Pantry Clean Out Meal

I am in an anti-grocery shopping mood lately because we really do have a TON of food in our freezer, cabinets and fridge that needs to be used up so in an effort to do that, I am trying to get creative! I really love searching for new recipes, buying new ingredients, making new meals and all that, but sometimes it can get a little costly and exhausting! I absolutely loved this meal and it got rid of a ton of stuff that has been sitting around! Win-Win! This dinner meal is packed with all sorts of veggies and the dressing compliments the dish very well! This is just a very versatile meal because you can substitute, take out, or add anything you want! It's basically just throwing a bunch of stuff in a pan and heating it up. Takes only a few minutes and it gets rid of things you don't want lying around anymore! I didn't really follow a recipe, so I will just tell you everything that is in it and you can go crazy!

Ingredients:
Brown rice, cooked
Green Beans (frozen from Trader Joes)
Corn (frozen)
Chopped Zucchini
Chopped Onion
1 Carrot, Chopped
2 Celery Stalks, Chopped
Veggie Medley pasta
I sauteed the veggies in olive oil for a few minutes until they were soft and then added the cooked rice to the pan of veggies and poured the mixed dressing over it all and served warm!
Dressing:
about 1/4 C Olive Oil
about 1/4 C Red Wine Vinegar (a little less)
Salt and Pepper
Garlic Powder (1/2 TBS?)
Dried Mustard (a little less than 1/2 TBS)

This recipe definitely requires eyeballing it! I used to be afraid to stray away from a recipe but now, I just tweak it, taste it and hope it turns out good! : ) A good tip to remember is that you can never remove ingredients but you can always add more so just start out slowly adding a little at a time!

Things I'm Lovin' Lately!

I have compiled a few photos of things I am Lovin' Lately! I hope they inspire you to try new things and branch out a bit if you can! These are all products or work outs that I have tried and really enjoyed! 

This yogurt is THE BEST! I have tried almost all the flavors, and Pineapple is my favorite for sure! It tastes like a dessert, sweet and tangy! I like to top it with fresh fruit and granola, blend it into a smoothie, or eat it plain! Greek yogurt is so much better for you than regular yogurts because it has twice as much protein, less sodium, it's naturally lower in carbs AND it has 5 types of live and active cultures. It is thick and creamy and SO delicous! I also like to get the plain and sweeten it with a little honey and cinnamon- kind of tastes like icing : ) 

SMOOTHIES: I am a smoothie making machine people! There are a few things I always have in the house: Frozen fruit, plain non-fat Greek yogurt, spinach, bananas, and peanut butter! Smoothies are a great meal when you are in a hurry or if you just don't know what else to have! I crave smoothies and I make them almost daily as a meal! I pack my smoothies full of all kinds of good stuff and I get my veggies in too with a few handfuls of spinach or kale. I usually don't follow a recipe when making my smoothies, I just throw in a few handfuls of frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, water or juice, protein powder (optional), spinach or kale, peanut butter, Agave nectar. Just no added sugar!!!  Get creative- try peanut butter and cocoa combination, Pineapple and coconut, strawberry banana and the possibilities are endless! 

This work out is a killer! I have tried 3 of Jillians DVDs now and this is my favorite hands down! It is a 40 minute circuit training DVD is full of 5 minute circuits targeting different "trouble zones" If you are in a rush, just do half the DVD or its a great work out if you can do the whole thing! You will feel the burn, trust me! This DVD costs about $9 so it is really a good deal! I like it because it is mostly strength moves and not as much cardio and plyometrics. All you need are 3 or 5 lb dumbbells and you are good to go...don't even have to leave your house to go to the gym! Gotta love that! 

This is a Gravity machine. It's like a total body machine but better. I have been attending Gravity classes at the gym twice a week now and I love it! This class makes muscles hurt that I didn't even know I had!!! The work out targets legs, arms, shoulders, back...it really covers everything! I love this work out because it is fun and challenging! I never get bored doing it and I am so sore the next day that I can't move...I love that feeling! If you have an opportunity to take a Gravity class at your gym I highly recommend it!