Roasted Chicken and Veggies

This is one of the easiest meals to have in your arsenal. It doesn't take a lot of time to put it together and it's loved by kids and adults. Plus, if you have a big enough baking dish, you only really need to dirty two dishes for cooking.

Roasted Chicken and Veggies
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and pepper
crushed red pepper (to taste)
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
6 medium red potatoes, diced
4 cups broccoli, cut into florets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Mix potatoes in olive oil, then move to baking dish without removing all of the oil mixture. Do the same with the broccoli and then with the chicken breast, keeping each item separate from the others. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender, chicken is cooked to temperature, and everything is nicely browned. Makes 6 servings.

Total calories per serving: 463
Protein: 29 grams
Fat: 21 grams (0 grams trans fat, 3 gram saturated fat)
Carbohydrate: 39 grams
Fiber: 5 grams
Nutrition facts based on ingredient packaging and information found in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

Leg Blaster Workout

Today was my first day back at the gym following a week of being snowed in with the kids. I spent the week watching movies and making bad decisions about what I ate and drank. Not a good set up for a return to the gym, but I ripped that band-aid off and headed to my favorite class. It's called Bootcamp, but I call it torture. After warming up with a ton of jump roping (which I'm finally getting better at), we did what the instructor called a mini leg blaster. She assured us this is twice as long when you do the full workout, but I'm good with the mini version. Anyway, I wanted to post it for two reasons. One, it's one of those workouts that always gets me because it looks so easy on paper, but ends up being extremely hard. I have a serious love/hate relationship with things like this. Two, it's a body weight exercise that I wish I had known about during this whole snowmageddon thing.

Mini Leg Blaster Workout
10 air squats
5 walking lunges (left and right)
5 jumping lunges (left and right)
10 squat jumps

Complete 10 rounds.

This was just the beginning of the workout today. I'm not sure I'll be able to climb up the stairs tonight for bed!

My Go-To Oatmeal

Breakfast is not my favorite meal of the day, but without it I am a mess by lunch. I tend to go for something that is quick and filling, and most mornings, that means oatmeal. This is a fast, delicious, and healthy way to start the day!

My Go-To Oatmeal
1/4 cup instant oatmeal
1 tablespoon almond butter (cashew butter and sunflower seed butter are also good)
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
1 tablespoon flax and chia seed blend

Add everything to your favorite bowl and mix with hot water to desired consistency.

Total calories per serving: 251
Protein: 7 grams
Fat: 12 grams (0 grams trans fat, 1 gram saturated fat)
Carbohydrate: 35 grams
Fiber: 10 grams
Nutrition facts based on ingredient packaging and information found in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

Hello!

Hello all! Thank you for visiting my brand new blog! It's not my first time blogging, but as it has been years since I last updated my old blog and many things have happened in the interim, I thought I'd just start fresh. I recently finished my bachelor's degree in nutritional sciences/dietetics at Morgan State University. My interest in nutrition guides all of my decisions about food, health, and wellness. This blog will reflect my passion for food, primarily, but will also discuss nutrition and exercise topics. I am not yet a registered dietitian, nor am I a personal trainer, so I'm not an expert. Just a girl with a passion and some time to dedicate to a new project. I hope you enjoy what I share here and find it at least a little useful!