What can I say… I’ve been MIA lately. Life happens. And since then I’ve naturally come up with some delish clean recipes that I must share. Summer is coming up… and we all know what that means…. more SUNSHINE and SWIMSUITS. Also means time to clean up that nutrition and get it in gear at the gym. Today was some steady state cardio for Sunday RUNday and abs circuit but tomorrow I’ll be back at it with high intensity interval training (HIIT) and a strengthening circuit.
Here’s what’s on tap for the gym tomorrow:
On the treadmill, 5 rounds of…
5 min. 0% incline 6.0-7.0 mph
3 min. 7.0-9.0 mph
3 min. 5% incline 4.5 mph walk
Repeat x5
Complete it with 5 min. cooldown walk at 4.0 mph
Feel. The. Burn. (and I promise you will sweat your buns off)
My strengthening circuit will include a workout from my favorite ToneItUp girls called the Bikini Strap Workout followed by their Sun Kissed Abs routine… these girls are seriously fit and will get your booty ready for swimsuit season FAST.
Sorry, but I had to… How can you resist this face? (I am obsessed with my new pup, Bo, and I can already tell he’s going to make the best running buddy).
My dad was visiting this weekend but I didn’t let that get me out of my routine and we ended up having a fun and active weekend. We did some serious hiking while he was here and went to my favorite restaurants, all of which offer fresh, organic and healthy food. Dad loved it! Our splurge for the weekend… Our favorite frozen yogurt at MOJO. So yummmmm. Eating out isn’t always that simple but some good rules to live by when eating out include:
- Plan ahead. Look at the menu online and nutritional info, if they offer it, so you already know what you’re going to order and you’re less likely to stray from the healthy options.
- Skip the bread basket. All those processed carbs and butter add up! If you need something to snack on before your main dish order some fresh veggies and hummus or salsa, a side salad with the dressing on the side, or edamame for added protein if you’re out for sushi.
- Don’t drink your calories. Skip the sugary sodas and foofy cocktails and order water with lemon or sparkling water or even fresh pressed juice if they offer it. If you want a cocktail, go for a glass of red or white wine, champagne, or light beer.
- Ask for salad dressing on the side. Ditch the creamy stuff and go for olive oil and vinegar or a vinaigrette on the side.
- Always go for the red sauce instead of the white sauce. Still has great flavor without the extra fat and cream.
- Split the main dish with a friend or order the small/medium portion if it’s available. Our restaurants are notorious for giving us plus plus sized portions… Leaving our country with a plus plus obesity epidemic.
- Order your meals baked, broiled, or steamed. Careful with steamed veggies, they can have a lot of added butter so ask for it without added butter or oil. Don’t be afraid to ask for food the way you want it!
Just another pic from my fave restaurant, True Food Kitchen. I ordered Kale Aid and Strawberry Chopped Salad with added chicken for protein… So good I didn’t even need the dressing!
This weekend I definitely had a craving for Italian but wanted to keep it clean. I did a little searching around and found some ideas for a Cauliflower Crust Pizza.. What’s that you might say? Exactly what it sounds like, but the entire crust of the pizza is made from cauliflower pulsed in a food processor mixed with other yummy ingredients. It was definitely an experiment but it turned out tasting great… Only thing is I could have baked it a little bit longer to make some extra crunch in the crust.
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
- 1/3 cup low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed garlic
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- olive oil (optional)
- Lowfat pizza sauce, shredded cheese and choice of your toppings*
Instructions
To “rice” the Cauliflower: Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. I steamed mine in the microwave for 8 minutes before adding to the food processor, no need to add water because the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough. Pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater but it is a process!). One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
To Make the Pizza Crust:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet covered in parchment paper, and using your hands, pat out into a 9″ round. Optional: Spray with olive oil spray for a little extra crunch.
- Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from oven.
- To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes. I added lowfat mozzerella, spinach, olives, red onion, and pre-cooked ground turkey. Be creative and use your favorite clean toppings!
Now off to enjoy the last day of my weekend! What are some of your tips for staying healthy for eating out??
Happy Sunday FunDay!

















