Clean Eating 4 Kids 2

I know in some households trying to get your kids to eat vegetables can be a challenge.  Mine included.  I do acknowledge that each of my children have their own "tastes" and that could be a result of their development or just what they like and don't like.  BUT, I am not one of those parents that will make separate meals to satisfy each of my children.   I think it is important that mealtime be a family event, where we all eat together, at the dinner table and we eat the same thing.  One eating rule we have when there is something that they don't like or are unfamiliar with, is that they must have one try-it bite.  If it is a vegetable that they don't care for, like broccoli or brussel sprouts, they have to eat at least two.  To avoid any unnecessary tension at the table, I tend to make meals where the veggies are not the main attraction or are disguised in a broth or sauce.  I have tried stir-fry's in the past, but it was such a struggle to get them to eat

Work Out Log Book I am sorry it is so small...I was having formatting issues...ended up converting from doc to pdf to jpg!

Keeping a blog is a lot harder than I thought.  I like to give 100% when I do something, and keeping a blog is difficult when you don't have oodles of free time.  There is always something going on or little people who need me.  In the evenings, once the kids are all nestled in their beds, I then have the time to....finish with the dinner dishes, complete and put away the laundry, address any house cleaning that was not finished or attempted i.e. bathroom, and then, only then, I will sit down and have a little Chelsea time (Yes.  The coveted glass of wine is cherished at this time, on occasion).  However, once I am relaxed, I am too zoned out to write a blog.  I have many ideas and recipes to share, but its finding the time to put out something worth reading.  I am not a selfish person, but I like to share... I do tend to dabble in Facebook, probably a lot more than I should.  But only because it generally focuses around mindless tidbits that take a few minutes out of my time.  I

On this blog I will be keeping track of my workouts.  I have recently been following the Jillian Michaels "Making the Cut" workouts.  I am struggling with toning up and losing that last 10 lbs of baby weight.  I guess really I can't call it "baby weight" any more, as Jolie is now 4 1/2!  I am very aware that eating a clean diet with the right proportions of macro-nutrients is 90% of the equation; however, like many women, I struggle with "getting it".  I have to be very careful on what I eat because genetics is not on my side (sorry parents).  Plus now that I am forty, I find that I put weight on very easy.  I am not obsessive about it, I just want to live a long and healthy life and to set an example for my children.  I am also clearly aware that my wine consumption is not helping me reach my goals.  HOWEVER, since starting this routine in January, I am seeing results.  I don't necessarily follow the menu plans/diet in the book, but the workouts

You know that catchy tune?  This past Christmas it seemed that every second commercial was for a Chia Pet (more specifically the Barack Obama one!)  Yes.  Chia Pets.  You know those crazy looking terracotta figurines with sprouts for hair/fur.  Ah.  The 1980s...... Since my last post was on the superfood Quinoa, I thought I would share a quick recipe on another superfood.  Chia Seeds. There's that word again.  Superfood.  I will post on that another time. Chia Seeds are native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala, and were cultivated by the ancient Aztecs and Mayans going back to 3500 BC.  A little of this food goes a long way; therefore, you don't need much to reap its benefits.  One ounce of these super seeds have 11 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein and 12 grams of carbs.  They are also high in Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids.   Chia seeds absorb nine times their weight in water; therefore, it is best to moisten them before eating.   Chia seeds are not only

My kids love banana muffins. If you use the small muffin tins, these are the perfect size for their little mouths.  These two-bite morsels are great for lunches, after school snacks or for the quick bite when you are rushing out the door.  I have been playing around with the recipe to make it a little more healthy BUT I do add small chocolate chips!   For the adult version, I avoid the chocolate chips, but add pumpkin seeds.  Try it! A note regarding the bananas.  They MUST BE be overripe.  Nice and brown and sweet!  I purchase my overripe bananas at the local produce store, in their quick sale section.  Really, they can't ask full price for brown banana's!  I pay approximately $2 for a bag of 15 to 20 bananas.   And they are Organic.  I have seen other stores like Safeway and Superstore with a cart loaded with produce reduced for quick sale.  Overripe Bananas can be placed in the freezer for baking and shakes. So this isn't your traditional muffin recipe.  I make my muff