let the Christmas shopping BEGIN + clean, gluten-free, dairy-free SUGAR COOKIES!

finally started a little Christmas shopping!

 for myself :lol: .  i found these guys yesterday at Hobby Lobby for half price and i can't wait to make healthy sugar cookies with Chiso.  here's a tip that you may or may not have known- you can just pull up the featured Hobby Lobby coupon right on your mobile device and show it to the cashier, no printer or hard copy needed.  i found that out while in line yesterday cause the lady in front of me did it.  i logged onto www.hobbylobby.com super fast before my turn and immediately clicked on Coupon; it was for 40% off one regular priced item. SCORE.

we might leave these out for Santa this year, try'em!

clean, dairy-free, gluten-free, vanilla and chocolate sugar cookies

the stuff:

• 1 1/2 cups almond meal / flour
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey or agave nectar
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla OR almond extract (either works)
• dash of sea salt

--->for the chocolate cookies, make 1/4th of the almond meal unsweetened cocoa powder (which leaves 1 1/4 cups almond meal left, right? right.)<---

do this:

1. mix your batter well.
2. place bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes. **i know you want to skip that step but don't!** it determines the texture of your cookies.
3. press dough out on flat surface and use cookie cutters, or roll dough into 22 balls.
4. bake for 7-9 minutes on 350 degrees or until golden brown.

makes 22 cookies! per cookie: 44 cals, 3g fat, 4g carbs, 3g sugar.

Q: :shock: Christmas shopping....... have you started!?

le

HEB meal deals + banana french toast

it's cooooooold.  Houston finally got with it and the temps have dropped.  enjoy it while it lasts.  this morning though... i did NOT wanna get up.  you hear me?   4:15am came way too quick and my bed was way too comfy.  i admire my members for just showing up to class like they always do.  THAT is true commitment and dedication if i ever saw it. cause ummmm, if i didn't have to be there today.... yeah :shock:  watching them file into the studio one by one, collect their equipment, and wait in anticipation as the clock winded down to begin class gave me the energy and inspiration i needed to give them nothing short of my absolute best!!  and that cup of coffee /green tea combo didn't hurt either.   let nothing stop you from remaining consistent and making progress. nothing. especially something as petty as the weather!

after class i did some upper body (shoulders + chest),

took a pic of my polar HR monitor :lol:

zipped up my Lululemon, 

and headed home to take more pics and make breakfast!  saturday i saw all this french toast on IG and it inspired me to make some of my own.  i had some again this morning with my egg white omelette and they hit the spot.  carbolicious.

i used sesame ezekiel sprouted grain bread and made a sliced banana sandwich first,

then, i dipped the entire thing in a mixture of:

stuffed banana french toast

the stuff:

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 3-5 drops of vanilla creme stevia
• 1 tbsp coconut crystals
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 egg whites

do this:

1. combine all ingredients into a bowl big enough for your sandwich to fit in.
2. mix them well, then dip your sandwich in on one side for 2 seconds, then flip it to the other side for 2 seconds.
3. immediately transfer it to a medium heated no stick pan and 'fry' it until brown on one side.
4. flip it and brown the other side!  plate it up however you'd like and top it with more cinnamon, walden farms pancake syrup, and fresh banana slices.  i even shot it with some 'i can't believe it's not butter' spray a few times.
5. NOM.

i like mine crispy!

@  HEB this past weekend, i took advantage of one of their popular meal deal specials.  i got the two-step gumbo and the BBQ shrimp mix for free.  yep, i had some help.

 it's not considered clean, but it's all natural, decent nutritional stats, and quite good!

stats (per 1/2 cup): 60 cals, 1.5g fat, 470 mg sodium, 9g carbs, 2g fiber, 3g sugar, 2g protein

to the gumbo mix, i added 1 cup of water, another cup of low sodium chicken broth, a bag of frozen okra, cut up two roma tomatoes, some fresh cilantro,

and even though it didn't really need it, extra seasonings!  just a few dashes of my sweet smokey chipotle paprika, black pepper, sriracha, and 2 squirts of liquid aminos.  it all came to a rolling boil, then i let it simmer for about 20 min on low so it could thicken up.

i THOUGHT i had some shrimp leftover from last week's kale tacos, but nope...all gone.   wish i had realized that before i went to the store!!  i ended up using some of the bbq tilapia that you're gonna read about in a sec.   so if you have some, you can totally add shellfish, crab, sausage, etc. because gumbo just ain't gumbo without it ;)

i added a scoop of brown rice on top and Sonny mixed it all together before he gobbled it up.

when you buy the gumbo mix, you get this free.  i got to sample this stuff on some steel head trout while in the store which is what sold me on it!  i believe the cooking demo lady used olive oil to thin it out though:(  but it was soooo good. when i got home, i took 2 tablespoons of the shrimp mix and added 1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk to make a creamy marinade for my tilapia.

stats: (per tbsp) 25 cals, 1g fat, 1g sat fat, 340 mg sodium, 3 carbs, 2 sugars

loved it!!! yes, almond milk!!

oh yeah, while i was @ the store, i came across these guys.  can you read that sign?  it says purple sweet potatoes are higher in nutritional value than the traditional sweet potato.  who knew? i didn't.  a friend of mine advised that i check out an Asian market  for these babies though cause that 2.98 a lb is a little too steep for me.  can't wait to try them!

now for my last unexpected purchase!  i've been drinking almond milk for like the past 3 years now and i have no plans to go back to dairy milk anytime soon, or ever.  but when i tell you i almost slurped down this whole box, you better believe it.

it was worth the gas and bloating :lol:

 Chiso hasn't been a fan of drinking milk solo, so i've just been using it to make his oatmeal instead of water so he can still get his vitamin D and calcium.  after i let him sample a little of this Horizon Organic Vanilla milk @ the store, to my surprise, he asked for more immediately!  actually i'm not surprised cause it's a little high in sugar (22g) and it's vanilla flavored. lol.  however, it's all natural, and still loaded with nutrients, so it went in the basket.

he tried to tear that box open after it was empty.  score!  if only he loved his veggies the same way...

le

goodies

so thankful for encouraging friends!got this in the mail today from a dear friend of mine and it was RIGHT on time.  today is low carb day :lol:  thanks, BM ;) love you, girl!

july was a BLUR. hey, august.

there are a bazillion products i cannot wait to try next month. next month...NEXT MONTH is my show!!!!  burnout is not even the word these days.  i have been trying to run outside more for my cardio cause even the smell of walking into my gym sometimes makes me sick to my stomach, sad, and a tired, defeated feeling comes over my entire body.  yes, all that happens at once!  nothing a rest day can't fix though...i'm definitely waving my white flag and in need of one.  i am still learning to listen to my body and not overdo it.  over time, i have learned to distinguish the 'crap i don't feel like going to the gym' feeling vs the 'i have absolutely no energy to lift a THING today' feeling.  there is a huge difference.  when the only thing i can take away from my workout is the fact that i can say i went, that's not good enough.  i'm doing more harm than good by forcing my workout rather than just sitting down somewhere, resting, and hitting it hard the next day.i posted this earlier today on IG- another instagrammer mentioned how her abs stay flat even after a satisfying meal and i LOVE that and couldn't agree more.  it's all from simply keeping your diet clean.  before, i'd either be a bloated mess all over or mushy in my midsection from high sodium, sugar, and additives hiding in processed and restaurant foods.  my tummy stays the same all day long- flat.

what's happening this week? finding a SUIT and themewear, that's what.  i have been googling to the high heavens on what colors pop, what shade is best for my skin, etc., aaggggggghhhhhhh!!! my posing coach, Christine, simply said 'go with your first instinct.'  simple as that. so, i will.

i visited a shop by referral from Christine, grabbed a handful of suits and tried them on.  those things are pretty darn tiny.  talk about 'barely there', my goodness!  stepping outside my box, big time.

i am such a BOY with this kind of stuff.  there is so much more to be done. hair, nails, waxing, tanning, etc,.  this is a pretty darn expensive sport.  and i didn't even mention my training yet! (workouts, meal plan, and FOOD).  i discussed with Christine the best portion of the show for me to enter seeing as how i have about 5 weeks left.  she advised me to stick with Bikini.  so, Figure will just have to wait as i don't have enough time to put on THAT much muscle.  so, if there's a next time, i'm comin for ya, Figure!!!

so i have said already how excited i am to get back in my kitchen and make and EAT up some stuff.  i see new products every day on instagram, blogs, and foodie mags,  and i went online and finally ordered a few that sparked my interest and my taste buds!  i was supposed to stop looking at these sites before my comp, i know.  anyway,  i'll pass on bargain shopping for clothes, but not food!  it really is cheaper to order some stuff online.  and there are always coupon codes, free shipping, and other deals that help.

via IG (instagram), @powercakes gave out her coupon code for saving 5 dollars on your first www.IHERB.com purchase. SWEET DEAL!  i just used mine AND got free shipping since my order was over 20 bucks.  now, if September would just get here already i'll be one happy fit foodie.  look what i got:

soups, stir-frys, and spring rolls OH MY!! these are kelp noodles.  i loooove thai crystal noodle soup and pretty much all type of soup.  and noodles.   i have so many ideas for these puppies.  and hello, 12 calories per serving! I KNOW!!  kelp noodles are raw, gluten-free, fat-free, rice-free, low in carbs & calories, full of minerals and ready to eat.  have you tried them?

been hearing SO much about this stuff.  what sold me? 'tastes like cheese'.   well we'll just have to see then, won't see.  after reading reviews, customers raved how great this stuff is sprinkled on air popped popcorn, over soups and stews, and even encrusting proteins in it.  i'll see what i can do.

so splenda's rep has gotten worse and worse over time.  it's been known to cause/increase the risk of cancer, weight gain, bloating- man too many negative things to name.  just red flags everywhere.   i actually swore off the stuff a few months ago (Sonny chunked it. all of it.), but i walked past the above pic in HEB and the mocha part sucked me right back in.  however Sonny threw it right back out.

  then i heard/read about Stevia.

zero cals, non bitter, all natural.  i bought the granules from HEB before i discovered there was a liquid form!  so, i ordered some.

vanilla,

and

chocolate!

no sugar alcohols, bitter after-taste, and calorie free. stay tuuuuuuuned.

3 more things- look, i had a lot to say today.

1.) when i visit food blogs, i look for specific things. fantastic, enticing pics draw me in first and foremost, but what i always end up looking for and totally appreciate is nutritional stats!! people can say they don't count calories all day long...but come on..you have to have SOME kinda ball park figure to make sure you're staying on track, clean diet or not.  SO, one thing i plan to execute after this show is including the nutritional stats to my recipes.  sure, there are a crapload of web apps these days that you can just type the ingredients into yourself, but i dont want you to have to work so hard when you come visit me!

2.) although i have no plans to ever fully commit to a 100% paleo, vegan, vegetarian, or even clean diet (only 85% and i meant that), i can't get enough of their deserts!  there are sooooo many ways you can 'indulge' and satisfy your sweet tooth without eating the full fat and calorie laden stuff.  i am on a mission to create cleaner deserts as well as incorporate more natural, raw ingredients.  working on cleaner pies, cakes, cookies, muffins, breads, and pudding recipes all day every day.

3.) i'd tell ya what i'm having for dinner but you already know. :roll: just got through putting some of my meals together for tomorrow .

i'll tell you anyway.  marinated sirloin steak, french cut green beans, and brown rice.  after i nuke one, i add low sodium worcestershire sauce or my mustard, and some fresh cilantro.  yum!!

 Chiso is keeping busy in the midst of all this madness.

happy friday in advance!  nite.

le

grrrrrrrrrr

that's my stomach rumbling!!!! super hungry after this morning's workout.  i had a filling, oatmeal protein shake for b-fast with my egg whites. recipe? but of course:

van-ban oat shake

the stuff:

• 1 frozen banana

• 1 tsp sugar-free chocolate pudding (for flavor and texture, don't really need it if ya don't want it)

• 1/4 - 1/2 cup oats - you might want to soak them for a few minutes in the almond milk if tasting some of the oat bits (kinda like pulp in orange juice) bothers you.  i liked the texture of my smoothie just fine though. (just boosting my blender's self-esteem)

• 1 cup almond milk

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

• 4-5 ice cubes

do this:

blend.

 slurp.

got it? were you really paying attention?  the blender was empty by the way, tee hee.

anyway, that went well with my egg whites, cheese, and salsa. and yes, that's a cool whip tub. i have so many of them i've started to use them for tupperware. O_0

le