My "GetThisCrapOuttaMyFridge" Shepherd's Pie Recipe

I've always been inclined to eat clean, but every so often I look for a somewhat healthy indulgence. Especially now that I'm trying to get back to my pre-baby body.

This is a quick recipe for Shepherd's Pie that you can use to clear out the holiday leftovers from your fridge. It came in handy for Thanksgiving, and it's definitely gonna work for Christmas. Be sure to modify to suit your ingredients; if you have cranberry sauce, it may work too! 

Pre- Heat your oven to 350 before starting the creation process. 

Step 1. Potato

• I prefer the nutritional qualities of sweet potato, so I used it in place of mashed regular potato.
• To save time, I rinsed my sweet potatoes and covered them in damp paper towels. Microwave each one for 4min on one side. When you stab them with a fork, it should go right through. 
• Add butter (I used whipped) and brown sugar, then mash.

Step 2 - Meat

I like Chuck, because it's lean but won't dry out during cooking. Season to taste, cook then add as the bottom layer of your pan.

Step 3: Leftovers

My weapon of choice was stuffing. You can add whatever's in the fridge that may taste good.

Layer on top of your meat.

Step 4: Add Potato Layer

Step 5: Cornbread

Most recipes make the potato the top layer, but I figured the cornbread would add some structure to the dish.

Step 6: Cheese

Shred the cheese of your choice on top. 

Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Basically, whatever the cooking instructions are on the cornbread - do that. The other ingredients are already cooked, so you want to make sure the cornbread ingredients are baked fully. 

Step 7: Remove, Enjoy! 

This is my favorite part, lol

I paired it with a bit of fresh kale with Thousand Island dressing. Protein, carbs and fiber - three great weight loss components. 

I hope this helps give you some ideas for your holiday leftovers. Nothing needs to go to waste, but everything should be delicious! 

Going Raw - my Two Week Journey...

So we decided to "go raw" for two weeks, and I tell you the last three days of it have been the most trying. The bright side of it all has definitely been the results; down over six pounds with two days remaining on the diet. Three days of moderate ab-work per week. Let's talk about how it all went down... 


It all starts with the meals; nothing cooked is allowed. Raw trail mix and dried fruit are a catalyst throughout the day in order to maintain energy. I usually start the day off with a few fruit; an apple, a banana and a fruit shake. Odwalla has awesome drink options that are all natural, and give you a list of how many fruit and other goodies are in each bottle. Since I'm allergic to oranges, I stick to Original Superfood. It's green but yummy, don't let the appearance fool you. 

The key is creativity when going raw; since your options of what to eat may be limited. We stocked up on a few staple items to base our salads on; spinach, lettuce, frozen edamame, kelp noodles, apples. It's based upon what fruit and veggies you like, so grab a basket and go H.A.M. in the supermarket. No meat, though. :) 

Fruit saved me. I got so tired of eating trail mix, that all I really wanted was fresh fruit. I diced up a whole cantaloupe and put it in a tupperware container to eat throughout the week, boy did it come in handy. Threw some flax seeds on top for fiber - but make sure you chew the seeds or you won't get any of the nutrients. It's all inside. 

I found that if I chomped on trail mix throughout the day, I was less hungry when my usual feeding times came around. I've been sipping this Superfood drink since 11am - it's 2:51pm right now and it's not finished. The protein will keep you alive!! I even fought the temptation of my mom's barbecue turkey wings this weekend - and that takes a lot of will power!  

I haven't lost any energy, I think I can attribute that to the soybeans (edamame) and the nuts. I keep a ziploc back of it by my side, in case I feel the urge to eat. There are quite a few raw trail mixes to choose from, so you can add variety and fight boredom. I don't dig shaved coconut that much or mushy dried apples, so I went for one with premium nuts (cashews, pecans, almonds, pistachios) or one with premium nuts and dried berries (cranberries, raisins, etc.). I tend to eat around the Brazil nuts, because I think they're kind of bitter. If they were salted, I'd go in!  

30 minutes of moderate exercise helps speed up the process. We usually get up and do ab-work in the morning with some GOOD music playing (pun intended). I haven't been working out as much as I usually do, so I don't even want to show you too many ab shots, lol. I'll do it for support's sake, though.

Mother Nature allowed me to keep my butt, although according to my measurements I lost half an inch in that area. I lost the same amount in my midsection, but the measurements are flawed since I ate before I took them. More squats should remedy the loss in the hip and buttocks, though. 


Anyway, today makes the second to last day - I'm already planning my first meal. Nothing like the sweet victory of health and fitness, it allows you to indulge sometimes. Dragon roll, here I come! 

P.S. - If you can find friends to do this challenge with you I recommend it. Having good support systems will definitely get you through. If you need more than two weeks, kick it up a notch and go for three. Two months, even? Sky's the limit!