Avocado Pudding

The avocado has so many health benefits! I love them with everything, especially as a guacamole.  They have healthy fats, potassium and vitamin C  which are just a few of the many benefits.  

People hear the word "fat" and freak out!! But trust me... eating an avocado will not have detrimental affects on your booty! I try to get my healthy fats in everyday some how.  Inspired by magic bullet infomercial--- I have concocted a little avocado pudding! It's a sweeter way to get your healthy fats and you can't even taste the avocado!

First, gather your stuff!

Unsweetened vanilla Almond milk (1/3-1/2 of a cup)

Honey (2-3 tbs)

1/2 avocado

3 tbs unsweetened cocoa

2-3 packets of truvia 

(yeah, I'm not big on measuring haha)

Add all of your ingredients to your magic bullet or food processor

Blend until smooth  If it tastes bitter, add a little more truvia.  It tastes like chocolate pudding.  Makes a great dessert :-)

If you try it, let me know what you think :-)  I think I'm having another tonight!!

Grillin' time!!

Summertime is grilling time.  Since I live in an apartment, I can't have a grill so the George Foreman will have to do.  I made this awesome turkey burger recipe from Oxygen Magazine and it tasted AMAZING.  We have made 3 batches! lol.  I modified it a bit to make it more moist (I really hate that word.)

Turkey Waldorf Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 small apple  (diced)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup Bragg's liquid amino's

1/2 tsp kosher sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

All the ingredients!

Add all ingredients into a large bowl

yummy, right?


Mix well with clean hands (or a big spoon if you are weird about touching raw meat)

"sssssssssssss"


Cook thoroughly until you see no pink (the magazine says 7 minutes each side...it was about 16 minutes on the George)

Yummmy!! :-)


ENJOY!!!!


Nick and I really love them, I think you will too. I love the recipes in Oxygen

Have a great weekend!!

What I Ate Wednesday

I CAN NEVER GET THESE DARN LINKS TO WORK!!! Is there a tutorial???

What I ate Wednesday with Jen at Peas and Crayons

During the work week, I pretty much eat the same thing every day. Although, I do like to switch it up every now and again.

I do not work a typical "9-5" since I do home based therapy.  I am driving.... a lot.  I do my best to stay on track and eat every 2-3 hours. I'll even drink a protein shake in session if it comes down to no time!! 

It is rare for me to actually be able to sit down and eat.  Many times, I'm in the car or driving trying not to make a mess of myself or the car in the process.  

I hope that this proves that IT IS POSSIBLE to eat clean and healthy, even when your schedule is not so predictable.  You just have to make it a priority and make it work.

Being prepared is the key!!!

PBJ overnight oats and water

Whey Protein shake and a banana (PWO)

Spinach salad with chicken, crasins, onion, almonds, balsamic vinegar and 2 brown rice cakes. 

Hummus, carrots, green pepper and cucumber and 2 hard boiled eggs

Tilapia, Kale chips and Mocha Java Shakeology

I usually have a snack before bed but I didn't last night. I really think the Shakeo filled me up!!

Yesterday was a very busy day at work but I still stayed on point with my meals.  I hope this gives some hope for those out there with crazy, unpredictable work schedules!

Weekend...where did you go?

Why does the weekend go so fast?! It seems like it's over before it even starts.  I had a great weekend spent with Nick and friends.  I went to a yummy restaurant with my friend Nicole Friday night.  I ate all of my food before I could take a pic (I'm a hungry gal).  It was so yummy and I could have brown rice!! They even have brown rice sushi (Nick's fave).  My Shakeology came on Saturday.  I had it plain with water after my workout.  (Not something I plan to do often!!) But on Sunday I had it in a smoothie with frozen banana, peanut butter and unsweetened almond milk with 1/2 of a packet of Truvia and WOW!! Delicious!!! Now I love Shakeology!! I feel great after drinking it. (Even Nick kept sneaking sips!!) 

That evening we went to a local brewery and a baseball game.  They had AMAZING fireworks and played Beatles music.  Pretty cool! Sunday was just a lazy day spent with Chloe and doing laundry and of course, food prepping.  

Have a great week!!

The "Hulk" Green Monster Smoothie

I love smoothies, but don't make them often due to always being on the go for work and such.  One of my favorite smoothies to make is my version of a "Green Monster Smoothie."  I also like to call it "The Hulk." I've seen other versions of this on Pinterest, but I decided to create my own!

Place all ingredients in a blender or Magic Bullet

Ingredients

1 frozen banana (peeled and cut ahead of time.....trust me!)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

3-4 TBS Peanut butter (or 5.....)

1 heaping TBS plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 handful of spinach (stay with me now...)

Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk (about 1/2 a cup maybe a bit more....I just add until the other ingredients are pretty much covered but not full to the top... I put this in last!!)

Blend until smooth.  Add more Almond Milk if needed.

I promise that you can't even taste the spinach! It's great as a meal replacement or post workout.  I hope you like it!

I'm Back!

Yes, I am trying my hand at blogging again.  Apparently things get busier when you are done with grad school!  I'm sure my 10 readers missed me so much!! :-) haha. Lots has happened since September!!

I got Engaged!!

Yes sir, after 5 years, Nick popped the question!!It was on my birthday :-) He had me open 3 presents (in clothes boxes) and the third box was the ring.  So sweet! I love that it was just he and I and not in front of a huge audience.  He picked out a beautiful ring. We went out to dinner that evening and ate in a private room which used to be a vault because the turned a bank into a restaurant.  Best birthday ever!

I went on a cruise!
I got to go on vacation with Nick and his family.  It was a blast! It was the first time I ever spent the holidays away from my family, but it was the first time in 5 years I got to kiss Nick at midnight on New Years.  We went to amazing beaches, went ziplining and snorkeling.  It was a lot of fun!!

I'm no longer a vegetarian (*ducks from PETA*)

No, I'm not a carnivore now!!! But I did start to eat meat again.  I was a vegetarian for 2 years.  I think it really helped me get healthier and change my eating habits for the better, but I also became more into eating clean and fitness and I found that it was too hard for me to eat clean as a vegetarian.  I don't eat red meat or pork.  I still cook lots of protein packed vegetarian meals, but I have found that it works for me and that's what matters.  I love making clean meals for me and Nick (he is picky too, so it's awesome when I make something he can eat!!)

Side note:  I did not get sick when I started eating it again, which I was warned about.  I must have a stomach of steel!!!!

I got a new job and moved!

After 3 years of living apart, Nick and I were finally able to move in together in our own apartment.  I had to move about 2 hours away from where I was living so that means, yet again, another new job.  I applied to an agency that has an awesome reputation so I interviewed with them on President's Day and they must have liked me enough to offer me the job the next day!  I was really excited and didn't even want to do the 2 other interviews I had lined up, so I canceled them (they were for the following week).  Leaving my old job, work friends and my clients was really hard, but I am happy to finally be in the same city as my fiance!  I really like my job and my manager is awesome. I still work with the Early Childhood population. It's community based work which has its ups and downs, but I don't mind so far (that will change in winter I'm sure).

2nd job!

The last new thing that has happened is after 2 years of contemplating it, I decided to become a Beachbody coach.  I am a gym rat and have a supplement stack that works for me, so I was hesitant and almost backed out again.  I thought, how can I promote something if I don't have a "success story."  But I know that the products work if people commit to it.  I tried Insanity (mentioned in a previous post) and I couldn't even sit down the next day!! I have several friends who have lost weight and inches and toned up from using the programs and Shakeology.  I hope that I can help people reach their fitness goals! I may be a gym rat, but I know that many people are not or simply can't find time to go.  I plan to try a workout program soon like RevAbs or Brazilian Butt lift, and possibly P90X in the winter.  I'm excited! 

I hope to update this more regularly again so stop back and leave comments :-)

New (old) stuff!

Today was a successful shopping day!

I would say I have champagne taste on a beer budget.  I prefer the more quality clothing, but I typically don't like to spend that much money on something.  So, I end up gettting clothes from the less expensive stores but then they unravel or fray or shrink.  I went to TJMaxx and some other similar stores.  Here is all the stuff I got today (minus the cat *lol*)

I was looking for more fall/winter work shirts but ended up with this:

1. Workout shirt

2.  Banana Republic top

3. Puma socks

4. Phillip's earbuds

5.  Ralph Lauren Polo

6. NY&Co Cardigan

7.  Workout shorts

8. WH/BM top

9. Black Pumps

10. & 11 Camis

All under $100!! Wooot!

Have a nice weekend!