Best Friends Bootcamp + Superfood Caramel Sea Salt Brownies

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Ok, I promise, I’ll get to these fudgy, chocolatey, caramel-drizzled brownies in a minute. Oh, and by the way, they are packed with not 1, not 2 but THREE “super foods.” Start guessing…

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But first, I mentioned in my last WIAW that I was attending bootcamp with my friend Emily. Big thanks to her trainer, Lindsay, for letting me participate…and for torturing me.

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I do not think I have felt so winded from a workout in months. While our circuit-style workout only lasted 45 minutes, for 40 of those minutes, I had serious doubts that I could finish.

You know what kept me going? Continue Reading →

Posted in: Recipes

Warm Kale Salad + Tabata Time

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We will talk salads in a minute, but first a picture from the Lady Antebellum concert I attended last night with Becca.

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Since Becca is a working mommy, it’s rare that we have a night to ourselves to have enjoy some drinks and good food and take in some quality country music. We’re both huge country fans, so you can rest assured we were rockin’ out the entire night in our cowboy boots, just like back in the glory days of high school.

Lady A. was amazing, and the opening act, Kip Moore, well, he is part of the reason country music has started to appeal to the masses…masses of young women that is.

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(Here he is belting out Landslide with Lady Antebellum and Kacey Musgraves. He is the one in the plaid cut-off…it takes a real country man to pull that off!

A nice ol’ country boy from Georgia with that slow Southern drawl, grit in his voice and a twinkle in his eye. The modern day cowboy crooning about “young love” and a pretty girl that he wants to take home ’cause his “momma’s gonna love” her. As the Dixie Chicks say “cowboy take me away!” Ah, yes, a girl can dream.

(For the record, he was kind enough to sign autographs after the show – the line was long. I snapped a pic from afar while we were walking out. I’m not invested enough to wait two hours for an autograph. I’ll stick with that whole clichéd “riding off into the sunset” cowboy fantasy instead.)

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(Intensely staring into a pretty blonde’s eyes. Why do I feel like he has done this before?)

But, enough about cowboys. Let’s get down to the salads.

For someone who claims to love salads so much (every WIAW features a gigantic salad), it is shocking that I have never actually posted a salad recipe to this blog. Well, other than my kitchen sink salad from back in the NYC days. And those were the days when cooking to me meant throwing a bunch of processed stuff in a bowl and calling it dinner.

I’ve come a long way, my friends.

Anyway, recently, I’ve been on a warm salad kick. It’s still cold and gray here in the midwest, and I’m not ready to transition to summery fruit salads just yet. For those of you that find the idea of a warm salad puzzling, let me explain. Technically, a warm salad is a salad with any warm component, such as warm chicken, bacon, salad dressing etc.

For this particular salad, I sautéed the kale with a lemon shallot vinaigrette until the leaves were slightly wilted and then topped with some candied walnuts, cranberries and fresh parmesan cheese. Rule #1 of Sometimes Healthy Cooking: Everything is better with cheese (and chocolate).

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Continue Reading →

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Pistachio Lucky Charm Cupcakes + Skinny Shamrock Shakes + a Jumpin’ Leprechaun Workout

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As you can see from the title of this post, we have a lot to cover today, so let’s just dive right in.

When it comes to holidays, I’ve never found one that I don’t enjoy. Halloween is a sweet-lovin’ bakers’ dream, Christmas is usually accompanied by the acceptance that it’s okay to gain 15 pounds of sweet treat weight and Valentine’s Day is synonymous with chocolate bingeing.

However, for the past 9 years, St. Patrick’s Day has always been high on my list of favorite holidays. I lived in two cities (NYC and Chicago) that celebrated St. Patty’s day in a big way. Surprisingly, Chicago’s festivities actually seemed bigger than NYC’s celebrations. Any town that dyes an entire river green for one holiday clearly takes it seriously…

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It is entirely possible that St. Patrick’s day seemed liked a bigger deal when I lived in Chicago, because I was in my early 20’s, and nothing made me happier than drinking green beer at 9am, eating greasy foods and running around with my tipsy friends all day.

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Oh yeah – look at that festive little girl dressed in green, sporting a green tongue and getting drunk off a spiked Big Gulp without a care in the world. Ahhh, the innocence of youth. When I lived in NYC, I still celebrated St. Patty’s day, but certainly not with the reckless abandonment of my Chicago days.

Alas, I digress. From my minimal research, it doesn’t appear that Omaha is quite as enthusiastic about this institutional holiday as my former cities. The good news is that I’m now older and more mature, so I don’t need to throw back a bunch of Guinness to celebrate St. Patrick’s day.

Nope, instead I’ll just bake up green pistachio cupcakes, smother them in homemade marshmallow frosting and top them off with Lucky Charms.

Because that is clearly a more grown-up thing to do.

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Continue Reading →

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Cheesy Greek Spaghetti Squash Casserole + Cheesy Thoughts

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You want to know the best part about having friends with kids?

There is always someone that is just as, if not more, excited to take a trip to the local fro yo joint!

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This little guy and I have many things in common, including our love for mixing 5 different frozen yogurt flavors and adding gummy worms to the top. 

You know what else 4-year-olds are great for? Helping to add a little imagination to ordinary healthified brownies. But more on that later!

First thing is first: Speaking of adorable little children, a HUGE congratulations goes out to my brother and his wife, who welcomed their first child to the family on Wednesday night. I’m a first-time Auntie, my parents are first-time grandparents, and we are all madly in love with her. She is quite simply – perfect. I’ll be headed to NY to meet her next month, and I am counting the days!

Hope she is ready to hear the first reading of “Oh the Places You’ll Go!”

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Continue Reading →

Posted in: Recipes

Cookie Butter Stuffed French Toast + One Song Kickboxing Workout

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Remember that jar of cookie butter that I was so proud of myself for not eating all in one sitting?

Well, the bad news is that it’s all gone.

The good news? I sandwiched it in between some pieces of thick white bread and caramelized bananas, drenched it in a sweet egg wash, threw it on the griddle and created your new favorite breakfast. You’re welcome. 

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No, seriously, if you make this Cookie Butter Stuffed French Toast, you may find that every other breakfast food all of the sudden seems a bit boring.

I suppose that french toast slathered in Cookie Butter isn’t necessarily the healthiest thing in the world, but it’s cold and snowy outside, and you need a sweet, filling breakfast to keep you warm. If you’re not in the mood to brave the cold/snow to head to the gym, never fear. After seeing the popularity of my “Countrifed One Song Workouts” on Pinterest, I decided to create a kickboxing workout in a similar style: 4 fast-paced rap songs matched with high intensity, heart-pumping kickboxing moves. You’ll definitely break a sweat.

You may want to eat this french toast after the workout, but if you cannot wait until then, I won’t judge… Continue Reading →

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Skinny Buffalo Chicken Pizza + 15 Minute Full Body Burn

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I don’t know about you, but the moment that clock hits around 5:30 on Friday, I have one thing on my mind: indulgence.

This indulgence can mean everything from a few happy hour drinks and appetizers at the bar to 3 gigantic bowls of ice cream or a nice cozy night indoors with pizza and some vino. Alas, pizza has always been one of those foods that I cannot control myself around.

You see, I tell people that I’m “not a fan of pizza,” but the truth is, I’m just afraid of eating an entire large pizza by myself! Really, how can one not enjoy pizza? It’s a piece of buttery/oily bread, cloaked in tomato sauce and a bunch of cheese. You can’t really go wrong, and once I eat just one piece, I find myself going back for seconds and thirds in a matter of minutes. 

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(I could totally house this entire snowman myself…)

Personally, I’m very happy with a quality piece of cheese pizza, no toppings required. If it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it, right? But…what if there was a way I could eat half of the pizza by myself without inhaling 5000 calories?

Enter cauliflower crust pizza. I’ve seen it many times over the year, but for some reason, I always assumed it was out of my league! Well, on Wednesday night, with a giant kitchen to myself and the freedom to blast the country music to my heart’s content, I set to work on creating a Skinny Buffalo Chicken Pizza featuring a cauliflower pizza crust.

I was certain I was setting myself up for yet another kitchen disaster, but to my surprise I concocted, dare I say, a masterpiece! The crust was crispy and reminiscent of the actual buttery pizza crust that I know and love, and there was the familiar taste of buffalo chicken in every.single.bite. Even better, this little pie is gluten free! Continue Reading →

Posted in: Recipes, workouts

Cookie Dough Oreo V-Day Truffles + Kickboxing Bootcamp Workout + a Romcom Must-See List

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Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

As someone who has spent many Valentine’s Days both single and in relationships, I’ve never really understood the bitterness towards this holiday. Sure, it’s a Hallmark holiday, but if you’re in relationship, it’s another opportunity to remind that special someone why you love them and if you’re single, it’s the perfect excuse to bake some sinful sweets and show some of the important people in your life how amazing they are. 

And let me tell you, after the “great breakup of 2014,” I have a long list of people to thank for their love, support and of course, patience. You see, I’m one of those people who constantly seeks advice from her friends and family. I listen earnestly, taking in every single word and vowing to take their wise advice. Yet somehow, I always end up doing the opposite. Thus, I owe a lot of “thank yous” to these patient people!

Anyway, lots to cover today and such little time to capture your attention. If you’re scrambling to bake something last-minute today, then I have just the recipe for you…and you don’t even have to bake. All you need to do is grab some of those new Cookie Dough Oreos, some cream cheese and melting chocolate and magically, you will have a rich, decadent and chocolatey truffle.

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Personally, I always indulge a little extra on every major holiday. Therefore, I make the gym a priority on those days as well. Today’s workout is inspired by a class I took at the gym last week. The class combined simple boxing moves with intense bootcamp exercises, and I was a hot, sweaty mess by the end. Hopefully, this workout will do the same for you.

And finally, if you are single on Valentine’s Day, you may just want to stay in with some friends, eat those delicious oreo truffles and watch a nice, cozy romcom. I’ve put together a list of my top 10 romantic comedies that never fail to make me cry like a little baby but also remind me that the whole “happily ever after” deal does exist. 

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Continue Reading →

Posted in: holidays, Recipes, workouts \ Tagged: , , , , , ,

Honey Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding + The Magic 100’s Workout

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Hope everyone has made it through the cold week without, well, catching a cold!

Is it weird that I spend 90% of my day in a big fluffy hat, scarf and mittens (even when I’m in the house)?

A couple weeks ago, in WIAW, I shared my experience trying a Chia Pod, an on-the-go freshly packaged chia pudding from Australia. I was instantly hooked on the texture, but the lack of flavor left me yearning for more.

So what does an unsatisfied Sometimes Healthy Girl do after a less-than-stellar chia pudding experience? Well, she grabs the chia seed by the horns of course! Once I realized how easy it was to make my own chia seed pudding, I set out to make a pudding that packed a flavor punch.

The result was a creamy pudding swimming with chia seeds, vanilla and a hint of honey. When topped with some fruit and chocolate chips and paired with my typical extra large coffee from DD, it was just the fuel I needed to help power me through a very challenging circuit workout!

But, first the recipe for this oh-so-easy Honey Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding!

Honey Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding
Yields 4
The superfood to conquer all superfoods stars in this simple breakfast dish that can be thrown together in a pinch. SImply whisk with some key ingredients and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, like magic, you'll have a creamy, nutritious and tasty breakfast!
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup unsweetened Vanilla Almond Millk
  2. 1/2 cup fat free greek yogurt
  3. 1/4 cup chia seeds
  4. 3 tbsp honey
  5. 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  6. 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
  1. In medium bowl, whisk all ingredients gently, until well-incorporated.
  2. Let stand for 30 minutes, and then transfer to mason jar. Seal, shake and place in the refrigerator overnight (or 4-5 hours if you don't want to wait!)
  3. The next day, serve in mason jars, or spoon into bowls, topping with berries or dark chocolate chips.
The Sometimes Healthy Living Blog https://www.sometimeshealthylivingblog.com/
Can you believe how thick and delicious this superfood pudding looks?

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When I first set out to make this pudding, I was totally confused. “I don’t get it,” I thought. “How does the pudding become thick without gelatin or xanthan gum??” Wellll, it’s because the magical little seeds absorb liquid overnight, until the texture and thickness is the exact consistency of pudding. Continue Reading →

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A Healthy Start to your Day: Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

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Before we closed down shop in the kitchen for a couple of weeks, I snuck in to make the BF’s favorite breakfast this past Sunday: Blueberry Baked Oatmeal. Of all the breakfasts I’ve cooked, this one is by far his favorite. It’s the one he proudly talks about to his friends at parties as he boasts of my skills as a breakfast chef.

The best part is that it’s 100% healthy and extremely easy to throw together. When I have friends over for brunch, I’m always tempted to throw together an elaborate, decadent and unique dish, like Fruity Pebble Pancakes (I said elaborate…not elegant). Sometimes, however, it’s nice to cook up a warm, comforting and healthy dish for my guests. Enter Blueberry Baked Oatmeal.

Packed with fiber, this healthy comfort food breakfast draws upon the flavors of maple syrup, honey and blueberries to achieve the perfect of level of sweetness. Cook it for a group of people or simply to impress your significant other (leftovers can be reheated in a pinch!)

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
Serves 6
Take your ordinary oatmeal breakfast up a notch with this healthy and easy baked dish.
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
  2. 1 tsp salt
  3. 1 tsp baking powder
  4. 1 tbsp cinnamon
  5. 1 ½ cup Almond Milk
  6. ¼ cup egg substitute
  7. 2 tbsp lowfat melted butter (cooled)
  8. ¼ cup maple syrup
  9. ¼ cup honey
  10. 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  11. ½ cup brown sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Combine oats, salt, baking powder and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
  3. In another medium bowl, combine almond milk, egg substitute, melted butter, maple syrup and honey.
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and stir until fully mixed; gently fold in blueberries.
  5. Pour mixture into 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish (or similar) coated with cooking spray and top with brown sugar.
  6. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.
The Sometimes Healthy Living Blog https://www.sometimeshealthylivingblog.com/
Since the New Year is all about healthy changes, and breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you might as well start with this baked oatmeal.

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Doesn’t it look positively scrumptious? I also like to test other fruity combos, such as apples and raisins, strawberries and bananas and even peaches! If you want to get a little Sometimes Healthy, you can go ahead and throw some chocolate chips into the mix…but I would NEVER do that.

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I have been working on a fun workout to share with all of you, but it’s not ready yet. So, this week you’ll just be getting a recipe from me. Feel free to checkout some of my printable workouts on the blog. By far, my “Create Your Own Bootcamp” Workouts and kickboxing workouts are the most popular on Pinterest, so maybe you should give one of them a try on this dreary Friday?

Before signing off, I wanted to share a picture that my best friend, Becca, texted me last night. She thought I might get a kick out of what her son, Brody, was having for dessert.

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Ice cream topped with Goldfish and sprinkles. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: this boy is a culinary genius.

I am also very proud of the fact that my dessert choices mirror those of a 4-year-old.

On that sweet note, I’m off!

YOUR TURN:

Favorite healthy breakfast?

Favorite kiddie foods that you eat? (Mine is obviously Goldfish!)

Favorite workouts that I’ve posted?

 

 

 

Posted in: Recipes \ Tagged: , , , ,

Strawberry Wine Cake Truffles + Create Your Own Bootcamp Workout (Part Deux)

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An official (snowy) Happy 2014 from the Sometimes Healthy Living Blog!

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(My gorgeous view this AM)

What better way to welcome the new year than with booze, sweets and, of course, a workout. The workout is adapted from my most popular Pinterest workout to-date, and I think those of you with fitness resolutions for 2014 will really enjoy the freedom of creating your own bootcamp workout.

As for the recipe, well, I debated kicking the year off with a healthier recipe, but as you may recall, on New Year’s Eve, I promised a recipe for champagne cake truffles.

And, I always keep my word.

Well, sort of. Continue Reading →

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