Autumn Rose Reo

Workout Your Way with Curves

September 28, 2017 By Autumn Rose Reo 13 Comments

Want a workout that’s easy, effective and empowers you? This one-stop-shop is all that (and more) and has a 25 year success record.

Thank you Curves® International for sponsoring this post and getting me to get moving for me!

I love to work out.

Well let me rephrase…I love how I feel and how I look AFTER I have worked out.

It’s getting the energy to do it that’s hard.

And considering time is something I don’t have a lot of, working out is often what gets put on the bottom of the to-do list right there with kid-free time with my friends.

I’m sad to say that both of these often get the shaft even though we all know they are necessary for a healthy well-being!

So in efforts to keep 2017 a year for healthy change, Girl Time (which included a lot of wineing) would turn intoCurves® Time by working out with my girls.

The idea was supposed to be something all of us would be comfortable doing and easy for us to catch up while we got in our workout time!

On our first trip, we received a warm welcome from our coaches and in no time went to work!

And thankfully there wasn’t a lot of confusing exercises or instructions – you just listed to the music and gave it your best shot for two rounds of interval cardio and machine work. We finished up with a series of stretches – and man, you needed those.

Ironically, it didn’t feel like work but I could tell from the heavy breathing (and a pulse check – part of the workout), I was making a difference all while hanging with my friends. #multitasking

That day we committed to a month-long promise to keep each other accountable to working out together as a team. And keep us moving when we wanted to skip out when it seemed like there were too many other things to do.

There was sign on the wall that I always look at that makes so much sense.

And all it takes is 30 MINUTES!

So many of us put ourselves on the bottom of the list. Ironically, not doing something for yourself, especially when it comes to your health is how you become better for everyone else.

Make FALL into a good habit this season and make time for you and if you want, your friends too. Now’s a perfect time to sign up for Curves® since they’re celebrating 25 years of making a difference!

And make sure to keep following me on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) to see me check-in my progress. And because I did a health assessment when I began my Curves Journey (it’s part of their process too!), I’ll reveal what happened to me after 30 days!

About Curves

Curves® is a one-stop-shop for every woman’s fitness needs. By enrolling in the Curves Fitness® Program, women are able to participate in a 30 minute, total-body workout on strength training machines. These circuit classes are designed to burn fat, increase strength, and kick start weight loss. Curves® members not only work every core muscle group in just 30 minutes, but they also become a part of a supportive group of empowered women.

Are you ready to get #CurvesStrong?

This post was sponsored by Curves International but the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Best Fall Sandwich: Roasted Brussels Sprouts Grilled Cheese

September 27, 2017 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Move over pumpkin, brussels sprouts are this season’s flavor du jour. And this easy grilled cheese complete with caramelized onions and gouda is the easiest way to fall in love with fall all over again.

Like most kids, I hated brussels sprouts.

They spelled bad and they tasted worse.

Then, like boys, and naps, as an adult, my taste changed and brussels sprouts became one of my favorite things.

So when I found myself hungry for something different to eat one day at lunch, I did what we all have done…I stood in front of the fridge and stared at the contents waiting for them to whisper the best thing ever to make.

Something that said, Alton Brown would approve.

Something that said, “fall is in the air” and gave me the warm and fuzzies (instead of the heat that was actually trickling down my back from the Texas heat.)

And something that said, “sandwich.”

I find that sandwiches are the best thing ever and with the exception of liverwurst, there’s not a lot that isn’t good between two slices of bread.

Basking in the Frigidaire golden hue, the quick light bulb moment brought me to a brussels sprouts grilled cheese sandwich.

How could that be bad? Right?

But you know how it could be better? Caramelized onions…and GOUDA.

Unfortunately, I didn’t want an hour for the caramelized onions. Those babies make the world a better place, but not without a little blood, sweat and tears (literally.)

But you know what – in a pickle – caramelized onions CAN happen with a little sweet shortcut. BROWN SHUGA. (Yes, brown sugar.)

So two skillets out – one for onions, one for bread I went to it.

And in just about 15 minutes my new baby was born – the Brussels Sprouts Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions.

And in just about 20 minutes I was biting into it and it was THAT good.

A little crunch, a little sweetness, a little creamy gouda, and no meat.

However, I’m pretty sure if you wanted to throw in a little bacon, it might cause you to do a little dance.

So the next time you sit down to some brussels at dinner, I’d suggest you either hold back a cup or two for leftovers or do what I do and double the batch just so you can make this.

Take it from a gal named Autumn, you’ll be putting this in your recipe playlist.

And song list suggestion for this dining moment: Take it from Billboard on this one and let it ride the whole way through.

Brussels Sprouts Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions

Author: Autumn Reo of mamachallenge.com

Print Recipe

Description

This is the best flavors of fall sandwiched together between two pieces of bread.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pieces bread (This is where crusty bread, especially gluten free does amazing!)
1 cup brussels sprouts, sliced (you can use leftovers)
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon water
1 slice gouda cheese (or 3!)

Instructions

To make caramelized onions, melt tablespoon butter to a medium high skillet and add onions.
Stir them around to not stick and let them begin breaking down.
Add sugar and continue stirring. After a few minutes, add water and turn down heat to medium to let the water and sugar liquify into sweet sauce. Set aside.
To cook brussels sprouts, melt butter to a medium hot skillet. Next add the brussels and still to cook.
Depending on how you like yours, I like a little crunch, so let them get golden brown but not get completely wilted (I like a mix.)
Next in another skillet add bread that’s been buttered on all sides.
Let it get golden and add brussels sprouts and then onions.
Lastly, add cheese and cover with slice.
Let both sides get nice and golden.
Serve immediately!

Notes

You can use other cheeses, but Gouda has a great flavor and melts perfectly with these ingredients.

Lemon Lavender Cupcakes (Just like Magnolia Bakery)

September 21, 2017 By Autumn Rose Reo 44 Comments

Wish you could take a little bit of Magnolia home with you? With this copycat recipe for their signature Lemon Lavender Cupcakes you can!

A trip to Magnolia Market in Waco is like a checking off the ideal bucket list: a place for the perfect farm house decor, a destination for just enjoying the simple things with friends among the green space, and of course, a taste for the bestest cupcakes (like lemon lavender ones) from Magnolia Bakery.

There’s a reason that thousands of people stand in line just for the chance to order and bite into a few delectable treats and walk through Joanna’s sweet design. While we were there we ordered one of each and we’re lucky to get the last lemon lavender cupcake left.

And each bite was absolutely perfect.

Like each and every bite was better the one before it and you just kept wanting more as you glanced around panorama style at the Pinterest-perfect place they’ve built.

When we returned from our one-day journey, we yearned for a little piece of Magnolia Market to have with us all the time. So we planted our own piece of gardening heaven complete with lavender in our own little wine barrel and have enjoyed it all summer-long.

And we also yearned for that lavender cupcake.

So of course, with lots of lavender, logically I had a hundred reasons to make my own.

Unfortunately I had one BIG one that kept me from cranking them out…the recipe.

And while we all feel like Chip and Jo are our besties (and should be), she isn’t about to share that recipe (at least not yet.)

So I had to take matters into my own hands and make up my own.

After a few different tries having to slave over cupcake batter and icing recipes (and an education on all things lavender), I came up with what I think is a good reproduction. So much so that we even found the cupcake wrappers to put them in. While my icing skills still could have a little more practice, I was able to shoot a few photos before quickly gobbling these up.

And it was a good gobble.

It’s like sunshine, cream, summer goodness – in a cute little round package.

However, there’s always harvesting that lavender to enjoy this cupcake well after autumn and winter has set in.

So if you get a chance to go to Magnolia especially during this, go. If you can’t, this recipe might help you cope until you do (or make it a lot more fun to watch them on TV.)