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4/27/2020 0 Comments

Lemony kale & sausage ravioli

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so simple, so delish. let's put this recipe on repeat! 

A typical pasta night can be transformed into something gloriously different than your average spaghetti and meatballs.  I'm just a girl, trying to spread some health love to the beautiful pasta that is RAVIOLI.  

I intentionally kept marinara and tomato sauce out of this recipe because I wanted a change to the typical pasta dishes that we cook.  The combination of Italian sausage, kale and lemon juice is seriously out of this world.  This flavor combination is so simple, yet so freakin' flavorful. 

I hope you enjoy a new twist to your usual pasta night. 

lemony Kale & sausage Ravioli

(feeds about 8 people) 
Ingredients:
  • 2 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
  • 2 lbs of Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 4 cups of kale, thick stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste
  • 36 oz. of Ravioli, your choice (We really enjoy La Pasta Spinach & Aritchoke Ravioli and Beet, Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese Ravioli) 
  • 1 Lemon, for cooking and serving
  • Shredded parmesean, for serving (optional) 

1.  Bring a large pot of water to boil.

2.  Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbs. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until browned, 8-10 minutes. 

3.  Add the kale, and season with salt and pepper.  Mix the kale and sausage together, and turn heat on low and cover.  Let this cook for about 5 minutes. Once kale has wilted, squeeze in the juice of 1/2 of a lemon and stir gently.  

4.  Once water has boiled in your large pot, add in ravioli and cook according to package directions.  Drain ravioli when finished. 

5.  Serve ravioli topped with a heavy spoonful of your sausage and lemony kale mixture, then top with shredded parmsean.  Serve with a wedge of lemon for some added flavor to make your tastebuds go WOW! 

always craving health & happiness,

                     Jillian 
0 Comments

4/18/2020 1 Comment

grain-free chocolate chip pumpkin bread

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pumpkin pantry party here we come! 

One Saturday afternoon I decided to do a quick pantry dump (#lessfoodwaste), and realized I had multiple cans of pumpkin puree just waiting to be turned into a tasty treat.  My mind immediately thought..."Let's make MAPLE PUMPKIN BREAD!"

But, there was one tiny problem. I had ZERO whole wheat flour, EEEK! 

Luckily that day I did have almond meal/almond flour in my pantry, so I decided to conduct a lil' baking experiment (cue scene to Dexter's Laboratory).  This recipe was such a success that my entire family devoured it in just 4 hours.  Needless to say this pumpkin bread recipe is PRETTY. DARN. DELICIOUS. 

​
That is the story on how the GRAIN-FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN BREAD was born into existence, in case you were curious. :)

grain-free chocolate chip pumpkin bread

Ingredients:

WET
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1- 15 oz. can of organic pumpkin puree 
DRY
  • 2 cups of almond meal or almond flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal) 
  • 1 tsp pumpkin spice or cinnamon (optional)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp of salt 
  • 3/4 cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2.  In a large mixing bowl, add all wet ingredients and whisk together.  

3.  Next, add in slowly all the dry ingredients (save some Chocoloate Chips for the topping) in with the wet ingredients.  Whisk these together until most of the flour clumps have dissipated. 

4.  Grease a loaf baking pan with coconut oil and pour in your beautiful orange batter. 

5.  Top with more chocolate chips and bake bread for 45-50 minutes. 

7.  Let bread cool for about 10-15 minutes before slicing.  The bread will fall apart if you don't wait for it to cool down, trust me. 


If you dig this recipe, I would absolutely LOVE for you to share it with me by commenting below or shouting out to me on instagram at The Clean and Simple Life! 

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        Always craving good food,
                            Jillian 
1 Comment

4/7/2020 1 Comment

the 5 biggest health mistakes i used to make

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I wish someone would have taught me these 5 things before starting my health journey. 

Alrighty, let's dive into the 5 BIGGEST HEALTH MISTAKES I used to make before becoming a health coach.  Seriously, I really wish someone would have taught me this stuff when I was in college---it would have saved me so much freakin' stress, shame and my health! 

1. Eating foods in isolation.

Our bodies absorb nutrients WAY better when we pair different types of foods together.  For example, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K have these crazy super powers when they are eaten all together. 

So the next time you make eggs, add in some spinach and your favorite cheese to get the best fuel out of your food!
 
Here’s a simple nutrient-bomb frittata recipe for you to whip up for brinner night or a leisurely breakfast with the fam.
 
2. Trying to keep EVERYTHING perfectly “clean”. 

Setting strict and rigid restrictions for your diet is not only unrealistic, but will most likely cause you guilt or shameful feelings when you do decide to indulge in something not typically healthy.

Give yourself GRACE my friend.
 
Create rhythms in your eating habits, like 80% home cooking and 20% fun indulges.  You’re not going to have a sustainable healthy diet if you’re constantly restricting yourself from those not so healthyish foods. We are all human, LIVE IT UP (in moderation)!
 
3. Doing all the work alone. 

Get your family involved in the kitchen! The only way you’re going to teach your family healthy habits is by including them in the process, because our kids definitely aren’t being taught nutrition in school. I should know, I’m a public school teacher.
 
Allow your family to have a say in the weekly dinner menu or lunch meal options. If you need a SIMPLE WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER, grab your copy right now! 

Ask them to help with simple prepping/cooking tasks, such as chopping veggies, stirring the sauce, or boiling noodles. My 20-month-old enjoys stirring things on the stove with parental supervision of course :). 
 
Involving your loved ones in the cooking department helps them learn your favorite recipes, so when you can’t be the “chef” a night, they will have the skills to take over and cook for you. Which is a phenomenal feeling, isn’t it?
 
4. Vegetable oil is healthy.   

I have seen so many of my clients’ kitchens stocked with canola and vegetable oil thinking that it’s healthy and “normal” to use when cooking. Our poor parents were all tricked into thinking these cooking oils were healthy for us.

BOY, IS THAT A FAT LIE! 
 
Do yourself a favor and throw away those garbage oils right now.  Invest in some quality cooking oils, such as avocado oil, cold-pressed olive oil, coconut oil, ghee or some organic butter.
 
5. There’s a healthy picture on this package which means it’s gotta be healthy. 

Never trust a food company by the front packaging.  Read the ingredients, because food companies are sneaky as hell.  Just because a mayonnaise container has a giant avocado on it, doesn’t mean it’s healthy.  Always read the ingredient labels. This is why I try to stick to real foods, versus packaged goods.
 
Here’s a list of some of My Favorite Healthy Packaged Foods if you need some ideas.

Anyways...

You are awesome!  I know you already have a lot on your plate #punintended, and your time is super precious. 

But, just know that I'm here for you, cheering you on!  

Life should never be too busy for your health. 


Always craving health & happiness, 

              Jillian  
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1 Comment

4/4/2020 0 Comments

why you gotta learn to love leftovers!

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leftovers are the easiest way to create more time in your life. 

In this season of life, we are currently rockin’ the hell outta of some leftovers!

Both my husband and I work full-time jobs, and we have little time to whip up five different gourmet lunches and dinners during the week. Not to mention, we’d much rather spend our time relaxing as a family then having to worry about what we are going to eat the next day.

Our two favorite meals to cook during the week that provide us plenty of leftovers are pasta and tacos.  We make sure to double the recipe for both of these meals, so we have plenty of food leftover to use however we chose.

Not convinced to love leftovers yet?

4 reasons to love leftovers

  1. Saves you TIME when preparing lunch the next day. You can use leftovers as a quick lunch at home or take it to go.
  2. You can REUSE them as dinner on a night you are too exhausted to cook. #lazyhealthymeal
  3. You can use the ingredients from the leftovers to RECREATE something new! Leftover taco meat could be used in a frittata or combined with your favorite noodle to make a yummy pasta dish!
  4. You have less food WASTE!  I love when my fridge is empty, because that means no food or money went wasted.  Plus, it makes your fridge super easy to clean.

3 recipes to reuse that leftover meat or veggies  

1.  Use that leftover taco meat or pasta sauce in this FRITTATA! 
2.  Throw that leftover pork loin, chicken, or ground beef into this PASTA dish! 
​3.  Add any meat or veggie on top of this PIZZA! 

I use this SIMPLE WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER to intenionally plan big meals so I always have leftovers. :) #timesaver

I would love to see how you're reusing your leftovers! 

Tag me in your delicious creations on Instagram @the.clean.and.simple.life 

always craving health & happiness,
                     Jillian 

0 Comments
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    meet jillian!

    After 3 years of simplifying her life she is now living a life completely out of debt, has created simple routines to maintain her health + sanity 😍,  is able to travel more than ever with her family, and most importantly, she now has the time and energy to pursue things that make her happy as hell!  

    Read more of her story here ↣

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