Roasted Carrot Cake Pancakes + Special AZ Delivery!

got a special delivery todaaay!

i knew it was a delivery cause once again i heard an engine start up and a truck burn off before i even got to my first floor, haha.

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Arctic Zeroooooo! *backflip*

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i had been home for hours been home just a lil' while from teaching my 530am HIIT class and hadn't even showered yet but i had to capture this glorious moment with my AZ goodies!  keepin' it real!  no highlight reel over here.  perfect pictures all the time make me apprehensive.  that's just not real life.  plus those 'Perfect Picture' apps i recently found out about (i'm so outta the loop)... i mean, after using it once i'd feel like i'd have to use it every single time and that no picture would be worth posting without it. so i just won't use it at all!  that's just me though.   getting sexified from head to toe is fun too (it's part of the reason we work out, hello) don't get me wrong, but i love meeting followers out in the streets and being in my element = bun, headband, gym clothes.  i should be easily recognizable that way lol #nofilter

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personalization wins me over every time. THANK YOU, ARCTIC ZERO!  i am so appreciative of this! y'all know i've been lookin' for that darn Key Lime Pie flavor for weeks now.

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they sent this Product Request Form with my goodies and i thought that was such a genius idea.  i will be dropping this guy off at my Sprouts Farmers Market ASAP.  after i circle Key Lime Pie of course.

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shucky ducky quack quack. #whostillsaysthat

the new chunky pints all have bits and chunks of goodies in them!  75 cals per 1/2 cup serving and 300 cals total for the entire pint.  they are lactose-free, gluten-free, non GMO, fat-free, low glycemic, Kosher and a highly recommended fit frozen dessert.

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chunky pints... meet Chunky Butt.

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 what you're seeing up there is bits of graham cracker crust in the key lime pie chunky pint. YES!!!! THIS is what i have been waiting to devour and i finally have. two thumbs waaaay up from me. key lime pie is my fave (Papadeaux's specifically) but i said i was gonna make a completely RAW key lime pie for my birthday which is coming up faster that i expected, sheesh. it's all about the kids now anyway; i don't even remember mine is coming until somebody mentions it.  next on our tuesday to-do list was breakfast!

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with hidden veggies! yeah, it's fun being a professional veggie sneaker and all, but i do wish i wouldn't have to go through 'so much' just to get my 3 yr old to eat them.  nevertheless, I CAN'T EVEN with how good these cakes were.  and there's a Chocolate Covered Katie inspired greek yogurt frosting on top!

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 i roasted the carrots on 400 degrees in the oven (spread them in an even layer on a foiled pan) for about 30-40 min or until they are super soft.  i did drizzle them with about a tbsp of raw honey first.

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Roasted Carrot Cake Pancakes

the stuff:(source)

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour OR all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• dash ginger
• dash cloves
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar OR brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cashew milk
• 1 tsp melted coconut oil
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1.5 cups roasted carrots

do this:

1. add every single ingredient to your blender or food processor
2. blend until super smooth
3. heat your griddle to 400 deg or set your cast iron skillet to med-high heat and coat with no-stick cooking spray
4. spoon batter onto griddle by the tbsp; cake size is up to you!
5. once bubbles start to form on top (3-4 min), flip the cake and continue to cook for another 2-3 min or until lightly browned.

top with raw, shredded carrots, greek yogurt icing, and pecan. keep scrollin' for that icing recipe!

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Cinnamon Vanilla Greek Yogurt Icing: (combine & mix!)

• 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp Tofutti dairy-free cream cheese (softened)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp dairy-free greek yogurt
• 4 tbsp Stevia for baking or Truvia
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

make these toddler-friendly, #fitmom approved pancakes and TAG ME on IG!

Q: YouTube ideas needed....what would you like to see?! recipes? more workouts? 

have a terrific tues, y'all.

le

i dip you dip we dip

happy labor day.

since it was a holiday, i went to the gym. no surprise there. i took my GFDH's (group fitness department head)  Total Conditioning Xtreme class and WELL, that's why she's the GFDH of the best gym in the universe.  i sweat in places i don't recall ever sweating in before (sweaty knees???)  and i just didn't know what to even do with myself once class was over. LOVED IT.  every sweaty second.  i headed home with Chiso and after a nice shower i sat on the bed to nurse my two month old and the next thing you know all three of us were out.  i have not had the pleasure of taking a daytime nap in.... idk.  i actually stopped taking naps purposely cause they messed with my sleep later that same night (i.e. up staring at Sonny sleeping in the dark).  however, for a good hour or so it went down and i did not fight it.  Dego was the only thing interrupting my sleep later!

my sis-in-love invited us to her church's BBQ so off we went and had a great time with family and friends eating and fellowshipping (not a word).  this is actually my to-go plate as i ate there. lol. bbq'd chicken, salmon, corn, and i made my own side salad drizzled with lite strawberry balsamic dressing. then...it was time for dessert.

when we got back home we tried out ENLIGHTENED Ice Cream instead of getting fro-yo.  impressive!  healthy ice cream?  of course we're trying it.   dipped in chocolate.  not that it even needed all the extra hoopla.  i just wanted to get Chiso involved ( he looooves to help me in the kitchen ) and more excited than he already was. sprinkles tend to do that ;)

so sprinkles for him, and toasted almonds for me! i melted down some semi-sweet chocolate chips and thinned it out with a little unsweetened vanilla almond milk.  the instructions say to let the bars sit for 3-5 minutes (pure torture by the way)  to temper before eating.  so we impatiently stuck it out before we dipped. my Sprouts Farmer's Market only carried the fudge flavor and the texture is suuuuper creamy.

how bout those stats?  no artificial sweeteners and only 70 cals per bar.  don't mind treating Chiso with these at all and hoping to get my hands on the other flavors in the near future.

 depending on what your 'thing' is, check out ENLIGHTENED, well, everywhere:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

Q: well, football season is officially here. what does this mean to you?

a. absolutely nothing

b. see ya in february, hubby

c. got my jersey ready, let's gooooo

le

wienervention - the cleanest hot dog i've ever eaten

another early gym date accomplished this morning and officially 1 month postpartum! i expect to get a lot done today. 

i had my usual preworkout snack, some hot, magical coffee, and headed out for an hour of treadmill intervals. i alternated btw:

5 incline @ 4 mph - 5 minutes

15 incline @ 3 mph - 5 minutes 

walking IS boring but there are ways you can rev it up.  i always swing my arms vigorously, walk heel-to-toe with a wide stride, and i never hold the side rails either. that's cheatiiiiing ;)

can i do a blog #throwbackthursday? i'm doin' it anyway!

**********

while we were headed home from the hospital last month with our brand new baby boy, something beat us there- my Wienervention Kit from Applegate!!!

that nostalgic red and white pattern always reminds you of what? a summer picnic, yep.

however, the Houston heat was too much and i just wanted to lay down somewhere and stuff my face in the AC.  i'd like to give a gigantic high-five and thank you to one of my favorite natural and organic brands, Applegate, for the goods. i knew the kit was on the way, but it slipped my mind after giving birth and all.  my mom and aunt were at our house tidying up and waiting to help out with our new family member, so unbeknownst to Sonny & i, they went ahead and cracked the kit open and prepared a welcome home lunch for us! perfect timing, right?

i actually used to avoid hot dog wieners for this very reason...  i've always thought of them as the wack parts of meat that didn't make the cut all blended up together with fat and other UFOs.  i would only have them every blue moon, like july 4th or memorial day at somebody's BBQ. at home? not so much.  also, reading 'mechanically separated turkey, chicken, or beef' in the ingredients list is not very appetizing. thank God we have many healthier options to choose from these days; these Applegate wieners are in a league of their own! a wienerventioW was overdue.

rest assured these top-notch dogs are:

• all natural
• contain no antibiotics
• humanely raised beef fed vegetarian/grain diet
• gluten-free
• casein-free
• contain no fillers
• contain recognizable ingredients! every single one.
• really, really tasty.

nailed that presentation.

they also sent along condiments, cause you can't build a stellar dog without them.

• Annie's Organic All Natural Ketchup (her salad dressings are crazy good, especially the artichoke parmesan, trust)
• Rick's Picks Zesty Dill Relish - (which tasted like a combo of sweet & dill relish! i've always topped my dog with one or the other..not both. i bet it would be amazing in potato salad as well.)
• Annie's Organic Yellow Mustard

 for the buns, we had a choice of Rudi's Organic Bakery Multigrain or White hot dog buns!  i loved them both and you can snag a coupon for a bag of your choice right on their website. from the bun, to the condiments, to the wiener, this is THE cleanest hot dog i've ever eaten.

time to change the meat you eat and give Applegate a try.

in newborn news, 

i think he'll be tall.

more tummy time, aka, push up practice!

le

fit n' crispy chicken parm

Italian food. its been on my mind lately.

i really wanted something heavy like a big pan of cheesy lasagna but this nipped that craving right in the bud.  it's lean, it's fit, it's crispy, it's savory, and it's good.

making your own bread crumbs is super simple and recommended.  pick your fave bread! for my recommendations, keep scrollin'!

perfect. no frying needed! i had planned to sear the chicken on both sides in my cast iron skillet (before putting them into the oven to finish) cause i wanted that crispy, crunchy exterior, but omitting that step still produced the same results. SCORE.

i used Classico all natural, fire roasted tomato & garlic sauce (or you can make your own marinara... uh huh, keep scrollin'),

and topped the breasts with a heaping tbsp of sauce, a few spinach leaves, and a big slice of mozzarella almond cheese.

i know chicken parm is usually paired with some variety of pasta, but i had a big, unbaked spaghetti squash sitting on my counter i needed to use.

tender, Italian juiciness.  recipe time :)

fit n' crispy chicken parm

the stuff: breadcrumbs

• 4 slices whole wheat/grain bread (see what i used below)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 cup light parmesan cheese (optional for a dairy-free dish)

the stuff: chicken

• 4 large boneless & skinless chicken breasts
• homemade marinara 
• 1-2 tbsp melted dairy-free buttery spread (see what i used below)
• 1-2 cups shredded cheese of your choice! (see what i used below)
• 1/4 cup Coconut Aminos
• 1 tbsp Weber Kickn' Chicken seasoning blend

do this: breadcrumbs

1. toast slices of bread until crispy, not burnt but no longer soft and chewy.
2. break them up into pieces by hand and toss them into your food processor.
3. add the onion powder, garlic powder, optional parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings.
4. blend until you achieve a breadcrumb-like consistency and set to the side.

do this: chicken - preheat oven to 400 degrees now!

1. pound and flatten thawed chicken breasts (under a towel, in plastic wrap, in a plastic bag, etc) with your mallet until about 1/2 in thick.
2. MARINATE the chicken breasts (overnight for best results) in the aminos and weber seasoning in a plastic baggie.
3. make an assembly line with 3 shallow pans.  1: melted buttery spread 2: breadcrumbs 3: baking pan (coated with no stick cooking spray) that will go into the oven.
4. take each chicken breast and dip/press them into the buttery spread, then the breadcrumb mixture coating both sides evenly.
5. finally, place them neatly into your baking pan, flat.  if they are touching it's ok but don't overcrowd your pan.
6. place pan(s) into the oven and cook for 20 minutes on one side; flip, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
7. once done, remove pan from oven and set oven to HIGH broil.  spoon marinara over the center of the breasts (how much is up to you) then top with shredded cheese.
8. place pan back in oven close to the broiler heat and once the cheese is completely melted and bubbly, remove the pan from the oven for the last time and top with fresh basil.

here are a few options:

Sara Lee whole wheat 45 calories & delightful bread + mozzarella almond cheese,

Rudi's multigrain gluten-free sandwich bread + Daiya dairy-free shredded mozzarella,

 

or my fave, the 80/20 version: Rudi's multigrain sandwich bread + shredded monterey jack!

le

buy 4 get 1 free! + Sprout Channel

only two more Thursdays 'til Turkey Day yall!

this is my highlight meal for the week:

this filling, savory meal is the Baked Penne with Sausage and Kale from FITzee Foods.  the kale part immediately sparked my taste buds!  whole wheat penne pasta, chicken italian sausage, and fresh kale all baked together with a dairy-free cream sauce, mushrooms, onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh herbs. i'm lovin' it.

-----> a 'buy 4 meals get the 5th free' deal is happening right, right now! take advantage, fit friends.<-----

i would just love to express my joy for the Sprout channel real quick.

my sis-in-law told me about it months ago and after the last adult joke i could stand from Sponge Bob i decided to look it up in our cable directory.

3 words. WHAT A BLESSING.  Chiso has fallen head over heels in love with, well, every single show.  his absolute fave is Caillou.   Caillou games have mysteriously appeared on the iPad and neither Sonny nor myself put them there.  and then there's Tree Fu Tom:

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so even if we don't head to the park, he can still move and shake indoors! that makes me one happy fit mom. but not happy enough to clean out that file cabinet.

Chiso sings,  interacts,  learns, & plays SO much more so than when the TV was on Nickelodeon or  Disney.  the Sprout channel caters to his crowd (24 hour pre-school channel) and i have really seen a different side of him these past few weeks.

they have a fantastic, interactive website too! games, videos, and next on our agenda is printing out some of the blank coloring sheets provided of some of his favorite characters (soon as we get some more ink.) i am fond of several of the shows myself; especially The Goodnight Show :lol:.   i really like that they keep some of the classic shows like Sesame Street in rotation too. ooooh the memories. i am just too happy about this and wanted to share.

 parents, please check and see if your cable provider hosts this channel for your little one!  if you're already a fan, which show does your little one love the most?

you can check out the FITzee Foods Facebook & Twitter pages, or click here to order.

le