WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: costco!

I LOVE Costco!  They have everything you can ask for...for less and in bulk.  Yes, I know sometimes I leave the place with a year's supply of toilet paper or toothpaste and I have spent over $100 but it's an awesome place.  A couple of years ago, our local Coscto started carrying organic chicken breasts!  Score!  It was about at least 1/3 cheaper than Wholefoods or even Trader Joe's prices.  Last year, they started carrying organic, grass-fed ground beef!  Score again!  I love that I can get the organic poultry and meats for much less.  I also heard a rumor that Wholefoods and Costco get their organic meats from the same place, that I cannot confirm.

But this week, I came across this article..."Costco to Become Leader in Sustainable Seafood Industry." Bam!  Another reason to love the place!

HOMEMADE MEALS MONDAYS: bacon wrapped chicken breast!

I love bacon, most people love bacon! Anything with bacon is always extra yummy.  So this past Monday, I made bacon-wrapped chicken breasts.  The idea sounds good (like the bacon-wrapped hot dogs they sell on Sunset after a long night of drinking and clubbing!) and OMG it WAS AWESOME!  The hubs even had the leftovers the next day!

Bacon-wrapped Chicken Breast

What you need:
2 chicken breast
1 packed of organic, uncured bacon
pepper
olive oil

So all I did what cut up the chicken breast into about 4.  Then I rubbed some olive oil and pepper on the chicken and then wrapped it in with bacon.  Placed it on a hot grill pan and that's it!  Cook until the chicken is fully cooked (cover pan so it cooks faster).  I am absolutely convinced that the bacon keeps the chicken breast moist because it was very moist and tasty and the bacon was crispy.  So yum and super easy!

beginning of some deliciousness!

voila!  so easy and so yummy!

HOMEMADE MEALS MONDAYS: intro to tagine chicken!

tagine = my new toy

I was going to wait to use our new cooking gadgets until we moved into our new house.  But I couldn't wait to use my new fancy tagine given to us by my cousin, Tina, and her family.  So I was thinking of following this tagine recipe, instead decided to just make one up haha.  I really wasn't sure how it would turn up but man, it was good...it was darn good!  I didn't tell the hubs that I made up the recipe until he tried it and he loved it! I'll have to make it again sometime soon...it's perfect for cold winter nights!


Remy's Bad Ass Tagine Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

ingredients

2 organic chicken breasts and 2 organic chicken thighs cut into 1in. pieces (or just breasts or just thighs)
1 small butternut squash - seeded, peeled and cut into 1in. pieces
1 medium sweet potato - peeled and cut up
1 carrot - peeled and cut up
1 small yellow onion chopped
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 15oz can of organic diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons of garam masala (yes, I am using Indian spice on a Moroccan dish!)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt & pepper

my new recipe - tagine chicken

First add the olive into a tagine (or a skillet with cover would be fine too). Saute the garlic and onions until slightly brown.  Add the chicken and stir.  Once chicken is slightly brown, add the sweet potatoes, carrots and a can of diced tomatoes. Then add salt and pepper and cover. Let the dish simmer for about 30 min in low-medium heat.  Then add the the butternut squash and garam masala.  Cover again for another 15 minutes.  Voila!  That's it!  I realized that I am a pretty efficient cook.  I cook mainly during the weeks after a long day at work so I like things easy and very simple but tasty.  This dish is definitely simple and tasty!  I'll have to make again soon as it's a perfect dish for a cold winter night.  Enjoy it and please feel free to leave feedback, would love to hear it! :)

FEATURE FOOD FRIDAYS: tacos at Grand Central Market!

yummy carne asada taco at Grand Central market

Grand Central Market in DTLA has been around since 1917.  Absolutely incredible since LA doesn't have much of a history.  It showcases the  international diversity of LA offering Middle Eastern foods, Chinese, Salvadorian, Hawaiian, Mexican, specialty foods, desserts, fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, bakery.  All kinds of foods!  One place that my work peeps and I keep going back to is Jose Chiquito, a Mexican food stand displaying some of the best meats for tacos, burritos, tortas. The carne asada and carnitas tacos are amazingly tasty and the portions are huge!  One taco is really three tacos...and even better, it only costs $2.50!  Yes, yummy food and good price can be found in LA, in DTLA!

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: no excuses

My friend Joy posted this on her FB page and it made me cry.  I have never heard of Team Hoyt until now...what an inspirational story.  It is humbling...it makes me realize that I am healthy person free of disabilities...and I should have no excuses to work out or to better myself! So now I watch it occasionally for inspiration.  I'm so inspired that I put the hubs and I on the waitlist to run the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon!  Why not right?  We are both physically capable of running one, so I am so excitedly hoping we both get to register, wish us luck! :)