So I promise to get to the recipe with minimal scrolling on your part, but had to give a huge shout out to almond flour first!

I started using Almond flour as an alternative to whole wheat or “regular” flour as a way to lower the carbs of baked goods so that Jake could enjoy treats with out huge blood sugar spikes. At this point I don’t even have any other kind of flour in the house.

One thing I will say about almond flour is that it is not a 1:1 ratio swap. Almond flour has a higher liquid content than regular flour so recipes don’t set up as well if you simply swap out almond flour for regular. I once made the most delicious brownies doing a 1:1 swap and we had to eat them with a spoon. I wasn’t mad about it though. 😉

So basically if you are new to using almond flour you will want to look for recipes that already call for it so you don’t have soupy desserts.

Here is the recipe:

What you need

• 2 eggs, or 2 flax egg will work if you are vegan
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup oil (I used avocado oil)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (or your preferred nut butter, you can omit this and the recipe will still work)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life brand)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C.
2. In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, peanut butter and oil and mix until combined for about 3 minutes until fully incorporated and light and fluffy. Add the water and the vanilla extract and blend for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the cocoa powder, almond flour, baking soda and sea salt to the wet mixture and stir for about 3 minutes until fully combined. There should be no lumps and the almond flour should be fully incorporated.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 8×8 square pan. Bake for 35 minutes, or 40-45 minutes if you prefer cake-like brownies.
5. When finished, remove from oven and allow to cool completely in pan on a wire rack (at least 30 minutes). Once cooled, slice into 9 slices.

This makes 9 servings (or however you want to cut it!).

Each serving is 30 carbs for my fellow T1D moms!
If you are following Ultimate Portion Fix this would be a yellow treat swap.
If you are following 2B Mindset this would be a treat!

This recipe is so rich and almost cake like. We love it!

Enjoy!

Counting down to Christmas has always been one of my favorite activities this time of year.

When the boys were younger I would fill our little advent house with candy and treats.

Then when Jake was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes I had a bit of a realization.  It struck me how so many holidays and celebrations center round food.

And although we have never limited Jake’s carbs or treats, I started to look for ways to celebrate and reward both of the boys with non-food items.

I also loved the idea of making our countdown more of an activity based thing!

So for the last 5-6 years we have done fun things like color a Christmas picture, make a card for your teacher, write a letter to Santa…

Here are the activities we used:

christmas-countdown-1-copy

christmas-countdown-3-copy

christmas-countdown-3-copy

Now that the boys are getting older, I needed to update our list!  I also wanted to include more activities to give back to our community.

Here is the list of activities/treats that will fill our house this year, in no particular order btw.

2019 Advent Activities (1)

I hope it inspires while you are creating your own family traditions and memories!

Happy Holidays,

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month so I wanted to take a few minutes of your time to give you the 411 on sun care.

Exposure to UV radiation is the main factor that causes skin cells to become cancer cells.

Almost all skin cancers (approximately 99% of non-melanoma skin cancers and 95% of melanoma) are caused by too much UV radiation from the sun or other sources such as solariums, sun beds, and sun lamps.

This information can be scary, but there are ways to enjoy the sun in a safe way.

Working in the cosmetics industry and in sunny Arizona has my talking a lot about sun screens lately.  These conversations made me realize that not everyone really gets all the sun care lingo, so…here we go!

First things first, what does SPF mean anyway??

According to Britannica SPF on sunscreen stands for sun protection factor, a relative measurement for the amount of time the sunscreen will protect you from ultraviolet (UV) rays.

As an example- if it takes you 10 minutes to get pink in the sun with out any SPF and you apply and SPF 30, you will get 300 minutes or 5 hours of sun protection.

BUT, and this is a big but, if you are in the sun for longer than 2 hours or are getting wet or sweating you need to reapply way before that 5 hour mark!

So, higher doesn’t mean you can wait to reapply longer.

Broad Spectrum

The first thing you want to make sure you see on your sun screen package are the words Broad Spectrum.  Broad spectrum SPF refers to sunscreens that protect the skin from both UVA and UVB rays. Even with a high SPF, if a sunscreen isn’t broad spectrum, you won’t be protected from all UVA rays.

An easy way to remember these different types of rays:

UVA- you vill age
These rays cause wrinkles and potentially skin cancer (although less than UVB) after repeated exposure. UVA rays make up more than 90% of all UV radiation, and penetrate clouds and glass, year-round.
UVB- you vill burn
These rays cause sunburn, aging, and potentially skin cancer.

The 2 types of sunscreens

Physical Sunscreens consist mostly of Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide.
These sunscreens work by sitting on top of the skin to deflect and scatter damaging UV rays away from the skin.  Think like a shield on your skin.  These are also sometimes referred to as mineral sunscreens.  Physical sunscreens work immediately after applying which is a plus, but can be thick and harder to rub in.

Chemical Sunscreens consist of ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, and avobenzone.
These sunscreens absorb UV rays and break them down before they reach the skin, but need 20 or 30 minutes to bind to skin to be effective.

Which is better?

This is where it can get a little confusing.

Some experts will tell you to avoid chemical sunscreens.  One reason is that Oxybenzone and oxtinoxate have been banned in Hawaii for posing a risk of degrading coral reef when worn while swimming in the ocean.  Some studies indicate that some chemical UV filters may mimic hormones, and physicians report sunscreen-related skin allergies, which raises important questions about unintended human health consequences from frequent sunscreen application.

Other experts believe the best protection is a mix of both physical and chemical.  Physical works immediately but can be harder to spread so adding a chemical sunscreen will make sure you aren’t missing any part of your exposes skin.

The EWG rates the 9 most common sunscreens as follows using their hazard score (10 being most hazard):
Oxybenzone – 8
Octinoxate (Octylmethoxycinnamate)- 6
Homosalate, Octisalate- 4
Octisalate- 3
Zinc Oxide, Titanium Oxide, Avobenzone and Mexoryl SX- 2

What about sprays?

The jury is still out but a few concerns with sprays are that they do not get applied with the same effectiveness as a cream or lotion and the possibility of inhaling it and the unknown side affects that could cause.

When using a spray, spray close the the body, until it your skin glistens, rub it in and if using on the face spray into your hands and rub it in that way.  A 6-ounce bottle of spray sunscreen should only yield about six applications- so make sure you are applying liberally!

The most important things to remember:

Broad Spectrum is a must
Get an SPF value of 15 or higher and take other precautions like limiting your time in the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the rays are strongest.
You need to apply 1 ounce of sunscreen (about 1 shot glass worth) for your body and about 1 teaspoon worth for your face and throat (this seems too little to me- I apply more on my face).
All experts seem to agree that the best protection involves applying before going out in the sun and re-applying every 2 hours or when you get wet or sweat a lot.

I hope this helps as you start to shop for your sunscreen this spring and summer!

Happy Sunning!

Happy National Taco Day!

So it’s been a very long time since I put out a new blog and National Taco Day seemed like the perfect reason to end that drought!!!

At the Gonzales house we enjoy tacos at least once a week!

Chicken tacos, fish tacos, ground beef tacos, pulled pork tacos, on corn tortillas, sprouted grain tortillas, taco salads…you get the point!

I decided to shake things up in honor of today’s holiday and made the most delicious taco pasta salad!

Here’s what you need:
1 package of cooked pasta (I used Banza)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 (15 oz) can corn
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed
1 pound ground turkey (seasoned with taco seasoning)
4 cups of chopped romaine lettuce

Throw it all in a bowl #TSIAB and top with dressing!

CREAMY CILANTRO DRESSING (dairy free btw!)
1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped
1 packed cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 cup mayonnaise (I love Sir Kensington’s)
1/3 cup canned full fat coconut milk
fresh squeezed lime juice (about 1/2 a lime)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Throw all that in your food processor or Vitamix and blend!

This is the perfect combo of protein, veggies and FFCs (fiber filled carbs) making it a delicious lunch!

Enjoy!

I have talked before about how I have surprised myself over the past 4 years in terms of liking foods I really never even considered trying.

We can now add tempeh to that list!

Getting enough protein can sometimes be a challenge for me.  I can’t do dairy, I can only do so much meat and I can’t eat eggs all day long.  I have experimented with different vegetable proteins and tempeh always seemed intriguing.

My biggest challenge was how to prepare it so after scouring Pinterest I found one way that sounded good!

Tempeh Bacon

• 8 oz tempeh (250 g)
• 1 tbsp Liquid Aminos
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for the marinade
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for “frying”
• 1 tbsp maple
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Slice the tempeh as thin as you can without it falling apart.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Soak the tempeh slices in the marinade for 1 or 2 minutes.
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan and when it’s hot, add the tempeh and cook for 1 or 2 minutes each side over high heat until both sides are browned and crisp.
Lay cooked tempeh on paper towel to cool.

This makes 3 servings.

I have been then eating this with lettuce and tomato on a sprouted grain wrap.  I love the brand One Degree Sprouted Whole Grain Tortillas.

For those of you following the Portion Fix or 80 Day Obsession Timed Nutrition the tempeh counts as a red and this Tempeh BLT counts as a red, green, yellow and tsp.

Enjoy!

Timed nutrition…sounds interesting, hard, strange, time consuming, different…

Yep- that’s what I thought, too.

Basically timed nutrition is simply eating the right foods (especially protein and carbs) at the right times to help you fuel your workouts, build muscle, and recover from workouts while keeping your metabolism and energy levels high. Over the course of the day, our bodies fluctuate between breaking down muscle and building it back up. Timing your nutrition can help ensure your muscles have the protein they need during those building-up phases.

It also helps you get the perfect ratio of macronutrients (carbs, protein and fats) each time you eat.

Eating like this did take a little time to get used to, but the pay off for me has more energy all day long!

Now that I am starting week 7 of this plan, I have found this schedule very easy to follow.  My meal planning took no time this week and by 1:30 on Sunday I am prepped and ready for most of the week!

Eating this way also seems to have a positive influence on my day in general.  I am more productive with my work and it seems to create a flow for my day.

Here is what a basic day looks like for me:

4:30- alarm goes off!
4:45- eat my pre-workout meal
5:15- drink my energize
5:30- push play
6:30ish- drink my post workout while getting the boys ready
9:00- eat my post-workout meal
12:00- lunch (usually my biggest meal of the day- meal option #2)
3:00- afternoon pick me up (Shakeology- meal option #1)
6:00- dinner (usually meal option #3)

*this schedule is easy to adapt to your day and when you workout.  4:30 am wake up calls are not a requirement!  😉

Here is my meal plan for next week:

Am I perfect at this?  NO
Do I always get the timing perfect?  NO

I will say this, as we are about to hit the halfway point I can tell you that I have not cheated one time!

What I love about this plan:

No guessing!
I know what to eat and when in order to fuel my day best and recover from my workouts!
I have noticed a huge increase in my energy levels and have had minimal soreness.  That is saying a lot because these workouts are longer than I am used to and pretty intense.
I do not feel like I am missing out because I eat a ton of really delicious stuff!

What I don’t love about this plan:

Not much.
I guess I miss having a glass of wine on Friday, but honestly, I kinda don’t.  I will have fries or a margarita again, just not for another 41 days.  😉
I did have a 2-3 week period of feeling hungry or getting used to the timing, but that would be true of any new meal plan.

Here are a few of the recipe I will be enjoying this week:

Spinach Pancakes (sounds strange I know!!!):

• 1 cup of spinach
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup quick oats
• 1/3 cup cottage cheese or yogurt (I used almond milk yogurt)
• 1 tsp almond butter (or other nut butter)
• cinnamon
• vanilla extract

Blend everything together and make pancakes as you normally would.  This makes 1 serving of 3-4 pancakes.

Tempeh BLT (tempeh bacon):

• 8 oz tempeh (250 g)
• 1 tbsp liquid aminos
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for the marinade plus extra virgin for frying the bacon
• 1 tbsp maple
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Slice the tempeh as thin as you can without it falling apart.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Soak the tempeh slices in the marinade for 1 or 2 minutes.
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a saute pan and when it’s hot, add the tempeh and cook for 1 or 2 minutes each side over high heat until both sides are browned and crisp.

I will be having this with lettuce and tomato in a sprouted grain wrap!  This recipe makes about 2 servings.

Avocado Egg Salad

• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 1/4 avocado
• salt and pepper

Mash eggs, avocado, salt and pepper.  I like to also add dried dill.  Serve on a wrap, slice of break, 1/2 english muffin, or over lettuce.  This makes 1 serving.

What do you think?
Sound like something you might want to try?

My March group is forming and several of my newest challengers will be starting this program together!

Here is what you can expect!!!

I am accepting applications to join!

APPLY HERE!

Hope to hear from you soon!

I love me some breakfast and with timed nutrition I get to eat it twice a day!!!

The other day I shared my favorite pre-workout (at 4:45 am) meal.  Check it out here!

After I workout, get the boys off to school and get myself ready for the day I have what I like to call breakfast #2 (aka post workout meal)!!

I have been experimenting with my new cast iron skillets so I couldn’t wait to try a frittata in one of them.  After searching Pinterest, I decided on one using sweet potatoes as a crust!  YUM!

My Recipe:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, shredded
• 3-4 cups of spinach
• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• salt
• pepper

Heat the oven to 450 F.
Beat the eggs, some salt, and milk in a small bowl until well combine, set aside.
Sauté the sweet potato, thyme, and turmeric in the olive oil over medium heat in a 10” cast iron skillet. Cook until the sweet potato is starting to become tender, about 4 minutes.
Pat down the cooked sweet potato on the bottom of the pan to create the base layer, salt lightly.
Turn down the heat to low, add the spinach. Let the steam from the base layer cook the spinach for about 3 minutes.
Pour the eggs into the pan.
Put the skillet in the oven, and bake for about 10 minutes, or until set, and browned in places. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Store left overs in refrigerator.

This makes 4 servings of deliciousness!
Each serving counts as 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Green and 1 tsp for those of you following Portion Fix or Timed Nutrition.

For my T1D friends it is about 15 carbs per serving.

This makes a great meal prep recipe but would also be perfect for a brunch with friends.  I may need to host one soon!  😉

PS- My frittata is dairy free, but you could easily add cheese to this if you wanted.

Enjoy!

I would call myself a morning person.

I like to get up early.
I like to workout early.
I like to enjoy coffee in silence.
I like to get a head start on my day before everyone wakes up.

I love almost everything about mornings…except eating something first thing.  I tend to workout on an empty stomach and finally eat my breakfast once I get everyone out the door and on there way.

Then TIMED NUTRITION came into my life.

I was less than excited about the thought of eating first thing and before my workout, but I am always game to try new things and to trust the process when I do a new program.

So off I went in search of something I could make up ahead and that wouldn’t sit too heavy in my stomach since I would be working out about 30-45 minutes after eating it.

My usual combo of eggs and spinach in an egg muffin just did not go over well at 4:45 am.  I pretty much had to choke them down.

I needed something a little sweet so this zucchini muffin recipe (adapted from the Beachbody Blog) seemed like a good option.

I love them and I have been eating them every morning for the last 3 weeks!

Zucchini Muffins

1 medium zucchini, grated
1 egg
¼ cup dry old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp. coconut oil
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon will do)
6 Tbsp. part-skim ricotta (I used Kite Hill Ricotta made from Artisan Almond Milk)

Heat oven to 375° F.
Sauté the zucchini with 1 tsp. coconut oil until it has decreased in volume by about half.
In a large mixing bowl mix together the zucchini, oats, egg, ricotta and spices.
Spoon the mixture into muffin cups or a muffin pan coated with nonstick spray.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Let cool, then store in the fridge until ready to eat.
The amounts listed are for one serving (about 3 muffins), but you can multiply the ingredient amounts to make multiple servings.

This counts as a red, green, yellow and tsp for anyone following the Portion Fix.
For anyone following the 80 Day Obsession Timed nutrition this makes a perfect Pre-Workout Meal!

I think these would also be good with shredded carrots.

I hope you enjoy them, too!

I have completed about 10 at home workout programs over the past 3 1/2 years.  I have even done a few of them multiple times.  I have loved them all for different reasons.

This past week I started yet another new program, but this one just felt different even before I started.

For the next 80 days I will be obsessed about not only my workouts, but my nutrition and my self care.

I will get the opportunity to do 80 unique workouts- each one filmed separately.  Each one with it’s own set of challenges.

I will be challenged by a nutrition plan that not only helps me understand better what to eat, but when to eat it.

I will make sure I get my sleep and take one day a week to recharge and plan for the week ahead.

Lastly, I get to do this challenge with 50 other of my fit friends!  (I saved the best part for last!)

I plan to share this journey for a few reasons.

1. I will turn 43 shortly after the end of this 80 days.  I want to prove to myself and to others that age really is just a number and with hard work you can change your body, health and mindset.
2. I want to show that a healthy lifestyle, while requiring change and a few sacrifices, is totally doable and even dare I say enjoyable!
3. I want to inspire others to make time for themselves in there busy lives!  From the beginning of this coach journey it has always been about helping others learn to fill their cups through exercise, proper nutrition and support so that they can be there very best.

Week 1 did not go off with out a few hitches, but in all I did pretty good and enjoyed the process.

Day 1

I woke up bright and early and excited and a little apprehensive about the meal I was supposed to eat BEFORE I worked out.  This is not my norm, but I am all about trusting the process and was willing to give it a try.  I ate my pre-prepared egg casserole and steel cut oats right on time and pushed play at around 5:30.  Much to my surprise I felt great, no upset stomach and maybe even a little more energy.
The workout was Total Body Core and I loved it!  The moves were challenging, but doable.  The rest of my day went well and my challengers were kicking butt, too.  In all a great start!

Day 2

The second morning went off with out a hitch again!  The workout was Booty and used bands to work muscles in my butt and legs I didn’t realize I had!  I teach 2 different classes on Tuesdays.  PiYo in the morning and Barre in the evening.  I tried to take it easy and focus more on the stretching and helping my class with form.  I am learning that over exercising and under eating is not a good combo!

Day 3

Morning 3 was more of the same- pre-workout meal went down well and I enjoyed the workout- Cardio Core.  This is saying a lot because cardio is my least favorite.
As the day went on I was finding myself pretty darn hungry which is strange to me since this meal plan has me eating MORE food than I am used to.

Day 4

Speed bump number 1:
My pre-workout meal did not go down like the last 3 days.  It was kinda making me gag.  I choked it down and got to my workout.  Day 4 is AAA- Arms, Abs and A$$.  It did not disappoint!  This day was a crazy day having me leave the house at 8:45 am and besides a few quick pit stops not getting home until after 9:00 pm.  I packed my meals and did pretty good!

Day 5

Based on day four’s pre-workout meal experience I switched up what I ate and did much better!  The workout of the day was Legs and I loved it!  (Have I mentioned how much I love leg day?)
I was less hungry and my energy is pretty good!
Speed bump number 2:
Family Pizza Night.  Family pizza night is a tradition and one that even as I started to “healthy” up my diet and that of my families we kept in tact.  I make it work and eat according to my containers and usually plan accordingly so I can enjoy a glass of wine.  Well this is not as easy with the timed nutrition thing and did I mention, no alcohol for the 80 days?  I planned to bring a salad and offered to bring one for my sister-in-law.  I kindly decline a glass of wine and she loves her salad I brought her!

BTW- my challengers were still kicking butt!

Day 6

On Saturday and I teach Barre class in the morning.  I usually get up early to get my workout in first, but I am trying to learn to make sure my body is getting the necessary sleep to recover from these workouts so I slept in a little.  Today’s workout was called Cardio Flow and I quickly learned the flow did not stand for some kind of yoga style cardio workout!  This was by far the hardest workout of the week, but I kinda loved it.

I did start to run out of prepped food and was finding it hard to get my timed meals in.  Some strange combinations of food were had!  😉

Day 7

Rest day!!!  Or should I say foam roller day.  OMG- that thing hurst so good.  I didn’t even realize I was sore until I started rolling out my muscles.  I spend the day prepping meals for week 2.  I took some time in the evening to give myself a Hello FAB Ginger & Turmeric Vitamin C Jelly Mask.  It was a nice treat- I highly recommend it!

My favorites of the week:

Recipe:

Chicken Stuffed Peppers from the FIXATE Cooking Show (just one of the things you get access to with a Beachbody On Demand membership!)

Workout:

Booty!!!  I loved the bands.  I loved the moves.  I am excited to shape this rear of mine!  😉

Lesson:

Meal prepping is a must with this timed nutrition.  I need to have more prepared and I probably need to do another mini meal prep mid week to get me through the weekend.

What I am most proud of:

My challengers!!!  Seriously- they totally rocked this week.  They made time for the workouts- some of which are an hour long.  They took to the timed nutrition- no excuses!  They cheered each other on, offered suggestions and support!
To think that I had a small part of creating this amazing group of women makes me proud!

Want to join the fun???

I am starting a new wave of 80 Day Obsession soon!
My goal is to have 5 new challengers join our amazing group.

CLICK HERE for more info!

Stay tuned for next weeks update!

Tomorrow marks the end of our 2 week hibernation!

Steve will be back out of the road.
The boys are back to school.
Our evenings will be hijacked by swim and baseball practices and meets.
Back to work and teaching for me.

This will require a plan if we hope to make it through the week!  😉

My plan involves:

• Yogurt Parfaits made up ahead for quick easy breakfasts all week!
• Egg Roll in a Bowl made up ahead and portioned out for lunch on Mon-Thur
• Honey Lime Chicken marinating so I can just thrown it in my Instant Pot on Monday evening.
• All fruits and veggies cleaned and cut for quick, easy lunches and snacks for the boys.

Are you getting back into the swing of the work/school thing this week, too?

Do you have a plan?
Need help with this type of things?

My first Challenge Group of the year starts on January 15th!  We will all be working together to create healthy habits, finding the time for our workouts, sharing recipes, meal planning and talking self care for our bodies, minds and souls.

There is still time to join!

I hope your transition back to reality is a smooth one!