Sara Lepak Health Coach

Mexican Style Pizza

Ingredients:

1 Lite Cali'flour Foods Crust
1.5 oz 93% ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning
1/4 cup reduced fat Mexican style cheese
2 tbsp Trader Joe's Cilantro Dressing, divided
Green onions and jalapenos for garnish, if desired

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pizza on a pizza screen or vented pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
Spread 1 tbsp of Cilantro Dressing over crust. The dressing is thin so it doesn't need much. Sprinkle seasoned ground beef, cheese, and jalapenos over crust. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until cheese has melted. Garnish with green onions if desired and additional 1 tbsp of Cilantro Dressing.

1 Serving with
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 2 Condiments for the entire pizza

Jalapeño Poppers

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients
Cooking spray
4 oz 95-97% lean ground beef*
6 whole jalapeño peppers
4 oz (½ cup) low-fat plain Greek yogurt
4 oz (1 cup) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
3 medium scallions, sliced thin
1 large red bell pepper, diced fine
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp paprika
*To make vegetarian, substitute beef with 1 cup cooked MorningStar Farms® Sausage-Style Recipe Crumbles

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside. Cook ground beef in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat until done (internal temperature of 160°F). Set aside. Cut jalapeño peppers in half lengthwise (use gloves). Remove seeds and membrane. Combine beef, yogurt, cheese, scallions, red pepper, and spices in a medium bowl. With a spoon, fill jalapeño pepper halves with cheese mixture. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until brown.

2 servings with each:
1 lean
3 green
1 ½ condiments

Dan’s story:

Most people would say that their wedding day is one of the happiest days of their lives. While mine was certainly one of my happiest, I can honestly say than I am ten times happier now than I was back then. To know that my wife and I will be able to live longer, healthier, more meaningful lives together because of our decision to focus on our health brings me more joy than you can imagine. Plus, I just get a kick out of seeing my old 56” wedding slacks on my new 33” waist after losing 130 pounds in 13 months!

Reuben Wraps

Ingredients:
4 cabbage leaves
4 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese slices
15 oz cooked corned beef, thinly sliced
1 cup sauerkraut
8 tbsp Walden Farm Russian dressing, for dipping

Directions:
In a large pot, boil 4 cups water. Using tongs, dip each cabbage leaf in water for 30 seconds and place on a paper towel lined plate to dry.
Place 1 slice of Swiss cheese in the center of a cabbage leaf. Top each cabbage leaf with 3.75 oz corned beef and 1/4 cup sauerkraut. Roll burrito-style into a small package. Serve each cabbage wrap with 2 tbsp Russian dressing for dipping.

Sprinkle 1/4 tsp caraway seeds into the dressing to give it that rye bread flavor!

Serves 4 with 1 lean, 1 green, 1 condiment per serving

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients:
6 oz grilled chicken breast
1 ½ c. cooked spaghetti squash
¼ c. Classico Alfredo Sauce

Directions:
After piercing the squash several times with a fork or a knife, cook the spaghetti squash in a shallow baking dish in the oven at 375 degrees F for approx. 1 hour. When done, slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. If you’re in a hurry you can also cook it in the microwave. Shred the inner park of the spaghetti squash with a fork into strands that will naturally resemble spaghetti. Portion out 1 ½ c. on a plate.
Top with chicken & Alfredo sauce.

1 serving
1 Lean
3 Green
1 healthy fat

David's Story:

I retired from the Army in 2004 and just slowly kept adding pounds over the years. I finally got to a point where I could not enjoy the activities that I love, like golf and hunting, without struggling. I also realize that if I was going to walk my daughter down the aisle someday, I would need to make significant changes. The program works and is convenient while working. I am so glad I reached out.

Brian and Linda's Story:

We made the decision to go on this health journey together. Between the two of us not only did we lose 290 pounds, but we gained a happy healthier marriage! We have both maintained our weight loss for one year now and have no fear of ever going back! We celebrated 31 years of marriage this year and feel like newlyweds!

Ricotta and Bacon Stuffed Mini Peppers

Ingredients:

1 pound assorted mini peppers, about 18 mini peppers* (6 Greens)
2/3 cup part skim ricotta cheese (2/3 Lean)
1/3 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/3 Lean)
4 slices turkey bacon
1 egg, beaten (with turkey bacon ~ 1 Lean)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (4 Condiments)
2 tbsp fresh basil chopped (1/4 Condiment)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp salt ~optional (1 Condiment)
1/8 tsp black pepper (1/4 Condiment)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook turkey bacon and chop into very small pieces. Set aside. Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and ribs. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella cheese, turkey bacon, egg, parmesan cheese, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Fill peppers with the cheese mixture. Bake for 18 to 20 min or until ricotta is set and cheese is melted.

2 Servings with
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments per serving (about 18 pepper halves)
or
4 Servings with
1/2 Lean, 1 1/2 Greens, and 1.5 Condiments per serving (about 9 pepper halves)

*The amount of peppers per serving will vary depending on weight.

Sue Ellen' story:

Family members said, “You better get to walkin’ to get in that size 10 dress.” That was just the fuel needed to push me toward my goal. Having a health coach has made all the difference. Knowing there was someone to talk to each week for accountability moved me from a size 22 to now a size 8 in 7 months!

Baked Margherita Spahetti Squash

Makes 3 servings
Each serving contains:
3 veggies
3 condiments
2 healthy fats

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups cooked spaghetti squash
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°
Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise
Use a spoon to remove seeds
Drizzle each half with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder
Place squash open side down on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes
Cook for an additional 10 minutes if squash isn't soft enough to remove easily with a fork
Keep squash in skin
Turn oven to broil
Add tomatoes and basil to squash "boat" and top with mozzarella cheese
Broil for 3-5 minutes until cheese is slightly browned
Cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Italian Shrimp & Broccoli

1 serving
1 leanest
3 green
2 condiments
2 healthy fats

Ingredients:

7 oz frozen cooked shrimp
2 cups raw broccoli, chopped
½ cup (4 medium) cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 Tbsp of Ken’s Lite Northern Italian with Basil & Romano*
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese, grated or shredded (optional condiment)
1 tsp olive oil
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

*For flavor variety, you can substitute 2 Tbsp Newman’s Own Parmesan & Garlic Dressing.

Directions:

Thaw frozen shrimp following directions on package (about 5-7 minutes). In a skillet, heat olive oil and add broccoli and chopped cherry tomatoes; sauté 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are al dente (tender crisp). Remove from heat, cover and set aside. Spoon salad dressing into a skillet; add shrimp and black pepper. Sauté until shrimp is cooked (or opaque in color). Combine shrimp and vegetables; cook an additional 2-3 minutes to reheat vegetables, if necessary. Place shrimp and vegetables on plate, add parmesan cheese (optional condiment), and stir. Serve hot.

Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients:

40 oz chicken breast
8 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
¼ C sherry vinegar
¼ C water
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic
6 C bok choy
2 tsp sesame seeds

Directions:

Place chicken in a 4 quart slow cooker. Stir all other ingredients together except for bok choy and sesame seeds. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Remove chicken from pot and put on serving dish. Place bok choy in the pot with the juice and cover for 5 min. Pour bock choy and sauce over chicken. Top with sesame seeds.

4 servings:

Each serving contains
1 leaner
1 ½ green
3 condiments
¾ healthy fats

Asparagus Stuffed Chicken

Makes 4 servings
Per serving
1 protein
1 vegetable
2 condiments
1 fat

Ingredients:
3 large skinless boneless chicken breasts – total weight 1 3/4 pounds
1 tbsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
9 to 12 asparagus stalks, trimmed – ¾ pound after trimming
3 ounces provolone cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. cut the chicken breast in half, length-wise, leaving it intact on one side (creating a pocket to stuff). Season the inside of the chicken breast with salt and pepper and a pinch of lemon zest. Lay the provolone cheese and 3 to 4 stalks of asparagus in the center of each chicken breast and fold over, enclosing the filling. Season the outside of the chicken breast with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Heat a large, oven safe skillet (I use cast iron) over medium-high heat and add the 1 tbsp. olive oil, swirling around to coat the bottom of the skillet. Cook the chicken top side down, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chicken easily releases from the pan and is golden brown on top. Flip the chicken over and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes to sear the bottom side. Carefully cover the skillet with tinfoil and place in the preheated oven. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 155 degrees. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and let sit, covered, for about 5 minutes. The temperature of the chicken should rise to meet 160 degrees and will be super tender and juicy!

Notes:
If you do not have an oven safe skillet, use a regular skillet and then transfer chicken breast to a baking dish and cover with foil before placing in oven

Michelle's story:

Tummy pudge is pretty much gone! When you are getting as close to 50 as I am & have birthed 3 children that is the last to go. Down 55.6 lbs, BMI has gone from 31.3 (obesity) to 21.7 (normal) & I am feeling young again! Sooooooo thankful for not only the physical rewards of this program but the mental & emotional rewards too!

White Chicken Chili

Serves: 1
1 Leaner
2 Greens
3 Condiments
1 Healthy Fat

Ingredients:

9.1 oz. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast or 6 oz. cooked (1 leaner)
¼ C. Jalapenos sliced or 0.80 oz. (½ green)
½ Can Old El Paso Chopped Green Chiles or 2.25 oz. (½ green)
½ C. Green Bell Peppers chopped or 2.4 oz. (1 green)
1 C. Low Sodium Chicken Broth (1 cond)
1 Tbsp. Low fat Cream Cheese (1 cond)
½ Tsp. Fresh Minced Garlic (½ cond)
¼ Tsp. Cumin (¼ cond)
¼ Tsp Oregano (¼ cond)
½ Tbsp. Smart Balance Butter (½ healthy fat)
½ oz. Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese (½ healthy fat)
¼ - ½ C. of Water (as needed)

In a large pot, season chicken with cumin and oregano.
Add the stock to the pot, cover and cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked.
In a small skillet add the smart balance butter; add the chilies, the diced jalapeño, the green pepper to the pan and sauté until the vegetables soften.
Add chopped garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds and turn off the heat, set aside.
Once the chicken is completely cooked, shred it with a fork.
Remove about ¼ of a cup of the chicken broth from the sauce pan and add it to the cream cheese and stir until melted.
Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and also the sautéed vegetables.
Stirring quickly, add the cheese mixture back to the pot with chicken and vegetables.
Simmer an additional 15 minutes.
Serve in a bowl and top off with the shredded pepper jack cheese.

Kung Pao Chicken

4 servings with each:
1 leaner
1 ¼ green
3 condiments
½ healthy fat
½ optional snack

Ingredients:

2 ¼ lbs boneless - skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 inch pieces)
4 tsp almond flour
2 tsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp spring onions (chopped)
2 c diced red pepper
1 c of zucchini
3 garlic cloves (minced)
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp powdered ginger
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Splenda
1/3 c dry roasted peanuts

Directions:

Combine chicken and almond flour in a small bowl and toss to coat. Heat sesame oil in wok/deep pan over medium heat, add chicken and stir fry 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from wok. Add green onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and powdered ginger to the wok and stir fry for 15 seconds. Combine vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well and add the sauce to the wok. Return chicken to the wok and coat with sauce. Stir in roasted peanuts. Heat thoroughly. Top with additional spring onions.

Avocado & Chicken Caprese Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
1/8 Avocado, chopped
2 oz. Fresh mozzarella, chopped
4 oz. Chicken breasts, chopped (I used garlic salt & pepper-seasoned, sautéed chicken breasts)
Fresh torn basil
Walden farms Balsamic

Arrange ingredients as a salad.

1 lean
3 green
3 condiments
1 healthy fat

Dan's story:

95 lbs down and feeling great! I was 50 and not sure how I was going to make it to retirement because I felt so poorly. Aches and pains were slowing me down. Now I’m 51 and feel 30 and ready for the next challenge. Set your goals and then take the action necessary to get there!

One of the dishes we will be enjoying during the Superbowl today 😋

Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Dip

Ingredients:
4 ounces low fat cream cheese
1 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
¼ cup green enchilada sauce
7 ounce can diced green chilies
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 lb cooked chicken breast, shredded
½ cup part skim mozzarella
½ cup low fat Monterey jack cheese, divided
Directions:
1. In a large bowl whisk together the cream cheese, yogurt, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and spices.
2. Fold in the shredded chicken, mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of the monterey jack cheese.
3. Place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours.
4. Remove the dip from the slow cooker and put it in an oven safe dish.
5. Top with the remaining cheese and stick it under the broiler until the cheese is lightly browned.
6. Serve with vegetables

Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 1 protein, 1 healthy fat, ½ vegetable (will need 2 ½ more servings), 3 condiments

Slow cooker beef and kabocha stew

Ingredients:
29 oz raw Beef Stew Meat (4 Leans)
4 cups Kabocha Squash (8 Greens)
3 cups low sodium Beef Broth (3 Condiments)
1 cup Rao's Marinara Sauce (4 Greens)
1 tsp Garlic Powder (2 Condiments)
1 tsp Italian Seasoning (2 Condiments)
Salt and Pepper to taste, but don't forget to count them as Condiments!

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on Low for 7 hours or High for 4 to 5 hours.

4 Servings with 1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 1.75 Condiments per Serving

Holly's story:

"What have you got to lose?" was the question that made me stop, think & then act! The girl on the Left was struggling every morning just to bend over & tie her shoes. But I made the decision to do something about my health NOW! Today makes 1 YEAR since starting this journey!!! I've lost 80 lbs, 13 inches & 10 dress sizes!!!
But I've GAINED soooo much more!! I've gained knowledge on how to best take care of my body! I've learned that an unhealthy mind will lead to unhealthy decisions but it CAN be retrained to think healthy!! And I've transformed into a more confident, passionate individual who wants to see others be successful in their own health journeys!!
So, what have YOU got to lose??!!

Taco Bake

Ingredients:
Crust
8 tbsp or 1/2 cup reduced fat cream cheese, softened (8 Condiments)
1/4 cup egg beaters (0.125 Lean)
5 tbsp Fat free half and half (5 Condiments)
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning (.25 Condiment)
8 ounces low fat Mexican cheese blend, shredded (2 Lean)

Topping
24.37 ounces 93% fat free Jennie-O ground turkey, cooked (4.875 Lean)
4 teaspoons taco seasoning (2 Condiments)
1 cup tomato puree - tomatoes chopped then pureed to equal 1 cup (4 Greens)
4 ounces chopped green chilies (8 Condiments)
4 ounces Mexican cheese blend, shredded (1 Lean)

Directions:
For the crust, beat the cream cheese and eggs until smooth. Add the cream and seasoning. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish; spread the cheese over the bottom. Pour in the egg mixture as evenly as possible. Bake at 375ºF, 25-30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before adding the topping.
For the topping, brown the hamburger; drain fat. Stir in the seasoning, tomato sauce and chilies. Spread over the crust. Top with cheese. Reduce oven to 350ºF and bake another 20 minutes or so until hot and bubbly.

Serve with your favorite veggies! We like to top with lettuce and tomato.

8 servings with 1 Lean, 3 Condiments, and 1/2 Green per serving (You will need 2 1/2 more greens per serving)