Creamy Chicken Pesto Primavera

I cooked up something WONDERFUL with these veggies!

We have a new favorite chicken dinner!  And it's called Creamy Chicken Pesto Primavera! Sans pasta - I promise you won't even miss the pasta!  Not one little bit!  I spotted this on the 'Low Carbing with Friends' facebook page and decided to give it a try, and boy are our taste buds glad I did!  You have to try this!

Go ahead and make your grocery list, right now, with these ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup basil pesto (I bought a jar, but you can make your own)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb boneless chicken, cut into strips (I bought tenderloins)
1/4 large bunch of broccoli, including stalks, cut into florets (I used the whole bunch and did not include the stalks)
2 small green zucchini, cut into half moons (I used one large, wished I'd have used two large)
1 bunch of asparagus cut into 1 1/2 inch sticks
1/2 cup of real bacon bits
1 cup of parmesan cheese
16 leaves fresh basil, whole or hand torn
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

NOTE: Have everything prepared and ready to go, because this is done quickly with a very hot pan.  You can do two pans at the same time or in two quick batches, which is how I did it.

- In bowl, mix together your pesto and whipping cream, set aside. 

- Since olive oil burns quickly when it's added to a hot pan, go ahead and toss your chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

- Heat a large saute pan over high heat.

- Sprinkle you chicken around the bottom of the hot pan and let it sear and get nice and golden on one side. Do not crowd the pan.  Drizzle any extra oil from the chicken bowl into the pan.

- Add broccoli and toss together with the chicken.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper.  Cook for about one minute.

- Add zucchini half moons to the pan and toss.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper.  Cook for about one minute.

- Add asparagus to the pan and toss.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper.  Cook for about two minutes.

- Add bacon bits to the pan and cook for about one minute.

- Pour pesto cream sauce into the pan and swirl all the ingredients together.  When the cream sauce begins to noticeably thicken, about one to two minutes, dust the pan with the grated parmesan cheese and toss the ingredients together.

- Serve topped with fresh basil leaves.

It is fantastic!!!!! My youngest and I competed for the last lunch leftovers!

For the full recipe info click here:
www.djfoodie.com/chicken-green-things

Hope you enjoy as much as we did!  

Much love from,
Team Gage

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The YOLO Mindset

YOLO has been a popular saying among our youth.  I recently heard on the radio that "YOLO" was ranked #1 . . .

...in a list of the 'Top 10 Most Annoying Slang Words'. For those of you unfamiliar with this slang word/acronym, it simply means: You Only Live Once.  Basically the premise behind the "YOLO" mindset is an attitude of: "If it feels good just do it", or "who cares, why not".

So, I would say, "Since you only live once, so let's go for it"! Which isn't necessarily a bad modus operandi. Now, hear me out . . . It's true, we only live once, so why wouldn't we go for it? By "going for it" I mean to live in a way that is pleasing to The Lord by truly being a difference maker.  

Live in a way each day as to make a difference for your life and for others in eternity.  In the BIG things and the little things . . . in everything!  We want to challenge you to DEFINITELY live with the YOLO mentality, but with a Godly mission and purpose.  Just be a Blessing!

I saw a t-shirt once that said "YOLO, but what will happen After you Die?" Hmmm, there's some food for thought and some purpose for our mission.

"And as it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgement:  So Christ was offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin  unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:27-28)

I recently posted on our Team Gage facebook page:

We all have a limited amount of time with which to honor God. What if today, we started living and "doing" with the mindset of this, "Everything I do today is somehow connected to life in eternity, so I'm going to do it well, praying it's pleasing to Him."

Colossians 3:17 tells us:

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

YOLO,
Team Gage

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A Simple Recipe

One of our goals with our blog is to post a simple Team Gage family favorite . . .

... recipe at least a couple of times a month.  This one is actually a very new favorite. We are trying to eat better as we make and meet our health and weight goals. And while we are all feeling great taking our customized supplements via ID Nutrition, we also are making better choices about the meals we eat. 

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/25795338/southwest-chicken-salad

Ingredients

2 lbs Chicken Breast and Thigh combo, roasted w/ salt & pepper, cut in ¾ in dice

1 C cooked black beans

3/4 C diced red onions

1 cups of salsa

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped fine

2 avocados, ½ inch dice

the juice and zest of 1 lime

salt and pepper to taste

Combine with all of the ingredients listed and salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

We have made this chicken salad a couple of times to take to baseball tournaments. It's a non-mayo salad which makes it easier to toss into our cooler without the worry of, "Is it cold enough in there?"  We have done this recipe with a rotisserie chicken and have even omitted the onion and cilantro, since our homemade salsa (stay tuned for how we make salsa the simple homemade way) had plenty! 

This recipe can be adapted in many different ways! Use your imagination.  Do something simple for your health today. Treat your body well so you can feel good and do more activities that you delight in!

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 KJV)

Much Love from, 

Team Gage

(If you'd like more information about IDLife go to: www.scottygage.idlife.com ; or www.clgage.idlife.com ; or send us an email at teamgage28@gmail.com)