Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Is it even possible for me to go a whole week without commenting on the gorgeous, amazing, spectacular Ohio weather? I love our glorious chilly mornings so much right now. (I’m choosing to ignore the fact we’re supposed to be back in the 90s for a few days next week.) I just wanted to let you know I’m still in love with my little corner of the world.

ON THE BLOGS this week: Loaded with robust garlic, zesty lemon, and a kick of red pepper flakes, this Garlic Butter Sauce (a.k.a. Cowboy Butter Sauce) transforms any vegetable into something crave-worthy.

Melted Parmesan cheese, fresh garlic, and tender chicken are twirled with fettuccine noodles in this creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta.

Packed with bold, tangy flavor and just a hint of heat, this BBQ Cauliflower is sure to be the star of your next meal. (I’ve made this for lunch twice in the past couple of weeks. I can’t get enough of this saucy cauliflower!)

With a perfect blend of tender pasta, creamy dressing, and a medley of fresh vegetables, this Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad is bursting with flavor.

Every bite of this Shrimp Zucchini Stir Fry is pure shrimp-loving heaven – and you can make it start to finish in under 15 minutes! Garlic butter shrimp is one of my top 5 favorite foods. So naturally, when I had the idea to pair some shrimp with perfectly tender-crisp zucchini and toss it in a mouthwatering lemon garlic butter sauce, that had to happen immediately.

Rich and buttery pecans are outstanding in these fluffy buttermilk Pecan Pancakes. Breakfast for dinner has never sounded better!

Praline Pecans are a Southern delight blending velvety caramel and crisp pecans. Born from sugar, butter, and cream alchemy, they offer a harmonious contrast of textures. These treats encapsulate the essence of the South’s flavors, perfect alone or enhancing desserts with their irresistible charm.

Creamy, vanilla ice cream swirled with buttery sweet salted caramel and generously sprinkled with chunks of chewy praline pecans is an old-fashioned Pralines and Cream ice cream lover’s dream come true.

What I’m CRAVING: This Udon Noodle Soup looks and sounds incredible. I really enjoy authentic-tasting Asian-inspired dishes that can be made at home, and this recipe lo

Hi hi! Happy weekend! What are you up to? We’re heading to San Diego for the long weekend and looking forward to some beach time, restaurants, and shopping. I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead!

Thank you so much for all of the heartfelt and kind comments and emails after my last podcast episode. I’m so grateful for all of you and will absolutely keep you updated along the way.

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Creamy, vanilla ice cream swirled with buttery sweet salted caramel and generously sprinkled with chunks of chewy praline pecans is an old-fashioned ice cream lover’s dream come true.

Pralines and Cream Ice Cream

My grandfather used to take me to Baskin Robbins and he always ordered a scoop of pralines and cream ice cream. I’ll admit that when I was little, I often ordered bubblegum ice cream, but eventually, Grandpa’s creamy ice cream with that caramel swirl and chewy pralines grew on me.

Over the years, this has become the one flavor I can not resist whenever it is available. And yes, I’m brand-loyal here. I’ll make a special stop at Baskin Robbins when I’m near one, just for a scoop of Grandpa’s favorite ice cream.

Over the past 10-12 years, I’ve tried a few times to recreate that ice cream at home and it simply wasn’t the same. Let’s just say that figuring out the perfect homemade pralines and cream ice cream has been a bit of a journey.

I’m ecstatic today to be savoring a bowl of absolutely perfect homemade pralines and cream ice cream while I write this post. Creamy, not-too-sweet vanilla ice cream is matched with buttery sweet salted caramel swirls and chunks of chewy praline pecans in every bite. &

Summer Shape Up 2023 Winners!

Our team is continuously impressed by our LSF community. All the women in this community worked their butts off in this challenge and we are so proud of each and every one of you! You all finished this 6-Week Challenge strong which will help to create amazing habits that will last a lifetime. Thank you for pushing yourselves and our community to be the best we can be! 

We wanted to bring back the intensity with this challenge- in our workouts, our nutrition, our weekly prizes, and most importantly, our grand prize (a free trip for two to HAWAII)!! We brought back Accountability Groups to connect members with each other & lean on each other for support during the 6 week challenge. We introduced new videos in the MOVE app, all focused on specific areas of the body to really feel that burn. We also re-introduced weekly giveaways for our #teamlsf community who remain the most loyal and supportive fitness community to exist! 

Now it’s time to shout out our SSU23 winners! These inspiring women, not only have incredible transformation photos but the most heart warming stories!

6 WEEK TRANSFORMATION | GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Dara B. (dara_lsf_compassionatehouse) – Total pounds lost: 8

Dara’s story:

“I was so excited for this summer shape up cause it was lining up with me jumping into some new fitness goals. I have been working out pretty consistent, but I wasn’t seeing much change anymore. I was feeling like maybe I will never reach my goals.”

“We started the challenge the day I went to camp…I thought that was gonna be hard. I did pack lots of heathy snacks, and all my LSF nutrition went with me to help temptations go away. Then stared over on the 14 day shape up meal plan to just really detox and help my body after camp. It felt so good! Then for our beach trip a couple weeks ago I looked at the meal plan, and we pack the food for the menu that week.”

“My dad is like how much longer do you have to eat like this. Cause he loves his french fries… and not the sweet potatoes one. I would say “forever” then laugh. I said this is going to continue when the challenge is over. I want this to be a lifestyle. I had my mom and grandma doing the daily 10 every night and eating the meal plans. It was so awesome cause they are both trying to lose weight. It has been so awesome making progress as a family and seeing us get stronger physically but also mentally.”

“I liked accountability groups cause it made it less overwhelming. I would set time aside each day to go through the #teamlsf cause all those smiles and ugh faces lol motived me to keep going, and che

This enchilada recipe is cheesy, and comforting, and makes a delicious casserole to take to anyone who just had a baby, or needs a little pick-me-up. They’re also perfect to freeze and push ahead for busy weeknight dinners!

Hi friends! How’s the week going? We’ve been going through the regular school routine, + a celebration for my dad’s birthday, and making a baby meal for a squadron friend. I’ve made countless baby meals over the years, and this is one of my go-to’s!

It took me FOREVER to share my standard enchilada recipe on the blog. This is purely accidental. I want to post it every single time I make them, but they’re eaten quickly and I usually make them at night, so with the yellow light, it doesn’t make the prettiest photos. I decided to just post it with the iPhone photos I took so you guys can have it!

This is the recipe I always make. The girls request enchiladas at least once a month and crush them every time, and it’s my standard baby meal. I feel like maybe I should switch up my baby meal menu because pretty much everywhere you look in Tucson, an enchilada stares you in the face. But, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And these beauties definitely ain’t broke.

This recipe seems like a lot of steps, but the more you make it, the easier and faster it happens. Just trust the process; it’s worth it. Put on some Juanes radio on Spotify, pour a little wine, and go for it!  This recipe makes a double batch, so definitely make a pan for yourself and one to gift to a neighbor, a friend, or someone with a new baby (they really need enchiladas!) or wrap and put it in the freezer. You’ll thank yourself later.

The Best Cheesy Sour Cream Enchiladas

Important: chicken and tortillas matter. For the chicken, I always use store-bought rotisserie chicken. It has the most flavor and the best texture. The best part is that you don’t waste 100 years grilling and baking your chicken. And don’t even boil it unless you want the chicken to taste like white, chewy rubber, mmmm k?

As far as the tortillas go, I try to get as close to homemade as possible. When I’m feeling extra, I use the frozen fresh tortillas from Costco. You cook them on the griddle until they’re lightly golden brown and your whole house will smell amaaaaazing. The best part about making your own: enjoy them warm with a little butter and jam, rolled up, and they’re pretty much the best thing ever. (We call them “jam things” in our family and it’s a tradition from when you’re about two until forever.)

If you don’t have homemade, don’t worry!! Just make sure to get the ones with a paper label on the inside (this means they’re legit) like Alejandro’s brand. Also, don’t be afraid to feel the tortillas before you put them in your cart. Make sure they’re soft and nice! You can use corn tortillas, but I find that the flour ones give it a better texture.

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