Simply Scrumptious Smoothie

My newest most favorite smoothie.  I got this recipe from the Zone diet.  I get soooo excited to go home and have this after Xfit, it isn't even funny.  It is cold in Michigan right now so to really want to eat something cold must mean it is DARN good!

Recipe:

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup milk (I drink almond/soy/coconut)

1 TBSP protein powder (I used chocolate whey, but may try something different when I run out)

1 SMALL handful of cashews

Blend and ENJOY!  This portion size is that of a "small female".  You may add more ingredients if you are making this for an athlete, large man or whatever your demographic is!

Destiny

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
  -Mahatma Gandhi

I love this quote above.  It reflects a sequence that does come to play in our everyday life.  When we think badly about ourselves it, we tend to talk badly to ourselves--which can play to selfHATE, not a good thing to be in the habit of, because our values lower and ultimately our destiny becomes depression.  Not a good place to be at all.  Next time you notice yourself thinking poorly about yourself, pause, reflect, and change that thought to something positive about yourself, because that will lead to positive self talk, leading to selfLOVE, a great feeling to have in balance, which leads to loving yourself, which leads to loving life in all aspects!  Make a mindful effort to keep your beliefs & thoughts positive, because it will lead to a positive life.  We can all use more of that!

Celebrate You & Relax!

As the holidays approach, schedules become overloaded, and my mind feels scattered--I take a moment to consider why. Then, it dawns on me! I haven't been taking enough time for myself. It's important to pamper yourself once in awhile. Taking time to just be and breathe is very beneficial to your health. Relaxing can reduce anxiety & give your body a chance to repair.  Tension can build up over time as a result of always being on the go, or a passion for fitness w/o taking rest. Yes, our strong muscles that help carry us through life need a break now and then too!

My son, Keem, and I really appreciate a good soak in the tub with bath salts that I make. Recently I dubbed them, LOV'EMs, because I bottle them with love and my nickname as well as my initials are EM. Sometimes Keem and I draw a nice foot bath and take time soaking & massaging eachother's feet. This kiddo is spoiled! I've given him the gift of massage since birth. I've also been known to give a surprise foot soak and foot massage to my preggo friends or buddies at yoga retreats. Cleaning, soaking & rubbing someone's feet can be a very humbling experience! Making other's feel good makes me smile. Plus you never know how badly they need to take a moment and slow down. Slowing down on your own can be a hard choice, but I guarantee you if you offer a loved one a foot soak or to draw them a bath it will be harder for them to turn you down!

So in the spirit of Christmas I am offering 2 give-aways at random. Two people will get a bag full of salt! I use essential oils so you will get to choose your scent for aroma therapy! The salt in this pictures is, LOV'EMs Crushed Candycane.  Scent options are: Crushed Candycane (Energizing), Luscious Lavender (Relaxing), Tea Tree, & Koala Cure (Eucalyptus & mint-good for colds). 

All you have to do is:

• Leave a comment on this blog post stating what you like to do to relax.

• Follow my blog.  
• Like me on Facebook. If you have your own Blog, and would like to offer this give-away to your followers please send me a message to let me know.  I am happy to include your followers as well.  All they have to do is follow the three steps above I will also do one random give-away per your blog. 

Tomato Soup!

My son came home and requested tomato soup and grilled cheese for dinner. I was super excited because he HATES tomatoes, but I didn't have any tomato soup cans. Well low and behold you can actually make tomato soup from scratch! How stinking exciting is that? Though I must confess that I half cheated as it is winter in Michigan and all I had was canned diced tomatoes, keep in mind I do read labels closely so there is either no or low sodium, and that is it!

Recipe:
1) Chop an onion, add a bit of olive oil to a heated pot, saute onions until tender but not brown. Next time I make this I am adding in chopped garlic cloves. Then dump in 3 lbs of tomatoes or 2 heft cans of the healthiest tomatoes you can find. Cook until tomatoes have covered in their juices.
2) Remove from pot and blend/process.
3) Return to pot and heat. I topped ours w/ black pepper, sea salt, and basil that I crumbled in my hand.

4) Prepare grilled cheese w/ cooking soup. This can be as healthy as you make it. Crappy bread and "Cheese", higher fiber bread and cheddar, or maybe Ezekiel bread and goat cheese.
5) I tried to make this kid friendly and added Parmesan cheese. I should have used the real stuff I had, but as you can see in picture 6 I don't think the cheese would have made a difference because...
6) Keem STILL hates tomatoes, but he ate all I gave him and asked for a healthy dessert. This kid always surprises me!
7) Banana, Kiwi, and grapes, aka "Fruit Salad, Yummy, Yummy!" (Thank you Wiggles. We will forever reference that song!)

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Prepping Meals for my Meat Eaters

Chicken Breast

Per request from Scottie-A1 Steak sauce on Chicken

Let it marinate over night, and tell hubby to bake it the next night (while I teach yoga) at 350 until fully cooked (no pink)

Per Scottie's request sandwiches for lunch. I don't agree w/ the bread, but this choice is better than him eating fast food everyday. I try to buy low sodium roast beef & low sodium turkey breast for him. He loves colby jack cheese. Oh and no condiments. He eats these straight up.

So this is the prep for my boy's dinner & hubby's lunch. My son generally prefers to eat school lunch, but will request a home lunch now and again. My husband generally makes his own breakfast, and I am encouraging my son in the same direction. My lunch tends to be something I prepped on Sunday (like my Vegetarian Sausage w/ Kale & Lentils).

Vegetarian Sausage w/ Kale & Lentils

Lentils & Sausage w/ gaaaarlic, onions, & bell pepers

Added Kale to both, just to see the difference in the Kale pan fried or simmered in water.  I couldn't really tell because they had all the other items mixed in.

Simmering Kale!

Lentils & Kale

Lentils & Kale Prettied up

Lentils & Kale layered w/ Kale & Bell Peppers, Onion, Garlic, & Vegetarian Sausage.  YUM!

RECIPE:

Prep-Wash Kale & rip into pieces appropriate size for bites.  Remember it will shrink a bit.  Chop Onions, Garlic, Bell Peppers, & Vegetarian Sausage.  Rinse lentils.

Cook Lentils according to directions.  Nothing fancy.  I believe I used my Joy of Cooking book for that info.

Saute- in a bit of olive oil garlic.  Once browned add onions.  Then add sausage.  Once browned add Bell Peppers.  Once crisp add the Kale.  Stir and saute/simmer to your preferred done-ness.

Drain-lentils & place them in the bottom layer of a nice dish.

Dump the veggies & vegetarian sausage on top.  EAT or put in the fridge for later consumption and ease of meals throughout your week!

I really liked this dish.  I made it up ;-)  The vegetarian sausage was good and flavorable, but it was a bit weird for me to eat as it really seemed like meat.  I do eat fake meats from time to time, but personally I don't eat them 24/7.  That is a personal choice, and up to your discretion.

*Some of the pics may seem a little washed out w/ white.  That is the steam coming of the food.  These are ACTION shots people!  I am not a food photographer, so these pics are absolutely NOT staged or prettied up other than their natural state from my unprofessional cooking!