Crockpot Chicken Tacos

This week has proven difficult to feed my family. Most nights, I prepare our dinners, and we try to eat together. I like to make sure my kids are getting their share of vegetables and have a balanced meal.

But this week my big girls started a stroke clinic that is about 30 - 40 minutes from our house. It will only last a few weeks, but it's definitely a challenge for us. By the time we get home on those nights, it's nearly 7:00. I need a dinner that I can get on the table very quickly since they all need to be ready for bed by 8:00. 

This week we had frozen pizza (oh, the horror!), hot dogs (in my defense, I ate a veggie burger), and mac & cheese. By last night, I was ready to put some REAL food into my kids. So I went for an old favorite: chicken tacos.

I love this recipe! First, it is prepared in my crockpot. Surely you know how dearly I love my crockpot by now. Second, it's a complete meal! I don't feel like I have to prepare extra side dishes to go with it. And, finally, it's versatile. Some of us eat it in a tortilla. Some eat it with some Tostitos and a little sour cream or greek yogurt. Or, if you're like me, you can enjoy it all by itself with some fresh salsa on top.

Here's what you'll need.

First, take the chicken at put it right in the crock pot. I usually use frozen chicken, but I just happened to have some fresh chicken breasts on hand.

Next, you're going to sprinkle on some taco seasoning. I like to make my own seasoning (using a recipe I'll post below). I double or triple it and keep it in my spice cabinet in a ziplock bag so it's ready when I need it. For these chicken tacos, I use 1 Tbsp. + 1tsp. on the chicken. If you're using a packet of seasoning you'll sprinkle on about half.

Next, add your corn. I used frozen, but you could use canned corn as well.

Then, add a can of Rotel.

Finally, rinse your black beans and add them on top.

Now it's time to sprinkle on a little more taco seasoning. If you're using your own seasoning, use another 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. If you're using a packaged taco seasoning, sprinkle on the rest of the packet.

Now you get to walk away and let it cook. You can cook it about 8 - 10 hours on low or 4 - 6 hours on high. I cooked mine on high and took the chicken out of the crock pot after about 3 hours to shred it so it would be ready when we got home from swimming. Then I let it cook a few more hours. You could also shred the chicken right before you eat.

And here's the finished product. Very filling and delicious! All the kids will eat this without any weeping or gnashing of teeth, which is practically a miracle in and of itself!

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

• 4 chicken breasts (mine were pretty large, so I only used 3)
• 1 package frozen corn (or 1 can corn)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can Rotel
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or 2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. of your own seasoning)

~Place chicken in crockpot. Sprinkle with half taco seasoning. Top with corn, Rotel and beans. Sprinkle with remaining seasoning. Mix slightly and cook on low 8 - 10 hours or high 4 - 6 hours. Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks. Return chicken to pot and stir.

Taco Seasoning

• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 5 tsp. paprika
• 4-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 3 tsp. onion powder
• 3 tsp. salt
• 2-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

~Mix ingredients. Store in airtight container in a cool dry place.

Question of the Day:

What's your best tip for feeding your family when you're short on time?

The Time I Almost Ate Poop....

This morning's workout was rough! I did P90X's Back & Biceps, and I don't know if it was my poor eating from yesterday or the fact that I hadn't done this particular workout in a couple of months, but I was struggling!!! When I was finished, I attempted to put my earrings back in. I seriously could not raise my arms to my ears to put them on. I will be feeling it tomorrow!

After my workout, I decided to get caught up on some of my favorite blogs. I was reading this post about binge eating, and it really got me thinking. My sister and I have talked before about how depriving yourself of food can make things that you don't normally eat seem very appetizing.

For example, I don't like the little white powdered donuts that come in a bag at the grocery store. But when I'm counting my calories, and there is half of one left on my kid's plate I suddenly *need* that donut!

Or what about yellow and orange Starbursts? Does anyone actually like those flavors??? Even my kids reject them, but if I find one while rummaging through the "rejected candy" basket in our pantry, I will totally eat it! Why?!?!

I've been so desperate for chocolate that I once nearly ate a piece of poop that had fallen out of my child's diaper unbeknownst to me. I was certain it was a chocolate chip that had inadvertently fallen to the floor when I was baking earlier in the day. Luckily, something told me to take a whiff before I put it in my mouth.

My point is, we need to stop telling ourselves that we cannot eat certain foods. Eliminating your favorite foods from your diet altogether is a sure recipe for a binging disaster! Food is meant to be enjoyed! Eat your favorites on occasion, and don't feel guilty about it! It's probably better to eat that cookie now than to eat a 1-pound bag of peanut butter M&Ms later in your sugar-deprived delirium.

But I digress...

Following my blog reading and subsequent deep thoughts, I went to visit daughter #2 at school to eat lunch with her and bring a cookie cake to celebrate her birthday, which was yesterday (and was the origin of my poor eating reference in paragraph 1).

After lunch, it was time for another Easter egg hunt. This one was at the boy's preschool.

Then it was the usual afternoon rituals: snacks, homework, and dinner preparation. We had spaghetti tonight. Have you tried this new Hidden Veggies spaghetti?

I think it tastes great! The kids don't seem to have noticed any difference between this and their normal noodles. There is ONE serving of vegetables in every TWO servings of pasta. My kids probably eat less than one serving, so they're not even getting half a serving of veggies from the pasta, but at least it's something. Plus, it's a new product and the coupons are plentiful right now.

Question of the day:

Do you ever binge eat?