Ditch The Junk Food

Oh man! I am still dealing with the after affects of "too many cookies for Christmas!" So to help get me out of my bloated, irregular and icky feeling state I am going to eat clean. Yep, I'm taking the plunge in cutting out the junk food and eating whole foods. No more processed foods for me here!

And I need your help! Studies have shown that people who have friends going through diet and exercise together are more likely to succeed than those that go at it alone.

So I am hosting a 5 day clean eating challenge on a private Facebook page. If you are just like me and trying to clean up what you are eating and ditch the belly fat and bloating send me a message and I will get you added on the group! I would love to have you help me out!

You know what, You are worth Fighting For!

New Year's Eve Eating Help

Are you going to a New Year's Eve Party? Here are a couple of tips and tricks to help you get through to midnight without letting your eating get out of control! 

1. Check out this portion reminder! As you go to get food from the buffet keep this in mind. Opt for the small plates if there is an option. Fill your plate with fruit and veggies and go from there.

2. Make a promise to yourself that you will only get food at 7pm and 10:30pm (if you need to) for a light snack. Try not to graze the whole night long, 

3. Limit your alcohol. There are so many wasted calories in alcoholic drinks. Stick with water as much as possible to stay hydrated. 

4. Don't go hungry to your party. Make sure you eat a nice healthy filling dinner before you go so that when you do go eat you will only eat snack sized. Chicken, broccoli and rice would be a perfect dinner to help you feel full! 

5. Have fun! New Year's parties are so fun to talk with your friends and make new ones! So even though you might be taking it easy on the food and drink you can still have plenty of fun! Happy New Year! 

Easy Homemade Baby Food

~Today's selection is: Oatmeal and Butternut squash. Blended together to give a more runny consistency. Add a small pinch of cinnamon for extra flavor. Just because they are babies doesn't mean they don't like good food!~

I am now in the journey of solid foods for baby Collin! I can't believe that we are already here and I even waited till 6.5 months. Time really does go by more quickly when you have more than 1.

Even though I am a busy mom of 2 boys I am still trying to fit in making baby food. It really is a lot easier than it seems. And a lot less expensive, even buying organic.

First of all I love this book. The Best Homemade Baby Food On The Planet. It is my go to book for this age. It is the first thing I will recommend to other mothers when they ask me what I use! It has EVERYTHING! It goes month by month, what your baby should eat. Talks about the consistency and how to slowly introduce new foods and why. And it has amazing recipes! I have tons of pages dogeared and notes written about how to make it work best for me. It even takes you to 2 years old of yummy recipes! We have used many a recipes and even used the older ones for a family dinner recipe. Veggie "Meat" Balls were pretty tasty!

A lot of stores have pre cut and washed foods available to buy. All the hard work already done. I love going to whole foods and getting the butternut squash chopped up. All I have to do it stick it in a pot and steam it or in some boiling water for just a little bit to cook and soften. Stick it in my blender and warm bam DONE!

Also frozen foods are easy too. I used frozen peas, put them in boiling water to cook for about 3-4 min and blended them up. DONE! How easy is that. I know that Whole Foods has frozen sweet potatoes too and that was Mason's fav so I bought a ton of those for him.

~With the lid off. the cubes are rounded off on the bottom to make removing from the tray. Just close up the tray run under hot water for a little bit and they just slide out!~

You will also need ice cube trays or I have these: Mumi & Bubi Solids Starter Kit. This portions out the food to 1 ounce cubes, that I then stick in a ziplock bag, run under warm water to defrost and it is warmed and ready for Collin to enjoy! All you do is just pour your blended up food into the tray, pop the lid on and stick in the freezer. Once they are frozen transfer them to ziplock freezer bags so that you can make more baby food.

~Peas and butternut squash~

Cost of my homemade baby food: 
Container of Cut and cleaned butter nut squash from Trader Joe's: ~$4
Makes 27 ounces

Jar of Earth's Best Sweet Potatoes: 2.5 ounces:
$.89-.99 per jar.

Helpful hint: Make your own rice or oatmeal cereal for baby! Place 1/2 cup of oatmeal or rice in your blender and place on the highest setting to pulverize it to a fine powder. When cooking I find that it makes it really thick. So I add the cooked rice or oatmeal back to my blender and add more breastmilk or water to thin it out. Easier for baby to enjoy.

What's Cookin' Good Lookin'?

I found this online today and let me tell you! This is going to be going on up in our house tomorrow night! Yep! Not sure if I can find blood oranges but can't go wrong with navel oranges, right!

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/18518_grilled_lemon_orange_chicken_with_roasted_garlic_rosemary_brown_and_wild_rice/

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bulb garlic, end cut to expose the cloves
• EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
• 1 cup wild-and-brown rice blend, such as Whole Foods brand, or make your own blend from bulk bins at market (1 part wild rice to 4 parts brown rice)
• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups chicken stock 
• 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, 3 stems, finely chopped 
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper* 
• Salt and pepper* 
• 1 small red onion, cut into 6 slices
• 3 4- to 6-inch skewers, soaked in water 
• 2 lemons, halved 
• 1 blood orange or navel orange, halved 
• Baby kale or arugula, a few handfuls to garnish 
•  

  PREPARATION

  Preheat oven to 400°F. Place garlic bulb on a piece of foil, drizzle with
  EVOO and wrap tightly. Roast 40 minutes or so until cloves are soft and
  light golden in color. Cool to handle then squish cloves from skins into a
  bowl and mash into a paste.
  Place 1 cup rice blend and 2 1/4 cups stock in a pot with 1 tablespoon
  olive oil. Whisk in garlic paste and add rosemary, salt and pepper.
  Bring to boil then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 30 minutes,
  stirring occasionally, turn off heat and let stand 10-15 minutes. Fluff
  with fork and add the pine nuts. If rice gets a little dry before it’s fully
  cooked, add another 1/4 cup stock.
  Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat or prepare an outdoor grill. 
  Slice the chicken breast thinly, working across the breast, into large
  medallions. Lightly pound to make the medallions thinner. Dress
  with about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with red pepper and liberally
  with salt and black pepper or use your favorite seasoning blend. Secure
  the onion slices on the bamboo skewers. 
  Grill the chicken about 2 minutes on each side and remove medallions
  to platter.  Grill onions until marked and tender, 7-8 minutes. Grill
  cut citrus until charred and well-marked, about 4 minutes. Douse the
  chicken with grilled citrus juices and let stand for about 15 minutes
  and up to 1 hour.
  Serve a bed of rice in shallow bowl and top with grilled onion rings
  and chicken medallions. Top with a few leaves of arugula or baby kale.      

- See more at: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/18518_grilled_lemon_orange_chicken_with_roasted_garlic_rosemary_brown_and_wild_rice/#sthash.IGYXHfH8.dpuf

CRAVINGS!

I love it how my body naturally craves things when they are in season! Like Christmas time, I ALWAYS crave oranges. Fresh naval oranges. In Arizona they are nice and wonderfully ripe right at Christmas. (if my parents brought some to us when they visit us for Christmas, I certainly will NOT complain!) In early summer I crave berries. In the fall I crave apples and butternut squash stuff!

Like right now, I am craving butternut squash soup, the one a friend of mine made at her little pastry shop. Sadly the shop isn't around anymore but man I crave that stuff! Tonight I am making pumpkin soup courtesy of Trader Joe's. But I have made this, and will make this recipe again of butternut squash soup!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup - CHOW

INGREDIENTS

• 4 pounds whole butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the squash pieces cut-side up on the baking sheet. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush all of it over the tops and insides of the squash halves (alternatively, you can rub it on evenly with your fingers). Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until knife tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, peel, core, and cut the apple into medium dice. Cut the onion into medium dice. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the apple, onion, and sage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
4. When the squash is ready, set the baking sheet on a wire rack until the squash is cool enough to handle. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into the saucepan with the sautéed apples and onions; discard the skins.
5. Add the broth, water, and measured salt and pepper, stir to combine, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces of squash, until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream.
6. Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap (the pour lid) from the blender lid and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off). Alternatively, use an immersion blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with the pumpkin seeds, if using.

ENJOY! 

HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!

2 days and counting down to my first postpartum race on SATURDAY! Today begins the 2 day of binge drinking! WATER THAT IS you silly people! I am not going to be over drinking water I am going to make sure that I am drinking the required amount of water for my body.

General rule of thumb to drinking the required amount of water is divide your weight in half and make that number into ounces and that is the minimum amount required. Plus if you workout and drink 8oz while working out, add an extra 8 ounces to replace the 8oz you sweat out. And since I am nursing, I have to drink even more water in general so I am drinking at least 150-200 ounces a day. It's a lot but I love my water and my body is used to it!

The biggest thing to not do before a race is to drink gallons of water leading up to a race. Because it can deplete our electrolyte levels prior to running, plus I don't want to feel squashy when running. The best thing we can do is just make sure that we cut out the other types of drinks, i.e. pop, sugar drinks, alcohol, and such. And replace those drinks with just water. It will keep us more hydrated and we will feel better the morning of the run.

So for the next 2 days, drink plenty of water, but not too much and cut out the other drinks.

Vega Sport's Electrolyte Hydrator Review

A Couple of weeks ago I was give the opportunity through Sweat Pink to try out Vega Sport's Electrolyte Hydrator as part of their #fuelyourbetter campaign. I was super excited to try this out because I have never tried Vega products before and am always up to try new things that help keep me hydrated and are ok to use while nursing! 

Since I am not familiar with the Vega brand, I checked out their website and all of their products are plant based, gluten free and non GMO. They have many products for sport and also for everyday use. They have smoothie mixes, energy bars, things to use to help prep for exercise, to use during and after exercise to help with recovery, and many, many more products. All their products are good for you and for the environment so I be sure to check them out!

As a nursing mom it is so important for me to remain hydrated so that I can feed my son efficiently. I am drinking a TON of water every day. Drinking plain old water can get boring. The Vega Sport Electrolyte Hydrators are individually wrapped so no measuring needed to get the right amount and it is easy to pour into a 16 oz water bottle, shake it up and I'm ready to go. Love how convenient it is and easy for this busy momma of 2! And zero calories, so it is great that it won't add to my calorie count when I am trying to stay as fit as possible and try to lose this baby weight safely! 

Per Vega's website:

A natural, alkaline-forming drink mix, free from sugar and artificial sweeteners, Vega Sport Electrolyte Hydrator is formulated with all the essential electrolytes your body needs to stay hydrated during workouts.  

With zero calories per serving, Electrolyte Hydrator tastes great, so you can sip it not just during your workout, but throughout the day to: 

Replenish electrolytes and minerals
Enhance metabolism and alkalinity
Provide antioxidant protection

It's Available in Lemon Lime and Berry flavors.

I received the Berry flavor and it mixes well with the recommend 16 ounces of water. I choose to sip all day long, since I need the contestant hydration. I enjoyed the taste, it is a little more sweet than I was expecting and tastes similar to other water flavoring options available however this has the added benefit of electrolyte balancing. This would be great to have in one of my running drinks to help sustain my longer runs! I think it's great! 

QOTD: How do you fuel your better? Tag #fuelyourbetter, #vegasport, @SunKissedBecky on Instagram! 

Disclaimer: Although this product was given to me, all opinions are my own.

Shakeology, I LOVE YOU!

 

So I am convinced, truly convinced, that this stuff is MAGIC! It's been 2 weeks that I have been on Shakeology and I LOVE IT! Here's why:

I have lost 2.5 lbs in 2 weeks. I am not starving at all! I FEEL GREAT! I don't have to take a nap anymore during the day because I have energy to get me through the day. I don't crave candy, sugar, sweets, or salty foods. I have had an increase in my milk production (not that you are going to start producing milk if you drank it, but I am getting the things my body needs to make more beneficial milk for my little guy!) And I feel like I am cheating on my "diet" because I get to have a yummy chocolate shake!

So I hadn't lost any weight since 3 weeks postpartum. I actually gained weight because my milk came in and stabilized, so I was stuck at 3 lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight for this pregnancy for 5 weeks. I know that doesn't seem so bad, but I have some weight to lose and I want to do it in a healthy way so that I can still provide the food that my son needs. It is really hard to find that line of eating too little and eating too much. But I have finally found it and it is with drinking a meal replacement shake! I don't know about you but have you ever done Slim-fast? I have. I have done it with tons of exercise, without exercise, and just to help maintain. Well with Slim-fast I was always starving. I felt hungry because I wasn't getting everything that my body needed. And about 1 time every 2 weeks I would binge on sugars and things that my body needed to replenish itself. No joke, but I have not had the urge to go binge eating in the last 2 weeks. I don't crave sugar or sweets or salty things anymore. (THAT IS HUGE FOR ME!) I crave clean food. Simple food. Chicken, eggs, fruit, butternut squash soup with amazing spices in it that I don't know what they are cause we get them from our favorite Afghan restaurant but it is clean food! I still can't eat salads, they make me gag, but I can eat other veggies and I plan on adding kale to my shakes this week to get more of the yummy goodness in my body.

~LOVE This commercial with Tony Horton!~

Matt, my husband, has been on Shakeology for the past week and he is enjoying it too. He has lost 5 lbs! SAY WHAT!?! I am so jealous! This is a guy who has been complaining for over a year because he couldn't lose weight and was too close a number he didn't ever want to be near and has now lost 5 lbs in 2 full weeks! SO UNFAIR! But, here's why. He is eating clean food. He is exercising hard everyday or almost everyday, doing an hour of cardio or weight training or cardio and weight training. He is eating the right portions too. but he also is eating pizza, and popcorn on a regular basis. He doesn't crave it he just likes to eat it and he is still losing weight! SO UNFAIR, I say again! So combining Shakeology with some serious exercise is a must!

That's 2 of us drinking Shakeology a day. We are not eating out as much and saving money and that is how we can afford to do this. Our purse strings are pretty tight right now because we are trying to sell our other house and that means we are paying 2 mortgages. My families health is so important that to me that we are making this work. If you really want to commit to yourself and lose the weight you find a way to make it happen. That's all it comes down to. Anyone can do this you just have to commit to it.

The stuff is awesome, I love it and am so glad that my friend Janet told me about it. If you have any questions about it, leave a comment, send me an email, just contact me because it really is that amazing and I can help you get it!

QOTD: Have you ever tried another kind of meal replacement? Have you heard of Shakeology before? 

Happy 4th of July!

I love to celebrate my freedom in this country! Yea for the 4th! I am so thankful for living in a country where I have the right to choose what I want. That I am free to choose what I want. I am so thankful for my husband for fighting for our freedom on a daily basis to give us these rights.

~Daddy's return from Iraq in 2012~

On the schedule for today is fun in the sun at our friends house for a BBQ and I am sure plenty of swim time for Mason. Collin and I will stay clear of the sun as I am very prone to FRY and I think that Collin will follow suit with me. I look forward to yummy food, time with friends, and fun fireworks at the end of the day!

~Mason's first July 4th- 2012~

Happy 4th everyone!

Destination Racing

(source)

A day after I had Collin I was talking to my OB/GYN doc what races he was going to do next. He is an avid running and 2 weeks prior he ran in the Tacoma City Marathon and was raving about how beautiful it was. Part of the course was running in a rain forest another part through a beautiful city. All the while staring at the beautiful mountains all around. He just said it was beautiful and wants to do it again. Anyhew, he didn't know what races to do next. I asked if he ever raced over seas. He said no and I mentioned the Dublin 1/2 coming up. I didn't know the dates that day but the next day, while still in the hospital I told him that it was in early August. He said that that fell right at the same time as his wedding anniversary and was seriously considering running in the race while they take 2 weeks and check out Ireland. He is stoked for this race now, wishing it was a full marathon but still he doesn't want to pass up on a great excuse to race and vacation at the same time. 

I have been looking in to it. Why not combine a race and a vacation. Just make sure you allow time for some recovery and then go do your sightseeing. Here are some of the the top races that someday I might try and do. (I will do the Disney ones eventually!!!)

1. Berlin Marathon-  I have always wanted to visit Germany and what a great excuse to visit Germany and to actually run through it. But this is a dream for a long time from now!

2. Disney World Marathon Weekend-  Ok so I have already done a WDW race and absolutely loved it, except for the small things like not enough potties (are there really enough when there is 20,000 people running?) But I remember when I was working at one of my jobs reading a Runner's World magazine and I saw the beloved MICKEY medal and I knew I wanted to do it! That was the ultimate race I wanted to run in. So someday I will earn my Mickey medal! And then some other day I will earn my Dopey medal with all the other medals that go along with it! I REALLY AM THAT DOPEY TO TRY IT! But not for many years!

~2104 WDW Marathon Weekend Medals~

3. Honolulu Marathon- Why are all these marathons so far??? Anyhew Yes, I would love to run in Hawaii. My BFF K ran this race a few years ago and said it was super hard, because even though it is in December it is still pretty dog gone hot!!! But I would love to go back to Hawaii and why not have a race part of it, I mean with all the spas they have there, imagine if you will all the MASSAGES you can get to help recovery! Oh and soaking in the ocean listening to the waves lap the shore, HEAVEN!

4. Dublin Rock 'n' Roll Half- Ok finally a 1/2! Yes, talking to my Doc about this race peaked my interest too, and We Run Disney Bloggers are running this race this year too, so I have been reading a lot about it and it sounds amazing! I have never been to Europe or that part of the world and would love to go and visit, and since I am part Irish being a ginger and all might as well visit and enjoy the amazing sites there!

5. runDisney's Castaway Cay 5k-  Disney Cruise? YES, PLEASE! The next time we go on a Disney Cruise and it visits Castaway Cay I will be running in the 5k on the little island. I read about it for the first time on Through Heather's Looking Glass Blog . And was kicking myself that I had NO IDEA when I was on the ship that there was actually a 5k!

6. runDisney's Disneyland 1/2 Marathon Weekend-  Yep, another Disney race but that's ok. I AM A LOVER OF DISNEY and runDisney is really what peaked my interest in running and Disneyland is closer to GMA and GPA and they have the Cars Land which Mason would LOVE! I would do the Dumbo Double Dare challenge, to get as much bling as possible and hopefully earn my coast to coast medal too! I would have to time it just right.

~2014 Disneyland 1/2 Marathon Weekend Medals~

7. Versailles la Grande Classique- The 16k race begins at the Eiffel Tower and ends in Versailles. The course travels through Paris and along the river Seine, turns onto tree-lined boulevards and continues on winding paths all before a majestic finish in Versailles. Paris? WHY NOT! This sounds awesome and you end in Versailles sounds awesome!

QOTD: Have you ever wanted to run a destination race? Which ones are you thinking about???

Happy Easter!

I just wanted to send a little bit of love out there today and wish you all a happy Easter! I love holidays because it is an excuse for me to over cook and have fun and do my most favorite thing, family time! I miss not having my extended family near where we live but it allows Matt and me to build our own traditions.

Tonight will be a fun filled dinner of Chicken Scampi, recipe from Karrie at her Blog, Happy Money Saver (who has amazing freezer recipes and lots of other great stuff, check her out!).

And for dessert, well I will let the pictures speak for themselves! Made from scratch Chocolate cupcakes filled with homemade caramel sauce, topped with buttercream frosting, toasted coconut, peanut M&M's, and a licorice handle. I will let you soak that in for a bit...

I had a little bit of fun this morning in the kitchen with an almost 3 year old running everywhere throwing his new bouncy balls everywhere that were in his easter basket. My house might look like a mess right now, with candy wrappers and his fuzzy balls all over the floor but my desserts look like a million bucks!

Happy Easter!

Coconut Oil For Moms and Babies

With this super long winter I have been having super dry skin. My friend recommended using coconut oil on my hands to help alleviate the dry patchy skin. It got me thinking about other uses that I have used coconut oil for. Make sure you get a good quality brand. I get Spectrum at Whole Foods or you can find it at Amazon.

Here is some info I found on Coconut oil:
Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, a rare medium-chain fatty acid that is also present in breast milk. Lauric acid is ant viral, anti fungal, and antibacterial. Increasing your coconut oil consumption during pregnancy might help support both your and your developing baby's immune systems.

A lot of the sites I looked at suggested that you actually consume, like take a teaspoon and eat it straight up. I can't do that but there are plenty of other uses I found that it works for. (I will use it in cooking though in place of regular oils.)

Uses of Coconut Oil for Moms: 

During Pregnancy:

~While pregnant you can use coconut oil on your ever growing belly to help prevent itchiness. It can even help reduce the amount of stretch marks or reduce the stretch marks you already have with regular use. (it's cause of that fatty acid chain)

~Use it to help with dryness, if you have any, you know, down there or to help aid in perineal massage when approaching your due date.

~If your face is super dry you can use it as a moisturizer at night. I have been doing this for about 2 weeks now. I tend to break out while pregnant and I have noticed that all my zits are gone.

Post-Partum for Moms:

~I use coconut oil as a nipple cream. It is safe for babies to consume, and doesn't taste too badly but because of the anti-viral, anti-viral, and antibacterial properties it will help to safely keep your nipples happy and healthy. Cracked nipples, it will help them heal faster and stay healed. And it is not sticky like lanolin. In January a friend of mine just had her new baby and within 2 days had sore cracked nipples. She started using coconut oil and within a few days they were healing and by a week they were complely healed. Apply a small amount with breast milk all over nipples  after every feeding and allow to soak in through "air drying".

~Again use it on your now shrinking belly to help reduce itching.

Uses of Coconut Oil For Babies: 

~Does your baby have cradle cap? It is one of the most common things that babies develop. It looks like a yellowish dandruff. And it is ok. Coconut oil is great to treat this, instead of buying the expensive cradle cap ointment at the store which can be full of things we really don't want to put on the baby. Coconut oil might be in a solid form when you buy it but it melts very quickly from our body heat. Easy to apply to a sensitive newborns head that has already been traumatized from birth. Rub some coconut oil on the babies head and allow to soak for 20 minutes. Gently rinse the oil out and using a soft brush, brush the flakes off. It can take a few treatments for all the flakes to go away but you will notice a difference.

~Diaper cream is expensive. If you already have a good quality coconut oil on hand you can use it on your babies sensitive bum. If you apply a small amount just after birth it can help reduce the stickiness of the meconium (the tar like poop on the diapers for the first few days of birth) on the babies behind. Making changes faster and a little easier.

~Also it can help reduce and heal diaper rash as it is a lubricant and helps heal owies.

~Last thing for babies, great as a lotion and as a massage oil for your baby. Babies love being touched and it help to grow your bond with each other. It will soak into their sensitive skin easily and keep it moisturized just like it does for you!

Clean Eating Before Race

Last night I went to the store to pick up some provisions for our long, long, long drive down to Orlando. While I was there I kept thinking, I will be running I can't have candy and crap weigh and drag me down. And frankly, most of the candy didn't see to grab me like it usually does. (I did get some double chocolate Milano cookies though, but again not a huge pull that I have to have them.)

I think thinking about this race and wanting to do as good as possible and being super mindful in what I am putting in my body really helped shaped my wants and desires in the junk food department. I am going to be making energy bites (see below for recipe and thanks to my friend Jenna who shared the recipe with me) for the trip down and for after the race and snacks during the week, if they last that long. I also noticed that I have been increasing my water intake this week too. I know I need to drink lots of water because I am pregnant but I feel like I am downing an extra 32 ounces a day right now on top of what I am already drinking. (I try to drink around 100-120 ounces of water a day.) Just a habit I got into a couple of years ago!

One thing that I need to do better though, is the sleep department. I haven't be resting during the day, too many things to do! And night sleeping is getting more and more difficult. I feel like I am flopping around like a fish out of water just tossing and turning all night long trying to get comfortable. I see lots of falling asleep to HypnoBirthing in my future. I tend to get a deeper sleep and don't toss and turn when listening to it!

Energy Bites

Recipe by Jenna V.

You can add any nuts or chopped dried fruit and berries that you think would taste good.

1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned GF oats, but 1 min or regular oats works fine too)

2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter 

1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ (much prefer flaxseed)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I like dark chips)
1/3 cup honey (I usually do about 1/2 agave nectar
    and 1/2 honey - if only using agave it doesn't bind as well)
1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract ( pure vanilla, not imitation)

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until it looks like a evenly distributed uniformed dough. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Stick in the fridge to harden and store in a air tight container in the fridge.

~This is what happens when a 2.5 year old LOVES THEM! He sticks his hand in the shot right as you take the pix!~

The Bright Side

This pregnancy has been totally different than any other pregnancy I have had, in regards to the food that I am eating. When I was pregnant with Mason, the only thing I couldn't stand was milk chocolate and Subway. I could still eat at Subway but couldn't stand the smell inside so I never ate there. (nothing against Subway but something about all the meat and everything just overwhelmed my senses.)

Second pregnancy, I only knew I was pregnant for 1.5 weeks so no real changes there. Third pregnancy I ate ice cream. A LOT! It was my comfort food. I would celebrate with ice cream and have my own little pity party with it since the hubs was away. I didn't buy a whole carton of it I went to an ice cream shop and would get my butter pecan ice cream with peanuts and carmel in a waffle cone. That was my go to. (hence the reason I gained 15 lbs with the 12 week pregnancy.) I also ate out more, hubs gone and I just didn't want to deal with cooking after all the good or bad news I was getting.

Fourth pregnancy. I have a huge desire for more water at the beginning of the pregnancy, and can't really eat too much of anything else. My appetite has just diminished with this pregnancy. I am eating about a 1/3 of what I was eating prior. I just can't finish most of my food. I am finally getting that "full" feeling for like the first time in my life and it is while I am pregnant. Also, sweets aren't doing it for me this time around. Half the time I have a hard time eating sweet things, or have a little here and a little there. (except ice cream, I realized the other night that I can still down that stuff even if my "full" meter is going off. Keeping it in check though.) I am also way more conscience of what I am putting in my mouth this time around than any other pregnancy. Because I can't eat as much food I have to put the right foods in. My main priority is protein, protein, protein. When I eat a meal I really have to have protein. I crave it. If Matt gets pizza for dinner I have often had an egg on the side just to get the boost of protein. PB is a great friend of mine as are eggs. And milk. I have been craving milk so very much. My greens intake isn't so hot though except when I make green smoothies but I am taking supplements to help out with my fruit and veggie intake to make sure I am getting enough minerals in a day.

I think the lack of being able to gorge out on food and the increased in exercise has helped me maintain my pre-pregnancy weight from this pregnancy. I am still 2 lbs under what I started this pregnancy at. I still eat. And if I am hungry enough and my body will let me I can still put away a good amount of food, but it is the proper amount of food that my body needs and wants. Another cool trick. If it doesn't feel right to me I can't eat it. Couple times now I have tried to eat something and it was not what my body wanted and it was Bad, like BAD tasting to me.

Long story short. I am listening to my body. In the food dept. probably for the first time in my life and it is pretty cool realizing that I can still exercise, grow a baby and eat clean healthy foods and feel pretty good too! Thank you body of mine for being so amazing!

Homemade Green Smoothies Recipes

Mason loves to eat! He really does. He is in that phase where he wants to help me make things when I am making dinner and such. Just this morning he ate 1 egg, 1/2 c oatmeal with wheatgerm, 1/2 glass milk and still wanted more. So he got some GF Chex cereal to fill him out.

Mason loves fruit! He loves all fruit and his first favorite fruit were blueberries. He would eat them by the pint. Veggies, not so much! He despises them. He won't even eat carrots. After Mason was born my doula had me try one of her green smoothies that she made. It was yummy and didn't taste too vegetable like. So when Mason got old enough every now and then I make green smoothies for us. (Matt even likes them and he hates veggies too!) They are pretty easy. You need a good blender. i have had a, Kitchen Aid. It has a liquify setting on it so it really breaks down the pieces. But other people recommend the Vitamix or the Blendtec which is what I am currently usingBut if you check them out they are pretty pricey! They are great and if we had that kind of money to spend we would have gotten one of them. Green smoothies are easy. Here is my go to easy and generally low cost. Because we are still buying fresh fruit and veggies which can get pricey.

Spinach and Apple Green Smoothie:

1 whole apple quartered

a few baby carrots

1-2 handfuls of spinach

1/2 banana

splash of lime juice or lemon juice

splash of prune juice

1/4-1/2 cup water (depending on how thick or thin you want the drink.)

Blend together until all smooth and drinkable.

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Want fun colors. Add some strawberries or blueberries to the blender and it won't be green anymore!

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Tropical Green Smoothie: 

1/4 cup frozen mangos

1/4 frozen pineapple

2 Tablespoons coconut

1/2 banana

1-2 Handfuls of spinach

splash lime juice

water to thin

Veggieful Green Smoothie:

Handful Kale

Handful Spinach

1/2 an avocado

fingergip grab of cilantro

1/2 banana or apple

water to thin

In all honesty you can really add whatever you want to these things and they generally taste great. If it is too veggie tasting add more fruit. We are more fruit based now because that is how the kid will drink it. We have gone mostly veggies with a little fruit. About 80:20 ratio. But we probably do 60% fruit and 40% veggies. Let me know what you think if you try them! 

Also check out Green Smoothie Girl she has a book available with tons of recipes. Or sign up for her newsletter and get some recipes that way along with some healthy advice on eating! 

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here to join my private online community where you get info, tips, support and encouragement + a free gift with tips to help you get started with the right mindset for healthier nutrition choices TODAY!

Food OVERLOAD!

Not only did I make 8 dozen cookies this past weekend, I also signed up to take some cookies to a church function tonight, which means more baking. Then I got a call from the hubs yesterday that he is supposed to bring something to a potluck today. I got the call yesterday afternoon. He has known about this party for over a week and I get the call the day before!

I told him, I bet this is what it feels like when a 10 year old comes up to his mom and says, "mom I have a project due tomorrow. Can you help me make it?" A mom would internally scream, takes a deep breath and calmly asks her kid, " how long have you known about this project?" "3 weeks." ARGH! I know this will happen to us at some point, and more than once. But it just goes to show that my hubby is a big kid! Anyhew, I am making my grandma's marshmallow fruit cocktail (see below for recipe if you want to try it, but my Grandma made it and it is really yummy!) for him to take to work and the cookies for tonight, I am making this easy fudge.

(source of photo)

Tuesday while on the on the treadmill running the Pioneer Women came on the food network and she made Quick and Easy Peppermint Fudge. It looked totally too easy! Just chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and peppermint candies for the topping. That's it! Not sure how it will turn out but 3 ingredients and 2 of them I already have on hand, can't beat that! (Also, I am going to add some chopped walnuts to it. YUMMY!)

Now, time to plan our Christmas meal. What should we do? Oh and yesterday I found out that my mom reads my blog! HI MOM!!! She was asking me questions about the hidden gifts in the house growing up.

Marshmallow Fruit Cocktail: 

2 cans Fruit Cocktail
1 can pineapple triangles
1 can mandarine oranges
1 can maraschino cherries
1 cup shredded coconut
1 c of "tiny" marshmallows
16 oz sour cream
12 tablespoons sugar

Mix together and let set in fridge for a couple hours before serving.

QOTD: Do you do too much cooking/baking around the holiday?

Good Eats- Holiday Treats

Tonight I was schedule to go to a cookie exchange but sadly I am still not feeling 100% and don't want to bake my germs into the cookies or scare the other ladies away with my lovely cough! Ahem. 

I thought I would share with you what I would have brought tonight just for fun. We were asked to bring an appetizer so naturally I wanted to bring pumpkin pie. (plus I would have had to make 2, one for the party and one for the hubs. IT IS HIS FAV!) It counts as an appetizer right??? And the cookies, well let's just say there is a yummy little kick with them. They are super easy to make too. Delicious too!

Both recipes are from Pilsbury, go figure. Now keep in mind these are Holiday Treats. Eat them in moderation because they are in no way healthy foods so eat with caution because the cookies, well, it is hard to have just one! 

Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie

A crunchy oat topping complements every bite of creamy pumpkin pie. Refrigerated pie crust makes it super easy! (but I make homemade because it is just more fun!)

8 servings

Crust

 1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

I use this recipe by Ina Garten for my perfect pie crust! 

Filling

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (no pumpkin pie mix)

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk (1 1/2 cups)

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

Streusel

¼ cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup quick-cooking oats

Topping

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed (3 cups)

Steps

1) Heat oven to 425°F. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie pan as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.

2) In large bowl, mix filling ingredients until well blended. Pour into crust-lined pan.

3) Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix streusel ingredients.

4) Sprinkle streusel over pumpkin filling. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

5) Gently fold orange peel into whipped topping. Serve pie with topping. Store in refrigerator.

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Nutty Chocolate Hot Bites

(For cookie exchanges I call them Adult Nookie Cookies, cause they are hot, hot, hot!)

S'more flavors with a pinch of heat fill a yummy chocolate-chip cookie cup.

24 Servings

Ingredients

1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury® Ready to Bake! Refrigerated chocolate chip cookies (24 cookies)

1 ¼ cups Mixed Nuts with Peanuts

1 ¼ cups Hershey’s Special Dark chocolate baking chips

1 ¼ cups marshmallow creme

2 tablespoons half-and-half

1/8 teaspoon Ground Red Pepper (cayenne) (I use an extra dash to get a little more heat)

Steps

1) Heat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Place 1 cookie dough round in each cup. Using floured fingers, press dough to flatten slightly.

2) Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, remove Brazil nuts from mixed nuts; coarsely chop Brazil nuts. In 2-quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, half-and-half and red pepper over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in remaining mixed nuts.

4) Drop about 1 tablespoon nut mixture onto each cookie. Let stand about 15 minutes or until chocolate is set. To serve, remove bites from paper baking cups. If desired, place each bite into a new paper baking cup.