WHOLE WHEAT BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

These whole wheat pancakes are studded with warm blueberries and make a healthy morning treat. Freeze pancakes in stacks of three for breakfast later in the week. Make vegan pancakes by swapping maple syrup for the honey.

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 

• 2 teaspoons baking powder 

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 

• 1 cup unsweetened plain almondmilk, soymilk or ricemilk 

• 2 tablespoons honey 

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

• 1 1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 

Method: 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together almondmilk, 1/4 to 1/2 cup water (or additional almondmilk), honey and vanilla until blended. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture and stir until evenly combined. Set batter aside to rest for 10 minutes (the batter will be very thick).

Heat a cast-iron griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Stir blueberries into batter. Ladle about 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle and cook about 2 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, until pancakes are cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter.

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving: Serving size: about 3 pancakes, 290 calories (15 from fat), 2g total fat, 350mg sodium, 62g carbohydrates, (10 g dietary fiber, 13g sugar), 7g protein.

[ CHALLENGE 49 ] WHAT YOU THINK OF ME IS NONE OF MY BUSINESS

It’s 2007... I am in a business that I built from the ground up. It had been years in the making, and a dream come true for me... until the doors were opened.

From the outside, my business looked like Shangri-La... an oasis. But internally, it was full of lies; dysfunction and back stabbing. I was working with a business partner who could rationalize the most unethical behavior. My talent and abilities were being undermined and self-doubt crept in. The negativity was literally eating a hole in me, and I was constantly getting sick! I did not understand how people could be so cruel to one another and justify it.

I went to my husband and told him I was leaving the business and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I was not sure if I wanted to stay in the health and fitness industry. I knew if I stayed where I was at, I would surely die. The job was sucking the life out of me. He totally supported my decision to leave.

When I left, malicious gossip began to float around, and I started hearing about it. The drama was still continuing to affect me even after leaving. I was having a hard time healing from the loss of my dream, until one day someone said to me:

“Their opinion of you, is none of your business. Keep walking your walk and continue to be true to yourself.”

When I heard this, a sense of relief washed over me. It was like someone applied ointment to an open wound. Those words helped me let go, so I could heal. I was relieved of the responsibility of responding to all of the negative talk I was hearing. I allowed myself to truly let it go! There was a huge sense of closure... it truly was none of my business.

I use this wonderful advice to this day, and have even taken it a step further. If they are talking about you, then you must be pretty important! Honestly, you are never going to have everyone agree with you, or even like you. Each person has their own opinion of how you are living, but if you are true to yourself and doing what you know is right for you and your life, you will be happy and at peace... both equally important!

[ CHALLENGE 48 ] “WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE?”

We all have them...the voices in our heads that come up with amazing reasons not to work out, to pro- crastinate on a project, or to avoid someone we promised to spend time with. These voices are excuses, and we really all do have them and heed them more than we should.

How are your excuses preventing you from living your best life? How do your excuses steal you Mojo?

If you are having a hard time getting motivated, or staying motivated, take a look at why. What areyour excuses and why are you sabotaging yourself? When you have a wedding or a reunion, have you noticed how determined you are? Nothing will get in your way of fitting into that special dress. Nothing stands in the way of you finding your “mojo”.

BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO ENCHILADAS

Get a double dose of good-for-you sweet potatoes in these enchiladas filled with shredded sweet potatoes and black beans, and topped with a curried sweet potato and tomato sauce.

Ingredients: 

• 2 large sweet potatoes 

• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes 

• 2 teaspoons curry powder 

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 

• 1 (13.4-ounce) package no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed 

• 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach, coarsely chopped 

• 8 corn tortillas 

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pierce 1 sweet potato all over with a fork, and place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 40 minutes. Peel and mash potato; measure out 1 cup. Meanwhile, peel and shred the raw potato. Measure out 2 cups.   

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.   

To make the sauce, in a medium saucepan, heat tomatoes, mashed sweet potato and curry powder to a boil. Remove from heat. Purée mixture with an immersion blender or transfer to an upright blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.   

Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shredded sweet potato and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until it begins to stick to the pan. Stir in 1/2 cup water and cumin, cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and stir in black beans and spinach until mixture is evenly combined.   

Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. Gently warm tortillas in the oven or a dry skillet. Lightly coat 1 tortilla in sauce in the baking dish. Spoon 1/8 of the bean and sweet potato mixture down center of tortilla. Wrap and roll tortilla to the end of the baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Top with remaining sauce.   

Bake about 20 minutes or until heated through.

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving: Serving size: 2 enchiladas, 370 calories (30 from fat), 3g total fat, 180mg sodium, 75gcarbohydrates, (14 g dietary fiber, 12g sugar), 11g protein.

[ CHALLENGE 47 ] FRIDAY IS NOT A THREE-DAY AFFAIR

It is Friday. The office is going for Mexican food. All week long, you have avoided the treats in the break room. Ignored the ice cream your husband or roommate brought home. You have been on your game! And now it is Friday and the office is celebrating the ending of a huge project that you have been responsible for. You have to go right?!?

In addition, you forgot your Grab ‘N Go’s and thought it was no big deal; after all it is Friday! Two margaritas and a basket of chips later, you decide you might as well order the combo plate and start over on Monday! So the weekend turns into a free-for-all, with you eating and drinking your way through Saturday and Sunday. You wake up on Monday feeling totally defeated, puffy, and depressed. Not the best way to start your week!

Wow! There are so many things going on with this story but we are going to focus on one thing... it wasonly Friday! It was only one meal! “Stinking thinking” got you into a spiraling vortex of indulgence that you could not stop! No need to continue with one slip-up through the weekend. In Mama Bootcamp land, we start over once the meal is done. That means getting up Saturday morning and getting to your Bootcamp! Hopefully you pounded some water before bedtime to start the flushing process. Then the weekend can be all about “clean eating” and having fun with movement (a.k.a. exercising)!

Crunchy Tuna Apple Bites!

Tired of the same old snacks?  Try something different!  These tuna-apple snacks are full of protein and flavor!

Makes about 2-3 servings as a snack, or light pre/post workout meal
Ingredients:
6 ounces tuna in spring water, drained
2 Tbsps plain Greek yogurt
1/4 small red onion, diced very small
1/4 cup celery, diced very small
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
sea salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp chopped raw almonds
3 Tbsp chopped dried cranberries
2 apples, core removed and sliced as shown

Instructions:
Add the tuna, yogurt, onion, celery, lemon, almonds, cranberries to a bowl and mix well.
Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Add a spoonful of the mixture on top of each apple slice. Serve and enjoy!

Thanks Cleanfoodcrush.com!