Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Although the weather has been complete garbage for the past week or two, today’s sun & heat is giving me hope for this Summer!

Now if you’re like me, Summer means light, easy meals. I find myself always on the go, and therefore spending hours in the kitchen on a week night, isn’t always ideal!

I came up with this meal in early Spring, in hope that it would save me from ordering out, on nights that I don't feel like cooking. It’s easy, healthy, and DELICIOUS!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

·         2 cooked chicken breasts* (this makes enough for 6 wraps) season with cumin, paprika, curry, sea salt & pepper. Baked at 350 for 20-25 minutes

·         1 head of Iceberg Lettuce

·         ½ cup full fat Goat yogurt

·         1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

·         ¼ teaspoon ground Paprika

·         1 tablespoon Lemon zest

·         1 tablespoon fresh chopped Cilantro

·         2 minced Garlic cloves

·         ¼ cup chopped Cashews

·         Sea salt & Pepper

·         Coleslaw mix (Red, Green cabbage & Carrot… this is sold at Adonis or any grocery store)

*I baked the chicken the night before, I prefer the chicken to be cold in the wraps. Plus, with having the chicken already cooked, this makes this recipe even easier! Note that if you’re not a fan of curry, you can season the chicken however you like.

1)    Fry coleslaw mix with a bit of Olive oil (and if you want an extra kick, add in some dried hot chili flakes)

2)    In a small to medium sized bowl, mix yogurt, mustard, paprika, garlic and lemon zest.

3)    Chop the chicken into small cubes, chop cashews and add both ingredients to the yogurt mixture.

4)    Add the fresh chopped cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix all together.

5)    Delicately unroll lettuce, place fried coleslaw and about ¼ cup of the chicken/ yogurt mixture.

6)    Roll & Eat!

Picture quality is pretty terrible... sorry!

Enjoy!!!

Cheers!

xo

   

Sunshine & Ginger love.

What a weekend! Are we Summer or Spring??? Beautiful weather, really makes all the difference coming back into the office after having 2 full days in the sun!

So I might have mentioned before, that Ginger, is one of my favorite root spices to use. Much like Turmeric (same family), it offers amazing health benefits! Here's a few benefits off lifehack.org!

• Maintains Normal Blood Circulation. Ginger contains chromium, magnesium and zinc which can help to improve blood flow, as well as help prevent chills, fever, and excessive sweat.
• Cold and Flu Prevention. Ginger has been used for thousands of years as a natural treatment for colds and flu around Asia. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that to treat cold and flu symptoms in adults, steep 2 tbsp. of freshly shredded or chopped ginger root in hot water, two to three times a day
• Combats Stomach Discomfort. Ginger is ideal in assisting digestion, thereby improving food absorption and avoiding possible stomach ache. Ginger appears to reduce inflammation in a similar way to aspirin and ibuprofen
• Reduce Pain and Inflammation. Ginger contains some of the most potent anti-inflammatory fighting substances known and is a natural powerful painkiller.
• Fights Common Respiratory Problems. If you’re suffering from common respiratory diseases such as a cough, ginger aids in expanding your lungs and loosening up phlegm because it is a natural expectorant that breaks down and removes mucus.. That way you can quickly recover from difficulty in breathing.
• Ovarian Cancer Treatment. Ginger powder induces cell death in ovarian cancer cells.
• Strengthens Immunity. Ginger helps improve the immune system. Consuming a little bit ginger a day can help foil potential risk of a stroke by inhibiting fatty deposits from the arteries. It also decreases bacterial infections in the stomach, and helps battle a bad cough and throat irritation.

Awesome right? Here's two great ways to incorporate Ginger into your daily or weekly routine.

1)  If you're a green tea lover like myself, grate about half a tablespoon of fresh Ginger and add it in to your morning tea! Super delicious!

2) I created this marinate for my chicken twice now, its super tasty & extremely easy! It works for about 4 Chicken breasts! For extra flavor, marinate the chicken overnight.

• 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 large Garlic clove, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1 Tablespoon fresh Ginger
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Sea Salt & Pepper

Photo Credit: mymostlyhealthylife.com

Enjoy!!

Cheers

xo

*.information on Ginger from lifehack.org

Better late, than never!

Hello!!
Wow it's been a while, I know! "Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans". Love that quote, it describes my life perfectly over the past 6 months.

I've been busy with house hunting, as well as working on a healthier lifestyle for myself!
Anybody who's house hunted before, and/or goes to the gym, can relate with me on how time consuming each of these things can be. I won't lie, house hunting is fun and exciting n' all, but it's also extremely stressful and nerve racking. ANYTHING can happen, that is the advice that I give to all you future first time home buyers! 
Also, and I know I'm not alone when saying that this has been a terribly LONG winter. As a result I've suffered from minor seasonal depression. My friends and I, often blame our problems on the weather, what about you? The other month I was listening to CJAD (I am officially my father), and they were discussing how seasonal depression is a legit condition, many people suffer from it and don't even realise it. So having said that, I am extremely happy Spring is here, and that Summer is on it's way!

As mentioned, I've been really trying to live a healthier lifestyle. This means working out, eating healthier, avoiding processed foods, and just simply paying attention to what I am putting in my body! Don't get me wrong, I still cheat, I eat junk once in a while, and on a hangover I will definitely destroy a poutine (ha). But in general, I've been having so much fun exploring super foods, their benefits, and creating daily recipes out of food that I would have normally never even cared to look at! My plan for this blog, is to continue on with my cupcake love, but to also share my healthy tips & recipes with you all!

So stayed tuned for new meals, cupcake ideas and products, and of course, new music ;-)

Cheers!

xo