Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-free, 5 ingredient YUMMY cookies? YES please!

The main ingredient in these EASY cookies is almond butter. If you haven't tried it before you should! My favorite is MaraNatha brand, all natural with no sugar added or you can always make your own, but I haven't tackled that yet!

I adapted this recipe from one I found on Sally's Baking Addiction.

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1 cup almond butter, at room temperature or cold (not warm)*
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Add the almond butter, baking soda, and brown sugar. Mix everything together very well. Depending how thick and/or cold your almond butter is, you'll have to use some arm muscles. Fold in the chocolate chips until combined.
Scoop the dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons each, onto prepared baking sheet. Bake two batches - 6 cookies on each baking sheet each. Gently press down on the dough mounds with the back of a spoon, as pictured above. If you find the cookie dough balls are oily-looking from your almond butter, blot each with a paper towel.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and underbaked, but that's ok. I baked mine for 8 minutes. For crispy cookies, bake for up to 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cookies stay fresh stored covered at room temperature for up to 7 days. Cookies freeze well, up to 3 months.

Nursing a Toddler and Fellow Moms Support

Especially for all my AWESOME mommy friends!

Many of you may not know but I nursed Benton until just about a month ago. It's something that many women don't talk about because nursing a 2 year old is not exactly popular here in the U.S. I'm sure a lot of people thought I was crazy too ;) I say this because I am so PROUD that we made it that long and I was able to nourish him and have such a special bond. I STRUGGLED for at least Benton's first 6 weeks, having to pump and feed him a bottle, listening to him scream, being in extreme pain and just being so anxious, frustrated and sad about it not just coming naturally to me and him. And I cried A LOT. I felt rejected and deflated, but I WORKED every day to make it happen and luckily NEVER GAVE UP. I never set out to nurse him until he was 2- in fact my original goal was 6 months, but after having such a hard time (and him getting teeth at 4 months old) I decided I was going to let him make the decision and guide me when he was ready. It has been a beautiful journey that I would not trade for anything. Having it come to an end was EXTREMELY emotional for me! I felt that we were losing something that we'll never have again, but I know that it is for the best as I will be able to devote that special bonding time to his new little sister when the time comes. Any of you moms relate?

This is a picture of me shortly after delivery. I was in labor for 27 hours and pumped full of fluids so check out that nice puffy face! This was before I realized how difficult nursing would be for us and truly thought we would just catch right on!

I support and love all you mamas, whether you nurse for 2 weeks, nurse for 5 years, never try to nurse, or formula feed your kids. I have no judgement because I know how DIFFICULT it is to make these choices and figure out what is best for you and your family. I just want to say to ALL of you moms out there that you are doing an AMAZING job, regardless of what decisions you make and how easy things may or may not come to you with having little ones. It is a beautiful time but it can also be stressful and overwhelming (people usually don't tell you that part). I want you to know that you are NOT alone! We all go through so many ups and downs and do the best we can. Reach out to your fellow moms, your lactation consultant, your doctors, online support groups, anyone. I love meeting new moms and hearing your stories! If you ever feel like you need an empathetic ear, I'm here! That is why I've started my New Moms Support Group, not only for healthy and fitness, but just as important, for bonding and support for us all to come together and lift each other UP instead of tearing each other down!

Snickerdoodle Shakeology

My favorite vanilla shakeology recipe! Craving some sweetness? Try this!

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

Lemony Green Beans

This recipe is from the 3-Day Refresh, but is great as a side or anytime!

Ingredients (makes 1 serving):
6 oz       fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 cup     water
1/2 tsp.  extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp.     fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp.  finely grated lemon peel
              Himalayan sea salt to taste

Directions:
1. Place green beans and water in medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil. Cook, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Remove from heat. Drain
2. Combine green beans, oil, lemon juice, and lemon peel in small bowl. Mix well. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

Take the LEAP. No Regrets!

I've never been a "work for the man" type of gal so I've always known there was something bigger and better for me. In fact, I thought I would be rid of a boss WAY before I was actually able to be! I went to dental school because I knew that would enable me to work for myself and control my life. Who knew the turns my life would take? Up until a few months ago, I always worked for someone else- a big corporation, the health department, a non-profit organization- as a dentist. I found myself relying on the security of having a full-time guaranteed income and health insurance and not having to worry about where my next check would come from. But, in reality, that was a false security. There are NO guarantees in life. No guarantees that any of those businesses would still be in business down the road or that they could continue to afford to pay me. Was it easier to just show up to work every day without a care in the world? YES! Was it worth the stress and knowing that I was NOT living up to my POTENTIAL? NO! I was floating through life with no real goals. Not until I discovered Beachbody did I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I began reading personal development, setting goals and seeing what was really possible in my life. It was easier to see working for myself as I saw the potential in this business and my love grew for helping others get healthy and fit, which turned into helping people see their own potential for financial and personal FREEDOM. 

After much deliberation, Cass and I decided it was best for my peace of mind and well-being to take a RISK and DREAM BIG! Now, we have our own dental office and Beachbody business. There is NO ONE telling us what to do or when to do it. It takes discipline and hard work, but everything we accomplish is because of our direct efforts and the amazing team of people we surround ourselves with every day. This journey is full of twists and turns but it's OUR journey and I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Are you holding yourself back because going for your goals means you might FAIL? There is SO much more to life! Don't look back and have REGRETS that you just floated through life because that's what was EASY. Take the LEAP. I wish I had done so sooner!

Super Saturday

Every quarter, Beachbody holds Super Saturdays across the country to reach more people and to keep us coaches engaged and motivated to End the Trend of Obesity.  This past Saturday I hosted my second Super Saturday at my house.

I was hesitant to do it because we had just gotten back from Vegas the week before and I was still recovering from lack of sleep. But, if there was one thing I learned in Vegas it was to go for it and not just wait for things to happen. If you want to make your dreams a reality, then you have to take action and not sit around hoping for them to come true. So, I wasn't even able to do it "officially" because I waited until the last minute, but I got the event together and invited all of our local coaches I have the privilege of knowing, either through my own team or other Super Saturday events.

Last Super Saturday, we had FOUR coaches here. This time, we had TWELVE, from different teams and even some guests who are not coaches yet, but interested in this opportunity.

We had a great time getting to know each other, learning about the amazing things Beachbody has in store for us in the upcoming months and doing one of the brand new PiYO workouts!

We are looking for this event to be even BIGGER in September! WHY should you make it a priority to be there? Meeting new people, growing your business, getting inspired, learning how YOU can meet your goals and make your dreams come true! Mark your calendars for September 27, 2014! I think we're gonna have to move to a bigger and better space so I'm on the lookout! :)