Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

These are AMAZING to make in the summer and FREEZE the batter for the winter :) 

I made some changes to the All Recipes version and they're just a little bit healthier. 

Ingredients

1.5 cups Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 cup sugar

1tsp baking soda

1tsp cinnamon

1/2tsp salt

1 egg

1/2cup vegetable oil

1/4cup milk

1tsp vanilla extract

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon & salt in a large bowl

2. Mix egg, oil, milk & vanilla extract into the dry ingredients

3. Fold in zucchini & chocolate chips

Option: Bake immediately at 350 for 20-25 minutes testing with a toothpick. 

****In the summer while the garden is producing zucchinis left and right my husband and I make many batches of batter and FREEZE them for the winter****

Then when you're ready to use, simply snip off an end of the ziploc bag and pipe into muffin cups until 2/3 full. Want to see how quick and easy it is after the batter has been made, frozen then thawed out? Just watch this video. 

Bake later on at 350 for 20-25 minutes testing with a toothpick. 

I hope you enjoy!

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30 Day Spring Slimdown Challenge

Want results by Memorial Day Weekend? Ready to look and feel amazing THIS summer? If you said yes to either of those questions I want you to be a part of my Spring Slimdown Challenge! :) 

I only have 5 spots for 5 women who are ready to get started on May 2nd through June 1st!

-30 minute at home workouts

-delicious meals

-super food shake

-daily check ins via the "My Challenge Tracker App"

-personalized coaching to help you overcome your obstacles

Interested? Just fill in the short application and I'll contact you :) 

Can't wait to get you started!

-Samantha

THE Best Beef Stew

It's not the healthiest beef stew, I'll give some suggestions throughout to make it healthier, but it IS packed with tons of fresh veggies and protein! And according to myself and my husband, it's absolutely THE best!

Ingredients:

2 Pounds Beef for Stew

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 tbsp Lawry's Seasoning Salt (cut this down to 1tsp if sodium is a concern for you)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp black pepper 

1 large onion, diced

3-4 carrots, peeled and diced

3-4 potatoes (I use what I have from my garden, can be red, Idaho, whichever you prefer), washed and dices

2-3 stalks celery, diced 

2 bay leaves

2 cups beef stock (get the low sodium kind if sodium is a concern for you)

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (skip or cut in half is sodium is a concern for you and substitute water)

***There is a lot of sodium in this recipe so taking out some here and there with my suggestions will definitely change the taste, but it will be pretty tasty!

Directions:

1. In large ziploc bag combine whole wheat flour, Lawry's seasoning salt, and beef for stew. Zip up and shake until beef is evenly coated.

2. In a large non-stick skillet on medium heat add olive oil.

3. Using tongs place the coated beef in pan, browning each side. Once browned, transfer to crockpot.

4. In same large pan, sauté onion until translucent then transfer to crockpot.

5. In same large pan, add beef stock and Worcestershire sauce and stir until well mixed. Turn off heat.

6. Add celery, carrots, potatoes and bay leaves to crockpot.

7. Pour broth mixture into the crockpot and cook for 6-8 hours on a low setting. (I typically set my crockpot for 6 hours and it determines the temp for me)

***Don't forget to remove the bay leaves before you eat it*** 

Enjoy!

3 ways to get more veggies WITHOUT salads

Tips for eating more vegetables!

#1 Use them as snacks: Broccoli, carrots, sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes, etc prep them, pack them in zip lock baggies and they're ready for you to grab and go!

#2 Hide them in your shakeology! You won't even taste 1 cup of spinach in your shakeology, OR add in a power greens boost and you'll get a dense dose of greens!

#3 Bake them up! I LOVE Kale Chips! You can also do zucchini chips or cauliflower baked up in the oven :) kale and zucchini you can do 10 minutes, at 350 with a tiny bit of olive oil and sea salt or garlic salt, flip them at 5 minutes and you're good :) Cauliflower takes just a bit longer 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes with a dash of salt and pepper <---don't knock it till you try it :) YUM! 

Which ways will you try out to get in more veggies?

20 Minute Balsamic Chicken & Veggies

This meal, adapted from cooking classy, is quickly becoming my go-to summer dinner! So many amazing flavors!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Italian Dressing

3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (regular balsamic will work too, I just prefer white)

1 1/2 tbsp honey

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

1 lb chicken tenderloins

2 tbsp olive oil

Sea Salt & Ground Black Pepper

1 bundle asparagus (trim the tough ends and chop into 1.5-2 inch pieces...cooking classy suggests thinner stalks and I agree it's much better with thinner stalks)

2 sweet peppers (for the recipe above I used yellow and red)

1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved (you can use any kind of cherry or grape tomato)

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together Italian dressing, white balsamic vinegar, honey & red pepper flakes, then set aside. 

2. Heat olive oil in 12 inch skillet over med-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then place chicken evenly in skillet. Cook about 7-10 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked through (chopping your veggies while it's cooking and turning chicken throughout). Add half the dressing mixture to the skillet and evenly coat. Transfer chicken to large plate while sauce is in the skillet. 

3. Add asparagus and peppers to the skillet, season with salt & pepper to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until desired tenderness (I cook them for about 5 minutes). Transfer veggies to plate with chicken. 

4. Add remaining dressing mixture to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly until thickened, approx 1 minute. 

5. Turn off heat

6. Add plate of chicken, asparagus and peppers to the skillet as well as your halved tomatoes. 

7. Mix and enjoy!

How Progress Pics Helped Self-Confidence

For the past 16 years I've struggled with self-confidence and body image. By age 14 I was anorexic and suicidal and while it was only for a short time, the impact of those feelings has stayed with me over the years.

Always seen as "the skinny girl" and struggling with massive hormonal changes, I could never really figure out who I was or see myself as a woman God created in His image and likeness, and to this day there are still brief moments when I struggle with these feelings, but overall, especially over the past 13 months, my mindset has shifted in a far more positive direction.

I started my fitness journey 6.5 years ago to get rid of stress in my life. At that time I started, I'd managed to maintain my weight of 118 pounds for about 3 years and while I dreamed of having a toned body like the girls in movies and magazines (at the time I had no idea how airbrushing affected the industry) I didn't think I could ever come close to achieving those results without hours upon hours at the gym and limiting what I was eating.

So I worked out for 30 minutes/day, 4 days per week, pretty much ALL on the elliptical and I felt great! My energy was up, had almost 0 physical results, but I didn't have stress and that was why I had started in the first place so all was good :)

About a year after making fitness (aka the elliptical) a part of my lifestyle I started to get a little frustrated, I'd been in the gym for a year and saw tons of girls with toned abs and great thighs, why didn't I have that?? I was working out, I ate fruits and vegetables (and a lot of other things I didn't realize were total crap at the time) why didn't I have that body?

After 3 years of my elliptical journey, my friend introduced me to proper nutrition and balanced fitness with weight training! Within about 6 months I could see a huge change in my body, I was toned, I was lean, I was feeling AWESOME!

Fast forward 3 more years to January 1, 2014. I had ignored proper eating habits while overcoming a knee injury from August 2013 and I felt like I was in the worst shape I'd been in since before the elliptical days. I felt soft and did NOT enjoy looking in the mirror.  My clothes didn't fit the right way and I was 123 pounds, the most I'd ever weighed (something that was really bothering me at the time). While it's not heavy for most people's standards (including my own), what I FELT was not good. I was starting to hate my body...

 

   

About 13 months later, it's February 16th, 2015 and I am the happiest I've ever been in my entire life and I owe so much of it to progress pictures and tracking the little things for putting it all into perspective! I'm now between 125-126 pounds and I've never felt healthier! I have a balanced diet, read God's word daily, exercise 5-6 days/week, have quality conversations with my husband every day, listen to at least 15 minutes (usually more like 45) of personal development every day and work at least 50 hours/week. I don't say this to brag, I say this to SHOW you that SO much of your struggle is in your own head. It's you vs you! Stop looking at the scale to show you your accomplishments, look at yourself, look inside, look to your relationships with God and those you love! THOSE are the areas of life that help you measure and see if you're on the right track. Yes it takes work, it doesn't come naturally, but the small seemingly insignificant tasks are the ones that make the biggest impact on your life in the long run! 

Here are a couple areas where I made changes that helped me and I hope they can help you too:

1. Reading/listening to Personal Development (I'm going to be creating a tab of books I've listened to so you can get started)

2. Committing to follow the schedule of the exercise program I'm doing at the time 

3. Reading God's word/intentionally praying every day

4. Taking progress pictures in the same bikini at least every 60 days (I shoot for every 30)

5. Repeating to myself "Don't compare yourself to others, God made you exactly how He wants you to be" 

Like I said, I still struggle, but these 5 things have drastically changed my life for the better over these past 13 months, I hope they can help you too! And if they do or if you need help, would you please email me and let me know? I'd love to hear your story! 

samanthamarlett@gmail.com

Day 1 of Insanity Max:30 Modified

WOW

Oh my goodness

That was an AMAZING workout

    

I may only be 25, but with my history of knee injuries in the past, and with listening to my body throughout 2014 and getting my best results yet, I'm not risking injury again. Insanity Max:30 is going to help me stay away from those injuries because, not only did they include a modifier, BUT they have a split screen option to where I can SEE the modifier the ENTIRE program! BRILLIANT!

So I haven't done a lot of cardio this year and was a little nervous going into day 1. But I want you to know I killed it! Even modified I still got my heart rate up AND maxed out! (what is maxing out? you go as hard as you can for as long as you can and when you need to take a break, that's your max out time) 

I wouldn't call this a beginning program, but if you're fairly active or recently started getting active, the modifier can be the perfect ease in option for you :) I took before pics and measurements so I'll be sharing those throughout too :) 

Any questions so far about the program, the meal plan, etc?

Just post a comment below and I'll answer them for you :)
***Oh and don't forget to subscribe so you can get updates***

How to visualize your life and achieve your dreams...

This is a super passionate topic for me because I've been able to LIVE my visualization this year and it's the first time I've gone all in (visualized, created a plan, sacrificed to achieve the plan, and am living my visualized life!) 

Will you take the time this week to sit down and visualize where you want to be in a year?

Will you think ahead about the sacrifices you and your family will need to make?

Will you create a plan of action steps that you need to take in order to make your vision your reality?

Will you envision how it FEELS to have achieved your goals?

Will you try it?

How to set monthly goals...

Things to have in your goal list:

* How many workouts/week you want to achieve?

*Which days will you make what meals?

*What groceries do you need for those meals?

* How many dates you and your significant other will have?
*How many hours per week will you spend with God?
*How much money will you spend and save each week?

What would you add to the list?