Homemade Dog Treats

Often times we make trips to Costco or Sam's to stock up on food and snacks and for me this also includes dog food and treats. So this weekend I thought I would try something new...HOMEMADE DOG TREATS! Yep! I mean why not at least try it. Plus maybe it could save me $$$$ considering I buy the all natural and limited ingredient treats for my puppy. Only the best for my little pup! I mean look at this face wouldn't you do the same ??!! :) 

Lucky after an hour long walk! 

How to make homemade dog treats...where to begin? Well for me I googled "homemade healthy dog treats" and looked for recipes that had healthy ingredients and not a whole slew of them either. I came across this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction and like me with all my cooking I did not follow the recipe exactly but below is the original recipe. I exchanged 1/4 cup of milk for all natural chicken stock and used turkey bacon. Check out this video of Lucky taste testing the homemade treat for the first time! 

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup (255g) natural creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup (180ml) nonfat milk
• 1 large egg (or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)
• 2 cups (244g) whole wheat flour*
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup (30g) oats (either whole-rolled or quick oats are fine)
• 2-3 strips bacon, diced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

In a large bowl, gently mix the peanut butter, milk, and egg together with a large spoon or spatula. Switch to a whisk to make sure no lumps remain. Add the flour and baking powder. You may need to turn the dough out onto the counter and use your hands to work in the flour. Mix in the oats and chopped bacon. The dough is extremely thick and heavy.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into 1/4" thickness. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters or a knife. Arrange on the baking sheets. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from the oven, and flip the treats to bake the other side for 10-12 more minutes.

Allow to cool completely before serving to your pup. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Treats freeze well, up to 2 months.

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I tried this out and it was a hit for Lucky. I actually doubled the recipe and put half in the freezer and the other half in the fridge. I did not invest in a cookie cutter but instead rolled the dough into about a 1 inch ball and then pressed flat. I will be trying out a few other recipes I found over the weekend as well so it might be fun to cut them into dog bone shapes. 

I hope your fur baby LOVES these treats as much as mine did. If you have any questions please let me know! 

Exhaustedly Awesome Workout

Don't have a gym membership? 

Not sure where to begin? 

Want to workout but need a little help but don't want to ask for help?

Or you just want to try something different?  

Ya'll don't worry I got you covered!! Check out this easy to do at home workout! Do a few rounds of these exercises and your muscles will be burning and you will be exhausted. Not to mention you will get Liquid Awesome!! 

For more tips, coaching, or sample workouts follow me on Facebook or at Liquid Awesome Fitness. You can also sign up for a free membership and get me as your coach for FREE!!! Yep that means more of these fun workouts and advice on at home workouts just by joining this FREE MEMBERSHIP! Check it out...it is totally worth it! 

Comment below on other types of workouts you would like created and I will put something together. 

Summertime Kabobs

I love when I remember the brilliance of a kabob on the grill. I usually stick to the usual grilled chicken or turkey burgers on the grill with a foil pack here and there but yesterday I decided to change it up with kabobs!! 

Kabobs are just so awesome because they are fast cooking, easy to make, and provide a large variety of what all you can slide onto those skewers. I don't know why I don't do it more often. I mean who doesn't love that their food is already in bite-size pieces once they come off the grill?? RIGHT!! 

So this week I grilled kabobs and did a foil pack of sweet potatoes. I love this combo that I did of chicken, squash, zucchini  and red bell peppers. YUMMY!!! These will get me a few meals prepped and ready for the week. Grill once, eat many times more!! 

I marinated the chicken in Italian dressing, the red peppers had no marinate, and the squash/zucchini/sweet potatoes were marinated in my favorite combo of olive oil, crushed red peppers, and garlic!! 

For more ideas I will be using the following website (AllRecipes.com) to branch out my Kabobing skills!! 

3 Day Refresh

Beachbody just came out with a new program called the 3-Day Refresh. It is a great way to jumpstart your weightless or just do a monthly cleanse to release all the toxins in your body. 

In three days I lost 6 pounds and 3.5"!! SAY WHAT??!! Yep! In 3 days I got amazing results AND I personally completed this program before the 4th of July so that I would be inspired to stay on track over the holiday weekend and not make bad choices. 

 

So what is included in the kit:

VANILLA FRESH (high protein shake)	This protein-rich formula helps curb hunger with more than 20 grams of wholesome  plant-based protein, 22 essential vitamins and minerals, probiotics for digestive health,  and a patented potato protein extract clinically tested to satisfy appetites.
FIBER SWEEP (digestive health drink)	Gently and naturally eliminates waste from the digestive system with a blend of whole  ground flax, chia, and psyllium seed husks. Fiber Sweep can help lower cholesterol,  support healthy blood sugar levels, and may even reduce the risk of coronary heart  disease, as part of a healthy diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
PROGRAM GUIDE	This comprehensive guide walks you through how this program works, what to expect, and how to prepare a shopping list, as well as your body, for the 3-Day Refresh. It also  contains a menu planner with numerous easy-to-make, nutritious, and delicious meals, a  list of fruit and veggie options, guilt-free flavorings, and recipes for fresh-pressed juices.
SHAKEOLOGY (only available in Complete Kit)	Packed with potent superfoods, Shakeology starts each day of the Refresh with a Daily  Dose of Dense Nutrition® to help improve and support all your body's vital functions,  while also helping to maximize energy and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Flavors  are chosen by you, but vegan is recommended. Available in 6 flavors. To learn more, go to http://www.MyShakeology.com/anh1887

Here is how it works: 

BREAKFAST - You start each day with Shakeology plus a fruit option from the list of fruits provided on the food list. You can either mix the fruit in your shake or have it separately. 

MID MORNING - About an hour after breakfast you have the option to have an herbal tea or green tea (I personally drank green tea). Another hour after that you drink the Fiber Sweep drink. Now me personally it wasn't my favorite so to make it better I added lemon juice and loved it then!! 

LUNCH - For lunch you drink the Vanilla Fresh shake plus one fruit, one veggie, and one healthy fat. 

AFTERNOON - You have an option for an afternoon tea again but it needs to be caffeine free. You also get an afternoon snack which can be either a fruit or veggie off the approved food list. 

DINNER - Another Vanilla Fresh shake plus a dinner option from the list of dinners provided in the program guide. I personally went with the Spinach Salad because it is so delicious and I love spinach! You also have the option to have vegetable broth as well. I personally did not do this because veggie broth is not my favorite by itself. Plus I was full after the shake and dinner. 

POST DINNER TEA - You have an optional night time tea option. I personal drink Yogi Bedtime Tea as it helps to calm me down for the day and get a restful night sleep. 

Since my days are long days (5am - 10pm) I learned that I needed to space my snacks out throughout the day so that I did not get hungry. So for me I did the Shake for lunch and then an hour later the fruit, veggie, and healthy fat and then an hour later my afternoon snack. This allowed me to space out the meals, snacks, tea, and shakes out throughout the day and about every hour I was consuming one of them. And at the end of each day I was ready for bed and slept amazingly!! 

So if you are ready to try out the Refresh or have any questions feel free to send me a message and I will answer any questions you have! I personally will be doing this program monthly so that each month I can kickstart my month. 

4th of July Helpful Tips to Stay on Track while attending a Cookout!

So like many of us, we will be attending cookouts on the 4th of July. And then you think...oh crap a cookout!! How is the world am I going to stay on track with my weightless goals? I guess I will just start over on Monday...wrong! You can attend a cookout and still stay on track especially if you bring something that you will eat to the cookout! The most important this is to prepare ourselves and not to go into a cookout blind.

So here are a few helpful tips before attending a cookout:

1. WORKOUT before the COOKOUT (first thing in the morning is best)

This will help to kick start your metabolism AND let's be honest how many of you would still workout after eating and drinking, for some of you, at a cookout? Slim to none. So go ahead and check that box off your daily To-Do list before the cookout.

2. EAT BREAKFAST

First off, this should be done everyday! BUT especially on a cookout day because you want to be sure your metabolism is engaged and ready for the day. Plus you won't be starving by the time you get to the cookout! I start every morning off with my healthiest meal of the day so there is no reason to change that just because there is a cookout to go to! :)

3. Drink LOTS of WATER!

Increasing your water intake for that day will help with flushing out the bad foods, if any, that you eat at the cookout. Water will also help keep you hydrated especially if you are outdoors all day and drinking any kind of alcohol. This will help so that the next day you do not feel all sluggish and like you took too many steps backwards. Plus water is just good stuff and should be a daily staple anyways...Did you know you should be drinking 1/2 your body weight in ounces each day? This is not including any water that you use in your shakes. For more tips on consuming the right amount of water check out this blog post: WATER!!!

4. Bring YOUR own SNACKS

So one of the best ways to ensure that you eat healthy is to either bring your own snacks/side dishes or even meal so that you know there will be at least SOMETHING that is there that is HEALTHY! Here are a few cute snack ideas for the 4th to keep it Patriotic and Healthy:

5. Have FUN and don't STRESS!

Remember that YOU ROCK!! So even if you do not have the most successful day of staying on track with your health and fitness goals that day don't beat yourself up. You are only human and us humans make mistakes sometimes. The important thing is to realize that you just start fresh and get back on track with your next meal. One slip up is not going to harm you in your journey, however multiple slip ups repeated overtime could. But remember that everyday is a new day to improve your journey and reach your goals.

HAVE FUN this 4th of July!! Be safe! If you have any other fun recipes to share for the 4th of July post below I would love to see them!!