MMM...suck it up!

Good morning ladies!

It's Monday!

I know most of us dread Mondays....I know I do! And some of you are even on spring break (I'm jealous)!

It took everything I had to get up this morning. So suck it up ladies! It'll be good for you!

It seems that when I start my Monday off at the gym...I do better the whole week. With working out and eating right!

Last week... I didn't start on Monday and it was a horrible week for me.

I just ate too many sweets.

Here are a few ideas I found for healthy snacking!

Source: soon2befit.tumblr.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Here are a few salads I found as well!

Source: homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: wholeliving.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: wholeliving.com via Amanda on Pinterest

And a pretty healthy muffin!

Source: healthyisalwaysbetter.tumblr.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Eat good during the week and have a cheat day during the weekend!

Then you can cheat with this...

Source: createdby-diane.com via Amanda on Pinterest

and look super cute in this!

Source: polyvore.com via Amanda on Pinterest

now go work hard you can play later (and look/feel great while doing it!)!!

Now link up ladies and tell us how your fitness journey is going!!

Grab the button and visit my co-host Ashley!

Happy Monday everyone!

xoxo

manda

Oh How Pinteresting! Warrior Dash and Thanksgiving!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!!

So linking up today with The Vintage Apple for

Next weeekend a few girls and I will be participating in the Warrior Dash!

We did one earlier this year and decided to do another!

People seriously dress up like crazy people!

We dressed in tutus at the last one and this one will be camo!

Source: triplecanopyranch.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Amanda on Pinterest

We are also hosting Thanksgiving at our house this year!

I was looking on Pinterest for desserts but will probably go

with some traditional like pumpkin pie and pecan pie.

What desserts are you making for Thanksgiving?!?! 

Source: google.com via Verena on Pinterest

Source: rachaelraymag.com via Amanda on Pinterest

This seriously looks soooo good!!

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Source: marthastewart.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: tasteofhome.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Some other finding on Pinterest!

I love me some Starbucks! this is so bedazzled lol!

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Love the green and leopard together!

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Sparkle shoes!



Source: 4inspireddesign.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Happy Pinning!

If you need an invite to Pinterest...send me your email...to forloveofacupcake@gmail.com

Manda!

Fit Food Friday! Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner!

Welcome back to Fit Food Friday!

I am just now getting to my September issue of SELF Magazine!

(yeah I know...a couple months behind!)

I have not tried these BUT will definitely
try them soon...they look so appealing!

For Breakfast!

Almond Butter Banana Toast

For Lunch!

Waldorf Chicken Salad

For Dinner!

Chicken Tacos W/ Mango and Jicama

To be honest I had no clue what Jicama was...so I googled it!

Jícama (pronounced HEE-kah-mah) is a large, bulbous root vegetable which you may have overlooked at the market. It has a thin, brown, fibrous skin and its flesh is white and crunchy, very similar to water chestnut. It has a sweet, almost nutty flavor. It is often referred to as a Mexican potato or Mexican turnip. Learn more about it HERE!

All of these recipes look so yummy and EASY!

I will not be making these tonight tho!

Hello Genghis and Red Wine!

Saturday...I will be making homemade CHICKEN POT PIE.

I will be sure to post that next week!

E has been waiting for fall/winter just for this recipe lol.

I hope everyone has wonderful weekend!!!

If you want to link up any recipes...go ahead!

No rules...even if it's an older post! I just like trying new recipes!

Oh How Pinteresting! Cinnamon Rolls and Ruffles!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!!

So linking up today with The Vintage Apple for

I am really loving ruffles right now...what if i incorporated some ruffles onto our wedding cake?

I can't wait til we taste test cake!!

I'm sure we will do some kind of Superman Groom's cake for E...but I need to do some more research on that...I looked for a few minutes and did not find anything good at all. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

I think this first one is my fav!

Source: pinterest.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: stylemepretty.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: ruffledblog.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: maisiefantaisie.co.uk via Amanda on Pinterest

For some reason I am craving cinnamon rolls...lol.

I used to never really like cinnamon rolls until a few years ago.



Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake!



Source: tastykitchen.com via Amanda on Pinterest



Cinnamon Roll Cupcake!



Source: chocolateandcarrots.com via Amanda on Pinterest



Cinnamon Roll Pulls



Source: plainchicken.com via Amanda on Pinterest



Cinnamon Roll Cookies



Source: ladybehindthecurtain.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I came across this quote...and if you know me at all...I am the clumsiest person alive.

I am constantly tripping over my own feet, running into walls, banging my legs on all cornered surfaces...I ahve a ton of scars from when i was kid.

One time I actuallly ran into a ceiling fan lol! Yep...have a scar on my forehead!!

Source: imgfave.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I hope everyone has a Happy Hump Day!!

Manda

Motivate Me Monday!! Link Up #2

Let's Link Up for Motivate Me Monday!
I am co-hosting with Ashley and Whitney!

Thanks to everyone who joined last week! It was really fun to get to know you!

Today's Challenge/Topic is : 

(as stated in last weeks post HERE)

Try a healthy new recipe and share it with us!

Also let us know how your week went and how your fitness journey is going so far!

Did you kick some booty in the gym OR find it hard to go?

Let's get started!
First of all...I have to say I only made it to the gym once last week (super sad face). We were so busy every day last week I was seriously exhausted. I WILL go 3 to 4 times this week.

So...E and I actually eat pretty healthy during the week anyway so this wasn't too much of a hard challenge for me.We seriously eat NO SODIUM. I love finding new healthy recipes that are still FULL OF FLAVOR! You can always lower your sodium in recipes. Any time I need something canned...I always buy salt free! Plus there are plenty of other spices you can use in place of salt!

Mrs. Dash makes a ton of SALT FREE seasonings.



Some of my favorite websites to find great tasting healthy meals are Eating Well and Spark Recipes.

I also eat about 5 small meals per day (about every 3 hours)!
I actually cook dinner each night and it lasts for all of our meals the next day. I even weigh out our meals lol. I eat about 4 ounces of lean meat per meal plus some veggies or rice. I've actually been a little bad about not eating breakfast and I need to change that. I just get so busy in the mornings sometimes.

Let me give you one of my new recipes that is now a FAVORITE!! and SO SO easy!!!

Honey Lime Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

 Juice from about 3 limes (plus the zest of limes if you want)

2 Tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

2 pounds of chicken (I used boneless skinless breasts)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large zip lock plastic bag combine all of the ingredients except the chicken. Seal bag completely and mix well. Add chicken to bag, turn to coat and reseal.

Dump into a skillet at medium-high heat and cook each side for about 8 miniutes or until they are done (depends on how thick the breasts are).

AND THAT'S IT!! SO EASY!!

Pair it with some rice or green veggies!
I like to use the extra sauce from the chicken and mix it into my rice!!

Visit HERE to view other healthy recipes I have posted!

Do you know there are even ways to rev up or speed up your metabolism??

I DEFINITELY do 3 out of 4 of these listed below!! 

*Drink COLD water

*Eat breakfast

*Drink coffee or tea

*Eat hot/spicy foods such as jalopenos, chili peppers or red pepper flakes.

Visit HERE for other ways to speed up your metabolism.

I want to finish off with...that I love eating healthy. I have a major sweet tooth so of course I eat sweets. But I guess what I mean is...that I don't eat fast food. Only on a rare occassion or the weekend.

NEXT WEEK'S CHALLENGE/TOPIC:

What is your favorite muscle (area of your body) to work out...
What work outs do you use for that muscle...
Do you see results??

If you are not sure how to work out a particular muscle group...please email me and I would be happy to help you! Then you can tell me next week how it worked for you! forloveofacupcake@gmail.com

Now let's link up and share healthy recipes!!

Fit Food Friday! Chicken Salpicon

I cannot even tell you how happy I am that it's Friday!!!!

I am completely worn out...only 8 hours of work then weekend...I think I can...I think I can!

Funny story...I was told I was talking in my sleep last night. I guess right before my own alarm was to go off this morn...I started yelling..."get up! get up!". Maybe that was my subconcious telling me to get up and go to the gym lol! WIERD! But I didnt...I was too tired to go (sad face).

The receipe I have for you today is SO yummy!!! I've made it several times and it is from the book by Jillian Michaels..."Making the Cut".

I have to say this is so easy and I'm usually done in about 20 minutes.

A 20 minute meal?!

What could be better than that!!

You could pair this with rice or any veggie.

Chicken Salpicon Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

about 2 pounds of chicken breasts

2 cups chopped, seeded tomato

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

6 jalopeno peppers, sliced (with or without seedds)

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 or 2 avocados, diced

6 large lettuce leaves

1. Add water to a large skillet, filling it to about 1 inch deep and bring to a boil. Add chicken and simmer for about 8 minutes or until done. Let it cool and cut into thin strips. Whiile chicken is cooking; start chopping!

2. Combine chicken, tomoato, onion, cilantro and jalopeno in a large bowl. in a nother small bowl, combine vinegar, oil and black pepper. Add vinegar mixture to the cicken mixture and toss to coat. Add avocado just before serving; toss gently to coat. Serve chicken mixture over lettuce leaves!!

And that's it! Pretty easy huh!!

Hang out with us on Monday...for Motivate Me Monday!

The challenge for the week was to try a new healthy recipe and share it. So if you are looking for some yummy healthy recipes...join us!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!! 

Oh Yeah...I'm going wedding dress shopping on Saturday!!!!!!!!!! WOO HOO!!

Wish me luck!!

Kisses!

Manda

Fit Food Friday! zero fat microwave coffee cake?!

Happy Friday!!!!!

I adapted the following recipe from Prudent Baby. You can view her version of the recipe HERE.

I actually posted a photo of her creation on my "Oh How Pinteresting" post on Wednesday and decided to try it out in a healthier version!

Here is what I came up with! You can make this fat free or with only 5 grams of fat. I'll explain in a bit!

MICROWAVE COFFEE CAKE

1/2 Tablespoon of Butter

1/2 Tablespoon Natural Unsweeted Applesauce

(if you want it completely fat free...use no butter and 1 Tblsp applesauce)

1 Tablespoon of Splenda Blend

1/4 cup of Egg Whites (like Egg Beaters)

2 Tablespoons Fat Free Sour Cream

A couple drops of Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup Flour

1/8 Teaspoon Baking Powder (NOT baking soda!)

For the Cinnamon Crumble on Top

1 Tablespoon Applesauce

2 Tablespoons Flour

1 Tablespoon Splenda Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

It seems like a lot of ingredients but you can have this yummy treat within 10 minutes!!

Also note that if you want this fat free...replace the 1/2 Tblsp butter with 1/2 Tblsp of applesauce.

I made it both ways. BUT BEWARE...using only applesauce will make it kind of rubbery. To be honest...I will prob only use applesauce next time. It's edible ;-) I have to say though...using butter did make it a little better.

OK! select a coffee cup! (mixing everything in your coffee mug!) Put your butter and applesauce in it. Make sure your butter is pretty soft (microwave a little if need be). Then add your splenda blend sugar and mix well. Add egg and sour cream and vanilla. Mix a little bit more.  Now add you flour and baking powder. Mix it until everything is combined.

Now in a separate bowl (i used a disposable plastic bowl!). mix together your "Cinnamon Crumble Topping" and place on top of the main mix in your coffe cup.



Place in the microwave for a bout 1 minute and 15 seconds!

Now enjoy! E thought is was pretty good too!

Next time I might add a little cinnamon into the main mixture but the topping DEFINITELY makes this dish.

It's quick and simple and that's exactly what I like about it! Plus low in fat (or fat free). What could be better?!

Chloe enjoyed it! When she was little I taught her a few tricks. One trick was to "Gimme a Five". So she kept giving me fives this morning with out me having to ask her lol!

She'll give you a high five standing up

Or a high five sitting down!

My Starbucks and coffee cake '-) YUMMO!

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND LADIES!!

Manda