What I Ate Wednesday + Coconut Whipped Cream and A New Slow-Cooker Recipe! December 5, 2012

Peanut got into Keenan’s legos this morning! Again, Keenan wasn’t pleased with her playing with his legos and immediately asked me to put them away, since he couldn’t reach them (she was sitting on the ledge of our china hutch)!

On another note, I can’t believe it is already Wednesday! This week is flying by (which is a good thing, because I can’t wait to get my CrossFit competition over with!). I’m excited for the competition, but already nervous…UGH! Since it is Wednesday, I am linking up with Jenn again at Peas and Crayons for her fun What I Ate Wednesday link-up!

Before I talk about my eats from the past couple of days, I want to tell you about a new recipe experiment that my husband and I tried this morning: coconut whipped cream! I have been seeing more recipes and uses for coconut whipped cream on other blogs, so I thought I would give it a try, especially since coconut is loaded with healthy fats and is SO good for you, compared to regular cream. We made it to add to our coffee this morning, which I have to say was REALLY good! We used a can of coconut milk (all natural, no additives in it), Xylitol and vanilla. We whipped everything in the mixer until we had some resemblance of stiff peaks, but after mixing everything for several minutes, it didn’t have the consistency we were hoping for (what you see on the internet). Don’t get me wrong, it was still thick and lofty and had a great flavor when added to my coffee. The only thing I can think of as to why it didn’t form stiff peaks was there were no additives, thus no emulsifiers in the coconut milk. I’m going to get a can of regular coconut milk with additives to see if it makes a difference. Either way, the cream was still tasty! Here is the recipe, if you are interested!

So creamy and rich!

Coconut Whipped Cream:

Ingredients:

– Solidified fat of 1 can of coconut milk (refrigerated for 24 hours)

– 3 tbsp Xylitol

– 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Open can and scoop out all of the fat at the top (save the liquid for Asian inspired dishes such as curries or even add to smoothies) and place into mixer bowl.

2. Add Xylitol and vanilla and mix on high with wish attachment until stiff peaks form.

3. Add prepared whipped cream to your morning coffee, hot chocolate, on top of muffins, baked goods or even No Oat Oatmeal and enjoy!

*Notes: You can store the leftover whipped cream in a container in the fridge and use the next day.

Before mixing it all together.

Onto the past couple of days of eats:

Breakfasts:

– Paleo Pumpkin Pie Muffins with strawberries

So yummy and such a great pumpkin pie flavor!

– No Oat Oatmeal with leftover butternut squash

Such a good combo!

– Cheesy eggs

Enjoying his cheesy eggs!

Lunches:

– Turkey wraps

Perfectly balanced lunch!

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

This is still one of my favorite things to eat for lunch!

-For Keenan: Homemade mini pizzas on a sandwich thin with pasta sauce, chopped chicken and cheddar cheese

Keenan loved his pizza!

Snacks:

–Paleo Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies

A new batch that Keenan and I made yesterday!

Dinners:

– Crock Pot Pork and Apples with roasted butternut squash (sorry, I forgot to snap a picture!)

– Green beans sauteed with Italian sausage

So good, thanks to my husband for preparing!

– Slow-Cooker Eggplant Caponata with Chicken (see recipe below!)

Should be good!

Slow-Cooker Eggplant Caponata with Chicken: (serves 3)

Ingredients:

– 3 frozen chicken thighs or breasts

– 3 medium size eggplant (cut into small/medium size cubes)

– 1 large yellow onion (chopped)

– 2 cans no-salt added chopped tomatoes

– 1/2 cup pasta sauce

– 1 clove garlic (minced)

– 2 tsp Italian seasoning

– 2 tsp garlic no-salt seasoning

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place frozen chicken at the bottom of your crock pot. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

2. Add eggplant, onion, garlic, tomatoes, sauce and seasoning on top of chicken and mix.

3. Cook on high for 4-6 hours. Serve on top of a bed of fresh spinach, pasta or whole wheat couscous topped with a sprinkle of feta or Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Today has been a fun today. We met a friend and her son (Keenan’s best buddy!) at The Bounce Spot in West Sacramento this morning for some play time, since it was raining. The boys had so much fun bouncing, climbing and going down the slides. It was the perfect activity for a rainy day, and it only cost $5.00, not too bad! Though it was a little far out, it was well worth it and something we will definitely do again. Keenan definitely burned off some energy this morning, because by the time we got home, he was tired (rather, cranky) and quickly ate his lunch and went down for a nap (a successful morning in my book!).

It is time to get ready for CrossFit, for my last WOD before my competition on Saturday. Tomorrow, I’m just doing a little bit of cardio and then I’m off on Friday. So far (keeping my fingers crossed), my piriformis and rhomboids are feeling good!

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday!

Questions: What have you eaten today? What is your favorite slow-cooker/crock pot recipe? I’m looking for some new ideas!

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.

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!

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.

What I Ate Wednesday and New Recipes! October 24, 2012

Since it is Wednesday again, it is time to link up with Jenn for What I ate Wednesday!

Since The Fresh Market Roseville Sneak Peek event took up yesterday’s post, I have a lot to cram into today’s, including some new recipes that I am excited to share!

The past few days I have enjoyed a new creation for lunch: egg whites in a mug over a bed of spinach, topped with either avocado and salsa, or cherry tomatoes, avocado and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It is so yummy and SO satisfying, keeping me full for a long time! I have made it everyday for the past three days (except today); I can’t get enough!

So satisfying!

Since it was chilly and raining this morning (finally feeling like Fall!), I felt like making a bowl of No Oat Oatmeal, except with a different twist. I was going to make it for breakfast, but Keenan had swim class this morning, so we ate our “usual” (with Love Grown Granola that I received from winning Giselle’s giveaway) to get out the door quickly.

Love Grown gluten free granola!

The usual with Love Grown Granola added!

For lunch today, I gave Keenan a choice of oatmeal or a tuna melt and he chose oatmeal, so I made my new creation, Loaded Pumpkin Protein No Oat Oatmeal! It was SOOOO good and Keenan licked every last morsel in his bowl, so he certainly liked it! I’ll definitely be making this again, sooner rather than later! Here is the recipe (similar to my regular one, but with a few different things added):

Loaded with protein and so satisfying!

Loaded Pumpkin Protein No Oat Oatmeal (serves 1)

Ingredients:

– 3/4 cup egg whites

– 1/4 cup pumpkin puree

– 1/2 cup spinach (chopped finely)

– 1/4 cup milk (any kind, i.e. non-dairy is fine)

– 1 Tbsp flaxseed (ground)

– 1 Tbsp chia seeds

– 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

– 1 tsp vanilla

– 1/2 tsp cinnamon

– 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

– 1 tsp honey

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and transfer to a small sauce pot.

2. Cook on the stove on medium heat, constantly stirring, to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn.

3. Cook until it reaches a thick consistency like oatmeal.

4. Top with a scoop of almond butter and enjoy!

As you can see, Keenan sure enjoyed his bowl of Loaded Pumpkin Protein No Oat Oatmeal!

Before I forget, here is the recipe for our Roasted Beet Salad that we ate on Monday night, thanks to my husband for making it!

Such a yummy salad!

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese: (serves 2)

Ingredients:

Salad:

– 2 bunches of beets (trimmed and scrubbed)

-1 red onion (sliced)

– 4 oz. of goat cheese

– 6-8 oz. of cooked chicken (chopped)

– 1/4 cup roasted pine nuts

– 1/2 head of romaine lettuce (roughly torn)

Dressing:

– 1/2 tsp honey

– 1/2 tsp brown mustard

– garlic (finely minced)

– 1 tsp of herbs of your choice

– 2-3 Tbsp of vinegar (balsamic, red wine or champagne) to taste

– 1-2 Tbsp olive oil

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Trim and scrub beets, Place them in a crimped foil packet with a little drizzle of olive oil. Roast in the oven for about an hour (until tender).

3. Remove beets from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, open packet and let beets cool enough to handle.

4. Rub skins off of beets (paper towels help) and cut into chunks and place in a large bowl.

5. Add sliced onion, lettuce, chicken and pine nuts to the beets.

6. Meanwhile, to make the dressing, toss all ingredients in a small bowl or salad dressing container and mix.

7. Pour dressing over salad and toss.

8. Divide salad amongst two plates and top with goat cheese. Enjoy!

*Notes: You can use any kind of salad greens, such as spinach, arugula or red leaf lettuce. We just had romaine on hand. Also, if you don’t have pine nuts, roasted walnuts would also be good!

Freshly roasted beets (before they were peeled).

Well, Keenan is waking up, so it is time to get ready for CrossFit. Oh, by the way, I PR’d (personal best) on power cleans on Monday. My 1 RM (one rep max) was 125 lbs, 10 pounds heavier than my previous 1RM! I was really hoping to get 135 lbs, but I just couldn’t get under the weight (though, I was really close!). Anyhow, I’m still a little sore from doing thrusters, box jumps and hollow rocks yesterday, so we’ll see how today’s WOD goes!

Since my husband is still out of town, I’m making a BIG salad for dinner tonight, whoohoo!! I am thinking of going with an “everything but the kitchen sink” salad, but we’ll see. Oh and tomorrow night, I am going to another blogging event; I’m so excited! I’ll fill you in on more details later! Have a great afternoon!

Oh, and I have to share this picture of Keenan in his new fire truck PJ’s (thanks to Nonna!). He loves wearing them so much, that he refuses to take them off when we leave the house! He literally holds onto his shirt, it’s too funny!

He kept asking me to take his picture this morning, but when I did, he didn’t want to smile!

Questions: What were your eats today? Have you tried any new recipes lately? If so, what did you try? I have been in an experimenting mood with new dishes and meals lately, so look for more new recipes to come soon!

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!

 

 

What I Ate Wednesday and More New Recipes! October 10, 2012

Happy Hump Day! Since it is Wednesday, I’m linking up with Jenn again for WIAW!

Before I go into today’s eats, I want to share the recipe for our dinner last night. I prepped everything, but my husband cooked it, since Keenan and I got home late from CrossFit.

Such a satisfying dinner! I love Chinese long beans because they are softer and more flavorful than green beans!

Chinese Long Beans with Italian Sausage: (serves 2-3)

Ingredients:

– 2 bunches Chinese long beans (cut in 2-3 inch pieces)

– 3 Italian precooked sausages

– 1 yellow onion (diced)

– 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (chopped)

– 1 clove garlic (minced)

– 2 Tbsp olive oil

– 2 tsp Italian seasoning

– 1  tsp garlic no-salt seasoning

– pinch of salt and pepper

– feta cheese

Directions:

1. Steam or parboil long beans until soft.

2. Meanwhile, saute onion with garlic and olive oil.

3. Add sausage, beans, sun dried tomatoes and spices.

4. Cook until sausage is slightly brown and spices are thoroughly mixed in.

5. Divide amongst 2-3 plates and sprinkle with feta cheese on top. Enjoy!

Following my new mode of breaking out of my routine and “mixing things up a bit,” today’s eats were mostly different (except for breakfast; we had our “usual,” since we had to get out the door quickly for Keenan’s swim class).

Lunch:

Keenan: Egg White Florentine in a Mug (except with one whole egg instead of egg whites) with toast spread with pumpkin butter and a few slices of a peach.

Keenan’s lunch…an easy way to sneak in some veggies!

Me: Scrambled egg whites mixed with leftover roasted brussel sprouts with pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, tomato and feta cheese, as well as a few slices of a peach that Keenan and I shared. It was SO yummy!! Leftover roasted brussel sprouts are even better than eating them fresh out of the oven!

My yummy protein-packed lunch!

After lunch:

After seeing Giselle’s post yesterday with her pumpkin pie protein bites, it inspired me to make my no-bake peanut butter chocolate snack balls! I just finished making them, so they have to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours before they are ready to eat. I’m planning to snack on a couple before going to CrossFit later this afternoon.

Speaking of CrossFit, yesterday we did “Fran,” one of the benchmark WODs and I was able to beat my previous time by 1 minute and 30 seconds, finishing in 6 minutes and 31 seconds! I was happy, but I was hopping to finish in under 6 minutes. We are going to do it again in 6 weeks, so I’m hoping to lower my time by at least another minute and 30 seconds!

Such an easy and nutritious snack!

No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Snack Balls:

Ingredients:

– 1 cup rolled oats

– 1 cup natural peanut butter (you can use almond butter, too!)

– 1 Tbsp flaxseed

– 1 Tbsp chia seeds

– 2 Tbsp honey

– 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (I love Ghirardelli!)

Directions:

1. Microwave peanut butter and honey together for 25 seconds, until they can be easily mixed.

2. Meanwhile, mix dry ingredients together in a medium size ball.

3. Add peanut butter mixture to dry ingredients and mix, until it all comes together to form one big ball.

4. Pour cocoa powder in a small dish. Roll “dough” into small balls and roll with cocoa powder.

5. Place prepared snack balls in a container with a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before eating.

*Notes: The snack balls can be stored in the fridge for up to a week! They make a perfect pre-workout snack!

Dinner:

On the menu for tonight is roasted broccoli with whole wheat couscous mixed with chicken, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives and feta cheese. I have been craving artichoke hearts and Kalamata olives lately, so I’m excited for tonight’s dinner!

I just loved roasted broccoli, especially drizzled with balsamic vinegar after it comes out of the oven!

Since I have been in the baking/cooking mode today (and feeling the Fall itch to make things with pumpkin), Keenan and I are going to make pumpkin almond flour muffins when he wakes up from his nap, to freeze for quick breakfasts!

Question: What were your eats today? Did you try anything new? If so, what new thing did you eat today?

REMINDER: There is still time to enter the Drink Chia Giveaway!! Contest ends tomorrow night (Oct. 11th) at 8 p.m. PST! To enter, click here!

What I ate Wednesday October 4, 2012

Happy Hump Day! Since it is Wednesday, I am linking up with Jenn today, for WIAW!

Before I talk about today’s eats, I want to share my recipe for last night’s dinner experiment. It turned out REALLY good and was SO easy to make! I’ll definitely be doing it again!

I know, not the best (or most appetizing) picture, since I took this with my phone, but my little dinner experiment was delish!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Kale: (serves 3)

Ingredients:

– 2 bunches of Kale (chopped)

– 1 yellow onion (chopped)

– 2 fresh tomatoes (chopped)

-1 small can of chopped tomatoes

– 3 frozen skinless boneless chicken thighs

– 1/4 cup pasta sauce

1/4 cup water or chicken broth

– 1 clove garlic (minced)

– 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

– 1 Tbsp garlic no-salt seasoning

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place frozen chicken at the bottom of your slow cooker.

2. Pour can of tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, pasta sauce, onion, garlic and seasonings on top of the chicken.

3. Top with chopped kale.

4. Pour water or chicken broth on top and cook on high for 4-6 hours.

5. When ready, divide kale amongst three plates and place one piece chicken with tomatoes and onion on top each bed of kale. Enjoy!

For today’s eat, we started off with our “usual” breakfast of Fage Greek yogurt topped with chia seeds, flaxseeds, strawberries and Kashi cereal. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture. I also had my morning latte made with our french press! After breakfast, we headed to Keenan’s swim class at the Y.  On the way home, we stopped at Sacramento Beekeeping and Honey store to buy some local honey, since we ran out of our Costa Rica honey. The store is awesome! They have two big vats of honey and you can either bring your own container to fill or purchase one of their containers. You pay by the weight of the honey. Since I didn’t do my homework ahead of time, I purchased one of their containers, but I will be sure to bring my own next time! The honey is local wildflower from California’s Central Valley (Sacramento to Lodi). It is really good! I’m excited to use it on pancakes, maybe even mixed into my yogurt and for baking!

Such good local honey!

Once we got home, we had lunch. Since Keenan didn’t finish all of his yogurt this morning, he ate the rest of it for lunch, followed by his favorite: a peanut butter and honey sandwich (made with our new honey!). He loved it (of course!). He kept saying, “Eating new honey!”

Keenan’s lunch (or part of it!).

For my lunch, I made myself a half sandwich of turkey, tomatoes, spinach and leftover grilled zucchini spread with Costco’s yogurt jalapeno dip, SO good! I also had some carrots, the rest of the tomato and zucchini on the side. This was probably the best sandwich I have ever made! The grilled zucchini made it so flavorful! A little while later, I also made myself an iced coffee using my husband’s awesome coffee concentrate.

My delicious lunch!

An hour before heading to CrossFit, I had half of a banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter for a snack. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of it!

Today’s workout was a good one. The skill was max rope climbs in a minute for 3 rounds and I was able to do 3 climbs in a minute for each round! The WOD was a 12 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of 150 double unders, 90 abmat situps and 30 handstand pushups. The prescribed/elite standard for the handstand pushups was having a deficit of two 25 pound plates, which I was able to to do! It was the first time I did them with a deficit, so I was pumped! Since I could only do 1 handstand pushup at a time, it slowed me down a bit, so I was only able to do a total of 258 reps (barely completing 1 round!). Anyhow, it was a great workout! I love doing handstand pushups, so it was a fun one for me!

Once we got home from CrossFit, I fixed dinner for Keenan and me, since my husband was out of town for work. Keenan had some leftover chicken from last night’s dinner experiment, along with some cooked carrots and avocado with a glass of milk. After dinner, I also made him a small vanilla ice cream cone as a treat, since he finished all of his dinner by himself (no feeding by me!).

Enjoying his dinner and glass of milk in his “big boy” fish cup!

Enjoying his ice cream cone!

For my dinner, I made myself a “mega” salad topped with tomato, artichoke hearts, pepperoncinis, carrots, avocado, roasted walnuts and chicken. It hit the spot! Even though I don’t like it when my husband has to travel for work, I love that I get to make big salads for dinner! I love salad so much that I could probably eat it for lunch and dinner everyday! 🙂

My “mega” salad!

Oh, before I forget, here is the video of my round-off back handspring at our gymnastics class last weekend! I can’t wait to go back and add a back tuck!

Also, I want to tell you about my Reebok Nanos 2.0. I have worn them for two days now and I absolutely love them! They are SO comfortable and soft on your feet, but still have a firm platform and minimal drop for lifting. I don’t think I can go back to wearing my New Balance Minimus.

Well, it is getting late, so I’m off to bed. Speaking of sleep, I certainly need more of it! It is a continuous goal of mine…more to come on this tomorrow! Good night!

Question: What did you eat today? What are your favorite slow cooker recipes? Since Fall is here (though, it sure doesn’t feel like it!), I love to use my slow cooker making chili, stews, soups, pot roasts, etc, but I would love to try some new recipes.

What I ate Wednesday September 26, 2012

Since it’s Wednesday, I’m linking up with Jenn again, for What I ate Wednesday: Fall into Good Habits.

Before I talk about today’s eats, here is a little recap of dinner last night: We ate some more of my leftover cheesy pasta bake with a peach and walnut salad mixed with a little feta cheese, dried cherries, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I finally remembered to take a picture!

Our delicious and quick dinner last night!

Since Keenan had swim class this morning, we ate a quick breakfast, but I managed to do something different today! We had my own creation of egg florentine (in a mug) with egg whites and some slices of strawberries on the side (of course, I also had a latte that my husband so kindly made for me!). Breakfast was good and most importantly, Keenan enjoyed it, too! It was a nice change from yogurt and a great way to get some extra veggies. We will definitely be doing this again! Below is my recipe.

My delicious egg white florentine creation, though it doesn’t look that appetizing!

Egg White Florentine in a Mug (serves 1):

– 3/4 cup egg whites

– 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup chopped fresh spinach

– 2 Tbsp feta cheese (crumbled)

– 1 tsp Italian seasoning

– 1 Tsp no-salt garlic mixed seasoning from Costco

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Spray a small ramekin or microwave-safe glass bowl with olive oil or cooking spray.

2. Pour egg whites into bowl and mix in spinach, spices and cheese.

3. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and cook in the microwave for an additional minute, or until egg whites puff up and are fully cooked (no liquid is present). Top with salsa or pasta sauce (if desired) and enjoy!

Notes: Depending on the size of your bowl, add more or less spinach. I added as much spinach as I could possibly fit! You can also make this without cheese and it still tastes good!

The line-up that went into the egg whites.

My breakfast with a little pasta sauce on top of my egg whites.

Keenan’s breakfast.

After breakfast, we headed to swim class at the Y and then home. My mom came over for a short visit after we got back from the Y. Keenan was SUPER excited to see her! They played while I did some laundry and prepared a yellow bean salad for part of our dinner tonight. We are having the last of the cheesy pasta bake with a yellow bean salad mixed with tomatoes, feta cheese and roasted walnuts. I actually haven’t eaten yellow beans, but when we saw them at our farmer’s market last Saturday, I thought they would be fun to try! I’ve only had green beans, so I’m curious if the yellow ones taste different. Here is the recipe for my salad:

The final product before going into the fridge.

Yellow or Green Bean Salad: (serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 pounds green or yellow beans (cut in half)

– 4 fresh tomatoes (chopped)

– 1/2 chopped walnuts

– 1/4 cup feta cheese (crumbled)

– 2 Tbsp olive oil

– 3-4 Tbsp red wine vingar

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Steam beans either stove top or in the microwave. Once steamed, let cool and set aside.

2. Chop tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Add cooled beans and rest of the ingredients.

3. Mix well, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving (so flavors meld together).

Notes: To steam the beans in the microwave: place them in a microwave-safe dish with a 1/4 cup of  water and cover. Microwave on high for 6-8 minutes, or until they are tender. To make this a one-pot meal, add some chopped chicken.

Once Keenan wakes up from his nap, we are heading to CrossFit, as usual. Yesterday’s WOD was short and sweet. It was 3 rounds of 7 deadlifts (women weight: 145 lbs) and 21 over-the-bar lateral burpees for time. I finished in 5 minutes and 16 seconds, the third best girl time, not too bad. I was hoping to finish in under 5 minutes. I love when the workouts are short because you just go as fast as you can and power through them. You can do anything for 5 to 10 minutes, right? It is the long WODs of 20 minutes or more that are difficult. You have to stay focused and find a good pace (not too fast, but not slow) to get through it (at least for me!).

Anyhow, I have a board meeting tonight for my MOMs Club, so I’m glad dinner is already done. My husband will be on Keenan duty tonight! Have a great afternoon!

Question: What have you eaten today? Have you tried cooking any new vegetables lately? If so, what have you tried?