Kale Caesar Quinoa Salad

I don't know if you have tried a Kale Caesar before....they are AMAZING.....usually full of bacon and chopped up eggs (you can't really go wrong with that, right?).  But I found this recipe and it is one-upping the Kale Caesar by adding quinoa.  How trendy right????  But I wanted to share because it looks REALLY good (don't let the anchovy paste scare you away....I have used it before in recipes and it isn't fishy)!

Kale Caesar Quinoa Salad

2 tablespoons hot water

2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise 

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, grated

1.5 ounces shaved Parmesan cheese, divided (about 6 tablespoons)

5 cups thinly sliced stemmed Lacinato kale

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

1 1/2 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast 

2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts

 

Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Add kale, quinoa, and chicken; toss to coat. Top with remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and walnuts.

CopyCat Chipotle Chicken

I don't know about you, but my family LOVES Chipotle......but I don't love the line that usually wraps around the restaurant around dinnertime.  Chipotle's chicken is the BEST and this recipe was worth a try.  I made this for my sister's baby and it was a HIT!  I found the recipe at Culinary Hill and it was spot on and the leftovers were delish!  Just be sure you make this a day before you need it so the chicken has enough time to marinate.  And the best part of this recipe.....21 Day Fix and Fix Extreme approved!

This recipe yields 2 cups of marinade, enough for 10 lbs. chicken. Make some now, freeze some for later!

Ingredients

• 1 (2 oz.) package dried ancho chiles, soaked at least 12 hours (see notes)
• 1 (7 oz.) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for oiling the cooking surface
• 5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, trimmed

Instructions

1. Split open each softened ancho chile and rinse the inside to the stem and all seeds (wearing gloves is recommended). Place in the bowl of a food processor or blender.
2. Strain adobo sauce into a small bowl, discarding peppers or reserving for another use. Press down on the peppers to extract as much liquid as possible (you should have at least ¼ c.). For an especially spicy dish, add chipotle pepper seeds to taste. Add strained liquid to the food processor.
3. Add red onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, 2 T. salt, and 2 tsp. pepper to the food processor. Pulse several times until a coarse paste develops.
4. With the motor running, pour ¼ c. canola oil through the feeding tube and continue to process until smooth. You should have two cups of marinade. Reserve one cup for immediate use and freeze the remaining for future use.
5. Meanwhile, place half the chicken in a large freezer-safe plastic bag. Spoon in half the marinade, close the bag, and mash around to distribute. Add in remaining chicken, remaining ½ c. marinade, and repeat the mashing until all chicken is evenly coated. Place the plastic bag in a dish and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
6. To cook on a grill, indoor grill pan, or cast iron skillet (preferred method for dark meat...this is what we used), preheat over medium-high heat. Coat with 2 T. canola oil. Grill the chicken in batches, turning occasionally until the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a thermometer and bits of caramelized fond have begun to cling to the outside of the chicken, 10 to 15 minutes. Add 1 – 2 T. oil to your grilling surface between batches.
7. To bake in the oven (preferred method for white meat), preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking dish with oil or nonstick spray and arrange chicken in a single layer. Cover with parchment paper, tucking the paper around the chicken so it is completely covered. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F when tested with an internal thermometer.
8. Remove to a cutting board and chop into small pieces. Season to taste with salt. Serve on tortillas or in bowls with additional toppings as desired.

Notes

¼ c. Ancho Chili Pepper powder may be substituted for the dried Ancho chiles. Skip step 1 and add the powder with the other spices in Step 3. After processing the marinade in a food processor, pour into a measuring cup. Add water to reach a total of 2 cups of marinade.  To soak the chiles, place in a bowl and add enough water to cover completely. Top with a small plate or bowl to weigh down the chiles so they are completely submerged.

Thai Chicken Zucchini Noodles with Peanut Sauce

I am in LOVE with Thai food.  The flavors are just so gooooood to me.  But every time we order carry-out, I am left with a rock at the bottom of my stomach.  It is always too greasy and too carb-y and just unhealthy.  So I found this recipe on Joyful Healthy Eats and I had to share.  This looks soooooooo good and will leave me feeling satisfied instead of sick.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 lb. of chicken tenders, diced
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 2 zucchini, inspiralized
• 1 large carrot, inspiralized
• 1 red pepper, julienned
• ⅓ cup of bean sprouts
• ¼ cup of fresh cilantro, diced
• ¼ cup of green onions, diced
• sesame seeds (for garnish)

Spicy Peanut Sauce:

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 tablespoons of peanut butter
• juice of 1 lime
• 3 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, diced
• ½ teaspoon of ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. Add oil and chicken tenders. Saute each side for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit. Dice when cooled.
3. In the same large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil, zucchini noodles, and carrot noodles. Flash stir fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove noodles and place in large bowl along with chicken, red pepper, bean sprouts, fresh cilantro, green onions, and spicy peanut sauce. Toss till all noodles are coated.
5. Serve and garnish with sesame seeds.

Creamy Garlic Dressing

I LOVE creamy dressings.....don't even get me started on my love of sauces in general.  Well this little beauty that comes from the 21 day detox has such a buzz with my fellow coaches I had to give it a go!  Let me tell you - it didn't disappoint.....super creamy, garlicy and so satisfying!  The kids loved it!!!!  This stuff will now be a STAPLE in our house!  Your salads will NEVER be the same! ***Warning....it is amazingly garlicly....a little goes a long way!  Drizzle over top of your salad as opposed to dumping.  ;)

Creamy Garlic Dressing
(makes 10 servings, about 2 tbsp each)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp himalayan salt
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup

Place oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, salt, mustard, and honey in a blender or processor; cover with lid. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate dressing if not using immediately. If dressing solidifies when cold, hold at room temperature for 15-30 min before serving.

Girl Scout Cookie Shakeology

I LOVE Samoas......to me they are the perfect girl scout cookie!  So when I tried the flavor combo in my Shakeology, I was BLOWN AWAY at with how good it tastes!!!!!!  Go ahead, give it a go......you won't regret it! This is the healthiest cookie I have ever tasted!  ;)

Samoa Shakeology
1 Scoop Chocolate or Chocolate Vegan Shakeology
3/4 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Almond Milk
1/4 Teaspoon Coconut Extract
1/4 Teaspoon Caramel Extract
1 Cup Ice
Blend or Shake and Enjoy!

Never tried Shakeology?  Curious to learn more about it?  Let's talk!  This stuff is my "secret sauce" to keep my energy up, my cravings at bay, my tummy happy and my weight under control!

Crock-Pot Chicken Marinara

When I saw this recipe I knew it was for me!  Crock Pot + Italian = Perfect meal!!!!  It doesn't get much easier than this.  It reminds me of the salsa chicken recipe my friend Allison shared with me (a jar of salsa and a few frozen chicken breasts and voila).  I am going to prep it on Sunday night and cook it all day Monday.  Easy Peasy! 

Crock Pot Chicken Marinara
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
30 oz diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 medium onion
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup red wine
1 Tbsp honey or agave
1-2 Tbsp chopped basil
1-2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

Directions:
1.  Mix all ingredients (not including the chicken breasts) together in a blender/food processor (must hold at least 5 cups) and blend for about 30 seconds until ingredients are mixed well.
2.  Pour the sauce into the crock pot and add the chicken (mine was frozen)and cook on low heat for at least 7 hours.3.  After 7 hours, you will notice the sauce looks very runny, this is normal.  Remove crock pot from heating base, shred chicken with a wooden spoon or spatula and as it cools, the shredded chicken will absorb the juices from the pasta sauce.
Tips:

• I like to make my own pasta sauce at home so that I can avoid the added sugars and other unwanted ingredients.  You can use the store-bought pasta sauce but try to avoid the brands with a lot of added sugar, preservatives, etc.  Muir Glen is usually a pretty good choice if your store carries it.
• This recipe is very versatile so we sometimes add chopped zucchini, celery, red bell pepper, and sliced onion.
• You can add red or white wine to the sauce.
• You can simplify this recipe by adding 3-4 Tbsp of Italian seasoning rather most of the individual spices listed above.

Success Club Trip

I have never had a cool job............I sit at my desk, day in and day out and work......HARD.  The furthest I ever get to travel is to the rural courthouse that is about 45 minutes away.  So not glamorous.  My job doesn't provide cool incentives and there isn't any recognition for your successes.

So when I started coaching I was blown away with how much RECOGNITION Beachbody gives their coaches.  They are constantly congratulating us, celebrating us and rewarding us.......for doing something that we are all so passionate about.

Every year Beachbody hosts a trip.....to somewhere amazing......for the coaches.  This is a trip to celebrate all that we do and how many lives we have helped change.  In the past it has been trips to Disney World, Cruises and this year it is to an all-inclusive resort in Cancun!!!!  This trip is something that never in a million years did I think I would have an opportunity to go on......an amazing all-expenses vacation paid by Beachbody........well this dreamis coming true!!!!!  I EARNED this trip doing what I love doing!

So in just about one month I am hopping on a plane and flying to Cancun for FIVE DAYS!!!!  I am going to spend time with other amazing people who are all passionate about helping others.......I am going to soak up the sun and the sand......I get to meet some of my favorite celebrity trainers............I am going to get inspired to help more people and DO MORE!!!!  If this isn't motivation, I don't know what is!

Have you ever wanted to find a job that INSPIRES you...........that shows recognition for all of your hard work........that allows you to meet amazing people and go to amazing places?  Send me an email at courtneybowes@ymail.com for more information.