Showing posts with label Healthy Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Healthy Recipes. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Rotisserie Chicken - Make Eating Healthy Easier!

A great deal of the questions I get have to do with making healthy eating easier. Everyone has busy schedules, and finding ways to make healthy meals quickly can be a huge help in making positive food choices. One of the biggest problems that I have when it comes to quick food prep is protein, especially when it comes to making healthy choices. Whipping up some protein usually takes time...that and I HATE touching raw meat. It really is not my favorite. So, what's a healthy, in a hurry, meat-a-phobe to do? The answer...rotisserie chicken! 
All you have to do is bring it home, take off the skin, peel the chicken off the bones, put it in a tupperware, and throw it in the fridge. It is fantastically easy and can be used for so many different things! I just recently used it in my Greek Chopped Chicken Salad. You could put it in a stir fry, put it in a wrap, make a sandwich, throw it in a casserole, or just eat it as a snack. EASY. 

Friday, January 4, 2013

Greek Chopped Chicken Salad: AKA I have created a masterpiece


While I was in Austin over Christmas break my sister made us a greek salad for dinner, which reminded me just how much I LOVE greek salads. They are simple, delicious, and full of good nutrition. Ever since then I have been wanting to make one. Last night I decided to make a delicious greek salad for dinner, but I decided take my own spin on it. Well, guess what? It turned out kind of amazing. It is such a simple meal, but totally filling. It is full of protein, fresh produce, and good fats. It is an easy make ahead meal that you could pre-chop and mix together right before it's time to eat. Promise you'll love it.
Greek Chopped Chicken Salad
IMG_5156
Ingredients for salad: 4 oz cooked/shredded chicken breast, (I used rotisserie chicken) 1/4 an avocado chopped, diced tomatoes, diced olives, a few cups of your choice of lettuce chopped (I used a spring mix w/spinach).  You could also add chopped cucumbers, sunflower seeds, and feta if you like!
IMG_5152
Ingredients for dressing: 1 part red wine vinegar, 2 parts olive oil, 2-3 tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1-2 tsp Lowry's season salt. (I put this in a mason jar and shake it to combine) This will make more dressing than you need for one salad, but it will keep great in the fridge.
Combine lettuce, chicken, avocado, tomatoes, and olives in a bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.
IMG_5158
I had this for dinner last night and made it again for lunch today because I liked it so much! It is light, flavorful and filling! SO TASTY!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Squashed.

This morning I was walking out to my car when I saw something that looked like a football on my windshield. As I got closer I realized it wasn't a football at all. It was this...
I have no idea who it is from, but it made me laugh. Most people receive cookies and candy...I receive squash. Someone knows me well? (And if it's you...you should tell me!) I hate not knowing these things.

It reminded me that I really do love squash though. In fact, here are a few of my favorite recipes.
Healthy Zucchini Lasagna
Low Fat Zucchini Cookies
Butternut Squash Soup
Healthy Pumpkin Pie
Paleo Zucchini Bread
Delicious and Quick Acorn Squash
Spaghetti Squash Pasta Swap
Curried Butternut Squash Soup

So, thank you...whoever you are? Merry Christmas back at ya!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Paleo Zucchini Bread

I am ALWAYS looking for new fun and delicious Paleo recipes to try out. I have a whole Pinterest board full of them, HERE. Because of this, I love when people give me new ones to try out. My sweet friend Chels sent me the link to a website I'd never seen before that is full of fabulous looking recipes. The site is againstallgrain.com and I highly recommend checking it out! It is where I found the recipe for this delicious Zucchini bread.
Paleo Almond Flour Zucchini Bread
recipe from Against All Grain

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups blanched almond flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs beaten
1/4 cup honey
1 ripe banana
1 finely shredded, unpeeled zucchini

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place eggs in bowl and beat them gently. Add honey and banana, and beat until frothy. Stir in shredded zucchini to combine. Add in dry ingredients and combine. Place in two mini loaf pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. SO TASTY! Thanks Danielle from Against All Grain for the great recipe, and Chels for finding it for me!
Now, tell me that doesn't make your mouth water? 

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Let Them Eat Turkey!

Thanksgiving dinner most definitely happened here. I think I am still full from it.
 We ate outside, which was awesome. It was in the eighties, and I loved every second of it! (You know I love everything having to do with the 80's...temperature, decade, music, those born in the decade...) My job was to create the veggie tray that looked like a turkey.
 Who said eating healthy wasn't fun? I think I may have a future in food art. Don't you? I was actually pretty close to my paleo self with my turkey day meal. The one exception being my mom's corn bread stuffing, which is absolutely to die for.
 My other standard Turkey day job is to roll out the rolls. I may or may not have made some as large as footballs...your welcome family. My nephew Blake, threw down about five of them...nbd.
 Yes, that is a roll in his hands. It is smothered in my mom's homemade jam. Elaine doesn't disappoint! I had so much fun spending the day with my family, and then of course getting to relax with a full tummy!
 The Smith Family turns out some good people, I must say.
We spent a lot of the day playing games. Our traditional bocce tourney was so much fun...maybe because I won...
And let's be honest, I don't hate winning at all... ;)
 It was such a great holiday! I have so much to be grateful for! I hope your holiday was just as fabulous! :)

Monday, November 19, 2012

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Happy Monday! Yesterday I took dinner to a friend who underwent knee surgery, and I decided to try out a new recipe a client brought me. I wish I knew the source of it, but she brought me a copy of a paper that had been torn out of a magazine...so, this soup's creator remains anonymous.

I LOVE butternut squash soup. The reigning champion at the current moment is the butternut squash soup from The Blue Lemon. If you ever come to Utah, eat there please. The butternut squash soup is like Christmas in a bowl. Anyways, I have always wanted to make it myself, but I have hesitated to do so because cubing the squash seemed like such a hassle. However, now you can buy pre cut and cubed squash in the refrigerated produce section at Costco. Hello. Talk about time saving. This soup was pretty dang easy.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 rib of celery, diced
2 cups of onion diced
4 tsp of curry powder
2.5-3 pounds of butternut squash cut and cubed
3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
3 cups of water (or chicken or vegetable stock)
1/2-1 cup cider
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
In large pot combine butter, celery, onion, and curry powder. Cover and cook on low until vegetables soften. Add to the pot squash, apples, and water. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until squash and apples are cooked through. Drain liquid off and reserve to later add back in. Use an immersion blender or a regular blender to puree squash and apple mixture. Return pureed mixture back to pot and add in desired amount of cider and previous liquid unti you achieve your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. I also ended up adding in some nutmeg, and a bit of cinnamon. Garnish with a dollop of greek yogurt, sour cream, grated apples, or cinnamon. Recipe serves 10.

We are definitely entering soup season, and soups are great when you are trying to watch what you are eating. They are filling, and can be very healthy!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Weekend Weather and Wednesday Wonders

So if you weren't in Utah this weekend, you missed out on QUITE the storm. My sweet and darling family was in town, so we all were able to enjoy it together!
They were here visiting from Arizona, so they were thrilled to see a white out. If only I shared the same enthusiasm.
The weight of the snow wreaked some havoc on the trees by my house, and we got a whole lot of this...
Needless to say, some of us were home bound for a while.
But it does look pretty...from the inside?

Some of you have wondered about some healthy and delicious recipes for the upcoming holiday season, and so I thought I'd share some of my favorites...

Appetizers: 
Sides: 
Desserts:
- English Trifle
- Healthy Banana Puff Pillow cookies 
- Cinnamon Bun Cake
 Make your holiday preparations smart ones! xoxoxo

Friday, October 19, 2012

Feeding An Army & Crock Pot Chicken Chalupas

I mentioned yesterday how much I loved my trip to Lake Powell. I also mentioned that we had 40 people that I planned food for. Many people think that feeding a large group means immediately resulting to frozen pasta dishes and pizza, with lots of potato chips and packaged cookies. I get that those are easy options, and sometimes in big groups the easy option wins out. However, maybe the following tips can help you think in quantity AND quality.

1. Include a fruit tray or a veggie platter at EVERY meal. Even if your "veggie platter" is nothing more than a big bag of baby carrots and some hummus. If you don't want to cut up your veggies yourself, purchasing a tray at Costco or your local grocery store is really easy to do. We had a fruit tray or a veggies out for every single meal in Powell and they ALWAYS were scarfed up!

2. Use a crock pot. It is easier to cook for a crowd when you don't have to be a slave to the kitchen all day. One of the recipes that I make every year in the crock pot are chicken chalupas. This recipe makes a lot, but I doubled it. People then have the option to put this chicken over chips, in a tortilla, over salad, or on its own. It is SO tasty!

Crock Pot Chicken Chalupas

4 lbs. cooked cut up chicken
2 large onions diced
3-4 cloves of garlic
3 - 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 – 7 ounce cans diced green chilies
3 - 151/2 ounce cans pinto beans
2 cans black beans
1 1/2 Tablespoons oregano flakes
1 tablespoon cumin
Cook chicken in crock pot, add remaining ingredients (mix tomatoes, garlic and onions in food processer )
Mix together and cook in oven at 325 degrees in a large roster for 2-3 hours, or crock pot for 3-4 hours. Squeeze lime juice in before serving

I also served this with diced tomatoes, avocado, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, black bean salsa, and any other toppings you may want.  This stuff is SO GOOD, and it keeps really well too. 

3. Give "create your own" options. One of the hardest parts of feeding a large group is attempting to please everyone's tastes. For lunches I always have several different kinds of lunch meats, cheeses, wraps, bread, toppings, and even lettuce for lettuce wraps. It is amazing to me that people really do usually go for the healthier options. Even with the chalupas, people have the option to make salads if they wish to avoid all of the extra chips and tortillas. 

For one of the dinners I had everyone assemble their own pita pizzas. These are so easy, healthy, and portioned perfectly. These are great for kids as well because they love to get involved on making them! When kids are involved in the cooking and creating process they are far more likely to eat their food! 

4. Have a good mix of healthy and not so healthy snacks and treats. You may want to eat perfectly healthy, but that doesn't always mean everyone else does as well. Moderation is a good thing, and having a good mix of healthy treats with some others sweets is OK. Once again, if you provide the healthy options, you may be surprised at how people devour them. Along with whatever treats you may have, include nuts, pieces of fruit, fruit leathers, jerky, etc. Not all snacks on vacation need to be covered in sugar and processed to the nines.

Feeding a group can be healthy, and may just require a little creativity. Include as many fruits and vegetables as you can! Keep it simple, keep it healthy, and you will have a happy crowd!

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Saturday Snippets

Here are a few random thoughts for Saturday...
- Last night I got to hang out with some of my sweetest lady friends. Aren't they beautiful? Don't worry...I know we have full on demon eyes. We attempted about 8 pictures to avoid the demon eyes, and it just wasn't happening.
- However, the demon eyes are kinda fitting because SB and I can't seem to get enough of Vampire Diaries these days...
I resisted watching it forEVER because I just assumed it was going to be kinda lame...But, I'll admit it. I love it. 
- This was lunch for today...and has been for many of my lunches these days. I don't know why I can't get enough of these roasted veggies. On the recipe I posted I suggested roasting for 40 mins on 400 degrees. I have since found that you can roast your veggies for 20-25 mins on 450 degrees. 
I love this recipe because you can literally use ANY veggies you have. It is a great way to use up your remaining produce. My standard veggies usually consist of broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, and sweet potatoes. SO YUMMY! I will make a huge tray full and eat it for a few days. Veggies galore.

- I forgot my headphones for my workout this morning. I sincerely hate when that happens. Turns out I am a sucker for my music when I am getting my sweat on. Do you relate?

- What is the deal with this guy? It's like a train wreck. I can't not watch. Since when do 50 year old Koreans become pop stars?
- I have two wedding receptions to attend tonight. Not just one, two. Apparently it's wedding season.
- All I want to do is put up my Halloween decorations. Too soon? Probably. Maybe next week. I already know what my Halloween costume is...
- Less than two weeks until I go to Lake Powell, halleluja!
- I am loving spotify these days.

That's all. I told you my thoughts were random. Happy Saturday!

Friday, September 7, 2012

Paleo Pumpkin Cookies...Bake It Off.

I, like MANY other people turn to the kitchen when I am stressed out or feeling bummed about something. However, when I turn to the kitchen I do so to create, not to binge. Baking is definitely one of my stress relievers. I love to create new recipes, revisit old favorites, and sing to my favorite tunes all the while. Some people say, "shake it off," I say, "bake it off." I was feeling the need to get some kitchen time in today, and I decided it was time to start what I like to call, the season of pumpkin flavored goodness. Why is everything pumpkin flavored so dang good? I really don't know, but it is. I have posted a PLETHORA of great pumpkin delights on the blog before, (Click HERE for all of my previous favorite pumpkin recipes.) However, I haven't ever posted anything that was pumpkin flavored and paleo. I loved the Banana Chocolate chip Paleo Cookies that I made so much that I decided to try my hand at another flavor. Pumpkin time!
Paleo Pumpkin Cookies 

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
1/2 cup pureed pure pumpkin
2 TBS almond butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 TBS pumpkin pie spice
1 pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of almond meal/flour
1/4-1/2 cup enjoy life chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Mix together bananas, pumpkin, almond butter, and vanilla. Add to that, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, salt, almond flour, and chocolate chips (If desired. I made some for my roommate without any chocolate chips, and she loved them!) Spoon dough onto cookie sheet with parchment paper. Bake for 13 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Makes 18 cookies.

 These cookies were so easy, and really tasty. I love pumpkin flavored anything, and you throw some chocolate chips in there, and you're good to go.
I froze a bunch of my banana cookies when I made them, and they were great reheated! I popped them into the microwave for 15 seconds and they tasted great. I plan on doing the same with this batch! I'm still sad that summer is over, but I guess a little pumpkin makes me feel somewhat better. ;)

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Banana Chocolate Chip Paleo Cookies

Weird to see Paleo and cookies in the same sentence, right? I know. BUT, believe it...it's the truth. I have been searching for a fun paleo treat to try out that sounded tasty, and when I found one with banana and chocolate in the same sentence I was totally sold. I found this recipe on Multiply Delicious, and I LOVE it.

Banana Chocolate Chip Paleo Cookies 
recipe adapted from Multiply Delicious

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas mashed
2 TBS almond butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
1 pinch of salt
1 1/4 cup almond meal/almond flour (I used the Bob's Red Mill Brand)
1/4 cup of Enjoy Life chocolate chips 

Directions: 
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix together bananas, almond butter, and vanilla. Add in baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and almond flour. Combine in chocolate chips. You could also add any dried fruit or nuts to these cookies and I think it would taste great! Drop spoonfuls of mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook for 13 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet when you remove from the oven and then complete cooling on a baking rack.
These cookies are light and fluffy. They were delicious straight out of the oven, and I LOVE that there was not a drop of added sugar. I am definitely considering concocting a pumpkin version when my fall time pumpkin obsession rolls in...and it always does. My batch made 18 cookies. I froze a bunch of them and then kept the rest in a sealed container...and then I ate one for breakfast this morning. Hey, 5 AM called early, and I wanted to get my metabolism going. ;) 
Here are the stats...

I had a non-paleo, sweet eating, person try one for me and he actually claimed they were tasty. Who knows, he could have been trying to make me feel good, BUT I really liked them. I also had my gluten-free friend dive in and she thought they were delicious. Try them! I think you'll like them too!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Sweets

For whatever reason I always love to bake on Sundays. It is a habit that I think started when I was a little girl and my mom used to always bake things on Sunday. I also think it is because I always have extra time on Sundays, and I don't feel bad spending a couple hours in the kitchen. I needed something to drop by a neighbors house, so I decided to whip up some of my Healthier Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.
They aren't paleo approved, so I won't be indulging in them, but they do smell awesome. It is a great recipe to share with people who aren't so keen on fully healthified treat items because there are some great modifications that most people don't even recognize. Click HERE for a great list of healthy cooking substitutions that will allow you to healthify some of your favorite food items without having your family and friends want to leave the table and run to the nearest fast food joint. Chances are they may not even notice that you have made any modifications at all.

I always love hearing the little tidbits that are aired about what the olympic athletes are doing for their training, what they are eating, and the lengths that they go to for perfection. I'm sure you all probably remember at the last summer olympics when it was announced that Michael Phelps consumes somewhere around 10,000 calories per day during his intense training.
CRAZY! He stated that his breakfast consisted of, "three sandwiches of fried eggs, cheese, lettuce, tomato, fried onions, mayonnaise, an omelet, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast with powdered sugar, and three chocolate-chip pancakes." I'm fairly certain that would be the consumption of most people's entire day...and then some. You can read more about what Michael Phelps' training diet is like HERE.  
DAY #29: 29 Wide to Narrow Squat Jumps 
With these you are going to start in a narrow squat and jump up, landing in a wide squat. You want to get your hips back, and as low as you can with these. It is also VERY important to keep your knees in line with your ankles, not letting them track forward over your toes. These BURN I promise.
Tonight at midnight the July Jams Giveaway ends, so don't forget to enter!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Take Advantage of the Season!

It is no secret how much I LOVE produce. That being said, there really is nothing better than fresh produce that is in season and at it's peak ripeness. I know it is very hard for some people to remember what is in season. It can be even more difficult to know what to take advantage of in your local area. I found the BEST tool that is a great solution to this issue. Epicurious has an awesome peak season map.  Here you can choose your location and the time of year and it gives you a list of what you should be taking advantage of.

Here is what is at its peak in Utah in July...
 and what we have to look forward to in August...
Another cool feature? You can even click on a certain type of produce and look at recipes for that type of produce. Awesome... 
DAY #10: Ten elevated plank mountain climbers on both sides. 
This is an awesome core exercise that is great to add to any workout! If doing them elevated is too difficult for you, start out doing them with your feet on the floor. If doing ten on each side is too easy for you, up the number of reps you are doing, or add a plate to your back!


Do you pay attention to what produce is in season? What is your favorite summer fruit or vegetable? I am a HUGE fan of fresh tomatoes, berries, and peaches! YUM!!


Sunday, June 24, 2012

Delicious & Easy Paleo Sweet Bread

Whenever I come home to Arizona I always love to try out new cooking experiments. My mom always has all the ingredients, and let's face it...her cookware is just WAY better than mine is. I have a friend who has some health concerns that causes her to eat very closely to the way I do. It makes it fun when you have someone to bounce ideas off of, and share recipes with, and she and I definitely do that. She brought home some of this delicious paleo bread a few days ago, and I just know I had to replicate it. So I did, and it's AWESOME!
Easy Paleo Sweet Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of creamy roasted almond butter
2 eggs
2 Tbs honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp stevia
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs cinnamon

In a large bowl mix almond butter until creamy and smooth. Add in eggs, honey, vanilla, and stevia, and mix. Add salt, baking soda, and cinnamon to this mixture. Mix well until everything is combined well. Pour batter into a greased 8x8 baking dish and bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes, (or until a inserted toothpick comes out clean.)

I am already dreaming of the variations that could be made with this recipe...It was really, really delicious, and I think it could make some GREAT muffins as well! Try it out!

Have you ever had paleo bread before? If so, how did your ingredients differ?  Do you have a kitchen you prefer to cook in like I do?

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

On the "to cook" List...

I always have a long list of healthy recipes that I want to try. Thanks to Pinterest, that list just continues to grow. These are the ones I'm currently eying...

My own rendition of these Paleo Pizza Stuffed Sweet Potatoes from health-bent.com 

This Guacamole Salad, also from health-bent.com, looks DIVINE to me. It would be a great side dish to any meal.
The recipes on this site are all paleo, and there are some really incredibly delicious looking ones. Just saying. 

 I think these cheesy cauliflower tater tots look pretty dang tasty, and I even think I could health-ify them up a bit more.

I would love to turn these Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Balls into Puffed Quinoa Almond Butter Balls!

Who isn't looking for new ways to cook chicken? Then again maybe you have more of an expansive meat palate than I do...anyways...this Maple Mustard Glaze Chicken looks awesome, easy, and extremely delightful. 

Oh, and don't these Mini Cauliflower Pizza Bites look pretty tasty? I think so.

If you'd like to check out my Pinterest Boards you can check HERE for my Healthy Recipes and HERE for my Paleo board.

Do you have any recipes that you have been dying to try? OR...any that you love already and know I should be trying?

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!

Happy May 5th!! You should probably celebrate by eating some healthy and delicious mexican dishes. In case you were needing some inspiration...

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Delicious Fresh Homemade Salsa
White Bean Chicken Chili
Easiest Guacamole Ever 
Fiesta Chicken Salad
Oven Baked Tortilla Chips

Salsa Chicken
Chicken Tortilla Soup
These are some of my favorites!

What are your favorite healthy Mexican foods? Are you doing anything to celebrate Cinco de Mayo??

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Quick Paleo Cereal

One of the things I miss most about eating grains is cereal. I am like a cereal monster. I am pretty sure I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I'd allow it. It never gets old to me. It is quick. It is refreshing. Gosh...it's just good. I remember coming home from school as a kid and cereal was always my go to snack of choice. Who doesn't want to celebrate the day of school coming to an end with some Crunchy Corn Bran and Zack Morris?

Side note: My mom didn't let us have sugar cereal until I was in like 6th grade, and all my other brothers and sisters were grown up and gone. We would get a box of sugar cereal with our stocking or for special occasions, but we mainly stuck to Rice Chex, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Crunchy Corn Bran, and Cream of Wheat. What my mom may not have realized was that I was adding half of the sugar bowl to my cereal. You know your cereal was nice and sweetened when you rinsed out your bowl and a thick sludge of sugar and milk was left at the bottom. I think she finally got sick of me asking for Lucky Charms, (or maybe she caught on to my excessive spoonfuls of sugar) when I got a little bit older and she finally caved. Enter the sugar coated phase of life...Apple Jacks, Oh's, Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops, Cinnamon Mini Buns, Cocoa Pebbles, Trix, and my favorite...Count Chocula. Ahhh...life was good.

While I am not a sugar cereal buyer these days. I still love it, and I am a big fan of some of the healthier options. Nonetheless, since experimenting with the Paleo eating I have missed the quick and satisfying option of a bowl of cereal. It was because of this that I came up with the next best thing...
Quick Paleo Cereal
 - 1 medium fuji apple chopped
-  2-3 TBS of slivered almonds
- cinnamon to taste
- topped with 1 cup almond milk

So, it's not exactly cereal, but it's the next best thing. It really is so tasty too! You could add whatever else you want to it...dried fruit, other nuts, shredded unsweetened coconut etc.

Yesterday was a GREAT workout day. I started the morning with a restorative yoga class at The LAB, and then I completed my ten miler at my scheduled pace with no problem! It made me so happy. I'm hoping that my runs continue to go the way I want them to. I'm trying to build that running confidence back up! 

This weekend my sister ended up coming into town from Austin for a funeral, so I got to see her for a bit which was so fun.  I sure do love her!!

Are you a cereal lover? If so, what is your favorite kind? Do you love the healthy kinds or the sugar coated delights? I love em all. I am not a respecter of cereals. :)

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Avocado Chicken Salad

In my efforts to eat Paleo I have really had to get creative to keep my food options from getting boring.  I'm not going to lie...this may be one of my easiest creations yet, and it is SO delicious. If you like guacamole, you'll LOVE this avocado chicken salad. There are so many ways you could eat it, but I love it solo.
Avocado Chicken Salad
1 serving

Ingredients:
- 3 oz of cooked shredded chicken 
- 1/2 of an averaged sized avocado
- 1/2 tsp of cumin
- dash of salt to taste
- dash of ground black pepper to taste

 Directions:
In a bowl mash up the avocado with the cumin, salt, and pepper. Once mashed add shredded chicken in and stir to combine. Voila! So easy, and so very tasty.

Nutrition Facts for one serving:
Calories 271 Protein 24g Fat 16.7g Carbohydrates 8.6g Fiber 6.7g Sugar .7g 
I got to run outside today, and I even got a bit of a sunburn. You have no idea how happy this makes me.  There is something so soothing and therapeutic about being in the sun. Vitamin D really is good fro the soul. 

Have you been able to workout outside? Are you enjoying warm sunshine?