Recipe Makeover - Pecan Crusted Salmon

I love salmon, unfortunately about a year and a half ago, I caught food poisoning from some delicious salmon I ate out at a restaurant. This led to my food aversion of salmon for quite some time and now I am still very particular on where I consume salmon. I prefer cooking it myself now, but it is at the top of my list for healthy and delicious dinners! I saw a recipe for pecan crusted salmon in a southern living magazine, and knew I had to figure out a healthier alternative to this recipe, because it was absolutely delicious! So...check out this awesome recipe makeover! By simply replacing the large amount of butter used with coconut oil/butter cuts the calories greatly and makes a crispy crust.

Ingredients:
1 large salmon fillet or 4 per portioned fillets
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp dill
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp coconut oil (the thick texture similar to butter is necessary)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Pulse pecans, dill, garlic, and oil, making a paste like texture
3. Season salmon with salt and pepper, top heavily with thick mixture in the center of each fillet. 
4. Bake uncovered for 18-20 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through, flakes with a fork. 
5. Serve immediately, I prefer serving with asparagus and wild rice.

The paste can be made in advance to top salmon and pop in the oven approx 30 minutes before serving dinner. 

I hope you enjoy this dinner as much as my family does! 

Christmas Eve~Traditions...

Yes it is that time of year, 

Christmas is almost here!

Scream and shout

You might even jump about,

Knowing he soon will be here. :)

This time of year I still find myself giddily with anticipation of Christmas morning! My reasoning behind my giddiness has greatly changed over the years however, from once giddy to see what had arrived for me, to now giddy to see the exictement on others face's. Waking up early to spend those precious moments with my family by the tree opening presents. Seeing the eyes of the youngest of the crowd grow bigger with excitement as they unwrap their presents! These are all moments we should hold near to our hearts and treasure! 

What is your favorite part of the holiday seasons?

Some might say: "the presents", "the food", "the music", or even "the movies", but for me I must say, "the moments with my family!" These other things are great, but the memories we make with our loved ones greatly outweigh all these small details.

Traditions...

Traditions often are the glue to a family's holidays, and each family has their own traditions. Our family has a couple different traditions and they might slightly vary by the year, but the basis is the same. I have traditions with my parents and sister that we have done since I was small, I now carry on my own traditions with my children as well. Keep these traditions alive as these are a way a family carries through the generation! 

As I type this I am partaking in a small aspect of our Christmas tradition already, my own family and I are on our way to my parents to make sure we are there for Christmas morning! 

Well, make sure those kiddos are in bed early, as I am sure the elves will be doing a lot of last minute running around! Merry Christmas to you all, and don't forget the true importance of the holiday season! ❄️⛄️🎄🎁🎅🎉

Christmas Eve~Traditions...

Yes it is that time of year, 

Christmas is almost here!

Scream and shout

You might even jump about,

Knowing he soon will be here. :)

This time of year I still find myself giddily with anticipation of Christmas morning! My reasoning behind my giddiness has greatly changed over the years however, from once giddy to see what had arrived for me, to now giddy to see the exictement on others face's. Waking up early to spend those precious moments with my family by the tree opening presents. Seeing the eyes of the youngest of the crowd grow bigger with excitement as they unwrap their presents! These are all moments we should hold near to our hearts and treasure! 

What is your favorite part of the holiday seasons?

Some might say: "the presents", "the food", "the music", or even "the movies", but for me I must say, "the moments with my family!" These other things are great, but the memories we make with our loved ones greatly outweigh all these small details.

Traditions...

Traditions often are the glue to a family's holidays, and each family has their own traditions. Our family has a couple different traditions and they might slightly vary by the year, but the basis is the same. I have traditions with my parents and sister that we have done since I was small, I now carry on my own traditions with my children as well. Keep these traditions alive as these are a way a family carries through the generation! 

As I type this I am partaking in a small aspect of our Christmas tradition already, my own family and I are on our way to my parents to make sure we are there for Christmas morning! 

Well, make sure those kiddos are in bed early, as I am sure the elves will be doing a lot of last minute running around! Merry Christmas to you all, and don't forget the true importance of the holiday season! ❄️⛄️🎄🎁🎅🎉

Mediterranean Roasted Cornish Hens

Sunday I spent the day with one of my best friends, staying warm inside. After multiple cups of coffee, we decided it was time for some good eats. She surprised my husband and I with this amazing delicious and healthy recipe! Check it out!

Mediterranean Roasted Cornish Hens-Candace Metcalf

Ingredients:
2 cornish hens, split
1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
1 cup artichoke hearts, sliced
1 cup onion, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 cup green olives, not just green but immature green olives
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Place olive oil in bottom of baking dish, split Cornish hens and rub in olive oil, sprinkle with 1 tbsp italian seasoning, add 1/2 in water to bottom of dish, and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes.
3. Mix remaining ingredients
4. Remove birds from oven, add vegetable mixture, sprinkle with remaining italian seasoning and bake an additional 30-45 minutes 
5. Let dish rest for 5 minutes before serving locking in juices and flavor!

My friend served it beautifully on a bed of rice, making sure to place plenty of the juicy delicious broth over the dish before serving! 

I know you are all jealous right! ;) 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did, it was great!  This is a great recipe to make for the large groups of family coming in around the holidays, easy to throw together and have baking upon their arrival. 

Cold Weather Workout!!!

That time of year is upon us, the cold has swept in with many places under ice warnings. Where I live  in Florida however, it is a rainy, dreary day. Point being I will not be able to workout outside today for sure. What to do when you can't get outside to get your physical activity?

I myself enjoy running, biking, walking, hiking, tennis, and well about any activity that can take place outside. I do however have some awesome indoor workouts too though! In the past I did not enjoy workout movies or any workout keeping me inside. Then I found a workout program that is right for me, that I really enjoy, and actually want to do everyday!

This is the important part, to find a workout you actually WANT to do, this way you will stick with it!  I absolutely love TURBOFIRE, it is a fun, dancy type workout to awesome music! I also love Turbo Jam and Brazillian Butt Lift. These are all great inside workouts using your own body to gain muscle and lift those saggy areas.

It is important for you to find what works for you, if you need help finding a great workout, I am here to help! If you are limited on space and equipment a workout video is always a great go to! If you are one of the privileged few, you may have an in home gym, take advantage of your equipment on these cold days. I have attached a couple more inside workouts!

*If you are interested in finding a great workout video, you can check out mine at www.healthierhappieru4life.com or contact me at

www.facebook.com/healthierhappieru4life 

What Are You Really Eating?

Do you truly stop and think about every bite you put into your mouth?

Each small bite/sip can contain gobs of calories, and unfortunately can be consumed very easily. Mindlessly we pop chip after chip, piece after piece into our mouths. Then there are those calories we drink, chug chug chug, every drop easily going down. These are the areas where, to often, we do not keep track of what we are truly eating, which leads to keeping that muffin top or extra baggage.

One thing I have found to be crucial to my healthy eating and staying focused is food tracking, journaling, counting, whatever you might call it. There are many tools to help us do this these days. It is important to find what works for you in your situation. What are you more likely to follow through with completing every day! Keeping a spiral notebook or pad and pen with you and writing down what you eat may work best for you. There are now many options using technology, including using your phone as a tracking device either through simply taking notes on it or downloading an app that can go above and beyond to tell you what your truly eating. There is also the aspect of knowing subconsciously that since I am going to have to write it down I am more likely to not eat certain junk items.



I myself have found using an app, is what works for me! I personally love myfitnesspal, it is a great app that helps me keep track of not only what I am putting into my body (food and water), but also keep track of my physical activity, and show me a breakdown of my daily intake per nutritional value.

 It is hard to get into the routine, especially when you are busy at work and being a mom, but well worth it in the end.  If you can be determined to track just one months worth of eating, you will at this point be into a routine and should be able to stick with it. The payoff can be worth more than the time in the long run.

So...is it worth it for you?

Recipe Makeover- Egg Nog Frappuccino

The day after thanksgiving while visiting a SB with one of my best friends and sister I was introduced to the Egg Nog Frappuccino. Yes, it didn't sound the greatest at first to me, especially since I can't drink milk, but after taking a wee little sip, I knew I had to make it over! 

I literally wait for this time of year to enjoy my favorite holiday drinks at Starbucks, however unfortunately most often they break my calorie bank. So came the challenge of making a non-dairy, low calorie, yet still delicious holiday drink. When I made this amazing concoction last night, I knew it was a winner!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup silk eggnog
• 1 scoop of your favorite vanilla protein shake (I used vanilla Shakeology, it was amazing)
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• Lots of Ice

Directions:

Place all these yummy ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth! Serve immediately, garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg if you like! 

I enjoyed mine by the christmas tree while watching the lighting on TV last night! 

Have a favorite holiday drink you challenge me to makeover? 

Recipe Makeover-Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower (no taters here)

Usually our thanksgiving and christmas table has a spot for some deliciously creamy mashed potatoes, but this year we changed things up. I was one of the skeptical ones, who was a little nervous about making the conversion, but after trying the, all I can say is YUMMO! Here is the recipe, it is delicious by the way!

Ingredients

• 1 full head of garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 heads cauliflower
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Cut just the top of the bulb of garlic, place in an aluminum packet and drizzle with olive oil. Close packet and bake for approximately 30 min or until soft.
3. Boil cauliflower until tender, beginning to fall apart. 
4. Drain cauliflower and place in blender/food processor, squeeze softened cloves of garlic into cauliflower, season with salt & pepper, and blend until smooth. 
5. Serve your delicious low calorie side! 

For a creamy and cheesy flavor, add either 2 tbsp cream cheese or 2 garlic herb laughing cow wedges prior to blending. 

This is a great CLEAN, VEGAN, VEGETARIAN, and GLUTEN-FREE recipe! 

Clean Eating??? What is it and is it right for ME?

The newest craze nutritional craze in the past couple years has been the concept of CLEAN Eating. What is Clean eating? Is it right for you?

The main concept behind clean eating is consuming only natural, healthful, items. Items which have been grown and delivered to you without any processing or preservatives, including grown with harsh chemicals. It is more less eating a healthy all natural diet! Eating clean involves eating 5-6 small meals a day of lean meats, whole grains, and complex carbs.

Is clean eating right for you??? Y>>>E>>>S, YES, YES, YES! If you are looking to:

• LOSE WEIGHT
• GAIN ENERGY
• EAT MORE OFTEN
• EAT HEALTHIER
• ETC. ETC. ETC.

I could tell you a thousand reasons why eating clean could help you, but the best advice I can give you is to simply try it and you will FEEL the difference! I consistently post Clean eating recipes, if there are any items in particular you would like me to makeover (make clean), feel free to contact me and I will help to my best ability! 

Here are a few simple steps you can follow to clean eating:

1. Eat 5-6 small meals a day, eating every 2-3 hours. (TIP: Find out how many calories you should be consuming in a day and divide the amount by the number of meals you plan on consuming to see approximate calorie breakdown for each meal)
2. Eating whole grains and complex carbs will help increase energy and keep you full longer. (TIP: Make sure your are looking for WHOLE GRAIN items, make sure you are also consuming the appropriate serving size)
3. Eat as many fresh fruits and vegetables as you choose (TIP: Keep an eye on consumption of fruits high in natural sugar content and when you find certain fruits/vegetables you prefer above others, make sure to always have them on hand, washed and prepared to take with you at any time.)
4. Eat lean meats such as chicken, fish, and turkey (TIP: Cooking lean meats in advance and storing them individually packed in the fridge will help you stay on track, having something to grab any moment, portion size is important!)
5. Avoid white flour, sugar, sugar substitutes, trans fats, and saturated fats (TIP: Using Stevia in place of sugar and sugar substitutes in recipes will help you stay on track. Carrying a bottle around with you will help when out and about.)
    
6. BE PREPARED!!! (TIP: Carry small baggies/containers of nuts, pieces of fruit, chunks of meats, nutritional bars, and protein shake packets (my favorite is shakeology). Take a cooler if you will be out for an extended period, make sure you are prepared for the unpredictable moments, such as passing by your old favorite fast food restaurant or the junk machine.)
7. Take baby steps towards a fully clean lifestyle! (TIP: Making small changes over a time will lead to the big changes, including losing weight and having more energy!)
8. Indulge in Moderation (TIP: I get single size, small organic, chocolates I keep on hand for those times ;)

NOW, lets get clean! If you are ready to get started on the eating clean track and you want some support along the way, I am here to help.

I will be hosting a private Facebook 5-DAY FREE CLEAN EATING CHALLENGE, starting in just a couple days. You will be provided with a shopping list and daily menu for the challenge. It is completely FREE! Starting small with just 5 days will lead to a lifestyle of changes! If you are interested, follow me on here or visit my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/healthierhappieru4life

*Shakeology is available at www.myshakeology.com/hlthyhapyu4life 

Recipe Makeover-Chicken Salad

I love chicken salad, especially for a quick snack or lunch. After buying a rotisserie chicken yesterday while getting my grocery shopping done, I decided I needed to use part of it for some delicious chicken salad! Attached is my updated, healthier version of chicken salad, it is a little on the chunky side, but that's how I like it!

Ingredients:

• 4 oz (or approx. 1 breast) of a rotisserie chicken
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup quartered red seedless grapes
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 4 tbsp. Mayo (I used the brand made with olive oil)
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 4 tsp sweet relish
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Chop chicken into chunks or shred, place in bowl
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix, yes easy as that!
3. Serve chilled

I prefer my chicken salad in romaine heart boats! 

This made 6 servings for me, each coming in at 90 calories! Delicious and healthy!

If you have a favorite go to snack or lunch you would like me to makeover, let me know and I will do my best! 

Sweating Off Thanksgiving Dinner, Family Style!

As a family we decided to skip the Black Friday shopping this year and hit the trails  instead! One of my favorite outdoor activities growing up was hiking, and it still is one of my favorites. I am glad to say my niece and nephew come by it naturally in our family and, as young kids, already ask to go hiking! 

Did you get some exercise in today and work off those thanksgiving calories? Even though our table consisted of clean eating healthier alternatives this year, we still had plenty of extra calories to burn! ;) 

We hiked up to a beautiful Fall Branch Falls in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was chilly and there were still remnants of snow from the other day! 

Spending time with my family is at the top of my list for fun activities! I am truly blessed to be able to spend this holiday weekend with my family! Being on vacation and spending time with family isn't a reason not to get a good workout in though, just include the family!!! 

Having fun climbing the rocks at the bottom of the falls! 

My beautiful sister and niece! 

Recipe Makeover-Momma's Stuffing

This year we are doing a completely clean eating Thanksgiving dinner in our household and this includes our stuffing. There are a couple dishes in our household we can't go without, macaroni & cheese, green bean casserole, and MOMMA'S Stuffing! Thus I had to figure out how we could make these delicious dishes CLEAN! Check out this delicious recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Ezekiel or other sprouted grain bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 4 or more cups vegetable or chicken broth

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 cup chopped celery 

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1 apple chopped

• 1 tbsp garlic powder 

• 1-2 tablespoons of poultry seasoning 

• any other herbs you like

• sea salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
2. Place bread cubes onto a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Toast in oven until crispy. 
3. Saute apples, celery, and onion in 2 tbsp olive oil until soft. 
4. In bowl mix remaining ingredients. 
5. Place in greased casserole dish and bake covered for 30 min. Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 min. until crispy and golden on top. 

Enjoy with your family on Thanksgiving Day, we will be! The main change to this recipe for our family is the ezekiel bread instead of regular stuffing mix. ;)

Spaghetti Squash Bake

I made this healthfully updated version of baked spaghetti last night and it was AWESOME! If you haven't tried spaghetti squash before in a recipe as a substitute, you should. A lot of times I hear people say yuck, spaghetti squash, I can't eat that stuff, but they haven't tried it in a dish actually. I personally am a fan of it right out of the skin, but most aren't, so placing it in a recipe for instance instead of noodles is a great alternate for it. Last night I used it in place of the normal high calorie high carb noodles in my baked spaghetti. I have attached the recipe, give it a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 onion, minced
1 bell pepper, minced (I prefer red or yellow for the sweetness)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 spaghetti squash
4 cups of spaghetti sauce, your choice, the cleaner the better!
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Basil

*Mozzarella to top if you prefer

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Slice the spaghetti squash length wise and place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with herbs, and bake for 1 hour or until soft to fork.
3. Cook ground beef and drained of all excess fat, place to the side
4. Saute onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, in olive oil until soft. Once cooked, add the meat and sauce to pan, simmer until warmed through.
5. Remove spaghetti squash from oven once cooked through and using a fork shred the inners out from side to side, it should look like strings of squash, resembling pasta. 
6. You can either place the squash in a dish, top with sauce, and bake for a short time (for family style presentation) or serve up each bowl separately.

In my house we decided to serve each bowl separately, generously sauced, and some sprinkled mozzarella on top! Great served with a side salad!

Since I wouldn't be home until late yesterday evening, I precooked the squash and precut the veggies. This made my evening meal preparation fast and simple! With squash already cooked prep time was only about 15 min. Yummo!

Recipe Makeover-Pumpkin Bread!

I made this pumpkin bread last night and it was delicious. The best part is it is healthy and clean! It was husband and teenager approved, so I say it's a keeper! 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of oats (blended into a flour consistency)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup (this gives it a little extra sweetness and a great maple kick)
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients 
3. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan
4. Bake approximately 40 minutes or until firm, and toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let cool, slice, and serve!

I would suggest storing in the fridge as it has a high moisture content, it is great toasted with a tsp of real butter and cinnamon! 

This is a great treat, with whole and natural ingredients, Enjoy! Comment and let me know if you try the recipe! 

I will be posting more recipe makeovers through the continuation of this week in preparation for Thanksgiving! 

You should also check out this great blog B-Fit4U http://b-fit4u.blogspot.com

She is continually putting up healthy recipes, today's recipe is Pumpkin Cheesecake-Revamped!

No Excuses!

I'm too tired...I'm don't feel good...I can't do it...etc.etc.etc. I myself have come up with about every excuse under the sun, but truly there are no excuses. Excuses that is, for getting up and moving! In the time it takes you to make the excuse, you could have begun your exercise/activity.

On Friday evening I was honor a man who is a perfect example of "no excuses"! His name is Bob Quick, he has coronary artery disease, has had 16 stents, and a pace maker. He did not use these health concerns as excuses by any means, instead he turned this situation around to be an example of how anyone can get physical! Get physical physical! ;) He and his son Conrad have biked from the West coast to the East coast, from California to Florida. He was told he would not be able to do it, due to his health history, and he has proven many to be wrong! Not only is he doing it and proving many wrong, but he is doing it for charity. An amazing man he is and I was honored to meet him and learn his story.
You can follow the continuation of his journey @ http://www.bobquicksjourney.com/

Pictured Left to Right: Bob Quick, myself, and my husband

This month make the commitment to get moving! After all, it is NO EXCUSES NOVEMBER! Take the first and one of the hardest steps, to make the commitment, and follow through. If you need suggestion of fun fall activities, feel free to contact me! 

Why?

Why do you want to lose weight or get healthier? Each individual has their own why behind why they truly want to lose weight. I myself have battled with being overweight my entire life. I couldn't truly begin the process of living a healthier life and losing the extra pounds until I really connected with my reasoning behind doing so, my "why". For me it was to live healthier and lose weight, I did not feel comfortable being overweight, I didn't feel like I was living life to the fullest potential possible. When I could not ride the rides in a theme park or fit into clothes in regular stores, I knew I was not fully enjoying my life. On a school trip, after waiting in line for almost an hour, I arrived at the ride to find out I could not fit into the seat, this was the moment that I knew I was going to make a change. Once I realized this, then all I had to do was figure out exactly what would work for me to reach my goals. What is your Why?