Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken

I've got to be honest, I almost didn't post this recipe because it is soooo easy to make. I've actually been really insecure to post recipes in general because I'm not an experienced cook and I love to make really simple but healthy food! I try not to add any "fluff" to my food and if a yummy meal looks complicated in a cook book, I simply won't make it!

As I was thinking about it though, I figured that if I was this way, there's got to be other women out there that appreciate simple recipes too!! So, here is my SUPER EASY shredded Mexican chicken recipe! Let me just tell you, once you make it and see how easy it is, you will definitely want to add this to your weekly rotation! 

The chicken comes out so moist and flavorful and you can seriously add it to so many things to complete a meal! I added it to black beans and mixed greens earlier this week to make a taco salad! You can add this chicken to enchiladas, tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, veggies, etc! It's goes with pretty much everything!

I hope you love it as much as I do and please leave me a comment if you would like to see more healthy (but ridiculously easy) recipes! 

INGREDIENTS:

(feeds four)

2-3 frozen boneless chicken breasts (1 used two large ones)

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 16oz can of salsa

1 tsp paprika

1sp chili powder

1 tsp cayenne (for spice) 

HOW TO:

1. Place frozen chicken breasts in slow cooker

2. Add salsa, chicken broth, and spices

3. Cook on low for 6 hours or until chicken is fully cooked

4. Add chicken breasts to a bowl and shred with forks

5. ENJOY! 

This was before I added the salsa & chicken broth!

Enjoy!! 

xo, Lo

My Must-have Health Food items from Amazon

I'm often mentioning new products I'm using on my Instagram and am always asked where they are from and so I thought I would compile a list of all my favorites! These are my tried & true must have health food and supplement items. I use most of them on the daily or weekly basis and I add them in many different recipes! Stay-tuned, I have many more recipes using these items that will be posted soon! 

for smoothies, cooking, baking, or whatever else your heart desires! 

Vital proteins collagen peptides is my favorite to put in ALL my smoothies! Collagen peptides helps heal your gut, aids in digestion, and is a hair, skin, and nails supplement! You can't taste it but it adds so many nutrients to your daily smoothie. You can even put it in your coffee or matcha in the mornings! 

COCONUT BUTTER!!! AKA my favorite thing, ever. Coconut butter is better than coconut oil because it also contains the coconut meat. This is a great supplement to add to your coffee, smoothies, sandwiches, desserts, or just eat it by the spoonful! yum. 

Cacao nibs are a stable of my every day diet.. what can I say, I love chocolate! I love raw cacao because its adds a crunch to oatmeal, a decadence to smoothies, and is full of antioxidants! I gave two size options for you but I get the Anthony's brand and buy them in bulk because I got through a bag pretty fast! 

I always make sure I have turmeric on hand because it is such a powerful spice and supplement! Turmeric is amazing for getting rid of inflammation and It also is a great sleep aid! Put a 1/4 teaspoon of this with some warm coconut milk and cinnamon and drink it right before bed. So comforting! 

Ashwagandha is my favorite adaptogen of all time and I add it to everything! Ashwagandha is an herb that has been noted to heal hormone imbalances, calm stress and anxiety, and giving natural energy. If you were to try out any adaptogen, I highly recommend trying out this one! 

A matcha tea a day keeps the good health here to stay... Honestly though, try to swap out coffee one day a week for a matcha latte and you will notice a difference! 

I hope you find this helpful! I have no doubt that adding these superfoods to your pantry will have huge health benefits for you! Feel free to reach out with any questions on how to use them! 

-Lo 

The Perfect Smoothie

How to make the perfect smoothie

If you know me, you know that I am smoothie-obsessed. I make a smoothie for one of my meals every single day and I have noticed huge health benefits from it! Not only is it extremely easy to make but the health benefits are endless. I also love how I can customize my daily smoothie to fit that particular day & health goals. Going on a hard workout and need extra protein? Add a vegan protein powder in. Feeling sluggish? Add vitamin D. Feeling Stressed? Add an adaptogen like Ashwagandha! The customization options are endless. 

The Perfect Smoothie

Fruit + Greens + Protein + Healthy fat+ Customizable Supplements = The Perfect Smoothie

FRUIT-

when making a smoothie, its important to not overload it with sugary fruits. I usually add half of a banana, handful of strawberries, handful of blueberries, and acai to my smoothies. Rule of thumb- never put more fruit in your smoothie then you would actually eat in one sitting! 

GREENS-

Adding in greens to your smoothie is not only extremely nutritious but its also GENIUS because you can't even taste the greens! Greens also help balance out the sugar in the fruit and give your body the nutrients it needs for proper digestion. I always add either a handful of kale or spinach to my smoothies. 

PROTEIN-

I don't always add protein into my smoothies but when I do, its plant-based and low on sugar! My favorite way to get protein in my smoothies is Vital Protein Collagen Peptides. I love this because its not only a great source of protein but its also amazing support for hair, skin, nails, and your gut! I also love the Tone It Up plant-based protein and use it often. I don't eat very much meat and so adding in protein is super important for me because it keeps me full longer and keeps me from craving carbs!

HEALTHY FAT-

When making a smoothie, I love adding in healthy fats to help keep me full for longer. Healthy fats are good for so many other reasons as well such as brain function and prolonged energy. I usually add coconut butter or avocado in my smoothie and it also helps make it creamier! 

CUSTOMIZABLE SUPPLEMENTS-

I'm a huge fan of adaptogens! Adaptogens are special herbs that help the body adapt to different environmental stressors. I will do an entire blog post on these powerful herbs but my favorites to use in smoothies are Ashwagandha and Reishi! 

I hope this helps you in your own smoothie making! Aim to make a smoothie a day and just see how your overall health improves for the better! Making a Smoothie doesn't have to be difficult. Start small and you can always purchase different ingredients down the road once you get the hang of what you like and don't like in your smoothies. Have fun with it! I've learned all I know about smoothies from trial and error! :) 

Feel free to comment with any more questions you may have and Happy Smoothie Making! 

Lauren's Guilt-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Since coming to Hawaii, I finally have my own kitchen after being married for two years! I have been having so much fun learning how to cook. Every week I love trying new recipes and putting my own spin on the things that I make. I love making every ingredient count in improving my health. I view my food as energy: everything I put in my body is either sustaining it and keeping it healthy, or depleting it. I try to not eat things that I know aren’t adding to my health and so I substitute a lot of ingredients when cooking my favorite meals.

I am a sucker for a good chocolate chip cookie and am known to having one too many for dessert. :) I adapted this recipe from my mom’s original cookie recipe as well as others I have found online. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free (if you use Carob chips rather than chocolate chips). I also substituted regular sugar for coconut sugar which is MUCH healthier for you and is low on the glycemic-index!

This recipe has been tested by my husband, neighbors, and friends here in Hawaii and they all seem to love them and don’t even realize that they are “healthy”! I hope you try this recipe out yourself and loves these cookies just as much as we do! If you make them, take a pic and tag #kisseecookies!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

½ cup organic coconut oil

¾ cup coconut sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup carob chips (optional: you can just use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips if you don’t have carob)

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

-Mix together flour, baking soda, baking flour, and salt into a bowl

-In another bowl (with an electronic mixer) mix together coconut oil, coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla

-Once well blended, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and continue mixing until smooth. Add in the chocolate chips last.

-Spoon tablespoon amounts of cookie dough onto cookie sheets and bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Lauren

My top 3 uses for coconut oil

Coconut oil has become increasingly more popular these days. From an alternative to cooking oil to using it as a moisturizer, there are many amazing uses for this powerful oil! I use it in my daily routine in three unique ways that you may have not heard before. I swear by these daily rituals and I know you will love them too!

1.     Oil Pulling- You may not have heard of oil pulling before, but if you haven’t starting oil pulling yet, you need to! I have always struggled with having low enamel on my teeth and whenever I went to the dentist, they would always prescribe me special medicine (full of chemicals) in order to help my teeth enamel. It seemed like whatever I would try, nothing would help build the enamel and whiten my teeth. One day I got so sick of it that I got on the computer and started googling natural remedies for oral health. I came across oil pulling and thought it sounded super strange but I was willing to give it a shot. I use about a tablespoon of coconut oil and I swish it in my mouth for about 20 minutes. I cannot even begin to tell you all the amazing things this simple ritual has done for me! My teeth have never been whiter, stronger or healthier! Coconut oil not only rebuilds your teeth but it also purifies them and gets rid of the bad bacteria. It’s truly amazing what this natural health remedy can do!

2.     dry Brushing/Oiling- Another daily ritual I have added to my routine is dry brushing my body and then putting coconut oil on my skin before I take a shower. Dry brushing is amazing for circulation and removing dead skin cells. After dry brushing, massage coconut oil into the skin for five minutes and then rinse it off in the shower. It’s the best moisturizer for your body (along with my R+F moisturizer for extra dry days). I would NOT recommend putting coconut oil on your face, though. This will clog your pores and cause unwanted breakouts! I use an AMAZING oil free moisturizer and exfoliant that works for my face. E-mail me and I can tell you more about it!

3.     Coffee Creamer- Yep. I’m one of those people that makes “bullet-proof coffee”. Ha! For reals, though. Coconut oil in your coffee is a game changer! It makes your coffee taste silky smooth and creamy without all the calories and bad fats. Coconut oil has a ton of HEALTHY fat and it has also been known to help with digestion, weight loss, and inflammation! Don’t be afraid of this health source of fat. It will do much more good than harm!

I buy the big container of Organic Coconut Oil from Costco to use for all of these uses. I promise, these daily rituals will be a game-changer for you. Try them out and let me know what you think!

Hugs + Kissees,

Lauren