Summer of Popsicles!

How I compete with miss Honey. pictures to come!
We have a sweet neighbor that gives out candy all the neighborhood kids. She even tells them to call her "Miss Honey".
So sometimes my little friends knock on my door and ask for something. Here's what I did: I went down to Bed, Bath and Beyond and bought 2 popsicle molds on clearance for 2.99 each. Each mold holds 4 popsicles. (I also used 2- 20% off coupons to save 60 cents each, if you want a coupon let me know, I have tons!)
Now, I fill my popsicle molds with 100% juice and sometimes I cut up fresh berries and throw that in too.
I love it that I can give them something healthy without all the sugar. One of the little girls said, "Homemade popsicles are my favorite!" Sometimes I have to fill my molds up several times a day depending on demand.
Christian eats about 3 popsicles a day. He knows how to open the freezer and get one out. He says "pawsica" So cute!

Veggie Pizza

Pizza Crust: (this is the best/easiest whole wheat pizza crust I have) If you have a better one let me know)

2 cups Wheat Flour, unbleached (you could also use a combination of whole wheat or spelt with the wheat flour)
½-1 tsp Real Salt or Himalayan Salt (depending on how salty you'd like it)
2 tsp non-aluminum Baking Powder
2/3 cup Water
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Combined dry ingredients and then pour in the wet ones. Roll out on a cookie sheet or pizza stone to desired shape and size (makes 1 large crust)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook crust 25 minutes.



Pizza Sauce:
8 oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 TB agave
1/4 cup Olive Oil
fresh garlic, basil, oregano to taste

I just combine this in a bowl and then spread it over the crust.

Toppings:
onion (bountiful baskets)
tomatoes ( garden)
green and red bell peppers (bountiful baskets)
zucchini (garden)
broccoli ( bountiful baskets)
and a little cheese!

I roasted my toppings in the broiler for about 7 minutes with a little cococut oil.

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas!

Don't you just love crock pot recipes? Just perfect for Sunday! We got a few bell peppers and an onion in our baskets this week so I decided to make this for Sunday dinner. Wish I had a picture!

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

2-3 Frozen Chicken Breast, skinless
2 & 1/2 cups natural chunky salsa
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1/2 large onion, sliced
1/2 zucchini, sliced (mine was from my garden, yum! Nobody else like zucchini, but me so I had to sneak it in)
1 1/2 TBs fajita seasoning (if you don't have this just use chili powder and cumin or taco seasoning)

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 5-6 hours or 10-12 hours on low. Shred chicken before serving.

I put this all in the crock pot before church. Then when I came home I made some brown rice and steamed corn to go with it.
Then I got to work making the tortillas:

Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas:

2 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup Ground Flax Seed
1/2 tsp Real Salt
1 tsp aluminum free Baking Powder
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
1 cup hot water

Combine dry ingredients. Mix in oil until flour balls up. Pour in hot water slowly and mix. Make into 2 in diameter balls and then roll out into a tortilla (mine are never perfect circles). Cook over medium heat in non-stick skillet (no oil needed since it's in the mix). Cook about 1 minute on each side or until tortilla bubbles.

Everyone ate some Michael, Christian, Me and my parents. It sounds hard but we got home from Church at 4:20 and we were eating by 4:50.

The best diet ever! Recipes!

I have been getting a basket of fruits and veggies from Bountiful Baskets every week. Yum TONS of fruits and Veggies for just $15 dollars! This is definitely saving my grocery bill.

I have a goal to eat (with my family) all of the produce before it goes rancid. We have to eat at least on fruit and one veggie EVERY meal! We are eating like crazy!

Every week I make my meal plan based on what we get in our basket. I thought that I could share my meals and recipes on the blog.

It's taper time!

I am getting really nervous as the marathon gets closer. I have been so sore and tired from all of the training. On Saturday I had to walk about a mile of my 18 miler. I have been constantly sore these past few weeks. The farthest I will run this week will be about 8 miles and then next week I will run way less. My body needs the break. Anyone have any last minute tips? I want to run fast, and get it over with!

Ginger Snap Cookie Recipe

I love having healthy snacks around. I usually make a batch of healthy something and then eat them as my snack for the week (or day depending on how long they last)

Here are my yummy gingerbread cookies.

1/3 C. Coconut Oil
2/3 C. Molasses
1 egg (I usually substitute 1 TBSP ground flax seed and 2 TBSP water)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
3 cups grain mix flour* (*flour mixed from red quinoa, amoranth, buckwheat, barley, millet, oats, rice, rye, plus wheat, I use equal parts of each and then add more wheat, you can use whatever mixture you want I think it turns out better with more wheat though )

Mix ingredients in the order above. Roll out the dough and cut with cookie cutters. Bake 325deg for 5-8 minutes! Yum! I like these crunchy!

Exercise TV

I really love Exercise TV: www.exercisetv.tv/ .
This is great for anyone that wants to do a quick workout. They have tons of free videos of varying lengths and levels. Today I did the Rock Hard Arms ( 20 minutes). And the Yoga Stretch (10 minutes) I love doing a 5-10 minute stretching video after I run.

9 grain Pancakes or waffles

I make these almost every day...

2 cups almond milk (can substitute water if out of almond milk)
1 Tbsp ground flax seed (grind in the blender for 3 min with 3 TBSP water)
1 Tbsp coconut oil (substitute earth balance butter)
1/2 tsp real salt
1 1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder (rumford)
2 cups 9-grain flour (I use barley, millet, oats, brown rice, rye, wheat, amaranth, red quinoa, and buckwheat, equal parts, you can use any combination of flours you want as long as you add wheat too)
combine dry ingredients
stir in wet ingredients
cook on hot waffle iron or pancake griddle oiled for the first time

The little ones just love these! (and the big ones too!)

Too much wedding cake

Actually when I said that last week was a bad week I meant that I gained 5 lb. In one week! I totally slacked off on my miles and my eating. I know that 5 lb isn't a huge deal but I really want to get down to my ideal race weight for the marathon in 6 1/2 weeks. This will help me to run as fast as possible. I was wanting to lose 3-5lbs before the race, but now with this setback I should lose 8-10lb!
This next week I am going to really focus on meals and miles!

Thurday Arm Workout

Here is my arm workout for tomorrow!
Heavy + body weight

3 sets of 8-12 reps
1. Upside down pushups (at the squat bar with my body at a diagonal with the ground pull myself up, they do these on the biggest loser all the time)
2. Bench dips with 10-15lb weight in my lap.
3. Wide Grip lat pull downs
4. Medium grip seated cable row
5. Hammer curls (biceps curl with palms facing eachother) 15lb
6. Shoulder Shrugs 15-20lb
7. Lateral Raises 8-10lb
8. Plank 3 minutes (1 minute in push up position and 1 minute on each side)

Buff Arm Challenge- Workout for Tuesday

I totally slacked off last week. There was family and a wedding (it was awesome). Back to reality!

Here is an arm workout for tomorrow.

(5-10 lbs 16reps 2 sets)

1. Biceps Curl
2. Overhead triceps extensions
3. Chest flys (lie down weight goes out)
4. Upright rows
5. Tricep dips (on a bench, push with arms not body)
6 Texas T's (my nickname)
With a dumbbell in each hand and keeping arms straight, extend arms forward to shoulder height (palms facing eachother). Keeping arms straight press arms out to sides hold for 1 sec. Press arms back together in front of chest (arms still straight) Release arms down for 1 rep.
7. Shoulder press with dumbells (palms facing out)
Start with arms bent right next to shoulders press weights straight above head and back for 1 rep.
8. Back Presses
With a dumbbell in each hand bend forward from the waist with arms by sides (feet should be hip distance apart). With the arms behind your body press dumbbells together and back apart for 1 rep. (very small movement)

Pose Running: Wanna run easier?

I am training for my first marathon! AHH! I have been trying to run pose. What's pose? I really think this is the right way to run. Here is a link :
http://www.posetech.com/pose_method/pose-method.html.
Check it out. Hopefully this will help me have a faster and easier marathon.

My Quinoa Tabouli Recipe

Just the way I like it.

1/2 Cup diced tomatoes (I like romas)
1/2 Cup diced Cucumber
1/2 Cup finely chopped yellow or white onions
1/2 Cup finely chopped green parsely
1/2 Teaspoon garlic
1/4 Cup fat free italian salad dressing (I use good season's and make my own)
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup cooked red quinoa
1/2 Cup grape-nuts cereal (I love the crunchiness)

Mix all ingredients together except for cereal and quinoa; cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Stir in cereal and quinoa 30 minutes before serving.

Thursday Arm workout- Week 1 Buff Arm Challenge

Today I am going to lift HEAVY (15-25lbs, less reps) I have heard that lifting heavy/less reps actually burns more calories than lifting light/more reps. I am going to put alternate between heavy and light days for variety. I am going to go through the entire circuit 3 times.

Circuit:
1 set
1. Bicep curls 15lb/10r (2 15# dumbbells)
2. Skull crushers 20lb/10r (use bar, tricep)
3. Cardio: 30 sec Mountain Climbers
4. Shoulder Press 10lb/10r (2 10# db shoulders)
5. Upright rows 20lb/10r (shoulders, back, 2 10#db)
6. Front raises 5lb/10r (shoulders)
7. Cardio burst: 10 blurpees
8. Pushups 12 (pecs, shoulders, triceps)

2 set

1. Bicep curls 20lb/8r (2 20# db alternate arms if needed
2. Skull crushers 25lb/8r (use bar, tricep)
3. Cardio: 30 sec Mountain Climbers
4. Shoulder Press 12lb/8r (2 12# db shoulders)
5. Upright rows 15lb/8r (2 15# db shoulders, back)
6. Front raises 8lb/8r (2 8# db shoulders)
7. Cardio burst: 10 blurpees
8. Pushups 12 (pecs, shoulders, triceps)

3 set
1. Bicep curls 25lb/12r alternate arms
2. Skull crushers 30lb/6r (use bar, tricep)
3. Cardio: 30 sec Mountain Climbers
4. Shoulder Press 20lb/6r (2 20# db shoulders)
5. Upright rows 20lb/6 (2 20# db shoulders, back)
6. Front raises 10lb/6 (2 10lb db shoulders)
7. Cardio burst: 10 blurpees
8. Pushups 12 (pecs, shoulders, triceps)

This workout should take about 20 minutes.

oh and I never got around to running the 9 miler last night so I guess yesterday was my rest day! No more rest days this weeks! All or nothing!

How to make Chia Fresca

Here is my recipe for chia fresca;

2 tsp chia seeds
8 oz water (purified or distilled is best)
Juice of 1 lemon (sometimes I use lime too)

Cha-Cha-Cha- CHIA!

Whose tried Chia seeds? Yes it is the same chia that grows into the adorable Chia-pet!

It seems like there is a healthy chia movement sprung on by the book, Born to Run by , Chris McDougall. In the book, the native athletes of the Tarahumara Indian tribe are able to run super distances for days or weeks at a time with very little fuel. The one food source that they do bring with them is CHIA.


Why?

1. Chia absorbs ten times its volume in water. This hydrophilic quality helps the body hydrate. Hydrating is essential for athletes.
2. It is naturally bug resistant
3. Chia has more OMEGA-3's than any other vegetable.
4. It has 3X the antioxidants of blueberries
5. More Calcium than Milk
6. More iron than spinach - iron helps carry Oxygen in the blood
7. More protein than beans or soy
8. Folic acid in chia promotes a healthy pregnancy, brain function, cancer prevention, intestinal health, circulation, and teeth and gums.
9. More Vitamin C than oranges
10. Good Source of Fiber -Keeps you regular.

Source: Ultimate Chia-life, Renew life package.

Unlike Flax seed you do not have to soak or blend chia.

Here are some ways that I have incorporated Chia into my diet everyday:

Lots of days I just take a spoonful out of the package and eat it with a glass of water, But I want my family to eat it too so I:
Sprinkle it on Apples
Mix it Into pureed soups
Put it On salads, Yogurt, cereal and Sandwiches- I mix it in with my jelly.
Mix it in my pancakes, flax smoothies, ECT

Get Creative!