Lemonade Muffins

I've spent the last few weeks trying to figure out my eating...make a tweak here and there and try to figure out why my weight loss had...gasp...plateaued. It is that dirty diet word everyone fears. I wasn't exactly surprised it was happening. Inevitably as you have less weight to lose your body needs less calories to do the same amount of work and uses the calories you are feeding it more efficiently. My goal is still to eat a healthy, balanced diet, but like I said before weight loss is still high on my list of motivating factors.

Rather than try to cut calories, I decided to do the opposite and I am so glad I did. I had been eating around 1300 calories. I wasn't starving by any means, but when I took a look at how many calories I was using in my workouts (thanks to the use of a heart rate monitor) it made sense that I could definitely be eating more. And seriously, who doesn't love that? I decided to raise my daily intake 300-500 calories a day and just see how it would go. I fully anticipated a weight gain, but you know what happened? I hit the goal weight I had set for my self back in January and I was able to do it two weeks before my May 1st goal! It was a big accomplishment, not to mention I enjoyed the extra chew time.

The temptation in adding those extra calories for me is to snack all day or eat more "treats" instead of adding more nutritious food to my existing meals. Hello frozen yogurt! Where's the trail mix? In reality those calories really go pretty fast.

Tonight I was really craving bread. Muffins to be exact. I love lemon bars, lemon cake, lemon strudel, lemon danish, lemon bars, lemon cookies...You get it. If its a carb that looks or smells like lemon, I'll probably eat it. I was struggling to come up with a way to get some strong lemon flavor into my protein muffins so I did what any time-starved, shower-needing, 300-extra-calorie eating woman would do. I googled it. There were several options out there with suggestions like grated lemon peel, lemon curd, and so on. Most of those required me to have an actual lemon in my possession. I'm sure you've deciphered all my foreshadowing and figured out I had no such lemon. I did however have pink lemonade Crystal Light drink mix and Mio drink flavoring. I can't technically call this a clean eating recipe, but it was a pretty healthy and tasty addition to our dinner. They would also be a great protein packed way to start your morning. Try finding a muffing with 10 grams of protein and under 120 calories at Starbucks!

These muffins are more dense than regular muffins. I don't want there to be any surprises when you make them. That is the unfortunate reality of most baked goods made with stuff that is good for you. It's funny, but I've almost come to like the density of the "new" pancakes, cookies and muffins I bake better than the "old" kind. Call me crazy.

Anyway, these are really simple. Start my mixing all your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix your wet ingredients in a separate bowl and then add the wet to the dry and mix well with a whisk.  The batter will be thick.

I love lemon, but if its not your thing this recipe would be easy to adapt to your taste. There are a ton of drink mix flavors. I've seen a blueberry lemonade flavor that would probably be awesome with fresh blueberries added, although I haven't tried adding fruit to these yet.

You can also see from my picture that I prefer to use silicone baking cups for my muffins. I'm sure the paper kind will work fine, but the silicone type are awesome because nothing sticks to those babies.

So here ya go. Happy baking!

Pre-heat oven to 350
Bake time: 15 mim

Recipe:
1 1/4c Whole Wheat Flour or oat flour
3 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
1 "tub" of crystal light pink lemonade (the size that makes a 2qrt pitcher)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c unsweetened apple sause
4 tbsp agave
9 tbsp egg whites (I used the liquid egg whites, not separated egg whites. Its easier)
1/2 tsp Mio lemonade flavor drink mix

Divide into 12 muffin liners and bake. Store extras, if you have any, in an air-tight container or ziploc bag.

Nutritional info based on specific brands/ingredients.
*Different brands may have different nutritional content*
Calories: 116
Fat: 1g
Total Carb: 16g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 10g

Oven Baked "Cookie" Chicken

I'm guessing the name of this recipe has you wondering...oh gross, she breaded that chicken in crushed cookies, but come on. Would I do that? Now that I think about it...maybe. But not today. I called it "cookie" chicken because the most amazing thing happened when I baked it. My house smelled just like chocolate chip cookies. And I don't mean the flaxseed, avocado chocolate chip cookies my house smells like all the time. I mean full on Toll House goodness. When my husband got home from work he gave me this weird look and then got really excited that I was baking "real" cookies. I had to let him down that it was our dinner, but once we sat down to eat he was over the disappointment. This chicken is so good. Our daughter even asked if we could have it again tomorrow which is about the highest compliment she gives when it comes to food. She even chose to eat the chicken over the fruit on her plate. That's big stuff in our house.

The secret ingredient in this recipe is...Fiber One Honey Squares.

Start by crushing 1cup of Fiber One Honey Squares in a ziploc bag. I used my rolling pin. You want it pretty finely crushed, but not pulverized. Next line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Now set up your breading station. You will need two bowls, one for your egg whites and one for the crushed Fiber One. I added a few twists of the black pepper grinder and a few twists of the sea salt grinder to the egg whites before I dipped the chicken. 

The cereal needs a little help sticking but not a ton. I think it works best to dip the chicken in the egg whites on both sides and then hold it over the bowl for a few seconds and let the excess drip off. Then lay it into crushed cereal and press gently. Flip the chicken over and repeat with all your chicken. I had a very tiny amount of cereal left so I just sprinkled it on the chicken anywhere it needed a little more. Don't waste the sweet stuff.

If you let a lot the excess egg drip into your dry cereal it will glob up, get soggy and not stick to your chicken, which is sad.

The main problem I have with most chicken recipes that claim to be both baked and crunchy is that they never actually get crunchy. That is just the nature of the beast. If you want real crunch, you have to fry. If you fry all the time your pants get too small. Bake people, bake. I wanted to get this as crispy as I could. I decided to experiment. I was trying to figure out how to get some caramelization on the top of the chicken. A tiny drizzle of agave nectar did the trick. It only takes a tiny bit. I have the recipe calling for 1 tbsp, but I didn't use quite all of it. Close, but not all.

 

As you can see, it's just a very slight drizzle of agave

Lastly, pop it in a 400 degree oven for 35 minutes. You may need to adjust cooking time if the chicken breasts you are using are really thick. 40 minutes is usually sufficient for most packaged fresh chicken. If you choose to use chicken tenders you'll want to reduce the time to between 20-30 minutes.

My whole family loved this recipe, plus it's super easy so I'm sure it will become part of our rotation. I can totally see the leftover chicken on top of a spinach salad with strawberries and goat cheese for lunch this weekend. Yum!

Enjoy guys. This is a good one.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Oven Baked "Cookie" Chicken:
1lb chicken breasts (worked perfectly with 4 smaller breasts)
1/4c egg whites
1c Fiber One Honey Squares, Crushed
1tbsp Agave Nectar
salt and pepper to taste

Mini Meatloafs or Meatballs

One of the things I haven't been willing to give up for the sake of a healthy diet is comfort food. I still want to eat mac n' cheese and brownies and basically any and all kinds of fried goodness. While it would be wonderful to do that everyday, I have to rein it in and look at the bigger picture. Those thing are fine for an occasional meal, but for your run of the mill dinner a few healthy substitutions can take the classics you love right into health-ville with just a few changes. Enter meatloaf...I didn't serve it with the mac n' cheese I would have loved, but the baked maple cinnamon sweet potato fries and roasted asparagus weren't anything to complain about. I'll post those recipes soon!

So here we go with the meatloaf recipe. This makes a lot...like twelve mini loafs. It is usually enough for two dinners and a lunch or two, which I like but you could cut the recipe in half if it just seems like an overwhelming amount for you. This week I got a little more creative with my meal planning and knocked out two dinners with this one batch by baking up half the recipe as mini meatloafs and half as meatballs for my favorite zucchini noodle pasta instead of using ground beef.

Also, I really like these meatloafs kind of spicy. I'll give you two variations on the recipe in case you aren't a fan of "hot". The way I like them tends to be too spicy for my kids. The second variation uses more spices I would consider to be "Italian" flavors, but you can mix and match any spices your like. You really can't mess it up. My husband likes these REALLY spicy so he dips them in Siracha. It's good, but just a warning...if you do that, a little goes a long way.

This recipe couldn't be easier. I prefer to use a stand mixer, but if you don't have one you can just mix well with your hands. So, in the bowl of the stand mixer add...everything. I told you it was easy.

Once you have it all in there, turn on the mixer on but go slow. The bowl will be pretty full and you don't want to send raw turkey flying everywhere. Yuck, lesson learned.

Next line a baking sheet with foil to keep clean up easy. To make mini meatloafs roll the mixture into 12 baseball sized loaves. To make a meat loaf dinner and a meatball dinner, roll the mixture into six baseball sized loaves and use the remaining mixture to make 16 meatballs, approximately the size of a golf ball. You can put them pretty much side by side. These are just very spread out since I was only making six of them. I was able to fit all 16 meatballs on one baking sheet.

Now pop those guys in the oven and bake at 375. It takes 40 minutes for the meatloafs and 30 minutes to bake the meatballs. I baked them at the same time by just waiting 10 minutes to put in the meatballs. They are come out nice and brown. Yum!

Meatloaf

Meatballs

 

I really wish I had thought to take a picture of the plates when we had the meatloaf. The kids were screaming. You know, like they wanted to be fed or something and I forgot. Anyway, here are the meatballs in the zucchini noodle pasta before I stirred it up.

Preheat oven to 375

Cook time Meatloaf: 40min 

Cook time Meatballs: 30min

 Spicy Meatloafs:

2 lbs ground lean turkey

3 egg whites or 2 whole eggs (I prefer egg whites only)

1 cup quick oats

1 medium zucchini, grated

1 tsp sea salt (Optional)

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dry thyme

1.5 tbsp dry mustard

2 tbsp ground black pepper

2 tsp dry chipotle pepper or chili powder

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 small onion, about a cup

1 6oz can 100% natural tomato paste

Italian Meatloafs:

2 lbs ground lean turkey

3 egg whites or 2 whole eggs (I prefer egg whites only)

1 cup quick oats

1 medium zucchini, grated

1 tsp sea salt (Optional)

1/2 tsp cumin

1.5 tbsp dry mustard

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp dry parsley

1 tbsp dry oregano

1 tbsp dry basil

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 small onion, about a cup

1 6oz can 100% natural tomato paste

Vanilla Protein Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

I like to think that our reformed eating habits don't have to keep us from enjoying the foods we love, but let's face it... often the things that are truly, mind-blowingly delicious are not so good for you. I'm totally picturing this muffin tin cookie thing I keep seeing people post on FB that is something like a pregnant chocolate chip cookie meets brownie. I say pregnant because somehow they managed to squeeze an Oreo cookie in the middle of this thing. Yes, I want to lick my phone when I see that picture.

When I was pregnant with my youngest we ate at Village Inn a lot. By "a lot" I mean the hostess didn't even have to ask how many in our party or if we wanted a table or booth...two waters and a chocolate milk, coming up. I mean, A LOT. I was trying to make good food choices, but you know what tastes really amazing with an egg white omelet and a side of fruit? Pancakes! I still want pancakes, like everyday. But I keep it to a weekend treat for the most part. Substitution is the key to keeping me sane.

This new recipe includes protein powder and I thought they were really good. There is no reason you couldn't top these with real maple syrup, but this blueberry compote was way better in my opinion.

I used our electric griddle this morning. I like to do it that way so we can all sit down to eat together. So if you have one, get it out and set it to 300 degrees. If not, a pan over medium heat works too. Just don't get it too hot. Also these are best served ASAP after you cook them. I was picking the scraps off my kid's plates...and shocker...just not as good cold. This recipe makes about a dozen 4in pancakes, which fed our family of two big eaters and two small eaters perfectly. A four-inch pancake sounds small, but they are filling. And since it's the weekend, you are making (turkey) sausage too, so you'll be fine.

First, get your compote started. Combine blueberries, agave and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil for a minute or three. Who's counting? Then take a spoon and mash most of the berries. Then just reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until your pancakes are ready.

In a blender combined all the ingredients and blend until smooth. It will be thick. Spray the griddle with non-stick spray or melt a tiny bit of coconut oil and grease the surface. Then ladle the batter out of the blender and let cook until bubbles form. When they are nice and brown, flip'em, stack'em, cover'em with compote and chow down! Yum!

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Step 2:

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I also added a tablespoon of PB2 with cinnamon to the top of these. It was so good! If you don't have PB2 (get some) but any nut butter will be tasty.

Recipe for Compote:
1c fresh blueberries
1 tbsp agave (or honey)
3 tbsp water
(Optional 2 tbsp PB2, 1 tbsp water, a few shakes of cinnamon)

Recipe for pancakes:
1 c old fashioned oats
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/2 c plain non fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp vanilla almond milk (or other milk)

I couldn't resist...Her is our daughter's favorite version:

The Piggy Pancake

Fruit & Yogurt Breakfast Protein Bowl

My daughter picked out my bowl this morning...fairy princess bowls make it taste better, right? Yeah, I think so too.

I had this today before my workout and it was just what I needed before a run & weight lifting class. Plus, it's quick and easy!

- 1/2 c plain fat-free Greek yogurt
- 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1/3 c strawberries
- 1/4 c blueberries
- 1/4 c Fiber One Honey Squares

Mix yogurt and protein powder well, then add berries and top with cereal.

Crock Pot Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

This yucky weather we are having had me craving something warm and comforting for dinner. This chili totally fits the bill. I adapted this recipe from another awesome blog called He and She Eat Clean. You should all check out. You can see it here.

The seasonings give it some good heat while the sweet potatoes give it a little sweetness and a yummy texture. I hope you love it! Here we go:

Get out your crock pot and set it on high while you get ready to add your ingredients. I also can't say enough great things about crock pot liners...use them people! It will make your life easier. They are in the same aisle as zip lock bags and make clean up basically effortless.

First cube up two large sweet potatoes. And add them to the crock pot.

Next, dice a medium onion and add it as well.

Now pop open those cans and pour in the fire roasted tomatoes and black beans and give the whole mixture a little stir...no need to drain either one of them.

Next you'll layer in the turkey. Ground turkey is already pretty crumbly if you don't smash it too much getting it out of the package, which is good for this recipe. You don't have to be very careful...just disperse the meat evenly over the top of your vegetables.

To finish up, sprinkle your seasonings evenly over the turkey and pour the beef broth over the top of all of it. No need to stir...this chili makes itself!

I like to cook on high for 3 hours, give it a good stir and then cook one additional hour on low. If you'll be out of the house all day, 6-8 hours on low will be just fine.

Recipe:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 med onion, diced
1 can organic fire roasted tomatoes
1 can reduced sodium black beans
1 lb lean ground turkey
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp sea salt- or more if desired
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tbsp dry chipotle chili pepper powder
2 c 100% Natural Beef Broth, organic if available (I used Swanson's)


Got questions? Comments? Let me know. I'd love to hear from you!

Antioxidant Berry Chia Smoothie

The color of this smoothie couldn't be much worse, but it tasted great.

Recipe:
8oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1.5c baby spinach
1c Dole antioxidant blend frozen berries
1/2 scoop vanilla whey
1tbsp chia seeds

Blend well on liquify setting.

It is Yum! There will be a slight seedy texture from the berries and chia seeds, but it didn't bother me. This was a nice and thick, but if you prefer a thinner smoothie just add a few more ounces of milk.

Enjoy!

Some Days Are Like That...

Yesterday was a rough day in the motivation department for me. I went into Monday knowing my week would be a little thrown off due to a hair appointment, returning a favor to my sweet neighbor by hanging out with her little boy, and a doctor appointment for my youngest, so I had tried to kick up my weekend workouts to compensate. That was rough in itself. I usually reserve the weekends for family time and try to squeeze in exercise by taking family walks at the park or chasing the kids around, but I decided to go for it. Saturday I ran a few miles and then hit the cardio machines and Sunday I ran a couple miles and did a Body Pump class to get in some weight training.

So, back to Monday...The extra time I put into the gym over the weekend evidently kept me from putting clothes into the washer because all the workout clothes I was looking for were in the dirty clothes. My options are more limited these days. I'm happy that a lot of my workout wear is getting too big, but replacing it is expensive and hasn't quite made it to the top of my to-do list. Ordinarily I'd just pull on whatever still fits and get moving but I was planning on doing a Yoga Sculpt class. It's a new class I just started a month or so ago and I love it...or love to hate it, I'm not really sure. Basically it is sixty minutes of yoga in a 100 degree room with hand weights and three very intense bursts of cardio. During those bursts, I'm quite sure I may fall over dead at any second, but thankfully just when I think that moment has arrived, the burst is over. Since it is so dang hot in that yoga studio what you wear really does matter. I ended up in a pair of long, loose yoga pants which was basically the worst thing possible since they weigh ten pounds by the time you've sweated the kind of drenching sweat this class creates. So...I was off to a bad start.

After finally finding pants to wear, I got the girls in the car and listened to my older daughter give a full narration on who she would see at the gym today. She is always ready to go to the gym. In fact, she is usually my biggest cheerleader. I had already planned on getting in a short run, maybe a mile, before class so we headed out about a half hour before yoga started. Last week I ran a mile before class and felt like being a little more warmed up help me acclimate to the heat a little better and in that class I need all the help I can get.

We are lucky to belong to a gym that has really great childcare...like an indoor climbing maze, basketball courts and a staff that actually takes time to learn the kid's names and greet them personally. She loves going to play with her "gym friends" and today was no exception. When we got there I put the baby in the nursery and walked my older daughter to the basketball court where all the older kids were playing. I scanned the court and realized we were the first of her little group to get there, but usually that's not a big deal. I opened that gate to let her in and BAM. The switch flipped. She was a clinging, teary-eyed mess. It just wasn't like her. I got down on her level and looked her in the eye. She had huge tears welling up threatening to spill over at any second, but she couldn't tell me what was wrong. That's also not like her...this girl is never at a loss for words. She finally came up with, "I think I just feel a little tired." She looked down at her shoes and when she looked up her eyes finally overflowed and my heart sank. I wanted to cry too when I looked at her sad little face.

In the past I've been able to simply step out of sight and she moves right on. It was worth a try. One of the teachers tried to give her a little hug to distract her as I stepped out, but she erupted into full on hysterics and I knew it was time to go. As we headed toward the nursery to get the baby, one of the nursery staff stepped out of the room and saw us. She calmly talked to us and asked if maybe a few minutes in the nursery with little sister would make her feel better. Thankfully, she agreed that it would. I handed her over and stood outside the door waiting for tears, but thankfully none came. I left the childcare area fully expecting a phone call that she needed me and that my workout would be short today. By then I think I was actually hoping for that call. Those moments in the basketball area had drained me and left my heart heavy. I have always felt that choosing a healthy lifestyle is as much mental as it is physical and my mind was checking out for the day.

I walked to the locker room and contemplated quitting before I even got started, but after making it through that scene in childcare I knew I had to do something to make this trip worthwhile. I headed up stairs to the track, turned on my music and stop watch and started to run. The first mile went by surprisingly fast. As I was finishing my sister called. I knew I should stop if I was going to do that class, but as I listened to her talk I kept on running. Whoops.

When I got into the yoga studio class was just about to start and it was HOT. We weren't even through the warmup and I already knew I felt off. I moved into my first downward dog and something weird happened. As I moved into the pose with my head hanging upside down, I tried to swallow. You know, like you do 10,000 times a day. Except when I did, it was like gravity took over and it went to my sinuses instead of my throat. I could literally feel an air bubble or whatever it was traveling up my sinus cavity toward my eyes...and yes, I'm still hanging upside down in my downward dog pose. It was similar to the sensation you have when you accidentally snort pool water, except searingly painful. I was trying to blink away the pain but even after we stood up I had what I guess I would call a sinus headache. I went on with the class, the sweat dripping and burning my eyes..I was so ready to bolt out of there.

By the third cardio round I had about all I could take. As we squat jumped and burpee'ed our way through that burst I was suddenly so light-headed that I could only think one thought. I had to get out of that heat ASAP. Out in the hallway the relief wasn't instantaneous, but I could feel my pulse slowing down and I had, thankfully, lost that panicked feeling. As much as I shouldn't have, I felt a little better that two other folks had to take a breather the same time I did. I know, shame on me. I headed back in knowing the class was nearly over and felt like it would be a shame to quit with only a few minutes left. Class ended and as I tugged my saggy, soaking-wet pants up for the thousandth time, I realized I did feel better for having made it through. I didn't quit even when I really wanted to.

By the time I went to collect the kiddos, it seemed like the incident from earlier was long forgotten. I asked her if she'd had fun and she gave me a resounding "Yes!" and asked if we'd be back tomorrow. The answer was actually no, since momma needs a rest day and some fresh hair color, but I was relieved that she was over whatever had made her so sad earlier.

The rest of the afternoon was pretty smooth, but after dinner my sweet tooth kicked into overdrive and I knew I was going to eat something, so it might as well be fun for everyone. We headed down the the street to our favorite little frozen yogurt shop and had dessert. While we were there I decided to bite the bullet and find out how may calories I was really eating. I was pretty pumped when I found out the no-sugar-added vanilla I usually eat only has 80 calories per 3oz. I had it topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries, so all in all, not too bad as far as dessert goes. It hit the spot and I'm pretty certain after that yoga hell I endured earlier, I earned that fro-yo!

What I try to remember on days like yesterday is that everyone has an off day. You can choose to push through it or you can choose to start fresh tomorrow, but you can't choose to give up. There is some quote out there about how 80% of being successful is just showing up. Sometimes it only takes something as tiny as putting on your tennis shoes to spur you on to a good workout. The longer you sit on the couch and think about the other things you could do instead, the further you will be from your goals and the more overwhelmed you will feel. Everyday that you feed your body what it needs and get moving is a day to be proud of. Progress takes time, but the workout you do today will show one day soon. It took me months to get to a point where I could look in the mirror and see things changing, but I could feel them long before that. Give it time. Be kind to yourself. Think happy thoughts. And when you need motivation, lace up your shoes and get moving---even if it's only for five minutes. My guess is that once you get started, you'll finish and feel better for having stuck to your plan.

Sometimes it just takes a little reminder of what you've accomplished. Here is the picture that keeps me going right now. What a difference a year makes...

                                              April 2012 vs April 2013

Got questions? Comments? Let me know...I'd love to hear from you!

So really, what do you eat?

I've gotten quite a few questions about what it is that I actually eat day in and day out. I'll (hopefully) be giving you lots of good dinner options, but in reality my breakfasts and lunches are pretty set. I've found a line up that works for me. They are my go-to meals that keep me full, give me the energy to keep a strong workout schedule, chase my kiddos and still taste good.

For breakfast, I'm a huge fan of overnight oats. This is the single easiest breakfast I can think of short of hitting the Starbucks drive-thru. Not that my car doesn't occasionally find it's way to a drive-thru window, but what I usually find is that after the joy of that sweet, syurp-flavored sausage goodness is gone I kinda feel like crap. Not like "whoa wish I hadn't eaten something so bad for me," but literally do not feel well.

These on-the-go oats take a maximum of five minutes to prep before bed and are ready when you wake up. The options are limitless... I'm giving you the recipe for the photo below, but you could add anything by starting with a base of oats and the milk of your choice. I think Greek yogurt is a necessary part of the base oat mix, but I realize not everyone likes it as much as I do. Some great options are any flavor of extract, nuts, almond butter, PB2, 100% pumpkin and pumpkin pie-spice, apples, granola, coconut--the options are endless.

Put all the ingredients in a container...now the tough part...stir it up! Then put an lid on it and refrigerate it overnight.

Cinnamon Maple Overnight Oats with Fresh Berries
1/4 c Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 c Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk or Milk of choice
1/4 c Plain Greek Yogurt
1/4 tsp Maple Extract or 1 tsp Real Maple Syrup
1 tbsp chia seeds
2-3 dashes of Cinnamon
1 packet Stevia
Topping- can be added in the morning or the night before
1/4 c strawberries
1/4 c blueberries

My other go-to breakfast is a Spinach Protein Smoothie. I pretty much always start with 8oz of almond milk, a huge handful of baby spinach, ice and then either a scoop of whey protein powder or a 1/2c of Greek yogurt....both if I'm just feeling crazy. From here, again, it is really up to your personal preference. Any nut butter (or PB2) is an easy and high-protein choice. To keep the calories and fat down I often opt for frozen (no sugar added/ unsweetened) frozen peaches, strawberries or mixed berries. Fresh fruit is a perfect choice. If it's in season...throw it in there! These are filling and I think when mixed with the protein powder, they really taste more like a milk shake than a smoothie. And let's face it, I'm all for anything that tastes like dessert no matter what time of day it is. As a bonus, I can even get my four year old to drink these. She calls them "monster smoothies." She is a picky eater so whatever she wants to call it, I'm just excited she's drinking it.

Spinach Protein Smoothie
8oz Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk or Milk of your choice
1/2 c Greek yogurt or 1 scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder
1 huge handful of baby spinach
1/2 c ice
1/2 c frozen peaches
1/2 c frozen strawberries 


On days when we have plenty of time in the morning I love a good scramble. This is one of my favorites. It's a simple mix of eggs (or egg whites), cheddar cheese, zucchini, a little salt and pepper and a side of salsa. On the morning I took this picture I had made some zucchini chips. They weren't so good, but I'm not one to throw my experiments out, so on the plate they went.  I suggest sauteing your zucchini in the pan for a few minutes to soften it up a little before adding the eggs and cheese.

Lastly, I'm a big fan of pancakes and waffles on the weekends. When I was much more serious about limiting my carb intake these were a huge treat for me. I can't take credit for this recipe, but I do think its a good one as evident by the fact that I couldn't control myself long enough to take a proper picture before I dug in. Anyhow, this batter can be used to make either pancakes or waffles and it's pretty tasty. Throw a little fresh fruit on top and you've got a really good breakfast.

I feel it only right to warn you...these pancakes are not the inch-thick, light as air, from a mix pancakes we all know and love. They will be more dense, but they are good and eating healthy feels good so feel good about eating these waffles and ignore the denseness! See the recipe here. You'll notice the recipe says you can use cottage cheese or tofu. I've made it both ways. My personal preference is totally the cottage cheese. I also think they are better without the nutmeg. If you like your pancakes and waffles pretty sweet, add in a packet or two of Stevia and enjoy.

When it comes to lunch, you'll pretty much always see the same thing on my plate: protein, complex carbs, and veggies. I prep all my lunches for the week on Sunday night. It sounds like a tall order, especially when the kids need a bath or the laundry isn't washing itself, but taking these few minutes is what keeps me on track during the week. If I get the chicken in the oven right before I start the kid's bath the timing is just about perfect...kids in bed just about the time the chicken is done.

Before I got serious about preparing my meals for the week, I was having a rough time. By the time I worked out, got the kids home and made them lunch, then put the baby down for a nap---I would realize I was starving but couldn't find anything I wanted to eat---I was "hangry." You know, angry as a result of being hungry. Prepping my lunches keeps me from reaching that point and from reaching for the closest thing, be it Chick-fil-a or the bag of goldfish. Plus, it lets me sit down with the girls and enjoy a meal with them, which I love.

My usual protein of choice is chicken for a few reasons. 1) It's super easy to make and 2) You can make it taste different just by choosing different seasonings. Right now I'm loving a drizzle of olive oil and McCormicks "Perfect Pinch" Vegetable flavor. For a regular package of 2-3 chicken breasts, I find 40 minutes at 400 degrees is perfect. I also always line my pans with foil. It keeps clean up simple.

My carb choices are pretty standard as well. It is usually 1/2 a baked sweet potato, 1/2c  brown rice, or 1/2c quinoa. This week I had some little cheesy sausage quinoa muffins leftover from dinner so that will be my carb a few days this week. I'll share that recipe later this week. Remember: your  carbs don't have to be boring. Spice them up, use chicken stock instead of water to give them more flavor, add diced veggies or a little Parmesan cheese...

For vegetables I usually opt for broccoli, green beans, or a veggie blend of zucchini and squash. We're all busy and if something saves you a few minutes, all the better. That is why I often eat steam in the bag vegetables for lunch. I think they are better if you reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes when you initially cook them. It helps them not be mush by the time you re-heat your meal. Here is what my lunches look like this week.

Lastly, I'll just put it out there. As weird as I felt doing it the first time, I have taken my own food into several fast food restaurants. Occasionally a play date comes up for my daughter and I am left deciding if people are going to think I am a complete weirdo for showing up with my little Thermos of chicken, but you know what? I've decided I don't really care. This is a priority for me. Weirdo, table for one!

Got questions? Comments? Let me know. I'd love to hear from you!

Zucchini "Noodle" Spaghetti

I love pasta. I mean, really love it. Unfortunately your run-of-the-mill white pasta is about as nutritionally void as food comes. It falls right in there with other things I love, but do my best to avoid like white potatoes and Texas toast. The next best substitution would be whole wheat pasta, but you can do better than that. Enter...The Zucchini "Noodle."

You will need a mandolin with a julienne attachment to make your noodles. Well, a mandolin or incredible knife skills and hours of spare time, both of which I don't have and I'm willing to bet you don't either.

Start by adding your oil to a large pan and add onions. Everything for this recipe goes in this pan, so start with a big one. Cook the onions for 3-4 minutes and add garlic. Cook the two together for a minute or two more, until onions are soft and translucent and then add your meat. This can either be extra lean ground beef or ground turkey. Tonight Matt wanted beef, so that's what he got. When the meat is thoroughly browned add your basil, oregano, and parsley.

I would love to make marinara from fresh farmer's market tomatoes, but that time just isn't quite here yet...come on summer! So tonight I'm taking a little marinara shortcut with a can of 100% Natural Hunts crushed tomatoes. I just like that brand the best because it has the right consistency to make a sauce and hardly ever has weird pieces of tomato skin like some brands, but hey--- feel free to use what you like.  I will post a great marinara recipe when tomato season rolls around but for now, pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir well. Now, put a lid on the sauce and turn your heat down to let the sauce simmer while you prep your veggies.

For this recipe I add lots of extra veggies. All that extra veg makes you feel like you are getting to eat a great big plate of food...which you are and it's all good you! And bonus...those veggies are full of fiber which keeps you feeling full. When I'm using a lot of different veggies in one meal I often opt for a frozen vegetable mix. My favorite brand is pictured below. It is the most generic looking packaging ever, but it is a great blend and it is already cut into bite size pieces. Most importantly, there is nothing in this blend except vegetables- zucchini, squash, onions, broccoli, red bell pepper, and carrots with no added salt, flavors or sauces.

Put your veggies in a microwave safe bowl and cover with press n' seal or cling wrap.and microwave for 4 minutes. Ordinarily there is not a lot of water released from the vegetables, but if you see water in the bottom of your bowl after microwaving, pour it out before you add it to your pan. Stir in your vegetables and continue to simmer your sauce, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 minutes. You want those flavors to all cook together.

 Ok, you are in the home stretch. Get out your mandolin and add the smallest julianne attachment. Wash your zucchini and get to work. Watch your fingers! I would rather waste a little zucchini by not julianning the entire vegetable than risk raking your fingers over a very sharp blade. In this picture I've cut about three small zucchini. Those big pieces laying under the mandolin are what was left of each zucchini after I felt like my fingers were getting too close to the blade.

After you've simmered your sauce for a good 20 or 30 minutes, it should be nice and thick and rich. Add your zucchini "noodles" and stir them in. I hope you started with a big pan...can't say I didn't warn you! Now, put the lid back on your pan and let it hang out there over medium-low'ish heat for another 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Hurray! You are done! Serve it up topped with a few shavings of a good Parmesan cheese.

For those of you counting calories, I calculated this recipe based on four servings. It came out to 358 calories per serving. That number may vary depending on the brands you choose, but it should be very close. This is roughly in the same calorie range as your typical frozen meal "diet" meal, but let me tell you, this is so much better for you. The sodium level alone in those things should be enough to make you stuff it back in the freezer. Not to mention this one tastes a whole lot better.

This recipe is easily adaptable...not loving meat? Leave it out. Like your marinara spicy? Add a teaspoon or so of red chili flake. Need a quick meal? Double your recipe and freeze half for later or freeze in single servings to take to work. Yum!

Hope you guys love it. Feel free to leave me comments. Think you can improve this recipe? Let me know how you did it. I'm always open to new ideas. 

Recipe Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey (omit for a vegetarian meal)
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1 28oz can of 100% natural Hunt's crushed tomatoes or organic crushed tomatoes of your choice
3 cups of frozen vegetable blend or three cups of mixed fresh vegetables like squash, broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, etc.
3 small ripe zucchini
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Is it snack time yet?

I hadn't planned on writing another post until this weekend. But like I said yesterday, kids get sick and guess what?..my kid is sick. Instead of the gym I got a trip to the pediatrician's office and a prescription for oral steroids. My poor baby is having a rough day, but at least she's resting now.

This morning I helped host a breakfast for the teachers at my older daughter's pre-school. I don't think I have to tell you how hard it was to stare down those doughnuts, bagels, and homemade monkey bread. By the time I made it out of there my sweet tooth was screaming at me. FEED ME!

After we got home from the little one's doctor visit, I got out my new favorite…PB2 and Fuji apple slices. This stuff seems a little weird at first glance. I mean powdered peanut butter...really? But it so good! You just mix it with a little water and get ready to dig in! I have it in both the regular peanut butter flavor and chocolate peanut butter. Today I had the chocolate, and let me tell you, it is lick-the-bowl good!

So, you are wondering what the powder is, right? PB2 is made from roasted peanuts that are pressed under, I don't know, a zillion pounds of pressure so the oil is released from the peanuts. What is left of the peanut becomes the awesomeness that is PB2. The best part is, for around 120 calories (for a medium apple and a serving of PB2) you can have a snack that tastes totally bad for you, but isn't. And bonus...you're getting 5 grams of protein and only 3 net carbs. It's also tasty in smoothies, mixed in your morning oats, stirred into yogurt, on toast or just about anywhere you want a little peanut butter flavor without the fat and calories of traditional peanut butter.

I couldn't find PB2 at my local store, but a quick browse on Amazon and it was on my doorstep! It is worth it people! Yum!

And, yeah, you'll all have to pardon my paper plate. Don't judge me, people. I can't be the only one who uses these things, right?

 

**UPDATE** 

I'm still in love with this snack but I found a way to do what I though was impossible...make it better. So take your two tbsp serving of PB2 and add a few shakes of cinnamon, then mix with 1 tbsp of water and WOW. It is soooo good!

Welcome to Dinner in Gym Clothes

When I started posting a picture here and there of what I was eating for breakfast or had made my family for dinner on my Facebook page, I never expected to get the response that followed. That response is what inspired me to begin "Dinner in Gym Clothes." I hope to show you that eating in a healthy, nutritious way doesn't have to be hard, time consuming, or bland. And likewise, the gym does not have to be tedious, painful or boring. In my personal experience, making the time for both of these in your life will change more than your pant size. Although I would be lying if I said weight loss was not a major motivator in this journey toward a healthier life.

 Here is a little back ground: I have never been a particularly thin person. As a child I always remember being the "big" girl. Although I was athletic and kept busy with softball and bike riding, I more than made up for it in brownie eating and Dr. Pepper drinking. By junior high, I knew I wanted to make a change, but I didn't know how. It was so difficult, as a 13 year old, to be so proud to have made the cheerleading squad only to realize the very real fear that there may not be a uniform to fit me. I never felt the stinging words of bullies, but I did feel the shame of watching my mother sit behind a sewing machine trying to figure out how to move buttons and alter uniforms to get them to fit. I spent my junior high years always on the bottom of the pyramid but I was on the squad and that was what was most important to me.

In high school I lost weight and was finally happy with my body. What I failed to learn during that time of weight loss was how to lose weight in a healthy way. I ate a severely calorie restricted diet often consisting of one small bowl of cereal for breakfast, half a sandwich for lunch, and a can of green beans for dinner all while keeping up a hectic schedule of high school softball practice and games, cheerleading practice and games, and daily trips to the gym. I think I always knew I needed to be eating more, but I was constantly scared more food would mean I would once again become the "big" girl. If only I had known then what I know now, right?

After high school, I fully indulged in college life and loved every minute of it. I was able to keep my weight under control despite living in a sorority house with a cook whose favorite meals always included gravy. Hello, Chicken Strip Tuesday! Thankfully, I made good use of the university's gym facilities and long walks across campus to my classes.

The real problem began after I got married and became what many folks call "fat and happy." Except I was far from happy. I told myself I was being a good wife by putting three course meals on the table every night and making pancakes every weekend, but the truth is I wasn't doing either of us any favors. I had let my weight get to a point where I could no longer button my “fat-day” jeans. I couldn’t go on telling myself the pants in my closet were fresh-out- o-the-dryer-tight...these jeans were just too small. My husband and I went on the South Beach Diet, which was huge at the time, and quickly lost weight. It worked, but living la vida low-carb was tough and it wasn't a permanent solution for us. We both gained a few pounds back but we were both happy enough with our weight to try to go back to "normal" eating, whatever that is.

Fast forward four years to the birth of our first daughter. I gained 60+lbs by eating a steady diet of burgers and fries, cookies and my favorite custard ice cream filled with Oreos and heath bars. Was it delicious?...of course! Was it incredibly hard to lose?...absolutely.  I was able to keep my weight gain down with our second baby, gaining under 30lbs. Losing the weight the second time wasn't any easier, but with 30 less pounds to lose than the first pregnancy, it didn't seem as daunting.

Seven months after my second baby I had lost my pregnancy weight, but it was abundantly clear that my body needed a tune up. I had been back to the gym since the baby was 8 weeks old, but I wasn't putting much effort into my workouts. I would climb on a cardio machine, Kindle in hand, and do the minimum it took to break a sweat then go home and make a convenient dinner. These meals weren't completely devoid of nutrition, but we were eating far too much pasta, boxed/processed meals and fried restaurant dinners.  I was tired, stressed, hungry and worst of all, not getting the results I wanted.

The holidays and my birthday had the scale creeping back up but I refused to let it ruin the holidays. I did what so many of us do and vowed to make a change...after New Year’s, of course. I've made plenty of resolutions in my life, but this time I vowed to keep it…and you know what? I did.

That brings us to today. In the past months I have developed a passion for working out and a new love of cooking.  My number one goal is to raise a happy and healthy family, but I fully believe you cannot take care of the ones you love if you are not taking care of yourself. That has to include getting your body moving, but like I talked about before: getting a workout is important, but no amount of working out will take care of a bad diet. Eating Clean does require some effort, but the rewards are amazing. I rarely, if ever, need ibuprofen or Tylenol now which is a big change for me. I have far more energy which allows me to push harder in my workouts. I feel like I can handle stress better. And lastly, the little fact I am most proud of…I have lost 20+ pounds since January 1^st. I truly feel that changing my food intake has been the catalyst for all these changes and that motivates me to stick with it.

Now, the disclaimer: Am I a nutritionist? No. Am I a personal trainer? No. What I will share with you in this blog is simply what is working for me and my family right now. Will it change and evolve? I hope so. That being said, let’s be realistic. I am a mom of two little ones. Life can be crazy. It can get hectic. Kids get sick and I may eat an entire bag of Cadbury mini eggs. Life goes on. I start each day striving to do my best, but realize balance is the key. While I’ll try to give you the best advice I can, there will still be Easy Mac in my pantry and I’m sure there is a pizza somewhere in my near future.  Eating well and working out is something I strive to do, but it is not more important than being the best mom, wife, sister and daughter that I can be. This is my journey to living a healthy, happy life.  I hope you enjoy reading it. Welcome to Dinner in Gym Clothes.