BBQ Beer Chicken Chili

Here's a perfect easy-peasy weekend crock-pot recipe that tastes yummy, takes 5 minutes to prep, and makes the house smell amazing! Plus, it's moderately healthy and a hit

with men since it's got beer and a spicy kick ;-)

BBQ Beer Chicken Chili

(yields: 4-6 servings)

What You'll Need:

-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

-1 16oz can dark red kidney beans

-1 16oz can black beans

-1 small can yellow corn with red and green peppers

-1 cup BBQ sauce & 1 can beer (or, if you're lazy like me, you can buy a pre-made BBQ beer sauce like this one)

-desired amount of hot sauce/tobasco (I used about 2 tablespoons--we like it hot!)

-Old Bay seasoning (I'm from Baltimore so I add this to practically every recipe)

-red pepper flakes

-salt and pepper to taste

-rice (optional--we served ours mixed with rice for some staying power, but this chili is perfectly delicious on its own, too!)

Instructions:

1. Dice chicken breasts into cubes. Season with red pepper flakes and Old Bay. Brown chicken in frying pan on medium-high heat until cooked through.

2. Add kidney beans, black beans, corn, and BBQ/beer sauce to crock pot.

3. Add browned, diced chicken.

4. Stir to thoroughly mix all ingredients.

5. Add desired amount of hot sauce and more Old Bay, red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper, if desired.

6. Stir all ingredients.

7. Set crock-pot/slow-cooker to low heat.

8. Cook for 6-8 hours on low (or 4-5 hours on high).

9. Ladle into bowls, add rice if desired, serve, and enjoy!

That's it! It's so simple, and so very delicious.

Snapshots from the Weekend

...How was your weekend?

Any swoon-worthy Valentine's Day plans?

Cutting Back on Coffee: 3 Weeks In

Ok, ok, so I promised a coffee cutback update like, 2 weeks ago. I haven't even updated since my first official day of this "self-experiment". But it's better late than never, right?

Right.

So. I have actually managed to be quite successful at cutting back on my caffeine intake...at least during the week. (On the weekend, all bets are off. I love the smell of a fresh pot of coffee brewing and the luxury of sipping it throughout the morning)

During the work week in the past few weeks, I have had no more than two 8-ounce cups of joe per day--and most days, I am down to one! I think the Keurig actually has a lot to do with it. With ground coffee, I find myself of the mentality "Oh, I can brew a whole pot, why not?". But with K-cups, I am much, much more frugal--those little puppies are pricey! So, I tend to really decide which k-cup I want and make the choice to enjoy just that one variety of coffee that day.

Sean and I recently stocked up on this one, this one, and this one<----(I am particularly excited about that last one because it is organic, fair trade coffee.)

Energy wise, I feel great. Whether it is a "late" day or an "early" day at work, I still have been trying to go to sleep and wake up at the same time, making me feel well-rested. Having a routine is good, in my opinion, and keeps our bodies functioning at their best.

Buuuuuut, as aforementioned, on the weekend ALL BETS ARE OFF. The boyfriend and I love to cozy up under the covers all morning, and really, can you blame us? It's February, and it's much warmer under the covers than out and about!

So, there you have it. Has anyone else had any success monitoring their coffee intake? Do you feel like coffee affects your energy levels, ability to sleep, ability to perform well at work/school, or not? Discuss!