Recipe: Healthy Shredded Chicken Burrito Bowl

Hi there!

I've talked before how I'm following the 21 Day Fix meal plan and exercises as part of my journey to live a healthy life. In addition, I love to cook and have adapted many recipes from Pinterest to keep my work lunches interesting while following the meal plan. 

I don't know about your work situation, but I am so lucky to work in an incredible environment with many tasty options around me. However, the struggle is real and the temptations happen often! If I don't keep my lunches interesting, I'm much more likely to eat unhealthy food!

So today I'm sharing a recipe that I adapted from FOUR recipes that I love!

Spaghetti Squash Cooking Directions | Shredding Chicken Directions | Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls | Turkey Lettuce Wraps

This recipe is easy and full of flavor. It makes a lot of food, too. Yay for leftovers!

I brought this for my work lunch yesterday (and today!). It's basically chicken and veggies with some spices. It was SO filling and made my co-workers jealous!

Prep time: ~ 20 minutes

Cook time: ~ 60 minutes 

Total time: ~ 80 minutes (I'm a slow cook, so this may be different for you!)

21 Day Fix containers per serving (approximate): 1.5 green, 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 blue (and I cheated slightly and added 1 orange of low-fat shredded cheese!)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. chicken breast
• 1 medium or large spaghetti squash
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, however you like to cut it
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 green pepper, however you like to cut it
• 1 red or yellow pepper, however you like to cut it
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• Pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa (use your preferred level of spiciness, but make sure it's low in sugar!!!)

Toppings:

• Cilantro
• Green onions
• Tomatoes
• Avocado (1/4 per serving)*
• Low-fat shredded cheese (I use 1 orange container per serving...about a tablespoon I think?)*
• *If you're strict, you should probably choose avocado OR cheese and not add both. Buuuut a little bit of cheese just sounded too good to me. I include it on mine :)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 
2. Shred chicken 
1. Place 2 quarts of water over medium heat
2. Once the water is warm, add the chicken and simmer for 10-15 minutes (don't boil!)
3. Let cool then shred
4. Set aside
3. Prep and bake spaghetti squash
1. Cut in half (the hardest part!)
2. Remove seeds and strings
3. Lightly mist with olive oil and place face down on baking sheet
4. Bake 40 minutes
5. Let cool a few minutes, then use a fork to remove "noodles"
6. Set aside
4. While that's all cooking, get to chopping those veggies!
5. Add olive oil to big skillet, throw in all chopped veggies and spices and cook to desired tenderness (for me, I start with the onions and garlic, get those nice and tender and then add peppers and corn. Then I toss in the spices, beans and salsa.)
6. Add shredded chicken and spaghetti squash "noodles" to the skillet and mix up!
7. Serve on plate and add toppings.
8. Enjoy!

Let me know if you try this, what you think and how you adapted it for yourself!
Have a good one!

My Whole30: A Recap

You guys! What an incredible program! I loved Whole30!

Today this post is all about my Whole30 experience: I'll answer some questions, share some tips and tricks, ...and basically link to all of the awesome recipes I tried.

On board? Sweet. Let's jam.

I started the Whole30 Program on January 2. Some co-workers also participated in Whole30, and my husband, Andrew, ate most of what I made, too. It was a great support system!

Now that it's over, I honestly miss how I felt during those 30 days. I stupidly ate and drank a bunch of gunk right when the 30 days expired, and instantly felt like junk. The program advises to reintroduce different foods gradually to see how they affect your body. Then you can choose to make changes to your overall lifestyle.

Welp, I had carbs, dairy and booze most of the weekend. All in one fell swoop. I didn't pick and choose. The gang was all there.

I think I felt more hungover from the processed food and sugar than from the alcohol. I was also sluggish. Was it all in my head? Maybe a little, but my stomach hurt and I had a headache, so probably not completely.

When Monday arrived this week I ate clean, wholesome food again. And wine. :) Aside from the wine headache I now feel better. Phew! I'm happy I hopped back on the wagon. This further supports that a paleo lifestyle is totally for me. For the most part I will continue to eat clean and healthy, and, on occasion, will indulge in the big three c's: Cheese, Chocolate and Cocktails. Trying to cut out things completely just isn't realistic for me. A girl's gotta have some sweets every now and then, amIright?

OK here are some deets:

1. I missed the following: caffeine, pop, wine, and chocolate.
2. I surprisingly didn't miss dairy, which was strange because cheese is a good friend of mine. However, I found myself missing lattes, but only because it's cold outside and lattes are more of a comfort than a necessity. That was a mind-blowing realization considering I previously either had coffee or lattes every day. 
3. I still snacked. Granted, you're not supposed to...something about your brain thinking desserts and anything sweet (including fruits) could process the sweetness and make you crave the bad sugar later. Or something like that. Whatever. I could only eat so many veggies. Some of my favorite snacks were/are cashews, Chomps Meat Sticks and Larabars (the Apple Pie, Cherry Pie and Coconut Cream Pie flavors are the only Whole30-friendly ones that I could find). Those satisfied my salty and sweet cravings. I ate a ton of fruits and veggies, though, don't worry.
4. I messed up. I drank pop a couple of times and had some flavored water containing sucrose. I had a latte once. My husband and I went to Milwaukee for a mini vacation and I ate and drank so much that I shouldn't have. I also baked some delicious breakfast bars that had coconut sugar, which is apparently not Whole30-friendly. Whoops.
5. I didn't care that I messed up. Why? Well, I went right back to the program after I faltered. No one is perfect. Just because you fall off of a wagon doesn't mean you can't jump back on.
6. I loved cooking, but it did get tough. Seriously gang, stock up. It's so easy to resort to the easy stuff (aka take-out) when you don't have some meals prepared or easily handy. Make a bunch of the yummy meals you make and freeze them! Sundays were my big cooking days.
7. I wasn't too social and rarely ate out at restaurants. January is probably the least social month of the year. It was a good month to pick for this. When I did go out to eat I would go low-carb, high protein and dairy-free. AKA I'd get a burger with lots of veggies and without the bun or cheese. I'm sure it was cooked in something I shouldn't have had, but whatever. It's better than fried food and more interesting than a salad!
8. I worked out consistently. Admittedly there were times that I felt dizzy or faint, so I knew that I needed more protein pre- and post workouts.
9. Eating healthy is expensive, but I still saved money. Considering that I didn't go out and/or drink, the grocery bills weren't so bad at the end of the day.
10. I lost 4.5 pounds. Yep, I'm still your trusty chubby friend. I didn't expect to lose a bunch because I still ate a bunch. I still need to work on portion control! What can I say? The recipes were so good!!

Speaking of recipes:

l | 2 | 3 | 4
5 | 6 | 7 | 8
9 | 10 | 11 | 12
13 | 14 | 15 | 16

1. Mexican Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas
2. Easy Paleo Pot Roast
3. Sausage & Egg Breakfast Bites
4. Turkey Avocado Wraps
5. Mustard Balsamic Baked Chicken
6. Caramelized Apples & Cinnamon
7. Crock Pot Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with a Balsamic Glaze
8. Paleo Cabbage Roll Skillet Dinner
9. Bolognese Sauce (over zucchini noodles!)
10. Shredded Salsa Chicken
11. Healthy "Ramen" Noodles
12. Paleo Italian Chicken Fingers
13. Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein
14. Paleo Shepherd's Pie
15. 3-Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies
16. Strawberry Banana Paleo Breakfast Bars

I wrote about all of these in my previous weekly posts with opinions and recipe modifications. I definitely have favorites (Numbers 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 14, 16) and one I won't try again (#11 - it was tasty, but it really didn't taste like Ramen). These recipes were phenomenal and I am so thankful to the creative bloggers who came up with them and shared them!

Overall, I recommend Whole30. It's awesome. It helps you hit "reset," especially after the indulgent holiday season. It helps you feel better. It was tough at times but it was definitely worth it!

Did I miss anything? Do you think you'll do Whole30 in the future? If you want a buddy, count me in!

Have a good one!

My Whole30: Week 4

Hi gang!

As a reminder, I started the Whole30 Program on January 2 and I'm posting once a week to share some of the recipes, while highlighting my favorite on my Wednesday posts. Some co-workers are also doingWhole30, and my husband, Andrew, eats most of what I make, too. Great support system!

Today marks Day 25 of the 30 day program and I still love it. I took a break on Saturday, though, I must admit. We took a mini vacation over the weekend! We took the train Saturday morning to Milwaukee to watch Georgetown beat Marquette in OT! It was AWESOME!!!!! I just love Milwaukee and I sure did celebrate the city. YUM! I don't feel guilty one bit and I went right back to eating right on Sunday. This is just further proof that I really think a paleo lifestyle is totally doable and I will adopt the 80/20 lifestyle after my Whole30 days are done. Essentially I will eat clean and healthy a vast majority of the time, and, on occasion, will indulge in the big three c's: Cheese, Chocolate and Cocktails. Trying to cut out things completely just isn't realistic for me.

Anyway, on to the recipes!
I froze a bunch from last week, so I have a lot of repeats for lunch this week (not complaining!). Here's what's coming for this week:

l | 2 | 3 | 4

1. I am so thankful for this recipe, as this Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein completely satisfied a Chinese food craving! I added chicken to the recipe and loved the results! I have sooooo much left over, too! Yay! Also, the amount of ginger in the recipe is WAY too much in my opinion. The next time I make it I will halve it for sure. I substituted the brown sugar and instead used coconut sugar. Tasted good to me!
2. Um hi, Shepherd's Pie. I am excited to make you. Yay for clean comfort food!
3. I love everything Gina has to offer, and I am pumped to try her 3-ingredient Almond Butter Cookies recipe! I plan to substitute the sugar with coconut sugar. Fingers crossed it still tastes amazing!
4. One of my friends from high school suggested that I try this Strawberry Banana Paleo Breakfast Bars recipe and I am so excited to give it a shot! I picked up some sugar free strawberry jam and the other ingredients on Sunday. It looks so tasty! I can't wait to make it!

How is your Whole30 going? We're almost finished! Go us!!

Do you have recipes that I should try? Please share!
(More of mind are on my Pinterest board - check it out!)

Have a good one!

My Whole30: Week 2

Hi gang!

As a reminder, I started the Whole30 Program on January 2. Some co-workers are doing, it too, which is awesome. Today marks Day 10 of the 30 day program and so far, so good! I'm feeling great and my clothes don't feel as tight as they did over the holidays. Always a happy feeling!

I'm using my Sunday posts to share some of the recipes I'm trying in case anyone out there is looking for some good ones. I'll highlight my favorites on my Wednesday posts.

Sound good? Cool.
Let's get started.

By the way, I say "we" a lot. My husband, Andrew, is eating all of this, too!

So far, here's what we have had or plan to make for the upcoming week:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1. This chicken is SO good. I doubled the recipe so we could have a ton of leftovers and I'm so happy that I did! This Mustard Balsamic Baked Chicken is incredibly delicious. The sauce is so tasty and makes a great salad dressing, actually! This is going to be a regular recipe for sure!
2. This is supposed to be a side dish and not to satisfy a sweet craving...buuuuut I will probably eat it as a side dish immediately after I eat something savory for dinner (*wink*). Caramelized Apples and Cinnamon sounds decadent, but according to the blogger who wrote this recipe it is Whole30 approved! I can't wait to try it!
3. This is cooking in our crock pot as I write this and I am stoked for it to finish! We are excited to try something so fancy, but no matter how awesome this Crock Pot Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Balsamic Glaze probably is, we will not have this too often. I found out the hard way just how expensive beef tenderloin is, even on sale! Wow! But we're justifying it as a trial for a potential dinner party or holiday dish. Plus, this will satisfy a few meals so at least we know we're getting leftovers out of it. I did omit the sugar for the sauce and substituted coconut flour for the flour. Also, I used a bacon without sugar or added sugar (it's the Mariano's Roundy's brand).
4. Growing up, my Grandpa made us Pig In A Blanket whenever we'd visit, which if you've never had it is basically ground beef wrapped in cabbage in a tomato sauce. It's awesome and makes me think of him whenever I have it. When I saw this Paleo Cabbage Roll Skillet Dinner recipe I knew I needed to give it a whirl. Plus, it will make easy work lunches! I plan to make it tonight as I prepare for the week!
5. [Not pictured] Andrew makes an incredible bolognese sauce and he made it for us last night! Instead of noodles, though, I used my new spiralizer and made zucchini noodles. I was pleasantly surprised with how good and easy zoodles are! 

Did those recipes just make you hungry? Who knew eating healthy didn't have to be boring? OK fine, I guess I knew that, but I was just too lazy to explore paleo/whole30 options. I've been loading my Healthy Foods Pinterest Board with even more recipes that I know I'll try long after the 30 days are done! I really do think that I can keep this up, especially for breakfast and lunches on work days, which is encouraging!

However, it isn't all sunshine and rainbows. I caved this week and had some sparkling water and a diet pop. I think it's funny how, out of everything I've gone "cold turkey" on (coffee, lattes, dairy, carbs, etc.) pop is the hardest for me! I'm sure there is some science behind this addiction. I may try to give it up for Lent, too, because I can see it truly being a sacrifice. How silly, right?

How is your Whole30 going so far? Do you have recipes that I should try? Are you addicted to pop or fizzy drinks, too?
Please share!

Have a good one!

Whole30: First Post

Hi gang!

On January 2 I started the Whole30 Program. Some co-workers are doing, it too, which is awesome. So far, so good! Granted, it's only been a couple of days and I haven't been in social situations, so I'm sure this will get tougher. Hopefully not, but it's probable.

I thought I'd share some of the recipes I'm trying in case anyone out there is looking for some good ones. I'll update about once a week and highlight my favorites on my Wednesday posts.

Sound good? Cool.
Let's get started.

By the way, I say "we" a lot. My husband, Andrew, is eating all of this, too!

So far, here's what we have had or have made for the upcoming week:

1. My favorite recipe, Mexican Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas from Gina at skinnytaste.com. We luckily had this frozen so we defrosted it to have something quick knowing we'd be cooking a bunch. It's DELICIOUS!! So great over a salad with homemade guacamole. 
2. Easy Paleo Pot Roast (Whole30 Compliant) from I Breathe...I'm Hungry. We are having this for dinner tonight! I'm sure it will be amazing. Pot Roast in a crock pot is a no-brainer.
3. Sausage & Egg Breakfast Bites from Mark's Daily Apple. I made this today and will eat it for breakfast throughout the week. I snuck a bite once it cooled and YUM! Delicious breakfasts are on the way! For this recipe I used spinach, onions, red pepper and Aidells Chicken and Apple sausage.
4. Turkey Avocado Wraps from All Things G&D. This is easy enough to quickly put together for work lunches. I'm sure it's awesome, considering turkey and avocado are two of my favorite things. I'm using Applegate Naturals Roasted Turkey Breast.

I've been loading my Healthy Foods Pinterest Board with tons of recipes that I know I'll try long after the 30 days are done!

So far the only things I'm missing are pop and caffeine. I don't like black coffee or tea, so this is the biggest issue for me. I love water, but only drinking that gets old quickly!

Are you doing Whole30? Have you ever done it? Do you have recipes that I should try?
Please share!

Have a good one!