Boobie Bites! plus Milk Supply Boosters

So, I’m here…I swear.  I’ve been in that first few month baby haze where days both fly by and take forever.  I’ve been more active on Facebook, so if you are missing me, come on over, but I’m going to do my best to start posting more.

So for a short update related to my post today, my almost-5 month old isn’t gaining weight…whose genes did this guy get?? So we’ve started him on Zantac for reflux because he was spitting up a ton (but super happy!) after ruling out a ton of other things.  We also have increased how much he’s getting in his bottles at daycare, which means I’m trying hard to keep up.

The happy kiddos

I’m eating a lot and not really counting my containers as I had been…but still trying to keep it to clean foods that make me feel GOOD.  I’m not losing weight, which is something I’d expected to be the same this time around.  I can’t lose weight without losing supply, but good choices and habits never hurt!

So, if you found me because you have trouble with your supply or can’t lose weight while breastfeeding…welcome!  I’m here, virtually holding hands with you.  Know that you can still make whatever your breastfeeding goals are even when it isn’t easy, but I’ll never judge you for supplementing or stopping.  We all make the best decision we can for us and our families!

Here is a list of some foods said to boost milk supply.  I’ve been including a lot of these in my diet and I do find them helpful!

• Water…all the water
• Oatmeal
• Flaxseeds
• Brewer’s Yeast
• Salmon
• Beer
• Dark, leafy greens
• Garlic
• Green Papaya (haven’t tried this yet! Have you?)
• Chick Peas
• Raw Nuts
• Greek yogurt
• Water…worth another mention!

I make these Shakeology Boobie Bites to help me from grazing for less healthy options and they’re delicious and milk boosting.  You can still have them if you aren’t breastfeeding, but if no one who will be eating them is, just leave out the flaxseeds and Brewer’s yeast for a treat!  Two of these would be a yellow on the 21 Day Fix or other container based plans.

Shakeology Boobie Bites
(per 12 servings)

1 Cup Chocolate Shakeology
1 Cup All-Natural Nut Butter (I used peanut)
1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 Cup Pure Honey
2 Tbsp Ground Flaxseeds
2 Tbsp Brewer’s Yeast

Method:
Mix all ingredients.
Roll into 1 inch balls (I use my hands!)
Place on wax paper and refrigerate or freeze. Or eat right after!

Have you dealt with low supply (or just low pumping output!)?  I’d love to hear your story!

My Go-Go Juice

So, if you’ve followed along on Facebook, you’ve heard how I’m not a big fan of vegetables this pregnancy (or last one, though the things I do like are completely different!).  I like to be healthy though, so I’m finding ways to sneak them in on myself, especially now that even fruit doesn’t sound great.  If you know me, you know that that is just plain crazy for me!  I adore fruit!  I know they say no one is obese because they ate too much fruit, but I do have to (usually) reign in how much I’d eat otherwise…it is nature’s candy after all!

Enter my new Shakeology recipe (if you can call it that!).  I’m usually a plain Shakeo, ice and water kind of gal (because I’d rather eat my fruits and vegetables separately…love volume!), maybe with a flavor extract.  But now that I’m just not eating them, it’s been a great way to sneak them in!  And when I finish it…oh boy!  I feel refreshed and rejuvenated with so much more energy than before I drank it.  This is a true testament to fueling your body WELL, with the right foods.  Something I’m having such a hard time stomaching right now.

AGF’s Go-Go Juice

Ingredients:
– 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology (vegan chocolate would work well also, in fact this could go well with almost any flavor!)
– 1 cup spinach
– 1 cup frozen cherries
– water

Then…blend!!

The frozen cherries work as ice too here…which is why if I do put fruit in my shake, it’s frozen!  It can be hard to fit fruit and ice in a single serve blender cup!  I love this shake, and the way I feel after it.  It’s become my daily go to, at least until I feel up to more variety in my foods.

Do you have a favorite shake recipe?  Share it!

Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Yes, I put all of those awesome words together, made a snack from them, and then enjoyed the results!

But let’s go back!  I had plans to meet up with a local group of moms last night for a paint night…have you been?  You get together, drink a bit, snack a bit, chat a bit…and oh yeah, paint!  It was a great way to meet up with people for the first time (if you remember, I just moved to a new state!) since there was an activity and snacks!  I had a great time, and painted something that has in fact made it onto my fairly bare walls.

Starry Night Over Neon Charlotte

But I wasn’t too sure what to bring.  I like to bring healthy things to share so I know that I can stick with what I brought and stick to my goals, but I also like to bring delicious things!  I don’t want to be someone who brings stuff that tastes healthy to gatherings!  I want both healthy and tasty.  I had originally planned for zucchini chips and spiced nuts.  The spiced nuts from the Fixate cookbook came out amazing…I think I’ll be making these for my blue containers all the time.  I made them two ways and brought the savory ones, which had smoked paprika and chili powder on them.

But when it came time to make the zucchini chips, I knew they weren’t what I wanted. I was in the mood for chocolate!  So I figured I’d make something chocolaty, that I knew was good for me, and that would help me stay away from other foods!  It’s all about knowing yourself and planning. They came out so good that I don’t know if I can have the rest in my house!  

So, you want to make these yourself?  I know!  Here’s the recipe, which I adapted from the 21 Day Fix nutrition guide.  I made it more of what I liked, and as a bonus, I had all of the ingredients at home!

Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
makes 24 bars/servings, 1 Yellow treat on the 21 Day Fix

Ingredients –
– 4 scoops chocolate Shakeology
– 2 cups old fashioned oats
– 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
– 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
– 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (just peanuts as the ingredients…maybe a little salt)

Method –
– Combine Shakeology, oats, and walnuts in a large bowl and mix well
– Add almond milk and peanut butter and mix well
– Press into an 8×8 pan, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours
– Cut into 24 bars
– Enjoy!

Candy Bar Shakeology

Have you used coconut butter before?  I keep it on hand because it is delicious and cool.   It melts when warm and is a solid when cooled.  Do you remember that magic shell stuff for ice cream?  This gives the same effect, but is a lot better for you!

I made this recipe the other day.  Wow.  It was delicious!  Now, I drink Shakeology because I love it…energy, no crash, keeps me full, makes me feel healthy.  So, yes, my recipes use it!  If you drink something else, feel free to try it out in this!  I find that when I blend Shakeology with ice it has this amazing sharpness that I adore, so that may not come through.  But this recipe is so good, that I do not want lack of my favorite meal replacement to prevent you from trying it!

 

So, it’s simple…ice, water, Shakeology, almond butter and MELTED coconut butter…definitely melt it first so that it has a chance of being dispersed in the shake!  And I add it last so it doesn’t harden too much before mixing.

Have you tried coconut butter?

Need a Fix?

I’ve moved my Shakeology!  Where did it go?  To the afternoon!   This opens up my time to try out some new things.  When I have it early, I’m still in a bit of a haze and just go for the water and ice.  Afternoon, I am up and more adventurous!  So I’ve been playing a little with cookie-esque recipes and am loving this one.  If you like the chocolate and mint combo, this is a must try!

Just be careful with the mint…it gets overpowering quick!  This fits into the 21 Day Fix as a red and a yellow if you’re wondering.

I have been using the 21 Day Fix (link to my wrap up of the first round) meal plan since it’s release in February.  I have done the nutrition plan with and without the workouts and it is my favorite all-around plan…everything you need to build healthy habits.

This month, it is discounted…in both English and Spanish. If you know me, you know I don’t stop talking about how much I love the 21 Day Fix plan. The nutrition plan has completely changed the way I eat and (re)taught me the portions I need of each type of food. I find it so easy to follow! I’ve been even using the nutrition side with my Body Beast workouts.

The workouts are solid also, which was the biggest surprise to me. You get 7 workouts (one for each day!), 30 minutes each, that are simple yet effective. Autumn is a great motivator and you’ll find yourself quoting her quickly! Love it!

FYI – The 21 Day Fix en Español is dubbed, not subtitled. So no need to read the screen!

The discounted pack comes with the nutrition plan, containers for measuring (and packing into…they come with tops!), the workouts, and starts off Shakeology (can be changed or canceled any time). You also get an extra workout for ordering through me, plus the money back guarantee as always!  And me to give you motivation along the way!

If you’re looking for some all around health and fitness help, you can’t ask for much more! Talk to me about getting discounts on those future months of Shakeology too. We are almost up to two years of daily Shakeology and can’t go without it!

Greenberry Shakeology Balls

When I found a bunch of Shakeology  the other day, some was Greenberry.  I take that back.  A good amount was greenberry!  So I went searching for some Greenberry recipes to try.  I really like the chocolate Shakeology balls because they’re quick to make and a good bite size snack.  So I made Greenberry ones!  I think I may tweak them a bit next time.  They were good, but a little sweeter than I’d love.    Here is what i did this time…

Greenberry Shakeology Balls

1 packet Greenberry Shakeology
1/2 cup oats
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup ground flaxseeds
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup natural honey

Add all ingredients to bowl and mix well.  I made 15 balls that were a good size (similar to the size of my chocolate ones that make 12 in the recipe).  Freeze and enjoy!

 

Want to know more about Shakeology?  You can check out the page above or go here!

Recipe, Food tip, Picture…what else could you want?

Yesterday was a tough day. No need to get into it as infants are unpredictable and some days will be better than others. I got nothing done other than eating, showering and some one handed facebooking. And of course quality time with a little lady!

Today was more productive with an extra set of arms. I was able to both shower and get ready to an amount of normalcy I have missed. I wrapped any gifts that are ready to be wrapped. I finished up some laundry and tried a new recipe. I have a bunch left to do before Christmas Eve and Christmas, but I’m doing much better than yesterday! I also changed up the blog…how do you like it?

The new recipe was Shakeology based. I wanted to have it for dessert, so I figured I would find something more indulgent than a shake. It was delicious, and perfect for post-wrapping!

Shakeology Peppermint Sorbet
2 scoops Chocolate Shakeology (I used vegan)
1 cup skim milk (I used almond)
4 to 5 drops peppermint extract
6 to 8 ice cubes
PREPARATION: Mix in blender until it’s really thick. Pour into container and freeze for 1 hour. (Makes 2 servings.)

I halved the recipe because it was just me and I knew I would eat the whole thing if I made two servings. It’s all about portion control and pre-portioning so you know you won’t over indulge! If this was something I could make and eat tomorrow (it would be too frozen then), I would have split it into two dishes to freeze. Putting it in one is just setting up for failure. A tip from me to you.

Here are our wrapped gifts beneath the tree. Also, our only holiday decorating this year. Next year, we will rock it.

Found my way to the kitchen!

It took two rounds of cooking while Zoe slept but I made two recipes today! I was highly motivated to make lactation cookies after I didn’t get as much out of the pump as usual and I figured I may as well put together some Shakeology balls while in there.

First, a little about the lactation cookies. Anyone can eat them, even dudes. They just happen to have ingredients that are said to promote milk production. I used the recipe here modified for what I had in the kitchen and for a mistake. Because that’s how I roll in the kitchen. Happy accidents, or at least ones that don’t make the cookie crumble.

Dairy Free Peanut Butter Lactation Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp baking powder
egg white equivalent of 1 egg
1 1/2 cup oat flour
1 cup ground flaxseeds
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp nutritional yeast

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix ingredients together. Place spoonfuls on cookie sheet and use a fork to create the peanut butter cookie lines. Bake for 10 minutes. Makes about 20 cookies.

This was the easiest recipe I saw and also had the least ingredients…and ones I knew I had or could switch out. The cookies are tasty also! Next time I will lower the oat flour/flaxseed mixture to a total of 1.5 cups.

Shakeology Balls (recipe seen all over)

Ingredients:

8 tbsp PB2
3 tbsp natural peanut butter
½ cup Shakeology Protein Powder
3 tbsp Honey
½ cup oats (I used regular, most would prefer it with quick oats)

Directions:

Mix PB2 with water (I usually use the same amount of water as pb2). Mix all ingredients (may take some time) adding water or Shakeology if necessary. Roll mixture into small individual balls and place on wax paper. Put in freezer until firm. Makes about 12 balls.

These both took little time to make and are great to grab quickly, which is what I need right now! Enjoy!

The next leg of the journey

I took a photo last week of the difference between 41 weeks and 1 week post partum. I even was wearing the same top! I lost a bit more than 20 lbs (not sure of my actual final pregnant weight) in those 8 days. I had gained over 50 lbs. My body definitely knows how to gain weight. This was with working out and tracking food. I figure that the body does what it needs to during pregnancy. I certainly had no ability to predict what would cause me to gain or lose. I did eat some things that I normally wouldn’t have but kept up healthy habits.

So as of Saturday, I am back tracking and have been slowly adding back some of the foods that I had aversions to during pregnancy. I am breastfeeding, so I’m not trying to actively lose. And I’m not yet cleared for exercise other than walking. So for now, it’s walks with the baby, tracking my calories, and recovering. And enjoying the new addition of course.

I’ve also added Shakeology, planning for daily. I missed yesterday when I grabbed a snack while out for a few hours. My go to mix is ~1cup frozen strawberries, 1/2 cup almond milk and water but I’ve also had it with PB2 and with peppermint extract. I feel like this addition has helped with my energy levels while getting minimal sleep. I’ll continue to update with how the Shakeology is working for me! You can find out more about Shakeology at my Beachbody site, or ask any questions in the comments!

I’m looking forward to working out soon. I plan to document my journey back to my pre-pregnancy weight here.

I also plan to update more frequently! So sorry this is only my third post in over two weeks. I’m getting better at one-handed typing and the baby is getting better at sleeping without being held (well, a little better).