Brown Sugar Salsa

Here is a new salsa I came up with tonight. Tried and few things different this time. Try it and see what you think.

Ingredients: 

6 Tomatoes 
1 White Onion
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Lime, Juiced
Handful of Cilantro, finely chopped (Coriander)
2 Tbsp of Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp of Salt
1 Tsp of Brown Sugar
1/4 Tsp of Cumin
1 Green Chili, Sliced or chopped (de-seeded if needed)

Directions:

Chop the veg and put into a food processor add the rest of ingredients and blend to desired texture. Then put into a pan, bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 mins, let cool, serve.

Hot Grape Nuts with Cinnamon and Sugar

For breakfast this morning I decided to make a childhood favorite of mine for my son. We used to have hot grape nuts quite a bit when I was kid living in New Hampshire. It was the best thing on those cold winter mornings when I was being awoken at 5 am. My mother would always have breakfast ready for us.

This morning was one of those mornings in my house with my old children. I woke up at 6:30 am and woke my son up with the smell of some hot grape nuts with a bit of twist to them. This was something my mother never did. I decided to add a bit of sugar and cinnamon to it. Not much but just enough to add to the flavor and the smell.

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Grape Nuts
1 Tbsp of Butter
1 Cup of Milk (maybe a little more or less)
1/4 tsp of Cinnamon
1/2 tsp of Sugar

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil then simmer and continue to stir till creamy or how you want them. Kids will enjoy it and its high in fiber as well. Very filling till lunch. Great for after runs or workouts as well.

Serves 2

Chicken and Brown Rice Chow Mein

A simple, quick and filling dinner to make is this Chicken and Brown Rice Chow Mein. A lot of protein and would be great for after workouts, running etc. Great for leftovers as well.

 Ingredients:

2-3 Chicken Breast
1 Red Onion
2 Tbsp of Tamari Sauce
1 Tbsp of Sunflower Oil
pinch of salt and pepper
2 Cups of Brown Rice
2 pkts of Chow Mein Sauce

Directions:

Put 2 cups of brown rice in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 20 mins. When there is about 10 mins left on the rices,

slice or dice the chicken, slice the red onion, put 1 tbsp of sunflower oil in a wok or deep frying pan on medium-high heat. Place the red onion in the pan and saute for a min or so, then place the chicken in and mix. Add the Tamari, pepper and salt and stir. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Once the rice is done you can add this to the pan if you choose. Add the chow mein sauce and stir all together. Enjoy.

Serves 6

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas is a great dinner to make. Everyone I think these days loves Mexican food with a bit of an American twist to it. Real Mexican food is just amazing and I should probably start making some authentic Mexican food one day but for now this will do. This recipe can be very filling and you don't even have to use chicken. The black beans and brown rice are a great source of protein and really filling. So here is the recipe everyone has been waiting for.

Ingredients: What I used

3-4 Organic Chicken Breast
Organic Brown Rice
Black Beans (Drained and Rinsed),Optional
Jalapenos
1/2 teaspoon of Cumin
1/2 teaspoon of Paprika
8 Soft Tortillas
2 Cans of Organic Cream of Chicken Soup (you can make your own but let's be honest this is supposed to be a quick recipe, it doesn't have to be though.

Toppings:

Homemade Salsa*
Sour Cream
Mature Cheddar Cheese

Directions: For Crock Pot if you choose.

Place chicken in Crock Pot and completely cover with water and cook on high for 4 hours. When done take the chicken out and shred. If you don't want to use a crock pot, don't have one or don't have time, you can bake chicken in the oven for about 20 mins on 350F or just slice and diced and cook it in a frying pan.

To make the rice place about 1 cup of rice in a pot, cover with about 1 inch of water, bring to a boil, stir once and then cover and simmer for 20 mins.

When both the chicken and rice are cooked put 1 and 1/2 cans of cream of chicken soup (saving half a can) in with the chicken as well as the cumin, paprika, some chopped jalapenos, black beans and brown rice and mix on a medium temp. Turn on the oven and heat to 180C (350F)

Place mix in each tortilla and then roll up the tortilla and place in baking tray. With the 1/2 of can of cream of chicken still left pour a bit over each tortilla then shred cheese on top of each tortilla with some more chopped jalapenos if you wish. Place in oven for 20 mins. Once done, serve with salsa and topped with sour cream. Enjoy

*Salsa Recipe - http://owenshealthouse.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/delicious-simple-salsa.html

Flavored Water with Chia Seeds

Here is a simple and great way to have healthy flavored water with chia seeds. Chia seeds are great in and on just about anything.

Ingredients:

Water
Squeezed Lemon
Sugar
2 Tsp or more of Chia Seeds

English Muffin Pizza's

This is a simple snack for the kids, kids and their friends, friends or yourself. Can also be great for a quick lunch if your on the go. Simple to make and great tasting.

English Muffin Pizzas

Ingredients:

English Muffin
Tomato Paste
Basil
Oregano
Red Onion
Slice Tomato
Pepperoni
Fresh Mozzarella

Just have fun with the toppings. Easy. Enjoy.

How Much Water is Enough?

How much water should we be drinking everyday? Online recommends 2.5L a day. I say more. I drink more than 2.5L before lunch. Drinking water is very vital in our everyday lives. Staying hydrated is not just for people that work out. It will keep your cells clean, yourself hydrated, skin healthier and just have an overall better feeling. So remember to drink water.