Flourless Chickpea BROWNIES

Thinking about that Superbowl party and wondering how you'll ever manage to stay ON TRACK with your healthy eating??? Make these to take or just to have at the house so you FEEL like you're indulging but you're really NOT ;)

These are DELICIOUS! Really! And healthy! I try to avoid gluten, so they're perfect for that! On the 21 Day fix, they're a YELLOW of course- totally worth it! Straight out of the FABULOUS Fixate cookbook! :)

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup          organic grass-fed butter, melted (or coconut oil)
2                    large eggs
1/2 cup          pure maple syrup (or raw honey)
2 tsp.             pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup          organic unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp.          baking powder
1 pinch          Himalayan or celtic sea salt
1/4 cup          chocolate chips

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Line 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Place chickpeas, butter, eggs, maple syrup, extract, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in blender (or food processor); cover. Blend until smooth.
4. Add chocolate chips; mix by hand until blended.
5. Evenly spread batter into prepared pan.
6. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of brownies comes out clean.
7. Cut into squares.

I actually used an 8x8 pan which made them a little thicker- perfection! My 3 year old LOVED these! Anything that passes the toddler test I consider SUCCESS! ;)

Almond crusted chicken

Y'all know I am LOVING our newest program, Hammer and Chisel! The AMAZING recipe came straight out of the book that comes with this program so I had to try it!!! This is a monthly if not biweekly recipe for us now!

Ingredients:
6 (4 oz) raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup almond flour
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon peel (lemon zest)
1/4 tsp. sea salt ( I use Himalayan salt)
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
11/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. olive oil (or EVOO)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Place a chicken breast on a cutting board. Hold it flat with the palm of one hand and, with a chef's knife in the other hand, carefully slice it in half horizontally (parallel to the cutting board). Repeat with all chicken.
3. Place each chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or tenderizer until 1/4-inch thick (or about twice the original size). Set aside.
4. Combine almond flour, garlic, lemon peel, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish; mix well. Set aside.
5. Combine egg and water in a shallow dish; whisk to blend
6. Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture; dredge in almond flour mixture until evenly coated. Set aside
7. Heat oil in large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Add chicken breasts; cook for 3 to 4 minutes
9. Place skillet in oven; bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each breast reads 165 degrees.

Container equivalents: 1 RED, 1/2 ORANGE, 1/2 tsp

We usually eat with a salad, but roasted veggies are great too!

Let me know what you think!!!

Hammer and Chisel Meal Plan

Week two of being BACK ON TRACK with clean eating and meal planning! It helps so much and I was able to 100% follow the plan today- just looked on the fridge where I taped it and ate what it said to eat. Makes life much simpler and no excuses for just grabbing whatever you can find when you're overly hungry ;) If you're following the 21 Day Fix or Hammer and Chisel, it's so easy once you get the hang of it. Start with your dinner plan and work your way down and figure out the portions as you go. Here's mine for the week. Obviously, the hubby needs more calories so he eats more than I do.

3 Day Refresh update

After a fabulous and indulgent vacation, I took on the 3 day refresh! I loved it and loved my results! I felt better and lost the bloat!

In those 3 days, I still got to EAT, which is huge for me! Lots of fruits and veggies, healthy fats and protein and fiber! The 3 Day Refresh is AMAZING!

Click HERE to learn more and get your own! :)

Lemon Herb Cod

If you're like me, cod has never been much of a staple in your diet.  With the nutrition plan I'm following, though, it's mentioned a lot,so I thought I'd give it a try. I found this recipe at Sarah's Cucina Bella and was pleasantly surprised. It was pretty quick and easy too!

Ingredients:
1 lb cod
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped (I only had dried so I used that and it was good, but I would recommend using less than 1 tsp if you only have the dried powder on hand)
sea salt
pepper
Paprika
9x13 baking dish- I lined mine with tinfoil just to make clean up easier

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rinse cod filets under cool water and place in baking dish.
Drizzle with olive oil and lemon.
Then sprinkle with garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and paprika evenly.
Bake for 13-17 minutes or until opaque
Eat by itself or on top of brown rice with sauce drizzled on top.

If you are on the 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme, this will be one red container and one tsp. Enjoy!

Insanity MAX:30 Month One Round Two Transformation

I just finished up my second round of month one of Insanity MAX:30 on Saturday. After completing month one originally, I decided I needed to be more aggressive and build my stamina more before going into month 2- that's the beauty of doing a program at home- you can go at your own pace and do what is best for YOUR body.

I am so excited for my results so far! I still have not been 100% perfect with my nutrition, so this is ALL about how amazing this program is (and my shakeology of course!)

This program really pushes your limits! You go as HARD as you can for as LONG as you can and then take a break and jump back in. It's only 30 minutes so it's been perfect for me as a mom of 2 kiddos under 3. I am now 3 months postpartum, so really anyone can do this program!

If you want RESULTS and love to really push yourself, check out this video for yourself to see if it might be for you!

Are you ready? I have a support and accountability group going on right NOW! Message me for more details! stephaniecook722@gmail.com

New Moms Support Group

So... I have been completely inspired lately by the number of pregnant women coming to me READY to get healthy NOW and not waiting until after the baby is here to get started with something new. These women want to be HEALTHY, not just to look good. Whether it's just a walk around the block or a full workout, we're gonna be active and encourage each other to NEVER GIVE UP.

A bit about myself... I am currently 27 weeks pregnant with a little girl and have a 2 year old little boy, Benton. My goal is to continue to stay active and healthy for my baby and for my delivery. For me, Benton's delivery and the few months after were VERY hard! We struggled with nursing, but I was DETERMINED to make it work. I could not have done it if I had been alone. I let my health and fitness take a back seat until Benton was 8 months old, and I only wish I had taken control of my life before then! It took me realizing that I was going to be the biggest influence in his life for me to get on track. Supporting other moms is one of my passions, not just in health and fitness but in every little part of the motherhood journey that can make you second guess yourself.

My goal for this group is to show support, help and motivation for all the new moms. It can be a scary time and you can feel very alone. Whether you're expecting, have a newborn or think you have this mom thing down, I am forming this group with the purpose of supporting each other and making sure none of us feels alone on this crazy journey.  It is easy to forget about yourself and just let yourself go. I completely understand. What I want for each of you is for you to take charge of your life and health and fitness so you never feel lost. We will all be in this together.

Does this sound like a group for you? Apply here. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1rlPqbmo8834GdqDUyJ31G8B_r4zXop7mFIdS-BH48QI/viewform?usp=send_form

PiYO

The latest and greatest workout program from Beachbody is HERE! I was lucky enough to take a LIVE class with Chalene last week at Summit in Las Vegas and, let me tell you, it's an awesome workout! Cass did it with me and was a sweaty mess! I even did it at 24 weeks pregnant and think this could be an awesome program for pregnant women who need that extra push. It will especially help with flexibility and strength for the long haul!

You get the best of everything with cardio combined with pilates and yoga- burning calories all while keeping it low impact so that it's easy on your joints and great for those who have had injuries.  It still has a fast pace to help burn fat and sculpt long, lean muscles.

Perfect for: People who want an extreme program without the jumps, weights or joint strain. Great for people of all fitness levels who want the benefits of Pilates and yoga, but feel these programs lack the cardio they need for the results they crave. And YES I plan to do the entire program pregnant! I will update you as I go. :) Check out this video and see if PiYO is for you!

Equipment required: NADA

Details: Each workout is 25-45 minutes, depending on the day. The plan calls for working out 6 days a week. There are modifications and anyone can do it.

Ready to get started? Join my exclusive test group and let's achieve amazing results together! The test group is a private group on Facebook that incorporates the PiYO program, drinking shakeology daily and checking in daily to rate your day! I'd love to have you join us!

Click here to purchase the PiYO challenge pack while it is still on special and join our group:
https://teambeachbody.com/checkout/-/bbcheckout/challengepack?referringRepId=241555 
Just select PiYO and your flavor of shakeology and you'll be good to go!

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

These oatmeal bars are so good and great for the weekend or to make ahead for weekday breakfast. Also yummy for an afternoon snack. I use coconut sugar in these which has much lower glycemic index than refined sugar and is natural.

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup almond milk- I like Silk brand because it is non-GMO
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 large very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips- I like Sunspire or Enjoy Life brand

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease 8x8 square (or 9x9 inch) baking pan with coconut oil or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
Mix together oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add in the milk, vanilla, and egg. Mix together until evenly combined. Add mashed bananas, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. Stir well.
Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into bars.

I think these would be just as delicious without the chocolate chips. Try it if you want less sugar.

Egg muffins

I know most of us are in a hurry in the morning and for a lot of people that means skipping breakfast, which really is the most important meal of the day to give you energy and get your metabolism going. That's why these egg muffins are perfect! You can really throw any ingredients in the mix that you want. Then you're set for the week! Just grab one or two out the fridge, heat them up and head out the door!

This is not a super specific recipe because there can be so much variation with ingredients and measurements based on your taste.

Ingredients:
-12 eggs
-Chopped red pepper
-Chopped onion
-Salt
-Pepper
-Italian seasoning

Alternatives: chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, cheese, organic turkey sausage. The possibilities are endless!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin with coconut oil or place muffin liners. Mix all ingredients together until eggs are well beaten. Spread evenly into 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Vanilla Energy Balls

Everybody knows how much I love my shakeology! What's better than drinking it as a shake? Eating it in a delicious cookie! These energy balls are delicious and have no added sweetener!

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 scoops Vanilla Shakeology
-1/2 cup almond flour
-1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
-1/4 cup all-natural almond butter
-1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
-1/4 cup sliced raw almonds

Instructions:
Combine Shakeology, almond four, and oats in a medium bowl; mix well. Add almond butter and almond milk; mix well with a spoon or clean hands until it forms a thick batter. Roll into balls and roll in almonds. I did not roll in almonds this time because I was limited on time. They're good either way! :)

Grain Free Baked Chicken Tenders

Ever crave FRIED food? Every now and then it will creep up on me too! I tried this recipe for the first time tonight and it was a hit! Definitely gives you the fried comfort food satisfaction without the guilt or the disgusting feeling after. Benton even gobbled them up!

1.5 pounds chicken tenderloins (the original recipe called for 2 lbs but that was too much for my        "breading" recipe)
1 cup blanched almond flour
1 tablespoon flax meal
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
ground black pepper to taste
2 eggs
olive oil, in a sprayer

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a pie plate or another shallow wide bowl, mix together the almond flour, flax meal, paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, parsley, poultry seasoning, and ground black pepper.
3. In another small mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
4. Blot the excess moisture off from the chicken tenders with paper towels and then dip them in the egg. Make sure the tenderloins are thoroughly coated in the egg mixture and then dredge them in the almond flour breading, pressing to adhere.
5. Place the breaded chicken tenders onthe baking sheets and lightly spray with olive oil. Place in the oven and bake for 8-9 minutes. Flip the tenders over, lightly spray again with olive oil and bake for another 8-9 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees (F).
6. Transfer the chicken tenders to a platter and serve immediately, or at room temperature.

Recipe adapted from Allergy Free Alaska.

I was going to make homemade ketchup to enjoy with them but was missing distilled white vinegar so I'll be testing out an easy recipe for that soon and will update you!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I had never even tried Brussels sprouts before this year! These are DELICIOUS and easy!

Ingredients:
1 bag of Brussels sprouts
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Set oven to 425 degrees.
Wash, cut ends off and cut Brussels sprouts in half.
Toss in olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Spread on baking sheet.
Bake for about 15 minutes until outsides are crispy.

They may look a little overdone but they will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Theses are my favorite seasonings but any that you like will be yummy! So good!

Grain and Sugar Free Banana Nut Bread

 Banana bread without any added sugar or white flour? YES please!!! I have made this recipe several times and it always turns out great. I usually make it the night before so we can have it easily the next morning and it's still yummy and moist!

Ingredients

• 4 very ripe bananas*, mashed
• ⅓ cup coconut oil melted
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup coconut flour - you must use coconut flour – using another flour will not work!
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• optional add-ins: ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, slivered almonds, raisins, etc.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Throw everything together in a medium bowl and mix until combined.
3. Pour into a lightly greased (use coconut oil for greasing) bread pan.
4. Bake for about 45 – 60 minutes or until center is set and top is golden. Enjoy!

*Your bananas should be extremely brown, almost to the point when you would throw them away or freeze them. If they are not overly ripe, your bread will not be as sweet and probably not taste as good. If you are using non-ripe bananas, you should add about ⅓ cup of maple syrup to the batter.

 

Recipe from Primally Inspired.

Avocado Rice

On a whim, tried this recipe and it's so good as a side or a snack!

 
Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice
1 avocado, cubed
1/2 cup salsa
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions;
 
Cook rice as directed.
Let cool.
Combine with cubed avocado and other ingredients. Store in fridge.
You could also add black beans for extra protein or onions and jalapeños for a more guacamole dish

Almond Butter Brownies

These were one of the first "healthy" desserts I made. I have been in love ever since! Super easy and delcious! No flour so gluten free and no refined sugar!

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) jar of natural almond butter
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup agave nectar or honey (I always us agave nectar- the taste is not as strong)
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease 9 x 13 pyrex dish (I use coconut oil)
In a large bowl, blend almond butter until smooth.
Blend in eggs, then blend in agave and vanilla.
Blend in cacao, salt and baking soda.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Bake at 325 for 25-40 minutes.
The edges will be brown and the middle will rise.
Let cool and cut into 24 squares.

Recipe from Elana's Pantry.

Chunky Monkey Shakeology

What is one of my very favorite shakeology recipes you ask???? Why Chunky Monkey of course!! It is so creamy and smooth with just a HINT of banana and my very favorite combo of chocolate and peanut butter! Can't go wrong with that.

Ingredients:
1 serving Chocolate Shakeology
1/3 banana
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 cup almond milk
Ice to taste (I like A LOT of ice because I'm a fan of milkshakes!)

Throw it all in the blender and blend until SMOOTH!

What is your favorite shakeology recipe?

Chicken Enchilada Soup

I gotta be honest. I'm not real big on soup in general, but easy crock pot soup recipes are growing on me! This one does require a little prep work to cut up some veggies, but otherwise it is just throwing it all in the pot! This is our FAVORITE soup at our house, and Cass and I rarely get any leftovers because Benton eats them all! I adapted this recipe from skinnytaste.com.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low sodium organic chicken broth
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 8 oz can of tomato paste
• 1 jalapeno, chopped with seeds removed
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
•  15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total)

Directions:

Throw all that yumminess in the crock pot and cook on LOW for at least 4 hours.  Once the chicken is done, I usually shred it in the crock pot, but you can remove it to shred then put it back in if you prefer.
Top with organic Greek yogurt, avocados, scallions, cilantro or cheese- whatever your heart desires!

I always use organic ingredients if at all possible. I like to avoid added hormones, antibiotics and pesticides.

SHARING is CARING ;)

Shakeology Cleanse Review

So I finished my shakeology cleanse last night and am SO excited about my results and happy that I did it! My diet since the holidays had been spiraling out of control. I was still eating healthy for the most part, but was definitely eating TOO MUCH! My food vices are peanut butter and chocolate so I'll use any excuse to get those in my diet. I knew it was TIME for me to take control and do something to feel better and lose the bloat! I also have a photo shoot on Saturday so I needed to feel and look my best QUICK. Luckily, this coincided with our transition week for P90X3 so the workouts aren't quite so intense. This is my review so that you can see how it is and if it will fit into your life.

Day 1:
Weigh in this morning: 116.4 pounds (just as a reference I was about 111 before Christmas)
Workout on the schedule today was P90X3 Dynamix which was perfect because it is a dynamic stretching routine so nothing too crazy.
After my workout, about 6:30 AM I had my cup of green tea followed by Strawberry Vegan shakeology with a 1/2 cup of frozen raspberries, 1 cup of water and ice.
I worked at the office today so that makes it easier since I'm busy anyway.
Morning snack was an apple about 10 AM.
Lunch was about 12:50- Chocolate shakeology with water and ice.
Snack for the afternoon was chocolate shakeology with water and ice.
Dinner at 6:30 PM: 3 cups of salad- spinach, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes and red peppers, 4 oz shrimp (I guessed on that since I do not have a scale ;). 2 tbsp of my favorite Healthy Greek Dressing. It was DELICIOUS!
Green tea at about 9:00 PM
Summary of Day 1: Not bad. I was a little tired, as expected with dipping my calories but I was good as long as I was up moving around.
 

Day 2:
Weigh in this morning: 114 pounds!!!! WOOHOO!
Today, our office was closed for a snow day so I was expecting to have a more difficult time being home with more temptations but I was determined!
Since I was a little low on energy yesterday, I went ahead and had my one scoop of E&E this morning for some all-natural energy with only 10 calories and 2 g of sugar.
Today's workout was P90X3 Accelerator. We had never done this one before and it was GREAT. Definitely more cardio than yesterday but my E&E helped me through and I was able to do much better than I expected.
Green tea about 7 followed by my vegan strawberry shakeology with 1/2 cup frozen raspberries and water and ice. Benton had to suck down some of it- he always has to share if he sees us with our shakes :).
Mid-morning snack was an apple.
Lunch was chocolate shakeology with 1 cup water and ice. I was definitely READY to EAT! ;)
Afternoon snack was chocolate shakeology with water and ice.
I went out and ran some errands during the afternoon so I was distracted and not thinking of food.
Dinner was salad again with white chicken and my dressing. I really think I could eat salad every night and we often do as a side anyway.
Green tea this evening as we relaxed and watched a show.
All in all today was a good day. Much more energy than yesterday. I was a little more hungry but I worked out hard so that was no surprise. I am actually feeling really good and accomplished!

Day 3:
Weigh in this morning: 112.4 pounds! AMAZING!
I'm feeling so much better and not bloated at all!
Workout: P90X3 Pilates. Tough workout for sure! I'm feeling weak and inflexible!
Green tea after workout.
Vegan strawberry shakeology with 1/2 cup frozen raspberries and water and ice for breakfast.
Apple for snack.
Chocolate shake with water and ice for lunch.
Chocolate shake with water and ice for snack.
Salad with chicken and Healthy Greek dressing for dinner.
Green tea after.
No tiredness or really that much hunger today.

Weigh in morning of Day 4: 111.6 pounds!!!!!

I thought I would be ready to eat the whole kitchen today but I really feel great and much more in control of my eating. I am also much more confident and ready to ROCK my photo shoot tomorrow!
It was really much easier than I expected. I knew what I would be eating and stuck to it. I think the key is really to make sure you get plenty of water. I filled up a gallon jug and drank from that so I could really track my intake.
This cleanse can really work great for anyone looking to jump start your metabolism and weight loss before starting a workout, to get your mind in gear for healthy eating or even if you just need a quick fix to feel better about yourself before an event.
Questions??? Let me know! I'd love to help you!

Healthy meatballs

Today is day 2 of my shakeology cleanse. The hardest part so far today? I made these yummy meatballs for Benton and they smelled so good! We love to add them to our spaghetti squash for a healthy Italian meal, but Benton loves to eat them by themselves! He couldn't even wait for them to cool today! As quick as they came out of the oven, he wanted on in his bowl!
You can make them ahead and freeze them too!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
2 eggs
3 garlic cloves minced
1/3 cup almond flour
1/4 cup pure tomato sauce
Handful parsley (I usually use dried because I have it on hand but fresh is great)
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all ingredients.
Place rounded tablespoons onto Olive oil sprayed baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until slightly brown.

Today I added in 1/4 cup carrots. This is a great sneaky way to get your kids their veggies. You can use different ones, even spinach. You can also add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.

Anybody else have a favorite meatball recipe?