Monday, January 21, 2013

New Recipe: Stacy-Style Kale Chips

Have you ever eaten kale chips?

Me either.

...until last night.  They are delish!  Made well, I promise you'll enjoy them.

I really wanted to title this post Gangnam Style Kale Chips, but thought I should refer to the real creator, Stacy soon-to-be-Aguilar.

However, the flavors do dance in your mouth.

Here's how to make these amazing little chippies:
You'll need: Kale (organic if possible), Olive Oil, S&P, Red pepper flakes (if you like spice!)
Also: Preheat oven to 400 degrees
One bunch of kale yields about 4 cups of chips

Start by cleaning your kale with cold water

Next cut kale into "chip" sized pieces

Make sure to remove stems

Lay kale onto baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment)

Lightly drizzle with olive oil (I use my Misto), sea salt,
cracked black pepper or red pepper flakes (Stacy-Style)

Place in preheated oven 

Bake for 10-15 minutes (watch them, or they will burn)
Enjoy!  These are great by themselves as a snack or pair with your fav healthy soup or sandwich.
Honestly, eating them feels a little like you are eating leaves, however, the crisp texture and pepper flavor will leave you a little bit addicted. :)

Per serving (2 cups): 110 calories; 5 g fat ( 1 g sat , 3 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 6 g fiber; 210 mg sodium; 642 mg potassium.


Monday, January 7, 2013

Stronger in 2013

here

Since last October, a couple of my dearest friends and I have been working out at 24 hour and doing Les Milles classes- mostly body combat & body attack, as well as Nike Training Club (check the app out on your phone).  Boy, oh, boy have I noticed a difference!  The first few classes were brutal (Chase can attest to the multiple back rub requests).  However, now that I am up to speed with the choreography and the instructors, I am loving them!   We are so excited for the new series and versions to come out this coming weekend.  Join us if you're close to Horne St and 30 location.

I can't explain my excitement of sweating consistently for 60+ minutes, sliding around in my own pool of sweat on the gym floor, or having to wear multiple pony tail holders to keep my long-est-mane-i've-ever-had tied back, but it is a-H-m-A-z-i-n-G!

This past weekend, I actually noticed a difference in my strength (mostly in my arms) in doing my pushups quickly and without as many rest breaks as usual....
Which leads me to my fitness plans for 2013:
1.  Try as many of the Les Milles classes as I can that are around Fort Worth (even trying out other instructors/gyms)
2.  Completing at least one full class a month without sacrificing form, intensity, or getting on the wrong leg....(haha, you laugh, but come join us, and you will see...)
3.  No weight goal because obviously, that's ridiculous, but I do have a "look" that I am going for....
and as Micki always tells us before our ab routine "abs are made in the kitchen, and I've been in the kitchen a LOT"
4.  Plan at least one adventure race or 10-15K for the fall...still exploring my options.
There may be more goals...come spring and summer, or if I accomplish these before the end of the year. (How cool would that be? Needing NEW goals...)

Nutrition plans for 2013 (because we know this is the most important part):
1.  Take at least one healthy cooking class at CM (with a friend or Chase)
2.  Cook at least one new recipe a week (that's 52 this year, wowza!) I'll be posting these on the blog.
3.  Eat more greens (aim for that daily allowance 6-8 servings/day)
4.  Juice at least 2 days/week.
5.  Drink less coffee. (yep, there, I wrote it)

What are your nutrition and fitness plans/goals for this year?  Post a comment!  I love sharing ideas with each other.  

Good luck in starting off to our first FULL week of January!

Saturday, January 5, 2013

here's our 2012 recap...now onto 2013!

i'm finally posting!  yay for 2013 and all the wonderful things that are going on....

as most people are doing, i am reflecting on my time spent in the past year.  


January 

Love my sissy

Sarah and Kyle got married!

Baby B is HERE! 

February

I talked to my friend Ana A LOT! Thankful for facetime.


I passed out a lot of valentines candy for work!


March

Abbi won The 2012 Outstanding Young Woman Award for Fort Worth!


G and me

We celebrated 
Grandmommy's 80th!


S and me


April

Lots of time with our village!

Trip to the FW Zoo with Cody & Steph

Lotsa coffee and gel nails with Trinh

May 

WE'RE ENGAGED!  Chase popped the question May 5th.

We went to several Ranger Games!

Food Trucks, Arts Goggle and spent lots of time outside!

June

We went on vacay to Florida!

Beach living for a week...stalling on all that wedding planning!

Planning to ask my bridesmaids....

I was so pleased with the personalization of each of the invites

Trip to ATX to see our friends, Austin and Christine

July

We found our 1st house!

We ate Thailicious with friends (possibly more than once) ;)

We took B to his first Rangers Game!

August

We celebrated Steph going to TX Wesleyan-A&M Law School!

My bikini body training got serious!

We had a photo shoot in Trinity Park

I personally addressed all of my invitations for the wedding
(thanks to Bethany for stuffing them with me)

September

We learned how to be home-depot-home-improvers

We learned why people pay contractors so much $$$

Hard work pays off...here is the master...just before completion
(Note- I am planning a post with before and afters)

October

We celebrated with friends
(Here: Christine & Wendy)

We celebrated with family 
(Here: Mom & Sarah)

We got married!

We moved into our first home! Thankful for all of our friends and family who helped!


We celebrated Ash & Dala's Wedding

November 

We celebrated Thanksgiving and got B ready for his Christmas portraits

We put up our little Christmas Tree!

We raked A LOT of leaves, met neighbors and settled into our little home

December

Daniel & Stacy got engaged on December 8th!
We are so excited to celebrate their relationship and being in community with them

I made homemade herbed pizza crust for my family's Christmas Eve

We played with our new Christmas presents.  Chase got a Rocket Speaker.

White Christmases don't come often to N TX. 
We watched the SNOW this year!!

2012 has been a wonderful year for us! We are thrilled to ring in the new year together as a family, in our new home and celebrating so much new life with our friends and family.