Honey Balsamic Chicken

Honey Balsamic Chicken (clean eating)

Quick and easy dish that takes about 25 minutes to make from prep to finish...

Ingredients

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
1lb chicken breast
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp honey
1 green pepper chopped
1 cup yellow pepper chopped
1 cup red pepper chopped

Directions

Combine first 3 ingredients; sprinkle over both sides of chicken.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 7 to
 8 minutes on each side or until chicken is done.

Transfer chicken to a platter; keep warm. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet and saute peppers
for 3-4 mins until desired tenderness (I prefer my veggies to still be a little crunchy),
remove peppers from pan.

Reduce heat to medium low then add vinegar and honey to pan. Simmer 1 minute or until
glaze thickens; stir constantly. Pour over chicken and peppers.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half).

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 4
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 193.3
• Total Fat: 2.6 g
• Cholesterol: 65.7 mg
• Sodium: 367.6 mg
• Total Carbs: 10.1 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.2 g
• Protein: 26.3 g

Clean Eating Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Clean Eating Crockpot Chicken Tacos

1 lb (or about four 4 oz)	Chicken breasts
1 cup (8 oz)	Salsa (I used one with corn and black beans)
1/2 cup (half of a 10 oz) can	Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies 1
Optional:	1 tbs taco seasoning 2
Optional Taco/Salad Fixings:	Low carb/whole grain tortillas, shredded lettuce, avocado,  cilantro,  black olives, avocado, corn, black beans, plain low fat greek  yogurt

¹ This gives the chicken a bit of spice and flavor, but if you are making this recipe for children, 
or you don't like any spice, I suggest using plain diced tomatoes!

² Make your own taco seasoning by mixing together 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon
 ground cumin, 
1/8 teaspoon salt. Be sure seasoning is gluten free if sensitive.

The estimated total time to make this recipe is 4-8 Hours.

Put all of the ingredients (except for toppings) in crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or on
 low for 6-8 hours.
 Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred. Add chicken back to the crockpot and stir 
to combine everything. Serve over lettuce or on low carb tortillas, and top with veggies
 and/or suggested toppings.

Nutrition Breakdown

6	Servings (1/2 cup per serving)
107	Calories per Serving
2 g	Fat
3 g	Carbohydrate
1 g	Fiber
0.5 g	Sugar
15 g	Protein

Clean Eating Stuffed Bell Peppers

by The Gracious Pantry ·

Clean Eating Stuffed Bell Peppers

(Makes 6 stuffed peppers)

Ingredients:

• 6 bell peppers – any color. I just happened to have green peppers.
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey meat
• 3 (15 ounce) cans of low sodium tomato sauce, no sugar added
• 1/2 large red onion
• 1/2 pound crimini mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup veggie or chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Slice the tops off your peppers and remove the cores. Reserve the tops.
3. Place your peppers in a baking dish (preferably one with a lid – but don’t panic if you don’t have one). Make sure the dish is small enough to fit the peppers snugly so that they can stand upright.
4. Pour 2 of the 3 cans of tomato sauce into the bottom of the pot so your peppers have a nice little pool to swim in during baking.
5. Pop out the middles of your pepper tops and chop them, as well as the onion and mushrooms.
6. Put your veggies in a pan with the olive oil and sauté until they are nice and soft.
7. Put your cooked veggies into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
8. Using the same pan you cooked your veggies in, cook your turkey in the 1/2 cup of broth.
9. Add your spices.
10. In the last 3-5 minutes of cooking, return your veggies to the pan. Mix well.
11. Return the entire mixture to the mixing bowl. Add your tomato sauce. Stir well.
12. Fill your peppers with the meat mixture.
13. Cover with a lid. If you don’t have one, cover tightly with aluminum foil.
14. Bake for approximately one hour, or until the peppers are very soft.
15. Cool and serve with a little sauce poured over the top.

Nutritional Content:
(Data is for 1 pepper)

Calories: 258
Total Fat: 9 gm
Saturated Fats: 2 gm
Trans Fats: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 60 mg
Sodium: 1212 mg (This can be reduced by using no-salt tomato sauce and reduced sodium broth)
Carbohydrates: 30 gm
Dietary fiber: 7 gm
Sugars: 10 gm
Protein: 19 gm
Estimated Glycemic Load: 12

Herbed Lemon Chicken

This has got to be one of the easiest meals ever.  I know everyone has their own secret to juicy, tender chicken...
Those of you who don't, I have the best secret ever.  It's low fat, cheap and I guarantee you'll always have it on
hand.  It's called water. Heard of it? Good! Follow the recipe below for the juiciest chicken ever :)

Free range, organic, non-medicated chicken thighs, legs, breasts or whatever kind of chicken you like
(skin on or off)
1 large lemon (cut into quarters)
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (you can use dry if you want)
Sea salt to taste
Cracked pepper to taste
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Pour water into the bottom of a roasting pan (or a large casserole dish with or without lid).  Place chicken into the
 pan and sprinkle herbs, salt and pepper over top.  Arrange lemon wedges around chicken.  Cook for approximately
 15-20 minutes being sure to check frequently and baste chicken if necessary.  Be sure that if you have used a
casserole dish with a lid AND have chosen to keep the skin on the chicken, you need to remove the lid to let the
 skin crisp for about 7 minutes before serving.  

Clean eating taco bowls

Ingredients:
1tsp evoo
1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
1cup cooked brown rice
3 tbsp low-sodium tomato paste
1-1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp gr cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 15 oz can drained, rinsed black beans-I used half a can
Olive oil cooking spray
1lbs 95% lean gr beef
1 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp fresh gr pepper
1/2 head romaine lettuce chopped-I used chopped spinach
3 vibe-ripened tomatoes chopped-I used grape tomatoes
1 jalapeño chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped-I omitted
Juice of one lime
Cheese, sour cream and avocado to taste and top bowl

Directions:
Cook brown rice.
Heat evoo in pan and cook onion (I also threw in chopped red pepper) until soft. Add beef and cook til browned. Add in all spices and stir. Once spices are mixed in, add beans. Cook 5-10 more minutes til any juices are cooked down. Stir in cooked rice if using.
While that cooks, chop spinach and tomatoes. In a bowl combine avocado, cilantro, lettuce, tomatoes and jalapeño. Toss with lime juice.
Begin to layer bowl. Add a layer of beef mixture, lettuce mixture, and so on til you reach the top of your bowl (about a half cup to cup each). Top with cheese and sour cream. Serve immediately.
Serves 6

Quinoa Jambalaya

I discovered this recipe on  Oxygen Women’s Fitness. It was a perfect post workout recovery meal after today’s 6 mile trail run and to say it was delicious is an understatement.  I think I’ll try nixing the shrimp and swapping the chicken sausage for a vegetarian sausage next time. I’m pretty sure it will be just as satisfying. Recipe after the jump.

Quinoa Jambalaya

Ready in 30 minutes • Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 low-sodium chicken sausage, sliced into 6 rounds (I used Trader Joe’s Smoked Andouille All Natural Chicken Sausage)
• 1/4 cup dry quinoa
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1/4 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 green onion, sliced thinly

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, zucchini, bell pepper, garlic and sausage slices for 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and toss to coat, about 2 minutes.
2. Add broth and tomatoes to skillet and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and cover the pan. Cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and place onto plates. Top with green onions. Serve.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 400, Total Fats: 15 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 125 mg, Sodium: 500 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 39 g, Dietary Fiber: 6 g, Sugars: 9 g, Protein: 24 g, Iron: 4 mg

Baked Fajitas

Baked Fajitas

This is a super simple dish that I found via Pinterest (again) from sixsistersstuff.com.  I tweaked it a little, wrapped in lettuce leaves instead of tortillas and it becomes Paleo!

2 pounds chicken tenders
2 bell peppers, cut into strips
2 onions, sliced
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (sugar free)
1 4 oz can diced green chilis
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS chili powder
1 TBS cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a large baking pan.  In a small bowl, mix oil and spices and set aside.  Place chicken, peppers, onions, diced tomatoes and chilis in pan, drizzle spice mixture over chicken and veggies and toss to coat.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.  I served mine in lettuce leaves with some sliced avocado and chopped fresh cilantro.