Kale Stir Fry

Things have got me in a place where I need to start making better choices for my health so I will begin with a Kale Stir Fry.

Today I am making a stir fry using:

1 bunch of kale - shredded
3 peppers (red, yellow, orange) - sliced
1 bunch of green onion (scallions) - chopped
2 cloves of garlic - minced
Coconut oil

In a skillet add 2 tbsp of coconut oil, and saute the scallions in the skillet. Next, add the kale and allow it to cook down while stirring frequently. Add the peppers and garlic and continue to stir while the peppers are cooking down (becoming soft). Once all this has been done, remove the skillet from the heat and serve. I will post a pic after it has been cooked!

You can also add scrambled eggs to make this more of a breakfast meal too! cook scrambled eggs and mix with some of the stir fry you just made.

Cinnamon Apple Oats & Honey

Do you ever have too many apples that you just have no cotton pickin' idea what you are going to do with them? It's not like you are in the mood to pick one up and take a bite out of it. What do you do? I figured it out! My mom has given me a recipe from my Mamaw for rhubarb strawberry crisp, don't get too excited just yet. That recipe will be for later, let's take care of our apples for now.

It's so good your lips will SMACK you!

Apples in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes

What you will need:
6 Cups of sliced Apples keep in mind the more you have the more of the other ingredients you will need as well!

4 TBSP Cinnamon
2 Cups of Oats
2 TBSP Butter
5 TBSP Honey

Don't turn the oven on just yet or it will get too hot in the kitchen. Slice the apples, I used a tool to slice apples with one movement and also cores the apple too! While slicing the apples, put them aside in a bowl. In a separate bowl add cinnamon, apple spice, and oats.  After the apples have been sliced and cored, turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Put butter in a skillet and turn the heat on to medium to high, add apples (You want a LARGE Skillet so you can turn the apples and coat with the butter). While mixing the apples in the skillet, you will add just a 3 tbsp of the oats and cinnamon. Continue to cook on the stove for 10 minutes until the apples begin to get soft and break down, but not too soft. Then add the apples to a baking pan, add the honey and rest of the dry mixture. Mix the ingredients well and bake for 25 minutes! Take out of the oven and enjoy!

Bowl of Delicious Apple Bake!

This goes great with vanilla ice cream or even by itself!

Pretzel Parmesan Chicken Breast

Today I wanted to make something special for my husband and use what we already have at home. He is NOT a bird man, he is all about COW, ground beef, steaks... but sometimes the bird just HAS to win and this was a day for bird!

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breast
2 c. crushed pretzels
1 tsp. Pink Salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. ground mustard
3 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese (the kind that you use to sprinkle over spaghetti)

Turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Add aluminum foil to a cookie sheet and spray with Pam Olive Oil. Add pretzels to a food processor to get 2 cups of crushed pretzels, then add salt, pepper, ground mustard, and crushed red pepper and blend well. Then put ingredients into a bowl and cover chicken breasts. Add the chicken to the cookie sheet and top with cheese. Cook chicken for 45 minutes.

Mouth Watering Meat Loaf with Dill Red Potatoes

Monday while I was at work, I thought to myself, "Wouldn't it be nice if your husband came home to a meal?" So, after work I went to the store, used his card, and picked up food for dinner. Now, we both DO NOT LIKE MEAT LOAF! Now it could have been how it was cooked or what was used, whatever it was does not matter anymore because we absolutely love this recipe! If you never liked meat loaf YOU GOT TO TRY THIS! My husband, who is extremely picky about food said he would be willing to eat this three days in a row!

Meat Loaf
2 pounds of 93/7 ground beef
2 eggs
3/4 c. crushed crackers
3/4 c. ketchup
1/3 c. water
1 packet Lipton Secrets Onion
2 cloves of garlic (minced)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together well in a bowl. Put the mixture into a meatloaf pan 13x9 preferably and cook for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. You can drain the excess grease into the garbage or a safe container, but not down the sink.

Dill Red Potatoes
7 Medium Red Potatoes
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
3 tsp hymilain salt
3 tsp black pepper
3 tsp butter
1/2 c. cream cheese
1/4 c. dried dill

Clean the potatoes and cut out the eyes, cut the potatoes in quarters and boil for 30 minutes or until you can easily put a fork in the potatoes. Remove the potatoes from the pot with a slated spoon into a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients along with a 1/4 c. of water the potatoes were boiled in and mash until all ingredients are mixed well.

Enjoy!!!!

I don't have any pictures because we ate this meal!

SweetPotato And Egg Brunch

This morning I was very hungry! Took my husband to work and had to begin working myself. It's awesome to work from home because I was able to make myself a delicious and healthy brunch. I had a sweet potato and scrambled eggs.

1 sweet potato
4 eggs

Turn oven to 400 degrees. Put sweet potato in foil on a cookie sheet and bake for 70 minutes. Then pull out of oven, cut down the middle and slice across, add butter and put aside. Scramble 4 eggs, add black pepper, pink himalayan sea salt and cayenne pepper.

Add the eggs on top of the sweet potato. Delicious.

Keeping It Real!

In order to be real with everyone else, you must first be real with yourself and to be quite frank, for several months I haven't been real with myself. I have been on hyatius for several months after getting married August 31st and ALL that work, effort and time I put into losing 20 pounds and 20 inches has disappeared! After getting married, I didn't have to try to fit or lose weight to wear a wedding dress or to look great to be the center of attention anymore. What did I do? Where did I go? Why did I let myself go yet again? Well, I wish I could tell you all of the answers, but at this moment I can't. All I can say is that I am happily married and being married is something that I am learning to do. Learning to be a wife that wants to be healthy and exercise while incorporating my husbands eating habits with  mine. We both enjoy cooking, sometimes one of us loves cooking more than the other so the other skedaddles from the kitchen to do their own thing.

Since being married I have worked on the 21 day fix a few times, but after the first week every single time, my cycle began and I just stopped working out because of the pain, telling myself ok, let's work on the nutrition and although I have been good about this (I didn't say great), my weight came back. I look at me and say HOW can you let this happen to you? You have worked so hard and people are watching you! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING??? Do I REALLY want to be healthy? Do I REALLY want to help others? OF COURSE I DO! SO, I need to get back in the saddle and not allow ANYTHING even painful cycles to get in the way of a better me! I want to help people around me live a better, healthier, fit more fun life!

So here goes!!!

I have been creating a meal plan that my husband and I have both been working on for each week and today I am making roasted butternut squash soup!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients

1 large butternut squash (about 5 lbs)
1 green apple, sliced and cored
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp ghee
3 cups chicken broth
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, olive oil, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp cumin. Mix together, coating the squash well. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.
Next, in the same bowl that the butternut squash was in, toss the apple slices, onion, and carrots to coat with the remnants. Place on a second rimmed baking sheet and add both baking sheets to the oven. Roast for 35-40 minutes until soft, stirring once.
Heat up ghee over medium heat in a large pot on the stove. Add the roasted ingredients and then the chicken broth. Add 1 teaspoon each of salt, cinnamon and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, combine the ingredients until smooth, or transfer to a blender to puree. Serve warm.

My Favorite Meal!

I can't even begin to tell you how great I feel after drinking my shake! But what I can tell you is this. In October I injured myself at work. I smashed my knee into the metal frame under the desk that holds the keyboard. For MONTHS I was in pain and I couldn't walk that great because of the pain. When a friend of mine introduced me to this and shared with me her neck pain from a sever car accident went away I had to try it. Let's be honest, even after I share this you may be skeptical, I was. But when I began drinking the shake the pain in my knee went away! I can run on it, jump up and down and do everything you are supposed to do with a knee and I'm no longer in pain! The only way to know if this works for you, is to give it a shot. If you want to know more comment below or send me a private message!

Ingredients:
1 Banana
4 Strawberries
3 Tsp Natural Peanut Butter
16 oz Almond Milk
1 Scoop My Chocolate Protein Powder
8 Ice Cubes

Directions:
Blend all ingredients! Enjoy!

Peaches N Cream Shake

I was really wanting to try something new and of course Vanilla and Peaches are a great combination so I said, 'Why Not'? And Boy I' sure glad I did this, it was very delicious!

Ingredients:
 1 Scoop of my Vanilla Protein Powder
 2 Fresh Peaches
 16 oz Almond Milk
 8 ice cubes

  Directions: Remove the seed from the peaches and blend items in the blender.

 

BerryDelicious Smoothness

 BerryDelicious Smoothness

 

 1 Scoop of Green Protien

6 Strawberries

1 Banana

1 Green Apple

16 oz Almond Breeze Almond Milk

8 Ice Cubes

Blend, pour into a glass of your choosing, top with coconut, 

almond slivers and for fun you can always add a strawberry to the rim! 

Enjoy!
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Have you considered Shakeology but not sure how it tastes, does it keep you full and is it something you would like to invest in for your health? I will soon have individual packets of Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla available! I will be mailing them out next week, so if you would like to try a couple packets, they are $6 each or you can do a combination package of 7 packets for just $38 and I will include a free shaker cup OR Shakeology Tote Bag (normally $6). No shipping charges I will mail them for free. Let me know asap as I will be preparing the packets SOON! DON'T MISS OUT! You can contact me at: takehealthyback@gmail.com

Hey Ma! Chocolate Ice Cream for Breakfast!

Good morning! What are you having for breakfast? I had a bowl of chocolate ice cream!!! Wwwaaaaaa???? "How is that healthy?" you might ask yourself.

Well all you need is:
2 frozen bananas
1 scoop of chocolate powder
1 cup of Almond Breeze Almond Milk
1 Handful of coconut
Almond slivers
Cinnamon

Directions:
In a blender add the frozen bananas, Almond Milk, chocolate powder in a blender. Blend until smooth and thick like ice cream. Top with coconut, almond slivers and cinnamon. Enjoy!

Delectable Mashed Potatoes & Almond Green Beans

I made a dish today with 4 white potatoes. I washed and slit the potatoes long way at an angle three times and then sideways 3 times. Then put them in a pot of water and boil until soft. Drain potatoes.  Add 1/8 c green onions, 4 garlic cloves (minced), lavender, thyme, salt, pepper, 2 tsp of butter, dried seasoned tomatoes and dill. Mix well.

Then cut off any ends of the beans and wash them well. Add them to a pot of water and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Sprinkle sliced almonds.

This was dinner tonight, delicious!

Rhubarb - Strawberry Delight

As I shared previously this week I am making meals with the food I purchased from the farmers market this week. Two of the items happen to be strawberries band rhubarb. I found a recipe and with a few modifications I have an even healthier,  but still delicious.

I found this recipe but made some adjustments....1 instead of brown sugar I used granulated sugar and only 1/2 of what was called for. 2 instead of oat flour, I used coconut flour because I had no oat flour. 3 instead of white rice flour, I used gluten free flour 4 instead of sea salt, I used pink salt, now I remember I do have sea salt. 5 instead of coarse sugar, I used 1 packet of Stevia, but I still have my butter....http://www.bojongourmet.com/2012/05/gluten-free-strawberry-rhubarb-crumble.htm

Raspberry Attack!!!

As you know I have been making smoothies for breakfast lately and have never felt more healthy in my life! Try is recipe and let me know what you think.

1 banana
1 container of raspberries
1 scoop chocolate vegan powder
8 ice cubes
16 oz Almond Breeze Vanilla Almond Milk

Blend well in the blender and serve immediately!

This put a smile on my face and I hope it does yours too.

Farmers Market Day 2 6.22.2014

Today is Sunday 6.22.2014 and I just HAD to get to the Farmers Market that some people made a fuss about yesterday. Well, I went and have to be honest it wasn't as huge as the one I went to yesterday, but that isn't what matters. What matters is there is healthy food and YOU CAN eat healthy and NOT spend a lot of money!!!! 

 The first Farmers Market (Cameron Station, Alexandria, VA) I went to today (I went to two of them) does not have organic produce, this didn't make me thrilled as I am trying to show you that it is possible to eat healthy - organic and not spend your life savings. However, I did learn what they do is spray the pesticide and let it wash away in the rain and don't reapply it to the buds. Well, I guess that is better than giving us wax fruit we find from the supper market (GROSS)!

How can you tell the difference between organic and non organic? Well, the organic produce look strange and funny, they do not have a perfect shape. Just like a real pearl, a real pearl is not perfectly round when it is found instead it is very ugly and funny looking. What retailers are doing is they are making the food appear to us by how "great" it looks and unfortunately, many of us are falling for it.

 There were peoples crafts from painted drinking glasses to jewelry, baby clothes, baby booties and so much more!

 Anyhow, I did have fun and I got some Amish cookies, a loaf of gluten free bread, berries and veggies.

The second Farmers Market (Tysons Corner, - 8400 West Park Drive in MacLean, VA) was interesting. There was a food truck that served crepes with nutella and savory crepes.
Coco Loco with bananas, nutella, and coconut

Crepe Love Truck

 

There was another person I spoke with and they said they are not organically certified, however their produce is grown indoors (hummmm) and they don't use pesticides (I like this already). Then I went to another tent and they said they use a minimal amount of sprays. I asked, minimal? He then told me they only use the sprays when they need to and since the produce is locally grown and does not have to be shipped for 3 days to reach it's destination they don't need to add any sprays due to transport, which I thought...minimal is better than an overhaul of sprays. Here I purchased peaches & golden apples (suckers are huge) with raspberries, cherries and strawberries ($30)!!! 

Tyson Farms WV

Gypsy Hill Tea & Spices

Della J's Delectables

 Gina's Pacific Jam and Jellies

Arno's Pastry

Sweet Nuna

Hidden Creek Farm

Valley View Bakery

Over all this weekend I did spend a pretty penny on food at the farmers market, but that was my fault. I should have stopped when I ran out of cash, instead I pulled out the plastic. I had more than I needed, but I just couldn't pass up the other goodies. Well, next time I won't be getting as much.

It is better to get what you need instead of over extending yourself and getting more than you need.