Coconut Bites

When I was doing my 7-Day Reboot, I ran across some little snack cubes while I was out of town.

Living in a small town, we don't always have the luxury of the array of healthy choices and treats that I can find in the metroplex.

I looked at the list of ingredients in the snack cubes that I'd bought, and thought, "Seems simple enough...I'll just have to come up with my own copy-cat version."

And that's what I'm sharing with you today. 

Like my other recipes that I've shared with you, you'll find this easy to duplicate.

There's no baking involved. You can definitely employ your kids to help. Depending on their age, you can have them help seed the pomegranate, dice the dried mango, measure ingredients, and of course, mix things together. 

Because I wanted to make sure each bite was uniform in size, I used a drop cookie scoop. This one is 2 inches in diameter, and really makes things easier. If you do not own one of these (um, why don't you own one of these???), you can evenly press the mixture into a jelly roll pan, chill, and then cut into bite-size pieces. 

But really, don't these look appetizing?

Now that they've chilled and are set, I've had to hide them from the kids. I gave them each one coconut bite to try, and they, of course, asked for more. My oldest daughter said they taste like coconut macaroons. I love the little pop of juice when I bite into a pomegranate seed.  These are a quick, healthy snack to enjoy anytime of the day.

And now, here's my recipe so you can make your own little bites to try:

Coconut Bites

2-1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 c coconut palm sugar

1 cup pomegranate seeds

1 cup dried mango, diced

1/2 cup dried pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels)

12 ounces extra virgin coconut oil (room temperature)

•In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Mixture will be crumbly and moist. 

•Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, firmly press mixture into scoop and drop onto parchment-lined cookie sheet.

•Place snacks in refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes to become firm. 

•Keep stored in refrigerator in an airtight container. ***Avoid warm temperatures...the only ingredient holding these together is coconut oil, and it will liquify if it gets too warm.

Yields 56 bites. 

1 serving=2 bites

So, you'll notice the fat content is high (considering it's for 2 bites). Coconut oil is a "good fat." Your body doesn't store it, but rather uses it. To talk about the benefits of coconut oil, I'd need to write a post completed devoted to just that subject. There's so many uses and health benefits. Just to name a few, coconut oil improves metabolism and digestion, aides in weight loss and management, supports heart health, boosts energy levels, boosts your immune system, and so much more! Most health experts recommend consuming 3 tablespoons a day. If you eat 2 of these coconut bites, you'll be eating about 1 Tbs of coconut oil. 

I'd love to hear from you!  Post a comment below letting me know what you think about this recipe.  And take a moment to look over my other recipes found in the right column.

Join my journey and #GetYourHealthBack!

Gluten-Free Banana Pancakes

I've made these a number of times. They're a big hit (even with my daughter that doesn't like bananas).

1. They're easy and super fast to make. 

2. They're light and delicious. 

I think they taste like french toast, but they're light and airy like crepes. And did I mention they're flour-less!?! You can enjoy sweet, healthy pancakes any time. 

Banana Pancake Recipe

1 banana (ripe)

1 egg

Dash of cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/2 tbs butter (optional)

1. Preheat non-stick pan to med-low heat. 

2. Mash banana with whisk inside small bowl. Add egg and whisk together. Add cinnamon and salt and incorporate. 

3. Add butter to pan (if using) and allow to melt. Pour the mixture evenly into the pan. Depending on the size of your pancakes, this will make 2-3 pancakes.

4. Once set, flip the pancake to cook the other side. Each side takes 2-3 minutes. The color will be light, golden-yellow.

5. Serve immediately. Top with fresh fruit, sprinkle of cinnamon, honey, or syrup. They're already naturally sweet, so if you do use honey or syrup, you won't need much. 

I have to say, these deserve the Ugly Duckling Award. They're not the prettiest pancakes, but the taste doesn't match the looks. Like really...I've had them for breakfast, of course, but also a mid-afternoon snack, and just now for dinner. Why? Because they're easy and taste heavenly. 

I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below with your thoughts and how you've enjoyed the recipe. 

7-Day Soup Reboot...Results

First, let's back up. I previously shared with you the details of the diet plan and my Day 1.  Not my finest hours, but I did overcome the temptations thrown my way.

So, how did the rest of my week pan out? Did I give in? Did I see results? 

Day 2: Eat all the vegetables and soup that you want (excluding legumes, peas, and corn). For dinner, eat a baked potato with butter. 

I wasn't excited about this day. I have no issue with eating vegetables. However, I seemed to focus on the restrictions again. "How can I eat vegetables without ranch!?!" Obviously, there's many ways to enjoy veggies without dousing them in ranch dressing.

Breakfast:

• Roasted red potatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper.  
• Black coffee 

Lunch:

• Bowl of Soup
• Water

Dinner:

• Baked potato with butter, salt & pepper 
• Mashed yellow squash with green chile 
• Water

Breakfast was very filling and held me over just fine until lunch.  But lunch...that's when I was just done. I didn't want to eat soup again. I'd ate enough the day prior. I was watching the kids make sandwiches and heat up left-overs for their lunch. That's what I wanted. Come on!?! It's day 2 and I'm already sick of this soup? Maybe it was the overload of veggies that day. I ate all that I could of my soup for lunch, then had no desire to snack at all that afternoon. I sipped on water until it was time to make dinner. I actually had looked forward to my baked potato. I was pleasantly surprised that I could enjoy something so basic.

I did handle my workout better on this day compared to the first. I completed 30 minutes of cardio, and my energy levels were normal. 

Day 3:  Eat all the fruits, vegetables and soup that you want (excluding bananas, legumes, peas, and corn). Do NOT eat a baked potato for dinner. 

This day was more bearable. I'm growing used to my reboot (but I still want a cracker, pretzel, popcorn...something!). 

Breakfast:

• bowl of fruit: pineapple, mango, blueberries, and strawberries 
• 2 small potato pancakes (it was only mashed potatoes and green onions, salt and pepper dry seared in a pan)
• black coffee

Lunch: 

• steamed broccoli 
• left-over mashed squash from the night before
• water

Dinner:

• 2 bowls of soup 
• small serving of watermelon 
• water

Things got interesting on Day 3. This was the day I started to experience the effects of eating a diet of roughage for 3 days straight. Things were moving. Actually running...running right through me. I knew to expect this. This isn't a bad thing. I know by this happening that my body is eliminating toxins. This is also the reason why the water is so crucial if you decide to do this reboot.  This will be the part of my week that I keep the play-by-play details to myself. However, this was the only day it occurred.  Things went back to normal the remainder of the week.

For dinner I changed things up. I didn't want the tomato-based soup; gagged at the thought of eating it. I decided to make a soup of beef stock, shiitake mushrooms, spinach and green onion. It was a delicious change. I actually ate 2 full bowls of it. And I had a small bowl of watermelon for dessert. 

My workout was leg day. I completed it without the dragging fatigue that I experienced the first day. 

Day 4: Eat at least 3 bananas today and all the soup you want. You may add a glass of skim milk. 

Okay, I kind of cheated for breakfast. I prefer my bananas to be firm and under ripe if I'm going to eat them straight out of the peel. But the ones I had in my fruit basket had already started to brown. So, I mashed 1 banana with 1 egg, and whisked that with a couple dashes of cinnamon, divided the mixture into my pan and made 2 pancakes. It was so satisfying. My only "cheat" would be the addition of the egg. Lunch and dinner were soup.

Breakfast:

• 2 banana pancakes 
• water 
• black coffee

Lunch:

• Bowl of soup  
• water 
• *snack: 1 banana and bottle of water

Dinner:

• Bowl of soup 
• water 
• 2 banana pancakes

Today was 30-minutes of cardio, which I completed without issues. I had a banana after my workout (I stopped by the store to get some firmer bananas). I didn't have skim milk this day (because I'm not a milk drinker...never have been). 

Day 5: Tomatoes and Protein day. Eat all the soup you want, plus up to 8 tomatoes (canned, fresh, roasted, etc) and protein (boneless/skinless chicken breast, lean beef, or fish). 

MEAT! Marvelous meat! This was the day I'd been looking forward to reaching all week long. I opted for chicken as my choice of protein. My day kept me on the road...all day long. I left my house at 6:30 am and didn't return until 9:30 pm. I had an entire day of traveling, but I knew I could stick to my dietary requirements. 

Breakfast:

• broiled chicken (left over from the kids' dinner the night before)  
• half an apple 
• black coffee 
• *snack: 1 hard boiled egg, plain, and grapes. 

Lunch:

• banana  
• more coffee (remember, I was driving all day)

Dinner: (I stopped at Chili's)

• grilled chicken breast 
• 2 sides of steamed broccoli (plain) 
• tea 
• and again, more coffee

I actually didn't have one sip of soup or a tomato this day because of my travels. And I added in fruit a couple of times.  I did the best that I could even while being behind the wheel all day.

When I did finally get home, I was tired and emotional from a hiccup that occurred during my trip. Yes, I'm a girl...I cry...I let stuff get to me.  Without thought, I went straight to the refrigerator and grabbed a cold piece of pepperoni pizza and devoured it like I was in a pie-eating contest. Then I thought, "What the heck did I just do!?!" I had just fed my emotions with pizza. I'd worked so hard to beat out cravings the past 5 days, and let them get the best of me in a moment of emotional stress. That one piece of pizza made me feel like that scale would jump up to where I'd started. Was my week shot because of this unconscious move?

Day 6: Eat all the soup, veggies, and protein you want today.  

This day would be easy. I was home for the day and could really focus on my diet. See my vitamins? I haven't missed a day of taking them. My week probably would have been more taxing if I wasn't taking my supplements.I'm using: It's Vital Core Nutrition (multivitamin for complete nutrition), ThermoFit (metabolism booster), and Confianza  (for stress management and focus).

Breakfast:

• 3 eggs, scrambled, topped with salsa 
• orange juice

Lunch:

• bowl of soup 
• water 
• *snack: half chicken breast and 1 apple (I know today was suppose to be protein and veggies, but that crisp apple was calling my name)

Dinner:

• Grilled chicken breast
• grilled onions and zucchini 
• Salad with honey vinaigrette
• water

It was late when I went, but I still managed to get in a visit to the gym and it felt great.  I was able to do my strength training session without feeling weak. 

Evenings were another challenge. Normally, I enjoy some sort of dessert after dinner:  ice cream, handful of cookies, cake, brownie, etc.  But none of those things are a part of my allowed food for the day...or week, for that matter. I've done so well, don't I deserve a treat?  Each night I had to talk myself out of my normal sweet treats.  Knowing how I'd feel after indulging was enough to discourage me.  I also realized I'm not a dog, and shouldn't reward myself with a treat for being disciplined in eating healthy. Beside, those treats, while I tell myself they're small, add up to so much more.  And are part of the reason why I needed to do this reboot.

Day 7: Eat all the soup, veggies, and Brown Rice that you want today. 

 I questioned the last day.  I'd spent the previous 6 days avoiding carbs.  A half cup of brown rice has 39 carbs in it.  So, I really didn't want to eat the rice at all.  I felt like it would make me gain weight.  I didn't design this diet (I just modified it, sticking close to the original requirements).  I had to do my research to answer my questions about ending my week with brown rice.  ((Read the benefits here))

Breakfast:

• 2 banana pancakes (there I go swaying from the diet plan) 
• orange juice 
• black coffee

Lunch:

• 1 cup of brown rice with salt 
• 6 roasted cherry tomatoes 
• water 
• *snack: veggie chips and rice cakes, water

Dinner:

• 1 cup of brown rice with salt 
• water
• 2 cups black coffee

By now, I was out of soup and didn't feel like making any more (or eating soup again).  As you can see, I didn't eat soup on the final day.  I was hungry, but also felt like "there was nothing I could eat," so I kept it very basic and bland that day.  I also completed 30 minutes of cardio this day, and felt really good.  

So, what happened after all this?  Well, I lost 5.6 lbs total over the week.  The previous week I was ending my day just above 139 lbs.  I knew before starting this reboot that my weight increase was because I'd been slacking in my healthy diet.  I'd been falling back into my old ways of eating out.  

I learned a few things about myself in just one week.  I learned that food has a strong hold over me.  But there were many times that I was tempted and was able to overcome. Although I felt accomplished this week, I do have the tendency to bend the rules.  No, I didn't follow the plan completely, but I did see results with what I did do.  It was a triumph each morning to step on the scale and see change. 

One thought I want to leave you with:  

We consume food.  It shouldn't consume us.

In my struggles this week to eat what I should vs. what I wanted, it became very clear to me that I have so much more work to do.  Not just for myself and my goals, but for the health of my family.  

I want to hear from you!  Feel welcome to leave your comments and thoughts below.  Would you be interested in changing your eating habits for a week?  Do you need help losing weight and/or increasing your health.  I'm here to help!  Comment below for assistance. 

7-Day Soup Reboot

Do you ever wish you had a reset button? When it comes to health, you do.  It's time to push that button and start over. 

Still on my journey to change my health, I remembered a diet that my husband did a few years ago. He had great results. I helped him stay on track with it by preparing his meals, but he did the eating part alone because I wasn't about to give up my crap-tabulous eating habits to join him. Now that I know better, I decided this would be a great time to reset, or reboot, my system to maximize all the changes I've been making. 

We were first introduced to this by our pastor. He told us about the Sacred Heart Diet. It's also very similar to the Cabbage Soup Diet. It's not at all meant to be done over an extended amount of time. It's completed over the course of 7 days. Each day varies on what you're allowed to eat.

Day 1: Eat all the fruit and soup you want (excluding bananas).  

Day 2: Eat all the vegetables (raw, steamed, roasted) and soup that you want (excluding legumes, peas, and corn). For dinner, eat a baked potato with butter. 

Day 3: Eat all the fruit, vegetables, and soup that you want (excluding bananas, legumes, peas, & corn).

Day 4: Eat at least 3 bananas today and all the soup you want. You may add a glass of skim milk. 

Day 5: Tomatoes and Protein day. Eat all the soup you want, plus up to 8 tomatoes (canned, fresh, roasted, etc) and protein (boneless/skinless chicken breast, lean beef, or fish). 

Day 6: Eat all the soup, veggies, and protein you want today.  

Day 7: Eat all the soup, veggies, and Brown Rice that you want today. 

•Each day drink plenty of water. 

Other drink options include green tea (that you prepare...not the overly sweetened prepared bottles found in the store), black coffee, and unsweetened fruit juice (on the days that allow fruit).  Stay hydrated. 

•Each day, regardless of the meal plan, the soup can be eaten at any time, and as much as you want. 

•Because this diet lacks in daily nutritional needs, it's not recommended to do this for an extended amount of time.  I recommend taking a high-quality multivitamin everyday. 

•Exercise can and should be incorporated. 

So, now that you know the diet plan, let's get real about doing this.
 

First, I'm not overweight. I've been eating better and working out 4-6 times a week consistently since mid August (that's my consistent time-period...July-mid August I wasn't as disciplined). So, why am I not seeing the numbers on the scale change?  I feel like I am putting in the work and would like to see something budge, even a little.  I know it will happen; I'm just impatient.

Second, I am not a fan of diets that say I can't eat something. During my personal challenge to clean up my eating habits, I've simply made better choices and haven't ever labeled a food as a "can't have." I'm fully aware that eating a donut is a very unhealthy choice; that's why I don't eat donuts every day. But I have allowed myself in the last few months to eat a donut or two. I like having it as a choice rather a restriction. That said, most days I'm eating Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and granola for breakfast, and I cook and eat at home almost every meal.

Thirdly, I think it's a perfect time in my lifestyle change to do something to reset/reboot my system. I'm 31. I've ate bad a majority of my life (I say majority because I was a breastfed baby...LOL). The reason why I believe now is the perfect time is because if I would have done this to jump start my lifestyle change months ago, I would have suffered greatly from temptation and set myself up for failure. Changing something you've always done is always going to be challenging.  **Time to plug in a mom analogy.** It's like potty training a toddler. You've allowed them to soil diapers their entire life, and then one day, out of the blue, you inform them that's not allowed anymore. My children weren't potty-trained over night. It took time, consistency, and patience. But once the change became permanent, I've never had to put my children in diapers again. This is the same when you're changing your eating habits, activity levels, and working on a healthier lifestyle. My changes that I've made are here to stay. Now I'm going to take them to the next level with this 7-day reboot.

Day 1 started with a big bowl of fresh fruit: watermelon, pineapple, blueberries and strawberries. I was proud that I'd started my day right. Then I had a demonstration to do (for my homebased business). My demo required more time than what I had intended. I didn't bring any food with me, I was over an hour away from home, and the normal options weren't going to work.  I was starving. I stopped by a grocery store and grabbed some pre-cut fruit. This is how hungry I was: the blackberries were terribly sour and tart, the strawberries flavorless, and the mangoes were hard as a rock. However, I ate all of it. I also happened to find these little snacks that fit into my diet requirements for the day. They're just shredded coconut, pomegranate seeds, and dried mango held together by coconut oil. Again, I was so hungry I ate something I didn't care for…shredded coconut. Once home, I was ravenous. The warm bowl of soup was the best thing I've ever ate! **LOL** I was satisfied and full, and my hunger-pains had subsided.

Of course, being a mom, I still have the responsibility to make sure my kids are fed. They tend to have a snack in the afternoon. They choose popcorn. Yeah, popcorn. That scrumptious buttery smell overwhelmed the house. My 8-year-old sat by my side and kindly offered to share her snack with me. I grumpily refused her offer and explained why I couldn't eat popcorn with her. That didn't stop her from happily crunching and munching away. Oh, how I wanted a handful!  But instead, I went to the kitchen and got my own snack: a bowl of watermelon. It definitely isn't what I wanted, but I wasn't about to be defeated by salty, buttery deliciousness. Popcorn=0, Me=1.

Then I was off to the gym to complete my workout for the day. It was a strength training session. I have to report that I quickly got fatigued after beginning my workout. I blame this on the lack of carbs and protein intake for the day. I struggled through my exercises, but completed what I needed to for the day. This was a reminder to me how important proper nutrition is.

 

Then I was home just in time to cook dinner for the kids. I knew this would be another struggle that I'd have to conquer. I asked one of my daughters to assist me. We made macaroni and cheese and mixed in sweet peppers, green onions, and Italian turkey sausage. That's when temptation struck again. When I went to transfer the cooked turkey sausage to the macaroni, a few sausage crumbles fell onto the stove top. Unconsciously, I picked one up, and as my hand approached my mouth, my brain yelled, "NO!!!" I paused as I contemplated "to eat or not to eat?" I felt as if I had that little devil on my shoulder telling me that one little crumb wouldn't hurt. My mouth was salivating, but NO! Even a crumb would make me feel like a cheater. How crazy it is to know that food has this hold over me. But you know what? I overcame the temptation grasped between my fingers. "Back in the pot you little devil! You don't control me!" After serving the kids their dinner, I retreated to the other room to eat my soup, leaving them to enjoy their meaty, cheesy pasta without me. I didn't really want soup, but I also didn't want to make it through the entire day only to mess things up at the end of it. 

The day was rough, I'm not going to lie. I prefer to turn down food because I don't want to eat it, not because I can't have it.  I'm doing this 7-day reboot with a group of friends. I know I'm not the only one struggling with temptation. It sure makes it easier knowing that if I were to cheat, I'd have to admit my failure. Yay! for accountability partners.  It is just for one week. So, there's really no excuse for me to get through this week with anything less than success. 

I want to be real, and that's why I shared my struggles with you. However, I do not want to deter you from trying this reboot for yourself. When my husband did it the first time, he lost about 15 lbs. And he later did it a second time because it worked so well before. You not only want to focus on each daily diet regimen, but also drinking plenty of water. Most people claim that the weight lost doing this diet is just water weight and you'll gain everything back. If you drink enough water, you'll allow you body to rid itself on the toxins and junk you're more than like carrying. How much water should you drink each day? Take your weight in pounds and divide that by 2. That's how many ounces of water you should be drinking. I average about 135 lbs. My water intake need is different than someone weighing 200 lbs. And of course, you'll want to keep up proper hydration even after you complete your seven days. 

I will do another post in one week to update you on my results.  If you've made it this far, by now you're probably asking "but what's in the soup!?!" Do you really think I would go into all this detail and not tell you what's in the soup? It's a vegetable soup. Depending on your likes and preferences, it's very versatile. Change it up however you want, avoiding starchy vegetables. This recipe that I've included is my recipe that I adapted from the original.  Depending on how quickly you go through a pot of soup, you'll more than like be making a few batches.

Chicken Veggie Meatballs and Cauliflower

In a recent post for my Flourless Chocolate Muffin recipe, I shared with you that this scoop has never touched ice cream (not because I don't care for ice cream...I just have a different scoop for it).  No, this one helps me prepare muffins, cupcakes, mini meatloaves, and today, meatballs.  These meatballs are packed with nutrients and flavor.  

They're big, baked, lean, and green (in a good way).  I'm hiding a salad inside them that the kids will actually eat. 

Today I enlisted the help of another kitchen fave, my Ninja.  It makes food prep so easy, and is a great tool to help hide things in dishes.  All those fun colors you see in that meatball are veggies.  I packed spinach, carrots, mini portabello mushrooms, garlic, and scallions in these meatballs.  Once mixed, I used my scooper friend to make uniform meatballs ready to go into the oven. 

Yes, I could have gone with beef or pork.  But I like to change things up.  Using ground chicken cuts down on the fat and grease, without compromising flavor.  The end result is moist on the inside, while golden-crisp on the outside.  Perfect combination for any meatball.

  

Just because we're having meatballs doesn't mean we have to have pasta.  I love mash potatoes!  It's something I crave.  But white potatoes aren't really the best option when trying to pack in the nutrients.  Years ago, my husband decided to do a low-carb diet.  That meant me having to find new recipes because I didn't grow up eating anything low-carb.  One of my favorites was the use of cauliflower for replacing potatoes.  I had 2 heads of cauliflower on hand already, so I chopped them up, boiled them, and pureed them with my immersion blender.  I actually think they were ((dare I say it?)) better than potatoes. 

 

Look at how light and fluffy my cauliflower turned out.  I served up my dinner on a smaller plate, and I still feel like I over-ate.  But I couldn't help myself.  This was so delicious.  The kids and I literally scraped our plates clean.  

 

As always, when you try my recipe, I'd love to hear your feedback.  And get creative!  The ingredients that I used were what I had on hand.  If you want to add different veggies or use a different protein, go for it.  You won't mess these up.

Baked Chicken Veggie Meatballs

• 2 lbs lean ground chicken
• 1 cup bread crumbs or crushed crackers
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 worchestershire sauce 
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1-1/2 cups carrots (I used baby carrots), or 3 large carrots
• 2 cups, packed, fresh baby spinach 
• 1 pint mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 scallions (green onions)
• salt and pepper 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  
2. In a large mixing bowl, add ground chicken, bread crumbs, eggs, worchestershire sauce, and tomato paste.
3. In a food processor, finely chop spinach, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, and onions.  Do this in batches considering the size of your food processor.  Vegetables should be finely chopped.  Processing too long will make a paste/puree.  Add vegetables and salt & pepper to mixing bowl with other ingredients.
4. Thoroughly combine all ingredients.  (I used my hands).
5. Evenly scoop meat and place 2-inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  If you do not have a scoop, each ball is roughly 1/3 cup of mixture.  You may use a measuring cup to measure what you need, and shape into balls with your hands.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes.  Meatballs will be golden brown and cooked through.

Yields roughly  20-24 meatballs depending on size.

What's really important to you?

What's really important to you? Do you want to spend more time with loved ones?  Do you want to look and feel better? Do you want to have more money in your checking account?  Most people do.  We are constantly comparing ourselves to others because some people seem to have what we want when we're struggling to get it. 

"I wish I looked like her."  
"I wish I had a new car."  
"I wish I had her energy."
"I wish I could afford a vacation."
"I wish I didn't have to go to work every day...I'd really like to stay home with my kids like she does."
"I wish ___________."

Whatever it is, you have dreams and wishes, too.  If you don't, then I wish I lived your perfect life.  I recently conducted a poll.  It was very brief, and the ladies that took my poll came from all walks of life:  SAHMs, nurses, teachers, health professionals, teen moms, single moms, unemployed, hair dressers, cashiers, college students, law enforcement, retired, etc.  I simply asked them to rate the following individually on a scale from 1-10 (10 being the highest priority):

• Personal Physical Appearance
• Overall Health
• Fitness
• Income
• Occupation (working your dream job)
• Time with Family
• Eating a Healthy Diet

The results really surprised me.  But spoke to me about how we often want something without putting in the effort needed to accomplish it.  Here are the results from the poll:

The #1 priority among the participants was Time with Family. Anyone can understand why that rated the highest.  In fact, the only reason it didn't end up being a perfect 10 is because of 1 participant.  We love our families.  We'd love to have the freedom and time to be with them more.  Because "time is money," you need a good source of income to allow the means to get to do what's most important to you.  That is probably why Income ranked as high as it did. The participants understand the importance of income, but don't really mind what occupation gets them what they need, even if it means not working their "dream job."  The one that is most interesting to me is Overall Health.  This is also a high priority, but the participants did not feel like eating a healthy diet or fitness were important.  Doesn't that seem odd?   Overall health is achieved through proper diet and exercise.  This isn't a new concept. You could put Physical Appearance into the same category.  I'm not talking about attractiveness, but appearance in terms of being fit and healthy.  Again, you can tie that back into proper diet and exercise to achieve your ideal appearance (minus genetics, of course).

So, why are Fitness and Eating a Healthy Diet not a high priority?  It's because they involve effort.  Work.  Planning.  Doing.  Who has time for that?  Most people would rather allow themselves time to watch a 2-hour-long show on TV (hello Biggest Loser) then go sweat for 30 minutes exercising (even though most workout machines at the gym are equipped with TVs now).  Everyone is busy and tired.  That's the reason most people pick up take-out or frozen meals than spend 30 minutes baking chicken and veggies for dinner.  If this is stepping on your toes a bit, don't feel like I'm picking on you because I was that person.  Until recently, you would have had to knock me unconscious and drag me through the doors to get me to enter a gym.  And I lied to myself all the time by thinking I was being good by ordering a salad with my greasy-fried entree for dinner.  I'm living proof that change is possible.  However, it wouldn't have happened in me had it not been a gradual change.

How did I start?  When I say gradual, I mean sluggishly gradual.  This began over 2 years ago.  Like most people, I had the desire to look better, but, like most people, I was lazy.  I was introduced to this crazy wrap thing via Facebook.  It gave toning and tightening results without the work.  Perfect for someone like myself.  I finally had my tummy back after 5 pregnancies without having to diet or exercise.  (Read about my experience HERE and check out my results)  

All is perfect in the world!  I had found what I thought could never exist.  Now that I looked better, I wanted to feel better.  And while I was at it, I wanted to make some money doing it.  Wouldn't it be great if I could make money showing people how to look and feel better?  That exists, too, and without having to become a Personal Trainer.  I joined It Works! to do that.  To feel better, I simply just started using the products.  The health supplements are natural, whole food, and high quality.  Since they grow the ingredients that go into their products, they're able to keep the cost affordable.   I've been using It Works! products for over 2 years.  My body is getting the nutrients that it was lacking due to poor diet.  I feel great.  Most people wake up tired, and are tired and dragging until they lay their head down at the end of the day.  Thankfully, that's no longer me, and I contribute that to the health supplements I use

I use the products; I tell people about the products. They know they work because of my personal testimony. When they try them, that's when I make money.  It's that simple.  I actually get to enjoy those things that are high on my priority list: Time with Family, Health, Income...and I can do it without making sacrifices.

Fast forward to this past July.  I wanted to clean up our diet.  Not just for me, but for my entire family.  Also, our budget was taking a huge hit from all the eating out (FYI: cooking at home saves time and money).  I slowly started ridding my kitchen of junk food and replacing it with healthier options.  This change led me to become more active, as well.  I'm now in the gym 5-6 times a week and seeing a personal trainer.  This decision to become active isn't for appearances only (I'd lie if I said that I don't LOVE that my legs are starting to show definition that I haven't seen since I was a teen).  This move to exercise was mainly driven my my desire to take my health to the next level.  Even with the best supplements, and a great diet (which mine still isn't 100% "great" yet), you need activity of some sort.  You don't have to go out and get a gym membership like I did.  Simply walking 4-5 days a week for 30 minutes at a time would be a start.  At least it's better than having your butt parked on a couch, right?  You have to start somewhere.  Like I said, my start was gradual...2 years worth of gradual and skating by on excuses.  But looking back, and knowing myself, I wouldn't have stuck with it if I wasn't ready.

I look at my life today, and I'm thankful and blessed.  I love that I'm becoming more and more passionate about my personal health, and my personal appearance is continuing to reflect this, too.  I love that I'm able to coach and help others get started making the same positive changes that I have made.  I love that I get to earn money while bettering the health of others, my family, and myself.  And I get to do this from the comfort of my home.

All 7 of those bullet points on my poll should be a "10" for everyone.  I know that if I'd taken that poll a few years ago, my answers would be similar to what the participants entered.  I'm proud to say that if I were to take it today, everything would be of utmost priority.  If you feel the same, or are ready to start moving in that direction, I'd like to invite you to watch this video.  And feel free to contact me HERE.

Quinoa "Rice" Pudding

I love rice pudding.  There's something about all those flavors and textures married together that create an explosion of happiness on my taste buds. Still in the spirit of taking comfort foods to the next level nutritionally, I thought I'd give the classic baked rice pudding recipe a make-over.

Quinoa is a grain that is now on my radar.  This super-food looks a lot like couscous, can be used in place of rice or pasta, and has a nutty, earthy flavor.  

Today, instead of preparing quinoa into a savory dish, I'm still listening to the call of my sweet tooth, and elevating a much-loved, traditional family fave.  But WHY QUINOA?  I could have replaced the typically used white rice in the rice pudding recipe with brown rice.  Brown rice is certainly a healthier option when compared to white rice.  Opening my cupboard, I had 2 packages of quinoa already on hand.  And I'd originally purchased them because I'd read a few places that it is a super food that is gaining in popularity.  Whether prepared sweet or savory, it's a great way to get added protein, fiber, zinc, and iron into your diet.   

Today I decided to prepare a family-sized portion of my Quinoa "Rice" Pudding.  But before that could happen, I needed to cook some quinoa.  It's very simple.  I followed the cooking directions on the package.  I used:

• 1-1/4 cup quinoa
• 2-1/2 cup water 

Add the water and quinoa to a pot, and turn the burner to HIGH.  Once it reaches a boil, turn the burner to LOW, and cover with a lid.  Set your timer for 10 minutes.  I didn't stir during cooking time.  After my timer went off, I removed the pot from the heat, and let the quinoa, still covered, rest for 5 minutes.  After that, just fluff with a fork and allow to cool.

Now that I had some cooked quinoa cooling, I was ready to get the rest of my ingredients put together.  The amounts listed above will give you just enough quinoa for my rice pudding recipe make-over.

This is what everything looked like just before baking.  Even at this point, it smelled heavenly.

Golden-brown goodness!  The house was filled with the smell of sweet cinnamon.  

 

Beautiful!  The texture is just like traditional rice pudding.  

I couldn't wait to try a bite. It's so delicious!  It has the perfect level of sweetness, too.

AND it won't break the bank calorie-wise.  

Another success! 

Chocolate Muffins! Flourless and Flavorful!

I've found my passion in the kitchen again.  I love to cook, and bake, and create yummy deliciousness.  I love food!  And now that I'm paying more attention to the nutrition my food can provide, I'm learning new ways to transform some of my favorite comfort foods and pleasures into something that is good for me, and tastes good at the same time.  Eating right doesn't mean your food has to taste like card board! 

Lately, I've been craving sweets!  I love chocolate, cakes, donuts, pies, etc.  But I haven't really consumed any desserts because my thought process has been, "No...that's bad for you."  Obviously, I'm allowed a "bad for you" food sometimes (and when I do have it, my Fat Fighter comes to the rescue).  However, I want to be able to give into my cravings without the guilt.  Pinterest is my friend, and has been a great place for me to find ideas on how to have my cake and eat it too. 

What's neat about this recipe is that it's flourless.  And you'd never know it by the looks, taste, and texture of the finished product.  Let's make some "better for you" Chocolate Muffins. 

The base for this recipe is almond butter and eggs.  In my previous post, I show you how to make your own almond butter at home and for less than store bought. 

 And *BONUS* the recipe I share makes the exact amount you need for this recipe.

 

After you cream the almond butter and eggs together, the mixture ends up looking like, well, almond butter. If yours does, too, then you did something right.

 

Then we end up with mud...LOL. 

 

Say hello to my little friend!

Really.  This will make your life easier.  I use this scoop for baking.  It's never touched ice cream, ever.  Using a scoop will keep your muffins uniform in size, therefore, they'll bake at the same rate of time.  

And it's not just for muffins!  I use this for cupcakes, large meatballs, or measuring out my mini meatloaves...basically anything that I bake in a muffin tin.

See what I mean?  All my muffins will bake evenly and end up being the same size.

Yes!  Finally!  I can have a sweet treat without the guilt.

What a perfect paring.  Chocolate muffin and coffee.  

Get my MUG here.

 

Look at the texture.  Like I'd mentioned, if you were to make this and share it with someone, they'd have no clue that it didn't have flour in it.  The texture is perfect.  With some gluten free baked goods, the texture ends up being weird.  Gluten free baked goods are dense, crumbly, and aren't as tender and gluten baked items.  However, this muffin turned out soft and moist.  

 

This recipe makes a dozen muffins.  

I was very satisfied after one and a cup of coffee.  My kids, on the other hand, wanted more.  That should tell you something about how they taste.  I haven't let them go back for seconds, yet.  They'll have to wait until after dinner.  But this recipe will be a definite repeat in my house. I was very pleased and impressed with how much flavor they packed.  Maybe next time I make them, I'll add some dark chocolate chips.  

If you try them out, I'd love to hear what you think!

 

Gluten-Free Chocolate Muffins

1-1/2 cup almond butter ((recipe found here))
5 eggs
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbs instant coffee granules
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the almond butter and eggs with an electric mixer.
3. To the bowl, add the remaining ingredients.  Mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Mixture will be thick and smooth.
4. Evenly divide mixture into 12 lined or greased cups in a muffin tin.
5. Bake 15-20 minutes.  Mine took 19 minutes in my oven (cooking time will vary depending on your oven).  They're ready when a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.  
6. After removing from the oven, allow to rest for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Yields 12 muffins.

Make your own Almond Butter at home and for less!

I've ventured away from using only peanut butter, and have started exploring other butters. The problem is A) I live in a small town, and while they have a vast variety of peanut butter brands and flavors, they don't have much to choose from when looking for alternative nut butters, and B) the alternatives tend to be very expensive. 

I've been trying new recipes that include nut butters as ingredients, and I'm finding that I'm quickly using up what I have on hand when I do splurge on these butters.  I decided today that I was just going to have to start making my own.  It can't be too hard, can it?  And plus, when doing so, I can control what does and doesn't go into it while making nut butter at home.  

The recipe I wanted to make today called for cashew butter.  I went to get a package of cashews, but all I could find at the store were salted cashews.  So, that butter will have to made another day.  But I was able to find raw, unsalted almonds.  My local HEB store carries 2 lbs, 4 oz of almonds for about $14.  Or, I could purchase 16 oz of prepared almond butter at the same store for around $10...you do the math on that one, and I'm pretty sure I'm coming out ahead by making it at home.  Also, the only brand of almond butter that HEB had in stock contained other ingredients...salt, sugar, palm oil, and sunflower lecithin.  I don't think I need those other ingredients, so again, I'd say I'm better off making it myself.  As always, lots of pictures for you because I'm a visual person.  Let's make some almond butter!

 

First, we have to roast the almonds.  

Just measure and place the almonds on a lined baking sheet. 

 

Don't they look yummy??? 

And, oh my goodness, my house smelled like Christmas from the aroma of almonds roasting in the oven.

 

Showing some love as they cool.

 

Here's where the magic begins.  

With my trusty sidekick (Ninja's are awesome!), it's about to get creamy up in here! 

 

Now, I've looked at other recipes for making your own nut butter.  Most of them mention that it tasks a bit of time and patience to get that creamy consistency.  I think the longest time I've seen in a recipe was 15 minutes, and most average about 12 minutes of processing to get to the butter stage.  If you do not own a Ninja, get one.  In just 4-1/2 minutes, I had smooth, creamy, pure almond butter.  I felt like an excited little kid when I first noticed the grainy almonds start to become creamy.  I said, "Oh my gosh!  It's turning into butter!  LOOK!!!"  ((Get my Ninja HERE))

I don't think I'll ever purchase prepared almond butter again.  After I realized now easy it is to do this at home, my mind started going crazy..."What can I add to it? Honey? Cinnamon? Chocolate? (then I won't have to spend a small fortune on Nutella anymore.)" 

The kids were itching to give it a taste.  And of course, it was a hit!  You know you've got something good when it passes the "kid approval."