Building Habits

Definition of habit: a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up


Habits can be hard to break.  They can also be easy to make.  You may want to begin creating better habits, such as eating healthier, cutting out sugar or alcohol, working out more, or even just being present with your family.  

Building a habit starts with a DECISION.  Make the decision to START somewhere.  Creating habits starts small.  Don't try to shoot for the stars to begin with, because you're more likely to get frustrated by not seeing immediate success and then quit.  Break that big goal into little goals, and then figure out the best starting place. 

Once you get started, you need to COMMIT to the decision and find the DETERMINATION to be repetitive in your actions.  Habits aren't created overnight.  You need to push yourself to take action daily.  Once you've done this regularly for a period of time, you'll begin to realize that you don't have to THINK about it so much.  

At that stage, when it becomes REFLEXIVE then that's when the habit is forming.  Think about routine things in your life, such as brushing your teeth or driving to work.  Those are all habits that you've created by doing the same actions on a repetitive basis.  By following this order: Making a decision, committing to taking action, having determination to follow through repetitively, and then doing the work, you'll create a habit!  

After you've created your habit, evaluate ways you can progress.  That could be tackling a different aspect in your life, or moving onto the next phase of your goal to meet your big long term goal!  Progress is a journey, not an ending point.  Through my journey, I've made progress by making small changes to my diet, swapping out ingredients to improve the nutritional content of my meals, and setting alarms to get out of bed and workout.  over the past 2 years I've seen huge physical progress and that translates into mental and emotional progress as well.  

If you need help, reach out!  I'd love to help you with goal setting and helping you with your commitment to creating those new healthy habits.  

The "So good you won't realize they're healthy" Brownie Bites!

The other day I needed a recipe for a cook-off we had at work.  Since I'm trying to eat better, I figured I needed to find a recipe that was healthy so I wouldn't feel guilty having a treat.  I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest, and while I thought it sounded kind of disgusting I was intrigued.  Sweet potatoes are NOT on my list of things that I like (even remotely), but I figured heck let's give it a whirl. 

So here's the deal.  These brownie bites are SO good.  They're moist, richly chocolate, and don't have even a hint of veggies or avocado.  I swear that even my husband was munching on them and raving about how good they were (before I told him what was in them), and we're both super picky eaters.  Best thing?  They're gluten free, dairy free, soy free, low sugar, and super healthy for you!

Ingredients:
- 1/2 C Sweet Potato puree.  (I got a bag of the pre-cut sweet potatoes from Target, steamed them in the bag, then blasted them in my blender.  It gave me enough for 3 batches of brownie bites, so I froze the extra for later)
- 1 small avocado
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 C raw cocoa powder
- 1/3 C Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips (vegan & soy free, yet so delicious.  I lived on these while nursing my MSPI kiddos)
- 1/3 C honey (no you can't taste it, I don't like honey and this was fine)
- 3 T coconut flour
- 2 T melted coconut oil
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350
- Spray a mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray.  My favorite is the olive oil based one.  You can also use muffing liners if you want, but it's not necessary. Make sure EVERY tin is sprayed or you'll struggle to get them out
- Mix all the ingredients, saving about 1/4 C of the chocolate chips to sprinkle on top.  (not required, you can mix them all in if you want).  I'd recommend adding them in the order listed so you don't have to measure dry ingredients after the wet ingredients using the same utensils. 
- Take a tablespoon and spoon batter into the mini-muffin pan.  Fill each tin about 3/4 full
- Bake for 20 minutes, then let cool for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Exercise Program Review: Insanity Max 30

If you're looking for a fun yet intense cardio workout, Insanity Max 30 is a great fit!  Each workout is exactly 30 minutes so for those of you crunched on time you'll love knowing that you don't have to schedule extra time.  You know how frustrating it can be when the workout scheduled for that day is 32 minutes, or 47 minutes, etc.

Shaun T leads a high-intensity workout in which you try to "max out" each workout.  There are minimal breaks, so you're really pushing your limits and building cardio endurance.  As always, a modifier is available.  Each time you max out for your workout you mark down the time, and then try to beat that time the next time you do the workout.  The movements vary and it moves so fast that you don't have time to get bored!  You'll noticed that movements are recycled throughout the different workouts so you do have time to master the moves.

This workout will challenge even those in the best of shape.  A schedule combining this with Hammer & Chisel is available, and that's what I'm doing right now.  I love the mix of cardio and weight lifting.  Shoot me a message if you want access to the combined calendar!

Roasted Asparagus and Leeks

Have you ever tried a leek?  It's a milder version of an onion, in the garlic family.  It was part of my Ultimate Reset diet, but I'd never tried them before.  My last week of the Ultimate Reset was a bit odd because I took a break between weeks 1&2, and week 3.  I managed to get food poisoning right as I was starting week 3, and it took me almost 2 months to get my head in gear and clear my schedule again. 

Anyways, on week 3 I accidentally bought leeks instead of fennel.  Whoops.  I had that and asparagus chopped and ready to go, and last minute realized I needed a recipe.  I found a delicious sounding recipe that included both ingredients and sounded super easy!  Here is how I made it my own.

Ingredients:
1 batch of leeks
1 bunch of asparagus
EVOO
sea salt

Directions:
- Heat oven to 425
- Wash leeks thoroughly and cut the roots and the top of the stalk off
- Cut leeks into 1/2" slices, then cut those circles in half
- Wash asparagus and cut bottoms off
- Cut the asparagus into 1" pieces
- Lay the veggies on a roasting pan or a cookie sheet with sides
- Drizzel 2 tsp of EVOO over the veggies, top with some sea salt to taste, and stir until evenly coated
- Put the sheet of veggies in the oven for 5 min
- Remove; stir and bake for another 2 min
*cook less time if you like them to have any crunch.  This makes them a little soft.

I also added a little sprinkling of Wildtree's Scampi Blend seasoning to give it more flavor.  It was good!  This can feed 6 people as a side, or 2 as a main dish. 

Zany for Zoodles!!

I'm a carb lover, and a pasta lover.  As I've been slowly trying to replace "bad" carbs with "good" carbs, my pasta has become an occasional treat vs. a once-a-week meal staple.  A while back I saw a quote from Cindy Crawford about how these days a bowl of pasta is viewed the same as a giant ice cream sundae now!  That helped change my view on the effects of refined pasta on our bodies. 

So a while back I invested (ok, they're actually pretty inexpensive) in a zoodle maker.  It's really simple to use, but I followed a bad Pinterest recipe on how to prepare the zoodles and it was a raging disaster.  As a result it's been MONTHS since I've made them again.  Like, they were so bad I had to choke them down and gave up after a few bites. 

Well I tried a recipe from Fixate for turkey meatballs and wanted to attempt zoodles again.  This time it worked really well!  You've got to try this as an alternative.  Here are a few options!

Making the Zoodle noodles:
- Get one medium sized zucchini per person
- Cut both ends off the zucchini
- Using a spiralizer (similar to this one), attach the holder onto one end of the zucchini and insert the other end into the spiralizer.
- Twist the zucchini stick in the spiralizer, catching the resulting "noodles" in a bowl.

Boiled Zoodles:
- Fill a small sauce pan about half full of cold water.
- Over medium heat, heat the water to a boil
- Once boiling, add the zoodles to the water
- Watch carefully and stir occasionally.  Boil for about 2-4 minutes or until slightly softened.
- Drain the water in a strainer and move the zoodles to a bowl.
- Add your toppings and enjoy!

Sautéed Zoodles:
- Heat 2 tsp of EVOO in a skillet
- Add 1 clove of pressed garlic
- Add the zoodles and stir frequently for 3-4 minutes
- Add salt and seasoning to taste
- Remove from heat; add your toppings and enjoy!

Why Shakeology is the BEST!

As I've mentioned before, I never thought I'd be a shake person.  I just didn't get it!  It seemed like an odd thing to drink your calories, I wasn't into protein, and $129 felt like a lot of money.

Oh wow, then I tried it because as an exhausted mama working full time, I NEEDED energy like no other.  After only a few days I UNDERSTOOD the value.  How often do you drop $129 on groceries, a meal out, a pair of jeans, a new golf club, whatever your splurges are, without even thinking??

So why have I committed to making one of these shakes every day?

✅ energy!!! If I can't siphon my kids extra energy then I need to find a healthy way to keep up with the kiddos
✅ I have a serious sweet tooth, especially in the morning. This is only 150 calories (or about 290 with the stuff I add). And having my nutrition in line cuts my cravings. Seriously!
✅ my nutrition is better than ever. I can focus on eating what my body needs vs what my brain wants. 
✅it takes <2 min to make
✅ my kids love it and I know they're getting something good in their belly every day
✅ so many super foods, vitamins, plus protein. I wasn't and can't get all this in on my own.
✅ <$4/day, or <$3/day as a coach. A bag of candy costs that. A meal at chipotle is 3x that. Heck a coffee at Starbucks costs more too! I could keep going but won't. When you're buying a whole month of meals at once it sounds like a lot but it really isn't when you see what you save me how you feel.

You won't regret this. And if you want to save money on it ask me about how to sign up for a discount!  It's super easy to be a discount coach.  There's no obligation, plus we have a super-fun coach group, you get access to more personal development to dig into the root of your challenges, and there is so much opportunity!  AND you get MY pricing and discounts!!

Homemade Healthy Baked Beans

So as I've mentioned *many* times before my son is a terrible, picky eater.  BUT he loves baked beans.  After reading recently how horrible they are for you (hello sugar!  hello - reason why he loves them!) I became determined to find a healthy version that I could make.  No, it's not as fast and convenient as popping open a can of Busch's baked beans and microwaving them for 2 minutes, but you'll do about anything to make sure your kids have a chance to be healthy and safe! 

So this recipe came from someone online a while ago, and says it's adapted from the Country Heat nutrition plan.  Unfortunately I didn't save the link (face smack) and googling it didn't help me.  So here it is below retyped, but note I did NOT come up with this on my own. 

Healthy Baked Beans

Ingredients:
4 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans (8oz each) tomato sauced, no sugar added  - *note: I used 1 15 oz. can instead
1T Worcestershire sauce
1tsp Dijon mustard
3T pure maple syrup
2 cans (15oz each) cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
sea salt to taste

Directions:

• preheat oven to 325F
• Heat oil in ovenproof medium saucepan (*note: I used a cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat
• Add onion, cook and stir frequently for 4-6 minutes or until onion is translucent
• Add tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, syrup, and beans.  Season with salt, cook stirring frequently, over medium-low heat for 5 minutes
• Place pan in the oven uncovered; bake for 45-50 minutes or until sauce is thick

Roasted Zucchini

I'm not usually big on roasting my veggies.  I prefer them raw and crunchy.  But I decided to try roasting them one night recently, and wow it turned out well!  Even my husband who kind of grudgingly eats veggies said they were good! 

Directions:
- Slice zucchini into 1/4" wide slices
- Toss in EVOO and a seasoning of your choice
- Heat oven to 400F
- Lay zucchini slices on tin foil
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until slightly browned

Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Grilled Corn

Being from Iowa, we LOVE corn!  I was so excited to see Hy-Vee carrying it already.  My goal is to get us as dairy-free as possible (or me, really, the kids still need milk) so I decided to try something different.  OMG it was so delicious we all wished I'd bought more corn! 

Ingredients:
- Corn
- extra virgin olive oil
- seasoning of your choice (I used Wildtree's scampi blend)

Directions:
- Husk and wash corn
- Place corn on a plate and lightly drizzle with EVOO. 
- Lightly sprinkle your choice of seasoning on the corn
- Roll the corn around until it's evenly dispersed.
- Grill at about 350-400 for about 10-15 minutes, using a tongs to roll the corn every few minutes so it's evenly cooked.
- Remove from the grill and enjoy!

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wrap/Salad

Now I've done different versions of lettuce wraps.  This one includes green apple, and since I love apples I had to give it a whirl!  I totally forgot to save the big lettuce leaves and chopped all my lettuce (whoops - got on a roll while food prepping!) and ended up eating it on salad.  Even several days later my mom and I ate it heated up and she raved about it! 

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 1½ tsp. hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• ½ tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
  

Filling:

• 2 tsp. EVOO
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• ½ tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 2 cups diced peppers and grated carrots
  
• ½ green apple, finely chopped

Directions:

• Cook the ground turkey through
• Once cooked, drain and return to the pan. 
• Add the spices and veggies, along with 1/4C water if needed
• Cook until headed through
• Add prepared sauce and warm
• Serve either over a lettuce salad or in large leaves of lettuce

• 
  

Shakeology Tips

Anytime you try something new, it can take a while to perfect it.  For example, when you first got on a bike did you just take off down the street?  Or did you learn on training wheels first?  I've found that mastering the perfect shake is similar.  It took me a few weeks of testing different ingredients and amounts to find the texture and volume that was perfect for me.  I have to always make a little extra for the kids, so I learned that I need to add some water and extra ice.

Personally, I like my shakes thick and creamy.  It tastes like a DQ shake or Wendy's Frosty that way.  The tip to getting them to taste like that is:

- 1/2 frozen banana (I cut them into slices and freeze each half in a little container)
- 1C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 3/4 shaker cup of ice
- 1 scoop Shakeology
- Blend until smooth in a blender.  You can use a large one or a single-serve blender.

Now you can add other fruit, nut butters, extracts, or veggies to change the flavor.  But in order to get the perfect texture follow the directions above!  Hope this helps those who are just starting on their Shakeology journey!

Cilantro-Lime Avocado Jicama salad

I'm testing out recipes from the Ultimate Refresh just to make sure I can do it this summer, because I'm such a picky eater. One of the recipes on Pinterest called for Jicama, and the dish looked good so I decided to give it a whirl.

Let me tell you, I had no idea what a jicama looked like and finally found it with the potatoes! You guys know me, I hate potatoes so I was a little hesitant. After googling it, turns out a jicama is a Mexican turnip!

This recipe turned out amazing and it's my new favorite lunch item. I'll be posting it on my blog later today so check back. The jicama turns out to be light, with a tangy taste, and crispy. Love it!  See my version (not the official UR version) of the recipe below.  I tweaked it to include protein since I'm not on the UR yet, and to cut the size.  I also left out the maple syrup in the UR recipe because I really dislike syrup. 

Container Count:
1-green
1-red
1-tsp

Ingredients: (for 4 salads)
- 1 medium sized Jicama
- 1 rotisserie chicken
- 1 bundle of cilantro
- 1 lime
- olive oil
- Himalayan sea salt
- Avocado

Directions:
- Pull all the meat off the rotisserie chicken and dice into bite-sized pieces.  Mix up the meat in a large bowl so the light and dark meat is evenly dispersed.  I like to do this while it's still warm so it's easier to pull off.
- Using a sharp knife, cut off the ends of the jicama.  The skin will start peeling off.  Use the knife to cut the skin off.
- Cut thin slices of the jicama, then cut into matchstick size pieces.  I would stack several slices of the jicama into a pile then cut the matchstick pieces.
- Cut your lime into 8 wedges.
- Using mason jars for containers: put 1tsp of olive oil in each mason jar.  Squeeze the juice from 1.5 lime wedges in each jar, and top with some Himalayan sea salt.  Swirl the jars to mix the dressing.
- Measure 1 green container of jicama and add this to each jar. 
- Using either a knife or kitchen shears. chop the cilantro and add some to each jar.  Use the amount that you prefer.
- Put the lids on the jars and shake them well until the items are evenly distributed and coated.
- Open the jars and add 1 red container of chicken to each.  A rotisserie chicken generally has 4 red containers worth. 
- Add the lids back on and refrigerate until you're ready to eat!  It's recommended that the jicama marinades for at least an hour.
- When ready to eat, empty the jar into either a bowl or a plate.  Cut half an avocado into diced size pieces and stir into the salad mixture.

Deconstructed Egg Roll

We're always looking for new, fast dinner ideas.  This was crazy fast to whip up, and when we ate it 3 days later for dinner everything was still as fresh as if it was just made!  That's my type of meal.  One of my fellow coaches Janiece shared this recipe with me, and it's going into the rotation for sure.  My family had it over Ramen (yeah, I know), and I just had it plain.  There are plenty of veggies in it that you don't need it over salad or anything like I normally would.  It's savory and a great source of both protein and veggies.  The perfect meal!

My one tip is to start cooking everything in the wok.  I made a huge mess by starting with a regular size frying pan, then having to upgrade to a bigger one, and finishing in the wok.  Save your dish washing time by going straight to the wok, ladies!

UPDATE:
I'm currently doing 80 Day Obsession and need lunch items that are 1 protein, 1 veggie, 1 carb, and 1 tsp.  This adaptation hits all but the carb.
Ingredients:
- 1 package ground turkey sausage
- 1 bag of coleslaw mix
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp soy sauce

Directions:
- In a wok brown the turkey sausage until cooked through.  Drain, then add extra seasonings if you'd like.  I added garlic powder, powdered ginger, and some salt & pepper
- Add the package of coleslaw mix and the oil & soy sauce.  cook on low for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. 
- This made 2 lunches and 1 dinner for our family.  I served it with homemade corn tortillas, which count as the carb.  Heats up super well!

Check out the recipe here:
http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2015/08/24/sausage-egg-roll-in-a-bowl/print/

Updates to the Portion Control Eating Plan!

So you follow the 21 Day Fix, or use the portion control containers for one of your other fitness programs. Well, there are big changes in store!  Over time the program has been tweaked to better follow our eating patterns.  Check out some of the changes that are going into effect.   

Reposted from Beachbody FAQ 126
--------

How will treats and beverages be treated differently in the Portion Control Eating Plan?
Treats and beverages will no longer all be summarily counted as yellow containers across the various Portion Control Eating Plans. Instead, they will be categorized into the color coded container that best suits their ingredients and/or macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat). Treats and beverages will still be limited to three-per-week, with the exception of Shakeology "bases" such as low-fat milk and unsweetened almond milk, which will be allowed once daily.

We are also doing away with the "measure with this colored container but mark it on your tally sheet as another colored container" strategy for treats in favor of common measurements (e.g. "2 pieces" or "25 morsels").

Because many treats and beverages are ingredients in Beachbody recipes, the container counts for those recipes may also change.

Why are these changes being made?
The Portion Control Eating Plan has expanded exponentially since the original 21 Day Fix. While the old system works fine, the new system allows us to containerize our ever-increasing catalog of container-friendly recipes more precisely. It's also a more educational approach in regards to what, exactly, is in food.

Does this mean the old Portion Control Eating Plans are not as effective?
Absolutely not. These changes were made to make recipe containerization more precise and to enhance the educational value of these plans. Both systems provide the same, great results.

When will this change take place?
We will be updating the various plans, recipes, and other content on BOD and the Beachbody Blog over the next few months. Please be assured that the two systems of treat and beverage measure are interchangeable, so if you are working from a revised program guide but want to enjoy a recipe that measures containers using the old system, it won't impact your diet negatively.

Will we be updating the nutrition guides and the Fixate Cooking Show?
Yes. Over the following months, we will be updating all nutrition guides on BOD impacted by the changes.

Where can I ask additional specific container and portion questions?
For additional questions on how to implement these changes-or about Portion Control Eating Plans in general-talk to our expert advice staff at www.beachbodyexpertadvice.com

You can also find answers to additional customer-posted questions regarding the change in this Beachbody Blog article: www.beachbody.com/beachbodybl…/…/21-day-fix-treats-beverages

The revised lists
Here are genericized lists to cover most Portion Control Eating Plans. Customized lists will be featured in updated nutrition guides featured on BOD in the months to follow.

Please note that if your program doesn't currently have a treat list, this is not an opportunity to add one. Sorry. However, the "Shakeology Bases" list does replace the "Beverages" list.

Shakeology Bases

The Shakeology Base list helps you add a little pizzazz to your Daily Dose of Dense Nutrition while doing the 21 Day Fix. Pick a fluid from the list below, add it to the Shakeology flavor of your choice, and tick off the corresponding container from your Tally Sheet (along with a red container for your Shakeology).
Shakeology Bases (once per day)

• Low-fat milk, 1-2% (8 oz.) 1 Yellow, ½ tsp.
• Unsweetened Almond milk (8 oz.) 1 tsp.
• Unsweetened Soy milk (8 oz.) 1/2 Red
• Unsweetened Coconut milk beverage (8 oz.) ½ Blue
• Unsweetened Rice milk (8 oz.) 1 Yellow
• Unsweetened Coconut water (8 oz.) ½ Yellow

Treats and Other Beverages

Three times a week, you can have a treat or a tasty beverage. Simply help yourself to the amount listed after your treat, enjoy it in all its deliciousness, then check the corresponding container off your Tally Sheet. For example, if you decide to indulge in a few well-earned chocolate-covered raisins, count out 20 pieces, then check half of a purple and half of a yellow off your Tally Sheet.

• Treats and Other Beverages (3 per week)
• Dried apricots, unsweetened (4 pieces) 1 Purple
• Dried figs (2 pieces) 1 Purple
• Medjool dates (1 pieces) 1 Purple
• Raisins (2 mini-boxes, 3 Tbsp., or approx. 45 pieces) 1 Purple
• Dried mango, unsweetened (2 pieces) 1 Purple
• Dried cranberries (2 Tbsp. or approx. 30 pieces) 1 Yellow
• Dried apple rings, unsweetened (approx. 7 rings) 1 Purple
• Dark chocolate, plain (1.5"x1.5" square, 1 fun sized bar, or approx. 25 morsels) 1 Yellow
• Potato Chips, plain kettle (6 chips) 1 Yellow
• Tortilla chips, plain corn (6 chips) 1 Yellow
• Mini pretzels (14 pretzels) 1 Yellow
• Peanut butter pretzel nuggets (12 pieces) 1 Yellow, 2 tsp.
• Chocolate covered raisins (20 pieces) ½ Purple, ½ Yellow
• Chocolate covered almonds (6 pieces) ½ Blue, ½ Yellow
• Popcorn mix with raisins, almonds, and dried fruit (1 cup, ¼ of recipe) ½ Purple, ½ Blue
• 100% Real Fruit Juice (4 oz.) 1 Purple
• Wine (5 oz.) 1 Yellow
• Beer, light (12 oz.) 1 Yellow
• Beer, regular (12 oz.) 1 ½ Yellow
• Hard alcohol (1.5 oz.) 1 Yellow

Tangy & Quick Stir Fry

Quick meals are a necessity in our life.  My husband and I both work full time, and as many of you know that doesn't leave much time for anything else!  I prefer to spend as little time each night preparing meals so I can focus my energy on my kids.  The other week I had prepared chicken to use in my chicken strip recipe.  [Some of you know this already, but I do all my food prep for the week on Sundays to speed things up during our hectic weeks.]  Needless to say, things came up, we didn't eat them, and I had my husband throw the chicken in a freezer bag and freeze it for later.

Later came upon us last weekend when I needed a quick dinner and hadn't gone shopping yet for the week.  I pulled out the chicken, defrosted it, and decided to make stir fry instead!  We used a frozen veggie stir fry mix from Hy-Vee (it's nice to keep stuff like this on hand for emergencies), so the meal was super fast yet chock full of protein and vitamins.  It was also super yummy!

Ingredients:

·        4 chicken breasts

·        seasoning of your choice (we used Jamaican Jerk from our recent vacation)
·       1 T olive oil

·        1 bag frozen stir fry mix

Directions:

During meal prep: cut the chicken into strips.  Mine were about 1" thick and 3" long (at most).  Put in a glass container and add the olive oil and seasoning.  Mix together until coated.  You can seal this and store in the fridge for a few days if you're prepping meals ahead, freeze it in a freezer bag for later, or move right into the cooking directions below after marinating for at least 15 minutes.

Add a little olive oil to a wok or skillet.  When hot, add the chicken and cook through.  While cooking, steam the veggies in the microwave.  Once everything is cooked well, mix them together in the wok or skillet.  You can eat as-is or over rice or noodles.  

Turkey Sloppy Joes

Turkey Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

-        1 lb lean ground turkey

-        1 can Manwich

-        1 zucchini

-        Garlic powder

-        1 red pepper

-        ½ onion (red or white)

-        Buns, brown rice, or lettuce

Directions:

-        Using a cast iron skillet (to add iron), brown the turkey until cooked through.  Drain into the container it came in using a strainer.  Return meat to the skillet.

-        While the turkey is browning, use a food processor (my favorite is the Tupperware hand processor) or a knife to dice the zucchini, onion, and red pepper into tiny pieces.

-        Once the turkey is cooked, add the vegetables and seasoning.  Feel free to add other seasonings of your choice.  Stir together, then add the Manwich.

-        Heat through

-        Serve on your choice of: brown rice, lettuce salad, or traditional sandwich buns

Fitness Program review: 21 Day Fix vs. 21 Day Fix Extreme

The 21 Day Fix is one of the most popular Beachbody fitness programs.  It targets a different muscle group each day.  Paired with a focused eating plan, you are guaranteed to see results in just 3 weeks! This was the workout that got me hooked on Beachbody and showed me the value of what the company offers.  I had no idea how to eat like a normal human after having kids and the meal plan was so simple yet showed me the correct proportions of each food group to eat each day.

I jumped straight into the 21 Day Fix Extreme program after trying one workout from each on BOD.  For some reason the intensity level of 21 DFX spoke to me more.  I've been an athlete my whole life, and needed that extra challenge.  The 21 Day Fix is certainly challenging too though!  What's really cool is that with BOD you get access to additional workouts for each program that isn't on the DVD's!  Now that I transitioned to BOD vs. the DVD's I've had fun trying those out and adding them to my routine.

Are you interested to learn more about 21 Day Fix vs. the 21 Day Fix Extreme?  Check out this graphic from Beachbody!!

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

We had a Mexican themed dinner with friends the other night, and I'm trying to  not only stick to my containers better, but add more veggies in my life.  Now, I'm not terrible with my veggies by any means, but someone who just completed the Total Reset mentioned your diet should be 70% vegetable based.  What the what???  That blew my mind.  But it also made me think more deeply about what I eat.  For example, way too much sugar. 

I threw the question out on my Facebook page, and several kind people provided ideas for healthy side dishes.  This one was super simple (yes please!) and delicious. 

Ingredients:
- 1 bag cauliflower rice (Trader Joe's)
- Fresh cilantro
- 1/2 lime

Directions:
Put the cauliflower in a large skillet, no oil needed.  Heat on medium until warmed through.  It took about 15 minutes and it will start turning translucent when it's cooked.  Stir constantly to prevent burning.

When warmed up, add chopped cilantro and squeeze the juice from half a lime over the cauliflower rice.  Stir well to mix.

Enjoy with taco meat (turkey or chicken, of course!)

Fresh Chicken Tenders

My kids l.o.v.e chicken tenders, and these are quick and easy to make.  It's really easy to switch up the flavors in your marinade or in the coating, and it's pretty healthy while delivering lots of protein!  Prep ahead for a quick dinner during the week. 

Fresh Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

·        4 chicken breasts

·        1T olive oil

·        1/2C panko crumbs

·        seasoning of your choice (we use maple bacon)

·        1T fresh shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
During meal prep: cut the chicken into strips.  Mine were about 1" thick and 3" long (at most).  Put in a glass container and add the olive oil and seasoning.  Mix together until coated.  You can seal this and store in the fridge for a few days if you're prepping meals ahead, or move right into the coating and baking directions below.

·        Heat oven to 350F

·        Put the panko into another bowl and add the parmesan cheese.  

·        Next dip the chicken pieces into the panko and seasoning bowl

·        Place the coated pieces into a glass cooking dish

·        Bake for 15 minutes or so, until lightly golden

·        If you’re really short on time you can also pan fry them in 2tsp of EVOO.  It takes about 5 minutes per side

·        Before serving, cut into each piece to ensure there is no pink.  Cook longer until the pink is gone

Fixate Mac & Cheese

We love mac & cheese in this family.  The kids ask for it at least 3 times a week, and even though I've switched to the organic Kraft brand I was looking for something better.  I've had the Fixate cookbook for about a year now, but had not noticed one of the best recipes in there!  One of my peer coaches posted that her family was having the mac & cheese and it looked fantastic.  It was surprisingly easy to pull together, and delicious!  Another sign of a good meal - the leftovers heat up well the next day for lunch!

My son was at first devastated that he wasn't getting his beloved Kraft, but he slowly warmed up and really got into helping make the meal.  And he actually ate it!!!  Anytime we can get him to eat anything, we're pretty excited. 

Containers: 1 green, 1/2 red, 1 yellow, 1/2 blue

Rather than copying the recipe in my blog (hello copyright issues), here is a link to the Beachbody blog where they reposted her recipe from Fixate. 
https://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/recipes/macaroni-and-cheese-with-broccoli-recipe

Want to buy the cookbook?  Use this link!
https://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/FixateCookbook?referringRepId=1238647