Crockpot Buffalo Shredded Chicken

I had a whole chicken in my freezer and wasn't quite sure what I should do with the meat once it was thawed. I'd seen some of my fellow coaches and challengers posting about buffalo chicken, and I wanted to try it out. It is so good! And since the recipe calls for plain Greek Yogurt instead of cream cheese or sour cream or something else another recipe might use, it is clean and healthy and full of protein!

And on top of being delicious, the chicken is really easy to divide up and put in individual containers to take to work with me. I usually mix it wth 1/2 c cooked rice and then have some broccoli or another veggie on the side. It's very filling and really yummy! And it honestly isn't that hot (spicy). Raelyn will eat some without complaint when it is cold. But, I know that everyone has a different sensitivity to spicy foods, so I'll let you be your own judge. :)

Everything in the Crockpot

Ingredients:

2lb chicken breast
1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1/2 c Frank's Hot Sauce
1 tsp chopped garlic (more or less depending on your taste)
1/2 c chopped onion
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Directions:
Place everything in a crock pot and ensure it is mixed well and that the chicken is completely covered in the liquid. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4, stirring occasionally. At the end, use a fork to start shredding the chicken (I then use a wire whisk to really shred it) and mix it all together well.

You can serve this as a party dip, with rice, on a salad or sandwich, or plain. Get creative! I personally enjoy it both hot and cold.

The Finished, Shredded Product!

Easy Taco Seasoning Recipe

In our house, we do a lot of cooking with taco seasoning. It usually goes on meat, but sometimes I'll even put it in quinoa while it's cooking to give it a bit more flavor. I double up the recipe and keep it in a container for easy use. Old, cleaned Gerber jars work perfectly. :) I don't always put Cayenne in the mix if I know Raelyn will be eating what I make. She's not much of a fan of spicy foods. Maybe she'll acquire a taste as she gets older!

Ingredients (pictured below)

• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

• 

My Favorite Snack: Yogurt & Apple

My snacks from day to day don't really see much variety. I like to keep them simple--makes meal planning simpler! I used to always put frozen blueberries in my yogurt, but lately, I've found that having a crispy apple cut up and added instead is delightful! For yogurt, my go-to is Oikos Triple Zero. It is called Triple Zero because it has 0 fat, 0 added sugar, and 0 artificial sweeteners. The sweetener is from stevia leaf extract. My favorite flavor for this snack is the Vanilla.

What it takes:
3/4c Greek yogurt
1 apple chopped into small bits
dash of cinnamon, to taste

It's a great snack for the kids, too. Raelyn loves it! I definitely sit with her to make sure she doesn't shove a whole spoonful of apple into her mouth, but she does well with it. So here's a nice, tasty snack idea for you!

Mini Banana PB Bites

I confess. I am a peanut-butter-aholic. And my daughter is, well, my daughter. Whenever I get the jar of pb out to put in my Shakeology or on my toast, she'll say, "Bye? Bye? Bye?" Translation: "I want a bite, mom!" So she loves it, too, and I love most anything that has peanut butter in it.

My mom shared this recipe with me, and I've made it so many times that I have it memorized now. It is so easy to whip up and make, and it's a great little snack or treat for the kiddos (or yourself!!).

The original recipe included mini chocolate chips, but I prefer them just plain. I've had others tell me that they are really good with raisins. I need to try that! I image craisins would be good too! So far I've only had smooth peanut butter to use, but I bet it'd be great to have a little texture with crunchy pb, too! Mess around with additions and I'd love to hear what you think!

These are super simple! I usually make 2 batches at a time because they go pretty quickly!

Ingredients

1 banana

1/2 c. Natural peanut butter

1 egg

3 Tbsp Honey

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 tsp Baking soda

Pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Spray a mini muffin tin with spray oil
3. Blend all ingredients together in a blender
4. If you are using chocolate chips or any other add-in, stir it in now
5. Pour a small spoonful into each tin slot
6. Bake for 7-9 minutes
7. Enjoy!

Spinach, Tomato, and Quinoa Breakfast Casserole

About a year and a half ago, I was introduced to quinoa by my sister and loved it! I actually use it a pretty regularly at our house. When I tell people about some recipes I've used with quinoa, I always get the response, "Qui-what?" And most people mispronounce it as "queen-noah" or something of the like. But I used to do that, too, so no judgement from me!!

Well, I did a little bit of research about it and found out that quinoa (pronounced "KEEN-wah") is a gluten-free seed, grown and harvested mostly in Bolivia and Peru, that also happens to be a complete protein, meaning it provides all 9 essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce. All 9 of which are necessary for good health. Pretty cool, huh?  (And aren't the plants beautiful??)

Always on the lookout for new ways to make quinoa, I came across this delicious looking breakfast casserole on the Beachbody Blog a couple of days ago and wanted to try it out!

The Master's Hammer & Chisel: Week 2

Well, week 2 brings a whole new set of workouts. One cool thing about this program is the variety! I have only repeated 1 workout--Chisel Balance--and that actually was optional. I could have substituted Power Chisel (from the deluxe addition) in for the repeat. It's impossible to get bored with this program because there are SO many workouts in the schedule!

I do feel like there are pull-ups and bulgarian split lunges in EVERY SINGLE workout though, haha. Ugh. I'd better be a pro at those by the end of the program! Bulgarian split squats BURN like crazy, and I can't do an unassisted pull-up right now. I actually use a band wrapped around a beam in our basement. Those are still challenging, but I plan on working up to pull-ups with an assist band and then (fingers crossed!) to REAL pull-ups with no help!

The Master's Hammer & Chisel: Week 1 Overview

It's time to get Hammered and Chiseled!! I was so very excited last year in late fall/early winter when Beachbody announced that they were about to release a new program called The Master's Hammer & Chisel. I have done programs by both trainers (Autumn Calabrese of the 21 Day Fix/Extreme and Sagi Kalev of Body Beast) and was looking forward to seeing what kind of program they would create together! Well, it is now here, and I am digging in!

Where do I begin? This program is challenging, but after each workout, I feel invincible! So many people who started before me kept mentioning that the program was challenging but doable, challenging but doable, and I had seen in my research that the program is not for beginners, so I was prepared for a challenge.

Baked Mancakes

When I started the 21 Day Fix Extreme back in June, I was looking for healthy, fix-approved snacks that were easy to take on-the-go. My coach kept posting about these things called "Mancakes" that her whole family (including kiddos) loved. They are gluten free and made simply of oats, egg whites (or a combo of eggs and egg whites), fruit, cinnamon, and pure extracts. It piqued my interest!

I admit that I did not try out the recipe for several weeks, but when I did, I loved them! Originally, I made them to look just like pancakes, but recently, I've found out that they can be made in a 9x13 pan like an actual cake. I never could get the pancakes to turn out right, and they took forever to cook, so I was excited to try this new method of baking!

Baked mancakes are pretty dense, but that makes them filling! They can be used as a snack or a meal (that's totally up to you!) and can be eaten hot or cold.

21 Day Fix Extreme Turkey Chili

21 Day Fix Extreme Turkey Chili

When I began the 21 Day Fix Extreme, I was slightly overwhelmed by the thought of meal planning with those little containers, but once I got going, it wasn't that bad!! One of the recipes that came in the program's nutrition guide was Turkey Chili. It is the first recipe I tried out, and it became a staple in my meal plan! Even in the summer months, the chili really hit the spot. I would make a double batch of it, put 1-2 servings in quart-sized freezer bags, and put them in the freezer. Then I'd take them out 1 or 2 days before I would need them, and voila! An easy reheat for dinner!

Want to make your own?? Well, here is the recipe.