breakfast in 3! w/ Modern Oats

fall is basically here and it's back to school time, parents!  we are all busy. we are all often scrambling to get ourselves and our kids together and out the door in the mornings. been there!  actually i'm there every day.  now that Chiso has started preschool (no tears from either of us, yay), i make sure he is focused and ready to learn before he leaves the house. how? some brefus! yes, breakfast.  it's incredibly important for everybody, so don't downplay it or sweep it under the rug.  statistics don't lie, peeps.  easy, to-go options in the form of healthy carbs are the way to go, not unhealthy, sugary, prepackaged, instant, frozen junk.  they need good, wholesome, nutrient dense foods that their bodies recognize so they can perform at their very best.  start this with your kiddos NOW!  they will only get busier and busier as each year passes; by the time they are teens and beyond breakfast will be second nature (and hopefully non-negotiable).  parents, we must send our babies off right and set them up for success.

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if ya follow my blog or my Insta account then you'd already know how much Chiso (4 yrs) despises all vegetables.  however, he still loves oatmeal something serious!  so when this very special delivery hit our doorstep,  Chiso went BANANAS and could not wait to crack it open.

'yummy oatmeal, mommy!!!' yep, Modern Oats was officially in the building. look at all the pretty colors and tasty flavor combos!

• 5 Berry
• Mango Blackberry
• Apple Walnut
• Goji Blueberry
• Nuts & Seeds
• Chocolate Cherry

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Chiso is nowhere near as indecisive as i am and chose 5 berry immediately.

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there's an oatmeal cookie recipe on the back of the carton that i'm totally going to try!  anyway, if you don't/can't whip out a pot to boil water, then don't.

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microwave a mug of water (enough to cover the top of the dry oats) until it's pretty darn hot (bout 2.5 min),

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carefully pour it into the carton, put the top on,

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and in 3 minutes you've got a nutritious, power-packed, start to your busy day.

i love that:

• i can pronounce and recognize every single ingredient
• gluten-free & non-GMO
• small & portable w/ a lid
• it's naturally sweetened from the antioxidant rich fruit
• filling & hearty
• incredible flavor combos
• my kids ate it ALL!

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toddler tested, fit mom approved.

and dad!

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i whipped up the apple walnut flavor for Dego.  there were chunks of apple, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins and walnuts in each bite.... delish.  

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aaaand i ate my brekky right along side them. so exciting. lol. if you haven't seen my IG posts, my wedding anniversary is coming up and my hubby hasn't told me exactly what we're doing, but that i should pack a bikini!!!!!  so, i wanted to tighten up a lil' bit these last few weeks and get serious with my nutrition.  sure i eat oat bran and egg whites every morning anyway, but i miss being able to snack in moderation (quest bars, arctic zero, wheat thins, goldfish crackers, fig bars, dark chocolate covered raisins, kettle corn) whenever i please!  maintenance mode (concerning my calorie intake / body fat percentage) is fun and where i belong right now, but i just want to bring my best package to the beach, hahaha.  master trainer and 1/3 of the 6 Pack USA team, Brian Egwuatu quickly drew up a customized meal and workout plan for me that has got me wondering if i ever want to compete in a bikini competition again LOL!  it's been 3 years or so of not having this many restrictions, but hey, the more change you desire, the more restrictions you must make.  it is what it is.  plus i'm working on an outrageous 2 week timeline so just know ya girl is over here STRUGGLIN' for the cause!  once we are done frolicking and celebrating i will happily return to maintenance beast mode. 

i HATE leg extensions!!!!!!!! that is all.

anyway, if you'd like your very own Modern Oats variety pack, you can order them right here via my FFL Store!

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we did a Modern Oats Periscope yesterday too; check it out via katch.me along with all my other past scopes if you're interested.

Q: you're rushing outta the house and have not eaten breakfast yet.... what do you do? be honest!

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**this post contains an affiliate link; this means i will receive a commission if you purchase this item through my link.  you will not pay more when buying a product through my link. thank you for your continued support!**

Esprit de She Katy 5/10K - Fit Foodie Finishers

snapping pics at the stop light and headed to meet the ladies who signed up to brave the Esprit de She 5 & 10K races with me last night! great times.  it did NOT rain on our parade either, thank God.

no sunshine, but it wasn't unbearably humid either as this SOLD OUT crowd of  gorgeous, fit, ladies gathered in anticipation and excitement. just look at that turn out! there was plenty to do, too. Zumba, healthy snack samples, Yoga, and chair massages & manicures were provided by Lifetime Fitness Lifespa.  this event totally catered to the She.

i arrived early, headed to packet pickup, and ran smack into my friend Alexia and her hubby (he came for support, how sweet!). she is 1 week ahead of me @ 36 weeks preggo and was down to pound the pavement regardless. LOVES IT!  the shirts were a gorgeous purple color this year; it's definitely one of my fave race tanks (racerback always rules in my world) that i will be hitting the gym in for sure.  also, because i registered early (big surprise there :o ), i was able to personalize my bib. coolness.

the Esprit de She ambassadors got a group email going a few days before the race and decided to meet up for a pre-race photo under the Athleta tent.  did it happen? i couldn't tell ya lol, but i was there and looking around for the other ladies. Landi found me, and then we somehow found Jennifer.  nice meeting you gals <3

my friend Eshé (top L) has been taking my gym classes since i started teaching at 24 HF eons ago! she is now a Lifetime member and is training for another triathlon later this year.  she showed the 10k who was boss last night!!! so proud of her and she looks fantastic.   Alexia and i (top R) received SO MUCH bump love!! i was truly proud to represent for the fit preggo moms out there with her, you already know.  way to GO, Alexia.  we ran into my crazy-sock wearing fitness buddies Ros (Zumba instructor extraordinaire)and Karen on the way to the start line (bottom L pic) :) lastly, i finally got a pic with my Soror, Ayesha!  she's a fellow Coog, blogger, and Esprit de She Ambassador as well.

before and after!

as Alexia and i wrapped up our final mile, a woman who was driving by in her truck slowed down (and shouted over a/her child in the passenger seat) 'you're pregnant? and running? why??' and sped off! my response? why NOT!? :?: i should have shouted to her to follow me on Instagram. lol. if she only knew :P

i know a lot of mommies-to-be that aren't able to run at this stage of the game as the weight and pressure of the fetus is pretty high.  however, we used common sense, checked on each other constantly, and alternated between jogging (when we felt like it) and power-walking to get through the 5k.  mission accomplished!

post-race, you KNOW what i was lookin' for and where i can always be found- by the fuel!  believe it or not, the line on the right was for the free bubbly LOL!  i was so happy to just walk right up and get my southwest chicken wrap(S) and salad that were provided by the always healthy and delicious Lifetime Cafe.

i had a rockin' time and hope to return next year. with or without a baby bump ;)

HAPPY EARLY MOTHERS' DAY <3

le

fit eggplant parm

same concept when you apply it to your body, aka, your temple. put great stuff in, get great results right on out!

yesterday i had vanilla oat bran with banana slices, Walden Farms syrup, and Trader Joes cinnamon sugar,

and this morning it was rolled oats cooked in unsweetened vanilla almond milk, pure vanilla extract, and some cinnamon and granulated stevia stirred in.  some days i flip a coin! they are both great starts to the day.  this bowl was sooooo creamy.  i topped it with one strawberry cause that's all i needed since they are so dang GIANT this season.  and a small tsp of Justin's chocolate hazelnut butter. so, so good.

today's eggs weren't pretty at ALL so i didn't take a pic.  these were from yesterday and were topped with some alfalfa sprouts and pineapple salsa from Sprouts.  i love getting a little bit of charr mixed in with my eggs from the skillet- gives them extra flavor.

who's got some core exercises for you? I DO!  did'em this morning after teaching my total conditioning class!

i'm sure you're familiar with the basic high plank on your palms and toes. right? yeah you can do that one in your sleep.

but when you mount up on a medicine ball (any solid ball will work really) then you really put that core to work.  this is one of those exercises that looks uuuuber easy until you do it yourself.  so, grab yoself a medicine ball and do these semi-advanced core exercises that promote core strength and stability!

 ★1st things 1st- engage your core by sucking your belly button to your spine, but DON'T hold your breath!★

• high plank (top pic) - start on your knees. grip the ball on either side and press your palms into it as you elevate your body up into a straight high plank balancing on your toes.  maintain a neutral spine while keeping your head and chest lifted.  even if you don't add the variations, you are still working to balance yourself without even moving! you'll see!  hold for 30-60 secs or for as long as you can take it. ***you can also go down a level and perform this on your knees keeping your body flat and pushing your hips and glutes towards the floor***

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• high plank + leg lift (bottom pic) - keep your hips square, squeeze the heck outta your glute, and lift that leg up off the ground and hold it for 30-60 secs. repeat on the opp side.

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• high plank + pendulum leg lifts - while that one leg is in the air, take it out to the side from right to left in a controlled swinging motion going no wider than shoulder width. repeat on either side for 30-60 seconds or until burnout.

what a :shock: BURN :shock: !

 this exercise works glutes, core, and your shoulders & back definitely feel the wrath of supporting your bodyweight the entire time. try'em at the gym or at home during commercial breaks.

well hello there, fit eggplant parm.  i whipped up a crazy good fit chicken parm that will be going into the you-know-what!  for now, enjoy this healthier classic, fit foodie le style.

fit egg plant parm

the stuff:

• 1 large raw eggplant, sliced into 1/2 in rounds (you can peel them if you'd like- i kept the skin on)
• 2 egg whites
• 3 tbsp Bragg liquid aminos
• 2 tbsp  unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
• 1 cup Lissanati almond cheese, shredded
• 3/4 - 1 cup homemade breadcrumbs*
• 28 oz Sprouts all natural low sodium crushed tomatoes with basil & garlic
• 1 tsp basil, dried
• 1 tsp oregano, dried
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• 1/2 tsp parsely
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• olive oil cooking spray
• 5 baby portabella mushrooms (optional!)
• fresh basil leaves for garnish

*homemade breadcrumbs: toast 4 slices of Sara Lee 45 Calories & Delightful Whole Wheat with Honey bread until crispy, and toss them in your food processor.  pulse until breadcrumb-like consistency.*

do this: * important S/N* this can totally be dairy-free if you use only almond cheese, (or rice cheese, or your fave vegan cheese) throughout the recipe. but then you'd have to call it fit eggplant almond.  or whatever. you know me- i needed some nutty, creamy parmesan in my dish cause cheese is my thing, so i added it.  just a little.  and you can too. if you want. also if you don't have the same brands i'm using and naming, no big deal!

1. lay the eggplant slices flat in a shallow baking dish and pour the liquid aminos all over them. let it soak in real good, about 10-15 minutes or so.

2.  in a shallow dish, combine the egg whites and unsweetened almond milk; mix.

3.  grab another shallow dish and pour in your breadcrumbs.  add: the finely grated parmesan cheese, pepper, basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley;  mix.

4. dip each eggplant slice into your egg mixture with one hand, then immediately drop it into your breadcrumb mixture. i only coated one side with breadcrumbs cause i was lazy and didn't want to have to flip them halfway through. lol. spray a flat baking pan with the olive oil spray and bake your slices for about 15-20 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

5. when the eggplant is almost done, go ahead and start the first layer of the dish by spooning some of the crushed tomatoes in the bottom of your olive oil coated baking pan. eyeball it.

6. when the eggplant is ready and cool enough to handle (surprise, i didn't wait), create the second layer. i know mushrooms are untraditional in this recipe, but so am i!  and come on- melted cheese and mushrooms just go together. so i added a few sliced baby bellas for the 3rd layer,

7.  top with 1/4 of the almond cheese. or more. way more.  

8. and finally, top that with more sauce and repeat until you run outta ingredients.  the last layer should be CHEESE! and lots of it.  now don't put those fresh basil leaves on there yet cause you will torch them in the oven. i put them there cause it looked pretty.

9.  back into the oven on 400 degrees for about 20 more minutes, or until the cheese is nice and melty and brown and stuff.

this made about 6 servings; stats are for 1:

we killed the pan but there are certainly a couple things i'll be doing differently from here on: take note!

• NOT burning the breadcrumbs in the toaster smh - it made the eggplant darker and harder on the eyes. i didn't want to waste it and used it anyway
• using the small side of the grater for the parmesan cheese cause the large shreds don't stick to the eggplant as easily
• pan frying the egg plant instead of baking (however i'm not sure the cheese in the breadcrumb mixture would hold up in the hot skillet...i'll just have to see)
• OR, roast the eggplant solo first,  assemble the dish, and save the breadcrumb mixture for the topping only. <------i really like that idea!!!!! if you try it this way, upload a pic to the Fan Page or tag me on IG (#fitfoodiele #fitclean2013).  i'd LOVE to see your creations.

cooking is ALL about having fun and trial & error for me. get in there and make your own masterpiece!

i'd like to give a big THANK YOU to Bragg for sending me a few samples of their seasonings recently!  i'll be testing the nutritional yeast, the sea kelp delight seasoning, and the 24 herbs and spices seasoning this week. 

ooooh the joys, blessings, and lessons of good ol' parenthood :lol: it was just one of those days.

thank God for electronic devices!!!!!

le

p.s., if you haven't entered to win some FREE FOOD, then click there and go see what's up! contest ends this saturday.