Turkey Meatloaf

We eat a lot of Chicken around here but I like to switch it up so we don't get bored.  This week for my meal prep, I made some Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.  These are super easy and so flavorful.

Ingredients

2 lb Ground turkey 

chopped onion

2-3 stalks of celery chopped

3 egg whites

garlic powder

southwest chipotle seasoning (Mrs Dash)

Pepper

1 cup old-fashioned oats

I usually eyeball my seasoning and just add ingredients based on my mood. 

Bake for 40 minutes on 375 degrees. 

You can add some Worcestershire sauce mixed with hot sauce and little ketchup to top it off with. 

You can pair these with mashed cauliflower, sweet potatoes, brown rice, asparagus, broccoli, or just about anything.   

No Bake Chocolate Protein Cookies

These cookies are super easy and super addicting.  Cookies are like my kryptonite and to have a guilt-free cookie that I can have on the challenge makes me this girl happy.  

Ingredients:

1 cup Natural Peanut Butter

1/2 cup Coconut oil

3/4 cup honey (I used 1/2 cup because I felt 3/4 cup was too much)

2 tsp vanilla flavoring

2 1/4 cup rolled oats (oatmeal)

2 scoops of chocolate protein powder (Advocare friends you can use Muscle Gain)

2 Tbs Unsweetened Cocoa 

In a small sauce pan, on med-low heat, mix peanut butter, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla flavoring until the peanut butter is melted.  Don't bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add protein powder, oatmeal, and cocoa powder.  Drop onto parchment paper and then let cool.  Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge.  

All In in 2017

Soooooo who over indulged during the holidays???  Me, Me, Me....Anybody else?  Well it's time to get back on track.  Adam and I along with lots of people around the country are jumping ALL IN and doing a 24-day challenge together. 

I've got everything prepped for the first 10 days of the challenge.  They say if you fail to plan then you plan to fail.  It can be easy to make excuses but making sure you are mentally and physically prepared for the challenge then you can't fail.  The best thing about technology now a days is the support system and accountability.  There are so many groups for support while doing a challenge!!  I love it!

I like to start my week by prepping all my meals for the week.  Most of the time I do my prepping on Monday or Tuesday because I work Sundays.  It doesn't matter what day you do it on, just as long as you do it!!  The best thing is, that the meals don't have to be fancy, just healthy and on the plan!

If you need recipes I will be posting some of my favorite Advocare Cleanse and Challenge approve meals and snacks,  

This girl is loving the Sunny and 75 degrees in January...Texas girl at heart <3

Tis the season for Soup

My favorite time of year...soup time!!  Bring on every kind of soup and my crockpot

I threw some ingredients in the crockpot for Lasagna soup while we went hunting for a Christmas tree.  I will have to say this is my new favorite soup.  Here is my ingredients I used:

Lasagna Soup

1 lb lean ground beef (browned)

1 lb Italian sausage (browned)

28 oz can Crushed tomatoes

13 oz can tomato sauce

13 oz Diced tomatoes

chopped onions

minced garlic

diced green peppers

lasagna noodles (I found some thin lasagna noodles that works perfect for this soup)

Italian seasoning

garlic powder

Salt and Pepper

Fennel seeds

1-2 cups beef broth

fresh basil

Combine all ingredients cook on high for a few hours and serve with some ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese on top. Serve with some grilled cheese or a salad and you have a perfect Italian dinner.

**I just made this soup up based on my lasagna recipe so I don't pay attention to how much of what I put in.  I just go by taste.  I love garlic so there is a ton of garlic in this recipe.

Turkey Trot, Family Time, and Traveling

I was feeling a little depressed this fall because I haven't been able to enjoy the beautiful falls leaves (because Texas doesn't get a gorgeous fall like NC or TN).  Going to Memphis made me ecstatic because I was gonna get to experience my favorite season.   Traveling to Memphis wasn't bad because we drove through the night, but coming back was a different story.

Had the windows down and Molly and I were enjoying the gorgeous fall trees.

Here is a collage from out Turkey Trot we did on Thanksgiving day!

So my dad signed everybody up to do this 4 mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.  Adam and I definitely did NOT train to do this at all.  I try and exercise when I can but with 2 jobs I have had a hard time fitting it in.  But we finished it.  Adam and I ran/jogged with my dad because everyone else left him but we stayed behind to motivate him.  I definitely couldn't have done it without my Spark and Catalyst and O2 Gold.  I even got my dad to drink a Spark..YAY!

So on Friday we did our usual dinner at Rendezvous and Christmas pictures at The Peabody.  Afterwards we went bowling and walked around the Bass Pro Shot.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving is "Small Business Saturday" so we shopped at a few boutiques.  I am the type of person that likes to be unique and have one of a kind things.  I love supporting local businesses over corporate businesses.

OMG I felt sick after eating so much junk over Thanksgiving.  I always eat more, but this time I paced myself and didn't eat because I was bored or because there was food.  I'm glad to be home and be back on track!

Mom sent me home with a little care package!  Some real southern grits, Bojangles seasoning, Bath and Body works candle, and a coffee ornament!!

We left Memphis at about 3am and arrived in Austin at 2:45pm.  It took us 12 hours to get home.  Traffic in Temple, Waco, and Austin was pretty terrible but we made a safe.  I had throw in some Snap filters from Texarkana because they made us laugh. 

Hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving.  I was so thankful neither of us had to work! First time in 4 years that we were both off together.

 

Good News

It's been a busy year filled with unexpected curveballs and we were devastated but I am so glad we never gave up.  But things are finally starting to settle down for us.  Adam found out that he got the job working for the Leander Police Department!!!  He starts the Monday after Thanksgiving.  SUPER sigh of relief. 


I am starting to get run down between both jobs and not much sleep, my body is fighting a cold (but I will NOT let it win).

We had some celebratory pumpkin spice lattes and brunch at Cenote in Austin.  I love this place.  It is an old house restored into a little café. Places like this make me love Austin even more.


So I got my shifts covered at the restaurant and we are headed to Memphis for Thanksgiving to see family.  It will be nice to be around some family for the Thanksgiving holiday because we won't make it home for Christmas this year.

I hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving and enjoys family time and food!!

Crunch Time

This is literally my favorite time of year.  October and November are my favorite months of the whole year.  I also get in the baking mood and want to bake all kinds of sweets. Then I want to taste them.  I have been doing good lately but when things like Sunday Brunch with friends or that darn White Chocolate Snickerdoodle cookie is warm out of the oven.  I am trying to keep a balance of healthy food and exercise.   Exercise is hard with my busy schedule but luckily my jobs keep me moving on my feet. 

A little over 2 weeks until Thanksgiving, which is my absolute favorite holiday besides Halloween. My goal over the next 2 weeks is to do another Advocare Herbal Cleanse and get into a workout routine.  After a little run/jog I'm gonna enjoy my turkey, dressing, and apple pie guilt-free.

Let me tell you how obsessed I am with the Advocare Caramel Macchiato MRS.  Move over Starbucks these things are packed with protein and nutrients and it is soooo much better and filling then a frappe. These bad boys are already sold out but I am glad I have 4 boxes stocked up.

Life is Short!!  Amen to that...I believe this whole heartedly. 

A girl can never have too many shoes....FOR REAL

  I don't want to live my life with regret so I will take the trip, buy the shoes and eat that cake. 

Some of the best memories I have had with Adam or friends have been on a trip or had over cake and ice cream. But life is about balance so eat the apple too.  

That is why I choose to take getaways away from the busyness of life to enjoy the simple things in life.....EACH OTHER.