Susan G. Komen Pink & Treat 5k #boohoo

 

waaaaaaaaaah! i was looking SO forward to running in the Komen Pink and Treat 5k this past weekend but the rain and flooding in and around the houston area saturday morning said, 'HA. no.'  safety first, i know.

nevertheless,

BOOM!

we made eeeeet! because of the selfless donations from my friends and family, we were able to reach our fundraising goal of 150.00 in just a few days!!! i am honored to be able to gift another woman with a mammogram so that she can stay abreast of what's going on in her body, pun intended!  i could not have done this without the help of these wonderful people:

Christina Lyons

Shanna

Carlena Harris

Michelle Atanu

Nathan Atanu

Ijeoma Ikechi

thank you, thank you, thank you.

i was so ready, yall!!  had all my stuff out the night before like i usually do before a race.  Sonny found my Polar watch a few days ago (YAY) in a corner of our bedroom that Dego likes to play in. can't believe we didn't look over there sooner. it had been missing for like 2 months.

16 month update: *waving* hellooooo separation anxiety! actually i'm waving goodbye cause it seems to be on its way out these days. hopefully.  he knows when i leave a room, enter a room, come home, etc, etc, and let's whomever is watch him know mommy is in the building. temper tantrums are beginning to come on out, and teething is on/off which makes him extremely clingy. when i take something from his little hand he isn't supposed to have, he drops to the floor and screams his little face off for a few minutes! hmph. Chiso prepped me real good for that though, so i've been expecting it.  we have awesome days, and we have those tough, draining, restless days but hey, it's all apart of this motherhood deal!

 '(24/7). once you sign on to be a mother, that's the only shift they offer.'

                                             -Jody Picoult

 when i look over at him sleeping innocently in the most adorable pose in the universe....my heart immediately turns to complete mush. bananas. mashed potatoes. green peas. applesauce. mush. my spirit is renewed, my heart is softened, and my attitude is adjusted. thank God for His grace and new mercies every single day.

i had to cancel my postpartum clients, my preggo fitness class, and i couldn't even go do my own thing and run out side. rain, rain, RAIN. everywhere. sooo i did something i haven't done on saturday morning in years.  i got right back in the bed with my boys and we all slept till noon!  we were extra hoongry when we woke up though so i made pancakes.

i carmelized some bananas on my griddle and served them with Carey's sugar-free syrup, So Delicious #dairyfree Coco Whip, and some roasted, unsalted walnuts.

---

on halloween night, we headed over to my sis-in-laws to let the kids play, hang out, and eat a ton of pizza! i waited so last-minute to make a dish so i needed something crazy quick. this was the first easy, pinterest recipe i could find- 'dirt cake' w/ worms!  this recipe is older than dirt but it was fun and just what i needed.

i combined an Immaculate Baking Company Scratch Chocolate Cake + 1 can of pure pumpkin and baked it as normal.  cooking times vary so keep an eye on your cake(s)!  using the pumpkin instead of the oil and eggs cuts down on the fat & calories, and adds a ton of fiber and moisture.  also, you can totally use brownies instead! let it cool then crumble it all up. that part was so fun!

portion out some single serving cups and spoon a heaping serving of cake crumbles in the bottom.  use your creativity here! some people add chocolate pudding, cream cheese, cool whip, etc... i melted some semi-sweet chocolate and mixed it with lite cool whip.  i spooned some over the cake and added mini chocolate chips and a sour gummy worm.

i topped that with more cake crumbles and another gummy worm. that's it! so many options to play with here though!  hope you had a fun, safe, halloween, fit friends!

Q: WHAT were you for halloween this year!?

#laterpost #flashbackfriday

i'm going through a period in my life where i'm letting go of something good to make room for something a billion times better.  why is that so dang hard though?  always easier said than done in my world. accepting change doesn't have to feel like pulling teeth, but i tend to take it to that level a lot every now and then.

i stick to my 6 Pack USA workout plan for the majority of my workouts but sometimes i just go in and wing it.

today's sweaty randomness: back, light triceps, cardio

• machine shoulder press 4 x 10
• lat pull downs 4 x 10
• machine tricep pushdowns 4 x 10
• hammer strength pull downs 4 x 10
• seated rows 4 x 10
• deadlift / overhead press combo w/ 45 lb bar 3 x 10
• steady-state, fat burning cardio on the elliptical 30 min

before that though, i met with the ladies of Style to Envy for breakfast at La Madeleine and did my best to resist all their crazy delicious savory and sweet pastries.  i met Val and Nikki at the Blog Elevated Conference this past Sept. and we discussed a few collaboration ideas for 2014! looking forward to that.

Chiso worked up an appetite playing hard and requested pizza for lunch. soooo, since were in the vicinity, we chowed down on some Ruggles Green gluten-free cuisine.

i had the Atlantic salmon salad with all the trimmings.  i actually forgot to ask for the dressing on the side this time and was too hungry to wait for a re-do.

what a Hammy Mc Hamster! Chiso got his pizza fix and i finished what he left which was only one dang slice! and i have no idea where he got 'eat everything but the crust' from. he certainly didn't learn that from Sonny or i cause we eat the whole thing. so yeah, i finished all his leftover crusts too. that dough is AMAZING.

*********************

 here is a lighter, low sugar pumpkin cake recipe i made a few days ago i'd like to share before Turkey Day:

yummy pumpkin cake

the stuff:

• 1 cup Stevia for Baking
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 can pure pumpkin
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk

do this:

1. mix wet with wet, dry with dry, then incorporate together. do not over mix!
2. divide batter evenly between two 8 in round pans
3. bake for 28-30 min on 350 or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
4. let the cakes cool then pop them out of the pans
5. top however you'd like! i used vanilla butter cream and the very last few pecans in the bag (i hope that explains the debris on the plate)  this time, but next time i'll keep it super light and use sugar-free/fat-free cool whip. there are actually a few vegan coconut cream frosting recipes i've been seeing around.  that's a great option too!

makes 12 slices (for 1, no topping): 137 cals, 6g fat, 18g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g sugar, 3 g protein

hope you had a fantastic weekend. it's COLD in Houston these days, brrrrrr.

t-4 days yall!!

le

lean turkey pumpkin black bean chili + sweet golden conebread

conebread. today is spell-it-like-you-say-it-day.

aaaah yeeeeez.... it's finally chili and cornbread weather in Houston!

if you're like me, then you prolly already have multiple cans of pure pumpkin in your pantry in prep for next month. whoa.  way too many p's in one sentence.  pop one of those babies open and make this chili while we count down the days until TG.

lean turkey pumpkin black bean chili (adapted from here)

the stuff:

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 small yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 can Low Sodium Black Beans
• 4 tbsp Liquid Aminos
• 1 can Libby's pure pumpkin
• 1 can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup sweet corn
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
•  1 tsp sriracha chili sauce
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup baby portabella mushrooms, chopped

do this:

1. spray your large pan with no-stick cooking spray and set it to medium - high heat.
2. add onion, bell pepper, & garlic, 1 tbsp of the cilantro, and cook while stirring frequently until translucent; about 4-5 minutes.
3. add ground turkey (or chicken, or beef) and cook until browned.
4. add tomatoes, pumpkin, mushrooms, chicken broth, sweet corn, sriracha, chili powder, cumin, garlic & onion powder, liquid aminos, rest of the cilantro and pepper and bring to a boil.
5. reduce heat to medium low and add beans.
6. cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 more minutes so those flavors can work their magic.

 my recipe made 8 cups with a little extra left over.  so for 1 heaping cup of chili:

and because you can't eat one without the other,

sweet golden cornbread: (adapted from here)

• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Stone Ground Yellow Corn Meal
• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill 100& Stone Ground Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp Stevia for baking
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tbsp Earth Balance Whipped Organic Buttery Spread, slightly melted
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh or frozen sweet corn

do this:

1. preheat oven to  425°
2. sift together dry ingredients into a bowl.
3. add egg, milk, butter, corn, and oil.
4. beat until smooth; do not overbeat.
5. spray your pan with no-stick cooking spray (or add some melted buttery spread to the bottom of the pan and pour your batter into it for those buttery, crackalicious, crispy edges!!! thanks mom :)
6. bake for 20-23 minutes.

i put my batter in a 9 in round pan and cut it into 8 slices.  stats for 1 slice:

uuuugggghhh, is it November yet!?!?!? all i wanted to do was clock in and teach my class this morning :shock:

Halloween has just never been my thing.  this is a picture, AND the thing is fake, and it's still giving me chills.  blood, gore, guts, horror movies - no thank you!

Q: what is your least favorite holiday?

le

triple f

family, food, and fun.

 that sums up the holidays for me.  my annual company Christmas party went down last weekend at my boss's home.

he and his wife ALWAYS throw down, always. i didn't even get a pic of the buffet table:( but just know that i made 4 trips to it.  these snacks and desserts were on the kitchen island.

homemade chocolate and vanilla cake balls :shock:  so rich and decadent.

posin' by the tree with Sonny.

my lovely homie & co-worker, Monica, makes THE best vegan pumpkin pie i have ever tasted and i'll love her forever for sharing the recipe!  you should make it for Christmas- i know i am.  thank you, Monicaaaaa

Monica's Vegan Pumpkin Pie

the stuff:

• 10 oz silken tofu
• 1 can pure pumpkin
• 3/4 cup maple sugar*
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

do this:

MIX! then pour into your pie pan and cook for 45-50 min on 350 deg. keep an eye on it as cooking times and temps vary per oven. you can even go crustless with this- it's up to you.  and no, nobody will EVER know there's tofu in there long as you zip your lips :shock:

for 1/8 slice:

gotta love those stats!  i added a layer of cool whip and crumbled a few sheets of graham cracker on top after the pie was done. did NOT miss the crust one bit.  i'll take pics when i make it again for Christmas.

*tip per Monica: you can switch our your sweeteners and do granulated stevia, honey, agave nectar, etc...you choose your favorite one.  just convert your amounts and adjust your nutritional stats accordingly.

this man clearly took advantage of his off-season diet :lol:

fast forward.  who had a Chiso-less date night recently? we diiiiiiid!  i had seen this mexican restaurant countless times and finally paid Diego's Cantina a visit.  why does my hand look SO BIG?

they seated us by this big bay window and even though it was night time, the view of the lake behind us was excellent.  just across the water was the hospital where Chiso was born.  we just can't escape him. LOL.

as if we hadn't already eaten like 3 baskets of chips and salsa, Sonny ordered nachos for our appetizer :roll:

nachos mayas: crisp corn tortillas topped with refried black beans, creamy lump crabmeat, mozzarella, jalapeños, served with guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. mucho points for presentation!  yummy? YES.

Sonny got the lamb chops:  grilled marinated lamb rib chops with queso oaxaca topped with tomato and chili guajillo sauce served with nopales, onions and grilled corn.

and i got the mahi mahi.  when the waitress came over to check on us, she gave my plate a puzzled look and said 'wow, it looks so different without the sauce!'  i'm guessing it's normally submerged in it *shrugs*.  anyway, the sauce tasted like lime garlic butter and was fantastic.  however, i want to be in control of how much goes on my plate, please and thank you!  per the menu: grilled mahi filet marinated in garlic and butter on a bed of grilled vegetables and sautéed spinach, served with a pineapple papaya avocado pico-de-gallo with wine butter sauce drizzled on top.

mine came with a side, so i got the sweet potato mash.  they added raisins to  it which was new to me.  a good new. then we ended the night at our fro-yo spot....it's only right.

my usual sugar-free vanilla and chocolate fro yo with sprinkles, chocolate chips, and whipped cream.

what, more sweets? yep! our last date of the weekend was @ Brios for  my cousin Kandice's birthday dinner. Sprinkles cupcakes were in the building. yesssssssssssssssss.

cupcakes make me dance too :lol: HAPPY BIRTHDAY my love!

red. velvet.

family foto of the evening with my boys.

gumbo and bbq tilapia recipes are headed your way!  nite.

le

dark chocolate pumpkin spice fudge brownies

crazy good 5:30 am workout this fine tuesday morning!  got through 1 hour of Total Conditioning,  a Lifetime Athletic signature formatted class.  almost 700 cals burned!  i set aside some time every monday to sit down and write out exercises for my class.  i have always sucked at making up stuff on the spot- that never goes great for me.  like i could never be given a mic and asked to 'say a few words' at an event... omg.  i'd totally pee on myself.  however if  i'm to speak about health, fitness, or FOOD, i'd be straight!!

i'm no longer unbeweavable.  i know sew-ins are supposed to last way longer than one month lol, but that's all i could take.  i definitely sweat out my perm this morning and i'll be smelling it for the next few days.   aaaaand so will anybody on the elliptical to the left and right of me :lol:

after  my class, i did a quick upper body circuit cause i didn't get to finish my workout from last night. i did:

bench press 4 x 10

machine curls 4 x 12

machine tricep extensions 4 x 12

machine pull ups 4 x 10

pushups 4 x 10

cable flyes 3  x 12

with moderate - heavy weight.   didn't do abs cause i do them at the end of my class.

breakfast was my banana-cinnamon oats and spinach egg white omelette as usual. dinner last night though.....

i was imagining making and eating this while on the elliptical, not even kidding.  could not get home fast enough.

grilled chicken BBQ pizza.

i used mc. cormick BBQ seasoned grilled chicken, Trader Joe's organic pizza sauce, roma tomatoes, shredded rice cheese, and fresh cilantro on an oatmeal/egg white pizza crust.  i made two out of one serving and killed them both immediately.

are you stocked up on canned pumpkin through the winter? lol.  i have way too many cans of it in my pantry right now.  i bought so many at once though cause there was a shortage last year.  i use canned pumpkin all year round though, and pumpkin pie is my fave next to key lime.   pure pumpkin is low-fat, low sugar, low carb, and has plenty of fiber.  great for sweet and savory dishes, just like sweet potatoes.

i cannot wait until Chiso can participate more with me in the kitchen!  i have so many fun cooking projects planned.  for now, he's my studio audience and listens to all my cooking demos.  yeah right, he only sticks around if i give him snacks.

my little hamburglar munching on strawberry magic pop, his fave. this week.

Sonny requested brownies, so i made some with canned pumpkin. who the heck knows who created this recipe first, but i got it from Hungry Girl a couple years back.  it's just 1 can pure pumpkin mixed with 1 box of  brownie mix.  no oil, eggs, or butter.  i added a few thangs though.

dark chocolate pumpkin spice fudge brownies

the stuff:

• 1 box fudge brownies (your fave brand)
• 1 can Libby's pure pumpkin
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

i cut 15 servings outta my loaves.

do this:

set oven to 350 and mix everything together in a big bowl until smooth.  no lumps or dry spots.  cooking times vary..but since the batter is thicker than normal, take it out after baking it for the required time according to the kind of pan you use and do the toothpick test.

 

 hey, the stats are still waaaay lower than the normal box recipe.

made two loaves instead of using a rectangle or square pan- one with chocolate chips, and one without. which was stupid cause all our visitors ate the one with chips.

and that's why!  i microwaved a piece for a few seconds until the chocolate melted a little, then topped it with some vegan whipped topping (found at HEB in the vegan/produce department).

YUM-MAY.

what are you gonna be for Halloween this year?

le