Grovin'

i started saturday morning with a RUN!  yep, i stepped it on up and turned my power walk into a run. after a restful night i felt the urge and had the energy to do more for my workout.  and uhhh, my legs said GO but my boobs said NO.  ouch. so it definitely became more of a jog/walk kinda thing for about an hour or so. nice, early, humid workout nonetheless.

 great support from both sports bras and regular bras is EVERYTHING when it comes to postpartum boobs.  all boobies are different but i am now back up to a D cup (k, double) after getting quite comfy and confident with my B's post bikini comp last year.  my strongest, most supportive, 'old faithful' sports bra is so old actually that i can only find it used on eBay lol. it's the Asics Athletic Seamless Racerback bra and has served me well, so i'm sticking with the Asics brand from here on out. it's like a brand new bra after every wash- it tightens back up and provides maximum support.

*****

mama and papa stepped out for a hot date saturday night!  dates are good. dates are refreshing.  dates keep things going, exciting, and refreshing. dates give you something to look forward to.  we are going on 7 years of marriage this year!  i actually had something really cool planned that fell through....but i didn't reveal it to Sonny yet cause i'm totally gonna try again.  so, we went to dinner anyway to just enjoy some kiddo-free time. and burgers.

i chose the Grove downtown, and we got a nice big cozy booth to ourselves.

repeat offender.  just one of those things Sonny has grown to 'love' about me.  even if we're at a new spot- i always play it safe and order salmon, and then we argue on how to even say salmon correctly.

excuse the disrespectful flash;  the lighting was super dim and sexy though so i needed it.  reminds me of my early IG pictures pics- i can't stand looking at them!! uuuggggghhhh.

this was a spring mix salad with radish and tomatoes.  now that i think about it, our waiter didn't ask me when kind of dressing i even wanted, so no idea there.  i was living life on the edge and didn't get my dressing on the side this time.

Sonny asked our waiter what the quickest appetizer to make was (kinda hungry, aye?) and he said the flash fried shrimp.

sweet, crunchy, and full of flavor.

a tasty bacon burger and french fry combo for hubby,

and a grilled salmon fillet paired with sautéed cauliflower, kale, and fennel for moi.

much needed!

are they twinning or what?  Dego is much more social and aware these days which means more smiles :D

Q: what's your favorite date nite with your S.O.?

Q: how often do you make time for them? weekly? monthly?

long as i'm eating good food i'm a happy camper; 2-3 times a month is ideal for us when going out. home movie/dinner/game dates are great ideas too!

le

33 weeks + Double Chocolate Skinny-Fat Brownies

 in the beginning of the 2nd tri i remember sometimes forgetting i was even preggo.  didn't feel anything on the inside most days and definitely wasn't showing on the outside yet.  yeah, those days are OVER.  i actually feel great and my energy didn't deplete like i expected at 33 weeks now, but as my little nugget grows, obviously the discomfort does too.

#magicbump now ya see it, now ya don't!

you know that hasn't stopped me from moving though!  outside of teaching my Lifetime classes, i look forward to Zumba and Kickboxing for my cardio because they are just so FUN to take.   some days all i want to do is move, nothing serious.  i've been constantly reaching for healthy fat to nourish the baby and i and i'm slightly addicted to Dark Chocolate Dreams by Peanut Butter & Co on my early morning pre-workout snacks as you can see!

other healthy fat sources:

• avocado! homemade guacamole (2 avocados, 1 roma tomato, sea salt, juice of 1/2 a lemon, 2 tbsp minced cilantro - BLEND)
• raw or roasted, unsalted almonds, pistachios, and cashews
• olive & coconut oil
• lite & full-fat coconut milk
• natural peanut butter, nut butters in general
• flaxseed
• mackerel & salmon

today was my last ultrasound scan until we meet baby Odego.  my OB just wants to make sure he is measuring correctly and will compare his progress to the last scan.

Sonny always asks me why i cuff my bump. i don't know!!!! it's just something we do. my hand just goes there automatically. especially in pictures.

here are some recent eats! if you follow me on Instagram though you've prolly already seen all of these ;)

lean protein, plenty of fresh & raw veggies, fruit, healthy fat, and whole grains, even when dining out.

 remember, your postpartum 'transformation' starts the MOMENT you get preggo, not after you deliver your baby! smart food choices and physical activity from start to finish is what makes the difference in your recovery time.

for my Sunday Dinners cooking class last evening, we made Fit N' Crispy Chicken Parm and Thai Coconut Curry Chicken (recipe coming up next post!) - two flavorful, fun, things you can do with those plain ol' chicken boobs.

i sent my students home happy and packed up all the leftovers for them to kill later.  which left me with, well, nothin'!! it's all about you guys though.  sooo, i made a big pan of parm for mysel....err, my family today and my Italian fix has once again been satisfied.

they also went home with a sample of these guys: Double Chocolate Skinny-Fat Brownies! why? cause i used skinny / healthy ingredients (no processed sugar, whole wheat flour, no butter) but it still tastes like a brownie should.  i had my fingers crossed that they would be a hit and they were!  which means i'll be whipping some up for a 'Skinny' themed private 30th birthday event next month.  YES, i do those too!  email me for all the details at le@fitfoodiele.com.

ok, ok.

Double Chocolate Skinny-Fat Brownies

the stuff:(source)

• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder + 2 tsbp
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chunks, chips, or mini morsels
• 1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour (i used King Arthur)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg, beaten and at room temp
• 1/4 - 1/2  cup pecan pieces (optional;  can add to batter or save for topping)

do this:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F and coat an 8 in square pan with no-stick cooking spray.
2. mix the maple syrup and cocoa powder together really good (you'll be stirring for a minute, just keep going).
3. combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
4. in another bowl, add the applesauce, oil, egg, and vanilla.  work in the maple syrup / cocoa mixture.
5. add the wet mixture into the flour and stir until well combined.
6. pour into your pan and let bake for about 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

TIPS:

*remember, there are chocolate chunks in the batter so don't mistake the melted chocolate on the toothpick for uncooked batter like i did.

*let the pan cool a little then place it in the fridge for about 20 minutes before serving. i just popped a piece in the microwave for 10-15 secs before eating.

*when cutting, run hot water on your knife for a few secs first to make clean cut squares each time.

makes 16! for 1:

nighty nite!

le

holy forehead acne + gender reveal

my close friends are like 'girl SHUT UP about this forehead acne already. please.' and i will. when it goes away :shock: .   forreal though, it's the only symptom that is different from my 1st pregnancy. so 2% of me believed a mini fit foodie le was on the way.

 welp, yesterday was the day we got to confirm those (un)educated guesses.  i have been saying i don't care about the sex... i meant that.  i still don't care. i just can't believe i said i would wait until i was in the delivery room to find out....HA. yeah, not doing that. this round anyway!  i commend women/couples who actually go through with it though, seriously.

i wake up wanting real cheese, eggs, and toast. every morning. most days this is dinner too.  so after a filling breakfast and some 19 week selfies,

i was so excited i threw on some heels and we hit the road to meet Sonny.  i asked Chi for the last time that morning,' so, sister or a brother? '  he responded with 'no thank you mama.  i don't want a sister.' aaaaallrightythen.

 i couldn't help but think, 'i was just here with Chiso.' 3 years really did pass by that fast. funny how my entire visit happened just like last time too.  Sonny came to meet me (well us, this time) from work, and i even used the same changing room. on purpose.   i remember having to chug 20 oz or more of water just before the procedure. and i barely made it to the bathroom afterwards. like last time.

heading down the long hallway to the US room.

it was even the same nurse - i recognized her right away and the way she began: 'ok please let me find what i need to find first and then we'll eventually get to the gender, your questions, and then i'll show you your baby in detail.' aaaaallrightlythen. #doyourthing.  she reminded me that the procedure usually lasts an hour, but that's cause sometimes the babies don't cooperate or face in the best direction.  luckily our little one gave us a clear shot of the goods ;)  . i think it's hilarious to watch the baby's mouth opening and closing on the screen- i'm like what the heck are you even saying :lol: !?  it's also cool to see all the punching and kicking and feel it happening in your belly simultaneously.   just in complete awe of God, again.

he'll fully understand soon enough.

and we're done here! all cheeses after 'meeting' the 4th member of the Egwuatu family.  so.....

this was the very first pic the nurse printed out for us.... POW. i knew instantly but Sonny still had the 'wait, what is that?' look on his face for the longest.

well, what is it?! 

(view is from the top looking down)

le

hostess with the mostess - cheesy spinacy & squash au gratin

my mom is a pre-K teacher and still on her holiday break, so she and my aunt (her sis-in-law) came over to hang out, sleepover, and keep Chiso company with us. which means, i get ta' COOKIN'!  whipping up healthy, tasty food for my family gives me life (add that to the phrases we should stop using in 2014 :roll: ) but it best describes how i feel while i'm doing my thing in my kitchen.  now can i do all this again tomorrow?  you bet! playing hostess is FUN. what we chowed down on today:

lean turkey burgaaaaaas for lunch!  super easy recipe can be found on my instagram post from earlier today (look for this same photo).

i topped the patties with cheddar style rice cheese,

and i found those sprouted grain buns at Sprouts Farmer's Market recently.  i was looking for the Ezekiel ones but these were cheaper and by Alvarado Street Bakery.  heard a lot about them and was not disappointed.

no lettuce or avocado in the house, womp. but i did have condiments, tomatoes, and plenty of pickles. stuff your burgers with your fave toppings and toast your buns (makes a big difference in taste and texture).  everyone enjoyed their burger except for you-know-who.

he touched it like he was going to pick it up and then faked everybody out.  i'll try again tomorrow.

i've been playing around with a squash casserole type recipe for the past few days and finally just went for it today since i was all up in the kitchen anyway. turned out better than i imagined, whoa.   Sonny says it tastes just like Boston Market's squash casserole side and well, i won't argue with him!

cheesy spinach & squash au gratin

the stuff:

• 2 large zucchini, raw, coined & halved (see pic above)
• 2 large yellow squash, raw, coined & halved
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 eggs
• Earth Balance Organic Whipped Buttery Spread
• 2 tbsp liquid aminos
• 1 cup frozen, thawed spinach
• 1/2 cup cheddar style rice cheese
• 1/2 cup skim mozzarella (you may use mozzarella almond cheese as well)
• 1/8 cup light parmesan cheese

breadcrumbs:

• 3 slices Sara Lee 45 Calories & Delightful bread, toasted until crispy
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 cup light parmesan cheese

do this:

1. spray your casserole dish with no-stick cooking spray and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. make breadcrumbs by combining listed ingredients in your food processor and pulsing until you achieve a breadcrumb-like consistency.
3. in a large skillet over medium heat, saute the garlic, onion, zucchini, and squash together for 4-5 minutes or until translucent.
4. add spinach, garlic powder, onion powder, liquid aminos, parsley, and cracked black pepper to pan; mix.
5. cover pan and let cook down for 10 more minutes before shutting off the heat and pouring your squash mixture into your prepared casserole dish. set aside.
6. in a separate bowl, whisk eggs.
7. to the egg mixture, add 1/8 cup of parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup of breadcrumb mixture, 1/2 cup of cheese, and the 1/2 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
8. if your squash mixture has completely cooled by now, go ahead and add the egg mixture to it in the casserole dish and mix WELL. if it's still warm, temper the eggs by adding a little bit of squash mixture to the egg mixture (in that order, please!)  at a time to prevent making scrambled eggs.  the cold almond milk should help cool the squash mixture down faster too. once all combined, set aside.
9. add the last 1/2 cup of cheese to  1/4 cup of the breadcrumb mixture and sprinkle it on top of your casserole evenly.
10. bake for 40-45 minutes or until the casserole no longer jiggles when you shake the dish.
11. let it cool then dive in.

i divided my dish into 8 nice size servings and here are the stats for 1 serving: 162 cals, 6g fat, 14g carbs, 15g protein, 4 g sugar.

have a seat, Boston Market :lol:

lastly, for dinner, i heated up some leftover chicken & veggie stir fry and mixed it with some marinara sauce to revive the flavors. very yummy!  i also baked two pans of swai for tonight and for Sonny's lunches tomorrow.  i don't add ANY salt to the swai cause it doesn't need it at all like tilapia.

  i topped these with onion powder, garlic powder, and salt free Southwest seasoning from Mc Cormick (found at Walmart and HEB) and cooked them for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. that's it!  roasted brussels sprouts on the side.

 thinking about all the crazy business ideas in my head and on my heart for 2014 and it overwhelms me.  i'm determined to make 2014 NOTHING like 2013 though. one day at a time.  ok, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

le