take it in stride

decisions, decisions.  this year has already started out with way more than i ever thought i could handle.  the major issue being my career!  I've been in the IT industry since i graduated 8 (WOW :shock:) years ago.  i'm an IT contractor, but let's just say i'm on an extended holiday vacation right now lol.  which means...... i get to spend more time in my sanctuary (my kitchen!!!!!) creating new recipes galore, playing, teaching, & showing my little big boy new things, sprucing up my wifely duties big time, and finally, putting maximum effort towards the multiple personal projects God has dropped on my heart. finding balance is hard as crap sometimes! however, i find so much comfort in the fact that He not only tells us what He wants us to do, but He makes a way for it to be done.

standing still

 HELLO!  He won't leave you hanging and clueless....  but if you don't move, He can't work.   remember, 'ALL things work together for the good of those that love Him!'

fitness inspiration

you've only got ONE.  He has given me this precious time, and i'm going to ENJOY and cherish this blessing.

now let's talk about food.

i finally got that red velvet pancake recipe up, and i made my little guy a mini stack of them yesterday for breakfast.

20130108_104011

i can't even begin to tell you how gratifying it is to see him stuff his face with VEGGIES!  cause he still hates them.  anything green goes on the floor.  good thing beets are UBER good for us!  they are low-calorie, no fat, high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and help fight various types of cancer.  i'll certainly be making some type of spinach cakes next lol.  i'm gonna get them into his diet however i can.

20130108_105927

this photo was pre-walden farms syrup...they look so dry!! but i promise you they are moist and fluffy on the inside. Chiso doesn't appreciate my fanciness yet as he slid the whipped cream right off the top and pushed the chocolate chips around before making a pile of them in the corner of his high chair table.

Q: how do you roast your beets?

A: in a pan:)

20130108_200558

that's it! i avoided them for the LONGEST time at the store..i mean they just look so dirty and hard to prepare.  i cut the tops off (someone told me you can save them, cook them, and eat them, but i had already tossed them in the trash) put them in a pan, and shoved them in a 450 degree oven.  in about 45 min, they were soft to the touch, and the peeling came right on off.  beets have officially been conquered!

this morning i made us some cinnamon oatmeal pancrepes.  why crepes? cause i added too much almond milk!  you can compensate by adding more dry ingredients, but i kept it as is and went for it.  i have FUN in my kitchen.  sometimes it's a great success, sometimes it sucks.  flip a coin!

IMG_20130109_090201

since they are thinner than pancakes, my recipe made a ton.  i ate some flat, and i rolled some too. no pics of those yet though, lmbo.  i'd love to stuff them with something the next time, and i will. so sit tight.  i topped the flat ones with sugar-free cool whip, strawberry slices, and cinnamon.

so, salmon went on sale at HEB this past week and i didn't say a word.  ironically, i got so many PM's from friends letting me know about it  though LOL!!! thank you guys so much!! i'll say something next time, i promise!

20130107_191008

red bell peppers were also on sale, so i snagged some of them too.  i made a huuuuge filet of salmon when i was prepping at the beginning of the week, and here are just a few of my meals.

20130107_191026

honey mustard smokehouse salmon with steamed okra and red bell peppers.

the salmon was cooked at 450 degrees for 12 minutes.  i squirted it with some Bragg's liquid aminos, then seasoned it with Mc Cormick Smokehouse maple seasoning.

20130108_200541

since i have beets at home, i wanted to make one of my fave Cheesecake Factory Salads: the beet, goat cheese, and candied pecan spring mix salad.  what a combo!  i was looking for regular old goat cheese when i came across this gem!  it's so sweet, creamy, and SOUR. the best part!  i don't really do candied nuts, so i figured the sweetness will come from the cheese, and i can keep the nuts roasted and unsalted.  i'll be making that tonight, can't wait!

20130108_204923

last night i was browsing Instagram (fitfoodiele) and got inspiration for my final dish of the evening.  i took some scrambled egg whites with spinach, garlic powder & onion powder, incorporated some shredded salmon into it, then stuffed all that into my bell peps.  i topped them with the honey goat cheese and baked them in a 405 degree oven until the peps were tender but still crisp, and the cheese was lightly browned.

20130108_204854

i didn't think the cheese could get any creamier or tangier...oh but it DID.  steamed okra and corn on the side!

hitting the gym today for my 2nd leg day this week and ready to get my squat ON.

a quick announcement.....

for my Houston readers, i am excited to announce that i will be instructing at 24 Hour Fitness again!!  the Katy Bella Terra Super Sport location is launching a free weekend of Les Mills, Cycle, Zumba, and recently added, Total Body Conditioning classes!  i'm ALWAYS raving about this class and how much it has improved my cardiovascular & muscular strength and endurance.  now, you can come experience it for yo self, with ME!!!!  check out the schedule and join us!

*Total Conditioning @ 11am with Leah on  Sunday, January 13th*

le

add FLAVOR, hold the rest

healthy food has PLENTY of flavor!! i know mine does!  i like to switch up my seasonings often to keep the flavors new and different without altering the nutritional stats of my meal.  after all, i'll be eating the same things for a few more weeks.

 just a small section of my flavor arsenal.  i do love fresh herbs best, but dried is the next best thing and lasts waaaaaaay longer.  AND these are all one dollar at HEB.

that smokehouse maple is outta this world!! i seasoned our tilapia with it just last night for dinner and it was amazing.  i also used some of the roasted garlic and herb on the sautéed zucchini i served with it.  scrumptious. see?

i instagrammed my  clean, balanced, flavor-filled lunch today:

it was roasted chicken breast, oven-roasted sweet potatoes, and fresh spinach all topped with toasted pistachio nuts.

i used the montreal chicken seasoning on the breasts (and some dried parsley),

 and roasted them on 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or so.

same thing with the sweet potatoes- i roast them until they are soft to the touch.  i sometimes add cinnamon, vanilla, and some 'i can't believe it's not butter' spray and make a fancy puree for no added calories!

or, i just leave them as is.

 mustard is such a versatile condiment.  i use it to dip my chicken in, as a marinade, and as a sauce.  and you guessed it- it doesn't add all the extra calories, sugars, and carbs that typical sauces like ketchup, bbq (LOVE IT) , and ranch do!!  i found this little gem at HEB just a few days ago:

it is CRAZY good and ZERO calories!!! (works VERY well as a fish marinade too)

 i also drizzle the spicy brown mustard  (5 calories per teaspoon)  as well as the honey mustard (10 calories per teaspoon) all over my food before devouring it.

speaking of flavor, let's talk about water.

i've said this multiple times- i am NOT a fan of drinking water when i'm just not thirsty.  blech! so i use the sugar-free, flavored packets.

 these Wylers packs are just 1 dollar at Walmart and HEB and 10 calories per serving.    i actually split up one packet between two 16 oz water bottles cause it's a little strong for me.  drinking one of these things curbs my sugar craving completely.  BIG help.  speaking of sugar cravings, they are GONZO!!!  but i'll get back to that in my next bodybuilding progress post ;)

 make a few ahead of time and put them in the fridge.  s/n- i thought the cherry limeade flavor would some how resemble the sonic drink but boooooy was i wrong!  try'em and see what you think though.

what's your favorite dipping sauce?  i used to put the buttermilk ranch dipping sauce from Jack In The Box on EVERYTHING :shock:

le

snacks and certifications

saturday i did an all day (and i do mean aaaaalll day- 9am-6pm) re-certification class for Lifetime, you know, so i can keep my job.  only the best job EVER!!! the day went by super fast though.  the trainer was pretty amazing and super easy to listen to.  plus, she was funny. that always helps.  i went through the training with my fav gym buddies Anna & Julie- we all used to teach/workout together at 24 HF a few years ago and have stayed in contact with each other ever since.  this was my first time meeting Kris (far right), but i love him just the same! we all teach Total Conditioning (among other things) part-time for Lifetime and absolutely  LOVE IT.

refueling on our lunch break in the Lifetime Cafe.

 quick pic with our trainer for the day, Abrea.

i brought my gigantic, obnoxious lunch kit with me filled with snacks and food for the day.  (cell phone pics, blech!!!!)

i dined (lol) on humus with sugar snap peas, carrots, cherry tomatoes, pistachios, strawberries, and chicken breasts cutlets w/ roasted vegetables ( entrée courtesy of My Fit Foods).

i'm also super excited to announce that i'll be getting certified in Turbo Kickboxing by the end of this month, whoop, WHOOP!  i have always been a hug fan of TKB and i'm elated to add it to my instructor repertoire.  two thumbs up for cardioooooooo.

alright, now. you asked for snack ideas between meals, so here are a few to get you started. preparation is KEY, so go get you some baggies, buy your snacks in bulk, and ration them out for the week.  i don't mind several trips to the grocery store, but some people do!

go to your nearest warehouse club and stock up.  Sam's is closest to me.

 cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas.  i'm so hooked on these peas- looks like edamame but you eat the whole thing.  they're sweet and crispy.  great eaten raw or dipped in you know what- hummus! i do carrots too.

fresh fruits- buy whatever's on sale at the time. natural sugars trump processed foods/sugars EVERY TIME!

unsweetened apple sauce. 50 calorie, naturally sweetened snack. great for baking- i'll get to that though;)

1 serving (1/2 cup) of 2% cottage cheese (90 cals) with fresh blackberries.

or strawberries!

pistachio nuts!  sam's. 8 bucks for this big ol 24 oz bag.

grab some sandwich baggies and ration out your mixed nuts. they are high in good fat and great for you- but don't go overboard. 1/4 cup of either a day fine.

0% or 2% greek yogurt

keep it plain and add your own toppings. the flavored varieties usually have way too much sugar. try it with pistachios, flax-seed, and honey,

or pecans and blueberries.

cheese! babybel and string. perfectly portioned protein. 50-60 cals each.

there are also the laughing cow cheese wedges- perfect for spreading on crackers or fruit. '35 cals a wedge!'

deli meat. you can roll some string cheese up with the turkey/chicken/ham/roast beef, etc. for a lean, protein snack.

these two ingredients are great separate...but together?  unfortunately, i don't care if they aren't considered healthy at this point LOL. this is one snack i'm keeping.

air popped popcorn! 4 cups for 100 cals. i bought this air popper on amazon a few days ago and i am still waiting for it to arrive *taps foot impatiently*

sliced apples with PB2.

La Tortilla Factory tortillas- tons of flavors and varieties of low calorie, low carb tortillas! make a wrap using your deli meat and babybel/string cheese. (also great for breakfast tacos, enchiladas, and homemade tortilla chips).impressive, huh! but they taste good too.

you remember ants on a log- celery, pb2, and raisins!  also take one of those wraps, add some pb2, then microwave for a warm,  healthy 'pb sandwich'.

whole, hard-boiled egg. 70 cals, 7 grams protein.  exclude the yolk for a fat-free, 20 calorie egg.

freeze-dried fruit, all kinds! i order mine from Brothers All Natural for around 20 bucks for a 24 pack.  they have sales frequently, so use those coupon codes when you see them!  i really like the bananas though and so does my little one.  1 bag = 1.5 bananas.  the sugar is lower in the freeze-dried bananas vs. fresh!

a few readers expressed to me how much they hate the taste of green tea lol, and if i had any flavor recommendations i sure do! try making a quick and easy green chai tea using:

a shot of torani sugar-free vanilla syrup and 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

steep the tea as normal, and add those two ingredients, and stir!  if you like it as much as i do, LET ME KNOW! and sorry, i don't have a cool cinnamon stick or garnish, yet.

i do hope you found a few snacks you'd like to try or are already eating!

le