Healthy Peanut Butter Chicken and Spaghetti Squash

This is seriously AMAZING! I mean I can't believe this is even a healthy and clean dish. Not to mention it's CARBLESS!! My mouth waters thinking about this mean and I've been on a total kick of eating it every day. The only thing is you really do have to measure out your healthy fats so you don't overdo it. PB isn't bad for you in moderation. 

TRY THIS ... It's totally something I made up but is Thai Inspired. It may sound like a weird combo but it's HEAVENLY! 

Bake a Speghetti Squash. 

High on 350 on a Baking Sheet with a little water in the bottom. Cook about 40 mins. 

Just put it in the oven whole and then take out when it is nice and soft to cut. 

Then cut in half scoop out seeds and then scoop the remainder into a dish. 

Ingredients made for ONE! 

Spaghetti Squash Cooked 

Baked Chicken Breast Chopped ( I prep this once a week so it's ready to grab and go) 

1 TBSP of PB 

1 TBSP of Coconut Oil

Squirt of Amino Acids 

Squirt of Sriracha 

Directions: 

Add the Coconut Oil to the Pan then pour in the Spaghetti Squash, Chicken, PB, Amino Acids, and Sriracha. 

Stir around in pan till warm and PB is melted and BOOM your meal is READY! It's AMAZING! I'm just saying!! 

Clean Eating Tuna Fish Salad

SAY WHAT!?!? It's amazing Tuna Fish with out the fatting Mayo!??! SOLD!! 

Yea, I wasn't too sure at first either but i'm telling you this is BOMB.COM you are going to love it and not even miss that you don't have your mayo. The greek yogurt and avocado adds an amazing creaminess. This is one of my favorite quick go to meals when I just really don't feel like cooking anything. It would be good on a bed of baby spinach, in a wrap, or even an open face tuna melt. 

Here is  recipe!!! This will become a STAPLE in your household. 

1 pack of Albacore Tuna 

Dollop of Greek Yogurt 

Few chunks of Avocado or 1/2 of a wholly guacamole mini

Pepper 

Sliced Almonds

Stir Stir Stir ... Crush with a fork .. Crush Crush Crush 

Boom!! It's Done!! 

Easy and 1, 2, 3

Now, your telling me you can't eat clean!?!? Of course you can!! 

Pumpkin Spice Latte with out the Guilt !!

Umm... So I'm just going to be honest and say that I love Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes. They are my total guilty pleasure but at over $5 a pop plus all the added sugar and fat it's definitely a once a month type thing. Not something I can have regular if I want to feel my best and stick to my goals. 

If I could I would totally have one daily and it takes some hard work and dedicated to fight those urges but I have found something that cures that craving. 

This week has been a crazy busy one!! I mentored my team, had team calls, 1:1 calls with new coaches, checked in with my challengers daily, returned e-mails and messages. I have a new challenge group coming up so the e-mails have been piling in. It doesn't leave me much time and previously I totally would of just skipped eating all together or grabbed a bag of chips and called it lunch. THANK GOODNESS For Shakeolgy I can just walk down to the Kitchen, bladed up my Shakeolgoy, and got back to work. It totally gives me my energy for the day to get going again. BEFORE about 3 o'clock I would crash and burn -- NOT ANYMORE!! My luck is packed with tons of good stuff that my body NEEDS for fuel but it also totally gives me comfort. 

So if you are all about the PUMPKIN this time of year -- You totally have to give this a try!! 

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology 
1/2 Tbsp of Pumpkin Spice or cinnamon 
2 Tbsp of Pumpkin Purée 
1/2 cup almond milk 
Handful of ice 
One shot of expresso 
((Or you can do cup of coffee and 1/4 almond milk!)) 

To Try Shakeology make sure to contact me using the button below and request to purchase a sample of Shakeology or ask me the best way to get your own bag to make a part of your day as well!

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Oven "Fried" Chicken Chimichanga

Ingredients:

This makes 6 Chimichangas 

• 2/3 cup picante sauce or 2/3 cup your favorite salsa
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped
• 1 cup part skim shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 green onions, chopped with some tops (about 1/4 cup)
• 6 (8 inch) Ezekiel wraps or 100% whole wheat wraps. 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
• chopped green onion, for serving
• picante sauce, for serving
• 
  

Directions:

1. 1
   Mix chicken, picante sauce or salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese and onions.
2. 2
   Place about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.
3. 3
   Fold opposite sides over filling.
4. 4
   Roll up from bottom and place seam-side down on a baking sheet.
5. 5
   Brush with olive oil
6. 6
   Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes or until golden.
7. 7
   Garnish with additional cheese and green onion and serve salsa on the side.

Healthy Vacation Tips

Vacation time means RELAXING TIME!! I get so many people coming up to me asking for tips to stay on track through out their vacation. Of course you want to enjoy yourself but you want to find that healthy balance so you aren't coming back 5 pounds heavier, undoing your hard work, bloated, and back to square one. That's why I believe in HEALTHY lifestyles instead of DIETS> Find your perfect balance and over time it will get easier.

So over the last few years I've learned a few things that have totally made it easier to go on vacation and still live my health life. I no longer have to stress about not having any healthy eats and totally going off the band wagon. I want to help you make your next trip as stress free as possible! Vacation can still be FUN even if you are eating healthier! It really is all in the mindset. Changing the way that we think so that our full focus isn't on the foods we eat but on the people we are with.

1.  Resist the urge to splurge.  When we eat out we tend to tell ourselves that this is our cheat meal for the week.  So we order things we typically wouldn't eat!  These foods are higher in calories and fat and usually are WAY higher than we could ever anticipate.  The other factor is that even the act of eating out is going to cost your more calories than when you eat at home. This is because most restaurants do not cook clean. They use high fat oils, butters and sauces to achieve flavor that blows your mind.  Even when you order grilled chicken, steamed veggies and a baked potato most likely the chicken has a marinate, the veggies are in butter or oil and the potato possibly comes smothered with butter.  Also restaurants tend to serve us with larger portions and we eat it.  This is as opposed to cooking at home and measuring out the correct portion size.  So what can you do to combat this restaurant nightmare?

Order an appetizer as a meal.

Order a half size portion

Split your food with someone else.

Box up 1/2 of your meal right away before it ever even hits the table.

Stick to water and enjoy the company you are with!

2.  Enjoy the scenery and sample the food.  While on vacation most likely it is a place that you enjoy going and that has lots to see and do!  Instead scheduling your trip around which restaurants you want to go to focus on the things you are going to do there!  For example, bike riding, hiking, snorkling, kayaking, long walks on the beach, massages and yoga classes.  Sure when you hit up a nice restaurant and see a dessert that completely blows your mind you should sample it vs gorge yourself in it.  Ask for someone else to split it with you and just do a little bit!  

3.  Use exercise as your secret weapon.  When you go on vacation you don't have to pack up all your DVDs or weights but you should find creative ways to get in your daily exercise.  Walking to and from the pool bar is not going to cut it!  Instead walk to the restaurant instead of drive.  Take an after dinner walk on the beach.  Rent bikes and ride to breakfast each morning. Have a family fun day of volleyball or wave surfing!  Swim laps at the pool and do anything you can to stay active.

4.  Better Choices on the menu.  Make healthful choices that appeal to you at fast food and restaurants whenever possible. Why is it important to order more healthful choices only if they appeal to you? Because if they don't, you're going to feel like you are depriving yourself and resent it.

Sometimes you can make a fast food or restaurant choice instantly better just by ordering it with a different condiment or sauce (say, Dijon mustard instead of mayonnaise, or marinara sauce instead of a white sauce).

5.  Water is your friend.  Keep all systems going by drinking your daily water requirement. Traveling can dehydrate you, and so can being out in the sun more than your body is used to. If you can, stock your car, backpack, or hotel room with ice-cold bottles of water. Bring water everywhere you go.

I always hit up the local grocery store wherever I go and buy a case of water.  I also take my refillable water bottle with me and always keep it full of water!  If your mouth is dry then you are already past the point of thirst!  Plus staying hydrated also is going to keep hunger at bay!  

6.  Eat When You're Hungry and Stop When You're Comfortable- It sounds simple, but many of us have gotten out of the habit of paying attention to whether we're truly, physically hungry. Eating opportunities and celebrations are all around us when we are vacationing, and we're in the "I'm on VACATION!" mindset. That's when we will be the most vulnerable to eating even if we aren't hungry and not stopping when we are comfortable.

7.  Pack healthy snacks- This is one of the easiest things to do!  A lot of times we think oh I can find an apple and almonds anywhere! Then the gas station you stop at doesn't have apples and the almonds are salted!  You are right back to square one again!  So how do you combat that?  The answer is easy.  You pack healthy snacks in a cooler and you don't leave it up to chance.  You can't control everything while you are on vacation but the things that you can control you absolutely should!

I always pack:

Apples because they travel well.

Unsalted raw almonds and I portion them into little baggies with 14 in a bag.

Shakeology Packets- yes you can take them on the airplane

Shaker Cup

Bottled Water

1/2 cup oatmeal measured out in a ziploc bag with 1/2 c raisins.

Lara Bars- Very clean snack.

baby carrots and individual hummus cups

I have a great little 31 cooler that I take everywhere with me! It travels well and believe me no body questions what I have!  Most of the times it gives other people ideas for how to pack healthy snacks!  Also, the little hamilton Beach mini blender travels so well!  It's quiet, it has the twist and go cup and it fits perfectly in your luggage!  This gives you the best tasting shakeology ever!!!!

8. Go Easy on the Alcohol- It's easy to get carried away with the drinks on vacation but they also pack on the calories pretty quickly!  It's really hard to track how much you ingested as the drinks flow!  Plus you can get dehydrated pretty quickly!  So my rule of thumb is 1 glass of water for every alcoholic drink.  I also tend to stick to soda water and vodka with a splash of lemon, lime or strawberries! It's low cal and still is refreshing with the bubbly!!!  

Vodka Soda Water- Low Cal Drinks

9.  I always lay out my plan ahead of time!  I know when I am getting my workout in.  If I don't feel comfortable working out at the hotel or at someone's house I ask them if we can go for a run or try out a class at their local gym.  You never know who you seek to inspire by your healthy habits!  

Also, it is YOUR vacation!  Don't ever ever let anyone make you feel guilty for sticking to your healthy habits!  I mean who has the right to tell you, "It's vacation, you should enjoy it!"  Seriously, I enjoy my vacation eating my fruit and yogurt!  I honestly have no problem at all when I take things in moderation.  Vacation is supposed to be fun and I want to have the energy to enjoy it!  So I am going to stick to my guns on the things that are important to me!  Having dessert 5 nights out of the week is not going to make me feel good.  Instead after each meal I am going to regret my decision and by the end of the week I am not even going to want to put on a bathing suit.  That to me is not fun!  I don't want to come home from vacation and have to start at square 1!  I own my body, my emotions and my decisions.  I don't feel guilty for eating healthy, its actually what we should do!  I will tell you that while on vacation I will enjoy my wine and cocktails and I will enjoy some ice cream.  Those are the things I like.  The rest I will forget! I pick and choose what's important to me!  That's the balance between the two!

Fear of Failure

Enjoy your vacation!! I will be on vacation September 10th - 30th to go back to the mainland for my Brother in Laws Wedding. So you can follow me on my Facebook to see how I stay on track!! :) 

If you want more tips like this join my August 18th Challenge and get the tools each and every day to help you be successful during your summer vacation!!!

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Top Tips to Stay on Track While Eating Out

Its Friday and I'm sure your weekend is packed with trips to the beach, back to school shipping, birthday parties, or dinner at a restaurant. 

While writing this I'm making my CRAZY face thinking of all the foods filled with high fat, sugar, and those hard to resist temptations. The last girls night in party I went to the menu consisted of pigs in a blanket, cookies, cake, yummy dips, chips, desserts, margaritas, and so much more! I know it's SO hard!! You see everyone else eating all the goodies and you think "Why ME". So you go ahead and give in and tell yourself "just this one time, I'll get back on track tomorrow" 

So here are a few things to think about. If you feel deprived and that the short sacrifices aren't really worth the LONG TERM VICTORY than it's time to re evaluate your goals. Maybe you just don't want it bad enough, and that's okay!! BUT, I want you to enjoy your HEALTHY LIFE! It's not always easy and sometimes we slip up but I can tell you that over time it gets easier. I'm able to pick and choose if it's worth it or not and I don't ever feel deprived because I love the results. Plus it beats the bloated feeling and tummy aches that come after an EPIC cheat meal. 

I want to share with you my top tips on eating out, so that you don't have to stress every time you go out in public or an event! 

Planning is best, when you are out you always need a game plan. You should avoid eating out as much as possible because once you enter a restaurant you surrender control over what is in your food.

1. Develop an "I don't have to eat it all!" Mindset. Make up your mind before you go that you don't have to get the most bang for your buck by cleaning your plate. KEEP YOUR GOAL IN MIND.

2. Satisfy hunger only-Don't Gorge. Eat for the purpose of satisfying your hunger, but no more. 

3. Start small and green. Start your meal with a salad, without dressing. Use a spritz of lemon or some balsamic vinegar. 

4. Broth is best. When there is no salad option have a broth based soup.

5. NO BREAD PLEASE! Remember this is not helping you achieve your 10 pound weight loss goal.

6. Clean Cooking techniques rock! Look for entree options featuring steamed or raw veggies and grilled, baked or roasted meats or fish. If they aren't listed, ask the server to prepare it that way. Oh and don't always trust the low fat or fat free symbols. 

7. Portion control is in. Have a good look at your plate when it arrives. Ask for a doggie bag and split your meal in half.

8. Fletcherize. The practice of chewing each mouthful a min of 25 times. It gives your body a chance to recognize when you are becoming full. (This is very hard to do when you are with kids, because you never know when they have had enough and you will have to leave your meal behind to take the kids out). 

9. Zero Tolerance. You want to avoid alcohol because sugar can derail you in the most powerful way. Have sparkling water with lemon or lime slices.

10. Stop before the end. Think of your plan to shed those pounds, if you can't resist something sweet ask for a dish of fresh fruit and leave it at that!

If you doubt your ability to resist restaurant offerings then pre-eat! Then when you go to a restaurant or social event you don't have to worry about what's on the menu and you can focus on socializing.

If you can't resist the dessert table then pack a few clean cookies in a Ziploc bag and pull them out with your coffee while everyone else is eating their sugar laden cookies and cake. If you have to go through a drive through, familiarize yourself with the menu. Never super size and make smart food choices by ordering grilled chicken and a side salad. Cut up the chicken and place on salad and go with olive and vinegar dressing or, low fat balsamic. 

One of the most difficult things to manage while following a healthy lifestyle is your social life. So surround yourself with family and friends that support what you are doing and are not sabotaging your efforts. Instead of going out drinking or to a restaurant here are some alternatives.

Meet a friend at the gym

Have a game night at home with healthy clean snacks

Batters up- organize a kickball or softball game in your neighborhood or with the kids.

Volunteer together at a local charity

Meet at the park for a walk or bike ride

Take a zumba class with friends- I am doing this at Northway Church every Thursday night! AWESOME!

Eating clean and creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean that you are becoming a boring person. There is so much more to experience than food and drinks! Live outside the box and you will have people wondering what you are doing because your energy and personality are on fire!!!

If you need help with your clean eating journey, Join my FREE 7 Day Shred Group where you will get a menu plan, grocery list, recipes, and support!! 

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Homemade Organic Vanilla Coffee Creamer Recipe

HOMEMADE ORGANIC VANILLA COFFEE CREAMER RECIPE

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Combine cream, milk, and maple syrup in a small pot set over medium heat. Stir together until bubbles start forming around the edges of the pot and mixture is very warm. Remove pot from heat and blend in vanilla. Allow to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes before transferring to a jar or bottle and storing in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.

Tip:

Feel free to adjust the milk-to-cream ratio if you prefer your creamer lighter or richer, and you may also tweak the amount of maple syrup depending on how sweet you like your coffee.

If you are bothered by the skin that forms on top of the creamer while it sits at room temperature, you can strain the creamer!

ENJOY

Week 4 Piyo Meal Plan and Progress Update

Piyo Week Four Update

Alright it's OFFICIALLY Week 5 in the HOUSE ..... I'm excited to get into week 5 and turn up the FIRE!! I'll tell you I went in to this thing not thinking I would get really good results and that it would be too low impact for me. I'm proven WRONG every single week. I really feel my core tightening up and my flexibility and balance getting stronger. For someone who is a runner this is working WONDERS for me. I feel like my runs are easier and my strides are much better. Loving this!

Every workout i'm thinking "was that enough" but the next day i'm always sore and feeling the burn. I know with out a doubt this program is working. I don't really want to lose any weight, just want to tone up, and improve flexibility. 

I know that the heat is about to be turned up this next month and I'm ready!! I know that Chalene Johnson designed this program to give good results. She is trust worthy and she knows her stuff. Her program, TurboFire was the very first program I committed to 2 years ago and I got in the best shape of my life. Her nutrition plans rock and I know she put together a program that is designed PERFECT! I'm trusting the process and pushing through. 

I get a lot of challengers in my groups who don't see results in the first week and decide to just quit. These programs are designed to give you the best results and they have been tested. Trust the process people and KNOW that just because you aren't dripping in sweat, spending hours in a gym, or feeling "it" doesn't mean the results aren't coming. Put all you can in the full 60 days, give it all you got, and the results will COME! Pinky Promise! Don't forget why you started, don't jump to the next thing because it doesn't give you that "quick fix" .... Keep going and I promise the Prize will come with Consistency and Dedication. 

I use to be one of those people that would jump to one fad diet to the next in hopes of getting quick results. The moment I decided to change my eating habits, take before pictures, measurements, and just wake up ever day with the intention to do my best -- The results just CAME! Not over night, Not in ONE day, Two days, Three days, or even a week but OVER TIME!! 

In fact my mind was so screwed up that I didn't even compare my pictures when I did TurboFire because I couldn't SEE the results I didn't believe I had any. It wasn't until I decided to compare Day 1 to that moment that my mind was blown. I'm telling you people .... every single time you choose that healthy meal over fast food, do a workout, and prep your meals for the week, CHANGE IS HAPPENING!! Know that every little bit does matter. 

I can tell you that I totally feel some NON SCALE VICTORIES through this phase. 

I can hold a plank longer than ever, I can do more of the tricep push-ups than I could in the beginning and I am doing a lot more of the advanced moves that I couldn't do in the beginning. Totally seeing the changes little by little -- Day by Day!! 

Here is this weeks workout schedule - 

Monday: Sweat 

Tuesday: Define Lower Body

Wednesday: Core 

Thursday: Define Upper Body

Friday: Rest 

Saturday: Sweat 

Sunday: Core 

This week I did some Hardcore prepping and I loved it. I felt more focused this week than ever before. It's nothing fancy but it kept me full and satisfied. 

Aspragus and Green beans are the veggies that I don't mind sticking with each and every day so that's what i'm sticking with. Got to find what you love and then just make it happen. 

So here is what I prepped this week: 

Meatloaf Muffins - This recipe made 12. So it was a perfect snack for the week

Roasted Root Melody for my healthy carb 

I made a big batch of Quinoa 

I baked some chicken breasts. This week I'll share my baked chicken recipe. It's YUMMY

I steamed some Asparagus and Green beans. I boiled a pot of water and threw in the asparagus for about 5 minutes and then tossed it in cold water and ice to stop the cooking process. I then topped it with a little salt. I did the same thing with the green beans. First I cut off all the stems and then boiled. 

I also had some mushrooms on hand so I sliced those up and pan sautéed them in siracha hot sauce

and a little light soy sauce. So good. Then I just put it over my veggies.

Then I took my strawberries, blackberries, and blue berries, sliced it all up and threw it in a Tupperware and a little lemon juice. 

This was perfect for my greek yogurt for my am snack. 

I totally feel and see some progress in my core 

Here is exactly what i'm eating this week:

I'm so excited to start this next month of Piyo and totally kill it!! 

Oh yea and do you love my new workout tank? 

I'm a Texas girl so of course I had to get this workout tank!! I think I got it from TeeSpring? I'm not positive. It was one of those deals. But i'm loving it!! 

Is it time to get your Piyo on?!?!

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Clean Eating Zucchini Lasagna

This is seriously one of my favorite meals! It's comfort food at it's finest but healthy! The whole family really loved this dish and it's now one of my new favorites. I totally encourage you to make this but of course use good portion control and pair it with a salad. This isn't a meal I would want to eat every day but it's nice to have once a week or every other week. 

So here is how you make it ....

 Ingredients:

• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 lb of lean ground turkey
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3 or 4 small zucchini sliced lengthwise
• 24 oz of low fat or 1% cottage cheese (I use the costco cottage cheese)
• 1 jar of no sugar added spaghetti sauce
• Non fat or low fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:

• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
• Combine onion, ground turkey, salt, pepper, garlic powder in a skillet and brown turkey until no longer pink.
• Layer Zucchini in the bottom of your pan, then spread a layer of cottage cheese, follow that with a layer of ground turkey mixture, spread a layer of sauce on top.
• Repeat this over again.  Then layer one final row of zucchini on top and cover with sauce and a little sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.

• Cover with foil and bake in the oven for approximately 1 hour.
• Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10 more minutes then remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.

Yes it will be a little bit runny due to the water in the zucchini, sauce and the cottage cheese.  I used a slotted spoon to scoop out the lasagna which allows the liquids to stay in the dish. 

Easy Egg White Muffins

You don't have time for a healthy breakfast in the morning? Now you cant use that excuse anymore. This recipe is so easy and it's conveniently grab and go. 

Egg-White Muffins. 

Makes 12 muffins. 

Preheat oven to 350 and spray your muffin pan with Pam. 

Chop up your favorite veggies. For this batch I did red peppers, zucchini and chives. 

Crack open 20 eggs and separate the egg white from the yolk. Put the egg whites in the bowl with the veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste and sir well. 

Fill your muffin pan with the egg whites and bake for about 25-30 minutes. 

Enjoy right away or store in the fridge for the mornings.

Delicious and Clean Salmon Tacos

Seriously, Dinner the other night was ONE that I HAVE to share!! I have an amazing friend who put this all together for me and It was one of the most delcious meals I have ever had. You will want to try this for sure. My husband and kids cleaned there plate. I am drooling thinking about it right now. 

Ingredients : 

Salmon Filets 

Lemon Juice 

Minced Garlic

Corn Tortillas 

Siracha 

Organic Quinoa and Kale Mix from Costco

Directions: 

Cook skin on salmon fillets in lemon juice and garlic with skin side down on medium heat... No oil needed! Crushed black pepper optional

Wait to flip until fish is almost thoroughly cooked, (the skin may be burned, but don't worry!) then peel skin off  your fish should be perfect

Brown small corn tortillas in pan (again with no oil) the remaining lemon and garlic give them a nice color.

Combine ingredients and top with fresh lemon, and sriracha hot sauce if you like it spicy!!

Serve and Enjoy. 

If you are on the Fix I counted this as 2 Yellows and 1 Red. 

If you want to omit one tortilla and some of the quinoa you can scale it down to 1 yellow.