Chicken Cream Cheese Enchiladas

These enchiladas have quickly become one of my absolute favorite recipes to make. They are quick and easy and taste amazing! I recommend cooking the chicken in advance if time is of the essence like it is at my house. I had a leftover (large) chicken breast from last weeks fajitas, so these fajitas came together pretty quickly this afternoon.
 

Chicken Cream Cheese Enchiladas
- 2 Large grilled chicken breasts (about 2.5 cups chopped chicken)
- 1 block 1/3 less fat cream cheese (softened)
- 8 fajita size tortillas
- 1 can Original Rotel
- 1 can green enchilada sauce
- Shredded cheese to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop chicken and place in mixing bowl. Add cream cheese and rotel, stir until combined well. Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with non stick spray. Evenly distribute chicken mixture into tortillas, roll and place with open side down. Pour enchilada sauce to cover the dish. Top with cheese to your liking. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Excuse the missing bite, i almost forgot to snap a pic!

PS- I have played with the recipe for these a lot. I have used canned chicken instead of grilled chicken, i have added green chilies, rotel, used red and green enchilada sauce, used whole wheat tortillas etc. You could also add beans or corn or even fresh bell peppers and onions if you like. Its all about what you like!

Broccoli, Kale, Tomato Salad

Hi ya'll! I always try to prepare a few healthy recipes on the weekend to have during the week for the nights i go to the gym, or for lunches. I have finally been craving veggies again, so i stocked up on my weekly TJ's trip (So happy we finally have one close to us now!).

Broccoli, Kale, Tomato Salad

- 1/2 package Broccoli Slaw (TJ's)
- 2 cups Organic Lacinto Kale (TJ's)
- 1 cup Organic cherry tomatoes
- 1 can Organic Garbanzo Beans
- Goddess Dressing (TJ's)
- 1 cup Quinoa, cooked (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Add dressing to your liking. I added quinoa to mine because i take it for lunch as an entree. If you were using this salad as a side for a meal you could leave the quinoa out!

 TJ's Items:

Goddess Dressing

Organic Lacinto Kale

Broccoli slaw

Pregnancy Eats: Making sure to cover all the bases

When i first found out i was pregnant, i immediately freaked out. I was worried i hadnt been eating right, wondered what i needed to change in my diet to make sure we had a healthy baby. You may think this is crazy coming from a dietitian, but ill be the first to admit i had to do a little reading up on the nutrition requirements during pregnancy. Yes, i studied nutrition in pregnancy at some point in college, but since I focus on sick, surgery patients all day, it wasnt fresh in my mind.

I thought i would share some of the foods and products i have found that I think are great for helping to make sure you are eating a well balanced diet and covering all the (nutrient) bases.

1. Eggs
* Great source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, folic acid and many other vitamins. Yes, eggs have cholesterol as well, but likely not the reason for high cholesterol in most people (think other sources of saturated fat- butter, chocolate etc)



2. Bolthouse Farms: Blue Goodness
* This flavor combo has 110% folic acid (most likely 440 mcg since 100% RDA for non pregnant women is 400 mcg), but i was shocked to find more folic acid in this blend than the green juice blend. 
   


3. Chobani Greek Yogurt
* High protein and high calcium. I also found this to settle my stomach in the early days of pregnancy, lightly sweet but not overwhelming. Great snack to grab on the way to work, or pre workout when i need a little something in my stomach but dont want to be burping throughout my workout!



4. Quinoa, Spinach Salad
* Quinoa is the only grain with protein in it and is also a great source of B vitamins and fiber. What i love about quinoa is its versatility. It can be eaten for breakfast, prepared similar to oatmeal. It can be eaten hot or cold, plain or dressed up. It is very easy to prepare, just add 1 part quinoa to 2 parts rice in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until water is all gone (usually takes about 15 minutes). My current favorite combo is quinoa, garbanzo beans, sundried tomatoes, kale, spinach, tomatoes, pepper, goat cheese, balsamic and olive oil.



5. Total Raisin Bran
* Total products are fortified with 100% (non pregnancy) recommended daily intakes of various vitamins and minerals. So even though you dont quite get 100% of your folate in the cereal, it is still a good way to ensure you are getting some nutrients, especially in the early days of pregnancy when food makes you nauseous and the only thing that sounds good is macaroni and cheese.



6. Organic 1% Milk
* I had never really gotten into the organic fad, but when i found out i was pregnant, I immediately wanted to eliminate all food additives, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and all the other scary stuff that is in our food supply. I dont know why it took becoming pregnant for me to realize this, but im glad i did. And i have really never been a big milk drinker, but i knew i needed to up my calcium intake for this important period in my life. I have only had a couple of plain glasses of milk, but i was using milk with cereal, oatmeal and smoothies to try to hit my daily calcium needs. I know i still need to really focus on getting more calcium, but hey, its a work in progress.



7. Salmon
* Omega 3's! Necessary for brain development throughout the pregnancy, and also for mama's heart health. Some fish (like tuna and swordfish) should really be avoided in pregnancy for high levels of mercury, but salmon is one to include a few times a week! Try to find a wild caught versus farm raised product. I found a great Wild Alaskan Salmon at HEB. I like to prepare mine with a dollop of olive oil mayo, dill weed, and lemon slices. Bake at 400 for about 45 minutes (Baking time may vary if frozen or fresh)



8. Avocados
* Another source of healthy fats necessary for brain development (oh and not to mention DELICIOUS). I have been stuffing avocado in just about anything i can including quinoa salads, sandwiches, pastas and salads.



9. Low Sodium V8
*I am at twelve weeks, and i am finally starting to feel like i could stomach raw vegetables. For the first 6-8 weeks, i really had a hard time incorporating any type of veggie in my diet. My mom turned me on to V8 on our ski trip a couple of weeks ago and since then i have been going to town. Not only do you get two servings of veggies in per can, but its got 3 g fiber and low in sugar. Of course real, fresh veggies are ideal, but i found this to be a great substitute (and its quick and easy to pack for work)



10. Fiber gummies/Metamucil
* I have always maintained a pretty regular schedule with a naturally high fiber diet (think fruits, veggies and whole grains). But pregnancy has brought on a whole new challenge in that department. Not only did my eats change, my body and hormones changed too. So i started taking Fiber supplements in the form of gummie candies and metamucil. I mix the metamucil in the Bluberry goodness juice, and take the gummies in the afternon (they are kinda like a little sweet treat). And most importantly, DRINK A LOT OF WATER!



So there you have it, some of the foods/products that i have been loving lately. I think it will be interesting to see how this changes throughout the pregnancy. I know some of what i was craving last week is already out the window and im on to new things.

11 1/2 weeks

It seems like it has been a little while since i wrote a little pregnancy update. So here we are, almost out of the first trimester! I had a doctor's appointment this week, got the whole workup with blood work and fun woman stuff. I also got to ask some of the questions i had been wanting to ask as well. I found out i can travel on a plane up until 35 weeks so now we are trying to plan dates for a baby shower at home.

How I have been feeling: Better. My energy levels are slowly starting to come back, although on our ski trip last week i managed to catch the cold that was going around the house. I have had commitments a couple of nights after work this week, so i havent made it to the gym. Im looking forward to spending Saturday morning at the gym. My game plan for now is Strike, Barbell and Restorative Yoga...sounds ahhhmazing :)

Eats: Normalizing. I made a batch of quinoa salad last week in an attempt to clean up some of the veggies in the refrigerator before our trip. It tasted pretty good, so i made another batch this week (quinoa, kale, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, grape tomatoes, goat cheese, balsamic vinegar and olive oil). As for breakfasts, i have really been feeling fried eggs this week. Love the soft yolk when it runs all over the plate! Although this morning i had Total Raisin Bran/Fiber One/Oatmeal with a big scoop of creamy peanut butter. As for veggies, i still dont want salads, but i can now stomach the thought of crunching on some raw carrots or tomatoes for a snack! And sweets...well they dont make me sick anymore, but i still havent been indulging on a regular basis. I treated myself to Baskin Robbins tonight, and though it was good, it just made me feel kind of blah. I think this is a blessing in disguise :)

Whats Next: We have a screening next week where the docs will check the neck measurements etc to check for spina bifida and Downs Syndrome...praying baby O is healthy and happy in there!

9 weeks

Originally written 12.31.12

Time keeps flying by, the holidays have almost come and gone, and we will be starting the new year in t-11 hours, and 33 minutes. So far, nothing really new with the pregnancy. We have not been back to the Doctor since our "8 week" ultrasound on December 13. I have to say it is an odd feeling to not be going to the doctor and being checked on. I find myself constantly worrying that something is wrong with the baby or that i may not be pregnant anymore. I suppose the affirmation of getting to see the baby on the ultrasound was so great, now that is my expectation. It is hard to believe we wont get to see baby O until 20 weeks, sometime in March! I have continued to feel sick/nauseated, tired and hungry...so i guess this makes me know things are still going ok!

Whats new: We finally told friends and family! Having found out a couple days before Thanksgiving, it was tough to wait until Christmas to tell them. We wound up sending frames with the ultrasound photos in them to each set of parents and instructing them not to open until we were on Facetime. The big reveal went really well for all the families which made me extremely happy, and a bit relieved :) Im sure my sister is happy she is not the only one who now knows! I still have not told my work, i am trying to wait until the 12 week mark for that.

How Im Feeling: Same as before. Nothing has really changed, though the mornings are slightly better, but i find myself feeling under the weather in the evening now. I always feel better if i eat, but i am still trying to get used to associating nausea with the need to eat.

Food: I have been able to tolerate some raw veggies, but they still are not sounding too amazing. I also figured out the drinking milk in the morning was exacerbating my nausea. So i have switched from a bowl of Total Raisin Bran in the morning to now 2 over medium eggs with a slice of toast. I feel muuuccchhh better with this meal than with the cereal.

Thoughts: Still nervous, but getting more and more excited by the day. We recently found out two of our good friends at home are also expecting in the late July/early August time frame. We couldn't believe how this all worked out, but couldn't be happier. My best friend in Houston is also pregnant and to say Im excited is an understatement. She is a couple of weeks behind me, so it will be so fun to go through this journey together!

7 weeks

Originally written 12.17.12

How I am Feeling: Nauseous. The "morning" sickness (quoted because it is not only in the mornings..cant seem to figure out why it is called morning sickness) appeared last week for the first time. I woke up last Sunday morning feeling like i was gonna toss my cookies, so i layed in bed for a while and eventually felt good enough to get up and do the usual Sunday morning Starbucks visit. This Sunday i awoke feeling the same way, but this time i decided to eat something in bed before getting up since a friend told me that is what she heard can help. Hubby graciously delivered a black cherry chobani to me in bed :) Within 15 minutes of finishing it, i felt much better.

Food: I finally got some green leafy veggies in my system over the past few days. Friday i managed to have some wilted spinach with pesto pasta and roasted tomatoes. Last night I sauteed some kale with garlic, olive oil and a splash of chicken broth....it was so good! I have realized that cooked veggies are much more tolerable at this point and i am really trying to include some at each meal because i know i need the nutrients. Raw fruit and Chobani have been staples. There have been a couple of days that i dont feel like eating what i packed for lunch and instead i will eat a large bag of grapes and a chobani. I have also been snacking on Chobani, gotta get that calcium in! Lastly, MAC AND CHEESE!!!! That is all i want, all the time. I have always loved mac and cheese, but know it is not the most calorie friendly, nutrient dense meal so i only have it occasionally. I think in the past week i have eaten some type of mac and cheese four times...holy moly! Im just gonna roll with it :)

Exercise: I have been trying to stay active as much as possible, but after a full day at work i find myself feeling exceptionally exhausted. There are days when i feel less exhausted and can pull out a 30 minute elliptical session or walk, or on a good day a one hour Barbell strength class. Since finding out i was pregnant, i have really decreased my cardio exercise (frequency and intensity). I was doing four high intensity aerobic type classes per week. After making the mistake of going on the internet and googling "Exercise during pregnancy", i have been a little timid on getting my heart rate up. I found that wearing my heart rate monitor was actually making me more nervous and hindering me from enjoying a workout because i was fixated on the numbers. So i have not been wearing it and just listening to my body. If i get to the point where i cant say a sentence without pausing for a breath, i know i have gone too far. Yoga is still an area i am apprehensive about. I have done some research about what poses are recommended and which ones are not which has helped but also caused more anxiety. I read that no forward bends are recommended because it stops oxygen supply to the fetus...Oh my gosh! So i have been taking modified forward bends (not stretching as deeply), avoiding inversions, closed twists, and intense abdominal work (i.e. boat, side plank etc).

Other news:
First ultrasound was last Thursday. What a neat experience! We got to hear the heart beat which was by far one of the coolest things i have ever seen.

Just found out one of my best friends is pregnant as well. We will only be a few weeks apart and will get to experience pregnancy together. What a blessing to be able to go through this with one of my best friends!