21 Day Fix Approved Jambalaya

After an impromptu trip to a New Orleans style restaurant over the weekend, the hubby and I were both itching for some jambalaya. (Side note: The restaurant, NOLA in Greensboro, NC was INCREDIBLE!! Seriously, if you're local, stop in a try it. Everything about it makes you feel like you're walking around the French Quarter. I only wish we'd had room for some of their beignets!!)

{Gator Bites & Remoulade Sauce}

{The BIGGEST...and most delicious Po'Boy Sandwich I've ever had!!}

{The coveted Jambalya}

While this recipe wasn't quite as good as the deliciousness we had at NOLA, it was still pretty dang delicious. Prepare yourself, this is not a quick dinner and you'll want to allow about an hour to an hour and a half so you'll have time to chop all of your veggies and cook everything. But once it's cooking, you can leave it to simmer so you won't actually be standing in the kitchen the entire time. You can cut down your cooking time if you prep your veggies beforehand. 

This is one of those meals that gets better the next day and could easily be frozen for later meals. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did...but eat it before you head over to NOLA and it will taste even better!!

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 sweet onion, diced

1 small red pepper, diced

1 small green bell pepper, diced

1 small yellow bell pepper, diced

1.5 Tbsp minced garlic (or 4 fresh garlic cloves, minced)

2 boneless, skinless chicken - cut into bite-sized pieces

1 lb turkey sausage sliced thinly into rounds 

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 c sodium free chicken stock

1 (14oz) can Cento crushed tomatoes

1.5 cups uncooked brown rice

2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

1 bay leaf

1 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.

2. Add celery, onion, bell peppers, and garlic.Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft and mostly cooked.

3. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, chicken, and sausage, and stir to combine. Saute for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink.

4. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, rice, Cajun seasoning, bay leaf, thyme, and cayenne pepper, and stir to combine. Let it come to a boil and let the water almost fully absorb, about 10 minutes.

5. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked, stirring occasionally. 

6. Once the rice is tender, add in the shrimp and stir to combine.

7. Let the mixture continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked and pink.

8. Remove the bay leaf and season the jambalaya with salt and pepper and additional Cajun seasoning as needed.

9. Remove from heat and serve. Enjoy!!

21 DAY FIX: Serving Size: 1.5 cup (1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow)

Crock Pot Chicken & Rice Soup

A few months ago, my husband mentioned how one of his favorite meals growing up was chicken and rice soup. He carefully dropped a truckload of hints that he'd really like me to make a batch. Considering I'd never made it before, I really had no idea how it would turn out but I told him I would give it a whirl. I mean, I'll take any excuse to throw together a new crock pot recipe! 

This soup is full of shredded chicken, plump wild rice, tender veggies, and a savory broth. It's a super simple recipe and so, so yummy!! With a sick kiddo this week, it seemed like the perfect time to whip this tasty recipe out again and as long as I'm making it, I might as well share it with you too.

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breasts

6 c chicken broth, divided

1 c white cooking wine

1 c water

3/4 c wild (or white) rice

3 carrots, slice (or use frozen for even faster meal prep)

1 1/2 c celery, minced

1 small onion, diced

2 tsp minced garlic

2 bay leaves

Cumin, Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Add 2 c chicken broth, white cooking wine, water, and chicken to your crock pot. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours. (You can add all of your ingredients to the crock pot at the beginning but I have found it's not as easy to shred the chicken, so I prefer to do it in 2 steps.) 

2. When chicken is cooked through, use a fork to shred in crock pot. It should come apart easily. 

3. Add remaining ingredients to your crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours. Serve and enjoy. If you're feeling a little adventurous, try adding a little chipotle Tabasco sauce for a little heat and a nice smoky flavor. 

**Update, the mini has informed me that the soup is great, but I must have forgotten that she doesn't like rice. Apparently her favorite is chicken stew, so prepare yourself for that recipe soon. Who would have thought I would be making this many batches of soup/stew when it's 80 degrees outside!! #momlife

Paleo Tangerine Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients: 

1 lb ground chicken 

1 tbsp avocado oil 

1 c mushrooms, diced 

1/4 c green onion, chopped 

4 cloves of garlic, minced 

1 tbsp white wine vinegar 

1 tbsp raw honey 

1-2 tsp cayenne pepper 

1 tsp ground cumin 

1 tsp black pepper 

1/4 tsp sea salt 

1 tsp ground mustard 

2 tangerines, peeled 

8 large romaine lettuce leaves 

Directions:

1. In a skillet, heat avocado oil on medium heat. Add ground chicken. Cook until almost done.

2. Add mushrooms and onions. Cook until onions and mushrooms are limp. Stir in garlic, white wine vinegar, honey, and seasonings. Allow to simmer 5-10 minutes on low heat.

3. Add tangerine sections and allow to simmer another 3-5 minutes.

4. While mixture is simmering, trim romaine leaves to use as the wrap.

*makes 4 servings*

Adapted from Emily Schromm's Asian Lettuce Wraps, be sure to check out her amazing Superhero Challenge!

Chicken Fried Rice {21 Day Fix Approved}

Chinese food is a staple in our house so being able to make it at home is a must, but making it healthy has been a struggle until now. Today I'm sharing my favorite Chicken Fried Rice recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (I use THIS RECIPE and make my chicken in advance.)

1-2 tsp coconut oil

2 eggs

1 cup brown rice

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or teriyaki sauce

Directions:

1. If you have not pre-made your chicken, cut into chunks, then saute on medium heat in a large skillet with a tsp of coconut oil for 7-8 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside. 

If you have pre-made your chicken, skip to step 2.

2. Scramble 2 eggs. Set aside.

3. Cook your rice. I use Seeds of Change's Seven Whole Grains, which only takes 90 seconds to make!

4. Add frozen mixed vegetables to pan with a tsp of coconut oil. Heat until thawed.

5. Add all ingredients to pan, add low sodium soy sauce or teriyaki sauce.

If you are following the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan:
Measure out 1 GREEN for portion size

One portion equals:
1 YELLOW
1 RED
.5 GREEN
1 ORANGE

{Photo Cred: Beachbody}

Chicken Stuffed Peppers {21 Day Fix Approved}

Stuffed peppers are one of my husband's favorites and one that I'm guilty of not making very often. In all honesty, I'm generally not that impressed with the recipes that I've found. They generally have the same ingredients and I've always made them with ground beef. Turns out, switching the beef out for chicken made a huge difference! So today I'm sharing my new Chicken Stuffed Peppers recipe and to make it even better...it's 21 Day Fix Approved!!

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Ingredients:

4 medium bell peppers (I used red and green, but you can use any color)

2 tsp coconut oil

1 medium red onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp chili powder

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (I pre-made my chicken using THIS RECIPE)

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 cups brown rice or quinoa (I use Seeds of Change's Brown Rice & Quinoa Mix)

1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp lime juice

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1/2 cup fresh or frozen sliced mushroom

1/2 cup fresh jalapenos, diced

Hot pepper sauce, to taste (optional - we like the new Chipotle Tabasco sauce)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Place bell peppers, skin side down, in baking dish. I used a square 8x8 Pyrex dish which worked well to hold the peppers upright.

3. Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium heat.

4. Add red onion, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until onion is translucent.

5. Add garlic, stirring frequently for 1 minute.

6. If you have not pre-made your chicken, cut it into small cubes and add it to the skillet here with chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. If you have pre-made your chicken, add chili powder to the skillet, let simmer, and move to step 7.

7. In a separate bowl, mix shredded chicken, cumin, salt and pepper.

8. Follow directions on bag for Seeds of Change Brown Rice & Quinoa. Add to bowl, stir.

9. Add beans, cilantro, and lime to juice to bowl and stir.

10. Add mushrooms and jalapenos to skillet and let simmer for 5 minutes.

11. Add 1/2 cup cheese to bowl and stir. Add contents of skillet to bowl and mix together thoroughly.

12. Add a heaping 1/2 cup of chicken mixture to each pepper and cover lightly with foil.

13. Bake for 35 minutes, or until peppers are tender, remove foil and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

14. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and hot sauce (if desired).

If you are following the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan:

1 YELLOW 

1 RED 

1.5 GREEN

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Chicken Tikka Masala

In the last couple of months, I have fallen in love with meal prepping. What started out as planned lunches for the week has grown into every meal and every snack for our entire week, pre-made and ready to go for the week. While it certainly takes time - and lots of containers - it has made our lives so much easier. I now only have to cook one day a week!!! Can you even imagine??!! In another post, I'll share all I've learned about meal prepping along with some tips and tricks, but for today I'm sharing one of our favorite recipes: Chicken Tikka Masala along with instructions for how we portion everything with our 21 Day Fix containers.

{Chicken Tikka Masala}

Ingredients:

3 Cups - Grilled Chicken (or 4 red)

1 box  - Whole Wheat Couscous (or 4 yellow)

2 Bags - Green Giant Chipotle Harvest Veggies (or 4 green)

2 Tbsp - Tikka Masala Sauce (or 1 orange)


Instructions:

1. Prepare and portion your grilled chicken using red container. The simpler the better, the veggies and sauce will give you plenty of flavor.

2. Prepare couscous according to box. I like Near East's Whole Grain Wheat Couscous. Portion using yellow container.

3. Saute Green Giant veggies in 1 tsp of olive oil. Top with pumpkin seeds. Portion using green container.

4. Portion tikka masala sauce using orange container. Mix chicken in sauce.

5. You can plate everything on their own or mix it all together for extra deliciousness!!

This is definitely one of our favorite meals each week. It saves well and tastes just as good on the last day of the week as it does on the day it's prepared. Enjoy!!