Apple Cinnamon Coconut Oatmeal

This might not be the HEALTHIEST of breakfasts, but it’s pretty tolerable considering how FANCY  it is!

apple cinnamon coconut oatmail

Add this to your weekend menu. ENJOY!

Makes two smaller servings or one large serving
{…I didn’t really measure and just sort of threw everything together on a whim while looking at a photo of something similar. Feel free to make it your own!}

Ingredients
coconut oil
1 apple
cinnamon
1 serving of oats (either milk or water- follow instructions on package)
coconut flakes
chia seed
pecans (or other nut)
brown sugar (if desired)

Directions
Slice apples into THIN pieces- set aside
Heat coconut oil in skillet, add sliced apples and sprinkle with cinnamon.


Cook one serving of oats as directed. As oats are cooking, flip apples until warm.
Lay apple mix on plate then scoop oatmeal on top. Sprinkle chia seeds, coconut flakes, pecans, and brown sugar (optional).

ENJOY!

blog sign

DIY Infinity Scarf

I made a few of these scarves as Christmas gifts last year- so simple!

photo 3-13

Supplies:
~2 yards of material
sewing machine
thread to match material
scissors
pins

Head to the fabric store to choose your fabric.
Good news! You don’t need to be an experienced sewer for this project. If you fall into the unexperienced category, it’s probably safe to assume you don’t own a sewing machine (neither do I!) so just ask the owner of the one you’re borrowing for a quick 5 minute rundown.

I found it best to have a large flat space besides my sewing machine to work on. This piece of material is large!

Fold this material in half the long way…the HOT DOG WAY….with the INSIDE of the material facing out. In these photos the folded end is on the left, and the open end is on the right. Most material from a fabric store is cut very unevenly, so the goal here is to line up your crooked ends so all sides are overlapping.

Trim excess fabric as straight as possible. This is easier to do with stripe/plaid patterns. If it’s not perfect- don’t sweat it! Scarves end up very wrinkly when worn and nobody except you will know 😉

photo 1-10

Next, you’ll want to pin these edges together along all three open sides as the photo below shows. The pins don’t need to be very close together.

photo 2-13

Drop your needle on the sewing machine at the folded end. Run your needed a little bit backwards toward the folded side to close up that hole, then run toward in a straight line all the way until the first corner. I’m pretty sure experienced sewers sew right over the pin; I pulled each pin out right before the needle reached them.

photo 4-9

When you get to the corner, you’ll need to turn the fabric. There is an easy way to do this without tangling the thread. 1) be sure your needle is DOWN in the material 2) lift up the “feet” of your sewing machine 3) turn your fabric 90 degrees 4) lower the feet.  Continue sewing down the next edge.

Processed with Moldiv

When you get to the next corner, turn your fabric the same way as before. This time, though, do not sew all the way to the last corner. Leave yourself roughly enough room to stick your hand inside the open slot.

photo 4-10

When you get to this point, you’ll cut the thread and remove the fabric from the machine.

Go ahead and trim up any edges or the sides that may be too far from your sewing line. Then trim the two sewed corners as shown below so they do not cause a bulge in the final product.

Stick your hand in the open space, and turn the entire scarf right side out. (There is no need to sew up the part you left open; it will close up in another step).

photo 3-12

Next, you’ll need to lay the piece very flat so the short edges line up as shown below. You can begin to see the scarf take shape!

photo 4-11

Overlap these edges and pin them together. I found it best to overlap quite a bit so it isn’t too “thick” along the seam. You can also overlap so your pattern meets up, if applicable.

Sew together. This section will definitely be thicker than the last; I found it best to slow down for a straighter edge. Again, scarves get very wrinkly so it doesn’t have to be perfect.

photo 2-15

You’ll want to drop your needle slightly inside, then move backward over the edge (just like the beginning). Come back forward and sew all the way to the end, running over the edge.

Lastly, try the scarf on, twisting one time.

Enjoy!

photo 3-13

A quick variation I also tried was two different materials. The only difference is that you’ll only need 1 yard of each. At the very beginning you’ll sew these pieces together along one side (be sure to “stack” them and then sew so there is a clear inside & outside edge), unfold so you have one large piece. Start back up at the very beginning by folding the entire piece in half the “hot dog” way.

Below is the united project- completely unfolded on the left and how you would wear it in the right 🙂

 

Enjoy! Happy Scarfing!
blog sign

Spruce up the Laundry Space

I grew up in the Midwest where laundry rooms are all….INDOORS!

While looking at houses in Southern California, I was a bit horrified to see the first few had their laundry space in the garage. GASP! The Garage? Cars and saw dust and tools belong there…

After seeing about 30 houses and EVERY single house was the same, I accepted this as the reality of my new home. It’s still a little weird, but I’m getting over it…especially since I had some GREAT help making my laundry space feel a little cleaner with a quick spruce!

Laundry Room

Supplies:
Laminate Decorative Shelf (we bout a large one and cut to size)
Brackets (we used 6)
Track for brackets (we used 3)
Tension rods (we used 2; one for each “side”)
Regular Curtain rod (we used 1 for the back wall)
Fabric of your choice
Rug of your choice

Directions
-Measure out the area you’d like to close off
-Purchase curtain rods to fit; follow hanging instructions
-Purchase shelving to fit that space based on your preferences; follow hanging instructions
-Choose material; I’d recommend something BRIGHT and CLEAN feeling for this particular space (I chose ours from Joann Fabrics)
–I wanted a looser fit for my “curtains” so I bought extra material to create the wrinkly look.
–My mom sewed these; she chose to create multiple panels rather than cut slits around the shelving brackets.
-Grab a rug (this one was about $10 at Home Goods)

All in all- the total cost was $80.00 (this will vary heavily based on your material purchased for the curtains). For me, it was definitely worth it to spruce up my laundry space!

blog sign

These Jeans have a Story…

These jeans have a story!
…let yours tell one, too!
{details at the end of this post}

jeans story

These jeans are one of my favorite pairs from college. I wore them long past graduation and they still fit nicely in the summer of 2013.

That August was the first time since high school I decided it was time to take control and feel comfortable in my own skin. I joined one of these “online accountability groups” I’m now always talking about, stuck to my 3 month home workout program called “ChaLEAN Extreme,” and lost 11 inches total and 5% body fat.

Sometime during that 3 month transition, my husband proclaimed that we were going pants shopping because my jeans were too big and I needed to stop walking around with a “saggy ass” (…now that’s love!). You can guess where most of that 11 inches came from…….

Fast forward a couple years, and cue baby Nora…!

Last month while I was visiting my parents, I found these old jeans. I thought I’d try them on just “to see” if they fit. Somehow I squeezed them over my butt and managed to barely button them…muffin top and all. Yup! That’s real life.

It was a little discouraging that these same “saggy ass” jeans were now barely buttonable, but I’d just had a baby so I decided to cut myself some slack, stop sulking, and set a goal.

Three weeks ago, when I got back home, I hosted one of those same “online accountability groups” with an absolutely remarkable group of challengers and chose 21 Day Fix as my weapon. The “21 Day Fix” is a Fitness program made up of 30 minute home workouts & a top of the line nutrition program (where you really get to EAT! A LOT). Yesterday was our final day; I took measurements and THIS photo this morning.

Look at these jeans now! That’s what I call a “non-scale victory!”

I’ve been wearing these jeans the last three weeks, noticing that they’re “getting bigger” but it wasn’t until I SAW with my own eyes the number on my tape measurer….I lost 5 inches overall; 2 of which were in my waist!

What a change from that muffin top in just 3 weeks!

Here’s the best part: my results “could have” been even better.
This is me being transparent…
✔️I missed two workouts.
✔️I strayed from the nutrition plan a time or two each week and guiltlessly celebrated birthdays or cheered on the Packers.

…and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Here’s WHY-

This program isn’t a “diet” but a lifestyle change. To me, “diets” have strict rules, focus on what you CAN’T do, and have hard start/stop dates without any of your new habits carrying over into your actual life. This program, on the other hand, helps facilitate a new way of taking care of yourself with exercise and healthy food long after those 21 Days are over. You better believe I will always promote a program that allows you to have a “real life” too.

College jeans: conquered.
Next up: pre-pregnancy jeans.

The 21 Day Fix program is on sale for 6 more days for only $10. Send me an email (alischroeder.fit@gmail.com) if you want to see a REAL, healthy change like I did!

I’d love to hear YOUR story and get you started on conquering your goals.

facebook.com/schroederali
blog sign

Dark Chocolate Banana Bites

A friend introduced me to these sweet treats and now it’s my turn to pass them along!

They’re a healthy snack… easy to pop on the go!
My husband loves a few of them just before he works out; I like to have one (or two!) after I feed the baby.
Plus, this sweat treat is KID APPROVED. No dairy or eggs, either 🙂

The ingredients are simple:
✔️bananas
✔️nut butter (I used almond butter)
✔️unsweetened applesauce
✔️vanilla
✔️cinnamon
✔️nutmeg
✔️ground clove
✔️old fashioned oats
✔️dark chocolate chips

photo 1-8

First thing’s first- mash the bananas with a potato masher…

 

Add all ingredients except the chocolate chips & oats:

photo 4-8

Mix with a hand mixer until batter is smooth.

Fold in your chocolate chips and oats: photo 5-3

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, scoop a round tablespoon onto the sheet, and pop in the oven at 350 degrees:
25 minutes for extra gooey
30 minutes for soft & chewy

photo 2-12

Remove and Enjoy!

photo 3-11
Full Recipe: makes 18-24 bites
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
1/2c nut butter
2/3c unsweetened applesauce
1tsp vanilla
1/2tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
dash of ground cloves
1/4c dark chocolate chips
1 1/2c old fashioned oats

Directions
+preheat oven to 350
+line a baking sheet with parchment paper & set aside
+mash bananas in bowl
+add nut butter, applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, & cloves and mix with hand mixer until well blended
+fold in oats & chocolate chips
+spoon round tbsp of mixture onto cookie sheet, leaving an inch or two between (flatten slightly if you wish)

+Bake for 25 minutes & allow to cool slightly
>>> 25 minutes extra gooey
>>> 30 minutes soft & chewy

5 Halloween Candy Shakeology Recipes

Enjoy the taste of Halloween without cancelling out all your progress!

Screen Shot 2015-10-31 at 4.31.06 AM

Enjoy these 5 Candy Bar Recipes this Halloween!
Snickers
1 scoop chocolate (or vegan chocolate) Shakeology
1 cup almond milk
1 tbsp PB2 (or nut butter)
2 tbsp slivered almonds or walnuts (or 1/4 tsp almond extract)
1 tbsp sugar free caramel syrup (or 1/4 tsp caramel extract)
Add ice & blend!

Almond Joy
1 scoop chocolate (or vegan chocolate) Shakeology
1 cup coconut milk
3ish tsp coconut flakes
1 tbsp slivered almonds
Add ice & blend!

York Peppermint Pattie
1 scoop chocolate (or vegan chocolate) Shakeology
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
Add ice & blend!

Butterfinger
1 scoop chocolate (or vegan chocolate) Shakeology
1 cup almond milk
1 1/2 tbsp butterscotch pudding mix
1 1/2 tbsp PB2 (or nut butter)
Add ice & blend!

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup
1 scoop chocolate (or vegan chocolate) Shakeology
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup almond milk
2 tbsp PB2 (or nut butter)
Add ice & blend!

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend using pudding mix on a daily basis, but it’s Halloween! Indulge a little without feeling guilty!

Product Review: “Shout Auto”

I bought my car new in 2012. It’s typically been a pretty clean place, but ever since getting a dog (and bringing her EVERYWHERE with me) the seats have seen more wear&tear in the last 4 months than in the last 3 years.

And look- The culprit just lays there snoozing while I do the dirty work….

Unfortunately, I didn’t take before & after photos (I wasn’t planning to blog about this), but you can see the driver seat is complete in this photo while the shotgun seat is not. The passenger seat looks a little more “brown” (dirty!) while my seat is definitely more “gray” (clean!).

Shout Auto

Basically, I wanted to give my car a good scrub down before installing the baby carseat. I found a few homemade solutions online and had a list to buy the ingredients, but once I started strolling the isles at Target I decided that for $5 I was just going to give this product a try.

Ratings are on a 5 point scale: 1 being not satisfied, 5 being very satisfied.

Convenience: 4
Spray. Let foam. Scrub. Wipe.

That’s it! I should add that I thoroughly vacuumed prior to using the foam, then also again once the seats were dry.

It definitely is easy to use, it’s just repetitive. I found it best to do smaller sections at a time.

1) Simply spray the aerosol on your seat.
2) I waited about 30-40 seconds for it to foam up…
3) …then scrubbed it in with the scrubber on the cap. I didn’t really care for the plastic scrubber, but I didn’t exactly go change it out either. In the future I will likely use a regular old bristle brush.
4) I then wiped down any remaining foam/dirt with an old towel.

REPEAT!

Dirt Removal: 5
I was pleasantly surprised with how well this product pulled the dirt & stains out!

Believe it or not, there was a 2ish-year-old stain on the drivers seat that actually came out! (Do you see it in the photo? me either!) Even the floor mats look MUCH better. They’re not perfect, but if I spent a little more time on them I bet they’d be even cleaner.

Pricing: 5
Sure, my “home remedy” might have been cheaper (maybe?) but for $4.99 I’m definitely happy with the results.

Time: 2
I was being very precise, but this took a LONG time. Too long, actually.

I only ended up doing my seat half the bench in the back, and that took well over an hour (ain’t nobody got time for that!). If you have the time, or child labor, totally worth it. If not, don’t get this product…just take your car in to get detailed instead.

Overall, I’d say this product gets a 4. 

I also want to add that I liked the “foam” method (vs a homemade method) because the solution didn’t soak the seats like a liquid would have. Yes, of course the seats were damp (you can see the blotches in the photo because it’s not dry yet) but given I have heated seats (in SoCal. I know. The Irony.) and needed to run errands this afternoon, I wasn’t looking to soak the seats.

Happy Seat Cleaning!
signature -blue

Four 4th of July Healthy Picnic Options

4th recipes cover

Happy Birthday, America! Are you  headed to a BBQ this weekend but not quite sure what to bring? Here are a few fun themed, healthy options! Click on the link for the full recipes.

4th quinoa salad

First up is the Quinoa Side Dish!
This delicious side is packed with protein and has a tangy citrus sauce. It’s hard to resist a little fruit in a side salad!

4th popsicles

Next are the Patriotic Pops!
Made with fruit & yogurt, these are hard to turn down. For a more balanced flavor it is best to mix all contents together, but of course they will look a little less patriotic.
One additional recommendation: use Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt and add your own honey instead of the recommended Greek Gods Honey Flavor. It is delicious, but that comes at a price of 33g of sugar per serving!

4th fruit skewers

I couldn’t leave out the classic themed Fruit Skewers.
These are so simple to make and kids can easily help out, too.
One additional recommendation: Start by mixing 1 cup of water with 3 tbsp of lemon juice. Place the banana slices in the lemon water to prevent them from browning, then string them on the skewer.

4th crisp

Lastly, is the no bake Berry Crisp.
This might not exactly be a picnic option, but it would be a great option for a 4th of July Breakfast!
One additional recommendation: Use Plain Greek Yogurt instead of the whip cream topping for a healthy kick.

Enjoy your holiday weekend!

signature -blue

Clean Eating FAIL! Not-so-delicious brownies

Processed with Moldiv

Typically speaking I have three requirements when it comes to cooking:
1) Must be healthy
2) Must be easy
3) Must be delicious

Every now and then one of these gets pushed to the wayside; there are times I definitely attempt a dish that is NOT easy….also times I indulge in something that isn’t healthy. There are even {rare} times I’ll choke down something that isn’t delicious because I’m in a hurry and I know it’s good for me.

NOT THIS TIME.

These 4 ingredient brownies were pretty easy and I guess somewhat healthy, but ohmygoodness they were so gross. I actually threw them away!

Sharing this recipe with you anyway; perhaps you can improve upon it {or just get a good chuckle out of it}. I am completely okay admitting when something doesn’t work out the way I would have preferred!

Here we go….

1) It was “healthy”
These ingredients aren’t too terrible; no flour or added sugar

Processed with Moldiv

2) It was easy!
Separate egg whites and egg yolks into two bowls.
Add honey, cocoa powder, and vanilla to bowl with yolks.
Beat whites until fluffy.
Fold in the egg whites and toss in the oven at 350 for 18-20 minutes.

photo 1-3 photo 2-7

3) It was NOT delicious (even though the photo might say so)!
Here is the finished product:

photo-13 photo-14

FAIL.

Maybe some of you are thinking, “Well duh. without sugar & flour dessert isn’t going to be good!” Not true….I have made plenty of flourless/sugarless treats that are pretty tasty (and not just by my standards, they’ve been husband approved, too!). This one just wasn’t one of them 😉

Better luck next time!

signature -blue