Get your hands on Shakeology- GIVEAWAY

Eric and I are both coaches, but I'm the one who is actively building the business!  It wasn't until recently that I was able to convince him to actually drink it and see how amazing it is!  So we have a surplus!

I want you to find out how amazing Shakeology is by giving you a months supply!  That's either a bag (30 servings) or a box of sample packs (24.)  Enter below and whoever has the most points by the end of 8/19 will have a box/bag on the way to them!

Why is Shakeology so good?
It's full of superfoods, pro and pre biotics, digestive enzymes, and plenty of nutrients you need but rarely get!  It helps keep your blood sugar at an even level, which helps you not have afternoon slumps, and fights sugar cravings.  It helps keep you full while promoting a healthy digestive track which is great for digestion (duh) and for promoting a strong immune system!

Plus it tastes great!  It's easy when you're on the go!  It's a daily dose of nutrition that feels like a treat!

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Protein without Meat

When you're trying to lose weight or build muscle, protein is essential!  They're the building blocks of your body and they fuel metabolic activities!  It helps cells grow and repair, so if you eat or drink protein after a workout it will help you not feel sore later on and it will help strengthen your muscles so you don't injure yourself.

It's also responsible for:

• Maintaining the fluid balance in your body along with controlling the movement of fluids in your cells
• Helping to transport nutrients to various organs and regulate the flow of nutrients in your cells
• Helps to build defense
• Regulating and initiating metabolic activities
• They support all of your body's tissues which in turn will allow you to stand up and move around (kinda important)
• Giving your body a small amount of energy (natural energy!)

source

My favorite ways to get protein in my diet are fish (especially salmon,) a juicy steak, and shakeology!  But it's not always good to eat a ton of meat and you can't survive on shakeology alone.  Here is a list of great alternatives for protein!

1. Green peas; 7.9 grams in 1 cup

2. Ezekiel Bread; 4 grams per slice

3. Nuts; 1 oz in 5-6 grams

4. Chickpeas; 7.3 grams ½ cups

5. Peanut Butter; 7 grams per 2 tablespoons

6. Edamame; 8.4 grams ½ cup, boiled

7. Broccoli; 8 grams in 1 cup chopped

8. Quinoa; 8 grams in 1 cup

9. Chia Seeds; 4.7 grams in 2 tablespoons

10. Unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 gram in 1 tablespoons

How do you like to get your protein?

Healthy Stir Fry and Sweet Potato "Fries"

While on doing the Beachbody Ultimate Reset I learned some recipes that I LOVED.  These are 2 that I adapted from the recipe book that came with the program, and make enough for 2 people to eat or just for a dinner and leftovers for lunch.

Healthy Stir Fry 

- all veggies, no meat but feel free to add some farm raised chicken or beef.

Ingredients:
EVOO
Ginger (I used dried and shredded that I found in the produce section of my local Acme)
3 Medium Carrots- peeled, cleaned, and cut into chunks
Broccoli/Snap Peas- I found a steamer bag in my produce section that was a mix of FRESH broccoli florets, snap peas, and sprouts- perfect!
Peppers- again in my produce section I found a container of already thinly sliced and cleaned peppers- I used half of the container for this recipe
Himilayan Salt
Braggs Liquid Aminos

Directions:
1. In a large frying pain heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO over high heat, include a few pinches of ginger and 2-4 cloves of chopped garlic (depending on how much you like garlic.)
2. Add in carrots and stir constantly for a minute
3. Lower to medium heat and add in the Broccoli/Snap Peas and stir occasionally for 4-5 minutes.
4. Add in the peppers, cook for another few minutes.  I found that my stove is unreliable, sometimes this takes a few minutes, sometimes it heats really fast.
5. Add salt to taste.
6. Serve with a side of the Liquid Amino- it tastes like a cross between teriyaki and soy sauce so don't be intimidated by it!

Sweet Potato "Fries"

-The Reset calls for having a baked sweet potato and you can put the EVOO and seasonings on instead of butter or sour cream.  So I decided to have fun with the recipe and cut them up into "fries."

Ingredients:

EVOO

2 sweet potatoes

Himalayan Salt

Italian seasonings

Directions:

1. Clean (and peel if you like) the sweet potatoes.  Cut into strips. I kept mine fairly thick.

2. In a bowl mix with 2 teaspoons of EVOO, salt and seasonings to taste.

3. Bake at 450 degrees for 30-40 minutes, flipped half way.  Again my oven was temperamental, sometimes cooking faster than others, so watch them every 10 minutes or so to see what you need for your oven.

I love serving these together, especially because the "fries" feel like a cheat or indulgence but they're actually healthy for you!  

Paleo Banana Muffins

These were DELICIOUS. But you have to like coconut...as coconut flour, believe it or not, tastes coconutty!! :)

Paleo Banana Muffins: Recipe from Gluten Free Homemaker

• ½ cup coconut flour (+ to grease pan)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 4 large eggs
• ¼ cup melted coconut oil
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 medium sized ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)

Optional: Crumb Topping 

• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 tbsp cocunut sugar
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin with coconut oil. In a big bowl, combine flour, salt, and soda. In a small bowl, combine eggs, coconut oil, honey, bananas, and honey. Add wet ingredients to large bowl of dry ingredients. Pour into muffin tins, filling each about 1/2 way. Add crumb topping on top of each. Bake for 20 min.


original recipe found here

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Is it just me or is breakfast the best meal of the day?!  I LOVE waffles, pancakes, omelets, sausage, etc... Just thinking about it now is making my mouth water.  BUT those aren't exactly the most nutritious options for breakfast.  Here are some alternatives that will help you stay full and energized until lunch!

Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bark

Breakfast CAKE, I repeat CAKE!

Chocolate Muffins!

Enjoy and be healthy!

Avocado Brownies

I shared this recipe yesterday on my facebook page but I'm still getting used to blogging again so I forget to share it here!  Have you ever thought of putting avocado in anything?  I'm learning to love it and really enjoying finding ways to use it besides in salads and on sandwiches!  But I NEVER would have thought to bake with it!

I haven't tried this yet but it looks so good, I think I'll try it this weekend and I'll definitely report back on how well it goes!  It's gluten free and a healthy alternative when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Total Time: 51 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 36 min.
Yield: 16 servings, 1 brownie each

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 medium ripe avocado, mashed
¼ cup extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
¼ cup gluten-free flour
⅓ cup dark chocolate chips

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Lightly coat with spray. Set aside.
3. Combine avocado, oil, egg, maple syrup, and extract in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.
4. Combine cocoa powder, salt, and flour in a medium bowl; mix well.
5. Add cocoa powder mixture to avocado mixture; mix well.
6. Add chocolate chips; mix until blended.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan; spread to make even.
8. Bake for 33 to 36 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Cool for an hour before removing from pan. Cut into 16 squares.

Find the Recipe HERE

Margarita Day is Coming!

I love how there is a "national day" for nearly everything these days! Did you know that February 22nd is NATIONAL MARGARITA DAY?
I DIDN'T!
And honestly, if I knew such a thing existed, I would have thought it was Cinco de Mayo! You all know that I'm a proud beachbody coach and a follower of the 21 Day Fix meal plan so you may think I'm a little bummed that I can't have a Margarita since I'm watching what I eat.  Um... nope!  I deserve a treat every now and again and there are "Fix approved" recipes for nearly everything!  I got this one from the Fixate cookbook that I've mentioned before and you can purchase here.   But in the meantime, here is a fantastic recipe so you can enjoy a guilt free Margarita on 2/22/2016 or any day you need a little treat!
Skinny Margarita!
Ingredients: 2-3 Fresh Lime Wedges 2-3 Fresh Orange Wedges 2 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice 1/2 Tsp. Raw Honey 1 Cup Ice 1 oz. 100% Agave Tequila 1 Splash Sweet & Sour Mixer optional: lime slice for garnish
Directions: 1. Place lime wedges, orange wedges, lime juice, and honey in the bottom of a serving glass; muddle until well mixed 2. Top with ice, tequila, and mixer.  Stir to mix 3. Garnish with a lime slice, if desired And there you have it!  A delicious, "Fix approved," guilt free drink! For more "fix approved" recipes check out Fixate! If you'd like information on any other beachbody products or would like to talk about becoming a coach please head over to my facebook like page and send me a message.  I'd love to talk to you and help you reach your goals, physically and/or financially!

Healthy Dinner Idea

With the working out and lifestyle changes come new food choices!  Sunday night I made Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas and Sweet Potato fries.  It was delicious and filling and felt like a cheat meal even though it wasn't!

(photos from the websites listed below)

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Recipe:

Total Time: 6 hrs. 22 min.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 6 hrs. 2 min.
Yield: 4 servings, 2 fajitas each

Ingredients:
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes (or diced tomatoes with green chiles), no salt added
1 medium onion, cut into quarters, sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into strips  

Quick Tip:  (I found a pack of onions and peppers already cut and cleaned at the entrance to my grocery store's produce section.  It was $4.99 and perfect because it was enough to make more than 3 meals with!)

1 cup sliced mushrooms (I added this because I love mushrooms and I also bought them pre-sliced, so much easier for prep since I eat them in my salads a lot!)
2 tsp. ground chile powder1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 lb. raw chicken breast, boneless, skinless, sliced
8 6-inch whole wheat flour tortillas, warm
½ cup fresh tomato salsa
8 tsp. low-fat (1%) plain Greek yogurt
½ medium avocado, sliced
Finely chopped cilantro

Preparation:
1. Place tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, chile powder, cumin, pepper, and lime juice in a 3-quart slow cooker; mix well.
2. Add chicken; cook, covered, on low temperature for 4 to 5 hours (or on high or 2 to 3 hours), stirring once or twice, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
3. Evenly divide mixture between tortillas. Top evenly with salsa, yogurt, avocado, and cilantro.

**For the original recipe and details on how this will fit into the 21 Day Fix break down check here.**

Sweet Potato Fries Recipe:

Ingredients:
5 sweet potatoes; sliced into relatively uniform slices (I didn't buy these precut and wish I had!)
Olive Oil, for tossing
Garlic Powder, to taste
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Preparation:
1. Toss potato slices in olive oil then spices
2. Lay out slices on a baking sheet .
3. Cook at 400 F for 30 minutes and flip 1/2 way through (I ended up having to cook them for about 40 minutes because I wanted them crispier)

Inspiration for this recipe was found here.

(It's not the best pick but oh my was it delicious!)

Ugh...

It's my birthday week... the big 31 (oy!)

As I've made list after list after list of things I want to do, every year losing weight and getting healthy is always top of the list!

I've decided that I will begin a new diet this week.  I'm attempting to be sugar, carb, and alcohol free.  I don't plan on completely frustrating myself and never allowing these things again but I need to cut back and really get serious.  I'm already discouraged.

I had egg whites and spinach for breakfast, which were filling but even with pepper and dill felt like they were lacking something.  Anyone have a recommendation for something else I can put in that omelet to make it more desirable?

I had a salad of leafy greens, roasted chicken, mushrooms, slivered almonds, and an organic sesame ginger salad dressing which was delicious.

For a snack I had a 100 calorie Greek yogurt that was AMAZING!!!  I strongly recommend it to everyone, it totally satisfied my sweet tooth which makes me so happy.

So what's the problem?  (Aside from the fact that I seem to need to complain about everything.)  I'm already bored with the impending doom and gloom of having to eat what I view as basic and boring food for the rest of my life or at least for the next few months to a year.

The solution?  To pinterest I go!  I'm determined to find healthy foods that will help me lose weight but not leave me wishing I had something more.  Wish me luck and please leave any recipes or recommendations you have to offer!

Trying to make sure this isn't true!

(source)

1 Minute Scrambled Egg

I love having scrambled eggs in the morning.  I especially love having them on a sandwich.  But until recently, I rarely got to enjoy this seemingly simple meal because it is a bit time consuming, and I'd inevitably end up burning the eggs for fear of them being too runny.  To save money (no more Wawa breakfast sandwiches) and time, I knew I had to find an alternative, and here it is!

Microwave for exactly 1 minute.  Sorry I don't have a picture of this but our microwave has a weird pattern on the window and none of the pictures I took came out nicely.

The best part of the whole thing is that the eggs don't stick to the plastic, they literally slip right out onto the bread or dish.  Clean up could not be easier!

I've been eating mine on whole wheat toast since I read that even though bagels are delicious they're very hard to digest and not the best food for when you're trying to lose weight.  This would also be great with some bacon or a piece of low fat sausage.  

Do you have any little tricks that you use to save time or money in the kitchen?  

I'd love to hear your ideas and give them a try!

Off the Hook link Up

A Week of Pinterest Cooking

A few weeks ago I set out to cook a new Pinterest meal every night for a week straight.  To be fair, it took me more than a week because I ended up not being home every night, but I did successfully try all 5 recipes I had planned to use.  Some were better than others, but all were tasty and I'm happy to have added some of them into my regular cooking routine. 

Night 1:  Salsa Chicken Crockpot inspiration.  This has become one of my favorite meals, especially for nights when I'm away because it's so easy to make just enough for one person, or I can have leftovers for lunch.  Here's how I made it:

Ingredients:
Chicken- use as much as you need, I generally use 2-3 chicken breasts
1- can of corn
1- can of kidney beans
1- jar of salsa
1- jar of water (just fill one of the empty jars, this helps keep things moist.)

Instructions: mix together in the crockpot, cook for 6-8 hours on low.  Serve over rice (I use the boil in bag brown rice) and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Here's what it looks like before I cooked it.  I made this for Jim one night when I wasn't going to be home for dinner so I sadly didn't get a picture of it when it was ready to eat.  It's so flavorful, and the chicken is wicked moist.  It doesn't get much easier or better than this!

Night 2: Buffalo Chicken Casserole inspiration.  I used some of the left overs from night 1 to make night 2 since it's basically the same thing, just in a casserole.  Here's how I made it:

Ingredients:
Cubed, cooked chicken breasts (I cooked mine on the stove top and covered it in buffalo sauce as I cooked it)
1- can of corn
1- jar of salsa
1- bag of boil in a bag rice
Shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions: Cook the rice, then layer it in an 8x8 pan that's been sprayed with non stick spray.  Toss the chicken on top, cover in the salsa and rice.  Put as much cheese on the top as you'd like.  I love cheese but hate blue cheese, so we put a lot of cheddar and none of the dressing on top.  I think this would also be delicious with ranch dressing.  Pop it in the oven on 350 for 30 minutes and enjoy. 

Again, Jim got to enjoy this one since I was out, so I don't have an after picture, but it still looks really tasty!  Also, this was enough for him to have for dinner and for lunch, so if you're cooking for 1 or 2, this is a great sized recipe.

Night 3: Honey Balsamic Chicken Tenders inspiration. A super simple, Asian inspired meal!  Here's how I did it:
Ingredients:
2-3 chicken breasts
Balsamic Vinegar
Honey
Ginger

Instructions: slice the breasts into long strips, pour into a Ziploc bag with the vinegar.  Let sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes so soak in the flavor.  Once the chicken has marinated for the desired time cook on the stove top with a little extra vinegar and ginger (per instructions on website.)  Once the chicken is cooked, remove from pan and add in honey to the remaining drippings.  Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes then toss the chicken back in to coat in the sauce.  I served mine over rice (again the brown boil in a bag rice) and some carrots.  The only thing I would as is maybe more ginger, but I love the taste of ginger!  Finally a picture of a finished meal!

Night 4: Zesty Italian Chicken inspiration.  Another super easy recipe in a crock pot!  Can you tell that I love easy and my crockpot?

Ingredients:
Cubed Chicken
2- cans cream of chicken soup
8 oz softened cream cheese
1- packet of zesty Italian salad dressing
Pasta of your choice

Instructions: Combine the cream cheese and soup on the stove top, it only takes about 10 minutes.  Put the chicken in the crock pot, cover with the seasoning packet and then mix in the sauce mixture.  Cook on low for 4-5 hours, this is a good one for the weekend or when someone is home, if you let it sit on warm it will burn a little on the edges.  Serve over your cooked pasta.  Delicious!

Night 5: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Inspiration. I LOVE Chicken Cordon Bleu so this was a great one to try out.  Jim doesn't like Swiss so I make mine slightly different.

Ingredients:
Cubed Chicken- cooked
1/2 lb sliced ham
1/2 lb cheddar cheese slices
For the sauce:
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
3 1/4 cups Milk
1 tbsp mustard
For the "crust":
6 tbsp butter
1 1/2 bread crumbs

Instructions:  Butter the bottom of the casserole pan, layer in the chicken, then ham, then cheese.  In a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and cook til it begins to bubble.  Then slowly stir in milk, until the sauce thickens, then add in mustard.  Bring the sauce to a boil and remove from heat.  Pour the sauce over the casserole. Melt the last 6 tbsp of butter and blend with bread crumbs.  Crumble that over the top to create a crust.  Bake on 350 for about 20 minutes- until the top is lightly browned. 

I served mine with potato's and carrots, and probably would try a different kind of crust because mine was just soggy, although it was still delicious!

There you have it!  5 nights, 5 Pinterest inspired meals, 5 success stories.  I'd say my favorite was the chicken cordon bleu but they were all fantastic, I can't complain about any of them. 

Have you ever done a week of Pinterest cooking?
What's your favorite recipe that you've tried from the site?

Mouth Watering Pork Roast

This is the most delicious pork roast I have ever made!  It's also super easy, the proof of that is that I made it wrong and it still turned out to be super juicy and tastey!

The original recipe was found here but this is how I did it:

What you'll need:
Pork roast
Apple cider or apple juice
1 tbsp olive oil

For the dry rub:
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp black peper
1 tbsp oregano

How it's done:

1. Mix together all of the dry rub ingredients.
2. Rub the roast with the olive oil then rub in the dry ingredients.  Since I cook for 2 I had a smaller roast and ended up with extra rub, I just put in tupperware and left in the fridge til I made it again, no need to waste!

3. Wrap the roast up and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours.
4. Place the roast on a rack in a roasting pan, this way the roast won't get soggy by sitting in it's drippings, plus we'll be putting some juices in the pan later. Cook for 15 minutes on 450 degrees so it can get a nice sear to it.

5. Pour the cider or juice into the pain, cover the roast in a tin foil tent and let us cook on 250 for 60-90 minutes or until you reach a center temperature of 145 degrees.

6. Let sit for about 10 minutes before carving into it.

It's got a bit of a kick to it, thanks to the paprika (I can't believe the original recipe calls for a 1/2 cup of it) but it's super juicy, tender, and delicious!  I accidenttally read the instructions wrong and used apple cider vinegar in my pan.  It was still amazing but the house smelled and my eyes burned when I first took it out, so I strongly recommend NOT doing that!

This is more of a weekend meal since it's time consuming but it's absolutely worth it.  Try it out this weekend!