I was craving something different and something I haven’t had before so I immediately started searching the internet for recipes.

I stumbled upon a Chicken Piccata recipe and the lemons caught my eye. I’m not a caper fan so I knew right away I would be leaving that out! I tried to make the recipe my own because sometimes I don’t agree or like everything I see. I omitted the added sugar, changed the flour, and used some dried herbs. It turned out great.

If you are a fan of lemon flavor this recipe will definitely be a hit. Marc and I both enjoyed it!!

HEALTHY LEMON CHICKEN

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2lbs of chicken breast cut into 5 pieces and pounded to 1/2-3/4 inch thin
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 garlic cloves, quartered
• 1 lemon cut into thin rounds
• 1 tbsp brown rice flour, or regular white/wheat flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp grated garlic
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Combine Lemon slices & garlic in a bowl.

2. Season chicken with Salt & Pepper. Heat large skillet to high heat. Add 2 tsp olive oil. Add chicken and cook about 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and place on plate. Add lemon and 1 clove of garlic to the pan with 1 tsp olive oil, turn frequently until lemon is browned. Remove lemon mixture and add to bowl.

3. Heat pan to medium heat add butter, grated garlic, oregano, thyme, onion powder and white wine to pan. Scrape up and bits on the bottom of the pan. Add chicken stock brown rice flour and 1 tsp butter to pan. Bring to a boil and stir. Simmer for a few minutes. Add chicken back to the pan and cook another 2-4 minutes on medium heat. Place chicken on plate and top with Lemon mixture.

We served this with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans in olive oil.  We’ve had this recipe twice and we loved it both times!

Today I am linking up with the What I Ate Wednesday Crew to share my eats from yesterday!

My morning started off with a glass of water and a 1/2 cup of French Vanilla Coffee with a splash of milk. I woke up hungry so you can bet I immediately started preparing breakfast.

Resorting to my easy go-to breakfast, I made 2 eggs, sautéed spinach in olive oil, a piece of bacon and a slice of whole grain toast. This meal never disappoints.

Yesterday I had an amazing opportunity to spend the ENTIRE Tuesday morning with Ava, without any clients or classes!! Woohoo. WE dropped Cooper off at the dog groomer at 830am and then ran a bunch of errands.

We ended up shopping in Target for a full hour. I love that store but I want to buy everything. I swear we went for diapers, toilet paper, and eggs and somehow I left with a new shirt, halloween decorations, candles, food, a new toy for Ava. It was worth it though, Ava loves shopping and I love seeing her happy!!

On the way home I was starving, I had brought a banana with me so I snacked on that and a PRO BAR. This was an impulse purchase at Target and I am SO happy I bought them. They were healthy, sweet and filling.

We dropped off all our bags, played outside for a bit and then had to pick Cooper up from his groomer.

Doesn’t he look handsome?

And also 3 years younger?

I’m glad we had limited food choices in the fridge because I was hungry for lunch but had no clue what I wanted. There were 2 options, Kale Salad with pumpkin seeds & Turkey Meatloaf and of course I finished both.

I also snacked on some of this large Red Delicious Apple and I may have dunked some slices into a jar of peanut butter!!! 

Ava napped after lunch and I spent time doing my coaching computer work. Once she woke up I made a quick Chocolate Shakeology with PB2 and ran out again to do some more errands.

Ava seemed a little off to me when she woke up from her nap. Around 4pm she threw up out of no where, and this girl literally ejected everything in her system. I stayed calm even though it was disgusting and the smell alone could’ve made me sick to my stomach. I cleaned up the mess, changed her, & gave her a bath. She seemed to be doing a little better after, so maybe it was for the better.

When I looked at the clock and realized it was dinner time I starting panicking that I didn’t have enough time to get food in my system before Boot Camp.

I snacked on some baby carrots while I started to make dinner.

Luckily I had one of my go to easy dinner meals in the fridge!  Al Fresco Chicken Sausages are amazing and they whip up in a jiffy. I haven’t had one flavor that I didn’t like! I served the sausage with peppers and baked potatoes.

After teaching my Boot Camp class I came home and snacked on a Quest bar & some roasted plantains (not pictured sorry I was hungry!!)

With no food plans in mind yesterday, I was able to make some healthy choices and satisfy my taste buds without having to think too much!

What is something yummy you ate this week?

What’s your go to simple dinner meal?

I am always trying to sneak veggies into foods for Ava because lets face it, even the “good eaters” have a tough time getting the correct amount of veggies in on a daily basis. Although we all eat healthy I decided sneaking in some peppers would make this burger more flavorful & crunchy and that it did.

We all agreed that these were tasty and satisfying. I will definitely be making them again.

QUICK & EASY TURKEY BURGERS

1 lb Ground Turkey Meat

2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp water

1/2 cup red bell pepper (chopped into tiny pieces)

1/2 cup orange bell pepper (chopped into tiny pieces)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

Makes 5 burgers 

Directions:

• Chop peppers into tiny pieces.
• In a large mixing bowl add in all ingredients, mix until everything is combined. I used my hands but you can use a large spoon.
• Form into 5 burgers. Some of the pepper pieces might fall out but you can stuff them back in.
• Heat grill to high (about 400 degrees) cook approximately 8-10 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

These burgers are delicious served over a salad, in a lettuce wrap, on a bun or in a wrap. I don’t know about you guys but even though summer is coming to an end I will NOT stop grilling until the snow piles up over our grill

What foods do you try to sneak veggies into?

Do you like turkey burgers?

On Friday I went to the YMCA for a little bit in the morning and the rest of the day was spent with my sick little Ava around the house. I was still very fatigued myself and my sore throat came and went all day long. My body was telling me one thing… slow down and rest! I didn’t want to push her or myself so we spent time snuggling and watching LOTS of TV… well Ava did but I tuned it out.

She had no interest in books or playing so I just let her rest with me on the floor with some pillows, blankets and Mickey Mouse.

In the late afternoon I started feeling a little bit better. I really think a few cups of green tea and lots of fruit helped me get some energy back. I actually cooked us some delicious blackened salmon with veggies & sweet potatoes for dinner and I’m glad I did because the salmon was AMAZING.

I was looking for plain & healthy foods and this meal was perfect. We spent the night relaxing and entertaining Ava until she went to bed.

Saturday morning I woke up to a snotty kid and some congestion myself. I took that as a good sign because our colds were progressing but man I felt like I regressed a bit. I had a cup of green tea and a few sips of a the iced coffee Marc bought me to get myself going and began to slowly get some energy.

We decided to take Cooper & Ava for a long walk around and I’m glad we did because FRESH AIR is a great cure! It really did make us all feel better.

After our walk we headed to my parents to let Ava play outside in the pool and eat some snacks on my parents deck, the weather was amazing.

Ava loves the outdoor shower and so did Marc.

In the afternoon we grabbed a light lunch from Citarella. We got a Spicy Tuna roll, grilled vegetables & a rotisserie chicken, it was random but delicious.

Ava took a nice long nap and I did some errands (CVS, Anthropologie, grocery store) and then it was time to get ourselves showered up for dinner.

We headed to Villa Italia in Stamford, CT for an early birthday dinner for my mom’s best friends.

Her husband is the owner and chef of the restaurant! We were pretty lucky to be able to eat dinner with her while she was working.

We started off with a glass of wine and an appetizer. Marc had ordered BBQ Chicken Livers.. BLAH the thought and sound of liver almost makes me gag but I was forced to try it and you know what it was actually pretty good and I wouldn’t lie. The BBQ sauce was amazing and the only thing I really didn’t like was the after taste!

I give myself credit for trying it and for all you chicken liver fans out there, Marc said it was awesome!

For my main course I ordered Filet of Basa Calabrese. Basa is a white fish and it was cooked in a red sauce with peppers, artichokes, onions, capers & calamata olives! It was superb and I even had a piece leftover to wrap up. I love leftoverssssss.

It was such a beautiful night and I was so happy that we could enjoy dinner outside on the patio.

I was very surprised that Ava made it through a 2 hour dinner with only a few little tantrums considering she wasn’t feeling well all day.

Sunday our morning started off with another long walk with the family and then errands, a couple trips to the playground with Ava and some relaxation around the house to rest up for the big week ahead of us! I also managed to do some food prep.

My best friend is getting married next weekend so I took full advantage of time at home to kick my feet up!

What do you do when you or your kids are sick?

What’s your favorite italian dish? 

It’s much easier to get together with my friends at someone’s house instead of a restaurant because they kids are able to entertain each other and they aren’t forced to sit in a chair for more then an hour! It works out for all of us.

A few weeks ago I had mentioned that I love Chicken Marsala. Actually I love when my mom makes it and I get the leftovers, because clearly moms make the best dinners!

I attempted to make my own using Rice Flour, I’m not Gluten Free but ironically that’s the only type of flour we had in our house at the time, so I went with it. I’m not against white or wheat flour, I actually enjoy all different types of flour but in moderation.

If you want to replace the Rice Flour with your choice of flour I think the recipe would still turn out healthy & tasty!

CHICKEN MARSALA RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

2 Boneless Chicken Breasts (about 1 lb)

1/2 cup Rice Flour

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 tbsp Whipped Butter

1/2 Cup Marsala Wine

1/4 Cup White Wine

1/4 Chicken Stock

2 tbsp Whole Milk (mixed with 1 tbsp Rice Flour)

1 teaspoon dried Parsley or 1 Tbsp chopped Fresh Parsley

Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

• Cut Chicken breast into 4 pieces. Place plastic wrap over them and pound each one to about an inch thick.
• Place Flour on a plate and dredge each piece of chicken in it. Sprinkle with salt, pepper & parsley.
• Heat Oil over medium heat and once oil is hot, fry each piece of chicken for about 3-4 minutes on each side (until golden brown). Remove chicken and place them on a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium and add butter & mushrooms.
• Salute for 4-5 minutes. Add both wines, milk, & chicken stock. Let cook for 4 more minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Mix all the ingredients well.
• Serve with potatoes, broccoli or salad!

I love the fact that I was able to put a healthier twist on the chicken marsala recipe without sacrificing flavors.

You don’t need a ton of cream, milk, butter, oil to make a recipe taste good, but I do believe that you need some!

Have you ever tried cooking with Rice Flour? Did you notice a difference in taste?

Let me explain a little…. During my whole first trimester I was nauseous. This lasted about 16 weeks, and there were certain foods that made my stomach churn (Mexican being one of them). After I got passed all the morning sickness, chili, tacos, and Mexican flavors slowly made there way back on our menu, but it wasn’t the same.

I literally have to crave Mexican food in order for me to want to cook it and eat it now. I’m not gonna lie, I’m not happy about this, but there’s nothing I can really do to change it.

Anyways, Sunday night I had a Mexican craving, woohoo!! I wanted some sort of chicken fajita salad with lots of fix-ins and toppings.

I whipped up a quick marinade for the chicken, without following a recipe online and I couldn’t have been happier with the simple flavors.

I debated whether or not to add cumin or chili powder (which would probably be amazing) but I know Ava isn’t a huge fan of cumin.

CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN MARINADE

Ingredients:

1 lime, juiced (about 2 tbsp)

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp cilantro chopped

3 large chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)

Directions: Combine all the ingredients in a large plastic ziplock bag and mix until chicken is coated evenly.

Thank goodness the weather is warming up, because we were able to grill this delicious chicken and it only took about 20 minutes on medium-high heat. While we had the grill on, we also roasted a red pepper and zucchini (drizzled with olive oil & sea salt).

I originally thought I was going to make a salad, but my plate turned into a big pile of Mexican madness. There was no organization to it but I couldn’t put my fork down. I had lettuce, brown rice, roasted peppers, zucchini, cilantro lime chicken, salsa, avocado, and a sprinkle of cilantro on the top. I don’t think Marc and I spoke while we ate because we were too into the delicious flavors.

We also enjoyed some Late July Tortilla Chips with our meal.

Ava even loved the chicken! It’s always a win when she approves of the meal.

Are there any foods you couldn’t eat while you were pregnant?

Are you a Mexican food fan, if so what’s your favorite dish?

Wow somehow it’s Thursday already and it seems like I can’t keep track of my days this week because they are flying by (no complaints!)

Yesterday the weather warmed up for us a bit. I was able to get out and walk Cooper in the late afternoon. The sun was shining, but don’t get me wrong it was still freezing when the wind blew. I let him run around at the park and then we walked along the water. Fresh air always feels nice even when your nose turns red.

I have a recipe to share with you today that is a great substitute for regular Beef Meatballs. I made turkey meatballs the other night in hopes that we could sneak some veggies in for Ava and of course for myself too.  I love red meat, but obviously its nice to change things up and keep it healthy!

These were so easy to make and they turned out super moist (thanks to the veggies). I had 2 meatballs on my plate but I couldn’t help but to grab another one. Ava kept making an MMMM-MMMM noise when she was eating them and reaching for more.  When she says MMMM that’s her happy, I like these Mom noise. WIN! If she didn’t like them she would hand them off to Cooper so I was happy she approved.

Sometimes turkey meat dries out so I was super happy with the result and I WILL be making them again.

Kid Approved Turkey Meatballs Recipe (with hidden veggies)

• 1 lb Ground Turkey
• 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped Mushrooms
• 1/3 finely chopped Spinach (I used frozen, make sure the water is drained)
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb

(I used Trader Joe’s Ground Turkey, it was great!)

DIRECTIONS:

Make sure not to over cook the meatballs because they will eventually dry out!

We served these with some gluten free pasta and lots of veggies, but you could have them with quinoa or as is with a side salad!

What is your go to Kid-Approved dinner recipe?

Do you enjoy walking outside during the winter when its not -15 degrees out?

My workouts have been quite intense this week (check out the average hear rate for one of my workouts). I guess I shouldn’t wish for Sunday, I just want it to be Saturday afternoon so I can chill.

Anyways, I wanted to share a soup recipe with you that Marc made this past weekend. He had a recipe that he has been wanting to make and without me asking he started prepping and cooking soup on Sunday!! A break from cooking is always nice for me!

These past couple of weeks, it has been so cold and snowy around here. I don’t know about you guys but we have definitely been making more “comfort foods.” Soup is very comforting for me. It warmed me right up and left me with a full belly! We all know a Full Belly= Satisfied!

SAUSAGE, KALE, & POTATO SOUP

Ingredients:

• 1 package chicken sausage
• 1 bunch Kale, pulled or cut into small pieces
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4-5 white potatoes cut into small chunks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¾ tablespoon oregano
• 1-teaspoon basil
• 1-teaspoon crushed red pepper flake (more if desired)
• 2 cups low sodium chick broth
• 2 cups of water
• ¼ cup milk
• Add Salt & black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place sausage in a large pot on medium-high heat. Turn occasionally until all sides are brown. Remove from pan and cut into slices ¼ wide. In same pan add onion and olive oil cook on low heat until golden brown. In another pot boil potatoes for 5-10 minutes to soften. Add all remaining ingredients except the kale, into the large pot with the onions and cut sausage and simmer for 35-40 minutes. Before serving the soup, add the kale to the pot and cover for 10 minutes to wilt the kale.

I love the Kale in this soup, it adds a nutritious punch, but the potatoes keep it hearty and filling. If you aren’t into kale try subbing in spinach. ENJOY!

What is one of your winter comfort foods?

Are you a big soup fan?

It’s time to share with you my daily eats. I am linking up with Jenn again for a What I ate Wednesday post!!

Yesterday I posted on Tips to eliminate the sugar overload from Halloween, so I stuck with clean eating yesterday and I feel great today.

 

 

I heated it up in the microwave and it tasted like a warm chocolatey brownie