Pork Chops with Apple & Green Beans

Eating healthy is not hard, or complicated. In fact--it's SUPER SIMPLE. This entire meal was ready in less than 15 min! Use thin cut pork chops for super fast cooking.

Ingredients

4 boneless pork loin chops (thin)

1/2 large onion, sliced

1 large apple, sliced

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup chicken stock or apple cider

Steam in the bag fresh green beans (optional)

Instructions

1. Salt and pepper pork chops and cook meat in a non stick skillet with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil until just cooked through--doesn't take long AT ALL for thin sliced chops!

2. Let meat rest on a plate, covered with foil for 10 minutes while you cook the apples and onions. Saute apples and onions until onions soften, about 3 minutes. Add dried herbs, garlic powder, and stock/cider. You will probably want to add a bit more salt and pepper as well. 

3. Bring to a boil and let cider reduce, about 2-3  minutes.

4. Add chops back to pan and turn to coat each side with cider sauce. Serve with steamed green beans, if you like! 

SOOO FAST!!!!

**All images on this blog are Pinnable to Pinterest! Just hover over the icon in the top right corner!! :) 

**********************************************************************************

Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Crockpot Chicken Taco Skillet

Here is one of my family's favorite EASY dinners!!! I serve it over brown rice but you can do tacos, burritos, burrito bowls or it's great just on it's own too! I always double it for leftovers :) 7 ingredients!!! #winning

Ingredients

1lb ground chicken
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 packet low sodium taco seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 cup (or more) shredded cheddar cheese
Cilantro (optional)

Instructions

1. Add diced vegetables and ground chicken to slow cooker with taco seasoning.

2. Cook on low for 4-5 hours, 2-3 hours on high.

3. When meat and vegetables are cooked, top with shredded cheddar cheese and cilantro and serve!

(adapted form Sweet C's)

**All images on this blog are Pinnable to Pinterest! Just hover over the icon in the top right corner!! :) 

**********************************************************************************

Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Crockpot Mongolian Beef

Healthy food can be fast food ! I just threw this into the crockpot - took me all of 10 minutes- in about 4-5 hours this delicious dinner will be served ! I usually cook some "steam in the bag" brown rice from Trader Joe's and some broccoli to serve with it. 

Definitely one of my fave crockpot meals! 

Adapted from The Recipe Critic

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds Flank Steak
• ¼ cups cornstarch
• 3 cloves teaspoons minced garlic
• ¾ cups low sodium soy sauce or Tamari cups 
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar (you can also use less sugar and add some honey)
• 1-2 cup grated carrots (i buy them in the little bag and throw in the whole bag)
• green onions, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cut flank steak into thin strips and add to crockpot along with the carrots. 

2. Whisk together cornstarch, garlic, soy sauce, and brown sugar/honey.

3. Pour soy mixture over meat and carrots. 

4. Cook on high 3-4 hours or LOW 5-6 hours until meat is super tender and sauce thickens. 

5. Serve over brown rice and to with green onions.

**All images on this blog are Pinnable to Pinterest! Just hover over the icon in the top right corner!! :) 

**********************************************************************************

Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Simple Weekend Meal Prep

Here's just a simple 30 minute meal prep you can do this weekend to make next week run smoothly!!!

 I'm not a HUGE food prepper, but I take about 30 minutes on Sundays to prep a little to make sure I had something healthy to grab all week! It makes all the difference !!

1. Pico de Gallo- on top of eggs, taco salad 

2. Shredded chicken off a rotisserie chicken, skin removed 

3. Egg Cups - soooo easy for breakfast or snack. Recipe HERE

4. Cut up/washed pineapple and strawberries - my favorite snack is fruit, cottage cheese and a drizzle of honey

This 30 minutes makes the week go so much more smoothly ... well, food wise anyway !!


**All images on this blog are Pinnable to Pinterest! Just hover over the icon in the top right corner!! :) 

**********************************************************************************
Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Orzo Soup - #yum!!!

The only answer to a cold, rainy day ?? SOUP! Sharing one of my favorite soup recipes from Damn Delicious today

 This was sooo yummy! I used chicken breast and random pasta vs orzo because it's all I had

From: Damn Delicious
http://damndelicious.net/2014/04/25/lemon-chicken-orzo-soup/


**All images on this blog are Pinnable to Pinterest! Just hover over the icon in the top right corner!! :) 

**********************************************************************************

Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Lunchtime Chicken Salad

Although I'd like to, I don't prep all of my meals ahead for the week. However, I do make sure my fridge is stocked with healthy, ready to eat small meals and snacks -- cut up fruit, cleaned/washed/cut veggies, hard boiled eggs....and this chicken salad!!

One rotisserie chicken makes about 5 hearty servings that will keep in the fridge for 5 days. You can store it in a big airtight container and dish it out when you want OR you can portion in out like in the pic above and have grab and go lunches all week long!!

Lunchtime Chicken Salad
Makes about 5 servings

Ingredients

1 rotiserrie chicken, skin removed, meat taken off and shredded/chopped
⅔ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt (i like the Fage brand)
½ cup celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1-2 scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste 

For Serving

- Chopped lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes
- Whole wheat pitas (cut in half)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until combined well. 

2. To serve, scoop 1/2 cup of the chicken salad until a pita pocket, add lettuce and tomatoes and lunch is served!



Friend me on Facebook HERE


Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

Have you ever tried overnight oats?? They are the bomb.com...and I will admit, I am not even a huge oatmeal fan!! 2 minutes of prep before you go to bed and breakfast is served in the morning! Quick and easy!

There are tons of variations but since I love peanut butter...

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

Ingredients

- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 rolled/old fashioned or steel cut oats (not the quick cooking kind)
- Banana, strawberries or berries for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar.
2. Cover bowl/jar tightly and refrigerate overnight (or 4-6 hours if you're in a hurry!)
3. Stir and top with fresh fruit, if you like! ENJOY!!


**You can also heat the oats for about 30 seconds in the microwave if you want a hot breakfast





Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Easy Egg Cups

Here's an idea for a healthy breakfast or snack... whip up a batch whenever you want--they keep up to 5 days in the fridge! It's SO EASY and you can add whatever ingredients you like!

Egg Cups (makes 12)

Ingredients:

7 large eggs
1/4 cup of milk
Salt/pepper
Whatever "fillings" you like--red pepper, Canadian bacon, onion, tomatoes..cheese, etc.

Instructions:

1. Mix together eggs, milk, salt/pepper.
2. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray and fill half full.
3. Drop in a small handful of whatever chopped fillers you want (peppers, chopped tomatoes, chopped ham, etc), top with cheese and bake about 20 min on 375 or until set!!

** They keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days. Heat them up in the microwave for about 20 seconds and ENJOY!! :)

Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

3 Ingredient Protein Pancakes

Pancakes that are loaded with protein, that are low carb, easy and will fill you up for hours?? YES PLEASE!!!!

It doesn't get much easier than this, and I am telling you, these pancakes FILL YOU UP!!! The above picture shows ONE serving! Drizzle with a little honey or pure maple syrup and have some fruit on the side and you are setting yourself up for success all day long! Try it!!

Ingredients
(makes one serving but you can easily double, triple, etc!)

1 ripe banana (the riper the better!)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste)
Pinch of salt (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash banana well (i use a potato masher).

2. Add in eggs and and whisk together until a thin batter forms (it OK if there are a few lumps).

3. Spray a non stick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and cook pancakes until golden brown (about 2 minutes or less per side).

Cheers to a healthy breakfast!!



Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Simple Noodle Pasta

Who wants a SUPER EASY meal that you can make in 10 minutes and only has three ingredients...AND...is HEALTHY??!! ME! It doesn't get much easier than this!!!

Ingredients
(makes one serving but you can easily double, triple, etc!)

1 spiralized zucchini
3/4 cup chicken apple sausage (i just used one link)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of your favorite marinara sauce (my FAVE is Gina Rispoli)
Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions
1. Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a non stick pan. Add sausage and cook until in has a little color (about 2-3 minutes).

2. Add zucchini noodles and marinara sauce, toss until noodles are coated with the sauce. Cook about 2-3 minutes until everything is heated through but the zucchini is NOT mushy!

3. Remove from heat and top with Parm and red pepper flakes if you like! DONE!


Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

4 Ingredient Zucchini Noodles

If you follow me on Facebook, you might know I recently got a spirializer....and I am kinda of obsessed!! I've had it for a week and so far, I have made three DELICIOUS, super simple meals! So far, this one has been my fave--and it only took NINE minutes from start to finish...including snapping these pics! Who can argue with a healthy NINE minute meal?? #winning!!

Here are your FOUR ingredients ~

- 1 Spiralized Zucchini
- 1 tablespoon store bought pesto (mine is from Trader Joes)
- 1 cup cherry 1omatoes
- Parmesan Cheese

Directions

1. In a a non stick skillet, throw in the cherry tomatoes and pesto and cook until heated through and until the tomatoes cook just a bit (about 1-2 minutes).

2. Add in zucchini and toss to coat with the pesto (add more pesto if you like). Cook about 2-3 minutes until zucchini is heated through, but NOT mushy (no one likes mushy zucchini!).

3. Turn off the heat, stir in Parmesan cheese. Top with red pepper flakes if you like,  pour yourself a glass of wine and ENJOY!!




Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

7 Day Free Clean Eating Meal Plan

Want to eat healthier, feel better and get on your way to a happier, healthier lifestyle?? Buuuutttt,,,,don't know where to start?? How about right here!

You can download my FREE 7 Day Clean Eating Meal Plan that will help jump start you into a lifetime of healthy habits!

DOWNLOAD THE MEAL PLAN HERE

If you have any health and fitness goals, I'd love to hear them! I run MONTHLY virtual health and fitness challenge groups that focus on:

- Clean eating & portion control
- Simple 30 minute workouts
- Superfoods to fuel your body
- Support, encouragement and motivation
- ME as your personal coach and cheerleader

Contact me at: cheerfully_fit_mama@gmail.com

I'd love to hear from you!!

*************************************************************************

Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Crockpot Sicilian Style Stew

This surprisingly easy Martha Stewart recipe is the BOMB! Such a great alternative (with a little twist!) to traditional stew!

3 lbs stew meat or beef chuck (I used tri tip!!), cut into chunks
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup red wine
1 28oz can whole tomatoes
1 bulb fennel, sliced
1 large sprig rosemary
2 large strips of orange zest
1 cup pitted green olives, sliced
Olive oil for browning meat

1. Season meat with salt and pepper and brown in a large non stick skillet and about 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. Transfer to crockpot.
2. Add wine to pan and scrap off any brown bits; transfer to crockpot. 
3. To crockpot, add onions, fennel, tomatoes, rosemary and orange zest.
4. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or HIGH 4-5 hours until meat is super tender. Remove rosemary sprig and orange zest.
5. Stir in olives and serve with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, polenta ..and it's fine just on it's own too!!!

**adapted from Martha Stewart


Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Crockpot Turkey Lasagna Soup

It doesn't get much easier or delicious than this! It's like having lasagna without the hour of prep work and cooking! And guess what? It's pretty darn healthy, too!!

Turkey Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey (or ground beef)
1 (24 ounce) jar of your favorite tomato basil marinara, Rao’s is awesome!
4 cups chicken stock, low​ sodium (more or less depending on consistency desired)
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
1∕2 teaspoon dried oregano
8 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces (whole wheat noodles are best(
1 cup (part skim) mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, reduced fat
Fresh basil for serving, optional  

Instructions:
1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground turkey, breaking up with a fork.
2. Add  turkey to slow cooker, along with marinara, chicken broth, parsley sprigs, salt, and  pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 4-​­6 hours.
3. The last 30 minutes of cooking time, add broken lasagna noodles, mozzarella. and  basil.
4. Check noodles to make sure they are tender, but not mushy.
5. Serve in bowls with a dollop of ricotta cheese and garnish with fresh basil

ENJOY!!


Friend me on Facebook HERE

Like my Facebook page HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

"Fall" Crockpot Chili Recipe

This chili is a HIT every single time I make it...can you guess the Secret Ingredient??!! Perfect for fall and football watching!!!!

21 Day Fix Crockpot Fall Chili

** Serves 6+; this recipe can be made vegetarian--just omit the turkey

21 Day Fix~ 1 ½ cups = 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green, 1 blue (if you use cheese)

1 lb lean ground turkey (93% lean or more)

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves minced garlic

1 green pepper, diced

1 15 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes, low sodium

1 28oz can of low sodium crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz. can chili beans

1 15 oz. can kidney beans

1 15 oz. can black beans

1 cup frozen corn

1 15 oz. can puréed pumpkin (not pie filling)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tablespoon cumin

Salt to taste (don’t add salt until the very end...you may not even need any!)

Shredded cheese and scallions (optional)

1. In a large pan, brown ground turkey, breaking up meat as it cooks.
2. When the meat is cooked, place everything in crockpot and stir to combine.
3. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-7 hrs.
4. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and scallions (optional).

21 Day Fix Approved ~ Crockpot Pork with Apples

Fall was in the air here yesterday, so I busted out the crockpot in the morning and dinner was waiting for me when I got home!

5 Ingredients! Simple! And it made my whole house smells like fall! I will also add diced sweet potatoes when I make it again😍

It'Honey Pork and Apples

Ingredients:
1 (3­-4 lb) pork tenderloin
2 large granny smith apples, sliced
1⁄2 cup honey
1 tablespoon cinnamon (to taste)
1⁄2 cup of water or chicken stock (to prevent it from drying out)

Instructions:
1. Slice small slits in pork tenderloin. Place 1­-2 apple slices per slit. Season pork with salt and pepper.
2. Place 3⁄4 of remaining apple slices in bottom of crockpot.
3. Drizzle 1⁄2 of the honey over apple slices.
4. Place pork on top of apple slices.
5. Sprinkle cinnamon over everything.
6. Place remaining apple slices on top and drizzle the remaining honey over
everything.
7. Place lid on and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until pork is tender is falls apart easily.
8. Remove from slow cooker, slice and serve with apples on top.

#mindblown Faux Fried Rice

When is the last time you had an experience that you walked away thinking "Mind Blown!" Mine happened last year when I learned how to use the AirDrop feature on my iPhone- #mindblown! That was until last week, though....when I decided to "put myself out there" as they say on The Bachelor. I "put myself out there" and tried RICED CAULIFLOWER in place of rice!!!

Make no mistake--I am not a cauliflower fan. Nor am I really a fan of using "faux things" to replace "real things"  in food. Hopefully you know what I mean (think Tofurkey). However, a saw a recipe for this "faux fried rice" and I thought what the heck! It's all about getting out the comfort zone, people!

WOW WOW WOW!!! Hands down, best fried "rice" I have ever made with a lot more fiber and a lot less carbs than typical fried rice!!! Here is the kicker--I am not going to rice my own cauliflower, people. It's possible in a food processor or ricer but Mama ain't got no time for that. Trader Joes (and I am guessing other places, too!) sell frozen riced cauliflower! BUY IT. LOTS OF IT.

#mindblown Faux Fried Rice
4 tablespooon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder (or use grated, fresh)
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (OPTIONAL)
1 lb. protein, cooked (shrimp, chicken, whatever...OPTIONAL)
1 small onion, diced
1 cup carrots (i used the shredded carrots in the bag)**
1/2 cup frozen peas**
2 cups riced cauliflower, typically it's frozen when you buy it (if you use the TJ kind, use one bag)
3-4 scallions, diced for garnish
**you can use ANY veggies you have on hand! 

1. In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger powder and chili garlic sauce (optional); set aside.
2. In a large skillet heat 1 teaspoon oil plus 1 tablespoon of water until hot (the water helps cook the veggies and reduces the amount of oil you have to use- #mindblown).
3. Add onion and cook until soft. Add carrot/peas/other veggies and cook a minute or so.
4. Add in frozen riced cauliflower and cook until heated through.
5. Add soy mixture and protein (if using) and stir to combine.
6. Stir in scallions and serve hot!!!

OMG. #mindblown Seriously--I'd never know I just ate cauliflower. So delish!!!


Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE

Simple, Crockpot Mongolian Beef

Ok you guys HAVE to try this recipe! I made it and it was such a hit at our house!!! I suggest doubling it because we had zero leftovers!

If you are concerned about the sugar content, you can substitute Stevia or honey--just start with a small amount and taste the "sauce" until it's sweet enough for your liking.

Crockpot Mongolian Beef
Serves 2-4

1 1/2 lbs flank steak, cut into large strips
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, ,minced
3/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
3/4 water
3/4 brown sugar
1 cup shredded carrots (i used the kind in the bag)
3-4 scallions for garnish

1. Toss steak slices in cornstarch. Discard extra cornstarch and place meat into the crockpot.
2. Whisk together ginger, garlic, soy sauce, water and brown sugar; pour sauce over meat.
3. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW 5-6 hours until meat is tender and sauce has thickened. (If the sauce needs to be thicker, take a little of the sauce and mix in a little more cornstarch--then add back into the crockpot. It will thicken quickly).
4. A few minutes before you are ready to serve, stir in carrots ( i like to add them late in the cooking process so they don't get soggy)
4. Serve over brown rice and garnish with scallions!

ENJOY!!!


Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE

Clean Eating Crockpot Challenge!!!

 Happy Friday, friends!!! I wanted to let you all know about a great Facebook event I am running next week!! A **FREE** 5 day Crockpot Challenge Group!! What is the world is a Crockpot Challenge Group, you ask??! Here's what it's all about ~

Who wants to cook in the midst of all the holiday craziness??! Not me! Let's get out our crockpots and make them work for us during this hectic time so we can get a delicious, HEALTHY meal on the table every night ..with minimal effort :)

Here's what you'll get:

- 5 Clean Eating Crock-Pot recipes (one for each day of the week...with leftovers!)

- A grocery list to keep shopping SIMPLE.

- You'll be meeting other like-minded ladies and will be supporting each other through the week.

- You'll have me as your FREE coach!

I will provide the menu and the motivation. YOU check into the group everyday and give your family a healthy meal!! If you participated in my last crockpot group, we had so much fun, didn't we??!! This time around we'll have ALL-NEW recipes to add to your collection! The group will officially start Monday 12/14. The shopping list will be released on Friday 12/11 (that's TODAY!).

This is a perfect way to kick start the holiday season HEALTHY! Who wants in??! We will have to be Facebook friends for me to add you, so feel free to send me a friend request: Casey Shanks Rooney. Or comment below! Our last group was a hit...you can check out some of the recipes from the last group HERE.


Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE

Pesto Chicken ~ 21 Day Fix Approved!

I recently purchased the 21 Day Fix cookbook, Fixate and I am loving it! There are so many great ideas for healthy meals, snacks and drinks--101 to be exact! I have been working through each recipe one at at time!

One of my favorite is this super simple Caprace Pesto Chicken!

Basically 5 ingredients and if you wanted add add arugula or mixed greens to it, that's 6 :) Super easy, super simple, super healthy!

Pesto Chicken
Serves 2

2 bonesless, skinless chicken breasts (i like to pound mine out thin, so they cook faster)
1 large tomato, sliced
2 tablespoons store bought pesto sauce (look for one with the FEWEST ingredients possible!)
4 slices fresh mozzarella
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt/pepper to taste

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet and cook chicken 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through.
3. Place chicken on a plate and top each piece with 2 slices of tomato, 1 tablespoon pesto
and 2 slices of fresh mozzarella.
**at this point, you can put the chicken on a cookie sheet and place it under the broiler for a minute or two so the cheese will melt, but it's not necessary.

21 Day Fix Containers (per serving): 1/2 green, 1 red, 1 blue, 1 teaspoon

We had this chicken with a side arugula dressed with lemon juice and a glass of wine. I was FULL afterwards let me tell you! So yummy!

If you want more healthy, 21 Day Fix approved recipes, you can follow my board on Pinterest HERE.


Don't forget to follow A Little Bit of Cheer on Facebook HERE

Follow me on Instagram HERE

Follow any of my boards on Pinterest HERE 

Follow me on Bloglovin' HERE  

See where I link up HERE