Honey We're Healthy

Mushroom, Asparagus, Radish, & Arugula Salad

2013-05-16T19:18:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone! It’s Jennifer from The Chronicles of Home and I’ve got a delicious spring salad to share with you today.

We ate this mushroom, asparagus, and radish salad for dinner recently alongside roasted chicken thighs but I could have eaten it alone as a vegetarian meal. In fact, I did eat the leftovers by themselves as my lunch the next day and I have great news - this is one of those salads that is fantastic leftover.

The mushrooms and asparagus are cooked and warm when you add them to the arugula, which softens and wilts just slightly. The flavors are springy and fresh but I found the salad to still be hearty and satisfying, which is just what I’m craving this time of year.

Mushroom, Asparagus, Radish, & Arugula Salad

Ingredients

1 medium bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1” pieces

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

1/4 c. shallot, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 c. chicken stock

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped

1 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 tbsp. grated parmesan or romano cheese

2 c. arugula

8 radishes, sliced

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Blanch asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.

Preheat oven to 350º. Melt butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic. Sprinkle with salt to taste and cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a boil. Transfer to oven and roast until mushrooms are tender, about 30 minutes. Return to stovetop and boil over high heat until liquid evaporates.

Lower heat to medium-low and add aspargus, chives, parsley, and parmesan. Stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss arugula, radishes, remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add mushroom and asparagus mixture and toss gently to combine.

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Thank you for this post from contributing writer, Jennifer, of The Chronicles of Home. You'll definitely want to check out her blog for more amazing recipes, beautiful home decor, and easy-to-follw DIY projects!

Mila (Chia Seeds)

2013-05-13T20:52:00.003-05:00

Have you heard all the good news lately about chia seeds? I met a new friend I instantly "clicked" with and she is an independent distributor of Mila (a blend of chia seeds), a whole, raw food and it's one simple thing we've incorporated into our food here lately.

So far, I've been putting about 1/4 to 1/2 scoop of Mila in my protein pancakes, as well as these other dishes:

OATMEAL

GRANOLA BITES

PROTEIN & DARK CHOCOLATE OATMEAL MUFFINS

PANCAKES

TURKEY CHILI

WATER

You can order Mila from my friend Dacia here: http://daciagonzales.lifemax.net

Below are some of her tips for eating Mila. If you have any questions, please feel free to email her (dadaciagonzales@gmail.com). She's very knowledgeable about the product and is sincere about it's health benefits.

Eat Consistently and After Hydrating If Possible

Now that you have your bag of Mila please make sure to eat it daily and consistently. The bag is a 35 day supply. As we discussed, the recommended daily serving for adults is 1 of the scoops (in the bag = 2 Tbsp). It's suggested to start with 1/2 of the recommended amount so your GI has several days to adjust to the nutrition and raw fiber. The best way to eat your Mila is after it's "hydrated," which just means after it has had a chance to absorb water. If you're consuming it by drinking it in water, let it sit for at least 15-30 minutes before starting to drink it. If you decide to add it to a smoothie instead of just drinking it in water, put your Mila in a small bowl with a few tablespoons of water and let it absorb the water for at least 15-30 minutes and then add it to the smoothie.

Drinking in Water and Other Options

As I mentioned, my husband and I drink ours in a large water bottle over the first hour or so of the morning - we were surprised we don't mind consuming it that way. If you decide to consume it that way, a full scoop with 10 ounces of water will be quite grainy with a more thick consistency and a full scoop with 20 ounces of water makes the Mila hardly noticeable, so it's really just personal preference. Again, though, make sure to let the Mila hydrate for at least 15-30 minutes before starting to drink it. I recommend putting it in a large water bottle so that you can shake it. Between shaking it periodically and adding it to 20 ounces or more of water, I don't feel like it has anywhere near the thick, gritty consistency. If you don't like it in your water or want to try other ways to eat it, as we discussed there are lots of other ways to incorporate it into your diet - it mixes easily into things like peanut butter and it also retains all of its nutrient content in baked goods such as muffins or pancakes. If you want any recipes besides the power ball recipe, I'd be glad to pass them along.

Look for...

Pay close attention to things like satiation (feeling full and satisfied), bowel habits, energy levels, and sleep. Some people don't feel the health benefits and others feel a difference over days or weeks. If you experience anything like constipation, gas, or bloating, I've already learned that it's usually your GI adjusting to the nutrition and raw fiber. Adjusting how you're eating your Mila can alleviate those issues and will ease your body into the nutrition and fiber. If that happens, just call/text/e-mail me and I can give you some tips.

Recap

-Start with 1/2 scoop or 1 Tablespoon for approximately 1 week

-Try to hydrate (soak in water) for at least 15-30 minutes before consuming

-Use at least 16-20 ounces of water and shake periodically if you're drinking it in water and don't like the thicker consistency

-Contact me for suggestions to modify how you're eating your Mila if you experience any undesirable effects

-Enjoy!

Healthy Greek Chopped Salad

2013-05-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! It’s Jennifer from The Chronicles of Home and I’m excited to be back here at Honey We’re Healthy sharing another healthy and delicious recipe with you.

Warm(ish) weather has finally arrived here in the Boston area, where I live, and we celebrated last weekend by bringing our outdoor dining table out of hibernation and having dinner on the deck.

We grilled some marinated steak tips, had my favorite crispy oven potatoes (both recipes on my blog this week!), and big bowls of this Greek chopped salad with creamy yogurt dressing. It was so fresh, colorful, and tasty and just the perfect kickoff to al fresco dining season here in the northeast.

Greek Chopped Salad

1 seedless cucumber

1 c. grape tomatoes, halved

4-5 radishes, cut into quarters

1 c. black olives, halved or quartered

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

Creamy Yogurt Dressing

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

3 tbsp. Greek yogurt

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. salt

ground pepper to taste

For the cucumbers, cut off the ends, then cut lengthwise in half and then half again. Chop and add to a medium bowl. Add tomatoes, radishes, olives, and feta. Season with salt and pepper.

For the dressing, whisk all ingredients until well blended and pour over salad. Toss gently and serve.

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Protein Oatmeal & Chocolate Chip Muffins

2013-04-30T22:00:00.001-05:00

To stay focused on maintaining lean muscle, my diet can sometimes be kind of boring. I typically eat the same thing for breakfast for weeks at a time before changing it up. My typical breakfast would be oatmeal, protein pancakes, or maybe toast and peanut butter and ALWAYS with coffee.

I changed up my bowl of oatmeal (with cinnamon, raisins, and sliced almonds) in favor of an oatmeal muffin. This is especially good for grabbing on the go on busy mornings. I found a recipe on Sugar Free Mom that is really good. You may have seen this image of hers floating around on Pinterest.

via Sugar Free Mom

After following her recipe, I tweaked it the second time, halving it (which still yielded 12 muffins) and adding protein powder and MILA (chia seeds- which I'll tell you more about this week). I also made mine with dark chocolate chips and walnuts this time.

The chocolate bits are my favorite.

And I definitely recommend adding the walnuts- they add a great crunch.

Ingredients (Yields 12 muffins)
*Adapted from Sugar Free Mom

1 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/2 banana, mashed
1 1/2 cups, Old Fashioned rolled oats
1/3 MILA (chia seeds) *optional
1/4 cup chocolate protein powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups milk (I used skim)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

I combined the banana and wet ingredients into a large mixing bowl and the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, stirring both well. Then I combined the two and using an ice cream scoop, scooped the mix into the muffin pan. Spray your muffin pan with cooking spray first!

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. I eat two in the morning for breakfast.

My Favorite All Natural Peanut Butter

2013-04-28T20:05:00.002-05:00

All my life I was a JIF peanut butter girl. I bought the low-fat kind and ate it by the jarful. I love peanut butter on almost everything- apples, celery, PB&J, chocolate, even on my pancakes.

A couple years ago, in an effort to eat less processed food, I switched to all natural peanut butter. I've tried all kinds of brands and even almond butter and keep coming back to my all-time favorite, Laura Scudders, because it tastes so good. You do have to stir it some, but oil separation is normal in all-natural peanut butter. I'm currently loving the nutty one, but they also make it in smooth. I can find it at my local grocery store.

So good on protein pancakes! I recently tweaked that recipe- I now add a little milk to the batter too- it makes them less dense.

Are you eating all-natural peanut butter? What brand do you like?

Spinach & Fruit Smoothie

2013-04-24T20:08:00.000-05:00

I thought for sure making a sweet fruit smoothie with some spinach thrown in would be a certain way to get my 3 year-old to eat some veggies. No way. One taste and he spit it right out all over my cowhide rug. Thankfully, it wiped off just fine.

I used a big handful of spinach and about a cup of frozen fruit with 1/2 cup of water. It tasted fine at that point, but a little bland. Because it was intended for James, I sweetened it with one of his toddler yogurts and a tablespoon of honey.

It was yummy, but he didn't like it. I drank it all and will make it again. For myself.

In the future, I think I'd add protein powder or greek yogurt for added protein.

Do you or your kids like spinach smoothies? How do you make yours?

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Baked Kale Chips

2013-04-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

I jumped on the kale bandwagon and made kale chips as one of the sides to our dinner on Saturday night. Somewhat to my surprise, I REALLY liked them- and so did everyone at my table. I'll definitely be making them again because they are so quick and simple and full of vitamins K, A, and C as well as magnesium and fiber.

I bought one bunch of kale ($1.39 at my store) which made about 2 servings.

I rinsed and dried the kale, then cut the stems off and tore the leafy part into 2-3 inch pieces. Simply toss the kale with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil (next time I'll spray the olive oil) and salt and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet.

I cooked it at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, tossing a couple times. For even drier, crispier chips, cook at 300 for about 30 minutes.

The kale cooks way down and ended up like this.

It is delicious! I'm hooked and wish I would've tried it sooner. We were literally fighting over the kale chips. They taste kinda like roasted brussel sprouts, but the thin crunchy kale is even better.

Have you tried kale chips? If not, have I convinced you to?

The Yummy Mummy Kitchen - Cookbook

2013-04-20T22:20:00.003-05:00

A HUGE congratulations goes out to my beautiful and talented friend Marina Delio, of the blog Yummy Mummy Kitchen on her published cookbook The Yummy Mummy Kitchen. She was kind enough to send me a copy of the glorious, kid-friendly cookbook filled with tons of her beautiful food photography. Her philosophy is all about eating well with all-natural, non-processed ingredients and doing it with style.

I've been savoring this cookbook and really enjoying all of the stories and insights from Marina about how to live and eat well with family and friends. This is more than a cookbook, it's a "lifestyle" book. I have to admit, I feel like a big failure when it comes to my 3 year-old son's diet, but seeing how Marina's girls chow down on her simple meals gives me encouragement to keep trying. I love how gorgeous and colorful her plates are.

Her book has over 100 recipes, many with just a few ingredients. Here's just a peek at what's got my mouth watering.

*All photos via Marina. So proud of you girl!

Are you drooling yet?! You can order Marina's cookbook, The Yummy Mummy Kitchen HERE.

Tuna, White Bean, and Avocado Salad

2013-04-18T20:28:00.003-05:00

Hi there, everyone! It’s Jennifer from The Chronicles of Home and I have the easiest, tastiest, quick lunch idea for you today. It’s made almost entirely with pantry staples I always have on hand and goes together in no time. My daughters love it as much as I do and I think it’s the perfect healthy, stay-with-you lunch to give you a punch of energy for the rest of the afternoon.

You could make a double or triple recipe and keep it in the fridge for even faster lunches all week. The only thing I would recommend if you do this is to add the avocado right before you’re going to eat. It just tastes so much better when it’s freshly cut.

Tuna, White Bean, and Avocado Salad - serves 2-3

1 can tuna, packed in extra virgin olive oil

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 avocado, diced

2 tbsp. golden balsamic vinegar

1 very small garlic clove, or 1/2 a larger clove, pressed

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Drain the heavy oil off the tuna then spoon the tuna and remaining oil into a medium bowl. Add the beans, avocado, vinegar, garlic and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and stir gently to combine.

That is it! Can you believe it’s so short? I’ve made this twice in the past week, it just tastes so good. Hope you love it too.

Healthy Banana Bread

2013-04-03T21:41:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! It’s Jennifer from The Chronicles of Home with another healthy recipe for you. I picked up a recipe card from my Whole Foods’ bakery counter a few weeks ago for Flax and Honey Banana Bread and have been so excited to make it. I adapted the recipe a bit but the results were delicious and just the healthy bread I was hoping for.

The bread was sweet but not too sweet, hearty and satisfying but still just the right amount of cakiness to it. The banana and coconut flavors complement each other so beautifully. My girls gobbled this up for breakfast the morning I made it and happily ate more that afternoon as a snack. I’ll be adding this to my repertoire and will probably make two loaves next time so I have one to freeze!

Coconut Flax Banana Bread

3/4 c. mashed bananas ( about 2)

3/4 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/4 c. honey

1 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour

2 tbsp. flaxseed meal

1 1/4 c. shredded coconut

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350º. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper down the length and the width.

In a large bowl, whisk banana, almond milk, and honey. Add flour, flaxseed, 1 c. coconut, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Fold with rubber spatula just to combine.

Transfer to pan, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c. coconut and bake until golden and cooked through (test with a toothpick), about 55 minutes.

Let cool a few minutes, then lift out of pan using parchment and slice with a serrated knife.

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Before & After Success Story (Nikki)

2013-03-31T20:56:00.001-05:00

Hi all! Today, I'm introducing you to Nikki (Hello Stripes) and sharing her weight-loss success story. I hope you are inspired! Thanks so much Nikki- you look amazing!

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So, I've been on my Advocare journey (more about what Advocare is at the end of this post) for 14 or so weeks now (I say journey because I don't see it ever ending).
Here I was post baby no. 2 (October 1, 2012 - he was 6 months - note: I gained the majority of my weight after baby. Yay!) at around 180# and 25.5% body fat. I was drinking a bottle of wine a day (no joke, I had it with breakfast - that's what they do on RHONJ, right?) and as it turns out, that was adding up to a whole lotta calories. I woke up one day and decided this is not cool. I was sick of my thighs rubbing together and this bat wing thing happening on my arms - I had no energy and even less self-confidence.

So, by complete kismet, I found my now dear, dear friend Danielle and long story short, started Advocare right away. And here I am now (January 23, 2013) at 159# somewhere around 18% body fat. Update: As of March 17, 2013 I am at 155# and 15% body fat and I have triceps and calves for the first time in as long as I can remember.

I followed Honey We're Healthy and was so inspired by Megan. She works, has an adorable little boy, a house that's to die forand was still able to live a healthy life style. I figured if she could do it, so could I. I followed Megan's lead and started (and finished!)Jamie Eason's 12-week LiveFit program and LOVED it, but then read Jenna's story and decided to take the plunge and start CrossFit. Advocare also has a killer DVD with 24 minute workouts. It's great for super busy people who can't necessarily commit to the gym everyday, but still want to get fit. CrossFit and Advocare have taught me so much. I know it sounds silly, but I am a better mother, wife, friend and person because of them. I've gained so much confidence (and energy!).

What is Advocare, you ask? It is so many things to me, but basically, it's a comprehensive line of nutritionally advanced supplements that SUPPLEMENT your diet and exercise program(s). It's not magic in a pill, it's elite nutrition and really, it's notjust supplements, it's a lifestyle. A lifestyle I wanted, but didn't know where to start. I was in a place where I think a lot of people are "I want to get healthy but don't know how. Just show/tell me what to do and I'll do it". Advocare also has a TON of big name, unpaid endorsers and a solution for everyone, be it a stay-at-home mom or an NFL player.

Advocare has taught me that nothing worth having comes easy and it doesn't happen overnight. It gave me the support and motivation to keep going when the going got tough (and believe me, it did) and just take it day by day.

The 24-Day Challenge is the core of the line and it's meant to kickstart your weight loss or break through plateaus. You can read more about that here. And although weight loss is often a result, the whole goal of the Challenge, and all of Advocare really, is health and nutrition.

So, here's what my day looks like - I'm still nursing baby no. 2 so, I have to do a modified routine. I think it's taken me longer to get results than most people, but I am just thankful that these particular Advocare products are safe for pregnant/breastfeeding mom's. Pretty awesome.

Supplements:

SPARK (oh how I love thee)

Probiotic Restore ULTRA

OmegaPlex - Dr. Oz endorsed

CorePlex w/ Iron

Catalyst (I HIGHLY recommend if it's tone/definition you're after)

Meal Replacement Shakes

Post-Workout Recovery (like a little treat. SO good)

Muscle Gain

Rehydrate (only if I have a super hard/long workout)

And here's what my usual daily diet looks like. I don't advocate cutting out any food groups (Atkins-type 'diets') but, I will say that I have cut out gluten (about 98% of the time) and diary (with the exception of the whey protein in some of my Advocare products) and have never felt better.

Diet:

Upon waking:

Spark + Catalyst + OmegaPlex

30 - 45 minutes later:

Meal Replacement Shake (on workout days) OR scrambled egg whites with avocado and sriracha and (2) slices of Udi's Whole Grain Gluten Free Bread toasted

After workout:

Post Workout Recovery Shake

Mid-morning snack (on off days):

Apple with handful of almonds OR banana with almond butter OR Tuna Salad

Lunch:

Savory Stuffed Sweet Potato

I hold the dairy products and add avocado and sriracha (hmmm...I'm seeing a trend here)

I also use a TON of Megan's recipes. This is one of my absolute favorites right now.

Mid-afternoon snack:

Spark

Turkey Muffins OR Protein Bars

Dinner:

Here's where it gets tricky. My husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy so, I've had to figure out meals that will please us both. I've got some tricks up my sleeve (I've managed to go gluten free without him knowing...)

Again, I use a lot of Megan's recipes and I have a lot pinned to my Clean Eating board that I pull from.

I basically follow the equation (? is that what you call it? It's been a long time since algebra)

Protein + Vegetable + Complex Carb

Before Bed:

Muscle Gain + CorePlex + OmegaPlex

I won't go on and on about every dish or ingredient but please email me if you'd like me to send you a list.

It's easy once you get into a routine. I think that's one of the many benefits of the 24-Day Challenge, it's short enough that it doesn't overwhelm you but, long enough to get results, break bad habits and build a new routine.

I have learned that it's so important to set goals for yourself and BE PATIENT! It won't happen overnight, but I promise if you stick to it - it will happen.

Healthy living is only sustainable when you are intentional about it. It also really helps to have a support system and/or accountability partner. All of this has really helped me 're-calibrate'. I no longer consume an entire bottle of wine, a glass is almost too much. I now eat to perform. I eat what makes me feel good. I eat for nutrition.

That's not to say I don't have my splurges, I do - I actually think that allowing yourself that actually helps you stay on track and in it for the long haul.

I truly hope that my journey inspires you in some way to start your own if you haven't already. If I can do this with two wild boys (2.5 and 10 months), you can do it too...promise :)

I want to sincerely thank Megan and Danielle for inspiring and supporting me.

Please feel free to comment or contact me with any questions! I'd love to help you with your health and fitness goals too :) If I can do it, you can do it! It's all about doing something you never thought you possibly could.

Workout Binder (Workouts Post 12-Week Program)

2013-03-25T17:30:00.000-05:00

Now that I've completed the Jamie Eason 12-Week Training Program, I needed to figure out what to do next. The last couple of weeks I slacked off on my workouts, so time to get back to it! I want to continue the strength training (especially on my legs/glutes) and picked a few of my favorite workouts from the Jamie Eason program and will continue to do those to build muscle. I think they are all from Week 7 of the program. I'm also looking forward to trying the spin classes at my gym, and now that the weather is warming up here, I'm going to start jogging outside again.

I went ahead and printed the workouts (Arms, Back, Shoulders, and two Leg workouts), wrote in the weight I typically lift for easy reference, them laminated them so I can use them while I work out. I could commit them to memory, but this is easy and mindless so I don't have to think about what comes next.

I have printed out all of the workouts from the 12-week program and keep them in a binder, along with my measurements so I can track my progress. The binder is just an inexpensive 1-inch white three-ring binder with a plastic cover, so I inserted something to motivate me on the front.

I love the shot of this strong woman climber and the quote that accompanies it.

And on the back, I included a shot of a muscular and feminine physique I admire. That booty- dang!

Those pages are from Oxygen magazine. The binder lives in my workout bag along with my mini i-Pod, workout gloves, and water bottle.

How do you keep track of your workouts?

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spin class

running

Healthy Granola Bites

2013-03-21T12:01:00.001-05:00

Hi, lovely readers! It’s Jennifer from The Chronicles of Home and I’ve got another healthy little treat for you today. I started making these granola bites a few weeks ago as a way to satisfy my daughters’ late afternoon snack attack without ruining their appetites for dinner. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t dip my hand into the bowl a lot of days, myself!

They taste like a cross between granola and cookie dough and my girls would probably put down the entire batch of them if I didn’t limit them to 2 or 3 at a time. They’re really filling and satisfying and full of healthy ingredients, so a perfect snack or even breakfast on-the-go if you’re really strapped for time, though we haven’t taken it there ourselves yet.

I like to make these in the food processor because it makes it that much quicker, and I like to have some of the raisins and chocolate chips chopped up into smaller bits.

The “dough” can be both a little crumbly and stick to your hands (seems like those two wouldn’t go together, doesn’t it?). I didn’t really roll them into balls as much as press them into balls by squeezing back and forth between my hands and shaping into balls. When they started to stick to my hands, I’d give a quick rinse to get off any sticky bits and then start again with damp hands. I had to do this maybe twice during the making of them.

I store the granola bites in the fridge to keep them really fresh, though they might do fine at room temperature as well, but I can’t say how they hold up on the counter since I’ve always put mine in the fridge.

Hope you (and your kids) enjoy!

Granola Bites

Ingredients

1 c. oats

3/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 c. raw almond butter

3 tbsp. flax seed meal

1 tbsp. chia seeds

1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. raisins

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. light agave nectar

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well mixed.

Scoop tablespoons into your hands and shape into balls.

Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

2013-03-19T14:21:00.002-05:00

Are you in the mood for a hearty salad? I found this mediterranean chickpea salad recipe in Barefoot Contessa's latest cookbook, Foolproof and enjoyed it all last week! It's healthy, delicious, colorful, and very fast to assemble.

Dice a couple of tomatoes, a cucumber, scallions, and add some chopped basil.

Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas.

For the dressing, you add lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil and whisk to combine.

Toss it all together.

Then add feta cheese.

For a hearty accompaniment, I baked two pita bread slices at 350 for about 10 minutes. A touch of olive oil and they're good to go!

I couldn't get enough of this salad. Hope you like it!

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Quick Morning Oatmeal

2013-03-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Busy mornings are typical in most families and ours is no exception. I'm a coffee-first-thing-in-the-morning kind of gal, but I also never go without breakfast. A super quick and healthy breakfast is oatmeal. Some mornings go so fast, I put my oatmeal in a cup and eat it in the car- shhhh!

My oatmeal is simple, just oats, sliced almonds, raisins, cinnamon, and topped with a little skim milk.

I toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes to make them more flavorful and crunchy. Watch them closely though- they can burn easily.

Then I combine all the ingredients in a large canister and give it a good shake.

I keep a plastic scoop in the canister for easy scooping.

And the whole mixture sits on the counter next to my coffee.

You can also portion the dry oatmeal mix into 5 small plastic baggies and take them to work to eat in the office in the morning if you don't want to eat in the car!

I add water, microwave for one minute, then add a little milk.

What's your quick go-to breakfast? I also like toast and natural peanut butter.

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Healthy Huevos Rancheros

2013-03-07T06:00:00.000-06:00

Hi all! Jennifer from The Chronicles of Home here, back with another healthy breakfast-for-dinner idea for you (remember that sweet potato hash from a little while back?). This time it's Healthy Huevos Ranchos.

I actually had plans to make these huevos rancheros for breakfast last weekend on my husband Scott’s birthday. Anytime we have breakfast out somewhere and huevos rancheros or some kind of breakfast burrito is on the menu, there’s a pretty good chance that’s what he orders. So I wanted to make him something a little special for his birthday...but, wouldn’t you know, I came down with another bad cold. And Scott wound up getting up with our daughters on his birthday morning so I could sleep in. What a guy!

I decided to repurpose the huevos rancheros as dinner a few nights later instead and they were a perfect breakfast-for-dinner meal. Hearty and filling and delicious! As we were eating dinner I said, “This is what I’m going to send to Megan for my Honey We’re Healthy post this week.” And Scott said, “These are healthy???” Apparently they taste just indulgent enough to be sneaky-healthy!

A few notes on the ingredients. You can use corn tortillas, which are the classic choice for huevos rancheros. I used organic whole wheat because my store was out of corn the day I was shopping. Refried beans can be quite good for you and also really not good for you. Make sure you read your ingredients. I used 365 Organic Refried Pinto Beans, which were high in protein and fiber, low in fat (1.5 g per 1/2 cup), and really flavorful. If you like spice, a good splash of hot sauce on these would be great!

Healthy Huevos Rancheros - serves 6

Ingredients

2 tbsp. grapeseed oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 large tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. chicken broth

6 whole wheat flour tortillas

cooking spray

6 eggs

15-oz. can refried beans

2 avocados, large-diced

Preheat oven to 350º.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add red and yellow peppers and garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes with their seeds and juices, cumin, and salt and cook until tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and increase heat to high to bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Arrange tortillas in a single layer on two baking sheets. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Place in the oven until starting to puff, about 5 minutes. Turn heat off and leave in oven to keep warm.

Heat remaining tbsp. of oil in a large nonstick skillet. Crack the eggs into the hot oil and fry until whites are set, then flip carefully and remove from the heat.

Put the refried beans in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes.

Put one tortilla on each of 6 plates. Spread with beans and top with an egg. Spoon sauce around the egg and top with avocado.

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Jamie Eason Live Fit 12-Week Trainer Completed (My 12 Week Recap)

2013-03-03T21:38:00.003-06:00

Okay guys, I finally finished the Live Fit 12 Week Trainer and got a pic snapped! The picture on the left is me at Week 2 and the picture on the right is a few weeks after I completed week 12. The changes may appear subtle, but I can say I feel more toned and tighter overall, especially in my shoulders, abs, and legs. There were many times during the program where I felt like "this is hard!" but I didn't ever want to give up because I knew the results would be worth it. I also came to crave the workouts because they are such a big stress reliever in my life. I cannot tell you how much better you will feel after a hard, sweaty workout if you are having a bad day, tough time, or just need time to yourself. Fitting in those workouts is a challenge, but I did them before work, after work, during the day, and on weekends- whatever worked.

The 12-week program is broken into 3 phases, which I posted about in detail previously. Click below to read more.

Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4)

Phase 2 (Weeks 5-8)

Phase 3 (Weeks 9-12)

This program really works- especially if you follow the food (5-6 small meals every 3-4 hours). I followed it pretty closely until about week 10, then fell off in still eating pretty well, but not often enough.

Because I started out in decent shape, I feel like I reached my goal during Phase 2, but I still wanted to complete what I started.

Week 9

After having completed this 12-week program, I can say that it REALLY works. I've worked out pretty consistently since my early twenties, but never put on muscle and leaned out like this because I didn't put the workouts, supplementation, and food all together for a set time period.

You can read more specifically about what I ate on the program HERE.

You can read about my progress week by week by going HERE.

If you follow the program, you WILL see results. I would love to hear you story! Please email me with your questions and I'll write a follow up post with my answers.

Some people have asked what I plan to do now that I've completed the training program. I have continued doing some of my favorite workouts from the program and tried Pilates for the first time last week and really liked it. I plan to do more spinning and running outside too.

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Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken

2013-02-26T20:55:00.001-06:00

I have a few favorite dishes that I like to eat out at restaurants and figured, why not try to recreate them at home? It may seem intimidating to make something you typically only order, but it's really satisfying to have at home, not to mention healthier, since you can control the ingredients.

Case in point here is Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken. I like this dish because it's colorful, full of veggies, like snap peas, radishes, red pepper and bok choy (chinese cabbage), and so flavorful. I added in grilled chicken breast for extra protein. Using a prepared rotisserie chicken is also good here, but then you're getting the dark (fattier) meat.

I steamed the snap peas for about two minutes, but tossed in the chopped radish, red pepper and bok choy in raw. Doesn't get easier than that.

I cheated a litte on the peanut sauce because I have some that I really like from the bottle (but it's not the healthiest so I use just a small amount), then add in natural peanut butter, chile sauce, lime, and sesame seeds.

I used whole wheat spaghetti cooked according to package instructions.

Then assembled the whole thing. I like this dish cold, but you can eat it warm too.

What is your favorite restaurant dish to create at home?

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Mushroom & Onion Sliders with Aioli Sauce

2013-02-24T20:50:00.004-06:00

Every couple of weeks, I crave a juicy burger. Usually, if ordering one at a restaurant, I can only get through about half, because it's so much food with the bun. Sometimes I order the burger without the fun, and just eat it with a fork. Do you do that too?

The other night, I made a sliders (just smaller burgers) and topped them with sautéed onions and mushrooms with a bit of aioli sauce. We ate it with a side of spinach too.

Sliders

To make the sliders, I used about one pound of lean grass fed beef and portioned them into 5 patties. I seasoned them with a little low sodium soy sauce and cooked them in a grill pan on medium high for about 4-5 minutes per side until medium.

Onions & Mushrooms

I cut the onions and mushrooms into small dice and chopped a few cloves of garlic. Sautee the whole thing in a couple tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Spinach

I used a giant bag of spinach and sautéed it in a pot with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic. The spinach wilts down so don't be worried it seeming like too much.

Aioli

I made aioli by just combining low-fat mayo with dijon mustard and garlic. Since it was just for two people, I added about 1/8 cup each of the mayo and mustard and one garlic clove. You typically add a little lemon juice, but I didn't have any.

*I always use a very light hand when seasoning with salt. I think it's better to salt your food at the table because you end up using less and tasting it more.

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Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta

2013-02-21T06:00:00.000-06:00

Hi there, Honey We’re Healthy readers! I’m back with a little something I haven’t done before here on Megan’s blog - dessert!

I’m a big believer in moderation when it comes to food and usually indulge in desserts on the weekends. This luscious panna cotta manages to be both an indulgence and a healthy choice - does it get much better than that??

My husband compared the taste to an orange creamsicle and as soon as he said it, I said, “Yes! That’s exactly what it tastes like!” But a more sophisticated creamsicle. A creamsicle for refined adults, darling.

Traditional panna cotta is made with heavy cream while this lighter version uses 2% milk and Greek yogurt. The orange zest adds the perfect little punch of flavor and the threads of orange mingled with vanilla bean specks is really quite pretty. I loved it topped with kiwi slices, blackberries, and raspberries for some added color and a nice dose of antioxidant goodness.

And just a quick note - this recipe is not hard to prepare but it does have to sit in the fridge for a good 8 hours to set. So be sure to think ahead if you plan to make it!

Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta

Ingredients

1 1-oz. package unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 c. 2% milk

1 tbsp. vanilla bean paste*

1/2 c. sugar

finely grated zest of one orange (I used a microplane to zest a blood orange)

2 c. plain 2% Greek yogurt

grapeseed oil

berries for topping

Pour 1/2 c. milk into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top to soften. Let sit without stirring for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1 c. of milk into a small saucepan over medium heat. Add vanilla bean paste, 1/2 c. sugar, and orange zest and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to simmer. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin mixture. Whisk to fully dissolve gelatin. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside about 10 minutes to cool, then whisk yogurt into mixture until smooth.

Drizzle a bit of grapeseed oil into each of six ramekins and spread on bottom and sides with fingers or a napkin. Evenly divide yogurt mixture among the ramekins. Cover and refrigerate until set, 8 hours or up to 2 days ahead of time.

When ready to serve, run a butter knife along the edge of the panna cotta, all the way around the inside of the ramekin. Invert it onto a plate and give it a good shake or smack on top of a padded surface (I used an oven mitt!) and remove the ramekin. Top with berries and serve.

*Vanilla extract can be substituted for the vanilla bean paste but you will lose the lovely little vanilla bean flecks in the panna cotta. You can also substitute a whole vanilla bean - cut in half, scrape the seeds out, and add the seeds and pod to the milk mixture on the stove. Remove the pod before whisking in the yogurt.

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Grilled Shrimp Tacos

2013-02-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

Last night's dinner was really good and so easy to throw together. When you need a fast meal, I like to take advantage of grocery store items that help save time. If you have a bag of frozen shrimp, shredded lettuce (or cabbage), pico, and tortillas, you've basically got shrimp tacos!

Frozen, tail off, peeled and deveined shrimp are always on sale and in our freezer because all you have to do is thaw and heat. You can thaw them in the fridge, but I usually put them in a strainer and run cold water over them for a couple minutes, then dry with a kitchen towel.

The store bought pico is super convenient, but I sometimes add a fresh squeeze of lime or more onion since ours tends to be heavy on the tomato.

I made a simple taco sauce with low fat sour cream, a touch of milk, some paprika, salt-free seasoning, and low sodium old bay.

I grilled the shrimp in olive oil and garlic and seasoned with old bay. The tortillas were heated in a dry skillet.

Finally, just assemble your tacos. I layered the sauce, lettuce, pico, sliced avocado, and then the shrimp.

The bag of shrimp above made four tacos.

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Quinoa Caprese Salad

2013-02-17T21:24:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday everyone! Hope you all had a great, refreshing weekend! I've been utilizing the chalk wall in our kitchen to write out our weekly meal plan and I love it! I think I resisted because it's hard to know on a certain day what you're going to want to eat, but I figure, get it all planned out and grocery shopped so you have something to eat and you can just switch the days around if you want.

Preparing weekend lunches is a favorite of mine. It's really nice to enjoy a home-made meal if you're at the house to eat it:) With all the weekend running around, sometimes eating while out is more convenient. This Saturday, having completed the morning errands and getting home in time for lunch, I made a quinoa caprese salad with grilled chicken. This is one of those easy-to-assemble meals that is packed with protein and flavor.

I start by grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts in olive oil for a few minutes at the same time I boil the quinoa. Quinoa cooks quickly, about 8 minutes. I used 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of organic chicken broth to give it more flavor.

Then, because the caprese ingredients are a favorite combo (tomato, basil, and mozzarella) I assembled them all together.

Quinoa is a good source of fiber, magnesium, iron, calcium and fiber. It has a slightly nutty flavor, but mainly takes on the flavors you cook it with. It cooks quickly, in about 8 minutes. Then I chopped the cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls in half and tossed in the basil.

I seasoned my salad with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt-free seasoning.

A bright, refreshing (and filling) salad!

After lunch, I portioned the rest out into plastic containers for quick meals later on during the week.

Have you tried quinoa- do you like it?

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I finally completed all 12 weeks of the Live Fit challenge (yay!) and will be bringing you the low down with my progress later this week- I need to get my body fat measured first:)

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My Live Fit (Weeks 10 & 11) Recap

2013-02-06T23:08:00.001-06:00

Hi all! Just popping in to share my Week 10 and 11 workout sheets with you. I'm so happy to be on Week 12 (the final week) now! I must admit my eating hasn't been that great the last couple of weeks, and I need to improve that. My schedule is so up and down during the day that I haven't been eating my consistent meals. I need to figure out how to get that under control- I know I'll feel so much better!

Hope you're having a great week!

Live Fit Weeks 10 & 11 FINISHED

2013-02-04T22:12:00.004-06:00

Ah, I'm so relieved to have finished weeks 10 and 11 of the Live Fit program. That means I am on the FINAL WEEK!!! Yay! And I'm exhausted and ate too much during the Superbowl! I did work out yesterday even though I didn't feel like it, but sometimes you just have to push through. I'm anxious to get measured and weighed again so I can share the results with you. I'll do a full recap with pics soon!

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Garlic Red Pepper Cauliflower Hummus (Our Fifth House)

2013-02-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

Y'all are in for a treat today because one of my favorite people, Carmel of Our Fifth House, finally caved and agreed to share a healthy recipe with us today. Carmel's blog is definitely one of my daily reads and if you don't know her, I encourage you to stop by and say hello. Tell her I sent ya! :)

I'm a little bit in love with Carmel's living room and bedroom, see why?!

Carmel's family eats gluten-free and has recently gone Paleo too. In light of the Super Bowl this Sunday, she's sharing a healthy Garlic Red Pepper Cauliflower Hummus that you can snack on while you watch the ~~commercials and halftime show~~ game.

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Hi, healthy peeps, I'm Carmel from Our Fifth House. As you may have guessed from the name of my blog I write about home related projects - diy, design and organization. While I'm definitely passionate about creating a home, I'm also a big lover of good, healthy food. In fact, eating healthy is one of my biggest goals for 2013. I've been gluten free since August of last year and made the full conversion to a paleo lifestyle in January. I call it a lifestyle because that's what it is to me - a lifestyle - not a diet. If you're not familiar with "paleo eating" this is a great place to start to learn more. Very basically eating paleo is about eating good healthy unprocessed food - meats, veggies, fruits, nuts and healthy fats.

What you might notice is missing from the above list other than grains is legumes. Giving up grains is not a huge issue for me but legumes?? That was much harder. I've always been a big fan of legume rich foods and my all time favorite healthy snack pre-paleo was hummus, which is traditionally made from chickpeas. After doing a little research and kitchen taste testing, I've found a great alternative to chickpea hummus using cauliflower.

This hummus is soooooo good and it packs a major veggie punch - dipping veggies in veggies.......who knew it could taste so good?!

The trick to using cauliflower in this recipe is to steam it until it's pretty soft - like when you can fork through it easily.

It's so easy to make, and I like it even better than chickpea hummus which is why I wanted to share it here. Even if you're not paleo you will love this! I've been making it on the same nights that I make mashed cauliflower (replacement for mashed potatoes) for dinner. Making dinner and making snack food for the week at the same time cuts down on the work time in the kitchen and helps me to make good snacking choices throughout the week. When your trying to eat healthy it is so helpful to plan ahead!

Snacking has always been a problem area for me, so having a healthy, easy-to-grab tasty snack ready to go in the fridge is so important for me!

How do you deal with the snack monster?

Thanks so much Megan for having me over to share a recipe today! You're such an inspiration for us all!