1/2 C Oat Flour

1 Scoop Protein Powder of choice (I used quest peanut butter)

1 egg

1 egg white

1/4 C unsweetened almond milk

1/2 C smashed banana

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbs chocolate chips

Blend together, Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, enjoy!!! You can add more chocolate chips if you aren’t prepping for a competition. I TOTALLY would!!! Makes 6 muffins. 1 muffin has 110 calories, 8.5p, 13c, 3.5f.

- See more at: http://kristicurtis.com/fitness-journey/protein-chocolate-chip-muffin-recipe/#sthash.GDQI6jXJ.dpuf

I love muffins! I have been experimenting with making guilt free healthy muffins. I am pleasantly surprised at how good healthy muffins can actually be! These chocolate chip muffins are a favorite of the kids.

Ingredients

1/2 C Oat Flour

1 Scoop Protein Powder of choice (I used quest peanut butter)

1 egg

1 egg white

1/4 C unsweetened almond milk

1/2 C smashed banana

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbs chocolate chips

Blend together, Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, enjoy!!! You can add more chocolate chips if you aren’t prepping for a competition. I TOTALLY would!!! Makes 6 muffins. 1 muffin has 110 calories, 8.5p, 13c, 3.5f.

- See more at: http://kristicurtis.com/fitness-journey/protein-chocolate-chip-muffin-recipe/#sthash.GDQI6jXJ.dpuf

1/2 cup oat flour (finely grind oats in blender)

1 scoop protein powder ( I use vanilla shakeology)

1 egg

1 egg white

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 banana smashed

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbs peanut butter

2 tbs choc chips

Blend together or mix well and bake at 350 for 15 minutes

Nina Pears

Vowel Check

While listening to my personal development today, this stuck with me. I am listening to The Gifts of Imperfection and am learning so much about myself and how to let go of shame and work towards being happy and joyful.
Everyday, I can check in with myself by doing the vowel check. It is pretty simple.

A- Have I practices abstinence today?
E- Have I exercised today?
I- What have I done for myself today?
O- What have I done for others today?
U- Do I have unexpressed emotions?
Y- Yeah! What made me joyful today?

I love this self check and thought process!

Nina Pears

Peanut butter banana muffins

I love pastries- especially muffins! When eating clean, muffins unfortunately don't fit nicely into the plan! They can even be worse than donuts!
After tweaking many recipes and playing around with different flours, I found the very best recipe ever! Best part about it is the flavor and texture. Next best thing, there are only 4 ingredients! They truly are the cleanest muffins out there! My kids are the true test when it comes to taste and they couldn't stop eating them!

Ingredients
2-3 ripe bananas

1 cup of peanut butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla 

1 tsp baking soda 

Blend all in a blender. 

Spoon into mini muffin pan. 

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes 

Optional toppings mix ins 

Chocolate chips

Coconut

Cranberries

Blueberries 

Nuts

Oats 

Moving Mountains!

As a teacher, I believe in every student that steps foot in my classroom! We all have different stories, different goals, and various backgrounds! When you enter my classroom, we all have a chance, growth, and mountains to move.

My teaching philosophy is built off of my own childhood and story. I didn't value education as a child. I survived as a child. In my primary years, I went to 4 different schools, had no support at home, and did what I could to get through the days, weeks, and years! I am so thankful that I had older brothers to pave the way a bit! 

I struggle in school and had very little achievement. I lacked confidence. 

As a parent those days frame me. As a teacher, those memories shape me. Every student and child is different. Their foundations are complex and vary across the board. No matter what it may be, I have great expectations for them to grow and have fun and learn and love themselves! 

In my classroom we set goals, monitor our goals, and achieve our goals! We fail, we learn, we succeed. 

During the last week of school, I read Oh the Places You Will Go by Dr. Seuss. I share my story and my accomplishments over the years but most importantly during our year together. Then I ask my students to think about their mountains, their success, and their future. 

Personal Development

When I first heard about personal development, I rolled my eyes. I don't have time to read about being a better person and I think I am ok the way I am. I have accepted my life and me and I go through the motions of living and am so busy!

I do all sort of professional development for work isn't that even better than personal development?!?

After hearing all of my friends rant and rave about personal development books and seeing them change- live better lives and become better people, I decided that maybe I could give it a chance and see what it was all about still knowing that I didn't have time or really need it. 

It was a really slow process for me. I would read a chapter or two here or there and then I would see little changes in my life or I would start talking about what I was reading. I had a hard time consistently reading. I would go in waves. I would read and love what I was reading and I would change for the better like my friends were but then time would get in my way again or I would finish a book and wouldn't start a new one right away.

I recently made a huge jump on my personal development journey after watching a talk about how we need to continue to change and grow if we want our lives and surrounding to change and grow. We are who we are and we do what we know but if we work on our selves we truly can change. The majority of success is built around attitude. Think of successful people and think of their traits. Most of those traits are attitude traits not skill traits. Personal development helps you change your attitude. With a different attitude, you can grow so much and live such a richer life.

I am still busy but I have learned to find the time to listen to personal development. I think it is great for my kids too so now in the car we listen to personal development on our way to school and we listen to music on the way home. On my runs, I listen to personal development instead of running in silence. While cooking and cleaning, it is great background noise. Time as an excuse is really jsut an excuse. There is always time to listen!

I am amazed at how much your mind set can really change because I am investing a little bit of time into myself. If you want things to change, you need to change yourself! If you want things to be better, you need to be better yourself!

Nina Pears

Working out at home will never work

Working out at home will never work...

I need the social network that the gym provides!

I need the accountability that the gym provides.

I need the equipment!

There are too many distractions at home.

Who can really get a good workout at home?

Those were my thoughts last year. As I saw friends sharing their journey of their at home workouts, I had all of those thoughts. I continued to have all of those thoughts as I plateaued at the gym because I didn't really know what I was doing and did the same thing every day. I used the same machines that I was comfortable with everyday. I didn't talk to a sole because I had limited time (but I needed the socialization). I didn't get there nearly as often as I intended because life got in the way and I have 3 kids with me at all times. The good equipment was always being used and I would have to wait or share or sacrifice. My membership was expensive too!

Here I am a year over and I don't every need to step foot back in the gym. I settled all those reservations and thoughts about at home workouts. I am in the best shape I have ever been in. I have the amazing support and socialization of a huge fit family. I have accountability from my fit family and challenge groups. I have a personal trainer in my house everyday which pushes me to my limits and varies my routine up. I have no excuses. My at home workouts don't come with hours so I can do them when I can.

Since last August when I left the gym and started working out at home, I have saved money, not missed a single day, and am crushing my fitness goals. I also get nutritional plans that have made a huge difference!

I am here to say...

At home workouts are amazing? My only question now is why aren't you working out at home?

Nina Pears

21 Day Fix Extreme Quiche

Tonight I was looking for a different dinner option. I made quiche. The kids and hubby loved it. I have always made fritattas but sometimes you just want the crisp of a crust. I made 2 different options: 1 with an almond flour crust and the other with a cauliflower crust. Both were delicious and carb free.

Almond Flour Crust Quiche

2 1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 tsp baking soda

Mix all ingredients together. Flatten into a pie pan. Bake crust on 375 for 10 minutes.

Quiche- whisk 6 eggs with a splash of water. Add whatever ingredients you would like. I prefer mixed veggies. You can also add some sausage or chicken or even ground turkey. The kids love cheese in theirs too. 

Cauliflower Crust Quiche

1 head of cauliflower shredded finely (I put my in the vitamix)

microwave for 5 minutes

soak all of the moisture out of the cauliflower once it cools

mix in 1 egg and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. 

Flatten into a pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes on 350. 

 Quiche- whisk 6 eggs with a splash of water. Add whatever ingredients you would like. I prefer mixed veggies. You can also add some sausage or chicken or even ground turkey. The kids love cheese in theirs too.

Nina Pears

Peanut Butter Cups

No matter how clean we eat and how healthy we are, there are times that we crave the sweet stuff. I love to experiment with clean treat recipes. I have become obsessed with peanut butter and am usually satisfied with a spoonful. But sometimes I want something more...

I love peanut butter frozen. To make frozen peanut butter cups, simply melt a teaspoon of coconut oil and add a 1/2 cup of peanut butter to it. Stir until smooth. Spoon into cupcake liners and freeze. To jazz them up a little bit, you can add coconut flakes, cranberries, or nuts.

My favorite are chocolate Shakeology peanut butter cups. I use the same recipe as above but add 1/2 scoop of chocolate shakeology. They truly taste better than the real deal candy version!

We always have these on hand and the kids devour them!

Nina Pears

Fit Moms!

This year as I celebrated Mother's Day, I realized I am in the best shape of my life. Not because I work out harder or deprive myself of food, but because I now have support and accountability. That support and accountability has given me success. I am able to continue to move forward, reach my goals, and make new ones.
This is so important to me because my 30 minutes to an hour a day I spend workign out carries over into my attitude and my role as a mom. It makes me feel good about myself and gives me strength to be the best person and mom I can be. I am able to give all of myself to my kids and family because I invest this time into myself.
Eating healthy lets me feel good and and keep up with my kids. I also know that I am investing into this for the long term which will allow me to be around for the years to come and still able to live freely and happily! I will do everything in my control to maintain my health for as long as I can!

I want to pay this forward. I would love work with 5 people exclusively. I will provide with all my secrets to begin successful and support and accountability to make sure you are successful. I will give you one on one support through the entire process.

Give it a try! Give yourself the time and attention! I promise you, you will be happy!

Email me at ninapears@hotmail.com

Nina Pears