My BBM Journey: Day 59

A beautiful run this morning in the humidity. Even in the summer warmth, the morning is my favorite time of day, things are so fresh and bright. We had a little thunderstorm last night, so everything was especially clean and fresh. We ended up getting really busy last night and didn’t get our BBM work out done, but we did have a killer run in the morning, so it wasn’t a total loss. Still, I now feel compelled to do yesterday and today back to back this evening. If you don’t see any more blog posts it is because I followed through on this plan and died. 😉

I get to harvest my very first tomatoes and zuccini that I grew myself in the garden, either today or tomorrow. That’s exciting. Nothing like fresh produce! And that means I need to visit the farmer’s market really soon. Can’t wait!

We have a weigh in day tomorrow. (Yay.) I also have a jam packed day with a rigid schedule, so that will be fun and interesting. At least the weigh in and remeasure day falls before the holiday. Clarksville TN, which is the nearest “big” town, is having it’s fireworks show on the 3rd rather than the forth, we’re hoping to take the kids to see that. Knowing that day would be crazy busy, I did the 4th of July photos a few days early. (Yesterday.) Here’s my adorable crew.

 

Happy 4th of July a little early!

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What is BBM?

Bikini Body Mommy, a movement led by Briana Christine, and you can find out more at http://www.bikinibodymommy.com

Did you miss my first post outlining my goals? Find it here.

https://natasiachampion.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/my-newest-project-an-overview/

Looking to find some inspiration on Pinterest? You can follow me there too.

To get my daily posts through the  90 day challenge in your inbox, hit the subscribe button at the top left of this page, right under my profile picture.

And finally, has this post delighted, inspired, or amused you? Feel free to share it with your friends.

My BBM Journey: Day 55

Saturday morning, the weekend is here. Tomorrow is a rest day and man, I need it! My lower back is crying from all the hip targeting exercises in the HIIT routine this week, and we have mostly skipped the strength days to do the HIITs instead as they are a bit longer and don’t require weights. I ended up drinking my water out of my water jugs and am not comfortable exercising with unsealed pop off caps, especially with my little crazies trying to take my weights, my luck will run out one day and water will end up all over my carpet. I still haven’t found an adequate alternative and just need to pick up some actual dumbbells.

I saw this little meme on Facebook this morning, and I rarely pay attention to these because most of them are so ridiculous, and even more rarely do I share them, but this one really caught my attention because it was so simple, yet so profound.

And then I started thinking about it. Throwing a baseball, swinging a golf club, the squat before the long jump, they all have a backward or negative motion BEFORE the positive action. There are a lot of things in life that must move backward before they can move forward, and some of them are the most powerful forces on the planet. Take a tsunami, for instance. The ocean draws backward before it rushes over the land.

We get so discouraged with negative motion, the scale not moving, the tape measure reading larger, a pulled muscle or sore knee, and a lot of times we quit. But maybe that is the very moment before we see huge results and positive motion. In the examples above, for every unit of negative motion, the positive reaction is much greater. The ball flies much farther than the bat drew back, the jump is much higher than the downward squat, the ocean engulfs more land than it’s normal boundary.

Your one task, the single most important thing that you will do for yourself after actually starting is to just keep going. Don’t let discouragement get to you, don’t stop because of backward motion. You are on the verge of flying farther than you dreamed possible. I truly believe this. You should believe it too. Keep going. Keep pushing. Keep believing. It’s happening, even as you are being pulled in the opposite direction, the process is working, stay focused and aim for your goals so that you will hit them when you fly forward. All that energy is going to be released, it would be tragic if you were focused on a place you don’t really want to be. If you turn completely around and focus on all the things you are not or the progress that isn’t happening, that arrow can just as easily fly into the gutter.

Maybe there is someone out there that really needs to hear some encouragement this morning. This is for you. Just keep aiming for your goals. Keep focusing your energy, you are going to fly very soon.

 

___________________________________________________________________________________

What is BBM?

Bikini Body Mommy, a movement led by Briana Christine, and you can find out more at http://www.bikinibodymommy.com

Did you miss my first post outlining my goals? Find it here.

https://natasiachampion.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/my-newest-project-an-overview/

Looking to find some inspiration on Pinterest? You can follow me there too.

To get my daily posts through the  90 day challenge in your inbox, hit the subscribe button at the top left of this page, right under my profile picture.

And finally, has this post delighted, inspired, or amused you? Feel free to share it with your friends.

My BBM Journey: Day 54

We are flying through this challenge, people! The days are going by so fast. I am staying very busy because I have more energy and motivation than I have in a long time, I love it! We are fast approaching another weigh in and remeasure day and I am DETERMINED to see some change on the scale for the better. I don’t care if it’s a few ounces, I am ready to see that needle drop a little. I see definite changes in my body, it is more muscular and my love handles and tummy are finally getting tighter, and the most change has been to my skin itself, it is very smooth, especially on my legs where the cellulite likes to gather, but on my tummy and arms and over my ribs, the skin just appears very toned and smooth. I’m sure the great hydration is playing a huge part in my skin’s appearance, especially the plump, youthful quality to the skin surface on my face. All these little things add up to progress, don’t make the mistake of assuming the scale is the only place you can benefit from this routine.

So, how about another recipe? Everyone likes fresh ideas for meals, right? And this one is a crockpot meal that is very easy to throw together on a busy day.

Crockpot Italian Sausage and Sweet Potatoes

6-8 small sweet potatoes or 3-4 large ones, peeled and chopped into half inch cubes

4 Italian sausage links

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 – 2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. paprika

olive oil

Place the sausages on the bottom of the crock pot, then add the onions and sweet potatoes on top, followed by the salt and spices. Pour the chicken broth evenly over the top, turn the cooker on high, and cover. Let cook until the sweet potatoes are tender. (Approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on each individual cooker.) Fish the sausages out and brown them evenly in a skillet with a little olive oil. Let them rest for five minutes and then slice them into 1/4 inch thick slices and return them to the crock pot. Stir everything together gently, taste for adequate seasoning,  and serve with a dollop of plain greek yogurt if you like.

Serves: 6

Calories per serving: approx. 227

Prep time: approx. 15 minutes

Cook time: approx. 1 hour 20 minutes

Recipe cost: approx. $6.50

 

NOTES: The family loved this. It was very easy to throw together and let it cook while I was busy with house chores, and it was filling. I can buy a 3lb. bag of sweet potatoes at Aldi for $1.99 in my area, so I like to keep them handy and this was a refreshing way to prepare something we eat a lot of.

I hope you guys enjoy this one, let me know what you think! And I’d love to hear your easy and creative crock pot meals if you have any.

 

___________________________________________________________________________________

What is BBM?

Bikini Body Mommy, a movement led by Briana Christine, and you can find out more at http://www.bikinibodymommy.com

Did you miss my first post outlining my goals? Find it here.

https://natasiachampion.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/my-newest-project-an-overview/

Looking to find some inspiration on Pinterest? You can follow me there too.

To get my daily posts through the  90 day challenge in your inbox, hit the subscribe button at the top left of this page, right under my profile picture.

And finally, has this post delighted, inspired, or amused you? Feel free to share it with your friends.

My BBM Journey: Day 53

We just got done with our morning run. I had to knead my lower back and oblique muscles for 15 minutes prior to that just to get the stiffness remotely mobile. We did the HIIT work out instead of the strength work out last night and that 1:30 on :30 off format is killer. I have not woken up this sore and stiff the whole challenge, but I am super loving the intensity because in only one week I have seen major progress in my abs and hips, those are my problem areas, and I’m LOVING what’s happening there!

Remember the first picture from a week ago? The second picture was taken last night and we are both excited about the changes happening in only one week.

My awesome mom in law knows what just-because-gifts will make us jump for joy, she found these terrific insulated mugs in a lovely 32 oz. size complete with straw and happy colors, and we LOVE them. Our other cups were kind of small and we would have to stop and fill them mid workout.

My little garden is still growing, my flowers are blooming and tiny cucumbers and zuccini are making their appearance, so we’ll soon be enjoying those.

 

And most exciting, my first tomatoes are starting to turn red. The first home grown tomato is the most anticipated event in our house!

Stay hydrated and healthy, friends!

___________________________________________________________________________________

What is BBM?

Bikini Body Mommy, a movement led by Briana Christine, and you can find out more at http://www.bikinibodymommy.com

Did you miss my first post outlining my goals? Find it here.

https://natasiachampion.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/my-newest-project-an-overview/

Looking to find some inspiration on Pinterest? You can follow me there too.

To get my daily posts through the  90 day challenge in your inbox, hit the subscribe button at the top left of this page, right under my profile picture.

And finally, has this post delighted, inspired, or amused you? Feel free to share it with your friends.

My BBM Journey: Day 52

It has been crazy around here. My schedule (such as it is) has gotten a little off track. I had been getting the kids into bed by 8:30, which put me asleep by 10ish, but the last few nights it’s been 12 and 1 AM before I drift off. That sets my morning up for tired mode which stretches out my coffee time, which sets the whole day back as any slight deviation from one thing leads to epic disruption of several hours by the time the day is through. I’ve GOT to get into bed at a decent time tonight. Sheesh!

We had been getting our workout done first thing in the morning and running in the evenings, but since my hubby’s schedule changed and he is here in the morning and gone in the evenings, we switched it up so he could keep an eye on the kids while we run. (And by keep an eye on them I really mean snore away while they are still sleeping.) These last couple mornings I just haven’t gotten the run in, so I guess it’s a good thing this weeks format switch is murdering me. 1:30 of mountain climbers is beyond brutal, I actually woke up sore this morning from last night’s work out.

I spent the first half of yesterday running around town shopping and am a happy camper with stocked shelves and fridge. So to celebrate, how about a recipe post? I know you guys love these. 🙂

Clean Eating Egg Salad on Tomato Rounds

8 large eggs, hard boiled, peeled, and chopped

3 mini sweet peppers, diced

1/2 small purple onion, minced

1/3 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh dill

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper

vine ripened tomato slices

paprika and fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Mix all ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Arrange tomato slices on a plate, salt and pepper them before spooning egg salad on top. Sprinkle a little paprika and fresh parsley on top as garnish.

 

Serves: 5

Calories per serving: approx. 173

Prep time: approx 15 minutes

Cook time: 0

Recipe cost: approx. $3.75

NOTES: Ideally I would have used home grown or locally grown vine ripened tomatoes, but “vine ripened” from the super market had to do today. I definitely recommend the ripest tomato you can get hold of for this. I stay away from the big beef steak, slicer type tomatoes you buy at the grocery store as the flavor is never there. They pick them far too green for the flavor to ever be there. A medium sized vine ripened tomato or plum style tomato will be your best bet if you can’t get your hands on something from the farmer’s market or grow them yourself.

My kiddos love this recipe and I love that it’s low carb. It makes a great light lunch, perfect for the summer, and is super quick to whip up, especially since I usually keep a bunch of eggs boiled and ready to peel in the fridge anyway, they make for a great snack.

Let me know what you think!

___________________________________________________________________________________

What is BBM?

Bikini Body Mommy, a movement led by Briana Christine, and you can find out more at http://www.bikinibodymommy.com

Did you miss my first post outlining my goals? Find it here.

https://natasiachampion.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/my-newest-project-an-overview/

Looking to find some inspiration on Pinterest? You can follow me there too.

To get my daily posts through the  90 day challenge in your inbox, hit the subscribe button at the top left of this page, right under my profile picture.

And finally, has this post delighted, inspired, or amused you? Feel free to share it with your friends.

My BBM Journey: Day 47

I woke up this morning and my hips and pelvis area were just so sore from those plank twist things, a.k.a. torture devices. That area for me is already a problem area with more chiropractic work needed in my SI joints and lower vertebrae, so that move really kills, it’s the first move of the challenge I actually hate. At any rate, I skipped the run this morning and opted for easing into my day with some house work to let my hips and lower back stretch out gently. I definitely don’t want to throw my back out and derail myself. I plan to get the BBM workout done later as usual and maybe get that run in still depending on the rain. (I can’t pull my little guy in the wagon in a down pour.)

I have noticed several ladies on the BBM facebook page who have determined that the meal plan isn’t for them, whether because of pickiness or grocery cost, or whatever. I’m one of those ladies. I need to have an extremely flexible “plan” with clean eating to allow for my very small budget. Certain things I need to repeat a lot depending on my weekly deal finds at the grocery store or the things I’ve stocked up on that I have in my cabinet. That’s why I go to Pinterest to get inspiration and then roll with it from there.

That doesn’t mean the BBM meal plan doesn’t have it’s merit or that you can’t eat clean unless you follow it or have a larger budget. And even if eating completely clean isn’t in the cards, there are adjustments you can make like the small, frequent meals, that will help you with the nutrition side of it. Any little bit helps, right?

Here are some of my tips and tricks for keeping things at my house small, frequent meal friendly, especially when I’m on the go or running behind schedule.

I try to keep 8-10 eggs boiled and in the fridge, ready to peel and go.

I like to make a batch of granola or trail mix and keep it to snack on. The kids love this too.

If I have salad produce in the fridge I like to keep a big salad made in a covered bowl in the fridge. It’s easy to grab a small bowl when you are busy or running behind as long as it is already put together.

Mozzarella sticks make a quick and easy snack and are travel friendly.

Fresh fruit like melons or citrus are easier to grab and go if they are already peeled or cut up in a larger batch, and again, you are more likely to eat on them when you are pinched for time.

My bananas that ripen too quickly I peel, cut into chunks and put in zip bags in the freezer. They are the base for smoothies, no ice required and add plenty of sweet to even sour berries if you let them ripen very well before freezing. Smoothies make a very quick and filling meal when you are pressed for time and in addition to bananas I buy bags of frozen fruit at Aldi, sliced peaches, berry medley, raspberries, blueberries, etc. I blend frozen bananas and berries with orange juice or milk (coconut or almond milk works beautifully) and make a very simple, very tasty breakfast or dessert. Another favorite is bananas, sliced peaches, frozen spinach, and orange juice. It is a bright green but tastes completely like the fruit. Try it, you’ll be amazed how delicious it is.

Dried cranberries, dried apricots, apple or banana chips, these all make great snacks or add ins to oatmeal or just when you are craving something sweet and don’t need to grab that cookie you are dreaming of.

I started baking muffins this week. They make a great grab and go breakfast or snack and you can make them healthier than a mix by using whole wheat flour or oat flour, coconut oil, cut back on the sugar and add dried fruits or use apple sauce instead of oil. Muffins are pretty easy and quick and I have found them a little more forgiving for the person who doesn’t bake as long as you remember the golden rule of muffin making, don’t over mix. Remember the frozen berries from the smoothies? You can throw those raspberries and blueberries right into your muffin batter. I did some raspberry almond muffins last night, they were delicious.

I like to mix up a larger batch of chicken or egg salad, it stays good for several days and is easy to graze on. Yesterday’s post was a recipe for chicken salad on apple slices, you could do a similar rendition with egg salad on tomato rounds. Yum! Cut out processed crackers and carbs in one fell swoop.

These are just some of the ideas I’ve come up with to make meals and busy schedules run a little smoother and work together. Clean eating is not out of the question for the budget and time challenged people out there. Seriously, go to Pinterest and find all kinds of ideas. Write out a list of meals and meal ideas you’d like to try and go from there. You can do this. It really is so important to get your nutrition on track, Briana stresses that over and over. This is a lifestyle, eating well is a crucial skill you must learn to make this lifestyle successful and long lasting. Don’t make excuses because you are picky or on a tight budget or very busy. If you take the time to do the workouts, you need to take the time to address your nutrition. They go hand in hand, each is as important as the other. You will find what works for you, I believe in you, because I’m also facing challenges each day and week, and sometimes they are familiar and other times they are brand new stumpers, but where there’s a will there’s a way. Make it happen, you won’t regret it!

Remember, it’s not about “perfect” and “ideal”, it’s about making it happen, doing it today, and doing the very best you can with what you have. Yes, this morning’s breakfast was a muffin, but it was a muffin made with real ingredients from scratch. Whole wheat, real fruit, reduced sugar, healthy oil. It isn’t hard to walk when you start with baby steps.

And for those of you who are self proclaimed picky eaters, keep in mind that it takes trying a food about 20 times before your brain begins to recognize it as yummy. Pick something new and healthy every so often and just eat it anyway. You will begin to like it and even crave it. The more healthy stuff you eat, the more you will crave healthy foods. Fact. I have personal experience with this too. 🙂

Comment below if you have a fabulous quick and easy snack or grab and go meal idea. I love to hear from you all!

___________________________________________________________________________________

What is BBM?

Bikini Body Mommy, a movement led by Briana Christine, and you can find out more at http://www.bikinibodymommy.com

Did you miss my first post outlining my goals? Find it here.

https://natasiachampion.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/my-newest-project-an-overview/

Looking to find some inspiration on Pinterest? You can follow me there too.

To get my daily posts through the  90 day challenge in your inbox, hit the subscribe button at the top left of this page, right under my profile picture.

And finally, has this post delighted, inspired, or amused you? Feel free to share it with your friends.

 

My BBM Journey: Day 43

Another Monday! I knocked out this morning’s workout early and got into some gardening before lunch. It is hot and incredibly humid out there today and I poured sweat turning over a stip of dirt by hand, just me and the shovel. It was a spot that looked tacky with black landscaping plastic showing through a sparse sprinkling of decayed mulch where the previous tenants at this house did basically nothing with the yard other than mow. I couldn’t take it any longer and thought at the very least some zinnia seeds thrown out there with bachelor buttons and sunflowers would look better than the plastic, so I made it my morning project.

Not bad for not having a tiller! I plan on planting my seeds this evening when it gets a little cooler.

We had a beautiful Father’s Day yesterday. This year the holiday fell on my hubby’s birthday too, and we did a family golf excursion. I know it sounds funny, but he’s the only one who plays. The rest of us had fun just being with him and enjoying the sunshine and being outside. We needed 2 carts, but the kids loved being out there with dad and my daughter especially was busy as his special club holder and putter getter.

 

 

My sister was there with us too, her first experience on a golf course and learning a little about the game. She mostly helped out with this guy and had tons of fun driving the cart. (And scaring me a little once she got the hang of it and was comfortable.)

 

I got a good deal of exercise wrangling the little man and helping my hubby ball spot.

The kids ate pretzels and cheez its and got hot and sweaty and just had an all around blast.

 

And apparently we really wore my little guy out, because this is what he looked like for the last 4 holes.

So, it was a very nice and relaxing rest day, even though we stayed active. I hope everyone else had a great Father’s Day and that you got to spend time with that special dad or dads in your life. 🙂

___________________________________________________________________________________

What is BBM?

Bikini Body Mommy, a movement led by Briana Christine, and you can find out more at http://www.bikinibodymommy.com

Did you miss my first post outlining my goals? Find it here.

https://natasiachampion.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/my-newest-project-an-overview/

Looking to find some inspiration on Pinterest? You can follow me there too.

To get my daily posts through the  90 day challenge in your inbox, hit the subscribe button at the top left of this page, right under my profile picture.

And finally, has this post delighted, inspired, or amused you? Feel free to share it with your friends.

My BBM Journey: Day 26

I am so sorry about the lack of posts, it’s been busy-busy here and writing a post each day just wasn’t in the cards for this week. However, I’m happy to report that I’m still on the wagon and have done each day’s exercise, even doing some doubled up days, adding a previous BBM workout to that day’s routine. Exercise is addictive, and I’m really starting to feel great. I feel like I had a break through this week, so if that stupid scale says I’m the same or have gained weight on the 30 day weigh in, I really might just toss it into the lake. I notice there’s a difference in my upper thighs and torso this week. No matter what the scale says, I’ll just keep going because I really do feel the best I have in quite a few years. My summer tee shirts are fitting better than they did before my pregnancy with my 3rd baby, I had gotten as close as I’ve been in a long time to my initial goal of 190 lbs. I was about 198 at that time. So even though I weigh more now, I feel much more toned.

My exercise partners are still sweating it out with me each morning, and these 2 especially keep me going strong and pushing hard.

My little man usually sits on my sister’s shoulders during the warm up each morning. How cute are these faces??

And the garden is growing. I found some snow peas that were ready to harvest this morning, the first of our little summer bounty.

I also have some  plum tomatoes coming along nicely.

And the zuccini plant is growing pretty big with the rain we have been getting.

June is almost upon us and I am itching to visit the farmer’s market and get hold of some sweet corn and other home grown goodies. Kentucky has the perfect soil pH for tomatoes and no matter where you’ve eaten a home grown tomato, you have probably not had the best you’ve ever tasted until you taste a sun ripened heirloom variety tomato grown in Kentucky. They are the best!! The corn is pretty delicious too. Farmer’s Market selection should ramp up in our area by the end of June, so bring on the Summer!

 

___________________________________________________________________________________

What is BBM?

Bikini Body Mommy, a movement led by Briana Christine, and you can find out more at http://www.bikinibodymommy.com

Did you miss my first post outlining my goals? Find it here.

https://natasiachampion.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/my-newest-project-an-overview/

Looking to find some inspiration on Pinterest? You can follow me there too.

To get my daily posts through the  90 day challenge in your inbox, hit the subscribe button at the top left of this page, right under my profile picture.

And finally, has this post delighted, inspired, or amused you? Feel free to share it with your friends.

My BBM Journey: Day 17

Oh my aching love handles! This week’s workouts have been just killer on the obliques. I’ m feeling it in my lower body, but mostly in those side areas and the lower back/upper hips. Those happen to be my problem areas so it’s all good, but man, I haven’t gotten up in the morning feeling sore since the middle of the first challenge this year.

Last week we came to the bottom of the barrel on our groceries and so my clean eating suffered, but payday arrived and my fridge is full of fresh veggies and fruit and I am back on track with the meals so that’s encouraging. I also have my workout buddy back, I picked up my sister yesterday (hence the missing post) and we are resuming our celebration of sweat fest 2014.

Other than that I don’t really have anything new to post about, we are just anticipating the garden veggies coming in and watching things grow. Oh, but hey, take a look at my peas, they are wild!

The peas are by far doing the best of everything I’ve planted. They should bloom any time now, I can’t wait to pick our first pod off the vine.

How about you guys? Ready for Summer’s bounty of fresh produce?

___________________________________________________________________________________

What is BBM?

Bikini Body Mommy, a movement led by Briana Christine, and you can find out more at http://www.bikinibodymommy.com

Did you miss my first post outlining my goals? Find it here.

https://natasiachampion.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/my-newest-project-an-overview/

Looking to find some inspiration on Pinterest? You can follow me there too.

To get my daily posts through the  90 day challenge in your inbox, hit the subscribe button at the top left of this page, right under my profile picture.

And finally, has this post delighted, inspired, or amused you? Feel free to share it with your friends.

My BBM Journey: Day 14

Today is Sunday and so it’s a rest day. I am so proud to have reached a personal goal this week. I completed every day of exercise in the challenge this week, and so I am now enjoying a very guilt free day to rest my aching upper body. I started by trying to sleep in a little, but who am I kidding with a toddler a preschooler? If I’m not up and getting breakfast by 8 am sharp, the house begins to get torn apart piece by piece in retaliation.

It’s a beautiful sunny day outside, so maybe we’ll take a walk later or lay out in the sun or go to the lake. I am still lazing about for now and enjoying my coffee, so I thought I’d take time to post a recipe for today’s post. Again, thanks to Pinterest for the inspiration on this dish. If you want to follow me on Pinterest and see the things that have been inspiring me, make sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page and find the link to my boards.

Summer Squash Pasta with Tomatoes and Herbs

2 medium yellow summer squash

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1 small onion

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 TBL. finely chopped fresh basil

1 TBL. finely chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper

fresh grated parmesan cheese

Wash the squash and then use a vegetable peeler to make “noodles”, holding each one at the fat end and running the peeler down the body lengthwise, rotating the squash evenly and stopping  just shy of the seeds.

Set the “noodles” aside. In a medium sautee pan over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and add the onions. Sautee for a minute or two, then add the garlic. Just begin to let the garlic brown (careful not to let it burn) and then add the diced tomatoes. Let them simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce some of the liquid. Add the herbs and the squash noodles and gently toss until everything is mixed in evenly. Remove from heat after a minute or two. The noodles are very thin and won’t take long to cook. Be careful not to over cook them, they should retain a slight crispness and remain intact. Season with salt and pepper to taste and grate a little parmesan cheese over the top if you like.

Serves: 2

Calories per serving: approx. 172

Prep time: Approx. 10 minutes

Cook time: Approx. 10 minutes

Recipe cost: Approx. $2.50

NOTES:

My kids love veggies, but they also love pasta. This looked so much like the real thing that I think they were expecting traditional pasta and the difference in taste and texture took them off guard. So it wasn’t as big a hit with them as I had thought it would be, but they did eat some of it and I thought it was delicious. Very light and tasty. You could serve this with shrimp skewers, or grilled chicken breast, it’s so light on the calories it could be paired with a protein to make a meal, but I fixed it for lunch as it’s own main course. I cut costs by using my own herbs from the garden. (Have you seen grocery store prices for fresh herbs? Seriously, if you are not growing your own, you should be.) Later in the year when the zuccini comes in I will use that as the “noodles” and using fresh tomatoes from my garden will pretty much bring the cost on this dish to pennies.

If you have a farmer’s market in your area, definitely utilize it for your fresh produce if possible and stay tuned later in the year for a post or two from me on the farmer’s market. We have one just down the street in our little town and I’m hoping to score some delicious produce later in the season. There will be pictures too, of course. So, let me know how you liked this! Enjoy your Sunday, friends.

___________________________________________________________________________________

What is BBM?

Bikini Body Mommy, a movement led by Briana Christine, and you can find out more at http://www.bikinibodymommy.com

Did you miss my first post outlining my goals? Find it here.

https://natasiachampion.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/my-newest-project-an-overview/

Looking to find some inspiration on Pinterest? You can follow me there too.

To get my daily posts through the  90 day challenge in your inbox, hit the subscribe button at the top left of this page, right under my profile picture.

And finally, has this post delighted, inspired, or amused you? Feel free to share it with your friends.