Living Life Balanced Blog

Pumpkin Chicken Chili

9/23/2020

I feel like fall came in fast...cool weather and everything! To celebrate the first day of fall yesterday I wanted to make a festive dinner, and what is more festive than pumpkins and chili? This recipe is super easy to throw in the slow cooker and as a bonus your house smells delicious all day. The pumpkin flavor is mild, the spice is there but not in your face, and all of the other vegetables paired with the chicken makes for a healthy, well rounded, hearty yet light and refreshing, bowl of chili! If you are like me and can't find pumpkin in the grocery stores, have no fear, you can buy pumpkin baby food in the little jars and it works just as well :)

Pumpkin Chicken Chili, gluten-free and dairy-free recipes by Elena McCown, LLC a health coach in Franklin, TN

Total Time: 15 minutes to prep + (6 hours in slow cooker)
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast
2 yellow bell peppers, chopped
2 orange bell peppers, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
8 oz petite gold cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 cup pumpkin puree
15 oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (just the sauce)
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsalted vegetable broth
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped for garnish
1/2 cup green onions, chopped for garnish
1 avocado, sliced for garnish

Directions

Spray your slow cooker with a little oil and add the chicken to the pot.
Add the bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, garlic, chipotle sauce, chili powder, paprika, peppers, salt and broth to the dish and stir.
Cook on low for 6 hours.
Shred the chicken and leave in the pot until ready to serve on warm.
After you dish out the servings, top with the cilantro, green onions, and avocado. Bonus Tip: this also tastes fantastic with some jalapeno Fritos and/or cornbread.

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Baked Chicken Tenders

9/2/2020

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You can't really go wrong with chicken tenders for dinner, am I right? We usually have some kind of chicken tender option in the freezer for when we feel too lazy or don't have enough time to cook. Also, we just really like them and they are fun to eat - reminds us of childhood! But sometimes, we like to make them ourselves. You can definitely make a large batch of these to store in the freezer for those need-a-meal-in-a-hurry days, and you can feel good knowing that they are made with wholesome ingredients! We also usually have potatoes in the pantry so we can make a quick version of baked fries. Zucchini is another staple that can last longer in the fridge and is easy to whip up in no time! Serve it all with a handful of raspberries and you have yourself a well rounded meal!

Baked Chicken Tender: gluten-free and dairy-free recipes by Elena McCown, LLC a health coach in Franklin, TN

Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 small red potatoes, chopped
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups crushed cornflakes (gluten-free)
4 zucchini, sliced
1 dash salt and pepper
2 cups raspberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F (or 375 convect) and lightly oil three baking sheets.
Place potatoes in a single layer on one baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes before flipping.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, garlic powder and a dash of salt and pepper.
Coat the chicken in the flour mixture, dip into the eggs and then cover in the crushed corn flakes, pressing to coat.
Place on one baking sheet and place zucchini on the other. Drizzle zucchini with a bit of oil and a dash of salt and pepper.
After the potatoes have been in the oven for 20 minutes, add the chicken and zucchini to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Serve with 1/2 cup raspberries each.

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Shrimp Pad Thai

8/28/2020

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If I had to pick I would probably choose shrimp as my favorite protein. I feel like it goes so well in so many different dishes. This is a fun way to eat a bunch of different vegetables yet still feel like you are having an indulgent meal. You can very easily take out the shrimp for a vegetarian version (maybe add a hard boiled egg or peanuts) or replace it with something else. Either way, it's delicious and easy!

Shrimp Pad Thai, gluten-free and dairy-free recipes by Elena McCown, LLC a health coach in Franklin, TN

Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup freshly shredded carrots
5 oz water chestnuts, drained
1/2 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz brown rice noodles (cooked according to package directions)
2 large eggs
16 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 green onions, finely sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges (for serving)
4 tbsp thai sweet chili sauce (or pad thai sauce, just enough to lightly coat all ingredients)
2 cups blackberries

Directions

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add the water chestnuts, bell pepper and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and noodles and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Push the noodles and veggies to the side of the pan and add the eggs. Cook until set for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes or until shrimp begin to curl and turn pink.
Add the sauce and stir until everything is coated and shrimp are completely opaque.
Take off the heat and add the green onion and cilantro.
Serve with a squeeze of lime and a 1/2 cup of blackberries on the side.

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Fresh Margaritas

7/27/2020

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I'm usually down for a good margarita when I am out at a Mexican restaurant or when making Mexican food at home. The thing is - oftentimes they are full of sugar and other additives, they are too sweet, too tart, too lime green, etc. I prefer a fresh margarita. Meaning - nothing weird added, just the ingredients that a margarita SHOULD have. I say that only to follow up with I have recently discovered bourbon margaritas and I believe they are even better than tequila - but, to each their own. Try it both ways and see what you prefer! I created this recipes as I was doing my first virtual cooking class (Taco Party) where we made tacos and white bean guacamole while sipping on margs! Since it was at the beginning of quarantine I emphasized the fact that it is okay to go rogue when following recipes and incorporate the things you have instead of running to the store again for one or two things. For example, we didn't have tequila at home but we had a bunch of bourbon so I gave it a shot...and I am glad I did! I usually host at least one virtual cooking class a month - follow me on Facebook and Instagram for updates!

While I'm not going to go as far to say that these are "healthy", they are definitely "less unhealthy" than most other margaritas. Everything in moderation.

Enjoy!

Photo credit goes to Adrienne Warren who took this during my Taco Party Virtual Cooking Class!

Fresh Margaritas: gluten free and dairy free recipes by Elena McCown, LLC a health coach in Franklin, TN

Total Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients

1 lime wedge
sprinkling of salt with a pinch of sugar on a plate (to coat glass)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (1-2 limes)
2 tsp superfine sugar
1/3 cup tequila (or bourbon)
2 cups of ice

Directions

Rub lime wedge around edge of glass and dip onto plate with salt and sugar to rim your glass.
In a cocktail shaker or large glass or bowl, shake or stir together the lime juice and sugar until sugar partially dissolves - about 30 seconds.
Add tequila (or bourbon) and 1 cup of ice cubes, shake or stir vigorously for 30 seconds.
Pour into prepared glass and add remaining ice cubes.

Note: These can also be made in a pitcher (on the rocks) or the blender (frozen) for a large batch

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Everything Bagel Salmon Salad

7/24/2020

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One of my favorite brunch items is bagel and lox - or something similar, but as long as it involves salmon, cream cheese and onion, I'm in! I wanted to do a dinner take on that by using the Everything Bagel Seasoning I have in my pantry so I came up with a "deconstructed bagel and lox" salad. At first I thought I would make croutons out of a bagel I but ended up finding these super tiny potatoes and thought they seemed like a more nutritious, filling substitute instead. This was a refreshing, healthy, fun take on bagel and lox and I recommend thinking outside the box when you are cooking. More than likely, you can take something that might not be viewed as the most healthy meal and convert it into something that is more nutritious (or just enjoy it as it is in moderation). Living a healthy, balanced life means thinking outside the box, trying something new, still enjoying your favorites and making modifications when necessary.

Everything Bagel Salmon Salad a deconstructed bagel and lox recipe by Elena McCown, LLC a health coach in Franklin, TN with gluten free and dairy free recipes

Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1.5 lb bag of mini baby potatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb Wild Alaskan Salmon
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Everything Bagel Seasoning
4 oz cream cheese (I used Miyokos Vegan Cream Cheese)
1/4 cup milk/milk alternative (I used Ripple unsweetened original)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 head of butter lettuce, chopped
1 English cucumber, sliced into half circles
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
4 stalks green onion, chopped
2 Tbsp capers

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss the potatoes with oil, salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes, flipping potatoes at 15 minutes.
Preheat a pan over medium heat with olive oil. Once hot, add the salmon, skin side down, spray or lightly drizzle the top with oil and add the Everything Bagel Seasoning. Put the lid on and cook for about 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of your fish). Flip the fish over and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until cooked all the way through (firm to the touch and flaky).
Combine the cream cheese, milk and lemon juice until smooth. Add a little more milk if needed for a thinner texture.
Make your salad by assembling the lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, avocado, green onion and capers. Top with the salmon and drizzle the cream cheese dressing over it, followed by a dash more of the Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Enjoy as a healthy dinner or a fancy breakfast!

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