Happy Friday! - I haven't fallen off the face of the earth!

I just wanted to drop in and let you know I have not fallen off of the face of the earth!  (the picture is old but made us laugh yesterday...and resembles my week in so many ways!)  


Maybe your week has been like mine...catching up from having children home for Spring Break, being ill and now trying to get life back on track!  Needless to say, I've been away from my computer!  


I pray you have a blessed Friday and an AWESOME weekend!  


I Hope to be back next week with: 
A Great Lentil Recipe, Protein Snack Ideas, and a P90X Hybrid Workout Schedule for those who love Insanity & P90X!  


Happy Friday!!!

What We Do Eat - Banana Cookies

Banana Cookies

I don't know about you but there are not too many foods more comforting than warm homemade banana bread!  In my quest to feed my family healthier, less processed and more nutrient filled food, somewhere along the line I came up with these banana cookies to help fill the void of not eating banana bread.  I just made some last night so I thought I would share them with you!    

The Ingredients:
3 Ripe bananas
2 Cups rolled oats 
1/3 Cup oil ( I use 1/4 C coconut oil plus water to make 1/3 C)
1 Cup dried cranberries (or dates or raisins)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup walnuts 


The Directions:
Mash Bananas
Stir in vanilla, oil, oats, cranberries, walnuts
Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes
Drop by teaspoon on to ungreased cookie sheet.  
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  
*The cookies will get slightly brown on top and will harden up like chewy granola bars when they cool.  Don't overcook if you want the warm banana bread experience. 

Now look at those happy young ladies :). Lets just say they I think they were tired of waiting for the cookies to cool!

What We Do Eat - Healthier Blueberry Muffins

These blueberry muffins are loved in our house!  

So much so that Macey made them on her own this week!  

This recipe is a great example of moving toward healthier eating.  You can start with a good solid recipe and change it a little at a time.  Note that these muffins are not gluten free or dairy free, but with a little work they sure could be.  

Wheat-Oat Blueberry Muffins

The basic recipe: 

1 Cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 Cup sour cream

5 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Cup light brown sugar

1 Cup Old-Fashioned Oats

1 Cup frozen or fresh berries

     (if frozen don't defrost)
Walnuts if desired

2 tbs sugar for topping if desired

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Line muffin tin with liners

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt

In a large bowl beat eggs & sour cream

In medium saucepan on medium heat, melt butter & brown
     sugar together.  Beat this mixture into the egg & sour
     cream mixture

Stir in oats

Fold in flour & optional walnuts

Fold in berries 

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full

Drop a generous pinch of sugar on top of each muffin

Bake for 25-28 minutes

Cool for 5 minutes then remove from pan & finish cooling on rack

Makes 12 muffins

Changes in recipe you can make...


Not a fan of whole wheat? 
Start with 1/2 Cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 Cup regular baking flour.  Then next time you make them switch it up to all whole wheat! 


Want Healthier Yet?
Substitute a better oil such as coconut in place of the butter.
Substitute real yogurt for the sour cream - I do this in other
     recipes and it works great!
Substitute applesauce for half of the brown sugar

Fitness - Just Make It Work Monday!!!

I know...it's Monday...

But if we want reach our fitness goals consistency is the key!  

We need to exercise regularly every day.  

So some days...most often Mondays...TODAY...we need to find a way to just make it work and get the job done.  I know it's not easy.  There are so many other things we need to get done but if we don't press through with our fitness today, we will just have to start over again tomorrow.

So what are our excuses?  

We are busy
We are tired

We have no time

We don't have the right tools or weights

If I may show you a beeauuutifull (not really) video of us (Brad) doing our best with what we have:  

*At my grandparents house

*In a basement

*Low low ceilings 
(i.e. no standing shoulder presses!)

*No pull up bar

*No Big Screen TV for my DVD

*No Beautiful view or windows

Just us and our DVD!

Me in my corner.  I love the Styrofoam cooler used for holding my computer!

Brad in his corner…doing push ups and using the green band  (in the picture at the top) for a modified pull-up.   
Yep he's the king of proper technique :)

So now you can see that sometimes you just have to make it work!  

It isn't pretty!  

But pretty isn't what we are going for right?  

Remember, consistency is the key!  

So go get em...there is only a few hours left in this Monday! 
You can do it!

My Current Short Term Fitness Goal! (not the sticker chart...the video!)

So here's the deal... 
I have to have a fitness goal.  

Not only do I need a sticker chart to keep track of that goal, but I also need a reason to keep pressing on when my body hurts and I am tired.  

My ultimate fitness goal is to be strong and healthy, keeping my Lupus and Arthritis as contained as possible. 

But how do you measure that?  I used to measure my health by how I feel each day but that is so subjective.  The positive physical benefits like fitting into a certain dress or swimsuit have never been motivators for me.  Maybe a piece of awesome cheesecake!  (Not a good idea!) 

So last year I decided I would "measure" my fitness by setting a short term goal and it worked!  My goal last year was to be strong enough physically to enjoy a full day of water skiing with Brad's family.  The prior year...I couldn't enjoy it because it made me so tired.  So last year, not only did I get to actually enjoy skiing...the added benefit was that I had enough energy to keep up with my children.  I have more memories of last summer having fun than memories of just wishing I could take a nap!  I'm hoping for the same this year.

A personal note...please know I share this with you...not for my own benefit.  I fear always talking about me.  But, I have learned through these past years of not feeling well...that life is short and I'm hoping that you will be encouraged to live life, get moving, enjoy each moment God gives you and make some great memories...

Sooooo - My fitness goal this year is to feel strong enough by spring to physically to do this:

Yikes!  (don't tell my mommy!)

So today the question is...what is your fitness goal?  Long term?  Short term?  Maybe it's to be able to physically sit on the floor and play games with your children.  Maybe it's to play basketball and be able to walk off the court of your own free will. :)  I don't know what it is...but I believe if you don't set some goals...you can never reach them.  

You can do it...decide, commit to the process, make plans and jump!

Fitness - Goal Tracking...A Shout Out To My Sister!

My precious sister is taking her fitness and health by the horns and I'm soooo proud of her! 

Today she called me and said "Hey, I just stopped at Target and picked up some markers... I'm going to write my goals on my mirror and start checking them off!"  

Her excitement encouraged me to get to writing a few fitness posts here as well.  So right now I would like to talk about tracking your goals.  

For me, one of my goals is to complete round 2 of the fitness program P90X.  I know from finishing round one some months ago that I am going to have to focus and find a way to stick with the program.  

So to put a smile on your face and let you know it's OK to be a child again sometimes....here is how I track this goal!

CAN YOU SEE IT?

YEP - IT'S A GOOD OLE FASHIONED STICKER CHART!!!

NOTICE HOW I HAD TO PUT AB-X IN IT'S OWN CATEGORY! 

(It's more work...so it deserves it's own spot!)

Sooooo.... get out the markers.  Break out the stickers.  Write down those goals and start marking them off!  

Let me know what your goals are and when you reach them so I can do a celebration dance with you!