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Pumpkin Granola

pumpkin granola

I was busy in my kitchen yesterday! Sometimes, I just get in the mood to put on an apron and go to town! I made whole wheat grandmas_apronpizza dough for family pizza night and while the dough was rising, I decided to make some homemade pumpkin granola. It turned out REALLY well, and even the kids give it a thumbs up! You can just pour a little milk on it and eat it like you would cereal, or you can sprinkle some on top of your Greek yogurt, maybe add some fresh fruit? I enjoyed popping it into my mouth by the handful – just making sure it was edible…you know! It’s just part of the job. 🙂

Pumpkin Granola

makes 25 servings

Ingredients:

  • 5 C. old-fashioned oats
  • 3/4 C. quinoa
  • 1 t. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 t. cinnamon
  • 1/4 t. nutmeg
  • 3/4 t. sea salt
  • 1/4 C. honey
  • 1/2 C. pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 C. applesauce
  • 1/2 C. 100% pure maple syrup
  • 1 t. vanilla extract
  • 3/4 C. dried cranberries (or any combo of dried fruits)
  • 1/2 C. pepitas (or any combo of chopped nuts/seeds)

Directions:granola_pan

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine oats, quinoa, spices and salt. Mix well.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, pumpkin, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and toss together until evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan and stir the mixture. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the granola is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven. Stir in the cranberries and pepitas. Let the mixture cool completely before storing in an air-tight container.

granola_yogurt

Nutrition

Per 1/3 C. serving

140 calories, 4 g. protein, 26 g. carbs

 

 

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Ice Cream to the Rescue!

Sit back while I tell you a story about the best laid plans…workout_done

I was feeling pretty awesome today when I got up, and hit the ground running. I had a busy day, and knew that if I didn’t get my workout in first thing in the morning, that it wouldn’t happen. Among other things, our five-year old had his FIRST ever soccer game tonight. He’s been talking about it and planning it for over a month! It was all going down at 6:30, so I planned the whole day around it! I also wanted make sure that we had time for dinner and time to clean up and get out the door on time!

After my workout, I got dressed, packed up some food, water and snacks for the day and took the whole chicken – that had been marinating in a dry rub all night – out of the fridge and put it into the oven to slow-roast for 4.5 hours while we were gone. <sigh> Then I herded up the kids, blended up my Shake and hit the road.

During the day there was a lot of speculation about how the game would go. Excitement was building.

So we came home and I had just enough time to cook up some acorn squash, potatoes and broccoli (all from our csa farm)to go with the aforementioned chicken. Everything was going according to plan. We sat down, to eat our family dinner – that was quite delicious by the way! We had time to clean up, pack up, gear up and head to the big game. Now the excitement had bubbled up to pure giddiness!

He skipped and smiled all the way to the field, just in time to see the game ending. Apparently this isn’t a very well run or organized program, because it turns out that only 2 of his teammates knew what time the game was, and even their coach didn’t show for the game. Well, to say that he was devastated is an UNDER-statement! Poor kid. I didn’t even know what to say to him! Thank goodness DADDY was there and in a moment of brilliance declared, “Ice Cream!” Yes ice cream! Why didn’t I think of that?

ice_cream_dq2There were just a few more sniffles and we were on our way. He ordered his ice cream cone with sprinkles, and smiled for the rest of the night.

And yes…in a show of family solidarity, I partook in a mini blizzard – Heath if you must know! But I did it for him!

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Stuffed Pepper Soup

3-peppersI’m still getting a zillion peppers from our CSA farm and trying to come up with different ways to use them ALL!

Step 1 – Share some with my neighbor!

Step 2 – Search the internet for recipes to start with and then change to match the contents of my fridge and pantry! Which brings us to last week’s creation:

Stuffed Pepper Soup – with lean ground turkey and quinoa (or brown rice)

Ingredients:stuffed_pepper_soup
  • 3 cups cooked quinoa or brown rice
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 – 1.25 pounds of lean ground turkey
  • 3 bell peppers (any color will do!) – chopped
  • 1 med. onion – diced
  • 3 cloves garlic – minced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 2-3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 T. chili powder
  • 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 t. marjoram
  • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions:

In a large pot, over medium heat, add olive oil, onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Add turkey and cook through. Drain fat, if any. Add peppers and cook about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, 2 cups of chicken broth, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, marjoram, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, adjusting consistency with reserved 1 C. of broth as needed.  Serve with 1/2 cup of quinoa or brown rice.

Makes about 8 servings

Nutritional Information:
  • WITH quinoa/rice – 241 calories, 17 g. protein, 32 g. carbs
  • without quinoa – 131 calories, 13 g. protein, 12 g. carbs

21 Day Fix containers: 1 red 1 yellow 1 green

 

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It’s All About TIME!

News from Beachbody today! Two new programs are on the horizon! The theme is time! We have less and less time these days, and the number 1 reason people give for not getting in shape is “no TIME!”. Well that excuse is no longer valid!

First up is my old boyfriend Tony Horton with P90X3!!!

P90X3 is billed as the Accelerated Workout. That means you will get maximum results in the minimum time. The original P90X is incredibly effective and has worked for 1000′s of people, including ME, but there has been a lot of research and studies done in the last ten years which have resulted in new, refined training techniques that are more effective at getting the results you are looking for in the shortest amount of time. The program will consist of TWENTY different workouts, 30 minutes each! Expected to be available December 10!

Check out this video for a preview of what you can expect!

P90X3-play

Want to be among the first to find out the minute it is available to order? P90X3 will be only be available through Beachbody Coaches like me for the first phase of the launch. It’s likely going to be in HIGH demand! I’ll alert you the moment the new X is ready for us to order if you provide your name and email address below!

 

Next up! There is a brand new trainer coming to Beachbody!

Introducing AUTUMN CALABRESE! – Celebrity fitness trainer and national-level bikini competitor.

21-day-fix

What is 21 Day Fix?

The 21 Day Fix program takes the guesswork out of weight loss. It’s a unique portion-control system combined with easy-to-follow workouts that fit into anyone’s busy schedule. Trainer Autumn Calabrese shares her passion for food and fitness as she shows you how to make simple choices that add up to life-changing results. Test group results were AMAZING!  Expected to be available in February 2014, just in time work on your New Year’s Resolutions!

As I mentioned above, coaches and their customers will be the first to be able to order! So provide email below, and I’ll let you know the SECOND you can order! 🙂

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I’m super excited about BOTH of these! 🙂 Add them to Shaun T’s Focus T25, which is already getting people fitter than they’ve ever been in a lot LESS time, and Beachbody is ending the trend of obesity…. quicker than ever! 🙂

end_the_TREND_Blk-Blu_LR

 

 

 

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While I Sit and Wait…

I’m sitting here watching my daughter at gymnastics and can’t help but wonder…

Are kids being pushed TOO hard to be more, do more and compete more? Just wondering. I’m going to pull the ‘old lady’ card again. MAN! I swore when I was a kid I would NEVER say…”when I was your age…” But here goes:

When I was a kid, we played sports with our friends, after school or in summer recreation leagues (note the word “recreation”). We played sports on the weekends ONLY when we decided to play a game of pick-up ‘whatever’ in someone’s driveway or backyard. RARELY did we have a school-organized weekend game or tournament. A “travel team” meant that our moms drove us to someone else’s house to play for the day.  In school, we were encouraged to play multiple sports, because when one sport season ended, it was over – until next year. We had practices for an hour or so after school and 1-2 games/week during the season. I feel like we just had more free time. We had time to call friends and neighbors over on weeknights and weekends, to play ‘kick the can’ and ‘ghosts in the graveyard’. Sure, we played sports, but we also just PLAYED!

So back to gymnastics for a minute. We’re trying a new gym that’s a little closer to our house, but I’m not so sure we’re going to stick around. This place is run sort of like a military style boot-camp, which I’m not so sure is what my 7-year-old daughter had in mind. You see, she has natural ability. She’s incredibly, disgustingly flexible, and she thinks it’s FUN to tumble around the backyard and down the hallway and everywhere! But this is the type of place that could quickly make a kid forget that they ever thought gymnastics was fun. And that is precisely what I DON’T want!

Obviously, physical exercise and health are very important to me and my family, but not at the expense of family time, and free time. I want them to be able to enjoy physical fitness, doing what they find fun, exploring their talents, etc…but I don’t plan on any of my kids getting ‘free rides’ to college on a sports scholarship OR becoming professional athletes. Certainly, if that IS what they wanted to pursue, I’d be their biggest fan! But, I don’t think a young kid has all of that in mind when they join a gymnastics class or a pee wee soccer team. I just want my kids to be active, get exercise and have fun. Whether that’s in a gym, a field or our backyard.

I hear a lot conversations that go on between parents in the waiting room, or on the bleachers. Parents are already discussing the fact that “Abby” will never make it on the high school cheer team unless she gets started – at the ripe old age of 3-  in this competitive gymnastics class. Or that “Bobby” won’t make the school team unless he plays the travel team over the summer. And even then…it’s NO guarantee! The competition has never been more fierce than it is now!

We didn’t have travel teams, or off-season conditioning. We didn’t have to limit ourselves to playing one sport either. Now, it seems a kid has to pick a sport and devote their entire life to being a STAR at it! They practice after school, sometimes before school, and on the weekends, all year round! Even Mother’s Day isn’t sacred anymore! If you’re a mom, with a kid in a sport…you’re going to a tournament on Mother’s Day…and you’re going to be there ALL day! And it’ll probably be freezing and rainy! Happy Mother’s Day! 🙂 When one season wraps up, they’re on to a travel team, and then it starts all over! Parents are buying RVs to follow these kids around the country! What about free time? What about time to just be a kid, hang out and play!

Having been involved in team sports my entire childhood, I DEFINITELY see the value in playing team sports. Kids DO learn a lot about teamwork, dedication, reliability, being a good sport, winning, losing, etc…And it’s fun to be part of a team! I just wonder if we’re not sucking some of the fun out of it with all of the pressure that kids feel to be better, do more and WIN!

I dunno…the jury is still out on this gymnastics class. But if she says, it’s not fun…we’re outta here! I know there’s a lot of people who disagree with me about all of this, but it’s just something I think about and talk about. What are your thoughts about it? I’d love to hear.

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Free Shakeology?

Sept_challengeOne year ago, I took the plunge! The Shakeology plunge! I was SO curious about all of the hype, that I finally decided that I needed to try it for myself. I’m not going to lie though…I was skeptical! I was making my own shakes every day, and doubted that it would be that much better or different from what I was already doing.

Well, I was so pleasantly surprised, that I can’t imagine a day without it now. I feel so much more energy, less bloated, less cravings and haven’t been sick ONE time since I started drinking it just over a year ago! My husband was a doubter, too…and now he loves it! My kids come running every time they hear me fire up my blender. We’re all hooked!

So if you’ve been wanting to try Shakeology, but are worried about the cost, check out the deal this month! You can get 2 popular Shaun T programs. You know Shaun T? Focus T25, Insanity, Asylum? Ring a bell? Well before all of that, he did Hip Hop Abs and Rockin’ Body. People love these programs because they’re fun. This month you can get the challenge pack for $140. You’ll get BOTH of the exercise programs AND Shakeology, which normally costs $129 plus shipping by itself!!! So you’re kinda getting it for free!

Check out this quick video preview of the programs that are included:

Ready to get started?! You can order HERE!

On top of that, any time you opt for a challenge pack, you are automatically invited to join my FREE 30 day, on-line support group. You’ll get the support and accountability you’ll need to get started on your new programs, and start getting results!

Have you been wanting to try Shakeology, but feel like you can’t justify the cost? It will cost you about $4.00/day. When you consider that you are replacing a meal with it – it’s less than a ‘value meal’ would cost you. And SO much more nutritious! For the price of that value meal, you’ll get the healthiest meal of your day! You won’t likely need that fancy Starbucks drink to keep you going throughout the day either. Not to mention that the money you invest in your daily health NOW will prevent you from needing to spend money on health care later! I haven’t needed a single over-the-counter medication or prescription antibiotic this year! That’s REAL savings! For me, and our family, it’s totally worth every penny!

What’s in it?

Shakeology contains over 70 ultra high-quality ingredients conveniently located in one glass, to deliver nearly all the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy diet. It’s good for you—and good for everyone—because everyone’s diet is deficient in some of the key nutrient groups packed into just one Shakeology serving.

  • Protein from whey, which is highly absorbable, gives you 8 essential amino acids that help you build muscle, lose weight, support brain function, and keep your skin and bones healthy.
  • Vitamins and minerals support optimum health.
  • Antioxidants boost the immune system and help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, blood pressure, and stroke.
  • Phytonutrients support immune function and have anti-inflammatory properties. Many phytonutrients have antioxidant properties as well.
  • Prebiotics support digestive and immune health.
  • Digestive enzymes help in the digestion of foods and increase the absorption rate of those foods for optimum health.

Want to save even more money? If you sign up as a coach, you can save 25% on your monthly Shakeology. You don’t need to do anything else! If you’re not interested in coaching, FINE! Enjoy the discounts off ALL Beachbody products and programs. If you’re interested in covering the cost of your Shakeology each month and then some, I can teach you how to build your own successful business. SO MANY OPTIONS!

Want to learn more about being a coach? Provide your information below, and I can answer all of your questions.

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Can’t Stop Stuffing Veggies!

zucchini_stuff (1)

I’m at it again, stuffing stuff! I made these stuffed zucchini last week and they were delicious and totally blog-worthy! I use the term “zucchini” loosely, however. This is actually just a summer squash variety, I can’t seem to remember the exact name, that I got from our CSA. These were good-sized squash that I used, so you’ll need to adjust accordingly, depending on the sizes you’re using for this recipe. We really enjoyed these though! I hope you will, too.

Turkey Stuffed Zucchini

4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 large zucchini or 4 medium zucchini
  • ½ small onion – diced
  • 3 cloves garlic – minced
  • 1 C. + 2 T chicken broth (separated)
  • 1.3 lb 93% lean ground turkey (go leaner if you like!)
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/3 C. grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 t. paprika
  • 1t. basil
  • 1 t. oregano
  • ¼ t. cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:zucchini_stuff (2)

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove seeds and flesh leaving about ¼ – ½ inch thickness around. Arrange in a baking dish. Chop the flesh into small pieces.

In a large sauté pan, cook ground turkey over medium heat. Drain fat (if any) and add onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped zucchini and the 2T. of chicken broth. Add paprika, basil, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Cook another 2-3 minutes.

zucchini_stuff (3)Remove mixture to a large bowl and let sit until it begins to cool. Once cooled – add parmesan and egg white. Toss well. Using a spoon or measuring cup, fill the hollowed zucchinis with the meat stuffing, pressing firmly. Pour the remaining 1 C. of chicken broth into the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes.

Nutritional Info per serving:

220 calories, 30 g. protein, 6 g. carbs

 

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In One Year!

love_what_you_doThis week we celebrated Labor Day. A day – free from work. A day to spend relaxing, doing what we enjoy INSTEAD of work. Well, what if our work was something we actually enjoyed and looked forward to doing everyday?!? What a CRAZY idea right?!

Not really…Exactly 1 year ago, I decided to be a Beachbody coach – at first for the discounts and maybe for a little family ‘fun’ money! It’s turned into SO much more than that for me! I look forward to getting up every day and seeing how my challenge groups are doing, or answering messages from people who want to get started on their own fitness journeys, or become coaches themselves. I get to workout, eat healthy foods and talk about it! If you know me, you know I like to talk! And it’s part of my “job” now! SCORE!

A lot has changed in one year! I signed up as a coach right around Labor Day of last year, ready for a change and a way to get OFF the plateau I’d been stuck on for the last couple of years. I instantly fell in love with the idea of helping people while I helped myself! Since then, I’m down 24 pounds and UP an average of $500-$1000 per month (and I’m not stopping!)! It’s more than a hobby or a pastime for me, it is my passion now. And I enjoy every single minute I GET to spend building my business, and helping other people along the way. To get my own friends and family on-board and adopt a healthier lifestyle, has been icing on the cake! Labor Day…Ha! I don’t need it, every day is my Labor Day! 🙂

Because I LOVE what I do, I get excited to share it with anyone else who’s interested in the following:
1) helping others
2) health & fitness
3) getting in the best shape of your life
4) being your own boss
5) working when, where and how you want
6) earning up to $100-$500 extra dollars per month to start, with the potential to double that within a year, and keep growing your income from there – All while having FUN!

New 6 Week Internship starting Monday, Sept. 9!!

Interested? I only have room for a couple more people who are ready to commit to a 6 week internship where you’ll receive daily training, and learn the tips necessary to build a successful business of your own. We start Monday, so let me know a.s.a.p.!

Fine print: Sorry, no coaches or those working with other coaches.
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Grasshoppers Taste GOOD!

Grasshopper_bitesEvery so often I get a bee – no bug – no grasshopper in my bonnet to create an alternative to a food that’s been tempting me, or someone I know, to overindulge and sabotage my best clean-eating efforts! In this case, it was those darn Keebler Grasshopper Cookies giving my challenger -> turned friend -> turned COACH – Sharon, all kinds of trouble! Never mind that when she told me about it, she thought that I thought that she was actually eating grasshoppers grasshopperof the insect variety, haha! Nope, I knew JUST what she was talking about, because I too have a love for all things minty and chocolaty! 

So I says to myself, “Self, what are we talking about here: mint and chocolate and cookie. Why not make a mint chocolate cookie dough bite!?” So I checked out my original Cookie Dough Bite recipe, and thought I’d tweak it a little and see what happened. The result was these tasty little things!

Disclaimer: If you KNOW you are not a “One and Done” kind of sweet-tooth satisfier, than proceed with caution. These are a much cleaner version than the Keebler Grasshopper cookies, but they should be enjoyed in moderation. In other words…they’re GOOD, so be careful! 🙂

Mint Chocolate GRASSHOPPER Cookie Dough Bites

(Phew! That’s a mouthful!)

 Ingredients

  • 1/3 C. raw almonds
  • 1/3 C. raw walnuts
  • 1 C. rolled oats
  • 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology (you can get that from me if you need it!)
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • ¼ C. honey (or agave nectar)
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • 1/4 t. peppermint extract

Directions:

In a food processor or blender, process the almonds, walnuts, oats, and salt to a fine meal. Transfer to bowl add Shakeology, honey and vanilla, peppermint and mix. Wet hands and roll into 1 tsp.-sized balls (should make about 12-15) and place them on a cookie pan lined with foil or parchment paper. Place the pan into the freezer for about an hour to firm up. Store balls in a tightly covered container, or Ziploc bag in the freezer.

Nutritional Info (per bite)

80 calories, 11 g. carbs, 3 g. protein

*BONUS!*

Here’s my FAVORITE Shakeology recipe! Guess what…It’s MINT and Chocolate!!

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What’s for Lunch?

tuna_sandI’m packing up a lunch for today. I will not be tempted by the snack bar, or the fast food restaurants on the way to my destination. Even if the kids are whining in the back, “Please Mom”, they’ll say. “Heck no”, I’ll say. I’ve got tuna salad today. I made it and packed it myself.

I haven’t always been a ‘packer’. The last year has changed the way I look at a road trip, or a day away from home. I used to say,”ah, we’ll just stop and eat someplace along the way”. Nothing good ever comes of that! I have not eaten from a drive-thru in almost a year! I work too hard on my health and fitness to sabotage all of that with grease and sodium! Plus, I have a fridge and pantry all stocked with very edible and pack-able foods. It might take an extra 10 minutes before we leave, but it’s worth it. Not to mention, when we DID hit the drive-thrus, I was ALWAYS the car that had to pull ahead and wait for our food. So those 10 minutes would’ve been spent waiting for our pink slime and leftover chicken bits anyway! *I do occasionally give in to the kids pleas…sometimes they just gotta have their hockey pucks and fat sticks. Blech!

So on to the tuna…I’ve made this tuna, and even posted about it on Facebook about a zillion times! It’s a stand-by lunch for me. It’s really simple and a great way to make it without the mayo!

Tuna Salad (makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:tuna-fish-sandwich-funny-someecard

  • 1 can very low sodium albacore tuna
  • 2 T non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 avocado (mashed)
  • 1 t. dijon mustard

Mix-ins:

  • diced onions
  • diced celery
  • diced pickle

*Whatever crunchy bits you like!

I like to eat mine either like an open-faced sandwich. Sometimes I’ll just scoop it into romaine lettuce leaves. Or I like to have it in an Ezekiel tortilla.

Nutitional info: 1 serving (just the tuna salad) is about 150 calories, 3 g. fat, 20 g. protein, 8 g. carbs

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