#OneBigHappy Play Day + 50.00 Gymboree GC GIVEAWAY!

this is a sponsored post on behalf of Gymboree's #OneBigHappy campaign.  we received complimentary clothing in exchange for an honest review.  all opinions are my very own, always. 

 3 words. christmas in july! they were crazy excited when i told them this bright orange box was filled with goodies just for them.  receiving mail with my name on it as a child always made me feel so special.  even if it was junk mail, haha. is summer vacation not the perfect time for a play day?!  my boys know how important getting out from in front of the TV and going outside is to me, and well, they show me daily that they’re listening.  they are constantly asking to go 'somewhere fun' and the park is usually their number one choice.  it's definitely one of their favorite past times.  i hope staying active continues to be something they enjoy doing throughout their lives. Gymboree's activewear collection, Gymgo, is made to keep up with active kids, so they basically need to live in these clothes!  by their request, i took them to one of their favorite parks to play and sport their gear.Chiso is such an accessories type of guy. the hat, the shades; he's gotta wear it all at once to complete his look. as hot as the texas summer heat is, i don't blame him!the eye-catching, bold, bright colors stood out to me the most. matches their little rambunctious personalities perfectly!  the breathable, cool fabric is a plus as these guys sweat a ton when they play.  heck, we work up a sweat just getting in and out of the car down in texas.

Dego's,  "who's about to go run out there in this heat? not me." look. smart man.

they kicked the soccer ball around for a while but then we took a much-needed water and snack break. ice cream cookie sandwiches on deck!  err, ice cream cookie soupwiches.

that didn't stop them from sopping that ice cream up like biscuits and gravy though, LOL.don't worry Dego, you won't be the youngest for too much longer, bud :) . alright, sugar rush kicking in! time to play some more.

i could learn a thing or two from this kid when it comes to posing! i asked Chiso what he loved most about his Gymgo gear:  

"i love how soft the fabric is and how cool the colors and patterns are.  i love blue so much!!"  he also loved the "Jump, Dunk, Score" tee (pictured at the very top) as basketball is one of his favorite sports to play with his Papa right now. 

meanwhile, Dego clearly came to play, not pose.

   ok, ok, just two pics, mama, that's it! 

quality playwear that stands the test of playtime.

it's a pass from us.  with flying colors, of course ;)

-----> GIVEAWAY TIME!!! <-----

do your kiddos LOVE to play!? awesome, because you could win a 50.00 gift card to get them some of their own Gymgo Active clothing! back to school is waaay too close for comfort but this will help you prepare no doubt. one lucky reader will win, so make sure you're fully qualified to enter!  how? see the no-fuss criteria below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 you must give Gymboree a follow & Like via Instagram, and Facebook!  comment below and let me know you're done, then consider yourself qualified.  what are your favorite looks??  let me know below and good luck!

K E E P   U P   W I T H   U S !

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NASOYA (Vegan Goodies!!!) GIVEAWAY + Farfalle w/ Pesto, Kale & Garlic 'Parmesan' Crusted Tofu

 so.... after having a bad experience with tofu a few years back, i haven't touched the stuff (other than in desserts, pumpkin pie specifically) since then.  yikes!  this dish...... has rekindled my tofu flame.  i KNOW it will either ignite yours or make it burn even brighter! trust fit foodie le on this one, friends. you'll need your food processor for sure; here's the affordable, user-friendly one i rock with. homemade pesto always tastes amazing cause it's so fresh!   clearly i've been missing out.   i used Barilla High Protein Farfalle and i chose Nasoya's Organic Extra Firm Tofu Plus which has been fortified with vitamins B2, B6, B12, D, and Calcium.  it's spectacular for peeps on a no/low meat diet.

a few more key FAQs:

• non-GMO project verified

• USDA organic

• good source of protein

• cholesterol free food

• low in saturated fat

• gluten-free

• no preservatives

that moment... before i combined the powers that be.  i snapped a little bit of the cooking process of this dish; did you catch it!? add me (fitfoodiele)  and let me know what your snap chat is so i can follow your story too!  i have truly enjoyed commenting and connecting on there. holy cannoli.  i mean, i was blown away and impressed after one forkful.  i don't care what anybody says- vegans eat DARN GOOD.  you can find the recipe for this vegan masterpiece right here on Nasoya's website!  i have been encouraged to add more tofu to our weekly menu and give more vegan recipes a chance whirl.  eating healthy does NOT meal sacrificing flavor; this recipe proves that to be true!  TofuPlus not only reduces fat and cholesterol levels (when substituted with meat of course) but it will make both your body and your taste buds happy indeed.look at this guy!  i could not keep him away from this stuff during shooting.  he was eating the tofu chunks too! now.. where is my nail clipper? sheesh i know why you're here. lol! time to find two winners! YOU both can have any of the Nasoya items up there on that coupon for FREE-NINTEY NINE should you win!  then you can go make any of the healthy dishes i've featured previously using Nasoya's products like: how do you enter?

follow me, follow nasoya, and tag two vegan recipe loving friends on IG in the comments of the post to be entered.

das it!  minimal hoops to jump through, right? that's how i do eeeeet. i'll pick a random winner 1st thing monday morning, march 14th.

good luck! 

K E E P   U P   W I T H   U S !

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, PINTEREST, AND SNAP CHAT (FITFOODIELE).

SALATA 50.00 GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!!!!!

GIVEAWAY TIIIIME! with the long, sugary, indulgent, holiday road ahead of us this gift card will be your saving grace!  november and december are typically the months where we tend to eat really heavy meals.  halloween actually gets that snowball rolling and it just keeps on growing...if you let it!  thankfully, Salata is filled with healthy options to help keep you on track with your nutrition throughout the holiday season.  if you're looking for a healthy, super quick lunch break or dinner option, you are in luck and in the right place.

 i would love to gift one of my supporters with a 50.00 gift card!!! so that's just what i'm gonna do!  i'm hosting this giveaway via here and Instagram, so you can enter via both places by answering this question:

Q: how do you plan to stay on track with your nutrition during the holidays?! 

BROWNIE POINTS: if you tag two friends on Instagram, that will double your chances of winning, FYI!

we had dinner at Salata tonight and it was incredibly delicious, filling, and healthy, as always.

i got 5 zillion fresh toppings along with the seafood mix (salmon, crab, shrimp) for my protein. clearly Dego was gunning for that multi-grain roll!

 i also got some chipotle ranch & fat-free mango dressing on the side.

there are SO many toppings to choose from (i know!), but below are some lighter lunch and dinner combos you could stick to during the holiday season. see, i got chu.

Antioxidant Rich:

Spinach, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Pumpkin Seeds, Red Beans, Carrots, Cucumber,  Cabbage, Salmon.  Dressing: Fresh Herb Vinaigrette.

Post-Workout Fuel:

Salata Mix, Carrots, Pineapple, Red Onion, Dried Cranberries, Almonds, Grilled Chicken.  Dressing: Honey Mustard

Salads Men Love:

Romain, Red Onion, Bell Pepper, Corn, Black Beans, Cheddar Cheese, Avocado, Bacon, Cilantro, Spicy Chipotle Chicken.  Dressing: Chipotle Ranch

---

next thing on my agenda, the 5/10k TURKEY TROT is upon us!! i've been doing this race for like the last 5 years and i'm gonna keep the tradition going! join me if you're local or have a great run in your own city if you're participating!  i just registered and the price goes UP on November 21st, fit friends.  i'll see you out there that morning to make room in our tummies for Thanksgiving goodies!!!!

now, who wants this gift card!? a random winner will be selected on the morning of 11/23! good luck, fit friends and thank you in advance for entering :)

Dego's mini 1st birthday party + Applegate Grilling Kit -- who wants one!?

you know that symbol when you see it.

it means you are in the vicinity of some healthy, organic, and all natural goodness!

thanks to Applegate we enjoyed these healthy hot dogs for Dego's first birthday lunch.  i had zero faith Chiso (the 4 yr old picky eater)  would even take a bite of anything in that box but boy did he surprise us!

my lil' helper was so excited to unpack the goodies.

what's in there? only the best of the best components needed to build a BOMB, healthy hot dog:

• Sir Kensington's all natural yellow mustard & classic ketchup
• 
• Applegate all natural, grass-fed, uncured beef hot dogs
• 
• Vermont Bread Company Potato Hot Dog Buns
• 
• napkins
• meat thermometer
• cooler
• 'you grill girl' apron
• 
• oven mit
• the cutest Apple gate buttons <3

it rained cats & dogs outside that afternoon so my grill pan was perfect.

yeah.... i don't think i'll ever be boiling our hot dogs in water ever again.  soooo much more flava this way.

stats per dog: 70 cals, 6g fat, 6g protein, 330mg sodium

ingredients: beef, water, and less than 2% of sea salt, paprika, dehydrated onion, spices (black pepper, coriander, mace, nutmeg), nutmeg oil, and celery powder. all recognizable stuff, right!

do you toast your buns? YOU GOTTA TOAST YOUR BUNS. spending just a little extra time on the minor details really makes an ordinary meal extraordinary!  i added a little Earth Balance Buttery Spread before toasting.

per Chiso's request, we had an indoor picnic in the middle of the living room floor.

i walked out to the front porch to snag some thunderstorm lighting before we started though.

 

2% colby jack cheese, green onions, mustard, ketchup went on top of my dog!

so, Chiso ate 2 dogs all by himself! it's like pulling teeth to get him to taste ANYTHING new... so this was big.

next, CAKE!  on the way home from the gym that morning i stopped by Whole Foods Market to pick up a mini cake for Dego and ended up with two! did Dego like it? check out our birthday song video below and see ;)

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happy 1st birthday, big boy! this day was Dego's actual birthday, but we had another small, family party that following saturday. so, who wants their very own Applegate grilling kit while the summer is in full swing!?

COMMENT & SHARE this post below and enter the drawing by answering the following question:

Q: WHERE is/was your dream family vacation?

i'll be picking a random winner this friday, July 10th. go!

le

light, fluffy, healthy Sweet Potato Oat Bran Pancakes + Headband Giveaway!

       halfway to friday, guys!!!  Chiso (the 4 yr old) requested pancakes for dinner last night, so i added some roasted sweet potato into my usual recipe and BAM. these were so tasty we devoured another stack his morning for breakfast!  you do need a high powered blender for this recipe for optimal cake fluffiness, fyi. 

Sweet Potato Oat Bran Pancakes

the stuff:

• 3/4 cup dry oat bran
• 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla cashew milk
• 2 egg whites (from real eggs, not the carton)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup roasted, soft sweet potato
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 packets granulated stevia (optional)
• dash sea salt

do this: 

1. set griddle to high and coat with no stick cooking spray
2. add egg whites into high powered blender and 'whip' them for about 30-45 seconds until super fluffy (we received a Ninja Blender from our dear friend Diamond this past Christmas and i have been using it every single week since then!)
3. 
4. add in everything else!
5. blend oh high speed for at least 1 minute until super smooth
6. let batter sit for approx. 5 minutes. oat bran is suuuuper absorbent and will need a few moments to do its thing
7. spoon batter onto griddle (make as many cakes as you'd like; the size is your call)
8. when you see bubbles start to form on the top of the cake (approx. 3 min), flip!  (ensure the color is golden brown and not pale)
9. cook an additional 2-3 min on this side
10. top with pecans and powdered sugar and your fave sugar-free syrup! we use Walden Farms.

nutritional facts for the entire stack: 363 cals, 11g fat, 71g carbs, 21g protein, 10g sugar

neeeext, i get asked about my wide headband often and i finally answered with deets on IG recently. it's a @firstlinebrands Dri Sweat Edge and boy do i wear it often. it absorbs all my awesomeness (sweat) and keeps everything beneath it nice and dry (dem edges).

they now have more color options on their website if you're cool enough to color coordinate your gym gear like that.

so, who NEEDS one!? i'm giving away a free Dri Sweat Flex (see pic above) to someone that needs help preserving their hairdo  while they get their sweat on!

how do you get in on this?

*ahem*

SHARE this post and comment below with your answer to the following question:

WHAT is your fave type of cardio and why?

no cardio hater over here!  some of my fave forms include spinning & kickboxing.

don't forget make these cakes and tag me on Insta or Tweet me a pic!

have you tried out Periscope yet!? i'm having a ton of fun with it and posting vids daily. check us out, follow (fitfoodiele), and say haaaay!

le