Pepper Ranch Roast (Crockpot Recipe!) & Homemade Ranch Mix!

So tonight's clean eats dinner recipe is a tasty yet clean twist on a classic dish: roast beef! In keeping with the recent theme, this is also a slow cooker recipe. The great thing about that is that you can get away with using a leaner cut of roast, and it'll still come out juicy and tender due to the slow cooking! Ready for the recipe deets guys?

Recipe:
Pepper Ranch Roast (Serves 2)

8 Ounces lean beef roast (eye of round, bottom round, top round, etc.)
1/4 Teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon ranch mix
1/2 Cup diced pepperoncinis
1/4 Cup pepperoncini juice
2 Cups beef broth (be careful--- make sure it's just beef broth/beef stock--- they like to sneak "caramel coloring" in there on this one!)
2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 Cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Sprinkle roast with salt. Over high heat, sear roast on all sides on a lightly oiled pan. Remove from heat, and place in the crockpot. Add in the pepperoncinis, along with their juice. Cook on low for 4 hours. Remove the roast, and set aside. Pour the remaining juice into a pot over the stove. Add in the beef broth, along with the whole wheat flour, and bring the mixture to a boil while whisking. Once the mixture becomes thick, reduce the heat to low, and stir in the yogurt. Simmer for several additional minutes. Lastly, pour the broth into a blender and blend thoroughly (you could also use an immersion blender). Spoon the sauce over the roast just before serving. I served this roast with lemon-parsley roasted baby potatoes for that full "homestyle meal" effect. It came out absolutely delicious!

Recipe:
Homemade Ranch Mix

3/4 Cup dried parsley
2 Tablespoons pepper
1/4 Cup garlic salt
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
1/3 Cup onion powder
1/2 Cup dill weed

Combine all seasonings evenly. This mix can be used as a substitution in any recipe calling for ranch mix. Store remaining ranch mix in a mason jar to be used later!

Please note: I made this recipe for 2 people. I had to go to the butcher counter to get a small enough cut of roast. They looked at me like I was freaking insane--- as if people only buy, cook, and eat 5 lb roasts! My suggestion is to go to the butcher counter to get the amount you need (roughly 4-6 ounces per person), as opposed to buying a crazy large roast. Face it--- with all of that roast staring at you, you WILL be tempted to eat more of it. My personal opinion is save yourself some money, cut some calories out while you're at it, and just buy and cook what you plan to eat. If, however, you have a large family or you're cooking for guests, and you do plan to cook a larger roast--- please note that you'll need to adjust the cooking time in the crockpot!

This recipe was a huge hit--- especially with my carnivore husband! He said that the roast was so tender, it was practically falling off his fork! If you're in need of a healthy, clean, and delicious roast recipe--- this is it guys! Yum!

We also got in our workouts today. We opted for P90X3 MMX. I have to say--- this might just be, along with The Challenge, one of my favorite P90X3 workouts! Its tons of fun, and it'll be great for when I really need to get out some aggression--- you know, when I just want to kick or punch something! Hehehehe. Of course, I got in my usual run--- y'all know I can't skip that!

Fresh Cranberry Sauce (Crockpot Recipe!) with Pan Seared Turkey and Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes

Tonight's dinner recipe is a clean twist on the oh-so-classic Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, cranberry sauce, and sweet potatoes. Only this meal gets its deliciousness from fresh ingredients and unique flavors. No need for butter-slathered turkey, brown sugar-coated sweet potatoes, or that gelatinous gunk known as gravy here! 

Recipe:
Cranberry Sauce (Crockpot!)

1 12 Ounce bag of fresh cranberries
1/2 Cup of apple juice (no sugar added!)
1/2 Cup maple syrup
1 Large cinnamon stick

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker, and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring regularly. Spoon over turkey breast (or whatever else you'd like!) to serve. 

Pan-Seared Turkey (Serves 2)

2 Turkey breast cutlets (about 4 ounces each)
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 Teaspoon rosemary
1/2 Teaspoon thyme
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
1/4 Teaspoon salt

In a bowl, combine all of the seasonings. Sprinkle the seasonings over each side of the turkey breasts. Sear each side of the turkey breast on a VERY hot lightly oiled pan. Sear for 2-3 minutes on each side. The turkey will be done when it's no longer pink in the middle.

Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes (Serves 2)

2 Sweet potatoes, cubed (you can peel them if you'd like, but I personally like the skin)
Cinnamon
Truvia/Stevia

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, sprinkle sweet potato cubes liberally with cinnamon and stevia. I don't bother measuring--- just make sure they are good and coated! Place the coated sweet potato cubes on a foiled baking sheet, then bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes util tender. 

Enjoy guys!

I got some awesome swagmail today, so I'll be reviewing that in the next few days, and I'll be sharing the details with you! Excited? I know I am! No run today--- it's a blizzard here! But I lifted this morning and I did some agility training. What about you guys out there? Are you killing your workouts? Or are you losing your motivation? Let me know!

Cajun Shrimp Stew (Crockpot Recipe!)

I had (just about) the perfect afternoon. I spent a relaxing afternoon at the spa, and afterwards I felt so refreshed that I hit up the gym. I got in an AMAZING run on the treadmill, then I came home to get in another workout. I'm feeling great!

So tonight's clean eats dinner recipe is another cajun dish; this one, however, utilizes a slow cooker. If you recall, of course, I got several requests for slow cooker recipes, so this is one of the dishes I dreamed up--- cajun shrimp stew!

Recipe:
Cajun Shrimp Stew (Serves 2)

8 Ounces shrimp
1/2 Red onion, roughly sliced
1 Garlic clove, chopped
1 Celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 Bell pepper (red or green), coarsely chopped
1 Large tomato (or 2 small tomatoes), coarsely chopped
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 Teaspoon cumin

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except the shrimp. Cook on high for 3 hours. Add in the shrimp, and continue to cook on high for an 30 additional minutes. Serve the cajun shrimp stew over brown rice, whole wheat pasta, or over spaghetti squash or with vegetables for low carb options. I served mine over corn grits cakes (I just whipped up some corn grits, then baked them in a ramekin for 10 minutes in the oven--- they came out nice and crispy!). Delicious!

I hope you guys enjoy!

Cajun Seared Salmon

Tonight's dinner recipe incorporates one of my favorite sources of protein: salmon. Salmon is delicious, filled with body-fueling goodies such as iron, selenium, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and more! Not to mention that salmon is a great source of essential omega-3 fatty acids--- you know, those healthy fats our body needs that have been linked to lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol, promoting heart health as a whole, as well as reducing the risk of diabetes, osteoporosis, and arthritis. Oh, and it's yummy to boot! Score, right?! Now, into the recipe guys!

Recipe:
Cajun Seared Salmon (Serves 2)

2 Salmon Fillets (Roughly 8 ounces)
1/3 Cup onion, chopped
1/3 Cup sweet peppers, chopped
1 Cup tomatoes, chopped
1 Garlic clove, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon cajun seasoning
Additional cajun seasoning to taste

In a lightly oiled pan over the stove, cook the onions, peppers, and garlic over high heat until tender. Add in the tomatoes and cajun seasoning, and continue to cook until the tomatoes are soft. Meanwhile, sprinkle the salmon fillets with additional cajun seasoning as desired (I like mine basically coated with cajun seasoning!). In a separate lightly oiled (and very hot) pan, sear the salmon fillets briefly on both sides. Remove the salmon fillets from the pan, and place the salmon fillets in the cajun sauce. Cover the pan, and allow the fish to cook over low heat. After about 10 minutes, the salmon should become flakey. Serve the salmon with the cajun sauce. This would be great served over a bit of quinoa, brown rice, or whole wheat pasta! Yum!

I used SparkPeople's recipe calculator to calculate this recipe's nutritional info!

I personally didn't add any carbs to my dish; I enjoyed it as is--- no carbs needed! I'm pretty carb-sensitive, so I almost always opt for low carb options. But this dish was super tasty, and the salmon came out perfect--- crispy seared on the outside, flakey moist on the inside. And the cajun sauce? The perfect match! I hope you guys enjoy this recipe!

I had physical therapy this afternoon--- more heat and ultrasound treatments! I've got another appointment tomorrow morning too. But you know this girl, and nothing stops me! I had a blast with some hurricane training outdoors (yup, in the 20 degree weather!) today. I absolutely love hurricane training, and its, hands down, one of my favorite workouts I've come up with over the years. I also hit the weights, and worked out my chest and triceps today! I'm feeling awesome--- how about all of you guys out there?

I'm Taking Recipe Requests!

Alright guys, I know what I love to eat, but I want to know what YOU love to eat too! I don't run this blog just for myself; I do it for all of you guys out there, and I want to make sure I'm providing you with clean recipes for foods you actually WANT to eat! You know, food that you look forward to--- that doesn't make you feel deprived just because you're eating "health food."  So I'm taking requests for recipes... Yup, that's right, I want to hear what recipes YOU want! You can suggest a dish you'd like to see a healthier version of (no promises though, guys... I'm a clean eats wizard, but not even I can make deep fried ice cream healthy!), you can name an ingredient you'd like to see used in a recipe, or you can make whatever other suggestions you see fit!

Some recipe inquiries I've gotten thus far include:

- Crock Pot Recipes
- Kid Friendly Recipes (I'm not gonna lie--- this will be a doozy for me! As someone who is CFBC, I don't know what kids will/won't eat! I might have to round up my niece and nephews as taste testers for this one, methinks!)
- More Desserts

So, come on guys, let's hear it--- what meals would you like to see on Muddy Melissa's menu? I'm looking forward to hearing what you guys cook up for me to cook up!

Tailgating Recipe: Cauliflower Crust Chicken Tomato-Pesto Pizza!

So, after being challenged to create a healthy version of a tailgating recipe, with much deliberation, I finally decided to health-ify an old classic (and one of Steve's weaknesses): pizza! Of course, on game day, everyone loves to pick up the phone and dial for pizza delivery. But wait--- those pizzas are loaded with calories, fat, and carbs! Just because it's football time, doesn't mean you need to blow your diet entirely. So here's a healthy version of an old classic: cauliflower crust chicken tomato-pesto pizza!

Deliciously healthy twist on an old classic!

Sheesh, I can hear you guys from all the way over here! "Cauliflower crust?! What the heck?!" Simmer down guys, simmer down. Stay with me on this one, folks. Cauliflower is a superb cooking base, because it has such a mild flavor--- very neutral. That mild flavor lets it be melded into almost any dish seamlessly... be it mock alfredo sauce, low carb bread, scrambled tofu, and (in this case!) even pizza crust. So, just trust me on the deliciousness of this, and give this recipe a try! It'll be worth it!

Recipe:
Cauliflower Crust Chicken Tomato-Pesto Pizza (Makes 1 Pizza with 8 Slices; Serves 4 with 2 Slices Each)

Crust:
1 Head of cauliflower, chopped
3/4 Cup whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning (a mix of basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram--- in case you don't have this in your cupboard!)
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon pepper
3 Egg whites

Toppings:
1/2 Cup tomato paste (tomato should be the only ingredient!)
1 1/2 Tablespoons roasted garlic vinegar
2 Packets Truvia/Stevia
1 Bunch fresh basil (retain 2 or so leaves for garnishing)
1/2 Teaspoon oregano
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 Teaspoon onion powder
1/2 Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 Ounces finely chopped chicken
1 Teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 Garlic clove, chopped
1 Large heirloom tomato, sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, process the cauliflower (raw) until the cauliflower has a rice-like texture. Mix in the whole wheat flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined. Lastly, add the egg whites until the mixture forms a dough-like consistency.

Place foil on a baking sheet (or a pizza pan if you have one), and grease the foil lightly. Place the cauliflower dough in the middle of the foil, and press outwards to form a flat, round pizza crust about 1/4 inch thick. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the crust becomes golden-brown, ensuring that the middle of the crust is thoroughly cooked as well.

In the meantime, coat the chicken in the Italian seasoning and chopped garlic, then cook on a lightly greased pan over high heat until the chicken is no longer pink. In a food processor, mix together the tomato paste, roasted garlic vinegar, stevia, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and basil (retain 2 leaves or so of the basil to garnish the pizza). Mix together to form a delicious pizza sauce.

Steve taste- testing the pizza sauce! He said "that blows Little Caesar's out of the water!" I guess that's a compliment!

Once the cauliflower crust is removed from the oven, spread the pizza sauce in a thin layer over the crust, except for the outer rim of the crust (for me, this pizza sauce was the perfect amount to coat the pizza). Then, arrange the heirloom tomato slices on top of the pizza sauce. Next, sprinkle the seasoned chicken over the pizza as well. Lastly, chop the remaining basil leaves, and sprinkle the basil over the pizza as garnish.

Return the pizza to the oven, and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and wait 5-10 minutes for the pizza to cool slightly, then use a pizza slicer to cut the pizza into 8 slices. Enjoy!

See guys? No need to throw your diet out the window just to indulge in some pizza! This recipe gives you a healthy alternative--- that you won't feel guilty about! And, of course, you can add almost any toppings you desire: mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, shrimp, seasoned ground turkey--- just about anything you'd like! Of course, I'd avoid the boatload of cheese, just to keep this healthy--- but any veggies, lean protein, etc. would be great on this! Yummy! Enjoy this one guys! I know I did!

Oh my goodness... so tasty!

Physical Therapy Update, P90X3 The Challenge, and Turkey Taco Battleships!

Physical therapy was so-so today. I received more heat and ultrasound treatments. I also spent some time with my physical therapist doing exercises in the gym. I almost laughed my ass off when he lead me to a squat machine set at 100 lbs though! They still aren't quite sure what is causing my hip pain, although I made it clear that my hip pain seems to be worsening with rest--- not improving! I told them that I feel like my body is so used to being run into the ground with activity, that the moment I'm not doing that it starts acting up terribly! Anyway, he's thinking that there might be some hip bursitis going on, in addition to the muscular inflammation in that area. We'll see how it goes... I just want to get back to full functionality... like NOW please!

Steve and I did P90X3 The Challenge tonight. This is one of my absolute favorite workouts from P90X3, so its one I really didn't want to miss! Plus, I figured that, since its entirely comprised of push ups and pull ups, it wouldn't aggravate my hip injury at all. Well--- not so much! The push ups did indeed bother my hip, probably due to the need for balance, while partially supporting myself on my feet. But I trudged on, and I finished the workout nonetheless! Nothing stops this girl... even when maybe it should (did I just admit that?!).

So--- tonight's clean eats dinner recipe? It's a fun one! Turkey Taco Zucchini Battleships! Using packets of taco seasoning is anything but clean, and seasoning on your own instead is a much healthier alternative. On top of it, this is a great low carb option for those who are watching their carbs. Me, personally--- I always try to sub lettuce wraps or something along those lines whenever I can! And zucchini battleships? Well that's just plain fun! I don't have kids, but I have a feeling kids would love to nosh on some taco battleships, am I right? Read on for the recipe details!

Clean, yummy, and FUN!

Recipe:
Turkey Taco Zucchini Battleships (Serves 2; Makes 4 turkey taco zucchini battleships--- and its low carb!)

2 Medium zucchinis
8 Ounces 99% fat free ground turkey
1/4 Cup salsa (make sure it's clean--- I used a homemade peach mango salsa!)
1/4 Cup chopped red onion
1/4 Cup chopped sweet peppers (bell peppers are fine!)
1/2 Teaspoon cumin
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon paprika
1/4 Teaspoon oregano
2 Tablespoons tomato paste (tomato should be the only ingredient!)
4 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slice the zucchinis longways. Using a spoon, hollow out the zucchini halves. The easiest way to do this is to trace along the outline of the seeds, and use the spoon to scoop out the innards--- leaving a zucchini shell behind. Chop and set aside 1/4 cup of the zucchini innards. 

In a lightly greased skillet, brown the ground turkey along with the cumin, salt, paprika, and oregano. Add in the zucchini, onion, sweet peppers, tomato paste, and water then sauté until slightly tender. Finally, add in the salsa just before removing the turkey taco mixture from heat. Meanwhile, drop the zucchini halves in the pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Drain immediately.

Fill the zucchini halves with the turkey taco mixture. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top before placing the filled zucchini halves on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with plain nonfat Greek yogurt in lieu of sour cream, some additional (again, a clean variety please!) salsa, or even some homemade guacamole! Enjoy!

Steve loved this recipe, and he said it was super filling! I chose not to serve it with a side, just because it was served in a zucchini battleship. Steve had this look of "oh my gosh, I get to eat this, and its healthy?!" on his face whenever I served it. It was definitely a hit in my household, and I will be making this regularly from now on!

I get to eat THIS?!

Protein-Packed Fresh Fruit Yogurt!

In case you guys didn't know already, I have a little secret to divulge to you all... I don't actually eat breakfast in the mornings! Gah--- I know, I know, you're saying "but, Melissa, you post all these deliciously clean breakfast recipes and surely you can't be skipping the most important meal of the day?!" Well, truth be told, I'm not a morning person by any means, and I just do NOT feel like cooking as soon as I wake up. So, what I typically do, is I will munch on a Quest bar (one from the all natural line) for breakfast before I get my first workout of the day in. And those breakfast recipes? Well, they're usually my lunch for that day! So while normal people may eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner... me, I eat quick breakfast, real breakfast, and dinner (plus my pre/post workout shakes and a nighttime casein shake, with maybe a snack). Whatever--- it works for me!

So I do, in fact, recognize that a lot of you out there don't have the time every morning to create these clean eats concoctions I come up with! Which is okay! That's why today's recipe is something that you can literally whip up in a jiffy, with minimal ingredients and virtually no prep! Plus... it's clean and tasty to boot! So what is it? Protein-packed fresh fruit yogurt!

Protein, fruit, dairy, and YUMMY in a bowl... enjoy!

Recipe:
Protein-Packed Fresh Fruit Yogurt (serves 1)

1 Scoop vanilla whey protein powder (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition's whey protein in Birthday Cake)
3/4 Cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (I like Stonyfield, Chobani, or Fage)
1 Cup frozen fruit (I used raspberries for this one!)
1/4 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2-3 Packets of Truvia/Stevia to taste

Ready for this super-difficult recipe's instructions? Put everything in a blender. Blend. The end! Yeowza, you're gonna work up such a sweat making this--- you might as well skip your cardio for the day!

As I said, I love this recipe because it's so simple to make. But also--- people can be easily deceived by the "fruit-flavored" yogurt options at the store. I say "fruit-flavored" because most actually contain very little fruit in them! On top of it, the majority are not clean, and they're filled with some pretty nasty additives. Why resort to that when you can whip up your own so easily? And, in the process, get servings of fruit and protein that your body can benefit so greatly from? This is the perfect quick, easy, clean breakfast for those of you who are on the go, or who just don't like to cook in the mornings. Pair it with some healthy clean carbs by mixing in some granola or oats or serving it with a whole grain English muffin or toast. Yum!

Okay guys... I'm off to physical therapy again this afternoon! Keep your fingers crossed for me... I am sick of being sidelined!

Chicken Fajita Soup... Quick & Clean!

Tonight's clean eats dinner recipe is super simple. All you have to do is throw the ingredients in a slow cooker, then let it simmer on high all day! Its great for when you have a busy day planned, and you just want an easy meal ready for you! Let's hear what's inside this yummy clean eats dish...

Low carb & high protein to boot! Yum!

Recipe:
Chicken Fajita Soup (Serves 2--- and it's low carb!)

8 Ounces cubed chicken breast
3/4 Cup cubed zucchini
3/4 Cup cubed yellow squash
1 Roughly chopped whole tomato
1/4 Cup diced green chiles
1/2 Cup strips of sweet pepper (bell peppers are fine)
1/2 Cup diced red onion
1 Chopped garlic clove
1/4 Teaspoon cumin
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
1/4 Teaspoon oregano
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 Cups fat free low sodium chicken broth (the only ingredient should be chicken broth or chicken stock!)

Place all of the ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on high for at least 4 hours. Serve!

Chicken Fajita Soup... So easy to prep!

See? So easy, so clean, and so yum! Who says eating clean needs to be bland, or that cooking clean needs to be bothersome?! I hope you guys enjoy this quick and clean recipe!