Crock Pot Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

Life as we know it is hectic so why not make it a little easier and USE a CROCK POT!!
I saw this recipe on a friend's blog and it spoke to me -
Chicken... Check
Sweet Potatoes...Check (my new favorite)
Carrots...Check (my kids' favorite vegetable)

So I figured if it sounded this good it probably tastes great too and I was right!! We had this for dinner tonight and it was so darn yummy!! I made a few modifications to the original recipe that my friend had posted but the end result was PERFECT!! The chicken and vegetables were so tender from the crock pot! The only thing I would try differently next time is to lessen the amount of chili powder I use to 1/2 teaspoon.  My kids said the vegetables were too hot (although they still ate them!)

Crock Pot Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

Ingredients...
3 large sweet potatoes, cut into thick pieces
5 large carrots, chopped into large pieces
1 large onion, chopped
4 chicken breasts (or tonight I used 8 chicken breast tenders)
2 cans reduced sodium chicken broth (can add another 1/2 can if you prefer a more stew-like dinner)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

Directions...
1. Place chicken and vegetables in crock pot.
2. Add in chicken broth, tomato paste, garlic ,soy sauce, and chili powder and stir.
3.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until chicken is fork tender.

Enjoy!!
Tonight I served this dish with a side of Quinoa and brown rice medley and a side of steamed broccoli.

Serves 4

Interested in more Healthy & Clean Eating Recipes? 

Need ideas how to get started eating healthy?  

MESSAGE ME!!!!

Join my next challenge group and I will help educate you about the principles or clean eating, how to grocery shop for healthy foods while staying on budget, how to incorporate Shakeology into your daily menu, share healthy recipes, and so much more.

If you are interested in being a member of this group, please MESSAGE ME to hold you a spot in the group.  Space is limited as I like to keep my groups small so it is a more personal setting.  Any questions please feel free to ask or leave a comment below.  

Now is the time to learn how to 

Live a Fit, Happy, and Healthy life

and we will do it 

Together!!!!

~Alyson

alysonhorcher@gmail.com

beachbodycoach.com/alysonh

myshakeology.com/alysonh

facebook.com/alysonhorcher

@alysonhorcher - on Instagram

@alysonhorch - on Twitter

No Bake Energy Bites

This recipe one of my challengers shared with me as she was trying to find Clean Eating Snack ideas.  I loved all the ingredients that were listed so I thought I should give it a try as well.

No Bake Energy Bites

Ingredients...
1 cup Old fashioned oats
2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 cup honey

Making No Bake Energy Bites with my little helper

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions...
1.  Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed.


2.  Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
3.  Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you like.  
4.  Store in airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to one week.

ENJOY!!!!!
Makes about 20-25 balls


Again, another clean recipe that my family and I loved!  My daughter especially kept coming back for more!!
If you want to make the recipe even cleaner opt to not add the chocolate chips. I personally chose to add the chocolate chips this time around.


If you are interested in learning more about clean eating (a much healthier version of eating) feel free to MESSAGE ME.  I have a ton of recipes that have yet to be posted and every week I do a meal plan so I can keep myself and my family on track.  You never know what each day brings so at least you can be prepared when it comes to the food you put in your mouth!!

~Alyson

Leading a fit, healthy, and happy Life

TOGETHER

alysonhorcher.blogspot.com
beachbodycoach.com/alysonh
myshakeology.com/alysonh
facebook.com/alysonhorcher

Homemade Quinoa Protein Bars

Who knew there were all these different recipes for this amazing food called Quinoa.  The more I use it, the more I love it.  So why is Quinoa so amazing you might ask?? It is very high in protein and has every one of the nine essential amino acids  These nine amino acids are the ones that your body cannot synthesize in quantities sufficient to sustain good health, so they need to come from food sources. Quinoa is the only plant-based protein to contain all 9 essential amino acids.  Many people think that quinoa is a type of grain, but its not.  Quinoa is actually the seed of a plant related to spinach.  Huh?  Who knew??  Another piece of information I found was Quinoa is grown in the mountains of Ecuador and was once called "the gold of the Inca's" because of how it increased stamina.  Little did the Inca's know "the gold" was also jam packed full of nutrients and amino acids. 

So if you haven't tried Quinoa yet, I would highly recommend it.  If you can cook rice, you can cook quinoa.  The proportions are the same: two part liquid to one part quinoa.  Bring water to a boil and add quinoa.  The only difference is time (which is another thing I love), quinoa only needs to simmer for 15-20 minutes.  You can substitute quinoa in any recipe that would use rice.


Okay, Okay enough about Quinoa, lets get to a new recipe I tried today.  I received this recipe from a friend and I am so thankful she shared it with me because these bars were delicious. Easy to make, packed with protein and nutrition, and perfect for our mid-morning snack. 

                 HOMEMADE QUINOA PROTEIN BARS

Ingredients...

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 rolled oats

1 banana

1 egg

1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut*

1/2 cup chocolate chunks or go for a healthier variety and use 1/2 cup dates, raisins, or nuts**

Directions

1. Mix cooked quinoa, peanut butter, honey, and sea salt well

2. Add in oats, banana, egg, coconut, and chocolate/dates/raisins/nuts

3. Mix well and spread out mixture on parchment paper lined pan

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes

This is what the bars looked like after taking them out of the oven

(well with the exception of what we ate)

*If you don't like coconut (which I personally love but could not taste it in this recipe) you could use 1/4 cup ground flax seed and 1/4 cup wheat bran as a substitute

**You can use anything you like.  The original recipe calls for chocolate chunks but I wanted to make a healthier variety so I choose raisins (my kids love raisins and I wanted this to be a snack for all of us).  

ENJOY - these are sure to become a family favorite.  

I have already written out the recipe card and it is now in our recipe box!!!!

Are you looking to eat good food but also want it to be healthy food?

Look no further - check out my other Clean Eating recipes HERE.  If this is not enough for you and you want to make a lifestyle change by incorporating Healthy Eating and/or Exercise CONTACT ME today.  I can help you learn how to eat healthy the clean eating way.  I have support groups that I put together to help provide the extra motivation, support, meal planning, and so much more to keep you moving forward!!

MESSAGE ME to learn how to lose weight, gain energy, improve regularity, decrease blood pressure, and oh FEEL GREAT!!!!

Whether you like working in a group or one on one, if you are even the slight bit interested,

GET FIT, GET HAPPIER, GET HEALTHIER

WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER!!!!

~Alyson

alysonhorcher.blogspot.com

beachbodycoach.com/alysonh

myshakeology.com/alysonh

facebook.com/alysonhorcher

Busy Life, Healthy Way Challenge Group

These days is seems harder and harder to get DONE what we need to get DONE, right?!?!  Our to do lists are ever growing and we are constantly being asked to do more and yet we find ourselves saying YES even though we don't know how in the world we will be able to do it.  Anyone with me?  

On top of it all, you know you should be taking care of yourself but really WHO HAS TIME to do that?  By the time you get home from work or have time after the kids are to bed the last thing you want to do is exercise, STILL WITH ME??  

Oh, eating healthy - HA, who has time to do that? and who can afford to buy all that fresh food at all those expensive markets?  

LISTEN TO ME AND HEAR ME...

THESE ARE ALL EXCUSES YOU ARE TELLING YOURSELF!! 

THIS IS YOUR OUT FOR NOT TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF!!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news people, but we all can find the time to take better care of ourselves.  

Okay so you agree with me that I am right and you are making excuses for not finding the time to take care of yourself.  Well what are you going to do about it?  Do you have any idea where to start?  Yes we all know we should exercise for at least 20 minutes a day and eat healthy but how when life is already so busy, how do you find the time to do this?  

Believe it or not, I too was in this same situation almost a year ago exactly!! I knew what I had to do but didn't know how to do it.  

Luckily I was able to find someone who did know what to do and had done it herself. She was my inspiration and she was able to lay the path for me to a healthier and MUCH happier lifestyle.  Yes, I still struggle with managing everything I need to get done but even that I am getting better at. Having my health on my side and at its peak performance I am able to manage a much tougher schedule and I get a ton more done than I use to.  

Here is what you have to do - TRUST ME!! 

Allow me to show you the path that I was fortunate to learn.

Allow me to share with you the tips and tricks that allow me to eat healthy and stay on a budget.

Allow me to share with you and help you learn how to incorporate exercise into your already booked day.

Allow me to be your COACH!!

Trying to do it by yourself and all at once can set you up for failure.  I am here to set you up for success.  

Join me and CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!!!

I am putting together a group of people who already lead busy lives BUT want to make positive changes to their lives.  

The people I am looking for want to incorporate exercise, healthy eating, and better time management into their lives. 

 The people I am looking for can be male, female, working, stay at home, students, etc.  

All I need from these people is their COMMITMENT to be ALL IN and be ready to make changes that will drastically change their future.

Today 

I am announcing the Kick off of my 

latest and greatest challenge group!!!!

Okay what is this challenge group all about?  

First this is a small private group of individuals who will all give me their commitment to be an active participant int he group.  The group will be of like minded people who want to lose weight, get in shape, have  more ENERGY, and eat healthier.  I will create a private facebook group for us all to be a part of.  We will be doing this together as a team.  We will be there for each other to support, motivate, and inspire!  I will share with you how you can lose weight, gain muscle, tone your body, meal planning tips, sample meal plans, help you build your very own meal plan, fitness tips and tricks, free coaching by ME, how to shop for healthy foods (and on a budget), how to increase your energy, time management tips, and the list goes on and on.  I am also very  open to suggestions on what topics YOU as a challenger want to be covered.  We all have our own personal obstacles to overcome so voice them to me and we can talk about them individually or as a group - its your call!!  I check in with you on a daily basis in the group.  When you have the daily support, it makes a huge difference in the outcome.  It then becomes a ripple effect of positivity!  You feel better about yourself, you look better, you have more energy, and you start to notice what a difference all of these positive changes are having on your LIFE!!!!  

This is not about working out all day or starving yourself.  This is a program that is proven to get you results that helps teach you about a healthy lifestyle for LASTING results.  I want you to succeed and not give up or bounce back.  

What you need to do is this:
1.  Create a FREE MEMBERSHIP at TeamBeachbody.com 
CLICK HERE FOR FREE MEMBERSHIP


2.  Choose a Beachbody at home Fitness program
I will help you choose which program would work best for YOU if you don't know which one to choose.

3.  Drink SHAKEOLOGY daily
You will be eating 5-6 smaller meals with the healthier eating plans I share with you. Shakeology would replace one of these meals daily.   

4.  Give me your Commitment to stay with us for the 12 weeks of the Challenge. 
You want to lose weight. You want to tone up. You want to finally be happy with the number on the scale.  You can get those things in 90 days but you have to commit!!!!

If you want to save some cash, the best option is for you to order a challenge pack.  This is an a la carte package - it includes the following:
1. One complete BeachBody Workout Program (Insanity, P90x, TurboFire, 10 Minute Trainer, etc).  
2.  Shakeology Home Direct for one month
3. VIP Club Membership which gives you 10% of all products as well as an AWESOME meal planner and diet guide!
4. Me, as your personal one on one coach for FREE!!
Note: You also sometimes get a free workout DVD along with the purchase of a challenge pack so that would be another bonus!!!!

These Challenge Packs are the #1 way to help you lose the weight you want to FINALLY get rid of, get  your healthy eating habits started right, and SAVE MONEY $$

 ORDER YOUR CHALLENGE PACK NOW

What do you have to lose Besides a few pounds that is?  What do you have to gain?  Hmm, lets see - a slimmer and more toned body, natural energy, regularity, self confidence, and the pure joy of success!!!!

Now is the time to take the first step and decide you want to make the change NOW!!!!

Message me to sign up for this incredible life changing event!!!!

alysonhorcher@gmail.com

Here's to you and  healthier more fit life

xoxo, 

Alyson