Tuesday, May 19, 2015

itFit Headbands Discount Code, Buy Two, Get One FREE

Have you seen people walking around with these big headbands on lately? Like, covering their forehead and half of their head and crazy colors and patterns? Wonder what they heck the purpose is? You are not alone. 

So first of all, this headband has a name. it's called the itFit Band and according to the web site, it's "the worlds best fitting headband".  I'll admit, i have NOT yet tried this, but I've had quite a few friends tell me they are AWESOME. 


These headbands stay in place and won't slip and slide. They are great for workouts, collecting that sweat (washing machine safe!).  Oh and you know those pesky fly-away hairs that drive you crazy as you are driving with your windows down or the wind is blowing just a tad too hard? No worries!

Added bonus, this is an American company and the product is made there also! These headbands come in a plethora of patterns and solid colors to choose from. 


The company also sells touchscreen gloves (you know so you can use your touchscreen phones and other devices while it's cold out!) and weight lifting gloves, to protect your pretty palms from ripping. I definitely grabbed a pair of those, so I can complete Body Beast without anymore sore hands!

If you are interested in trying the headbands and any of their other products out, Check out their shop and make sure to use the code: itFit 

What does that code get you? Buy TWO headbands, get a third FREE, oh and 20% off and if you spend a minimum of $25, you'll also receive FREE shipping! 

I am NOT receiving a kickback of any kind. Just sharing an offer, while it lasts. I just placed my order and figured a few of my trusty followers would enjoy it also... so be sure to pass the deal onto your friends. Sharing is caring ;)

Friday, May 15, 2015

RECIPE: Sweet Cinnamon Almonds

The perfect snack for a late night, sweet tooth craving... WITHOUT all of the guilt! Give these a try, but fair *WARNING* they are addictive ;)


Ingredients:
1 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup Xylitol
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper
3. Mix all ingredients together & coat almonds
4. Lay almonds on a baking sheet, trying to keep them from sticking together
5. Bake for 25 minutes

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Messy Hair and Sweatpants

I have the perfect hanger, waiting for this to be hung in my closet. ha ha! Anyone else?

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

RECIPE: Cauliflower Bread Sticks



INGREDIENTS:

1 small bag of cauliflower
1 egg
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup 1% shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In small pan sauté olive oil and garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Set to the side.
In a food processor chop cauliflower until it looks like rice. You want it finally chopped but not total mush.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Combine cauliflower with egg, olive oil, garlic, cheese, and seasonings.
Line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper (leaving extra parchment paper so that you can lift the loaf out of the pan) and spray with olive oil. Dump cauliflower mixture into the bread pan and press down evenly. Bake for 25-30.
Like a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with olive oil. When loaf is finished baking, remove from oven, carefully flip the loaf onto the baking sheet so it is upside down. You can lift it out of the bread pan by the parchment paper if necessary.
Bake for 10 more min until loaf is golden brown.
Turn oven to broil.
Remove loaf from oven, sprinkle worth a little more mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Broil for 1-2 min until cheese melts. Serve with a side of marinara sauce.
Container Equivalents: 1 green, 1/2 of a blue and 1 tsp ( 3 cauliflower sticks )

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Clean(er) Eating Guide to Cinco de Mayo

I'm a die hard fan of pretty much any type of Mexican food. I could eat it all day, every day. Thankfully, since beginning my journey towards a healthier lifestyle, I've found a few ways to make my options a bit healthier also. 

With Cinco De Mayo upon us, I figured you may enjoy a few substitutions and options as well, so you don't have to wake up on May 6th, with guilt on your conscious and an ache in your belly. This Clean Eating Cinco De Mayo Recipe Guide won’t leave you missing a thing!


Skip the heavy dairy toppings like cheese and sour cream and use a homemade Pico de Gallo salsa and guacamole instead. These are full of flavor, vitamins and the avocado is a HEALTHY fat that your body craves! 



Want to go out of your comfort zone and try something totally new, light, delicious and HEALTHY for your main course this year? I've got TWO options for you. How about the Southern Baked Sweet Potato


Or, how about the Southwest Baked Spaghetti Squash!


I'm a crazy bread, tortilla, pasta, car-aholic! So any time I can find a way to lessen the blow, I'm all over it. Here area  few ways you can do that! Try these Cauliflower Tortillas.

I'm also a big fan of the taco or fajita in a lettuce leaf, instead of a tortilla! If you are a fan of LIME flavor and want to give something new a try, check this out Cilantro Lime Turkey Lettuce Wraps


If you would prefer to keep the traditional taco flavor in your ground beef or ground turkey (leaner option!), ditch the extra sodium from traditional taco seasonings, but keep all the flavor by using this homemade taco seasoning recipe. I haven't purchased taco seasoning in over a year and my husband prefers this, because you can add a bit more or less of certain ingredients, so I kick up the spice factor 

Not a Taco fan? I've got you covered! How does Tequila Lime Chicken sound? Marinade this, toss it on the grill and you are good to go. You'll love this recipe so much, you'll be using it all summer long!



You can pair this yummy Southern Quinoa Salad with the above chicken. You and your guests will love it!

Enjoy your evening festivities, try a one or more of these recipes out and 




RECIPE: Southwest Baked Spaghetti Squash

I'm a huge fan of spaghetti squash, you can have an entire serving for just 35 calories and it's nearly flavorless, so you can use it in a variety of ways and it just takes on the taste of what you mix it with. Check out this recipe I found from The Clean Eating Machine.
Ingredients
  • 3 pound spaghetti squash; halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 2 cans no sodium black beans; drained and thoroughly rinsed
  • 2 bell peppers (I used orange and yellow, but you can use any colors); diced
  • 1 jalapeno; seeded and finely chopped
  • ½ yellow onion; finely chopped
  • ½ cup organic salsa + additional for topping
  • 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
  • 2 Tbsp. cumin + additional to taste
  • Pink Himalayan salt to taste
  • Chopped fresh cilantro for topping (optional)
  • Dairy free cheese shreds for topping (optional); I used Daiya pepperjack shreds
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.
  3. Place prepared spaghetti squash center side down on a foil lined baking sheet that is lightly coated with a non-stick cooking spray, and place on the middle rack of oven to bake for about 20 minutes. When squash is ready, the skin will lightly give to the pressure of your finger.
  4. Remove finished squash from oven and carefully flip squash over so it is center side up. Allow squash to cool.
  5. While squash is cooling down, coat a pan generously with non-stick spray and saute your peppers, jalapeno and onion until onion is translucent.
  6. Add in your garlic and black beans and stir to thoroughly mix. Season with cumin and salt to taste, then stir in ½ cup of organic salsa and remove from heat.
  7. Doing only one half at a time, take a fork and scrape the stringy pulp from the squash into a medium bowl, being careful to keep the skin intact so you can use it as a bowl. Toss your ‘noodles’ with half the black bean mixture and add additional seasoning if needed.
  8. Place empty skin back onto your greased baking sheet, and pour mixture back into it. Repeat process for the other half of the squash then top each half with your dairy-free cheese of choice.
  9. Switch your oven from bake to broil, and broil squash on high until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with chopped cilantro and additional salsa if desired before serving.

RECIPE: Southwestern Quinoa Salad


INGREDIENTS:
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup quinoa
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt 
1/8 tsp black pepper 
1 tbsp chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water and 1/4 tsp salt to boil.

Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer, rinse, rub and swish under running cold water for about 2 minutes to remove natural coating from quinoa.

Add quinoa to boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer.

Cover and cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Fluff quinoa with a fork.

Add oil stirring to coat quinoa.

Add corn kernels (drained if using canned) and heat through on low to medium high heat. 

Add garlic, lime juice, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.

Add green onions, cilantro shortly before serving to retain it's fresh green color.


Serve warm or chill and serve cold.

RECIPE: Cilantro-Lime Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

I'm a HUGE lettuce wrap fan. From Asian wraps, to lunch meat wraps to taco wraps, it totally allows me to get my sandwich/taco fix in, without the extra carbs and calories from the bread or tortillas. I'm also a HUGE lover of anything lime, so these are right up my alley! I found this recipe from Mountain Mama Cooks.




  • INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 1/4 lbs ground turkey breast
  • 1 small or 1@ medium yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/3 cup packed fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
  • 1/2 cup your favorite green salsa
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1-2 heads of iceberg lettuce (depending on size)
  • diced avocado and tomatoes for garnish

  • DIRECTIONS:
  • In a food processor, add onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and green salsa. Pulse until a smooth salsa consistency is reached; set aside.
In a medium non-stick sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking up any large pieces, for 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt; stir. 

Add salsa to turkey and stir to combine and cook until turkey is cooked through about 5 minutes more. Add chicken stock, turn heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. 

Turn heat off and let turkey mixture sit while you prepare the lettuce cups. 

Tear off large pieces of lettuce that are big enough to hold about 1/3 cup of ground turkey. 

Top each lettuce cup with diced tomato, avocado and extra cilantro if desired. If you're a hot sauce lover, top it off and Enjoy! 

RECIPE: Homemade Pico Salsa





INGREDIENTS:
5-6 small-medium tomatoes
4 small garlic cloves (or two large ones)
1 Jalapeño pepper (remove seeds to lower the heat/spiciness!)
1/2 Cilantro
1 large purple or red onion
freshly squeezed lime juice from 1/2 lime (or to taste)
himalayan salt to taste
DIRECTIONS:

Chop all of your ingredients. I typically use a food processor and begin with the dense ingredients like onion and pepper, then add the garlic, tomato and cilantro, just pulsing until I reach the preferred texture/thickness. 

The finer you chop everything, the better texture your salsa will have.

Add lime juice, mix in a bowl and serve.

RECIPE: Holy Guacamole




Holy Guacamole




INGREDIENTS:
3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced


DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. 


Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated.

 Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. 

Then, fold in the onions, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. 

Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. 

Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Monday, May 4, 2015

RECIPE: Souther Baked Sweet Potatoes

I have always been a carb lover and with that, comes baked potatoes. However, over the last few years I've realized that there are better options, such as baked SWEET potatoes. When you are looking to spice it up, change things up a bit, or are craving Mexican... give this a try. It's DELICIOUS! 
Shout out to The Lean Clean Eating Machine for the recipe!

Ingredients
  • 2 medium/large sweet potatoes; scrubbed and dried
  • ½ of a red pepper; diced
  • ½ of a white onion; diced
  • 2 large cloves of garlic; minced
  • 1 small jalapeno; seeded and diced
  • 1 (4 oz.) can of organic green chiles
  • 1 (15 oz.) can organic black beans; drained and rinsed
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 lime; juiced
  • Finely ground sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
Instructions
  1. Begin by scrubbing off any dirt with a potato brush under cool water, and when finished, dry potatoes off on a paper towel.
  2. With a sharp knife, make several small incisions all over the potatoes to vent them during cooking.
  3. Place prepared sweet potatoes in an oven safe baking dish and preheat your oven to 415F.
  4. Bake potatoes on middle rack, uncovered for about an hour, or until the skin gives way when gently pressed.
  5. Remove the seeds from your jalapeno, then proceed to finely dice it along with your red pepper and white onion.
  6. Mince your cloves of garlic, and then add it along with the peppers and onion to a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  7. Add in your green chiles and place skillet on the stove.
  8. Do not start sauteing vegetables until your potatoes are about 10 minutes out from being done.
  9. When ready, simmer vegetables on medium/high heat, stirring consistently. You will want to do this until both onions and peppers become tender. Turn heat to low.
  10. In a strainer, drain black beans and rinse until water runs clear. Shake the strainer to drain any excess water, then add the black beans into your skillet.
  11. With a fork, light smash your black beans.
  12. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste, along with 1 teaspoon of ground cumin.
  13. Mix to combine.
  14. When potatoes are finished, remove them from the oven and let them cool for about 5-10 minutes.
  15. Hold the potato with an oven-mit or towel, and trim off the top of the potatoes to make a boat-like shape.
  16. With a spoon, carefully scoop out most of the potato into a bowl. Be sure to leave enough potato in the skins so the shells stay together.
  17. Mash the potato filling with fork or potato masher, and add it into your skillet, along with the juice of 1 lime.
  18. Stir to thoroughly combine.
  19. Refill the shells with the potato mixture mounding it slightly, and top your potatoes with fresh cilantro, green onions, avocado slices, hot sauce or whatever you would like.
  20. Serve and enjoy!

RECIPE: Tequila Lime Chicken

These are not the cleanest ingredients, since there is tequila and orange juice... but use
 fresh OJ and the alcohol will burn off. This is a delicious recipe, but don't forget to marinade it overnight! Your Cinco de Mayo guests will love this!





INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup gold tequila

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)


1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)


1 tablespoon chili powder


1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeno pepper (1 pepper seeded)


1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)


2 teaspoons kosher salt


1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


3 whole (6 split) boneless skinless chicken breasts



DIRECTIONS:
Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, and 
pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate overnight.


Heat a grill with coals and brush the rack with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. 



Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and grill
them for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. 


Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from
the grill to a plate. 


Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.