Clean Eating Recipe - Sweet Potato Chips

These are great to make and keep for future snack time! 

How to:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Cut sweet potato into thin slices 

Put in a bowl and toss with just enough olive oil to coat the slices

Lay flat on a baking sheet and put into oven

Bake 8-10 minutes then flip sweet potatoes over

(At this point you can also sprinkle with sea salt for added flavor)

Return to oven and bake an additional 8-10 min 

Let them cool and enjoy!

Ab Workout - Spider Man Plank

I recently discover this gem of a calisthenic! No kidding it works almost every hard to work muscle in my body! With the very limited time I have between my kiddos, work, cooking, and life, I try to maximize my workouts by incorporating exercises that work multiple body areas at once. The Spider-Man Plank works my shoulders, abs, and glutes among many other muscles. It's a new addition to my workouts and is quickly becoming my go-to exercise on days I only have 10 min to fit in a workout!

Here's How:

Place your forearms on the floor, elbows under your shoulders, and extend your legs behind you with your knees on the floor.

Lift your right foot behind your right knee and bring your knee to the out side of your right elbow. Hold for a second.

Extend right leg back behind you, lower your knee back to the floor and repeat with on your left side.

Green Smoothie Recipe -Mixed Berry

This Vitamin packed smoothie is the very first smoothie I ever made! It is delicious AND my children love it. They even ask for it. It is the perfect basic smoothie with minimal ingredients that are all nutritionally beneficial. I have been drinking it 2-3 times a week for over 3 years now and still enjoy every sip!

Recipe:

1 banana

1 Cup frozen berries

3/4 Cup kale or spinach

2 Tbsp ground flax seed

~3/4 Cup coconut water

Blend well and serve!

* makes about 2 servings

Over Night Oats Recipe

Over Night Oats

The quickest, easiest and healthiest breakfast I have found. Over night oats, which are essentially, just that! You put the oats in a container with the two other ingredients, let everything soak together over night in the refigerator and Voila! You wake up to a nutritious and delicious breakfast. Best part is, there is no cooking involved.

Recipe:

1 Cup Organic Rolled Oats

1 Cup Low-Fat Greek Yogurt (any flavor of your choice!)

1 Cup unsweetened Almond Milk

*makes 3-4 servings

Store in a container over night in the refigerator and wake up to a rich and creamy breakfast. Top with your favorite additions. (Mine is topped with sliced bananas, blueberries and a drizzle of honey)

Ab Workout - Trunk Twist

Trunk Twist

I have found my new FAVORITE ab workout! I have been trying to find an exercise to help add more curve to my mid section. I did a bit of research and found the muscles I need to target to "whittle my waist" are called the Transverse Adominals. Great I figured out what muscles to target, my next step was to find exercises that work that muscle. Most ab exercises that involve twisting, I discovered, work the Transverse Abs. This one is a killer! After a week I am already feeling and seeing results, therfore making it my new favorite ab exercise!!

Here is how to do it:

Lie face up on the floor, arms out to the side, and raise you feet, bending your knees to 90 degrees directly over your hips. keeping your legs together, brace your core and lower both knees to one sideas far as you can toward the floor keeping your shoulders flat on the floor. Pause, then return legs to starting position and repeat to opposite side.

I started with 3 sets of 12 towards both sides and am working my way towards more reps.

(*as with any exercise you must listen to your body if you are new to working out do not push yourself too hard ease into exercise as to not inflict injury)

Smoothie Recipe - Energy

Energy Boost Smoothie

This smoothie recipe is by far my favorite for a great boost of energy. I usually make it on mornings that I know I am going to be incredibly busy. Most of my mornings on days my kiddos go to school consist of running around in a mad rush trying to get both of them fed, changed, teeth brushed, lunches packed, getting myself looking decent enough to face the public and out the door. If I have time after I drop them at school I then workout. This smoothie is the perfect solution to keep me full and energized through my morning rush with the kids AND keeps me going strong though out my workout!!

RECIPE:

1/4 Cup Organic Rolled Oats 

4 oz Low-Fat Greek Yogurt (my fav to use is blueberry flavored!)

5 Dates 

1/4 Cup Fresh or Frozen Blueberries

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

2 Tbsp Ground Flax Seeds

5-6 Ice Cubes

*optional ingredient -1tsp Honey

Blend well and Enjoy your Energy Boost Smoothie!