Stuffed Peppers

I'll be honest.  I hated stuffed peppers growing up.  However since I started working out and focusing on eating healthier I wanted to give them another shot.  And boy and I happy I did.  This recipe is the bomb!  I didn't create it myself but instead I found it on Valorie Woeste's website https://healthylifewithvaleriewoeste.com/2014/05/22/stuffed-peppers-21-day-fix-approved/

 21 Day Fix Recipe Stuffed Peppers

What you'll need:

4 Sweet Bell Peppers

1 Yellow container of cooked quinua

1/2 Yellow container of black beans, (canned) rinsed and drained

1/2 Yellow container of frozen corn

2 Red containers of browned low fat ground turkey with taco seasoning

1 Green container of diced tomatoes 

1 Green container of tomato sauce

1 Blue container of your favorite cheese

What You'll Do:

1. Cook quinoa according to directions in your eating plan.

2. While quinoa is simmering, brown ground meet with taco seasoning.

3. Drain and Rinse black beans

4. Portion out diced tomatoes, corn, and tomato sauce, and cheese.

5.Combine meat, tomatoes, corn, quinoa, beans, and sauce in a large bowl.

6. Cut caps off of peppers and pull out ribs and core. Rinse excess seeds out.

7. Stuff peppers with filling

8. Sprinkle with cheese

9. Bake at 375 Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes, depending on the strength of your oven. Cheese should be melted and filling should be heated all the way through.

DIVE In! This recipe serves 4 with the following counts per stuffed pepper: 1 Red, 1/2 Yellow, 1 Green, 1/4 Blue.

French Toast Bake

Christmas Special -French Toast Bake

This super simple breakfast is perfect for Christmas morning after everyone opens their presents or really anytime when family is over. Prep it the night before and then pop it in the oven in the morning enjoy some coffee and then dig in!

Here's what you need:

For 4 larger servings

8-9 slices of Whole Wheat Bread (or your favorite healthy bread)

5 eggs

1 cup milk (dairy, almond, coconut, whatever!)

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Almond Extact

Apples

Honey

Here's how you make the magic happen!

3 Ingredient Waffles

Let's be frank, waffles are delicious!  However, being so heavy on carbs and if you're on a diet you may have had to abandon waffles.  Well, NO MORE!  Give these delicious waffles a try and let me know what you think!

Here are the ingredients you need: (Makes 2 waffles)
1 Scoop Protein Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg

Want the directions on how to make it?  Follow the directions in the video below.

Carrot Cake

Who doesn't love dessert?  This carrot cake maybe considered healthy but it's tastes ridiculously unhealthy!  I didn't create this recipe but found it here: http://celebratingsweets.com/healthier-carrot-cake-naturally-sweetened-whole-grain/

Here's what you need to make this amazing recipe:
1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cups diced carrots
2 eggs
2/3 cups honey
1/2 cup crushed pinapple
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup walnuts
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
Cream Cheese
Vanilla extract
Ground Cinnamon
Salt

For directions to make this incredibly recipe watch the video here:

Homemade Greek Yogurt

There are a few things as delicious and healthy as greek yogurt.  Plus who doesn't love making it at home.  This crazy simple recipe will have you experimenting and trying new flavor combinations your entire family will enjoy!

Here's what you need for this ridiculous simple recipe:
Milk (Whole milk is best but 2% or 1% works too)

Want to know exactly how to make it?  Watch here:

Spooky Bites

Don't want your kids eating all the junk food during trick or treating or right after?  Then give these simple and super easy Spooky Bites a try.  They're perfect for pre or post Halloween Adventures or any time of the year!

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 Cup Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1 TBSP Ground Flax Seed
1 TBSP Honey
Chocolate chips or something similar

Find out how to make these delicious treats by following these directions.

Reflecting on a Great Year

Welcome to the final weeks of 2016!  With the rush and excitement of the holidays it’s easy to get wrapped up in all the excitement.  Spending time with family, friends, and even your pets can make it a thankful time of the year.  With all the hustle and bustle be sure to schedule time to reflect.  It could be 5 minutes or 30 minutes, however long you think you will need to fully reflect on everything that happened this year  Grab some paper and pencil and get ready to reflect.  Here are some tips to help you get the most from your reflection.

Successes - Write down some of your successes?  Not just the big ones, but the small ones.  Maybe you received a promotion, perhaps you’re on a pro-staff, or maybe you got married.  Or you finally achieved a new personal best catch, or took a small trip, or perhaps you were able to spend a handful of nights alone with your significant other.  Whatever it is, write it down.  Then add what made those events possible below them.  Things like, trying new waters, staying consistent, dedicated, etc.  

Failures - Why would you want to reflect on a negative thing like failures?  Well, because you can and should learn from them.  Grabbing your paper and pencil write down some of your failures.  Again, big and small ones.  After you write those down, add what you think caused those issues below them.  ALSO, and don’t forget this step, write down what you learned from these failures.  What did you take away?  Sometimes we struggle and figuring out what we can take away.  It could be that you learned not to do something, to try a different approach, learn a new trick of the trade, etc.  

You have one more section to write down after your successes and failures, and that’s what you’re thankful for.  Whether it’s family, friends, pro-staff, job, pets, experiences, etc.  write them down.  Again it doesn’t matter if it’s big or small add them to your list.

Now that you have written the big and small things that happened to you and things you are thankful for this past year take second and breath.  Close your eyes and let your mind and body relax.  Then open your eyes and read through your list.  Think of and smile at your successes, read what you learned from your failures and conjour up ideas of how you can use the things you learned in the future.  Finally, read through everything you are thankful for.  This list are people, things, experiences, that help make you who you are today.  They helped you through those rough times and will help you in the future.  Be thankful for being alive and having such experiences.  

Congratulations on having a fabulous year.  I hope 2017 is filled with many great experiences for you and that you will grow even more and achieve or get closer to your goals and dreams.  Here’s to you and a great 2016!

Gratefulness and Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I truly hope that you are taking today to be thankful for everything that you have.  Whether it’s your health, family, friends, freedom, and/or many other things, be thankful.  We are incredibly lucky and blessed to have the opportunities we do.  Yes, they come from working hard, staying focused, and being prepared to take on challenges, so we can enjoy the opportunities when they arise.  There’s no doubt that if you want something, you will have to go get it and work for it.  But be thankful that you are able to go for it, be thankful for the opportunities that come your way.

For me, I am extremely grateful for all of you.  My readers, my friends.  Without you and your support I wouldn’t be where I am today.  Thank you for everything.  I am extremely blessed by having an amazing wife.  Her and her family have encouraged me and supported me when going after my dreams.  I would like to thank my co-workers, students, and families who make so much of my day amazing and fun.  

I would also like to thank Beachbody and everyone involved for helping me become the best person I am today.  Not only physically but mentally.  The organization has truly changed the way I think and act on a daily basis and my life has changed for the better.

Lastly, but most definitely not least, I want to thank God.  He has blessed me with the amazing people and opportunities in my life so I can go after my goals and dreams.  And I can only hope that I can help other people go after their dreams.

So today, of all days, be thankful.  Find not just one, not even two, but multiple things to be grateful for.