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)

Made To Crave: 40 Day Challenge

Months have passed since my last post. Life has gotten in the way and I've let my focus be taken elsewhere, but that ends today. If you want to know the truth, I've been struggling big time to stick to regular clean eating and exercise. I've struggled to pick a workout program and actually make it to the finish line. For weeks things are going well and then it's like I've run face first into a brick wall...WHAM! And just like that I'm back off track, back to old eating habits, and skipping workouts. It's this crazy never-ending cycle.

So for the last couple of months I've been contemplating why it was so easy to find success in 2013 and why I just seem to be chasing it now, but always coming up short. I'm tired of the back and forth, the inconsistency, and of hearing myself use the tired excuse that I'll start tomorrow. Enough is enough, today is the day. But this is definitely not a journey I want to take alone, so I'm challenging you to join me.

If you're tired of getting on the scale in nothing but your skivvies and still cringing at the number staring back at you...If you're waking up each morning regretting food choices from the day before...If you've tried every diet or workout program you can find and still nothing works...If you're ready to take your life back...then this is for you.

Starting July 31st, the doors are opening to my exclusive 40 day "Made to Crave" VIRTUAL GYM. 

Why 40 days? Throughout the Bible, God uses 40-day periods to orchestrate life changing events, like:

• Moses presented the 10 Commandments to the Israelites after spending 40 days and nights alone with God on Mount Sinai.
• Elijah spent 40 days with God being refreshed and renewed after his standoff against the prophets of Baal.
• After his baptism, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert fasting and praying, preparing for His mission.
• Jesus appeared to believers over a period of 40 days after His resurrection.

During the 40 days of this group, we will read through Lysa TerKeurst's "Made to Crave" while tackling a workout program and getting our food in check. We will learn to break the cycle of "I'll start again on Monday," to stop agonizing over numbers on the scale, we'll reach our healthy goals and grow closer to God through the process, and we will replace rationalizations that lead to failure with wisdom that lead to victory.

I am opening this group to 10 amazing women who are ready to link arms with one another, cheering each other on as we grow closer to God and take back our lives from the unhealthy habits that are ruling them today. It doesn't matter where you live, how in shape or out of shape you are or how crazy your schedule is...WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER!

It's time to take our lives back from all of the excuses we con ourselves into believing, from jam-packed schedules, and from unhealthy food cravings that are ruling our thoughts and causing constant regret and poor food choices. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! 

So, how to you join?

• You invest in your CHALLENGE PACK (the most bang you can possibly get for your buck) which includes:
• A FULL DVD workout package (comes with a calendar so you know what workouts to do each day and always has ways to modify)
• A complete nutrition guide and meal prep booklet customized for YOUR journey on this program
• A 30 day supply of the best health shake on the market to FUEL your body
• Purchase "Made to Crave" by Lysa TerKeurst, so you can follow along with each day's reading
• You'll also receive:
• Access to this exclusive Made To Crave Challenge Group which is full of healthy resources!
• A positive and uplifting community that will keep you excited and accountable
• A coach (ME!) to help you along the way and keep you accountable
• A 30 day trial of Beachbody on Demand which includes a TON of different workouts to stream online AND  a clean cooking show to help you make some awesome recipes and meal prep.

I truly believe this is exactly the group you've been waiting for. This is exactly what's going to help you bust through that plateau and finally put down every single excuse you've been holding on to. This group is what is going to help you CRUSH YOUR GOALS!!

I'm beyond excited for this group to begin and I hope you'll join me on this amazing journey!! Comment below with your email or hop on over to my Facebook page, Get Fit with Alina, and message me to get signed up.

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!

Guilt-Free Breakfast Recipes

Meal planning always seems so easy when I'm planning lunches and dinners, it's always the breakfasts that throw me off. I often find myself rushing around in the morning and it's easy to forget about breakfast, convince myself I don't have time, or just grab something quick that's definitely NOT on my meal plan.

Today I want to share some of my favorite breakfast recipes with you. If you would like more recipes like this, please take a second to subscribe and you'll have them delivered straight to your inbox!

Guacamole Toast & Egg

Ingredients:

½ avocado

1 tsp lime juice

1 egg

Coconut oil cooking spray

All-natural sea salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Mash the avocado in a small bowl and season with all-natural sea salt, pepper, and lime juice.

2. Put toast in toaster or toast in oven until toasted to your liking.

3. Heat a small nonstick skillet over low heat, spray with cooking spray and gently crack the egg into the skillet. Cook to your liking.

4. Place mashed avocado over toast, top with egg, and enjoy!!

Gluten Free Waffle & Fruit

Ingredients:

¼ c coconut flour (I like Bob’s Red Mill brand)

¼ tsp baking soda

1 tbsp apple pie spice

¾ c egg whites

½ c almond or coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Coconut oil cooking spray

Fruit of your choice (I love it with strawberries)

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients with a hand mixer.

2. Heat waffle iron and spray lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

3. Drop waffle batter into center of iron, fill about ¾ of the area.

4. Waffle is ready when it easily separates from the iron, about 3-5 minutes.

5. In a small skillet, sauté the fruit of your choice for a few minutes to get them warm and soft.

6. Top waffle with warm fruit and enjoy!

Clean Eating Raspberry Crepes

Crepe Batter Ingredients:

½ cup oatmeal

2 eggs

½ c almond milk

¼ c water

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp coconut oil

Raspberry Filling Ingredients:

1 c frozen raspberries

1 tbsp raw honey

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Put the oatmeal into a blender and pulse a few times until it turns into flour.

2. Add the rest of the crepe batter ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.

3. Heat another teaspoon of coconut oil in a frying pan, then pour ¼ of the batter into pan. Swirl the batter around the pan so the crepe is very thin.

4. Cook until the top surface starts to look dry, then flip over and cook the other side.

5. Your crepe should be golden brown when done.

6. Add filling ingredients to a small sauce pan and simmer until thick and bubbly.

7. Fill crepe with filling and enjoy!!

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}

Eating Clean and The Struggle to Eat Out

Y'all I try to never stress about calories. I try to make good food choices and stick to reasonable portion sizes. I've never struggled to find healthy food items when eating out, but late last week I went to dinner with some of my girlfriends. We tried a restaurant that I had never been to and at first I was blown away by all of the seemingly healthy items on the menu. Then I just happened to notice the calories listed in parenthesis, and y'all I was just plain shocked!! These meals were so deceiving!! 

{Roasted Salmon Quinoa Bowl}

Now, mind you the calories aren't listed for every item in the menu, but the menu item that caught my attention was their Roasted Salmon Quinoa Bowl. The menu describes it as "roasted Atlantic salmon with sauteed red onions, mushrooms, fresh asparagus, and fire-roasted red bell peppers served over quinoa and drizzled with soy ginger sauce." Granted, I could easily order it without the sauce, but I seriously doubt that would make a huge difference in the calories...

{Roasted Salmon Quinoa Bowl Nutrition Info}

1040 calories?! Are you kidding me? Y'all nothing in the picture or description gave me any indication that eating this selection, which is found on their "Enlightened Favorites" section of their menu, would mean the intake of an obscene amount of calories!!

{Santa Fe Salad}

Because the majority of the menu items didn't have the nutrition information listed, I decided on the Sante Fe Salad, thinking that HAD to be a better option. The menu describes it as, "romaine, blacked chicken breast, red onions, fire-roasted red bell peppers, jack and cheddar cheese, avocado, corn, diced tomatoes and crisp corn tortilla strips tossed with Santa Fe dressing." It was a better option, but not by much.

{Santa Fe Salad Nutrition Info}

980 calories!! For a SALAD!! Seriously? One might say that you could split it into two portions and it would be reasonable. It wasn't filling at all!! There was no way you could eat half that salad and be full afterwards. Now, don't get me wrong...it was delicious! It was one of the best salads I've had out, but I also wouldn't order it again. 

{Barbeque Bison Burger}

So out of curiosity today, as I was researching the nutrition information I decided to check out some of the other menu items that look less than healthy. They couldn't possibly be better, could they? I found the Barbeque Bison Burger, which the menu describes as "lean, ground buffalo, boldly seasoned then grilled to order. Topped with chipotle BBQ sauce, seared green chilies and pico de gallo and served on a toasted bun with Baja sauce, red onions, and lettuce. Served with tangy slaw tossed with Baja vinaigrette and topped with green onions."

{Barbeque Bison Burger Nutrition Info}

680 calories! That's almost half of the salmon and 300 calories LESS than the salad!! That makes absolutely zero sense! Eating out is hard enough. It's hard to find reasonably sized portions, healthy meals, and clean ingredients. And now, to make it even harder, restaurants like this are offering up "lighter" options with ridiculous amounts of calories. How are we supposed to make educated decisions and not completely derail our hard work.

Obviously, for many of us, avoiding ever eating out is not a real option. We're going to have birthday celebrations, like the one I went to, and other fun events. The point isn't for us to never feel like we can go out or splurge. We should all be able to do this. But we have to know what's going on behind the seemingly healthy description in the menu. Know what you're putting in your body.

I really hate to be that person on my phone looking up each menu item at the table to figure out the healthiest option, but oh, how I wish I had thought to look up the menu in advance and check the nutrition information ahead of time. 

Now there are two reasons why I haven't mentioned the name of this restaurant and haven't linked any of their menu photos to their website. This is a pretty negative post. The experience at the restaurant wasn't all bad, the food really was good, and while I'm using a few of their menu items to educate, I don't want anyone to think that it's all bad. 

After doing research today, I've found that they do offer a few lower calorie menu items. My point in this post, is that the menu items that caught my attention and seemed healthy were terrible choices. Delicious yes, but certainly not healthy choices. So, if you do some research and figure out the name of this restaurant, please don't use this post or the comments below to bash them. They're most certainly not the only restaurant doing this and wrecklessly bashing them on the internet isn't going to change it.

So what can you do? Know before you go. If you have plans to go to your favorite restaurant on Friday, take time to check out the menu and nutritional information beforehand. Plan ahead and know what you're going to order. Not only will this help you make healthy choices, but I bet it will help your food get to the table a little faster too. 

{Celebrating with some of my favorite ladies}

Deconstructed Tacos {21 Day Fix Approved}

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Y'all I could seriously eat tacos every single day. I love them!! I've yet to find a taco I didn't love. I mean even a less than stellar taco is still pretty amazing. But, I generally find that when I'm eating tacos, they're also slightly less than healthy. So, today I'm sharing my super delicious Deconstructed Tacos. These tacos are amazing and feel like a cheat meal, but they're completely clean!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (I use 97/3 grass fed angus beef, but you could easily substitute ground turkey and make this meal even healthier).

1 packet of your favorite taco seasoning (I use the low sodium version)

1/4 cup water

1 small red onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

Brown rice (I use Seeds of Change's Seven Whole Grain rice)

Broccoli slaw

Tomatoes, chopped

Fresh avocado, mashed (in a pinch I've also used Good Foods Chunky Tableside Guacamole)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef (or turkey) until no longer pink. 

2. Add taco seasoning packet and 1/4 cup water.

3. Add onion and garlic.

4. We assembled with brown rice on the bottom, then taco meat, topped with broccoli slaw, tomatoes, and fresh avocado (or guacamole).

If you are following the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan:

1 YELLOW of brown rice

1 RED of ground beef (or turkey)

.5 GREEN of broccoli slaw

.5 GREEN of tomatoes

1 BLUE of guacamole (or mashed avocado)

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Clean Eating for You...and Your Family

One of the biggest excuses I hear when it comes to clean eating is that it's impossible to eat clean when the rest of your household is still downing oreos and doritos. And y'all this is an excuse I can totally understand. When temptation isn't staring you in the face, it's so much easier to stay on track and really start cleaning up your eating habits. But how can you convince the rest of your family to get on board?

The truth? There aren't any magic words and probably just throwing out their treat stash won't go over well. But there are a few things you can do to that just may have them wanting to eat clean too!

Tip #1: Start Slow

So often we just want to jump in feet first and go from a junk food junkie to a clean eating freak. It's okay to start slow! Start with switching out your snacks or maybe set a goal to eat clean at dinnertime every day. By changing one meal, you should easily be able to work that into your family's meal plan.

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Tip #2: Set An Example

Before you can expect them to jump on board, you've got to set an example. You've got to start your clean eating journey and let them see what you're doing. The trick here is to find healthy meals that you love. Whether you're eating out or cooking at home, let them see that not only are you choosing healthier options, but you're enjoying it too. When they see that you're enjoying what you're doing, they'll be more likely to join in.

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Tip #3: Stop Buying Junk

While it probably won't go over well to just throw out their goodies, if you're the chief grocery shopper...stop buying it. If your kids can't drive, you can easily control what they're allowed to have in the house. For older children or your spouse, if they want the junk food and processed stuff, let them make the trip to the store for it. Most likely, they won't.

When the junk food stashes start running low, they'll be looking for snacks and guess what? All your healthy meal prepping will be staring them in the face.

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Tip #4: Be Prepared To Answer Questions

When you start taking the junk food out of the house, be prepared to answer questions like, "why is fast food bad for me?" or "why can't I buy my favorite chips?" The best advice I can give you is not to word vomit on them. Tell them enough to answer the questions they've asked but leave it open-ended enough for them to ask more. Let them guide the conversation.

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Tip #5: Be Prepared For Resistance

Let's be honest, at some point you're going to meet resistance. They're going to want pizza and wings and macaroni and cheese. Know in advance that this is coming. Find healthier versions of foods they love and be prepared to offer them when they ask for one of their less than stellar favorites. Having trouble finding a decent recipe for a clever switcheroo? Let me know! I'll help you find an awesome substitute.

{Photo Cred: Beachbody}

Tip #6: Be Creative

Clean eating should NOT be boring!! If it is, we need to talk! Pinterest has tons of delicious clean recipes and I try to post them here for you as well. Try this Easy Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe. It's clean, it's delicious, and my daughter loves it!

Tip #7: Let Them Help

Have your family help you meal prep. Older kids and spouses can chop vegetables. Younger kids can stir or wash fruits and vegetables. Find something that they'll enjoy and let them be a part of the process. When they're able to help, they're more inclined to eat the food they've prepared.

Tip #8: Keep Going

And if all else fails, don't give up! Let them see that no matter what, you're changing your lifestyle. Maybe they're just not ready to get on board and that's ok. Don't let them be a stumbling block for you, but don't force your new eating habits down their throat either. And with a little time and a consistency on your part, I'd be willing to be that they'll come around. 

{Photo Cred: Pinterest}

Easy Lemon Garlic Chicken

Alright y'all, today I'm sharing my go-to chicken recipe. I make this every single week when I'm meal prepping and use this chicken for almost all of our meals. It's full of flavor and goes so well with everything, that we never get tired of it! And the best part is, since it's so easy to make you can make a small portion or a giant one - the recipe is so simple! The amount of chicken I use varies based on our meals each week so this isn't a scientific formula, but I'll break it down the best that I can.

Ingredients:

5 - boneless, skinless chicken breasts (trimmed & ready)

1/2 cup - lemon juice 

2 tbsp - minced garlic 

water

Instructions:

1. Place chicken breasts into crock pot and cover with lemon juice.

2. Add garlic.

3. If lemon juice is not covering the chicken breasts, add a small amount of water. You shouldn't need more than 1/4 cup.

4. Cook on low 6-8 hours or 4 hours on high.

That's it! It really is that simple. I like to let this cook in the crock pot while I do my meal prep for the week. When the chicken is done, I simply cut it up, portion it out, and add it to my containers. This recipe has been a huge time-saver for me in the meal prep department and I hope it will do the same for you. Enjoy!!

Eating Clean on a Budget…

Yes, it possible!!! I can remember the first time I tried to “eat clean.” I remember wandering around the grocery store, buying anything that said “organic” and just assuming that meant it was clean. I did no research and I knew nothing, but I trusted the labels and surprise, surprise I saw no success and my wallet took a big hit. That was it for me. I just couldn’t afford this clean eating thing.

Since then, I’ve spent a lot of time really learning about what labels tell us, but also what they don’t or what’s “hidden” on them. I’ve learned things to look out for and things to stay away from. But most importantly I’ve learned how to afford to clean eat without my budget taking a hit.

Today, I want to share some of my tips to help you eat clean and how to “afford” it.

1. The simpler, the better

Think vegetables, fruits, etc. Things that don’t come with a label!! I’m a huge fan of the farmers market. If I’m able to work it into my crazy schedule, I try to make it over there once a week for fresh produce, herbs, and meat. Everything just tastes a little better and the quality is just so much better than anything I can find in a grocery store.

2. Make a list

Don’t go into the grocery store blind. Know exactly what you’re shopping for. Having a grocery list is the biggest key to successfully keeping your clean eating budget friendly. When making my list, I try to keep an eye on what items I already have at home first. What do I have already that can help dictate what I’m going to make for the week?

3. Stick to the list

Once you’ve made your list, you’ve got to stick to it. You’re only buying ingredients for the meals you know you’re going to cook and the healthy snacks you know you’re going to eat. Absolutely nothing extra. This is where the importance of planning your list comes in. You want to make sure that you’ve planned everything you’re going to eat. You don’t want to make several trips back and forth to the store throughout the week, or that grocery bill will just keep growing.

4. Similar Ingredients

Try using similar ingredients for your recipes throughout the week. This will help prevent tons of leftover food that will go bad and you’ll end up spending less because you’re not buying tons of different ingredients. This DOES NOT mean your meals have to be boring or repetitive!! You can use similar ingredients and still create completely unique and delicious meals!! Pinterest may become your new best friend!!! For instance, if you know you’re buying zucchini for one recipe, look up other zucchini recipes to use up that produce. Don’t let it go bad. You can pair it with different grains, proteins, seasonings or other veggies to mix it up.

5. Don’t be afraid to try another store

You may have a go-to grocery store, one that you go to every week and that’s ok. But don’t be afraid to try something new. I like Walmart. They have everything I need in one place and with our new neighborhood market, I don’t have to wait in the long lines. But, their produce isn’t the best. I’ve gotten home only to realize that a 5-lb bag of potatoes was rotten – side note, have you ever smelled a bag of rotten potatoes?! I never knew something could smell that bad!! I seriously don’t know how I made it home with them before I realized there was a problem – I’ve bought raspberries and blueberries that molded by the very next day, and even found produce on display in the store with mold on it. That’s just not what I’m looking for. Now, if I have the time to hit the farmer’s market for my produce I will, but sometimes I just don’t have the time. For me, Harris Teeter is my favorite, but ONLY for produce. Their prices are much higher on everything else. Since the Walmart I like and Harris Teeter are just across the street from each other, I’ll visit Walmart first and get everything but my produce and then I’ll hop over to Harris Teeter for just the produce. It probably takes me an extra 10 minutes, and for me the quality of the food is worth it. Other people are big fans of Aldi, especially for their produce. That’s not my thing, but it may be yours. Don’t be afraid to try it!!

6. Know what clean eating really means

Just because a label says “organic” or “natural,” doesn’t mean that’s really what you’re getting. The regulation for our food is in all honesty pretty deplorable. It constantly amazes me what companies can get away with sneaking into our food all while their label makes it out to be healthy. Don’t worry if you feel confused, you’re not alone!! We’ve all purchased food we thought was healthy only to realize that it just wasn’t. The best way to know if what you’re buying is the real thing is to check the ingredients list. My rule of thumb is to see if there’s anything I can’t pronounce. If the ingredients aren’t real foods…neither is the food you’re buying. For example, strawberries are great for you. You may even be able to find strawberry jam that’s decent. But a strawberry poptart, or even those strawberry “granola” bars…nope! They’re filled with all kinds of junk. Don’t put that mess in your body!!! This really ties in with #1, the simpler the label the better.

7. Watch for sales

Most grocery stores will now email you their sales paper. This is one of the best resources you can use when meal planning. Does Harris Teeter have spaghetti squash on sale? Check Pinterest for some great recipes using spaghetti squash and take advantage of that deal! Just be sure to pay attention to any fine print. If it’s buy one, get one free, do you have to buy two or can you buy one at half price? You don’t want to be stuck with food you’re not going to use!! And never buy items you don’t need simply because they’re on sale, that’s one of the fastest ways to run up your spending.

8. You don’t always have to buy “organic”

That’s right, sometimes you really don’t need to buy it just because it says organic. So how do you know the difference? Here’s my cheat sheet!! Y’all this infographic seriously has some of the best information on it and I keep it saved on my phone as my own personal cheat sheet!

{Photo Cred: Daily Burn}

You may still feel overwhelmed and that’s ok. Maybe you feel like you need someone to walk through the grocery store, holding your hand, and telling you exactly which peanut butter to buy. Guess what? There’s an app for that. I discovered, FoodUCate a few months ago. You can use it to scan products while you’re shopping and it will score them with A, B, C, D, or F. The best part about the app is that it will tell you exactly why the food got that rating and suggest healthier items you can purchase instead. The only downside…it can be time consuming. To me, it was worth it because I was able to see what foods I was regularly purchasing that just didn’t measure up. The longer I used the app, the less I needed it. It was a great way to learn what to look out for and how to find healthier options on my own. It’s kind of like clean eating boot camp! 

Want to learn more about meal planning and eating clean? Join my August Challenge Group and learn all that plus some awesome meal prepping tips and tricks!!