Nutrition & diet

My new favorite way to make chicken is to smoke a whole chicken. Smoking gives an extra layer to the flavor, but you can always do this in an oven too. Whether in the smoker or an oven, a whole chicken and some vegetable sides provide protein and nutrients for days, and is not as work intensive as you’d think. In fact, the most time consuming part is preparing the vegetables, which is something you can easily substitute with quicker options.

This meal will feed at least 4 immediately. If you have leftovers, you can pair with salad for an easy healthy meal.

Prepping and Smoking the Chicken

To prep the chicken, I covered the it in olive oil and spices. That’s it. I have been using Traeger’s Fin & Feather rub, which is flavored largely with garlic and paprika. The whole chicken then goes in the oven or grill on 375 until the meat reaches an internal temperature between 160 and 165. This will take the better part of an hour.

Prepping the Sides

After the chicken has gone in, wash the green beans and snap the ends. Wash the new potatoes and add to the green beans. Chop one clove of garlic into small pieces and set aside. Cut 2-4 slices of bacon into 1 inch square pieces. Dry the beans and potatoes, and cover in olive oil and chopped garlic. Spread the vegetables onto a pan lined with parchment or butcher paper. Place the bacon pieces on top of the vegetables.

Cooking the Vegetables

When the chicken is done, verify that the meat is at an internal temperature of at least 160. When the chicken is removed, bump the heat to 400 degrees. When it is ready, put the vegetables in the oven or smoker for 20 minutes. Check at 20; add 3-4 minutes if the vegetables are not yet golden brown.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken

• 2 ounces olive oil

• chicken spice rub

• 1 pound green beans

• 1 pound tri-color or new potatoes

• 2-4 slices bacon

• 2 ounces olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

This 1 pan chicken and vegetable dish is simplicity in a delicious meal. It requires a few minutes of prep, but cooks in one easy step. I love starting with a first course, which in this case is salad. You can serve the salad immediately if you have guests who are ready to eat, or save it for mealtime. 

Salad

• spring mix salad

• 4 oz feta cheese

• 2 bell peppers

• olive oil 

Main Course

• 6-8 pieces of chicken legs and thighs

• new potatoes

• brussels sprouts

• olive oil

• Italian seasoning

• salt

• pepper

Prep Time

As always, wash your salads and vegetables. Throw the salad, sliced bell peppers, and feta cheese in a large salad bowl. 

Chop the Brussels and small potatoes in half. Place them in an oven safe pan and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

In a shallow dish, pour some olive oil and Italian seasoning. Dip the chicken in to cover each side, and then place on the vegetables. Salt and pepper to taste. Slice a lemon, and squeeze over the whole dish. Put them lemon in the dish to cook as well. 

Cook on 400 for approximately 40 minutes and ensure the chicken has reached 165 degrees internally. Finish with a broil for 3-4 minutes. 

Let cool until desired temperature and serve. Enjoy!

Quarantine has really brought out my inner cook. Unfortunately, she mostly cooks steak, salmon, eggs and tuna. So, I decided to mix it up with grilled trout. I prepared this like I would salmon, with garlic, seasonings, and a bit of butter. Trout looks very similar to salmon and cooks just as deliciously, but has a slightly different flavor which is fun to experiment with.

Ingredients

For pre-entree snacking: 

• 2 bellpeppers, the more colorful the better

• hummus

• pita chips

For the main course:

• trout

• 2 lemons

• mushrooms

• 3 oz butter

• salt & pepper

• 3 cloves garlic

• 2 cedar planks

• olive oil

For kebab sides:

• mushrooms

• 3+ bellpeppers

• kebab sticks

“Prep” Your Appetizer

Number one pro tip of the kitchen: have an appetizer. Hangry is not a good look on anybody, and as a host, I never want to make anyone wait in hunger. New recipes tend to take me longer than I expect, so appetizers to the rescue. It might be overkill to call this an appetizer, but for snacking, I opened a pack of hummus, pita chips, and sliced some bell peppers. Vóila.

Trout & Sides Prep

On to the main course. Soak the cedar planks and kebab sticks for 30 – 60 minutes before grilling. Soaking longer will not hurt them, so put these in a pan of water first.

Wash and dry the bell peppers and mushrooms. Chop the mushrooms in half and bell peppers in 1-2 inch chunks. Mix in a bowl with an ounce or so of olive oil so they are evenly coated. Optionally sprinkle with sea salt. Set aside while the kebab sticks continue to soak. 

Slice one of the lemons and mince the garlic cloves. 

Remove the cedar planks from their soak and lay the trout across them. Top the trout with a bit of olive oil, the garlic cloves, pats of butter, and finally the lemons. 

Skewer the kebabs with the mushrooms and bell peppers. 

Grill Specifics

Once the grill is heated to approximately 400 degrees, begin the trout and kebab grill. 

Check in 7 minutes to turn the kebabs and check on the trout. It will likely take 5-7 more minutes. 

Serve with a half slice of lemon to squeeze on the trout before dining.

If you try this, please let me know how it goes! I think you’ll love it!

It’s almost Super Bowl Sunday!! Are you ready for some football???

I am! I love the big game, and I take great pleasure in the whole shebang: the athletes, the plays, commercials, the party, the food.

Food is complicated these days! People tend to fall in two camps: those who are watching what they eat, and those who aren’t. Many people are dieting or trying to lose weight, but let’s be real: people come to a Super Bowl party to eat!

Here are some great party snacks that can be easily modified into a lighter version that’s just as delicious. Psstt…. this is great not only for the Super Bowl, but for any party where you anticipate needing both lighter and heartier options.

The Menu

Grilled Shrimp Kebabs

Loaded Nachos

Guacamole & Veggies

Grilled Shrimp Kebabs

• 4 pounds shrimp, precooked gulf coast shrimp are my favorite

• 1 ounce olive oil

• Cajun seasoning

• a few sprigs of cilantro, chopped

Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails on. 

Start the grill. 

Pat the shrimp dry and put in mixing bowl. Add 1 ounce of olive oil, Cajun seasoning, one minced garlic clove, and chopped cilantro to the shrimp. Mix ingredients until all shrimp are covered.

Skewer the shrimp in a horseshoe pattern. Place on the grill for about 2 minutes per side. 

Squeeze lemon juice onto the shrimp before eating. 

For a lighter option, enjoy them right off the grill. For a heartier option, dip in melted butter. 

Loaded Nachos

• Chips

• Shredded chicken breasts

• 1 can refried beans

• 1 can black beans

• sour cream

• shredded cheese

• salsa

Nachos are not going to be the most diet friendly food no matter what, but a la carte style nachos can be acceptable. Add on shredded chicken and beans for protein, and cheese and sour cream for extra flavor. For the lighter option, choose black beans and go easy or skip the cheese and sour cream. 

You can either boil the chicken or prepare it in the crockpot. If you boil it, add a few bay leaves for flavor, and let it boil 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. It should be done all the way through and not pink. 

Please note that these aren’t healthy/unhealthy options, just lower calorie. Refried beans have about 60 calories per serving fewer black beans, but neither is inherently unhealthy.

Guacamole

• 3 avocados

• 2 Roma tomatoes

• 2-3 teaspoons of cilantro, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• 1 lemon

• Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning

• sea salt

  For dipping into guac:

• baby carrots

• 2-3 pretty bell peppers

• broccoli and cauliflower cut into bite size pieces

Add sliced avocados, chopped cilantro, garlic clove, salt and Tony’s in a bowl. Squeeze a lemon on top of the contents of bowl. Keep tomatoes separate for now. 

I use a knife to chop the avocados finely, then finish by smooshing them further with a whisk. I prefer this over a potato masher because it leaves avocado chunks rather than a puree feel.

When you are satisfied with the consistency of the guacamole, add the tomatoes in.

Find a great bowl to display all the pretty vegetables and chips in. Bonus points if its themed.

Enjoy!

If you try these, let me know how they turn out for you! Let me know if you have other great recipes that can be modified for healthy options too. 

Shopping list for approximately 10 people:

• 5 chicken breasts

• 4 pounds shrimp, I love the pre cooked gulf coast shrimp

• optional chicken broth

• 1 can refried beans

• 1 can black beans

• 2 bags chips

• 16 oz sour cream

• 1 stick butter

• 2 or 3 pretty bell peppers

• 1 package baby carrots

• 2 roma tomatoes

• 3 avocados

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 lemon

• 1 lime

• small bunch cilantro

• wooden kebab skewers

• sea salt

• shredded cheese

• Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning

• 1 ounce olive oil

• salsa

Serves 2+

This meal requires a little bit of time – about half an hour- but it is high in protein, healthy, and deeelicious! Absolutely worth it! By being strategic about the food prep, you can time the salmon, broccoli, and rice to be hot and ready to eat about the same time.

Ingredients

• fresh salmon, 16 ounces

• 1 head of broccoli

• Zatarains rice

• 1 orange

• 1 lime

• 1 lemon

• olive oil

• salt

• thyme

• rosemary

• salt and pepper

• aluminum foil

• Parmesan cheese optional

First, obviously, wash your hands. Repeat this a million times throughout the cooking process. 

Then, preheat oven to 350. Gather all your ingredients on the counter so they are ready and easy to grab.

Line 2 pans with parchment paper for easy clean up, then layer with a thin spread of olive oil.

Broccoli

Wash head of broccoli, then shake and blot dry with a clean dish towel. The drier the better so the olive oil can coat the broccoli. On a clean cutting board, chop into bite size little broccoli trees, and evenly coat about an ounce of olive oil on all the pieces. Line out the little trees on one of the pans, with as much surface area as possible. A bunched up pile of broccoli won’t brown as well or taste as good. 

Sprinkle with sea salt and Parmesan cheese if you’d like. Go ahead and put the broccoli in the oven, and set a timer for 15 minutes. 

Rice

Now measure out your rice and water in separate measuring cups. The package will have instructions, but you generally boil twice the volume of water as rice. Begin the water boiling in a covered pot. If you are needing to have fewer carbs for some reason, have less rice. I usually make more so I can have leftovers.

Citrus

Slice half of the orange into thin slices, and save the other half. Repeat with the lemon and lime, keeping the uncut halves on a little plate. 

Salmon

Place the salmon skin side down on the other pan. Drizzle about half an ounce of olive oil on the salmon, then sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, and salt and pepper. Finally, place the citrus slices in a pretty pattern on the salmon. 

Put the salmon in the oven and check on the broccoli. The broccoli should need more time, so you can reset the timer for about 10 minutes, at which point both the broccoli and salmon should be near ready.

Wash your hands again.

Your water should also be boiling at this point, so you can add the dry rice to the water. It’ll quit boiling with the addition of the rice, but will heat up again. 

This leaves you with a couple minutes until the food is ready, if you have timed it all right. Don’t go too far from the oven because you’ll want to keep your eye on the rice. If you are kid- or otherwise responsibility-free during this break, it’s a good time to put the spices and leftover ingredients back up. 

Salmon should be ready when it flakes easily and is a bit opaque in color. This ended up taking 12 minutes in my oven, so be ready to check it, poke it, and add a couple minutes. 

When the rice, broccoli, and salmon are done, arrange them in a pretty set up on your best dishes. No sense in holding back on the good stuff. Lay the salmon down first, and arrange the rice and broccoli on the side. 

Squeeze the fresh lemon and lime halves on the salmon before serving. 

Half of this meal is approximately

• Protein: 51 g

• Fat: 10 g

• Carbs: 53 g

• Calories: 506

Leftovers? Pack it up over ice and have it for lunch tomorrow!

Make this and let me know how it turns out! I love to hear how people make recipes their own. Let me know! 

Fruit is proof that God loves us. I love fruit. It is so delicious, easy to carry, and requires no prep. I have to ration my fruit because I’d eat 15 pieces a day if I didn’t stop myself.

Vegetables, on the other hand… yuck. They require ranch dip or preparation, then end up soggy and smelly.  

As an adult, I have made a concerted effort to eat vegetables. The effort is well worth it for the payoff, especially for active people. After the trouble we go through to exercise, eat enough protein, and drink enough water, it makes sense to do everything we can to take care of our bodies in other ways.

Like eat vegetables.

After experimenting with many different vegetables, recipes, and preparation methods, I finally hit the jackpot: baked Brussels sprouts.  Half of you have probably done this before, but I just discovered it and cannot get enough.  

Add in a well seasoned baked chicken, and you’ve got a complete, healthy dinner.  Try this out and let me know how you like it!  I love to hear other people’s cooking tips and tricks!

Oven Baked Italian Chicken and Roasted Brussels Sprouts 

Serves 2

• 2 chicken breasts, not frozen
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
• 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• nonstick cooking spray
• Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• sea salt
• pepper

Preheat oven to 375.  For easy cleanup, line 8.5 x 12” pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Place chicken breasts on foil and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil on chicken, coating both sides.  Sprinkle Italian seasoning and dried oregano on both sides of chicken.  Set timer to 30 minutes and place chicken in oven.

Thoroughly wash and dry Brussels sprouts.  Trim the end off and discard.  Cut the sprouts in quarters and place in large bowl.  Add 1 ounce of olive oil and a dash of Kosher salt, and toss to evenly coat all sprouts.  Add to oven.

Ensure chicken cooks to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  Food thermometers are the safest way to cook, but if you do not have one, cut through the thickest part of the breast and be sure the meat is not pink.  Don’t hesitate to put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

Brussels sprouts will be done in approximately 20 minutes.  They will be browned on the outsides, and outer leaves will be crisped.  Feel free to test 1 or 2 or 5 to see.  🙂  Coat with 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese before serving.

1 serving (approximately 5 ounce chicken breast and half the sprouts) is 17g fat, 20 g carbs, 33 g protein, and 373 calories.