Freshman 15 is a real thing folks! Â Something about the college experience makes you feel like you don’t really have to do anything. Workout, eat healthy, sleep regular hours, refrain from binge watching Netflix….or a dreadful combination of all three….
Anyway, a serious lack of gym time, night snacking, and every night  all-nighters have REALLY taken a toll on my waistline. Where I once rose to the tight smack of nearly abbed abs (That was not grammatically correct… Grammar gladiators, look away.) “comfortable curves” now greet me on the rare occasions I choose to get out of bed. (All about that Bass anyone?)
I’ve committed myself to an interesting challenge: No processed foods for 7 days. Every Taco Bell employee knows my name, how many of each sauce I want, and also has my credit card number memorized. I don’t know how it came to this. (Actually I do, those Shredded Chicken Burritos are life changing, I am not currently married to Thor.. kindergarten logic here friends) On a helpful sidenote I do the shopping and I am proud to say my kitchen is nearly completely free of processed/packaged foods (including bread). Without any further ado, here’s my mouth-blowing recipe for Zucchini Chicken and a bonus breakfast recipe for “Beg Peppers” that’ll have him begging you to stay another night. Wow. That escalated quickly.
Zucchini Chicken
What you’ll need
Chicken tenderloins (the recipe is great for any cut, but tenderloins cook fastest…& remind me of McD’s 🙂
Scallions (2-3 stalks)
Zucchini (adjust according to amount of chicken & personal preference)
Coconut Oil (You can use oil, or ghee but I like the flavor & nutritional benefits of coconut oil)
(optional: onions, spaghetti squash and other vegetables of your choice)
I have noticed a difference from keeping meat in the refrigerator versus the freezer. Prep time is greatly diminished.
1. Rinse the chicken with cold water and place on a foil wrapped cookie sheet or baking pan of your choice.
2. Time to add  a little flavor!  I used a Kosher Sea Salt, Basil, Bay leaves, celery salt, nature salt and pepper. I like the color and texture that it added to the chicken.
3. Chop your scallions and add them to the pan. The scent alone (kind of oniony) does alot for the chicken but the flavor benefits are huge. It pairs very well with basil and the other seasonings. I like using vegetables as part of the seasoning process. (extra nutritional value!)
4. Chop or slice zucchini and add it to the pan. I cut the ends of mine and then halved the zucchini. I used half because I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Zucchini. I sliced my half in half and then chopped it for chunky pieces. I wouldn’t cut the pieces too small. Leaving the vegetables a little larger packs more nutritional value because the veggies won’t be overcooked (leave the skin on).
5. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil for each ounce of chicken. For you non math people…drizzle some coconut oil on there! No need to overdo it, the chicken will cook in its own fat.
That’s It! Stick that motherclucker (get it?? I’m really funny.) in the oven for 10-20 minutes at 400 degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 160 and the inside is a pale white color. (No pink!!)
“Beg Peppers”
1. Slice a bell pepper in half and remove the core (seeds and stem). Rinse and place in a baking pan. As the bells cook there is a little liquid, I wouldn’t advise a baking sheet.
2. Crack a whole egg into each half. (I use the whole egg for the healthy fats in the yolk.)
3. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed bay leaves. I didn’t add any fats to this recipe. The bell pepper and egg combined contain enough water and fat to keep the recipe moist.
Bake at 400 until the egg white has solidified and browned, and the yolk is cooked through. The bell pepper will be visibly browned and baked through as well.
You’re now total wifey material. You’re welcome (;
xoxo, Faith
faithinfab 