Sometimes I get tired of lifting heavy weights and doing the same routine, so I like to switch it up. Using your own body weight can be just as beneficial as lifting weight. This Lower Body Blast will make your booty cry. I always like to start out with doing some cardio on the elliptical on the bike – it helps me to stay sane by getting some “me” time and watching the Today show will getting my heart rate up.
To keep me accountable, I’ll post my workouts from the past week on Friday. Here goes…
Monday (HIIT)
Tabata Intervals (8 rounds of 20 secs work/10 secs rest) for each of the following:
Tuesday (Cardio + Shoulders)
30 minutes elliptical on Mountain Peaks workout
3 sets x 12 reps of the following:
Wednesday (Cardio + Lower Body)
35 minutes elliptical on Mountain Peaks workout
4 sets to failure:
3 sets x 12 reps of the following:
Superset of 3 sets x 12 reps:
Thursday (Cardio + Upper Body)
10 minutes Cybex machine
30 minutes elliptical on Rolling Hills workout
Supersets of 3 sets x 12 reps
1) Assisted Pullups
2) Dips
1) Seated Rows
2) Standing Military Press
1) Dumbbell Incline Press
2) Barbell Standing Row
Friday (Cardio)
30 minutes elliptical on Rolling Hills workout
I start out every workout with a Shaklee 180 Energy Tea and following with a Shaklee 180 protein shake.
I should probably change the name of these to “Heavenly Brownies” or “Brownies Sent From Heaven” or something along those lines. Seriously, I can’t stop eating them and I may or may not have eaten 2 with my lunch. Ok, I don’t want to talk anymore about them because I’ll end up eating the last one in the pan….
Drum-roll please….
Almond Butter Brownies
1 cup almond butter
2 tbsp flaxseed + 3 tbsp water or 1 egg
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup honey
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup of dark chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a small dish (8×8 or 8×6) with coconut oil or line bottom of dish with parchment paper.
Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips until smooth, then add chocolate chips. Pour the batter into your pan and bake until golden brown (about 25 minutes).
Let brownies cool for at least 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Notes:
Money Saving Tip:
I buy my Almond Butter from Costco for $7.99 for a 26 ounce jar. I’m not sure if you’ve checked prices on Almond Butter lately at regular grocery stores, but it’s usually that much for a 12 ounce jar. Check wholesale stores like Costco or even Amazon for cheaper prices. Also, Trader Joes has decently priced Almond Butter.
Hopefully you read my post, “Tight Budget? No Problem!” In that post, I discuss several ways to get more bang for your buck when buying healthy food. One of the suggestions, was cabbage. Cabbage costs less than 10 cents per serving and packs a big nutritious boost. Cabbage stimulates the immune system, provides anti-inflammatory properties, kills bacteria and viruses, prevents the growth of cancerous cells, protects against tumors, helps control hormone levels and improves blood flow. My favorite thing about cabbage is that it is a natural detoxifier because it contains an abundance of vitamin C (more than oranges!), fiber and sulfur – all help purify blood and remove toxins of free radicals and uric acid.
So…I bought a head of cabbage…then I made dinner! This dinner takes a little prep of dicing vegetables, but totally worth it! And, it’s a one pot (errr…skillet) dinner! This dinner easily fits into a Paleo/Primal lifestyle too!
Skillet Supper
1 tablespoon butter (real butter, not margarine!)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 large onions, diced
1 lb. grass-fed ground beef
1/4 cup soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
1/2 cup water
1 green pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
3 carrots, diced
Plenty of sea salt & pepper
Directions:
In a skillet, melt butter and add paprika, salt, onions and ground beef. Cook until beef is brown. Drain grease if needed, but keep a small amount in the pan, as this will be part of your sauce. If you drained the beef, add it back to the skillet.
Stir in soy sauce and water, then add veggies. Stir until well combined.Add salt & pepper to taste.
Reduce heat to low-medium heat. Cover and cook until veggies are softened (about 30 minutes).
Enjoy! I served this with Mashed Cauliflower Fauxtatoes!
I loooooove Indian food. Actually, I just love ethnic food. All of it. I love the spice and the flavor that ethnic food embodies. With some leftover coconut milk from my last recipe, I thought “I could possible use this in chicken curry.” I was right. Last night, I threw a bunch of ingredients in my crockpot in about 10 minutes as I was running out the door for an appointment and when I came home I thought I had just walked into Sitar (my favorite Indian restaurant in TN). It was so quick and easy to throw together…the only thing missing was a big piece of Naan….sweet, sweet, carb-o-licious Naan.
Crockpots and Slow Cookers (essentially the same thing) are great for making healthy meals in a flash! I always recommend using one if time is a barrier to cooking. My parents have always used them to make dinners and almost any recipe can be made into a crockpot recipe.
Coconut Chicken Curry
(Serves 2…because we eat a lot!)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts , chopped into cubes
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced well
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup canned, full-fat coconut milk
1 package frozen peas & carrots
Sea Salt & Black Pepper to taste
Directions:
Toss chicken, onion, garlic, spices, and salt. Cover & cook on low for 3 hours, until chicken is cooked through.
Stir in coconut milk and peas & carrots until heated through (about 30-60 minutes).
I served this over quinoa instead of the typically Basmati rice. I sprinkled cinnamon in the quinoa as it was cooking to get a little sweet flavor going!
Growing up, a staple dinner in our home was boneless, skinless chicken breasts topped with cream of chicken soup. It was easy and convenient, plus it tasted pretty darn good! Now that eating real food is a staple in my own home, I have come to realize how bad the “cream of…” soups are for us. You can see from the label that the soup is preserved with monosodium glutamate (MSG). MSG has been used as a food additive for decades. Over the years, the FDA has received many anecdotal reports of adverse reactions to foods containing MSG. These reactions include headaches, sweating, facial pressure, numbness and tingling, heart palpitations, chest pain, nausea, and weakness. The other ingredients aren’t anything to be happy about either, but MSG is my main concern.
I wanted to recreate an old-time favorite, but with REAL ingredients. I did just that in my Baked Creamy Chicken Breasts. It is easy and so delicious!
Baked Creamy Chicken Breasts
4 Chicken Breasts
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup Full-Fat canned Coconut Milk
1/3 cup Chicken Broth
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & Pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts and place in glass baking dish.
Heat olive oil in medium saute pan and add onions. Saute until onions are translucent.
Whisk in chicken broth, coconut milk, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and paprika (add black pepper if you desire). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and reduce slightly.
Pour mixture over chicken and bake for 40 minutes.
If you’re like me, you’re working with a budget every time you step into the supermarket. Cooking at home can be healthier and save money, but sometimes it seems like buying all of those ingredients to make delicious healthy meals isn’t too economical.
“Putting good food on your family’s table on a $5-or-$6-dollar-a-day budget is tough, but it’s possible,” said co-author Dawn Undurraga, Environmental Working Group (EWG) nutritionist and registered dietitian. EWG researchers assessed nearly 1,200 foods, comparing national average food prices and 19 different nutrients in order to identify the most nutritious foods that are easy on the wallet and the planet. They factored in pesticide residue rankings and environmental impacts to help consumers lower their exposures to toxic chemicals and reduce their carbon footprints.
I combined their findings with some of my own tips:
Kale is one of nature’s most nutritious foods. It is packed with iron, Vitamins K, A, and C and powerful antioxidants to help fight against cancer and disease! Also, did you know that it has more calcium than milk? Crazy, huh? My favorite thing about Kale is that is is an anti-inflammatory food filled with omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help fight against arthritis, asthma, autoimmune disorders, and inflammation within our bodies. Kale is also a great detox food because it is filled with fiber and sulfur, which aid in keeping your liver healthy. Now, get your Kale on!
You can add kale to your smoothies and protein shakes, and salads. I love making sauteed kale as a side dish because we cannot have enough greens!
Sauteed Kale
4 cups chopped kale, stems removed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea salt & pepper
Wash kale with water in a colander and pat dry.
In a medium saute pan, heat about 2 tablespoons EVOO on medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add kale, stir, and cover. Cook until the kale begins to wilt, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for about 2 more minutes until the liquid evaporates.
If you asked me what my favorite dish from childhood was I would say, “meatloaf.” There’s nothing better than warm meatloaf beside mashed potatoes and peas. While I’m sure that my mom’s meatloaf was not particularly healthy, I’ve tried to recreate it in a more healthier way. These days, I pair it with peas and occasionally some mashed cauliflower.
Mighty Meatloaf
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1 egg
1 cup whole oats
1/2 cup organic ketchup
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon each salt, pepper, thyme, basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl with both hand…get dirty! Form into a loaf shape and place in greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Top with ketchup and enjoy!
True story, I’ve never made pesto before! I bought a bunch of fresh pesto from Trader Joe’s and really didn’t know what to do with it. I quickly figured it out….Sunflower Seed Pesto. It will change your life. I made it into a pasta (not Paleo, but so good), but you can also use it as a spread on wraps, sandwiches, pizza, you name it!
Sunflower Seed Pesto
4 cups chopped fresh basil leaves
The Simple Healthy Life 