Pesto Chicken & yummy fresh leftovers

Don't you love when you can have leftovers and not have to worry about making another meal for the next day? It's the BEST!

Here is a yummy Pesto Chicken recipe. I didn't have sliced tomatoes to add to mine, but did add yummy cherry tomatoes to my side salad!

http://www.skinnytaste.com/skinny-chicken-pesto-bake/

Here is some leftover of the chicken I put in a container and placed in the fridge for the next day. 

I diced it up and through it on my salad for a quick lunch!!

It was delicious!

ENJOY

and

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Healthy Chicken Parmesan

I did a fun video of me preparing this yummy and easy meal.

You should try it! It's good stuff and the kids loved it too!

Here are the measurements for the ingredients.

1. 1 pound chicken breasts
2. 2 eggs
3. 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
4. 10 T Parmesan cheese, shredded and divided
5. 1/4 tsp garlic powder or McCormicks garlic & herb salt free seasoning
6. 1/8 tsp black pepper
7. 24 oz jar marinara sauce

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until juices run clear. Top with 2 T. shredded parmesan. 

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

70 superfoods in Shakeology & why I drink it everyday!

I have been drinking the meal replacement 

Shakeology

for almost 1 full year.

And I can't even begin to tell you how this has been the 

best I have ever felt!

I can't wait to be pregnant again with drinking this.

It will be SO NICE to have a pregnancy where I feel better than I ever did.

I crave sugar A LOT during all 3 of my pregnancies, so

I am excited to not crave it as much because I will have my Shakeology!

I want to share with you today about some of the ingredients in Shakeology and why I chose this over other meal replacements.

EVERY SINGLE Ingredient is good for you.  

They are superfoods from all over the world that help aid in some many benefits for your Body!

• I love know that I get in a serving of Veggies everyday from the scoop. It has Spinach, Kale, Moringa, Chlorella, and more. These phytonutrients help support health & vitality.
• Protein- It has 16 grams in each scoop. Helps to build lean muscle and reduce cravings. Your choice of Whey or just Vegan. The ingredients are chia, flax, Quinoa, Pea. In Vegan you have oat and rice.
• Fruit/Antioxidant- Camu-Camu, Goji Berry, Vitamins A,C,E- help fight free radical damage and support a healthy immune system.
• Adaptogen Blend- Ginkgo, Maca & more, help your body to react and respond to the effects of stress.
• Digestive Enzyme- Pre & Probiotic- Yacon Root, Amylase, Cellulase- Help nutrient absorption and support regularity and healthy digestion.

I drink it every morning, and occasionally for lunch if I felt like something else for breakfast. It is part of my everyday meal plan. It starts my day off right so I feel the benefits of this drink throughout the day!

My kids love the shake and I share with them! Especially my little guy- I love his shakeO mustache!

 I drink Shakeology every day because it is yummy, it gives me the nutrients I need in a day, when it isn't always easy to get in good whole food. Especially on busy days and when something comes up or I am faced with not so healthy foods. It gives me energy to keep going through my day as a Busy Mom and not lack in the afternoon when I used to need a nap with my little guy. I get stuff done! It also helps keep me regular. Ha! That's all we will say about that! And it keeps me from craving lots of junk food/sugar. I have eaten less sugar this past year. It feels great!

I get my Shakeology paid for, learn how you can too! Or how you can get it at a discount!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Healthy Meal Plans for Busy Moms

I have been creating easy, simple Healthy Meal plans for Busy Families

for 9 months now! This is where my journey began.  It has been a way for me to stay accountable for my own weekly meal planning. It is a great way for any Busy Mom's to use the shopping list, get to the store and come home and prep the meal so you are ready for a busy week.

It has also been a way for me to help my Challengers to get started on their own journey and use my weekly meal plan or recipe/snack ideas from it.

My meal plan is based off of the 21 day fix meal program from Beachbody.
I believe this meal program is such a good tool to getting in the right nutrients that your body needs.

I focus my daily meals on getting in your veggies, protein, healthy grains, fruit, and healthy fats.

I am all about simple recipes, that taste good that the kids will like.

As Busy Moms- we need to have something ready to go during the week so that we can feed our kids fast when they get hungry. And also healthy meals & snacks that are going to keep them from not munching all day long. And ourselves for that matter!

I give my challengers my meal plan for free.

But if you would like to try my meal plan for free you can sign up at my website to get one free healthy meal plan, see how you like it. And if you want to continue, contact me whether you want to continue to get it free or pay monthly for it.

Here is my website to get a week emailed to you first to see how you like it.
http://www.onthegohealthymoms.com

I provide a shopping list, an area of what needs to be prepped before the week starts, and during the middle of the week too!  I also provide healthy meal ideas with the recipe. And easy snack ideas!
I pick ingredients that are on sale so you aren't spending a fortune each week.

click HERE for more details about my meal plans

Let me know how you like it!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Setting a Goal & Keeping with it

My post 2 weeks ago about 

How to stay motivated with your Health & Fitness

gives you ideas on keeping with a goal. 

It's not just going through the motions that will get you there. Hiccups happen, families need attending to. But if you have a dream of what you want, then you need to know how you are going to get there!

I am guest posting over today at Shambray Blog

on how to Set a Goal and how to Keep with it!



click on the image to get the 4 tips!

I give you 4 tips that will help you to set a BIG goal- something you have been thinking about for some time, and How to stick with it!

Head on over to learn what you can do to get to where you want to be!

Thanks for checking in!

Melissa

It takes 21 days and I am on it!

Many of you that have been following my story of my Health & Fitness journey

know that I was able to crush through my plateau and loose 10 pounds within 2 1/2 months.

This was not easy as many of you know it is hard to get past a plateau.

But I was determined to make a change and get results.

More of my story here

Well now I want you to be part of my next journey of loosing my last couple of pounds, shaping and toning my body- but most importantly getting back to some healthy habits because quite frankly, I have been slipping this summer.

I am going to be using the workout 21 day Fix Extreme to help me with this,

along with drinking Shakeology every day which will help me to have the energy I need

as a busy Mom of 3.  It's my healthiest meal of the day and one meal I don't have to worry

about cooking. It fast and convenient to have in the morning and a great way to start my day.

So here is my pictures of me on Day 1 right before I started my workout.

Can't wait to share with you where I will be in 21 days of doing the workouts! I plan to work out 5 days a week. So I will be done with the workouts on Sept. 9 and I will show my progress photos on Monday September 14!

I mentor other women to get started on their fitness journey and earn money while doing it.

Coaching has been a great way for me to bring in extra income, not living paycheck to paycheck anymore and taking my family on vacations which is very important to me to spend time with them!

If you are interested in learning more about what I do contact me.

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

21 Day Fix Approved Chicken Kebabs

I love easy, quick meals that the whole family will eat. 

Especially my picky eater of a daughter.

Isn't it nice to grill out? Less mess in the kitchen. You can eat outside where it is so beautiful.

And another perk is my husband does the grilling. 

The 21 day fix meal program helps you to keep track of your portions sizes

with their containers! It's simple to follow and so many say how they don't feel deprived.

I love this program! My healthy meal plans are tailored to this program. 

And it is still on sale for 2 more days!

Alright now for the recipe!

For the kebabs:

2 large boneless chicken breasts, diced

1/2 cup of green, yellow bell peppers (my favorite!)

1/2 cup onion- chopped in large pieces

3/4 cup pineapple, chopped in large chunks

For the Marinade:

1/4 cup pineapple chunks (or if using canned pineapple you can use juice)

2 T. Coconut oil

2 tsp. honey

1 tsp. sesame oil

juice of 1 big lemon

1 clove of garlic

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup water, more as needed

1. Blend all the marinade ingredients in a blender.

2. Thread the kebab ingredients, alternating between chicken, pineapple, veggies- leaving some room for chicken to cook on the ends.

3. Brush marinate over the kebabs and sit for 10-15 minutes, or longer.

4. Grill over medium heat until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with rice, quinoa or veggies.

21 day fix CONTAINERS- 1 RED, 1/2 GREEN, 1/2 PURPLE, 1 ORANGE

ENJOY!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

{Health & Fitness} Inspiration Board

I put together this Inspiration Board to give others out there an idea of someplace they can go to

to feel inspired and to be reminded of their dreams and their reasons WHY they chose to begin their Health & Fitness journey.

I am a very visual person, so sometimes I need to be reminded by something visual. 

I picked up this cardboard at Walmart for $2,

For the title you can put anything, you can put one inspirational word, a phrase, Your name.

 and started cutting through some old fitness magazine and other magazines I had laying around the house. I cut out anything that inspired me.  I also wrote down on a scratch piece of paper my vision of where I wanted to be in the future according to my goals and dreams.

You could have the focus of your Inspiration Board be on

• Weigh loss journey- posting "before" picture and having a spot for your "after"
•  Make sure to take a side and back shot- flex your arm muscle too!
  

  

  Type up a quote, My Goals/Dreams, My Journey

  
• make a spot where you can put in your Goal weight and each week/month your progress
  
  
•  Add your cut out inspiration pictures that will inspire you! Lastly, make sure you write your Goals and steps on how you will reach them. Be specific.

 

Your board can even be for a Fitness competition- if you are going to compete. It can also be for Family dreams & where you want to see you & your family health wise & being active.

So to get started, start with a long-term goal and where you see yourself 1-5 or more years down the road. What does your life look like. What do you want to have accomplished.

Then break it down and ask yourself, what do I need to do to get there.

Look through magazines, print off pictures/words, start compiling lots of papers, quotes that inspire you, put pictures of the things the motivate you- like your family, hobbies you like to do, places you want to go, a past picture of you at a healthy weight, and then start creating your inspiration board.

Here is my finished product:

I would love to see yours!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Eating Healthy on a Budget

I am Guest posting today over at Shambray's BLOG about how

Eating Healthy doesn't have to be expensive.

I feed a family of 5 for $100/week, sometimes less- and yes this includes everything- even non-food items- EVEN diapers!

Click on the picture to learn some tips on how I do this:

You will be surprised at what you can save money on. I am excited for you to try some of these tips!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

{Recipe} Chicken & Rice

This is a common meal we have at our house.

My husband makes it the majority of the time.

It's simple, only 4 steps, and best of all you can use it a couple of different ways.

And best BEST of all, our kids LOVE it!

And we never get sick of it.

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut up in cubes

Olive oil

Favorite seasonings- we use Cajun and Montreal chicken (store bought)

but you can totally make your own

Coconut oil

2-3 cups cooked Brown rice

Favorite veggies

Step 1

Season the diced up chicken with a little bit of olive oil and your seasoning and stir together in a bowl.

Step 2

Cook the chicken in a pan with a little bit of coconut oil on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until cooked through.

Step 3

Serve chicken with a side of brown rice and favorite cooked veggie.

Or you can add the chicken and rice to a Romaine lettuce leaf with a bunch of other favorite cooked veggies on top.

One more idea is in a Whole wheat tortilla wrap. Wrapped with shredded cheese and lettuce.

Step 4

ENJOY!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Must have foods in my Fridge

There are certain foods that if not in my Fridge, well then my family and I starve!

Just kidding! I've got my freezer, pantry and food storage to eat from.

But my Fridge is my go-to, otherwise I eat to many carbs/starches

if I don't have my Fridge stocked.

Here are my Must Have foods in my Fridge.

Milk/Almond Milk

Fruit (lasts longer if in the fridge or freezer)

Veggies/Romaine/Spinach

Whole Wheat Bread or Sandwich Thins

Natural Jelly 

Plain Yogurt- use to cook with in place of sour cream

Greek Yogurt

Yogurt based dressing

Eggs

Turkey Bacon

Cheese- block or *shredded

Feta Cheese

String Cheese

Cottage Cheese

*Whole Wheat Tortillas

Deli Meat (low sodium)

*Cooked diced and shredded chicken- ready to be added to any meal

*Cooked ground turkey

Cooked brown rice

What are your Must Have's in your fridge?
*Some food can be stored in your freezer, just pull them out to thaw

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Mexican Rice Variety Dish

I love a dish that can be used for a variety of meals! How about you?!

I make this dish and sometimes even double it for my family and we have it a variety of different ways. Here is how to make the Mexican Rice Dish:

Mexican Rice Bowl

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked Ground beef or Turkey (or even diced cooked chicken)

1 cup cooked red or black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup cooked long-grain brown rice

1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1 medium tomato, diced (or red bell pepper)

1 small zucchini, diced

2 tbsp onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Splash of Siracha Sauce (optional)

1/8 tsp ground chile powder

1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped

1 tsp olive oil

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Olive oil cooking spray

Directions:
 In a large bowl, mix cooked ground turkey, cooked beans & cooked rice, corn, and tomatoes. Cook the zucchini, onion and garlic (and red bell pepper if doing instead of tomato) and cook in olive oil for a little bit to make tender. Add a splash of siracha sauce, chile powder, cilantro, oil, salt and black pepper. (Stuffing mixture can be prepared one day in advance and stored in a container in refrigerator, tightly covered with plastic wrap.)

Now for another way to use the dish:

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

• Mexican Rice Bowl recipe mixture
• 4 large poblano peppers (or 4 large sweet green or other colored bell peppers), seeded and cut in half
• 8 tbsp shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend 4 tbsp low-fat sour cream 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Mound 1/2 cup stuffing mixture into each poblano pepper half and place in roasting pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with Mexican cheese and bake for another 10 minutes.
3. To serve, top each stuffed pepper half with 1/2 tbsp plain yogurt. Serve immediately. 

You can cut and seed the peppers and then boil them for a few minutes until tender.  Just so the cook time wouldn't be so long.  Also, make sure that you leave time to cook the long grain brown rice.  It takes an hour to cook!!  You can make it the night before!  Also, you can add some tomato sauce instead of Siracha to give it some juice as well! 

Our family loves this meal and have even added it on top of Nachos using whole grain tortilla chips & shredded cheese. Melt and add the Mexican Rice mixture warmed up on top!

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Parmesan Chicken made Healthy

I love easy Chicken recipes that my whole family will eat.

It's simple to throw together and my kids love it!

I like to combine this meal with some brown rice and a veggie.

Here is the recipe!!

Parmesan Chicken

2 cups Whole Wheat Ritz crackers

3 T. grated parmesan cheese

2 tsp. garlic salt

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup. plain yogurt (or plain greek yogurt)

1 egg, whisked in a dish

Combine cracker crumbs, parmesan cheese and garlic salt.  Dip each piece of chicken in egg dish. Then dip in yogurt, then in crumb mixture. Arrange in greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake covered at 350 for about 30-45 minutes (depending on thickness of your chicken). Uncover for 5 minutes to slightly brown the top. Serves 8

Hope you enjoy this recipe.

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

What you can expect in the Future!

Before I started this BLOG I told myself

this would be something I would never give up on.

I had found my niche and this is it!

I haven't given up and don't have any plans to.

Blogging has been a huge passion of mine for a long time.

So has Health & Fitness.

So why not combine to two- RIGHT!?!

I hope you have been enjoying what I have created so far.

But get excited, cuz I have got more things planned!

Here is what you can expect in the future:

Recipes- quick, simple, easy

Motivational posts

Nutrition

Fitness

Video's from me!

Meal Planning

Future Challenges (free & paid)

And many MORE healthy tips and ideas,

especially for Busy Moms and Women!

There are 3 ways you can follow me!

Which social media outlet do you like the most?

Facebook (like my page!)- https://www.facebook.com/OnTheGoHealthyMoms

Instagram- https://instagram.com/melissahealthyonthego/

Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/healthyonthego/

So what do you want to see on my BLOG? Comment below!

I want to know what YOU want to know!

Thanks for your support and for checking in,

Melissa

Life is what YOU make of it!

Who gets YOU -where you want to be?

YOU DO!

I wanted to share with you a little bit about me!

I am a Mother, Wife, Health & Fitness Coach with Beachbody,

A Blogger of All things Health, 

I am a Child of God,

and I am part of an amazing Family.

But what I like to focus on the Most is

YOU!

And how it is important for YOU to take care of yourself 

so YOU can take care of your family.

I believe that is why we were given LIFE,

is to come into a Family who loves and cares for us.

Then as we grow and learn in our family, we find out who we are 

and how we can help others find out

who THEY are.

If we love ourself and take care of ourself,

we will have the energy to love others.

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Healthy Meal ideas for Kids

Who get's in the rut of what to put on the table for your kids and wanting them to actually eat it?

Well you are doing a great job if you expect them to try a different food, but understanding that kids don't always like a new food.
I have found it best to tell them they have to at least try it.

I also get stuck in the rut of just making what I know they will eat, and sometimes that isn't the healthiest choice- Mac N' Cheese here we come.

But I have some tips and healthy meal ideas for you to take some stress away.

Head on over to my friend Shambray's blog where I post once a month with Healthy tips.

On the post today I give 3 healthy meal ideas for kids, that even Mom's will love to eat!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Being a Busy Healthy Mom

I think a BIG factor in our health is what we fuel our body with. Nutrition is 80% of our results.

When I first started my thinking of how I wanted to provide healthy meal plans, 

I approached my brother Garrett.

I have always liked searching for new recipes and figuring out how to make them healthier.  

I would do my own meal plan, but wasn't consistent.  

So I thought this was a great way for me to share my healthy meal plans and recipes and be accountable in doing so.

BEING A BUSY HEALTHY MOM 

Being busy is just what automatically happens when you are a Mom.

But being healthy takes work, practice, dedication and consistency.

You don't have to be perfect, you just have to be consistent and get right back to doing those things that are going to make you healthy & happy. Don't wait for Monday to come around. Start right back at the next meal, or the next day. We are worth it! Our kids will see our efforts.

My brother said he would help me set up a website so I could give out the first healthy meal plan for FREE.

So I needed to decide a name for my new endeavor and my BLOG.

I wanted it to be focused toward MOM's, and especially Mothers that were busy, and wanted it to be healthy and very easy, simple recipes.

So I thought, and I thought, and then it came to me . . .

On-The-Go Healthy Moms

On-The Go Healthy Meal Plans

So thanks to Garrett- he put my website together for me

www.Onthegohealthymoms.com

and I started creating my weekly healthy meal plans

Here you can get your first meal plan for free and decide if you want to continue to receive them and pay each month, only $3.95- more details here.

What a journey it has been to share with busy MOM's, women, and anyone interested in learning more on this blog as I share ideas on how to be healthier and happier.

Thanks to all of you for joining along and for sharing with others.

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

How to Involve the Family in being active & Healthy

Involving everyone in your family to be active and healthy is so important.

Let those that you live with you know that you are all going to be supporting each other to be active more and eat healthier.  And even letting other extended family members see that this is how you will be eating sets a good example and they will know not to offer you a treat or drink.

Do not do this alone!  Our bodies were made to be cared for, they need exercise and they need nutrients. So everyone in the family needs this support. Whether a member needs to lose weight, gain, maintain their weight or needs to eat healthier and be active for other medical reasons. This is a part of life and helping each other in the process is crucial.

As a family, plan and prepare healthy meals together.  Make a list of family favorite foods right now.  Try new foods, try new meals.  Plan out the families meals and snacks together. Drink only water at each meal. Once your list is ready, take turns or go grocery shopping together.  Read the labels on food packages and educate each other.  

When you are home from shopping involve everyone to put the packages away, prepare the fruits and vegetables for the week, and cook up what can be stored in the fridge.

Teach little one's in the family what they can help with. Cook the meal together or give each family member a day where they are in charge.  And sit down as a family and eat your healthy, nutritious meal you just planned and prepared together.

Along with eating healthy together as a family, the other just as important step to do is to 

BE ACTIVE together!  Find what the family likes to all do, or figure out a new activity to try. Do this at least once a week and plan it into your busy schedule. 

Hope these tips will help you. I am excited to see how you will involve your family! Comment below!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Buy Organic Fruits & Veggies or NOT?

Should you pay the extra money to buy organic fruits and vegetables?

Organic produce–even what’s in season–will generally be more expensive than non-organic produce.

But does paying more equal out to better health or your food being safe?  The answer is sometimes yes, but not always.  Whether or not to buy organic really depends on the food itself, as some fruits and vegetables get hit with a lot more pesticides than others.  I love this printable that explains what food you can honestly save money on by buying non-organic.

This “Clean 15″ and “Dirty Dozen” list from Living Well Spending Less blog is a great place to start.

Read more at http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2015/03/02/fresh-produce-101/#bJjEABiUg9eokM7u.99

 

Hope this helped you to answer any questions you had about Organic Fruits & Veggies!

My free meal plan is always up to date with the freshest, in season fruits and vegetables to help you save money on your grocery budget.

 

Thanks for checking in,

 

Melissa

What is the Secret to Being Healthy & Happy

It's not always easy to put your health as a priority.

We are busy, with families to take care of.
But here are a couple of tips I have for YOU!

I think the Secret to being healthy & happy is to realize that you don't have to be perfect all the time. To make it your goal to live a healthy & active life with your family, but to realize that some days you will have bad days. The key is to pick yourself right back up.

Another big key to living a healthy & happy lifestyle is to STAY IN CONTROL.  Mentally think about each decision. And if you find yourself in front of the candy or snacking aisle, for example, tell yourself that you will only buy one small candy and then get on with your day. Temptations are all around us, but knowing they don't make us feel any better in the end, and thinking ahead can make it easier on us. But with that being said, YOU will have slip ups, YOU will fail, WE all do! 

So get right back to doing what makes you feel good. And take care of your body and your families.

Another very important tip, is to get into a ROUTINE of being PREPARED with a Meal Plan

the weekend before your Monday starts. So have an idea of what you will have for each meal and healthy snacks. Have a shopping list, go shopping, and right when you get home- prep your next weeks snacks and meals that you can so you are ready for the next week!.

Being prepared and have a Routine of knowing what you will do each day for exercise and what time. This is another big important decision to make. And then sometimes something will come up, out of our control, but make it a priority to get your workout in the first part of your day. Whether you get up early before work or before kids wake up. Or get it done as soon as kids have had their breakfast.

Setting yourself up for Success will help you to reach your goals.

Last TIP! 

Write down your Goals! Set them to be realistic and specific and look back on them each day/week to see if you are reaching them, and if not, write down what it will take for you to reach them-
STEP BY STEP.

Knowing and applying these steps and taking it a day at a time. You will start to create some really good habits! But realizing we are all human and will have slip ups- get right back to it!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa