Chicken Thigh Sloppy Joes....Yes You Read That Right

Okay Sloppy Joes, a standard fav in most households right?  Super easy, you can make a mess and get away with it, mom does not need to think about dinner because most of the Sloppy Joes are made from cooking up some ground beef and opening a "can" (yikes) of some kind of tasty sauce that when we were younger and growing up thought it was the best stuff ever.  Never thinking about what was really in it.  Well why can't we have sloppy joes in a somewhat more healthier and maybe "cooler", "hipper" version?

I have been thinking on this for a while, but just kept putting it off until the other day when my kids where talking abou them and I knew we had a busy schedule that night.  Go with me on this, trust me, if I can get my hubby to eat these (yes I got the eye roll when he got home from work), then I really have complete confidence you will be able to pass these off to the family.

If you have been reading my blog posts and following along with me on Fitnessmom, then you know I don't measure and I hate to (which is why you won't find any baking recipes coming from me). 

Boneless Chicken thighs (hence the title of the Blog)
One can of cream of celery soup mix
Once can of stewed tomatoes
One can of pinto beans
Ground pepper
Paprika
Granulated garlic
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

*NOTE*  AS always I use the lowest form of sodium ingredients possible, also watch and look at the sugar content and count in food items.  If I were to add a bit of salt, I would just use a pinch of Sea Salt.
Add all ingredient to the slow cooker BEFORE adding the chicken.  Add 1/2 cup of water to the cream of celery soup mix OR 1/2 cup of low sodium chicken broth.  Whisk all together then add your chicken and set to cook for about 4 hours.  When done, just pull apart chicken with 2 forks.

For the recipe here, we used Whole Wheat buns for the kids.  You are thinking well isn't the entire point of a Sloppy Joe is to have a bun?  Yes, so using just half on one would be better (if really concerned about cals and carbs) a fork helps also.  :) 

Just throw together a simple salad for the side and done.  The meal looks heavier than it is.  And the good thing about this, you are not still starving after so you are not wanting to "snack" later that night.

The kids loved them, and the hubby.....well he apologized for the "eye rolling" and enjoyed them very much.

Healthy and Clean Cinco DeMayo

A Cinco De Mayo meal made healthy...

Fresh is the key to this dinner, no canned sauces, no re-fried beans, nothing heavy.  You can have seconds with this meal. 

Chicken Fajitas -

Start with sliced red onions (julian)
sliced onions (julian)
sliced green bell pepper (julian)
sliced chicken breasts (thin)
sea salt
ground pepper
paprika
granulated garlic
ground cumin
ground cinnamon
EVOO

Sautee all veggies until cooked but still firm, add seasons, add chicken.  Continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked, mix and let simmer for 5 minutes.  *NOTE* if you do not have the seasons needed you can use enchilada sauce and add when 1/2 cooked.  Serve the fajitia mixture in soft white corn tortialla (double layering is preferred to keep from ripping apart.

Pinto beans on the side are the healthiest choice over re-fried.  Cook up some rice if desired.  Place some sour cream (low-fat) and homemade quacamole out for extra yummies.

Homemade chips top off the meal.  A pitcher of iced lime/lemon water on the table and you are good to go.