Fruity + Savory Chicken and Waffles

oh yeah, I went there 🙂

Raise your hand if you absolutely LOVE chicken and waffles! I was just craving it the other day, but because I’m on a healthy eating track, I had to figure out a way to make it both delicious and packed with good nutrients. Typically, when you think of your classic OG Chicken and Waffles, you don’t normally think someone would want it without breading or have fruit on top. But, trust me on this one, THIS COMBO IS THE BOM DOT COM. You can still enjoy the greatness that is your chicken and waffle combo and you can customize it to fit your health needs!

Here’s what I did to make this delicious version of the breakfast staple:

FRUITY + SAVORY CHICKEN AND WAFFLES

Prep Time – 5 minutes | Cooking Time – 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 to 2 fresh chicken tenders* (or protein of your choosing)
  • 2 toaster waffles (preferably fruity)
  • 1 cup fresh frozen mixed berries
  • 1 tbsp of pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Pre-heat one medium pan to medium heat, as well as one small pot to low heat. Pour one cup of frozen berries into the pot and let the fruit become like jam, stirring occassionally.
  2. Use cooking spray to grease the pan. Place chicken into the pan and cook each side for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165˚F. Season each side of the chicken with salt and pepper.
  3. Pour 1 tablespoon of maple syrup onto the chicken and let the excess circle the pan. Take about 1/4 of your jam-like fruit mixture and top it onto your chicken. Let this combination cook for about 2 minutes, allowing each side of the chicken to get all the flavors.
  4. Reduce the heat on the pan to a low heat and let the chicken, maple syrup, and fruit simmer.
  5. Take two toaster waffles of any fruity flavor and follow the box instructions. If you want to make a fresh batch of waffles with fruit in them, you can also follow the box and waffle iron instructions. Once the waffles are heated up and cooked, place onto a plate. Top each waffle with your sweet and fruity chicken combo. Remove the remaining fruit-jam mixture and pour equal amounts onto the waffles. Enjoy!

IMPORTANT NOTES:

I want this new adaption of chicken and waffles to be enjoyable for all diets and lifestyles! I’m trying to figure out how to make a vegan/vegetarian version that can sub out the chicken with another satisfying protein, so if you have any suggestions please let me know! Otherwise, like my previous posts, make any changes or substitutions that fit your needs and let me know how it works for you and your fellow foodies!

Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/flavorful_fit_fay/

Best of Both Worlds – Barbecue Chicken Pizza Bagel

she thicc, she yummy, she healthy

You ever have moments where you get weird AF cravings? Gurl, I get them all the time! Some days, I just throw together a meal from what I have in my pantry. Other days, I take the time to plan out what I should include in said Frankenstein meal and how I should go about cooking it.

So what I’m about to share is a recipe I concocted while I spent Easter alone in my sorority house – a combination of Barbecue Chicken Pizza and Pizza Bagels (who woulda thunk?)

BARBECUE CHICKEN PIZZA BAGEL

Prep Time – 10-15 minutes | Cooking Time – 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 chicken breast* (or protein of your choosing)
  • 1 bagel of your choice
  • ¼ cup of red onion
  • ½ cup of spinach
  • ¼ blend of cheese*
  • 1 to 2 tbsp of barbecue sauce (any kind that suits your fancy)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 425˚F. In a medium non-stick pan, cook the chicken until fully well-done. Remove from the pan and shred the breast to your liking.
  2. Using the same pan from earlier, cook the onions and spinach until soft. Add the chicken into the mixture and let the ingredients blend. Then, add 1 tbsp of the barbecue sauce to the mixture.
  3. While protein and vegetables are cooking, cut the bagel in half and place in the oven once it reaches 425˚F. Leave in the oven for about 5-10 minutes.
  4. Once your pizza topping mixture is cooked, remove the bagel halves for the oven and spread with the remaining barbecue sauce. Divide your topping mixture in half and pile onto the sauced up bagel.
  5. Sprinkle any type of cheese you want onto your pizza bagels. Now that they are ready to get all pizza-like, place your meal back into the oven. Let cook for 10 minutes.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Like the chili recipe, the ingredient list for the barbecue pizza bagels can vary based on dietary needs or whatever you choose to top it with. You can sub out the chicken and cheese with any vegetarian or vegan alternatives, and you can add on or remove any vegetables you desire. Let me know how this recipe works and what little additions/changes you tried out!

Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/flavorful_fit_fay/

MAKE IT YOUR OWN – FLATLANDER CHILI

Isn’t she beautiful? You can literally pair chili with anything (i.e. chips and guac, cornbread muffins, biscuits, ya name it)

Okay, show of hands, who has read American Gods by Neil Gaiman? Remember Laura, Shadow Moon’s dead wife? One of the memories Shadow has is when she’s making her signature chili. You’re probably wondering, Hannah, what the heck does Neil Gaiman have to do with this post?

Story time – I read the book back around the summer of 2017, right before my family and I moved neighborhoods. I wanted to make one last delicious memory in the old house, and I became inspired by this little passage about Laura Moon and her chili. So I found a recipe via Allrecipes.com, using suggestions and add-ons from other members, and I concocted my own version of Flatlander Chili. Long story short, it is a member of the Fay Family Food Hall of Fame.

Alright, enough talk. Let’s get to the recipe:

FLATLANDER CHILI

Prep Time – 15 minutes | Cooking Time – 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb ground beef/turkey or protein of choice
  • 1 lb sausage (or any animal product alternative)
  • 1 can chili beans (liquid)
  • 1 can kidney beans (liquid) – can also use black beans if needed
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 ½ cup chopped onion
  • ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
  • ¼ cup chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon brown sugar
  • ¼ cup cornmeal

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Cook ground beef and 2 sausages in two separate pans until browned. Place into crockpot. 
  2. Cook onions and green pepper until soft/golden. Place into pot.
  3. Drain chili and black beans and put into pot.
  4. Pour tomato sauce and diced tomatoes into pot.
  5. Put spices into pot and stir in between.
  6. Place brown sugar in pot and stir.
  7. Place cornmeal in pot and stir.
  8. Let boil and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stir in 20 minute intervals. Adjust temperature if need be.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

So since it’s 2019, there’s a million ways to switch out ingredients or add in new items to a recipe so that it may fit your dietary lifestyle. That’s why I indicate the meat substitution so you can still enjoy the meal while sticking to your meal plan. Also, if you have any suggestions or additions that you found worked for you, please let me know! I want this recipe to serve as a template, a slate for you to chizzle on. Let me know how you personalized your version of Flatlander Chili!

Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/flavorful_fit_fay/

About Me

Let’s Get One-On-One

So what have you heard about me that brought you here today? Is it from Instagram or through a mutual acquaintance? Maybe you found my content simply through a hashtag. Before you make any assumptions, let me break down who I am and what you’re going to see on this site:

I. LOVE. FOOD. Duh, that’s why I made this. Food has always been a major player in my life, whether through cooking a fresh meal or treating myself on the town. I’m constantly looking to try new recipes that cover almost every diet and tweak them in ways that make me satiated and happy.

I advocate for a healthy lifestyle, both physically and mentally. Now what do I mean by that? First, there’s the fitness and health aspect of it. I have struggled with body image and weight for, well, like almost all of my life, and I really only got into fitness towards the end of high school. But we’ll get into that later. Next is the part no one really sees well – what goes on inside of you. I am passionate about raising awareness for mental health, and I believe that we should be more open about the subject, since it does correlate so strongly with your physical well-being. That means allowing yourself to go for a hike, treat yo self to a milkshake or a face mask, going to that yoga class you wanted to… you get the gist.

By making this site a combo of the topics I care for deeply, I hope to bring to light a way to find balance in these areas, not just for the people that read this, but for myself the further I go with this site.

Does that help to clarify some things? Well, if you really want a better look at what it is I do, go ahead and find me on Insta or even on YouTube!