Oh, burpees.  We got a little taste of them between sets in last month's challenge.  Let's see what this does for us!  I'm excited to do another circuit format challenge.  This one says to do it for 5 weeks, but for the sake of sticking to the 30 day challenge format, let's do it for 4 weeks instead of 5.  We'll have a couple days rest at the end of June before beginning our July arms challenge.  
Directions:
For each week, start with the designated amount of reps for the day and the type of burpee.  
Then, add 10 reps of each previous day's burpee (for that week)

Day 1:  10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 2:  10 One-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 3:  10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 4:  10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 5:  10 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 6:  10 Burpee Mountain Climbers, 10 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 7:  10 Spider Push-Up Burpees, 10 Burpee Mountain Climbers, 10 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
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Day 8:  20 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 9:  20 One-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kickouts
Day 10:  20 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 11:  20 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 12:  20 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 13:  20 Burpee Mountain Climbers, 10 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 14:  20 Spider Push-Up Burpees, 10 Burpee Mountain Climbers, 10 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
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Day 15:  30 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 16:  30 One-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kickouts
Day 17:  30 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 18:  30 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 19:  30 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 20:  30 Burpee Mountain Climbers, 10 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 21:  30 Spider Push-Up Burpees, 10 Burpee Mountain Climbers, 10 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
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Day 22:  40 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 23:  40 One-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kickouts
Day 24:  40 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 25:  40 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 26:  40 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 27:  40 Burpee Mountain Climbers, 10 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 28:  40 Spider Push-Up Burpees, 10 Burpee Mountain Climbers, 10 Lateral Jump Burpees, 10 Burpee Roll Backs, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps, 10 0ne-Legged Burpees, 10 Burpee Kick-Outs
Day 29: REST. 
Day 30:  Ultimate Challenge- 20 reps of each type of Burpee = 140 Burpees!!  

Check out all the descriptions at Fitness Magazine.  

It's been a bit crazy recently.  We got the chance to fly to Maine to do a few shows and it was so fun.  We ate lobster and blueberry everything, taught 7 workshops to tweens and teens, and made many new friends!  
So, this week I have a recommendation for you from one of my favorite blogs: Downshiftology.  Lisa Bryan inspires me with her creative cooking ideas and her lifestyle in general.  Check out her blog when you get a chance!
Here is her recipe for Paleo Spinach and Artichoke Dip.  I like to pair this with homemade sweet potato and veggie chips.

Ideas for Eating:
Pair it with homemade baked sweet potato or veggie chips.
Serve it over fish.
Eat it on a burger sandwiched between a pretzel roll.  

I'm really trying to find more ways to eat sardines.  They are great for women's hormone and gut health.  I haven't gotten to the point that Bob is at where I can just munch them right out of the can… I need to get a bit more creative!  Hence, the sardine crepe was born this past week.    

This recipe was a little time consuming, but you could easily make the crepes ahead of time and heat them up when you are ready to make the full recipe.  For the crepes, i used almond flour, water, eggs and a pinch of salt.  Just mix it all together, and pan fry two crepes out of it using ghee or light EVOO.  They will end up with the consistency of a thin pita.

Set aside the crepes when you're finished.  Then, work on breading and and pan-frying the sardines.  Meanwhile, layer whatever toppings you'd like with the sardines on a crepe.  I went with tomatoes, guacamole and cilantro.

When the sardines are finished (just a few minutes on each side over medium heat) add them to the pita, along with some greens, put them together like a quesadilla, and enjoy!

For pretty picture's sake, I divided my ingredients between the two crepes, but it would probably be easiest to simply put all the ingredients on one crepe, then lay the other crepe over top.  

Almond Flour Crepe Ingredients (makes two crepes):
2 large eggs
1/4 cup almond flour
1 TBLS water
pinch salt
pinch of guac seasoning or any all purpose seasoning
2 TBLS ghee or oil for cooking the crepes in

Sardine Ingredients:
1 can Wild Sardines in EVOO (I like these)
1/4 cup almond flour
2 TBLS Lake Shore Drive seasoning

Toppings:
6 cherry tomatoes, cut into slices
handful of greens
few stocks of cilantro, stems removed
4 TBLS guacamole

Directions:
1.  Mix together the Almond Flour Crepe ingredients well, except for the ghee or oil  
2.  Heat 1 tbls of the ghee or EVOO in a frying pan on medium heat.
3.  Pour half the Almound Flour Crepe batter into the pan and roll the pan around gently so the batter coats the bottom of the pan evenly.
4.  Let this cook for 2 minutes or so, until you can see bubbles and the crepe is fairly firm.  Flip and cook for one more minute or until finished and golden on either side.  Repeat this step with the second half of the batter to make another crepe.  Set them both aside.
5.  Mix together the almond flour and Lake Shore Drive seasoning for the sardine breading.  Use the same pan to cook the sardines.  Cover each sardine with the breading mixture on both sides and lay it on the pan over medium heat.  Cook for a few minutes on each side until the whole exterior is golden and crispy.
6.  Meanwhile, add your toppings of choice to one crepe, and add the sardines when they have finished cooking.  Top the whole thing with the other crepe, cut into quarters, and enjoy!

Ideas for Eating:
For a little variation, think, "fish taco," and substitute garlic aioli for the guac; and cabbage with a dash of lemon juice for the greens.  

This challenge is getting more and more difficult to keep up.  We are busy enjoying family and activities here in the US and I don't get much cooking in.  I got a nice run in before the clouds and rain and cold wind crept in this morning and after my run, the gloomy weather inspired this recipe.  

I combined fine brown rice pasta, veggies, eggs, garlic, ghee, coconut amines, seasonings, broth, and lime juice for a Thai twist on a simple noodle stir fry.

This was a perfect cold-weather comfort meal.  Easy to make, nice and hot, and very flexible on measured ingredients.  It pretty much can't go wrong!  :)

Since I cooked just for myself, this recipe is good for one large serving.  It's a one pan kind of deal so if you want more than 1 serving… you'd probably want to use two pans or a nice big wok (which I don't have.)

Ingredients:
1/2 7oz bag brown rice vermicelli noodles (I found some at Woodman's)
3 eggs 
1 clove minced garlic
1/3 small onion, chopped
Big handful of chopped kale (no stems)
1 cup of any other veggies you want… I went with sugar-snap peas and sweet potatoes
1 tbls lime juice
4 tbls broth
1 tbls coconut aminos (soy sauce substitute)
2 tbls extra virgin olive oil OR ghee
1 tbls Lake Shore Drive seasoning
1 tsp salt
2-3 sprigs of fresh chopped cilantro
​
Directions:
1.  soak the noodles in a bowl of room temperature water, per the bag's instructions.
2.  Add olive oil or ghee to a large wok or pan on medium heat and add onion and garlic, and any vegetable that needs to be cooked to be eaten… like sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, mushrooms, etc.  I add in the kale and peas later, as I prefer them heated but still crispy and textured.
3.  After a few minutes, when things are becoming soft, add the lime juice, coconut aminos, and half the broth to the pan.
4.  Shake out the soaking noodles and add them to the pan.  A little water on them is fine, no need to pat dry.
5.  Stir it up and top it with the kale, salt, Lake Shore Drive seasoning (or any seasoning you'd prefer) and other veggies.
6.  Put a top on the pan and cook on medium/low without stirring for about 5 minutes.  The noodles should get slightly crispy on the bottom of the pan.  
7.  Add the rest of the broth to the pan.  Turn the noodles over and cook for another 3 minutes.  
8.  Put the whole thing on a plate and use the warmed pan to scramble up 3 eggs.  
9.  Add the noodle stir-fry back to the pan when the eggs are done and mix it all together.
10.  Put it all back on the plate, top with the chopped cilantro, and enjoy!

ideas for eating:
This is a one dish dinner, great all on it's own!
I tried it with some left-over fish as well, adding it during step 5.  

BONUS!  Song Recommendation!
Check out Alessia Cara's songs: Here and Wild Things
​
​Sassy, clever, smart, catchy, real… her songs inspire and delight me.  Enjoy!

"So aye, we brought our drum and this is how we dance
No mistakin', we make our breaks, if you don't like our 808s
Then leave us alone, cause we don't need your policies
We have no apologies for being...
Find me where the wild things are
We'll be alright, don't mind us, yeah
Find me where the wild things are."

This week, i followed a recipe on Iowa Girl Eats blog.  Different from my usual style, I followed the recipe to a T and it turned out great!  Haha, I should probably do that more often.   There is just a bit of sugar in this recipe, in the form of a TBLS of brown sugar and maple syrup each.  The main flavor, though, comes from the Balsamic vinegar.  

From Iowa Girl Eats:
Ingredients:
3/4 cups wild rice blend + chicken broth to cook it in
1 Tablespoons butter
1-1/2 cups 1/2″ cubed sweet potato (about 1 medium-sized sweet potato)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 cups packed chopped curly kale (about 1/2 bunch)
1/4 cup roasted and salted pepitasFor the Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette:
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, microplaned or finely minced
salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Prepare rice according to package instructions using chicken or vegetable broth in place of water.  Set aside. (Can be made ahead of time.)
2. Add ingredients for Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette in a jar with a tight fitting lid then shake to combine and set aside.
3. Fill a wok or large skillet with water then bring to a boil. Add a heavy dash of salt and kale then boil until tender, 4-5 minutes. Drain, then when kale is cool enough to handle, squeeze out excess water with hands, crumble, and then set aside.
4. Turn heat down to medium-high then melt butter in skillet. Add brown sugar and sweet potatoes, season with salt, then saute until tender and caramelized, 8-10 minutes.
5. Add kale, cooked rice and Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette to the wok then toss to combine.

Ideas for Eating:
We ate this as a side dish with steak salad.  
For breakfast, combine it with a couple scrambled eggs!

Time for legs and butt again!  I'm excited for this one.  Read more about the challenge at fitnessmagazine.com.  Click the "show all" tab for an easily accessible list of descriptions.  

I love avocados.  I love cauliflower crumbles.  How did it take me this long to make a cold salad with the two of them?  I have no idea.  All I know is that I've done it now and it's delicious!  It's a super simple and quick salad that I threw together before work last week for lunch.  

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado, mashed
1 TBLS Wildtree Guac Seasoning
1/2 tsp lime juice (quick squeeze)
2 TBLS cilantro, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
About 3/4 cup cauliflower crumbles *enough to get the consistency you prefer

Directions: 
1.  Mix the mashed avocado, lime juice and guac seasoning together well.
2.  Mix in the tomatoes and cilantro.
3.  Slowly add and mix cauliflower crumbles until your desired consistency is reached.  
4.  Enjoy!

Ideas for Eating:
Eat it as a side salad, in a wrap with some grilled chicken, or use it as a dip for tortilla chips!