Cheesy and Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of rice
• 6-8 large flour tortillas 
• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• 1 onion chopped 
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1-2 tbl Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Ground Coriander 
• Taco Seasoning
• Cream cheese (optional)
• Tortillas
• 2 green onions sliced
• 2 cups of shredded cheese (I used Cheddar and Mozza, but Monteray Jack is really good with it)
• salt and pepper

Sauce:

• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup of chicken broth
• 1 tsp cumin
• taco seasoning

Directions

Grease 9X13 baking pan. Preheat oven at 350. 

Cook rice. Heat pan over medium with olive oil in it.Cut chicken breasts into small cubes, cook in pan, season with salt and pepper. Once chicken is cooked add onion and garlic to the pan cook until onions are tender. Add chili powder, ground coriander and as much taco seasoning as you like (don't worry about it being a bit too overpowering because once you add the rice it will cut it down). Once rice is cooked add to pan with chicken. Mix together, set aside. 

Mix together sauce ingredients in a large pot, you want it to be a little runny but not too runny. 

Dip tortilla into pot of sauce, cover both sides. Lay tortilla down and fill with 1/2 cup of filling and add 1-2 tbl of cream cheese on top. Roll and set in pan.Once pan is filled pour remaining sauce on top of enchiladas. Cover with shredded cheese and top with sliced green onions. Bake for 20 minutes. 

I serve this with fresh guacamole, salsa and sour cream on top and some corn on the side.

***Sauce*** You can buy a jar or packet at the grocery store and they taste really good, which helps if you are in a hurry.

Energy Bites

I found a few different versions of energy bites on Pinterest, and have tried the recipes, we all really enjoyed them. As time has gone on, I have adapted the recipe to how my family and I like them. These are a great source of protein, omega 3 and 6 and fiber, did I mention that they also taste super yummy?!?!!!! Here is our version.

Ingredients 

Makes approx. 50 energy bites

• 1 1/2 cups of oats
• 3/4 cup nut butter (we use peanut butter)
• 1 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips (you can use regular size but you will find they are harder to get stick together)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup honey

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl, use your hands and press the ingredients into a ball. Keep the energy bites in the fridge. 

Nutritional Info Per Ball

Calories 65.6 

Fat 4.1g 

Ground Flax Pancakes with Berry Sauce

Since I have started eating healthier I have also looked into foods that will help keep me healthy. I came across a few recipes that called for flaxseed and I did a bit of research on why it is so good for you. Flaxseed has numerous health benefits, it is rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which can help control cholesterol levels. Flaxseed also helps with digestion, and inflation in the digestive tract. It contains lignans which help prevent the growth of cancer cells including prostate and breast cancer. Flaxseed can help with estrogen levels during menopause, it can boost your immune system and it helps with weight loss. 


When I first bought flaxseed, I bought the whole seed which does contain a lot more of the nutrients but it is harder to add to regular recipes. I recommend buying ground flaxseed. It is super cheap in the bulk bins, I bought a huge bag's worth for $2. 


With all of those benefits I had to buy some and like the Franks Red Hot commercials, I put that s$*t on everything! I made the kids some pancakes with ground flaxseed in it and they ate up the whole batch! Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 tbl butter (I used coconut oil)
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbl sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup of milk (or milk substitute, I use coconut milk beverage)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg

For Sauce

• 2 cups of frozen berries
• 2 tbl sugar

Directions

Mix together your flour, ground flaxseed, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add milk, egg and vanilla to your dry mixture and mix until lumps disappear. Heat up a pan on the stove over medium heat and melt your butter or coconut oil. Give your pancake batter a couple minutes to set before you add it to the hot pan, I find it gives the baking powder longer to activate therefore giving you fluffier pancakes. Add 1/4 cup of batter to the pan and cook on until you see bubbles raise then flip and cook on the other side. 

For the sauce heat up your frozen berries in a small pot on the stove over med heat. Once bubbling take a fork and mash the berries together, then add your sugar and stir. 

Serve your pancakes warm with some warm berry sauce on top. Enjoy!

Best Cheese and Broccoli Soup!

OK here is my favorite soup to make, and the children's favorite soup to eat! If my daughter found out it had broccoli in it I don't know if she would eat it anymore, but so far she loves this stuff! I have also made it for the children I watch during the day and they now ask for it every time they come over. 

Ingredients

• 2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of chopped carrots
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 potatoes, skinned and quartered
• 6 cups of chicken stock
• 2 cups of broccoli, chopped into small pieces, put stalks aside
• 1/2 cup of milk (I use organic unsweetened coconut milk beverage)
• 1 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, reserve 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions 

Heat up your olive oil on medium in a large pot. Add carrots, celery, garlic and onion to the pot and let cook until onions turn translucent. Add your potatoes, broccoli stalks and chicken stock. Turn up your heat to high until soup starts to boil, then turn it down to medium to keep a simmer. Let cook for 1/2 hour. You may want to put a lid on almost all the way just so that you don't lose too much liquid.

Once that has simmered for a half hour, add the rest of your broccoli and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Next you want to transfer you soup into a food processer and put in on high for 30 seconds or until all of your soup is a puree consistency. While your soup being pureed iin the food processor add your milk to it. 

Pour soup back in pot on and return to med-low heat. Add your cup of shredded cheddar along with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Serve with sprinkled cheese on top.

I hope you enjoy this, I make a big batch of it on the weekend and have it throughout the week, I don't ever seem to get bored of this one!

Nutritional Facts

Based on 8 servings

Calories 227

Total Fat 7.8g