Elf on the Shelf Day 2

This morning we woke up to find Alfie pumping fluff (marshmallows)! 

He must have been inspired by Gord working out last night! 

Gord did his Pump workout last night and uses a barbell just like Alfie is doing. 

Such a funny Elf! 

Check out my Pinterest page and pin your own Elf on the Shelf ideas! 

21 Day Fix Meal Plan Day 1

Ok I'm blogging my way through this round of the 21 Day fix to help keep me accountable!

I'm doing the 21 Day fix with my December Challenge Group and it's seriously such a fun group!

Breakfast

Greek Yogurt with Frozen berries on one whole grain waffle

1 Red container Greek Yogurt
1/2 Purple container Frozen Berries 
1 Yellow container = Organic whole grain waffle

Directions

• Toast waffle (I use Natures Path Organic Waffles the flax plus ones)
• Pour frozen berries into a small microwave blow and heat for 30 seconds
• Top waffle with 1 red container of greek yogurt. 
• Top with berries and serve. 

Snack

Chocolate Shakeology blended with Ice = 1 Red

Lunch

Salmon Spinach salad with Avocado Sriacha Dressing

1.5 green containers of spinach

1/2 green container Cherry tomatoes
1/2 blue of Dressing

1 Red Container = 1 salmon filet

Directions for the Salad

• Add 1.5 green containers of Spinach to your plate.  Top that with 1/2 a green container of cherry tomatoes cut length wise.  
• Cook your salmon as directed below and remove from heat.  Pull salmon away from the skin and place on top of your salad.  
• Top with 1/2 blue container of dressing (recipe below)

Salmon spice rub

3 teaspoons cumin
3 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

**Spice rub makes enough for about 3 salmon filets.  I made two filets and prepped a salad for my lunch tomorrow

Directions for Spice rub

• Mix up all spices
• Rub each Salmon filet with spice rub. 
• In a frying pan add in 2 teaspoons olive oil once hot place each filet into the pan and cook on medium heat.  
• Cook salmon skin down in olive oil and then flip over to brown on both sides.  Once cooked pull the salmon away from the skin and place on top of your salad. 

Dressing

1/2 avocado, skin removed and roughly chopped
1/3 cup low fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tsp of lime juice
1/2 tsp Sriacha
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions for Dressing

Add all ingredients into a blender, food processor or magic bullet.  Blend together until smooth.  

You will only use about half a blue container of dressing on each salad.

Snack

2 Spoons Peanut Butter and 1 1/2 Purple container Apple

Dinner

Chicken Dinner with Potatoes and Broccoli

1 Red Container - Chicken

1 Yellow Container - Potatoes

1 Green Container - Broccoli and Carrots

Workout of the Day

My workout will be happening tonight after dinner and I will be doing Total Body Cardio Fix! 

Welcome Back Elf on the Shelf

Welcome back Alfie!!

This morning Asher and Fraser woke up to find Alfie back again visiting the house and reporting back to Santa on the boys behaviour!  

Alfie looks to be going for a ride on Asher's Christmas chain!!!  And look, Alfie has a letter for the boys from Santa to deliver too!  

If you want a copy of the Letter Alfie brought the boys you can get it here and edit it to fit your kids and Elf!  

I have a few ideas planned for Alfie already this year including this awesome idea from Desiree Tanguma who's Elf Peter is shown here playing tic-tac-toe with Ninja Turtle Raphael!!

Peter the Elf and Raphael

Asher has a Raphael too so I thought this was just perfect!!  Stay tuned for my version of Desiree's awesome idea!

Tammy Cummings' Elf, Kate is roasting marshmallows at the tv fire! Great idea Tammy! 

Here is Sparkle, Shannon Marion's elf having a bath in the doll house. 

Please share your Elf on the Shelf ideas with me too!  Comment below or send me an email to be featured on the blog!

Even better... you can follow my Elf on the Shelf Pinterest Board and ask to be added to Pin to it.  I will select a few of your Elves each week to feature on the blog from the Pinterest board!

Elf on the Shelf

Last year Alfie our Elf on the Shelf underwent a little surgery in order to be able to perform a few more tricks around the house!  We found a great website that lays our how to modify your elf to make him or her a little more user friendly for the parents! 

Basically we put wire in his arms and legs to make them bendy and sewed in magnets to his hands so that he could attach to things like the fridge, clasp his hands together, climb the curtains you name it!  

All you need is 

• 16 gauge wire
• Magnets
• Needle & white/red thread
• Scissors
• Pliers/wire cutter
• Stitch ripper (you could also use a pin to pull out the stitches, then a scissors to cut them free)

Check out Lifesolovely blog for the details!

Alfie is making his appearance tomorrow morning again and I'm already trying to think of new ways to arrange this little fellow!  

Here are a few of the places Asher found him last year!

Alfie is an adventurous Elf, climbing the curtains
with the help of magnets!

Alfie likes John Deer too!

The bad train from one of Asher's Thomas
Movies caught Alfie in a jar!

Alfie hanging from our keys at the front door.

Asher hadn't been listening well last year
so Alfie wrote him a note!

Homemade Taco Pizza Rolls

I found this yummy looking recipe on the old del paso website and knew right away that I had to try making these cute little Taco Pizza Rolls!  Gord and the Boys would all love them AND they would make a great appetizer idea for potlucks and Christmas gatherings this year! 

But the recipe called for store bought Taco seasoning and pillsbury pizza dough.... Ummm NO!  I think I'll use my own Homemade Taco Seasoning and Homemade Pizza dough too! 

Much healthier that way.  

I know what your thinking.... Pizza dough, I don't have time to make my own pizza dough!  But I ask you.... do you have a pillsbury pizza dough in your fridge right now?  If the answer is no then you are better off making your own than driving to the store to get one.  PLUS it will be way healthier for you and you will know what's in it!

You will need a bread machine for my recipe, but if you don't have a bread machine you may need to do a little kneading and let it rise in a warm spot.  You can Find my Bread Machine Pizza dough Recipe here!

Taco Pizza Rolls Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 lb Ground beef
1 Pizza dough recipe
2 TBSP Taco Seasoning
3 TBSP water
2 Cups White Cheddar Cheese

*Optional Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, sour cream, onion, guacamole.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 ° and lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray
• In a medium skillet, cook and brown beef until no longer pink. Drain. Add taco seasoning and water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
• Take Pizza dough out of the machine or package and place onto a flat surface. Slightly roll or press the pizza dough out into a rectangle.

• Sprinkle the cheese evenly onto the pizza dough. Add the taco meat evenly on top of the cheese.

Add the cheese

Add your ground meat

Pinch the ends to ensure the
roll stays together.

• Starting with the long edge of the pizza dough, roll dough tightly up into a roll.

Ready for the Oven!

• Using a serrated knife, make about 1-inch slices along the roll, making about 18 rolls.

• Place rolls onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

All done!  Don't they look good!?

• Serve Immediately and top with desired toppings!

I topped mine with a little sour cream,
tomato and green onion!  YUM

Additional Recipes

Taco seasoning recipe

1/2 cup Chili Powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1/8 cup cumin
1 TBSP Garlic powder
1 TBSP paprika
1TBSP sea salt

Add all spices into a mason jar, screw lid on tight and give it a shake!  Done.

Bread Machine Pizza Dough Recipe

Bread Machine Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients

1 Cup Water or Beer
1 TBSP Coconut oil or Butter
1 Tsp Sea salt
2 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
3 Tsp Dry Yeast

Note: Water or beer can be used in this recipe, using water will result in a  crispier crust

Directions

• Place water, coconut oil and salt into bread machine pan
• Add flour and sprinkle yeast into the center of the flour
• insert pan securely into machine and close the lid
• select "dough" bread setting
• Push Start.

My bread machine takes about an hour and a half to make the dough.  I will often set my bread machine up and delay the start time of the dough setting for several hours while I'm at work so that when I arrive home the dough is ready to use for dinner time.  

I find that the best temperature for pizza is 400 degrees F.

This dough yields about two 12 inch thin crust pizzas or 1 12 inch thick crust pizza.  You can also use it to make Pizza rolls, pizza pockets or pretzels.  

Easiest Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

Breakfast this morning was these yummy and easy to make Banana Muffins.  

I have passed this recipe on to many many people over the years and I finally decided to share it here too.  I love these muffins because I don't need to use the mixer to make them just mash up the bananas with the egg, coconut oil and honey and then add the dry mixture to that!  So simple, but these muffins also turn out moist and delicious every single time!  

Whole Wheat Banana Muffin Recipe

Wet mixture

1 Egg
3 Large ripe bananas
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey

Dry mixture

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
• In a large bowl add egg and 3 very ripe bananas, mash together. 
• To that add coconut oil and honey, stirring or mashing into the egg and banana mixture. 
• In a medium bowl combine all dry ingredients and add that to the banana mixture, stirring until just combined .
• Spoon batter into lined muffin pan, filling to the brim.  
• Bake for 17-20 minutes or until you start to smell them (that's how I always know when muffins are ready).  

What I really love about this recipe aside from it being so easy to make is that there is no added sugar besides a small amount on honey.  So for me this is truly a healthy muffin recipe I can feel great about serving to my boys!