Christmas Traditions: Spritz Cookie Recipe

'Tis the season to eat cookies.... fa la la la la la la la la!

Most of you know that we try to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle. This is actually the case throughout the holidays as well. However, there are some things that are worth the extra calories for me. One of those things are these butter spritz cookies.

These cookies hold a special place in my heart. They are my Great-Grandma Rica's recipe. She would make a special tin just for me every Christmas for as long as I can remember. She was one of the most giving, kind, and magical people I have ever had the chance to know. Plus she could bake and cook like nobody’s business!

I'm excited that I have this recipe to share with my family, friends, and now you!

I will definitely say these do NOT fall in the category of healthy recipes, they are definitely a treat. Could I have tried to find a way to make them a bit healthier? Sure. But I'm not messing with GG's recipe.

So if you're ready to be merry and enjoy these melt-in-your-mouth cookies, read on!

Ingredients

• 1 lb butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure almond extract
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 4.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325*F 
• In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar 
• Add in egg and extracts until combined 
• In a separate bowl mix together the flour and baking powder to combine 
• Slowly add in flour 1 cup at a time (dough will be heavy, I use our stand mixer to ensure that everything is mixed properly) 
• Place desired disc in your cookie press* (we love the christmas trees, snowflakes, and wreaths) 
• Place dough into the cookie press and press them onto an ungreased cookie sheet
• Decorate with your favorite color of sugar sprinkles
• Place into the oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown (with our oven we usually bake for 14 minutes) 

This recipe will make 6+ cookie sheet pans full of cookies. We love sharing them with our family members, for holiday parties at school, or as gifts for colleagues. They also freeze well! So feel free to make a big batch for you and your family and take them out of the freezer when you want to enjoy them. They're yummy with milk, hot chocolate, or coffee! They're a favorite of santa's too! ;)

*The cookie press I've linked is the one that Nate got me for Christmas a few years ago. It's held up well and I love that the steel discs come in a carrying case. You do NOT need a cookie press to make this recipe. You can roll the dough into small balls and press them down with a fork (making a criss cross pattern), and they will be just as delicious!

Enjoy! I wish you peace and love this holiday season!

Barre Blend

Barre Blend is a new low-impact, high-intensity, and high-energy workout program from our very own barre expert, professional dancer, and Three Week Yoga Retreat co-creator, Elise Joan.

Barre Blend has been created as the perfect combination of ballet barre, Pilates, and cardio interval training to help you effectively burn fat and create a lean, toned physique.

The workouts are 30-40 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 6o days. Elise leads you through the workouts in real time, which means a unique workout every single day. It is like going to a new Barre Class in the comfort of your own home. You'll also have a super-supportive virtual community to plug into.

What's included in Barre Blend?

• 2 Prep Workouts: 20 minute Classic Full Body Blend and 20 minute Cardio Blend will introduce you to the program so you can get started right away!
• 40 Unique Workouts: The program is broken down into 4 phases with 5 workouts each week. Elise changes up the moves and increases the level of difficulty every 2 weeks so you keep seeing results. 
• 5 bonus "10-min Enhancement" Workouts: Target specific parts of your body for extra toning--like core, upper body, lower body, and booty--by adding a 10-min enhancement at the end of any workout. (There's also a 10-min cardio enhancement workout.) 
• 3 Recovery Workouts: Elise created 10 and 15-min Yoga Blend workouts anda  Roll & Replenish workout to help you stretch out, release tension, and increase mobility. 
• "I AM" Daily Motivation Cards: To promote a positive mindset and sense of gratitude, Elise chooses a Daily Motivation Card before every workout. Choose your own card daily to receive a powerful affirmation that will set you up for your best day and keep you motivated throughout the program. 
• "Get Started with Barre Blend" video: Learn what to expect over the 60 days of the program. From the steps to get you started, overview of the workouts, a brief introduction to the nutrition plan, and much more 
• 4 "Barre Basics" Videos: Elise wants you to be able to jump right in. That's why she filmed these 4 introductory videos--to demonstrate the moves and terminology you'll see throughout the program. 
• Barre Blend Introduction to Nutrition video: Elise walks you through the nutritional tools and solution recommended with this program to help you achieve your best results.
• Beachbody Guide to Nutrition: Nutrition is key to getting your best results, and this guide helps you upgrade your eating habits with delicious recipes and useful tips to optimize your performance and fuel your body. 
• Getting Started Guide + Workout Calendar: A quick overview of Barre Blend, so you know what to expect and which workouts to do each day. 

Pricing

 

Limited Time Offer--$20 off Challenge and Completion packs in the month of December

Challenge pack options will be available for sale beginning December 16th for customers, December 3rd for coaches. Those who are signed up as a coach--either to work the business or simply for the discount--have access to an exclusive coach-only group that will be run by Elise Joan herself. Please reach out to me if you want to be a part of this!

Barre Blend Transformations

  

Here are some real-life transformations of those who participated in the test group. Remember, results ALWAYS come from consistency, proper nutrition, and hard work.

Ready to Join Us?!
Think this program is for you? We would love to include you in our community. I will be hosting a challenge group for those wishing to complete Barre Blend from start to finish early in the new year! Please fill out this application so that I can learn more about you and what interests you in this program. I will be in touch soon!

Whole Wheat Pasta with Parmesan and Pine Nuts

This Italian girl has gotta have her pasta every once in a while. This recipe includes fresh basil, grape tomatoes, and pine nuts. These ingredients are light and fresh and allow you to have your pasta without feeling weight down.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Parmesan and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

• One box of whole wheat fusilli pasta
• 1/4 c pine nuts 
• 1/4 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4-1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
• Red pepper flakes, to taste 
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste 
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes for garnish

Instructions

• In a bowl mix together olive oil, pine nuts, parmesan, basil and red pepper flakes 
• Cover bowl with saran wrap and let stand 
• Cook pasta according to package instructions 
• Toss cooked pasta in the bowl with the olive oil mixture
• Garnish with cherry tomatoes, use salt and pepper to taste 

We don't make this recipe often, but when we do it's a special treat. I love adding extra tomatoes, or chicken for protein if we're in the mood for a bit of a heartier dinner. You could always add cooked shrimp too!

September Date Night In: Love at Ease

Who else has a hard time taking it easy? Resting when you need to? Nate and I both struggle with this. We're both full-time teachers, Gabe keeps us on our toes, and we both have other jobs that we love (I'm an virtual health and wellness coach, and Nate directs two local community choirs). This leaves little time for relaxing, especially since we like to make the most of our weekends, and keep our house (somewhat) clean and orderly. There are many days that we hit the ground running and go, go, go until our heads hit pillow at night.

I know we aren't the only ones.

This is one of the many reasons why we LOVE our Date Night In Boxes each month. It gives us the chance to plug into each other, to take a time out, and enjoy ourselves. This month's theme was all about taking it easy. Nate and I both appreciated it so much. We purposely scheduled this date night at the end of a particularly busy week.

We started the night by making a yummy pancake recipe. All of the recipes we've tried so far have been a hit in our household and have gone into our family cookbook for safe keeping. Plus, who doesn't love breakfast for dinner every once in a while?! During dinner we talked about what prevents us from feeling like we can take a break, and how we can better support each other when we do need a rest.

After dinner we plugged into the game they provided for us in our kit! It was a game of chance, and it was a lot of fun! I'm such a nervous nelly when it comes to betting on things, but I killed it.. (I'm noticing a theme with these games...) As we played this game, and completed our crossword puzzle (also provided in the box) we used our new brew buddy to brew the herbal bedtime tea, and ate our salted caramel and chocolate biscotti. They were both DELISH. I'm a sucker for a good cup of tea at night to help me unwind.

To end our date night, we stretched and relaxed even more with some couples yoga. As most of you know our family loves health and wellness and we often work out together. This gave us a new challenge of attempting yoga poses that relied on each other. It made us laugh and stretched out our sore muscles at the same time.

We continue to enjoy our date night in boxes each month. If you ever find yourself needing a little extra time for you and your significant other--check them out! 

Pumpkin Muffins

Fall is here!! Well... almost. For me, as soon as September hits, I am ready for all things fall: cooler weather, pumpkin spice, apple cinnamon, soups, crunchy leaves, football, ALL THE THINGS.

Baking is my love and hobby all year round. I especially get the itch during fall and winter. Making my house smell like cinnamon, apple, and pumpkin takes me back to my childhood when my grandmas and mom would make all of the yummy desserts for the holidays. 

These pumpkin muffins were the first fall recipe of the season for me, and they were a hit in our family! They are made with oat flour and flax, and they include blueberries for a kick of vitamin c. 

Pumpkin Muffins (serves 12) 

Ingredients

• 1/4 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk 
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 c pure pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tbsp canola oil 
• 1/4 c pure maple syrup 
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
• 2 c rolled oats (ground finely in a food processor or blender to make oat flour) 
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 c frozen blueberries (optional) 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Generously spray a muffin tin with cooking spray of choice
• Ground rolled oats in a blender or food processor until fine 
• In a medium bowl mix together the almond milk, apple cider vinegar, pumpkin puree, canola oil, syrup and extracts until the oil is well combined with the other ingredients
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oat flour, ground flax, baking soda, baking powder, salt, salt and cinnamon 
• Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix only until combined
• Gently fold in the frozen blueberries
• Scoop mixture into greased muffin tin until 3/4 of the way full 
• Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. After the first 20 minutes lower the temperature to 350 and continue to bake for 15-20 more minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes

If you would like, you can forego adding the blueberries to keep this strictly a pumpkin recipe. We love them both ways! 

Island Adventure: August Date Night In

Date Night In Box knocked it out of the park this month with their island adventure theme. A tropical menu and fun games made it one of our favorite boxes yet!  (And you better believe I dressed up for the occasion in my tropical shirt.) 

We made dinner and cocktails and enjoyed the table talk portion of the date night outside (we want to make sure to soak up as many evenings outside as we can before the weather gets chilly!). I always think this part of the date is fun, because the table talk guide gives us questions and topics that we normally wouldn't talk about on any other date.

After the dinner we made our own seashell candle. DNI provided the seashell, the wick, and the wax to melt. It was super easy and a lot of fun. Plus now we have a little memento of this date night.

Next we played all the Island Games: think Olympics, but Date Night In style. Nate and I are both just a LIIIIITTTLE competitive. The games were categorized by a matter of the body, a matter of the mind, and a matter of relationship. First up, matter of the body. We took our empty date night in box, used the golf tees and ping pong balls provided, filled our little squirt guns, set our timer and tried to knock the ping pong balls off the top with the water. It was hilarious, and I may or may not have squirted Nate more than once. Overall, tons of fun--and I was the winner.

A matter of the mind was next. We received word challenge cards, which included an assortment of letters and we had to come up with as many words as possible using those letters within the allotted time. I love games like this. Scattergories, Scrabble.... anything with words and letters, and I'm in!

After the word challenge, we played a game similar to the newlywed game. We were given a set of questions that we had to answer AND write what we thought our partner would say. It was pretty funny. Although, we did well with our answers. Nate and I are usually on the same page, so it was nice to see that if we ever have to do a game like this in public, we'd be okay.

Last but not least, we played an island version of battleship. Who doesn't love a good game of battleship? It takes me back to elementary school. I loved that game! I guess I'm a sucker for a good strategic game. Nate won this one... I guess we're even. ;)

To end our night we wrote a message in a bottle. We described ourselves and wrote a note of encouragement for the finder. We're not quite sure where we're going to leave the bottle yet (obviously we will not be, nor does DNI condone us throwing this in the water). If you have any ideas let us know! Where would be a fun location to leave a message in a bottle? Maybe a local park?

This DNI box was so full of activities that it kept us busy and having fun. My favorite part may have been the ping pong ball game though. Also--Congratulations to Kara, who won our giveaway!

Tropical Mango, Chicken, and Avocado Salad Bowl

The flavor combo of this salad bowl will take your mouth on a vacation. It's delicious, fresh, and refreshing. Even Gabe likes this one, although... he mostly picks out the fruit. I don't blame him though. The best part about this bowl is that you can chop up all of your fruit and make multiple servings at once for a family dinner, or to take as lunches for the week. It's a great meal plan/prep recipe!

Ready to jet set to a tropical island....? Let's go!

Tropical Mango, Chicken, and Avocado Salad Bowl, Serves 1 

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 2 Tbsp 100% pineapple juice
• 1 tsp EVOO 
• 1/4 tsp chili powder 
• 1/4 tsp sea salt 
• 1/4 ground cumin 
• 1/4 tsp black pepper 
• 3/4 cup cubed chicken breast 
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber 
• 1/4 medium mango, peeled and chopped 
• 1/4 medium avocado, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
• 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional) 

Instructions

• Combine vinegar, oil, pineapple juice and all spices in a small bowl, whisk to blend 
• Place chopped chicken, cucumber, mango, avocado, and pineapple in a medium bowl, mix well to combine 
• Drizzle with the pineapple juice dressing, toss to combine
• Top with cilantro, if desired 

I honestly think this salad gets better as the dressing has a chance to sit. So, if you can wait---let the combined salad chill in the fridge for about an hour or so for better flavor. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Muffins with Greek Yogurt Icing

Nate LOVES cinnamon rolls. He could eat probably six of them in a sitting. He grew up having them on Christmas morning while opening presents, so they have a special place in his heart. I love them too--I mean, who doesn't!? Cinnamon is a great thing, and if you put icing on anything--I'm game. But, we know that they're not the healthiest choice for us. As a treat every once in a while, sure! Something we can grab for a snack every day... ehh....

Enter these cinnamon roll muffins. Made with a combination of almond flour and all-purpose flour, sweetened with pure maple syrup and coconut sugar, and topped with a greek yogurt icing.. this is something you can for sure snack on every day if you'd like!

Cinnamon Roll Muffins, Serves 12 

Muffin Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar 
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup ghee, melted 
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup almond flour 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt 

Greek Yogurt Icing

• 3 heaping tbsp 0% plain greek yogurt 
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
  

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F 
• Line muffin tin with liners and set aside 
• Place sugar, coconut milk, maple syrup, ghee, egg, cinnamon and vanilla extract in a blender, cover and blend on medium until smooth. Set aside. 
• Combine all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, mix well. 
• Add dry ingredients to blender with wet ingredients. Blend until a smooth batter forms. 
• Pour batter evenly among muffin liners. 
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
• While muffins are cooling, make icing. Combine greek yogurt and powdered sugar in a small bowl, whisk to combine. 
• When muffins are cool, top each with 1 tsp of icing. 

Try them and see! They're delicious and definitely hit the spot when you're craving a cinnamon roll.

Black Bean Burrito Bowl

When I was in college Chipotle and Qdoba were on our short list of places to go grab a quick dinner. A burrito with queso, pico, sour cream, guac, cilantro rice, chicken, and grilled veggies.... I was in heaven. However, I know that this wasn't the healthiest choice.

College was a long time ago, but my love for Mexican food has not gone away. I have just found a way to make my own, healthy version. Using fresh pico de gallo, grilled chicken, greek yogurt, and avocado this burrito bowl hits the spot and is EVEN better than the college take out that I craved weekly.

So if you love a good burrito bowl as much as me, let's dive in!

Black Bean Burrito Bowl, Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked brown rice, warm 
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice 
• 3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed, drained, and warm 
• 1 1/2 cup grilled chicken breast, cubed 
• 1/2 cup shredded mexican cheese 
• 1 cup fresh pico de gallo (we love Trader Joe's mild pico) 
• 1/2 medium avocado, diced 
• 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt (0%-2%)

Instructions

• Combine rice, cilantro, and lime juice in a medium bowl, mix well 
• Evenly divide lettuce between serving bowls (4) 
• Top lettuce with cilantro-lime rice, beans (1/4 cup), Cheese (2tbsp), Pico (1/4 cup), Avocado
• Top each bowl with 1 Tbsp of Greek Yogurt
• ENJOY!

Sometimes we like to crush up some plantain chips for a bit of a crunch on top, or some tortilla chips! We also like making four servings and getting at least 2 meals out of it. This is a great leftover meal to pack for a lunch or to save for dinner another day.

Fresh Fruit Popsicles

I don't know about you, but once it hits a certain point in summer, I'm ready for cooler temps and fall. However, as a teacher, I also am torn because I don't want to wish summer vacation away. It's been HOT here. We've been doing everything we can to cool off including lots of trips to a little local lake and the community pool. Gabe has become a water bug and it's a lot of fun! Another thing we love to do as a family is share popsicles. However, I know how much sugar can be in the freezie pops that Gabe loves, so I came up with an alternative.

These homemade popsicles have chunks of mango, slices of kiwi and strawberry, and blueberries in them. They hit the spot on a hot day and they're toddler and husband approved.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp raw honey
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 mango, sliced
• 1 medium kiwi, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup strawberries, sliced 
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Instructions

• Heat up honey and water in a small pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Heat, stirring frequently for 5 minutes, until the honey and water are well blended. Cool to room temperature.
• While water cools, even distribute fruit into four popsicle molds, set aside
• Pour the lime juice into the water/honey mixture, stir until combined 
• Pour lime juice mixture into the molds, covering the fruit. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until set. 

I hope these help cool your family off on a hot day! Enjoy!

Dine and Dance: July Date Night In Box

We got back last weekend from our 24 day vacation to Michigan. When we got home our Date Night In Box was waiting for us....at our neighbor's house. The mailman failed to follow the instructions to stop our mail.... thank goodness for great neighbors! We were pumped to get it!

July's date was all about dining, dancing, and dashing.

Part of the instructions were to have the partner who doesn't make dinner as often, cook for the night. However, Nate and I both like to cook, and both cook dinner frequently, so we decided to make dinner together. It was a homemade pizza (one of my favorite meals!). We had a lot of fun! DNI provided our chef hats, pizza crust, pizza sauce, parmesan, and Italian seasoning. I personally loved wearing the chef hats. It put a silly spin on things, and I know that we can use them to bake with Gabe in the future (he has one of his own too!). The pizza turned out delicious! Pepperoni and banana peppers, which is a combo we frequently do at home or order in anyway. The menu spoke to my Italian soul. There was a vegetarian option as well. Gabe helped us make our dessert before we went to bed so we could refrigerate it and eat it cool: Cannoli dip with mini chocolate chips. All I can say is YUM!

While the pizza was cooking we did a choreographed dance. There were three dances to choose from: a fun wedding dance, a hip hop routine, and an old school dance number. Nate and I chose the wedding routine. I laughed SO HARD. I'm not the best dancer, and normally I don't get out on the dance floor unless Whitney's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" comes on, or I've had a couple of cocktails. The moves weren't hard (which I'm sure was on purpose), and Nate made up some silly moves of his own that kept me laughing the entire time.

After dinner and dancing we played a competitive game called Date Dash. We each took turns reading a card and giving 5 answers that corresponded to the category in 30 seconds. I won! Some of the cards were tricky, which made it even more fun. Then we played a game to find out which pizza is our spirit animal. Nate and I were both supreme. I guess we REALLY know that we're soulmates now. ;)

As always, we had a blast and can't wait for August! If you want to get in on the fun, here's the link to grab your own box!

Pesto Farro Salad

Farro is delicious. If you haven't had it, I definitely recommend it. There's something about the texture that makes us crave this salad weekly. Farro is the star ingredient, but the pesto, fresh arugula, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella pearls make it a delicious meal. 

We get our farro and vegan pesto from Trader Joe's. You should be able to find farro at your local grocery store with the other grains (rice and quinoa).  If you can't, you can always make a swap with rice or orzo. You can also substitute the vegan pesto with store-bought or homemade pesto.



Pesto Farro Salad, Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 Cup farro, uncooked 
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 
• 1 1/2 cup arugula
• 1/2 cup mozzarella pearls, halved 
• 1/2 container Trader Joe's vegan pesto (or a 6-8 oz jar store-bought pesto) 

Instructions

• In a large saucepan, cook farro according to package directions
• When the farro is done cooking, drain any water that remains, place in a medium serving bowl
• Stir in the pesto 
• Add tomatoes, arugula, and mozzarella, stir to combine

That's all there is to it! It's a really simple, delicious and healthy recipe. It's perfect for a busy middle-of-the-week dinner when you don't want to spend a lot of time preparing a meal. It's also a great side dish to bring to a potluck. If you don't want to eat it as a full meal you can always add a protein (grilled chicken, yum!) and have it as a side dish. Hope you enjoy!

Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken and Mango Dressing

As we start our trek back from vacation (we've been gone since June 26th!), my body is craving routine and fruits and veggies. Last year when we got back, by Nate's request, we had a salad week. I'm excited to add this one to our rotation for Salad week this year! It's loaded with chopped veggies, has a killer, homemade, mango dressing and is topped with grilled chicken breast....YUM! There are a few steps included in this recipe, but once it's all tossed together it's totally worth it. Let's do this!

Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken and Mango Dressing, Serves 2

Dressing Ingredients

• 1 cup ripe mango, chopped 
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves (packed if you would like more cilantro flavor) 
• 1 tsp red chili pepper paste 
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 
• 3/4 tsp sea salt 
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

Salad Ingredients

• 6 cups spring mix, divided 
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 mini cucumbers, diced 
• 1 bell pepper, sliced thinly, divided 
• 1 mini avocado, diced 
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 
• 1/2 cup mango dressing, divided 
• 20 plantain chips, crushed and divided

Instructions (Dressing)

• Place mango, cilantro, chili pepper paste, garlic, red wine vinegar, and salt to your blender 
• Blend on low until combined 
• Slowly add the olive oil until dressing thickens to desired consistency

Instructions (Salad)

• Marinate the chicken in 1/2 cup of mango dressing for 30 minutes to overnight (the longer you marinate, the stronger the flavor) 
• Grill the chicken to an internal temperature of 165°, let chicken rest for 5 minutes
• Divide spring mix, 3 cups each, on serving plates 
• Add 1 chopped cucumber, 1/2 sliced bell pepper, 1/2 diced avocado, 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro to each plate. 
• Thinly slice chicken breast and place on top of the salad 
• Pour desired amount of remaining dressing salad 
• Top with crushed plantain chips
• Enjoy! 

The fresh flavors of this salad, and the homemade dressing, will leave you craving it over and over again. I wouldn't be surprised if you add it into your favorite rotations for summer like we do!

Crunchy Chicken Salad over Sweet and Tangy Slaw

I'm all about meals that I don't have to cook in the summer. I don't love turning on the oven or even cooking on the stovetop--especially when it's hot out. Yes, we have air conditioning... I'm just a baby when it comes to being too hot. Anything that I can whip together with ingredients from the fridge is a win in my book. This one is full of veggies and is a perfect lunch for a hot day.

Crunchy Chicken Salad Over Sweet and Tangy Slaw, Serves 1

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp dijon mustard 
• 1 packet stevia (optional) 
• Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional) 
• 2 cups coleslaw mix
• 1 small apple, chopped, divided use
• 1 (5oz) can chicken breast (drained)* 
• 1/4 cup plain (0%) Greek Yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped celery 
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional) 

Instructions

• To make dressing: combine vinegar, oil, soy sauce, mustard, and stevia (if desired) in a small bowl; whisk to blend 
• Season with salt and pepper, if desired; whisk to blend. Set aside. 
• Combine coleslaw mix, half chopped apple, and dressing; toss gently to blend. Set aside. 
• Combine chicken, yogurt, celery, garlic powder (if desired), and remaining half appl in a medium bowl; mix well. 
• Top coleslaw mixture with chicken salad. Serve immediately. 

You could totally make a huge batch of the slaw as a topping for burgers or as a side dish for a potluck BBQ. As always--I'd love feedback if you try this recipe! It's one of our favorites in the summer.

*If you'd rather use tuna in this recipe you can definitely do that. Substitute your 5oz of chicken breast for 5oz of light albacore tuna packed in water, drained.

Great Love: June Date Night In Box

If I could go back to any point in history I think it would be the roaring 20s. Something about the glam of flappers, the danger of the gangsters, and the mystery of the speakeasies makes it my first choice if they ever come through with a time travel invention. This Date Night In Box allowed us to experience the fun and the mystery of the 20s without leaving the house. It did NOT disappoint. It has been our favorite box yet!

We started the night by making our cocktails and cooking the recipes from the recipe card. They were all Gatsby themed, which I was pumped about (The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite novels!). We decided on one appetizer, the entree, and the dessert and they were all delicious. We even made an extra batch of brownies to share with family and friends and they all RAVED about them. The Marina Makes recipes have not disappointed! The cocktail was a mint julep. I'm not a huge bourbon fan, but this is one way I can definitely enjoy it! We had dinner outside and had a lot of fun doing the table talk portion of the date.

We then moved inside and queued up the 1980s movie Clue (totally terrible and awesome at the same time), and started playing the games. The first game was a murder mystery game inspired by, you guessed it, Clue! But it also had a go-fish aspect. It was a ton of fun, and I kicked Nate's butt! Then we played the dominoes game Mexican Train. I've never played this before so we took our time reading the directions before diving in. I also won this game.... TWICE! You bet I rubbed it in ;)

We ended the night by enjoying our dessert and creating a time capsule. We filled it with items to remind us of now. Pictures of our family, items from our disney trip along with other trinkets and treasures. We hid it away in Nate's closet to be opened in 10 years or so. We can't wait to see how life and our family changes in those 10 years.

The only part of the box that we didn't enjoy on this night...but enjoyed later was the moonshine & co fudge! It was delicious but because we had those AMAZING brownies, we saved the fudge for a later day.

Overall--we had a blast and give this Date Night In Box and A+. Stay tuned for July......

Frozen Yogurt Bites

Frozen yogurt is a favorite summer treat. I love sampling flavors and putting toppings on. I mean with fruit and chocolate how can you go wrong?!

These strawberry frozen yogurt bites are just as delicious and you don't have to go out to grab a froyo treat when these are in your freezer! Plain greek yogurt is the main star in this recipe, but the pecan, coconut sugar, and coconut oil crust is DIVINE!

Frozen Yogurt Bites, Serves 6 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Melted 
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt (0% or 2%)
• 2 Tbsp raw honey 
• 1 1/2 cup strawberries, diced 

Instructions

• Line muffin tin with 6 parchment cupcake liners, set aside 
• Combine pecans, sugar, oil, and cinnamon in a blender or food processor, pulse till combined
• Divide mixture evenly among prepared muffin cups, press in gently to set 
• Combine yogurt and honey in a small bowl, mix well 
• Evenly top pecan mixture with yogurt mixture 
• Top with strawberries 
• Freeze until firm (4-6 hours) 

Tip: When removing from the muffin tin, gently set tin in warm water for 30 seconds. This makes them easier to remove.

You don't have to limit your toppings to strawberries, either! Mix it up with your favorite fruit or chocolate treat. Have fun!

Morning Meltdown 100

One thing that has helped me jump into, and stay on track with my fitness journey as a busy mom, full-time teacher, and virtual health and wellness coach, is being able to do my workouts from home. Even though I worked at the gym as a swim instructor and lifeguard for a bit while living in Chicago, I was TERRIFIED to exercise there. I needed something easier, more convenient, and less stressful. Doing at-home workouts has allowed me to try so many different modalities of fitness that I would have NEVER been confident enough to try at a gym. I now love lifting weights, and my love for cardio has grown. I also LOVE doing workouts and exercises that are unique and that work your entire body with each move. This is why I'm so excited about our upcoming program: Morning Meltdown 100.

What is Morning Meltdown 100? 

Morning Meltdown 100 is a fast-paced, high energy program designed to be completed first thing in the morning. However, if morning workouts are not your thing, DO NOT WORRY! These workouts can be done at any time of the day.

Commit to 100 workouts and you will build strength and burn fat. These workouts combine cardio and resistance-training to tone your entire body. Add in a live DJ to keep the energy high and you're guaranteed to lose weight and get toned! Complete 100 workouts and you will feel strong, empowered, and like the best version of yourself!

What makes MM100 unique? This is the very first Beachbody program that incorporates a LIVE DJ. DJ Jesse Blake ramps up the beat to help you speed up moves--adding extra intensity and excitement to your workouts. It'll make you feel like your workout is a party and give you the motivation to keep going! After your workouts you will be energized, refreshed, and ready to go! 

How Does This Program Work?

This program features 100 workouts broken into 5 phases of 20 workouts. In each phase, you'll do a 10 workout cycle of 20-30 minute workouts, and then ramp up the intensity and self-competition and repeat those workouts with added 100 second challenges--all designed to give you a rotation of cardio, resistance, and mind/body training. However you want to complete your 100 workouts is totally up to you!

Of course there are recovery days included along the way to give your body time to slow down, stretch, and enjoy some TLC. If you miss a day, or want to play (for a day off), you can always stack a workout with another. The program outlines exactly how to do that if you need to! As we all know, life happens! Sometimes we get sick, our kiddos get sick, sometimes there are meetings...etc. The beauty of at-home fitness is that we can fit it in when it is most convenient for us. The most important part of this program is to complete the 100 workouts that you committed to in the beginning, no matter how long it takes! 

Another key ingredient to your success with this program is the Be 100 Book. A beautifully designed, interactive, daily motivational tool and tracker that is designed to help you unlock your potential and guide your commitment as you journey through this program.

Is this Program Right for Me?

Yes!! Together, you and I will discuss your personal health and fitness goals, but this program is great for anyone who is interested in toning up, losing weight, and building muscle; those who want to avoid, or break, a weight-loss plateau; and those who enjoy short, at-home workouts with a variety so you never get bored!

Testimonials from the MM100 Test Group

A select group of coaches were chosen and given access to test out this program first-hand over the past few months. Everyone is RAVING about it and the results they are getting: 

"There are people of all different sizes, shapes, and ages in the test group... You're a badass athlete too... If you only believe."



"This last week, every time I see a video of myself, I'm like 'HOW is that ME?!' Neverrrr have I ever felt this freaking INCREDIBLE! Thanks to Beachbody and this workout, after seven years of marriage and two kids, we look better now than on our honeymoon."


"I have always considered my upper body to be weak. I even struggled carrying my daughter around for long periods of time. This weekend, we walked around the outlet mall near our house and she was getting hot, didn't want to walk, and wanted to be carried. Typically my husband does it because my arms get tired after 5-10 minutes. This weekend I was able to carry her myself. It may not seem like a big deal, but to me it was! Especially since she cuddled in and laid her head on my shoulder. Oh! And another victory--I woke up this morning the lightest weight I've ever been in a long time. I just can't get enough of this program!" 


"Some days are slow, some days are stretchy, some days require balance, and some days you get to FLY! I was honestly a little scared of a one-hundred-day program, but here I am three-fourths of the way through it and I can't believe it!"

When Can I Start?

Morning Meltdown 100 officially launches on Beachbody On Demand on October 1, 2019. However, offers go on sale in July and VIP early access begins on July 29, 2019.  You can sign up for a Beachbody On Demand Membership here.

Fill out this form if you're interested in getting in on this program and joining us for an accountability group. Once this program is live, you will be one  of the first ones to get plugged in!

Grilled Peach Salad

I feel like there are two types of people. Those who love fruit on their salad, and those who don't. I'm definitely someone who LOVES to add fruit. The little bit of sweetness it brings to a salad is so good that I wind up craving salad all summer long. What better season to do it than summer?! When the fruit is fresh and when you can grill it to get a bit caramelized..... YUM!

This bed of spring mix and arugula is topped with grilled chicken, grilled peaches, goat cheese, blueberries, candied pecans, and a simple vinaigrette. It is refreshing and delicious and you need to try it!

Grilled Peach Salad, Serves 2 

Ingredients (Candied Pecans) 

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans 
• 1 Tbsp honey 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 Tbsp water

Ingredients (Honey Vinaigrette)

• 1 Tbsp honey 
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 
• a pinch of salt

Ingredients (Grilled Peach Salad)

• 2 ripe, firm peaches
• 1/2 tsp olive oil 
• 4 cups spring mix
• 2 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 4 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese

I know! It seems like there are a lot of ingredients, but I PROMISE this salad is easy to throw together, and once you do it once, it'll be even easier the second time!

Instructions (Pecans)

• Place all ingredients into a small skillet on medium/high heat. 
• Allow honey mixture to boil and reduce until pan becomes dry 
• Add a touch of butter to let the pecans separate 
• Remove from the skillet and onto wax paper, spread to cool 

Instructions (Honey Vinaigrette) 

• Add all ingredients to a small dish or small mason jar, shake well to combine

Instructions (Grilled Peach Salad)

• Preheat Grill to high heat
• Cut peaches, and remove the pit, cut each peach into 4 wedges 
• Place the peaches in a bowl and toss with olive oil 
• Grill the peaches for 2 minute per side, remove gently
• Place the arugula and spring mix in the bowl with the candied pecans, blueberries, grilled peaches, and goat cheese
• Divide evenly among two serving dishes 
• Top with 2 Tbsp of honey vinaigrette
• Serve immediately

I hope you enjoy this salad. I love the combination of flavors. If you try it, it is sure to become a summer favorite! 

Healthy Taco Salad

Tacos Tacos Tacos! When we're not sure what to put on the menu for meal planning, tacos are always our go-to. These taco bowls last for two nights, and I get pumped when we have leftovers because it means I don't have to cook! They're super easy to throw together too--so even when you DO cook, it's a quick meal.



Taco Salad Bowls, Serves 4 

Ingredients

• 8 Cups, Hearts of Romaine Lettuce, chopped, divided use
• 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
• 2 Tbsp Homemade, or Low-Sodium Taco Seasoning 
• 1 Bag Frozen Cauliflower Rice 
• 2 Cups, Grape Tomatoes, halved, divided use
• 1 Cup Pico De Gallo, divided use 
• 1/2 Cup 0% greek yogurt, divided use 
• 1/2 cup plantain chips, crushed (optional)
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional) 

Instructions

• Brown ground turkey in a large skillet
• Add homemade taco seasoning (or packaged seasoning) and 1/4 cup water, reduce heat to medium/low
• Add 1 bag of frozen cauliflower rice
• Cook, uncovered, until heated through, about 7-8 minutes 
• Place two cups of chopped romaine on the bottom of your serving bowls
• Spoon in 1 cup of the taco mixture 
• Top with 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, 1/4 cup pico de gallo, 2 tbsp greek yogurt, and 2 tbsp plantain chips on top.
• Add chopped cilantro if desired

As you may have noticed, this taco salad skips the traditional crispy shell bowl and loads up on romaine and sliced grape tomatoes. Instead of rice, caulirice is used as a substitute, meaning that these taco bowls are truly veggies most! I promise, you won't even miss the rice or the crispy shell. You'll see...

White Bean and Basil Hummus

I could live off of snacks and so could Gabe. We love crunchy things, and we love to dip said crunchy things (plantain chips, carrots, cucumbers, veggies straws) into hummus. Our go-to hummus is the plain hummus from Trader Joe's; it's smooth and has a yummy, nutty flavor to it. However, I got a bunch of fresh herbs for Mother's Day and my birthday this year so I've been wanting to use them for fun new recipes! All of these things inspired this White Bean and Basil Hummus. Let's get started. 

Ingredients

• 15 ounce can low sodium white kidney beans
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves 
• 1/4 cup tahini 
• 3 Tbsp 100% lemon juice (or the juice of one fresh lemon) 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

Instructions

• Add all ingredients EXCEPT olive oil to a large blender or food processor
• Pulse ingredients a few times to start mixing the ingredients together 
• Add 1 Tbsp olive oil slowly and blend on high allowing the mixture to become smooth 
• Add in last Tbsp of olive oil and blend until the hummus reaches desired consistency 
• Place in a bowl and serve. 

That's it! This one is SUPER simple and it's a great side dish or snack dish to bring with vegetables to a party this summer. If you find that the consistency still isn't at its desired smoothness after 2 tbsp of olive oil, you can add up to 1 more Tbsp, 1/2 at a time. We found just two was perfect for us! You can definitely also play with different flavors. Chickpeas instead of white beans and different herbs instead of basil! Have fun!

Sensing More: May Date Night In

We were excited when our May Date Night In Box appeared on our doorstep. Unboxing is one of my favorite things to do, because it's always a surprise! 

Checking out our tasting card and our score card for the caramel taste-test. Baby Monitor included.

I was a bit surprised when I found that there wasn't a physical Date Guide like there was last month. However, this month's theme was all about using our five senses, and this is where our sense of sound came in. I'm a visual learner though, so I was excited to see they had an electronic copy of the Date Guide available online. I took a peek before we started. We listened as we prepared our meal (SUPER YUMMY) as well as when we did table talk while enjoying our Mediterranean-inspired small plates outside. Table talk made us think about our relationship through the use of our five-senses. It was unique and definitely made us think back to the past and laugh a little. We talked about things we remember each other wearing all the time, the first time we spotted each other (Ahh....youth camp love), the first meal we cooked for each other, and more! After we were done with table talk we moved inside to enjoy the rest of our night.

Next was the massage portion of the date. This was my favorite part. Nate's too--I never EVER give him a massage and I always ask for them, because I'm the worst. Date Night In gave us several different massage techniques to try. We had to read them and our partners had to guess which type of massage was being given. It was fun to guess. They played spa music in the background and it was truly like being at a massage parlor. I was a big fan.

We decided to break this date up into separate portions so we could enjoy them throughout the weekend. The next night we completed a puzzle together, which was filled with items that could enhance a date night in. After we completed the puzzle we had to recall what we saw while the puzzle was hidden. It's amazing what you miss when it's right before your eyes! It was fun to help each other out though.

Skip ahead to Monday nap time, because--why not? And we did the last part of the date. The caramel tasting. This reminded me a lot of wine tasting. There were several different caramel flavors and we had a tasting mat and a score card. We used our sense of smell first then our sense of taste. We scored them at the end. My favorite was basil cayenne. After our tasting we finished up with guided questions about our relationship. Sometimes these questions are my favorite part because they're not things that we would talk about normally.

All in all we had a wonderful experience again and cannot wait to see what June has in store for us! Want to check it out for yourselves? Click Here to go to Date Night In Boxes online.

Small Plate with Flat Bread from Trader Joe's. All recipes were included in oru Dat

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Do you have chocolate cravings too? I'm totally guilty of having them more often than not. I've found a healthy way to curb those cravings. 

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding.



It's so delicious and it kicks the cravings right to the curb. I like to top it with a touch of greek yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup and a couple of dark chocolate chips. YUM!!

It's also super easy to make. You just have to have a little bit of patience while it sets!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Chia Seeds 
• 1/2 Cup Almond Milk 
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Pure Maple Syrup, divided use
• 1 tsp Cacao powder 
• 3 Tbsp plain greek yogurt, divided use
• 4-5 dark chocolate chips 

Instructions

• Place chia seeds, almond milk, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, and 2 tbsp greek yogurt in a bowl and stir well 
• Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight 
• Stir once or twice while refrigerating so it sets evenly 
• Once to the consistency you prefer, top with 1 tbsp greek yogurt, 1 tsp maple syrup, and chocolate chips!  

I hope you enjoy this healthy chocolatey treat as much as I do!

Simple and Quick Tomato Pasta

This pasta is perfect when you need an easy and quick dinner that's also healthy! It combines super simple ingredients and a mix of herbs and spices to give it a little kick.

Coming from a big Italian family, pasta is definitely a comfort food for me. This puts a bit of a healthy spin on things. It's not loaded with oil and cheese or even meaty sauce. Instead, there is a simple tomato sauce throughout with tons of extra veggies. It's a perfect go-to for a mid-week dinner!

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked brown rice pasta 
• 2 cloves of chopped garlic
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 2 cups baby portobello mushrooms, chopped 
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 pinch of red chili pepper flakes 
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to directions on packaging (time will vary) 
• While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
• Add in the garlic and allow to heat through (about 2 minutes) 
• Add in the chopped tomatoes and sliced mushrooms, cayenne, and paprika 
• Once those have cooked add the tomato puree and stir through 
• Finally, add in the spinach, mixing occasionally until it wilts 
• Reduce heat to medium-low
• Drain the pasta, and stir it into the sauce
• Add salt and pepper to taste. 

This pasta is best served immediately! Bon Appetit!

Holidays and Balance: Burpees, Bubbly, & Buttercream Frosting

With May comes a lot of exciting things at our house. Mother's day, my birthday, and Nate's birthday all fall in the month of May and we love to celebrate! In the past this month of celebration would have been just cause in my mind to take a break on all things dealing with health and wellness.

NOT ANYMORE!

Burpees and Bubbly Tank from Fit & Flirty Use code glocke15 for 15% off your order!

I fully believe in living a lifestyle that is as balanced as can be. As a mom, wife, full-time special education teacher, and an online health and wellness coach I am BUSY! I focus my nutrition on eating by the 80/20 rule. 80% healthy, 20% treats--or even cleaner on most weeks. This lifestyle has completely changed my life. It helped me lose 30 pounds when I first decided to make a change and then 40 pounds after having Gabe. I'm not about to look back.

Eating healthy and doing at-home fitness programs has allowed me to find the balance I need in my life. I stay on track as much as possible, and allow myself to have a treat without feeling the guilt I have felt in the past. I also absolutely LOVE baking and being in the kitchen. It is a huge passion and hobby of mine. Cupcakes are my favorite thing. I also like to take things and try to make a fun, and (healthier) spin on them. Check out the recipes section of the blog to find some inspiration for your meal planning!

For all of the celebrations this month I partnered with Fit and Flirty a lifestyle brand whose mission is to "encourage every single lady to recognize that no matter where she is on her fitness journey, she is beautiful, powerful, and should be celebrated." When I found Anna, the owner of this company, on Instagram, I was so excited! She is one of the kindest most motivated women I have ever met, and we have the same goal of sharing a balanced, healthy & active lifestyle.

We brainstormed together to bring you the recipe for these Vanilla Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream Frosting. Inspired by our mutual love for bubbly & health and wellness as well as my love for buttercream frosting. The cupcake is a health(ier) take on a normal cupcake. The frosting is definitely a treat--so make sure to enjoy every bite!

Without further ado--let's get baking!



Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour 
• 1/2 cup coconut flour 
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt 
• 1/2 cup unsalted grass-fed butter (you may also use earth balance vegan sticks!) 
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar 
• 4 large eggs 
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) 
• 3 cups powdered sugar 
• 2 tbsp champagne (of choice!) 

Cupcake Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Place cupcake liners into your baking pan, set aside. 
• Combine almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside. 
• Cream together 1/2 cup unsalted butter and coconut sugar in a mixing bowl; beat on medium speed for approximately 1 minute. 
• Add eggs one at a time; beat until well blended. 
• Add 1/4 cup almond milk and extract; beat until blended. (The mixture will look watery--do NOT worry!) 
• Add almond flour mixture to butter mixture slowly; beat until creamy; scraping the sides of the mixing bowl as needed 
• Spoon batter into prepared cupcake pan; filling liners about 3/4 full. 
• The batter will be a bit sticky. Spoon it into the cupcake liners and gently smooth the tops as best as you can. (don't worry too much about the tops because--well, CHAMPAGNE FROSTING!) 
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
• After 5 minutes transfer to cool on a baking rack.

Frosting Instructions

• Cream butter in mixture until very smooth 
• Add 2 cups of powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, blending each cup until smooth. 
• Add in 2 tbsp of champagne, mix thoroughly 
• Add in final cup of powdered sugar, blend until smooth 
• (optional) add in a fun natural food coloring to make it your favorite color! 

These are the perfect treat for birthdays, mother's day, and any celebration. ESPECIALLY if you love champagne and cupcakes! Enjoy!

Burpees and Bubbly Tank from Fit & Flirty Use code glocke15 for 15% off your order

Sweet Potato and Apple Salad

When we whipped up this salad last weekend we knew we had to share it. It is SO YUMMY. Sweet potato and apple are the stars, but the marinated chicken packs it full of protein and the chopped pecans add an extra delicious crunch. It's on our rotation again this week and we plan to make leftovers to take in our lunches the next day! That's how good it is! 

Sweet Potato and Apple Salad (Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 6-8 cups of Spring Mix Salad Greens
• 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 6 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 6½ tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided use 
• ½ lb raw boneless, skinless chicken breast 
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and sliced thin
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon 
• 2 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese 
• 2 Tbsp raw pecan pieces

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°
• Combine mustard, vinegar and honey in a medium bowl, whisk to blend 
• Slowly add 6 tsp of olive oil, whisking while you pour, until blended 
• Place three-fourths of the vinegar mixture in a resealable bag. Add chicken; mix well. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Set aside remaining mixture to use as salad dressing. 
• While chicken is marinating, slice and prepare apple and sweet potato 
• Combine sweet potato and apple slices in a medium bowl, add remaining olive oil and cinnamon; toss to blend 
• Place apples and sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lightly coated with spray. Bake for 15 minutes, flip and mix, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until tender. Set aside to cool. 
• Remove chicken from marinade (discard used marinade) and grill or bake (if baking, bake at 425° for 10-12 minutes or until cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F) 
• Combine spring mix, sweet potato and apples, chicken, feta, and pecans; toss gently. 
• Drizzle with remaining dressing; toss gently 
• Divide evenly between serving plates.

I hope you enjoy this salad as much as we do! It's definitely one that will be sticking around for our meal planning this summer! 

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I've posted so many times about my love for peanut butter. If peanut butter could be my spirit animal, it totally would be. Pair peanut butter with chocolate and I'm definitely in love. Which is why you see them as a common pairing among my sweets and treats recipes on the blog. These cookies are made with only 7 ingredients, they're chewy and delicious, and the ingredients are definitely going to surprise you.

Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa, cooked according to package
• ½ cup all natural peanut butter (peanuts should be the only ingredient!) 
• 5 Tbsp pure maple syrup 
• 1 dash sea salt
• 1 tsp (I let it run over) pure vanilla extract 
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (60%+ Cacao), divided

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cook quinoa according to package instructions.
• While quinoa is cooking, lightly coat two large baking sheets with spray. Set aside. 
• Combine cooked quinoa, peanut butter, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, and egg in a large bowl; mix thoroughly. 
• Fold in ⅔ cup of dark chocolate chips; mix until melted and blended. 
• Drop by Tbsp onto prepared baking sheets. 
• Add remaining chocolate chips to the tops of each cookie
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until set. 
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets after removing from the oven. 
• After 5 minutes, transfer cookies to a cooling rack (or parchment paper) and allow them to cool completely. 
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

I know what you're thinking.... Quinoa?! For cookies!? Don't knock it till you try it! They are chewy and mouth-wateringly delicious. Plus, who says no to peanut butter and chocolate in any form?

Let Love Grow: Our First Date Night In Box

As most of you know, Nate and I are toddler parents. Gabe is our life! However, getting out for a date night isn't always on our list of priorities, even though we would like it to be. Are you a toddler parent too? How often do you get out for a date night with your significant other?

Nate and I are so fortunate to have his parents nearby. They LOVE to babysit Gabe. When they aren't available, we have some great teachers from Gabe's school that we can reach out to. Yet, we still don't get out very often. In fact, we're homebodies and totally okay with it.

That's why when we stumbled upon Date Night In Boxes we were pumped! We tend to be creatures of habit and our lives are busy so most times we love to just sit on the couch together with a bowl of popcorn. Having a curated date with no pre-planning necessary was super appealing. It's also a refreshing way to mix things up and break out of our routine.

This date night was amazing. We got a menu with simple, delicious recipes, step-by-step instructions for fun activities to do together and even a Spotify playlist to play in the background while we had our date. Best of all, we were able to do this after Gabe had gone to sleep for the night, no babysitter needed!

We jumped in with meal prep. Honestly, Nate crushed this all on his own. We wanted to get ready for each other and break out of our joggers and hoodie routine, so while I got ready, Nate prepped the meals, then we swapped and I plated everything. We started out with a blackberry mint cocktail (it could also be made into a mocktail), dined on an entree of farro with fresh pesto and veggies, and had lemon cookies for dessert. Everything was DELICIOUS. We made a few tweaks to the recipes (we used vodka instead of limoncello for the drinks and got vegan pesto from Trader Joe's instead of making our own), but we stored the recipe card for safe keeping to use in the future. They are definitely recipes we'd like to revisit. 

It was a beautiful spring night here in Central, PA so we decided to have dinner outside. Date Night In provided us with a candle for the table, so we lit the candle and queued up the Spotify playlist and sat down to dinner. While we ate we started the guided activities. The first activity was table talk. In the theme of let love grow, we talked about the different stages in relationships. We read the descriptions out loud and discussed whether we thought our relationship was currently in that stage, beyond it, or if it would be a stage we would get to in the future. It was fun to talk about the past and exciting to discuss our future.

After dinner we moved inside to finish our activities. First we planted our own basil plant with the kit we received in the box. We're super excited to watch it bloom and grow on our windowsill. Then we did our relationship timeline. This was all about the future. We rolled a die and whatever number came up we would discuss what we wanted for our relationship in 3 weeks, 5 months, 6 years, etc. This activity was tougher than we thought it would be. Sometimes it's hard to think that far in advance for me. Nate wasn't much better, so we took turns. A future Disney trip and more baby Glockes found their way onto our timeline. 

We ended our night with a game and our cookies! Our Night In Box came with dual sided cards. One cards had questions designed to bring people closer together. The other side was a regular set of playing cards. Some of the questions were silly and others were very serious. I loved doing this activity with Nate. It definitely was great to talk about all the things, and now we have a sweet new set of cards to play cribbage with (does this make us old?)

Overall we had a blast, connected and talked, and enjoyed ourselves and all of the activities that were provided. We are looking forward to our next Date Night In Box!