Guest Post #2 - Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo

This is the second in our series of Friday applicants. Chime in to let us know what you think!

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Slow Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Alferedo

Hi I would first like to tell you about myself they share a post that was recently on my blog. My name is Jacqui and I am in my late 20s and have always gone back and forth with my weight and being healthy. The last five years I have finally been at my happy weight (a little heavier then my thinnest), but I am loving it and want to help others see that it is possible without giving up the things you love!

On our slow cooker Wednesday plan, the next meal was Chicken and Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo. This meal was a little more work then last week, but it was the perfect dinner on a cold, snowy, winter evening. This meal was actually affordable as well. Here are the ingredients all lined up:

The total cost for this meal was about $10. The mushrooms I got on sale for $4, the fettuccine, and pound of butter both where $1, the cream cheese I normally buy on sale for about $1 as well (and you can see I use one that is fat free and one that is low fat to help keep the calories in check), the milk was $2 (and is fat free, again to try to make this meal a little healthier :-) ), garlic powder, salt, pepper, grated parm, and 2 chicken breasts (I buy them in a HUGE bag from Costco so we always have some in the freezer).

First thing you do is slice the mushrooms and cut the chicken into strips. Once those are both ready place them in the slow cooker and sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on top (about 1/2 tsp each). Don’t forget your slow cooker liner!

Next place a medium saucepan over medium heat, cube the 2 packages of cream cheese and 2 sticks of butter. Add those to the saucepan with 1 1/2 cups of grated parm and milk. Whisk until creamy.

Now pour your cream mixture over the chicken and mushrooms and set your slow cooker for anywhere from 4-8 hours.

When you are ready for dinner, cook your fettuccine per the package directions and add it to your slow cooker masterpiece. (If you would like add some frozen peas to the slow cooker while the pasta is cooking) Sprinkle with a little more parm and you have a great dinner.

This has a great meal. It was creamy and had some great flavor to it. Hubby and I really loved it.

*Side note this recipe made 3 servings so it was a great deal and we have 2 more meals in the freezer!

Although this is not a super healthy dinner, I think balance is the most important part of any eating plan. Every once in a while we all need a great comfort meal dinner!

What is your favorite comfort meal that you try to make healthier?

Guest Poster #1

As many of you know, we are looking for a new Friday poster. For the next few Fridays, we will be "auditioning" potential posters...and we would love your input! Be sure to comment if you like someone in particular!! This week's guest is Alina, from Houston, Texas.


Hello! My name is Alina and I am excited to be this week’s guest blogger! A few things I would like to share with you about myself…I’m a very happy newly wed, a recently graduated physical therapist, a self-proclaimed domestic goddess, and chocolate cookie dough addict. I’m honored to be a guest on this blog because I am very passionate about healthy living and while I’m not perfect, I feel like my professional and personal experience has taught me some things that I’m happy to share!

I consider myself to be a healthy person, but I’m always making new goals and looking for new things to try. I think those are HUGE keys to healthy living. No one ever reaches “optimal health” – there are always ways to improve – but the kicker is your body requires continual maintenance. And if one thing doesn’t work for you, try something else, anything else really…

I’d like to share my recent experience. I was a runner – nothing crazy like a marathoner – but I enjoyed a 2-3 mile jog a couple times a week. It was my main form of exercise and stress relief. I say “was” because in June of last year I re-dislocated my knee cap. This has been a problem since I was 12, but this time was worse and instead of a few weeks for me to get back to running, it’s been 6 months and I still can’t run. In August, I also started a brand new, full time job at a hospital that is very physically demanding and by the time I get home I’m too tired that I wouldn’t be able to run even if I wanted too. And if that weren’t enough, in September, I got engaged and had the pressure of planning my dream wedding in 3 months! Not to mention get in shape for the wedding dress!

When the heck was I going to exercise for 30 min, 3 times a week? How would I find time to plan and cook decently healthy meals everyday? Good question. I didn’t. BUT strangely enough, I’m probably in the best shape I’ve been in…ever.

I think what happened is that, due to those new circumstances, I couldn’t do things the way I was used to doing them. I had to think outside the box and maximize my resources.

I made a rule not to eat past 9pm.
I started going on walks, not runs…and I was walking everywhere.
I took 15 minutes in my lunch break at work to do strengthening exercises for my arms, legs, and core.
I ate smaller quick meals like an apple with peanut butter or pita chips with hummus.

These are just a few things that I found to be helpful and in the future I hope to elaborate more on some of these new “philosophies” of mine. But bottom line is I had to change my way of thinking, explore different options, and take advantage of what resources I had.

In my case, I was kind of forced to do things a little differently, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to have to think outside the box! I truly believe there is always something you can do to improve your health no matter how small it may seem. What new thing can you try this week?