Easter

I hope everyone had a blessed Easter! I know we felt incredible gratitude to wake up forgiven and to spend our day with loved ones for our Lord Jesus. Spent the morning with God and then joined my parents for a delicious breakfast at a favorite restaurant of ours. Afterward, we had to move our egg hunt indoors, due to the rain. It all worked out though, because for B's first hunt she was a pro and found every single one and had so much fun opening them "WOW! Green duck!" or "Ohhh booful (beautiful) blue bunny!". It's so precious to see the holidays through your child's eyes.

 
We relaxed for the afternoon and made some fun snacks and crafts, as well as reading lots of spring time books. That night we enjoyed dinner at my step-dad-in-law's mom's (say that ten times fast) house. B got to do another egg hunt and scored big with eggs filled with $2 bills and quarters. It was definitely a very hoppy day!

If you know me, you know I love making fun and festive foods for the holidays... Okay, who am I kidding, I like making them all the time. On top of that, I always like to keep it healthy in our home. So, below are some of the fun and nutritious Easter treats I made for our tot this year. As well as the goodies to fill an entire Easter basket and eggs without candy. I hope this sparks some fun ideas for next year for your kiddos, or even just fun ideas for any day. I'm pretty any toddler will accept bunny pancakes 365 days a year. So for breakfast on Saturday (because we were going out to eat on Sunday), I made these healthy bunny pancakes which B thought was the greatest thing ever. "It's bunny mama, it's his ears. I yike it, it's yummy!" Then on Sunday afternoon she had some fruit filled eggs... no candy for my healthy baby bunny.

 I filled her hidden eggs with the most adorable individual Easter themed stickers (thank you Target, yet again!) So grateful not to have spent Saturday night cutting out individual ones, which was my original plan until I found these gems.

I I mean, the Easter Bunny filled her basket with plenty of goodies too! She received many other baskets from family too, all with arts & crafts, stuffed bunnies, baby lotion, and not a sweet in sight. They all know this crazy Mama Bear means healthy business.(;

 

B's dress & hat: Gymboree // Sandals: Target

rolls are for rookies

Sushi is an absolute favorite of mine. It's also an incredibly healthy genre of food, when you know how to order it. Fortunately, the healthiest stuff is actually the most delicious. Below I'll share some, by which I mean a lot, of our favorite dishes. I'd love for all of you to enjoy all of the wonderfulness that under the sea has to offer, and avoid the unnecessary junk along the way.

For starters, and I don't mean appetizers, rolls are for rookies.  Whenever we go to sushi, it seems that everyone is ordering rolls of some kind. It makes me sad, because while yes they're leaving more of the goods for me to order, they're missing out on the best the restaurant has to offer. Please know that I'm not knocking all rolls, but a great majority of them include the ingredients you don't want to consume. They also tend to stick to the basics as far as sea food goes. Lots of crab mix, some shrimp here and there, and maybe some salmon or tuna on occasion. It's a waste of sushi night not to be adventurous, and in turn healthy. Here are the key words of what NOT to order:

 

Cream Cheese: 

I love cream cheese as much as the next normal human, but I also know that it not a health conscious choice. If you absolutely must have it, stick to one piece and make all of the other ingredients in said choice great for you.

 

Mayonnaise:

I absolutely despise the stuff, so it's easy for me to avoid. However, I know it's popular amongst others, and in a lot of the rolls. It may be listed as spicy mayo, creamy sriracha, or disguised as "mix", meaning it's mixed into whatever seafood filling is in the roll. It's obviously not a light option, and totally gross at that.

 

Tempura:

This is Japanese for battered and deep fried. Need I say more? Fried foods are a big no-no.

 

Evil attracts evil, so naturally these three options tend to go together on a lot of the dishes, only making them three times worse for you. One that isn't as awful for you, but still not great is the white rice in a lot of rolls and sushi dishes, the best way to avoid it is to order everything as sashimi. You're not missing much by deleting the above ingredients from your order. After all, you're there for the sea food right? Speaking of which let's dive in under the sea and talk about the treasure chest full of sashimi and sushi gold.

Seaweed sashimi salad, miso soup, oysters, and edamame all make great starters. Then we tend to order quite a few of the following... (We are incredibly adventurous eaters and enjoy eating things out of the bento box.)

Amaebi Sushi aka Sweet Shrimp (sushi bodies & fried heads)
Hamachi Kama aka Yellowtail Cheek/Collar (cooked)
Aji Sashimi aka Japanese Mackeral (sashimi & then they fry the bones)
Hiramasa Sashimi aka Amberjack
Toro &/or Chutoro Sashimi aka Tuna
Sake Sashimi aka Salmon
Unagi aka Freshwater Eel (broiled)
Hamachi Sashimi aka Yellowtail
Ika Sashimi aka Cuttlefish or Squid
Tako Sashimi aka Octopus
Tako Wasabi aka Octopus Tentacles in Wasabi Root
Hotate Sashimi aka Live Scallops
Ikura Roe aka Salmon Eggs
Uni aka Sea Urchin

MMM. Drooling yet? I hope this provides you with a whole new perspective of deep sea dishes and that you're encouraged to try something new the next time you go. Or if you're really daring try "Omakase" meaning in the chef's hands. Where he'll surprise you with a variety of everything over several courses.

Arigato!

Brownies

Who wants my special brownie recipe?(; No, not those kind. 

These brownies are special in that they're as healthy as they are delicious. That's right people; bikini approved brownies. Say what?! 

 

 

So I found myself with a mean hankering for some thick chewy chocolatey goodness the other night. I ate a nibble of some dark chocolate, but it just didn't cut it. I craved that warm gooey goodness of a brownie. In that moment, I realized I haven't had a brownie since I was pregnant. Insanity. Well, obviously typical brownies don't fit my healthy eating lifestyle; you know the one where I don't eat much sugar or junk food. So I decided to get experimental in the kitchen... 

Success! I made these fantastically delicious chocolate hunks chunks, using only healthy ingredients. I tested them out on several friends, including the pickiest or junkfoodiest (that's a word now) of eaters, and they gobbled them up. Don't let the odd sounding ingredients throw you off, give them a try and thank me later. 

Just in time for Valentine's, here is my Bikini Brownie recipe:

 

First, go put your bikini on, because you've discovered a yummy treat that'll make you look great in it. Then preheat your oven to 350* F. This quantity works best in an 8x8 Pyrex dish. I "grease" (I hate that word, because there's no greasy grossness here) the pan with a paper towel dabbed in coconut oil or grapeseed oil. A little goes a long way. (Healthy cooking sprays will work as well, just avoid vegetable oils or butter, or Heaven help you margarine.) Then add the following ingredients (except chocolate chunks) into a blender (I use a Vitamix), a food processor or hand mixer will work, just make sure it's blended really well. Then stir in the *optional chocolate chunks into your already blended batter before pouring into dish. ps. You can lick the utensils salmonella-worry-free, because there's no egg involved. Go. To. Town.
 

•1 (15oz) can of black beans (drain and rinse thoroughly 

•1/2 cup plain oats (no instant flavored sugary varieties) 

•1/3 cup of 100% pure maple syrup (that means maple syrup is the only ingredient; you defeat the purpose with sugary/hfc kinds) ((You can do honey or agave, but note it will change the flavor to that of those.))

•1/4 cup coconut or grapeseed oil 

•1/4 cup cacao powder (You guessed it; just cacao or 'cocao', no added sugar. This is not the same as hot cocoa mix)

•1/2 scoop protein powder (I use Muscle Milk 100% Whey Vanilla or Chocolate; yeah there's like 1.5g of sugar. Use your preferred.) 

•pinch of salt

•OPTIONAL: dark chocolate chunks/chips. (You can buy chips or just grate/break small chunks off of a bar. Be sure to get a kind that is at least 70% cacao for their to be health benefits and less sugar content. The first ingredient should be cacao, not sugar.)

 

Place the filled dish into oven and set timer for 15 minutes. Check on their progress by inserting a toothpick and pulling it out; if the batter is stuck goopy to the toothpick it needs more time, if it comes out clean, they're ready. Ovens obviously vary, as do moist/chewy preferences. Mine usually go for about 21 minutes, just enough to get those chewier corner pieces. Remove from oven (use an oven mit; I'm sad I have to say that.) and let cool for about ten minutes if you can resist temptation that long. 

 

And yes, making them into heart shapes makes them taste that much better. Goes great with a big glass of almond/coconut milk, complete with a heartsy straw. Add berries or drizzle with almond butter, whatever your healthy cravings desire.

 

Enjoy!

 

ps. PLEASE tell me how they turned out for you, or if you tried something different. Tag me on Instagram @blakeleyfitness with your masterpieces.

***UPDATE!!!***

I got a few questions regarding these brownies for kids; the recipe I provided is not one I'd share with my toddler, because I don't allow her to have protein powder. It's completely unnecessary at her age. It is completely fine to omit it in the kiddo's batch, they'll just be a bit more moist. 

happily eating healthy

I keep hearing people say "You know they're only pretending they like clean eating!", I've even seem dumb internet memes like this (sorry they used your face Will).

I feel I need to go on the record and say, I am not miserable when (which is always) I make healthy eating choices. As a matter of fact, I feel the absolute best that I ever have since I made the decision to clean up my eating habits.

Sure, there are people that are probably hating life with their new "magical" diets that promise lie to you to drop pounds immediately, (I'm sure you've all read my opinion on that subject.) That's not what I'm referring to, "diets" are not the same as just eating healthy foods habitually. I really have distain for the term "diet", they're temporary and often restricting of nutrients we need, and thus leave you with pseudo results, if any. Choosing to eat healthy, as a lifestyle, is the way to achieve positive results, and in turn be happy.

I find that most people that knock clean eating, either haven't even attempted to do so or are just lost on what exactly it means. In simple terms... you've got to eliminate the junk first and foremost, but then be creative; there are unlimited healthy alternatives for your old crap cravings. Don't be afraid to try new recipes, you can find millions online or ask your fellow health nut (HI!) for some tips. Eventually, healthy foods taste so much better and the junk actually starts to taste awful, and you recognize that it makes you feel miserable. You can't be lazy; as it does often require properly shopping, prepping, and cooking. However, once you get the hang of it, it does become simple, and there are definitely convenient ways to eat clean, even on the go and out to eat. Do your research and educate yourself. Once you realize what's actually in bad foods, you're much more likely if you're sane to avoid it. Figure out what type of body it is you want, while we should all be getting plenty of each food group, some people require more or less of each. Make plans and goals, and stick to them. Before you know it, you will have adopted new habits that are engrained, that's when you'll find happiness with your health and image.

I admit, I haven't always eaten this way, or worked out as I do now. I used to eat all sorts of crap, and then tried to overcompensate for it by restricting my calories to unhealthily low numbers. I wasn't happy with my image, and my body certainly wasn't functioning at it's full potential. I had stomachaches, headaches, acne breakout, sluggishness, moodiness, and I'd get sick way too often. I never connected the dots that my eating contributed to this, but oh did it. Food is fuel, and our body serves as our vehicle for life. Forgive the corniness in that. If you don't put gas in your car, does it go? No. Does it run properly if you put the wrong kind of fuel, or worse something that wasn't even meant for a car at all? Highly doubt it, I bet it even malfunctions at that point. My point is, we've got to fill our bodies with the best fuel for them, and plenty of it. After I learned this, and started living a completely healthy lifestyle, I felt like a whole new person. I no longer get sick, seriously I haven't had any illness or issues since my daughter was born (when I started this). In fact, the only stomachaches I've had are caused by the few times I did eat something crummy. My body is so acclimated to healthy and real foods, that junk food makes me so sick, and that makes it a lot easier to stay away from. I feel at my absolute best now, and am so grateful to have changed my habits to feel this way. I truly enjoy my healthy lifestyle, and everything I eat is fantastically delicious! So don't let naysayers keep you from becoming a healthier you, and hey, naysayers give it a shot too.

I'm currently creating guides that will go in more depth on this, including my typical grocery list, meal ideas (not plans, because I like to vary it up), tips and tricks, and recipes. As well as my work outs. This takes time (especially with a toddler), but I can't wait to offer it to you all. In the interim, if you have questions about any of this topic, or anything else, (I do know why flamingos are pink or why elephants can't jump, if that's what you want to ask.) please don't hesitate to contact me via my fitness instagram @blakeleyfitness, this blog, or personally if you know me.

 

Let's all happily eat healthy!*clinking my glass of green juice to that!(;

 

 

Raising Baby Healthy: Teach them right from the first bite

This is what our seventeen month old gets for her 'kid's meal'... And she LOVES every last bite. 

I've touched on this before in my post here, but I just want to delve a little deeper, and I am writing this in full acceptance and understanding that I am undoubtedly going to rile some parents up. Though this is not meant to offend, it is to educate and encourage healthier kids, and I don't think anyone can argue that! 

We as parents, are given the opportunity to mold our children's eating habits from the start. Why we all aren't taking advantage of that, I just don't understand. Just as we teach our children to be polite and kind, or how to read, or to ride a bike; we should also teach them to how to live healthily. I think it starts with doing so ourselves. My eating habits are not perfect, but they're certainly on point about 95% of the time, and my daughter sees that. She is raised in a home where the fridge is plentiful of fruits and vegetables, where her protein doesn't come in dinosaur shapes in a frozen meal, but from a sea of fresh fish or lean red meats and poultry, where she watches both of her parents cook often, with real  ingredients, and when we go out to eat, we still choose healthy options. You may say she's not even two, she doesn't understand yet. I think that she does, and if you wait until they have the cognitive ability to grasp all of it, you're probably too late, as they've most likely already been exposed and accustomed to the junk. We started on day one, but it's never too late to change your lifestyle and your kid's for the better. 

Brooklynn eats all of the things that we do and enjoys them just as much. She loves everything, with the random exception of mango, though she likes the peel, and grapefruit. Excluding those two things, she eats every fruit and vegetable there is, as well as healthy grains, nuts and seeds, and lean or omega-fatty proteins. I mean honestly, the kids eats octopus tentacles. She has no barriers when it comes to healthy and delicious foods, and we couldn't be more proud! 

To this day we've successfully avoided all of the following detrimental 'foods':

Sugar:

It's a monster. It's sad to hear so many parents yelling "No more sweets, you're too hyper!", when it can be avoided and replaced with naturally sweet treats. If I had to use one word: fruit. It's incredibly sweet, and there's a zillion ways to incorporate it in meals and desserts to satisfy those bitty sweet tooths (without sending you to the dentist either). We have used agave nectar, fruit sugar, and a honey as much better alternatives than the despicable white granulated substance. 

Fried & Greasy:

She loves chicken, turkey, salmon, trout, sea bass, lobster, octopus, scallops, crab, tilapia, pork, lamb, and beef... All of which she enjoys grilled, seared, and baked without breading and without horrible greasy oils. Do you see the plethora of proteins your child can enjoy, without being fried? Potatoes? Loves them baked or mashed, they don't need to be fries or filled with butter. She's never had a chip, I literally cringe at toddlers and their Cheetos or what have you. There are way better alternatives for chips; they make plenty of dried veggie chips or crackers made of flax, quinoa, and other nuts and seeds. All of them are delicious, but you can rest easy knowing your child isn't consuming the dump in Doritos. 

White Wheat Flour:

Let me preface this by saying, she doesn't have any wheat or gluten allergies, nor do I find whole  grain wheat to be a problem. The issue is that so many of these products fed to kids or awful bleached (does the word BLEACHED not scare you?) white flour that is stripped of the actual nutrients that come from the original whole grain. Breads, pasta, pastries, crackers, etc... All full of this bleached crap. There are splendid substitutes; quinoa, whole grain wheat, barley, rye, brown rice, seed and nut based breads, pasta, and the like. 

Processed Junk & Chemicals:

So if I were to quiz the lot of you on half the ingredients in the foods you're giving your kids, how many of you would be able to separate real ingredients from things that are labeled on your hairspray? I'm betting not many. If you're feeding them real and fresh foods, you don't need the dextrasucralotofcrapinthisextrose in it as well. If you don't know what it is, why would you give it to your kid? Do we allow them to eat a random substance found on the ground? No way! So why is it okay just because it's written scientifically on a label? It's not. While there are real things that go by longer or more complex names, most of those you can't pronounce are garbage. Do you know there are over thirty names that sugar can go by? Let alone things that are even worse. We've definitely kept Brooklynn from unidentifiable processed junk. 

It's no wonder childhood obesity is at an all time high, that so many children suffer behavioral issues, and seem to always be sick with one thing or another. Think these things don't correlate? You're dead wrong. The things we put into our body affect how it functions in every way. It breaks my heart to see my Facebook newsfeed with moms posting about how sick their baby is yet again, but then I've also seen what their kids eat. I'm not saying everytime a kid gets sick, that's it's because of crappy food. However, I can say that Brooklynn has made it seventeen months without even so much as a sniffle, that wasn't related to teething. I can't stress enough how incredible true nutrients are; they build immune systems, fight sickness and even more serious disease, and build strong and durable bodies... Thus preventing you from those frequent doctor visits and sickly tots. I know that I do whatever I can to protect my child from getting ill or injured, and I would think you all would too. I'm not a doctor, but I can play connect the dots. While I do understand and am not belittling behavioral and emotional disorders, there is a link between some of these acts and what they eat. Hyper and out of control... How much sugar have they had? Extreme mood swings... Sugar levels dropping and spiking at an unhealthy rate. Difficulty concentrating and learning... Lack of nutrients that keep our brains running at 100%. Unable to keep up in gym class... Overweight and undernourished for physical activity. I reiterate, that all of these issues aren't caused by bad eating necessarily, but they can certainly be amplified by it. I also acknowledge there are tons of kids with these obstacles, that are in fact eating perfectly healthy. I'm simply saying don't underestimate the role that food plays in these things. 

Now before too many of you get upset with me, I know that there are many of you that feed your babes healthy for the majority, but do allow treats here and there. I'm not knocking you. I understand that not every parent is going to be as extremely strict as I am about it. That's fine. However, there are so many that just don't even bother and it is very apparent... And sad. 

Deprived is a word I've heard recently... I can't even take it seriously, when used in the context that some people have said it. Saying that I am depriving my kid of the good things in life? If candy and cheeseburgers are what you think bring true joy to a child... Well, I'm not even lowering to that conversation. Not being given the vast and incredible nutrients that real foods provide, that's deprivation. Give these kiddos the best so that they can be their best, both physically and mentally. I know that I can't shelter her forever, and that once she's in other children filled environments without my supervision that she will be exposed to these things. I know I can't keep her in a bubble. However, I can raise her with good habits from the start, so that she is more inclined to reach for the apple instead of the snickers. I also hope that I can reach other parents with this, the more like-minded on this topic, the less parents giving out junk. I will also continue to teach by example, by my hubby and I living a healthy lifestyle. 

I know kids see what others have and want it, I know kid's tv channels promote sugar for breakfast and fried for dinner every other commercial. I know as a mama on the go, you want convenience. I know that some kids are incredibly picky, and they may throw fits or beg. I just have to ask, is any of that truly worth getting in the way of giving your child what's best?

Do your research, shop for the right foods, check ingredients, prep things to have on the go, cook often, lead by example, and raise your children right. Don't we all want what's best for our kids? I know I certainly do. Join me in raising our babies healthy! 

ps. I will be trying to post more often on healthy recipes, specifically ones for the kiddos, that incorporate the things kids like, in a healthy alternative way.👍

fit fitness in.

So I always hear people say "I don't have time to work out." Well, I've given my rant on that before, so instead I'll provide some helpful tips to fit fitness into your regularly scheduled day...

Let's take a poll: How many of you watch tv? If there are some sort of saints reading this, that in fact, don't... Well more power to you, but this girl loves her shows. So now that we've all admitted we have our weekly or nightly (I'm not judging) addictions, let's answer question number two. How many hours worth of it do you watch? So you calculate Real Housewives is an hour and then you multiply by, let's see there's one-two-three-four-five-si... Six cities. So that equals... You get my point. Maybe the housewives franchise makes you vomit, and you're into more intellectual programs. Whatever; History Channel or Bravo, twenty minutes or eight hours; if you have time for tv, you have time for exercise. Before you throw your bonbons at me and declare you're not sacrificing your chill time; relax and get your priorities straight, I have a compromise. Work out WHILE you watch. Yeah, I know right? Crazy concept. I'd say do it during commercials, but I think a good majority of you probably reading this on a smart phone of sorts probably have the technology to fast forward them (no offense if not.) So here are some moves you can do in the comfort and ease of your living room while getting your Netflix fix.

With any of the following moves, I personally do 25 reps of each (since none of them are heavy weight, it's okay to do more reps) in a circuit and repeat the circuit as many times as I want watch. Make sure you focus on quality over quantity though, and stay engaged in what you're doing, if you're only doing things half cocked because you're not paying enough attention, it can be very ineffective, and more importantly you could injure yourself. So try to balance the focus of your workout and your watching. I'm listing several different exercises, which I pick and choose from to mix up the order and create circuits. You can totally customize your routine with any of these and many other moves. Here are some great examples...

Got a couch? Great. Start by aiming your face at the boob tube, then use your seat apparatus to do tricep dips off of.

Abs, abs, and more abs. So my first suggestion here is to throw away those previously mentioned Bonbons. After that, throw done a yoga mat, towel, or bareback the floor and get to abbin'. There are literally hundreds of ab exercise varieties, I'm sure you know a few. If not, I'll be creating something awesome for you soon. you can easily find some suggestions in a fitness/health magazine or YouTube some tutorials. Most can be easily done with zero equipment, confined space, and a view of your television. Bonus points if your tv is in the ceiling. 

 

Okay, so how many of you do laundry? Please leave my blog now if you answered no. Great, so assuming you use liquid detergent in a rather large container, you've got yourself some 'weights'. If you do actually own dumb bells or weights of sorts, by all means use them, but if you need to depend on Dawny to keep your clothes fresh and your arms toned, you do it. Obviously, the fuller the better. Grab yo suds by the handle and use for tricep kickbacks, bicep curls, kettle ball swings, overhead swings, etcetera.

Now take a seat, ah ah ah, not on your actual couch, but an imaginary one. It's time to squat. If you've got weights, use them. You can also incorporate your soap weight here, or any other creative household product. Buttt, see what I did there you can effectively do this without anything but your body weight and resistance. Try regular squats and add some pulsing reps, plié squats full and pulses, Hindu squats, split leg squats, side squats, lunges, and wall sits. Again, there's a large variety to mix it up with. 

Now throw in some good ole fashion push-ups and planks for good measure. 

As you can see, there are plenty (and I could've kept going), exercises you can easily do while watching tv. They require zero equipment or can easily be substituted with things you already have, they don't require too much space, and most importantly you can actually finish a Law & Order marathon without feeling guilty that you weren't running an actual marathon. 

And for extra credit...

"Raise your calves, if you are strong!"

I really hope you sang that to the tune of P!nk. When you're making a meal; whether it be prepping and cooking a full on feast, in which case you could fit a lot in, or even just zapping something in the microwave for a few moments; do calf raises. When you're brushing your teeth, taking a shower, styling your hair; do calf raises. I don't advise doing them while applying makeup, unless you're some sort of pro, I imagine that would end very messy. hah. When you're standing in line somewhere; do calf raises. Don't let anyone with less attractive calves give you odd looks either, you're making every moment count. Though I always encourage the stairs if they're an option, if you must take the elevator; do calf raises on your ride. So basically, you understand you can fit this simple, compact move into a lot of your daily habits. For extra nerdy points: count how many you do and you can make personal goals of how many you can fit in a day.

I, personally make time for workouts in the gym for strength training with weights, or I make time to get in cardio, but the above are things I add to that for the extra effort, and it DOES make a difference.

 

For the more committed ones of you who'd like to know, my workouts in the gym or cardio time are anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour, tops. So even if you're going full out at the gym, an hour is plenty of time to accomplish great things. That's sixty minutes people. You can make it work. Here's what I got done in twenty-two minutes...

That's 500 calories burned by sprints in 22 minutes.

So there you have it, my in depth examples of fitting fitness into your day. Your excuses are now invalid; get to sweating people.(:

ps. workout regimen coming soon!(;...