Do You Want to be a Stay At Home Mom?

***WHAT could you do with a $70,000 annual raise this year?***

As the holidays come to a close, the kids going back to school next week, I can't help but think back to the financial stress and burden our family used to face around the holidays. I am embarrassed to say, that we were parents shopping Craig’s list for our kid’s gifts, making as many of our own gifts as possible for extended family in effort to save money. Even after all of that, we were faced with credit card debt that we knew would haunt us for months to come.  Any, and all, additional expenses not accounted for in our monthly budget caused financial strain.

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Can you relate???
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I think of about those of you who are DREADING going back to the daily grind. That feeling was all too familiar to me. I remember feeling depressed and anxious when a holiday or vacation would come to a close, knowing I had to go back to REALITY. Back to a job that did not challenge or fulfill me - where I was overworked and UNDERPAID…but my heart was at home with my kids.
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Can you relate???
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Today, I am overwhelmed with gratitude because I do NOT have to feel that way anymore. I can go to bed tonight stress-free & wake up EXCITED to work in the morning - not for some company or bossman, but for ME and MY FAMILY. We have been able to completely wipe out any and all debt aside from our mortgage, and are finally able to grow our savings and retirements.
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Working from home is something that I NEVER thought I would be able to do. I didn't have the social media knowledge or marketing and business experience to land a job with that kind of freedom. BUT because of the opportunity I was given to become a Beachbody Coach- I have been able to make this all a REALITY.
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I know - it probably all sounds too good to be true - BUT, come on! Do you really think I would make this stuff up??? If I wasn’t speaking the truth, why would I continue to follow my passion and chase my dreams with living this lifestyle of freedom coaching has provided? How many times do you have to read about my story before you believe that YOU can do it too????
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I was a skeptic just like you. Really I was. In fact, I remember how I felt about "those companies" in the past. I remember thinking how annoying "those people" were. Or how it all seemed too good to be true, and that their HAD to be some catch.
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The reality. . . I was ignorant and uninformed. I was annoyed because I didn't KNOW what it was all about. AND to be completely honest- I was JEALOUS that someone could work from home, make their own hours, be their own boss, earn free vacations and in some cases be a SELF-MADE MILLIONAIRE in just a few years time.
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WHAT? Who was I fooling? That sounds AMAZINGGGGGGG to me!
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And now, here I sit. My own boss. On my own schedule. Rapidly growing an income doing something I LOVE and have a PASSION for. HELPING PEOPLE. Living with a purpose. A $70,000 raise in ONE YEAR?! Someone pinch me! What company out there gives that kind of raise?
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Could YOUR LIFE use some improvement? Don't think about what others will think of you. Don't worry about the negative people that will judge you (because trust me, there will be people who will judge you) Put aside the self-limiting thoughts that come to your mind and ask yourself. . . Why NOT me? Why can't I DESIGN the life I've always wanted? What do I have to miss out on what could be the BEST opportunity in our family’s lives??? If you can dream it, you can DO it.
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And with that. . . I invite YOU. To join me. To be a GIRL BOSS. To CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Stop wishing, waiting and DREAMING of things to happen. This leap of faith could change those dreams into REAL GOALS that you CAN & WILL ACHIEVE.
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I am looking for 10 new women for this exclusive opportunity that starts TOMORROW in an online mentorship program! I will mentor you to grow a successful business from home WHILE also getting in the best shape of your life. Stop wishing, wanting & WAITING for things to change. Let's start building your life by design!
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To be considered, simply complete this short application:
https://marshasmrcka.wufoo.com/forms/qyegncv0bnrmc2/

*******Beachbody® does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Beachbody Coach Business Opportunity. Each Coach's income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill. See our Statement of Independent Coach Earnings for the most recent information on our Coaches' actual incomes.

21 Day Fix Extreme Meal Plan

So it's 8PM, on the Sunday night of Mother's Day. What a beautiful day it was spent with my family, everything in perfect balance. Slept in, celebrated morning mass, came home to change into my running gear so that I could get my sweat on, took the kids to play at the park, out for a family dinner, and now planning my week to set me up for success!

Do you have one day designated each week to list out what you want to accomplish? What are your goals, your to-do list, and your master "bucket list" of things you want to achieve? This little practice will help you be SO much more productive with your time! Get your focus and game plan together to succeed! 

So Sunday nights have become my favorite time to do this, once the kids are asleep and I'm sipping on some tea, winding down after a busy day with the family <3 and it dawned on me that I have just over 9 weeks until our annual convention in Nashville, Coach Summit! 3 rounds of the 21 Day Fix Extreme....funny how my mind thinks in terms of fitness programs!  Since Cancun, I've gotten a bit too lenient with my meals and tracking, so I have committed myself to dialing it in and getting to my fitness goal by the end of July - I want to kick things up a notch or 2 to really see what I am capable of! That means getting my containers out, portioning my foods, tracking my intake, and celebrating my successes each week!!! This is so much fun, knowing how my body will respond to following this program developed by trainer Autumn Calabrese. 

The simplicity of the 21 Day Fix meal plan just works for me.  It's so easy, and rather than count calories (I REALLY don't like doing that!) I think in terms of containers.  My entire family eats what I eat, and its just what we do!  No "dieting" or special foods that nobody would want except for me. Who wants to be making separate meals for the kids? No thanks! One dinner is enough work for me to handle, no need to add more work to a busy momma's schedule! 

   

So what's the game plan for this week?  It's a super busy week, with dance class activities almost every night for the girls. Their annual dance recital is on Saturday, so they have photos, dress rehearsals, lots of running back and forth...so I need to have a plan for those nights we'll be out, or we would be left to make hasty decisions. Our focus this week is all about planning, prepping snacks that we can take with us, and avoiding late night snacking.   
I'm going to start the 21 Day Fix Extreme Meal Plan tomorrow.  I am going to do the countdown to competition plan the last week of the 3 week program. I am going to be sure to get in my 5 runs each week, and double up with the workouts of the 21 Day Fix Extreme Program a minimum of 3 days per week.  I love using the weights with my workouts. With running, my body really needs some cross training to strengthen and tone my core and upper body especially. 

Here is how I work my containers into the 21 DFX meal plan, and I just cross off the containers as I use them as I go throughout the day.  For those who do not want to use the countdown to comp plan, there is also the option to fall back and use the regular 21 DF (white boxes every day), which is less restrictive but equally as effective! I'm ready with my game face on to cut the late night snacking, the extra containers (especially those YELLOWS!) and to be Nashville ready come 9 weeks!!! 

This is how you use your meals with the containers. SO easy, and once you have a plan that you love, you can use it over and over with a few simple substitutions so that you don't get bored.  

If you are looking to lose those last few pounds, tone, tighten up for a vacation, special event, class reunion, or trip... trust me, THIS is the way to go!  Plus the fact that I have done several rounds of the 21 day fix and fix extreme I am more than happy to help you in my accountability and support groups.  For me, honestly, it was the accountability that keeps me on track! Without that I would not have had the success that I did!  It's so easy to loose your mojo, but when you are surrounded with others like you, all working on the same goals, it's so much easier to stick with it and work for your own progress!  So make sure that I am your free coach, or connect with the one you have for support!

And besides, I LOVE that muscle burns more fat at rest, so even while I'm sleeping, after a good weight training day, I can just FEEL my body's metabolism revving up! 

The 21 Day Fix Extreme Nutrition Book tells you EXACTLY what you need to know. For most of us, we just want things to be easy. Tell me what to eat, give me a plan, and just plug it into my day!  There is a list of foods to choose from in each food group, so you pick from the green (veggies) category, and whatever fits in that container, you eat.  You check off the box for that meal and then you know how many containers you have left.  Super simple. Besides just the foods you are eating, there are also super yummy recipes to use. I can truly say that there isn't one recipe in the book that I don't like, especially the seasoning blends!  The food is filling & the portion sizes are perfect.  In the evenings if I feel hungry, I know it's working because my metabolism is working overtime. Sipping on some tea before heading up to bed does the trick!

30 minute workouts, weights in most all of them, Cardio with weights, Upper Body, Lower Body, Intervals, Pilates with resistance band, Yoga...has such awesome variety!

I'm starting a 21 Day Fix Busy Mom's group next week to help YOU and I stay on track! If you are interested in support hit me up by completing the application HERE. 

Clean Eating Apple Pie Oatmeal

What if I told you that you could have apple pie for breakfast, no sugar, no guilt? That's exactly what I do most mornings, on one form or another! So simple, you can make this up in advance for your entire week, have it all ready to go for those busy rushed mornings!  

I like to make my steel cut oats up in advance in the slow cooker, 6 generous cups of water to 1 1/2 cup steel cut oats cooked on low for about 8 hours. Once they are cooled, I portion them out into containers, 6 servings. 

You then have your oats to do with what you wish! You can also use raw, old-fashioned oatmeal for this recipe if you prefer. 

CLEAN EATING APPLE PIE OATMEAL

(Makes 1 serving)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup uncooked, raw old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup chopped apples (approximately 1 small apple)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• Honey  or Pure maple syrup to taste
• 1/2 c. Cottage Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients the night before. Enjoy in the morning cold or warm - your choice!
2. Optional ingredients or variations of this meal are as follows:  *Caramel apple pie (add in caramel extract) *PB and banana soaked oats (in place of the apple, use a banana and 1T PB, omit the allspice) *Some prefer Plain Greek Yogurt in place of the cottage cheese for any of these variations, or you could use half cottage cheese, half yogurt! Be creative, the options are endless!

Note: You can double the spices if you like a strong flavor. Also, the syrup or honey really makes this dish. It’s what brings out the full apple pie flavor. however, you don’t need a lot if your apples are sweet.

About Me!

I'm just a small-town wife and mamma of 4 beautiful kids, ages 2-8, living in rural central WI. I am a runner and health & fitness enthusiast, and love surrounding myself with positivism, and those who lift me higher and push myself to be the best version of me I can be!

When I'm not helping others with their health, fitness, or business goals, I love to read, crochet, garden, RUN (of course!), spend time with extended family, and travel! We love to take day or weekend trips to the water parks or hike the state parks in the area.

Before Health Coaching, I had a career working in Management, coordinating services for people with Developmental Disabilities. Although my career was extremely rewarding, my heart wasn't in it once we had our first child. I left my career behind to raise our growing family. Our little family of 3 soon became 6, and living on one income was H A R D!  Everything in me wanted to help contribute to our family's income. So we grew a ton of our own food during the summer months and I learned how to do home food preservation (freezing, canning, and dehydrating). But the money we saved on groceries wasn't enough to grow our savings or pay off our accumulated debt. We were on ONE tight budget! And not only that, my husband was working a job with a one-hour commute each way, every day. Although it was a good job, he sacrificed SO much. I was basically a single parent. The kids and I NEVER sat down to a family dinner together. He left work early in the morning, and didn't return home until well-after we were in bed. We couldn't afford even the smallest of splurges. The kids would ask for a particular fruit or other food item at the store - and often times I would have to tell them "no" or put it back on the shelf because I was concerned we didn't have enough funds in our account to cover it.  The holidays stressed us out entirely, having to pick and choose who we would be able to buy a gift for...often resorting to hand-made gifts.

So when I first was informed about Online Health Coaching, I was extremely skeptical. It really sounded too good to be true!

I took a leap, knowing very little about what I would be doing, and learned as I went. I was blessed to have joined the TOP team in the network, and from my mentors, I was taught their systems to success - which I share with my own team of coaches!  In just 17 months from starting, I was able to grow a successful 6-figure business from my kitchen home office, while being present for my kids and family.

My goals for 2015 include helping a minimum of 7 coaches on my team earn $1000+ weekly, by ensuring they duplicate my own proven systems of helping people succeed with their goals. When my team succeeds, we all succeed!  I am so excited for this year!  Do you relate to this story? What are you waiting for! Your only regret will be that you didn't start sooner <3

Online Health Coaching Opportunity

How does a small-town farm girl from Central WI go from ZERO social media knowledge or experience, no network of friends, no big dreams or ambitions, stay at home mamma to 4 little ones, to a TOP COACH...5-Star ELITE Online Health Coach, in just 17 months into the business? If I could teach you how I got started, how I continue to grow my successful business by helping others achieve their goals, working from HOME part-time, around my family's schedule, would you be interested? Was I skeptical at first? YOU BET! But once I realized that I had nothing to lose by trying, I went ALL IN, and I am SO glad I did!

What would the extra income do for you? For my family, it has meant SO much! In my first month as coach, I earned $300. In my second month, my income increased to $800. By the 3rd month, I was making a significant contribution to our family's income goals. Now, we are living without the stress of wondering how we will pay our bills, how we will afford our kid's school tuition, or how we will pay that heating bill. I don't have to put food back on the shelf because of not having enough money in our checking account to cover the cost. We didn't have to stress over picking and choosing who we would be able to buy Christmas presents for this year. We are paying off our debt one, by one, by one - and seeing that bright light at the end of the tunnel!

I do NOT have a "recruiting" quota to meet, or pressure to run my business a certain way. I share this opportunity with people because I BELIEVE in it! I know how fulfilling it is to help other people succeed. I know how this has changed my life, and the others who are on our growing team. We finished the year ranked 157 out of over 220,000 teams, as one of the 199 Elite teams in the network. What does that mean? It means I am successfully leading my team to success. My processes to grow a business are duplicatable, and I want nothing more than to see our team grow and continue the positive impact toward helping others to live healthy, confident, and fit!  

For me, a small-town momma of 4, I now have a career that I am passionate about, relieved some of the financial burden from my husband, earning income from home around my family's schedule. I am my own #girlboss, and love the feeling of helping others succeed. Our team is positive, genuine, driven, goal-oriented, and welcoming to any others who feel the same about helping others. If you are waiting for an official invitation, this is it!

Do you know someone who could benefit from learning more about this opportunity? TAG and SHARE this post! To apply, complete the application today! This may be the best decision of your life. Take the leap towards living your life by design! If your'e not happy with your current situation, take the necessary steps to change it!

For consideration, please apply here:

https://marshasmrcka.wufoo.com/forms/coach-apprenticeship-application-copy/

Double Chocolate Snack Cake

I LOVE baking. I learned from the BEST. My mom was one of 18 children, born into a strong faith-centered Catholic family, who knew what it meant to live off of the land. Dairy farmers and gardeners, they made EVERYTHING from scratch. So passed on from generation to generation, I learned at an early age how to cook and bake. So that's a good thing, and a bad thing! But what I love the most is finding recipes that I can adapt and modify to fit our clean eating lifestyle.  Take this snack cake, for instance. The original recipe calls for white flour, sugar, and canola oil. I was curious to see how this would turn out with making a few simple substitutions, and I am pleasantly surprised!

When you're in a pinch, wanting a quick easy dessert, this does the trick!

So here's how:

INGREDIENTS

1 2/3 C. whole wheat flour

3/4 C. honey or agave nectar

1/4 C. cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C. water

1 C. ground flax meal

1 tsp. vinegar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. Semisweet chocolate chips or cocoa nibs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in an ungreased 8X8 square baking pan. Stir in remaining ingredients until well moistened, except chocolate chips. Sprinkle chips on top. 

Bake 35-40 minutes or until center comes clean with a toothpick. Cool on wire rack, makes 9 servings. Enjoy!!

Health Coaching Job Opportunity

Instead of filling your head with negativity and self doubt, instead think "what if"? 

What if I could meet the CEO of Beachbody, Carl Daikeler? What if I could earn a full-time income working from home? What if I could earn and save enough $ to pay cash for family vacations and that new car we need (had the fortune to do JUST that on Sunday!!)? What if I weren't afraid to have big dreams, and even bigger goals? What if instead of DREADING going back to work on Monday morning, you looked forward to your job? What if instead of needing to report to a boss, you were your OWN boss? What if you were entirely and COMPLETELY fulfilled, in every way, by your job, knowing you were making a positive impact and difference in someone's life? What if...you could be part of the #1 TEAM in ALL of Beachbody?

I'm opening a door for you to do just that...TAKE IT! I'm currently accepting applications for my next Health Coach apprenticeship training. Find out how YOU can duplicate my success with this business, in as little as one year achieving 4-Star Qualifying Diamond Coach rank in my organization well on my way towards FINANCIAL FREEDOM - something I certainly wouldn't have even DREAMED would be possible. Complete the application below if you are self-motivated, compassionate, caring, and have a strong desire to make a positive impact on the lives of others. #fitmomof4 #healthcoach #timetosucceed #earnfromhome #workfromhome #fitspiration #dreambig #achievebig #fitforlife #DreamTeam 

https://marshasmrcka.wufoo.com/forms/coach-apprenticeship-application-copy/

Clean-Eating Baked Chicken Drumsticks

My old go-to recipe for baked drumsticks called for the not-so-clean eating baking mix, so I was on a quest for a much healthier version of our beloved dark meat treat, with all the flavor but without the baking mix. This is what I came up with, and I have to say I don't miss our previous recipe ONE BIT! You can either leave the skins on, or remove them prior to baking. I do find that my family's preference is with the skin on, and removing it just before eating seems to keep the meat moist and juicy.

Clean-Eating Baked Chicken Drumsticks (serves 4-6)

Ingredients
6 chicken drumsticks 
EVOO
Smoked Paprika
garlic powder
salt (I love sea salt)
fresh ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Place drumsticks in a 9x13 baking dish, and rub the drumsticks with enough olive oil to lightly coat them on all sides.  Combine desired amounts of seasoning blend in a small bowl, and sprinkle the drumsticks to lightly coat.
3. Bake drumsticks at 375 degrees for 22 minutes.
4. Flip the drumsticks, sprinkle them again with seasoning blend, and bake at 375 degrees for an additional 23 minutes (so they are in the oven for 45 minutes total) until the skin is golden brown and the juices run clear.

The drumsticks are literally that easy.  I just eyeballed the amount of spices to use...just a light sprinkle of each is enough.  You'll just want to make sure that each drumstick gets a sprinkle of each spice.  I left the skins on because they brown beautifully and add extra flavor to the chicken.  My kids love to pick up their own drumstick and go to town!

I served the chicken legs with a simple spinach souffle (and apple slices for the kids), but you could also slice sweet (or russet) potatoes into wedges and add them to the baking dish at the beginning for a one-dish meal.  Just coat the baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil (and you can line your baking dish with foil for easier clean up) and make sure to stir/flip the potato wedges when you flip the drumsticks halfway through the baking time.  Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. This is SO amazing... enjoy!

After School/ On-the-go Healthy Snacks

Perhaps one of the biggest things we all struggle with is finding healthy protein-packed snacks that we can take with us on the go or have handy in case we are away from home for longer than we planned!  When you PLAN ahead, you really can set yourself up to succeed. I often times hear that it costs SO much to eat healthy or "clean". WELL>>>> today, I put that theory to the test. And you know what?! What I discovered is quite the opposite! You pay for convenience, regardless if what you're eating is healthy or not. I even splurged on a few items that I don't usually purchase for my little snack experiment.
So what I bought:
*Dried Cranberries
*Semi-sweet chocolate chips
*Cashews
*Chocolate covered plums
*Cocoa Almonds
*Organic unsweetened coconut flakes

My total came to $26.24. I combined all the ingredients together in a large bowl (it was cheaper to purchase a large bag of the dried cranberries, but I only used about half of the bag) and portioned into 1/2 c. servings, put them in snack-size baggies, and WALLAH! 33 servings, all ready to go! I'm set for awhile. So this came to around $0.80 per serving. I don't normally buy the organic coconut flakes (they were $2.58) or Plum Sweets ($3.28), so when calculated without those 2 items, my cost per serving came down to around $0.68 per serving, and I would also have fewer servings.  Comparable to most other pre-packaged serving size snack items in the stores, but WAY more healthy! A little planning and prep is all it took to have healthy nutritious snacks for me and my family. Perfect for school lunch packs or after school snacks!

21 Day Fix Egg White Muffins

21 Day Fix-approved>>> This is on my meal plan this week, and I'm doing my prep, making them up for the week so I thought I would share!!! 

Servings: Makes 12 full size muffins

Ingredients:
· 2 regular cartons 100% pure liquid egg whites or 1 large carton
· Vegetables of your choice- Suggest spinach, multi-colored bell peppers, mushrooms, and/or onions
· Pepper
· Garlic and/or Onion Powder, a few drops of Hot Sauce (tabasco)

Method:
1. Grease a muffin tin with olive oil spray
2. Fill each muffin compartment with chopped vegetables
3. Sprinkle with pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder
4. Fill each compartment to the top with egg whites
5. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

Remember:

· These can be eaten by themselves or you can put them on a whole wheat English muffin, or my fave Ezekiel Bread!

· If you want to jazz it up more, top with some additional Tabasco or feta over top (Not TOO MUCH!)

· Store 2 muffins in each Ziploc bag. Stays fresh for 7 days in the fridge.

I love lists and checking things off:

Fix Portions used:
· 2 egg white muffins = 1 red, 1 green
· 2 egg white muffins + ww english muffin = 1 red, 1 green, 2 yellows
· 2 egg white muffins + cheese = 1 red, 1 green, 1 blue

INSIDE OUT SHAKEOLOGY PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

So I know I have a SERIOUS weakness for anything peanut butter, or any nut butter for that matter. And when paired with chocolate?! Serious WEAKNESS. So I'm always on the search for ways to endulge in my weakness without the guilt! Like breakfast, for example. Cocoa oats drizzled with melted peanut butter! My no-bake protein balls. PB Cup Shakeology! Well, this recipe fits right in! And at only 64 cals. per serving, it's not going to leave me feeling guilty (SCORE) Enjoy!!!

Inside Out Shakeology Peanut Butter Cups
(Makes 2 servings)

Total Time: 40 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None

2 tsp. unrefined coconut oil, melted
2 Tbsp. powdered chocolate peanut butter (like PB2)
2 tsp. Chocolate Vegan Shakeology
2 Tbsp. water

1. Combine oil and powdered peanut butter in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
2. Combine Shakeology and water in a small bowl; mix until it has a pudding-like consistency. Set aside.
3. Coat two foil muffin liners evenly with half of peanut butter mixture. Top evenly with Shakeology mixture and remaining peanut butter mixture.
4. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until firm.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 64
Total Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 50 mg
Carbohydrate: 3 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 1 g
Protein: 3 g

Tuna Recipe

Who says eating healthy has to be boring, bland, or complex? I whipped this beautiful combo for lunch today for the kiddos, and it was SO delicious! Easy, fast, delicious and nutritious! Serve in romaine leaves for a fun spin. Enjoy!!!

Peanut Butter Cup Shakeology

Are you concerned about how in the world you're going to steer clear of all the Easter goodies? Already thinking about robbing your kid's Easter baskets? How awesome would it be this Easter to enjoy all the peanut butter-y chocolate goodness without sabotaging your fitness progress!? This has to be one of my all-time favorite go-to recipes! Completely satisfies that sweet tooth, and I feel great knowing I'm getting all the daily nutrition my body needs. This is really great with Almond milk in place of the dairy, for those of you watching your dairy intake.

No-Bake Energy Balls

This is one of my most REQUESTED recipes, by FAR. And for good reason; they're just THAT GOOD! Healthy, easy to whip up, they freeze well ( I have to hide them in the freezer just so we don't eat them all right away, but they are also dangerously good frozen, too!)and they make the perfect snack for the little ones. I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Oatmeal Pancakes; 21-Day FIX Meal Plan

21-Day Fix breakfast!  I LOVE this meal, and it only uses one yellow and one red, 1 gray tsp.

I use this most days, as it fills me up and offers that boost of carbs and protein that I need first thing in the morning!  This is my version of the eggs and oats from the 3-day Quick Start, but is SO good that I use it almost daily!

So what I do is make up a batch of steel cut oats on my meal prep days (usually Sundays).  I use steel cut oats because I am TOTALLY in LOVE with the firmer texture, and they are the least "processed" oats you can get.  And it's just so easy to make them!  Add water and cook on the stovetop for about 30 minutes.  If you want them a bit softer, you can add more liquid (water).  Then I portion my oats in 6 containers along with cinnamon to taste and 3-4 egg whites, and sweetener of choice (optional).  {{I love to top with a bit of honey right before serving.}}  Whisk this mixture up, and stack up your containers in the fridge until that morning.  Get out your frying pan, melt 1 tsp. coconut oil, and FRY your pancake until lightly browned and set.  Flip, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes on med. heat.  Plate it and ENJOY!!! And yes, you can enjoy FRIED foods on the 21-Day Fix Meal plan!!!

Oatmeal Pancake

Ingredients:
1/2 c. (prepared) steel cut oats
3-4 egg whites
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. coconut oil

Method:
Combine prepared oats and egg whites with cinnamon and sweetener (optional).  Melt coconut oil in a pan.
Fry your oatmeal pancake in the oil until lightly browned and set.  Flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Top with fruit (purple container) if you wish.  ENJOY!  

Quinoa PB & J

Did you know that today is NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY day?!?  I didn't know there was such a thing!  How I missed that one is beyond me...anyone who knows me KNOWS I have a {{major}} weakness with peanut butter ANYTHING!  So I took it upon myself to come up with a HEALTHY, clean-eating approved, DELICIOUS, kid-friendly version of this all-American staple.  And WALLAH!  Success!!!!  This is SO outrageously good...my kids said that this is their NEW favorite meal and snack!  Makes for one happy mommy!!  And the really great thing is that it's SO versitile; use your imagination and family's preferences for add-ins so that they don't get bored with it!

ENJOY!!!!

Black Bean Chili

There's NOTHING like a hot cup of soup on a cold, winter day!  My favorite thing is to have it simmering in the crock pot, releasing the delicious aroma as it cooks.  This Black Bean Chili is so wonderful, and you can add in some diced or stewed tomatoes if you like it a little more "soupy".

Total Time: 29 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 19 min.
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 cups low-sodium organic chicken ( or vegetable) broth
4 oz. all-natural tomato paste
1 (4-oz.) can diced green chiles (with liquid)
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. chile powder
1 (16-oz.) can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 (16-oz.) can cannellini (white) beans, drained, rinsed

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender.
3. Add broth, tomato paste, chiles, cumin, chili powder, black beans, and cannellini beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook at a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
4. Ladle evenly into six serving bowls.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 175

Fat: 3 g

Saturated Fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 507 mg

Carbohydrate: 30 g

Fiber: 9 g

Sugar: 5 g

Protein: 9 g

Paleo Muffins

Are you looking for a good, all-around basic gf muffin recipe to use? Feel GREAT about making these for your family's snack, breakfast, or next brunch get-together. Naturally sweetened with honey, and grain-free! 










Paleo (almond flour) Muffins

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 170.7
Fat: 16.2g
Carbohydrates: 5.5g
Protein: 3.9g

Ingredients:
2 C almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 C coconut oil, melted
3 T honey
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
(optional ingredients--> nuts, fresh or dried fruit)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix together melted coconut oil, honey, eggs and vanilla. Mix well and add apples. Combine dry and liquid ingredients until dry mixture is incorporated. Spoon into paper-lined muffin cups (recommended over greased pan). Bake 12-15 minutes until lightly golden.

Serving Size: Makes 28 mini muffins or 14 standard size muffins

Number of Servings: 14

Clean-eating Overnight Soaked Oats

I'm not going to try to hide it.  I LOVE my breakfast, and look forward to this each and every day, in one form or another.  On meal-prep days, I make up 7 containers of this so I have one for each day that I can grab-and-go.  Whether it be with pomegranate as in the photo, or chocolate with nut butter and sliced bananas, or yogurt with blueberries and raspberries.  You're sure to find just the right combination that you'll love!  Many are reluctant to try this, as it does seem a bit strange to eat uncooked oats...but they soften as they rest in the refrigerator overnight, and have a really great texture when combined with the cottage cheese and fruit.  So trust me, and take my word for it!  This recipe is the BOMB; at about 300 calories per serving, it's sure to keep you feeling full all morning long!