I thought I would share my favorite green tea smoothie using matcha! Matcha literally means powdered tea. When you have are having traditional green tea, the leaves are infused in hot water and then discarded. With matcha, you are drinking the actual tea leaves in powder form. Because the whole leaves are ingested, it is a more potent source of nutrients than steeped green tea. It's a super food that is loaded with nutrients, potent amino acids and has 137 times the antioxidants of brewed green tea. It isn't the only super food in this shake! I also added spinach and I swear you can not taste it at all. Spinach is also packed with protein, iron, vitamins, and minerals all in a low calorie food! Plus the addition of Greek yogurt thickens the shake and adds additional protein! Enjoy!


Green Tea Smoothie

 Ingredients:
1 Optavia or Medifast Vanilla Shake (1 Fueling)
1/2 cup plain fage 2% Greek yogurt (1/3 Leaner)
1 cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp Matcha Green Tea Powder (1/2 Condiment)
1 cup Baby Spinach (1 Green)
Few cubes of ice

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a blender.
Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Fueling, 1/3 Leaner, 1 Green, and 1 1/2 Condiments

(You will need 2/3 Lean such as 4 ounces of chicken breasts and 2 Greens to complete your Lean and Green meal)
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Here is a yummy easy dinner that is perfect for a week day meal or a busy weekend! Taco Salad made with taco seasoned lean ground beef placed on a bed of lettuce and chopped tomatoes. Then topped with Quest protein chips! I drizzled Bolthouse Cilantro Avocado dressing on top of the salad which only counts as 2 Condiments for 2 tbsp! Using the salad dressing as Condiments, allows you to use an additional Healthy Fat such as sliced avocado or sour cream. Yum! Check out some other Bolthouse dressings Here that could also be used as Condiments or Healthy Fats.


You can use any flavor of Quest protein chips, but I used Loaded Taco flavor! I grabbed them from Amazon! It is so good and a personal favorite of mine! These protein chips are approved for the 5 and 1 plan, but it is not recommended to have 2 bags as a full Lean. I like using them as an occasional treat and I love how they add a nice crunch to the taco salad! Yum!


Taco Salad with Quest Chips

Ingredients:
4 ounces 95 to 97% uncooked lean ground beef ~ 3 ounces cooked (1/2 Leaner)
1/2 tsp taco seasoning (1 Condiment)
1/2 cup or 90 g tomatoes, chopped (1 Green)
2 cups or 94 g romaine lettuce, shredded (2 Greens)
1 bag Quest Protein Chips (1/2 Leaner)
2 tbsp Bolthouse Cilantro Avocado Dressing * (2 Condiments)
1.5 ounces avocado, sliced or 2 tbsp sour cream (1 Healthy Fat)

 Directions:
Place ground beef in a medium sized skillet and cook until brown. Drain meat and return to skillet. Stir in  taco seasoning and heat for about 2 more minutes. Set aside and let cool.
Add lettuce and tomatoes to a bowl. Toss in ground beef.
Top salad with Quest protein chips and drizzle dressing. Finish off with sliced avocado or sour cream.

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Leaner, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat

 * If you decide to use a different salad dressing as your Healthy Fat instead of Condiments, do not use sliced avocado. You can use 1 tbsp of sour cream as 1 Condiment or 2 tbsp plain non-fat or low fat Greek yogurt as 1 Condiment or 2 tbsp salsa as 2 Condiments.

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This Meaty Taco Dip is quick and easy to make plus you can make it ahead of time! It is packed with all the protein and yummy nutritious veggies to get you through those action packed football games! Trust me! You do not want to be hungry during the games because well.. hungry leads to hangry, especially when your team is not winning! Boo! But you can bet that this dip will be a winner no matter who is winning! Yes!


I beefed up my taco dip by adding lean ground beef and protein rich Greek yogurt! Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute for sour cream and a wonderful choice when you are trying to not let those pesky pounds creep up on you!


To make this yummy dip, start off by layering lean ground beef that has been mixed with green chiles, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning on the bottom of a large casserole dish. Then add a creamy layer made of a mixture of plain Greek yogurt, softened cream cheese, and more taco seasoning. Then sprinkle shredded cheese, fresh lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapenos, and green onions on top.


Divide the dip into 6 equal portions and serve with your favorite "chip" alternative! I absolutely love sweet mini bell peppers, but sliced cucumbers, zucchini, or celery are also great choices!


Then devour all the delicious layers of taco seasoned ground beef, the creamy goodness of Greek yogurt and cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese and all the veggies! This dip is perfect for a potluck or get-together so even after all the football games have ended, keep this recipe in mind for your next big gathering!


Meaty Taco Dip

Ingredients:
1 ½ lb 95 to 97% lean ground beef or turkey
or sauce less than 5 g of carbs per ¼ cup
3 tbsp taco seasoning, divided
4 ounces diced green chiles
1 ½ cups plain 2% Greek yogurt
6 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened
2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups or 144 grams iceberg lettuce, shredded
½ cup or 90 grams tomatoes, chopped
1 ounce jarred jalapeno slices
Optional garnish: green onions

Directions:
In a large skillet, crumble and cook ground beef. Drain any fat. Add tomato sauce, 2 tbsp taco seasoning, and green chiles stirring until combined. Let simmer for about 2 minutes. Spread ground beef mixture on the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish and let cool to room temperature.
Use a hand mixer to mix Greek yogurt, softened cream cheese, and 1 tbsp taco seasoning in a medium sized bowl until well blended. Spread over ground beef layer.
Then sprinkle cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes on top. Add jalapeno slices and garnish with green onions if desired. Divide into 6 equal portions. Store in the fridge up to 3 days.

Makes 6 Servings
Each serving provides
1 Leaner, 1 Green, 3 Condiments, 1 Healthy Fat and 1/6 Optional Snack

Add 2 additional Greens to make this a full Lean and Green meal. All the ones listed below are 2 Greens:

149 grams sweet bell peppers
144 grams cucumbers slices
153 grams zucchini slices
150 grams celery

 For a Vegetarian option: Use 4 ½ cups of Morning Star Farms Grillers Crumbles


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I recently picked up these delicious shrimp burgers from Trader Joe's and they did not disappoint! These juicy seafood burgers are perfectly seasoned and are great to have on hand when you want something quick and easy for lunch or dinner!


I chose to pair it up with Trader Joe's Baby Spring Mix and Trader Joe's Carrot Ginger Miso Salad Dressing. The dressing is very similar to what I have had in Japanese restaurants served on salads. Fresh, sweet, and savory salad dressing with the taste of ginger.  It is only 60 Calories, 2 grams of Carbs, and 6 g of Fat for 2 tbsp, plus no added sugar and it is vegan.


Don't feel like serving these shrimp burgers with a salad? They would also be delicious as lettuce wraps with your favorite dressing or eat them as a main entree topped with sliced avocado with your favorite veggies on the side! Definitely, pick these up the next time you are at Trader Joe's!


Trader Joe's Shrimp Burger Salad

Ingredients:
2 Trader Joe's Shrimp Burgers (1 Leaner)
3 cups Trader Joe's Organic Baby Spring Mix (3 Greens)
2 tbsp Trader Joe's Carrot Ginger Miso Salad Dressing (1 Healthy Fat)

Directions:
Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Cook shrimp burgers over medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Set aside and let cool slightly.

Add spring mix to a large bowl. Top with shrimp burgers and drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Leaner, 3 Greens, and 1 Healthy Fat


Looking for other plan approved Trader Joe's items? Check out this Trader Joe's Grocery list!

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Looking for a quick and easy lunch or dinner the family will love? I love the premade flatbreads from Cali'flour Foods! They are made with just a few clean ingredients which include fresh cauliflower, mozzarella cheese, egg whites and spices. That's it! No added preservatives or funky ingredients. Plus they are grain free, gluten free, low carb, versatile, and plan approved!

Interested in the flatbreads or Cali'Lite pizza crusts? Use Code Sandy to save 10% off your entire order at checkout! The flatbreads count as 1/3 Lean and 2 Greens for two and the Cali'Lite crusts count as 1/2 a Lean and 3 Greens for the entire crust!


One of my favorite ways to enjoy them is to make them into these mini pizzas. They are perfectly portioned little pizzas. This pizza has chicken that I had leftover from the air fryer, fresh spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, sliced red onion and feta cheese. So delicious!


 For added variety, omit the red onion and add 2 tbsp G Hughes sugar free bbq sauce instead of marinara sauce. So good too! I hope you enjoy this quick and easy meal as much as me!


Chicken, Spinach, Tomato, and Feta Flatbreads

Ingredients:
 2 Cali'flour Flatbreads (1/3 Lean, 2 Greens)
2 tbsp Rao's marinara sauce (1 Condiment)
15 grams raw spinach, chopped (1/2 Green)
45 grams roma tomatoes, diced (1/2 Green)
2 ounces cooked chicken, diced (1/3 Leaner)
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese ~ 3 to 6 g fat per ounce (1/3 Lean)
1 tbsp sliced red onion (1 Condiment)
2 tbsp reduced fat feta cheese (1 Condiment)

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Place flatbreads on a pizza screen or pan with holes in it or place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake flat breads for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 10 min.

Top flatbreads with marinara sauce. Then add spinach, tomatoes, chicken, mozzarella cheese and red onion. Sprinkle feta cheese on top. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments


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I have been loving this quick and easy enchilada bowl! It is so easy to make with leftover spaghetti squash and uses just a few ingredients. I used Jennie-O taco seasoned ground turkey because it is already seasoned and it doesn't use any extra Condiments. 5 ounces of this product is 1 Lean. Or if you are craving chicken, get a whole Rotisserie chicken and chop up the breast meat, but remove the skin and bones first. You can easily find them in a grocery store. If you use chicken breasts, you can add a Healthy Fat such as avocado or sour cream. Yum! Toss the meat in a bowl of cooked spaghetti squash with enchilada sauce. Melt mozzarella cheese on top and you have a delicious meal in no time! Enjoy!


Enchilada Bowl

Ingredients:
1 small spaghetti squash ~ 1 ½ cups or 8.19 ounces cooked (3 Greens)
3.75 ounces Jennie-O taco seasoned ground turkey, cooked * (¾ Lean)
3 tbsp red enchilada sauce (3 Condiments)
¼ cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese (¼ Lean)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Place spaghetti squash on a baking sheet and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Place the spaghetti squash cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Using a fork, scrape the flesh to get spaghetti-like strands. Measure out 1 ½ cup of spaghetti squash and place in a medium sized bowl.

Add cooked ground turkey and stir in enchilada sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese and melt in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until cheese melts.

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments

* You can also use 4.5 ounces of rotisserie style chicken breasts from the grocery store (6 ounces without cheese) instead of the Jennie-O taco seasoned ground turkey. If using chicken breasts, add 1 Healthy Fat such as 1.5 ounces of avocado or 2 tbsp sour cream.


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I love cabbage rolls, but I don't like all the work that is involved with making them such as boiling the cabbage leaves, stuffing them and then baking. This soup is so much simpler to make, but it has all the flavors of stuffed cabbage rolls. The best part? The longer it sits, the better it is! With 5 servings, you will have tons of leftovers!


Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup

Ingredients:
35 ounces raw 93% lean ground beef ~ 25 ounces cooked (5 Leans)
1/4 cup onion, chopped (4 Condiments)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp salt (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp black pepper (1 Condiment)
2 cans Great Value Italian diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces each) (7 Greens)
1 tbsp A1 steak sauce (3 Condiments)
4 cups beef broth (4 Condiments)
4 cups cabbage sliced into strips (8 Greens)

Directions:
In a large pot over medium high heat, cook ground beef and onion until brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the grease.
Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, tomatoes, steak sauce, beef broth and cabbage to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce heat. Simmer until cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes. Divide into 5 individual containers that are the same size. This makes a great freezer meal so you can freeze up until 3 months!

 For the Crockpot: Cook and drain the ground beef and then add all the ingredients to the Crockpot. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours.

Makes 5 Servings
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments


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Chicken Salad is another great way to use leftover chicken! Who doesn't love a yummy chicken salad recipe? I know I do!


What makes this chicken salad so special? Poultry seasoning! It really makes a difference in overall flavor and makes it so yummy! I also added chopped walnuts for added crunch along with the celery. Serve it as a lettuce wrap or on two Outer Aisle Gourmet Sandwich Thins!


Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
11 ounces cooked chicken, cubed or shredded (1 ⅚ Leaner)
½ cup celery, chopped (1 Green)
¼ cup plain low fat Greek yogurt (⅙ Leaner)
3 tbsp light mayonnaise (2 Healthy Fats)
2 tsp dijon mustard (2 Condiments)
¼ tsp salt (1 Condiment)
¼ tsp black pepper (½ Condiment)
¼ tsp onion powder (½ Condiment)
½ tsp poultry seasoning (1 Condiment)
1 ounce walnuts, chopped (2 Optional Snacks)

Directions:
Combine chicken and celery in a large bowl.
Add Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, onion powder, and poultry seasoning, stirring until combined.
Stir in walnuts. Enjoy!

Makes 2 Servings
Each serving provides
1 Leaner, ½ of a Green, 2 ½ Condiments, 1 Healthy Fat, and 1 Optional Snack
(Still need 2 ½  Greens more)

If using two Outer Aisle Gourmet Sandwich Thins, divide the entire recipe into 3 Servings instead of 2 Servings. Each serving would then give you ⅔ Leaner. The two Outer Aisle Gourmet Sandwich Thins count as ⅓ Lean and ⅔ of a Green. Just add 2 1/3 Greens.


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