Shredded Chicken Burritos

1 lb. boneless chicken breast, cut, or chicken tenders
2 TB. vegetable oil ( I used olive oil)
5 TB. butter, divided ( you can use about half of this if you want)
1 large onion, sliced and divided
2-3 TB. regular or medium chili powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. granulated garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4-1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1/4-1/2 tsp pepper, to taste
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces ( I used 1 large one)
1 green bell pepper, minced
1 15 oz. can low salt black beans, drained and rinsed.
2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4-1/2 cup sour cream
1/4-1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Pico de gallo:
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1 peach diced
1/2 mango, diced (if you cant find a peach use the whole mango)
1/3 cup corn kernels
1 small onion, diced
1/4 tsp salt, to taste
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, to taste
2 TB minced fresh cilantro (optional)

12 large burrito wrappers

In a large, covered pan, heat the oil. Add the chicken, 1 TB of the butter, 1/2 sliced onion, Chili powder, onion powder, granulated garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix well, cover and cook over low heat for 2 hours.

While chicken cooks, prepare the pico de gallo by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

After the chicken has been cooking for 1 1/2 hours, place the sweet potatoes in a separate saucepan. Add enough water to cover the sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until tender about 15 min.

Remove the chicken from the pan, Shred the chicken with forks or your fingers and place in a roomy bowl. Cover and set aside. Rinse out the pan. place the bell peppers and remaining onion in the pan and cook over medium heat until the peppers begin to blacken. Remove from the heat.

Drain the sweet potatoes and mash. Place in the pan with the bell peppers/onion mix. Add 1 TB of the butter, the brown sugar and salt to taste and heat over medium-low heat until heated through. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl with the chicken. Add the beans and mix well. take a burrito and place some of the mixture in the center. Add some sour cream and cheese. Fold up the top and bottom and then the sides to seal. Repeat with the remaining burritos. In a large pan, heat the remaining 3 TB butter over medium heat. Place the burritos in the pan, folded side down, and cook for 2 minutes. Carefully flip the burritos and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove from the an and top with Pico de Gallo and extra sour cream, if desired.

Prep time: 30 min
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 12 burritos

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

Calories: 330
Calories from fat: 130
Total fat: 14.g
Cholesterol 35mg
Sodium: 500
Carbohydrate: 36
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 16g

How eating healthy and exercise is paying off.

Okay so here is how I am doing personally with my new years goals. This is not just a temporary change. It is a lifestyle change for me. I love how I feel and I love seeing the success I have made. First let me say that my motive was not to lose weight, but to eat healthy so I could feel healthy. Yes losing a few vanity pounds will not upset me by any means. The first thing I did was made a plan. I chose the eating for life program. 6 small meals a day. In January I wrote down every single meal for the entire month. I did not eat it unless it was on the schedule. I probably need to do that again because I have slacked off of the strict meal planning for Feb. I feel writing it down made it so I didn't have to think or decide about anything. I also work out at least 5 days a week. I do a mix of cardio training as well as weight training. I have been tracking everything I eat and all the exercise I do on www.myfitnesspal.com. This is a great website to sign up on because it is very easy to track your food and it helps to succeed in your goals. Okay so my starting weight at the new year was 166. I now weigh 157. I have lost 9 pounds in 7 weeks. I am halfway and I feel great. When Erik ad I got married i was around 150 and I would love to be there again. My clothes are fitting better and I have so much more energy with this lifestyle change. I know people see me and say I don't need to lose weight. I don't think I am fat but I do know where I store my fat. I am tall and losing 10 pounds for me is probably equivalent to someone who is 5'6" losing 2 or 3 pounds. I can wear the same pants at 150 pounds as I do at 170 pounds. I guess that is an advantage of being tall. I am not writing this to brag, but to maybe give others the motivation they need to eat right and exercise to lose the weight they want to. It is a slower process, but when the pounds shed they stay gone.

Healthy Bean Wrap

1 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Cole slaw package about 10 oz
Mix in Large bowl and set aside

4 green onions with tops chopped
8 multi grain tortillas (or whole)
1 fat free 8 0z cream cheese
Picante sauce (2 tbs per wrap) Use your favorite salsa
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

For each bean wrap spread tortilla in this order:
*cream cheese
*picante sauce
*bean mixture
*cheese
*green onions

roll tortilla and ten place seam side down onto a serving plate.

Nutritional Information: serves 8

cal: 252.75
carbs: 40.37
fat: 8.125
protein: 15.8

I made this tonight and really didn't think I would like it. I LOVED it. It was surprisingly really good. I have had this recipe for several months but kept putting off wanting to make it. It just didn't sound that good. It is so good and I cant wait to have left overs tomorrow. FYI....my nutritional info on this was calculated by me so it may not be 100% accurate.

Crunchy Green Beans!

4 cups fresh or frozen green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1 1/3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup cold water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1/4 cup slivered almonds.

Directions
1. Place the beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil; cook, uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender.

2. meanwhile in a skillet, saute celery and mushrooms in oil until tender. Combine cornstarch, cold water and soy sauce until smooth; stir into celery mixture. Stir in bouillon. bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Drain beans and add to the celery mixture. Stir in almonds.

Nutritional Information Serves 5
cal: 101.2
carbs: 10
fat: 5.6
protein: 4.8

Another big hit at our house. Erik ate most of this dish. No left overs. We ate these last night with our pistachio crusted salmon.

Pistachio Crusted Salmon

4 3oz salmon
1 T Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 oz pistachios- shelled
1 clove garlic
1 shallot, minced

preheat oven 425*

chop pistachios until size of breadcrumbs, mix with bread, garlic and shallots.

Season with salt and pepper.
Spread mustard on Salmon. Then press into mixture.
Cook until done on prayed baking sheet.

Nutritional Information

cal: 228.6
fat: 12.4 g
chol: 42.5 mg
Sodium: 180.5 mg
carbs: 8.3g
fiber: 1.0g
protein: 19.5 g

This meal was a hit. Erik said I could cook this anytime. It was really good. I love finding good meals that are guilt free and that everyone enjoys.

Healthy Pancakes(this one is for the kids)

1 egg
1 C. milk (or almond milk)
1 tbs baking powder
pinch of salt
1tbs oil (I use olive)
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs whey (I use my protein powder)
1 scoop dynamic greens (optional) few an earlier post to learn more
1/2 cup pureed vegetable (sweet potatoes, carrots, squash) I have used spinach too.
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour (add more for preferred thickness or more milk to thin.

Double batch for more people.

Mix all ingredients and cook in pan!

My kids love these pancakes. I buy the pure maple syrup for dipping. Yes dipping! We cut them into pieces and they dip their pancakes in the syrup. This is a well balanced meal....it has the protein, dairy, fruit, vegetable and grains. All of the food group in one meal. I figure out of syrup choices that the pure maple is a better choice then the alternative. The kids really cant get enough of these. I haven't broke it down to see what the calories are but I figure who cares if the kids eat it.

Turkey Meatloaf

So I caved! I have had this for leftovers a few days now and I like it. My husband is not a fan but I think it is pretty good. i am still going to try a new way to make it and if I like it then I will be posting that one too.

1-1 1/2 lbs of turkey ground
1/2 onion chopped
1 cup ketchup
1tsp Worcestershire
2 tbs yellow mustard
2 large eggs
1/2 pack saltine crackers
1 1/2 cups mushrooms
1 green pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
(3 cups of spinach chopped) I added this to mine and loved it. OPTIONAL

SAUCE
1/2-1 cup of ketchup
1-2 tbs yellow mustard
2 tbs brown sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl

Bake 45 min at 350*

While waiting mix the sauce

*after baking, drain grease, top with sauce, bake for another 10-15 min.

Nutritional Information serves 9

cal: 232.5
Fat: 12.7
chol: 85 mg
Sod: 632.4 mg
carb: 18
Fiber: 7
Protein: 11.4