Its a New YEAR!!

Its that time of the year where just about everyone is talking about their New Years Resolutions! We have all made one a time or two.

Honestly I do not care for that term, I prefer New Years Goals. I agree having a new year upon us is a perfect time for a fresh start, but why continue year after year saying you want to do something yet never fully accomplish it.

 

I started New Years Goals 2 years ago. It was then that I made a goal to read 1 book per month. Anything self improvement or business related. I kept tally of each book to know if I was on track of my goal. I ended 2012 reading 15 amazing books. Since then I have continued the great habit of reading that I have benefited from in so many ways!

 

 

I want to share a few simple tips on creating your NEW YEARS GOALS!

 

1. Get a Notebook:

 

2.Take some time and reflect on what you want!

Here are a few areas in your life you could create goals:

1. Career

2. Financial

3. Health/Fitness

4. Relationships & Personal

5. Contributions & Giving Back

 

When reflecting, DREAM big and don't be afraid of anything. You deserve anything you desire!

 

3. Write each of your goals down. A Goal is only a wish unless you write it down.

 

4. Make a plan on how you are going to get there.

Remember, if it is a BIG goal, break it down.

Example: You want to organize your home.  Start with Jan. you will organize your master bedroom (you can even time block a weekend to do complete it) then Feb. is your office.

 

5. Put a date on when you want to achieve your goal! This will give you a deadline and a sense of urgency!

 

Make 2015 YOUR year! You may have 1 BIG goal on your mind or a few things pulling at your heart that you want to achieve this year. Whatever it may be, you can do it! Stay positive, even when it may get tuff.  Keep your notebook of goals on your night table.  Turn it into a journal to keep notes and track of your progress. Reward yourself once you achieve it

 

Cheers to 2015! 

A Simple Holiday Treat

I love the combination of Caramel and Chocolate. During the holidays in the past I would try to think of a way to make Turtles for a Holiday treat. I was always stuck at the caramel. If you know my style I like simple. Last week I was at Target and came across this Lovely Caramels and knew they were my missing piece.   

You will only need 3 ingredients:

 

1 bag Lovely Caramels

1 small bag of Whole Pecans

1 cup Dark Choc. Chips 

 

Pre-heat Oven to 375

Place wax paper on cookie sheet.  Then Place 3 Pecans in next to each other.

Cut all Caramels in Half (I found they were plenty big) & place on top of pecans.

Place in oven for 7-10 minutes. Watch close because caramel will burn easy. You want to take out of the oven just as they are melted.

While in the oven place Dark Choc. in glass bowl and melt in microwave. Stir half way.

When you take pecans and caramel out of oven use a spoon to top chocolate on caramel right away.

Let sit to set or place in fridge to set faster.

 

Store In Fridge.

I am so glad I came across these caramels! I know they will be a hit this Christmas.

 

From my family to yours,

Have a Happy Healthy and Safe Holiday Season! 

Italian Turkey meatloaf

 

Life Style Coach Becky is sharing one of her family favorites! Feeding 6 mouths tends to be a lot of cooking! It is a priority to feed her little ones good nutrition yet keeping it simple is very important to this mom.

 

One day Becky was browsing through some recipes trying to add new ones to her menu plan.  Having options that are simple and the whole family will enjoy is very important. She came across one for Parmesan turkey meatballs, and was intrigued because her family loves anything Italian.  However, making meatballs is a tedious job, especially when you are feeding 6 mouths!  Changing the concept to a meatloaf saved her time.  Next, she looked at ingredients and it passed the simple test, however it was a little too simple.  She decided to add a cup of cottage cheese because they like the creaminess it brings and you can't have Italian without cheese!  Plus, with kiddos hiding veggies is always a bonus!  It was a big hit! 

 

Italian Turkey Meatloaf

2 lbs ground turkey
1 onion chopped
2 cups chopped spinach (or more if you like)
2 eggs
1cup cottage cheese
1tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbls Italian seasoning
1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven at 375. Sautée onions until translucent, mix all ingredients together except spaghetti sauce and Parmesan. Put meat mixture in a 9x13 pan, top with spaghetti sauce then sprinkle on Parmesan.

 

Thank you Becky for sharing this great recipe!

Love fall time baking!

 

This time of the year we hear a lot about recipes with pumpkin, I love them however my kids are not big fans. After a summer of not baking much it is great to be back in the kitchen doing just that. My Daughter and I created  Carrot Apple Muffins today, we loved the sweetness form the apples and how the carrots made the muffins so moist!

 Carrot Apple Muffins

Ingredients
1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
dash of sea salt
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. grated carrots
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. vanilla almond milk
2 small apples chopped into small pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Place liners in 12 muffin cup pan. In a large bowl whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking power, sea salt, In a separate bowl combine carrots, applesauce, honey, eggs, almond milk and chopped apples. Add half the carrot mixture to the flour mixture, stir until blended and then add the rest of the carrot mixture. Spoon the batter in to muffin liners. Bake about 20min. Enjoy~

My favorite. . . . .

Eating Clean does not have to be complicated. I get asked often about my favorite go to dinners. Everyone is busy doing whatever they have gong on in life, and for most taking time to making a healthy meal is not top on the list. But with such a busy life could you imagine feeding your body the right nutrition that give you the energy you need to get thru the day! Make it a priority to feed yourself good for you foods your body will thank you.

Steak Salad is 1 of my favorites! Fast, Easy! Filling!

 

Cut Flank Steak into Bite Size Pieces.

 

I cook my right on the stove top in a pan and Season with and organic steak seasoning!

 

I plate up either Spinach or Kale

top with Tomatoes, Peppers

& Fresh Blue Cheese Crumbles

 

DONE!! Easy as that.  You can pick your favorite greens and veggies. That is what makes this meal so easy it can be what you have on hand.

 

I hope you enjoy!   

 

Kids School Lunch all packed up!

More and more parents are making their kids school lunch. All for different reasons! I pack mine so I know they are getting great nutrition to keep full and ready for a good day!

 

However being creative and thinking outside the sandwich takes some practice. I want to share a few ideas and tips with you.

 

Make sure you have:

1. Lunch Cooler (write your child's name on it)

2. Ice Pack

3. Simple container to hold their lunch

4. Water bottle

 

You can choose what works best with your schedule to prep in the evening or in the morning. Have items ready and prepped as much as possible so you do not have to spend a lot of time packing their lunch. You can even get your kids involved.

 

Make sure you have a variety of food groups, protein, carbs, fruit, veggie and good fats!

 

Fun tips:

1. Cut into bite size pieces. (remember kids do not have a lot of time and they are busy talking with friends)

2. Make it fun and colorful.

3. Do not forget a napkin and if they need any plastic ware. 

 

 

 

 

 This photo is my daughter favorite lunch.

An Organic Wrap with all natural peanut butter, honey and strawberries.

I have cut in to those easy bite size pieces.

Greek Yogurt, half of banana and a peanut butter balls.

** If you school is peanut free you can use a seed butter.

 

Here is a new lunch I have started this year.

Organic grass fed beef sticks with a cheese stick.

Homemade Banana Muffin, Pea Pods and berries!

 

 

Pictured above is a Silicone Ice Pop holder, I mixed Greek Yogurt, berries & Honey to this one!

There is also Applegate Pepperoni with Laughing Cow Cheese in the middle, a grass fed beef stick, grapes and a applesauce cup!  ** This is a peanut free lunch!

 

More Ideas:

Hard Boiled Eggs

Ants on a log (celery, peanut butter & Raisins)

Apple Slices Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Any Raw veggies

Homemade Granola Bars (any homemade goodies)

Trail Mix

Dried Fruit

Veggies Straws

 

I have a rule and allow 1 pre packaged item in the lunch. The rest is fresh or homemade.

 

Do not forget the athlete in your house! For many high school students they are gone all day with practice after school and even longer is they have a meet or a game!

 

My son is in cross country and track and some evenings he dos not get home until 9pm.

He has a full meal replacement protein bar right after school on the way to practice or a game. This gives him the nutrition he needs!

Then we pack a dinner and a few snacks, growing active teens need to eat!

 

 

Since I pack his dinner early in the morning I freeze 1 water bottle and it keeps his food cold and he can have more to drink for later.  Pictured above is his after school protein bar, Whey Thins for fun, Sandwich with Applegate sandwich meat, fruit and Want More Energy this he adds to his water that offers natural electrolytes.

 

 

I hope this give you a few ideas to a creative healthy lunch for your children!

Happy Packing!!!!



I LOVE success stories!

I am always here to lead by example and inspire others to live the life that they desire. Honestly I have a happy dance for every email, text, or message from someone telling me they are ready to make a change and Jump Start their Journey! Once in awhile it will be a dear friend of my that reaches out, not only am I excited that they are trusting in me but it is because I know this lifestyle change works and they are ready!!

Meet Autumn, and read about her Journey . . . . .

 I grew up always being self conscious about my weight and the way that I looked. I was not an athlete growing up, but I always have had this passion to be one. I just simply wanted to believe in myself enough to go out and run, to to go the gym and not worry if I could accomplish a workout without looking like a failure. In September, 2010 I committed to myself that on my birthday of that year I would start taking care of my body and to release the weight that had been holding me back for so long. On October 2, 2010, with the support of my family and friends, I started with my journey...

It all went so well in the first 3 months. I had released almost 30 pounds and felt great about what I was doing. Then, I got comfortable. I stopped keeping track of what I was eating and would over indulge on the weekends because I had "been good" throughout the week. For three years I continued to slowly release weight, but I would yo-yo up and down fighting the lose the few pounds that I had lost the week before. It was a constant battle for me that I found myself feeling defeated and discouraged.

I had a friend, Nichole, that I had met a few years ago when I lived in Minnesota, prior to starting this journey. When I met her we both had pre-schoolers and husbands that would work late nights. We would spend a lot of time eating pizza together (ok, an entire LARGE pizza between the two of us). After I moved away I noticed she started changing her lifestyle. I watched her improve on so many levels and become a successful clean eating coach and personal trainer. I followed her and I would stalk her clients, yes stalk them, and watch them as they transformed their lives. I found myself wanting what she was teaching, yet I was ashamed to admit that my way of releasing weight hadn't been working for me. I finally reached out to her in March of this year. She shared with me her passions and her visions. She wants to simply help people acheive the best of who they can be. After being coached by her, releasing the weight to meet my first personal goal, I too have decided that I want to continue to improve my health and to share with others what has helped me become what I am today.  You see, she didn't teach me to only eat a certain number of calories a day and to keep track of everything I was putting in my mouth. She introduced me to Isagenix and clean eating. At first I was dead set against trying any product or supplement. I wanted to do it on my own and to just eat the proper nutrition to maintain my weight. I found myself overwhlemed with trying to eat clean all of the time. It was time consuming to prepare the foods that I knew were healthy and clean for me to consume for every single meal. This is where Isagenix has been a game changer for me and has helped me to acheive and maintain a healthier lifestyle. It has made me confident in knowing that I am consuming clean nutrition, nourishing and cleansing my body. My husband, Brad has jumped on board and has been my biggest supporter in maintaining this lifestyle, along with my boys. We have made so many improvements in our nutrition, making Isagenix and clean eating a part of our daily lives.

I am looking forward to the next part of my journey, my families future, sharing with my family and friends. I am now confident in knowing that what I have been taught and the tools that have been given to me are tools that I can't keep to myself.  I have been taught that it's consistency over perfection and that we are all in this together, so why not share what has given to me? Why wait? The time has come...

Pictured: Autumn & Nichole

Friends for over 10 years. The left photo was from 10 years ago.

What a difference now!!