Sunrise and sunset in the country is something else. The golden hour lighting hits the barns and fields and ponds so perfectly, that I don’t think it will ever get old. This morning, my running buddy and I ran 8 miles around a golf course during a pink and purple sunrise. Waking up at 5am is rough BUT we got to see swans in the lake, ponies, and quail. It really beats the clunky treadmill with a view of myself in the mirror that I am used to.

Adjusting to life here is starting to get easier. For a few weeks, there was so many random errands and appointments and events. I really started to miss routine. When I had granola bars and trail mix for dinner multiple times a week, I started to crave simple nights with a home-cooked meal. Which is exactly what I did on Monday. But then I was back to the crazy jam-packed schedule the rest of the week and it’s taken me four days to finish this blog post.

Hence, why I’m bringing you a new clean recipe today!

It has a ton of flavor from seasonings, but it’s also made with clean whole ingredients.

This recipe is fairly quick to throw together, especially if you have a dad who knows how raw chicken repulses you and volunteers to prep the protein while you chop the veggies ;)

I tried out a tri-color quinoa from my friends at BetterBody Foods which makes the dish extra beautiful.

Quinoa Chicken Veggie Bake (<– real creative title, no?)

Serves 4

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1″ cubes
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 heads of broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 cup baby carrots, chopped
• 1 cup low-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• garlic
• black pepper
• Mrs. Dash no-sodium seasoning
• optional: chicken broth to cook the quinoa in

(Everything is better with cheeeeeese.)

1.) In a non-stick skillet, cook the chicken over medium heat until they are cooked through.

2.) Add the broccoli, onion, carrot, garlic, and seasonings to the skillet. Heat on low for 10 minutes.

3.) Cook the quinoa in a separate saucepan; bring 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups of water or chicken broth to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

4.) Remove both pans from the stove top and combine in a baking dish. Stir in cheddar cheese.

5.) Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees. **Optional: add panko bread crumbs and additional cheese for a crispy topping**

It felt good to get some nutritious whole ingredients back on my dinner plate!

Then the next night I totally cancelled it out with some zinfandel and flatbread….A couple girls that I’ve met in Idaho got together for “Wine Down Wednesday.”

When we sat down at an outdoor sushi bar for happy hour, the bartender informed us that it was half-off bottles of wine. Since we like the sweeter fruity wines, we went with white zinfandel. I love the color :)

We ended up hanging out at the restaurant for 3 hours, eventually ordering sushi and flatbreads. Then we saw the movie Bad Moms…oh my gosh. I wouldn’t quite put it on the same level as Bridesmaids but it was pretty hysterical and Kristin Bell is too much. It’s especially fun to watch after a couple glasses of wine in a theater full of giggly girls.

The late night out made the next morning’s run a little more difficult. I decided that my plan to do sprint intervals was overly optimistic and I hung out on the treadmill while watching the news instead. I still got in a solid 6 miles before I ran to Wal Mart  – I was “snack lady” for my office meeting that day. (It still kills me to go to Wal Mart. I am a Target girl through-and-through and this is the first time I’ve ever lived more than 2 miles from a Target.) Any other day, I would’ve found a cutesy Pinterest crafty recipe. You know I’m busy when I have to resort to a store-bought bag of trail mix.

And that about catches us up. :) Let me know if you try the recipe!