Super Snacks!

I'm not a big sports fan, but I do love celebrating fun times like the Super Bowl with my family and friends. Trying to eat yummy snacks that won't make me feel bad (emotionally or physically) can be a challenge. Which inspired this Super Snacks for the Super Bowl post today!

I'm giving you my 2 faves. They're winners for your tastes buds & health. Enjoy!

This recipe is a riff off of what you can order at The Protein Bar. Costs way less (about $2.50 per serving) and tastes amazing!

Here's what you need:

4 carrots, 4 stalks of celery, 1 cup quinoa, 1 chicken breast or 1-16oz extra firm tofu, Frank's Red Hot Wings Buffalo Sauce, olive oil, salt, pepper. Optional: Blue cheese crumbles and chicken or vegetable bouillon cube.

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to directions on package. Basic instructions usually are to bring quinoa and water to boil (add bouillon cube here if you like more flavor). Give a stir.. Cover and simmer. Simmer times can vary.

Heat toaster oven to 400. Place chicken breast on baking sheet. Rub a little olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 5-8 per side depending on thickness. (If you're using tofu, cut into cubes, toss with teaspoon of olive oil & half teaspoon salt & pepper. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes. Flip and roast another 15 min. When done toss in a bowl with 1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Wings sauce. Set aside.)

Meanwhile, peel and chop carrots into bite-size cubes. Chop celery into bite-size cubes as well.

After the chicken cools a little dice it into bite-size pieces. Toss in large serving bowl with 2 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot Wings sauce. Stir in carrots, celery and cooked quinoa. Add another 1/4 cup (or more to taste) Frank's Red Hot Wings Buffalo Sauce. Mix together. Optional: Add blue cheese crumbles and stir lightly again. I like to set them on the side so guests can add as desired. 

Bonus: This makes a great prep ahead lunch on regular days too! My hubby and I love to make a batch on Sunday and split it up in small containers to go for the rest of the week. Stays good for up to 3 days.

Quinoa is the secret healthy ingredient here! it has loads of goodness packed in it. From protein, to fiber, to iron - it's definitely a superfood!

Now to wash it all down!

The Hail Mary Cocktail

Ok, I'm aware alcohol & health and fitness don't really go together. And, honestly I'm not much of drinker. But, when I do choose to partake it's likely going to be a shot of whiskey or this refreshing concoction. The only connection to football is the name here- and that's actually a stretch. Anyway, it originated on a Caribbean cruise. In an attempt to make a beverage keep me both happy & hydrated I asked for the following: Bacardi Rum, Malibu Coconut Rum & sparkling water over ice. It was perfect. It tasted like a piña colada without all the heaviness. Soon new pool side friends were ordering it too. Servers not sure what to call this blend blamed me for the fun and dubbed it the 'Hail Mary'. And so the week went -  sunshine, fun and Hail Mary's all around. Who knew they'd be such a hit! Not sure if the name and cocktail is still cruising around the Caribbean Seas, but rest assured you can make your own following the recipe above, or this even simpler one below:

1 can LaCroix Coconut Flavored Sparkling Water chilled or over ice

1-2 shot(s) your favorite rum.

Add a slice of pineapple for garnish if you want to get fancy.

So, go ahead and celebrate! Watch the game or just enjoy the company and the snacks. Either way, give these recipes a try & let me know what you think. Better yet, let me know if you have some fun yummies of your own! Share your recipes in an email or the comments below! I'd love to hear from you and try out some new recipes!

Cheers to good food, good eating and great health - (funny commercials, good entertainment. & oh yeah, football too!) Yay, sports!

Here's to enjoying your life & ALL GOOD THINGS my friends!

Xoxo,

Mary

P.S. - Stay tuned for next week's ALL GOOD THINGS. It'll have you making every day a good day!

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F R E E YOGA

YOGA TEACHES US TO CURE WHAT NEED NOT BE ENDURED & ENDURE WHAT CANNOT BE CURED. 

- B.K.S. IYENGAR

Even yoga teachers find it hard to make it to class some days! Just like you, we are busy, get stressed and find ourselves wanting to fit something in our schedule just for us. On days like this I like to have go-tos right in my home to help keep me on track, centered and moving in a direction I want to go in.

One of my favorite go-tos is a site called Fightmaster Yoga. It's an entire website of F R E E yoga classes for students of every level. There are endless options to explore and every video is quality with a capital Q. In fact, The Huffington Post named Fightmaster Yoga as one of 9 great yoga YouTube channels and NYmag.com named it as one of the BEST free yoga classes online.  Click below to explore the Fightmaster Yoga website:

Now, I realize how strange it may seem for me, a yoga teacher, to be suggesting to you to use this free, online yoga resource when I should really be using my site to be 'selling' myself, right? Well, what can I say? I just can't help myself.  When you find something great you want to support and share it!  And, that's my goal here.

No experience, no worries! The link below is for a class made especially for beginners.

With that, give yourself and maybe even yoga a shot this year. I know it has and continues to improve my life more ways than I ever thought imaginable.

Start exploring with this F R E E site, or if you know of another great resource share it in the comments below. Whatever you do, just find something to help you move and feel good so you feel better in your body, mind and spirit. That's really what yoga is about after all.

Here's to moving, feeling good, enjoying your life & All Good Things my friends!

Xoxo,

Mary

P.S. - What they say is true! Yoga helps you off the mat too. More on that next week!

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Better Than Coffee!

Pain pushes you until vision pulls you. - Michael Bernard Beckwith

Years ago I was told the pain of Fibromyalgia would never leave my body and that I would have to take medication for the rest of my life. Though I respected my doctors, this was not something I truly believed and I decided I could do something about it. That something began with changing my diet.

Along this path of self-healing and more conscious eating I've discovered recipes that have helped me not only feel good, but taste great. Even my husband likes them and has felt the positive effects of this nutrition in his body!

With that I share the first All Good Things - Food Edition! Today's recipe: Morning Mint Chip Green Smoothie. We both LOVE it and it fuels us better than coffee! Coming from two coffee lovers that says a lot!

Here's how to make it:

• Add 6 large ice cubes to blender
• Cover ice with milk, about 1 cup. ( I prefer almond :)
• Add 1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder (this has the same effects of coffee, but way better!)
• Add one teaspoon honey
• Add 3 heaping tablespoons of yogurt ( I use Fage 2% Greek yogurt)
• 20 fresh mint leaves (or 1 drop of mint essential oil)
• 2 squares of dark chocolate bar (65% cacao or more)
• 1 banana
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup baby kale

Blend all this goodness together and voila! You're set to have an awesome day!

This makes 2 large servings. :) Perfect for sharing with a friend you're meeting at the gym or anywhere else early in the morning!

Added bonus - It tastes like dessert!

So, whaddya think? Could a morning mint chip green smoothie be the way you start your day tomorrow? Or, do you already have a delicious, energizing go-to for the a.m.? If so, let me know! Share it in an email or the comments below! I'd love to hear from you and try out some new recipes!

Cheers to good food, good eating and great health!

Here's to enjoying your life & ALL GOOD THINGS my friends!

Xoxo,

Mary

P.S. - Next week's ALL GOOD THINGS includes F R E E yoga! Yep! Stay tuned.

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Journey to Joy

"Close your eyes and imagine the BEST version of you possible. THAT'S who you really are. Let go of any part of you that doesn't believe it." - Chris Assad

 

If you’re like me, you’ve got some big plans for the new year! Or, you wish you did. At least that’s how I felt last year. It took me a while to figure out what I really wanted to do. I wanted something more than just creating another goal to accomplish. Something different than adding to the never ending to-do list. I wanted something that would continually inspire me. I wanted to make a real change that would connect to my heart and shift my life into greater fulfillment. I can proudly say I’ve accomplished that. . . and you can too!
Here’s how I did it:

#1 Decorate a journal.

Allow yourself to make something beautiful. Something, that when you look at it empowers you. I found the words I AM to be very helpful. Since my drawing skills are limited, I stuck with words. They are very powerful after all. Like Dr. Maya Angelou said,
“I believe that words are things. . . They stick on the walls. They go into the upholstery, they go into your clothes, and finally in to you.”
This is the same power behind vision boards and other manifesting tools. It’s great stuff and it really works, so I encourage you to give it a try.  
A helpful tip: You're more likely to use your journal if you love it. So take your time and make this what you want.  I added words slowly for about two weeks 'cuz life is busy and I wanted to pick words that were just right for me. Words that remind me of what I wanted to feel and become. You can see a picture of mine below.

#2 Create a to-do list to keep life fun

Allow yourself to write anything you want down. Anything at all. Don’t worry about the practicality of it or about accomplishing all of the to do list. Remember, this one is different. It’s okay to pick and choose the ones that make you feel good and let the rest go even after you've written them down. The point is they’ll still be there if you ever want to work on them. They'll still be there to cross off too if that's what you determine you want to do with them. You’re the boss here. Again, you can see a picture of my list below.
Funny fact: I haven’t accomplished the practical items on my list yet like learning to speak another language or play a musical instrument.  And, I'm not sure when I will. Life has been happy and full working on the other items on my list. It's about enjoying the journey.

#3 Schedule it.

Get at least one item from your fun list on your calendar & keep that appointment with yourself. No. Matter. What. Give the pleasure in your life the same amount of respect & attention that you give your work. You may not have the same amount of time to give it. After all, we all have busy lives and need to make a living, take care of our homes, etc.. But, changing the quality of attention you bring to your pleasure can change the experience you have with your pleasure itself and your overall satisfaction of life. So make it & yourself a priority and watch your joy rise!

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View fullsize

One final rule with all this: BE FIRM & GENTLE WITH YOURSELF
Keep this journal in a place where you can see it everyday. Write, draw, paste whatever you want in it. Promise yourself to pick it up daily, or at least once a week. Get yourself into a routine. This is a place to keep what makes you YOU alive.

So, whaddya say? Will join the journey to unleashing your joy this year?
If so, share your pics & stories of your journals in the comments below or email me. I’d love to see them and cheer you on!

Here’s to enjoying your life & ALL GOOD THINGS my friends!

Xoxo,
Mary

P.S. - You'll probably need some extra energy to keep you going on your dreams this year. Check back next week for All Good Things very first food addition - "Better Than Coffee!"

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