Sweet Glazed Salmon over Broccoli & Rice

Another HUGE meal hit happened in our house last night. ALL 3 of us LOVED it.  The sauce is made with brown sugar and low sodium soy sauce, so it has this sweet tangy taste to it.  I honestly don't think I'll have salmon any other way ever again.  And, my husband is NOT a huge fan of soy sauce, but he loved it. Had seconds even and complimented the chef ;) Also, this was SO SO easy to make and took no time at all!  It's a MUST try :)

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 clove(s) garlic ( minced or pressed ) 1 1/2 cups brown rice, raw3 cups vegetable broth
1 head broccoli florets ( about 2 cups )
9 ounces edamame ( fully cooked with pod removed )  (I didn't have any so this step was skipped lol) 
4 salmon fillet ( 1 1/4 pounds total ) 1/2 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon olive oil
                                            

 

Directions:
1. Heat broiler. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, and garlic. Set aside.

 

2 . Cook the rice according to the package directions, using vegetable broth instead of water, stir in the broccoli and edamame during the last 3 minutes.

 

3. Let the rice and broccoli stand off the heat until the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

 

4. Meanwhile, place the salmon on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

 

5. Broil until the salmon is opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes, spooning half the soy sauce glaze over the fish during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

 

6. Serve the salmon with the rice and the remaining

Nutrition

Calories: 489
Fat: 6g
Protein: 17.5g
Carbohydrates: 90

Meal was found on www.mymommystyle.com

Chocolate Shakeology Pancakes with Strawberry Yogurt Sauce

Ok...first off, when looking at the picture please keep two things in mind lol

1. This is the first test run at these
                    AND
2. I never said I made perfect looking pancakes haha

Either way, these things were DELISH!  On a daily basis I have people asking me about Shakeology and some people just aren't into the whole meal replacement thing and that's totally fine.  The BIGGEST misconception about Shakeology is that it's just a protein shake.  Yes, it does have a adequate amount of protein in it, but it's SO much MORE!  If you would like to know more about it www.myshakeology.com/stephyerickson is my site that has tons of information.  For now, I will just tell you that it IS the healthiest meal of the day and I'll have you click the link and find out why :)

ANNNNYWHO, I wanted to show people that you don't just have to drink Shakeology.  You can make all kinds of fun meals with it.  Not only are these packed with protein, but bc they are made with Shakeology they have vitamins, fruits, veggies, digestive enzymes, amino acids, etc etc.  I have done multiple searches to find (what I think) are the best recipes based around Shakeology and I have to say, this is one of my new favorites (Mya and Adam loved them, too).  I actually came across this recipe on Pinterest and ironically had all the ingredients to make them so I thought I would give them a shot.

I blended the ingredients below & then poured them from my blender in to a pan. Just how you would make any other pancake (I had to double the measurements to feed all 3 of us)

• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup oats
• 2 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 scoop (or individual pack) chocolate Shakeology

Strawberry yogurt sauce:

• 6 strawberries
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup 0% fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 tbsp honey

Fun. Fresh. Fitness. : Testimonials

Fun. Fresh. Fitness. : Testimonials:  Amber (Age:31)   I have NEVER been the girl that had to watch what she ate, counted calories or even knew how to eat clean....until i...

Spicey Boneless Buffalo Wings

Here is another heathier meal that I came across on eatingwell.com.  Adam and I are HUGE wing fans, so having the healthier alternative is GREAT!  We both really enjoyed them.

Even though boneless Buffalo wings are made with healthy white-meat chicken, they're usually deep-fried and drenched in hot sauce laced with butter. The solution: chicken tenders are dredged in seasoned whole-wheat flour and cornmeal, pan-fried in only a small amount of oil and then drizzled with a tangy hot pepper sauce. With a fraction of the fat, calories and sodium

Critique from another person who tried the wings and I couldn't agree more :)

"These were a tasty alternative to buffalo wings... but I think in the future I'd drizzle more sauce over them... that's usually my favorite part. I also had trouble with the breading sticking to the chicken and would cut back on flour in favor of my cornmeal the next time I make them as I know this works fine from other recipes I've made. They were a hit for Monday Night Football...even with the breading falling off!"

Ingredients

Spicy Blue Cheese Dip

• 2/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

Wings & Vegetables

• 3 tablespoons nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
• 3 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Frank's RedHot, divided
• 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, divided
• 2 pounds chicken tenders, (see Ingredient Note)
• 6 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
• 6 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 2 cups carrot sticks
• 2 cups celery sticks

Preparation

1. To prepare dip: Whisk sour cream, blue cheese, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. To prepare wings: Whisk buttermilk, 2 tablespoons hot sauce and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a large bowl until combined. Add chicken; toss to coat. Transfer to the refrigerator and let marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, whisk flour and cornmeal in a shallow dish. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon hot sauce and 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl; set aside.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade and roll in the flour mixture until evenly coated. (Discard remaining marinade and flour mixture.) Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon cayenne.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, placing each piece in a little oil. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and chicken, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent burning. Transfer to the platter. Drizzle the chicken with the reserved hot sauce mixture. Serve with carrots, celery and Spicy Blue Cheese Dip.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: The chicken can marinate (Step 1) for up to 1 hour.

• Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.
• Ingredient note: Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free, are a strip of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, but they can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded “chicken fingers.”

Nutrition

Per serving: 256 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 4 g mono);83 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 31 g protein; 2 g fiber; 353 mg sodium; 248 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (120% daily value).
Carbohydrate Servings: 1
Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 1/2 lean meat
I am NOT a celery fan, so I replaced mine with cucmbers :)  I made a seperate, NON spicey batch with ranch for Mya and the leftovers made for a nice little lunch for her at school tomorrow! Please excuse my "fine china" lol

No excuses, No weights Upper Body Workout

This is an upper body workout that I put together and tested out that will make your arms feel like jello and there is NO WEIGHTS being used.  The workout should take about 30 minutes, so set a timer.  Push ups can be done on you knees, but try to do as many on your feet as possible.  Even if it's just 1.  Push yourself past your comfort zone.  Or, if you can do all of them on your toes, but not drop down as far then I would rather you do that bc you are more likely to keep your core tight and engaged while on your toes :)  ENJOY!

I took pictures while doing the workout so I could show you that it could be done anywhere, without much room and even in your PJs if you wanted to  :)

TRICEP DIPS

                                    


TRICEP PUSH UPS
Hands are in line with your shoulders and fingers are turned
out a bit.

                     

Drop down to a push up and keep the elbows hugging your sides.



Elbows go straight back

                                                           



SHOULDER PUSH UP

Tortellini Primavera

I have been trying a lot of great recipes lately, all of which are SO easy to make and are healthy.  This one has to be one of my faves though.  In fact, it was a family favorite.  I found the recipe on eatingwell.com and since I'm a HUGE pasta lover, I just had to give it a try :)
 
Makes: 5 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
 

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese or 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, dill or chives or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots and snap peas, or 16-ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 16-ounce package frozen cheese tortellini

Preparation

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
2. Meanwhile, whisk broth and flour in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture to the pan, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese, tarragon (or dill or chives) and salt.
3. Add vegetables and tortellini to the boiling water; return the water to a simmer and cook until the vegetables and tortellini are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain; add to the pan with the sauce and stir to coat.

Nutrition

Per serving: 424 calories; 15 g fat (8 g sat, 4 g mono);68 mg cholesterol; 55 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 14 g protein; 5 g fiber; 566 mg sodium; 321 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (126% daily value), Calcium (20% dv), Vitamin C (17% dv), Folate (16% dv).
Carbohydrate Servings: 3
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 high-fat meat, 2 fat

25 Minute Total Body Burnout

This total body workout will target cardio, abs, glutes, quads, ect.  I just put it together and tested it out and it should take you no longer than 25 min to do :)

RUSSIAN TWIST
Feet can be off the ground or lightly touching the ground.
punch the floor twisting side to side for 1 min

Pulse Thru Crunches
Chin away from the chest and pulse
through with your hands between
your knees.  Short fast bursts

 

Bowler Lunge
Just as the name says.  Lunge back as if
you're bowling.  When it comes to the
pulses, keep the legs back and
pulse down to the ground.  Shift all
your upper body weight onto the leg you're
working, but make sure the knee stays
behind the toe!

Strawberry Shortcake Without the Cake

I absolutely LOVE Strawberry Shortcake and was having a craving for it last night, so I whipped this up and loved it.  I'm sure most of you have done this before, but I just added a few twists here and there.


2.5 C Halved Strawberries
1/4 C Sugar
Mix Sugar and Strawberries until somewhat mashed and a little syrup texture.  Then add 2 cups blueberries and stir.

Mix in the LITE Cool Whip and Refrigerate until after dinner.

When ready to serve top with crushed up graham crackers and Enjoy!

Blueberries are optional.  I just had a lot so I threw some in there.  Nutrition information is based on a 1 cup serving size per person.

21 Day Fix Breakfast

Here are two versions of breakfast ideas based off the 21 Day Fix Program.

Mine is 2 purple containers of fruit, 3 pieces of turkey bacon equals 1 red protein container, 1 piece of whole wheat bread equals 1 yellow grain container and 1tbsp of PB equals 1/2 orange healthy fat container.



Adam's 2 red with scrambled eggs (I think 3) and 2 pieces of Turkey bacon for the protein container, 1 green which is filled with chopped broccoli for the vegetable container, and 1 purple was filled with blueberries and strawberries for the fuit container.

You are allowed to fill each container a certain amount of times throughout the day (for example, in my meal I used 2 purple containers.  I still had 2 more that I could use throughout the day).  Make sure that you get a good source of your protein in within 90 mintues post workout.  I workout mid afternoon, so I have my Shakeology as my lunch and after workout meal..just a suggestion!  Either way, just use a red container :)

Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken Nuggets with Blackberry Mustard

I found this recipe on eatingwell.com and I just had to try it.  I have my own version of chicken nuggets that I made for Mya a while back and these looked too good to pass up.  Plus, I was intreged by the Blackberry Mustard.  Here is my opinion about the meal.  I really, really enjoyed it.  Adam liked it better than I did, however, he is a blackberry fan and I am not.  Blackberries are just too sour for me.  The recipe says that you can do it with raspberries and I think next time I'm going to do that and I know I will be absolutely in love.  For the first time ever making it I just wanted to follow the recipe exactly.  It's a different way to eat chicken nuggets and I will definitely be making it again :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh blackberries or raspberries, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 pound chicken tenders, cut in half crosswise (see Tip)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

 

Preparation

1. Mash blackberries (or raspberries), mustard and honey in a small bowl until it looks like a chunky sauce.
2. Sprinkle chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Place cornmeal in a medium bowl, add the chicken and toss to coat (discard any leftover cornmeal).
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook the chicken, turning once or twice, until browned and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total (thinner nuggets will cook faster than thicker ones). Serve the chicken nuggets with the berry mustard.

Tips & Notes

• Chicken tenders are the lean strips of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of chicken breasts. They can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded “chicken nuggets.”

Nutrition

Per serving: 184 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono);67 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrates; 3 g added sugars; 26 g protein; 2 g fiber; 452 mg sodium; 70 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1 starch, 4 lean meat, 1 fat

Sculpted Arms with NO Equipment

Arm Workout

Sculpting the biceps, triceps, shoulders, back and chest


ALL MOVES ARE 45 seconds with 15 second break:

1. Push Ups
2. Tricep Dips
3. Downward Dog Push Ups
4. Plank
5. Small Arm Circles/rest/Reverse


ALL MOVES ARE 50 seconds with 10 second break:

1. Tricep Push Ups
2. Plank Dips (dip hip down from side to side)
3. Wide Push Ups
4. Up/Down Plank
5. Downward Dog Push Ups


ALL MOVES ARE 60 seconds with 20 second break:

1. Small Arm Circles
2. Reverse
3. Alternating Superman
4. 3 Burpees then 5 Push ups & repeat for 60 sec
5. Push Ups

10 STRETCH


Alternating Superman

Countdown from 100 Workout

Countdown from 100 Workout

100 Jumping Jacks

90 Crunches

80 Reverse Crunches

70 Lunges

60 Jumping Jacks

50 Squats

40 Crunches

30 Leg Lifts

20 Jumping Jacks

10 Minute Run

Reverse Crunches

 

LEG LIFTS

 

Healthy/Low Calorie Buffalo Chicken Wrap 275 Calories

I found this recipe on eatingwell.com and I just had to try it and here is what I came up with.  My husband and I are HUGE buffalo chicken with blu cheese fans, so if we could have a healthy version of it, AWESOME! I wanted to give this one a shot and in the end, Adam said, "Make these again.  They were really good!"

Makes: 4 servings

Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, such as Frank's RedHot
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
• 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 large tomato, diced

Preparation

1. Whisk hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders; cook until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add to the bowl with the hot sauce; toss to coat well.

 

3.  Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in blue cheese.

4.  To assemble wraps: Lay a tortilla on a work surface or plate. Spread with 1 tablespoon blue cheese sauce and top with one-fourth of the chicken, lettuce, celery and tomato. Drizzle with some of the hot sauce remaining in the bowl and roll into a wrap sandwich. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Nutrition

Per serving: 275 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono);55 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 3 g fiber; 756 mg sodium; 266 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (35% daily value), Selenium (28% dv), Vitamin C (20% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 very lean meat, 1/2 fat

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait Under 250 Calories

Healthy Chicken Nuggets

1lb ground chicken
1 bag frozen broccoli/cauliflower
1 cup shredded cheese...
1 egg

Thaw frozen veggies and chop into small pieces. Mix with chicken meat, egg, and shredded cheese. Season with garlic and onion salt/powder (I used minced onions in mine). Mix well with hands and roll into a ball. Dip the ball in some milk and coat with crushed corn flakes. The ones I made for Mya, I coated with 1/2 corn flakes and 1/2 shake n bake for some flavor. Cook what you want right away and freeze what you don't

Unfrozen- bake at 425 for 12 min. Check and keep baking if needed               

Frozen- bake at 425 for 25 min

The frozen ones will bake crispy just like chicken nuggets. Mya gobbles hers up... With some ranch of course! Great kids meal and I have had 4 with a salad for dinner one night and loved them Enjoy!!!