Friday, June 10, 2016

Fitting Health and Fitness into Mom Life



The mom cracks. That's what I've heard people call those little amounts of time in between taking care of the kids, bathing them, making dinner, folding laundry, cleaning the house, doing the finances, and on and on and on. Sometimes I am baffled by how much is on my plate, and yet, the plates keep spinning!!

Sometimes I feel like I could not fit one more thing in or one more commitment. And at times, that may be true. I have read the book, "The Best Yes" by Lysa Terkeurst, and the premise of the book is saying "no" to the things that are less important, so that we have time to say "yes" to the most important things! It was so freeing to read that, because as moms, we often feel the need and obligation to say yes to everything!! And then we wonder why we are exhausted, burned out, and a little bitter at all of our commitments!

But I have found that I do have those "mom cracks." I do have to make certain things a priority, and in doing that, I say "no" to other things. I still make time to watch LOST at night with my husband. I still make time to have people over for dinner. I still have time to do playdates with my close friends and their kids. I can MAKE time for the things that are MOST important!!

A lot of times, I talk to people about their health and fitness, and so many people just can't fit one more thing into their busy schedule! And that is understandable. Even though I don't work outside the home, I homeschool my kids and have my own business from home, plus taking care of the kids, finances, and home. It is overwhelming at times! But I make time for what's most important to ME. I make time for my kid's schooling, because that is high on my priority list. I make time for my business, because I feel it's important for me to do what I can and to try to help our financial situation and work our way out of debt. And I make time for fitness because it's actually an outlet for me to stay sane!! I love to workout, have that time to myself, and the endorphins that are flowing after a workout help fuel my morning!!

There are so many reasons to make fitness a priority, but another huge reason is so that we can be a good example to our kiddos! They are watching everything we do! They see us do our workouts. They ask why we're eating healthy. Then, they start to ask which foods are healthy. And if they can do the workout with you. It's win-win! This is something that I feel should be a priority in our lives as busy moms! You don't have to be a runner. You don't have to do high-intensity cardio. But doing something to work your heart, choosing to feed yourself and your family healthy foods, and choosing healthy options not only benefits you, it will benefit your family for the long run!

If you need help with how to start making healthy choices for your family, how to plan and prep healthy meals and snacks, or how you can start a short, daily workout program so that you can feel better about the skin you're in, then please comment below, message me, or email me at steph4given@yahoo.com!! I love to help women feel better about themselves and to learn to start making healthy choices!! Let me tell you, it's totally worth it!


Fit Fuel Steph


Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Lemon Chicken Flatbread Wraps


 
Ok, so I go on and on with every recipe I post, but that's only because I only post the best recipes!! Or at least I try to! Some are too yummy not to post. And this is definitely one of them!! First, the kids looked at the greens and tomatoes and said, "yuck!" I have been trying to train them not to say rude things about dinner, especially when they haven't even tried it yet!! Lately, I have been cooking very healthy, and that is often their first reaction. And then, their second reaction is "yum!!!!" And then Ruth will say, "you're my best Mommy ever" or "I'm your biggest fan!" So, they are adapting :)

I think Tad said this was one of his favorite meals. It was amazing. And I have to remember this recipe for this summer, because it was such a nice, refreshing, not-hot meal!! The chicken is cooked, but you could do that ahead of time. I used my grill pan that I plug in, so it didn't heat up the kitchen, either!! Can't wait to make this again!!



Lemon Chicken Flatbread Wraps
The Cozy Apron

Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch or two of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon paprika
4 middle eastern-style flatbreads (or pita bread, I used naan)
Arugula greens (or spinach would do fine)
Sliced tomatoes
Spicy Garlic Sauce (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Place the cubed chicken into a medium-sized bowl, and drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil; add in the garlic, plus the remainder of ingredients up to and including the paprika, and using your hands, toss all of the seasonings/spices very well to coat the chicken.

2. Using 4 bamboo skewers, skewer the chicken so that there is equal portions of meat on each skewer, and allow the chicken to marinate for about 20 minutes, or even overnight, if making ahead. (I skipped the bamboo skewers, made the marinade, and let it marinate for a few hours.)

3. When ready to grill, place a grill pan over medium-high heat (or you could use your outdoor grill, I used my inside grill pan), and drizzle in a little olive oil; once the oil gets hot, place the chicken skewers into the pan, and cook them for about 6-8 minutes, turning them occasionally so that they get a bit charred on all sides, or until cooked through; allow them to rest, lightly covered with foil, for about 5-10 minutes, then, remove the chicken cubes from the skewers and set aside.

4. To put the flatbreads together, add a little drizzle of the Spicy Garlic Sauce onto the flatbread, followed by the greens, then, add a couple slices of tomato, and about one skewer-worth of the lemon chicken; drizzle over a generous amount of the Spicy Garlic Sauce, and fold the sides towards the middle to form a wrap!!

Spicy Garlic Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tahini
2-3 teaspoons sriracha, or more, to taste
1 teaspoon of salt
Pinch black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Add all ingredients to a medium-size bowl, and whisk together until completely smooth and creamy; use immediately, or keep in the fridge, covered. (The creator of this recipe says she puts hers into a plastic squeeze bottle so that she can use the leftovers for dips and sandwiches. My husband used it as fry dip and other stuff throughout the week; he loved it!!)

Enjoy!! And I know you will!