Announcements

Happy Hump Day! I hope your week has been full of awesome things! It’s been a bit hectic around here, but that’s only because we are planning our 10 Year Anniversary Party! We’re so excited y’all 🙂

I’m going to keep this one brief because I have a ton of things to do for said party, so we’re going to get straight to the kitchen. I’m usually a savory breakfast person. Don’t get me wrong, I love pancakes and pastries, but if it isn’t paired with something savory, I’m usually not into it for breakfast. This recipe may be the exception to that.

It’s sweet without being overly sweet… if that makes sense… and like all my favorite things, you can customize this with your favorite toppings. I’ll share what I used, but also list a few other ideas for you. If you need a super quick breakfast option, this is the way to go. Enjoy!

The amounts I’m sharing made 3 bowls for us… adjust accordingly 🙂

Sweet Potato breakfast bowls

INGREDIENTS
2 Large sweet potatoes
1-2 Scoops protein powder (I used SFH churro, but I think a vanilla, coconut, or even chocolate would be good in this)
1 Large apple
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp nutmeg
2 TBSP Almond Butter

Topping options
Raisins
Sliced Almonds
Chia seeds
Flax seeds
Rolled Oats
*Optional – a drizzle of date syrup, honey, or maple syrup on top

INSTRUCTIONS
You have 2 options with the sweet potatoes. If you prefer oven baked, wash and poke your potatoes with a fork several times. Wrap them in foil and baked them at 425 for 45-50 minutes…

**If you go the microwave route, start your apples first so they can bake while you prep the rest.

I do not have time or patience for that so I go the microwave route. Wash and poke with a fork 5-6 times. Wrap them in wax paper and microwave. Usually about 7 minutes, but if you do them together it may be a bit longer. Rotate them half way through and microwave until soft and fork tender. Cut open and let them cool for a few minutes before handling.

**Apples – Preheat the oven to 350. Wash, core, and dice your apple into cubes. I like to leave the skin on, but it’s up to you. Toss the apples in a bowl with coconut oil (liquid form) along with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the apples out on the sheet. Bake the apples for 10-15 minutes or until softened and golden. Your kitchen is going to smell amazing!

Once your potatoes have cooled enough to handle them (don’t let them get cold if you plan to eat this immediately) remove the skin and put them in a large bowl. Mash them up with a fork. Add the protein powder and mix it in well. If you’re having trouble mixing it in, add a little bit of liquid of your choice. I used coconut milk. You can also had more cinnamon and nutmeg to this mixture if you prefer. 

Dish out a bowl of the potato/protein mixture. Top it with a tablespoon of almond butter, the apples you just baked, and whatever else you prefer! Mine had raisins, chia & flax seed, sliced almonds, raw rolled oats, and a little drizzle of date syrup.

You could also skip the apples and do chocolate chips instead. I haven’t tried it, but I bet this would be good with some blueberries, shaved coconut, any other kind of nuts… It’s up to you! It takes on almost an “oatmeal” feeling so top it up however you want.

Even though I’m a savory breakfast person, I’ll definitely be making this again.

What do you call a pumpkin that has had too many Halloween treats???  (read the post to find the punch line…)

Happy Halloween! Today is the date that it’s acceptable to eat massive amounts of candy that’s been given to you by strangers! Don’t get me wrong, I love Halloween! I think growing up as a dancer elevated my love for costumes and dressing up. I still have a huge tub full of costumes… I think there is something really fun about getting to be someone or something else for a day and just live it up! In fact, a gal I knew when I lived in Kansas has the pleasure of doing it on a daily basis! If you want to be seriously amazed, check out her instagram.

Anyhoo… this post is about food, not expressing our other “selves” 😉 so let’s talk about sweets! Treats come in all forms! Halloween is a day for candy, cookies, baked goods, sweets of all kinds… I believe that there is nothing wrong with indulging from time to time, but I also believe that if you’re going to indulge it should be fully worth it. If you are trying to stay on track with your eating, days like today can be difficult, but I have a few recipes for some healthier alternatives to help satisfy that sweet tooth without binging on that overpriced store bought candy.

I have one recipe that I did and then I’m linking a few other choices so you have some variety. Check it out!

So this first one is the one I made. I love chocolate and peanut butter… who doesn’t? But, especially on the Whole Life Challenge, most of the good stuff that contains that combo is non-compliant. I actually made this recipe as a little energy bite that we could pop before or after a workout to give us a little boost, but it tasted so good that I have to share it as a treat.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Coconut Energy Balls

INGREDIENTS

2 cups medjool dates pitted (roughly 20 dates)
1 TBSP Coconut Oil
3 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
2 TBSP Peanut (or Almond) butter
3 TBSP Chia Seeds
1 1/2 cup rolled oats divided
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, cover the dates with 2 cups of boiling water and allow to sit for 10 minutes. This softens them and allows for a smoother mixture

Drain and pat them dry and add them to in a food processor with a steel blade.  Add 2 tablespoons of the water, your coconut oil, cocoa powder, chia seeds, peanut butter, and 1 cup of rolled oats.

Blend until smooth, scraping down sides. If you are having trouble with consistency, add a little bit of water (1 TBSP at a time) until the mixture blends smoothly. Then, add the remaining ½ cup of rolled oats and about 1/2 a cup of shredded coconut and pulse until it’s mixed in. You want to leave these roughly chopped for texture, but you do want them well mixed in.

Taste your mixture and make adjustments to the flavor if you want to.

Put the food processor in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before rolling into 1 tablespoon sized balls.

Coat your hands in coconut oil to prevent the mixture from sticking to you. Roll into 1 tablespoon sized balls, and toss to coat in remaining ¼ cup of shredded coconut. I actually added a few more oats in for the coating as well.

Let them chill in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes before enjoying. Keep them (if you have any left over) stored in the refrigerator.

Ba dum tss!

Thrivestry “Story Time” – The Four Sisters

There once were four sisters who all trained together at the gym. They had been there a while, and all of them had hit a point in their training at which they started to have some opinions on how they wanted to train.

The oldest sister decided she would always do the hardest option. She was always looking for the hard path. She relentlessly attacked her weaknesses every day. She always did the hardest programs and went to the toughest coaches. Her diet was perfect, she worked out for hours every single day, and she never took a day off.

The second oldest sister decided that she would always do the safest option. She was always looking for the easy path. She avoided the things she was bad at, seemed dangerous, or didn’t enjoy. She stayed with the easy programs and scaled down most movements. She liked going to the coaches that didn’t push her too hard but cheered her on no matter what. She said her diet was ‘pretty good’, never tracked her food, but she did say “no” to her favorite desert or wine every once in a while. She came to the gym when she ‘had time’ and when she ‘wasn’t too tired’.

The third oldest sister could not make a decision. She was always starting one path or another. She went to a hard class and did the hardest options one day, then didn’t come to the gym for a week. She spent an hour working on a weakness, then did not touch it again for 6 months. She was constantly looking at other routines online, starting and quitting a new one every week or two. Her diet changed week to week, and sometimes it even changed in the same day. One day she started to train for a marathon, and the next day she started a program that would help her with her play better for her softball team. She would come to the gym 6 days in a row, then not come at all for over a week.

The fourth sister was the youngest. She decided to ‘pick her battles’. She spent some time focusing on just being consistent coming to the gym, but didn’t try to crush herself every day. She worked on one weakness at a time but didn’t overdo it. When she started a new program or diet, she stuck with it for at least 6 months, and only worried about small changes that would provide the biggest benefit. When she was feeling overwhelmed, she took it easy. When she was feeling bored, she found a new challenge. When she wasn’t sure what to do, what path to take, she asked a coach. When her progress got interrupted, she didn’t beat herself up or try to make up for it. She just got back to basics and worked on being consistent.

The Sisters Go on a Trip

The four sisters were traveling together in the far east for a vacation.

One of the days, they had some time in the morning before going to visit an ancient monastery.

The sisters were not getting along because the morning hadn’t gone well.

The oldest sister was frustrated because she couldn’t do her full program at the hotel gym that morning and they didn’t have all the foods she needed to eat according to her strict diet.

The second sister wasn’t feeling well because she hadn’t worked out since the trip began, and she kept eating everything that looked tasty.

The third sister was feeling rushed and frantic because spent the morning looking up workouts to do, ran out of time, and was only able to run on a treadmill for 10 minutes. She had to skip breakfast because she was running late and couldn’t decide what to eat.

The youngest sister was having a great day because she slept in a bit. Instead of an aggressive workout, she did some shoulder pre-hab to help her shoulder that has nagged her in the past, then did a short little circuit that left her breathless but not wrecked. She ate some healthy stuff but didn’t feel too bad about indulging in some new treats as well.

The Sisters Were Not Getting Along

When the sisters got to the monastery, they were arguing with one another about their day.

The oldest sister thought her sisters were lazy, making them late all the time, and too laid back. The second sister thought they had woken her up too early, made her guilty about not working out, and judged for eating the yummier foods. The third sister thought they were rushing her too much, ignoring her (not helping her decide what to do), and she was feeling hungry because all of them ate but her.

The youngest sister was just trying to enjoy herself and wasn’t too worried about her sisters.

They had just finished watching a demonstration of the physical feats of the monastery residents, learning about the long history of teaching and training, and getting some instruction themselves, when one of the teachers asked if they had any questions.

The Sisters Learn Valuable Lessons

One of the sisters asked: “We all have similar goals of feeling good about how we look, being able to do fun things, and staying active a long time… which one of us is using the best approach?”

The teacher looked at each sister in turn and gave them advice.

She told the oldest sister that her training would lead to burn out and injury. The guilt when she missed a workout or ate ‘bad’ was going to make her not fun to be around and make her upset with herself no matter how much she achieved.

She told the second sister that her training was going make her bored and not produce any change. The years would fly by and she will be disappointed with her lack of results. She would feel judged by everyone and wish she had committed to something sooner.

She told the third sister that her training was going take a lot of energy and time, but not produce meaningful results. She will always be frantic to find the ‘better’ program, a ‘better’ technique, or a ‘better’ coach. She will always feel like the ‘next’ program will be the ultimate one, only be disappointed when it doesn’t work any better than all of the others. She will feel that everyone thinks she is a quitter and that the reason that she isn’t progressing is because something is wrong with her.

Then the teacher turned to the youngest sister and said:

“Your way is not the easy way, but it is the best way. And you still have lessons to learn.

You must learn when to push hard, when to let things go, and when to stop and wait.

Sometimes you will feel overwhelmed, so you must learn to accept it, work through it, and plan for downtime in the future.

Sometimes you will feel bored or in a rut, so you must learn to pick a new challenge that is difficult or fun.

Sometimes you will feel confused, so you must learn where you can find clarity or who you can go to for advice.

The most difficult part will be not getting stuck on one path, stuck trying to decide, and to not get swept up in other people’s journeys.

If you continually work on these things, you will get results the fastest and you be most likely to succeed in all the things you desire.”

The Sisters Return

The rest of the vacation went by and the sisters came back with a new appreciation for the different approaches to training and life.

The oldest sister planned periods of time where she would just have fun with her second sister, and she let herself ‘indulge’ in her favorite foods occasionally.

The second sister picked at least one day a week to really push herself and decided to master one of the movements she liked doing. She also challenged herself to pay more attention to what she ate.

The third sister talked to a coach and settled in on a routine that she can stick to for 6 months. She is going to workout more with her oldest sister to keep her consistent. She is also going to stick with some simple nutrition rules that aren’t too extreme.

The youngest sister was making excellent progress, surpassing her sisters even, making them proud (and maybe a bit jealous).

Then she got pregnant…

But that is story for another time…

–

I hoped you enjoyed our little ‘parable’ about the 4 sisters!

Which sister do you find yourself relating to most?

Do you understand how to balance your life so that you can have what the youngest sister was working toward and what the teacher was trying to convey?

In life we shouldn’t try to live in extremes. We need to focus on small changes that create balance. We need to look at our schedule and routines and make deliberate changes that will keep us moving in the right direction.

We need to understand that nothing stays the same forever. We must remember that having some clear goals, stopping to ‘take stock’ of how we are doing regularly, and having a plan for when things change, is a recipe for success.

Thrive on.

-jj

Hey guys! It’s still raining! And… Austin is under a boil water notice which can make meal prepping somewhat difficult. I’m not on Austin water at home so luckily I didn’t have to worry about that, but we are having to use bottles at the gym instead of our fountain… womp… Anyway, this too shall pass!

Meal prep looked a bit different for me this week since we were driving on Sunday so I tried to keep my recipes simple and quick since I was actually having to do it Monday after work. There was a lot of football in our weekend which is what inspired this recipe. We drove up to Fort Worth for the OU/TCU game (BOOMER!) and then watched the Texans play before we hopped in the car to head home. Cram a Halloween party between those two games and you can imagine I was ready to get back to a normal routine. Don’t get me wrong, we had an AWESOME weekend, but I felt like I was craving some greens like crazy which is why I loaded this up with kale.

We’ve already established that wings and football are a match made in heaven, but this is a little different take on the subject. This week, we’ve got a sweet potato stuffed with shredded buffalo chicken and some simple sauteed kale on the side. Sounds easy (and it is) but the results were awesome! If you made the buffalo wings from my earlier recipe,  you can go through the same process with the sauce for this one to tone it down a bit and give it a silkier texture. If you didn’t, you can check that out here.

Also, one last shameless plug for our Barbells for Boobs event this weekend! 

I’m a little over half way to my personal goal – If you’d like to make a donation, you can hit up my page here: 

https://www.barbellsforboobs.org/fundraisers/genevieverounkles/barbells-for-boobs

Or the team page: 

https://www.barbellsforboobs.org/fundraisers/teamcrossfitaustin

OR you can choose any of the members on our team and donate to their pages. 

BUFFALO CHICKEN STUFF SWEET POTATOES & SAUTEED KALE

INGREDIENTS

For the sweet potatoes & chicken
2 Large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Large Sweet Potatoes
1 cup hot sauce (I use Louisiana)
3-4 TBSP butter (Optional – used to tone down the spice of the sauce)
*Optional toppings – green onions, cilantro, avocado

Preheat the over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the chicken breasts in olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) and bake for appx. 35 minutes or until cooked through and tender. Once cooked, let them cool for a few minutes and then shred the meat with 2 forks.

If you prefer to bake your sweet potatoes in the oven, go for it. I usually take the faster route and do them in the microwave. Wash the potatoes well. Pierce the skin 5-6 times and wrap in wax paper. Place on a microwaveable plate and microwave 7-10 minutes (if doing both together) or until they are soft, rotating halfway through.  Once they are finished, remove, slice them in half and put them on plates or in meal prep containers. Lightly mash the potato inside the skin to prepare for filling.

While the chicken and sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare the sauce. If using butter, melt it first in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Add the hot sauce and stir. Adjust the spice by adding more butter or more hot sauce. Once you’ve found your desired flavor, mix well with your shredded chicken breast.

Top the potato with your buffalo chicken and serve with green onions, cilantro, avocado, or ranch dressing!

For the Kale
6 cups Kale – torn and stems removed
2-3 TBSP coconut oil
2 large cloves of garlic- minced
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Himalayan pink sea salt – to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the kale and coat in the oil – saute for 1-2 minutes before adding the garlic. Add the garlic and almonds. Saute until kale is tender and rich green. Be careful not to let the garlic burn. Season to taste with salt.

For the ranch – This is a little easier than the one I shared in my other post.
Seasoning 
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion granules
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon himalayan pink salt
Combine well in a jar until ready for use.

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of water and add seasoning until you are satisfied with the flavor. I usually use 2-3 TBSP. You can adjust consistency with water and flavor by adding more seasoning or yogurt.

Fall is upon us! I think I’d have liked it to creep on a little more slowly, but hey, I guess a 40 degree drop in less than 12 hours is appropriate for “Fall” right? I know, cheesy…

Anyway, as we all know, my recipe choices tend to be influenced by the weather and I LOVE Fall flavors. I actually made this as a weeknight dinner last week because I wanted something “Fall” and I wanted to just make something that was easy to throw together. Tim and I liked it so much that when I asked what he wanted for meal prep this week, his first choice was this stuffed acorn squash. The blend of spicy, savory, and sweet is so satisfying. Not only does it taste amazing, but acorn squash is packed full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You can read about all the benefits here and enjoy the fact that something that tastes so good is also doing great things for your body.

On to the recipe! I tried to give accurate measurements on everything here, but I usually just toss it in the pan and adjust by taste so if you want more or less of something, go for it! That’s what’s great about one-pan meals.

INGREDIENTS
2 Large Acorn Squash – Halved
Olive Oil
1 LB Hot Italian Sausage
1/2 cup uncooked tri-colored quinoa
1 small onion – finely diced
2 large stalks of celery – finely diced
1 large apple – diced
1/3 cup dried cranberries (no added sugar)
1/3 cup slivered almonds
3 cups packed kale – torn and stems removed
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Salt & Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Start your squash first. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush a little olive oil on the inside and flat edges, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place face down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until fork tender.

Follow the cooking instructions on your quinoa. Usually 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa to 1 cup water, bring to a boil and then cover and simmer until fluffy.

While the squash is baking, heat a large pan over med-high heat and brown your Italian sausage. If using links, remove casings. Once meat is browned, remove from pan, pat dry, and set aside. In the same pan, add a little olive oil and saute the onions and celery until they start to soften (appx 3 min). Add the garlic and stir continuously for about 1 minute (don’t let it burn!) Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in your apples and kale next. You may have to pack the kale in a bit. Reduce the heat to med and put a lid on the pan. Allow the kale to steam for 3-4 minutes stirring as needed. Once the kale has softened and turned bright green, add the sausage back in. Add your almonds, cranberries, and quinoa and stir all the ingredients until well combined. Remove from the heat.

If your squash has finished backing, remove it from the oven and flip them over so the cut side is face up. Depending on how large the hole is, you may want to scoop a little squash out so you can fill it with a good amount of the filling. I usually scoop a bit out of each of them and place it in another dish to go with any of the leftover filling I may have.

Fill each squash with a heaping amount of filling (carefully!) Return them back into the over and bake for a another couple of minutes to heat throughout and gently brown the cut side of the squash.

Remove and serve immediately or pack in meal prep containers and enjoy later in the week!

Happy cooking!

-G

Howdy! How was everyone’s weekend? We watched some football and some baseball on Saturday. Happy with one game and a little bummed about the other, but life goes on!

Sunday was a full day! We took my niece and nephew to the river for their first time. That was also a situation where some things went well and others not so much. Let’s just say that when the rock got slippery, I was the one that went under and Madelyn lived. You could call me a hero… 😉 All in all, it was a good time.

After the river it was home for meal prep. You’ll see the fruits of that labor below. As you all know, we’re on Whole Life Challenge right now and this recipe was actually a little more difficult to make compliant, but that’s what I love about the challenge. It pushes you to get creative and find alternative options! I’m feeling better overall and less than two weeks in I’m already seeing some visual progress. Just sayin…. you should join us next time.

Post-prep, we set out to do some yard work and I made a new friend, whom I now realize was a black widow spider… Maybe it’s the lack of sugar in my diet right now, but I was like “Hey Tim! Come look at this spider! She looks like a little sixlet!” Y’all remember that candy? She seemed the least aggressive of the “friends” I made on Sunday (SCORPIONS!!) but I guess I should just stick to the raking and the friends I already have.

Anyhoo, on to the recipe.  I LOVE Asian flavors. Sweet Chili sauce is one of my favorite things on the planet, but most recipes for it include sugar or at best, honey which are both no-nos on WLC. The recipe below is a WLC compliant version, but if you aren’t on WLC and you want to use honey, I personally think the flavors would blend better than with the dates, but it’s up to you! We’ve knocked out all 4 bowls of this already (that’s how good it is!) and it’s definitely one that will stay in the rotation. There are a few “parts” to this recipe, but I promise it’s easier than it looks and the whole thing can be done in about 30 minutes! Let me know how you guys like it!

Sweet Chili Chicken Bowls

For the Rice:

• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 15 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup water

Begin the coconut rice first. Add the jasmine rice, garlic, salt, coconut milk, and water to a sauce pot, and stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil over high heat. As soon as it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. After simmering for 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit undisturbed, with the lid in place, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice, and set it aside until ready to serve. If using for meal prep, divide it into 4 containers and set aside for the other ingredients to be added.

For the Sauce:

Ingredients: I DOUBLED THIS** I used half to cook with, but I love sauces so I doubled and use the rest to drizzle when I reheat 🙂

For the Rest:

-G

We are excited to announce that CrossFit Austin will be holding a fundraising event to help raise money for Barbells for Boobs! Join us on Saturday, October 27th where we will complete a version of “Grace,” the official Barbells for Boobs workout!

1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. 7% of those women will be under the age of 40. We are proud to dedicate our fundraising efforts to these too often underserved and overlooked faces of breast cancer.

Saturday, October 27th || Starting at 9:00 am at CrossFit Austin

“Rowing Grace”

For time:
10 Clean & Jerks @ 135/95/65
500 m row
10 Clean & Jerks @ 135/95/65
500 m row
10 Clean & Jerks @ 135/95/65
500 m row
*15:00 cap

As entry to participate in this event, we are asking each athlete to donate a minimum of $20. This will serve as your registration, however, 100% of the proceeds will be going to Barbells for Boobs. 

We will begin heats at 9:05 am sharp, but you may come in as early as 8:30 am to begin warming up and getting ready! Heats are capped at 8 athletes. 

REGISTER FOR A HEAT HERE

Non-participants may donate to our team page with the link provided below. Spectators are welcome!

AND since it’s Halloween weekend, let’s make it a party! Show up in your Halloween best OR help us #paintitpink by wearing whatever pinks you’ve got!

We have created a CrossFit Austin Fundraising team where you can make a donation or join our team and help us fund raise to meet our goal!

Donate to or Join Team CrossFit Austin HERE.

Why are we fundraising for Barbells for Boobs?
So that together we can take action, raise funds and help detect potentially life-threatening breast cancer occurrences. Barbells for Boobs is dedicated to the early detection of breast cancer, with an emphasis on women and men under the age of 40.

Where does my donation go?
All fundraising efforts support much needed detection services in local communities across the country. Remember that the funds raised to support Barbells for Boobs mission are vital to those who may not have the means or access to critical detection services.

Here’s how you can help:
Make a donation of any amount on our fundraising team page or an individual team members page. For every $120 raised, ONE more person will know if they are living with breast cancer. If you want to be a real rockstar, you can create your own page, join Team CrossFit Austin, and join our efforts to meet our goal!

*It’s easy to create a fundraising page! Learn how, here.

Additionally, you can spread the word and help us reach our goal by sharing this page on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Or even better, send an email to friends you think might be interested in contributing and include a link to our page.

Together, with one unified voice we can make a difference.

Together we can help. Because… Everyone Has a RIGHT to Know.

If you’ve noticed some grumpier than usual people around the gym the last few days, it’s because there are about 23 of us that are 5 days in to the Whole Life Challenge. Don’t worry, we’ll all even out soon, but maybe for the next couple of days don’t hold us accountable for the things we say in our severely lacking state 😉

All kidding aside, this amazing group of folks that chose to join us on this journey has made some big changes this week. You’ve seen me post enough info on WLC so I won’t go too deep into, but we’ve chosen 1 of 3 nutrition levels, set sleep, exercise, and water goals for ourselves, among other things like a daily reflection and really just turning our attention to our own lives and habits.

Each nutrition level has a list of non-compliant foods. Kickstart level is for those who are really JUST starting to make some changes. It definitely cleans up the diet, but allows for more flexibility than the other two. Remember, change comes in stages.

Lifestyle is more restrictive. Things like dairy, grains and flours, alcohol, and additives are on the “non-compliant” side making you have to really choose the cleanest options when going through the grocery store.

Performance is for the hardcore folks. It’s very restrictive. ZERO additives are allowed. No grains, dairy, alcohol, or any of that stuff either. If you really want to get clean with your diet, this is the way to go, but it is not for the weak-hearted.

The one thing that all 3 levels have in common is cutting out the extra sugars. Kickstart does make allowances for things like honey & agave nectar, but for Lifestyle and Performance, no added sugars, no honey, no sweeteners (aside from monkfruit, dates, or stevia).

You guys would not believe how many grocery items have added sugar. Don’t believe me? Take a look! Canned vegetables, chicken broth, frozen fruit…. not all brands, but you’d really be surprised at how many ingredients lists have sugar.

So, if you see some of us acting a little cranky, it’s because we have cut out some of the things we enjoy regularly (um.. queso???) and our brains and bodies are in the process of balancing all of that out.

Long intro, there to this weeks Kitchen Adventure, but I wanted to give a shout out to my WLC crew. They’ve already become a real team, working together and encouraging each other and we’re not even a week in! Watch out y’all because in about 5 more weeks we’re all going to be lean, strong, healthy, and ready to take on the Holidays!

Ok, on to the recipe. I actually have a few things here. Any time I do WLC, one of the FIRST things that gets me is snack options. When you’re cutting out all the “filler foods” and crap that we stick in our mouths throughout the day, you tend to go through a period of being hungrier. These are all WLC compliant, but for anyone looking to find some healthy snack options, here we go!

***One thing to note – dates are high in natural sugars. Almond flour is just ground up almonds which are higher in fat. Don’t go crazy with your portions on these things, guys. Everything in moderation. 

Carrot Cake Energy Balls

All raw, All vegan, All delicious

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of shredded carrots (I just buy the matchstick carrots in a bag because it’s easy and ain’t nobody got time fo’ that)
1/2 cup of walnuts
3/4 cup of pecan halves (honestly, you can use any nuts you like. I’ve done hazelnuts and almonds before too)
5-6 large pitted dates
1/2 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
shredded coconut for coating

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend carrots in a blender or food processor until finely chopped, then add the dates and continue to blend until well combined *It’s extremely helpful to slice the dates before blending. Throwing the whole thing in makes it very difficult*

Once the dates and carrots are well mixed, add the nuts and spices and blend to combine. You can make the ingredients as fine or as chunky as you like. You should end up with a consistency that allows you to roll them into balls.

Use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out equally sized amounts and roll them into balls. Roll them in shaved coconut for an optional coating.

Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes before eating.

Store them in a sealed container in the fridge! You won’t need to store them long because you’ll probably eat them all in a couple of days.

***The last time I made these, I also added about 2 TBSP of chia seeds to the mix. Chia seeds are FULL of antioxidants, minerals, Omega-3s, and are good for so many different things. Definitely one of my favorite little super foods! You can check out some of the health benefits here.

Ok, sweet tooth is covered! Now let’s get something for those savory folks

Almond Flour Crackers

You can season/spice these with any combo you like. Just use the basic outline and go nuts! Some others I love, sea salt & lime, rosemary & Himalayan pink salt, Italian season, salt & vinegar, the list goes on and on….

 INGREDIENTS

1 cup almond flour
1 egg white
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add the egg white and mix until you’ve formed a dough.

Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper, as thinly as possible. Thicker dough will require more bake time and result in thicker crackers. Remove the top layer of parchment paper. Cut the dough into desired shapes. I usually just use a pizza roller and cut them into triangles.

Move the dough, with the parchment paper, onto a baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until golden brown. Depending on your oven you may need a little longer to achieve a crunchy chip. Just be careful not to over cook! Let them cool for about 5 minute before removing them from the sheet so they “set”

Remove and enjoy! These are fantastic with guacamole. (see below for my recipe)

Clean & Easy Guacamole

INGREDIENTS

3 Large avocados
1 large tomato
1/2 an onion
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 large jalapeno
*OR if you want to go super easy like I do, just buy THESE  😉 
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried minced onion or onion powder
Pinch of cumin, to taste
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 small limes

DIRECTIONS

Halve and pit the avocados. (reserve 1 pit) While still in the skin, use a knife to slice into cubes, then use a large spoon to scoop the chunks into a mixing bowl.

Finely chop your pico ingredients (or open your pre-purchase pico 😉 ) and add to the bowl. Mix the avocado and pico until combined.

In a small bowl, mix your dry seasonings, then add to the large bowl along with the juice from one lime. Mix until well combined. I like my guac chunky and with lots of lime (lime juice also helps to preserve it), but you can smash away if you like it smoother. Add more lime (I usually use 2) if you prefer!

I don’t know if this really works or not, but if you store your guac with the pit it supposedly helps to keep it from browning. Make sure you cover it tightly to prevent air exposure and store it in the fridge. We usually go through guac so fast that we don’t have to worry about it though.

That’s it for this week, folks. Enjoy the rest of your week and happy snacking!

-G

It’s football season! There is a long menu of football friendly foods, but when I think football, I think wings. I’m here to tell you though, you can make a healthier version and even have the ranch! All of this is whole life compliant (for performance level too if you find a clean one or make your own mayo!)

This is definitely more work than ordering from your favorite wing place, but it’s so worth it if you’re trying to stay clean. You can chow guilt free knowing what’s exactly what’s on your plate while you’re watching your favorite team. I can’t help you with the beer… you’re on your own there 😉  (although, topo and lime is a great substitute if you just want something cold and fizzy)

BUFFALO WINGS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds chicken wings
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ¼ cup compliant hot sauce (I use Louisiana)
• 2-4 TBSP Organic butter (to taste)

DIRECTIONS

I use an air fryer for mine (which I totally recommend buying one if you don’t have one!) but you can also just bake these in the oven. I’ve included directions for crispy oven wings below.

1. In a gallon sized zipper bag place the chicken wings, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and lemon juice. Toss to combine making sure to massage the marinade into the wings well.
2. Marinade for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat your air fryer to 360°F. (SEE BELOW FOR OVEN INSTRUCTIONS)
4. Place the chicken wings in a single layer in the fry basket and insert into the air fryer.
5. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket.
6. Repeat this process with the remaining chicken wings.
7. *Optional -While wings are cooking- To tone down the spice of your buffalo sauce, melt 2 TBSP of butter in a sauce pan and combine with 1/4 cup of hot sauce. Simmer on low for 3-4 minutes. Add more butter to bring down the spice.
8. In a bowl place the fried chicken wings and hot sauce and toss to coat.
9. Serve immediately.

Oven Directions –

Pat wings dry with paper towels after marinading; Bake at 250F for 30 minutes, then at 425F for 40 – 50 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

RANCH DRESSING

There will be a couple of steps to this. First we’ll make the seasoning mix. You’ll need 3/4 – 1 1/4 TBSP of seasoning mix, but this recipe with make enough that you’ll have some to store! Once we’ve made the mix, we’ll talk about combining it with different ingredients to your liking.

Seasoning Mix –

INGREDIENTS

Ok, guys! Like I said, it’s more work than ordering in, but so worth it! I hope your teams wins this weekend. Unless they are playing one of mine. Then I hope they lose 😉 Enjoy your wings!