Top 10 Pantry Items

Healthy Grocery Shopping

When it comes to healthy grocery shopping many people are left scratching their heads unsure of what to buy. Planning ahead has helped me tremendously! I'm a person who loves sweets, but I know too many of the wrong ones are not healthy for me. I make sure to have a list prepared ahead of time so my hands don't unconsciously start reaching for stuff I know I don't need lol. 

I'm really big on meal planning and my grocery list varies from week to week, but there are certain items I always keep stocked. Here are my top 10 items I usually keep on hand.

1. Fruit: Strawberries, blueberries, bananas, raspberries (varies)

2. Veggies: Spinach, mushrooms, peppers, kale.

3. Unsweetened almond milk: Great with smoothies, and anything else you use milk for.

4. Plain Greek yogurt: Great alone or with fruit.

5. Almond butter or peanut butter: Good with sandwiches or as a snack with fruit.

6. Eggs: Perfect for breakfast, or in salads (great source of protein)

7. Beans: Black beans and garbanzo beans (great for making hummus)

8. Balsamic vinegar/olive oil: Use to make your own vinaigrette.

9. Salmon and fish: Good source of omega 3.

10. Oatmeal: Perfect for a healthy nutritious breakfast (That your having every morning right?!!! ummm hmmm :)))

****Bonus item*** Almonds: Great alone of with fruit and yogurt.

(Grocery haul from Trader Joe's)

(balsamic vinegar and olive oil)

These two are great for making your own healthy salad dressing.

Hopefully this list gives you some ideas on what healthy items to buy the next time you go grocery shopping. Leave any questions or comments below. I'd love to hear from you. 

Coming soon........

Easy ways to prepare healthy meals that still taste great.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Live Fit Be Free

Eboni :)

Frozen Grapes

Healthy Snack

Grapes are packed with antioxidants including, vitamins C, K and beta-carotene. Vitamin C plays major role in preventing infection and also promotes healthy bones teeth and gums.

Tips:

Frozen grapes taste better when they're very ripe so I usually leave them in the fridge for a few days before I freeze them (this makes them sweeter)

• Freeze whole grapes as a refreshing treat.  

• Frozen grapes are a great snack for kids and a nice alternative to popsicles. ( My niece Trinity loves them)

• Frozen grapes are the perfect late night snack and they satisfy your sweet tooth without all the extra sugar in candy.

Give this refreshing treat a try. Enjoy!

Live Fit Be Free 

Eboni :)

Detox Strawberry Lemon Smoothie

I usually have one for breakfast or after a workout. I made this detox smoothie today.

2 cups of strawberries

1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup of greek yogurt

2 tbsp of honey

1 cup of ice

(add water as needed) 

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Live Fit Be Free

Eboni :)

Delicious Breakfast Smoothie

This morning I decided to make a new breakfast smoothie and thought I'd share it with you guys. It's really simple to make and it tastes great.

Handful of spinach

Half a cup of almond milk

3 strawberries

3 or 4 pineapple chunks

1 banana

1 scoop of protein #Itworks vanilla #ProFit

(add water as needed)

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy :)

Live Fit Be Free

Eboni

Strawberry Pecan Oatmeal

Most Important Meal of The Day

We've heard it a million times. "breakfast is the most important meal of the day!", and it really is. Eating breakfast every morning has done wonders for me. When I eat breakfast I have more energy and it has been great for my metabolism. Here's a quick, easy oatmeal recipe I like to make some mornings. 

(Organic oatmeal from Trader Joe's)

(Almond Milk)

(Brown Sugar)

(Pecans)

(Strawberries)

Making your own oatmeal is much more healthy than buying many of the prepackaged fruit oatmeal with a bunch of sugar and additives. Give this a recipe a try and let me know how you like it. Enjoy :)

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Live Fit Be Free

Eboni :)

Save Money Freeze Fruit

Ever had this happen? 

Of course! We all have. I use to waste so much money on food because it would go bad before I got a chance to eat it. Fruit only lasts for so long before going bad. Here is one way I learned to save more food and money at the same time.

Slice up your fruit of choice before they go bad.

Place in freezer storage bags
(any fruit can be frozen)

place in the freezer
(here I have frozen mango, pineapples, strawberries and bananas)

Frozen fruit lasts in the freezer for a pretty long time. I typically use within a couple months. I use frozen bananas sooner..... I would say within a couple weeks (but you don't have to). I do this because I buy fresh bananas every week.

I like to use my frozen fruit to make smoothies.... I have at least one a day. Sometimes I'll mix fresh fruit and frozen fruit together. I do this a lot when I make strawberry banana smoothies. I'll use frozen strawberries and fresh bananas. It all depends on what I have available at the time.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope this tip helps. Leave any questions or comments below.

Live Fit Be Free

Eboni :)

Banana & Peanut Butter Chocolate Bites

I'm Not Giving Up Sweets and You Don't Have to Either!

Ok... so anyone who knows me knows that I LOOOOOOVE sweets. Matter of fact, there've been times I've made a peach cobbler and ate the whole pan myself! Ha ha, (not all in one sitting though) When I embarked upon my healthy living journey, sweets was the one thing I knew would be difficult to give up. Then I thought... who said I had to give up sweets completely?... I realized I didn't need to give sweets up, I just needed healthier alternatives!

When I really want a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, I make this simple, healthier alternative instead:

1. One banana

2. Slice

3. Use a spoon to add all natural peanut butter (or almond butter) and Semi-Sweet chocolate bits to the banana

I hope this quick and easy snack satisfies your sweet tooth the next time you're craving that candy bar.

Enjoy!

Live Fit Be Free

Eboni :)

Oven-Roasted Vegetables

Bringing Out The Flavor of Vegetables

Oven roasting vegetables is one of the best ways to bring out the flavor. Use any vegetables you like, below I'll show you how I prepared this delicious oven-roasted dish.

Ingredients:

2 large sweet onions, cut in chunks

4 large sweet carrots, cut in chunks

1/2 lb of Brussels sprouts

1/2 lb of Artichokes 

8 to 10 small potatoes 

4 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

4 minced cloves of garlic

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Cooking spray (I used extra virgin olive oil in a spray bottle)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F peel all the vegetables. Toss all vegetables in oil, and  minced garlic. Arrange the vegetables in a large roasting pan coated with cooking spray (extra virgin olive oil). Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes.

2. Uncover and turn vegetables with a large spoon. Add salt and pepper and roast at 425 degrees F for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes are thoroughly cooked and the edges are not burned.

****Serving size 6

Serve this meal alone or as a side dish with grilled fish or chicken. 

Enjoy!!!

Live Fit Be Free 

Eboni :)

Healthy Living During The Holidays

The Holidays Are Finally Here!

 The holiday season is one of the best times of the year! I love the spirit of giving, seeing family/friends and oh YEAH..... of course the food!  Staying consistent with a workout and eating plan can be a challenge... but no need to worry... here are some of my favorite tips that will keep you fit, healthy and stress free during the holiday season.

1. Plan ahead

The days before and after the holidays usually determine whether or not you'll stay on track with your goals....that's why it's important to have a plan! When going to holiday gatherings, bring a dish; this will ensure you'll have something healthy to munch on in addition to all the other options. 

2. Get Moving

 Go on a morning run or try these simple exercises first thing in the morning to burn 100 calories:

40 jumping jacks

30 crunches

20 squats

10 push-ups

3. Indulge A Bit

Let's face it! During the holidays most of us have a tendency to fill our whole plate.... well at least I know I do lol. Try using smaller plates to keep the portion sizes under control... this will ensure you enjoy all the foods you love without packing on the extra pounds!

4.Snacks

Snacking during the day is great because you won't be as hungry when it's time for the big meal. Fruit, Greek yogurt, mixed nuts or veggies and dip are all good options to hold you off until your holiday dinner.

5. Save The Stress and Drama

The holidays are supposed to be a joyous time, but it can also be stressful hosting guests and dealing with certain family members..... (ya'll know... the crazy ones lol)

Holiday shopping and all the expectations from family and friends can leave you feeling exhausted and drained. Treat yourself to something that makes you happy during the holidays :)

one last thing......

I understand first hand the holiday season can be a difficult time for many due to the loss of a loved one or being away from close family and friends. Make an effort to let someone know you're thinking of them... it could be a phone call, or kind word. You never know the impact you'll make on someone's life just by showing you care.

Happy Holidays!

Eboni

Live Fit Be Free

Keep it Moving

MetroFresh Salad Rendition

Fresh Salad

So..... not too long ago I had one of the best salads I'd had in a while at MetroFresh in Atlanta. This salad was so good I HAD to try it at home.

The MetroFresh salad consisted of:

Mixed greens 
Strawberries and raspberries
Goat cheese
Sliced blackened chicken breast (cold)
Basil mint vinaigrette  

 The salad I made was slightly different.... mine consisted of:

Mixed greens 
Strawberries and raspberries
Feta cheese
Grilled chicken breast (warmed)
Basil mint vinaigrette  

The salad I prepared tasted pretty similar to the one I had at MetroFresh, the only difference was the basil mint vinaigrette.... I really need to find out exactly what they used to get mine to taste the same. lol ....I'll definitely be tweaking my basil mint vinaigrette and experimenting with different ingredients.

What's your favorite salad and what ingredients do you like most? Leave your comments below.

Live Fit Be Free


Eboni :)

I Think I Need A Shot!

Shots Anyone?

It's always important to hydrate and replenish your body with lots of water and nutrients after a workout. Some days are tougher than others and today's workout definitely drove me to drink! HA HA!

(Juice shots at Kale me Crazy in Atlanta)

Kale me Crazy is a popular juice bar in Atlanta that offers a variety of fresh juice made-to-order. Today was my first time at Kale me Crazy and I loved every minute of it! The staff was super friendly and even offered samples of all the juices.

After my workouts, I almost always have a protein shake or some sort of green concoction. I had a ginger juice shot, right before my Kale Yeah, which is a juice blend that consists of:

 kale, spinach, cucumber,apple and lemon 

yummy :)

I would definitely recommend this juice bar to anyone into healthy living or just want to try something new. I found the staff and the concept of  a "juice bar" highly refreshing and creative.

Follow their Facebook page and stop by if you're ever in the Atlanta area.

Kale me Crazy 

Live Fit Be Free

Eboni :)