Competition and Weekend Recap + Coconut Flour Pancakes! December 11, 2012

Sorry that this post is so late; my usual afternoon blogging time got cut short due to finishing up some odds and ends around the house and Keenan waking up early. Lately, if Keenan isn’t in bed for his nap by 1:30 (at the latest), he has trouble going to sleep, taking between 30-40 minutes to finally fall asleep. In addition, if he falls asleep later (like he did today), he tends to get up at his usual time between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m., no matter how much or little sleep he got. I can’t figure it out!

Anyhow, look where Peanut was this morning! Keenan wasn’t so happy that she was playing with his tractor and car!

Enjoying a ride on Keenan’s tractor, much to his dislike!

This weekend, she was also found hanging onto one of the Wise Men in our nativity scene. Keenan was glad to see her out of his toys!

Having fun with the Wise Men!

Well, onto my competition…I had a lot of fun and I’m so glad that I did it. I am much relieved, but also proud that I was able to do it and in the Rx (advanced) division. It was tough and after the first WOD of heavy deadlifts, my back tightened up (due to losing my form, something I must work on in order to stay injury-free), so I had to really push myself the rest of the day. I made it through all three of the WODs and accomplished my goal of not coming in last! I placed 20th out of 24 girls in my division, not excellent or great, but not bad for my first time, especially in the Rx division. I learned a lot and saw so many strong women pushing themselves to be the best that they can be. It inspired me to push myself even further, to work harder, be stronger, be faster and never stop trying to be the best that I can be. Some think I am crazy for doing two competitions in a row, but I am really looking forward to participating in this coming Saturday’s team competition (hopefully, I’m fully recovered and not as sore by then!) and pushing myself even harder than I did last weekend. After the holidays, I look forward to signing up for another competition or two, participating in the CrossFit Open and most importantly, working on my weaknesses to become a better CrossFitter overall.

Oh, how I dislike thrusters!

Toes-to-bar!

After the competition, we didn’t do anything exciting, except make a slow drive home in hopes Keenan would take his nap, but of course, he didn’t! Since he stayed awake, we made a stop at Costco since we were out of so many things. That night after we put Keenan to bed, we enjoyed our wonderful truffle brie cheese with some wine, followed by a yummy one-pot meal of sauteed brussel sprouts with bacon, onions and roasted pine nuts, thanks to my husband! It was delish and perfectly satisfying after competing!

So good!

Yesterday, I was exhausted, not to mention sore, so we enjoyed a relaxing day at home, starting with Coconut Flour Pancakes (recipe below)! We looked up a few different recipes and then came up with our own, which was really good, though a tad dry. I’m not sure if it is just the  texture of the coconut flour, or if we need to experiment with adding more liquid (though the recipe has A LOT of liquid!).

Perfect Sunday breakfast!

Later that day, I made a huge batch of pasta sauce that my husband canned (he stayed up until 3:30 am!) for Christmas gifts and to keep us stocked all year long. He is making homemade pasta later this week to go with our sauce. In addition, I also made some candied walnuts, which will be for gifts, too!

Lots and lots of sauce!

Lots and lots of jars of pasta sauce!

Last night, we made some hot chocolate and took a nice walk around our neighborhood looking at Christmas lights. Keenan was mesmerized with all of the lights and LOVED his hot chocolate! He pretty much sucked down his drink before we left the house!  He’s definitely like his father, when it comes to chocolate. After he was done, he kept asking for more! It was fun to see Keenan’s reaction to all of the lights and sounds (some of the homes had Christmas music playing with their displays); his eyes were so big, taking everything in! After we were done and walking home, he kept saying, “more lights please!” It was so cute! We are going to drive to the Fab 40’s later this week to walk through that neighborhood, since they are known for their incredible light displays. I can’t wait for Keenan to see them! The holidays are truly a magical time, especially seeing it through your child’s eyes.

Today was another lazy day at home. Keenan and I enjoyed some piano time playing Christmas songs, and doing some arts and crafts, making Santa and Frosty using cotton balls. He colored Frosty’s hat and “helped” to glue the cotton balls on by getting glue everywhere and cotton stuck to all of his fingers! He kept wanting me to wipe his hands clean only to get them dirty with glue and cotton balls again!

A fun (but messy) project!

Coconut Flour Pancakes: (makes about 10 large pancakes)

Ingredients:

– 1 cup coconut flour

– 8 eggs

– 1 1/2 cups (+ possibly 1/2 cup, more) milk or liquid of your choice

– 1 tsp vanilla

– 2 tbsp melted coconut oil

– 1/4 tsp cinnamon

– 2 tbsp raw honey

– 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

– 1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions:

1. Mix all dry ingredients, except for baking soda, together in a medium size bowl. Mix wet ingredients, except for vinegar, and add to dry ingredients. Let sit for a few minutes.

2. After batter has hydrated, add just enough extra liquid to make a batter that’s too thick to spread by itself. Add in baking soda and vinegar and mix just until incorporated.

3. Using an ice cream scoop, plop batter onto a greased or oiled skillet, spread out batter, and cook for a few minutes per side (until browned on both sides of pancake).

4. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

*Notes: For the milk, we used some leftover coconut milk, and regular milk. My husband said that he made the batter too thin, and a thicker batter will flip much easier, and not break so easily. He added 2 extra ounces of liquid.

Well, it is late and time for a hot shower (since I’m still in my sweaty workout clothes from CrossFit tonight) and bed. Have a good night!

Questions: What kinds of holiday activities have you done or have planned? What was the highlight of your weekend? How do you like your hot chocolate? I love adding a little Frangelico or Amarula to mine, along with a couple of marshmallows!

REMINDER: There is still time to win a box of the BEST popcorn EVER!! Angie’s Popcorn giveaway ends tomorrow, December 11th at 8 p.m. PST!! Click here to enter!

What I Ate Wednesday and More November 29, 2012

Happy Hump-Day! Sorry this is so late; this is the first time I’ve had a chance to sit down in front of my computer all day! It was a busy one, to say the least! Keenan woke up past 8:00 a.m. which was nice, but he also woke up at 3:00 a.m., calling frantically for my husband. I think he had a bad dream because he just wanted to be held and sung to when my husband went into his room. Fortunately, he went right back to sleep, but my husband and I had a hard time going back to sleep. Needless to say, we were tired this morning!

Today was cleaning day (not one of my favorite days, especially with a cold!), so after Keenan and I ate breakfast, I  did a little cleaning downstairs while he played (which included some cuddle time on the couch with his critters!) before we got ready to head to the box. I met a couple of my fellow athletes to do some skill work, back extensions on the glute ham developer, light deadlifts and box cleans. It was good to get some extra work in before the evening class.

Snuggling with his blanket and critters!

Tonight’s WOD was challenging: run 400 meters and 3 rounds of 15 pullups and 15 hand release pushups for 20 minutes, doing as many rounds as possible. The pullups were tough on my arm and the running is always a challenge. I’m slowly working on a faster pace. I was able to complete 2 rounds and 200 meters, not bad, but definitely not the best. After class, I helped coach the beginner’s class, which was fun, as always! It is fun to meet new people who have just joined and those who have been coming for a while and are continuing to get stronger!

Since it’s Wednesday, you know the drill! I’m linking up with Jenn at Peas and Crayons for What I Ate Wednesday!

Here are some of the things I ate the past few days:

Breakfasts:

• No Oat Oatmeal with spinach
  

  I just love this breakfast!

• My husband’s famous “cheesy eggs” (with feta, for a change)
  

  My husband’s scrambled eggs are some of the best I have ever eaten!

• Pumpkin Pie Latte with my husband’s leftover homemade whipped cream (a nice compliment to my breakfasts!)
  

  So yummy; perfect for cold and rainy mornings!

Lunches:

• Turkey wraps with spinach, tomato, avocado and pepperoncinis
  

  One of my new favorites!

• Egg whites in a mug over a bed of spinach, tomato, avocado, pasta sauce and roasted pumpkin seeds
  

  I just can’t get enough of this!

• Egg White Florentine in a Mug with avocado and pasta sauce on top
  

  So easy to make and so satisfying for breakfast or lunch!

Dinners:

• Mediterranean Chicken in the Crock Pot
  

  Such a good dinner and super easy to make!

• Crock Pot Pork and Apples with roasted broccoli, cherry tomatoes, red onions and feta cheese
  

  Such a hearty and yummy meal!

• Thai red curry stir-fry of baby bok choy, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and chicken
  

  A great meal for a cold night, thanks to my husband for making it!

Well, it is time for a nice hot shower and then bed! I’m exhausted! Have a good night!

Questions: What have you eaten the past few days? Are you still eating turkey leftovers? Have you tried any new foods or recipes lately?

REMINDER: There is still time to enter a chance to win a stylish and comfortable workout headband from Simple-Trends! Giveaway ends Monday, Dec. 3rd at 8 p.m. PST!! Click here to enter.

What I Ate Wednesday + New Crock Pot Recipe! November 22, 2012

Happy Hump Day! I still can’t believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Since we are barely settling into fall weather here in California, it doesn’t feel like the start of the holiday season. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for all of the yummy goodies and spending time with family, but it just crept up so fast. Does anyone else feel that way?

Keenan is SO excited to see Nonna and Avo (and eat yummy food!) for Thanksgiving!

In addition, I wish I felt a little better. My eyes are slowly clearing up, but I still have to wear glasses instead of contacts, in addition to not wearing eye makeup. By the way, I don’t know how people workout and wear glasses! The past two days my glasses have slid down my nose due to sweat and have been uncomfortable while wearing a Sweaty Band! I guess you get used to it, but I just can’t stand having anything on or around my face while working out! Also, while I was doing heavy deadlifts in our partner WOD last night, I strained my piriformis and back, again (left side of glute/lower back). The weight was heavy, and I was rushing to get done as fast as possible and I irritated it again. Ugh! So, the next four days is full of rest, ice and icy hot for me! I’m hoping to feel better by Monday, especially since I have two weeks left until my competition. My plan of attack once I feel better is working on good technique/form at lighter weights to stay healthy, before increasing the amount of weight. But, I really shouldn’t complain, as my eyes and piriformis are really minor things. Overall, I am thankful for having good health, the ability to move, and such a supportive and loving family. No complaining anymore!

Since it is Wednesday, you know the drill; it is time to link up with Jenn at Peas and Crayons for What I Ate Wednesday!

Here is a roundup of what I ate the past few days:

Breakfasts:

• Paleo Pumpkin Pie Muffinswith strawberries
  

  So yummy and such a great pumpkin pie flavor!

• No Oat Oatmealwith spinach and topped with strawberries and almond butter
  

  Becoming my new favorite and “usual” breakfast!

• My “usual” (which isn’t much of a usual anymore, since I mainly eat No Oat Oatmeal for breakfast now)
  

  Not as satisfying as it used to be. I feel so much better when I start my day off with eggs or egg whites now!

Lunches:

• Egg whites in a mug over a bed of spinach, tomato and avocado topped with pasta sauce and roasted pumpkin  seeds (I have been craving this for lunch almost everyday; I just can’t get enough!)
  

  I just love having this for lunch!

• Salad with egg whites in a mug, cherry tomatoes, avocado, raw sprouted pumpkin seeds and feta cheese with balsamic vinegar and olive oil
  

  So satisfying!

• Turkey roll-ups stuffed with spinach, avocado and pepperoncinis (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture!)

Post-Workout Snack:

• Arbonne Chocolate protein shake (review coming soon!)
  

  Keenan loved having some of my protein shake, as you can see from his mustache!

Dinners:

• Roasted broccoli with cherry tomatoes, red onion and roasted pine nuts drizzled with balsamic vinegar and grilled country style boneless pork ribs
  

  One of my favorite dinners!

• Crock Pot Italian Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup (new recipe creation below!)
  

  Such a hearty and simple one-pot meal!

Crock Pot Italian Sausage, Kale and White bean Soup (serves 3-4):

Ingredients:

– 32 oz. chicken broth (low sodium)

– 2 bunches kale washed and chopped

– 1 onion (large dice)

– 1 can chopped tomatoes

– 1 can white cannelloni beans (low sodium)

– 3 pre-cooked Italian sausages (sliced and quartered)

– 1 tsp Italian seasoning

– 1 clove of garlic (minced)

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to crock pot and stir, making sure Kale is thoroughly mixed in.

2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

3. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top, if desired. Enjoy!

It is time to load up the car so we are ready to go to my parents’ house once Keenan wakes up from his nap. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Questions: What are you looking forward to the most, tomorrow? Are there any particular dishes or desserts that you can’t wait to eat? I can’t wait to eat my husband’s famous butternut squash risotto and my mom’s homemade pies!

Healthy Holiday Eating Tips + New Pumpkin Recipe! November 20, 2012

Wow, Thanksgiving is only two days away! I can’t wait! Tonight, I’m making Artichoke Torta (our family’s tradition) and getting everything packed to head to my parents’ house tomorrow. Keenan is so excited to go to my parents’ house that he keeps saying, “Go to Nonna and Avo’s house now!” I keep reminding him that we are going tomorrow and not today. He definitely has Thanksgiving down because when I ask him why we are going to Nonna and Avo’s house, he says “Thanksgiving and eat yummy food!” It is too cute!

Speaking of Thanksgiving and all of the delicious food that will be around, it is a great time to re-evaluate your eating habits during the holiday season, check-in on your goals, and have a plan in place to not get off-track. For myself, I look forward to eating all of the tasty goodies that I only get once a year. I allow myself to splurge, having a little bit of everything (though not going overboard). I always try to get some sort of exercise in on Thanksgiving or really push myself the day before, as well as working out the day after. I say “try” because it doesn’t always work out the way I plan, so I just aim to do my best. We usually do something fun as a family the day after Thanksgiving, so I might not have a chance to work out. Either way, I try not to be hard on myself and just plan to get back on track the following day (by then, my body is usually craving my normal routine!).

In preparation for the holiday season, here are a few healthy eating tips that I try to follow:

• Don’t starve yourself: With a big meal ahead, you might be tempted to eat as little as possible (or nothing) during the day, to save your calories. By not eating, your metabolism actually slow down. In addition, you might feel cranky, irritable and even tired, if your body isn’t consuming its regular calories as it is used to. Instead, eat as you normally do during the day, but a little lighter, saving room for consuming extra calories at your holiday feast.

• Portions: Since most of the foods at your holiday feast are probably ones you only get once a year, allow yourself a small handful size portion of everything and don’t go back for seconds. By having a taste of everything, you won’t feel guilty or too full! Even if you think you are still hungry, save yourself for a small slice of pie or other dessert. I’m sure that after having dessert your stomach will feel satisfied! We tend to eat with our eyes instead of our stomachs, so having a small portion of everything will be enough.

• Leftovers: I love Thanksgiving leftovers because you can do so much with them! When you think you need a second helping of your grandma’s casserole or mashed potatoes, think about saving it for the next day. This way, you get to enjoy your “once a year goodies” again the next day (without stuffing yourself the day of your feast). Change up the form, like turning mashed potatoes into potato pancakes with some turkey and cranberries. Or, chop leftover turkey into small pieces and add to a salad for lunch the next day.

• Exercise: Keep moving! Plan your exercise accordingly. If you don’t have time to fit in a workout on the holiday or the day after, do as much as you can on the days leading up to it. I try to workout extra hard on the few days leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as plan some time on the days after to workout (to make up for all of the calories I consumed!). If it means involving your family in your exercise, do it (what a great way to model healthy behavior!)! Go for a jog with your little one in the BOB stroller, a long family walk, ice skating, sledding or snow skiing! Most importantly, stay as active as you can during the holiday season, making sure to not miss a workout no matter how many things you have to do. The more you move, the more you will be able to stay fit throughout the holiday season and not gain those extra pounds!

• Maintain: If you have been working on weight or body fat loss the past few months, change your focus to just maintaining during the holidays. With all of the tempting goodies, it is hard to eat healthy 100% of the time. Take off some of the pressure and allow yourself to taste everything (a small handful size portion), without depriving yourself. But, keep things in check so you don’t go overboard. Be mindful of how your clothes fit and how you feel to make sure you don’t get completely off-track.

• Being Mindful: Take the time to truly savor each bite of the scrumptious food you will be eating. Listen to your body and know when you are full. Enjoy and cherish the time you are spending with your loved ones, appreciating each and every moment. Sometimes we get in “rush mode” (as I like to call it), due to the craziness of life and we forget to slow down during the holidays, taking the time to appreciate the important things in our life like family.

• Don’t Beat Yourself Up: If all else fails and you indulge in a little too much pumpkin pie, egg nog, gingerbread or stuffing, don’t be too hard on yourself. Get back on track the next day with your healthy eating and exercising. One day isn’t going to destroy all that you have worked hard for!

Well, today was another “semi-lazy” day at home. We were going to meet some friends at the park, but Keenan woke up late (8:05 a.m.!) and after eating breakfast, preparing tonight’s dinner (another new recipe, coming soon!), cleaning out Keenan’s closet and battling an eye infection (…from trying a new eyeliner on Sunday. Ugh, my eyes are just too sensitive!), we both were not motivated to leave the house. Instead, we had some good play-time of making soup in his kitchen, racing his cars, dancing and riding his trike. By the time Keenan went down for his nap, he was pretty tired! It was a great morning!

Lining up his cars and trucks for a race!

After Keenan went down for his nap, I headed to the box to do some extra work of kettlebell swings, snatches, GHD (glute hamstring developer), double unders and bench presses. Once he wakes up from his nap, we’ll head to the box to do today’s WOD of burpee box jumps, deadlifts and double unders (which I’m not looking forward to!).

Before I forget, here is my new recipe for pumpkin muffins. After searching the internet for new pumpkin ideas, I came across a couple of recipes for pumpkin pie muffins, so I experimented and came up with my Paleo-friendly ones!

Healthy pumpkin goodness!

Paleo Pumpkin Pie Muffins (makes 8 muffins):

Ingredients:

Muffins:

– 2 cups almond flour
– 1 tbsp baking powder
–  1/2 cup xylitol

– 1 tsp raw honey

– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
– 1/2 tsp cinnamon

– 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
– pinch of salt
1 cup pumpkin
2 tbsp applesauce

2 eggs
1/4 cup any milk
1/4 cup coconut oil

Filling:

1/2 cup pumpkin
2 tbsp xylitol
2 tbsp applesauce
1 tbsp coconut oil
– pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, mix all of the dry ingredients of the muffins together in a large bowl.

3. In a separate (small) bowl, mix the wet ingredients.

4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined. Set aside.

5. Prep a muffin tin by spraying it with cooking spray.

6. Mix all ingredients of the filling in a small bowl.

7. Add a scoop of the muffin batter into each muffin tin (leaving enough to cover the filling).

8. Next, add a scoop of the filling on top of the muffin batter, followed by another scoop of the batter (so the filling is in the middle).

9. Bake for 20-25 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Enjoy!

*Notes: If you don’t have Xylitol (or don’t want to use it), you can sub it for more raw honey!

Questions: How do you stay on track with your healthy eating and exercise routine during the holidays? Do you have any tips that you follow?

Friday Favorites! November 16, 2012

TGIF!! I don’t know about you, but I am ready for the weekend, especially since it is suppose to me cold and rainy here in Sacramento! Even though we have errands to run and things to get done around the house, it will be nice to have an excuse to cuddle up on the couch with a warm cup of hot chocolate. It is also crazy (and exciting) that Thanksgiving is less than a week away! Is it just me, or has this year flown by?

I’m also looking forward to a date night tomorrow night, thanks to an anniversary gift from my parents. We are going to dinner and then seeing the show, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret. It should be a fun night! Tonight, we are having an “at home date night,” making a roasted cauliflower salad with Gruyere cheese, bacon, roasted pine nuts and arugula, along with a bottle of wine that we bought last weekend after Keenan goes to bed. We have a lot of shows to catch-up on, so I think we will be having a TV marathon after dinner!

Before I talk about my “Friday Favorites” for this week, I want to tell you how my coaching went last night. I coached the CrossFit beginner’s class again and it was SO much better than last week! There were only 8 people, so that made a huge difference, but overall, I felt more confident and more of myself. I was able to loosen-up, be louder, make people laugh and remember everyone’s names from last week. I had a blast coaching and I can’t wait to do it again! Speaking of, my coach asked me to coach the weekend class tomorrow morning, since his wife is in a competition all day in the bay area. It should be fun, and another great opportunity to practice my coaching!

Now, onto “Friday Favorites!” If you missed my post from a few weeks ago, I decided to start a new theme for my Friday’s posts. Every Friday, I plan to reflect back on my favorite moments and eats from the past week, as part of my new focus of living more in the present and cherishing each and every moment.

Favorite Moments:

• Doing arts and crafts with Keenan yesterday: making a turkey using his hand cut-outs and hand prints!

• Having our “morning family snuggle time” in our bed reading stories with Keenan.

• Having breakfast with my favorite silly guy!

• Coaching the CrossFit beginner’s class last night.

Favorite Eats:

• Loaded Pumpkin Protein No Oat Oatmeal (I just can’t get enough!).

• Egg whites in a Mug over a bed of spinach with avocado, tomato, roasted pumpkin seeds and salsa or pasta sauce (another thing I just can’t stop eating!).

• Paleo Pancakes with Almond Flour

• Mediterranean Chicken in the Crock Pot

Have a great afternoon and weekend!

Questions: What were your favorite moments and eats from this week? Any fun plans for the weekend? Are you ready for Thanksgiving?

A Tough Tuesday and An Easy Crock Pot Recipe! November 14, 2012

Well, today was just one of those days! This morning, while I was making breakfast, Keenan was “helping” me make coffee and as I was getting ready to put the coffee in the French Press, it tipped over and broke into a hundred pieces! Glass was EVERYWHERE and Keenan and I were in the middle of it (not a good situation!). Keenan started crying and all I could think of was making sure he wasn’t cut and cleaning up the glass. Luckily, Keenan was fine and I was able to clean everything up. But, we were extremely late for our play date with our friends in Roseville, Giselle from A Healthy Happy Home and her cute little guy, Ayden.

Once we met up with our friends, we had a great time! Giselle is so sweet and her little guy is adorable. We walked through the farmer’s market, played a bit and even went on a little train ride (which Keenan absolutely loved!). As we got closer to lunch time, Keenan was getting tired and cranky, so we headed to Whole Foods to pick up a quick bite to eat before heading home. As we were getting food, Keenan was so tired that at first he wanted something and then he didn’t, getting more and more cranky. So, I got something quickly for him and we ate outside before getting in the car to drive home. Since he was so tired, he ate very slowly and took forever to swallow his food. I kept telling him to swallow, but  he just kept his food in his mouth for the longest time!

Having fun on the train ride! Keenan supplied our “sound effects,” because he kept saying “Choo Choo” during the entire ride!

Enjoying the train ride together!

As I expected, Keenan fell asleep as soon we drove out of the parking lot. Thinking that he would transfer well (he usually does), I transferred him to his crib, but after a few minutes, he woke up and didn’t go back to sleep. I let him sit in his crib (in hopes he would fall back asleep), but it didn’t help. He kept talking to his animals and then eventually calling for me. Needless to say, today wasn’t the best! I definitely don’t feel like I’ve earned the “best mom” award. I can’t help but feel bad about the whole day: broken glass everywhere, staying out too late this morning, thus causing Keenan to act out in frustration, and keeping him in his crib in hopes of him falling back asleep while I got some work done. The lesson learned is I need to learn to take a step back and reevaluate the situation and let things go. I also need to not worry about getting “everything done,” and just appreciate these moments (good or bad), because they go by so quickly.

Well, on another note, I survived yesterday’s extremely challenging WOD, “Murph“, yesterday. I finished in 49minutes and 24 seconds! I was SO relieved when it was over! I have to say that was one of the most mentally challenging WODs I have done. It was  hard to stay focused when there were so many reps to do! At least today’s workout wasn’t too bad. We had a small WOD of 15 hang clean and jerks of 65 lb and 15 box jumps, completing as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes. It was a nice change from yesterday! In addition, I did 100 burpees after class, as extra work our coach is having us do in preparation for our upcoming competitions (and for being a few minutes late…).

Before I forget, tonight we made Kabocha squash for the first time! We quartered it, added spices and roasted it in the oven for 45 minutes. When it was ready to eat, we just scooped it out with a spoon. It was really good! I’ll definitely be buying it again!

So yummy!

To go along with it, I made pork with apples and onions in the crock pot, a recipe I found online. It was good, though a little too acidic. I accidentally added too much apple cider vinegar. With a little less vinegar, it would be much better. Here is the recipe. It is super easy, since you throw in frozen pork chops or country style ribs!

Good (though it doesn’t look that great)!

Crock Pot Pork and Apples: (serves 2-3)

Adapted from Frugal Foodie Mama

Ingredients:

– 2-3 pork chops or boneless country pork ribs (frozen)

– 1 medium red onion, chopped

– 2 medium apples (any kind), cored and chopped

– 1/4 cup apple butter

– 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

– 1 1/2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard

– 1 tsp salt

– 1 tsp pepper

– 1/2 cup apple sauce

Directions:

1. Mix apple butter, vinegar, mustard, apple sauce, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.

2. Place apples and onions at the bottom of the crock pot.

3. Place pork on top of the apples and onions.

4. Top with mustard mixture, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

After a day like today, it is time for a much needed hot shower and heading to bed early. Have a good night!

Question: What kind of “bad mom” moments have you had? What did you learn from them?

**The winner of the Fiber Gourmet giveaway is: Heather! Congrats!! Please email me your address at fitnwellmommy@yahoo.com

Friday Favorites and Fitblogger! November 9, 2012

Happy Friday! Are you one of the lucky ones who has Monday off in honor of Veteran’s Day?

I’m SO excited it is Friday because we have some fun things planned for the weekend and today is my feature post for Fitblogger!! If you haven’t checked it out, you can see my post here. I was so thrilled to be asked to be a featured blogger! Fitblogger is a community of healthy living bloggers. It is a place to meet other bloggers, support one another and gain great information pertaining to health, fitness and  blogging.

As for the weekend, we are doing a little more celebrating for my birthday, starting with tomorrow at my in-laws. My mother-in-law is making a special brunch for my birthday with the most yummiest beverage ever, Cafe Bon, a mocha mixed with Amarula (a liquor similar to Kahlua) with homemade whipped cream! I can’t wait! On Sunday, we are going wine tasting in Amador County with some friends. My husband is planning it, so I’m not sure what all he has planned; it should be fun!

Tonight, we are going to have an “at home date night” after Keenan goes to bed, catching-up on our favorite TV shows that we missed during the week. I’m not sure what we are having for dinner: either stuffed bell peppers (since I have a couple that need to be used) or something with sweet potatoes. We’ll see…

This morning, I went to the box to do some skill work of cleans, squat cleans and split jerks. We are heading back to the box this afternoon for the WOD. My shoulders are definitely feeling it from this morning, so this afternoon shall be interesting! At least I have two days off!

Now, onto “Friday Favorites!” If you missed my post from a couple of weeks ago, I decided to start a new theme for my Friday’s posts. Every Friday, I plan to reflect back on my favorite moments and eats from the past week, as part of my new focus of living more in the present and cherishing each and every moment.

Favorite Moments:

• Keenan having fun taking a bubble bath!

• Playing piano and singing with Keenan. He even made “Baba” play the piano!

• Keenan sporting his new “Elmo” outfit, thanks to Nonna!

Favorite Eats:

• Turkey Meatloaf in the Crock Pot

• Turkey Meatloaf Melts

• Loaded Pumpkin Protein No Oat Oatmeal

Have a great weekend!

Questions: What were some of your favorite moments and eats from this week? Any suggestions on what to do with two green bell peppers or sweet potatoes for our dinner tonight?

*REMINDER: There is still time to enter the Fiber Gourmet giveaway! Contest ends Nov. 13th at 8 p.m. PST!! To enter, click here!

Friday Favorites November 2, 2012

TGIF!! I’m SO excited for this afternoon and weekend! My husband and I have a date night planned for tonight that includes a couples massage (thanks to Groupon!) and dinner afterwards. Keenan is staying with my parents for the night, whoohoo! Tomorrow afternoon, we are heading to my parents to stay the night and on Sunday, my mom and I are having a “girls day” at the spa at Wine and Roses in Lodi for my birthday (my birthday is on Sunday and I still can’t believe I will be 31!). It should be a lot of fun, and I can’t wait for some MUCH NEEDED pampering and relaxation!!

Since it is Friday, it is time for “Friday Favorites!” If you didn’t see last week’s post, I decided to start a new theme for my Friday’s posts. Every Friday, I plan to reflect back on my favorite moments and eats from the past week, as part of my new focus of living more in the present and cherishing each and every moment (living more the Alaska way).

Favorite Moments:

• Trick-or-treating with Keenan and seeing him so excited and happy!

• Keenan and my mom playing together and being silly!

• My husband and Keenan playing the guitar together!

• Playing with Keenan in his sandbox and cuddling with Slinky!

• Keenan and I creating our own version of “Rockabye Baby,” except calling it “Rockabye Potty” and turning it into a potty song for potty training!

Favorite Eats:

• Loaded Pumpkin Protein No Oat Oatmeal

• Microwave egg whites in a mug over a bed of spinach, tomatoes, avocado and salsa

• Popcorn!

• Quest Bars!

After looking back at this week’s eats, I definitely need to try a few new things next week. My favorite eats from last week were pretty much the same this week (but they were SO good!).  🙂

Since our massage appointments are later this afternoon, I need to keep today’s post short, so I can finish up a few things and take a shower. I went to CrossFit this morning and got a great circuit workout in of medicine ball cleans, rope climbs, GHD sit-ups, push presses (55 lb), over-the-box jumps and sumo deadlift high pulls of 50 lbs. We did 1 minute at each station (doing as many reps as you could in that minute) for 3 rounds. The left side of my lower back is still sore, so I’m looking forward to my massage later! Tomorrow, everyone who is competing in the next few weeks is meeting up to do a couple of WODs. I want to go, but I’m going to see how my back feels in the morning.

Well, have a wonderful Friday and a great weekend!

Question: What were some of your favorite moments and eats from this past week?

Thankful Thursday and Halloween Fun! November 1, 2012

I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween! We had a great time last night! Keenan really took to the whole concept of trick-or-treating and loved going door-to-door! He did a good job with saying “trick-or-treat,” though we would have to prompt him! He would always say “hi” when people answered their door and “thank you,” as he left, being very polite, which was really cute. He loved seeing all of the “big kids” trick-or-treating and wanted to run as fast as they were, in fact, as he was holding my mom’s hand, he kept saying “faster, faster!” The highlight of last night was seeing Keenan experience Halloween for the first time.  He was so excited about everything: dressing-up, going trick-or-treating (especially with Nonna!), eating candy for the first time, looking at all of the Halloween decorations on people’s houses and seeing other kids out and dressed-up. It was so much fun to see Halloween through his eyes and see him so happy! It truly melted my heart.

Here are a few pictures from our evening:

At his first house!

Getting his first handful of candy!

Going through his candy with Slinky at the end of the evening!

A quick family picture! Don’t you just love the sweats and lovely hairdo I was sporting?!

He was SO excited to enjoy his first piece of candy, a mini sucker that he unwrapped all by himself!

Today, after my mom headed home, we  met with an estate attorney. At my MOMs Club meeting last month, an estate attorney made a presentation about the importance of establishing guardianship and making plans if something unforeseen were to happen. Though, my husband and I have casually talked about a few things, we hadn’t discussed anything in depth about who would take care of Keenan if something were to happen to us. I hate talking about these things, but after hearing the presentation, it really made me think about the “what ifs” and how it is better to be prepared than have nothing in place. Fortunately, the attorney offered everyone who attended the presentation a complimentary consultation, so I immediately made an appointment.

Today’s appointment with the attorney made us think about a lot of things that we really never thought about it before (nor really want to think about, but need to). It put things into perspective and made me appreciate what we have in our lives and that we have each other. You just never know what can happen…

With that said, today I’m linking up with Jessie at Jessie Loves to Run, for her Thankful Thursday link-up. When things get busy, or I’m stressed, I sometimes forget to slow down, take a deep breath and really appreciate all that I have in my life. It is easy to take things for granted and not reflect on what we are blessed with or show appreciation or love for others. So, I thought it would be great to make a list of what I am thankful for. Thank you Jessie for coming up with such a great idea!

• My family: I’m so blessed to have such a supportive and loving family. They are my rock and everyone is always willing to help each other. Sometimes, we might not agree on things, but we still respect and love one another.
• My mom: She is my best friend, mentor and role model. I strive to be as good of a mom as she is to me. I love that I can tell her anything and she is always there to listen, offer a shoulder to cry on or a warm hug. She is also a tremendous Nonna to Keenan and my niece and I’m so thankful for everything that she does for us!
• My husband: He is my best friend and the love of my life. I am truly blessed to have met him 11 years ago! He makes me laugh everyday and is always there, supporting me along the way. He is a wonderful father and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to share my life with.
• Keenan: I am so blessed to have him in my life. He is my sunshine, making me smile and laugh everyday. I can’t believe that already 2 years have gone by, but I have loved every minute of it! His snuggles, hugs, kisses and sweetness are priceless.
• Health and Fitness: I’m thankful for being able to workout and stay active. Even though there are days when I don’t feel like doing anything, I’m thankful for having the ability to exercise.
• Faith: I’m thankful for my faith and it helping me get through difficult times, such as when we lost my brother, or my grandparents. My faith has always been there and it has helped me get to where I am today.

This evening, I am heading to CrossFit to get my workout in and then stay to help with the beginner’s class. My lower back is still a little sore from max deadlifts on Tuesday, so we’ll see how today goes. After doing virtually two workouts yesterday (heavy skill work in the morning and a WOD in the afternoon), I’m a little tired. I’m looking forward to tomorrow evening, because my husband and I have a couples massage scheduled (thanks to groupon!) for our date night!

Anyhow, on the menu for tonight is a roasted broccoli salad with cherry tomatoes, red onion, chicken and feta cheese. I just love roasted broccoli with charred cherry tomatoes; they are just so good together!

Have a great afternoon!

Question: What are you thankful for? How was your Halloween?

*The winner of the Artisana giveaway is: Danielle at Clean Food Creative Fitness! Please email me at fitnwellmommy@yahoo.com with your address!

Happy Halloween and What I Ate Wednesday! October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween! Since it is Wednesday, it is time to link up with Jenn for What I Ate Wednesday!

Instead of just focusing on today’s eats, I thought I would do a roundup of what I ate the past few days, especially, since I haven’t talked much about them.

On Sunday night, I made spaghetti squash tomato bake with turkey, using cheddar cheese, instead of mozzarella (I forgot to include mozzarella on my grocery list for the week). I actually liked the cheddar cheese better, because it was much more flavorful!

Before it was baked.

Just out of the oven!

We have also enjoyed our “usual breakfast” (having it on Monday and this morning).

The usual, but always good!

For lunches the past couple of days, I have been eating my new favorite dish: microwave egg whites in a mug on top of a bed of spinach with tomatoes, avocado and salsa. Keenan has been enjoying “cheesy egg” and turkey and cheese sandwiches.

So good and so satisfying!

Since we had so much leftover spaghetti squash, we have eaten it the past couple of nights for dinner (finally finishing it last night). I just love making big casseroles that last a few days. It makes dinners SO easy!

On the menu for tonight is Chinese long beans with Italian Sausage and mushrooms added. It should be good! I figure a nice veggie loaded one-pot meal will be perfect for tonight, since we will probably snack on some popcorn while watching a movie, while passing out candy.

Speaking of popcorn, I can’t forget to mention that Keenan and I have been snacking on some wonderful salted caramel popcorn from Angie’s Popcorn, that we received a couple of days ago (look for a review and giveaway coming soon!).

SO incredibly good!

Since we are going trick-or-treating tonight, I still have a lot to do, including going to CrossFit to do today’s WOD (I went to the box this morning to do some skill work of strict presses, push presses, handstand pushups and double unders), so I’m going to keep today’s post short. Also, my mom is here, to go trick-or-treating with us and spend the night (which Keenan is SO excited about!), so I better get going!

Questions: What are your plans for tonight? What have you been eating the past few days?

FINAL REMINDER: The Artisana giveaway ends tonight at 8 p.m. PST!! To enter, click here.