Peach Cobbler Overnight Oats

Peach Cobbler Overnight Oats 

(Single Serving) 

For real, this family LOVES oatmeal....like they guzzle the stuff! I am always looking for for ways to spice up my overnight oats and since we are in 'peach season' (HAPPY DANCE) I wanted to incorporate them this week! 

Totally didn't disappoint..it was the perfect about of thickness, sweetness, and of course a hint of spice! Not gonna lie it had me feeling all sunshiney (even though it's a miserable 110 here ;( )!

Anywho, here is the recipe, as always, let me know what you think ;)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup peaches
1 Tbsp Chia seeds
1/2 Cup Rolled Oats
1/4 Cup Milk (whatever kind you drink)
1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
1 tsp Vanilla
Sprinkle With Cinnamon


Directions:
1. Wash and cup up your peaches
2. Put all the ingredients in a jar or Tupperware
3. Shake and put in the refrigerator over night
4. In the morning mix and eat it cold or warm it up. I warm mine up for about 30 seconds
5. Enjoy!

Make it a great one,

Deanna :)

Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Muffins

Oh boy, oh boy, there is something about summer approaching and lemons! I'm currently on a mission to find healthier baking options. I love to bake and one thing about living by the 80/20 rule is that I need to moderate my backing. I have been to some really amazing raw food restaurants, especially in Bali, and I figured if they can make amazing treats that fit into my lifestyle, so can I! 

So these are so good, they almost have a cheesecake like quality about them :)

21 Day Fix friends: 2 muffins- 1 yellow, 1 red 

Ingredients:

1 Scoop Whey Protein (I recommend either Vanilla or Caffe Late Shakeology)

6 Tbsp. Unsweetened applesauce

1 egg

3 Tbsp. Lemon zest 

2 tsp. Stevia

1/4 Cup Plain greek (or vanilla) yogurt

1.5 Tbsp. Coconut oil melted

2/3 Cup Coconut flour

1 Tbsp. Baking powder 

1 Tbsp. Poppy Seeds

1/4 tsp. Baking soda

1/2 Cup Low fat cottage cheese

3 Tbsp. Lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. Blend yogurt, cottage cheese, lemon juice, egg, oil, and applesauce in the blender and set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine protein powder, coconut flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, stevia, and lemon zest until combined. 

4. Pour blended mixture into dry ingredients and mix well. 

5. Pour batter into 8 muffin cups

6. Bake for 25 minutes

7. Enjoy and let me know what you think ;)

Make it a great one,

Deanna

Berry Quinoa Parfait

Okay so, I was not sure about testing this recipe out from the Master's Hammer and Chisel nutrition guide. However, my oldest son hates quinoa (he doesn't like the texture), so I thought I would try and go all stealth mommy on him and sneak it in this way. Honestly, I failed miserably and he didn't like it BUT my 2 year old, husband, and myself liked it. So I am 3 out of 4, i'll take it.

How do you cook with quinoa? Usually I make it with half water and half veggie broth. Then toss in some veggies, so this was a change up for me!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked quinoa

• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries

• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

• 3 cups plain Greek Yogurt

• 1 Tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Evenly layer quinoa, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, yogurt, and honey in a tall glass. 
2. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days
3. Enjoy

Remember to show up in all you do today,

Deanna

Kale, Smoked Salmon, and Egg Salad

We went to Trader Jo's today and that always spells a cart full of delish goodies for the week. One of my top picks definitely being smoked salmon! Have you had it before? 

I decided to invent a fun salad with all of our left over veggies for the week and it did NOT disappoint! Hope you enjoy :)

Kale, Smoked Salmon, and Egg Salad

Ingredients

- Smoked Salmon ( 6 oz )

- Kale ( 2 cups)

- Tomatoes  ( I used 2)

- Avocado (I used 1)

- Hard boiled eggs (I used 2)

- Coconut oil (for sautéing the Kale)

Directions

1.  Tear up smoked salmon and place in salad bowl.

2.  Saute Kale with coconut oil and 2 Tbs. of water. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes (you don't want it too   limp).

3.  Cut up tomatoes and avocados into chunks and add to a salad bowl.

4.  Crack, peel, and cut up hard boiled eggs

5.  Add all remaining ingredients to the salad bowl and mix together. 

* I did not add dressing but you could add a vinaigrette or another dressing of your choosing!

* For anyone doing the 21 Day Fix this would be (Green, Red, teaspoon, and orange if you added dressing)!

Enjoy,

Deanna :)

Healthier Mac & Cheese with Kale

 The little dudes in my house are obsessed with Mac & Cheese (mac-a-noonies as they like to say it)! For real though these two will ask for Mac & Cheese for breakfast/lunch/dinner! I was excited to find a healthier option and the boys really liked it! They couldn't believe I added yogurt! I originally got this recipe from http://cookingalamel.com/ and I tweaked it some to fit what I had! 

Ingredients:

- 8 oz. whole wheat elbow macaroni 

- 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (I used Fage from Costco) 

- 1.5 cup Kale 

- 1/4 tsp. onion powder

- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

- salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni according to box description. 

2. Place Kale in the bottom of a strainer. Pour pasta over the kale to drain the water and blanch the kale. Save 1/2 cup of pasta water. 

3. Return pasta and kale to the pot.

4. Add 1/4 cup pasta water. Stir in remaining ingredients and add remaining pasta water as needed for creaminess.  

5. Serve right away  (it will get clumpy if it sits out)!!!

 Enjoy

Deanna

Vegetarian Chili

Made some delicious Chili today! It recipe is not spicy, this girl does not do spicy! You can also easily substitute out the vegetarian hamburger for hamburger. I have definitely been enjoying the scrumptious smell today! I hope you enjoy as much as we do....

 Serves 6

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. vegetarian hamburger  
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 chopped green pepper 
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, undrained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• 1.5 cup uncooked whole wheat short pasta such as rotini or macaroni 

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in the crockpot. Stir to mix it together. 
2. Cover with lid, and cook on low heat setting for 4 hours. After 4 hours, add pasta to slow cooker and stir until all pasta is submerged in liquid; turn heat to high and cook for 15 – 20 minutes or until pasta is al dente. 

All three dudes in this house went back for seconds (me included)!

* If you are using meat Brow before mixing in the crockpot.

* 21 Day Fixers: 1 Purple, 1 green, teaspoon, 1 red per serving. 

Enjoy,

Deanna

21 Day Fix Mini Pizzas

We love making homemade pizza at our house!!! The boys love picking their toppings. I like to call it a topping bar and they walk along the little bowls and choose which ones they like! This is a win-win for me because they get to choose and I will because I chose the options! I usually have: olives, cheese, peppers, pineapple, vegetarian hamburger, etc.

Hope you have as much fun as we do!

*Serving size: 1 english muffin each

Ingredients

• 2 whole wheat English muffins 
• 1 purple of sauce (You can use homemade or store bought. If you are using store bought, try to use organic with no added sugar)
• 1 blue container of mozzarella cheese
• Seasoning of your choice (oregano, salt, pepper, etc.)
• Whatever toppings you want to add!

Directions

1. Split English muffins and place in the oven at 350 degrees until toasted. (Or, you can toast them in a regular toaster or toaster oven.)
2. Divide sauce evenly among the four halves.
3. Divide cheese evenly among the four halves.
4. Top with seasoning and toppings of your choice.
5. Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted.

Enjoy,

Deanna :)

Get Fit & Be Thankful Before you Feast

Annual Get Fit & Be Thankful Before you Feast Challenge

All alright ladies and gentlemen it's officially, "that time of year" again! Think holiday parties, baked goods up the wazoo, the kids are off from school more, and stress levels tend to rise. Now this time of year is my JAM. This is no joke, my inner 4 year old comes out from now until Jan. 2nd and I LOVE it! 


However, did you know that the Average american gains 5-10 pounds during the last couple months of the year (SAY WHAT)...yep it;s the truth.Now I did some master-minding and ask the question, "how can I help people not loose their progress, stay on track, and jump start their January resolutions...all while being able to eat there pumpkin pies??????

First off I am re-committing hard core to my 80/20 rule! What is that you may ask... My game plan is to keep my eating healthy and clean 80% of the time and allow myself treats and goodies 20% of the time. A healthy lifestyle is all about balance and this rule helps me remember that! Also it's import to think about when your treat meals are going to be! For instance, if you're going on a date, it will probably be a cheat meal. If it's Thanksgiving, you will probably have a cheat meal ;) You get the idea, if I know when my cheat meal will be then it helps hold me accountable the rest of the week!Now HOW can I help you and hold me accountable as well during this Busy time of year?Launch a Get Fit & Be Thankful Challenge group of course!!! 

Fitness Plan:It is 30 minute workouts, 6 days a week, all of them well rounded moderate exercise you can do from home.  The workouts are simple moves (anyone can do them), but still challenging and all you will need is a DVD player and a set of dumbbells.  It comes with a full calendar to follow. The 8 DVDs you will get are as follows:*Upper Fix, Lower Fix (Weight workouts)*Total Body Cardio Fix, Cardio Fix (Cardio workouts)*Pilates*Yoga (Optional for Sunday/Rest Day)*10 Minute Abs*Bonus DVD for ordering through a coach: Plyo Fix (Cardio)

Nutrition Plan:The nutrition plan comes with a portion control container system you use throughout the 21 days.  This portion control system is where a lot of people get the results! It helps you calculate exactly what portion sizes to eat, as well as maintain a healthy balance between proteins, fruits, vegetables, complex carbs, and healthy fats. It's very simple to use, and very effective! You will essentially get 8 different color-coded containers.  It will tell you how many of each of those colors (food groups) to eat each day. For example, eat 4 reds (protein container), 3 greens (vegetables), 2 yellows (complex carbs), etc.  You then use the containers to measure out the portion. It may sound difficult, but I promise it is very easy. Below are a few videos you can watch for more information.  Once you own the program, you can continue to do as many rounds as you want of the 21 Days to get the results you want and maintain them! ** Want more information and to see my transformation with the 21 Day Fix, check out this post!

Special THIS month:

• Be entered to win an entire program FREE: So as a little extra motivation I will enter your name into a drawing to win the 21 Day Fix Extreme for FREE, when you sign up before Thanksgiving day. 

• Share what we are Thankful for to keep us motivated and positive all month: I feel like it's important to remember whats important to us and to think each day about why it was a good day. By consciously thinking about the positive things that happen we will become more positive!

• I will post Thanksgiving recipes: Some healthier options for the big day :)

So 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 Challenge group plays a key role in helping you reach your health and fitness goals.  I can NOT wait for you to join me on November 9th!So who's with me?? Let's feel confident, stay thankful, and reach our goals together in November :) I will only be accepting 10 people into this group, please feel free to fill out the application below with your email address and contact information, and I will send you more details about the group specifics!

I can't wait to chat,

Deanna 

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!