Chicken Bacon Bundles

This recipe is inspired by the Physical dimension of wellness.

Physical wellness is about moving. Every system of your body has structures and functions that support movement. Exercising is a great way to enhance your health and make you physically fit at the same time. Physical wellness is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life so that you are able to move about your day free of undue fatigue or physical stress.  

“If by 'crunches' you mean the sound bacon makes when you eat it, then yes I do crunches.” - unknown

I was a rather active child, riding my bike every chance I got, but around 15 years of age, I became rather sedentary. I am not sure if it was due to what was going on emotionally with my hormones or if I was just simply being lazy. However, not exercising took its toll not only on my body, but also on my emotional wellness. I began to get rather moody (also could have been the teenage blues), and the happy, always-smiling kid I once was turned into a cranky, tired teen.

After my son was born, I began to put on a lot more weight than ever before. I was very sluggish, sad, and not eating properly (these go hand in hand!) So, one day, I decided that I had enough. I practically stopped eating and limited myself to only 800 calories a day. I recall exactly what I was eating since it was mostly the same every day for quite some time. My diet consisted of a piece of toast in the morning, one hot dog with mustard for lunch, a lean cuisine frozen meal for dinner and nothing else!! Meanwhile, I increased my exercise by 50%, which was not exactly a healthy combination. My relationship with my body and food coupled with a bad mood began to change for the worse. For the next 10 year or so, my weight fluctuated by 10-20 lbs until one day, I knew I was in trouble and needed to make a

change.

“Exercise not only changes your body. It changes your mind, your attitude, your mood.”

I began to walk with a Walkman (remember those?) while listening to my favorite tunes. Then, I began to mix a little jog with a fast walk until I had eventually increased my jog to 6 miles! This was the day that transformed my life. I had never experienced such a gratifying feeling; the 6 mile run affected not only my physical fitness but also my mood. And, once I began this exercise routine, I started to eat better. Something changed within me that helped me to gravitate towards healthier foods because my running performance was better when I ate healthier. Consequently, my relationship with my body changed, and once again, I was like that happy little girl I once was skipping down the hall of our home. In fact, everything changed to include my confidence levels which enabled me to pursue a better career and make more money.

So, my final message is this: if you are in a place where you feel you don’t want to exercise, just get off the couch and move a little. Ideally, to prevent depression, you should do at least 15 minutes of higher-intensity exercise per day, such as running, or at least an hour of lower intensity exercise, such as walking or housework. Moving your body in some way throughout the day can add up in good ways not only for your body, but your heart and emotions as well. And I think that’s quite an encouraging message!

Recipe of the Day: Chicken Bacon Bundles

INGREDIENTS

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 8 oz cream cheese

• 8 slices bacon

• 4 oz frozen spinach thawed and well drained (or fresh spinach sautéed in olive oil, my recommendation!)

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place chicken breasts, one at a time, between two pieces of plastic wrap and use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound them flat.

2. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.

3. Depending on the size of the chicken breasts, place 3-4 tablespoons of the mixture in the center of each chicken breast, then spread filling out and roll chicken into a bundle, starting with the short end. Leave some space around the outer edges of the chicken so the filling doesn't ooze out. 

4. Wrap two pieces of bacon around each breast and use toothpicks to hold the bacon ends together.

5. Place into a greased casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes, or until a cooking thermometer shows the chickens' internal temperature to be 163 degrees F. *Proper cooking temperature for poultry is 165 degrees F, but there will be "carryover cooking" after the dish is removed from the oven.