Super Saturday with Autumn Calabrese (and a sneak peak of 80 Day Obsession!)

Friends...

I had an incredible experience.

I got to "meet" Autumn Calabrese!!! 

Our shoes match!!!

Who the heck is Autumn? The creator of 21 Day Fix, Fix Extreme, Hammer & Chisel, and the new 80 Day Obsession, Autumn is someone that I've been working out to almost daily for the past four years. She has pushed me, made me stronger, encouraged me, motivated me, and taught me so much.

And to actually meet her in person?

AMAZING. I honestly cannot put words to the experience.

First, I got to hug her and take a picture with her, and she's adorable and so tiny. Second, I got to work out with her from maybe 7 feet away, and she is FIERCE and BADASS and no longer tiny :).

Second row for the workout!! So amazing!!

Third, I got to hear her speak for about 10 minutes and share some of the most amazing, impactful, motivating words of advice.  And guess what? You get to hear that speech, because I recorded it.

If you're short on time, my summary is below, but please take the time to listen to the full speech (which I edited slightly so ignore my amateur video editing). It's just under 11 minutes and it possibly can change your life, like it did mine.

Autumn Calabrese's Four Fitness/Health Tips (as summarized by me!):
1. Take Back Your Power. YOU are in control of your choices. Stop blaming external forces.
2. Don't Put an End Date on your Fitness.
3. Stop being a "when I" person. Don't wait until "when I have XYZ", do it now.
4. Stop quitting on yourself. Don't be the person who finds an excuse. Be the person who finds a way.

LOVE to you!!! Now make it a great day!

Best Ever Salsa Verde

By this time, you know how much I love Mexican food. And while I LOVE traditional tomato-based salsas, I've also fallen in love with green salsa, or Salsa Verde. Curious as to what ingredients were in it, I looked it up, and it's surprisingly easy. So naturally, I decided to make it myself.

Your life will be changed. This is why I love and hate cooking. I've realized that the more I cook, the more I like to cook, the less appetizing restaurant meals are, and the more I recognize that I can make restaurant meals, and make them taste better (and probably be healthier too, as less salt, oil, etc.) (Exceptions: sushi) Said in a simpler way - it's tough to go out to eat and look at a menu and be like "Hmm, I can make that at home, and this one too, and that one...", so why would I order it if I know I can make it at home? And also ensure it is low in salt, oils, etc? Which will probably make it taste better anyway?

I digress. Salsa verde is awesome. You can eat it with chips or raw veggies. You can cook it with shredded chicken, or shrimp and peppers, or steak, or fish. It is wonderfully tangy, yet fresh and bright and slightly spicy. And super flavorful.

So here's an extremely simple yet delightful recipe for the Best Ever Salsa Verde.

All you need is tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic, cilantro, and white distilled vinegar. That's it. So here's how you make it!

Start by washing and chopping your veggies. For the tomatillos, remove the outer husk, and then give a good scrub under running water to remove the dirt and get some of the waxiness off.

Next, tackle the jalapenos. BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, wear protection over your hands!!  If you don't, the jalapeno seeds will be on your hands, and then will burn anything else you touch (like your eyes... cough, mentioning this for a friend, cough).  I use the clear plastic baggie that I get from the produce section of the grocery store.  Slice off the tops, and then slice lengthwise:

 Then using your protection-covered hand, remove the ribs and seeds from each jalapeno half:

So that they look like this!

 Then, quarter the tomatillos, chop up the jalapenos, and add to a medium sauce pan...

Next, add the garlic cloves (minus the paper wrapping), chopped cilantro, and a pinch of salt and pepper...

 ...then add the distilled white vinegar, and puree with an immersion blender (or use a blender)...

Bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat to simmer for 30-40 minutes until the bitterness is gone and a slight tanginess remains.  It should change from a bright green color to...

 ...an off-green color.  This is normal, and good.

Either use immediately, or store for up to 1 week in a container in the fridge and use it as you go!

 

Click here for the recipe!

I've seen variations of this recipe that roast the tomatillos first, and I assume that would give it a smokier flavor. You can definitely try it out yourself.

Stay tuned for recipes featuring this amazing ingredient!

Everything Bagel Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast

Avocado toast is all the rage, amiright? Millennials are blamed for not saving enough money because they spend it on avocado toast at brunch. Millennials are taking a lot of punches lately, and I'm over it.  While I am technically a millennial, I am one of the older ones, and I don't consider myself to be one when I hear the description of their vices and bad attitudes.

However, one thing that is true is how much I love avocado toast. But to save money (bucking stereotypes left and right!), I don't order it at brunch. I make it myself at home, imagine that! Also, I find that avocado toast with some sort of protein is the perfect long-run-recovery meal, as you have the ideal blend of carbs, good fats, and protein to help your body recover from the beating it just took. Plus, it's delicious.

I am constantly experimenting with new toppings, but this particular version is one of my favorites that I repeat frequently.  Probably because it's friggin fabulous.

Toast layered with smashed avocados, cucumber, tomatoes, a quick one-egg omelette, smoked salmon, and a dollop of greek yogurt flavored with Everything Bagel seasonings.  Oh my, yes please.

So ladies and gentlemen... let me introduce you to the wonderful Everything Bagel Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast.  You can thank me later.

Ingredients (for one person):
1 piece of bread1 egg
1/4 - 1/2 avocado
1 oz smoked salmon
1/4 of cucumber, sliced into 8 slices
2 Campari tomatoes, sliced into 8 slices
Everything bagel seasoning (poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried onion, garlic powder, salt)
2 TBSP plain greek yogurt
fresh chives

Here's how I made it:

1. Place toast in toaster or toaster oven and toast to desired doneness.

2. Next, beat one egg, add 1 TBSP water, snip about 1 inch of chives (using scissors), mix well, and then add to preheated pan that has Coconut Oil Spray liberally sprayed in it.  Let cook over medium high heat.

 3. Next, take 1-2TBSP of greek yogurt, and add poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic powder and dried onion.  I also added snipped chives. Mix well and set aside.

4. While the omelette is cooking, cut up your tomatoes and cucumber.
5. Once the toast is done, you can start plating. Take avocado and smash it with a fork, spreading it around the toast.  Top with cucumbers...

...and then top with tomatoes... and then the cooked omelette, the smoked salmon, and finally a large dollop of the everything bagel flavored greek yogurt.  Snip some more chives on top for garnish.

 And you are ready to feast.

This recipe definitely requires a fork and knife.

Each flavor individually is great, but combined together? You are feeding your body with beautiful ingredients, and it tastes GREAT, not to mention feels sooo good.

Click here for the recipe!

Tell me what you think!  How would you change it? What other ingredients would you like to see on Avocado Toast?