Happy Friday + EASY&Healthy Breakfast Recipe

Yesterday, after I was at Amanda's place (for the "fit&fab" basket) and the park with Ava...

My friend, Jessica, walked over with her 3 month old son, Christian, to visit Ava and I. She brought me her usual breakfast that she makes for herself and her fiancé. Such a sweet surprise!

She makes two Mason jars of this the night before and then all he has to do it grab it out of the fridge  on the way out to work.  I was so excited for the next day to try this...

I got to spend some time with her sweet little boy. Love this chunky monkey. He is the cutest. 

I made these green smoothies while she was here... 

So this morning I was so excited for my oatmeal!

Jessica, if you're reading this... It was was DELICIOUS. I'm not just saying that either. I ate it so slowly that it wouldn't end. I am really full too because it was a lot in there. (And Ava wanted some too) 

The recipe for those who would like to try this super easy, healthy way to have an awesome breakfast: 

Add

•1 cup organic rolled oats to 1 tbsp of organic chia seeds...stir together.

•Add 1 tbsp of organic honey and 1 cup of organic almond milk..... stir again to get the honey throughout the mixture. 

Waa-laa! You're done!!! 

Put the top on your mason jar and it goes into the fridge until tomorrow morning's breakfast! 

(They sell mason jars at Publix too just in case you don't want to head to Michael's or Hobby Lobby.) 

(Also, try to get the "365 Whole Foods Brand" for Almond Milk if you aren't making your own so that you avoid the Carrageenan.... I know, I know... what is Carrageenan and why do I have to worry about that if I am buying organic?! Trust me, I feel the same way.

Here are some other better brands that don't use Carrageenan below: 

• 365 Whole Foods
• Natura
• Nature’s Place (original and vanilla)*
• OMilk NYC
• Silk PureAlmond (including chocolate-flavored)
• Simple Truth (Kroger)
• Trader Joe’s (refrigerated)*
• Tree of Life (original, unsweetened, vanilla and chocolate)
• Westsoy

If you would like to see the brands to avoid Carageenan in your organic food... click here!

Or to learn what it is and why to avoid it... click here! 

Toppings the next morning if you want any :

bananas, mini semi sweet chocolate chips, vegan chocolate chips, berries, or it is great all by itself!

I added in 1/2 a banana and a few mini semi sweet chocolate chips... It was DELICIOUS!!!!!! 

I warmed mine up but Jess eats hers cold. Both are delish!

(Ah! ^ me in the morning but very excited for my new breakfast. Picture I sent to Jess. Haha )

I'm going to start making these for Mark since he likes eating oatmeal in the mornings. That way he can do what Jess's fiancé does and just grabs it on his way out for work.

Oh, last night, I made these guys... 

Not organic but they are non GMO which is much better than the alternatives out there. I wanted to surprise Mark since he is such a good sport with being open minded and eating all the healthy food that I give him. 

I have had their chocolate chip cookies before...very good as well! 

They also make sugar cookies. (Publix and Whole Foods sells these) 

And before the delicious oatmeal made me happy.... Well, we got off to a rocky start as I walked into Ava's room this morning to her like this: 

BUTT NAKED

If you know anything about babies, you can imagine that I was not thrilled about this. 

After that all happened, we ate that delicious breakfast above (Ava loved it too) and headed out for a run. 

Post run green smoothie was super green today. As you can tell, I love that neon green color as I typically don't do selfies WITH my smoothies haha. 

Cheers to FRIDAY!!! 

Also, my husband won 2 tickets to Tortuga Music Fest on the local radio show down here this morning! I was so excited when he told me because I was about to go online today and buy those as I didn't realize it was already this weekend. I'm hoping my mom can stay with Ava for a while on Sunday so that he and I can head down there and have a fun beach day with great entertainment. 

If you are family and care to hear Mark win on the radio...go to this link and fast forward to 10min. and 40sec.

Later today, my friend (and neighbor) Jessica will probably come over again with little Christian. I love that I have a close by mom friend that is like-minded and is enjoying learning how to be a healthier person like me. Love her so much and happy that she and I can watch our kiddos grow up together as I've known her now for about 13 years. 

Here's us the other day making 3 ingredient "cookie dough balls" that we are now OBSESSED with. For Recipe: click here. 

Hoping Mark gets home earlier today so that the 3 of us can head down to the beach and walk around. 

Hope everyone has a fun weekend! 

XO

Christina 

Yesterday&Today + My EASY Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Thought I'd add in some of my Instagram pictures...

Yesterday we were home all day. I cleaned, did laundry, and cooked. 

During a break:

Here is Ava wanting MY snack as she comes over saying, "ack? ack?" Which means I want a snack. So I ended up with one slice and she with the other that I cut up into pieces. 

Always wants mama's food... :)

(Ezekiel bread toasted with almond butter and raspberry jam...a fave around here) 

I am kind of hooked on making meals or snacks with romain leaves. It's nice fresh tasting change to the usual shell. Plus it's another green I can add in easily :)

These are just filled with guacamole, salsa, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, chia seeds, and Himalayan salt. 

Anyone else put chia seeds in their daily water ?

I do this as another way to get calcium, protein, magnesium, fiber, omega3, omega6, and iron in to my diet. It's a very easy and natural way to get a lot of health benefits into your daily diet.

I put chia seeds in Ava's yogurt for her too.  Chia seeds are a great addition to toddler and kids diets too! 

Great motto, huh? That's how I look at eating now. It's not about limiting and "not being allowed" to eat unhealthy foods. It's that I fill up on good stuff so that I'm not craving sugar and salt throughout the day. Crowding out... Genius! This little motto works in many aspects of life... People, work, experiences, attitudes, hobbies. Fill up your day with as much good as possible and you won't have enough time for the bad things, experiences, or negative people! aha!

And this...

Ava wanted this balloon while we were food shopping that morning. I thought it would be a good way to say Thank You to Mark when I saw her reaching for it. 

I helped her a bit so that she knew what to do with a crayon...

He loved it :)

Then today, I delivered the "Fit&Fabulous" themed basket. My Mommy&Me's class at Amanda's Place was given the task of trying to collect class donations to create an auction item for the program. 

With the help of the moms in our class, we raised about $100 cash and added about another $100 worth of goodies they donated. 

The remaining donated items were thanks to my amazing friends! We ended up having a basket totaling $1,160.00 !!!

We topped our $100 goal and that makes me very happy. I hope the program can raise a lot of money with this basket for Amanda's Place.

It was so much fun for me to coordinate and be involved with the program's fundraiser. 

(Pictured above me is Ava's favorite "teacher" Ms. Jen. 

FSU Alum too. Go Noles!) 

After the basket making, I picked up Ava from her Nana's house (Mark's mom). 

We headed over to Bayview Park in Ft. Lauderdale to meet up with Ava's friend Mya of our favorite and healthy place: Myapapaya | juicery + kitchen. 

Thought I'd let her burn off some energy and get some vitamin D :) 

Oh! And last night I made a pretty tasty soup if I may say so myself! (Prep&Blending took about 25total time - easy!) 

Here is what I did:

1. Cut and scoop out seeds of butternut squash then cut into big pieces to steam in large pan with 1/2 cup water. 

2. Sauté (low to medium heat) 6 garlic cloves in Olive oil 

3. Add in ingredients below to top two cooked ingredients: (all into blender) 

•1/2 cup coconut milk

•2 cups vegetable broth 

•Few dashes of thyme (fresh if you have it) 

•2 chopped up apples 

•Sprig or two of fresh Rosemary 

•Few dashes of Himalayan salt 

and 

•Pepper(optional) 

4. Blend on High for 7 min. 

(If you aren't working with a Vitamix, heat in sauce pan afterwards.

If you are using a Vitamix, then the soup will already be heated after the 7 min blending process.) 

Enjoy your delicious Apple Butternut Squash Soup! 

Made with Love,

Christina 

The Easy {4 Ingredient} Sweet Smoothie :::no greens:::

Not ready for the "intimidating" green smoothie?

I promise greens aren't scary... but if you want something super sweet and healthy, try this smooth, comforting, and very easy smoothie! 

(It's Ava's favorite too!) 

Thank you to my friend and fellow healthy mama, Jessica, who introduced us to this little gem. We love it over here and make one when we are having a sweet tooth.

Let me know what you think if you make it! :) 

XO

Christina 

Charleston, SC: Sarah's Bachelorette Party

On Thursday afternoon, I brought Ava to her Nana's home where she stayed overnight until Mark picked her up the following day after work. 

She had a great time at Nana's house as usual. Ava gets to play with a mini kitchen set, a swing in the backyard, her red little car (above), and ton of toys.

Ava feels right at home whenever she's there. She also gets to play with her two uncles: Tommy & Luke  (Uncle Tommy is also her Godfather.)

***Thank you, Debbie (my mama in law), and the rest of the family who are always excited to get to spend time with Ava which gives me some much needed help in travel times like these. 

So around 4, I got on the road to head up to Jacksonville. There, I would stay at my best friend's house and get on the road the following morning with the best of the bridal party. As Sarah's Matron of Honor, I arranged for all of us to stay in Charleston, SC for that weekend just as she requested. 

We rented this adorable home 10min away from downtown Charleston.  It was a perfect location (and down the road from a Trader Joe's ..WOOHOO!) 

Sarah plays golf (and is really good might I add!) and so she wanted an argyle/golf theme Bachelorette pub crawl. 

Sarah the bride to be is in the center - light green argyle 

We had a great time exploring the charming city of Charleston.

My favorite part was probably our nice dinner at McCrady's. It was a delicious 4 course meal. Their food is extremely fresh, brought in from local farmers, and their presentation is just beautiful.

It was a great time getting to know the rest of Sarah's friends from Jacksonville. I also loved getting to see Ali (left of Bachelorette) who flew in to be there. I miss Sarah and Ali already. It always feels like we are right back at FSU when the 3 of us are together. 

Thanks, ladies for making it a memorable weekend for Sarah! I look forward to seeing you all in 2 weeks for Sarah's bridal shower! 

Then, after we all got into Jacksonville, FL from Charleston, SC (about 4 hrs), I got right back on the road 2 min later and drove the next 4.5 south to get home around 8:30PM. 

My gas station food: non GMO is not impossible - even on the road! ;) 

And today's recovery smoothie:

Hope everyone had a nice weekend! 

I had a great time in the very charming city of Charleston with my friends. I cannot wait to go back to that adorable city.  

I am happy to be home in warm south Florida though! 

This morning, Ava and I went for a run around the neighborhood after breakfast and now she is napping while I eat lunch: 

Organic chicken on some organic/nonGMO corn tortilla shells with avocado & lime. And some raw Cauliflower as my side! 

Yum.

Oh! Last but certainly not least...

Ali didn't let me go back empty handed for Ava. She bought Ava an adorable Vineyard Vines dress. 

How cute ?!? I want it in my size. Thank you, Ali. We love you. See you in May for the wedding :)

And that's it for now...

I can't wait for Mark to get home tonight since last night's catching up on the porch flew by. I feel like I haven't seen him in so long! Miss my hub hub.  

Now, I need to figure out what I am going to make us for dinner... Any ideas ? 

XO

Christina 

Snapshots Throughout the Week + Healthy & Easy Smoothies

Last Thursday: Ava and I had our weekly visit to my abuela and abuelo's house (Ava's great grandparents) in Miami. (That's her Cuban side so she gets get Spanish practice there ;) I am determined for her to be bilingual by weekly visits to see them like I had growing up. 

Ava is obsessed with phones...

 Abuela cutting abuelo's hair for 49 years. Childhood sweethearts as well :) 

Bad back and all... bless her heart. 

Ava being a squirmy worm and wanting to show them her walking skills. She is pretty much running now... 

Thursday's yummy green smoothie 

Friday: New find at Whole Foods (displayed in OJ area): 

Little snack pouches for Ava...Chia seeds! 

Hers are: Strawberry Banana & Apple Cinnamon. 

She loves them!

Chia seeds are a health powerhouse. I add them into my smoothies regularly. 

Then later on... Afternoon juice I made (it's blended but I say juice because the Vitamix pulverizes the smoothie into a "juice". 

 [FYI:the small pieces of tumeric and ginger on the cutting board were included----not the rest on the counter ]

Rainbow chard, celery, 1/2 a beet, turmeric root, ginger root, cup of water 

PLUS ( but not photographed) : a banana, 1/2 squeezed lemon, and ice =

=delicious!

This was my very first time using beets and tumeric!!! 

I know, I'm an amatuer! I'm learning here...

I've been reading more and more about both of these healthy heavyweights for sometime now and decided to bring them into the new Vitamix now that I know my blender can handle beets! 

Beets having {{{amazing}}} health benefits! Some include: 

1. Lower Your Blood Pressure

Drinking beet juice may help to lower blood pressure in a matter of hours. One study found that drinking one glass of beet juice lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 4-5 points.3

The benefit likely comes from the naturally occurring nitrates in beets, which are converted into nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide, in turn, helps to relax and dilate your blood vessels, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure.

2. Boost Your Stamina

If you need a boost to make it through your next workout, beet juice may again prove valuable. Those who drank beet juice prior to exercise were able to exercise for up to 16 percent longer.4 The benefit is thought to also be related to nitrates turning into nitric oxide, which may reduce the oxygen cost of low-intensity exercise as well as enhance tolerance to high-intensity exercise.

3. Fight Inflammation

Beets are a unique source of betaine, a nutrient that helps protects cells, proteins, and enzymes from environmental stress. It's also known to help fight inflammation, protect internal organs, improve vascular risk factors, enhance performance, and likely help prevent numerous chronic diseases.5 As reported by the World's Healthiest Foods:6

"[Betaine's]… presence in our diet has been associated with lower levels of several inflammatory markers, including C reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. As a group, the anti-inflammatory molecules found in beets may eventually be shown to provide cardiovascular benefits in large-scale human studies, as well as anti-inflammatory benefits for other body systems."

4. Anti-Cancer Properties

The powerful phytonutrients that give beets their deep crimson color may help to ward off cancer. Research has shown that beetroot extract reduced multi-organ tumor formations in various animal models when administered in drinking water, for instance, while beetroot extract is also being studied for use in treating human pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancers.7

5. Rich in Valuable Nutrients and Fiber

Beets are high in immune-boosting vitamin C, fiber, and essential minerals like potassium (essential for healthy nerve and muscle function) and manganese (which is good for your bones, liver, kidneys, and pancreas). Beets also contain the B vitamin folate, which helps reduce the risk of birth defects.

6. Detoxification Support

The betalin pigments in beets support your body's Phase 2 detoxification process, which is when broken down toxins are bound to other molecules so they can be excreted from your body. Traditionally, beets are valued for their support in detoxification and helping to purify your blood and your liver.

(Source: Dr. Mercola) 

Saturday: before I headed to the beach with my friends... I hydrated with 

Enjoying my mama time off at the beach with one of my very childhood best friends: Michelle!!!

Check out Ava's new kicks! Michelle is the greatest. She bought then bedazzled them for Ava. She is such a great and thoughtful "Aunt" Meesh! 

Sunday: Ava's friend's birthday party to celebrate her turning 1! Happy birthday, Fern!

We had a great time!!!

Daddy & Ava at the party 

Monday morning breakfast smoothie (No greens?! I was in the mood for a change that morning.)

Super yummy! 

Monday was St. Patrick's Day so mommy&me class was decked in green! 

See Ava in the back listening to story time? Look for the green bow...

On Monday, my holistic health course also started! I willingly woke up 1.5hr early to start listening to the seminars, audio clips, and reading through slides. I am LOVING every minute of it!!!! 

I can't wait for this time next year when I will be a certified health coach! 

Looking forward to being able to maintain my #1 role as a stay at home mom while also having the flexibility to make my own hours for my new career. 

Tuesday: 

Ava and one of her buddies... Boo the Pomeranian ! The "world's cutest dog" 

Ava and Boo having tea. (Boo sleeps in Ava's crib every night with her) 

On our way back from shopping for new bedding...

Mark had our new king size Tempur-Pedic bed delivered that morning. I am in LOVE with this new bed and the memory foam pillows!!!

Ava enjoyed our shopping while being carried in the Ergo carrier. She still prefers that rather than sitting by herself in the shopping cart. Fine with me :) 

She's my little baby kangaroo. I love our Ergo. 

Tuesday evening: (yesterday)

Mark and I sit on the board for the Seminole Club of Broward County. It is a local organization that is affiliated with our alma mater - Florida State University. The club hosts: events, game watching parties, an annual golf tournament, donates scholarships to deserving local students that have been accepted to FSU, and also gives back to our local community through community service. The Seminole Club of Broward County includes hundreds and hundreds of local alumni, fans, and parents of FSU students that live in Broward County and want to be involved with their children's new school. 

 I have been Community Service Chair and Mark has been Golf Chair for 3 years now. Last football season, we started a children's book drive for underprivileged students in title 1 schools throughout our local community. During the time that I was working on my Master's Degree in Social Work, I interned at Impact Broward and learned about their Foster Grandparent Program. Active Seniors volunteer their time in title 1 schools and help the teacher in the classrooms. If a child needs some help reading a book or finishing up a project, the volunteer steps in to help and make sure that the student doesn't fall behind. 

I thought it would be a great partnership for the two organizations to collaborate. We, at Seminole Club of Broward County (aka: Broward Noles) would ask the thousands of Broward Noles in the community to donate children's books (K-grade 3 level) for the "Foster Grandparent" Volunteers to distribute during their volunteering at these schools. I learned while interning at Impact Broward, that statistically, a child that does not master their 3rd grade reading levels, has a much greater chance of being incarcerated. In fact, our own state of FL measures these 3rd grade reading levels in order to predict how many prison beds they will need to supply for future inmates. 

CRAZY, huh?! After speaking to the CEO of Impact Broward (pictured next to me in yellow) about how I am involved with the "Broward Noles," he was very excited to partner with us in order to get these underprivileged children much needed books. We not only want to help with children's reading levels, but are also, hopefully, decreasing incarceration rates in Florida's future by these preventive measures. I am so grateful that the rest of the Broward Noles graciously accepted this challenge and came together to donate hundreds of books to Impact Broward's Foster Grandparent Program. 

Great job, Broward Noles! 

Some of the Seminole Club of Broward County board members with Impact Broward, CEO John Gargotta,
representing hundreds books that were donated and the hundreds of Broward Noles members that supported these efforts. 

Today : Wednesday 

Mommy& Me class! Ava had a great time as usual. Today was a water theme so the toy seals and fish were out. 

Sorry for the LONG post... I had to catch up.

Today and tomorrow, I will be getting ready for my trip to Charleston, SC! As one of my best friend's Matron of Honor, I organized a weekend trip up there for her and the rest of the bridesmaids. We will be renting an adorable home and making the most out of our stay in the charming city for her Bachelorette Party weekend. I cannot wait!!!
Our mutual best friend, Ali, is flying in from Chicago to be there as well so I am so excited to get to spend time with my two "pandas" (That's what we call each other haha)

Hope you all have a nice Wednesday!
XO
Christina