Recipes

Cinnamon Energy Bites

Cinnamon Energy Bites

Energy balls or energy bites or protein balls or whatever you want to call them. These damn delicious little things are the best to have around for a quick snack, sweet treat or to take them on the go instead of a bar.

My son loves all things cinnamon like ice cream, bagels and of course snickerdoodle cookies. So, I used cinnamon for the inspiration for this recipe hoping he would like them. Are all kids this hard to please? Really, I made these for his baseball tournament last weekend and they ended up being a big hit in the dugout. Don’t freak out, I asked about allergies before passing them around.

These bites only require a few steps and they have lots of goodness inside. I used chia seeds, which you can find out more on their nutrition benefits here and they contain dates for a natural sweetener. I made 2 versions, one with protein powder and one without. I use Vega Organic Proteins and Greens powder, which has stevia making the bites have a bit of sweetener aftertaste. Both are good, just a little different.

Roasted Chicken 4 Ways

Roasted Chicken 4 Ways

A little bit of meal prepping can go a really long way when it comes to saving time and energy with meals. It is great whether you work full-time (or more), have kids in multiple activities throughout the week or just want something easy to make so you have more time for your favorite shows. Is anyone else watching Ozark right now? OMG! And, how 'bout them Chiefs! There are a few things I like to have on hand to keep lunch simple or to use for dinner when we are running out the door to soccer practice and baseball games.

One of our staples is roasted chicken. I love how versatile it is as far as flavors go and ways to use it. I roast a large pack of boneless chicken breasts at least weekly and use them in some darn delicious meals. Real chefs would tell you to use bone-in chicken for flavor but I don't care to mess with the bone-in breasts myself. If you don't mind it then give it a try! I also like to keep a lot of fresh veggies on hand so I often have most of the ingredients of the recipes I'm giving you today. With the chicken already cooked, meals come together in no time!

Breakfast Bowl

Breakfast Bowl

So I'm officially obsessed with breakfast foods and coming up with new combos to change up my morning egg routine. Lately the hubs has been making breakfast while I'm at the gym and it's ready when I get home. Two eggs, 1/2 turkey sausage and 1/2 baked sweet potato. It's simple, healthy and yummy. No complaints here except it doesn't give me the chance to experiment as much, or use up all the veggies in my fridge. One day last week he left early for work and I had to fend for myself. I almost whipped up a quick protein shake but after rummaging around in the fridge I decided to go with some kicked up eggs. It was the best breakfast bowl ever and I have made it for dinner twice since. It. is. so. good! My oldest step-son said the other day, "I will never get tired of eating this"! Winner, winner, breakfast bowls for dinner!

What I really want out of my breakfast is that it is real food, nutritious, flavorful and filling. This nailed all 4 of those things! There are so many healthy, tasty ingredients that work really well together so it's pretty much fail proof. Did you know that bell peppers have some of the highest amounts of vitamin C in food? Vitamin C helps with immune function, collagen production, cellular health, wound healing and helps us better absorb iron. Did you know that your body needs fat? It helps us absorb some vitamins and is needed for brain and organ health. Eat the avocado people...don't fear the fat! I tend to lean more toward Mexican flavors, and those are typically the things I have in my fridge, but you can always adjust to your tastes and preferences. Here is my breakfast bowl.

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Homemade Larabars

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Homemade Larabars

Happy Tuesday morning! Did you know that Tuesday is the most productive day of the week. You have to get over your Monday is so rough attitude and then you are ready to totally kill it on Tuesday! I’m bringing you recipes for homemade bars that are great for a post-workout snack or to satisfy your sweet tooth…or to eat anytime, really. Get productive today and make these!

Tuesday is my favorite workout class, my mid-morning Barre Express class. Express means 45 minutes instead of 60 minutes and who doesn’t love to get their workout done in express fashion? I do! It is a fun, muscle focused class without any jumping! That’s what I’m talking about!

I don’t love eating my usual breakfast right before I workout so I usually stick to some fruit and peanut butter or a small bowl of oatmeal about 1-2 hours prior. The one small problem is that on my way home I am pretty hungry. My tummy wants all the quick, easy snacks while my brain says “don’t ruin those 45 minutes”. Post workout I like to incorporate protein and carbs in a small snack or mini meal for energy and tissue repair.