Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I used to be a picky eater. I began to fall in love with clean eating 

after I found recipes that I enjoyed. SO many people I speak with have decided 

upfront that they don't like

 kale, brussel sprouts, eggs, you name it! 

All I can say from experience is never say never!

Here's my simple roasted brussels sprouts recipe:

Makes: 6 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes; Cook time: 45 minutes

What you need: 

3 tbs of olive oil OR coconut oil

6 cups or 1.5 lbs. or brussels sprouts

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

How to make it: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2. Wash brussels sprouts

3. While that is heating, chop brussel sprouts in halves

4. Place chopped sprouts, along with oil, salt, and pepper in a 

resealable bag, seal tightly, shake to coat

5. Place sprouts on baking sheet 

6. Roast in oven for 30-45 minutes

7. Be sure to shake pan every 10 minutes or so for even browning

8. You'll know they're done when brussel sprouts are a dark brown

The benefits of brussels sprouts include excellent levels of vitamin C and vitamin K. 

There are moderate levels of B vitamins. 

Enjoy your greens! 

Eating Healthy....Out

So, you've got a meal plan, your meals prepped for the week, snacks ready, but then your friends ask if you want to go out to eat. You've been doing so good with your weightloss journey and habits, and you're thinking, "what should I order??"

Now, I get it, not every city will have the same restaurants, but the basics are the same.

Breakfast foods: 

- choose omelettes over waffles

- choose fruit, turkey bacon, wheat toast, or tomato slices for sides

- be cautious with "healthy" meals (example: try using no sugar in oatmeal)

Salads: 

- make your own when you can

- don't be scared to add or subtract ingredients

- add proteins (like grilled meats, quinoa, boiled egg, beans)

- use healthy fats (like avocado)

- see more green on your plate

- use light (dairy-free) dressings

- hold the croutons/toppings

At Chipotle: 

- use the salad options  

- don't be scared to ask for light rice, or any other toppings

- think about portions (get those cute baby chips)

- pass on the cheese, sour cream, and tortilla shells

Burgers: 

- go bunless or make it a salad

- choose a veggie (many places have broccoli as an option)

- use alternative toppings (mushrooms, avocado, egg, tomato, lettuce, onions...

drop the cheese, bacon, sauces)

Speaking of burgers...In-N-Out, go protein + animal style

Mexican Food: 

- choose salads

- be cautious with chips, sauces, and cheeses

- great options that I get: 

- a big salad with grilled chicken, guac, salsa, light beans, and tomatoes

- fajitas with tons of veggies and you can choose what you make

- corn tortilla tacos with meat, veggies, lettuce, tomato, and guac

- grilled chicken with black beans, veggies, and avocado/guac

At Panera: 

Clearly, I get a lot of salads (thanks to my paleo life), 

however, there are a lot of options at Panera:

- choose an apple instead of bread or chips on the side

- get your dressing on the side 

(and don't get thick, dairy dressings -- they even have EVOO as pictured, but you'll have to ask for it)

- great proteins include grilled chicken, boiled egg, and avocado

- a you-pick-two will help with portions (those soups are a doozy with calories)

I've mastered my healthy hacks 

at theme parks:

At Universal Orlando, I found: 

- a healthy salad at Thunder Falls Terrace (at Islands of Adventure)

- I drank my Shakeology and pretended it was 

Butterbeer on the way to the parks for maximum energy

- I brought my water and made sure I was getting my water in all day

There's a local place here in Charlotte that we love called 

Viva Chicken:

there are a lot of great, fresh options like: 

- salad with chicken and avocado 

- grilled chicken with green beans

- quinoa stuff avocado + chicken

- great side options: quinoa, green beans, sweet potato fries

- Remember Fazoli's? There's still a few! I was pleasantly surprised to 

find this salad with grilled chicken on it -- no breadsticks here. 

- PeiWei's lettuce wraps are the best!

 - At Dean and Deluca, I got a turkey sandwich loaded with veggies with wheat bread. Want less bread? Just eat one slice of the bread and make it open-face. 

If you're out to some place like Outback, Red Lobster, Carabba's, etc., you should certainly always be able to find a grilled chicken or grilled fish option. Choose veggies and/or rice not the side. Easy peasy and super delish! 

I love the teas and iced coffee beverages at Teavana and Starbucks. 

<<side note: did you know that your can use your Starbucks star rewards at Teavana??>>

I always get my beverages unsweetened. 

At Starbucks, half passion fruit tea and half green tea is a great summer option. 

 What I've found is when I'm at a girl's night, a simple coffee or tea is a great alternative to dessert.

My First RunDisney Race

Last year, I ran my first RunDisney race. I did the Star Wars Inaugural 10K. 

To my surprise, I really enjoyed the expo the day before the race. We picked up my packet and they had a ton of vendors and photo ops. 

We stayed the night at a value resort, which I totally recommend. This would probably be the only time I'm advocating for a value resort. We rarely used it. I went to bed early to prepare for my early wake up call and we obviously didn't use it much at all the day we checked out, so for the price you pay, I think it's way to go for RunDisney races. I would also like to note that if you're doing a race, please please please find a way to stay on property. Waking up any earlier than I had to, just wouldn't have happened and traffic would've stressed me out. 

When you stay at a Disney resort, you just walk to the front of the resort, while fun music is playing,  you'll find tons of other runners dressed in fun costumes, half asleep, it's pitch black out, and everyone is in a daze...but so excited, because it's like 3:30am. You board a bus and get taken to the start line. 

Find your corral. 

Fireworks and all and you're anxious and ready to run. 

So many selfies. 

Too many selfies? Maybe.

Eh, whatever. 

Finished! 

No Disney race would be complete without Mickey...or Simba waffles. 

This was one of the most magical meals I've had on property (and I've had a lot of meals at Disney). 

The chef came out (as they always do when you mention you need gluten free), and this chef took it to another level. He made my perfect dairy-free veggie omelet with gluten-free waffles, brought them to our table (it was quick service, where they don't serve you), then chatted. 

It was so great. 

Want RunDisney tips?

I highly recommend finding a training track to follow. If you're starting out, Couch to 5K is great, there is a ton on the RunDisney website, and there's accountability everywhere (which is the only way I would've become a successful runner). I've even got a free RunDisney training group on FB. Let me know if you want in!

Got any questions, ask away!

I'd love to hear about your RunDisney experiences too!