This was a home run tonight! Super easy and delicious! You know I hate to cook and this one was a breeze and was restaurant quality!

Ingredients:

• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs 
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  

Directions: 

1. Season both sides of chicken breasts with garlic salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook seasoned chicken breasts until chicken is browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add onion; cook and stir until onion is browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Pour diced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken; season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

We all know that we need to eat more veggies, right? So finding ways to jazz them up and make them delicious on their own is key to getting a more balanced diet. This is one of my new favorites!

You will need:

2 Tablespoons of coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons, grated fresh ginger
1 medium carrot, cut into thin diagonal slices
1 cup broccolu florets
1 zucchini chopped
1 small head bok choy, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 Tablespoon of sesame oil
2 Tablespoon of Braggs liquid aminos ( or to taste)

Heat coconut oil in a large skillet or owk over high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and carrots; cook, stirring constantly for one minute. Add broccoli; cook, sirring frequently for 4-5 minutes. Add zucchini and bok choy. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 2-3 minutes or until tender-crisp. Turn off heat. Add sesame il and Braggs liquid aminos. Mix well. Enjoy!

This was probably our FAVORITE meal from the Ultimate Reset! It was super filling and delicious! Awesome for the cold Colorado nights as well!

You will need:

2 oz of raw cashews ( about 36 cashews)
3 cups of water
3 medium zucchinis, cut into chunks
Himalayan Sea Salt to taste


Soak cashew in 1 cup of water for 1 hour. While cashews are soaking, bring remaining water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini; cook for 4-5 minutes. Drain. Set aside.

Place cashews( with water), zucchini, and salt into a food processer ( in two batches if necessary). Blend until smooth. Heat soup in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, or until hot. Do not boil.

You've got to try it! I'd love to hear your experience if you do!

Ingredients:

• 8  chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
• 1 to 2 tablespoons honey

1. In a bowl, toss chicken thighs with olive oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper and marinate 1 hour (or up to a day). 
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roast chicken in an oiled cast iron skillet, 20 to 25 minutes; flip and roast 10 more minutes.
   
   
   
3. Stir together grainy mustard and honey and season with salt and pepper. Brush glaze onto chicken and broil 5 minutes.

This was SO simple and delicious! it will definitely be making the rotation on the meal plan!

Ingredients:

For Oven Roasted Cod:

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
4 (6oz) Cod Fillets
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper

For Zucchini and Tomato ragout:

2 medium Italian green zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 cups of chopped tomatoes
1/4 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 lemon squeezed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried Oregano
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lemon for squeezing


Directions:

For Oven Roasted Cod:

1. Preheat Oven to 450 degrees and place oven racks in the top third and center of the oven.
2. Brush cod with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and set aside.

For zucchini and tomato ragout:

1. In a medium bowl, toss zucchini, tomatoes, and onion with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt & pepper.
2. In a shallow baking dish, arrange the vegetables in an even layer. Place into the oven on the middle rack and roast for 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes, remove from the oven and place fish on top of the vegetables and return to the top rack of the oven and roast the cod for 7-10 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish. Cod is done when it can be easily flaked through the center with a fork.
4. Finish the fish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve with brown or long grain wild rice.

Enjoy! :)

My new favorite salad! Kale, shredded Brussel sprouts, dried cranberries and Opa Strawberry Poppyseed dressing! So good!!!!

I LOVE Chinese food and Indian food and Thai food...you get the picture! As I have been diving into the world of healthy eating that has meant sucking it up and cooking, something that I hate doing! I've been kind of overwhelmed learning to cook foods that aren't just good for me but actually replace my old unhealthy favorites. This is one of those recipes that is going to be on rotation for sure! Super easy, healthy, and totally saved me from running to our local Chinese restaurant to fill my craving! Win Win Win! :)

Ingredients:

1 pound of chicken diced into squares
2 cups of peas ( fresh or frozen)
2 cups matchstick sliced carrot
1 medium cauliflower shredded ( I put mine in a food processor and pulsed until it was shredded evenly)
6 green onions
3 cloves of garlic diced
4 Tablespoons of sesame oil divided
6 Tablespoons of Braggs Liquid Aminos ( or low sodium soy sauce)
2 eggs

1. If using frozen peas, prepare them first.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook and stir chicken in hot oil until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Add 2 tsps of Braggs Liquid Aminos, stir well and set aside.
3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil the wok. Saute green onions, carrot, and garlic in hot oil until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower; cook and stir about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir pork, peas, and and remaining soy sauce into cauliflower mixture and stir-fry until mixture is hot and slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Move chicken cauliflower mixture to one side of the wok; pour beaten eggs onto empty side. Scramble eggs until cooked through, stir cooked eggs into the chicken cauliflower mixture, breaking up any large chunks.

Enjoy!!

If you love hot wings this is the recipe for you! It brings that fun wing house flavor to plain old boring chicken! I struggle to get enough protein everyday because I am not much of a carnivore, so finding new ways to enjoy it is key for me! Tonight I used chicken thighs because that's what I had on hand but I have used this marinade for chicken breasts, legs, and wings as well.

For the marinade you will need:

1 Tablespoon of tomato paste
1 Tablespoon of honey
2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon of melted butter
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/3 cup of hot sauce

Mix it up well and marinate 1 lb of your chicken of choice for at least 20 minutes but up to 24 hours before preparing. Cooking times will baby depending on what you use but I baked the chicken thighs at 425 degrees for 20 minutes since I was roasting the potatoes at the same time.

For the potatoes, I simply diced red potatoes and drizzled them with olive oil and some Himalayan pink salt and roasted them at 425 for 30 minutes. Simple, easy, and tasty!

We made the decision when I was pregnant with my first daughter that I would quit my job and stay home with her. It was a painstaking decision. I made more money than my husband at the time and so it cut our income by more than half. The first week after she was born, the price of diapers made me realize that I was going to need to get creative to make it work. My sister-in-law was into couponing so I got some info from her and dove right in!

Couponing is a great way to save money on a tight budget. I never paid more than 5 cents a diaper and a lot of times got wipes for free. It definitely helped stretch our budget and I am grateful that I had the info at that time. It was fun for me too! Figuring out how to get things for free or make money off of items to bring my bill down was like a game, but there are some do's and don't that will help you save money AND have a healthy lifestyle.

1. Don't stock your home with processed food.

Most of the coupons that you can use are for processed food.You will find some coupons for veggies and fruits, and, of course, household products that you use but you need to be wary of stocking your house full of boxed and bagged food items. They are chemical laden, nutrient poor and don't fuel your body. The foods that should be consumed in your home are veggies, fruits, healthy carbs ( whole grains no preservatives), proteins, and healthy fats which are mostly found on the perimeter of your store. I spent many years calorie counting and eating whatever I wanted but it wasn't until I was educated about nutrition and started choosing foods that fueled my body that I began to see the outward changes that I was looking for without the constant struggle of cravings and denying myself. If you do buy processed foods because its a money  maker item, throw them out! It's not good for you and its not good for others.

2. Do buy fruits and veggies that are in season.

I know it seemed like fruits and veggies can be expensive but when you aren't wasting money on all that processed food it does free up money for healthier options. A few of the ways to do this is to buy fruits and veggies that are in season.  When they are in season they are their lowest price. You will notice strawberries are $2.99 in the summer and $4.99 in the winter. As you get used to knowing the seasonal veggies you can build meal plans by season that will be tasty and inexpensive. You can also find local farmers markets that have amazing deals on these items and often they are organic and much much less than in store. Check out what farmers markets are available in your area. I also buy eggs from my farmers market!

3. Do buy your proteins from a farm or a company like Zaycon.

We buy our proteins in bulk from our farmers market or Zaycon and freeze it until we need it. Its much cheaper than buying it from the store and we know where it came from and how it was fed. Its much healthier and less expensive than buying it from a grocery store. As a side note. we only have the freezer in our refrigerator and it stores the meat just fine. That's all we keep in their since we dont have it full of processed foods or frozen veggies. but we dont need a huge freezer in our garage to make this kind of commitment. There is roughly 40 pounds of various proteins in there at any given time and there is still room to spare!

4. Do coupon for household items and healthy items you can stock.

Some of the things that have been super helpful to coupon for us are diapers, wipes, paper towels, toilet paper,paper plates, olive oil, spices, peanut butter, cheeses, bottled water.  If you use store bought cleaning products this is also a great way to save on those items. ( I don't but that's for another blog post! ;) 

I know if you have been couponing for awhile and used to walking out of the store having spent $5 on $75 worth of products that this might stress you out but once you realize that those items you are eating are causing you to feel awful and gain weight, it gets a lot easier to let it go. We spend a lot in this country on beauty supplies trying to make us look and feel better and yet when we eat the food that our bodies need, we don't need all that junk. Our waistlines don't need girdles, our faces are glowing and don't need foundation, our hair and nails are healthy and later on we pour money into doctors because we didn't take care of our bodies. We pour money into trying to look better when really we need to take that money and put it into our health. I love the quote, " Pay the farmer now or the doctor later. So couponers, don't panic! Give it 30 days and you'll see I speak the truth! I have challenge groups running each month, jump and I'll teach you how to make it work for your family. We spend $125 a week for our family of four eating healthy foods and this includes all our paper and personal care items as well as eating out ( which we dont do that often). When looking at your food budget you need to look at how much you are spending eating out and on coffee runs or other "treats". You can free up a lot of funds through choosing a healthy lifestyle!

To my noncouponers! You can learn a lot from us crazy coupon ladies and you never even have to clip a coupon. The most important way you can save is to learn the sale cycles. Every 6 to 10 weeks all items are at their lowest price, so you buy enough to last you 6-10 weeks depending on the item. Example! I am a Publix shopper, so when organic olive oil goes buy one get one, I buy 4 bottles at that price and it lasts me 10 weeks until I need them again. ( It's actually more than I need but I make all my own salad dressings so I don't like to run out!) If you only buy one, you will run out before the next sale and pay full price for the next one, so stocking up on your healthy most used items will save you tons of money over time. it takes a slight shift of perspective but once you make it, you'll never go back. The site I use to check the lists is www.southersavers.com. She posts the Publix list on Monday and then on Thursday when the sale starts I go do my shopping. You simply check which items you want to buy and print out your list. Super simple! If want some more info on this, there are videos on how to coupon on her site!

If you have questions about couponing, healthy eating, or my challenge groups, please send me a message at [email protected]. I would love to talk more with you and help you navigate how to serve your family's budget and health!

To join a challenge group click here

I saw a recipe for Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein from www.petitecanteen.com which is where the base of this recipe comes from if you'd like to check out the original version. I decided I wanted to have some protein in it and I thought it needed a little more kick so I adjusted the ingredients a bit.

Ingredients:
1 Spaghetti Squash
1 pound of precooked chicken ( i chopped up some left over chicken thighs but I think next time I will make some extra sauce and marinate and shred the chicken)
2.5 cups of Green Giant Asian Vegetable Blend ( or 1 cup shredded carrot and 1.5 cups of shredded  napa cabbage)
1 8 oz can of water chestnuts 
3 stalks of chopped scallions
3 cloves of garlic minced
1.5 Tablespoons of sesame oil ( or olive oil if you don't have any)
3 Tablespoons of reduced sodium soy sauce 
2 Tablespoons of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar ( or Rice Vinegar)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 tsp of ground ginger
1/4 tsp of black pepper
1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes ( less if you prefer)

Preheat over to 425 F. Cut the Spaghetti Squash in half length wise and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down in a baking pan with half a cup of water and bake for 45 minutes. When you remove it from the oven, flip the halves over and wait for them to cool down a bit before scooping the cooked squash from the outer shell. Set it aside.

In a bowl mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ginger, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large wok or skillet ( I used a cast iron pan) Cook veggies, water chestnuts, and garlic for 2 minutes then add scallions, cooked squash, chicken and the sauce mixture. Cook another few minutes until all ingredients are  combined. Garnish with more scallions and serve immediately!

If you enjoy this recipe and would like more you can join our free Clean Eating group on facebook to enjoy our recipes or add your own!

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