Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

I LOVE crockpot dinners :) I found a recipe similar to this one on Natalie Hodson's website but changed a couple things to satisfy the flavors I enjoy. Crockpot recipes are great because they can be quick, easy, and healthy. And the best part is you don't have to stand there and cook it, which is a plus for everyone. I also really love this one because it can go with so many different things! Sometimes I will put it in a wrap, on a salad, over wild or brown rice, or use it for lettuce wraps. I am sure there are plenty of other things you can eat it with as well. Try it out and let me know what you think and how you used it. Oh and one more thing, you can also freeze it to have it ready for another day. 

Ingredients

3 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1  16 oz Container of Low Sugar Salsa (I use Kirkland Organic Salsa because it doesn't have much sugar)

1 14.5 Oz Can of no sodium diced tomatoes

1 Can low or no sodium tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon Paprika

1/2 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes

1 Tablespoon fresh or dried cilantro

1/2 Lemon, squeezed

Directions:

Trim any fat or undesired pieces off chicken breasts (thawed). Add chicken breasts and all other ingredients to crockpot. Stir so chicken is covered. Put lid on and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. You can serve it shredded or however you like.

Body Leanness Is Not Central To Your Self Worth

"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are" -Marilyn Monroe

To be happy beautiful and desirable you do not first need to be thin. Beauty is so much more than what is portrayed in magazines and in the media. Self confidence and understanding your own self worth is beauty. Our society sets unrealistic ideals and devalues those who do not conform to them. I want anyone reading this blog to know that I do not think we all need to look the same and be the same. That is not how we were created.

The purpose of this blog is to promote healthy eating and physical activity. It in no way advocates dangerously low calorie diets, binge eating, or the same ideal body size for everyone. 168 pounds was heavy for my body type, but for another woman it could be completely normal and healthy. That is why it is important to focus on eating healthy balanced meals and sticking to a regular fitness program. If you are overweight, then yes it is important to work at losing a healthy amount of weight, but this is to be done the right way, not the extreme way. It is important to establish healthy weight goals fit to accomplish healthy body composition. Starving oneself will cause the reduction of lean muscle mass, therefor resulting in a lower basal metabolic rate and if not fixed, enormous amounts of damage done to the body.

I understand what it is like to want to be thin and look like the models in magazines. I understand comparing oneself to others and always thinking someone is more beautiful than you. I get. But that is not what brings happiness. I am happy when I know that what I am doing will help me be healthier today and tomorrow. It is not always easy to stop the nagging voice inside my head telling me that I am not good enough, pretty enough, fit enough, or skinny enough. But that voice doesn't know who I really am. That voice doesn't know my potential, and that voice only looks on outward appearances. There is so much more to beauty than what is see by our eyes.

So it is unrealistic for any of us to try and become someone else. It is impossible in fact. But why would you want to be someone else when you can work at being the best you that you can be? It takes diligence and it takes positivity. I don't always do my best at it, but I am sure going to try!

 Anyway, what I am trying to say is, I don't post these exercise routines, recipes, tips, and progress pictures to say that everyone needs to look and be the same. I do it because I want to inspire people to be HEALTHY and FIT. If you are skinny but don't take care of yourself, that is just as bad as being overweight and not taking care of yourself. There are plenty of risk factors associated with being underweight as there are with being overweight. Some are different and some are the same. The goal here is to take care of yourself and to love yourself. So stop judging yourself and others. Set worthy and attainable goals, and reward yourself in a healthy way when you accomplish them. And when you slip up from time to time, don't beat yourself down, pick yourself up and get going again. Ok I will stop preaching now :) but seriously you can do this, the RIGHT way. Keep HEALTH as your focus.

Now for some little things to note:

• Never restrict food intakes to below the amounts suggested for adequacy (if you are unsure what that is, there are resources on the USDA website to help and other resources, including your physician)
• Eat frequently, but not large portions. The person who eats frequently won't get so hungry as to allow hunger to dictate food choices (which is often when we do things we know we shouldn't, like eat a whole box of cookies)
• If you are not at a healthy weight, establish reasonable goals based on a healthy body composition to get there.
• Allow reasonable time to achieve goals. It is said that a reasonable rate for losing excess fat is about 1% of body weight per week. Which generally isn't more than 2 lbs a week.
• Learn to recognize lies in the media, and reject ultra thin and unrealistic and harmful standards for beauty.

Yummy Quinoa Avocado Salad

This is a great meal that is full of nutrients and taste!

• A Pinch of Salt (I like to use the Pink Himalayan Salt from Costco)
• 1 to 2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 Cup Quinoa (I also buy this in a big bag from Costco)
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced and crushed
• 1 medium red, yellow, or green bell pepper seeded and finely diced
• 3 to 4 Tablespoons of fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Cup (about) seeded, peeled and cubed cucumber 
• 1/2 Cup chopped Cilantro
• 2 to 3 ripe Avocados, sliced or cubed depending on how you like it.
• To add a little spice to the recipe you can even add 1 small jalapeno seeded and diced.

Directions:

1. Follow cooking directions for Quinoa, drain if excess water, spread out and let cool on a baking sheet
2. Mix the garlic, peppers, salt and lime juice in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and whisk to combine. Add more salt or lime if desired. (this makes the vinaigrette)
3. Combine quinoa, pepper, cucumber, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Drizzle vinaigrette into the bowl and stir gently to cover ingredients.
4. Place avocado slices on a plate or combine in the same bowl as quinoa mixture. Drizzle more vinaigrette and serve immediately.

The following are approximations and may be more or less depending on what you add to the recipe.

Servings Per Recipe: 5 

Calories: 467

Fat (g): 32.4

Saturated (g): 4.4

Polyunsaturated (g): 2

Monounsaturated (g): 8

Trans (g): 0

Cholesterol (mg): 0

Sodium (mg): 600

Potassium (mg): 727.2

Carbs (g): 40.2

Fiber (g): 2.6

Sugars (g): 0.7

Protein (g): 7.9

Water Water Water

Water, Agua, Aqua, Tubig, Wasser, Eau, Vand, Vann, Vatten 水물水

Water is important, no matter how you may say or write it. And most of us don't drink nearly enough!

Water is essential for the body to function properly and actually makes up more than 75% of your body. Often times your body will be dehydrated or in need of water before you even have the "thirsty" sensation. We cannot survive with out it! 

Not only does our body run off water, but by drinking adequate amounts of water every day you will feel the many benefits. Some of which include; losing weight, having clear/radiant skin, feeling more energized, experiencing less hunger pangs, maintaining strong muscles and bones, and having healthy hair and nails (to name a few). Throughout the day you lose water through your breath, sweat, urine, and bowel movements. This water needs to be replaced in order to stay healthy. If not, then you could become dehydrated. If you do become dehydrated, the body will not have enough fluid to get blood to your organs, which is very dangerous! In other words water helps keep your entire system in balance! Get the picture? WATER IS ESSENTIAL. Are you drinking enough? It's time to evaluate your water intake.

So how much water are you supposed to drink?

There really isn't a set amount because everyone is different, but the Institute of Medicine advises that men and women try to consume 2.7 to 3.7 liters of water a day. Obviously you don't want to drink too
much, but that is hard to do if you are sipping it through out the day rather than gulping down a gallon all at once. I usually bring close to a gallon with me to work. If I don't have it sitting in front of me at my desk, then I generally will forget to drink it. 

"But when I drink more water I have to go to the restroom every 20 minutes..." 

Sound familiar?  Well, if you start drinking more water and notice that you have to go to the restroom more than is tolerable, then decrease the amount a little and keep it the same for 3 days. It takes about that long for your body to adjust to the new amount. After it adjusts some, add more, then do it again.  Also keep in mind that other fluids help with your water intake. Even eating raw fruits and vegetables is a great way to add more fluids into your diet. But remember that water is the best source for water ;) 

CHEERS! Now go drink some water!

Photo Credit: globalhealingcenter.com