*updated* Zucchini Pizza Cruise Ships + we're registered!

had a bowl of organic rolled oats cooked in unsweetened vanilla almond milk, water, cinnamon, and vanilla before heading to my (now weekly) OB appointment this morning.   fresh blueberries, more cinnamon, more almond milk, and pure maple syrup went right on top.  i had egg whites w/ salsa on the side too. fueling up for some kickboxing a little later today.

was running late and threw on whatever (but i was comfy though!)  and we made it just in time for my group b strep test and routine check up.  if only pap smears were that quick & easy-peasy!  all is well @ 35 weeks and i thank Him for another great progress report. and yes, i smacked Chiso right after he smacked me.

on to our new hospital to registerrrrrr!

so the hospital where Chiso was born doesn't do L&D anymore. i enjoyed the experience there and was saddened after hearing that!  however, the new hospital is literally 3 minutes away, so no biggie.  AND my favorite OB in the entire universe will be there to deliver Odego this time, Lord willing.  (she was out having her twins at the time Chiso was born :'(  ) .  i went ahead and registered juuuuust in case we have to pop up there sooner than expected, but i am coming back with Sonny to take a tour so we can be cheesy and take pics and stuff.  a date i am so looking forward too, again.  i hardly EVER buy overpriced convenience store food/snacks, but i was unprepared and Chiso got restless while i filled out paper work.  so i got him this Sabra pretzel and hummus dip along with a banana.

enjoy this updated recipe of last night's dinner:

*updated* Zucchini Pizza Cruise Ships

the stuff:

• 4 large, raw zucchini, halved & seeded
• 2 cups cooked and seasoned extra lean ground turkey
•  1 cup homemade marinara (add more if you'd like and the recipe is below)
• 8 turkey pepperoni, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup shredded almond or rice cheese
• 6 cherry tomatoes, sliced into coins
• 2 tsp dried italian seasoning or parsley or fresh basil
• sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste

do this:

1. set your oven to 350 degrees and coat a large baking pan with foil and no-stick cooking spray.
2. after halving the zucchini, scoop some of the insides out using a small spoon.  they should look like empty canoes cruise ships once you're done; arrange them flat and seed-side up on your baking sheet.
3. mix the cooked ground turkey and the marinara sauce together, then spoon the mixture evenly into/onto the zucchini.
4. sprinkle the turkey pepperoni, tomato, and italian seasoning on top of the cruise ships, and bake them for about 20 minutes.
5. remove them from the oven and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. ( i used 2% colby jack cause that's all i had. to keep this recipe dairy free, use almond or rice cheese.)
6. let them bake once more for 7-10 minutes or just until the cheese melts to your liking.
7. top with fresh basil or parsley!

i thought i posted my marinara recipe in the Fit N' Crispy Chicken Parm post but maybe it didn't save like i thought?? can't explain that one.  but here it is:

homemade marinara:

the stuff:

• 1 6oz can tomato paste
• 6 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning blend (optional)
• sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste

do this:

1. heat a large sauce pan to medium-low heat; once hot, pour in your olive oil.
2. add onions & garlic and sauté until translucent...about 2-3 minutes.
3. add in the rest of the ingredients except sea salt and cracked black pepper, stir, cover, and let simmer for 12-15 minutes.
4. shut off heat; add mixture to your blender or food processor and blend on high until super smooth.

you can make this ahead of time and store in the fridge to be used for pizza sauce, wing dip, breadstick dip, whatever!

happy hump day! hollaaaaaaaaa

le

zucchini pizza cruise ships + single leg deadlifts

that caption is PERFECT!!!  i freakin' love this picture.

i don't know about you, but i need my daily dose of endorphins!  i got some this morning in the form of Total Conditioning. can you tell by those sweat stains?  afterwards, i took a moment to focus on my exercise pick of the week: single leg deadlifts.

1. start in a standing position; knees soft, back flat, feet shoulder width apart, weights in front of your thighs, shoulders down and relaxed.  lift right leg slightly so foot is off the floor.

2. lower your torso forward/downward.  at the same time, raise your lifted leg, keeping it straight.

3. once stretch is felt mainly in your hamstrings and lower glutes, return to original position by raising torso and lowering the lifted leg.

4. straighten the knee of the supporting leg as torso becomes upright. try it again on the opposite leg! 4 sets of 12 on each leg with heavy ;) bells.

IMPORTANT TIPS:

• the heavier the weight, the more challenging the exercise
• keep your back flat all the way down and all the way up
• hips remain square; try not to tilt or twist them. torso should face the front at all times.
• go as far down as YOU feel comfy, not as far as your neighbor is going!
• you can modify this exercise and keep your back toe on the ground for balance
• keep your dumbbells super close to your body all the way down and all the way up.
• which ever leg you are standing on should keep a soft knee ensure the weight is in your heel and not your toes

what they work: those glutes, hamstrings, lower back, core, trunk.

awesome. on to tha fooooooood!

Zucchini Pizza Cruise Ships

the stuff:

• 2 raw zucchini
• 1 cup extra lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella almond cheese
• 1/4 cup low sodium pizza sauce
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash tomato basil no salt seasoning
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried basil

do this:

preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

halve raw zucchini (long ways) and scoop out the seeds and insides.  they should look like empty canoes once done. (don't discard the insides! you can actually cook them back in with the meat if you'd like or eat them separately at a later date. either way, don't waste!)

in a large skillet, set your burner to medium-high heat.  add chopped garlic and onions and sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.  add in your extra lean turkey meat, liquid aminos, pepper, dried basil, and Mrs. Dash seasoning.  stir/saute until cooked through completely and there is no more pink.

in a separate bowl, combine the pizza sauce and turkey meat crumbles.  then, divide and spoon this mixture evenly amongst your zucchini shells.

top the ships with your sliced tomato, shredded almond cheese, and finally, the chopped basil.

bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until your desired zucchini consistency.

serving size: 4 ships

approximate stats for the entire recipe! (*remember, ingredients vary by the brands you use*)

Q: how much does 'heavy' weigh?  

A: i am so sure i have answered this before, but here it is again!  you gotta implement a little trial and error.  i usually do 12-15 reps per set.  so, heavy for me equals pretty much struggling to finish on rep 8-10. it varies per exercise though! there is no set number across the board so to speak... you must see for yourself.  write your beginning numbers down to track your progress, and add weight gradually over time to get better , bigger, and stronger.  you'll start seeing muscles you didn't even know you had, watch!

weight lifting has transformed not only my body, but my mind. confidence booster? heck yeah!  i no longer dread the dressing room mirror and i find myself trying on items i would normally shy away from.  better fitting clothes is definitely an advantage worth working for! i get emails here and there concerning that darn scale and how insecure it makes people feel. you are worth so much more than a silly NUMBER.  i don't watch my weight anymore; i watch my body!

le

a-z...get to know le

don't you just hate icebreakers!? here we goooooooooooo:

a is for age: 30th b-day is in t - 5 days!

b is for breakfast today: the usual- i start craving my oatmeal and egg whites as soon as i wake up, seriously.

c is for currently craving: all things SUGAR!!!! which proves that sugar addiction is real.  i'm conducting a little experiment. i have dropped (not quite 100% but a GREAT deal) of all processed foods from my diet and i'm only getting sugar from natural sources (100% real fruit). 1 week down and i have tightened up all over my body; lost inches all over and especially in my waist, and i'm definitely more defined. my muscles are popping out and waving hello!

d is for dinner tonight: stuffed turkey bell peppers w/ brown rice.

e is for fav type of exercise: cardio and weights COMBINED. i teach a class called Total Conditioning- it's a Lifetime Fitness signature format.  can you say calorie burning fest?!?! the first time i ever took the class i was extremely intimidated; didn't think i'd ever get the hang of teaching it.  now i can't get enough of it.

f is for irrational fear: big boats and open spaces. e.g. cruise ships and places like the grand canyon. yeah i don't get it either.

g is for gross food: most of the time i find that it's a texture thing with people.  in this case it's texture and smell for me- chitterlings. no thanks. ever.

h is for height: 5'10. my driver's license proves it.

i is for ice cream: marble slab sweet cream mixed in with chocolate chips.  any other time, it's self-serve fro-yo w/ random toppings.

j is for favorite jam: booooy when this particular song comes on in my gym class i get my second & third wind outta nowhere.  i could be a tired, sweaty mess and almost to the end of class but this song gives me a surge of energy to finish strong.  it's 'Nah Mean' by Mannie Fresh- the edited version played at 140 bmp (super fast) though! pretty sure my members are sick of it by now:)

k is for kids: my unbelievably, awesome, blessing and precious gift from God. my 10 month old. for now.

l is for current location: @ work. blogging. shhhhhhhhhhhh

m is for the most recent way you spent money: i'm TRYING to spend money and find my bday dress!! been to look for it twice now with no luck.  still need shoes too. and a bag.  i'll find something though. i always do!

n is for something you need: God and His word.  every single day. my husband.  i need some form of contact with this man on a daily basis (after we go our separate ways in the morning of course). whether it be by text, skype, facebook, email, it doesn't matter.  with all this technology, a plain ol phone call was the last thing i thought of, smh.

o is for occupation: IT manager, group fitness instructor, fitness model, entrepreneur.

p is for pet peeve: at the moment, drivers who don't turn right on red. ESPECIALLY downtown. who doesn't know this!?

q is for quote: quoting from songs is cheesy but this one is so powerful to me.  helps me push during my workouts:

'i'm a beast, i'm an animal, i'm that  monster in the mirror, the  headliner, finisher, i'm the closer, winner. best  when under pressure with seconds left i show up.

- usher  (give me more)

r is for random fact: i eat cool whip like it's ice cream. i add sugar-free chocolate syrup and make a 'mousse'.  i've thrown some chocolate PB2 up in there before as well.  i can't be the only one doing this...

s is for fav healthy snack(s): 2% greek yogurt & toasted pistachios drizzled with honey.  fresh veggies & hummus. peanut butter & celery/apple. freeze dried fruit (especially bananas), banana protein smoothie, cottage cheese w/ fruit...

t is for favorite indulgent treat: key lime pie & grain-sweetened chocolate covered raisins from whole foods. chocolate chip paradise from chilis.  my brother is the only person i know that can eat one of these a day and not gain a pound.

u is for something that makes you unique: i prefer grocery shopping over the shopping mall, any day.  but you knew that already, right!

v is for fav vegetable: sweet potatoes. they are SO versatile. sweet, savory, fried, baked...

w is for today's workout: 1 hour of total conditioning

x is for the # x rays you've had: besides being born and giving birth, i pretty much stay outta the hospital.

y is for yesterdays highlight: spending aaaaaaaall day with my little man. we attended a 1st birthday party at Gymboree Play&Music (twice in one weekend) and because my LO can't walk yet, i had to help him 'play' for the most part. got my workout for sure.

z is for time zone: CST

welp, that's a snippet of le. take 3 letters (or more, it's all good) and tell me something about you!

le