Turn a "mommy meal" into a "toddler friendly meal"!

This whole week I have been focusing on how I can turn MY meals into a toddler meal as well. Doing this will not only make dinner much much easier, but will make the week go by smoother also!

Meal prepping for myself has not always been something that I have been good at. It took me some time to figure out how it was going to work for me and what method to use. So for awhile I really struggled in this area and I think it held me back. I now write out my meal plan for each week! I usually eat the same meals throughout the week. Its just easier for me this way, and I don't have to worry about cooking everyday!! Which is a HUGE plus for me!

So this weekend we were sitting on the couch watching the movie Tammy and I was doing my work. I thought to myself, why on earth don't I just make this easier for myself!? Why haven't I been prepping Chloe's meals also and incorporating them with mine so that I can cook 1/2 as much?? (note: Neil works on the road during the week so its just Chloe and I, making it a bit easier) ;)
But honestly, why do I do this to myself every week?? --prep my meals and then have no plans for what I am going to make Chloe for dinner every night? Its craziness. I mean sometimes I do have a plan, but who has time to make 2 separate meals?! Not this girl!








So anyways.. let's get to it!! I created a meal plan that hopefully will work for both me AND my little one. :) And so far it has been very successful!

I will put the links to each of the recipes in here as well!


Here is our meal plan for this week. Basically we are eating all the same meals, I am just altering some of them to make them more "likable" for a toddler. Read on and you will understand :)

For the Egg muffins, I simply added breakfast sausage to Chloe's and cheese. For mine I left out those things and added red peppers. Super easy. You already have it all out so just mix up the separate bowls and add them to your muffin tins! Bake for 25 minutes and your done. Easy breakfast for 2 in less than 30 minutes. And this can easily be your breakfast for the whole week!

http://brianacitrowske.blogspot.com/2014/11/egg-muffins-mommy-and-toddler-approved.html

Today we also made some Almond Crusted Chicken Tenders! .. awesome alternative to regular Chicken Tenders! Still kiddish and fun :)

http://brianacitrowske.blogspot.com/2014/11/almond-crusted-chicken-tenders.html

I haven't made a recipe post yet for the energy balls.. but they are super easy!!

- 1 cup oats
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- about 1-2 Tbsp. honey
- Dark Chocolate chips, optional

(You can really alter this to your liking and just add more peanut butter and honey as your go to make it stick together better.)

Mix all the ingredients together and form them into a ball. Place them in a zip lock and store them in the fridge. :)

Lastly, we made sweet potato skins with Chipotle Chicken for dinner! We had this last night and Chloe loved it. It was very good! In the link below I actually have the recipe as well as how I converted it into a toddler friendly meal!

http://brianacitrowske.blogspot.com/2014/11/sweet-potato-skins-with-chipotle-chicken.html



I really hope that this was helpful for you to be able to visually see OUR meal plan for the week with the recipes to go along with it!
I would love some feedback. Let me know if this is something you like and I can continue to do it and post it!

xo
Bri

Almond crusted Chicken Tenders

Yum yum!!! Talk about a meal that both you and your little one are going to LOVE!!! 

Growing up I loved chicken tenders!! :P … I ate them all.the.time. But I now realize that they are not all that good for you lol. SO I am striving to make healthier alternatives for Chloe as she grows up. She loves chicken! And almonds! So this mommy hit the jackpot here.. You could EVEN make Homemade ketchup.. and I didn't even think about that until now! Totally doing that! She would love it.. except when we give her ketchup she just licks it off of her food! silly girl :)

This recipe is so easy that its really a little ridiculous. You would think that making these almond crusted chicken tenders would call for some serious prepping and cooking time. Not at all! Prep time takes about 10 minutes or less! Bake for about 25-30 minutes at 400!!

What you will need:

- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

- About 1 cup almonds

- spray olive oil

Thats it!!! Oh and a food processor/small blender- I used my ninja chopper ;) works WONDERS!

Directions:

- Heat oven to 400

- Add the almonds to the processor or blender

- Cut the Chicken breasts into tenders as shown in the picture

- Spray the Chicken tenders with olive oil. You could also rub olive oil on them.

- Dip the chicken into the chopped almonds until they are completely coated.

- Lay out on baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Let me know how you and your little ones like it!!!

xo
Bri

Egg Muffins- Mommy and Toddler approved!

This week has been FULL of meal prepping.. like I mean crazy! So I am bombarding you with meals and ideas on how to cook for both yourself and your picky toddler :)

Here are the Egg Muffins that I made this AM. These took less than 30 minutes and will easily get us through the rest of the week. I served the with a banana!

You can put whatever you want into these really! I will tell you what I put into both Chloe's and mine. But you can add whatever veggies/cheese/meats that you want!

What I used for mine:

-6 eggs
-red pepper
-kale

What I used for Chloe's:

-5 eggs
-kale
-cheddar cheese
-breakfast sausage, cooked (used about 1/4 lb.)


Heat the oven to 350. Use 2 separate bowls to whisk the ingredients together. Pour them into your muffin tins. *About each egg counts for 1 muffin tin. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Final Body Beast Results!

I am so so excited to show you all my FINAL results with Body Beast and tell you a little about the program and how it went for me!

I think I will do a separate blog post later about my entire journey with Body Beast and what not! But if you would like to ask me anything right now or want to know how it went feel free to message me!

My last day of this 90 day program was last Sunday. I am pleased with my results, especially since I did not stick to the meal plan to a T. This last month was a struggle on that subject ;) But I did eat healthy and tried to stick to a plan for the most part.

The biggest changes I have noticed is that I really just feel stronger and more muscular all over. And NO, I do not mean manly muscular- refer to pictures :) I mean just much much more lean muscle. I can definitely tell that I have more ab definition also, which is something that is not easy for me to achieve. OH- and my booty is definitely LIFTED and reshaped!!!!! This was such a nice mix up from the cardio workouts that I was so used to. I loved working a different muscle group each day.

My plan right now is to keep doing these workouts as well as incorporating the 21 day fix workouts. Our vacation is in less than THREE WEEKS. So I am determined to be in my best shape by then. I will also be blogging about how that is going for me.

I would love an accountability partner during this time! Or anytime really :) If you want someone to keep you held accountable let me know and we can keep in touch!

Sweet Potato Skins with Chipotle Chicken

 Happy Monday! Or tuesday.. or whatever day it is for you :)

I am bringing you a new recipe! BUT this week I am doing something a little different.. I am going to show you how I convert my ADULT meal into a toddler friendly meal. I will also be posting recipes later this week incorporating this also. So make sure you follow me and don't miss out!

T- less than THREE weeks until we are on the Beach in Mexico.. You heard that right!! Know what that means?! This momma has to kick it into high gear! Today was day 1 of my meal plan and workout plan I have written up for myself and so far it was ok. I cheated a couple times today, not going to lie. But tomorrow is a new day and I am sticking with this! Tomorrow its double workouts. I need to get some food cooking in the morning to so that we have our meals for the rest of the day/week.

Something I don't normally do either is meal prep for Chloe. With Neil being on the road I usually just make up whatever comes to mind. But to be honest, that gets REALLY stressful. Especially when you have a toddler who is hungry RIGHT. NOW. This week I am meal prepping for both Chloe AND myself. Blog on that later also ;)

Here is what you will need:
3 Sweet Potatoes
2 skinless Chicken breast
3 chipotle peppers, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups spinach
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. chili powder
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
mozzarella cheese (optional)
























Directions:

1) Heat the oven to 350. Rinse the sweet potatoes good and stab them with a fork all over. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes

2) Put the chicken in a dish and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper on top. Put that in the oven at 350 also for about 30 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, stir together in a medium bowl- olive oil, garlic, chipotle peppers, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and lime juice.

4) Wash and cut up the spinach. In a small pan "wilt" the spinach. (picture shown) Put the pan over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.

5) When the chicken is done, shred it with 2 forks and add the spinach and chicken together.

6) When the potatoes are done take them out and cut them in half. Remove the insides leaving about 1/4-1/2 inch of the insides. (You can use the insides for something else or another recipe- we will be using them for our toddlers) ;) Spoon a little bit of the chipotle mixture onto the potatoes and bake them *at 400* for an additional 10-15 minutes or until softer.

7) Add the chicken/spinach to the chipotle mixture.

8) When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and add the chipotle/chicken mixture to the insides of the potatoes. Top with a little mozzarella cheese and place back in the over for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.




















How I converted this to a toddler meal:

1) Not all toddlers will like the Chipotle flavor. Although I don't think it is that spicy, some will have a problem with it. If you think it might be a problem, simple don't add some of the chicken/spinach mixture to the chipotle sauce. The chicken is extremely moist and delicious the way it is!

2) Instead of giving your child a potato skin, give them some of the insides. You could even place that back in the oven with your skins to get a little softer. Add some olive oil to them if needed!

3) For a veggie, we did broccoli as a side!

I really think Chloe enjoyed this meal. She LOVES sweet potatoes just like I do! It took her awhile to eat the chicken since I did give her the stuff with the sauce, but she dug into it after her sweet potatoes were gone. :)



Make sure you follow my blog for the future recipes I will be posting! And the ones I will be posting this week along with my meal plan! And of course feel free to contact me with questions and let me know how you like it!

xo
Bri

Egg Whites and Avocado Tostadas

Hey there!! So I found a recipe a while back and I have been debating whether or not I want to try it.. you know those recipes that you pin on pinterest and then contemplate trying because you aren't sure if you will like it etc etc. Well thats where I was with this one. I found it a few weeks ago and ended up trying it this week!

Talk about an EASY meal.. all you have to do is cook the egg whites. That is IT! And then just put it together.. oh my heavens do I love meals that are THAT easy to throw together! With a 2 year old standing up in her high chair and refusing to eat lunch, who has time to make a miraculous meal seriously? Not this momma.

Ingredients: 
Egg whites
Corn Tortilla
Salsa
Guacamole or Avocado slices (I used HM guacamole)

Directions:
All that you have to do is cook up the egg whites and then throw it together like shown in the picture :) Its so simple!!!



Here are my recipes for my homemade salsa and Guac. ;)

*Guacamole*
2 ripe avocados
juice of 1/2 a lime
pinch of paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
pinch of sea salt





Directions:
1. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit.
2. Scoop out the avocado and place in a bowl.
3. Add the seasonings and lime juice.
4. Either mash and stir together or blend in a blender



*Salsa*
4-6 roma tomatoes
1/3 cup cilantro
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeño
1 lime juiced
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Directions:
1. In a sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup water.
2. Slice the tomatoes in half and add them to the pan.
3. Let them sit for a few minutes on one side, then flip to cook a few minutes on the other side. Remove from pan.
4. The skins of the tomatoes should slide off.
5. Add the tomatoes and other ingredients to a food processor or blender.
** If you don't have a blender you can cut up the ingredients for chunkier salsa
OH>> And if you don't have a Ninja chopper, it is a great investment! ;)























Let me know what you think!! ENJOY!

6 months ago today I started living

6 months ago today my life changed. Not only the way I feel and look on the outside, but the way I think and feel on the inside.

I LITERALLY started living that day. 6 months ago I was at such a low place in my life.. I was literally lost! I felt stuck, ashamed, worthless, and I was FULL of fear. Fear of failure and rejection. Fear that I would never be good enough or be capable of doing something great in this life. I was living in my comfort zone I guess you could say. I was not living, I was just existing.

At MOPS yesterday we talked about fear. How it can keep you tied up and put a restraint on your LIFE. That hit home for me.. I realized that wow, before this opportunity came to me I really was living a life of fear! Fear of both success and failure. I dont think I even wanted to deal with anymore change than I had already experienced… After all I had a baby, moved into an apartment, bought a house, graduated college, and got married all in the same year. Maybe I was just scared of changing anything more in my life. I held onto that fear and it drug me into a deep deep place in my life where I have never been before. I remember just wanting to cry because I literally didn’t know what to do next in my life.

<My first taste of Shakeo!!! Tastes darn good.

I think it is a miracle of God that this opportunity came into my life when it did. All of a sudden I was offered this and something in my heart told me that I needed to do this. I have never felt such a STRONG desire or will to do something like I did this. I took a leap of faith!! And wow am I glad that I did.. because that day I finally started living again.

Starting out I had no idea where this journey was going to take me. I had no plan. I just knew that it was going to be something positive in my life. And this is not all about fitness and losing weight. My whole mindset has changed. I think differently! No longer am I afraid of failure or goal setting. I set goals and fail forward every single day. I live for it! I live to help people do the same. To help others reach their goals that they thought were impossible. To help them step out of their comfort zone and take a leap of faith. To be fearless!

SURPRISE! Working out with your babies can actually be a fun time. Not always.. but she sure makes things interested and NOT boring! ;)

I have learned that if you put your faith before your fears, anything is truly possible and you will live out your life to the fullest.

Aside from all of that I have met some amazing people who I consider good friends. I don’t think we go a day without talking and I can tell them anything that is going on in my life. I can’t wait to one day finally meet them in person! Recently I have been able to leave my job and stay home full time with my daughter. Something that I NEVER ever believed was possible. Never in 1 million years would I have even imagined myself owning my own business and working from home full time. The thought of it just makes me get butterflies! Thank you God for this miracle and opportunity in my life. <3

We have freedom to go where we want when we want because I can now work wherever and whenever.

If you are out there reading this.. GO do something incredible with your life. Put no limits on yourself! Be fearless and set goals that scare the crap out of you!


xo,
Briana

Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos

These last few weeks I have been OFF TRACK. Like taking little bites of treats here and there all the time.. this week I vowed that I would stay on track and stick to my meal plan! I plan on writing out a meal plan and sharing it on my blog also! But for now here is my latest recipe.. :)

Honestly, I thought the "chips" aka. the sweet potatoes were going to be more crunchy, but they weren't. Thats ok though.. because honestly this was SO delicious. I think the homemade salsa (which btw takes no time to make) really made this recipe! Also the homemade guacamole.. homemade homemade homemade. Yep, I did it all! So proud of myself ;) hehe

This recipe does take a little extra time, but not much. I'd say what takes the longest is slicing up the sweet potatoes and waiting for them to cook. I would say that they were probably in the oven for at least 30 minutes.. I just watched them until they looked crispy! If you are crunched on time, which I always seem to be, you could make the guacamole and salsa ahead of time and then you just have the chicken and the potatoes to make.

OHHH quick little success story of mine- today I found a pair of leggings that I had shoved into the bottom of my drawer last winter. Why?! Because I couldn't get them over my BUTT. Today I tried them on for the heck of it and what do you know?! They FIT!! .. COMFORTABLY! So now I get to enjoy these cute leggings this winter since I couldn't the last!

Here is what you will need and the directions for you NACHOS!

*Nacho Chips*
2 large sweet potatoes

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Wash the potatoes and slice thinly with a mandolin. (I just thinly sliced with a knife- maybe THIS is why mine weren't quite so crispy)
3. Spray a baking sheet and lay the potato slices on the sheet.
4. Bake until crispy (roughly 30 minutes or more)

*Chipotle Chicken*
2 chicken breast, boneless and skinless
olive oil, 1 tbsp.
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder

Directions:
1. Cut chicken breast into thin slices
2. In a large sauce pan, heat 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil.
3. Add the chicken to the pan and pour the seasonings on top.
4. Flip and stir until the chicken is completely cooked through.


*Guacamole*
2 ripe avocados
juice of 1/2 a lime
pinch of paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
pinch of sea salt





Directions:
1. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit.
2. Scoop out the avocado and place in a bowl.
3. Add the seasonings and lime juice.
4. Either mash and stir together or blend in a blender



*Salsa*
4-6 roma tomatoes
1/3 cup cilantro
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeño
1 lime juiced
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Directions:
1. In a sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup water.
2. Slice the tomatoes in half and add them to the pan.
3. Let them sit for a few minutes on one side, then flip to cook a few minutes on the other side. Remove from pan.
4. The skins of the tomatoes should slide off.
5. Add the tomatoes and other ingredients to a food processor or blender.
** If you don't have a blender you can cut up the ingredients for chunkier salsa
OH>> And if you don't have a Ninja chopper, it is a great investment! ;)
























These were a hit for both myself AND my 2 year old daughter.. We had about half of the sweet potato "chips" gone before the rest was made… oops :/ She loved the chicken too! For her I just gave her a veggie on the side and skipped the tomatoes and guacamole.. but she might have actually liked the guacamole! Ill have to test it out tomorrow ;)

Let me know how you like it and how YOUR "chips" turn out.. And as always, follow me for future recipes, tips, and motivation. And of course feel free to message me through my blog or friend me on Facebook!

xo,
Briana

Ever wonder what I do all day?

If you would've told me 6 months ago that staying home full time and working from home was in my near future, I would've probably laughed at you. I was definitely at a point in my life where I felt "stuck". I knew that I was meant for more but just couldn't figure out what that was and I was very frustrated with myself.

I am SO beyond happy to say that I now have quit my my job and work from home! I get to hang out with my baby girl ALL day. We go to ECFE, the library, lunch dates with my mom, go to the park whenever we want, and much more beyond that! I now have a "job" that is structured around MY life, not the other way around.

This opportunity has offered me much more than being a stay at home mom.. I have met some AMAZING people, am in the best shape of my life, AND get to travel across the country next summer with these people!! << IS THIS REAL LIFE?!

I have learned something- We can either live our lives in our "comfort zone" and never get ahead, OR we can take a leap of faith and design the life we are capable of living. You only get one chance at life! Why not take chances and live out your full potential?

Tomorrow I, along with some of my besties, are hosting a 5 day group where we are going to SHOW you HOW you can do the things I just listed!
So who is ready to DO and BE more!? Its up to you to create the life you want!

1 pan: Cashew Chicken!

These last few weeks Neil has been deer hunting. Its so hard to tell on these weekends whether or not he is going to be home for dinner or not.. you just never know! Yesterda
y I was trying to decide what to make for dinner. I always go through these phases where I have an itch to try something new. Thats what this was :) Of course I searched Pinterest forEVER and couldn't find anything that appealing. I finally came across this Cashew Chicken picture- figured that would be easy enough and tasty enough to do the trick!

I re-did the recipe to make it my own with the ingredients that I had, including Coconut Aminos. I also made it healthier ;)

Next week is my LAST week with Body Beast.. you know what this means? I need to seriously get my meal planning under control. I have been slacking a bit these last few weeks. You know the typical excuses.. life is busy and throwing hurtles my way. But I have a goal!! I am going to look sexy in my bikini when we are in Mexico this December. And life's hurtles are not going to stop me. Absolutely not happening. I need to figure out what I am going to do after Body Beast though! Any suggestions would be appreciated! I am super excited for Insanity Max 30 to come out in December though.. that is for sure on my "to-do" list.

Anywho… here are the directions to this deliciousness. I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think and if there is anything I could alter or change :)

Your will need:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cashews
2 cups chopped broccoli
8 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp. White wine vinegar
2 tbsp. coconut aminos
3/4 cup water or chicken broth
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Sea salt
Steamed rice or Quinoa, cooked (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the chicken. cook through on med.-high heat until cooked through and no longer pink. remove from pan and set aside.

2. Add the broccoli, cashews, and garlic to the pan on Medium heat. Continue  stirring until the broccoli is cooked through.

3. Add the chicken back to the pan along with White wine vinegar, coconut aminos, chicken broth or water, green onions, and salt. Cook on low- medium heat until the sauce thickens a bit.

4. Add the Quinoa or rice to plate and top it with the Cashew Chicken mixture. Enjoy!!


Let me know how you like it! Follow my blog for future recipes and always feel free to message me with any questions!