going BANANAS

Before we talk BANANAS...

lets talk about CHANGE.

It's never too late for it.

It comes with hard work and dedication.  

Change isn't easy.

BUT CHANGE is worth it.  We are ALL worth it.  

When my husband and I first met, I was at the top of my game.  I was teaching aerobics, eating healthy, lost 84lbs and was already on my weight loss journey... 

BUT when I say the journey is forever and there is NO finish line

I am speaking from experience...

I allowed my old habits to take control as life's changes came our way.  My first son was born, I became a Mom and things fell apart.  I was working full-time and felt like the "easy" way was fast food and microwavable meals! Blah!!  Oh if only I would've known what I know now...

but we live and learn right?

October 2009

July 2013

Our life experiences and struggles with weight have helped shape us into who we are...and obviously helped fuel my passion for helping people find a healthy way of life so I can't regret or dwell on the past :)  We make the decision each day to live healthy...to have the occasional splurge while keeping things reasonable.  We devote the time and energy it takes to keep our family eating and living healthy too!  After all, we must teach them while they're young to appreciate their heart, their health and show them how to take care of it!  

Don't let the fear of CHANGE control you.

Take control of your life and what you want out of it.

Although I never allowed a majority of my weight to come back on, I do regret those times of "quitting" and not truly living my healthiest life.  I allowed those "bumps" in the road to make me lose focus on what matters and what's important.  I am a much happier and healthier Mom, wife, daughter and friend when I am eating healthy and exercising regularly!

What about you?  What makes you feel your best?

Now...

LETS GO BANANAS!!!!

-Some recipes I'll be trying this week and I hope you will too!

Banana Bites:

1 ripe banana

1 tbs natural PB

1 tsp plain Greek yogurt

Cut banana into small slices.  Place PB and yogurt into ziploc bag and combine by mashing together in baggie.  Cut tip as if it were icing and squeeze mixture onto banana slices.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and ENJOY!  I think my kids will LOVE these :) and we will too!

Banana Oat Cookies:

1 c oats

1 ripe banana

2-3 tsp dark chocolate chips

Mix together, bake at 350 until brown.  ENJOY!  

These seem so simple and delicious!  

**Both above options are great for on the go, kid-friendly for after school snacking too!**

Tropical Banana Salad:

1 cup fresh spinach or spring mix 

1/2 small purple onion-diced

1 cup fresh pineapple

2 ripe bananas

handful of chopped walnuts

*calls for poppyseed dressing, but I'm thinking I'll modify here to save on calories and fat.  

Frozen, chocolate-dipped bananas:

4 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into thirds

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips-melted

1/4 shredded coconut

Insert popsicle stick into each piece of banana.  Cover or dip into melted chocolate and then sprinkle with coconut- you can use walnuts or other topping if your family does not like coconut.  Place bananas on parchment paper, on baking sheet and put in freezer for 2 hours.  Enjoy!  

*If the chocolate chips harden during the dipping process, microwave in 20 sec increments as needed for reheating purposes.     

REFUSE TO QUIT.

It's what we should tell ourselves each day.

Having a day of splurging or taking a day off from exercise is NOT quitting.

HOWEVER, allowing one bad behavior to repeat itself over and over again...

well, looks like you're headed toward QUITTING

But don't.

REFUSE TO QUIT!

If you find yourself spiraling out of control, time to change things up.  
Obviously something going on in your life is causing you to go through moments of doubt and those feelings are probably causing you to lose focus on your goals and what you'd like to accomplish.  Am I right?  
DON'T GIVE IN.  

Write down goals and priorities, the reasons you started this journey in the first place! 
Write down and think about what you want out of your life...  
Do you want to lose weight?  
Do you want to be healthy?  
Do you want to stop gaining and losing those same 10lbs?  
If you answer yes, then REFUSE TO QUIT.   


Recipes of the week:

                      Move It Momma's Cheesy Enchiladas

You'll Need:
Mission carb balance small, fajita size tortillas
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles
1 can black beans
1 can FF refried black beans
cumin
chili powder
1 cup skim milk
1 tbs all purpose flour
1 tbs margarine or butter

Saute butter and milk in a pan on med-high heat until simmering, add flour.  Allow mixture to thicken and turn off heat.  Allow to cool.
In separate dish, mix black beans-drained and refried black beans, stir until combined and add 1/2 tsp of each cumin and chili powder, stir.  Set aside.  
Dump half can of the tomatoes with green chiles to the milk mixture on stove with heat OFF.  Stir, set aside. 
Fill each tortilla with bean mixture, then a little LF cheese blend.  Lay in sprayed Pyrex dish.  Once all tortillas are prepared, pour milk and tomato mixture onto tortillas and then sprinkle with a little more cheese.  I added 1/4 cup to the top.  Bake at 400 for 35 minutes or until bubbly.  I allow to cook a while longer to get extra crispy on edges :)  HUGE family favorite and add less chiles if your children cannot tolerate a little spice!  


                     NAAN pizza variation:

You'll Need:
NAAN bread-I have whole wheat TJ brand
steamed broccoli and cauliflower 
turkey pepperonis
diced tomatoes
parmesan cheese
Top NAAN with tomatoes, steamed veggies and pepperonis,  
Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until CRISPY or texture you desire.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and ENJOY!!!


                  Quick, Go-To Snack

Light Creamy Swiss Laughing Cow

1 clementine orange

Wasa flax seed crispbread- 80 calories and 3g fiber per slice

tired.

For so many years I was tired of starting over. 

I'd find this great "diet".  
I was ready to start strong on Monday morning and then by Tuesday I felt deprived...I asked "why me?" 
and would fall back into those old, unhealthy habits.  Yuck.  

Ever been there?

Sure we can make excuses for our bad eating habits, for our lack of exercise 

but where does that get us?  

RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED.   

Some tips to help make the "giving up" not an option, try these tips that work for my family and I:

1.  Wake up with determination.   Before you get out of bed, make up your mind that you'll schedule time to prepare or choose healthy meal options, each healthy meal is considered a goal attained :)
2.  Think about and set your daily goals.  Small goals work well here.  Set aside 20 minutes to walk the neighborhood as a family, no late night sugary snacks, drink more water...etc.  Write them down!
3.   Get the whole family on board.  If mom is the only one trying to eat healthy and exercise, chances are you'll feel alone and eventually give in to the family temptation.   
Instead, make getting healthy a family effort.  Encourage more fruits and vegetables at the family table, drink more water and less sugary drinks each day, set up a family evening walk or bike ride and increase the distance each week.  
*Make a chart and set non-food related rewards for healthy behaviors!  
4.  Find people that share similar health and fitness goals.  If you are around family and friends that share similar goals, you'll be encouraged to keep your healthy living goals as a priority instead of constantly falling into old habits.  Positive, like-minded people will help you succeed in your journey. 
5.  NEVER GIVE UP.  If you have the right attitude, nothing will stand in your way.  Choose to be healthy every, single day!  

Understand that the journey is never-ending  as well as life-changing but you will never say, I give up.  You've worked too hard to start over, so keep at it.  
Honestly I tell myself this often to keep on track and focused.  I may complain from time to time, but I wouldn't want to live life any other way.  

my foods and a Bulu update!

I have a confession.  

My diet needs work. 

We all know that January 2nd turned over a new leaf.  I started buckling down with my foods and workouts and I've lost 27lbs since that day!  I am very proud of what I have accomplished but still would like to see more results and become my healthiest self....

to do that, my diet needs work!  

I have been using MyFitnessPal to calculate my foods and workouts-calories burned, net, etc.  

Last night as I entered my weekly eats and workouts, I noticed a RED statement below my diary, saying I have not met calorie goals and am eating too few calories.  YIKES!  

Now keep in mind, too few calories can be just as hurtful as too many so I need to get this figured out ASAP.  

I am suppose to know this, right?  I mean, I did go to school to study exercise and health...shouldn't I know how to get this perfect?  Whoops :(  

The tough part is that I'm not 100% sure what needs changing but today, I will work on it.  

But this is a good reminder for all of us, HEALTHY LIVING IS A JOURNEY! 

The start line is only the beginning and there is no finish line.  We may think we have it all figured out, but really...we don't at all.  As we change and our bodies change, our needs change.  We may need more calories, less workouts or more protein-less fat.  It's always changing and as soon as we reach our "goal", we find a new GOAL and we keep climbing- Move It Momma

So that's what I'm doing today, finding a new goal

GOAL 1:  To complete my second half marathon on Oct 27th, 20 minutes faster than my finish time in 2012.

GOAL 2:  To get my calories on track!  It's tricky but something tells me that I'll get it figured out soon.  

To give you an idea of how I started my day, 

2 cups coffee with creamer-sorry I can't drink it black :(

Today's Breakfast:  1 slice Ezekiel sesame bread, 2 egg whites, 1 tbs neufchael cheese and a clementine.  

Snack: Wasa with flaxseed, 1 low fat string cheese and a small apple

Snack 2: handful natural almonds and a protein smoothie using Designer Whey sustained energy vanilla bean, 1/2 banana and handful of raspberries.  

Today's Workout:  weights and the bag!  I hit the bag in 5 minute intervals.  5 on the bag, 10 on weights, 5 on bag, 10 weights...keeps my heart rate up and keeps my muscles BURNING!

and Yesterday's Workout was running with my boys!  We managed to push out 3 miles in the heat and humidity before the rain.  Yes we needed rain around here to cool things off, but that does bring even more HUMIDITY which is brutal when trying to run.  Ugh.  But we did it and my boys did too!  Afterwards, they were proud of themselves but said they were dripping in sweat and needed a pool in our backyard to cool off!  Maybe someday boys, maybe someday!

I've been loving my UA shoes from the #whatsbeautiful campaign.  Lightweight, super comfy and great for running!  I'm very impressed and look at the color?  I mean, the teal and pink just light up my feet!!  LOVE IT!  During a tough run, it's nice to look down and see happy, bright colors...makes the run a little more bearable :)

BULU BOX UPDATE: All new subscribers will get 50% OFF a 3, 6 and 12-month subscription opposed to only $10 OFF! 

Offer: 3 Months for $15 (regularly $30)

Offer: 6 Months for $30 (regularly $60)

Offer: 12 Months for $60 (regularly $120)

FREE SHIPPING ON ANY BULU BOX SUBSCRIPTION!!!

 Bulu Box is a great way to sample products before purchasing a large amount!  

We are always disappointed when we purchase a product and it doesn't live up to the hype, 

Bulu Box eliminates that!  

Here's what came in my box this month!  

Thera-Gesic- a great product that helps heal sore muscles and offer comfort and relief from workouts, or minor aches and pain.
PowerIce-a "popsicle" for recovery!!  
Burn Blend by Shapeology -mimics the effects of high metabolism to help you lose weight fast.
Formula 52 Power Fuel- by TwinLab for pre-training/workouts, sustains energy throughout the workout. 
EatGreenTea.com-green tea 
GU Chomps-to help increase our energy to fight through those tough workouts!  I love this stuff!
Please let me know if you have any questions about Bulu Box or the featured products, I'd be happy to help.

Disclosure: I am a Bulu Box Ambassador and receive commission on sale of this product.  No other compensation is received.  All opinions are 100% mine.  

I'm trying these, are you?

a few things to keep in mind if you're starting, continuing or improving your healthy way of life:
In regards to healthy recipes...

Rule #1:  KEEP AN OPEN MIND.  Chances are it won't be perfect the first time and that's okay.  

Healthy eating is a journey!  Like losing weight or training for a race, it will require a little effort.  

*Your family must learn a new way of delicious eats and that will probably take some time.  

example: Don't think for a second that if your child loves 

Dr. Pepper and you hand them flavored water that they'll jump and down,  shouting with excitement because that PROBABLY won't happen...like for a long time!  Ha!

If the family approves of a new recipe right away, GREAT!

If not, time to change things up a bit which can be fun.  

Rule #2: Don't panic...
sometimes our families prefer things "our way" and we must learn that way through trial and error.  
Trust me, I've had a lot of errors but have found what tastes great and works for my family and you will too!  
Sometimes a recipe that sounds good can taste terrible, but the good news...

Rule #3: Healthy foods are delicious!  TRUST ME!

Here's a few healthy recipes that I'll be trying this week and I hope you will too!

1.  Biggest Loser Hannah's flavored water- 
Water 
cucumber 
lemon
lime 
fresh mint
More of her delicious recipes can be found on her Instagram, @bl11hannah 

2.  Creamy Chickpea Salad from TastyHealth- 
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
2/3 can tuna (in water)
tomato
cucumber
red pepper
lettuce
baby spinach
3-4 tbs greek yogurt
2-3 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
More of her delicious recipes can be found at @tastyhealth on Instagram

3.  kid-friendly breakfast on the go-
Cherry Berry Breakfast Smoothie
1/2 almond milk
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries or strawberries-or both, 1/2 cup fresh cherries-pitted, 2 dates and ice cubes!  Blend and enjoy!

4.  Zucchini Pancakes- 
3 cups shredded zucchini
1 tsp sea salt
2 large eggs-beaten
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup crumbled feta
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
* Sprinkle zucchini with salt after shredded.  Drain as much liquid as possible off of the shredded zucchini.  Add eggs, flour, cheese, and mix well.  Heat oil in skillet to medium, scoop zucchini mixture from bowl and spread in round, pancake shape.  Cook until golden brown.  
My kids have tried this with broccoli but I bet zucchini will give a little different flavor and texture that kids are sure to love!

I can't wait to hear what recipes you try with your family this week!  Make sure to get those kids involved in cooking too!  They are more likely to try new, healthy foods if they take part in the cooking process.  They'll learn about healthy eating and be proud of their work!  

After you try your recipes, take a family hike or walk!  Get moving, TOGETHER :)

Another issue for some of us adapting to a healthy lifestyle:

BLOATING?

We've all been there right?  Well, here are some tips to reduce bloating for you and your family!

Tips to decrease bloating:

1. Increase your fiber.  If used correctly, fiber helps aid in digestion and keeps us regular.  Regularity keeps things moving along, decreasing the amount of gas buildup in our colon.

2.  Drink Up!  Water will help flush the body of excess sodium and fluids, which can also reduce constipation and bloating.  

3.  Y is for YOGURT.  Yogurt contains good bacteria for your gut.  It helps break down foods and keeps your body balanced.  

4.  WATERmelon!  Well, as its name implies, watermelon is loaded with H20, so eat up!  And watermelon nutrients help boost the immune system which is always a good thing.  

5.  Eat your veggies!  Spinach and Asparagus more specifically.  Spinach contains fiber and when cooked, will decrease bloating in most of us.  Asparagus is full of water, which will act as a diuretic and rid the body of excess fluids.  EAT UP!

Do you like to try new, healthy recipes with your family?

Do you suffer from bloating?  How do you prevent?  

Where I Ran

We are camping at the lake and I am absolutely falling in love with this place...

I ran without music, only the sounds of nature and the lake. Nothing more beautiful. It makes running at home seem like WORK! Today took no effort! 

When you wake up, head out for your run you don't expect to be greeted by 25 deer at your trailer!! WOW! Then to run along the paths with all of this beautiful scenery. For me, it made the run SO incredible! Peaceful, refreshing and INCREDIBLE! I can't wait to run the rest of the week! 

your obstacles?

We all have them, don't we?
Obstacles that keep us from trying or doing the things we so badly want to accomplish?
When related to our health and fitness goals, these obstacles can deter us from reaching goals.

When an obstacle stands in your way, how do you handle it?
Do you allow it to take over, to frighten you enough to fall back and continue on that same, boring path? 

OR do you fight back?
Bust through your fears, those obstacles that have held you back from LIVING for so long!

Once you fight back, the race is far from over, the obstacles will keep creeping in and trying to hold you back....but if you stay strong, fight for what you want, then that journey will continue for the rest of your life.  The best part?  You have your entire life to push, to defeat an obstacle when it stands in your way!  I mean, who doesn't love a great challenge?

Is it weight loss?
You want to feel better and have more energy?
You want to be a positive, healthy role model for your children and family?
Maybe you want to run your first race a 5K, half marathon or marathon?
You want to feel good about walking around on the beach in that bathing suit?

WHATEVER it is, 

Do NOT let obstacles in life get the best of you! 

I honestly believe that getting healthy is the easy part...if there is an easy part.  

It's the staying healthy, the maintenance that's TOUGH.  

Fighting to not let your old ways make their way back into your life.  It's not easy.

BUT you are worth fighting for.  You deserve a healthy, happy life 

so why let a few obstacles stand in your way? 

I see so many men and women that lose the weight, they get healthy, they feel great, they feel like they can conquer the world, then something happens...an obstacle in the road, and they completely revert back to their former way of life.  Immediately the weight comes back, the feeling of self-doubt and defeat make their way back and it's SO hard to shake it....all of a sudden, it's back to the starting line...

Is it worth giving up?  Throwing in the towel?  HECK NO!

If you mess up on your healthy eats, SO WHAT?  Try again at the next meal...don't ruin the entire day!

If there's a party with great, unhealthy foods...indulge BUT tighten things back up the next meal or day...don't just give up because you ate a few french fries and hot wings :(  LOL!

What obstacles have you let stand in your way of accomplishing a goal?

Will you push yourself hard this week and fight for what you want?

AND NOW...

LET'S EAT!

Up first, cauliflower cheesy "bread"...

WARNING:  It's addicting and AMAZING!

This is so easy, it should be a sin!  
I doubled the recipe this time so we had some to spare and have tonight with leftovers! 

Cheesy Cauliflower "bread"
1 head cauliflower steamed with 1 cup water, until tender
"rice" the cauliflower, meaning chop it up to where it looks just like rice :)
Mix cauliflower with 2 eggs, 1 tbs oregano, 5 cloves of garlic-chopped, 1/4 c Parmesan cheese, 1/4 LF mozzarella. 
Mix and spread onto greased baking sheet.  I used my TJ's coconut spray for the "grease" LOL.  
Bake at 425 for 25 minutes until brown and bubbly on edges!

Then top with 1/2 cup cheeses of your choice, a little melted margarine with 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic.  I melted the butter WITH the garlic for added flavor.  Drizzle onto baked cauliflower, then top with cheese and a little Parmesan too!  Bake an additional 5 minutes on 425 for that baked cheese look!  My boys ATE these up, never asked what they were...just assumed it was cheesy bread!  Shhhh!  Ha!

I served that with these NAAN pizzas!  
I've shared these on here before but I did a little variation yesterday!

SO yummy! 
I freeze my NAAN(8g fiber, 10g protein) so they stay fresh longer since TJ's is a little way away for us :(
I top the frozen NAAN with tomato sauce-no salt/sugar added, turkey pepperonis and TJ's garlic chicken sausage, sliced and pan-seared (which took maybe 2 minutes!) then leftover sauteed zucchini and eggplant, then a little LF mozzarella.  I popped in the oven at 425 for 10 minutes until the bottom of the bread was crispy...just the way we like them!  

And combined with the cheesy bread, you'd think we were eating at a pizza buffet!  LOL!

**for my boys, I topped with only meats and cheese and left on top rack so the cheese melted but the bottoms stayed soft-the way they prefer!  I gave them a side of my Greek yogurt ranch-which is 1/4 dry ranch seasoning and 1 cup plain Greek Chobani yogurt!  Mix and there ya go!
They dipped and ENJOYED!  

LOTS of hot running for me lately!  Possibly because it's all Texas will give me is HEAT!  Whew, some days are better than others but most of the time I'm drenched after 4-5 miles...I look like I've been out swimming instead of RUNNING!  

BUT hey, we take what we can to get it DONE!

My half marathon is October 27th, so in order to get miles in, I'm thinking I'll have to wait until things cool off, but not sure if that'll even be before Oct?  

Suggestions?  

I don't have a gym/treadmill to use so suggestions would be appreciated from all of my fellow runners out there?!

How about some PROTEIN deliciousness?

Designer Whey sustained energy!  I'm already a HUGE fan of the Designer Whey products so when asked to try their latest products, of course I said YES!  With a scoop at 100 calories and 16 GRAMS OF PROTEIN, what's not to love?  Plus 5g of fiber which we all could use!

The smoothie pictured is 1 scoop vanilla bean sustained energy, scoop raspberries, 1/2 banana and almond milk....ice, mix and enjoy!

I prefer the Vanilla Bean over the Chocolate, but that's only because I'm a big vanilla fan, not so much for chocolate but I must say when you mix the chocolate, almond milk and a little PB-it tastes like dessert!  Yum!  
This makes a great breakfast when you're in a rush or a great post-workout snack!  
I felt full and had plenty of energy on my run when I chose this option for breakfast, so I suggest you give it a try as well.  
There are so many products out there, but after trying MANY of the Designer Whey products like the bars, other protein powders and now this, I can say that they are a product I'll use in the future.  Great taste, ingredients and keeps you feeling fuller, longer.  

And can you believe when I opened the package, I had the latest copy of SHAPE magazine??  Wowza!  I think I actually jumped up and down in my kitchen!  I immediately grabbed my Ninja, tried the Vanilla bean and read my magazine!  BEST.DAY.EVER!  

some favorites and a fail.

Trader Joe's is by far my new, favorite hang out!  Sad but true, I'd rather make the 35 minute drive once a week so I can grab all of my go-to foods!  Have you experienced Trader Joe's?  
I am often asked, why Trader Joe's instead of the local store and my answer is simple..
One, I go for the experience.  
Two, all of my healthy essentials are MUCH cheaper at TJ's.  I've seen many products that are more than $2 less at TJ than at local stores.
Three, the PRODUCE is amazingly fresh there!

First up, the coconut oil spray!  I use this in place of PAM or other non-fat cooking sprays.  

Yea, so miso soup is filled with sodium ( I know that!!) but I love it!  And their brand is actually lower in sodium than most.  The flavor is amazing and goes perfectly with steamed edamame!  

When you're in the mood for some steelcut oats but don't have the time to prepare on the stove?  Grab these!  Delicious, especially when you add your own berries! 

Some other TJ favorites that are not pictured...

Steamed Lentils and beets
Garlic chicken sausage
raw almonds
High Protein/High Fiber TJ O's cereal-this one is almost always out of stock :(
brown rice penne pasta-I make the boys my homemade mac and cheese using these noodles!
natural peanut butter
*crunchy cookie butter-for when I feel like choosing something not-so-healthy :)
any of their fresh produce-lettuce, string beans, artichoke, FRUIT-all, Brussels, eggplant-they were huge last week and so delicious
hummus, any of their 300 flavor varieties-they are all delicious!

When shopping at a new store, make sure you take time to browse.  

Although they carry many healthy products, you will still come across foods that are high in fat and calories.  

Happy shopping!!

Do you shop at Trader Joe's?  What is your favorite health food store and essential products?

And while most of my healthy meal experiences turn out fabulous...there are always food DISASTERS!  
This recipe is one of them :(  
and unfortunately, I can barely look at the picture without getting a bad taste in my mouth Ha!!  

Looks yummy, right?  A low-carb pizza variation so what's not to love?  
Oh my goodness, let me just say I'll be sticking to my cauliflower crust pizza from now on.

This crust is made by using 8oz cream cheese, 2 eggs, black pepper, and garlic powder.  You mix until combined and spread in 9x13 dish.  Bake for 12 minutes at 350 until browned.  As you're mixing, you'll think Wow! this is going to be incredible.  
Once crust is cooked, add toppings. 
This one is topped with TJ no salt sauce, TJ turkey meatballs, TJ garlic chicken sausage and a little low fat mozz and mushrooms!  Bake for another 10 minutes!  Serve and enjoy!

OR not?  
It had very little flavor, some of the crust was mushy while parts were crunchy.  The pizza toppings tasted better alone and the worst part:  IT DID NOT TASTE LIKE PIZZA AT ALL.  
I love the same toppings prepared on a high fiber tortilla that's been baked in the oven-turns out great as well as the cauliflower crust recipe I've shared on here several times.  Or those cheesy cauliflower sticks I made a while back to take the place of the fattening cheesy bread alternative?  Those are GOOD.  
Oh well, ya win some and ya lose some and this was definitely a kitchen FAIL :(
We ate it, but were all laughing as we choked it down!!  Hahaha!  

Moving on to almonds with a twist!

I love a handful of almonds when I'm in the mood for a crunch!  It's a great snack idea that's filled with protein to keep you going until your next meal.  Plus it's easy to grab and go, no preparation!  the "twist" here is the sprinkle of mini chocolate chips!  I'm not a huge chocolate fan but every now and then I'll get a sweet craving and this helps avoid it!

He's PROOF:
My picky eater is NO longer a picky eater...well for the most part!  Yep, that's a rice cake topped with natural PB, sprinkle of sunflower seeds and flaxseed!  ...and he loved it!

a few months ago this little guy ate very few fruits and vegetables, he'd sit at the dinner table crying at each meal saying it was gross, that he needed a piece of cheese and so on.  
Well I decided that our family will eat what is prepared.  
I will not spend time making each of us a separate meal PLUS I want my kids to enjoy variety and try new, healthy foods.  

So, for a few days he refused to eat the "sides" which included eggplant, zucchini, cauliflower mashed "potatoes", grapes, watermelon, apples.  
TODAY, this boy enjoys all of them!  He'll TRY anything but will voice his opinion on whether or not he'll eat it again. I truly believe that when he sees the three of us eating it and ENJOYING it, he becomes more willing to try.  The other night he ate an entire bowl of edamame with his brother when just a few months ago, he wouldn't have touched it AT ALL.  As he tries new things, he will look up at me and say, "Oh my goodness, this is good" "Why have I never tried this, Mom?  It's so good"
...and that makes me one, happy Momma!