HOMEMADE VEGETARIAN REFRIED BEANS
**Perfect for burritos, a side dish, nachos or as a dip!

♥ INGREDIENTS ♥
3 Cups Cooked Pinto or Black Beans OR Two 15 oz cans cooked beans, drained & rinsed well
1 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Minced Fresh Garlic Cloves
1/2-1 Seeded & minced fresh Jalapeno Pepper
1Tsp Cumin
2 Tsp Coriander
1 Tsp Paprika
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt 
Optional: 1 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce
Optional: 1/4 Cup Fresh/Canned Tomatoes or Salsa

♥ DIRECTIONS ♥
Add beans to food processor or blender with 1/4 cup water or more to make a smooth bean paste
Heat olive oil on med-low in a 2 qt saucepan. Add minced fresh garlic, jalapeno & spices. Sauté for 5 minutes or until garlic starts to brown.
Add the bean paste and blend with the spices. Add Braggs or soy sauce and salsa, if using. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

♥ NUTRITION ♥
Serving Size -  1/3 Cups
107 Calories 
17g Carbs
 2g Fat
178 mg Sodium 
4g Fiber 
6g Protein

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP-CRANBERRY COOKIES

♥ INGREDIENTS ♥
1 Cup Coconut Flour
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
2 Large Eggs
8 Tbsp Butter (Healthy Substitute - 4 Tbsp Mashed Avocado or Coconut Oil)
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/2 Cup Dark Chocolate Morsels
10 Drops Stevia (Chocolate)
(Optional) Finely Grated Reduced Fat Unsweetened Coconut 

♥ DIRECTIONS ♥
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
Combine all Ingredients in large bowl. Mix well until batter is blended evenly. Stir in chocolate morsels and dried cranberries. Roll batter into 1-inch balls, place on greased cookie sheet and push slightly to flatten balls. Bake for 15-17 minutes until tops start to turn a golden brown. Enjoy!

**Store in Refrigerator

EASY TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE CHICKEN POT PIE CUPCAKES


♥ INGREDIENTS ♥
Chicken Mixture
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked & cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth (Gluten Free)
1 Cup Frozen Sweet Potato Cubes
1 Cup Frozen Green Beans
1/2 Cup Frozen Corn
1/2 Cup Frozen Red Peppers/Onion Mix (Cooked)
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Tsp Pepper
1/2 Tsp Oregano
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

Baking Mixture
1 Package Gluten Free Biscuit Mix (Follow Mixing Directions on Package)
Almond Milk
Butter
2eggs

♥ DIRECTIONS ♥
Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken broth and chicken pieces; heat to simmering. Add frozen vegetables and seasonings. Heat until hot, stirring occasionally until almost all liquid is absorbed. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.

In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup chicken mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto chicken mixture in each muffin cup. Top with sprinkles of cheese.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer, and serve. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE COCONUT BANANA PROTEIN MUFFINS

♥ INGREDIENTS ♥
3/4 Cup Egg White
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Milk
3 Tbsp Coconut Oil
2 Tbsp Coconut Flour
1/4 Cup Finely Grated Reduced Fat Unsweetened Coconut 
1 Scoop Chocolate Protein Powder 
1 Tbsp Flax Seed Meal
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
10 Drops Stevia (Chocolate)
1 Large Banana

♥ DIRECTIONS ♥
Preheat Oven at 350
 Mix 1st 3 ingredients in large mixing bowl with whisk for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Mash up 1 large banana adding to mixture last.
Line large muffin pan with muffin cup papers, fill each muffin cup 3/4 full, bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

♥ NUTRITION ♥ 
4 gram Carbohydrates
2 grams Fiber
10 grams Protein

** Use code GETFITSD to SAVE 20% on ALL Designer Whey Products **

Morning Delight ~ Homemade Banana Protein Muffins
♥ INGREDIENTS ♥
2 Large Bananas
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein
2 Tbsp Flax Seed Meal
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp Almond Milk
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
10 Drops of Stevia Drops 
Dash of Baking Soda

♥ DIRECTIONS ♥
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spray muffin pan with coconut oil or line with muffin cups, fill each cup with mix, bake at 350 for 12-15mins. Top with Almond Butter & Enjoy!

Homemade Blackberry Banana White Chocolate Protein Frozen Yogurt Push Pops
♥ INGREDIENTS ♥
1 Cup Fresh Rasberries 
1 Banana
1 Cup Plain Non Fat Greek Yogurt
2 Scoops of Designer Whey White Chocolate Protein Powder
1 Tbsp Flax Seed Meal
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce 
5 Drops of Stevia (Chocolate)
1/2 Cup Water

♥ DIRECTIONS ♥
Blend all ingredients in blender. Pour in Push Pop Molds (from Target). Freeze for 1-2 hours & Enjoy!

** Use code GETFITSD to SAVE 20% on ALL Designer Whey Products **

How many times have you hit snooze on the alarm you set an hour early to get up for a morning workout to only end up running late instead? What about skipping that last weight training set or cutting your cardio session in half or saying "I workout extra hard tomorrow"? We can all use a little motivation when it comes to exercise! 

My passion for health and fitness is my lifestyle so many people think I participate in various types of physical activities, but to be honest....I am a GYM RAT. I love to lift weights and perform my own versions of circuit training while listening to up beat music. You are probably thinking I pretty much spend all my free time working out but the truth is, I am just like you....I need motivation and accountability too! So you can only imagine my excitement when I met Vince & Athena, Founders/Creators of The Sox Box; fashionable/functional knee high socks that talk to you when you can't! Yes....socks with motivational words to remind you WHY you are training, pushing you to maximize your workout efforts! I   had to have not just one pair, but three that read: BEAUTY/BEAST, BARBELL/BABE, STRONG/MAMMA! I wear mine when I perform plyometric or circuit training workouts. Not only are these socks cute, matching my gym clothes; but comfortable with extra cushioning for the bottom my feet and not too tight so the circulation in my legs is not cut off. Check out The Sox Box collection and find a pair that fits your personality color and spirit! In honor of the service men and women who sacrifice their lives in the name of freedom and justice, The Sox Box pledges is a lifetime donation of 20% of all Sox Box profits to the Independence Fund, a non-profit group that directly supports the wounded service members fighting the global war on terror. 

Win a 3 Pairs of The Sox Box Knee High Socks!

How to Enter:
Leave a comment below with two motivational words that you would want on a pair of Sox Box socks to inspire you to give your workout all you got! (REQUIRED)

Bonus Entries:

1. Follow @GetFitSanDiego on Twitter
2. Follow @TheSoxBox on Twitter
3. Follow @GetFitSanDiego Instagram & Share the Giveaway Image 
4. Sign-Up for the Get Fit E-Newsletter.
   
5. Tweet this as many times as you’d like. Click the Tweet button below, copy and paste this: Knee high socks that talk to you when you can't @TheSoxBox! #WIN a pair that motivates you from @GetFitSanDiego! http://bit.ly/12nvS5N
6. Subscribe to Get Fit San Diego via RSS.
7. Pin this to Pinterest.
   

This giveaway will end on Mon 3/11/13 at 12pm PST. The winner will be chosen by Random.org and announced on Monday 3/11/13 at 2pm PST. The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning. Good Luck!

Healthy food shopping is a must in my household, so you can imagine my excitement level when I learned there was a NEW Whole Foods Market in the neighborhood of Del Mar right off the 5 freeway on Via de la Valle! The NEW market covers 30,000 sq. ft carrying over 100 products from local vendors and farmers with a design decor inspired from the local surroundings of bluffs, lagoons and hillsides. I absolutely love the sign over the produce section that reads "Bring Some San Diego Flavor to the Table"! I cook from scratch so buying locally grown fresh organic produce from farms like Be Wise Ranch, Suzies, Stehly, Archi's Acres & Sage Mountain; is a "must have" on my shopping list. Next on my shopping list "must haves" is the assortment of locally sourced, 100% grass-fed beef, chicken and turkey in the meat department and sustainably fresh and seasonal specialties fish in the seafood department. To my surprise I was highly impressed not only with the specialty fish selection, as well as the knowledgable staff who were able to help me find exactly what I needed. :-)

Hosting a party or social gathering, then you will love the beer and wine section offering over 60 feet of beer and the largest selection of local, organic and sulfite-free wines. For those of you who think Whole Foods pricing might break your bank account, think again with wine prices as low as $2.49 per 750ml bottle and over 100 varieties under $10 to choose from. Looking to splurge a little on a bottle of wine, choose from a selection of wines with 90+ point ratings for under $25. No party would be complete without hors d'oeuvres, so be sure to swing by the specialty cheese section to pick up an exclusive “Tri Milk Sampler” snack tray of 3 cheeses/each a different milk & crackers! Oh boy do I love specialty cheese & a good bottle of wine when I am not competing in a fitness competition!

Not in the mood to go grocery shopping, NO need to worry because this Whole Foods Market has something for everyone! Stop in to enjoy a fresh brewed local cup of coffee at the coffee bar or grab a freshly made to order sandwich made with local ingredients or take a load off from a hard days work in the Trifecta Tavern. Yep, this Whole Foods Market has a relaxing and casual bar/restaurant with wine and a rotating selection of over 30 craft beers on tap, along with an extensive food menu offering in-store service with indoor and outdoor seating. You can even escape the office or chaos at home with some relaxing alone time catching up on work, a blog or local news with the FREE WiFi.

Now how can a girl forget to mention the Whole Body section offering organic products for the body with over 125 local body care and nutritional products that meet the strictest quality standards. I always say your body is your temple and we must take care of our temple. Without a healthy body how can we possibly go about our everyday lives! 

Happy Healthy Shopping at the NEW Whole Foods Market in Del Mar, offering something for everyone!

For additional information on Whole Foods Market’s Del Mar store click here or to stay updated events, specials, activities, and more by connecting with Whole Foods Market Del Mar on Facebook and following them on Twitter.

Disclaimer:  This is a sponsored post for Whole Foods Market Del Mar. All opinions are authentic based on my personal experience.

Many of us think of a BIG BOX gym like 24 Hour Fitness when decide to start a training or exercise program, but the real trend today is specialized boutique fitness studios and facilities. Instead of catering to the mass, these boutique style fitness studios/facilities offer a specific exercise style or program like yoga, pilates, cross fit, indoor cycling and group fitness. Everyone knows I LOVE to try something new when it it comes to fitness, so you can only imagine how EXCITED I was to learn about Shift Fitness, the NEW group training and indoor cycling facility located in Carlsbad. YES, they mix strength training with indoor cycling, two of my favorite thing to incorporate during workouts. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Daniel Shamburg, Owner/Trainer of Shift Fitness (video above). Shift Fitness is dedicated to providing the best workout possible for each individual client in a fun and motivating atmosphere free intimidation. Shift Fitness specializes in group fitness, circuit training, strength training and indoor cycling offering the following three class styles: 

• SHIFT Circuit - Strength Base Circuit Training
• SHIFTCycle - Indoor Cycling
• SHIFTFusion - Combination of Indoor Cycling and Circuit Training

Click here to view the full class schedule. In addition to the above class styles, Shift Fitness also offers personal training, specialty classes, charity events, sports training programs and more. Shift Fitness offers a hassle free payment options with per class rates and no up front or hidden costs joining fees. Shift Fitness is offering a 25% Discount to Get Fit San Diego Readers, just enter GETFITSD25 at checkout or drop by and be sure to mention Get Fit San Diego! Click here to see the different pricing plans Shift Fitness offers. Enjoy!