Birthday French Toast

Growing up in my family it was a birthday tradition to pick our favorite dessert. Oh Oreo Ice Cream Dessert how I miss you! I think a Gluten Free version needs to roll out this year! Maybe Easter dessert?!?

My boy turns 8 today and I hold true to my family’s tradition. It is a day all about them and their favorites! I love how excited he gets when he plans out the menu the day before. He has never been a real big meat eater, so it was no surprise that this day will be filled with fruits, mixed salad, and a few sweets!

His menu for the day:

Breakfast: French Toast and Chia Pudding

Lunch: Chili and Salad

Dinner: Make his own pizza and Salad

Dessert: Mug cakes

Oh and we can’t forget his request from his grandparents yesterday of “monkey meat”. YUM

So let’s get down to breakfast business!

French Toast

Ingredients

• Gluten Free Bread – I used Canyon Bakehouse brand
• 8 eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp coconut sugar
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp gluten free flour (optional)

* makes approximately 22 pieces

Directions

1. Beat 8 eggs in a shallow dish
2. Add vanilla, coconut sugar, cinnamon and beat together
3. Add gluten free flour (optional) and beat together
4. Soak each side of a piece of bread with the egg mixture.
5. Cook until golden brown on each side
6. Serve warm. Top with fruits/nuts/maple syrup

* gluten free flour is optional. I use either Otto’s Natural Cassava Flour or Namaste brand. My great grandma always added flour to her recipe. She said it helps thicken the egg mixture some. I’ve never made mine without 😃

*makes great leftovers too. Warm up in a toaster or in a skillet! Enjoy.

Race Week and Biscuits & Gravy

It’s officially race week for the Sprouts-PHX Mesa Half Marathon and I am excited to race my third half marathon this weekend. It has been a crazy last few weeks with a household of sick kiddos and husband. I think we finally are on the mend and I am praying I do NOT get it! So I have increased my bone broth and L-glutamine intake.

Speaking of bone broth…Do you incorporate it to your everyday life? Bone broth is rich in minerals and aids in boosting the immune system and supports digestion. It is great during this time of year when sickness tends to go around. Bone broth also supports joints and for this athletic momma and it is exactly what I need. You can read more about the benefits of bone broth on Chris Kresser Benefits of Bone Broth here.

One of Rob’s favorite meals is biscuits & gravy, and lately it has been sounding good. Back in the day we would pick up those no good for you country gravy packets. Well not anymore! A mixture of coconut milk and bone broth makes a creamy gravy that is simply delicious! I hope you enjoy and comment below if you make it.

BISCUITS & GRAVY

Ingredients 

• 1.5lbs of ground turkey (I get the organic ground turkey from Costco)
• 1 can of full fat coconut milk (shake before using)
• 8oz bone broth
• 3tbsp of tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
• 1tsp Ground fennel seed
• 1tsp Ground sage
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
• Cracked Pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
• Olive Oil
• Immersion Blender

1. Season your Ground Turkey with fennel, sage, salt, and pepper. Cook until turkey is done. Strain and set aside.
2. With leftover grease add a little more olive oil to pan until have about 1tbsp of oil. Add 3Tbsp of tapioca starch to pan and whisk. Should make dry and some gel like substance. Add a little bone broth and continue whisking until gel forms.
3. Slowly add in coconut milk about 1/4 cup at a time. Continue to whisk and mix until all the coconut milk is added. Then slowly add in the remainder of the bone broth while whisking. The gravy should now be a little thick. You may have some gel clumps still and that is ok. Add in few dashes sage and fennel. Add in the cayenne pepper and salt/pepper to taste.
4. Pour gravy into a bowl and use an immersion blender to blend. This will take care of any gel like clumps you may left and leave you with a creamy smooth gravy!
5. Add cooked Turkey to gravy mixture and mix until combined.
6. Serve warm over biscuits (I like making Namaste Foods Drop Biscuits)

If you want to try making your own bone broth I recommend using Against All Grain Bone Broth Recipe. We use her recipe often to make bone broth, but when I run out I sometimes pick up Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth.

Stop in your tracks- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

I wanted to start this blog post a year ago, but I wasn’t ready to share my story. So I am going to play some catch up over the next several weeks to share my story with you.

It’s been a year now since my world was turned upside down. As I was working out during one of my normal workout sessions, I experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA). During some abdominal cool-down work I heard a light cough. I was thinking it was coming from the girl behind me. I didn’t feel any different, but as I come up a second time I noticed what seemed like wheezing. So I tried to clear my throat and just sat there thinking it would pass.  As I was sitting there my right arm started to tingle and then got heavy. I tried to get the attention of the girl next to me, but couldn’t speak and then felt my right side of my face start to droop. Right then and there all I could think to myself is that I am having a stroke. So I tapped the mat to get her attention.  By the time my friend turn to look at me to ask if I was ok, it started to ease up and I was finally about to talk. All in all it was probably a matter of a few seconds. Although the tingle sensation lasted most of the afternoon.

Next came the emergency room visit followed by an overnight stay at the hospital for observation.  I was very thankful for the team of doctors/nurses I had. Blood work was drawn, CT for neuro/stroke, Chest X-ray, CT Angio head and neck with contrast, MRA head and one of the Neck without contrast, MR Brain with and without contrast, and echocardiogram just to name a few. It was to say without a doubt an emotional day and night. All blood work came back normal. Most of the imagining also came back with no issues. The echocardiogram did show I have a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Which is a small hole in the heart where blood can flow between the right atrium and left atrium of the heart. This is more than likely something I have had since birth.  This could cause a stroke though if I had a blood clot and it traveled to the brain.  I also had an unremarkable CTA of the head and neck. No carotid stenosis or occlusion. Normal intracranial circulation. Although, my MR Angio of head without contrast came back with a slight superior out pouching of the distal left M1 segment which measures 1 to 2 mm. This may reflect artifact from small branch vessel origin. This is less likely a small aneurysm given lack of findings on  the CTA that was previously done that same day. Also fetal origin of the right posterior cerebral artery was noticed, but this is also found to be common in 30% of individuals.

All I could think about was I am a young mom with five young kiddos and a husband. Why is this happening to me? Is it going to happen again? I was scared and at times still am.

So now what? I am young 34 year old female who exercises daily, and eats healthy.  Day to day I am about 80/20 Paleo and on a gluten-free diet for several years. Also I try to limit my dairy intake as I tend not to digest it well either. On another note, I  just ran a half marathon less than a month ago. Overall, I feel I am a healthy individual until now. I think my doctors were as stumped as much as I was.

The following day I was discharge with really no clear answers as to what really happened and why. I really put my faith in God and tried not to question the “why” as I didn’t want to dwell on the unknown as I would go crazy.  At the same time, I felt like something was just not right. Questioning if my body was out of balance or if there was another underlying cause. I feel like I am really in tuned with my body.  So over this past year I felt like I have been through ups and downs with this TIA diagnosis. I been on a heart monitor for 30 days, and an at home sleep study.  Both came back negative with no findings. I saw the Neurologist, Cardiologist, and Hematologist…All came back with unsure to the “why” but lets treat with Aspirin. I honestly think there is a time and place for medications, but we all too quickly jump to them. At the age of 34 I wasn’t ok with being on Aspirin for the rest of my life. There is got to be something better.  Why is it that I feel I take so much time trying to figure things out then my own doctors do? Why is it that I pay insurance for health care, but the healthcare industry has a say of who they cover and don’t cover? Why is it that insurance companies are so against alternative medicine? I have an HSA account, but this medical incident takes up everything I put in just to pay back for the hospital visit. Which then makes it even harder to see a doctor who is out of pocket. Oh my issues regarding this can go on and on. You never really think about it until you are in it.

As I continued to look deeper, I started to look deeper into myself. First step I made was changing up my multivitamin. After doing a lot of research, I felt maybe I was not absorbing all the nutrients I needed. I have dealt with anxiety for most of my life. The kind of anxiety that takes over your life. I would get anxious taking tests in school. Anxious when I needed to be somewhere. I get anxious at times for no apparent reason.  If you ever dealt with anxiety you would know what I am talking about! There would be days where I would be an emotional roller coaster for no reason at all. All I could say is something isn’t right today and try to do my best to get through it.  When reading research articles and looking into reasons people may have a TIA, I decided to try out a new multivitamin that aids in micronutrient absorption. So in February 2016 I made the switch to Nutreince and have been using this liquid vitamin for over a year now. I can’t pin point exactly, but I can tell you I feel different. I am not on the edge of my seat all the time or overly anxious anymore.  I wish I would have found this supplement sooner because I am honestly feel a hundred times better since taking this.  The multivitamin comes in a AM and PM packets. This way they separate out certain vitamins from each other so they don’t compete with one another.  This also aids in micronutrient absorptions. So I added this to my daily supplements which also consist of fish oil, probiotic, and liquid vitamin D. Later I will get in more detail as to what I am taking now.

This is the start of my journey and over the next several weeks I will be sharing more about my journey and some missing links we found along the way such as MTHFR and Lp(a). It was been a long year, but finally starting to break the ice in hopes to keeping this heart healthy!

Taco Dip

Wow I was just blown away by the ending of the Super Bowl game… Wow is really I have to say about it too. Like watching on the edge of your seat kind of game!

On a brighter side we enjoyed having a great group of people over and delicious food to partake in. Spending time with family and friends is where it is at. So thankful to have met such an incredible couple thanks to Rob’s job almost 13 years ago.  With us relocating to Arizona a year and a half ago brings us back together again.  It was a day full of laughter and kiddos running around having fun.

So I decided to take on an alternative to a Taco Dip. It has been a long time since I have had a taco dip and it just sounded good to me. I was able to throw together a healthier option and thought it tasted delicious too. Even my 6 year old gobbled some up with a spoon 🙂

Party Taco Dip

• 1 can organic refried beans ( I used Amy’s Organic Refried Beans)
• 2 Tbsp taco seasoning- homemade
  • 1tbs chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp chopped dry onion
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • salt/pepper
• 2 ripe avocados smashed
• 1½ tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Himalayan salt
• 1 c sour cream or enough just to cover a layer. (I used Green Valley Lactose Free Sour Cream)
• 1/2 jar medium organic salsa or enough to cover a layer
• 1½ – 2 c 4 shredded gout gouda cheese
• Shredded lettuce
• Pepper
• Olives

Instructions

1. Mix refried beans with taco seasoning.
2. Layer refried bean mix on the bottom of a glass dish.
3. Mash the flesh of 2 avocados,and  add lemon juice, garlic powder, chopped onion powder, and salt. Mix well.
4. Layer guacamole on top of the refried beans.
5. On top of guacamole, add a layer sour cream.
6. Add layer of salsa on top of guacamole
7. Sprinkle cheese on top of salsa, then top with toppings of choosing. Then add a little more cheese to garnish on top.

I served it up with some corn chips of course…I hope you all enjoy this as I did. Now I will wait another 365 more days to have it again!!

Phoenix Women’s Half Marathon Review

This is the second year I have attended the Phoenix Women’s Half Marathon. Last year I did the half and this year I ran the 10K with a group of ladies. I wasn’t planning a PR. My goal for this race was to use it as part of my training for my upcoming half in March. My ankle has been bothering me these last few months, so I have been taking it easy and allowing it time heal.

I chose to do intervals for this race as I haven’t been out running lately. I did 4 minutes running with 1 minute of walking. Two of the intervals I did 8 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking. Overall, I felt great during the race. My heart rate tends to run on the high side when I run and sure enough this day was no different. Partially why I did intervals too. Giving my heart a recovery period. Have any of you tried heart rate training? I go back and forth on it. I honestly try not to dwell on it and just go based off how I feel. Although, I would also like to see it steady out a bit on longer runs. Let me know your thoughts below.

I of course get stretched out before and after the race. Again this year I was stretch out thanks to SpineFit. If you are looking for a Chiropractor that specializes in athletes and you live in the Arizona area then you need to go and check out Dr. Dane Kohl. He is pretty amazing!

The course isn’t that bad either.  I like the underpasses to give variation during the race.  Having to go down the underpass and then back up, that little incline is a nice change of pace during the run for me. I also enjoy the option to run on the canal instead of just pavement. So the dirt path is what I ran on most of the race.

My gear for my race:

Altra Running shoes. This past month I invested in a new pair of Altra Running shoes. With the longer distance on the road I decided on something with a little more cushion. I was using One 2.5 from Altra and I can say I love the shoe too. This is the shoe I ran my half marathon in last year. With the recent ankle issues, I chose to try something with just a bit more cushioning. I can say I love these Torin 2.5‘s just as much! I can’t imagine running in another brand shoe. My feet love the open toe box and zero drop shoes.

Sock game: I chose non other than Pro Compression socks. I don’t go on a run without them. I recover much faster from my runs and have less muscle soreness. Compression socks help increase blood flow and aids in the recovery process. One of my best investments!

Running shorts: Dona Jo- JoJO running shorts are my favorite. They are light weight and are just the right length. They also do not ride up while I am running. They come in a lot of cool designs too. I currently wear a size 2 in these, but will like to try a size 1 to see the difference as I think I am in between sizes. These still fit amazing though on me. If you would like to try them then follow this link to get your very own discount code!

Shirt/Jacket-  I wore my favorite TriMafia shirt by I Am Velocity, but since it was cold out I also wore the jacket I got as swag for the race. This race gives the best jackets instead of tech shirts.

Headwrap- Fringe Fighter Headband by Lululemon.  These headbands stay in place. They are also great for covering the ears a little bit if it is cold out. I also wear these under my cycle helmet. They are great if you have bangs, but also help with keeping the sweat out of the eyes.  They are reversible too.

Nutrition support- I had a protein bar and half a banana early in the morning when I woke up. Then I typically don’t eat anything more until after the race and pack water with me. I also ran with Tailwind Nutrition. I have wrote about why I like tailwind here. I did one scoop in with my water during my run. As they say ” Tailwind mixes with water to meet all your calorie, hydration, and electrolyte needs, without upsetting your stomach or making your taste buds revolt. Just toss it in a bottle or hydration pack, shake, and GO!” It really does the trick. I have seen a difference in my overall performance and it is easy on the stomach.

Race Belt: Xterra Wetsuit Race Belt that way I don’t have to pin on my race number to my shirts.

If you ever are looking for a race to do come and join me next year. They even have a virtual option too! Until next time, Happy Running!

 

Super Bowl – Protein Style

It is an early morning rise for my hubs as he fires up the Traeger. Seriously one of the best gifts we have gotten! We have honestly made so much on it. Two organic chickens at a time from Costco, Pork butt, chicken breast, gluten-free pizza, ribs, party wings, and the list can go on and on. Today our protein will consist of baby back ribs, party wings, and junior franks. All of these will come from my Costco run.

First we will be making Rob’s Famous Ribs. They are fall off the bone good! We soak the ribs overnight in Organic Unfiltered Apple Juice (I get mine from Trader Joe’s).

We then use Paleo Spirit’s Dry Rib Rub. I am all about making our own seasoning instead of a store bought combo. Rob had an idea of what he wanted so when he found this recipe for dry rib rub it was a hit. You can find the dry rib rub here. Again super easy to toss together.

In the morning we transfer the ribs into a clean pan, and pour the left over apple juice from the pan into another heat safe dish. We rub the ribs down generously with the dry rub and massage the rub in too. Pre-heat the Traeger and set the temp for 225 degrees. Arrange the  ribs bone side down and place the left over apple juice pan in the corner. We cook them for about 5 hours. At hour 4 we spread some Annie’s Organic Sweet and Spicy BBQ sauce on top and let them finish cooking the last hour. Wrap in parchment paper and let rest. If need to transport them, wrapping in parchment paper is the way to go too.

We will also be doing up some party wings.  I like to keep my wing seasoning simple, but tasty. I toss my party wings in a tablespoon or two of Avocado Oil. I season them with himalayan salt and cracked pepper. That is it my friends! I then will serve them with a side of Frank’s Red Hot for those that would like a sauce with theirs. Otherwise, they are just as good with the simple seasoning. Today though I used some of the leftover rib rub with these wings. They turned out delicious!

Lastly will be Teton Waters Ranch (TWR) uncured beef junior franks. You can’t go wrong with TWR. I have loved everything I have tried from them so far! I will throw these in a crock pot and call it good to go! They go great with some mustard on the side. Just the way I like them! I will also serve them with side dishes of organic ketchup and Annie’s  organic sweet and spicy BBQ sauce for those that would prefer to eat them a different way. I try to keep my ingredients I use or offer to be fairly clean.  Remembering it is a party and not an everyday lifestyle way of eating.

I will also be making up Wellness Mama’s Broccoli Slaw to go along with these dishes. I am made a double batch for the crew. The great thing about this, is you can make it the night before. It allows the dressing to soak in. Plus it also makes great leftovers the following days! I use her recipe with homemade mayo and omit the honey. I did use homemade mayo for this even though I used store bought for my Chicken Salad. 99% of the time I make my own, but with cooking all day and already making a batch of mayo, I was tapped out! Honestly this was the first time I bought mayo in over 4 years. It will not be an always occurrence, but came in handy!

Makings of a great Super Bowl evening! I hope your evening was one of great laughter too.

Chicken Salad

It is Super Bowl weekend and I am looking forward to cheering on the Atlantic Falcons! I will also be spending my Sunday morning up at the mountains for a trail run. It will then be time to prep for our Super Bowl party. We will be watching the game, playing cards, and enjoying this beautiful Arizona weather.

We have a lot on our super bowl menu this year. I will be sharing some of my recipes with you all over the next few days. I am starting us out with making chicken salad to snack on. It is great with celery, on lettuce leaves, or even with some rice crackers. I made a big batch because one I already have a big family and two we are have guest coming!!

Trail Mamma’s Chicken Salad

• 2lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast (organic if can)
• Minced Onion
• 1 1/4 cup chopped Celery
• 1 cup of quartered Grapes
• Walnuts – couple handfuls to your liking  *Optional
• 10 TBSP Mayonnaise or more if needed
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Garlic
• Salt/Pepper

1. Cook chicken with minced onion, garlic, salt and pepper. When chicken is cooked through set aside to cool. I even make my chicken the night before. Then shred the chicken.

2. Cut up the celery and grapes and set aside with the walnuts

3. In a big bowl mix the chicken and mayonnaise untiled combined. Add in a himalayan salt, ground pepper, ground oregano, thyme, and garlic powder until your liking. For me it is usually a few shakes of each. Add in the celery and mix. Fold in the walnut pieces if you  are adding. I only use a couple handfuls of walnuts and break up the pieces with my hands. Finally add in the grapes and give one last stir.

I hope you all enjoy this as much as we do. Makes for great snacks and quick lunches throughout the week too!

Thursday Must Haves- Nutritional Support

Today I am talking about some nutritional support I use. I use these especially during my training days. I am still a strong supporter of making your own food. Although, sometimes I need that extra boost during or after a workout. So I am sharing what works best for me.

• Nick Sticks by Wallace Farms
  • They make 100% grass fed beef or free range turkey sticks. I personally get them both for my whole family. These are a must have in my home. They were my local farmer in Iowa, but since moving to Arizona I buy them online instead. You can too here. They carry original and spicy.
  • They make a great nutritious snack, added protein in my kiddos lunch boxes, grab on the go, and a quick protein recovery after a workout. They are easy to throw into my kiddos sports bag too.  A great thing is: No MSG. No Nitrates. No Antibiotics. No Hormones. No Sugar. No Red Dye. No Gluten. So all over clean eating snack stick. You can learn more about Wallace Farms and their Nick Sticks here.
    

    

    

    

     

• RX Bars are a whole food protein bar. Simple ingredient list with the core of it being Egg whites, Fruits, and Nuts. These are the bars I usually keep in my purse to have on hand. If my schedule gets crazy, I know I always have a great food option to snag. I take these on bike rides, while hiking, traveling, etc. I enjoyed a Blueberry Bar after my Sprint Triathlon too. You really can’t go wrong with these. My top flavors are: Chocolate Sea Salt, Blueberry, Maple Sea Salt, Mint Chocolate, and Pumpkin Spice. They usually have deals online and a monthly subscription. If you order by 11/11/16 you get 2 free bars of Peanut Butter in every order. I usually get mine at Trader Joe’s as they are only $1.99 a bar. The downside is they only carry Blueberry and Chocolate Coconut. They did carry Pumpkin Spice as a seasonal bar. They also stated they hope to carry more variety in Trader Joe’s in the future.
  

  
• Tailwind Nutrition – This is an endurance drink that focuses on compete energy, electrolytes, and hydration. I have been using this for a little over a month now, and LOVE everything about it. Even the hubs approves too. This is easy on the stomach causing no bloat or gassiness for me. Takes care of the headaches I was experiencing on my longer runs and provides me the extra endurance. There were times when I got to mile 6 and needed a pick me up. I no longer feel that way when using Tailwind. I actually feel like I have more energy and could keep running. I use this for my long bike rides, runs, and my long swim days. This is one I will stick by! I have been using more and more of this in my workouts. It mixes easily in my water container or I toss it in my running vest bladder. Cleans up easily with no film. They come in multiple flavors. You can get it with or without caffeine. They also have to go packets, but when I travel I put my individual servings in a ziplock bag. You can learn more about Tailwind here.
  

  

   

• Double Bonded Protein Powder by Mt Capra- Goats milk protein powder. I am sensitive to dairy so I have done a lot of researching and trials of protein powders. I always come back to this one. I like their vanilla best, but enjoy the Dark Chocolate.  I tend to get the Dark Chocolate because it is cheaper on Amazon. It has a very faint goat milk taste. This protein powder is easy on my gut and goat milk usually is easier to digest. Since starting Tailwind Nutrition I don’t use this as often as I use to.  This is strictly a protein powder not a meal replacement.   According to Mt Capra: “Double Bonded Protein™ is an unrefined fusion of both casein (milk) protein and whey protein. The natural synergy between these two proteins is nothing short of miraculous! Whey protein triggers the formation of new muscle and casein (milk) protein inhibits the destruction of previously created muscle. Consume just one of these proteins and you will be missing out on the crucial benefits of the other. This is why 100% whey protein isolates consistently disappoint. The ability of whey protein to trigger new muscle growth is second to none, but when natural “proteolysis” (the breakdown of previously created muscle) begins, whey isolate has no defense. Enter casein. Casein inhibits proteolysis and keeps the muscle that you have worked so hard for, right where it needs to be; on you! Double Bonded Protein™ is just what you need to reach the next level of muscle gain.” You can read more about Mt Capra and their farming here

 

Protein Smoothies:

•      Mt Capra protein powder, 2 tbsp coconut oil, half banana, 1tbsp of almond butter, and 2 tbsp of ground flaxseed. Add to either 8-10oz of almond milk, coconut water, or regular water. Blend in blender and ice and blend again.
•      Mt Capra protein powder, 2tbsp coconut oil, organic frozen strawberries, and organic greens. Add 8-10oz of either water or almond milk. Blend in blender.
  

  

   

So there you have it, some of my top nutritional supplements. What are some of your favorites you keep on hand?

Week 8 – School Lunches and Girlfriends Podcast!

Hello November!  The month in which I can finally start to open the windows around here for a little while and get some fresh air. So lately my favorite thing to do while cleaning these days is to listen to the Girlfriends podcast by Danielle Bean.  What a great podcast. If you haven’t listen to it before I suggest you go check it our right now!  You can find it on iTunes here.  Talk about empowering women!  Women need to really empower each other and not compete with one another. Danielle interviews someone new each week on her podcast and she covers everything from health and fitness, parenting, work, motherhood, time management, spirituality, etc.  I have shed tears and heart felt laughs listening to her podcast.   I really can’t say enough good things about this podcast. I can truly relate to what she talks about, and I love the weekly challenges. So what are you waiting for, go take a listen for yourself!

Now on to this weeks lunches in our Yumbox!

Monday: Strawberries and Blueberries. Carrots. Stonyfield organic vanilla yogurt. Lettuce leaves. Grilled chicken. 

Tuesday: Cheesestick. Oranges. Broccoli Slaw. Ham, guac, and cheese rolls. Plantain chips.

Wednesday: Strawberries. Mozzarella Cheese. Broccoli Slaw. Lettuce Leaves. Wallace Farms Nick-Sticks ( you can buy them here).

Thursday: Mac’s Original Chicharrones (fried pork fat with attached skin and salt). Chicharrones are delicious! Strawberries. Broccoli Slaw. The Paleo Mom-plantain pancakes. You can find her recipe here. I served these with sunbutter and honey.

Friday: Pickles. Dried Apricots. Carrots. Gluten-Free pizza casserole ( you can find my recipe here). Plantain Chips.

An that is a wrap of this weeks healthy school lunches! Enjoy.

Thursday Must Haves plus GRF Discount Code

Wow, where did the month of October go. When I look at my training for the month I feel pretty good. My goal is to stay healthy and active, but also to always have a plan. I lay out what I  plan to do each week, but don’t beat myself up if it doesn’t get done as planned. I try to take each day as it comes, and to listen to the body. There was a week were timing wasn’t in my favor for what I had planned so I ended up taking an extra rest day. My body appreciated the extra rest too!

So over the next several weeks I am sharing some of my must haves ranging from fitness gear to nutrition. Today I am sharing my favorite tanks and shirts from Girls Run Fast. They are light-weight and bright! One thing I love when I run or even bike is a bright shirt so I can be seen! They also have some great jewelry and running tags. Be sure to use JENSENJ15 to get 15% off your products.

Girls Run Fast t-shirts – they run true to size. I am wearing a small here, but next time I will probably go a size up.

Girls Run Fast Tank – They also run true to size. I am wearing  small here and I like the fit and length.

 

Another one of my favorite must haves is Fitness Headbands. I love the classic headbands. They are comfortable, moisture wicking, and STAY in place! I can wear it slightly over the tops of my ears or behind them. Out of the handful of headbands I have tried, these are by far my favorite. They are reasonably priced and are made in U.S.A. 🙂 They also make for a great gift with the holiday’s coming up. I have worn them working out as well as dressing up my everyday hairdo.

What are your favorite must haves?  If you grab any of these products leave me a comment below and let me know what you think! Stay tone for next week’s must haves!