Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

I know how hard it can be as a working mom to plan and execute healthy meals for your family. Now that I am home, I have more time to plan and prepare meals. However, I am still all about preparing meals that are easy. This week I decided to do something different with one of my challenge groups to help busy moms like you. We are doing a CROCK POT CHALLENGE. Each challenge group member is encouraged to try a clean slow cooker recipe and share with the group. I have 19 challengers. The goal at the end of the week will be to have 19 slow cooker recipes with reviews available for each member.

To hold up my end of the bargain, I have been busy researching healthy slow cooker recipes. Here are a few that I found with excellent reviews that may not be totally lean but definitely beat the Mickey Dee's drive through!!. I hope you enjoy!

Char Siu Pork Roast from Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1 (2-pound) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed
• 1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

Preparation

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Place pork and marinade in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Remove pork from slow cooker using a slotted spoon; place on a cutting board or work surface. Cover with aluminum foil; keep warm.
4. Add broth to sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Shred pork with 2 forks; serve with sauce.

Serve with brown rice and steamed veggies.

 

 White Chicken Chili from The Gracious Pantry

 

 

(Makes 11 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 (16 oz.) can diced no salt added tomatoes, fire roasted or regular, OR 1 lbs. fresh, chopped
• 4 (16 oz.) cans Great Northern beans, low sodium and/or organic
• 1 (4 oz.) can fire roasted green chiles
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup chili powder
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 ½ cups reduced sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup 2% cheddar, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1.  Sauté the onions and garlic in a pan with the extra virgin olive oil until the onions are translucent.
2.  Put the tomatoes, chicken, beans, chiles, chili powder and cumin into the slow cooker. Once the onions and garlic are cooked, add them as well with 1 ½ cups of chicken stock. Stir well.
3.  Cook the chili 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
4.  About an hour before serving, add the 1 cup of Mexican cheese and salt and pepper to taste (and more chili powder or cumin if you’d like!).
5.  Add optional toppings if you so choose.

Note: If you use cooked chicken, this meal comes together very quickly in a soup pot or large skillet.

YUMMY!!

Nutritional Content
1 serving = 1 cup
Calories: 287
Total Fat: 4 gm
Saturated Fats: 1 gm
Trans Fats: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 21 mg
Sodium: 125 mg
Carbohydrates: 39 gm
Dietary fiber: 9 gm
Sugars: 2 gm
Protein: 24 gm
Estimated Glycemic Load: 16

 

 

Brazil Butt Lift Results

I have had a lot of women contact me looking for a program that they can do at home to slim their tummies, lift their booties, and help them get their bodies back after having a baby. Brazil Butt Lift is a super fun program that can get you back in shape fast! Of course, it's extremely important that you also get your eating in check to see results like this.

I have been struggling for MONTHS to get my backside toned up. Here are my 45 day Brazil Butt lift results!

Brazil Butt Lift trainer, Leanrdo Carvalho, trains many famous supermodels using his Brazil Butt Lift training methods. Now, we're not all supermodels, but who wouldn't want to learn his secrets to firming, lifting, and sculpting your rear? Brazil Butt Lift combines Brazilian dance, sculpting, cardio, and targeted glute training with Leandro's signature moves and TriAngle Training method to lift your butt, slim your hips and thighs, and tone those stubborn mommy trouble zones.

Here are some more AMAZING Brazil Butt Lift Results!

Brazil Butt Lift 6 Week Results

Kati's "Goodbye" pics

Kati's new booty!

I want to share a motivating picture with you. This is my friend Tara Helwig who is a fellow coach and great friend. She decided to take action and look at her 30 day results from Brazil Butt Lift and clean eating. AMAZING and super inspiring <3 

  

 

 Brazil Butt Lift 30 Day Results

CLICK HERE IF YOU ARE READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR BOOTY WITH MY NEXT BRAZIL BUTT LIFT CHALLENGE!!!

     

Burning Fat with TurboFire: My Absolute Favorite Beachbody Workout

Many of you have probably seen my raving reviews and comments about TurboFire. I have decided to share my TurboFire story.

This past holiday season I indulged wayyy too much! I gained unwanted weight and felt completely horrible. I was out of my typical up at 5:00 a.m. to workout routine and could hardly manage to get a light walk in for a few weeks let alone a workout like Insanity. I felt like a failure and was watching all of my hard work from previous months disappear under rolls of newly gained FAT. I decided that I needed to try something different. I needed something to spark some motivation. So, I ordered TurboFire. I had been hearing fellow coaches talk about how much they love Turbo. I figured there must be something to all the hype.

What I experienced was life changing at that point in my life. The fun, upbeat, and motivating workouts helped me to find joy in working out again. The music alone is enough to lift spirits and get you into the program. I literally started to jump out of bed in the mornings to do TurboFire. At first I felt like a complete dork trying to learn the workout moves because I am super uncoordinated, but after 3 weeks I could do all of the workouts without a problem. Plus, I didn't have to worry about people laughing at me because I was in my basement with only my son as my occasional observer/cheerleader!

I will post a blog about TurboFire success stories later this month.

I was highly impressed with everything that my new program came with. Here is what you can expect to receive when you order this program.

• 14 Workouts on 10 DVDs that range from 10 minutes to 55 minutes

Here is a description of the TurboFire classes straight from Beachbody:

Fire Classes

• Fire 30 Class: Throw smoking-hot hooks and make big leaps to strengthen your core.
• Fire 40 Class: Keep the fire going as you kick and sweat away calories and improve your cardio conditioning.
• Fire 45 Class: Kick, jump, and punch your way into the best shape of your life.
• Fire 55 Class: Torch even more calories as you work up to the full Fire 55.

HIIT Classes--High Intensity Interval Training that will keep you burning fat hours after your workout.

• Low HIIT 20 Class: Unlock the Turbo in you with this low-impact workout. It will get you fired up with 6 drills that are sure to become your favorites.
• Low HIIT 25 Class: Low impact doesn't mean low intensity! With this intense workout packed with 7 drills, you won't need to jump to scorch calories.
• HIIT 15 Class: Don't be fooled by this shorter workout. It will make you sweat with 9 killer drills.
• HIIT 20 Class: Scorch fat with 7 sizzling fire drills in 20 minutes

Sculpting and Toning Classes

• Sculpt 30 Class: Develop shapely arms and legs with Chalene's challenging resistance classes.
• Tone 30 Class: See your overall muscle tone get stronger, leaner, and absolutely hotter.

Stretch/Yoga Classes

• Stretch 10 Class: Prevent injures and improve your recovery by stretching, before and after classes.
• Stretch 40 Class: Go for the deep stretch to increase your flexibility and lengthen your muscles for a long, lean look.

Other contents:

• Turn Up the Burn Fitness Guide
  Get more in the know about HIIT and why TurboFire really works.
• TurboFire Class Schedule
  We've taken the guesswork out of working out to help you get the best results.
• TurboFire Thigh Firming Band
  Add definition and build long, lean muscles with this body-sculpting band.*
• Fuel the Fire Nutrition Guide
  Maintain high energy while you train with easy-to-prepare snacks and recipes.
• 5-Day Inferno Plan
  See how you can lose up to 10 pounds in 5 days.
• 24/7 Online Support
  Stay motivated with easy access to fitness experts, friends, and live chats with Chalene.
• Toning Band with Handles
  Use this band and you will quickly burn fat and tone lean muscle!*
• Core 20 Class
  Target and strengthen your entire core to reveal tight, flat abs.
• Free immediate access to the Fire Starter Workout.

You have 90 days to try TurboFire for yourself. If you don't get the results you want, simply call Customer Service to return it within 90 days for a full refund of the purchase price (less s&h)—no questions asked. But keep the Fuel the Fire Nutrition Guide and 5-Day Inferno Plan as Chalene's gifts.

I don't have time!

This if by far one of the most common excuses used! I've heard it hundreds of times, heck I've even used it myself. Sorry to tell you, it still doesn’t hold water. If your health and fitness is important to you, you CAN make it a priority. 
 
If this sounds all too familiar to you, then it’s time to review your daily priority list. Get out a piece of paper and a pen and create your to-do list that you will start tomorrow. Think carefully about the way that you spend your time. Remember that each minute of every day is valuable. You will never get time back. Exercise is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your family to ensure that you live a long, full, disease-free life. If you feel that getting healthy and fit is too expensive and too time consuming, think about the expenses and time that will be consumed when you are fighting disease. Our children are now struggling with illnesses that are 100% preventable by making healthy choices. Sad but true :(

Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, TV, Video games...need I say more?

Take a minute to really reflect on the amount of time that you spend on these time suckers each day and honestly answer these questions. Could you reduce that time by 15 minutes a day?
Can you get up 15-60 minutes earlier?
Do you have a little down time when your baby is sleeping?
Can you stay up just a little later?

If your answers to any of these questions were yes...then you CAN MAKE TIME TO WORKOUT!

AND, GUESS WHAT??? It CAN BE FUN!! :)



Here are some ideas...

Make workout time a family affair! Kids love to be active! Ask them to choose an activity that they will enjoy that will also help you get your workout in for the day. There are endless options to choose from. Some could include swimming, bike riding, frisbee, walking, and playing basketball. A great idea that I heard awhile back is to have your children act as your personal trainer. Let them know that you will follow their lead and go! It's amazing what a workout they can give you by simply running around the house!

Join a local team to play a sport that you love. I know lots of people that stay active by playing on local leagues.

Go to the gym! Most gyms offer a variety of classes that can meet the needs and interests of most people.

Hate the thought of going to the gym? Workout at home! There are many programs available that can get you looking great in no time right in the comfort of your own home!

Whatever you decide to do, commit and GO!  Make this week count!  Jess <3