Mmmm...Lasagna!

Alright...This is flippin' good! Real good. I just ate half the pan. Not joking! I got this recipe from my friend, Juli, with paleOMG. Every Sunday, I always like to make my food for the week. It's the only day of the week that I never plan anything. I use the day to catch up and get ready for the next week. It's all about being prepared. This week, I decided to mix things up a little and try this Chicken Butternut Lasagna. Holy cow this is good stuff! The only complaint I have about this recipe is that it doesn't make enough. Next time, I am doubling the recipe:)

Hope you enjoy this healthy comfort food as much as I did:)

Ingrediants:

•1 large butternut squash
•1 head garlic clove, roasted
•1/2 yellow onion, diced
•3 boneless chicken breasts, diced
•3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
•1/4 cup canned coconut milk
•1/4 cup tomato sauce
•1 teaspoon basil (fresh or dried)
•1 teaspoon parsley (fresh or dried)
•salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.Cut the end off the bulb of garlic to reveal the cloves inside. Wrap in aluminum foil and throw in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
3.While the garlic is roasting, you'll need to cut your butternut squash. You can do this a couple different ways but remember, you are trying to get the long squash into "lasagna type strips".
4.What I did: Cut the end off the squash, then use a sharp knife to take off the skin. Then cut the squash into 1/4s lengthwise. Remove seeds and strings. Then you can do 1 of 2 things: either use a knife to slice the butternut squash into strips or use a mandoline to slice the butternut squash into thinner strips.
5.Set aside and begin to make your chicken and sauce.
6.Add olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add your diced onion to begin to cook. After about 3 minutes of coating your onions and bringing out their flavor, add your diced chicken along with a bit of salt. Let the chicken cook under low heat while you make your sauce.
7.Your head of garlic should be roasted by now, so pull it out of the oven and remove the roasted cloves and put directly into your food processor.
8.Add olive oil to your food processor along with the roasted garlic and turn your food processor on. Once the garlic cloves have become a paste, add your coconut milk and tomato sauce along with basil and parsley. Pulse until saucy. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.
9.When the chicken is ALMOST done cooking remove from heat.
10.Now for the lasagna stacking. Pull out a 8x8 or 9x9 glass baking dish, coat the bottom of the dish with a bit of sauce, then add a layer of butternut squash strips, a layer of chicken, and a layer of sauce. Repeat until you are all out of chicken and butternut squash. The last layer should be butternut squash and topped off with sauce.
11.Bake, uncovered, for around 40-45 minutes. The squash should be tender BUT do not cut into it until it has set for a while. I gave mine about 40 minutes. I covered with aluminum foil and let sit.

Enjoy!

Be Kind

Be kind. It’s so simple. Treat everyone with respect even if you feel they don’t deserve it. Smile at a stranger. Always say thank you. And don’t forget those kind little gestures to show someone you care.

Today at Starbucks I was $1.02 short on my coffee card. As I was scraping to come up with the change, an older gentleman behind me pulled out a five dollar bill and handed it to the cashier and said, “this one is on me.” I insisted that it wasn’t necessary and I had enough money to pay. However, he just smiled and said, “No worries. You can get the next one. Have a great day miss.”

I think I just stood there staring at him baffled by his kindness to a complete stranger. He doesn’t know who I am, where I come from, and little did he know that I was in the middle of the craziest time at work. That gesture alone made my day. It found my smile that was in hiding.

Be kind because everyone you meet is fighting a battle. You never know how the smallest gesture can change someone’s day.

Easy Pulled Pork

This recipe comes from my amazing gym, Crossfit Verve. I made this last Sunday afternoon and I was amazed at how easy this was...I mean it literally took me 5 minutes! Not to mention...it tastes unreal! I this on my eggs in the morning, made lettuce wraps with it for lunch, and for dinner I had it with roasted veggies. It's a cheap and easy meal that makes a lot. Enjoy!

Pulled Pork

Ingrediants:
3 lbs pork, brisket or roast
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
2.5 cups bell pepper, chopped
2 cans El Pato Mexican tomato sauce (7.75oz yellow can)
Half bottle Valentina picante sauce (12.5 oz bottle)
2 t cumin or 2 T curry*

Directions:
Add the pork, onion, peppers, sauces, and your choice of spice to a crock-pot. Set it on low for 6-12 hours, it's ready when you can easily shred the meat holding two forks. Set this up the night before, and let it slow cook all night. I do realize that Colorado has a great selection of mexican food. So I am not sure if this tomato sauce and picante sauce can be found in other states. My advice...experiment! If you only have a plain tomoato sauce, add some additional spices to flavor it up...such as chili powder, cayenne pepper etc.

* the cumin powder will increase the spiciness, while the curry powder will mellow it and sweeten the BBQ sauce--choose your poison wisely.

Be You

All the time, I catch people using the phrase "just believe in yourself!" It is such a simple, but hard phrase to truly follow. Since we are usually the hardest on ourselves, it is easy to doubt our abilities. We are all constantly pushed to be better and we are never satisfied with who we are. My amazing friend Tiffany defines success as doing your very best at that very moment. Meaning, we can't always be aiming for something higher. Each moment of each day is different and as long as we try our best in that moment...that is success.

Today I am going to focus on believing in myself. In order really do this, I have to let go of my baggage and just be me. Afterall, how can I believe in myself if I am working so hard to be someone else? To reach success, I have to believe and to believe I just have to be me.

Community

This past weekend, I was blessed to be around the most influential people in my life. I surrounded myself with tan, ripped, and spandex-wearing athletes from all around the world. I attended the 2011 Crossfit Games held in California!




If I had to chose one word to sum up my weekend….It would be EPIC! The crossfit games is comprised of the top 49 male and 49 female athletes from around the globe. They are put through 10 grueling work-outs to find the fittest man and woman on the planet. I was fortunate enough to have my very own coaches compete, Matt and Cherie Chan. In addition to cheering on the Chans all weekend, we had another Verve athlete, Jim, competing in the Masters competition. Crossfit Verve was represented to the upmost potential and I couldn’t have been prouder to be a part of it. Let me start by saying Cherie Chan is my idol. She is the true definition of a strong and beautiful woman. She put her heart out on the field and she had a smile on her face the whole time. Cherie finished 40th in the world! Jim was amazing! Every time I watch him compete, it gives me chills. He has a big heart and works so hard to make everyone proud. Jim at the age of 47 finished 7th in the world!! Last but not least….Chananimal (aka Matt Chan) was nothing less than spectacular to watch. He is extremely methodical and his capacity is amazing! Matt stayed very consistent throughout each work out and finished 1st in the strength portion. Overall, Matt finished 10th in the world!

I am always asked, why I love crossfit so much. It’s simple. I love it for the community. There is no other sport out there where you have the camaraderie that crossfit has. This past weekend, I watched competitors cheer each other on, help each other off of their feet, and stand by their side until they finished. Powerful stuff. There was one moment in particular that gave me goose bumps. During the final Team Event that would determine the Crossfit Games Champion something unbelievable took place. With only six teams in the final event, there were 6 stations that each member must compete. There was a 30 minute time cap to complete all the stations and winner took all. The stadium was completely filled! At the sound of “3, 2, 1…GO!”, the teams began. It was a race to the finish line and it was an EPIC battle for sure. When it was all said and done, I don’t remember the first place finisher. It was not something that stood out in my mind. What I do remember was all the other teams cheering on the team that got hung up at the first station. One team was not able to finish under the 30 minute cap because the first station took them about 20 minutes alone. Instead of walking off the field in defeat…the team kept going. Even though the clock had stopped, the judges had left, and the games crew started to pack away the stadium, the team kept going. Not to mention, all the other teams that had finished stayed and continued to cheer, count reps, and encourage the team to finish. It was amazing…not even one spectator left their seat. We all cheered just like we did for the other teams. We all stayed together until the end. This is community. No one left each other’s side until EVERYONE was done. It was an amazing moment that truly captured what crossfit is all about.

Throughout the whole weekend, I witnessed groups of crossfitters cheer on other gyms and individuals. I watched athletes complete their last rep and then immediately walked over to their competitor to cheer. They clapped. They yelled. They encouraged. No one was left out on the field alone. You see…today the world tells us winning is everything; the world says it is ok to celebrate and gloat in front of your competition; the world tells us to step on our competition and not to look back. The world is wrong and that’s why crossfit is going to change this world. Crossfit is passion, healthy competition and above all else Crossfit is community.


Above is Matt cheering on fellow competitor until he finishes!

As the sport continues to grow, so does our ability to share with the rest of the world what true competition should look like. So here is what I took away from this weekend. In essence, everyday is competition in one form or another. I am choosing to compete with a smile. I will encourage my competitors when I am done and I won’t let anyone stand on the field alone whether it is inside the gym or at home. I am going to compete everyday and help change this world one smile at a time.

Cherie Chan dominating the rope climbs!


Matt Chan during Ocean swim workout! He came in 1st for the swim:)

MEATLOAF

Alright, I know what you are thinking...Meatloaf? Yes, meatloaf is on the menu. This is by far the best meatloaf recipe I have ever found. This is my comfort food. Oh man this stuff is good! I made this recipe and had some squash noodles with it. This makes quite a bit, so it is perfect for taking with you to work for lunch. I actually have been eating this for breakfast too:)

MEATLOAF (Sweet Cheeks)

Ingrediants:
-1 teaspoon olive oil

-6 slices bacon, chopped

-1 medium red onion, chopped

-1 green bell pepper, chopped
-1 teaspoon crushed garlic
-3/4 cup almond meal

-1/2 cup coconut milk

-1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
-1 1/2 pounds ground beef (At least 93% lean)
-1 egg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Cook 2 slices bacon, stirring, until almost crisp, about 4 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add almond meal and coconut milk. Let cool.


Add ground meat and egg. Dive right in with those hands and mix it up! Transfer mixture to 2, 5-by-9-inch loaf pan and smooth top. Place remaining bacon slices over meatloaf. Bake until meatloaf is cooked through, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan 20 minutes before slicing. If you don't have the patience to let it cool and you cut into it right away like I did :) It will still be delicious, just a little crumbly.

Squash Noodles

There are so many nights that I get home from a long day at work and usually a hard work out at Verve, and the last thing I want to do is cook. BUT this is one of my "go to" veggie dishes that is simple and quick. I can make a lot of this at once and it goes perfect with any main dish.

I use Squash Noodles to replace pasta and it works like a charm! With the right sauce, these noodles are amazing!

Ingrediants:
- 2 yellow squash
- 2 Zuchini
- 1 T. EVOO
- 2 cloves garlic
-Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
- Heat EVOO in skillet over medium heat.
- Cut squash and zuchini into long noodle-like pieces. I usually cut the squash in half and then cut noodles from there.
- Place noodles and garlic in skillet and cook about 6-10 minutes over medium heat until noodles are tender




Here is my FAVORITE pasta sauce of all time! It is soooo good. Trust me. Buy this! No added sugar with all natural ingrediants. Simply amazing!

Cleaning out the Fridge Salad

I have put off going to the grocery store lately and that usually results in random things left in the fridge. I decided to put together a quick salad with what I had left. It actually turned out pretty good. With just a few ingrediants, I have come up with my "cleaning out the fridge salad."

Cleaning out the Fridge Salad:

Ingrediants:
-4 large boneless chicken breasts
-2 cups baby carrots
-3 stalks celery
-2 T. olive oil
-Chili Powder
-Salt
-Pepper

Directions:-Since it is summer and I am in a grilling mood, I grilled the chicken breasts on the grill for 10 minutes on each side on low-medium heat.
-Let chicken cool completely
-I cannot stand raw carrots, so I always roast mine. (But feel free to use raw carrots if your heart desires.) Turn oven on broil and place carrots on baking sheet. Sprinkle olive oil on top and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste. (I love chili powder, so I used about 1 T.) Place baking sheet in middle of oven and cook for 10 minutes. Stir carrots and cook for additional 10 minutes till carrots are tender.
-Let carrots cool.
-Cut celery, carrots and chicken into small pieces and place in bowl.
-Pour over dressing (recipe below)and add salt and pepper to taste.
-Chill in fridge or serve warm in lettuce wraps:)

Dressing Recipe:

Ingrediants:
-2 T. Olive Oil
-4 T. balsamic
-1 egg yolk
-salt and pepper
-2 T. mustard

Directions:
This is a recipe that I literally just made up. I didn't measure anything, so the above measurements are a guesstimate. Please add more or less if you find necessary.
-Whisk olive oil and balsamic vineger together. Mix in mustard and egg yolk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Thats it! Yes, it's a simple dressing to give the salad a little extra kick. I am not really a fan of ranch, blue cheese or anything like that anymore, so it is fun to experiment to find new healthy dressings. Oh and don't be afraid to add anything else to this salad that you happen to have hanging out in the fridge:)

Enjoy!

BBQ Beef

This is a new recipe that I tried today and fell in love with...Crockpot BBQ Beef! It was easy and absolutely amazing! With summer in full swing, I have been craving some good BBQ, BUT most of the BBQ sauce you buy in the store is crap. About 99% of store bought BBQ sauces use high fructose corn syrup as their main ingrediant. Awful. So today, I swept the internet for a healthy, but tasty BBQ sauce and I found it! Courtesey of Civilized Caveman. You will notice this has no sugar! This is a great recipe to make and then take to lunch during the week. Enjoy!

Crock Pot BBQ Beef:

Ingredients:3-5 Lb Boneless Chuck Roast
1 Large White Onion
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Orange Bell Pepper
2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Dried Basil (I didn't use because I didn't have it)
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Paprika
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1/4 Cup Beef Broth

Directions:
-Mix all of your dry spices together in a mixing bowl and set aside
-Cut up your onions into large chunks and cut your peppers into long slices
-Toss all of your cuts of meat in the seasoning mixture and ensure you coat all sides of every piece of meat
-Using half of your vegetables, line the bottom of your crock pot and then place half of your meat on those vegetables
-Put the other half of your vegetables in your crock pot and then put in the rest of your meat
-Pour in your beef stock, cover and cook on low for 8 hours
-When the meat is done, remove all the meat pieces and vegetables and drain the crock pot
-Place all the meat back in and shred with two forks
-Pour in a whole batch of BBQ Sauce (recipe below) and mix well
-Cover and place on low for 30 minutes to let all the flavors mold together

BBQ Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:3 Tomatoes, Diced
1 White Onion, Diced
4 Cloves of garlic, Diced
1 6 Ounce can of Tomato Paste
1 Cup Beef Stock
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tsp Cayenne

Directions:
-Combine all ingredients above in a sauce pan and place on stove over medium heat stirring frequently
-Once your sauce starts to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60 minutes
-Once your sauce has simmered, turn off the heat and pour your sauce into a blender or food processor and run until you get a nice smooth sauce consistency. (This is completely optional. I did not do this because I am lazy and it still tasted amazing.)
-Return to the pan to keep warm or place on the food of your choice
-Store in the refrigerator

MIA

Yes, Yes…I know! It’s been far too long. Although I have been completely slacking on my posts, I can assure you that I have not been slacking on life. I have been guilty of being a lover of life lately. It’s summer time, which means the mountains have been calling my name. I have God’s playground right at my backdoor. How lucky am I?



Even though I have been content with my life and I can’t really complain doesn’t mean I have had a few slumps along the way. I won’t get into the details of these less than spectacular events because they are irrelevant. However, what is important is the outcome. I’m fine! Yes, I got through it. And you know now that I think about it…I have been able to get through a lot over these past 24 years. All of those problems that I thought were so hard and I would never get through it alive…. turned out to be ok after all. My point is no matter how many times we hit the rough spot and we think our troubles are going to break us…they never really do. We are still here. Still breathing. And that in itself is a reason to cause celebration. Life throws EVERYONE curve balls. Some more than others. Is it fair? No, but its life. It’s like the old saying, “If everybody put their troubles in the middle of the room, you’d take a look around and pick your own back up again.”

It is easy for us to get caught up in our own issues that we forget everyone has them. For most of us, these issues go unseen. We keep them hidden. So here is my proposal…Smile, laugh, love and don’t forget to give a hug. Simple jesters can make a world of difference. After all, we all have our troubles and there is no reason why we can’t go down the beaten path together.

Happy Mother's Day!

"Mothers are God's gifts to us."

I have the greatest mom in the world. I am blessed beyond belief to have a role model like her in my life. So much love to her:)




Now here is a funny picture! All the Fenton girls with the Momma Fenton of them all. If you know these four girls...then you also know how stong Mimi was to raise these crazy girls! Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

Is happiness a choice?

Think about this question for a second, “Is happiness a choice?” Do we chose to be happy or is it certain situations that make us happy? For most, I will say that it is specific encounters, circumstances, people, and materialistic things that make us happy. Our mind is extremely powerful at manipulating our thoughts and our feelings at any moment of any day. I am very guilty of focusing on the future. For some reason, I have it instilled in my brain that I need look ahead and work hard to get exactly where I want to be! I have been thinking about this question lately because I have found a new state of happiness in my life. I feel content as to where I am and who I am becoming. I am happy.

So am I happy because I have everything I want in this world? Hell no! I am happy because I have learned that happiness is a choice. I have the power to turn my life around at any time of the day. I have the power to look a negative situation square in the eyes and say, “Today you will not bring me down; today you will not interfere with my dreams; today I am choosing not to let the obstacles of life crush me. Today, I am choosing to smile.”

Life is hard. It’s hard for you, me, your friends, your family and the random person you pass down the street. Everyone has obstacles and everyone is faced with moments of weakness. It is at this time that we have the ability to make a decision. A decision to let the hardships of life take control of our mind and swarm us with negative thoughts and feelings or we can be strong. We can be strong enough to know that there isn’t anything worth a wasted day. Life is short. Take life’s challenges and look at them not as setbacks, but as opportunities to discover who you are. After all, success is not measured by the position one has reached in life; success is more so measured by obstacles in which one has overcome while trying to succeed.

Remember….the world always looks brighter behind a smile. Choose to be happy.