from the buffet with love

i am far from a girlie girl.....but i convinced myself to jump on the cornball bandwagon on v-day and make some heart-shaped strawberry banana pancakes.

topped with fat-free sugar-free cool whip and pink sprinkles.  it was, dare i say, kinda fun :shock:

in the middle of getting Sonny's meals together for day before he headed out, he snuck this guy on the counter while my back was turned.  stunned?  not even the word!  my HP died like 2 years ago and i have really needed that thing since i started blogging last year.  also, i wrote down my dream of becoming a well-known blogger just the day before cause Beyonce instructed her followers to do so on Instagram. lol.  coincidence? not at all.

 God will grant us the desires of our hearts on HIS terms and HIS time.  He promised!  be encouraged and know that He will take your hand and walk with you on your journey, and put the things and people you need in line to help you get there! i knew from the jump it would take a TON of commitment and time to establish this blog.  anything worth having is worth fighting for and i'm ready and willing to grind it out!

leading up to v-day, there was something that had been on my mind all week and i couldn't shake it.  i was asked to sub a class format that i had never taught before.  while i have used the 'sorry i don't teach that' excuse for a while now...i couldn't bring myself to pull that card this time. unless it's like cycling  or something..i shooole don't teach that, WHEW! LOL.  i forced myself to accept the challenge right then, but immediately afterwards, doubt, negative thoughts, and nervousness darn near CONSUMED me.

would the members not like my teaching style since i'm not the regular instructor?  would i mess up and forget some of my routine? would the members walk out? aaaaggghhh! SHUT UP!   i mean really!!!   i've been doing this for over 5 years now and can sit down and make up a routine within minutes.  what was i scared of?  the fear of the UNKNOWN.  i couldn't answer any of those questions and it was not my job to do so. my job was to be on my game and prepared to do my BEST.  control what you can and don't worry about the rest!  my faith was really tested, and through nerves and all, i wanted to teach this class to prove to myself that i could do it.

darn right it does.  it's how we GROW.  i put that mic on, took a deep breath, said my 60 billionth prayer, and let it go.  before i knew it, time had flown by, and class was fun as CRAP! i got positive reviews from the members and guess what? it's over and I LIVED.  'fear only becomes powerful when we give it power.' stop doubting yourself and your abilities when you know darn well what you are capable of.  usually when someone asks something of you, they already expect and believe you can do whatever it is...so prove them right!

Sonny and i headed to a late, intimate v-day dinner at a churrascaria type restaurant in the museum district.  i tried to take it easy and just hit the salad bar HARD.  when i have to teach a class the following morning, i don't like to go to bed feeling too full, cause i wake up feeling the same way sometimes and it's harder to get going.  also, my appetite takes a hike when i'm nervous about something.  does that happen to you?

plate #1- red and orange roasted red peppers, grilled egg-plant, smoked salmon, artichokes, grilled zucchini, roasted beets, carrots, and swiss cheese.

2nd plate- the only new things were the crab salad on the left, and the pearl couscous salad at the top. everything was fresh and delish!

my hubs, on the other hand, had no class to teach the next morning nor did he hold back. his competition diet will be starting soon and he went ALL OUT  that night, lol!

before,

after.  no wait,  he was just taking a break and went two more rounds after this. no kidding.

see?

when the meat men came around (look i don't remember what they were called) i stuck with 1 nice sized bacon wrapped chicken breast fillet.  oooh bacon can flavor SO WELL!

full, happy, and Chiso-less for the evening;)

 as we start this new week, remember ^THAT^!!

le

sb sunday

i started my super bowl sunday out with a beast of a workout!  why was it such a beast?  well, my bro-in-law, Brian, strolled into the gym and took the last 30 minutes of my total conditioning class with me, and he made me do 30 minutes of his workout afterwards in return, whew.  s/n- it's always a great thing to see familiar faces in my class!!! when i first started teaching, i used to get ridiculously nervous if someone i knew told me they were coming.  even having my own husband there used to frighten me!  i just didn't want to get so nervous and mess up.... unconfident much?

 but you know what i learned? nobody even know's i've 'messed up' unless i SAY something.  i actually used to apologize on the mic to everyone in the middle of the routine!  i have grown tremendously over the years through practice and experience and did NOT give up.  even now, i have brain farts often  but it's usually because i get so pumped and start to run around the room motivating members that i forget what i was about to do next in my routine!!

quitting is NOT an option though- do. not. give. up.  if you're committed to something you truly LOVE,  your passion for it won't let you.  it's worth all the time, energy, and effort you put into it.

we did a kettle bell and box circuit.

when i saw him go get those stupid boxes i knew it was about to be ON. #crotchsweat

that's my grimace face...not a smile.

i post pics of my Polar watch after my workout on Instagram sometimes and i get questions like, 'wow, what'd you do to burn all that??' or 'how much of those cals were from ____?'

truth be told, it's different every work out, of course.  i try to get in and out in under 90- minutes, but it also depends on what i'm workin that day.  here's the approximate breakdown for this particular day though:

200 cals - 15 min fat burning warmup on the elliptical while waiting to begin my class

750+ cals - 1 full hour of Total Body Conditioning (cardio + weights, HIIT)

350 cals - 20 minutes of kb's and boxes with my bro

i go over 1k maybe twice a week at the most.

working out with Brian = soreness in places i forgot about. never a dull moment with him, EVER.

hope you guys enjoyed watching the big game on Sunday, whatever you did! we had a little last-minute viewing party at our home and i told myself i wouldn't stress this year and to make it a SB potluck party!  i only made four things:

1. chunky grilled shrimp dip

grilled chunky shrimp dip

the stuff:

• 1 lb EZ peel shrimp, any size
• 1 avocado, chopped
• half of 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• half of 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp fresh, chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped

do this:

cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto the thawed shrimp and add 1 tbsp of liquid aminos.  season with your choice of no-low sodium seasoning, and let it sit for 30 minutes minimum.  whip out your grill pan and grill them up on high heat. remember they cook extremely fast...no more than 3 min on each side.  plate them, cover with foil, and let them sit tight for about 5 minutes.  chop up everything else if you haven't yet and throw it in a bowl: cilantro, bell peppers, red onion, avocado, and finally your shrimp.  bite size pieces perfect for scooping with chips is best.  add the last tbsp of aminos, squeeze the other half of the lemon over your mixture, and sprinkle with the cracked pepper.  let this chill in the fridge for at least an hour. then, scoop away.  fresh, easy, quick, mmm hmm, all that!

2. tidy turkey janes

waaaaait a minute....i said i was saving this recipe for my Fit Foodie Le  fit e-cookbook, remember!?!? uh oh, i think i only disclosed that info on IG and hadn't mention it on my blog yet. well, SURPRISE!!!! :shock:

the meat sauce is aaaaaalll clean, but you can always switch out the rolls and use whole wheat/grain for sure.  e-book is still in the works! will hop right back working on it after i finish this post. it'll be worth the wait;)

3. homemade, clean guacamole

i did everything 'to taste' with this guac recipe! forgive me! here is everything i used though:

ffl's homemade guac:

the stuff:

• 8 ripe avocados
• 2-3 roma tomatoes
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• coconut aminos
• half of 1 medium yellow onion
• fresh cracked black pepper
• sweet, smokey chipotle paprika
• juice of half of 1 lemon
• fresh chopped cilantro

do this:

you can throw ALL this into your food processor/blender and whip it into a smooth, creamy avocado mousse like texture, or chop everything finely by hand and keep it chunky.  here's a tip though- make sure the tomatoes are somewhat dry, cause they can make the dip runny.  taste and season accordingly from there!

4. savory & sweet rotisseri chicken bites

ok....i did not get to go to Sam's and get some rotisserie chicken, but i DID have some leg quarters in my freezer already. so i totally switched this recipe up this year.  i roasted them on 350 for about an hour or so, then shredded them after they were cool.  dark meat just doesn't shred as easily as white meat, but i did my best to make it work.  and i didn't use flour this time.  the clean version is right beside each ingredient in parenthesis for ya, as promised!

savory sweet rotisserie chicken bites w/ pb toast crunch coating

the stuff:

• 4 cups shredded chicken (white, breast meat)
• 1 bunch chopped green onion
• 4 oz garlic and herb goat cheese (4 oz fat free cream cheese)
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar (1 cup low fat or 2% cheddar)
• 1/2 cup sriracha hot sauce
• 2-3 tsp black pepper
• coating - 3 cups crushed peanut butter toast crunch cereal (3 cups peanut butter puffins or fiber one cereal)
• 4 scrambled raw eggs (5 egg whites)
• 2 tbsp tony chacheres cajun seasoning (salt-free tony chacheres)
• 2 cups flour (whole wheat flour) OPTIONAL!

do this:

turn oven on 350.  after  the chicken has been shredded finely, add the cream cheese, hot sauce, shredded cheese, green onion, seasonings, and  form individual balls (1-2 in in diameter) with your hands.  get two separate bowls and put the eggs in one, crushed cereal in one, and the flour in another.  use one hand to roll the chicken ball into the flour first (optional), then the egg wash,  and finally the dry cereal mix until it is covered completely.  place the balls on your baking pan, and cook them for about  15-20 min or until brown and crispy.  makes about 30+ balls, depending on the size you rolled'em!

yes, more goat cheeeeese! i found this one right next to the honey goat cheese @ HEB. it worked GREAT in the chicken bites recipe! so much flavor.

alright, here's some of the spread!

these snacks made the Beyonce concert, i mean, the game much more enjoyable. a family member of ours brought wangs, YUM! you can't watch football without'em.  hot, galic and parmesan, and my fave, honey bbq.

friends also brought several bags of chips, like these multigrain Tostitos i adore,  among other things! we were so grateful for every contribution thank you MUCHO, friends and fam! and lastly, there is NOTHING thing clean about these babies! i just used an ordinary vanilla boxed cake and made mini and reg size cup cakes topped with vanilla icing and sliced strawberries.  they went FAST.

alright, those were our game day treats!

now, what did you make? was it 'clean' or 'dirty'?

le

take it in stride

decisions, decisions.  this year has already started out with way more than i ever thought i could handle.  the major issue being my career!  I've been in the IT industry since i graduated 8 (WOW :shock:) years ago.  i'm an IT contractor, but let's just say i'm on an extended holiday vacation right now lol.  which means...... i get to spend more time in my sanctuary (my kitchen!!!!!) creating new recipes galore, playing, teaching, & showing my little big boy new things, sprucing up my wifely duties big time, and finally, putting maximum effort towards the multiple personal projects God has dropped on my heart. finding balance is hard as crap sometimes! however, i find so much comfort in the fact that He not only tells us what He wants us to do, but He makes a way for it to be done.

 HELLO!  He won't leave you hanging and clueless....  but if you don't move, He can't work.   remember, 'ALL things work together for the good of those that love Him!'

you've only got ONE.  He has given me this precious time, and i'm going to ENJOY and cherish this blessing.

now let's talk about food.

i finally got that red velvet pancake recipe up, and i made my little guy a mini stack of them yesterday for breakfast.

i can't even begin to tell you how gratifying it is to see him stuff his face with VEGGIES!  cause he still hates them.  anything green goes on the floor.  good thing beets are UBER good for us!  they are low-calorie, no fat, high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and help fight various types of cancer.  i'll certainly be making some type of spinach cakes next lol.  i'm gonna get them into his diet however i can.

this photo was pre-walden farms syrup...they look so dry!! but i promise you they are moist and fluffy on the inside. Chiso doesn't appreciate my fanciness yet as he slid the whipped cream right off the top and pushed the chocolate chips around before making a pile of them in the corner of his high chair table.

Q: how do you roast your beets?

A: in a pan:)

that's it! i avoided them for the LONGEST time at the store..i mean they just look so dirty and hard to prepare.  i cut the tops off (someone told me you can save them, cook them, and eat them, but i had already tossed them in the trash) put them in a pan, and shoved them in a 450 degree oven.  in about 45 min, they were soft to the touch, and the peeling came right on off.  beets have officially been conquered!

this morning i made us some cinnamon oatmeal pancrepes.  why crepes? cause i added too much almond milk!  you can compensate by adding more dry ingredients, but i kept it as is and went for it.  i have FUN in my kitchen.  sometimes it's a great success, sometimes it sucks.  flip a coin!

since they are thinner than pancakes, my recipe made a ton.  i ate some flat, and i rolled some too. no pics of those yet though, lmbo.  i'd love to stuff them with something the next time, and i will. so sit tight.  i topped the flat ones with sugar-free cool whip, strawberry slices, and cinnamon.

so, salmon went on sale at HEB this past week and i didn't say a word.  ironically, i got so many PM's from friends letting me know about it  though LOL!!! thank you guys so much!! i'll say something next time, i promise!

red bell peppers were also on sale, so i snagged some of them too.  i made a huuuuge filet of salmon when i was prepping at the beginning of the week, and here are just a few of my meals.

honey mustard smokehouse salmon with steamed okra and red bell peppers.

the salmon was cooked at 450 degrees for 12 minutes.  i squirted it with some Bragg's liquid aminos, then seasoned it with Mc Cormick Smokehouse maple seasoning.

since i have beets at home, i wanted to make one of my fave Cheesecake Factory Salads: the beet, goat cheese, and candied pecan spring mix salad.  what a combo!  i was looking for regular old goat cheese when i came across this gem!  it's so sweet, creamy, and SOUR. the best part!  i don't really do candied nuts, so i figured the sweetness will come from the cheese, and i can keep the nuts roasted and unsalted.  i'll be making that tonight, can't wait!

last night i was browsing Instagram (fitfoodiele) and got inspiration for my final dish of the evening.  i took some scrambled egg whites with spinach, garlic powder & onion powder, incorporated some shredded salmon into it, then stuffed all that into my bell peps.  i topped them with the honey goat cheese and baked them in a 405 degree oven until the peps were tender but still crisp, and the cheese was lightly browned.

i didn't think the cheese could get any creamier or tangier...oh but it DID.  steamed okra and corn on the side!

hitting the gym today for my 2nd leg day this week and ready to get my squat ON.

a quick announcement.....

for my Houston readers, i am excited to announce that i will be instructing at 24 Hour Fitness again!!  the Katy Bella Terra Super Sport location is launching a free weekend of Les Mills, Cycle, Zumba, and recently added, Total Body Conditioning classes!  i'm ALWAYS raving about this class and how much it has improved my cardiovascular & muscular strength and endurance.  now, you can come experience it for yo self, with ME!!!!  check out the schedule and join us!

*Total Conditioning @ 11am with Leah on  Sunday, January 13th*

le

happy fit & clean 2013!

 well, it's here. the new year is underway.... i'm just happy and grateful to be here. soon as i opened my eyes today i made a Facebook status that said  'if you woke up this morning, you were SUPPOSED TO!! thank God! now, go and be YOU.' i'm excited and so ready to live His purpose for my life. it's time!

the day after Christmas, i had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed.  thanks to my driver and brother Matt for this hot photo.  what a day!  i was knocked out and didn't feel a thing, but the 3rd day was definitely the worst as the swelling was at its peak.  howeverrrr,  it's all over and done with now FOR GOOD!

6 days later i'm still healing and struggling to chew and it sucks.  i can only do so on one side for now, and i'm not supposed to eat any crackers, chips, popcorn- anything that crumbles and can get stuck in those crevices back there.  this foodie is ready to EAT.  so while my family gets to eat Papa Johns :shock:, i'm on baby food status. how i've been surviving:

oh and let's not forget i couldn't exercise! no food = no energy = no activity = boo. this entire pint of Arctic Zero came in handy.

however for breakfast, i cooked my oats as normal with vanilla creme stevia and unsweetened vanilla almond milk, then i sliced up a banana and threw it in the blender with them. this pic translates to how i felt that morning :lol: BLAH

before bed one night, i whipped out some cottage cheese to get some protein in.  i made some of my healthy chocolate sauce and drizzled some on top along with a dash of cinnamon.

 aaaand for dinner, i got fancy and made some roasted squash and onion soup.  i roasted the veggies in the oven until soft, tender, and charred, then threw them in the blender along with some low sodium vegetable broth, nutritional yeast flakes, black pepper, liquid aminos, sweet smokey paprika, and sprinkled some goat cheese on top.

i was trying to make a balanced meal in a glass and this actually turned out ok!  fruit, greens, healthy fats, and carbs.

 i'm outta protein powder, but a scoop of vanilla would have been perfect!

i ate it with a spoon though, no straws allowed yet.

no gym for 4 straight days and i felt like a weak, wet, limp noodle.  lost a couple of pounds of both fat and muscle for sure.  this is why i LOOOOVE my complex carbs combined with hitting the weights (oatmeal, sweet potatoes, whole wheat bread, etc) - without them i'm flat and squishy.

sunday was my first day back in the gym and i made some green eggs for real!  liquified frozen spinach + egg whites then scramble!  shredded a little almond cheese on'em that melted on top.

got a nice welcome back 700+ calorie burn in my boxing shoes which happen to be perfect for weight lifting.

 definitely getting a few pairs of these in more crazy colors!

i hope you enjoyed your new years eve WHATEVER you did last night!!  Chiso surprisingly checked out at 9:30... SCORE.  i know! soooo Sonny and i enjoyed a quiet evening at home and popped open a bottle of  the good stuff - sparkling welches red grape juice cocktail. we had a quiet, intimate toast to end a great year and welcome an even better one!

this morning was the Commitment Day 5k-  did you get up and go run in your city?

it rained. it was windy. it was cold.

but that didn't stop these people from coming out in their raincoats, hats, and umbrellas!  it was still a fair turnout and i was honored to participate.

i ran with my sister-friend Shabakka; she showed up and showed out!  we had just finished up.

i saw a few familiar faces along the way though and i was definitely looking for some!  i'd like to give a huge CONGRATS and shout out to one of my readers and fam, Ivy!!!  you did it! way to start 2013 STRONG.

you know i wore my watch. couldn't tell ya what my time was though...let's say around 24 min or so.

that's my holiday wrap up!  i'll leave you with one of the quotes i'm really feelin':

'don't tell people your dreams, show them.'

here's to a fit & clean 2013! (thx Dami;)

le

caramel pecan pancakes

hi. i had all that yumminess for breakfast this morning.

caramel pecan pancakes inspired by @Spoonfuloffit via Instagram.  she is a motivational and inspirational powerhouse! i love her recipes and spunkiness :)  she blogs too- hit her up!

i haven't made or eaten protein pancakes in a really long time - i like to get my protein from plain ol' food.  you can certainly add a scoop of your fave protein flavor to this recipe if ya like though.

i made a sweet cream (only 15 calories) to go on top using a big dollop of fromage blanc, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and half a packet of stevia. you could also use a few drops of vanilla creme stevia instead of the granules. theeeeen i drizzled the cakes with walden farms caramel sauce (calorie-free, carb-free, gluten-free, etc, etc, etc!!) and dropped a tablespoon of chopped toasted pecans on there. oh and one more shot of cinnamon to make it pretty.

caramel pecan pancakes

the stuff: 

• 1/3  cup oat flour (you can buy the flour in the store or just throw your oats in the blender yourself like i did)
• 2 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or until your desired consistency)
• 1/2 tsp butter extract
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3-5 drops of vanilla creme stevia or 1 packet or stevia granules
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tbsp fromage blanc or 0% greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp of chopped toasted pecans (you can throw these in the batter or sprinkle on top)

do this:

mix thoroughly! in a medium heated pan, cook your cakes (the size is up to you) on one side until you start to see bubbles popping, then flip.  top with the fromage sweet cream- the recipe is above!  eat. enjoy.

i needed all those good carbs after my workout this morning for sure.

stats are listed below for one big fluffy, scrumptious stack of these babies:

i used 1/2 cup of oats cause i eat a big breakfast and that adds approx. 50 more cals to those stats, fyi.

thank you for reading.  sincerely.  i started this thing a year ago and i have received some pretty awesome feedback from people i see in the street, private messages, and of course from the comments on various posts!   i loooooove and appreciate all forms of feedback.  all of it.  every acknowledgement, every like, every share.  i have so many plans for Fit Foodie Le...so many things i want to do that have been placed on my heart.  and with God's grace and direction, i'll do just that.

the Commitment Day 5K is still open! you've got EXACTLY two weeks until go time.  start 2013 off strong and DON'T LOOK BACK.  is your city participating? check and see! and if you're in Houston, come run with meeeeeeeeee!

this post was ONLY supposed to be about caramel pecan pancakes.  i knew i couldn't do it. nite.

le