A Chocolate Covered Cherry - For Breakfast?

Sounds crazy right?

And yet, this new Shakeology combo I tried the other day?  Totally tasted like it.  And yes, also 21 Day Fix friendly!

As I've said before, I make my Shakeology with coffee since those yellow containers are precious to me, too precious to swap out for almond milk, but you could totally do this with whatever you make your Shakeology with. 

I used a Double Chocolate Truffle K-Cup (brewed the night before and refrigerated over night), 1 purple container of frozen dark, sweet cherries, 1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract, 1 scoop of chocolate Shakeology, and a handful of ice cubes.

Like having candy for breakfast, only totally healthy!

21 Day Fix Helpful Hint - Roast those Veggies!

I'm not a huge veggie eater.  I wish I liked them more than I do, but the ones I do like, I like a lot, so I guess there is that.

One of the things I do to help set myself up for the week is to prep them ahead of time.  And my favorite way to do that is to roast them.

Roasting your favorite veggies brings out great flavor and makes them a little crispy as well.

I've roasted all sorts - my favorites being brussel sprouts, asparagus, zucchini and yellow squash.

Generally what I do is spray a baking sheet with some coconut oil spray and preheat the oven to about 425.  Then I lay any veggies I want in a single layer, spray a bit of coconut oil on top, and bake for about 20 minutes, flipping them once.

Once they are roasted, I store them in airtight containers and then I have them for the week for anything from a side dish, to a flatbread, or an egg scramble.

An example?  My flatbread pizza!

The Love List: The AquaZinger

Confession.  Not a water lover.  Sure, I drink it (especially when running), but it isn't my favorite at all.

And yet I know, to continue being healthy and doing any of the Beachbody programs I do, I need to do just that.

So, while shopping for Father's Day, I had come across this water bottle called an AquaZinger.  Basically the claim was you could make your own water infusions using fresh ingredients and not have all the artificial sweetener and chemicals you may find in a lot of flavored waters.

Well I picked on up for Dad for Father's Day, and finally picked myself up one at the end of the school year.

I have to say?  I'm sold.  It's a nice looking water bottle, but more importantly, it really does work.

So basically step one?  Take it apart.

As you can see in that bottom piece, there are metal spikes that stick up, and on the corresponding top there are spikes that go the opposite way.

So, you take whatever fruit (or veggies or herbs) that you want and fill that bottom cup.

Then place the top piece on an turn several times to mash up the fruit and get those fresh fruit juices out.

Then screw that whole portion on to the top of the bottle, fill with water, and give it a shake.  

Now, this is definitely something I do ahead of time.  The longer it sits, the better and more flavorful the water is.  So I tend to make it the night before, and then grab it chilled out of the fridge before work the next morning.

So far, I've tried both raspberries and blueberries and have loved both.  It definitely makes drinking that water more enjoyable.

For those interested, I've seen it at Brookstone, but I just ordered mine on Amazon.

Who knew you could make water healthy AND exciting?

Turkey and Berry Salad - 21 Day Fix

Salads are tough for me.

I like them out at a restaurant, but that's because they are usually loaded with things that aren't the healthiest.

I'm not a huge veggie fan either, which is a whole other post entirely. 

So when I make salads at home, I tend to veer towards fruit.  Because fruit?  I love fruit.

Tossed this quick salad together after summer school and it was delicious and filling!

The Breakdown:

2 green - filled with arugula
1 purple - mixed berries (I used blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries)
1 red - leftover baked turkey breast, shredded
1/2 blue - crumbled goat cheese

For the dressing, I drizzled some raspberry infused balsamic vinegar over the whole thing.  Delicious and easy!  (And a great use for any leftover protein!)

Shakeology Review

I honestly wasn't sure what to think about the claims Shakeology made when I first started researching it.  I'm a vet of protein shakes, it's an easy quick breakfast that I can drink while getting ready for work.

But one day I bit the bullet and ordered a bag of the chocolate.  Within about a week?  I was a believer.

First and foremost for me?  It tastes great.  And there are tons of availabe recipes online where you can mix up the variations (I also have a few that I've tried that I'll be posting soon!).

But what really impressed me was how filling it is.  I have my shake, during school at least, at around 6 in the morning.  Snack time with the kids is around 10.  And I have to say, that shake kept me satisfied for those four hours.

I felt more energetic and definitely had less cravings for sweets.

Now I can't imagine a day without it!  On the weekends I usually have it as a post - workout meal or lunch since I have the time to cook a good breakfast on the weekends.  But regardless, it really is a delicious and healthy way to get a lot of nutrients into one power packed drink.

Full disclosure - the chocolate is definitely my favorite.  I tried the vanilla and while I liked it, the chocolate was what I ended up putting a monthly order on.  I also tried the strawberry but found it to be a tad too sweet for me.

I definitely credit Shakeology with my success in getting healthier and more fit.  If you have any questions about it, let me know!

21 Day Fix - Private Challenge Group Forming!

Interested in slimming down and feeling great for the rest of the summer? There's still plenty of it left!

I will be starting a private challenge group on Facebook for anyone interested in doing either Shakeology or the 21 Day Fix! Get motivation, recipes, meal ideas, and more!

As a veteran of 1 round of the 21 Day Fix, being in the challenge group helped me stay focused and get some great ideas and motivation. 3 weeks later I am one clothing size smaller!

If you are interested, private message me and I will add you to the group! The group will be starting Wednesday July 9! If you'd like more information on the 21 Day Fix or Shakeology I can answer those questions as well!

21 Day Fix Friendly Taco Salad

Because who doesn't love a good taco salad? 

But let's face it, at a Mexican restaurant, the cheese, guacamole, and shell alone would put you over the top. 

So how to make a good one at home?

This little beauty!

It's an EZ tortilla pan (thanks Mom!).  Basically, you preheat your oven to 375 degrees, pop your tortilla of choice in the bowl, and bake it anywhere from 10 - 15 minutes depending on your desired level of crunch.

No oil, no fat, nada.  Just a crispy tortilla shell to fill with good stuff!

What did I fill mine with?

Crockpot taco turkey (basically 93% lean ground turkey - I made three pounds so I would have it! -  in a crockpot with 2 cups of water and 3 tbsp. of chili powder and 3 tbsp. of cumin and cooked it on high for about 3 hours and low for about another hour). 

I also added some arugula and avocado.

This delicious recipe breaks out like this...

1 yellow - 6 inch flour tortilla
1 red - crockpot taco turkey
1 green - arugula
1/2 blue - mashed avocado with a squeeze of fresh lime juice

A delicious and filling lunch!  I also rounded it out with a purple of some mixed berries.  Easy to make and it feels like a treat!