keen on quinoa

chicken + sweet potato + shredded kale + quinoa + almonds = heaven? sounds about right. 

Hey team! Don't know why I just called you all team, but I like it so we're going with it. How are you? If you're anything like me then you've been on a fitness journey that's lasted way longer than you expected, taken way too many turns, and has left you craving all the food. 

The other day I had just gotten home from taking a boxing class (if you live anywhere in Chicagoland, you NEED to come check out Midwest Strength + Performance) where I had literally been handed my butt on a silver platter. I was tired, sweaty, but most of all HUNGRY. In the spirit of *health & wellness* I made a chicken & quinoa bowl. Trust me, it's much better than it sounds. 

Here's what you need: 

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water (or any stock, if you like more flavor) TRUST ME, GO WITH THE STOCK 
• 1 chicken breast (you can get these already cooked at Whole Foods, or just use a rotisserie)
• 1 sweet potato 
• 1 yellow squash
• 2 cups shredded kale (seems like a lot, but it cooks down so much) 
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds 
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• salt & pepper 

Ok, so quinoa sounds a lot harder to make than it is. I've heard that you have to rinse it, like rice, before cooking it, that it needs to be covered while cooked, that you should triple the amount of water blah blah blah. It's actually SO easy. Ready? Put one part quinoa in a pot, then add 2 parts water (or stock) and then let it simmer until all the liquid is absorbed. SO EASY. It really only takes about 20 minutes. I try my best to just let it do it's thing, but sometimes you can't resist and have to give it a little stir. As soon as the liquid is absorbed, I take it off the heat and fluff with a fork. Then just season it with some salt and pepper, and you're set! 1 cup of quinoa is actually so much, so I like to make large amounts at the beginning of the week and then slowly use it. It's my tiny step into the world of meal prepping. For this recipe we'll use the whole cup. 

If you're making this recipe from start to finish, while the quinoa is cooking it's the perfect time to peel and dice the sweet potato, yellow squash, and shred the kale. Once they're all done, add the cooked quinoa, veggies, and cayenne pepper to a oiled skillet on medium heat and cover-- cook until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, so about 15 minutes, checking constantly so the quinoa doesn't over cook. There should be a nice quinoa socarrat at the bottom of the skillet. While the quinoa and veggies are getting married in the skillet, I cook chicken breast in a separate skillet with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne. The timing should be about perfect! Once it's done, slice it and it's ready for the bowl! 

Once the veggies are cooked down, take it off the heat, top chicken breast (or without for vegan and veggie friends) and enjoy! I top it with almond slivers, sesame seeds and of course a little Sriracha. If you don't have time (or honestly just don't want to) use a rotisserie chicken! So much easier. 

This has quickly become one of my favorite recipes to make-- if you make a giant batch on Monday, it will keep through the week and you can eat it hot, warm, and cold. At every temp different flavor profiles will come through! It's SO healthy since ,"quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids. It is also high in fiber, magnesium, B-vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus,vitamin E and various beneficial antioxidants" and who doesn't love chicken and spice. 

Next time you get home from a workout and have no idea what to make, try this, or incorporate it into your weekly meal prep! 

wings wings wings

About once a month I crave chicken wings and now that March Madness is upon us, that craving is alive and well. I mean honestly, is there anything better than biting into a spicy piece of fried chicken?

The crispy ends making a crunch between your teeth and the spice exploding on your tongue, it's the best part of any game-day, party, or just a Saturday. For some, wings have a sketchy reputation, seedy bars, womanizing restaurants, and daunting deep fryers horror stories, but for me, the first few wings always take me back to childhood. Weekends spent at family parties watching football or basketball games, summer picnics, and of course barbecuing by the pool - wings really bring me back! 

My family lives all across the country, so weekend parties are few and far between. Until we all live near each other again, I make wings whenever I'm feeling nostalgic! I use a counter-top deep fryer (because I'm extra) but these are great baked as well!

Here's what you need: 

• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 bunch of cilanto
• 10 chicken wings, tips removed

As you might've guessed from the ingredient list, these aren't traditional buffalo wings. These are ginger spiced wings! Feel free to adjust the spice mixture based on your preferences, but I like my wings spicy. 

For oven baked wings, preheat the over to 425 degrees. For deep fried wings, heat oil to 325 in a large skillet or deep fryer. 

Make sure your wings are prepped, cleaned, and dry. Fresh is always the best, but if you only have frozen that's totally fine! Either way make sure the wings are patted down and dry, and a little tacky so the flour and spices stick. We're not using a batter here, so no eggs are needed-- just a simple flour spice mix. 

In a clean bowl (or large zip-lock bag) mix the spices and flour, and add the wings! Mix together until the wings are completely coated in the flour mixture. Remove from the mixture and set aside either until the oven or oil comes up to temp. Arrange them on a baking sheet about 1.5 inches apart and bake for a half hour, flip them and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and season once more with salt and pepper to taste. If you like spicy, add a few more dashes of cayenne. 

For the deep fryer, same thing! Remove the wings from the flour mixture and ensure the excess is tapped off each wing. Then, deep fry for 10 minutes and again, season with salt and pepper (cayenne if you're brave) while they're warm to ensure the spices stick. 

These wings come out so crispy and the spices really dance around bringing a warm spiced flavor to the traditional chicken wings. Arrange on a plate and garnish with fresh cilantro! These wings are so juicy and flavorful they really don't need a sauce.