Summer is coming!

Butter Pecan Protein Ice Cream

1 cup Vanilla unsweetened almond milk
2 scoops Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Sugar Free Torani (I used Sugar Free Vanilla)
1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon Almond Butter flavored extract
2-3 Tablespoons Pecans, toasted and chopped

Toast pecans lightly in a toaster oven or dry pan. Toss with 1 teaspoon of SF Syrup and 1/2 teaspoon butter extract set aside to cool. I pop them in the freezer while the ice cream churns.

Mix together milk, protein, 1 Tablespoon syrup and 1 teaspoon extract. I use an aerolatte deluxe milk frother (found at amazon.com) to mix it up. It makes it airy and lump free. Pour into ice cream maker. Follow your machine's instructions for freezing. 5 minutes before done add the chopped nuts. You can eat it right away it is soft serve-ish but I like to put it in the freezer (in a tupperware) to set for an hour or so.

Enjoy!

Quad burning leg workout you can do anywhere!

http://youtu.be/35zGQ4r7H_4

Eating healthy doesn’t have to break your budget.

14 Tips to eating healthy when you are on a budget.

Don’t shop on an empty stomach.
A cardinal sin of grocery shopping, hitting the store when you're hungry, will put you over budget faster than you can say "junk food." If you have no choice but to go to the store without a meal, buy an apple and some nuts (or another snack rich in protein and/or fiber) to munch on while you’re shopping.

Plan!
At the very least, make a list before you shop. At the very best, plan your weekly menu or list a few main dishes that you can eat throughout the week. This will save you not only money on your grocery bill by preventing you from buy (and possibly pitching) food you don't need, but also time and fuel savings, from fewer trips to the store for essential ingredients.

Buy generic.
Held to the same standards as name-brand versions, store-brand products are usually just as good, and less expensive. Generic products are available for nearly every product you can think of, so be on the lookout for them (and watch your savings add up).

Shop alone.
Sometimes this just isn’t possible, but if you can shop by yourself, you’ll be able to focus on finding the best deals and taking as much time as you need to make it through the store. In addition, no , little ones will be begging for items that aren't on your list.

Bring your calculator.
Sometimes the largest container of, say, tomato sauce, isn’t actually the best deal. Unless you like to do long division in your head, consider toting a pocket calculator when you head to the supermarket. It’ll make figuring out the real prices for items a lot easier. As long as you can afford it at the time, buy the brand and size of a product that has the lowest per-unit (per pound, ounce, etc) price to get more for your money.

Make smart substitutions.
This one may be hard for some of us, but it has the potential to save you a great deal. Think about what you eat, and then think about what may be a cheaper—at equally healthy—substitute. Like breakfast cereal? Oatmeal is usually less expensive. Be willing to make substitutions on brands and specific ingredients based on sales, too. You may find that a different brand of your favorite foods ,is a better deal one week. Pick it up and give it a try!

Buy whole foods.
Sometimes, the less processed a food is, the cheaper it is per serving. Apples may cost less than applesauce or apple juice. Canned black beans will be cheaper than refried beans. A block of cheese costs less than shredded cheese. Whole grains like brown rice and oats will be cheaper than processed, sugary cereals. Think about the original, whole food that a product is made from and decide if you can eat that whole food as-is or use it to make your own sauce, cereal or juice—instead of paying food manufacturers to do it for you.

Buy in bulk.
Long a staple of natural food stores, bulk or “bag and weigh” sections are now appearing in traditional supermarkets. Items like, beans, brown rice, nuts, and chicken breasts are available for less than prepackaged versions of the same foods.

Don’t get stuck in the middle (of the grocery store).
Packaged foods have been condensed, salted, refined, sweetened, or otherwise processed. They may seem like a good deal, providing more calories for less money, but those calories usually aren't very nutritious. Resist the lure of the middle aisles and stick to the perimeter of the grocery store; you’ll save money and wind up with bags full of whole foods. When you do find yourself in the middle aisles, aim your gaze toward the top or bottom of the shelves, where the prices are usually lower. Grocers strategically place higher-priced products at eye level.

Eat your protein without the meat.
Try substituting one meat meal per week with a vegetarian meal to save money and can be of benefit to your health. Beans, eggs, and tofu all provide high-quality protein for a fraction of the cost of meat

Read ads and clip coupons.
A “loss leader” is a sale item that a store is actually selling at a loss in order to get you in the door. Take advantage of these deals when you see them, but remember, a good deal is only good if it’s on something you’d normally buy, not just something you’re buying because it’s on sale. Many sales and coupons are on less-than-healthy processed foods, so look for special deals on healthy items like yogurt, canned or  frozen fruits and vegetables , and similar staples that have a longer shelf life.

Do it Yourself.
If you’re really craving a special treat, make it yourself. You can make it from healthier ingredients and spend less. Tell those muffins in the bakery case that are calling your name to hush and whip up a batch of some with whole grains,  protein muffins (recipes can be found at TeamKnightFitness.blogspot.com) at home that would put the store-bought ones to shame.

Eat seasonally.
In season produce costs less, thanks to the law of supply and demand. You might miss having tomatoes in the heart of winter, but the fresh, perfect tomatoes of summer taste better, cost less and are more nutritious anyway. Check out sales flyers and base your menu off fresh foods that are available right now (instead of foods that have to travel across the country or an ocean to make it to your store). Make a trip to your local farmers market to get some great prices on local produce.

Carry out—from your kitchen.
Packing your meals and snacks are usually less expensive and healthier than eating out. It will require more planning, but the dollars you save will be worth your time in the end. If necessary, invest in some reusable containers instead of buying disposable sacks and baggies for your food week after week.

Protein Peanut Butter Muffins

 

2 1/4 cups oat flour
1 scoop vanilla protein powder ( i used BSN whipped vanilla)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/2 cup no calorie sweetener
1 baby pack of unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup peanut butter ( i used white chocolate wonderful made by peanut butter and co.)

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup egg whites

3/4 cups unsweetened almond milk

1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin pan with cooking spray or muffin liners. Set aside.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda,protein powder, nutmeg, sweetener and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
3. Add the peanut butter and mix until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Scrape sides of the bowl often to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
4. Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Add the almond milk, and applesauce mix until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients.  Fold in chocolate chips, if using.
5. Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin pan.  Bake until golden brown, 22-24 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely.
6. Eat!

I do not lie when I say you will have to hide these from hubby and children if you want any for yourself...lol

Quick healthy snack ideas

Easy healthy snackin' ideas:



Apple or pear with natural almond butter

Hummus with carrot sticks or sliced red/yellow/orange peppers

Ricotta cheese, mixed with cocoa powder, stevia, and vanilla extract (delicious high protein, low carb snack!)

Cottage cheese mixed with yogurt, berries, and walnuts or pecans

A couple hard boiled eggs with celery sticks and hummus(roasted red pepper hummus is my favorite)

Celery sticks with organic peanut butter or almond butter
Avocado slices

A piece of organic sprouted grain toast (sprouted grain preferred nutritionally over “whole grain”) with nut butter and berries

A bowl of blueberries mixed with raw almonds

Cottage cheese with cinnamon, apple slices, and walnuts

Turkey Jerky

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Healthy Trail Mix (recipe as follows)  Ingredients 1/4 cup quick cooking oats 1⁄2 tbsp honey 1⁄4 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp sliced almonds 1 tbsp dried cherries 1 tbsp semi sweet chocolate chips 1 tbsp walnuts

Instructions:

Mix honey into oats and form dime-sized clusters. Spread on a baking sheet and toast at 275° F for 5 minutes. Once cooled, toss in a sealable container with remaining ingredients.

Hope you find these ideas helpful!!

Slow cooker chicken taco soup

This is a seriously delicous way to eat your chicken! Takes only 15 mins to put everything together.   

* 1/2 onion, chopped
* 1 (16 ounce) can Kidney beans
* 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
* 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1 1/2 chicken broth
* 1 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
* 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
* 3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
* shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
* sour cream (optional)
* crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

1. Place the onion, kidney beans, black beans, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes and green chilles in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
2. Shred chicken while still in slow cooker .

3. Serve and Enjoy!

 

** Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired. (of course this adds more calories, fat, etc.)


Number of Servings: 8

23 tips to incorporate fitness for busy moms!

1.Schedule Every Sunday sit down and set times to workout throughout the week. Pre-planning gives you time to make adjustments and make it work! 2. PLAY with Your Kids The towels can sit in the basket a little longer, get up and be the tagger! Shoot basketball hoops, play volleyball. Hide and seek. Just move with your children! 3. Workout at the Park The park is an outdoor gym waiting to be used! There is nothing like getting in some step-ups, tricep dips and push-ups at the picnic table. 4. Keep a Resistance Band in the Car A resistance band is the perfect addition to the half of your house you take in the car. You've got 15 minutes until practice is over - why not! 5. Pre-Plan Your Workouts Know what you want to achieve each week, making sure you have a balanced workout. 6. Use a Fitness DVD Especially with little ones, there are days when you just don't make it out the door. Have a couple workouts that you like and can pop in during nap time. 7. Pack Your Lunch Too Pack your own healthy lunch so you can avoid the fast-food run during your lunch break. 8. Create a 30-Minute, At-Home Workout The unpredictibility of the day sometimes presents little windows of opportunity that we didn't expect. When it does, be prepared with a workout that is ready to go. 9. Play Date for Kids = Fitness Date for Moms While it may not run as smooth as a group fitness class in a gym, it gives you the opportunity to workout with friends. Milestones and gossip can all be discussed during sets of squats and lunges! 10. Don't Indulge in your Children's Snacks Leave the cookies and macaroni and cheese for the kids. A few handfuls here and a few bites there leads to unwanted pounds here! 11. Develop a Support System Surrounding yourself with people who encourage and support your fitness goals is crucial to your adherence. 12. Get Your Z's Setting a bed time for yourself can be the difference in being a happy and healthy, energized mommy. 13. Use Weights Lifting dumbbells is not going to make you look like He-man. Resistance training is key to being toned, reducing body fat and increasing bone mineral density. 14. Find a Gym with Childcare If finding a sitter is what keeps you from working out, sign up at a gym that offers it. 15. Find What Motivates You Maybe it's being able to run with/after your children or the competitor within, know yourself to move yourself.  16. Challenge the Kids What kid doesn't want to do something "better" than mom? Set up an obstacle course in the yard or put on your helmet and "tour de France" the neighborhood. I personally love doing sprints with my boys...they push me like nothing else. 17. Do What You Like Incorporate activities that you enjoy! If you enjoy it, you will find a way to keep doing it. 18. De-Stress Don't laugh, it is possible! Exercise is an excellent stress reliever. Looking for something more - try some Yoga or Tai Chi. Hire a babysitter for a couple of hours to just have some alone time to recharge. 19. Use Your Baby Incorporating your baby into your workout provides some extra resistance for you and fun for them! 20. Set an Example Monkey see, monkey do. Don't be surprised when your kid(s) join in your living room kickboxing workout and have a blast. 21. Invest in Your Shoes Whether you are jogging, walking or taking a class, wearing the proper supportive shoes for the activity will help prevent unnecessary injuries. 22. Set Goals Whether you want to get in 3 workouts this week or complete a 5k, doing a fitness competition setting goals will keep you on track. Hang your chart next to the potty chart, and you both get prizes! 23. Love Yourself Most importantly you have the most important job in the world and you are awesome! Believe it and feel it!

Sweet potato Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes 12 muffins
1.5 cups oat flour
1 scoop  whey protein powder (vanilla)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 cup stevia baking formula (or 12-14 stevia packets)
1/3 cup mini semi-sweet or sugar-free chocolate chips
1 baby food pack sweet potato
1 baby food pack unsweetened applesauce
4 egg whites ( I used 1/2 cup liquid egg whites)
1 tsp maple extract
* To make oat flour, just grind up old fashioned or quick oats in a blender or food processor. Or you can purchase ready made at Whole Foods.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix together wet ingredients in another bowl. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until blended. Scoop batter into a sprayed muffin tin and/or lined with paper liners.
Bake for 15-16 minutes until a toothpick comes clean.

Great thing about these muffins, they refrigerate well! I make a batch, put rest in refrigerator. When i am ready to eat I heat for 30 secs in micro.

6 Tips to Balance Life and Gym

 

If you’re devoted to your training schedule, it can be difficult to fit everything in – especially if you have a busy career and a family as well. Here are seven tips from our experts on getting the most out of your training, while still fitting in all of the things that count.

1) Get Your Priorities Straight

Work out how important training is to you, and balance it against your other obligations and the things that you want to get out of your days, weeks and months. The first step is to identify which things other than training are essential, and require you to work in training around them. Then identify the things that take up your time that are not as important as your training, and working out how to cut back on these things to allow you to spend more time in the gym or on the track.

2) Be Consistent

Keeping your training regimen routine is key in making it a constant part of your life. It’s not possible to get in a hour long workout every day, but if you at least manage to go for a 20 weight training session or 20 min interval training for cardio, every other day, you’ll be making a major positive difference.

3) Make a Schedule and Stick To It

Sticking to a schedule is important, but it can be tricky if the rest of your week is a little unpredictable. Keep it as loose as you can, but make sure you stick to it. Map out when you’re doing weights, cardio, or some combination of the two, and try to stick to this as much as possible. Look for areas in your schedule where you can cut down time wasted, such as watching TV or sleeping late on weekends.

4) Keep The Peace At Home

If your partner isn’t an athlete and you are, you need to make sure that they understand that they are important to you, and that your training isn’t going to dominate your relationship. Sit down with them and talk through your training schedule, and see if you need to make any compromises to accommodate them and keep everybody happy. You can’t schedule in quality time, but you can at least make sure there are times in your schedule when it can happen. If your partner also enjoys working out, make time to workout together.

5) Be Creative With Your Time

If you drive to work, think about riding your bike there. Maybe get bike racks fitted to your car so you can drive if it’s raining, then cycle home in the evening if it clears up. Buy a treadmill or  an exercise bike and work out on that while you’re watching TV – any time you can combine training with an everyday activity is more free time you’ll have to do the important things.

6) Quality, Not Quantity

Simply training constantly isn’t always the best approach. Many runners might not be getting the most out of their training programs, because they’re spending too much time on one type of training. If you get a fully balanced training schedule worked out that includes prolonged, steady state aerobic training and threshold work, speed intervals, technique work and/or resistance training, you’ll be able to train for less time, and get more out of your workout.

Clean Eating Turkey Chilli

This is one of my go to busy working mother and wife recipes! Only takes minutes to make. Makes enough for the family. You can even freeze and save for later.

Turkey and Bean Chili
Serves 6
1 cup chopped white onions
4 small garlic cloves
1 pound lean ground turkey breast (99% fat free)
Garlic Salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 15-ounce Red Kidney beans
1 15-ounce can black beans
1 10-ounce can tomato puree
1 14.5-ounce can diced zesty chilli tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
Chop the onion and mince the garlic.  Add the turkey to a large pot with the onion and garlic.  Continue to cook on medium-high heat until the turkey is no longer pink.  Add your spices to the turkey mixture so that they can release their natural oils (chili powder, crushed red pepper, coriander, cumin, and season with a little bit of garlic salt.  Allow to cook for about 1 minute or so.  Drain and rinse your beans.  Add them to the pot along with the diced tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato puree.  Allow mixture to come to a boil then reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.

You can also put on top of brown rice if you like.

Serving size 1 cup.  Calories 211; protein 23; fiber 5

Enjoy!!

Think you need alot of different equipment for an effective workout? Please read on....

I did not write this..however I wholeheartedly agree with this article.

Enamored with Exercises

by Patrick   on January 24, 2012

One of the hardest things for a coach can be which exercises to put into their program and which to leave out.  These days this problem seems to be even more challenging because there appear to be so many options with regard to various training tools and people trying to invent “new” exercises:

• “When do we do kettlebells?”
• “Where should I program in the TRX exercises?”
• “At what point during the workout should I do the Turkish get up?”
• “Where do we do speed work?”
• “What about plyometrics?”
• “Should I use the agility ladder?”
• “Do we deadlift or squat?”

On and on the list goes and in the end I think people can get paralyzed with all the options that they end up doing EVERYTHING!
It is easy to get enamored with certain exercises and feel that your program is inferior without them – “If I don’t do Turkish get ups my athletes will never improve.”
The fact of the matter is, there is nothing wrong with any of the exercises above.  What is more important is how you use them. As I stated, people end up getting so hung up on certain exercises and training tools that they don’t know how to write a program without them.  This leads to programs that are incredibly long in duration and sometimes a bit muddy in terms of their focus and direction.
Less Is More
A few weeks ago, on his facebook page, my friend Charlie Weingroff posted THIS link to the old Bill Starr 5×5 program and asked “Does it need to be more complicated than this?” 
I really don’t think it does!!
In reality, I believe that you can actually do a ton with only a hand full of exercises if you can do them well and know how to manipulate other training variables in order to get what you want out of them in terms of the specific stresses you are looking to impose on the individual.
Talking with my friend Joel Jamieson the other night he echoed these sentiments stating that, “There are really only about 7 or 8 exercises I use any more. I may throw something in that is “different” every once in a while just to keep people from getting bored, but I always come back to my main exercises. It isn’t like the squat just stops working! Look at Bondarchuk’s program. His throwers do the same five exercises year round!”
What I love about the Bill Starr program, linked to above, is that it uses only a small group of exercises – you can squat, press, and power clean or you can squat, press, and row – and you get good at doing the basics!
Nothing fancy, no crazy bells and whistles, just basic exercises and you do them three days a week so that you get really, really good at doing them.
This simple view of training is something that I appreciate most from guys like Dan John (his Intervention DVD was excellent) and Dr. Ken Leistner (one of these days in the near future I am going to buy this collection of all of his old Steel Tip articles).
I know it is easy to get enamored with exercises and believe that one exercise may have some sort of magical power. We have all been there before! However, I urge you to step back and remember that not only are the basics key…they also work! Pick 3-5 exercises that you feel are cornerstones of your training program and hammer them out. Instead of constantly rotating the exercises around change the rep ranges, sets, rest interval, and rep tempo to impart a different type of stress on the body and to get something different from the same lift.
The longer I work with people the more I find that my list of exercises begins to shrink.

Patrick

4 Metabolism myths some people still believe

Do you dream of having a lightning fast metabolism to burn off calories as fast as you take them in? Lots of unscrupulous marketers play on this desire by marketing diet pills that claim to give your metabolism a boost. Unfortunately, there’s usually more hype than substance behind these claims. There’s little doubt that metabolism plays a role in weight control, but there are still lots of myths about it. Here are some common metabolism myths debunked.

#1. Metabolism Myth: Skinny People Have a Higher Metabolic Rate
In reality, people who weigh more have higher energy requirements and a faster metabolism. When a person is carrying more weight they burn more calories at rest and when they’re moving around. That’s one reason it becomes harder to shed those last few pounds. Your energy requirements go down with your body weight. When you’re lighter, you’ll burn fewer calories running on the treadmill than an overweight person because you have less body mass to move through space.
What about people who seem to be naturally thin and can eat whatever they want? These people may be naturally more active or expend more energy through NEAT or non-exercise activity thermogenesis like fidgeting. They may also have more metabolically active brown fat that helps them release more energy as heat. Genetics are also a factor.
#2 Myth about Metabolism: You Can’t Change It
One of the most powerful ways to give your metabolism a boost is to exercise, but working out at a slow, steady pace isn’t the best way to do it. High-intensity interval exercise where you work out at a very vigorous pace for short periods of time and then recover boosts your metabolic rate for hours after you finish. That’s because your body needs more resources for repair and recovery after an intense workout. Think sprinting rather than jogging.
The other type of exercise that can boost metabolism is resistance training to build lean body mass. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so the more muscle you carry the greater your energy requirements will be. Each additional pound of muscle you carry burns more calories all day. That’s one reason men have a higher metabolic rate than women. They have more lean body mass.
#3 Metabolism Myth: Metabolism Slows Down with Age, and There’s Nothing You Can Do About It
Metabolism slows down a little each year after the age of 20, but much of this slowdown is due to inactivity and loss of lean body mass. Regular resistance training using heavy weights to build strength and muscle can offset much of this decline. Getting adequate sleep is important for priming your metabolism too. Lack of sleep contributes to insulin resistance, which reduces metabolism and leads to weight gain.
#4 Myth: You Can Dramatically Boost Your Metabolism by Eating Hot and Spicy Foods
Spicy foods that contain an ingredient called capsaicin found in hot chili peppers causes a temporary metabolic boost, but the effect is short-lived. Twenty minutes after singeing your mouth eating peppers, your metabolism will have returned to baseline. Eating hot peppers won’t have a sustained effect on your metabolism.
You can burn a few more calories with meals by eating more frequently and eating lean protein with every meal and snack. Every time you eat something your body has to expend energy to process and digest it. This is called the thermic effect of food. Digesting and processing protein expends more energy than breaking down carbohydrates and fats. Sipping green tea during the day may subtly boost your metabolism because of the caffeine and catechins it contains.
The Bottom Line?
If you feel like your metabolism is slow, ask your doctor to check your thyroid function and review your medications to make sure they’re not a problem. Some medications can slow down metabolism and increase appetite. Start tracking how much you’re eating by keeping a food journal. Then head to the gym on a regular basis to do high-intensity interval training and lift some weights.

Cathe Friedrich
References:
Exercise Physiology. Fifth edition. 2001. McArdle, Katch and Katch.

 

Yum....Chocolates for Valentines day!!

Chocolate Mint Protein Bites

Felicia Romero

2 scoops Mint Chocolate Gaspari Nutrition MyoFusion
2 tbsp sugar-free, fat-free Jell-O White Chocolate instant pudding
½ cup oatmeal, Quick
4 tbsp natural peanut butter
Water as needed

1. Mix chocolate mint protein powder, chocolate instant pudding, oatmeal and natural peanut butter in a large bowl.
2. Slowly add water until the mixture forms a dough-like consistency.
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet.
4. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour or until hard, then serve.

~Felicia Romero

Root Beer Protein Shake

8 oz unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp Rootbeer concentrate

1 TBS greek yogurt

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

vanilla creme stevia to taste

as many ice cubes as desired

mix in blender,

Enjoy!

Can't get to a gym? Try this home workout!!

There are times I am at a hotel or somewhere  where there is no equipment. Or maybe you just wanna tire out the kids ;o) So here is a workout you can do anywhere with absolutely no equipment pssst...your kiddos can do this with you!

1 Mountain Climbers - 50 ea leg
2)Pushups- 30
3)Jump squats - 25
4) Half Burpees - 50
5) Bicycle abs- 40 ea side
6) Jump Lunges - 20 ea leg

give it a try and tell me if you aren't gasping for breath like I am!!

Good luck ;o)

Clean Eating Buffalo Wings

Ok, so i am a huge San Fran 49ers football fan! Haven't been able to declare it to the world in oh about 15 years..lol! However today I am rocking my 49er's jersey and will be watching my team and hoping they destroy the Saints!

I am also going to make these bad boys to enjoy while rubbing the game in my brother's (big time Saints fan) face ;o)

Clean Eating  Buffalo Wings.

Sauce Ingredients
1 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsp. molasses
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup waldenfarm BBQ Sauce

Chicken
4 lbs. chicken wings
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 1 – Line a large casserole dish with foil. You will be wrapping the chicken completely in foil, so allow enough to completely cover the chicken all the way around.
 2 –  Place your wings in the foil and be sure they are single layered.
 3 – Pour the oil over the chicken and mix the chicken in the dish to completely coat it with the oil.
4 – Sprinkle the chicken with garlic powder and onion powder.
5 – Pack the foil around the chicken so that it is sealed on all sides.
6 – Bake in oven for 50 minutes.
7 – While the chicken bakes, combine all sauce ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with a whisk. (Be sure to whisk again just before pouring over your chicken.)
8 – Remove the wings from the oven, open the foil, and pour off any liquid in the bottom of the foil.
9 – Pour your sauce over the chicken.
10 – Turn your oven to broil.
11– Place the chicken back in the oven UNcovered, for 10 minutes. Watch the wings carefully. If they need to be removed in less than 10 minutes, do so. You just want to brown them a bit and get the sauce to sear just slightly on to the meat.
12 – Remove from oven, allow to cool and place in a serving dish.

If you are a 49er fan than eat and enjoy! If you are a Saints fan I hope you burn your tongue....just kiddin'....kinda

Strawberry and creme Macadamia Nut Protein Shake!

Shake up your protein shakes!

1/2 cup water
1 tbsp macadamia nut oil
8 oz Unsweetened Almond milk

1/4 strawberries
1 scoop Strawberries & Cream Myofusion Gaspari

Ice cubes as needed

1. Mix water, macadamia nut oil and unsweetened almond milk in blender.
2. Slowly add strawberries, protein powder and ice cubes.
3. Blend, then serve

Try it now!!

Need a healthy "crunch" in your life? Try these!

KALE CHIPS

Directions

Ingredients

1 bunch kale, washed and dried well
Olive Oil Pam Spray
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon splenda brown sugar (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Tear the leaves off the center rib of the kale and tear into large pieces. Place leaves in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and toss until completely coated.
Divide kale between 2 baking sheets lined with parchment. Arrange in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until crisp. Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Cook's Note: Be sure to place the kale in one layer on the sheet tray. Overcrowding will steam the kale rather than crisp it.

Don't knock 'em, til you try 'em!



From Talitha Meyer

Healthy Egg Muffins

These portable energy-revving muffins are great to make in advance and use throughout the week!

By Elizabeth Brown, MS, RD; Photography Peter Chou

Ready in 40 minutes • Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

• Oil spray
• 4 scallions, minced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1/2 red pepper, minced
• 1/2 zucchini, shredded
• 14 egg whites
• 4 whole eggs
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• Dash sea salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 12-muffin tin with a little oil to prevent sticking.
2. Combine vegetables in a big bowl. Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full with vegetables.
3. Whisk eggs and seasonings in a large mixing bowl.
4. Use a 1/3-cup measuring cup to scoop egg mixture and pour slowly into each muffin tin. Egg mixture should fill tin the rest of the way. Bake 30 minutes or until muffins have risen and are slightly browned.

Nutrients per serving (98 g):

Calories: 56, Total Fats: 2 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 71 mg, Sodium: 93 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 3 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 2 g, Protein: 7 g, Iron: 0.5 mg
STORAGE TIP: Muffins will keep up to one week in the refrigerator or can be frozen. If freezing, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

These portable energy-revving muffins are great to make in advance and use throughout the week!

By Elizabeth Brown, MS, RD; Photography Peter Chou

Ready in 40 minutes • Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

• Oil spray
• 4 scallions, minced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1/2 red pepper, minced
• 1/2 zucchini, shredded
• 14 egg whites
• 4 whole eggs
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• Dash sea salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 12-muffin tin with a little oil to prevent sticking.
2. Combine vegetables in a big bowl. Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full with vegetables.
3. Whisk eggs and seasonings in a large mixing bowl.
4. Use a 1/3-cup measuring cup to scoop egg mixture and pour slowly into each muffin tin. Egg mixture should fill tin the rest of the way. Bake 30 minutes or until muffins have risen and are slightly browned.

Nutrients per serving (98 g):

Calories: 56, Total Fats: 2 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 71 mg, Sodium: 93 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 3 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 2 g, Protein: 7 g, Iron: 0.5 mg
STORAGE TIP: Muffins will keep up to one week in the refrigerator or can be frozen. If freezing, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.