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recipes

Smoked Chicken and Green Beans & Tri-Color Potatoes

March 16, 2021 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

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.


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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


smoked_chicken_prep.jpg

  • 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

Filed Under: Nutrition & diet Tagged With: recipes

One Pan Chicken & Veggies

January 2, 2021 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

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


1_pan_chicken_ingredients.jpg


1_pan_chicken_salad.jpg

  • 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. 


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1_pan_chicken_veggie_prep.jpg


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The final product! Might have gone long on the broil, but it was still delicious.

The final product! Might have gone long on the broil, but it was still delicious.

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!


Kathryn_1_pan_chicken_.jpg

Filed Under: Nutrition & diet Tagged With: recipes

Texas Trout

June 10, 2020 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment


Texas_trout_healthy_recipe.jpb


The final product. Delicious!

The final product. Delicious!

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:


Ingredients for the prep

Ingredients for the prep

  • 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


hummus_trout_alexander_training.jpg

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 pre-grilling

Trout pre-grilling

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!


Minute 0

Minute 0


Minute 14

Minute 14

Filed Under: Nutrition & diet Tagged With: recipes

How To Meal Prep For a Week

March 19, 2018 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

Meal prepping has been all the rage lately; seems like everybody has been talking about it, and for good reason: meal prepping has some huge benefits. It can cut cooking time, and ensure you have good healthy food when you need it. On the downside, it’s heavy on planning until you get in the swing of it. 

To help expedite the planning process, I have compiled a comprehensive guide on how to meal prep for a week, from grocery list to clean up. Pro tip: employ the “I cook, you clean” rule, because there will be a lot of dishes. Sadly, this does not work if you live by yourself.


meal-prep-done.png

Plan breakfast ahead

This meal prep plan will not include breakfast, so I encourage you to have a quick, easy breakfast recipe, if you are a breakfast eater. I have a quick smoothie every morning for breakfast or scramble eggs with grits. Both are simple and I can prepare them practically on autopilot.

The Menu

This is a step by step guide for preparing lunch and dinner for a week, for about 2 people. You can follow along with the text and pictures, or you can watch the video, which condenses it down to the most important steps.


meal-prep-menu.png

You can adjust the recipes to suit you and your family’s food preferences. Check out the menu and if you’d like to follow my plans exactly, and email me if you’d like the full grocery list. 

Getting started

You’ll want 3-4 baking pans lined with aluminum foil coated with a light layer of olive oil. You’ll also use a strainer, crock post and a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have a skillet, you can use another pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Marinate flat iron steak with Italian dressing in large ziploc bag. Return to fridge.

How to meal prep chicken

The secret to cooking chicken that doesn’t dry out is to coat chicken with olive oil on both sides before you season it. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, or seasoning of your choice, and put chicken in the oven. 

Wash your hands.

Write on a post it note what time you put it in, and when you need to check it. Set timer if you’d like. I suggest checking in 45 minutes. 


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meal-prep-timing.PNG

How to meal prep salmon

Line pan with aluminum foil and olive oil for salmon. 

Slice about half an orange and half a lemon. Coat salmon with olive oil, Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic seasoning, and place citrus slices on salmon. Put salmon in the oven. 

Wash hands. 

Update your post it note with time you put salmon in the oven, and time to check it. I suggest checking in 20 minutes. 


meal-prep-salmon2.JPG


meal-prep-salmon.JPG

How to meal prep vegetables


meal-prep-vegetables.JPG

Line another pan with aluminum foil and olive oil. 

Wash and dry asparagus, brussels sprouts, and broccoli. Of course, you can make more of one if you have a favorite. Chop the ends of the asparagus and brussels sprouts and discard. Chop the brussels sprouts and broccoli into bite sizes, and coat with olive oil and sea salt. 

Fill boiling pot with water and set to high heat, to prepare for the shrimp boil.

While the water is heating up, the salmon should be ready to check. Be sure that it flakes when you gently pull it apart with a fork. If it does, it is done. 

Remove it from the oven. This should make a little more room for the veggies, which are ready to be put in the oven. 


meal-prep-oven.JPG

How to meal prep a shrimp boil


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Prep your shrimp boil veggies: peel corn ears and break in half, wash and quarter oranges, and wash mushrooms and red potatoes. 

As soon as water begins to boil, add spices, bay leaves, and potatoes and corn. 


meal-prep-strainer.PNG

After 5-10 minutes, add mushrooms and oranges to shrimp boil. 

Don’t take your eyes off the shrimp! They only take about 4:00 to cook. Overcook them and they’ll stick to the shell when you peel them. 

Important: when the shrimp are done, save the water to make rice. To do this, pour the shrimp through a strainer placed in a bowl. 

How to meal prep rice

But first, it should be about time to check for the chicken to be done. I always use a thermometer on chicken because it should be well done for safety. Nobody’s got time for food sickness. Chicken should be 165 degrees measured on the thickest part of the biggest piece. 

When the chicken is taken out of the oven, everything should be out. Set the oven to broil and let it heat up. Bring the water in the boiling pot back to a boil. When it is boiling, add in the rice. Follow the instructions on the rice for amount of rice to cook give your estimate of how much water is boiling. 


meal-prep-shrimp.JPG

How to meal prep a giant salad

Wash a few more mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and lettuce. I use a combination of romaine lettuce and spinach for my salad. To skip a step, you can buy the spinach pre washed in a bag, but always wash it again. 

Combine all these ingredients in a big bowl and put back in the fridge. This is your dinner salad for all week. You can add to it as necessary. 

Confession: I don’t time rice. Check it occasionally and stir. It will be done when most of the water is boiled out. Yes, I know, very helpful. You are welcome. 

How to meal prep flat iron steak

The flat iron steak should be broiled about 5 minutes and then flipped over for 5 more minutes. I like the steak cooked in my cast iron, which isn’t big enough for both, so I did them separately. 

Food safety and freshness

When I prep food, my preference is to prep only 3 days in advance. However, sometimes people prefer to prep for a whole week, as I am showing here. You’ll want to take a few steps to ensure the food you eat is good all week. There are a few ways to do this: 

  • Freeze food that you will eat in 3-4 days or longer. Take out to thaw the night before.

  • Supplement prepped meals with healthy purchased meals through the week.

  • Have a big prep on Sunday, and then a mini prep for say, your protein, mid week.

One way to do this mini-prep is to prepare a crock pot recipe. Crock pots are so easy and make very tasty meals. 

How to meal prep a roast in the crock pot

Pour broth into the crock pot first. Add the roast, beans, french onion soup cans, bay leaves, and more broth if you have it. From here, you can either start the crock pot, or put this back in the fridge, ready to cook tomorrow during the day.

The Feast

When the flat iron steak is out of the oven, everything should be done and cooling. You have your choice of what to eat tonight, since all is available. Too add a lot more variety with a little bit of effort, you can make cooking night a taco night. 

With just sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, cheese, an avocado and tortillas, you get one more entirely different meal. You can have chicken tacos, steak tacos, and any sides you’d like.

You’ll have a little bit of clean up but the foiled lined pans cuts that down tremendously. If you’ll be bringing lunches to work, I suggest putting them in Pyrex or Tupperware in their correct portions before you refrigerate them. If you will be coming home to dinner, you can condense food into pans and cover with fresh foil or Saran wrap, instead of portioning them. 

I hope you found this guide helpful! I’d love to know how you use meal prepping and what tips you can share, too. Thanks for reading! 

Filed Under: Nutrition & diet Tagged With: how to, recipes

The Smoothie Recipe from The Iron Guru, Vince Gironda

March 4, 2018 by Kathryn Alexander 2 Comments

Smoothies and shakes are everywhere these days: green smoothies post yoga, protein smoothies post gym smash, and yogurt smoothies available in the grocery aisle for those on the go. They really are fantastic, as they are quick, versatile, and potentially healthy and delicious. This is one of my favorite recipes, adapted from Vince Gironda, the Iron Guru himself.

My Favorite Shake Recipe

You know I’m an old school iron girl at heart, so it makes sense that this recipes is based off Vince Gironda’s favorite shake recipe.

Vince Gironda, a preeminent bodybuilder and personal trainer in the 1940’s – 1990’s, developed what he called the Hormone Precursor Diet. It was heavy on protein and fat, with much of that coming from eggs. His original shake called for:

  • 12 ounces cream (half & half)

  • 12 raw eggs

  • 1/3 cup protein powder

  • 1 banana

My Take on Vince Gironda’s Shake

I am not a registered dietician, but I will explain how I adjusted this recipe for me. First, I use pasteurized HEB brand Liquid Egg. It’s quick and easy, and eliminates the chance of salmonella. Second, I adjust the recipe down a bit and omit protein powder. My recipe is:

  • 4-6 ounces half & half

  • 6 ounces Liquid Egg (the whole egg version)

  • 1 frozen banana (if not frozen, add ice cubes)

Update: I’ve had lots of questions about the Liquid Egg. It doesn’t make the smoothie taste like egg, but it does give a great whipped texture. Smoothies have a way of disguising flavors, which is why you have heard of people sneaking in greens in smoothies and shakes.

Check out the whole process in the video below.

Modifications

Along the way, I have changed it a bit. Sometimes I add central Texas honey, because, you know, cedar fever. (Can someone tell me if having local honey really helps prevent allergies?)

Other times I add strawberries and blueberries for sweetness. The possibilities are limitless! You can substitute skim milk for cream to cut down fat and calories. You can add peanut butter if you’re trying to gain weight, or PB2 if you like the flavor of peanut butter but not the calories.

Obviously, you can add protein powder to up the protein content. You can add raw spinach, which hardly adds any flavor, or beans, if you are a vegetarian to increase protein. Both of these add nutritive value but little flavor, which in this case, is a good thing.

There is truly not a right or wrong. Consider your goals (gain weight, lose weight) and needs (increase protein, increased nutrients) and adjust ingredients accordingly.

Why Am I Recommending a Bodybuilder Shake To You?

  • It’s easy

  • It’s fast (2 minutes, I kid you not!)

  • It can be pretty delicious, or at least, innocuous.

The Liquid Egg cuts down at least 9 minutes cooking time (based on the scrambled eggs I ate every day for breakfast for about 3 years), and really gives a great texture to the smoothie.

Your Turn!

Experiment with a smoothie if you have trouble fitting meals or quick breakfasts in your day. Whether your goal is to gain muscle (tone up), lose fat, or increase conditioning, eating enough protein and vegetables is key! Try using a shake to add those crucial nutrients in.

As always, please email me if you have questions! I would love to hear about your favorite smoothies and how you incorporate them into your day.

References:

http://blog.joshstrength.com/2017/07/4-epic-weight-loss-and-muscle-building-techniques-from-old-school-bodybuilding-legends/

https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/splendid-specimens-the-history-of-nutrition-in-bodybuilding/

Filed Under: Nutrition & diet Tagged With: how to, nutrition and diet, recipes, Vince Gironda

My Favorite Recipes

December 19, 2017 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

If you have read my writing or looked at my recipes enough, you know that one of my staple food principles is to make protein the base of your meal. This is usually chicken, fish, beef, or eggs, and it is the backbone, the most delicious part, of the meal. 

I have go-to seasonings and spices to make the meal truly feast worthy, because life is too short to eat bland food. For red meat, I use McCormick’s Grill Master Montreal Steak blend. In any kind of boil or stew, I use bay leaves. On almost all else, I use Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Seasoning Blends (either Poultry Magic or Seafood Magic). Finally, I end up topping nearly everything with either Tony Chachere’s or Zatarain’s. Seriously, almost everything. Scrambled eggs, potatoes, vegetables.

Below are some recipe ideas for building a meal from a healthy protein base. Feel free to season liberally. (Pictures are links to recipes.)


Throw Seafood Magic on this.

Throw Seafood Magic on this.


Tony Chachere's on this...

Tony Chachere’s on this…


Seafood Magic here too.

Seafood Magic here too.

My favorite chicken recipe 

A splurge worthy steak recipe here

What are your go-to recipes and spices? Mine have a decidedly Louisiana flair so I’d love to hear about yours!

Filed Under: Nutrition & diet Tagged With: recipes

Super Bowl Snacks with Light and Hearty Versions

February 3, 2017 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

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!


Shrimp prepped to grill

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


Before you begin assembling ingredients, soak the wooden kebab skewers. 

Before you begin assembling ingredients, soak the wooden kebab skewers. 


I prefer wooden skewers because they won’t burn you like the metal ones when you pick them up. Because you will. Ouch!

I prefer wooden skewers because they won’t burn you like the metal ones when you pick them up. Because you will. Ouch!

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.


Shrimp kebabs

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


Yes, those are Texas shaped chips.

Yes, those are Texas shaped chips.

  • 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. 


The nacho dressings.

The nacho dressings.

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


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.


sliced vegetables

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


fresh vegetables

Filed Under: Nutrition & diet Tagged With: recipes

Citrus Salmon & Broccoli on Rice

September 22, 2015 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

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.


citrussalmoningredients

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


broccoliprep

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. 


citrussalmon

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. 


citrussalmon1

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! 


citrussalmondone

Filed Under: Nutrition & diet Tagged With: recipes

How to Love Vegetables: a Delicious, Healthy Dinner Recipe

February 24, 2015 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

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


Brusselssproutsprep

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.


Brusselssproutsbrowned

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


Brusselssproutsdone

Filed Under: Nutrition & diet Tagged With: recipes

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