Kara

Oven Baked Fajitas

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For most of our meals, we like to eat whole foods or foods that are minimally processed. We are not a low-carb family, but we choose to eat healthy carbs and focus on mainly proteins. Finding delicious recipes that fit these criteria can be difficult! One of our favorites was from Beyond Fit Physiques http://beyondfitphysiques.com/lazy-fajitas/

From their recipe, I altered it a bit and came up with the perfect one for our family. I can promise you, it’s as good as if I was eating out at our local Mexican restaurant!

1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 TB Olive Oil
1.5 tsp chili powder (since our kids also eat this, we can’t make it too spicy)
1.5 tsp Cumin
1.5 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and Pepper
1 15 oz. can of regular Rotel
2 onions, sliced into strips
2 green peppers, sliced into strips
1 pack low carb tortillas

-Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
-Place your chicken into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
-Mix your Olive Oil with your spices in a small bowl. Pour this over your chicken breast strips and stir it all around to get the chicken coated.

-Pour your can of Rotel over the top and then add all your peppers and onions. Stir to combine well.

-Bake for 35 minutes (this will depend on the size of your chicken strips- keep an eye on it). Mine usually takes closer to 45 minutes.

While your chicken is in the oven, take out a skillet and toast your tortillas on both sides. This will make the low-carb tortillas seem a bit more like regular ones.

Here’s what your dish will look like when done baking:


We like to serve ours with a little sour cream and then wrapped in the low-carb tortilla. Delicious and filling!

One Year Ago

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One year ago, I began a journey to become “fit”. However, over the past 12 months, I didn’t do that. I learned how to become WELL. After trying many of the WRONG ways to get healthy, I finally found the right ways. I lost 19 pounds and 18 inches.

But more than that, I learned.

I learned:

That caring for my physical health enables me to be a better mom to my children, and a better wife to my husband.

That the foods that I put into my body have the power to heal or they have the power to turn me into a carb craving, angry, moody mess.

That real lasting change doesn’t come easy, or wrapped in a neat little package. Real change takes time…consistent effort and progress made in inches, not miles. There are no short-cuts and that plans, pills, and schemes that seem too good to be true…are.

That the choices we make each day affect what we will be able to do years down the road. If I want to be fit to serve those around me and to fulfill whatever ministry calling God has planned, I have to be able to physically handle it.

That “A healthy lifestyle is not about the mirror. It’s about the ONE we’re trying to mirror” Jimmy Pena

That striving to take better care of our health is Biblical, as long as we don’t allow it to become an idol or source of pride. We are called to be good stewards. As the church we really like to preach about being good stewards of our time, our talents, and our money, but we rarely talk about stewarding our health. We were bought with a price and are to honor God with our bodies (1 Cor. 6:20)

That sometimes people won’t understand why you don’t choose the same things as they do and they may not be supportive. Sometimes they will laugh about the things you’re trying to accomplish, demean you with comments to others about you, or refuse to support you. Press on anyway.

That using food to fulfill any need that I should be taking to God is a sin.

That we are called to be a “living and holy sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). Our bodies belong to God. I am not the owner, but I get to be the manager of it for a short time.

That because I’ve accepted the Holy Spirit, my body is a temple. It is not my place to abuse it. God expects me to steward my health well. We are told that one day we will give an account for how well we managed everything He gave us. I choose to apply this principle to my health, also.

That you will not suddenly be healthy. It doesn’t happen haphazardly. It is intentional. One good choice after another.

That finally becoming WELL isn’t so that I can display my physique with pride, but to use my body as an instrument of service, ready for use by God at any time. I’m not trying to gain His acceptance or favor. Because I’ve already got it, I desire to please Him in every area of my life- including the health that He has given me.

That we are each on an individual journey and must extend grace to one another. Always grace. Always love.

—–

Since I first began Wellness Witness, the Lord has done so much! He’s formed a vibrant online community called the At-Home TRIBE, helped me launch live classes, led me to speaking engagements, helped me start virtual business and health coaching, led to me getting to train up new instructors for Revelation Wellness, grown our social media influence, inspired me to write a 28-day program called Finally Free and also a meal planning/recipe resource called The Good Enough Guide to Healthy Eating, and much more.

He’s also shifted my heart.

When this journey first began, it was all about healthy eating and exercise that is Christ centered.
And that is still important to me…it is.

But it’s not my sole focus.

This community and platform has evolved quite a bit and although I still enjoy teaching you about healthy eating and movement, it’s not my main focus.

The Lord is working and shifting things in my heart and in this ministry, and I’m trying to listen and follow. Some changes are ahead for Wellness Witness and I’m excited to follow the Lord into whatever it is that He has for us!

On-The-Go Protein Bites

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NOTE: I have since updated this recipe to make it more ‘fat loss’ friendly. You can find that recipe here.

Last year I ran across a recipe by the Marathon Mom that I thought looked good. I mixed up a batch and since then we have made a double batch of these every week since then.

I’ve made some changes and tweaks to her original recipe (found at http://themarathonmom.com/granola-energy-balls.htm) to make them a little more fat-loss friendly and a little more closely aligned with our nutritional choices.

Hear me on this, just because these are a healthier option for a sweet treat does not mean that you can eat a handful of them at a time (although you will want to!).

Here is our recipe :

1 and 3/4 cup dry oats (I use quick oats, but you can use old fashioned if you’d like)
1 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened would be the best option, but if you can’t find it, use regular)
1 cup natural peanut butter (our favorite is Smuckers Natural Chunky)
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
2/3 cup honey
1 full scoop chocolate protein powder
1 TB Cocoa powder (unsweetened kind)
1 TB Chia Seeds
1 tsp Cinnamon

Mix it all together.

(NOTE: I have made this recipe 50+ times and each time it’s different. Sometimes it seems too sticky so I add more oats. Sometimes it’s too dry so I add PB or a little honey, or even a tsp of vanilla flavoring. Mixing it up can be a workout of its own at times)

Roll into balls 1″ in diameter. Usually this makes around 48 balls and we keep them in the fridge for up to 1 week (they never last that long).

These are great to pack in lunches. I send some with my daughter to Kindergarten every day and her friends have started asking her to bring some for them, too. Hope you enjoy!

*Note: I have since updated this recipe to make it more fat loss friendly. If you’d like that version, you can find it here