Chili-Lime Shrimp and Avocado Tacos

Happy Monday! I hope everyone has had a great start to the week so far.

I had a marathon weekend that included some much-needed time with my best friend who came to visit for her birthday, and somehow still fit in meal prepping for people yesterday (all thanks to the help of my wonderful mom and boyfriend, who are the best sous-chef and grill master in history). I’ll be honest: getting out of bed was the last thing I wanted to do this morning. I certainly didn’t make my 5:30AM lifting session, but I’ll be at boot camp later today and will hit the weights afterward.

Dinner in 15: Baked Garlic Parmesan Tilapia

I’ve got the perfect “dinner in a pinch” recipe to share with you all that only takes 15 minutes and a few common ingredients to prepare. My long holiday weekend was filled with pool parties and lots of cooking, and consequently, I neglected to plan mine and Ryan’s dinners as thoroughly as I usually do. At around 8PM on Monday after a long day back at work and two hours of intense workouts to follow, I needed to think of something quick and simple for dinner.

My freezer had three basic options: Tilapia, chicken tenders, and a big cut of steak (which I want to save for later this week). I opted for the fish and decided to make a dinner that is a staple in my weekly meal prep for friends — Garlic Parmesan Tilapia. The pickings in my kitchen for sides were very, very slim, but I happened to have a couple of pre-made dinner rolls, a steamable bag of broccoli, and some cooked/seasoned spaghetti squash to use up. Convenient! If you don’t have the luxury of pre-cooked sides sitting in your fridge/pantry, you can cook up some vegetables, quinoa, rice, and/or any other easy side as the fish is in the oven. The point here is that your sides can be plain and super-simple because the Tilapia has enough flavor to carry the whole meal.

Guilt-Free Orange Chicken + Leg Day Circuit

I’m back from vacation! I spent most of last week (Monday-Thursday) in Playa del Carmen soaking up a little too much sun and taking a much-needed break from my usual routine in celebration of Ryan’s birthday. We had a blast lounging on the beach, playing basketball in the pool, snorkeling, and indulging in the “all-inclusive” life for a short while. There was 6:30AM room service delivery, unlimited everything (margaritas, food — whatever we wanted, basically) a gorgeous golf course for Ryan to play, and an incredible spa for me to take advantage of, all on one of the most beautiful hotel properties I’ve ever seen (in pictures or in person). This was the view from our balcony and the small lobby below our room:

Breathtaking. I could’ve stayed for another 3 or 4 days, but I’m really glad to be back into my routine. Nothing was “off limits” while we were there — we had steak and lobster the first two nights, buffets, lots of wine, lots of tequila, and dessert every single night. Granted, the portions were far smaller than what most people are used to here in the states — I still was eating way more junk food than usual. I could definitely feel the impact on my body after day 1.

Sriracha Ranch Turkey Cheeseburgers

Happy Friday! In honor of summer being right around the corner, I’ve got a delicious, easy, grill-friendly recipe to share with y’all. :o)

Mediterranean Shrimp and Quinoa Salad

Alright, guys. Bear with me here. This recipe is a little different than my standard “cleaned up comfort food” (it’s a far cry from my Chicken Spaghetti Casserole or the Alfredo recipe), but I promise it’s equally amazing. With the weather getting MUCH warmer, lighter dishes that aren’t as cheese- and sauce-laden have become more appealing to me. This one can be served chilled or warmed up (I prefer chilled), and it holds well for lunches throughout the week if you decide to make it for meal prep.

During the first few weeks of helping my boot camp friends prep their meals, I was approached by a pescaterian friend who wanted me to set her up with some lunches. I came up with this on a whim as I was trying to think outside of my typical chicken or beef mindset, and it’s been a staple menu item ever since. It’s easy to make,  doesn’t have any off-the-wall or hard-to-find ingredients, has LOTS of flavor, works well for pre-made lunches, AND is packed with protein (the macro split is 41% protein/40% carbs/19% fat) — I really can’t ask for more in a dish.