy free, gluten free, soy free, low carb, pescatarian, blah blah blah) and say "yep, that didn't work for me". 

I told my coach I'd commit to it for a month (but really, I was thinking two weeks in my head). I gave it two weeks at 100% expecting ZERO results, expecting to fail. I convinced myself I had to give it my all, and then when I failed it was because the program didn't work, not because I didn't follow the program (it was that twisted in my head).

I started program on October 12, 2020. By October 15, I knew this was different. Three full days and I knew this program was going to change my life. Turns out I'm not special. I'm not unique. I'm not the one person it doesn't work for. This program works for 100% of the people, 100% of the time, if you commit to it 100%. It's not a magic drug, pill or potion - it's real food, and a real shift in mindset, and it WORKS. 

All it took was me being desperate enough to try one more thing to feel better. I didn't care about the number on the scale - I cared about feeling better. I cared about eating food again. I cared about my clothes fitting properly.

I found my hope on this program. I found myself. I want that for you too. Let me help you find your hope. Let me help you find yourself. It's worth it.

This is about being HEALTHY. I’m not gonna talk to you about “summer bodies” or whatever, because I think that’s crap. Your body is your body no matter the season. 

I am going to talk to you about how I finally got to the point where I feel so good on the inside, the outside doesn’t matter. Yes, I am loving buying new clothes. I am also loving being able to do things physically that I couldn’t do before (cross my legs comfortably, run and chase my kids, play hopscotch and not want to keel over, curl my legs up under me in a chair, etc), but all of that is secondary to this immense feeling of happiness and excitement, and the ability to feel so friggin good, that I’ve been able to dream again. Not short term wishy washy ideas, but big, exciting, amazing goals for myself and my future. When I say this program changed my life, I mean it changed ME. Now that I’m feeling more like myself, my life is changing - and I couldn’t be happier about it. It’s wild and wonderful to have dreams & know they’re possible and achievable.

When you’re ready to dream again, let me know - I’ll share everything I have learned, and we can enjoy this journey together.

www.MyJourneyToAHealthyMe.com

Lean and Green Meal - Noodles + Peanut Sauce

This is ONE SERVING and is a COMPLETE Lean and Green meal! 

Ingredients:

1.5 cups Hearts of Palm linguini-style noodles (3 GREENS)

1/3 oz plain peanuts (1 HEALTHY FAT)

6 oz cooked pork tenderloin (1 LEANER)

1/4tsp garlic (1/4 CONDIMENT)

1 tsp ginger (1/2 CONDIMENT)

3/4tsp reduced sodium soy sauce (1/4 CONDIMENT)

4Tbsp Walden Farms peanut spread (2 CONDIMENTS)

1/3c water

Splash of lime juice (I didn't count this)

Shake of black peppercorn (I didn't count this)

Directions:

Cook the pork as directed (I did mine in the air fryer until it reached 145º)

Add water, peanut spread, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic to pan and heat, stirring frequently.

Add Hearts of Palm noodles to sauce and stir, coating the noodles, while noodles heat through

Cut the pork into bite sized pieces and add them to the mixture, and continue stirring for another 5 minutes or so until well heated and sauce has time to absorb into the noodles and meat. 

Plate, top with crushed peanuts, and serve!

*This recipe is versatile and you can sub out different proteins if you like, just be sure to adjust the protein quantity and any healthy fat requirements. 

Complete Lean and Green Meal - Noodles + Peanut Sauce

Fueling Hack - Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownie

I know I have gone on and on about how I prefer not to "hack" the Fuelings, and I still choose not to add stuff to them - I eat my five Fuelings plus my full Lean and Green every day. 

HOWEVER, I was tired of seeing the Girl Scout cookies peanut butter patties on my counter, so this was my alternative. You mix a Brownie Fueling with 3T-4T of water, pour it into a silicone candy mold, top it with 2T of PB2 (prepared as directed)

It made eight heart shaped "candies" in this Wilton silicone mold. 

They aren't really easy to eat when they're frozen, but once they soften enough to eat them, they're sticky and messy and it just seems like more work than it's worth for the benefit. 

HOWEVER, the taste is worth it, if you're wanting that chocolatey-peanut buttery mix of flavors! 

This isn't something I'll do often at all, but it was fun to try it and see that it does work. 

I also did this with a chocolate shake and peanut butter shake - you can see that here: http://www.myjourneytoahealthyme.com/2020/12/optavia-fueling-shake-hack.html

Fueling Hack - Smashed Potato "Bagels"

I am not the person who hacks Fuelings - I don’t normally like to add stuff to them and then have to track it. But this...this was worth it. I plotted my L&G around it today 😂

1 smashed potato fueling, either flavor (1 Fueling)
2 egg whites (1/7 of Leanest)
1/2t baking powder (1 Condiment)
1/2t Everything But The Bagel seasoning (1 Condiment)
1 wedge light Laughing Cow cheese (1 Condiment)

Mix fueling, egg whites, and baking powder together. Spread in bagel shape on parchment paper on a baking sheet, sprinkle with EBTB seasoning, and bake at 350° for 13-15 mins.

I made one bagel shape and one flattened ball shape to try it out! I spread the Laughing Cow on top of the bagel shape, and slit open the ball shape and spread the LC inside ... the verdict is, both options are delicious! 😋

*I had a few people ask about buying some of the products I use - here is a handy dandy Amazon list of my favorite items. YES - you can find them in local stores, sometimes at better prices (sometimes not). You can add them to your own cart for quick and easy purchasing though!  
 

OPTAVIA Smashed Potato Fueling Hack

Shrimp and Grits - Complete Lean and Green Meal Recipe

Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits - Complete Lean and Green Meal (makes 1 portions)

 

I adapted this from the Optavia recipe here. 

Ingredients:

12 oz peeled and deveined frozen shrimp = 7 oz cooked shrimp (1 LEANEST)

1/2 tsp cajun seasoning (a mix of paprika, garlic, cayenne, pepper, oregano) (1 CONDIMENT)

1/4 c water

1.5 tsp butter (1 HEALTHY FAT)

1.5 c riced cauliflower (3 GREENS)

1/2 c unsweetened almond milk (1/2 CONDIMENT)

1/8 tsp salt (1/2 CONDIMENT)

2 Tbsp sour cream (1 HEALTHY FAT)

1 wedge Laughing Cow Creamy Aged White Cheddar (1 CONDIMENT)

Directions:

1. Thaw and rinse the shrimp, pat dry. 
2. Add shrimp and cajun seasoning to a bowl or plastic bag, and mix or shake until coated.
3. Heat shrimp in a skillet over medium heat until cooked through (3-4 minutes per side usually, shrimp will be pink and opaque when cooked).
4. Add water to skillet with shrimp, scrape the bottom, simmer for 1 minute, and remove from heat.
5. In a separate skillet, heat butter until melted.
6. Add riced cauliflower to butter, and stir frequently for about 5 minutes.
7. Add milk and salt, and continue to stir frequently for another 5 minutes.
8. Remove cauliflower from heat, and stir in sour cream and laughing cow cheese until melted. 
9. Serve shrimp atop cauliflower grits, and enjoy! 

Breakfast Scramble - Complete Lean and Green Meal

I really wanted scrambled eggs today, and I had some extra veggies to use up, so I mixed up this Breakfast Scramble. It is a complete Lean and Green meal. I had some leftover ground beef from a previous meal, so I split the protein between the eggs and the beef, and added veggies. You could easily substitute other veggies (be sure to weigh/measure) and a different healthy fat, depending on what you have on hand. I will include some suggestions below. 

PLEASE use the Vegetable Conversion Chart to WEIGH your foods! 

Again, this is a full and complete Lean and Green Meal! You do not need to add anything else! 

Breakfast Scramble - Complete Lean and Green

Ingredients:

1 cups liquid eggs/liquid egg whites (1/2 LEANEST)

2.5 oz cooked 93% lean ground beef (1/2 LEAN)

1 cup spinach, cooked* - (2 GREEN)

0.5 cup sliced portobello mushrooms, cooked* (1 GREEN)

5-10 black olives (1 HEALTHY FAT - read your label to determine serving size)

*I cook first, then weigh my veggies according to the vegetable conversion chart

Directions:

1. Preheat skillet on stovetop over medium heat, spray with nonstick cooking spray. 

2. Add sliced portobello mushroom to skillet, let sit for 5 minutes, and then stir for another several minutes until cooked. Remove from heat and weigh them (0.5c cooked portobello mushrooms from raw = 60.5g = 1 GREEN)

3. Add spinach to skillet, stirring and heating just until wilted. Remove from heat and weigh (0.5c = 90g = 1 GREEN, so 1c = 180g = 2 GREEN).

4. Add ground beef to skillet to brown, and cook thoroughly. Remove from heat and weigh (2.5oz cooked 93% lean ground beef = 1/2 LEAN). Drain any fat from the skillet. 

5. Add 1c liquid egg whites/substitute (1/2 LEANEST) to skillet, and stir while cooking until desired hardness. 

6. Add cooked ground beef, cooked mushrooms, cooked spinach, and black olives (weighed to proper serving) to skillet, stir together, and serve hot. I topped with a dash of hot sauce! 

Substitutes:

• Any approved vegetable can be substituted for the spinach or mushrooms for your GREEN - be sure to weigh and measure properly!
• Top with 2 Tbsp Sour Cream, and remove the olives, for your Healthy Fat
• Mix in 1 Babybel or 1 Original Laughing Cow, and remove the olives, for your Healthy Fat
• Remove the beef, and use 2 cups of liquid egg white/substitute (add 1 Healthy Fat if you do this)
• Remove the beef, and substitute with 3 oz cooked shredded chicken (add an additional 1/2 Healthy Fat if you do this)

This recipe is very versatile - so customize it how you like, and enjoy! 

Exercise and/or Long Hours and Optavia

If you work out strenuously, or work long hours, you might have questions about how Optavia can and will fit into your life. Here are some guidelines. Find them on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/myjourneytoahealthyme/posts/pfbid0uiqbhkgUdG7F2qnSs4MSgxWfWN7gguaBS2qcaL5vLrRvLujB8mG2NUAH6qh8dnSl

How to Fix OPTAVIA Fuelings

HOW TO FIX YOUR OPTAVIA FUELINGS 

Fuelings come ready to eat, and as a powdered mix that you prepare before eating. Keep this process simple! 

Read the details here on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/myjourneytoahealthyme/posts/pfbid02m5afh3fPmscTkHCY7Z9nNb437iUC9JT8KBCSYUV4oCBUTbwKsRv15b1REqEP7vYAl

Breakfast Casserole - Complete Lean and Green

Sometimes I like to prepare some Lean and Green meal options ahead of time, especially if I know I'm going to be busy the next day. This is a twist on the Crustless Vegetable Quiche I shared a few weeks ago. 

This is a full Lean and Green Meal! You do not need to add anything else! It is easily customizable with different vegetables to use up whatever you might have on hand in your fridge. 

To make:

1 glass baking dish (mine is a Pyrex 3 cup rectangular dish - approximately 8"x6"x2")

2 cups liquid eggs/liquid egg whites (1 LEANEST)

1 cup spinach (1 GREEN)

0.5 cup sliced mushrooms (1 GREEN)

0.5 cup diced zucchini (1 GREEN)

100g Black olives (2 HEALTHY FATS - read your label to determine serving size for 2 HF)

Lightly coat baking dish with oil spray to prevent sticking. Mix liquid eggs, mushrooms, zucchini, and olives together. Spread spinach in the bottom of the baking dish, and pour egg/veggie mixture over the top. Swirl together to make sure it is evenly spread through the baking dish. Bake at 400ºF for 40-50 minutes, until baked through and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

I topped mine with a few dashes of hot sauce before eating! 

----------------------------

Update 1/24/21:

I made it again and changed it up a bit - same directions as above, just a twist on the veggies:

2 cups liquid eggs/liquid egg whites (1 LEANEST)

1 cup spinach (1 GREEN)

0.5 cup sliced bell pepper (1 GREEN)

0.5 cup cooked spaghetti squash (1 GREEN)

50g black olives (1 HEALTHY FAT - read your label to determine serving size)

1.5oz avocado

Tuna "Sandwich" Lean and Green

I have been trying to use up some of the food in my fridge before it goes bad, so I pulled this Lean and Green together today and it was quite yummy! If you eat snacks, you could also use a dill pickle spear for the crunch with the tuna, or just on the side! I mixed the cucumber and mayo in with the tuna, and made myself sandwiches and wraps with the lettuce and sandwich thins. It was so filling and tasty! 

3 Outer Aisle Cauliflower Sandwich Thins (3 thins = 1/2 Lean + 1 Green)
3.5 oz tuna canned in water (1/2 Leanest)

0.5 Tbsp mayonnaise (1 Healthy Fat)

0.5 cup diced cucumber (1 Green)

1 cup romaine lettuce leaves (1 Green)

Lean and Green - Tuna, Romaine, Cucumber, Outer Aisle Cauliflower Sandwich Thins

When Eat Healthy + Exercise ≠ Healthy Body/Weight

I feel like for years I’ve been doing ALL THE THINGS to get healthy, and yet I kept running into a wall. I’ve gained and lost the same 10-20 pounds countless times in the last few years. 

I was following the formula. I knew what to do. Eat healthy + exercise = healthy body/weight. It should have worked. 

But it didn’t. 

I spent a lot of time listening to my body to determine what foods hurt and what didn’t. I forgot to find the foods that helped.

When eating healthy + exercise ≠ healthy body/weight, even when I was doing everything “right”, I told myself I must not be trying hard enough, and to keep trying. I worked out at ridiculous-dark-o’clock every morning. I cut some foods out of my diet, and added others. I ate less (then more). I tried intermittent fasting. I bought all the vitamins and supplements to try to feel better and feel healthy. I was sleeping like crap, exhausted, and barely surviving on caffeine. 

It wasn’t working. NOTHING was working. I kept hitting that wall. I needed a new formula. I found it in October. I am going into the new year more than 40 pounds lighter and feeling a million times better than just 2.5 months ago. I FEEL AMAZING and I WANT THIS for all my friends who have not only struggled with their health, but are also doing the mental gymnastics to simply keep your head above water. I would love to help you find your health!

Post-Holiday Weekend Exhaustion?

How are you feeling after the holiday weekend? Are you tired and exhausted and worn out from all the holiday excitement? Did you take a nap? Did the stress and chaos give you a headache? Are you rejuvenated and ready to go today?

I used to *need* a strong kick of caffeine just to get through the day - that afternoon slump around 3pm was awful. When I had several busy and/or stressful days in a row, I’d tell myself I earned a nap - and then I would prioritize that nap on weekends. I have never had a lot of luck with sleeping in (so I’m always up around the same time every day), but for a long time (years!) I would wake in the middle of the night, and lay in bed for an hour or more trying to fall back asleep. No matter when I went to bed, I wasn’t getting enough sleep. That constant cycle of being tired, and needing caffeine, and then being even more tired, and then getting a headache from being so tired, was…exhausting. 

I didn’t even know it was possible to break that cycle…but I did! I changed my diet. I prioritized myself. I am sleeping solidly and soundly 8-9 hours a night (yes, for real!) now. I take Natural Vitality Calm, a powdered form of magnesium, at bedtime and I swear it helps with my sleep. I haven’t had a headache in months. 

Look at my eyes in these pictures. There’s no filters on them. Look how tired I am in the photo on the left, with circles under my eyes. I wasn’t healthy! My sleep wasn’t healthy! I was so bloated and inflamed! 

Look at me on the right - awake, alert, and I feel like my eyes are brighter and clearer. It’s not just about surviving each day, it’s about living each day. Join me in living each day, I would love to share this program with you and help you feel amazing and get the good sleep too!

Christmas on Optavia

I love cooking and baking. I especially love the tradition I have with my children to bake holiday cookies - peanut butter blossoms, cut-out sugar cookies with frosting, snickerdoodles, oatmeal chocolate chip, and sometimes even more. We bake everything dairy-free, and often gluten-free also, and it is something we all enjoy. 

I'm not going to lie, it was REALLY difficult this year to not taste-test the batter (especially the oatmeal chocolate chip batter) or the cookies (the peanut butter blossoms are my favorite!) but I asked myself one simple question and it helped me refocus: "What do I want more - that cookie, that I already know how it tastes (and honestly, it's probably not as good as I'm imagining it to be), OR to keep feeling amazing and not destroy my stomach by eating foods it isn't used to?" The answer was simple at that point. Maybe some day it won't be simple, but this year, it was easy to choose ME over the cookies. It was easy to put myself first, and break that habit, and remind myself it was things like those cookies that got me to where I was in the first place. There is a time and place for choosing to indulge in a sweet treat, but I am not at that time nor that place right now, and I made a very conscious and intentional choice to NOT taste-test the sweets this year. 

But what about dinner? 

I know there are tons of ways to create Optavia-compliant holiday meals and side dishes. Several are listed here. Much like Thanksgiving, I just don't have the same sentimental attachment to holiday foods that a lot of people seem to have. I don't need the meat and cheesy side dishes. As a kid, I would only eat mashed potatoes (no gravy) and pumpkin pie and cookies. 

I know a lot of people make the conscious choice to go off-plan for the holidays, to splurge a little bit, or take small tastes of foods that they would normally not eat while following Optavia. All of that is fine, especially when it is an intentional decision. 

So what did I eat?

I had my five Fuelings - I added a dash of nutmeg to a creamy vanilla shake and it was delicious! - and I ate seafood and spaghetti squash, with salad, for my Lean and Green. It was yummy, it was filling, and it kept me in Fat-Burn!

A Tale of Two Dresses

I bought the dress on the right to wear for an event a few years ago. I loved it - the material, the fit, the way the bottom hem looks. When I got home though, it was a little too snug to wear comfortably. I called all over town looking for another store with the same dress in a bigger size - found it - and went and bought it. That's the dress on the left. I don't have many occasions to get dressed up (especially this year), but I last wore the larger size dress to a Roaring 20s party last December, and absolutely loved being dressed up and out with my friends and felt good in what I was wearing (despite hiding behind a shawl). 

I tried on dresses last night so my daughter and I could take silly pictures in front of the tree (you've seen the pics from the 50s and 60s floating around of women decked out posing with their trees, right?) and the larger size dress was falling off me, so I tried on the smaller size, and that's what I'm wearing in the picture. It actually has too much room in it now, but I still love the material and the way the dress flares, and that's the dress my daughter chose for me to wear last night for our silly pictures because she likes the hem too. 

So, I'm officially retiring the dress on the left, and probably need to retire the dress on the right too, and buy myself some new fancy clothes for the off-chance of getting dressed up and going out someday ever again. If you're like me and have a closet full of clothes you hold on to, on the off chance of maybe possibly fitting into them again someday, let me help you get your someday sooner rather than later. It took me 2 years to decide to commit to this program, and choose myself and my health; don't wait as long as I did. Give yourself the gift of health this holiday season. I'd love to celebrate you fitting into your "someday" clothes in a few weeks!

What is Fat-Burn? When am I in Fat-Burn on Optavia?

EXPLANATION OF FAT-BURN : https://www.facebook.com/myjourneytoahealthyme/posts/285714560016766

Optavia Fueling - shake "hack"

 I know I have gone on and on about how I prefer not to "hack" the Fuelings, and I still choose not to add stuff to them - I eat my five Fuelings plus my full Lean and Green every day. 

HOWEVER, I saw this hack come up over and over and had to try it. You mix a shake with 1/4 cup of water, pour it into a silicone candy mold, and freeze it. 

The first time I did this (earlier this week) I made it with the Dark Chocolate Covered Cherry shake and it was OK. It wasn't great, but that isn't my favorite flavor shake anyway. It made four heart shaped "candies" in this Wilton silicone mold. 

They aren't really easy to eat when they're frozen, but once they soften enough to eat them, they're sticky and messy and it just seems like more work than it's worth for the benefit. 

Then I decided to try it again, but this time with a Creamy Chocolate Shake and a Silky Peanut Butter Shake, and do each mold half and half - and the taste is amazing! It's still a mess to eat, but it is definitely the chocolate/peanut butter flavor combination I enjoy. 

Creamy Chocolate Shake + Silky Peanut Butter Shake 

This isn't something I'll do often at all, but it was fun to try it and see that it does work. 

I also did this with a Brownie Fueling and PB2 - you can see that here: http://www.myjourneytoahealthyme.com/2021/02/optavia-fueling-hack-peanut-butter.html

Sugar inflammation and low glycemic foods

 I've been reading more and more about how sugar affects the body, and how low-glycemic foods, like the foods on the program I'm following, benefit the body and reduce inflammation. I really feel like this was the missing piece on my path to being healthy. 

I spent nearly the past two years trying to sort out what foods bothered me. I was following a pretty strict elimination diet, basically ovo-pesco vegetarian eating gluten free, dairy free, peanut free, mostly soy free, plus avoiding a bunch of random stuff (artificial sweeteners, canola oil, apples, beer, most wine, mushrooms, black beans, yeast, celery, and probably some other stuff I forgot about). I spent over a year carefully adding things back into my diet and noting my body’s reaction. At the same time, I gained 20ish pounds, and my weight would fluctuate 10 lbs at any time (sometimes even within a day or two 🤯). I gave my gut time to heal while I was following the elimination diet and figuring out what I could and couldn't eat, but I was still having random flare ups of bloating and other gut problems. 

When I started this program, something clicked in my body. The low glycemic foods seemed to be the key. I could suddenly tolerate - in limited quantities - foods I had been avoiding because they made me bloated (gluten in particular), AND the bloating and inflammation was going away, which resulted in my clothes fitting better and the not-unwelcome effect of weight loss (which has resulted in basically a new wardrobe).

I am now eating a low-glycemic, healthy, well balanced diet full of all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients my body needs. I am building healthy habits, like eating every 2.5-3 hours to maintain my blood sugar levels, and reducing the number of empty carbohydrates and added sugars I eat to help stabilize the sugar levels in my body. 

I am so happy I started this program, and I'd be happy to share it with anyone who can relate to what I've been through. 

P.S. Recommendations are for adult women to have no more than 25g of added sugar each day. Men can have up to 36g of added sugar. 

One 12 oz can of soda has 39g of sugar. Coffee drinks aren't better.

Lean and Green Recipe - Crustless Vegetable Quiche Breakfast Casserole

I love breakfast. Crustless Vegetable Quiche Breakfast Casserole, is one of my favorites. It's so versatile and easy to pull together with whatever vegetables I have on hand. 

I adapted my normal recipe to make sure it is completely Lean and Green friendly. It's so simple, and easily customizable to fit your preferences. I don't eat cheese, so this recipe suits my needs perfectly. I noted what the options are, if you choose to include cheese with your quiche, just be sure to make the appropriate substitutions. 

Crustless Vegetable Quiche - Lean and Green

Crustless Vegetable Quiche Breakfast Casserole - Lean and Green 

*This makes 2 full Lean and Green servings! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 oz (2 cups) of liquid egg whites or liquid egg substitute (1 Leanest)
• 3 whole eggs (1 Lean)
• 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (1 Condiment)
• Vegetables, cut to small bite size pieces - mix and match - CHOOSE 6 (6 Greens)
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 cup mushrooms
• 1/2 cup asparagus
• 1/2 cup swiss chard
• 1/2 cup cauliflower
• 1/2 cup kale
• 1/2 cup summer squash
• 1/2 cup zucchini
• 1/2 cup broccoli
• 1/2 cup bell pepper
• 1/2 cup tomatoes
• 1/2 cup hearts of palm
• Healthy Fat - mix and match - CHOOSE 2  (2 Healthy Fats)
• 5-10 black olives
• 1 wedge Original Laughing Cow Cheese, softened and diced to small pieces
• 2 wedges Laughing Cow Light cheese, softened and diced to small pieces
• Alternatively, 1.5 oz of avocado added as a topping AFTER your quiche is cooked
• Seasonings as desired (follow the condiment guidelines) - I like plain old salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and sometimes like to top with hot sauce before eating

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk liquid egg/liquid egg whites and 3 eggs together until well mixed. Add seasonings if desired.
3. Add in 1 cup of unsweetened plain almond milk and whisk until well combined.
4. Add in your vegetables, 6 Greens required for this recipe - remember, only choose six from the list, there are so many options! 
5. Add in your Healthy Fats, 2 Healthy Fats required for this recipe. Again, you can mix and match and choose your favorites. *If one of your Healthy Fats is 1.5 ounces of avocado, don't add that into the egg and veggie mixture! Save it to cut up and top your quiche with once it is finished cooking!
6. Pour your mixture into a glass baking dish. Mine is 11"x7". 
7. Bake at 350º for 40-50 minutes, testing with a toothpick to determine if the egg is cooked through. 
8. Let cool, serve, and eat!
9. Makes TWO FULL LEAN AND GREEN MEALS

NOTES:

• For the quiche I made (pictured), I whisked 2 cups of liquid egg whites and 3 whole eggs together, added 1 cup of unsweetened plain almond milk, 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper, 1 cup broccoli, and 1/2 cup diced hearts of palm. I mixed all of that together. I put 2 cups of fresh spinach in the baking dish, and poured the egg and veggie mixture over the spinach, and gently mixed it all together to make sure everything was coated in the egg mixture. It took right at 45 minutes for it to bake in a 11"x7" glass baking dish at 350ºF. I debated over adding black olives to the mixture for the Healthy Fats, or holding out to slice some avocado when I eat it, and ultimately decided on the avocado. Next time I'll add in black olives though! 

Crustless Vegetable Quiche - Lean and Green

Do you have any favorite quiche or breakfast recipes that you eat or make on the Optavia Program? 

Do you have any other suggestions or ideas to modify this recipe?

Leave a comment!

Thanksgiving and Optavia

 I love cooking and baking. I love it so much, I spent the day baking five pies, cooking different side dishes, and enjoying being in the kitchen. 

I know there are tons of ways to create Optavia-compliant holiday meals and side dishes. Several are listed here. I just don't have the same sentimental attachment to holiday foods that a lot of people seem to have. As a kid, I would only eat mashed potatoes (no gravy) and pumpkin pie. 

I know a lot of people make the conscious choice to go off-plan for the holidays, to splurge a little bit, or take small tastes of foods that they would normally not eat while following Optavia. All of that is fine, especially when it is an intentional decision. 

I chose to remain on plan today. I didn't even lick my fingers (well, there's COVID to thank for that restraint also!) but I did not have a single lick or taste or bite of something that wasn't one of my Fuelings or my Lean and Green. Honestly, I didn't even really consider not staying on plan. Turkey doesn't like me, and I prefer to not feel like crap from eating foods that don't like my body. 

What did I make? 

My daughter and I made vegetable quiche for breakfast. She is dairy free, so everything we made today is dairy-free. 

We made a loaf of bread.

We made FIVE pies - three pumpkin pies, one apple crumb pie, and one pecan pie. (We have 4.5 pies leftover)

We made sweet potato casserole, and garlic mashed potatoes. 

We made bacon-wrapped scallops. 

We made candied pecans. 

There was stuffing, and turkey, and cranberry sauce, and rolls, and deviled eggs. 

There was a lot of food here. I'm sure all of it tasted delicious. We have a lot of leftovers (apparently I don't know how to cook for just my family - we could have easily fed 15 people with the food we have). 

So what did I eat?

I made myself a salad, with avocado and seared scallops and a drizzle of Walden Farms French dressing. 

And you know what? Scallops with salad and avocado is one of my all-time favorite meals, and I was perfectly happy and content to eat it today. It was delicious! 

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving meals!