Hello my lovelies! Mama Bear Fitness is my way to share my growing knowledge about healthy nutrition & home fitness. Once a workaholic professional in the retail industry, now a Stay-At-Home Oilfield wife with a budding Fitness business! I know from experience that parents of small children lead insane lives full of unpredictability & always tend to put themselves on the backburner, but I am here to provide insight into how even a busy mom can be healthy and fit!
I absolutely love finding ways to make things healthier. Tweaking recipes for things as well as showing my challengers that making small changes means they can still have some of their favorite foods and beverages!! Who doesn't remember Freezies or those no-name popsicle things from when you were a kid? Especially if you came from a household that was closer to food stamps than private chefs. Cheap, simple, but completely devoid of any nutrition. Pretty much all sugar water.
So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon Zipzicles! Ice-pop pouches so that I can make my very own freezie creations. Cannot wait to try these, the recipe ideas wouldn't soley be limited to cherry, blue-raspberry, grape, orange, and lemon-lime. The recipe ideas are pretty much endless if you make your own as well.
My kids birthday parties, summer BBQ's, picnics, camping, block parties, pool parties, even just a treat on a hot day! And considering the amount of times my girls are already asking for ice cream and such this idea may also save us some pretty dental bills too! haha. Or even take Jello shooters to a whole new dimension for the adults to enjoy. Just don't confuse yours with the kids... that wouldn't be very good!
Already tried these before? Tell me what your opinions on them are!!
It's May Long weekend, so alot of people are out camping and enjoy campfires and of course SMORES!! With my girls being so young still, plus not having a tent, my husband and I haven't been able to go camping this year for May Long Weekend. But honestly, i cannot live without smores!! Doesn't even have to be at a campfire! I mean lets think about this, we got the gooey roasted marshmallow stickyness than the melty chocolate goodness and finally the sweet crispyness of the graham cracker and you have probably my favorite childhood treat.
Now if only i could make a healthy version...
Oh wait,
I DID!!
This Smores Shakeology recipe tastes like dessert without having any of the guilt or worry that your waistline might expand too! Plus its got more nutrition than even a fully packed leafy green salad could ever hope to have, and all in one glass!
My kids absolutely LOVE chocolate, so when i make this they usually steal it and I am lucky if i get any at all!! Typically i have to make a 2nd one and hide it from them. I don't mind though, because they love it, and I love that it is healthy for them.
There is alot of room to play around with the recipe, you can even make it in ice cream and fudgesicles as well!! Same rule applies to ALL of my shakeology recipes!
Have you tried a Smores Shakeology recipe? If you have than i would LOVE your feedback!! Or, if you have another childhood favorite you want me to try to recreate than just let me know!
Its funny, growing up I never would of said MUSHROOMS YUMMY!! But now I love them!! My oldest daughter really doesn't like mushrooms but my youngest eats everything we put on her plate. Hubby just likes it when he doesn't have to cook... or do the dishes, haha. So for lunch I made my husband these amazing Teryaki Chicken stuffed Portebello Mushroom Caps. He didn't really breather or even look up while inhaling it so I assumed he loved it, or he was starving. But since he ate a big breakfast I vote for the first option. ;)
Here is what you need to recreate these perfectly portioned caps;
Recipe:
Teryaki Chicken Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Ingredients:
2x large portebello mushrooms
1x xtra lean chicken breast, chopped
1/3 cup broccoli, chopped
1/3 cup asparagus, chopped
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 tbls low sodium soy sauce
2 tbls teryaki sauce
Avocado Oil
1/4 cup grated cheese
Salt & Pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375C
2. Scoop out the core of the mushrooms, put a few drops of oil into the caps and cook in oven for 5 minutes
3. Over medium-high heat saute the chicken in soy sauce until half cooked and still pink in the centre.
4. Reduce to low-medium heat, add vegetables and teryaki sauce, cook until chicken is nearly done (max 5 minutes).
5. Scoop mixture into mushroom caps, bake for another 10 minutes.
6. Sprinkle cheese on top and broil until cheese is lightly browned.
Wait 5 minutes before consuming!! The inside is going to be insanely hot. Enjoy!!
There are sooooo many things you can stuff inside a mushroom cap, and mushrooms are an excellent source of nutrients! If you try my recipe or any modification of it than please share with me what you thought below in the comments!
Alright so you might be thinking, what IS Shakeology? I mean, come on, i have an entire page heading dedicated to it, so you KNOW its special to me at least. Obviously I am about to tell you all the awesomeness that I have found in Shakeology over the past year, both from being a dedicated consumer of it as well as the research I have done on it. I of course researched it before i started drinking it everyday but throughout the year I still like to look up the new recipes and ingredients it has in it so i know what it can and is doing for me constantly.
Lets start with what Shakeology is NOT;
-A protein shake - although it does contain protein in it traditional protein shakes provide a single or double source of protein and little to no nutritional value after that
-full of chemical mixtures and concoctions that you cannot pronounce
-containing added sweeteners, preservatives or artificial flavours
-a generic over the counter magic solution
Ok, now, here is what Shakeology IS;
-a superfood nutrient dense shake made up of over 70 different nutrient rich foods that provide your entire days bodily requirement of nutrition in one simple glass a day.
-a meal replacement - although it can easily be drank as a snack it works out great as a daily meal replacement as well without having the after effects of being hungry after drinking one serving!
-fantastic for crushing your cravings into the ground, seriously, i havent wanted to get "chocolate wasted" in over a year. And thats a big deal for me, i have 2 toddlers, they love their junk food!
-perfect for weight loss, and no its not from any special chemical compound gimmick. Simple answer, when you have cravings its your body telling you its either addicted to something or your body needs something that item might have in it. Most cravings are not for the healthier option either, so if you give in you end up eating unhealthy food, thus most likely causing weight gain. Proper nutrition cuts off the cravings which cuts off the binge eating thus decreasing weight gain possibilities.
And if you are anything like me and hate taking pills for anything ranging from medications to vitamins than Shakeology is an answer to a prayer. Even my kids love drinking it! And all parents know its easier to get your kids to drink a smoothie or milkshake over swallowing pills!
Ready for some helpful tips on how you can eat like a rockstar without hemorrhaging money like one trying to support a bad drug habit? I promise its possible, all you need is a budget and a plan! Try these tips out and you may surprise yourself, its easier than you might think.
1. Grocery Lists: meet your new best friend. I know it can be so tempting when you walk into the store and there are some fun new snacks or fresh backed cookies. Although these fun new items sound healthy, they can ring up your shopping bill. So, make a list and if you have budged for a fun healthy treat then choose one (but plan and put it on your list in advance). Winging it won't cut it.
2. Buy Whole Foods: Unprocessed foods are cheaper and more nutritious than processed foods. They also give you total control over the ingredients. Avoid anything that comes from a box 90% of the time.
Fats: Olive oil, fish oil, flax seeds, real butter, mixed nuts, …
3. Proteins = happy budget balancers: Foods such as eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese and chicken are going to be your more budget friendly AND healthy proteins. Buy the Cheap Proteins. You need 1g protein per pound of body-weight per day to build and maintain muscle. Eating whole protein with each meal also helps fat loss as protein has a higher thermic effect than other foods.
4. Choose your fruits and veggies that are in season. If they are not, go with the frozen ones. I love buying frozen fruit!!
5. Buy Generic Food. And store brands. Raw foods like rice, pasta, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, frozen fruits/veggies, … taste like brand name foods once you get used to them. But they’ll save you money on packaging & advertising.
6. Avoid buying those little extras while you're out and about. You know the ones i am talking about!! That scone or “whole grain” looking muffin you are tempted to buy while you are at Starbucks getting your coffee. All these miscellaneous items add up!
7. Pack your snacks and meals! This will almost always be much cheaper and healthier. You wont be tempted and you will save $$$ in the long run.
8. Buy in Bulk. Especially when you have promos running. Foods like pasta, rice and oats are easy to stockpile. If they’re on sale, buy as much as you can afford & store to last you until the next sale. There's also nothing wrong with buying that family sized package of chicken breasts regardless of if they expire two days or two weeks from when you buy them either. (Check out my entry about portioning and meal prep for more into those as well.)
9. Get The Customer Card. Many grocery stores hold sales for customer card holders only. Some cards save AND give you money, like gift certificates once you’ve spent a fixed amount. Signing up takes 5 mins and is free.
10. Grow Your Own Food. Cheaper than frozen, tastes better and you control what you put on them to keep bugs off. Plant your own trees that grow berries, walnuts & apples. Buy chickens for free eggs & meat. More ideas:
Square-Foot Gardening. Build a raised bed and divide it into sections of 1 square foot. Check Mel Bartholomew’s site & book for how to’s.
Container Gardening. Grow vegetables in containers on your balcony or doorstep. Check this & this guides.
Rent Garden Plots. If you don’t have a yard, some cities rent garden plots. Just google rent garden plots in your state/province
Mmmmmm, ok so my husband and I are total food nerds. We love food!! Which unfortunately for his metabolism does not equal a slim trim figure. I still have a pretty good metabolism but still, looking good and feeling great are two very separate columns these days.
But I digress, for Christmas I won a shopping spree with a friend of mine who sells Steeped Tea and little did i know that Steeped Tea isn't ONLY Tea!! They have hot chocolate and cheese ball mix and tons of dip mixes and dry rubs and stuff. Sure they all have Tea IN them but ohmygosh my foodie heart just exploded when i was perusing the catalog.
One item we got was the Hawaiian Chipotle Topper, which has pineapple bits in it and actually smells really light. Definitely a key ingredient. Here's the recipe for the chicken;
Total Ingredients: 7
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook Temp: 225 Celsius
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
1 Whole Thawed Chicken
1 clove garlic
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
Rosemary (fresh is best)
Paprika
Hawaiian Chipotle Topper (from Steeped Tea)
Do the usual beginnings, you know, preheat the oven, chop your veggies etc. Than sprinkle your paprika and rosemary on the chicken. With the topper it does work like a salt and pepper grinder so you have to spend a minute or two grinding it out until you have as much or as little on your chicken as you want. It is a very light taste so the stronger you want it the more i suggest using. Using fresh pineapple to include with your veggies never hurt either if you like it really Hawaiian style. (I couldn't do that cuz my husband doesn't share my pineapple obsession and it was his night to cook) Add the coarsely chopped celery and onion around your chicken in the dish. Cover in tinfoil, put in oven, set timer, and walk away!!
