On the Wagon again with Cinnamon Chicken

Hi everyone!

It's good to be back to blogging! I won't make excuses for the gap in posts, and I won't bore you with the details of the "busy" that has been part of the reason for neglecting the blog. "Busy" seems to be a chronic syndrome that affects most of us these days! So let's nod our heads in agreement and understanding and move on!

We were chatting in Pilates class the other day about leg and foot cramps, and how to help alleviate this, especially during exercise. Here are a few tips:

1) Drink enough water before, during, and after your workout to avoid electrolyte loss, which can cause cramping.

2) Be sure to get the body warm before more vigorous activity. Try 10-15 minutes of walking, or light cardio to get the whole body warm. Doing this before gentler workouts is important too! Try it before hitting the mat for Yoga or Pilates and see how much your workout improves!

3) Consider, with guidance from your health care professional or nutritionist, whether you would benefit from magnesium, potassium and calcium supplements daily, especially before exercising.

Here is a recipe I found (adapted from Chatelaine Magazine) that my whole family loves (yes, even the kids, aged 7 and 12) and it includes sweet potatoes, which are a great source of potassium to help prevent cramping - among other fabulous benefits!

Cinnamon Chicken

Chicken cutlets (we do 3 boneless, skinless breasts, and cut each into 4 strips)

Shaker of cinnamon

Shaker of garlic salt

Vegetable oil (just a touch, for the pan)

1/2 Cup chicken or vegetable broth - homemade, from a box or can, even a cube will do!

3 Cups peeled cubed sweet potatoes (if you are crushed for time, use the prepared frozen cubes!)

A green onion for garnish, or some diced red onion is nice!

Sprinkle each chicken piece liberally with cinnamon and garlic salt. Heat up your non-stick pan and add a touch of oil. Cook chicken strips 3-4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil.

Add the broth to the pan. Dump in the sweet potatoes. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes. Add the onion during the last minute. When just done, "rough-mash" the potatoes with your potato masher right in the pan, adding a bit more broth to obtain the texture you like.

Divide to plates, top with chicken! Serve with some steamed green beans or a salad to round out the meal and add some more colour.

Here is a great informational link to give you the total lowdown on the lowly sweet potato! What a powerful food! http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64

Enjoy and we'll talk soon... really!