thanks & giving & food & family 2013

 i hope Thanksgiving 2013 was one to remember for you and your family.  here's what we did:

who eats like this on Thanksgiving Eve? sammiches and sushi @ Central Market.  it wasn't as crowded as i expected AT ALL. is it weird that i wanted it to be?

lemon ricotta pancakes for the boy.

on TG day i sped downtown to run in the traditional Turkey Trot 10k and left Sonny and Chi in our nice, warm, comfy bed :(

  this is THE coldest weather i have ever run in. ever. 32 dang degrees. the Chevron Houston Marathon in January isn't even this cold!!!!

so because of the dip in temp earlier that week, i switched from the 10k to the 5k y'all. keepin' it real. i believe i have become one of those people who like cold weather but hate being cold.

 i met up with some bodybuilder and UH alum friends afterwards.

FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS RUN ALONE!!!! thanks for that, Charlene ;) 

plate # who even knows from later that evening! each one was sampler style so i could get a little bit of everything of course.

always good to see and hang with my beautiful cousins!

Q: how many places did you visit on TG day? 2 for us- my MIL and then Grandma's house.

le

strawberry spinach pancakes + Angie's Popcorn GIVEAWAY

strawberry spinach salad meets strawberry spinach pancakes.

these are similar to the Spanana pancake recipe but i kinda went off the top of my head this morning with this one.

strawberry spinach pancakes

the stuff:

• 1/2 cup raw oat bran or ground oatmeal
• 3 oz ripe banana
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup frozen spinach
• 3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 3-4 strawberries, sliced
• 1 packet stevia (optional)

do this: 

combine everything except the berries in your blender or food processor.  coat your skillet with no stick cooking spray and set to medium heat.  cook each cake 4-5 min on one side; flip and cook 3-4 on the other.  top cakes with strawberries and Walden Farms pancake syrup before dig in and check out the IG vid i posted this morning while you're at it!

stats are for the entire stacky stack.

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i just want to say YOU ROCK for helping Fit Foodie Le reach 1K Facebook Fans over this past weekend!!!!! what!? small to some but a huge milestone for me man.  i appreciate every single click of support! that said,

it's that time again.

 i can't get enough of doing these giveaways!!! ever. they make me so happy and i'm not even the winner. giving really does feel better than receiving.

after fighting the urge to eat this entire sample box myself from Angie's Popcorn- this variety pack shall be the next Fit Foodie Le giveaway prize.  ASAP.  THANK YOU,  Angie's!

as you know, i looooove me some Boom Chicka Pop- it's my favorite movie-watching snack.  they have a variety of flavors like the ones pictured above and i am on my way to trying them all.

 if you're already following me on Facebook, you are good to G-O! click below if you'd like to jump in on this:

---------->a Rafflecopter giveaway<----------

contest starts......NOW!

remember-  what you allow is what will continue. remain humble, but don't be afraid to stand up and speak up for yourself.

have a great rest of your monday and head to Facebook and get 'ta Liking!

le

what time is it?

GIVEAWAY TIME.

and it's FOOD.  i'm down if you are.

La Tortilla Factory Light Flour Tortillas are hot, hot, HOT.  so hot, they are hardly ever in stock at my Sprouts when i go.  but this ain't about me!  it's about YOU and your tortilla needs. cause you really, really need these tortillas.

so i've partnered up with La Tortilla Factory again cause i wanna put these guys in your life. again.

these large, 80 calorie, full of fiber, low carb tortillas are awesome for wraps, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, tacos, and apparently ---->POPTARTS<---.  homemade, healthy poptarts of course.  sweet OR savory!

with this whole Instagram poptart craze going on,

 wouldn't you like to get your hands on some?

make you some of my homemade strawberry chia jam and you are well on your way!  or you can make some bbq shrimp pineapple quesadillas (recipe in Fit Foodie Lean!)

they are also holding a fun, edible art contest with some NICE prizes to win via Facebook right now as well.  i got my eyes on that Williams and Sonoma gift card.  oooh the things i would buy...

SO, how do you win 5 packs of these babies?

you know i keeps it simple- comment on this very post and tell me just what the heck you're gonna make with them if you win!

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   FOR EXTRA ENTIRES YOU CAN: 

* Like the Fit Foodie Le FB fan page *

* follow my blog via email ( add your email addy at the top right corner of this screen) *

* tag a friend that likes or may like La Tortilla Factory tortillas under the Instagram post concerning this giveaway*

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just a friendly reminder that  i see and count ALL entires myself, so they are never in vain.

share away below and GOOD LUCK FIT FOODIES!

le

red, white, & blueberries

 

happy 4th of July guys! this tower of straight awesomeness was displayed at Sweets in City Centre earlier this week.  isn't it pretty!? pretty and patriotic indeed. hope you had a blast celebrating.

i celebrated by making and eating cliché red, white, and blue themed food all day. :)

breakfast was a big bowl of cinnamon oat bran topped with juicy blueberries, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and Walden Farms pancake syrup, and a cup of scrambled egg whites. i have been eating my oat bran this way for the past several weeks cause it's so addicting! i was up super-duper early this morning cause well,  i didn't sleep. again.

:-?

been dealing with ebook issues all week y'all, my goodness.  the previous post concerning the book (fit foodie lean) will be updated with new info for ya. bear with me.

after my boys woke up later, i made them some banana pancakes topped with fresh berries, sugar-free cool whip, and sprinkles!  we have sprinkles often though, so this was no big deal to Chiso.

holidays always put me in an extra special baking mood, and i went with a light vanilla angel food cake with an american flag fruit design on top.  this is like a cool whip classic dessert that never gets old.  here's my version though:

light vanilla ?angel food cake?:

the stuff:

• ?1 cup stevia for baking (not the packets)
• ?1/2 cup coconut crystals
• ?1 tsp vanilla
• ?1 cup Bob's Red Mill 100% whole wheat pastry flour (or any cake flour)
• ?12 egg whites
• ?1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• ?1/4 tsp salt
• ?1tsp lemon juice

do this:

?mix 3/4 (half) of sugar mixture and flour together, and ?beat egg whites with mixer until foamy?.

add cream of tartar and salt and beat until soft peaks?form.

add remaining 3/4 cup sugar 2 tbsp at a time until soft peaks form.

?beat in lemon juice. sift flour/sugar mixture in 1/4 cup at a time folding until incorporated.

spoon the batter into cupcake pans, round pans, bundt pans, square pans, whatever?.

adjust cooking times for a 325 degree oven.  bake and cool.

         makes: 12 pieces

1 piece per serving:

note:  now, ☝if you don't follow these steps exactly, you might be having angel food brick?for dessert?. not that it wont still taste good though! top with sugar-free cool whip and ?berries?.

i went to get my workout outta the way cause we had a few parties to attend later  that evening.  i came home thinking these two were getting dressed to go but found the opposite...

first stop, Dami's 4th of July party!  you know she lives in NY, so i see her every chance i get when she's in town.  happy belated birthday to her hubby, Niyi.

who else is in town? my big brother!!!! he works overseas and surprised our entire family this weekend and just popped up outta no where.  that's just his style.  spending as much time with this dork as possible before he leaves again. *tear*

so i had cake twice on the 4th- i could NOT pass up this slice of pure heaven from Maureen's Gourmet Bakery in Sugar Land, TX, Dami's fave cake place.  i totally see why!  the icing was not too sweet, creamy, fluffy, and the moist vanilla cake was just....perfect.  i mean really.

was it worth another serving in a cup and eaten with a spoon? :shock: heck yes. i know party food can be tempting, so i made an IG post on how to eat at a social event- check it out for some good tips to help you stay (somewhat) on track!

then we headed to another family graduation event - congrats to the Abadom sisters!!! i do believe this is the most people i've met from IG and Facebook in one day, forreals!  i am no celebrity and i certainly don't feel like one, so when people tell me they are nervous to meet me, i am beyond baffled and humbled.  just know that i will always be the nervous one, no kidding.  i know people always have certain expectations when meeting someone in person after following them online (i know i do!), but i would hope that the two aren't so drastically different with me!  i do love to express my love and giddiness for fitness and food via social media, but i am still lil' ol' shy leah e.  i can't deny how fun it is meeting new people though, and it is truly helping to flourish my social side!  it was a pleasure and an honor to meet  them all :)

*newsflash* - cherries are definitely in season and on sale all over the place- maybe even your local grocery store! you should check for this superfruit next time you're there.

Q: did you pop your own fireworks, or just watch this year?

le

zucchini pizza cruise ships + single leg deadlifts

that caption is PERFECT!!!  i freakin' love this picture.

i don't know about you, but i need my daily dose of endorphins!  i got some this morning in the form of Total Conditioning. can you tell by those sweat stains?  afterwards, i took a moment to focus on my exercise pick of the week: single leg deadlifts.

1. start in a standing position; knees soft, back flat, feet shoulder width apart, weights in front of your thighs, shoulders down and relaxed.  lift right leg slightly so foot is off the floor.

2. lower your torso forward/downward.  at the same time, raise your lifted leg, keeping it straight.

3. once stretch is felt mainly in your hamstrings and lower glutes, return to original position by raising torso and lowering the lifted leg.

4. straighten the knee of the supporting leg as torso becomes upright. try it again on the opposite leg! 4 sets of 12 on each leg with heavy ;) bells.

IMPORTANT TIPS:

• the heavier the weight, the more challenging the exercise
• keep your back flat all the way down and all the way up
• hips remain square; try not to tilt or twist them. torso should face the front at all times.
• go as far down as YOU feel comfy, not as far as your neighbor is going!
• you can modify this exercise and keep your back toe on the ground for balance
• keep your dumbbells super close to your body all the way down and all the way up.
• which ever leg you are standing on should keep a soft knee ensure the weight is in your heel and not your toes

what they work: those glutes, hamstrings, lower back, core, trunk.

awesome. on to tha fooooooood!

Zucchini Pizza Cruise Ships

the stuff:

• 2 raw zucchini
• 1 cup extra lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella almond cheese
• 1/4 cup low sodium pizza sauce
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash tomato basil no salt seasoning
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried basil

do this:

preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

halve raw zucchini (long ways) and scoop out the seeds and insides.  they should look like empty canoes once done. (don't discard the insides! you can actually cook them back in with the meat if you'd like or eat them separately at a later date. either way, don't waste!)

in a large skillet, set your burner to medium-high heat.  add chopped garlic and onions and sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.  add in your extra lean turkey meat, liquid aminos, pepper, dried basil, and Mrs. Dash seasoning.  stir/saute until cooked through completely and there is no more pink.

in a separate bowl, combine the pizza sauce and turkey meat crumbles.  then, divide and spoon this mixture evenly amongst your zucchini shells.

top the ships with your sliced tomato, shredded almond cheese, and finally, the chopped basil.

bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until your desired zucchini consistency.

serving size: 4 ships

approximate stats for the entire recipe! (*remember, ingredients vary by the brands you use*)

Q: how much does 'heavy' weigh?  

A: i am so sure i have answered this before, but here it is again!  you gotta implement a little trial and error.  i usually do 12-15 reps per set.  so, heavy for me equals pretty much struggling to finish on rep 8-10. it varies per exercise though! there is no set number across the board so to speak... you must see for yourself.  write your beginning numbers down to track your progress, and add weight gradually over time to get better , bigger, and stronger.  you'll start seeing muscles you didn't even know you had, watch!

weight lifting has transformed not only my body, but my mind. confidence booster? heck yeah!  i no longer dread the dressing room mirror and i find myself trying on items i would normally shy away from.  better fitting clothes is definitely an advantage worth working for! i get emails here and there concerning that darn scale and how insecure it makes people feel. you are worth so much more than a silly NUMBER.  i don't watch my weight anymore; i watch my body!

le