twice baked southwest sweet potatoes

 up and at it eeeearly this morning again gettin' sweaty with the stair master. i thought it was pretty cool to see my own sweat on the machine but when you really think about just how GERMY gyms are it's pretty disgusting! wiping your machine down before you use it eases your mind a little..but far from a truly effective germ blocker.  also, if you're like me you've got your phone, ipod, headphones, etc. with you that you're constantly touching in between sets. wash your hands and wipe those items down before you leave! if you use weight gloves, wash them often and don't even think about driving home in them. eeeeewwww.

i told Sonny if i start going hard with the snooze button to simply push me out of bed.  for real. 9 times outta 10 i severely regret not getting up to get my workout in.  it jump starts my mood, my productivity, my drive to accomplish some goals on my to-do list... i need my early am workouts. my day depends on them. when i skip, it's like i never wake up and really get going until the day is pretty much over. which means getting to bed is a must but sometimes difficult with these unpredictable little people.

 fighting through some soreness from all the lifting i've been doing, but it's nothing some consistency won't fix.  'starting over' physically after being quite active is always a humbling experience for me. it gives me a bit more mercy on the first timers that take my classes for sure lol.  anyhow, 8 weeks postpartum today,

and 8 weeks old for this little guy <3 .  the back of his onesie says 'focus on me'. loves it!

i was inspired to whip up this sweet potato recipe via Instagram earlier today.

Twice Baked Southwest Sweet Potatoes

the stuff:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, roasted
• 1/4 cup sweet summer corn
• 1/4 cup low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 1/4-1/2 cup shredded cheddar almond cheese
• 4 oz grilled chicken breast, chopped into chunks
• 1 heaping tbsp Mrs. Dash Southwest seasoning blend
• sea salt & black pepper to taste and avocado for presentation

do this:

1. set your oven broiler to high and coat a square 8 x 8 pan with no-stick cooking spray.
2. halve both sweet potatoes and scoop out the insides (but leave some around the edges so the halve can stand on its own) and add it to a large mixing bowl.
3. add all seasonings, corn, half of the green onions, black beans, 2 oz of chopped chicken, and half of the shredded cheese; mix well.
4. spoon mixture back into the 4 sweet potato shells evenly and sprinkle with the remaining cheese, green onion, and chicken chunks and arrange them in your prepared pan.
5. place pan in oven (not too close to the broiler flame though!) and let it go  for 12-15  min or until the cheese is melted and the tops are browned/crisped.

once done, top with tomato and avocado. make it pretty.

hey these can even be vegan if you nix the chicken!

 makes 4 servings. for 1:

 yall enjoy!

le

Grovin'

i started saturday morning with a RUN!  yep, i stepped it on up and turned my power walk into a run. after a restful night i felt the urge and had the energy to do more for my workout.  and uhhh, my legs said GO but my boobs said NO.  ouch. so it definitely became more of a jog/walk kinda thing for about an hour or so. nice, early, humid workout nonetheless.

 great support from both sports bras and regular bras is EVERYTHING when it comes to postpartum boobs.  all boobies are different but i am now back up to a D cup (k, double) after getting quite comfy and confident with my B's post bikini comp last year.  my strongest, most supportive, 'old faithful' sports bra is so old actually that i can only find it used on eBay lol. it's the Asics Athletic Seamless Racerback bra and has served me well, so i'm sticking with the Asics brand from here on out. it's like a brand new bra after every wash- it tightens back up and provides maximum support.

*****

mama and papa stepped out for a hot date saturday night!  dates are good. dates are refreshing.  dates keep things going, exciting, and refreshing. dates give you something to look forward to.  we are going on 7 years of marriage this year!  i actually had something really cool planned that fell through....but i didn't reveal it to Sonny yet cause i'm totally gonna try again.  so, we went to dinner anyway to just enjoy some kiddo-free time. and burgers.

i chose the Grove downtown, and we got a nice big cozy booth to ourselves.

repeat offender.  just one of those things Sonny has grown to 'love' about me.  even if we're at a new spot- i always play it safe and order salmon, and then we argue on how to even say salmon correctly.

excuse the disrespectful flash;  the lighting was super dim and sexy though so i needed it.  reminds me of my early IG pictures pics- i can't stand looking at them!! uuuggggghhhh.

this was a spring mix salad with radish and tomatoes.  now that i think about it, our waiter didn't ask me when kind of dressing i even wanted, so no idea there.  i was living life on the edge and didn't get my dressing on the side this time.

Sonny asked our waiter what the quickest appetizer to make was (kinda hungry, aye?) and he said the flash fried shrimp.

sweet, crunchy, and full of flavor.

a tasty bacon burger and french fry combo for hubby,

and a grilled salmon fillet paired with sautéed cauliflower, kale, and fennel for moi.

much needed!

are they twinning or what?  Dego is much more social and aware these days which means more smiles :D

Q: what's your favorite date nite with your S.O.?

Q: how often do you make time for them? weekly? monthly?

long as i'm eating good food i'm a happy camper; 2-3 times a month is ideal for us when going out. home movie/dinner/game dates are great ideas too!

le