Ginger-Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Cream

Today, I was looking through my cabinets trying to figure out what I could make with a can of pumpkin. I was in a pumpkin kinda mood all morning, as today is Halloween and it's fall and my favorite holiday involving all things pumpkin is up next- Thanksgiving! A quick Pinterest search brought up some amazing results. I decided on soup, but I didn't have all the ingredients I needed, so I adapted a pumpkin soup from a fellow blogger and I wanted to share my version of the soup below. Original recipe can be found HERE and was created by Katie Shields of the Honestly Nourished Blog.

Ginger-Pumpkin Soup w/Coconut Cream

Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30-45 minutes 

Gluten free, Dairy free,  Paleo

INGREDIENTS //

1 tbs coconut oil

2 organic carrots, peeled and chopped
2  parsnips, peeled and chopped

4 organic celery sticks, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 tbs freshly grated ginger root

2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 BPA-free cans organic pumpkin puree (be careful not to buy pumpkin pie filling!)
16-ounces organic chicken broth
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes
1-2 tsp sea salt
black pepper to taste
1 can organic light coconut milk 

For garnish:

1 bunch organic cilantro, rosemary, or flat leaf Italian parsley
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

STEPS //

1. Add the coconut oil, curry, ginger, garlic, red chili pepper flakes and all of your veggies to a large soup pan and heat on medium high until the vegetables are translucent.
2. Add the can of pumpkin puree, 2 cups of chicken broth, and the can of coconut milk to the pot and stir until well incorporated. Also add sea salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bring soup to a boil and cook for 5 minutes before reducing heat to a simmer. Allow soup to continue to cook uncovered for 30-40 minutes, until the volume is reduced by about half.
4. Once the soup is sufficiently cooked down, allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
5. Use an immersion or high-speed blender to blend the soup until creamy. 
6. Pour soup into bowls and garnish with a handful of pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.
7. Enjoy!

ps- here is some good info. from Katie that I wanted to pass along ;)

Belief in what's possible

Belief is a tricky thing. To believe is to KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that something is TRUE (my own definition).

• Note: Webster's defines belief as: to accept or regard (something) as true. : to accept the truth of what is said by (someone). : to have (a specified opinion). 

Question: do YOU have belief in yourself? Do you have the belief that you are WORTHY, LOVED, IMPORTANT and VALUABLE? Well, you should! You are the only YOU that will ever be. Let that sink in for a moment.

In my heart of hearts, I know that belief is something that we all struggle with. I know that I am not alone in this and that I struggle with belief in myself as a writer, as an entrepreneur, as a fitness enthusiast (will I be able to maintain/sustain my level of commitment? Will I reach my goals?), as a mother, as a person of value, etc. 

The truth is, we all have doubts and fears that creep into our minds and try to squash our belief in ourselves. When that happens, we need to DIG DEEP and remember that we are valuable, we have something to contribute, and that the world deserves to hear what we have to say. 

Today, I want to encourage you to believe in yourself again. Maybe you got off the horse for a while--GET BACK ON IT AND RIDE, SWEET SISTER! Let's do this together. I know that I, for one, plan to be writing more, motivating more, and DOING more. What will you do? Go do it! 

Poor Decisions DO NOT Define Me

This weekend I did not follow my meal plan. 

At all. 

I had a ton of excuses--it was my daughter's birthday on Friday. We celebrated as a family (so a cupcake was eaten). Saturday was her party (so pizza, chips & cake were devoured); and Sunday we went to get her birthday pictures taken (and afterwards went to the Melting Pot for cheese and chocolate fondue) yikes! 

I even skipped yesterday's workout! 🙈 who am I?! Skipping a workout NEVER happens for me. 

😫

I could be upset today & beating myself up. In fact, the old me from two years ago would have the mindset of--I've already messed up my entire weekend. I guess I should just give up because, what's the point?!

But, these poor decisions DO NOT define me. Today is Monday and an opportunity to start fresh. I plan on killing my workout and nutrition plan today. What's done is done but I have 8 more ️workouts left of Hammer & Chisel and I plan on finishing strong!

To start today in the right frame of mind, I even took pics to compare from a couple weeks ago. I did not undo all of my progress! I am a happy camper <3💜👌‪#‎MindsetShift‬ ‪#‎GoalDigger‬

The Difference Between Staying Home VS Being a Working Mom

The Difference Between Staying Home VS Being a Working Mom

I have experienced both worlds—the world of being a working mom and the world of being a stay-at-home mom. Both are equally difficult. Both types of moms experience guilt (I know I did). Both require lots of work (albeit different types of work) and both types of moms may be jealous of the other for various reasons! 

I know that as a working mom, I was jealous of the women that got to stay home and hold their babies and raise them and be there for every milestone and moment. On the flip side, when I began to stay home, I was jealous of the women that got to enjoy their careers (hello, I went to school for 4 years for my bachelor’s and 2 years for my master’s degrees—I wanted to use them!), I missed my students and coworkers, I missed being able to go to the bathroom alone and enjoy my lunch chatting with my friends in the teacher’s lounge.

BUT, as a working mom, I realized that I was commuting an hour each way to a job I loved but I was always feeling like a part of me was at home; my heart was with my child and every day that I was stuck in that car for 2 hours was TORTURE. I remember crying on my first day back to work after having my first child and thinking, “am I really going to leave her every single day? She’s only a baby!”

So, after having my second daughter, we made the decision that I would begin to stay home—I wouldn’t have to do that dreaded drive again. I took an extended leave from work to “see how it went” and try my hand in the world of being a stay-at-home mom. I found that was happy to be home taking care of my kids BUT I was feeling a little lost and sometimes bored, mostly tired, and overwhelmed and feeling like “is this it?” I also felt like I wasn’t contributing to the household account because I was bringing in money, but I was spending it (on groceries, things for the girls, etc.) and this definitely caused a lot of guilt on my part. Could I be doing more? If the house was a mess or dinner wasn’t ready when my husband got home, I felt even worse.

Something had to change. I wasn’t happy…but how to fix it without leaving my babies? Finally, I found a solution! I discovered BALANCE. The balance I found was working FROM HOME! I know that a lot of women (myself included) shy away from this type of business—first of all, no one likes to feel “salesy” and marketing to your friends seems “icky” …BUT then I realized that I do it every day on a daily basis (recommending a food store, a brand, a movie, a book, a product, a restaurant, etc…) and I just don’t get paid for it. Why not try it? I already found a product and a company I loved and believed in. The opportunity was literally sitting in my lap. I just had to decide what to do with it. 

And so, I made the scary decision to LEAP. I decided, what did I have to lose? Not much! The best part about this decision was that I GAINED a whole lot!

With a couple of teammates in Nashville at our yearly Summit!

-Met some people who I consider my BEST friends (Priceless in my opinion)

-A steady paycheck each week based on my efforts—with unlimited earning potential

-Growth as a person—I have learned so much about myself and my skills

-The ability to be creative

-Confidence

-The ability to be a true LEADER

-The ability to run my own business and be my own boss—no one to answer to but myself

-Found my purpose & my passion

-Can incorporate my skills from my former job (teaching) into this business and LOVE that

-Amazing trips that I’ve earned for free where I’m treated like royalty 

The list goes on and on…

Currently, ONE FIT REVOLUTION is an intimate TRIBE within this larger DYNASTY & we reap the benefits of being our own a small group AND  part of a large team! <3

My favorite part is the friendships and bonds that have been created and surrounding myself with positive women who lift each other up. I was so used to the negativity in my old job (everyone’s heard the stories about teacher’s lounges I’m sure…they’re a breeding ground for “negative Nancy’s” and I tried to avoid the gossip, the complaining, etc. but it was TOUGH). This is completely different—as coaches, we encourage one another, support each other, and celebrate one another. We don’t try to all be the same—uniqueness is the best. We are encouraged to be our true selves. THAT IS AMAZING.

My Success Partner and Me ;)

I feel like this is what I’ve been called to do, and I cannot keep it to myself! I’m paying it forward! I want to offer this opportunity to you. Whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, I’ve been there. From a work-at-home mom who gets the best of both worlds, I INVITE YOU to join me and start your own journey. I cannot promise the road will be easy—in fact, you’ll have to face challenges and be willing to grow as a person and a leader—but it will be rewarding and encouraging and you will be inspired. And, I promise to be there every step of the way.

If this resonates with you, and you want to join our tribe of girl bosses, apply here! 

My Biggest Fear

Confession: I have this crazy fear of letting other people down. Can you relate? What's your biggest fear? 

I am a people-pleaser. I do not like to say "no" to people. In fact, I bend over backwards to make sure that everyone is happy. I try to fix things. If there's a fight--I don't like to leave things unsaid or unsettled (I HATE going to bed angry and I will toss and turn all night long if a fight is left unresolved). If my friends are fighting with each other, I try to mend the fences. I do not know why, but I feel RESPONSIBLE--like it's my job to be the "fixer."

This has been true of my for all of my life. I don't know where this comes from--but I can remember picking guys in the past because I thought I could "save" or "help" them. That they were going to magically date me and then be all better--I was going to turn them into fine, upstanding citizens. HAH! Like I have that type of power? As if! (Yup, bringing back the 90s lingo on this one).

These same fears trickle into my business--

-I have a fear of letting down my challengers. Will I be a good enough coach? Will I be able to help them achieve their goals?

-I have a fear of letting down my coaches. Will I be able to lead them well? Will their businesses succeed? Will it be my fault if they don't do well?

-I have a fear of letting down my own coach. Will she think I'm doing a good job? Will she be proud of me and the fact I'm on her team?

Today, I cried. And I faced the fact that I have been holding onto this idea of CONTROL for far too long. I cannot control everything. And to be honest, knowing that is a RELIEF! GOD is in control. I don't know why I feel the need to play at having control over anyone else's actions--I can't control if people want to go after their dreams. I can't control if people cheat on their plans and skip workouts or eat clean. I can't control their results. I can't control if my coaches follow the training I'm giving them. I cannot post to their Facebook pages for them. I cannot do the work for them.

BUT, I CAN control my own thoughts and actions. I CAN decide to be positive. To read my goals and affirmations daily. To BELIEVE that I can "make it" in this coaching biz and run a successful, thriving team. I CAN control who I decide to work with--and I'll be working with the WILLING from now on. I will be working with people who want to share their goals with me and make a DECISION to CHANGE and I promise I will be there to support them along the way.

YOU CAN decide the same things. Let God be in control of everyone else. FOCUS on controlling your own thoughts and actions. Stay positive. And LISTEN to that inner voice inside you telling you that THIS ISN'T IT! YOU were MADE FOR MORE! We weren't made to live mediocre, boring lives working in jobs we either hate or are bored with...Let's change that fact and chase our dreams together <3heart emoticon 

Thanks for listening! 

We're going WILD!

The Wild Diet aka Paleo diet. Have you heard of it?

My hubby and I recently watched the show "My Diet is Better Than Yours" and it opened up our eyes to different eating lifestyles. We normally eat clean (following the 80/20 rule) but we KNEW we could be doing better with our food choices. It is still all too easy to grab quick meals and snacks AND a lot of marketing these days is tricky! Watch out for foods labeled "all natural" because after doing my own research, I found that these words are basically full of BS.

So, anyway, after watching the show, we decided that this plan was very healthy and also amazing for losing weight (win-win in our eyes). Yesterday was day one for us on this new plan.

My thoughts? WOW! I had zero cravings yesterday (crazy because I normally crave sugar and chocolate). I felt satisfied the entire day and not hungry. Both yesterday and today I didn't eat breakfast (aka break my fast) until 1pm--AFTER my workout. I can tell already that I'm functioning better, I feel more alert, and I have high energy.

My plan is to blog about our journey on the Wild Diet while continuing to share about our workouts as well and we'll see how things go! Honest reviews only, I promise!

*Hammer & Chisel UPDATE--we just started WEEK 6 and are going strong! No missed workouts. Upped our weights. We feel GREAT. Our favorite part is that every day is different--so we aren't getting bored at all! Less than 3 weeks to go!

*WILD DIET--A look at "Day 1" food--(NOTE: we are sticking to organic & grass-fed whenever possible/available)

Breakfast: Eggs cooked in butter w/bacon & avocado!

Lunch was our beloved Shakeology! ;)

Dinner: His & Her salads--romaine, chicken, egg, cucumber, tomato, feta cheese & ranch dressing

Guiltless Chocolate Protein Peanut Butter Cups

3 Ingredients is all you'll need to make this amazing snack! But I must warn you, this treat is highly addicting! (Confession: I may have eaten one with my breakfast this morning!)

Ingredients: 

6-8 tbls. Chocolate Shakeology (any chocolate protein powder should work or even cocoa)

4 tbls. Coconut Oil

All-natural Peanut Butter

Directions: 

1. Melt 2 tbls. coconut oil in the microwave
2. Mix in 3-4 tbls. chocolate shakeology 
3. Spoon this evenly into a cupcake pan (I used a silicone pan b/c I could easily pop them out when finished, but you can use any--even the mini cupcake pan!)
4. Freeze for approx. 5 minutes
5. Spoon peanut butter (about 1 tsp. of peanut butter) into each cupcake
6. Melt 2 more tbls. coconut oil & mix with remaining chocolate Shakeology
7. Cover the peanut butter with the melted chocolate
8. Freeze for about an hour and enjoy! 

*You can substitute water for the coconut oil, however you need to make sure that the chocolate powder becomes liquid-y enough and not too thick. 

**For my Fixers, make sure to count a partial red, plus your teaspoons when eating these! ;)

Day 23 Check In Time!

Day 23- CHECK IN TIME ;)

‪#‎TransformationTuesday‬! I do not know that I have ever seen my husband able to place his hands FLAT on the floor while stretching. I am so freakin proud of him!!! 

My hubby committed to doing a 60 day workout program with me. Today is day 23 and he is still hanging with me and getting stronger and better every day. I love that we get to workout together (and even though some days we are tempted to skip, we don't) and that he's supporting me by doing something I love to do.

To me, this is an amazing transformation because even a few months ago, he would have given up by now. Sometimes the transformation isn't just physical; it's mental.

I'm looking forward to seeing what we can both do at the end of our 60 days! 

*Interested in following our plan? To get our 60-day program, plus 2 of our favorite supplements--a pre and post workout routine that makes a world of difference, CLICK HERE! 

The BIG GAME Super Snack Idea

Will you be watching the big game this Sunday? Millions will be--and millions will be stuffing their faces FULL of delicious treats. I will be doing the same. But what I'll be snacking on will be healthy, nutritious, clean-eating foods that won't make me feel bloated and gross at the end of the day. I will also be doing a kick-butt workout earlier in the day so I feel READY to take on Sunday night! Bring on the football (and also, all of the fun commercials! Am I right?! ;) hehe)

In need of a snack idea or two? Check out these Philly Cheese Steak sliders and then head on over to the original post where I found them to see more amazing snack ideas. Enjoy! 

Philly Cheese Steak Sliders

Total Time: 31 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 16 min.
Yield: 4 servings, 1 each

Ingredients:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium green (or red) bell pepper, sliced
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves)
Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
8 oz. raw lean beef sirloin, sliced very thin
¼ cup sliced banana (or cherry) peppers (optional)
2 oz. thinly sliced provolone cheese
4 small whole wheat rolls, split, toasted

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet (or griddle) over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onions are soft.
3. Add mushrooms and oregano. Season with salt and pepper if desired; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft.
4. Add sirloin; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until beef is cooked through.
5. Top evenly with banana peppers (if desired) and cheese. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
6. Top buns evenly with meat mixture; serve immediately.

Tip: To make slicing sirloin easier, freeze it for approximately 30 minutes before slicing.

For nutrition facts or to see the original post of this recipe, CLICK HERE! 

An Apology

I haven't blogged since December. I want to apologize for that--I know you are following my journey and I haven't been consistently blogging.

Want to know why?

I was SO GOOD during the months of November and the beginning of December. And by good, I mean, practically perfect ;) like an angel! haha

November 1-21 was my Ultimate Reset journey. I ate vegan. I didn't hate it. In fact, I have a new appreciation for ancient grains, fruits & vegetables. I even love tempeh! Who knew?! ;) See my Ultimate Reset RESULTS here! Unsure if this program works for men? Here's my hubby's results as proof! Want the kit to try it for yourself? Get it HERE! ;)

Then...Thanksgiving. I indulged. I felt overstuffed. I didn't let that get in my way of enjoying my favorite holiday!

November 30-December 20th: 21 Day Fix. I consistently did my workouts. 30 minutes a day for 21 days in a row. No skipping. No cheats (unless we're talking meal plan, in which case, I ate some chocolate. I'm a chocaholic. I can't help it!). The goal for this was to NOT GAIN WEIGHT but to maintain during the holidays. I achieved that! But...

Then...Christmas. And on Christmas day, my family and I flew to New Jersey to visit with relatives and friends for 10 days!!! TEN WHOLE DAYS of eating unhealthy (my family is Italian and they like PASTA and CARBS (and NOT the good-for-me kind!). I worked out....ONCE! I admit it. I did a 30 minute Insanity: Max 30 workout. On New Years Day. After drinking the night before. NOT exactly the smartest move--but I was determined to start my year off on the right foot!

We arrived home in Texas on January 4th (around midnight--so essentially it was the 5th). It was at this point that I took an assessment of where I was at. I had gained back almost all of the weight that I lost during my Ultimate Reset in November. I was crushed--for a second. BUT THEN I remembered that if I hadn't started back in November, I'd be about 10 or more pounds heavier then that starting weight! WOAH. Did I avoid a bomb or what?! This fact is super comforting to me.

So now what? It's January 15th. What am I doing?!

I am on day 5 of a program called The Master's Hammer & Chisel. It's amazing--it's incorporating moves that my body has never seen before and it's challenging. But you know what else? I've been sticking to the meal plan this week, using the performance line supplements--like a muscle recovery drink so that I don't feel as sore in the mornings and pre-workout that's to-die-for, and I feel incredible! I'm already down 2 pounds. I feel less bloated and puffy. I am starting to feel like myself.

Do I always want to do my workout? No! Do I sometimes want to "cheat" and eat all the chocolate and food I can get? Yes! Do I? No! Why Not? Because I know how good it feels to accomplish my goals. I know how good I feel during the process AND when I'm done. And I want you to know that if this chocaholic can do it, so can YOU!