21 Day Fix Approved Pumpkin Brownies

Serves 16 

These brownies are so rich and moist - and guilt free!! :) These are 21 Day Fix approved and delicious for when you are wanting a sweet treat. My husband loves them too!

Prep Time

15 min 

Cook Time

35 min 

Total Time

50 min 

ingredients

1. 1/3 cup Coconut Flour
2. 1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
3. 1/3 cup Pure Pumpkin Puree
4. 1/4 cup Coconut Oil
5. 2 tsp Pure Vanilla
6. 4 eggs
7. 1/2 cup Pure Maple Syrup

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Combine coconut flour and cocoa powder
3. Whisk in the pumpkin, coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Blend well.
4. Pour batter into a 9 x 9 greased pan, and bake for 28-35 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean
5. Let cool completely before removing from pan

21 day fix counts

1. 1 brownie = 1 yellow treat swap (16 total servings in recipe)

July Abs Challenge

With a pregnancy and a 50 pound weight gain, my abs are .... well .... not there!

I know I'm not alone and because of that, us MOMMAS NEED TO UNITE and MOTIVATE each other.  Soo, the July Ab Challenge was BORN!

As a certified Insanity group fitness instructor, I've used my knowledge of the core to design daily exercises that will get us to the following DAILY WORKOUT by 7/31 (don't worry, it'll take all month for us to WORK to these BIG NUMBERS!):

1. 2 minute plank

2. 100 sit ups 

3. 100 leg raises 

Here's the schedule: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l4vUqyAXOCam6HJhwiPWSg0QUupXz_StdbDLSQhqRt4/edit#

We CANNOT do this alone. Join my private virtual ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP on Facebook for DAILY ACCOUNTABILITY.  

Message me @ btyfitnessandnutrition@gmail.com for the full scoop!

BBQing Tips & Recipes

BBQ Tips

Alcohol Indulgence @ BBQs

Bad & Better Food Options @ BBQs

BBQ Recipes 

Rosemary Shrimp Skewers

Rosemary Shrimp Skewers with Arugula-White Bean Salad

Prep time: 15 minute   Cook time: 5 minutes

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon EVOO,

3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 3 garlic cloves, smashed,

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon salt,

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon black pepper,

1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp, shelled and cleaned, tails on; Nonstick cooking spray

1 small garlic clove, minced; Pinch sugar; 1 5-ounce package baby arugula;

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained; 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, the smashed garlic cloves, the rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp; toss well.

Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.

2. Heat a grill to medium-high. Thread shrimp on skewers (if they're wooden, soak in water

30 minutes prior to grilling) and discard marinade.

Lightly mist grill with cooking spray. Grill shrimp until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.

3. Combine the minced garlic, sugar, and remaining olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add the arugula, beans, and onion; toss to combine.

4. Mound the salad on one side of a large platter and arrange the shrimp skewers alongside.

Nutrition facts per serving: 315 calories, 35g protein, 21g carbohydrate, 13g fat (1.9g saturated), 6g fiber

Alcohol Indulgence @ BBQs

Your best drink options are:

Soda water/vodka (boring but add a squeeze of lemon, lime or oranges to the mix and give it some flavor)

Rum & Diet Coke

Serving size: 6 oz..Calories: 65

Ingredients: 1 oz.. rum, 5 oz.. Diet Coke

This may seem too good to be true, and to some degree, it is. Even the stingiest bartender will probably give you more than one fluid oz.. of alcohol, since just one shot is 1.5 oz... But if you feel like taking it easy and enjoying the springtime weather without going in too hard, this mix should work for you.  As much as I DO NOT endorse diet soda's this is a better option than most!   

Anheuser Busch, Natural Light

Serving size: 12 oz..

Calories: 95

We bet you had no idea that all the time you spent practicing your Beirut technique, you were actually being health-conscious—good for you! One 12 oz.. serving of Natty Light contains just 95 calories, while the same serving of Bud Light contains 112 calories. The difference is pretty negligible so feel free to go for whichever beer you like more.   

Gin & Diet Tonic

Serving size: 7.5 oz..

Calories: 115 calories

Ingredients: 1.5 oz.. gin, 6 oz.. Diet Tonic

Like any beverage containing extra sugars, this simple and straightforward drink can be brought down a notch by picking a diet option, rather than the standard one. Gin and tonics have a slightly bitter taste, but it’s nothing a wedge of lime can’t cure.

Cosmopolitan

Serving size: 3 oz..

Calories: 150

Ingredients: 1.5 oz.. vodka, ½ oz.. triple sec, ½ oz.. lime juice, ½ oz.. cranberry juice

Cosmos are excellent low-calorie cocktail options. While they vary in size and alcohol content (a 4 oz.. Cosmo might go up to 200 calories, while another with 5 fluid oz.. could go up to 320), these drinks generally stay in the range of drinks that aren’t too bad for you. (And might even make you look pretty classy.)

Mojito

Serving size: 6 oz..

Content: 160 calories

Ingredients: 2.5 oz.. light rum, club soda, 1 tsp. limejuice, 2 tsp. sugar, fresh mint sprigs

Bad & Better Options @ Summer BBQs

Bad BBQ Dish: A Cheeseburger

A quarter-pound beef burger with a slice of cheese will set you back 510 calories (26 grams of fat). Skipping the cheese will save you about 100 calories. But if you love a good burger, go for it. It’s an excellent source of iron.

Better BBQ Dish: Hot Dog

A hot dog is lower in calories than you might think. Enjoy one on a roll with your favorite toppings (with lower-cal toppings like mustard, relish or just a little ketchup) and you’ll come out around 300 calories, 17 g fat.

Bad BBQ Side Dish: Potato Salad

There’s nothing inherently bad about potatoes: they’re actually a great source of vitamin C and fiber, but they contain more calories than other veggies. Plus, most potato salads are smothered in way too much full-fat mayo and will cost you about 360 calories and 20 or so grams of fat per cup.

Best BBQ Side Dish: Coleslaw

Coleslaw can satisfy a craving for something creamy for far fewer calories (83, with 3 grams of fat per cup). Low-cal cabbage is also a rich source of isothiocyanates, compounds that amp up the body’s natural detoxifying enzymes.

Bad BBQ Dessert: Strawberry Shortcake

Just because it contains fruit doesn’t mean it’s the healthiest or lowest-calorie choice. Between the cake and the loads of whipped cream that typically tops this summer favorite, you get a lot more calories than you may be bargaining for: about 425 (and around 20-25 grams of fat).

Better BBQ Dessert: A Frozen Fruit Bar

A frozen fruit bar (100 calories, 0 grams of fat). Or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream: 140 calories, about 5 grams of fat.

Chicken Avocado Pitas

These Chicken Avocado Pitas are healthy and filling, and taste just as great if they were packed full of calories.

This is one of our absolute favorite healthy summer sandwiches.

{{Ingredients}}

½ lb shredded cooked rotisserie chicken

2 avocados cut into small pieces

½ c plain Greek yogurt

1 t cilantro

1 t garlic salt

6-8 cherry tomatoes

4 slices of thin baby Swiss cheese

Juice from half a lemon

4 whole wheat pita pockets

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

{{Instructions}}

1. Put 1 piece of Swiss cheese into each pita pocket.

2. In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt and garlic salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, combine avocado, quartered tomatoes, lemon juice, and half of the cilantro. Set aside. In a skillet, brown the cooked chicken with the olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. While cooking, sprinkle with half of the cilantro.

4. Take off of heat and add ¼ of the chicken to each pita.

5. Top the chicken with a drizzle of the yogurt mixture followed by a large spoonful of the avocado mixture, all within the pita pocket. Can be served cold, or grilled on a sandwich maker/foreman grill for 2 minutes to serve warm.

Coconut Delight Shakeology

Coconut Delight Shakeology

Summer is pretty much here in the Boston area!! In preparation for that, here’s a summery Shakeoloy recipe!   

1 serving of Chocolate Vegan Shakeology

• 1 cup coconut milk beverage
• ⅛ tsp. coconut extract
• 2 tsp. honey
• Handful of ice
• Blend until until it’s to the consistency you LOVE!

Calories: 290 * Protein:17g * Carbohydrate: 40g * Fat:8g * Saturated Fat: 6g

Jumping Jack June!

Ahhhh my last blog post was 10 weeks ago- (exactly 3 days before I gave birth to my BEAUTIFUL girl)!!  These past 10 weeks have been an amazing whirlwind.  Never have I been so blessed and thankful for such a blessing AND exhausted all at the same time.  I needed to take time off from fitness coaching to be with my baby (ahh I love being with her 24/7!) and get us into a routine.  I can say that we are just NOW into a routine (and she's sleeping through the night!).  I was in no rush to get us in a routine since I knew it would take lots of time for us to figure each other out, but I'm thankful we are there and know each other so well.  

Now that the routine is here for Baby and I, I can spend time on my fitness business while I am home. To kick it off, I've developed a 30 day schedule of jumping jacks for the month of June.  I LOVE offering FREE groups to friends for us to have a quick workout routine for the morning, evening, or during Bachelorette commercials!!

The group will NOT ONLY be focused on workouts, but also will focus on clean eating, recipe sharing, accountability, motivation, and prizes!!

If you want in, message me and we can chat about your goals and such to see if the free group is right for you!

Mac & Cheese with BROCCOLI!

Total Time: 37 min.

Prep Time: 20 min.

Cooking Time: 17 min.

Yield: 8 servings, approx. 1½ cups each

Ingredients:

4 oz. dry whole wheat elbow macaroni (or pasta)

4 tsp. organic grass-fed butter (or organic coconut oil)

2 Tbsp. unbleached whole wheat flour

1½ cups unsweetened almond milk

1¼ cups freshly grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

3 cups cooked chopped chicken breast, boneless, skinless

6 cups chopped broccoli florets, steamed

1 tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)

½ tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. (Do not use salt or oil if suggested in directions.) Set aside.

2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.

3. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until brown (don’t let it burn).

4. Slowly whisk in almond milk; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until mixture thickens and there are no lumps.

5. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese; cook, whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until melted.

6. Add macaroni, chicken, broccoli, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until heated through.

7. Serve immediately.

Tips and Variations:

• Use quinoa pasta and gluten-free flour if you’re following a gluten-free lifestyle.

• Asparagus, green beans or Brussels sprouts can be substituted for broccoli.

• A combination of cheeses like cheddar and Gouda, cheddar and Monterey jack, and cheddar and Asiago can be substituted for sharp cheddar.

Cafe Latte Shakeology Recipes

 

Muddy Nutty Buddy 
1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
1/2 c water
2 tsp. all-natural peanut butter
1/2 large banana, cut into chunks
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Frozen Thai Iced Coffee
1 c. strongly brewed coffee, chilled
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. pure almond extract
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Greek Coffee Shake
1 c. strongly brewed coffee, chilled
1/4 low-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Cinnamon Dolce Latte
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Salty Caramel Latte
1/2 c water
1/2 c low-fat milk
1 dash sea salt
1 tsp. pure caramel extract
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 



Maple Coffee Shake 
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp. pure maple syrup
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Banana Spice Latte
1/2 c water
1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
1/2 large banana, cut into chunks
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Mocha Caramel Latte 
1 cup unsweetened almond chocolare milk
1 tsp. pure caramel extract
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Honey Peanutty Coffee
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp. all-natural peanut butter
1 tsp. raw butter
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy!

Mocha Java Joe 
1 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Pumpkin Latte
1 c. water
1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. ground pumpkin pie spice
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 



Iced Vanilla Lattee
1 c. water
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy!  

Peppermint Mocha 
1 c. unsweetened chocolate almond milk
1 tsp. pure peppermint extract
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 




Tiramisu Latte
1/2 c. unsweetened chocolate almond milk
1/2 c. water
2 tbsp. part-skim ricotta
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Hazelnut Latte
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp. chopped raw hazelnuts
1 tsp. pure hazelnut extract
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy!  

Black Forest Coffee 
3/4 c. unsweetened chocolate almond milk
1/4 organic tart cherry juice
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Red Eye Coffee
3/4 c. water
1/4 c. brewed espresso
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Flaxseed Banana Joe 
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
1/4 large banana, cut into chunks
1 tbsp. flaxseed

Blueberry Brew
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
1/3 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Honey Nutty Latte
1 c. unsweetened soy milk
2 tsp. all-natural cashew butter
1 tsp. raw honey
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Oatmeal Latte
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp. dry old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. raw honey
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy!  


Creamy Coconut Latte
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. canned lite coconut milk
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Peanut Butter Mocha 
1 c. unsweetned almind milk
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. pure maple syrup (or raw honey)
2 tsp. all-natural peanut butter
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Coco-Latte
1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk
1/2 c. coconut water beverage
2 tsp. unsweetened shredded coconut
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 



Orange Mocha Latte
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. finely grated orange peel (orange zest)
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 



Spicy Latte 
1 c. water
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. raw honey
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Almond Latte 
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp. pure almond extract
2 tbsp. sliced raw almonds
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Mexican Spiced Coffee
1 c. water
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. finely grated orange peel (orange zest)
1 tsp. raw honey
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy! 

Anise Latte
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp. pure anise extract
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy!

 

Vanilla Sea Salt Latte
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
1 dash sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
1/2 fresh vanilla bean (cut in half lengthwise)
1 scoop Cafe Latte Shakeology
Handful of ice
Blend & Enjoy!