Build Your Own Burrito/Lettuce Wraps + Whole Fruit Margs

These are awesome. I was going for a fresh / delicious / kid-friendly / healthy / fun summer dinner... And I totally nailed it, if I do say so myself.

I served large Romaine leaves (these are your tortillas) with Shredded Chicken, Cilantro-Lime Quinoa, Organic Black Beans, fresh Guacamole and Pico de Gallo, and of course, shredded cheese. If you're lame or you're a small child, you can layer a tortilla under your romaine leaf before wrapping for a sturdier burrito. 

Shredded Chicken:

Tastes genuinely Mexican and DELICIOUS! Finally figured out how to do shredded chicken without a slow cooker... Ain't nobody got time fo dat.

Ingredients: 

• 2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 4 tsp. chili Powder
• 1 tsp. ground Cumin
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. EVOO
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1.5 lbs chicken boobs

1. Mix tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic, chili, sugar, oregano in a medium bowl.
2. In a large pan, saute onions in EVOO for a few minutes, until they're starting to soften.
3. Add chicken boobs to pan, lay flat. Cook for 3 mins on one side, then flip and cook for 3 mins on the other.
4. Add tomato sauce mixture to the pan and increase heat to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover. Let cook for 20 mins!
5. When the chicken boobs are completely cooked through, remove them from the pan and shred with two forks. 
6. Return all shredded chicken to pan with tomato sauce and cook for another 5 mins.
7. YOU'RE DONE! Remove from heat and let it cool so sauce thickens and soaks into chicken.

Cilantro-Lime Quinoa:

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I LOVE QUINOA. Especially this quinoa.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lime
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp agave (or sugar)

1. Make quinoa! Easy peasy but I'll explain anyway: Add quinoa to pot with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then immediately cover and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, fluff quinoa with a fork, cover and let sit for ~5 mins.
3. Dump quinoa into bowl and stir in cilantro, juice from lime, sugar, and garlic. 
4. You'll probably want to add salt, but that's up to you. 

Even the leftover burrito-droppings on my plate look scrumptious. Admit it. 

Whole Fruit Margaritas: 

Saved the best for last, these things are incredible. Best/healthiest/most refreshing margaritas you'll ever have. Sidenote: Having a great blender really helps here.

Ingredients: (makes 4)

• 1 lime (peeled)
• 1 lemon (peeled, halved)
• 1 orange (peeled, quartered)
• 4 oz Tequila
• 2oz Triple Sec

1. Put everything in the blender w/ a few handfuls of ice
2. BLEND IT!
3. Enjoy. 

Eat Your Vegetables!

Sometimes, this is much easier said than done!

In a perfect world, we would eat perfect, balanced meals that would incorporate all our of our necessary vitamins and nutrients, right? Right. 

But this isn't a perfect world - and we're certainly not perfect either. So instead of stressing about "eating your vegetables," get a little more creative! An easy way to sneak in your daily dose of vitamins is to drink them - in a smoothie! The word 'smoothie' often brings to mind visions of a fruity, sweet summer treat. Why not upgrade that to a nutrient-packed mean, green smoothie?

What exactly does one put in a mean, green smoothie? Kale, spinach, collars greens, cucumber, celery, green apple, lemon, orange, pineapple, mint, banana, blueberries,  blackberries.. The list goes on. If it's fresh and it fits in your blender, go for it! 

I know what you're thinking - doesn't that taste like... Grass? The answer is no, and you'll notice lawn-clippings didn't make the ingredients list. The key to keeping your smoothie delicious as well as nutritious is simple: balance your flavors! I like to add fresh citrus to mine for a refreshing bite. Or, a scoop of vanilla protein powder turns a mean, green smoothie into a sweet & creamy green breakfast or post-workout snack! 

Here's what went into my most recent Franken-smoothie: 

- 1 banana

- 1/2 cucumber 

- 3 leaves (chopped) purple kale 

- few chunks pineapple 

- 2 handfuls baby spinach 

- 2 celery stalks 

- juice from 1 lemon

- 1 handful ice 

Throw it all in your trusty blender, and BAM:

Deeeeee-licious. 

So, this smoothie contained: 236 cal / 1.7g fat / 53.9g carbs (Do you count your macros?! That will be a later post!) 

BUT more importantly, it also provided:

250% Vitamin A

70% Vitamin B6

309% Vitamin C

31% Calcium

32% Iron

32% Magnesium

127% Manganese

18% Niacin

19% Pant. Acid

19% Phosphorus

29% Riboflavin

26% Thiamin

13% Zinc 

You get the point. Have you eaten your vegetables yet today?!