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