hiit & core + zoodle cajun lobster pasta

if ya haven't seen my HIIT & core vid from tuesday on my YouTube channel then check eeeeet:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL5lIVKrm0o&w=560&h=315]

clearly i'm going to start using the Sony cam Sonny bought me on my birthday last year- those black bars are not hot and i recently found out i can't do a thing about them since i recorded the vid vertically with my cell. oh wells. we used my Sony cam last night to film us making banana ice cream so i'll be uploading that vlog soon, bar-free. OK, on to this BANGIN' Cajun Lobster Pasta recipe i posted to IG recently! if you're staying indoors on V-Day next saturday, WOW your significant other with this incredibly tasty, healthy, savory dish.

so this was my first time EVER cooking lobster at home. using some kitchen shears, i 'parted the red sea' by cutting a center line straight down through the top of the shell, exposing the meat. then i just pried it on outta there without cutting myself. yay.

Cajun Lobster 'Pasta'

the stuff: (source)

• 1 lb lobster (you can use claw meat too), roughly chopped into bite size pieces
• 3 strips Applegate turkey bacon, chopped
• 1 red, golden, or orange bell pepper, chopped ( or a combo of all three)
• 1 cup portabella mushrooms, chopped
• 4 stalks green onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken, or seafood broth
• 3/4 cup coconut cream (canned from Sprouts Farmers Market)
• 2 tbsp Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread
• 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 tsp Cajun Spice Mix
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp lemon pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste
• fresh parsley, for garnish
• 3 large, raw, zucchini, spiralized

do this:

1. spiralize those zucchini's! i have a Spirooli (pictured below)

2. cook up bacon in skillet over medium heat until done; remove from pan

3. add butter, garlic, bell peppers, mushrooms to pan; saute for 2-3 min

4. add half your green onion mixture and cook 1 more minute

5. chop bacon and throw it into your pan along with your broth

6. add all your spices now: cajun, old bay, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper, oregano, and S & P

7. turn up the heat; once almost simmering, reduce heat and add lobster meat. cook 3-5 more minutes

8. finally, add the coconut cream and fresh zoodles, and remaining green onion

9. toss, turn, and coat the entire pot of goodies until the zoodles cook down a bit to your desired texture (maybe 2-3 minutes). sprinkle with fresh parsley.

*tip* you might need to run a knife through the zoodles once or twice to shorten them because they can get so long, you know? this will make it easier to plate the dish.

isnt' it sexy!? make this! and do that workout up there too:)

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Q: have you ever made lobster at home yourself? WHAT did you make?

le

thurtay

sup yall!

my workout buddy, Miko, celebrated her 30th birthday this past weekend! so, we made plans to attend her big dinner.  we were all (me, Sonny, the boys) in the car headed home before taking them to their designated sitter when Chiso (3) started vomitting out of nowhere! it was so random and unexpected, and also the first time he's thrown up since he was an infant. Sonny and i looked at each other in disbelief instantly.

parents.com has some of the best 'what to do if your child is sick' info i've come across.  what to NOT do if your child is sick: freak. out.

 after a warm bubble bath he said he was feeling much better... but as a mom you know your child's sick and healthy demeanors right away!  i had already missed Miko's first birthday event the night before (a skate party i really wanted to go to) so i was put between a rock and a hard place.  luckily he really was better, and we were able to go celebrate with her and speed right back home.

happy 30th birthday, Shymika!

 i'm usually the one making other people feel short but not that night!  i didn't even bother changing clothes from earlier that day since we were already super late getting there.

the food ROCKED.  i work in City Centre and see this place aaaaaall the time but had never been.  it's a churascaria (all you can eat Brazilian style meat) called Texas De Brazil and it's super similar to FoGo De Chao.  i don't like to eat a large meal late at night (past 8pm really), so i skipped all that delicious red meat they kept buzzing around us with.  i LOVE fancy, elaborate salad bars though! i circled it twice three times before calling it quits.  all plates looked identical and were filled with veggies galore and seafood. except for that prosciutto i didn't even eat!

i wrote a post about tips on conquering the buffet my very 2nd month blogging. time is FLEETING! seems like i just started this thing! anyway, there's some useful info in there that i stick by to this day.

do you like churascarias?  well done, medium rare, or medium?

le

take care + toffee chip roasted banana ice cream

<<rewind<<

to last wednesday.

missed my super early cycle class but i still made it to the gym with enough time to get it in on my own that day. i have been putting my best foot forward about hitting the gym super early every single day as opposed to only when i teach my classes.   my body just operates better in the early morning.  as the day goes on, my desire to workout decreases dramatically.  i was able to record a HIIT & abs video i will be uploading to my YouTube channel for ya asap!

i came back home and had one of those breakfasts i could eat every day: whole wheat toast, eggs, avocado, and fruit. i wonder how many pics i have of this plate on my blog already, jeez.  i fueled up so i could head right back out though; i had a hot date planned!

ok, the boys came with me.  ok, it was actually a playdate, haha.  we loaded up the truck and went to spend some time with my BM (baby mama), Marguerite.

she had this beauty, Callie, back in August '14 so Dego was in great company!

i even brought my meals with me so i could stay on track for the day: seasoned chicken breast chunks, sautéed kale, and roasted sweet potato. nothin' fancy!

transforming is fun...and needed.  since leaving the IT industry 2 years ago, i normally only 'dress up' and do something with myself for church and special occasions/events. other than that, i'm in gym clothes and sneakers.  running errands with the boys... ha. i get home from the gym, get them ready, and head right back out most days.  so, i have become accustom to looking a hot mess often.  and i'm ok with it. until i see somebody i know!!! anyway, it's fun to get girly and put more effort into my appearance.  just a little goal of mine that was set at the start of this year along with taking better care of my hair. moms often take care of everybody else and end up with a lack of time for themselves!  make no mistake though; taking time for yourself doesn't mean you must spend hours in the mirror. it means taking and making (15, 20, 30 min or so) every single day to do something for YOU, mentally, emotionally, and physically with NO GUILT. pick a few from this list:

• reading your bible, praying, and meditating. every day.
• working out...especially the sauna or steam room to clear your mind
• learn how to say no, then do it
• get a pedicure
• read a little bit of a GOOD book every day
• take a class (cooking, pottery, painting, YOGA!!!!, etc)
• a long bubble bath soak
• watch the sunrise, solo
• a quiet, daily walk
• dance without music
• sleep in
• go get some fro-yo
• lay down in the middle of the grass and look up at the sky
• a kid-less trip to the store
• schedule a monthly massage
• catch up with friends via a real phone conversation or meet for lunch
• pause, breathe, inhale, exhale, repeat.

i sure do feel better when i'm put together (hair combed, dressed, face made) and looking my best.  my top and bottoms are from H & M! i exchanged the heels for flats before i left though. comfort over style ova heeeere! things have changed.

---

my Ninja blender is the BOMB!  what a useful, blessing this Christmas gift is.  the next flavor i whipped up was Toffee Chip Roasted Banana Ice Cream but the roasting part is actually optional. tastes fantabulous either way.

 above was the soft-serve stage and i wanted to devour the entire bowl right then!!! readyyyyy?

Toffee Chip Roasted Banana Ice Cream

the stuff:

• 3 frozen bananas
• 1 cup coconut cream (i get mine canned from Sprouts Farmers Market)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup toffee pieces

do this:

1. if roasting, do this step the day before or 2-3 hours prior: place bananas in baking dish, drizzle with vanilla, bake for 40-45 min on 375 degrees.  toss them halfway through baking.  transfer bananas to a freezer safe container and freeze 2 hours minimum or overnight for best results. jump down to #3, add your coconut cream, and continue.
2. if not roasting, add frozen bananas to your Ninja along with the coconut cream and vanilla.
3. blend until smooth. it will eventually get super-duper creamy, don't worry! just keep scraping the sides down and blending.
4. dump creamy soft-serve into your bowl and add mix-ins (chocolate chips, toffee, optional nuts, etc.)
5. eat a few spoonfuls!!!!
6. stir it just a few times to incorporate the mix-ins then put it back in the freezer.
7. after 2 hours or so, it's all yours.

the sauce is melted down diary-free chocolate chips.  some walnuts would actually set this off but i didn't have any.  if you do, throw'em  in!

what does your 'me' time consist of?

pedicures and bubble baths keep me sane.

le

no beastmode + avocado crema dip

concerning the game....

WHAT?!

i'll just keep it classy and congratulate the Pats.  moving on......

being at home to raise my boys has been one of the biggest blessings in my entire life. i am so thankful.  the only time i really hear crying from Dego is when he's uncomfortable (needs to be changed, hungry, the usual). other than that, he's showing that gummy smile off and cackling at Chiso! i thought Chiso smiled a lot but Dego takes the cake in that department.  Chiso is now a threenager. even on our most difficult, trying, exhausting days, the Lord reminds me how hard i prayed and cried for these boys.  that thought alone makes whatever i'm upset or irritated about (toddler temper tantrum, spilled food, disobedience, etc.) just not that big a deal anymore.  i actually dropped a big bowl of pancake batter and it splattered EVERYWHERE recently. everywhere. the ceiling, walls waaaaay across the room, under tables... just a gigantic mess. albeit my fault, instead of getting angry i stared at the chaos on my floor and laughed (not a crazed, hysterical, witch-like laugh or anything lol) then Chiso chimed right in with me.  i cleaned it all up with a smile.

these guys constantly remind me to stop sweating and stressing the small stuff. we just don't have time. or the energy, most days.

 so before the big game started i went outside to get a 1 hour walk/jog/run thing on!  that's all i had planned to do, but i saw new fit mom Ashley Horner on IG outside doing 300 walking lunges with her 12 day old new-born strapped to her chest and that motivated THE heck outta me.  so i did 300 walking lunges too before heading back home to...

mr. P.J.!

i'm finding it harder and harder to post these kinds of pics to IG because i don't want to discourage our 6 Pack USA clients as they work towards their own fitness goals.  i do maintain my current body fat % using my own personalized plan, but i also indulge in moderation as i am able to easily compensate via my diet and/or exercise for those indulgences to keep me where i want to be. so there! yes, i had a few slices of pizza on game day and i was back on track with no guilt or worries the next day.

my brother and sister-in-law came over to watch the game with us so i made a few snacks including this one i'd love to share with ya:

Avocado Crema Dip 

the stuff: (source)

• 3 ripe avocados
• 1 - 6 oz container 0% greek yogurt
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper
• juice of 1 lemon or lime
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• cracked black pepper & sea salt to taste

do this:

1. add all ingredients to your blender or food processor
2. blend until super-duper creamy (keep scraping down the sides if using a blender)
3. get scoop happy! you can dip anything you want, but i chose plantain chips and the bell peppers.

switching to the 8oz baby bottles for parties / get-togethers was a great move.  one of my pet peeves is walking around picking up half-finished water bottles at the end of a party!!!! never again. that dip in the center of the veggie plate is just Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix + 0% greek yogurt. my mom gave me that idea but used to use sour cream. so yummy!!! it really brings veggies to life.

love this stuff!! my Sprouts Farmers Market usually has a great variety of flavors too; there are so many to choose from.  we recently tried the Cheddar Caramel Mix and gave it two thumbs way up.  if you're gonna sneak snacks into the movie theater, bring this stuff!

did you watch the big game? where?

le