Pinterest Fun (5 Faves of the Week)

Finding stuff on Pintrest is so much fun! They have lots of good recipes and fitness stuff. Here are my 5 faves of the week.

1. Skinny Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo. Made with greek yogurt and olive oil.




2. Cucumber Sandwiches




3. Lauren Conrad's 7 Days to Skinny Jeans Oatmeal Smoothie




4. Ab Work Out



5. 300 Abs



Let me know if you try anything. Im going to try the 300 Ab work out. I will let you know how it goes <3
Hope all is well.

All my love,

Phoenix

5lbs, Bridesmaids and Photo Shoots

Hello my beautiful friends I hope all is well. It is 10:02pm on Thursday and I just lied down to go to sleep, and then remembered I haven’t written in a couple days. So I just I will just tell you about what an amazing day I had.

This morning I got up, did my morning workout and ate my breakfast. Once I got to school I did my makeup then walked to Starbucks for my Skinny Vanilla Latte. About 35 minutes in to school one of the “Masters” educators came in to my classroom and asked if anyone wanted to be a model for the Masters Graduation photo shoot. Seeing as how my roots were about an inch along and I had about 3 different colors in my hair; I raised my had an shouted “ME!!”.  I was so excited!  The student I was going to be working with wanted to make my hair a dark purple color and do a little bit of cutting. I was all about it. I love getting my hair played with.  As I sat in his chair from 9:45am to 3pm I snacked on things like yogurt and fruit because I wasn’t going to be getting a real lunch but I wanted something healthy. Mind you, the only thing they had to snack on in the class was donuts, bagels, cream cheese and orange juice. Can I tell you how much I hated life watching everyone eat that crap….ugh.

Anyways, after the very long process of getting my hair done, my very talented friend Felix did my makeup “pinup style”. We went into the next room over to get our photos done and I cannot explain to you how fucking nervous I was. I was literally stand in a room full of people and yes I may go to school with them, but being a big girl has made me have serious stage fright… As Brian pointed the camera at me he tried to get me to relax, but I was just so nervous that he kept making me laugh. Then he said the thing that made me so happy and also made me feel a WHOLE lot more comfortable; “Phoenix, did you lose wait?” He made me relax and have such a soft smile because I thought it was so cool that he noticed. In fact multiple people have been noticing since we all got back from break. I am very proud to tell you that since I have started the workout routine a week ago I have already lost 5 pounds.

I weighed myself this past Tuesday and I was so excited when I looked on the scale and it said I lost 5 pounds. That same day I had received an email from my gorgeous cousin that is getting married. She sent me the pictures of all the things I was going to need as a brides maid. The dress she picked out is beautiful. Its definitely not one of thoughs awful fluffy bridesmaids dress that look terrible on anyone. The dress is very low cut in the back and all I kept thinking to myself was “thank you lord I was working on losing weight” because I’m sorry, but back fat is not cute and not everyone likes to talk about it, but it is damn sure there. So that kind of gave me the little boost to keep on going.

Well I hope everyone is doing great with their goals. No matter what they are, if you are having trouble with them just keep tell yourself, you are an amazing beautiful person who deserves to feel good about yourself and be healthy. Remember you can do it and if you have any questions, suggestions or comments I would be happy to answer.  Have an amazing night <3

All my love,

Phoenix

Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken (Pollo al Limone) on the Food Network

Yesterday, when I was at my bestfriend Caleys house we were watching the Barefoot Contessa and she visited a restaurant that did an awesome Lemon Chicken recipe. I decided to make it for dinner. Please be warned... lemons are a pain in the ass to get 2 cups of lemon juice from unless you have a juicer (they will also burn you if you have a cut...) Anyways, if you feel up to the challenge its an amazing dish. For a side I cooked few asparagus and drizzled some balsamic vinigerette + a dash of spindle cheese. Let me know how it works for you :) Have fun!

Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken (Pollo al Limone) on the Food Network

Total Time:

1 hr 0 min

Prep

15 min

Inactive

15 min

Cook

30 min

Yield:

6 servings

Level:

Easy

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Ingredients

• 2 2 1/2-to-3-pound broiling chickens, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
• Lemon Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions

To attain maximum heat, preheat broiler for at least 15 minutes before using.

Broil chicken halves, turning once, for about 30 minutes or until skin is golden-brown and juices run clear when bird is pierced with a fork.

Remove chicken from broiler, leaving broiler on. Using a very sharp knife, cut each half into about 6 pieces (leg, thigh, wing, 3 small breast pieces).

Place chicken on a baking sheet with sides, of a size that can fit into the broiler. Pour Lemon Sauce over the chicken and toss to coat well. If necessary, divide sauce in half and do this in two batches.

Return to broiler and broil for 3 minutes. Turn each piece and broil for an additional minute.

Remove from broiler and portion each chicken into each of 6 warm serving plates.

Pour sauce into a heavy saucepan. Stir in parsley and place over high heat for 1 minute. Pour an equal amount of sauce over each chicken and serve with lots of crusty bread to absorb the sauce.

This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

• Lemon Sauce
• 2 cups fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together juice, oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Whisk or shake vigorously before using. Yield: 6 servings.

Hectic

Good morning everyone! Sorry for the absence; it’s been a bit crazy here…  Anyways, I hope everyone is doing well. Starting last Saturday I was having trouble keeping up with my work outs because I go to school Thursday through Saturday till 8pm. I don’t know about you but when I'm done standing on my feet for 10 hours, 3 days straight all I want to do is flop down in my bed and crash. My mind is not on cooking anything healthy or working out after I get home.

So far this Tuesday morning I am doing well. I got up and took my dog for a walk then made my breakfast omelet and now I’m about to do my scheduled mornings work out of 50 crunches and 60 second planks. Later on I am going to do some alternate jogging and walking. Last time I did alternate 60- 90 seconds of jogging and walking for 35 minutes; now I’m going to try for 45 minutes. Keep your fingers crossed I can do it <3

I have to say, since I have started working out and eating sooooo much better; I have noticed a HUGE change already. I can see it in my face and I over all feel better. It’s amazing to me what small changes can really do for your body. I’m not saying it’s going to only take a week for you to be a size 2, but it will definitely make a big difference in the way you feel and hopefully that will continue to motivate you <3

Breakfast Omelet:

3 Egg whites, chopped tomatoes, a little bit of shredded parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning,

Snack/ Treat:

Starbucks Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte 

Lunch: (I will have this around 12ish)

 Whole-grain pita filled with chicken, arugula, sliced tomato a teaspoon of crumbled feta and a drizzle of olive oil; serve with a side of grapes

A Few Healthy Treats

A Few Healthy Treats
**You are aloud to have a little bit of sugar! Dont deprive yourself or you will end up binjing on stuff that you really dont need.
So Recently I have had a thing for sweets. I looked up a bunch of great health recipes to fix my sweet tooth. Have fun making them!

Cinnamon Baked Sweet Potatoes



Set the oven at 400 then cut the sweet potatoe into rounds. Throw them in the oven until they are tender and give them a light sprinkle of cinnamon and stevia about 10 minutes before you remove them from the oven.

Patriot Pops

Ingredients

• 1 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
• 2 cups strawberries, thinly sliced
• 1 cup blueberries

Directions

1. Blend together cottage cheese, yogurt, coconut milk and agave nectar or honey until smooth.
2. Place berries around the perimeter of each popsicle mold. (I put about 6 blueberries and 2 strawberry slices in for each pop.)
3. Pour in mixture from step #1 until each pop mold is full.
4. Freeze overnight or for about 3-4 hours until solid.
5. Enjoy!

Pink Grapefruit Margaritas

Ingredients

• 1 cup ruby red grapefruit juice
• ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 cup triple sec orange liqueur
• 3 cups ice
• 1 cup silver tequila
• 1 lime cut into wedges
• Kosher salt

<3 If you have any suggestions, they are welcome! I love here about new healthy treats!!

Suspended

Today started out like a normal day. I got up, did my morning work out, had my breakfast smoothie and headed off to school. I got to school and realized I didn't have my Universal Theory books.  My teacher came up to me and asked me to leave for the day because I was irresponsible. It sucked, but it was true.

Anyways, I got to hang out with my Nana today and it's been a blast. I love her so much. She has supported me through everything. We went to Target and got a couple things. We got home and had a good snack of strawberries. While we were at Target she got me a Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte. At first I was a little reluctant, but it actually is such a bad treat.

I personally love coffee!! I can't go a morning with out it.  I usually have at least 4 cups in the morning with sugar and cream or black. Recently, since I have started drinking only one cup in the morning and trying to get use to that is extremely hard. Today though I treated myself to a Grande Skinny Vanilla latte. I have completely cut out sugar, but I have cut them back alot. I dont do more that 4 grams of sugar.  The Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte has 10 grams; so it's deffinetly a treat. I will post the health facts at the bottum.

Hope your work outs are you going well!

All my love,
Phoenix

http://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/espresso/iced-skinny-flavored-latte

Iced Skinny Flavored Latte

Rich, full-bodied espresso, nonfat milk and a sugar-free flavored syrup on ice.

Tall 12ozGrande 16ozVenti Iced 24ozNonfat milk2% Milk

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (16 fl oz)

Calories 80	Calories from Fat 0
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol <5mg	2%
Sodium 110mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate 12g	4%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Sugars 10g
Protein 7g
Vitamin A 8% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 25% Iron 0%
Caffeine 150mg
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Winded

Hey everyone! So I just got don’t eating dinner, its 7:55pm. I know it isn’t 6pm like it’s supposed to be, but as long as I don’t go to bed for about 2-3 hours it should be okay…

I had kind of a weird day. My mom woke me up early in the morning like I asked her to, but I fell right back asleep. So I didn’t get to go to school and makeup some hours unfortunately. Anyways, I woke up around 11am and that just pissed me off because that screwed up not only my eating schedule, but my work out schedule as well. Never the less, I got up and did my morning workout routine of 50 crunches + 60 second planking.  I think the crunches are getting easier. I know it’s only my third day doing this, but I think because I’m doing them morning and night my body is starting to get use to them. I can feel my back lifting up hirer and hirer every time I do them.  The planking, not so much; I have had to do them in 15 second increments because for some reason it’s just too hard to hold myself up. I’m still trying though; hopefully it will get easier as well.

It was not a very protective day. Since I was not going to school I kind of just hung out all day. Did a little bit of blog reading, fiddled around on Facebook; all while lying in bed lol. I started to get a migraine though from my computer. So I turned off my light, set a candle, put on Breakfast at Tiffany’s and tried to relax while I listen to Audrey Hepburn. I fell asleep with my cat, Ophelia snuggled up next to me and woke-up around 5pm to a barking dog. That would be Nikita; as much as I love my mom’s dog she is a bit obnoxious.  My mom came into check on me because she’s amazing and offered me some “Goodies”, I don’t know if you know what that, is but it’s basically Aspirin that you take when you have a really bad migraine. I can’t stand it because it’s in a powder form. You’re supposed to put it in the middle of your tongue and drink it down with some water, but if you accidentally inhale your completely screwed lol because your choking to death. It’s miserable; instead I got up and took some generic Excedrin.

About 15- 20 minutes later I felt a little better so I decided to go ahead with my work out for the day. I got my phone and turned on my music and left. My workout consisted of alternating 60- 90 seconds of walking and jogging for 30-35 minutes. I am so proud of myself for pushing myself. Usually, when I say I am going to work out or start eating better, I makeup a crap ton of excuses and never end up following through. Even though it’s only been three days, it’s still a struggle. The fact that I have been able to tell myself to get my ass up and work out because I AM WORTH IT (SO ARE YOU) is a HUGEEEEEE accomplishment for me. I’ve gotten a lot of support from my friends and family. So that has been a great help.

After I got done working out I came home, had dinner and here I am now. This whole process so far has already helped me feel better about myself. I still have my insecurities just like everyone else, but I promise if you realize that you and your general health are worth it; you will start to feel amazing and so proud of yourself for pushing yourself to do things you didn’t think you could do.   Remember to keep your head up and do this for you and no one else. You are a beautiful person and you deserve to be happy <3

All my love,

Phoenix

What I ate today:

Breakfast – breakfast smoothie (Blend together one banana, 1 cup ice, ¼ cup cooked oatmeal, ½ cup milk of your choice (I prefer almond milk), pinch of cinnamon)

Snack- one string cheese and 5 whole grain crackers

Lunch- ¼ cup of Grape Nuts, ½ cup of Almond Milk and a few mixed berries.

Dinner- salad of romaine and spinach leafs, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes (mix together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon, salt and pepper for the dressing)

Snack- 5 whole grain crackers

PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK LOTS OF WATER THROUGH OUT THIS PROCESS! {Jarett’s Tip: “Drink one ounce of water for every pound you weigh per day. For example, if you weigh 120 pounds, drink 120 ounces of water throughout the day.”} Jarett is Lauren Conrad’s personal trainer.

www.laurenconrad.com