Ingredients: 
1 pound potatoes, cut into thin wedges
1.25 lbs. chicken breasts, cut into thick strips 
2 medium onions, finely diced 
Fresh rosemary 
Olive oil 
Sea salt & fresh pepper 
Ingredients for Sauce:
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 
3 Tbsp. grainy mustard 
Juice of a large lemon (or 2 small) 
1 Tbsp. olive oil 
2-3 Tbsp. honey 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
Salt & pepper
Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 390F. 
2. In an oven-safe skillet, sauté onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until softened (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat. 
3. In the same skillet, place potato slices on top in an even layer. 
4. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cover loosely with foil and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until soft. 
5. In the mean time, whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. 
6. Take the pan out of the oven, and place raw chicken on top of potatoes in an even layer.
7. Pour the sauce on top, making sure everything is well coated. 
8. Place a few sprigs of rosemary in the sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. 
9. Remove foil, and bake for 15 more minutes. To get a crisp, turn on your boiler for the last few minutes!

Ingredients: 
1 zucchini, cut into thin, 1/8 inch slices (about 48 slices) 
1 tablespoon malt vinegar 
1.5 teaspoons olive oil 
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 200°F.
2. Carefully toss zucchini, vinegar, and oil in a medium bowl, tossing to coat well. Let marinate for about 10 minutes.
3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and place zucchini slices in a single layer.
4. Season lightly with salt. 
5. Bake at 200°F for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until chips are crispy and lightly golden. Flip chips after the first hour. Remove from oven; cool completely.

Ingredients: 
1 cup frozen blueberries (organic if possible) 
1 cup baby spinach 
1 ripe banana 
1 cup unsweetened almond milk 
2 tablespoons old fashioned oats 
1 teaspoon matcha powder 
Directions: 
Combine everything in a blender, enjoy!

This week we’re going to eat (or drink!) something with probiotics in it every day! Say WHAT!?
You’ve probably heard about the importance of your “gut microbiome.” 
It’s a huge health buzzword. Basically, it refers to all of the beneficial microorganisms – bacteria – that live inside you and help you to digest food and keep your immune system strong. 
Having just the right balance of probiotics can have a MASSIVE impact on your health. Scientists are learning more about this every day!
The great news is that you don’t even have to take a supplement as long as you’re getting enough in your regular diet. 
These “good bacteria” help keep all the “bad” bacteria under control!
Probiotics are old news in many parts of the world, as they’ve been a regular part of the diet for centuries – foods like kimchi, unpasteurized sauerkraut, yogurt and kefir all contain probiotics.
Some other popular sources: Kombucha – Pickles – Miso – Microalgae
If you don’t like fermented foods, you can also use a supplement to boost your probiotic intake. 
Are you in for this probiotic challenge of eating at least ONE probiotic-containing food every day this week? If so, let me know in a comment

Ingredients:
4 medium heirloom tomatoes
3 medium avocados
1 bunch fresh basil
1 lemon juiced
Extra virgin olive oil
Aged balsamic vinegar 
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Directions: 
1. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Remove the peel and slice into evenly cut slices. Lightly toss avocado in lemon juice.
2. Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with salt.
3. Layer tomato slices, avocado slices, and basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients:
18 slices of regular-cut bacon 
6 eggs 
2 T chopped fresh parsley 
Sea Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 6-muffin pan with coconut oil or butter. 
2. Create a “cup” in the muffin tin by forming the bacon slices together around the sides (NOT the bottom). 
3. Crack an egg into each cavity. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking. 
4. Use a spoon to remove the muffins from the pan. 
5. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.

This week we’re going to focus on making sure you have enough BULK in your diet! That’s right, we’re going to make sure we get enough fiber EVERY SINGLE DAY! 
There are so many great reasons to eat enough fiber, but first, let’s go over the kinds of fiber.
First, there’s soluble fiber, which dissolves in water. It forms a gel-like material that helps lower your blood cholesterol and glucose levels. It’s found legumes, oats, citrus fruits, psyllium, barley, and apples.
Next, there’s insoluble fiber, which is the kind that keeps your internal plumbing humming by helping to boost your digestive system. You can find this kind of fiber in whole wheat flour, bran, beans, nuts, vegetables like cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes.
How much do you need every day? According to the Institute of Medicine, women need 25 grams of fiber daily while men need 38 grams. Most of us only get around 15 grams.
(Want to know how much fiber is in foods? Check out this Fiber-o-meter from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-fiber-meter)
Now, if you don’t eat much fiber, be careful to slowly increase the amount you get each day, so you can avoid getting gassy and feeling uncomfortable.
Also, it’s really important to make sure you drink enough water when you boost your fiber intake, because fiber absorbs water from your system.
Here are some great reasons you’ll want to make sure you get enough fiber in your diet:
Keeps your bowels moving regularly.
Reduces your risk of hemorrhoids and diverticular disease.
Lowers your cholesterol.
Controls your blood sugar levels.
Keeps you feeling full, so you are apt to eat less.
Provides “food” for the healthy bacteria living in your gut, promoting a healthy immune system.
Are you in for the FIBER challenge?? Let’s shoot for 25 grams (women) and 38 grams (for men) each day this week!

Ingredients: 
1 pound chicken wings
2 cloves garlic minced finely
2 Tbsp. Coconut Aminos
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic, ginger, honey and aminos.
2. Rinse and dry chicken wings.
3. Place in a plastic Ziploc bag.
4. Pour sauce over wings making sure everything is covered. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. 
5. Remove wings from the bag and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. (save marinade for later)
6. Bake 375˚ for 30 minutes. Brush additional marinade over wings after 15 minutes. 
7. Serve and Enjoy!
(For more variety, red chili flakes for heat!)

Have you ever gone out of town for a few days and returned home to find your houseplants a little droopy and sad? 

All it takes is a little water…. and literally within minutes, they’re like brand new plants!
Well, how do you think YOUR body feels when you don’t give it enough water?
This week, your challenge is to make sure you’re drinking the OPTIMAL level of water! For most of us, that’s about HALF your BODY WEIGHT in OUNCES every day!

(Most of us aren’t getting near this much.)
Why does this matter?
Well, our bodies are made up of about 60% water! Having our cells hydrated is critical for us to properly digest food, absorb nutrients, power your circulatory system, maintain your body temperature, and more.

Staying hydrated will also help keep energy levels high and even help you maintain a healthy body weight! Remember that plant I mentioned above, and how glum it looked? Having enough water in your system can also help reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and keep your skin looking soft and youthful. Plus, drinking water can help rid your body of toxins by helping to keep your “plumbing” in working order. 

Here’s a little-known trainer tip: If you crave carbs or sugary foods at night, that’s probably a sign you aren’t drinking enough during the day.

Need more convincing? With as little as a 1.5% drop in hydration, you can start to experience headaches, muscle cramping, bad breath, and the list goes on.

So how much do you need? If you weigh 150 pounds, then you’ll aim for 75 ounces (or a little over 9 cups) of water a day. (and this DOESN’T include the water you drink while you’re working out.)

Here are some strategies for getting enough water:
Drink water all day BEFORE you get thirsty! 
Have a big glass of water first thing in the morning
Use a fun water bottle or glass that you enjoy drinking out of! 
Flavor it with lemon, lime, mint, cucumber, or strawberries to switch it up! (nothing artificial!)

You up for the challenge!?

Ingredients: 
2 cups chopped curly kale 
1/2 tablespoon olive oil 
14 oz. can whole artichoke hearts, drained, and cut into quarters
2 small avocados 
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 
2 Tbsp. shelled hemp seeds (i.e., hemp hearts) 
1 garlic clove, minced 
1/4 teaspoon sea salt 
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sliced Veggies of your choice to dip! 
Directions: 
1. Add the kale and olive oil to a skillet over medium-low heat. 
2. Cook until kale is wilted and tender (5-6 minutes). 
3. Transfer the kale to a cutting board and chop into bite-sized pieces. Let cool. 
4. While the kale is cooling, put avocado (not pit or peel) into a food processor with the lemon juice, hemp seeds, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper. Process for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. 
5. In a bowl, combine the avocado mixture, kale, and artichoke hearts and gently mix. 
6. Transfer the dip to a serving dish and serve immediately with sliced veggies!