Chicken Breasts and Mushrooms

Chicken Breasts and Mushrooms

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon pepper 

1 package button mushrooms, rinsed, patted dry and sliced 

3 teaspoons minced, bottled garlic                   

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth 

1 bay leaf 

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 

Cooking spray 

Preparation

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Add the chicken and saute. until browned on one side. Add garlic, turn chicken breasts over &add mushrooms. Continue cooking while stirring the mushrooms. Cook for about three minutes, then add vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme.

Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken, set aside and keep warm. Continue simmering the sauce, uncovered, for about seven minutes. Discard bay leaf and pour mushroom sauce mixture over chicken

                         

Maximize Your Ab Workout

Maximize Your Ab Workout

"Don't relax your abs as you lower your chest away from your knees during a crunch -- you get only half the ab-toning benefit! To get the firmest abs possible, you need to sustain the contraction on the way down."
--Steve Ilg, founder of Wholistic Fitness Personal Training and author of Total Body Transformation (Hyperion, 2004)

You have already set the time aside to workout right, make the best use of your time as possible and do the best techniques and push your body as much as you can during these workouts. You are in control of your results !!!!!

Quinoa Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Quinoa Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, cooked
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups mushrooms
1 onion
1 handful kale leaves
2-4 cloves of garlic ), minced
1 Tbsp coconut oil
drizzle sesame oil
1 Tbsp tamari
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper (omit or lessen)
sea salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350'.
2. Cook quinoa if you don't have any already cooked.
3. Toss mushrooms, kale, onion into food processor (or chop finely). After processing until finely chopped add black beans and process on a lower setting so beans stay fairly chunky.
4. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add tamari, veggie mixture, garlic, and spices. Drizzle sesame oil all over.
5. While it's cooking line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
6. In a large bowl add quinoa and cooked veggie mixture together. Form into patties.
7. Place patties on cooking sheet and cook in oven for 20-30 minutes (depending on your oven and how big you made your burgers).

Follow an Effective Exercise Routine

Follow an Effective Exercise Routine

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recently surveyed 1,000 ACE-certified personal trainers about the best techniques to get fit. Their top three suggestions:

• Strength training. Even 20 minutes a day twice a week will help tone the entire body.
• Interval training. "In its most basic form, interval training might involve walking for two minutes, running for two, and alternating this pattern throughout the duration of a workout," says Cedric Bryant, PhD, FACSM, chief science officer for ACE. "It is an extremely time-efficient and productive way to exercise."
• Increased cardio/aerobic exercise. Bryant suggests accumulating 60 minutes or more a day of low- to moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, running, or dancing.

Consistency is Key

Consistency is Key

When I look back at my before pictures I can not even believe that was me. When I started to make my life changes I started off slow with walks while pushing a baby stroller and took baby steps to increase the intensity. I am no where near the best, the fastest, or the most fit. However, I am very consistent and I would say this is the number one best fitness tip ever !!!!!!!!!! No exercise program ever will work if you are not consistent. 

Sirloin Black Bean Enchiladas

Sirloin Black Bean Enchiladas

Serves 3 big portions, or 6 small

Ingredients

• 1/4 of a medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound of ground sirloin
• 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed
• 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Frontera Enchilada Sauce, Chipotle Garlic
• 6 whole wheat tortillas
• 6 oz Asadero cheese, grated (perfect for melting, low-calorie too)
• Fage 0% greek yogurt (used in place of sour cream)
• Green onion, chopped
• Cooking spray or oil (I use coconut oil)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

In a medium sauté pan, heat about a half a teaspoon of oil on medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Then add the garlic, ground sirloin, beans, oregano, and other spices.

Keep Muscles Limber

Keep Muscles Limber

If you're under 40, hold your stretches for 30 seconds. If you're over 40, hold them for 60 seconds. As you reach your 40s, your muscles become less pliable, so they need to be stretched longer.

Califlower Crust Pizza

Califlower Crust Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon crushed garlic
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• olive oil (optional)
• pizza sauce, shredded cheese and choice of your toppings*

Instructions

To "rice" the Cauliflower: Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater). Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes. There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself. One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To Make the Pizza Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9" round. Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.
3. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from oven.
5. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).

*Note: Toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes.

Are You Lacking Motivation???

Are You Lacking Motivation?

If motivation is your hang-up, change your exercise routine every 14 days. A University of Florida study discovered that people who modified their workouts twice a month were more likely than to stick to their plans compared to those who changed their regimens whenever they wanted to. Boredom didn’t appear to be a factor; it seems people simply enjoyed the variety more.

ARE YOU GUILT OF CHOOSING THE WRONG MOTIVATOR ???

You might start working out in order to "look better" or "lose weight." But if this is your only ultimate goal then the long term success will most likely fail. Jumping into a new routine without first making a commitment to your health is a big mistake.

If you're starting a workout plan or new diet just to "look good," it's not going to last long. Your will power is going to eventually crumble if it's latching on to something as artificial and temporary. When your goal takes a deeper meaningful meaning, such as your health for yourself and your family, success will follow.

Instead, make a commitment to your long term HEALTH. Have a plan for when things get tough (which they will, if you're new to this) and make sure you have a good support system in place like the private Facebook group we run for our Challenge Groups!!! We also have FREE online support groups to help carry you through times of weakness.

We know you can do this!!!!!!!!

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 piece •
Calories:224.5 •Fat: 8.6 g •Protein: 25.1 g • Carb: 14.2 g • Fiber: 1.3 g 

4 (8 oz) chicken breast halves, sliced in half 
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs 
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
2 tbsp butter, melted 
3/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese (I used Sargento) 
1 cup marinara or Filetto di Pomodoro
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450°. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Melt the butter in another bowl. Lightly brush the butter onto the chicken, then dip into breadcrumb mixture. Place on baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Lightly spray a little more cooking oil on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over, bake another 5 minutes. Remove from oven, spoon sauce over chicken and top with shredded cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted