Meals by Maria

08/17/2026

Nice little snack. Had to eat it as part of my cleaning out the fridge challenge. My daughter bought them but left for a month so here I am trying not to waste food.

08/16/2026

Another win for my “clean out the cupboards, fridge and freezer” challenge! 🙌🏼

Yesterday, I used up the rest of my dates, almond butter and chocolate to make this delicious Snickers-inspired bark. I added peanuts, a little cinnamon and sea salt, then placed it in the freezer to set.

It tastes like a Snickers bar, but it has no refined sugar—and now I have a delicious snack ready to enjoy today! 😋🍫🥜

Nothing going to waste over here!

08/15/2026

Meal prep #1: Yellow split pea soup! 🥣💛

I started with onions, garlic, and tomatoes, then added rinsed yellow split peas, water, chicken stock, a couple of serrano peppers, garlic salt, and black pepper. While everything was boiling, I added chopped leftover El Dorado chicken to enhance the flavor as it cooked.

I packaged everything into individual portions—and it came out SO good! This is exactly why I’m challenging myself to use what I already have before buying more groceries. 🙌

Simple, comforting, flavorful, and nothing went to waste. 💛

08/14/2026

My cabinets, fridge, and freezer are full—so it’s time to get creative and use what I already have! 😂

I’ll be sharing the ingredients I pull out and the meals I make with them along the way. Let’s see how much I can make before my next grocery trip! 🍳🥗

What should I use first?

07/26/2026

Todays motivation.

This tomato cucumber salad is crisp, refreshing, and full of flavor–the perfect light side dish for any occasion!

07/26/2026

We ate all the cake and the carbs yesterday for my daughter’s birthday. Went up 1lb so we are 143 today. That’s ok. I am back on track this morning. I’ll post some meals later today. 🥰.

I don’t meal prep anymore but our restaurant El Dorado Pollos A La Brasa has some great meal prep type meals. Text me or call the restaurant and I can steer you in the right direction.

They can also be ordered on grub hub.

Order delivery or pickup from Fit by El Dorado in Pasadena! View Fit by El Dorado's July 2026 deals and menus. Support your local restaurants with Grubhub!

07/25/2026

🎉 One week. Three pounds down.

This morning the scale said 142 lbs. That’s 3 pounds gone in one week!

No magic. No crash diet. Just getting back to the basics:
🥗 More protein
🥦 More vegetables
💧 Plenty of water
🚫 Cutting back on sugar
❤️ Making better choices one meal at a time

I’m not chasing perfection—I know there will be days I slip up. I’m just trying to be more consistent than I was yesterday.

If you’re starting over too, you’re not alone. One healthy choice at a time adds up. Let’s keep going! 💚

07/25/2026

What meal prep looked like for me over 10 years ago. ❤️

Back then, I was meal prepping for other people. I had a meal prep delivery service, and my table was covered with containers ready to go.

Life looks a little different these days. Between running the restaurant, family, and everything else, I’m just trying to find the time to meal prep for myself.

It’s funny how life comes full circle. I still believe meal prep is one of the best ways to stay on track with healthy eating—I just need to take my own advice sometimes.

Anyone else great at taking care of everyone else but forget to prep for themselves? 🙋‍♀️

07/24/2026

Staying on track starts before you’re hungry. 💪🍽️

One of the best things you can do is prep ahead. Having healthy meals ready makes it so much easier to make a good choice when life gets busy.

Don’t be afraid to freeze your meals, either! Just take one out in the morning to thaw. When it’s time to eat, warm it up in a skillet instead of the microwave if you have a few extra minutes. It tastes fresher, the texture is better, and it feels more like a freshly cooked meal.

A little planning today can make tomorrow’s healthy choice the easy one. ❤️

07/24/2026

💡 Today’s Healthy Tip

Swap the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt! Add a pinch of salt, give it a quick stir, and you’ve got a creamy, high-protein dip that’s just as satisfying.

This morning I paired it with my chicken, and it was so good. It’s a simple swap that adds more protein while cutting back on calories. Small changes like this are easier to stick with—and they really do add up over time.

What’s your favorite healthy food swap? 👇