Chicken, Zucchini and Mushrooms

-1 lb chicken breast cut into 1 inch chunks

-4 zucchini cut into cubes

-8 oz (one package) mushrooms sliced

-1 tblspn coconut oil

-1 tblspn sesame oil

-1 tblspn Braggs Aminos

-1 tblspn Balsamic vinegar

-2 gloves garlic minced

-1/2 tsp fresh ginger (or 1 tsp dried)

1.  Put coconut oil and sesame oil in a large pan on high heat.  Once the oil is searing hot, add the chicken and toss until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.

2.  Remove chicken from pan.  Then, into the same pan, add all other ingredients.  Toss to coat and cook veggies until tender (3-5 minutes).  Add back chicken and combine with veggies.

(Taken with Instagram)

Quick Shrimp Dinner

Saute peeled, cleaned shrimp in a bit of coconut oil.  Season with Mrs. Dash salt free seasoning and a splash of Braggs Aminos.  Microwave a bag of broccoli and topped with shrimp and garnished with store bought pickled carrots and radish.

(Taken with Instagram)

Salmon & Brown Rice Bowls

Seasoned the salmon with Braggs Aminos, cracked pepper, Mrs. Dash, fold into foil packets and baked 450 degrees, 25 min.

Packed on top of a bed of brown rice and steamed broccoli. 

Just reheat in the microwave and squeeze with lime before eating. 

Taken with Instagram)

Growing up, I wasn’t raised on “healthy food”.  My parents let us eat ice cream, soda, and chocolate freely.  Growing up with a Vietnamese dad and a Filipina mom, we ate everything from Pho to Adobo (and a lot of white rice) with staples like Hamburger Helper and Mac & Cheese in between.  I remember eating fast food often.  We also weren’t encouraged to play or be active.  I spent my childhood in front of the TV and played a lot of Nintendo.  Lucky for my genetics, I always maintained a small frame.  In college, I was addicted to Del Taco and White Chocolate Mochas.  In my 20s, I worked in a restaurant and would eat greasy food daily and chocolate cake almost every night.  Plus my boyfriend (who’s now my husband) would always take me out to eat.  By the time I was in my mid-20s, my metabolism had slowed down, I had a career (well paying job=eating more food), and was sitting at a desk for 8+ hours a day, and I now had what I considered a “skinny-fat” body.  I was still a small frame and people probably considered me skinny but under the clothes, I was soft and jiggly and just not happy at all.  I would eat and then feel so guilty about it.  I tried to work out but I never played any sports my whole life so I was really unfamiliar and overwhelmed with all the equipment in the gym.  I would do hours of cardio but still ate crappy food and then become frustrated that nothing was changing, so I’d crash-diet-starve myself, become more frustrated and binge again, vicious cycle.  I’ll admit, I even tried Hydroxycut  (ugh, what was I thinking?). 

So what changed everything?  My wedding!  I was so unhappy with my body that I decided, out of desperation, to hire a personal trainer to get ready for the big day.  I didn’t think it was going to work because people always say trainers don’t really do anything except stand there and talk but it was a last ditch effort.  At the same time, I began reading the book “Skinny Bitch” which opened up my eyes to the concept of Clean Eating.  And then I watched documentaries like “Food, INC.”.  When I first started, I just wanted to lose weight and be skinny.  In 7 months, I lost 15 lbs and dropped 10% body fat.  Although I no longer use a trainer, she helped me to become comfortable in the weight room with the equipment and I learned proper lifting form.  Once I reached my goal of being skinny, I wanted more!  Now, I’ve taken fitness & healthy living into my life and it’s changed the way I live.