You are the Peanut Butter to my Jelly

January 24th, 2017: National Peanut Butter Day. That's right, my blog is revolving around peanut butter this this week. Give me a break, who doesn't love this protein and potassium packed snack. For sure, crunchy peanut butter is one of my favorite foods EVER. It's a healthy addition to any fruit or veggie, serving as an extremely nutritious fat which was actually proven to decrease the risk of heart disease and diabetes. So not only are you indulging in this nutty goodness, but it also offers proactive health benefits that are essential to your body. So cheers, here's to the week of peanut butter....and next time you dip your finger in that jar when Mom and Dad aren't looking, remember the majestical day of January 24th. Here's a few go-to peanut butter snacks that you can indulge in, in remembrance of this great national holiday: 

-peanut butter and banana pancakes 

-peanut butter topped on apples with cinnamon 

-oatmeal blueberry cookie 

-peanut butter breakfast parfait 

-peanut butter, banana, strawberry quesadilla 

-chocolate peanut butter overnight oats 

-peanut butter banana muffins 

-peanut butter and carrots

-peanut butter and jelly pancakes

Organized for Life

Agendas. Everyone shuns the idea of them. When anyone hears about the use of agendas they automatically cringe and reject the idea. I know it sounds extremely corny, but agendas are a fantastic way of staying organized and on top of everything you need to accomplish for the day. Whether it's jotting down a list of homework you have to finish for the night, or logging what you have ate all day long, or even outlining your plans for the day hour by hour, agendas are a fantastic way of creating a balanced schedule and providing you with an organized and neat outline. Before this year, I was never much of an agenda user. I was one of the haters of agendas, similar to 95% of our population. Usually, I would write in my school agenda for the first two weeks of school and never will open it again for the rest of the year. However, this year I kept up with keeping organized and got used to writing down the work I needed to complete every night in addition to all my errands/plans I had during the week and weekends. Eventually, it became a hobby. Decorating and doodling in my agenda is one of my favorite pastimes and not only does it allow me to be extremely creative, but it keeps me more organized and neat than I have in my entire life. Contrary to popular belief, school agendas are NOT the only type of agenda you are limited to!!!!! Lots of people think they are ugly and too small, therefore providing no purpose. I recently bought a 2017 agenda and it has vibrant colorful images, patterns, quotes, stickers, mantras, and so much more!!!! The world of agendas is limitless if you just surf the wonderful web!!! Once you ditch the fear of being called a geek by your peers and get past the embarrassment of purchasing a agenda, you will soon understand my germinated love for agendas. Okay my nerd rant revolving around agendas is now over....go buy an agenda 

Drop Those Fries and Move Those Thighs!

When staying fit and healthy, nutritionists claim that a majority of our problems derive from the kitchen: eating junk with no nutritional value. When most people think of eating healthy, they shun the idea of unappetizing snacks and meals. However, this is not how it always has to be. Eating healthy does not mean you have to eat spinach and kale for breakfast lunch and dinner everyday. There are so many healthy alternatives that are just as delicious as other foods that contain the higher levels of sodium, sugars, etc. Healthy eating is not always nasty! There are so many delicious foods out there that can substitute others in hopes to live a much fit and healthier lifestyle. I have included a few ideas for meals that I personally love that you one eat in delight without groaning about the woes of healthy eating-

BREAKFAST:
-whole wheat bread toasted with avocado, pepper, scrambled eggs
-greek yogurt with granola, fruit, honey
-fruit smoothies
-scrambled eggs with peppers, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach
-oatmeal with dried cranberries, raisins
-oatmeal with peanut butter topped with sliced bananas

LUNCH:
-turkey and lettuce roll ups
-edamame salad
-grilled chicken salad
-tuna fish
-hummus and veggies
-trial mix
-celery and peanut butter

DINNER:
-salmon with green beans
-shrimp and broccoli
-grilled chicken and rice
-chicken and veggie kabobs
-vegetable soup
-turkey and cranberries

Feeling Fruity? REFUEL

You pounded the pavement, furiously pedaled up that steep hill, and squatted until you felt the burn. It is time for a refuel. After I get done working out, most of the time I am absolutely starving. Not only this, but I want to replenish all of the muscles I just recently fatigued. Smoothies are a GREAT way of refreshing your body and quenching your appetite as well. They are extremely easy to make and digest, and offer a very simple way to get the protein you need to build muscle. Your body needs carbs to restore the glycogen that was burned during exercise. Plus, everyone knows that your workout is not completely finished until you eat. In order to do blend a perfect post-run/workout smoothie, you should aim for around 15-20 grams of protein. If you like veggies, start with a foundation of greens, and then add fruits, as well as a protein source. (plain yogurt, Greek yogurt, protein powder, etc) and lastly a liquid. (coconut water, juice, almond milk). Don’t forget garnishes as well! One of my favorites is chia seeds! Drink within 30-60 minutes after you are done your workout to restore energy and repair muscle damage. Here are a few smoothies that you can throw together and blend after you are finished getting your workout in!!

Cran-Beet Crusher:

•  Serves: 1
• ½ cup of fresh or frozen cranberries
• ½ md beet (raw or roasted)
• 1 small peeled cucumber
• -1 celery stalk
• 1 cup of kale
• -1 orange cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• -2 tsp raw honey

NUTRITION: 332 cal, 18g protein, 53g carb, 0g fiber, 34 g sugars, 8g fat, 105 mg sodium

Berry Blast Smoothie

• Serves 1
• 1 scoop vanilla soy protein
• 8 oz low fat milk
• ½ frozen banana
• ¾ cup frozen mixed berries

NUTRITION: 368 calories, 20g protein, 56g carb, 5g fiber, 42g sugars, 4g fat, 1.5g fat

Mango-Go-Go

• Serves 1
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup frozen mango
• ½ cup baby carrots
• ½ cup coconut water
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 2 mandarin oranges peeled
• ½ cup plain yogurt

NUTRITION: 364 calories, 12g protein, 12g fiber, 62g sugar, 2.5g fat

Eat Your Wheaties

• Serves 1
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup frozen peaches
• ½ cup fresh banana
• ½ cup raw zucchini
• ¾ cup coconut water
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp wheat germ

NUTRITION: 312 calories, 15g protein, 60g carb, 11g fiber, 37g sugar, 4g fat