California Chicken Salad

Do you ever just have these cravings and you can't quite figure out how to satisfy it? You pretty much start eating everything in your fridge, your pantry, your snack drawer and then you are so stuffed but still have a hankering for something.

I felt like that recently and actually it was during Hurricane Matthew so we were working with a lot of food in the house since I stocked up on all my necessities.       

No worries the Hurricane did hit florida but central florida was lucky and we only had some rough winds and heavy rains for a few hours. 

Anyways, I decided to food prep the day before to make sure we had meals we could eat cold incase we lost power. One of the things I made was plain shredded chicken in the crock pot. I figured this could be eaten cold with a salad or turned into chicken salad with the help of some mayo and other items I had in the fridge.   

That is how this delicious Salad was born. I was on an epic eating rampage and decided to make this salad which helped quench my craving and save the day.                                         

The funny thing is that there was this meme going around and it described my mood perfectly. It was almost like my brain was in survival mode telling me that I had to eat because there is a chance that won't happen again if this Hurricane hit. I clearly don't have a survivalist brain because rationing would make more sense instead of gorging myself with all the food in my house.  So this salad came to be because lately I have been on a grape kick. I think I have been purchasing 2lbs of red grapes a week. This seemed to have started when I stopped drinking wine. I figure grapes are healthier. So all my fruit servings of the day are grapes. Frozen or cold doesn't matter. I also had this shredded chicken. Mayo and I am a really big spice and herb advocate. I believe in "the more the merrier" when it comes to seasoning food. There is just something about flavoring plain food and changing the taste just by adding some guilt free items like rosemary or tarragon.  So with just a few ingredients I made my new favorite lunch snack. Its simple to make and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did. It really only lasted that one day and all 4 helpings of it were amazing. 

California Chicken Salad
aka "Hurricane Matthew Salad"

4 cups shredded cooked chicken (this was about 3 breasts)
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 cup chopped celery (optional)
2 cups halved seedless red grapes
3/4 cup Olive Oil Organic Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped Tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper



Directions are simple... Combine in bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. 
Which in my case was immediately. 
I have to say however, the second and third serving were amazing after all the flavors came together while they were chilling (haha) in the fridge for a few hours. 

Dairy Free Milk ??

Milk alternatives aren’t just for vegans — although the explosion of options beyond just

almond and soy in recent years are an answered prayer for animal-free foodies.

So as you all know by now I am allergic to all things dairy. What a bummer right? Well its not so bad because there are actually ALOT of alternatives out there that are believe it or not.. HEALTHIER. 
I am not saying they are all healthy, just like with everything else I always suggest reading the ingredient label. Ingredients can be organic or genetically modified, natural or heavily processed, the fewer ingredients in the list and the more you recognize and can pronounce, the better. 

Milk (unless you're getting skim) contains cholesterol and skim milk is higher in lactose (sugar) than whole milk. There is no real health option when it comes to choosing dairy-based milk. All plants are free from cholesterol, and the body produces enough on its own so that we don’t need to take in excess cholesterol to maintain good health.

Honestly guys we don't even buy dairy milk anymore. Non-dairy milk works the same for us and we use it the same way you would cow's milk. Cereal, oatmeal, sauces, baking, soups, Shakeology and even ice cream. It taste pretty good on its own if you're a glass of milk in the morning kind of person.

Here is a list of some of the top Milk Alternatives 

Almond
30 calories, 2.5 g fat, 180 mg sodium, 2 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein, 45% DV calcium (based on Almond Breeze)

Soy
80 calories, 4 g fat, 70 mg sodium, 3 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein, 30% DV calcium (based on Silk)

Bonus: Soy is the only plant-based milk with protein content similar to dairy milk so it will be great in a post workout shake. 

Cashew
40 calories, 3 g fat, 120 mg sodium, 3 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein, 30% DV calcium (based on Cashew Dream)

Hemp
80 calories, 8 g fat, 125 mg sodium, 1 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 0 g fiber, 2 g protein, 30% DV calcium (based on Living Harvest)

Flax
25 calories, 2.5 g fat, 80 g sodium, 1 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, 30% DV calcium (based on Good Karma)

Bonus:  Hemp and flax milk are rich in omega-3s, so they get bonus points for extra health benefits.

Coconut
45 calories, 4g fat, 0 mg sodium, 2 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 1 g fiber, 0 g protein, 10% DV calcium (based on SO Delicious)

Bonus: Coconut milk is high in fat so it’s a great alternative to cream in your coffee 

Rice
120 calories, 2.5 g fat, 100 mg sodium, 23 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein, 2% DV calcium (based on Rice Dreams)

Bonus: Rice milk is good for people with both dairy and nut allergies, but keep in mind it’s high in carbohydrates, so pair it with protein-rich foods to keep your blood sugar stable.

Hazelnut
110 calories, 3.5 g fat, 120 g sodium, 19 g carbs, 2 g protein, 1 g fiber, 14 g sugar, 30% DV calcium (based on Pacific)

There are also several flavored non-dairy milks on the market and I would be doing you guys an injustice if I did not tell you about Nutchello <3 

There are 3 varieties, a dark chocolate walnut , toasted coconut+cashew and my favorite 
Caramel Almond+Cashew 
70 calories, 2 g fat, 190 mg sodium, 11 g protein, 0 fiber, 30% DV calcium
I add this into my shakes to switch it up, I also add it to my Ice Cream recipe( below) and it is delicious with Chai Tea. Pretty much anything really..  If you have tried this and have an awesome recipe idea please share it with me because at this point I purchase this in bulk.  

I mentioned Ice Cream Earlier so I wanted to give you guys my favorite FAVORITE recipe in the world !!  

This is the bees knees !!! It is so easy to make and so delicious. This is my goto recipe when I get in a sweet dessert mood. I pretty much always have bananas in the house and I don't eat them once they get brown spots on them.. So when they are more brown than yellow I just peel them and freeze them. 

I also freeze ice cube trays with almond milk which makes it really convenient for this recipe and my morning Shakeology.  I do not drink coffee but I think it would be pretty brilliant for Iced Coffee (I might be on to something) 

Ok back to the Ice Cream.  Here is a recipe from Beachbody.com that is pretty much spot on. This can be altered... basically you do not have to use Shakeology in this recipe at all if you don't want to, or if you do not have any.  Also you can leave out the Peanut butter if you're not in the mood.  So you will be left with Frozen Bananas and a milk of your choice :) Still yummy any which way you decide to make it.   

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Beachbody

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 5 servings, about ½ cup each

Ingredients

• 1 cup any kind of milk (I prefer Vanilla Almond Milk, or Caramel Nutchello)
• 2 scoops Shakeology
• 2 medium frozen bananas (cut into chunks before freezing)
• 2 Tbsp. all-natural smooth peanut butter

Instructions

1. Place milk, Shakeology, bananas, and peanut butter in high-powered blender (such as a Vita-Mix); cover.
2. Blend on low for 5 seconds; increase power to high and continue blending for 30 seconds until smooth.
3. Pour mixture in a large glass bowl; cover.
4. Freeze for 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, before serving.

If you do not want to wait 4 hours before eating this delicious treat I would suggest using frozen milk or adding Ice cubes to give it more substance. 

Enjoy :) 

Chicken Cacciatore

There is nothing better than a wholesome meal ! This Dish is full of old Italian flavors and  combines lean chicken breast with eight different types of vegetables. 

My mom has always been an amazing cook and seasoning and flavoring is something she prides herself in. There has never been a time that I can remember that I needed to salt or season my food. This dish reminds me of my mom because it truly is full of flavor that will have you going back for seconds and thirds.  

I served this with steamed potatoes since I had some yellow containers left to eat <3 

Chicken Cacciatore

Total Time: 31 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 21 min.
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 medium celery stalk, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 (14.5 oz.) can whole tomatoes
1½ tsp. dried basil, crushed
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium eggplant, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 fresh parsley sprigs, finely chopped (for garnish, optional)

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add chicken; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned.
3. Add onion, celery, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until onion begins to soften.
4. Add tomatoes, basil, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Add zucchini and eggplant; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle, and juices run clear.
6. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Tip: Chicken Cacciatore can be served over brown rice or whole wheat pasta.

Find more recipes like this on Beachbody.com

Tropical Watermelon Shakeology

There is nothing that screams summer more than Watermelon in my opinion. Its delicious, thirst quenching and pink !! I used to not really like Watermelon and I am not sure what clicked, but one day I woke up and thought it was great !! 

I especially like this Tropical Watermelon Shakeology recipe that blends watermelon with Tropical Strawberry Shakeology. It’s light and refreshing, and the flavor of the watermelon really shines. For an even more refreshing flavor, I finish it off with some mint leaves. 

Freshly cut watermelon is perfect for smoothies, but I also like to freeze leftover watermelon and use the frozen chunks in place of ice cubes in my smoothies. When the end of the season approaches, I stock up on melons to cut and freeze, so I can continue to enjoy the flavor of summer during the winter.

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Author: Beachbody

Serves: 1 smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 scoop Tropical Strawberry Shakeology
• ½ cup cubed watermelon
• 1 cup ice

Instructions

1. Place water, Shakeology, watermelon, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

IFind more recipes like this on Beachbody.com