Clean: Mexican Sweet Potato Casserole

Clean Mexican Sweet Potato Casserole

I wanted to share another recipe that I recently stumbled upon and tweaked a little.

This will definitely be something I make often. I loved it and so did the family! 

Plus, who knew eating clean would be so pretty. 

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey, cooked
1 cup quinoa, cooked
2-15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large onion, chopped
3 cups asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large sweet potatoes thinly sliced or grated
1-12 oz jar salsa
1 cup frozen corn
3 tbsp diced jalapeños (more or less depending on how spicy you like things)
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 cup Mexican style low-fat cheese, shredded (I did half with cheese for my hubby, no cheese for me)
1 sliced avocado, for topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel and then thinly slice the sweet potatoes
Mix quinoa, beans, onion, asparagus and salsa with sweet potato and spread into a 9×13 pan. 
Top with cheese and bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes.
Allow to sit for 10 minutes prior to serving. 

Serve with sliced avocado and enjoy!

This turned out yummy and was full of awesomely healthy stuff.

I ate the leftovers for days and it just got better as all the flavors continues to mix together more!! 

Let me know what you think if you try it! 

Ashley M

Before and after my 30 day challenge

When I decided to begin my personal 30 day challenge I had hit a plateau. 

My weight loss had stopped for a few weeks and I wasn't working out 

as much as I could have been. 3 times a week at max and I wasn't seeing any true results that way.

 I decided I would workout everyday for 30 days straight  for at least an hour each day. 

There were days I didn't want to and even one day (day 26) that I didn't. 

YES I missed day 26, literally 4 days from finishing. 

Who does that?! I was a little hard on myself and felt like I let myself 

down but I pushed through and added a day. =) 

In the end I am super happy with my results! Not only did I start losing weight again.

I lost 13 pounds in those 31 days.

I wish I had taken measurements, but I didn't. I did however lose another pants size.

Went down a bra and panty size. Plus another shirt size! 

I pushed myself hard. I rotated weights, cardio, workout videos, jogging and yoga.

Some days I didn't want to. Like Really. Didn't. Want. To! 

However, I did. Each time I did I felt better. 

Each day passing I get a little stronger. 

Now that my 30 (31)  day challenge is over, I probably won't continue to workout everyday. 

I will be working out at least 5 days a week! 

Some of my favorite things about working out:

How great I feel afterwards

Sweating. Yes I said sweating. It is great to know I am getting somewhere and working hard.

My energy level

The adrenaline it gives me

How much better I am sleeping

Getting stronger 

Feeling better about myself

And the best part… My clothes all getting too big! 

June 25th is the left and July 26th is the right!

When you think you can't remember you can and push yourself. 

Push hard and you will start seeing the results you want and 

don't stop until you are where you want to be! 

Much Love,

Ashley M

Waking to positivity

If you know me it is no surprise that I am not a morning person.

 I stay up late and would sleep in everyday if I could. 

Well my kiddo's like to rise early which put me waking early and dragging around to get ready. 

Most times not in a great mood. 

I decided to make my half bath (where I get ready each morning) a little more happy! 

I took some old light wood frames that I had and spray painted them fun colors I already had at home.

Then I found some FREE printables with some positive happiness.

I framed the printables and Ta-Da!!! 

You can't help but smile when you go in there now. 

My little spot in the house and I love it! 

Mornings just got a little better. =)

Don't hate on my sink and toilet. I love them, too! 

Shine on Lovelies,

Ashley M

Clean Baked Chicken Fajita's

Finding recipes that are quick and easy have always been a favorite of mine. 

So finding one that is clean, fast and easy is even better!!! 

Plus it was a hit with my boys which is awesome sauce =) 

Ingredients: 
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1 (15 ounce) can diced organic tomatoes-no salt added
1 small can diced green chiles
1 medium onion- sliced
1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced (I used green since that is what I had at home

Directions: 
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
Slice chicken and veggies into strips
Place chicken in 13x9 baking dish
In a small bowl place olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano and salt
Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.
Mix diced tomatoes and green chiles in a bowl. ( Don't drain)
Next add the tomatoes, peppers and onions to the dish and stir to mix.
Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender.

If you would like serve on whole wheat tortilla's with plain greek yogurt (as sour cream substitute) and with mashed avocado!

There you have it. A yummy, healthy meal that the whole family will love! 

Ashley M.

22 days into my 30 day challenge

When I decided to start a 30 day challenge I wanted to push myself. 

I was doing okay with clean eating at this point, but not really working out like I should be.

That was 22 days ago and I have worked out EVERYDAY since. 

This is such a big deal for me and I am so proud of myself. 

How far I have come in such a short time. Physically and Mentally.

Mentally is the hardest battle. Our bodies our amazing. 

They can handle so much more than we give them credit for! 

I mean I did carry 2 babies to the point of skin going beyond a point of any return.

I birthed 2 babies on my own. 

Though it has been a long road my body is recovering from some amazing things.

I push myself further and harder than the day before. 

I see myself getting stronger each day and with each day I feel myself healing mentally.

We can be so hard on ourselves. It is easy to put yourself down when you are not happy.

So that is what we do. We forget that we are still us with 70 extra pounds. 

Taking my life back and becoming healthier isn't just a physical journey for me.

It's mental. I am working on loving myself again. Being happy again. 

Finding that inner peace that glows from the inside out. 

Even though I am dropping weight and toning up. I am also finding myself happier each day.

Loving myself a little more and smiling within when I am having a bad day.

Here are the results:

Since June 1st I am down 25 pounds! 

Almost 2 pants sizes and a shirt size

For the first time in almost 4 years I am only 3 pounds from being less than 200 pounds.

I have been rotating workouts and what I do daily.

Here are some things I am doing:

Jogging on the treadmill

Jillian Michael's 30 day shred

Jillian Michaels Shred it

Full body rotation workouts with hand weights

Kettle bell workouts 

I have pinned a lot of the kettle bell exercises and abs exercises I am doing! 

I will be my strongest advocate, because I am beautiful.

Ashley M

Clean Stuffed Peppers

Clean eating has been going great with just a few hiccups. And for the most part it is becoming second nature and must easier. Don't get me wrong it is still a daily struggle but making new recipes and trying new things have become a fun challenge! I love bell peppers and I haven't made stuffed peppers in awhile so I thought I would clean up the recipe I have used before.

Clean Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 6 Bell Peppers
• 1 1/2 Pounds Ground Turkey
• 3 15 Ounce Cans Organic Tomato Paste
• 2 Cans Organic Diced Tomatoes
• 2 Cups Brown Rice 
• 1/2 Red Onion
• 1/2 Cup Chicken or Veggie Broth
• 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook brown rice according to the instructions.
3. Slice the tops of peppers off and remove cores. Set aside the tops.
4. Place your peppers in a baking dish (with a lid if you have one. Don't panic if you don't have one.) Make sure dish is small enough so the peppers will snuggly stand upright.
5. Pour 2 of the 3 cans of sauce into the bottom to the pot so that your peppers will sit into the sauce. 
6. Remove the seed from the pepper tops and chop up the top of the peppers, as well as the onion.
7. Put your veggies and diced tomatoes into a pan with the olive oil and sauté until they are nice and soft, Add the cooked rice to the veggie mixture.
8. Place cooked veggies in a large bowl and set to the side.
9. Using the same pan you cooked your veggies in, cook your ground turkey with the broth. Add spices to your meat.
10. In the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking add the veggie and rice mixture to the meat.
11. Return entire mixture mixture to the large mixing bowl. Add last can of tomato sauce. Stir well.
12. Fill you peppers with the meat mixture.
13. Cover with lid. If you don't have one cover with tin foil. 
14. Bake for about an hour or until your peppers are very soft. 
15. Cool and serve with a little sauce on top! 

This turned out so good and were a hit with everyone even my toddlers! 

 Hope you guys enjoy!! 

Shine On Lovelies,

Ashley M

Bathroom Re-do

We moved into our new house in February and as much as we love it we did not 

love the many different kinds of wall paper that was well, everywhere. 

We are doing all the work ourselves and since everything is so flippin' expensive 

we are doing it a little at a time.

 The Hubby finally got around to fixing the walls and texturing them for me. 

So I got straight to painting and hanging pretty stuff! =) 

The light fixture was a light wood color so a can of bronze spray paint fixed that. 

A trip to Hobby Lobby and some 1/2 price items and coupons 

later we completely redid our main bathroom for just around $115!!! 

I love how it turned out and how much we saved! =) 

Here are some Before and Afters

 Before:

After: 

Here is a better picture of the light fixture

I am so excited that I am ready to tackle the kitchen and laundry room!

Then I remember they both have A LOT of wall paper. 

Shine on Lovelies,

Ashley M