Florida Chicken

As my Word of the Year for 2011 is WELLNESS, I thought I would share a few thoughts about what that means to me.

Wellness = Balance, in all areas of your life.
Wellness means putting our own well being at an equal level to your family’s.
Wellness is figuring out what is REALLY important, and what is just distraction.
Wellness is living simply.
Wellness is sharing-yourself, your stuff, your abundance, your beingness.
Wellness is prioritizing.
Wellness is love–for yourself, for others, for the planet.
Wellness is activity and stillness…and knowing that there is a time for both.

What does wellness mean for you?

Dinner tonight was a bit of a crap shoot–2 new recipes, sometimes I think my family must feel like guinea pigs…
Both recipes turned out GREAT!  Here they are!

“Florida Chicken” for the crock pot.  (adapted from Slow Cooker Meals, by)
1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter
5-6 pieces of Bone in Chicken legs and/or thighs (because they are cheap!) 
1 1/4 cup orange juice
1tbsp combination of orange and lemon zest
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp crushed red chili
1 tbsp sugar

3tbsp cornstarch, 3 tbsp water


Dry chicken pieces with a paper towel or napkin and Brown evenly on all sides in a hot frying pan with butter/oil.  Place in the bottom of a crock pot (in one layer if possible). 
Mix orange juice, zest, soy sauce, chili’s and sugar.  Pour over chicken and cook covered on high for 3-4 hours.  (low 6-8 hours)
At mealtime, remove chicken to a plate.  Combine cornstarch/water and add to the hot liquid in the crock pot.  Stir until it begins to thicken…mmm yummy gravy!


Coconut Rice and Beans
(I can’t believe I didn’t know how easy this was before today–this is a life changing recipe for sure!! 🙂
1 cup long grain white rice 
1 cup water
1 cup coconut milk
1 can drained kidney beans (you could also use black beans or romano beans)

Combine and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer, cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes (until all the liquid is absorbed.)  Add drained beans and toss to combine.
Top with snipped cilantro if you like.

(this dish was equally good with the gravy as without and Madeleine requested the leftovers for her lunch tomorrow!  definitely  a keeper!!)

Enjoy!