Lemon Garlic Tilapia

You are in for a treat (if you like fish) This is one of my absolute favorite go-to recipes, it is packed with flavor and super quick/easy to make.  When hubby & I decided to get fit in 2009, I stumbled across this recipe somewhere and have been making it ever since.  

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

Ingredients:
4 tilapia fillets
1 TB olive oil
1 TB butter
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
dash of salt
cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place tilapia inside pan.
2. Melt butter in microwave (10-15 seconds).  Add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, & parsley flakes.  Saute for a few minutes and pour over tilapia. Sprinkle cayenne pepper (optional)
3.  Bake for 13 min. Broil for 2-3.
***Note, I've been using the larger tilapia fillets sold at Costco, and have been baking for 20 minutes***

...

As you can see in the pic, I usually accompany this with quinoa (with lemon juice, salt/pepper) and a veggie.  Even my daughter loves this recipe (light on the cayenne pepper)

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am overdue for sharing a recipe, so let's make it a tasty one!  As far as my sweet tooth is concerned, I usually don't obsess about my dessert being healthy.  I just indulge on occasion, in moderation.  During the holiday season, I like to use craisins & white chocolate chips to add a little more festive-ness to this recipe.

 Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cup wheat flour

1/4 cup white flour

1 1/2 cup rolled oats

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

2 TB cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup raisins (or craisins!)

3/4 cup (white) chocolate chips

Directions

1. Combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt

3. Add dry mixture, a little at a time (about 1 cup) into the wet mixture, until well blended

4. Add the vanilla and blend

5. Stir the white chocolate chips and craisins into the mixture.

6. Chill the dough for 30 minutes

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and spoon dough in 1 to 1-1/2 inch balls onto the sheet.

8. Bake for 9-10 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

9. ENJOY!

....

This can make 2-3 dozen cookies depending on the size of your scoop.  So chewy and delish, and always a hit around Christmas time.

I originally got my recipe from Erica's Sweeth Tooth, but tweaked it in a few areas.

Yay for treats!  Remember, all things are ok in moderation.  It's ok to indulge from time to time and have no regrets.

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful holiday season!

Lex

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I found one of my new favorite recipes. Can you say YUM?  Here is where I found the recipe.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

1 TB olive oil
1 pound ground chicken(or turkey)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 TB soy sauce
1 TB rice vinegar
1 TB freshly grated ginger

1/2 C carrots, diced
1 tsp Sriracha,(or to taste)

1 -8-oz can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced 

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 head butter lettuce

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.
2. Stir in garlic, onion, carrots, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and Sriracha until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.


Managed to have enough for lunch the next day too, which is always a plus.

Don't forget to use your favorite hot sauce!  Cholula anyone?

Until next time,

Lex

Tilapia with Kale and Tomato

You know I love me some Shaun T. ♥

This recipe is straight from the T25 recipe booklet. It's not only healthy and full of flavor, but super easy and quick to make. Yesssssss!

Tilapia with Kale and Tomato

Ingredients(for 2 servings):

2 (6 oz) raw tilapia filets

Sea salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

4 cups fresh kale, chopped

1 can of diced tomatoes, with juice

Directions:

1.  Season both sides of tilapia with sea salt and pepper.  Set aside

2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and kale, stirring frequently for about 1-2 minutes.

4. Add tomatoes with juice. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.

5. Place tilapia on top of kale mixture and cover to cook for about 1 minute. Gently turn tilapia over and cook for additional 2-3 minutes (or until cooked through and flakes easily with a fork)

6.  Remove from heat and ENJOY!

We always make a side of quinoa to compliment this amazing dish, and usually end up using diced tomatoes with green chiles to add a little kick (and maaaaybe some cholula)

And yes, even my *almost* 2 year old loves it.  This makes me super happy, because I'm always worried about her getting enough healthy fats.

That does it for today's post, until next time!

Lex

Blueberry Banana Overnight Oats

Yum, yum, yum! You are going to love this quick and easy meal prep. If you have a sweet tooth like me, you will really love it.  Here is where I found the recipe (18 others!).  We bought our mason jars (1 pint) at Costco: only $6 for a pack of 12! Below is our recipe for 1 mason jar, so be sure to multiply the amount of days you'd like to prep for.

Blueberry Banana Overnight Oats

Ingredients:

1/3 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup Almond milk

1/3 cup Greek Yogurt

1/3 cup blueberries

1 banana

1/3 cup KIND Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters (found at Target)

OR Something else crunchy (like nuts)

Directions:

1. Mix first 5 ingredients together into mason jar (or other air tight container) and secure lid tightly.

2. Let set overnight (at minimum 3-4 hours)

3. Wake up the next morning, top off with clusters and ENJOY!

How easy is that?  Not only is it delicious, but it starts your morning off right with some protein and complex carbs (which you need for energy to workout!).

I'm really excited to try some of the other ideas, maybe something with peanut butter (my fave!)

Hope everyone has a positive and healthy Tuesday!

 

Spinach Breakfast Casserole

Happy Saturday!  Next week I will be focusing on FITspiration Tip #4: Prep & Plan.  So if you want to jump on this train, Sundays are a great day to food prep for the week.  Do your mornings feel chaotic at times like mine do?  Once prepped, all you need it 20 seconds to warm this puppy. That's it.  Here is where I found my inspiration.

Spinach Breakfast Casserole

 

Ingredients:

12 egg whites (we buy them in bulk at Costco) 

2 cups chopped onions (we like sweet onions)

4 cups finely chopped spinach 

1 teaspoon garlic salt

optional:1/4 cup diced jalapeno slices (from a jar, not fresh)

optional: 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375*.  Whisk eggs in large bowl.  Stir in other ingredients and mix together.  

2.  Pour into 9x13 pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

3.  Bake at 375* for 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Keep refrigerated. Makes approx. 12 servings

...

With a new school year approaching, getting back into the swing of things can sometimes knock you on your booty.   This is a great option to have in your fridge when you are running out of time. It's easy for older kids to grab a slice and pop it in the micro for 20 seconds while you get your toddler ready for school drop-off.

 No more McDonald's drive through when you have a healthy, prepped meal just waiting for you in the fridge!

Hope everyone is having an amazing weekend so far!
Lex

Quinoa Fried "Rice"

I will be posting two recipes this week, since I forgot last week.  Sorry! My time management wasn't the best as I prepared for our trip this past weekend.

I love incorporating our staple "grain" (it's actually a seed) Quinoa. Pronounced KEEN-WAH.

Now you can ask your supermarket attendant with confidence...

..you're welcome!

 Hehe, sorry. I can be a litte sassy at times.

We buy ours in bulk at Costco, yay!

One of my favorite "cheat" meals is good ol' Chinese takeout.  If you live in the East Valley, you need to go to J&K Chinese Gourmet on your next cheat night. ;)  We just took Sofie for the first time and all she kept saying was "Mmm!" & "Yum yum yum!"  & "Num num, nom nom" Hahaha, that girl.

Here is a healthy version that we make at home.  Top it off with your choice of protein (chicken, steak, shrimp, tofu, etc). Yum yum, delicioso!  Here is where I found the recipe.

Quinoa Fried "Rice"

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa (or 2½ to 3 cups leftover cooked quinoa)

1 ½ cups water or low-sodium chicken stock

 ¼ small onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 scallions, chopped and divided

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 eggs, lightly scrambled (still raw)

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

Sauce:1 ½ tablespoons teriyaki sauce

2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

¾ teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

1.  Rinse quinoa a few times in cold water.

2. Bring quinoa and water or chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, and then reduce to a simmer. Season with salt.

3. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until quinoa is fluffy and cooked through. Remove from heat and let set for five minutes or so. Fluff with a fork.  Cool and store in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4.  Mix teriyaki, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

5.  Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over a high heat. Add onion and carrot, cook about two minutes. Add 2 scallions, garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook another two minutes. Add in the rest of the olive oil and the quinoa. Stir-fry about two minutes. 

6.  Add sauce and stir-fry until incorporated, about two minutes. Make a well in the center of the quinoa pour eggs in, scramble. Throw in peas, then toss everything together until the peas are warmed through, add remaining scallion and serve.  ENJOY!

This is an awesome recipe to make ahead of time and great for leftovers.  Unlike rice, quinoa keeps in the fridge very well for a few days.

 Yay for recipes!

Time to get back into the groove of clean eating after this weekend.  Holidays like the 4th of July will always have temptations for lots of fried food and yummy(sugary/caloric) drinks.  We attended our friend's wedding in Gallup, NM.  I will confess that I indulged in some cocktails, pizza, and other not-so-healthy foods.

Hubby & I in Gallup, NM

Ya gotta live a little right?  Don't dwell on the not-so-healthy choices you make, just start fresh and focus on the new day in front of you.  Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

  Lex

Lemon Garlic Shrimp over Cauliflower Mash

TGIF my friends!  As promised, here is my weekly recipe.  It's one of my favorites! Full of flavor and seriously makes me feel like an amazing cook. Here is where I found the recipe, the instructions below are also from there with a few tweaks.

  Bonus: it's gluten-free! (yes, I know it's all the rage! haha) We began eating gluten-free a few months before I got pregnant, and now we tend to steer clear from gluten by habit.  

I will be honest, I don't make it that often because I usually forget that it involves marinating the shrimp for a few hours.  Eek! You want to marinate for at least 1 hour. I usually do for 2-3.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp over Cauliflower Mash

Shrimp Marinade Ingredients:

Zest from 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined

Cauliflower Mash: 

1 head of cauliflower, cut into large-ish florets
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled
extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt, ground black pepper, & oregano to taste
1-2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Lemon Garlic Shrimp:
Marinated shrimp (from above)

6 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices turkey bacon
2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup white wine
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
pinch or two of dried oregano
juice of 1-2 lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Mix up the marinade ingredients for the shrimp.  Put the shrimp and the marinade in a resealable bag, mix it up well so all the shrimp have some marinade on them, and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 400F.  Place the cauliflower and garlic in a shallow roasting pan.  Toss with enough olive oil to coat the pan and the vegetables.  Season lightly with salt, pepper, and oregano.  Cover loosely with foil, and roast for 15 minutes.  Remove foil, and shake to mix up the vegetables for more even browning.  Roast uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until cauliflower and garlic are soft and lightly browned.  Remove from oven.

3. Using a food processor (Yay Vitamix!) puree cauliflower with a couple tablespoons of butter (or more).  Add the Parmesan cheese and mix well.  You want to end up with the cauliflower having the consistency of mashed potatoes or grits (fairly thick, not runny).  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Place in a heat-proof bowl and keep warm.

4. Cook turkey bacon until crispy, as desired(If in a pan, use the drippings when during next step).  I usually microwave them.  Chop into bacon bits.

5. In large saute pan, add two tablespoons and heat until melted over medium high heat.  Add onion and cook until softened.  Add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano, and saute for about a minute, stirring frequently.  Stir in wine.  Cook until liquid is reduced by half (will only take a few minutes), then add the shrimp.  Cook, stirring frequently to turn the shrimp, until shrimp are pink and opaque on both sides.  This should only take 3 or 4 minutes; do not overcook the shrimp or they will be rubbery!  Stir in the lemon juice and remove from heat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Serve the shrimp and sauce over the mashed cauliflower.  Garnish with chopped bacon.  ENJOY!!


 The first time I made this, Rob told me it tasted like it should be from a restaurant (and I am not the best cook).  I was very impressed with how delicious it turned out, especially because I was not sure the cauliflower mash would live up to my expectations.  I absolutely love mashed potatoes, and would eat them every day! Le sigh, gotta limit those starchy vegetables.

Well that does it for this post. It's Friday, can I get an AMEN?!

Hope you have an amazing weekend!

Lex

Mean Green Juice Recipe

Our household loves juicing!  I posted this on my Baby Hegarty blog recently.  Below is the recipe that we have been using for the last few years.  I initially found it here.

The fun part of juicing is that you can play around with it and add/remove as you like. Anyone that has ever tasted my Mean Green Juice has been pleasantly surprised!  Or maybe they just don't wanna hurt my feelings ;)  hehe, jk. 

Mean Green Juice

 

Ingredients:

handful spinach
2-3 stalks of kale
2-3 granny smith apples (any apples, really)
small handful parsley
1/2-1 lemon*
1-2 cucumbers

Double the recipe!

1. Start by using half a lemon and do a taste test once you juice it all and stir.  The first time Rob and I did this with a whole lemon, it made our mouths water. It was very tart.  (and I typically like sour)

2. Peel(I use a potato peeler) or slice off lemon rind leaving some of the white pith

3. To juice small leaves such as parsley/spinach, roll them up into a ball to compact the leaves. I like to follow it up with some apple or cucumber(more water content) so it doesn't get stuck and pushes through easier. Brilliant right? ;)

4. I like to add green grapes or kiwi (if I have them) to make it sweeter OR if I am low on apples

Since I juice for all 3 of us, I actually have doubled this recipe and it makes about 24-30 oz (depending on how big the cucumbers and apples are)

Why I love juicing?

So many reasons! 

1. Of course, it's super healthy for you.  This is a guaranteed way for us to make sure we are meeting our fruit/veggie count. I am aware that the fiber content is missing, but we also eat whole fruits/veggies in our house.  We also use ground flaxseed in our smoothies.

2. Energy boost, with no crash. No "Red Bull", "Rock Star", or "5 Hour Energy" in our house. Don't even need that afternoon coffee break. All we need is some nourishment and hydration from our vitamin-enriched Mean Green Juice!

3. Great "snack".  We eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day and are all about portion control.  This is a great "snack time" replacement.  After Breakfast/Before Lunch (Rob's fave)  or After lunch/Before Dinner (aka when Lex starts to get restless and is dreaming about Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or Cookies'n'Cream ice cream)  It's filling and quite refreshing!

Just to be clear, this is not a "meal replacement" of any sort.  If you want to drink this alongside one of your main meals, that's great too! Trade in that sugary-loaded Diet Coke for a glass of this amazing-ness.

The juicer that we use is the Jack LaLanne Juicer that we bought from Costco a few years back. They still sell it there for $90!  Such a great invesment, and Costco has the best warranty/return policy.  If you plan to juice for a few days, try to use a glass container to keep the juice longer.  It's true that it's best to drink it right after making it, but let's be real. Ain't nobody got time for dat!  I juice enough for 2 days, and juice every other day.  I hit the jackpot and found this awesome glass jug on Amazon and bought 2!  Amazon Prime is my weakness, haha.

Please let me know if you think of any other juicing questions, and let me know what you think if you decide to try it.  This has been the only juice that my daughter has known.  She sees her sippy cup and says "Juice!" and chugs it. No joke. She is our mini health nut.

Around her 1st birthday, shopping at Target and drinkin' some Mean Green Juice!

 That's my recipe for this week.  Hope everyone is having an amazing "hump day" so far!

DIY Burrito Bowl

Do you love Chipotle as much as I do? Yum, yum, yum.  When you have a toddler, it is a luxury to "go grab dinner." It's like you're packing for an overnight trip, right?  So, we like to copy our favorite restaurants and make similar dishes in the luxury of our own home.

This is a quick, last minute recipe that we make when we are short for time and forgot to prep dinner.  You can use chicken, steak, tofu, shrimp, etc. That is why I call it the "DIY Burrito Bowl."  It literally took 5 minutes to throw together, because of the already cooked chicken burgers we love from Costco.

DIY Burrito Bowl

Ingredients(feeds 2):

2 Chicken Burgers (or your choice of protein)

1 bag of Quinoa & Brown Rice (also found at Costco)

1 can of black beans

1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 Avocado, diced

Lime

Onions, chopped & sauteed (optional)

Diced tomatoes from Wal Mart, Quinoa/Brown rice & black beans from Costco.

Chicken burgers from Costco!

Directions

1. Prepare chicken according to instructions (grill or microwave)

2. Prepare Quinoa & Brown rice; only 90 seconds in the microwave

3.Warm up diced tomatoes and black beans in side dishes

4. Mix together and add avocado, lime, salsa, whatever-you-like

We always have canned black beans, diced tomatoes, & Quinoa/Brown rice packages in our pantry.  That is how we avoid making last minute, rash decisions to eat fast food or takeout.  So important to "prep" your pantry to have healthier options available.

 Did I mention this makes for great leftovers for lunch?  Even the hubby agrees! If you know him, he can be a picky eater when it comes to leftovers.

Thanks Chipotle for inspiring this recipe! ;)

Until next time,

Lex

Quinoa & Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Eek, I am slacking on my blog updates lately.  Sorry!  Here is one of my absolute favorite meals.  It can feed the masses or make awesome left overs.  Best of all, Sofie loves it!  Here is where I found the recipe.

Quinoa is a staple in the Hegarty household.  We have replaced dishes that use pasta or brown rice with this awesome seed.  Yup, you heard it right.  Though it is cooked like a grain, it is actually a seed.  So all my peeps that like the "Paleo Diet aka Caveman Diet" will love this!

Quinoa & Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Here is what the website says about how to cook Quinoa:

"Quinoa must be washed in a strainer before cooking because it is covered with a layer of saponin. This natural coating has a slightly bitter flavor. When you rinse quinoa, it looks a bit frothy in the water. This is the saponin washing away. Quinoa is versatile in the kitchen. After washing, place 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water or vegetable stock in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and lower the heat to simmer. It takes about 20 minutes to cook until tender.  When cooked, the quinoa has a rich nutty flavor." (citronlimette.com)

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
 ½ cup chopped onion
½ cup diced carrot
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground turkey
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup tomato sauce
2 large bell peppers, washed
2 cup cooked quinoa
½ chicken broth
¼ cup shredded 2% reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

 Instructions:

1. Cook quinoa according to instructions.  It takes about 15-20 minutes.  While it cooks, cut the peppers in half, lengthwise & remove seeds. 
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 TB olive oil.
3. Add onion, carrot, garlic and cook 2 minutes.
4. Add ground turkey, salt, pepper, garlic powder and brown several minutes until cooked through.
5. Add parsley and tomato sauce.
6. Mix well. Combine cooked quinoa and meat together.
7. Place in a baking dish. Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper half.
8. Pour ½ cup chicken broth on the bottom of the pan. Cover tight with aluminum foil and bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes. Top with cheese. (optional)

 Ta da! We also love to top it off with some hot sauce (Cholula please!)

Our little health nut!

My goal is to post one recipe each week on my blog and will eventually have them all on my FITspiration Mom Pinterest page.

Hope everyone is having an amazing week so far!

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

mmm, Mmm, MMM! This is a super easy recipe and is really tasty with healthy ingredients. It's a win-win! I love to enjoy 1 (ok, sometimes 2) with my morning coffee, and both Rob & Sofie love them as well. Makes me heart happy. :D

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Oops, I switched the name! Haha

 I originally got my recipe here.

Ingredients:

2.5 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup plain low fat greek yogurt
2 eggs
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 TBSP ground flax seed
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 ripe bananas 
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (yes!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray tin with non-stick cooking spray or line 12 muffin tins with silicone or foil liners.
2. Place the oats in the food processor(I use my Vitamix) and pulse for about 10 seconds.  Add remaining ingredients.

3. Process until everything is mixed together and oats are smooth.

4. Divide batter among cupcake liners, and bake for 15ish minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

5. Cool on wire rack, and then ENJOY!

I just saw that the blog I swiped this recipe from is now baking at 350 degrees, I will have to try that next time.  My oven bakes things a little quicker, so I tend to shave off 3-5 minutes and check the goods a few times.

This is a great "Sunday Food Prep" item, if you want something quick and on the go.  Plus, it has mini chocolate chips in it!

I love baking, and would like to make an effort to bake more often.  My sweet tooth is always looking for a fix ;)

 In addition to my bake sesh, hubby & I participated in the Tempe International Triathlon yesterday.  It's been a tradition with his side of the family for as long as we have been together(and more)  I think it's an awesome way to encourage each other to stay active and another fun way to spend time together.

Our relay team name was "Tri Anything": Rob swam(and ran for another team), my fellow fit step-mama, Amber, did the bike, and yours truly finished it up with the run. It's something we look forward to every year and every year I get really pumped and vow to do my own triathlon by myself.  One day. Hopes and dreams, people!  It's good to make both short-term and long-term goals. Does 5 years count as long-term? Hehe

Sofie cheering us on, Hubby & I before the run, and the family participants this year!

It's also a tradition to take a pic of us flexing! Good times with a great family. ♥

 Ok, time to keep this Monday as productive as possible.  Make it a great day!

 Lex 

Grilled Chicken Pita with Avocado Spread

You'll come to notice that avocados are a staple in the Hegarty household.  We love us some avocado!  It's my favorite type of fat, haha. Well...it is a healthy fat, of course, and has so many other great health benefits. Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber content.  It is a great food choice that is considered to be nutrient-dense, meaning it provides substantial amounts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients with relatively few calories. (read more at Avocado Central)

I hafta admit; I am not the main cook in our house( I can cook, but Rob loves to cook and is really great at making up new recipes) So, this is one of the many recipes Rob has thrown together. It is so full of flavorful and filling.  Who says eating healthier has to be bland or boring?

*note* This recipe feeds 2 (we eat smaller portions)

Grilled Chicken Pita with Avocado Spread

 Ingredients: 

1 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast

1-2 avocados

1/2 lemon

1-2 TB Olive oil (for sauteing) 

1/2 onion

1 stalk of Kale, chopped (sub Spinach)

1 bell pepper, chopped (long thin pieces)

2 pitas

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Garlic Powder, to taste

Lawry's, to taste *optional

Directions:

1. Chop onions and Kale (and Bell Peppers, we didn't have any this go around) and saute over medium heat with Olive oil.

2. Flatten chicken breast with mallet and sprinkle each side with spices. We use salt, pepper, and garlic salt.  Sometimes we use Lawry's too.  Grill chicken for about 10 minutes. Chop or shred.

3. Put avocado in a bowl and use a fork to mash it up.  Squeeze lemon juice, to taste (maybe 1 tsp?) and mix.

4.  Optional: Use low/medium heat with Olive oil to warm up pitas. Spread Avocado mix onto pita and add all the yummy ingredients.  Add another squeeze of lemon (if you want) or your favorite hot sauce (we love Cholula) and ENJOY!

Our little healthnut enjoyed herself some pita bread, grilled chicken, and avocado too!

When Sofie was weaned off of her bottle, it was impossible for me to get her to drink more than 5 oz of milk per day (according to her doc, it was recommended that she consume an average of 16-24 oz of whole milk) Fortunately, she came around to liking avocado and that's where she gets the majority of her healthy fat intake.

Welp, that does it for this post, until next time my friends!

Lex

My FITspiration story

Hello my peeps, I figured I should take some time to tell you more about me. I grew up being active and have played soccer since I was 8.  I played on club teams year-round, High school Varsity soccer all 4 years (Chandler High), and 2 years at one of our local community colleges (CGCC/Chandler-Gilbert).  I didn't realize how much junk food I ate until I was no longer playing soccer 5-6 days a week .  My freshman 15 was more like sophomore 30!  This was my first experience with weight gain.  Late night bean & cheese burritos from our local mexican joint and beer pong is a normal college requirement right? 

It was during that "party girl" era that I was re-acquainted with my husband Rob (we met at CGCC!) Becoming engaged was my first "FITspiration" aha! moment.  I looked in the mirror and realized I had lost the muscle tone that my dear friend, Soccer, gave me.  I replaced it with an extra 25-30 lbs of bloat caused by way too much soda, alcohol, fast food, etc.  We set a wedding date, only 9 months from our engagement.  Did I have it in me to get in shape for this wedding?!?  I never really had to "work" for this, because playing soccer was something fun and I loved it! Sure, I dreaded those 2-a-days, but I had my coaches & my teammates depending on me and holding me accountable.

Wedding planning was upon me, and I found my dress!  I had to order a size 12.  I was truly happy to be getting married to the love of my life, and felt incredibly blessed knowing that he loved me for who I was as a person and not the for what "size" I was.  Still, I was discouraged by my insecurity. Nothing like a wedding dress to motivate you! 

This was around the time that P90X was becoming really popular, so Rob & I invested in the program and gave it a try.  Oh, how I wish I could find my before pics (seriously a MUST).  And HOLY crap did it kick my butt.  I don't even think I got through the first disc without taking many breaks and needing to modify.  But, I DID IT! 

(L) May 2009, sucking it in and smiling! (R) Feb 2010 and 25 lbs lighter

My dress came in a few months later, and at the fitting they told me I would need to get it tailored to a size 8.  I couldn't believe it.  I accomplished my goal of losing 25 lbs!  Best of all, I had my man right by my side to encourage, motivate, and experience it with me.  He lost 20 lbs before the big day!

(L) Pic from our engagement trip in Maui/(R) Pic from Kaui trip 2 weeks before the wedding

Husband & Wife: 02.19.2010

We were hooked, we decided to give Insanity a try to get "beach body" ready for our honeymoon that we booked later that year.  It was down to the wire, and Rob finished! I fell a week short, because I was too excited for our trip and had major packing to do (terrible excuse, but I'm only human)

This was a life-changer for us.  We like being confident with our bodies, and more importantly, we love feeling good.  We have maintained a relatively healthy lifestyle since then and decided it was time to expand our family. 

Let me just be honest and say that being pregnant almost kicked my butt more that P90x did.  I'm sure I will do a more detailed post of my pregnancy.  I did not eat as healthy as I promised myself I would. I did not workout as often as I said I would.  I gained 60 lbs with my daughter, Sofia Rose (born 10.10.2012) and no, I did not have gestational diabetes! Haha....but seriously, it's ok if the thought crossed your mind ;)

(Top L) Just found out! Feb 2012 & 138lbs  (Bottom R) End of Sep 2012 & approx 190lbs

Best day of our lives: Meeting our precious baby girl!

 It's ok, breastfeeding melts it ALL off right? For some women, yes.  Thank your lucky stars if that's you.  Breastfeeding indeed burns up to 500 calories per day and melts off pounds.  For me, it was 30lbs.  I still had 30 unwanted lbs. I also had a C-Section, so I couldn't just pop an Insanity video and pick up where I left off.

In December of 2012,  I was given the "go" to workout.  So I slowly started doing things like jogging and light weights (copying some P90X moves) I eventually bought Turbo Fire and was introduced to HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).  I didn't really commit to anything consistent until November 2013.  Becoming a mom changes you (for the better!) and priorities start to shift.  It took me a long time to realize that taking care of myself (physically, emotionally, and psychologically) is a very crucial part of being a good mom/wife.  That first year of motherhood is a blur, from being up every 2 hours to teething every few months. I'm really blessed to be able to stay home with our little love, but it is a 24/7 gig.

Tired, but happy mama!

I managed to lose about 20lbs in that first year.  I hit a plateau and could not shake those last 7-10 lbs and was getting really bored with my workouts. In November of 2013 (right before the holidays), Rob and I looked at each other (ps He gained 15 lbs during my pregnancy!) and had a shared "aha moment".  We were fed up with going through the motions and truly not eating clean.  After almost a year of pizza & takeout being a majority of our meal choices, we went grocery shopping for "Mean Green Juice recipe" ingredients and other healthy staples.  We purged our fridge and pantry of all the junk food temptations and made a plan of action to get back to our healthier lifestyle.

Mean Green Juice for the whole fam!

 Making healthier eating choices and changing up my workout routine to incorporate more weight training helped me reach my goal of losing those last 10lbs.  A good friend of mine and fellow FITspiration mom, Desiree, told me about the Jaime Eason 12 week trainer program and I did the first 2 phases last year.  I really loved learning the basics and creating a foundation with lifting weights.  

Lately, I like to keep it fresh.  I workout 5-6 days a week.  I model my weight training from Jaime Eason workouts, throw in some TurboFire or T25 for cardio, or do some Power Yoga or Tabata at my gym.

So here I am, 1 year and 4 months after starting my FITspiration journey as a new mom. 

Before: 196 lbs / After: 138 lbs

Tankini tan alert!

I have truly enjoyed sharing my fitness/health ventures with anyone who wants to listen, and I love hearing ideas and FITspirational stories from other people too!

Until next time,

Lex

Avocado-Mango Salsa

OMG, is it dinner yet?  We absolutely love this recipe in our house.  It can be used as a snack, appetizer, or a side.  I get all my produce for this recipe at Sprouts, and it only takes 10 minutes to prep.  Ready?

 Ingredients:

1 mango, diced
1 large avocado (or 2 reg), diced
1 TB of chopped cilantro
1 TB chopped onion
2 limes
Sea salt to taste

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix together and ENJOY!

*side note* I use a potato peeler to get the skin off the mango before dicing.  

I'm thinkin' we are gonna have some grilled chicken tacos(corn tortillas!), topped with this yummy salsa.  You will seriously want to make this once a week, it is that good.

Can't wait to share more recipes!