Honey Saracha carrots

You know that I LOVE good food! My husband enjoys spicy food and I am focused on improving my eating habits. Here is my newest side dish that aims to please.

Ingredients: 

Large bag baby carrots

Saracha sauce 

Honey 

Oil - vegetable vs Olive oil 

Salt & pepper 

Instructions: 

1. Cut carrots lengthwise in half, splitting them. 

2. Put a tablespoon of each - oil, honey, Saracha and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

3. Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 mins, flip, and then cook again for another 15 minutes 

4.  If desired post cooking stir in sauces once again. 

Peppers for Color

Peppers for Color

Eating clean and cooking things easily are a hard combination I have found. I also have found that the more vegetables I can fill up on the less bad crap I eat. I work hard to feel full and satisfied with lunch. I needed more color in my diet and have had a rough time with meal prepping different colors. This is one fix I have found this last week- multiple colored peppers! Sauteed and delicious!
(I couldn't find yellow at the market to make it more colorful)

This is the seasoning I used tonight! It was super good! U can use a small amount of real butter, coconut oil, or my pref small amount of olive oil.

Honey-Lime Chicken Thighs

Honey-Lime Chicken Thighs

It's time for some healthy dark meat! Cut off the skin and buy them in large quantities! I made this off a small amount of chicken but it was so good I should have just made more!!!
Dark Meat is still very high in protein, usually higher in fat/few more calories. Make a change and try new flavors in your diet! This has such good flavor!

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 7 or 8 chicken thighs (depends on your skillet size)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• green onions, chopped (I even used freeze dried ones)
• 1 lime, sliced (for garnish only)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl combine lime juice, honey, soy sauce.
2. Salt the chicken thighs with 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or more) thoroughly, all over, including under the skin.
3. In 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook for about 5 minutes until the chicken skin side gets nicely browned (make sure to get really nice brown, not just pale brown - it makes a difference in presentation).
4. Turn chicken, so that skins sides are up and add lime-honey mixture to the skillet. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 14 to 18 minutes longer or until done (chicken should register 180 degrees F on instant thermometer). While cooking, covered, chicken thighs will release their own juices, as well. 
5. Transfer chicken to plates. Drizzle chicken with pan juices. Top with chopped green onions and serve with lime slices.

This is the original recipe: Honey-Lime Chicken Thigh's

No Mayo Tuna Salad

Mayo makes many salads unhealthy, that's why I am so excited to find tasty recipes without it! This one is tuna based and u can change the flavor shy adding or subtracting more vegetables and seasonings. 

There are other variations of this recipe on the blog. This is the basics of the recipe I have tried and loved so far. A lot of the ingredients you can eyeball. I truly love putting more rice vinegar in it! 

core recipe is:

1  2-to-3 oz. package of tuna

about 1/2 c. of diced onion (but you can eyeball* it)

1 T. of lemon juice or rice vinegar

2 to 3 T. of olive oil (use 2 if the tuna is packed in oil; 3 if it’s packed in water)

1/4 c. chopped parsley – again; just eyeball* it

1/2 to 1 whole avocado

1/2 t. kosher salt (or 1/4 t. regular salt)

1/4 t. fresh ground black pepper – or more to taste

If you want switch out the parsley for cilantro and lemon juice for lime and make it taste more Latino. Yum! 

Original link:

http://ohthatstasty.com/recipes/meal-prep-easy-lunches-tuna/

I used my tomatoes from my gardens :) growing my own veggies this year and herbs. 

Grilled Tilapia Bowls with Chipotle avocado Creme

Grilled Tilapia Bowls with Chipotle Avocado Crema {Gluten Free}

Here is the original link (can print recipe from here) 

http://www.joyfulhealthyeats.com/grilled-tilapia-bowls-chipotle-avocado-crema/

Calories: 385 Fat: 7 g Saturated fat: 1 gCarbohydrates: 65 g Sugar: 8 g Sodium: 567 mgFiber: 14 g Protein: 18 g Cholesterol: 11 mg

3.3.3077

Ingredients

Tilapia Seasoning:

• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 large tilapia filets

Chipotle Avocado Crema:

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• juice of one lime
• 1 large avocado
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 chipotle pepper {from a can of chipotle peppers in adobe sauce}
• salt & pepper

Other Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 15 oz. black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 ears fresh corn, shucked
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• 1 roma tomato, diced

Instructions

1. In a food processor, add plain yogurt, juice of 1 lime, avocado, garlic clove, chipotle pepper, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Place in refrigerator.
2. In a small bowl, add chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix together.
3. Rinse and pat dry tilapia filets and season both sides of the fish with the seasoning just made. {you may have some left over and that's fine}
4. Heat grill to medium high, grill the two ears of corn for 3-4 minutes per side.
5. Next, grill tilapia for 3-5 minutes on the first side and 2-3 on the second.
6. Remove both from the grill and set aside.
7. Assemble your bowls, place ¾ cup of cooked quinoa in a bowl, then add in black beans, diced tomato, fresh grilled corn {that has been cut off the cob}, cilantro, tilapia, and then top with Chipotle Avocado Crema.

Asian Fish sauce recipe

This is my new favorite recipe to go over jasmine rice and swai fish! 

I found the recipe on Pinterest 

Here http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/asian-glazed-swai-fish/

My Pinterest board with it and others is 

http://pin.it/x_ZNGLR

Description

Healthy and flavorful Asian Glazed Swai Fish over jasmine rice. Make this one of your fall favorites and you won’t be sorry!

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 cups Water
• 1 cup Jasmine Rice
• 3 Tablespoons Honey
• 2 teaspoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 2 teaspoons Sesame Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Sriracha
• 2 teaspoons Rice Vinegar
• 1 pound Swai Fish Fillets
• 3  Green Onions, Chopped
• Black Pepper To Taste

Preparation

For the rice: In a small pot add 1/3 of the oil and water and bring to a rolling boil. Add the jasmine rice, then cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed by the rice

For the glaze: In a small bowl mix together the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, rice vinegar, and pepper.

For the fish: Heat remaining 2/3 of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Slice your fish fillets in half (if needed) and place in the oil in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side and then remove from heat. Add freshly ground pepper to the fish.

Plate your fish fillets over a bed of jasmine rice. Pour a few spoonfuls of glaze over the top of the fish.
Then sprinkle a few pieces of green onion over the top of the fish for a garnish.

I wanted to find a healthier alternative for Chinese food that doesn’t compromise the flavor or culinary experience that you find when sitting down for an Asian meal. Enjoy!

Arms- home workout

Nothing better than fitting a workout into life in the comfort of your home. Time to Grunt louder and take time to flex harder!

DB: dumbells


ARMS!

Circuit arm workout: Do each workout ONCE then do it all again, repeat 3 times then work up to 5-6 times, do NOT take breaks- we are getting cardio in! You must sweat or its not a good workout (by round 2-3 you should) Start out with less weight and then increase weight

1. Standing DB Bicep Curls
5lb x 20reps

 2. Wall Tricep pushup (elbows go straight down, and forearms all the way on wall)
20 reps

3. Bar Curl (use whatever u have at home a barbell or curl bar or other heavier item.
20 reps

4. DB Overhead Tricep Extension (or us a Plate) 10 lbs then as you exhaust go down in weight 8lb>5lbs>3lbs>2lbs>0 and just do motion. But Keep going!
20 reps

5. Hammer curls. 5lbs 20 reps

6. Lateral Raises. 2-3lbs eventually work up to 5ls. Go out to the side, down, then in front of you

7. DB overhead press. 5lbs x 20 reps.

REPEAT!!!!!!