Recipe: BBQ Chicken Baked Sweet Potatoes

Happy Summer, Friends! We got off school well over a month ago already. Whattt??! I can't believe how fast this summer is going!

I have a recipe I would love to share with you today! In the summer time my family and I LOVE to BBQ and this happens to be one of my favorite recipes to make! So check it out and let me know what you think....

Makes: 2 servings, 1 sweet potato and about ¾ cup chicken each (Note: I doubled the recipe to make as many in the picture above)

Ingredients

2 small sweet potatoes, washed, pierced several times with a fork

1½ cups shredded cooked chicken breast, boneless, skinless, warm

¼ cup barbecue sauce, reduced-sugar, warm

2 Tbsp. chopped red onions

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley (or cilantro) (for garnish; optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Pierce each sweet potato 3 to 4 times with a fork. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender.

While sweet potato is baking, combine chicken and barbecue sauce in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.

Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise.

Top sweet potatoes evenly Red Onions and chicken mixture. Sprinkle evenly with parsley; serve immediately.

Tip:

-Look for barbecue sauce that has an ingredient list that does not contain artificial sweeteners, additives, or preservatives. There are many brands on the market that are sweetened with small amounts of honey, maple syrup, or molasses. I used "Stubbs Original Sauce" its my favorite and high fructose corn syrup free! :)

From my family to you we wish you a wonderful summer full of lots of memories :) 

I will be starting to post here more so stay tuned for all kinds of new stuff! New DIY natural remedies recipes, food recipes, homeschool stuff and more!

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DIY All Natural Tick and Bug Spray Recipe (For People and Dogs)

Ohhh it's that time of year! Bug bugs bugs! We spend a lot of time outside and ticks are around so I wanted to find a more natural approach to keeping them off us! 

What about I love this recipe is that it's safe for your dogs too! I spray this on both my dogs 1x a week to help keep ticks off them as they are tromping around our ranch.

Super simple, all natural and smells amazing. 

Here is the recipe if you want to make it yourself.

Tick and Bug Spray (Safe for People and Dogs)

2 oz Witch Hazel

3 Drops Citronella EO

3 Drops Lemongrass EO

2 Drops of Lavender EO

(1) 2oz glass spray bottle

*Add all the ingredients in the spray bottle and give it a shake. BOOM it's ready to go!

I spray it on the back of the kids necks and on their arms and legs before we got outside to see the animals or play outside each day. They haven't had a single bug bite this spring!

That's one of my pups I was telling you about right after one of her earlier morning adventure through the oak grove. So loves to get dirty! 

<3

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DIY All Natural Garden Bug Spray Recipe

Are you growing a garden this year? We are! And man do we hae some bugs flying around here.

So I tried out a few different types of all natural bug spray recipes and loved that the one that worked best was the SIMPLEST recipe. #winwin

What you need:

Empty Spray bottle

Water

Peppermint Essential Oil (High Quality)

For a 8oz spray bottle:

- pour 8 oz of water into spray bottle

- add 8 drops of peppermint EO

*Shake and spray!

Apply spray to every plant in the garden, *I would try to make sure you've sprayed the stems and undersides of leaves as well. Spray after every rainfall.

This will help keep bugs and mice away from your hard work!

I hope you find this recipe helpful!

*Bonus Tip: You can also use this EXACT same recipe as a coolant spray for a hot day! I keep a small spray bottle of this in my baseball mom bag for game days. I spray down the back of my son's neck to help keep him cool. He loves it!

<3

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Recipe: Instant Pot Bone Broth on a Budget

I love bone broth. What is bone broth you may ask? 

It's a broth that is rich in minerals that supports the immune system and contain healing compounds like collagen, glutamine, glycine and proline. The collagen in the bone broth heals your gut lining and reduces intestinal inflammation.

Long story short, it's really good for your gut, has amazing things in it that will help improve your digestive system, strengthen your hair and nails and the list goes on and on.

I'll be honest, buying organic bone broth in the store can be a bit pricey. Yes it goes on sale sometimes but you can save SO much money by making it yourself at home!

How? Every time you cook use veggies... save your scraps! I keep a on going zip lock freezer bag in my fridge that I put the following scraps:

-onion 

- celery 

- carrot 

- bell pepper 

-garlic

-zucchini

-squash

-mushrooms

-herbs (parsley is my favorite to keep for this)

Also the day I am planning to go to the grocery store I will take out any veggies in my fridge that will be going bad and set them aside to use to make my bone broth. 

Then when I got to the grocery store I pick up an organic cooked rotisserie chicken from the deli. I don't know about you, but I'm not a big fan of cooking a big dinner after grocery shopping and putting everything away. So the day I go grocery shopping is always chicken night with a salad and some other simple side dish. At our store an organic cooked chicken is $9.99 so not only am I feeding my family of four dinner for under $15, I am also going to use that same left over chicken to make my bone broth the next day. Do you see where I'm going with this?

A store bought container of prepped organic bone broth is typically around $7.99 where I live for usually 20 oz. Making it myself at home will not only save money but I can make over 65 oz (sometimes 90oz) with this one chicken and my saved veggie scraps. I don't have an exact total amount saved, but you can see it's definitely a lot.

So now I'm going to tell you how I make it!

First add your left over chicken into your instant pot. (I have a 6qt duo)

Then add all your veggie scraps. No exact science to this, just add the scraps you want. I like to throw in some extra baby carrots, some fresh parsley and a little extra crushed garlic when I have it on hand. 

Next I fill up the instant pot with water. No exact amount.. I just make sure I cover the chicken and most of the veggies. Then I'll add a little Himalayan salt and ground pepper and sometimes a tbsp of apple cider vinegar. (But not every time, just depends on the what I'm in the mood for. The Apple Cider vinegar gives the broth a little kick)

Then I seal the lid, make sure the pressure valve is closed and then Instant Pot to Manuel High for 90 minutes.

After it's done I release the valve for a quick release (so right away) and take the lid off and turn the IP off. Then I let it cool for awhile. 

Afterwards I get a large glass bowl out and put a strainer inside. I slowly pour the instant pot mixture into the bowl through the strainer tell it's full. After it's full I lift the strainer out an pour the glass bowl full of broth into a 1/2 gallon glass mason jar. Then repeat the steps again tell I empty out the entire batch of bone broth from the instant pot. I let that batch fully cool in the glass bowl.

Once it's fully cooled pour the rest of the bone broth into a freezer bag. Then just lay it flat in your freezer and wha-la! Not only do you have about a half gallon of homemade delicious bone broth to use in your fridge but you have EXTRA in your freezer to use when needed. 

**Bonus Tip: Save the plastic container your rotisserie chicken comes in. Once you have strained the broth you can toss the veggies and chicken bones into the plastic container, seal the lid and dispose of. Then it's not all lose in your trash can.

I get asked often when and how often do I drink bone broth? I drink a coffee mug a day usually in the morning while we do school time. I used to have a cup of coffee then but now I love drinking this instead and it's much better for me!

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Recipe: Oh So Good Paleo Friendly Teriyaki Sauce

I really love making sauces from scratch. As someone who spent her early 20's living off of spaghetti o's and top ramen I didn't think I'd ever say that. 

One of my favorite go to meals is making meatballs from scratch and then cooking them in the Instant Pot. Only takes about 7 minutes to cook and it's pretty versatile! I typically make them with marinara sauce, but I do like making them with sweet and sour sauce too. 

Paleo Friendly Teriyaki Sauce

What's In It:

·         ½ cup coconut aminos (or braggs liquid aminos)

·         ¼ cup fresh orange juice or water

·         3 tbsp honey

·         1 TBSP crushed Garlic

·         1/4 tsp chili flakes

·         2 tsp arrowroot flour (if you want it thicker)

How to Make It:

In a small saucepan, mix everything BUT the flour and heat it over medium heat. If you are using flour, mix it with 2 tablespoon of cold water and add the mixture into the sauce and cook until it has thickened. If not using flour, just simmer on low the sauce until thickened.

That's it! I poured my sauce over a batch of raw meatballs I made. Put the meat balls in the Instant Pot, poured the sauce over and then cooked on Manuel High for 7 minutes with a quick release. 

Served it over brown rice I had cooked in my Instant Pot earlier and zoodles. Super easy and tasted like a treat meal!

For those of you using the Fix Containers: 1 orange container full = 1 orange! 

Want more recipes like this? Want more recipes like this, meal prep tips and/or to get started with a fitness routine? I would LOVE to be your coach! You can reach out to me by going to my Facebook page by clicking the picture below....

Have a blessed day!

The Good Grinch Shakeology Recipe

Admit it, you read the post title and started singing "You're a mean one. Mr. Grinch" in your head right? I know I did.

So I'm kinda on a big Vanilla Shakeology kick right now. Which is very unlike me because I am a Vegan Chocolate girl all the way. This holiday season though Vanilla has been the perfect blend for me to drink Healthy Nogs, Candy Cane Shakes, Orange Julius Inspired Shakes and more. 

Then I saw an idea to add Green Tea to my Shakeology and I went from there. Yes the secret ingredient in this recipe is chilled green tea. 

Why thank you Grinch! (Sorry I couldn't help it).

Ok so here is the recipe!

Good Grinch Shakeology Recipe:

1 Scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1/2 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 Cup Ice

1/2 cup chilled Great Tea

1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg

1 dash of ground cloves

1 scoop of Shakeology Boost "Power Greens" OR 1 cup of fresh spinach

Add all the ingredients into the blender, blend well and serve! Want to make it extra festive? Put a few sprinkles on top to make you smile as you are drinking literally, the healthiest meal of a day with a boost of natural energy (green tea) AND a serving of veggies! #winwinwin

Portion Fix Container Equivalent: 1 Red, 1/2 Yellow and 1 Green

Looking for more recipes like this or to get a daily dose of motivation and encouragement? 

I'm looking for women who want to skip the over crowded gym this New Year, transform their bodies and reach their goals!

- Transformation Challenge with incentives (yep prizes, weekly)

- 24/7 Access to your own person Virtual Gym

- 30 Day Nutrition Plan and Shakeology

- LIVE Meal Prep Training in our Private Group

- Daily Challenges, Accountability, Fun and Motivation! 

Drop your email here to get more information and find out how you can secure your spot. These spots are already filling up, so if you want in let me know soon!

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Have a Blessed Day!

Recipe: Zucchini & Mushroom Risotto - Instant Pot Edition

Hi Friends! Happy November! It's been a few weeks since I blogged an instant pot recipe... And I've been wanting to blog this recipe for awhile now! This is a dish I have been making for about 6 years now in the microwave. Yep I said it, in the microwave. I pulled out my recipe box and was trying to find something we hadn't made in awhile that I could convert to the Instant Pot. 

Then I found my trusty Zucchini and Mushroom Risotto recipe!

Could I make this in the Instant Pot?

Yes! Challenge Accepted! 

Ingredients:

1/2 medium onion (finely chopped)

3 garlic cloves (pressed)

1 cup Arborio Rice (uncooked)

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 1/2 Cups low sodium vegetable (or Chicken) broth

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (or dried)

1 medium zucchini (used a cheese grater to shred it)

1 cup sliced mushrooms (you can use already cooked or fresh)

Himalayan Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Turn Instant Pot to saute mode. Dice onion and press garlic, add to pot with olive oil. Mix frequently tell translucent. Add 1 cup of rice, stir frequently for about a minute (don't let it burn). Add 3 1/2 cups of veggie or chicken broth and stir together. Put lid on, seal, set to high pressure/manual for 6 minutes. While this is cooking, go ahead and grated your zucchini and have your mushrooms, salt pepper, parsley and cheese ready to go.

After it's finished cooking do a quick release, hit cancel and remove lid from Instant Pot. Add salt and pepper, zucchini and mushrooms and give it a good stir. Add shredded cheese and parsley and stir again. Put the lid back on for about 5 minutes just to let everything settle together. 

Then... Serve!! 

My kids LOVE this recipe! Sometimes we'll add ground turkey or beef to it is GOOD! 

I hope you enjoy :)

Want more recipes like this? Want more recipes like this, meal prep tips and/or to get started with a fitness routine? I would LOVE to be your coach! You can reach out to me by going to my Facebook page by clicking the picture below....

Have a blessed day!

Core De Force: Week 1 Meal Plan and Easy to use Grocery List

This new program is all about doing things different for me this time. One of those things is I've NEVER posted before pics until I have after pics it show for it. (before pics will be at the end of this post)

If I want to make a change and give this all I've got, I've got to set the tone now. 

These last few months I've allowed life and the "stress" of it to dictate my emotions and my eating habits. As a coach I've been pretty embarrassed and afraid to show that I can't seem to get it together.

I'm recommitting myself to the goals I've made and am going to give this 110%. For myself, and for my challengers that I want to help encourage and inspire. I'm ready to lead by example and rise up again!

Something pretty cool happened. I got selected to be in a team test group! What does that entail? I had to sign a contract, take before mics and measurements, and commit to sharing this entire 30 day journey through VLOGS and well... blogging! 

This weekend I rocked out to "Eye of the Tiger" and got my meal prep on! I recorded a step by step video for my challengers showing them how I meal plan for each week and gave them my special Weekly Meal Planning Template and Grocery List. If you would like a copy of this you can email me at CoachJennyM@gmail.com or fill out the quick form at the end of this post.

I love using this grocery list. It breaks the items I need up into the portion control container they go in. It's a great way to help learn what goes in what container and I'm a softy for organization! 

So what did I Meal Prep to make my life simpler this week and how long did it take? I will answer that right now!

This week's Meal Prepped Menu:

- Fixate Veggie Egg Cups

- Sweet Potatoes cooked in my Instant Pot

- Chopped veggies for snacks

- Egg roll in a Bowl for Lunches

- Extra Ground Beef to use for Monday's dinner

- Sliced Bananas, put in the freezer to use for my daily Shakeology. 

How long did it take? 1 hour! That's it! That 1 hour of prep I did in the kitchen will not only help me stay on track with my nutrition this week.. but it saves me TIME and reduces stress! I'm on the go all day long, so to have my food in the fridge, prepped/cooked ready to eat is huge for me. 

It was so fun to see all the meal prep pics from my Team and I's challengers this weekend! We are all SO pumped to begin!

(Day 0 Vlog for the Coach Test Group)

My Goals for these 30 days?

- Complete all the workouts.

- Stick to the Eating Plan (100%) 

- Be transparent. Share this journey as a whole. Highs, lows, and in between.

- Have a positive attitude. This is a BLESSING!

Does this sound like something you want to do? Are you right to Fight for your health? My next Exclusive Core De Force Challenge group that starts in a few weeks is already filling up! 

Fill out the form below if you would like my custom weekly meal planner and grocery list templates. Or if you would like to get your name on the list for my next group!

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Recipe: Salsa Chicken - Instant Pot Edition

What if I told you that you could make flavor full, Mexican restaurant style taco filling in 1 pot with 2 ingredients?

Would you try it?

How about if I told you it takes less than 20 mins to prepare?

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 organic chicken breasts (thawed)

1 16oz jar of your favorite salsa (I used my favorite organic Salsa Verde)

I told you it was only 2 ingredients!

Directions:

Place both thawed chicken breasts at the bottom of your Instant Pot. Pour the jar of salsa over it. Place lid on and seal. Set to Manual for 7 minutes and make sure the pressure release valve is turned to "sealed". Once finished let it sit in warm mode (aka Natural release) for 10 minutes. Release pressure and take a whiff.... Mmmmmm

You can use a spatula or tongs and shred the chicken. That's it! It's ready to serve. I typically will be prepping my toppings at the same time as it's cooking so it's ready to go when the timer is done. 

Here are a few things I prep:

- corn tortillas on my small cast iron skillet

- sliced avocado or guacamole

- shredded lettuce

I don't use a lot of toppings because really, there is SO much flavor with the chicken cooking in the salsa like that. I've cooked this with regular red salsa and salsa verde and I will tell you personally, the salsa verde version is my favorite. 

(container servings above: Note add 1 purple as well for the salsa)

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Have a blessed day,

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