Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

I'm a big chili fan, so when I saw this recipe I definitely wanted to try it! Very simple prep and a major bonus when you can put this all together in a slow cooker and forget it while you go on with your day.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
Servings: 10 • Serving Size: about 1 cup • Points+: 5 pts • Smart Points: 5
Calories: 209 • Fat: 3 g • Sat Fat: 0 g • Protein: 23 g • Carb: 26 g • Fiber: 7 g
Sugar: 4 g • Sodium: 867 mg • Cholesterol: 50 mg

Ingredients: 
1 small onion, chopped
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans
1 (15.5 oz) can kidney beans
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 (10 oz) cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
4 oz can chopped green chili peppers, chopped
1 packet reduced sodium taco seasoning or homemade (see below)
1 tbsp cumin1 tbsp chili powder
24 oz (3-4) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

To make your own taco seasoning, omit the packet, cumin and chili powder above and use below instead:

1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions: 
Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomato, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker and mix well. Nestle the chicken in to completely cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro and your favorite toppings!

Photo and recipe credit: skinnytaste.com

Quinoa and Black Beans

I haven't had Quinoa for a while now, but I'm so happy I'm deciding to make it part of my weekly rotation in my meals. If you're trying quinoa for the first time or trying a new recipe for quinoa, this mix of quinoa, black beans, corn and spices will hopefully make this dish a new favorite!

Ingredients :
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (I choose low sodium)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:
1) Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.

2) Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

3) Stir frozen corn into the saucepan and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in black beans.

Note: I added cut up chicken breast to my dish, but without the chicken this makes a great side dish! Enjoy! :)

- Mike

3 Bean Turkey Chili

Let me just start by saying that I abolutely love chili!  This is a chili recipe that I got from a very good friend of mine, thanks Berta, that I could definetly use on this cold and crummy Minnesota winter day...wait, winter's APPARENTLY supposed to be over.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Crockpot 3 Bean Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

2 lbs lean ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped chilies, drained
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, undrained
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, undrained
1 (15.5 oz) can dark red kidney beans, undrained
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Brown turkey and onion in a medium skillet over medium high heat until cooked through. Drain any fat remaining and transfer to crock pot.

Add the beans, chilies, chickpeas tomatoes, tomato sauce and all of the seasonings, mixing well.
Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Photo & altered recipe: smells-like-home.com

Lean Mass Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Happy Friday everyone!  This goes out to all my pizza and hot wing lovers.  I know, I’m giving a recipe for pizza and hot wings?!  Yes, I am.  I came across this recipe on Muscle & Fitness and tried it and it was fantastic!  Even though it’s pizza, with a few smart selections for ingredients, it’s a pizza that will help you stay lean while still enjoying the taste of pizza and hot wings.  It’s high in protein and fiber while being moderate in fat.  I apologize for the picture.  I only had the before picture because when it came out of the oven I was too excited to eat it that I forgot to take the picture when it was cooked!  Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!   

Ingredients: 

• 6 oz grilled chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 tbsp + 1 tbsp (or to taste) low sodium hot wing sauce, divided
• 1/3 10-oz whole wheat pizza crust (slice off 1/3 the thickness; you can eyeball the measurement)
• 1 large tomato (or 2 small Roma or plum tomatoes), cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 1 1/2 tbsp reduced-fat crumbled blue cheese

Equipment:

Baking sheet

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Toss chicken in ½ tbsp sauce.
3. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet and lay the tomato slices evenly over it to cover the crust.
4. Top evenly with chicken, then sprinkle cheese over everything. Drizzle remaining sauce over top.
5. Cook pizza until crust is lightly crisped and toppings are hot, about 8–10 minutes.

Slow Cooker - Honey Garlic Chicken

 

Sometimes life gets a little hectic and you find it difficult to make a run to the grocery store.  I have a feeling we all could use a recipe that only takes a few minutes to throw together and usually can be accomplished with ingredients you already have in the house.  A friend of mine taught me the simplicity of using a crockpot to cook some fantastic and tasty meals.  This is one of those recipes that I use a lot because it can served with endless possibilities.  I serve it a lot with brown rice, but it can also be used on a sandwich, salad, wrapped in lettuce, added with stir-fried vegetables…like I said, it can be served in many ways.  I usually double this recipe because I like to use this recipe throughout the week with lunches and dinners.  Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks

3 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 tsp. dried basil

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup honey

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions

1.   Whisk together the garlic, basil, soy sauce, ketchup, and honey.

2.   Add the chicken to the crockpot.

3.   Pour the sauce over chicken and mix everything together.

4.   Cook on low for 4 hours.

5.   For crispy outside, spread onto a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes.

 

Photo and recipe: slenderkitchen

Green Drink

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

In honor of today I'm going to share a simple Green Drink. I usually have one of these with dinner every night. All you need is a banana, an orange, some strawberries, and spinach or kale. Throw all of this into a blender and fire it up! Just add water to get it to the consistency that you like. Also, for all the parents out there, this is a great way for your kids to get those greens and fruits into their diet because it tastes fantastic! 

 

I was given this simple drink by a good friend of mine. She has a bunch of great recipes on her site. Check them out if you're looking for something new to try in the kitchen.

 Have a great day everyone!

 

Stuffed Peppers

I have made this recipe before and it is definitely one that I will be making again.  I substituted the lean ground beef with extra lean ground turkey, but some people just prefer the taste of beef over turkey so you can certainly stick with the beef.  I know it may look like a lot of work, but trust me, you'll love how it tastes!  I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I did!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 1/2 medium onions, chopped
• 18 oz. 95% lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 24-oz. jars pasta sauce
• 1 1/2 cup canned low-sodium Great Northern beans (rinsed)
• 6 cups baby spinach
• 12 bell peppers (red, orange, or green)
• 12 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Equipment:

• Baking dish (9 x 13)
• Sauce pan

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Once garlic browns slightly, add zucchini and onions. Sauté until onions become translucent.
2. Add ground beef, stir, and cook until beef is browned. Mix in pasta sauce, beans, and baby spinach. Turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. While the sauce is simmering, slice the tops off the peppers and remove core, seeds, and white membrane from inside peppers. Place peppers in a 9 x 13 baking dish with 1/4 inch of water in the pan.
4. Fill each pepper with meat/vegetable sauce. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Spoon 1 tbsp. of cheese onto each pepper, then bake for another 10 minutes.

Photo and Recipe: muscleandfitness

Amazing Protein Breakfast Recipes

Your breakfast will never be the same after adding these delicious and nutritious protein packed recipes from elites such as Jay Cutler, Kelly Knox and James Grage. With staples including oats, fruits, nuts, spices and protein powder, these recipes will fuel you the right way for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

My personal favorite is Kelly Knox's Sprouted Buckwheat Pumpkin Pancakes.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Pumpkin
• 1/3 cup sprouted Buckwheat Flour
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1/2 scoop Vanilla Caramel Whey-HD protein powder
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2-1 tsp Baking Powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp Sugar (you can do coconut sugar, baking Stevia to go sugar free)
• 1/2 heaping tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 heaping tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions

1. Combine the first five ingredients. Then, add the egg whites and almond milk. You can also make these your own by adding favorites like blueberries, chocolate chips, crushed walnuts, canned pumpkin, and mashed bananas to the mixture.
2. Cook on a griddle greased with a bit of coconut oil.
3. Top with optional garnish such as almond butter, jelly, coconut butter, coconut oil, or pure maple syrup.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size 1 Pancake (Recipe yields 4)

Amount per serving

Calories 89

Total Fat 1g

Total Carbs 17g

Protein 5g

Click the link below to visit bodybuilding.com for all seven recipes.

7 Amazing Protein Breakfast Recipes

Photos & Recipe: bodybuilding.com