Chicken Fajita Seasoned Whole 30 Compliant (Paleo)

Not that I am judging BUT....consider not buying pre-made seasonings and make your own.Overall, there are so many benefits to trying new recipes and you can create CLEAN seasonings very easily.  Recipes are everywhere so it's not rocket science you are dealing with, just personal preference.  

Tonight I made a fajita seasoning and used it on chicken.  This meal was serving myself and my three children who primarily have a vanilla palate.  The recipe I am posting below comes from Chocolate Moosey (whom I shall mentions takes beautiful pictures of the process.  Meanwhile you have my one shot and a picture of my finished Whole 30 compliant/Paleo meal.  I had Fajita chicken with onions and peppers, guacamole and a lettuce salad. I added tons of cilantro and fresh lime juice. I think a clean hot sauce would be a great addition if you can't fire up the seasoning too much because you have children with vanilla palates like I do!  

The What's:

1 Tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)


The How:
Simply place all of the What's into a airtight container and shake!

Go ahead and give it a shake.  Shake it off, Shake it off. Below is my Whole 30 compliant dinner in which I had two servings of.  I normally skip the green peppers but since I need to make sure I eat enough green stuff, I made it work for the better!  Enjoy and remember you can use this seasoning recipe on mostly any protein. 

Paleo and Whole 30 compliant Soup De Jour: Chicken Chili Soup

We are forecasted to have many many days of rain this week I prepared this recipe when my energy was high and time just ticked away until I had a delicious Whole 30/Paleo compliant lunch! I added in more tomatoes and some avocado and viola, a Whole 30 compliant Soup de Jour.  I boiled a whole chicken instead of using a store-bought one and the broth made this soup extremely rich and tasty.  I added garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and salt to the broth so after the chicken boiled, the broth was rich.  If you have some extra time, add this element to the recipe. Marissa Says posted this recipe and I had to make some minor modifications to remain compliant for the Whole 30 program. 

The What's:
 3 tablespoons ghee  
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium zucchini, diced  
2 large carrots, diced  
1 jalepeno, diced (if you want your chili to have a kick include the ribs and seeds)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder  
1 tablespoon paprika  
2 teaspoons cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper  
5 C. of Whole 30 Compliant Chicken Broth (I used broth from the boiled chicken)  
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 whole beefsteak diced tomatoes or 1 can of petite diced tomatoes, drained
Meat from the whole chicken, no skin or you can use a compliant store-bought compliant Whole 30 chicken.  I diced the chicken in large pieces.   
Juice of 2 whole limes Salt to taste
(top with more cilantro and avocado)

Directions
In a large soup pot sauté the green pepper, onions, zucchini, carrots, jalapenos and minced garlic in butter over medium heat stirring frequently.

Once soft (about 5-8 minutes), season with the chili powder, paprika, cumin and cayenne. Add in 4 cups of chicken broth {reserve remaining 2 cups} stir and bring to a simmer. Stir in tomato paste.

Add in the diced tomatoes and shredded chicken. Stir and in more broth {as needed, you may end up using almost the whole container}. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour over medium-low, then remove the lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Add lime juice and stir. Season with salt to taste.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Paleo Whole 30 compliant

This is a great, summer inspired Whole 30 and Paleo compliant recipe.  This recipe is designed for 1lb of shrimp so just increase it as you are serving more than 3 people as an entree.  This recipe is delicious and versatile for many protein sources.  I can imagine this even being good on a hearty vegetable, that will take a good grilling!  I found the original recipe on Closet Cooking. I used the recipe below but omitted the jalapeno because my children aren't fans of the spice.  As we ate, we kindly tried not to eat the last shrimp but each of us wanted to eat more.  Personally, I would not make enough for leftovers because I can't imagine the reheating process to keep them tasting as great as they are, so keep reaching for the shrimp until they are all gone.  I hope you enjoy this and use it many times! 

The What's:
1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 limes, juice and zest or 1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, coarsely chopped (optional)
1 clove garlic, grated
salt and pepper to taste

The How:

Marinate the shrimp in the mixture of the lime juice, zest, oil, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, salt and pepper for 30 minutes. Skewer the shrimp and grill over medium-high heat until cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Whole 30 Paleo compliant Detox Salad

 Hi!  I don't know if I was overly hungry but I couldn't stop eating this salad.  This recipe claims to be a detox salad because of the ingredients and I will share with you my adaptation of the original recipe found at DetoxDIY (get it?  Detox D-I-Y? funny).  So what attracted me to this salad it's portability.  I liked that they were all crunchy pieces that could take a beating in a container and still taste fresh.  I did skip the dressing, mainly because I am on the Whole 30 Program and I wanted to stay compliant.  The only ingredient that I would not recommend making prior to consumption is the mixing in the avocado.  I am not a huge fan of avocado mixed into a salad. I think it loses it's composition and starts to spread itself onto everything else and I don't like that.  Avocado in guacamole is different, because it is a spread.  So, let's get to it! 

The What's:

• 1 small broccoli head, cut in small florets
• ¼ small red cabbage head, finely diced
• 1 small red onion, finely diced (I don't like raw onions so I omitted)
• 1 avocado, peeled and cut in cubes
• To garnish: toasted almonds and chia seeds

The How's:

Prepare everything as listed in the ingredient section and mix all together. I added cherry tomatoes quartered and left out the avocado until I dressed the salad.  I skipped the dressing portion and used the juice of a lemon, salt and light olive oil as my dressing.  Once dressed, I added in the almonds, chia seeds and avocado.  I lightly tossed these together and serve.  I ate and I ate and I ate.  Pretty guilt-free too I may add!

Paleo Whole 30 compliant One-Pot Chicken

This recipe comes from Stupid Easy Paleo.   In my spare time I search for Whole 30 compliant meals, heck I have even made a pinterest board with all of my findings-Follow me here! This particular recipe is called Tuesday Night Chicken Recipe and since I have planned ahead, I naturally wanted to serve this on Tuesday! 

This was the first time I ate Fire-Roasted Tomatoes.  I really dig them, yum!  I thought this recipe was good enough to prepare for others but I wished my family appreciated my efforts more.  I did save some chicken for my children (second image) and left those pieces out of the sauce so they wouldn't complain; overall it's important to get them to eat than require them to enjoy the recipe! In addition, I didn't follow the recipe well enough so I marinated the chicken in the Italian Seasoning instead of the House Seasoning but added the House Seasoning to the chicken while I cooked it.  I am trying to lay off of salt, but I noticed others using salt at the table while eating it.  

The What's:

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound [454 g])

1 tsp (5 g) House Seasoning Blend (see below)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup (150 g) diced white or yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 batch Italian Seasoning Blend (see below)
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 (14.5 oz [411 g]) can fire-roasted tomatoes
Fresh basil and/or flat-leaf parsley for garnish
For the House Seasoning Blend:
1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp cayenne, ½ tsp black pepper
For the Italian Seasoning Blend:
1 tsp basil, 1 tsp oregano, ½ tsp marjoram, ½ tsp thyme, ¼ tsp red chili flakes

The How's:

1. Prepare the chicken breasts first by filleting lengthwise to make 2 thick breasts into 4 thinner ones. Dust both sides with the House Seasoning Blend.
2. Heat a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat and add a little bit of olive oil to the pan—enough to just coat the bottom. When the oil is hot, lay the seasoned chicken breasts in to sear. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan as overcrowding leads to steaming, not browning. When the chicken has been seared (note, not fully cooked) on both sides, transfer it to a plate and set aside.
3. Reduce the temperature to medium and replenish the pan with a little more olive oil if it looks dry. Add the onion, garlic, Italian Seasoning Blend, kosher salt and cinnamon and cook, stirring often. If you are not accustomed to building sauces this way, I know it may appear a bit strange, but trust me on this. Applying heat and oil to the dried herbs prior to immersing in liquid revives the oils and creates a deeper flavor. It’s the trick to crafting a rich tomato sauce in such a short amount of time.
4. Cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic and herbs fragrant. Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes and mix together. When the sauce bubbles, add the par-cooked chicken back to the pan, nestle it into the spiced-tomato-goodness, cover and reduce the temperature to a simmer.
5. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes while chopping the fresh garnishes—use either or both basil or flat-leaf parsley.
6. I like to serve this directly from the pan after scattering with the vibrant green fresh herbs.

 

Whole 30 compliant Roasted Turkey Breast

Today it's TURKEY!  I am on The Whole 30 eating plan so I have been using more seasoning when I cook and today I am excited to share with you a fantastic find! Today's recipe Clean Eating Roasted Turkey Breast adapted from: Barefoot Contessa comes from Whole Foods New Body.  I found Turkey Breast at a great price so I thought we should eat it early in the week so I could have leftovers. I followed the recipe pretty much to the "T" (my exception was the chicken broth on the bottom of the pan) and found the breast extremely flavorful.  We could taste the seasoning throughout the breast when eating everyone found it very tasty. 

The What's:

Clean Eating Roasted Turkey Breast (adapted from: Barefoot Contessa)

• 5-6 lb. turkey breast (thawed in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. garlic (chopped)
• 2 tbsp. Herbs de Provence
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice ( fresh squeezed or organic)

The How:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix garlic, herbs, oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice in small bowl.  Place turkey on a roasting pan skin side up. Make a pocket underneath the skin and rub half of the herb mixture under the skin of the turkey. Use the other half of the mixture to rub all over the top of the skin.  (Optional: Pour chicken broth in the bottom of the roasting pan.)

Bake for 1 3/4 to 2 hours or until thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees. I covered my turkey most of the roasting time but left uncovered the last 20 minutes after turning off the oven giving me time to prepare the sides.  Recipe says to cover with aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes (assuming you have left it uncovered the majority of the roasting time-opposite of my method). Slice and serve with the pan juices.

 I can't wait to for my husband to have his dinner tonight.  With myself I am well pleased. 

Raging Cajun

I am so excited to share a chart of seasoning's you can use to create your very own clean dishes!   I made a quick lunch for the hubs and I am jumped right in using the Cajun recipe.  I tasted it once the chicken was cooked and added a few more sprinkles of cayenne.  That was just enough to have you running for the bayou.

I thought the seasoning was great,  especially since I added ingredients like Coriander that I haven't found a use for very often.  The key here people is to have basic spices on hand and spend your money on those.  Don't buy the blends if you can make them yourself.  

I know you will thank me after you try some of these out so readers, you are welcomed! 

Chicken Asparagus Almond Salad

There is a small market up the street that is the land of a farmer, so Farmer's Market?  I THINK SO!  This place has been open a few years now and today was their first day open for this season.  They will stay open until late summer and into the beautiful falls days of the orange foliage.  My children and I bought these items for less than $20 and we immediately sliced the cucumbers up and squeezed lemons for a salad dressing. 

From the above image, I have already made a My Grandmother's Greek Dressing and it was delicious!  Mine was a little tangy because I love lemon and I added in some dill weed.  This dressing should cover a salad for 4 people.

It was lunch time when I drove home from the market.  I wanted to use the lemon's for the dressing recipe (shown above) and the asparagus in a salad I saw a recipe earlier that day.  At least once a week, I cook about 10lbs of chicken breast so it's all done.  I prepare the chicken many different ways then eat it during the week whenever I am short on time, which is always.  The chicken is cooked, it is seasoned (not too much) and it is portioned for breakfast lunch or dinner.

For my Chicken Asparagus Almond Salad, I found this Whole 30 approved recipe.    

The What's:

1 bunch of trimmed and sliced asparagus
1 large chicken breast, pre-cooked, cubed
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tbsp. Silvered Almonds
Cubed cucumber, as many as you desire 

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add asparagus. Boil for 2 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Combine asparagus, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and almonds in a bowl. Spoon dressing into salad mix and toss.  Serve cold.  Remove to an airtight container.

Whole 30 Program completed! (Still pushing...)

Yesterday I completed my first round of the Whole 30 Program.  This has been a great opportunity to reset what I eat within strict boundaries.  I find that I am an all or nothing girl and this program works well for me.  Before I slap you with my results, I want to share some of my tallest hurdles, how I am working through them, and how I feel after I have jumped over them and landed on both feet.  I also want to share with you something called NSV (Non-scale victories); these are victories that are complete unique to each person and there are emerge throughout the process. 


First things first: Whole 30 details can be found here.  I bought the book It starts with food and read it through.  I also joined a few Facebook support groups for first-timers which really helped when figuring what we can eat.  I weaned myself off of sugar by peeling myself off of the ceiling about two weeks before I started the program.  I knew that was going to be hard. 


Hurdles: The two largest hurdles for me were not drinking alcohol and not having sugar, in that order!   Not drinking wasn't difficult at first.  It was half way through or towards the end that I thought about drinking wine with dinner more than normal. I even went to a painting party and an essential oil class, both being places I would indulge in wine, and my sparkling water helped me stay on point.  Bravo to me on the drinking.  The sugar part was a relationship that you can imagine was hard to break.  Sugar is in just about everything so I learned to read labels, learned what the different names of sugar are and how to create some sugar-free options of dressings and condiments.  Trust me, everything has sugar but being without sugar is an awesome accomplishment.  You too can do this for 30 days, or longer is you so choose. 


Now, the grand finale:  STAT's! 


Ladies...I measured a total of seven areas of my body and, I am proud to share my results with you in measurements:


Arm: 1.25
Thigh: 2
Natural Waist: 3  (where I wear my pants) 
Hips: 3.25
Belly Button:  3.75
Bust: 4
Ribs: 1.5


...for a grand measurement of 18 or so inches! 


Here is a collage of my before and after photos.  I am proudly taking every inch that I have earned and I consider the last 30 days a successful investment in myself.  I am beginning another Whole30 the 1st of April so I can end just in time for my birthday.  If you have an interest at all, please give it a try.  I already have THREE friends wanting to start in April and it's not too late for you to join us too.  Friday April 3rd, I am co hosting a clean eating meal class where we can talk about the program, our experiences and help you create a clean eating meal for yourself and another.  $45 buys your appetizer, full meal with enough to share and wine.  Reservations and a small deposit will be required to join. 

Twice Baked Sweet Potato and Egg Breakfast

This recipe comes from Plaid and Paleo.  I shall say that this meal was awesome, even on the second day it was delicious.  What a simple meal to have.

The What's:

• 1 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 slices bacon
• sea salt and black pepper
• 2 small eggs
• Handful of spinach or greens 
• 2 slices of Roma Tomato

The How's:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Poke sweet potatoes with a knife a couple times then place directly onto oven rack. Cook for 40-45 minutes until soft. Remove and let cool.  (Or you can poke holes in the potato and microwave for 8 minutes)
2. In a large skillet, fry bacon until crispy. 
3. Once sweet potatoes are cool, cut lengthwise then scoop out the middle of the sweet potato. I used a knife to cut about 1/4 inch away from the skin all the way around then I cut the middle into three pieces. This makes it easier to remove the middle without breaking the skin.
4. Whip the soft sweet potato until soft and creamy.  
5. Scoop mash into potato shells then create a large divot for the egg. You will want to make sure the divot is big enough to fit the egg.
6. Spread spinach, or whatever green you have into the divot.  
7. Break one egg, or two as I did in this picture, into each divot then sprinkle with remaining bacon bits and tomato slices. Cook for 20 minutes or until yoke is set.  
8. 
   

Enjoy, I did!

Breakfast Frittata Whole 30

Today I am sharing with you a solid breakfast frittata.  

You can modify it to use whatever you have in your fridge or whatever is in season.  Remember some vegetables naturally have more water so in that case, you may want to saute them some first before adding them to the egg base. I am the only person eating this recipe so to bake, I used a small baking pan that you can would use for baking a loaf of bread.

The What's:

7 eggs
sun dried tomatoes (Make sure to the label)
2 slices of cooked bacon, sliced
1 cup of spinach, julienned
2 whole green onions, sliced
2 slices of a Roma Tomato

The How's:

Preheat your oven to 390 degrees.  Take your loaf pan and rub coconut oil, like your grandmother used to when baking with Crisco.  Crack your eggs and scramble.  Add salt/pepper to taste.  Layer the loaf pan with a layer of sun dried tomato.  Add the bacon and vegetables into the eggs and then stir.  Mix everything around to mix and then pour the egg mixture over the tomato layer.  Add sliced tomatoes to the top.  Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes.  I kept shaking the loaf pan to see if the eggs mixtures was done.  Once the sides of the frittata began browning, I turned off the stove and took the pan out to cool.  That's it!

Cut your portion size and serve warm.  Enjoy.

Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Salsa

Today, I am using a recipe from an Aldi ' s blog.  Grilled chicken is always a plus for me and this salsa is great, especially as snow begins to cover out ground outside.

The What's:

Serves Four

For Salsa:
2 cups diced pineapple
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 avocado, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded, finely chopped
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/8 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

For Chicken:
4 Trimmed Chicken Breasts, pound to 1/2-inch thickness
2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

The How's:

Directions:
For the salsa: In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Reserve.

For the chicken: Brush the chicken on both sides with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°, about 5 minutes per side.

Remove chicken and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Plate the chicken and top with desired amount of salsa.

I am on my FIFTH day of a Whole 30 nutritional guide; it's been great!  I hope you try this recipe.

Paleo Whole 30 Chicken Soup

Today's recipe is from Framing Cali

Someday's I follow directions well then other days I don't.  This recipe reflect me NOT following a recipe.  

The What's:

1 whole chickens

2 sweet potatoes

"CLEAN" Diced Tomatoes, Canned

1 Bell Peppers 

 2 large Onion

Avocados (optional)

use the following spices in equal parts to taste (I used roughly 1/2 Tbsp):

Onion Salt, Garlic Powder

 

The How's:  

Boil your whole chicken (about 30-40 minutes) and season to taste. I used garlic powder, onion salt, kosher salt and bay leaves.

While the chicken is boiling, dice your vegetables. Remove chicken and add sweet potatoes to the broth made while cooking the chicken. Allow to boil until the potatoes are tender (About 15 minutes). While the vegetables are cooking, peel and discard the skin of the chicken and shred the meat. You should just be able to use a fork to shred it right off of the bones.  (You can cook the chicken in advance and let it cool in the pan so you don't hurt yourself when taking the skin/meat off of the bone).  Once the potatoes are tender add the chicken, remaining vegetables, and spices to the broth. Be sure to taste the recipe at this point.  You may not need additional spices.  Simmer on low for about 20 more minutes.

Enjoy!  

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

This recipe comes from Savory Lotus!

The What's:

Sauce
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon fresh ground ginger
Salt and pepper to taste

Stir Fry

2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
4 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 large bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
½ of a medium red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1 cup raw cashews

The How's:

1. For the sauce: Combine chicken broth, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
2. Heat a large saucepan with 1 tablespoon coconut oil over medium heat until shimmering.
3. Add cubed chicken in a single layer. Cook for a few minutes until lightly browned and turn over each piece to finish cooking through.
4. Move chicken to a plate.
5. Roast cashews for a few minutes, watching carefully.  Just get them to toast.  
6. Melt the second tablespoon of coconut oil in the hot pan and add the carrots, broccoli, and red onion. Stir constantly for a few minutes, adding the meat back into the pan when the vegetables are tender-crisp and still vibrant in color.
7. Stir in the sauce and allow everything to get nice and hot.
8. Serve immediately and sprinkled with cashews. 

I really miss the crunch of Chinese noodles so the buttery cashews help satisfy the missing crunch!  

Why Whole 30?

You must be wondering why I am doing a Whole 30 Program.  I promise it is not because it is easy because so far, it is the exact opposite.

Sometimes people feel worse than they appear.  Sometimes people treat their ailments with prescription medication and that is fine.  Medication can be a necessary evil.

While I am fluffier than I'd like to be, or even realized, I want to feel better.  There are ailment's I suffer daily and I wonder if I challenge myself with a completely restrictive nutrition plan, if some of what I feel will be relieved.  That is what drives me.  It is a true sense of you are what you eat!

So, the forecast this week is below. 

 I promise to be just as friendly, but I probably will yawn during our conversation.  It's not that I am not listening rather, my body is evolving internally.  Ask whatever questions you want but you will not be preached to.  If you come for a visit, please save the wine and bring black coffee or some of that bulletproof coffee I have yet to try.

http://leafparade.com/2013/08/01/the-whole30-in-a-nutshell/

Ready. Set. Whole 30!

I like to experiment and have fun.  I also want to eat better not just for myself but also for others.

I have been researching more about not just clean eating but eating to really enable your body to work in an optimum state.  Clean Eating is great but I am going to begin a program called Whole 30.

Today as the children are home with a "Snow" Day I have created a 10 day meal plan so once I hit the store, I can begin this program.  Here is my meal plan, customized to what I think I can get away with serving all in my family.

Enriching Ego 10 Day of a Whole 30 Meal Plan

★ Day 1

○ Breakfast – Scrambled Eggs, 2 slices bacon, 1 Sweet Potato and mandarin orange

○ Lunch – Spinach Citrus Salad Citrus Chicken Strips with Orange Poppyseed Dressing

○ Dinner – Cashew Chicken vegetable stir-fry over Cauliflower “Rice”.

★ Day 2

○ Breakfast – Scrambled Eggs, 2 slices bacon, 1 sweet potato

○ Lunch – Spinach Citrus Salad with Citrus Marinaded Chicken and Orange Poppyseed Dressing (L)

○ Dinner – Paleo Mexican Chicken Soup with Argula Salad.

★ Day 3

○ Breakfast – Omelet with green onion, avocado, tomato and a bowl of blackberries, bananas,

caramelized coconut chips, and raw toasted cashews.

○ Lunch – Cashew Chicken Vegetable Stiry-Fry over Cauliflower Rice (L).

○ Dinner – Taco’s Wrapped in Lettuce, Guacamole served with sweet potato fries.

★ Day 4

○ Breakfast – Greens and Egg Frittata (blackberries, bananas, “caramelized” coconut chips, and raw

toasted cashews)

○ Lunch – Taco Salad (L), sliced avocado.

○ Dinner – Ranch Burgers (minus the cheddar), tomato cucumber salad with apple cider vinegar, and

sweet potato fries.

★ Day 5

○ Breakfast – Greens and Egg Frittata with sweet potato.

○ Lunch – Ranch Burger (L), salad.

○ Dinner – Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Avocado Salsa, Green Beans

★ Day 6

○ Breakfast – Baked Eggs with Spinach and Sweet Potato

○ Lunch – Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Avocado Salsa, Green Beans (L)

○ Dinner – Buffalo Ranch (Turkey) Meatballs, Sweet Potato Fries and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

★ Day 7

○ Breakfast – Baked Eggs with Spinach and Sweet Potato

○ Lunch – Buffalo Ranch (Turkey) Meatballs, Roasted Brussel Sprouts

○ Dinner – Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce and Meatballs, Salad.

★ Day 8

○ Breakfast – Scrambled Eggs, 2 slices bacon, 1 Sweet Potato and mandarin orange

○ Lunch – Spaghetti squash and meatball leftovers, salad; roasted zucchini chips

○ Dinner – .Hamburger Soup (minus potatoes)

★ Day 9

○ Breakfast – Scrambled Eggs, 2 slices bacon, 1 sweet potato and mandarin orange

○ Lunch – Hamburger Soup (L) with

○ Dinner – Out to Dinner

★ Day 10

○ Breakfast – Omelet with green onion, Avocado, Tomato

○ Lunch – Buffalo Chicken Salad; grapes and apple

○ Dinner – Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps (chicken nuggets for kids) and Sweet Potato Fries

BSB Brussel Sprouts and Bacon

BSB takes on a new term for you starting now.  Talk about simple ingredients and a simple recipe.

The What's:

A few slices of bacon, cut into eights
clean fresh brussel sprouts, halved
cast iron skillet


The How's:

Begin by heating your skillet.  Chop your bacon slices into eights and begin frying.  Once the bacon is cooked, take it out of the pan and let it drain on a paper towel.

Keep the bacon fat in the skillet and place the brussel sprouts that have been halved, flat side down.  Cook for at least 12 minutes on one side so they have a nice caramelized look then flip over.  Leave cooking for another 7 minutes or until they are consistently softened.

Add cooked bacon back onto top and serve all warm.

Avocado Ranch Dressing

One word:  Tacos.  My children can eat some tacos.  They love them on hard shells, over tortilla chips, as little burrito babies and now I am teaching my children how to make tacos, so at least they will have that.

I have plenty of avocado's around the house and I really wanted to use them in a modified way.  I found this recipe and while I am not a ranch dressing eater, I did have all of the ingredients so I went for it!  I only used the ranch recipe but feel free to use the recipe in it's entirety if it appeals to you!

The What's:

1 large ripe avocado

1/2 cup sour cream 

1/4 cup milk 

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar

3 cloves minced garlic (approx 1 1/2 tsp.)  *I would omit next time

1/4 tsp. kosher salt (or more to taste)

The How's:
Mash avocado in a bowl until smooth. Add sour cream and mix well. Whisk in milk. Then add lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, parsley, and salt stirring in between each ingredient.

This dressing ended up a little chunky, I wasn't able to get my avocado completely smooth but the taste was really good.  I felt like I purchased my taco from a fancy taco food truck.  I hope you give this recipe a try on a day that you are not following a completely strict diet.

Baked Chicken with Artichoke and Spinach

This dinner comes to me on a very windy afternoon!  We have just begun to leave the house after a week's long virus that literally put three of us on the sofa for a week.  Thankfully, as the wind creates chilly air, the germs are swirling their way into the robust world and out of our home.

Today's recipe is a one pot meal of Baked Chicken with Artichokes and Spinach.  I found the original recipe while searching through pinterest under paleo.  With my variation, I used some leftover Big Batch Chicken in place of raw chicken.  I purchased artichokes in juice from Aldi's and it tasted
great.   I don't know if this is a recipe that my children will particularly enjoy as I have made it for our dinner and leftover lunch.  A few chicken breast did the trick for me. Throw in whatever vegetables you have to use up.  The recipe is not definitive so be creative.

The What's:

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 to 6 chicken pieces (thighs, chicken breast, legs, etc...)
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 can (14-ounces) quartered artichokes, rinsed and drained
 1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, sliced into thin rounds
1 bag (6 to 8 ounces) baby spinach, cut in julienne strips
a handful of cherry tomatoes
½ cup vegetable broth

The How's:

Preheat oven to 425.  Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet that's safe for stovetop and oven.  I opted for a cast iron skillet.  Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and brown on both sides; about 5 minutes on each side.  Remove from skillet and set it on the side, leaving butter in skillet.  Add artichokes, onions, and carrots to the skillet.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly tender, stirring occasionally.  Add chicken back into skillet, for 1 minute, placing spinach  and cherry tomatoes on top.  Remove from heat and add broth. Place in the oven and bake for 18 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.   Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.

Plate and ladle liquid and veggies over chicken pieces.   Serve Warm and Enjoy.

Breakfast of Roasted Asparagus with Hard-Boiled Egg

This morning when I thought of what greens I had in the fridge that I could eat for breakfast, Asparagus came to mind.  I decided to roast asparagus and hard boiled a few eggs for everyone.

Simply put.  It was easy to turn the oven on, let it preheat and twenty minutes later, here is what I ate for breakfast.

The What's:

Fresh Asparagus, as many as needed
Fresh Eggs, as many as needed
EVOO
Parmesan Cheese, or any hard white cheese that you prefer (optional)
Kosher Salt, to your preference
Pepper, to your preference

The How's:

Heat oven to 350.  Place asparagus, on parchment covered cookie sheets, in a single layer.  Drizzle EVOO over them lightly.  Roast these for 20 minutes, 15 prefer if you a crunchy asparagus.  Peel eggs that have been boiled for 10 minutes and remove asparagus from the oven.  Layer asparagus on plate, crumble hard boiled egg over asparagus, sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and top with a small amount of freshly shredded cheese.  Enjoy.

Plain Kale Chips

Today, I am sharing an easy and tasty recipe that you can kill in a good way, or a bad way depending on how well you follow directions.  These are a good match to a plain potato chip that is thinly sliced.  No doubt, they have got to be a better choice.  Create an option for yourself and your family.

This recipe can be found here.  What I want to share with you today, my the technique I used.  My husband and one of my daughters also enjoyed these as well.  A lot.  

Homemade Kale ChipsThe What's:

1 bunch kale, rinsed, thoroughly dried, and chopped (remove thick stems, or not)

olive oil

sea salt

(I added sesame seeds)

Recipe from AllRecipes.com

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and cover your cookie sheet with parchment paper.   Place your kale in a large ziploc bag and place enough olive oil in the bag to cover each pieces of kale.  This amount will varied by how much kale you are making.  I added three sprinkles of sesame seeds and at least 1/2 Tbsp of Kosher Salt.  Seal the ziploc bag and shake the bag until every piece of kale is covered.  Open the bag and spread the kale evenly on two cookie sheets. 

Bake your kale at 350 degrees for 10-20 minutes until the edges are browned but not burnt.  I tossed the kale around a bit and when I saw the edges were browning, I turned the oven down to 225 and let it bake until they were equally crunchy.  If you want a crunchy chip like I do, keep watching and tasting them, at a lower oven temperature, every ten minutes until they are equally toasty.  Let them cool before serving, if you can resist.  

Recipe from AllRecipes.com