I decided to do a blog of some of this week’s meal prep.  I discovered it is pretty hard to make recipes for others to follow because I make 90% of my meals up in my head as I go.  That means I never measure or time anything (my husband finds this really annoying ha!).  I usually just go with it.  Most of my recipes are easy, with few ingredients and steps to follow.  I realize the Artichoke Stuffed Mushroom Caps look a bit involved.  They are really easy; I promise!

Additional Note:  I DO NOT ADD SALT TO ANYTHING I MAKE.

 With all of my recipes, you will see either “a pinch of salt” or “salt and pepper to taste”, but that is really for your taste preference.  I have a low sodium diet naturally.  This began a couple years ago during the summer when I wanted to stop retaining water for pool days.  I cut out a lot of processed foods and stopped adding salt recipes.   After I stopped cold turkey, I don’t miss salty tastes.  Now, it is second nature to eat, mostly, sodium free.  I taste the flavors of foods and use a lot of seasons and spices rather than salt.  You get used to foods without adding salt; I promise!  Even my husband, who used to be a fast food junkie, doesn’t miss salt anymore.

Also, I do not add sugar to recipes either; most of the time.  I no longer have the extreme sweet tooth I once had.  However, if I feel like something needs a little extra sweetening I will use: honey, organic coconut sugar, pure maple syrup, or on occasion brown sugar.  You will never see me using artificial sweeteners, low-calorie sweeteners, refined white sugar, or anything else gross like that.

 Artichoke Stuffed Mushroom Caps

3-12 Ounce Packages of White Mushrooms.
¾ cup Spinach (fresh or frozen)
¾ cup Artichoke Hearts (I used frozen)
2 Tablespoons Low Sodium Beef/Chicken Broth
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ Teaspoon Basil
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1/8 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Pinch of Salt
6 Ounce Whipped Cream Cheese (regular is fine too, but will be more difficult to incorporate)
½ Cup Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees °F.  Wash and dry mushrooms, remove stems, and set stems aside for later use.  Bake mushroom caps on a baking sheet, rounded side up, for 10 minutes.

2. While caps are baking, prepare spinach artichoke filling.  Finely chop some of the reserved mushroom stems, spinach, and artichoke hearts.  Sautee the chopped ingredients in broth (you could use olive oil here instead of broth).  Add garlic powder, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt to the items already sautéing.

*I actually had to drain the released water off of my pan and mushroom caps.
3. Remove sautéed mixture from stove top.
4. Add whipped cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and parmesan cheese to semi-cooled sautéed mixture.  Combine all ingredients.
5. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps.
6. Broil stuffed caps on HIGH until the mixture is lightly browned (about 5-10 minutes).



Peanut Butter Jelly Overnight Oats

2 tablespoons Pb2 powder
1 tablespoon all natural jams or jellies
1 cup Old fashioned oats
¾ – 1 cup Unsweetened almond milk

Optional add-ins:
1 teaspoon organic coconut Sugar
1 teaspoon All natural Peanut butter
Salt, if desired

I put all ingredients in a mason jar and shake it until ingredients are mixed thoroughly.  Set in fridge overnight and enjoy the next morning.  I heat mine up for a few minutes.  This is an easy and thoughtless breakfast.

Pizza Chicken

4 chicken breasts (organic boneless skinless)
Pizza or spaghetti sauce
¾ cup sliced Black olives
1 large Green peppers, sliced thinly
4 Thin Slices Mozzarella cheese

Other toppings you could add: Turkey sausage, Feta Cheese, Turkey pepperoni, Red Onion, Pineapple, Ham, Sweet onion, turkey bacon, garlic, mushrooms, etc.



Bake chicken at 375 degrees °F for 15-20 minutes.  Remove chicken from oven and turn the chicken breasts over.  Add a spoonful of sauce to the chicken breast.  Then add olives, green pepper, and any other toppings on top of the sauce.  Next, cover the toppings with a slice of mozzarella cheese.  Broil chicken for 3-6 more minutes.

I made up this Steak and mushrooms recipe last night and it turned out FABULOUS.  I am obsessed with the drippings sauce; I think it would taste incredible with mashed potatoes too!   Although, last night I served it with the Green Beans and Red Skins recipe.



Steak and mushrooms

16 ounces Sliced white mushrooms
2 tablespoons Olive oil
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
Nature seasons
1 tablespoon Parsley
1 teaspoon basil
1 cup Beef broth
1-1.5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 pound Cubed steak (bite size pieces)
1 tablespoon Corn starch

 1. Sautee mushrooms in the olive oil for 5-10 minutes.  Then add in garlic powder, nature seasons, parsley, and basil.
2. Add beef broth and worcestershire sauce to seasoned and sautéed mushrooms.
3. Add steak chunks and simmer for 15 minutes, or until steak is thoroughly cooked.
4. Mix corn starch with a little bit of cold water.  Then add to simmering pan of steak, mushrooms, and drippings.  Remove pan from heat and mix everything together thoroughly.  The drippings should now be thicker, almost like a gravy.

Green bean red skins

1 pound Green beans
15 small Red skin potatoes or fingerlings
3 Tablespoons Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste



Clean, chop, toss, cover, and bake (at 375 °F for an hour). That’s it!



^^Post muddy run selfie 😉 I’m just glad it was warm for a few days!

Over the weekend, Monday, and Tuesday there was gorgeous weather.  I took advantage of it and ran outside leisurely rather than on a treadmill.  I ran at a steady 8 minute pace for 5 miles each day.  Running outside is relaxing, to me, this is this time where I clear my mind.  I have missed outside runs with nice weather for a while now.  I prefer being outside rather than at a gym, but, of course the beautiful weather was short-lived and we got piles of snow yesterday.  Today is freezing, the roads suck, my photo shoot got cancelled (due to weather), and I still have to make business calls.

At least the sun is out and I have coffee!