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by tessbrennan

Vegan Oatmeal Cupcakes

I am always looking for foods for my baby girl to take for lunches. Today, I made these.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups rolled oatsoats
  • 1 cup instant protein
  • 2 1/2 cups of mashed fruit (mashed ripe bananas or I used a combo of mashed peaches and applesauce)
  • 4 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
  • 2 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 plus 1 tbsp oil (coconut, or other veg based oil)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • Optional add ins: cinnamon, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, ground flax, dried fruit

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 380 F
  • Line 14 cupcake tins with liners
  • Mix all dry ingredients in one large bowl
  • Mix all wet ingredients in a medium bowl (fruit included)
  • Mix wet into dry ingredients
  • Pour scant 1/4 cup of batter into each cup
  • Bake 21 ish minutes

These can be frozen and reheated

by tessbrennan

Quick, pico de gallo hack.

oops. Learning the video app on my phone… part two is below. LOL

When it was all said and done I did add the rest of the cilantro. We do leave the seeds from our jalapeño because we like it HOT.

It isn,t as bright as our normal batch, but it is healthier than stuff in jars with preservatives.

I used:

2 packages of fresh chopped maters

3/4 package of chopped yellow onion

1 bunch chopped cilantro

1 jalapeño with seeds, minced

Here is my original recipe.

Make it a GREAT DAY!

by tessbrennan

New Beginnings 2017

Danny Gokey posted this on facebook and it spoke  loudly to me.

I’ve been on a hiatus for quite a while. Friends have been requesting blog articles and recipes, so perhaps I should see if I can get back here more often.

I am teaching a 2nd grade class of kiddos this year and learning SO much! The kiddos teach me daily what unconditional love is and how important each individual is to the world.

This past week, I realized that I had forgotten a lesson from when I was in my Life Coach training. I forgot about focusing on the positive, about not dwelling on the negative, and how quickly one can spiral into unhealthy habits both physically and mentally. 

I leave class early each day to keep cars from entering into our bus loading area. I redirect drivers, daily, and remind them that we need to keep our babies safe. There is a lot of quiet time for me to think.

It was during this quiet time that it hit me. For nearly two years I have been focusing on the flaws of others.  This habit, in turn, has caused me to dwell on the negative and, in some cases, not see the positive.

My God has been sending me messages, not sure for how long, but He has purposefully placed people and memes in my path and it wasn’t until Wednesday that I deciphered the message.

I NEED TO CHANGE. I need to focus on how I look at things. What light am I shining on each scenario. We can not EVER expect another to change, however, we can change the one in the mirror. Many times over, I have noticed differences in others when I focus on being the change I wish to see. 

If you are still with me, I thank you for reading and I ask those who know me to help hold me accountable.  Smile and tug on your ear or simply tell me, “hey, you are regressing” 🙂

Happy 2017! Be the change YOU wish to see, in the world around you.

God Bless!

by tessbrennan

Quick, Healthy Veggies for Lunch

So, I’ve not had enough calories yet today, it’s lunch time and I am ready to gnaw my arm off.  What’s a busy professional, at home for the day to do?

SAUTE’ SOME AMAZING PRODUCE!  Super easy, quick, and healthy!  No meat and I am still getting 13 grams of protein.  AND…. its a HUGE plate of tasty food.  I’ll dab some Bragg’s Amines on it to add a bit of saltiness and indulge in tastiness!

Nutrition Saute'd Veggies

What do I get for eating this???

Brussell Sprouts – High in C, folate, Iron, Potassium, some B’s

Bella Shrooms – B1,B2, Potassium, Iron, Niacin

Onions – Quercetin (strong antioxidant), anti-bacterial and viral properties, lowers LDL cholesterol

Tomatoes – C, E, Beta Carotene, Magnesium, Calcium, Phosphorous, Lycopene

Garlic – Anti-bacterial & viral properties, lowered risk of heart attack* Decongestant

EVOO – heart healthy oil. (Our brain needs fats to work properly)

“Taste the Rainbow”

My source for nutritional content: Chart & Specific Contents

by tessbrennan

Chocolate Protein Bites

Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup Shaklee Instant Protein Soy Mix* 1 ¼ cup oats
½ cup flax meal 1 cup Raw Honey or Agave
1 tsp Pure Vanilla 1 cup Peanut butter or Almond butter

 

Add-ins (Add some or a small portion of all)

1 cup slivered almonds 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup organic chocolate 1 cup of coconut

Directions:

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. In sauce pan, bring honey/agave to a boil/almost boil, immediately remove from heat and add PB or Almond Butter and vanilla. Stir until combined. Pour complete mixture into bowl of dry ingredients and stir till combined. You many need to use your hands. Press down into mini cupcake pan into mini cupcake cups. Cool in refrigerator.

Tips:

I typically use the Shaklee Instant Protein Soy Mix for my bars. You can use any of the Shaklee protein powders for this recipe and it will come out pretty close to the same. The IPSM is flavorless and is a substitute for flour in other recipes. I keep this as one of the staples in my pantry. You can throw it into muffin, pancake, cookie or cake recipes and it will cut back on the carbs and of course the flour. It is also great to add to oatmeal or applesauce to make sure your kids are getting their protein.

If you choose to use the IPSM, you will have 12 servings at 10 g protein each that offers ALL of the amino acids, especially the 9 essential amino acids that your body does not produce on its own.

Protein bites

After a full day of VBS… she LOVES a protein bite or two!  LOL (Yes, she did her own hair today!)

by tessbrennan

My Biography, for those wondering who I am.

Tess is a Certified Master Life Coach through Shift & Wake Up, a Certified Personal Trainer through IMA, and a Shaklee 180 Specialist who owns The Healthy Grease Monkey and focuses on improving health, increasing energy levels, and reducing stresses on her clients’ bodies through a wholistic approach.

 

Having weighed over 200 pounds, twice, and having been prescribed to take 6+ pharmaceuticals a day for various maladies (and the side effects from the other Rx), she is now prescription free and 55 pounds lighter – for over 7 years.

BeforeTess_Bridesmaid

Through daily choices of nutrition, movement, thought processes, and product usage, Tess was able to gradually lose the weight and pharmaceuticals and maintain her good health, increased energy levels and has reduced the daily stresses to her body.

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Tess offers personal coaching, group coaching, muscle reset and walking classes, as well as weekly support groups for those looking to improve their health.

As a certified Training Walk Leader for the Susan G Komen 3-day 60-mile Walk events, she knows what it takes and how to train for and complete long distance events to allow for little to no recovery time, post event.

Her experience as a Public Speaker for groups of 3-3,000 and her experience as a high school teacher, Tess understands that not everyone learns or progresses at the same rate and she tailor’s her programs to each and every student.

This wife & mother of 1 daughter is very active in PTO, Rotary, has completed 5 -60-mile walks, and is training for her 6th in October. Health is her passion, helping other is her purpose.

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by tessbrennan

Help the Philippine’s–Use Leverage to give more! Don’t get Taken

The tragic news of this Typhoon just keeps getting worse.  I want to reach out to all those people and hug them and tell them it will be okay and do something to help make it all okay!

When I look at helping a cause, I am very skeptical because I don’t want to give $100 to a cause, only to find out that $50 of it is going to something other than helping that person.  I am very picky about where I spend my philanthropic dollars. I strongly dislike donation scams!

I get REALLY ticked off when I find out that millions of people are “texting $10” to a cause, only to find out up to 50% of that donation can go to the carrier service – meaning you only gave half as much.

In some cases, up to 50% of a donation would go to the mobile service provider ~Wickipedia

Many of you know I support Susan G. Komen. I have seen their help first hand. This group assisted my mother in getting the services and treatments needed 12 years ago, so she is still here today to see and play with her grandbaby!

Becky & CLBMom&Dad

I also support Rotary International Foundation.  100% of the Money given to this organization GOES. TO. CHARITY.  ALL OF IT.  The foundation runs itself through interest and all the money comes back to help others.  I have proposed that my Rotary club, Rotary of Bonita Springs Noon, sponsor some Shelter Boxes to goto the people of the Philippine’s. We will be holding a HUGE fund raiser this weekend. The monies raised will go for all kinds of local philanthropies, food pantries, and some of it will go to send temporary housing and supplies to those effected by this tragedy. 

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Finally, I am so excited.  The company that I partner with and trust with my family and friends has a non-profit as well!  Shaklee Cares.

For the next 3 days every donation or purchase of a Shaklee Cares Package for the Philippine’s will be MATCHED DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR.  200% of what you give will go DIRECTLY to those in need!

This really excites me!  You can visit the website: http://shakleecares.org/  or you can contact me and order a nutrition package for someone in the Philippines!

Shaklee Cares Phillipines

Give back, but give smart!  Make the dollars helping others, stretch!

by tessbrennan

All By Myself… (or am I)

2013 will be the final year for the Tampa Bay 60-mile walk. It will be my fifth walk, and the final Tampa Bay event.

With a recent health scare – I’m fine, it just shook me up, and a friend unable to join me for this one as a crew member, I have decided to walk it “alone”. 

Final 3-Day Cover

At first, I didn’t want to walk it alone, then I realized something.  I’ve trained alone for 4 other walks.  Hours on the sidewalks of my community and surrounding neighborhoods, through parking garages, through University buildings (looking for a potty – LOL), over bridges, and through shopping centers.  So, alone can be good.  Time to reflect and create… and text and update FB statuses…thank you Smart phones.

My next thought was the 2008 Tampa Bay event, where I met a fabulous bunch of ladies and they walked with me for the entire event.

Then, I begin thinking of the John Steigenberger’s, the Dylan Bouterse’s, and all the others who are there year after year that I have become friends with by walking along side, talking with, and communicating with them on Facebook and such.

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(The smiley faces on these packs are a sign that we are part of a Facebook community. A way to show we are NOT alone.)

Oh, don’t forget all the friends and family who pray me through the event.  And all the friends who support me by donating to the cause to allow me to be eligible to walk this event.

My goal this year, is to “Power Through” each day’s mileage. Get to Home base camp as soon as possible and cheer all the others on as they cross that daily finish line.  To talk to people, hear their stories, and learn what I can. And let them know they too are NOT ALONE.

When I had my scare a couple of weeks ago, I realized, even though I am still a huge proponent of Attention to Prevention, even though we can prevent 50+% of the top 4 degenerative diseases… there will still be a need for a cure.  And I want to protect future generations from the trauma my mother endured, and the fear I felt two weeks ago.

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Now to focus on 70 days of training and to increase the discipline in my nutrition to allow me to recover, mostly, pain free.

If you would like to donate toward my event, you can do so here: http://the3day.org/goto/TessBrennan

This disease does not discriminate, neither does Susan G Komen.  Their efforts have been of great assistance to my mother and my sister.  Thank you, Susan G Komen.

by tessbrennan

Upcoming Class – Beginning Tuesday August 20, 2013

Level 2 Waist Line Reduction

Join us as we make the journey together. Lifting each other up for a synergistic effect, and celebrating the small victories as we learn, achieve, and become healthier individuals to add life to our years.

This class is for those people committed to:
* Improving their health
* Increasing their energy levels,
* Shrinking their waist line
* Learning how to balance their nutrition

This class will provide:
* Information about eating = health (What/When/How/How Much)
* Team Coaching
* Team Support in weekly meeting & in online forum
* Community/Support/Encouragement
* Direction and Guidance
* 1 Free Personal Coaching Session (if requested)

This is a 6 week class that meets 1 time per week.

A typical class includes:
* Group participation
* Accountability
* Learning to improve nutrition to favorite recipes
* A power time with topical education
* Homework
* Goal Setting
* Question & Answer Session

$20 per person per week.

by tessbrennan

CHECK OUT THIS LATEST DIET CRAZE!

Yesterday I saw an ad on my Facebook page for the “Latest Diet Craze”.  Why was I drawn to this?

Later in the day, a friend and I were talking and she said something that resonated with me. Something I remember saying to myself, many years ago.

Inside, I still feel like the skinny, strong girl. When I look in the mirror, I still see that skinny girl, but when I see a photo of myself, I’m not.  When I try to run or be active I discover I am not…  I want to get her back!

I remember feeling this way in 1999. I had just gotten photos from a friend’s wedding in the mail and it took me a moment to realize the “fat girl” in the photos was me. My health was failing, my energy level was flat, and I began trying every latest “craze” I came across.

New Craze Diets - Feel Good Fast

Flash forward to 2007 when I discovered that the latest craze wasn’t the answer. Old fashioned nutrition and choices are the answer. 

It isn’t a number on the scale, it IS how my clothes fit, what size they are, and how I feel. It is a daily decision to consume and use the products that promote health and choosing to eliminate that which does not.

Join us, April 18th for our Feel Good Fast Support Group meeting in Bonita Springs.  We are people working together to make healthful, lifestyle choices that will effect our life, our energy, and our ability to enjoy it!

Take life by the horns, enjoy it and feel good fast while doing it!