Now that the warmer weather has finally arrived, I’ve been replacing my warm protein oats with delicious protein smoothie bowls. Smoothie bowls so easy and quick to make. They pack a ton of nutrients, protein, and keep me energized for my mornings. They are especially refreshing after a long walk or light run. You can customize this recipe to fit your tastebuds if you’re not a fan of some of the ingredients used. I love the simple ingredients in this recipe, and smoothie bowls are much cheaper to make at home! I get asked about the smoothies I drink a lot, so I’m excited to bring this guide to you!

Mangos: high fiber, vitamin a & c, folate, B6, iron, and a great source of antioxidants.

Bananas: vitamin c, high fiber & potassium, manganese, B6,

Spinach: iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamin a & b2, b6, e, and c

Almond Milk: vitamin d, e, and a healthier alternative to dairy milk.

Vanilla Plant Protein Powder: low sugar, high protein, & low carb. I use RawFusion plant-based vanilla protein powder.
I always add the solid ingredients first, then add the almond milk until the solid ingredients are covered, and then the protein last!

Spinach is one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies. It blends so well, and you’re not left with the chunky greens floating around like when I use kale. Spinach also has such a light and mild flavor, so almost any ingredient can overpower it. You can’t taste an ounce of the spinach, and I added about four cups to this smoothie. I love to freeze my spinach for smoothies before it goes bad or if I’m heading out of town. 

Print

Vegan Protein Spinach & Mango Green Smoothie Bowl

Course Breakfast, Drinks

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Taralynn McNitt

Ingredients

• 1 Medium Banana frozen
• 1/2 Cup Mango frozen
• 4 Cups Spinach
• 3 Ice Cubes
• 1 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk or coconut milk
• 1 Scoop Vanilla Plant-Based Protein Powder I used RawFusion
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Shreds
• 1 Tbsp Granola

Instructions

• Add banana, mango, spinach, and ice cubes to the blender. 
• Add milk and protein powder. 
• Blend on high
• Top with coconut shreds and granola 

Notes

350 Calories, 40g Carbs, 6g Fat, 28g Protein, 22g Sugar, 8g Fiber

Because this recipe has 28 grams of protein and complex carbs and sugars that come from the fruit, I think this is the best post-workout recovery option. There’s nothing worse than feeling tired all day after a workout. This meal will give you the boost you need for the rest of your day!

Questions for you!

1. Do you add greens to your smoothies?
2. What is your favorite fruit to add to smoothies?
3. Are you a smoothie or oatmeal person in the summer?

I just finished the third dog walk of the day, and still exhausted from yesterday’s hiking adventure. Our hiking video + blog post will be live Friday! The good thing about being tired is planting yourself on the couch and catching up on work while binge-watching terrible reality television. If you’re wondering, I’m two seasons deep into Southern Charm.

I did manage to get up and make delicious pancakes today (My legs feel like cement.) I get a lot of questions about the protein pancakes I make, and I thought I’d take some time to share the “how-to” on them tonight! Who says you can’t throw out an unplanned blog post in the evening? 
I have to admit, this wasn’t my first cup of coffee today. I have been doing the one cup of coffee a day for a very long time, and plan to continue this, but today I couldn’t pull myself together. I had a cup of coffee at Kyle’s this morning, drove way out into the country to pick up my dogs from my parent’s house, and then turned to coffee and a delicious protein pancake breakfast in hopes that it would bring me back to life.
What I love about this simple protein pancake recipe is that it only has three main ingredients, and then whatever extra’s you want to add! This entire stack has 240 Calories, 21 Carbs, 4g Fiber, 6g Fat, 27g Protein, and only 2g Sugar. Talk about a perfect post workrout breakfast. The game changer with protein pancakes is using plant-based. It tastes so much better! 

I love how thick these pancakes are! The protein powder really adds the floury texture. And if you want to be super adventures, you could add chocolate protein powder and some peanut butter. That’s what Kyle likes to do! 
I’m a blueberry girl (just laughed out loud by myself because I thought of Willy Wonka, goodness I’m delirious today), and that’s always my go-to filler! You could add chocolate chips, nut butter, cranberries, apples, or anything you like in your pancakes. I had to finish this recipe off with some maple syrup! Goodness, I love syrup! This recipe also works in the waffle maker! I’ll make those tomorrow, and share the photo on my Insta story.

I’ll be heading to yoga early morning in hopes that I can start my day off right and pull myself together! I’ll keep you posted. Now, it’s time for me to make a cup of tea and just dive deeper into this show! Have a great night, everyone!I had to share an update this morning! The waffle turned out great! Photo above

Questions for you!

1. What is your pancake filler?
2. Are you a chocolate or vanilla protein person?
3. Have you ever had a day where you couldn’t pull yourself together?

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend, and an even better post-Superbowl Monday! Even though I got a lot of work done on the back end, I feel incredibly sluggish. I always get like this after long weekends away from home. After doing some other tasks today, I decided to sit down and get this recap post put together. I was going to combine my recap post with the Charleston photos, but I felt like it would just be an overload. I opted for a shorter recap post, and I’ll share the very low-key Charleston trip on Wednesday. It’s only 5:30 pm here, and my eyes are already feeling heavy from being behind the computer screen most of the day. I’m sure dinner will wake me up because I need an energy boost to watch The Bachelor tonight. 
I woke up on Wednesday morning, and I was no longer twenty-six. I started blogging before I was twenty-one, and now I’ll be thirty in three years. The time is just flying by so fast! Since I was uptown, I headed to the coffee shop around eleven to have a (decaf) Americano while putting together my avocado brownie post. I’ve been loving all the photos of the brownies you’ve made with my recipe. I’m really happy they’re a hit. 
While editing, I just couldn’t handle the slow internet any longer. I headed back to Kyles to work a bit before heading back out to meet up with Becca for a birthday tea time But, besides the slow internet, The Parliament Coffee shop in Uptown is fantastic. The Americano was tasty, and the interior was cool. I highly recommend it. They had healthy eats available, and some delicious looking pastries. 

After working a bit longer on the post, I headed out to meet Becca on her lunch hour. We had hot tea at Caribou, and I highly recommend their hot cinnamon tea. It tastes just like the Harney & Son’s, which it probably is. I always take my tea to go in my favorite Erin Condren to go cup.
I ended up walking the mall for a few hours. I went to grab some new Lulu Lemon pants because I’m obsessed with their new ones. I did another closet clean out, so I got rid of a ton of patterned and colored leggings. I want to stick to more solid colors. There are a few I chose to keep.  I loved this soft pink sweater from H&M! The material is amazing. It’s an oversized sweater because this is a size small that I’m wearing. I really wanted it for lounging around.

After shopping, I headed to Whole Foods to pick up some dinner ingredients. Kyle wanted to grab dinner, but I didn’t want to go out since we were going to celebrate my birthday in Charleston. I insisted that we stay in, watch a movie, and make salmon for dinner!
We had roasted carrots, broccoli, and incredible salmon! (the how-to on this go-to dinner.)

Meighan stopped over after dinner and brought some little desserts:) Kyle and I ended the night with a movie. 
These are the gorgeous flowers Kyle got me for my birthday I love the colors!
And the most adorable mug Becca got me! I’m so obsessed. 
I sat down to post my brownie recipe and have coffee, and as soon as I was uploading, my internet went out! Ugh. It was a blessing in disguise because I got a lot of work around the house done. I also ran errands. 
My parent’s and Kyle wanted to celebrate my birthday with a cake later in the evening, so I told them not to bring the cake and that I’d make one instead. I’ve meant to do a fun & healthy birthday cake recipe on my blog, so I used this as an opportunity. It turned out great, and I can’t wait to post this. 
Since I was already in the kitchen cooking away, I decided to help Kyle out this week with his meals. He meal preps EVERY week. He has done this since college. He has the world’s best dedication and self-discipline. He inspires me to live a healthy lifestyle. I’ve made so many changes for the better because of him.

He was excited when I told him I was going to prep his meals for him on Thursday, so he didn’t have to do it before our trip to Charleston in the morning. He typed out how he does it all, and I started cooking away. It wasn’t that hard either.

If you’re wondering, this isn’t the only food he eats. If I cook, he’ll eat it instead of his meal. He works 9-5, so it’s important for him to have his meals made to make his life easier during the day.
If you’re wondering what he eats…

Ground turkey, chicken breast, sweet potatoes, rice, and sometimes eggs whites or turkey bacon added. He’ll change up the seasonings, or carb source to make it different now and then. I decided to do things a little different for him. I slow cooked his chicken and baked all of his potatoes. His meals are designed to fit his weightlifting routine, which is what he does for workouts.

He makes 21 meals once a week. He does a protein shake with oats at 8:30 am, a meal at 11 pm, meal at 2 pm, meal at 4 pm, goes to the gym in the evening, (always steals scoops of peanut butter or tortilla chips), and then a shake before bed.

And I passed on the meal-prep-operation. Kyle said they tasted the best. (no offense Kyle, but it isn’t hard to make them the best when you go from microwaved potatoes to baked and seasoned potatoes.) <3 you. 
While I was making Kyle’s meals, I made a GIANT kale salad to take with me to Charleston. I didn’t want to dine out for every meal, so I packed some healthy eats to have. I always feel blah when I eat out at restaurants for every meal on trips. I learned my lesson and packed some foods to keep in our AirBnB. Some of you have already made the kale salad from my insta-story! I’ll post the full how-to on Friday. I’m already making another tomorrow and changing up the ingredients. I could eat this salad again and again. I actually couldn’t get enough!
Before my parents came over, I had dinner! I had leftover spaghetti squash (details in last recap post), leftover carrots, and a side salad. I’m so excited to meal prep for the week + weekend tomorrow. I get so into coming up with fun meals filled with vegetables. I don’ know why, but I can’t get enough veggies lately. 
My birthday cake was a hit! My dad has to lower his carb and sugar intake, so I was happy this was something he could eat too. My parent’s got me a brand new knife set, which is something I’ve needed for the past three years. I am so so so so so so in love with them.
We headed to my parent’s house to drop off the dogs Friday morning before taking off to Charleston. I made sure to wake up around 6 am so I could have my coffee and spend time with the pups before leaving them. I miss them after hours of being away. I’m a sucker for those little guys.

Kyle and I split one of the best flavors of the RXBARS, the Maple Sea Salt on the road trip. I also packed some delicious plums. I forget how good they are, and I need to buy them more. My doctor said they were great for helping the body absorb iron, which is what I need as an anemic. 
We had such a great low key weekend in Charleston together. I’m excited to share my trip with you on Wednesday! Our AirBnB was amazing:) Kyle snagged a great one right off King Street. More details on that soon.
We are always go go go on trips, well I am more than Kyle. We wanted a casual and leisure weekend that consisted of nothing planned, nothing fancy, and comfortable clothes. I find myself always trying to go above and beyond to grab content for the blog, and it was nice just to CHILL. Don’t worry; I still took great pics of our restaurant eats, some cool shopping finds, and the charming homes. I loved just walking around in the yoga pants, sipping coffee with a view, and cuddling up on the couch to watch movies at night. I was rarely in my phone or capturing everything for the Instagram stories. I think it’s important to give yourself some downtime now and then. Next time, I’ll try to leave my phone in airplane mode the whole weekend.
We left just before the rain hit. We stopped at an AWESOME spot before taking off that I’m excited to tell you all about. We took breakfast to go and hit the road after walking a few miles downtown.
WE MISSED OUR DOGS SO MUCH. It was so pathetic. We kept talking about how we’d never leave them again. Honestly, we felt so weird without them. They are a big part of our lives. I know how weird this sounds, but it felt incomplete without them.
When we got back home, we had lunch and then headed to the gym for a workout. Kyle always heads to the free weights, and I hit the treadmill to warm up before my circuits. I love coming up with my circuits each week I’ll work on creating a tab with them all in one place.

I love warming up on the treadmill before doing my circuits because it gives me time to get into the mindset to go hard during circuits. 
Since cutting back on HIIT workouts, and getting some answers from my doctors (which I’ll talk about soon) my body is finally responding to my lifestyle the way I want it to. The frustration the past six months was awful, and I felt like complete crap. I’ll be sharing a lot of updates and share what I’ve been up to eventually. I’ve been working on a project that I cannot wait to share, and it’s been incredibly hard keeping it a secret. The worst part is that you won’t know for another couple months. It’ll be worth the wait.

Also, the difference between my circuits and going to Hiit classes is that they are usually only 30 minutes and a half as hard. The classes I was attending were sometimes over an hour, and they were straight up HIIT for 60 minutes with no breaks. My heart rate was ALWAYS up, and my cortisol levels were like “GIRL, NO.” I’ve learned that cutting them back and making them less stressful has been the best decision for my body so far.
When we got back from the gym, we headed out to walk the dogs a couple of miles. We worked with them on some training since we had to miss another session. We are excited to get them back into training on Sunday. They were outstanding though, and remembered all of their training!

For my dinner, I had a giant plate of veggies! I had the last of the leftover kale salad, sauteed bell peppers/snow peans/and carrots, and leftover ground turkey. 
Before the Superbowl started, I made my lemon ginger tea with extra fresh lemon and ground ginger. I drink this twice a day I cut back on my coffee intake tremendously, so this is what I usually go for when I’m craving that cup of coffee. Since drinking the juice of one to two lemons a day, my skin has cleared up. I haven’t had a blemish or breakout in weeks. 
Speaking of skin, I get questions asked about my routine a lot. I just stocked back up on my face serums. If you’ve never heard of IT Cosmetics, you better check it out. It’s my favorite makeup. I’ve been using it for three years now. I use the anti-aging Confidence in a Cream after washing my face in the morning and the evening. I also use the Bye Lines Serum to prevent any eye wrinkles. The It Cosmetics team works with plastic surgeons and dermatologists to make amazing products that work. It’s never too early to start! I’ve been using sunscreen and anti-aging cream since I was twenty. I don’t talk about makeup or beauty products a lot on the blog because I always stick to the same products, and don’t venture out much. I’m not a makeup junkie but do enjoy the natural brands. That is why I LOVE It Cosmetics. 
Kyle and I stayed up late watching the game, and I was so excited that the Eagles won because that’s his team. He was so happy!

After walking the dogs this morning, I had my tea and a random breakfast bowl. I had protein yogurt, a crumbled waffle, and leftover pieces of birthday cake.
I used up the last of the veggies in the house for lunch. I made scrambled eggs with bell peppers, snap peas, summer squash, and onions with plum and kiwi slices on the side. 
I treated myself to an almond milk decaf cappuccino while working this afternoon. A lot of you were asking about my Nespresso and Frother. I got them as a set, but here is the link to the new version frother. I use The New Barn for my milk choice, and it’s delicious.
I headed out for a two-mile dog walk before dinner. It was pretty nice out tonight. I just threw a plate together for dinner. I had a half of a sprouted flax bagel with avocado and paprika, rice, and leftover chicken and ground turkey.
Sometimes we call Leo “parrot” because he will randomly just come sit on my shoulder…it’s strange. Do any of your dogs do weird things?

Ok, back to The Bachelor!

Questions for you.

1. Do you have a skin routine?
2. What is something you’ve been loving lately?
3. Any good movies I should add to my list?

Now, it’s recap post time Isn’t that what you’re here for? 
I finally feel like we are on a great weather streak (Minus the 45-degree weather we’re getting today.) It’s been pretty mild here. I know 45 would be mild for most of you around the U.S.

On Monday morning, I spent about an hour sitting on the porch having my coffee. I was out there before the sun was up, and I loved hearing the birds chirp. It gave me this exciting feeling for spring. It’s funny that I’m always craving the next season. Can we just alternate between fall and spring all year round? That would be the life!

Speaking of spring. I have been doing some spring home DIY planning. Hint: PLANTS.
After finishing up Monday’s recap post, I took both dogs out for a three-mile walk. I’ve been working hard on their training. We FINALLY got heel down. Every time we stop, they sit. Even their paws are aligned with our feet. It’s the best. It makes walking so much more enjoyable. Grumples is still a bit more stubborn, but Leo has it down to a tee. 
For breakfast, I had my lemon & ginger tea. I can’t get enough! Sometimes I’ll have my tea before coffee, but some mornings, I simply need my coffee. It’s been a month and a half since giving up ALL coffee after 9 am. I can’t even explain how much better I feel. I have less anxiety, fewer stomach aches, and I’m much calmer. I can sit in one spot and get stuff done instead of pacing around. I drink my tea about three times a day. This is the best coffee replacement. My use two lemon & ginger Yogi or Stash tea bags, the juice of a small lemon, and 1/2 tablespoon of ground ginger. I also feel like this has helped my skin and blemishes. I can confidently say I don’t have one single breakout on my face.

I also had my protein bowl. I’ve been having this for the past two weeks because it tastes like pudding. Sometimes I’ll make chocolate, and sometimes I’ll do vanilla. I mix plain unsweetened coconut milk yogurt (SoDelicious) with my plant-based protein powder (Vanilla Orgain or Chocolate Orgain) and top it with sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.
For lunch, I had an omelet (1 yolk + 3 egg whites), sauteed brussels sprouts and zucchini.

I was so sore from my Sunday workout, so I ended up going for a long walk with the dogs and spending thirty-minutes on the driveway stretching. It felt so good! 
I headed out to my parent’s house so we could watch The Bachelor together. My dad’s commentary is hilarious. For dinner, I tossed arugula with Tessemae’s Green Goddess dressing and sunflower seeds to go with a side of sauteed chicken. I added an onion and pepper seasoning to the top of the chicken. 
Tuesday morning lemon & ginger tea! It was 55-degrees when I woke up I had a waffle with banana and then headed out for a dog walk. I couldn’t get enough of the weather!
Before heading home to get started on some work, I decided to do a backyard workout. It was a great workout! The only downfall was how muddy it was from the night before, and my dogs were running all over the place while I was working out. I had a white t-shirt on, but it’s now tye-died with red dirt pawprints. I love workouts that don’t require the gym, especially during flu season! 
After my workout, I had my go-to protein bowl! This one had chocolate protein powder topped with the new peanut butter nature-valley granola. General Mills sent me a package to try along with some new cereal, and I almost fell over after the first bite. It was so good. Luckily, Kyle thought it was good too, so he ate it all before I could. It’s funny because Kyle has his own little cabinet here with all of his favorite foods like peanut butter, cereal, and stuff I don’t want in sight. Out of sight/out of mind! 
I spent the afternoon working on the computer and roasting vegetables. I decided to make a giant batch to eat throughout the week. It only lasted like three days! I added the vegetables to almost every single meal. I blogged the entire process here! Check it out, even if you do not like vegetables. 
On Wednesday morning, I made a giant vegetable omelet with my food prepped veggies. I stuffed one yolk + three egg white omelet with all the yummy meal prepped vegetables.

For dinner on Wednesday night, I cooked up some chicken with black pepper, broccoli, zucchini, and mixed it with roasted garlic pasta sauce. Homemade pasta sauce is always better, but if you don’t want to spend time making it, look for a “no added sugar” pasta sauce. This was such a delicious meal!
It was gorgeous out on Thursday morning. After walking the dogs and catching up on work, I did a thirty-minute yoga video on my back patio. The yoga studio in my gym is really small, and I’m not sure I want to be that close to people during flu season. I’ll be doing yoga at home for a while. There are so many great free yoga videos on YouTube. Sometimes being alone in the backyard with real nature sounds is better for relaxing the mind. I have a hard time getting into the zone when I’m surrounded by a ton of people in a tight space. I’m more concerned about falling over or bumping into the person next to me. Or, I’ll start focussing on someone’s sweat dripping, and I get totally grossed out. My focus is much better when I’m alone. I had my lemon ginger tea after yoga! 
My go-to vanilla protein bowl for breakfast  
For lunch, I had my leftover chicken, carrots, hummus, half of an RXBAR (I ate the other half in the morning with coffee.) I sometimes wish I didn’t have to explain myself when I only have half of a bar on my plate, but I don’t want people thinking that I just ate half because one was “too much.” I find myself explaining things a lot because I know I’ll get the questions. So again, I have to say this! Not everything I eat is on this blog! Please do not use this as a guide, or assume this is all I eat. You are only getting a glimpse into my real life. I don’t want you thinking “oh, she only ate half, so I should only eat half.” Please know, I ATE THE WHOLE THING! I don’t want you comparing my lifestyle with yours. I just love giving ideas on some of the things I’m eating! 
Afternoon tea, work, and cuddles! Sometimes I have to put Leo behind the baby gate while I’m working (currently doing that now) because all he wants to do is lay on top of me. It’s cute but annoying! Kyle calls him my minion. 
For dinner, I had a cup of sauteed broccoli and a three-eggwhite omelet + one yolk. 
I was hungry before bed, so I had a chocolate protein bowl topped with powdered peanut butter.
Their faces say it all. Grumples and Leo got the cutest box in the mail on Friday morning! How adorable are these bandanas that K9 Sport Sack sent them?! I think they look so handsome! 
They also sent the boys some vegan dog treats, dog bowls to-go, and some fun toys! I also wanted to mention that starting in February, a portion of each month’s profit will be given to a different rescue shelter! It’s their “no dog left behind promise” I love it. 
I had to share something so fun I did on Friday. It was a fun project, and I can’t wait to make more! I drink a lot of Yogi tea. What I love about each tea bag is the words of wisdom on each strand. I found myself saving them because they were amazing reminders. I had some leftover tree stumps from making coasters this Christmas, so I thought it would be cool to collage them together and make a tea coaster out of them! That way they are all in one place and I can use it for my tea I made another one this morning. The cool thing is that I used a top coat that made everything smooth like glass on top. What is cool is that you can do this with almost anything! If you have a photo or letter you don’t want to lose, add it to wood:) Kyle and I often write each other little love notes and letters. I think it would be fun to do a little project like this on a board with them. 
I bought a fifteen piece pack of tree bark coasters on Amazon. They are perfect for projects! They come sanded and unfinished. I painted a white area and stuck the little pieces of paper to the paint. I had to cut some of them to make them fit. 
I used high gloss varnish to coat them. I added one coat of the varnish every two hours! I wanted it thick as glass. I let it dry completely overnight, and that was it!
Here is the set I made for Kyle’s mom to go with the butterfly painting on Christmas. They are great little DIY gifts. 
On Friday, I made a new avocado brownie recipe! My old avocado brownie recipe has been a favorite throughout the years, but I made one EVEN BETTER! This may be one of my favorite recipes for the blog! It’ll be up on Thursday! I’ve already made three batches since Friday. My parents came over and wanted to take a bunch home because they were so obsessed with them. Kyle went nuts for them! They’re gluten free, dairy free, low carb, grain free, no added sugars, and insanely delicious! I added sprinkles to the Sunday night batch to kick off my birthday week! 
I cooked up the leftover veggies on Friday night to eat throughout the weekend. I pledged a while back to limit going out to dinner, and I’ve stuck to it. I like to go out a bit more in the summer, but I have loved the healthy at-home meals. This pan is filled with broccoli, garlic, peppers, onions, and carrots. I cooked up french green beans in a separate pan and combined them. 
For my protein, I made beef and chicken burgers. I know it’s a random combo, but this is how I love to use up my groceries, and it was a perfect combo! I mixed the meat with garlic, pepper, and red chili sauce.
I browned the outsides of the burger in a pan with cooking spray and then finished them off in the oven at 375 degrees.  Before I put them in the oven I sprinkled more garlic powder, onion powder, minced onion, and oregano on top!
Nothing better than a huge batch of vegetables! I just finished these up last night. 
My Friday night dinner! I also made some oregano garlic rice for the side. How about these cat slippers? The are the WARMEST and most COMFORTABLE slippers ever!!! They’re the closest thing I’ll ever have to a cat. I wish my dogs liked cats because I’d have like ten! It’s hard enough keeping these away from the dogs.
On Saturday morning, I had a photoshoot planned or Kyle, the dogs, and I. I wanted to do something fun for my blog for a Valentine’s day post. Valentine’s day is one of my favorite holidays, and I want you guys to get to know Kyle better. He’s one of the most special, sweetest, kindest, most amazing person! I thought it would be fun to do a little Q&A with some photos. I wrote down all of the questions from my DM’s and my last recap post for us to answer. We are going to work on it together while we are out of town this weekend. If you had some questions, feel free to add them. And just a heads up, this post is going to be fun and light! Nothing personal or too deep.
This is why I don’t get ready often. HAHA! And YIKES! I need a trim. Winter does wonders to the hair…See the photo on the left? That’s what I look like 85% of the week. Frizzy and pale  
After taking the photos, I had a lunch with the leftovers, and I worked and watched movies on the couch with Kyle while he worked. It was a very quiet and a chill afternoon. 
For dinner, I made an orange glazed steak stir-fry.

I cooked up broccoli, shallots, garlic cloves, and sweet potatoes with olive oil until they were lightly browned. I then added steak, 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, two tablespoons gluten free soy sauce, 2 teaspoons red chili paste, and one teaspoon of sriracha. It turned out AMAZING!!!!! 
I was so excited to make homemade yogurt on Sunday!

FAIL. BIG FAT FAIL.

On to the next batch……
Our dog trainer had to cancel, so we spent the morning working with the dogs.

I had a late breakfast on Sunday morning. It consisted of an omelet and a leftover burger. That reminds me! I need to make more of those burgers. They were so convenient. I’ll probably use ground turkey next time. 
I headed to the gym around one on Sunday for an awesome workout! I was obsessed with this treadmill workout, and I’ll probably do this tonight, but for five rounds.
I finished the circuit rounds in the gym after stretching. 
After the gym, I had a soup that my dad brought over, and it was probably the best soup I’ve ever had. I added in some of my leftover veggies and rice just to make the flavors last longer. I couldn’t get enough! It took me a while to build the trust back up with my dad and soups. When I was a kid, we’d have soup, love it, and then he’d tell us that it was venison. I hated venison as a kid, and mostly because I had to stare at the deer’s head on the wall while eating it. I was terrified. Now that I know he’s not hunting anymore, it really IS NOT venison in the soup.

My dad added sautéed peppers, sautéed onions, two cups cooked up Italian sausage, cut up carrots, chopped sweet potatoes, diced squash, two cans diced tomatoes, five cups low sodium beef broth, pepper, salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and a half cup of hot salsa mix to a crockpot on high for 4-6 hours.

I plan on making this, so look out for the whole recipe tutorial!

Second batch of avocado brownies for on Sunday night! I’m so excited for this recipe to go live on Thursday. I am going to spend the morning at the coffee shop working on the post. Treating myself to a birthday latte! 
I even tested the leftover batter from the bowl to see if it worked in the mug, and it did! This is also microwave friendly!
Can’t live without my birthday sprinkles! If you are interested in all-natural rainbow sprinkles, check these out on Amazon! No artificial colors, or flavors. I just ordered these for a fun birthday cake post! I’m making a gluten free/dairy free/ no added sugar fun-fetti cake with them.

I ended the night with spaghetti squash, pasta sauce, and apple chicken sausages. I was so hungry that I forgot to take a photo!
My recap post didn’t go live yesterday morning because I put up a fun blog about periods and products! Here is the coffee I had yesterday morning. I have been drinking this for the past week and I can’t get enough! IT’S SO GOOD! Here is the link for the Whole Beans and the link for the Ground Beans. I am going to start sharing which coffee brands I drink. I like to change it up a lot! I also highly recommend getting a coffee grinder! It makes your coffee super fresh, and it stores your beans. I have a really inexpensive one that I love! Here is the link if you’re interested. 
Afternoon tea time  
For my breakfast/lunch, I made an omelet stuffed with my leftover vegetables and spaghetti squash from the night before!
I love filling my omelets with spaghetti squash instead of cheese. I’ve been doing this for the past five years! It’s also really good with pasta sauce on top. 
I also had apple chicken sauces, strawberries, oranges, and tea on the side! 
Later in the afternoon after a three-mile dog walk, I made a protein bowl and some tea before heading to the grocery store to pick up some more coconut milk yogurt (after my fail.)
Later in the evening, I had some sparkling water with lemon drink mix, and a big bowl of spaghetti squash marinara before sitting down to watch The Bachelor!
I am loving the lighter evenings! It doesn’t get dark until 6 PM now:)

I hope you all have an amazing week! Make sure to check back on Thursday for the brownie recipe! You won’t want to miss it! I’m ready to go pack up my stuff, head uptown, walk the dogs, go to the gym with Kyle, and enjoy my last day as a 26-year-old.

Questions for you!

1. Do you like Valentines Day?
2. Are you terrified of getting the flu? (I am)
3. How many times do you go out to eat per month?

I don’t know what has gotten into me, but I’ve been on cloud nine lately. Is it weird to feel like this for no reason? Maybe, maybe not, but I’m going with it. It could be that we got a snow storm and 67-degree weather in the same week. Gotta love the south. I just got back from a three-mile dog walk, and now I’m ready to blog about my week! I look forward to sharing some eats, workouts, and our dog-training updates. 
One meal I have been obsessed with for the past couple of months has been my protein bowls. I’ve had it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I mix my unsweetened coconut milk yogurt with plant-based protein powder (Orgain), and then top it with toasted pumpkin seeds, banana, unsweetened coconut, and agave on top!
After finishing up all of my Monday work, I headed out to my parent’s house around five. It was barely 20-degrees all week, so I wanted to bring the boys out to run around and play. I also hadn’t seen my parents in like a week. My mom and Dad love the Bachelor, so I wanted to watch it with them.

I packed some food for dinner/dessert/and breakfast.

I made a dinner salad with arugula, blueberries, rice, cucumber, unsalted & roasted sunflower seeds, and hard-boiled eggs. I also packed carrots, hummus, tea & lemons (first thing in the morning & after dinner), a No Cow Bar (morning with coffee), dark chocolate (pieces for dessert) grapes, and a waffle. I like waffles before dog walks! 
I love having giant salads for dinner. Oh, you already knew that? 
The dogs appreciated being out in the backyard playing. It was 50-degrees!  
It wasn’t going to stay nice for long.

I had my morning tea outside while the dogs played. I loved hearing the birds chirp and sing. My tea had ginger powder, lemon/ginger tea, and a freshly squeezed lemon. 
For breakfast, I had a bowl of oatmeal with pears, banana, cinnamon, and a scoop of peanut butter. After breakfast, I headed off to the gym to do my 45-minute treadmill workout. I ran five minutes and walked five minutes for 45 minutes. I ran at an 11-minute pace and walked at a 17-minute pace.
I was so happy to see a big package sitting on my front porch when I got home from the gym. One of my favorite companies sent me some goodies! Every time I’m at Earthfare or Wholefoods, I pick up the Free2b sunflower cups. They are amazing. I tried their snack break chocolate barks, and I was blown away! Incredible!!! They are vegan, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, and freaking amazing. The dark peppermint chocolate tasted like Girlscout Thin Mint cookies. I like to keep these goodies in my freezer for an after dinner dessert. I just ordered a big bag of their vegan chocolate chips to make cookies and brownies on my blog for Valentines Day. They have free shipping (when it’s not hot out) which is awesome. (Free 2b Foods) *not sponsored*
For dinner on Tuesday night, I had my leftover chicken from the Fajitas I made last Sunday night. 
Waking up to snow on Wednesday was amazing! (Check out all of my snow day pictures on this blog post) The dogs were in heaven. I had so much fun spending time outside with them and exploring in the snow. For breakfast, I had a waffle (not pictured), my tea (the go-to + raspberry hibiscus) and eggs  (3 egg whites + 1 yolk.)
Later on, my mom and I hung out on the couch and watched a movie! I snacked on popcorn and trail mix while editing snow day photos for my blog post. It was great that she had the day off! Most of the Carolinas shut down on Wednesday and Thursday because of the snow. 
For dinner on Wednesday night, I made spaghetti squash pasta! I added roasted bell peppers and ground turkey to garlic pasta sauce. It was so good. I have been on a spaghetti squash kick lately. I go through phases. 
On Thursday morning after I finished up a blog post, my mom asked if I would cut her hair. I have been cutting her hair (not always) since I was in middle school. She just wanted five inches cut off, so I knew I could confidently do it. I think I did OK for not being a professional
For lunch, I had the last of my fajita chicken, arugula with Tessemae’s Green Goddess dressing, and spaghetti squash on top. I spent Thursday night working on more blogs, and hanging out with the dogs
I had a package arrive on Friday morning, and I was so excited! You guys know I use Swerve in basically ALL of my sweet recipes. This stuff is THE BEST! When I was in Hawaii, Shaughna recommended it. I have been hooked ever since! They sent me a package of their product, so that means more recipes to come! 
I picked up this new warmer at Target on Friday. I wanted a warm light next to my fireplace, and I’m obsessed with wax warmers! The gold light is so warm and cozy. It was only $9.99! I ordered more online for the upstair’s bathrooms. I have been switching over to all soy candles, and soy wax melts lately because they are non-toxic and healthier for you. The Burt’s Bees candles and warmers are my favorites! The smell reminds me of a therapeutic spa. My favorite scents are the lavender fields, lemon honey, and eucalyptus mint. I also have the eucalyptus mint candle, and it’s amazing! I feel like it’s a mood-lifting candle. 
For being a little light, it sure has a lot of glow power. 
Friday breakfast: 4 egg-whites and one yolk. I wanted a light breakfast before going to yoga. 
I wasn’t in the mood to cook on Friday night, so Kyle and I had chicken potstickers and pizza. I had Daiya pizza, and he had a DIY flat out pizza.
 These Feel Good Foods chicken potstickers were out of this world!!! They were also gluten free and dairy free. I bought them at Earthfare. I’m excited to try their veggie rolls. 
Kyle and I headed to the gym on Saturday afternoon.

I like to write out my workouts before going to the gym. Otherwise, I find myself wandering around like a lost puppy. I have to make a plan! I started out on the treadmill and then headed to the fitness room to do the strength training portion. This is also a workout you can do at home! 
Post-gym lunch! I made some of my hot tea and then mixed protein powder with my coconut milk yogurt. Told you I was hooked. It tastes like pudding!
I royally messed up on Saturday afternoon. Kyle and I were headed to the movies to go see Wonder, but I made a mistake. I got the wrong theater Whoooooops. We realized it when we were standing in line and didn’t see our movie on the board. We decided to make a trip to pick up his suit at the tailor, and then head back and walk the dogs. 
For dinner on Saturday night, I cooked up some apple chicken sausages with spaghetti squash and kale. I had no idea how delicious apple chicken sausages were! We used the Bilinski brand. 
I topped arugula (tossed in Tessemae’s Green Goddess dressing) with carrots and hummus, and the spaghetti squash and apple chicken sausage. We decided to watch 47 Meters Down, and it was AWFUL! I mean, not many shark movies are that great, but it ended too soon, and it was just bad! I’m all for shark movies, but not this one. I still recommend watching it lol. It’s not on a Sharknado level.
I was up at 5:30 am on Sunday morning to have coffee and walk the dogs before heading to dog training! This was my “it’s freezing and too early face.”
These boys have been doing so well!
I thought this photo of Grumples was so funny! He was on the couch listening to John, our trainer, talk about what we were going to do during our session.
We worked a lot on their sit & stay with distractions. I think this is going to be incredible once we get this down. If they can sit and stay with distractions, we’ll be able to eliminate their reactions to people or other dogs. They did well but also had some hiccups when we brought other dogs and people into the mix. Grumples did well heeling with me and walking past a giant Doberman. After doing some exercises, we came to the conclusion that it may not be the dog that Grumples is getting mad at. It may be the person. It was pretty eye-opening. This week, we are going to work hard on their heels and sit/stays (with distractions.) If you are interested in learning more about the training we are doing with our dogs, check out Holland K9 Services! We look forward to our Sunday sessions, and it’s only been three weeks, but we’ve learned so much, and I look forward to seeing our dogs (and ourselves) change! 
We got bored waiting in the car for Kyle, so dog selfie. Grumples was more interested in the squirrels.
We headed to the gym at one! I did a fun workout and loved the sprint work! I am going to do this again but for thirty minutes. 
Post-gym lunch: Eggs (4 egg whites +1 yolk) carrots & hummus, and strawberries! 
Kyle was excited to watch the Eagles play last night. He’s an Eagles fan! I made his favorite, chicken enchiladas! He asks for these literally once a month! They are so easy to make and perfect for freezing. I keep the leftovers in the freezer, and he heats them back up in the oven when he wants them.

1. I diced and cooked up two pounds of skinless & boneless chicken breast with one tablespoon of olive oil
2. In a separate pan, saute two chopped bell peppers and one medium chopped sweet yellow onion with one tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Once the chicken is cooked, and the veggies are sauteed, add the veggies to the pan with the chicken on low heat. Add one teaspoon of sea salt, half tablespoon of minced onion, one teaspoon black pepper, half tablespoon of garlic powder, and half tablespoon of onion powder.
4. Mix in three tablespoons cream cheese, a fourth cup red enchilada sauce, six ounces of chopped green chilis, and three tablespoons of cheese.
5. Fill the flour tortillas (we used Carbsmart) with a cup of the chicken filling.
6. Top the filled tortillas with one cup of cheese.
7. Drizzle one cup of red enchilada sauce on top.
8. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

If you want to make a low-carb version, try my enchilada stuffed bell pepper recipe!
I was not in the mood for anything savory. I decided to have a protein bowl topped with strawberries and pumpkin seeds   for dinner instead.
I ended the night with a cup of tea and dark chocolate! I’ve been loving Lily’s 70% Dark Chocolate sea salt! It’s vegan, too! Just in case anyone is looking for a good vegan chocolate, this one is it! I also like ending the night with the Yogi Chai Rooibos! It’s really mild and calming

Questions for you!

1. This is fun one! Kyle and I are going to do a Q&A Valentine’s relationship post. What questions do you want to ask us about relationships! We’ll add it to the Q&A! They can be for him, me, or the both of us!
2. What is one food you’ve been eating on repeat lately?
3. Are you watching The Bachelor?

Can you believe Christmas was over two weeks ago? It’s going to be spring before we know it (thank goodness.) This week was miserably cold. I’m so used to being outside walking the dogs, walking the trails, or just going out and about. All I wanted to do this week was stay inside, drink tea, blog, watch movies, and read books. Maybe the cold was a blessing in disguise. I suppose drinking tea and reading all weekend wasn’t that bad. This week coming up, you won’t hear me complaining about the weather (other than the rain) because it’s going to be in the high fifties

My recap today is going to be much shorter than most. I’ll be sharing some of my eats from the week, and a couple of random photos here and there.
On Wednesday morning, I woke up super early to walk the dogs, have some toast, and drink a ton of water before going back to the doctor to do bloodwork. Luckily this time was more successful. I have another doctors appointment tomorrow, so hopefully, I won’t have to do more bloodwork. I have nightmares about this stuff. I should be getting my test results back any day now.

For a late lunch/brunch on Wednesday, I made a delicious meal with leftover spaghetti squash and roasted vegetables. I topped the roasted spaghetti squash and vegetables with two eggs over medium. I found pre-cut butternut squash crinkle fries at Whole Foods, too! Cutting butternut squash is a pain in the butt, so these were super convenient. To cook them, I tossed them in a little avocado oil and baked them on a sheet pan for ten minutes at 425 degrees. They were super crispy. I didn’t use much seasoning with my meal other than chili flakes and black pepper. When you have a runny yolk, you don’t need seasoning  
My dinner was so good.

I had so much spaghetti squash leftover that I planned on eating it all week long. I also had another squash sitting on the counter to cook up after this batch was finished. I refrained from buying another at the store yesterday. Not sure I can eat anymore! I love to use large containers for salads because it’s better for mixing. Have you ever tried to combine salad ingredients in a small bowl? It’s nearly impossible. Lettuce overboard!

My salad consisted of baby arugula salad, guacamole, Whole Food’s chicken salad, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, roasted vegetables, and spaghetti squash. I didn’t use dressing because the guacamole and chicken salad made up for it. I had a La Croix with my salad, a little Sun Cup for dessert, and lemon ginger tea before bed. Now that I’m on one cup of coffee a day, I’ve been drinking a lot of decaf lemon ginger tea. I’m thinking about writing a separate post with how I feel after cutting my coffee intake and replacing it with lemon tea. My moods and complexion have changed drastically. Let me know if that’s a post you’d be interested in. I never believed in the power of a lemon until now. 
Thursday was brutally cold. I had to sit in front of the fireplace for twenty minutes after walking the dogs to warm up. When you’re cold, oatmeal and coffee are perfect cures. I brewed a cup of coffee, warmed up some oats, and topped them with sauteed blueberries. Some people hate warm blueberries, but I love when they are squishy and pop in your mouth. They’re delicious! That is why blueberry muffins are one of my favorite foods.

Later in the afternoon, I headed to a power hour yoga class at the gym. Luckily, it was a hot yoga hour, and the heat felt so good. 
For lunch, I had roasted butternut squash crinkle fries and scrambled eggs mixed with spaghetti squash and roasted vegetables. Luckily, it was the last of the leftovers. I could eat something different for dinner. 
Nothing better than sleeping puppies. Leo fell asleep on my shoulder while I was working, and he stayed like that for about an hour. The rule is that you can’t move if your dog is asleep on you. My cup was filled with Stash mango passion tea and the juice of one lemon. I bought a Stash tea fruity herbal flavor assortment, and I’ve loved every flavor so far. It was inexpensive, too. I don’t know what has gotten into me, but I’ve never enjoyed tea this much. 
What is better (or easier) than a three ingredient dinner? I cooked up ground turkey, broccoli, and teriyaki sauce for dinner on Thursday night. I ended the night with So Delicious no sugar added coconut milk vanilla ice cream with a scoop of honey roasted peanut butter on top. 
I was up at 5:30 on Friday morning and ready to start my day. It was 7 degrees when I walked the dogs outside. It took me a while to get the feeling back in my legs. I do not do well with cold temperatures. My body is so sensitive to it. I’m currently in a house with my heat cranked to 70, and my hands are still cold.
On Friday morning, I chopped up some fresh fruit for the fridge. Eating fresh fruit throughout the day always prevents my crazy sweet tooth at night. 
I wanted to come up with some fun recipes to share this week, so I made matcha maqui pancakes and chocolate matcha muffins. I’m excited to share those recipes with you this week! They turned out delicious. I like to make stacks of pancakes and keep them in containers in the fridge. Whenever I want one, I just throw it into the toaster to heat it up. Adding the matcha and maqui to the pancakes turned them green and blue! This could be a fun way to get kids to eat their pancakes, or a festive Earth Day breakfast. 
Leo always sits by the table when I take recipe photos. He’s a character! 
After taking recipe pictures, I made myself a little cozy nook at the kitchen table and got some work done. 
I didn’t feel like heading to the gym, so I wrote up a workout to do in the living room. I had a lot of messages about my workouts, and I was surprised at how many of you guys loved them! I will start sharing more on my Insta stories. This was a great workout to do in the living room! 
I had so much fun doing a mini little workout challenge on my Instagram story. I had so many of you participate! I’m still getting the emojis sent in. It’s a lot of fun If you missed it, head over to my profile and click the “fitness” category. I’ll be saving them all there! I’ve also had a lot of request for a new fitness challenge. I think a three-week challenge could be fun! I’d like to keep it simple with workouts that you can do in your home. 
For my post-workout/lunch, I had one of my favorite combos. I’ve been mixing my So Delicious unsweetened plain coconut milk yogurt with Orgain protein powder. It tastes like vanilla pudding/cake batter. It’s dairy free, gluten free, soy free, and vegan. I top it with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, and banana slices. It’s like a creamy dessert for lunch. When I shared this recipe on Instagram, I had a lot of questions about the protein powder. This is the protein powder I have been using for about a year. It’s the best organic plant-based protein powder ever! It’s not chalky, and very affordable compared to its competitors. 
I shared a little fun recipe tutorial on Friday night. I was feeling the cabin fever and started having way too much fun. When it comes to videos, I’ll admit it. I’m extremely awkward. Some people do Insta stories, and it’s so natural, and I’m like a deer in headlights. Hello, trainwreck! I’m trying to get better. Luckily, I had some great feedback, and you guys requested more, so I’m going to try!

I needed to use up the ground turkey and ground chicken in the refrigerator, so I decided to make meatballs to go with the spaghetti squash.

My turkey meatballs had: 1 pound of ground chicken, 1 pound of ground turkey (93% fat-free), 1 large egg, 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon oregano, 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon gluten free low sodium soy sauce.

Add all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and combine.  
Before adding the meatballs to the oven, I browned the outer layer in a pan with olive oil on medium-high. I transferred the meatball to a baking sheet and baked them for 15 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees. I took them out when the temperature was at 168. I sliced the meatballs in half once they cooled down. 
I normally make my own sauce, but this meal was a last-minute decision. I used organic garlic lover’s tomato sauce as back up. I added the sauce to a saute pan on low heat along with the sliced meatballs. I let them cook in the sauce for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. 
I still get asked how to roast spaghetti squash. I think a lot of people are intimidated by it, but it’s so easy. Just slice your squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and cut it up into large chunks. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (I always use my older one when roasting at high temperatures), place the squash with the insides down on the baking sheet, and roast it for about 35 minutes at 400 degrees. The time depends on the size of your squash. I can always tell when it’s done when the outer layer is soft.

I let the squash cool completely before scooping it out. I use a giant spoon and scrape it into a large bowl, and then fluff it up with a fork. There’s really no wrong way of doing it. 
The reason I love making meals like this is because I’m usually set for the next couple of days. Leftovers are my jam, and this was delicious. On Friday night, Kyle and I watched Ben’s Status, and it was a pretty good movie. It gave you a really good perspective on life. 
Breakfast on Saturday morning! Told you I’m all for that leftovers life. I made an omelet stuffed with spaghetti squash and a side of meatballs. 
Power hour and smoothies <3

I shared the recipe for this matcha smoothie on My Instagram!

Later in the afternoon, I started writing a post about my goals and plans with running. I didn’t plan on writing it, but sometimes those are the best types of blog posts. I have all of your comments in moderation, but I’ll get to those today! I promise. I don’t like to post the comments until I have a chance to reply back to all of you. I’ll be heading to the gym today to start my journey all over again. 
Grumples and Leo were overdue for a bath and trim. I usually try to trim the hair around their eyes, cut out their mats, and give them a complete blow out until we get them groomed. It’s been so cold here, that I’ve been holding off until next month.

We really like the Burt’s Bees shampoo and conditioner. We find that it’s the best for dogs with itchy coats because of its relieving ingredients. I also love that it’s 98.2% natural.

Relieving Shampoo & Conditioner Link! 
Here are three other tools to make at-home grooming so much easier.

We use a handheld showerhead to wash the dogs. It attaches to any showerhead, and it makes it so much more comfortable in the tub. The dogs can just stand there, and we can use the shower head all around them. It’s the best $25 purchase we’ve ever made for the dogs. We also use a bathing mat in the tub, so they do not slide, and it makes them more comfortable standing in the tub. We also use de-matting combs to help break up the mats before cutting them out. You can find these at Petco or online. The showerhead was $10 cheaper online than at the Home Depot.

I was so tired on Saturday night. I turned on a movie and was out by nine.
I was really excited for Sunday morning. We had had some fun afternoon plans with the dogs! I was up at the crack of dawn to get them fed and walked. I had my tea and decided to try out the Apple Cinnamon RX Bars. Have you ever had a brown sugar cinnamon pop tart? They taste just like it! I was shocked. I’m about to order another box right now!
Later in the morning, I made a maqui protein shake! It had two tablespoons of maqui powder, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop vanilla Orgain protein powder, and a couple of ice cubes. 
Kyle and I have been talking about finding a trainer for our dogs for a while now. Our dogs are great, but we want them to be better. They had a good streak last fall, but now it feels as if they are back to their old ways. We made the commitment and signed the dogs up with Holland K9 Services for a lifetime of training. We made a list of all of the struggles we face with our dogs and then found the perfect trainer, who is confident he can fix the issues. The best part is that he’s not going to fix them, he’s going to train US how to fix them. We didn’t want to drop our dogs off at month camp for training, we wanted to be trained with the dogs, so I’m excited to share this journey with you all. I will make sure to fill you guys in on the training each week in my recap posts. I know a lot of you have dogs and have shared your experiences, so hopefully, this will be able to help you or inspire you to sign your dogs up as well. We want to be confident in our dogs, and it seems as if their unpredictable behavior has become a huge stress. Your dogs should never dictate your lives, but it seems as though our dogs have kind of taken over. We have to do things around them, and it’s not fun anymore. This is now one of our biggest priorities, and it’s extremely important to do this. Not only will this benefit our lives, but it’ll make our dogs much happier, less anxious, and more confident. My ultimate goal is to turn Leo into a therapy dog in a couple of years so he can visit hospitals, and bring joy to the life of others. I have this dream of reading children’s books to little kids with Leo. 
When training a dog, it’s about going back to the basics.

This week, we are working on teaching them to heel and making them stay on command. We are also trying to get Leo and Grumples to stop giving us their paw. They tend to do it a lot, and it’s a big distraction and a form of begging. We are using more verbal commands rather than our hand signals. Check out their Instagram page to see Leo & Grumples staying in place! They learn quickly You can follow along with our progress on their page too. I’ll be documenting this whole process. I love my dogs so much, but I can’t wait for them to behave better, so I can take them places with the confidence.

We learned so much with John (the trainer.) We discussed some of the things we do and learned a lot about things we shouldn’t be doing. It all started to make sense! 
“Pet dog obedience is the foundation for solving all behavior problems.”

If you’re interested in learning more about what we’ll be doing in training, or getting your dog trained, check out John’s website! Or, you can email him Info@hollandk9services.com

I am really excited about this.
Our pups were exhausted when we got back from their two-hour training session. We did a lot of exercises, and I’m sure they were a bit stressed in a new environment. They passed out on the couch, so Kyle and I decided to have lunch, and then hit the gym.

I had a bowl of coconut milk yogurt mixed with my Orgain protein powder! 

I topped my yogurt bowl with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and grapes! I also had a slice of peanut butter toast on the side.
I was super tired when I got to the gym. I planned on doing a workout with Kyle, but I just felt like doing the bike instead. I grabbed my book from the car and did an easy ride while reading for an hour. I have been reading “A Man Called Ove” for the January recipe & book review. I’m a big psychological thriller genre type of person, but I want to switch it up because I know not everyone likes those types of books, and I’ve heard amazing reviews on this book so far. I’m excited to finish it! If you want to join the discussion, order a copy and start reading! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the review post! 
After the gym, Kyle and I stopped at the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for dinner. We decided on salmon, salad, and roasted potatoes! I’m so glad we agreed on this because it was amazing…

If you’re ever trying to figure out what to eat for a healthy meal, just always go with the 3-method. 1. choose your protein. 2. choose your healthy carb. 3. choose your vegetable(s).
I never liked salmon until my mom cooked it for me. I still stick to her salmon recipe!

I massage the salmon with the juice from 1/2 of a lime and 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce. After massaging the salmon, I pat the salmon with garlic powder, black pepper, minced onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and onion powder. I let the salmon marinate in the fridge for two-three hours.
I couldn’t wait to bake this salmon! It smelled so good. Sometimes, I’ll use an orange instead of lime. It’s fun to switch things up. 
I boiled about two cups of red potatoes until fork tender. I diced them up and added them to a baking dish. I drizzled a tablespoon of olive oil on top and tossed them in black pepper, minced onion, sea salt, and garlic powder. I cooked the potatoes in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. I flipped them halfway through. 
While the potatoes were cooking, I prepared the salad.

I’ve been using the Tessemae’s honey balsamic dressing lately, and it’s so tasty! This dressing also works as a marinade for chicken and shrimp.

I massed the baby arugula in the honey balsamic and then topped the salad with avocados and strawberries. 
When the potatoes were done, I turned the oven temperature down to 375 and cooked the salmon for 15 minutes. The cooking time depends on the size of your salmon.
The salmon was perfectly glazed, and we were ready to dive in! 
There is no better feeling than cooking a perfect salmon. It just fell apart in your mouth, and the flavors were spot on. I love my mom’s recipe, and I’ll be making this for the rest of my life! It was the first recipe that made me truly enjoy salmon.
Cooking salmon at home way more budget-friendly than salmon at a restaurant! This is why I love cooking at home! I like to eat at restaurants in the summer, but I’d rather watch movies, have dinner around the coffee table, and get my own ketchup instead of asking for it. Remember when I used to eat out at restaurants practically every meal? I’m so happy that I’ve cut that out. 
Questions for you!

1. Would you like me to start posting more recipe/workout videos on my Instagram story?
2. Which recipe would you like to see first? The Matcha & Maqui Pancakes or Chocolate Matcha Muffins?
3. I made a list of thirty blog posts to create this year. What do YOU want to see?

I just got back from a chilly morning run. I have been making a lot of changes to my fitness routine lately. I’ve talked about it in some posts, but I just want to update you all on how I’m feeling.

The answer? Incredible.

I’m sure many of you can relate to overworking yourself, not fueling your body properly, or the frustration of getting injuries.

For the past couple of months, I’ve had to sit back and reevaluate the way I was doing things. Why was I getting injured so often? Why was I stressed out so much? Why was I feeling low on energy? 1. I wasn’t fueling myself properly as soon as I finished working out. 2. I was overdoing it.  We are only given one body, so we have to listen to it, take breaks, and recoup. I don’t believe in inactivity, but I believe in finding what works best for you. Luckily, I think I finally figured it out.
I’m excited to be partnering up with Core Power again for a blog post. We share a lot of the same values when it comes to taking care of your body, fueling it properly and giving it what it wants, needs, and deserves.

Core Power is a milk-based high- protein recovery drink for fitness goers at all levels of ability. It tastes really good, too! It’s ideal for building lean muscle and replenishing yourself after physical activity. This is a great choice if you want a quick on the go post-workout drink. It comes in four tasty flavors with a short ingredient list (which is hard to find in protein drinks nowadays.)
To live a healthy lifestyle, you have to love your choice of fitness. It can take a while to figure it all out, but you eventually will. Everyone has a routine that works best for them. Don’t make the mistake of trying to live everyone else’s fitness lifestyle. You need to create one that works best for you. I learned the hard way when I tried to keep up with the people around me.

For me, fitness has to be fun! My heart rate needs to be moderate, I need to be in nature, and it needs to be comfortable. I started going to the gym and participating in HIIT workouts five days a week. If you are familiar with HIIT workouts, you know they are meant for once or twice a week. They are intended to push you to your limits. I started to get burned out on fitness, my muscles were constantly aching, I felt so stressed, and it turned into a chore. I learned real quick that just because my friends were doing HIIT that often didn’t mean that I was cut out for it. It was time for me to find another route. I wasn’t going to stop working out, or give up on fitness. I was going to change up the recipe. 
I thought about the things I enjoy.

I love sports. I love being outside, running, walking the dogs, hiking, and calming exercises like yoga.

I decided to trade in my overwhelming amount of HIIT workouts for more hikes, long dog walks, bike rides, hours of playing tennis and doing strength training at my own pace. I have never been more motivated to get out and go.

Fitness IS truly for everyone. You just have to find your “fitness happy.” 
My family and my boyfriend have noticed a big difference in my mood lately. I feel happier that’s for sure! Even yoga, walking, hiking, and playing sports require proper post-workout food for a healthy recharge. Sometimes we spend hours out on the trails or hours on the tennis court. Every bottle of Core Power has 26g of high-quality complete protein.

There are 26g of high-quality complete protein, which comes from the milk itself. You won’t find any added chalky protein powders in this drink. Each bottle of Core Power contains the two types of naturally occurring protein found in milk: whey (20%) and casein (80%).

Core Power is sold in many stores all over the country! It can also be purchased on Amazon! Check it out here! 

Core Power comes in Banana, Strawberry Banana, Chocolate, and Vanilla flavors.
I’d love to challenge you all on taking the time to figure out your fitness happy. You may be the type of person that loves to have a power hour every day, a light swim in the morning, or a hot yoga session. It’s important to find out and do what makes you happy. You will be more successful in the long run.

I created a list of rules for myself. They may help you as well!

Treat your body with kindness.

Feed and recharge it with what it wants and deserves.

Listen to it. 

Rest.

Challenge it, but don’t push it to uncomfortable limits.

Choose activities that relieve stress. 

Don’t compare your fitness level to anyone else. 

Try new things. 

Believe that you can. 

Don’t ever give up.

Find your fitness happy. 
Questions for you!

1. Have you figured out your “fitness happy?”
2. Have you tried Core Power yet?
3. How do you define your #EverdayAwesome?

This is sponsored post with Core Power! Thank you for reading & ALL opinions are my own!

I just got back from a weekend in New Jersey and I can’t wait to share that trip with you soon. I know it’s recap Monday, but today’s post is an important one. I’ve learned so much during the past seven years of my fitness journey. I’ve learned what works for me, and what doesn’t. I’ve learned what to do and what to definitely NOT do. One of the questions I get asked the most is “should I have a post-workout recovery snack?”, or “doesn’t a post-workout recovery snack cancel out the workout and calories burned?” And don’t worry if you’re also wondering because I used to think the same things. We aren’t born knowing everything; learning is a process. I want to thank Core Power® for sponsoring this post, and I’m excited to share some awesome things that your body does after a workout, and why it’s almost crucial to fuel up after a sweat fest.
Let’s start with the calorie thing. It’s a no-brainer that if you are consuming too many calories and not burning enough calories that your weight could escalate. (That most certainly happens to me.) That is why timing is everything. Your body burns a certain amount of calories throughout the day, even if you’re sitting on the couch. This is called your BMR (basal metabolic rate.) Your basal metabolic rate is the energy used to keep your heart beating, your lungs breathing, and what keeps your entire body functioning. This is why calories are so important, even if you are not active.

Why do calories matter after a workout? Well, the right calories matter. Carbs, Fat, Sugar, Protein; they all make up calories. Not all calories are equal when it comes to repairing and fueling the body before and after a workout. Each calorie has their own superpower, but you have to know when to use it. Choosing the right calories after a workout can help you see results and keep your body functioning properly. Skipping out on a post-workout recovery can be dangerous and actually put a stall on results.
Glycogen levels become low after a workout. If you do not fuel yourself back up (with the proper calories), you could decrease your muscle protein synthesis, and your muscle protein could break down and cause severe soreness. That’ll keep you from hitting the gym consistently. If I workout an hour+ and do not eat a post-workout, I start to fill lightheaded, weak, and tired. It also makes me super hungry later in the evening. It’s important to give your body what it needs when it needs it.

What helps repair muscles and restore your glycogen levels? Carbs & Protein.

Fast-digesting carbs can help prevent your body from using its muscle tissue as energy. It also helps repair and build muscle. The biggest superhero calorie? Protein. Protein will help you repair and build muscle as well. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism will be, which increases your BMR. Increasing your BMR helps with weight loss. Building muscle also helps you burn more fat. If you don’t like to eat a ton of carbs, just remember, “timing.” Eat your carbs when your body needs it the most. You don’t have to eat carbs all day long to see results, but eat them after a workout. I try to eat low carb throughout the day, but as soon as I leave the gym, I down at least 25g of carbs and 25g of protein within fifteen minutes after a workout.

Back when I was training for my half marathon, I would be weak, lightheaded, and empty in my fuel tank. I always kept a post workout at my ending point. I made sure my post workout had high protein and high carb. Numbers tend to scare people too much when it comes to a post-workout, but that is not what causes weight gain. It’s what you eat later that night, or earlier that day when you don’t need it. If I were to finish my night with cake and ice cream because “I deserved it after a long run,” then yes, that’ll be an issue for my waistline. But, eat what your body needs when you need it. Timing timing timing! Also, I’m not saying you shouldn’t eat cake. If you want cake, eat cake! 
Sometimes getting a post-workout can be difficult if we don’t have time. Food can be an excellent source, but it’s not always convenient. While I was training hard for my race, I was introduced to Core Power®. Core Power® is a quality milk-based protein recovery drink. I was having some issues with feeling weak, lightheaded, and just empty on mile ten. It wasn’t dehydration because I always drank water and kept my potassium/sodium levels high. My doctor recommended that I kept a quick fuel, like Core Power®, near mile seven (literally hid it in the bushes) to keep my glycogen levels up. I was having a big issue with storage. I would drink some at mile seven and finish the bottle post-run. It made all the difference in my performance. Core Power® really helps replenish and revitalize the body by building lean muscle and providing the proper energy (calories) to fuel my workouts. There are 26g of high-quality complete protein, the perfect amount for refueling. Core Power® takes away the stress of trying to find a quick post-workout fuel. You can take it anywhere! I love throwing it in my gym bag and heading out. 
And because it’s Fall, I wanted to share a delicious post-workout shake that I made after my run and HIIT workout a couple of days ago. My fitness watch said I burned over 950 calories, and I was feeling it. It was time to replenish! I love that all of the protein in Core Power® comes from milk itself. You won’t find any added protein powders. It doesn’t have a grainy or chalky texture. It tastes like pure creamy and vanilla milk. Each bottle of Core Power® contains the two types of naturally occurring protein found in milk: whey (20%) and casein (80%).

Pumpkin Vanilla Core Power® Post-Workout Recovery Shake: 1/2 Frozen Banana, 1 Bottle Vanilla Core Power®, 1/4 Cup Pumpkin Puree, & 1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Spice! 
Blend for ten seconds on medium-high! Pour into a glass and sprinkle pumpkin spice on top. 
This post-workout tastes like dessert. If you make this before your workout, place it in the freezer, it’s like an ice cream treat by the time you get back! You could use any flavor of Core Power®for this recipe. I am going to try blending the banana with frozen strawberries next. 
My boyfriend and I play tennis four times a week, sometimes twice a day. We always bring Core Power® with us in the cooler and split a bottle on the way home. We both get grouchy when we are hungry because of low glycogen levels, so this helps the “hanger.” Do any of you get grouchy when you’re hungry?

I love sharing about health and fitness, but please remember that all bodies are different. You should always consult with your doctor before making any changes!
Core Power® can be found in a ton of convenience and grocery chains across the country. My favorite gas stations even carry it. You can also purchase full cases on Amazon (click here.) It comes in Chocolate, Banana, Strawberry Banana, and Vanilla!

Don’t forget to check out my Core Power® post from last month, and scroll to the bottom of that page to find out who won the Core Power® GIVEAWAY! Click here.
Questions for you!

1. Do you make sure to squeeze in your post-workout?
2. What Fall fitness goals are you working towards?
3. Have you ever tried Core Power®? If so, what flavor is your favorite?

Before I get started with this recap post, I wanted to send my thoughts and prayers to Texas! Kyle and I donated to Austin Pets Alive and The Salvation Army. If you can donate, please do! No amount is too small. My hearts break for everyone dealing with this tragedy. It’s heartwarming to see the nation come together to help Texas.
On Wednesday morning, I woke up and took the dogs for a super long walk, worked for a bit, and then took a drive to the grocery store to pick up some things for the house. I tried this Zevia energy drink on the way home, and it was delicious! Sometimes the natural energy drinks are a huge fail, but I loved the flavor of this one. I’m excited to try the other flavors. For breakfast, I had watermelon, eggs, and peaches!

Earthfare always gets me in trouble. I picked up some cereal, protein powder, turkey burgers, fresh fruit, bread, and some other goodies.
It’s been a little over a week since making the switch to black coffee, and I love it so far. I’ve also been using protein shakes as “milk,” and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to do it!
For lunch, I had an Applegate Turkey burger, pineapple, avocado, and toast. I have been eating Turkey burgers a lot lately. They are so easy to throw onto the skillet and an excellent source of lean protein. The only ingredient in them other than turkey is rosemary, a wonderful addition. When I do my meal prep next week, I’m going to make my own turkey patties with fresh herbs that I can wrap up and put in the freezer. 
I ended up making it into a sandwich  
On Wednesday night, I headed to my favorite workout class. It’s thirty minutes of glutes & abs, and thirty minutes of Tabata. Tabata is one of the best workouts! It gets your heart rate going up and down! I’m already excited for tomorrow’s class. 
Easy dinner: Turkey burger, veggie fries, and avocado!
The weather was perfect on Thursday. The boys (pups) and I took a really long morning walk and then headed back to the couch to work and cuddle.
Black coffee, pumpkin spice Cheerios, chocolate puffs, and protein milk for breakfast!
For lunch, I had a turkey burger, avocado, one fried egg, and cotton candy grapes. If you’ve never had cotton candy grapes, I highly recommend you find some! They taste 100% like cotton candy (hence the name.)
I met up with my parents on Thursday night to play tennis. The weather has been perfect in the evenings and tennis is one of our favorite ways to get active.
The drive home was beautiful. 
I told you, I’ve been a turkey burger addict lately. I had broccoli and turkey burger for dinner. I had chips and salsa for my carbs while the food was cooking Leo was in bed waiting for me to cuddle up with a movie. He’s the cutest. What I love most about Leo is his personality. He is literally the silliest dog, and I feel like he does things on purpose to get people to laugh.
Friday = power cleaning day!

I spent three hours cleaning and doing other chores. My mom started this tradition when I was growing up. She always had Fridays off from work and would spend the day decluttering and scrubbing the house from ceiling to floor. As soon as Friday comes around, I’m in full cleaning mode. I weirdly enjoy it. I blast music throughout the house and go at it.

For lunch, I had Applegate chicken nuggets and GoVeggie fries. Those are the best store-bought chicken nuggets I’ve ever had. They don’t have a weird/fake taste.

While I had lunch, I wrote a blog about eleven life improvements I’ve been making. 
Around five, I made a protein shake before the active evening. My shake had frozen raspberries, frozen peaches, water, and vanilla protein powder.

My mom’s birthday was on Friday, so Kyle and I met up with her and my dad to play tennis.

*Crazy short story for you guys* My mom is a twin, but they have different birthdays. My mom’s sister was born right before midnight and my mom was born after midnight. I just think that’s cool  
Kyle and I picked up sushi for dinner, and then ended the night with a Dateline episode.

I woke up around six am to have coffee, walk the dogs, and head to the gym before taking off to Greenville. The HIIT class was incredible!

When I got home, I got ready, packed my bags, made a protein shake, and headed over to pick up my mom! My shake had chocolate protein powder, banana, and water. 
I bought my mom and I tickets to go see her favorite musical, The King and I, for her birthday. She was so excited and so was I. 
I couldn’t believe how gorgeous Greenville was. It’s a short drive from Charlotte, and I’m embarrassed it took me so long to visit. I can’t wait to come back with Kyle and the pups. It’s a very dog-friendly city. 
We did some exploring. The walking trails were breathtaking. 
We were ready for some coffee around noon. We headed to, Bex. It’s a coffee shop/Juice bar. I loved the rustic and vintage design. 
We ordered two dark roast coffees and the Whimsical Leaves juice. The green juice had green apple, mint, kale, romaine, lemon, extra ginger, and mint. By far the best juice I’ve ever had. 
The coffee was great too! Bex was the perfect place to stop for good coffee and good conversation. The young gentleman working couldn’t have been friendlier. We chatted with him the entire time. 
My mom and I were so hungry around one, so we decided to split a salad at Rick’s Deli & Market. Our salad had chickpeas, avocado, romaine, cheese, balsamic, and grilled chicken on top. We wanted to split a meal because we had dinner reservations at six. 
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the town. There were shops everywhere, so much art, and a lot to look at! I tried on that red coat and wanted it so bad, but I can’t pull myself together to buy a $200 coat. Just nope. I did find a cheaper red/black plaid coat online that I ordered! I can’t wait until it gets here!:) 
My mom and I toasted to the weekend! Red blend & Champagne! We headed back to the hotel after our drinks, and got ready for dinner!  My mom was so adorable in her dress!
A lot of you were asking about it on my Instagram story! You can find it here! It’s Nine West Women’s Floral Print Cold Shoulder!  

We had dinner at Pomegranate on Main. We had the nicest waiter ever! I feel like Greenville is just the friendliest place I’ve ever visited. 
My mom and I split a salad and entree. We ordered their house salad with balsamic citrus dressing and the roasted salmon. The entree had fresh filet of roasted salmon marinated in Persian and saffron, a side of basmati rice mixed with dill and lima beans, and roasted tomato on the side. Wonderful earthy flavors and seasoned to perfection. I loved that they didn’t overload their food with salt. It was amazing! 
We walked around and did some more exploring! Greenville’s beauty is never-ending.
This is my favorite dress. It’ so soft and comfortable! It’s blue with gold polka dots I got it from Loft a couple of months ago, but they are out of stock, unfortunately! I wish they had this in every color! 
We stopped at a little health store to buy some dark chocolate for dessert. 
Chocolove is my favorite brand of dark chocolate.
Ginger for the win! The ginger flavor is my fave! 
We decided to get coffee at Spill The Beans. The musical was going to be a late show, so we needed some caffeine! I go to bed early, so I need it.
This place smelled like heaven when you walked in. They had fresh house-made waffle cones, ice cream, and desserts. And the addition of coffee on top of all the heavenly smells! 
Again with the Greenville friendliness. It must be in the water there  
This was another cute and rustic coffee spot. 
My mom ordered a skim latte with vanilla, and I had their dark roast blend. It was so tasty, especially with my dark ginger chocolate! I love that dark chocolate is so rich that you only need a couple of pieces and you’re content. 
We walked across the bridge to head over to the Peace Center for the show! We were so excited! 
Greenville is breathtaking. The show was by far the best musical I’ve ever seen live.
I’ve been to over 25 musicals in my lifetime. The acting, the set, the voices, the dancing…just incredible! We were left in tears.
My mom and I woke up early, had a hotel breakfast, and headed out to walk the trails. My breakfast had fresh fruit and oatmeal.

Lesson learned: bring your own containers to hotels for their breakfast! 
I wasn’t a fan of the hotel coffee (pretty sure it was Folgers), so I ordered a coconut milk cappuccino with an extra shot of espresso before our walk.

I had such a great time with my mom, and I plan on making more trips with her! She’s a blast If you live in the Carolinas, I highly recommend visiting Greenville! 
We got back around noon! I headed uptown to see Kyle and the pups! We took the boys for a walk around uptown during the pride parade. So many people! Charlotte is a great city:) Also, Leo grew out of his old Ruffwear! He is moving on up to the green. We sometimes call him “Lizzard” so it’s very fitting. Hooking the leash in front of the Ruffwear helps you control their movements. It’s really helped with pulling, especially with Grumples! We use leashes with extra handles, too.
Salad for lunch: Strawberries, blueberries, kale, romaine, mandarines, chicken, onions, cucumber, eggs, and tomatoes! 
Kyle, Steve, and I headed to Freedom park to play tennis. We’ve been having the best weather. 
Leftover salad for dinner (followed by leftover ginger chocolate.)
Kyle wanted my chicken enchiladas for dinner so bad. He picked up all the ingredients, and I showed him and Steve how to make them. I’ve actually made this recipe into stuffed bell peppers, which is my favorite way to eat them! 
I took the boys for a long walk Monday morning in uptown! I love this lil(big) guy
I headed to an ultimate conditioning class around noon, and it was tough! We did a latter workout, followed by sprint work. I shared the workout on my Instagram story yesterday, but here it is again! 

We did ten rounds of each exercise and subtracted one rep every round.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
BOX JUMPS
PUSH UPS
JUMP SQUATS
PLANK UPRIGHT ROWS
BURPEES
CHEST PRESS
MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
ALTERNATING JUMP LUNGES
SHOULDER PRESS
SIT UPS

Ended the later workout with sprints 20 seconds on/20 seconds off X TEN 
I stopped at The Fresh Market after the gym to pick up some eats! My favorite organic turkey burgers, yogurt, fruit, chocolate, quinoa chips, ginger, water, and Daiya mac and cheese. I have been so curious to see what it tasted like. 
My breakfast before the gym: 3 egg whites + 1 yolk, oats & cinnamon.

Post workout: blueberry coconut milk yogurt with fresh fruit. 
I ended up going back to the gym with Kyle around six. I just went to walk the track while he lifted weights. There’s nothing wrong with getting some extra steps in! It was such a pretty walk to the gym, and it felt like fall outside.
For dinner, I had strawberries, Daiya mac & cheese with black pepper and garlic powder added, taco-inspired hummus, and organic turkey! The mac and cheese was tasty for being dairy free/gluten free/ and vegan. I was surprised by the outcome. It needed some spice added!

Kyle and I watched Bachelor in Paradise before bed. <3 I wish I could jump into the TV and match all the couples up myself!

Questions for you!

1. Where is the last place you traveled to?
2. Do you have any fun plans for Labor Day?
3. What meal/product have you been eating on repeat lately?

It’s 5:00 am here, and I’m relaxing with a cup of coffee before the day starts. You’re probably wondering why I’m recapping on a Friday. It feels a bit strange, but I have a fun weekend planned, and that’ll need a post of its own. I may be a bit M.I.A. this weekend, so this will make up for it. It’s been one productive week so far. I decided to declutter the house, finally finish up the guest room, complete little frame projects, and deep clean all the rooms. There wasn’t a spot missed. Now that everything is completely done (minus the office) I feel so good. I can go into the weekend on a high note. Speaking of a high note, the reason I’m awake so early is that I have to drink my coffee, walk the dogs two miles, and get to my workout class at 6:45! And write this post of course!

So here is how my week has been so far…
My gym was finally back open! I was so ready to reunite with my classes.

The schedule ended up changing for my Monday class, but they had it wrong. Since I was thirty minutes early, I decided to power walk the treadmill at an incline. Also, my legs have taken a beating from the boot camps.
Monday’s custom cuts class was super hard and all about the arms. We did four circuits. Each circuit had three exercises that we had to repeat for ten minutes. I’ve been upping all of my weights the past two weeks. I am certainly feeling it today. 
When I got home, I had an RX BAR for my post workout, pineapple slices, and Lemon Sparkling water.

For lunch, I had pita chips and leftover deviled eggs. Those are so good! I may make them again this weekend.
Monday night dinner: Baby kale & chard with a Greek dressing, quinoa, and an omelet (6 egg whites +1 yolk.) I fell asleep watching the bachelor and it was boring per usual.
I woke up so sore from Monday’s class, so I decided to skip Tuesday’s workout and go for a long walk with the pups instead. This is why I don’t plan rest days because I’d rather take them when I truly need them. I try to take two a week. I’m glad I took it off because I got SO MUCH done.

Lunch: Omelet (6 egg whites +1 yolk) baby kale & chard with a Greek dressing, quinoa, Parmesan chips, & avocado. 
I decided to declutter and get rid of things that I don’t use or that have been laying around for no reason. I filled up seven bins with items that I don’t want. And…it’s safe to say I needed to do this. 
I couldn’t believe how many doubles of things I had. Two can openers, two rolling pins, two grill tongs, and multiples of so much!
And don’t get me started on the mugs…
It took me about three hours, but having all of that useless stuff out of the house made me feel so good! 
I made protein peanut butter cups when I was finished You can find the recipe here! 
Remember that old snack jar I bought about five years ago? (probably not) but I brought it back to life. I filled it with sweet treats at the bottom, almonds in the middle and protein bars on top! So many of you were asking me about these stacking jars on my Instagram story! I actually found the same set cheaper on Amazon! Here is the link!:) 
For dinner, I made steamed broccoli and cauliflower and baked salmon. My salmon had garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, Italian seasoning, lime, honey, and low sodium soy sauce. 
After my coffee time and dog walks on Wednesday morning, I had a protein shake for breakfast. My shake had one scoop of protein powder, 1 large frozen banana, and unsweetened almond milk!
My upstairs hallway was so bare and needed some decor! I decided to take cheap black frames and add pictures of my favorite, Audrey Hepburn. I found a photograph book for $3.00, so it was perfect material! 
For lunch, I made a sandwich! It had avocado, yellow mustard, gouda cheese, organic chicken slices, and Dave’s Killer Bread. So delicious. 
Finally, the end tables and backboard were finished for the guest room! The curtains went up, and I added all the final touches! I’ll post more photos of the room once it’s completely done. I put a little reading chair and a shelf in the opposite corner.
Wednesday night is the best. It’s funny because I used to dread going to the Wednesday night classes. I would take me four days to recover, but now I’m lifting heavier and being pushed harder. I love it! I love spending my hour going as hard and as heavy as I can.

After class, I headed out to walk the pups. Grumples had so much energy, so we ended up walking three miles. I don’t know where it came from, but I was rolling with it. The weather has also been super nice in the mornings and evenings. I don’t mind being out there. 
I made a random dinner on Wednesday night. I cooked up chicken and added Trader Joe’s cauliflower rice, carrots, kidney beans, kale, spinach, garlic, black pepper, and parmesan cheese. 
It turned out to be really good! Because I had so much going on this week, I didn’t get around to meal prep. It was much harder without it, so next week, I’m going right back to the meal prep! Lesson learned. 
Another long dog walk on Thursday morning! I always have a slice of peanut butter toast with my coffee after walks. It’s become a tradition. 
And of course, the beggars are on top of it. 
Later that morning, I blogged my dark chocolate protein peanut butter cups! 
I made a protein scramble with four egg whites, one yolk, and leftover chicken and cauliflower rice from dinner. It turned out to be delicious! 
I was out and about all day yesterday afternoon, so I picked up some snacks. I love the 100 calories Think Jerky packets. They have 16g of protein, so it’s perfect for a quick protein boost. I need to get these for the house! And the mango ginger chews were amazing! I like to keep them in my car. 
For lunch, I made toast with avocado, Havarti, avocado, and organic chicken slices on top of multi-grain bread.
I spent last night taking apart my fridge. I scrubbed every shelf and drawer. It was overdue!
 I headed out to my parents last night so I could use my dad’s shop-vac to clean my car while the dogs played in the backyard. I was on a cleaning roll. 
I brought my dinner over!:) I had a salad with dinner leftovers on top, pretzels, parmesan crisps, Greek dressing, and a berry RX BAR on the side!

I can’t wait to share my weekend with you! I’d tell you what I’m doing, but Kyle reads my blog daily (how cute is that?) and it’s a surprise for him!

Well, I’m off to my workout class now! I hope you guys have a FABULOUS weekend!

Questions for you!

1. How many items do you think you could get rid of that you don’t use?
2. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?
3. What are three items you’d keep in your snack jar?