Fork Meal WIN! Hearty Chicken & Butternut Squash #IsaStrong

Are you guys ready for a #ForkMealWIN ?

Wait, what's a fork meal? Oh, right...

So on this journey I call life, I've decided to take control of my nutrition and am using a line of products that fills in the nutritional gaps in my normal eating. Delicious shakes, which are balanced meals and full of high quality protein, and 1-2 meals for me each day.  For the meals that I'm not having a shake, I call it a "Fork Meal."

So, anyway... you know that feeling when you totally win at dinner? It's delicious, easy, pretty, healthy, and didn't cost a fortune? Ya, I had that the other day. Enter: Hearty Chicken & Butternut Squash

It's fall here, crisp weather and sunshine through the golden leaves. Cool enough that you want something warm in your tummy, but it's not quite 'quilts and soup' weather (though I LOVE soup!). So I flipped open my recipe book from Isagenix "Simple Recipes, Your Best Results" to see what I could see. A warm, hearty, healthy meal - that wasn't soup (yet).

First, the ingredient list:

1 TBSP Olive Oil
2 Cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (you can use sweet potatoes here, too - or combine them both)
2 6oz boneless chicken breasts
1/2 Cup chicken broth (I used chicken bone broth)
1/2 Cup fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 Cup walnut halves (I didn't do this - texture thing for me)
8-12 cherry tomatoes
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp minced garlic (I used 3 cloves)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Most of this was in my cupboard! Score!

The squash I picked up was HUGE, so I peeled and seeded the whole thing, and set all the extra aside to freeze for a later recipe. I just LOVE the color of butternut squash. It just FEELS warm and cozy.  I grabbed a bag of green beans, the last I could find, from a farm stand along with a big box of heirloom cherry and grape sized tomatoes. if you didn't know that cherry tomatoes can be all sorts of colors - you've been missing out! Deep purples, yellows, reds - they are a feast for the eyes!

Down to the (easy) cooking:

1 Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the butternut squash and saute for 5 minutes.  I like to leave the squash on one side to get a nice golden brown color and then stir/flip the pieces. 

2 Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes per side. Again, I don't stir around too much - I like a nice crust and golden brown color. You may find that cutting the chicken into strips makes for faster cooking and easier serving. 

3  Add to the skillet the broth, beans, walnuts (if you're into that), tomatoes and spices. Stir to combine, cover and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the beans are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

That's IT!  I just served this up on a plate and went to town, but you could make a serving or 2 of quinoa or wild rice and serve this over top.

My mouth and tummy were so happy with my lunch that day, and I had plenty of leftovers! I enjoyed this meal reheated almost as much as the first time - the squash does get a little "squishy" upon reheating, but the flavor is more complex as the spices have had time to really mingle.

Nutritional Values per serving (recipe serves 2):

520 Calories
28g Fat
28g Carbs
6g Fiber
7g Sugar
48g Protein

Honestly - I made this into 3 very large servings - I used a generous amount of veggies and 6oz of chicken is a lot for me. My numbers may have been slightly different than this, but geez - look at all that good stuff!

I'm going to keep working through the recipes in the Isagenix guide, but I'm always up for a great recipe that brings my healthy goals and taste buds together happily! I'd love to hear what you thought of this recipe and swap recipes for some of your fall comfort food favorites!

If you want to know more about my #IsaStrong Journey, shoot me a comment with your email or social media handle(s) and I'll reach out, STAT! :)  I'm on a mission to make others feel as great as I do!

Wishing you health and happy full tummies!

Until next time ~
<3 jen

Recipe #4 - A snack suitable for hiking, lounging, or Super Bowl LII!

Hello Friends!

It's been a busy week/weekend and I'm excited to have chosen a SUPER easy and yet SUPER tasty recipe from "Eat Drink Shine."  In addition to my blog recipe, I've also been making lots of soup in the Instant Pot (if you don't have one, I suggest getting one! So versatile and easy to use, and TONs of sites and pages with tips and members who you can reach out to for help.). I've made a lentil w/ ham and today a fabulous minestrone soup with beef sausage and spinach. I enjoyed that today for lunch, after walking my pup. It was a brisk 22 degrees outside at 1pm! I was thankful for my favorite hot tea and warm bowl of whole foods ready to warm me up from the inside out.

Anyway - my pick for the blog this week is something that you can snack on, add to a delicious salad for a flavor burst and some crunch, not to mention fiber and protein! 

So, from page 76, Roasted Chickpeas!

This is so easy and, again, uses items that I already have in my pantry. When folks say, "I don't know what to have for dinner, there's nothing in the house," I just want to scream, "check your pantry!!!!" So many yummy things can come from ordinary items when combined thoughtfully.

Many of us have spent good money on what we think are healthy snacks at the grocery store or market - only to read the label and find out all the extra added "stuff" that's been put into our previously thought of as healthy snack. (Wasabi peas are delicious, but some varieties have high fructose corn syrup. Why?)

Anyhow - here's the super short list of ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (if using canned, use a 15 oz can)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

Yup, that's it!

1. Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees and preparing your baking sheet. I like to use parchment paper, it makes clean up a snap!
2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and pat dry with a towel. 
3. Wisk the olive oil, salt and garlic together in a bowl, add the chickpeas, then toss to coat. 
4. Spread the chickpeas onto your baking pan, ensuring an even single layer. 
5. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then, give the baking pan a gentle shake and roast for another 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.  The chickpeas will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature in a sealed container.

That's IT?! 

Oh yea. 

And, as I'm snacking on them right now, as I type, I can tell you that they are very tasty, savory, light, but substantial. I can totally imagine using some other spices to add some heat to these - Cayenne pepper or Italian seasonings. I can also imagine these sprinkled in a spinach salad for a little texture, or tossed with scrambled eggs and veggies. They might even make it into a savory trail mix - like that Pub Mix that everyone loves - only this is so much better for you! 

Ok, I'm getting a little carried away - but you get the point.

Salt, garlic powder and EVOO are pantry staples. And a can of beans is less than $1.00. So, next time I'm going to make a MUCH bigger batch. Mine are almost half gone already.

I hope you all enjoy this light and delicious snack! I'd love to hear what you're making for the Super Bowl this weekend, or what your go to healthy snack is! I love my food - so I try to find healthy versions when I can!

Until next week, here's to healthy meals, warm kitchens and full tummies! 

<3 jen

Recipe #3 - Baked Mac & Cheese

Greetings friends!

It's been a cold, snowy day (again!) and thus the perfect day to stay home and cook! I purchased all of the ingredients for this week's recipe a few days ago, but had enough going on that I just didn't get a chance to put this together. Not only did I get this recipe done, but I also made a big ol' crock pot of Lentil Soup - so I've got comfort food for days! I took some of the soup over to my neighbor after we shoveled (again). He doesn't cook and is looking forward to giving me some feedback on the soup. Plus, there's no way I can get through it all on my own.

Baked Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower page 140 of Eat Drink Shine

I'm gonna have plenty of this Baked Mac & Cheese to share. The recipe says that it serves 4 to 6 - but I'll bet it'll make 8 servings. Especially when paired with a green salad.

This is a veggie, cheesy, bacon-y beauty! Ready to check out the ingredient list? Let's get to it:

• 10 oz brown rice elbow or Penne pasta, or Baked Spaghetti Squash (a recipe found on p. 126)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons brown rice flour
• 2 tablespoons mustard powder
• 3 cups milk
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 cups cauliflower, chopped into small pieces and steamed for 5 minutes
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup crispy crumbled bacon (optional)
• Sea Salt, to taste

I decided to double up on the recipe goodness, and made the baked spaghetti squash. I cut a squash in half, rubbed olive oil on it, and added salt and pepper. I roasted it for 45 minutes at 425 degrees. Then, used a large fork to 'shred' the flesh into a noodle like texture. EASY! I've done this before instead of spaghetti noodles or zoodles. It's fun to mix it up!

It also says that the bacon is optional. Pshaw! Of course I'm going to have bacon, I'm only human, after all!  I cook my bacon in the oven, on a cooling rack over a roasting pan, about 20 minutes at 425 degrees.

The cauliflower also has to be precooked before starting the recipe - I was able to find a bag of Organic Cauliflower Rice (which saved me the time it takes to chop/grate the head of cauliflower), and I steamed it for 5 minutes in my Pampered Chef self-draining microwave steamer. So easy!

I prepped the bacon and cauliflower while the squash roasted, and did some clean up as I went. This is what keeps me from loosing my mind in the kitchen. I can't stand finishing a new recipe and turn around to find a sink full of dishes and a dirty counter. I prefer to clean up as I go. It makes things better for me. 

Do you clean up as you go or wait til the end? I'd love to know!

Ok - let's get down to brass tacks...

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions (or squash according to the recipe), drain and rinse well. toss in 2 tablespoons of the butter and set aside.
3. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot on medium-low heat. gradually add the flour and mustard, whisking constantly for about 2 minutes to make a roux.
4. Gradually add the milk, still whisking constantly, until a sauce forms, approximately 4 minutes. Add the cheddar and whisk until it melts into the sauce.
5. Add the steamed cauliflower. Season with sea salt. 
6. Pour into a baking dish and top with the Romano, breadcrumbs, and bacon. Bake approximately 10 minutes, until it is hot and the top is golden brown and crispy.
7. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

One thing I love about this book is that the recipes all seem (so far, anyway) very straight-forward and beginner friendly. I'm not completely unfamiliar in the kitchen - but I'm no gourmet  either. I appreciate the simplicity - lots of fresh food and spices that I'm likely to have in my home, or be able to find at my local grocery stores.

Here it is, right out of the oven... resting. (Killing me!!!! It smelled So. Good.) My first thought was - WOAH! this is a LOT of food, mostly veggies and cheese, but this is a large baking dish and it's FULL. This would be amazing for a family for 4, plus leftovers for mom or dad. But for little ol' me?  I would consider cutting this in half, or saving it for pot luck days.

So, what's the verdict? 
It's tasty! But I'll make a few modifications.

1. I'll use noodles, probably an elbow shape or maybe a spiral noodle.
2. I'll use less milk - it was a little soupy for my taste. Even after reduction in the sauce pan and baking/resting. I like a creamier mac & cheese. Part of this, I believe, is that I used the squash which has a higher water content than a starchy noodle.
3. I'll use much less of the mustard powder. The flavor is pretty strong, and I don't feel it blends well with the cheddar. I may even play around with other seasoning to see what I like. 
4. I may consider mixing in broccoli instead of cauliflower, I'd like the color contrast and I just prefer broccoli! 

I enjoyed a serving, approximately 1/6 of the total baking dish, along with a nice spinach salad for dinner tonight after scooping snow for the second time. Warm and cheesy, with lots of the things that make comfort foods what they are (cheese, bacon, warm and filling). 

I'll be packing this up to share with neighbors and friends. I'd love to hear what you think, how you adjusted the recipe and what spices you chose to use.   The important thing for me is that I'm eating good food at home, prepared with thought and care, and eaten mindfully. All things I'm working on for a healthier and happier ME.

Cost for this recipe:  

Again, much of what this recipe called for I already had in my pantry. But some of the items you may need to pick up are:

• Squash, or your favorite pasta (they suggest a gluten free pasta variety) - Spaghetti Squash $2.69 each.
• 3 tablespoons brown rice flour - I actually didn't use rice flour - I just used whole wheat flour that I had at home. I did look for rice flour at my local grocer, and decided for 3 tablespoons, I'd skip the expense. It runs $4.99 for a 24oz package.
• 2 tablespoons mustard powder - I didn't have this, and would use much less next time, but new it ran me $3.97
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese. I cheated a little and bought pre-shredded cheese, 2 packages is about 4 cups, so I had leftover cheese for quesadillas! I spent $5.18 on cheese
• 3 cups cauliflower. I bought the pre-grated cauliflower rice - $4.49
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese. Cheese is always expensive, but you don't use much here, so I'll be able to enjoy it in another recipe! $4.89 
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. I prefer Panko to regular breadcrumbs, and the recipe calls for gluten free. Again, fur the amount to be used, I chose not to spend $3.34, and just used the Panko I had in my pantry.
• 1/4 cup crispy crumbled bacon (optional). If you don't have bacon in your frig, who are you?! Ahem, I mean, depending on the brand and cut of bacon you like, cost can range quite a bit. I grabbed a thick cut maple bacon for $4.49. Watch the ads and sales and freeze bacon!

Grand Total: $34.04     For 6 Servings:  $5.67

Throw together a quick salad and you've got a yummy meal for well under what you'd spend at a fast food or sit down restaurant. And you'll feel better about it, too.

I'll let you know how this one reheats - there's gonna be lots of leftovers!  Looking forward to hearing from you - what do you like, what would you change in this recipe?

Until next time, here's to healthy meals, warm kitchens and full tummies!

<3 jen

Recipe #2 - Whole Roasted Chicken with Maple Roasted Veggies!

Hello Friends!

It's been a cold and snowy week here in the Big O, and so I have been happy to stay home and cook, do some home projects and read. My poor pup is really sad though, it's been way to cold to go our for our normal walks.

The upside is that I got this week's recipe done on Thursday and got to enjoy a delicious dinner and leftovers! So, let's say we just jump right in!

This week's entry from "Eat Drink Shine" is page 108 - Whole Roasted Chicken with Maple-Roasted Vegetables. Man, oh man, does this look amazing! Cold weather comfort food, coming at'cha!

Starting with the Ingredient List:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• sea Salt

• 1 whole roasting chicken (the book prefers free-range, about 4lbs)

• 2 lemons, halved

• 3 cloves garlic

• 5 sprigs of rosemary

• 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar

• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock

• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)

• 3 medium apples (honeycrisp, fuji - I prefer Pink lady!), peeled, cored and cut into cubes

• 3 carrots, peeled, large diced

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled large diced

• 1/2 onion sliced

• 1/2 bulb fennel, sliced

So, because it was SO COLD, I didn't feel like going out to shop - and that worked out great since I had all of these items in my frig/pantry/freezer, except for the fennel. And here's why: I don't care for fennel. It has that licorice flavor that I don't like much. So, I modified the recipe and swapped the fennel for cumin.

I even had REAL maple syrup from an overnight oatmeal recipe I tried. I wish I had the good stuff from Canada... maybe I should see if the couple of native northerners I know could bring me some back... 

Anyway! I was able to get this going without bundling up to go outside - winner winner, chicken dinner! 

(Literally! HA! I'm sorry. I'm a huge dork!)

I preheated the oven to 400* F, got out my big roasting pan and pulled my thawed whole chicken out of the frig.

Let's get to the work:

• Rub the olive oil and a generous amount of salt on the chicken. Put the lemon, garlic and rosemary into the cavity of the chicken and set aside.

• In a small sauce pan, combine the vinegar, stock, maple syrup, butter and a healthy pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until reduced by half.

• In the bottom of the roasting pan, arrange the apples, carrots, sweet potato, onion and fennel (or not. ;) ) to form a 'bed' for the chicken. Pour the chicken stock mixture over the vegetables and lightly toss to coat. Place the prepared chicken on top of the veggies.

• Roast the chicken until it reaches an internal temp of 165* using a meat thermometer.

• Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest 15 minutes before serving with maple roasted veggies.

OMG - this was super easy! I mean, even I can handle this one, without any special kitchen utensils! In fact, I didn't even use the one the recipe technically called for - a peeler.  Wanna know why? Sure you do:  I try to, as often as I can, avoid peeling my fruits and veggies. So much of the "good stuff" is in the skin, that I feel like unless it compromises the texture or flavor of a dish, I'd just as soon leave the peel on. So, I did. And everything was delicious! (I do wash the bejesus outta everything first though!)

The toughest part was calculating the cooking time. The whole bird I had in my freezer was about 6 pounds, and I didn't want to over cook it. There's a TIP in the recipe that estimates 22-25 minutes per pound. I roasted my bird (nearly 6 pounds) for 2 hours and it was PERFECT. 

Not only was this meal delicious, it was so pretty! The golden brown of the chicken with warm golden colors of sweet potato, onion, apples and carrots felt like one of those feasts you'd share with your family as the leaves turned in the fall, or something to brighten your corner of the world on a stark and cold winter day - which exactly what it did for me!  The aroma of the chicken and veggies filled my house and I couldn't wait to eat. The 15 minutes of "rest" for the chicken was TORTURE!

For this meal, I decided to enjoy the breast meat, so I carved out the 2 breasts by slicing along the back bone and away, and then above the wing and towards the inside. The chicken was moist and tender and came away from the bones easily.

I plated my chicken, veggies, half a pear and a strawberry for some sweetness to counter the savory chicken and veggies. 

Next time I'll pair with a deep green salad of spinach and greens, cranberries and feta cheese and a light balsamic dressing. Oh, I can't wait to have this again!

I should warn you, if you're a foodie, and really enjoy savoring your food - this could get you into trouble at the table. I was having what I can only describe as a nearly orgasmic experience, a foodgasm? I dunno, but I was all, "oh, yum, mmm, this is... oh... so... good..." and my hubster was giving me the "are you kidding me" look through most of dinner. Sometimes he just doesn't get me... What can I say, I enjoy my food.

For my leftovers, I worked to get all the remaining meat off of the bones, I had quite a bit left. The recipe says this will serve 4-6. I think, even with my slightly larger bird, that this is a solid 4 servings.

If we decide that this recipe made about 4 servings, let's talk about the cost to make it, and how it reheated.

If you're a poor college student or bachelor with nothing but baking soda, beer, and leftovers in your frig, or pantries that are bare, this recipe could set you back a little. But for the average every day family, the ingredient list is full of pretty standard items. ( I suppose for some, beer and a box of baking soda is standard. Huh, that's weird.)

The following items I'm sure you have in your pantry or frig on the reg:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• sea Salt 
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
• 5 sprigs of rosemary - I used dried rosemary.

The rest of these you may not have all the time, but they are plenty easy to get:

• 1 whole roasting chicken (the book prefers free-range, about 4lbs) -  I found that this can very quite a bit - but I paid about $2.69 per pound. (10.76)
• 2 lemons, halved - $.89 each (1.78)
• 3 cloves garlic - Fresh garlic runs about $.50 per bulb. (.50)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup - Mine was $5.99 for the bottle, but remember, I had it on had from another recipe, and only used 1 1/2 table spoons, so I'll have plenty more to use later! (5.99)
• 3 medium apples (honeycrisp, fuji - I prefer Pink lady!), peeled, cored and cut into cubes - these run about $1.59 per pound. 3 apples is about a pound! (1.59)
• 3 carrots, peeled, large diced - about $2.00 per pound, 3 carrots was less than a pound. (2.00)
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled large diced - you can get a 3lb bag for about $3.49, with usually 4-5 potatoes (1.00)
• 1/2 onion sliced - my onion was good sized and cost me just over $1.00. (1.00)
• 1/2 bulb fennel, sliced - I skipped this in favor of cumin that I can in my pantry. Fennel runs just over $1.00 each bulb. (1.00)

So, you can see with a well stocked pantry, this recipe doesn't really require much that you wouldn't have on hand for a normal week of cooking.  But if you had to purchase all these items, it would set you back $25.62. Still, divide that by 4 servings and you have a delicious meal for $6.41 per serving! not too shabby!

Leftovers are my life!

I enjoy most of what I cook several times, and usually have some to share. Things need to reheat well and/or freeze well in order for me to make it a regular in my rotation. This gem did not disappoint! I heated the chicken with the veggies and the juice from the veggies kept the chicken nice and moist. Moist. Does that word bother you? Not me. Moist, moist, moist. I love moist chicken. omnomnomnom...

Enjoy this flow chart from one of my favorites, The Oatmeal -->

and also, sorry... 

Anywho - I loved this recipe and I hope that you'll give it a try! Let me know in the comments how you modified it, or if you made it as written. Did your family enjoy it?  I'd love to know!

Here's to healthy meals, warm kitchens, and full tummies!

Until next week,

<3 jen