Coconut & Cashew Chicken Tenders...and more--LOTS more!

Note:  For some strange reason (clearly user error) I am unable to properly upload/place pictures in this blog.  I'll keep trying...but I was having one heck of an issue.  Please excuse the lack of mouth-watering shots of each of the featured recipes.  Check back and I'll see if I can't wrestle the computer gremlins into doing what I'm trying to do!  Thanks!

I am not a fan of buffets.  Never have been, never will be.  The endless tables of food, the masses of hands grabbing it, the too many mouths breathing on it.  Seriously, I'm getting chills just thinking about it.  So why am I mentioning this?  Because this blog is a buffet of sorts.  I am probably going to include a few recipes I've recently tried.  My dear friend Jess asked me for some, and I promised I'd post them.  And then I didn't.  Ugh.  I hate when I do that.  Almost as much as I hate buffets.

Alright, let me begin with the title recipe for you all.  Coconut & Cashew Chicken Tenders.  Yes.  Add to it a heavenly honey mango dip.  Yes again!  It feels like a meal one should eat pool or beach-side.  But they also taste just fine when served on snowman-themed plates in our cozy kitchen.   My wish is that they'll also be yummy served in your kitchen!

 What You'll Need:

• 12 chicken tenders (just over 2 pounds)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 cup toasted cashews
• ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 
  Mango Honey Dip
• 2 mangoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1-2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 green onions, roughly chopped
• 1-2 teaspoons red chili flakes

What You'll Do:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add cashews and coconut flakes to blender or food processor and process until cashews are about the size of the panko crumbs, scraping the sides of the blender as needed. Add cashews/coconut, panko, chicken tender spices and brown sugar to a shallow dish and mix until evenly distributed.
• Place the flour in another shallow dish. Whisk the egg with the lime juice in another shallow dish. Working with one chicken tender at a time, dredge in flour and then dip in egg, and then finally coat in the coconut/cashew/panko mixture, pressing mixture into chicken with your fingers to make sure the coating sticks.
• Place chicken tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet (for easy clean up!) with a baking rack on top that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly spray chicken with non-stick cooking spray for extra crispiness (optional...we did not ). Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until juices run clear. Broil until coconut is nicely golden, and panko crisp, but still light in color.
• To make the Mango Honey Dip, place all the ingredients in a blender, starting with just 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes and process until smooth. Taste and add additional red pepper flakes as desired

When we made this, I found the sauce to be a little too garlicky (is there really such a thing?  Blasphemy, I know!), so I'd scale back just a  smidgen.  These were crispy, light, perfectly-seasoned and really, really great.  You guessed it, they went into the Make Again pile!

I've tried doing a pecan crusted fish before, and never quite got it right.  Seemed like the pecans always got burned before the fish was done.  Blending the nuts with the other dredging ingredients made a huge difference.  In my opinion.

Try them and let me know what you think!



Next up in this buffet of recipes...Taco Pizza.  Sounds good enough, right?  Let's take two things we really like and smush them together.  And, you may recall, Mark and I had a Fall Flavor Pizza Friday thing going on throughout the fall (as the name clearly states, duh!).  We figured we'd add this one to the list.

For me, this one didn't earn an immediate spot in the Make Again pile, but I do think we'll try it again, making adjustments here and there.  So, here it is!

What You'll Need:

Taco Meat:

• 1 pound ground beef (I prefer ground chuck)
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 15 oz can pinto beans (no salt added)
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ⅔ Cup water

Taco pizza sauce:

• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 can thin crust pizza dough
• 3 cups shredded cheddar & monterey jack cheese blend
• toppings: diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, sour cream, taco sauce, etc.

What You'll Do:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown ground beef over medium heat in skillet. Drain fat, add in the pinto beans and seasonings for the taco meat. Mix and let the seasonings coat the meat and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add in the water, allow mixture to simmer over medium low heat.
• While browning the meat, get the taco pizza sauce ready by placing all ingredients in a small sauce pan, mix, cover and let simmer until ready to assemble pizza, stirring occasionally.
• While the taco meat and sauce is simmering, per the direction on the back of the pizza crust, pre-bake the dough. After the first baking, layer as much sauce as you like on the pizza crust. Add about ⅔ of the meat mixture on top (try not to get too much of the meat's sauce or the crust might come out soggy.) Layer on the cheese evenly, back for an additional 10 minutes or per the directions on the back of the pizza crust can, until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
• Top with your favorite pizza garnishes, cut, serve and enjoy! 

I am not quite sure what it was about this dish that didn't quite work for me, but it had all the right elements and flavors.  Maybe it was a little too wet to stand up to the thin crust?  Maybe it was too heavy, again, making the crust seem wimpy.  I'm not sure, but, as I said, I'll probably give it another go at some point and modify as I do.    

Moving back into the realm of chicken--because that darn bird is pretty much the star of every meal around here!--I bring you Honey Lemon Ginger Chicken.  Two things sold me on this immediately; the author of the recipe is someone named Alyssa (awe!) and there are two--TWO!!--steps in the What You'll Do section.  Yeah.  That is a meal I can get behind.  Let me tell you about it.

What You'll Need:

• 3 boneless chicken breasts, (about 1½ pounds)
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• ½ cup honey
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• zest from one lemon
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

What You'll Do:

• In a medium saucepan, add olive oil, minced garlic, and ginger. Sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes and add honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer and thicken while cooking chicken.
• Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and add to a medium skillet. Cook about 4-5 minutes until no longer pink in center and the outside is starting to brown. Add the sauce to the chicken and toss to coat.

Okay, I'll add two more steps if you don't mind.  Make a nice little bed of some good brown rice, maybe some asparagus or snap peas and serve this on top.  Then enjoy.  Wait, is that a third step?  Oh, I don't know.  And really, does it matter?  Bottom line, this dish had tons of fresh, bright flavors and was really light and delicious.


Want more ways to prepare and serve chicken?  Why yes, more chicken recipes I shall share with you.  I'm not a fan of wings--I feel like I've covered this before.  And hot sauce isn't a condiment of choice for me.  That said, the Buffalo Chicken Chili recipe that we make regularly and these yummy stuffed chicken breasts are solid attempts at winning me over. 


These are easy to put together, yet look impressive when plated.  You know what Rachel Ray would say..."That's a meal you could entertain with."  And it is, really.  Add a lovely side salad and maybe a warm veggie and you're good to go.

Here's how it's done.  Oh, and did I mention these are from Skinny Taste?  So that's a great thing, right?

What You'll Need:

• 1/4 cup shredded 2% cheddar
• 4 wedges light Laughing Cow blue cheese 
• 1/3 cup celery stalk, minced
• 1/4 cup green onion, minced
• 1/4 cup carrot, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 5 (3 oz each) thin boneless chicken breasts cutlets
• 15 reduced fat Ritz Crackers, crushed into crumbs
• 1 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 6 tbsp Franks hot sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp light butter
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• cooking spray

What You'll Do:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a baking dish with oil.

Mix cheddar, laughing cow cheese, celery, green onion, carrot, salt and pepper in a dish.


Lay out the chicken cutlets, placing even amount of mixture in the middle and spread in the center.
In one bowl make a breading station out of crushed ritz crumbs. In another bowl combine mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of hot sauce, and lemon juice as a dredging mixture.
Roll chicken breasts in the mayonnaise mixture, then into cracker crumbs, and put on a lightly greased pan, seam side down.

Lightly spray top of chicken with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes. While the chicken cooks, melt butter and mix with the remaining hot sauce and garlic powder. Drizzle buffalo sauce over finished chicken breast and serve. 

I was skeptical that these would stay together nicely and worried that they wouldn't be crispy.  Happily proved wrong, I tossed this into the Make Again pile and have gone back to it more than once.  It satisfies that need for "bar food" but doesn't wreck our plans to eat pretty well.  I'll take it!

 And speaking of bar food...what's more bar foody than a good ole burger, right?  Well, move over burger on a bun and make way for burger in a bowl.  Say what?  Yes, Cheeseburger Casserole.  Another recipe found on a Skinny Taste-esque site. 

Confession; I gave up pasta for Lent as I do pretty much every year.  But when Mark decided to make this for Valentine's Day, I didn't have the heart (pun not intended) to tell him it wasn't an option.  And yes, that was a little self-serving, too because I do really like this dish.  It's cozy, comforting, fun and easy to throw together.  

What You'll Need:

• 2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni, uncooked(whole wheat)
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 lb lean ground beef (we used turkey to clean it up some)
• ½ tsp burger seasoning*
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 — 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cups reduced-fat, shredded cheddar cheese
Optional:
• ¼ cup hamburger dill chips, chopped

What You'll Do:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray a 9" x 13" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large stock pot, cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.
• In a medium skillet, add olive oil and cook onions and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
• Add ground beef and cook until browned. Add salt, pepper and burger seasoning to ground beef while cooking.
• Add in tomatoes, tomato paste and mustard.
• Allow the mixture to cook and thicken until bubbly.
• Add the pasta to sauce and mix to cover evenly.
• Transfer mixture to casserole dish.
• Top with cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Remove from oven and top with chopped dill pickles before serving (optional--but highly recommended).
  
  *Burger seasoning?  Uhhh, we made it up.  Added a dash of Worcestershire sauce, less than a dash of yellow mustard and some kind of steak seasoning that we had in the cabinet.  Tasted just fine to me!
  
  And normally, the dill pickle I get with a sandwich goes straight to Mark.  But for some reason, the little bits of pickle on top of this, for me, make the dish.  They really do.  Don't know exactly why, but let's leave it as optional shmoptional.

 
And thus concludes our veritable buffet of random recipes...also known as "this is what happens when I get a little behind in sharing on my blog and I do hope you'll forgive me."  Buffet is easier to type than all of that.




And I mentioned that we are still on the whole "eat pretty clean" thing.  Still going well, still making it work.  And it is work.  Sure, it gets a little easier here and there, but overall, we're committed to eating as well as we can so that we can enjoy how we look and feel.  And that's not vanity, necessarily.  That's the reality of the situation.  Being smart about what we eat means feeling our very best.  Feeling better means living better and what's wrong with that?  Nothing!

Looking and feeling our best lasts a heck of a lot longer than the momentary feel good that you get from a gooey dessert.  Mmmm, gooey desserts.  I feel like I owe you some posts in that category, what do you think?  I promise; I've got some that are decidely gooey yet still damn healthy.  In fact, I think I'll go make myself a dessert shake right now. 

Cheers, and thanks again for coming along.  Love having you stop by and love knowing you enjoy visiting.  Tell a friend next time; you're all welcome!

Pesto Spaghetti (sorta kinda)

Isn't it funny how you still crave things even if you don't feel so hot after you eat it?  What is that about?  For me, it's pasta.  Whole wheat or not, it seems that whenever I eat pasta, I'm instantly zapped of any energy.  But yet sometimes, a bowl of yummy noodles just sounds so darn good.

Fortunately, I happen to love spaghetti squash, and have found that it more or less hits the spot when a craving crops up.  It may not be a steaming bowl of pappardelle, but then again, I'm not asleep within 20 minutes of eating it either.  So, I'll take the win.

I've made spaghetti squash a few ways, and this one is right up there at the top in terms of flavor, ease and satisfaction.  It hits all the right notes for me.  And I hope for you, too.

Cheers & Enjoy!

What You'll Need

• 2 small (2 lb. each) spaghetti squash
• 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into ¾ –inch pieces
• ¼ tsp salt*
• ¼ tsp ground pepper
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 6 tbsp basil pesto
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese**
• 2 tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley

What You'll Do

• Using a large, sharp knife, pierce a spaghetti squash in several places. Place the spaghetti squash in a glass baking dish and cook in the microwave on HIGH for about 15 minutes, turning the squash halfway through cooking.
• Before handling let the squash stand for 10 minutes. Cut in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and fibers.
• Using a fork, twist out strand of the spaghetti squash flesh and place in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature. Save the shells of the squash for stuffing later.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, salt and pepper, and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a bowl.
• Turn the heat to medium and heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil in the skillet. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the spaghetti squash strands, chicken and pesto, and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Scoop the spaghetti squash mixture into the spaghetti squash shells and top with the Parmesan cheese.
• Place the stuffed spaghetti squash onto a baking sheet and place under the broiler. Cook until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
  
  *We skip this
  **We added far less; merely a sprinkle of cheese

Chicken & Rice...Oh So Nice

Casserole.  Doesn’t the name evoke all kinds of creamy, comforting goodness?  To me, it does.  Cozy and warm and usually not all that good for you.  Which is where casseroles and I get into a fight.  I want the coziness, but not the badness.  Ahhh, the struggle.
One of our favorites is a dish that we make with green beans, rice, chicken, cheese, and those dreaded cream of whatever soups.  It was a once in a while thing because of those silly soups.  And the guilt and overall yuck I felt after I ate it totally defeated the cozy, comforting vibe it was supposed to deliver. 
I banished said casserole from our menu.  It was ripped, with gusto, from the make again pile.  It was a sad day.
But then, I found its cousin….and I got pretty excited.  You all know I just loooooooooooove to “PWH” (pin while hungry), so when I saw this mouthwatering picture, I couldn’t get to my kitchen fast enough to make it!  And then, I was super pumped to tell Mark what we were having.
The best part is that I didn’t tell him that I modified it.  I wanted to see if he could figure it out.  Such a sneak, right?  I know, I know.  I’m giggling as I replay the conversation.  Whatever---it’s the little things.

Alright, so here’s the deal…

 

What You’ll Need

1 Tbsp. olive oil

4-5 green onions, diced

1 (14-oz) pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms

2 cups cooked boneless, skinless chicken, cubed (we used chicken we had grilled the night before)

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1½ cups milk

2½ cups cooked brown rice (I used instant)

1 (5.3-oz) fat free plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup light mayonnaise (I used far less than this; basically a heaping tablespoon of the Olive Oil mayo)

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
(*To make it more like the “old” version, I added a small jar of diced pimentos, a can of chopped water chestnuts and about 1 cup of green beans)

 

What You’ll Do:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a skillet, heat oil. Add green onions and mushrooms. Cook until tender.

Add chicken. Sprinkle with flour. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk, bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, or until thick and bubbly.

Add brown rice. Fold in Greek yogurt, mayo and salt and pepper. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

Top with cheese and bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese melts and it's bubbly around the edges.

 

I served this up in over-sized soup mugs…I was going all out on the cozy aspect.  I held mine in my hands as I inhaled it’s delicious scent and fed myself forkfuls of warmth and happiness.  Bonus, Mark didn’t detect that it was different, though I made two minor observations….(1) It needed a smidgen more mayo; I think the extras I tossed in made it a little drier and (2) I think next time I’ll mix the cheese in rather than put it on top.  It’s such a small amount, it didn’t really do much on the top.
This made amazing leftovers—hard to believe we practiced restraint and didn’t inhale it all when it came out of the oven—for lunch the next day, too.  I’m happy to say that this yummy dish, now cleaned up, is back in the Make Again pile and will be back in the rotation.  Every now and again, cozy and comforting dinners are the only thing that’ll do the trick.  You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?

 

 

No Spenduary

I love making up words like that!  Anywhooooooooooooo.....

From about mid-October until late December, my stress level is inappropriate.  My friend Wendy would say, "wildly inappropriate."  We can go on and on about why and what I did to make it better, worse etc. but that's not the point, really, of this post.  That's just context.

One of the main contributors...you all know the drill; the holiday blitz starts earlier and earlier every year, and we're inundated (what's a stronger word than that?  Attacked?  Bombarded?  Repeatedly hit with no way out?) with commercial after commercial and email after email announcing sales and discounts and free shipping and urgent requests to "Shop Now!"  "Sale's Ending at Noon!"  I can almost hear them yelling at me.  And rather than calmly review all options so I can make an educated, informed decision and purchase, I shut down and totally retreat.  Super.
But see, you can't really retreat and "cancel" Christmas when you have two young kiddos who see only the magic and mystery of the season.  So, every now and again I'd peek at an email or watch the entire commercial for some store.  I'd just about get sucked in and follow their barked out commands, but I'd stop short.  It came down to making a list (praise be to the holy list!) and a budget and a plan....and sticking to it all.  Which we did.  More or less.  Mostly more than less.

Again, not the point.  More context.  Dear Lord I'm taking you to Florida by way of Utah here.  Hang in there with me.  I'm getting there.

When December wrapped up (pun intended because why not!?) I decided to put myself on a self-imposed (yeah, Amy...we got that when you said you put yourSELF on it!) spending freeze for the month of January.  Even though we stuck to our plan, I still felt like I was in non-stop spend mode.  Gifts for this one, tips for this one, extra goodies to this one, office obligations.  Even if it didn't add up to a ton, it sure felt like it did.  

So that was it.  No purchases other than normal bills, gas and groceries....and by groceries, I mean what's on our menu/meal plan and nothing outside of that.  Heaven knows I'm "that girl" at the store who winds up with $25 or more worth of "what's this, is it new?  Looks good, let's try it" stuff in her cart.  You know her, don't you?  You may be her, too, right? 

Told Mark.  He was in.  Told my Mom.  She was in.  She told my Sister.  And yes, she was in, too.  This did not, I repeat, did NOT come from a place of "we're broke and we need to reign it in, big time."  We didn't go totally overboard at Christmas and even went away for Thanksgiving which meant that we didn't host; right there was a decent savings.

This was more an exercise/challenge born out of a stubbornness to see if I really could do it (shocking, right?  Me, stubborn?) and a way to keep random spending at bay.  The $25 at the grocery store, the "sure I'll have a couple drinks after work with you" money.  The "wonder what's new in TJMaxx that I don't NEED but somehow must HAVE" money.  The $150 at Kohl's that "just sort of happened, but it was all on sale and would have really been more like $350, plus I earned Kohl's cash!" money.  That stuff. 

It adds up, ya know?  It may not seem like a lot in the moment, and you may think you really need that picture frame/throw/insulated cup with a straw (hellllllo, I think I have 23. I need to stop!) or whatever "it" is, but do you?

I don't think of myself as a frivolous spender.  Give me a gift card and I'll likely sit on it for months because I can't figure out what to do with it; I talk myself out of lots of purchases because even though the gift card is like "free" money, if I think I can get the item less expensively elsewhere, I can't see using the gift card on it.  Don't try to get the logic; I confuse myself sometimes.  For real.

What I learned was that while I'm not frivolous, I do shop unnecessarily at times.  I buy things that we use, so I justify it.  But really, using things and needing things are not the same.  And we all survived for a month without new anythings*.  Imagine that!  We all got by with the clothes we have.  We ate out of the pantry more/better rather than loading up on more food at the store.  We were a little more thoughtful about driving around so we could conserve gas.  Mark and I made sure we both packed lunches for work.  We made it work, and it really wasn't all that bad.

We didn't eat out or get take out.  We didn't have any fancy date nights (we used a free Redbox rental to have a family movie night where all 4 of us snuggled in the Big Bed with popcorn and drinks!) and we didn't stroll mindlessly through Target (sorry, but it's true!) to fill a Saturday morning.  We helped Abby learn how important saving is and that we don't always need to spend money to have fun.  Ironically, spending less seemed to help us have more fun.  I'm 26 days in and I sure plan on making it all 31.  Kinda nice when a stubborn streak works to my advantage, huh?

 

*The new garage door springs not included; that was a necessary, emergency repair....but you know what, I'm kind of glad we hadn't spent any money all month, because that surprise bill wasn't such a big deal!

 

Spinach & Artichoke Chicken

One little picture posted from my kitchen the other night and bam!....all kinds of requests for the recipe.  Credit to busybuthealthy.com (don't you love that domain!?) for sharing this easy and yummy (oh, and healthy!) recipe.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  I will say, my anti-coconut husband said he could taste the coconut.  I didn't.  There was certainly a somewhat sweet undertone, but I really didn't get coconut.  I think it was a mental thing, personally.  But hey, he ate it and went back for more...
 
What You'll Need:

• 4 6 oz chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
• 1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and chopped
• 1 cup frozen spinach
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 14 oz can light coconut milk
• 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp gluten-free all purpose flour (or regular all purpose if not gluten-free)
• Optional: salt & pepper (as needed)

What You'll Do:

• In a large skillet, heat to medium high heat. Spray with oil if needed for non stick. Season chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper (if using).
• Brown each chicken breast on both sides (about 5-6 minutes per side if thick).
• Remove from pan and set aside on a plate (they won't be cooked through at this point).
• In the same skillet, turn down to medium heat, melt the butter, and add in the chopped garlic and let cook for 30 seconds to let the garlic get a bit golden. Then add the flour and whisk until it makes a rue. Let it cook for 30 seconds, then slowly add the can of coconut milk. Keep whisking until the milk mixture is smooth (aside from the chunks of garlic).
• Let the milk mixture thicken a bit, then add in the Parmesan cheese and whisk until its melted in. Sauce will start to thicken. Add in the chopped artichokes, and frozen spinach. I added in my spinach frozen (they were spinach nuggets) and separated it as it melted. If its frozen spinach in a box, you might want to thaw it in the microwave beforehand and squeeze out a bit of the excess liquid and measure out 1 cup.
• Place the chicken breasts back in the spinach/artichoke mixture and simmer all together with the lid off until the chicken is cooked through. The sauce will thicken a bit more as it simmers...just make sure you keep the lid off or it might get watery. 

We skipped the salt; there was enough salt in the cheese to season things well enough.

One for You, Two for Me

Do you guys do this too?  You're out to buy a gift for someone and you come home with that gift plus a couple things for you?  Please tell me I'm not the only one.  Or if you're making cookies and you ice one, eat one?  We fall into that trap of "If it's good for you, it must be good for me, too!" from time to time.

So I have a proposal for you.  What if you applied that mentality to working out.  Seriously.  Studies show that working out with a friend is a good idea.  I know that doesn't sound real scientific, but truthfully, it's not a real tough concept to grasp.  Right?

Think about it.  You have a hair appointment tomorrow at 1:30.  Your hairdresser is waiting for you.  Do you bail?  Not show up just because?  Do you decide to bag it and figure you'll do it tomorrow?  No.  I think not.  So there's accountability that comes from working out with a friend.  You've made a date and you're not going to leave him or her standing there waiting, are you?  Surely you were raised better than that!

And then there's the fun factor.  Duh. 

Laughing burns calories, too, ya know!  How much fun is it to spur one another on?  To challenge one another to do one more rep or improve your form or take the weights up a notch?  Fun stuff.  Friendly competition and instant recognition for how hard you're working are great benefits. 

Working out with a friend also introduces you to new moves or programs.  We're not all addicted to cardio and we're not all comfortable tossing iron around.  When you workout with someone who follows a different program, you get a glimpse of something new and you may even (gasp!) try it.  Not to mention the idea of doing partner exercises like crunches with a medicine ball pass.  Can't really do those alone now can you?

How about the idea that you'll usually push yourself harder because someone else is there doing it with you.  Safely and within proper limits, of course, but think about any group class you've ever taken.  Are you that girl in the back, praying no one is watching you slink down to the floor in a neon-covered puddle of sweat?  Even if you are, the very idea that you don't want anyone to see you do so is proof that we want to do our best to keep up.

And when you're done working out, chances are that pal isn't going to let you head straight for a burger.  She's going to walk with you to a cute cafe where you'll order salads and talk about the goofballs at the gym.  Right?

Don't get me started on the gym.  I once was a regular.  Every day after work, my hubby and I would meet at the gym and workout for about an hour (see, that accountability thing is for real).  I never had a great system, instead I'd hop from open machine to open machine and kind of hodgepodge my way through a workout, ending with some cardio.  It wasn't really efficient.  I had a trainer for a while, but...cha-ching!

Once kiddos came on the scene, getting to the gym was more of a chore than anything, and I couldn't justify working all day then leaving my kids again so I could workout.

I tried various On Demand workouts on my TV.  They didn't quite do it for me.  Once again, I was far too random with them and I was getting lazy about doing them because I was on my own with it.

When I found Beachbody, I knew I was onto something that was going to (gasp!) work!!  I had the best of all worlds; I had a trainer right there on the DVDs...I didn't have to leave my house...I had a routine/schedule to follow...I worked out with friends...talk about a winning formula.

So I'll go back to the premise of my proposal; let's "one for you, one for me" our way into the New Year with a plan and a pal.  I've seen a ton of pictures lately of friends together for the holidays.  And I've gotten cards with greetings like "Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season."  Let's embrace that.

Those friends in the picture?  Invite them to come along.  Who cares that you're only together, in person, once a year?  Through the beautiful magic of Facebook, we can create a group and workout in there together.  I love getting sweaty selfies of friends from Indiana, California, Florida and beyond.

Those people who sent the card with healthy wishes?  Invite them as well.  Bet no one is hoping they'll be heavier come December of 2016.  Bet everyone would love to know they're doing an awesome thing for themselves (and their loved ones) by being in great shape.

Those people who'll be sitting beside you at dinners, brunches and parties?  Invite them along, too.  Inspire them with a healthy choice, a moderation-style selection at the buffet. 

That person who's super hard to buy for?  Why not invest in their health with a workout, Shakeology, Coaching support or all three?  And it's not sending a "Hey, Fatty.  Get off your butt in the New Year!" note.  It's more of a "I want you to live your healthiest life, and I want to do the same.  Let's do that together." note.  But I guess, be careful, because that could be misunderstood as a proposal of a whole different kind.

Bottom line...working out with a friend is better than going solo.  And I have a pretty slick way to make it all happen.  I'll be launching an online group on January 11.  I'd love for you to be in it with me. 

It's called "Getting Better Together" and that's exactly what its aim is.  Please join us.

Warmest holiday wishes,
Amy

A Few of My Favorite Things....

These are a few of my favorite things....

We all know the song...and I bet some of us are singing it right now.  No?  Okay, just me then.  Whatever.  Remember, this is a place where there's no judging.

Hearing that song several times lately with the holidays upon us made me think about tossing together my own list.  Not that I have anything against "girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes" or "brown paper packages tied up with strings."  Not at all.  

This is hardly a complete list and thoroughly random (what did  you expect?) but it made me happy to create it.  I hope it makes you happy to read it.  That would also make me happy.  Now, the list (in no particular order, and the omission of something on this list does not, in any way, reflect my feelings on said omission--so we're clear!):

1.  LaCroix water.  Yeah, I know.  That's a goofy one.  But I do love the stuff.  I get my water in, a nice little taste of flavor and no guilt.  That's a win all the way around, don't you agree?  I especially love when it's on sale.  Helllllo, stockpile!

2.  Great customer service.  How can you not love great customer service?  Especially lately when it seems to be in relatively short supply.  I recently made a purchase (shopped small!) through a website and was blown away by how helpful, fun and courteous the gal was who helped me.  She even tucked a personalized note into the package---that arrived before its intended due date.  Man, that makes me happy!

3.  Kind words.  A compliment, sincere and unprompted, is one of the best gifts to receive---and to give, for that matter. It just plain feels good to hear someone say something kind about you or something you've done or made.  But kind words don't have to be compliments.  A simple "Bless you" when someone sneezes or a genuine, "I'm sorry" when you're wrong or someone has experienced some form of heartache or frustration.  And let's not forget the 3 magic words..."Please" and "Thank you" that go miles.  Miles I tell ya! 

4.  Sally Hansen InstaDri nail polish; I've written about this gem before, but it cannot be overstated.  It's exactly what it says it is; instantly dry.  And allows my hands to look instantly less beat up and more, well, polished.  

5.  Watching football (or any sport, really) with my husband.  I love how he gets into the game, calls penalties before the refs and coaches from the couch.  Doesn't hurt that I am not a total idiot when it comes to sports, so we can enjoy them intelligently together (if that makes sense), too.

6.  A loud, full house.  There is something about the sound of your favorite people filling your home with their voices, laughter and stories.  It gets loud, hot, even crowded from time to time, but it's so worth it to have everyone together.  I love having company, and I'm always sad when I close the front door behind the last of the guests as they leave.

7.  Being a Beachbody Coach.  It fulfills my desire to help others, follow fitness programs and live a healthy life while setting a great example for my family and friends.  All of that AND I earn money each week as a reward for doing something I love.  Being a Beachbody Coach is not a one size fits all kind of gig; some make it their full time job, others Coach in addition to other jobs and some are Coaches only to enjoy discounts on the amazing line of products and programs.  What's fantastic is that all of those routes are totally okay.  I'm so happy and thankful that I found this company and people a couple years ago; it's enriched my life far beyond any financial gain.  I've got plans for 2016...and I'm pretty excited about them. 

8.  My girls when they're asleep.  And no, this is not a "Mommy needs a break" moment.  This is about the innocence and sweetness that is so consuming when they're sprawled out, safe, warm and secure.  It's watching the features of their faces for as long as I want to because they're still.  It's about whispering all the things I didn't get to say in the chaos and clutter of any given day, praying that they hear me, that the words sink into their heads and hearts.  It's sneaking into Abby's bed (Alyssa's too when she's out of a crib) and snuggling her warm little body, feeling her heartbeat and thanking God that I get to be her Mama. 

9.  Music.  Finding a new artist, really hearing the lyrics to a song I've heard a million times, dancing in the car, singing along---music makes me happy.  Even sad songs make me happy because they usually bring on one of those ugly-yet-cathartic cries we all need from time to time.  You know the ones.  I love hearing a song that reminds me of a person, a place, an adventure.  I love the flood of memories that comes from that, and I love how songs can communicate those memories and emotions so beautifully.

10.  Making lists.  Yup.  I went there.  The order, the structure and the organization a list brings...  The satisfying sound of checking things off (and yes, I've added something I've already done just so I can cross it out!) and keeping myself on track.  I have been known to write and rewrite a list when it gets too sloppy, too.  Lists.  Ohhh, how I love 'em.





Bet you know what's coming next.  Share some of your favorite things with me.  You know a lot about me, especially if you've read some of my other posts.  So, let's hear it.  What's your story?  I'm all ears...