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.

Busy Moms Build a Business

You know I have been spending a lot of time these past few weeks just reflecting on where I was 1 and a half years ago.  I can remember clear as day trying to find clothes to wear on vacation and nothing fit.  It was almost like my wardrobe had magically shrunk and changed shape.  In reality it was me, I had changed shape!  No one prepared me for the squishy belly, the deflated chest and the stretch marks and random other body changes that come after having a baby (or two)!  As happy as I was having two beautiful and health girls, I was going through an identity crisis.  I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that my body had magically morphed into a blob of mush!  And it really affected by the way that I felt about myself.  My mood, my confidence, and my energy are affected by how I feel on the inside.  So when I looked in the mirror and saw the mushy stomach, back fat and the muffin top it absolutely affected my ability to be a good mom and wife!  So--- now we insert the invitation to join a Beachbody Challenge Group from my husband's former co-worker, Lori!  

She reached out to me inviting me to join her in a support and accountability group.  She had lost a lot of weight doing Insanity and she looked great so I thought, what do I have to lose!!!!  This is where the journey begins!  T25, P90X3, 21 Day Fix, PiYo, Shakeology, Clean Eating, Challenge Groups, new friends, other moms, a total family overhaul and I felt like a brand new woman in 6 months!!!!  After going through this experience I just felt like there was no way I could NOT share this with others.  I finally had found a way to transform my body into the best shape of my life ----- and I did it from the comfort of my own home.  Even better -- I made amazing new friends and had an ongoing community of support to get me through all the good and the bad days.

Let me tell you - the best way to share your own results and help others feel the same way is to become a coach.  I was skeptical.....my husband was even more skeptical........but I did it anyway.  I became a Beachbody Coach and set out to help other moms feel the same way that I did!  So as a working mom with two pre-schoolers at home, I began building my business from my kitchen table during my lunch hour, before they woke up in the morning and when they went to bed at night!

I really started with just wanting to help 1 person feel the exact same way that I did and I liked the idea of getting a discount on my Shakeology.  I had never heard of network marketing, of social media as a source of income and I truly had no expectations other than to just see other people feel better about themselves.  So I started small, I became a sponge to everything I could read and learn about Beachbody.  I invited my friends and family to join a support and accountability group and I just dabbled in this business.  

Over time, I realized that there was an opportunity out there to really earn a significant income and at that time our family could definitely use it.  Brian and I have been saving for a home and with two kids in day care, there wasn't a lot of extra money.  
So a little extra income from home would definitely allow us to put money into savings every month.  That was appealing to me!  So I set out to grow this business BLINDLY!  Honestly, no clue what I was doing!  But again my mission was to help others feel the way I had felt when I took those after pictures!  

What did I do:  Well I started with social media and even more specifically Facebook.  I shared my transformation story, everyday I shared motivational quotes, tips and the nutrition tips and tricks that had helped me to get lose weight.  I shared the ways that I was helping my family eat healthier, their favorite recipes, travel tips, snack ideas, and all those things that people ask about when it comes to weight loss.  I just put myself out there as a source of knowledge.  Before to long people started coming to me for advice!  This is truly where the journey began. I absolutely loved what I was doing as a coach. The more I ran challenge groups, the more my customers got results, the more I was motivated to make my groups better, to help people get better results and to continually grow myself. 

This business was allowing me to add value into society and to contribute financially to our family and that made me feel very good!!!  

Now, lets fast forward 6 months........I had the hang of challenge groups and now it's onto learning the business!  I began developing systems to help train my new coaches, I collected my favorite tools, videos, and resources and started teaching my new coaches how to successfully do what I was doing!  
To me this was just like watching my challengers lose weight, it was so rewarding to see my coaches now having success with inviting, with sharing and getting challengers into their own groups!  I was so excited to see them earn an income as well.  

The more that I saw a need the more systems, trainings and materials I have created to close the knowledge gap!  Let me tell you this:  I truly have done this business from my kitchen table, either before the kids wake up, my lunch hour or in the evening when they go to bed!  I have been able to have the best of both worlds and while I made some sacrifices personally to grow my business, I wouldn't trade one single early morning or late night!

So I am sitting here today writing this blog post and my mission and goal is to help other moms that might be reading this and are interested in joining Team Beachbody as a coach.  Maybe you want to start your fitness journey first and then transition into a coach,  Maybe you are already fit (whether it was thru a beachbody program or not) and you want to inspire other women to live the same healthy life that you do.  Or maybe you crave to have something that allows you to work at a job that gives you more flexibility and happiness and gives you the ability to be home and present with your kids?  Well I truly believe without a shadow of a doubt this was my CALLING!  

So I'm inviting YOU to join along side of me and let me teach you what I have done to build an amazing business!  

I have created a system for my team based on what Team Beachbody has created to train new coaches and my own personal experience that has proven to be extremely successful at getting each and every new coach started right.  My goal is to not overwhelm you with the business but to teach you how to get started, to prioritize what is most important, to manage your time, to make this work while still having preserved your family balance and to help you earn an extra income for your family or even honestly replace a salary or income from a job you would like to change!  It takes a little prioritizing, time management, and multi tasking but you can absolutely make this business work for you! Whether its just a few hours a week or full time I can help you set goals that meet your lifestyle.  I have no minimum expectations and you can truly do as little or as much as you want as a coach!  I let you set the pace and I match that pace with your effort!!!  I am not your Boss or Dictator but I am your mentor, coach and guide! The new coach mentoring program can be done from your home, your computer, ipad, laptop or iphone.  If you have internet access you can build this business!  You will have access to all of my documents, scripts, guides, training videos, and myself if you join my team.  I train all of my new coaches in a small group setting and I truly give you my word that I will be involved in your training!  I want to teach you not only how to inspire others to lead a healthy life but how to do it with balance and with passion! I will honestly say that many people are afraid to take this leap of faith. They think it sounds like a good opportunity but most are afraid that they won't make any money at it, that they will have to sell to their friends, or that they don't know anybody to invite!  Trust me, I was right there with you!  I had less than 200 friends on facebook, and I was deathly afraid of people thinking I was only out to sell them something! So I will truly share with you how I overcame that false belief and how I moved forward!  

Does this sound like something you would like to do?  Then I invite you to join my team, the Dream Dynasty!  If you would like more information about coaching on my team then please complete the application below and I will contact you personally in the next 24 hours about your application!


I am only accepting a limited number of new coaches so please don't delay your response!  


Other ways to gather more information:  I will be running a 5 day behind the scenes look into my business starting Monday March 9th if you would like to know more about coaching on my team!  You can ask questions in a closed group, you can get answers about what it means to be a Beachbody Coach on my team and I will provide information to you on different topics through the week to help you make a more educated decision on joining the Dream Team.  Please email me at courtneybowes@ymail.com me if you would like to participate in the "Behind the Scenes" group.

I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully having you as the newest Dream Dynasty Coach!  We are no doubt a great family and we have an excellent tract record of providing quality service, support and training to everyone that joins our team!  You definitely will not be left out there to figure it out on your own!  We are committed to continually improving our customer service to provide you with the best support and mentoring possible!

Hope to see all of you busy moms as new Dream Dynasty coaches!!!!!!  

{This training program is only for NEW coaches that join The Dream Dynasty}

P90X3 Block Two (Weeks 5-7) Recap

I am a little late getting this post up but better late than never, right?  I just finished the "meat" of Block 2 of P90X3.......and I LOVED it!  This block incorporated some weights....there was a leg day and an upper body day - along with all of the cardio.  I feel like I got so much stronger in this block!  I can do PUSH UPS!!!!!!  I noticed that I was not modifying as much as I was in Block 1 and I really enjoyed the workouts that repeated this month.  I noticed that it really helped when I would drink E&E before my workouts - it really gave me the boost that I needed to get through some of the harder cardio workouts.
Here's a breakdown of what I did

 

TrioMetrics

Old- School plyometrics is jump training. Welcome to Triometrics, X3′s state-of-the-art take on a plyo workout that goes far beyod simple jump training. “Plyometrix” here means explosive. It’s a highly effective means of training muscular efficiency or power. Triometrics’ incorporates three different levels for every exercise, each targeting a different physiological response while minimizing the downtime needed between movements. The result is a workout that increases speed and power in a fraction on the time you’re used to training.....Your booty feels it by the end!!!!!

The Warrior
This military workout repeats for this round.......I really struggled the first Block on this workout - but this month was another story!  I can FEEL myself getting stronger every week and could keep up the entire 30 minutes this month!  Woo hoo!

X3 Yoga
This repeats this month as well and is the active recovery your body needs after the beginning workouts of the week.  Flexibility is improving but still working on the crow!

MMX

This is a Mixed Martial Arts routine where submission is not an option. Combining karate, kenpo, jiu-jitsu, judo, and tae kwon do, this martial arts-based cardio workout does a lot more than increase your heart rate. In MMX you’ll burn fat by taxing your upper-body strength, core power, leg endurance, and flexibility. Plus, you’ll learn a new way to let your aggression out!  The beginning of this routine really tricks you.....you think it will be an easy workout...>WRONG!  This routine is no joke, but FUN!!!!
Incinerator
This is one routine designed to burn you out. Exercise is one of the few times in life where failure is a goal. With Incinerator, it’s your ticket to results, as you’re forced to bring it until there’s nothing left to bring. In exercise terms, failure is important in defining your limits. If you never fail, you simply cannot achieve your potential. This push-and-pull-focused workout uses back to back movements engaging the same primary muscle groups. The first movement targets hypertrophy (muscle growth) and the last movement pushes you just past your limit. With Incinerator, failure is your only option.

CVX

This is another repeat from Block 1 - cardio with weights.  Phew!!!!!!  .

Transformation Tuesday

I am beyond proud to share these photos. My dear friend Natalie has been working out with me in my challenge groups for about a year. She has been such an amazing motivator and cheerleader not only for me, but for the other women in the group. Strong and determined doesn't even begin to describe her. Natalie is a wife, mother and business owner.....and six years ago she started a non-profit to help victims of domestic violence. This woman really IS the total package.
Natalie has lost 25 pounds working out at home and checking in with our private Facebook groups and has had a complete TRANSFORMATION. She has worked out with the 21 Day Fix and Brazil Butt Lift and has been eating clean.  Not only does she look AMAZING, but her confidence is through the roof! She is now training for a fitness competition!!!!!  Congratulations Natalie ---- all of your hard work and dedication has PAID OFF.....and thank you for paying it forward!!!!!  You inspire so many!!!!

Make 2015 Your Year to Shine

We are gearing up for an amazing start to 2015......saying goodbye to what held us back last year and staring this year off right.  Are you looking to make a change in your life?  Are you lacking motivation and have a hard time sticking with it?  My private Facebook groups have everything you need to reach your goals --- workout programs, meal plans, support and motivation.  Message me for info.  You CAN make a change.

Our AMAZING Team Girls Night

Last week our AMAZING team got together for an evening of friendship, good wine and a GREAT time!  I feel so lucky that all of these women have come into my life because of coaching!  I have been surrounded by people that LIFT me up, not bring be down.  It is amazing how much positive people can impact your life in such an amazing way.  And it is a ripple effect.....the women on my team are getting healthier, both physically, emotionally and financially.  And they are sharing their experiences with others.  I am so proud of these gals and feel so fortunate to have them in my life!  Thank you for an amazing evening!

 

The 21 Day Fix

Do you struggle on portion control? What to eat and how much to eat? They say abs are made in the kitchen, right? Well someone was paying attention to what MOST of us struggle with….

The 21 Day Fix is set to be released on February 3rd!!! This is THE program to help you lose weight in 21 days and help you get a handle on portion control, which is an area that a lot of people struggle with (including me). The SIMPLE eating program uses color coded specifically portioned food storage containers that eliminate the guesswork - no weighing, measuring, or counting calories, carbs or points. If it fits in the container, you can eat it. How easy is that?! The program also comes with a workout program by celebrity fitness trainer Autumn Calabrese...and the best party...30-minute workouts!!!!

This is THE program to jump-start your weight loss and get ready for summer! To be considered for the test group, message me.

New Year, Best Year Ever

With the year winding down, I have been thinking how I can make myself BETTER in 2014.  Goals, I have goals. I am MOTIVATED!  But I decided I have to DO MORE than just setting GOALS.  I realized that I can set goals until I am blue in the face, that isn’t going to do anything to get me where I want to be...I realized that I have to HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE.  I realized that one of the things that has been holding me back is my fear of being vulnerable, but if I don’t make myself vulnerable...put myself out there, then I am not doing anything any differently than I have always done.  

The only way to change is to do things differently than I have always done them.  I have to TAKE RISKS.  Nothing monumental, but I have to step OUTSIDE of my comfort zone.   So in 2014, I am going to put myself out there more than I ever have before...get ready!  And my hope is that my risks will help MOTIVATE others, will help motivate YOU, to do the same.  To step outside of your comfort zone and make changes to make your life better!

I will be posting my Beachbody progress photos on my blog.  I am starting P90X3 on January 6th and I am going to ROCK that program!  I know it is going to take a LOT of hard work and dedication and I KNOW that my challenge group is going to keep me motivated and on track.  Check in here or on my facebook page www.facebook.com/coachcourtneybowes for updates!!!