Kale Pesto Pasta...YUM!

I have other things I need to get done tonight, but I can't hold out on writing this recipe post until tomorrow because it is absolutely delicious!

I recently had a BAD experience with Kale so I tried to redeem myself by cooking up a yummy Kale recipe tonight...and I sure did! Let me back-track though. I recently looked up a sautéed Kale recipe that included carrots and radish and it was AWEFUL! Absolutely disgusting! It was a waste of cooking time and ingredients because I don't think ANYONE would eat it! So tonight I was a little intimidated to cook with Kale again. 

I've never made pesto in my life, but I know what the standard ingredients are so I figured I would change it up and make a Kale version. It was a huge hit with me, my husband and even our 2 1/2-yr-old (I put it over pasta and called it super-hero noodles). :)

So here it is plain and simple:

Roughly 4 cups of chopped Kale (stems removed)
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
2 cloves raw garlic
1/4 tsp of lemon zest (actually I think it was slightly less)
3 TBsp parm cheese
Salt (not too much because you get a lot in the cheese)
1/2 tsp Pepper
Olive Oil (about 1/4 cup)

-Fill sauce pan with salted water, add Kale and bring to a boil. Boil for about 8 minutes.
-Drain and blanch in ice water for about 30 seconds. Squeeze out as much excess water as possible (you will be left with a ball of Kale about the size of a Golfball or Tennisball, depending on how much you use).
-While the Kale is cooking, toast the walnuts (oven or pan).
-Place all ingredients in food processor, excluding oil. Turn on.
-Slowly stream in olive oil. You may end up using less or more depending on the consistency you desire.
-Finally, give it a taste and adjust ingredients as necessary. 

It looks like fresh-cut grass but I promise it tastes amazing!

I lightly sauteed 1/2 onion (course chopped) and about 10 grape tomatoes (halved) and added them to the mixture once I took it out of the food processor. 

ENJOY OVER YOUR FAVORITE PASTA!!! Tip: when you drain your pasta, reserve just a bit of the cooking liquid so it mixes smoothly with the pesto. This also helps reduce the amount of oil you need in the mixture.

Served with my homemade-marinade chicken breast

This would also be great on a sandwich, mixed in rice or quinoa, as a dip, mixed into ground meat for meatballs, or on a piece of cardboard! It really is that good!

Best of Health,
Amanda Chubb
www.healthyathomept.com
www.facebook.com/healthyathomept

Warm Pasta Salad...With Kale And Bacon! YUM!

I bought Kale for the FIRST TIME ever (aside from a frozen blob that I broke up and put into shakes). I've always wanted to try it, but since it was unfamiliar to me I have been hesitant. Well, I put my big girl pants on yesterday and purchased a bag of fresh Kale.

My husband had requested my homemade chicken wings for dinner in celebration of the beginning of the 2013 NFL season, so I made a batch just for him. I sometimes support his less-than-healthy decisions, but I love him too much to let him just eat junk so I whipped up a pasta salad filled with Kale, Celery, Apples and Green Onions (and a little bit of bacon). 

Cook about 1/4 of a box of veggie box-tie pasta as directed on box. Drain, and set aside.

Rough-chop 1 or 2 pieces of low-sodium bacon, sauté until crispy. Remove from pan and place on a napkin or brown bag to drain. Pour drippings out but leave a coating on the bottom of the pan.

Add about 3 big handfuls of Kale into the pan with a splash of apple cider vinegar and water. Allow it to cook down for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, dice 1/2 an apple (I used Braeburn) and add it to the pan. Cook together for about 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.

Turn off the heat.

Add olive oil, celery and green onion to hot pan. Stir, scraping bits off the bottom. Transfer to serving bowl and ENJOY!

Ingredients:
3 big handfuls of Kale
1-2 slices of bacon, chopped
1/4 cup Celery Hearts, sliced
1 Green Onion, sliced
1/2 Braeburn Apple, diced
salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Apple cider vinegar
Water

Best of Health,
Amanda Chubb
www.healthyathomept.com
www.facebook.com/healthyathomept

Hard CORE!

As promised, I am giving out some of my CORE Conditioning tips THAT WORK (although this BLOG post isn't being published quite as early as I was shooting for). :)

I am not going to go off on a "YOU HAVE TO DO PLANKS TO GET A STRONG CORE TANGENT"...but I do think they are super effective and important if you do them properly.

I am, however, going to give you some other CORE Conditioning tips that you probably haven't thought of as good for your Core. Here goes:

Walking Lunges (Forward AND Reverse)- As simple as it sounds. Take a large step with your right leg immediately followed by your left until you get from one side of the room to the other. Then, don't turn around. Take a large step back with your right foot immediately followed by the left until you are back at your starting point. With or without weights your legs will BURN! 10-15 reps/3 sets.

Weighted Jump Squats- With weights in hands at your sides, squat down as if sitting into a chair. Push your feet off the ground and get some air. As you come back down, immediately flow right into another squat. 10-15 reps/3 sets.

Stationary Jump Lunges- Start with legs separated, one forward and one back. Lunge down bringing back knee slightly above the ground. As you come up out of the lunge push off the ground and land with the opposite leg to the rear (ie alternate legs). 10-15 reps each side/3 sets. 

Spiderman Crawl- Get in a straight-arm plank position. Bring right knee to right elbow then walk your right hand forward bringing your left knee to your left elbow. And keep your butt down! 10-15 reps each side/3 sets. 

Quick-Feet Step-Ups- Get a Plyo box, Chair, 2nd or 3rd step or whatever else you have that sits about 12-18 inches off the floor. Step up with right foot, followed by the left. Bring right foot back to ground, followed by the left. Do about 15-25 reps then switch leading with left foot. 3 sets. 

KEEP THIS IN MIND...EXTREMELY IMPORTANT...

KEEP YOUR STOMACH CONTRACTED THE ENTIRE TIME YOU ARE PERFORMING EACH EXERCISE! 

DO NOT HUNCH OR LEAN FORWARD! 

IF YOU CANNOT COMPLETE A REP WITHOUT USING MOMENTUM THEN SLOW IT DOWN AND PERFORM LESS REPS. 

THE KEY IS FORM, FORM, FORM. 

IF YOU START USING MOMENTUM THEN YOU ARE ONLY GOING TO WORK YOUR LEGS. 

SHOULDERS BACK, CHEST OUT, STOMACH IN!

Best of Health,
Amanda Chubb
www.healthyathomept.com
www.facebook.com/healthyathomept
www.healthyathomept.blogspot.com

Left-Over Chicken Doesn't Have To Be Boring!

I LOVE eating boneless, skinless chicken breast...always have and always will! But it can get a little boring eating it the same way every single day. 

I pan fry a bunch with my usual seasoning (sea salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and chili powder) and keep the leftovers for the week. Sometimes I'll just heat up a piece or two and eat "as is", but yesterday I was in the mood for a sandwich. 

I chopped up a piece of chicken, heated it up and threw on 1 slice of low-fat/low-sodium American cheese. Then I slathered a bunch of spicy hummus on 1 slice of whole grain bread, piled on some baby spinach and BOOM yummy (and healthy) chicken sandwich! 

Of course this didn't meet my lunchtime veggie quota, so I turned my corn-on-the-cob leftovers from the night before into a delish salad. Rinse and drain a can of chickpeas, 1 chopped baby cucumber, 1 chopped green onion (don't use all of the white part unless you like a really oniony flavor). Mix all of that with the corn you cut off the cob, about 1 tbsp olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper.

I can't even begin to explain how yummy this meal was! I didn't eat all of that salad in one sitting so I had more for the following day...and it tasted even better once all of the flavors came together more. 

Best of Health,
Amanda Chubb
www.healthyathomept.com
www.facebook.com/healthyathomept

Abs vs. CORE

I think there is a huge confusion when people do a million crunches to get a "stronger core". They are getting nowhere fast!

To build a strong core, a much larger variety of muscles are in play than just your abdominal muscles. Your CORE muscles actually range from your hips to your shoulders! The core muscles consist of many different muscles that stabilize the spine and pelvis and go the entire length of the torso. When you have a strong core, you are able to stabilize your spine, pelvis and shoulder girdle and create a solid support base. Thus, leading to the ability to generate powerful movements of the extremities.

Aside from being a rock in the gym or during physical activity, the CORE muscles also make it possible to stand upright and move on two feet! The core muscles help to control movements, transfer energy and shift body weight. When you hear "having a strong core helps against back issues" it's because a strong core distributes the stresses of weight-bearing and protects the back. 

Sooo bottom line, a CORE CONDITIONING program needs to target all of these muscles groups to be effective...not just the abdominal muscles!

Here are some of the muscles experts consider to be part of your CORE (keep in mind that different experts have different opinions on which are the most important) 

• Rectus Abdominis-located along the front of the abdomen, this is the most well-known abdominal muscle and is often referred to as the "six-pack" due to it's appearance in fit and thin individuals.
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• Erector Spinae-This group of three muscles runs along your neck to your lower back.
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• Multifidus-located under the erector spinae along the vertebral column, these muscles extend and rotate the spine.
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• External Obliques-located on the side and front of the abdomen.
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• Internal Obliques-located under the external obliques, running in the opposite direction.
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• Transverse Abdominis-located under the obliques, it is the deepest of the abdominal muscles (muscles of your waist) and wraps around your spine for protection and stability.
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• Hip Flexors-located in front of the pelvis and upper thigh. The muscles that make up the hip flexors include: psoas major, illiacus, rectus femurs, pectinous, sartorius
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• Gluteus medius and minimus-located at the side of the hip
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• Gluteus maximus, hamstring group, piriformis- located in the back of the hip and upper thigh leg.
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• Hip adductors-located at medial thigh.
• Sometimes it's good to know WHY you're doing certain exercises rather than just following what your trainer tells you!
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• Check back soon for some of my favorite (and most effective) CORE CONDITIONING exercises!!

Best of Health,

Amanda Chubb

www.healthyathomept.com

www.facebook.com/healthyathomept

Have Your Cake And Eat A Salad Too!

A client (and now friend) :) sent me a text the other day admitting to eating chocolate and feeling guilty about it. My immediate reaction was "how much?" because if it was enough to make her feel guilty, I assumed it was more than a bite or two. 

Before she could answer my question, I followed it up with "Don't let what you eat affect you emotionally. I eat chocolate ganache cake and never feel guilty (it's true, but maybe I should have left that out of my blog post!) Just balance your meals with lots of fresh veggies so you keep your calories in check. 

My reasoning for trying to lessen the importance of how much chocolate she had was because I didn't want to cause anymore guilt OR make her feel like getting/being healthy meant sweets were a no-no. More importantly, having a balanced diet without depriving yourself is key to living a healthy life physically AND mentally. 

Seriously, what the hell is the point of trying to look good if you are completely miserable because you can't have what you want?! 

BALANCE! BALANCE! BALANCE!

Lunch, Dinner and even sometimes Breakfast I eat vegetables. Throughout the day they are my snack of choice. Of course, completely raw and undressed veggies can get damn boring. That's where dips come in! Hummus, Onion Dip (made with 1/2 plain, non-fat Greek yogurt, 1/2 light sour cream), salsa, pureed roasted veggies, or YOU NAME IT can completely transform vegetables. Obviously, you don't want to overdo it because you will then be defeating the purpose and adding on a ton of calories. 

In addition to my vegetables, I eat lean protein such as beans, chicken breast, egg whites, and fish. And all of my carbs are whole grain. Drink of choice? Water and green tea with lemon. I will be damned if I let someone tell me NOT to have a piece of chocolate ganache cake or make me feel bad about it. No, I don't always shop organic but I promise you my health and fitness are damn good AND MY ASS AND ABS ARE SUPER TIGHT! ;)

Bottom Line: Have your Chocolate Ganache Cake And Eat A SALAD Too!

Best of Health,

Amanda Chubb

www.healthyathomept.com

www.facebook.com/healthyathomept

Roasted Veggie Pasta W/Chicken Parmesan

Easy (and flavorful) ROASTED VEGGIE PASTA with CHICKEN PARM...with a sneaky ingredient that no one will know is in there!

There are some delicious pasta sauces on the market today BUT they typically come loaded with SALT and SUGAR! Here's a recipe that doesn't include sugar, but does have a pinch or so of salt to increase the depth of flavor...but I promise it's no where near the amount you get in a jar! I love using veggies as sauce. You can leave them chunky or puree them for a smooth consistency. BUT THE KEY TO THIS RECIPE IS TO ROAST THEM! The caramelization from the veggies own juices is absolutely delicious and covers pasta so beautifully!

Keep in mind that you do not have to follow this recipe to a "T" with the amounts or ingredients. I rarely put exactly how much to use unless I have tried the recipe multiple times and know it only comes out right doing it one way!

I chopped up a zucchini, some cauliflower, grape tomatoes, garlic and onion; drizzled with a bit of extra light olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Roasted at 425 degrees for 30 minutes (time depends on how many veggies you are cooking). Also, I flipped them half-way through cooking to get that delicious caramelized color and flavor all over. 

While the veggies were roasting, I cooked a box of whole grain pasta to al dente. Drain the pasta BUT reserve a little bit of the cooking water. Once the veggies are done, toss them with the pasta. Add a bit more salt and pepper and the reserved cooking water (not too much...just a couple tbsp). I also like to finish mine off with some fresh chopped basil. 

As for the chicken, I mixed homemade 1/2 c. whole grain bread-crumbs, 3 tbsp parmesan cheese, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, salt, pepper and CHIA SEEDS in a bowl. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk ONE egg white with a splash of water. Take the thin-sliced chicken and pat dry. Dip in the egg whites, then into the bread-crumbs. Place on a cooling rack to let it sit while the oil is heating. Heat up about 2 tbsp extra light olive oil over med-high heat. Cook the chicken for about 3 minutes on each side so it lightly browns (I went overboard with the chicken I have pictured so it's dark...actually I was doing laundry and got caught up!) The chicken likely won't be cooked through so pop the chicken (keep it in the pan) in a 350 degree oven for about 6-8 minutes (depending on how much you are cooking and how thin it is).

Serve the Roasted Veggie Pasta with the Chicken Parmesan (NOTE: Sprinkle with a bit more cheese and/or olive oil to finish it off if you have more calories left in your daily reserve!!) OR TOP WITH A SPLASH OF HOT SAUCE! OMG, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I'M ADDICTED TO HOT SAUCE BUT DAMN THAT TASTED GOOD!!! :)

ENJOY!!!

BEST OF HEALTH,
Amanda
www.healthyathomept.com
www.facebook.com/healthyathomept