Another Low-Key Weekend

With my crazy work schedule as of late and Nathan coming home from Vegas and promptly getting sick, a low-key weekend was just what we needed. Plus, in 2 weeks we’re heading back home for some more family time and a wedding that we’re both a part of so we need to save up all of our energy for that!

Friday night wine.

Saturday brunch. First time trying kippers!

Fabulous Saturday dinner – garlic herb roasted chicken, basil panko roasted cherry tomatoes, shaved parm, balsamic bbq, and red wine.

A new favorite healthy bites recipe – Coconut Vanilla Latte!

Nathan’s California burger tour continues to Habit Burger, voted the best fast food burger.

Habit Burger ranks #1 for me over In N Out or Five Guys. It helps that they actually have a few things on the menu for me to choose from!

Like I said, low-key but much-appreciated! Now we’re ready to take on this week’s craziness.

Weekly Meal Plan

Sunday – Leftovers
Monday – Quinoa Crusted Chicken Strips with BBQ Honey Mustard, roasted potato wedges, & garlic broccolini
Tuesday – Sloppy Joes with corn, avocado, and quinoa salad
Wednesday – Leftovers
Thursday – Kung pao chicken stir fry with green beans
Friday – Out!
Saturday – Leftovers

Food for Thought

Did you have any fun plans over the weekend?

Foodie Friday: Skinny Spinach Basil Pesto

Have you entered my Peanut Butter & Co. giveaway?

For a couple of weeks I was on a serious cottage cheese kick. It started with my cottage cheese oats and didn’t stop there! It’s a great way to add extra protein to your favorite dishes and add a little extra creaminess too. I was really in the mood for a pesto-y kinda lunch but unfortunately it looked like the pesto in the fridge had seen better days. Whoops..  good thing we had everything I needed to whip up my own skinny-fied version.

Skinny Spinach Basil Pesto

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients
– 1/3 cup cottage cheese [I used low fat Daisy]
– 1/2 cup spinach
– 5-10 fresh basil leaves
– 2 tsp nutritional yeast*
– 1 tbsp lemon juice
– 1 tbsp pistachios
– 1 tsp McCormick Garlic Pepper Seasoning

Directions
Put all ingredients into a food processor and give it a whirl until smooth.

I tossed my pesto into a pan with zucchini noodles, roasted kabocha, and a filet of sole. Once it warmed up, the cottage cheese got extra creamy and melty. Just what I was looking for!

*Nutritional yeast can be found on iHerb.com. Use code ZAF482 to receive $5 off of your first order.

Nutritional Information
Per single serving of pesto

113 Calories  /  5g Fat  /  8g Carbs  /  3g Fiber  /  3g Sugar  /  11g Protein

This reminds me, I really need to make this again soon! And with that, it’s about time I get myself ready for a relaxing wine country getaway with my husband of almost 1 year. Can’t believe how quickly time flies.

Food for Thought

Are you a pesto fan?
Do you have any big plans for the weekend?

Foodie Friday: Cajun Chicken Pasta

Have you entered my Mara’s Pasta giveaway yet?

When I was a kid, I was a HUGE pasta junkie! My family always knew that if we were doing big dinners, as long as there was a big bowl of buttered noodles on the table, I was good to go. I ate other things, but pasta was go-to. I definitely went back in time a bit on the honeymoon; once I tasted the fresh, homemade pasta in Italy, it was all I wanted! Maybe that’s a lie.. I wanted lots of gelato and wine too. But I digress..

As I mentioned the other day, a few weeks ago, I received a package from Mara’s Pasta. I was excited to make a fresh, summery pasta dish with my new treats. I also knew that whatever I was making, I wanted it to be an quick and easy dish that I could make after work. Enter the dish below. Having leftover grilled corn on the cob and using canned tomatoes helped pull this dish together in a jiffy! And don’t forget the splash of red wine. As Nathan says, you should never miss the opportunity to add alcohol to your food. 😉

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients
– 1 16oz box Mara’s Fettuccine
– 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
– Cajun seasoning [I used McCormick]
– 1/2 red onion; sliced
– 2 grilled ears of corn; cut off the cob
– 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes [I used Hunt’s]
– 2 cloves garlic; minced
– Splash of red wine
– EVOO
– Grated parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook your pasta according to the directions on the box, removing from the water 1-2 minutes before completely cooked. It will be going back into the pot, so you want to make sure it still has a nice bite to it.

While the pasta is cooking, bring a grill pan up to heat. Season your chicken with cajun seasoning, drizzle some EVOO on the pan, and cook the chicken about 8-10 minutes per side until completely cooked through.

After the pasta is cooked and while the chicken is cooking, return the pot to the stove at medium heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO to the pot where you cooked your pasta. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the corn and garlic into the pot and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Finally, add in the tomatoes with liquid and splash of red wine. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Turn the heat down to low and toss the pasta back in with the sauce. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce is fully coating the pasta. Cut the chicken into thin slices, add some pasta to a bowl, and top with the sliced chicken and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Food for Thought

What was your favorite food as a kid?

Foodie Friday: Chipotle Lime Sweet Potato Tofu Burgers

My recent order from Relay Foods left me with a bunch of sweet potatoes [I’m not complaining!] so I was searching for different ways to prepare them. I found tons of sweet potato burger recipes on Pinterest, including this one from The Lean Green Bean, which I thoroughly enjoyed last week.

This totally inspired me to figure out another burger recipe. I’ve also been trying to cut back on grocery costs so I loved being able to stretch all of my ingredients in burgers. Not to mention, they’re so versatile!

Chipotle Lime Sweet Potato Tofu Burgers

Makes 8 burgers

Ingredients
– 1 large sweet potato; steamed
– 1 12oz. container extra firm tofu; drained and pressed
– 1/2 cup quinoa; cooked
– 1/2 medium onion; chopped
– 2 stalks green onion; chopped
– 2 chipotles in adobo; chopped
– 2 cloves garlic; minced
– 1 lime; zested and juiced
– 2 tbsp coconut flour
– 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
– 1 tsp chili powder
– 1 tsp garlic powder
– 1/4 tsp cumin
– Salt & pepper to taste
– McCormick Salt-Free Fiesta Citrus Seasoning [LOVE this stuff!]

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mash together until well combined. Form into 8 patties and place on a prepped baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Enjoy on a bun with lettuce, tomato, & onion or over a bunch of roasted vegetables. Always top with avocado or guacamole.. it practically completes the burger!

Additional Toppings
– Garlic-Chipotle Love Sauce
– 5-Minute Chunky Guacamole

Nutritional Information
Per burger

117 Calories  /  3g Fat  /  16g Carbs  /  3g Fiber  /  5g Sugar  /  7g Protein

Food for Thought

What is your favorite burger?

Roasted Squash & Chick Pea Baby Kale Salad

Have you entered my Just My Imagination giveaway yet? Only 2 more days!

I am an absolute squash fiend; winter squash in particular. Butternut squash is currently my favorite, but I’ve recently found out about so many more kinds to try! Over the weekend I finally got my hands on delicata. I’d say in terms of flavor, it compares to acorn squash, but it’s so much easier to prepare which instantly wins me over. Not to mention you can eat the skin which also makes it great for salads.

I don’t know about you, but during this time of year, along with some fun new desserts, I’m always looking for an equally fun and tasty salad to bring to holiday gatherings. And nine times out of ten, mine include squash!

Roasted Squash & Chick Pea Baby Kale Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
6 cups baby kale greens
1/3 cup raisins, craisins, or dried cherries
1 medium delicata squash; sliced
1 can chick peas; drained, rinsed, & thoroughly dried
3 tsp coconut oil; divided
3/4 tsp salt; divided
3/4 tsp ground black pepper; divided
1 tsp McCormick Fiesta Citrus Seasoning

For the Vinaigrette
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place sliced squash on one baking sheet and coat with 2 tsp coconut oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Place chick peas on another baking sheet with the remaining 1 tsp coconut oil, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 black pepper, and 1 tsp fiesta citrus seasoning. Bake squash and chick peas for about an hour, flipping the squash 1 or 2 times and tossing the chick peas around. When finished, the squash should be golden around the edges and the chick peas should be nice and crunchy! Let cool completely.

While the squash and chick peas are cooling, place all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. After everything has cooled, throw kale, squash, chick peas, and raisins (or other dried fruit) in a large bowl and toss with about 3/4 of the vinaigrette. Make sure everything is equally coated. Drizzle the last bit of dressing over top of the salad and top with a little freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

To make it into a more substantial meal, throw 4oz of your favorite protein on top!

Nutritional Information
Per serving, for 4 servings

218 Calories  /  6g Fat  /  35g Carbs  /  8g Fiber  /  12g Sugar  /  8g Protein

Food for Thought

What is your favorite holiday salad to share?

FitBloggin’.. It’s What’s Trending

I’m completely exhausted. I can’t walk or sit down. And I cannot stop smiling.

I had been looking forward to FitBloggin’ for months and was so psyched when the weekend was finally arriving. I knew it was going to be super informative and a good time, but I don’t know that I realized exactly how much fun I was going to have.

Over the course of 2 1/2 days, I spent my time working out, collecting swag, munching on some rather amazing food, collecting swag, listening to presentations, and, oh yea.. did I mention collecting swag?! I think I smell a few giveaways… 😉

Friday morning started bright and early with 6am yoga. And while everyone kept telling me I was crazy to be waking up so early when I was taking a day off of work, I knew I didn’t want to miss any of the workouts, and I’m so glad I didn’t! We also got a little taste of crossfit with 2 sets of AMRAP squats, sit ups, and burpees, and finished off with an awesome workout with Cathe Friedrich. If I had to choose a favorite, I’d go with Cathe’s workout; definitely left there sweating!

That last picture on the bottom left cracks me up! That was some sort of squatting shoulder push up and yes, it felt just as silly as it looks!

Saturday’s workouts were extra sweaty which I was totally ready for. Bootcamp with Erin from Power Fitness was by far my favorite workout of the weekend. When she said “don’t stop moving,” she meant it, 6am or not! She’s a pistol and I absolutely loved her!

Trampoline BOUNCEcamp with JumpSport followed and Jami was the only one brave enough to make a fool of herself with me. It was a good workout that got a little crazy at the end and I would absolutely do it again! The last workout on Saturday was ZUMBA. Holy moly was that fun! It was my first ZUMBA class and I let myself go!

The food on all weekend was great and we were quite ravenous after our workouts. Buffet style = going back for seconds!

I’ve already started planning some new recipes inspired by these meals and can’t wait to share them! (Mmmmmmm muesli!) And I definitely had my fair share of popchips. No complaints here.. they were such a great sponsor!

As for the biggest part of FitBloggin’, the presentations, I walked away with an incredible about of information that I can’t wait to break out. One of my favorite presentations was Harnessing the Power of YouTube by Sarah. I took the most away from her talk and can’t wait to put some of her ideas to use! Look out for some video posts soon 😉

In the midst of all of the workouts and chats, I got the opportunity to meet some of my favorite bloggers; Brittany from Eating Bird Food and Julie from Peanut Butter Fingers. I’ve been following their blogs for quite some time now and it was so great to finally get to chat with them in person.

And with that, I leave you with some of my absolute favorite moments of the weekend. I can’t thank Roni Noone enough for putting this amazing conference together and for doing such an incredible job with everything. I had the time of my life and hope to see everyone next year in PORTLAND!!

*Thanks to Kate, Mary, and more for the pics!