Popsicles for Breakfast!

I am always trying to find fun and new ways to get healthy foods into my 2 and 4 year old boys.  Unfortunately, it is often challenging (I know I am not alone!).   New and healthy foods are usually met with "mommy I don't like that", sometimes before it has even hit their plate or cup.  As a healthy eater myself, it is so important for me to provide the boys with the fuel they need for their energy and health, so I have to be creative!

I make a lot of smoothies for the boys and at times when I add in some of the extra healthy veggies (kale, spinach, avocado's) and they see it happening they almost immediately reject it.  So, you will find me making smoothies on a stealth mission to avoid them seeing what goes into it.  It's pretty ridiculous!!!  Sometimes I am successful and sometimes not so much and they say the don't like it.  Well, instead of wasting it,  I immediately pop it into a popsicle mold and put it in the freezer.  9 times out of 10 they will eat it after their dinner or for breakfast the next morning!  The best part is I can actually justify them having it for breakfast and how great of a mommy am I giving them a popsicle for breakfast?!  Here is one of my new favorite healthy smoothie/popsicle recipes.  To make it sweeter, I juice the pineapple and apples first then put them in the blender.  Depending on the day, I will sometimes also put in the whole apple and pineapple straight in the blender.

Pineapple, Spinach, Avocado/Apple Smoothie

1 Whole Pineapple Juiced or Whole

4 Whole Apples Juiced or Whole

1 Avocado

1 Can full fat organic coconut milk

2 Cups of Spinach or Kale

If you are looking for more smoothie and shake recipes, check out this link below!

Clean Eating Shake Recipes

These are also my favorite popsicle molds for the kiddos!!!

Awesome Popsicle Molds!

21 Day Fix EXTREME!

Only a few more days until the new 21 Day Fix EXTREME will be entering into a living room near you!  If you are looking to take your fitness and nutrition to the next level, get ready to buckle down! This program is exactly what it states - EXTREME.  If you really want it, it's time to get serious and take it to the next level and this program will give you just that!  The program includes 7 workouts all of which take it to the next level by including weights!  The good news is that they are all 30 MINUTES!  Unlike the original 21 Day Fix program there are NO CHEATS!  NO CHOCOLATE OR WINE! WHAT?!?  Well, unfortunately results require sacrifice.  As a National Bikini Competitor Autumn is very familiar with the serious work that needs to go into competition preparation and we all know that  "Abs are made in the Kitchen".  The new 21 Day Fix Extreme program provides 2 different meal plans.  One which includes the 21 Day Countdown to Competition Preparation and one that is less intense (Still no treats!  Sorry, it is extreme giving up chocolate and wine!).

Extreme Nutrition
Extreme Fitness
= EXTREME RESULTS!

For those who are not familiar with the original 21 Day Fix, there are 7 portion controlled containers and are outlined as follows.  There is NO CALORIE COUNTING!  All you need to do is follow the color coded guide which lists what you can put in each container and eat the appropriate number of containers a day which corresponds to the number of calories you need!

• Green - Vegetables
• Purple - Fruit
• Red - Protein
• Yellow - Carbohydrates
• Blue - Healthy Fats
• Orange - Seeds and healthy oils

EXTREME requires accountability!  Click here to watch the video and to be one of the first to know about the program availability and to join my 21 Day Fix Accountability Group!

Not quite ready for EXTREME?  Check out the original 21 Day Fix Program here!

Spiralize Zucchini Noodles with Homemade Sauce!

For my birthday this year my sister bought me a Spiralizer.  I haven't actually seen one until I took it out of the gift bag and wondered what it was!  I absolutely love zucchini noodles and this made it so easy! This recipe is clean, easy and super yummy.  I make the sauce in advance in large batches and freeze it for individual meals, so then all I need to do is spiralize and sauté my noodles and heat up the sauce.  Now, if I could only get my boys to eat them!  One can only hope that as they watch their mommy making healthy choices and getting fit they will eventually do the same!


Zucchini Noodles & Homemade Meat Sauce
(Serves 4)

6 Large Zucchini's
1lb of Grass Fed Ground Beef
(you can substitute ground turkey/chicken whichever is your preference)
1 Package of Mixed Mushrooms
(pick your mushroom preference, I like the oyster, shiitake mix)
1/2 Yellow Onion sliced
2 Cans of Muir Glen Organic Crushed Tomatoes with Basil

Meat Sauce

Saute the mushrooms and onions for 2 minutes in a deep pan, then add the ground beef and mix until cooked.  Drain the fat and put the mixture back into the pan.

Add the (2) cans of crushed tomatoes and allow to simmer for approximately 45 minutes to mix the flavors together.

Remove from heat and serve with zucchini noodles and/or freeze.

Zucchini Noodles

Remove the green skin on the zucchini with a vegetable peeler.  You can either put on the spiralizer to create the noodles if you have this tool, but if not, you can continue to peel the zucchini with the vegetable peeler and put them into the pan.  This is what I did prior to having the spiralizer!

Add a teaspoon of either olive oil or coconut oil, whichever is your preference and sauté until cooked.  I drain the excess water and then serve with sauce.

Enjoy!