BLT Lettuce Wraps~yes please!

image via cepolina.com

And That's a Wrap!

It's  that time again......carb cutting! I love BLT's, but don't want the yummy super delicious toasted  perfectly totally white bread...HAHAHA.....I totally WANT it,  but  refrain...for the  sake of my belly and thighs:)....summer is approaching quick and that means....my husband, kids, friends and I will be poolside....time to get serious about carb cutting. So below is a recipe you must try. I discovered this delish dish on skinnytaste.com.  I made it today for lunch and am so IN LOVE with it!  I'm even making this tonight for my 3 lil  men....who will totally  look at me weird and ask  for the bread....an interesting evening is about to unfold. 

You must GATHER:

3 iceberg or butter lettuce leaves

3 slices turkey bacon (or center cut bacon) cooked and chopped

1 tbls. lite  mayo (i used Helmans Light)

1small tomato diced

1/4 sliced avocado

pepper to taste

Now DO IT:

Take 2 of  the lettuce leaves and put aside.

Chop the 3rd lettuce leaf up and divide equally and place inside each of the 'whole lettuce leaves'.

In a small bowl combine the tomatoes, mayo and pepper.

Divide tomato  mixture evenly between your wraps, sprinkle chopped bacon on top and add avocado.

Wrap and eat!

Learn to Love Ginger!

What Ginger Can Do For YOU!

I've had somewhat of a love affair with Ginger Root for sometime now......I mean really, everyone needs a little bit of spice, right?;) This is an herb that has been around forever and has been used in a plethora of capacities. The more I learn about it, well, the more I love it. So I'll try and break this down for you pretty easy and quick....without my usual banter! 

GINGER

*Anti cancer

*Motion sickness and nausea remedy 

*Prevents gas and bloating

*Reduce pain and inflammation

*Cold and Flu prevention and treatment

*Migraine relief

*Prevention of diabetic nephropathy

*Anti inflammatory

*Boosts immune system

*Antibiotic

*Heart health

Ok, I have to banter......Ginger root comes in a few different forms, my preference is the raw root. The easiest way for me to get ginger into my diet and my families diet is to cook with it,  AND my absolute favorite way......well peel and cut it up and put it in my water. I have a detox water that I do daily and ginger is one of the beautiful components.  I usually have some ginger proudly sitting at the bottom of my shaker cup during my workout. After I down the water I usually chew on a bit of the water logged ginger. If you can handle the spice...try it!

Here is the link to the water detox that I mentioned. I drink one gallon of this everyday.

Time to Detox

Help! I need a BUTT LIFT workout!

THE BUTT LIFT

So, summer. Swimsuits and short shorts. Gravity really has a wicked way of finding those of us who are over 40. I found a nice booty lifting workout one day while wasting time on pintrest, I decided to try it and then, I had to tweak it. So here it is. I've been doing this 2-3 times a week for a few weeks and appreciate the soreness I feel for a few days later. Soreness=progress;). I've been butt focused for over 2 years after I realized that I became so lean during fitness comp training that I started to look like a 13 year old BOY and wanted some healthy womanly curves. So I have added  this program to my already extensive glute/legs training. 

Do this 2-3 times per week!

Add this to your regular cardio and resistance training workout.

BUTT LIFT 

30 Butt Kickers

10 Squats

15 Plie' Squats

(I use a 30lb dumbbell or kettle bell, really focus on squeezing the glutes at the top of the motion!)

20 Donkey Kicks (ea. leg)

10 Fire Hydrants (dirty dogs ea. leg)

10 Squats

15 jump squats

20 Bridges

(focus on really really squeezing at the top)

10 single leg bridges (5 ea. leg)

20 walking lunges ( add barbell if available)

10 squats

10 plie' squats (with dumbbell if available)

10 fire hydrants (ea. leg)

20 donkey kicks (ea. leg)

30 butt kickers

repeat one more time~with minimal rest between exercises to intensify fat burn!

***great form is really important to avoid injuries. A great website to view demonstrations of many exercises is bodybuilding.com.***

A Salad To Die For!

Mixed Baby Spinach and Kale Strawberry Poppy Salad

This super delicious salad is becoming a house favorite! I found this recipe through skinnytaste.com. It is perfect for the summer months and even beyond! 

Gather:

(dressing)

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced shallots

1 1/2 tbsp honey (I go for raw)

1/2 tbsp poppy seeds

(salad)

5oz organic mixed baby spinach and kale (or just baby spinach)

1/4 cup slivered almonds

2 cups sliced strawberries

1/4 cup Gorgonzola 

Now Do It!:

Place all of the dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake and throw in the fridge.

In a big ole salad bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients and toss. Add dressing and toss again.

Servings: 4, WW pts is approx 5, Calories 198, Fat 14 g, carbs 16.5 g, Fiber 3.5 g, Protein 5 g, Sugar 12.5 g, Sodium 144.5 mg, Cholesterol 10 mg

Time to detox

My All-Time Favorite Water Detox

I have been doing water detoxing for a long time and I'm pretty sure I've tried all of them out there floating around;). This one is my all time favorite, I always go back to it, simply because #1 it tastes good and #2 it actually works for me. After one day of this I feel super duper! It really helps with digestion and the bloating issues I continue to have!  This detox is not a fasting detox, therefore, eat your regular clean meals (I eat 5-6 smaller meals protein focused and low carb), just add this water in place of all other beverages. I will drink almost a gallon and a half daily of this. Sounds like a lot, but if you carry a shaker cup around full of it everywhere you go it's pretty easy to get a gallon in! This is safe to do daily, and I try to always have some ready!

Here's how to do it:

2 L of water

Add 10-15 mint leaves, half of a cucumber and a whole lemon and approx. 2 knuckles of peeled and sliced ginger. 

Let steep in fridge overnight. 

I refill my pitcher one more time before replacing mint, cucumber and lemon.

Give it a try!

Mediterranean Pasta

Mediterranean Pasta

One of our family favorites! Makes 4 servings. 

Get It

2 tbls. olive oil

2 zucchini sliced

10 small sweet bell pepers sliced

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tbls. italian herbs

1 tsp. salt

1 15 oz artichoke hearts in water, drained and halved

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 cup whole wheat penne pasta

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup black olives halved

Make it!

~Heat olive oil in large skillet on med-high heat.

~Add onions, garlic, zucchini, peppers and cherry tomatoes, saute until tender.

~While vegetables cook, bring pot of water to boil and cook pasta.

~Drain pasta, reserve a little pasta water and set aside.

~Add Italian herbs to vegetables, add artichoke hearts, black olives and sun dried tomatoes.

~Mix well, add balsamic vinegar.

~Allow balsamic vinegar to reduce a little. Mix to coat vegetables well.

~Add the drained pasta, mix well. Add a bit of hot pasta water if needed.

~Top with feta cheese.

Tips: I sometimes add cooked chicken breast for the extra protein benefits.  Add more balsamic vinegar if needed, making sure to reduce it creating a sweet and sticky coating.  I add extra sun dried tomatoes, since we love the texture and taste.  To make it lower in calories I add more veggies and less pasta. It's also great without pasta as a veggie meal.  This makes a perfect weekend lunch. 

Calories: approx. 289, fat 10.7g, sat fat 2.5g, trans fat 0.0g, cholest. 8mg, sodium 760mg, carbs 39.7g, dietary fiber 7.7g, sugars 7.5g, protein 9.2g.

OH NO! THE FLU!!!!

Yuck! The Flu Has Struck!

The last week we have been fighting the FLU...blah! That sneaky little bug wormed its way into my son then took up residence in the rest of us. When it first hit my oldest guy I decided then and there, it was time for a detox bath. (he loves to soak in a bath when he is feeling under the weather.) Below are  a few of my favorite concoctions for you to create. The bath salts are really easy to make and put in a pretty mason jar and give as gifts;).  I hope you try one of them. Detox baths really do work. I  encourage you to try it, sick or not! 

"Sugar Mamma's Detox Bath Salts"

1 Cup Epsom Salts

1/2 Cup Fresh Ground Ginger Root

1/3 Cup Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Lavender Essential Oil

Grab a full glass of cool water with lemon and head for the bathroom. Fill the tub with hot water, as hot as you can take! Add salts and swish around. Sink in and relax for at LEAST 20 mins! Sip your water throughout. Take care getting out of the tub as you may feel a bit light headed;). Continue to hydrate throughout the day. 

FYI: Epsom salts remove toxins from the body. Ginger intensifies the sweat and the baking soda helps neutralize the chlorine in the the water.

"Cold and Flu Remedy"

Add 3 pints HYDROGEN PEROXIDE 3% to a hot bath.

Add 2 ounces of GROUND GINGER

Soak for about 30 minutes. Drink lots of water while soaking.

After about 5 mins of soaking I literally started to sweat! I recommend doing this bath before heading to bed, but not before chugging a few more glasses of water;)!

FYI: The hydrogen peroxide helps purge toxins from the body. It is also antibacterial and antiviral, a bonus! The ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, it will increase blood circulation and help eliminate toxins through sweat.