What's for Dinner?!?!?

Ok, I've plastered this recipe all over my Facebook because in all honesty, it's one of the greatest things I've ever made or tasted. The original recipe comes from here, but I wanted to just copy it for you all unless you've never crossed paths with skinnytaste or are too lazy to click the link ;).

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken 
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 8 servings • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 190 • Fat: 1.5 g • Fiber: 5.6 g • Carbs: 23.1 g • Protein: 21 g

Ingredients: 

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• salt to taste

Directions: 

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice or in a tortilla (extra pts).

Michi's Ladder

Most people, including myself, understand the general idea of eating healthy- no soda, no extra sugar, no extra salt, no fried foods, etc. However, when it comes down to the nitty gritty many people don't know where to start. I'm talking about what REALLY is healthy, and what's really not. Sure, an apple is healthy, but it's a lot better for you when you eat it with the skin (and corn is a carb, did you know that?) 

The wonderful people over at beachbody.com (where I am an independent coach- teambeachbody.com/FrancesK) have posted on their website a food guide called "Michi's Ladder". The basic idea is that foods are grouped into five different categories based on their nutritional value. Each step of the ladder indicates a level of nutritional "goodness"... the goal is to move from whatever category you fit into up to level one. 

Here's a link to Michi's ladder for you to check out. It also lets you know whether a food is a protein, carb or fat. I find it VERY useful when grocery shopping and I think you would, too!

The importance of Preparation

Because I love to cook and bake, and am also seeking a healthier lifestyle, I recently subscribed to The Clean Eating Magazine (here). While browsing the latest issue I stumbled upon a very interesting article. The article was about how different spices added to higher fat foods can help to speed up your metabolism.  According to the article, a study by Penn State University found that antioxidant spices (turmeric, rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, etc.) may counteract the way that a high fat meal can raise triglycerides and heart disease risk. THE BOTTOM LINE- if you are cooking a meal that may not be the lowest in fat content try to add some of these spices to help balance things out. Its also a good idea to keep in mind while eating out or attending a dinner party. Here's a link to another article about the same research findings. 

Some examples of antioxidant spices include: basil, cinnamon, clove, cumin, fennel, garlic, ginger, marjoram, mustard seed, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, peppermint, red peppers, rosemary, sage, thyme and turmeric.

Why this, why now?

My whole life flipped upside down and changed when I discovered I was pregnant with Ari. I found out I was expecting on June 24, 2009.  Everything changed... but not just my appearance- my health, my motivation, my outlook.. everything. With Ari, I gained 60 pounds during my pregnancy. I struggled for months and suffered from slight depression due to my dislike of my own appearance. I was disgusted with the way I looked. I fought with myself for months to try to lose weight and get back in shape... I attempted different workouts and diets- but just never really got there. Then, I found out I was expecting Brooklyn. After she was born, I knew I had to change. I don't come from the healthiest of families, and I knew that I never wanted to have to worry about a 'health problem' that I could have controlled. Thats when I decided it was time to get serious.

Pre babies- Halloween 2008

Post Babies- March 2012

My FIRST blog post!

Well, well, well... I have given in. I've officially converted. I am now- a blogger. It's funny- when Jared first started using different social media outlets I gave him so much crap. I swore I would never get Facebook (you can look me up- Frances Kilkenny or Fitwithfrances), Twitter (follow me @FKilkenny) or have a blog. Well- look at me now. SMH. Sometimes you just have to surrender.

I am a mother of two, I have an amazing husband. We currently live in Gainesville, FL- although New York City is where our hearts will always be. I LOVE to cook and bake (especially cupcakes... yummy). However, all that baking led me to gaining 60+ lbs during my pregnancies. :( I have recently began on my journey to fitness and losing the 'baby weight'. I'm still new to it all, but I have definitely seen some progress. I've come to realize that weight loss and a healthy life style aren't just for those who are lucky.. but for those who work their asses off for it ... literally and figuratively.

The purpose of this blog is to basically provide a way for me to share my life and experiences. To talk about my personal life and things that I discover along the way- and to also provide a way to share my story- including my weight loss journey and how I REALLY feel about eating clean and sweating like a pig.