Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites

So if you can't tell already...Pumpkin is my jam! Everything I used to consume, come pumpkin season (as I like to call it), means sugar and carbs! NOT this year I am taking control of my holiday season sweet tooth and rockin' some healthier options! The boys and I made these Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites and they were delish! The boys and hubs inhaled them, they were supposed to last the week, and that definitely didn't happen! So family approved, hope you enjoy :)

Ingredients: 

1 cup pitted dates

warm water

1/2 cup raw pecan halves (I used pecan pieces)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (same some to garnish if you want! I only did on half because certain boys in the house have issues with too much coconut...crazy right?!?!) 

1 tsp. pure hazelnut extract (or maple, or almond)

1 tsp. pure maple syrup 

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 pinch sea salt (I use himalayan salt) 

Directions:

1. Place your dates in a bowl and cover with warm water. Let them sit 10 minutes or so.  

2. Place pecans in a food processor/blender/magic bullet. Pulse until finely ground. 

3. Add dates, pumpkin, coconut (remember to save a little if you want to garnish!), extract, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Pulse until well mixed. 

4. Place in a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate (covered) for 30 minutes. 

5. Roll mixture into tablespoon sized balls and roll in the reserved coconut. 

6. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container. 

*For my 21 Day Fix people this would be 1 yellow and 1 tsp. for 2 energy bites!

Enjoy,

-D

Should You do the 21 Day Fix?

Hello Every I am finishing up my second round of the 21 Day Fix and I wanted to share a little bit about what it is, my journey, results, pros, and cons.

What is the 21 Day Fix?

The 21 Day Fix is a Beachbody program created by clelebrety trainer Autumn Calabrese! The 21 Day Fix is not just another diet or fad. It is actually the exact opposite. It is a healthy lifestyle. You don't have to stare your self or cut out any food groups. It's all about moderation and portion control. It's designed to help you lose weight, build muscle, or maintain. That's what I love about it, it fits everyones goals based on how many calories you should be consuming daily to lose or gain. This program is well rounded in that it incorporate fitness and nutrition!

What's included in the 21 Day Fix Challenge Group?

• Workout DVD'S (9 total, 6 core workouts that you mainly use) 
• Shakeology (30 day supply, so for me thats 30 breakfast's!!!) 
• More information on Shakeology HERE
• Containers
• Shakeology shaker cup
• Recipes 
• Program guide and schedual
• 30 day free trial of Beachbody On-demand (awesome because you can do your workouts anywhere with WiFi...great if you travel) 

*Want more information about joining my next Challenge Group? CLICK HERE

The Containers

I love that I don't have to count calories anymore! It's all done for me this the containers. 

The containers correspond to a food group.

• Purple: Fruit
• Green: Vegetables 
• Red: Protein 
• Yellow: Starches and Carbs
• Blue: Nuts, cheese, avocado
• Orange: dressing and seeds

How Does the Program Work?

As you can see in the image below(right), you find out how many calories you should be consuming each day to lose weight (their is a separate calculation for maintaining weight!). That number puts you into a range that corresponds to the number of each containers you get each day (see picture to the left for a visual;)) 

                          

Results

Below are my results from before I started, to the end of my first 21 Day Fix round, and then my last results from my second round of the 21 Day Fix. I have so much more energy, I feel more comfortable in my skin, and I have change some eating habits that were not so great! I really am in love with this program and I was very excited to share!

Overall Pros & Cons

Pros

• It's a lifestyle NOT a diet or a weight loss fad
• I got results!
• It's a sustainable lifestyle
• You don't have to cutout any food group
• You still get to have 'treats'
• I learned what my diet was lacking
• The workouts are short and sweat (30 minutes)
• I have more energy and I am more confident...I feel AMAZING

Cons

• The meal planning takes practice 
• You need time on Saturday or Sunday to prep and meal plan 
• You have to look and schedule in your workouts so that you don't keep putting it off ("oh, I will work out in an hour" oh "I lost track of time...tomorrow"). Scheduling is a life saver!

What's Next?

Like what you see? Have more questions? Please shoot me an email and I would love to chat with you about your goals, questions, and interests!

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Fall is officially here! This means people (at least this someone) is flocking to Starbucks for their Pumpkin Spice Latte. So, like many I have guzzled these bad boys down for three months straight each year. However, I have realized a few things about the PSL....

1. They're freaking expensive...like 5$+ a pop!

2. The amount of sugar is astounding.

3. From the little research I have done they also have a lot of things I would NOT want to put in my body (see image below)! Now to be fair they have changed their recipe this year but I couldn't find much information about it at this point (I will update if I learn more)!



For me the Sugar alone makes me want to cringe. That being said my new goal is to not have anymore PSL's (deep sigh) and to experiment with healthier options! Today I made a dairy free pumpkin spice creamer to share and it is really yummy!! Also, below you will see a Pumpkin Spice Shakeology recipe that is delicious!!

DAIRY-FREE PUMPKIN SPICE CREAMER

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups any combo of dairy-free milk you prefer (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk.)

• ¼ cup pumpkin puree

• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Organic blue agave

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge. Always shake creamer before using. 

2 You can add sweetener (especially if you're coming down off of the sweetness of Starbucks PSL) to the creamer, but I prefer to add sweetener to my cup of coffee. I use organic Agave from Costco and add to your liking!

** If you want your coffee a little creamier you can add full fat coconut milk for part of your 1.5 cups!

Enjoy,

-D

** Bonus Recipe for all my Shakeology lovers...it's oh so good!

Craving Those Fall Spices?

Alright ladies and gentlemen this family is going all FALL!! We love fall; the pumpkin, apples, candles, oh my...anyway you catch my drift. We made breakfast for dinner yesterday (a house favorite) and it was delish! Both boys and the hubs had seconds and wanted oatmeal again this morning. So it was voted as highly recommend for you to try! 

Fall Spiced Apple, Cran-Raisin, and Peach Oatmeal

Ingredients

1/2 cup rolled oats, quick or old fashioned
1/2 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla)
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp (heaping) cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch ginger
1 pinch salt
1 tsp packed brown sugar
1/2 of a medium apple, diced
1 Tbsp cran-raisins
1 peach
1 Tbsp coconut oil

Directions

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
• 2. Wash and chop up apple and peach. 
• 3. Place on backing sheet with coconut oil and cook for 15min 
• 4. Meanwhile, in a large microwave safe bowl, combine oats, almond milk, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt and cook in microwave on HIGH power 2 - 3 minutes stirring once halfway through cooking (2 minutes for quick oats, 3 minutes for old fashioned oats). Stir in brown sugar, apples, peach, and cran-raisins. Serve warm.
• *It turned out liquid but for us it was really good. If you don't like the liquid I would try cooking it on the stove or trying a minute more in the microwave!
  
  
  
  

Homemade Roasted Tomato Sauce

We LOVE noodles in this house! Literally if you ask my son what he wants to eat (morning, noon, or night), he will say, "noodles"! I have been experimenting with making my own sauce so that there is no sugar or other preservatives and I found one I love. It is most certainly kid tested and husband approved! Hope you like it :) You can pour it over noodles, on bread, or as a base for lasagna!

I love bail! I grow it in my garden (it may be one of the only things still living...) and I love the flowers that grow in the plant. You are probably supposed to cut those off but I can't...its too pretty! 

Ingredients:

• 5-6 pounds medium or small tomatoes, stems removed

• 1 medium head of garlic, peeled 

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

• ½ cup fresh basil leaves

• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
2. Place the tomatoes on large baking sheet with a raised 1-inch lip (you don't want all those juices all over your oven). Add the garlic cloves and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Use your fingers to mix well to coat. Top with torn basil leaves and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

1. Bake for 2 hours or until tomatoes are soft and bursting.

1. Allow to cool then pour into a blender in batches. Pulse 2-3 times then blend for 1 minute or until desired smoothness. Pour into quart jars, Tupperware, or freezer bags to freeze flat.
2. You can add milk to thicken it up before serving but I personally like it just how it is. I also top it will freshly grated parmesan with my whole wheat or quinoa pasta!  

1. Will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week or 4 months in the freezer.

Hope you love it,

-D

Thank You :)

I just have to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone I have been lucky enough to work with. Wether it be my coaching team, a client, challenger, co-worker, fellow mom, or just someone who has taken time out of their day to lift me up. I have literally been surrounded by such positivity. I am shocked by peoples kindness in reaching out to me, just to tell me how I have in someway helped them on their journey and/or motivated them with mine.

I just want all of you to know you're the reason I work so hard. I love helping and learning from each and every one of you. So from the bottom of my heart thank you for showing me everyday why it is I do what I do.

So What is a Challenge Group and Why Should You be Part of One?

What is a Challenge Group?

A challenge group is a small & intimate group of people who have committed to getting healthy by participating in a Beachbody workout program. Through fitness, nutrition, peer support, and accountability, a Beachbody Challenge group plays a key role in helping you reach your health and fitness goals. 

How Does it Work?

Every month, I host a Gradiator Challenge group. This is your chance to really commit yourself to your goals & take steps to leading a healthier lifestyle.

We will all commit to our fitness goals, health goals, and stay accountable to one another. We will all be in this together and what is what's so cool about these challenges. 

We will all be doing a Beachbody workout program, drinking shakeology, tracking our progress, staying connected in our private facebook group, etc. So if you are thinking “Well I don’t have shakeology” well then YES what I am saying is you will have to commit to getting on shakeology and drinking it 1 time per day (I chose breakfast). This will be a commitment for everyone I take in and I want us all to be 100% committed… I plan on giving 110% of myself to YOU to help you reach success and I want you to do the same!

By joining my challenge you will automatically get 1 month FREE of Beachbody on Demand (HELLO AWESOME RIGHT?). This is a great tool to have for all of us because you can workout anywhere with wifi, try out other fitness programs, have your workout guides and plans right on your computer. 

Is a challenge group right for you? sk yourself these questions….

1. Do you want to get healthy?

2. Do you want to fit in your skinny jeans?

3. Do you want to look in the mirror and feel GOOD about what you see?

4. Do you want to have energy?

5. Do you want to add years onto your life ?

6. Do you want to set a good example for your children?

7. Do you want to have a more positive attitude?

8. Do you want to build relationships with others going through the same things?

9. Do you want to have more confidence?

10. Do you want to get your life on track and start a new healthy lifestyle?

I think we all want those things and THIS challenge is the answer to help you achieve those goals. It takes 21 days to create a habit and with this you will have others looking to see if you did your workout, so that accountability will keep you on track!

So, are you interested? OF COURSE YOU ARE .…

1. DECIDE & COMMIT to joining my Beachbody Challenge and sign up with me as your FREE coach (click Beachbody challenge). Already have a coach? Ask them if they run any challenge groups and if not, you can always send me an email and I can let you know how to switch coaches.

2. Fill out the form below or message me on Facebook so that we can discuss which Beachbody program and Shakeology flavor is the best fit for you

3. I will get you all signed up and send you a conformation email where you will confirm the program and Shaekology flavors and enter your payment information.

4. I will friend you on Facebook and you will be entered into the next private challenge group! 

5. Succeed!

 

Can't wait to chat,

-Deanna:)

For Those No Good Very Bad Days

You know those days where life is just feeling crazy and the stress of all your projects/work/parenting is just seeming to consume your energy? It could be school getting crazy, the boys fighting more, lack of sleep, business stuff piling up, the house looks like a tornado just came through...you get the point! For me this signals one thing...it's time to stop and listen to what's going on with you. This is how I am feeling today...so what am I going to do about it? Stop and reflect! I like to take 5/10/15 minutes (however long you can sneak away), even if that means hiding in the bathroom "going pee" (you moms know what I am talking about). Ask your self what is really going on. Take some deep breaths in and blow that air (troubles) out. This is like a mommy time out and it allows me to refocus. When I get some more time, like after the boys are in bed I continue to work through the stress.

Heres what I do: 1. take a deep breath in for 4 second, hold for 2 seconds, and blow the air out for 5 seconds (meditation). This allows me to stop all the mumbo-jumbo in my head and really focus on whats stressing me out. 2. Write it down. I like to call it a "brain dump" (I know flattering right). Write down whatever comes to mind. The stress, to dos, solutions, what I am grateful/happy about, literally whatever comes to mind. Doing this will literally make your self made "huge" problems look less intimidating. 3. After I write, I look at it and smile at the gratefuls I wrote, and see my real problem(s). Then I can break it down into smaller solutions and attack the problem.

Let me give an example. For me this week, I was just feeling overwhelmed and defeated. After completing the above steps, I looked at my "brain dump" and had two realizations. The first, I need a morning to unplug, focus on my family, and just tune out the dings of social media and mail. For me that means I need to be outdoors, that is my soul healing source (along with cozying up with a good book). So what am I going to do about it? The fam and I are unplugging and headed out for a day of hiking and delicious treats at our favorite cabin. The second issue that I noticed, was that my brain is getting clogged up with being pulled between my business and school. So I sat back and thought what am I missing here in the world of balance. I noticed that I have not been writing down my tasks and goals for each day. What happens when I miss this...total brain chaos. I have this great system in place but sometimes I get off path and lets just say I am feeling it. So what to do? Get back to my system. I have "power hour" templets for what needs to be done each day in my business...so I need to get strict at writing that out each night or morning. I also need to be writing in my planner (I use the Day Designer...seriously in love with it). In there I write my top 3 priorities, my greatfuls, and I manage all the hours in my day. This is important because I am busy and when I get work time (nap time, early morning, after bed) I need to know exactly what should be done so that I don't sit there "figuring out" what to do with my time. Instead I am doing it.

So how can you reduce your stress?!?!

• Work out 30 minutes 6 days a week
• Take time for YOU each week (read, hike, workout, go out with friends, do on a date, Get a coffee, go to a movie, paint, dance..whatever feels your heart up with joy and recharges you).
• Drink water
• Get 7-8 hours of sleep each night
• Eat healthy most days
• Laugh

Comment below on how you destress! Was this helpful? Do you want more? If you have any questions about workout programs or clean eating please shoot me a email here

Love,

-D

Spa Water

I love to spice up my water! Did you know you are supposed to drink half your body weight in water each day?!?! It can feel like a lot, especially when your just starting to reach that goal. Water is so important because it aids in digestion, reduces cholesterol, fights bloating, helps keep your skin smooth and wrinkle free, and prevents dehydration and memory loss. 

Something I like to do is infuse my water with fruits and herbs. It spices it up a bit and it's guilt free. My favorite would probably be oranges and blueberries because I like that sweet and tangy taste together. All you need is a pitcher, two oranges, a carton of blueberries ( or 2 cups frozen), ice and filtered water. I wash all the fruit then slice my oranges. I layer the blueberries at the bottom, then threw in the orange slices, fill the pitcher with ice, then pour the filtered water in. It's super refreshing and I'm I think you'll love it. 

Here are a few other of my favorite add ins:

• Mint
• Lemon
• Grapefruit
• Limes
• strawberries
• cucumbers
• Basil 

Hope you enjoy and bottoms up,

-D

         

Mini Vegetable Egg Cups

Serving Size: 6 (2 egg cups), Containers: 1 Red, 1 Green

Now these are great for quick morning grabs! There easy to make during Sunday prep day and they make super quick breakfasts for those out the door in a hurry in the mornings. Those are hard enough, make it a little easier with a grab and go food. Plus you get that protein you need to get your day started right!

Ingredients:

12 large eggs

sea salt

ground black pepper (to taste; optional)

1 bag (10 oz) baby spinach, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

Nonstick cooking spray

 Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350° F.

2. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Add spinach, pepper, and onions to egg mixture; mix well.

3. Lightly coat a twelve cup muffin tin with spray.

4. Evenly pour egg mixture into muffin cups.

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cups comes out clean.

Enjoy,

-D

Salad Freshness

I don't know about all of you but I struggle with keeping my salad fresh all week. By day 3 I am usually having to pick out and throw away large portions of the bag. It was gets annoying.....

I was currently buying the large plastic salad containers from Costco or Safeway. That didn't last so I though, "hummm maybe the bags". Tried that and nope even worse! 

So I did some research and found an idea to try. Here is what I did and my results!

1. Buy a head of lettuce and a bag (or plastic container of arugula). I add arugula to all my salads because I love the taste (so that's optional!). 

2. Wash, dry, and chop how you desire for your salad.

3. Place in a zip lock bag with a paper towel on each side (See pic below), smoosh air out, and seal.

4. 5 days after purchase, I opened it up and was shocked!!! There was some moisture on the paper towel and I threw out maybe 2 little pieces of lettuce from the whole bag! 

5. I will most definitely be doing it again this week.

Hope this helps and feel free to comment and let me know if it worked for you or any other tips you may want to share. 

Thanks,

-D

Pinterest Discoveries

I mean really WHO doesn't love Pinterest?!?!?! It is truly my go to for pretty much anything I need ideas for. So people started asking about my Pinterest and I decided to might be a good idea to go take a peek at it before I started sending people there for ideas. What did I discover well looking around? I discovered what a HOT MESS it was. No really, nothing was organized, there were boards I had not touched in 5 years,  and I was unsure as to why I posted at least 1/3 of what I was seeing. 

So I decided, "hummmm maybe I should clean house".  Now let me tell you it is still a work in progress but I am feeling pretty excited about it's Fall revamp and I decided to share a few things with you about what I learned during my Pinterest garage sale. 

1) My health habits

Boy- O - Boy have they changed. I found it so fun and shocking to look at how my recipe board had changed through my fitness journey. I went from butter, butter, butter to maybe not so much butter. I also noticed my dinner ideas used to be very carb driven, fried, and processed. I look back and realized what a slow process it was. It is crazy the progress you can make in a couple years. All you have to do it start and over time those baby steps will compound into something you can look back on and have "aha" moments about (enjoy them! You worked you butt off to get there)! 

2) I am a holiday CRAZY lady and not a healthy (or half healthy ;)) one.

No really, like hands down, adult child, holiday FREAK!!! Now this has NOT changed and I am proud of it! That freak/awesome flag will fly high until my heart stops beating. However, this year my goal will be to revamp that going to gain 15 pounds in December alone mentality to a healthy balance of cheat meals and clean foods. I didn't work this hard to blow it all in a three month period. So I will be working hard to find 'cleaner' options and I will splurge a little less then last year. More to come on that and hopefully you will join me on taming that beast.

3) My kids have grown :(

My little babies are not newborns anymore. It was fun to look back through pin's and remember which ones I had done with the boys, the messes, and the memories made. I was excited to clean up this area of my boards because I also love and am excited for where they are now and where they are headed. So I am working on growing future ideas and adventures for us!

4) Oh ya I don't drink...and oh I am a vegetarian

Looking way back I was reminded of my meat eating days. This really solidified how long it had been sense I gave a little TLC to the recipes. I mean really, I have been a vegetarian for 3.5 years! I also saw a lot of alcohol and I got to reflect on how far my marriage and family have come. It was fun to delete it all but also fun to savor that proud moment of not needing or wanting it there. If you are interested in that story, you can check it out here. 

So now that I have walked down my Pinterest memory lane and 'cleaned house' I feel proud of where I am headed and where I have been. Please check out the revamp HERE. I would love feedback on what you think and also what you want to see more of. 

Thanks,

-D