Vegan Garlic Mushroom Gravy

Crowd pleasing gravy for your holiday!  This delicious gravy consists of garlic and mushrooms!  This low fat, meat free gravy will certainly satisfy any meat eaters taste buds! 

Total Time: 25 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 15 min.
Yield: 13 servings, 3 Tbsp. each

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup arrowroot
3 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
1½ tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
6 fresh parsley sprigs, chopped (for garnish; optional)

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft.
3. Add arrowroot; mix well to form a smooth paste.
4. Slowly add broth; whisking constantly to blend. Season with soy sauce and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; gently boil, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.
6. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 27
Total Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 56 mg
Carbohydrate: 4 g
Fiber: 0 g
Sugar: 1 g
Protein: 0 g

Portion:
1/2 Tsp

Green Bean Casserole

Enjoy this lighter version of the traditional green bean casserole!  It's sure to please any crowd with the flavor of fresh mushrooms, green beans and the infamous crispy onions!  I'm sure you'll agree it far exceeds that of the 'original' recipe you'd find on the back of a can. 

Total Time: 55 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 40 min.
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp. whole wheat purpose flour, divided use
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 medium onion, (½ onion thinly sliced, ½ onion chopped), divided use
3 tsp. olive oil, divided use
8 oz sliced mushrooms
½ tsp. onion powder
3 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed and chopped, stems discarded
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ cup nonfat milk
2 Tbsp. dry sherry wine
1 lb. frozen French-cut green beans
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Combine 2 Tbsp. flour, paprika, and garlic powder in a medium bowl; mix well.
3. Add sliced onion; mix until well coated. Set aside.
4. Heat 2 tsp. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add sliced onion mixture; cook, turning once or twice, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel. Set aside. Wipe skillet clean.
6. Heat remaining 1 tsp. oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
7. Add chopped onions; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 4 minutes, or until translucent.
8. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the liquid released from mushrooms is almost completely evaporated.
9. Add remaining 3 Tbsp. flour, onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper; mix until vegetables are coated.
10. Add milk and sherry; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until bubbly and slightly thickened.
11. Add green beans; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through.
12. Add yogurt; mix until combined.
13. Place green bean mixture in casserole dish. Top with onion mixture.
14. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly.

Portions: 
1 Green
1/2 Yellow

Healthy Eating is NOT Boring!

Healthy eating SERIOUSLY doesn't have to be BORING!  Now, between the FIXATE cookbook AND the FIXATE cooking show available exclusively via Beachbody On Demand you don't have to be a fancy chef or dazzle up that healthy eating plan! 

Autumn Calabrese the creator of the 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme and her brother Bobby Calabrese who is an international chef have teamed up together to show us in our homes how to create delicious HEALTHY meals that can help us shred unhealthy weight and keep it off! 

Some recipes available right now via this streaming service include: 

Fall For You February Fitness Challenge

The holidays have faded and the New Year has begun.  I've been thinking LONG and HARD about how I'm feeling as I am working towards my new goals for the 2016 year.

I feel like I could use a little EXTRA accountability and motivation from some friends!  February 1st, I'll be starting my Fall for You February Fitness Challenge!  

The focus of this group will be surrounded by the usual motivation, accountability and support you receive from my traditional challenge groups, however, we will be focusing on positive thinking and falling IN LOVE with ourselves.

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

I'm a HUGE fan of my crock pot!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE cooking in my cock pot and when a meal is EASY I'm an even BIGGER fan!
Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas are a staple in my home and will soon be in yours too!
Ingredients: 
3 bell peppers
2 large white onion
2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken
Low sodium taco seasoning
1 can of diced tomatoes
Juice of 1 lime

New Year, New You

A NEW year means a NEW me!  I've set some pretty intense and up there goals for the 2016 year!  Some are fitness related while MOST are not!  My goals for the 2016 year are setting the bar rather HIGH and I'm ready to WORK WORK WORK to get there!

With setting new goals and dreaming new dreams I'm EAGER and SUPER excited to also be helping other people in reaching their goals too!  Again, health and fitness related and NOT.  

We're more likely to REACH our goals by supporting, working and encouraging one another TOGETHER!  

5 Tips on Finding the Right Protein

Sometimes the convenience of an on-the-go meal is needed.  Whether you're a busy mom, a devout student or simply just don't feel like cooking (we've all been there), we need something QUICK and EASY!

Most of the time some will pull into a nearby drive-thru and regret it moments later.  Some of us depend on a protein or meal replacement shake for this EXACT reason.  I've heard a lot of debate on whether shakes are a smart choice.  Rather than pushing you in either direction I prefer to GUIDE you towards what's right for YOU.

5 Easy Tips to Eating Healthy on a Budget

I've heard it TIME and TIME again, "eating healthy is expensive."

It's REALLY not that expensive.  Of course it takes some time and practice BUT I promise it is worth it and you won't be clipping coupons non-stop! 

With a little planning and proper budgeting you'll be able to shed pounds and have more energy!

#1. CASH BACK APPS!

Fried Brown Rice

I LOOOOVE going to Kobe's Japanese Steakhouse but with all of the extra oils they add it's not exactly 21 Day Fix friendly!  I prefer indulging in chocolates rather than treating myself to a treat meal.  After some some experimenting in the kitchen I decided to WHIP up something kinda fancy!  This behavior typically happens when Keith is on duty too!

Here's recipe that's sure to solve your salty tooth for some fried rice!  Hope you enjoy this one as much as we did!!

Homemade Teriyaki Marinade

If you're anything like me you enjoy a gooooood teriyaki marinade!  When you're working towards your health and fitness goals and are craving that salty sweet goodness it can be quite tempting to step into that Chinese restaurant.  

Before you take one step further, STOP right there and try out this tasty marinade!  I like to add this to chicken and make easy chicken kabobs!  Toss those bad boys on the grill and put over easy homemade fried rice and you're golden!

Hard Boil the PERFECT Eggs!

Can't tell you how many times I have seen recipes on how to boil the perfect eggs.  Hands DOWN none of them compare to how I boil my eggs.

I have ZERO peeling issues 100% of the time!

4 Tips on Drinking Water

We all know that drinking water is important helps in making us "healthier" but why?  

Drinking more water helps in balancing body fluids.  Our bodies are made up of about 60% water; the functions on these fluids include creation of saliva, maintaining body temperature and transportation of nutrients.  Drinking water also improves your skin giving you a "glow." 

What is clean eating?

Many of you might be asking yourself, "what is clean eating?"  And when I mentioned portion sizes; you might be asking yourself, "how much should I eat?" or "am I eating too much or not enough?"  Here I am hoping to clear up any questions or concerns on what "clean eating" is.

Clean eating is a general term for a diet that consists of little to no processed foods.  Processed foods often come in boxes or jar and have added sugars, are low in fiber and whole grains.  These processed foods are high in sodium, high in fat or include trans fats and lots and lots of saturated fat.

How do I eat clean?

Eating "clean" is a relatively easy and simple principle once you get the hang of avoiding processed foods as much as possible and learn to read nutrition labels.  Follow the easy principles below:

7 Clean eating principles:

• Eat more and more often approximately 6 meals a day.  This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack.  Breakfast should be the largest meal of the day with a snack about 3 hours later followed by a moderately sized lunch another snack and dinner which should be your smaller meal of the day.
• You should be eating this way because if you're not eating enough your body will actually make the most of what you're eating by hanging onto the fat to store for future energy.  Your body actually goes into "starvation mode."
• Eat breakfast every day!
• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  You've probably heard this statement since you were a child and this couldn't be truer.  Eating a healthy breakfast can give you energy to fuel you through your day, satisfy your appetite and sets the stage for making smart decisions all day!
• Skipping breakfast can also cause you to over eat later in the day.  
• For an easy breakfast I like eating egg muffins!  These have vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbs necessary for me to start my day on the right food!  Check out the recipe HERE.
• Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbs at each meal.
• An excellent lean protein for breakfast is eggs!  Pair up eggs with green veggies or whole grains such as whole grain bread or oatmeal (no seasoning or sugars added).
• Eat sufficient (two to three servings) healthy fats every day.
• Healthy fats consist of coconut oil, olive oil or avocado.
• Carry a cooler packed with clean foods each day.
• Rather than eating out or going through a drive through; BE PREPARED!
• If you fail to plan you plan to fail!
• Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.
• You should be consuming LOTS of fruits and veggies!  Fruits and veggies are LOADED with fiber, vitamins and nutrients needed to fuel you for the day! 
• Be mindful of high sugar fruits such as grapes and bananas.  Eat these in moderation.
• Adhere to proper portion sizes.
• Many of us are under eating but a lot of us are OVER eating!!  Or eating too much sugar from fruits! 

What foods should I avoid eating?

• Avoid all over-processed foods, particularly white flour and white sugar.
• Avoid all chemically charge foods.
• Avoid foods containing preservatives.
• Benzoate Preservatives (BHT, BHA, TBHQ)
• Avoid artificial sugars.
• Acesulfame potassium, aspartame, Sucralose 
• Avoid artificial foods such as processed cheese slices.
• Avoid saturated and trans fats.
• Avoid sugar loaded beverages, including colas and juices (even if they are from 100% juice).
• Avoid or do your best to limit alcohol intake.
• Avoid all calorie dense foods containing little or no nutritional value. I call these anti-foods.
• Avoid super sizing your meals.

21 Day Fix Ranch Dressing Dip

Everyone loves a good ranch dressing dip to go with your favorite veggies or side of chicken wings!  Try this 21 Day Fix "APPROVED" recipe to bring to your next gathering!  

2 servings as a dip; 4 servings as a dressing

6 tbs for a dip; 3 tbs for a dressing

Counts as a red container

Pushing on the Pavement, RAP River Run 2015

My feet are beginning to become rough and warn; my toenails are cut too short.  My calves are sore and I am exhausted.

It has been a long and enjoyable race weekend.  Keith and I ran the RAP River Run in New Port Richey, Florida.  It was my first time running the course and Keith had return to set a dominating PR (personal record) from his first 5k nearly 5 years ago.

As we arrived to the race, Keith warmed up and I had met with new friends.  As I mentioned in a previous blog post I decided to join a local running group, The Suncoast Striders.  I have always wanted to be a decent runner but never truly felt motivated; I desired the encouragement and like mindedness of others.  I seem to have found that in less than a week thus far.  Keith ran off to warm up and stretch as I gabbed with my new Suncoast Strider friend (we will call her Sasha) and her long time friend.  We discussed our goals for the day’s race and any training we have done lately.