And so it begins….
How is it already January 20th? The holidays are well behind us, work weeks are back in full swing, and resolutions have been made (some already broken) for the new decade. By this time of the year I’m always ready for a fresh start, and priority number one is clean eating and living!
Obviously, I love cooking, eating food and enjoying wine, but my other addiction is working out. For me being active is a priority, not only does it keep my heart healthy and my mental state in tact, but it also helps offset all the yummy food and wine I partake in. My weekly routine includes about 3-5 days of Orange Theory Fitness (OTF) classes, a mid-distance run with the #fambamrunclub, and a day or two of heavy lifting.
Another mid-January perk is the start of the OTF transformation challenge; today kicks off day one of the next eight weeks. The hubs and I participate each year and it really gets us in the right state of mind to work on our fitness goals and fuel our bodies properly. To top it off the challenge is fun! Yes, believe it or not, working out is fun. As a participant you get assigned a team with a coach and staff assistant that check up on you regularly, give tips to keep you on track, and motivate you over the entire eight-week period. You complete a weigh in and take “before” pictures and will check in at the half-way mark to make sure you’re making gains (well not literally) towards your goals. There is a lot of friendly competition between the teams and you feel the comradery with all the participants.
In addition to the challenge I decided to jump into a clean eating program as an added boost. I even convinced the hubs (the poor guy didn’t have much of a choice), my sister and her husband to join in. I spent most of yesterday prepping the meals; a total of 20 breakfasts, 20 dinners, a week’s worth of healthy snacks and fruit. Since many of my friends are also participating in the eight-week challenge, I thought weekly post of my healthy meals may motivate them and inspire them to eat better. So, here are the recipes for week one of eight!
Healthy date balls:
3 cups of dates
2 cups of nuts (I used raw cashews, but use your favorite nut. Almonds, peanuts and pecans would be yummy too)
1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons of salt
1-2 teaspoons of vanilla
Place all items in a food processor and pulse until incorporated. Place on high and process for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and continue pulsing until a sticky mixture has formed. Wet your hands and begin shaping the mixture into balls. Place on a parchment lined paper and put in the refrigerator to harden. Transfer to Tupperware and keep in refrigerator as a healthy snack.
Overnight Oats
½ to ¾ cup of oatmeal
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
1 tablespoon of flax meal
1 tablespoon of powdered peanut butter
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Mix all ingredients in Tupperware, add ½ to 1 cup of milk (I’ve used cashew, coconut and cow, but any liquid will work). Place in refrigerator and after 20 minutes stir to incorporate the chia seeds throughout. Leave in refrigerator overnight. In the morning you can add peanut butter, stevia or honey for some sweetness, and cacao nibs. If you prefer your oatmeal hot you can microwave for 1 minute, stir, and microwave again for 30 seconds until heated through.
Mexican inspired chicken bowls:
8 chicken breasts or thighs
2 cups of rice
1 head of lettuce chopped
3 tomatoes chopped
1 can of beans
1 can of corn
1 can of black olives
2 ½ cups of shredded cheese
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breast on foil lined tray, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes. Pull chicken out from the oven and let rest until cool enough to chop. Rinse 2 cups of rice in water. Place rice in medium pan and add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, add 1-2 teaspoons of salt, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Pull off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Compile your bowl starting with ½ to ¾ cup of rice, ½-1 chicken breast chopped, 2 tablespoons of corn and beans, 1 tablespoon of chopped olives, ¼ cup of cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. Top with cilantro jalapeño cream sauce, recipe here in my previous post.
Wine to pair?
Sadly, no wine during the week, but technically this meal will be consumed on Friday so let’s pretend we can have a glass of wine over our lunch hour at work. Since it’s chicken I’m going to pair it with a Grenache, or if you want to stick with the theme, a tequila spritz will do the job! Health eating friends!
