Welcome to #FriendFriday where each week I’ll be sharing a delicious recipe from one of my Instagram friends! I find so much inspiration and friendship in the Instagram community so I’m looking forward to sharing some of that here with you. I’m excited for you to get to know some of my friends, I know you will find them as motivational as I do! Be sure to find them on Instagram so you can follow their journey and find more of their delicious meal ideas!
Today you are meeting Amanda who is an amazing cook and food photographer! She’s hilarious and lucky me got to have dinner with her last time she was in Louisville! Be sure to follow her inspirational journey on Instagram at @shermgetsinshape.
Hi, Amanda, tell us about yourself!
Amanda from @ShermGetsInShape here. Happy Friday! I am currently living in the Mitten (Michigan) where we are gearing up for cider and donut season…I think other people call it Fall? I have been following the Weight Watcher program for a year and a half and have enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people along my journey. By day I am an Event Manager, by night I am a gremlin searching for any delicious low-point foods I can scrounge up!
What motivated you to change your lifestyle?
If you follow me on Instagram you will know that my personal mantra is “improving my body so it can keep up with how far my soul wants to go”. During my freshmen year in college I gained 60 pounds…..yes 60 pounds, YIKES! I have been working quite a few years to shred those dreaded L-B’s in a series of yo-yo weight loss. I rejoined WW a year and half ago when I stepped on the scale and saw that those haunting number had reappeared- I was back to my heaviest. I told myself that no matter the yo-yoing, I would take the good with the bad and I would not stop trying. I committed to working towards better health while still living my BEST LIFE!
What are you favorite foods to cook?
Quick answer- anything that is low in WW smart points. I love the challenge of trying to recreate something comforting that I am craving but in a healthier way. However, if I had to choose a few I would say bruschetta, shredded chicken, and tacos. All of these are fabulous bases for multiple meals (and tacos are life, am-I-right). Living alone I try to buy ingredients that I can use in many different ways so that I have variety in my day and reduce food waste. Bruschetta can be used as a snack on a few slices of baguette, mixed into pasta, topped on a chicken breast, or scoop up with mini bell peppers. Shredded chicken can use used to make casseroles, as a topping on salads, or mixed into a filling soup. And tacos? Tacos can be filled with just about anything- believe me, I’ve had some crazy concoctions.
What is one piece of advice you’d give someone just starting out on a health journey?
Start small by setting realistic goals. I will be the first to say that I too have experienced that incredible surge of energy where I buy all new workout clothes, meal prep containers, protein supplements, vitamins, and even sign up for a new personal trainer. And that is all fine and great until you also schedule yourself for hitting the gym 90 minutes a day, only consuming a plant based diet, eliminating alcohol, waking up at 5am, biking to work, climbing a mountain during your lunch break, drinking eggs raw…you’re getting my point, right? That dramatic shift from your previous lifestyle to this Rocky Balboa persona is likely going to burn you out and you will be left feeling like you were never cut out for success. You may even throw yourself a pity party and smoother your sorrows in Doritos. Don’t do that. Work up to Rocky Balboa. Make a list of what you want to achieve and chip at it. Progress not perfection.
Tell us about the recipe you are sharing today!
As much as I am ready to bring in the fall vibes, there are still so many beautiful zucchini out there that are waiting to become delectable dishes! This here is a tasty and filing recipe that freezes well. One of the best ways to reduce food waste is to create meals that you can freeze for later. Feel free to add in any spices in that suit your fancy! And don’t hold back on the veggies, the sky is the limit. I do have to stress that you are really going to want to put some effort into drying out your shredded zucchini. With these patties, it is crucial that you are reducing access moisture as much as possible. If you add in more veggies than what I did below, make sure you are taking care to drain them and let them sit out to dry. There are many tips on handy-dandy Google that can walk you through some kitchen hacks to drying your zucchini. If you haven’t worked with shredded zucchini before, I recommend checking out some videos. I hope you like this recipe and adapt it with the flavor profiles that you enjoy.
Ready for the freezer!
Amanda’s recipe Zucchini Burger recipe is 2 Blue WW SmartPoints/4 Green WW Smartpoints. The Red Pepper Aioli is 1 WW SmartPoint on both the Blue and Green plans. Enjoy! Keep up with her journey and find more of her delicious creations on Instagram, @Shermgetsinshape.
- 2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 15oz can garbonzo beans
- ¼ cup yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
- ½ yellow bell pepper
- ½ roasted red pepper (jarred in water)
- 1 whole egg
- ½ cup light mozzarella
- Seasonings of your preference (I used 1 tsp McCormik Perfect Pinch Rotisserie Chicken seasoning - trust me on this one!)
- Red pepper aioli (recipe in notes)
- Grate 2 small zucchini and strain. Remove as much excess water as possible. This is key!
- Drain garbonzo beans and puree in a food processor or blender.
- Dice the onion and peppers.
- Combine garbonzo bean puree, onion, peppers, seasoning, light mozzarella, and egg. Mix until smooth.
- Add in ½ cup of breadcrumbs and ½ cup of panko and mix until all dry spots are gone.
- Divide mixture into 8 even patties.
- Heat your pan over medium heat, spray, then add your patties. Cook about 4 minutes on each side, or until you have reached the golden brown sear you are looking for.
- Serve with a light bun and a dollop of roasted red pepper aioli.
ROASTED RED PEPPER AIOLI
- ½ roasted red pepper, diced small
- 1 tbsp plain, fat-free greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp light mayo
Makes 1 serving at 1 Weight Watchers Smart Point. For multiple servings simply multiply the recipe by your desired number of servings.
I serve my burger and aioli on a light bun (2 smart points) - Entire burger comes to 5 smart points.
FREEZING TIPS:
Freeze on a sheet pan for 2 hours. Then cut out 4 x 4 square of wax paper. Using a large freezer safe container, layer a frozen patty topper with a sheet of wax paper. Alternate until you’ve filled the container.
Nutritional information is calculated with MyFitnessPal and may vary based on brands used. Smart Points information is calculated with the Weight Watchers app and may also vary based on brands used.
*Nutritional info listed is for 1 burger and 1 serving of aioli.
Does the roasted red pepper also go in the burger?
Yes – just as written in the recipe! In the notes section is the separate info for the aioli =)