rice – Jenna Jamieson, Author

Healthy Creations: Winter fallback recipe for the crockpot!

By Jenna Jamieson | February 20, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to share today, but after thinking about the frigidly cold temperatures that are being seen (and of course, felt!) all across the country, I thought it would be appropriate to share a healthy crockpot recipe that the whole family could enjoy! This time of year we often turn to comfort foods and crockpot recipes which aren’t always healthy and are often high in sodium. So, here’s a quick, simple and delicious crockpot recipe that I have made many times and can attest to how tasty it is!

Pesto Crockpot Chicken

What you will need:

~4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or salmon if you prefer)

~1 cup of brown rice (the healthy stuff 😉 ) or pasta if you prefer (cooking time may vary)

~Mushrooms, cut into quarters

~1 8 oz. jar of pesto

~1 package of dry ranch dressing seasoning

~1 head of broccoli cut into florets

~2 cups of chicken stock or water (whichever you prefer)

What you will do:

First, spray the inside of your crockpot with a nonstick spray. Then place your chicken breasts on the bottom of the crockpot. Next, pour the ranch dressing seasoning on top of the chicken breasts, followed by the jar of pesto (use the entire jar). Next, top that with the broccoli florets and the mushrooms. Then add a half cup of the chicken stock and place on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. When there is approximately 3 hours left of cooking time, you will add the brown rice along with the additional 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock (or water). Total prep time is very minimal…maybe 10 minutes (if that) and this is definitely disaster free! You can be a highly skilled chef or a mom at home cooking great meals for her family. Either way it is a healthy creation that the whole family can enjoy together to stay warm during these freezing cold temperatures that we are facing! Enjoy!

~jj

Go meatless (sometimes)…and love it!

By Jenna Jamieson | February 26, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

As I was working out tonight I was thinking about the blog and what might be a good entry this week. I recently started eating more meatless meals, not to lose weight, not because I think it is healthier, but because sometimes I just don’t crave meat or the thought of meat kind of grosses me out (at times) when I go to fix dinner. No, I am not a vegetarian and while I know that some people would say it is better for you, I truly believe in “everything in moderation.” I do what I feel is right for MY body and I suggest you do what you feel is right for yours, too! In all of my posts, I want to continually emphasize that you should always do what YOU think is best for you and take my advice or leave it, use some of it, and realize that I do not have the answers to each individual’s unique lifestyle and routine.

Since I have been going meatless more frequently than I usually do, I decided I actually kind of enjoy my meatless meals, maybe some more than the ones where I do eat meat. I typically enjoy “Meatless Mondays” each week, but I have now taken it even farther and decided to also eat at least one meatless meal per day. So, whether you already occasionally eat meatless or whether you never eat meatless I challenge you to “Meatless Mondays.” This is a great way to start and ease into what meatless meals can offer! I promise meatless meals can be just as delicious, fun to cook, and can make your creative juices flow! 🙂 This means you will eliminate meat on Mondays, so no meat at breakfast, lunch, or dinner! No cheating either! Sounds challenging maybe, but it really isn’t. Consider peanut butter toast and sliced apples for breakfast, grilled cheese and veggie soup for lunch, and pizza or pasta minus any meat for dinner.

Once you have “Meatless Mondays” down I encourage you to take it one step farther as I have by eating one meatless meal per day. That should not be hard and should be a routine that you already have in place. One meatless meal per day is actually very healthy as the consumption of meat at every meal is not necessary (or healthy)! It does not have to be the same meal each day. It can be breakfast one day, then dinner the next, followed by breakfast again, and then lunch the following day. For example, you might have a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit for breakfast, a spinach and feta quesadilla for lunch, and then chicken parmesan with broccoli for dinner. You went meatless at lunch so you met your goal for one meatless meal that day.

You say that you can’t get full on meatless meals? I DON’T buy it! That’s crazy! Eat more veggies, which are one of the best things you can fill your body with! Consider some of the following if you don’t believe me: 1) veggie stir fry with brown rice 2) pasta with a meatless marinara sauce and garlic bread 3) sliced potatoes layered with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and ranch dressing (potato nachos) 4) breakfast foods including eggs, hashbrowns, waffles, pancakes, french toast, biscuits 5) veggie pizza. You can’t tell me that none of these foods speak to you because it includes nearly every food group (and all are meatless)!

So, next time you sit down for a meal think MEATLESS! I know I do and my body still loves me and I feel great!

~jj

Whole grains = full & focused!

By Jenna Jamieson | February 3, 2014 | Comments 2 comments

Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that take the body longer to digest, so their nutrition is released slowly and continuously, leaving you feeling energized and full for much longer, partly because they won’t spike your blood sugar. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, iron, potassium, and manganese.

Consider these foods:

Breakfast – oatmeal, steel cut oats, whole grain toast

Lunch – whole grain bread (sandwich), whole grain pasta, brown rice with vegetables

Dinner – whole grain pasta, brown rice, quinoa stir fry

So, next time you fix dinner, sit down to eat, or have a snack, consider whole grain options!

~jj