Summer Bucket List 2017

Please tell me that I am not the only mom that meets the end of the school year with a little bit of anxiety.  We finally have a relatively well oiled machine with our school days.  The idea of waking up many mornings with no set plan sort of stresses me out!  Two summers ago, I over scheduled the kids with tons of camps.  Last year, we played it a little too easy and the kids spent many mornings of "free play" bickering.  We need a plan, folks.  We need something that tells us where to go, what kind of fun we're going to have and what new places we're going to discover.  

After much googling and consolidating friend's lists with website lists, I have created a summer bucket list of things to check out with the kids.  For each place listed, there are probably another 3 that didn't make it on the list.  This was just a reasonable number to not overwhelm me.

Best wishes, moms!  Please like my Pastries to Pushups Facebook page for updates on how our summer is going!  I'll share any new places we decide to try out!

Spicy Honey Rubbed Chicken Thighs

I know what some of you are thinking.  Thighs?  Is she crazy?  Thighs are terrible for you!  I hate to break it to you....they really aren't.  Not convinced?  Check out this article and then pop back over to this recipe and give it a try.  This chicken is moist, slightly sweet, slightly spicy and kid friendly!  I modified this recipe from a myrecipes.com post to tone down the spice. 

Chances are, you have all the spices you need for this dish in your spice cabinet already.

Spicy Honey Rubbed Chicken Thighs
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (take the time to trim off the excess fat)
cooking spray
6 Tbsps. honey
2 Tbsps. apple cider vinegar

Preparation:
Preheat broiler and set oven rack to highest bracket.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large gallon size bag, shaking to combine well.  Add chicken to bag and toss well to coat. 

Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken for 5 minutes, turn and broil other side for 5 minutes.
Combine honey and vinegar in a bowl.  Using a pastry brush or spoon, coat chicken with mixture.  Broil for 1-2 minutes.  Turn over, coat second side with mixture and broil for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

 

This chicken will go well with just about any side.  Here, it's served with an amazing vegan potato salad!

 



Dear daughter, You're beautiful.

You’re beautiful. 

I see my daughter and all that she has blossomed into in the past 7 years and it fills me with the most intense happiness and pride.  Even in her worst mood, when she is raging mad at something that her brother has inevitably done, she is beautiful.  I could only hope that she continues to be a sweet, confident and intelligent girl as she continues to grow.  She is that girl that will play with anyone and laughs with everyone. 

As much as her cute little self brings me joy, I can’t help but be worried for her.  Heck, I can’t help but be worried for all of us moms that have to navigate what is to come for our daughters.  Cliques, “mean” girls, crushes, make up, bras, periods and body image.  When there is no time sensitive issue to be stressed about, this is my fall back.  How do I protect her but let her experience everything that becoming a woman is all about? 

Well, I don’t know that I have a great answer to this age old question.  I don’t have any sage advice.  What I do know is that girls learn by example.  Now, for my daughter, this means that she has learned that mommy does, in fact, like make up.  Her mommy likes to take some time to herself in the morning to get ready, put on some clean clothes, and throw a little make up on.  I hope that what she draws from this ritual, is not that I am vain, but that this time in the morning gives me a chance to run through my schedule for the day, read the headlines, check weather and wake myself up.  She’s also learned that I road rage often and I expect that she will follow suit.  She’s learned that mommy can’t stand clutter or crumbs.  I’m a fan of phrases like, “work first, play as your reward”, “eat the stuff you don’t like first and save the yummy stuff for last” and “practice makes perfect.”

She knows that mommy loves to work out.   To me, there is nothing more precious than her rolling into my room in the morning, wiping the sleep out of her eyes, fully dressed in workout gear and ready to workout with me. Her pushups have gotten pretty impressive!  She doesn’t know that mommy (and daddy) have lost a considerable amount of weight in the past few years.  She doesn’t look at old pictures and see what we see; an overweight couple.  We talk about being healthy, fit and strong not skinny or thin.

Here’s the thing; my mindset has shifted the past couple of years.  I don’t work out to lose weight or be ‘allowed’ to eat bad or fit into an outfit.  It’s about recognizing that exercise truly makes me a better mom.  I have a clearer mind, a better attitude and more energy. 

So, on this 8^th Mother’s Day that I am spending with my little girl, my wish is that all of us moms remember that those pretty little eyes are watching when we’re fussing about clothes not fitting.  Those darling little ears are listening when we talk about how we’re “so fat” and how we need to “lose so much weight.”  We are, hands down, our girls strongest allies against all that will bombard them. From reality shows to Facebook, they will get so many messages about what look or size is acceptable.  We are the ones that can fill them with the strength to be confident and strong.

 

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you.  You’re beautiful.

Kefta Kebab

 

 

Picky eater children. They are the bane of my existence. I can't tell you how many times I made a recipe thinking to myself, "Self, these picky kids are going to love this!"  Ha!  It's like they live just to prove me wrong. 

 

A few weeks ago, I decided I wanted to spice things up....in the kitchen.  I had ground beef defrosting in the fridge and decided to attempt to make some kefta kebabs.  Kefta (or kofta or kifta) literally means grounded or pounded and refers to ground meant that is seasoned with spices.  A variation of it can be found in most of the Mediterranean region. 

 

You really would be surprised at how incredibly easy this recipe is.  Thank you www.themediterraneandish.com for providing an incredibly easy recipe to follow.

 

A couple of quick notes before we dive in.  You don't have to use lamb.  I have only used it about half of the times because it's a bit hard to find in a small amount.  I also didn't find sumac until very recently and I still thought it tasted great.

 

The recipe is all about spices.  Aromatic, subtle and vibrant spices. 

 

Add some basics - onion, garlic and parsley..

 



 

and blend everything together in the food processor.  The result is a smooth mixture with well blended spices and flavor.  From here, you can either use skewers or just roll the meat out into long hot dog like logs and grill on a hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.  I've also just made hamburger patties from this mixture to switch up our basic burgers. 

 

 

Give this recipe a try.  Go crazy and try serving it to your kids!  You never know--they might end up loving it like mine do! 

 

Makes about 10 kebabs

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, quartered

2 garlic cloves

1 whole bunch of parsley, stems removed

1 pound of ground beef

1/2 pound of ground lamb

1 slice of bread, toasted and then soaked in water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 tsp ground all spice

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp ground green cardamom

1/2 tsp ground sumac

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp paprika

 

If using wooden skewers, soak in water for about an hour. Oil grates of grill and preheat on medium high for about 20 minutes.

 

In a food processor, chop onion, garlic and parsley.  Add the beef, lamb, bread (with water fully squeezed out) and spices and combine thoroughly. 

 

Transfer mixture into a large bowl.  Take a fistful at a time and form around a skewer or into a long hot dog shape.   Kebabs should be approximately 1 inch thick.

 

Start adding kebabs to grill and grill on medium high heat for 4 minutes before turning and grilling for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

 

Serve with pita, tahini, rice or even chop it up and layer it onto a crisp salad.  There are so many ways to eat this flavorful dish. 

 

 

 



 

Short on time? Check out these workouts that clock in under 35 minutes!

"I wish I had your motivation." 

I can't tell you how many times I have heard someone say that to me.  While I am flattered that people see me checking in and working out everyday, I really wish people would believe me when I tell them that they can do it, too. 

So, how do I get motivated?  I think I can boil it down to 2 factors. 
1)  Working out is not optional.  Once you decide that, motivation really doesn't even come in to play, does it?
2)  I make it as easy as possible for myself to commit to a workout because I usually stick to workouts that are 30 minutes or less.

When Beachbody announced the release of the All Access Beachbody On Demand service, I was ecstatic.  I would now have access to every single workout Beachbody has ever released without having to pay a digital unlock fee for each workout program.  Now, I can wake up and pick a workout based on my mood, or based on how much time I have that morning. 

I'd love to share with you my favorite (and shortest) workouts ranked by length.  Which one are you excited to try out?

1.) 21 Day Fix: Pilates Fix (34 minutes, 11 seconds)
Required equipment : yoga mat
This workout will workout your core, elongate your muscles and firm your hips and thighs with low impact moves.

2.) Cize: Crazy 8's (30 minutes, 16 seconds)
Required equipment: nothing!
This workout is all about dancing and sweating. At the end you get to perform the routine to the song HANDS IN THE AIR, originally recorded by Timbaland.

3.) Core de Force: MMA Speed (26 minutes)
Required equipment: nothing!
Upper body and core-focused, this Boxing-influenced workout is short-but packs a serious punch!

4.) Focus T25: Speed 2.0 (25 minutes)
Required equipment: none
Rev it up with Shaun's calorie-scorching, core-focused speed drills. This workout has a great beat and will keep you moving so quickly, you won't even notice you're drenched in sweat!

5.) Iso Speed Hammer (24 minutes, 12 seconds)
Required equipment: Bench or Stability Ball, Weights, B-Lines Resistance Band, Chin-Up Bar or Bands with door attachment kit
A tempo-style workout that focuses on eccentric lifts help you shape lean muscle and build unprecedented strength.

6.) Piyo: Strength Intervals (22 minutes, 54 seconds)
Required equipment: none
Twenty-five minutes is all you need of this nonstop body-carving, calorie-incinerating workout that uses no weights, no equipment, and gives you no bulk!

7.) 22 Minute Hard Corps: Battle Buddy (22 minutes)
Required Equipment: none
Do you have a workout buddy?  This one is a fun one to do with a spouse or friend! Grab a partner or dumb bells for this total-body resistance routine.

8.) TurboFire: HIIT 20 (20 minutes, 3 seconds)
Required equipment: none
Give your max for up to 1-minute intervals during this class, and you can burn calories for up to 24 hours AFTER your workout's over!

9.) Insanity Max 30: Max Out 15 (15 minutes)
Required equipment: yoga mat
Just as intense as the 30-minute workouts, but at least it’s half the time! This is 15 minutes of insane cardio, Shaun T style.

10.) 10 Minute Trainer: Total Body (10 minutes)
Required equipment: resistance band
This is a classic, but effective workout from Tony Horton. Just 10 minutes to sculpt your entire body from head to toe.

All of these programs are available on Beachbody's all new All Access Pass. 
NOTE: The current offer expires on February 28th!  Grab a 30 day supply of Shakeology along with a full year of All Access OnDemand which includes every single Beachbody workout that has been released PLUS at least 2 new programs that will be released this year.  Keep in mind, most new releases cost at least $30 to $40 to unlock (per program).

Are you ready to get committed?  I have an amazing crew of challengers that check in everyday to keep us all on track.

Click on the image below to get started!

My Top 12 Healthy Picks at Costco

It's no secret that I am obsessed with Costco.  The place is fantastic!  You can buy your broccoli, fill a prescription, get photos printed, buy a cashmere sweater and even order your car at Costco.  I am certainly guilty of walking away with some large bulk sized items that end up being #fails at our house, but I think I've streamlined our shopping trips to a science now.  If the husband tags along though, all bets are out the window.

A couple of years ago, when we got serious about eating healthy, Costco became even more important to us.  We're not particularly adventurous with our dinners during the week.  We stick to a pretty standard menu Monday through Friday so that when the weekends come around, we can order take out or grab a bite to eat at a restaurant.  Often referred to as the 80/20 plan, we keep things healthy and easy 80% of the time and treat ourselves the other 20%. 

Here are my top picks for healthy finds at Costco. If you're invested in making 2017 a healthy year, try some of these out!  I have also included some price comparisons from the local grocery store.   PS-I hope you appreciate the list because I was getting a lot of weird looks while I was taking notes and photographing the merchandise.  

Comment below with some of your favorite Costco items!

1. Skinny Pop
Costco: $4.99/ 14 oz bag (.356/oz.)
Local grocery: $3.99 for 4.4 oz bag (.90/oz.)
The toughest thing about eating better is the snacking.  For those of us that crave salty snacks, this can be a great alternative to potato chips or even regular popcorn.  With only 150 calories for a 3 3/4 cup serving, it can help get you through those mid afternoon slumps.

2. Edamame spaghetti
Costco: $9.89/2 lb. box ($.31/oz.)
Local grocery: $3.99/7 oz. ($.57/oz.)
One of the first things my husband and I changed about our eating was that we lost the heavy carbs at dinner.  No rice, pasta or potatoes at dinner time.  Let's face it, there's only so many nights we are willing to eat zoodles (or even have zucchini on hand, for that matter).  This edamame pasta is a great alternative and packs 25g of protein in a 2 oz. serving.  Costco seems to offer at least 1 or 2 of these alternative pastas that are worth checking out. 

3. Quinoa
Costco: $11.49/4.5 lb. ($2.55/lb.)
Local grocery: $9.99/26oz. ($6.15/lb.)
Quinoa is a great grain alternative to rice and pasta.  It's easy to cook and is one of the only plant foods that is a complete protein. It's excellent in cold salads and as a rice substitute.

4. No Salt Seasoning
Costco: $7.99/14.5 oz. ($.55/oz.)
Local grocery: $2.99/2.5 oz. ($1.12/oz.)
The last thing you want to do when trying to eat healthy is load up on sodium.  Not only do you retain water leaving you feeling bloated, but you increase your risk of high blood pressure.  Try adding some no salt seasoning to jazz up the flavor in your food.

5. Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Costco: $13.99/2L ($.21/oz.)
Local grocery: $7.99/16.9 oz. ($.42/oz.)
Olive oil has long been shown to be a healthier option when it comes to oils.  Not only is it delicious, but it contains omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants.  Swap out your non stick cooking spray with a Misto and fill it up with olive oil.

6. Almond Milk
Costco: $7.59/6-32oz. boxes ($1.26/32 oz. box)
Local grocery: $2.99/32 oz. box
Costco recently came out with it's own brand of unsweetened vanilla almond milk.  Not only is it just as tasty as the previous brand name they carried, but it is almost $2 cheaper per case of 6!  Containing only 30 calories a cup and 1 g of carbs (vs 130 calories and 12g carbs in 2% milk) it's in heavy rotation in our house with our Shakeology.

7. Organic cage free eggs
Costco: $5.99/2 dozen (.$25/egg)
Local grocery: $5.49/dozen ($.45/egg)
Behold the edible egg! Eggs are a great and inexpensive source of protein complete with omega 3 fatty acids.  Cage free eggs are not only more humane for the animals, but they have been shown to be the healthier option with less cholesterol, more omega 3 and beta carotene. 

8. LaCroix
Costco: $6.99/24 cans (.$29/can)
Local grocery: $9.00/24 ($.37/can)
2 years ago, I gave up Coke.  I just decided I didn't need to drink it anymore.  Once I started eating healthier, I realized that it was just too sticky sweet for my taste buds.  Let's face it though, nothing is more refreshing than the bite of a cold carbonated beverage.  LaCroix has been that great replacement for us with no sugar and zero calories. 

9. Wholly Guacamole Minis
Costco: $11.99/20 cups ($.60/each)
Local grocery: $5.49/6 ($.91/each)
Avocado-it's so creamy and delicious.  If you're up here in the Midwest though, it's pretty darn expensive for the majority of the year.  These mini packs are the perfect portion of guacamole with no additives. Even better?  These can be frozen, so don't be afraid to buy the Costco size and save! 

10. Power greens
Costco: $5.49/1.5 lbs. ($3.66/lb.)
Local grocery: $5/1 lb.
Leafy greens.  I have to be honest--I don't love 'em.  I am not a big salad fan, and I am especially not a kale fan.  Unfortunately, these dark leafy greens happen to be pretty amazing for you.  This mix is great to jam into your shake or smoothie, and the sweeter spinach cuts some of the bitterness from the chard and kale.

11. Kerrygold Butter
Costco: $7.69/24 oz. ($2.56/8 oz. bar)
Local grocery: $3.49/8 oz. bar
In the 80s, you were told that butter was awful for you and that margarine was best. Remember the talking margarine tub?  Now, nutritionists realize that butter is a great source of fat that can help your brain health.  Grass fed?  Because happy cows eat grass and make tasty butter. 

12. Ground bison
Costco: $19.99/2.5 lbs. ($7.99/lb.)
Local grocery: $12.99/lb.
After about a year of eating nothing but ground turkey, it was time to reintroduce moderate amounts of red meat into my diet.  I ditched my usual organic ground beef one day and opted for ground bison.  The flavor is amazing.  Think really lean ground beef but kicked up in flavor a few notches.  Bison has less fat and more protein than regular beef which makes it a great choice.

My latest round of 3 Day Refresh

Pizza.  Lots and lots of pizza.  That is what's been going on in my life for the past few weeks.  Yeah, the Cubs won the World Series, the kids trick or treated, I celebrated my 38th birthday, we elected a new President and all the while, I am at home drinking wine and eating pizza to curb the stress of all of it.  Yeah, I have this healthy lifestyle and I workout everyday and eat clean but dang, my relationship with pizza. 

I proactively ordered the 3 day refresh and got started on it the day things calmed down.  Curious about why I choose to do the 3 day refresh versus a juice cleanse?  Check out the post I wrote last year about my juice cleanse experience!

This video will give you all the details on the 3 Day Refresh. 
The program is so simple to follow, includes REAL food and shakes that keep your energy levels up and keep you from getting too hungry.

So, what was the result? 
Of course you're curious to know how my results were!  I lost 6 lbs this round.  Keep in mind, going in to this Refresh, I had not been drinking my usual large amounts of water, and again, the pizza.  More importantly, it's reset my cravings and has increased my energy level.  I had the best workout this morning because I didn't feel weighed down and had a restful night's sleep, thanks largely to the fact that my food has been neutral the last few days.

If you're interested in more info, shoot me an email!  I am happy to answer any questions!

Email: pastriestopushups@gmail.com