VLOG: post-Christmas feels :(

who's enjoying vlogging? *raises hand*

seriously.  i do hope you'll continue to join me on this ride!  if you have ideas, topics, or questions, always feel free to shoot them to me. here's our post-Christmas day vlog:

to register for the Houston Commitment Day 5k click here.  if you're running, well let me know via social media or email (le@fitfoodiele.com)!

if you didn't catch our Christmas Eve vlog, here ya go! be sure to subscribe for more and leave me a thumbs up while you're there!

hope you had the BEST Christmas ever.

you are NOT behind!

how bout this facelift though?! guys...i kept coming back to my blog over and over again in the last month or so and i could never shake this feeling of discontentment. something just wasn't right. it was too dark. it was off. it haunted me every single time i attempted to post. i had to fix it, and i had to fix it with the quickness.  i did NOT want to have to take my blog down again for maintenance so i did a one-hitta-quitta sorta thing and knocked it out all at once.  i googled and youtubed my face off let me tell you... it was worth every tear i shed that night. or morning, or whatever! i didn't stop until i LOVED it.

  this guy kept me company before he conked out for the night though!  i REALLY, really hope you like the new look as much as we do. and if so, well let ya girl know below then!

on to the next issue lol,

i am instagramming waaaay faster than i am blogging these days and i don't like it one bit. so many new recipes, not enough time!!!!  or is there?  IGing is easy. takes what, 2 secs tops to make a post sometimes, right?  but blogging takes work. blogging takes time. time i have to pull outta thin air sometimes.  when people ask me for advice about starting a blog i tell them to treat it just like a job.... cause that's exactly what it is.  and uuuuh, i need more one on one time with my boss right about now!   fitfoodiele.com is my baby.  and just like my real life babies, i want it to grow, flourish, and be the best it can possibly be.    unfortunately, social media keeps me distracted way more than it should.  when i give Him less of my time...suddenly i have no time for anything else. we've been through this already though, right!  in short, change is coming, friends. again. time to refocus, turn down the world, and listen for His voice.  Heather Lindsey's post are often right on time for me and her words below encouraged me greatly. follow her!

today still matters!  every day matters.  your attitude is everything, especially when things aren't going your way.  heart & faith check, indeed.  i do hope this inspires you to prioritize your time better and focus on the things that are important to Him.  that's what matters most and what we should be focused on in the first place!  remember, if you are on His time, you will NEVER be 'behind' or 'late', so don't ever feel pressured to keep up, especially with someone else.  stay focused yall.  food posts are lined UP, yall get ready!

my #StartFreshii Juice. Cleanse. Energize. experience!

the results from my 1 day #StartFreshii juice cleanse are in: i survived, woo hoo!  in all honesty, it wasn't that bad.  i'm definitely saying that cause it was only 1 day though, haaaa. when those hunger pangs kicked in i was totally transported back in time to my 1st bikini competition prep. good times, lol! mix that in with a couple "come on, Leah..just a few more hours. you can do this. focus." moments and that was my day in a nutshell.  i explained on Periscope (are you following me yet? have you checked out the app? leave your ID below so i can look you up!) that i'm breastfeeding and can't afford to go longer than one day to keep from putting a big dent in my milk production (gotta keep those calories up!).  plus, i'm a group fitness instructor and although light exercise (yoga, walking, stretching)  is ok when detoxing, strenuous activity is not recommended.  bummer.  anyway, i've gotten the 'do you juice? do you detox?' questions over the years and can finally say, 'Yes! i've done one!' however, i have always turned them down in the past because:

• fearful of feeling way too hungry (and crappy) to deal
• i prefer eating calories over drinking them
• cannot be sustained long-term
• prohibited strenuous exercise (booooo.)
• generally low in protein

what i do believe they are great for:

• complete system reset
• rid body of toxins and excess waste
• improved complexion, hair & skin (clean eating cleared my skin up completely by the way...no more Proactive!)
• promotes/jump starts healthy lifestyle changes
• increased mental clarity, energy, stamina
• a healthier, nourished colon

when the #StartFreshii Challenge was presented to me, i finally decided to take the plunge! i love Freshii cause they offer a variety of healthy, nutritious, fast-food items for people on the go. i just wish they had a drive through! the decor is fun, bright, and contemporary, and kid friendly items make this the perfect healthy family eatery.

again i did the 1 day, but if you decide to give this a whirl yourself, you've got 3 or 5 day options too.  pick the one that best suits your lifestyle and schedule for best results.

i ordered some oatmeal for the boy's breakfast.

adorable presentation! and i am thrilled they both love oats so much.

  my eyes!! i was LOVING all that beautiful, healthy color! the smoothies were labeled and to be consumed in a certain order every 2.5-3 hrs;  the detoxifying Metaboost salad was to be eaten at the end of my day.

1. Green Energy - apple, cucumber, kale, lemon, carrot, romaine, spinach (my fave!)
2. Carrot Zinger - carrot, apple, ginger
3. Mighty Detox - pineapple, cucumber, celery, apple, ginger
4. Red Power - beet, carrot, lemon, ginger (2nd fave!)
5. Metaboost Salad - field greens, spinach, kale, carrots, mango, edamame, almonds, goat cheese, balsamic vinaigrette

staying busy between meals was going to be key in getting me through this! we explored the city a little before running errands.

one of the calming fountains at a small, contemporary park just down the street.

the sun was out but thankfully there was still a nice breeze at 10am! so Chiso got to run around and play a bit as i finished up juice #1.  i sipped all of them suuuuuuuper slow.

Q: what is THE very first thing that pops into your mind when you read that question? comment below.

A: before i die...i want to live out and fulfill His purpose for my life. that's #1. i will remember and cherish these days forever!!! so grateful to be able to do what i love with the people i love.

after that, errand time.  running around in the Texas heat and jumping in and out of the car with kids is a workout in itself. whew.

i said all that to say that at 2pm, i cracked.

lol! keeping it real! i'm used to eating over 2k cals a day so i was really going through it at that point.

i just hope there was nobody sitting in their car watching me tear this salad UP. wasn't it pretty though?

 after that, i felt like i could actually finish this thing strong.

3rd juice done with one left to go as we finally headed home.  you're supposed to drink 8-10 glasses of water in between 'meals' when doing a cleanse as well. i did my best.

by 6pm? DONE. finished a lil early, haha.  the Freshii cleanse pamphlet did suggest that if hunger overtakes you, increase your water intake, drink a herbal tea, or reach for raw or lightly cooked fruits and vegetables.  that said, i had grape tomatoes and half a cucumber before finally getting in bed around 10pm.  the next morning i felt lighter, and my mid section's skin was noticeably tighter.  that's what cutting out refined sugars does for me though, immediately. my tummy and waist are the first to respond when i tweak my nutrition.

takeaways:

• this was a mental battle more than anything! once i woke up the next morning with no pressure to stick to the cleanse, i wanted to keep going. go figure.
• not having to chew overall made it feel like i had not eaten a thing = hoogry
• great for resetting/restarting your system.  i am now motivated to keep my refined sugar intake low and my raw fruit/veggies intake high. this is when i feel and look my best.
• not great as a lifestyle (possibly once a week at best) or for fat loss.  the diet is already low in protein and calories and the body goes into starvation mode after a while which conflicts with the fat burning process.
• unless you have your own juicer at home and get a great, cheap deal on produce, juicing can get rather expensive.
• we CAN do anything we put our minds to

fyi! many times the media choses to focus on the short-terms results produced by these cleanses.  know that your results won't last if you don't make it a point to move more and maintain and healthy, low-no processed diet.

i highly recommend you accept the #StartFreshii juice cleanse challenge! all 4 juices are delish and refreshing but my fave was definitly #1. tell me about your cleanse/detox experience below.

le

Chicken Fajita Spinach & Mushroom Enchiladas

 for the past 8 days Chiso has asked me the following every.single.day:

when is papa coming home?

when does Nigeria close so Papa can come home?

why is it always night-time in Nigeria?

can we Skype Papa?

where is Papa?

why isn't Papa answering?

are you making (food) for Papa too?

can i save the rest of my food for Papa when he gets home?

well thanks be to God that Papa is home from his work trip.

my boo coming home put me in a cooking mood! ok i'm almost always in a cooking mood but today was special.  i had a taste for some enchiladas. healthy enchiladas.  Chicken Fajita Spinach & Mushroom Enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce. yaz.

i used boneless, skinless chicken breast, but you can also use lean beef, you bet. i diced up the veggies, chopped up the chicken,

assembled my spice mixture,

then made the enchilada sauce! this can certainly be made ahead of time.

Healthy, Homemade Enchilada Sauce

the stuff:

• 1 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt or 2 tbsp Liquid Aminos
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 - 15oz can low sodium tomato sauce
• 1 cup low sodium chicken stock

do this:

1. heat EVOO in sauce pan over medium heat
2. add diced onion and saute until translucent; about 3-5 minutes
3. add in chili powder, cumin, salt, oregano, and cocoa powder; cook for 2-3 minutes while continuing to stir
4. add in tomato sauce & chicken stock and simmer mixture for approx. 10 minutes
5. remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes before adding mixture to your blender or food processor.
6. blend until super smooth!

recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated.

this'll taste even better the next day once the flavors elope in the fridge.

i only had 2.5 La Tortilla Factory (i mostly use this variety; there are SO many!) tortillas left SMH!  i wasn't about to leave and go to the store, so i halved them and made 5 mini enchiladas so i could fill my mini rectangle pan.  you will make enough chicken mixture to cram full 8 regular size tortillas (or more) so don't you worry. i put in about 2 heaping tbsp of chicken mixture and a pinch of 2% mozzarella inside before rolling them up. ok here's that recipe:

Chicken Fajita Spinach & Mushroom Enchiladas

the stuff:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed or cut into strips
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 5 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained

fajita seasoning

• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1-2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt OR 2 tbsp Liquid Aminos

for enchiladas

• 8 low carb, high fiber La Tortilla Factory 70 cal flour tortillas
• 2 cups homemade enchilada sauce (recipe above)
• 2 cups shredded 2% cheese or dairy-free almond or rice cheese...it's your call
• optional toppings: fresh cilantro, avocado, tomato, olives, cheese, green onion, more chicken mixture.

do this:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13'' pan with no-stick cooking spray
2. add 1 tbsp EVOO to medium heated skillet
3. add chicken; cook 5-7 min or until cooked through
4. remove from skillet and set aside
5. add last tbsp of EVOO to your skillet
6. add bell peppers and onions and cook until tender and charred, about 8-10 minutes
7. add chicken and spice mixture all at once into your skillet and combine
8. add mushrooms and spinach and combine once more; cook for 2-3 more minutes
9. spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce evenly across the bottom of your baking pan
10. fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup of filling and 2 tbsp of shredded cheese of your choice. remember to save some filling for your topping if you desire.
11. roll them up and place them into your baking dish, seam side down.
12. pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the filled tortillas, then top with remaining cheese.
13. bake in over for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.
14. take out and top with your desired goodies! the olives don't really make sense lol and i wanted some tomatoes on top for color but i didn't have any.

enjoy this family friendly, healthy meal with your loved ones!  take pics and tag me!

now to catch up on that lost family time. happy early MLK Day! hollerrrrrr

le

WFM - Post Oak

well hello,

WHOLE FOODS MARKET POST OAK!

 i caught wind that this location was coming waaaaaay back in 2007 just before Sonny and i got married.  we were deciding on where to live and in the middle of taking a tour of some galleria area condos when the sales associate dropped the WFM bomb. i wanted to live in the area JUST for that reason! i didn't know it wouldn't come to fruition for another 7 years lol, but nevertheless, it's time.

i snagged the pic above from @WholeFoodsHOU's twitter page cause i realized i didn't get any exterior pics! whoops.  it was actually raining when i pulled up for my private tour and i had Dego with me and no umbrella, naturally :( . anyway, our tour guide, Kate, and another lady blogger were waiting in the front of the store to get crackin'.  i'd like to give a big thanks to Jeanette Webster for hooking me up with the tour!  so, here.we.go.

an escalator flows right up to the very front of the store via the parking garage, just like in the Landmark Austin store.  Sonny and i actually took a pic in front of it from our 7th wedding anni travels this past September, remember!  Kate was sent to help open up the new store from the Lamar location as well. awesomeness.

first stop, fresh produce.  if i enter a grocery store from any other department it throws me completely off.  i must start here. #weirdo

 just look at all those colors. everywhere you turn!  everything screams FRESH. they put so much emphasis on detail and it shows.  walking into this department just makes me feel healthier.

 i thought these satsuma oranges were gorgeous and deserved a photo. why he mad though? j/k, j/k

an adorable juice bar with cold-pressed juices and smoothies sits on the outskirts of the produce department.  i wanted to purchase a juicer at one point in time but i don't want it to be one of those appliances i use once and forget i even have.  i'd rather eat my calories than drink them so smoothies and juices are rare for me anyway. having someone else prepare it (and clean it up) is working perfectly at the moment lol.  the top pic was during our tour and the bottom pic was from thursday morning's grand opening. yep, #iwasthere

all things wine & beer is stationed in between the produce and seafood departments.

what a gorgeous display and wide variety of fresh, responsibly farmed seafood.  they know exactly where it comes from, what it was fed, and more importantly, what is wasn't fed!

making visually appealing and enticing food on a large-scale is no easy task; what a JOB someone has. they do it well though, right?

a few things you should know about WFM's meat & poultry:

no antibiotics -- ever

no supplemental growth hormones

no animal byproducts in feed

raised on pasture or range for at least 2/3 of the animal's life.

we stayed around the perimeter for the most part; the aisles (packaged goods) are in the very center of the store.  only one aisle really matters though.

#thebulkaisle #findmehere #myfavorite #sometimesiwishitwasnt #scoophappy

there were a few more highlights on our way to the cheese department like:

 the holiday table!  TG and Christmas are pretty much here. get those orders in! sides, main dishes, desserts... endless options.

stopped for an #usie. i hear you, Kate, promise.

   oooh just snacking and dropping crumbs on top of Dego's head.

we made it! cheese, cheese, cheese,

and then chocolates (among all other things sugar) in the bakery.  such an incredible amount of detail goes into the dessert decor!  another fun job.

well this is new! WFM is never afraid to try new things, that's for darn sure.  there's something unique about every single location, and this gigantic wood-fire oven in the Souvlaki Grill definitely makes WFMPO stand out.  and the fact that it looks like a storm trooper. maybe it's just me.

they still make sandwiches, pizza, and sushi, no doubt, as well as prepared foods and their world-famous salad bar.

i don't know why i was expecting to leave the tour with dinner though, smh! wishful thinking.  everything was wrapped up nice and tight.

 

but on the morning of the grand opening it was ON.

  i tried the Red Eye Boost which is made of spinach, beets, carrot juice, lemon juice. it was REALLY good.  extremely refreshing after my workout that morning.  i got some citrus collard greens, harvest salad (cabbage slaw mix with dried cranberries), scrambled eggs, plantains, and some of the most tender, smoked brisket i've ever had.  YUM.  the mango salsa was from the taco bar and it was scrumptious too. they have a bunch of salsas to choose from that range in heat. what taco bar?

this one.  you order what you like from those monitors and there are sandwiches to choose from too.  on the other side of that wall is something that has been getting so much press...

WFMPO is the first grocery store with an in-house brewery!  Kate mentioned that several times during the tour as they are super proud of this accomplishment!

once you pay for your goods and head past the registers to the winding staircase, you'll arrive at the last stop of our tour.

the 2nd floor seating area to relax with friends & fam and enjoy your goods.  such a fantastic view of the entire store from the balcony.  i'm feeling the big orange, oversized chairs too! this is why i don't have an eye for interior decorating though.  if i had seen these chairs in a furniture store solo i'd be like 'ok, WHO would ever buy that??'

if you don't head upstairs to eat, then back down the escalator ya go to the parking garage.

thanks a bunch, Kate!  she was such a gracious, genuine, and knowledgable tour guide.

so what's in my goodie bag?!

1. WFM Brewing Company Glass
2. Green Plate Foods Nubblers: all natural Cherry Chocolate fruit bites
3. Empire Mayonaaise White Truffle 
4. Enfusia Lemongrass fizz & foam bath bomb

1. Popcorn Indiana Sriracha Popcorn
2. 365 Mismatched Sandwich Cremes
3. Peace Water
4. if you made it to the grand opening that morning then you walked away with one of these adorable bags too.

click play to see my very first vlog ;)

[wpvideo P5AFWHI7]

thanks for reading and watching and i hope you thoroughly enjoy the new Whole Foods Market Post Oak as much as i DO!!! let me know what you think!

l