Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

I hope you have a blessed day full of family and friends! Enjoy the fun, laughter, and being together for the holiday!

There is one thing I ask of you today. Please do not worry about calories, portions, exercise, or anything else worrisome and negative. We all deserve to enjoy the day and not worry about what you should or shouldn’t be having. The saying goes that one meal won’t make you fat and one workout won’t make you skinny.

Have a day that is guilt free and get back at your goals tomorrow!

❤ KJ

No Bake Cookies!

 

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I saw this recipe for Best Ever Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Bars and had to share! These look SO delicious!!

Here is what you will need:

Best Ever Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Bars

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil (you could also substitute butter)
  • 2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts, raisins, or dried cranberries
  • 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips (or regular semi-sweet chocolate chips, if you prefer)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt the peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove. {Watch this closely. Mine started to burn!}

Remove from heat once it’s melted together and add in the oats, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, nuts/raisins, and vanilla. Stir together until the chocolate is completely melted.

Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and cool in the fridge. If you’d like thicker bars, you can pour the mixture into a smaller pan.

When the mixture is hardened, cut into bars and eat. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

**Recipe from Moneysavingmom.com – Best Ever Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Bars**

Healthy Popcorn

Happy Friday!!! 🙂

Since it is Friday, that normally means pizza, popcorn, and a movie! Those fun family nights where everyone is having a blast playing games, watching movies, talking, and eating all those yummy goodies! Because when we are having fun and doing stuff on weekends, we tend to not stick to our healthy meals like we do during the week. We are also tempted more to eat different treats because its the weekend.

I have heard so many horror stories on how bad microwave popcorn is. The oils that it is popped in can cause cancer and all sorts of craziness! BUT…I found a healthier way!! 🙂 🙂

Here is the nutrition facts on microwave popcorn, Orville Redenbacher, Movie Theater Butter cause we all love BUTTER…

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ATT_1416186169896_20141116_142831 Top of Nutrition Facts

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NOW the healthy way:

 20141116_184707 Make your own!!  It is so much better for you.

Here are the ingredients for the healthy version:

corn oil Popcorn Popping Oil

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With the healthier way, there is still fat but it comes from poly and monounsaturated fats = good fats! It also has no sodium!!

What you will need:

2 Tbsp popping oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels

Directions:
Place oil in the bottom of a medium sized saucepan
Then add the 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels on the top
Move saucepan around so that the popcorn kernels are spread even
Place lid on the top

Once popcorn starts popping, lightly move saucepan back and forth. If the popcorn starts to overflow, put the popcorn into a bowl so that there is room for the popcorn still popping.

**1/2 cup makes quite a large bowl of popcorn so you could lower the amount to 1 Tbsp oil and 1/4 cup popcorn kernels. **

When the popcorn is done you can add 1-2 tbsp of butter IF you want or you can use coconut oil or olive oil for an even healthier alternative. To add flavor you can use different seasonings like cinnamon and nutmeg for something sweet. For something savory use chili powder, paprika, pumpkin spice, red pepper, and more.

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Mrs. Dash makes some great seasonings that are also salt-free that you can try 🙂

Hope you enjoy and as always let me know if you like it!!

❤ KJ

Meal Prep Sunday

Meal Prep

Failing to prepare…is preparing to fail!! Meal Prep Sunday!! 🙂

Preparing meals for the week…breakfast, snack, lunch, and more snacks hehe…leaves little room for bad choices. If you don’t have something already made and you’re really hungry…you’re going to reach for the bad, quick choices like potato chips and cookies, all the junk that is so bad for you. If you are busy during the week, don’t get home in time to cook dinners, I recommend prepping dinners as well. It can take anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on how much you are cooking but it will save you triple the amount of time during the week.

It is so much easier planning out my meals for the week and prepping all the food. I don’t prep dinners because I am home so I can make those daily. During the day it is so hectic for me so it is easier to open the fridge, heat, and eat! Makes it simple when I already have 1000 other things going on! 🙂

I normally do all meats and veggies. I can clean fruits along the way and they are easier to grab. This week is chicken and flank steak with a mix of veggies. All is seasoned with 21 Day Fix all purpose seasoning (Seasoning Recipe). I will add quinoa and brown rice for my yellow containers (21 Day Fix), eggs and Ezekiel bread for breakfast.

Before you prepare your meals, I recommend you get rid of any “bad choices” from your pantry and house. This will force you to eat the good choices and items you have already purchased. This also might enforce meal prepping! 🙂

Do you meal prep? If so, what kind of meals?

❤ KJ

Green Bean Casserole

I love Thanksgiving!! It is a great time for family and friends to get together and just be thankful for everything in their lives. There is only one bad but good part 🙂 FOOD!! We eat lots and lots of food and then feel sick! Ugh!

While Thanksgiving is a good day for food and fun we can make healthier alternatives to green bean casserole!!

green bean casserole

Here is what you will need:

1/4 cup olive oil
6 medium shallots, sliced into rings (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 pounds thin fresh string beans or haricots verts, trimmed
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
6 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3 cups low-fat (1 percent) milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil cooking spray

Total Time – 1 hour 25 minutes
Prep Time – 33 minutes  —- Cook Time – 55 minutes

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1/4 cup shallots and cook, stirring, until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining shallots, cooking 1/4 cup at a time. Reserve the oil in the skillet.

Place the green beans in a steamer basket fitted over a pot of boiling water. Cover and steam until bright green and still crisp, about 3 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved shallot oil in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushroom liquid is evaporated and they begin to brown, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl.

Whisk together the milk and flour until the flour is dissolved. Add the mixture to the skillet and, whisking constantly, bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the green beans, mushroom mixture, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, the parsley, nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon the green bean mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle the top with the crispy shallots and the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese. Bake until golden on top and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (Yields 8 Servings)
Calories 186
Total Fat 9 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Protein 9 g
Total Carbohydrate 19 g
Sugar 9 g

Recipe courtesy Ellie Krieger for Food Network Magazine

Winter Time Blues

We all know that dreaded time is coming! It’s the time of year our little ones are constantly getting sick!! 😦

Nowadays with all these new illnesses out it can be scary for parents. All us parents want to do is make sure our babies are taken care of and healthy!

I’ve come across something interesting, I just had to share!! A common illness for little ones besides the common cold every year is EAR INFECTIONS! Yuck! Children get ear infections all the time! They even get double ear infections more often than not. Coming from a mom who my little guy had ear infections one after another for a whole year. Enough is enough!!

Here is a great product to have on hand when your children get an ear infection…GARLIC OIL!

SAFBABY.com says, “The #1 reason kids visit the doctor is an earaches and ear infections. Sinus congestion can lead to blockage in the ear canals resulting in an earache and possibly infection. Ear canals are not fully formed until a child is 3-4 years old. The best remedy for an ear infection is garlic oil. Keep it on hand in your medicine cabinet.”

garlic oil

Give it a try and let me know if it helps your little one!! 🙂

❤ KJ

Healthy Deviled Eggs

Hummus Deviled Eggs

Who loves deviled eggs?? I know I do!! They are SO yummy but so loaded with fat, thank you mayo!! Here is a healthy alternative aka healthy deviled eggs:

For a protein-packed snack, try hummus with your eggs.

Total Time: 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:
5 hard-boiled eggs, cut in half lengthwise, yolks discarded*
4 Tbsp. prepared hummus
5 kalamata olives, chopped
Smoked paprika (to taste; optional)
*in other words – 5 egg whites

Preparation:
1. Fill each egg white half with about 1 tsp. hummus.
2. Sprinkle evenly with olives and paprika. Serve immediately.

**Another healthy alternative is using the yolks, adding mustard (as much as you like, pink Himalayan sea salt or regular sea salt, and pepper. Still add the olives if you like them and then prepare the same)**

NutritionalData-HummusFilledEggs

❤ KJ

Recipe courtesy of TeamBeachbody.com

It’s About The Journey!

How many times have you started something, get discouraged, and quit? How many times are you doing something and expecting immediate results and you don’t?

A fitness journey is just like that!! There may be times where you follow the plan to a T and you gain a pound. You might follow the plan to a T and not see a difference in your progress pictures. The key is to look for what you may not see on a scale or in a picture.

Journey Quote

Are you getting stronger? Does the workout seem easier? Do you feel better from eating cleaner foods? Do the smaller changes make a BIG difference?

whole staircase pic

There has to be a yes to at least one of these questions. Focus on the good! Focus on what you do see or what other people see in you. Don’t get discouraged. Keep pushing through. When you feel like giving up, turn to the people who lift you up! Rely on your support system. That is what they are there for.

When-you-feel-like-quitting-think-why-you-started.

People can get discouraged in whatever journey they are on, it doesn’t have to be fitness or health necessarily. Some really good ideas are to look for inspiration and motivation. I like to find my mentors, friends, family, Google quotes that make me feel good or that are positive, give an old friend, new friend, best friend, etc. a call, go for a walk, go get a mani/pedi, and anything else that might strike my mood to make me feel better.

What I am trying to say is, keep looking forward, push through, and make the most of your journey. You will be glad you did! You never regret taking chances, you regret NOT taking chances! 🙂

❤ KJ

Taco Seasoning

Hi y’all!! I figured since I was on a roll with my seasoning post I would do another one.

Last night we tried the no salt taco seasoning. I have to say it was SO good!! I have been wanting to make the taco seasoning for a while and I am glad I did yesterday. It was a hit with my whole family…kid tested and husband approved!! 🙂

Here is what you need:

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  • 2 TBSP Ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp. Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. Chili Powder

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This is what is will look like or this…

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I also added this seasoning into a small Pyrex glass container. Whatever I didn’t use I left in this and put a lid on.

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I use 93/7 beef with half of a yellow onion. This was before seasoning.

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Now the seasoning is in..the smell is A-MAZ-ING!!! 🙂

Add as much seasoning or as little as you want per your taste preference.

***It does have a little kick so be careful. It was fine for my husband, son, and I.***

As always, try it out, and let me know what you think!! Feel free to share this post with anyone who might like a salt free taco seasoning!! 🙂

❤ KJ

21 Day Fix — All Purpose Seasoning!

Recently our family has been trying new seasonings to help cut down the salt or sodium content. If you have looked at the nutrition facts lately on most seasonings, you will see they are LOADED with sodium!! Makes my lips pucker just thinking about it! Literally!! 🙂

I am currently doing the 21 Day Fix. In the 21 Day Fix eating plan there is a great recipe for an all-purpose seasoning. An all-purpose seasoning means you can use it on whatever you would like. We cook a lot of chicken breasts so this is what I tried it on first.

Let’s begin!

What you will need:

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All – Purpose Seasoning 

– 4 tsp. onion powder
– 2 tsp. garlic powder
– 2 tsp. mustard powder
– 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
– 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
– 1 tsp. sea salt

I also used two chicken breasts –

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I measured out each seasoning and put into a small plastic Tupperware container. After I was done, I then moved it to a Pyrex glass container and wrote 21DF for 21 Day Fix, on the lid in permanent marker.

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I also added a little more pepper to my container because I like more pepper.

Once I had all the seasonings mixed together, I sprinkled about 1/4 tsp of the all-purpose seasoning on both sides of the chicken.

Have you ever smelled the food restaurants were cooking while standing outside the restaurant or being nearby? When this chicken was cooking on the grill, it smelled the EXACT same way!!! YUUMM!!

It turned out so fabulous and was DELICIOUS!!!  Try it out and let me know what you think!! 🙂

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