HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

One minute I’m recovering from a quad strain, and the next, it’s 2013. Holy friggin cow. Where’d the time go?!?!

So for the past few months, I’ve been dealing with a few family tragedies, transitioning jobs, and transitioning schools. It’s been quite chaotic, hence the blogging hiatus. But now I’m back, and read to kick some bootie! Let’s get down to business!

2013 New Year’s Resolutions Goals!

• Race each distance: 5k, 10k, 13.1, and 26.2. While I completed the Nike Women’s Marathon in October, it wasn’t my finest moment. (Physically or mentally!) Let’s just say that I’m glad I did it, and I honestly thought about dying. [Dear Random Team In Training Coach: THANK YOU for telling me how little I had to go until the finish!! I honestly had no idea where I was, and you seriously gave me a boost!!!] I told myself that the NWM was the only 26.2 that I’d ever do. But then I decided that I was not going to accept a crappy race. I will do one more. And I had better have a kick ass experience! 😉 And believe it or not, I’ve never competed in a 10k. I’ve done all the other distances, and definitely run bunches of 10k distances, but never for a race. So that’s on my goal list. 😉
• Participate in the #Digital40Days. I read about a yoga challenge through the Lululemon Blog, and I figure it’s a great way to do something different, and create some much-needed calm in my life! Bring on the BLISS!!! It’s free to join the challenge, but for those who want more, there’s more incentive to pay for the extensive program. Come try it with me!
• Eat Clean, 80% of the time. Let’s face it. I’m not giving up my red wine or my dark chocolate. It’s just not going to happen. But, I can control my eating so that I can still succeed in fat loss and strength gain. By knowing that I’m going to indulge from time to time, I can stick to eating clean easier. [Notice how I said “easier”, not “easy”. There are some times where it’s going to be rough. Accept it and move on.] I picked up a copy of Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo. I’m not going Paleo, but I really like getting new ideas for gluten-free foods and ways to prep veggies. Breakfast this morning? The Blueberry Lemon Muffins. Verdict? AMAZING! My son is gluten sensitive, and both of us get bored with the same foods over and over, so getting new gluten-free ideas helps keep eating fun 🙂

For now, those are my goals. I’m sure I’ll come up with smaller, more specified goals throughout the year. That’s what’s great about goals: create ’em, crush ’em, create more!

Oh, wait! I almost forgot the most important goal for 2013! Take my family to Disneyland!!! Spending time with the people most important to me at the happiest place in the world. . . Can’t go wrong!!! 🙂

I hope you are having a fabulous start to the new year! Cheers to health and happiness!!

What are your goals for 2013?

Healthy Brownies!!!

No joke. I don’t joke around about the sweet nectar of life brownies.

Alas, my waistline triples in size when I start chowing down on brownies. . . Which is my fault. They’re like frickin’ Pringles! You CAN’T have just one!!!

So imagine my utter delight when I found a recipe for a healthy treat, that when added enough chocolate, tastes like brownies!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! that’s me squealing with joy

So without further ado:

photo from NiaShanks.com

 

Nia’s Brownie Balls!!

• 1 cup raw nuts (Nia said she uses 1/2 cup almonds, 1/4 cup pecans, and 1/4 cup of walnuts, but that it’s really easy to experiment with other nuts and combos)
• 3/4 cup raisins or dried dates
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (seriously, go for more like 1/3 cup. Plus an extra few.)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon (approx) water

Put the raw nuts and raisins/dates in a food processor. Blend on high until everything is chopped/mixed together well.

Add in the cocoa powder and vanilla extract and blend/pulse until the nuts are finely chopped and all of the ingredients have combined.

Add in a teaspoon of water. This allows the mixture to bind together. Add very little water and only add more as needed. You just want the balls to hold their shape, but not be wet.

Once you’ve attained the proper consistency, divide the mixture and form them into little brownie balls.

Nia said she puts them in the fridge for a couple hours, but that’s like actually making brownies from the brownie batter: a foreign concept. 😉

for more recipes and ways to be a bada$$ chick, hang out with Nia at NiaShanks.com

Look out! Changing topic! 😉

I have a little secret: I’ve kept my son home from school today, simply because I wanted to. We went on a field trip yesterday to the Natural Bridges Tide Pools, so my son and I were both exhausted by the time we got home in the middle of the afternoon. (I’ll do a post later about the tide pool adventure)

23 wild, crazy 7-year olds. (the one on the far right is my little man)

So this morning when the alarm went off, I made the executive decision that Kael and I were going to have a “family day.” We were both tired from yesterday, and sometimes, you just need a mental health day! I even told the attendance office that we were having a family day. Oh, I guess that means it’s not a secret then. Hm. Oh well. hehe

I love love love my little man!

So after we run our errands, I’ll be running while my son rides his bike. (read: probably not a very successful run)

Anybody else take “family days” from school? my grandma used to check my mom and my uncle out from school early because she was bored and wanted some company at home. My mom never did that with me. I guess it skipped a generation. 😉

Try the brownie balls recipe and let me know what you think!! eating clean doesn’t have to be boring and gross!

The Best Summer Salad

This is the best non-salad salad, and it’s perfect for summer! I say “non-salad” because there’s no lettuce. Seriously. None. But you can add lettuce if you want to, I’m not judging! 😉

This is the perfect salad for summer– refreshing, cold, and goes great with barbecue! Personally, I eat it all on it’s own, but I don’t turn down bbq, either. 😉

Ingredients (for either 1 personal salad, or 2 side salads):

1 Avocado

1 large or 2 medium tomatoes (but I’ve done a kick a$$ version of this with a handful of cherry tomatoes cut in halves!)

1/2 medium cucumber

Canola oil to taste (it has more Omega-3s than Olive Oil per serving!)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional: Pinch of freshly chopped Basil leaves. I do this when I’m feeling feisty. 🙂

Cut up avocado, tomatoes, and cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Place in bowl, drizzle with canola oil and salt/pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly. Careful, if you mix it too much, you’re going to have something that looks like baby barf. It’s the avocado. Be gentle! 😉

Enjoy!!!

What’s your workout today?! 🙂 How are you kicking off a healthy weekend?!

I started my morning by doing Megan‘s kickboxing class, and then moved to the pool, where I taught Aqua Aerobics and Toning. 🙂 It’s been fun subbing the aqua classes! (I will say, though, that I’m looking forward to not having the smell of chlorine in my nose all day.)

Wishing you a happy and healthy weekend!!!  ❤