It wasn’t so long ago I posted on my old blog about a career change. I went from a 2nd grade teacher and reading specialist, to a stay-at-home mama, to a personal trainer and group ex instructor.
Apparently I’m trying to fit in every occupation known to mankind before this happens.
Well now I am not so much switching, but adding on. I just received my materials to study for the AASDN Nutrition Specialist Certification Program.
I’ve always been weirdly into food, just never had the credentials to back it up. I’m hoping to build a library of meal plans and workout videos over this next year to launch a complete online resource catered to moms, of course, with nutrition plans, recipes and quickie workouts.
My rules for launching this new venture whenever I get around to it:
Recipes need to have only a handful of ingredients
Recipes also need to have under 5 steps
Meals need to be kid-friendly and flexible
Workouts need to stay QUICK
Would love to hear what you would look for in an online exercise/nutrition program before I start masterminding
Like last Monday I wanted to share a few recipes I made last week.
These for dessert.. because we obviously need to start with that
I added Enjoy Life Chocolate chips to them (allergy-free and a lot less saturated fat than regular)
Combinations of this for Gentry to munch on for lunch
Cauliflower Tots
I’ve basically been pulling out frozen organic veggies, steaming them, food processing them, adding an egg and whole wheat bread crumbs, throwing them in muffin tins and baking. Combinations I’ve tried besides the cauliflower one above:
1. Zucchini, avocado
2. Quinoa, broccoli, peas, carrots and corn
Gentry has been eating a lot of muffins.
These salmon burgers for us
I added avocado and carrots
And these Greek turkey meatballs on top of a quinoa/brown rice blend
Again, my pictures are AWFUL so I’m using these wonderful cooks’ own and giving them 100% credit!
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I’m still sore, yes STILL sore from the NYC Half last Sunday (don’t judge) but I managed to capture this beauty of a workout for you. It’s called 2 minute pyramid rounds. So do 1 rep of the first exercise, immediately followed by 1 of the second. Then do 2 reps of the first exercise followed by 2 reps of the second. Keep laddering up until you get to two minutes.
How could I make my online nutritional and exercise offerings better for moms out there?
What’s your favorite thing about blogs that share recipes?
How are all the pregnant (and non pregnant) mamas handling life out there?
Be Mom Strong 
I think adding nutritionist to your plate (pun intended!) is a great idea! And healthy, easy recipes? Yes, please!! Yum!
Yay! I love this addition to your professional portfolio.
Not a mom, and clearly make lots of crazy meals, but, if you want it to work for moms:
Make it mobile accessible (easy to read on phones, an easy print button that includes shopping lists, even the ability to add to meal planning or to do apps). Options. For most meals have an option for vegetarians or vegans, and note those that are gluten, soy, nut and dairy free (big allergens). And give them a Gentry scale. Basically an easy way for parents to say, ooh Gentry loved it, my kids might too.
I always always love your ideas!! Thank you Cyanne!!
I think kid friendly is fantastic. I’d also like to see more just for kids type foods. You know, foods I can easily fix my toddler for lunch, but not necessarily want to eat myself, because she certainly doesn’t want my super not exciting salad with nothing on it because I’m saving my calories for dinner…. Or I know your not at the packing lunches for school stage of your life, but I find myself wishing I had better ideas (and more time), everything I see has cute cutouts of stars and hearts- ain’t nobody got time for that (
Great ideas. Kids tend to like different stuff then us so why not let them have some fun too?!
I think it’s awesome you want to get a nutrition certification to back your knowledge! I also think it’s amazing that you’re not afraid to try new careers. I wish I had the nerve to make some changes!! Maybe one day.
I think quick recipes with few steps are the best.
In a previous comment reply to me you said how labour intensive Oh She Glows recipes are. You’re right- I only make her recipes on a weekend. I can’t imagine being a mom and trying to make a recipe with tons of steps to it.
I’m super excited for this next stage of your career and the blog 🙂
Thanks Abby. Yes her recipes look amazing but too much for me in the kitchen!
I would definitely appreciate recipes with minimal ingredients and steps. Not only because this is the best way to know what you are eating and make it clean, but I just don’t have time to spend 2 hours making dinner!
I hear you loud and clear!!
Love your new career path, I feel like it’s similar to my own. I was a PE teacher for 8 years, now a NSCA-CSCS, group fitness instructor, online coach, stay-at-home-mom(ish). I am curious to see how your nutrition stuff goes because I am certainly interested myself. I love this workout! Probably going to steal this idea for my boot camp class this week so thanks! 🙂
Steal away!! Love how many people are getting into nutrition now!
I love your plans Emma!
Meals that don’t require a lot of supervision are key for me right now. I have to be able to bounce from the kitchen to the play mat quickly and doing lots of sauteing or stirring doesn’t work.
Good call- adult ingredients (aka no supervision, right?!)
I have a 2 year old and another on the way, and work full time, so I love quick and healthy recipes. I really like your rules and would also love to see: meals that don’t require much monitoring time (prep at the beginning and then pop it in to cook) and meals that make enough so they can be frozen for later or at least have leftovers for lunch. I would also love a guide to ingredients – aka, can I get them at the normal grocery store or do I have to go to Whole Foods?
Perfect ideas! Thanks!!
It sounds like the perfect addition to round out your certifications for your new venture! Can’t wait to see (and try) the recipes you post!
Thanks Debbie!!!
Yes to ALL of that. I need very few ingredients and very little prep time. I would love a food resource like that as I feel like I make the same things all the time!!
I actually got to watch the video today and I love it!!! I think I’m going to teach a ladder class like this for my Wednesday power sculpt. Of course, I’ll add a lot of weights but do the same 1 and 1, then 2 and 2 and so on for 2 minute rounds. Great workout…and you look awesome!!!
I stole a similar format to a guy that does Bootcamp at our Y. Except that he had us do it for 5 min which I thought was a little too long for my pregnant self!
I love your new plans. I do as much food prep on the weekends so I am looking for recipes that I can either freeze or that hold up well refrigerated for a couple of days. I was told today when I was leaving the gym that I was looking big. So my workout clothes are getting a little snug but come on don’t tell a pregnant lady that you are looking big. She then explained that it just seemed like yesterday that I told her I was pregnant and my belly is getting bigger. It didn’t really help the situation. Only 4 more days until we find out what we are having!!!!!!!!!
Oh wow. People have no filters sometimes haha!!! You’re pregnant. Embrace that bigness!!! Make sure you post back on here and let me know what you’re having!!! Yay!!
I LOVE finding recipes that use the least amount of ingredients, yet also use ingredients that make me scratch my head and go: WHAT?!?! lol!! So if you can bring some of those to the “table” – I’d love it! 🙂
Love scratch your head ingredients!!
Where do I sign up for the salmon burger and the tots. You do delivery, right?… RIGHT???
Hahaha. You don’t want my cooking but de try them yourself!!
Your Six Word Holiday had me laughing out loud over at Eli’s blog today. Excellent choice. And congrats on adding another qualification to your name- like you, I’ve followed lots of career paths, including group ex instructor, special ed teacher, physical therapist, stay at home mom, and now, novelist! We just want to get as much as we can out of life, right?! Good luck!
Aw thanks Julia. But wouldn’t that be nice for men to know?! And very well put as far as the career choices go!