Holiday Survival Guide and Angie’s Popcorn Review and Giveaway!! December 7, 2012

Guess who was hanging from the lights this morning? It took Keenan several minutes to find “Peanut!” I had to prompt him to look up because he kept looking all over for her and asking, “Mommy, where is she?” He looked on the couch, in the coat closet, under the TV stand, under the coffee table, by the Christmas tree and in his toy box before I told him to look up to the ceiling, where he found her! It was SO hard for me to keep a straight face!

Anyhow, this morning was a pancake kind of morning! I made Paleo pancakes topped with leftover coconut whipped cream and strawberries; they were SO good! It was interesting, because usually I can eat three small-medium size Paleo pancakes, but with the coconut whipped cream, two pancakes filled me up! The healthy fats in the coconut made the pancakes very filling (in a good way!).

Speaking of healthy fats, I have one more day and then it is competition time! I’m excited, nervous and anxious all at the same time. I feel ready as I will ever be, but as I’ve said before, I just want to get it over with! I think the hardest thing is not knowing what to expect. I’m looking forward to resting tomorrow and then putting my game face on for Saturday!

On another note, I recently read an article on Health.com about surviving the holidays, which made me think about how I am managing my stress and keeping up with healthy habits (nutrition and exercise) throughout this holiday season. Since there are only two and a half weeks left until Christmas and still so much to do (at least for me!), I thought it would be good to put together my own little Holiday Survival Guide with tips on how to manage holiday stress, since I already put together a list of Healthy Holiday Eating Tips.

• Keep up with your healthy eating habits. With so many parties to attend and things to do during this time of year, it is easy to slack off and eat more fast, processed and convenient foods or eat one too many desserts at your friend’s holiday party, especially if you are stressed (hello emotional eating!). Keep in mind that having good nutrition helps your body manage stress better. A properly fueled body can help keep your immune system strong (stress suppresses your immune system) and allow it to continue functioning at its prime to get everything checked off your to-do list! Also, by sticking to your healthy habits, you are less likely to gain those additional holiday pounds!

• Get enough sleep. Sleep is so vital to keeping your energy levels high throughout the day, in addition to keeping you in a good mood. When we are tired, we more likely to feel irritable/ cranky and also crave sugar and caffeine to provide us with energy. By going to bed at a decent time each night and giving your body adequate rest, you are more likely to manage your stress better, have more energy, thus feeling better overall and keeping up with your healthy habits of good nutrition and exercise.

• Stay active. With so many things to do during the holiday season, exercise can be put on the back burner. Instead of making excuses of not being able to exercise, make time for it by scheduling it into your day. Take some time on your lunch break to go for a walk or workout at your gym. Or, get up early before your kids wake-up to fit in a quick workout. Even better, involve your kids by taking them on a jog or walk to the park. The more you move, the better you will feel, both mentally and physically!

• Breathe. When we are stressed, our breathing tends to be more shallow, taking less deep breaths. Take a few minutes to stop what you are doing and take three deep breaths. When I take time to breathe, I automatically feel better, even when I am extremely stressed. Breathing allows me to focus on my breath, relaxing my body, so I am better able to finish what needs to get done (feeling less overwhelmed).

• Enjoy every moment. Most importantly, enjoy the special time of the holidays, cherishing each moment with your family and friends. It is such a magical time, so take time to really have fun and appreciate all the moments you get to spend with your loved ones!

Now onto Angie’s Popcorn!

Angie’s Popcorn generously sent me a box of their popcorn to try a few weeks ago. I had seen their Boom Chicka Pop popcorn in stores, but hadn’t tried it, so I was super excited when I received my box! Popcorn is one of my favorite snack foods, especially Kettle Corn, the kind that is freshly made in front of you at a street fair or festival. In fact, my family and friends would probably call me a “popcorn fanatic,” because I love it so much!

Angie’s prides itself in making small-batch kettle corn and popcorn. They only use a few ingredients and pop it fresh, batch by batch in Minnesota. They offer several different flavors: Kettle Corn, Sweet and Salty, White Cheddar, Salted Caramel, Sweet and Spicy, Boom Chicka Pop Sea Salt, Boom Chicka Pop Lightly Sweet and a holiday line of Holidrizzle: Dark Chocolate Sea Salt and White Chocolate Peppermint. The company was started by Angie and Dan Bastian in 2001 who wanted to start a college fund for their daughters. They tested small batches of popcorn in their kitchen and sold them at local events. The demand for their popcorn increased and in 2004, they became the official popcorn for the Minnesota Vikings, thus growing into a real business.

I have to say, I loved all of their popcorn! I can’t say that too much about other products, but Angie’s does a great job in making good popcorn, simply (with as few ingredients as possible). The salted caramel was the first bag that we opened and my husband, mom (she was at our house the day the popcorn arrived), and Keenan were pleasantly surprised. It was excellent–not overly sweet, but still salty at the same time. My mom couldn’t stop eating it! My husband immediately opened the Sweet and Spicy (since he loves anything with spice) and fell in love. I could barely have any, because he kept the whole bag for himself! It was really good! The white cheddar was another one of my favorites, perfectly balanced with cheddar, salt and a hint of sweetness. The Boom Chicka Pop was also excellent, very fresh air-popped popcorn with a hint of salt. Lastly, the Kettle Corn was my all-time favorite (of course). I couldn’t believe how fresh and perfectly balanced the salt vs. sweet was! It tasted like it was freshly popped at a local street fair or farmer’s market! All in all, I was very impressed by Angie’s Popcorn and I can’t wait to try their holiday flavors! I will definitely be eating their popcorn again…maybe bringing it for a snack on our flight to Montreal to see my brother!  You can buy their popcorn in pretty much any grocery store, as well as Costco. Of course, you can buy it online from them, or on amazon, too. As an added bonus, each bag is pretty inexpensive, costing you less than $3.50!

Angie’s was so generous that they offered to send one lucky reader a box of their assorted popcorn, too!

To enter the giveaway, please follow the steps below:

1. Leave a comment on this post stating why you would like to win some popcorn!

(Optional) Earn four additional entries by:

1. Like Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy’s Facebook page

2. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy on Twitter: @FitNWellMommy

3. Post on YOUR Facebook page or Tweet, “I want to win a box of popcorn from Angie’s Popcorn and Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy!”

4. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy by email

*Make sure to leave a second, third or fourth comment on this post with your Facebook post, Tweet, like or following, in order for your extra entries to be counted (a total of 5 chances to win!!).

The giveaway ends next Tuesday, December 11th at 8 p.m. PST!! Good luck!

Giving Back and Simple-Trends Headband Review and Giveaway!! November 27, 2012

Well, I definitely have a cold. My throat is not as sore as it was yesterday, but I definitely have a lot of post-nasal drip. When I woke up this morning, everything had moved into my head. Ugh…I just hate head colds, because I feel like one giant nose (like in those cold medicine commercials)! Fortunately, Keenan woke up late this morning, at 8:30, so I was able to sleep in a bit, which helped. My husband doesn’t seem to be as affected, so far, and Keenan seems to be okay. I’m hoping he doesn’t get it.

My husband was very sweet this morning and fixed us a nice breakfast of his famous “cheesy eggs” with a pear and a latte. It was nice to come downstairs and have breakfast all ready!

After breakfast, Keenan and I headed to our local retirement home for my MOMs Club service project. As part of my duties as the Vice President, I have to plan at least one service project for the year. Since we haven’t done any work with retirement homes, I thought it would be nice to coordinate some activities during the holidays with them, especially since many of the residents don’t have any family. Today, we did holiday arts and crafts: making cards, pictures and ornaments with the residents. We are going back in a couple of weeks to attend their holiday party and give a card and picture or ornament to each resident while singing Christmas songs. The residents were so happy to have us there today. Some of them enjoyed helping the kids color and glue, while others just enjoyed watching. They kept talking about how they were looking forward to having us come back for their holiday party, as well as starting a regular story time. In January, we are starting a monthly story time where the residents will read their favorite stories to the kids. Overall, it was great morning, both for the residents and for our kids. I look forward to going back, soon!

It feels so good to give back or help those in need, which is what the holidays are all about (or should be). It shouldn’t be so much about shopping and giving gifts to friends and family members; the real gift of giving should be volunteering your time (or money, if you have it) to those who are less fortunate (or don’t have anyone in their lives, like the residents of the retirement home we visited today). Maybe for every gift you buy for someone, you donate money to your favorite charity or donate your time this holiday season–just a thought.

On another note, I’m excited to host a giveaway, just in time for the holidays!

Nicole at Simple-Trends kindly sent me a couple of headbands, one to try and one to give away. They are just what their name implies, simple, but comfortable (and versatile) headbands that you can wear for working out, when out-and-about, or simply spending the day at home. You can wear their bands wide, or tuck them in to be thin. You can also wear them with your hair up or down. All of Simple-Trends headbands are handmade in the U.S. and come in a variety of prints.

I wore my band to CrossFit last week and I have to say, I loved the style and fit (so comfortable, I practically forgot it was on my head!), but as soon as I started my WOD, it slid right off. The band doesn’t have any material underneath to make it stay on your head, so it is definitely a band to wear for low-intensity activities, only, such as yoga, pilates or walking. I love the style and how it feels on my head, so I will definitely wear it out and about, but I just can’t wear it for CrossFit. If you are one who does yoga and pilates, Simple-Trends is the band for you, or if you just want a fun and stylish band to wear out-and-about, I highly recommend them!

Since Nicole was so generous and sent me an extra headband to give away, see below on how to win it!

To enter the giveaway, please follow the steps below:

1. Leave a comment on this post stating how you would wear your headband.

(Optional) Earn an extra entry by:

1. Like Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy’s Facebook page

2. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy on Twitter: @FitNWellMommy

3. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy by email

4. Post on YOUR Facebook page, or Tweet, “I want to win a headband from Simple-Trends and Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy!”

*Make sure to leave a second comment on this post with your Facebook post, Tweet, like or following, in order for your extra entry/entries to be counted!

The giveaway ends Monday, December 3rd at 8 p.m. PST!! Good luck!

Well, it is time to get ready for CrossFit and finish preparing dinner (crock pot pork and apples with roasted broccoli) so it is done when we get home. My piriformis and rhomboids feel pretty good today, but I’m still not going to go 100%, to make sure I continue to feel better (in addition, my energy is low due to my cold). Enjoy the rest of your afternoon!

WIAW and Fiber Gourmet Giveaway!! November 8, 2012

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

Today, I was on a cooking roll…

For breakfast, Keenan and I had No Oat Oatmeal with chopped spinach added, sliced strawberries and a dollop of almond butter on top. I accidentally cooked it a little too long, so the consistency wasn’t as smooth as I like, but it still tasted good! Keenan liked it because he finished his in a matter of minutes! It was funny, he kept saying, “Mommy put salad in it!”

For lunch, I made Keenan some pasta using Fiber Gourmet elbow noodles with pasta sauce and leftover chicken from our dinner last night. He also had some Italian Carrots and a few slices of a pluot that he and I shared.

For my lunch, I made an open-faced turkey sandwich with tomato, half of an avocado and some pasta sauce. It was tasty!

In addition, I made another batch of Italian Carrots for Keenan this morning, as well as preparing tonight’s dinner.

For dinner, we had Turkey Meat Loaf in the Crock Pot, with roasted butternut squash and an apple walnut salad. Since I had some leftover salsa, I made the meat loaf Mexican inspired, using cumin, oregano, a little chili powder, fresh garlic and salsa (omitting the feta cheese, basil Italian seasoning and sun dried tomatoes).  We added a little chili garlic sauce on top for some added zip. It was delish!

For our salads, I used romaine lettuce, a fresh gala apple (diced), crumbled apple chips, roasted walnuts and feta cheese. For the dressing, I mixed a little champagne and balsamic vinegars with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Overall, dinner was tasty and everyone enjoyed it! Also, as an added bonus to tonight’s dinner, everything was done as soon as we got home from CrossFit. I just love crock-pot/make ahead meals!

At CrossFit tonight, we had a great gymnastics WOD of pullups, handstand pushups (HSPU) and wall walks: 10 HSPU, 25 pullups, 5 wall walks, 25 pullups, 7 wall walks, 25 pullups, 9 wall walks and 10 HSPU. Though my shoulders will probably feel it tomorrow, it was a good WOD. I finished in 16 minutes and 8 seconds, not too bad.

Before I talk about Fiber Gourmet, I have to say my son is officially into bugs! As we were playing outside this morning, he found a couple of beetles and was fascinated by them! He just picked them up, held them in his hand and walked around with them. He kept saying, “Holding the beetles!” So, needless to say (no matter if I like it or not), I guess this is the beginning to the lovely world of collecting bugs….

Now onto Fiber Gourmet!

A couple of weeks ago, I received a package from the very generous folks at Fiber Gourmet. They sent a box of their half-calorie everything crackers and a box of their light elbow noodles. I was so excited to try their products, because I had heard so many good things about them. They are a food technology company based in Miami Beach, Florida. Their focus is on making low-calorie, high-fiber foods that not only taste good, but are good for you. They make pasta, crackers and cake taste like the “regular versions,” but with ten times the amount of fiber and much lower in calories! They use their own unique technology to add large amounts of insoluble fiber, called “resistant starch” (which is calorie free) to increase the fiber content, while lowering the calories by 40%. The “resistant starch” tastes like starch, but works like fiber in our bodies.

With that said, the nutrition labels for their products are so different than regular pasta, even whole wheat. For their pasta, a 2 oz. cooked portion contains 130 calories, 18 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein! In contrast, whole wheat pasta contains on average, 200 calories and only 4-5 grams of fiber with barely any protein. Their crackers contain 70 calories in each 30 gram pouch with 12 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. Also, the ingredient lists for all of their products are pretty minimal: Durum semolina flour, modified wheat starch, and wheat gluten for their pasta. For their crackers, the ingredients are: Modified Wheat Starch (resistant starch), flour, vital wheat gluten, palm and/or canola oil, wheat germ, sugar, salt, honey, molasses, baking powder, guar gum and any spices.

When my husband and I tried the crackers for our “at home date night” a couple of weeks ago with some Gouda cheese as our appetizer, we were both impressed. He was definitely not looking forward to trying the “healthy crackers,” as he called them, but was pleasantly surprised! The crackers were light and crispy and definitely did not taste like a “healthy” cracker. They sure did not taste like you were consuming 12 grams of fiber! My husband liked them so much, that he practically finished the entire box of crackers that night!

When we made the elbow noodles, we were once again impressed. The noodles looked and cooked like regular pasta (not requiring a longer amount of time like whole wheat pasta), and the best part of all, they tasted great! My husband and Keenan loved them! We will definitely eat these noodles again. Since I’m half Italian, I grew-up on fresh pasta, so I have to say, I’m thrilled to see pasta that tastes pretty darn close to the real thing, but contains far less calories and is loaded with fiber! All, in all, I highly recommend Fiber Gourmet and I can’t wait to try more of their products! You can find some of their products in specialty grocery stores, or you can buy directly from them online, or through amazon.

Since Fiber Gourmet was so generous, they offered to send one lucky reader a box of their choice: a sampler pack of pasta or a case of crackers!

To enter the giveaway, please follow the steps below:

1. Leave a comment on this post stating which product you would like to try: a sampler pack of pasta or a case of crackers.

(Optional) Earn an extra entry by:

1. Like Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy’s Facebook page

2. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy on Twitter: @FitNWellMommy

3. Post on YOUR Facebook page or Tweet, “I want to win a sampler pack of pasta or a case of crackers from Fiber Gourmet and Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy!”

4. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy by email

*Make sure to leave a second comment on this post with your Facebook post, Tweet, like or following, in order for your extra entry/entries to be counted!

The giveaway ends Tuesday, November 13th at 8 p.m. PST!! Good luck!

Artisana Giveaway!! October 25, 2012

Well, it is cleaning day over here, not something I am looking forward to (as usual!). Since my goals today are to get the entire house cleaned, laundry done and dinner prepped, I’m going to keep today’s post short. There is just too much to do! In addition, I’m heading to another blogging event tonight, so I definitely have to get all of my things done. I’m excited about tonight’s blogging event; it is sponsored by the SITS Girls, an online blogging community of more than 40,000 women bloggers. I look forward to meeting other local bloggers and learning more about the SITS community. I’ll fill you in tomorrow with how it went!

Onto today: I tried out a new breakfast of paleo pancakes, inspired by Danielle. I used 2 eggs, 2 egg whites, 2 bananas, 1 Tbsp flaxseed, 1 Tbsp chia seeds, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, a drop of milk and 1 tsp of baking powder, to make enough for Keenan and I (with some leftover to freeze for later!). They turned out great and were so simple to make (very similar to my No Oat Oatmeal). I’ll definitely be making these again!

Soooo good topped with a dollop of Fage Greek yogurt, honey and berries!

Look who was excited to have pancakes this morning! He ate three whole pancakes!

Now, onto Artisana!

They are a small organic food company based in Oakland and specialize in making raw nut and seed butters, with some super food products, such as acai berry, goji berry and blue green algae. They are committed to sustainable living and support the organic and living foods movement. They focus on purchasing foods as locally as possible, buying directly from organic farmers. All of their products contain lots of vitamins and minerals, non-animal proteins, essential fatty-acids and fiber, as well as being certified kosher.

The goodies that Artisana sent!

Artisana was very kind and sent me a box of their goodies last week to try. They sent some coconut butter, raw walnut, almond, cashew, pecan and macadamia nut butters, along with their cacao bliss (coconut butter mixed with cocoa). I had only tried raw almond butter prior to trying Artisan’s products (which was okay, I prefer roasted), so I was excited to try other raw butters, along with coconut butter. I first tried their raw walnut butter on top of my Pumpkin Almond Flour Muffins and it was really creamy and rich. I was quite surprised at how good it was! The next day, I added a dollop of cashew butter to my No Oat Oatmeal and again, I was pleasantly surprised at how creamy and tasty it was. Since I hadn’t been a fan of raw almond butter in the past, I was surprised at how much I liked Artisana’s butters! Last weekend, we all topped our pancakes with coconut butter and the cacao bliss.! The two together were heavenly! Overall, all of their butters were excellent and I will definitely be adding their coconut and walnut butter to our list of “nut butter staples” that we keep in our cabinet. If you haven’t tried Artisan’s products, I highly recommend trying them. You won’t be disappointed!

Very tasty!

Coconut and cashew butter!

Since Artisana was so generous, they offered to send one lucky a reader a box of their goodies!

To enter the giveaway, please follow the steps below:

1. Leave a comment on this post stating how you would use your raw nut butter.

(Optional) Earn an extra entry by:

1. Like Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy’s Facebook page

2. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy on Twitter: @FitNWellMommy

3. Like Artisana’s Facebook page

Post on YOUR Facebook page or Tweet, “I want to win a box of goodies from Artisana and Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy at http://www.fitnwellmommy.com.”

*Make sure to leave a second comment on this post with your Facebook post, Tweet or Like, in order for your extra entry to be counted!

The giveaway ends next Wednesday, Oct. 31st at 8 p.m. PST!! Good luck!

Thirsty Thursday and Go Raw Giveaway!! October 18, 2012

Good Morning! Today is especially a good morning, because I have my latte in hand, but it isn’t my usual cup of joe, it is a Pumpkin Pie Latte! My mom came over this morning for a visit, so I am able to get some work done while she and Keenan play. It is one of the first mornings in a long time that I can slowly sip my coffee, check email and get some writing done; I love it! Here is the recipe for my easy and healthy way to enjoy a Pumpkin Pie latte at home:

Yummm…my favorite Fall latte!

Pumpkin Pie Latte:

Ingredients:

– 1 8 oz. cup of coffee made in a frenchh press or stove-top percolator

– 2 tsp Torani pumpkin pie sugar-free syrup

– 1/4 cup milk (any kind)

Directions:

1. Brew coffee as directed (I used my french press this morning).

2. Pour milk into a mug and add pumpkin syrup.

3. Microwave milk and syrup for 45 seconds.

4. Use Aerolatte milk frother (or other frother) to froth milk in the mug.

5. Pour coffee into milk and lightly mix. Enjoy!

*Notes: If you want more pumpkin spice flavor, add a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice on top of your latte!

The lineup for my latte.

Anyhow, today’s breakfast was the “usual,” because I didn’t want to do anything different after yesterday’s puking episode. It was pretty boring, but I rather be on the safe side!

My “usual,” another boring, but good breakfast!

A little while after breakfast, Keenan “cuddled” on the couch with all of his animals while watching “Sesame Street.”

Cuddling with his animals!

Yesterday, Keenan took a 3 hour nap and he was back to his usual self when he woke up. Since he got up past 4:00 p.m., we stayed home (instead of going to CrossFit), played with his legos, took the tape off of our pumpkins and rode his trike. It was a perfect afternoon. I also think it was good for my body to take a rest day. I’m looking forward to hitting today’s workout hard! Speaking of working out, we have a meeting this afternoon to talk about training for our upcoming competitions. I’m excited, but already getting nervous, especially for the individual competition in December, eek!

The paint didn’t stay on as well as I liked. Next time, we will have to use non-washable paint!

Now, about Go Raw:

Go Raw is a small family based business in Mountain View, California. Their foods are completely raw, dehydrated below 105 degrees and all handmade. Everything is organic, wheat and gluten free, kosher, nut free and have no added sugars, oils, cholesterol or GMOs. Their seeds are soaked, rinsed and sprouted before being dried. They have several products ranging from energy bars, cookies, crackers, granola, sprouted seeds and even chocolate!

A generous sampling of Go Raw’s products!

The generous folks at Go Raw kindly sent me a box of their products to try this past week and I couldn’t wait to open it! I’ve heard about their products for some time, so I was excited to give them a try. When the box arrived, my husband and I first tried their banana flax bar. It is loaded with flax seeds, bananas, coconut and dates. I liked the taste; it really tasted like banana bread! The texture was a little tough, but similar to a fruit leather. My husband liked it, too! Next, we tried the carrot cake super cookies (which are crunchy small rounds, like a cracker), and my husband loved them! He loves carrot cake and anything with nutmeg and clove. For me, the cookies were a little “spicy,” or had too much of a nutmeg flavor. A little while later, we also tried the chocolate super cookies and I have to say, these were our least favorite. They tasted more like carob than real cocoa. My husband thought they were okay, not the best, either.

Banana bread flax bar.

Carrot cake super cookies.

Chocolate super cookies.

The next day, we tried the spirulina super chips and these were my favorite cookie/chip! The flavor was great; they tasted like banana chips (which I love!). My husband agreed and thought that they were the best of the chips/cookies. We also opened the pizza flax snax and spicy flax snax chips and they both blew us away in flavor and texture. Both flavors were great and the texture was perfectly crunchy, like eating tortilla chips! In addition, we sampled the original live chocolate and the flavor was amazing, very rich chocolate, but the texture was a little too soft.

Spirulina super chips.

Pizza flax snax.

Live chocolate.

Yesterday, I sprinkled the original super cookies on top of my “usual breakfast,” and they were really good! They added the perfect crunchy topping and never got soggy.

Today, I opened the sprouted pumpkin seeds (sorry, I forgot to take a picture of them), because I’m thinking of adding them to a recipe I want to make tomorrow and to my homemade trail mix. I have to say, the seeds were amazing! The flavor was perfectly spicy and salty at the same time. They could be dangerous, because I could keep eating them! All, in all, I was very impressed with Go Raw’s products. Though, I am not a vegan, nor follow a raw foods diet, Go Raw offers some great alternatives for those following those diets, as well as anyone who just wants a healthy and wholesome snack!

Go Raw was so generous, that they offered to send one lucky reader a sampling of their goodies!!

To enter the giveaway, please follow the steps below:

1. Check out Go Raw’s website and leave a comment on this post stating which product you would like to try

Earn an extra entry by:

1. Like Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy’s Facebook page

2. Like Go Raw’s Facebook page

3. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy on Twitter: @FitNWellMommy

Post on YOUR Facebook page and/or Tweet, “I want to win some Go Raw products from Go Raw and Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy at http://www.fitnwellmommy.com.”

*Make sure to leave a second comment on this post with your Facebook post, Tweet or Like, in order for your extra entry to be counted!

The giveaway ends Monday, October 23rd at 8:00 p.m. PST. Good luck!! 🙂

 

Question: Are you a regular cup of joe kind of a person, or do you prefer an espresso drink, i.e. latte, cappuccino, mocha, etc? If you prefer an espresso drink, how do you like it?

 

**REMINDER: There is still time to enter the Babes and Babies event giveaway! To enter a chance to win free tickets to the exclusive shopping event in San Francisco, click here!

What I Ate Wednesday and Babes and Babies Event Giveaway!! October 17, 2012

It’s Wednesday again and time to link up with Jenn for What I Ate Wednesday!

This morning was rather rushed due to Keenan sleeping-in (which was nice!) and heading to his swim class. I was so glad that I made a batch of pumpkin almond flour muffins last week to keep in the freezer for quick breakfasts, because they definitely came in handy this morning! Keenan and I each had a muffin (his topped with pumpkin butter) and mine with raw walnut butter that Artisana sent me (stay tuned for a review and giveaway of their products coming soon!). We also had some slices of strawberries on the side. Since I wanted something a little more sweet, I added a little dab of pumpkin butter to my muffin, too! For some reason, Keenan took a long time to eat his breakfast and didn’t seem too interested. He asked to try my walnut butter, so I gave him a taste and then he immediately didn’t want to eat much more of his breakfast…

Still smiling while eating his breakfast!

My breakfast with walnut butter and a little pumpkin butter on top!

Raw Walnut Butter from Artisana.

Well, after swim class, we stopped at the library to check-out some books and when I went to get him out of his car seat, he puked all over himself and his seat three times! Poor little guy, he was scared and crying, not knowing what happened or why he threw-up. He kept saying, “mommy out, mommy bath!” I felt so bad for him. Since we were at the library, which is only a few minutes from our house, I told him we will take a bath as soon we get home. He just sat frozen in his car seat on the ride home, covered in puke, poor thing. As soon as we got home, I stripped him down and put him in the bath. Before I put him in the tub, I took his temperature and it was normal, so I’m not sure what caused his stomach to be upset. He seemed fine and his usual playful self during his swim class. I don’t know if it was the walnut butter, but I ate the same thing as him and I was fine. Anyhow, after his bath, he felt much better and was a little back to his normal self. He wanted to watch some “Elmo’s World,” so I put that on while I attempted to clean his car seat, ugh!

After I got Keenan’s seat out of the car, I took off the cover and straps and hosed everything down. I tossed the cover in the wash (which I didn’t know you could do!). I learn something new everyday! Once everything was cleaned (or at least washing), I made Keenan a light lunch of half a peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich with some applesauce. He definitely had his appetite back, because he ate everything in a matter of minutes! I, on the other hand, wasn’t super hungry after cleaning up puke! Once I put Keenan down for his nap, I made myself my “usual breakfast,” except with a peach and some Go Raw Original Super Cookies (stay tuned for a review and giveaway of Go Raw products coming soon!) crumbled on top. It was the only thing that sounded good to me and it hit the spot! I also enjoyed a latte, since I didn’t have a chance to make coffee this morning!

My “usual breakfast” for lunch, but with some Go Raw Super Cookies crumbled on top!

Once Keenan wakes up from his nap and depending on how he feels, we will head to CrossFit. If he has a bug, I don’t want to expose the other kids. So, we’ll see. Yesterday’s WOD was tough, doing 7 front squats (115 lbs for women), 12 toes-to-bar and 50 double unders for as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes. Since my 1 rep max clean is 120 lb, I did 105 lbs for the front squats, which was still tough! I did 3 rounds and 5 reps, not too bad. I was really tired yesterday, so I knew the WOD was going to be challenging. After my class, I stayed to help coach the beginners class. The beginners had a team WOD (3 people) of burpee box jumps, sumo deadlift high pulls and running 200 meters for as many reps as possible in 15 minutes. Since there was an odd number in the class, I did their workout, too (2 WODs within 2 hours!). Boy, was I pooped when I got home last night! With that being said, my body is tired today and my lower back and left arm are still sore. If I don’t make it to CrossFit today, I think it will be good for my body to rest and go back tomorrow.

Since my husband is out of town tonight for work, on the menu for me is a GIANT salad! I’m thinking of making an apple walnut salad with chicken and  feta cheese or “everything but the kitchen sink” salad. I’m excited to have a big bowl of salad all to myself! 🙂

Before I forget, the generous gals at Appel and Frank contacted me a couple of days ago about their upcoming event, Babes and Babies in San Francisco. They invited me to attend, but unfortunately, I’m not able to make it, due to our CrossFit team competition being held on the same day. It is an event for Moms and moms-to-be to enjoy a day of shopping and education in San Francisco on November 3rd from 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Patron Hall. There will be 65 designers and companies with lots of baby/toddler clothing, accessories, gear, toys and resources at discounted prices. Guest speakers will be talking about sleep training, diapering, cord blood registry and much more. Also, as an added bonus, gift bags will be given to the first 200 families that attend! In addition, there will be play areas, activities for kids and raffle prizes! It seems like a lot of fun and I sure wish I could be there!

If you would like to join in on the fun, Appel and Frank generously offered one lucky reader 2 free tickets!!

To enter the giveaway, please follow the steps below:

1. Leave a comment on this post stating why you would like to attend the event.

Earn an extra entry by:

1. Like Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy’s Facebook page

2. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy on Twitter: @FitNWellMommy

3. Like Appel and Frank’s Facebook page

Post on YOUR Facebook page or Tweet, “I want to win tickets to the Babes and Babies event from Appel and Frank and Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy at http://www.fitnwellmommy.com.”

*Make sure to leave a second comment on this post with your Facebook post, Tweet or Like, in order for your extra entry to be counted!

The giveaway ends Sunday, October 21st at noon PST! Good luck!

I have to include this picture of Keenan, as a fun note to end with (especially after today’s puking episode!).  He took this picture all by himself with my camera yesterday afternoon. My husband and I were laughing so hard when we saw this! Have a great afternoon!

Our little photographer!

 

 

Weekend Recap and Drink Chia Review and Giveaway!! October 8, 2012

Happy Monday! We had a good weekend, though not enough relaxation. I’m looking forward to a weekend when we don’t have any plans (if that is possible!). Anyhow, before I talk about today and Drink Chia, here is a little bit about our weekend.

On Friday, we had our “at home date night,” and enjoyed some roasted spaghetti squash seeds with some wine as we were waiting for the spaghetti squash tomato bake to be done. My husband offered to roast the seeds and he did a really good job; they were yummy! We are definitely going to do this again when we make any winter squash, because the seeds make a great snack or addition to homemade trail mix! After enjoying our scrumptious spaghetti squash tomato bake, we watched a couple of our favorite TV shows, i.e. “Up All Night” and “Parenthood.” For dessert, I didn’t end up making the microwave cookie like I had planned. Instead, we enjoyed a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some of my husband’s cousin’s famous fudge sauce…SO good!

Yummy roasted squash seeds!

Delicious spaghetti squash tomato bake with chicken right out of the oven!

On Saturday, we went to our local farmer’s market and loaded up on produce for the week,  followed by running a few errands. Before I forget, my husband made a very yummy breakfast: eggs benedict (well, a pseudo eggs benedict: poached egg on top of toast with tomato, avocado and Costco’s yogurt jalapeno dip)!  In the afternoon, we headed to our friend’s son’s birthday party (Keenan had a blast playing with all of the kids and eating a chocolate cupcake!) and then to my parent’s house. My husband and I helped out at an event for my hometown’s school, since my parent’s couldn’t be there. While we were at the event, my cousin babysat Keenan, so it was a nice “night out” for my husband and me!

Eggs benedict thanks to my lovely, husband!

Yesterday, we made a nice breakfast of eggs, oatmeal pancakes and fruit for my dad (since my mom was out of town) and headed to church. After lunch, we headed home for Keenan’s nap. Once he got up, we enjoyed a chocolate peanut butter milkshake (minus the milk) with flaxseed added for a snack and got our groceries for the week. Keenan was SO excited to drink his milkshake, in fact, he pretty much sipped every last morsel in his cup!

Milkshake time!

Now, on to today and Drink Chia! Keenan and I enjoyed our “usual” breakfast this morning of Fage Greek yogurt, flaxseed, chia seeds, strawberries and Kashi cereal (I know, boring!), since we had to get out the door quickly to go to his music class. Tomorrow, I’m thinking chocolate protein oats or no-oat oatmeal for breakfast…we’ll see! Anyhow, after class, we played in the park with some of the kids and Mommies from his music class before heading home for lunch. I made Keenan a turkey and cheese sandwich with avocado and a glass of milk. I enjoyed a peach and walnut salad with dried cherries and chopped chicken tossed with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It hit the spot!

Using his fork as a “microphone” as he was eating his lunch!

My lunch!

This afternoon, we are headed to CrossFit and then home for dinner: grilled country style boneless pork ribs with roasted brussel sprouts topped with pine nuts and Parmesan cheese!

Drink Chia:

Before I go into my review, here is a little background on Drink Chia: it is based in Florida and was founded by Chandra Davis, a mother of two young children, who was training for a marathon and wanted to enhance her nutrition. She researched different things and went to her local health food store and bought some chia seeds. After many hours in the kitchen experimenting with chia seeds, mixing them into different fruit juices and adding various sweeteners to get the perfect beverage, thus Drink Chia was born. She drank her concoction everyday and noticed a difference in her energy and she experienced less aches and pains in her knees and ankles from her training. Chandra co-founded Drink Chia with her fitness trainer, Mark Theisen.

Drink Chia’s lineup.

The kind folks at Drink Chia generously sent me some of their drinks to sample last week. They have four flavors: Mango Tangerine, B Meyer Lemon, Honeysuckle Pear and Strawberry Citrus. The first one that I tried was Strawberry Citrus, which was excellent (all flavors were great)! The flavor was great and I hardly noticed the seeds (but, before drinking, it needs to be chilled and you must SHAKE it, otherwise the seeds could clump up). Prior to trying Drink Chia, I have to say, I was not a fan of chia beverages, due to the seeds clumping up (with or without shaking) and the feeling in my mouth (more of a texture thing than flavor), but Drink Chia proved me wrong! They were definitely able to make a great tasting drink with chia seeds and without the funny texture like other chia drinks. Another nice thing (or added bonus) about their drinks, is that they are only 40 calories and are loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, lots of B-complex vitamins, zinc, selenium and only 4 grams of sugar. It is a great drink for a quick afternoon “pick-me-up,” prior to your workout or part of your post-workout snack. Instead of sprinkling chia seeds in your food, you can just drink them and still gain the same nutritional benefits (or more!). I love chia seeds because they are so beneficial for your health, thus I try to put them in everything I can (yogurt, baking and sprinkled in salads), but I will definitely be drinking more of Drink Chia! They can be purchased online, through Amazon.com or you may find them at your local grocery store.

Such good stuff!

Since Drink Chia was so generous, they offered to send one lucky reader a half case and a t-shirt!!

To enter the giveaway, please follow the steps below:

1. Leave a comment on this post stating when you would drink your Drink Chia, i.e. part of your post-workout snack, part of your breakfast, after lunch, etc!

Earn an extra entry by:

1. Like Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy’s Facebook page

2. Like Drink Chia’s Facebook page

3. Post on YOUR Facebook page or Tweet, “I want to win some Drink Chia from Drink Chia and Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy at http://www.fitnwellmommy.com.”

*Make sure to leave a second comment on this post with your Facebook post, Tweet or Like, in order for your extra entry to be counted!

The giveaway ends this Thursday, October 11th at 8:00 p.m. PST. Good luck!