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!

Recap of our Weekend Part 2 and Moustache Baked Goods Review September 11, 2012

Today, we are definitely back to the grind. The laundry is finally done, folded and put away. I prepared our dinner this morning (spaghetti squash tomato bake, with ground turkey added for a one-pot meal) while Keenan hauled all of his kitchen things in the trailer behind his trike. I also hosted a play group at our house for my MOMs Club. It was quite a productive morning!

Loading up his trailer!

After the play group, we had lunch. I made Keenan a pork and cheese sandwich (using the left over country style boneless pork ribs from our dinner last night) with carrots and some of my pluot. I made myself a turkey and pork sandwich with lettuce, tomato and mustard, along with baby carrots and a pluot. I just love pluots, because they are tart and sweet, a nice balance between a plum and an apricot. I’m not much of a fan of fresh apricots (I love them dried!) or plums, but I love the combo in the pluot!

Anyhow, after Keenan gets up from his nap, we are heading to CrossFit (my triceps are still sore from yesterday’s ring dips!) and then home for our easy dinner. Speaking of, look for the recipe of the spaghetti squash tomato bake with my addition of turkey coming tomorrow!

Onto my review of Moustache Baked Goods in Healdsburg, CA and a recap of our weekend Part 2:

Part of the wonderful display at Moustache Baked Goods!

On our way to Gualala last week, Keenan and I randomly stopped into Moustache Baked Goods, as we were waiting for my husband. The moment you walk in the door and see the wonderful display of cupcakes, you know you are in for a VERY special treat! The aroma of coffee and baked goods is heavenly! Since there were so many cupcakes to choose from, we decided on The Milkman (Keenan’s pick): chocolate cake topped with housemade oreo cream frosting, The Butcher: vanilla cake with maple spice frosting and crispy local bacon and The Local: almond cake with honey mousse filling and a blood orange frosting. All three cupcakes were delish! It goes to show that scratch-baking really pays off, because my husband and I aren’t usually fans of cupcakes. Honestly, they were the best cupcakes I have ever eaten in my life. All three cupcakes were super moist, full of flavor, and perfectly balanced (not overly sweet). I have to say the best one was The Butcher (my husband’s favorite); I never thought maple and bacon could taste so good together, especially in a cupcake! My husband is really picky about savory-sweet cupcakes, and he said that their bacon-maple version is the BEST he’s ever tried. Oh, I can’t forget about the coffee that I ordered, the Macchiato; it was nothing like I’ve ever had. It was served in a small cup with a shot of espresso and warmed cream. It was SO rich and creamy, I didn’t need to add any sweetener! I can still taste it in my mouth!

The Butcher cupcakes…SOOOOO good!

Since everything was so delicious at Moustache Baked Goods, we had to stop in again on our way back to Healdsburg, before the wedding. We wanted to try some different cupcakes and I wanted my husband to try their coffee. We ordered The Miller: meyer lemon olive oil cake filled with lemon curd topped with meyer lemon cream frosting, The Outlaw: chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and caramel filled with sea salt and their chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting. Again, everything was amazing. In addition, I ordered a Cappuccino and my husband had the Macchiato. Once again, my cappuccino was so creamy and rich from the espresso and milk that I didn’t need to add any sweetener (my definition of an excellent coffee)! My husband enjoyed his Macchiato so much that he sucked it down in seconds (so much for sipping a nice coffee!). Keenan certainly loved all of the cupcakes, as he practically ate half of each one with his huge bites! Needless to say, Moustache Baked Goods will not disappoint! It is a must-stop if you are ever in Healdsburg, or passing through!! After writing this, my mouth is watering, even though I just ate lunch. I guess we will have to head back to Healdsburg, sooner, rather than later!

Our second set of cupcakes that we snacked on before the wedding!

My beautiful Cappuccino!

On Sunday morning, we joined my uncle and his partner at their church, Community Church of Sebastopol. It was so great to see my uncle and his partner, since we hadn’t seen them in several months. The church service was wonderful: the music was fantastic (my uncle plays the piano and organ) and we enjoyed listening to their great pastor. He had a great sermon, so relevant to our lives. Also, everyone was so friendly and welcoming.

After church, we stayed for the luncheon/carnival and Keenan had a blast playing all of the games. He won quite a few prizes: a a cupcake, a couple of small rubber bouncy balls and three little cars. All in all, we had a wonderful morning and we can’t wait to see my uncle and his partner again, soon!

Question of the day: What special dishes or foods that you ate during a recent outing or meal make your mouth water when you think of them?

Cleaning Day and Pre and Post-Workout Snacks August 29, 2012

My Little Cleaning Helper!

Today was cleaning day at our household…definitely not one of my favorite things to do, but something that has to be done. Who really loves to clean, anyways? The day was a lot better and definitely more fun with my handy little “Cleaning Helper!” Lately, it seems Keenan is fascinated with helping, whether it be unloading the dishwasher, setting the table or cleaning (especially vacuuming), so I’m enjoying every moment of it! I am keeping my fingers crossed that this continues!

After breakfast (having our “usual,” of course), Keenan and I worked on some “Thank You” notes for the gifts he received for his birthday. Later on, we headed upstairs to start cleaning. I gave Keenan his own rag, so he could help me dust/oil the wood, which he loved! When it was time to clean the bathrooms, he even helped me scrub the bathtub and clean his potty! Do your children like to help with certain chores? At what age does the “helping” phase stop?

Using his new crayons to make “Thank You” notes!

For some reason, Keenan was really thirsty and hungry all day, today. He drank a ton of water and inhaled all of his meals, so I’m not sure what caused it…growth spurt? For lunch, I made him a turkey and cheese sandwich with some leftover roasted sweet potatoes and a glass of milk. He polished everything off in 5 minutes (including his milk)! For my lunch, I made my “typical,” a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato on a sandwich thin with baby carrots and a small peach. I ate it quickly, so I could prep dinner and finish cleaning before going to the gym.

I have received a couple of questions in regards to my pre and post-workout snacks, so I thought I would address them here. To be honest, I forget to talk about them, especially since I always seem to be in a hurry to eat them. Anyhow, I try to eat a snack an hour before I workout that consists of a little carbs and a little protein. My pre-workout snacks are usually one of the following: a half of a banana with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter or almond butter, 1/4 cup of homemade trail mix (roasted unsalted almonds with dried cherries, dried pineapple and banana chips) or a small handful of dark chocolate covered roasted almonds. I mostly eat the banana and peanut butter, because it seems to sit the best on my stomach and provide the most energy for me during my workouts. After I workout, we usually eat dinner within an hour, so I don’t typically have a snack. However, I do drink a lot of water to replenish the fluids I lost. If we are not eating dinner within an hour, such as when we have our “at home date nights,” I will have a small snack that consists of carbs and protein (more carbs than protein). My post-workout snacks mainly consist of one of the following: chocolate milk (non-fat milk mixed with unsweetened cocoa powder and xylitol) or a piece of cheese and a couple of whole wheat crackers. People have asked me what is the best thing that they should eat to fuel their workouts and recover from them, and I always say it really comes down to the type and intensity of your exercise, in addition to how your body handles certain food. A good rule of  thumb for both snacks (pre and post-workout) is they should include a little bit of carbs and protein. The carbs can be whole grain bread, crackers, oatmeal, fruit and chocolate. The protein can be meat, eggs, dairy, nuts, nut butters, soy, etc. Or, you can combine the two in a quick shake or smoothie (protein powder mixed with chocolate and milk or protein powder with berries and yogurt) or drink chocolate milk. Either way, as long as you are consuming carbs and protein, you will be doing your body a favor, which should help you perform better and recover for the next workout.

Today’s workout was a good one, but definitely grueling! For the skill, we did fast/explosive back squats using a moderate weight, doing at least 10 sets of 2. The WOD was 3 rounds (time capped at 15 minutes) that consisted of 50 double unders, 40 thrusters (women weight: 55 lbs) and 30 kettlebell swings (women weight” 35 lbs). I did 2 rounds and 32 double unders, not bad, considering yesterday’s WOD. I was also happy because today was the first time that I was able to do 30 double unders in a row!! I’ve been practicing my double unders for months, so it finally paid off! Also, after yesterday’s performance, I decided that I’m going to get to the gym at least 15 minutes early to warm-up with double unders, do medicine ball cleans, followed by power cleans (to work on my “early arm bend”) and consecutive kipping or butterfly pullups. I don’t always have additional time during the week to go the gym on a 6th day, such as Saturday, to work on my weaknesses. I figure 15 minutes, 5 days a week of practice is better than nothing! So, we’ll see how it goes. I came in early today and my cleans were pretty good, no early arm bend, whoohoo!

For dinner tonight, we ate leftover turkey meatloaf, spaghetti squash tomato bake (a new recipe, thanks to the idea from A Healthy Happy Home that she got from Green Lite Bites) and a salad. The spaghetti squash was a hit! It will definitely be one of our “regular” side dishes. I tweaked the recipe a little, using mozzarella cheese instead of the Mexican blend it calls for, changing the spices to be more Italian flavored and sprinkling Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs on top.

Sorry, the quality of the image isn’t good. I took this with my phone because my camera wasn’t handy. It was certainly delicious, though!

Well, after a long day of cleaning, I’m ready for bed. Night!