healthy eating

Budget Friendly Summer Meals

It’s Finally Summer !!! We have worked all year long to show off those awesome bodies and to continue to reach our Fitness goals. Our busy schedules are about to go into overdrive with Kids out of school Vacations to plan and take. Consequently Healthy Eating and Workouts can sometimes be hard to come by. With that being Said Flawless Fitness is here to Share Quick and Budget Friendly Summer meals that the whole family can enjoy while you stay true to you waistline !

Busy Moms know that time is of the essence when it comes to wrangling kids, your household and your body , throw in your husband and you have a full circus juggling act. 🙂 Quick and simple meals are a must to keep the day running smoothly.

Steak Burritos

Steak Burritos are a hit at my dinner table, the easy clean up and Low calorie count make them a go to favorite for this busy mom. This recipe has a serving count of 4 with a caloric count of 471 per serving. Additional Nutrition Facts are 16 grams of Fat ( 6 grams saturated and 5 g mono fats) , 63 Mg of Cholesterol , 49 grams of carbohydrates, 600mg of sodium ( optional ) 279 mg of Potassium, 7 grams of fiber and A whopping 31 grams of Protein .

Budget Friendly Ingredients

1/2 cup prepared fresh salsa
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup instant brown rice
1 15-ounce can black beans, preferably low-sodium, rinsed
12 ounces strip steak, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 8-inch tortillas, preferably whole-wheat
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup prepared guacamole or Smashed Avocado (My personal Favorite )
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Flawless Quick Tip : Sprinkle Lime Juice on the Steak as it cooks to bring out more flavor in the meat without having to add extra seasoning (sodium) 🙂

Smooth Sailing Preparation

Combine salsa and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in rice, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in beans, return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes more.
Meanwhile, sprinkle steak with pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
To assemble, divide the steak among the tortillas and top with equal amounts of cheese, guacamole, cilantro and the rice mixture. Roll each tortilla up into a burrito.

Flawless Quick Tip: Grill burritos on both side to seal all that goodness together , Top with a spoon of salsa and Greek Yogurt for an Extra Kick 🙂

We’ve kept this home-style version a bit simpler to make and a whole lot healthier with brown rice, whole-wheat tortillas and reasonable serving sizes. We recommend wrapping it in foil—the traditional way to serve it—so you can pick the burrito up and eat it without it falling apart, peeling back the foil as you go. Serve with a simple salad and Spanish Style Corn side

“Don’t Be Jealous , Be Flawless “

QUESTIONS , COMMENTS and IDEAS

TO Cheat or Not to Cheat ?

Cheat days can be your best friend or your worst enemy. When cutting, bulking or simply slimming down cheat days are usually apart of your regiment. And lets face it, after 6 days of clean regimented eating a cheat day can be a god send.

(click the image above for 5 cheat meal tips)

For Example , My favorite cheat meal is Firehouse sub, Hook and Ladder on Wheat with Cajun mustard. Yes, Yes, Yes just the thought makes my heart smile 🙂

What is your favorite Cheat meal?

Why Cheat ?

Why not Cheat ?

These are questions Id like our Flawless Fitness Audience to answer !!

Please provide us with your feedback !!!

BE FLAWLESS !!!

The Perfect Grain Bowl

What is a Grain Bowl ?

A perfect balance of carbs, fats, and protein, they’re the best way to get a lot of flavor and nutrients in one dish. Plus, they’re hearty and filling. basic Steps to a grain bowl are ;

Choose your grain. I chose quinoa in my recipe below, but you could use grains such as brown or wild rice.
Pick some veggies. I like to roast my veggies because it brings out the flavor and makes for easy cleanup.
Choose a protein. This recipe uses eggs, but you could easily choose fish or chicken as well.
optional Add a Sauce

Superfood Quinoa Bowl

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli
1 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 can garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 cups quinoa, dry and rinsed
Nonstick cooking spray
4 eggs, fried
1/2 teaspoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with foil. Next, place broccoli, carrots, onion, and garbanzo beans on baking sheet and pour on 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and toss. Season with salt, pepper, and rosemary and toss again. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the broccoli turns golden brown.
In a medium sized pot, bring 2 cups of quinoa and 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low and cover for about 12 minutes, or until all of the water has absorbed. Set aside to cool.
Spray a small fry pan with non-stick cooking spray and turn heat to medium. Cooking one egg at a time, crack the egg into the pan and let cook for about 2 minutes. Before flipping, season with salt and pepper. Then, flip egg and cook for about a minute.
Now for the fun part. Assemble each bowl with: 1 cup cooked quinoa, 1 cup roasted veggies, and 1 fried egg. Top off with plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of Chia seeds!

What is your favorite healthy grain?

March Madness Recipes

Chicken Avocado Burgers

Healthy eating can sometimes be a hassle, and the biggest hurdle to get over is usually the thought of the food actually tasting good. Well Rest assure this recipe is sure to get your taste buds rocking in a healthy way of course 🙂

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken
1 large ripe avocado – cut into chunks
½ cup panko crumbs or other bread crumbs
1 chopped clove of garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Toss the chunks of avocado, breading and garlic together.
Blend mixture into ground chicken being careful not to mush the avocado.
Form into 4-5 patties and grill until done (temp of 165).

Enjoy !!!!

Questions and Comments

March is National Nutrition Month

3-Minute Summer Green smoothie

Are You a lover of all things fresh and Green ? Well here is a
Smoothie packed with the healthy green taste of summer with the addition of berries, spinach, and avocado. The spinach contains loads of vitamin K and A, as well as iron, and the inflammation-fighting avocado… hello, healthy fats and potassium! It also helps give the smoothie its creamy texture. And as an added bonus: Ground flax boasts heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and fiber!

Ingredients

1/2 ripe avocado
One small banana, frozen
One cup fresh or frozen blueberries and strawberries
Two handfuls fresh spinach
One cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tbsp ground flax (optional)

Directions

Add all ingredients into a blender, and blend on high until smooth. Pour into your favorite glass, and enjoy!

What’s your favorite smoothie to make?

Have a Happy and Healthy Love Day …

Happy Valentine’s Day!

High Protein Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes

Preheat Oven to 350’

8 oz. Fat Free or Low Fat Cream Cheese
¾ cup Low Fat Greek Yogurt
1 Egg
1 Egg White
¼ cup of Stevia
1 Scoop of chocolate or vanilla Whey Protein Powder (30 g)
3 TBLS. Baking Cocoa

Using a mixer, mix until creamy, then spray muffin pans with non-stick spray or baking cups, bake for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving. Lastly, you can add light cool whip on top! Then YUMMY Protein Cup Cakes!

Click the Picture below for video instructions !

Have any ideas or blog topics fill out the form. We’d Love to hear from you.

22 days Vegan

We have all joined the Beyonce and Jay- Z craze. whether it is their fashion forward wardrobe or unmatched musical talent, The Carters are influencing the world with their every move. Recently, The Most powerful couple in Entertainment embarked on a health journey by becoming vegans for 22 days.

What is veganism you may ask ?

Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. Many vegans also do not eat foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines. Most vegans also avoid the use of all products tested on animals, as well as animal-derived non-food products, such as leather, fur and wool.
Vegan refers to either a person who follows this way of eating, or to the diet itself (about.com)

Why Vegan?

A whole foods plant-based diet is associated with healthy weight and reduction of all of the so-called “diseases of affluence”, diseases that kill those of us living in Western societies. The diseases of affluence include obesity, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and stroke. ( taken from thepurevegan.com)

For more Info Check out THEPURVEGAN.COM

To gain more insight on changing your standard American diet and going VEGAN, Flawless Fitness LLC interviewed one of the many Yonce’ followers on their 22 days Vegan Journey.

Here is what she had to say

When did you decide to start your health and Fitness Journey ?

January 4, 2014

where did your inspiration for 22 days vegan come from ?

Beyonce & Jay Z, the documentaries Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, Super Size Me. The book Eat Right for Your Blood Type, Stay Young 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health.

What was your favorite meal ? (recipe optional)

Vegetable Stuffed Mushrooms. Portobello mushrooms (corn, onions, green peppers, squash, mixed with spaghetti sauce stuffed inside the mushroom and topped with vegan cheese.)

What was your overall goal? Did you accomplish it ?

Better overall health, clearer skin, for my body to work at it optimal level, and to make a lifestyle change. Yes, even past the 22 day of being vegan I have learned to incorporate more fruits and vegetables and less meat in my diet.

Any words for someone who is considering the challenge ?

Being vegan is a lot easier than thinking about being vegan. A lot of your favorite foods are accidentally vegan and you don’t have to eliminate them from your diet. There are also a lot of vegan alternatives to almost everything.

Thanks Mrs.Love for your interview

Flawless Fit Tip

Substitute an unhealthy snack or meal with veggies and fruit, remember change happens one step at time.

Don’t stress just change.

We’d love to hear from you!

Easy steps to a healthy lifestyle Part III

Keep Records

We do it for managing our schedules and our budgets, so why not keep a record of your food intake. Sure it may seem like an added chore to your long to do list But it can be very EFFECTIVE . And the good news is that you don’t have to keep records of your eating forever. Just long enough to notice your eating habits and trends along with common mistakes you may make along the way.

I use a simple food journal I found on the internet

Click the Image below to access a food journal

You could also use any diet tracker app on your smartphone ,Come on we all have one 🙂

Click the image below for smartphone apps to help you track your eating

Flawless Fit Tip

Eat and track as you go, its much easier to remember what you are eating while you are doing it, verses waiting until the end of the day. Remain Accountable to yourself for yourself.

Click the Image below for recipes that are healthy and quick to prepare

Have any questions or Topic Ideas that you would like to share?

Then feel free to fill out the form below , I would love to hear from you.

Easy steps to a healthy lifestyle part II

Think Positive

Have Empty or Half full its all your perception and outlook of
things.

The same goes for healthy eating and exercising. Don’t Dwell on the foods you shouldn’t eat, instead find some interesting recipes to spice up your new eating habits.

Mix up your exercise routine with new and unconventional workouts. The fitness industry has sparked a new generation of unique and fun filled exercises that are sure to keep you motivated.

Flawless Fit Tip

Prepping your meals may seem a little strenuous but planning always keeps you on target.

Click the Link below for some easy meal prep tips

Have any questions or Topic Ideas that you would like to share?

Then feel free to fill out the form below , I would love to hear from you.