Lemon Chicken Bisque

WORKOUT:

3 mile run

60 min pump class

30 min additional free weights

Sometimes I like to hit up a little more free weights after pump to really target in on the muscles I want to really target in on. Pump classes are fabulous, but it is hard to squeeze in a total body workout in an hour and really nail each muscle group. Today I worked some more upper body after class including back, shoulders, biceps and triceps. 

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I have a fun new recipe for you! I apologize that I don't have a photo of the soup in a pretty little bowl itself but trust me, it both LOOKS delicious and TASTES delicious. ;) 

This is one of my Mom's favorite new recipes since implementing their new healthy lifestyle. I helped her cook up a bunch of soups and pop them in her freezer all portioned out and ready to go in a pinch. 

That is a lifesaver when sticking to a strict diet and removes so much stress!

(The Lemon Chicken Bisque is the lighter colored soup.)

 I must add while I mention them, that they weighed in today and are continuing to melt away! My Dad lost 5.2 lbs last week and Mom lost 1.8 lbs! SO proud of them!

Their journey continues but I keep getting more and more excited about seeing their final results!

Lemon Chicken Bisque

7 Cups Chicken Broth

1 tsp Chicken Bouillon

3/4 Cup Brown Rice

1 Cup Diced Carrot

2 Diced Celery Stalks

1/2 Large Onion Diced

1.5 lbs Cooked Diced Chicken

2 TB Flour

3 Beaten Eggs

5 TB Lemon Juice

2 Cups Corn

1/2 Cup Chopped Green Onions

Salt & Pepper

Saute onions, carrot and celery in lightly sprayed pan with salt & pepper. Add broth, rice, bouillon and bring to boil. Cook until rice is done. Mix a little water with the 2 TB of flour and pour in soup stirring quickly to thicken. Then add beaten eggs stirring quickly as well to avoid cooking them into large pieces. Add chicken, lemon juice, corn and green onions. Taste and add more s&p as desired.

I hope you love it! I love the lemon... it's so refreshing!
It's a fabulous recipe to cook up a bunch of and put in in some tupperware for meals on the go!

This recipe makes 7 servings and has GREAT nutrition stats!

1 Serving: 305 Calories, 7 grams of fat, 26 grams of carbs and a grand 35 grams of protein!
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Do you have a favorite healthy soup recipe you want to share with me???
I LOVE new recipes! Just remember that I am the NO dairy queen over here. ;)

Annapolis

WORKOUT:

3 mile run

45 min spin class

3 mile run

Feeling lazy sauce this morning, I knew I just had to get myself INTO the gym and then I would get my butt in gear. Getting into the car I told myself I would just do 30 mins of lazy elliptical and call it a day  if I wasn't feeling it. It's crazy how motivated you get just being in the gym though. Nothing against working out at home or doing videos etc, but I ALWAYS work and push myself harder when I am around others and in a class situation.

The last thing that sounded appealing to me was running today, but once I got going it felt really great. Like always. ;) 

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A great perk to staying with family was that I had a kitchen on hand to make healthy meals and save on the cash. Just grabbing a few pantry staples made it really easy to keep my nutrition in check and feel great during the trip. 

I think one of the reasons we all get so messed up and feel icky after we travel is the poor eating choices we end up making. Eating out a lot and usually eating greasier and more processed foods. Airplane trips are the worst if you don't bring your own snacks, at least for me. I hate the feeling of being dehydrated and when you have had nothing to eat all day except dry packaged carbs. Yuck!

Homemade salads are super cheap and easy to whip up! I threw together lettuce, celery, tomato, sweet peas and a pouch of the Sunkist Yellow Fin Tuna and it was delish! You don't even need salad dressing because the tuna was packed in olive oil. Perf! I paired mine with the can of Amy's Organic Lentil Soup, pictured above, and it hit the spot.

Those tuna packs are GREAT to travel with on planes and car rides too. I took one with me on the plane ride home and cooked a yam ahead of time and brought it too. Maybe a yam topped with tuna and olive oil is weird to you, but I thought it was great. Actually a real meal of some sorts full of good protein instead of eating biscotti cookies and peanuts for dinner.

Ben was super excited to hit up Annapolis (the Naval Academy) while we were out there. I am not sure whether he was more excited about seeing the school, or just picking out movie scenes from the actual MOVIE Annapolis. He kept asking where the boxing ring was, so.....

Either way we got to enjoy the beautiful harbor and a really pretty campus.

Ben always tells me that there are lots of perks to being in the military, I am still yet to learn what those all exactly are... besides a 10% discount at Home Depot and maybe using my military ID if I get pulled over for a speeding ticket. Hey, maybe it will help!

So the fact that I got to show it to get on campus made me feel like I was actually getting some use out of it. ;)

I think I embarrass Ben a lot. I had no idea why Ben would be embarrassed to take this photo of me. Ha.

This is what Ben will be wearing basically everyday for the next 4 years of our life starting next year. Maybe he considers that one of those "military perks." Saving money of work clothes. Hmm... he is going to have to be a little more creative than that. ;)

The boys were craving ice cream so they stopped for a treat while I drooled over the chocolates and fudge.

Even though I can't enjoy it, for some reason I am always involved in deciding what Ben orders for his ice cream or shakes. He has a hard time deciding, probably because he just wants them all. It's important to make the right choice okay!

And he did. Blueberry Crumble in a waffle cup.

Nephew Oliver was always fascinated with the random snacks I would pull out of my bag and munch on. I have never seen a kid so enamored by celery bites, carrots and almonds. He thought it was hilarious though and would crack up when I would give him a piece of celery! I'm telling you, he was loving it!

Not gonna lie, that is the second time a kid has stalked me for my celery. Earlier this summer we were walking to church and I was munching on celery and this little girl walks up to me and says, "Whatcha got!" In a really cute voice mind you. I responded it was celery and I figured that would be the end of it, surely she wouldn't be interested anymore. Then she said, "I want some..." and then started following me down the street! Her mom called her back and then the girl totally started crying and throwing a little tantrum. So sad! I didn't reason I was going to look like such a meanie! I totally would have given her a piece but I was sniffing and sneezing so much from allergies that day, I don't think her mother would have appriciated the "sick lady" giving her food. So crazy right?!

I guess it is all about the presentation right?