Fitness Tantra

Disney Fantasy Cruise Nassau and Lookout Cay

Sharing a recap of Disney cruise #1! Disney Fantasy to Nassau and Lookout Cay. Check out all of my top Disney Cruise tips in this post.

Hi friends! Happy Monday! How are you? I hope you’re having a wonderful start to the week. The kids are off for spring break (bless it) and we’re looking forward to planting all the things – the weather has been gorgeous – in addition to pool time with friends. We wanted to take a big trip but P said she was, “traveled out” (does such a thing exist?!) but after giving her some days to chill, we’ll probably go to San Diego for a night or two.

Today, I wanted to share a recap of our latest Disney Cruise. It was lucky #7 and it was an amaaaazing one. I never thought I’d be a *cruise person* but here we are. I LOVE IT. It’s a great opportunity to see parts of the world with your kiddos without having to schlep your stuff to multiple hotels. You have the same hub each night, with entertainment, food, and lovely acommodations on board. Disney cruises are a huge part of the reason why we’ve taken our kids to such amazing places since they were little, including Italy, France, Greece, Bahamas a few times, Mexico, and Alaska, in addition to Disney’s islands at Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay.

This cruise was a short one, and it was the perfect length to sneak in on their Rodeo Break.

Disney Fantasy Cruise Nassau and Lookout Cay

Embarkation day:

We traveled out of Port Canaveral, which was a pretty easy flight. We had a pretty early port arrival time, so we got on the ship and immediately went up to the pool for buffet lunch and swimming. The pool isn’t busy during this time, so the kids can ride the water slide a bunch of times while we enjoy a drink of the day.

We did the muster drill, the Sail a Wave party, and then enjoyed exploring the ship until dinner.

TBH dinner the first night… was bad. Usually the meals are pretty good but this one was borderline inedible. I had the duck which is already kind of a weird choice, and it’s like the duck was boiled in water. It made me a bit worried for the rest of the cruise, but the meals the remainder of the time were up to the usual standard. (Also thankfully they have room service and quick bite options on the pool deck. We had some late-night fries and burgers that night.)

The first night’s show was Aladdin, which the Pilot and P ditched in favor of playing the detective game. Liv and I enjoyed the show. The genie was hilarious.

Nassau:

Day 2 was in Nassau and we planned an excursion to Atlantis. We went to Atlantis last time we were in the Bahamas, and the kids loved it. It’s a gorgeous property with so much to do: tons of slides, the best lazy river, pools, beach, bay, etc. It was very easy to spend the entire day there.

Also worth mentioning that Atlantis has majorly stepped up their food game! I was able to get an awesome gf bowl with rice, jerk salmon, and some yucca chips.

I also got a pineaple with rum on the beach that was magically refilled a few times.

This night’s show was Frozen and it was the best cast I’ve seen. I think all parents internally groan a little when they have to hear, “Let it Go” for the billionth time, but this Elsa’s version gave me full-body chills. I almost cried. It was that good.

The girls loved the show so much that they went again to the late show. The Pilot and I had dinner by ourselves, which was weird but nice.

Lookout Cay:

It was our first time visint Disney’s newest island: Lookout Cay. They have a large bridge to get to the island in order to preserve the coral reef. It’s a bit of a walk (about 7-10 min) with a gorgeous view.

The water was PRISTINE: crystal clear and bright blue, and the beach had soft, pink sand. They have quite a few offerings on the island, including kids club, character interactions, show, etc, but we just spent the day in the water, ate our buffet lunch, and snorkeled.

(I forgot my Rx snorkle mask but brought these Rx goggles which allow me to be a fun mom but still see)

Sea Day:

Our last day was at sea, and I adore a sea day. We usually sleep in, enjoy breakfast,

go to the gym, bingo, the kids might hang out at the pool or go to kids club, and it’s just so very lovely and low-key. They have cruises that are like 13 nights of sea days and we need to do one! Everything you need is really on the ship.

This night was also pirate night, with a fun pirate show on the pool deck and fireworks.

Liv and the Pilot skipped this one, but P and I had a blast.

Eating gluten-free on a Disney Cruise:

Disney is incredible when it comes to food allergies. I’m always clear that P and I aren’t allergic, but they treat sensitivities as allergies (very seriously). Everything for food allergies is prepared in a separate kitchen and the key is that if you know you want something particular, you order it the night before with your server in the main dining room.

Almost anything can be made gluten-free including the famous Mickey churro waffles.

Last time we were on the Dream, they were just ok, but this time, they were GOOD. Hot, soft, fresh, amazing. They also have warm gluten-free rolls waiting for you at dinner each night.

Disney cruise outfits:

For cruises, I usually bring something comfy during the day, especially since I might work out. So I’ll wear lululemon and a Disney hoodie or pullover on the ship. At night, I’ll change for dinner into a dress and either a lightweight jacket, or a dress that has sleeves because it’s always a little bit chilly at night.

Farm Rio dress / Flabelus flats

Farm Rio romper from RTR / same flats

Farm Rio dress / same flats

My FAVE suit / button up

I also brought this suit and wore it on Atlantis day with jean shorts. It’s my favorite “mom suit” – comfortable, flattering, and covers my booty while I’m doing slides and making sand castles with the crew.

For excursions, I’ll change it up depending on where we’re going, but if it’s a beach day, I’ll just wear my suit with jean shorts and a coverup, or if it’s not swimming or beach-related, I’ll wear a dress or a set with sneakers (like Vejas or Sambas).

Are Disney cruises worth it??

This post isn’t sponsored or gifted in any way (I wish haha) but if you’re considering a Disney cruise with your family, I highly recommend it. Even if you’re not a *Disney person* they truly go above and beyond with entertainment, hospitality, ports of call, and cleanliness. I will say that I think the food quality for the main dining rooms has gone down over the past couple of years. It’s definitely not as good as it was our first few cruises.

We haven’t tried any other cruise lines because we’ve been happy with Disney. Since the kids are getting older, we might explore some other options – I’ve heard great things about Royal – but we will definitely stick Disney, too.

They released this commercial this past week which got me all in my feels, but it’s a good one:

So tell me, friends: have you done a Disney cruise? What did you think?

Are there any cruise lines you’d recommend with older kids?

xoxo

Gina

Disney Wonder Baja cruise

Disney Magic Bahamas and Castaway Cay

Disney Wonder Alaska cruise

Disney Dream Italy and Greece Mediterranean cruise

Disney Wish Castaway Cay and Bahamas cruise

Disney Fantasy Spain, Italy and France recap

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3.14 Friday Faves

Hi friends! Happy Friday! How was the week? Ours… sucked the life out of me lol. I’m so glad it’s the weekend! The Pilot has been traveling a lot, so I was doing to solo parenting thing and Liv had her Junior High show, plus P’s basketball and their insane amount of homework.

Flowers for Liv:

Our weekly stop at Chilln for nitrogen ice cream:

(my go-to is Nutella almond milk ice cream with Reese’s)

Now, it’s spring break, we’re chillin’ and I’m so glad! We were planning on leaving for a big trip this morning but decided to wait. (We were going to non-rev and flights to Paris were wide open.) The kids are pretty burned out and tired – P said, “Can we please stay home?”- so we’re giving them some extra time to relax. We might head up to Sedona for a couple of days but other than that, we’ll just be hanging out here at home, meeting up with friends, and going to the pool.

I’d love to hear what you have going on!

3.14 Friday Faves

Fashion, beauty, random:

Jeans from Ruti! They sent me a pair of their Palazzo pants to try and they fit so well (I’m in a size 4 petite) and the fabric is a dream. They’re definitely on the splurge-y side, but I can totally see the hype. I need to figure out how to style them (I’ll prob just wear with a tank and Sambas) but here is the link!

Ordered a couple of new things from Vuori including these shorts, this tank, and sticky socks for barre.

Maybe one of my favorite nail combos: dip with cat eye and white chrome on top.

Read, watch, listen:

Finished Bridgerton and omggggg. Best season in a long time. I LOVED IT and am so sad it’s over.

I’ve been loving this podcast recently. Dr. Connealy is one of my all-time faves and I love the mix of topics.

OneSkin is having a huge sale this weekend! My go-tos are their tinted moisturizer with SPF, the body lotion, and the lip mask. They contain their propietary OS-01 peptide, which can help with free radicals, signs of aging, and protect from further damage. I love their products and use them every day.

Fitness, health, and good eats:

These gummies have been saving me lately. It’s been a pretty stressful few months behind the scenes, and it got to a point where I wasn’t sleeping. I was lying in bed, worrying, ruminating, and in full flight or fight, borderline panic mode. None of my usual strategies were working.

This company had gifted me these gummies and after four nights of zero sleep, I decided to give it a try. I took half of one and within 30 minutes, I was wrapped in a warm blanket of calm.

It was like having a giant glass of wine, minus the alcohol, and minus the hangover.

They have adaptogens + CBD and a tiny bit of THC. I don’t take them every night, but when I feel stressed and my usual strategies don’t seem to be working, it’s been a gamechanger. I also took one before a huge social event, drank zero alcohol, and still had a BLAST. I just felt calm and didn’t feel my usual social anxiety.

If you want to give them a try, they’re having a huge promo this weekend. Stack my code GINAHARNEY to get free shipping!! Here is the link to check them out.

(After the promo ends, that code GINAHARNEY will work for a discount)

The butter mochi cake from Trader Joe’s is delicious (and gf!)

You need this gluten-free fruit tart in your life.

I’m giving away a Lumebox! Don’t forgot to enter on my Instagram.

Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today! Have an amazing weekend and I’ll see ya soon!

xoxo

Gina

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Easy Enchiladas with Rotisserie Chicken

These easy enchiladas with rotisserie chicken are great for meal prep and are always a family favorite!

Hi friends! Have you ever craved enchiladas but are intimated by the recipe process? I feel ya. Enchiladas seem like they would be a lot of work, but take my word for it, they can be quite easy to throw together with a few shortcuts. It’s one of my go-to crowdpleaser family meals; the girls go wild for them.

These enchiladas with rotisserie chicken are my go-to for weekend meal prep. I make a large tray or two that can be stored in the fridge or freezer and cooked up during the week. They also make the perfect meal to bring to friends or family who need an extra helping hand (new baby, feel-better food, etc.).

A couple of tricks I swear by to make enchilada making easy are 1) don’t make your sauce (but if you want to, here’s my recipe), and 2) buy pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.

We usually serve the enchiladas with rice, beans, and big ol’ salad on the side. I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!

Easy Enchiladas with Rotisserie Chicken

Rotisserie chicken enchiladas are practically the perfect meal. They’re easy to prepare, they taste amazing, and they’re packed with healthy ingredients. If you’re looking for a healthy and delicious recipe to cook at home, chicken enchiladas should be at the top of your list.

The best part about chicken enchiladas is that you can customize them to your taste. Use flour or corn tortillas, add black beans or diced green chiles, and don’t forget the secret ingredient that makes them extra special. The sauce and cheese on top make everything better, and with a sprinkle of Monterey Jack, you’ll have a melt-in-your-mouth experience.

One of the best things about chicken enchiladas is that you can make them ahead of time. Just assemble the enchiladas in a baking dish, pour the remaining sauce on top, and keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake them. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

In terms of health benefits, chicken enchiladas are a fantastic option. Using rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own saves time and is often lower in fat. Plus, you can pack in all kinds of nutritious veggies and spices to get your daily dose of healthy nutrients. Drizzle some olive oil on top for an extra kick of flavor and healthy fats.

This chicken enchilada recipe makes two pans full of enchiladas; about 12 servings. If you’re going to make one pan, you might as well make two! Freeze the extra one, or give it to a friend or neighbor!

Ingredients:

2 rotisserie chickens, shredded and placed in a large mixing bowl

2 cans of red enchilada sauce. I like the Las Palmas or La Victora brand

1 sweet onion, diced

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cumin

32 oz shredded cheese (I like to use Mexican cheese)

12 flour tortillas – you can also use corn or Siete tortillas

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and make sure you have two 9×13 in casserole dishes ready to go.

Start the sauce. In a large pot on medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in a little butter, for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the oregano and cumin, and stir well. Stir in the canned enchilada sauce.

Add 4-6 oz of sauce to the shredded chicken and two big handfuls of cheese. Stir to combine. This is your filling!

Heat the tortillas. You want them to be soft and pliable, so they don’t break as you fill them.

Place a ladle of sauce at the bottom of each casserole dish and spread around, so the bottom is lightly coated with sauce.

Grab one tortilla, and place the chicken mixture in the middle seam, lengthwise. You want there to be a decent amount of chicken and cheese mixture in it, but make sure it isn’t *too full* to roll neatly. Roll it up and place it in the pan. Continue filling and rolling, until you’ve made 12-14 enchiladas.

Cover each pan in the sauce, until there are no exposed tortilla edges. You can drench it a bit, it’s ok.

Cover each pan in cheese and top with foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbly.

You can broil the enchiladas for 2-4 minutes until the cheese is nice and browned, too.

Finish with your favorite toppings, like sour cream, salsa, chopped green onion, or cilantro, and serve! We also love these with guacamole.

Easy Enchiladas with Rotisserie Chicken

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5 from 1 review

A soul-hugging Mexican comfort food dish, made easier with store-bought sauce and rotisserie chicken.

Author: Gina Harney // The Fitnessista
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 12-14

Ingredients

2 rotisserie chickens, shredded and placed in a large mixing bowl. You can also use cooked skinless chicken breasts, but season them well with salt, pepper, and oregano

2 28-oz cans of red enchilada sauce. I like the Las Palmas or La Victora brand

1 sweet onion, diced

3–4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cumin

32 oz shredded Mexican cheese blend (a mix of cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese works well)

12 flour tortillas – you can also use corn or Siete tortillas

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and make sure you have two 9×13 in casserole dishes ready to go.

Start the sauce. In a large pot on medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in a little butter, 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the oregano and cumin, and stir well. Stir in the canned enchilada sauce.

Add 4-6 oz of sauce to the shredded chicken and two big handfuls of cheese. Stir to combine. This is your filling!

Heat the tortillas. You want them to be soft and pliable, so they don’t break as you fill them.

Place a ladle of sauce at the bottom of each casserole dish and spread around, so the bottom is lightly coated with sauce.

Grab one tortilla, and place the chicken mixture in the middle seam, lengthwise. You want there to be a decent amount of chicken and cheese mixture in it, but make sure it isn’t *too full* to roll neatly. Roll it up and place seam-side down in the pan. Continue filling and rolling, until you’ve made 12-14 enchiladas.

Cover each pan in the sauce, until there is no exposed tortilla edges. You can drench it a bit, it’s ok.

Cover each pan with shredded cheese and top with foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbly.

You can broil the enchiladas for 2-4 minutes until the cheese is nice and browned, too.

Top with chopped green onion or cilantro, and serve!

Notes

This recipe makes two large pans of enchiladas. Freeze the extra pan for later, or give it to a neighbor or friend!

So what are you waiting for? Whip up a batch of easy chicken enchiladas tonight and watch as your friends and family gobble them up with glee. You’ll love the taste and they’ll love the health benefits. It’s a win-win situation!

The best ceviche recipe (with cooked shrimp!)

Sharing a quick, easy and super delicious ceviche recipe where you actually cook the shrimp but preserve the perfect texture. This recipe is ideal for an spring or summer BBQs or dinner parties!

Hi friends! How are you? I hope your week is off to an amazing start. I’m still working on my Disney cruise recap post – should be up Wednesday! – but for today, I wanted to share a DELICIOUS healthy appetizer recipe: ceviche!!

Ceviche is a classic and especially good during the summer. It wasn’t something I make often at home, but my friend Kathryn brought it over last summer and we all devoured it. It was fresh, beautifully flavored, and so so delicious. When we had family dinner last night, I knew it would make a perfect appetizer.

Here’s the deal, though: “cooking” the shrimp in lime juice freaks me out. I know it’s the common method for making ceviche, but I know too much about parasites lol.

Yes, the acid from the limes can turn the color of the shrimp opaque so that they appear to be cooked. It kills a little bit of the bacteria, but not all of it. (You can download my free parasite cleansing guide here!) I don’t eat a ton of raw fish anymore, and while I definitely wanted ceviche, I wanted HEAT to kill the bacteria so I could stuff my face and not worry about any creepy crawlers.

So I did what any girl would do: called my brother the chef and asked him if I could saute the shrimp first.

He legit laughed at me and informed me that it would be a rubbery disaster.

“Blanch it. Just for like a minute and then put it in an ice bath.”

“Ok, so just put it in boiling water for a minute?”

“Yes but add stuff to it so it actually tastes good. Make a blanching liquid with peppercorns, lots of salt, flavor it up.”

So that’s what I did! It turned out AMAZING and I’m pumped to share the recipe with you!!

The best ceviche recipe (with cooked shrimp!)

Ingredients:

Blanching liquid: water, salt, peppercorns

Raw deveined shrimp (I get ours from ButcherBox)

3 large avocadoes

The juice of 6-8 limes (about 1 cup of lime juice)

1 1/2 large English cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 red onion, diced

3 large tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 jalapeño, seeded and diced

1 buch of cilantro, diced

Garlic powder, salt, pepper, sriracha, and Worcestershire sauce (the secret ingredient!!!)

Worth mentioning here that I chopped almost everything with this contraption and also cut the heck out of two of my fingers. It says, “don’t touch the blades” and this means even while you’re washing it, even if they don’t *seem* sharp. Don’t do it.

(it only didn’t work on the tomatoes)

Instructions:

Step one:

Prep the blanching liquid by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Add lots of salt, a palmful of peppercorns, and if you’d like, a whole head of garlic, sliced in half.

Prep an ice bath for the shrimp so it’s ready to go.

Step two:

Blanch the shrimp for 1 minute until opaque. Immediately drain and put into the ice bath.

Step three:

To a large boil, add the tomato, onion, jalapeño, cucumber, cilantro, and chop the avocado. Add to the top of the bowl.

Chop the shrimp and add to the bowl.

Step four:

Pour the lime juice on top and season the heck out of it with garlic powder, salt (go easy on the salt at first, especially if you’re using salty tortilla chips to serve), and pepper. Drizzle sriracha on top and add about 1 teaspoon of Worchestershire sauce. Mix. Taste it on a tortilla chip (<— this is important!) and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Devour!!! I would make this max 2-4 hours in advance and store in the fridge until serving. You will love it! You can also serve this with this 4-ingredient guacamole.

Ok friends: what’s your favorite spring or summer appetizer? Please share the goods in the comments section!

Gina

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3.6 Friday Faves

Hi friends! Happy Friday! How was the week? Ours was a good one. We came back from the cruise and both kids had stomach bugs (the worst! Also this is the first time this has happened following a cruise), so a pretty low-key start to the week. I’m working on my cruise recap now and will post it early next week!

Take me baaaaack to the land of no chores, beach time, nightly shows, and gluten-free Mickey waffles.

What are you up to this weekend? P has a basketball tournament, we have a couple of NCL events, and the family is coming over for dinner. I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead!