What's on my plate? Cooking with Plated

I learned about Plated through my work with Everymove. One of the rewards I earned was a discount on a Plated membership. Then I saw an ad on Facebook offering 4 meals for $20.

I set up my account but never ordered. Then last week I got an email saying my plates were going to expire. It was now or never.

I decided to choose 2 recipes that looked tasty and used ingredients I had never cooked with before and that I probably would not try on my own. I few days later my package arrived! 

I love the packaging, 

"This is your moment of glory!" What a great greeting for my foodie adventure!

In my box were all the major ingredients: fresh spices, carbs, veggies, and protein. I just had to supply the oil, salt, pepper and cookware. Let the fun begin!

Meal 1 I prepped for date night with the husband: Quail with Quince

I have never cooked quail or quince before. With a little help from The queen of quince I figured out how to core and pit the fruit. 

Then I prepped the potatoes, seasoning, and quail.

The final product was quite fancy.

The final product was delicious. I loved the taste of the Dijon seasoning on the quail. The balsamic have the quince a nice balance of sweet and tart. The plated description was pretty accurate, Quince taste like a blend of an apple and a pear. We had some leftover cucumber tomato salad so we added that to our meal for some added color and vegetables.

Meal 2: Pork Chops with Cider Gravy 

This time, with a little help from Martha, I learned how to chop a fresh fennel bulb and mince shallots.

It took me about an hour to prep this meal, it took a lil while to find videos and mince and chop, but it was soooo worth it. This was soooo good. 

We ate every succulent bite! The sweet and savory of the roasted fennel and apple salad was a perfect compliment to the pork chops. The cider gravy was an amazing glaze for the pork chop. Absolutely delicious! My favorite recipe of the 2 of tried.

Plated made me feel like a gourmet chef! I absolutely loved it.  The meals I picked were full of healthy oils and fat, low carb, high protein, paleo friendly, and were between 630-500 calories. So it is easy to fit them into my healthy lifestyle.

From the packaging to the positive feedback on Twitter and Instagram I loved the experience.  I look forward to my next Plated adventure!

Have you tried plated? What new recipe did you try?

Health and Happiness

Larissa

Making Every Move Count with EveryMove

Last month during FitBloggin, several people mentioned this New App EveryMove that you can use and get rewards for all the activity that you are already doing. My interest was peaked and I put the name in the back of my head for future reference. This month FitApproach offered me the opportunity to use EveryMove and write a review.

EveryMove came at the perfect time for me! July was full of activity from running the Peachtree, Walking all around Nashville, and Volunteering at SCW Mania. I racked up points and earned rewards fast! 

About the App:

EveryMove allows you to earn points towards rewards from sponsors.

- use any device you like to track your movements, everymove already syncs with some of the top devices and they are constantly adding more

- you can connect with friends and share your fitness journey or compete for a top spot on the leader board

- everymove has a diverse fitness library, the even had POUND and Zumba Listed

- at every level you earn a badge and REAL rewards!

For more on the perks of EverMove visit the FAQ page.

How I used it:

I currently don't own a polar loop, fuel band, jawbone, or any of the current fitness trackers, I am shopping around and EveryMove even has a link to help me choose the right device for me . I used a pedometer (I got it for free at a health fair) to track my daily steps, MapMyWalk (free app), MapMyRun (free app), and the EveryMoveApp(free app) to track my exercise.

During the 4th of July I ran 6.2 miles for the Peachtree. 

Then we traveled to Nashville to watch the fireworks. We really got in our steps walking around downtown Nashville.  

Then I earned major points during SCW Mania July 9th - 13th. 

I leveled up quickly after 5 days of "turn around "- moving fitness equipment around between presenters sessions and attending fitness sessions.

EveryMove encouraged me too move more throughout my day. If I add more steps I can get more points, I love earning points! Gus liked it to, I walk him more, I earn more points ;-) I even connected with an old friend who was also using EveryMove. We can "Share the Love" after active days, a 5 point Bonus! 

Added awesomeness. You can convert your points into a charitable donation if you like.

If you use a Fitness Tracker logging your points is even easier, you can sync your device and load activities instantly.

My favorite ways to earn points and sweat pink are weightlifting and groupfitness. I earned big points during my last lifting session. I have already earned a discount on Cellucor, donated to Make-A-Wish, and I am sweating my way towards 60% off Deluxe Whey. 

I am on my way to my next level and loving unlocking new rewards and sharing the love with my fellow Fit Geeks!

What devices or apps do you use to track your workouts?

Have you tried EveryMove?

Share your experiences in a comment below.

Health and Happiness

L