Easy Postpartum Freezer Meals

With this being my second pregnancy I am fully aware of how rough those first few weeks postpartum can be. This time around I'll be dealing with the extra challenge of a toddler while recovering from childbirth, so I'm not leaving anything up to chance. With my first pregnancy I prepared several of these same meals prior to my due date and froze them for later. However, the difference last time was that I only made about 15-20 meals total. Even with my mom staying with us to help out, and friends bringing meals, we still seemed to go through all of my premade stuff in the blink of an eye.

This time I've doubled the number of meals that I've prepared, and I've included more filling dishes such as casseroles (last time I mainly did small-serving chicken recipes). I also made a couple loaves of banana bread and froze them for an easy grab and go option. I made about 2-3 of each of these recipes, leaving me with approximately 40 meals in our deep freezer (I actually lost count of exactly how many I made).

Many of these recipes are already on the blog, and all I had to do was adapt them slightly for the freezer. Most of them are extremely simple, with only a couple of ingredients, little to no prep work, and little expense. You could honestly take a few hours one day to knock out several (if not all) of these, and be set in the event of dinner emergencies for quite some time. Once frozen, all of the recipes should be good for up to three months.

1. Paleo Hamburger Pie
For this recipe I simply froze the pie after baking.
Before freezing, cover with foil and write on top: reheat in oven at 350

2. Spinach & Salsa Chicken
Mix all ingredients in a freezer bag.
Write on bag:
cook on low for 4 hours
shred before serving

3. Crockpot Southwest Chicken
I used the crockpot version of this recipe, which can be easily prepared ahead and frozen.
Again, add all ingredients to a freezer bag.
Write on bag:
cook on low for 4 hours
shred before serving

4. Buffalo Chicken & Bacon Casserole
For this casserole I simply put all of the ingredients together in the baking dish, covered with foil, and froze. Write on top of foil before freezing: Thaw, and bake 40-45 min at 400

5. Paleo Banana Bread
This is my go-to banana bread recipe that I simply made extras of, and then froze.

6. Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
Add all ingredients to instant pot & cook on poultry setting

Once cooking has stopped, turn off Instant Pot 

Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.

7. Crockpot Italian Sausage with Onions & Peppers
Ingredients:
1lb Italian sausage links
1 large bell pepper
1 medium onion
2 cups diced tomatoes (I used canned)
2t onion powder
2t garlic powder

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in freezer bag and freeze
Write on bag:
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours

8. Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken tenders (or I used chicken breast)
3 T olive oil
1 cup honey
2 T sesame seeds
1/2 cup liquid aminos
1 T sesame oil
1t. salt
1t. pepper

Directions:
Place all ingredients in freezer bag. Toss to coat and freeze.
Write on bag:
1. Cook on low for 4 hours
2. Remove chicken & shred, then return to sauce

9. Balsamic Chicken
Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
28 oz diced tomatoes (I used canned)
4 cloves minced garlic
3/4 c balsamic vinegar
2 T cocounut or olive oil
1t sea salt
1t pepper

Directions:
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
cook on low 4 hours

10. Italian Chicken
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
3 T olive oil
1 large green pepper
1 large red pepper
1 large yellow pepper
1 bunch of celery
5 cloves minced garlic
16 oz diced tomatoes (canned)

Directions:
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
cook on low 4 hours

11. Red Pepper Chicken
Ingredients:
1lb chicken breasts
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1 small onion, diced
1t crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t salt

Directions:
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
Cook on low for 4 hours

12. Lemon Pepper Chicken
Ingredients:
1lb chicken breast
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t salt

Directions:
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
Cook on low for 4 hours

13. Orange Ginger Chicken
Ingredients:
1lb chicken breast
Juice of one orange (about 1/3 cup)
3 T minced ginger root
2 T honey
2 T coconut oil
1t crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
Cook on low for 4 hours

14. Lemon Butter Chicken
Ingredients:
2lb chicken breasts
1lb peas
2 T grass fed butter
2 T lemon juice
1 T minced garlic
1 t black pepper

Directions:
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
Cook on low 4 hours

15. Maple Sweet Potato Chicken
Ingredients:
2lb chicken breasts
1lb diced sweet potatoes
2 T grass fed butter
2 T orange juice
1 T maple syrup
1 t red pepper flakes

Directions:
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
Cook on low 4 hours

16. Ginger Garlic Chicken
Ingredients:
2lb chicken breasts
1lb green beans
2 T sesame oil
2 T liquid aminos
1 T minced garlic
1 t minced ginger

Directions:
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
Cook on low 4 hours

17. Pineapple Salsa Verde Chicken
Ingredients:
1lb chicken breast
1 12-oz jar of salsa verde
1 16-20 oz can crushed pineapple
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
sea salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup jalapenos, chopped (optional)

Directions:
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
Cook on low for 4 hours
Shred with a fork before serving

18. Paleo "Lasagna"
Ingredients:
1lb sausage links
3 large sweet potatoes
1 medium red onion
1 package bacon

Directions:
Slice the sweet potatoes and lay across the bottom of a large baking dish until covered. Top with sliced onion and sausage. Add another layer of sweet potato slices until all of the filling is covered. Top the entire dish with a layer of bacon. Cover with foil.
Write on top:
Allow dish to thaw. Cook (covered) for 45 min at 400. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 min.

19. Chicken Verde
Ingredients:
2lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
16oz salsa verde

Directions:
Add all ingredients to freezer bag
Write on bag:
Cook on low for 4 hours
Shred with a fork before serving

If you're looking for even more crockpot/instant pot recipes, or just don't see anything that strikes your fancy from the list above, try following this simple formula:
1 lb veggies + 2 T fat + 2 T acid + 1 T flavor + 1 t flavor
for example, you could make your own orange chicken for the crockpot by combining:

1lb sliced red peppers
+
2 T coconut oil
+
2 T orange juice
+
1 T minced ginger
+
1 t red pepper flakes

It really is that easy to make up your own unique crockpot or instant pot recipe on the fly, just using what you have on hand!

Paleo Pumpkin Bars with Maple Frosting

I confess, I'm a basic chick. I love ALL things pumpkin, pretty much any time of year, but no season gets me going like the fall. Fall here in Arizona is not the picturesque scene filled with gently falling leaves, and crisp overcast skies. Fall in the west valley is HOT. I don't mean like labor day weekend, last chance to go swimming, lets all hang out outside and barbeque temps. I mean like don't leave your house, can't touch your steering wheel, handing out bottled water to people on the street temps. This extreme landscape makes me crave fall, and pumpkin everything, even more than I normally would. One of my favorite pumpkin recipes to make in the fall are these pumpkin bars. They taste just like pumpkin pie, without all the extra sugar. They're sweetened using honey and raw maple syrup, so they're not quite as bad as all the other pumpkin treats you might find in the store this time of year. I have been making these for a few years now, and a lot of people love the maple frosting. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of frosting on anything, and I actually think these are just as great (if not better) without any topping at all!

(shown with and without frosting)

Ingredients

Bars:
2 eggs
1 c. pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
3/4 c. honey, warmed
1/2 c. coconut oil, warmed
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. almond flour
1/4 c. arrowroot powder or tapioca starch
1 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder

Frosting: 1/2 c. coconut oil, softened
4 T. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
2. Combine the eggs, pumpkin puree, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or a mixing bowl using a whisk or hand mixer).
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the almond flour, arrowroot powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture; stir until combined.
4. Pour the mixture into a square 8×8″ pan (or sometimes I use a pie pan). Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the center is set. Remove and cool completely before frosting.
5. To make the frosting, beat the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt together until light & fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use and soften before spreading on the bars.

Paleo Corndog Muffins

Sometimes it can be a challenge trying to eat healthy while still finding foods that young kids will eat. I like to try out fun finger foods for my two year old that fit within the paleo guidelines as often as I can. She's a pretty reliable test subject when it comes to new recipes. If she likes it, then everyone else is guaranteed to love it!
One of her favorite foods is chicken sausage. She would eat this breakfast, lunch, and dinner if we let her (and to be honest, when I was in the depths of morning sickness, she did). In order to give her a little twist on her favorite food, I decided to try out these corndog muffins. Instead of hot dogs, I used Aidell's chicken sausages (which we buy from Costco) and cut them into small chunks. They taste even better than actual corndogs! Everyone in the house helped out in devouring these. I made several batches, and the whole lot of them only lasted two days! They're great for dipping, but also amazing by themselves. These are portable, dunkable, and handheld, making them great as a game day snack, or an easy to pack lunch. They would also work well as a side dish, paired with comfort food like a big bowl of chili.

Ingredients

• 5 uncured hotdogs or sausages 
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons ghee, melted
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup cashew milk, or other non-dairy milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

1. Cut each hotdog or sausage into pieces and set aside.


Preheat oven to 350° and line a muffin tin with 10 parchment paper liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, ghee, coconut oil, honey, cashew milk, eggs, salt, and baking soda. Mix util fully combined and smooth.
3. Divide evenly among the 10 muffin tins then top with 3 slices of hotdog or sausage each.
4. Bake for 25 minutes.

Maple Walnut Chicken

I typically don't like cooking chicken breast on the stovetop because it can easily end up dry and flavorless. So when I found the original version of this recipe I was a little skeptical. Turns out, all I had to do was make a few changes in the preparation of the chicken, and it turned out AH-mazing!! This is one of those recipes that definitely gets you in the mood for fall, with the warm maple flavor and the toasted walnuts. It made my house smell like an expensive fall candle! It's cozy comfort food without the full, bloated feeling afterward.

Ingredients

• 4 piece(s) chicken breast(s), boneless skinless (4-6 oz)
• 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon(s) thyme, fresh
• 1 teaspoon(s) sea salt
• ¹/₄ teaspoon(s) black pepper freshly ground
• ¹/₂ cup(s) walnuts chopped
• ¹/₃ cup(s) apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoon(s) maple syrup
• ¹/₂ cup(s) water

Instructions

1. Combine olive oil, thyme, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. If your chicken breasts are thicker cut like mine, butterfly each piece
3. Pound each chicken breast with a tenderizing mallet to flatten out and allow the juices to soak in.
4. Rub chicken with seasoning and let stand.
5. In a 12" nonstick skillet, toast walnuts over medium-low heat 4-6 min or until golden and fragrant, stirring constantly. Note: walnuts may burn quickly if left unattended.
6. Transfer walnuts to dish, and turn heat up to medium under the hot skillet.
7. Add chicken to same skillet. Cook 12 min or until done, turning frequently.
8. Transfer chicken to a clean plate.
9. Add apple cider vinegar to the chicken drippings in the hot skillet and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
10. Add maple syrup and water, and simmer 6-7 min until slightly thickened. Stir in walnuts and serve on top of chicken.

Instant Pot Pinapple Chicken

This is my latest go-to recipe for when I'm short on time. Perfect for those nights when I forget to prep something in the morning, and I'm wondering what the heck I'm gonna do with whatever cut of chicken I have thawed out. The flavors are light and summery, and very versatile. You can serve over salad greens, spiralized veggie noodles, or over rice, depending on your tastes. The best part about this recipe is that all you have to do is dump it all in the instant pot and turn it on. No prep work (aside from cutting the chicken)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1” chunks
• 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut cream
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos 
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion (garnish)

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients, except green onions, into Instant Pot
2. Close lid.
3. Press Poultry button.
4. Pot will automatically set itself for 15 minutes, high pressure.
5. Allow to cook.
6. Once cooking has stopped, turn off Instant Pot 
7. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
8. Carefully open lid and remove from pot.
9. Stir.
10. If you’d like to thicken the sauce a bit, simply stir in a teaspoon of arrowroot starch mixed with a tablespoon of water.
11. Then, press the Saute button.
12. Cook until sauce thickens to your liking.
13. Turn off Instant Pot.
14. Serve with green onion garnish.

Starting a new fitness routine: Tips for beginners

With summer looming--or for some of us, already here-- a lot of people are suddenly concerned about how they will look by the pool when the temps start rising. Living in Arizona, I am always surprised at how many people in the southwest wait until the heat reaches triple digits to begin a workout routine. In the land of endless summer, where it's a beautiful 70 degrees even in the winter, I would personally prefer to start a workout program when the chances of heat stroke are much lower. But I digress...

As I mentioned, I get a lot of questions about new fitness regimens right around this time of year. I figured I would put all of the answers to these questions into one location so that it's easy for people to go back and reference.

Set Yourself Up For Success

I think that first and foremost, motivation needs to be addressed. The best workout for you, is the one that you'll stick to. This is one of the reasons why I don't recommend that people begin a new program in the summer time in Arizona. It's just too damn hot, which only serves to dampen most people's enthusiasm after about a week or so (the exception might be some kind of water workout: swimming, water aerobics, crossfit style workouts in the pool, etc). If you live in a cooler climate, you may be an exception to this rule, but the bottom line remains the same: take external factors into consideration when choosing a program. You wouldn't sign up for a Zumba class that took place right in the middle of your child's nap schedule, so why would you begin a running program in the middle of the hottest part of the year? All of these elements influence the way you approach your workout, and can easily become a deciding factor in whether or not you stick to it.

Part of setting yourself up for success is being realistic with your goals. If your goal is to lose 20 lbs by summer, and it's already the end of May, you're going to be disappointed with your results. I can't tell you how many people come to train with us with these unrealistic expectations, and then when they don't see the number on the scale plummet overnight, or they don't have six pack abs the first week, decide that working out just doesn't work. When it comes to fitness, slow and steady really does win the race. By patient with yourself, and don't bite off more than you can chew when you're first starting out. People tend to get overly enthusiastic when they begin a new routine. They want to dive right in to the advanced Olympic lifting, or sign up for a full marathon, or simply enroll in every program all at once, which leads to burnout. Not only that, but they are much more likely to injure themselves, which can sideline someone for months, if not years.

If your goal is weight loss, about a pound a week is reasonable depending on where you're starting out. If your goal is to run a marathon, set mini goals working your way up to it. Start off with a couch to 5k, and build from there. And don't make weight loss your primary focus. Focus on building speed, stamina, and strength, and the weight will take care of itself.

Show Up

99% of life is just showing up! Everybody has days where they're just not feelin it. They have to drive carpool, there's a big deadline looming, the house is a mess, etc. There are endless tasks in our everyday lives that can distract us from our personal goals. Whenever I have one of these days, I don't consider my workout any less of a priority. Instead, I take it one step at a time. I  first tell myself that I'm just going to get dressed to workout, and see how I feel. Then I'll put my shoes on, and tell myself I'll just go outside and see what I feel like doing. Then I get outside, and I tell myself I'll just start warming up. After I warm up, I consider the workout. I tell myself, that I may not even do the whole thing, or I'll just go at my own pace without timing myself, and on and on and on... But every single time I go through this thought process (once I actually start the workout) I feel like I can push myself a little more and a little farther, until next thing I know, I've not only done the whole workout, but actually crushed it! I figure once I show up, I'm already there, so I might as well just give it what I've got.

This can apply to any kind of workout, even if it just means putting on your sweats and jumping around to P90X in the comfort of your own living room. Once you've moved that coffee table out of the way, you might as well do what you've set out to do.

Be Consistent

One of the most important pieces of advice that I can give anyone starting a new routine, is to just do something every day. So you had to work late and missed your spin class? Go home and do a five minute bodyweight workout while the kids do their homework. Workouts don't have to be long and complicated to be effective. As long as the intensity is there (i.e. you're breathing heavy for several minutes) you won't be wasting your time. The rule of thumb is that the longer the workout, the lower the intensity. So if you keep it short, just make sure you're constantly moving during that time frame to keep the heart rate up. Or you could incorporate the family, and go for a bike ride, take the soccer ball to the park, or simply go for a brisk walk. There are endless ways to fit fitness into your routine aside from a structured program. As long as you move every day, you won't have to worry about losing all of your progress just because you weren't able to make it to that class at the gym on Tuesday.

Have Fun!

Like I said in the beginning: The best workout program for you is the one that you'll stick to. And you're not going to stick with something that you don't enjoy! If you're not having fun, you're not going to keep showing up, no matter how much you try to guilt yourself into it. Also, if you're not enjoying the process, you're not going to give it your best effort. Which means that you won't see the results that you should be seeing. No trainer wants to have clients walking around telling people that they're following their program if they're not getting anything out of it. External motivation can only do so much before the inside job begins. If you find that CrossFit isn't your thing, go try out a dance class, or kickboxing! Find an activity that sets you on fire and pursue it with all of your passion. That's the program that is going to give you the best results.

Sweet and Spicy Paleo Chicken Fingers

This is a little different from the normal paleo chicken fingers I typically make. I've been making the same things a lot lately, so I wanted to find a way to spice up (in this case, literally) my family's favorites. This is a great twist on the normal chicken finger recipe, with a sticky sauce that is seriously addicting! If you like dipping your chicken, I would recommend making extra sauce and using that to dunk the chicken fingers after they're cooled. If you don't do paleo you could also do a yogurt dressing or traditional ranch dressing if you're so inclined.

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups almond flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup tapioca starch
• 1 lb chicken tenders
• ¾ cup honey
• ⅓ cup hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

2. Place the almond flour, sea salt, and pepper into a bowl and stir it together. Whisk together eggs in a separate bowl. Pour your tapioca starch into a third bowl.

3. Dip the chicken tenders, one at a time, into the tapioca or potato starch, then into the egg then into the almond flour. Lay the chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake the chicken for 25 minutes or until it begins to brown.

5. While the chicken is baking, prepare the sauce. In a small frying pan over high heat bring the honey, hot sauce and garlic powder to a boil then set it aside.

6. When the chicken has finished baking remove it from the oven and turn the oven to broil. Dip each of the chicken tenders in the sauce then lay them back on the baking sheet. Save the extra sauce.

7. Put the chicken back in the oven for 2-5 minutes for the glaze to caramelize slightly. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn.

8. Baste the chicken with any extra sauce once they come out of the oven.