Easy Marinated Skillet Chicken

/in /by

Some weeknights dinner needs to be ready in about 20 minutes. Here’s a simple chicken recipe that can be ready in a snap.

I knew chicken was on the menu so I took my Murray’s chicken breasts out of the freezer to thaw in the fridge all day. I cut up the chicken into strips for faster cooking time then tossed in olive oil, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and sea salt. I let the chicken marinade on the counter for about 10 minutes. I didn’t want to let it marinade in the fridge because it would be cold when I was ready to cook. If you have time to marinade for more than 30 minutes, I suggest covering the chicken and putting into the fridge. Read more →

Healthy Holiday Party!!

/2 Comments/in , , , /by

The holidays are upon us so we hosted a holiday party this Saturday and had a wonderful time with friends and family!

As a Health Coach, I can’t keep myself from serving healthy fare at any occasion. Here’s a viewing of what was served in my home to give you some ideas for your future parties!

Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

Cali and Us (640x425) Read more →

Spring into the season with greens!

/in /by

Spring is a great time to clean up your diet and add more greens. Greens are wonderful for boosting your immune system, promoting growth of healthy gut bacteria, and improving lung and respiratory function to name a few benefits. Perfect for battling seasonal allergies!

What greens are the best to add to your diet? Dark leafy greens such as kale, collard greens, watercress, swiss chard, arugula, bok choy, cabbage, spinach, and broccoli. Some are best eaten cooked and others can be enjoyed either raw or cooked.

Greens are high in the essential minerals calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and Vitamins A, C, E, and K. Be sure to consume with a little bit of fat for maximum nutrient absorption. Adding greens to your weekly menu can reduce your need for expensive seasonal allergy medicines and cold medicines. They are also great for keeping skin clear as they are blood purifiers and help improve circulation.

Let me introduce you to my favorite leafy green, kale. This is green curly leaf kale, you can also get red curly leaf kale and dinosaur (lacinato) which is a flat leaf kale. This is a great tasting green that can be simply steamed then drizzled with olive oil, sea salt, and your favorite spices.

This is raw kale that I purchased from Whole Foods. They do sell it at Publix already chopped and washed in a bag labeled Morning Glory.

raw kale

Kale in steaming pot. Steam for 5-7 minutes until done to your liking.

steamed kale

Here’s the kale ready to eat, simply drizzled with olive oil and a dash of sea salt. Delicious and healthy greens in no time!

kale ready to eat

Dark Chocolate: Good for the Heart

/in /by

Valentine’s Day is almost here and who can resist the allure of chocolate for this special occasion. Most heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are sugar laden with creamy and chewy caramel fillings. Why not have a treat that is heart healthy and delicious?

Go for the dark chocolate, 70% or higher for a richer flavor that’s also rich in heart healthy flavonoids. These are antioxidants that can help lower blood pressure and increase blood flow to the brain and heart. Chocolate is still high in calories, but all you need is a small amount (about 1 oz.) a few times a week to reap the benefits.

Lindt brand chocolate sells 3.5 oz. bars of dark chocolate 70%, 85%, or 90% cocoa content of the good stuff. You can find this at your local Publix. Each bar contains 10 squares that you can break up and eat 1 or 2 pieces at a time. The ingredients are simply: chocolate, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, demerara sugar, and bourbon vanilla beans. This is a high quality chocolate bar and very reasonably priced. For those sensitive to dairy products found in milk chocolate bars, dark chocolate will suite your non-dairy needs.

Here is an article published by the Cleveland Clinic about the benefits of dark chocolate: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/nutrition/chocolate.aspx.

Welcoming the new year ahead

/in /by

The new year is now under way and many of us have high hopes for the best year ever. What are you goals for the new year? Do you have both short term and long term goals in mind?

It’s a really great idea to write those goals down and also share with loved ones so they can give you support in your journey. If you need additional support by someone who is trained specifically to help individuals achieve their goals, a Health Coach is just what you need.

I hope you are looking forward to the new year and all the blessings it has to offer. Take the time to appreciate those around you and don’t forget to appreciate yourself for all that you do!

Be well,

Pam