Strawberry Cranberry Spinach Salad with grilled chicken

This is one of my faves! Delicious and healthy!
Combine on a plate (1 serving) approx. 260 cal per serving:
1 c. Fresh baby spinach
1 tbsp. Honey roasted almonds with cranberries
1 large strawberry (sliced)
1 handful cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp Raspberry Vinaigrette (made with extra Virgin oil)
1 4 oz chicken breast (grilled)

Enjoy!!

Shrimp and Veg Stir Fry

For the last month I have been eating healthy, running and walking. The fun thing about this whole weight loss goal is seeing results and finding new recipes! So for tonight's dinner it is Shrimp and Veg Stir Fry. Here is the delicious recipe:
Combine:
1/2 c. Chicken broth
2 tsp low sodium soy sauce (yes it does exist!) :)
2 tbsp. sugar or you can use stevia
Mix together and set aside.
Heat in a frying pan or Wok:
2 tbsp coconut oil or extra virgin oil
Add 1 lb shrimp
Stir until pink, 3 min
Transfer to plate
Add:
2 tsp coconut oil or extra virgin oil to pan
4 cups broccoli ( I substituted it with cucumber and red onion as I was out of broccoli)
1 thinly sliced red pepper (I used 3 different colored peppers)
Stir fry for 1 minute
Make a wall in the center of the veggies and add
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Stir fry for 1 min. Add 1/3 c. Water; cover and steam for 3 min
Return shrimp to pan; add mixed sauce that you made in the first step.
Cook, stir, until shrimp is warmed and sauce thickens.
Serve over brown rice
This dish smelled so good while cooking it, it was making my mouth water!

By changing eating habits and exercising, I have successfully lost 12 lbs. I have 15 more to go to my goal!
You can do it if your mind is set on doing it!
Good luck!

Omellette for Breakfast without the cheese!

I was thinking about what to make myself for breakfast, but I didn't want anything heavy and was really craving a protein. So I went through my fridge....... this is what I came up with. My personal spin on an omelette.

Ingredients:
1 large organic brown egg

1/2 cup fresh spinach

1/4 cup fresh cherry tomotoes

1/4 cup of fresh mushrooms sliced (not canned)

1/2 Avocado

Diced Onion (I did not have this on hand but I think it would add even greater flavor to the dish)

1 tsp. unsalted real butter

Directions:
On medium heat, cook egg in a pan with 1tsp. unsalted real butter. While that is cooking, remove the skin from the avocado and slice and place separatly on the plate. Finish cooking the egg and place on the plate next to the avocado. In the remaining butter of the pan place the spinach, mushrooms, and tomato cook together for 3 minutes or until the spinach becomes limp. Place over the egg and avocado on the plate. I used sea salt and fresh pepper to taste. ENJOY! This has great flavor!

xoxo
Jacque

Chicken Avocado Salad

Here is one of the recipes that I have been using. This recipe is a great non-dairy option to fatty/ greasy chicken salads and does not have gobs of mayonaise in it.

Ingredients:
2-3 Organic Chicken Breasts or you may use 1 Rotisserie Chicken (Just take the fats and skin off and use the white meat)

1 Avocado

1/2 Onion

1/3 cup Cilantro (Cut up, leave a little for garnish)

1 fresh lime juiced (squeezed lime in the bottle contains additives)

A pinch of fresh sea salt

Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Best if it sits in the fridge for atleast an hour to mix the flavors.

This has a fun Salty/ Citrus taste and you can add it to green lettuce as a wrap or over a bed of lettuce. Or you can add it to a tortilla for the family as a chicken wrap.

I added a little more lime and lemon juice over a bed of lettuce as a light dinner.

Happy tasting!
XOXO
Jacque

3 Day Cleanse (Day 3)

Well, I am on my last day of the cleanse. Yesterday I felt amazing when I woke up. At lunch I felt a bit bloated but I think it had to do with the vegetables in the shake. Last night, I did not do the detox bath because I felt like I had no energy at all, which was probably not the best decision. I should have relaxed in the tub. This morning I got on the scale and I was down another pound. YEAH!
I have had my green tea, with a slice of lemon. I chose not to purchase the Stevia. I like green tea. So its not to hard for me to drink it down.
My only issue this morning is trying to drink my shake. I don't think I blended it long enough and therefore I am having a hard time drinking it. Make sure you blend your shakes really good or you may experience some gagging reflexes and an urge to throw up the shake. Sorry TMI.
Overall, it has been a great cleanse. I feel lighter and my clothes are lose on me.

I will post one last update tonight, to let you know how I feel this evening.

Update:
After the 3 day cleanse, I have managed to keep the weight off and I am still losing. I have been watching what I am eating and portion control. I have been sticking strictly to proteins, vegetables, fruits and healthy carbs. I have not had dairy, sugars, or bad carbs in 3 weeks. My energy levels are amazing! Total weight lost 10 lbs in the last 3 weeks. Just by changing my diet, excercising minimally (2-3 days a week) whether it is a walk or a run, along with boosting my metabolism with the 3 day cleanse.

I will share a few recipes that I have been using through my journey.

XOXO,
Jacque

3- Day Cleanse

Being a mom and working full time, it can be tough finding time for you to work on yourself. I was a very fit person prior to having my two kids. I ran everyday, ate good meals. After getting married in 2004, I gained what you would call "Comfortable marriage pounds". I went from 115 to 135. When I had my daugher back in 2006, I gained 20 lbs with her and was able to lose that weight shortly after having her. In 2008 I had my son, I gained 20 lbs with him and lost that shortly after having him. I nursed him for 13 months which helped me get back down to what I weighed my senior year of high school. I worked as a Preschool Teacher for 8 years and it was a very active job.
In 2009, I started a job in the HR field and now sit at a desk. I watched and watched as the pounds slowly creaped up on me. 140, 150, 160, and finally I had enough. I had to do something. Did you know the average weight gain for someone in 1 year is 10 lbs? Well that is where I am. I am going on 4 years in July sitting at a desk. I am fed up! 2 years ago I did Insanity for 2 months. I had fabulous results, lost about 15 lbs, felt good. Then I stopped, gained all that weight back. Can you say fad diet? You can only keep it off if you keep doing it, but then you grow bored of the same thing over and over and over again. I then joined the YMCA and unless you have time after picking your kids up from school and being home at a decent time to cook dinner so your kids are in bed in a timely manner. There is just no way your going to get a good workout in.
After enough frustration of trying to lose weight, I searched and searched the internet to see what I could find. One of my friends tried Premier Protein and lost weight like magic after having her 3 boys. I was on board to do it, until I saw the price tag. EXPENSIVE!!
I was talking to my boss and she was doing this cleanse that was on tv with Doctor Oz. It is a 3 day cleanse of shakes and vitamins. When searching for this, I came across the Green Coffee Bean Extract and watched the videos. Women had lost up to 3lbs in 22 days. I thought well, losing weight is not a sprint it is a marathon. So I decided to try it. 22 days 3 lbs. Not bad!
My results on the Green Coffee Bean Extract
Within a week of taking this, I did not see any results. However, the next week I dropped 6 lbs. So 14 days in I was 6 lbs lighter and still seeing results.
I was thinking to myself, I wonder how this would work if I did the 3 day cleanse and the Green Coffee Bean Extract?
So I started off with the 3 day cleanse yesterday and I was down 1 lb this morning. The 150's are in sight! 3 more lbs and I will be jumping up and down with glee!
My goal is 140 by May 1st. I can do this! I just need to lose 23 more lbs. I am hoping this cleanse will help clean me out and allow my metabolism to work good. Here is the link for Dr. Oz 3 day cleanse. The best thing! It has a grocery list!
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-ozs-3-day-detox-cleanse-one-sheet

Here is a picture of my breakfast shake, which tastes FABULOUS! I thought it was going to be gross but it is GREAT!