My Friday Favorites!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! It's suppose to be rainy in good ole WV, so it looks like an indoor weekend for my family!  What are you guys up to?

I am a creature of habit so there are many things that I like and continue to use/eat DAILY! Here are some of my favorites....

I can't get enough EGGS!! I could eat them morning, noon and night! My most favorite breakfast is eggs, steel cut oats with peanut butter and blueberries!!  OMG soooo very good! I feel a little cranky when I don't get to start my day off with the plateful of yumminess!!

My next favorite that I ABSOLUTELY can't live without is my butterfinger shakeo! It helps with my energy and allows me to kick butt and take names! It is my very favorite meal of the day!  Butterfinger in a cup, what gets better than that??????

Right, now my favorite fitness program is T25.  Really anything with Shaun T as my coach, I love, but T25 is my thing this month.  I am currently in the Gamma phase.  Lord have mercy it is challenging! I guess that is what I really love about it...everyday I have to fight to get through it!  It leaves me feeling so accomplished afterward!

Finally, I am into baking these days.  Taking yummy classics and putting a healthy spin on them.  This weekend is my kiddos dad's birthday. He loves rhubarb strawberry pie.  I made this from scratch, but used whole wheat flour instead of while all purpose flour.  It's funny I love baking but I rarely indulge in my masterpieces...especially this one...Ruhubard is GROSS!! It sure did turn out pretty!! If you are interested in the recipe, comment below and I'll send it to you!

What are some of your favorite things you enjoy on a daily basis???

It's HERE!!!!!

Awwww shucks today is the day.....SUMMER PROMOTIONS thru the 17th! SAVE MONEY, ummmm yes pls! SAVE MONEY and get healthy, duhhh of course!!!!

You want a true love, something that makes you feel great inside and out? You know you do, so go ahead and message me for details!

P.s. This app is way too much fun!!

Cassiebush14@gmail.com  or facebook.com/teamfitnessroyalty

Green Egg Skillet Bake

Can you say yum?????

Green Egg Skillet Bake

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp plus pinch sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 cups roughly chopped collard greens
• 3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 cups roughly chopped spinach
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 5 white mushrooms with stems, sliced
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt (NONDAIRY ALTERNATIVE: vegan cream cheese)
• 1 tbsp milk 1% milk (NONDAIRY ALTERNATIVE: light coconut milk)
• 2 tsp red chile paste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil on medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper and collard greens and cook, stirring, until vibrant green, about 3 minutes. Add 2 cloves garlic, cumin, oregano and pepper flakes and stir to combine. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat.
3. Mist a cast iron skillet with cooking spray. With tongs, remove spinach mixture from pot and transfer to skillet, leaving excess liquid in pot. Scatter mushrooms over top. Make 4 wells in spinach mixture and gently crack eggs into wells. Bake until eggs are set, 7 to 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk yogurt, milk, remaining 1 clove garlic and chile paste until combined. Distribute mixture in dollops over top of spinach mixture. If desired, serve with multigrain bread to soak up the egg yolks.

Nutrients per serving (1/4 of Green Egg Skillet Bake): Calories: 150, Total Fat: 9 g, Sat. Fat: 2 g, Carbs: 8 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 10 g, Sodium: 281 mg, Cholesterol: 212 mg

My Top 4 Personal Development Books

The Compound Effect

"Wherever you are in life right now is your own doing - good or bad" - Darren Hardy

The Compound Effect is based on the principle that decisions shape your destiny. Little, everyday decisions will either take you to the life you desire or to disaster by default. If you’re serious about living an extraordinary life, use the power of this book  to create the success you want. I've read this book several times and each time I walk away with more inspiration and motivation!  Great read, highly recommend!

The Power of Now

"Drop the negativity that your mind has created about the situation and that serves no purpose whatsoever except to strengthen a false sense of self." - Eckhart Tolle

This book was written with the intention to give us daily help and guidance in our day to day life.  Mr. Tolle emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment and not focusing on the past or future. This my go to reading material when life feels overwhelming. It truly brings you back to the present moment and allows the stresses of the past or future to melt away!




Failing Forward

“In life, the question is not if you will have problems, but how you are going to deal with your problems. If the possibility of failure were erased, what would you attempt to achieve?" - John Maxwell


This book talks about how people fail in their lives, and turn that around to and have a lifetime of success. It shows how people prepare for failure when it happens. The thing I liked most about this book was that it provides examples of real people in life. It showed that sometimes when people fail, they find success in life after their failure. When you fail you just have to remember that there is always another plan that God has for people. He explains how failure can result in good things. The only thing that matters when you fail is that you learn from your mistakes and try to better yourself. If you have never failed in life, then you haven’t tried to do anything outside your comfort zone. I could relate on so many levels, I have failed over and over again in my life.  In my life the word failure was connected to negativity...a bad word! I learned from Mr. Maxwell that failure goes hand in hand with success. If you don't ever fail, you've never truly lived and reached for your dreams! Don't be afraid to fail and fly, with practice, determination and persistence, you will achieve great success. I definitely recommend reading this book!!!

Manifest Your Destiny

"Conflict cannot survive without your participation." - Dr. Wayne Dyer

This book shows how living in love and faith will attract all good things to you. Dr. Dyer in a very simplistic way gives you a road map to achieve the life you were destined to live.  I find ALL his books bring such peace to my heart. A MUST read!!

Vegan Chocolate Shakeo vs Regular

Take a look at my first impression of Vegan Chocolate Shakeology!

FORGIVENESS!!

Every week I try to focus on one aspect of my life to work on in my personal development.  This week is forgiveness. As long as we hold onto the hurt and resentment from the past will remain a hostage in our life.  It isn't until we learn the art of forgiveness that our heart and soul will be free!

Skinny Tropical Muffins

Oh my you have to try these tropical muffins.  A healthy spin on a super yummy treat!!

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (or mix of whole wheat and all-purpose)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed (or dark brown sugar)
• 1 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 large very ripe bananas)
• 1/4 cup nonfat vanilla greek yogurt (or any yogurt)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk (almond milk, soymilk, cow's milk, rice milk)
• zest from 1 orange
• 1 and 1/4 cup fresh pineapple, diced
• 1 thinly sliced banana for topping
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray 15 muffin tins with nonstick spray.* Set aside.

In a large bowl, gently toss the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together until combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix the honey and brown sugar together - it will be thick and lumpy. Try to get out as many lumps as you can - a fork works well to break it up. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, and beaten egg. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently begin to fold it all together. It will be very thick. Add the milk slowly and continue to gently mix the ingredients together. The milk will thin everything out, but the batter will still remain thick. Fold in the orange zest and pineapple. Do not overmix the batter, which will lend tough, dense-textured muffins.

Divide the batter between 15 muffin tins. Fill all the way to the top. Top with 2-3 thin slices of the sliced banana and a sprinkle of coconut. Bake the first 12, then the last three in another batch. Fill the empty muffin tins halfway with water in the 2nd batch to ensure even baking. Bake for 17-18 minutes until very lightly browned on the edges. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Allow the muffins to cool completely.

Makes 15 muffins. Muffins taste best the next day, like most banana bread recipes.  Muffins remain fresh and moist stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.  Muffins freeze well, up to 3 months.