A Sunday Well Spent...

I've seen this pin floating around recently, and it is SO true! After a nice post-church Sunday nap, it feels good to get a few things done. Spending some extra time on Sunday- even just an hour or two can help you start your Monday on the right foot. 

A few things that I find helpful are prepping some food to make meals easier during the week- this can be as easy as a grain, a veggie, and a meat to throw add into lunches or dinners. 

Options for food prep to make your week easier:

• wash and chop lettuce for salads
• cut up fruit to have for snacks or add to your yogurt
• grilled chicken to add to salads or lunches 
• make a large batch of quinoa or brown rice
• chop veggies to have as on the go snacks
• boil eggs
• make a large batch of soup in your slow cooker 
• overnight oats
• pre-portion your usual go-to snacks (pretzels, pirates booty, pita chips, etc)
• mason jar salads

This week I prepped boiled eggs, tuna salad (basically just tuna + mustard+ some boiled egg white), ground turkey, green beans, and brown rice. I made the rice in my rice cooker for dinner tonight (we had lettuce wraps) so it was easy peasy to add a few extra servings in to have for left overs (tomorrow we'll have burrito bowls). Ground turkey is one of my favorites to prep- it tastes delicious re-heated and its easy to mix up with rice for a yummy protein-packed lunch. 


Other easy things to make your work week start off on the right foot: make sure you have (at least some) laundry done, pack your lunch and gym bag, make sure your keys are in the right spot ;), wash sheets/towels, etc. It always feels good to go to sleep in an organized home on Sunday night...

Have a great week!

Back to School Part 2: Healthy Snack Ideas

Keeping up with the theme of yesterdays post, I thought I'd post 15 lunch box- friendly snack options. Obviously during this time of year students are packing lunches, but they aren't the only ones who need snacks on the go! Anyone with a busy schedule can benefit from keeping healthy snacks on hand...here are my top  picks:

1. greek yogurt 
2. apple and peanut butter 
3. almonds
4. cottage cheese and apple/pineapple
5. string cheese and whole wheat crackers and/or fruit
6. luna bar (my favorite)
7. trail mix (try making your own mix)
8. hummus and carrot sticks
9. ants on a log
10. low fat/ air-popped popcorn
11. rice cake topped with peanut butter and banana
12. boiled eggs
13. smoothie-to-go
14. lara bar (my favorite) 
15. fruit plus peanut butter dip (1/2 C greek yogurt, 1 packet stevia, 2 T pb or pb2) 

Easy Breakfast Recipe: Overnight Oats

Happy Monday!

 It was a bittersweet weekend for me since my brother left, but I am excited for a new week, and getting back to a regular schedule. This week I am only working mornings and am excited to be back to a normal gym routine. I let my husband and brother talk me into (way too many) treats last week, so I think my body is happy to be back on a healthier schedule.... I started off the week with some cardio this afternoon, and tomorrow  I have an hour long personal training session scheduled, which I am excited for!


One thing I did stick to last week was eating a healthy breakfast. Lately I can't get enough of this recipe!

Berry Almond Overnight Oats

1/2 C rolled oats
1/2 C fresh or frozen berries
1/2 C almond milk (or milk of your choice)
1T chia seeds
1 T slivered almonds
sprinkle of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and store in refrigerator overnight. In the morning, enjoy your pre-made breakfast! 

90-Second Lunch

Lately, for an easy lunch/ side dish I've been using this delicious quinoa and brown rice blend from my beloved Costco.

While the rice/quinoa is steaming in the microwave, quickly chop a few veggies to toss with it, top it with a little balsamic dressing and viola-- lunch in less than 2 minutes! 


I have been using cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers- but really it would be great with whatever is in season. It's a great blend of fiber, flavor, protein and veggies and it's delicious both hot and cold!

Memorial Day Weekend & Healthy Living

A little weekend recap- but first! My take on the "healthy lifestyle" concept.

Everyone talks about the importance of a healthy "lifestyle". In reality everyone's life is different, and you just need to figure out what works for YOU! This takes trying different things, and also depends on what your goals are. If your health is a priority (which it should be) make time and feed your body and soul with good nutrition and endorphins!! Living a healthy lifestyle is all about balance- not deprivation, starvation, or punishing yourself. Everyone deserves to feel good in their own skin! :) Find something you enjoy and do it! 

I love a good 3 day weekend, and this weekend was excellent. It was spent working out, cooking good food, and spending time outside (with my best friend obviously). 

I didn't workout Friday morning, so we went to the gym Friday night, then came home and made a delicious dinner (stuffed flank steak- so good). It was so nice just to stay home and relax! 

[what a babe] - contact me if you need a personal trainer- 
Brian is doing online training! 

Saturday I worked out in the morning while my sweet husband took our car to have the safety/emission inspections and get it registered :) I am so glad  I didn't have to participate in that. We also went to a baby shower and hung out in Salt Lake for a bit. 

Sunday was beautiful- none of the kiddos showed up to my Sunday school class, and of course Arrested Development is back-- yes! We finished the night with a walk around the lake- the weather was perfect! 

perfect. 

Monday morning we slept in for the first time in a long time. I did a quick interval workout, then we went on a picnic by the lake in our neighborhood. I am obsessed with our neighborhood-- so open, so many trails, and of course the lake that's a 5 minute walk from our house. As much as I miss California, I sure do love Daybreak.

fruit with greek yogurt dip, multigrain chips with salsa, and little sandwhiches- yum!

We finished off the weekend with froyo from Menchies. And then I cried about having to go back to work ;) 

nothing better than napping in the sun!

SO-- this post just goes to show that you can be active, eat healthy and not be deprived!! I have never felt as happy (mentally and physically) as I do now- and it's because I love and take care of my body. Everyone deserves the same happiness!

Spice up your Salad!

Salads can easily get boring. I've actually let a lot of lettuce go bad in my fridge because I didn't want another boring salad- fortunately salads are easy to change up! I recently switched from romaine to spinach - even just simply switching your greens can make things more interesting. Since salads are such a great way to pack a lot of nutrients into one meal- don't cut them out of your meal plan! 

the salad I had for lunch yesterday:
 spinach, tomatoes, peppers, avocado, strawberries, grilled chicken, & balsamic

Here are a few other options to add some spice to your salad:


almond slivers
pecans
seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, etc)
beans (black or kidney)
boiled eggs
avocado
peppers 
chicken 
fish
quinoa 
shrimp
lean strips of beef 
red onion 
apples
strawberries
mandarine oranges
cherry tomatoes
olives
salsa  

Easy Recipe: Fajitas and Spanish Rice

We had these saturday evening after being at the pool for the afternoon. They were very easy to throw together and so tasty!

Fajitas 

ingredients:
Olive oil 
2 chicken breasts, sliced in thin strips
2 peppers (I used orange and red), sliced in thin strips
1 large onion, chopped in large pieces 
Taco seasoning (I use a mixture of chili powder, cayenne, cumin, salt, and garlic powder- combine to your taste for spice)

corn tortillas 

toppings
We used avocado and greek yogurt, but it would also be delicious with lettuce and tomato

directions:
Chop onion, peppers and chicken. Add olive oil to a hot pan. Saute onion and chicken until chicken is almost cooked through. Top with seasonings and mix. Add Peppers, cook until heated through. 

Serve in corn tortillas with desired toppings. 

Serves 2 with plenty of left overs!


Spanish Rice

ingredients: 
Olive oil
1/2 onion
1 T chopped garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 T of taco seasoning (see above for ingredients- mix depending on your taste for spice)
1 C brown rice
1/2 C water (or more depending on what type of rice is used)

directions:
Saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, continue to saute for another 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients. Follow instructions on rice for cooking times. 

**all ingredients can also be placed in a rice cooker without sautéing onions as well but you may need to add more water 


Enjoy! 

For the Love of Costco

Anyone who knows me, know I LOVE Costco. My mom taught me about the magic of Costco at a young age, so it was only natural that I got my own membership when I went to college. After my husband and I got married, we upgraded to an Executive membership, and have pretty much only done grocery shopping at Costco ever since. 

A lot of people may wonder why we shop at Costco if we are only shopping for the two of us- well, we do eat a lot, but we also are able to get amazing deals on our favorite healthy foods. We even recently got lucky and found Optimum Nutrition Whey Isolate protein powder as well as a 2 pack of Cellucor C4 pre-workout!

Here is a list of our main Costco staples:

salmon
chicken breasts
turkey burgers
tuna
quinoa

eggs (which we buy by the 5 dozen)
plain Greek yogurt
cottage cheese
soy milk

pita chips
Pirates Booty 
natural peanut butter 
protein powder

frozen berries
apples
canned pineapple
strawberries
bananas

spinach
tomatoes
asparagus
sweet potatoes
avocados
snap peas 
canned black beans 


Naturally we don't buy all of this each time we go. We usually stock up once a month, and go back a few times in between for whatever we are out of. 

Of course I love places like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, but when stocking up on groceries, Costco is my fav!

Breakfast: Berries and Cream Protein Oats

This is one of my go-to breakfasts during the week. It's super easy and delicious, but the best part is that there are only 3 ingredients!

Ingredients:

1/2 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder

1 C Frozen mixed berries

1/3- 1/2 C Oats

Defrost the berries in your bowl for one minute in the microwave. Add the protein powder and oats. Stir. Add a small amount of water and microwave for another minute. Enjoy!!

*if you don't have/ dont want to use protein powder you can always use an egg white. It's obviously not as flavorful, but will give you some added protein! If you do use egg whites, flavor the oats with cinnamon, stevia, vanilla, etc 

Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad

This weekend was a perfect combination of relaxing and being productive. On Friday night we had date night (CPK + Menchies = best ever), hung out with friends, stocked up on groceries and supplements, got the apartment cleaned and laundry done, and of course worked out. 

new workout clothes

my delicious Menchie's creation

my growing bicep, and Cellucor- new favorite pre-workout

my husband after a lot of hard work

Tonight we had this delicious (and easy) salad for dinner. I love spring and summer for a million reasons, but I really love the fresh produce. I got some yummy strawberries at Costco and they were perfect in this salad. You  can really use any veggies you want in the salad. 

For the salad:

Spinach
Strawberries
Avocado
1 Yellow pepper
Celery stalk
A handful of chopped pecans
Chicken breast
Salt-free seasoning

For dressing I just used olive oil and balsamic vinegar


I just tossed all of the salad ingredients, then topped with grilled chicken- nothing better than dinner in under 30 minutes!

Enjoy!!

Recipe: Spicy Salmon and Quinoa Salad

I made this last night for dinner and it was so yummy (and took less than 30 minutes to put on the table) !

For the salmon:
2 salmon fillets
1 t cumin
1 t garlic powder
1 t chili powder
1/8 t cayenne pepper
pinch of brown sugar
pinch of salt
lime juice
Diced avocado, for topping 


For the Quinoa Salad:
1-1/2 C quinoa
2 peppers, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
lime juice


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*. Combine spices, sprinkle on salmon with a squeeze of lime juice. Bake salmon for 20- 25 minutes depending on the size. 

While the salmon is baking, cook quinoa according to instructions. Combine with chopped veggies. Sprinkle with lime juice and cumin if desired. 

Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta

This is an easy and delicious meal that only takes about 20 minutes to put together. Enjoy!

You will need:
Whole wheat pasta of your choice
Olive oil 
Medium onion
1 T crushed garlic
3 Roma tomatoes
1/4 C nonfat plain Greek yogurt 
1/4 C tomato sauce
2 C spinach (I used fresh, but you could also use frozen)
Italian spices 
Salt/ Pepper

Optional: Top with Grilled chicken and/or shredded cheese


Directions

1. Boil water and your choice of pasta and cook until al dente
2. Sautee onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, wait about a minute and add tomatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and Greek yogurt. Stir. Add spices and spinach. Simmer. After pasta is cooked, drain and combine with sauce. Top with cheese if desired. 

Eating Clean

I have people ask me on a regular basis about healthy eating and working out. The answer is both simple and difficult at the same time. The simple answer is to eat healthy and exercise. Unfortunately that's also the difficult answer. There are so many "diets" and workouts that are being promoted that it's very difficult to know where to start. The important thing to remember is that being healthy is a lifestyle- it's not a diet, or an exercise program or a gym membership, or a magic pill. It's living in a healthful way. 

I would recommend starting by cleaning up your diet. This means less processed foods (anything that comes in a bag, box, or can) and more fresh foods. There's a saying that goes "you can't outrun a bad diet" and that is SO true.  

Don't expect that your habits will change overnight! Be patient with yourself, and slowly incorporate more clean foods into your diet. Making small changes will yield big results! 

If your lifestyle is healthy, it will not be detrimental for you to have a treat once in a while (unlike crash diets). It's important to have a positive mindset. When you feel very restricted, you are more likely to binge (again- as with crash diets). If you are eating healthy, you can afford to have a cheat meal out once in a while.

It is very possible to have healthy delicious food, and not feel the need to eat junk. I am now at the point where I literally feel sick when I eat anything greasy or fatty. I know that if it's not what you're used to it may take a while to adjust. If you ever do feel the urge for a treat, there are tons of option on the internet for leaner, cleaner versions of the real thing- and chances are that you may not even know the difference!


Here is a basic breakdown for a complete breakfast, lunch , and dinner:

Breakfast: Protein+ fruit+ complex carb 

**In my opinion, this is truly the most important meal of the day. Don't skip it!!

egg whites + whole wheat toast/ sandwich round + fruit
oats w/ protein powder and fruit
smoothie (don't forget to include your protein! use nut butter or protein powder)
greek yogurt+ fruit 
protein shake 

protein pancakes

Lunch: Protein+ fruit/vegetable
TIP** If i'm grilling meat/ veggies for dinner, I make extra so I can just take it to work with me for lunch the next day 

tuna salad w/ greek yogurt or cottage cheese instead of mayo 
hummus and vegetables with whole wheat crackers/ pita chips
grilled chicken w/ salad and balsamic
roasted veggies+ brown rice or quinoa

salmon, green beans, sweet potatoes

Dinner: Protein+ vegetable + complex carb

salmon, tilapia, turkey burgers, chicken breasts, flank steak, etc
whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes 

turkey burgers + guac =  best combo ever

quinoa salad

Snacks:
fruit + nut butter
almonds
brown rice cake w/ yogurt
greek yogurt or cottage cheese + fruit (I recommend buying plain greek yogurt, but if you do buy flavored yogurt, read the label!) 
string cheese
carrot and celery sticks 
trail mix (make a mix of your own for fewer calories than the store-bought kind)



Obviously this is not an exhaustive list, just a basic idea of excellent whole foods to eat. Your food does not have to be plain or bland-- there are TONS of delicious, clean recipes available online! You can start here.

I would generally advise eating about 5 small meals/day. Some may be larger than others. It's important to never let yourself get to the point of being very hungry. I think everyone has experienced the feeling of being starving and eating the first thing in sight- that's the last thing you want! It's so important to plan ahead so you have healthy options available to you at all times!