Peach and Heirloom Tomato Salad Recipe

Peach and Heirloom Tomato Salad Recipe

 

These two ingredients make a perfect sweet and savory pair. If you’ve never tried peaches and heirloom tomatoes together, I challenge you to try it out today! In this recipe, they get extra zing from feta cheese and fresh mint. Heirloom tomatoes can be found in a variety of colors, from yellow and green to deep purple! Choose a mixture of colors to add extra appeal to your plate.

Total Time: 15 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. finely chopped mint (or basil, chives, or parsley)
¼ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
4 medium ripe peaches, sliced
4 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced into wedges
2 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese

Preparation:
1. Combine oil, vinegar, mint, salt, and pepper in small bowl; whisk to blend. Set aside.
2. Arrange peaches and tomatoes on a large serving platter.
3. Drizzle evenly with dressing.
4. Top evenly with cheese.

5 Ways Moms Can Fit In A Workout

1. Workout before the kids wake up

As if we aren’t already sleep deprived! But believe me, setting up a new routine to get a workout done first thing in the morning will work wonders for the rest of your day. You will be knocking it out first thing in the morning, eliminating any further procrastination on getting ANY workout done at all.  Once you have your workout completed, you won’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day! Your will be charged with energy, pride and ready to conquer your day!

2. Workout at home!

Why waste time going to the gym? You know you don’t have time to get ready to go to the gym, drive to the gym, wait for others to get off the gym equipment, drive back home, etc.

I used to be a “gym rat” (a frequent gym go-er) and after entering motherhood there was no way that I could possibly fit that back into my lifestyle, especially while nursing. So I turned to workout DVDs. I never had much faith in workout DVDs before, so I went for something intense just to make sure I’m spending money on something that works (Insanity). Now, I’m convinced. Workout DVDs are lifesavers and are now my preferred method to working out (as a mom of 3 kids). Sure, it may not seem as motivating as going to the gym would be, but the key to this is to find a workout buddy, group or coach online that is familiar with the program that you are doing. Commit to reporting online or by text daily. Being able to talk to others that you can relate to or that have had success with the program can be really motivating. Even just looking at transformation photos and articles on a regular basis can help push you to keep going with your workouts.

Overall, utilizing workout DVDs can save you so much time and frustration. Once you find the opportunity to workout, perhaps during an unexpected nap time, just head straight to your TV and pop in a workout DVD. You don’t even have to bother getting on your workout clothes. WHO CARES! Workout in your pajamas, dress, underwear! You won’t be in public, so wear what you would normally wear around the house and sneak in a quick workout without the hassle of getting ready.

3. Let the kids join you

If the kids won’t let you have any “me-time”, let them join you! It can be a fun, learning experience for them. As a parent, you are setting a good example for them. They will be more likely to adopt a healthier lifestyle if they see that it is a part of your routine.

I know, you probably think this is a crazy suggestion. But I’ve done this with all 3 of my kids! They’ve all been distractions, cheerleaders, workout buddies and coaches.

As toddlers, they would usually climb on top of me, crawl through my legs, etc. Rather than classifying them as a distraction, I took it on as an added workout challenge for my benefit. So if they climbed on top of me, that was added weights/resistance. If they climbed through my legs or ran around me in circles, I just had to be more focused in my movements and modify the moves to the space they provided me. Sometimes my kids would serve water to me when they thought I needed it or high-five me when they knew I did a tough exercise. They would surprise me sometimes too by copying the workout moves and ask me if I think they were doing a good job.

When my kids were babies, they watched me in their bouncer, swing, carseat, walker, jumparoo and while they were drinking a bottle. If I had the music from my workout program playing loud, they would usually fall asleep right away. If they cried and giving them a bottle wouldn’t work, I would pick them up and workout with them in my arms (while modifying the moves, of course). The movements would sometimes make them fall asleep too and so I would eventually be able to continue the rest of my workout as normal afterwards. If not, oh well… I tried. That’s better than not trying at all 🙂  The first few times may be difficult, but after some time they will get used to the routine and know that everyone and everything is okay.

4.  Have a dance party!

Who doesn’t love a dance party!? Turn up the music and have some fun with the kids! Get creative. Do some silly moves. Pick them up and spin around. Do the hokey pokey. Jump around. Not only will you be sweating after a few minutes, but you’ll create an awesome bond, create happy moments they’ll remember and earn your “cool mom” points!

5. Set up a moms workout group

Many moms get together for playdates, so why not get together for workout dates? Pitch in for a neighborhood sitter to watch the kids while you all have a workout party at home! I’ve seen many moms workout to DVDs at home together. Either take turns bringing out those DVDs that are just collecting dust or try out the latest workouts that others seem to be talking about.

Free $10 Amazon Gift Cards

February Amazon Gift Cards Giveaway!

It’s February and I’m in the mood to have a giveaway! Why not, right?? This month, I’ll be giving away two Amazon gift cards valued at $10 each. So be sure to share this with your friends and don’t forget to visit this page daily so that you can get additional entries!

The raffle will end February 28, 2014 and winners will be announced on March 1, 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chicken Breast with Feta & Artichoke Recipe

Here’s a Greek-inspired recipe that is just 207 calories per serving, featuring artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese! 

artichokeTotal Time: 1 hr. 28 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 18 min.
Servings: 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano, divided use
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, divided use
  • 1-1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 8 (4-oz. each) raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 5 oz.)
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, packed in water, drained
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, reconstituted in hot water for 10 minutes, drained
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Preparation:

  1. Combine yogurt, garlic, 2 Tbsp. oregano, 1 Tbsp. parsley, lemon juice, and pepper in a medium bowl; whisk to blend.
  2. Place chicken in a glass dish. Top with yogurt mixture. Marinate in the refrigerator, covered, turning once, for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
  3. Preheat grill or broiler on high.
  4. Combine cheese, tomato, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, remaining 1 Tbsp. oregano, and 1 remaining Tbsp.parsley in a large bowl; mix well. Set aside.
  5. Grill or broil chicken for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the middle. Set aside.
  6. Heat oven 350° F.
  7. Place chicken on a baking pan lightly coated with spray. Top each piece with 1 rounded Tbsp. of cheese mixture. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 207
Fat: 7 g
Cholesterol: 84 mg
Sodium: 662 mg
Carbs: 8 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugars: 5g
Protein: 28 g

2015 Success Club Trip to Cancun, Mexico!

2015 Beachbody Success Club Trip to Cancun, Mexico

 

Beachbody will be taking over Cancun, Mexico in 2015! This is just one of the awesome incentives of building a Beachbody business and I’m really looking forward to this trip! I’ve been there a few times myself and loved it!

The trip will be on April 15, 2015 for 5 days and 4 nights at the Moon Palace Resort and Spa (GORGEOUS resort, by the way!). The last time I was there, I was attending a wedding a few years ago. It was truly memorable! Moon Palace was absolutely top notch. Even though there was so much to do in Cancun, staying at the resort itself was paradise within itself!  It’s an all-inclusive resort, has double-jacuzzis in every room… I can go on about this place!

Things to do on the trip

Cancun is going to be a perfect getaway, as there’s going to be a ton of things to do. A little bit of something for everyone. Here’s a few just to give you an idea:

  • Workout with celebrity trainers
  • Swim with Dolphins
  • Golf in the incredible 27-hole golf course
  • Go snorkling
  • Ride the waves
  • Dip into one of their 7 pools
  • Catch a few drinks at the bars
  • Dance away at the Noir Nightclub

How can I earn my trip to Mexico?

So do you want to come on this trip to Cancun with me? This trip is exclusively for Beachbody coaches and their guest(s). If you’re already a coach, just sign up, meet the qualifications in 2014 and I’ll see you in Mexico!

As coaches, you’ll be able to earn Resort Dollars to use at the Moon Palace Resort. With all the lives you’ll be changing, you’ll definitely deserve every reward coming to you! Here’s how to collect Resort Dollars:

  • Earn $5 in Resort Dollars for every Success Club point in 2014 (the maximum that can be earned is $1,000 in Resort Dollars).
  • Earn a bonus of $100 Resort Dollars if you achieve Fast Track in 2014.
  • If you qualify for Success Club, you can earn $10 in Resort Dollars for every point earned that month.
  • PLUS: All Resort Dollars earned in the month of January 2014 will be doubled!

Of course, getting to Cancun will require plane tickets for most people. So, Beachbody is not going to leave us hanging. We’ll be able to earn Travel Cash as well! Here’s how you can be sure you get Travel Cash to put towards your flight(s):

  • Earn $750 by qualifying for Success Club 10 every month in 2014 and enroll 12 new Coaches with 90PV
  • Earn $300 by qualifying for Success Club 5 every month in 2014 and enroll 12 new Coaches with 90PV

Are you ready for a trip to Cancun? Become a Beachbody Coach!

Do you want to come to Cancun, Mexico with my team and I? Have you done one of the Beachbody workouts (P90X, Insanity, TurboFire, TurboJam, T25.. just to name a few)? Do you want to help other people? We are gearing up for an awesome, record-breaking 2014! If you would like to join the largest team in Beachbody, I would love to have you! Just fill out the application form below, and I will contact you.

[Form id=”2″]

 

Mint Chocolate Truffles Recipe

Mint Chocolate Truffles

Total Time: 4 hrs. 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 12 servings, 1 truffle each

Ingredients:
5 oz. dark chocolate, 70% cocoa or higher, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
½ cup lite coconut milk
½ tsp. pure mint extract (or pure vanilla extract)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Preparation:
1. Place chocolate, coconut oil, and mint extract in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
2. Bring coconut milk to a gentle boil in small saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add coconut milk to chocolate mixture; Whisk gently until combined.
4. Place chocolate mixture, covered, in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Using a melon baller or spoon, scoop out 1 Tbsp. of chocolate mixture. Roll into a ball. Roll in cocoa powder until evenly coated. Repeat steps five and six until there are twelve truffles.
6. Store in refrigerator for up to one week or in freezer for three months.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 98
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 4 mg
Carbohydrate: 7 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 3 g
Protein: 1 g

P90X/P90X2 Portions (per serving)

1 single snack

Body Beast Portions (per serving)
1 balanced liquid
1½ fat

*Recipe by Team Beachbody

My Fitness Confession

I’ll admit…

I’ve been SLACKING in the fitness arena. I know I may come off as a super-fitnessMake time for yourself - You are important freak, but in all honesty I am human too! Life does get busy, juggling a full time job (plus overtime), 3 kids, marriage, cooking, cleaning, laundry, and also helping others through my fitness business. I’ve always been the type to put others first, so my kids, my husband and helping others reach their fitness goals has been my priority these days. So, setting aside the excuses, my health has to be a priority in order for everything else to run smoothly in my life. I need to have optimal energy in order to function in a way that I can get everything done without feeling sluggish, right? So I NEED to schedule back that 1 hour workout every day and set it in stone.

So here’s my fitness plan:

1) Rather than just hosting challenges, I will be an active participant in them. This will give me accountability and make me stay on-point.

2) Tell my accountability partner and spouse what my fitness goals are. This includes immediate and long term.

3) Schedule my workouts. Working out in the morning has always been the most effective time for me to take get it done. I wake up super-early as it is, but if it’s going to fit somewhere in my day it has to be done before work and before the kids get up. No excuses. Free time will never come upon my doorstep, I have to FIND the time.

So here it is: I will be doing Les Mills Combat starting tomorrow, December 18, 2013. I will follow the calendar until Saturday, January 5th. On January 6, I will start TurboFire with the challenge group that I am hosting. Care to join me?

4) My workouts will be written in my daily planner and scheduled in WOWY.

5) Set up the alarms on my phone: The first one will be set for an hour before I have to get ready for work. The second one will be set for 45 minutes before I need to get ready for work. If the first alarm doesn’t work (which I KNOW I will come across those kinds of days), then I MUST get up for the second one. If I don’t, then I most likely will not be on time for work since I will not have a “get ready for work” alarm set.

6) I will start a personal log of my workouts and meals. So on top of posting my activity in my challenge groups, I will have a log either on my phone or in my daily planner of what I ate, what I worked out to, whether I had my Shakeology and how much water I drank for the day.

Hmmm… did I miss anything? If you have any tips or ideas for me, please share. I’m up for suggestions. And again, if you’d like to join me when I start a fresh new round of TurboFire on January 6, message me and let’s do this!

P90X3 Workout & Freebies

P90X3 Fitness Program - Now Available

P90X3 is finally here! Now you can get ripped in just 30 minutes a day!

Have you ever seen those P90X3 results? Now it’s even easier to achieve since it’ll only take you half the time. P90X3 combines a highly structured, plateau-busting schedule with an unprecedented variety of moves that help keep every muscle challenged for 30 minutes of full-throttle intensity. It’s a whole workout in half the time.

Get ripped in 30 minutes a day, using Tony Horton’s breakthrough Muscle Acceleration system. Now you’ll always have the time to work out—and you can burn fat and build lean muscle faster than ever.

When you order P90X3 through me, you’ll get FREE SHIPPING, a FREE bonus workout DVD “On One Leg” (a $19.95 value) and a premium-quality P90X3 hat (a $24.95 value)……. and of course, you’ll get me as your coach too!

Get P90X3

Spiced Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Save your waistline and skip the typical cranberry sauce recipes that are just loaded with sugar! Trust me, this spiced cranberry sauce recipe tastes so much better anyway!

Spiced Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Total Time: 30 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 20 min.
Preparation Difficulty: Medium
Yield: 16 servings, ¼ cup each

Ingredients:
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ cup 100% apple juice
1 tsp. finely chopped orange peel
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1 (12oz.) bag fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup chopped raw pecans
½ cup raisins
2/3 cup canned crushed pineapples, packed in juice
2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

Preparation:
1. Bring orange juice, apple juice, orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to a boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add cranberries. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered, for about 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Add pecans, raisins, and pineapple; cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.
4. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup.
5. Cool before serving.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 91
Carbohydrate: 12 g
Protein: 1 g
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 2 mg
Sugar: 8 g
Fiber: 2 g

P90X/P90X2 Portions (per serving)
½ fruit
1 condiment

Body Beast Portions (per serving)
1 fruit
1 fat

John F. Kennedy Quotes

In honor of John F. Kennedy’s passing, 50 years ago today, I pulled up several quotes that I found to be inspirational. Many of these are good thoughts which we can definitely apply to our journey towards success and in our every day lives.

Which JFK quote below will you or have  you applied to your life?

John F. Kennedy Quote

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
-John F. Kennedy

“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.”
-John F. Kennedy

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.”
-John F. Kennedy

“There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
-John F. Kennedy

“A child miseducated is a child lost.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.”
-John F. Kennedy

“Our growing softness, our increasing lack of physical fitness, is a menace to our security.”
-John F. Kennedy

“We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.”
-John F. Kennedy

Do you have a favorite JFK quote that I haven’t mentioned above? Leave a comment below.