Tasty Tuesday: Chicken Fajita Salad

There are many things in life that I'm at least semi-obsessed with... One of them is tex-mex food.   


So while planning meals for my Hammer & Chisel meal plan I needed to get something tasty on the calendar.  I need things that are quick and easy and preferably can cook while I'm doing something else.  Answer:  Baked Chicken Fajitas on top of a simple mixed salad.


Baked Chicken Fajitas


Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 packet Mrs. Dash Taco Seasoning
1 medium onion, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 small green bell pepper, cut into strips

Sliced avocado (optional)

Fixate Pico de Gallo (optional)

Cheese of your choice (optional)

Greek Yogurt (optional)

Corn Tortillas (optional)

Romaine, spinach or other lettuce blend (optional)

Diced Tomatoes (optional)

Diced or Sliced Jalapenos (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken strips and sliced onions and peppers in a gallon storage bag with EVOO and Taco Seasoning.  Shake to coat evenly.  Pour into a greased 13×9 baking dish.  Pull the chicken to the top of the pan and leave onions and peppers on the bottom.  Add a 1/4 cup of water to the pan (to create steam & soften onions and peppers during the baking process)
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are done.

When chicken and vegetables are done - turn into fajitas or salad by measuring out the proper portions of each ingredient so that your finished meal fits your daily meal plan. 

The best part of this recipe is that you can adjust the portions to fit every family member's meal plan and likes.  It's a mom win!

The Not So Healthy New Year's Post - Holiday Cookie Recipes!

I mentioned in December that I would share some of my favorite recipes, so here goes!  These are a couple of recipes that my mom made every year and I just can`t have Christmas without them.  I hope you enjoy them as much as my family and I do!

Cherry Walnut Bars

 

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup butter softened

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp each salt, baking powder, vanilla

1 - 2 oz. jar maraschino cherries

1/2 cup walnuts chopped

1/2 cup coconut

 

Mix flour, sugar, and butter until crumbly, Press into a 13 x 9 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 min. our until crust is light brown.  Blend eggs, salt, sugar, baking powder and vanilla.  Drain cherries and chop. Save juice.  Stir chopped cherries and walnuts into mixture of eggs and sugar.  Place on top of baked crust. Return to oven bake for 25 min. Remove from oven and cool.

Combine 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 cup confectioners (icing) sugar with enough cherry juice to spread frosting.  Sprinkle with coconut, Cut when set.

 

 

7 Layer Cookies

 

3/4 Cup butter

1 1/2 pkg. graham crackers

1 pkg. choc. chips (6oz.)

1 pkg. butterscotch chips (6 oz.)

1 cup coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup chopped walnuts

 

Melt butter, add cracker crumbs, mix well. Press into 13 x 9 pan, Add the rest of ingredients in the order listed above. Bake 350 for 25-30 min. Watch when about done, they will burn quickly! Cool and cut into squares.

 

Hello, hello, hello! 


I have completely put my blog on hold this year, but decided to start my New Year's resolutions early!  I'm hoping to be able to share lots of things with all of you - from recipes, to beauty tips and picks, to fitness and health likes and dislikes, etc.  So here goes nothing!  Post #1!


I made this a couple of weeks ago, and my husband is STILL talking about it - so it must have been good!  Please keep in mind that I'm not an exact measurements type of cook - so add or subtract each ingredient to fit your personal tastes.


Loaded Buffalo Chicken & Sweet Potato Casserole


Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 5+  medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (number of sweet potatoes depends on the size.  You want enough cubed sweet potato to at least cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan)
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 2  tablespoon fresh ground pepper
• 2  tablespoon paprika
• 4 tablespoons garlic powder
• 12  tablespoons hot sauce

Topping

2 cups fiesta Mexican blend cheese or 2 cups Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese blend

1 cup crumbled cooked bacon

1 cup diced green onion

 

50 All-Time Dinner Favorites

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500F (Yes, 500F!) .
2. In a large bowl mix together 1/2 of the olive oil, hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder & paprika.
3. Add the potatoes and stir to coat.
4. Add the potatoes to a greased 9x13 baking dish.
5. Mix together the other 1/2 of the olive oil, hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder & paprika.
6. Add the diced chicken and stir to coat all the chicken. Allow to marinate as the potatoes bake.
7. Roast the potatoes for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and nice and crispy on the outside.
8. Once the potatoes are fully cooked remove the pan from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400°F.
9. Pour the marinated chicken on top of the potatoes
10. In a large bowl mix all the topping ingredients together.
11. Top the raw chicken with the topping.
12. Bake 15-30 minutes or until until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is melted and bubbly delicious.
13. Serve with extra hot sauce and/or ranch / blue cheese dressing.

Another suggestion is to sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles when adding the other cheese


I forgot to take a pic of this masterpiece, but it was absolutely amazing!  If you try the recipe, be sure to send a pic of your creation!




***Recipe adapted from:  http://www.food.com/recipe/loaded-potato-and-buffalo-chicken-casserole-493413

Oatmeal to Go!

To me baking is relaxing. I get into my own little bubble and even though my kitchen looks like a tornado struck afterwards, I would bake every day if I had the time.

I have come across this recipe for Oatmeal to Go many times over the last few months, and finally remembered to get all of the ingredients. My husband requested the topping be White Chocolate Chips, so that's what we have this time around. Next time we'll probably try something new, but we will definitely be making this one again!

This recipe can be found on Sugar Free Mom. Click here to go straight to the recipe, and find similar recipes on the same page.

Personal Sized Baked Oatmeal with Individual Toppings: Gluten Free & Diabetic Friendly

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups applesauce, unsweetened
1 banana, mashed
6 packets of Sweetleaf Stevia or 1½ teaspoons stevia powder or use ½ cup honey
5 cups, Old Fashioned rolled oats {Bob’s Red Mill}
¼ cup flaxseed meal
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2¾ cups milk
Optional toppings: raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and Stevia together in a bowl.
Add in oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well with wet ingredients.
Finally pour in milk and combine.
Spray a 12 and 6 capacity muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners. Pour mixture evenly into muffin tin cups.
If using toppings add them onto the tops of muffins now. If using fresh or frozen fruit, drop it right into the batter.
Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean.
Cool and enjoy or freeze them in gallon freezer bags.

Nutrition Info (without toppings)

Servings: 18* Calories for one: 143* Fat: 4g* Cholesterol: 25mg* Sodium: 161mg* Fiber: 4g* Sugars: 4g* Carbs: 23g* Protein: 6g*

Recipe Notes:

These are super moist & yummy!

I ended up with 24 very full muffin cups (not sure what size muffin pan the recipe creator used to get 18 muffins).

I used paper muffin tin liners for easy clean up.

My stand mixer worked great to stir up the batter.

I used a 1/4 Cup measuring cup to scoop the goopy batter into the muffin cups without making a terrible disaster!

White Chocolate Chips were a great addition (Go Hubby!)

Hello!

Why hello there, my name is Lindsey and I have started this blog in order to have one place for all of my fitness and food goals, inspirations and creations, and to be able to share them with you!  As you may already know if you're following one of my other pages, I started p90x3 in February 2013 and now, in March, my husband and I have decided to become a Beachbody coach together.  While, I will mainly be the one with the day to day posts and communications, he and I are working together to be healthy and fit parents (more on that on the "About Us" tab). 

I love fitness and have a passion for cooking, and my husband of course has a passion for eating.  While in the past most of my cooking and baking has been for the purpose of great taste only, I recently have become a lot more interested in healthy options and creating healthy, balanced combinations.  I will be posting recipes and healthy substitutions regularly.  Some will be my own creations and others will be inspired by recipes I've found on the web or from my mother's recipe collection.  

I look forward to the adventures that lie ahead and sharing our healthy lifestyle with all of you.  You may have visions of a healthier lifestyle, but just don't know where to start, and that's ok!  Transitioning to a healthy lifestyle generally doesn't happen overnight.  It is a process and one that can be simple to maintain with a little guidance.  Please feel free to contact us at fitaftertwins@gmail.com or visit us on one of the following social media sites:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/fitaftertwins
Instagram:  @fitaftertwins
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