Chili + Garlic Chicken with Lemon Quinoa

What inspires me in the kitchen? Well, usually whatever's left in the refrigerator. I call this a garbage bowl.  

Upon taking inventory of the fridge, I discovered:

• Pre-grilled chicken breasts from the grocery store,
• A cucumber towards the end of its life,
• And an extensive collection of salad dressing and other condiments. Hm. 

To breathe new life into this sad, pre-cooked chicken, I covered it in olive oil, chili powder, and garlic powder, then threw it on the stovetop to revive it. However, I decided that there was no way this chicken could be left on its own - it would have to go in a salad. 

I thinly sliced the cucumber, cut the slices into quarters, and put the pieces in a small bowl and and left them to marinate and chill for awhile in some Caesar dressing. 

Quinoa, prepared as usual, then I added lemon juice and sea salt. Stuck it in the fridge. (Quinoa is a staple of my diet. People started eating it 7,000 years ago and never stopped, for good reason! It is a good source of essential amino acids and calcium and iron! It contains many healthy fats, and is considered a complete protein source, unlike most grains. Don't waste your time with rice, quinoa is where it's at!) 

Chopped up a head of romaine, then layered heaping spoonfuls of cold lemon quinoa, followed by a scoop of Caesar-cucumbers, and finally topped with chicken! 

Success! 

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?!