Craving Chinese!

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” cubes
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp peanut oil or vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp minced ginger
¼ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Sriracha
4 cups steamed broccoli florets/ mixed vegetables

 I like my Chinese spicey so....
Optional: cayenne pepper, chili powder and crushed red pepper 

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. On the baking sheet, toss the chicken chunks with 2 Tbsp of the cornstarch. Spread out the cubes and bake until they’re cooked through, about 12 minutes.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the oil, garlic, and ginger and cook over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and Sriracha.  In a cup, whisk together the remaining 2 tsp cornstarch into 2 Tbsp water. Add that to the pan and heat until the mixture has thickened, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the cooked chicken to the pan with the sauce and toss together. Serve alongside the broccoli/ mixed vegetables and over brown rice. 

Enjoy! :) 

A weeks worth of workouts :)

Not much to say about this weeks workouts. My weight has increased on my 1 arm row and I'm able to push out more reps, so that is kind of exciting! We got some new equipment at the gym for legs and I'm very excited about that. I've been dying for them to get a hamstring curl machine, finally they have! I have definitely seen a difference in my physique within the last month and I think it's safe to say I'm getting over that plateau! (YAY! :D )

Monday:

Exercise	Wt/ Rep	Wt/Rep	Wt/Rep	Wt/Rep
Incline Fly	8lbs/15reps	8lbs/15reps	8lbs/15reps	10lbs/15reps
1 arm row	25lbs/15reps	25lbs/15reps	25lbs/15reps	30lbs/15reps
Tricep Extension	25lbs/15reps	25lbs/15reps	30lbs/15reps	30lbs/15reps
Forward Shoulder Raises	10lbs/15reps	10lbs/15reps	10lbs/15reps	10lbs/15reps

 Complete 350 calories of high intensity cardio post lift.

Tuesday:

Exercise	Wt/rep	Wt/Rep	Wt/Rep	Wt/Rep
Wide grip row	45lbs/15reps	45lbs/15reps	45lbs/15reps	45lbs/15reps
Small grip row	65lbs/15reps	65lbs/15reps	65lbs/15reps	65lbs/15reps
Cable bicep curls	15lbs/15reps	15lbs/15reps	15lbs/15reps	15lbs/15reps
Double Bicep curl	5lbs/15reps	5lbs/15reps	5lbs/15reps	5lbs/15reps

 Complete 350 calories of high intensity cardio post lift.

Wednesday: Unfortunately had to take off due to a terrible migraine that hit immediately after work. 

Thursday:

Exercise	Wt/Rep	Wt/Rep	Wt/Rep	Wt/Rep
Leg Extension	50lbs/15reps	50lbs/15reps	50lbs/15reps	50lbs/15reps
Leg Press	100lbs/15 reps	110/15reps	110/15reps	110/15reps
Hamstring Curl	15lbs/15reps	15lbs/15reps	15lbs/15reps	15lbs/15reps
Calf Raises	65lbs/15 reps	65lbs/15 reps	65lbs/15 reps	65lbs/15 reps

 My legs were so tight after this workout. It wasn't until Sunday I stopped feeling the tightness!

Friday: Incline 10
Jog  at 5.0 mph for 2 mins
Walk at 3.8 for 3 minutes
Complete until you burn 350 calories Try your very best not to stop at all. It's tough, but totally doable. You got it!

Saturday:Incline Sit ups: 12 reps
Hanging Leg Swings: 12 reps
Back Extensions:12 reps
Side Bends with 15lb dumbbell
Ab Crunch Machine: 12 reps

Repeat 6 times

Wide Grip Pull Ups: 6 reps
Small Grip Pull Ups: 6 reps
Hammer Curls:Wt: 15lbs, 12 reps (24 both arms)
Repeat 6 times

Kill the Craving Without the Guilt!

Hey guys! So I have been getting some crazy cravings for everything chocolate, therefore, I decided it was absolutely necessary to make chocolate chip cookies! However, instead of going with my initial instinct of buying the premade and prepackaged ones at Harris Teeter that are "oh so good" I decided to make the healthier choice and make my own. I have to admit, the flavor is very close to the unhealthy chocolate chip cookies we typically eat. I found the only difference I noticed was the texture, because these are made with whole wheat flour and oatmeal, they tend to taste a little more fiber-y. Then again, I guess we all could use more fiber in our diets right? Welp, here's the recipe for the cookies! Enjoy!! 
For all you fellow macro counters out there here's the stats on these puppies:

Macros:
Fat: 5g 
Carbs: 12g
Protein: 1g

Time to prepare: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes ( 2 sheets)
*Makes 30 cookies*

Ingredients:
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter; softened
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Preheat over to 350*F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray, unless you have the non-stick trays.
2) Grind oats in a blender or food processor ( I used my Nutribullet).
3) Transfer oats into medium bowl and stir in flour, baking soda and salt. 
4) beat butter in large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy/smooth. Add in oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy.
5) With the mixer running, add the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until evenly mixed.
6) Stir in chocolate chips by hand
7) Place 1 inch dough balls at least 1inch apart onto the baking sheet.
8) Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time until they are golden around the edges and golden on top. (About 15 minutes). 
9) Let the cookies sit for 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a wire rack.

Side note: You can freeze the cookies to be used at a later time. Place the cookies in an airtight container in a single layer, or separated by parchment paper to prevent sticking.  When you're ready to serve them, just take them out and let them thaw!