It's COMING!

SUMMER! YES!

Its no secret with these 80 degree temps that we're gonna have to get serious here. My current accountability group is doing fan-tab-ulous and I can't wait to see where we all end up... WAY closer to our goals, I'm sure!

To help those of us that want to KEEP GOING... I am going to run my next challenge/accountability group right into this one. MAY 25th... WRITE IT ON YOUR CALENDAR!

You in? The way I see it... WHAT do you have to LOSE!? Besides maybe a few pounds and some emotional baggage you've been holding on to for years. Most people stop going to the gym in the spring because its so nice out and you're BUSY! LOTS of the programs have 30 min workouts. Let me help you find what's right for you!

I'll be running this group along side another coach or two... so you'll get lots of good stuff. Fill out the form below and I'll be in touch!

Day 5 - Max:30

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh! I feel so much better!

No, my week didn't get better... probably worse from the last blog post.Things just were NOT going right this week. But you know what!? That's a part of LIFE! Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I neither won or lost this week, but actually felt like I was ceasing to exist. Kids 1 and 2 were ok, most of the week. Minus their crazy ridiculous attitudes and smart mouths, they were good. Kid 3 decided that pooping his pants was a new hobby and did it as often as possible (we are thinking maybe a lactose issue or something like that), and at the MOST inconvenient times. The vaccum caught on fire... fun times. Lacrosse games in the rain with 4 kids. Kid 3 also had a bad dentist appointment where we learned he had cavities that needed to be filled... at 3 1/2. They were bad ones that even I could see on the x-ray and I feel horrible that he has to go through this. Kid 4 is just nuts... developing her little personality... always on the go and always trying to run 'ou-sigh' (outside). Cute and adorable until shes standing on the front porch 'talking' to the neighbor while you're in the bathroom wiping Kid 3's behind. Gonna have to lock this one up.

(see what I mean)

So why do I feel better? Its Friday! I'm going to Girl Scout Camp with Kid 2 for the weekend and I JUST got done with the 3 Day Refresh! My results this time were unbelievable! I can't wait to share them with you... soon.

I was able to get all of my Max:30 workouts in, although I was really trying not to. I felt pretty good the whole way thorough. I wouldn't say I was even hungry at all. I got in my head a few times, but with help from a friend of mine... I stayed the course. I WASN'T wasting the money! Lol.

So Max:30... this is ROUGH! I know... anyone can do it with modification... but I may reconsider my words for that! Lol... If I'm having a hard time, I can't imagine what its like for someone just getting started in exercising! Cardio Challenge on Monday was pretty tough and left me feeling pretty defeated. I REALLY like Tabata Power on Tuesday/Thursday... except for the "death by tricep pushup" section. SHEESH! But I suppose I need them. Do them till you love them, right? Wednesday was Sweat Intervals... it was... SWEATY for sure! I'm sore. I'm tired. But its FRIDAY... so Friday Fight 1 will happen today... my schedule says so. Its RIGHT THERE... in my ERIN CONDREN Planner... SEE:

https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/dawnbrennan0823

I had all of my challengers make time for their workouts... put them on the calendar. I did just the same thing. Granted, I decided NOT to get out of bed early on Tuesday/Thursday, but I needed the sleep, so I just got the workout in after I got the kids on the bus. While Kid 3 was playing and cheering me on.... er... and.... pooping his pants. My workouts felt better as the week went on... which chocked the heck out of me with the 3 Day Refresh... my weakness was in my head and as soon as I got rid of that, I rocked it!

ENOUGH stalling... off to do Friday Fight 1!!!

Recipe: Goat Cheese Portabello Mushrooms

Goat Cheese Portabello Mushrooms:

4 med-large portabello mushrooms
8 oz basalmic vinegarette
4 oz of goat cheese
3-4 tbsp pine nuts (chopped)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Place mushrooms bottom up in a baking dish. Pour basalmic vinegrette into the mushrooms, and some in the dish. Crumble and divide the goat cheese, about 1 oz on each.  Sprinkle chopped pine nut on top.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

4 servings (unless you're like me and eat 2)

This is an adaptation from the South Beach Diet recipe book, as the original recipe called for marinara sauce and a few other things, but I LOVE mushrooms sauteed in balsamic vinegarette.  

ESTIMATE serving/nutritional information, depending on the brand of dressing you use:

Nutrition Facts User Entered Recipe
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		214.4
Total Fat		17.9 g
	Saturated Fat	4.4 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	2.3 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	2.6 g
Cholesterol		13.0 mg
Sodium		114.5 mg
Potassium		45.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate		9.6 g
	Dietary Fiber	3.2 g
	Sugars	1.5 g
Protein		9.1 g

Vitamin A	5.9 %
Vitamin B-12	0.9 %
Vitamin B-6	3.8 %
Vitamin C	2.1 %
Vitamin D	100.0 %
Vitamin E	1.8 %
Calcium	8.1 %
Copper	14.6 %
Folate	1.4 %
Iron	7.0 %
Magnesium	5.2 %
Manganese	29.8 %
Niacin	2.0 %
Pantothenic Acid	2.1 %
Phosphorus	11.0 %
Riboflavin	7.2 %
Selenium	1.2 %
Thiamin	2.9 %
Zinc	4.5 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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!