Slow Cooker Chicken Recipe & Money Saving Tip

Good Morning! I hope you all are having a nice weekend. It's a little dreary here in San Diego. I really hope the marine layer breaks up soon so we can enjoy a little sunshine!

Each week when Sunday rolls around, I start to think about my weekly meal plan. I really like simple. Time always seems to move a little faster during the week, especially the weeknight when all the 'to-do's' need to get accomplished in a relatively short amount of time. So I like to look for ways to cook less yet get more out of it. I really like to lean on my Crockpot when time is short because they generally require little work and have a nice payout.

Last week  I received a 6.5lb organic pastured chicken from one of my food clubs. This thing is like a little turkey! I am going to pop it in the crockpot today and we'll be able to enjoy the meat for most of the week. One trick I learned recently to stretch our meat a little bit longer is to shred it. I know it probably doesn't make sense as to why it would last longer, but it just does. I think if I were to cook up chicken breasts, my husband and I would generally eat more meat because they come in a set portion size. Whereas when the meat is shredded, that association is no longer there and we tend to grab enough meat to fit our appetite. Try it out, and you might be surprised. I'm always looking for ways to save a little money and this is actually a nice little compromise. Each day, I will usually add different spices or maybe a sauce to change up the flavors a bit.

Below is a recipe that I love from Everyday Paleo. It's a simple and delicious chicken recipe. The meat is so flavorful and tender when it's done. The great part is that there aren't any over powering flavors in the meat so that you can easily adapt it to different recipes on another day. Enjoy!!

Slow Cooker Chicken recipe by Everyday Paelo
http://everydaypaleo.com/scrumptious-slow-cooker-chicken/

2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 parsnips

3 carrots

4 celery stalks

1 red onion

10-12 whole garlic cloves

¼ cup coconut oil

1 cup chicken broth (preferably homemade)

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon rubbed sage

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Cut the parsnips, carrots, celery, and onion into large chunks making sure that the carrots and parsnips are cut roughly the same size for even cooking.  Place the chicken in the crockpot and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.  On top of the chicken layer the onions and whole garlic cloves followed by the parsnips, carrots, and celery. In a glass measuring cup mix together the chicken broth, coconut oil, thyme and sage (it helps to melt the coconut oil first in the microwave).  Pour this mixture evenly over the chicken and veggies and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 7.

Do you have any favorite time-saver recipes?

Smoothies - 5 Ways to Add Protein Naturally

Happy Thursday! I hope your week is treating you nicely. I've had great energy this week. Maybe it's the sunshine, maybe all the yummy food I've been eating, maybe it's from good news that I've been hearing from friends.. (one that just got engaged! yay!) who knows, but it's just a good week! (lPharrell's song "Happy" is playing in my head right now, lol).

Ok, back down to earth and on to today's post..

I am sure most of you know that good quality protein is an essential part of every diet. Your body uses amino acids contained in the protein to build tissues including muscle and bone, hormone production, and detoxification among many other vital processes.  It's important to get your protein from a variety of sources because each source also contains a broad array of micro-nutrients. So if you broaden your spectrum, you're more likely to ensure you get all your vitamins and minerals each day. This applies to all the food we eat. Variety is essential to optimal health.

I came across an article today on StumbleUpon (really cool website if you haven't already checked it out) that offered different ways to add protein to your smoothies without having to use store bought powders. Below are some of my favorites from that list:

1. Nut Butter - Almond, Peanut, Cashew, Nuttzo... your choice. Nuts are a great way to add about 7 grams of protein per serving to your smoothies, plus different varieties contain Omega 6 and 3 fatty acids for cellular functions and L-arginine for building lean muscle!

2. Chia Seeds - not only are these guys loaded with omega 3 fatty acids and fiber, they bring in 4 grams of protein per tablespoon.

3. Sunflower Seeds - These guys have about  1.5 grams of protein per tablespoon and are loaded with the minerals Selenium and Zinc which are needed as metabolic co-factors in your body. Most people are deficient in both of these!

4. Raw Eggs - Before you crinkle your nose, hear me out...Raw, organic, pastured eggs are a great source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. They are also packed with B vitamins and antioxidants. Once you blend them up, you wont even know they're there :) If all you have are conventional eggs, I would skip this option.

5. Yogurt - Greek yogurt has up to 14 grams of protein per serving and contain those valuable probiotics (good bacteria) that help out digestion. If you have a dairy sensitivity, try using coconut or almond milk varieties of yogurt if tolerated. Be sure to read the labels as many commercial yogurts are loaded with sugar. I personally like Wallaby's Organic Greek yogurt which you can find at Whole Foods, Jimbos (local San Diego), or other grocery stores.


To view the original article and other protein ideas, visit the following link:  http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1qRqKF/www.buzzfeed.com/deenashanker/chemical-free-ways-to-add-protein-to-your-smoothie/?_nospa=true

I would recommend staying away from adding SOY as a source of protein as it functions as a xenoestrogen in the body and can disrupt your endocrine pathways/cycles.

Enjoy!!

Do you have a favorite protein source to add to smoothies?