Spicy Chicken Soup

The weather is warming up but around here, strep throat is going around like its nobody's business! When I'm worried about getting sick, I make this delicious soup. I love it and since its pretty basic, you can add a lot to it to change it up.

I sliced up a couple of flour tortillas and made little chips to put in the soup for my family. They were easy, just spray with olive oil spray, crushed red pepper, cumin, and seasoned salt.

For the soup:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 jalepeno peppers

1 pablano (or omit this for an extra jalepeno)

7 small sweet peppers or 2 red/orange/yellow bell peppers

7 cloves of garlic

2 onions

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 cup (or one whole bunch) cilantro

1.5 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp coriander

juice of 2 limes

2-3 large chicken breasts (about 1.5-2 lbs meat when cooked)

8 cups chicken broth

cilantro, avocado, lime for garnish

I prefer to simmer my chicken in a crockpot all day before shredding for the soup. I simmer in water, cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes.

When you're ready to create your soup, your chicken should already be cooked and shredded. 

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

In your soup pot, sauté the diced onions, peppers, and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are translucent and the peppers are tender. 

Add the chicken broth, spices, diced cilantro, tomatoes, lime juice, and chicken. Simmer for about 30-45 minutes to allow all the flavors to mix and steep. 

Top with sliced avocado, tortilla chips, fresh tomato slices, hot sauce, lime slices, pepper slices... pour over rice, add in noodles if you wish. This is a great soup that is so versatile!

With A Lime Twist

So, I've been playing around with my chickpea salad- although before my husband came home I was eating paleo so there weren't any chickpeas in my diet! EEEEEK I have been so bad since he's been home. And my Rachy has hooked me on ... beer. I have to take control of my life again!

This is the same chickpea salad- but with a lime twist (and I HATE LIME! but this is DELICIOUS).

You will need
1 can chickpeas drained & rinsed
1 english cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tomato, diced
cracked pepper
sea salt
6 key limes or 2 regular limes (juiced)
fresh cilantro to taste (I like a LOT)
1 tbsp olive oil

combine everything, and serve chilled or at room temp!

My PALEO version:
1 english cucumber, diced
1 tomato, diced
6 key limes, or 2 regular limes (juiced)
a lot of fresh cilantro
cracked pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

This is a new family favorite!

Meet Janelle!

This is Janelle :)

She is competing in my Bikini Challenge all the way from AUSTRALIA! How amazing is that? I just love the internet and how it connects people from all across the world together! Lovely!

Starting weight: 145.5 pounds

 

We Aren't Scared Of Sugar: Tell us your favorite motivational quote.

Janelle: "Nothing tastes as good as being in shape feels" from Craig Harper book, Fattitude.

WASOS: What is your favorite healthy recipe?

Janelle: Beef Tacos (not low carb but low fat and super tasty)

Serves 2

• 1 piece of rump or porterhouse steak
• 3 large tomatoes deseeded and chopped
• 1/2 red/spanish onion chopped finely
• 1/4 bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 1 lime
• salt & pepper
• Low fat cheddar cheese
• Low fat/high fibre tortillas

1. Make salsa with fresh tomatoes, corriander (cilantro), red onion, salt pepper & a squeeze of lime juice
2. Grate some low fat cheddar cheese
3. Slice jalapenos or used pickled ones in jar
4. BBQ or grill one piece of rump steak that has been sprinkled with Mexican seasoning.  Slice thinly when cooked
5. Heat low fat tortillas and add fillings to eat

WASOS: What is your ultimate fitness goal?

Janelle: My end goal as well as fitting back into my pre-pregnancy jeans, is to make eating healthy and exercising a part of life so that I don't have to think so hard to keep doing it.  I now have a 3 month old daughter so making sure that she grows up in an environment where I am not constantly stressed about my weight all the time is really important. 

You can "like" the We Aren't Scared Of Sugar facebook page HERE, and keep up with the Spring Break Bikini Challenge on twitter HERE! :)

 

 

Meet Amy!

starting weight: 163.6

We Aren't Scared Of Sugar: Tell us your favorite motivational quote.

Amy:  "There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." -Nelson Mandela

WASOS: What is your favorite healthy recipe?

Amy: I don’t really have any healthy recipes (just really started cooking not that long ago…everything I “cooked” would come from a box) 

Here is a recipe I found from Pillsbury and have adjusted some things in it. Pillsbury Grands Easy Taco Melts: 

Ingredients:

1lb. ground turkey, cooked and drained1

 ½ cups picante sauce (the recipe calls for chunky salsa but I don’t like the chunky stuff)

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury Grands refrigerated biscuits (they have a low fat one)

½ cup Monterey Jack or Mexican blend cheese, shredded

Directions:In 10-inch skillet mix cooked beef and ½ cup of the salsa (I just a whole cup). Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until hot. Press each biscuit into a 6-inch round. Spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture and 1 tbsp. cheese into the center of each round. Fold dough in half over filling; press edges to seal.Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 9-14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with remaining salsa. 

WASOS: What is your ultimate fitness goal?

Amy: To be healthy and happy for myself and no one else. Once I do that then it will trickle down to my boys and husband, but I’ve realized that if I’m not happy with myself then I can’t be the best mom and wife I know I can be!

You can follow Amy on twitter by clicking HERE.

And if you haven't already, you should go like the We Aren't Scared of Sugar facebook page by clicking HERE. 

Sunday FUN day!

Ahhh ok, so maybe not entirely "fun." BUT, last night was awesome, and I got to sleep in (until 8!) this morning, and that my friends, makes it a fun day for me!

Last night I went for sushi and shopping with my friend Kristi. It was fun! And soooo bizarre! At the sushi place I ran into my cousin Lindsey that I haven't seen in 7.5 years! Thats super bizarre because I don't know ANYONE where I live, except the few friends I have- so to run into someone somewhere is a rare thing. We ended up sitting at the grill with Lindsey, her husband, their son (he's only a couple of months older than Olivia), and her mom & mom's boyfriend. It was really nice. :)

we took this picture to send to my mom and her dad, to prove we ran into each other haha. aren't we adorable!? :) 

After sushi Kristi & I went to the mall, and to target. I got a pair of shorts and a pair of jeans at American Eagle- where I am now officially a size 4. That is a size I haven't seen since Andy & I got married. :) *happy dance* I feel really proud because I got here by hard work and determination. Not sitting around *wishing* I was something I'm not. I'm working for it.

^ so excited up there!

At Target I got the cutest bikini, I'm going to use it as a progress tracker. I weigh in and take a progress photo every Sunday. More important than weighing in I take my measurements. This is so important to me to keep track of what is going on with my body. 

I also got an adorable pair of wedge sandals, and a couple of shirts. I spent most of my money at Target... on kids clothes. My girls are so so rotten. I can't wait to pick them up from my MIL's later today and bring them home to their piles of new clothes. Everything was on clearance- I didn't spend more than $7/item for them.. except their SWIMSUITS!!! Both are nautical themed and so super adorable. Olivia's is a tankini (Daddy has ruled that they aren't allowed to wear anything skimpier than a tankini for their entire lives. haha) Olivia's is navy with colored anchors and ruffles, and sophia's is ocean blue with sailboats and ruffles. SO ADORABLE. :)

I did the beach wave hair again :)

So pretty much, last night was great. It was a much needed night without kiddos (I think we are taking all our kids back to have hibachi next friday! Olivia loves it. And sophia is a sushi eating machine!).

As for today, I had planned to go to the gym. My throat has been really sore and I think running will make it worse since I'm a mouth breather. So today I will focus on yoga, abs, and legs at home. I might (probably) will break out the kettle bell and do the TIU saved by the bell. And I might spend this afternoon pouring through cookbooks to modify some of my favorite recipes to fit my TIU meal plan... and share them with you, of course!

If you haven't already, why don't you take a second to click "like" on my facebook page! :) It would really, really make my day!

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone!

The Challenge

Well, as most of my readers know, I am hosting (and have been hosting) a little fitness challenge. I used to call it a weight-loss challenge, but that is not the case. I am definitely a contender (although, by default I cannot win my own competition!), but I am at a point where the number on the scale doesn't matter to me (much). My ultimate goal by hosting & participating in these challenges is to gain muscle, and confidence.

I realized this morning, as I was going through the various posts from the contestants, that this challenge is a lot different than the first one I hosted. This is my 3rd time to host something like this. The first challenge I did through my business, "Kandice Poirier Photography." I had intended for the challenge to be more of a local thing, and I even got a few local businesses to donate prizes. Unfortunately, there was not a lot of interest where I live... and I ended up opening the contest to people nation-wide. The prize was ultimately a "glam session" by me- and the winner was a dear friend of mine that currently resides in Germany. In order to participate in the first challenge, the contestants were required to submit a bio to me, complete with full frontal and side view photos of themselves in tight-fitting clothing, a swimsuit, or shorts & sports bra. These photos were showcased on my photography facebook page and served as a reminder to one and all how hard these girls were working. Their end results were also showcased next to their "before" photo. This was great motivation.

The second challenge I hosted lasted only six weeks, but instead of attempting to do a local challenge (again, not enough interest), I nixed the prize packages and the entrants were only required to pay a $20 entry fee. At the end of the six weeks, the winner (biggest loser in weight %) took the cash. This was great motivation. The rules were only that you had to post your before photo (in a private group on facebook) and that you post a photo of your weight on the scale every Sunday by midnight. There was no special way to showcase the entrants, especially since I didn't host the challenge as a "business sponsored event."

The challenge that is currently going on started on 22January, and runs until 18March. I have 16 awesome women participating, and a prize of $320 to the biggest loser. I am so excited and pleased with the motivation and love these women show each other and me. It really takes a special group of people to nourish and educate one another in a positive way. The rules for this challenge are a little different. Each contender was required to pay the $20 entry fee, create a twitter account for checking in (and to be exposed to the amazing number of resources shared via social networking), create a toneitup.com free account (my life has been forever changed by the fabulous TIU trainers & team), post a "before" photo in the facebook group, and post their weigh in & measurements every Sunday.

After getting the group rolling, some of the ladies were a little uncomfortable with twitter (sometimes I forget that not the entire world has embraced social networking exactly as I have), and asked if that rule could be omitted. I obliged, but put in a bonus: if the winner at the end of the challenge HAS used twitter & TIU to their advantage, and not just once or twice, I will send the winner a TIU shirt or firedaughter shirt of their choice. This is a personal little gift from me to the winner, because I want everyone to be motivated enough to USE the resources at hand.

... Back to where I was going with this post! I want to take the time to showcase each competitor in this challenge individually, because I believe in these girls and I know that they have so much potential! I am going to showcase a few girls every week until I have gone through the entire group. Today I will start with the winner of my last challenge!

Meet Beth!

(I stole her facebook profile picture!)

Beth started my last challenge weighing in at 187.8lbs and came out the winner weighing in at 169.0lbs. 

Beth is a mother of one, a sweet little boy named Jacob. We actually "met" through our babies- yes- on the internet. Actually, on an iphone app called "baby bump." Our children are the same age, only a little bit apart. After my family moved back to Tennessee Beth & I realized we were only 2 hours away from each other. And since then she has actually grown to be one of my best friends. I know this because when something good (or bad) happens, aside from my husband, she is the first person I tell. I am so thankful for the internet bringing such amazing people in to my life!

We Aren't Scared Of Sugar: So, What is your favorite motivational quote?

Beth: "Eat to live, not live to eat." It's something I struggle with- eating because it tastes good, or I'm bored, or sad. Not because I'm hungry and need fuel.

WASOS: Tell us your favorite recipe.

Beth: My grandmother makes what she calls "eye-talian chicken tenders." Cut up some chicken into strips. Season with Mrs. Dash. Put the chicken in a pan with a little bit of butter or something to keep it from sticking. When the chicken is white on the outside but not done yet add about 1/2c zesty italian dressing (I've started using fat free dressing to make it healthier). The dressing will cook into the chicken. When the dressing is absorbed and the chicken is finished, add about 1/2c more of dressing. Cook on low until the dressing makes a thick sauce, then its done. It tastes a million times better when cooked in a cast iron skillet. Its really good served over brown rice, or quinoa. Its super easy to substitute the high fat ingredients with low fat options. And it makes awesome left-overs.

WASOS: What is your ultimate fitness goal?

Beth: I want to be healthy. I want to feel good and have energy. I want to look in the mirror and love what I'm looking at. I want to buy clothes because they are cute, not because they have one big enough for me, or that particular style hides my tummy. I want someone to look at me and say "I wish I looked like that."

See!? Isn't Beth inspirational?! Yes, she is. You can follow Beth on twitter @beth_winfield, and read her blog HERE. I think she should start a facebook page :) so we can all become her "fans." :)

You can keep up with how the girls are doing over on the We Aren't Scared Of Sugar facebook page! If you're not a fan already, go ahead and "like" it. :)