Hey ya’ll! I’m just sitting here, eating this salad and getting stoked for my nightly yoga practice. Tonight’s class is with the lovely Jana. Go check out any of her classes here in Orange County. It’s rare that I come across AWESOME yoga teachers. Jana definitely qualifies as one. She has a very easy-going but confident presence in the studio. Her sequences are exceptionally crafted. Everything flows (pun intended) perfectly. She’s challenging and encouraging at the same time.  She’s also mindful about people’s strengths and weaknesses. Her style is approachable and I love that there isn’t a bunch of pretentious, quasi-spiritual mumbo jumbo (technical term) falling out of her mouth during class. She’s rad. Believe me.

I practice at Training Camp in San Juan Capistrano and I love it! I take their bootcamp classes 3 days a week and their yoga classes about 5 days a week. I could definitely get used to this daily routine. Surfing each morning, yoga every evening, and some adventures in between. And by adventures I mean, hiking the hills, doing laundry, cooking for people, and collecting eggs from the chickens. SUPER adventurous.

Marinated Chicken and Artichoke Salad

1 lb. chicken thighs
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drain most of the liquid
2 heirloom or roma tomatoes, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 c. pitted kalamata olives

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Heat your grill.
2. Toss the chicken thighs in balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill chicken over medium heat, turning once halfway through.
4. Once cooked through, set aside to cool.
5. In a large bowl toss vegetables and olives, with red wine vinegar and olive oil.
6. Slice the cooled chicken and serve on top of the salad.
7. Avocado optional.