Recipe: Easy and Flavorful Fall White Chicken Chili

Need a hearty fall recipe? Try this super easy one using some of the most common staple items that are probably already in your pantry and fridge!

Utensils:

Slow cooker

Ladle / large spoon for stirring

Ingredients:

1 brick of chicken broth

1 can / 1-2 cups of garbanzo beans

1 lb. chicken breasts or tenderloins

1/2 stick of cream cheese

1/2 jar of green chili salsa

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional ingredients: diced garlic or onion

Steps:

1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker on low for 5-6 hours (or on high for 3-4 hours); the longer you let it simmer, the more the flavors come together!

2. Stir the ingredients occasionally to help mix them together. If the chili is too thick, add some additional water or chicken broth. If it’s too thin, add some flour to thicken it. Pull the chicken apart (it should naturally come apart as it cooks). Season with salt and pepper as desired.

3. Garnish with shredded cheese, scallions, or corn. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers. Enjoy!

Seasons of consumption: Fall and winter

First image above: Shutterstock

© 2020 Melanie Glover. All rights reserved.

Quick Full Body At Home Workout

Need a quick burn before you jump on those conference calls for the day? I know I do! Here’s a twist on one of our favorite and most popular workouts that incorporates biceps, chest, and triceps. It’s a quick full body routine that offers both upper and lower half movements to help your entire body feel energized and firm for the rest of the day. Make sure you move quickly between each exercise to keep your heart rate up and push yourself to complete the workout in 30 minutes.

Equipment: Kettlebell and medium-weight dumbbells

Length of workout: About 30 minutes

Warm up:  Complete 20 kettlebell swings

Upper half work:  Complete three sets of 15-20 repetitions of each exercise

Chest press

Bicep hammer curl

Tricep overhead extension

Crunches:  30 repetitions

Bottom half work: Complete three sets of 15-20 repetitions each

Curtsy lunge (15-20 repetitions each leg) with kettlebell in hand

Squat-dead lift combination with kettlebell in hand

Stationary single leg lunge (15-20 repetitions each leg) with overhead shoulder press (the single arm that presses up is the one on the side of the stationary, supporting leg; press up to work the shoulder at the same time that you rise up from the lunge)

Bonus: End with 25 chest pullovers. Don’t forget to tighten your core during this move to maximize your upper half work!

Looking for more at home workouts? Head on over to our SHOP tab, and purchase a week’s worth of customized workout routines for yourself or as a gift for a family member or friend. Stay active and healthy, everyone!

First image above: Shutterstock.

© 2020 Balanza and Beyond, LLC. All rights reserved.

Simple Three Ingredient Pico de Gallo Recipe

It doesn’t get simpler than this! Need a quick condiment to accompany tacos, nachos, or just your basic bowl of tortilla chips? Try this easy pico de gallo recipe, and get snacking!

Ingredients:

One lime

One tomato

One onion

Utensils:

Chef’s knife

Cutting board

Zester / grater

Peeler

Bowl

Stirring spoon

Instructions:

(1) Wash and dry all produce.

(2) Peel the onion, and chop up about two to three tablespoons of onion using the chef’s knife and cutting board. Place the chopped onion in the bowl.

(3) Cut the entire tomato into bite-size pieces, and place into the bowl.

(4) Zest the lime, and combine the zest with the tomato and onion in the bowl. Cut the lime in half, and squeeze the lime juice into the bowl.

(5) Stir thoroughly, season with salt and pepper if you’d like, and enjoy!

Option: Add cilantro for extra flavor!

First image above: Shutterstock.

© 2020 Balanza and Beyond, LLC. All rights reserved.

At Home Workout: Six Exercise Ideas to Keep Your Body Moving

I really don’t like working out at home — I find it both restrictive and boring. But given the recent health concerns both in the U.S. and globally, we’ve got to make the most of the circumstances we’ve got. Here are my best tips for making the most of at home exercise.

(1) Engage in mindful movement. Our muscles can get tight from sitting and standing for too long. If any muscle is cramping or feels tight, begin with a few stretches to warm up the muscle. Then, grab some light weight to get the muscle moving, or engage in body weight exercises with that particular muscle. For example, for tight hamstrings, I start by standing with my feet hip-width apart anywhere in my home and stretch slowly a few times by bending forward while keeping my legs straight. Then, I complete a series of (low) weighted dead lifts to keep the blood flowing. Moving cramping or sore muscles tends to help them feel better afterwards. You could also ask your partner or family member to stretch you out! Pay attention to sore muscles, and ease their pain with slow, mindful movement.

(2) Walk outside. Self explanatory. When the weather permits, find a new (or old) trail, park, or area of town to explore.

(3) Explore apps. Beach Body and Les Mills have a plethora of on-demand workouts that I find to be both mentally engaging and physically challenging. Down Dog HIIT is a new app I’ve tried that also gets the job done through customizable workouts for any fitness level.

(4) Get creative with dumbbells. Invest in a light and medium weight dumbbells, and over time you’ll be glad you did. Dumbbell use can grow dull, but they’re a good option to have if you’ve got to make a workout at home work for you. Think beyond traditional bicep curls, and use dumbbells for cardio and other unique weighted movements like dumbbell swings, sumo squats, pulsing jump lunges, or wood chopping movements.

(5) Invest in resistance bands. When dumbbells get boring, switch to resistance bands. I recommend investing in bands of different resistance for added creativity. Add dumbbells to your resistance band workouts for additional mental and physical stimulation.

(6) Combine movements. Combining two or three exercises into one really gets the brain thinking and increases your heart rate. See how many moves you can combine into one!

Leave us a comment — what’s your favorite at home workout?

All opinions are my own, and I received no compensation for expressing them.

First image above: Shutterstock.

© 2020 Balanza and Beyond, LLC. All rights reserved.

At Home Full Body Compound Movement Workout

Stuck at home and can’t make it to the gym? Try this quick workout that combines compound movements to get your heart rate up while working several different muscle groups. I love creative workouts that combine variety and sweat, and compound movements accomplish both!

Equipment needed: light- or medium-weighted dumbbells, a 20-25 pound kettle bell, and a resistance band (as pictured).

Move 1: Lateral shoulder raise into a bicep curl with backward-stepping lunge

Start in a standing position with light to medium weighted dumbbells. Proceed into a lateral shoulder raise by extending the arms out. As you lower the arms after the raise, perform a bicep curl as you step back into a lunge (curling and lunging at the same time). Complete 10-12 repetitions (each leg) for three sets.

Move 2: Dead lift and squat with kettle bell

Grab your heaviest kettle bell, and get ready to sweat! Stand with feet hip-width apart with the kettle bell hanging in front of you. Proceed into a dead lift by allowing the kettle bell to slowly reach the ground. When you come back up, reset your posture at the top. Adjusting your feet as needed and as is comfortable for you, then perform a squat with the kettle bell still hanging in front of you. Complete 12-15 repetitions of this dead lift-squat combination for a total of three leg-burning sets.

Move 3: Lying skull crusher into a sit up with a shoulder press at the top

Start by lying on the floor with a set of light-weighted dumbbells in each hand. Perform a skull crusher / lying tricep extension. When the dumbbells are extended over your face, sit up with the weights and push them upward and overhead at the top into a shoulder press. Use the momentum from the sit up in this exercise to really get your heart rate up! Perform 12-15 repetitions of this compound movement exercise for a total of three sets.

Move 4: Regular sit up with hip bridge into a pulsing hip opener

To prepare for this move, place your resistance band around your legs at about your quadriceps. Lie down, and perform a regular sit up. When you drop your upper half back on the floor, reset and raise your hips performing a glute bridge. Before letting your glutes come back down, open up the hips by pulsing twice at the top while holding the glute bridge. The resistance from the band should really make this one burn! Complete 12-15 repetitions of this combination move for three sets.

We want to know — what’s your favorite compound exercise?

First image above: Shutterstock.

© 2020 Balanza and Beyond, LLC. All rights reserved.