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!