A little bit of A's

Hello again,

WHAT the weekend I had!! Silly me failed to get many pictures, but I will just write about it a little and then move on!

First of all... My guy and I went to my mother's home for the weekend....We got the MOTHER load of Zucchinis...

.... from a family friend...

We also got some "straight from the cow" milk and it's gosh darn fantastic!

I also got a surprise...

Tari was being loaned out to someone while I was away a college, but now that I live closer to home... my mom surprised me and brought her home... 

you better believe I was on her back before long...

fabulous....

We also went to my cousins, daughters first birthday party and gave pony rides...

by this lady... isn't she a peach!

So those were just a few of the many highlights of my weekend... and you better believe i've got quite a few ingenious zucchini eats coming soon!

SO... I have seen on other's blogs that they do little "themes" throughout the week... Well I liked that idea... Like a way to follow a sort of pattern....

I have decided that for the next few weeks, I am going to go by the Alphabet. I am going to start the posts starting with A (of course) and go to Z. Each post will contain a recipe, an exercise/fitness section and a little something about myself... just for fun...

Today starts A!!!

I will begin with the recipe...

A is for AVOCADO

These little guys are amazing, great benefits and delicious... awesome!

Did you know that an Avocado is a fruit?.... sure is, because of its Giant seed!

They are full of good fats and have anti-inflammatory properties. They also contain a significant amount of fiber and POTASSIUM (about twice as much as a banana).

THIS article continues all this information and goes deeper into the many wonderful benefits of Avocados! I eat them all the time.. just can't get enough!

"The EASIEST Guacamole" 

• 1 whole very ripe Avocado
• 2 Tbsp. Salsa
• 1 Tsp. Lemon or Lime juice
• Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste

Peel the avocado and mash in a bowl.

 Add the remaining ingredients and mix together well. ENJOY!

Now for fitness :)

A is for ABs!!

I love doing abs..... admittedly though, I probably don't do them as much as I should.... 

But, they are the easiest exercises you can just throw in, anytime of the day!

Having strength in your core is so important... Most important for your posture and supporting your body in general. Something as simple as picking up a grocery bag, or even going for a walk, you need core strength. So, when doing "abs", it really is so important to focus on strength in your entire core, rather than just your abs to get that "6-pack" look... THIS is a great quicky source that explains more deeply what I just said!  

I was going to try and get some pictures of myself doing some of these exercises... but I did not succeed (but that is perfectly fine with me, got some great Google pics instead)

"Just a simple AB/CORE Circuit"

1) Elbow Plank: Hold for 1 Minute 

(SOURCE)

2)  Side Plank: Hold for 1 Minute each side

(SOURCE)

3)  V-Sit: Hold for 30-45 Seconds

(SOURCE)

4)  Bicycle: 25 total alternating sides

Repeat this little Circuit 3-4 times or as many times as you can... and it only takes about 15 minutes max!

and now just a little about me... just for fun

A is for ANIMALS...

As you can tell I am an animal lover!

I grew up on a farm and have ridden horses all my life.

If I had a dollar for every time my mom told us to go help her “unload the groceries” and when we walked outside to find a puppy, kitten, baby bunnies, chicks, ducklings, or you name it, in the back seat of the truck … we would have… well….quite a few dollars, too many to remember at that… which is a lot considering that is not something that happens in every household. 

Growing up on a farm taught me so much about responsibility and strength among other things. I learned about the birds and the bees because we had lots of puppies all the time… and only one boy… he was a sassy pants….

I also learned about preventing the birds and the bees… by attending “take your kid to work day” with my mom… and instead of work, we went to the vet …. to watch this poor little guy lose his… well… masculinity… I watched it …. It wasn't pretty.

I learned about the circle of life from horses getting old, and dogs that didn't much like cats, and rabbits who would eat their babies, and little puppies who just weren't ready for this world.

I learned that you are the least important thing at 3 in the morning, when all you want to do is sleep, and your dog NEEDS to go out NOW. 

I learned that if you don’t take care of messes when they happen, they become a lot more difficult to clean in the long run…. And that lesson was learned in more than one sense.

I gained my physical strength from carrying around 5 gallon buckets of water, throwing bales of hay up into lofts, carrying western style horse saddles (which are not light) around and then throwing them on top of a horse, swinging from the rafters in the barn, and climbing up towers of hay bales just to jump down and do it again.

I could go all day with this. I am so grateful for the way I grew up. Even though half the stuff I just said was more about farms than AAAAAAnimals... but that's okay, whats a farm without animals? Anywho, I can't wait to be able to have animals again and have a LITTLE farm of my own :)....For now though, I love our little apartment, it really is perfect!! 

I hope everyone has a fantastic afternoon... until next time!

The Power of Play!

Hi! 

So, my current job for the summer is babysitting....

I LOVE it....

It is the perfect "summer before grad school starts" job...

it is fun and easy and I get to PLAY all day long!

With just one little 8 year old... it is still exhausting... but the PERFECT way to throw in those little mid day workouts! 

The best kind of workouts are where you have fun! Going to the gym is fun but nothing is more fun than play. Actual child filled, imagination using play!

We went to the park the other day, and it gave me the inspiration for this post... 

I started taking a few pictures of things we were doing.... my little buddy thought I was crazy... if only he knew hehe....

we started with baseball... so much fun.(except I am terrible at throwing a ball... who knew?)

every time he would hit a ball... I would have to SPRINT to go get it and then try and tag him.... so I got some great little sprints in.... 

Then, every time I had to pick up a ball, I would throw in a squat jump to get it!

Every time he would get a run... we do jumping jacks!

we played on the marry-go-round too!

I started by running around with it to make it spin... but I got so nauseous so fast... but just pushing that thing to make it go, was quite the little arm workout itself... 

and the swings... 

mini ab workout anyone?

you forget how much fun the swings are when you haven't done them in a long time.... that is until he tells you to jump off when you are that high.... luckily it wasn't too painful....

there were so many other little mini-workouts thrown in there too!

-Climbing up and down the Jungle Gym

-The Monkey Bars (with a few random pull-ups)

-playing Soccer and Frisbee

- The Balance Beam

-Power Walking for miles and miles while he bikes

-Biking for miles and miles

This list could go on forever! It is crazy how much fun it is! 

and the best part about it is not only are you having tons of fun and working out... but you're wearing out the little guy too! Can't beat that!

I found THIS lovely little page all about how play is good for both kids and adults! It allows us (adults) to connect with others (children) and bring out that creativity and imagination that gets lost in our busy lives these days (especially if you don't have kids of your own). Play equals happiness... from my experience... I got so into having fun that no worries or troubles came to mind the entire time we were at the park... it's like a little vacation from your own mind (even if you don't need it)! 

I am lucky enough to get to do this every week and can't wait till next time!

So...  here is a recipe I threw together as well... I just really feel the need to share!

"Egg White Pancakes"

-4 Egg Whites
-1/2 C. Organic Gluten-free Oats
-1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
-Cinnamon to taste
-1/8 tsp. Baking Powder

-Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth
-Heat a skillet to about medium to medium high (I added a bit of coconut oil to avoid sticking)
-cook until bubbly on top, flip, cook for another minute or two on the opposite side and BOOM pancake!

A much lighter, healthier version of the standard pancakes!  They are so good... not as fluffy as normal pancakes... but I am gonna work on that!

Optional: Blueberries, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter, jam, raisins, nuts, or anything or imagination desires :D

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decided where to go...." 

-Dr.Seuss

Anyone ever get to go out and play?

Some oatmeal and heroes!

Good morning all...

So yesterday was quite the day....

It started out with a bit of morning yoga....

Doing stretches/yoga in the morning is the BEST way to wake up.... especially if you're sore in the morning from the previous days workout... the basic Sun Salutation is always my go-to when it comes to the morning yoga!

I didn't get any images of myself doing said yoga routine, but here is a wonderful image from a great website called Yogalina. This has TONS of great yoga references, tips, and advice for any yoga doers! 

This was followed by quite the eventful trail run.... but we'll get to that in a bit, first I wanna talk about breakfast (of course)....

Breakfast is by far my favorite meal of the day.... and as "all the experts" say... it is the most important meal of the day. Although I am not an expert, I have to agree with this. From my own experiences, skipping breakfast is the worst idea, especially when you live a very active lifestyle. Eating a good breakfast sets the foundation for a successful day by giving you the absolutely necessary energy to be productive. 

Before going on long runs, I have found that oatmeal is one of the best choices! Packed with good carbs for that "lasting energy" and by adding a bit of protein, it provides the perfect source of sustained energy needed. 

Yesterday, oatmeal was my breakfast of choice prior to a great run.... this is the glorious combination I threw together, and have had many times in the past. It never seems to fail me!

"Berry-Naner Protein Oats"

• ½ cup of instant gluten-free Oatmeal 
• ½ scoop Strawberry Protein
• ½ Banana
• A few handfuls of Blueberries
• 1 ½ tsp Chia Seeds
• A bit of Almond Milk (optional)

Add the oats to 1 cup of boiling water.  Add the protein and stir until well combined. Allow the oats to cook for a bit. Add the Chia Seeds, Banana, and Blueberries, stir. I added just a splash of Almond Milk because I like my oats creamier, but that is completely up to you! Enjoy!

We go through a lot of oatmeal at our place. There is this great little health food store down the road that sells Organic Gluten-free instant oatmeal in bulk. It is so much cheaper to buy it in bulk which is great when you are still at that "poor college kid" stage, hehe....

So moving on to this run.... I was very excited to go... trail runs are the greatest in my opinion... I could just run and run all day and wouldn't even know it. There is so much to think about and look at while in the woods, and no thoughts of how tired I am getting. 

Sometimes I take music with me and sometimes I don't.... well, yesterday I choose music...

when I go with music I have this nifty little arm band to hold my phone so I can listen to this music hands free. This arm band also seconds as a makeshift car-key holder where the keys sit in there right with my phone. Convenient, yes?... well yesterday I got this pesky little phone call, I didn't recognize the number so decided to answer it, just in case it was important... I took the phone out of the arm band and didn't notice my key falling out.... turns out it was an advertisement call for some university... I just hung up and continued my run... leaving my key behind... somewhere on the trail.... hm

Well that's a bummer....

I backtracked... with no luck... 

good thing I have this guy

My Hero!!

Brought me my spare key and I could not be more grateful!

Never been so happy to see that little "spare key pug"!

Well... that made for an interesting day... but it was a successful run to say the least...

 I then went and spent the rest of the day with this pretty cool little 8 year old...

logged about 4 more miles of POWER WALKING while he rode his bike.... children are exhausting!

I hope everyone has a absolutely fantastic and beautiful day! 

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important that fear" -James Neil Hollingworth

Grandma Ruby and her apples

Hello to all... It has been a couple days, and all I could do was think of new things I wanted to write about... there are so many...

Well today I am going to start off by introducing you all to a very special little friend.... this is Ruby....

We have had Ruby since she was a wee little puppy and raised her up into a fantastic farm dog... 

Well Ruby is quite the old dog... and she has had lots of puppies in her day... so this glorious combination has landed her the nickname "Grandma Ruby" because she is bound to be a grandma by now...

Well let me tell you a little something about Grandma Ruby... she is an apple eater... she would eat apples all day long (and has) and nothing would make her happier.

Here's an action shot... just to prove it. Isn't that great!

So, naturally, apples will forever have an association with this apple eating canine. 

I have created a wonderful little recipe that I have named in honor of my little apple eater:

"Grandma Ruby's Quinoa Apple Crisp", and let me tell you, it is quite fantastic. I think she would be proud of what I have done, hehe. 

This recipe was one of those "i'm gonna throw these things together and hope they taste good" type of recipe. Luckily, I am very pleased with my results and can't wait to try this one again... or create other variations. Apples are so great to work with... you can do so much and they are so good for you.

Before I give this recipe, I want to share a few health benefits of apples...

Here are a few good reasons that "Reader's Digest" shares on why apples are good for you:

1. Helps reduce Cholesterol
2. Lowers Blood Pressure
3. Bone Protection

Just to name a few....

So here is my little creation dedicated to Grandma Ruby :)

First you gotta start off by peeling and slicing some apples of course!

I used Organic Granny Smith... and one little Organic Gala that found his way into the batch :)

after you have finished the oh so wonderful task of of peeling and slicing....

you add coconut oil and mix well until the apples are completely covered.... 

I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out once the apples were cooked.... I wanted to make this recipe pretty much sugar free so I was hoping the coconut oil would roast the apples and bring out there natural sweetness.... 

After the apples are covered, I added cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bit of stevia to complete the apple portion of this apple crisp!

So moving on to the "Crisp"

You start of with cooked quinoa and oat flour and mix it together until well combined....

then add the remaining ingredients (listed below) and mix together to create a very sticky mixture.

I then just kinda plopped the creation over the apples, placed it in the oven, and crossed my fingers.

Well... the final product sure did look mighty tasty.... just a taste test would revel if it really was or not....

"Grandma Ruby's Quinoa Apple Crisp"
(Gluten-Free)

For the apples:

• 4 Cups sliced apples
• 2 Tbsp Coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Nutmeg
• 1 tsp Stevia

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray or oil. If not done already, peel and slice the apples. Place in a bowl and add the coconut oil. Mix until apples are coated. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Spread the apple mixture in baking dish evenly and set aside.

For the crisp:

• 1 ½ Cups cooked Quinoa
• 1 Cup Gluten-free oat flour (I’m sure other gluten-free flours would work fine too)
• 3 Tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
•  1 Egg White
•  1/3 cup Unsweetened Applesauce

Mix the cooked quinoa and oat flour until well combined. Add the Honey and stir until mixed evenly throughout. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Mixture will be sticky. Take the flower mixture and spread/pour/glob over the apples. Bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy :D

And of course... since yesterday was "National Ice Cream" day... I had to make a little creamy goodness to go with my apple crisp. This recipe is not my own... I got it from one of my favorite blogs. She has so many creative and delicious recipes. Sometimes, I wish she would come cook for me. Anywho... here is this "Sugar free, low-calorie Ice Cream" recipe.  

·      

"Sugar free, low-calorie Ice Cream"

2 Cups non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened Vanilla)

1/8 tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla extract
  ½ tsp almond  extract
½ tsp Stevia

Combine all ingredients and whisk together. 

(Isn't this little guy fun?)

Pour mixture in an ice cube tray and allow to freeze for a few hours. 

After the cubes have frozen, place them in a blender and blend together until smooth and BOOM… Ice Cream! (I added a bit of extra almond milk to help with the blending process)

It comes out looking like mashed potatoes, don't you think? But... it definitely was not any sort of potato.. it is similar more to creamy shaved ice... and pretty fantastic

So before desert, of course, you have to have dinner...

Like a Steak and potatoes kind of dinner... clearly a favorite of my guy's... look at him cut it like a pro.... hehe 

okay, back to dessert....

here was the true test, this super healthy, apple crisp and ice cream....

it was a success and mighty delicious!!!

My guy even asked for seconds, sure did make me happy!

and there was quite a bit leftover ice cream (how convenient), and it made the most wonderful little frozen additive to my breakfast shake this morning... that stuff sure is versitile. Love healthy little treats like that!

I think Grandma Ruby would be proud of me with this creation.... if she wasn't a dog.... I would have shared... but, maybe i'll just toss her a leftover apple instead of the crisp

She sure does look awfully wise in this picture!

.. well I hope you enjoy... I know I will be enjoying those leftovers... and guilt free!

I hope you all have a wonderful afternoon!

"May you live every day of your life" -Jonathon Swift