Making noodles out of fresh zucchini dramatically cuts down on the carbs and calories in your dinner, while increasing the fiber content. Imagine what an impact this simple food trick could have on your fitness results if you always chose zucchini noodles over traditional noodles.

What you need
Serves 6

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ cup chopped olives
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup dry red wine (Cabernet works well)
• 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon of sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 6 zucchinis
• ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, place the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, and fennel. Cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the carrots, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Coat the inside of your slow cooker with olive oil. Add the cooked veggies, mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, and the seasonings. Mix well.
3. Add the turkey on top of the veggie mixture, breaking it into chunks. Lightly press the turkey down into the sauce, but be careful not to break up the chunks.
4. Cook on low heat for 7 hours.
5. Wash the zucchini, use a vegetable peeler to create long, flat noodles. Stop when you get to the seedy middle part of the zucchini. Plate the zucchini noodles and top with warm turkey spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Nutrition
276 calories, 8g fat, 383mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 21g protein

Don’t have more than 10 minutes to prepare dinner tonight? I’ve got you covered with this super quick, high protein, crowd-pleasing recipe! These BBQ Chicken Avocado Boats are a delicious combination of roasted chicken and crunchy bell peppers covered in BBQ sauce and served on top of creamy avocado.

To make this recipe as quick as possible, purchase pre-roasted chicken from the store, or use leftover cooked chicken from yesterday’s meal. Then all you need to do is chop the bell pepper, mix everything together, scoop on top of avocado and serve!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

What you need

Serves 2

1 cup roasted chicken, chopped
Half of a red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
½ green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 Tablespoon BBQ sauce
One large avocado, pitted and halved lengthwise
1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped
sprinkle of sweet paprika
a sprinkle of sea salt
sprinkle of black pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl combine the chicken, bell peppers and BBQ sauce. Mix until fully combined.
2. Divide the chicken mixture between the two avocado halves and sprinkle with cilantro, sweet paprika, sea salt and black pepper.
3. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 369 calories, 25g fat, 16g carbohydrate, 5g sugar, 155mg sodium, 8g fiber, and 23g protein.

What’s for dinner tonight? I have a delicious recipe for Chili-Roasted Salmon and Veggies to share with you that’s quick, satisfying and might be just the perfect recipe to cook up for dinner tonight. The best dinners to fuel your fitness results are a combination of fresh, fiber-rich vegetables and quality protein, like this Salmon and Veggie dish. Enjoy!

What You Need
Serves 4

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• One teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• One Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 4 (5-oz) salmon fillets
• 2 zucchini, sliced into half moons
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• One red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 poblano pepper, thinly sliced
• One small red onion, thinly sliced
• sea salt
• black pepper

For the Creamy Mustard Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons coconut cream
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• One teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon fresh chives, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• One teaspoon water
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 large rimmed baking pans with olive oil. Arrange the salmon fillets on one of the pans and generously season with salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl combine the lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin and 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Pour half of the spice mixture over the tops of the salmon fillets.
3. In a medium bowl toss the zucchini, bell peppers, poblano pepper and red onion with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and with the remaining spice mixture. Spread the veggies over the remaining pan and generously season with salt and pepper.
4. Place both pans in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, until the salmon is flaky and the veggies are tender. Mix the mustard sauce ingredients in a small bowl and serve over the salmon. Enjoy!

Nutrition
One serving equals: 572 calories, 26g fat, 21g carbohydrate, 8g sugar, 30mg sodium, 8g fiber, and 61g protein

We all know that vegetables are good for us, and that we should eat more fresh veggies in order to increase the fiber and vitamin content of our diets. But, the truth is that most veggie side dishes don’t taste good enough to entice the whole family to dive in. This recipe is the answer. Broccoli and cauliflower are roasted in an outrageously tasty way that’s simple, quick and full of nutrition.

Serve this delicious veggie side dish with a piece of lean meat for a well-balanced, fitness approved meal.

What you need
Serves 4

• 1 bunch broccoli
• One bunch cauliflower
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• dash of sea salt
• a dash of pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• juice from 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Wash the broccoli and cauliflower heads and then pat dry. It’s important to dry thoroughly so that it will roast properly. Cut into small florets.
3. In a medium bowl combine the florets, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic cloves. Toss until well combined and then spread over the prepared baking sheet.
4. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven once the florets are tender with crispy bottoms.
5. Drizzle the lemon juice over the cooked florets and serve immediately.

Nutrition
One serving equals 160 calories, 4g fat, 98mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 4g protein

Today I’m sharing a healthy recipe with you that will please your taste buds while taking you one step closer to achieving your fitness goals. This curried chicken and veggie dish is light and delicious. Yogurt and curry flavors blend for an enjoyable new chicken experience. Enjoy it as a tasty lunch or a protein packed dinner.

All of that hard work that you put into your workouts can quickly and easily be lost on unhealthy eating – which is why it’s so important to enjoy light, protein-filled meals like this one.

What You Need
Serves 2

• 5 oz boneless raw chicken breast, diced
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 5 cups raw mushrooms, sliced
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cups China peas
• 1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
• 2 teaspoons curry powder

Instructions

1. Put 2 teaspoons olive oil and the diced chicken in a non-stick pan. Cook chicken until browned, then add chicken broth, yogurt, curry powder and cornstarch, stir constantly. Heat until thick sauce forms, then simmer for 5 minutes.
2. While chicken is cooking put 2 teaspoons olive oil, mushrooms, bell peppers, and china peas in another non-stick pan. Cook until the vegetables are tender.
3. Place an equal amount of vegetable on 2 plates and top with equal amounts of chicken.

Nutrition
One serving equals: 373 calories, 13g fat, 35g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 32g protein.

This is such a simple recipe and yet it yields so much satisfaction! If you love salty foods like chips or crackers, then this Cauliflower recipe may be the guilt-free snack that you’ve been searching for.

I like to slice the cauliflower into large slabs, like steaks, however be aware that not all of the pieces will stick together. That’s perfectly fine! Smaller pieces of roasted, seasoned cauliflower taste just as delicious as the larger pieces.

Enjoy these Roasted Cauliflower Steaks as a side dish for your next meal or eat it as a delicious and guilt free snack!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

What you need

Serves 4

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into ¼ inch thick slices
• olive oil spray
• salt and pepper
• All-Purpose Seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.

2. Slice the cauliflower into ¼ inch slices. Lightly spray each side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and all-purpose seasoning. Lay the pieces out on the prepared baking sheet.

3. Bake in the preheated oven, flipping the pieces after 15 minutes, for a total of 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Nutrition

One serving equals 18 calories, 0g fat, 3g carbohydrate, 1g sugar, 128mg sodium, 2g fiber, and 1g protein.

Moroccan cuisine contains an exquisite combination of savory and sweet spices to create unique flavors. The result is often quite memorable, as in the case of this Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken. You’ll notice cinnamon in the ingredient list, not a typical spice to be included in a chicken dish, however the combination works beautifully.

Vibrant fresh veggies like butternut squash, tomatoes and onions create a nutritious base on which to serve this tender, spiced chicken. Meals like this are the building blocks for creating a lean, fit body.

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

What You Need

Serves 8

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and cubed
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 lbs bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
• ½ cup pimento stuffed green olives, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh chives, minced

Instructions

1. In a slow cooker, combine the squash, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and broth. Season generously with salt and pepper.

2. In a small bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and ground black pepper. Rub spice mixture all over chicken thighs; place chicken on top of vegetable mixture in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

3. Once cooked, remove the bones and shred the meat. Transfer the veggies with a slotted spoon to a serving platter and top with the shredded meat, chopped olives and minced chives. Enjoy!

Nutrition

One serving equals: 268 calories, 10g fat, 9g carbohydrate, 3g sugar, 560mg sodium, 2g fiber, and 35g protein.