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| Ingredients- minus tomato paste.. :) |
Is healthified a word? Definitely not. Nope. But I'm using it!
This weekend (of course) was busy with
meal prep. Though, I've kind of gotten in the groove and it takes less time as you do it more often. I have been craving Chinese food which isn't always aligned with a healthier life style, right? So I went on the hunt for healthy recipes to try this week.
Did you know BeachBody has an amazing on-line list of healthy recipes? AND they list the container counts for each program at the bottom? It truly is a gold mine! Check it all out
here.
I found
this Healthy General Tso's Chicken recipe and knew it'd be perfect for my lunches this week. To add more containers we made some basmati rice in the Instant Pot and I sauteed some veggies up (onions, pea pods, broccoli, mushrooms). My total lunch container count will be 1 red (chicken), 1 yellow (rice), 1 green (veggies).
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| All packed and ready for the week! |
First rule of meal prep-
double check that you have all ingredients needed. Well, I skimmed the recipe and skimmed RIGHT OVER the fact that tomato paste was needed. Thankfully Ryan was heading out to run an errand and he picked some up for me! Seriously, rookie mistake on my part!
I mentioned an Instant Pot- it is a new addition to our kitchen. Ryan's used it to make a few meals for us so far and it's pretty slick. Frozen chicken breasts cooked and ready in less that 15 minutes? Yea, I'll take that. I always forget to defrost food the night before so this gadget is going to make meals awesome. Plus it makes the perfect sticky rice! I'll share recipes as we make them on here.
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| Ready for Wrestlemania! |
Last night was also Wrestlemania. It's a big night for Ryan- and through us being together I've definitely become a fan, too. WWE has great story lines, amazing athletes and of course a little bit of drama. We had our neighbors over and enjoyed Ryan's pulled pork and wings off the smoker- plus his delicious homemade blue cheese dressing. It's great to have awesome friends/neighbors and enjoy a fun night cheering on men in tiny outfits! ;)
Alright- here's the recipe for General Tso's Chicken from the BeachBody forum- healthified! While the chicken was baking I prepared and chopped up the broccoli, pea pods, 1/2 an onion, and mushrooms then sauteed them in a bit of grapeseed and sesame oil with garlic, pepper and salt. I folded the veggies in with the chicken when it was time to coat them in the sauce.
Total Time: 25 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 15 min.
Yield: 4 servings
Containers: 1 red (chicken) 1/2 orange (sesame seeds), 1 tsp
Ingredients:
1 lb. raw chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. cornstarch, divided use
¼ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 thin slice fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
½ cup low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. tomato paste, no added sugar
2 tsp. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. pure maple syrup (or raw honey)
2 Tbsp. cold water
2 green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. dried Thai chilies (optional)
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
3. Place chicken, 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl; toss until well coated.
4. Place chicken in a single layer on prepared baking sheet; bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
5. While chicken is baking, heat oil, garlic, and ginger in large skillet over medium heat; cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Add soy sauce, broth, vinegar, tomato paste, hoisin sauce, and maple syrup. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
7. Dissolve remaining 1 tsp. cornstarch in cold water; add to soy sauce mixture. Gently boil, stirring frequently, for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.
8. Add cooked chicken to sauce, coating thoroughly.
9. Serve chicken sprinkled with sesame seeds, green onions, and chilies (if desired).
Why Red Rover? I don't know to be honest... I think I've used Red Rover for a while now because I love trying new things, traveling, taking journeys of all types. Red for the hair, obviously- Rover because of the journey. If you're interested in roving into your own fitness journey with my support reach out to me here. Or check out my BeachBody site. Oh, and for sure follow me on Instagram.
Join my Challenge Group- take a step towards a healthier and happier you.
and I'll see you in the group!
Another home run meal here at the Johnson house! I told Ryan I was going to make chicken wrapped asparagus but he said he had another meal to try. Not gonna lie, I wasn't very excited about it after reading it but it is a MUST try folks!
