Instagram @fitnfreekate

Turkey burger topped with sautéed mushrooms, kale, onions, garlic and sundried tomatoes. A large side salad with kale, red cabbage, almonds and Parmesan cheese with an olive oil/balsamic drizzle. My 25 days are over sooo I had Apothic Red cab as my date.

Instagram @fitnfreekate

Overflowing wheatgrass shot. Perfect way to start the day!

Lockwood Love

I wasn't always a huge breakfast fan. I always ate breakfast but I would very rarely go out to breakfast. 

Things have changed. Now? I love it. There's something about getting up a little early and sitting at a cute breakfast spot, sipping a latte, knowing you have the whole day ahead of you. It's one of my favorite things. 

I recently discovered a hidden gem in Solana Beach called Lockwood Cafe. It was such an amazing experience I had to share. 

*Cucumber and lemon slices in the water-already got me*

*Lavender-infused latte- enough said*

*Greek yogurt with cinnamon, homemade jelly and fresh strawberries*

*A trio of sauces- just because. Pomegranate balsamic ketchup, habanero basil salsa and Sriracha aioli. What.The.Hell. *

*Avocado & turkey wrap with a side of strawberries*

*Turkey bacon and gouda egg souffle, roasted red potatoes and multi-grain toast*

If you live in San Diego, you MUST check this place out. If you don't, I'd book a ticket just to come experience it. Phenomenal. 

Eating out doesn't have to be boring

I recently went to one of my favorite places, C-Level. It has one of the best views of downtown San Diego and the food is off the charts. 

Eating out can definitely be more challenging when you are trying to stick to a strict dietary regime, however, you can still have an amazing meal and experience without feeling deprived. I almost always order a few apps and then spilt an entree so I'm able to try a few different things!  

*Raw oysters*

*Mixed green salad with walnuts, veggies and a light balsamic dressing*

*Tuna Tartare*

*Macadamia nut crusted sea bass with a side of grilled veggie skewers*

I was satisfied, intrigued by each dish we received and left with no guilt- Success. 

Live in the NOW

I’ve realized more than ever recently that I am very guilty of doing too many things at once and not just enjoying the moment. I feel like I’m always trying to get ahead and that I MUST always utilize my time efficiently or I will never have the life I’ve envisioned. 

I’m in front of a computer all day at work and on my phone. As soon as I get home, I’m listening to my iPod while running on the treadmill, while watching the news…then I open my laptop to work some more….while texting or talking on the phone, with the TV on in the background. Scary. 

Could I blame most of this on work? I could. But I won’t. Because the reality is, it’s me. I wish I could blame someone or something else. It’s easier that way. However, the bottom line is I need to be better about thinking the world is going to end if I’m not constantly doing something. It’s no way to live!

There have been many times I was out to lunch with someone while texting, on the phone talking to someone about their day while composing an email, etc. The list goes on. I’m not proud of it and I want to change. It is these very moments that I am missing out on because I am never fully “present” and that is not OK with me. I told myself I would work on this and make it a priority, otherwise I am going to miss out on things I don’t even know I’m missing out on?! Seriously. Effective immediately. Can anyone identify with this? Think you may struggle with the same affliction?

This article fell in my lap today and it was spot on. Life really does fly by and although we are all busy, have agendas and are all trying to get ahead and just survive- we need to take a step back and enjoy the moment. Appreciate the little things, the now. This article talks about a few ways we can work on this.

Click here

***

***

***

***

***

This weekend, appreciate the little things, the moment :)

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.”

― Henry David Thoreau

Instagram @fitnfreekate

Veggie delight: Roasted sweet potatoes with olive oil, Himalayan pink salt, pepper and parsley. Roasted asparagus with olive oil, red pepper flakes, lemon juice and s&p. Quinoa with capers, sundried tomatoes, parsley and pinenuts. Drizzled over it all is the soup I just made from Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet book, Harvest Soup. It sounds weird but it tasted SO good. I made a big batch of the soup and decided to add some as a "sauce" damnnnnnn good. 

For anyone interested in making this amazing soup click here. I usually make a big batch of this for the week and have it for breakfast (yup), lunch or dinner! 

Instagram @fitnfreekate

Gluten free pasta, roasted broccoli, sundried tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. The sauce was made with olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and a tiny bit of milk. Amazing thanks to my sister!

It's official. I'm obsessed. This was the basic vanilla with Blueberries, goji berries, sprouted almond milk, yacon, avocado, raw cacao, cinnamon, bananas, dates, vanilla beaming protein powder, and spirulina. A very healthy obsession. 

Check them out! http://www.livebeaming.com

Instagram @fitnfreekate

I. Did. It. Again. Lisa's Lean & Green: Sprouted almond milk, coconut water, avocado, superfood greens, hemp seeds, beaming protein, sea salt, maca, chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla and goodness!!

Instagram @fitnfreekate

Highlight to my day at work. Beaming Antioxidant Elixir: alkaline water, coconut waster, ginger, lemon juice, honey #, tumeric, mint, cayenne and sea salt. Beautify, metabolic boost, anti-inflammatory. You gotta check out Beaming! It's the best in SD. 

March Challenge

So........

I recently decided I needed to spruce up my fitness regime. 

I'm pretty good about changing it up with tennis, interval training, hikes, hot yoga, etc. However, I have been craving something different. 

I came up with a "challenge" for myself for the month of March but technically I started today so all of you are welcome to join me. 

The challenge:

100 squats every day (with weights if you are feeling up to it)

1 plank per day, increasing by 1 each day (Monday-1, Tuesday-2, etc.) then starting over again after Sunday

50 pushups every other day

Super simple, right? Who's with me? 

If you are anything like me, when I set goals I like to accomplish them! So this is a perfect way to set a goal for yourself, all while getting in shape!

***

***

***

***

Come on guys, let's do this! Imagine how amazing you will feel at the end of the month. And trust me, your glutes, arms and entire body will be thanking you!

Instagram @fitnfreekate

*Gluten free oatmeal with coconut oil, sliced almonds, honey, cinnamon and chia seeds. Great start to a Sunday morning! Carpe dieem*

Spaghetti Squash & Chicken Meat-a-ball-za!

I love pasta. I do. However, I never allow myself to have it because not only is it full of empty calories but it tends to make me feel heavy and sluggish afterwards. No bueno. 

The solution? 

Spaghetti Sqaush. 

Yup. 

Spaghetti squash is the perfect way to get your pasta fix and will leave you wanting to do cartwheels, not pass out. 

I topped the spaghetti squash with chicken meatballs, veggies and some homemade sauce (for the most part). It was delish. 

Ingredients:

1 large spaghetti squash

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

2 large broccoli florets

1 cup mushrooms

1/2 cup onions

1/2 cup parsley

1 tsp crushed garlic 

1 jar of tomato sauce ( I used Gina Rispoli-GF, organic, all natural)

1 package of meatballs ( they can be turkey or chicken-whichever you prefer)

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

shredded parmesan cheese  

Himalayan pink salt

fresh ground pepper

*Pre-heat oven to 375. Cut spaghetti squash in half. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Put it in for about 40 minutes

Cut up all the veggies, drizzle them with olive oil (or coconut oil) and salt n pepper. Roast them for about 20 minutes or so.

I threw the mushrooms and the meatballs in a pan with a little olive oil and sauteed them. The meatballs were already cooked so it was just to warm them up. Mushrooms cook really fast so I didn't want to throw them in with the other veggies.

For the sauce, I just threw the can of tomato sauce in a pan. I added the garlic, onion, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and lots of pepper. You can add anything you want to the sauce and just do a taste test to see what it needs!

***

When the spaghetti squash is done, let it cool for a little bit so you don't burn the crap out of your hand. Then take a fork to the sides of it and slowly pull it apart. If it's done, it should come right out. 

Put a scoop of the spaghetti squash on a plate, add the veggies, the meatballs, parsley followed by some parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy!

Green Goddess

I was recently inspired by one of my really good friends to consume as many greens as I can this month. She is such an unbelievable inspiration for health and wellness. Do yourself a favor and check out her blog @ http://babybefree.wordpress.com/ You can thank me later. 

Upon arising this morning, I was overly excited to make toast and scrambled eggs with coffee. I went to bed a little hungry last night so when I woke up this morning, my stomach was growling like I hadn't eaten in days. I can't remember the last Saturday morning where I had absolutely nothing to do. It was glorious. As I made my way to the kitchen, stumbling with overeagerness, I stopped and had a moment of clarity. March=Month of greens. "Put the bread back, Kate"...the voice in my head said to me. And although it was Dave's Killer Bread...I still was able to return the loaf safely back to its home. Did it hurt a little? Yes. Was I eyeing the shelf it lives on like a stalker while blending? YES. 

But I must celebrate my heritage, right? St. Patty's Day/Month was a perfect excuse to go green. Without further ado, I busted out the blender and went to town. Thanks to Cheri. 

Here is my creation

*Green Goddess*

1 cup of spinach

1/2 cup of carrots

1/2 a lemon

1/2 cup parsley

1/2 a zucchini

1/2 a cucumber

1 apple ( I used Pink Lady)

4 celery stalks

1 tsp chia seeds

1 cup of coconut water

sprinkle of cinnamon on top

a drizzle of raw honey on the top (for pazazz)

***

Have a relaxing Saturday!