The unofficial kick off to summer is this weekend and I bet many of you are right smack in the middle of a round of 21 Day Fix!
No need to worry, starve yourself all day in an attempt to save your containers for the BBQ (we all know this doesn’t work anyway…you just mess up your metabolism and end up over eating so please….do not even attempt to do it.) or say f*uck it and throw your goals out the window. With a little planning, you can stay within your containers and enjoy flavorful meals without guilt!
Check out my 21 Day Fix Memorial Day Recipe Inspirations below and stay on track this weekend.
Kebabs: The possibilities are endless with kebabs and they are perfect for the 21 Day Fix program. All you need to do is choose a lean protein, some fresh vegetables and a seasoning combination. Then just need to marinade before being threaded onto a skewer and grilled to perfection! Simple, right?!
The problem I think most people have is that they over think this program. I have some many clients come to me and say “I don’t know what to eat.” or “I wish the book had more recipes. I’m lost!” I felt the same way until I took a deep breathe and stop freaking out. The book is full of everything you need, especially for kebabs. Check out your red container list, green container list and then check out the seasoning blend recipes as well as the dressing recipes provided. Those dressing can make a kick-ass marinade for your protein! You just have to think outside of the box little.
For those of you who prefer step-by-step recipes, here are some delicious looking ones I’ve found on-line. They do not have 21 Day Fix breakdowns and you may need to change the oil type that is used to be “fix friendly” but they are all a great source of inspiration. Just break out your containers and have some fun with them.
Chipotle Chicken Kebabs with Avocado Cream Sauce: (Pictured on the left above) You will need to substitute the oil and brown sugar is not on the plan, but you can omit it without harm. Measure out the chicken using your red container before threading to create a single portion. The dipping sauce containers Greek yogurt & avocado and I would most likely just count it as a blue containers, but use your judgement as you make it. {Click here for the recipe}
Fajita Chicken Kebabs: (Pictured second from left above) You will need to substitute the oil in this recipe as well, everything else is plan approved. I recommend using your containers to measure out your protein and veggies before skewering them, to ensure portion size. This recipe should work out to be 1 red container and 1 green container per serving. Alter veggie amounts if needed. {Click here for the recipe}
Grilled Jerk Shrimp with Pineapple Kebabs: (Pictured second from the right above): This recipe has a few ingredients that are not on the plan but the amounts are so small I say go for it and enjoy, because in the grand scheme of what you could be eating…this is much better! As with the other recipes, measure your protein and your fruit for portioning before threading. Shrimp counts as a red container and pineapple is a purple. {Click here for the recipe.}
Chimichurri Beef Kabobs: (Pictured far right above.) Everything in this recipe is plan approved! The recipe is from the Whole30 cookbook that I just received for my birthday and I’ve been dying to try it. Just be sure to use your containers to measure your protein and veggies before you thread them to ensure portion size.
Ingredients:
For the kabobs:
1 lb lean steak (sirloin, strip, flank), cut into 1-inch dice
1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, seeded, ribs removed, and cut into 1 1/2-inch squares
1 onion, cut into 6 wedges
1 zucchini, cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick rounds
For the chimichurri:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions:
1. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour to prevent them from burning.
2. Make the chimichurri: Combine the vinegar, lime juice, garlic, and shallot in a food processor and mix on low speed. Drizzle in the olive oil while mixing; the dressing will begin to emulsify. Add the cilantro, parsley, salt, and pepper and continue to mix on low until the dressing is uniform in texture and the herbs are chopped quite small.
3. Place the steak in a resealable plastic bag or nonreactive bowl with a lid. Cover the steak with enough chimichurri (about 1 cup) to coat thoroughly. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and marinate the steak in the refrigerator for 1 to 8 hours; more is better, especially for tougher cuts. (Feel free to leave your steak marinating overnight, or start your dinner prep in the morning before work.)
4. Remove the steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the grill to high heat (500°F). (See below if you don’t have a grill.)
5. Remove the steak from the marinade; discard the marinade. Prepare the kabobs by threading the steak, bell pepper, onion, and zucchini onto soaked wooden skewers or metal skewers, alternating meat and vegetables. You should be able to make about 6 skewers.
6. Grill the kabobs directly over high heat for 2 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to medium (or move the kabobs to indirect heat) and brush with 1/2 cup of the remaining chimichurri. Grill to desired doneness, 12 to 15 minutes. (The easiest way to check is to remove one of the kabobs from the heat and cut into the meat, checking for color.) Serve the kabobs with extra chimichurri sauce for dipping; any leftover sauce can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days or frozen in ice cube trays for up to 6 months.
If you don’t have a grill, you have two other options for the kabobs. First, buy a grill plate for your stove and follow the same directions — it’s just like a barbecue, minus the mosquitoes. Or, you can broil and then bake the skewers: Preheat the oven to broil (or 500°F) and place the skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil the kabobs for 3 minutes, then flip the skewers and broil for another 3 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and brush the skewers with chimichurri. Bake to desired doneness, 12 to 15 minutes.
For more kebab recipes, check out my new Summer Grilling board over on Pinterest!
Salads: They are a staple at summer BBQ’s. Cool, refreshing and packed with nutrition. Whenever you attend a gathering, scope these out first or offer to bring one with you so you know there will be at least one “safe” side dish option that isn’t full of mayo and fat.
Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad: (Pictured left above) This salad is so colorful and refreshing looking. All of the ingredients are “Fix Friendly” and each serving works out to be about 1 yellow, 1 blue, 1 green and 1 orange. {Click here for the recipe.}
Spinach and Berry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette: (Pictured second from left above) This recipe is patriotic with the red and blue berries plus it’s straight from Beachbody so they took the container guess work out of things! 1 Green, 1/2 Purple, 1 Orange. {Click here for the recipe}
Cucumber Salad: (Pictured second from the right above) This simple and refreshing summer salad is the perfect addition to a BBQ when doing the 21 Day Fix. All of the ingredients are “Fix Friendly” and only count as 1 green container! {Click here for the recipe}
Greek Salad: (Pictured one the far right above) Here’s another colorful addition for your next cook out. This version is low in calories, high in flavor and brought to us by Beachbody, so once again, the container counts are already done for us! Container counts: 1.5 green and 1 orange. {Click here for the recipe}
For more salads and other side dish recipes, check out my new Summer Grilling board over on Pinterest!
Sweets: Let’s face it…it’s just not a party or gathering without them! The trick to staying on track is avoiding the cupcakes, cakes, brownies and other highly processed, sugary treats.
Fresh fruit is your friend in these situations and thankfully, since it’s warm out, there is typically some sort of fruit platter at most gatherings. Just like with the salads, you can always offer to bring some as your contribution if you know you have a killer sweet tooth and will be tempted by the other goodies that may be on display.
Grilled Fruit: (Not pictured) Pineapple, peaches and nectarines are all super yummy when grilled. Top them with a drizzle of honey or team them up with some greek yogurt for a grown-up treat! Container count: 1 purple (1 red if teaming it up with Greek yogurt)
American Flag Toast Flags: (Pictured on the left above) Have some fun with your breakfast and show your patriotism! This recipe uses cream cheese as the base but I honestly think they would be yummier with some natural peanut butter or just whole fruit jelly! Make sure you use whole grain bread and you’ll want to stick to one flag as your portion or you’ll be out of yellow containers for the day! Using a waffle or one of my Healthy Pancakes as a base is another good idea! Container counts: 1 yellow, 1 tsp, 1 purple.
Watermelon Pops: (Pictured second from left above) Simple, inexpensive and refreshing. Watermelon is the poster fruit of summer and you can’t go wrong with serving these! Container count: 1 purple.
Fruit Salad: (Pictured second from right above) Another simple and refreshing treat that won’t leave you on a sugar high. The fruit salad pictured above will take a little more time, but it’s the perfect addition to a Memorial Day or Fourth of July gathering and you only need a star shapes cookie cutter to create this conversation piece. Toss in some blue berries and viola! Container count: 1 purple
Star Spangled Fruit Pops: (Pictured far right above) Okay, so this one is for the over achiever but I couldn’t resist including it. Kids would definitely get a kick of them and your guests would truly be impressed. We’re always trying to get our kids to eat healthier, so why not make fruit as fun as the icing covered cupcakes?! {Click here for instructions on how to make these.}
For more dessert recipes and inspiration, check out my new Summer Grilling board over on Pinterest!
As you can see, there are a lot of healthy and flavorful ways to stay on track with the 21 Day Fix this summer.
I didn’t even touch grilled chicken or burgers! Both are absolutely allowed and the possibilities are endless with them too. The key to not getting bored with all of this is to experiment with seasoning. Seasoning is a free food on the program which means it is your best friend!
Be sure to check out the Summer Grilling board over on Pinterest for more recipe inspiration. I already have some chicken and burger recipes on there that I didn’t include in this post and I’ll be adding to it regularly from now on.
Do you have a favorite 21 Day Fix Friendly recipe for BBQ gatherings? If so, please share it below! You know I love trying new things.
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