PREP LIKE A PRO – A BUSY MOM’S GUIDE TO STAYING ON TRACK!

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If you’ve been following me for a while than you know that my days are full of mom duties, and my nights with all the entrepreneur duties! So making time for myself yet alone a workout or a sit-down meal has been impossible lately. Our recent travels have thrown our ‘gung-ho-work-out-eat-right’ mentality right on out the window along with time to make logical food choices. But you know what they say … “we make time for the things that we want to make time for“. Ughhh who started that anyway … it’s a crazy, logical, guilt ridden statement.

BUT, I made time yayyy! *Please do this with me so we can all whine through it together!* Let me start by saying that ever since I took my first class at Fuel Rx in April, I’ve been slightly a lot addicted to seeing the changes in my body and energy levels. I’ve grown to LOVE working out in a class environment. It’s really motivating not to have to do it all alone! But I also REALLY LOVE food. Wanna hear the kicker?! Our results, our energy, and maintaining our kick ass bodies after all that hard work is 80% dependent upon what we eat. Let me let that settle … 80% is meals, ahhhh!!!!!

So I really wanted to share with you what I did this week to prep! I only had an hour and a half today to prep for lunch and dinner for the next few days. Tomorrow I will prep breakfasts and snacks. Hey, do what you have time for and what you have time for is enough! Some days you’ll cook 3 meals and 3 snacks for the week in advance, and some days you’ll only have time to prep for the next day. But do it and you’ll find that it takes less time than we think!

Side note- my daughter is a gluten-free vegetarian so the chicken protein is for me, and her meals will be substituted with shrimp and tofu. My fiancé eats everything so I will be doubling everything.

CAULIFLOWER FRIED RICE


I love a good fried rice recipe! Today I opted for a bag of cauliflower rice instead and tossed it around in 2 tablespoons coconut oil, crushed garlic, Flavor God’s garlic everything powder, green onion, and cilantro. I cooked it all over medium heat until it reached my desired crispness and then devoured.

CINNAMON SWEET POTATOES


Tastes like the holidays minus the family drama and being isolated to the kiddy table.

I popped a package of Trader Joe’s ready to eat sweet potatoes (baked and no seasonings added, hallelu for open and eat!) into a pan with a light spritz of coconut oil, some cracked black pepper, and topped them with a dash of cinnamon. So so so good!

THE WORLD’S BEST CITRUS SUMMER SALAD


I mean that with every inch of my dying love for gross BORING salads! If you like citrusy, peppery salads then this is for you! I mixed some kale with a spring mix, squeezed an entire lemon over top the leaves, drizzled on some extra virgin olive oil, and gave that a nice toss (coating them in this base will make them less dry and more appealing). Then I cracked some black pepper in there along with a turn of my Himalayan pink salt shaker, and then added in finely chopped red onion, tomatoes, parsley, and cucumber! THE BEST! So refreshing and so NOT boring!

CUMIN SPICED BRUSSEL SPROUTS AND TOASTED PINE NUTS 


Probably one of my favorite ways to prepare brussel sprouts because, that ‘feet’ smell they give off. In a pan I took Trader Joe’s ready to eat brussels (again hallelu for open and eat, again no seasonings added), tossed them in a spritz of coconut oil, added in some toasted pine nuts, cumin, and red pepper flakes! Walaaa! I love this nutty combo and the cumin and red pepper flakes give it a nice lil kick! Hiiiyahhh!

CURRIED COCONUT CHICKEN 


Ugh coconut milk dishes are LIFE! I browned some crushed garlic and yellow onion in a tablespoon of coconut oil and then added in 3 cubed chicken breasts. Then I tossed in some diced bell pepper, cracked black pepper, turmeric, and a can of coconut milk. I let that simmer up and then really TRIED to remember portion control. This can be added over a bed of brown rice (or white rice depending on your palette) or even that cauliflower fried rice we made earlier! This is equally as delicious with shrimp, tofu, or potatoes!

HOMEMADE KALE CHIPS


For this grab-and-go snack I simply stemmed a bag of kale, spread them evenly across a cookie sheet, gave them a light spray of coconut oil, and then lightly dusted them with Himalayan pink salt and cracked black pepper. I baked them at 350 degrees for about ten minutes, but you’ll want to keep checking on them to bake them for a shorter or longer period of time depending on your oven. Trust me, they get crispy quick!

Well I hope you try out these dishes and put your own spin on them! They really are easy to throw together- the most time-consuming task is chopping things up and then waiting for them to be cooked!

If you’re wincing from the amount of seasonings or coconut oil that I’m using, don’t fret, these are healthy fats, and I season in moderation. Salt is both necessary and beneficial to your results if you take into consideration timing (it’s a science I tell ya) and consumption (use a light hand). Also, each meal should consist of a healthy fat, a protein, and a complex carb (fiber), and don’t forget to EAT every 2 1/2- 3 hours! Your body will not be able to survive the workouts or push to your full potential if you aren’t fueling it properly. Eat eat eat <333

Next up this week is my meal prep for breakfast ideas and snacks! They’re kid friendly and fiancé approved! I also have a piece coming up all about what to eat BEFORE and AFTER a workout thanks to Patrick’s meal planning … and speaking of, I’ll be playing around with our custom challenge meal plan to bring you some modifications and thoughts! Stay tuned!

 

What’s your favorite or least favorite thing about meal prepping?

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CLEANSE!

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After coming off of vacation the last few weeks; from Vegas to Catalina to Florida … I was in need of a good ol’ cleanse.

I’d been working out pretty hard and eating pretty clean and then BAM, vacation came around and I FULLY indulged, no regrets! But now it’s time to get back to fueling my body with the good stuffs and so I decided for the next 30 days I will drink more water, eat more frequently, and keep it clean!

Okay, when I say ‘cleanse’, I really mean reset. I don’t mean juicing everything in site and having to run to the toilet because you don’t know if you have to toot or poop (hey I’m just being real here). We’re going to be consuming whole fruits and vegetables in a shake- dessert style, and eating real food! Yes eating! Wholesome, protein packed meals and never ever forgetting the good carbs! So here’s a sample day of my reset, and this was all of yesterday’s goodness in real life!

8 a.m.- BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE: Tastes like a chai blended ice cream!


You’ll blend together half of a frozen nana, a teaspoon cinnamon, four dates, and half a cup of almond milk with ice! Yummmerssss! I also added half a scoop of vanilla protein powder, because every meal I try to always have a protein, a healthy fat, and a fiber <333 THIS Tone It Up Perfect Fit protein is my current obsession!

11 a.m. – a Minty Pineapple Protein smoothie for my morning snackie! Tastes like a tropical dessert sans the sand!

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Blend together a hand full of spinach, some mint leaves, frozen pineapple bits, coconut milk, and a scoop of protein powder. When it’s all blended pour it into a pretty wine glass (for me this just makes it taste better!) and then top with a tablespoon of chia seeds and sip away baby!


2 p.m.- Lunch time: Vegetarian Sushi! Tastes just like sushi thanks to the seaweed and quinoa … my go-to rice replacement!

In a seaweed wrap line up some avocado slices, quinoa (I made mine with coconut milk, corn, and black beans!), 2 egg whites, and all the sriracha your heart can handle! Roll it up, devour it, repeat! By this time of day I’m starving and this kind of meal is hearty, filling, and super nutrient dense! Win wine … I mean win!

5 p.m.- Dinner! Pizzaaaa! Tastes … just like pizza, but guilt-free and all the flavor you’re craving!

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On a Ezekiel sprouted whole grain tortilla spread some sugar free spaghetti or tomato sauce and top it with whatever vegetables you have! I used grape tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, spinach, olives, green peppers, mushrooms, and fat free shredded cheese! I topped it with more sriracha and even more cheese and I wasn’t even mad about it.

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This pizza will satisfy your craving for pizza, for carbs, for whatever it is that you think you can’t have. You can!

This ‘cleanse’ for me is really just about swapping out my bad decisions for home-made better ones! The fruitier/vegetable-ier (that’s a word) options! And of course, it’s not a day to enjoy if you can’t ENJOY dessert!

8:30 p.m.- Dessert time BABY! Home-made coconut chia seed pudding with frozen raspberries and coconut flakes! Tastes like heaven, feels like you’re on a tropical island!


Thanks to my babe Miya, you can make this beautiful delectable dessert right at home, and enjoy every.bit.of.it!

In a jar or bowl mix together 1/2 cup chia seeds with 2 cans of coconut milk (I used a can of full fat coconut milk and a can of coconut creme from Trader Joe’s), and add in cinnamon, some agave or pure maple syrup, some frozen raspberries, and SHAKE!

Pop that baby into the refrigerator and shake it again after about an hour or so. In the morning when you’re ready to eat it … or after only a few hours because you’re like me and you need a dessert, spoon it into a bowl and top it with more frozen raspberries and some unsweetened coconut flakes! Friends, this is the best thing ever!!!

Yayyy we did  it!  A whole day of eating nutrient dense foods, feeling full, having a ton of energy, and just enjoying the fact that we’re making better choices for a healthier us! Good job us!  I really hope this post inspires you to try a few of these recipes, I promise you won’t be disappointed and it won’t even feel like a ‘cleanse’ at all, this is more of a reset!

Am I the only one who cringes when I hear the word diet or cleanse?! Lets just refrain from using those words here 😉

This my love, is not cringe worthy, give it a try and TAG me when you do <3

3 EASY FIXES TO MOVE ON FROM THE ‘MOM’ LOOK

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I’m a mom. I live for convenience and I’ll choose comfort over cute any day because, time saver. I love my yoga pants, I love my flip-flops, and I love big over sized sweaters that make me feel cozy. Corrine however will tell you that I’ve got to RETIRE the uggs and step away from the flip-flops!

So today I’m sharing with you Corrine’s top 3 easy fixes to move on from the ‘mom’ look … and move into sassy, trendy, and fashionable! When I say ‘mom look’, I’m referring to the ‘I ran out of the door fuss free I have errands to run and no time for vanity’ look. You know, the moments when you go to the gym (or dress like you’ll be going to the gym but never really actually make it there) in your athletic gear and tennis shoes and then you live the rest of your day in the same types of clothes. Comfort and convenience!


Well here are the simple, affordable, and practical ways in which you can elevate your look and still feel like you’re ready to walk the grocery aisle and not the runway aisle.

1. Accessorize- even the smallest addition to your outfit will dress up even the most casual of ensembles. Here I have this beautiful long necklace that my good friend Stephanie gave me for my birthday and the color is a beautifully muted light purple hue. Simple and elegant.

2. Swap your flip-flops for chic slip ons -this may seem like a no brainer but for the longest time I couldn’t let go of them! Wedges or slip ons are the perfect alternative!

3. Invest in outerwear- I’m the first person to grab an oversized faded sweater, holey or not, and make a dodge for the door. But if you top your outfit with a cute cardigan, pullover, button up, or jacket, you’ll look more put together and less like you just rolled out of bed. You can still enjoy those comfortable outfits, just take them to the next level!

Try implementing these easy changes into your every day casual wardrobe options and see if they don’t make you feel any better about your basics! I promise it will!

What’s the one staple item in your closet that you just refuse to abandon? I’ll raise my glass to yoga pants. I just can’t seem to get through a week without them!

PREGNANT AT 16

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I was 16 and Pregnant. I have always been very guarded with what I share with the world and what I keep private for our little family but its time to tell some of my story. It’s a fine line to walk when you’re an online personality and you’re so open about your life. People almost expect you to divulge information that you wouldn’t otherwise share unless you knew them personally, but that just goes to show how much we openly share with our audiences. So I can’t be mad about it.

I’ve found though, that the things I like to share with people, help me to like those things too. Things that I dislike very much and that are hard to talk about like abusive relationships, toxic people, and what it was like being a teen mom. Not that being a teen  mom was something I disliked, but it was something that was really hard for me, it still is.

Corrine only a few months old here, and me- I'm just a chola in a rocking chair lol
Corrine only a few months old here, and me- I’m just a chola in a rocking chair lol

Some things you probably already know are that I’m a single mom, and that I was a teen mom. I had my daughter Corrine when I was 16 years old and she’s 18 now. She just started college this month, and last year she graduated from high school AND started her first job in the ‘real working world’. That was a lot for this mama bear over here to manage. Having my lil baby cub all out in the world being a responsible human and not being under my watchful and protective eye 24-7-365 is really hard.

Corrine and I are very close. We’re best friends, we grew up together, and I don’t know my life without her, I was 16. This isn’t me being dramatic like, ‘oh my baby is moving to another country woe is me’, but it is me sharing my anxiety over her moving out of the house. Even if that time isn’t in the near future. Like, what is my life without her *okay, THAT is me being dramatic*.

It’s crazy for me to reflect on her childhood because I was so young myself, I mean, how did they let me leave the hospital with that little baby?! It feels like a big huge blur to me. At that time I wasn’t doing it all on my own though, I had my family, I had her father’s family, and he and I were ok back then. Things change and we are where we are now. Perhaps one day I will talk about those things and what my life was like back then, but today I’ll talk about where I’m at today.

When I say that I don’t know what it’s like to be without Corrine I’m talking in daily life, in our day to day, routine life. Because in a way, we did grow up together … I’ve spent the last 18 years with her and it was far before I was even 18 myself. It was like an older sister raising a younger sister. We are so similar yet so different, but she amazes me every day. She sits on my lap at brunches, we hold hands in the street, she’s still my baby. Well now my baby is in college, yes a local one, but not for long. She wants to transfer to a University which won’t be any where near Los Angeles. *takes a moment to process that* So for me, I think to myself (and aloud, lets be real), “ok I can totally move to wherever she goes!” But how unrealistic is that?!

Corrine's HS graduation in June 2015
Corrine’s HS graduation in June 2015

Joe is incredible and he’s been so amazing, from day ONE. He met us when she was 12 and he’s really stepped in to be that positive, loving, father figure in her life. Oh, and he would totally pick up and move with me, we’re both nomads like that. But I can’t follow my child all around the world … at least I’m sure she wouldn’t want me to. I don’t want to become that over-bearing-stalker-status mom because no one likes the over-bearing-stalker-status mom.

November 3, 2015- Corrine's 18th birthday
November 3, 2015- Corrine’s 18th birthday

So therein lies my problem- I’m an overly attached parent who feels pretty freaking lonely at the thought of her daughter moving away. So what’s a girl to do? Well, I have to remember that just because I’m a mom doesn’t mean that that’s the only hat I wear. Though, it IS my most favorite hat and I’m really good at wearing the hat!!! *breathing* I have to remember that I’m a whole other person with hobbies and an identity all on my own completely separate from the ‘mom label’. Yes I’m a mom but I’m also Jess.

Jess is adventurous, loves to travel, and is getting married this year! *why am I referring to myself in the 3rd person, see I’m losing it already* I think I will get back to that part of myself this year, back to being creative on a different level, back to traveling a bit more, and back to being me without attaching myself to everything Corrine does. She needs space to grow and make her own mistakes, ugh can’t even believe I just said that.

So to all my parents out there, it isn’t healthy to identify ourselves only as parents and it isn’t healthy to just stalk our children. It’s a grey area for me about the stalking part though, not gonna lie, I’m obsessed with the kid! But as much as I’d like to be THAT mom, I won’t be that mom. I will however, be keeping busy doing other things. So keep busy! I have a wedding to plan this year, but bet your butt I’ll be stalking her every step of the way- dropping in to make her bed and cook her dinner! We also have to remember that it’s also a difficult transition for them too.

Our babies are forever our babies, and it’s ok to hold on to that. I know I will!

So tell me, if you’re a parent, are you going through this? Are your babies younger but this is something you think about? If you are going through this, help me out and give me some new hobbies to explore! If you aren’t a parent but your parents are going through this kind of thing, what as parents can we do to make the transition an easier one for you? And for us 😉 

My baby when she was 2 or 3 and again at 16
My baby when she was 2 or 3 and again at 16

 

I was 18 here and Corrine was 2. I got my first tattoo this day!
I was 18 here and Corrine was 2. I got my first tattoo this day!

 

This is us today, going on mother/daughter dates <3
This is us today, going on mother/daughter dates <3

Thank you for reading this post, it’s nice to open up about things that people assume you’re navigating just fine with on your own. I’m open to your suggestions so type away, and if you have a little one at home, hug them extra! PS I talk like she’s moving out tomorrow, but it is something that we discuss all of the time- her moving out and where she’ll go. So I know it’s just me freaking out, I’m prone to freak outs. I still have some time to baby her and make her breakfast in the mornings, and I still have time to be the crazy yet, “I’m a cool mom” mom. 

Here’s a video Corrine and I did in September and we’ll be recording a “How to survive college” video together soon! So stay tuned for that! I will be less overbearing with each passing post I promise!

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