Sight Word Snowman

I haven't published a blog post in quite some time but I was inspired to create a fun seasonal activity to help my youngest son Fraser with his sight words.  I thought I would share what I created with my fellow parents who might be looking for a fun learning activity to use over the Christmas break.  

Last night we played five rounds of family Zingo (sight word bingo) which was really fun and kept the learning feeling like a game.  I don't know about you with your kiddos but I find if he gets a whiff of the game being more learning and less fun he doesn't want any part of it! 

Zingo was by far the most fun sight word game we have tried so far!  It kept both kids engaged and sparked a little competitiveness too. 

Another game we found fun for learning sight words is "Sight Word Swat".  The kids get to use a fly swatter to "swat" the words you call out.  The flies have various colours and levels of sight words so the game can grow with the child which I really like. 

Plus you can assign certain flies to each player, this way Fraser can can the easier sight words and Asher (though he is far beyond all the sight words in the game) can have the hardest flies. 

I do think it's important to introduce new learning activities as it keeps things fun and engaging.  I remembered an activity using dice to make a Frankenstein we did for Halloween a few years ago so I went to work making something similar with sight words for the holidays!  I found snowman themed clip art images and added them into a document with sight words connected to each item.  I actually found quite a few images and had fun making this for him.  

Sight Word Snowman worksheet

The sight word snowman activity only requires a printer and some scissors!  If  you want to get fancy you could also laminate the main page and snow man parts too!  Fraser chose to glue his snowman accessories to the page and made a "Christmas themed snowman".  

The idea is that you have your learner design a fun snowman using the snowman parts provided and then they write down the sight words on each of the parts that they used to build their snowman. As you can see Fraser had a few of his parts upside-down.  

This cheap activity could provide endless possibilities and for creative kids it's perfect!  Fraser has been wanting to do another youtube video for his channel so he decided to film himself doing this activity and post it to share with his friends.  You can find Fraser's Youtube Channel which has a few sight word or letter recognition activities/ideas here. 

Here is the link to download a copy of the Sight Word Snowman Activity.

 

Beef and Broccoli Riced Cauliflower Stir Fry

I've been sharing a lot of our meals on my stories (Instagram and facebook) so my focus has really been heavy there these past few months but I'm trying to get back to blogging more consistently so that you have a place to go for new healthy recipes too!

I personally refer to my own blog like it's my own personal recipe book and use it often when I'm making dinner or meal prepping for the week. In fact every Sunday when I make a batch of baked oatmeal for our weeks breakfasts, I come here for the recipe!!

This week I shared my meal plan and offered the recipes to anyone who wanted them and found a few of them not posted to the blog when I went to link people to them so I figured I better get them added asap!

For Breakfasts I made the Garden Berry Baked Oatmeal recipe using frozen mixed berries. I portioned it out into mason jars so that it's an easy grab and go meal all week. We also portioned out greek yogurt to go with it as a protein source.

For lunch I prepped Greek Chicken Couscous Salad which as become my go to!

And here are all the Dinner Recipe links to our Meal Plan for the rest of the week!

Monday: Lettuce wrapped turkey burger with Turnip fries

Tuesday: Lettuce wrapped tacos 

Wednesday: Beef & Broccoli over Cauliflower Rice (Recipe below)

Thursday: Spaghetti Squash Bolanase 

Friday: Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

This yummy Beef and Broccoli recipe has been a draft post for a few weeks now since so it's time to release it!!

I would suggest using tamari, a low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos for this recipe as the salt will get ya the next day if you happen to step on the scale. And for my 2Bmindset bunnies who weigh in daily for tracking purposes, I want you to be prepared mentally that this dinner COULD show as a weight gain day the next day but likely a loss the following day or two simply because of the salt in the soy sauce.

But it's so worth it and gets us eating something besides turkey and chicken in the week!

Everyone loves this easy and tasty dinner in our house. And swapping the cauliflower rice instead of brown rice gives us more veggies and fits the 2B Mindset plate it dinner too!

Ingredients

1 TBSP soy sauce or coconut aminos

1 TBSP water

1 tsp tapioca starch

½ teaspoon raw honey

1 tsp olive oil

4 ounces top sirloin

1-cup broccoli florets

1 clove garlic

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 cup cooked Cauliflower rice

Directions

Combine soy sauce, water, cornstarch, and honey in a small bowl.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef and cook until cooked through.  Remove beef.

Add broccoli, garlic, and ginger to the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove broccoli and add to bowl with beef. Keep warm

Add soy sauce mixture to the skillet and heat for 30 seconds. Return beef and broccoli to skillet with sauce and stir to coat. Remove and serve over cooked cauliflower rice.

Turnip Fries

I had to share this recipe with you here in case you missed it on my facebook page!

These turnip fries are a game changer because they hit the spot just like regular fries but they are a healthy veggie you can load up on with zero guilt!! I seriously hope you try them and let me know if you are a fan too! 

YES they do take some patience and time to cook but do it first before preparing the rest of your dinner and you will be good to go!  

Turnip Fries 

Ingredients

Parchment Paper

2 large turnips, peeled, cut into approx. ½ x 4-inch sticks 

1 tsp. olive oil 

¼ tsp. garlic powder, divided use 

1 dash sea salt (or Himalayan salt) 

¼ tsp. ground black pepper, divided use

Directions 

Preheat oven to 425° F. 

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 

Combine turnips and oil in a medium bowl; mix well. 

Add 1 dash garlic powder, salt, and 1 dash pepper; toss gently to blend. 

Spread turnips evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 42 to 45 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 

Almond Pear Oatmeal Bake

It has been so foggy here in Victoria this week. I'm kind of enjoying the misty mornings and sunny afternoons to be honest it's truly beautiful here in the city. I can't help but take a daily fall photo for my stories this week. If you aren't already following me on Instagram or Facebook, do pop by and check out my stories for daily inspiration and meal ideas. PLUS we are going to be getting a new Dachshund Puppy in December so I've been sharing tiny puppy photos as I receive them from the breeder.

Golden Cream Miniature Dachshund Puppies

We are all about the Oatmeal bakes for our work week breakfasts these days and I absolutely love how easy it is to mix and match using the recipe below. Swap out the fruit for another or leave it out all together and add in pumpkin puree instead. Or switch up the spices, milk or sweetener.... it all works!

I go between using honey and maple syrup for the sweetener depending on what I have more of at the time and I have been using a frozen mixed berry blend in my usual weekly oatmeal bake which makes it easy-peasy and super flavourful!

BUT this weeks oatmeal bake is a little extra special and a new one for us so I thought I should share it with you because the flavour is amazing and so perfect for fall on top of it!

This week I chopped up a few pears for our oatmeal bake instead of berries and sprinkled the top with extra almonds and pear slices to make it pretty. This fall inspired breakfast will be on repeat for at least another week or two if I have any say in it!

What I really love about making baked oatmeal for our week day breakfasts is that it feeds both Gord and I for the whole week (or at least 4 of the 5 work days). I usually bake it on Sunday morning and portion it out into small mason jars so that our breakfasts are grab and go all week. I also portion out a small container of greek yogurt to pair with my oatmeal for protein. So if you are following the 2B Mindset nutrition this makes the perfect plate it breakfast.

Then when I'm ready to eat it I warm it in the microwave for 1 minute and then add in the yogurt to my bowl.  Gord eats his cold because the microwave in his office building is on another floor but he likes it just the same. 

Have you tried any of my baked oatmeal recipes before?  I wanna hear from you so comment below and tell me which one is your favorite! 

Almond Pear Oatmeal Bake

Ingredients

2 cups whole or almond milk

2 large eggs2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups rolled oats

⅛ cup chia seeds

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1-2 large pears chopped

1/4- cup slivered almonds

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil or coconut oil. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, oil, vanilla and honey or maple syrup; set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, combine oats, chia seeds, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt; mix well.
• Add milk mixture into the oat mixture and stir until thoroughly incorporated, let stand for 5 minutes.
• Stir in chopped pears and pour into baking dish. Add slivered almonds over the entire mixture.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the oats have absorbed all the liquid and the top has browned slightly. 
• Remove from oven and let stand several minutes.
• Serve immediately OR cool it completely, transfer to covered containers and keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.

Healthy Summer Dinner Recipes

FREEDOM!!!  Do you ever just wish you could enjoy food and be free from guilt, emotional eating and the like???  Well this new nutrition program developed by a registered nutritionist is giving me and my tribe all that and MORE!! This has been a total game changer for me and others in our accountability group. People keep using the phrases “food freedom” “empowering” “pounds melting off” and I whole heartedly agree. 

The ladies in our private accountability group are saying "I felt amazing, full of energy and more comfortable in my skin."YASSS!!!  

This is truly what it's all about and for summer time it couldn't have come into my life at a better time!  This simple method is allowing everyone to enjoy the summer BBQ's and festivities while still losing weight and feeling more confident!

Plus we tackle MINDSET and emotional eating to full understand why we sabotage ourselves and learn what works for OUR bodies! 

  

Are you ready to have your world rocked by a new mindset around food?  Ready to have your meals become more colourful with all the tasty eats? Send me a message and join me because I am having too much fun with this not to share!

I've put together some recipes to provide inspiration for the types of healthy dinners you will enjoy while on the journey with us this summer!  

Healthy Summer Dinner Recipes

How to make Cauliflower Rice
Cauli-Rice is a delicious way to enjoy more veggies any time and you can dress them up all kinds of way to make your veggies flavorful and delicious!  One of my favourite ways is Caulisotto!



Tarragon Chicken
Serve this delicious Saucy Chicken on a bed of Cauli-rice and you are in for a delicious healthy dinner!



Thai Peanut Chicken Zoodle Bowl  - I absolutely LOVE Peanut Sauce!  My dad used to make it over rice for us growing up and I couldn't get enough!  I simply love that I can enjoy ALL the sauces with this program so Peanut Sauce will be at my table lots this summer!!



Cauliflower Mini Chicken Pot Pies - How good do these Cauliflower crust Chicken Pot pies look????  You can just use a large muffin pan to make the bases for these pies, but if you happen to have a set of ramekins on hand then those will work perfectly fine also! 



Fish Taco Bowls - This dish is SO full of flavour and HELLO Avocado!!!  We can enjoy all the yummy accessories like Avo following this plan and that right there makes me one happy mama!  



Cauliflower Buffalo Chicken Soup  - I'm obsessed with Buffalo everything!!!  And this soup is awesome, filling and full of flavour! 




Baked Chicken Blackberry meatballs - Blackberry season is coming up and I fully intend of making blackberry jam and this tasty recipe using Blackberries and Hoisen sauce.  



Parmesan Herb Crusted Salmon - This super simple salmon recipe is a blog favourite and paired with some veggies or Cauli-rice it would make the perfect summer supper!  Now if only my hubby could catch some salmon :)

Zucchini Shrimp Scampi - Hello quick dinner!!  I've been picking up the zucchini noodles from costco lately which would make this dinner even quicker during those week night rushes! 



Mexican Taco Lettuce Wraps - This is a staple in our house for dinner!  The kids love it too which makes it a huge win in our house!  Plus the filling is so versatile. 



Zucchini Lasagne - I've been totally craving lasagne lately so I had to add this recipe to the list!  TIP: if you peel the zucchini the kids will never know it's not noodles and neither will the adults! 



Bell Pepper Nachos - I LOVE my Nacho nights and this fun Bell Pepper Nacho recipe hits the spot and I can add any toppings I'm craving and still enjoy all the nachos!!



White Cheddar and Broccoli Stuffed Chicken - Who doesn't love cheese!  I sure do :)  Cheesy Broccoli stuffed chicken is one of my fav dinners add more veggies to fill you up and you are good to go!

P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps - It's all about the flavour here!  There are so many layers of flavour from the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, and green onions. Oh my!

For more info on this incredible Mindset Nutrition program check out my Free Info group, request to join and find out what it's all about! 

Exciting New Home Lifting Program

This is turning out to be a fantastic year for anyone subscribed to Beachbody On Demand. First, we had 80 Day Obsession, and now LIIFT4! What is LIIFT4? We don’t have many details yet, but let’s talk about what we do know.

LIIFT4 Program Breakdown:

• Trainer: Joel Freeman
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Program Length: 8 weeks
• Commitment Time: 30-40 minutes, 4 days/week
• Equipment Needed: light, medium & heavy weights (depending on your current strength)
• Best For: toning and sculpting muscle, fat/weight loss
• Release Date: VIP Early Access starts July 16th, available on BOD Oct 1st

What is LIIFT4?

The name actually explains precisely what you’re getting with this program.

LIIFT4 = Lift + HIIT 4 days/week

These workouts focus on weight lifting to build and tone your muscles, while HIIT cardio (high intensity-interval training) help you burn fat and lose weight more quickly!

And only 4 workout days per week? That means weekends off AND a break during the week—yes! By allowing 3 days off, it gives your muscles time to rest and rebuild, meaning you’ll be able to push harder and do better on your the workout days.

The LIIFT Schedule

The set-up of the workouts may change week to week, but the basic plan is to lift first and end with cardio. 

Each day will focus on a muscle group or 2:

• Back & Biceps
• Chest & Triceps
• Shoulders
• Legs

Why Lift first?

Your muscles have the most energy at the beginning of a workout.  That’s why we want to lift first.  Then the workouts end with HIIT to completely empty your tank and also challenge your core!

Is there a modifier?

YES!  The modifier uses the resistance bands and does low-impact moves during the cardio segments. 

It’s the perfect program for busy people!

Not only do you get 3 days off per week but each workout is only around 30 minutes long!

I know this was a downside to 80 Day Obsession for a lot of people—hour-long workouts can be hard to fit into a busy day. But just a half hour? Simple!

LIIFT4 Results

Check out some of these results so far!

  

LIIFT4 FAQ!

What is the LIIFT4 meal plan?

If you've done any other Beachbody program, you've probably already guess that this nutrition plan uses the portion control containers! And you'd be right.

• Uses Portion Fix Containers (from 21 Day Fix)
• Allows 1 “Cheat Day” EVERY WEEK!
• Uses Beachbody Performance Line

There are TWO different meal plans depending on your goals: one to lose weight, one to build muscle.

And the burning question about the nutrition plan…

Is alcohol allowed on the nutrition plan?

The answer is YES! Unlike 80 Day Obsession, you’re allowed alcohol during your cheat day on the LIIFT4 plan (in moderation, of course).

What equipment do you need for LIIFT4?

Another thing to love about this the amount of equipment you’ll need:

• 3 Sets of Weights (Light/Medium/Heavy)
• OR Resistance Bands

A fitness or yoga mat and a foam roller are recommended, but not required.

There will be an option to use resistance bands instead of weights. And just like with all of our programs, the weights or resistance bands you use will depend on your current strength. If you’re not sure which size to start with, talk to your Coach!

What can you expect from the workouts?

The program is broken down into 2 phases:

• Phase 1: Build
• Phase 2: Shred

During Phase 1, the workouts will focus more on muscle building. While there will still be a HIIT component during Phase 1, the focus is more on lifting weights and building strength. As you move into Phase 2, more time will be allocated to the HIIT component to help you lose more weight and lean out.

Each day focuses of specific muscle groups and every workout starts with lifting first, then ends with some HIIT!

And you’ll never do the same workout twice.

There was a new workout filmed every single day, so just like with 80 Day Obsession, you’ll never be following along to the same video more than once.

Is LIIFT4 for men or women?

It’s for BOTH! Men and women will both get great results from this program! (I mean, did you see the results from both above?!)

When does the program release?

LIIFT4 is being released in 2 phases:

1. July 16th - VIP Early Access: Starting June 11th the program will be on sale on TeamBeachbody.com, this means Challenge Packs, Completion Packs, Accessory Bundles, or Stand-Alone Digital VIP Access. When you purchase one of the above VIP options, you’ll have access to all of the LIIFT4 workouts on July 16th! 
2. Oct. 1st - Without Early Access: VIP Early Access begins July 16th, all other BOD subscribers will have access to the program starting October 1st.

VIP Access

Starting June 11^th, you’ll be able to order your LIIFT4 materials and become a VIP for first access! 

VIPs can start the program on July 16^th, 2018!!!

By ordering in June, you’ll have plenty of time to get everything in the mail and be ready to start in July! Plus you will save $10 off your kit!

In order to get access on July 16^th, you must purchase one of the ordering options below.

Regular Beachbody on Demand Members that don’t purchase one of the following options below will get access on October 1, 2018.

LIIFT4 Kit Ordering Options

All of the LIIFT4 Ordering Options will be available June 11^th 2018.  If you order before July 31^st, you’ll save $10! 

Are You In?!

With our last program launch, we SOLD OUT quickly! So, if you want in as soon as the program launches fill out the LIIFT4 Pre-Order form and I’ll keep in touch with you. OR if you want more details you can join our VIP group HERE.

When you order your kit, you’ll also be added to my first official LIIFT4 Test Group and VIP group with Joel!