Day 9 and 10

Sorry I wasn't here yesterday for Day 9 blog, y'all!  I decided to take a day off from blogging so I could enjoy my day with my husband and kids.   It was MLK Day, so there were no school and work.

First, I wanted to wanted to post a picture of which coconut oil I use because someone had asked me to show a picture of it.  More than happy to. 

Left is Carrington Farm at Costco.  Right is Thai Kitchen organic full fat coconut milk at any food stores.  These are what I constantly use in many recipes. For coconut milk cans, you can use any brands, really.  I particularly  like Thai Kitchen because it has great consistency to make whipped cream. I use canned coconut milk for any recipes not for drinking.  I use different kind of coconut milk for beverages which is usually in 2 QT.

You can use any brands as long as they are 100% unrefined and pure extra virgin coconut oil.  We got this at Costco.  Nutiva is great too.  www.nutiva.com

Day 9 (yesterday) was a good day for us all.  Warm and sunshine weather again!  Blessed!

Upon our awake, we skipped coffee and had fat burning powder.  (I honestly think we do not like it, makes us feel so jittery and not to mention restless at bedtime)  I think we will nix that out of our diet.  Stick to coffee.  We did feel a little bit better after we had a workout at crossfit box.  Great workout by the way!

I finally got to get involved with the class!  Hooray!  The WOD looked like:

10 DBBOB (Dumbbell Burpee Over Box) + 5 Power Cleans + 5 Hang Cleans

400 M Run

10 DBBOB + 5 Power Cleans+ 5 Hang Cleans

400 M Run

10 DBBOB + 5 Power Cleans + 5 Hang Cleans

400 M Run

(But my modification due to my boot and weak ankles were I used KB (taller handles, easier for me to get up) and 3 stacked aerobic step up blocks instead of a box and rowing instead of running) You hold DB in your hands and you step up onto box and then step down and do burpee with DB still in your hands and do burpee but for my case, I used KB and stepped up on 3 stacked aerobic step up blocks  then slowly stepped down and did push ups with my KB in my hands using its handles on the ground after 10 of that then (#65) power cleans and hang cleans then rowed 500 M, and repeat until done.  Finished at 20:36  Not bad, right?

 I did 2 rounds of ABS workout following the WOD.  (picture shown)

I recommend you to do 3 sets of this ( I only did 2 sets because time was running out at crsossfit box, it was closing)

When we got home, I made this delicious ABJ (Almond Butter Jelly) protein smoothie!  So good, I chugged it down too quickly it gave me a brain freeze.

Post workout protein drink

ABJ protein smoothie:  1 and half cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk into blender, a frozen banana, 3 TBS of almond butter (I used MaraNatha All Natural Roasted Almond Butter, its only ingredient is dry roasted almonds- also found at Costco), 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder  few ices, and blend it until frothy smooth.  Pour that into 2 glasses (half way) Save some room for Jelly smoothie. Now for the jelly smoothie: 1 cup of frozen blueberries OR mixed berries which is what I had in hand, into the blender, and 1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk , 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder and blend it until frothy smooth.  Pour that over AB smoothie until filled.  Just like seen in the picture above.  

I seriously had a brain freeze that it was so good I chugged it down too quickly.

My husband and I weren't hungry for lunch.  We skipped the meal until snack time  which was half bratwurst wrap and a handful of mixed nuts (In my bratwurst wrap, I added sauerkraut, mustard, some tomatoes, and lettuce)  I kept hydrating all day long to flush out fat burning powder that we badly wanted to get rid of.

Dinner... I cannot help but brag!  My lemon pepper chicken wings were awesome!!  My husband kept coming back telling me how much he LOVED these lemon pepper wings!  Over and over.  Even this morning we had those for breakfast. He came to me as I was blogging this, "I LOVE YOUR WINGS".   YES, THAT GOOD!  When you have time, please please make these!  Recipe below in the pictures

This is what I got, get 2 packages of those

Dried Lemon Peel (you will have to find these in the bulk area at your local food store. Do  not use lemon pepper store bought bottle. It's a big NO NO, it has too many unpronounceable chemical words ingredients in it)

Add about 2-3 TBS of dried lemon peel and maybe 1 TBS (maybe a little more- use your judgment) of fine sea salt and 1 TBS of coarse black pepper into a large mixing bowl. Mix well.

Zest 2 lemons into the bowl.

Place chicken wings into the large mixing bowl and coat well with lemon pepper seasoning.

Then pour freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons over lemon pepper seasoned wings in the mixing bowl

Line the baking sheet pan with foil and place the cookie rack on top of baking sheet pan then place lemon pepper seasoned wings on the cookie rack evenly.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes (just until they are crispy light brown) then turn wings over and cook again for another 30 minutes (Just until they are crispy light brown)

Viola!  They were so out of world delicious!  Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings.

For dinner, we had lemon pepper wings and raw celery with some almond butter (just like at the bars or restaurant, wings and celery with blue cheese or ranch for dipping but I used almond butter instead)

I steamed some beets and sweet potatoes but I wasn't in the mood to eat those.  I wanted to eat more of wings!  LOL

How I steamed beets and sweet potatoes in the oven.   I placed 2 beets with skin on and sweet potato with skin on (washed of course) into casserole dish with an inch of water, covered and baked at 350 degrees for one hour.   I would call it Not So Pretty Steamed Sundown Beets and Sweet Potatoes, LOL. You'll see why in the picture 2nd below.

1 hour later, they were done.  They are steamed.  Let it cool for about 15 minutes then peel off skin.  Cut them up and place these into a bowl.

Not So Pretty Steamed Sundown Beets and Sweet Potatoes but they were yummy!  Beets were perfectly intact but the sweet potatoes were too soft.  Next time, I may need to take the sweet potato out 30 minutes earlier and let beets continue cooking the last 30 minutes.

I added 1 TBS of softened or melted coconut oil and added 1 tsp of dried thyme (you can use rosemary instead which is what I would prefer next time)  Season with sea salt and pepper.  I didn't eat those last night, but I will have some for lunch after workout today.

Before bedtime, I had L-Glutamine drink (unsweetened coconut milk and L-glutamtine powder).

This morning, Day 10, I had a coffee, not cappuccino.  Wasn't in the mood to froth.  Coconut oil, coconut milk creamer and coffee.

Had lemon pepper chicken wings leftover for breakfast.  I also had half of green apple, peeled.  I may eat half a banana before crossfit workout today at noon.

We added an extra day to crossfit from now own.  4 days a week, M, T, Th, and F.  3 rest days.  

I'll be back for more blogs later on.

Have a great Tuesday!

Meli Emmons