It's been a long time...

So much has happened and so many wonderful things have taken place since the last time I posted anything. Hubby graduated from the Univ Of FL with his MBA in December! Yay!!  We also purchased some land and had a new home built... we surprised the kids with our new home in January 2014 and they are thrilled beyond words! We couldn't be more blessed! My girls are still going hard with soccer. My eldest was invited to play in a huge soccer tournament in Richmond Virginia (Jefferson Cup) and they won the entire tournament by beating teams from Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Ohio and came home with the JEFFERSON CUP!!!  That Championship landed her and her team in our local newspaper! We were just over the top with happiness for her. My son has been on fire in the classroom by achieving HIGH Honors for both 1st and 2nd quarters. He is also on the Speech & Debate team and winning all of his debates! Football season is around the corner for him as well as golf & swimming camp this summer. Both of my daughters will be attending a wonderful soccer camp this summer as well. I have been quite busy running around with the kids, working on my fitness and getting the home in order. We've celebrated 3 birthdays so far this year and have had sleep overs and lot's of kids over in the past few months. 2014 is just flying by....

I will do my best to post as often as I can.  Spring break is next week so I will hopefully have some time to recover and get back to posting and making more videos. I am going to add pictures from the events I mentioned above and also share one of my delicious, nutritious smoothies with you!  I'll be back, soon!!!

Wow, 32oz of yummy deliciousness for breakfast this morning! Here's what's in it:

Almond Milk & Fruit Smoothie
-1 medium ripe banana
-1/4 cup of frozen blueberries
-1/4 cup of frozen strawberries
-1/4 cup of frozen pineapples or mangos
-2 cups of chilled unsweetened almond milk
-handful of organic baby spinach
-2 tbsp of Forti-Flex (Organic Vegan Cold Milled Ground Flaxseeds)

This was not only delicious but nutritious! Flax seeds are high in Omega-3 essential fatty acids, Lignans & Fiber-- not to mention all of the vitamins and minerals they provide. They also reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes which are prominant diseases in my family. This alone is the reason why I add them daily . You can sprinkle them over your yogurt, cereal, muffin, salad and smoothies to ensure you get them in. Give this smoothie a try and start to incorporate more fruits in veggies in your diet. You will see the difference and your body will thank you ‪#‎healthyfoodhealthybody‬ ‪#‎treatyourbodyright‬

Kale based smoothie...

The kids and I have been loving our Kale based smoothies throughout the past week.  I now make them a nutrient packed smoothie (with or without protein) before their soccer & football games.  They have endless hours of energy and are not feeling heavy and weighed down as a result. This morning's smoothie consisted of 2 1/2 cups of kale, a handful of blueberries, strawberries, peaches, 2 tbsp of flax seed, pumpkin seed and granola.

Kale is being called “the new beef”, “the queen of greens” and “a nutritional powerhouse.” Here are ten great benefits of adding more kale to your diet:

1. Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as those listed below.

2. Kale is high in iron. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef. Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.

3. Kale is high in Vitamin K. Eating a diet high in Vitamin K can help protect against various cancers. It is also necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions including normal bone health and the prevention of blood clotting. Also increased levels of vitamin K can help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

4. Kale is filled with powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as carotenoids and flavonoids help protect against various cancers.

5. Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food. One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.

6. Kale is great for cardiovascular support. Eating more kale can help lower cholesterol levels.

7. Kale is high in Vitamin A.Vitamin A is great for your vision, your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers.

8. Kale is high in Vitamin C. This is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.

9. Kale is high in calcium. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility

10. Kale is a great detox food. Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy. 

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4408/Top-10-Health-Benefits-of-Eating-Kale.html

Get creative and go get some kale (or any other green leafy vegetables) and incorporate them into your diet TODAY!!!

SMOOTHIES!!! Yummy DELICIOUSNESS!!!!!

Hey guys!  Just dropping by to share my latest and greatest find.... THE NUTRIBULLET!!!!! For months I researched and compared several blenders, juicers and such in search to find something that would help me make awesome smoothies. I finally settled with purchasing the Nutribullet!  You've probably seen the informercials, ads and etc... It compares with the Ninja.  I chose it because of the reviews, quality, price, size and convenience.  It doesn't require peeling (apples, pears and etc...) and you can throw in your fruits and veggies pretty much anyway you'd like. I prefer to purchase my fruits and veggies at the beginning of the week... wash, cut, peel and FREEZE whatever i'd like.... and take the portion out that is needed whenever I want to make a smoothie.  I am sooo in love with my Nutribullet that i've been making them every morning!  I make one for me and one for hubby.  I've even made a few to share with the kiddos.  Here are two smoothies i've made over the past week or so. I'll add more pix and recipes in the days and weeks to follow. Give them a try!!

  A handful of Pineapples, Blueberries, Strawberries, Bananas (all pre-cut and frozen), Organic Spinach, Granola, Chi Seeds, Coconut, Crushed Ice, Water (fill halfway).... add a teaspoon of Stevia if needed.

Pineapple, Banana, Strawberry, Kale, Granola, Flax Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Crushed Ice and Water

 The recipe for this green smoothie is written on the actual picture..... enjoy!

 

Quick, Delicious, Nutritious Breakfast Smoothie!!

These days I don't have much time to spare.... with soccer going full speed ahead, the kids' social calendars, hubby's schedule, my exercising and studying for my PT exam time is always of essence.  It is vitally important to make time to get in a healthy, nutritious breakfast on a daily basis.  Sometimes i'll make a breakfast sandwich (whole grain english muffin, turkey sausage or turkey bacon, 1 egg and low fat cheese), grab a breakfast bar, a bowl of oatmeal or cream of wheat OR a nice bowl of cereal.  Here lately i've been on a smoothie kick!  They're quick, healthy and packed full of nutrition!!!  Here's one that I made today and I thought i'd share it with you:

Strawberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie

 

~ voskos plain greek yogurt,
~ a splash of 2% milk
~ 1 small banana
~ frozen strawberries
~ 1/2 cup of Kashi Go Lean Honey w/ Flaxseed Cereal
~ 1/2 cup of crushed ice...
Yummmm! Feel free to add a tsp of agave nectar if you want to sweeten it a bit. Only 165 cals per glass... this makes 2 glasses! I drank 1 glass pre workout and 1 glass post workout. This smoothie was full of protein and extra vitamins from the kashi cereal but you can add protein powder to it if you'd like.  Some other healthy additions would be pineapple, spinach, kale (a friend recommended I try this), chia seeds, blueberries, mango and any other fruit or nutritious veggie you'd like.  Have fun with it and ENJOY!!!! 

I'll be sure to take pix and share recipes for all of the other smoothies I try in the weeks to come.