Chicken? Again??

Chicken remains by far the most versatile and available protein sources around. That being said, why do we keep complaining about how boring it is? We've probably been stuck inside our comfy little squares, with little inspiration or motivation to dream up something new.

Well here ya go- motivation, inspiration, and creativity. Oh yea, and they're healthy too. Pretty amazing, I know.

Chicken and Mushroom Tacos
Cooking spray

1 3/4 cups thinly vertically sliced onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 cups presliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1/4 cup Madeira wine or dry sherry
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 8 ounces)
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add jalapeño; sauté 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over onion mixture; sauté 1 minute. Remove onion mixture from pan.Yield: 4 servings

2. Return pan to heat; recoat with cooking spray. Add mushrooms and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add Madeira to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Uncover; cook 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in onion mixture and chicken; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

3. Warm tortillas according to package instructions. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla.

CALORIES 310 (10% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 5.6g,mono 2.8g,poly 1.3g); IRON 1.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 40mg; CALCIUM 200mg; CARBOHYDRATE 36.3g; SODIUM 389mg; PROTEIN 25g; FIBER 4g

 
Balsamic Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 sprigs fresh rosemary

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold running water. Pat it dry with paper towels.
In a small bowl, mince together the rosemary and garlic. Loosen the chicken skin from the flesh, and rub the flesh with olive oil and then the herb mixture. Sprinkle with black pepper. Put 2 rosemary sprigs into the cavity of the chicken. Truss the chicken.

Place the chicken into a roasting pan and roast for 20 to 25 minutes per pound, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Whole chicken should cook to an internal temperature of 180 F. Baste frequently with pan juices. When browned and juices run clear, transfer the chicken to a serving platter.

In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Heat until warmed but don't boil.

Carve the chicken and remove the skin. Top the pieces with the vinegar mixture. Garnish with the remaining rosemary sprigs and serve immediately.

Yields 4 servings

CALORIES 290; PROTEIN 44g; CARBOHYDRATE 4g; FAT 11g (3g saturated); SODIUM 108mg; CHOLESTEROL 127mg

Mom's Spicy Chicken Soup

Water, enough to cover chicken & provide quantity of liquid you want.

(seasoning qty listed for appx 2 qts water; adj spices to your quantity)

1-1/2 pound chicken breast, skin removed

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 cup chicken broth (brand with 430 sodium per serving)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed in bite size pieces
3 medium carrots, sliced (don’t peel)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1/4” or larger)
2 fresh whole hot peppers (your favorite – mine is Serrano), cut lengthwise thinly and then finely chopped. BEWARE – 2 peppers will make this dish VERY HOT, just the way I like it – adjust as you wish.

In a large pot over high heat combine water, chicken, onion, garlic, garlic salt, black pepper, basil, oregano, chicken broth, and hot peppers. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.
Add celery and carrots to the pot.
Add sweet potato to the pot 5 minutes after.
Cook over medium heat until meat is tender & vegetables are done.
Let cool. Enjoy!
*Note: I advise to add the sweet potatoes after the celery and carrots because it cooks a little faster. Many people think sweet potatoes and yams are the same, but they are not. If you use yams (the darker version) they take longer to cook so switch steps 2 and 3.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Nutritional Information:


A serving is 1 cup. Makes 10 Servings.
Nutritional Value Per Serving: Calories: 149; Total Fat: 6.16g; Cholesterol: 54mg; Carbohydrates: 8.9g; Protein: 14.6g; Sodium 236mg

Spice Me Up!!

Diet food... bleh! Say, "no more" to pointless cleanses, grapefruit diets, and that too good to be true cookie diet! Hopefully by now you know that diets just plain don't work. You need a lifestyle plan to really attain results that not only keep you satiated but also pleased with each meal you prepare and enjoy.
Yea yea, I know what you're thinking. "Sarah, you're crazy. I still want the bold flavor of chicken alfredo and rich lasagna in my meal plan." Whelp, sorry. Those are the kinds of meals we save for special occasions, not weekly preparations. What's my secret to avoiding these tempations? Spices!!! Our fat free yet flavorful accompaniments will transform any dish from bland to beautimous (yes, I said beautimous...).
Spices don't just kick up the flavor, they ignite our senses by bringing us holistic remedies. Recall our friend, Ginger. Explore what herbs and spices can do for your health at Mother's Cupboard.


Need a kickstart to better tasting "diet friendly" foods? Read below for my recipe for Ancho Rubbed Flank Steak!





Ancho Rubbed Flank Steak


1/2 teaspoon kosher salt


1/2 teaspoon brown sugar


1/2 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder


1/4 teaspoon ground cumin


Dash of freshly ground black pepper


1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed


2 teaspoons olive oil





1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; rub evenly over both sides of steak.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes; cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.



Salad: Combine 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Gradually add 2 tablespoons olive oil to vinegar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add 6 cups arugula and 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes to dressing in bowl; toss well to coat.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces)


CALORIES 175 ; FAT 7.8g (sat 2.6g,mono 3.8g,poly 0.5g); CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 19mg; CARBOHYDRATE 0.8g; SODIUM 286mg; PROTEIN 23.8g; FIBER 0.1g; IRON 1.5mg

Wake up Call!!!

"Housekeeping..." knock knock knock "Housekeeping, you want me fluff your pillow?"
ok, get real. this recipe does require a bit of savvy in the kitchen, but don't fret. If you don't know how to operate a blender or coffee maker, I'm sure they have 10 step self-help groups for you.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup brewed coffee, cold or at room temp.
1.5 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
½ medium rip banana, peeled and sliced
2-4 ice cubes
½ TBL wheat germ
½ TBL honey, or to taste (artificial sweetner can be used in place of honey)
Place all ingredients in a blender container. Cover and blend on high for 1 minute or until smooth. Serve immediately

Welcome to Strong Like A Girl!

It may not appear this way, but this isn't just another "Girl Power" empowerment blog. No, no, no. All of you who know me, know that I definately steer clear of that bandwagon. The true purpose of this blog is the following:
- Create an atmosphere for women and men (!) to share fitness and health tips and advice.
- Share stories of recent excursions as a means to inspire the masses
- Keep a recipe log for those of us on specific diet plans
- Post topics and articles related to the fitness and health industry. One day it's Adkins, the next day Southbeach, and the next Cookie diet. (Seriously people, cookie diet?)

For those of you who don't know me and want to know, for credibility purposes, I'm a fitness professional in Spokane, WA. I am certified from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). I grew up participating in numerous sports and activities and found a passion for healthy eating and living several years ago. For more information, feel free to shoot me an email.