Curried Chicken Nirvana Salad

I am stressed.  I am struggling with what do with the man that I had been dating, who I then ended it with due to his commitment issues, who then came blowing back into my life, texting and calling me for 3 weeks.  He then asked for a second chance.  My lack of decisiveness on this guy led me to make a list of his pros and cons before I made a decision....his persistence as well as some of his other qualities have made it hard for me to turn away.  Do people really change?  I realize that I probably cannot change some of his behaviors but can someone with commitment issues have an epiphany and alter the path of their life?  I am not sure...and I do not know if I will ever be able to answer that Q so in the meantime I am going to 'be a dog' as my Dad likes to stay...that does NOT mean chewing bones and playing in the yard (although that life doesn't seem so bad when things get rough in life - ha!) said simply, stay in the moment and try to make decisions that suit you at that moment.  The alternative is a life of anxiety and over-analyzing...

Deciding to be a dog at the moment, my inner dog says that she is hungry.  Time for my feel-good salad, Curried Chicken Nirvana.  It feels sinful but is truly delicious and healthy.

Curried Chicken Nirvana Salad

1 chicken breast, chopped

1/2 apple chopped

slice of red onion chopped

1 T raisins

1T walnuts, chopped

1/2 avocado cubed

~1t curry powder

~1T white wine vinegar

pinch of cumin

pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients, shake, and experience nirvana!

Health benefits are tremendous ad include:

chicken  - chock full of protein, which helps build muscle which helps burn fat

apple - has quercetin (antioxidant) and loaded with fiber to keep you full

onion - also has quercetin

raisins - red ones have resveratrol which is great for your ticker, is a natural antioxidant, and has been linked to longevity as well

walnuts - has healthy fats (MUFAs) as well as omega-3s that are great for your heart and may help improve mood

avocado - chock full of healthy fats to keep you full (MUFAs)

curry- helps protect against cancer and inflammation

vinegar - studies have shown that vinegar helps rev metabolism...and everyone could use a boost everyone now and again

cumin - various health benefits for disease-prevention

For more information, to answer your Qs, or if you just want to know more about me, please email me at: LunchLadyCynthia@gmail.com

Garlic Lover's Pizza

Being that I was snowed in this weekend and had not prepared (eg, had not gone food shopping - I spose that is the epitome of a single person's mindset) I was relelgated to use whatever ingredients were in my house to sustain myself through the storm...it was that or slowly wilt away as the single woman snowed into her house (and I would like to hope that a family is in my future so I ignored the latter thought...lol).

Debating what to cook, I went into my freezer and found some whole wheat dough...and I had leftover shredded mozz...so the odds of making a pizza were looking pretty good.

I will say that being single at this moment left me feelng a bit empty.  While I date, and while there is somebody who I have decided to give a second chance (although verdict is still out on him so I am in the hunter assessing its prey mode...), days like these  -when the snow is coming down hard and the couch has a permanent body mold of you by the end of the night because all you want to do is curl up and watch movies and eat (aka human hibernation) - make we wish I had my personal life more figured out...but more on that later.

In lieu of a man (including my current man who was on-call this weekend - he's a doctor), I break open some red wine and begin cooking my Garlic Lover's Pizza (no sauce), which is as follows:

• set oven to 350 F for pre-heating
  
• whole wheat dough or regular dough (I like Trader Joe's whole wheat premade dough - http://www.traderjoes.com/index.html) rolled out to desired thickness
• crushed garlic or powdered garlic
• ~8oz 2% shredded mozzarella cheese
• parmesan cheese
  
• Broccoli bits and/or spinach and/or sliced tomato
  
• (optional) sliced cooked chicken
• cooking spray (to grease the sheet if you don't have a pizza stone)

After rolling out dough on a greased cooking sheet or floured pizza stone, spread the shredded mozz and top with some parmesan.  Add the garlic powder or crushed garlic to desired taste (careful not to add too much garlic because it can make the food taste bitter) and spread all over pizza.  Add the veggies and/or chicken (I used chicken on half my pizza for some added protein).  Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 20 min.

When I eat home made pizza, I tend to pair it with red wine...last night I had Jacob's Creek shiraz (http://www.jacobscreek.com/main.php?country=Australia)...holy delicious-ness :)  I was in pizza nirvana...

Health benfits are fantastic even though you are indulging in pizza:

• whole wheat dough - packed with fiber and some protein
• garlic - supposed to be a great antioxidant (repairs broken cells and proteins) and has been shown to have cardio-protective effects
• cheese - high in protein and calcium
• broccoli - high in calcium and Vit C, and supposedly protects against cancer
• chicken - need I explain again? ;) high in protein which is a great fat burner and keeps you sated longer

Make sure you and your loved ones eat and enjoy this together because you will have garlic breath after...as for me, well my couch is my current company until I can leave my house again so I am safe to eat my potent creation.

Let me know how you all liked it (if anyone is out there reading this...anyone??)!!  Enjoy

For more information, or is you have Qs...or even if you just want to know more about me, please email me at LunchLadyCynthia@gmail.com

To start us off, our first meal is the Hangover Salad. I made this salad the day after my company holiday party. I was feeling tired, dehydrated, and unmotivated to go into work the next day after seeing various co-workers drunkenly make out with other co-workers. I probably left before the real drama started (think Real World meets 90210) but after eating all the holiday food and drinking the spirits, the Hangover Salad was born (makes 1 serving...so multiply if you have other mouths to feed) to help me get through that Friday after:

Hangover Salad

• 1/2 large tomato, chopped
  
• small cucumber, semi-peeled,
• 1/2 can chickpeas
• small chicken breast* cut into pieces
• a slice of red onion, chopped
• (my dressing recco) ~ 3T Kraft light caesar dressing (http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Products/ProductInfoDisplay.aspx?SiteId=1&Product=2100065474) or some light savory dressing

Mix all ingredients together and serve or take for lunch... Health benefits:

• (depending on portions used and dressing amount) ~300-400 calories per serving
• tomato - vitamin K and lycopene, which is a great antioxidant (wonderful for helping repair cells and protiens after a night of drinking)
  
• cucumber - low in calories and high in water content so you feel full on less food
• chicken breast - (portion should be about the size of palm of your hand) Loaded with protein so that you feel sated and helps burn fat
• onion - rich in chromium which helps regulate insulin as well as quercetin, an antioxidant
• chickpeas - rich in fiber and protein which help regulate digestion and satiety

If you have Qs, comments, or want to know more about me, please email me at: LunchLadyCynthia@gmail.com
 
*about the chicken breast: I like to know what I am putting in my body and how it was cooked since many frozen pre-cooked meals are processed and have preservatives. So, I buy Target's (http://www.target.com/) and cook ~4 breasts at a time... add some worsteshire, salt, crushed red pepper after you defrost the breasts to add flavor

*you can also substitue the chicken for vegetarian and vegan options...I like morning star farms chicken tenders (http://www.morningstarfarms.com/product_detail.aspx?family=365&id=321) but there are plenty other options Let me know how the salad turned out and I hope that you find comfort in my healthy recipes! more to come...