February Pucker Up Plank Challenge

Maybeeeee you are like us and don't really care about Valentine's Day but still want to be a little bit festive...or maybe you are all about Valentine's Day. Either way, it doesn't really matter because we could ALL benefit from a stronger core! And that is exactly what this challenge is designed to do: strengthen your core! It was also designed to be something that you do in addition to your normal workout (which is hopefully one of our workout plans!). We have 4, 6, and 12-week workout plans for all fitness levels! Unless you are a total beginner, doing this core workout each day is not a long enough workout for you!

Want to pair this fitness challenge with our finance challenge this month? Get started today!

We are introducing different variations of planks with this 28-Day Plank Challenge. Some you may have heard of before and some you might be scratching your head at. Never fear, we are here to help!

Learn how to do all of these planks plus a few more in this post on how to whittle your waist with 5 different planks!

The picture below shows how to do a regular plank. Keep a straight line from the top of your head to your heels. Your shoulders should be in line with your elbows. Hold your abs in. You can read the other descriptions here.

If you are advanced and this is too easy for you, you can double or triple each day. If this is too difficult, cut the time and/or reps down and work your way up. This challenge is totally customizable based on your fitness level.

Tag us on Instagram and use the hashtag #heandsheeatclean so we can follow along!

We're also including the challenge below if you would rather do the planks listed each day! Your challenge, your decision! :)

Healthy Instant Pot Bison Chili

We FINALLY used the Instant Pot for something other than eggs and quinoa! Even if you don't have an Instant Pot, keep reading...you can make this in a crock pot!

We make this bison chili almost every week in the crock pot. A few weeks ago we decided to try it out in the Instant Pot and it was a keeper! I LOVE the fact that I can do everything right in the Instant Pot, which means I only have to clean ONE item! I can saute the onions and garlic add all of the ingredients and then just press a button. It took us less than 5 minutes to get everything started and then the Instant Pot did the rest of the work.

Lifesaver.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Read more about our disclaimer here.

We even made a quick time-lapse how-to video for Instagram! Watch how to make our Healthy Instant Pot Bison Chili.

We have the 6 quart Instant Pot (it has over 22,000 customer reviews on Amazon with 4.5 stars!

Healthy Instant Pot Bison Chili

• 1 lb ground beef, bison, or chicken breast
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1-10 oz cans of diced tomatoes & green chilies
• 1-15 oz can of black beans (drained)
• 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp mustard (spicy, regular or a combination of both)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp olive oil (to saute onions and garlic)

Directions:

1. Saute the onion and garlic in the Instant Pot (press the saute button and add olive oil, onion, and garlic).
2. Once onions are translucent add your meat (ground chicken, beef, or bison) to the pot and cook until brown. Once cooked, drain if desired.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, cover and lock the lid. Press the “Keep Warm/Cancel” button on the Instant Pot, then press the “Chili/Stew” button to begin the pressure cooking. It will automatically be set for 30 minutes. Make sure the steam valve is closed.
4. Once the chili is done, the Instant Pot will automatically switch to the “Keep Warm” mode. Allow the pressure to release naturally or use the quick release.
5. Top with cheese, cilantro, or green onions - if desired.

If using a crockpot, saute the onion and garlic and brown the meat in a separate pan. Add the onion, garlic, and meat to the crockpot. Add all remaining ingredients and cook on low for 4 hours.

This recipe is perfect for food prep! We portion ours out and when it's time to eat we mix in quinoa and warm it up!

Clean & Simple Roasted Chicken

We made this chicken for Thanksgiving and the entire family loved it! We don't actually like "traditional" Thanksgiving foods, so we served this with sweet-sweet potato cubes, balsamic garlic asparagus, and our fall cauliflower quinoa salad with raisins. Don't let the ingredients or steps fool you, it was actually pretty easy! Everything was simple and delicious!

This would be perfect for your next party or even just for your weekly food prep! We only had a little bit of leftover chicken but it was still fantastic the next day. 

We've made this recipe numerous times since we published it in 2015 so we thought it was time for an update! We use different vegetables each time so we've included a list of the ones that we recommend but use your imagination! The vegetables make this recipe delicious! We've made this with just one chicken (as you see in the video) and two chickens (as pictured). The seasoning we have listed is for more than one chicken. The other ingredients we have listed will be the perfect amount for one chicken.

Clean Eat Recipe: Clean & Simple Roasted Chicken

Seasoning Ingredients:

The list below should provide you with enough seasoning to make at least two chickens. If you do not want to make your own seasoning we love Lane’s BBQ rubs. We recommend the Garlic Rub for this recipe. Enter code heshe for 10% off! (affiliate link)

• 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp turmeric

Other Ingredients:

• 1 whole organic chicken
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 oranges (recommended) or lemons
• 6-8 sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme

Your choice of vegetables (below are some options):

• 1 onion
• 6 carrots
• 4-6 parsnips
• 4-6 red potatoes

Watch How to Make Our Clean & Simple Roasted Chicken (1 Min):

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut onion, carrots, parsnips and potatoes into 1.5" - 2" chunks and place in bottom of roasting pan.  Mix the vegetables with about 1/2 Tbsp of the olive oil and toss with seasoning and additional salt and black pepper.  Place sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme on top of the vegetables.
3. Cut oranges (or lemons) into quarters and set aside until step #7.
4. Remove chicken giblets and rinse chicken carefully while removing excess fat and pin feathers.  
5. Place chicken on oven roasting rack over vegetables and lightly brush the outside of the chicken with the olive oil. Note - It is unnecessary to liberally coat the chicken in oil as the water from rinsing will help the seasoning rub bind to the skin. 
6. Liberally spread the seasoning on the inside and outside of the chicken.
7. Stuff the oranges (or lemons) into chicken cavity.
8. Place entire roasting pan in the oven and bake for 75-90 minutes or until internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165-degrees Fahrenheit.  
9. When chicken is complete, cover entire pan with aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes.
10. Transfer chicken and vegetables to separate platter.  Carve (or pull) chicken and enjoy!

Below are the nutrition facts that we calculated (for the chicken only). You will need to calculate your specific nutrition information for the vegetables that you use.