RECIPE - Zucchini Lasagna

1 medium or larger zucchini
1 jar sauce (I used homemade)
Mozzarella Cheese (the more the better... lol... prob 3-4 cups)
Pepperoni Slices

Preheat oven (or in our case grill, because the oven is broken) to 350 degrees.

Peal and slice zucchini into this slices OR use a cool tool like the Pampered Chef Spiral and Slice to make ZOODLES!!!
(NO, I am not a Pampered Chef consultant... but I used to be and I LOVE This stuff!)

Layer slices or zoodles, pour some sauce over layer and some cheese (a handful or so) and then spread out a thin layer of pepperoni.

REPEAT this step until you used up all the zucchini and top with more sauce and cheese!

Bake in over (or grill) for 30-45 minutes, covered with foil.  The longer you let it bake, the softer zucchini will be, so make sure its done.  Let sit uncovered for about 5 minutes to thicken and let moisture escape.  SERVE and ENJOY!

YOU can add so many different things to this... sausage, ricotta cheese, peppers... ANYTHING.  Make it yours... simple... easy and YUMMY!

Oh, and grow a garden, it saves $$$!

RECIPE - Tortilla Soup

6 Corn Tortillas, cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 Tomatoes
1/2 Small Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 Green Pepper, chopped
2 c. Chicken Stock
1 T Cilantro, freshly chopped
1/2 c Low-Fat Monterey Jack Cheese, grated





Bake tortilla strips in the oven at 325 F for 5-7 minutes or until crisp.
Pure tomatoes, onion, garlic and pepper in a food processor or blender.
Bring stock to a boil in a 2 quart pot.  Stir i tomato puree and cilantro.
Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.  Stir half of the tortilla strips into the soup.
Garnish with remaining tortilla strips and the cheese
Yield: 6 servings, 3 cups.

So here is what I did differently:
1/2 yellow pepper because that's all I had at the time.  Tomatoes, onion and cilantro fresh from my GARDEN!  And instead of MontJack cheese, I had a Mexican blend.  ALSO... total cheat but it worked... I used Tortilla CHIPS instead of making my own.  I love salt so this was awesome for me!  Add salt and pepper and viola!  We ate it all... all "6" servings at once.  YUM!

"I HATE working out"...I'll never forget the days...

...  and there were a lot of them.  I used to say "I hate to workout".  I was active as a kid, but if it turned into hard work... I was OUT!  I danced 6 days a week, did colorguard, swim team, track and more, but the second anyone mentioned a burpee or pushup... I went into shut down mode!

WHAT CHANGED!?  Everything.  Here is a look into my past and how I got here.  Quick story... we moved to Sarver, built a perfect house in a perfect area, but what was not so perfect was me not knowing anyone and having an addiction to social media (ie. Farmville on Facebook had me by the balls 😳).  I was in a bad place.  Miserable in my life and couldn't stand my husband, kids (2 at the time), and I hated who I was.  It was BAD.  Spiraling downward each day.  Hell, I even yelled at my kids when they asked me to make a sandwich for them, because I didn't want to get off the couch.

So... Long story short, I like to dance and I was playing online one day and saw that Zumba had a workshop coming up in Pittsburgh... and it was with Beto Perez... the CREATOR of Zumba.  I was like, sure, I need to get out of the house for a weekend, so I signed up.  I had  NO intention of actually teaching it.  But Beto's passion and intensity spoke to me.  I left the 2 day workshop and HAD to find a place to teach.  I went to the YMCA, who had posted an ad on Craigslist and LOVED IT!  It was work!  It took HOURS to get the choreography down and actually be able to teach a whole hour class... but I loved it and it didn't feel like work (THANK YOU BETO).  It gave me purpose and helped me out of my spiraling depression I was in.

So after years of teaching Zumba and even starting local classes out of the firehall, I decided I wanted more.  I went for my AFAA group fitness certification.  THIS is when I started having appreciation for squats, lunges, burpees, pushups... all of which I kinda hated previously.  I needed to be a model to my students.  I learned that each person had to figure out what works for them.  If you would have told me back then that I would be an INSANITY Instructor and LOVE it, I would have laughed in your face!  But I am and I DO!  If you would have told me that I would be a Beachbody Coach and crave more than my normal 12+ workouts per week (instructing) and start doing other workouts at home for FUN... I would have suggested having you committed for being batshit crazy.  But I am and I DO!  Check out a recent PIYO video I made!

I also started RUNNING!  WHAT!?  I hated running too!  But I challenged myself to a 5k, and have now done several and even started with Mud Runs!  Good LORD... who IS this person that used to sit in the couch all day and put 0 effort into anything!?  AND I have motivated my husband to get in shape too!!  WIN. WIN!

Through the passion for dance, I have found a passion for fitness and a desire to help others.  I started eating better because I learned that I needed to fuel my body properly in order to sustain the crazy schedule I have set myself.  I love to help other people obtain their fitness goals... or even learn how to set them and figure out what works best for them.  Being a fitness instructor and a Beachbody Coach has allowed me to help others in ways I have a hard time comprehending and I couldn't be more thankful for the relationships I have formed in doing so.

With all this craziness being said, if you're still reading... I ask that you find what works for you.  Get motivated to make a change.  Baby steps.  Let ME help you make this happen.  Things don't change over night...this all happened over about 5 years for me.  But I would love to walk beside you in this journey and be there to support you.  Do you have to come to class?   NO... but you can!  Do you have to be a Beachbody addict like some of us?  NO... but you can!  I want to hear your thoughts on fitness.  Do you like it?  Do you enjoy the feeling when its all over?  Do you hate it like I used to?  Have you even thought about it lately?  Do you think you can improve?  What can we do to get you to where you want to be?  Your turn now... comment or respond on Facebook!

Through Thick and Thin

You know how you have to be an adult sometimes and make decisions... and not just the little ones like "what to make for dinner" or "is so-and-so going to do dance or gymnastics this year"... but the big ones like "future" type stuff.

My word of advice is to make the decisions you face, big or small, based on YOU, YOUR FAMILY and GOD.  That's it.  When push comes to shove, your family matters more than anything, and obviously you have to think about yourself sometimes.  Pray about them... take your time... and don't move too quickly when the decision is one that requires change and commitment.

But one thing I would recommend is to NEVER let a friend influence a decision that does not have to do with them.  I mean, all decisions, both big and small, may touch other's lives... but if a change comes and ANYTHING changes or is disrupted in your friendships... I'm telling you right now... that friend was never a friend to begin with.  Friends are there for you no matter the situation.  Even if the decision affects them directly.  Friends should be the ones to hug you and tell you its going to be ok, regardless of the outcome, and let you know you can count on them to walk beside you until the dust settles and there is a new decision to make!

I take comfort and am so thankful that I have those kind of friends in my life.  And I have some that are not these kind of friends.  And the older I get... the move obvious the different gets.  If I call you a "FRIEND", it means I love you unconditionally.  It means... I would drop all I am doing to help you in a pinch, even if the crisis at hand isn't a real crisis in the long-run... I will listen as you go through tough times and even lend you a shoulder to cry and snot on, and I'll probably call you out on the snot later when we look back and reflect... I'd buy you your first shot or drink at the bar to celebrate with you for whatever reason we need to celebrate... and I support you in your life and pray that I am a part of it forever.  Forever friends are the only FRIENDS that exist.

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