Tonight I participated in my last TRX training class. It was a little bittersweet for me. The 10 weeks of classes totally kicked my butt on multiple occasions. I won’t miss the weeks where I couldn’t walk properly for 5 days after. However, I will miss the huge sense of accomplishment after each class was over. It was also extremely gratifying to notice progress from week to week. I realized halfway through the sessions that I no longer felt dizzy…or the urge to roundhouse kick the instructor for following up our gruelling strength training exercises with the likes of burpees.
I find being on a healthy eating plan is way easier than being on an intense exercise plan. Maybe it’s because I was never a true fan of exercising for the sake of getting in shape. As a kid, my parents decided to put me in a ton of team sports. Therefore, at a very young age, I didn’t correlate sports with actual exercise. Sports meant fun times with friends and perfecting my stick-handling and batting skills. The fact that sports were actually good for me physically was a total added bonus. But I digress…
Don’t get me wrong – clean eating, although easier, can get pretty damn boring. I am always looking for ways to add flavour and spice but not calories. This recipe is perfect. It is absolutely delicious. The amount of veggies creates a great texture, paired with a spicy (but not too spicy) sauce and fluffy quinoa…you simply cannot go wrong with this dish. I Instagramed this dish a few weeks ago and had multiple request for the recipe. So here it is!
You will need:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1-2/3 cups water
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, sliced
4 green onions chopped, save half for garnish
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup hot sauce (I used Franks Red Hot)
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
In a mesh strainer, rinse quinoa well with water and drain.
Now I’m going to share with you the secret to really fluffy quinoa.
Add your quinoa to the water when it’s at a rolling boil – not before.
Do not cover the pot completely – leave a noticeable gap to let the steam out.
Boil your quinoa on medium low heat for approximately 10-15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. You should have a slow audible simmer happening.
When the audible simmer begins to die down, uncover the pot and turn the heat up to medium and stir your almost fluffy quinoa constantly as the last remnants of water evaporate.
There you have it – crazy fluffy quinoa! Just like that.
Cover and set aside.
While your quinoa was simmering, heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil and saute your broccoli, mushrooms and red pepper for about 8-10 minutes until they have softened.
Note – you can use any veggies you wish for this dish. It’s very versatile. I happen to choose my personal favs, so please feel free to use yours!
Remove veggies from the pan and place into a bowl.
Cover with foil and set aside.
In a measuring cup or small bowl combine the olive oil, hot sauce, and cajun seasoning. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Add the chicken to the same pan as you cooked the veggies.
Cook the chicken until cooked through.
Add 1/4 cup of the buffalo sauce and cook until the chicken absorbs the sauce.
In a large bowl, mix the chicken and sautéed veggies together.
Add your carrots and cooked quinoa at this point as well.
Add as much of the olive oil/hot sauce/cajun spice dressing as desired (I ended up using all of the dressing).
Mix well
Add half your chopped green onions and mix well again.
Dish up this healthy goodness and top with remaining green onions.
This recipe is absolutely delicious and makes 5 – 6 servings. It tastes even better as leftovers!
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from: Half Baked Harvest
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1-2/3 cups water
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 4 green onions chopped, save half for garnish
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup hot sauce (I used Franks Red Hot)
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- In a mesh strainer, rinse quinoa well with water and drain.
- Add your quinoa to the water when it’s at a rolling boil – not before. Do not cover the pot completely – leave a noticeable gap to let the steam out.
- Boil your quinoa on medium low heat for approximately 10-15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. You should have a slow audible simmer happening.
- When the audible simmer begins to die down, uncover the pot and turn the heat up to medium and stir your almost fluffy quinoa constantly as the last remnants of water evaporate. Cover and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and saute your broccoli, mushrooms and red pepper for about 8-10 minutes until they have softened.
- Remove veggies from the pan and place into a bowl. Cover with foil and set aside.
- In a measuring cup or small bowl combine the olive oil, hot sauce, and Cajun seasoning. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add the chicken to the same pan as you cooked the veggies. Cook the chicken until cooked through.
- Add 1/4 cup of the buffalo sauce and cook until the chicken absorbs the sauce.
- In a large bowl, mix the chicken and sautéed veggies together. Add your carrots and cooked quinoa at this point as well.
- Add as much of the olive oil/hot sauce/Cajun spice dressing as desired (I ended up using all of the dressing). Mix well.
- Add half your chopped green onions and mix well again.
- Dish up this healthy goodness and top with remaining green onions.
- You can use any veggies you like in this dish.