Good workout you can do at home...

This morning I did a workout at our CrossFit gym that's a pretty good one...you can even do it at home if you have a set of dumbbells and a jump rope.  

Here it is...

10 dumbbell thrusters 

20 dumbbell lunges

30 double unders (jumping rope) 

400 m run (or run for 2-3 minutes)

4 x 

It took me 25 minutes. 

Good luck! 

Save Some Serious Dough This Year On Services

At the beginning of the year every year, my husband and I sit down and reevaluate our income and budget and find ways we can cut back. Life is a bit more expensive now with a baby, so we decided to do somethings ourselves that we had previously outsourced. We found several ways to save thousands of dollars every year. 

Dog Grooming

We have 2 dogs and each time they both go to the groomer it costs $150. They were going every other month or 6 x a year. This was costing us $900 a year. This year we decided to bathe and groom them ourselves. I was the only that always took them to be dropped off and picked up, and that might get tough now that I have a baby. I'm picturing a real circus. So I bought a set of trimming shears ($12)  for Otis, the poodle/terrier mix and a pet shaving/grooming set ($29) for Parker the Lab. This will save us $900 this year! 

Nail Care 

If you're one who likes to get manicures and pedicures at least a once a month ($50,) doing them yourself can save you $600 a year.  I bought an Amope, a bubbling foot bath, several polishes and other accessories like cuticle clippers and nail files. I spent about $100 total but now I can just do them in the comfort of my own home and don't have to worry about my daughter and when I'll go or anything. 

Lawn Service 

If you usually pay a lawn service to handle your lawn ($60 a month,) buying a mower ($200) and edger ($60) and doing it yourself will save you a few hundred dollars a year after you buy the equipment you need.  

Maid Service

We are still on the fence about this next one. We are trying to decide if we will take over doing it, or will continue to have her so it... Our maid comes every other week and we pay her $100. That's $200 a month or $2400 a year!! That's a lot of money. If you decide to start cleaning your home yourself, this saves thousands of dollars.  It's a tough one because I really despise cleaning and it takes forever when you're not good at it. However, it's also a big expense. Some people just don't have time bad have overwhelmingly large houses.  Ours is not big, and I still can't get it looking the way our maid does it! 

Handyman Services

We almost paid someone $2k to paint our house during a recent home renovation.  After we buy the paint and other news supplies, we will still save $1500 on this project. 

Basically, if you start doing things you can physically do yourself, you can save quite a bit of money. Save that money for things you can't do. Then you'll have it for when it comes time to call the plumber or something! 

Personal Pitty Party...My Workouts Suck.

Getting back into working out has been tough. In my case, getting there isn't the hard part. I show up everyday but unfortunately, I suck at everything. It's really great to receive encouragement from people, but I've lost all strength and am completely starting over. There's no denying that. 

I'm 8 weeks post partum, and I've been working out for 2 weeks, since I got cleared by my OBgyn. 

I wonder daily if I'll ever return to same level that I was once at. I've been doing CrossFit for going on 6 years now, and over time, I'd built up strength and skills. While pregnant, I managed to maintain ability to do most movements without discomfort or fear until I was about 7 months pregnant. I did however, then reduce the amount of weight I used. I also reduced the frequency of my workouts in my 3rd trimester. Instead of working out 5 or 6 days a week, I'd only work out 3 days a week on average. I tried to brisk walk everyday as well. 

I CrossFitted throughout my whole pregnancy, literally up until the last week.  However, I couldn't do much at that point. I'd just show up and walk, do lunges, modified push ups, air squats, and used free weights. I just need to pass the time and keep moving. 

After I had the baby, I was off for 6 weeks. When I started back, I can tell you this:

I can hardly do a sit up. My abdomen is so weak! 

A 45 lb. bar now feels really heavy, where as 95 lbs. used to feel about right. 

A hand stand push up is just not happening. Ever again. How was I ever even able to do those? I can't remember...

Running really takes it out of me. Talk about winded! 

Swinging a 35 lb. Kettle bell literally feels like my life's greatest accomplishment, where as I used to could swing a 53 lb. kettlebell if a Wod called for it. 

Forget ever deadlifting 225 lbs or more ever again. I don't think it will happen. With 95 lbs. now, the struggle is real. 

Real push-ups are super hard. Knee push ups are even somewhat of a challenge. I dream of nice arms. 

I used to be able to do nearly 100 double-unders unbroken. Now I'm lucky if I can get 15 without having to stop and take a breath, and I might as well pee while I'm at it. That really makes me sad. Because that was my thing. I was really good at jump roping! : ( 

Rapid fire box jumps too! Not now. I'm scurrrred! 

I know what you're thinking... "Give it a chance. You just had a baby!" I know. I know. But it doesn't change the fact that it's a bit frustrating to be completely starting over after I worked really hard for a long time to become the average CrossFit athlete that I was. Now I'm like a newbie, scaling everything!  Let's not forget the pesky 10 lbs that I currently feel will never fall off. I'm also thinking, at what point will I say, "I now hate salad..." because you can only eat it so many times before you are sick of it! That happened to me with sweet potatoes years ago. I can barely touch them because I ate them too much for several years, in attempts to avoid white potatoes. 

And will my stomach ever look like it once did? That seems impossible too.  I need to have patience and give it some time. But it's hard when you have a crazy sense of urgency like I do and want things done yesterday. 

Oh well. Hopefully it will happen. Strength will return and I'll bounce back. But it the meantime, it sucks and I'm allowed to say it. Poor me. This is my one pitty party in print. Then I'll get over it. 

10 things that STILL happen now that I have a baby...

There are certain things that definitely change when you have a baby. But some things don't, and I think it's really important to still have a life and keep maintain sense of self.  I was determined to bust those new mom myths you hear about. My daughter is undoubtedly my world, but I still have a life! 

This is a list of things that still happen, even though I have a baby now...

1. I still shower every day...in the morning and at night! You always hear about Moms realizing it's the end of the day, and they hadn't a managed to shower. Hmmmmmm...I still don't understand how Moms can't do this. In the beginning it's tough, sure, but this only takes a few minutes. I think it helps that I never took really long showers to begin with, and I don't wash my hair every day either. Recycling your hair and dry shampoo can change your life! 

2. I still respond to texts and emails. I'm not so overwhelmed that I don't respond when someone reaches out to me. I think it's courteous to do so in a timely manner as well. It may be brief, but I respond!

3. I still have a social life. I make a point to go to wedding showers, baby showers and other events, like I always did. I go to lunch with friends too, and of course, hang out with my family. 

4. I still work out. No, it's not the easiest thing in the world, but I find time. Before I got cleared to work out, I walked nearly everyday. I pushed her in the stroller. Now I'm running and CrossFitting again and it feels so good! I go up to our gym and work out while she just sleeps in her infant carrier.  I also go to the YMCA...it is great because they have free childcare for kids starting at 6 wks old. 

5. I still date my husband. Sometimes we bring our daughter and sometimes we don't. We make time to go to dinner and have a drink every now and then too. We do special things for each other like we always did. I think it's extremely important to never become too wrapped up in the baby to not make quality time for your spouse. 

6. I still get plenty of rest. During the day, I don't sleep when the baby sleeps, although I've been told to. But it's because I don't feel that I need to.I try to be productive in the mornings and evenings when she's sleeping. Plus I'm not so tired and sleep deprived that I need to lay down and nap. In the morning and evenings I do Wife/Mom things like cook and tidy up the house. During the day, I work. At night, I sleep, and so does she. It's really pretty simple. Maybe I'm blessed with a good sleeping baby. (However, it probably hasn't 'just happened' without out my hard work on the front end with getting her on a feeding/sleep schedule.)

7. I still try to get fully ready for the day and look decent. Even if it's Saturday or a day during the week where I'm working from home, I still try my best to not look frumpy. I wear cute clothes and put on some make up. Just do it ladies! You'll feel so much better about yourself. 

8. My house is still looking good and not cluttered with baby stuff. Its by no means spotless, but baby stuff isn't taking over the Living Room. It's contained mainly in her nursery. Our house isn't large so we tried our best not to register for or buy too many things that take up floor space. 

9. I still work hard. Although some days I wish I could just stay at home with her until she is old enough to go to school, I think I might go nuts, because I love staying busy and working hard. I'm so thankful for my career in Marketing, and the flexibility it lends. I get out there and work my tail off to help provide for our little family.  I think having always had a lot on my plate has greatly helped me to multi task now as a new Mom. It's amazing what I can actually do while still holding my little angel. 

10. I skill make time for myself. I have always had lots of hobbies and I'm still enjoying them. Some include photography, shopping (although now Moreso online,) trying new things, reading and writing. 

Grace fits so well into our lives and we feel truly blessed. I love being a Mom more than I ever imagined. It's not overwhelming like I though it would be, honestly. Breastfeeding and pumping has its challenges, but my little nugget is getting liquids gold nutrition! Sure, some days are better than others, but most days are amazing. I'm lucky to have a husband with a flexible schedule too (5 days off in a row as a firefighter, and gun owner) and a great nanny and babysitter that help me out when I need it. I'm very happy with how things have gone and I look forward to every day that I get to hold her, feed her, change her diapers and comfort her when she cries. 

Written by: Kelly Gerszewski

Later, Wrinkles!!

Recently, I tried an anti-wrinkle cream that I really like. It's the Moisturizing Anti-Wrinkle Cream by Anavita Skin Care (from Amazon.com.)

The texture is thick, rich and creamy. It smells divine, (clean and slightly sweet.) It's going to help me look younger! I'm feeling pretty excited about that! My skin feels more hydrated and firmer as well. Give it some time though. You can see results after 4 weeks of use, but best after 12.  Following the directions, I have been applying it morning and night by rubbing it gently into my skin on the face and neck. 

Prior to trying the product, I noticed  that I looked older than ever before. It's hard to believe I'll be 34 in a few months! I feel like this cream is making a difference already! I'm a big fan. 

I'm excited that I have a special offer for my readers. I have a coupon code for $5 off this product which can be applied at Amazon checkout! This is valid until March 22, 2015. Give it a try and let me know your feedback and if you gals are seeing results as well. 

Here is the link to the product on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s_ss_i_2_6?ie=UTF8&k=anavita+moisturizing+anti-wrinkle+cream&sprefix=Anavit

Use the coupon code FEBBAC28 at checkout. 

You can like Avanita Skin Care on Facebook too! Just click here...

https://m.facebook.com/AnavitaSkinCare?_rdr

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Babywise Works!

I chose to breastfeed my daughter, Grace. I also pump. Breast milk is excellent nutrition for babies, and it's free. It's also more convenient in most scenarios.  You just stick the baby on the boob, and don't have to rush around preparing a bottle then warming it. At times, it's inconvenient, particularly, when you can't, (haha!) but for the most part, it has worked well for me thus far. Don't get me wrong, breastfeeding has its challenges.  I experienced them too, like most other people. I wanted give up on day 3, got engorged, had bleeding and cracked nipples, discovered a nipple shield, etc. In fact, I could elaborate more on all of that, but that's a topic for another post. This post is about why the Babywise methodology works.  Also, it's important to know that this post is judgement free. It's simply an account of my personal experience with breastfeeding and sleep patterns after reading the book Babywise. 

When my daughter was born, (just 8 weeks ago,) I was told to feed her on demand, at least for the first 4 weeks. It sounds selfish, but this was really disruptive to my life, so it lasted only a week. It's important that you know I love feeding my daughter.  It's special because I'm the one with the milk and I'm so happy to do it. I enjoy the bonding time too. I started back work sooner than most Moms, so somewhat of a schedule was nearly a necessity for us. I am very happy that we decided to implement a schedule so early on. Call me crazy, but it has worked well. My daughter is 8 wks old and just slept through the night. 

Let's start at the beginning. Sure, baby knows when she wants to eat, but she also wants to sleep!! She could sleep for really long spells. I wanted to make sure she was eating enough times during the day, and getting plenty to eat each feeding. 

Like I said, I also pump so my Husband or Nanny can feed her when I'm gone. I would pump initially to gauge how much each boob was yielding in a certain time frame. One yielded more than the other, but that's ok. At first, I let her eat for as long as she wanted on each breast. That got old fast, so I stuck to about 15 min on each breast. My Doula assured me that was ok. Plus, it seemed to meet her tummy requirement according to how much I was pumping. For example, each boob produced about 2 oz in 10 - 15 minutes of pumping. So if she nursed for 30 min total, she would get about 4+ ounces each feeding. Bottles go faster than that. 

So at 1 week old, I began feeding her every three hours. Feeding times were at 7 am, 10 am, 1 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm, 10 pm, 1 am and 4 am. I would wake her to feed her during the day if she was sleeping, but not at night.  It's important to state that I never let her go hungry. If she was inconsolable in between thosse feeding times, I fed her, but this didn't last long. She quickly seemed satisfied with eating every three hours. After just 2 weeks, she only needed one night feeding. Some nights, she needed two, but it wasn't the norm. If she woke up crying to eat, I fed her. Otherwise, I didn't. I let her sleep. My Doctor said this was ok. She never went longer than 5 hours without eating at night. In an 8 hour sleeping period during the night, she would wake once, on her own, around 2 or 3 am to eat. A typical night looked like this...

Ate 10 - 10:30 pm 

Slept 10:30-2:30 am (4 hours)

Ate 2 - 2:30 am 

Slept 2:30 -6:30 am (another 4 hours) 

I am no longer dead set on the times of 7, 10, 1, etc.  Her feeding times are now dictated by when she wakes up in the morning and first eats. We are actually on more of a 6, 9, 12 schedule but it's still really similar. There is a little bit of flexibility with times but it's about the same daily give or take 30 minutes or so. 

She gained appropriate weight at all of her check ups. And trust me, I went to the doctor alot. We went at 1 week (first appointment,) at 2 weeks, at 1 month (took advantage of this because it was recommended for new Moms by my Doctor,) at 5 weeks (suspected cold,) and at 8 weeks. 

Since she was 1 week old, Grace has been a pretty good sleeper at night. For 7 weeks, she's only waken up once in the night to eat, on average.  And now at 8 weeks, she's slept through the night. I suspect this pattern will stick. I will continue to pump at night to keep building my milk supply.  I really feel that reading and following Babywise had helped get Grace on a good, healthy schedule.  

Here is the cliff notes version of Babywise. Eat, Wake, Sleep. Feed baby (every 3 hours by day,) keep he or she up after eating for an activity (like tummy time, swing or reading,) then put baby down for a nap. At the end of the day, they've eaten enough and are tired enough to sleep well at night, and then eventually sleep through the night. 

Hooray! 

Almond Flour Tortillas

Made in Texas, these almond flour tortillas are absolutely delicious. I crave them now! They are healthy and are also paleo, grain-free, gluten free, dairy free and vegan. 

The flavor reminds me of butter and the consistency is much like a corn tortilla, except a little more moist and pliable. 

Check out the nutrition information below. One package contains 10 tortillas. 

You can buy them online at www.mustbenutty.com, with the option of buying 1 package ($9.99,) a 3 pack ($29.49,) or a 6 pack ($56.99.) These are also available to purchase through Farmhouse Delivery (in Houston) and in several Texas Whole Foods stores including locations in Austin and Houston. 

Dish of the Day: Paleo Turkey Tacos

Paleo Turkey Tacos

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

Almond flour tortillas 

Shredded lettuce 

Chopped tomatoes 

Avacados chunks

Seasoning salt

Back pepper 

Paprika

Prep:

Brown turkey with seasonings in pan. Serve with veggies in heated almond flour tortillas. 

Super easy and healthy! 

Free Baby Sling!

I LOVE holding my baby like this. And these slings are awesome! 

Claim your FREE baby sling today by using code 'sslove.'

Happy Valentines Day!

Shop now at www.sevenslings.com

Benefits of Yoga for Mom and Baby

Yoga is a wonderful form of exercise to do anytime, even while pregnant and post partum. 

I did not love being pregnant by any means, but can safely say that I did love going to prenatal yoga. The body changes so much during pregnancy and it felt incredibly wonderful to take time to stretch and hold poses. It also felt rather amazing to connect with my baby in the womb during this practice.  Houston area Moms-to-be, check out The Motherhood Center for prenatal yoga. They have fabulous instructors that will bring you to tears. I can remember sitting in class after a hard hour's work. Instead of laying on my back in Shavasana, I'd sit in Lotus pose, (Indian style) and would rub my belly.  As told to by the teacher, I'd think of something I found funny, and I'd 'tell baby,' (in my head.)   Then she would say,  'Now think of how much you love your baby, and will enjoy watching her grow...now tell her."  Tears! It was pretty cool...

 

Now that I'm 6 wks post partum, I am back at yoga and brought my sweet baby girl to a Mom and Baby yoga class recently.  I was hesitant as to how this class would go. Luckily, my daughter loved every minute of it and never cried. We started off by having our babies lying on the mat in front of us. We moved their limbs and massaged their bellies. Then we held poses like warrior and chair, while holding the baby. We also bounced on the ball towards the end. All the babies loved that! It was a great class and might have even been tougher than regular yoga because we held our babies! 10 lbs is no joke if you've been out of the game a while, and when it's adorable and giggling, it makes class so much fun!

Yoga has so many benefits. I personally believe more oxygen gets to the brain during yoga because you breathe more deeply and efficiently during class.  

Yoga is great for babies and kids because it's a great sensory experience for them, and they get to be active as well. Regular movement promotes more settled behavior and also deeper sleep.  Yoga's physiological and psychological benefits for babies include frustration reduction, multiple body systems stimulation and parent/child bonding and communication.  

Yoga has countless benefits for adults too, and especially Moms! It improves posture, balance and sleep. Regular yoga activity burns calories and contributes to weight loss. It betters range of motion and also strengthens muscles and joints. It improves energy and endurance levels. Yoga is a full body workout both physically and mentally. It works everything from your brain to your bum. It truly softens the heart as well. It's fantastic for recovery from birth because of the stretching and stress reduction practices involved in a yoga session.  

If you haven't yet tried a yoga class, I highly recommend doing so! Locate a studio in your area and ask to try the first class for free. You can also check class schedules at gyms like the YMCA. 

Dish of the Day: Easy Lunch Meat Lettuce Wraps

Easy Lunch Meat Lettuce Wraps 

This recipe takes under a minute to prepare. It is quick and easy, and really satisfies the craving for a sandwich. It's a yummy low carb choice and contains good fat and protein.

Ingredients:
Lunch meat (roast beef, peppered turkey, ham, etc)
Romain lettuce
1/4 Avocado

Prep:
Place lunch meat slices into lettuce boats and add chopped or sliced avocado and black pepper

Enjoy!

#FitTip
#FitThriftyMom

Change Up Your Walk Routine

Maybe you walk regularly for exercise. Perhaps you just had a baby, like I did...or maybe you are recovering from a surgery. I'm 6 weeks post partum and haven't been cleared to work out yet. I'm big into CrossFit, but right now all I can do is walk. 

Whatever the case may be, walking is good exercise.  It can boost your mood and energy levels in just 5 minutes! It can get also becoming boring and redundant quickly though. Here are some ways to really spice up your walk workouts!

Walk an incline:

If you're waking on a piece of stationary equipment at a gym, then set it on an incline and work that booty!

If you're walking outside, try hills or stairs. Shoot for 25 minutes! 

Brisk walk:

Instead of going for a leisurely stroll, really get some speed going, and walk as fast as you can! Make sure those arms are swinging and take long strides. Speed and movement intensifies your workout and will burn more calories. Give 40 minutes a try. 

Intervals: 

Change it up by trying to walk fast for one minute, then slow it down for a minute. Keep watching the clock or stopwatch, and continue this alternating pattern of fast then slow for your entire walk. Try 30 minutes...

Ab workout:

You can walk with your abs engaged. This is tough to maintain, but it's a good technique that will create some moderate soreness you can be proud of. Draw in or engage your abs until you feel them contract. Make sure you're not holding you're breath though...Keep workin' those abs for a good 20 minute walk. 

Serenity walk: 

Don't time this walk, or listen to music, or even look at your phone. Just enjoy nature, take in the smells, sounds and sights. Focus on your breathing. Take long, filling, cleansing deep breaths...in through the nose and then blow them out, (nose or mouth.) This will calm your anxieties and worries and can help you feel more clear headed.  

Written by: Kelly Gerszewski, #fitThriftymom

Tan=Thinner

Look slimmer in just a few hours with this quick trick! 

That's quite the gimmicky line, but it's really true. This $8 secret helps you to look thinner almost immediately. We all know that looking tan automatically makes you slimmer! 

So if you're feeling fluffy and pasty, give this trick a try:

Apply self tanner all over your body. Wait for it to dry. Don't sweat or swim for at least 6 hours. Then, enjoy the perks of looking tan and tone!

You can also get professionally spray tanned at a salon, (in a booth, or airbrushed by a person,) but that could cost as much as $50. 

No one knows why, but having tan skin just takes off a few vanity pounds. Looking tan is more desirable than looking pale, and less imperfections like scars and cellulite can be seen. You'll also look healthier with a sun kissed glow rather than looking white, flat and matte.  

Using self tanning products is much safer than laying in a tanning bed. 

Getting too much sun outdoors can be dangerous too, although a little Vitamin D always does the body good. 

I'm 5 weeks post partum. I'm waiting for my uterus to shrink and to be cleared by my Doctor to work out. Meanwhile, I'm carrying around 12 lbs. left to lose until I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I gave this old faithful trick a try one afternoon when I was feeling large, and by night, I felt and looked better already! 

My favorite product is the Loreal Sublime Bronze Mousse in Medium. 

Give it a try! I would love feedback on other great products too! 

All Mammals Nurse...

Last night while I was breastfeeding before we all went to sleep, my husband and I were laying in bed talking about how crazy it is that my daughter eats and drinks the milk produced by my body. It's the most natural thing in the world, yet still it baffles me. What a phenomenon that this little human eats from my breast. And how crazy is it that all the nutrition she'll need for the first few months of life is found in the milk produced by her Mom? Graphic, I know, but truly interesting. Then my honey reminded me that all animals do the same, like dogs and goats. I then pictured all the puppies feeding at once on Mama Dog.  

After some googling to verify that even dolphins do this, it was clarified for us that all mammals nurse. For a brief time, I became obsessed with baby Dolphins nursing. Dolphins have a particularly tough time

because they nurse while swimming. Wow! How do they do it? Talk about latch issues...

Well, Marine mammals are able to roll their tongue like a straw, all the while making waves in the ocean. They travel great distances, and apparently don't nurse for too long. They get all the nutrition they need in just a 5 to 10 second feeding , several times a day. Their little mouths are like zippers. They are able to get the milk in and keep the salt water out. Baby Dolphins may nurse until they are 3 years old. 

Then, I sat and pondered...God is a creator of all things amazing.  

The circle of life and the food chain are all quite interesting to me as well. His handiwork includes the creation of animals bearing offspring that can feed off their mothers' bodies.  It's a little barbaric, but so cool! I love nursing my daughter and I'm so happy I get to! It never gets old. 

I can't wait to go to the Houston Zoo in the Spring and see all the animals. Maybe there will be some newborns and some amazing mammal nursing will be happening too! 

My Top 10 Go-To Paleo Recipes

My Top 10 Go-To Paleo Recipes

Breakfasts:

1. Paleo Cereal: Super easy and delicious: Sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, blueberries, dates and raisins in a bowl with added almond milk. Bam!

2. Paleo American Breakfast: 2 Scrambled eggs and 2 scrambled egg whites, broiled bacon, and grilled sweet potatoes. I have eggs and bacon nearly every day of my life…Can’t beat Old Faithful!

3. Paleo Banana Pancakes- 2 eggs and 1 banana blended in blender…pour into pan greased with coconut oil! Makes 6. Oh so easy!

Lunches:

4. Paleo Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries: Brown grown beef or turkey burgers and serve over lettuce topped with tomato, pickle and onion. No bun…served with a side of sliced sweet potatoes baked in Evoo with sea salt and black pepper, (aka fries.)

5. Turkey and Lettuce Roll-ups: Stuff Romaine Lettuce Pieces with turkey meat and avocado. Fresh and crunchy , not to mention deliciously satisfying like a sandwich.

Dinners:

6. Paleo Salmon Cakes: Put a salmon steak, green onion, white onion and garlic into the food processer. Pat mixture into cakes. Dip in egg, then coat in almond flour. Add salt and pepper, then brown in EVOO greased pan for 5 minutes on each side. Tastes classy!

7. Fish and Veggies: Dress a cod or trout filet in your choice of oil, lemon and capers. Slice a zucchini and carrots. Boil both on a foil lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes on low. Very little prep…quick, easy and healthy!

8. Paleo Chicken Soup: 3 cans of Chicken Broth, 1 cooked rotisserie chicken, 5 celery sticks, 3 chopped carrots, 1 white onion, garlic, and spices. Chop all ingredients. Cook in large pot for 15 minutes on medium then simmer for another 10 minutes. This one warms the soul.

Desserts:

9. Paleo Blueberry Muffins: 1 cup almond flour, 3 eggs, ½ cup honey, 1/3 cup coconut oil, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, cinnamon. Mix together and then add in ½ cup blueberries. Pour into muffin tin lined with muffin paper cups. Bake at 350 for 20 min. These definitely satisfies the sweet tooth!

10. Paleo Cobbler Crumble: 1.5 cups almond flour, 1 egg, 1 tbsp. coconut oil, pinch of baking soda and cinnamon. Mix all ingredients together, then crumble over 1.5 cups of fruit of your choice, (peaches, blueberries, raspberries.) Bake 40 min. at 350 degrees… Almost as good as pie! 

Top 5 Uses for Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil: The Must Have Product in Your Kitchen and Bathroom

Top 5 Uses:

I'm obsessed with Coconut Oil. It's delicious, nutritious, and has multiple uses all around the house. I love to eat, so let's start there...

Cooking:

I typically cost my pan with Coconut Oil when I cook. Not spray coconut oil in a Pam-like can containing other ingredients like soy Leticia and other crap, I mean the real deal coconut oil containing one ingredient only: pure extra virgin coconut oil! I go back and forth between EVOO and coconut oil for cooking, but most of the time I use coconut oil. Why? It's an excellent source of good saturated fat. It also tastes delicious! It's perfect  when you're making sweeter things like Paleo pancakes or caramelizing apples for dessert. Even when pork chops or stir fry is on the menu, it seems to pair well, and the coconut taste isn't too strong.  It's also a wonderful ingredient for baking. 

Killing Bacteria: 

Coconut Oil contains Lauric Acid.  This is converted into monolaurin by our bodies, which then kills harmful pathogens like bacteria and viruses. It's no surprise that breast milk also contains Lauric Acid, which helps newborns develop Mom's immunity.  Additionally, it helps babies fight off illnesses. Pregnant and nursing mothers should definitely consume Coconut Oil regularly. Either eat 1 tbsp a day or cook with it! 

On a side note, have you thought about how much a coconut looks like a boob? They're similar in the nutritional value too! Ha ha! 

In 2012, I did a month long experiment on oil pulling (with coconut oil.) I measured my oral health before and after with the help of my dentist. The results were pretty unbelievable too! I oil pulled (www.oilpulling.com) with coconut oil 20 minutes a day for a a month. The amount of bacteria in my mouth decreased significantly and the shade of my teeth's whiteness was improved by 2 shades naturally. Wow! I'm living proof it works. 

Hair Care:

If you have dry, brittle ends, you probably need a trim. If you've done that recently, and you really feel like your hair is lacking moisture, you should do a coconut oil treatment on your ends, letting it sit for at least 15 minutes. You can also use it on your scalp to treat dry skin. Applying it on your roots will replenish the moisture and will help with a dandruff issue. 

Skin care: 

Who needs Bath and Body Works? Coconut Oil smells amazing and deeply moisturizers the skin. It makes me think of vacation and the beach. It also leaves a near perfect, dewey glow. Hello sexy! Most lotion moisturizers seem to just help a bit on the surface of skin for a short amount of time. But Coconut Oil really locks in moisture and infuses the skin with wonderfully naturally ingredients, (not chemicals.) have you ever read the back of a lotion bottle? Yikes? What is all that garbage?

Egyptians, Indians and tons of other cultures have been moisturizing with oils since the beginning of time. Why did anyone ever stop? 

Some people like to slather on Coconut Oil like a body butter in the solid form. My favorite thing to do is spray it on. I buy Nature's Way Liquid Coconut Oil and pour it into a travel size spray bottle. Then I have a fabulous all-natural spray lotion and it's less messy! I'm usually kind of lazy when it comes to rubbing in moisturizers, and I hate getting my hands greasy, so this works well. 

Coffee creamer:

Coconut Oil is such an over achiever. What a Jane of all trades. It happens to be a great addition to your mug of coffee. Yippie! Everyone loves coffee! Adding a tablespoon will make your morning cup of joe taste and appear smooth and creamy. It also flavors and sweetens it. Bingo! I never add sweetener. This is a fantastic way to get your good fat in without chomping down on a whole spoonful of oil, if you're having trouble stomaching that. 

Now go buy some Coconut Oil and let it start working wonders for you too!