Day 32 of Round 2 Body Revolution

Day 32 = Workout 5

This one is SO great!  Did I say that already the other day?  Maybe not because I wasn't feeling so well.  I am still not 100%, but I certainly gave 100% this morning during this workout.  I LOVE the push ups in this one.  The Push Up with Side Plank...LOVE IT!  This one here really works the Triceps, I will definitely be returning to this workout after I am done the 90 days...less 32...WooHoo!  After I completed Body Revolution the first time, the workouts that I did after that did not work my triceps like this workout did.

I followed up Workout 5 with Level 2 of Killer Abs.  I was able to push myself more this morning than I could the other day.  The Burpees were not a problem for me at all today.  The Side Plank Angels are still one to work on for me, I can do them but I don't look very angelic doing them.  I definitely recommend this workout to all of you.  It's fantastic!  However, if you are a beginner do the modified versions of the moves until you are ready and able to move forward.  Mark this DVD down as one of your REWARDS.

Now for ALL of you that are going through Body Revolution for the first time, this next part you might want to skip.  That's if you are following the meal plan to a T.  And for the rest of you...this next part is ONLY for a special occasion.

I AM a cross between Tosca Reno and Martha Stewart with a little bit of Jillian Michaels thrown into the mix.  I can cook, bake, sew, eat CLEAN, decorate for all occasions but Halloween is my favourite, and I can work out hard and motivate people.  I just don't have books, t.v. shows and DVDs...well...not yet anyway!

Here is the recipe that many of you have been waiting and asking for.  The Dark Chocolate Crepe Cake ~ ALL CLEANED UP!
So this next recipe is...well was...one of Martha Stewart's from the 2009 Halloween magazine.  I have since changed it and cleaned it up for you.  I hope you like it.  It's a LONG one.  Some things can be made the day before the final assembly of the cake.  Be sure to read through the recipe first so that you know what and when you should being doing.

DARK CHOCOLATE CREPE CAKE~ALL CLEANED UP!

Makes one 8-inch cake, if using a 8-inch crepe pan (mine was a 10-inch pan)

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup water

¼ cup coconut oil, solid cut into pieces

8 oz Dark 70% cocoa chocolate, finely chopped

1½ cups whole wheat flour OR Power Flour Mix* 

½ cup honey

½ tsp sea salt

2 ½ cups 1% milk, room temperature

3 large eggs, room temperature

5 large egg whites, room temperature

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

*Power Flour Mix-Recipe can be found in Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet for the Family and Kids or on my post with the recipe for the Chocolate Pumpkin brownies
  

CREPES

ONE: Bring the water to a rolling boil in small saucepan over med-high heat.  Add coconut oil a little bit at a time, whisking to combine after each addition.  Remove from heat; stir in dark chocolate until completely melted.

TWO: Whisk together flour, honey, and sea salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk together milk, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla in another bowl.  Gradually add milk mixture to flour mixture, mix until smooth.  Add chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth.  Transfer mixture into an airtight container.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.  While you are waiting for the time to pass, prepare the Hazelnut Cream.

HAZELNUT CREAM

Makes about 1 ¼ cups

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup hazelnuts

¼ cup dark chocolate

¼ cup honey

3 tbsp coconut oil

¾ cup 1% milk

1 tsp of soy lecithin

1 to 2 tsp potato flour

ONE: Place the hazelnuts in a food processor and chop to a fine mixture, add in the soy lecithin, and potato flour.  Mix

TWO: In a small saucepan on low to medium heat, combine dark chocolate, honey and coconut oil, stir until melted and smooth.  Add in milk, stir until thickened.

THREE: Once thickened, pour into a sterile jar with a seal lid, tighten and turn upside down.  Caution the jar will be hot.  Let cool before using.  This cream must be used within a couple days as there are NO preservatives in it (you will use most of it for the recipe anyway).

HAZELNUT FILLING

Makes about 8 cups

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup of coconut milk cream, cold refrigerated overnight(do not shake can)

6 large egg whites

1 cup honey

¾ cup coconut oil, cut up

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup hazelnut cream

ONE: Open the can of coconut milk and scoop the thickened coconut cream on top and place it in a bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat coconut cream until soft peaks form, approximately 4 minutes.  Transfer to a medium bowl.  Refrigerate 1 hour.  Wash mixer bowl and whisk.

TWO: Whisk eggs whites and honey in a clean bowl of the electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water until honey blended in and mixture reaches 160F.

THREE: Attach bowl to mixer, beat on high speed until slightly cooled and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, approximately 5 minutes or so.

FOUR: With mixer on medium-low speed, add coconut oil a bit at a time, mixing well after each addition (meringue will deflate slightly as oil is added).  Add vanilla, hazelnut cream, and salt; mix until mixture just comes together, 3 to 5 minutes.  With a flexible spatula, fold in whipped cream.  Place in refrigerator until crepes are made.

CREPES (resumed)

THREE: Once the crepe mixture has been refrigerated for the proper amount of time, lightly coat an 8-inch crepe pan with melted coconut oil.  Heat on medium heat until it is just starting to smoke.  Remove pan from heat; pour about 2 tablespoons of batter into pan, swirling to cover the bottom.  Reduce heat to medium-low; return pan to heat.  Cook, flipping once, until edges are golden and center is dry.  Slide crepe onto a plate.  Repeat with the remaining batter, coating the pan with coconut oil as needed.  Stack the crepes when they are finished cooking.  You should
have about 32 crepes (if using a 8-inch pan).  Crepes can be refrigerated, covered, up to 1 day.

        
This first picture is the crepe mixture after being in the fridge.  Second picture is of a crepe cooking.

                                   
                                               Finished crepes waiting for the assembly step.

FOUR: Assembly ~ Place a crepe on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.  Spread with about 3 tablespoons of filling.  Top with another crepe.  Continue layering with filling and crepes, ending off with a crepe on top.  Place in the fridge until firm, approximately 15 minutes.  Make Chocolate Glaze and then return go to Step FIVE.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Makes about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 ¼ cup of coconut milk cream, cold, refrigerated overnight

1 tablespoon honey

10oz 70% dark chocolate, chopped

ONE: Open the can of coconut milk and scoop the thickened coconut cream on top and place the cream, honey, and salt into a medium, heavy saucepan over medium to high heat and bring to a boil .  Remove from heat.  Add chocolate; swirl pan to cover completely with cream.  Let stand about 5 minutes, and then stir until smooth.  Let cool completely.

LAST STEP

FIVE: Spoon ½ cup of chocolate glaze on top of the cake, spread out to the edges.  Spread the remaining glaze around the sides, coating completely.  Refrigerate until chocolate glaze is firm and set, approximately 20 minutes.

Cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Whew! That was long!  If you have any questions just let me know.

Today's food...

Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Canadian Back Bacon with Salsa

Snack: Cleaned Up Carrot Cake drizzled with Honey Cream Cheese Icing

The cream cheese icing was made with light cream cheese and honey. 

NO icing sugar at all.

Snack: Carrot & Zucchini Bar/Brown Bag Popcorn

Dinner: Chicken & Vegetable Soup

The picture of me and my daughter was taken because we needed a can of crushed tomatoes.  So I sent a text to my husband asking him to pick up a can on his way home from work.  My daughter said, "Take a picture of us and send it to Daddy"...and that's what I did.  And as you can see by the soup, my husband came through with the tomatoes.

Snack: Cleaned Up Carrot Cake/Raspberries

I had to run out to the store to pick up some pumpkin pie spice, so I picked up some raspberries and I just couldn't resist to have some as an afterdinner snack along with a piece of carrot cake, no icing.

The reason why I needed the pumpkin pie spice is because I did this today...

I cooked up this pumpkin to make a Pumpkin pie and maybe a Pumpkin Cheesecake for Thanksgiving.

As CLEAN as I can make them.  If they turn out okay, I will share the recipe. 

This was a long post...I'm exhusted...LOL.  I'm going to relax now.  Talk to you tomorrow.

Until then...Stay Strong!  I know it will be hard, now that I have shared that Cake recipe, but you can do it!

Good night

Trina



Day 31 of Round 2 Body Revolution

Day 31 = Cardio 2

I know I am a few days late on this BUT better late than NEVER...for ALL of YOU that started YOUR second round of Body Revolution...WE are 1 month DOWN and ONLY 2 more to go!  We can do this!!!
You are doing so well.  Just think how good we are going to look and feel, when December 1st comes around and we are completing OUR last Cardio 3 workout, followed up by our Rest Day on December 2nd.  That equals AWESOMENESS!!!!

Cardio 2 = 30 second intervals including another round of HOT FEET...these aren't so bad this time because we only have to do it for 30 seconds.  As I said in Round 1...I can always follow the guys, Omar and David, better when they do this move...it stills holds true this time around.  I think because they keep their feet in and forward, rather than out to the sides.  This move was also in a article in the Oxygen issue of Off the Couch!  There is no escaping this move!!!  And I know why...It gets that heart rate up and burns the fat off.  And that is what we ALL want...am I right?  Okay for some you may need to gain some weight and that is okay.  Being underweight is just as unhealthy as being overweight, or obese.  Aim to be "A Healthier Version of YOU".  That has been my motto since I began on www.myfitness.pal.com on May 27, 2011, I didn't want to be thin or skinny, I wanted to be A Healthier Version of ME.  And that is what MY journey is all about.  I want to be strong, I want to feel good, I want to reach mid range of MY healthy weight range, I want to look good and I want YOU to want all these same things for YOURSELF.  Sure some of you may want to just be able to walk up a flight of stairs without huff and puffing, that will come.  You may want to have the will power to say NO to that candy bar or (what is coming up soon)the raiding of your kids Halloween candy loot bag, the will power will come.  As each day passes, you will get stronger and healthier and your mind will tell your hands to "STOP, you don't need that, look how far you have come WITHOUT that crap", it will come.  You WILL look great, You WILL feel great!  And no matter where you are on your journey, just remember YOU ARE GREAT!  You are GREAT for starting your journey, THAT is probably that hardest step you will ever take...the first one.  For those of you that are reading this that have yet to take that first step, it will come. When it does, I am with you.  Once you get that first step behind you, there is no looking back.  


Today's food...
Breakfast: Honey Greek Yogurt with Holy Crap

It was a Holy Crap kind of morning...just because

Lunch: Homemade Chicken Soup

Snack: Carrot & Zucchini Bars

Dinner: Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

I entered this picture in Tosca's Reno's Eat Clean Diet Clean Carbs contest.  Check out the contest, it's been posted on Facebook, Twitter and her website www.toscareno.com

Replace the BAD carbs with the GOOD carbs.

It was a one picture shot day.  Oh if you caught this picture on my facebook page...

The question that went with this picture was...

Resting and Reading...Which one will I get more of???

The resting won.  I read a few pages, but my eyelids got heavy and I was lost in a slumber.

I need to chill out now and relax.  YES...again.  Back to Workout 5 again in the morning, along with Level 2 of Killer Abs.
Until then...Stay Strong!

Good night

Trina

Day 30 of Round 2 Body Revolution

Day 30 = Workout 6

Well I had a little bit better of a sleep last night.  I was not used as a pillow or a foot rest.  I woke up to my alarm at 5:30am and was ready to go.  Workout 6 is awesome!  I had forgotten what exercises were in this one.  I knew that it was for the back of the body, plus some abdominal work, which is always good to do.  While doing this workout, I was wondering what weights I had used last time around for some of the moves.  It's a good thing I wrote it down.  Very important!!!  Write down the weight you use for each move so that you know for next time.  I didn't look at it before the workout because I was just going to do what I could and how I felt.  After completing the workout, I had a look back to Day 30 of Round 1.  Here is a exert from that post...

"The one Abs move, Jillian tells you to get your "heaviest weight and lay on your back..."Lat Pulls with a very very high Crunch"...Ouch...I grab my 10's...I could barely lift them over my head and sit up at the same time.  I dropped them down(no not on my head) and switched to my 8's...much better." 

Well today, Day 30 of Round 2...I used the 10's with no problem.  Well it was challenging, but doable.  Maybe Round 3 with bring on the 15's...something to look forward to.

The one exercise that I really don't like that much is the Superman move, and in Workout 6, Jillian adds weights to it.  This was what I wrote in Round 1...

"The Superman's were not just Superman's. They are Weighted Superman's...this is where the ughhh part comes in. Jillian tells you to get a light weight, so I grabbed my 5's...well...I did 2 with the 5's then NO weight. Next time through I got out my 4's(I didn't even them out and ready, I thought I was past the 4 lbs dumbbells stage...thought wrong."

Today I tried 5's again and I was having trouble breathing while laying down, so I dropped the weights and continued on with my son's 2lb dumbbells.  Hopefully Friday I will be feeling and breathing better to tackle the 5's again.  I am not going to beat myself up over this because I know that it is just a temporary set back.

For the Cable Bicep Curls...I did one with the cable and ditched it for my 15 lb dumbbells, it was MUCH harder than the cable.  The cable didn't really give me much resistance, so instead of messing around with the tension on them, I grabbed for the dumbbells.  Since curling the 15's in Workout 2, I kind of missed them in Workout 4. 

After Workout 6 was done, I didn't feel like I had it in me to do the Glorious Glutes workout that I have been doing, so instead, I did my own lower body workout for my Glutes & Hams.  Followed up by resuming my Plank Hold Challenge.  NO, I did not start off where I left off...at a 7 minute plank.  I held it for 2 minutes this morning.  That's my starting point this time around.

Today's food...
Breakfast: Steel-Cut Oats with Apples & Almonds

Snack: Carrot & Zucchini Bar

This was a second try at the recipe.  I found the first try was too moist(hard to cut) with not much flavour.  I change the flour that I used and added more spices.  This batch was moist but not too moist, it was much easier to cut into squares.  The flavour is still not to my liking.  They are good, but not what I was hoping for.  I have seen other carrot bar/cake recipes with a cream cheese icing on them but I was hoping to save some calories on these.  With saying that, I did try making a cream cheese icing with just cream cheese and honey...it tastes GREAT!  I will post this recipe soon.

Lunch: Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Soup with Salmon

The Salmon Monster Strikes Again!!! 

I'm glad she likes salmon, but she ate most of it.

Dinner: Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki Salad

First night of my daughter's dance class and still feeling like crap = I didn't want to cook tonight

Here is the long awaited Chocolate Pumpkin Brownie Recipe...Sorry it took so long.  I hope you like it.

Chocolate-Pumpkin Brownies

Makes 24 Brownies

INGREDIENTS

3oz light cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup coconut oil, softened

1/2 cup honey

6 egg whites

1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

6oz dark 70% dark chocolate, chopped

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 1/4 cups Power Flour Mix*

1 1/2 cups coconut palm sugar

1/4 cup 1% or skim milk 

3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

*Power Flour Mix**

¼ cup spelt flour

¼ cup kamut flour

¼ cup brown rice flour

¼ cup unbleached whole wheat flour

¼ cup barley flour

¼ cup amaranth flour

Mix all the flours together in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

**This Power Flour Mix is from Tosca Reno's best-selling book The Eat Clean Diet for Family & Kids.  I have used it with her recipes and have created some of my own recipes using it as well.  For more great CLEAN recipes check out ALL of Tosca's cookbooks, plus the Clean Eating magazines.  They are all fantastic!!!

DIRECTIONS

ONE: Preheat oven to 325F.  Spray a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with Olive Oil cooking spray; set pan aside.

TWO: In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add the honey.  Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in egg whites, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger until combined.  Set aside.

THREE: In a small bowl stir together the Power Flour, the baking powder, and sea salt; set aside.

FOUR: In a large saucepan combine the chocolate and coconut oil.  Cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat.  Gradually add the coconut palm sugar beating with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined.  Add the milk.  Gradually beat in pumpkin mixture, combine well.  Then gradually add in the flour mixture, mix until just combined.

FIVE: Spread into prepared pan.  Sprinkle with walnuts if using.  Bake for about 60 minutes or until center is just set when pan is gently shaken.  Cool in pan on a wire rack.  Cut into servings and enjoy!

For nutritional information enter the ingredients that YOU use into a recipe calculator.  I use the one on www.myfitnesspal.com  You may choose to cut yours into more or less servings OR add a frosting to yours too.

If you have any questions about this recipe please feel free to message, email me or leave a comment below.

Have a great night and I will talk to you tomorrow again.

Until then...Stay Strong!

Good night

Trina

Day 29 of Round 2 Body Revolution

Day 29 = Workout 5 First day of Phase 2

This Motivated Monday and Phase 2 got off to a...not so good start. I didn't get much sleep last night. I kept waking up in the night because of this silly cold I have, and then to top it off, my daughter came in and used me as her pillow, and her foot rest. My alarm rang out and there was NO WAY I could get up an function, let alone workout. I probably would have passed out. So I stayed in bed and got a pretty good sleep from 5:30-7:00am. When the 7am alarm rang out I was up, but no time for a workout then. I had to wrangle my troop of two out of bed, and get them ready for school. They were very slow moving too this morning.

I did manage to get my workout in.  After lunch, during nap time for the daycare kids.  I had about an hour and a half to...GET. IT. DONE.  And I did!  I completed Workout 5 of Body Revolution and Level 2 of Killer Abs.  And I was right!  I would have passed out if I would have got up this morning at 5:30am to do these two workouts. 
In Workout 5, the Triceps are worked and worked and KILLED!  I have upped my weights from the first time around.  And with feeling not so great, that upped the intensity, I had to fight to keep breathing.  Don't worry though, I know my limits.  While doing Killer Abs L2, I did take a couple breaks here and there.  With learning some of the new moves, I kind of had to watch for the first few seconds of the move.  When it came to doing the Burpees(I think she called them 5-Point Burpees), I wasn't sure what were we going to do, so I watched the first time in the circuit.  The second time, I started and then something happened and my foot got stuck and jarred the whole right side of my body...it wasn't pretty.  Thankfully, I was only in pain for a few minutes.  Nothing serious.  Nothing to keep my down.  My Motivation Monday found itself at mid day today. 
I am still feeling crappy but those workouts gave me some extra energy to help fight off this cold.  Hopefully I can sleep better tonight.

Today's food...
Breakfast: Vanilla Butter Finger Smoothie/Orange Juice
Something just didn't taste right with this smoothie this morning.  Maybe it was because the way I have been feeling.  The last couple days my eating has not been what is normally is, so things can only get better.

Lunch: Salmon with a Baked Sweet Potato topped with Shredded Zucchini

Snack: Carrot & Zucchini Bars
I had a picture and then I deleted it...Brain not functioning still.
I will show you tomorrow and add the recipe too.

Dinner: Beef, Vegetable and Barley Soup

It was another soup night for me.  Unfortunately it wasn't my homemade soup and not as nice as mine.  But seeing I didn't feel like cooking anything, I just picked up a can at the store while I was picking up my copy of Oxygen's Off the Couch!

This is the first issue of Off the Couch! that I have purchased, so I am really looking forward to reading it.  From what I looked at briefly, it's ALL about Motivation.  A great day for it!  I am still very much motivated on my journey, but on crappy sick days it's always nice to get some extra help.  On days like these I don't feel like I am motivating YOU that much.  But if you are sitting on your couch feeling fantastic, but you are not much liking that extra cushion that you are sitting on...AKA...your A$$...get up and get moving.  If I could get moving this afternoon and get my workouts in feeling like a BIG bag of CRAP...SO CAN YOU!!!!  Now MOVE IT! Or You are NOT going to LOSE it!

I am going to sign off now so I can look through my new read before heading to bed.  Hopefully I will feel much better in the morning.

Until then...Stay Strong!

Good night

Trina

                                                                  Happy October 1st!

My Little Witch!