Chicken Bruschetta Panini

I get stuck in a rut with my food sometimes. When that happens I try to get creative and mix things up a little bit. Today was one of those days. I came home from a great work out, and I was starving. I have found that it is important for me to get in a packed protein filled lunch or else my protein lacks for the day. I considered going with the usual healthy chicken salad or a tuna wrap, but neither were really doing much for me, so I decided to look at what else I had...I saw chicken, tomatoes, and my usual La Tortilla Factory Low Carb wraps, and I decided to mix things up and try something new. Who doesn't love the flavors of fresh bruschetta right? I threw it into panini (well...wafflini...form) and I was quite pleased with what I came up with!

 

Let's talk about my workout for the day before we get into the food, save the best for last, right?

Cardio: 60 Minutes of Elliptical Intervals. I was only planning on doing 30 mins of cardio today because it was a lifting day, but there was an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians on that I hadn't seen, and I was to enthralled to stop. Cardio + Kardashians = Can do. Why do I love that show so much? 

Weights: 45 Minutes Full Body

3 sets of each group of exercises alternating between exercises

12-15 assisted pull ups

24 walking lunges with a 20 lb DB in each hand

12 squat curl press with 20 lb DB's

20 slow plank mountain climbers straight front

20 slow plank mountain climbers bringing knee in and across body (working the obliques)

12 chest flies with 20 lb DB's (feet up on bench pressing lower back down to work core)

12 sit ups on bench holding one of the 20 lb DB's above your head 

12 triceps kickbacks with 10 lb DB's

20 alternating reverse lunges holding 10 lb DB's

I felt adequately worked and schweaty. It was definitely time for lunch. 

Chicken Bruschetta Panini

In a small skillet I poured a tsp of olive oil and put in a frozen chicken breast over high heat. I sprinkled fresh black pepper, basil, and onion powder over the chicken and covered it to cook for about 3-5 minutes. 

While that was cooking I sliced up a handful of cherub tomatoes. I get the big carton from Costco. I flipped the chicken over and sprinkled a bit more pepper, onion powder, and basil over the other side of the chicken breast. While it finished cooking I heated up the waffle iron, you could certainly use a panini maker like a normal person if you'd like. I got out a La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Tortilla and shredded a part-skim string cheese on half of it. Once the chicken was done I cut it up in the pan and added the sliced tomates. I let that cook until the tomatoes began to deteriorate into a sauce. I added a pinch of salt and then poured the chicken tomato mixture over the tortilla and string cheese.

  

I folded the tortilla over and placed it in the waffle iron for a few minutes until the cheese was melted and the tortilla was crispy. 

 And voila! It was done just like that. It seriously was SO SO SO good. If you like bruschetta you'd LOVE this! It could easily be made on regular bread, served over a salad or even eaten alone. You could also add garlic to it if you like that garlic kick.

The stats are great too.

I felt reaaall good about it. Try it. You'll be glad you did.

Do you like bruschetta? I love the flavors, but tend to feel like I'm on a bread overload when I eat too much of it. Are you usually hungry after a work out? It depends with me, but when I work out before lunch I'm usually starving by the time I'm done!