Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Here's one more crock pot recipe for the books. It turns out like fajita filling and tastes amazing! You could put it in a tortilla or add brown rice.

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups of your favorite salsa
4 diced tomatoes
1 green pepper
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
2 Tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon black pepper

Cooks in 5 hours on high or 7 hours on low. Pull apart chicken breasts.

6 ounce serving: Calories 160, Fat 2g, Carbs 2g, Protein 36g

Crock Pot Jambalaya

I know everyone is busy and I've been so preoccupied myself that I've hardly had time to prepare actual dinners so I thought I'd share this quick and easy recipe tonight. Crock pots are such great time savers!

I found this Jambalaya recipe on Pinterest (seriously, what did we do before Pinterest?) and it actually turned out amazing! Get this...it's only 230 calories per serving!!!

1. In a crock pot combine...

• 2 cups of water
• 8 ounces of skinless chicken breast cut in 1" cubes
• 8 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2" slices
• 8 ounces of chopped bell pepper
• 8 ounces of chopped onion
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with jalapeno peppers, undrained
• Seasoning from jambalaya rice mix (you have to sift this from the rice unless you can find a mix that is separated) and save the rice for later

2. Turn the crock pot on low and leave for 5-6 hours

3. Stir in the rice and let cook for 45 more minutes before serving

Serving Size: 1 cup; 230 calories

Servings per pot: 7 

If anyone has other crock pot recipes and want to share, please leave a link or comment below! I'm always wanting to try new recipes and love to share with others! 

Oatmeal for Breakfast

We hear it all the time...breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But finding time to make a healthy breakfast can be such a roadblock for those of us who love our sleep. Try this: while running out the door in the morning, grab a banana or something you prepared the night before. This is what I do during the week while I'm working.

On the weekends, however, I make sure to cook meals that have more nutritional value and are more filling. Egg whites and left over veggies from the week can make a great omelet but recently I've been eating lots of plain oatmeal with natural honey. This breakfast is only 160 calories! Make sure to get raw, pure honey - no added sugar!

 This breakfast combined with a clean diet should allow you to reach your goals in no time. Just stick with it and don't get discouraged. For more clean recipes, check out my earlier blog posts. And if you have questions or comments, please leave them below.

Spaghetti with Ground Turkey

Ingredients:
1lb ground turkey
1/2 box whole wheat spaghetti
1 jar meatless spaghetti sauce


This recipe is very self explanatory. You make it just like regular spaghetti, just substituting ground turkey for ground beef and whole wheat spaghetti for regular spaghetti noodles.


I make sure to measure out servings before mixing all the ingredients together. I use 4 oz of ground turkey, one cup of spaghetti and about 3/4 cup of sauce. An easy tip when you're measuring the ground turkey is to split it into 4 parts (see picture below) since it comes in 16 oz packages.

I top my spaghetti with red pepper flakes. It's quick and easy! Such a good meal with healthy carbohydrates! Makes for good leftovers the next day.

Carb Cycling Days 3, 4 & 5

So far the carb cycling hasn't done much for me as far as I can tell. The scale has remained the same since the one lb loss and the food is a little restrictive since there has to be specific amounts of macros. So far I've been able to stay on track. I read that it takes a few weeks to see results; however, if something doesn't give me proof soon, I don't know how much longer I'll stay on the carb cycle.

Day 3 was a high carb day. It was great! Not gonna lie. I enjoyed eating carbs for every meal and snack. It made me feeling fuller, but because the calories are about the same as the low carb days, I did still feel a little hungry at times. The oatmeal wasn't the best and it took a lot to eat the majority of it, but I know it's good for me and not everything I eat has to taste great. I also had a killer workout at the gym focusing on legs. It is recommended that workouts be more strenuous on high carb days.

Day 4 was a little disappointing to have to go back to low carbs. I took my grandmother out to a restaurant to meet some friends for lunch and the waitress was very accommodating to my needs. I ordered a small piece of grilled chicken and a small salad with only vegetables. She asked what kind of dressing I wanted, and I politely said, "None, thank you. I brought my own." She said, "Ok." I appreciated the non-judgmental response to my order. Sometimes it's difficult to order what you need in a restaurant so when you find a place that will cater to you, it's like hitting the jackpot.

Day 5 was basically a repeat of day 1. I was home for most of the day, except going to the gym, so I was able to stay on schedule for the most part. I've had to fight off a few food cravings throughout the day but you have to remember it's a mental game. When you feed your body what it needs, it'll thank you. Be strong and keep yourself focused. Remember what you eat in private will show in public.

Measuring Woes

One of the excuses I hear about dieting is that it's so hard to measure everything to get the exact amount you're supposed to eat.

Here's a tip: when eating something like almonds measure the amount the first time. The picture to the right is 1/4 cup. Then count how many almonds are in that measurement. There were exactly 50 almonds. From now on, just count them out quickly in your hand and go! No more measuring and less dirty dishes.

If you have any other ideas on how to cut corners with measuring food, comment below!

Carb Cycling Days 1 & 2

So far the carb cycling is going well. I was pleasantly surprised this morning when I got on the scale and I had lost 1 lb. I plateaued for so long that I almost forgot what it felt like to see a lower number - ALMOST! It's a great feeling.

Day 1 was pretty easy although I felt hungry from the calorie restriction that I haven't been used to lately. The gallon of water kept me full for the most part. I was able to keep on schedule and enjoyed all the foods.

Day 2 was a little more challenging with the schedule. I was busy during the set times to eat so I had to modify a little bit. As far as I can tell, it's ok as long as the meals and snacks are spread throughout the day to keep the metabolism going.

I'm excited for the high carb day tomorrow: oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta! YES! Stay tuned...