21 Day Fix Spicy Chicken Sausage Veggie Pasta

I’ve been trying out the 21 Day Fix for the past couple of weeks, and have NOT been completely loyal to it. I cheated again tonight when I went out with friends to watch some pre-season football. I’m not being too hard on myself, though, because I have been under an unusually high amount of stress this past month with going back to work, moving, dealing with PT struggles (actual aggravation of my hamstrings AND insurance issues), and continuing to work two small businesses on the side. I am pretty darn proud of myself, though! I have managed to balance everything, and am enjoying my career right now! 

My eating habits have been less than stellar….as soon as I moved into my apartment and started working, it’s like my inhibitions went out the window. I think I had a cannoli cookie from AJ’s (THE most incredibly ridiculous cookie ever!!) every day for the 8 days I worked in a row right out of the gate! I’ve probably put on 10 pounds since I started working. I allowed myself to stress eat for a little bit, but then I decided it was time to get some structure back in my life. 

I have a great friend and former coworker (and now my BeachBody coach!!) that has been posting about the 21 Day Fix, so I became intrigued. After doing some research, I learned that it is basically very clean eating with strict portion control. You get different colored containers to measure your food with (no weighing necessary), and you get a certain number of each container per day. I am used to allowing myself two tablespoons of almond butter with an apple, and on this program, you only get two teaspoons (translated means 1/3 of the amount that I am used to.) The number of containers you get is based on your weight and doing the 30 minute workouts that come with the program. I am in the 1200-1499 calorie range, so I get the lowest amount of containers. 

The only problem I have with it is that I eat a lot of fruit. I only get 2 purple containers of fruit per day. Half of a large banana counts as one of those containers. I eat a whole banana for breakfast with a bar sometimes! I have decided to allow myself to have more fruit than what my plan calls for. Honestly, anything is better than what I’ve been doing!!

So I am telling you guys this for a few reasons: 1. I struggle with the same things you guys do. I am not perfect. It may seem like I eat well without much struggle, but the struggle is real my friends!! Cookies, pizza, ice cream….did I say cookies!? They’re what I have been craving lately, and it’s been tough! 2. The 21 Day Fix is simple, so if you’re looking to try something new that is more of a lifestyle change and not a diet, check it out! 3. I came up with a kick-ass recipe that is 21 Day Fix approved! I want to share it with you, because it turned out SOOOO good! Unexpectedly good! 

What you’ll need:

1 pkg Spicy Chicken Sausage links (I got mine at Trader Joes) sliced into 1/4” pieces

1/2 each of a red, yellow and orange bell pepper

3/4 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped red onion

3/4 can petite diced tomatoes

3 green containers (approx 3 cups total) lightly chopped fresh spinach

1-2 teaspoons italian seasoning

4 yellow containers of cooked whole wheat pasta (or quinoa or gluten free pasta for GF option)

4 blue containers part-skim mozzarella cheese (just sprinkle a little bit on top of each serving if you don’t have containers)

1-2 teaspoons EVOO

Sauté chopped peppers, mushrooms, and onions until cooked through, add chicken sausage (comes fully cooked), and cook for a few minutes until heated through. Add tomatoes, stir, and cook for a few more minutes. Add spinach, and allow to wilt down, stir into mixture. Add italian seasoning, and salt and pepper if you want.

Each batch makes four servings. Portion out the servings into separate bowls, then add the pasta and mix it in.

Add one yellow container of cooked pasta to each container. I’d say a yellow container is about 1/2 of a cup.

Top with your blue container of mozzarella cheese, and that’s it! It’s so easy to make, but turned out super delicious! It’s pretty filling, too, which made me very happy! Perfect to take with you to work for lunch or dinner!

Each serving is approx:

1 green container

1 red container

1 yellow container

1 blue container

1/2 purple container

1/2 tea (EVOO)

Are any of you doing the 21 Day Fix? I’d love to hear what your favorite recipes are! Leave a comment below, or tweet me the link! How are you liking it? Have you lost much weight yet? Let me know in the comments below. Also, let me know if you try and like this recipe! 

Have an awesome weekend everyone!!

Happy Trails!

Stacey