Thanksgiving Inspiration!

Its that time of year again, where I sort of go crazy on Pinterest and hope that I have time to make everything. I started with this colorful winter salad! Which ironically I ate as the first snowflakes fell of the season.  I was inspired by a pomegranate dinner recipe I saw but made a simpler version.

KALE CRUNCH SALAD:

I LOVE Trader Joe's and they have this new kale crunch salad mix which is a mix of kale and brussel sprouts. I added pomegranates, almonds and then balsamic vinegar. Its the perfect side with a lot of crunch. Adding flank steak or chicken sausage would be amazing. 

Then I started in on the Thanksgiving dishes....

THANKSGIVING INSPIRATION:

I plan on making these two for our "healthier" sides.  First up, roasted sweet potato and fig casserole. 

Recipe + Source

And then this...Quinoa stuffing. I could seriously eat quinoa every meal. 

Recipe + Source

Here are some additional resources that have some amazing, clean eating inspired recipes!

--> The ultimate Thanksgiving recipe guide

--> 20 meatless Thanksgiving recipes

--> 7 Thanksgiving day breakfasts

I hope you all have an amazing Thanksgiving! I'll be back later this week with a meal plan to get you back on track after a little indulgence!

Phase 3 on the Ultimate Reset Journey

I cannot believe 21 days has passed and I am finally writing this post after compiling my results and thoughts from the last 3 weeks.

You can read about why I did the Ultimate reset here and what phase 2 looks like here.

WHAT TO EXPECT:
Week 3 is 100% fruit and veggies and vegan. For me it was the hardest by far. Not because I was hungry or didn't have energy but because I feel like I am very dependent on carbs, at least mentally. So to cut out all rice, beans, quinoa etc was a big step.  I found myself looking forward to LOTS of veggies at dinner and ate a sweet potato almost every day.

MEAL PREP:

I followed my 3-2 method again for the meal prep which consists of having the same meals Monday, Wednesday and Friday and then the same meals Tuesday and Thursday. I bulk cooked and made everything on Sunday so I was set for the week. An example meal plan for phase 3 can be found here. I actually plan on continuing to follow this method post reset because it really is a great way to prep and to save time for a busy week. 

Overall my energy level has been VERY consistent. I felt a little more tired this week but was excited to see the results and work my way back to a normal, healthy eating routine. Seeing all this prepped food in my fridge was pretty motivating!

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

My tips for success during week 3 are to focus on the end goal. Its really all about mindset. Follow the plan. Do your yoga or meditation (which I did almost everyday and then walked or hiked the other days) and remember why you started. I also recommend....

- Drinking LOTS of water. Do not skip this step. I incorporated LaCroix and lots of peppermint tea. I probably drank 2-3 cups of tea a day.

- When you plan to start the reset, plan it over a time when you don't have a lot of commitments at restaurants or eating out. (i.e. not eating candy over Halloween was HARD!)

- Mix up your veggies and fruit. Try new things. Be open to the recipes.

THE RESULTS

Overall I lost 12lbs and 4.5 inches. I lost weight all over and not just in one place. I think I noticed the biggest difference in my legs, stomach and arms. I did this program to lose a few pounds but never expected to feel so amazing and to have truly changed my relationship with food. I also did it to reset set my mental habits with food. I still have a little ways to go but I am very proud of the work that I put in and know that I am on the right track. My biggest take away. Think about how you want to feel and what nutrition is going help you feel that way....I am pretty sure that reese cup for Halloween is not the answer! :) 

I hope you enjoyed following my journey! We are onto the recovery phase which is reintroducing foods back into your diet. I plan to use a lot of the recipes I learned including this amazing Asian Stir Fry in our everyday meal planning. 

Enjoy!

ASIAN STIR FRY

1-1/2 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp sesame oil (my favorite is Trader Joe's Toasted Sesame Oil)

1/2 medium carrot, cut into thin diagonal slices

1/4 cup broccoli florets 

1/4 red bell pepper, sliced 

1/4 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise, sliced

1-1/2 tsp Bragg a Liquid Aminos

Heat coconut and sesame oils in large skillet or wok over medium-high. Add carrots; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add broccoli; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and zucchini. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until tender-crisp. Turn off heat. Add Bragg Liquid Aminos. Mix well. 

This is for one serving. 

Add 3/4 cup of quinoa or 1/2 cup of brown rice. 

No Bake Chocolate Shakeology Bites 🍪 (Gluten Free!)

When you need a serious dose of chocolate but don't want to have a HUGE sugar crash, these protein bites are AMAZING! Not to mention they are vegan and gluten free and take less than 5 minutes to make!

Ingredients:
½ cup flax seeds (I prefer the seeds but you can use crushed flax seed or chia seeds or nuts)
½ cup Chocolate Vegan Shakeology (You can substitute Cafe Latte or Vanilla flavors or any other protein powder)
½ cup organic old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup all-natural organic creamy almond butter
3 Tbsp. raw honey

Preparation:
1. Combine nuts, Shakeology, and oats in a medium bowl; mix well.
2. Add almond butter and honey; mix well with a rubber spatula or clean hands.
3. Roll in balls about the size of a ping pong ball. I measured with a tablespoon. 

I added about two tablespoons of water to make them stick. The recipe makes 12 balls. Each serving is about 130 calories per 1 bite.

Enjoy!

Phase 2 on the Ultimate Reset Journey

I have officially made it through Week 2 (and almost through Week 3) and wanted to share my journey and what to expect during Phase 2!

WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE RESET? 
Check out my Phase 1 recap here!

WHAT TO EXPECT WEEK 2
Week 2 you officially start a "vegan" diet and eliminate all animal protein and dairy. It sounds harder than it really is. You still are eating carbs and lots of fruit and veggies. The recipes are pretty amazing for this week. The flavor from all the spices and lemon/lime combinations are really yummy.

This lentil lime salad is my FAVORITE! I plan on making it again for everyday lunches after the reset is over.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked green lentils1 medium carrot, shredded

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro1½ tsp. sesame oil2 Tbsp. fresh lime juiceBraggs Liquid AminosHimalayan salt (to taste; optional)¼ tsp. ground cumin (to taste; optional)Ultimate Reset herbal seasoning blend or fresh herbs like basil and oregano (to taste; optional)1. Combine lentils, carrot, cilantro, oil, lime juice, Braggs Liquid Aminos, salt (if desired), cumin (if desired), and seasoning blend (if desired) to lentils; toss gently to blend.2. Let salad marinate, covered, in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

Preparation:1. Combine lentils, carrot, cilantro, oil, lime juice, Braggs Liquid Aminos, salt (if desired), cumin (if desired), and seasoning blend (if desired) to lentils; toss gently to blend.2. Let salad marinate, covered, in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

TIPS FOR SURVIVING WEEK 2
At this point my energy has all pretty much evened out. I am not missing caffeine at all and am sleeping amazing! The biggest change I made with week 2 was planning my meals using a 3-2 planning method.  Here is the meal plan I followed.

• I prepped EVERYTHING including breakfast lunch and dinner for Monday through Friday on the weekend. It took me about 2 hours total. (I broke it up in 30-45 minute increments). This ensured that I stayed on track and it saved me time during the busy work week. 
• The 3-2 method basically means you eat the same meals M-W-F (3 days) and then the same meals T-Th (2 days). So you double or triple your recipes but only have 2 sets of breakfast, lunch and dinner to make.
• I stocked up on lots of variety of hot tea. I probably drink peppermint tea (made with distilled water) 3-4 times a day.
• Each day on phase 2 and phase 3 I opted to eat the fruit. Its 3 cups every morning. This was easier than prepping additional items so I made sure to have ALOT of variety. Beacuse of this, I also used frozen fruit from Trader Joes (Mango, Pineapple etc.)
• I also made the switch to use some fresh spices and some dry spices. It made the prepping easier and the grocery bill less expensive!
• You eat a LOT of sweet potatoes. You will learn to love them!

I do miss yogurt a little bit but surprisingly I do not miss the meat or the sugar. My chocolate Shakeology every afternoon totally satisfies my sugar cravings and my need for chocolate. I am proud to say I made it through Halloween without ONE piece of candy. I don't think that has happened EVER. (And yes I saved a reese cup to have later!)

I am also still holding strong with yoga everyday or some sort of movement (aka walking, Pilates etc.)

I am super excited to move into Phase 3 and share my FINAL results! Until then, its 7 more days of LOTS of water, super clean eating and will power!

Our Halloween Recap + some Candy Detox Tips!! 🎃

Anyone else rocking a ponytail today and feeling a little tired from all the festivities last night? Here are my 5 quick energy tips:::

--> Drink half your body weight in ounces of water. Hydration helps everything!

--> Hide that candy. Surround yourself with healthy snacks when you are tired and your will power is weak.

--> Get up and walk. Get your blood moving. It will wake you up and help you feel refreshed.

--> Plan a protein packed breakfast. Try eggs, a smoothie or even some Greek yogurt.

--> Rest. And don't beat yourself up about it. But have a plan to come back strong tomorrow!

Our Halloween (and fall) has been JAM packed with activities, but this week was so much fun getting ready for Trick or Treat. The girls went as butterflies and the best part is they can now wear their costumes as dress up clothes the rest of the winter!

We also did a DIY project with our pumpkins since carving is a little difficult for a 3 year old. We tapped off their initials with painters tape and then let them get to work. They did enjoy getting all the seeds out however Katherine (in orange) wasn't quite sure about the texture. Savannah (black) dug right in!

Thankfully it was 70 degrees and sunny which meant less clothes to get messy! The end product turned out pretty good! We just let the pumpkins dry and then pulled the tape off. 

The girls had a blast trick or treating. They lasted the full two hours. It was by far our best Halloween yet because they were SO into it. I can only imagine what the holidays will be like!! 

Hope you had a happy and safe Halloween! Happy November 1st!