Tag Archives: healthy

A Full Body HIIT Strength and Cardio Circuit During Naptime

11/20/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Here’s a quick but efficient HIIT circuit I created to knock out during naptime. I love working out with Avery, but sometimes, you just need space. Otherwise, they’ll walk right into the dumbbells you are holding as you perform your workout. Not good for anyone!

You might need another pair of dumbbells for the lunges with a curl to overhead press, but work with what you have on hand. Hey, if your kid is awake, use them as the weight!

I put leg work first since legs are such an integral part of our body and literally carry us each and every day at work and at home. Treat them well, keep them strong, and feel awesome! Plus, you need to make sure you’re ready for an impromptu playtime session anytime, anywhere.

She wouldn’t let me cook, so I gave in for a little #playtime in the #kitchen. #daddysgirl #crazykid #toddler #loveher

A photo posted by RC Liley (@going_dad) on Oct 8, 2015 at 12:33pm PDT

What I love about this circuit is that it can be tailored to any fitness level depending on the weight used, rounds completed, and intensity it’s performed. Even if you have only one set of weights, try completing the circuit faster than the last time.

With the colder weather setting in, I love having routines like this to satisfy my need for fitness while staying indoors. Give it a go and please, let me know what you think. Looks like Avery is ready to rock!

Guess that means no naptime…..

Food, Life, Parenting, WIAW

Our Toddler’s Daily Blue Plate Special + WIAW

11/04/2015 R.C. Liley 4 Comments

Our toddler is getting a little more sophisticated around here. Before, we could just use her high chair tray as a “plate” for her to eat off of, but now she insists on using a plate. And not just any plate, and blue plate!

Actually, as long as the plate is next to her, she will still accept eating from the tray, but her plate must be blue. Pink or purple is a surefire way to set her off like Katie Ka-Boom from the Animaniacs (please, someone tell me they know the reference), so she gets her blue plate every day for at least dinner. Then wash, rinse, repeat (literally).

It doesn’t stop with just her plate either, she insists on sitting in her blue chair, drinking green smoothies from her blue bottle, wearing a blue shirt, and favors her blue cloth diaper over the other colors. And I lost count of how many times we are told the sky is blue and she has blue eyes. I know she’s too young to call it official, but for the time being, blue is definitely her favorite color.

Back to the blue plate. I’ve enjoyed sharing our toddler’s eats for past What I Ate Wednesday’s, so I figured I’d share her blue plate fare (rhyming rocks!) for this week’s edition.

Breakfast – Banana, homemade chocolate protein pancake, homemade NuttZo Banana Bread, and sprouted raw pumpkin seeds.

I’m always a bit worried about the pumpkin seeds since we’ve had several tipped plate experiences already, but lately, she’s been much better at putting her pincer grasp to use.

Snack – Tiny But Mighty Heirloom Popcorn with more NuttZo Banana Bread.

So it wasn’t a plate, but a blue lid seemed to pass her stringent color standards of….um…blue.

Lunch – Lots of slow-cooker veggies with black beans and a 50/50 mash of cauliflower and potatoes mixed with nutritional yeast, goat cheese, and several spices.

Please note the blue fork. I found it on Amazon and had to buy it for the name alone; Air Fork One. She loves it too!

Big Girl Snack – hard boiled egg, diced apple, slow-cooker butternut squash, steamed veggies, and cut cherry tomatoes.

I swear, she eats more than most adults! She’ll finish off a plate like this and simply look at us and say “more”.

Dinner – chicken thighs from a local farmer, baked apple, and more slow-cooker veggies.

Dinner time is when she tends to get a little ornery, so we keep more food to the side or feed her from our own plate/bowl. This time, however, she was all about the chicken and the veg and used her Air Fork One very well.

Picking up the cargo..

…dropping it off…

…and then back out for another load. Or she’s threatening us, not sure.

Who knows how long the blue plate phase will last, but I guess it could be something much, much worse, so as long as she keeps eating so well, blue plate it is!

Hope you have a great day, we’re getting over the hump now!

Does your kid have a particular item they must have at all times?

Ever see the Air Fork One or something like it?

Food, Going Healthy

Coconut Carrot Cream Soda Zevia Pudding Recipe

09/22/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Are you looking to add something new, exciting, and different to your list of healthy treats? With the help of my favorite (and only one I drink) soda brand, Zevia, I have just the recipe for you. If you think making pudding with soda sounds impossible, prepare to be amazed.

Maybe amazed is a bit extreme, but either way, this pudding is delicious (confirmed by Avery), and healthy enough to eat for breakfast.

I’m proud (and lucky) to team with Zevia to help spread the word about their #ClearlyDifferent campaign to let the world know they are now Non-GMO Project Verified and color-free. That’s on top of being zero calorie, sugar-free, and having no artificial anything! I wrote a post about this a few months ago if you’d like to read more.

Want to give up your beloved sugar-laden soda in place of healthy alternative like Zevia but fear having withdrawals from a certain flavor? Never fear, Zevia has 15 flavors all rocking the healthy specs mentioned above. Seriously, making the healthy switch should be no problem. Here, let Avery help you out….

If you’re still confused, she can help again. Just follow her lead and put it to your lips to take a drink. The following burst of healthy deliciousness will take care of the rest. Since her first taste of #TheNewSweet of Zevia, she’s all smiles every time I bust one out.

But hold on just a minute. Technically, you don’t have to drink Zevia, they have plenty of recipes to prove it. And today, I’m adding one more to the mix. It’s one I have never seen anywhere else and am totally happy with how it turned out. I used Cream Soda Zevia to create a creamy vanilla pudding with a healthy dose of carrots and coconut.

You might think it’s difficult to make, but on the contrary; the only hard part is waiting for it to chill. Which, trust me, really is hard!

Coconut Carrot Cream Soda Zevia Pudding

by RC Liley

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients (Approx. 32 Ounces)

1 ½ cups steamed carrots (about a 1 lb bag of baby carrots)
¼ cup cold water
1.5 Tbsp. Great Lakes Grass-Fed Gelatin
1 Can Zevia Cream Soda
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Dash of sea salt
Optional: 5 – 10 drops pure liquid vanilla stevia for extra vanilla sweetness

Instructions

1. With carrots still hot from being steamed, add all ingredients to blender or food processor and blend until carrots are pureed

2. Dissolve gelatin in the cold water

3. With blender/processor running on low, pour in the gelatin and turn up the speed to completely mix it in.

4. Pour into heatproof container and chill in fridge at least 6 hours, preferable overnight.

5. The pudding should be solid, like jello, after sitting. You can eat it like this or use electric or hand beaters to whip it into more of a pudding consistency.

6. Top with extra cinnamon and enjoy your healthy, dairy-free, egg-free, and delicious vanilla pudding!

*Alternatively, you could use a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, just make sure to heat it before putting in blender so the gelatin will bind once added.

Now, go grab a six-pack or two (or three or four) of Zevia and try this recipe along with several others. Don’t forget to simply drink and enjoy too. While you’re savoring your soda, share a pic of you enjoying Zevia, share it by tagging them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with hashtag #ClearlyDifferent. If they share your pic, they’ll, as they say, thank you with a soda high 5!

Please let me know how it turns out if you try the recipe, and remember to share it with your little ones. Also, make sure you have extra Zevia to drink while cooking!