Friday Food Frenzy 20

Alright. Who let me slack?! It's a new year. I need to get back on the wagon all around, which doesn't just mean exercise, but it also means eating right! I tested out a few recipes that I absolutely fell in love with in December. I meant to share my thoughts with you on several occasions but time just seemed to escape every single day. So here we go...

Oh Gina at SkinnyTaste... I love you! I tried out her recipe for "No Bean Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili" on a snowy Sunday afternoon. Perfect on a cold, snowy football day. I think I never really cared for chili since I don't like beans but this sounded yummy, and the sweet potatoes gave it a nice twist. I will be perfectly honest: I don't like things spicy but my husband and I added a little extra chili powder to our bowls when we tasted it because it tasted like it needed a little something more. However, I thought it was yummy. And even more importantly (and SHOCKINGLY), my 16 month old daughter who is somewhat of a picky eater LOVED it. Though she didn't care for the turkey when I reheated it to give her more the next day, she devoured the sweet potatoes. She isn't really into much meat and hasn't done much with sweet potatoes (or any potatoes) since her baby food puree days. She doesn't like them mashed, but apparently she likes them cut into small pieces. She couldn't get enough of this chili. I definitely will be cooking more of this chili this winter. Thank you, Gina!!! You introduced something my baby girls loves now! :)

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Now to sing the praises of Skinny Mom. I grew up around a lot of Greek food since my family is half Albanian and half Romanian (there are some similar foods amongst the ethnicities). A favorite of ours is spanakopita. Which, if you're familiar with it, it is not a very healthy dish despite the spinach (or other veggie of your choice) that is stuffed inside this yummy "pie". Skinny Mom has a recipe for a "Skinny Pie-Style Spanakopita". I must be honest (as always): I was SOOOOOO skeptical. This was a favorite of mine that my grandmothers use to make (which is now my aunts and parents as the years progress). I thought "how could this possibly be good without butter?!" 

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Folks... THIS IS DELICIOUS!!! And only 193 calories in 1/6 of the pie! I did my first test run of this dish the same day I mentioned the chili above. I was so impressed that I made it on Christmas Day for my family... my parents are amazing cooks and I sometimes feel intimidated cooking for them since I try to cook on the healthier side, but even THEY were impressed by how great this was (my dad just didn't like seeing me use the cooking spray on the sheets of phyllo dough). And they were shocked to see how quick and easy this was because cooking spanakopita is usually an all-day affair! One small modification I did make was that this recipe called for 1/4 cup of fresh dill. I don't love dill so I just sprinkled some dill weed into the mixture to put some in without it being too overpowering. I would honestly eat this every day, I loved it THAT much. 

'Til next week! 

~Aly

2013: The Year in Review

I think most of us can think back through our lives and recall at least one year that took you by surprise and turned into a year that (for the most part), you are more than happy to bid farewell to. 2013 was one of the biggest rollercoasters of my life and I was happy to bid it farewell. As we rang in 2013, my key resolution was to get back down to my wedding weight. I started to blog with a group of ladies about my weekly weight loss achievements and struggles. I really enjoy blogging and feel it holds me a little more accountable for my actions and has pushed me to achieve my goals. I virtually became good friends with some amazing bloggers along the way as we all worked to meet our weight loss and health goals. I felt amazing when I reached my (initial) goal weight in May. At that point, I set a goal for myself to maintain it as I worked to eliminate my love handles and gain a thigh gap. I worked to achieve those goals all summer and into early fall, but I slowly lost momentum as our fall got busy with trips we had planned. By Thanksgiving, I was barely working out, and my healthy eating habits started to slowly go down the tubes.

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With 2014 upon us, it is time to re-focus! I am not necessarily aiming for a number on the scale anymore. I am still aiming to minimize those love handles gain the thigh gap. :) I'm pushing to get back to my workouts nearly 7 days a week but will set the goal for 5 days a week at the minimum (at least 30 minutes a day).

I want to eat less processed foods. I know this is going to be a huge challenge for me but I need to cut back as much as possible as I truly believe this will help me bust through this cycle that I've been unable to bust through my entire life. I also want to start menu planning at least a week in advance. There was one week in December that I actually planned several meals ahead of time which made grocery shopping so much easier. I need to do that more often!!

Aside from weight loss goals and eating healthier, I have a few other resolutions. First (and this is going to sound so simple), I am going to follow a strict cleaning schedule. I have had the tendency of putting some things off and doing a lot of cleaning at once, but I realize that if I do a little bit each day, it will make my life so much easier! I've been pinning some sample schedules I've found but ultimately am going to write my own cleaning schedule so I do a little something each day to keep up with the house. It's amazing how easy it is to find excuses to not clean. You laugh, but I bet you know what I mean!

What else do I want to do in 2014? I want to continue being the best mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend I can be. I'm working on not sweating the small stuff so much, so I'm hoping to continue to progress in that department so I don't stress so much sometimes. We found a church locally that we are excited to become a part of this year, so I really look forward to getting involved there for our whole family. I want to continue to grow my Thirty-One business that I started in October 2013. My goal is to become a Senior Consultant by the end of 2014. I definitely think that's an attainable goal (I would love to be a Director by then but I think that might need to wait for 2015 --- but then again, you never know).

What are your resolutions? Work for what you want every day! :) Happy New Year!

~Aly

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Friday Food Frenzy 18

As I've been trying to get back (and stay) on track during the craziness of the holidays, I've been revisiting my "healthy recipe" pins on Pinterest to try some new recipes. As always, I adore Gina at SkinnyTaste. Her recipes have never failed me. Two recent (and very successful) attempts that I wanted to share with you...

Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach. I've never been a big fan of eggplant but Gina promises that this recipe will change your mind about it... and it did! This might just be my new favorite "skinny" recipe! 227 calories in 2 rollatinis --- plus it's meatless if that's your thing. It's a much healthier variation of Eggplant Parmesan. This dish may actually make an appearance at Christmas dinner this year as a side.

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Spinach Lasagna Rolls. This recipe is very similar to the eggplant above and it's equally as yummy (though for some reason, I enjoyed this one more as leftovers the second night). This recipe is actually a little easier to prep since you just have to cook the pasta rather than slicing and cooking the eggplant, but of course you have the added carbs with the pasta. Still a great meatless option for you and your family.

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My goal is to make more appearances on the blog here than I have been the past few months, so stay tuned for what is coming in the future of the "Friday Food Frenzy!"

Staying Active During the Holidays

I would be lying if I said I've been following the routine I had set up for myself all year. After the trips we took in September and October (where I didn't exercise while away), I lost serious momentum even though I was still eating healthy. I started working out less and less, to the point where I just got complacent. I mentally keep telling myself I need to workout but I am finding it challenging to get myself moving. I keep telling myself that with the weather changing, the holidays upon us and my (toddler) daughter getting some serious first molars that I just don't have the "umph" to do it. Not to mention that Thanksgiving weekend with my family definitely resulted in gaining probably a couple of pounds right there. But it's time to get serious and be honest with myself: there's NO excuse. If I make excuses now, I will never get back on track and eventually I will be right back where I started.

So I started thinking again. I'm BORED! I always felt great after putting in a hard workout, but I've gotten bored with my routine. I was doing a hybrid workout between Brazil Butt Lift, TurboFire, and Jillian Michaels "Ripped in 30", plus the occasional Jazzercise workout DVD. I keep eyeing up new DVDs and need to just make the plunge already. I also may jump back on the Bikini Body Mommy 90-Day Challenge when Briana starts it back up in January. I need to be held accountable. I'm also excited that a Stroller Strides group will be coming to a mall near me in January!! I've never participated in their workouts before but I've heard fantastic things about them and think it would also be a great way to meet other mom's in the area.

So between now and the end of the year, I'm just trying to keep myself on track with eating right and getting some sort of exercise in each day. I've been referring to my fitness pins on Pinterest for suggestions of things I can do while my daughter is around the house with me playing and watching TV. This one was a doozy on my arms!



How do you stay motivated and active during the holidays?

~ Aly

My Top Baby Items: Following Up After the First Year

As Ellie's first year came to a close and we started year two... and as numerous friends having shared exciting news of their pregnancies with me, I decided that sharing my favorite baby items many months ago needed an. I still stand firm in the "Top 10 Baby Items I Couldn't Live Without" I mentioned in a previous post. But as babies grow and develop, the items I couldn't live without have tweaked slightly.

A quick recap of the absolute musts for my daughter:

- Fisher Price Rock and Play Sleeper. Ellie slept in this every night for 4 months. Once she started rolling over on her own both ways, we made her sleep in her crib despite her attempted refusal. This sleeper was wonderful since she had reflux, plus was so easy to fold up and take along when we traveled to visit family overnight. 

- MamaRoo. Ellie practically lived in this her first six months. She even napped in the MamaRoo sometimes. The only reason it was retired so early was because she grew so quickly (she was over 26 inches already 21 lbs at 6 months) and she is so strong that I was worried she was going to tip it right over. 

- Motorola Video Monitor. I truly don't know how people lived without this "back in the day"! I love being able to see her anytime. Sometimes she makes noise but falls back asleep; this lets me watch her without needing to run the risk of peeking in her room when she might see me. If you're already a parent, you know it's "game over" for sleepytime once your child sees you peek at them.

- Itzbeen Timer. Until our recent trips we took, I was still using this daily. I'm a SAHM and the days tend to run together. It helps keep me in check to remember when she ate last, especially if we are out and about and I lose track of time. Now that she's on a pretty regular schedule though, I don't really need this anymore. It saved me while we got adjusted to her ever changing days though. 

My advice to you to add onto my previous post of my favorite baby items... and what I will consider when we decide to try for Baby #2 (which is not happening just yet):

- Bottles. I had a few family members and friends that swore by Avent bottles. Several of them also had older children, so Avent was the hot item on the market when their children were born. Well, I went with Avent (after leaving Babies R Us a bit weepy since I was sure picking the wrong bottles was going to be a catastrophe --- which, of course, it wasn't!), and while I didn't have any problems with the bottles, my daughter had a bit of gas and reflux for the first six months. I used Little Remedies gas drops in her bottles from when she was just a couple weeks old until she went on whole milk when she turned one, and she was on Zantac and Prevacid for her reflux from six weeks until she was six months old. I've heard nothing but fantastic reviews on the Dr. Browns bottles and plan to buy them for the next baby... It may be more to clean but in the grand scheme of things, it would absolutely be worth the extra cleaning to not hear your baby grunt and go through any kind of discomfort that can be prevented. While I can't speak from experience with Dr. Browns, I trust my friends who have used (and loved) them for their children.

- Bath products for sensitive skin. Of course my baby has sensitive skin. She gets that from me, eczema and all. I had originally planned on using Baby Magic on her for her baths and I had Johnson's baby lotion to moisturize her delicate skin. I noticed her skin was feeling scaly after just a couple weeks. I tried both the Aveeno Baby Lotion and the Cream for eczema. No help. Baby Magic came out with a baby cream (thicker is usually better), but that didn't help either. So I asked her pediatrician who surprised me when he said that a lot of the baby products are drying for baby's delicate skin... Say what?!?! So he said to try Aquaphor Baby Wash and Eucerin Calming Creme (ironically, this is what I was told to use when I had eczema as a child --- the creme, not the lotion). And it's been a huge help! You know baby products are always more costly... So why spend the money on products that don't work?! I have a few totally unused bottles of Aveeno that I've started to use for myself since it does her no good. The Aquaphor doesn't smell like anything, but that's ok. I still use Johnson's Baby Shampoo on her hair (we recently changed to the light blue bottle for thick/curly hair but she had been using the yellow bottle without any issues). But I stand by Aquaphor Baby Wash and Eucerin Calming Creme 110%. 

- Buying in excess. Use caution buying anything in bulk until you're sure it works for your baby (especially in the beginning). Formula. Bottles. Diapers. Baby food. Had I not had a ton of Avent bottles already, I may have considering switching. I was relieved I had primarily Huggies diapers because, despite my effort to get on the Pampers boat, I just didn't like the way my daughter wore them. I had to return a few containers of regular Similac after purchasing them when we switched my daughter to Similac Sensitive. And this was especially true for us when we got to stage 3 baby food. I've been told so many babies start to change their tastes when they reach stage 3. I bought 2 cases of stage 3 foods that she had eaten just a couple weeks prior and she then refused to eat them. She wanted table food! I ended up giving the food to friends for their babies.
- Stroller notes. This was the first purchase post-baby that made me really anxious to think about. My sister went through 10+ strollers with my nephew (and that is probably a conservative estimate --- nope, I'm not kidding!) so I knew I wanted to make the right choice from the start. Since we were using the Chicco Keyfit Caddy that the infant carrier slid right into, I knew we needed a stroller soon. I fell in love with the look of the City Mini and Britax B-Agile. I went to Babies R Us for a "test drive" and found that the basket under both of these strollers was far too small to fit my current diaper bag. I considered the option of getting a smaller diaper bag but couldn't really imagine eliminating items in the diaper bag which would allow me to downsize (and I didn't really have anything in the bag that was crazy, like excessive toys or anything). Diapers, wipes, an empty bottle with the powdered formula container, an extra outfit in case of emergency, etc... I was so sad, until I saw that Graco made a very similar stroller: The FastAction Fold Sport Click Connect Stroller. 3 wheels (the front can swivel or lock like a jogger, but it's not a jogger and they do caution you not to use it as a jogger). Larger basket underneath. An awesome expandable canopy. It can recline to just about any position, and also include the snack tray for the child which can be removed if you prefer. The parent tray is included too (which the pricier names didn't include)... and since it's Graco, you can use the 20% off coupons at Babies R Us! This stroller does allow you to slide your Graco infant carrier into it if you are still using it, however, I was unable to make use of this since I had a Chicco infant carrier (which I also loved, so changing that wasn't an option). So food for thought when you pick you a stroller. :)
- It's ok to shop around. As I said, I'm a SAHM so I try to be frugal but not crazy --- I like coupons when it's a substantial savings but am not a crazy couponer (mostly because I don't have the patience for it). A friend had introduced me to Diapers.com when I was pregnant as she had her daughter a few months prior to my daughter's birth. I fell in love with the ease of the website. And they offer free shipping on your order once you spend a specific (and easily reachable) total. When you have to tote a baby around, this makes ordering baby supplies so much easier!! I will caution you that the prices aren't always cheaper though (and maybe that was just because of the specific products I was looking for). Diapers and formula were sometimes slightly more than if you went into the stores, but sometimes worth the couple extra dollars to not have to go out to buy them on your own (remember: free shipping!) Plus, you can send them your manufacturers coupons and they will add them to your account to use on their website, which is fabulous! To be honest, I did a lot of baby food purchases from Diapers.com. If you've ever gone to the store to buy jarred baby food, you will quickly realize it is a pain, plus the only place you will find a complete variety is at your local baby store (i.e. Babies R Us). When Diapers.com had their sales, especially on Earth's Best Baby Food, I would buy cases at a time. I realize I said not to buy in excess above, but in this instance where I knew she was eating the stage 1 and 2 foods, it was wonderful! I purchased 60 jars (which is five of their 12 packs) of stage 2 food for my daughter when they were having a sale --- for just over $50 (and free shipping!!) It created a bit of a storage dilemma initially but was AWESOME since that essentially covered her meals for about a month! I also found wonderful deals at Diapers.com around the holidays, as well as when we purchased our daughter's convertible car seat. I always seem to get the 20% off coupons when I check out at Babies R Us but there are always restrictions on specific brands. I wanted a Britax convertible car seat but didn't want to pay full price. Diapers.com runs periodic sales on Britax where you can purchase their products for up to 30% off!!! I must tell you, we love her new car seat, and so does she --- the Britax Marathon is wonderful!!! So there's my plug for Diapers.com. Note: I do not work for Diapers.com or have any kind of connection, nor are they giving me anything for this review. I am just an avid fan of their website and how easy they make shopping for baby stuff. They also have a "Refer-a-Friend" program that gives your friends you refer a discount off their first order, as well as a credit to the referring friend, so if you're interested in these savings, I would be happy to share my referral code with you --- just send me a message! :)

I know how much of a struggle it can be to make the best decision you think you can for your baby, and tips from friends is what helped us get through our first year, so I hope this is helpful for all of you out there!

Busting Out of a Rut!

I was trucking right along all year, on my journey to living a healthier lifestyle moving forward. Once I got past a few bumps in the road this summer, including what I thought was going to be a bigger GI issue than Prilosec would solve (though it seems to be doing the trick so far), it finally happened... I strayed. I kept working out (almost daily) but I allowed myself to splurge a little bit here and a little bit there, figuring it would be OK since I was still exercising. I started every day tracking my calories but never really completed the day and stayed within my daily calorie allowance. Before I knew it, I felt my clothes starting to get a little snug, so I knew it was time to completely re-focus, and in the past week and a half, I've dropped some of those few pounds I gained back and am feeling so great about being back on track.

I decided to deviate from the standard TurboFire routine. I'm still incorporating the TurboFire workouts (after all, they are AWESOME!!!) but am also busting my behind a few days a week to Jillian Michaels "Ripped in 30". I missed Jillian and felt that it was necessary to start doing more toning with weights. Even though I've been working out all year, Jillian still knows how to make me HURT!! It amazes me to think that switching the routine a bit can make me so sore, and I love it!

That being said, I know I have an upcoming trip where working out daily isn't going to happen. And splurges will (mainly in the beverage department --- can we say wine?!) I am sure I will get some walking into my daily routine and that will help. So between now and then, I'm busting my butt to keep up the hard work, and plan to double time it when I return to make up for excess calorie consumption in adult beverages. After all, I am all about "work hard, play hard".

How often do you change up your routine? Do you lift weights? How often?

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Friday Food Frenzy 17

So after a weekend of pinning and flipping through cookbooks, I dug up a few recipes I couldn't wait to try. I am a lover of warm weather and everything that goes with it... I'm not even totally against the humidity (except during pregnancy because that was rough for me). But I am actually a little excited for fall. I want to get some new fall clothes since I haven't really done any serious shopping for any kind of fall wardrobe since 2010 (I knew I would be trying to get pregnant in 2011, and was working off all the baby weight in 2012). I want a couple new pairs of boots, already bought some new jeans, but might try some straight leg this year (key word: might), and am excited to see what I can find based on some of the fashion trends I've pinned on Pinterest.

Anyway, the first recipe I tried this week was a little bit different for me. I've never been a big fan of anything pumpkin. I know, it's a sin. I try something every year but never have any interest. I accidentally was given a pumpkin coffee a couple years ago when I went through the Dunkin Donuts Drive-Thru and couldn't drink it. However, the recent Skinnytaste post for Skinny Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins caught my eye. The recipe was super easy to follow and easy to make. And despite the amount of pumpkin in these mini muffins, they are delicious. In fact, I popped one too many when they came out of the oven (I should know better than to bake on an empty stomach). They're not too sweet either. I highly recommend these muffins, whether you're looking to make these to have with breakfast or as a snack. I would love to try this recipe as a loaf bread since the recipe actually yields 28 mini muffins and the muffin pan only makes 24.

Photo Source: Skinnytaste

My next recipe is also fall-inspired, but for dinner. From my "Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook": Chicken with Apples and Cider. The recipe yields 4 servings. The recipe is as follows:

2 TBSP vegetable oil

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced

1 TBSP packed dark brown sugar (I used light brown)

4 (4oz) skinless boneless chicken breasts

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings

1/2 cup apple cider

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cups hot cooked wide noodles (I used egg noodles)

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Sauté the apple until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the brown sugar; cook, stirring frequently until tender, 3-5 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate.

2. On a sheet of wax paper, sprinkle the chicken with the cinnamon, salt, and pepper. In the skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Sauté the chicken until browned, 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to another plate.

3. In the skillet, cook the onion, covered, until tender, 6-8 minutes; stir in the cider and vinegar. Reduce the heat and simmer 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet; summer, spooning the sauce over chicken, until chicken is cooked through and liquid is reduced by half, 4-5 minutes. 

4. Return the apples to the skillet; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Arrange the noodles on a platter; top with the chicken mixture, pouring any remaining juices over chicken.

Per serving (1 chicken breast, 1/2 cup noodles, and 1/4 sauce): 352 calories, 11g fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 89mg chol, 273mg sodium, 36g carb, 2g fiber, 27g protein, 35mg calcium. 

I was excited to try this recipe as I love apples and cider. The flavor was yummy but there wasn't quite enough juice which I think is because I let it cook too much, so if you're going to try this, keep a close eye on it so you don't dry yours out too.