Banana Spice French Toast

Ah it is the weekend, this means coffee and weekend brunch!

Here is my simple recipe this makes 3-4 French Toast:

2 eggs
1 tbps of cinnamon
1 tsp of nutmeg
2 tsp of pumpkin spice 
half a banana

Blend up and let your bread soak for 3-5 min (I used a Udi's gluten free bread which worked really well)

Other options:
If you want more protein you can include half a scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein powder.

Top with any nut butter or agave syrup or even maple syrup

Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

Such a good and filling meal! This recipe actually made more than 4 stuffed peppers but I ran out of peppers :)

1 cup of brown rice--> boil on the side this takes about 25 minutes

Meanwhile in another pot cook:
1 package of ground turkey
1/2 an onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 cup of chopped celery
1 cup of chopped zucchini
Add a small can of tomato paste
1 package of taco seasoning, salsa and half a cup of water

Once all cooked add the rice and the mix together. Scoop the mix in the peppers and bake at 350

These are even great for lunches too!

Ginger Sesame Chicken

Super simple recipe that taste so good!
The cooking sauce:  Add 3 tbsp of sesame seeds, 2 tbsp fresh or powdered ginger, a pinch of Himalayan salt and pepper, add a few tablespoons of water mix together and allow to sit while you start cooking the chicken
Start browning the chicken in a pan, add sauce and continue cooking until finished
For your side dish parsnips and carrots worked out really well with the ginger flavour in the chicken which I steamed then added Mrs. Dash no salt vegetable seasoning!

FREE 7 day clean eating group!

With Thanksgiving just finishing and Halloween around the corner, I thought this would be a great way to get back on track and kick start our nutrition! Plus it will help with some accountability!

 

This group is ran through facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1540772242821035/

Add yourself to the group! Today is grocery shopping and meal prepping day so you can set yourself up for success and avoid binging temptations!

Natural, NO Chemical, Deodorant Recipe

We all know that deodorant is loaded with chemicals which have even been linked to the causes of  certain cancers. Finally, a teacher that I work with gave me a recipe for something that works (no really her husband even uses it, plus I have sweat tested this recipe in a spin class :)  ) and can even be made in your own home with 3 simple ingredients!

Here it is:
¼ cup baking soda (aluminum free) or arrowroot powder
¼ cup cornstarch
6 teaspoons coconut oil

For scent you can even add a few drops of essential oil, but the first time I tried it I didn't add any because I like the smell of coconut anyways.

You can always adjust the consistency, this is the tricky part. If you are finding it too soft then continue to add equal amounts of baking soda and cornstarch one teaspoon at a time. The mixture also settles after you put it in a container so it is ok if it is softer at first!

I know it is easy to be skeptical, but try it out! I would never go back to regular deodorant after using this!!

Clean Pumpkin Pie

All the treat less the sweet!

This recipe proved you can make a delicious desert without all the butter, shortening and cream! It is also gluten free and dairy free! 

For the crust:

1 cup of almond flour 

3/4 cup of coconut flour 

3 tbsp of coconut oil 

Pinch if salt 

2 eggs 

2 tsp of stevia powder 

Mix all the ingredients by hand, you may add a bit of water (1tbsp at a time) if you are finding it doesn't have the dough consistency you want. 

Press evenly into a greased dish (I used a bit of coconut oil with a piece of paper towel to spread it over the dish) 

The filling:

1 can of pumpkin purée 

1/2 cup of almond milk 

1 egg

1/2 cup of maple syrup 

1 tbsp of pumpkin spice

1 tbsp of cinnamon 

1/4 of nutmeg 

*Preheat the oven at 350C

*Bake the crust alone for 10-14 min

*Add the filling and bake the rest for 50min or until the knife comes out clean! 

Serve with coconut dream ice cream for an added touch! 

Finally an easy desert recipe that I can have!! 

Enjoy! 

Banana Split

What could be better?

1 scoop of chocolate shakeology 

1 banana

1 cup of frozen strawberries 

And I always add spinach of course but this is optional!

Lettuce Wraps

21 day fix approved! 2 green, 1 red and 1 yellow 

Filling:

1 cup of quinoa
1 cup of red pepper
2 stalks of celery
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 an onion
Pepper
1 spoon of vegetable or chicken broth powder for flavour

Add all the ingredients with 2 cups of water bring to boil then cover to simmer on low.

Cook chicken separate with salsa for flavour (you can also cook teriyaki style if you prefer)

Add filling to lettuce cups I have used romaine but butter lettuce if you prefer a softer lettuce.

Spice up your salads

Salads don't have to be boring OR full of calories either!
My dijon vinaigrette can be added to any salad to boost flavour!

Tuna salad recipe
Mixed spinach and greens
1 stick of celery
1 mini bell pepper
half a tomato
half a can of tuna
2 tbs of pumpkin seeds

Vinaigrette
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of lemon juice
 dijon mustard to your liking! Changes the thickness of the dressing so you cal play around with the quantity
fresh cracked pepper
Wisk together and extras can be stored in the fridge for a week

Total containers:
1 red, 2 green, 1 blue, 1 orange

Beachbody Coaching

What is Beachbody coaching all about?
What to help and inspire others? 
What to increase your income or build a business from home?
What a discount on the most popular fitness programs and Shakeology? 
Have a passion for health and fitness?

Beachbody offers amazing fitness products such as 21 day fix, P90X3, PiYo and Shakeology that you can finally get at a discount. Also, Beachbody offers a great compensation and business model where you can build a business right from home! What would it mean to you if you had more freedom with your money and your job? Find out if this amazing opportunity is for you!

Message to be a part of our team's FREE Coach Sneak Peak!!

Taco Salad

Arrrriba! I love the Mexican flavour!
Plus you can use leftover taco meat to use in your salad for lunch the next day!

Taco meat:
1 pkg of group turkey (less fat than ground beef)
half an onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 cup of mixed bell peppers
For seasoning make your own with chilli powder, pepper, Himalayan salt, hot sauce and cumin

Add your mixed greens and desired veggies, avocado works well too! Top with salsa for a low cal but full flavour dressing!

Protein Pancakes!

My favourite morning or night! Finally a healthy way to enjoy pancakes!

1 1/2 cup of egg whites
1/3 cup of oats
half a banana
1 scoop of chocolate vegan Shakeology
Blend ingredients in the blender and pour over a preheated pan


Topping options:
Mix some peanut butter with a teaspoon of honey and water to make a "syrup type" topping add the rest of your banana

Salsa Chicken with Lentils

21 day fix approved! 1 green, 1 red and 1 yellow container

Carrots are steamed topped with Mrs. Dash salt free seasoning
Mixed lentils are boiled with a dash of Himalayan salt and some spiracha (I like spicy)
And I actually boiled my chicken breast with 2 bay leaves and lemon juice

The final flavour topper, SALSA! It is my favourite condiment because it is low in calories and full of flavour!

Fitness Challenge Group

I want to extend the invitation for you to join me in a Beachbody Challenge Group and become a part of an amazing health and fitness community!

Do you want to:
lose weight
get toned
get healthier
improve your nutrition
increase your fitness and endurance
set goals and work on your personal development

Challenge groups help you change your mind and body so that you can your life!
I understand that we are all busy and fitness shouldn't take hours a day. I am a full time teacher and certainly don't have hours to devote to my fitness. However, I will also show you that you can get the best workouts in as little as 30 min a day at home and on your schedule!

Most importantly, with me as your coach and the community that we build, Challenge Groups offer the support, motivation and accountability so that you can achieve your fitness and nutrition goals!

You don't have to be on this fitness journey alone, support = success! 

Message me to talk about your goals and ask how you can get started!

Goals pyramid

How do you to about achieving your goals? It can be a daunting task, you know what you want but how do you get there?

Bring on the power of the pyramid! 

This breaks down the long term result that you want into a manageable action plan! 

Start with your ultimate goal: what is the result that you want? To lose 25 pounds in 3 months, to run a 10km race or maybe a specific time goal for a race. 

Next your monthly goal: example, I will lose 8 pounds this month or I will be able to run for 30 min straight. 

The your weekly goal: I will exercise 4 times this week and eat only meals that I make at home. 

Finally your daily goals: today I will make sure to fuel my body with healthy snacks, I will take the stairs instead or I will do an extra 10 min ab circuit after my workout. 

Breaking your goals down really makes you more accountable for achieving them, it's not just some blurry picture in the distance. Plus you are getting a step closer each day and you are able to see the progress.  I keep a calendar just for my workouts so that I can set these goals an check it off each day! 

We all know that goals are important but it is equally important to have your goals work for you! Try this pyramid system!

Best fitness app!

This is my new favourite app! Tabata pro is amazing! Pick a circuit to do, there are some examples on the bottom. It's 20 seconds of intense work and 10 seconds of rest! I like how there is a countdown to the rest and to start so that you can just go hard and let the app do the work!

Plus you can even choose your own music to go along with the workout and the rest! 

Each tabata has 2 exercises that you repeat 8 times. (you can adjust the cycles of course) 

Ab set  (8 cycles)

Ab roll (using ball) / plank

Russian twist / alternate leg raises 

Vups / reverse crunch 

Total body circuit (8 cycles each) 

1. Ham curls (heel on the ball) / hip lifts 

2. Ab triangle (elbow on ball in plank position draw triangles) / tricep extensions (choose your dumbells or bands) 

3. Sumo squats (weights on shoulders) / band alternate right leg/ left leg 

4. Plank / push-ups 

Protein Pancakes

Fuel up the morning right!
This is my FAVOURITE weekend brunch recipes

2 cups of egg whites
1 banana
1 scoop of chocolate shakeology
1/2 cup of oats

You can even add a handful of blueberries or some chocolate chips 

blend ingredients together and cook on a non-stick pan. Serve with peanut butter and honey.

Makes 4-6 pancakes

Protein Balls

Awesome snack that is easy to make not to mention cheaper and healthier than granola bars. Makes 20 and only 80 calories each! 
Recipe: 
1 cup of nuts I used almonds
1 cup of oats 
-Grind oats and nuts together then add the read of the ingredients 
1/4 cup of cacao powder or carob
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of maca powder (great for an energy boost)
1 scoop of protein powder (chocolate shakeology works well)
2/3 cup almond butter
2-3 tablespoons almond milk to help hold it together.
-And voila roll them up. No need for added syrups or sweeteners it is mighty tasty the way it is!
You can also roll them in shredded coconut too.

Day 3 of the refresh

Day 3 is finally here! But it really wasn't bad! I was eating lots of veggies with hummus and avocado- mm my favourite!

And the vanilla refresh I loved because I blended it up with half a banana and lots of ice to make it frothy! 

I had to have some meals on the go because that is life! If you absolutely have to eat at a restaurant, which I did a garden salad worked well with some olive oil and lemon juice! All is possible if you ask! 

This program really made me realize how much we seek comfort foods and how much better I feel without it! It was also good to be more aware of how much processed food we eat. It's really all around us and easy to choose. This program helped me go back to the basics; fruits, veggies, nuts and healthy fats. 

It was really well laid out. All that was required was some preparation even if that means some containers on the go and for the shakes, mixing with water. 

Something I noticed was that it is easy to mistake hunger for actually being thirsty! I was reaching lots for the water these 3 days instead of food and I found that water left me satisfied because I was thirsty in the first place! 

Apart from feeling good, tomorrow morning will be a weigh in to see some more exciting changes.

Bottom line, it is good to give our bodies a break from working through all of the processed food that we eat and get back to the clean side! 

3 Day Refresh Day 1

Day 1 is complete and what did I eat?

My day started with PIYO sweat and lots of water!

Breakfast was shakeology with a handful of blueberries (shown in the glass)
I had some herbal tea instead of my usual coffee, there are some great varieties out there, love the selection!
Mid-morning was the fibre sweep which is not pictured, it tasted much better than I thought, there was a citrus taste to it! The fibre sweep is just mixed with water and drank quickly.
Lunch was the Vanilla Fresh shake with half a banana (shown in the right) and peppers with 2 Tbs of avocado
For an afternoon snack I had carrots and hummus

Dinner was a veggie stir fry with ginger and garlic and the Vanilla Fresh shake

So far Day 1 is good, the shakes taste delicious as I expected since this product is from the creators of Shakeology (enough said :) ) and I am really focussing on drinking lots of water!

I am also making hibiscus lemonade since it is warm to drink tea all day and night! In that I added the hibiscus leaves and stevia to sweeten! I think this will definitely be my go-to for a sweet-tooth-kicking after dinner drink when I need something healthy!

3 Day Refresh Pre-Start

Making my lists and checking them twice! Getting all prepared for the refresh which starts tomorrow. Planning is key! I'll be bringing my food and shakes to work tomorrow! 

Here is my shopping list by category to get ready for the refresh:

Matchstick carrots ( to keep prep simple )

Cucumbers

Peppers 

Spinach 

Green beans 

Sprouts 

Cauliflower 

Asparagus 

Ginger 

Baby tomatoes 

Avocado 

Fresh basil 

Bananas 

Blueberries

Strawberries 

Grapefruit 

Lemon juice

Hummus

Slivered almonds

Pumpkin seeds 

*Oils, spices and things that I already had 

Olive oil, coconut oil, almond butter, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, cinnamon. 

Tomorrow I will post "a day in the 3 day refresh" so that you can see what that looks like! 

The 3 Day Refresh

It is finally here and it came at the perfect time! You know when you have been on the road visiting family, going to bbqs, eating out and just feeling plain bloated!

The wonderful thing about this is that it is short and you still get to eat and of course enjoy those wonderful shakes! I know I can do this cleanse because I have done a 5 day juice cleanse where I didn't get to eat a thing, no solid food and that was tough! This way I still get to enjoy my shakeology every morning! 

In the package you will find:

*A program guide which will be your bible for te next 3 days 

*Shakeology packet to start your day with your dense nutrition shake with a fruit option 

*2 vanilla fresh packets for your mid morning snack and lunch with your fruit and veggie options 

*For dinner you have a meal to choose from from your program guide and a fibre sweep packet to help with the detoxification process 

The refresh starts Monday so stay tuned for meals and results! I'm so ready to feel lighter and healthier! 

PiYo

I have always needed to work on flexibility and balance and PiYo does just that plus strength and cardio intervals with no equipment! 

This program came at the perfect time, I was travelling visiting my family in different places so to do a program where all I needed was a small space and a DVD player was key! Plus I was going to compete in my first triathlon so I needed to stretch and lengthen and work on the small balance muscles!

This program also works a lot on the powerhouse, THE CORE but not just by doing the traditional exercises like crunches but more by with dynamic movements.  I am always SOAKED when I am done a work out and the sessions range from 25-45 min. Plus Chalene Johnson is FUNNY, I love her as a trainer she's motivating and I love her comments!

Here is the rundown on the what is included in the pack:

1) Align- shows you the fundamentals on how to get started right and performing the moves with proper form

2) Define: Lower Body- Getting "gorgie" (as Chalene would say) legs there are some static poses and dynamic poses as well

3) Define: Upper Body- This includes core and arms, there is a lot of tricep pushups working the back of the arm which I know I need to work on. Of course there are modifications to the moves because I can't yet perform some of the moves on my toes so it is a work in progress

4) Sweat- This is a 35 min session and offers more traditional PiYo moves which are unique to this program that you won't find anywhere else!

5) Core- Working on the powerhouse while working on everything else!

6) Buns- One of my FAVOURITES thought it was just going to be the glutes but turned out to be hamstrings, legs and the outer hip/glute to get that nice dent in your booty. I have to tell you I went for a bike a day after I did this workout and I really felt my outer butt which is what I want, that is a hard area to work on!

7) Strength Intervals- Great if you need a circuit cardio/strength style workout

8) Drench- The longest workout of the bunch, really tests your endurance and ability to hold some poses 

9) Sculpt- total body workout only 30 min!

10) There is a bonus hardcore on the floor workout which is also a core workout without leaving the mat!

Another BONUS is Turbo Fire low HIIT 20 which is a cardio interval workout too!

I am always working up a great sweat with these workouts and also learning some new moves such as: 

Crow Crouch (Tricep): Head tricep pushup while crouching then finishing with leg straight in the air

PiYo Pike: From the t-stand position, take the raised arm and curl it under your body lifting your hips into the air in a pike and crunching your abs.

PiYo Flip: One of the toughest moves. I could not for the life of me get this move at first, but after watching a break down of it on YouTube totally get it and find it fun! 

Beast: One all fours, lift your knees off the ground and hold in tabletop then tap with alternate arms to really get a burn!

Kick Thru: From the Beast, bring one leg through and kick it, rotating in that direction and lifting the opposite arm in the air.

-PiYo Push-up (inch worm to the group, Tricep Push-up x3, walk hands back to feet, Roll Up, Chair Squat)

Some of the YOGA POSES that are incorporated are:

-Plank

-Child's Pose

-Tricep Push-up

-Chaturanga & Up Dog

-Down Dog

-Down Dog Split

Warrior Series

-Warrior 1

-Warrior 2

-Right Angle

-Triangle

-Flow (Warrior Series - Right Leg, Left Leg Leads)

-Tricep Push-up

-Warrior 3

-Half Moon

This program has been a great CHALLENGE for me! If this sounds like something you would like to do email me!

PIYO CHALLENGE PACK

Try a Tri

I am new to road biking, I had been spinning this winter and really got into it so I bought my first road bike this summer! I decided to set some goals, if I was going to invest in this equipment (cycling as I found out is an expensive sport, but I guess what sport isn't)

My Cannondale!!!

On July 12, 2014 I complete my first triathlon at Lac Delage in Quebec! I was already going there to see my family and was missing most of the races at home so I decided why not! I packed up my bike in a monstrous case and hauled it to the airport!

For me doing a triathlon was definitely out of my comfort zone. I have always been a swimmer but never in open water, and I had only been on my bike a handful of times, but the running I knew I had down! I signed up only weeks before the event because getting out of that comfort zone is only how you grow.

I really recommend signing up for a race while you are away because it keeps you training. It could have been so easy to laze around on my holiday but with that race in mind, I was going for morning runs and rides!

There is so much to triathlon training that I had no idea about before! Practicing faster transitions, breathing techniques for open water and even the way you lay out your gear is a science! There is so much that I learned along the way, thanks to youtube videos and with some help from my supporters around me!

I LOVED my experience and love the training too! When you are used to training for half and marathons it is so nice to have a spin or a cycle day in your training! Easier on the body too!
I also surprised myself and did much better than I thought with my times. It was funny because they have your race number and age painted on your calf and during the race it kept me motivated to pass people in my age category, that's just the competitive side of me!

Now that I hooked I'm chasing some better time goals. I will be posting some training gems that I find along the way in here so stay tuned!

Tropical Sunshine

Shakeology comes in many different flavours but because I cannot have dairy I get the chocolate vegan or the tropical vegan. You can ship alternate bags of flavours or get the individually wrapped combo packs!

Here is my recipe for the tropical vegan:

1 scoop of shakeology tropical vegan 

1 cup of frozen strawberries 

1 small orange peeled 

Water and viola! Tastes like you're sitting on a beach! 

Red Velvet Shakeology

Yes this shake taste exactly like the cupcake but has amazing nutritional benefits!

1 scoop of Chocolate shakeology, 1 beet peeled and chopped (trust me on this one), strawberries and I even added spinach for added greens! AMAZING! 

P.s the benefits of beets are unreal and it really isn't something that we eat much of.
Beets have nitrates which acts as a vasodilator in functioning skeletal muscle, increasing the size of blood vessels to allow more oxygen flow, the perfect superfood for training wouldn't you agree?