Salata Bar = Girls Night 'Out'

our saturday morning workout started with bear crawls!

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ONE on ONE prenatal training sessions are available! email me for details at le@fitfoodiele.com.  if you'd like to have the fittest pregnancy possible (or know a mama that needs one) it's my pleasure and purpose to show you how.

i don't think i say how much i love my job enough.  Salata, The Next Generation Salad Bar, contacted me about giving their new catering options a try and you know i jumped right in, head first! i called my sis-in-law, Michelle, right away; she was all for getting together for a "girl's night 'out'" kinda thing! a brand spanking new Salata was built next to my gym a few months ago and i stop by there every so often to get my fix.  if you are a lover of gigantic salads with a TON of variety, you need Salata in your life.  trust me on this one! i stopped by the City Centre Houston location to pick up my goods and decided to eat my post workout lunch there.  if you're a Salata first timer, follow me:

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'thank you for finishing your call before ordering.' you tell'em, Salata.  vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free peeps unite!  i started with a salad and i wanted to go big. really big. post workout 'hangry' BIG.

i love that the calorie count is listed for every.single.item, right there in front of you.

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i jokingly told the sweet girl who took my order that i wanted a lil' bit of everything and she responded, 'ok!' with a smile and got her scoop on.  mind you there are like 50 different things you can build your salad with, people!  you don't pay by weight at Salata; everything is portioned out reasonably by the server.  look at all that gorgeous, healthy color!

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dressing on the side, you know it.  that Chipotle Ranch though... don't say i didn't warn ya.  i wanted to drink it.  i got a small side of it along with the fat-free mango dressing.  if you'd like to sample one first,  just ask.

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protein!  i went with the seafood mix which is a scrumptious combo of herb marinated salmon, krab, and shrimp. those three proteins are available individually along with these choices: baked tofu, quinoa,  falafel, pit-smoked turkey, asian BBQ chicken, pesto chicken, spicy chipotle chicken, and herb marinated chicken.  complete nutritional stats and ingredients are available on their website.  avocado is extra but get it anyway!!! you're worth it.

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next, you have a choice between croutons, a multigrain stick, or a basil asiago roll on the side,

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a cup of yummy, gluten-free soup,

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and/or one of these sweet treats for just a buck.

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nothin' to it, right?

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i found Dego and i a quiet corner of the restaurant so i could do my Periscope thang buuut, as usual ya girl couldn't catch a signal. womp.  man i love the app so much though! i just wish i could get a gauranteed signal whenever the moment to broadcast strikes.  i am not a fan of scheduled scopes (or super crazy long scopes that you can't fast forward through lol), so maybe i'm finally accepting that 'winging it' is just my thing.

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just know it went down.

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Dego woke up right after i dove in.  he loves bread so he swallowed that multigrain stick.  he is my little garbage disposal and still eats everything. *knocks on wood*

on my way to finishing the entire bowl.  i just couldn't stop.

i picked up my goodies and headed home to get ready!

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my lopsided bun and i were on our way to Michelle's house with the Salata Bar in tow.

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thank you, Michelle, for graciously hosting our lil' shin-dig! i set everything up on the kitchen island before we dove in.  the Salata Bar serves 15 people and came with:

• plates
• large tongs
• small tongs
• napkins
• cutlery
• 1 protein choice (we chose the Asian BBQ chicken)
• 3 housemade dressings of your choice (we chose Chipotle Ranch, Ginger Lime Vinaigrette, & Lemon Vinaigrette)
• 12 fresh toppings
• multigrain sticks, croutons, pita chips, & basil asiago rolls

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the ladies circled the island like sharks while i took pictures, haha.

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aaaand GO!

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twice in one day.  ok, 3 times cause i took the leftovers home and ate again.

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the Salata Bar was perfect for us, but there are a few more catering options to choose from including Wrap Trays, Boxed Lunches, Salata Bowls or you can customize a combo package.

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i also brought along this low carb, dairy-free dessert for us to enjoy: Chocolate Chick Cookie Pie. i didn't tell a soul about the secret ingredient ;)

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what a fun night; all the ladies raved over how delicious, fresh, and healthy everything was.  they also now want to order cases of the Chipotle Ranch dressing!!! if you're in the business of hosting parties, gatherings (family, friends & professional) then the Salata Bar is convenient, highly recommended, and fitfoodiele approved.

Q: would you rather actually go out for a girls night, or stay in?

http___signatures.mylivesignature.com_54493_267_38EEDA794ECC9B61FC9DE0E61757D91B

VLOG: baby bootcamp! exercises for babies beginning to sit up

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eekd7f8Zs3g&w=560&h=315]

• cop your own Therapy Disk!

• do this with your LO for just 10 consecutive minutes per day. they tire easily, so stopping / starting again later is expected

• this improves their balance, core strength, posture, stability, and endurance, and upper body strength and prepares them for crawling, standing, walking, etc.

• make sure there are plenty of soft pillows or cushions around baby in case he/she topples over. never leave them unsupervised, especially while using the Therapy Disk

• every baby develops differently at their own pace!

le

all pink everything

my sunday started with the usual breakfast (oat bran pancakes and egg whites) but this was my lunch:

Weber Kick 'N Chicken grilled chicken breast and veggie stir fry using every fresh veggie i could find: mushrooms, yellow squash, asparagus, and red bell pepper.

i skipped church (but listened to the podcast later) and stayed home to finish getting things ready for my sister Michelle's  baby shower! this was a #sisterssquared production; something my other sis Kara and i like to refer to ourselves as!  as of may 17th of this year she officially became my sister-in-law as well as my Soror.  i had so much fun hosting with her.

#skeewee

cake batter rice crispy treats were requested so cake batter rice crispy treats were made! Sonny brought me back the super-duper jumbo size marshmallows from the store which didn't exactly melt aaaall the way down in the cooking process but i was totally OK with that. why? the clumps of ooey gooey marshmallow in the bars was an awesome touch in my opinion! recipeeeee: (fyi, this is definitely a treat that should be eaten in moderation, guys.)

Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats

the stuff:

• 5 cups rice crispy cereal (can use brown rice puffed cereal too)
• 10 oz marshmallows
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dry boxed yellow cake batter
• 4 tbsp butter (i haven't tried any dairy-free alternatives in place of regular butter yet)
• 1/4 -1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

do this:

1. coat the sides of  a large pot/saucepan as well as the pan you intend to press the rice crispy batter into
2. melt butter in large pot/saucepan over medium heat
3. add vanilla
4. add marshmallows and cover; let melt for 1-2 minutes
5. add cake batter & sprinkles and stir a few times to incorporate then immediately add cereal and KEEP STIRRING
6. remove from heat and stir until all combined. be sure to scrape the sides of the pot really good
7. pour batter into a rectangular or square pan and press down on the batter until even across the top
8. add more sprinkles
9. once cool (bout 10 min or so), cut in squares, bars, or however you'd like!

who remembers this drink? who still makes this drink lol!? rainbow sherbert and 7 Up (or Sprite, or natural ginger ale). the ugliest, tastiest party drink, ever. it's been a good while since i've had it, whew.

 Kara made the most adorable, pink cupcakes.

 and she also got another idea from Pinterest: mini strawberry shortcakes in a glass. aren't they beautiful(bottom right)!? there are cubes of light angel food cake, sliced strawberries, cool whip, and sprankles in there. SO.GOOD.

per Michelle's request: subway sammiches, shrimp fried rice, egg rolls, chicken meat pies, wings, and chips.

happy shower day, Michelle! eviction notice goes into effect in 4 weeks (or less).  aaaand we can't wait to plan your shower, Kara! HAHAHAHAHA

thanks for reading.

Q: what's your favorite, indulgent party food?!

le

it's hottt

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why? two words: THE SUN.

nothing drains me more these days and it's not like i'm out jogging in it either! just walking up to the store and/or driving around in my truck (even with the air cranked to the max) still makes me crazy tired more so than any of my gym workouts. which is why i'm glad this little guy will be outta here before the texas heat really shows out. God bless and be with you preggo mama's this summer (wherever you are)! i mean that sincerely. be safe, stay hydrated, and stay indoors.

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the weekend was rather warm too, so Chiso and i jumped at the chance to hit the pool with my sis, Michelle,  and her daughter, cousin Livvy.  time for swimming lessons for these two.  we did a family maternity shoot last month and i totally want to do a look in my bikini now! i enjoyed wearing it and sporting my bump.  most likely Sonny will have to be the camera man for that though, lol.

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something about the pool makes me want chips, hot dogs, burgers, and ICE CREAM! thanks, Sonic.

remember that summer stir fry i made? i finally got some shrimp from HEB and made it again.  this time i added red bell pepper and yellow squash too since they were on sale.  and yall know the more color in your meals, the better.

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i have still been eating the heck out of nectarines these past few days. i can't get enough of them! plus the longer they sit in the fridge the softer they become. so i must eat them while they are still crisp. all of them.

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was sad to finish the last of this stir fry today for lunch but it'll be back soon.

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Q: do i ever feel my bump is too small?

A: during my first pregnancy? yeah. this time around? nah. when people ask me (especially at the gym) how far along i am these days, 'almost 10 months' is the last thing they expect to hear.  their faces say it all, and 'you're so tiny!!!' is usually soon to follow.  then the women reflect back on their own journeys and express how ginormous they were compared to me before delivering, and the men usually tell me the same about their wives, sisters, friends, etc!! never, ever gets old.  i welcome the questions (yes, the same ones over and over ;) ) and LOVE to discuss my journey with anyone willing to listen!   i enjoy hearing all about other women's preggo stories by the same token as they are all unique.  anyway, that darn, 'every woman is different' statement refers to, well, everything, including bump size. the 'right' size doesn't exist. also: bump size is not an indicator of your baby's weight.  mom's height, weight, activity level, the way baby is positioned, how much fluid present, etc, etc, etc...... so.many.factors.  so don't compare bumps.  especially if you trust your OB and he/she assures you that you and baby are on track every check-up, just as mine has!  done deal ^^'.

Q: what's your biggest pregnancy pet peeve? vent below!

le

chop, chop

oooooh i needed this espresso this morning of all days.  compliments of one of my early morning Lifetime members, so sweet.  i chugged my own instant coffee on the way to class then this on the way home.  running off of 3 hours of sleep + caffeine = a HARD crash sooner or later.

today's workout:

• 1 hr Barbel Strength (full body weight workout)
• walking weighted lunges 3 x s forward and reverse ( approx. 50 feet?? idk!)
• 10 minutes straight of core (russian twists, bicycle crunches, planks)
• 20 min cardio on the elliptical

so random! i normally use my class as my warmup and go do my real workout afterwards, but my body checked OUT immediately after class.  GET YOUR REST GUYS.  it will catch up to you....eventually.

 i stayed up super late the night before getting things ready for the tortilla giveaway that took place earlier today!

------------->STEPHANIE RUANO!<-----------------

i want to personally thank every single person who entered into this giveaway! i'm just paying it forward, passing on the blessing, and loving it!

 THANK YOU kindly.

theres more to come though- stay.tuned.

so this past tuesday was definitely NOT about me so i did not include this in Sonny's birthday post, but i did a little something to my hair that was WELL overdue.

 i have neglected this head of mine for a long, long time.   i go to the shop for special occasions, but in between those visits, HA.  bun city.  i actually planned to go waaaaay shorter than that, but i am super satisfied.  it definitely doesn't look like this anymore after 2 workouts lol, but i'm gonna do better about maintaining my hair! this time.

it's official. i'm out of Fitzee Foods.  I didn't leave a note on the fridge and Sonny actually ate a few of the meals they sent me which means i did not get to snag a pic of them.  but it's all good cause i am about to put in another order real quick!

Fitzee Foods is based out of San Diego, CA, but they deliver nation wide.  thank God, cause Texas is quite a ways away from Cali.     their meals are:

• local, organic, all natural products
• breakfast, lunch, and dinner, snack and meal replacement bar options
• gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian options available
• DELISH.

if you have questions about a specific product on their site, email me! (le@fitfoodiele.com).  my Fitzee Foods product reviews will resume shortly.

last fitness class of the week in the morning :shock: ! nite

Q: have you ever done something drastic to your hair and regretted it?

le