Health, Fitness, & Nutrition

We Made it to Day 3

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I don’t know why, but I was a little hungry for most of the day yesterday. I seemed to need more snacks than I had the day before – not sure what that’s about. But, Emma had organized the fridge in such a way that the snacks were right up front and easy to grab, and this Challenge allows for as many snacks as you want . . . as long as they’re on the “approved foods” list! So, at various points between workouts and errands, I snacked on jicama, apple with almond butter, dried goji berries, dates, and pistachio nuts. That helped for sure. If you’re following our menus and doing this Challenge with a young athlete in the house, definitely pay attention to calorie content to make certain your player is getting enough to eat.

Our dinner last night – Cumin Crusted Wild Black Cod – was a big yawn for all three of us. It wasn’t bad; it just didn’t have a whole lot of flavor. And, pairing it with the plain brown rice didn’t help. black cod(On the other hand, the greens sauteed with garlic were delicious!) We decided that if we keep it on the weekly rotation, we’ll need to find a more flavorful recipe for the fish and do a heartier side dish. Queen of the Kitchen will come to the rescue, I’m sure!

I’m really looking forward to today’s lunch! I’m a huge fan of Chipotle and am hoping Chef V’s version of the burrito bowl comes somewhere close to the one I’ve grown to know and love.

Day 3 Menu

Pre-Breakfast: 8-12 ounces of water plus 8-12 ounces of Green Juice

Breakfast: Smoothie (for my husband: gluten-free toast spread with fresh almond butter & sliced apple)

Mid-morning snack: Apple slices with almond butter

Pre-Lunch: 4-6 ounces of Green Juice

Lunch: Chipotle Bowl

Afternoon snack: Cucumber slices with hummus

Pre-Dinner: 4-6 ounces of Green Juice

Dinner: Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry with Brown Rice

Recipes

Chef V’s Chipotle Bowl (Serves 2)

Ingredients:
2 cups organic mixed greens (arugula, spinach, red leaf, kale, chard, green leaf, or romaine, etc.)
1 cup cooked organic quinoa or brown rice, cooled
¾ cup organic black beans, cooked and cooled
½ mango skinned and cubed
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ small red onion diced
1 small lime, juiced
½ avocado, skinned, cubed

Directions:
Fix two bowls with lettuce on the bottom. Top with plain quinoa (or rice) and beans. Mix mango, onion, cilantro, and lime juice in a small bowl. Add mango mixture to top of salad. Top with avocado and serve. Bon Appétit! Note: We added one can of sauteed chickpeas seasoned with crushed red pepper, turmeric, cumin, paprika, chili powder, & pink salt.

Veggie Stir Fry with Brown Rice

Ingredients:
Yellow squash, quartered & sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
Bag of Broccoli Slaw
Green beans
White onion, cut in half then sliced thinly
Fresh ginger, minced
Fresh garlic, minced
Mushrooms, sliced
Kale, chopped
1 can baby corn, rinsed & drained
1 can bamboo shoots, rinsed & drained
1 can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed & drained
Boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp coconut oil (really, any other vegetable oil besides olive oil will do)
Sesame Oil to taste
Red curry paste to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste
Tamari Sauce to taste

Directions:
For the sauce, shake together sesame oil, red curry paste, and tamari until blended. Set aside. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil until it smokes just slightly. Cook the chicken in the hot oil until done then remove it and set aside. Add the squash, green beans, and mushrooms and saute for about 2 minutes. Then add the onion, broccoli slaw, red pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and the sauce and cook until desired softness. Serve hot over cooked brown rice.

Helpful Links
Click here for Chef V’s website
Click here for the Queen of the Kitchen website
Click here for a Google list of Green Juice recipes

Workout of the Day
Core Cycling at Exhale

Queen of the Kitchen Show Instagram Feed
[instashow source=”@queenofthekitchenshow”]

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