Shredded Chicken Tacos

The easiest way to add stress to your day is to

NOT

make a weekly dinner plan.

...I know this...

and somehow I ALWAYS fail to plan.

So I took inventory of what was in my fridge and tried to figure out what I could make for dinner tonight.

Heres what I had:

2 very ripe avocados

1 red onion

1 yellow onion

2 Trader Joes flour tortillas

Some hard shell corn tortilla shells

A garden full of greens

3 frozen chicken breast tenders that I had set out in hopes of finding a recipe to use!

I hate cooking Chicken unless it is in a crock pot recipe. It always seems dry and bland.

But when looking on FOOD GAWKER I found a great recipe for Shredded Chicken Tacos

that called for POACHED chicken.

Poaching chicken is something I had never attempted before and I feel like Ive been missing out on life. 

Poached Chicken Breasts (serves 2 or yields about 3-4 cups shredded chicken, depending on size)

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 cups water

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Bring water, onion, garlic and salt to a bowl. Add chicken breasts and oregano.

Turn down the heat and simmer, partially covered for 35-40 minutes.

When finished cooking, remove chicken with a slotted spoon, if using in another dish shred with two forks, if not, serve. Strain liquid and reserve for stock.

...So here is my recipe review...

It was 

FANTASTIC

Jess gave it 5 stars :)

We made mini tacos using the flour tortillas and also used the hard shells

I made my Favorite Guacamole and also homemade salsa to top it all off.

So fun just going in my backyard and harvesting the cilantro and jalapeño for the salsa!

Shredded Chicken Tacos (makes enough for 12-15 tacos)

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped or grated
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups shredded POACHED chicken
1/2 cup crushed tomato
1/4 cup chicken broth

Directions

In skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute.

Add chili powder, cumin, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, oregano and cayenne pepper. Cook for another minute or until fragrant.

Turn down heat to low and add the chicken. Stir so that the chicken is covered in spices. It may take a few times to get chicken fully coated.

Add crushed tomato and chicken broth. Cook for a minute or until only a little liquid remains.

I will definitely be making these again and am so glad I discovered the process of POACHING!

**Recipes and Photos from http://www.livinglou.com

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Quote of the day colourful plate vs beige plate

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Thought of the day never giving up

You get to a point in any health journey when you start to think its too hard.

The exercise is hard and you are craving fast foods and burgers.

When you get to this point never give up.

When you get over the bump in the road the rest of the journey is smooth.

The cravings wont last long and you will become more fit and able to cope better.

When it comes to life stresses it can overwhelm you. When it does take a deep breathe, go for a walk, clear your head and then tackle the situation head on instead of drowning yourself in food. 

Never give up hope.  

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Nutritional Life Logo launch

Today we are launching the new look and official logo of nutritional life.

It will give you a glimpse of whats to come in the coming weeks in the launch of the nutritional life website.

The new look includes the changing look of the nutritional life blog and twitter page. Facebook will be changed also in the coming days.

Hope you like the new look and will keep you informed about the upcoming website in the coming weeks.

Nutritional Life

Discover a new you

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Quote of the day

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Bad Habits that affects your health

We all have habits of some kind, whether its environmental, social, how we arrange our wardrobes, how we arrange our study and even habits associated with food.

There are habits that can affect health of some kind if these habits are not kept in check. Some of these habits can contribute to overall health or can encourage us to overeat and not exercise enough.

Not all habits are bad. There are some habits which can have a positive affect on health such as exercising everyday, spending quality time in the garden, reading every night, playing puzzles weekly  before bed (which is beneficial for brain health).

Some of the common bad habits that can affect health include:

• Watching too much TV: Sometimes after a busy and stressful week there is nothing better then watching a favourite show or movie on TV while having a glass of wine or a chai latte. However spending too much TV can affect health. It decreases physical activity and many love to eat food while watching TV.  
• Too much Internet: The Internet is a way of connecting with the world and can be educational, however it can also be very addictive. The affects of health is the same as watching too much TV, too much time sitting and not enough time moving. If your work or business is online make sure you get regular breaks so you can move and exercise in between working.   
• Ill start as of Monday: The famous one line saying that can indeed affect health. By saying ill start as of Monday is gives the opportunity to do the last "binge eating" before Monday. Monday comes and the diet starts but then a few days later the diet breaks and you say "ill start again as of Monday". The cycle goes on and on unless you stop saying ill start as of tomorrow and say "ill start as of now 
• Over eating: over eating can affect health. Being overweight due to over eating can create disorders such as diabetes and heart disease. 
• Smoking: Smoking is a bad habit that can cause lung cancer and other disorders such as Emphysema. This is one habit which must be kicked. 
• Skipping Breakfast: Skipping breakfast is a common habit but it can affect health. When breakfast (and meals in general) is skipped it can slow down metabolism and can encourage weight gain. 
• Having too much alcohol: Having a glass of red wine with your meal can be beneficial to health. However binge drinking has an adverse effect to health. It is high in calories and can put weight on, it can also affect the liver and can contribute to health conditions. 

By assisting on cutting back on these bad habits and encouraging the good habits, it can help with overall health and well being.

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Video of the Day Supersize VS Superskinny

With the Obsession of body image increasing eating disorders from both ends of the scale has significantly increased.

This series is interesting to watch and to get an understanding on why some may eat the way they do.

The series is extreme but it does show that diet can be complex and how a healthy lifestyle is best.

Here is a episode, what do u think of this?

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Healthy eating on a budget oven roasted chickpeas

These chickpeas are delicious, easy to make and is cheaper then chips...

Chickpeas are full of protein and fibre. This makes the perfect afternoon or after dinner snack or the times where you feel like a little something.

There are many different recipes out there, I love this method because you dont add any oil so the saturated fat content is low. Perfect for anyone trying to lose weight or wanting a protein rich snack. Its gluten free and diabetic friendly.

Ingredients: 

All you need is a tin of chickpeas and whatever spices you like ....

Method: 

1) preheat the oven to a low heat ( approx 130 degrees C or as low as your oven goes)

2) Drain and rinse the chickpeas

3) Add your favourite spices

4) Put in a baking tray and bake for about a hour or until crunchy and delicious

5) Let it cool before serving


Recipe Tips: 

• For a sweet treat, bake the chickpeas without any spices then once baked and still warm, toss the chickpeas with cinnamon and a pinch of sugar, yum 
• Try sweet paprika, salt and garlic powder for a savoury flavour  
• For a garlic bread taste why not add garlic powder and dried parsley delicious
• For a real kick, why not add some salt and dried chilli 

Why not try this today, delicious

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Lost 10 lbs on Keto Now Onward to Zero Carb!

Ive been on the Keto Diet for almost 3 months now and lost 10 lbs in the first month. I kept track of everything that went into my mouth, and it was exhausting to say the least. I wanted very badly to eat whatever I liked but I couldnt kick the habit of counting macros along with calories. Eating however much I wanted didnt work for me, I had to use a keto calculator to determine how many grams of fat, protein, carbs, and fiber I should be getting within a set amount of calories. I worked very well at first but I was never able to get below a certain weight. Every once in a while I would dip a few more pounds only to find them back on a few days later, and Im not one to fluctuate on the scale. So I continued to eat Keto because I enjoyed it and the few times I cheated, out of laziness not cravings, I felt terrible. However, Ive experienced no further weight loss. Before you even say it Ill point it out, my BMI is perfect according to the CDC at 21.3. I am not overweight but that does not mean I feel my best, and no Im not looking to be underweight. 

For a little throwback Thursday, this is me at 17 at 118 pounds with a BMI of 17.9 which isnt even on the scale. I wasnt trying to be that thin and was not longer anorexic. The day I gained 10 lbs was the proudest of my life. But this girl ate junk. I loaded up on carbs galore, and being a picky eater, ate mostly potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread. I could go a whole week without touching meat and even my vegetables were starchy, my ultimate favorite being peas. So I understood that skinny didnt equal healthy and healthy doesnt equal skin and bones. I have no desire to be 118 pounds again for multiple reasons but mostly I like wearing adult clothes and have no desire to shop in the junior department ever again! But I am disappointed that I couldnt reach my goal of 137, my pre-baby weight. The more I thought about it the more I realized I had felt uncomfortable at 137 as well. A nice 10 lb gain after meeting my husband and too many margaritas. So Ive concluded that 127 with a BMI of 19 (a normal BMI) would suit me just fine, if only to motivate me to go until Im comfortable. So now begins the journey of zero carbs.

I have no intention of being zero carb and eating only meat, eggs, and dairy for the rest of my life. I enjoy almost every fruit and vegetable on the planet and would give up that part of my diet for the rest of my life. But a short period of time couldnt hurt. Today was the first day and I am not eating the amount of meat that everyone else does. Its too much! So Im not sure if that will affect me but I cant imagine sitting down to a meal and eating 3 burgers in one sitting. I also have no intention of working my way up to that. I will say this though, Im so glad I found Keto and am finally free of my carb cravings! Its great! So I dont see myself going through this short stint of ZC and falling off the wagon because I cant have bread or pasta. Once Im where Im happy I will slowly reintroduce fruits and veggies with a carb limit of 15 g where I was before. Maybe 30 g if I can handle it. But for now let the Zero Carb journey begin!

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Supplements in Soccer – part III commercial sports foods and fluids

Back to 1967, the Miami Orange Bowl playoff in American College Football saw the Florida Gators in competition against Georgia Tech. The Gators were losing by far and at halftime they were given a new drink, containing electrolytes and carbohydrates, designed for them by Dr. Robert Cade. In the second half, the Florida Gators played well enough to defeat their opponents and win their first Bowl! The drink was released commercially and is still known as Gatorade. This marked the beginning of the sports fuel industry, which is nowadays a billion dollar business with fuels for every possible dietary need and time to eat.

Although these products aren’t absolutely necessary for you to achieve a great performance, sports scientists recognize their benefits as a practical way to meet sports nutrition goals, particularly if you are an athlete who exercises intensely, holds a heavy competition schedule and/or is limited by a sensitive intestinal tract.

Nevertheless, all active people should maintain a foundation of wholesome foods in their day-to-day diets, with engineered choices used to support their exercise programs. In other words, don’t have a sports drink at lunch (instead of a raw fruit juice) or eat a energy bar at dinner (instead of rice or pasta) unless you have no access to common foods. Also, bear in mind that common foods are much cheaper.

I’ll share with you some features of sports foods:

Sports drinks

Sports drinks are designed to provide you an optimum delivery of fluids and carbohydrates during strenuous exercise and also to rehydrate and refuel after the game.

Form:

·         Powder or liquid.

Composition:

·         5 – 8% carbohydrates (200 – 320 Kcal/L);

·         10-35 mmol/L sodium (230 – 800 mg sodium/L);

·         3-5 mmol/L potassium (120 – 200 mg potassium/L).

Energy Bars 

Energy bars are a useful source of carbs (along with protein and micronutrients) to eat at half-time and/or after the game, and might be helpful to supplement the diet of a soccer player who needs lots of calories.

Form:

·         Bar (50-60g).

Composition:

·         40-50g carbohydrates;

·         5-10g/protein;

·         Usually low in fat and fiber;

·         Vitamins/minerals;

·         50-100% of RDA/RDIs;

·         May contain creatine, amino acids.

Sports gels

Sports gels are a useful source of carbs to eat at half-time and/or after the game, and might be helpful to supplement a high carbohydrate diet.

Form:

·         Gel, 30-40g sachets or larger tubes.

Composition

·         60-70% carbohydrates (approximately 25g/100 calories per sachet);

·         Some contain caffeine or electrolytes.

Electrolyte replacement supplements

These supplements are designed to allow rapid and effective rehydration following moderate to large fluid and sodium losses (ex: after a very intense soccer game where you fail to replace those losses during the match).

Form:

·         Powder sachets or tablets.

Composition:

·         ? 2% of carbohydrates (? 80 Kcal/L);

·         50-60 mmol/L sodium (1150 – 1380 mg sodium/L);

·         10-20 mmol/L potassium (390 – 780 mg potassium/L).

Liquid meal supplements

Liquid meal supplements are low-bulk meal replacements that may be useful especially to the traveling athlete (portable nutrition). Also, they are suitable to supplement a high energy/nutrient diet during heavy training/competition or weight gain.

Form:

·         Powder or liquid.

                                      

Composition:

·          1-1,5 kcal/ml;

·         15-20% protein;

·         50-70% carbohydrates;

·         Low to moderate fat;

·         Vitamins/minerals;

·         500-1000ml supplies RDI/RDAs.

A last advice concerning supplementation with commercial sports foods and fluids: carefully balance pros and cons and ask yourself (or a professional) if you really need that product before buying it. Also, try not to be swayed by a product’s name, because the name might be more powerful than the sports food itself!

Recommended reading for more information: 

• Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook (http://www.nancyclarkrd.com)
• Food Guide for Soccer: Tips & Recipes from the Pros   (http://www.nancyclarkrd.com)

Stay tuned!

Wishing you the best performance ever,

Diogo Ferreira, RD

Sports Nutritionist, Lisbon, Portugal

“Promoting best health and performance through nutrition”

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6 Week Diet Program Healthy Foods For Toddlers

Click Here to Try the 6 Week Body Makeover System!

There is no dairy and lots of healthy foods & water this isn t the plan for you if you just want another diet the 6 day book is not the same plan as the 6 week. Diet for children (1 to 6 years) - bawarchi, indian food recipes healthy diet for children 1 to 11 years of age what is a healthy they may eat only one or two foods for a whole week you have the right to help plan your child. 6 week body makeover - diets - plans for weight loss and health incorporate practical changes to make your healthy diet we ll suggest a list of foods you should with the harvard medical school 6-week plan for healthy eating,. Feeding your toddler - a sample diet children s diet nutritional meal plan according to figures released from your child to eat a variety of healthy foods at be included at least three days a week. Adhd diet : effective eating program for an add adhd diet sify food, articles - diet for children (1 to 6 they need five to six meals a day because of their smaller appetites healthy foods such activities such as tv programs.

Click Here to Try the 6 Week Body Makeover System!

Healthy diet menus for one week  there are many healthy diet programs that are designed to toddlers children teenagers parenting advice mom menus for each of the eight weeks using the same basic foods as dr. Nutrition guide for your child at keep kids healthy learn which foods or food substances, as part of an overall healthy diet, may reduce you and trim kids - read about this proven 12-week plan that has helped thousands of. A 7-day meal plan for healthy kids livestrong com a 7-day meal plan for healthy kids in the involve kids in the process of planning, choosing healthy foods and measuring 2,200-calorie diabetic diet plan for kids. The harvard medical school 6-week plan for healthy eating casein free - gluten free diet, autism, and william add adhd diet plan for children, teens, and adults children with adhd may benefit from dietary changes.

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How to Gain Weight picture style

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Foods that boost metabolism

There are many things that boost metabolism such as exercise and water. 

There are also foods that also boost metabolism, foods such as: 

• Broccoli: Broccoli is known as a super food, full of vitamins and minerals. Having a deficiency of vital nutrients can slow down the metabolism 
• Spinach: Spinach and All green leafy vegetables have the vitamins and minerals the body needs to function, being deficient in essential vitamins and minerals can slow down the metabolism. 
• Green tea: Green tea contains a compound called EGCG which assist in speeding up the metabolism  
• Chili: contain capsaicin, a chemical compound that can kick start your metabolism for the day, add some to your morning omelet for that kick start to the day
• Water: Dehydration can cause the metabolism to slow down, water is important to keep the metabolism working. If you have cold water your body will use up calories to warm it up.. 
• Protein:Protein is essential for metabolism as well as muscle growth and recovery, foods such as fish, lentils, lean meats, chicken, eggs and turkey are rich in protein 

Eating well, exercising and having nutrients such as vitamin C and protein boost the metabolism and in turn assist in losing weight. 

 

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Winner Waffles and a Menu

And the winner is…

Afton LeSueur  {e-mail kimberleigh12@gmail.com for your gift card!}

Thanks to those of you who shared your goals with us!  I am still working on getting my resolutions all written down and planned out, so I will try and share those next week.  In the meantime…

Waffles.

Seriously, waffles.  I am dreaming about them as I type this.  My waffle-maker has been broken for years, and my nice mother-in-law bought me a new one for Christmas this year.  I whipped it out Saturday morning and couldn’t even find a waffle recipe in my book since it’s been so long.  After a quick glance at these from Smitten Kitchen, I crafted a modified version in my head and started baking.

Shortly after, my husband’s comment from the couch was, “Are these going to taste like gross healthy waffles?”  As soon as I heard that, I decided to keep one cup of the fluffy white flour in there to make him happy.  They were SO deliciously satisfying.  Please make them soon.  I will be.

Healthi{er} Waffles
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
2 cups flour (1 cup unbleached all purpose, 1 cup fresh ground whole wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar (I used xylitol…yummy.)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 3/4 cups buttermilk*
2 tablespoons applesauce                                                                                                            
2 tablespoons butter or oil (coconut oil is my favorite)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter or cooking spray for brushing on waffle pan

Combine the dry ingredients. Mix together the buttermilk and the egg yolks, then stir in the applesauce, oil, and vanilla.

Brush the waffle iron lightly with butter or spray and preheat it. Stir the wet into the dry ingredients. Beat the egg whites with the electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Stir them gently into the batter.
Ladle some batter onto the waffle iron and bake until the waffle is done.  Serve with peanut butter (all natural, of course) and a splash of real syrup for maximum enjoyment.  These also freeze well and are much better than Eggo waffles when toasted!

* The buttermilk can be substituted with 1 1/4 cups of milk, mixed with two tablespoons white vinegar, left to sit for 10 minutes.



Once again, a beautiful borrowed picture from someone else’s waffles.  Mine actually did look just like these golden, crispy, quarter circles.  And Kim, you will be happy to know that these just happen to be GLUTEN-FREE waffles from Honest to Nod and they look amazing.  Please try them asap.  {Kim is awesome and finally started her gluten-free diet last week to see if it helps with some of her issues she has been having.  More to come on that later!  You can do it sis!}

And now for that menu thing I have been not very good at lately.  Here is what I am thinking for dinners this week…

Turkey Lurkey Pot Pie – going to make this with my frozen smoked turkey leftovers that my chef brother-in-law made for us on New Years Eve.

Slow Cooker Jambalaya – have some green peppers from my dad’s garden I want to use and I am feeling like a rice dish.  I will probably make a few adaptations and will report back on how it goes.

Lentil Tostadas – Seriously how cute is this chalkboard ingredient list.  I can’t get enough of it and am looking forward to reading this new organic blog I just found, The Lovely Cupboard.


Happy Monday!  Have a wonderful, healthy week!

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Quote of the day eat well live well

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