Mexican Stuffed Shells

Shortly after the new year my husband and I got our FitBit Charge HRs. We've been trying to be diligent in using them to help us with awareness... of what we eat, what we do, how we sleep, and how that affects our mood and energy. So far it's been amazing and eye opening, even for me who was decently conscious of calories and diet. I have lost 6lbs in about 2 weeks. Now part of that is holiday bloat. You know, the extra pounds from eating sweets and drinking booze. But it is definitely time for me to lose the last few pregnancy pounds since my second child is turning a year next month!

I will share how I'm getting active and some of the things that have helped me in the diet/nutrition department when I reach my goal (which is hopefully sooner than later) but for now I would like to share a recipe that I think you'll enjoy. :)

Pasta is not really a good food for weight loss but in moderation (just like most everything else) it is just fine. We had jumbo shells in the pantry from awhile back and the pesto chicken shells I originally made with them were delicious but NOT good for my calorie tracking. We love mexican food so here's my take on a different stuffed shell with some spice. 

Mexican Stuffed Shells:

Ingredients:

17-20 jumbo shells, cooked al dente, drained and cooled

1/2lb grass fed ground beef cooked until brown, drained

1/2c mexican shredded cheese, separated

1/2c peppers, diced small

2c quinoa, cooked

1T grapeseed oil (or really any other oil will do)

1 serving taco seasoning (I make my own or you can buy a packet from the store)

Salsa to top, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix beef, quinoa, peppers, 1/4c cheese, oil and seasoning.

3. Line up jumbo shells in a baking dish. 

4. Fill each shell with the mixture. It was about a tablespoon for each shell.

5. Top with a little bit of salsa on each shell.

6. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

7. Cover with foil. 

8. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 2-5 more minutes to allow all the cheese topping to melt.

9. Enjoy!

I did some rough estimations and found that each shell was about 80 calories. 

Servings vary but I will say I ate 5 and my husband ate 7. :)

Here are some possible variations to try:

- Add guacamole as a topping or switch it for salsa

- Use taco sauce as a topping instead of salsa

- Add corn to the mixture (we didn't have any)

- Add onions.. they aren't really our thing but would definitely add some flavor

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Let me know if you try this and/or tweak it. I am always looking for ways to change things up to keep it interesting!

Happy Friday!

<-Kassy->