Author archive: lauren

Tone up Your Arms this May! The beach is “this” way!

MAY-NUTRITION SUMMARY

Are you tired of following the most recently publicized diet trends and not getting lasting results?

First there was the Master Cleans, then Atkins, then South Beach, then Yosh…..I have watched many of my clients try diet fad after diet fad and it has always lead to the same result; they feel great for 2 weeks. Then, their eating returns to normal, the body-fat immediately goes back up, and they are left researching the newest “health craze.”

One problem I have with fad-diets is that they are based on the assumption that every body reacts the same to various foods. This assumption couldn’t be any farther from the truth.

The second issue I have regarding popular diets is that they focus too much on making quick and short-term changes to your eating and these temporary changes will only lead to temporary results. In order to achieve life-long fitness goals, it is important that we slowly establish life-long habits (rather than quick-fixes) to support these goals.

As a Sports and Exercise Nutrition Specialist, I have discovered that specific body types require more and less of specific food groups in order to achieve and maintain long-lasting results.

This May, I want to focus on eating right for your body type. Whether you are overweight, underweight, too muscular, or not muscular enough, I will provide you with nutrition tips specific to your body type that will help you to successfully achieve and maintain your life-long fitness goals.

MAY-EXERCISE SUMMARY

While focusing on eating right for our body type and leaning-up for bikini season , I also want to invite you to my summer “gun-show.” It’s getting hot and it’s time to reveal your arms!I am looking out for you and that’s why I decided to make arms the focal point of this May’s exercise blogs.

Stay tuned this May to learn 4 new arm exercises that can easily be performed from your living room…. or anywhere you may be traveling to.

“Which way to the beach?”

This way! Stay tuned this May!

Protein-Stuffed Bell Peppers

I love this recipe because it is gluten free, easy to make, can prep up to 5 easy-to-pack meals for your work-week, and because you can add or subtract almost any ingredient and still make a delicious dish!

Here is tonight’s recipe:

Ingredients

• 5 bell peppers
• 1 lb 96/4% lean ground beef OR 99/1% lean ground turkey
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 12 oz-16 oz of raw spinach
• 1/2 Can of any beans ( I prefer black beans, kidney beans, or white kidney beans)
• 10 tbs Tomato-less corn chili salsa (Trader Joe’s)
• 1 Cup LITE Shredded 3 cheese blend (Trader Joe’s)

Method

• Line a pyrex dish with aluminum foil.
• Cut the tops off from 5 bell peppers (any color) and remove seeds. Bake peppers on top of aluminum foil for 20 minutes over 375 degrees. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Using non-stick cooking spray or olive oil, saute onions over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes.
• Add raw ground beef or turkey. Chop beef finely, using spatula, as it cooks. Continue to stir beef or turkey and onions until the meat is almost entirely cooked through.
• I added the following spices, to taste: black pepper, paprika, red chile pepper, cayenne
• Add raw spinach. Slowly stir into mixture for 1-2 minutes, until soft.
• Add beans and tomato-less corn chili salsa. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Turn stove to “off position.” Add cheese and stir until the dish appears “sticky.”
• Stuff the 5 hollowed-out peppers with the sauteed mixture. If peppers have been cooling for a long time, then reheat them (after being stuffed) at 375-400 degrees for 5 minutes
• Enjoy your high protein, low carb muscle fuel!

Stay fit, stay happy, and stay healthy!

-Lauren

My 5 fundamental tips for advanced food preparation and weight loss success

Achieving weight loss is just like achieving everything else in life: success requires planning. Most of the time, life gets busier than we expect it to, so it is important that we always have healthy snacks on hand. Most days, we get home from work and feel starving. Our first instinct is to grab whatever we can to fulfill our hunger and those things we grab for are usually the most calorie dense foods that do not support our weight loss efforts.

It is important to have healthy food ready when we need it. Chances are, that if you have spent time shopping, preparing, cooking, and cleaning up in order to prepare your meals in advanced, then you will be less likely to let these foods go to waste and more likely to pack your own lunches.

Here are my 5 fundamental tips for advanced food preparation and weight loss success:

1) Make shakes

Every day I leave my house with one scoop of protein powder in a “blender bottle” and a second serving of protein powder in a small Tupperware or zip-lock bag. When it’s time for a snack, all I have to do is add 1 cup of water and shake! Each shake can hold down my hunger for 1.5-2.5 hours.

I know I need to have 4+ servings of protein every day in order to maintain the physique I have worked so hard for in the gym. If my day ends up being longer than I expect it to, then I always have a back-up serving of protein powder. It’s easy to carry in my purse and gym bag…I even store a few servings in my car for those episodes of unexpected traffic.

To order your Blender Bottle, visit my online store.

2) Pre-chop your veggies for the week

Vegetables are full of important nutrients, fiber, and water. Many of these nutrients are powerful fuel sources for my frequent exercise bouts. Fiber slows digestion, leaves me feeling satiated for longer periods of time than other foods, and makes it hard for me to want to overeat. Water-rich veggies are also vital for detoxifying the body and hydrating muscles, leading more effectively to strength gains and muscular development.

I know that I need 5-10 servings of veggies per day to keep my body in optimal shape. That may seem like a lot of chopping, chewing, and cooking, but it doesn’t have to be! I try to select veggies that taste great raw or cooked. My favorites are bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, and cucumber. All I do is chose 2 days a week to chop up 32 cups (about 6 lbs of fresh veggies) and then I store them in the fridge in separate tupper-ware containers. When it comes time to eat, I just steam, saute, roast, or enjoy raw 6-8 oz (1-3 cups) of my favorite veggies with 4 oz of lean meat.

1 Serving of veggies=

• 1 cup OR 3-4 Oz raw/chopped nutrient-dense greens such as broccoli, Brussels, asparagus, green beans, zucchini, etc.
• 2 cups OR 3 Oz raw nutrient-dense leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or arugula (romaine and ice berg lettuces are not nutrient dense)
• In order to take in 8 servings of veggies/day, I enjoy 2-3 servings during 3 meals every day

3) Grill/bake/or crock-pot your meat for the work week

I doubt anyone enjoys cooking or cleaning up after every meal, so I have learned to be time-efficient by preparing 4 days of meat at a time. I usually have 2 servings of meat every day and each serving weighs about 4 oz. once cooked. On Sundays and Wednesdays I cook up 24 chicken breast tenders using my George Forman Grill or my crock-pot. 3 tenders usually ends up weighing about 4 oz (1 serving for females).

I pack a lunch for work with 4 oz of meat and 6-8 oz of veggies. I have something similar for dinner. It’s so easy and I never have to think about what I am going to eat!

I recommend experimenting with spices in order to turn normally bland-tasting foods into gourmet meals. My favorite spices right now for sautéing and baking veggies are Curry Powder with ground Cumin or garlic powder with black pepper. My favorite dressings are balsamic vinegar or Trader Joe’s low fat cilantro dressing (available in refrigerator section).

4) The Breakfast ritual

I know we have all heard this one forever, but breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day! If you are like me, then you just don’t feel hungry in the morning. The problem is that by the time we do feel hungry, we are often starving and end up “fixing” this by eating the wrong foods and way too much of them.

I have learned to force down my breakfast because I know that it is the jump-start that my metabolism needs for the day and it decreased the chances that I will grab for the quickest and easiest bite when hunger sets in during my work hours.

We all want to maximize our sleep and I have heard too many times the “I just don’t have time for breakfast” line. I once used this excuse too.

Now I eat breakfast every morning right before I leave my house for work. I make time for breakfast by selecting an easy meal and preparing it the night before. For example, I have been on a protein pancake kick for over 2 months now (see my blog for the recipe). The recipe makes 2 servings, so I prepare 2 days worth of breakfasts every other day. The recipe only requires 4 ingredients. It takes me less than 5 minutes to cook the pancakes and if I am running late, then it is easy to eat them while on my way to work.

When I run out of batter every other day, I simply prepare my next batter while my breakfast is cooking on the stove-top.

5) The Sunday & Wednesday Ritual

Weight loss requires planning. Unlike most, I begin my work-week on Sundays. With 6 days of solid work to look forward to, it is very important for me to minimize my stress by planning ahead. That includes having healthy food options readily available at all times, so that I can focus on dealing with everything else, instead of focusing on what I am going to eat for my next meal.

On Sundays and Wednesdays, I hit Trader Joe’s with my grocery list:

• 2 lbs of lean meat
• 6 lbs (96 oz) fresh veggies (enough veggies for 4 days)
• 4 servings of fresh fruit (1 serving per day: 1 banana, 1 apple, 1 orange, or 1 cup melon or berries)
• Every 2-3 weeks: 1 bag of unsalted raw or roasted nuts (I prefer walnuts because they are higher in Omega 3’s than other nuts and I don’t eat much fish)

Every Sunday afternoon, I prep my food for the following 4 days. On Wednesday nights, I hit the grocery store again and I repeat.

I measure out 7 individual servings unsalted raw or roasted nuts 1 oz (1/4 cup, if you don’t have a food scale) and separate them 7 snack-sized zip-lock bags. Each day, I pack one baggie as a snack.

I also measure out 14 separate scoops of whey protein powder into blender bottles and zip-lock bags. Each day, I pack two servings of whey protein powder for my work day; 1 for post weight-lifting and 1 as a “back-up” snack or potential pre-cardio supplement, if necessary.

Stay fit, stay happy, stay healthy, and get prepared to lose weight!

XOXO

Lauren

Prep 4 days worth of food in less then 1 hour!

I am writing this blog post in response to the number of people who wanted to learn more about a recent Instagram photo featured on this page

• Weight-loss and the development of lean muscle requires planning!
• Since more then 60% of your physical results have to do with nutrition, it is imperative that you learn to plan your meals ahead of time
• Why? Because when you are hungry, you are likely to eat the first foods available to you. Too often, this means eating too much of the right foods or just making poor eating decisions

How do you prevent over-eating the right foods or eating any amount of the wrong foods? It’s easy! Just follow my Sunday/Wednesday rituals:

1) Buy a crock-pot

Every Sunday and Wednesday, perform the following rituals:

• Purchase 2 lbs (women) or 3 lbs (men) fresh or frozen chicken breast or chicken breast tenders. If you purchase frozen, then allow chicken to thaw before following the next step
• Place raw chicken in your crock-pot. Add low-sodium chicken broth (1 cup for women and 1.5 cups for men)
• Add seasoning as desired. It is hard to screw this one up. My favorite combos include:

Black pepper and garlic powder
1 container of fresh Pico de Gallo
3-4+ servings of gluten-free teryaki sauce or low-sodium gluten-free soy sauce

2) Purchase 3 lbs of raw veggies

• Chop em and store them in separate containers in your fridge
• Enjoy 8 oz for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (women and men)
• Either roast them in a large Pyrex dish and enjoy them cold for a few days (re-heating makes them soggy) OR
• Steam for 3 minutes to enjoy them fresh and hot
• My favorite veggies include: asparagus, zucchini, Brussels, eggplant, mushrooms, broccoli, green beans, bell pepper, and mini heirloom tomatoes

3) Hard-boil your eggs

• Place 12-24 eggs in a large saucepan and fill with warm water until the water-line reaches 1/2-1 inch above eggs
• Set on stove-top on high heat, reach a boil, and allow eggs to sit in boiling water for 20 minutes. Turn off range. Let em sit and cool for 2-6 hours
• Crack, de-shell, and store eggs in a tupperware container (For females: pack your lunch box with 4 egg whites or 3 whites and 1 whole. For males:  pack your lunch box with 6 egg whites or 4 whites and 2 whole).

Stay Fit, stay happy, stay healthy, STAY PREPARED, and stay tuned for more tips on how to reach your weight-loss goals this spring!

XOXO

Lauren

Enhance your Posture with Bent-Over Rear Delts

To order your exercise band, visit my online store

Are you ready to shred down this spring? If so, then it’s time to develop these 7 simple habits

I try my best to keep fitness and nutrition simple. If you plan to get shredded this spring, then it’s time to pick up these 7 important habits:

1) Eat 5 times per day, preferably every 3 hours. This should include 3 meals and 2 snacks

2) Include animal-protein in at least 3 meals per day, although including it in up to 5 meals is ideal

3) Include 1 serving of fat in 2-3 meals every day. At least one fat should be rich in Omega-3′s. If you can’t consistently eat Omega-3 fats, then you should be supplementing on Omega-3 vitamins

4) Eat 2-4 servings of veggies at least 3 times per day

5) Exercise a minimum of 5 hours every week. Half of this exercise should be strength-based and the other half, endurance based

6) Do all cardio on an empty stomach or on protein metabolism only

7) Only eat starch on days when you exercise for one hour or more. Starch should be consumed 1-2 hours post-workout only.

How to successfully perform these 7 habits and achieve your spring weight-loss goals:

1) Every time you eat, set an alarm on your phone for 3 hours later

• Prepare your food in advanced to assure you eat proper portions of the right foods
• Pack your food for your busy day
• If you know you will be eating out, then check out the menu online in advanced and find a meal that best suits the guidelines above. Do not look at the menu at the restaurant.

If you are a woman, then your meals portions should look something like this:

• Meal 1: 4 egg white omelette with 1 cup steamed or sauteed veggies (using a fat-free cooking spray)
• Wait 3 hours
• Snack 1: 1 oz raw walnuts
• Wait 3 hours
• Meal 2: 4 oz chicken breast with 1 cup steamed or sauteed veggies (using a fat-free cooking spray)
• Wait 3 hours
• Snack 2: 1 Serving of plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
• Wait 2-3 hours
• EXERCISE
• Meal 3: 4 oz ground turkey with 1 cup steamed or sauteed veggies (using a fat-free cooking spray)

2) Sources of animal protein include:

• Egg whites, freshly cracked, scrambled in fat-free cooking spray or hard-boiled: 4 for females/6 for males
• Chicken breast/lean ground chicken breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Turkey Breast/ lean ground turkey breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Filet mignon/skirt steak/lean ground beef/: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Pork Chops/pork shoulder: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• White fish/salmon/shrimp: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Plain, Fat-Free Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt: 1 cup for females or males
• Whey or Cassein mixed with 1 cup of water:  1 serving for females/1.5-2 servings for males (protein: 20-30 grams/serving, carbs: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving, fat: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving)

3) 1 serving of fat is about 20 grams of fat (180 calories from fat)

Omega-3 Fats include:

• Food/Calories  per serving/Percentage of daily value
• Ground Flax Seeds/ 75/132.9%
• Walnuts/164/94.5%
• Salmon/245/61.2%
• Sardines/189/55.8%
• Grass-fed Beef/175/45.8%
• Soy beans/298/42.9%
• Halibut/159/25.8%
• Scallops/127/17%
• Shrimp/112/15.4%
• Tofu/86/15%

4) 1 serving of veggies= 1/2 cup, raw, and chopped deeply colored veggies OR 1 cup, raw, nutrient-rich lettuces (kale, spinach, collards)

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner should include 1-2 cups of the following veggies (measure them raw): broccoli, asparagus, zuchini, green beans, eggplant, bell-peppers, bokchoy OR 2-4 cups of the following lettuces: kale, spinach, arugula, collard greens

5) You are better off sceduling 1 activity for each day

• Either stick with 1 hour of weights or 1 hour of cardio
• Alternate days: Monday (weights: lower body?), Tuesday (cardio), Wednesday (weights: chest and back?), Thursday (cardio), Friday (Shoulders, arms, abs?)

6) If you are starving and have to eat prior to cardio, then Stick with your leanest options:

• Chicken breast/lean ground chicken breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Turkey Breast/ lean ground turkey breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Egg whites, freshly cracked, scrambled in fat-free cooking spray or hard-boiled: 4 for females/6 for males
• Plain, Fat-Free Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt: 1 cup for females or males
• Whey or Cassein mixed with 1 cup of water:  1 serving for females/1.5-2 servings for males (protein: 20-30 grams/serving, carbs: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving, fat: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving)

7) Women may consume 1 serving of low glycemic, gluten-free starch 1-2 hours post 1-hour long workout. Men can consume up to 2 servings, given the same conditions.

1 serving of low glycemic, gluten-free starch includes:

• 1/4 cup quinoa (when dry)
• 1/4 cup brown rice (when dry)
• 4-6 oz sweet potatoes (when cooked)
• 1/2 cup beans or lentils (when cooked)
• 1 slice of brown rice bread, paleo bread, or 1 brown rice tortilla

Stay fit, stay happy, stay healthy, and STAY SHREDDED!

XOXO

Lauren

Spring Cleaning Tips: It’s Time to Take out the Trash!

There is one thing I have learned about having treats in the kitchen: if they are there, then I will eat them! I know my tendencies; when I get stressed, tired, bored, or upset, I turn to foods that hinder my weight loss efforts in order to cope.

As a result of identifying these tendencies, I have learned to trick myself by following one simple rule: If it isn’t in my kitchen, then I can’t eat it….and most of the time I will not make a trip to the grocery store just to satisfy my need to binge.

Our goal this week is to get rid of as many low-quality foods as possible. I try my best to rely the most on foods that perish within one week. This way, when I feel the need to binge, I am stuck with the options of poultry, eggs, veggies, and fruits. I usually get bored of eating these foods and just go to bed. When I do binge-out on them before bed, I rarely feel bloated or guilty the next day.

Get your trash bags ready and begin your spring cleaning by follow these simple tips:

1) Limit your surplus of canned foods to no more than 10 cans.

These items are packed full of preservatives and most items can be purchased fresh. Canned soups contain more sodium than you need in an entire week and consumption most often results in bloating and excess water storage.

Recommendations:

• Replace canned veggies with fresh ones and learn to prepare your own beans
• Tomato sauces are easy to make from scratch using fresh tomatoes and herbs

2) Limit your surplus of salad dressings to 1 bottle and make sure it is low-fat or fat-free.

Recommendation:

• Make your own dressings whenever possible using simple online recipes

3) Ditch the “packaged” snacks.

Granola bars, microwavable popcorn, and fruit roll-ups are not going to help you lose weight.

Recommendations:

• load your pantry with a variety of unsalted nuts, low-sodium jerky, protein powders, oats, rice, and quinoa.
• Load your fridge with plain low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese and yogurt (Greek is best)
• Load your fridge with fresh veggies that taste good raw or cooked: broccoli, zucchini, Brussels, eggplant, asparagus, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, etc
• Purchase one or two low-fat dips for your veggies to make snacking easier. I love dipping raw veggies in hummus or Trader Joe’s Guilt-Free Spinach and Kale Greek Yogurt Dip!

4) Check the ingredients of packaged foods and toss anything containing trans-fats or artificial sugars.

Recommendations:

• Replace sweet foods with fresh fruits (I suggest buying 2 servings of fruit for each day of the week)
• use Truvia instead of sugar or fake sweeteners for coffee and tea

5) Throw out any microwavable foods from your freezer.

Recommendations:

• Try to limit freezer items to meats and frozen fruits
• Don’t be afraid to cook something fresh!

Stay fit, stay healthy, stay happy, and stay LEAN!

XOXO

Lauren

Prenatal Nutrition and Supplementation

First of all: If you are expecting, then congratulations!

Now it’s time for you to really get healthy… it’s not just about you anymore! So, where do you start? I suggest that you begin by taking a look at your nutrition and supplementation.

In order to support a growing fetus, mothers-to-be only require an increase of 250-500 calories per day. Typically I recommend 250 additional calories on non-exercises days and closer to 500 additional calories on days when mommies exercise for at least 1 hour. The additional calories will assure that you and baby are meeting your caloric needs while also making sure that Mommy is not putting on excess body fat.

Many foods should be avoided during your prenatal months; some of these foods seem obvious while others, unexpected. Your doctor will provide you with a list of these foods and it should look something like this:

Foods, beverages, and substances to avoid during pregnancy and breast-feeding:

• alcohol and caffeine (no more than 300 mg/day)
• tobacco
• cured/ deli meats, raw eggs, raw seafood
• artificial sweeteners
• no more than 6 oz of fish per week (completely avoid: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish)
• Empty calories: processed foods that do not convert into usable energy sources

You now need more of particular foods in order to enhance your overall health as well as your baby’s health. Your doctor will provide you with a list of these foods and it should look something like this:

Foods to add during pregnancy and breast-feeding:

Vitamin B12:

• important in cell development.
• deficiencies often occur in Vegan and Vegetarian Mommies, making supplementation more important

Folate (Vitamin B9):

• to prevent neural tube defects
• supplementation is most important during the first weeks of pregnancy
• dark leafy greens, legumes (beans and lentils), and fortified breads and cereals are all rich in folate

 Vitamin D:

• Calcium absorption is enhanced when combined with vitamin D
• Vitamin D deficiency can lead to low calcium
• Calcium is crucial for healthy bone development and healthy infant birth weight
• I suggest spending 20-30 days in noon-day sun 2-3 days every week during pregnancy

 Calcium:

• low calcium is a precursor to pre-eclampsia (hypertension) for mommies
• Since calcium needs are increased during pregnancy, vegans should make special efforts to eat extra dark green leafy veggies, bok choy, calcium-set tofu, legumes (beans and lentils), figs, seeds, nuts, fortified milks (non-dairy mils are ok too), and fortified cereals

 Iron:

• Eat more legumes (beans and lentils), dark green veggies, dried fruits, molasses, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and animal foods (especially well-done red meats)
• When eating iron-rich foods, make sure to supplement with vitamin C because this vitamin enhances iron absorption

Zinc:

• Zinc plays an important role in growth and is responsible for over 300 enzymatic reactions within the body
• deficiencies can lead to congenial malformations
• foods rich in zinc include: legumes (beans and lentils), nuts, whole grains, cereals, and animal based foods

Protein:

• Daily protein intake should increase by 25 grams/day, especially during the 2^nd and 3^rd trimesters
• I recommend either adding an additional 4 oz of meat per day, 5-6 cooked egg whites, or 1-2 servings of an unsweetened pregnancy-safe protein beverage
• This additional protein is necessary for fetal structural development

Fatty Acids:

• Because of environmental pollutants, fish is no longer recommended as a primary source of fatty acids for expecting mothers
• there are plenty of other foods out there that provide omega-3s
• my favorites include: walnuts, flax, hemp, canola oil, herring, algae, green leafy veggies, and seaweed
•  Most doctors will suggest an omega 3 supplement with EPA and DHA
• These fatty acids are crucial for brain development of your child and also reduce the chances of post-partum depression in mothers
• Fish liver oil should be completely avoided

My last tip is not to indulge out of the sake of being pregnant. Don’t use the “baby wants a cookie” excuse to allow yourself to eat more then necessary. Pregnancy is a crucial stage that allows you to pack on additional pounds that can be very tough to remove later. If you were unsatisfied with your weight prior to getting pregnant, then it is optimal to stick to unprocessed foods during your prenatal stage.

Here is an idea of how much you should gain during pregnancy. If you are gaining more than the table indicates you should, then it’s time to re-evaluate your nutrition intake and contact me for more help.

Expected Weight Gain During Pregnancy:

• Underweight women: 25-35lbs
• Overweight women: no more than 15-25 lbs
• Women 5’2 or shorter: 10-25 lbs

Stay fit, stay happy, and stay healthy!

-Lauren Kern

Pre and Post Natal Exercise and Nutrition Specialist

Recipe: Moroccan Tangine Chicken

Prep: 20 Minutes
Marinate: 8 hours
Cook: 8 hours (low) or 4 hours (high)
Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 4-5 lbs chicken breast meat (breasts, thighs, etc)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamon
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 14.5 oz can chicken broth (reduced sodium)
• 1 cup dried apricots, quartered
• 1 cup pitted while dates, quartered
• 3 tbs ground almonds
• 1 tsp ground tumeric
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 saffron threads
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, diced finely

Method:

1) Place chicken in a large zip-lock bag and set in a shallow dish

• In a medium bowl, combine oil, garlic, cinnamon, caraway seeds, cumin, cardamon, and cayenne pepper. Pour ingredients over chicken, seal the bag, and massage ingredients into the chicken. Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours.

2) Transfer chicken to a 4-5 quart slow cooker. Add broth, apricots, dates, ground almonds, tumeric, salt, saffron, and black pepper to chicken in slow cooker.

3) Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

4) Skim fat from cooking liquid. Serve chicken in 4-6 oz portions. Sprinkle chicken with cilantro