Red Mango Giveaway

Hey guys! This post is long over due, but well worth the wait!

It’s all about Red Mango frozen yogurt, a self-serve yogurt shop with a variety of different flavors and toppings!

I also have a little something for you at the end!

Red Mango is my favorite place to get my fro-yo on!

Why?

Because its HEALTHY!!! It is gluten free, kosher and packed full of probiotics and that is something that no other frozen yogurt shop has.

source

How awesome is that!

Here is some other fun facts

                      RED MANGO…. TREAT YOURSELF WELL

 

When I was pregnant I’m sure I had one of these everyday of my third trimester!! It got to the point I would walk in everyday and the employees working already knew what I wanted and had it ready to go! They didn’t even make me wait in line sometimes! I was pretty much a regular!

My favorite was the parfait

source

Brent even brought me Red Mango every day I was in the hospital after I delivered!

When we moved away from the Fort Union location, I was pretty bummed and our red mango trips were few and in between, but a few months ago a Red Mango opened in Bountiful!! Less then 5 minutes from my house and 2 minutes away from the gym.

Red Mango is great post workout, they even have protein they can add to your smoothie! Not to mention the kids never complain because they love Red Mango just as much as me!

We went to Red Mango after I taught Body Attack launch last week and I got the new Winter Carmel flavor and it was hands down the best thing I have ever tasted.

I didn’t get to crazy on my toppings because I really wanted to enjoy the flavor of the yogurt! I usually always stick with original flavor with raspberries and pie crust. I was happy I went out of my comfort zone and tried something new!

Look at all the different options they have in store! They just don’t have yogurt, they have fruit smoothies, artisan hot chocolate, protein shakes, parfaits, and even coffee chillers to name a few.

Check to find a location near you!

Lucky for you,I have a coupon for Red Mango to giveaway to two Body of a Mother readers!

There is a few different entries for you!

*You must post a comment to the blog for each entry!!

1. Leave a comment here and tell me your favorite frozen yogurt flavor and topping!

2. “Like” Red Mango on Facebook

3.  “Follow” Red Mango on Twitter and tweet a little somethin, somethin’ for example:

I love @red mango just as much as @bodyofamother

READY GO!!

Winners will be chosen Wednesday February 13, 2013

Spinach Waffles

 

Its been a lazy Sunday around here, yummy waffles, short workout, family time and LOTS of football.

The highlight of the day was definitely  green.

I followed my recipe from the best waffles ever and just added 2 cups of spinach!

High Protein Spinach Waffles

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Oat Flour
• 1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
• 2 Scoops of Vanilla Whey Elite Protein (Any vanilla protein would work probably)
• 1/4C Vanilla Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani)
• 1/2C Fat Free Cottage Cheese
• 1 C. Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/2  tsp salt
• 2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 cap full (1/2 tsp?)  of Vanilla Extract
• 2 Cups Spinach

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender until well combined.

Spray waffle iron and pour batter into hot waffle iron until done.

I topped mine with PB2 and strawberries!

Perfect start to any day!

Don’t let the spinach throw you off. Its just like throwing it in the shake, you can’t taste it! You just get the benefits!

The kids thought they were fun to eat and had no idea they were eating their daily greens.

Waffle tip! Freeze your leftovers and toast them later! That’s actually my favorite way to eat them!

Hope you guys had a great day!

Low-fat Gingerbread Cookies

Before I begin tonight-

This totally happened.

I’m going to back track a bit-

Last night was GPP Girls Night out! A group of us went to Biaggis in SLC and had a great time together! (We missed those that couldn’t make it!) It was fun to get out with the girls for some food and shopping!

When we left the restaurant last night, it was snowing pretty hard and the roads were pretty slick. We made it home safely

We woke up to even MORE snow, we decided to hibernate today and did not go anywhere! We stayed home, and cleaned, organized, decorated the Christmas tree..again..

Somehow, this keeps happening…

Then I decided snow days happen for one special reason. Besides Gingerbread Pancakes in bed.

COOKIES!

I followed Ginas Recipe for her Low-fat Gingerbread Cookies!

The only change I made was I used Coconut Oil in place of the butter!

I even had a little help with the prep work!

Tell me now, who wants a cookie?

Its times like this I really think I should invest in a gingerbread man cookie cutter…

Hearts bring just as much joy though right?

I baked them at 375 degrees for 7 minutes and they turned out perfectly.

They were soft and chewy with the perfect about of ginger kick to them!

Bee could hardly wait to bite into one.

Or every single one of them.

Question of the day:

Who loves Gingerbread as much as me?

Link up your favorite Christmas Cookie Recipe!

Butternut Squash Blend

 

 

During the winter seasons, I really like to take advantage of squashes. They are packed with nutrients and antioxidants. They are low fat and and is full of dietary fiber, which makes it completely heart healthy! It also has a significant amount of potassium, which is important for bone health, and contains vitamin B6 that is essential with energy and your immune systems.

This hour-glass shaped squash should not only be a staple in your diet but also for my pregnant peeps out there! Your little babe can reap the beta-carotene benefits as well!

source

 

How to pick a Butternut Squash

Look for a heavy butternut squash, and be sure to check for bruises or knicks. Avoid a shiny exterior, it means it was picked early and won’t be as sweet as a full grown squash. Keep them in a cool dry place and can keep for 3 months uncut.  

Butternut Squash Blend

Ingredients:

• 1 whole Butternut Squash
• 1/2 Purple onion, diced
• 2 cups of Spinach
• 2 Tbs. Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Cut Squash into Cubes (Costco sells pre-cut squash!)
2. Put Squash into a large skillet with Olive oil and cook covered for 10 minutes, stir frequently- Add onions.
3. Continue cooking until squash is soft and easily stabbed with a fork.
4. Add spinach and cover with lid again until spinach is steamed.
5. Done!

This is a quick, easy and healthy side alternative to any meal!

Question of the day:

What is your favorite winter squash?

Have a favorite squash recipe?

--Post it in the comments!

 

 

Banana-Chocolate Pancakes

Yep, you read the title correctly. Banana Chocolate Pancakes.

And yes, they are healthy and packed with protein and yes, even your kids will devour them!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup gluten free old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese
• 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder (I used fitmixer)
• 1 Tbs. Cocoa Powder
• 1 very ripe banana, mashed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
I threw all ingredients in the blender and mixed until well combined
Heat pan or griddle to a low-medium heat and spray with cooking spray
Pour batter onto griddle and cook for about 2 minutes each side
Top with syrup, nuts or even chocolate chips!!
Enjoy!

Other then eating chocolate for breakfast we spent most of the day at the farm.


Fed the cows, rode the horse, pet the goats and smelled the pigs. T & B loved hanging out with some friends today at the farm. They talk about the farm ALL day whenever we get to hang out there for a little while. Not a day goes by that don’t make me smile. They are so fun right now, even though they can’t keep quiet for 2 minutes, they just LOVE to play and are non stop. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
WORKOUT:
I did get this ab workout in and felt like going on a little run but it was 100 degrees today and I didn’t feel much like melting to the asphalt so I took it inside for a easy 6 miles. I even stopped and walked at an 12% incline for a few minutes, whenever I felt like I wanted a little water. ----> which I had 2 full bottles by the time I was done! I guess I was a little thirsty today. It was a good run to wrap up the workout of the day.

Not every day needs to be a butt kicker. In fact, you need to give your body a break and let it recover from those tougher workouts before you throw another at it. High interval training is usually my workout of choice but lately I have enjoyed cruising at a comfortable speed and just relaxing a little. Some days I like my workouts to be hard and fast, other days I wouldn’t mind zoning out on the treadmill or a short run outside- no Garmin, going out with no pace goal to achieve and simply enjoying the run.
My snack today including one of my favorite things..

Fresh Garden Tomatoes!! Big ones are the BEST. Bad news? I think they may hurt my stomach? A little while after I ate it I experienced a little stomach ache? ugh… oh, well.. it was delicious and I could eat them like an apple.
Tomorrow is FRIDAY!! I am subbing a attack class in the morning so I better get to sleep…
Goodnight!!
Question of the day:
What is your absolute favorite garden Veggie/Fruit?
How much water do you drink during your workout? / All day?

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

Yes, please!

This morning was a hot one, and after my workout I needed something to cool down with. I made this recovery shake and decided to have some eggs on the side for a little extra fuel for my busy morning.

In the blender:

• 1 1/2 C. Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 1/2 tsp. Chia Seeds
• 1 banana
• 4 Strawberries
• 1 scoop Elite Egg Protein
• 5-6 ice cubes

It was good recovery after spending my morning here:

After a mile warm-up run, It was time to take on the BAT.


Source
I felt up to a challenge today and used heavier weights and even ended up putting a #25 plate on my back for the planks! Phew! My arms are DONE!
I made it home just as Bee woke up. I love cuddling her in the mornings, she is calm and snuggly. As soon as she gets going she never stops.. neither of them do really… Not sure where they get that one.

I think we will spend a little more time at the park later, they had too much fun yesterday and can’t wait to go down the “weee” (slide) again.


Catch ya’ later!
You may be interested:
Cartwheels? via gppfit.com
Kate Beckinsale Workouts via fitsugar.com
Get your good going! via mealsandmiles.com

Healthy Food Staples

Hey guys! Hope your week has been great! I woke up pretty sore this morning from yesterdays workout. I’m pretty sure it was a combination of doing this workout 2X and teaching + sprints. Jumping lunge switches are beastly to the booty.
Having sore glutes made today’s workout pretty rough to get through. The lunges in this workout were pretty ugly. I do like this circuit workout because there are several different exercises to fly through which made it go by quickly.
Pre-workout I whipped up some waffles for some energy.

I love these waffles!! They come together with little prep and an easy clean up, unless this happens…

Why is cleaning the waffle iron the hardest thing in the world to do?
I ate TWO waffles covered in bananas and doused with maple syrup.

Lunch came quick today, I am headed out tonight on a quick girls trip then its back to the ranch to finish off a porch that was started.. (cabin living requires a little upkeep every now and then.)
Anyway… I had some salmon in my fridge that I meant to have last night for dinner but ended up passing on it because it wasn’t fully defrosted so I was able to bake it today for my lunch!

Recipe coming atcha’ soon!
My Healthy Eating Staples
It is easy to eat healthy at home when you are prepared to eat healthy at home. When I go grocery shopping. I pick up the same things week after week.
These are the Healthy Staples in my home, having these staples at home mean I can always whip up an easy breakfast/lunch/dinner.
Chicken- I buy my chicken from Costco, I’m okay not buying organic chicken. The Kirkland frozen chicken breast in a bag is just fine by me. I often buy in bulk and cook (grill) it in bulk so I always have chicken as an easy go-to protein to throw on a plate and heat up with some veggies.

Tilapia- I also buy the frozen filets in the bag from Costco. I switch it up between tilapia, mahi or shrimp.

Eggs- I get eggs from my sisters chickens and I buy them at Costco at well!
Green Beans/Broccoli- Big frozen bags from Costco. The bags last forever and are quick and easy to steam and eat.

Spinach- I use spinach everyday in my shakes, its the easiest way to get additional greens in my day.
Nut Butters- I love the ground Almond butter from our local grocery store and Brent loves chunky PB so we stock up on both.

Almond Milk- I like to buy the silk unsweetened almond milk. It doesn’t contain carrageen in it like others do.

Protein Powder- I recently started using plant fusion and Brent still used dymatize We stick with chocolate.

Oatmeal- I buy Old-fashioned Gluten Free Oats and use them for breakfast, baking and even make a flour out of it for future recipes.
Walden farm Dressing- I love these dressings! They are made with natural ingredients and taste great. I use them for salads and marinades. My favorite is the Honey Mustard.

Coconut Oil- I use it instead of butter, for steaming veggies, There are several health benefits in Coconut oil, it is one of my favorite healthy fats.
Fresh fruit- Grapefruit, Apples and Bananas are what I pick up almost every grocery trip.

Frozen fruit- I buy most my berries frozen because they go bad faster then I can eat them in my fridge (besides raspberries..) I love just being able to throw them in shakes.
Sweet potatoes- I bake them, cut them into fries, make waffles, or shred them into a salad. Big staple in my home.
Mrs. Dash Seasonings- I use these seasonings everyday for every meal. They add a ton of flavor and spice to my meals. There are several different kinds of seasonings, all of them go great on eggs, chicken, fish, and veggies.

Most of these items last longer then a week for us. Knowing your staples make grocery shopping and your meals a breeze!
Question of the Day:
What are your Healthy Food Staples in your home?