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Chicken Broth in Crock Pot

There is nothing better than fresh chicken stock made out of left over bones. It is so easy to make and it barely requires any labor and supervision. If you have made the “Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot” before it means you have a crock pot. I highly recommend using the leftovers from “Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot” recipe, as you will get all of the flavors from the spices used to cook the chicken. And maybe you will get to buy less boxed chicken broth. Well, maybe not if you use a lot of it. But at least, you get to have some homemade on hand whenever you need it. Read More →

Your Flat Belly & Abs Questions Answered

Most often you will hear from someone that is working out or even losing weight…“how do I get abs”, a “6-pack”, or a “flat belly”?

There is so much information out there. OVERLOAD!!!! No wonder people get so confused!!!  So I wanted to take this blog and put together the most common questions about getting that awesome flat stomach.

Here are some of the top questions and answers:

1. Are abs really made in the kitchen?

It all depends. Nutrition plays a huge role with almost everybody that has abs. This is because if you EAT more than you are burning in a day, you will store fat and have a layer over those abs.

If you are an athlete or train at a super high intensity… the nutrition becomes slightly less critical as you are burning lots of calories and your metabolism works efficiently so that you will have a flat belly due to your hard training. This is why you will see ultra fit people or athletes get away with eating whatever they want and still have killer abs. Read More →

Whole Chicken in Crock Pot

When I stumbled across this recipe, it looked too simple to be so delicious. But I decided to give it a try. Crock pot recipes never disappoint me. If the flavors are not right, I adjust them for the next time. Plus, we are quite a large family and I usually have to adapt the recipes to feed the 5 of us anyway. I’ve tried many crock pot recipes, and this is by far the best way to cook a whole chicken until it is falling-off-the bone yummy. And I didn’t have to make any adjustments. If you have a well-stocked spice cabinet like mine  you’ll hardly have to buy anything to make this  fabulous chicken. Once the chicken is done, it is  flavorful enough to eat by itself. I like to make a side of diced sweet potatoes with the chicken and rice. But this chicken goes well with basically just anything.

We use a very basic crock pot that can purchased at Target for about $40. Read More →

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Fall has arrived and with it comes the PUMPKIN season. There are always plenty of pumpkins to carve up around Halloween time and a great way to make use of the pumpkin seeds is to… roast them!!! It is an easy and healthy snack. My kids’ favorite!!!!

I love to eat them shells and all. If they’re properly toasted and are small to medium sized, they are wonderfully crunchy and easy to eat. The larger carving pumpkins will yield large seeds, which are probably best to eat shelled.

Pumpkin Seeds

The challenge has always been to get the salt evenly in and out the shells. It’s easy enough to salt the outside of the shells, but if you want the salt to permeate to the seeds, there is a magic trick. Well…no so magic. But easy to execute. It is so worth that extra step. Trust me.

BOIL the seeds first in salted water, then toast them in the oven. This way, the salt gets inside too. And you can control the amount of salt by how much you add to the water and how long you boil the seeds.

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Beef and Broccoli in Crock Pot

I have made beef and broccoli before and it always ended up very good. But I HAD to do all of the cooking. It was definitely more work but, again, it was still delicious.  But there is something about slow cooking something all day in a crock pot.  You guys know by now that I love cooking with my crock pot. I might work from home but do not like interruptions and cooking is for sure one of them.

beefandbroccolislowcooker3

With the crock pot method, the beef literally just melted in my mouth because it was sooooo tender.   And the sauce… which slow cooked all day was just amazing.  This is one of the recipes that I post that I hope everyone tries.  It is a must. Just thinking about how good this tasted is making me drool.  I feel like I never have to go eat out because I keep finding restaurant quality recipes to make at home.  This was a winner.

Beed and Broccoli in Crock Pot
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Asian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • 1.5-2 lbs. of boneless, beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 cup of beef broth
  • ½ cup of low sodium soy sauce
  • ⅓ cup of brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. of sesame oil
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2-4 tbsp of cornstarch
  • 1 large head of fresh broccoli cut into florets (or a bag of cut florets will do)
  • White or brown rice, cooked - rice noodles could also work. I use rice noodles a lot with dish like this one.
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
  2. Lay the beef strips in the crock pot and pour the sauce over, tossing the strips to coat.
  3. Turn the crock pot on low and cook for about 4 hours. You don’t want to cook the beef too long or it will start to shred.
  4. When it is just about done, take 4 Tbsp of the sauce and whisk it in a small bowl with the cornstarch. Slowly stir this into the crock pot.
  5. Add the broccoli in at this point so that it could get heated through.
  6. You want to let it cook an additional 30 minutes so that the sauce can thicken and the broccoli can cook. You don’t want to add the broccoli until the very end or it will be mushy.
  7. Serve over white rice and enjoy!!
Notes
****Use organic ingredients whenever possible****

The Biggest Loser’s Alison Braun Stuns With Her Bikini Selfie

biggest loser alison braun bikini selfie

If you have ever been overweight, you can no doubt appreciate the bravery of Alison Braun. The former Biggest Loser Australia contestant did something she never thought she would do and posted a bikini clad selfie on Facebook. She wrote, “Yes I know a shameless selfie … why? Because never did I think I would ever take a pic of me in a bikini in Bali!”

bikini2

Although this single mom of three kids is taking full advantage of her tropical vacation, she is still hitting the gym. Read More →

6 Moves To Do In The Morning For Extra Energy

Taking some time in the morning for meditation and a few yoga poses can really kick start your day. In just 15 minutes, you can clear your mind and get your body set for eight hours of sitting.

Start by focusing on your breathing. Then, move into a few poses that will stretch your hamstrings, hips and back. It will center you in the moment and prevent you from getting anxious about what may or may not lie ahead over the course of the day.

Use these 6 moves to feel calm and revitalized. Read More →

Slow Cooker Ribs

ribs

I am also on the lookout for new, fun, and easy delicious recipe to try. Even better when made in the crock pot. I just love cooking with my crock pot as you just toss all ingredients together and leave it to cook all day. The house doesn’t get hot. It just starts smelling delicious as the meal cooks.

Many years ago, I was given a great rib recipe by my mom. My mom has a vast repertoire of delicious recipes. My mom can cook!!!! And bake too. Let’s get back to the ribs now. The method required to boil the ribs in a very large pot of water with lots of brown sugar and GARLIC. This method flavored the meat in addition to help make the meat fall off the bone. Then you had to grill or bake them. It required a lot of prep and cooking time. And time is something nobody has these days.  Read More →

Creamy Coleslaw. YUM!!!

This SUPER delicious Coleslaw recipe is so creamy and is so simple to make that everyone will enjoy for sure! Even the non coleslaw lovers. Try the it as a side dish or as a refreshing topping on your pork sandwiches! Either way, you will want to bookmark this recipe. 
I coleslaw but not all COLESLAWS.  Most of the time you get a very vinegary coleslaw at the BBQ joint which is not my favorite. But the other day I was making baby back ribs in the crock pot and I was looking for sides to add other than corn on the cob and baked beans. I wanted something cold and refreshing.
Read More →

Stop Drinking While you Eat!!!!!

Digestion is extremely important for health, staying slim, AND mental well being.  Without proper digestion, many discomforts can be born into the body – indigestion, irritability, heartburn,  lethargy, bloating, insatiable cravings, headaches, and depression.

Seriously imagine that you are doing something every single day that UNKNOWINGLY is causing ONE or MORE of these symptoms!  Wouldn’t you want to know what that was?

Have you thought about what you drink and how much you drink with your meals? Growing up, we weren’t allowed to drink with our meal. My mom’s reasoning was that we would get full with liquid, not eat our dinner, and then be hungry 1/2 hour after we were done with our meal. Unknowingly, my mom was leading us to a healthier us. And I still don’t eat while I eat. Read More →