Battle Hunger During Your Period

Ok ladies, ever find yourself getting extra hungry during "that time of the month?" You're more hungry during your period because you're burning 100-300 extra calories! "It takes a lot of energy to fuel hormone fluctuations before and during your period, and your metabolism speeds up by as much as 15% in response to that demand." 

What to do about it: Eat extra protein to stop those hunger pains and iron and omega-3s to balance the hormone swings that cause hunger.

Shape Magazine, October 2016, p. 128

Mini Salsa Meatloaves

These mini salsa meatloaves are great to add to school lunch or for a family dinner.  You can make them ahead of time and have them ready to eat!

Mini Salsa Meatloaves

Adapted from Kraft Canada

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups Mexican Cheese, divided
• 1 cup thick and chunky salsa, divided
• 1/2 lb. ground turkey
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. 
2. Reserve 3/4 cup cheese and 1/2 cup salsa for later use. Mix remaining cheese and salsa with remaining ingredients just until blended. 
3. Press into 12 muffin pan cups sprayed with cooking spray; place on foil-covered baking sheet. Use back of spoon to make indentation in centre of each meatloaf. 
4. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until done (160°F). Top with reserved salsa and cheese; bake 3 min. or until cheese is melted.

Slow Cooker Taco Chicken

This tasty chicken is a great protein topper for more than just tacos!  Put in on a salad, on some quinoa, in a whole wheat pita...ANYTHING.  I love slow cooker recipes that I can quickly throw together and forget while it cooks.  Plus, it always leaves my house smelling yummy!

Slow Cooker Taco Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Cup Water
2 Tbls Homemade Dried Onion Soup Mix (see below for recipe)
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander
6-8 cloves garlic, smashed
1 Tbls dehydrated onion
Juice of 1 lime
Salt, to taste
Chipotle hot sauce, to taste

Place all ingredients except for lime, salt, and hot sauce in slow cooker and cook 5-6 hours on low, or until chicken shreds easily with a fork.  When done, shred the chicken and sprinkle with lime juice.  Taste and season with salt and hot sauce to taste.
(Adapted from 400 calories or less with Our Best Bites)

Homemade Dried Onion Soup Mix

1/4 Cup dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Use in place of store bought soup mix packets or store in an airtight container for later.
(Recipe from 100 days of Real Food)

June Newsletter

This just in! Autumn Calabrese (creator of the 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme) created a new Fix approved recipe book with 101 recipes called Fixate.  It will be available on July 14th and will be $19.95 or $17.96 for club members. Let's chat about how you can get a 25% discount on your Beachbody purchases!

Fixate will teach you how to make healthy, delicious meals that fit into your busy lifestyle. And every recipe includes container equivalents to use with 21 Day Fix, as well as nutritional information you can use with any Beachbody® fitness program. 

Challenge Groups Starting in June:

We at Team Tenacity have two great challenge groups starting this month and one big one starting early next month.  I would be happy to discuss which group would be best for you goals!

Summer Nutrition and Fitness BASH! is starting June 8th! We all have our own struggles we would like to overcome and goals to achieve in health and wellness. So, why not choose a program that works for YOU? In this challenge, you get to choose YOUR program that meet YOUR specific needs and goals! Don’t worry! Not sure what to pick? I can help you figure it all out. 

For more information click here to see the event and contact me to get you set up!

The Summer Fun Challenge Group is starting June 15th! It includes a lot of information on things like the importance of self-care, fitness, & self-love. We'll also talk about nutrition, meal planning, emotional eating, & more. It's going to a lot of fun! For our workout program we'll be using Beachbody on Demand or a program of your choice!  It's designed to be a well-rounded group to set you up for success!

Considering joining? Check out this blog post that gives more details and contact me via email or FB messenger so I can help you get set up.

Team Tenacity 21 Day Fix Challenge Group is starting July 1st! This month Beachbody is going to give $10 to cancer research for every 21 Day Fix challenge pack sold so we are planning a big challenge group in July!  Are you ready to get your nutrition and fitness on track in only three weeks?  Let's get you started!  Check out this link for more information on the 21 Day Fix :)

New on Beachbody on Demand for June:  

This month they have added one sneak peek workout from the new program Cize!  The program doesn't come out until July 20th!  This is a club exclusive so if you don't already have club membership contact me and we can get you set up with a FREE 30 day trial!  Sign up to win a free copy of the Cize program here.

Challenge Pack Deals in June:

• 21 Day Fix® and Shakeology® Challenge Pack (Eng. & Sp.): only $140 
• 21 Day Fix and Shakeology Kickstart Challenge Pack (includes the 3 Day Refresh): only $180
• 21 Day Fix EXTREME® and Shakeology Challenge Pack (Eng. & Sp.): only $140
• 21 Day Fix EXTREME and Shakeology Kickstart Challenge Pack (includes the 3 Day Refresh): only $180 
• PiYo and Shakeology Challenge Pack: only $140 -- ENDS JUNE 15!
• PiYo and Shakeology Kickstart Challenge Pack (includes the 3 Day Refresh): only $180 -- ENDS JUNE 15!

Monthly Recipe:  

This month's recipe comes from Autumn Calabrese's new recipe book Fixate!  You can get this gluten-free recipe and four others for free at this link.

PINEAPPLE CHICKEN SKEWERS

SERVES: 4 (2 skewers each) Prep Time: 20 min. Cooking Time: 10 min. CONTAINER EQUIVALENTS (per serving): ½ green ½ purple 1 red

Ingredients:

• 8 bamboo skewers 
• 1 lb. raw chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into 16 1-inch pieces 
• ¼ cup reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce, gluten-free 
• 2 tsp. sesame oil 
• 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger 
• 1 (8-oz.) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained 
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 16 1-inch chunks 
• ½ large red onion, cut into 16 1-inch chunks

Directions:

1. Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. 
2. Place chicken in resealable plastic bag (or container); add soy sauce, oil, and ginger; seal bag and shake gently to mix. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to marinate. 
3. Preheat gas or charcoal grill on medium heat. 
4. Place a piece of chicken, pineapple chunk, bell pepper, and onion onto a skewer. Repeat, so the skewer has two pieces of each ingredient. Repeat with seven remaining skewers. Discard marinade that contained chicken. 
5. Grill skewers on covered grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle. 
6. Serve immediately

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per serving): Calories: 207 Total Fat: 5 g Saturated Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 73 mg Sodium: 594 mg Carbohydrates: 12 g Fiber: 1 g Sugars: 9 g Protein: 25 g

How to Stay Cool During Summer Workouts

By: Kara Wahlgren

Working out in the summer heat can be a miserable, sweat-soaked endeavor. As much as you don’t want to slack off, let’s be real—when it’s a bazillion degrees with 8,000% humidity, just lying on your couch in your air-conditioned living room starts to look reeeeeally tempting. But with the proper preparation, you can keep your workout going strong throughout the dog days of summer. Here’s how to weatherproof your workout.

1. Get the Timing Right

Blazing sun isn’t going to do you any favors, so if you are going to exercise outside (or if you don’t have air-conditioning), schedule your workout for early morning or late evening. “It’s ideal to work out before or after the heat index rises,” says Elizabeth Kovar, an ACE Master Trainer and mind-body movement specialist. “If your schedule doesn’t allow you to work out during those hours, play it safe by working out indoors.”

2. Stay Hydrated

Okay, so I royally screwed this one up a few weeks ago. On the first day of a nasty heat wave, I went for an early-morning run while it was still “only” 86 degrees out. Minor tactical error: I only drank half a glass of water when I woke up. I spent the rest of the day on the couch nursing a splitting headache, achy muscles, and wicked nausea. Oops. “Guidelines recommend consuming 17–20 ounces of water two hours before exercise, 7–10 ounces of fluid every ten minutes during exercise, and 16–24 ounces for every pound of body weight lost after exercise,” says Jessica Matthews, MS, an exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. If you’re working out for an hour or more, you may also want to replace electrolytes with Results and Recovery Formula or coconut water.

3. Eat to Beat the Heat

Excuse all the rhyming, but it really is important to eat properly before a summer workout, since the wrong foods can boost your body temperature. “Avoid spicy foods, which stimulate heat production,” Kovar says. “Also, high-protein foods and anything greasy will be harder to digest, thus enhancing internal heat production.” Stick with easy-to-digest foods like fruit, eggs, or yogurt instead.

4. Dress the Part

This one’s really easy. “Lightweight, loose-fitting, minimal clothing can provide a greater skin surface area for heat dissipation,” Matthews says. Black may be slimming, but wear light colors to reflect the heat from the sun, and choose moisture-wicking fabrics to stay cool and dry.

5. Scale Back

On crazy-hot days, you may need to change your “go hard or go home” philosophy to “go easy or go inside.” If you’re acclimated to hot weather, then you may be able to tolerate a tough workout in extreme heat. But if you live in an area where three-digit temps make headlines, scale back when a heat wave hits. “Anything lower intensity or steady state is probably more achievable mentally or physically,” Kovar says. If you’re planning on doing high-intensity interval training, she adds, “Try to find a shaded area or take the training indoors.”

6. Heed the Warning Signs

Heat exhaustion isn’t a push-through-the-pain situation. Unchecked, it can lead to coma or death—so if you start to feel crampy, dizzy, or nauseous, stop immediately and start doing damage control. “Drink plenty of water and remove any unnecessary clothing,” Matthews says. “You can also mist your skin with water to bring your body temperature down.” If your skin is hot but not sweaty, or your pulse feels fast and weak, those are signs of heatstroke. “Call 911 and get cool any way that you can until help arrives,” Matthews says. Anytime the heat index is over 90 degrees, you’re at risk for heat exhaustion; over 105 degrees, it’s almost a given.2 So play it safe—if you know you can’t handle the heat, head indoors.

Beef & Butternut Squash Stew

Hearty Beef & Butternut Squash Stew

(recipe from 21 Day Fix Extreme eating plan)

This stew was AMAZING!  I had to control myself to only have one bowl, and couldn't wait to have it as leftovers.  So much flavor with healthy ingredients.

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1½ lbs raw lean beef stew meat, boneless, cut into cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
½ green bell pepper, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup organic beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper (optional)
2 cups cubed butternut squash
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Instructions
Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.
Add beef; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until beef is brown.
Add onion and bell peppers; cook, stirring frequently , for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute
Add tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cook, covered, for 40 minutes.
Add squash; cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 - 12 minutes, or until sauce has thickened and beef is fork-tender.
Remove bay leaf; serve topped with parsley.

One serving = approx 1-1/4 cups each
Container equivalents = 1 green, 1 red

Overnight Swiss Oatmeal

Here's a yummy breakfast that you can make the night before, and eat it on your way out the door.  This isn't your grandma's oatmeal!  The combination of oats, yogurt, & fruit makes a tasty breakfast and keep you satisfied for hours.

Ingredients that you'll need: Oats, greek yogurt, unsweetened almond milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nuts, & fruit.

I make two bowls at the same time.  One for me, and one for my significant other.

Voskos non-fat greek yogurt is one of my favorite brands.  Make sure it's plain!

I recently learned to make my own vanilla extract.  It's so easy and good!

Add fruit & nuts of your choice.  I prefer berries and 1/2 banana.

Cover and put in the fridge overnight.  If you're like me, you might even forget about it and open the fridge the next morning for a pleasant surprise!

Overnight Swiss Oatmeal

• 1/2 C rolled oats
• 3/4 C almond milk
• 3/4 C plain greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Cinnamon (to taste)
• 1/2 apple (I also use berries)
• 1/2 banana
• 8 walnut halves

Mix all ingredients together.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For all our 21 day fixers out there - 2 yellow, 1 red, 1 purple, 1 blue

Healthy Meatloaf Recipe

Healthy Meatloaf Recipe

I grew up on Meatloaf, it fed our family of 12 easily! We all loved it and thought it was amazing. It was probably one of the healthiest meals we had throughout the week. Smothered in ketchup with a side of green beans and mashed potatoes and we were in Heaven!

But, when my healthy mommy gene kicked in, I started tweaking almost every recipe I could find! This led to five and half years of trial and error with lots of flops and burnt results. But once I found something that worked and the family liked; It became a staple that I make over and over and over again. Each time I make a recipe I change up a few things so we don't get bored. I truly like to cook BASIC, super BASIC ...I am NOT a cook, I don't enjoy it that much either. I do love serving healthy meals though! It really does make me the proudest when I control the nutritional value of what is on my family's plates as we sit down to eat.


Just don't judge me for the Chex Rice cereal for breakfast this morning...its Friday

Before I share my tips and ideas on how to make your healthy meatloaf, know that NOT everyone in my family loves it. My husband won't eat ground turkey or chicken, although he is not a fan of meatloaf either. So I make this for Lunch. I prep a BIG batch and the boys and I eat it for our lunches. It packs well in their school lunch boxes.

Now, lets think about the traditional meatloaf and its intention. It was a way to make meat go further. So instead of using "cheap" meat, I use ground chicken and turkey, which is healthier than "cheap" meat and is known to cost less than leaner grass feed beef. So instead of adding "crap" to my meat to make it go further, I add healthy foods that will keep you fuller longer. When I first tweaked this recipe I used oatmeal instead of bread crumbs (have you ever looked at the ingredients on the back of the bread crumbs you buy? I dare you to go look if you have some on hand). Also, I don't add any sauces.




What I do add is an egg or two depending on how big the batch is. Then, I dice up any veggies on hand that I have, super small other wise your meatloaf will fall apart.  I love to grate up zucchini and carrots. I also like to add minced, onion, garlic, mushrooms, peppers. .The veggies help add moisture and flavor to the meat. You can create so many different flavors. I like to use "Mrs Dash- no salt added" seasonings. Sometimes we make it more of an Italian style meatloaf with a can of tomato sauce and other times I add a Mexican spin to it by adding cilantro and a can of hatch green chilli peppers or you can use fresh peppers if you have it!


Cooking with Turkey and veggies is going to give off more juice/liquid so I drain that about half way through baking. I cut into it to see how close it is to being done.I love to turn the broiler on for the last 5-10 to crisp up the top too.


The Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350

In a mixing bowl add in no particular order:

• 1 lb of lean ground turkey or chicken
• 1 small zucchini (grated)
• 1 garlic clove (crushed)
• 1/2 small red onion (chopped finely)
• 2 med size mushrooms (chopped up small)
• 1 can of fire roasted chopped green chilli (don't drain)
• hand full of fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1 egg
• 1-2 tsp of Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime

Bake in a loaf pan on the center rack at 350 for 15-20 min till firmed up, you don't want to over cook it or will get dried out. If you cut in the center and it is not done add an extra 5 min and check again. 
The last 5 min I turn the broiler on and brown up the top. Enjoy!

Let me know if you try this recipe, tell me what you think. Or if you have any "flavor" suggestions I would love to hear about it. Tuna Sweet Potato Muffins coming up Next with K.I.S.S. Recipies

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