Fit Challenge

Tuesday: Day 3

Sorry I've already gotten behind, but on Tuesday I chose to do some relaxing and gentle Yoga because Tuesdays are my longest day of the week. 

I have been following this adorable Yogi on YouTube and I absolutely love the way she approaches yoga. She is relaxed, lighthearted, and smiling! I originally learned yoga at a studio in my town through my college and I started something new for me. I love the connection of the mind and body, like Pilates, and I also enjoy the gentleness of it. It reminds me to treat my body nicely, relax, and enjoy movement. 

Here is an extra link to here channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

Here is a link to the video I started with and that I love to revisit on those Tuesdays that I am feeling tired and rundown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBu-pQG6sTY

Thanks for reading, sorry I'm late in posting this, and be sure to follow Adriene on YouTube!

Fit Challenge

Monday day 2: At the Gym

25 calf raises

The Hundred 

27 minutes on the treadmill

Full body stretch once your heart rate has come down

**the hundred is a Pilates move that involves a tight core, structured breathing, and one hundred pumps of the arms. If you're not familiar with the Hundred check it out on you tube

Fit Challenge

I'm going to start posting a fit challenge every so often on this here blog!

Sunday: day 1

25 heel raises
head-to-toe stretch/ range of motion 

Heel raise description: 

Start feet parallel and hip distance apart,

check in with your posture and start a head-to-toe check: chin up, gaze straight ahead, shoulders down and back, abdominals engaged, belly button to spine, hips neutral, toes spread and weight balanced evenly between each leg as well as between toes and heels.   

slowly raise both heels at the same time and balance all weight on the highest point of your toes. weight should be focused to the second toe for the best balance. but all toes remain in contact with the floor. 

slowly lower both heels at the same time resisting the urge to plop down, as you lower down softly raise through the spine and top of the head. 

Head-to-toe stretch description:

gently look in all directions: right, left, up, down 
circle head and neck around clockwise and counter clockwise
roll shoulders forward and back
move shoulders up and down
make circles with arms forward and back
stretch each arm across and over head
stretch each side in a lateral stretch 
reach up on an inhale and stretch back ever so slightly while lifting the gaze and heart up
exhale and bend down toward toes
bend and straighten legs relaxing in this stretch of the lower back and backs of the legs
bend knees and slowly roll up through the spine
step right leg back into a gentle lunge and strecth the calf; return
step left leg back now; return
roll each ankle in both directions
roll through each foot up the the toes and back to flat
take a deep breath and drink some water :)

You did it!!

Quinoa Lunch

I am OBSESSED with quinoa! it's just so good and can be flavored any way you want! it's quicker to cook than rice and it's texture is so light! 

Here is a lunch version i made yesterday:

Ingredients: 

• leftover quinoa from the night before :) (keep reading if you want to know how I cooked mine)
• 1 can black beans
• shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• roughly chopped cilantro

directions: reheat leftover quinoa in the microwave for about a minute and a half, stir *tip: place a wet paper towel over quinoa bowl in the microwave to keep it full of moisture. rinse the beans in a strainer place in a microwave safe bowl and heat for about a minute. mix beans and quinoa together then add in cheddar cheese and microwave again for 30 seconds and stir. then roughly chop some fresh cilantro and mix that in. 

That's it! such a quick lunch!

here's how I made my quinoa:

1 cup of dry quinoa, rinse in a mesh strainer, put it in a medium pot with 2 cups of water and 1 tsp pink sea salt and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. bring to a boil. once it's boiling set the heat to low and let it cook 15 minutes. at this point all the liquid should be absorbed and the quinoa looks almost clear except for the little c-shaped white part ;)

one of the fun things about B working from home some days is having lunch with him!

Tonight's dinner made with love...

Hey! I just had to write this right now because I'm jazzed about a tasty quinoa pilaf I just made!!

my quinoa creation:

Ingredients:
 cup dry quinoa
1 can chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon pink sea salt
ground black pepper
1/8 garlic powder (not garlic salt)
splash of olive oil


Directions:
Rinse quinoa well in a fine mesh strainer rubbing gently (do this for longer than you think you should...like 2 minutes) I know it's like "nah dawg I'd rather skip that" but it will turn out bitter if you don't rinse it. toss some olive oil onto a skillet and toast/dry the quinoa. Add seasonings (rosemary, garlic powder, salt, pepper) Put chicken broth in a medium sauce pan add the quinoa and seasonings put the lid on and bring to a boil, once it's boiling set the timer for 15 minutes. After it has cooked for fifteen minutes turn of heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and enjoy!


Fun facts about quinoa (as told by me): It's pronounced Keen-wah... ancient grain... healthy... lots of protein... delicious... fun texture... many flavor options... it looks neat when cooked... fiber... I want to make it for breakfast...i think i'll stop now.

*1 cup of quinoa dry will yield 3 cups wet


I paired this with lemon infused boiled chicken breast, which was slightly lacking in flavor but was still good. I simply boiled boneless skinless chicken breasts in water with fresh lemon juice and lemon pepper seasoning. I enjoyed the subtle flavor of lemon on the out side of the chicken breast but it was very faint and once chewing the chicken it mostly tasted like plain 'ol chicken breast so this one needs some tweaking ;) That's the fun in cooking though trying new things and learning.

Iced Green Tea (gone ahhh-mazing!!!)

I just made a fantastic brew of iced green tea and I'm feeling so accomplished! I love to make iced tea but I usually make it with black tea for that stronger flavor and caffeine kick. This time I decided to go for a lighter and more antioxidant rich green tea version. 

I'll let you in a little secret, I don't like green tea! UNLESS it's ice cold! haha! That's probably weird but my taste buds seem to have preferred temperatures for foods and drinks. Here are some examples: coffee must be piping hot and stay that hot for the 30 plus minutes it takes me to drink it ;) Food must be hot as opposed to warm, and I like water at three different temperatures: hot, room temp, and ice cold but of course not luke warm! So there you have it, just a little insight into my taste buds but back to iced tea!  

Ingredients:

4 cups (32 fl oz) of very hot water

2 green tea bags (matcha types have extra antioxidants or so I've read)

juice of 1 and a half small lemons (to taste) 

1 (1/2 ) table spoons honey (to desired sweetness or even omit if you don't want it sweetened) 

Dash of pink sea salt and a sprinkle of lemon zest

24 ice cubes

Directions:

Heat the water to very hot, I use an electric tea kettle. Pour the hot water into desired container over two tea green tea bags. Let brew for five minutes. Remove tea bags and stir in the lemon juice, honey, dash of salt, and sprinkles of lemon zest. Once everything is dissolved into the tea add the ice cubes and refrigerate for 4 hours.

* It may be ready before the four hours especially if you fill a glass with ice and then pour but that just a note for those who can get a little impatient at times like myself ;)

** if you like stronger tea flavor add more tea bags to the brew.

and here's a bonus cat pic:

 Kirby enjoying the special present we brought home for him from Pismo! An empty shopping bag!!! :P 

The most DELISH breakfast for fall!

Pumpkin Pie, Sweetie Pie Yogurt

This is a super yummy breakfast I've been making the past few years in the fall! When I start feeling those intense pumpkin cravings...like August, haha! nah just kiddin' October usually :) The best thing about this recipe is: it's super delicious, it's stupid easy, and it's fast! 

I'm calling it Pumpkin Pie Sweetie Pie yogurt because I had started making it mid October and my hubby cautiously watched me eat it while eating his regular yogurt or a bagel. Sometimes he doesn't like to try new stuff but I don't push. One day I offered him a bite and he said he really liked it. The next day I offered to make him some but he still said no, sad face :(  probably just didn't want yogurt but whatever... Then a few days later I offered again and He ACCEPTED!!! "Here's my chance!" I thought, and he loved it! Now he asks for it every so often and I think to my self "he's such a sweetie pie!" ;)

You will need:

yogurt of choice: I use greek gods greek yogurt the honey flavor. It's decadently thick and creamy and perfect sweetness. I use about 1 cup (I don't like getting measuring cups dirty for b-fast and if you measure it once and continue to use the same bowl you can eye it)

two to three tablespoons pumpkin puree not the pie filling but ironically there is a pie on the can...

1 tea spoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cloves

 *for the spices add what you like! pumpkin pie spice is great because its got cinnamon cloves nutmeg and allspice all bundled up together but I love cinnamon so I add extra and same for cloves it you like extra spicy-ness add extra nutmeg whatever YOU like!

stir it all together  and top off with your favorite granola

There you have it!A delish breakfast that is festive for the season filled with pumpkin,a super healthy vegetable that contains lots of good vitamins and fiber. 

Snack!

Hey there! Just wanted to share a pic of my delicious and healthy snack for the day: Raspberries and Persimmon! 

Also getting some double fist pumps from my android couple! lol! Their names Lemon and Cherry!

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Hello friends! I'm just loving this fall! It's a wonderful time of year as it is but this year especially so since I'm newlywed to my wonderful hubby and this is our first fall married! This has been the best fall yet! We've been snuggling up together, wearing fuzzy socks, and making tons of new pumpkin creations in our very own kitchen!! Now I must confess that I'm not vegan or even vegetarian but I happened to be out of eggs and I really wanted to make pumpkin muffins for breakfast the other day so... I improvised and came out with a delicious, moist, and just so happens to be vegan pumpkin muffin!      *note: This recipe makes great pumpkin bread too :)

Here's how i did it:

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
 (or if you have it on hand you can use 1 cup regular flour and 3/4 whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
dash of salt (preferred is sea salt or even better yet pink sea salt)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I always use a little more just because I love cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon honey
  

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, salt  and spices in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl mix pumpkin, coconut oil, apple sauce, maple syrup, and honey. The coconut oil will stay a solid in the liquid mix especially if your apple sauce or pumpkin were in the refrigerator but this is not a problem. Next mix the wet ingredients into the dry and work the two together into dough with a wooden spoon (i do not use a hand mixer at all for this recipe) Grease loaf pan for pumpkin bread or standard muffin pan with whatever you prefer, or you could also use muffin liners if your pan is not non-stick. I used a non-stick muffin pan and had no trouble without liners but I did grease it with coconut oil. Fill muffin pan 1/2 to 3/4 in each hole thingy :p and bake for 25 minutes. If making pumpkin bread bake it for 35 minutes. 

My baking times are approximate so be sure to keep an eye on them and when in doubt insert a tooth pick in the middle of you bread or one of your muffins. If it comes out clean then it's done if it comes out with dough still on it is not quite cooked all the way through yet.

I topped mine of with whipped cream cheese regular flavor! Oh so yummy! 

PS: Kirby liked how they smelled but he didn't get any closer than that! We're still working on keeping him off the table. Let me know what you think of my Vegan Pumpkin Muffins recipe and if you have any kitty training tips :)