The Crispiest, Cheesiest Air Fried Broccoli

This week a have a very cheesy broccoli recipe for you! You can use it as a side to a meal or make it as a fun snack.

Before we jump into that crispy goodness, I wanted to see if any of you have been experiencing some not so great symptoms from your added vegetables? Have you been experiencing more gas, bloating, or constipation since increasing your vegetable consumption these last few weeks?

Paying attention to your digestive symptoms gives you important clues 👀into your metabolism and how your body responds to certain foods. Once I notice a symptom hanging around for 3 days or more, I start to get curious and not brush those off. If you've noticed changes in your digestive system, listen up.

There is no doubt that vegetables are full of nutrients that your body needs. However, we all know too much of anything is not a good thing.

For example, I have been encouraging everyone in this Healthy & Beyond Community to aim for 5-7 serving of vegetables per day. This is a great goal to have and will benefit your body long term, although I want to mention how to actually implement this goal without negative digestive symptoms occurring.

🌟You should slowly add 1-2 servings of vegetables in per day every 1-2 weeks until you are up to 5-7 servings total per day to allow your body to adjust. An increase in fiber and certain vegetable properties, especially in cruciferous vegetables can have your body in major digestive stress!

Cruciferous vegetables contain raffinose, a sugar that remains undigested until your gut bacteria help out. Those vegetables include: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, arugula, and cabbages.

Here are a few ways to continue eating vegetables and reduce those unwanted digestive symptoms:

• Cook your vegetables instead of eating them raw because it breaks down their fiber and kills some of their gas producing properties.

• Take a digestive enzyme supplement. Our stomachs contain a variety of enzymes that help digest our food. When our gut health is out of wack our stomach environment may not have the appropriate amount of enzymes to digest our food.

• Include probiotics/naturally fermented foods into your regular diet.

Click the button at the bottom of this email if you have more questions about any of the previous information I shared!

Now let's jump into this broccoli recipe😋

Crispy Cheesy Air Fried Broccoli
Prep time: 15 minutes and Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Makes 4 servings
Nutrition info for 1 serving: 77 Calories, 5g P, 3g F, 7g C, 1g Fiber

Ingredients:

• 1 head of broccoli

• 1/4 cup cheese

• 1/4 cup gluten free bread crumbs

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Directions:

1. Wash and cut broccoli into bit sized florets.

2. Measure the rest of the ingredients.

3. Place egg in a bowl and whisk it.

4. Combine all dry ingredients(bread crumbs, seasonings, and cheese) in a separate bowl from the egg.

5. Get a baking sheet and cover with foil. Spray olive oil onto the foiled baking sheet.

6. Take broccoli floret to dip in egg then the dry ingredient bowl and finally place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat this until all broccoli is coated.

7. Once all the broccoli is coated, place baking sheet into the air fryer or standard oven. If using air fryer preheat to 325 degrees and cook for 15-20 minutes, until crispy. If using oven preheat to 400 degrees and cook for 15-20 minutes until crispy. Don’t be alarmed if steam leaves your air fryer or oven, that’s normal!

8. Remove from heat source and let cool 😎 enjoy this recipe as a snack or a side to your meal!

Meat Extenders Explained + Lentil Burger Recipe

I know everyone hates talking about money, but today I'm going to give you a tip to help you SAVE money!

Meat, poultry, protein in general is usually the most expensive part of your meal / grocery budget.

Don't worry, I am not going to tell you all that you need to become vegetarian!😆

I am going to tell you how to make your meat go further in your meals. I've mentioned this before in some of my content, but I'm going to share it again. Allow me to introduce to something called "meat extenders."

Meat extenders are other food sources that can be prepared with your meat to help increase your total volume. For example, instead of using 1 pound of ground turkey for a meal, instead you could use a 1/2 pound of ground turkey and one of these other food sources that pairs well with your meal. Let me give you some ideas of what foods these might be...

Examples of Meat Extenders:

• Lentils (today's recipe)

• Beans

• Quinoa

• Oats

• Mushrooms

I have some recipes saved on my Pinterest page that incorporate some of these ideas. I've done some of my own creations in the kitchen using black beans in meatballs, quinoa and black beans in tacos, chicken and lentil soups, and more.

Now you may be thinking "okay Liv that sounds great for my budget, but that's increasing my carb intakes!" You are right, it will. These are fantastic carb sources with protein and fiber that we want in our diets. They will provide lots of energy to your body, keep you full for hours, and improve your gut health!

This is your friendly reminder to NOT FEAR CARBS.

Let's get on to today's recipe, so you can try adding lentils to your diet and save money!

Lentil burger ingredients

Lentil burger ingredients in the food processor. (Step 4)

Lentil Burgers
Prep time: 20 minutes and Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes 5 servings
Nutrition info: 138 Calories, 9g P, 3g F, 18g C, 6g Fiber

Ingredients:

• 1.00 cup, Green Lentils (Uncooked)

• 1 cup, Chicken Broth Low Sodium

• 0.50 cup shredded, Carrots

• 2 tbsp, Tomato Paste

• 1 cup, Italian Parsley, chopped (Raw)

• 1 tbsp, Garlic, minced

• 0.50 tbsp, Smoked Paprika

• 1 tsp, Ground Cumin

• 0.50 tsp, Spices, onion powder

• 0.50 tsp, Ground Black Pepper

• 0.50 tablespoon, Toasted Sesame Seed Oil

Directions:

1. Cook the lentils with 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth in a small saucepan. You can swap chicken broth for any broth of your choosing, although I recommend using low sodium in general! Bring the broth to a boil with the lentils in the saucepan. Turn the heat down and let simmer until the broth has been soaked up by the lentils. They take about 5 minutes to cook.

2. While the lentils are cooking you can measure the rest of your ingredients and prepare in a large mixing bowl. Buy shredded carrots to save you time. Fresh parsley adds flavor, so this would be better than the dried herb. Add only half of the amount of oil to the burger ingredients. You will save the other half for the pan to keep the burgers from sticking.

3. Get out your food processor. Add your cooked lentils to the food processor. I used my Ninja blender, puree setting twice to get a sticky texture.

4. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor with the lentils from your large mixing bowl. Use the puree setting again or process for 2-4 minutes, until the ingredients are well combined. Stop halfway through and use a rubber spatula to make sure all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

5. Once you have a good burger mixture, measure out 5 equal contents of lentil burger. I used parchment paper in between my counter and the lentil mixture to stay a bit cleaner. With my 5 portions of lentil mixture I took each individual portion and formed them into burger patties.

6. After all 5 burger patties are formed, prepare a baking sheet. I covered mine in foil to make clean up quicker. Use the rest of the sesame oil to thinly coat the foil so the burgers don’t stick to the pan. I used my Ninja air fryer setting, 315 degrees for 15 minutes. Any air fryer would work. If you bake them in your oven, I would try baking at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cook time.

7. The edges of the burgers should be crispy. I enjoyed my burger in a low carb Mission tortilla wrap with Greek style hummus, spinach, and pico de gallo for lunch! Store in the fridge up to 1 week, if they last that long.

Check out more recipes on the blog and don’t forget to comment below!

Thai Chicken Wrap

A lunch you will actually want to eat all week, these Thai Chicken Wraps🤤

I think I am in grocery store heaven😇, here in Schaumburg, Illinois. Usually I go to one grocery store for my list each week, but this past weekend I went to a solid 4 stores- Amazon Fresh, Trader Joes, Costco, and Aldi. How many do you usually go to for your weekly groceries?

I hate to admit it, but I still bought most of my list at Aldi. I want to say that these other stores are "worth it" and absolutely "necessary," but they aren't in my opinion.

Aldi started carrying fresh herbs. Their produce outlasts any other produce I purchase and you can't deny the amount you save shopping there. It's also much easier to stick to my list there without buying extra random purchases.

I am working from home for another week and wanted a fresh lunch that I could look forward to everyday. I was inspired by this Pad Thai Wrap on my Pinterest, but of course made it my own.

The original recipe called for bean sprouts, which is initially what turned my 1 grocery store run into an adventure over the weekend. I wasn't mad about exploring my new area though😆

Needless to say, I did not find my bean sprouts, so I left them out of this recipe and just used a leftover kale and cabbage salad mix from Costco in my wrap.

Toasted sesame seed oil also makes this sauce recipe delicious and I highly recommend not leaving this ingredient out.

Let's jump into the recipe below!

Thai Chicken Wrap
Prep 10 minutes
Makes 4 servings
Nutrition info: 22g P, 18g F, 67g C, 27g Fiber

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Ingredients:

• For the sauce:

  • 2 tbsp less sodium soy sauce

  • 1/2 tsp garlic, minced

  • 1 tbsp sugar

  • 2 tbsp lime juice

  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil

• For the wrap:

  • 2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

  • 4 whole wheat carb balance Mission tortillas

  • 100 g cabbage and kale mix

  • 60 g matchstick carrots

  • 1/4 cup roasted peanuts

  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Make sure you have your chicken cooked. I prepared mine in the crockpot to make this even easier. I seasoned it with garlic powder, herb de province, onion powder, and fresh black pepper. (Use a crockpot liner for less clean up!) Shred the chicken once it is cooked.

2. Get a small mixing bowl to prepare your Thai sauce. Measure and add all ingredients listed above to your bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

3. Take a large mixing bowl and add the cooked chicken, kale and cabbage mix, carrots, cilantro, and peanuts. Stir to combine well.

4. Pour the sauce over the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Stir again, until it’s well combined.

5. Grab 1 Mission tortilla and fill it with about a quarter of your thai chicken and veggies filling. Fold up your wrap and enjoy!

6. Store the rest of the Thai Chicken wrap ingredients in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Save time by cooking your chicken in the crockpot on weekends! I put about 4 chicken breasts in the crockpot. I used 2 for this recipe and have 2 others for barbecue cheese quesadillas this week.

My menu for the week:
Breakfasts- eggs and zucchini muffins or smoothie
Lunches- Thai chicken wrap or barbecue cheese quesadilla
Dinners- ham, potatoes, and salad or kale pesto black bean pasta with broccoli and chicken

Minimalist Meal Ideas

Every weekend for the past month has been spent packing or doing some type of task related to moving. I spent all of last week eating and cooking from 2 glass containers, a fork, a spoon, an air fryer, and the microwave. Even if you aren’t planning to move, these meal ideas might come in handy!

Here are some healthy minimalistic meal ideas from what I ate for the past week:

• Overnight oats

• Rotisserie chicken over a bagged salad kit

• Frozen parmesan encrusted tilapia with green beans

• Frozen turkey burger with red potatoes

These are great ideas if you don't want to spend hours in the kitchen meal prepping this week or just want some quick dinner ideas for your air fryer.

I also hear cooking for only 1 or 2 people can be difficult and I suppose it can be if you don't like leftovers. I heated only the portion of frozen fish or turkey burger I was going to eat at that meal. My green beans and red potatoes were both frozen bags of veggies I could heat in the microwave.

This week I will share my Minimalistic Overnight Oats recipe with you.

TIP: If you don't like cold oatmeal, you can always make it the night before and warm it in the microwave for a 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Minimalistic Overnight Oats
Prep time: 5 minutes and Cook time: 2 hours
Makes 1 serving
Nutrition info: 35 g P, 12 g F, 47 g C, 14 g Fiber

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Quick Oats

• 1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (I use Muscle Feast.)

• 1 tbsp Ground Flax Seeds

• 1 tbsp Chia Seeds

• 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

• 1/2 cup Frozen Berries

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients to a glass jar or container.

2. Stir to make sure all ingredients are combined well.

3. Store in refrigerator overnight or at least 2 hours.

4. Enjoy in the morning and stay full for hours!

You can even keep most of these ingredients on hand as back up meal options. Pantry and frozen food items don’t usually go bad for months!

Once you try some of these meal ideas or the recipe, leave a comment below or share it to your Pinterest!

Basic Healthy Meal Recipe

Are you over complicating meal planning? Do you have a system in place for planning healthy meals?

Here is my advice on how to simplify your meals while making sure they are healthy balanced meals every time:

• Stick to whole foods. (I'm not talking about the store) Select foods like plain rice, raw chicken breast, unseasoned vegetables, and olive oil. These foods are easy to track if you are measuring your food for a food diary. They are also easily digested by your body. Processed, precooked, packaged foods with preservatives, sodium, et. all affect our digestive system that could increase bloating, increase inflammation, and alter gut health.

• Balance portions appropriately. It doesn't matter what portion your husband is eating, your child, or your best friend that's the same size as you. You are allowed to pick your portions based solely on your level of hunger and your health goals. For general healthy eating, make 1/4 plate protein, 1/4 of your plate starch or grain, and half of your plate vegetables.

• Keep flavor simple. This is the most important part. Our food needs to have flavor to continue wanting to eat healthy. Add some new spices to your cabinet. Get some fresh herbs. Buy infused olive oil and vinegars. Make your own homemade sauce. Sprinkle some cheese on top. Swapping out your flavor combinations with similar foods can make it seem like a whole new dish.

Basic healthy recipe formula = 2 + cups of veggies, 3 + oz of protein, 1-2+ Tbsp of healthy fats all depending on YOUR nutrition needs.

Basic Healthy Meal Formula
Prep time varies and Cook time varies
Nutrition info: Lean Protein, Fiber Rich Carb, Healthy Fat source

Ingredients:

• Lean Protein options- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, Ground Turkey / Chicken, Tuna, Shrimp

• Fiber Rich Carb options- Brown Rice, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Peas, Beans, Quinoa

• Non-Starchy Vegetable options- Broccoli, Green Beans, Leafy Greens, Cauliflower, Bell Peppers

• Healthy Fat options- Olive Oil, Low-Fat Dressing, Avocado / Guacamole, Nuts / Seeds

Directions:

1. Cook protein as desired.

2. Prepare fiber rich carb as desired.

3. Flavor vegetables and prepared carb and protein sources.

4. Pick your portions appropriately and voila!

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There are a variety of meals you can create using this Basic Healthy Meal Formula. Pick all your favorite foods and actually enjoy what you are eating everyday!

Don't overwhelm yourself by thinking you need to incorporate this formula into every meal this week right away. I am always going to encourage you to make realistic habit changes you can be consistent with! For example, start by incorporating this formula into 1 planned meal this week and reply here to let me know how it went😉

Meet us in the Healthy and Beyond Facebook Group every Monday night at 7:30pm EST to learn from Liv LIVE about various nutrition, exercise, mindset, and more health topics!

Healthy Go-To Breakfast Ideas

Today I am giving you my healthy go-to breakfast ideas for busy mornings that will keep you full for hours.

1. Oatmeal

Make it the night before and keep refrigerated to grab going out the door. Or take a packet of Umpqua oats with you to make at work. This is my current favorite brand of instant oatmeal because it is not high in added sugars.

Adding the right mix-ins to your oatmeal can increase protein and fiber! Try some- ground flax, chia seeds, berries, nut/seed butter, and others like these to level up your morning oatmeal.

2. Smoothie

A quick blend of nutrient packed ingredients can help you get a jump start on your nutrition goals. My Pinterest page has some delicious smoothie recipes!

The biggest mistake I see with smoothies is too many carbs and not enough protein. Depending on your nutrition goals 1/2 cup to 1 cup of fruit will be enough for most people. Add foods like- oats, flax seeds, protein powder, yogurt, or spinach for added nutrients!

3. Yogurt & toppings

Greek yogurt has the most protein content, so that is usually my go-to choice. However, all yogurt will provide gut health benefits, so choose the yogurt you enjoy best!

Add toppings that are rich in fiber to balance out your nutrients. I like to add low-fat granola, pumpkin seeds, berries, or even cereal!

4. Avocado toast with hard boiled egg

All bread is not created equal! Again make a choice that will align with your goals. Typically a bread made with whole grains and limited ingredients is best for overall health.

A whole avocado can pack quite a few calories, so I recommend 1/4 to 1/2 an avocado being an adequate serving for most people. Mash it on your toast. Slice 1-2 hard boiled eggs and place them on top of your toast. Don't forget your Everything But the Bagel Seasoning for optimal satisfaction!

5. Breakfast sandwich (TODAY'S RECIPE)

It takes a little bit of prep work, but it makes breakfast a breeze in the mornings. In this recipe I added diced peppers and turkey sausage patties, but feel free to create your own version!

I like to use Thomas 100 Calorie Multigrain English muffins for my breakfast sandwiches, but you could use any wrap or bread of choice! Scroll down to check out the recipe!

Breakfast Sandwich
Prep time: 30 minutes and Cook time: 2 minutes
Nutrition info for 1 sandwich: 18 g P, 10 g F, 27 g C, 8 g Fiber

Ingredients:

• 6 Eggs, whisked

• 6 Jimmy Dean Turkey Patty(s)

• 2 Jalapeño Peppers, diced

• 1 Bell Pepper, diced

• 6 Multigrain Thomas English Muffin

Directions:

1. Prep the Breakfast casserole the night before. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use cooking spray to lightly grease the casserole dish. Whisk 6 eggs in the casserole dish. Dice fresh vegetables or chopped veggies leftover from last week’s groceries. Add the veggies into the casserole dish with the eggs. Place 6 turkey sausage patties in the casserole dish. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until fully cooked. Remove casserole dish and slice into 6 equal portions.

2. In the morning, place 1 english muffin in the toaster oven for desired time.

3. Remove 1 slice of breakfast casserole and microwave for 1 minute.

4. Take toasted english muffin and place heated egg casserole in it to enjoy like a sandwich! Top with your favorite breakfast sandwich condiments or cheese.

No reason to skip breakfast tomorrow! You now have 5 ideas to prepare even on busy mornings.

Reply now with which option you are going to try this week!

Don't forget the sauce!

People often forget this when counting calories.

The sauce!

I am talking about all those yummy condiments you add to your foods for flavor.

Aioli, dressing, mayo, sour cream, barbecue, guacamole, tartar sauce, butter, cream cheese, peanut butter, syrup, hummus, etc.

There are lots of condiments to choose from and they all have calories that should be considered when tracking food accurately.

We should also be aware of the quality of ingredients that are being used in those condiments as well. My go-to questions are "can you pronounce every ingredient listed?" and "do you know what that food is?"

Major nutrients to be aware of, Trans Fats, Sodium, Added sugars, Food dyes, GMO produced oils, and High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Here are a few healthy tips for condiments:

• Check the serving size on the food label

• Measure the amount you use

• Make a swap for a condiment with better quality ingredients

• Find a lower calorie alternative

• Use a healthy recipe to make your own version at home to have more control over he ingredients

Lucky for you, I am including another healthy sauce recipe to level up your boring chicken this week!

Ingredients for Korean BBQ Sauce

Korean BBQ Sauce
Prep 5 Minutes, Makes 6 Servings
Nutrition info for 1 serving: 104 calories 3 g P, 5g F, 12 g C

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

• 4 Tbsp rice vinegar

• 2 Tbsp sesame oil

• 0.5 Tbsp siracha chili sause (use 1-2 Tbsp for more heat)

• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

• 1 Tbsp gluten free brown rice flour (to thicken)

Directions:

1. Measure all ingredients.

2. Add ingredients to a small sauce pan. Whisk together.

3. Heat and allow sauce to simmer. Add to chicken or vegetables to flavor food with Korean BBQ sauce.

Comment below with your favorite sauces or condiments! I will use some of these ideas to come up with healthy recipes in the future that you all will be sure to love.

A New Kind of Waffle for Breakfast!

Here is a new kind of waffle for you to add to your breakfast options. It's a quick meal to throw together and is sure to keep you satisfied until lunch!

Even try it as a breakfast for dinner recipe tonight if you want😉

I am definitely keeping this recipe in mind for those days when the groceries are slim because I almost always have these ingredients stocked. Do you have recipes or meals like that?

If not, I highly recommend coming up with 2-3 meal ideas that require few ingredients that are either all shelf stable or don't go bad quickly in the fridge.

You probably shifted your thinking towards this when we first shutdown for COVID last year, but even with unexpected storms or changes these days; it's good to be prepared.

Basic Chaffle 🧇 + Berry Chia 🍓 Jam
Prep time: 5 minutes and Cook time: 5-10 minutes
Nutrition info for 2 waffles and 1/4 cup jam: 33 g P, 30 g F, 30 g C, 7 g Fiber

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup low fat Italian blend shredded cheese

• 2 Tbsp almond flour (or another flour)

• 1 cup frozen berry blend

• 2 Tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat waffle iron.

2. Use small saucepan on stove for the berry jam. Place on low heat. Add frozen berries to the saucepan. Let cook for 3-5 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 eggs. Stir in shredded cheese and almond flour until well combined.

4. Spray/ grease heated waffle iron. Pour egg mixture into the waffle iron. This recipe makes 2 waffles, so depending on if your waffle iron is small you may need to only pour half the mixture and cook 2 waffles separately. Waffles should only take about 5 minutes to cook.

5. Once the berries start getting soft. Use spatula to smash most of the berries. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes.

6. Stir chia seeds into the cooked berries. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes. Then remove from heat and let cool. Stirring occasionally.

7. When the waffles are fully cooked. Put them on a plate and top with the berry chia jam. I used about 1/4 cup and noted that in the nutritional info. Enjoy while everything is still warm!

Store leftover berry chia jam in a jar for more waffles later in the week. Or if you love PB&J sandwiches like I do, then this will be a great addition without any added sugars!

PB&J sandwiches are not just for kids! They aren't something you have to restrict from your diet if you are trying to eat healthier either.

🥪Bread isn't bad.

🥪Carbs aren't bad.

🥪You can eat a sandwich.

I am including a PB&J sandwich as my afternoon snack this week! I'm all about using up the ingredients I buy in multiple recipes. I hate wasting food, but I also like variety.

Meal planning is a skill and I find it is one that I continue to perfect with each week!

My PB&J sandwich is about 350 calories total. Providing enjoyment and satisfaction to control my hunger mid day😋

What meals/snacks did you plan for the week? Let me know in the comments!