Gina Homolka's Blog, page 180

Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

I’m sure many of you will be enjoying the classic Irish-American dish, corned beef and cabbage, which I am sharing from the archives! So easy to make in the slow cooker, I used frozen pearl onions and parsnips instead of potatoes to make this easy-peasy!

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Skinnytaste Meal Plan (March 12-March 18)

A free 7-day flexible meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Freestyle Smart Points.

This week, I created another meal prep dish with my Embarrassingly Easy Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Thighs. You can pack the lettuce and tomatoes separate for an easy lunch for the week. Chicken breast can also be used in place of thighs, if you prefer!

If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc. You should aim for around 1500 calories* a day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!

MONDAY (3/12)

B: 1 piece whole grain toast (3) with 1 tablespoon peanut butter (3) and 1 banana (0)

L: Embarrassingly Easy Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Thighs (2) with ½ cup brown rice (3), 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce (0), ¼ cup tomatoes (0) and 2 tablespoons reduced fat cheese (1)

D: Spaghetti Squash Enchilada Boats (3) with Black Beans and Corn (0)

Totals: Freestyle Points 15, Calories 1,034*

TUESDAY (3/13)

B: 2 hard boiled eggs (0) and an orange (0)

L: Embarrassingly Easy Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Thighs (2) with ½ cup brown rice (3), 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce (0), ¼ cup tomatoes (0) and 2 tablespoons reduced fat cheese (1)

D: Sheet Pan Italian Chicken and Veggie Dinner (8)

Totals: Freestyle Points 14, Calories 987*

WEDNESDAY (3/14)

B: 2 hard boiled eggs (0) and an orange (0)

L: Embarrassingly Easy Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Thighs (2) with ½ cup brown rice (3), 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce (0), ¼ cup tomatoes (0) and 2 tablespoons reduced fat cheese (1)

D: Asian Lettuce Wrap Chicken Chopped Salad (8)

Totals: Freestyle Points 14, Calories 890*

THURSDAY (3/15)

B: 6 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt (0) with ½ cup sliced strawberries (0), 1 teaspoon honey (1) and 2 tablespoons cashews (3)

L: Embarrassingly Easy Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Thighs (2) with ½ cup brown rice (3), 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce (0), ¼ cup tomatoes (0) and 2 tablespoons reduced fat cheese (1)

D: Lasagna Soup (8)

Totals: Freestyle Points 18, Calories 885*

FRIDAY (3/16)

B: 6 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt (0) with ½ cup sliced strawberries (0), 1 teaspoon honey (1) and 2 tablespoons cashews (3)

L: 1 whole wheat pita (4), with ¼ cup hummus (3) and carrot sticks (0)

D: Dinner out!

Totals: Freestyle Points 11, Calories 540*

SATURDAY (3/17)

B: Bell Pepper and Potato Frittata (1) with orange wedges (0)

L: Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad (2)

D: Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup (8) with Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread Muffins (6)

Totals: Freestyle Points 17, Calories 832*

SUNDAY (3/18)

B: Easy Bagel Recipe (3) with 1 egg (0) and 2 ounces avocado (3) and fruit salad** (0)

L: Greek Nachos (5) (Recipe x 2) with ½ cup sliced strawberries (0)

D: Shepherd’s Pie Lightened Up (5)

Totals: Freestyle Points 16, Calories 877*

*This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.

**Fruit salad includes 2 chopped oranges, 2 sliced bananas, 1 cup sliced strawberries

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Blackened Scallops with Horseradish Sauce

These quick seared Blackened Sea Scallops are coated in a homemade blend of blackened seasoning, then cooked in a cast iron skillet served with a creamy horseradish sauce.

Blackened Scallops with Horseradish Sauce

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Cream of Asparagus Soup

I LOVE cream of asparagus soup, it’s pure comfort in a bowl and so simple to make. This recipe is made with just 5 ingredients, not counting salt and pepper and is ready under 25 minutes!

Cream of Asparagus Soup

This healthy, creamy soup is made with no cream, it’s simply pureed with a little sour cream, which you can totally omit if you want to keep it dairy free. I watered a little sour cream down and drizzled a little more on top. Perfect for a light lunch, or to serve with a sandwich or a salad.

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Corned Turkey and Cabbage Dinner

Leave the same old Corned Beef behind for this Corned Turkey and Cabbage Dinner made with all the same pickling spices and roasted vegetables.

There are some amazing corned beef recipes here on the blog including Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage and Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup which use the classic beef brisket in them.

 Corned Turkey and Cabbage Dinner

Instead of using brisket today, we use turkey breast in this recipe using all the same pickling ingredients. And instead of boiling the vegetables along with the beef we roast it along with the turkey in the oven.

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Skinnytaste Meal Plan (March 5-March 11)

A free 7-day flexible meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Freestyle Smart Points.

Great news, Friday I finished the last of the 140 recipes for my upcoming cookbook, Skinnytaste One and Done, woohoo!! A whole year of recipe testing in my Instant Pot, Skillet, Air Fryer, Slow Cooker, Sheet Pan, etc!! What does that mean? More time to create new recipes here, and maybe even a few vacations.

Back to the meal plan. If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc. You should aim for around 1500 calories* a day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!

MONDAY (3/5)

B: Petite Crust-less Quiche (5) with 1 cup cantaloupe (0)

L: Chickpea Egg Salad (2)

D: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Italian Style (10)

Totals: Freestyle Points 17, Calories 1,007*

TUESDAY (3/6)

B: Petite Crust-less Quiche (5) with 1 cup cantaloupe (0)

L: Chickpea Egg Salad (2)

D: Picadillo (3) with ½ cup brown rice (3) and Quick Cabbage Slaw (2)

Totals: Freestyle Points 15, Calories 1,049*

WEDNESDAY (3/7)

B: Petite Crust-less Quiche (5) with 1 cup cantaloupe (0)

L: Chickpea Egg Salad (2)

D: Air-Fryer Beef Empanadas (5)* with Fiesta Lime Rice (2)

Totals: Freestyle Points 14, Calories 981*

THURSDAY (3/8)

B: 6 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt (0) with sliced banana (0), 2 tablespoons sliced almonds (2) and 1 teaspoon honey (1)

L: Chickpea Egg Salad (2)

D: Chicken Shiitake and Wild Rice Soup (7) with 2 ounces multi-grain baguette (3)

Totals: Freestyle Points 15, Calories 996*

FRIDAY (3/9)

B: 6 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt (0) with sliced banana (0), 2 tablespoons sliced almonds (2) and 1 teaspoon honey (1)

L: 1 whole wheat pita (4), with ¼ cup hummus (3) and 10 baby carrots (0)

D: Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Bowl (3)

Totals: Freestyle Points 13, Calories 827*

SATURDAY (3/10)

B: Breakfast BLT Salad (4) (recipe x 2)

L: LEFTOVER Chicken Shiitake and Wild Rice Soup (7)

D: Dinner out!

Totals: Freestyle Points 11, Calories 492*

SUNDAY (3/11)

B: Easy Bagel (3) with 2 strips bacon (2), 1 egg (0), 2 tablespoons cheddar (2) and an orange (0)

L: Skinny Buffalo Chicken Strips (1) with 6 baby carrots (0) and 2 tablespoons  Low Fat Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing (1)

D: Ground Turkey with Potatoes and Peas (5) with ½ cup basmati rice (2)

Totals: Freestyle Points 16, Calories 877*

*This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.

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Chickpea Egg Salad

This easy chickpea and egg salad is so simple and delicious for lunch (or breakfast!). It’s inexpensive to make, high in protein and fiber and great to make ahead for the week.

Chickpea Egg Salad

I’m obsessed with chickpeas, I can literally eat them right out of the can. My husband, on the other hand doesn’t share my chickpea love so I usually have them for lunch when he’s not around. And now that chickpeas and eggs are zero points on the new Weight Watchers Freestyle program, I love them even more!

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Breakfast Pizza

This easy, homemade breakfast pizza is made with bacon, eggs, tomatoes, spinach and cheese, made completely from scratch and ready in less than 30 minutes start to finish!

Breakfast Pizza

This breakfast pizza is so quick and easy to make from scratch, thanks to this 4-ingredient pizza dough made with any flour of your choice, Greek yogurt, baking powder and salt! No yeast, no fancy mixer!

A healthy spin on a pizza, loaded with protein and tastes delicious!

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Skinnytaste Meal Plan (February 26-March 4)

A free 7-day flexible meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Freestyle Smart Points.

I’m excited to share this breakfast pizza recipe with you for the new meal plan, you’ll notice the recipe isn’t up yet, I will be posting tomorrow but the ingredients are listed in the shopping list.

If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc. You should aim for around 1500 calories* a day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!

MONDAY (2/26)

B: Avocado Toast with Sunny Side Egg (4) with a banana (0)

L: Spiralized Greek Cucumber Salad with Lemon and Feta (7)

D: Easy Crust-less Spinach and Feta Pie (2) with White Bean Caprese Salad (2)

Totals: Freestyle Points 15, Calories 827*

TUESDAY (2/27)

B: Avocado Toast with Sunny Side Egg (4) with a banana (0)

L: LEFTOVER Easy Crust-less Spinach and Feta Pie (2) with White Bean Caprese Salad (2)

D: Pressure Cooker Stewed Chicken with Corn (Pollo Guisado con Maiz) (4) with ½ cup brown rice (3)

Totals: Freestyle Points 15, Calories 1,026*

WEDNESDAY (2/28)

B: ½ cup quick oats (4) with 2 tablespoons skim milk (0), pinch salt (0) and ½ cup blueberries (0)

L: LEFTOVER Easy Crust-less Spinach and Feta Pie (2) with White Bean Caprese Salad (2)

D: One-Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce (8) with 1 cup arugula salad** (3)

Totals: Freestyle Points 19, Calories 932*

THURSDAY (3/1)

B: ½ cup quick oats (4) with 2 tablespoons skim milk (0), pinch salt (0) and ½ cup blueberries (0)

L: Chickpea Tuna Salad (0)

D: Instant Pot Chicken and Lentil Soup (1) with 2 ounces multi-grain baguette (3) with 2 teaspoons butter (3)

Totals: Freestyle Points 11, Calories 938*

FRIDAY (3/2)

B: 6 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt (0) with ½ cup blueberries (0) and 1 teaspoon honey (1)

L: Chickpea Tuna Salad (0)

D: Skillet Fish Fillet with Tomatoes, White Wine and Capers (2) with Broccoli and Orzo (4)

Totals: Freestyle Points 7, Calories 877*

SATURDAY (3/3)

B: Bacon and Egg Breakfast Pizza (recipe coming) (5)

L: LEFTOVER Instant Pot Chicken and Lentil Soup (1) with 2 ounces multi-grain baguette (3)

D: Dinner out!

Totals: Freestyle Points 9, Calories 664*

SUNDAY (3/4)

B: 4-Ingredient Flourless Banana-Nut Pancakes (4) [Recipe x 4]

L: LEFTOVER Instant Pot Chicken and Lentil Soup (1) with 2 ounces multi-grain baguette (3)

D: Thai Basil Chicken (1) with Roasted Broccoli with Smashed Garlic (2) and ¾ cup jasmine rice (4)

Totals: Freestyle Points 15, Calories 1,201*

*This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.

**Includes 4 cups arugula, 2 ounces shaved parmesan and ¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette

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Chickpea Tuna Salad

Chickpea Tuna Salad with capers is perfect for lunch! Quick and easy for meal prep! Healthy and filling, this mayo-less Tuna Salad is loaded with protein and Omega 3s and tastes even better the next day.

Chickpea Tuna Salad

I’ve had this salad on my mind and realized I had all the ingredients on hand to whip this up, and I loved it! This would make a great meal prep lunch, you can double the recipe, the flavors only get better then next day. Lettuce is totally optional, there’s no oil, no mayo, instead I drizzled some of the brine from the capers (the liquid) along with red wine vinegar and loved how it turned out.

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