Month: December 2021

This Frozen Stuffed Peppers Recipe has so many things going for it. Because it is made with extra lean turkey and cauliflower rice instead of white rice, these stuffed peppers are relatively low in calories. Yet, they are super filling thanks to the satiety superstars, protein, fiber, water, and peppers. The cauliflower also contains glucosinolates. Glucosinolates may help reduce the risk of cancer by protecting cells from damage. They also have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial properties.

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Demo on How to Cook Healthy Stuffed Peppers with Cauliflower Rice

See how to make frozen stuffed peppers below.

Yield: 5 Stuffed Bell Peppers

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 5

Materials:

• Medium Skillet
• Basting Brush
• Tinfoil
• 9 X 13 aluminum dish

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. extra-lean ground turkey
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups of plain frozen or packages cauliflower rice
• 3 cups no sugar added tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 3 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 5 Green Bell Peppers
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil for basting.

Instructions for preparing the Frozen Stuffed Peppers

• Spray the skillet with non-stick cooking oil spray. Heat the oil spray over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the extra-lean ground turkey.
• Use a spatula to break up the turkey into smaller pieces. Spread the turkey evenly in the pan. Then, let the turkey cook for about 5 minutes.
• Stir the turkey until you no longer see any pink.
• Drain the fat from the turkey. Never put the drained fat in the drain. Discard the excess fat in the trash.
• Place the skillet back on the stove on medium-high heat.
• Add all the other ingredients except the bell peppers into the skillet with the turkey. Stir frequently for about 4 minutes or until all the ingredients are warm.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and turn off the stove.
• Cut off the tops of the bell peppers, and remove the inside of the bell pepper so that the bell pepper is hallow. Fill each bell pepper with the turkey cauliflower mixture. You will have some cauliflower mixture left over.
• Place the stuffed peppers in an aluminum dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and plastic wrap.
• Place the dish in the freezer. You can free the peppers for up to three months.

Instructions for Cooking after you have defrosted the Frozen Stuffed Peppers

• Before cooking, defrost the peppers in the refrigerator overnight.
• When it is time to cook the peppers, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Baste each bell pepper with avocado oil.
• Cover the dish with tinfoil.
• Bake for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes.

Cooking Healthy Stuffed Peppers without Freezing

Instead of freezing them, you can also cook the stuffed peppers right away. Below is the recipe for cooking these healthy stuffed peppers on the spot.

Spray the skillet with non-stick cooking oil spray. Heat the oil spray over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the extra-lean ground turkey.

Use a spatula to break up the turkey into smaller pieces. Spread the turkey evenly in the pan. Then, let the turkey cook for about 5 minutes.

Stir the turkey until you no longer see any pink.

Drain the fat from the turkey. Never put the drained fat in the drain. Discard the excess fat in the trash.

Place the skillet back on the stove on medium-high heat.

Add all the other ingredients except the bell peppers into the skillet with the turkey. Stir frequently for about 4 minutes or until all the ingredients are warm.

Remove the skillet from the heat and turn off the stove.

Cut off the tops of the bell peppers, and remove the inside of the bell pepper so that the bell pepper is hallow. You will have some cauliflower mixture leftover.

When it is time to cook the peppers, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

Baste each bell pepper with avocado oil. Fill each bell pepper with the turkey cauliflower mixture and place the 5 bell peppers in a casserole dish. Cover the dish with tinfoil.

Bake for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes.

Nutrient Content (Numbers will vary based on brands)

Serving Size: 5 Bell Peppers

Nutrition Facts 

Calories: 195

Total Fat: 7.3 g

Sat. Fat: 1.2 g

Cholesterol: 56 mg

Sodium: 557 mg

Total Carbohydrates: 18.7 g

Dietary Fiber: 4.7 g

Total Sugar: 9.9 g

Protein: 18.2 g 

Vitamin D: 0 mcg

Calcium: 51mg

Iron: 2 mg

Potassium: 574 mg

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Copyright © 2021 Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC

Recently people have been leaving comments asking me where to buy all of the groceries I talk about and use. So I wanted to make it super easy for you to find and quickly purchase all the healthy nonperishables I use in my cooking. That is what this post is. It’s the ultimate healthy grocery haul, including quick links to where you can buy them. You can shop for all of you shelf goods right here!

Along with the list of non-perishables and links, I also included a list of the perishables that I buy at the grocery store. You will find that once you have your non-perishables, the rest is pretty easy to grab those fresh groceries at your local stores.

This healthy grocery haul is a list of almost everything I buy and recommend.

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Non-Perishables Healthy Grocery Haul Plus Links

Healthy Breakfast Quick Meals

Breakfast is hectic, so I love having quick pre-packaged healthy breakfast meals ready to go. Below are some of my favorite quick, easy, and healthy on-the-go breakfast items.

Kodiak Cups

Kodiak Mix

Kind Breakfast Bars

RX Bar Oatmeal Cups

Sauces, Seasonings, and Spices

Sauces and spices are crucial for packing your healthy dishes full of flavor. These sauces, spices, and seasonings are what give your meal the wow factor. When I buy sauces and condiments, I look for packages labels “no sugar added.” All of my favorite “no sugar added” sauces are included in this healthy grocery haul list. I also included my absolute favorite seasonings and spices. Add this to a variety of healthy dishes, and people will be asking for your recipes.

Jordan’s Skinny Syrup (I use to add flavor to energy balls and yogurt parfaits.)

G Hughes No Sugar Added Ketchup

Everything But the Bagel Seasoning (Great on almost anything: vegetables, lean meats, pasta, avocado…)

Montreal Steak Seasoning (This is another one of my secret ingredients in many of my recipes. People go nuts whenever they taste my vegetables sauteed in Montreal Steak Seasoning)

Low Sodium Soy Sauce

Tahini

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Avocado Oil

Simply Organic Turmeric

Simply Organic Cinnamon

G Hughes Sugar-Free Added BBQ Sauces

G Hughes Sugar-Free Salad Dressings

Primal Kitchen’s Dressings, Sauces, and Condiments (Primal Kitchen offers a huge array of no sugar added dressings and sauces like BBQ, ketchup, a variety of rances, Italian dressing, balsamic, mayo…the list goes on and on…)

Salsa (I like Tenayo Salsa)

Lea & Perrins Worcestershire

Tomato Sauce – No Sugar Added (I like Muir Glen No Sugar Added Tomato Sauce)

Pacific Foods Organic Vegetable Broth

Pacific Foods Free-Range Organic Chicken Broth

Happy Belly Sea Salt

Happy Belly Black Pepper

Healthy Drinks

Karma Probiotic Water

Humm Zero

Tazo Green Tea

Tazo Chamomile Tea

KOR Shots Wellness

Gut Check Kor Shot

Kor Shot Sweet Dreams

Horizon Organic Shelf-Stable DHA Omega-3 Chocolate Milk Juice Box

Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice-light

Healthy Snacks

Nature’s Bakery Whole Wheat Fig Bars

Health Warrior Chia Bars

Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Kind Bars

Oatmega Protein Bars

(I like to crumble up these bars with fruit and add them both to yogurt)

Kind Healthy Grains Granola

Nuts and Nut Mix (I like Emerald’s Walnuts & Almonds with Dried Cherries)

Dark chocolate Bite-Sized Treats (I like That’s It Dark Choclate Truffles)

Base Foods

If you have read my book, The Nourishing Meal Builder, then you know when I say base food, I am referring to foods that hold other foods like rice, pasta, lettuce, and wraps.

Minute Brown Rice

Better Body Quinoa

Palmini Pasta Variety Packs

Konjac Noodles Variety Pack-Skinny Pasta (Only 9 calories per serving)

Quaker Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (I like to make meatballs, meatloaves, and energy balls with oats.)

Golden Home Ultra This Whole Grain Pizza Crust

Xtreme Wellnes High Fiber Tortilla Wraps

Pure Rice Paper Spring Rolls

Barilla Whole Grain Pasta (You can get a variety of pasta shapes)

Vegetable, Lentil, or Chickpea Pasta (I like Tolerant Foods Chickpea Pasta)

Big Green Organinc Buckwheat Pasta-Gulten-Free

Clabber Girl Corn Starch (Use to make Cloud Bread)

Non-Perishable Lean Proteins

Canned or Pouches of Wild Caught Tuna (I like Wild Planet Tuna Pouches)

Pouches or cans of White Meat Chicken (I like Swansons White Meat Canned Chicken)

Canned or Pouches of Wild Caught Salmon (I like Chicken of the Sea Wild Caught Pink Salmon Pouches)

Think Free-Range Turkey Jerky or Think Free-Range Turkey Jerky Sitcks

Goya Canned Beans (Any Variety)

Nutritious Add-ins

Bragg Nutritional Yeast (This gives food a nice cheesy flavor, so you can add it to foods that would taste great with cheese)

Now Flaxseed Meal or Nutiva Ground Chia Seed (You can sneak flaxseed into anything. Flaxseed can also be used as a thickener, in place of eggs in baking, or as part of a “bread” coating on things like chicken nuggets. Mix one tablespoon of flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons water to make the equivalent of one egg in a recipe)

Primal Kitchen Collagen

Supplements

Garden of Life MyKind Elderberry +

Nature Made Multi + Omega-3

Calming Supplements (pick which works best for you): CBDistillory Relief + Relax,  Upgraid-Fully Organic Bio-available Turmeric, Ashwagandha, Ginger Root, and Tart Cherry Plant Based Supplements, Olly Ultra Goodbye Stress, Life Extensions Enhanced Stress Relief, Organic India- Holy Basil

Perishables Healthy Grocery Haul

Since this is a list of the perishables healthy grocery haul, you will need to buy them at your local stores.

Lean Proteins

Free Range Eggs

Black Bean Burgers

Ground Chicken

Turkey Breast

Roasted Chicken Breast

Ground Turkey

No Nitrate/Nitrite Turkey Slices

Chicken Sausage-No nitrate/nitrite added

No Nitrate/Nitrite Turkey Bacon

Frozen Soy Beans

Frozen Beans (Any Variety)

Hummus

Bases

Whole Wheat Bread, English Muffins

Frozen Zoodles

Riced Cauliflower-frozen

Frozen Mashed Cauliflower

Vegetables

Fresh Vegetables any variety, especially dark leafy greens

Fresh Fruit, any variety, especially berries

Salad Packages

Slaw Packages

Frozen Vegetables

Fresh Herbs

Garlic

Cilantro

Basil

Oregano

Ginger

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Copyright © 2020 Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC.

What we eat can greatly affect our athletic performance. I am a registered dietitian and soccer mom, and I have personally seen the impact nutrition has on athletic performance. In fact, when my son decided to change his eating, he saw a huge positive transformation in his endurance, performance, and quick-thinking skills. There is a lot we could talk about in regard to nutrition for the soccer player but for this post let’s look at what to eat before a soccer game for peak athletic performance.

This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)

You can find a detailed guide in  Nutrition for Youth Soccer: The Travel Soccer Player Diet for Optimal Endurance and Performance.)

What to Eat Before a Soccer Game for Peak Athletic Performance

To reduce the chance of overeating to the point of feeling overly full, I recommend eating small mini-meals and snacks if the game is 2-3 hours away instead of eating a big meal.

the closer the game gets the lighter your meals should be. You should have eaten to build up your fuel the night before and/or at least 3-4 hours before the game. Avoid high-fat meat and sauces and fried foods the day of the game.

Before A Soccer Game Snacks and Mini-meals are listed below:

• Jerky and Crackers
• Energy Balls
• Classic Hummus on whole grain pita bread
• Guacamole on whole-grain toast
• Build your Own Trail Mix
• A handful of nuts and fruit
• Canned chicken on whole grain crackers
• Canned salmon and whole grain crackers
• A Nutrition Bar
• Whole grain fig bar
• Build your own Yogurt Parfait
• A piece of fruit (apple, orange, pear)
• A cup of fruit (pineapple chunks, blueberries, grapes, strawberries) and a cheese stick
• A whole-grain bagel with a small amount of light cream cheese and fruit topping
• A turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread
• Build Your Own Salad
• Boiled egg and crackers
• Energy Pouches

Snack Ideas for the last 30 minutes to an hour before a game:

• A piece of fruit like a banana, apple, or orange
• Dry cereal like cheerios
• A small energy bar

These are a few simple snacks and mini-meal ideas that can help you figure out what to eat before a soccer game, but if you are looking for more, I recommend the Nutrition for Youth Soccer: The Travel Soccer Player Diet for Optimal Endurance and Performance.)

In Nutrition for Youth Soccer: The Travel Soccer Player Diet for Optimal Endurance and Performance, you will learn how nutrition can help you transform on the soccer field. Find out what foods you need to eat before a game for optimal athletic performance. Learn what foods will help you make quick game-changing decisions on the pitch, and learn what foods to eat through the week to promote peak fitness and endurance.

What’s included:

• Game-day meal and snack ideas and recipes
• Before-practice meal and snack ideas
• The night-before-game-day meals and recipes
• What meals and snacks to eat for 2-games-a-day tournament weekends.

Buy Ebook Now

or

Buy the Paperback on Amazon

Registered Dietitian, Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN, not only has professional knowledge but also personal experience as a travel soccer mom. Ngo personally witnessed her son’s fitness and soccer abilities transform with the help of nutrition.

Copyright © 2021 Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC

Before I share where to get the travel soccer player diet, I wanted to share a little soccer transformation story.

This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)

This story comes from the first chapter of Nutrition for Youth Soccer.

This is a story about my son. You see, I have been a dietitian for 16 years and a soccer mom for 10 years. My interest in nutrition for travel soccer started when my son joined the Charlotte Independence, travel team.

But his story and my journey into nutrition for travel soccer starts before this.

Travel Soccer Transformation Story with the Help of the Soccer Player Diet

My son was a typical child until about midway through kindergarten. One day he seemed to be coming down with a minor cold, but it just wouldn’t go away, even after a round of antibiotics.

One night he seemed to be getting worse, so we decided to take him to the doctor. An hour later, I was following my son in an ambulance. My son was soon diagnosed with pneumonia and remained in the hospital for 5 days.

After 5 days, he was discharged from the hospital, but one of the lobes in his lung was permanently damaged.

For almost a year, we tried different treatments and visited many doctors in multiple cities, but he was still having issues. He was consistently getting lung infections and got winded quickly.

Finally, the doctors decided to remove one lobe of his lung. He was young, so they hoped this surgery would cure him and that his other lobe would completely expand almost as if he didn’t even have a missing lobe.

It worked!

He would have to build up his endurance again, but he would be able to run, play, and excel in sports if he wanted…

But one month after the surgery, he developed HSP. HSP is an autoimmune disease in which your blood vessels leak. This can cause internal leaking in the organs as well as bruising on the outer skin. My son had bruises all over his body. Some were larger than baseballs. HSP usually ends after 4 to 6 weeks. However, since there is a risk of more serious complications, my son had to get his kidneys checked for weeks. There were days he couldn’t even walk due to the pain in his feet. He even had to use a wheelchair to go to his doctor’s visits. It was tough to witness, and I worried constantly, but thankfully, my son’s HSP completely subsided in about 12 weeks.

My son fought through these strange issues for almost 2 years, and he was behind physically. Since he was little, my son had played several sports, including soccer, but now the doctors said playing a sport that involved running was crucial.  

Travel Soccer Tryouts

Running would help build up his lungs. With encouragement from the doctors, we decided to encourage soccer more than other sports. He did the best he could, but he had less endurance and energy than many of his teammates. My son loved soccer, and he had improved by the spring, so he decided to try out for a travel team.

He made the team in the lowest division and was not the best on the team. When my son tells this story, he says he was terrible, but he is dramatic and holds himself to high standards.

He still struggled with endurance and energy, and he needed to work on his ball skills. But he was having fun and running…and smiling. I would sometimes cry happy tears when I watched him run and play.

He was having the time of his life, then covid…

Changing as a Soccer Player with the Soccer Player Diet

The soccer season came to a halt, but fire lit in my son. He realized how much he missed soccer, so he started practicing at home for hours every day. He had never had much interest in my job as a dietitian, but for the first time, he started asking about what he should eat to help improve his athletic performance.

I told him about all the positive things food can do. By the end of the COVID hiatus, his body and abilities had transformed.

When he was finally able to go back to practicing with his club, the coaches were blown away.

I am about to confess something that some of his coaches don’t know; so if any coaches read this, now they will know I was accidentally eavesdropping.

Taking Notice

I was walking towards the fields to pick my son up from soccer when I overheard the coaches talking about my son. They talked about how they can’t believe he is the same kid, and they said they didn’t remember him playing that well. They shook their heads in disbelief. The following year his coach wrote in his evaluation that he was one of the most technically gifted players on the team.

I share this not to brag, but to say effort, determination, and nutrition can transform you as an athlete. My son is living proof. My son can see the difference in his playing when he eats for athletic performance vs. when he doesn’t. We won’t all go pro or even all get athletic scholarships, but when we consistently practice with effort and focus on nutrition, we can all become the best athlete we can be.

With that being said, I wanted to share a few Travel Soccer Player Diet Tips with you.

Travel Soccer Player Diet Tips

1. Eat the Mediterranean Diet

One recent study looked at the Mediterranean diet, specifically. This study found that the participants became 6% faster after they followed a Mediterranean diet. (Before the study began, they ate a more Western-style diet). These improvements were seen in as little as 4 days (2).

2. Hydration should be your main focus before, during, and after the game.

Dehydration can decrease endurance and performance faster than anything. Hydration shouldn’t start after you feel dehydrated, but before the game even starts. Be intentional about getting in fluids in the hours leading up to the game as well as during and after the game.

3. Your meal the night before the game should be about 60-70% carbohydrates and 10-25% protein.

A high carbohydrate diet is needed to maintain glycogen stores and blood glucose. Muscle glycogen is used for energy during exercise, and liver glycogen stores are used to maintain stable blood glucose levels during athletic performance.

Find a list of meal ideas and recipes, in Nutrition for Youth Soccer: The Travel Soccer Player Diet for Optimal Endurance and Performance.

4. Meals closer to game time should be smaller and mostly about providing carbohydrate fuel and hydrating.

The closer the game gets the lighter your meals should be. You should have eaten to build up your fuel the night before and/or at least 3-4 hours before the game. Avoid high-fat meat and sauces and fried foods the day of the game.

A list of mini-meal and snack ideas is found in Nutrition for Youth Soccer: The Travel Soccer Player Diet for Optimal Endurance and Performance.

You can find a more comprehensive guide on the Best Travel Soccer Player Diet for Optimal Endurance and Performance, in Nutrition for Youth Soccer: The Travel Soccer Player Diet for Optimal Endurance and Performance.

In this book, I will share all the ins and outs of nutrition for the travel soccer player. These recommendations are backed by science, and I can personally attest to their effectiveness as a dietitian mom of a travel soccer player.

What is in Nutrition for Youth Soccer: The Travel Soccer Player Diet for Optimal Endurance and Performance.

Learn how nutrition can help you transform on the soccer field. Find out what foods you need to eat before a game for optimal athletic performance. Learn what foods will help you make quick game-changing decisions on the pitch, and learn what foods to eat through the week to promote peak fitness and endurance.

What’s included:

• Game-day meal and snack ideas and recipes
• Before-practice meal and snack ideas
• The night-before-game-day meals and recipes
• What meals and snacks to eat for 2-games-a-day tournament weekends.

Copyright © 2021 Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC