Pull up your boot straps kiddos, it’s finally fall in Southern California.  I’ve stocked up on seasonal candles, crockpot recipes and baby pumpkins so even if Helen Keller came to visit, she’d know what time it was in our house.  BOOM.

Tonight was perfect for a simple soup that is one of my favorites – inspired by Cooking Light – this one pot White Bean and Turkey Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Spinach and Zucchini can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes.  As with all soups, it gets better with age – so you’ll be happy to know it feeds four with leftovers for lunch the next day.

Happy Sunday!  How’s everyone’s weekend going? I finally had some time to catch-up on my life, cleaning every inch of our house in preparation for the arrival of… both sets of parents!  Adam’s parents and mine are coming all the way out to San Diego to hang with us, soak up the sunshine and meet each other.  Do you ever notice that you think you’re keeping your house clean with the cursory cleaning throughout the week, but it’s not until the threat of a mother (OR TWO) coming to town that you realize you were, in fact, living in filth. Well, this weekend, I realized we’re disgusting.  However, after a little elbow grease, 2,000 paper towels and four hours of Sheryl Crow Pandora, I’m ready for House Beautiful to come in and take some photos.

The recipe I wanted to share today is nothing mind-blowing, BUT it’s fantastic, super easy and really fills you up if you’re trying to figure out a good paleo lunch time option.  I have the most trouble with lunch for some reason. I think it’s because I work from home, so I just don’t think about it when I shop, then I get into 7 hours of conference calls and the next thing you know, I’m eating a bowl of pasta with lemon and brummel & brown.  I’m convinced my problem areas are a direct result of my lunchtime breakdowns.  So… I was on a mission to figure out something I could throw together in ten minutes, or even make at the beginning of the week and dole it out throughout (if you’re not ten yards from your kitchen come lunch time).

I’m calling this “Perfect Paleo Lunch” – and don’t skip the avocado.  It adds a creamy texture that will make you forget cheese ever existed (well, you won’t need it for this. but we all know, no one that can be trusted, would ever be able to forget about the goodness of cheese).

I’m an only child.  Surprise, I don’t like to share my toys or my food, so don’t ask.  I think my parents were pretty good with trying to combat the dreaded “only child syndrome”.  However, there are just some things that I’ve seemed to develop as a result of growing up as the only person under 3 feet in the house for many years.  First, I hate books on tape.  My parents once listened to books on tape for the entire trip from Maryland to Florida.  I think I would have rather not gone to Disney World than have had to listen to Dean Koontz for 12 hours.  Second, I also really enjoy time alone.  I’m a very social gal, but I need some time to recharge my battery.  I think that’s one reason I enjoy my time in the kitchen so much, it’s focused and quiet.

When it comes to my workouts, however I am NOT a lone wolf.  I like a partner to compete with, to push me to take it beyond my comfort zone.  So, I have a fun partner work-out to share that you can complete in under 30 minutes.  This can be done at home, (esp. if you have TRX straps and a resistance band to help modify the pull-ups) or at the training room at your gym.  Just turn up your music and prepare to sweat.

*In case it’s not clear – the total number of reps for each exercise is split between the two partners (100 burpees = 50 each partner)**

We did this work-out at boot camp  today, followed by 50 massive tire flips. NBD.  Stretcher, please.

After doing all that work, I wanted to keep it clean and delicious for dinner so I whipped up a Very Veggie Turkey Bowl.  This recipe makes more than enough for 4.  I’m going to freeze the leftovers or use them for lunches…  that I won’t share with anyone for obvious reasons.

Clean Eating Very Veggie Turkey Bowls:

 Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 2T olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 medium yellow squash, halved and sliced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 green/orange pepper, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/4 pound of mushrooms – or 1/4 little package of mushrooms
• 1 cup instant brown rice
• 1.5 cups of chicken broth
• 4 cups fresh spinach

Directions:

Cook turkey in a non-stick skillet until no longer pink, breaking up as you go (about 8 minutes). Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in the same skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic, cook and stir for about 5 minutes until tender.   Add squash, tomato, pepper, mushroom and carrot.  Cook for 5 minutes until tender-crisp.

Return turkey to the pan.  Add rice and broth.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice has softened.  Stir in spinach. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute, until spinach is wilted.

Enjoy!

… said no guy, ever.  However, I’m talking about the four wheel monstrosities that crowd up the roadway and literally DRIVE YOU OFF THE ROAD when they decide that the left lane seems more happenin’.  On my way to boot camp today, one of these army tanks came careening at me, forcing me to nearly make a car faceplant into the shoulder barricade.  It’s at that moment when I wished I could transform my car into a Monster Truck and literally drive up and over him with the words “Hostile Territory” dramatically airbrushed on my bumper.

And here’s my question to the driver of this vehicle: Where are your friends?  Ya know, the ones that should tell you that buying an army tank that you paint iridescent green and put chrome wheels on is not a cool move.  Especially because those wheels will tip everyone off to the fact that you, my friend, are not going into any off-road combat situations anytime soon.  But… I digress.

Onto tonight’s meal – I must say that Zucchini Boats are in major rotation ’round these parts this summer.  It’s a great way to cram in all the delicious flavors that you love in a low carb boat of goodness. (And I stuff my boats like I used to stuff my bra in 7th grade…heavily). Bonus points: This recipe makes enough for leftovers for lunch all week.

Tonight’s titillating treats are the Oooey Gooey Stuffed Zucchini Boats:

Adapted from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Ingredients:

• 3 medium zucchini (about 8 inches)
• 1 pound ground turkey (or 93% lean ground beef)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1.5 cup (6 ounces) shredded pepper jack cheese (I don’t do reduced fat becuase I don’t think it melts well – but you can!)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon reduced fat butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Well, if not… that’s fine.  I know I’m THE WORST at keeping (my own) secrets.  Everyone else’s secrets are safe for me, but once I have something I have to wait to share, I’m absolutely bursting at the seams.  Last Christmas, I told Adam what he was getting 20 minutes after I purchased it… in September.  I just can’t help myself. I want to share my news.  Even for L&L, I was planning to wait until I had at least five posts before I shared this with anyone.  But, here we are and I’m hoping I’m not still the only one reading, because I SWEAR that homeless man outside bootcamp seemed really interested in what I was throwing down.  Or maybe it was just my nips after a sweaty workout combined with cool Southern California nights?

Anyyywaaayyyy, I’ve got a little secret to my success when it comes to getting in 4-5 workouts a week that I thought I’d share.  For me, it’s starting on Monday.  I know… that sounds like the biggest DUH ever, but it’s one small trick to getting me to my goals.  If I start out Monday with a good sweaty bootcamp session, I’m so much more likely to not make excuses for the rest of the week.  And then, best of all, if I get in five days between Mon-Fri. I have NO PROBLEM being a lazy bum or whatever I want all weekend.  Has anyone else tested this theory?  Let’s start next week!  Try to make me (and more importantly YOURSELF) the promise that you will work-out on Monday.  Then, let’s see where that takes you.  Look at us, setting goals together.  We’re so cute.

Tonight for dinner alllll I wanted was a burger, I loooooove burgers, but my genetics do not and if I had a traditional burger every time I wanted one, I’d be writing this blog from back of a flatbed truck on my way to Montel to discuss how I felt when then crane ripped my roof off to take me out of my house.  So, I have to find a workaround and that’s when I decided on this delicious little summer treat, a Low Carb (BIG FLAVOR) Turkey Bruschetta Burger.

 adapted from SkinnyTaste

(I promise I’m REALLY doing some serious research on good cameras and programs to up my photo game.  But, in the meantime, I’d like to take a second to pat myself of the back for figuring out that little overlay on tonight’s dinner photo!)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 2 medium vine ripe tomatoes
• 3 small cloves garlic, minced (OR more… I lurrrve garlic)
• 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 3 oz part skim mozzarella, diced

For the turkey burgers:

• 3/4 lbs. 93% lean ground turkey
• 2 tbsp.. seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 tbsp red onion, grated
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• pinch of thyme
• salt and fresh pepper
• oil spray or 1 tbsp. olive oil

For Serving:

• 2 cups loose spring mix lettuce

Directions:

Combine the red onion, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside a few minutes while you chop the tomatoes, then place in the bowl. Add the garlic, basil and additional salt and pepper, to taste and mix well and set aside. Toss in the cheese when ready to serve.

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, worcestershire, thyme, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Form into 2-3 equal sized patties (depending on how big you want them), forming them as flat as possible.

Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. When hot, lightly spray with oil or add olive oil. Add the burgers to the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until browned, about 6 minutes, then flip and cook another 6 minutes, careful not to burn. **Depending on how big your burgers patties are, you may need to cook them a little longer**

To prepare, divide spring mix between plates, then top with the burger and finish with the bruschetta (don’t forget to add the cheese), serve right away.  And don’t forget a glass of wine for the cook.  You deserve it.