Tasty Tuesday

Crockpot recipes are an easy way to make sure supper is taken care of. They're typically low maintenance and require little effort. This little number combines the spiciness of buffalo sauce with the sweet delectableness of sweet potatoes. Throw the ingredients in the crockpot, and forget about it until supper time!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potatoes

Juicy slow cooker buffalo chicken served over sweet potatoes and topped with a creamy yogurt drizzle. You’ll love this easy, healthy crock pot recipe!

Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2-3 hours (on high) or 4-5 hours (on low)
Total Time: 2-3 hours (on high) or 4-5 hours (on low)

Ingredients:

For the Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken:

• 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3)
• 3/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
• 4 sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water to create a slurry
• Chopped green onions, for serving

For the Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing (omit to make dairy free):

• 1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, plus additional for serving

Directions:

1. Lightly coat a slow cooker with cooking spray (I used a 6-quart but believe a smaller size would be fine too). Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Place the hot sauce, coconut oil, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave until the coconut oil is melted (about 45 seconds), then stir until smooth. If you prefer not to use the microwave, melt the ingredients together in a small saucepan on the stove. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker, then cook for 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove the chicken from crockpot and shred.
3. About 30 minutes before the chicken is done, bake the sweet potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, then place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon the size of your sweet potato. Turn off the oven and leave the sweet potatoes inside to keep them warm.
4. Once the chicken is shredded and while the sweet potatoes bake, mix the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water together to create a slurry. Add it to the cooking liquid in the slow cooker, then whisk to combine. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken, stirring once half way through. Once thick, return the chicken to the slow cooker and toss to coat.
5. For the Blue cheese yogurt topping: in a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients—Greek yogurt, milk, white vinegar, black pepper, and blue cheese. Split open the sweet potatoes, then top with the crock pot Buffalo chicken, a drizzle of the blue cheese dressing, and green onions. Enjoy hot.

• Store leftover Buffalo chicken in the refrigerator for up to four days or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Feel free to double this recipe to feed a larger group. You may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• All slow cookers differ in temperature, so adjust the cooking time according to your experience. Cooking time may vary base on the make and model of your slow cooker.

All images and text ©Erin Clarke/Well Plated.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 potato with 2 tablespoons yogurt dressing

• Amount Per Serving:
• Calories: 213
• Total Fat: 9g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Cholesterol: 11mg
• Sodium: 2099mg
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 8g
• Protein: 8g

Motivation Monday

Everyone likes to stay in their comfort zones. They feel safe and you know what to expect.  Sometimes though, the comfort zone needs to be blown apart. Do the things you don't know if you would like - climb, hike, crossfit. Do the thing that scares you...you got this!

Fit Friday

Can't seem to get away to walk or exercise? You don't need to.  There are plenty of exercises you can do right at your desk. Arms, legs, core, yoga, there's something for everyone.  Start at Level I and work up to Level III. Good luck!

Topic Thursday

It's the age old question Lettuce vs Spinach. Growing up, my family always ate lettuce. Now that I'm older and wiser, we eat spinach. Why is spinach better for you? It is a source for multiple vitamins and other good things your body needs. What do you think gave Popeye his strength? Spinach of course!  Here are some other good alternatives to spinach and lettuce.

Wellness Wednesday

Everyone gets stressed now and then.  You don't need to let stress control how you react.  Breathe, and know that this too shall pass. I often ask my students is one hour really going to make a difference if you live to be 90? Stressful situations will pass by and this little guide may help to calm yourself down. 

Tasty Tuesday

I've been on the lookout for some easy meal dishes that don't take an hour plus to make.  This is a winner, 20 minutes including prep work (like pulling the tails off the shrimp, chopping peppers, etc.). It also has a recently discovered favorite, shrimp.  I realized quite recently I have the power to cook shrimp.  It's not hard, or a painful process.  And this recipe makes everything much easier. Throw everything on pan and cook. Take off pan and eat with tortilla. Yum!

 Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds of shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 small red onion, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• several turns of freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• lime
• fresh cilantro for garnish
• tortillas, warmed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine onion, bell pepper, shrimp, olive oil, salt and pepper and spices.
3. Toss to combine.
4. Spray baking sheet with non stick cooking spray.
5. Spread shrimp, bell peppers and onions on baking sheet.
6. Cook at 450 degrees for about 8 minutes. Then turn oven to broil and cook for additional 2 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through.
7. Squeeze juice from fresh lime over fajita mixture and top with fresh cilantro.
8. Serve in warm tortillas.

Notes

If preferred, remove shrimp tails prior to cooking for easier serving. 

Motivation Monday

I don't know about you, but I can't function without my morning coffee. As soon as I'm sipping on a good cup of joe, I feel anything is possible. Keep the haters at arm's length, set your goals for the day, and then smash them! You have this.  Make this Monday a good start point or continuation for the rest of the week. You are a rock star!   

Fit Friday

Lately, I haven't had any extra time.  I've been running from work to school and back again.  This is a short 15 minute workout so there's time to get a good workout in.

Topic Thursday

Reading a Nutrition Label 101

It seems like a simple process, but many people aren't sure what those numbers really mean or what to do about the information listed.  First, you want to look at the serving size. Many food products will have multiple servings in them.  If they do, and you decide to eat the whole package, there's going to be some math to figure out numbers.  The serving size and the calories, fat, etc. are in direct correlation.  When you eat more than a serving size, the rest of the numbers increase. (Look at the yellow rectangle). Total fat shows us how much fat is in a food product.  If the fats listed don't add up to the total fat number, there's a good chance there's some extra icky stuff in there (polyunsaturated fat). Sodium and sugar are listed, as well as added sugars in some packaging.  These numbers we want relatively low.  If I have a product with 20g of sugar, I can tell it's probably not the best option for a meal. Protein is next, and it is oh so important. Without protein, we would have a much harder time building up our cells (yes, protein goes that deep).  When reading a label, the ingredients list is crucial.  It goes from the most added ingredient to the least.  But in the US, we get nasty things like dye, and additives to keep food fresh.  A good rule of thumb is if you can't pronounce the word, it probably isn't good for you.

Wellness Wednesday

It's time to take a step back from your smart phone. Straighten those muscles and bones that you had hunched over the tiny screen to look at social media and release that tension you didn't realize you were holding. Those sites will be there tomorrow. It's hard on your body to be constantly looking down at a blue lit screen. One thing may lead to another, so it's important to be aware and to prevent aches before they have a chance to flourish.

Tasty Tuesday

I've been having a crazy sweet tooth lately, and I wanted to try something that was higher in protein and lower in processed junk.  I found this great recipe for FOUR, that's right, FOUR ingredient protein brownies. Om nom nom. Chocolate, bananas, peanut butter, and protein powder - all good things in my book. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups mashed banana (about 6 medium, overripe bananas)
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (use almond or cashew butter for paleo/low-carb)
• ½ cup protein powder
• ¼ cup cocoa powder

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a small 8x8 baking dish or 8'' skillet with parchment paper or grease well. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, peanut butter, whisk until fully combined. Stir in protein powder and cocoa powder with a wooden spoon. Pour batter into a greased pan. Bake for 12-20 minutes or until cooked through.
3. Cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Cover the leftovers and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Enjoy cold or at room temp!

Motivation Monday

This is MY day. I can do whatever I set my mind to! Drink the coffee, walk the miles, eat the good food. Get that workout in you've been thinking about. Try that new healthy recipe you've been eyeballing from last week's blog.  Make this a great day, to have a great week!  Preparation is the key to success. Set yourself up for success today, and see where the rest of the week takes you!

Fit Friday

I don't know about you, but I am obsessed with a few TV shows -  namely The Big Bang Theory, Bones, and Criminal Minds. I DVR them, then binge watch all the episodes.  Here are workouts to two TV shows, so you can say you watched TV and exercised. Watching TV while exercising is also a great way to forget you're even working out.  Turn on the TV and get moving!

First up, Criminal Minds! It's probably my number 1 TV show. Garcia may be my spirit animal.

Topic Thursday

Water. It's pretty important for us to function. Our bodies need water to carry out every day processes. Too much can be a bad thing.  But too little may cause a plethora of problems. Are you drinking enough water?

Wellness Wednesday

This week my students discussed self kindness and how that can make them feel.  Being self kind helps you by raising your self esteem and your confidence.  You can and will make mistakes.  Doing so, doesn't make you a bad person. Everyone makes mistakes.  You are still important. You are still special.  Hold your head high and believe in yourself, you unique person you! To quote Dr. Suess, 'Today you are you that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is youer than you.'

Motivation Monday

'Persistence can turn failure into an extraordinary achievement.'  -Marv Levy (former Buffalo Bills head coach)

One day at a time, to be the best we can be is all that's needed.  You vs. you.  Today's you verses yesterday's.  What's different? What have you done to be a better you today? 

Fit Friday

HIIT is at it again.  If you don't have much time, there are many options for shorter HIIT intervals.  This is just one workout - just one song. You can do it! And you'll feel so happy afterwards too.

Topic Thursday

To ice or not to ice, that is the question. Here is a little guide to help you if you have questions about what to do. Remember this is a guideline and not a diagnosis from a doctor. Be safe! 

Wellness Wednesday

Take time to breathe, let your worries float off in a poof of nothingness. You are alive, you are you.  There is nothing better than that. Meditate, relax, feel good about something that happened today.