Breakfast for Slackers

I want to get up in the morning and make amazing breakfast. Frittatas, huevos rancheros with tomatillo salsa, curried vegetable hash, omelets, and so much more. But I am a morning slacker. I am doing good to get out of bed and dressed in the morning. Cooking a meal is not going to happen.

So what do you do when you need an easy solution to eating a healthy breakfast?

Smoothies!!

Once I realized how simple smoothies were to make I was hooked. They can be made to accommodate most any diet, and with a little planning can be made in just a minute.

 Here is the basic ratios I use when making smoothies.

1 Cup liquid
1 Banana
1 Cup frozen fruit
1 TBSP peanut or almond butter or 1 scoop protein powder


For the liquid I generally use almond milk. I have seen several recipes that also use fruit juice, but I have not personally tried any of them yet.

The banana acts as a thickener. I have seen recipes that also use apples as the thickener, or you can add more fruit.

You can use fresh fruit as well, but the frozen fruit helps to keep it cold and you won't have to add ice.

I use almond butter to keep with the paleo diet, if you aren't paleo peanut butter will work as well. I go between the almond butter and protein powder depending on my mood and what flavor I am looking for.


OK so how does this work for a morning slacker like me?

I start by using the measuring lines on the blender for the liquid, just pour it right in. Peel the banana and drop it in next. For the fruit, you can pre-measure 1 cup servings and put them into zip locks or Tupperware (which you can order from me your favorite Tupperware lady) in the freezer so all you have to do it pull it out and dump it in. Add a quick scoop of almond butter or protein powder. Put the lid on and blend it up.

If you are on the go in the mornings a magic bullet or other similar thing will help so you can make the smoothie in a to go cup.

Throughout the month I will be posting some of my families favorite smoothie recipes.

Las Vegas New Year's Kick Off!

Ok Vegas guys and gals! Let's do the 1 mile Resolution Run! I am thinking we will all walk together and let the slowest person set the pace. This is a great way to start off our healthy new year!!

Here is a link for the event. It is a nice short distance and pretty flat course. You can find more information at the Elemental Running link below.

Elemental Running Resolution Run

For those of you who don't live in the Las Vegas area look for a race close to home. If you can't find one grab a few friends and make your own!!

Remember this is not about a fast time, but if you can run a mile go for it. This is about showing our support for each other and taking our first steps towards a healthy new year together!!

Disclaimers and all that good stuff

Please remember this blog is in no way meant to take the place of professional medical advice.

This is just a collection of things I have found to be useful in my own experiences.

If you are extremely out of shape, overweight, or have any medical issues you need to go see your doctor and ask them what your limitations are before you start any diet or exercise routine. I am sure most doctors will be thrilled to hear you are taking steps to be healthier!

Eating Better

There are so many brilliant ideas out there for what to eat to lose weight, to cure disease, or to just be healthy. I have seen a few of them in action and considered following several.

My family has finally settled on a paleo diet, with a little bit of resistance from the kids until I told them we could still eat bacon. The paleo diet is also referred to as a hunter gatherer diet and is quite often paired with an exercise regimen that is not for the faint of heart. But the results I have seen are pretty amazing.

On a paleo diet you eat meat of all kinds with a preference for organic and grass fed. You will eat fruits and vegetables, with a preference for non starchy vegetables. Healthy fats like avocado, coconut, olive oil, seeds and nuts. This is a really short list but the basic idea. Things you won't find on a paleo diet are dairy, grains, sugar including artificial sweeteners, and anything overly processed.

Looking at the food list I would like to point out that this diet is a great idea for anyone who is a celiac, or is lactose intolerant. It is also an excellent plan if you have a husband who has firmly declared that people are meant to eat meat and he will have none of that vegetarian nonsense.

If this is a diet you are considering I suggest picking up a cookbook to use as a guideline while you relearn how to cook following the paleo plan. I picked up Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso at Costco for around $25. It has great pictures and food lists as well as an exercise and menu plan. You can find more info about Sarah and Everyday Paleo on her website http://everydaypaleo.com/.

What kinds of diets have you considered? Are you looking at cutting sweets or fast food? Is portion control something you think you could benefit from?

I look forward to some positive feedback from you!

You can also buy the book Everyday Paleo through this link.