I can’t believe the semester is halfway done, and I am halfway done with my MBA. After this semester I will only have two semesters left. Weird how I am already missing the thought of being in school. Really. Weird. Anyways, with the halfway point of the semester comes midterms. On top of working the usual 40 – 50 hours a week and trying to get my workouts in, the thought of midterms is downright stressful. I know work won’t wait for midterms to be over and getting my butt back into shape won’t wait for midterms either, so with a big test looming over my head tomorrow, today was a bit of a struggle for me. So what were my options?

I thought about skipping the 2 1/2 mile run I had planned for this afternoon and using Flexible Discipline to fit it in later in the week. But let’s be honest, I knew that I would probably have spent that 30 minutes I could have been running procrastinating on Facebook or writing this blog post anyways. So, I got out there, ran, and as per usual, was incredibly happy and filled with a sense of satisfaction afterwards (despite my nagging hip, but that’s a different story…).

While I was running, I was thinking of other ways to make up some time and thought about ordering takeout from my favorite local rotisserie. (PSA: If you have never been to T’s in Incline Village, you are missing out. Seriously. So good.) T’s sounded amazing, but I knew I would just want one of their to-die-for burritos and that doesn’t exactly fit into my Whole30 plan. I thought about what I had at home in the fridge and decided to cook up one of my favorite recipes from my mom growing up.

When my mom was younger she owned a pretty successful catering company, and luckily, the apple didn’t fall far from that tree. I love to cook and love using her old family recipes. While I have no desire to go into catering any time soon, this is one of those recipes I make all the time. It is simple, delicious, fast, healthy, and completely gourmet. After all, when you are running your own catering business, you need all of the above. On top of that, there is something about the combination of chicken, raspberries, green onions, and a slight hint of vinegar that make this so incredibly mouth-watering. It is seriously love on a plate. And you can love it even more when it only takes 15 minutes to make.

Chicken Strips with Raspberry Vinegar Sauce

Ingredients:

• 8 to 12 oz. fresh chicken tenders
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 6 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 2 teaspoons honey (omit if you are doing Whole30)
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Directions:

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Melt butter or coconut oil in frying pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add chicken and saute until cooked through (about 3 minutes per side). Transfer cooked chicken to a plate.
4. Add broth and vinegar to frying pan. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring up the browned bits.
5. Add onions and honey (if using), then half the berries.
6. Cook until sauce thickens (add cornstarch or tapioca starch to thicken if desired) and berries begin to fall apart, about 2 minutes.
7. Return chicken to sauce, heat through, about 2 minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Transfer to dinner plate with some of the sauce and remaining berries.

I also roasted up some broccoli to go with this and am feeling good and fueled with lots of time left in the evening to hit the books. Now I just need to stop procrastinating on this post and get cracking.

What are some of your meals to save time on crammed weeknights? Comment below.