Winter Veggie Soup-Available for order this week!

Winter Veggie Soup

Although I didn't over-indulge quite as bad as past Thanksgivings, I was no angel on Thursday. That's why this soup is meant to cleanse the body of any residual puffiness, and get me back on track to an EF lifestyle.

Ingredients

• carrots
• butternut squash
• onion
• tomatoes
• vegetable stock
• kale, chopped
  

Directions

1. Roast carrots, squash, onions and tomatoes until tender
2. Puree veggies, except for carrots (you can leave them chunky)
   
3. Mix in equal parts stock
4. Add kale
   
5. Simmer 30 mins.

This recipe was inspired by Simply Recipes. I switched some things around to make it a little cleaner and more EF

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Bacon Broccoli Salad- Available for order this week

A great snack that will fill you with nutrients and get you through the day. Think about how you'll feel after having this compared to a bag of chips!

Ingredients (6 servings)

• broccoli florets- 1 lb.
• mayo- 4 tbsp.
• red wine vinegar- 2 tbsp.
• pecans, toasted- a handful
• red onion or shallot, minced, 4 tbsp.
• bacon, cooked and crumbled- 4tbsp.

Directions

1. blanch broccoli, allow to cool
   
2. toss with as much mayo to thinly coat the broccoli
   
3. toss with everything else

voila, quick and easy!

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Chicken Curry

Chicken Curry- Available to order this week

While this isn't the most traditional curry in the world, it's my healthier version of it. Quick and easy comfort food, great for cold autumn nights!

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1/2 large yellow onion- chopped
  
• 1 red bell pepper (optional)- chopped
• chicken (already cooked and shredded)
• 1 tsp chile powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• pinch of cinnamon
  
• 2 tbsp. curry powder
  
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
  

Directions

1. caramelize the onions in a tablespoon of butter
2. add peppers and cook til tender
3. Add chicken and spices
4. Stir for one minute
   
5. deglaze pan with wine
6. allow wine to reduce completely
7. add chicken stock and coconut milk
8. simmer for 20 minutes
9. taste and re-adjust seasonings and/or consistency to your liking
   

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My Favorite Workouts

I haven't posted anything about workouts lately, so I thought I'd give a brief rundown of what I've been up to. Note that I try to keep these workouts as irregular as possible, never letting my body settle into a rut.

1. Once/week: Hit the gym for random exercises, basically whatever I feel like doing for 20 mins. This sometimes consists of pull-ups (I can do 12 in a row!), tricep dips, chest presses, ab pulls, push-ups, lunges, squats, cable pulls, etc.

2. Once/week: Super-sets at the gym: If I'm feeling particularly uncreative, I will head to the "Express Workout" section of the gym, where they have about a dozen machines set up in a circle. I will hit each machine with super-sets, which consist of the following:

• 15 really slow reps of a light to moderate weight
• 8 reps (fast up, slow down) of a difficult weight
• 4 quick reps of almost unmanageable weight

3. Once/week: Boot Camp: this is what I call my really intense workouts that incorporate cardio and strength. Basically I make a routine for myself that consists of switching off between a weights exercise and a cardio exercise. I mix it up to keep it fun. Here are some things I throw into the mix:

• burpees
• squats on the half ball
• suicide sprints
• overhead presses
• jumping jacks
• flys w/ dumb bells
• step (i grab the step and do some shooters off of it)
• rows

4. Once/week: sprints: I run up and down the crazy hills in my neighborhood, Nob Hill

5. Once/every 2-3 weeks: Step class (for fun and to switch it up a bit- I grew up taking dance classes and love this class b/c we get to learn new routines every week!)

6. Every week I manage to go on at least a couple long walks- a mile to downtown, or the Marina or North Beach, all depending on what we have going on for the weekend. Or I'll go for a quick run on the beach while Chris surfs :)

I really love working out, and when I can't for some reason I get bummed out. Not only do I notice a difference in my muscle tone and leanness, but I rely on exercise to clear my head. Sitting in front of the computer all day most days takes a toll after a while, and I just want to jump out of my seat, throw my iPod on and take off on a run to the gym!

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Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

I know I post a lot of articles involving leftover shredded chicken. But there really is a reason for my 'un-creativity'- every week we make at least one or two menu items that involve shredded chicken (salads, enchiladas, wraps, etc.) and once you start making dozens of these types of dishes it gets a little difficult to estimate exactly how much chicken to purchase when you're making, say 27 wraps one week. So I always try to be on the safe side and order a little more than I will need. It would be awful to get to the 26th wrap and run out!!

Anyways, here's a fun recipe Chris and I made the other night. Warning, we did consume some store-bought puff pastry, which I do not condone. I actually woke up that night with a terrible stomachache from the pastry. And hindsight I think the recipe would have been great without the 'pie' component, and just the filling.

Chicken Pot Pie
P.S. One of my very very favorite meals as a kid was Costco's frozen 'Aussie Pies'. This chicken pot pie was ready from freezer to plate in 3 minutes flat, and I believe exceeded the recommended daily caloric intake, but man did I love it! Did my own made-up recipe compare?? YES!!

Ingredients 2 servings (plus leftovers!)

• 1 large onion, chopped
• handful of mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
• 2 small carrots, chopped
  
• 2 small stalks of celery, chopped
• leftover cooked chicken breast (1/2-1 lb.), chopped or shredded
  
• 1 cup frozen peas (thawed and drained)
• 1 cup whole milk, warmed up
• 2 tbsp. homemade chicken stock (for a boost of flavor)
  
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. flour
• puff pastry

Directions

1. Saute onions until translucent (preferably a Le Creuset, that can be transferred from stove to oven- available for purchase below)
2. Saute mushrooms, transfer to a large bowl
   
3. Add carrots, celery, cook a couple minutes
4. Add chicken and cook a couple minutes, season
5. Transfer to the mushroom bowl
6. Add peas
7. In same pan as before , melt butter and add flour to make a roux
8. Stir in milk and bring to a boil
9. Stir a few minutes til it thickens up to a soupy consistency
10. Add chicken stock
11. Adjust seasoning
    
12. Pour chicken and veggie mixture into the cream sauce
13. Toss to combine
14. Optional: top with puff pastry
15. Bake until either puff pastry is cooked through, per the package's instructions (or if not using the pastry, bake until set, about 15-20 mins

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