Today I am linking up with the What I Ate Wednesday Crew to share my eats from yesterday!

My morning started off with a glass of water and a 1/2 cup of French Vanilla Coffee with a splash of milk. I woke up hungry so you can bet I immediately started preparing breakfast.

Resorting to my easy go-to breakfast, I made 2 eggs, sautéed spinach in olive oil, a piece of bacon and a slice of whole grain toast. This meal never disappoints.

Yesterday I had an amazing opportunity to spend the ENTIRE Tuesday morning with Ava, without any clients or classes!! Woohoo. WE dropped Cooper off at the dog groomer at 830am and then ran a bunch of errands.

We ended up shopping in Target for a full hour. I love that store but I want to buy everything. I swear we went for diapers, toilet paper, and eggs and somehow I left with a new shirt, halloween decorations, candles, food, a new toy for Ava. It was worth it though, Ava loves shopping and I love seeing her happy!!

On the way home I was starving, I had brought a banana with me so I snacked on that and a PRO BAR. This was an impulse purchase at Target and I am SO happy I bought them. They were healthy, sweet and filling.

We dropped off all our bags, played outside for a bit and then had to pick Cooper up from his groomer.

Doesn’t he look handsome?

And also 3 years younger?

I’m glad we had limited food choices in the fridge because I was hungry for lunch but had no clue what I wanted. There were 2 options, Kale Salad with pumpkin seeds & Turkey Meatloaf and of course I finished both.

I also snacked on some of this large Red Delicious Apple and I may have dunked some slices into a jar of peanut butter!!! 

Ava napped after lunch and I spent time doing my coaching computer work. Once she woke up I made a quick Chocolate Shakeology with PB2 and ran out again to do some more errands.

Ava seemed a little off to me when she woke up from her nap. Around 4pm she threw up out of no where, and this girl literally ejected everything in her system. I stayed calm even though it was disgusting and the smell alone could’ve made me sick to my stomach. I cleaned up the mess, changed her, & gave her a bath. She seemed to be doing a little better after, so maybe it was for the better.

When I looked at the clock and realized it was dinner time I starting panicking that I didn’t have enough time to get food in my system before Boot Camp.

I snacked on some baby carrots while I started to make dinner.

Luckily I had one of my go to easy dinner meals in the fridge!  Al Fresco Chicken Sausages are amazing and they whip up in a jiffy. I haven’t had one flavor that I didn’t like! I served the sausage with peppers and baked potatoes.

After teaching my Boot Camp class I came home and snacked on a Quest bar & some roasted plantains (not pictured sorry I was hungry!!)

With no food plans in mind yesterday, I was able to make some healthy choices and satisfy my taste buds without having to think too much!

What is something yummy you ate this week?

What’s your go to simple dinner meal?

Yesterday I made a trip to Trader Joe’s with little miss Ava. I don’t know which one of us loves that store more. She has a blast pushing her little grocery cart around the store and I enjoy looking at all the new products that they keep stocking their shelves with.

After stumbling across Trader Joe’s pumpkin display of all things pumpkin my brain started thinking of all the things I need to start baking. I looked at the boxes of pumpkin pancake mix, waffle mix, pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars, pumpkin everything and as I looked at the ingredients I got frustrated when I saw the word SUGAR as either the first, second or third ingredient. I get it… baked goods should have some sort of sweetness, but sugar shouldn’t be the first ingredient right?

Okay, so I got home from the store and immediately started looking up recipes and I really couldn’t find one that I wanted to make, they were all packed with white flour and sugar. I didn’t have flour, I didn’t have vanilla extract, my ingredients needed to be simple and clean.

As I was making these muffins, I’m pretty sure Marc started questioning how they would turn out. I debated whether or not to use almond butter, but I went with my belly I mean gut and chose peanut butter. I tossed up the idea of maple syrup but Marc chose honey, and I used oat flour because Kelly’s kitchen was out of every other type of flour.

So I whipped up a FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN MUFFIN. It has the spice of pumpkin, it’s moist, there’s a hint of peanut butter and a delicious touch of pumpkin and just like that I’m hooked on my creation. (I think Marc is too!!)

His response to his first bite of muffin was, “I think I could eat all of these!”

(WIN!)

Now for the recipe:

FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN MUFFIN

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 5 tsp honey
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Optional: add 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips (which I am definitely trying next time!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line muffin tin with 8 liners.
2. Put 2 cups of oats in a food processor. Mix until oats become flour. Pour flour in a container.
3. Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until mixture is smooth.
4. Pour mixture in each muffin tray until filled 3/4 of the way to the top.
5. Place in oven and cook for 12-14 minutes or until cooked through (I use a toothpick to test)

ENJOY!

(yields 8 small muffins!)

I can’t wait to eat one of these for a morning snack! They might not make it to the weekend!

What’s your favorite healthy pumpkin recipe? 

Do you prefer pumpkin spice baked goods or apple baked goods?

She ate them and thought they were interesting I think because of the shape! I gave her a slice of bacon and she was good to go

These veggie cups were colorful, flavorful and portable! The fact that I could throw them in the baggie and take them in the car was an added plus. I am a breakfast lover and I can literally eat eggs all day long so having some extra pre-made egg cups has been awesome.

The best part about these cups is that you can customize them to fit your taste buds and swap out the veggies for whatever you have on hand!

VEGGIE EGG CUPS

Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs
  
• sea salt & fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
  
• 1 bag (10 oz) baby spinach or kale, chopped
  
• 1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, chopped (or broccoli, squash)
  
• Nonstick cooking spray
  

Preparation:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
2. Mix eggs in a large bowl. Season with salt & pepper. Add spinach & to egg mixture and mix well.
3. Spray a 6 cup muffin tin with cooking spray and evenly pour egg mixture into muffin cups.
4. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until fully cooked through.

OPTIONS: The veggies are totally customizable to taste and what you have on hand. You could easily add onions or switch spinach for broccoli, etc! To add a little more flavor you could sprinkle some shredded cheddar in the mix or on top! 

They also store great in a tupperware container for a few days!

What are your favorite “breakfast veggies?”

Do you like egg cups?

Yesterday was one of those days that nothing seemed to go right, have you ever had one of those??

First up, I woke up to a headache & sore throat. My sore throat actually started Tuesday night before boot camp but it was worse the next day probably from yelling in class. Second, my car wouldn’t start. My car is 7 years old and I have never had a car problem before so I really can’t complain if the battery just died but I think its something else.

Rather then have Marc wake Ava up to drive me to work. I decided to leave for work 20 minutes early and walk to work. (the perks to working close to your house) I was booking and it only took 11 minutes! It was actually a beautiful morning to walk and I used it as an extra warm-up to group power.

After class I walked home (still not feeling great) but the endorphins kicked in a little and Ava had some good moments that made me laugh.

BUT….the rest of the day I felt drained, I had a headache and all I wanted to do was lay down but with a toddler that was quite hard. She wasn’t feeling great which is probably why I got sick in the first place.

Walking Cooper down the street even drained me!

To speed this up a little, Ava wouldn’t nap, my mom came over to help me and I’m so thankful for family close by. We decided to go grab a salad for lunch and I finally got her to sleep in my moms car! I got home ate lunch and showered and then Ava woke up… I didn’t get to rest or lay down. Little by little things started to irritate me more and more, the grill wouldn’t start to make dinner and then I threw in the towel! I won’t ramble anymore and tell you anymore of the details from my day but it ended on a good note. I went to bed early only to wake up feeling a bit more energized!

OKAY….

The topic of this blog post “How to save $25!”

This isn’t a contest or a giveaway I was just simply talking to Marc this morning as I made eggs, bacon, sauteed spinach, coffee, & toast and thought why do people waste money to go to Starbucks, Mcdonalds or a nearby Deli to grab their coffee & breakfast when breakfast is one of the EASIEST and CHEAPEST meals to make at home?!?!?!!?!?????

I know people that drive out of their way in the morning to get their favorite coffee that costs $5 of their favorite breakfast sandwich that costs $3 when the driving and waiting in line only takes away more time then to throw 2 eggs in a pan and throw it over some veggies with toast. Not to mention when you by a $6 bag of Dunkin Donuts coffee it can last you more then a whole week for 2 people. You can do the math and realize eating breakfast out is a waste of $$$$$$$$$$.

To Save MONEY & TIME:

• Cook extra veggies at the beginning of the week
• Make a big healthy Veggie Frittata at the beginning of the week and slice it up place it in baggies so you can eat it in the car or throw it on a couple pieces of whole grain toast for a sandwich
• Cook your favorite sides like potatoes or bacon (baked on a rack and not fried)
• If you are really short on time Grab a greek yogurt throw some berries & nuts or nut butter on top

I don’t cook extravagant breakfast but it is my favorite meal and I enjoy eating it at home because I know I am eating clean & healthy ingredients! Plus it’s tasty.

Sometimes I use leftover potatoes & veggies and throw a couple eggs on the side and I’m set!

Even a yogurt with berries and nut butter is a decent breakfast choice!

The point of this post is that if you cut out 1 of your takeout meals per day you can save yourself $25 PLUS dollars per week, and you can put that towards something rewarding for yourself like a new workout shirt, a pedicure, or even a back massage!

AVA loves eating breakfast and I’m happy that she enjoy eating at home!

 Do you eat most of your meals out or do you take the time to prepare and pack your foods to bring with you?

Do you have any tips to avoid eating out?

I totally forgot to post yesterday and it wasn’t on purpose, I was just so busy! It wasn’t until after Boot Camp at around 8pm that I realized it too.

Anyways, It’s Friday and I couldn’t be happier that the weekend is here. I am supposed to have a BUSY weekend ahead but that could play out differently because Ava has a nasty cold and is still sick. I took her to the Doctor already this morning and I’m thankful there’s no infection, she just has to drink some warm water with honey for her sore throat and lots of fluids to get her cough better.

If the rain holds off, tomorrow morning I will be teaching outdoor Boot Camp and then heading to a Baby shower in the afternoon. (as long as Ava is showing some progress)

Then on Sunday we have my best friends Bridal Shower which will be a lot of fun. She will be getting married on August 1st and it’s going to be such a fun wedding.

NOW onto my 3-ingredient Banana Pancakes!! I’ve seen many recipes before with flourless pancakes and I have always wanted to try them. With Ava having an upset stomach and throwing up several times this week, the Doctor ordered bland foods. This morning she was showing a little spunk and energy so I decided it would be great to whip up these simple & healthy pancakes.

She loved them and it was the first thing she had eaten in 24 hours besides saltines. Marc and I also agreed that they were quite tasty!

3-INGREDIENT BANANA PANCAKES

Ingredients:

1 medium banana

2 eggs

cinnamon to taste

Directions:

Mash up the banana, mix in the eggs & cinnamon until batter is formed.

Heat a little oil or spray in a pancake pan on medium heat. Form 3 or 4 small pancakes, cook about 2 minutes on each side. Serve with fruit or syrup.

These come out rather thin and more crepe like, but they are super sweet and can even be used as an after dinner dessert!

We will be making these more often for sure, and maybe next time I’m going to try adding some chocolate chips on top!

What fun plans do you have this weekend?

Have you ever tried Banana Pancakes before?

About a month ago my mom hosted a brunch and she made a breakfast Frittata that wowed me. It even passed on the nutritious part. My mom used tons of veggies and when I asked her if there was milk, butter or cheese, she said no and I was shocked. There was so much flavor and it came from healthy ingredients.

My mom quickly told me the ingredients without having to look at her recipe. It was easy to remember and I couldn’t wait to make it!  I love using recipes that involve minimal ingredients and I was excited to share it with you guys.

SO last week I whipped up her frittata, but I made a few small changes due to limited ingredients in my fridge (I secretly had to make this recipe my own!)

My Mom’s 4-ingredient Veggie Frittata

INGREDIENTS:

9 Eggs + 1/4 cup egg whites (or 10 eggs)

1/2 bag of fresh Spinach (chopped)

7-8 button mushrooms (chopped)

1 small red bell pepper (diced)

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium size mixing bowl, mix eggs thoroughly. Chop all the veggies. Spray a 13X9 baking dish and add in the chopped veggies.

Pour the egg mixture over the veggies and use a spoon to make sure all the veggies are evenly covered. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until eggs are cooked through.

Cut into giant squares, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and Enjoy!

The funny thing about this recipe is that it satisfied people of all ages (Ava loved it, Marc loved it, and my dad was a fan), it can feed 4 people for breakfast, and it only costs about $5 to make! WiN!!

Are you a minimalist chef?

What meal is your favorite?

I am linking up with Jenn for another WIAW post to share my food journal with you from yesterday!

My morning started off at 6am, I chugged lots of water for some reason I was very thirsty. Then I had about 1/2 cup of coffee. I followed that with 2 eggs, spinach, toast & bacon! Yum. We have been on a bacon kick all week. Ava is loving itttt.

My mid morning snack came after my 3 clients. I had oatmeal with peanut butter 

and a banana on the side!

Thank goodness for leftovers. I had a big salad with Blackened salmon, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, red peppers, asparagus and balsamic dressing.

This salad was LARGE, but this picture doesn’t capture the size. I was stuffed after.

I had originally planned to have a smoothie as a snack, but with a time constraint and my tastebuds craving something different I ended up having a string cheese and a granny Smith apple. It did the trick.

Before Boot Camp class I opted for a simple meal. We had leftover Turkey, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, mushrooms & green beans.

After boot camp class I new my body needed some protein recovery so I had a Shakeology Protein shake and some strawberries on the side!

I’m so tired today guys and I’m off to teach Group Power. I’m very thankful for coffee this morning. I’ve been non-stop all week and I’m already looking forward to the weekend even though that’s looking pretty busy too. Ahh.

Do you eat all your leftovers? We don’t waste any food in our house!

What is your favorite salad dressing? mine is balsamic & olive oil

I am the breakfast queen and I would never skip my favorite meal. I was in the cooking mood so I whipped up some Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes. I had 3 cans of pumpkin in my panty so I figured I should probably try to use some up.

These pancakes came out great! Plus they are healthy, tasty, and filling. We all loved them, even little miss Ava.

PALEO PUMPKIN PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS:

2/3 almond flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional: I didn’t use it!)

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Heat coconut oil in a pancake pan and spread evenly.. or use baking spray. Scoop out mixture onto the pan. This recipe makes about 5 pancakes.

I added a few mini chocolate chips to a couple of the pancakes and they were delicious! Also, If you don’t have pumpkin on hand or you don’t like pumpkin, you could easily use mashed bananas as a substitute!

Enjoy

Have you ever had almond flour before? If Yes, what is your favorite recipe

Pancakes or Waffles??

Here is a Photo Recap of the weekend:

Friday we got several inches of snow and both Cooper & Ava had some fun outside in the afternoon.

I made a super delicious & healthy breakfast Saturday with Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes (recipe to come this week)

Who doesn’t love bacon???

I did a workout at home Saturday. I had no desire to head to the gym, sometimes I like working out at home by myself with no one around!!

 I did the Insanity Asylum Day 1 body weight workout. It is super challenging and only 25 minutes. After I finished I had a burst of energy so I tackled some more pull ups. I complete 5 sets.. this time the repetitions were a bit different. Set #1: 2 reps Set #2: 7 reps Set #3: 5 reps Set #4: 4 reps Set #5: 3 Reps

My arms were very tired and my shoulders were so tight so I decided to treat myself to a 10 minute chair massage at a local salon. I highly recommend it. I walked out feeling like a million bucks and I didn’t have to spend a lot!

In the afternoon my family came over to watch the Patriots game with us. We made a big chili and had some delicious food.

Ava wore a Patriots dress for the game and I wore my jersey. This was the first time we wore matching outfits.

The Patriots won.. so we will be sure to dress up again next weekend

Sunday morning I attended my co-worker Michelle’s Group Power class. We are launching the new workout this week and she was the first to teach it!

Now it’s my turn to teach the new Group Power workout this morning. I don’t know why I’m nervous but I guess it is good nervous feeling!! I’m sure I will be wiped after this class, there are a lot of pushups and my arms are slightly sore going into it.

What is something fun you did this weekend? 

Do you watch playoff football?? If so who are you rooting for?

I think it’s time to share this recipe with you. I really hate myself for saying it, but pumpkin season is coming to an end!!  It’s time to use up those last couple cans of pumpkin you have in your pantry. I have a few cans left myself and I will definitely be making these delicious pancakes again.

Don’t be intimidated by making homemade Pumpkin Pancakes, they are super simple and come together quickly. They also make for a perfect weekend family breakfast.. and we loved them so much I made it twice in one week.

They also pair nicely with scrambled eggs!

Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients: 

What is your favorite breakfast meal?