Hey Chicks, At FIT CHICKS Academy we love seeing the creativity and hard work of our Fitness & Nutrition Expert Program (FNE) students and grads. Today we are pumped to share this recipe for you from recently Certified Fitness & Nutrition Expert Lisa West! Lisa created this recipe for one of the assignments in the Nutrition Module of the FNE program! We are excited to introduce Lisa and her creation!
Hi, My name is Lisa West, I graduated from the FNE Fitness & Nutrition program in October 2019. My background prior to starting the FNE program is in nursing. I’ve been a nurse for the last 6 years. My passion is helping, giving back to those in need and always provide guidance and showing compassion.
Up until July of 2017 my health and fitness were not the best. My health was going in a downward spiral. It was then that I made the decision to take control of my health and had Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery, called VSG (Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy). I made this decision for a few reasons: first and foremost I needed to get my health back on track, second; I wanted to look and feel good about myself again, third and certainly not least, I wanted to be around longer for my family and enjoy living my best life with them, instead of always missing out on activities with them.
After I had VSG I did a lot of self-educating on nutrition and became part of the workout community, I fell in love with both. As mentioned my passion is to give back and show compassion to others. I decided to take the FNE program to further my education in fitness & nutrition even more so that I could pay it forward to others in the bariatric community. What I learned over the course of my own journey is that the process can be very overwhelming, lonely and confusing at times. All too often clients are wishing, hoping and looking for someone to trust, give them good guidance and education.
Since completing the FNE program I’ve been working on setting up a website for online bootcamps, education for the various stages of nutrition after bariatric surgery. I’m also in the process of setting up a blog related to the bariatric community. This will allow pre-op & post-op clients to ask any questions they have about the process and the different stages before and after surgery. Eventually I would like to branch out into the community with a physical location for classes, bootcamps, PT, etc.
Although I am primarily focused on the Bariatric Weight Loss Community, I will also be available to help others on their weight loss journey with the additional education I’ve learned from the FNE program.
What has changed for me since completing the program is my passion. The passion for a new healthy lifestyle both with fitness and nutrition, that I never thought I could ever enjoy. On occasion I’ve been told that I’m an inspiration to others that have gone on to either have the weight loss surgery or simply change their lifestyle to a healthier one. I never had someone tell me I inspired them before. It’s both humbling and rewarding to me that I have touched someone in such a positive way because of my own passions.
My overall goal is to give back, show compassion, share as much knowledge and experiences with those on a similar journey as me.
I would like to thank the FNE community for helping me make my passion for helping others with their healthy journey a reality. This is a great program to be a part of. I hope you like the follow recipe as much as my family and I do. Enjoy!
Chicken and Bean Slow Cooker Chili
I love this recipe as a “ready when you get home” meal option. Before I leave for work in the morning I set the slow cooker and go. As a mom, knowing there will be a nice hot cooked meal for my family at the end of the day is one less thing to worry about doing when I get home from a long work day. Everyone that loves taco night will enjoy this as an alternative. This recipe is versatile to suit the taste buds for all family members. A little spice for those who like it hot and the coolness of the sour cream on top to take the edge off the heat. It can also be altered for those picky members by replacing an ingredient with something they will enjoy. Have fun with this recipe, make it your own and play around with other ideas. Enjoy!
PREP TIME: 20 min
COOKING TIME: 4 hrs on high or 8 hrs on low.
TOTAL TIME: 4 hrs 20 min on high or 8 hrs 20 min on low.
TOTAL SERVINGS: 8 ( ½ cup each)
TOTAL CALORIES PER SERVING: 167
MACRONUTRIENT BREAKDOWN PER SERVING:
Protein = 15g
Carbs = 14g
Fibre = 4g
Fats = 5g
Sugars = 2g
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground chicken
1 16oz can diced tomatoes (w/green chili peppers, optional) – DO NOT RINSE
1 pkt taco seasoning (low sodium)
1 15oz can black beans (low sodium) – rinsed
1 sm yellow onion (diced)
1 15oz can red beans (low sodium) – rinsed
Toppings:
Sour Cream (1 tbsp)
Taco Seasoned Shredded Cheese (1 tbsp)
Salsa (1 tbsp)
DIRECTIONS:
- Cook the ground chicken on medium to high heat until no longer pink. DO NOT DRAIN.
- Dice the onion, set aside
- Drain and rinse the beans, set aside
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
- Cook on low for 4 hours or cook on high for 8 hours.
- Serve and add toppings as desired
TIPS TO ALTER IN LIEU OF A DIETARY RESTRICTION:
Ground Chicken can be replaced with Tofu for a vegetarian alternative.
Beans can be replaced with corn, peas, carrots, etc. The choices are endless. Alter to your taste buds desire.
TIPS TO SUB AN INGREDIENT TO ALTER THE RECIPE:
For those not interested in too much added spice, the diced tomatoes can be found without the chili pepper in it. This recipe is very versatile to cater to anyone’s palette. Play around with ingredients to see what flavors you like best in this recipe. The options are endless. Be sure you track and alter the recipe ingredients in a tracker (like myfitnesspal.com) to adjust your macros / nutritional values.
ADDITIONAL NOTES: The following are some serving options I’ve tried with the chili and love.
Zucchini boats – hollow out halved zucchinis and serve chili on top
Squash boats – this option is endless. Such as Acorn squash, yellow squash, spaghetti squash, pumpkin and many more options. When choosing a squash use half of the smallest one as your serving bowl.
Rice – brown is best but any type you desire, serve chili on top of it
Salad – any salad mixture you desire, serve chile on top of it
Add toppings as desired – some listed above but use your taste buds as your guide. Avocado / guacamole, cilantro, etc.
Thanks for sharing Lisa!
PS Do you want get CERTIFIED as a Fitness & Nutrition Expert? Download our program brochure here and learn how you start to create your dream life, health & career!
