BIG NEWS + A new recipe!!

HAPPY SUNDAY. I feel so relieved – like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. For the entirety of my winter break, I was finishing up the material for my NASM CPT exam. I just had it yesterday, and I PASSED!!!! PHEW. I was so nervous. When the proctor told me I passed the exam, I had trouble containing my excitement and let out a brief yelp before I was reminded that this was a *quiet* testing facility!! Oops 😉

It feels fantastic to have that done and under my belt, and opens up opportunities for a job this coming semester! Speaking of this semester..it starts tomorrow. I’m not looking forward to it…but I only have two classes at school, and three online courses..so that won’t be too bad right? Hopefully not.. :p

I’ve been thinking a lot about my future lately – what do ya’ll now about the Nutrition Therapy Practitioner certification? or the Master Nutrition Therapy Practitioner cert.? (Click here for the site I’m looking at) I just feel like that type of nutrition practice is the approach I want to take on it.

Is it worthwhile for me to continue 2 more years in school to get a bachelor’s in nutrition, and end up with $30,000 more in loans, on top of the $25,000 I already have in loans? Seriously – I need a lot of opinions here people! Is it possible to build a well-paying, stable career off of the MNT certification, with the NASM CPT certification? Or is it more beneficial to get a degree? This has just recently been on my mind..so I’ve got a little while to figure that out.

On to the recipe! The other night, I was in the mood for a casserole – one that was creamy and savoury. I conjured up this tasty recipe!

Cheesy Chicken & Green Veggie Casserole (GLUTEN FREE)

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 c. broccoli florets
• 1 1/2 c. brussel sprouts, cut into 1/4s
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/2 onion (minced)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 c. milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp chevrie goat cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Fresh grated parmesean
• salt, pepper, oregano, and basil to taste
• Panko (optional, not gluten free)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut your chicken breast into small pieces. Add olive oil, garlic, and onion to a skillet – Saute until transparent. Add chicken to the pan, and cook until it is no longer pink.
2. While the chicken is cooking, you can steam your brussels and broccoli however you prefer. I steamed my  broccoli in the microwave (4 1/2 min), and boiled my brussels for about 8ish minutes.
3. When chicken is removed from heat, add all veggies and chicken to the same pot/pan and stir them up.
4. Now it’s time to makeyour ‘cheesy’ sauce. Melt your goat cheese in a small pan, and once it’s no longer thick/solid, add your milk. Stir, adding salt, pepper, oregano, and basil to taste.
5. Once it’s started to get a little warmer, add your nutritional yeast and stir til it’s mixed well. Remove from heat, and add your two eggs, whisking to blend ingredients together. (feel free to add a little bit of parm to this mixture)
6. Pour a litttle bit of your ‘cheese’ sauce into the bottom of your casserole dish, then add some of your chicken/veggies. Alternate wet & dry ingredients until casserole dish is full. Top with parmesean cheese and bread crumbs. (again, optional.)
7. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes. Enjoy! 🙂

I also decided to make these easy, tasty cookies from Kierston’s most recent Recipe Friday over on Candyfit.net. They were super tasty and satisfying! I added chocolate chips to mine 😉

 

I alsooo made homemade peanut butter cups – with dairy, nut, & soy free chocolate chips and natural peanut butter! WAY better than a reeses 😉

 

And lastly..for the laughs! I saw this on my way out of the grocery store the other day.

 

Heheh..Burpee. 😉

Have a fabulous week everyone, and good luck to all college students heading back to school this week!