Banana Flour-less Muffins!

Made some banana muffins that have NO flour!  I couldn't believe how cake like they are without the flour!

2 ripe bananas (they HAVE to be ripe)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 TBSP honey
1 cup of peanut butter (I used homemade nut butter)
toppings (I used nuts, 60% cacao chocolate chips, raisins...but these were NOT my favorites!)

Mix all ingredients together and bake for 8 - 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven!

Almost-Clean Banana Pancakes

So we LOVE pancakes!  Today while the boys were at Bible School they requested I make pancakes for them.  So I checked out Betty Crocker's recipe and modified it a bit!  These taste like banana bread!  SO GOOD!

1 egg
2 bananas
3/4 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup flour (I used white because that is what I had, but I bet whole wheat would be good too)
3/4 cup milk
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together, throw in a frying pan over medium heat!  Enjoy!  I added syrup and powdered sugar for the kiddos, but they were good straight out of the frying pan!

Pumpkin Pie Shakeology Balls

I recently got an order of Vanilla Shakeology and hadn't tried it yet. So today, I decided I should separate myself from the chocolate for a day or two and created this simple recipe! They are delicious and a nice change from the chocolate Shakeology Balls I have been eating the past few months :)

Shakeology Pumpkin Pie Balls

3 scoops of Vanilla Shakeology

1/4 c coconut oil

1 tbsp honey

1/4 cup water

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix, roll, refrigerate, eat!

Clean Chicken Salad and Ranch Dressing

Found this recipe on Pintrest.  Modified it a bit :)

First, make the Clean Ranch!

1 container of plain greek yogurt
10 tbsp of milk
1/2 tsp of onion powder
1/2 tsp dried dill
1 tsp of dried parsley
1 tsp of dried chives
1 tsp of salt

pepper...if you like that sort of thing ;)

For the Chicken Salad, it would be best to make your own chicken breast and shred it, but I just used a large can of chicken in water.

1 lrg can of chicken
1/4 cup of ranch dressing mix
1/4 + cup of diced red onion - make sure to dice very small, these are potent!

Mix and enjoy!  This makes 2 servings!  I added some cheese, avocado and almond nut thins when I had it for lunch!

Happy Memorial Day - Family Breakfast

Happy Memorial Day!

This morning we started our day with some American breakfasts ;)The kiddos had confetti waffles with strawberries, blueberries, and powdered sugar!

The hubs and I are having American as Apple Pie Overnight Oats!

To make the oats - mix 1/4 cup oats, 1/4 cup water, 3/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.  Mix all together and refrigerate over night.

In the morning, chop 1 cup of apples and add the overnight oats mixture to the top!  DELICIOUS!

Shakeology Brownie Balls

I realize that this may have been a bit hidden!  LOL No more!

Shakeology Brownie Balls

3 scoops of Shakeology
1/4 c coconut oil
1/4 c peanut butter
1/4 c unsweetened coconut
1/4 c chocolate chips (I used 60% cacao)

Mix all ingredients together. Roll into balls! Refrigerate and Enjoy!

Clean Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

My kids and husband (and I) LOVE the Broccoli Cheddar soup from Panera.  Problem?  It's not the cleanest thing to eat.  So I found a recipe for Clean Broccoli Cheddar soup that I modified to fit our needs and likes!

3 TBSP EVOO
3 TBSP whole wheat flour
1 cup milk (I use lactaid because my kids are lactose-intolerant)
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded cauliflower
1 cup shredded broccoli
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups shredded cheddar

In a frying pan, heat EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil).  Whisk in flour.  Once the flour is all mixed in, it should start to make a paste.  Slowly whisk in milk.  Once milk is totally incorporated whisk in Chicken broth.

Transfer mixture to crockpot.  Add shredded veggies (I shred mine, to hide extras so my kids don't know they are eating carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli).

Cook on high for 4 hours.  Add shredded cheddar and cook an additional hour!

Stir and Enjoy!

Pineapple Chicken "Soup"

So I have recently renewed my love for my crockpot!  Today, I am making Pineapple Chicken "Soup".  I found a similar recipe on Pintrest, but I modified it to match what we like here!

2 lbs frozen chicken breast
20 oz can crushed pineapple
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced green chiles
1 cup salsa verde
1 - 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 can black beans
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt

Place all ingredients together in crockpot for 4 - 5 hours on HIGH!  Shred chicken and enjoy!

We have eaten it like soup with a little shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and extra salsa.  We have also put in tortilla shells like a taco!

Sometime we have to be a little tricky ;)

So my parents have a growing asparagus patch and bring FRESH asparagus up for us each week.  Well...we had a LOT!  So I decided to make pasta con asparagi :)  That's when Riley told me he loves spaghetti and he's so glad I am making it!  So plans changed.  

First, I used the food processor to cut up all the asparagus.  I added the asparagus and about 3/4 cup of onion together with garlic and a little olive oil.  I let these cook down for 10 - 15 minutes.  Then I added two cans of petite diced tomatoes.  After seeing what this looked like, I KNEW the kids wouldn't eat it, so I decided to put the mix in the blender and cream it up.  Voila!  Asparagus Tomato Sauce.  So good and So clean!

Shakeology BALLS!

OMG!  I can't believe I waited this long to try these!  I am obsessed (and probably eating more than I should)  BUT, FOR REALS!  These are great!

To make:

1 cup of Chocolate Shakeology
1 cup of almond butter
1 cup of steel cut oats
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Unsweetened coconut flakes

Combine first 5 ingredients.  Roll into balls.  Coat with coconut flakes!  Refrigerate for at least an 1 hour - They taste much better when they are cold!

TRY THEM! LOVE THEM!!!!

Thought of the Day!

I always wondered WHY I never got results like others!  I would workout and sweat so hard...but I was still not seeing definition...WELL...I ate like a trucker man ;P  I would eat everything and site my exercise as an excuse...NOT ANY MORE!  This picture sums it up!

New Challenge Group!

I am in the process of getting 3 challenge groups up and going!

Starting next Monday, April 27 I will be hosting a FREE Walk and Water Challenge.  You will drink 1/2 your body weight in oz of water each day and commit to run or walk a certain number of miles/minutes each day!

My newest challenge I am MOST excited about is the FREE Beachbody On Demand Challenge!  Beachbody will let you try their Team Beachbody Club for FREE for 30 days!  This means 30 days of FREE Access to tons of Beachbody workouts!!!!!  I am SOOOO EXCITED!

I will also be hosting a FREE fitness challenge group starting Monday, May 11!  You will commit to doing the prescribed exercises and tracking your progress for 10 days!

If you are interested in any of these challenges email me at ederickson528@gmail.com or send me a private message on Facebook!

My Goals This Week!

This week is my last week of 21 Day Fix Extreme!  Last week I did the workouts, but my nutrition was AWFUL!  Like, I am embarrassed!  NOT THIS WEEK!  I have stuck to clean eating!  I haven't even cheated!  I want those after pictures to show how hard I have worked these last 3 weeks!

Craft wise - I FINISHED the curtains for Lydia's room!  They sat here, unfinished, for a MONTH!  I will post pictures soon with the whole room done.  My next step in her room is to paint.  Some back story on Lydia's room - It started out as Riley's room, then Riley and Luke's room.  Now it is just Lydia's room.  We never actually put it together before she was born, because we were getting the boys out still.  Then, getting it together was not on the priority list.  Now that have a little more time, I would like to make it nice and girly for her!  I bought fabric at Hobby Lobby and I WILL make her pillows, a quilt, and a knit blanket, and I will paint that room!  It looks pretty bad :(

Food this week!  I hope you are all eating enough!  I am so amazed how much CLEAN food I can eat in 1 day and still lose weight!  Here is a sample of a clean day for me:
Breakfast:  2 baked eggs and 10 baby carrots
Snack:  oatmeal, apple, carrot muffin (recipe on recipe tab)
Lunch: Home-made chicken noodle soup
Snack:  Shakeology!
Dinner:  Sweet Potato, Chicken and Quinoa Soup - I topped it with cheese, salsa verde, and some crunched up corn tortilla chips - I had 2 bowls!

Remember - This is about progress NOT perfection :)

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Hello Everyone!  I am Elizabeth.  I am a mom of 3 beautiful babies, a middle school teacher, a runner, and a knitter.  I am currently progressing through 21 Day Fix Extreme!  I am learning to cook and eat cleanly.  I keep reminding myself  "progress NOT perfection."

My plan is for this blog to be accountability for me in MY journey to be the fittest, happiest, and healthiest version of me I can be.  There will be recipe posts, fails and successes, links to upcoming challenges, and my knitting projects!

Knitting and fitness don't seem related, but for me knitting, running, completing a 21 Day Fix workout are all relaxing ways to improve mySELF.  I have lost mySELF in the past, but I won't let that happen anymore.  I am learning to be ME, regardless of what others think of my choices.

I recently decided to be a BEACHBODY COACH!  Not for financial reasons, but for SELF reasons.  I love the Beachbody community!  EVERY single coach I have interacted with has had a positive and supportive role in my mind and body transformation.

I hope in the blog you will find recipes you like, knitting patterns you want to try, and overall support and encouragement to do what makes you happy to be the happiest, fittest, healthiest YOU!