How to Set New Year's Resolutions that You Can Stick With!

It's officially a New Year!!!  Is anyone as excited about the start of a brand new year as I am??

I can't lie - New Year's Eve has always been my favorite holiday - a chance to close out a year and reflect on the great things that happened during one year and an opportunity to set new goals, hopes and plans for a bright, shiny new year! 

As is the typical New Year's tradition I'm also a big fan of New Year's resolutions. 

For years I set resolutions which were truly nothing more than empty words---

Wishes of losing weight, without making changes to my eating habits and workout regimen (er - lack of regimen?).

Pledging to pay off debt, but not altering my spending or savings habits. 

A desire to read more - without tracking my habit. 

Year after year I made resolutions without actions to follow through on those resolutions. 

Until, that is - the resolution I made at the very end of 2013 - "This year I will lose weight and work for the best body I've ever had." 

Ah, yes - a resolution I'd made year after year, but one that I was finally determined to follow through with.  

Meet the first resolution I was able to stick to - all year, day after day, holiday after holiday, season after season ---- down 25 pounds, 15 inches, energy and confidence boosted in an unbelievable way! 

For once, I had found the key to maintaining my goals and seeing a goal brought to reality. 

I know that if this is possible for me - a wife, full-time interior designer and online health and fitness coach with a crazy busy schedule - then YOU can turn your goals to reality this year! 

Are YOU ready to make this your best year yet? 

Let's DO it!

xoxo,

Corina 

Peppermint Mocha Latte - Clean Eating & Vegan Version!

The holiday season just wouldn't be complete for me without all things peppermint!  Especially pipping hot, chocolate-y delicious, Peppermint Mochas!  

the only problem?  They're full of lots of icky things - additivites, sugar and artificial flavors like you wouldn't believe.  Here are the ingredients of the Starbucks version (one of my personal favorites!): espresso, milk, mocha sauce (corn syrup, water, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, cocoa (processed with alkali 13%), potassium sorbate, artificial flavor), and peppermint-flavored syrup (sugar, water, natural flavors, preservative, sodium benzoate, citric acid), whipped cream, and dark chocolate.

Calories in one Tall nonfat Peppermint Mocha Latte with no whip (add 70 calories and 7 grams of fat for whip):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Um, no thanks.  

Thankfully the amazing team of nutritionists whipped up a much healthier version for us to enjoy this season while sticking to our nutrition plans and health and fitness goals! YES!!!

 

Bonus for my Vegan friends: Sub almond milk for the nonfat milk & leave out the honey for a version that's made just for you!

Peppermint Mocha Latte Recipe

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 5 min.
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
½ cup nonfat milk (or unsweetened almond milk)
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. raw honey (optional)
¼ tsp. pure peppermint extract
1 cup brewed black coffee (or 1 shot espresso)
1 fresh mint leaf (for garnish; optional)

Preparation:
1. Bring milk, cocoa powder, and honey (if desired), and peppermint extract to a boil in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat; mix vigorously with a whisk until frothy.
3. Pour coffee into a large serving mug; top with milk mixture.
4. Garnish with mint leaf if desired.

Here’s the nutrition details for the vegan version:

& voila! Meal plan and waist-line approved!! 

Happy Holidays & Enjoy!! 

xoxo,

Corina

*Recipe & nutrition information from teambeachbodyblog.com*

Easy Clean Eating Hot Chocolate Recipe

There are few things that I love more than hot chocolate in a cute mug on a rainy day while watching a movie curled up in a blanket! :)  That is true bliss to me!

The other night I was craving hot chocolate, but traditional store bought packets are not clean or 21 Day Fix approved! Since I'm following the 21 Day Fix nutrition guide right now I knew that I had to find an approved recipe or set my craving aside for a treat. 

Luckily, after searching a bit for something that sounded tasty I came up with an easy, 21 Day Fix approved recipe! 

Peppermint (or Regular!) Hot Chocolate  - 21 Day Fix Approved!

Ingredients

  ·      1 cup, plus 1-2 tablespoons milk of choice (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk!)

·      2 rounded teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

·      1-2 packets stevia, depending on your desired sweetness 

·      ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

·      ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

·      cinnamon, optional

Instructions

1.   Place milk in a small pot over medium low heat.

2.   Meanwhile, place cocoa powder, stevia and extra tablespoon of almond milk in a small bowl. Whisk until a paste/thick mixture forms and powder is absorbed. Add additional tablespoon of almond milk, if needed.

3.   Whisk cocoa mixture into milk mixture. Heat till hot but not boiling.

4.   Pour into a mug and sprinkle with cinnamon, if using.

5.   Serve and enjoy once the drink is cool enough to safely drink

Notes

Container count: 1 yellow! Everything else is a free 21 Day Fix flavor addition! 

If you're feeling like a splurge add a little bit of whipped cream to the top! This is a must have for me - and I don't feel like a little bit hurts anything ;)

The directions above are for a stovetop preparation, but you can just as easily make this in the microwave.

The above recipe will yield you a peppermint hot chocolate!  To enjoy hot chocolate without the peppermint simply skip the peppermint extract! 

To make a different flavor variation - such as caramel or raspberry - simply replace the peppermint extract with your extract of choice! 

And voila - there you have clean eating, 21 Day Fix approved hot chocolate! 

I would love to have you join me in my next 21 Day Fix accountability health and fitness group!  If you're interested in joining us, losing weight, creating new healthy lifestyle habits and toning from head to toe, please fill out the form below! I absolutely love this plan because it allows for things like this hot chocolate recipe - a simple pleasure that I simply can't live without in the winter! 

Are you a hot chocolate drinker?  Share below what your favorite variety is! Regular, peppermint, caramel, raspberry...the list goes on and on!!   

Thanks for stopping by!  

xoxo,

Corina

Let's Connect!

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

IG: @ririluvsabs

Real Girl Fitness Challenge Application:

The easy to use Wufoo form builder helps you make forms easy, fast, and fun.

3 Day Refresh & Zucchini Noodles Recipe!

Friday was our FINAL day of the 3 Day Refresh cleanse that my hubby and I were on! 

I can honestly say that I'm BEYOND pleased, excited and impressed with our results! 

Not only did we lose pounds and inches, our cravings for junk food and the fattening treats from Thanskgiving are long behind us! 

At the start of the cleanse I was feeling bloated, fatigued, heavy and overall discouraged with my physique. My hubby also felt bloated and completely out of control of his cravings - we were both essentially wanting to eat everything in sight! 

At the end of our first day Abs said to me "Wow it's amazing how much I think to just pick something up to eat throughout the day, even when I'm not really hungry!"

That realization in itself was enough of a transformation for me!! 

Nevertheless --- here are our official results from the 3 Day Refresh! 

Now that the results are out of the way I want to share our favorite refresh meal - Lemon Herb Zoodles!! (My mouth waters just thinking about them!!)

I've been getting a TON of questions about how I make zucchini noodles - or zoodles, as they're commonly know! The first tip is to get a spiralizer! My hub brought ours home from Wal-Mart for about $20!  Totally can't beat a new kitchen gadget at that price! 

They're so simple and tasty so I'm super excited to share the recipe with you! 

Lemon Herb/Scampi Style Zoodles

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini

1 tbsp fresh squeeze lemon juice

Olive Oil 

Pepper, to taste

Sea Salt, to taste

Garlic, to taste

Method:

Wash and dry each zucchini

Cut off the end of the zucchini just enough to make an even surface (the weird end with that little stump thing)

Using a spiralizer (I use the Veggetti - LOVE!) make noodles out of each squash - spiral into a bowl or dish

Once both zucchini are spiraled cut the strands of noodles 2 or 3 times, into bite sized pieces (this is dependent on your personal pasta size preference - I prefer smaller pieces to large so I cut them more)

Heat a pot of water to boiling, lower heat to medium

Once water is boiling add zucchini to pot and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until tender

Drain noodles and divide into serving dishes

Drizzle fresh lemon juice and olive oil over each dish; season with pepper, sea salt and garlic, to desired taste level

Serve zoodles by themselves or with chicken or shrimp!

Enjoy! 

xoxo,

Corina

Let's Connect!

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

IG: @ririluvsabs

Introducing: Real Girl Fitness!

Introducing Real Girl Fitness

The health and fitness community for real girls living in the real world!

When i was starting my healthy living transformation i knew one thing:

I had no idea where to start.

At the time I was following a ton of bikini competitors on social media but I knew that I didn't want to get as fit as they were or eat as strictly as they did.

But I also knew that I couldn't continue what I was doing for workouts and healthy eating - yoyo'ing in and out of plans and always becoming frustrated. 

Where was the happy medium?

Where were the girls who still enjoyed food, worked out consistently but not obsessively, ate a healthy diet without killing themselves with strictness and truly enjoyed the process?

Was I asking for too much? Was that a totally unattainable combination?

Maybe you're asking yourself the same questions!

Well I'm here to tell you that, no, it's not too much to ask for OR unattainable!

It's the lifestyle that I live and love and teach to the women that I work with.

I call it Real Girl Fitness.

We workout. But not for hours a day.

We eat healthy. But not just salads or chicken, rice and broccoli.

We set goals. But don't reschedule our lives around them.

We eat pizza sometimes. And ice cream too. 

We're just like you. We were you. 

Join the Real Girl movement on Facebook & become a Fit and Healthy Real Girl! 

Click this link to request access: http://tinyurl.com/realgirlfitness

xoxo, 

Corina

Let's Connect!

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

IG: @ririluvsabs

Day 2 Re-cap of the 3 Day Refresh!

Today is officially Day 3 of our 3 Day Refresh challenge!  The finish line is in sight!!

I'm so excited that we're at this point!  I'm also super excited to share my experience from Day 2 with you!  

But first - I have to be honest – this is my second attempt at doing this cleanse.  

The first time I tried it was when it had just been released, in June after our annual training event.

It was an extremely exciting product and exactly what so many of my customers ask for on a consistent basis!

I was absolutely thrilled at the thought of having it as a part of the official product library and a brilliant tool for my clients. 

However, when it came down to completing it, I just could not get past Day 1.

Day 1!!! 

Like what!? I could barely last 1 day!   

Yet here I am, today, on Day 3, soaring through the program and truly loving the process!

So what changed? 

I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it was my mindset. 100%.

The funny thing is that so many things in a health and fitness journey are a matter of changing your mindset.

Mind over matter.

Mind over munch.

Mind over craving.

Mind over laziness. 

Mind over defeat. 

Mind over feeling like you "can't" do something! 

Back in June, my mindset, my willpower if you will, was not strong enough.  I didn't desire the change and so I saw the process as too difficult to complete. 

My how a few months can change so very much! 

Yesterday, as day 2 of this cleanse, was a much easier day than day 1 of the cleanse, as I suspected it would be.

There were minimal temptations, unlike hosting a snack-heavy youth group like we did on the evening of Day 1 (talk about torture!).

My biggest victory of Day 2 was when a co-worker offered me chocolate I heard myself saying "No thanks! I'm good!" and actually meaning it!!!

It didn't hurt. 

It wasn't something I had to force myself to say. 

It came out naturally, and easily and was the truth!!

Talk about a non-scale victory!! TALK about mind over matter! 

In less than 2 days my willpower had increased so much that turning down the chocolate that I normally hunt people down for was an absolute breeze. 

Day 3 - you are mine. Let's do this!!

What is one thing lately that you've found yourself lacking the willpower to complete?  Have you ever been in that position?  How did you get your willpower strong enough to fight toward your goal? 

I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!

xoxo,

Corina 

Let's Connect!

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

Instagram: @ririluvsabs

Mint Chocolate Chip Truffles

My absolute FAVORITE flavor in anything is mint chocolate!  Yum. Yummm.

I honestly had quite an addiction to mint chocolate chip ice cream a few years ago.  It was so bad that I couldn't go a night without 2 or 3 scoops. 

No wonder I was overweight and had uncontrollable cravings.  Sheesh!

However I still love the flavor - so I search high and low to find healthy recipes that use this flavor combo! 

Just in time for the Holidays and tasty homemade gifts, Mint Chocolate Chip Truffles!

These minty truffles have so much chocolate flavor, one is all you need!

Recipe:

Total Time: 4 hrs. 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 12 servings, 1 truffle each

Ingredients:
5 oz dark chocolate, 70% cocoa or higher, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
½ cup lite coconut milk
½ tsp. pure mint extract (or pure vanilla extract)
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa

Preparation:
1. Place chocolate, coconut oil, and mint extract in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
2. Bring coconut milk to a gentle boil in small saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add coconut milk to chocolate mixture; whisk gently until combined.
4. Place chocolate mixture, covered, in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Using a melon baller or spoon, scoop out 1 Tbsp. of chocolate mixture. Roll into a ball. Roll in cocoa powder until evenly coated. Repeat steps five and six until there are twelve truffles.
6. Store in refrigerator for up to one week or in freezer for three months.

*Recipe from Team Beachbody Blog :)*

Enjoy!

xoxo,

Corina 

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

IG: @ririluvsabs

OWNING every bit of who YOU have been made to be!

I shared this post on my Instagram profile a little bit ago and it is one that truly resonated with me so I wanted to share it with you in hopes that it encourages you in the same way!

I used to view my arms - which are naturally lean - as a flaw. 

I honestly always thought they looked manly on my otherwise curvy, pear shaped frame. 

I was truly embarrassed by them - and although I loved to wear tank tops and cute dresses and t-shirts I would find every opportunity to cover them up.  

NEVER have I viewed them as described in Proverbs 31-

"Her arms are strong for her tasks, she opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy."

In this passage, strong arms are a beautiful symbol of love. 

Of provision. 

Of the Proverbs 31 woman caring beyond herself. 

She uses strong arms to care for others, contribute to her family's household and to bless those less fortunate. 

Imagine if she had seen her arms as manly or ugly the way that I did for so, so long. 

Through growing, seeking God and desiring to learn how He sees me - not how the world sees me - I've come to a point where I thank Him for my arms, and every other part of my body. 

My arms are strong and growing, loving and providing.  

Just the way that God made them to be.  

They are a precious, precious part of my body and have a job that only they can perform.  

Are my arms still lean and take on muscle easily?  

YES. They absolutely do. 

But now I see them as so incredibly important.  They allow me to do tasks that I can't imagine living life without. 

Hugging, cooking, working diligently, carrying heavy loads, comforting a friend, offering help to someone in need, even typing! 

I challenge you to reflect on what you have been ashamed or embarrassed of that God wants to you to use for good and to bring His name glory.  

What is that one area that you've never seen in a positive light? 

Tonight I encourage you to reflect on it and find one function hat it performs which no other part of your body can perform. 

I can assure you you will come to view that part of your beautifully, wonderfully made body differently. 

xoxo,

Corina 

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

IG: @ririluvsabs

Losing Our Thanksgiving Bloat! 3 Day Refresh

Today is my first day on the 3 day Refresh & I'm beyond happy to say that my hubby agreed to do it with me!
We both knew we would be feeling bloated and less motivated to eat well after the long Thanksgiving weekend spent enjoying the holiday with family and a few cheats meals with friends over the weekend. Not surprisingly, we were totally right!

It's time for a tune - up!

The 3 day refresh is a plant based cleanse, consisting of both food and shakes meant to "reset" your body to neutral from crazy cravings and binges that DO happen from time to time!

What I love most about it is that it totally wipes out my sugar cravings! By the end of the 3 days I'm back to craving whole, natural, clean foods rather than any processed junk that I had indulged in prior to starting the cleanse!

One really phenomenal thing about this cleanse is truly the fact that you're not starving yourself! It's not a juice cleanse or anything as drastic as the cayenne pepper/lemon juice cleanse! 

Don't believe me? 

Here's a look at what our 3 days of cleansing consist of:

-Breakfast - Shakeology mixed with water & any free additions desired + 1 serving of fruit (2 cuties)
-Mid-morning - Fiber Sweep + tea with lemon (optional)
-Lunch - Vanilla Fresh protein shake + 1 serving of fruit (apple) + 1 serving of vegetables (carrot sticks) + 1 healthy fat (hummus or almond butter)
-Mid-afternoon - 1 serving of fruit (banana), 1 serving of vegetables (carrot sticks) or 1 fresh juice options + tea with lemon (optional)
-Dinner - Vanilla Fresh protein shake + 1 Dinner option (zucchini noodles with olive oil, asparagus with slivered almonds, green beans with slivered almonds) + 1 cup of vegetable broth (optional)

Let me just say this ends up being a LOT of food!

Lunch alone is a HUGE serving of food for me!! By the time I finish my shake I can eat about half of a fruit serving with half of the healthy fat serving and I'm STUFFED. I save the vegetable serving for the afternoon or an after dinner snack since my days tend to be so long.

A big part of this plan is also to make sure you're maintaining your water intake. The recommendation is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water for each of the 3 days. I add slices of lemon, lime or orange to my water to give it a flavor boost without any extra calories!

I love it & it keeps me interested in drinking that much water each day! A great option for tackling your water intake on the 3 Day Refresh during the wintery months is drinking warm water with lemon! It replaces my desire for something warm like tea or coffee while ensuring that I'm getting in enough water!

Inquiring minds want to know: have YOU ever tried a cleanse?  Did you enjoy it? 

Be sure to check back in to see our food reviews , special 3 day refresh recipes and of course, our Before and After photos and stats!!  

xoxo, 

Corina

Coffee Addicts Unite + Bulletproof Coffee Recipe

Truth: I've been drinking coffee since I was fourteen years old.

I KNOW this sounds crazy but it's a true story!

I used to make my mom's morning coffee every morning before she dropped me off to school - and each morning I would taste it to make sure there was enough creamer and splenda in there for her. 

Pretty soon I was poouring myself a small cup along with hers...then a full cup...then I was bringing a mug in the car for the drive there. 

The obsession had begun! 

After I had officially begun to like coffee I moved into the intoxicating realm of Starbucks! 

Hot, iced, summer-y, Christmas-y; they seemed to always know exactly what I needed most! 

I've been a Starbucks girl ever since.

When I began my clean eating journey I learned just how awful creamer and all of the added sugary goodness is that Starbucks is, quite honestly, known for. 

I knew that my relationship with Starbucks - and even my home brews - was about to change drastically!

I learned to like black coffee but there was still a longing for that rich, creaminess that only creamer can add.  

At least I thought that only creamer could add it!

I recently found a phenomenon called Bulletproof Coffee. 

Let me tell you, my world has changed.  

Grass is greener, the sun is brighter, coffee smells strong and just like my old love again! 

Okay, okay but seriously?  This stuff is BOMB. 

It's creamy without creamer and can literally be flavored however you desire it - I add extracts and stevia to bring me back to the sweet creations that I originally fell for. 

I know what you're thinking - this is all fine and dandy, but where's the recipe, Corina?

Yes, the goods!  Here you are:

Bulletproof Coffee

1 cup brewed coffee

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp extract of choice (vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, almond, peppermint, etc)

1-2 packets of stevia

Instrucutions:

Pour coffee into tall glass or blender

Add other ingredients to glass or blender

Using an immersion blender in a glass OR blender blend all ingredients until creamy and smooth

Pour into mug and enjoy!

& voila!! Creamy, tasty, flavorful coffee without the calories or waist expanding woes of creamer. 

Are you a coffee person?  Or a tea person? Share in a comment below!

I'm actually both :) 

xoxo,

Corina

Let's Connect!

Facebook: facebook.com/cmadfitness

Instagram: @ririluvsabs

Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup!

I'm absolutely loving this fall weather - the colored leaves, bundling up in scarves and sweaters and early evenings spent relaxing and cuddling with my hubby!

One of my favorite things about the fall is the FOOD! 

I'm an absolute junkie for homemade soup, stew and chili - and all day yesterday all I could think about was whipping up homemade Butternut Squash Soup!

I was able to fill this soup with veggies and sweet potatoes and it came out perfect - creamy, smooth, and filling! 

I personally think it's a great go-to fall dinner recipe! Lucky for you I'm sharing it today for Tasty Tuesday!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

4.5 cups butternut squash - peeled and cut

3-4 Large Carrots

2 cups sweet potato - peeled and cut

1 Onion

2 cups Chicken/Veggie broth

Seasoning: 

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1/2 tablespoon ground ginger

Wash, peel and chop squash, sweet potato and carrots.

Chop onion.

Add squash, sweet potato, carrots and onion to crock pot.

Pour broth over top of ingredients.

Add desired seasonings to taste.

Set on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. 

Once ingredients are cooked thoroughly use an immersion blender or strong standing blender and blend into desired creamy texture.

Garnish with additional seasoning, whole wheat croutons or herbs.

Serve warm with side salad and whole wheat roll, if desired.

Enjoy!

What is your favorite thing about the fall?

xoxo,

Corina 

Let's connect!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cmadfitness

Instagram: @Ririluvsabs

Hearty Chili Recipe

Chili is one of my absolute favorite recipes for the fall and winter season! It's easy, versatile, filling and so tasty!

I make it 2 ways, depending on who I'm making it for and the mood I'm in!

Clean Eating Chili-Vegetarian
(Makes approximately 10 servings)

INGREDIENTS:

5 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
2 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cups salsa
2 medium bell peppers, chopped


DIRECTIONS:

-Open and drain beans
-Wash and chop all vegetables
-Add all ingredients to crock pot
-Cook on high 4 hours or low 6-8 hours


Clean Eating Chili with Turkey
(Makes approximately 10 servings)

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound lean ground turkey
5 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (28 ounce) can tomato paste
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
2 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cups salsa
2 medium bell peppers, chopped


DIRECTIONS:

-Open and drain beans
-Wash and chop all vegetables

-Brown ground turkey in skillet over medium heat

-Season ground turkey with pepper, salt, chili powder and garlic
-Add all ingredients to crock pot
-Cook on high 4 hours or low 6-8 hours


What is YOUR go to fall dinner recipe?

Enjoy!

xoxo,
Corina

Chocolate Shakeology Peanut Butter Cups

Who doesn't need a tasty treat every once in a while? I know I sure do! 

Especially when that eat means that two of my favorite things came together in harmony! 😍😋

Peanut Butter + Chocolate Shakeology got together and decided to have a delicious, amazing, healthy baby. 

Wait. Wait - WHAT?! Healthy??

Behold --- Shakeology Peanut Butter Cups! 

Peanut butter and chocolate combine in a new take on this classic candy.

Total Time: 36 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 1 min.
Yield: 12 servings, 1 cup each

Ingredients:
¼ cup dark chocolate morsels
2 scoops Chocolate Vegan Shakeology
1 Tbsp. psyllium husk powder
½ cup pumpkin puree
6 tsp. all-natural smooth peanut butter, divided use

Preparation:
1. Prepare twelve mini muffin cups by lining with muffin papers.
2. Place morsels in microwave-safe container. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds; stir; microwave for an additional 30 to 45 seconds or until just melted. Do not overcook. Set aside.
3. Place Shakeology, psyllium husk, and pumpkin in a food processor. Pulse until it forms a dough.
4. Divide dough into 12 small balls; place each ball in a muffin cup. Press dough down into a flat disk with a depression in the middle. Place ½ tsp. peanut butter in each depression.
5. Drizzle melted morsels evenly over each peanut butter cup; spread to create a thin chocolate layer on top.
6. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until chocolate hardens.

What are some of your favorite clean treat recipes? Share them with me below! 

xoxo,

Corina

Taco Tuesday: Simple, Delicious Chicken Tacos

If your family is anything like mine, Taco Tuesday is a must for every week! We love to switch it up so new, tasty, simple recipes like this are HUGE finds for me! 

If you're running short on time, in search of a quick and delicious dinner jump on hugest tonight! Trust me - your family will thank you and gobble them up! 

                

These simple chicken tacos taste like delicious comfort food, they have only 248 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving.

Total Time: 18 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 8 min.
Yield: 4 servings, 2 tacos each

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. raw chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp. ground cumin
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warm
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and chicken; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and chicken is no longer pink.
3. Add garlic and cumin; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until well blended.
4. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
5. Top tortillas evenly with chicken mixture; garnish with cilantro.
6. Serve immediately.

Are you a taco fiend?? What's your favorite way to spice up your Taco Tiesday? 

Xoxo,

Corina

Thanksgiving Bites - Quinoa Stuffing

Thanksgiving is riiiight around the corner! Can you believe it?! 

Check out this great alternative to traditional Thanksgiving stuffing - made with quinoa, celery and green apples! Yum! 

                       

Quinoa Stuffing: 

This simple stuffing is loaded with delicious vegetables and herbs and takes just 10 minutes to prep.

Total Time: 42 min.

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cooking Time: 27 min.

Yield: 16 servings, ⅔ cup each

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

8 medium celery stalks, chopped (about 4 cups)

2 medium green apples, with peel (about 2 cups)

4 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth

2 cups dry quinoa, rinsed

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground black pepper

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup pine nuts

Preparation:

1.Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

2. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.

3. Add celery and apple; cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender.

4. Add broth, quinoa, salt, cumin, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until most of liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.

5. Add cranberries. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

6. Add cilantro and pine nuts; fluff with fork and serve.

What are you serving for Thanksgiving?  Share in a comment below! 

Xoxo, 

Corina 

A New Challenge! & Your On-Ramp to Fitness

Today my hubby and I started a brand new Beachbody workout program: P90!

We had been doing with 21 Day Fix since February, and I hopped between 21 Day Fix and Piyo since Piyo released in June.  

When we saw this program we were both intrigued and excited. 

I'm not going to lie --- I've NEVER completed P90X or Insanity. 

Why?

They scare me! 

They're long, arduous and seem designed specifically for pro athletes or people in the military. 

There was once a time, when I was wanting to get serious about my health and fitness, that I thought I would do Insanity. 

That lasted about 2 days. 

But this program? This we knew we could do! (We were even able to get my parents on board with us and they didn't need much persuading!)

Why this program? This program is being called Beachbody's "on-ramp to fitness".

You may be wondering why we felt we needed an on-ramp to fitness since we've been working out consistently for well over a year by now and the answer is extremely simple - our goal is to show the versatility of this program. 

As I mentioned earlier, my parents agreed to do this program with us so now we have the privilege of showing people of different stages of fitness and ages getting incredible results from the program that is the perfect introduction to home fitness. 

My parents have just left on vacation so they'll be starting the program once they get back but let me just say - day 1 was excellent and I genuinely can't wait to tackle the rest of this program! 

I'm confident that P90 will be the spring board for giving us all the skills, confidence and fitness levels necessary to confidently take on Insanity or any of the P90X series - I'm thinking Insanity Max or P90X3 will be next on our list! 

What are you taking on this season to continue challenging yourself? Leave a comment below; I'd love to hear about it! 

xoxo,

Corina

Clean Eating Recipe - Chicken Tortilla Soup

I know it's the end of October but I feel like Fall has finally arrived!!! Can we say that officially?!

This girl has busted out her sweaters, boots, & leggings - I am SO excited!! 

For me one of the best things about fall is honestly the food - chili, soup, pumpkin erethang! 

But let's be honest - for clean eaters those things can be a little dangerous!
These fall time eats are typically laden with salt, fat, cream and tons of sugar! 

So what's a Fall lovin' girl to do?!
My solution?

Take advantage of a crock pot and tasty, whole food ingredients!

Behold - Clean Eating Chicken Tortilla Soup!

Let's get to the How To!

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

2 (16 ounce) cans chili beans

1 cup whole kernel corn - I used frozen

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce or paste 

1 (16 ounce) container chicken broth 

1 (10 ounce) can green chilies 

1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning

3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Salt & Pepper to taste

Optional - Choose 1:

shredded Cheddar cheese (optional garnish after cooking)

greek yogurt or sour cream (optional garnish after cooking)

crushed tortilla chips (optional garnish after cooking)

Directions:

Cooking immediately:

Put all ingredients in Crock Pot, cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Shred chicken once cooked through. 

Cooking from frozen:

Combine all ingredients into a Ziploc bag. Freeze. Thaw and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken in crock pot once cooking is done (or use kitchen aide to shred). 

Serve with a side salad for a great dose of veggies OR topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of greek yogurt (or sour cream), and/or crushed tortilla chips, if desired. Served approx. 5-6 people.

I freeze half of this soup in individual serving containers for a quick meal during a busy week! 

Serving Size:

-1 cup 

21 DAY FIX Serving Size: 

Measure 1G container and count as  1G, 1R, 1Y 

Make sure if you add greek yogurt and cheese you count those in addition!

My absolute favorite thing about this recipe is its Crock Pot friendliness! I threw this in the crock pot on Sunday night as my hubby and I snuck out for a quick dinner date together.  By the time we came home the soup was just about done!!

Soup for lunches & dinners prepped and a date?! Now that's a wifey win in my book! 

Can you feel the fall coziness?  Imagine eating this soup in front of a fire, wrapped in a blanket, surrouded by your family and friends! :) It smells like Fall to me!!!

xoxo,

Corina

P.S. If you try this recipe out for yourself let me know!  

Instagram - @ririluvsabs

Facebook - www.facebook.com/cmadfitness OR www.facebook.com/Madforfitness9