Please try this smoothie and let me know what you think!

Nutritional Tidbits:

I have perfected my recovery smoothie and want to share!

In my blender I put:

4oz of Apple Juice (100% pure juice – look on the label for the kinds that say their ingredients are APPLES and practically nothing else!).

This is at the Commissary in a plastic jug on the bottom shelf in the juice isle.

1 cup of frozen fruit.

1 packet of Stevia b/c it is pure dextrose.

2 tbsp of protein powder or (most recently) Yoplait Protein Yogurt (one or the other not both) OR plain GREEK yogurt

2 heaping Tbsp of Plain Organic Greek yogurt (this is if you are not using the protein yogurt).

1 Banana (optional) – for starches and simple sugars

a pinch of salt – for electrolyte

Why do I choose these particular ingredients?

Based off of the information from the Paleo for Athlete’s book they suggest some goals for the first 30 minutes post exercise:

• Replace expended carbohydrate stores: glucose (aka dextrose) = quick recovery, fructose = steady and slow release. Best taken as liquid for quick digestion. This why I use 1 packet of Stevia
• Rehydrate: You can loose half a gallon of sweat per hour. This needs to be continuous – so drink fluids for the rest of the day not just this window. 16oz of fluids for every pound lost during exercise. Apple Juice is a good choice b/c it bolsters carbohydrate stores and is rich in most electrolytes.
• Provide Amino Acids for re-synthesis of protein that may have been damaged during exercise. Best source of protein is egg or whey. Heat increases the need for both carbohydrates and protein.
• Begin replacing electrolytes – add a pinch of salt.
• Reduce acidity of body fluids w/ fruits and vegetables – frozen fruit.

The Whey Protein has 17g of protein - but it is an expensive option

If you are nervous/unsure of protein powders try the protein yogurt instead!

In the end the optimum recovery tools are sleep and diet!

Don’t forget – if you enjoyed reading my post please fill out the “Sign up for Updates” box to the right and at the bottom of the page!

Other ways to find me – I also have a FB page and Twitter @ThereSheGoes11

I shared my first recipe with you last month and was happy to see some questions and comments posted. Thank you for all of you who read the post and/or tried the recipe. Please feel free to ask me anything about the recipes I post either here or on my own blog.

I thought it would be fun to share a dessert recipe with you today. The tagline on my blog is “Healthy Eating with a Sweet Tooth on Top” because although I love to eat well, I also have a major sweet tooth .

I truly believe that having dessert once in a while has its place in a healthy lifestyle because life is all about balance. Sometimes I’ll go all out and eat a bowl of ice cream or a big gooey cookie, but when I can I try to tweak recipes to make them a little healthier—yet still very tasty.

Today I have a healthy twist for you on some brownie truffles. A secret ingredient in the brownies makes them low-fat, high-fiber and super fudgy.

Are you ready for it? The secret ingredient is (drum roll please) prunes! I know what you’re probably thinking….gross (right?)! But I swear you will not be able to taste them. I made these for a party I went to and didn’t tell anyone what was in them. Nobody guessed it and the brownies were a huge hit! I think you’ll be surprised how tasty they are and you don’t even have to feel guilty about having more than one.

Low-Fat, High-Fiber Brownie Truffles*

Ingredients
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 T flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup, packed prunes (about 13 prunes)
2 T almond milk
2 eggs
2 T maple syrup
4 T honey
1 tsp vanilla
3 T butter, melted and cooled slightly
3/4 cup (6 oz.) mini chocolate chips
unsweetened coconut or cocoa powder for rolling truffles in

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8 pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the salt, baking soda and powder, flour, and cocoa powder. Mix together until combined.

Place the prunes and almond milk in the bowl of a mini food processor and process until smooth (or as smooth as you can get it).

In another bowl, beat the eggs and add the maple syrup, honey, vanilla, and butter. Mix until well combined. Add the puree prune mixture and stir.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined (do not over mix). Stir in the mini chocolate chips, transfer to the greased baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

When the brownies have cooled, scoop them out with a spoon, roll into a ball, and roll in the unsweetened coconut or cocoa powder.

Enjoy!

*The first time I made these they were not as sticky and I was able to cut them like brownies. However, the second time they were very sticky and it was difficult to cut them so I decided to scoop them and make little truffles out of them. I rolled them in unsweetened coconut so they wouldn’t be sticky to the touch, but you could use unsweetened cocoa powder if you don’t like coconut.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please don’t forget to head over to my blog and say hi. It makes my day when people leave me comments!

You can also “like” my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter!

~ Kristen

“The journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step. So we must never neglect any work of peace within our reach, however small.” -Adlai Stevenson

I am guest posting and hanging out over at Mind Your Bees and Trees today!

click photo for link to website

My friend Kristin’s website is jam-packed full of mindful and healthful goodness!

Her blog is just so cool! She has HOW-TO VIDEOS on cooking, participates in “The Food Matters” project and is just a great resource for yummy delicious recipes – she’ll have you at the first picture on every post!

Haven’t visited Mind Your Bees and Trees?

Well here are some of her top posts from 2011:

1. 64 Ideas For Using Pumpkin This Fall
2. Sweet Potato, Apple, and Butternut Squash Casserole
3. The Easiest and Most Indulgent All-Natural Dessert Ever
4. Mixed Berry Coffee Cake Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel Topping
5. My All-Time Favorite Salad: Japanese Chicken Salad
6. Incredibly Delicious Savory Spinach and Cheese Muffins
7. Vegetable Extravaganza Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
8. Bailey’s Cheesecake with Bailey’s Chocolate Whipped Cream
9. “You Can’t Eat Just One” Pumpkin Blondies
10. Homemade Creamy, Sweet, and Slightly Tart Lemon Ice Cream with Raspberry Coulis
11. I Could Eat This Dinner Every Day of the Week
12. Tuesdays with Tommy: The Art of the Dinner Party, Part 5–Dessert

I’ll be doing a regular (once a month) segment called Workout Wednesday - please join me there!

Kristin will be guest posting a once a month segment of Flavorful Friday here at There She Goes!

Here is the link to her first Flavorful Friday post.

I hope you enjoy our collaboration of mindful

eating and healthy living blog posts from here on out!

click photo for my blog post link

Here’s more info and less of my ramblings!

If your just joining me in my 3rd trimester of updates please read Prego Ego Diaries #1, #2, #3 – to catch up!

Obviously – I already wrote a post about my 3rd trimester exercise – HOWEVER – I feel that I left out some really important information! (Basically I rambled on about myself and forgot to actually tell you valuable things!)

I’m still occasionally reading “Exercising Through Your Pregnancy” by Dr. Clapp and here is a good takeaway from Chapter 10:

“Physiological Function in Midpregnancy – …The placenta regulates the balance between the needs of the mother for exercise and the needs of the baby for growth (Clapp199b), yet regular exercise over this time period also improves the growth and functional capacity of the placenta (see chapter 2 and 3). So, the stress of exercise stimulates the development of the organ that ultimately protects and balances the needs of the mother and baby.”

“Physiological Function in Late Pregnancy – …in late pregnancy, the woman’s focus shifts from training to preparing for birth. Most women by this point in the pregnancy, however, know that exercise makes them feel better and that they stand a better chance of an early, uncomplicated birth if they continue exercising.”

Clapp, J. F. (2002). Exercising through your pregnancy. Omaha, NE: Addicus Books, Inc.

Either of those is enough for me to say, “Exercising is totally worth it – all the way to the end of this pregnancy!”

WEB RESOURCES:

FitDay – This website has been super helpful and informative! It is part of Spark People (web resource for counting calories and nutritional info). You can sign up for the email updates so you get their new articles right to your inbox. You can create an account and track the progress of your pregnancy week-by-week. You can also track your fitness and nutrition – sort of like a logbook – which I love!

Anna Breton – Winner of the Oakland Marathon (2011) Why am I posting this here? Well, Anna not only ran and WON this marathon but she did it at 6 WEEKS POST PARTUM! Click the link above (her name) and watch the video! Totally motivating! In a different video I watched of her she states that she only had 3 weeks to do higher mileage for this marathon! Crazy! Here is an interview with her immediately after the race (click this).

BabyCenter Chat – Here is a stream of conversations about running in late pregnancy! You’re not alone – women of all experience level and lifestyles are running through pregnancy!

Last week I wasn’t able to get to the gym much due to a really packed week of work for me. SO – the one day that I did get to go I decided to get in the pool! I was tired and just wanted to feel weightless. It was amazing. I actually felt like I had way more energy after I did 30minutes in the pool than I had all week-long!

I decided to do some warm-ups with 10 laps of kicks. I used the body board and just kicked my way back and forth. I took a few breaks and did some slow swimming in between – mainly to catch my breath! Kicks are a great workout for your legs – this is a strong motion and works all the muscles in your legs. In a previous blog post I talk about my first experience with pool exercises – check it out – there is a yummy recipe there too!

I ended the pool session with 10 laps of pool running – and let me tell you now – it is no joke! You work all the same muscles as really running! My hip flexors and quads were smoked! I was out of breath consistently and had to do some recovery swimming in between. In the end I got in 30 full minutes of exercise at completed 25 laps giving me 571 meters in the pool!!!

Here is a great blog post I found about all the benefits of pool running while pregnancy! Please read it and let me know what you think!

I hope this post was much more insightful than my last 3^rd trimester post!

Thank you again for taking the time to read my blog and I hope you’ll leave me some feedback and let me know what you think!

Happy Running!

from pregnancy weight.com

I had totally planned to blog WAY more about my exercising experiences through all of my trimesters BUT I found that this pregnancy was very uneventful. I also found that exercising this time was much easier than w/ my first pregnancy.

So, here I am at 30 weeks and not much to talk about.

Taken w/ Photobooth on my Macbook Air - excuse the poor quality

Yes - that's my little 2.5 year posing with mommy!

I ran my first marathon at 3.5 months pregnant, continued running and doing boot camps w/ my trainer until I was 5.5 months pregnant when we moved. I’ll have to admit that moving half way across the globe and moving into an apartment w/ no house hold goods or much clothing (we only packed what we thought we would need) has put a big detour in all my plans to stay really active.

It took me about a month to really get settled into a new routine, find a gym, find my daughter a good day care, part-time work, and map out an exercise plan that would make me feel better about having NOW gained 30lbs!

THIRD TRIMESTER TIDBITS

Disclosure: I’m going to be bluntly honest – so be ware!

I still love to run. I’m aggravatingly (ego bruising is probably a better way to put it) s.l.o.w. now. I usually run 3-4 miles at a time (sometimes less) and it’s usually at about an 11-12 min pace.

My belly is really round – I look like I’m smuggling a basketball under my shirt.

I can’t wear black pants Or any pants really) to workout in anymore because of the vaginal discharge that is just a part of this trimester. It doesn’t matter how active or inactive I am – some days are just more slimy than others! SO – I’ve found that running skirts are the best. The undershorts take the brunt of it and no one has any clue b/c the skirt hangs loose.

I do intervals of jogging and walking. On a good day when I’m not feeling super lethargic (meaning the baby didn’t keep me up all night doing the river dance in my belly) I will jog for 8-10min and then walk for 2 min and alternate that for about 55 min.

I still do strength training but it is all weight-bearing and low/no impact. So now more jumping or crossfit-esq stuff.

I keep meaning to go do Yoga b/c my body tells me it needs to be stretchy limber right now but I can’t seem to carve out the time. (Really it’s b/c the class starts at the same time I drop Nola off to daycare everyday and I refuse to give up sleep to be there on time – plus this gym doesn’t offer a prenatal yoga class)

I’m not experiencing any swelling in my feet or hands unless I cheat on Paleo and eat lots of pasta and bread – which happens! We went to Olive Garden the other day for the bottomless soup and salad and somehow we ended up both purchasing the “Tour of Italy” plate… and of course it gave my heartburn… of course.

I wore a “Maternity Running Belt” called a fitsplint during my run the other day and it worked really well – It gave me support just where I needed it. Review coming this week! BUT it was hot! Then again, what isn’t hot when you’re 30 weeks pregnant and running! Lol!

—————————————————————————

Nola is convinced that my belly is for her to lie on top of all the time – or punch or elbow when she’s not paying attention!

Overall, staying active has definitely been the best thing I could have done for myself. The days that I don’t get to the gym (the days I work at a desk editing photos all day) are the worst days. I feel so tired and stiff from not moving much.

Even just getting out and walking with Nola while she rides her bike around the apartment complex is better than nothing.

If you are worried about your health or the health of your baby (as far as exercise is concerned) in the 3^rd trimester – DON’T BE! Your body is strong and is meant to carry this weight – this growing life – and still be able to do all the things you’ve always done. My body lets me know when I’ve over done it!

Listen to your body and you won’t go wrong – but getting up and moving is the best thing you can do for yourself at this stage!

In Greenville, SC where Shane proposed to me in 2007

The one thing that I am not shy talking about…well, let’s be honest…I’m not shy about much… BUT I love to talk about my passion for being GREEN and ECO-FRIENDLY!

While this annoys most of my family (because I wear them out on it) I find that there are numerous online and tangible communities that share my views!

Since we’ve moved to Virginia I have been on a hot and heavy search for things that suit the needs of our family but enable us to make morally based purchased and not budget driven ones. Sometimes when you try to live the ECO-way it can be a little pricey – and that’s only b/c it’s still not widely accepted. It seems that once something become commonplace and is no longer a novelty – the prices level out and everyone enjoys the rewards.

In Gatlinburg, TN - Natural beauty at it's best!

So here is a list of things that I love about being conscious to my impact on the earth whether it be local to me or you…I hope you enjoy!

Virginia Farmers Markets

It’s really important to support your local agricultural community. Without customers they will no longer have a business base or income stream to keep their farms afloat.

1. Fall Line Farms – “Richmond’s on-line source for locally grown organic and natural foods.” This is a really cool website that acts as the “go-between” or the mediator of consumers and farmers. They have an extensive farming community here in VA (the Tri-City area of Petersburg and beyond) that participates in this service. You place one order through Fall Line and then all the different farms you have purchased from drop your goods at a location you select. So if they are pretty far from your home (and they can be pretty remote) then you choose a location close to you and pick-up there. Simple! There is a membership for this service.
2.  South of The James Market – This wonder market is where Shane and I have been going for the last few weeks to get all sorts of unique treats. After being overseas for 3 years we really missed having fresh produce at our fingertips. This market hosts over 30 different vendors. We have been able to buy anything from farm-raised rabbit (cooked in a crock post w/ gravy & veggies and it was delicious!), fresh eggs, asparagus, kale, strawberries (this week was the first we’d seen these), honey (the best raw honey we’ve ever had), and so much more. People are selling anything from hand-made goods to meats to eggs to jams and preserves! LOVE IT ALL!

At a Botanical Garden near Pawley Island, SC

Online Goodies 

Even when I was a little girl – I worried about the earth – I remember reading about the national debt and thinking, “When I die (and in my mind I die wealthy) I will donate all my money to the National Debt.” I really didn’t have an explanation as to why I wanted to do that but I just thought it seemed like it would save the world!

We all love to surf the World Wide Web and fill our virtual shopping carts! Here are some good ways to scratch that shopping itch and be eco-friendly!

3. Running Responsibly w/ Brooks – This is an amazing accomplishment by Brooks and I hope that many shoe companies (especially running ones) follow suit. These shoes are made up of 75% of post consumer products. They are super lightweight to boot! We all know that our running shoes have a very short life span especially if you run longer distances more frequently or do lots of speed work (that always thrashes shoes). Why not buy an eco-friendly pair and when you’re done – recycle them once more! If you check out Road Runner Sports here you’ll find multiple colors and that they are currently on sale from $89 to $62! WAHOO!

4. 10 Greenest Races – Here is a post from Runner’s World in 2008 that notes some of the most earth friendly races hosted in the US and beyond! These race directors have thought of it all! From farmers market finish lines to organic cotton race tees and race-day prizes from local community artists! (Looks like Oregon is the leader in forward thinking here – out of 10 races listed, 3 are in Oregon)

5. Envirosax Reusable Bags – I was reading an article in Women’s Health in 2005 and came across a little snippet (you know how they plug a bazzilion things onto a page – it seems like every time I open it I would find something new) about these bags. I went to their website and there were only about 3 designs and most of them were sold out. So I bought what was available b/c the eco-geek in me just had to have them! I have used these things a million times – they roll up to it in your purse. I never leave home without them and that includes when I am traveling! I believe I read somewhere that they are made from recycled parachute material… anyway – they can hold a ton of stuff! NOW they have 10 different series of bags and multiple designs within each series – AND – you can have some custom-made to suit!

6. Cloth Diapers – For those of you who know me really well know that Shane and I cloth diapered Nola and we plan to cloth diaper our 2^nd baby as well. I tried a lot of different brands and ended up loving SposoEasy AIO (All-In-Ones) the best. Here is a great review for them. Unfortunately they have become very hard to find as the company has changed hands. I still love AIO’s the best – less fuss and mess – easiest to wash and get ready for the next wear. PLUS – when you cloth diaper is saves those disposable diapers from going into a landfill where they will sit for the next 30 years releasing toxic chemicals into the air as they slowly breakdown. YUK! We no longer cloth diaper Nola and haven’t since she started daycare at 18+ months.

7.  Recycled Flip-Flops – These are the extra bits that are left over after the flip-flop design has been cut from the material – the leftovers are then made into these lovely doormats – they are super squishy and durable! Follow the link to Gaiam’s website. I was shocked to find out that Gaiam doesn’t just produce yoga videos and sell all sorts of yogi paraphernalia but also sells lots of eco-friendly home goods!

8. Made in America – I can’t promote buying locally enough! As much as I love Pier 1 Imports I have to say – I love shopping from the “mom and pop” stores wherever we live. This website takes all the driving and sight-seeing out and lets you just shop for what you need – everyone on this site is an independent business that produces a product made from local material or hand-made materials.  I first got on this kick (and my husband too) when I watched an episode of “Made in America” by Diane Sawyer on the ABC news. Here they talked about how bad local producers of goods are suffering because of all the WalMarts (etc.) out there that we all flock to like zombies. Shane and I agreed after that episode – when we returned to the US – no more buying from Big Box stores and only made in America for us from now on. So…how are we doing with that…well, we actually haven’t been shopping at all. We’re pretty content with what we have for now – but the next big purchase we make will be from one of these sites listed here – I PROMISE!

9. Etsy – Speaking of buying from “mom and pop” vendors! I love ETSY! There are so many amazing sellers/people on this site. While living in Japan I shopped Etsy a lot – especially if I was on a decorating kick! I bought anything from door wreaths to hallway runners on this site! Plus – they have stuff for kids too! I especially like the creative flare on recycling discarded goods and giving them a second life that most of the artists at Etsy have. Check this site out today and you’ll waste hours of precious time – it’s better than Pinterest, I promise!

10. BuyGreen – Last but not least – buygreen.com is an amazing site that brings together a ton of vendors for easy purchasing. I can’t say that these are mom and pop stores – because most of them are NOT! BUT they are making an environmentally friendly product and helping consumers with one-stop shopping! Those are both eco-geekery I love to brag about! I won’t lie – it’s pricey and I usually shop their sales only!

How do you and your family make a difference for Mother Earth and your impact on her?

If we're not careful - natural beauty will be lost all around the world!

Don’t forget – if you enjoyed reading my post please fill out the “Sign up for Updates” box to the right and at the bottom of the page!

Other ways to find me – I also have a FB page and twitter at ThereSheGoes11

Last week (Final Exam wekk for me) I was all about SPEED and CONVENIENCE in the kitchen! Here is one of my favorite recipes from Sarah Fragoso’s book “Everyday Paleo”

Pecan-Crusted Chicken

Served with Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

½ cup spicy brown mustard

2 Tbsp raw organic honey

1 Cup Pecans crushed

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

How To:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the mustard and the honey in a large bowl (you’ll be drudging your chicken in this later) set aside.

Toss the pecans in a food processor until they are finely chopped. Pour these into another large bowl (same deal) and set aside.

Take one chicken breast at a time, roll in mustard-honey mix and coat both sides.

Then roll in the crushed nuts – both sides. Place chicken in greased glass baking dish. Repeat for all the chicken. Bake for 45 minutes or until done.

Fresh out of the oven!

I like to use my Pampered Chef deep covered baker for this and I cook it with the lid on. This seems to make the chicken extra juicy. ALSO – my favorite way to eat my leftovers of this (the next day) dice the chicken up and toss in a salad. YUM!

by Kelly Mulder, Founder of Stroller Warriors Okinawa

During graduate school my professor for my substance abuse class assigned us a two-week project. We were to give up all alcohol, caffeine, and drugs (no Advil, Tylenol, etcetera) for two weeks. We had to write daily journals of our experience.

This assignment came at a time when I was working midnights for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and going to graduate school during the day. I drank at least one cup of coffee and two diet sodas in a 24-hour period. I did not consider myself addicted or dependent upon caffeine.

I eagerly accepted the challenge and started to journal about my experience. A few days into giving up caffeine I started to get bad headaches. I knew this was part of the withdrawal process. I attempted to ignore them and continue my days as usual hoping the headaches would go away as my body adjusted. Instead they got worse.

The day I was helping my fiancé, Garrett, (now my husband) move from Virginia Beach, VA to Camp Lejeune, NC I started to notice a black spot in my vision. I asked Garrett to remove whatever was in my eye. He couldn’t find anything and told me I was probably about to get a really bad headache.

He was right. My headache got worse and worse and my vision deteriorated rapidly. Instead of helping Garrett carry things from the storage locker to the truck and trailer I was writhing in agony on the front seat as he did all of the moving himself. I suffered 10 hours of horrible pain and impaired vision. When my husband pulled into a rest stop my vision was so horribly affected I could not make out any of products on the shelves nor could I tell which bathroom was for males and which was for females.

I had no idea my body was so addicted to caffeine! At that point I decided that I either needed to abandon the assignment and go back to drinking caffeine or I needed to quit caffeine for good and only deal with the withdrawl process once.

So, I quit caffeine and haven’t gone back. As an extra plus I lost 5lbs without making any other changes to my diet or exercise program. I guess the chemicals in soda were affecting my metabolism.

How much caffeine do you drink? Would you be willing to give it up for a few weeks to see how you felt?

Did you enjoy reading Kelly’s post and want to know more about her, please read her “Running Has Taught Me” posting perviously published on There She Goes!

Don’t forget – if you enjoyed reading my blog please fill out the “Sign up for Updates” box to the right and at the bottom of the page!

Other ways to find me – I also have a FB page and Twitter @ ThereSheGoes11

Hi Everyone! My name is Kristen and I blog over at Mind Your Bees and Trees. I am so excited to be here today as it’s my first (of many) Flavorful Friday posts!

Sarah and I met back in January when we were both taking a bloggers workshop hosted by the SITS Girls. We discovered that we both were living in Okinawa at the time and arranged to get coffee together.

Three hours quickly flew by on our first coffee date as we discussed blogging tips with one another. We found that we have a lot in common and thought it would be fun to exchange blog posts once a month.

So here I am . Even though we have both since left Okinawa, we have our blogs to keep us connected! Man technology is the greatest for keeping in touch, isn’t it?

To give you a little background about my blog, Mind Your Bees and Trees is a place where healthy eating and exercise are balanced with a major sweet tooth! MYBT is a blog for anyone interested in eating delicious, healthy, and unprocessed foods—from the health conscious to those who are just starting their journey to a more mindful lifestyle.

I hope you enjoy my monthly Flavorful Friday posts on There She Goes and don’t forget to stop by my blog to say hi! You can find out a lot more about me on my about me page as well as lots of other healthy and tasty recipes!

The recipe I’m going to share with you today came as a request from a friend. I asked people on my Facebook page what favorite recipes they would like to see get a healthy makeover and a friend requested enchiladas.

I decided to give it a shot and was really happy with the results! I hope you like them as much as we did .

Lightened Up Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas
*Recipe inspired by Cooking Light
Cook Time: 30-45 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped scallions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. organic ground chicken
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup or 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies, drained
2 cups or 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 10-oz bag of spinach, chopped
2 oz reduced fat cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup salsa verde
6 whole wheat tortillas
1 can (8 oz) green chile enchilada sauce
1 cup reduced fat Mexican-blend cheese
handful of cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until browned. Add scallions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until fragrant.

Add the chicken to the pan and cook until browned and no longer pink in any spots. Season the mixture with cumin and garlic powder and cook another 1-2 minutes.

Add the green chilies, black beans, and spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted. Add the cream cheese and cook until melted and well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Line a casserole dish with the salsa verde. Divide the mushroom—chicken—black bean mixture evenly among the six tortillas. Roll them up and place them in the casserole dish. Pour the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of your casserole dish), or until the edges are lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and any other desired toppings. Enjoy!

~ Kristen

“The journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step. So we must never neglect any work of peace within our reach, however small.” -Adlai Stevenson

My favorite quote of her story is when she said, “Loosing weight and maintaining it takes time, discipline, hard work and determination. Especially when you’re a mom and you put everyone else’s needs before your own. But this is precisely the most important reason why I do it. I want to be healthy to enjoy life with my family and set a good example for my children, so they can also enjoy the countless benefits of a healthy lifestyle.” Who can’t relate to that?! In this guest post she explains what so many of us struggle with:

Eating healthy & staying active while you travel is tough! 

I know I have certainly struggled with both of those issues since moving from Japan to Virginia. Please read her post and leave us some feedback… Let us know what you think!

From Maltratozero.com

Maintaining Your Weight While Traveling

By Maritza Sillio

My family and I have been very happy to call Okinawa our home for the last 4 years, and every summer we head back to Florida to visit our family and friends. With this yearly vacation comes two challenges; one is not gaining back unwanted pounds that I’ve worked hard to keep off; and the other is maintaining that muscle mass that I have earned working many hours in the gym.

Last summer I was determined not to lose any of my gains. I was at my ideal weight and had made some incredible gains in my workouts. I was very nervous about eating out. However, to my surprise, eating out was not a problem. I was able to find healthy options everywhere I went. Some examples I would find in restaurant menus were egg white and vegetable omelets, delicious salads and fish options and replacing french-fries with a vegetable side dish was never a problem. I was even able to sit at the bar where fried food reigns and order yummy healthy dishes like fish tacos, shrimp cocktails, ceviche, mahi-mahi and a few other items that escape my memory now.

From myreciptes.com

It was then when I realized that sticking to my eating habits was possible and the most important part of my healthy habits. Although I was not able to follow my usual work out schedule, I returned home fitting in all my clothes including those I had left behind.

Now every summer I have a choice and a decision to make. I can excuse myself and eat junk because “I’m on vacation”, or I can choose to eat healthy control my portions and return home without regrets!

I love the fact that it is all up to me; whether it is a move; a vacation or my daily routine, I will choose to stay on track and enjoy the countless benefits of eating to nourish my body.

From mamapress.com

How do you stay on track while traveling? Do you give yourself a free pass to eat whatever you want b/c you’re on VACATION!?

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