RECIPE: Easy Crock Pot Chicken & Black Bean Taco Salad

This looks AH-MAZING!  My kids have actually been asking for salad lately for dinner and this is going to happen tomorrow!

Easy Crock Pot Chicken and Black Bean Taco Salad
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 4 • Size: 1 salad  • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 290 • Fat: 9 g • Carb: 20 g • Fiber: 8 g • Protein: 34 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 521 mg • Cholesterol: 69 g


Ingredients:

• 2 (16 oz total) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon reduced sodium taco seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup chunks salsa

For the Salad:

• 6 cups chopped romaine or red leaf
• 1/4 cup reduced Mexican cheese blend
• 1/2 cup zesty avocado cilantro buttermilk dressing

Directions:

Place the chicken in the slow cooker and season with taco seasoning and cumin. Pour the beans over the chicken and top with salsa.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with 2 forks. Shred the chicken and combine with the beans and sauce, keep warm until ready to eat. Makes 3 1/2 cups.

To make the salad, place 1 1/2 cups lettuce on each plate, top with 3/4 cup chicken and bean mixture, 1 tbsp cheese and 2 tablespoons zesty avocado buttermilk dressing.

Zesty Avocado Cilantro Buttermilk Dressing
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 3 1/2 tbsp • Old Points: 1 pt • Points+: 2 pts
Calories: 64.9 • Fat: 4.8 g • Protein: 1.8 g • Carb: 5.1 g • Fiber: 2.2 g • Sugar: 1.9
Sodium: 128.8 mg

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed, leave them in if you want it spicy
• 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro
• 1 medium haas avocado
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp chopped scallion
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. For a thinner dressing add more buttermilk, for a thicker dip use less.

Skinny Pumpkin Granola - um...YUM!

I'm kind of on a granola kick right now - mmmm....healthy granola, that is!  Need your pumpkin fix at this time of year?  Check this recipe out from Skinny Taste!  One of my fave recipe sites!

Easy Pumpkin Spice Granola
Skinnytaste.com 
Servings: 11 • Serving Size: 1/3 cup  • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 133 • Fat: 4.5 g • Carbs: 21.5 g • Fiber: 3 g • Protein: 3 g • Sugar: 8 g
Sodium: 10 (without salt) 

Bowl of Cereal (1/3 cup granola, 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup apples)
Skinnytaste.com 
Servings: 1 • Size: 1 bowl  • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 183 • Fat: 6 g • Carbs: 32 g • Fiber: 5 g • Protein: 3 g • Sugar: 14.5 g
Sodium: 69 (without salt) 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well and pat dry with paper towel
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats*
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
• 1/4 cup pepitas (or other seed)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup (or honey)
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp oil (coconut or canola)
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice (or more to taste)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• pinch kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325° F. 

Spread oats* and quinoa out on a parchment lined baking pan. Toast in the oven 10 minutes, stirring once.

Remove the oats from the oven, pour the toasted oats into a medium bowl and add the ground flaxseeds, pepitas, pecans and dried fruit.

Reduce oven to 300° F.

In a second medium bowl, combine maple syrup, pumpkin puree, oil, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, salt and vanilla. Pour over oats and stir together with a spatula. Spread back onto a baking sheet and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until golden.

RECIPE - OATMEAL (or Cream of Wheat) WITH PECANS, APPLE & MAPLE SYRUP

This is my version of one of my very favourite recipes from Beachbody's Ultimate Reset that I did last year.  More info on the Ultimate Reset can be found here: http://myultimatereset.com/esuite/home/mommyiscrazy

OATMEAL (or Cream of Wheat) WITH PECANS, APPLE & MAPLE SYRUP

1 pkg or serving of oatmeal or Cream of Wheat (about 1/3 cup
1 medium green apple diced
5 pecans chopped
1 tbsp. maple syrup
 dash of cinnamon

Cook package of oatmeal or Cream of Wheat according to package directions.  Top with diced apples, chopped pecans, maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon.  My entire family enjoys this recipe and always asks for seconds.  ENJOY!

Tough Mudder anyone?

So my husband signed us up for a Tough Mudder last week!  EEEK!  It's in 4 weeks!!!!  Have you done one?

14-Day Toned Arms Challenge!

I have a FREE fitness and nutrition support group and we are starting a 14-Day Toned Arms Challenge on Monday!  Are you in?  No strings attached!  Just join us and have fun!  Let me know and I'll get you into our group - it's a great group of sweaty people :)

Hi!  I'm Devynn!  I am a super busy mom of four kiddos (one that watches our crazy lives from Heaven).  I am a professional wedding photographer.  I am a Team Beachbody Coach. I am a mommy.  I am a wife.  I am blessed in so many ways!

I decided to start this blog to share how I "do it all".  I am often told by others that they look up to me or wonder how I do it all.  I always have to laugh because trust me when I say I don't do it all.  My house is a disaster area.  My laundry piles up higher than it ever should anywhere.  My kids are messy.  My husband and I don't go on dates near as often as we should.  Trust me.  I'm SO far from perfect.

One thing I have figured out, though, is that we often compare our worst to someone else's best - which is TOTALLY not fair!  So while people think I have it all together...they don't see the behind the scenes of it all.  I want this blog to reflect my views on life and how changing your perceptions and setting goals can be a game changer!

~ Devynn ~