#FitFoodieLife VLOG: Chipotle Mango Steak Tacos #TacoTuesday

you know what day it is! no, not hump day.  it's !TACO TUESDAY! and i wanted some steak this time. no chicken, no turkey, no shrimp, STEAK. so i got some on the way back from teaching my HIIT class this morning.

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but first, a carbolicious breakfast.  Sprouts Honey Whole Wheat Bread. have you tried this toasted with pb yet? WHAT are you waiting on????

i got the protein for our tacos and restocked my liquid amino stash. thanks, Sprouts Farmer's Market! my hubby reads my blog sooooooo, this was all i bought. 

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below are some random pics i took throughout the dinner making process because i'm super crazy visual and i can't spam my IG but i can spam here :) enjoy the VLOG!

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Avocado Crema

• 2 whole avocados

• 1 - 7 oz container of 0% plain greek yogurt

• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

• 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 cup cilantro

stuff all ingredients into your high-powered blender and let it go until a super smooth consistency is achieved! approx. 1 - 2 min.

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here's a low carb option i devoured: romain lettuce in place of taco shells/tortillas, 

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or stick with tha real deal, good ol' fashioned tortillas!  these are the Organic Whole Corn Tortillas by La Tortilla Factory.  

apparently my dinner theater skills need work. 

Q: do you make up fun themes for your weekly menu? do tell!

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VLOG inside! + FAT blasting treadmill workout

i currently have no vlogging schedule....just wingin' it.  twice a week is my current goal though!  i actually wanted to take Periscope by storm but my connectivity issues just won't let me be great. sometimes i just can't get that red button to appear no matter what i do and it makes me so dang mad!!! so mad i say 'screw it' and just go on about my day. or either i'll finally get connected and it cuts off on me (usually when my wi-fi randomly cuts on).  anywaaaaay, vlogging is my new boo. i did a super quick monday VLOG (stuck to my under 15 min rule, woo hoo) and i have included the fat burning treadmill workout routine i did!  try it out and let me know what you think!  if you've got time, do it twice.

now check out our VLOG from this past monday!

here's my tank info: happy strappy 

and my pink hoodie seen in the VLOG is from Active Faith Sports. 

concerning my stroller workout: weight placement is everythang!  my stroller only weighs 26 lbs, even though it looks and felt like way more.  if i were to hold two 12 - 15 lb dumbbells with my hands to my sides and perform these exercises it would not have the same effect as lifting the weight up over my head first though.  try it and experience the difference yourself! you can use a 25 lb plate instead of a stroller, by the way. my core was seriously challenged!  3 x 15 of squats & lunges (per leg) is a great addition to any leg day routine.

Q: what is you absolute favorite cardio machine?

VLOG inside! hump day motivation + WWAW (what we ate wednesday)

it's hump daaaay! and heavy leg day. and we hit the gym (wut) together .

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sure we can be normal. for what?

why is wednesday referred to as hump day? i heard the reasoning years ago but Googled it anyway to reconfirm as i typed this post:

'Starting around 1965, Wednesday began being referred to as “hump day.” Smack dab in the middle of the traditional work week, arriving at Wednesday symbolizes that we've made it over the hump and the weekend is in sight.'

sounds about right!  not working a traditional job since the beginning of 2013 when my IT contract ended has diminished the 'monday blues' and those feelings of always wanting to speed through the week to get to friday and the weekend.  i am a WSAHM (working stay at home mom) and being here with my boys has taught me to slow the heck down and live in the now.  i look forward to every single day!  yeah, entrepreneur life is a scary, huge sacrifice (especially with young kids in the mix) but i would have never, ever gotten the chance to GROW as quickly and as much as i have these past 2 years in every. single. aspect. of the word.  each day is a new adventure over here and i am head over heels in love with this temporary journey with my boys (Dego is 9 months already yall, DANG.) now that Sonny is no longer working a traditional job either (this is now week 4) and his schedule allows him to be with me and the boys more often, we have been taking full advantage of this blessing.

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the endorphins were flowing after our workout this morning so we made quick vlog! i also included 2 clips of some of exercises we did. we focused on unilateral training (one leg at a time) for most of the exercises instead of both.  why?  sometimes when you train both arms or legs together, you can cheat by letting your dominant side do the brunt of the work.  so, working them one at a time helps you:

• create balanced growth and development in both limbs equally
• correct size asymmetries
• improve general balance
• engage smaller muscles like the abductors, gluteus medius, and quadratus lumborum in ways we can't duplicate training two legs at a time.

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here are a few things we dined on today:

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i found the Ranch Tuna Creations, woo, hoo! someone mentioned this flavor on Instagram and i had never seen it until the last time i was at Walmart. i like. i didn't add a thing and ate it straight from the packet while out and about today.

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i whipped up a snack using my Ninja Blender single serve thingy and Dego loooooves this combo! it's 1 heaping cup of all natural, unsweetened applesauce + 1/2 cup roasted beets (you can do frozen or fresh and even canned if you must) + 4 or 5 strawberries.

i could not stop eating it myself! tasted way better than those prepackaged flavored applesauces in stores. but you knew that already, right!

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for my meals 4 and 5 i had quesadillas using La Tortilla Factory light flour tortillas.  they were stuffed with spinach, onions, mushrooms, Weber Beer Can Chicken seasoned chicken breast chunks, and Lisanatti almond cheddar cheese.

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i folded them in half and cooked them on my griddle for 2-3 min on each side until the cheese started to melt and the tortilla was crispy. no avocados in the house :( but this citrus pineapple Pace Picante sauce sufficed!

now i'm going to lay down, blink, and it will be time for me to get up and go teach my Barbell Strength class. GOODNIGHT!

Q: what have you ever ended up doing (or being) that you said you never would do (or be?)

le

dairy-free deliciousness: Mexican Mess Dip

after what has seemed like 2 straight weeks of rainy, gloomy days in houston, this is my friday the 13th mood:

so our iMac's hard drive started doing weird things last week and Sonny immediately took it to the Apple store.  i have been using that 27 inch beast of a screen to blog since we got it 2 years ago and i kinda couldn't function without it this past week! seriously. blogging from anywhere else is just not the same. translation: i am terribly behind. but that ain't nothin' new.

Dego has been taking 2 naps per day and the first one usually starts at 11am without fail.  the second one is tricky though!  he'll wake up around 1ish, but then he doesn't get sleepy again til 7. one would hope that he would just sleep through the rest of the night at that point, but no, he takes another 'nap' and wakes up again at 9. so then i'm ready to hit the sack around 10 and he is WIDE. AWAKE. and wants to play. soooo i've been trying to put him down around 5ish to prevent this so we can all go to bed at the same time. not going so well yet lol.  but consistency will take care of that in the coming days. that said, i only got about 4 hours of sleep before i had to get up and teach Barbell Strength thursday morning! but i made it. my lazy selfie proves it.

one of the moms brought a layered mexican dip type dish to small group this week that i could not get off my mind! after i left, i was officially on a mission to create a dairy-free mexican dip kinda deal so i stopped by Wally World (aka walmart) to get some avocados.  gotta have avo. then i came across this new (well, new to me) Weber seasoning blend in the spice isle: Garlic Sriracha!!!!

so i made some homemade Garlic Sriracha Guac, naturally!

• 4 ripe avocados
• juice of half a large lemon
• 1 heaping tbsp Weber Garlic Sriracha seasoning blend
• 1 tsp sea salt (optional) *i actually added this by habit before i added the Weber seasoning. not sure i needed it.*

then, i got a little surprise visit from... my brother!  he is back from working overseas in Afghanistan again for a lil' bit! so i made him a homemade meal and deemed him my guinea pig for the garlic sriracha. i chopped up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and threw them into my hot wok with the seasoning...and that's it!  once the chunks were almost done, i added some red and orange mini peppers and sautéed them for about 2 min.  i paired that with steamed brown rice, the Garlic Sriracha Guac, and some shredded monterey jack cheese. he was one happy home-sick guy.

then this happened. it all came together perfectly.

Mexican Mess Dip (cold or hot)

the stuff:

• 1 cup organic vegetarian refried back beans (mine are HEB organic brand)
• 1 cup Tofutti dairy-free cream cheese spread
• 1 cup Garlic Sriracha Guac (see above)
• 1 cup chopped grape tomatoes OR your fave salsa
• 2 cups cheese diary-free cheese of choice (mozzarella, cheddar, jalapeño jack), shredded
• 1 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped

do this:

1. i made one hot (rectangle pan) and one cold (mixing bowl) dip.
2. layer away! starting from the bottom add your beans and smooth each layer flat using the back of your spoon or a spatula.
3. next, add cream cheese, then guacamole, then salsa/tomatoes, shredded cheese, olives, green onion.
4. if eating cold, you are done!  if hot (which is what we preferred) bake in the oven on 400 degrees until the cheese is melty, bout 10-15 min.
5. 

for the homemade chips, i used La Tortilla Factory low carb, high fiber light flour tortillas.  cut them into 8's, coat them with no-stick cooking spray and place them flat on a large, foiled baking pan.  bake for 5-6 minutes tops!!! they burn easily so keep an eye on them. k?

then i hit the gym for round two! taught a double yesterday, which is why i'm forcing myself to rest today. and eat more chips and dip.

an IGer pointed out that Lisanatti almond cheese is lactose free, but not dairy-free and she's exactly right.  Daiya is another popular dairy-cheese brand you could use for this dip though, which is available at Sprouts Farmer's Market and also Whole Foods Market.

Q: do you prefer hot or cold dips?

*reminderrrrr*

bootcamp is tomorroooooow!  also, prenatal classes will be available beginning in APRIL guys!! if you're interested or know a Preggo Patty who might be, send her my way. email me: le@fitfoodiele.com. even if you are unable to workout, meal plans are available as well.  here's to healthy, fit pregnancies!

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