Chicken Burrito Bowl + A Change in My Exercise Routine (FREE WORKOUTS!)

This is one of those posts that I’m starting with no clue of how it’s going to turn out, and at this point, nothing feels more right. :o) Big things are happening in my little world right now, and at any given second, my mind is in what feels like 60 different places. Some days, it’s exhausting. Others, it’s completely invigorating. Today is totally the latter.

I’ve been up since 4AM and have been going nonstop. I had a two-hour workout this morning, and I’ve been way more productive at work than I feel like I’ve been in the last several days. I’ve also had a few “aha”/lightbulb moments that I’ve been waiting for, and to top it all off, I’m going to my first football practice tonight.

That’s right — football practice.

I’ve been recruited to play Ultimate Women’s Football with the Austin Inferno, and I’m going to my first outdoor practice this evening. Yes, it’s full-contact. Yes, I’ll be wearing full pads and a helmet. And, yes, I’ll probably get beaten up quite a few times this season, unless I get there tonight and decide it isn’t for me (which I don’t think will happen). This is just the first of a few new ventures that 2015 is proving to have in store for me.

MAKE THIS FOR MEAL PREP: Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole (Plus a Personal Rant)

I had a stroke of culinary genius last weekend during Sunday meal prep. It involved cheese, chicken, quinoa, broccoli, and the trusty ol’ slow cooker.

Last Saturday evening, we went to a little dinner spot on 6th Street called Parkside for our weekly treat meal. They had Gruyere mac and cheese listed as a side item. Sounded drool-worthy. I haven’t had mac and cheese in ages, so we ordered it with our meals along with some Brussels (of course). Ryan loved it. Me — not so much. I was disappointingly unimpressed. After a couple of bites (which totally didn’t satisfy my cheese craving), I gave up and pushed it to the corner of my plate. The flavor just wasn’t worth it, so I moved on to engulf my roasted chicken. Talk about a depressing treat meal.

I decided to turn my disappointment into kitchen inspiration and set out on a mission to come up with a slow cooker “mac and cheese” recipe that was healthy and filling enough to eat throughout the week for lunch. SO HAPPY WITH THIS FINAL PRODUCT, GUYS. SERIOUSLY. It might not look appetizing, but it’s all about the flavor with slow cooker dishes, anyhow. The ingredients here might sound a little odd, but just try it during your meal prep this weekend.

Super Bowl Snack: Slow Cooker Chicken Wings

Alright, friends. I’ve FINALLY made the winning recipe from the Fit-mas Giveaway that I ran before Christmas. (If you have no idea what I’m talking about, read this post. I asked for suggestions of classic recipes to “clean up,” randomly selected 2 winners, and sent them some goodies in return for their ideas.)

The dish? Chicken wings. Glorious, flavorful, fall-off-the-bone chicken wings.

I’m a Texas-raised girl, so clearly I LOVE football. With the Super Bowl being less than 2 weeks today, I wanted to figure out a way to make my #1 favorite game day appetizer — chicken wings — in a way that doesn’t sabotage my fitness goals. That means avoiding the butter, oils, flour, extra sugar, and no frying. Ryan had the bright idea to make our own pizza and wings to eat while watching the playoff games last night (he’s a genius), so I got to create my own healthier version of chicken wings last night. I honestly thought this one would take a few tries before I’d make a batch that was blog-worthy (considering it was my first attempt at wings), but somehow, I nailed it on the first try. Bonus: it’s super easy.

What’s For Lunch? Mastering Your Weekly Meal Prep + Slow Cooker Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Happy Halloween!!! This has always been one of my favorite holidays. Growing up, my family had more skeleton decorations stored in the attic than Santas. My dad would spend weeks building an elaborate haunted house in our garage, and the whole neighborhood would line up to go through it. Oh, the memories. Sadly, I’m not doing anything to celebrate tonight because I’m lazy and didn’t plan. No costume, no party. Since I don’t a cute festive picture to post, here’s an old one (last year) of me and my poor dog who I forced into a sheriff outfit:

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken + The Importance of Lunch

Let’s talk lunch. I feel like it doesn’t get the love it deserves, and 99% of my most recent posts have been about pancakes and sweets. (Go figure.) Time for a topic change!

Lunch is a really easy meal to overlook. When mid-day hits, you understandably want a break — which usually means running down to the office cafeteria for a sandwich or grabbing something from a nearby restaurant with coworkers. I’ve seen LOADS of research claiming that not eating at your desk is a must-do thing. Based on past experiences, I tend to disagree with this theory. (So do both my waistline and bank account.) Here’s why: