salty sweet seasons

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Shelley

Banana Zucchini Muffins with Apple + Blackberries

Based on the ingredients of these muffins, they’re basically power muffins…good for anytime of the day; breakfast, mid-day snack, a side with lunch, or even a healthy dessert. Totally guilt free and toddler-approved, which means whole family approved; what could be better?!

I made these on Sunday to prep my little guys’ breakfast & snacks for the week. I kept a couple fresh, but chose to freeze the rest immediately, because things tend to get totally lost in the back of my fridge, I forget about them, then find a couple weeks later when they’re wasted & rotten. With these having so much fresh fruit, I wouldn’t keep them past three days fresh. Speaking of, that’s a goal of mine for this week’s meal prep…freeze most things so they don’t go bad before consumed! Anyway, back to these sweet little muffins…

Zucchini Power Muffins

Recipe adapted from madefrompinterest.com

Makes 16-18 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup organic, USA grown whole wheat flour
1 cup organic coconut flour
1 apple, core removed & grated or 1/2 cup unsweetened, organic applesauce [I used an apple and used my food processor to grate it]
1-2 grated zucchini(s) [I used one]
1 medium or large very ripe banana, mashed [I used a large one]
1/3 cup blackberries, cut into fourths
1/4 cup coconut sugar or 1 large carrot, grated [I used coconut sugar, but carrots are equally as sweet]. May also leave out if you prefer unsweetened muffins.
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
3 organic eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 tablespoons organic, milled/ground chia seeds

1 tablespoon organic, milled/ground flax seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees
Line muffin tins [I use foil-lined cups because the muffins remove easier]
Mix all wet ingredients in one bowl
Mix all dry ingredients in other bowl
Combine both mixtures in mixer or fold to combine; do not over mix
Use 1/4 cup to measure batter info muffin liners
Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the middle clean. Oven temperatures & cooking times may vary, so keep an eye on muffins around 28 minutes to make sure they aren’t overcooking, or add additional time if they’re still moist.
Enjoy fresh muffins up to three days, refrigerated, or freeze additional muffins once completely cool, wrapped in plastic wrap, or a freezer bag.

1 Comment

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Shelley

Weekly Fitness Tracker: Final Week of LYB Series & Rumps and Stumps, Week 2

Hiiii pretties! So sorry for the slight hiatus the past two weeks and my weekly fitness trackers being MIA. I had a family emergency & was out of town with lots of life on my plate that came first.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my fitness journey thus far, it’s that it is never too late..for anything! So, even though it’s Tuesday rather than Sunday or Monday when this is usually updated, it’s never too late to jump in and start now. Part of me considered waiting until next week, but it’s only Tuesday! We have the whole week ahead of us…so it’s time to get back on track today. Right now!

I have a lot going on right now, so also wanted to include a blank planner page so you can update on your own in case I don’t get to it.

Hope you all have a great week! Enjoy!

Xo,

Shelley

1 Comment

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Shelley

Rumps & Stumps Video Moves

Hiiiii girls!! Here are the moves for our #rumpsandstumps challenge! Watch the YouTube video below!

Read ALL about Rumps & Stumps, a booty & leg challenge HERE, where you can also download & print the full calendar.

*Be sure to read our disclaimer before beginning any new workout series.

XO,

Shelley

4 Comments

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Shelley

DID YOU HEAR?? Our new challenge is LIVE!

Ohhhh YESSSS, Shelby & I are at it again, and this time focusing on those booties and legs with our newest challenge, Rumps & Stumps! No beach babe feels complete without lifted, full cheeks and sleek and slender legs!

As TIU girls [and soon to be BBG too…eek; all of you who do both have inspired me to push myself even more!], we can’t wait to add this monthly challenge on top of our other favorite series & challenges, and can’t WAITTT for your participation to match and exceed our Tums & Guns challenge!! There was SO much love, excitement, and activity within Tums & Guns and you all make US stronger, leaner, and more confident through your support and encouragement. We are extremely grateful for you all.

Without further ado, please visit the personalized #RUMPSANDSTUMPS tab HERE or listed as “Rumps and Stumps” on its own in the Sea Shells and Sit Ups tab bar above to find the newest monthly challenge and all details! Also be sure to read our full disclaimer before participating! You can also pair this with Tums & Guns for a total body workout all month long!

Are you as excited as we are?! Who’s joining us?! Show us your excitement by checking in on Instagram using the hashtag #rumpsandstumps !! Get your first workout in tonight during a Super Bowl commercial or after the game to burn off some of those delish treats [or drinks!] and show us! #RUMPSANDSTUMPS day one starts NOW! Cheers to YOU and that hot lil’ bod of yours – and your beautiful soul! You’re gorgeous inside and out! Never forget that!

P.S. – TOMORROW we will have video + picture descriptions of all moves listed! Stay tuned, and thanks so much for your patience as we enjoy this weekend with family.

XOXO,

Shelley & Shelby

3 Comments

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Shelley

Clean Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you don’t love chocolate chip cookies, I may have a hard time accepting you’re in fact, a real life human being.

Being a dessert lover, I’m always on the hunt to find or create clean recipes, so I can indulge in my favorite things guilt-free. Is there anything like a warm, gooey “real” chocolate chip cookie? No way. But is there a decent substitute to still get the cookie fix when eating lean, clean, and green? Yes, ma’am!

With that, I hope you indulge in these and love every single bite, because your body will love you too. And a cookie so clean you can eat them for brekkie?!…..yes, please!

Ingredients:

Makes about 18-20 cookies depending on size of dough balls rolled

1 1/4 cups organic brown rice flour, coconut flour, or other flour substitute (or whole wheat flour)
1/4 cup organic rolled oats
2 tablespoons organic dried Goji berries (or leave out)
1 tablespoon organic dried cranberries (or leave out)
2 tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips or dairy/nut/soy free mini dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup organic coconut sugar
1/3 teaspoon organic salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 shakes ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
1-2 eggs (or sub 1/4 cup organic, unsweetened applesauce per egg)
1/3 cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt (adds to fluffiness; can also replace with 1/3 cup organic, unsweetened applesauce)
2 tablespoons pure, organic maple syrup or raw, local honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit
Mix all dry ingredients in bowl
In separate bowl, mix moist ingredients
In large mixing bowl, blend all ingredients together until a dough-like consistency is formed
On large cookie sheet, roll dough into 1-1 1/2″ balls, and place at least 3″ apart
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when poked into middle of cookie and cookies are slightly golden brown
Let cool for a few minutes, and remove with spatula and place on cooling sheet or plate
Enjoy!

Ten Day Trim, Week 2

Hiii!

Woah. Today has been SO BUSY. My phone has been dead like 90% of the day, and I really wouldn’t trade that for the world. I had the best hands-on day with my little munchkin EVER and it was because I was UNPLUGGED. When’s the last time you unplugged for nearly an entire day? It was just what my soul needed. A BREAK from the outside world to focus on what matters most to me; and that is Tanner. Fun, active, toddler time 🙂

Because of that, I’m running short on time and need to cook dinner for myself still, so haven’t updated the Ten Day Trim tab with this or the recipe links…BUT I wanted to get this up for those who still need to meal prep or grocery shop. So, I apologize for the Ten Day Trim tab not being as neatly organized as week one, but without further ado, here is week 2’s menu! Shopping list coming SOON!

XOXO

5 Comments

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Shelley

Clean Cornbread

I have been searching for a clean cornbread recipe, and haven’t found one I’m totally over the moon about yet. So when I don’t find something, I make it. I literally can’t stop daydreaming about pairing this with my chicken tortilla soup.

I’m adapting Taste of Home’s “Buttery Corn Bread Recipe” into a clean version….because I’m trying to save myself from the guilt of eating the whole pan of my favorite cornbread out of the real, buttery, sugary, non-TIU approved delicious sounding version by Taste of Home, or my other personal favorite, the cornbread-out-of-the-bag by Marie Calendars! muahaha. Okay, back on topic, and your Ten Day Trim approved corn bread….

Ingredients:

2/3 cup coconut oil, softened to the consistency of butter
1 cup coconut sugar
3 organic eggs
1 2/3 cups unsweetned almond milk or coconut milk
2 1/3 cups organic coconut flour or organic whole wheat flour
1 cup organic cornmeal
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Local raw honey
Spray coconut oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°
In a large bowl, “cream” coconut oil and coconut sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and almond milk to oil + sugar mixture
In separate bowl, combine coconut/wheat flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt
Combine all ingredients
Mix until batter consistency
Spray a13x9-in. baking pan with spray coconut oil
Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into middle of pan
Cut into squares; serve warm.
Top each piece with a drizzle of honey…mmmm. Best part!!

Find original [buttery, sugary, non-TIU approved delicious sounding!] recipe from Taste of Home here.

1 Comment

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Shelley

Crockpot Tortilla Soup

My sister, Sarah, and I LOVE a good crock pot meal. And we’re also kinddddd of obsessed with Mexican food. Another meal making its debut to week 2 of the Ten Day Trim is our favorite – homemade, clean chicken tortilla soup. There’s nothing better than a crockpot meal when it comes to meal prep. Sarah lives in Jackson Hole, WY and it’s still the dead of winter there, so I know she’s going to love seeing this featured! I LOVE making this because half the ingredients come in a can, so the less prep & less clean up, the better!

Now, we throw in ALL our favorites with this one, so you may need to cut the recipe in half if you have a small or medium sized crockpot. Mine is huge and this still barely fits! 😉 YUM! Bring some to your neighbors or freeze half for later [my favorite!]

Ingredients:

32 ounces organic chicken broth
2 large or 5 cutlets of organic skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons organic tomato paste
1 large can of organic diced tomatoes
1-2 small can(s) of organic diced green chilies
1 white or yellow onion, diced
1 peeled organic zucchini, chopped
4 organic celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons minced organic garlic
1 medium-sized can organic corn
2 jalepenos with seeds removed, and minced
1 can organic unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 can organic unsalted kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 small can sliced black olives
3 organic carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large organic avocado, sliced [to use as garnish]
Season with
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon Marjoram

1 cup water
1 bay leaf
Optional [because I hate cilantro! haha] 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
Optional: Shredded Mexican-style cheese
Optional: Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream
Optional: Top with cilantro, parsley, or chives as garnish
Optional: Tortilla strips as garnish

Directions:

Throw everything into crockpot [except garnishes] and cook on low for about 4-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked all the way through
IF YOU HAVE EXTRA TIME – in a medium sized skillet, throw in a dash of coconut oil and brown onion, jalepeno, chicken, and garlic prior to throwing them in the crockpot. YUM!
Once chicken is cooked thoroughly, serve and enjoy!
- Optional: Shredded Mexican-style cheese
- Optional: Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Optional: Top with cilantro, parsley, or chives as garnish

I also found this super handy time conversion; I love when I can speed up cook time with high heat, so this may help you with future crockpot recipes!

1 Comment

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Shelley

Spinach Meatloaf

Meatloaf is just one of those things that totally grosses me out unless it’s my mom’s recipe or I make it myself. There’s just something about picturing someone else’s hands mooshing it all together that…I can’t. even. deal with.

But the beauty of homemade meatloaf is you can sneak SO many veggies into it [all my veggies were on their way to the veggie graveyard and needed to be used, so I threw in whatever I could find in my fridge]! This recipe will be toddler, family AND husband approved! and I bet they won’t even know you snuck so many greens in! SO meatloaf, smeatloaf, double boatloaf, you’ll be loved, not hated.

Ingredients:

1 pound 99% organic, grass fed lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey
2 handfuls fresh organic spinach
1 handful fresh organic kale
1/2 organic zucchini, peeled
1/2-1 organic carrot, peeled
1/4-1/2 cup organic onion, chopped
3-4 slices or crusts of Ezekiel bread
1/2 tablespoon organic minced garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce [homemade preferred for clean eating or find clean version at your local market]
1/4 cup Chili sauce [homemade preferred for clean eating; it’s basically just tomato paste and vinegar]
Optional: 1-2 eggs [can make egg-less but it won’t hold up like a slice; it will crumble, but still taste amazing
2 tablespoons sweet & spicy mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Spray coconut oil or grape seed oil [to coat loaf pan]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F
In food processor, add greens, veggies, and bread and pulse until completely chopped up into tiny pieces
In large mixing bowl add meat, food processor blend and all remaining ingredients.
Mix everything together, by hand, until thoroughly mixed [It will look green and gross and ugly and you’ll be thinking “Ew, there’s no way this will taste good!” But I promise, it will!]
Add mixture into sprayed or nonstick pan
Add a mixture of 1/4 cup chili sauce and 2 tablespoons sweet + spicy mustard to top
Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Let cool, slice, and enjoy!

I paired this with my Sassy & Sweet Brussels and my dinner tonight was healthy, DELISH, and Ten Day Trim Approved! This will be making its way to week 2’s menu! I prepped this for dinner during Tanner’s afternoon nap, so all I had to do was throw it in the oven that I preheated while he ate dinner. While I gave him a bath and got him to sleep it cooked away, and was done perfectly in time for me to enjoy hot! A miracle!

Sorry this post is my first ever picture-less post, because I didn’t use an egg and it fell apart like….meat pie. haha.

ENJOY!

1 Comment

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Shelley

Surprising Sources of Antioxidants

“When it comes to brain protection, there is nothing quite like blueberries,” according to James Joseph, PhD, lead scientist in the Laboratory of Neuroscience at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. “Call the blueberry the brain berry,” says Dr. Joseph.

NEW FINDINGS ON BLUEBERRIES

We all hear blueberries are a wonderful sources of antioxidants, but “new research reported in peer-reviewed journals by scientists around the world confirms the wide range of health benefits attributed to blueberries, while pointing to promising new therapeutic applications” [Martin, 2006]. <– you can see this information is no longer "new," as the source is from 2006, but all the studies are still interesting. Life Extension Magazine presents the following interesting blueberry facts:

• In a study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience, a blueberry-supplemented diet was found to greatly enhance the spatial memory of laboratory animals. When later studied in vitro, the animals’ brains demonstrated structural changes associated with an improved capacity for learning. Researchers believe the two findings are directly correlated.

• In a study reported in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, cold-pressed blueberry, Marionberry, boysenberry, and red raspberry seed oils were evaluated for their fatty acid composition. The oils were found to contain antioxidants with a high capacity to absorb oxygen radicals, and were deemed potent sources of tocopherols, carotenoids, and natural antioxidants.

• The Journal of Medicinal Food reported that in an in-vitro study of aortic tissue of young rats, wild blueberries incorporated in the diet positively affect the plasticity of vascular smooth muscle, but have no deleterious effect on membrane sensitivity. This finding suggests that blueberries may have applications in helping prevent heart disease and stroke in humans.

• In a similar study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, researchers demonstrated that in rat aortic tissue, compounds from berry extracts caused cell changes that may affect cellular signal transduction pathways and contribute to improved cardiovascular health.

• Research published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging showed that nutritional antioxidants found in blueberries can reverse age-related declines in neuronal signal transduction as well as cognitive and motor deficits. The investigators speculated that blueberry supplementation may also help slow declines in brain function that accompany diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

• In an in-vitro study published in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 24 hours of exposure to extracts of blueberry antioxidants sharply reduced the production of matrix metalloproteinases—enzymes believed to play key roles in malignant tissue metastasis—in human prostate cancer cells. This led the researchers to postulate that blueberry supplementation may help prevent tumor metastasis.

Clearly blueberries are an amazing source of antioxidants, but did you know so are eggs, spinach & organic milk? [Underwood, 2002].

“Spinach and other leafy greens are still the best sources, but whole eggs are another easy way to get more lutein,” says Mayer

Jillian Michaels breaks down why I eat the whole egg rather than just the egg whites in the following graphic from Jillianmichaels.com:

Eggs + Spinach
“Eggs aren’t commonly considered a rich source of the antioxidant lutein (which protects your eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts) because they have low concentrations of it, relative to top sources such as spinach. Scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University discovered that the lutein in egg yolks is absorbed more effectively than that in spinach, possibly because the yolks’ fat helps our bodies process the antioxidant much better. So even though one egg has only about 5 percent of the lutein found in just 1/4 cup of spinach, we absorb it 3 times more effectively, explains Elizabeth Johnson, PhD, coauthor of the Tufts study” [Underwood, 2002].

Organic Milk

“Switch from regular milk to organic and you’ll be rewarded with a stronger dose of antioxidants, including vitamin E and the carotenoids beta-carotene and lutein, says Gillian Butler, PhD, coauthor of a recent British study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Butler’s findings show that the antioxidants in milk from cows raised on organic or grass-fed diets are about 40 to 50 percent more concentrated than the milk from conventionally raised cows. These cows eat more grass, and the pasture itself provides more antioxidants than grain feeding even if the feed is augmented with supplements. If you’re not a frequent milk drinker, look for cheese and butter from grass-fed cows; they also offer more antioxidants than conventional varieties, says Butler.” [Underwood, 2002].

WebMD also breaks down 10 Antioxidant Superfoods. Find the breakdown of each item listed below here.

Super Food 1: Purple, Red, and Blue Grapes

Super Food 2: Blueberries

Super Food 3: Red Berries

Super Food 4: Nuts

Super Food 5: Dark Green Veggies

Super Food 6: Sweet Potatoes and Orange Vegetables

Super Food 7: Tea

Super Food 8: Whole Grains

Super Food 9: Beans

Super Food 10: Fish

Because of all these items being so nutrient packed, you’ll notice them trending throughout my Ten Day Trim. I also found this cute chart on Pinterest listing additional super foods; you can see the sources in gray below vouching for their accuracy.

What super foods do you add to your daily food regime? There seems to be more and more clever ways to add super foods into our diets thanks to so many recipes available at our digital fingertips, and so many new cookbooks popping up all the time. As modern day consumers, we are so lucky to have such knowledge and resources available to bring more creativity to our kitchens & our family’s plates!

References

1. Underwood A. So berry good for you; rediscovering the health benefits of berries. Newsweek. June 17, 2002.

2. Martin R. One of Nature’s Most Potent Antioxidants Offers Powerful Neuroprotective and Other Benefits. Life Extension. February 2006.

3. Jillianmichaels.com, 2015.

4. Pinterest.com, 2015.

« 1 … 21 22 23 24 25 … 32 »

Disclaimer

All recipes, workouts, ideas, stories, and generic content shared on Seashells and Sit Ups reflects my own personal journey and opinions on/in health and fitness.

I am not a certified personal trainer (yet!), doctor, nutritionist or registered dietitian, in sports medicine, a therapist, or anything else with a fancy schmancy title or Dr. in front of it.

When making health and exercise decisions or starting a new fitness regimine, be sure to consult a professional first. When making a recipe, be sure to use your own personal judgement or consult an allergist, doctor, or dietitian prior. Take yourself, your health, and your needs into consideration before using the advice or opinions from Seashells and Sit Ups.

salty sweet seasons

≫ s h e l l e y ≪ not short for michelle. A clean-ish eating mama to a cub living where the air is salty+life is sweet. wanderlusting through mom life and writing about it...

Banana Zucchini Muffins with Apple + Blackberries

Weekly Fitness Tracker: Final Week of LYB Series & Rumps and Stumps, Week 2

Rumps & Stumps Video Moves

DID YOU HEAR?? Our new challenge is LIVE!

Ten Day Trim, Week 2

Clean Cornbread

Directions

Crockpot Tortilla Soup

Spinach Meatloaf

Surprising Sources of Antioxidants

NEW FINDINGS ON BLUEBERRIES

Super Food 1: Purple, Red, and Blue Grapes

Super Food 2: Blueberries

Super Food 3: Red Berries

Super Food 4: Nuts

Super Food 5: Dark Green Veggies

Super Food 6: Sweet Potatoes and Orange Vegetables

Super Food 7: Tea

Super Food 8: Whole Grains

Super Food 9: Beans

Super Food 10: Fish

Find recipes + workouts

Social

Suscribe!

Women’s Fav Athletic Shoes

Shop Holiday Favs

Disclaimer

Contact

Follow Sea Shells & Sit Ups

Blog Stats

Top Posts & Pages

Shop Seasonal

Shop Holiday Cooking

Shop Mom Picks!

Subscribe to Blog via Email