Food I Make My Soldier

When compared to other grills, I would say flat top grills are easier to clean and so you can have your cleaning schedules as frequent as you can. Now apart from guaranteeing the hygiene of your food, cleaning your grill also improves on its durability. However, as you try to minimize the chances of replacing the appliance any time sooner, you should also minimize amount of money spent on buying expensive cleaning products. That’s why in this article, I’ll show you two different methods on how to clean a flat top grill using either lemon juice or vinegar in four simple steps.

How To Clean A Flat Top Grill Using Lemon Juice

• Heat-up your grill

Heating the grill before you start cleaning helps with softening the dirt, making cleaning effortless. However, if yours is fairly clean, you can skip this step. At the same time, it’s advisable to protect your hands when handling a hot grill to avoid injuries.

• Scrape off the residues

You should watch out for the tools you use on the grill surface, and for scraping, a triangular heavy-duty scrapper is a great option. It also gets to the corners with much ease, ensuring that every residue is removed. When scrapping, do it gently to avoid leaving trails of scratches on the grill, which could make it ineffective.

• Soak the surface

For this step, you’ll need a mixture of water, lemon juice and soda water and probably a spray container.  Bringing in soda water is to help the solution dissolve through the entire grill surface. With this, the residues will easily peel off and you’ll only have to wait for 5 minutes or less.

• Scrub the grill

Having softened up, all you need is a mild scouring pad and soapy water, which is optional. You also have to consider the rest of the grill parts like the grease catcher, which needs scrubbing as well. Ideally, you should scrub in circular motions and also gently in order to have the cleaning done and also keep the surface safe. If you used soapy water, rinse it off and afterwards, use a clean rag or paper towels to wipe the surfaces dry.

How to clean a flat top grill using vinegar

Before getting into the cleaning process, one thing to note is that vinegar also protects steel from rusting, so using it is an added advantage. Well, let’s get the cleaning started:

• Make  a mixture

Mix the vinegar with clean water in a bucket and put a fraction of the mixture in a spray bottle. The quantities to use here depends on how big or dirty your flat top grill is. However, for the spray bottle, you’ll only need enough to fill your bottle, so you can save the rest for refill in case you have a smaller bottle. The whole essence of insisting on using a spray bottle is to make the next step easier.

• Spray the grill surface

Spray the entire grill surface with generous amounts of the mixture to soak up the grease and food residues. This should take approximately 5 minutes before you scrub off the layers of residues. For scrubbing, use a grill brush to ensure that you get rid of all the dirt and also keep your grill surface safe.

Again, how much to spray and how long you’re going to wait for the layers to soften up will depend on the layers of dirt you have to deal with. As I had previously hinted, you can use a spray bottle or sprinkle the mixture with your hands

• Wipe the grill with a rag

Here, you’ll need the leftover mixture in the bucket. Using the same, soak up your rag and use it to clean the remaining dirt, not forgetting other parts of the grill which might be dirty as well. This should be easier because you’ll have minimal wiping to do. If you’re going to do this frequently, remember to replace or clean the rags afterwards, to avoid contamination when doing your next cleaning.

• Season the grill surface

One of the ways to chances of food sticking on the grill surfaces when grilling is to season the surface with vegetable or any other cooking oil you have. You can do this using a dry rag or brush to ensure the oil is evenly spread out. This makes cleaning easier, especially when you plan to store it afterwards

I picked these home-made cleaners to highlight for you how to clean flat top grills because of how affordable and readily available they are. However, you can still substitute the two with grill cleaners and still get the job done perfectly well. A cleaning hack that always come in handy for me is cleaning my grill before keeping it away, because I’m one of those who only do seasonal grilling.

This ensures that it doesn’t gather additional dirt over the usual grease and food residues as it sits unused, making the stains more stubborn. You can also try this out by first allowing the grill cool down to heat levels that you can handle after use, then cleaning it the usual way. F

I am pretty sure I have only met one person in my life who does not like pizza. I don’t even know if its true…because I have seen her eat pizza several times lol! It is so basic, but so yummy! I do make a pretty awesome pizza, but I tend to stay away from making things like that. Last year I was in Italy with my husband, and we went to this little pizza place in Nove, it was so good! Real Italian pizza, made in front of you, in a big brick oven. The crust is thin, the toppings are perfect. It put american pizza chains to shame. I guess a lot of places could do that though.

Anyway, of course trying to keep it healthy and low in carbs, we have adapted the veggie crust pizza. I have some recipes on my site, but it was back in my low-low carb days and not paleo friendly at all, so I figured I would do a healthy update. I have made cauli-crust, eggplant crust, spaghetti squash, spinach, cheese…you name it! I loved making this pizza in particular, because my 3 year old helped. She put the toppings on with me, flattened out the crust…she had fun…so of course she ate it and loved it. I really think if you get your kids involved, no matter what you are making, they will eat it because they helped make it. Plus, she loves everything pizza related lol.

Extra BONUS…this pizza IS 21 Day Fix friendly. Anyone who follows me knows I am a Beachbody Coach, and a ton of people doing the 21 Day Fix have asked me if I have low carb friendly recipes that will fit within the 21 Day guidelines. Of course I had to go make some stuff for you guys! Turkey Chili is up next week, so be on the lookout for that!

I have quickly learned (recently…a year later lol) some people get frustrated that I coach now…it’s pretty sad because I really truly love coaching. Of course, I do get A LOT more positive feedback than negative, but I do still get those few people who do not like it. Mainly from those who have been following me for a long time, and only want to see recipes. I know I can’t please everyone, but each of us hold our own journey and follow our own path. Did you know my very first workout program EVER was Power 90? This was Beachbody’s very first program. I had it on VHS when I was in High School and in 30 days I lost 20 lbs. I had my son when I was 18, and a little while after he was born I got P90X, the upgrade from Power 90. I also went to a boxing gym. Between 2 different rounds of P90X, Insanity, Turbo Fire, P90X3 and 21 Day Fix I have lost 80 lbs! I have been jumping between Body Beast and some of my other programs lately, but right now I am on day 4 of the 21 Day Fix Extreme! I am loving this program, it pushes my limits.

Before I started coaching I just did meal plans for people, and I added them to a group on Facebook to help motivate them along the way. The problem was, not everyone was exercising. If you don’t workout, you aren’t going to get extreme results, you are either going to maintain your weight or lose very slowly. I wanted to help people with the FULL package. I want people to feel great from the inside out. I already did my own meal plans, and I already worked out with Beachbody workout programs, so why not coach for Beachbody?! It is the whole package, plus I can throw my own low carb paleo spin on it! Yes, I can do personal training, make my own workouts, continue with meal plans, but I like the home workouts so much better. Its quick and you burn a ton of calories, more than ever at the gym. Plus, I have seen the pricing for online personal training and so many people charge over $300 for their services between a 4-6 week time frame, and I get it, we all need to make a living…but I just don’t know if I could do it. I just want everyone to be healthy, try to stay active, eat right, prevent disease, and feel good and do it at a reasonable price too! Yes, I also drink Shakeology…it helped me lose some weight and lower my blood sugar, plus it gives me more energy and oddly enough, my joint pain is practically gone ever since I started drinking it.

So, I represent a company I believe in, where I know you will get results, and it is even guaranteed or your money back. So, I hope that helped clarify things for some of you who have been questioning what I do lately. I don’t coach to “scam” people…that’s impossible anyway…you buy the product, you don’t like it? Return it. If you do like it, awesome. You can’t scam someone when there is no scamming to be had lol. I have always been professional in my work. I was an executive assistant for 10 years, but I wanted more out of my life. I know how hard it is to look at yourself, 100 lbs overweight, not even knowing where to begin and not knowing if its possible to lose weight. You get so used to looking a certain way, anything else seems out of reach. I wanted to show people you CAN do it, even when you struggle. I have gone through depression, injury, 2 pregnancies, slow metabolism, thyroid issues…just a ton of different things, and even when I struggle I still push along. I still eat right, I still “press play” on my workouts. I still have goals, and I will reach them even through the bad times, even through the set backs. It is OK to fall sometimes, you just have to get back up. I enjoy helping people, I have some really amazing clients, and I am thankful for the opportunity to coach them.

So, I just wanted to share where I stand on it all, in case you were wondering why “Food I Make My Soldier” isn’t just food anymore! One day I would love to be EVERYTHING Health, Fitness and Beauty. Meal Plans, Healthy recipes, Fitness Programs, Challenge Groups, Essential Oils and maybe even some Younique Makeup….but I am not trying to fill my plate up to the brim right now lol. It would be a lot of fun though, time will tell and I will go on the path I am supposed to take!

Anyway now that I have “talked your ear off” I suppose I can give you the pizza recipe now lol.

Enjoy!

Mini Cauli-Crust Pizzas Recipe

Crust

1. 1/2 head of cauliflower
2. 1 egg
3. 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
4. Dash of salt and pepper

Sauce

1. 2 tomatoes, diced
2. 1/4 onion, diced
3. 2 garlic cloves, minced
4. 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
5. 1 tsp dried basil
6. Salt and pepper

Extras

1. 1 ball of fresh mozzarella
2. Any extra veggies you prefer

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Run your cauliflower through the food processor until very fine and resembles rice. You can try pulsing in a blender, it’s a little difficult depending on your blender, but it is an option if you do not have a food processor.
3. In a microwave safe bowl, add your cauliflower and 2 Tbsp of water. Microwave until tender, about 8 minutes. Note: If you don’t use a microwave, you can steam it, just put it on top of parchment paper so it doesn’t fall through the holes.
4. While the cauliflower is cooking, chop up your sauce ingredients.
5. Add a little olive oil (about 1 tsp) to a small pan, and cook all the sauce ingredients together. It will start to break down (and smell really good by the way). This only needs to cook about 8-10 minutes as well. Once it’s done, place to the side.
6. By now your cauliflower should be done. Pour the cauliflower onto a clean dish towel, and squeeze the water out. If you do not squeeze out the water, your dough will fall apart.
7. Once all the water has been squeezed out, put the cauliflower back into your bowl with the rest of the crust ingredients. Mix together until well combined.
8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
9. Separate the mixture into 3 equal parts, and make 3 pizza rounds onto the parchment paper, and make sure to spread the cauliflower thin so it is around 1/4″ thick. Place in the oven and cook about 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
10. Remove from the oven, and carefully flip each crust over.
11. Spoon your sauce onto the pizzas along with the cheese, and place back in the oven about another 10 minutes, or until the bottom is golden and the cheese has melted.
12. That’s it! My 3 year old and 11 year old love it, so that is an added bonus!

Notes

1. 21 Day Fix Notes
2. Each crust fills up 1/2 of your green container, and the sauce for each pizza is 1/3 of a green container so I counted the crust and the sauce as 1 green per pizza.
3. There is one blue of Parmesan in the crust, split 3 ways. There is also 1 blue of mozzarella on the top, split 3 ways. So I counted the cheese portion of the pizza as 1 blue per pizza.
4. Since I used some olive oil for cooking, I went ahead and called it 1 tsp.
5. No red, purple, yellow or orange were used in this recipe.
6. So, it comes down to: 1 green, 1 blue, 1 tsp per pizza. Pretty awesome.

By Nicole Davis from foodimakemysoldier.com

Hello! Thank you for visiting! 

I decided to do a few updates on this recipe…seriously you guys I had NO idea how popular this would be when I first posted it! WOW! Thank you so much for all the positive response, Pinterest pins, Facebook shares and pin-backs! I love it! Someone also mentioned “lettuce wrapped cheeseburgers” comes up first in google, even before “The Pioneer Woman” umm..whaaaat?! She is a Food Network Star, I love her recipes, so that shocked me! Since then, I have become the lettuce wrapped burger lady haha.  

If you are new to my page, thanks for coming over! I have over 250 Low Carb and/or Paleo recipes for a healthier lifestyle!  I started the “real food” approach about 7 years ago when I was 100 lbs overweight. I have lost 80 of those pounds, and if you would like to know more about my story, feel free to click here to be redirected:  My Story. I am also an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, Nutritionist and Beachbody Coach! Don’t hesitate to reach out to me on Facebook or Email  (FoodIMakeMySoldier@yahoo.com) if you would like to learn more about some of the programs I offer! I would love to help you and fill you in on the details!

 I have really enjoyed seeing all of your food creations, so don’t forget to tag me if you make one of my recipes, and I will be sure to share it!I am @FoodIMakeMySoldier on Facebook and Instagram! 

So, on to my updates….I wanted to give you some more ideas based on what I have done since the original recipe, what others have mentioned, and some suggestions! Please keep in mind, the original recipe below is my take on the In-N-Out protein style burger. I am from Southern California, and In-N-Out is a California favorite! Living in Germany, I really missed a good burger. So, this was the closest I got to an old favorite! Of course feel free to make any version you like best! 

Version 1: I make these burgers Paleo Friendly. This means, I use grass fed beef, I make my own ketchup, I normally use a dark green lettuce rather than iceberg, and if I use cheese, I use Kerry Gold Cheddar. I also make my own Mayo for the spread. If you would like a paleo/primal approach, I suggest those modifications. 

Version 2: I know not everyone loves beef, so YES you can definitely make this with ground turkey or chicken. 

Version 3: I have become so picky it’s horrible lol…so I always grind my own beef. My favorite modification to this burger is to grind your own beef with 4 slices of uncured (raw) bacon, and form your burgers from the beef and bacon mixture. They are delicious! 

Version 4: Lot’s of questions about types of lettuce, and what else you can use. Of course, iceberg is large and stays together pretty well, but it doesnt really have nutritional value. If you want more vitamins in your meal, choose a dark green lettuce. You can use romain, butter lettuce, boston lettuce, etc. You can even use a cabbage…the napa cabbage is softer than regular cabbage, but of course it is your preference. Collard Greens also make a great wrap. 

So that’s it for now! Feel free to share you modification in the comments if you would like! 

Lettuce Wrapped Cheeseburgers Recipe

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 Tbsp oregano
• 2 Tbsp reduced sugar ketchup
• 2 tomatoes, sliced thin
• 1 head of iceberg lettuce, leaves removed6 slices American cheese Spread:
• 1/4 cup mayo3 Tbsp reduced sugar ketchup1 Tbsp dill pickle relishdash of salt and pepper 

Directions 

Heat your grill or skillet on medium heat and add a little Kerry Gold Butter. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, salt, pepper, oregano and ketchup. Divide the mixture into 6 sections, and roll each piece into a ball then press down flat for 6 burgers. You can also use a burger press if you have one. 

Place each burger on your grill/pan and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. Try not to press down on the burgers…they end up a little dry that way. Once you flip the burger, add your cheese to the top cooked side. In a small bowl mix together the spread ingredients and refrigerate. 

Once you have cooked all your burgers and removed them from the pan, assemble them. Place 1 cheeseburger on the lettuce leaf, top with 2 slices of tomato, a spoonful of spread, then wrap top to bottom with another lettuce leaf. 

So, that’s it! Super simple and easy! 

Recipe makes 6 cheeseburgers

Food I Make My Soldier

This weekend I had Italian…like really bad for you Italian food. The amount of carbs is probably 5x the amount I normally consume. Then you know what happened? I gained 3 lbs…all because of bad food choices. I am annoyed with myself lol. However, starting yesteday, I am making sure I do no cheating, NO sugar, NO starch. I am also doing a 30 day bootcamp with Alison from Insulin Resistance Diet Info starting Sept. 8th, but I am cutting out the bad now because I cant afford to wait any longer. I also told myself, if I can do well on this program with no cheating, and lose 15 to 20 lbs by Oct. 15th I am going to buy this Michael Kors Chelsea Bag. Nothing wrong with rewarding yourself lol. I really want that bag, and chances are I will buy it either way, but I will feel better about it if I work for it.

So anyway, I made these stuffed mushrooms for my husband’s lunch. I usually experiment at lunch time to see if he likes it. All was good 

Cheeseburger Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

• 6 medium portobello mushrooms
• 1/4 lb Ground Beef
• 1/4 Avocado
• 1 tsp Worcestershire
• 1 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepperdash of cayenne
• 6 small slices Cheddar Cheese (I cut mine from a large block)
• 3 cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 6 basil leaves

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the stems from your mushrooms, and cut them along the bottom sides to make a smooth edge. Scrape out the brown middle of the mushroom into a bowl. The brown insides are called Gills just FYI lol.

In the same bowl, mash up the avocado, then add the beef, Worcestershire, Parmesan, salt, pepper and cayenne. Mix together until everything is combined.

Stuff the mushrooms with the beef mixture, then top with cheddar cheese.

Place each mushroom in a baking dish, and place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and beef is cooked through.

Once removed from the oven, top with 1 basil leaf and slice of tomato

Recipe makes 6 mushrooms

Each mushroom has 2.5 net carbs

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We weren’t going to do anything for Super Bowl Sunday…but a couple people ended up coming over so I made some low carb appetizers. These were the big hit…everyone seemed to like them…and they were gone so that says something 

Update: It has been 2 years since I posted this recipe. Since then, I have made several times without the cream cheese and they are great! Just season your chicken, wrap in bacon, and bake. I have even put them in my son’s school lunches! 

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites Recip

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 12 pcs bacon, cut into thirds
• 4 oz whipped cream cheese
• 6 basil leaves, chopped
• 3 parsley sprigs, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl mix together your whipped cream cheese, basil, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic.

Cut your bacon into thirds, and spread the cream cheese mixture on each piece. Then wrap 1 piece of chicken with the piece of bacon. It will only wrap around one time.

Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes…until the bacon is crispy and the chicken is cooked through.

Recipe made 36 chicken bites
Each bite has less than 1 carb…0.13 to be exact

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