Favorite Finds

I can't believe it is almost October!  So sad to see the summer months leave and my BUSY BUSY work schedule starting up again.  Between my physical therapy job, teaching dance, teaching piano, and finally starting my ETSY SHOP, these past few months have been

INSANE!

One hard thing about being busy and always on the go is trying to stay healthy!

I'm never home for lunch and rarely have time to make a nice dinner.  You can only live on frozen pizzas from Costco for so long before your body starts begging for a more nutritious meal.

Because my schedule is so hectic I have been trying to find foods that can be easily prepared but that still fit inside my eating cleaner guidelines. And of course, Trader Joe's came to the rescue!

In the meat section at Trader Joe's I found this package of All Natural Fully Cooked Chicken Breasts.

Inside are 4 individual, vacuum sealed 4 oz chicken breasts.  They can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 weeks and they take 2 minutes in the microwave to heat up.  The result is delicious, tender, surprisingly juicy chicken breast that can be eaten plain or chopped up and added to whatever quick meal you are making.

I have been eating a 4oz piece with steamed veggies or a salad for lunch and dinner and few times a week and I feel FANTASTIC afterwards.  

Lean protein + complex carbs (veggies) = serious fuel

What else is on my Favorite Finds List lately?

Cocoa Almond Spread (Trader Joes)

I've been eating this stuff by the spoonfuls (literally). also have been dunking Trader Joe's Animal Crackers in this. BEST SNACK EVER

 Wholly Guacamole 100 Cal. Snack Packs

These are SO awesome! I hate how quickly homemade guac goes bad.  These come with 6 individual guacamole packets (all natural ingredients).  So great for putting on tacos, nachos, and so easy to pack in lunches!

ORGANIC RASPBERRIES!

These babies could cost $10 a case and I would STILL buy them.  I am obsessed.

What are you favorite finds? Please tell me in the comments section below! 

Pizza and Ranch for 300 calories?!?!

...In my household, we love ranch...

We put it on tacos, salads, pizza, etc.

And even though we usually make cleanER ranch,

I absolutely HATE that hidden valley ranch packets have 

MSG in them :(

I also hate that I never have ALL the ingredients on hand.

...But now all my ranch troubles are over...

Thanks to Bolthouse Farms Creamy Yogurt Dressing

"Classic Ranch"

All Natural

No Preservatives or Artificial Flavors

NO MSG!

Gluten Free

45 calories per 2 Tablespoon serving!

Thank you KRISTEN for introducing this great product to me!

Purchase this at SPROUTS and I promise you won't be disappointed.

Another FANTASTIC food find introduced to me by Kristen is

Palermo's Primo Thin Margherita Pizzas (Frozen)

Sold at Costco, these babies are deeeeeeelicious!

And healthy too!

Cut the pizza into 8 slices: Consume 2 1/2 pieces + 2 Tbsp of Bolthouse Farms Ranch and your dinner was only 300 calories!

Since the pizza is Ultra-thin, we also add baby carrots as a side to dip in the ranch and help fill us up :)

This has been my go to meal during this busy week and I wanted to share the goodness with you all!

Eating Cleaner can be JUST as DELICIOUS and SATISFYING!

Weekly Menu 7/16 -7/21

Happy Monday Everyone!

As sad as I am that the weekend is over I have learned to love Mondays. I always feel more motivated to eat healthier, workout harder, and be more organized.  Monday's feel like a clean slate and for some reason that always makes me happy!

Before I share the menu with you I wanted to post about a fantastic product I discovered a few months ago and it has now become my FAVORITE breakfast.

In the mornings I give myself about 3.5 minutes to grab breakfast before work

(I'm pathetic and am always late everywhere) 

So making scrambled eggs with hashbrowns and a smoothie just isn't realistic for me.

I need protein in the mornings to fill me up and sustain me for atleast 2 or 3 hours but its very difficult to find a protein powder or protein bar that is healthy and not loaded with artificial sweeteners or 12 grams of sugar.

I've finally found what works best for me:

NUTRASUMMA Chocolate Flavored Pea Protein

You can buy it ONLINE or I buy it at THRIVE which is an acai bowl shop located by Fitness Works on Higley and Basline. It is $34 for a 2lb container.

Here is why I love it

The highest-quality protein for vegetarians and vegans
Nutra Summa Pea Protein

• Complete protein from 100% vegan source
• Promotes tissue repair*
• Provides 20 grams of protein per serving
• Free of soy and soy’s side effects
• Contains no gluten
• Easy to digest and absorb
• Outstanding taste with nothing artificial

** Only 3 grams of organic sugar and also sweetened with stevia

Here is what I do to make my protein smoothie:

- 1 cup crushed ice

- 1/3 of a frozen banana (slices)

- 1 scoop protein

- 2 tsp. flax oil (can't even taste it!)

- enough water to allow the smoothie to mix

Blend and enjoy a breakfast full of protein and healthy fat!

236 calories if you include the flax oil and only 163 calories if you don't!

And here is the menu!



WEEKLY MENU PLANNER

July 16^th – 21^st

DAY	LUNCH	DINNER
Monday	Jess: Eat Out	Chicken Parmesan Whole Wheat Breadsticks Olive Garden Salad
Tuesday	Jess: Leftover Chicken, Breadsticks, Salad, FRUIT	Cheesecrisps 5-Layer Mexican Dip Spanish Rice
Wednesday	Jess: Leftover Spanish Rice, Green Pork Enchiladas,FRUIT	Skinny Twice Baked Potatoes Steamed Broccoli
Thursday	Jess: Sandwich, carrots,  FRUIT	Taco Soup
Friday	Taco Soup Leftovers	Eat Out
Saturday	???	Costco All Natural Bruschetta Pizza



Eating Cleaner and Working Harder

I've read many times that what you eat determines 80% of what your body looks like, and exercise makes up the other 20%.  For some people this may be true, and I completely agree that you ARE what you eat, but for me it is 50/50.

When I started eating cleanER over 2 years ago I was so excited that I didn't have to exercise! If you eat healthy then you'll have a rockin' bod right?

WRONG!

I lived in denial for the first year or so and just continued teaching dance and counting that as my exercise, but in October of 2011 the scale hit a new high and I decided something needed to change.

Thankfully I met a wonderful trainer, Krista Estrada, who trains out of her home. I personally trained with her once a week for 8 weeks and I fell in love with fitness! 

Since October, I participated in the Annual Thanksgiving 10k Turkey Trot as well as the 5k Warrior Dash.

       

 March - June of this year I have been doing group circuit training with the amazing Krista at a park in Mesa.  However, it is now JULY and WAY TOO HOT outside to work out.  

Since stopping the circuit group training I have fallen into a slump.  I convinced myself that I don't know how to put together workouts on my own and that I won't be successful.  But working out isn't difficult and doing ANYTHING is better than doing NOTHING!

So as part of my new fitness goal, I will be recording my weekly workouts to hold myself accountable, and to hopefully give a few of you some workout inspiration if you too are in a rut.

Remember that eating cleanER is a lifestyle and so is exercising!

The workouts will be posted under the FITNESS tab at the top of the page.

  If you have any questions about the workouts or an exercise, just comment on the post and let me know!

Weekly Menu 7/9 - 7/14

As always, I find myself spending hours upon hours each week trying to plan out my meals.  It should NOT be this difficult but somehow it gets harder and harder each week.  I have an issue with repeating meals too often and I continually strive to try new recipes and add new varieties of food into our meals.

After a week of NO PLANNING and making meals 

"on the stop" (terrible idea)

I decided to make myself a cute and colorful Menu Planner because that always helps me feel more excited about getting organized.

Here is our Menu for the week, including Jess's lunch Menu that I'm going to try and be good and pack for him :)

The things we do for love <3

WEEKLY MENU PLANNER

July 9^th – 14^th

DAY	LUNCH	DINNER
Monday	Jess: Eat Out Kim: Leftover Turkey Tacos	Smashed Potatoes Grilled Chicken House Salad
Tuesday	Jess: Leftover Chicken, Potatoes, & Salad, FRUIT	Grilled Tri-tip steak TJ’s Grain Mix Zucchini
Wednesday	Jess: Turkey & Ham Sandwich, FRUIT, Nut Trailmix	Green Pork Enchiladas Spanish Rice
Thursday	Jess: Leftover Green Pork Enchiladas Spanish Rice, FRUIT	Whole Wheat Pasta and Meat Sauce Olive Garden Salad
Friday	Sloppy Joes	Eat Out
Saturday	Sandwiches or Lentils & Rice	Easy Orange Chicken Broccoli and Rice

I'm trying out this recipe on Saturday Night

http://www.asweetpeachef.com/chicken/easy-orange-chicken/

Looks Delicious!

Enjoy your week and remember to EAT CLEANER!