According to last year's Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the top 10 sources of calories in the American diet are:
1. Grain-based desserts (cakes, cookies, donuts, pies, crisps, cobblers, and granola bars) 139 calories a day | 6. Alcoholic beverages |
2. Yeast breads, 129 calories a day | 7. Pasta and pasta dishes |
3. Chicken and chicken-mixed dishes, 121 calories a day | 8. Mexican mixed dishes |
4. Soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks, 114 calories a day | 9. Beef and beef-mixed dishes |
5. Pizza, 98 calories a day | 10. Dairy desserts |
INSTEAD REACH FOR:
Red: Tomatoes, peppers, cranberries, raspberries, apples,
beans, strawberries, grapefruit
Orange: Carrots, pumpkins, oranges, sweet potatoes,
cantaloupe, peaches, apricots, mango
Yellow: Squash, legumes, lemons, banana, eggs,
pineapple,
Green: Peppers, cabbage, beans, limes, spinach, kale,
honeydew melon, avocado, pears, pesto, celery, zucchini
Purple: Blueberries, blackberries, currants, beets,
red cabbage, eggplant
White: Onions, garlic, whole oats, cauliflower, mushrooms
INFO FOR HALLOWEEN OR ANYTIME!!!!
KID FRIENDLY RECIPES!!
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WEEK’S WORTH OF CHICKEN RECIPES – AND YOU ONLY MAKE CHICKEN ONCE!!
Usually prepared on Sunday b/c I can let the chicken cook while I’m at church & we can eat within 10 minutes of getting home!! :)
3-5 lbs. of organic boneless skinless chicken breasts (dep. On family size)
Bragg’s Sprinkle Seasoning, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, kelp – all to taste
Large sweet potatoes – ½ per person
Put chicken in glass pan. Put about 1/8-1/4 inch of water at bottom of pan. Season to taste with your favorite seasonings or ones mentioned above.
Wrap large sweet potatoes in foil AFTER they've been poked with a fork. Place in oven with chicken.
Let bake at 275 F for 2-2.5 hours.
Serve chicken & potatoes with steamed broccoli.
For potatoes we usually top with coconut oil &/or butter, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg.
Use leftover chicken to make any of the following dishes.
BBQ chicken sandwiches
Chicken Quesadillas
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Salad Sandwich
Lettuce wrapped chicken “tacos”
Chicken Fried Rice
Or cut chicken in thick pieces and use as lunch meat in a sandwich or wrap –top with lettuce, tomato, sprouts, bell pepper strips, etc.
These are my versions of “recipes”. I’m not one for measuring so not everything will be in specific amounts – just do it until it taste right!
BBQ chicken sandwiches
Simply shred the chicken into small pieces with 2 forks. Use Stubb’s BBQ (or another clean brand) or make your own! I love Hoison sauce so when I have it on hand I usually make my own & start with it as a base. I’ve used different ingredients every time - everything from Dijon mustard, balsalmic vinegar, rice wine vinegar, ACV, coconut crystals, to ketchup! Be creative! Use whole wheat hamburger buns or large Portobello mushrooms in place of bread to make your sandwich.
Chicken Quesadillas
In a food processor combine 2 c. chicken, handful of mushrooms (use canned if that’s all you have), 1 small onion, 3-4 cloves of garlic, 2 c. baby spinach, 1 tsp each of oregano, chili powder, and ground cumin. Pulse until well combined and chicken is in small shreds. (Do some coarse chopping on everything beforehand to make it blend better in the processor)
Heat 1 T. coconut oil in large sauté pan. Heat chicken mixture lightly. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Heat 1 T. coconut oil in another large sauté pan. Lay tortilla (your choice – whole wheat, gluten free, etc) on bottom of pan. Top with 3 -4 T. chicken mixture. Shred 1-2 tsp. of raw cheddar cheese (avail. At Whole Foods or Sprouts) over chicken and top with another tortilla. Cook for 2-3 minutes, flip and cook another 2-3 mins on other side.
Cut in quarters and serve.
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
In a greased 2-quart casserole, layer 2 c. chicken 2 sliced hard boiled, eggs, bag of frozen carrots and peas. Mix 1 can cream based soup (chicken, mushroom, etc), 1 c. organic chicken broth, and season with sea salt and pepper, if desired. Pour over the layers. Stir together 1.5 c. instant biscuit mix (your choice – buckwheat, gluten free, etc.) and 1 c. coconut milk, and pour this over the casserole. Drizzle ½ stick melted butter over the topping. Bake until the topping is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes
Chicken Salad Sandwich
Shred chicken. Add in Veganese, Dijon mustard, diced granny smith apples, halved grapes, & chopped walnuts. Amounts needed for each ingredient will vary depending on how much chicken you begin with. Usually this recipe is just for me (1 sandwich) so I don’t measure. I like it creamy so I use enough to ensure it’s not a dry sandwich! Remember you can play with the ingredients and change to your liking. It’s your food!!
Lettuce wrapped chicken “tacos”
Use the large leaves of any lettuce as your tortilla. Spoon on shredded chicken, homemade salsa, guacamole, sprouts, bell peppers, etc. Whatever you want! Enjoy!
Chicken Fried Rice
Everyone has their favorite recipe for this – even if it is from the Chinese takeout restaurant. But it’s time for you to get creative. Look at the recipe you have (or one that sounds good) and see what you can do to “clean it up” and make it a healthier one!
Chicken Fried Rice
Everyone has their favorite recipe for this – even if it is from the Chinese takeout restaurant. But it’s time for you to get creative. Look at the recipe you have (or one that sounds good) and see what you can do to “clean it up” and make it a healthier one!