Eat This! Exotic Chicken Recipes

These are tasty and exotic chicken recipes that are great for entertaining or when you’re wanting to try something different!  You won’t find them time- consuming to prepare, as a bonus…

Minced Chicken in Lettuce Cups

- serves 2 -
Adapted from Saveur
Ingredients
2 pounds chicken, skin removed and bones removed
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (high in sodium; you can substitute Bragg’s Amino Acids)
1/2 cup water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
2 scallions, white part diced and green part chopped
1 cup cremini mushroom, chopped
8 leaves Boston, bibb, or iceberg lettuce

Procedure
1. Finely dice the chicken. I found a meat cleaver to work best, though a chefs knife will work, too.
2. Pour the oil into a work or large iron skillet set over high heat. Add the ginger and scallion whites and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Dump in the chicken and mushrooms. Continue stirring, breaking up the chicken pieces, and cook for about a minute, or until the chicken is white and no longer raw. Pour in the oyster sauce and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Remove from the heat and add the scallion greens and chopped water chestnuts. Stir until everything is combined. Fill each lettuce cup with a little bit of the mixture and serve.

Paprika Roast Chicken

- serves 4 -
Ingredients
1 chicken
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Procedure
1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Loosen the skin of the chicken by carefully sticking your fingers between the skin and the meat. It’s best to get half of the breast done from the bottom of the bird, and then loosening the skin from the hole on top to get the other half. The legs require a little more patience. You’ll have to go from the base of the leg and work from there. The skin tears easily, so be careful.
2. 2. Mix together the paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Rub the seasoning underneath the skin where ever possible. Be sure to sprinkle in the cavity of the bird. Try to leave a tablespoon or so to sprinkle on at the end.
3. Place in a roasting pan, and stick in the oven. Cook for about 50 minutes to an hour, or until the temperature is right around 165. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes. Then carve up and serve. Sprinkle a little of the reserved shake on at the end.

Gai Pad Krapow

- serves 2 -
Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Chilis, finely chopped (use 2-3 serrano peppers for a very mild heat; 2-3 bird’s eye chilis for a medium heat)
1 large shallot, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 pound green beans, trimmed, chopped in 1¼-inch lengths
1/2 pound ground chicken (turkey works well too!)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons agave syrup
1 bunch basil, leaves only

To serve:
Boiled rice (or a bed of finely shredded cabbage)

Fried eggs, 1 per person (optional)

fresh lime wedges
Procedure

1. Heat the oil over high heat in a wok or large frying pan. When you can see waves forming in the hot oil, add the chilis, shallots, and garlic and stir-fry until golden, about 30 seconds.
2. Add the green beans and stir-fry until cooked but still crunchy, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the ground chicken, using a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the meat into small pieces. Stir-fry until chicken is cooked through.
4. Add the fish sauce and agave to the pan, and stir to distribute.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the basil leaves and stir-fry until completely wilted. Remove from heat.
6. Serve with boiled rice, fried egg (optional), and lime wedges.

Spring into Action

Courtney Townley

The road to fitness really never ends. We peak one mountain to find ourselves standing at the base of another.  As long as we are up for the challenge, there is always an aspect of our fitness that could use more attention.  The progressive nature of the Genesis Transformation program is demonstrative of how our bodies are best conditioned.  The process begins with learning how to properly align your body, you then progress to moving your bodyweight across the floor maintaining that alignment.  Once you are conditioned enough to support your own bodyweight in a myriad of positions, in come the dumbbells and other strength training props (bands, stability balls, etc).  Cardio is then added in slower steady states and eventually you work your way up to high interval trainings.   Can you see the progression?  For those of you who have made your way deep into rotation or maintenance, you are probably looking for the “next step”, or the bottom of the next mountain, in this on-going progression.  Welcome to the world of plyometric training.
The National Strength and Conditioning Association defines plyometric exercise as “those activities that enable a muscle to reach maximal force in the shortest possible time”.  Sounds dangerous, eh?  And it can be for someone who is in poor condition or someone with a pre-existing orthopedic concern.  For someone who has spent months and years conditioning their body, however, plyometric work can add a whole new “strength-building” dimension to a fitness program.
Think “jump training”.  That is basically what plyometric work is.  Those of you who run several times a week or jump rope….you are already doing plyometric work.  Any activity that loads the muscle and then quickly unloads the muscle is considered to be plyometric in nature.   Plyometric training is to strength training what interval training is to cardiovascular training.   Anyone who has incorporated interval training into their cardio work knows that the results are more strength and more endurance during their steady state work.  The same holds true for incorporating plyometric work into a strength training program.  The results equal more power, more strength and more endurance in your strength training sessions.
To get you started, below are a few basic plyometric exercises to sprinkle into your current program:
Jumps in Place – Standing vertical, feet hip width apart.  Jump straight up, propelling yourself from the ankle joint.  Land lightly and repeat the movement right away. Imagine jump roping without the rope.
Jump Squats – Standing vertical, feet hip width apart.  Bend your knees into a squat position and propel yourself straight up until your feet leave the ground.  Land with parallel feet, back in your squat position and jump again.
Chest Pass – Stand vertical, feet hip width apart, facing your partner.  One person holds a medicine ball to chest with elbows reaching out, and passes the ball to the second person pushing the ball away from the chest.  The partner immediately catches the ball and tosses it back in the same fashion.
A few tips to keep you safe, should you choose to incorporate this type of training:
-When in doubt, seek out a certified fitness professional.  Plyometric training is very advanced and should be done for the first time in the presence of a professional.
-Make sure you warm-up well before engaging in any type of plyometric training.
-Do not perform plyometric movements every day.
-Make sure you are training on a surface that is conducive to plyometric work (rubber floor vs. concrete).
-Like everything you have done to this point, think progression.  Less is always more when just getting started.

Spring Greens

Jamie Lynn

Spring has sprung in Montana and we just started our seeds this weekend; salad greens, spinach, basil, tomatoes, I love this time of year. The kids love it, too.  The excitement each morning, as they run into the kitchen to see if any green sprouts are popping through the soil, what a great way to start the day. Soon enough the soil will be warm enough to move them all outside.

However, some people just do not have the time or space to grow greens in their window. Well, no worries, what about getting involved in your local Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) program.  We are fortunate here in the Flathead Valley to have a few CSA’S to choose from and all of them are amazing.  Community Shared Agriculture is a perfect way for you and your family to get involved in growing your food.  From May to October simply stop by the farm and pick up your weekly distribution of vegetables, salad greens, snap peas, broccoli, onions, potatoes, just to name a few.  If you want to be a bit more involved, most farms encourage families to volunteer to help out at the farm.  As a parent, it is so important for our children to know where our food is coming from.  The more involved children are in the growing of their food, the more likely they are to eat their vegetables.  Kids love to play in the dirt, why not play with the dirt their food is growing in.

The saying, “Who’s Your Farmer,” does not only apply to your vegetables.
Not only are CSA’s important, buying local meat is just as important.  During the last few years, our food sources are becoming more and more uncertain.  We really do not know where or how far our meat has traveled to get to our plates.  Check out the book, Omnivores Dilemma, by Michael Pollan, and find out more details about our current food situation. Knowing exactly who your farmer is ensures that you exactly what the meat you are eating have been fed.  Here is an example; many of the clients I work with have corn sensitivities, however even when they stop eating all corn products their reactions do not get better. Why?  Most commercial beef and chicken has been pumped full of corn in the form of corn by products, it helps to fatten up the animal before slaughter.  So you many think you are not actively consuming corn, but if you are buying commercial meat from the grocery store, you are still eating corn.

Look into Community Shared Agriculture and other local farmers in your community. It has become very popular and extremely affordable. If nothing else, head out to your Saturday Farmers Market to purchase your weekly supply of fresh veggies.  For me, knowing that my veggies traveled less than 10 miles to get to my plate is a wonderful feeling.  Buy local and get involved in your community, it feels great to know exactly where your food is coming from.

Feeding Your Family

As we head into summer and the heart of the growing season, more and more fresh veggies begin to come out of the garden and farmers markets will start as early as the mid may, depending on where you live they may already be up and running.    I often have clients ask, “How do I get my kids to eat what I eat?”  Here are a few simple ideas:

•    Add a handful of spinach or other fresh greens to a smoothie
•    Oven roasted veggies: parsnips and rutabaga look just like potatoes
•    Chop up some greens and add them to chili
•    Fried rice with veggies, chop them small and fool them every time
•    Add a bit of sweet potato or yam to a smoothie with banana, blueberry and protein powder
•    Flaxseed in smoothies
•    Cut up carrots and celery to dip in almond butter and hummus, made from scratch of course

Feeding your kids does not have to be difficult.  Keep their food as simple as your food.  Pack more protein into their lunches, tuna on a rice cake, hard boiled eggs, you will be amazed at how much better they feel and sleep when they get a bit more protein. Remember how you felt when your protein intake increased, allow your kids to feel that way too.  Keep it fun and let them be part of making their lunches, allow them to shop with you.  Kids want to feel good; they just need our help to figure out how to do it.  Exercise and good food, it feels our souls and our kids.

Sheri’s Rants # 13 ; RE-ADJUSTMENT

Sheri and BabyDoll (13 weeks)

I’m on a road trip with my young rottweiler, BabyDoll.  This is her first time away from her other two pack members Mangas and Seb.  While she’s used to trail hiking and all the adventures associated with being in the wilderness (this last fall she was bitten by a rattlesnake; she’s been gashed by unknown sources and punctured by goatheads; chased by javelinas…) she has no experience with the city nor real travel.

Yesterday we climbed out of the car exhausted after a 9 hour push to Durango, CO.  After checking into the hotel and dumping all my stuff in my room I grabbed her leash and we headed out on a concrete river trail following the Animas River for around 6 miles.  BabyDoll was nervous, jumpy, and unsure of herself.  That’s when I realized that she never had been away from the pack before.  Her normal confident rottweiler swagger was replaced by tentative steps – head down, ears back.  She weaved a bit and stayed low.  The river freaked her out – but she got used to that.   Then a bike went by and she tried to run off the path.  People and dogs she was cool with – she is very well socialized.  She ignored all the other dogs, intent on navigating this new territory.

We walked by a skate park.  The sound of the skateboards rolling and slamming as the kids roamed the concrete bowl terrified BabyDoll so intensely I could barely drag her away.  I spoke to her soothingly but there was no talking her down from the tree.  As we passed she picked up her pace to distance herself.  Around the next bend we encountered a park with a loud heavy metal band performing on an outdoor stage.  This flattened her to the pavement again (I actually didn’t blame her on this one) and we struggled to pass.  Completely unnerved, she ‘lost it’ several more times as we met skateboarders, scooters, runners, baby strollers and we crossed a few bridges.  Finally, back in the hotel room she had difficulty relaxing in the new space.

It’s spring.  I was thinking about change in general – spring being rife with the stuff.  Everything changes in this season; there is budding and growth and increasing warmth.   We’re going to do new things outside, dress differently, arrange our schedules.  The days get longer and we’ll find ways to fill them.  Watching my young dog struggle with new experiences reminded me how hard we humans struggle with the same thing.  Except that most of the time we know better than to flatten ourselves to the pavement whining.  Most of the time.

Did you know that spring can be touchy for folks?  All the change in the air, added to the stress of changing times, can pack an emotional wallop.  Something to be aware of.  Up the yoga, keep up with your workouts, keep your food clean.  You know, basically make sure your chemical bases are covered.  You’ll feel better quick.

If you happen to be involved in transforming your body right now then spring is a special time.  So much to look forward to!  Aside from looking better in your summer clothes than you remember looking in the past, you’ll be stronger and ready for new experiences.  Everything will look different to you; you’ll see.  If you haven’t started transforming your body yet, this is a great time to start.  It ends all the picking on yourself all summer long for not looking or feeling ‘good enough’ for a variety of adventures.

BabyDoll Today (12 months)

This morning BabyDoll and I headed down the same river path.  The skateboarding park was empty; the music park was empty and the river path was teeming with dogs and people.  She was much more comfortable.  She’s not swaggering  yet, but she’s not flattening herself to the pavement, either.  Progress.