Homemade Basic Tomato Sauce

I am not a fan of veggies. I tolerate green beans, broccoli and lettuce, but really need sauces or dressings to eat them. I like tomatoes and pumpkin, which technically aren't veggies, but as a Fixer they count as veggies in my nutrition plan. I struggle to eat enough veggies and since I am cutting out high fat and sugar dressings and sauces I needed to improvise. This recipe can be altered in a ton of ways to fit your tastes and different purposes, but the basics are the same.

Ingredients: 

- Tomato Puree (Make sure that it is no added salt or sugar!)
- Stevia (If you don't like stevia, you could use raw sugar, honey or maple syrup. This will increase the calorie count and can impact your blood sugar)
- Seasonings: For pizza or pasta sauce I use garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning mix.

Tomato Sauces are really a matter of taste. We each have different preferences for different uses. So, this is how I start but I alter it for different uses. I would start with just a little of the seasonings and sweeteners and slowly add more to get the flavor you want. I typically use dried spices because I don't have the time to saute garlic or onion, but those and fresh herbs would amp it up even more!

Base: 

I usually start with 1 cup of tomato puree and 1 tsp of stevia. Put this on the stove and simmer for at least 20 minutes. The longer it simmers the more flavorful the sauce.

Pizza/Pasta Sauce: 

I typically add 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder and 1-2 tsp of Italian seasoning. For pizza sauce, I add a little more stevia. I am not a fan of spicy foods, but you could add red pepper flakes to this for a more intense flavor. This is also great on spaghetti squash if you are cutting back carbs. Check out my quick lunchtime pizza recipe!

Taco Sauce: 

I use this for taco meat (instead of store bought seasonings full of artificial yuck).To this version, I add the 21 Day Fix Southwest Seasoning (minus the chili powder due to personal preference).  If I am making taco salad I add more sauce to the meat instead of using a dressing.

Simple Chicken Margherita Pizza

I LOVE pizza! Deep dish, thin crust, it doesn't matter, I LOVE pizza. We eat homemade pizza at least once a week in my house. I make the dough and sauce from scratch, but sometimes I really want pizza for lunch and my time is more limited with two little ones running around. So here is my 

Simple Chicken Margherita Pizza. 

Let's start with the ingredients:

-1/2 cup homemade tomato sauce**
-1/2 - 1 cup sliced Roma tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
-1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
-3/4 cup shredded baked chicken**
-1 Low-In-Carb Ancient Grains wrap
-Balsamic vinegar

**I keep these on hand in my fridge so I can use them whenever. Today, however, I was ot of my tomato sauce and used the same recipe only zapped it in the microwave for about 30 seconds before putting it on the pizza. Not as amazing, but it will work when you are low on time and have your hands full.


Directions:
*Note that this is the quickest way to accomplish this as this is meant to be a quick meal. Nothing fancy here!

1. Place your wrap in a large skillet on medium heat to warm it and get it a little crispy. This pizza is supposed to have a thin crust consistency. When you add the toppings it can get a little mushy, so I like to toast mine in the skillet a little first.
2. While it is heating, warm up your chicken and tomato sauce in the microwave to take the chill of of them.
3. Assemble your pizza in the skillet. I like to add my chicken, then sauce. Follow it up with your tomatoes and cheese.
4. It takes about 5 minutes on the stove to get the cheese melty. (If your wrap is getting more crunchy than you want it, finish it in the microwave.
5. Put it on a plate and drizzle with a little Balsamic. ENJOY!!!





If you are a 21 Day Fixer like myself, this converts to 1-1.5 green, 1 yellow, 1 red and 1 blue.





Change up the toppings with what you like! I have also done this with sun dried tomato chicken sausage and it was AMAZING!

Why is "healthy" important?

For a long time this verse has described my battle with food without me even realizing it. "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" - Romans 7:15. I have come to realize that I have to put up safe guards in order to do the thing I want: to live a healthy life, reliant on God's strength and not the emotional power of food. Food is a great gift from God, but Satan can use those things in powerful ways to keep us from relying on God.

For me, I have had to commit to a new reliance on God's strength the fight those tempting and unhealthy choices. When I do, I feel better and have a stronger relationship with Christ. Part of my progress has been using Beachbody programs. I am definitely a work in progress and have had to find what works for me and can help provide me those safe guards. That means accountability, and a lot of it, for me. By participating in a challenge group I realized I wasn't alone in my journey and had others encouraging me to keep going. I also had the accountability of my coach checking in on me. As someone that values being home with my kids and making sure that we can swing it financially, being careful in my spending is important to me.  I have made the choice to invest in Shakeology. Beyond the fact that it is awesome nutrition and helps me feel better in so many ways, it is an investment. If I am going to spend the money, I am going to USE IT! I invested in my 21 Day Fix, so I am going to stick with it and USE IT! I have tried it on my own, purchased the cheap DVD at Meijer on clearance… and I don’t use it. First, it was usually on clearance for a reason. Second, I didn’t have the group accountability to go with it. I am a person that needs both. To continue pushing myself I became a coach. I often need the added accountability of people relying on me. Paul says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” 1 Corinthians 10:13-14. These verses hit me in so many ways. God gives us a way out, flee idols. For me, food often can become an idol. Happy? Celebrate with food! Stressed or tired? Eat. Again, eating itself isn’t a problem, but when we use it to fill emotional voids or turn to it instead of God, we have a problem. I would often turn to eat that extra snack instead of turning to God and the way He provides a way out. I had been stuck in a cycle of trying to “get healthy” on my own. When I took that first step of getting my first program, I realized that God made us to thrive in community. He then pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and rely fully on Him in becoming a coach.

This is a hard journey. It is not one of comfort, but asking God to push us and show us what we need to work on. Then turning and relying on Him to provide the way out.  My “way out” has been the support of the Beachbody community. If you are looking for the “way out” that God has provided for you and think this might be it, I would love to talk to you more. If this isn’t your “way out”, I would still love to join you on the journey. We all need that support. 

When working out a nap time just won't work

In my perfect world...I would wake feeling refreshed after 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep an hour before my family. This would allow me to workout, shower and enjoy my breakfast while doing my devotions as my children wake up chipper, agreeable and ready for the day. The baby would nap at the same time every day for at least an hour and I would be able to get my household chores done. The other perfect scenario would be that I could do my workout at nap time, but that has NEVER worked for me.

In reality...I set my alarm for 6:00, but the baby was up at 2 am and 5:45 am to eat and won't go back to sleep. He takes FOREVER to eat, so when 6:30 rolls around we are finishing the bottle and big sister walks in and tries to crawl in the chair with us because she is only half awake and needs some morning cuddles. He's finished, but she needs breakfast. Moms don't need to eat or shower, let alone work out or have a quiet time, right?!? Are ya with me to this point? I quickly give up on the idea of sitting down for a real breakfast, getting in a workout until maybe the evening and hit the audio button on my YouVersion app so I can at least listen to a few verses while I do the dishes at some point during the day. I mean, working out at nap time never works for me because my kids are allergic to scheduled naps. The evening is no better because after dinner and bedtime I just want to spend time with my husband and my wonderful bed.


Have you been there? It can be a rough existence but it doesn't have to be. I don't have it all figured out, but I am improving. Without further ado, here are my tips for making healthy habits a priority with kids:

1.  Give up on perfect. It just won't happen. I often have a baby crying or a diaper that needs to be changed, but with at-home workouts I can press pause, take a mommy timeout and then go back to pressing play.

2. Figure out what works best for you. I found that if I didn't workout and do my devotions first thing in the morning I would just keep putting it off. That might not be the case for you. Maybe you have a different "sweet spot" time. My other "sweet spot" is after lunch when both kids are awake and have just eaten. Whatever else needs to be accomplished during the day has to happen then or it just won't happen. 

3. Remember that each day is different. If it works one day, your kids will probably switch it up on you the next day. That's OK! When you make it a priority, you'll make it happen. Or if it just doesn't happen one day because of a sick older kid and teething baby, don't let it derail you! Get back on it the next day.

4. Make it a priority. Once again, make it a priority. If you are a list person, add it to the top of your "must do" list for each day.

5. Make it an expectation of daily life for your kids (and you). My daughter is learning that to worship God (part of which is taking care of my body), mommy does her workout and bible study every day. She knows it's coming and isn't surprised by it. We talk about WHY we should do these things as we get set up to do them.

6. Have an arsenal of independent activities your older kids (toddler and up)

• Busy bags are a great way to start. Check here for my favorites.
• Have a washable table cloth and coloring supplies at the ready.
• Have picture bibles or get the Bible for Kids app.
• Find some great educational games. Tiny Hands makes many of our favorites. As a former teacher and mom, I can tell you that these are HIGH quality activities that develop their minds, fine motor skills and independence. 

7. Have them join you. In all honesty, if my daughter has just rolled out of bed she will lay on the couch and watch me workout, but she doesn't join me even when wide awake. She does join me with my bible study even if it's just sitting at the table with me while doing one of her quiet activities. I love the Bible for Kids app because it will read her the bible stories and she can interact with them independently while I do my bible study. I love being able to be an example to my daughter of making time for my health, both spiritual and physical.

8. Give yourself some grace. As mom's we tend to show grace to everyone but ourselves. We need to remember that we are sinners saved by grace. We are going to screw it up. It won't always be pretty. We need to acknowledge what we are using as excuses, make a fresh start (again) and find some accountability. For me that takes the form of helping lead Bible study and becoming a Beachbody coach. When I have others relying on me, I am more likely to follow through. 

Here's an example of a typical day in my house:

Way too early: little man wakes up and takes a bottle30 min later: Put him in the swing or excer-saucer and workout. The girl usually gets up and comes to lay down on the couch and watch me.30 min later: Get the girl breakfast and take a shower.Ten minutes later ('Cuz mommy showers fast!): Make my Shakeology and get the little man his breakfast30 minutes later, or until they won't cooperate any longer: Put the little man in the swing with a Praise Babies DVD for a rest, hopefully a nap but rest time works too. Get the girl set up with a quiet activity and do my bible study. 

It's not always pretty, but we make it work because they are priorities for our family. I hope that this can help you as you find a way to make your health a priority so that you are better able to care for your family. 

Wow!! God has been doing a great work in me. He is addressing my lack of self-discipline through my desire to be a healthy example for my kids. I have struggled with trying to eat healthy and get active for years. With the birth of my little man, I realized that God has blessed me greatly with a wonderful husband and two beautiful children. I wasn't honoring His creation (me) or caring for my family the way I should if I was filling my body with junk and constantly feeling sluggish. Enter an old friend and Beachbody and God has opened the door for me to become a Beachbody Coach. I am excited for where this path will lead. If you want to follow my journey, both spiritual and in my health, I would love to share it with you. 

"but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint."
Isaiah 40:31