Steak Stir-Fry

My family loves stir-fry and the more veggies I can add in, the better! Here is the recipe for the stir-fry I posted in my health groups last night! This is a semi-homemade kinda dish, an easy quick weeknight supper!

Ingredients:
1 lb. stir-fry sliced beef (steak)
1 package frozen stir-fry mix
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 can Chinese mixed veggies (sprouts/corn/carrots)
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp sirrachi (chili paste)
3 tbsp Bragg's amino acids (soy sauce alternative)
2 tsp real all natural honey
1 tsp ginger
1 tbsp garlic
1 tbsp onion
Brown Rice

Directions:
1. Sauté beef in 1 tbsp sesame oil until cooked through, remove from pan and place in covered bowl
2. Sauté stir-fry mixture, water chestnuts, and mixed veggies in remaining sesame oil. Once cooked through, mix in sirrachi, amino acids, honey, ginger, garlic, and onion.
3. Cook rice according to package, serve stir-fry over rice.

Awesome slightly sweet and spicy dish!

Chicken Caprese

This was the delicious low carb meal my family enjoyed tonight!

Chicken Caprese

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

2 cups cherry or chunked Roma tomatoes

3 tbsp fresh minced garlic

4 tbsp Italian seasoning mix

2 tbsp Olive oil

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt & pepper

Bunch fresh basil

2 slices fresh mozzarella 

Drizzle one tbsp Olive oil in pan (I used a panini pan), sprinkle breast with 2 tbsp. Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook, turning part way through, until cooked through. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, cover, and let sit 10 min.

While the chicken is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes, minced garlic, remaining italian seasoning mix, remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a pyrex dish. Bake until tomatoes are tender, approximately 15 minutes. 

I suggest serving in a bowl, you wouldn't want to miss any of the delicious sauce that is drizzled over the chicken! Place chicken in the bowl, sprinkle top with fresh basil, place 1/2 slice fresh mozzarella on top, then spoon tomato mixture over top. Garnish with remaining basil and serve!!

I served this with a beautiful big salad and voila! Delizioso!

Day 2 of the 21 Day Fix-My Journey

Well, yesterday was another great day on the 21 Day Fix. Got up and got my workout in early! Prepped my meals for the day as I knew I would be out and about all day! No time for "fast food", prepping in advance is faster, easier, and healthier than stopping at one of "those places"!

Today the workout was great, had the choice of using weights or a residence band to add a little oomph to the workout, surely felt the difference! ;)

Sweaty Pic! ;)

I have found I am a creature of habit as many are and I can do just fine with eating the same thing everyday, but unfortunately my family can't.


They like things to be switched up a little, so I'm incorporating 21 Day Fix approved foods and making different dinners for us to enjoy.

I have to say (pat myself on the back!) last nights supper was delicious! It went over great with the family too!

Meals of the day:
Started with Coffee with a little almond milk and stevia

Breakfast was my normal vanilla shakeology with 2 tsp pb, 1/2 frozen banana, water, and lots of ice

1st Snack was a bowl of fresh fruit, ate it on the way to work!

Lunch was a thin bun sandwich with sliced turkey, spinach, cucumber, and romaine

2nd Snack was a bowl of fresh veggies and amazing 21 day fix dressing to dip

Dinner was slow cooked chicken tacos, yum!!! Want the recipe????

Dessert was plain greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey and fresh berries!

Tell me I'm not eating like a queen! Definitely getting enough food in for sure!



If your ready to make the commitment and make some changes, I am offering a huge bonus today for those who commit. Msg me or email me at kimi.stotler@gmail.com

Day 1 of the 21 Day Fix-My Journey

Yesterday was the first day of the 21 Day Fix for myself and my mom! I was excited to start the day out on the right note with a walk and my 30 min. fix workout! The workout was great, a little tough, but very easily modified (we modified most moves for my mom)!




When I sat down and figured up how much I had to eat on the 21 day fix I almost had a heart attack. It is a lot of food, for something that is supposed to be a "diet" right! Well, thats because it isn't a diet, it is meant to be a healthy lifestyle supplement tool! The foods are actually foods I already ate on a daily basis and after evaluating the plan I have a feeling my problem is actually not consuming enough food!!! Crazy huh!

Lunch

Here are a few of the delicious meals I partook in:

Had my amazing Shakeology for breakfast! I love vanilla  with banana and pb!


Snacked midmorning on a delicious fresh picked peach!

Afternoon Snack

Lunch was a quinoa tex-mex bowl (quinoa, with a vegan boca burger, spinach, salsa, and feta)!




Afternoon Snack was mixed veggies (cucumber, carrots, and yellow pepper) with the 21 day fix creamy herb dip!

Dinner

Dinner was a vegetarian burger patty
(Morningstar griller) with brussels sprouts, sautéed kale, brown rice, and a mixed green salad with fresh strawberries and balsamic vinegar.

ARE YOU ready to try this amazing program, I bet you can't eat all the food!!! 

Send me a message or email me at kimi.stotler@gmail.com for more information!

You can always get more info through my site too!

The 21 Day Fix

As most of you know I am a healthy lifestyle coach and I work to help others get on the right track and stay focused in living a healthy lifestyle! It isn't easy by any means, but it is worth it, YOU are worth it!

I will be starting an awesome program tomorrow with my Mom! It was the gift my sister and I gave her for Mother's Day and we will be doing it together! We are very excited about starting the 21 day fix. The 21 day fix is an amazing program developed by Autumn Calabrese focusing on proper portion sizes and of each type of food consumed! Breaking it down to be as simple as 1, 2, 3!

If you are looking for/to:

• simple, 30 min workouts
• simple nutrion
• portion control 
• a simple plan to follow
• lose 10-15 lbs. in just 21 days
• change habits
• live a healthier lifestyle

Then this is the program for you! I will post how our first day goes tomorrow, but you have to check out this amazing program! I will be starting a challenge group to support those who want to do the program in the next couple weeks. If you want in on my challenge and are ready to make some changes, live a healthier life, lose weight, and be happier, then contact me for more information! I will be running a special the next week for those who make the commitment to join in on my challenge. 

Check it out Here! 

Homemade Almond Butter

I am a fan of almost every nut butter out there, unfortunately when bought from most stores they include a ton of stuff, not stuff I particularly want in my nut butter! I had a friend who began making her own almond butter and found it was very easy, affordable, and DELICIOUS! Check it out!

Ingredients:
2 cups raw almonds
2 tbsp coconut oil

Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 375
2.) Bake almonds for approximately 6-8 min
3.) Put in food processor for about 10-15 minutes...scraping down the sides in the middle! Your will be able to see the texture change into almond butter. .  

TIPS:
*If it's not becoming oily you didn't blend long enough! *I added some cinnamon the other day and it was amazing!! 
*Store in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for maximum freshness 

I hope you enjoy this delicious almond butter as much as I have! 

It is great on an apple or slice of Ezekiel bread. 

Grilled Lemon Pepper Tilapia

I have been craving fish lately, so it was to my surprise to find tilapia on sale this week at Sam's Club!  My husband loves to grill so what better mixture than my fish and his grill!  Check out this awesome recipe! Our entire family enjoyed every last bite of it!

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless/skinless tilapia fillets
• 1 fresh lemon thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Fresh cracked pepper
• 1 tsp freshly minced garlic 
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp freshly chopped parsley
• Sea salt 

Directions:

I made open top foil boxes to cook our fish on the grill, gaining the grill flavor without losing half our fish from sticking to the grill. 

Place a thin layer of lemon slices on the bottom of the foil, top with the tilapia fillets. Mix the olive oil and fresh lemon juice together. Drizzle the tilapia fillets with the olive oil/ lemon mixture, sprinkle with cracked pepper (visibly peppered), sea salt, parsley, and garlic. Top with a layer of thinly sliced lemons, cook until flaky to fork. Time will vary by grill, may also be cooked in the oven! 

Lemon Pepper Tilapia

I served the tilapia to my family with a side of roasted asparagus and quinoa. Would be great along side a salad as well! 

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! 

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?

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! 

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!