Motivation Monday

Choose happiness today! :-)

Fit Friday

Here is a great workout...start with your first name, add your middle and then your last.  The options are endless!

Topic Thursday

Dental health is so important to overall health.  Make sure you are taking care of those pearly whites!

Wellness Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

Here is a great twist on traditional chili.  With the weather dipping down to winter temps, what's better than an easy soup?

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Chili Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 24 ounces jarred roasted red peppers in juices
• 30 ounces red kidney beans, drained
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 cups chicken broth
• Directions
• 1. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, followed by the chopped onions, peppers, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften.
  2. Pour the sautéed veggies and the drained kidney beans in a large slow cooker. Place the chicken over the top, then sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, and salt in the slow cooker.
  3. Pour the jarred roasted red peppers and their juices in a blender. Puree until very smooth. Pour the pureed red pepper and chicken broth in the slow cooker. Cover and turn on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4 hours.
  4. When the chicken is cooked through. Remove it with tongs, and shred the chicken with a fork. Stir the shredded chicken back into the crockpot. Serve warm!

Motivation Monday

Fit Friday

Here is a great workout you can do anywhere and it's only 26 minutes long!  Woo Hoo!

Topic Thursday

I love all 10 of these!  How many can you do to start your day tomorrow?

Wellness Wednesday

With the amount that most sit at work during the day, it is imperative to stretch out your hips...they are tight from the sitting position and these exercises will help with tight hips...incorporate these daily!!

Tasty Tuesday

Here is an awesome snack to have on hand and since it has cranberries in it, holiday time is a great time to gobble these up!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c. oatmeal
• ⅓ c. almonds, chopped
• ⅓ c. sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed (optional)
• ½ c. nut butter (peanut or almond are both good)
• ¼ c. honey
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
• ⅓ c. dried cranberries, roughly chopped

NSTRUCTIONS

1. Bake oatmeal, almonds and coconut for 8-10 minutes at 350°, stirring after 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool.
2. In a medium bowl microwave the nut butter for 20-30 seconds until runny, add the baked mix along with flaxseed, honey, chia seeds and cranberries to the bowl. Form into 1.5" balls and refrigerate. Store in an airtight container refrigerated for up to one week or freezer for 3 month

Motivation Monday

I LOVE this!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Wellness Wednesday

I love honey!  Not only is it a great natural sweetener, but here are 10 benefits of this magical nectar. 

Tasty Tuesday

I made this yummy-ness for SWAG this week and it was SO good...I will be serving this at our family Thanksgiving this week.  It's a MUST try!!!


Best-Ever Healthy Apple Crisp

• For the apples:
• 5 granny smith apples
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• For the crumble topping:
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel apples and dice into cubes of approximately equal size. In a large bowl, toss with maple syrup, water, and cinnamon. Pour apples into greased 9x9 inch baking dish.
2. In the same (now empty) bowl, add oats, almond flour, nuts, cinnamon, salt, coconut oil or butter, and maple syrup. Stir crumble topping together and pour into baking dish on top of apples.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes until apples are soft, covering pan loosely with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent from over-browning.
4. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Motivation Monday

This has been my motto lately.  I couldn't stop thinking about rope climbs (at the gym I go to)...could I ever do that?  Will I fail at it?   And just this week I finally got to the top of that rope...the feeling afterwards was amazing!  It's SO worth it to work hard for what you want! 

Motivation Monday

This is so true.  Motivation is temporary...we all lose it at some point. 

Fit Friday

Love this!  Give it a try!!!

Topic Thursday

Our mental health is just as (if not more) important than our physical health.  Make sure you are taking care of your whole-self...Mind, Body and Spirit. 

Wellness Wednesday

Enough said! 

Happy Halloween!!!

Motivation Monday

This week, I challenge you to be conscious of what you are putting in your body!

Fit Friday

Grab a friend, your kids, spouse, or do it on your own! Have fun with it.

Topic Thursday

Mental health is just as important as any other dimension of health! Take care of your mind. J

Wellness Wednesday

Let go of things/people out of your control. Choose to be positive. Put healthy food in your body. Drink more water. Forgive someone. Whatever it is for you, do it!

Tasty Tuesday

Grilled Chicken Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade:

·         3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         ½ cup red onion, diced

·         2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

·         ¼ tsp. ground cumin

·         ¼ tsp. salt

·         ⅛ tsp. pepper

·         ¼ tsp. dried oregano

·         ½ cup cilantro leaves

·         ½ cup olive oil

Burrito Bowl Topping Suggestions:

·         cooked brown rice

·         black beans, drained and rinsed

·         chopped lettuce

·         corn

·         avocado, diced

·         shredded cheese

·         green onions

·         cilantro

·         tomatoes

·         salsa

Rancho Taco Sauce:

·         1 Tbsp. ranch dressing dry mix

·         3 Tbsp. Plain Greek Yogurt

·         1 tsp. taco sauce

Instructions

• Combine marinade ingredients (except chicken) into food processor or blender and blend together until thoroughly mixed.
• Place chicken breasts into a large resealable baggie. Pour marinade over the chicken, seal the bag and let marinate for several hours in the refrigerator.
• Grill chicken until internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Take off grill and let rest.
• Meanwhile, prepare your burrito bowls by layering cooked rice, black beans and lettuce. Add spoonfuls of any toppings desired.
• Slice cooked chicken and top burrito bowl with it.
• In a small bowl, mix together the ranch and taco sauce. Taste and add more of either ranch or taco sauce. (I double this recipe and drizzle it on as I'm eating each layer of the bowl.)
• Drizzle chicken with ranch taco sauce and/or salsa and enjoy!

Motivation Monday

Make 3 new goals you want to achieve this fall and get to them! You can do it!!!

Fit Friday

So true!! Mind over matter.

Topic Thursday

Good news, Pumpkin spice fans!! There are a ton of benefits to be reaped from pumpkin! 

Wellness Wednesday

Try one each day this week at work!

Tasty Tuesday

Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls… Can it get anymore “basic”?!

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats 
• 2 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1/4 cup honey
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until they come together in a sticky ball.
• Roll dough into 16 balls.
• Place in freezer for 15 minutes before storing in refrigerator. 

Motivation Monday

You only get one body, take the best care of it!

Fit Friday

Try to get outside this weekend and give this full body workout a go! 

Topic Thursday

Keep those pumpkin seeds when carving this season! 

Tasty Tuesday

Chicken Pesto Paleo Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

• 1 med/med-large spaghetti squash
• 3/4-1 cup Pesto sauce
• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts thin sliced or pounded to 1/2" thickness
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil ghee, or other cooking fat, to sauté the chicken
• Sea salt pepper, and onion powder to season chicken

Instructions

1. First, roast the squash (you can do this step a day ahead of time, or during your meal prep and simply store the cooked squash in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment.
3. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise using a large sharp knife. Scoop out (I use a large spoon) the seeds and strings, then place face-down on a foil lined baking sheet.
4. Roast in the 425 oven for about 20 minutes or until the squash can be pushed from the outside a bit with your finger. Do not overcook or it will be mushy! Once you remove the squash, lower the oven to 400 degrees.
5. Allow the squash to cool enough to handle, and, using a fork going lengthwise down the squash, remove spaghetti strings from both sides of the squash and place in a large bowl.
6. To "drain" the squash, squeeze once or twice between paper towels to absorb excess moisture, as you would with frozen spinach, for example. This step is important to get the texture of the dish right, no mushy, watery spaghetti squash!
7. While the squash roasts, you can prepare your pesto using this recipe, or prepare it ahead of time and store in the fridge until ready to use.
8. While the squash rests, cook the chicken. Heat a large skillet over med/med-hi heat and add your cooking fat. Sprinkle the chicken lightly with salt, pepper, and onion powder on both sides, then add to the pan and cook 2-3 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the center. Remove from pan to a plate, and allow to cool a bit. Once cool enough to handle, slice or chop into bite size pieces.
9. In a casserole dish, gently toss the spaghetti with the chicken and pesto to fully coat, (about 1 cup)
10. You'll have enough extra pesto - don't drown the spaghetti squash in pesto! Save it for another use.
11. Put the casserole dish in the oven for about 10 minutes, or enough time to fully heat through and blend everything. Remove and serve!

Motivation Monday

You got this!! Fall down 4 times, get back up 5!

Fit Friday

Try this spooky, Halloween-themed workout!!

Topic Thursday

SEEDS! So overlooked, but have many added benefits! Try something new this week with incorporating and trying a new type of seed.

Wellness Wednesday

Living a healthy lifestyle becomes a lot more fulfilling when you take your focus off the scale! 

Motivation Monday

Mental toughness is crucial! Your body will take you a lot further, you just have to get your mind on the same page!!

Fit Friday

Get outside and complete this fun themed workout on a beautiful fall day! 

Topic Thursday

Music is so important to me in my workout or if I am leading a group fitness class! If you love the 80’s, try this playlist to boost your workout! J

Wellness Wednesday

Friendly reminder:  Guzzle down that water!! J