Recipe: Ham, Potato and Veggie Chowder - Instant Pot Edition

Got some left over holiday ham sitting in your fridge and you're wondering what to do with it? I have a soup for that! 

This came out really yummy and I ended up making it twice in one week. I used up our left over ham and it was perfect for the winter weather.

Ingredients:

3-4 Cups of cooked diced ham

2 cups of diced potatoes of your choice (I used organic baby red)

1 yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup of organic white corn (frozen is fine. I get the bag from costco)

1/2 cup organic carrots, peeled and diced

3 cups of organic chicken broth

1 1/2 cups of organic whole milk

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp pepper, ground

1 tsp fresh garlic, pressed

1 tbsp organic butter

1 tbsp organic corn starch or arrowroot powder

Directions:

Turn Instant Pot on "saute mode" and wait tell it says "HOT". Add butter and let it melt (stir so it doesn't burn). Then add ham, garlic and onions. Stir frequently for about 1 min. Then add celery, corn, carrots and potatoes. Stir for 1 minute. Turn Instant Pot "off" then add milk, chicken broth, parsley, and pepper. Mix well. Then put the lid on the instant pot, select "soup" mode and 30 minutes should automatically come up. Leave it at that. Also make sure your pressure release valve is turned to "closed". 

After 30 minutes are up you can do a quick release (turn to warm mode and release pressure valve). Add corn starch or arrow root powder and stir well. Let soup sit for a few minutes to thicken up a little bit. Give it a taste and add a little salt/pepper if needed. 

Then just get that ladle out and serve! 

*Note it's really yummy to shred up some cheddar cheese and sprinkle it on top with a little bit more fresh parsley. YUM! 

I hope you enjoy :)

Want more recipes like this? Want more recipes like this, meal prep tips and/or to get started with a fitness routine? I would LOVE to be your coach! You can reach out to me by going to my Facebook page by clicking the picture below....

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The Good Grinch Shakeology Recipe

Admit it, you read the post title and started singing "You're a mean one. Mr. Grinch" in your head right? I know I did.

So I'm kinda on a big Vanilla Shakeology kick right now. Which is very unlike me because I am a Vegan Chocolate girl all the way. This holiday season though Vanilla has been the perfect blend for me to drink Healthy Nogs, Candy Cane Shakes, Orange Julius Inspired Shakes and more. 

Then I saw an idea to add Green Tea to my Shakeology and I went from there. Yes the secret ingredient in this recipe is chilled green tea. 

Why thank you Grinch! (Sorry I couldn't help it).

Ok so here is the recipe!

Good Grinch Shakeology Recipe:

1 Scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1/2 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 Cup Ice

1/2 cup chilled Great Tea

1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg

1 dash of ground cloves

1 scoop of Shakeology Boost "Power Greens" OR 1 cup of fresh spinach

Add all the ingredients into the blender, blend well and serve! Want to make it extra festive? Put a few sprinkles on top to make you smile as you are drinking literally, the healthiest meal of a day with a boost of natural energy (green tea) AND a serving of veggies! #winwinwin

Portion Fix Container Equivalent: 1 Red, 1/2 Yellow and 1 Green

Looking for more recipes like this or to get a daily dose of motivation and encouragement? 

I'm looking for women who want to skip the over crowded gym this New Year, transform their bodies and reach their goals!

- Transformation Challenge with incentives (yep prizes, weekly)

- 24/7 Access to your own person Virtual Gym

- 30 Day Nutrition Plan and Shakeology

- LIVE Meal Prep Training in our Private Group

- Daily Challenges, Accountability, Fun and Motivation! 

Drop your email here to get more information and find out how you can secure your spot. These spots are already filling up, so if you want in let me know soon!

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Core De Force Round 1 Results and Review

Just like that 30 days gone in a blink! My Team and I decided we were going to accept the challenge of 30 Days of the brand new program Core De Force during the month of November. Right smack in the middle of the challenge? Thanksgiving!

We weren't going to let that stop us from tackling these goals we had set for ourselves!

Today I was reflecting back on my day 0 blog post where I shared my goals, plan, etc. to make this round of Core De Force my best round of a program ever. I didn't stick to the eating plan 110%, but I came pretty close! I even had 3 Thanksgiving dinners in 1 week that I had to balance out, and watch my portions.

Do I regret it? Now way! 

This program has not only given me the quickest results I've ever gotten from a program, but it's helped me get my fight back. The girl on the right was in a pretty bad spot mentally and physically and was ready to make a big change. Core De Fore really helped me do just that!

I took these screen shots above from the MyChallengeTracker app from the Test Launch Group I was in for this round. Do you these show? 30 days of consistent workouts and getting my daily dose of dense nutrition. These 2 things are big factors in my results! 

I will share my 30 day results here in a minute. But first I wanted to share with you some of my favorite things about completing this round:

- I have more energy

-I feel stronger

- I got to eat SO much good food! Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza? yes please!

- My PCOS symptoms have drastically improved!

- My anxiety/PTSD has really calmed down A LOT.

- Team Work. I loved doing this with my team! Those ladies are amazing and really helped keep me going!

- Inches wise, this is the smallest I've been since before I had my kids. But I'm actually like 6 lbs heavier than I was at my smallest. Hello muscle!

My Round 1 Results? I'm down 8.4 lbs and 6.5 inches and 1 dress size!(2 of those inches were in my waist and 1 1/2 of those inches were in my hips.) 

I love this program so much that I am not stopping it anytime soon! Round 2 began yesterday with the deluxe workouts and I'm ready to keep punching air and kicking high to reach my goals.

What did I eat this challenge?

SO much good food!

My team the Dream Big Tribe has been having such a big results and love of this program that we are keeping our challenge group OPEN! That means you can jump in with us right now if you want!

And guess what? You can start with us the VERY next day after you order! How is that possible you wonder? Well when you get your $70 off challenge pack you get 30 days of BeachbodyOnDemand access for FREE. Within 24 hrs you will have access to your Core De Force workouts and stream them and access your program guide tell your actual kit arrives. Pretty cool huh?

Are you ready to get your fight back? Fill out this application below and I'll get in touch with you asap with the details!

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Core De Force Week 3 Review and Progress Pics

I'm already half way through week 4 and I'm just now getting to share with you how week 3 went! Better late than never right?

So to start off with week 3 I was up against a few challenges. THREE (yes 3) Thanksgiving Dinners spread out throughout the week.

Challenge accepted!

Guess what? I enjoyed a slice of pumpkin cheesecake. Had my all time favorite stuffing my Mother-in Law makes, and a few other things that I look forward to this time of year. Oh and a glass of wine! 

I pushed play EVERY SINGLE DAY and for the first time in my life I worked out on Thanksgiving morning. Got my workout in first thing, showered, snuggled up with my kids and watched the parade and then cooked before we headed to our dinner. It wasn't something I dreaded, I actually wanted to workout that morning.

What were a few things I did to stay on track with all these tempting yummers around me? I didn't skip a workout, drank my Shakeology daily, and saved my yellow and blue containers on the days I knew we had a Thanksgiving meal. 

Come Monday on day 22 I stepped on the scale to see I was up 1.6 lbs from what I had lost and had lost zero inches in week 3. Honestly, I knew those 1.6 lbs were mostly water weight from the 3rd and final Thanksgiving I had the night before and moved on. I wasn't going to beat myself up over it, we are learning life long balance skills in our challenge group. It's ok to enjoy those special meals in moderation.

I'll give you a little sneak peak into week 4 since I'm already half way through... Those 1.6 lbs? They are gone now putting me at a total of 8 pounds lost and down 1 dress size in 24 days.

With less than we week to go before I can call myself a Core De Force Graduate I gotta tell you... I'm excited! This program came at the exact right time for me. I was in a place mentally where I needed this fight. I needed something to take me out of my comfort zone, to challenge me daily to make the choice to better my health. 

Want to hear the rest of my week 3 testimony? You can check it out here!

Now I want to ask you something. Are you ready to see what you can accomplish BEFORE the end of the year? Are you ready for something new, inspiring and challenge that will get you out of your comfort  zone?

It's always been a battle of YOU vs YOU.

Who will win? Your mind or your body?

It's my mission this Holiday season to help YOU get some rocking results before the end of the year and set the tone for 2017. 

If you have a goal of losing five, ten or more pounds by the end of the year, then I want YOU. I'm looking for someone who is focused and ready to do the work (and still enjoy the holidays)!

My challengers (and myself) are getting amazing results in our launch group of this awesome total transformation program.

So ask yourself, do you have what it takes? Are you ready to dig deep and make that change?

Save your spot here because we begin 12/7 and are ready to fight for our health together! http://bit.ly/YouvsYou

Have a blessed day!

Core De Force Week 2 Progress and Review

 How am I feeling with two weeks of this program under my belt?

Amazing. Sore. Stronger.

I needed a comeback more than ever. It's not something I'm ready to talk about here on my blog. Maybe sometime in the near future. For now just know that I was in a pretty low point. I was struggling mentally and physically and when I was accepted into a Test Launch group for this program. I knew this was gonna be a turning point for me.

  This program has given me a new spring in my step. I'm tellin ya, there is just something about punch and kicking hair in the morning and boosts your mood. haha

 I'm not just physically stronger, but mentally too.

So what have I been eating this week? A TON of food! We were given an extra purple container daily this week. But honestly, I haven't used them. I don't like fruit so I'm lucky to get 1 purple a day in with my frozen banana in my Shakeology or when I have marinara sauce or salsa... Yep that's the extent of my purple containers. 

I resisted some really yummy looking desserts this week, pizza AND a burrito. I know right? I' amazed myself! Honestly they only sounded good for a split second. then I would think about how challenging that workout was that morning and that fueled my fire to resist it.

I have not felt deprived AT all! See that top right pic? Yep that's steak, eggs hot sauce with a little mozzarella cheese. Yep that's on my plan, and it was GOOD.

Speaking of Nutrition! Here is a quick vlog I did on my youtube channel this week answering some questions on the nutrition side of this program.

Week 2 Review:

I got a cold virus mid week. Sore throat, runny nose, fever.  Both my kids had to too and to say the least, we felt like crud. It really took me digging deep to push play daily and the help of being in the test launch group and my challenge group. Those 2 groups made a HUGE impact on me this week. 

I was more tired this week. I'm not sure if it was being sick, or the week 2 "energy tank" that I've heard other test group participant talk about. It passed on Friday/Saturday and I fell like I ended the week with more energy than I started it.

The workouts? Phew they were challenging! But GOOD! MMA Power is intense but man it was fun! There isn't a workout I don't like on this program so far. 

Week 2 Progress:

I stepped on the scale on day 15 this morning was was surprised! Despite all this FOOD I get to eat, I have now lost 6 pounds 5.5 inches in 14 days!

More importantly though my anxiety level has gone down SO much. I'm sleeping better, my chronic rib and neck pain has decreased and I'm having fun!

Looking for Tips on how to create a healthy balance over Thanksgiving? 

Check out my Vlog on Week 3's Meal Prep and Thanksgiving Survival Tips!

When Thanksgiving is over what's next? Ready to punch some air and get some awesome results before the end of the year?

 Join my Core De Force Challenge Group that begins 12/7

Zero Equipment. MMA Style Workouts that will ignited that fire inside you to fight for your health. Don't wait tell Jan 1st. to start on those goals. We'll be ENDING our 30 days just after the New Year. How's that for starting off 2017? Already shedding weight and inches and knocking out goals?

To RSVP and save your spot for our group you can do so here:

Fill out my online form.

There are tons of Wufoo features to help make your forms awesome.

@FaithFarmFit www.Facebook.com/LifeLightUp

Have a blessed day!

                            

Core De Force Week 2 Progress and Review

 How am I feeling with two weeks of this program under my belt?

Amazing. Sore. Stronger.

I needed a comeback more than ever. It's not something I'm ready to talk about here on my blog. Maybe sometime in the near future. For now just know that I was in a pretty low point. I was struggling mentally and physically and when I was accepted into a Test Launch group for this program. I knew this was gonna be a turning point for me.

  This program has given me a new spring in my step. I'm tellin ya, there is just something about punch and kicking hair in the morning and boosts your mood. haha

 I'm not just physically stronger, but mentally too.

So what have I been eating this week? A TON of food! We were given an extra purple container daily this week. But honestly, I haven't used them. I don't like fruit so I'm lucky to get 1 purple a day in with my frozen banana in my Shakeology or when I have marinara sauce or salsa... Yep that's the extent of my purple containers. 

I resisted some really yummy looking desserts this week, pizza AND a burrito. I know right? I' amazed myself! Honestly they only sounded good for a split second. then I would think about how challenging that workout was that morning and that fueled my fire to resist it.

I have not felt deprived AT all! See that top right pic? Yep that's steak, eggs hot sauce with a little mozzarella cheese. Yep that's on my plan, and it was GOOD.

Speaking of Nutrition! Here is a quick vlog I did on my youtube channel this week answering some questions on the nutrition side of this program.

Week 2 Review:

I got a cold virus mid week. Sore throat, runny nose, fever.  Both my kids had to too and to say the least, we felt like crud. It really took me digging deep to push play daily and the help of being in the test launch group and my challenge group. Those 2 groups made a HUGE impact on me this week. 

I was more tired this week. I'm not sure if it was being sick, or the week 2 "energy tank" that I've heard other test group participant talk about. It passed on Friday/Saturday and I fell like I ended the week with more energy than I started it.

The workouts? Phew they were challenging! But GOOD! MMA Power is intense but man it was fun! There isn't a workout I don't like on this program so far. 

Week 2 Progress:

I stepped on the scale on day 15 this morning was was surprised! Despite all this FOOD I get to eat, I have now lost 6 pounds 5.5 inches in 14 days!

More importantly though my anxiety level has gone down SO much. I'm sleeping better, my chronic rib and neck pain has decreased and I'm having fun!

Looking for Tips on how to create a healthy balance over Thanksgiving? 

Check out my Vlog on Week 3's Meal Prep and Thanksgiving Survival Tips!

When Thanksgiving is over what's next? Ready to punch some air and get some awesome results before the end of the year?

 Join my Core De Force Challenge Group that begins 12/7

Zero Equipment. MMA Style Workouts that will ignited that fire inside you to fight for your health. Don't wait tell Jan 1st. to start on those goals. We'll be ENDING our 30 days just after the New Year. How's that for starting off 2017? Already shedding weight and inches and knocking out goals?

To RSVP and save your spot for our group you can do so here:

Fill out my online form.

There are tons of Wufoo features to help make your forms awesome.

@FaithFarmFit www.Facebook.com/LifeLightUp

Have a blessed day!

                            

Thanksgiving Survival Tips - Enjoy your meal AND stay on track with your goals - 21 Day Fix and Core De Force Approved!

Let's set the stage.. you are in the middle of a round of a program right now... 21 day Fix, Core De Force (like me), or maybe Piyo or Cize, etc. and you're wondering. "How am I going to stay on track and not lose my hard work over Thanksgiving week?"

I have a blog post for that! 

Here are 6 tips I personally will be using this week to stay on track with my health and fitness goals. I hope you find them helpful! 

1. Tracking Portion Control Containers? Save your yellow and blue containers for your Thanksgiving meal. That will go a long way, trust me!

2. Drink your Shakeology 1-2 hours before your meal. You'll get your super foods, daily vitamins, probiotics and and all it's delicious goodness. PLUS it will fill you up and help you not over eat during the meal itself. 

(want the recipe? Check it out HERE)

3. Fill your plate with mostly veggies! Enjoy that turkey, have a little of your favorites to get your fix. But make sure you eat lots of veggies.

4. Have a special dish that is only made once a year? Enjoy it! For me it's my Mother-in-laws stuffing. I look forward to it all year long! Or my Mom's mashed potatoes.. MMMmmmm I can taste them already. The point is, enjoy those special dishes. Just keep them in smaller portions.

5. Workout in the Morning: Yep, you heard me! Get that workout in first thing. You'll thank yourself! Burn off some calories before the big meal, and not miss a workout during the round of your program. Win win!

6. Listen to your body when you're full: Your body will tell you when it's had enough. Don't feel like you have to keep eating for the sake of it being Thanksgiving. You'll save yourself some bloat and a stomach ache later. 

When Thanksgiving is over what's next? Keep going with your program! Haven't started a program yet or looking to switch it up? Join my Core De Force Challenge Group that begins 12/7 :)

Zero Equipment. MMA Style Workouts that will ignited that fire inside you to fight for your health. Don't wait tell Jan 1st. to start on those goals. We'll be ENDING our 30 days just after the New Year. How's that for starting off 2017? Already shedding weight and inches and knocking out goals?

To RSVP and save your spot for our group you can do so here:

Fill out my online form.

There are tons of Wufoo features to help make your forms awesome.

@FaithFarmFit www.Facebook.com/LifeLightUp

Have a blessed day!

                            

Core De Force Week 2 Meal Plan

Hello again! I'm back with week #2 of my menu/meal plan for my test launch round of Core De Force. Last week I shared with you how I planned out my first week and my easy to follow grocery list and tracker template HERE. Then on Monday I shared with you my results/progress of 7 days straight of sticking to the eating plan and workouts HERE.

As you can see by my menu below, I eat pretty similar all week long minus dinners get switched up. I don't mind eating the same thing for lunch 5 days in a row. I'm all about simple, bulk meal prep and that it tastes good.

What did I prep for Lunches this week?

- Chicken Sausage, Ginger and Broccoli Stir Fry

- Quinoa (which came out AMAZING in my instant pot)

- Hard Boiled Eggs (also in my instant pot)

- Sliced bananas stuck in the freezer for my morning snack Shakeology

What am I eating for each day this week?

Check it out!

Want the free template and to learn how to plan these out? ALL my challengers get this free template at before they start their program and get meal prep lessons. It's my mission to make your health and fitness journey fun, simple and stress free!

Want to check out my Youtube Channel where I'm sharing my journey? Click the picture below:

Fill out my online form.

There are tons of Wufoo features to help make your forms awesome.

@FaithFarmFit www.Facebook.com/LifeLightUp

Have a blessed day!