Quick Pineapple Chicken Tacos

I didn't plan ahead tonight but I really wanted to do a pulled chicken taco type dinner.  I decided to poach the frozen chicken breasts in a water/pineapple juice mixture to add a little flavour to the chicken and then shred it since I didn't have a rotisserie Chicken on hand.  

Gord and I are doing the 21 Day fix and I'm on my last week!  We have been doing really well with using our Tally Sheets, they seem to keep both of us better organized while on the meal plan and holds us more accountable to getting all our containers in each day! You can check out the 21 Day Fix Tally Sheets we created on this blog post!

Now I don't know about you but I have never actually Poached a Chicken before... but it seemed like a smart idea being short on time tonight and needing shredded chicken for dinner in a hurry!

So I did a little research and this is what I did for mine...

Poaching Chicken Directions

The Chicken: 

Boiling or poaching chicken means cooking it in hot liquid. This is an ideal quick method for cooking chicken breasts, which can dry out when roasted or grilled. Bone-in breasts with the skin on are a good choice if you want the cooking liquid to become a tasty broth. For a shorter cooking time, opt for skinless, boneless chicken breast halves. For the quickest cooking time, use cut-up or cubed chicken breast

I used frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts for my recipe. 

The Liquid: 

Drain pineapple juice into pan with chicken and add in about 6 cups of water, or just enough to cover the chicken. 

Cooking the Chicken: 

Place the chicken in a saucepan large enough to hold the chicken pieces comfortably. Add enough cooking liquid to cover the chicken. If desired, add any other ingredients for flavoring the liquid and chicken. Bring to boiling on medium-high heat; reduce the heat. Cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F).

• Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts: cook about 30 minutes
• Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves: cook 15 to 20 minutes
• Skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into 2-inch pieces: cook about 10 minutes

Drain and Use: 

When the chicken is done, remove the chicken from the pan. For torn or pulled chicken pieces, let the chicken breast cool until easy to handle. If the chicken has skin, pull it off with your fingers and discard. Using your fingers, tear off pieces of chicken. Or if you have a Kitchen Aid Mixer you can chop up the chicken roughly and put it into your mixing bowl.  Turn mixer onto medium until the chicken is nicely shredded.  So much easier doing it this way!  

Quick Pineapple Chicken Taco Recipe

Serves 3

Ingredients

3 Whole Wheat Wraps

2 Large Chicken Breasts Shredded Chicken (1/2 Cup each wrap)

1 Small Can Pineapple Chunks or Tidbits

1 cup Cooked Peppers

3 Tbsp Salsa

3 Tbsp Honey

Directions

Poach Chicken and Shred with stand mixer. 

To a frying pan add pineapple and peppers cook until peppers begin to soften.

Add in Salsa and honey stirring got combine

Add chicken into the mixture turning over to coat in pineapple mixture.  

Serve on whole wheat tortilla. 

21 Day Fix Portions: 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1/2 Green, 1/2 Purple

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Pesto goat cheese veggie wrap

I had one Yellow, one Green and one blue containers for lunch today! Everything else was accounted for, so I decided I would make a veggie wrap using whatever I had in the fridge. 

Pesto Goat Cheese veggie Wrap

Ingredients: 

Goat cheese

Pesto

Cucumber

Grated carrot

Tomatoes

Whole wheat wrap

Directions: 

Spread one blue containers worth of goat cheese on your wrap as well as a 1/2 table spoon of pesto. 

Lay cut tomato and cucumber on top of the cheese and pesto. 

Then the grated carrot next. 

Wrap it up and enjoy! 

Mock Mushroom Eggs Benny

This 21 Day fix approved breakfast recipe is full of flavour and super satisfying too!  

This morning I went to go make my asparagus with Poached eggs and garlic Dijon sauce but the asparagus was going soggy and wasn't good to eat any longer!  So I switched it up and used mushrooms!  Why didn't I think of this before????  

My Favourite way to have Eggs Benedict has always been with Bacon and mushrooms so this was sure to be fabulous!  

I recently started poaching eggs in lemon water!  Surprisingly good!! 

I pan fried about a cup of mushrooms in olive oil, poached my eggs and wished the sauce and in about 10 minutes I had breakfast!  Easy. 

Garlic Dijon Sauce Recipe

2 TBSP Dijon Mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions

Wisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.  

Lay a bed of the mushrooms down on your plate, top with two poached eggs and top with Garlic Dijon sauce. 

21 Day Fix Portions: 1 Red 1 Green 1 Orange

21 Day Fix Daily Tally Sheet

Gord and I are back on the 21 Day fix!  He started today and I felt like we needed an easier method of tracking our containers and meal plan for each day!  

We currently use a 21 Day Tally App which I find helpful but I also need a place to write down the meals we are planning for each day!  In the past I have used an excel spreadsheet or white board but it' not as easy on the go if I don't have those with me.  We were making lunches tonight and I decided we needed a printable sheet we could do it all on!  So I quickly created this document and thought I would share it here too!

The photo above is for someone in the 1800-2099 caloric range but I have created one for each Calorie Range! Just click the link below to take you to your sheet and print it off for each day!  

1200 - 1499 Calorie Range Daily Tally Sheet
1500-1799 Calorie Range Daily Tally Sheet
1800-2099 Calorie Range Daily Tally Sheet
2100-2300 Calorie Range Daily Tally Sheet

If this is something you find helpful please leave a comment below and let me know!

AND don't for get to PIN IT!

Dark Chocolate Gluten free Muffins

Dark Chocolate Muffins with pumpkin seeds  (Soy/Dairy/Gluten/Refined Sugar Free)

Sweet and moist with super chocolate punch, no one will ever know there isn't a DROP of flour in these tasty muffins. Super simple to make and already measured out for your 21 Day Fix. Don't miss saving this recipe to use as your secret weapon when you just NEED a chocolate treat! 

I'm starting the 21 Day fix as of tomorrow morning so doing a little prep work tonight! The results of my 3 Day refresh will be up tomorrow! If you didn't check out my previous posts about the Refresh you can find the first one here.

Dark Chocolate Muffins

Yield:12 servings, 1 cupcake each

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
3 large eggs
½ cup pure maple syrup (You can sub this out for honey)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted

1/4 tsp himilyan sea salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (we use Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks to make these GF/DF/SF)

Top with unsalted pumpkin seeds (I did half with and half without just in case someone was picky!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Prepare 12 muffin cups by lining with muffin papers or silicon liners; set aside. (You can use a dab of coconut oil in each muffin cup instead of using spray)
3. Place chickpeas, eggs, maple syrup, cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt , coconut oil, and extract in blender or food processor; cover. Blend until smooth.
4. Divide batter among 12 prepared muffin cups.
5. Top each muffin with about four chocolate chips; push into batter. Then sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. 6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.7. Cool completely and enjoy!

21 Day Fix Portions: 1 Yellow 1/2 Blue 1/2 Orange

Kindergarten Valentines Day Project

NORMALLY wouldn't do a candy treat for Valentine's Day but Asher picked this idea from my Valentines Pinterest board with me so we went with it! 

What you will need:

Dino Candy or for a non candy option plastic dines
Small baggies (can be found in the dollar store craft section)
Printable Tag sheets
Scissors
Pen or felt for writing their name

We got our Dino Tags from the Party Pizzazzerie site and I'm so proud of Asher for cutting out all the tags and writing his name on each one!

This was a seriously easy little Valentines favour and Asher was able to do the whole project on his own!  He even did a few staples too. 

55 Healthy Snack Ideas

Eating healthy doesn’t need to be complicated or boring! I found a great list of healthy snack ideas on the Beachbody site and thought I would share it here.  I have tweaked it a little here and there mostly because I don't believe in Low-fat!

Here are 55 easy-to-prepare snacks, that will keep your tastebuds happy.

1. Mini tostada
Spread 1/4 cup of organic refried beans on a small whole wheat tortilla. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and a sprinkle of your favorite cheese.

2. Frozen grapes
Freeze 1 cup of grapes and enjoy them as if they’re sorbet.

3. Greek yogurt with honey
Mix one teaspoon of honey into half a cup of plain, Greek yogurt.

4. Cinnamon apple
Sprinkle an apple with cinnamon for a treat that tastes more decadent than it is.

5. Strawberries and chocolate
Dip 4 or 5 (depending on their size) strawberries into 2 squares of melted dark chocolate.

6. Almost apple pie
Try 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce with a hint of cinnamon.

7. Jicama
Chop one and a half cups of jicama and add a splash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt for a tangy, refreshing treat.

8. Café Au Lait
Enjoy 8 ounces of milk with a shot of espresso.

9. Carrots with hummus
Crunch on 9 or 10 baby carrots with a side of 2 tablespoons of hummus.

10. Nuts
Eat a handful of 25 pistachios, 14 almonds, or 16 peanuts makes for a nice “good” fat and protein snack.

11. Eggs with guacamole
Hard boil an egg and replace the yolk with 2 tablespoons of guacamole for a protein-packed snack.

12. Edamame
Boil or steam one-half cup of unshelled edamame with a pinch of sea salt for a fiber-rich snack.

13. Bitter chocolate
Enjoy 1 large block or 3 small squares of dark chocolate.

14. Mediterranean tomato
Dice one medium tomato and top with 2 tablespoons feta cheese and a pinch of sea salt.

15. Kale Chips
Make your own kale chips for a fraction of the price with this recipe.

16. Bell peppers with balsamic vinegar
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar on top of 2 cups of sliced bell peppers.

17. Eggs with spinach
Scramble 3 egg whites with one-half cup of raw spinach and 1 Tbsp. of feta cheese.

18. Corn with garlic
Coat one-half of an ear of corn with a 1 tsp. of olive oil and 1 minced garlic clove. Grill until tender.

19. Santa Fe black beans
Combine one-quarter cup black beans, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1 Tbsp. of Greek yogurt for a hearty snack.

20. Chocolate banana
Dip one-half of a banana into 2 squares of melted dark chocolate.

21. Caprese
Top one ounce of mozzarella cheese with half a cup of cherry tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar.

22. Tuna salad
Mix together 2 ounces of water-packed tuna with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.

23. Sweet potato
Enjoy one small baked sweet potato plain or with a pinch of sea salt.

24. Popcorn
Munch on 2 cups of air popped popcorn.

25. Olives
For a salty snack, enjoy 9 kalamata olives.

26. Greek watermelon
Top 1 cup of watermelon with 2 tablespoons of crumbled feta.

27. Peanut butter
Even on its own, peanut (or almond) butter makes for a treat full of good fats.

28. Cottage cheese and melon
Combine three-quarters of a cup of melon with one-quarter cup of cottage cheese for a sweet dessert.

29. Strawberry and spinach salad
For a savory and sweet salad, mix together 1 cup of baby spinach with one-half cup of sliced strawberries. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

30. Shakeology
Mix one-half serving of your favorite flavor of Shakeology with water.

31. Spiced cottage cheese
Mix 3/4 cup cottage cheese with a pinch of chili powder and a pinch of curry powder. Top with chopped scallions if desired.

32. Shrimp cocktail
Dip eight medium-sized cooked, peeled shrimp in 2 Tbsp. all-natural cocktail sauce.

33. Crisp bread and lox
Top a Wasa whole-grain cracker with 1 ounce of salmon lox, two slices of cucumber, and a pinch of crushed black pepper.

34. Ham-wrapped asparagus
Wrap three slices of lean, nitrate free deli ham around three cooked asparagus spears.

35. Mediterranean rice cake
Spread 1 Tbsp. of hummus on a whole grain rice cake. Top with two cucumber slices.

36. Carrot salad
Mix two grated carrots with one Tbsp. of raisins, one tsp. of raw sunflower seeds, and 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar.

37. Black bean salad
For a snack with protein and fiber, mix 1/4 cup drained black beans, one chopped tomato, half of green bell pepper chopped, and a pinch of chili powder.

38. Roasted red pepper Wasa cracker
Spread 2 Tbsp. hummus on a whole-grain Wasa cracker. Top with one jarred roasted red pepper, sliced.

39. Avocado cracker
Mash 1/4 avocado with a squeeze of lime. Spread on a Mary's Organic Cracker and top with a pinch of espelette pepper or smoked paprika.

40. Pistachios and cranberries
Combine 16 shelled pistachios with 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cranberries.

41. Veggies and ranch dip
Enjoy ranch dressing without the guilt! Dip 10 baby carrots and 8 cherry tomatoes into 2 Tbsp. of this homemade healthier ranch dip.

42. Frozen nutty banana
Roll half a peeled banana in one Tbsp. chopped peanuts, pressing so that nuts stick to the banana. Freeze. Enjoy!

43. Baked Apple Chips 
Bake your own apple chips and you can enjoy them with much less sugar. Here’s a recipe from Beachbody.

44. Cheese and cracker
Top one Wasa cracker with slices of 1 piece of string cheese

45. Italian cucumbers
Cut up 2 cucumbers and enjoy them with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar

46. Seaweed snacks
1 package of roasted seaweed snacks from Costco or your local supermarket.

47. Crunch + spice
Cut up 4 celery stalks and enjoy them with 1/4 cup salsa.

48. After school snack
Cut up 4 celery stalks and dip them in 1 tbsp. almond butter.

49. Cheesy popcorn
Sprinkle 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast over 2 cups air popped popcorn.

50. Turkey tartine
Top one slice whole grain bread with 2 slices deli turkey and 1 tsp. mustard.

51. PB + J
Top one Wasa cracker with 2 tsp. nut butter and 3 sliced strawberries.

52. Monkey snack
Cut up one half of a banana and dip it in 2 tsp. nut butter and then 1 tbsp. granola.

53. Easy avocado
Mash up one half of an avocado and mix it with 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar.

54. Japanese avocado
Mash up one half of an avocado and combine with with 1/4 tsp. soy sauce, 1/4 tsp. sesame seeds, and a drizzle of rice wine vinegar.

55. Chips and salsa
Try these corn tortilla chips with 2 tbsp. fresh salsa.