Welcome to week two bootcampers! Today's blog menu features a simple chicken main dish and a tasty side to pair with it for your a fat/carb option. On Level 1, I try to keep it simple for newbies just getting used to the foods we eat and the combos we eat them in. But this week's log is a mix of the familiar and the unfamiliar. We all know and love chicken, while the side dish may introduce some of you to another carb option that you're not familiar with: quinoa! Similar to rice, you cook it in boiling water or broth until it absorbs all the liquid. It's very pretty on the plate and definitely something to try. Check past blogs for other quinoa recipes :)

• 4 chicken breast, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt/pepper, to taste - watch the sodium! I didn't use any
• 1/4 cup chicken broth (I use Imagine brand low sodium)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened original almond milk
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard - NOT honey Dijon
• 1 tsp dried tarragon or oregano

Add oil to a large skillet and preheat over med-high heat.  Season chicken with salt/pepper.  Add chicken to skillet and saute until cooked, ~10-12 min, turning once.  Transfer to a plate and keep warm.  Pour chicken broth into hot skillet.  Whisk in milk, mustard and tarragon or oregano.  Cook and stir for ~2 min. Pour sauce over chicken and serve. I garnished with parsley for the picture! This counts as protein only and servings are based on size of chicken breasts - up to 8oz cooked. Vets on L4 - up to 4oz.

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread almonds in a pie plate and toast in oven until golden brown, 4 min; let cool. In a medium saucepan, heat oil. Add bacon and cook over moderately high heat until fat has rendered, ~2 min. Add shallot and cook, stirring a few times, until softened but not browned, ~1 min. Add quinoa, broth and sage and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until broth has been absorbed, ~17 min. Remove quinoa from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 min. Discard sage and fluff quinoa with a fork. Stir in chives, parsley and toasted almonds. Season quinoa with salt and pepper and serve. As is, this makes 2-3 carb servings (1/2c cooked quinoa is a serving). You may omit the turkey bacon to save on fat and sodium or keep in mind it will use a small part of your protein allotment. On other diet levels, you may choose to omit the almonds to make this a carb (w or w/o protein) side with no fat.

I hope you enjoy these recipes and add them to your recipe repertiore for later use! There are a lot of ways to get creative and jazz up our nutrition plan. Keep me posted on FB with the amazing tweaks and creations you come up with! Perhaps I'll post some of my fave client recipes sometime. Until next time: Feast with the familiar...feast with the UNfamiliar...and as always...FEAST ON!!!

~Coach Lauren