Chicken Chili

Chili Season is HERE!!  And this recipe did not disappoint :)  You might notice that my next few blog entries will be geared in a slightly different direction...I will be staying true to the clean eating lifestyle as well as trying to make my recipes as 21 Day Fix friendly as possible.  BUT now they will also be gluten free, dairy free, and egg free...LOL I know kill me now right?!  Fear not there is a reason to my madness.

Lately I've just been feeling off.  Seriously feeling it.  In my stomach, head, joints, skin...pretty much everywhere.  So I decided to take a leap of faith and try what is basically an elimination diet!!!  Although for this food experiment I really dislike using the term diet.  The goal of this process is not to lose weight (although if it happens I'll gladly take it!) it is to discover food sensitivities.  I will be cutting out gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts, processed meats, added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and corn for the next 3 weeks.  After the 3 weeks has passed I will slowly reintroduce each food one at a time and see how I feel.  While I might not be allergic to these foods I do believe there will be a few that my body performs best without.

So here is my first recipe that follows this new mind set :) I give you my very delicious Chicken Chili!!  If you are unfamiliar with arrowroot powder it is a great thickener in place of corn starch...it can also be replaced with potato starch.  I like tossing some avocado slices on top and a couple dashes of hot sauce never hurt either.  Next time I think I'll chop up some fresh green onions to garnish it with as well.

Ingredients

3 Chicken Breasts

6 Large Mushrooms, sliced

4 Celery Stalks, halved and sliced

1 Small Yellow Onion, diced

1 Zucchini, chopped into dime size bits

2 Cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

2 Cups Vegetable Broth, low sodium

2 Cups Water

1 Cup Coconut Milk, full fat

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Arrowroot Powder

1 Tsp Dried Oregano

1 Tsp Garlic Powder

1Tbsp Chili Powder

1/2 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

*Avocado Slices Optional*

*Chopped Green Onions Optional*

Directions

Set your slow cooker to high and pour in your olive oil, onions and celery stir to coat the veggies with the oil and then cover with lid.  In a large pan heat your coconut oil over medium to med/high heat.  Once it is up to temp add in your chicken breasts and cook each side for about 2-3 minutes.  We're not trying to cook the chicken all the way through just get a nice light sear on each side :)  Check on your onions and celery and stir mixture, once your onions have softened a bit add in your beans, mushrooms, zucchini, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, red pepper flakes, vegetable broth and water.  Stir everything to combine.  Submerge your whole chicken breasts into the mixture, cover with lid and let it cook on high for 5 hours or low for 7 hours.  When your cooking time is up use tongs to remove chicken to a plate and shred up the meat.  I use 2 forks pulling in opposites directions and after having been in the slow cooker that long it basically falls apart!  Return the shredded chicken to the mixture.  Spoon out about 1/4 cup of the liquid into a small bowl and whisk in your arrowroot powder to dissolve it, then pour mixture back into the slow cooker and stir well to combine.  Stir in your coconut milk cover and let mixture cook on high for about 20 minutes, to allow it to thicken up a bit.  Serve with avocado slices or chopped green onions :) ENJOY!!

Greek Chicken

Chicken is soooo freaking versatile which makes it a popular item in our house. This Greek chicken is great for pastas, sandwiches, salads, chicken gyros or even all on it's own.  It has tons of flavor and is super simple to make.  Give it a shot and see what you think :) Also stay tuned for my Chicken Gyro recipe coming soon!! Serving size for this is 3/4 of a cup and for the 21 Day Fix counts as 1 red and 1 spoon.⭐️Ingredients⭐️
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
2 Garlic Cloves Pressed (if you don't have a press minced will work)
1 Small Shallot finely diced
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Dried Dill
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
4 Chicken Breasts (organic if possible)

⭐️Directions⭐️
In a large ziplock bag combine all of your ingredients. Shake things all around until your chicken is well coated with the spices. If you have time let it marinate for about 4 hours. Also I can't stand thick chicken so I use a meat tenderizer and get it pretty thin if you don't mind thick chicken you can skip that part heat your pan on med/high.  Once it's up to temp spray it with a non stick cooking spray and toss on your chicken. I cook mine 7 minutes per side if your chicken is thicker you'll have to cook it longer until its internal temp is 165...theeeeeeen You're Done!! ENJOY!

Clean Eating Group

Thank you soooo much for your interest in my FREE 10 Day Clean Eating Group! I'm so excited for you!!  I remember when I decided to take the plunge and give this whole Clean Eating thing a try.  I figured "Why not?!" clearly what I was currently doing was not getting me any closer to my goals and it was time for a change.  It can be kind of scary and intimidating though and that's why I decided to start offering these free groups.  Making a change like this is so much easier when you have support and guidance. :)

My little disclosure though is that I am NOT a nutritionist or a doctor and this is not a prescribed meal plan.  I am a mom to my 11 month old daughter with a picky man at home (if he could he would eat pizza and burritos all day long LOL) and I also work a full time job.  I have found a way of preparing healthy crowd pleasing meals.  They are quick and easy and when I have a game plan in place, they are budget friendly as well....who doesn't love that!?

The layout for these groups is pretty simple.  I run everything through a secret Facebook group that I will add you to. I start the group on a Wednesday that gives us all some time to figure out what meals we want to try, where we need to make substitutions, and create our meal plans.  On Wednesday you will also have access to my personal meal plan, shopping list, and recipes as well as blank templates in case you would like to create your own.  I will be posting in the group daily but it's not just my group...it's OUR group so I want you to feel comfortable posting too!!  Whether you have a question our have found a yummy recipe to share please don't hesitate to put it out there.  I also ask that you participate in the group discussions and posts, I need you to show up at least once a day to check in.  If you'd like to do more that's great!!  This group is all about positivity, building each other up  and learning some new tricks along the way.

So I know you're probably wondering why in the world is this crazy chick doing this for free?!  To be totally honest in the beginning I switched my lifestyle up for myself.  I wanted to feel sexy again after having a baby, I wanted to be fit and energized to keep up with my daughter, and I sure as hell did not want to invest a small fortune in larger sized clothes...lol I know I'm not alone there!  But, now it is seriously about my daughter and setting the best example for her, I want to give her an amazing foundation so that when she's faced with unhealthy choices later in life she thinks twice.  I know that she's watching everything I do and I have to hold myself accountable for her sake.  For all of the moms reading this I know we want our children to have the best chance possible for a healthy and fulfilling life....we need to lead by example because they are ALWAYS watching!  If you don't have children that's great, I still encourage you to read the following it's pretty terrifying where the future generations are headed.  This might be a little tough love but this info needs to be shared.  Here are some terrifying stats on childhood obesity from the CDC (Centers For Disease Control and Prevention).

• Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.
  
• The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period.
  
• In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.

I cannot even express how passionate I am about this topic.  Looking at those stats literally brings tears to my eyes because those are our babies and if we don't alter our own lifestyle choices they don't stand a chance.  I don't want you to think it's a vanity thing either, the complications that arise from childhood obesity are crazy scary.  Here are some more facts from the CDC that go over the health effects that our children could face.

Immediate health effects:

• Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Obese adolescents are more likely to have prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels indicate a high risk for development of diabetes.
• Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.

Long-term health effects:

• Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.  One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults.
• Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

I don't know about you but that scares the crap out of me!!!!  The thought of my daughter having to go through any of that makes me want to scream and cry.

Here's a little extra info that might help you understand my passion.  My mother and both of my grandmothers suffer from diabetes, and when I was in middle school I was a statistic at 5'3'' I was weighing in at 185lbs...but a few years back I decided to break the cycle.  We acquire so many of our habits from our parents.  We all have the power to change though, and that's what this group is for!  It is never too late no matter where you've been YOU get to decide where you will go.  I'm not going to tell you it's super easy but I will tell you it's completely worth it.  Let this group be your first step towards a brighter future for you and your family.  I am here to support, motivate, and educate you as you start this journey.  Together we are stronger than you can imagine so for 10 days lets ban together and create some change!!

If this sounds like something you are ready for and would like to join in I would love to lock arms with you and bring you on board.  Also if now is not the time I completely understand.  Whenever you are ready just let me know and I will get you plugged into a group at that time...I host monthly clean eating groups :)  If you are interested and ready start please fill out the form below!  Also if you have a friend who could benefit from this group feel free to invite them too!  I hope you have an amazing day and I can't wait to meet you and watch you transform your life!

*Quick side note...these groups are not for current Beachbody coaches, if you are already working with a Beachbody coach please reach out to them to see what groups they have going for their team.*

Fill out my online form.

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

Berry Crumble

I love dessert!! With fall right around the corner we are almost to pie (every night) time!!! LOL but seriously I love pie and this is my go to when the cravings hit.  This berry crumble is perfect because if you make it in a ramekin it'll be portioned out for you...making it very challenging to overeat.  I like to use a mix of whatever frozen berries I have on hand but if you want to use fresh by all means do it to it!  For the ones I made in the picture I used a mix of blackberries, blueberries and raspberries...I bought a giant bag of frozen berries at Costco.  For the granola I just searched through the bulk bins at the grocery store, it's waaaay cheaper to buy your granola from the bins than in a box.  I chose a maple almond granola not going to lie it's quite tasty!!  Also if you're wondering arrowroot is, it's what will thicken up the berry mixture =)  So without further ado here's how you make it!!  This recipe will make 2 servings.

Ingredients

 2 Cups Frozen or Fresh Berries

1/4 Cup Granola

1 Tbsp Arrowroot

2 Tbsp Water

2 Tsp Honey

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375.  Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and place your 2 ramekins on top of it...this will limit any oven mess and hopefully any counter mess too!  Mix together your water and arrowroot and stir the mixture in to your berries until they are coated.  Split the berries between your two ramekins.  Top berries with granola and drizzle with honey.  Slide everything into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.  Pull them out and let them cool a bit then enjoy!  If you're feeling naughty go ahead and top your berry crumble with some french vanilla ice cream...I won't judge I did it and it's amazing!! =)

Breakfast Quiche

Hiiiii!! So first things first sorry for my absence!! I had to take a break from blogging to refocus and really decide what direction I'm headed in and whether or not blogging was worth my time.  As you can see I decided that YES it is!!  Time isn't something I have a lot of these days but lets be honest who does??  If you find something that you love to do it is always worth the time invested :)  So anyways let's get to why you're here...my tasty and healthy quiche recipe!! :)

I realize that quiche has a rep for being a breakfast dish.  But let me tell you it makes the easiest go to for work lunches!  Just toss it in your to go container top with hot sauce and then when it's time to eat reheat in the microwave for 90 seconds...TADAAAA!  A filling, tasty, healthy, quick and easy lunch :) This will make 6 servings and if you're following the 21 Day Fix it totals 1/2 Green 1 Red and 1 Yellow per serving :)

Ingredients

5 Eggs

1 Cup Cottage Cheese

1/2 Yellow Onion

1/2 Red Bell Pepper

1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper

1/2 Zucchini

1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes

1 Pie Crust

1 Tsp Chili Powder

1/4 Tsp Cayenne

1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 Tsp Onion Powder

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375. Slice all of your cherry tomatoes in half and set aside. Chop up the rest of your veggies into dime size chunks. Press your pie crust into your baking dish. In a large bowl whisk the eggs and add in all the veggies (except for the tomatoes), cottage cheese and spices mix everything until well bended.  Pour mixture into your pie crust and arrange tomato halves on top.  Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes. Start checking at 30 minutes, when you can insert a knife and it comes out clean it's done.  ENJOY!! :)

Asparagus & Sriracha Cream Sauce

It's that time of year!!  I love spring and summer when all of the farmer's markets come out offering amazingly fresh produce at great prices.  It's strange to think that just a few months ago the price for asparagus was around $5.99 lb!!  There's definitely something to be said for eating what's in season :)  The cream sauce is quite delish and refreshing too.  I make mine using plain Greek yogurt and it turns out perfectly everytime.  Also I prefer to use full fat Greek yogurt it tastes better to me and it fills me up if I decided to have this dish as a snack.  Basically anyone who loves Sriracha ends up loving this recipe!!

Chilled Asparagus & Sriracha Cream Sauce

Ingrediants

1lb Fresh Asparagus

1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

2 Tbsp Sriracha

1 Tsp Chili Powder

1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 Tsp Onion Powder

Directions

Our first step is to blanch the asparagus, prep a large bowl of ice water and set aside.  Start by rinsing and trimming the asparagus and bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Once at a rolling boil toss in your asparagus and allow it to cook for about 5 minutes or until it is a vibrant green color.  Remove the asparagus spears and submerge them in the ice water.  This will stop the cooking process and leave you with crisp, fresh, tasty asparagus!  Towel dry the asparagus arrange it on your serving dish and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Mix all of your remaining ingredients together taste and add more Sriracha if needed.  Cover mixture and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.  Enjoy!! :)

Spiced Up Breakfast Potatoes

I LOOOOOVE breakfast!! So much LOL!  I enjoy these tasty guilt free spuds pretty much every weekend :)  The best thing about them besides tasting amazing is that they are so easy to throw together.  I like to use baby red potatoes, bell peppers, and sweet onion in mine, but go with whatever your craving.  LOL or whatever the fridge is offering up.  My favorite way to serve these is alongside some scrambled eggs and a couple slices of BACON! :)  Also as far as the spices go they are basically at your discretion. I don't really measure them because I just do a light dusting of each.  This recipe will make 2 servings each is equal to 1 yellow, 1/2 green and 1 spoon :)

Spiced Up Breakfast Potatoes

Ingredients

1 Cup Red Potatoes Sliced (about 2 small potatoes)

1/2 Red Bell Pepper Chopped

1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper Chopped

1/2 Orange Bell Pepper Chopped

1/2 Sweet Onion Chopped

2 Tsp Coconut Oil

Chili Powder

Onion Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Garlic Powder

Fresh Ground Pepper

Sea Salt

Directions

In a medium sized saute pan heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  Add in your sliced red potatoes and move them around until they are spread evenly over the bottom of the pan allow them to sit over the heat for 5 minutes.  Add in your peppers and onion and lightly dust mixture with all of your spices.  Feel free to add more spice if you'd like to :)  I personally love chili powder and cayenne soooo I go a little heavier on those!  Continue to cook over medium heat for another 15 minutes or so, stirring mixture every 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat, plate up and ENJOY!!