My FAVORITE NEW kitchen gadget

The best $9.99 I spent. You can get them on sale at COSTCO. Great for meals on the go!!

Goals

Happy New Year!! I hope you are excited for an amazing year ahead of you!! 2012 IS THE YEAR FOR YOUR DREAMS TO COME ALIVE!! Whether you have set goals, stayed motivated, slipped up, or wondered why even bother with any New Years resolution. You can achieve anything you put your mind and heart too.

Greg Anderson says it perfectly "When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life."

So true!! For 2012 please put yourself first and ask "what will get me closer to my ultimate goal/dream?" If it is taking the stairs at work, saying no to the snacks in the break room, or taking a relaxing bubble bath at the end of the day....just do it!! Focus on the things you can do, and you will be amazed at what lies ahead!!

Stay tuned for..dinner make over with the help of a handsome 4 year old cheif :)

Yum-O Banana Bread

1 1/2 C. Wheat Flour

1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Basking Soda

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

2 Egg Whites

1/4 C Apple Sauce (unsweetened)

1 C Smashed Ripe Banana (about 1 1/2 Large Banana's)

3-5 Droppers of NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia

(I double the recipe and add 1/2c. chocolate chips for my kids loaf)

Whisk dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Blend all wet ingredients together and add to dry ingredients. Combine well to create a thick batter. Pour into 4"X8" loaf pan. Bake at 350 for approximately 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle pulls out clean. Makes 10 Slices (4" X 8" Loaf Pan)

89 Total Calories .4 g Fat 3 g Fiber 20 g Carbs 3.5 g Protein

What is your goal for the Holiday Season???

During the holiday season many people lose sight of their overall sense of well being. Life seems to become more chaotic as its loaded with our everyday tasks, parties, shopping, less sleep, and not the best eating choices. When people get busier the first thing to go out the window is their workout and meal planning and prepping. Without those your overall sense of well being is toast.

This holiday season I want you to have a goal in mind to help keep you sane and on track. Write it down now and put it somewhere you can see it everyday, this way you are reminded of your commitment and one step closer to your goal for 2012.

My goal is to incorporate more yoga and meditating for the 2011 holiday season. What's yours??

A saying I came across

Kind words and encouragement are much more effective than criticism.

So true!! I have seen a lot of people writing/posting each day what they are grateful for in the month of November. It is a great time to reflect on the blessings we have in our lives daily. This may seem cheesy to you. I promise you it works. When we are grateful for our everyday life, and the small things. Life is brighter all around.

My challenge for myself and you is to write one thing down that you are grateful for over the next 30 days. Who's in???

Fight for your kids health

I have been preparing a fitness/nutrition presentation for a group of 8-10 year olds. It has been a lot of fun, and I have found some new fun websites with awesome ideas for families. Makes it simple and easy to live a healthy lifestyle with kids. One of my favorite new websites is Disney Family. Take a minute and plan a fun family hike or yummy healthy meal.

King of Chili from Hungry Girl

I love yummy winter foods. Chili is probably one of my favorites. You know I love yummy food with a healthy twist. Hungry Girl does just that. Check out her website for more yummy choices.

Ingredients:

4 1/4 cups canned tomato sauce
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chiles
1/2 cup jarred jalapeño slices, drained and chopped
1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. crushed garlic
1 3/4 cups peeled and chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped onions (1 - 2 onions)
1 1/2 cups chopped portabella mushrooms
1 large red bell pepper, stem removed, seeded, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, stem removed, seeded, chopped
1 cup canned sweet corn kernels, drained
3/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Optional: salt

Directions:
In a large pot over low heat on the stove, combine tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, jalapeños, chili powder, and cumin. Stir well.

Once mixture is hot, add garlic and carrots. Stir and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large skillet to medium heat on the stove. Add onions, mushrooms, peppers, 1/2 cup water and, if you like, a few dashes of salt. Stirring occasionally, cook until veggies have just slightly softened, about 5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon to drain any excess water, transfer veggies from the skillet to the large pot. Add corn, beans, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot as well. Mix thoroughly.

Cook over low heat for about 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so, until all veggies are tender.

Serve it up!

MAKES 10 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1 cup (1/10th of recipe)
Calories: 120
Fat: 1g
Sodium: 820mg
Carbs: 26g
Fiber: 6g
Sugars: 10g
Protein: 6g

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