Food and Workout Blog

2012-01-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

Here's another one! All about sugar addiction. So interesting!!!!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/undergroundwellness/2011/11/04/overcoming-sugar-addiction-with-jill-escher
You can also download it for free from itunes. I listen to these from my phone -which makes it really convenient b/c then I can listen to it anywhere - while driving, exercising, around the house, etc...

I have really been trying to listen to my body by being aware of how I feel after a meal. I am dragging my feet at the conclusions I am coming to! Grrrr. I am finding/realizing that it's not just refined sugar that I'm addicted to... it's carbs -which essentially, our body treats as sugar. Oatmeal (not cooked) w/ cinnamon, maybe some peanut butter, and a few raisins with milk is a HUGE treat for me... but my body doesn't respond well to it. I don't know why I'm surprised, with the dried fruit, milk, and high carbs of the oatmeal. I've been in denial. But, my body doesn't lie... and I want to listen. (In case you're wondering what "doesn't respond well to" means- my tummy bloats/gas, I want to eat more (my mouth is hungry), I get tired etc.)
I've also noticed I do really well with a lot of vegetables in the morning. This morning I had my usual 3 eggwhites cooked w/ onion and sweet peppers, 1 over-med egg, and a bunch of kale chopped and saute'd in coconut oil. A plateful of goodness. I feel good after that. My energy is up, I'm satiated... A good way I monitor how I'm feeling is asking myself if I'm ready for a hard workout or long run. If my answer is noooooo - then I know I should probably cut that food out. And that's where I am with oatmeal. -At least how I prepare it when not cooked. I do better with a small amount of cooked oatmeal b/c I'm only adding the cinnamon...

Eat well, be happy!

*UPDATE*
Lunch was: tilapia, pan roasted onion, peppers, zucchini and kale (added at the end) cooked in coconut oil. Very satisfying. I need good amounts of protein at each meal to feel good.
Snack: 1/2 apple and peanut butter
Ran into a friend at the gym and had a great workout!!
Snack (pre dinner) pistachios
Dinner: Steak fajita salad- red lettuce, spinach, steak strips, onion, sweet peppers, dollop of greek yogurt, avocado slices, topped with fresh squeezed lemon and pepper.

2012-01-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

Listened to this podcast today and THOROUGHLY enjoyed it! It is an hour long- so listen while you clean house, or workout! sooooooo fascinating!

http://feeds2.feedburner.com/thelivinlowcarbshow/feed (Episode 531 w/ Sean Croxton)

or here:

http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/the-llvlc-show-episode-531-sean-croxton-takes-us-over-to-the-dark-side-of-fat-loss/12796

you'll be able to see the show notes and what was discussed. Let me know if you listen and what you think- I was hooked.

Dinner rocked tonight

2012-01-10T19:40:00.001-08:00

I really love to cook. Don't get me wrong- the time factor isn't always welcomed but it is so enjoyable to me. Especially when the food is so satisfying and looks awesome plated. It is like a little celebration each meal. :) I don't cook like this every night, but I am learning to be more creative and I am actually wanting to.
Tonights menu included: spaghetti squash with red sauce and meatballs, roasted asparagus, onions, sweet peppers and zucchini. I cooked whole wheat noodles for the boys.
If interested in recipes- give me a holler.

Meatballs

2012-01-09T20:37:00.001-08:00

I have to thank my sister Kim for these babies. I went to my local health food store and picked up 3 lbs. of turkey and 1lb (I think) of bison. I had a refrigerator stock full of fresh produce. I put in the processor: 4 carrots, 3-4 celery stalks, 1.5 onion, zucchini and yellow squash. (sweet peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, spinach etc. Would also be great) I also chopped up @ 1c of cilantro and probably 2-3c of kale. I got a huge bowl and combined my meat and veggies. I added a generous amount of pepper, 4 cloves of minced garlic, steak seasoning, oregano, italian seasoning, and mixed it all with my hands. I took my ice cream scoop and made meatballs. I also sprayed my mini muffin pan and plopped my meat in them.. And mini loaf pans (there was a lot of meat) Cook for 20-30 minutes (I took my meatballs out around 20 mins..
Meanwhile, I put about 1tbsp of coconut oil in a pan and cooked on medium heat: eggplant, sweet peppers, & brussel sprouts (ends cut off and halved) after 8-10 min. Then I de-ribbed and finely chopped a bunch of kale and set it on top of my veggies and stirred occasionally as it wilted. It was a mice side to my meatballs!
Now my freezer is stalked with meatballs that I can defrost and eat for a quick protein/veggie source or throw into a sauce for a meal. And all my boys like them- sooooo tasty!

Veggies

2012-01-05T13:46:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!
Are u wanting to incorporate more vegetables into your diet but are struggling to do so?? Start roasting them- yum o yum! You can top them on a salad and drizzle an olive oil/vinegar blend over top or eat them on their own. Won't disappoint.
I cut up any and all vegetables I have- mushrooms, onion, zucchini, squash, Brussel sprouts, eggplant and peppers. Asparagus is another great one. Fill a gallon bag full of veggies, pour 1/4c of melted butter (the real stuff people) and then shake till your heart is content. Pour onto a baking sheet and bake @425 for 20ish minutes - I havent really timed it- but to your liking.
So some of you might be thinking, "butter...wha?" yes. I have been listening to and reading about paleo. It's been interesting stuff and I'm willing to give things a shot. The thinking behind this is that if you are limiting the amounts of carbs you're eating to fruits and veggies- you need healthy/natural sources of fat for your body to burn as fuel (butter, coconut oil, olive oil, meats, nuts) and let's be honest, to feel satiated. I have to say ive been loving the roasted brussels & eggplant!!

Kale is my new favorite

2012-01-05T13:30:00.001-08:00

I made a lunch that I thoroughly enjoyed so I am sharing it with you.
I had cooked chicken legs in the fridge, a ton of kale, and some pomegranates. So I de-ribbed my kale and chopped it up and set it in my pan, added some chopped chicken and drizzled about 1tbsp of pomegranate vinegar & olive oil mixed- sautéd for about 5 min on med-high (until the kale wilted) then topped with pomegranate seeds. Loved the combination!

A better alternative

2011-12-23T14:43:00.001-08:00

Are you ever itching to bake but always end up regretting it?? I have found a great alternative from 101 cookbooks. It's a cookie with no eggs, flour, or sugar... And surprisingly, they're great.
The bananas and coconut oil rend a satisfying amount of sweetness!

Recipe/directions:
Mix/mash 4 small ripe bananas.
Add 1/4 c slightly heated coconut oil. (or you could substitute olive oil) - I've used both - but will say the coconut oil adds a great flavor.
Add 1 tsp. Vanilla, mix.
Add 2.5c o blended oats, 1c almond meal (I just blend raw almonds), 1/2 c unsweetened coconut, and 1 tsp baking powder, cinnamon and dash of salt.
Then chop 1/2c-3/4c raisins and mix- you could you substitute dark chocolate or craisins.... Dark choc 75% or higher) would probably be the best out of all of them on a glycemic index...
Mix and bake at 350 for 10-12 min. I've also made these into bars for my boys' lunches/snacks and they love them.

Breakfast

2011-12-13T19:49:00.001-08:00

This has been a typical breakfast lately, and I'm lovin it!
3 egg whites scrambled, 1 'dippy' egg, 1/4 avocado, homemade salsa. *smack*

So it has been FIVE weeks sans sugar (and 2 bdays mind you!) Did I tell you about last week? Boys and hubby eating ice cream- jess is begging me to try the ice cream b/c it's Amazing.... After 10x of saying no I'm good and him getting mad at me he put it to my mouth so I took a taste to get him off my back. Why is it so hard for people when others don't want to partake?? I'm sure it could be a good study. Anywho- this week I was able to make cupcakes and frosting without tasting or eating... Not missing it... Hell has officially frozen over peeps! :)

Kale chips

2011-12-07T19:29:00.001-08:00

I have really enjoyed kale this year! Just recently I started making kale chips... They are light and crisp and enjoyable to munch on!
Preheat oven to 350'F.
Wash kale and take off ribs, then cut or rip leaves into 'chip' size pieces. Throw them all in a gallon size ziplock with a capful of olive oil and shake. Lay them out on a cookie sheet, salt and pepper and bake for 12ish minutes- watch them- if they still look like they have moisture in them, keep baking. Here is a before and after pic:

QUITTING SUGAR...

2011-12-05T19:11:00.001-08:00

The thought or idea of even quitting sugar made me nervous/scared/stressed- I was so emotionally attached to it. That's what ENJOYMENT was! But really it wasn't. It was a ball and chain - a heavy ball and chain. It got to the point where I was no longer in control; sugar controlled me. I needed it every day and I couldn't stop once I started. Every day I felt bad- physically, and emotionally I'd beat myself up for lack of self control. So I decided enough was enough. My mom was in town and I asked her how long she's gone before without sugar. She replied, "I don't know, I've never tried." So I asked her if she wanted to... and so it started. It has been 3 weeks. (I know, not that long.) But it's a mini success. I'm not searching/waiting for my next fix or feeling deprived or sorry for myself. It just 'is'. For some reason, making a "pact" was just what I needed to stop -to be accountable to someone... I was able to 'detach' myself from the emotional chains sugar had on me. I started feeling great -and continue to feel great and don't want to go back! (I have to keep telling myself that) Yes, I've been tempted -like tonight when I made my boys ice cream cones and the ice cream got all over my fingers... but I knew how I've been feeling was worth not going back. Yes, I've had the internal dialog with myself about how every-once-in-a-while shouldn't hurt. And in reality, it SHOULDN'T and really doesn't, but I'm not at that point in my life. How I interpret it, the Word of Wisdom was for the "Weakest of all Saints"- For those that weren't able to use moderation, (and those that were humble) so it was better to abstain. That's kinda where I'm at with sugar. I am unable to use it in moderation- so I've been feeling like it's just better to kick that habit. And that took YEARS to 'emotionally' get to this point and be willing to do it.
In the past, I've hosted numerous Wellness Challenges that have 10 daily habits to 'do' or not do. Abstaining from sugar, junk food etc. was part of that 12 week challenge. With that said, one day a week was a 'free day'. Oh, what a horrible phrase. I would equate free day to literally going crazy ALL day. I pretty much negated everything good I had done that week in one day- because more often than not there was little to no moderation. I would overeat on the sweets on my free day. I would obsess all week about what I was going to have on my free day. My free day was usually on a Sunday, and so I got into this horrible pattern/habit of always making a dessert on Sunday, well after the challenge was over. What a bad habit to take away from a well-meaning challenge. So, I'm pretty much 'over' the 'free day' concept. Doesn't work for someone like me. I know I negated everything good I had done, because now, not having sugar for 3 weeks (I did have cranberry sauce and pickled beets on Thanksgiving) it's crazy how the muffin top has just shrunk. 4lbs. in 3 weeks. Not too shabby for not trying -It's a great bonus to feeling GREAT.
Several things that have kept me going have been reading blogs and listening to podcasts. Constantly being reminded of goals, and listing to like-views ensures success! With that said, the little health knowledge I thought I had has been rocked, and I am starting to question everything... Which is the right way?! I'll share what I mean in a future post. Beauty sleep awaits!

Dinner

2011-12-04T21:50:00.001-08:00

Gearing up for a 'confession' post... Talking about quitting sugar, 'the challenge', word of wisdom, and probably asking my questions out loud...
With that said- today was fast Sunday. I love fasting and what it does for my body and soul.
To break my fast I made a kale and butternut squash salad, had beets and leftover salmon. Looks pretty, right? Truth be told- I've found I don't care for leftover fish and I prefer to cook my own beets- these were in the produce isle- pre-cooked. Not my fav either- so I helped myself to more salad and butternut squash- that did not disappoint. :)
Happy eating!

I'm back! :)

2011-12-03T16:33:00.001-08:00

Now that I've figured out posting from my phone- I can't wait to share pics of meals, and things I have been learning!

Here is a great snack/meal:

1/2c cottage cheese, scallions, sweet red, yellow, orange peppers chopped, cucumber, leaves of Brussel sprout, PEPPER. yum!

2011-05-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

Cucumber Peanut Salad
(Adapted from 101cookbooks.com)

Ingredients:
-3 medium cucumbers, partially peeled
-1 jalepeno pepper, stemmed and minced *
-1/2c peanuts, toasted (+/-10 min @ 350)
-1/3c dried coconut, toasted (+/- 3 min ")
-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
-1 tsp. natural cane sugar
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
-1/4 tsp. cumin seeds (I used ground)
-sea salt (a couple grinds)
-handful of cilantro, chopped

Directions:
Halve the cucumbers lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and chop into small pieces. Place in bowl and set aside. Toast peanuts in a pre heated oven at 350' for about 10 min. The last few minutes, add the coconut. Watch it so it doesn't burn.
Add olive oil to a small skillet, over medium heat, toast the mustard seeds and then cumen- only takes 2 or 3 min. Remove from heat, add salt and add to cucumbers. Add toasted peanuts and coconut. Mix lemon juice and sugar, drizzle over salad, add cilantro and toss.
Serves 4.

*The original calls for 1-2 serrano chilies... I used 1/4 of one with the seeds/veins removed and it's still pretty dang hot, so I thought next time I'd substitute a jalepeno. :)

2011-02-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

Got my butt kicked at Mega Fit tonight. He had the heat turned up... so we were all sweating like dogs.
Love how I feel after a good workout.

I tried a new recipe, which was fun and interesting- Creole Chicken... It had tomato paste, curry, raisins, bell peppers... But it was with chicken legs. (They were way on sale at Safeway) I had some today for lunch w/ brown rice & spinach all mixed together... Good, but not a fan of the chicken leg- need to make it with chicken breast to see if I will post here. :)

2011-02-05T20:03:00.001-08:00

Been having awesome, FUN workouts lately. A ton of great classes are offered at Flagstaff Athletic Club...
Spinning: (been annoyed though- the last 2 weeks the 5:45am has been FULL...grrr.) But the instructor is that good. Luckily there are lots of great instructors and times offered. :)
Yoga
Mega Fit: (fee) Went to a class this week- remembered how much I LOVE it. Kicked my boo-tay, but was happy I could keep up.
Kick Boxing: I liked this class...didn't LOVE. Good workout, but I didn't feel like I was pushed to my max. WITH THAT SAID, my shoulders were sore the next day and I DO like that. :)
Training Camp: Oh I can't get enough of the instructor! Love him! Great, great class! Pushes you to your max and it feels so good. Lots of running/bursts of energy/drills
Spinning Boot camp: Love this one too. On & off the bike in 4-7min intervals. Going hard for the entire hr. It's fab.

When I'm not in a class, I like to do weights or rotating stairs... my ipod shuffle got swiped. grrrrrr... still trying to get to the bottom of it... was supposedly turned into lost and found- but somehow made it's way out....

2011-02-05T19:08:00.000-08:00

Breakfast:
3 eggwhites, 1 egg. Onion, zucchini, sweet red pepper, spinach, salsa, 1/4 avocado (not shown). 1 grapefruit. MMm!

Cal: 26o, Fat: 5g, Carb: 35, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 22g, Protein:21g

Lunch:
2C spinach greens, cut up chicken breast, 1/2c cottage cheese, 1 apple, diced, 1/4 avocado. Salt, pepper & lime juice. DELIGHTFUL!

Cal: 376, Fat:8g, Carb: 29, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 18g, Protein: 45g

Workout:
Went to flow yoga. I hadn't been in a long while. It was great!

Started my fast after lunch- (that's why lunch was huge!) :) I like to break it up between 2 days.

2011-02-02T19:20:00.000-08:00

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, onion, zucchini, spinach, salsa + slice of whole wheat bread.

Cal: 195, Fat 2g, Carb: 24, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Protein: 20g

Lunch:
I LOVE this dish!! Recipe HERE. (I sized it down a little and used: 1/2 onion, 1 small yam, 1 bunch kale, 1 chicken breast & 1/2c chicken broth) Spiced w/ ginger & cumin. It made (2) 1.5C servings.

Shown: 1 serving (1 1/2c)
Cal: 197, Fat: 3g, Carb: 28, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4g, Protein: 17g

Snacks:
Peanut butter, Greek yogurt w/ blueberries & almonds, 1 orange

Cal: 418, Fat: 23g (thank you PB & almonds!) Carb: 39, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 24g, Protein: 19g

Dinner:
2 scoops of protein powder (I worked out later...didn't feel like 'food')

Cal: 300, Fat: 12g, Carb: 16, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4g, Protein: 32g

2011-02-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

Pasta!
I love the sauce I make... I have a 'secret' ingredient... red wine vinegar. It gives it that extra kick.
I used whole wheat THIN spaghetti and Jess and the boys didn't bat an eye. Definitely prefer the thin over regular. I chopped up 2c of spinach and put my serving (1/2c noodles, 1/2c sauce) on top. YUM! Spinach is a great filler!!

(haven't figured out the nutritional breakdown yet...)

2011-01-26T15:35:00.000-08:00

Tilapia w/ Orange Relish
(thanks Jamelle!)
Ingredients:

2-4 Tilapia (or mild fish) fillets
1/2 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 orange, peeled

Directions:

Saute onion & garlic in 2tsp olive oil until onion is translucent. Reserve 1/2 in pan and put other 1/2 in a blender or food processor. Add peeled orange to blender, and blend well.

Set fish on onion/garlic in pan and cook over med/hi heat for 3-5 min. Sprinkle with citrus seasoning (optional). Turn over, add orange relish on top and cook for an additional 3-5 min. Serve on top of a bed of fresh spinach. MMMMMMM! :)

Serving: 1 fillet w/ relish + 2c Spinach
Cal: 239, Fat: 9g, Carb: 13g, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Protein: 25g

2011-01-21T18:49:00.000-08:00

Loving being back on the "challenge". It's really not any different than what I've been doing, but gives me that extra strength some how. Wait a second... I was on a hiatus over the holidays! -So it has helped me get back on track.

One thing I wanted to do differently with this challenge was to keep my "sweets" intake under control. Previously on my 'free' sweet day I would go CRAZY. Probably some psychological connection with how it was phrased, 'free day'. I would not disappoint. So I decided if I wanted a sweet treat, I'd have to go OUT to get it and enjoy it - not bring it home or not make it at home. (ie the whole 1 serving thing would go out the window). So far so good! Last week I got a cone at DQ w/ my boys. This week I haven't gotten anything - don't think I will - I have been feeling good and haven't had any mad cravings. I made brownies 2x this week -and didn't even bat an eye! Whoot whoot. It's all about making your mind up BEFORE-hand. And- I realized it just wasn't worth the calories. One brownie was the same amount as my full-plate dinner!!!
Yay for small successes!

So here is some eye candy for you....mmmm

All-time favorite snack: Apple w/ 1/2c cottage cheese w/ cinnamon (& sometimes almonds) All-time favorite breakfast: 3 eggwhites (sometimes 2 eggwhites, 1egg) onion, spinach, salsa. 1/4c cooked oats w/ cinnamon, 1/4c plain greek yogurt w/ cinnamon & 1/4c blueberries. (ALL for a whopping 250 calories!)

Love Avocado on my eggs too. MMMMM! Wholewheat blueberry pancakes (sweetened w/ splenda) w/ a dollop of plain greek yogurt and blueberries on top (and of course cinnamon). Loved the yogurt paired w/ the pancake - so rich and creamy.

White turkey chili (a staple in our home) and 2 slices of cheese crisp -this is on a white flour tortilla (eek... so rebellious). This is a FANTASTIC recipe...Spaghetti squash w/ diced tomatoes, ground turkey, onion, garlic & zucchini.

For Spaghetti squash dish: (1.5c) Calories: 163, Fat: 4g, Carb: 20g, Fiber: 5g, Sugar 9g, Protein: 13g

Again, favorite snack...pretty much a daily thing. Alright. This is a PLATEFUL, no??? This was dinner one night... FOUR eggwhites, 1 egg, onion, zucchini, spinach, salsa & avocado...244 calories and 24g of protein. score. The cholesterol was 212, and the sodium was high (578), but only 13 carbs and 5g sugar.

This is a great kale & butternut squash salad. Fast breakfast:1/4c greek yogurt, 1/4c oats, 2 strawberries, 1/4c blueberries & cinnamon

Need a quick dinner? Love the boca burger. Love edemame as well.

I've been trying a few new classes at the gym. So great! One is a bootcamp. The guy teaching is a hoot and a great motivator. Another class I tried is a spin bootcamp which is a combo of spin and plyometrics/weights. That was really fun too.

2011-01-12T19:00:00.001-08:00

Breakfast:
1/2c oatmeal + cinnamon w/ 2tsp peanut butter, a few raisins

Lunch:
3 egg whites, onion, mushroom, broccoli, spinach, salsa, avocado slices w/ 1/4c of chobani plain yogurt, cinnamon & 1/4c frozen blueberries & almonds

Snack:
Apple, left over stir-fry

Workout:
Went to a new class at the club: Training Camp. LOVED IT!! :D

Dinner:
Left over stir-fry

2011-01-11T14:55:00.000-08:00

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, onion, spinach, salsa. 1/2c oatmeal + cinnamon, 1/4c blueberries. (mmmmm!)

Lunch:

1c Lima Bean Cabbage Soup + 1.5c spinach, chopped. (shown w/ chopped chicken breast)

Snack:
1/2c cottage cheese + cinnamon, 1 apple sliced, 10 almonds

Dinner:
Chinese chicken & rice (aka stirfry!)

Veggies: Mushroom, broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts. Cooked chicken (then added veggies) in soy sauce, ginger & 3 cloves of garlic. Added a peanut sauce.

Went to a Girls Night- had popcorn, carrots & homemade hummus

Workout:
5 min. warm-up on treadmill

3x through:
-(12) seated row @80lb
-(24) alternating back lunge w/ 2 x 15's
-(12) dumbbell shoulder press w/ 2 x 15's sitting on exercise ball
-(24) alternating bicep curls
-(12) hanging knees to elbows (core)

3x through:
-(12) ea. side, bend down & put on shelf w/ 15# ball
-(10) walking lunge w/ 15# ball side to side, (10) walking lunge w/ 15# ball over head press
-(12) ea. side 1 leg dead lift w/ 15# ball.
-(12) ball roll-ins (feet on exercise ball, hands in push-up position, roll feet/ball into elbows

-(12) triceps, biceps, shoulder press w/ 2 x 10# dumbbells. (stand with dumbbells at side. Step back w/ one leg, front leg bends at knee. Bend chest forward, making a straight line to your back leg. Extend your arms back, hold. (tricep) Step forward, stand straight and do bicep curls (biceps). Extend dumbbells over head (shoulders)).
1 min. mountain climbers

5 min. on arc trainer (was supposed to be 30, but chatted w/ a friend too long!) :)

2011-01-09T20:18:00.001-08:00

First day of the Wellness Challenge and I'm happy to have it back in my life. :)

Working through soreness from yesterdays workout! -I did a 4 mile run w/ interval training. The first mile I jogged at my regular pace, then for the 2nd mile I used the light poles as a distance guide. I jogged (1) light pole, ran the distance of 2 light poles and sprinted the distance of 2 light poles, then repeated (1 jog, 2 run, 2 sprint) till the mile was up. The 3rd mile I did a few sprints but was dying :) so I jogged and then did 2 sets of 24 walking lunges and 2 sets of 26 walking lunges w/ jogging in between each set. Mile 4 was back to the intervals. Great workout!!!

I tried something new today- 1/2 a baked yam cut up in chunks w/ a tsp. of butter, 1/2 an apple cut up in chunks, sprinkled w/ cinnamon all mixed together. Sweet, yummy and filling! :)

Pictures and workouts to return! :) (Have to get to the grocery store first -Need more color!)

2011-01-03T18:34:00.001-08:00

It's BACK! But is starting SOON, so don't wait to sign up!

WELLNESS CHALLENGE 2011 -JANUARY 9th

Each item is worth 1 point, with a possible 10 points per day
1 7 hrs. of sleep (not necessarily consecutive - naps count too!)
2 48 oz. of water
3 45 minutes of exercise (not necessarily consecutive)
4 2 servings of veggies, 2 servings of fruit
5 No soda, beer, wine, unhealthy snacks (ex: potato chips), or bad fast food
6 No sweets. (Desserts, pastries, sugary snacks & cereals) * Sugar-Free alternatives are OK.
7 No eating after 8pm or dinner (whichever is later)
8 15 min. of scripture reading (or spiritual text if you don't do scripture)
9 One journal entry (any length)
10 One act of kindness

Note: You have one free point, PER CATEGORY, PER WEEK. One free point for
exercise, one free
point for soda/fast food/unhealthy snacks, one free point for
sweets, etc. You do not have
10 free
points to use however you choose -they are
NOT interchangeable and if you choose not
to use a
free point in a category, it is
gone at weeks end. You could also just choose to have one
"free" day
where all
points are free (which is less confusing), but we are allowing for flexibility and success!

Exceptions:

-You are excused from the sweet rule on YOUR BIRTHDAY.

-You are allowed three sick days where you are excused (only) from exercising and eating veg/fruit/water [if you can’t eat/drink] This is ONLY to be used if you are indeed sick. "
Winners: The top three challengers with the most points will split 80% of the pot. 1 other challenger who gets an average of 6 pts. or more a day will get the remainder of the pot.

SIGN UP ON THE SIDEBAR!!!

Once I get a confirmed purchase, I will send you the link to the google spreadsheet where we keep track of points.
Be sure to email me the names of those participating (if you sign up for more than 1 challenger at a time)

LEMON AND CINNAMON SWEET POTATOES - The Eat-Clean Diet®

2010-12-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

This was my version of sweet potatoes this year. I LOVED them!!!

LEMON AND CINNAMON SWEET POTATOES - The Eat-Clean Diet®

THIS was the stuffing I made. - I also added dried cranberries and apple chunks.

Then I cooked up the turkey bones for a broth and ended up making Turkey & Barley Soup w/ kale. Very good. get pics up in a bit!

2010-11-23T19:20:00.000-08:00

Hi! I'm alive, are you??

Just trying to get ready for this holiday along with getting caught up with my day job! (grr)

Have new recipes to post (Honey Mustard Chicken and brown rice pilaf w/ kale and red pepper)
along with new recipes I'm trying for Turkey Day! (Savory Ezekiel Bread stuffing and Cinnamon & Lemon Sweet potatoes) Hopefully they're hits!!

Happy Turkey Day! Easy Does it! :)

2010-11-17T18:48:00.001-08:00

Breakfast:
banana + 1/2 tbsp peanut butter

Snack:
1/2c cottage cheese w/ cinnamon, sliced apple

Lunch:
1C Turkey minestrone (added cabbage, zucchini & yellow squash)

Post-workout snack:
1/2c greek yogurt w/ cinnamon, 1/4c blueberries, 1/2 banana, 1 Tbsp sunflower/pumpkin seeds

Dinner:
Chicken tenders, sweet potato, kale & spaghetti squash.

Snack:
1/2 banana + 1/2Tbsp peanut butter

2010-11-17T18:37:00.001-08:00

Had a great workout today and the endorphins were running HIGH afterwards.
It's the kind of workout that makes you want to cry and stop- but you push through and feel that much better.

Here you go folks. It will not disappoint!

Warm up with 10 minute jog on treadmill (6.5)

Round #1: (3x through, 12 reps ea.)

Lat pull down machine (6 to chest, 6 behind head) – 80 lbs.

Overhead Shoulder press while seated on exercise ball with 2 x 20 lb. DB’s

Split squat holding 1 10lb weight or DB

Reverse crunch with red pad in between feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 minute sprints on treadmill

1 min: 8.5mph

30sec: 9.5

30sec. 8.5

45sec. 10

15 sec 8.5

1 min: 10

1 min. on row machine as fast as can

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Round #2: (3x through, 12 reps ea.)

Glute lift on machine – 17.5 lbs.

Reverse lunges holding 2 x 17 lb DB’s

Up, out, in down shoulder raises with 2 x 8 lb. DB’s

Hanging knee/leg raises (trying to get as many as you can with straight legs)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 minute sprints on treadmill + 1 min. row machine

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Round #3 (3x through, 12 reps ea.)

Toe touch on white exercise ball (knee up to elbow, then toe touch)

Frog jumps with 10 lb red ball

Single leg dead lift with 10 lb red ball

Sit ups on white exercise ball holding 10 lb red ball

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 minute sprints on treadmill + 1 min. row machine

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cool down and stretch

2010-11-15T13:14:00.000-08:00

ITALIAN TURKEY MINESTRONE
Doesn't get any better on a cold winter day!
Ingredients:
-1 pound lean ground turkey
-2 tsp. fennel seed, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp garlic, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
-1 large onion - chopped (white is best)
-2 large carrots - chopped
-2 celery stalks - sliced
-3 cloves of garlic - minced
-1 can green beans (fresh or frozen would be good too)
-32 oz low-sodium chicken broth + water as needed
-2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
-1 t. of dried basil
-1 t. of dried oregano
-1/4 t. of black pepper
-1 can of garbanzo beans - or white northern beans - drained (I used cannellini)
-1/2 c. of small shelled pasta
-1 diced bell pepper, any color
-3 T. of chopped fresh parsley
-4c chopped spinach (Because everything tastes better with spinach!) :)

Directions:
In a soup kettle, cook turkey, seasonings and onion over med. heat until meat is no longer pink; drain if needed. Stir in carrots, celery and garlic; cook for 3 minutes. Add green beans; cook 2 min. longer.
Stir in broth, tomatoes, basil, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil - cover and simmer until veggies are at the desired tenderness that you like.
Stir in beans, pasta, bell pepper and parsley - boil for 6- 9 more minutes
Add chopped spinach just before serving and let wilt.

*You really can't go wrong with this recipe. I would have added zucchini & cabbage if I had had it!!

2010-11-14T11:59:00.000-08:00

'CLEAN'* BROWNIES
(You wouldn't believe what these babies are made of!)
Not your mouth-watering, can't-stop-eating kind of brownie, but they surprisingly
do the trick, and you really CAN just eat one! (AND there's no 'sugar crash'!)
Ingredients:
-1 can no-salt added black beans, drained and rinsed (believe it!)
-4 egg whites
-1/3c canola or olive oil
-1/4c cocoa powder
-dash of salt
-2tsp vanilla
-1/2c sucanat **
-1/2c gluten-free dark or carob choc. chips
-1/3c finely chopped walnuts
** I used 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder and 1/4 c sucanat
(I also sprinkled unsweetened organic coconut on top)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350'F
Place black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract and sucanat in a food processor and blend until smooth. Remove the blade and gently stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Transfer mixture to a 8x8 baking dish (sprayed w/ pam)
Bake for 30-35 min, or until just set in the center, let cool.

Nutrition Information/serving (1 brownie) *Doesn't mean calorie-free!
Cal: 160, 9g fat, 4g sat. fat, 50mg cholest., 35mg sodium, 17g carbs, 2g fiber, 12g sugar, 4g protein

Kid-tested and APPROVED!

2010-11-11T19:13:00.000-08:00

Spaghetti Squash with Turkey 'Sauce'
A hearty meal that won't leave you feeling 'puffy' like pasta can!
This one's a winner folks! (found it on allrecipes.com and made a few changes)
Ingredients:
-1 small spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
-1 small onion, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 to 2 bell peppers, chopped (I used: 1/2 bell pepper, 2 sweet red mini peppers, and 1 ea. yellow & orange mini peppers.)
-12oz ground turkey
-1 large can, diced tomatoes (28oz)
-1Tbsp red wine vinegar
-2tsp dried oregano
-1tsp Italian seasoning blend
-2 shakes of ground red pepper
-3c fresh spinach, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place each squash half cut side down on a cookie sheet, add 1/4c water and bake uncovered for 35-45 min. or until shell is fork tender.
While baking, cut veggies and then:
Saute onion, garlic and peppers in olive oil over medium high heat for a few min. Add turkey and cook until redness is gone.
Add diced tomatoes (about 2.5c if you're using fresh) and red wine vinegar. Bring to boil and let simmer for 20 min. Add oregano, Italian spices and red pepper.
Scoop out the strands of squash with a fork or spoon onto a plate. (1C serving only 42 calories!!), add 2/3c turkey sauce and ENJOY! Makes about 6 servings.

Nutrition Information:
160 cal, 7.6g fat, 44mg cholesterol, 99mg sodium, 10g carbs, 2g dietary fiber, 12g protein

2010-11-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

Workout:
Spinning!

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, onion, sweet red pepper, spinach. 1/4c oatmeal, dollop of greek yogurt, 1/4c blueberries

Lunch:
1/3c cottage cheese, apple slices, boca burger w/ spinach, tomato, onion & 1/4avocado

Snack: 10 almonds, pb cookie.

Dinner:
Olive Garden. Jess is leaving for 10 days, we had a gift certificate so we decided to use it. Had the minestrone soup and salad. Also tasted a meatball. Nice going out, but I'm preferring the food I cook hands down.

2010-11-09T19:56:00.000-08:00

Breakfast:

3 eggwhites, onion, sweet red pepper, spinach, salsa. 1/4c oatmeal, 1/4c greek yogurt, 1/4 c blueberries. topped w/ cinnamon (of course!)

Lunch:

Pablo Picasso salad at Oreganos. This has always been a favorite...but is was soooooo slathered with dressing (mayo based?) so I wasn't really diggin' it.

Snack:

Leftover sweet potato risotto (1/2c)

Workout:

Strength workout - also involved sprints. barf... in a good way.

Dinner:

Finished off the leftover risotto but put it in a pan to warm and then added 3 eggwhites and cooked it all. IT WAS YUMMY! Then I had 1/3c cottage cheese & sliced apple for dessert.

Feeling GOOD.

I had two people comment on my 'weight' at the club tonight. It made my night. -One was my old mailman... "You've lost so much weight." I told him it's taken awhile. :) Then he made a comment about how it must be from chasing my boys around. I told him I wished it were that easy!

Then a lady I haven't seen in awhile said I was looking skinny. I told her I was working hard!

Sometimes it's just really nice to feel validated!

2010-11-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

CRAVING-KILLING COOKIES
(peanut butter)
Ingredients:
1 large egg
1.5c natural peanut butter
1.5 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1/4-1/3c honey
1/2c almond meal
1tsp baking soda
1tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350
In a large bowl, lightly beat egg. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Form little balls w/ a spoon or your hands and place on lightly greased or lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 min. Balls will buff up and lightly brown. (I also criss-crossed mine w/ a fork)

Makes 16-24 (mine made 24 -recipe says 16-20)

Nutritional value:
100 cal, 6g fat, 5mg cholest, 90mg sodium, 7g carbs, 1g fiber, 5g sugar, 5g protein
(more like 80 cal if you yield 24 cookies)

2010-11-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

Spiced Sweet Potato "Risotto" w/ Chicken and Kale
serves 4-6
THIS IS A MUST TRY!!!!!THIS IS A MUST TRY!!!!!THIS IS A MUST TRY!!!!!
Ingredients:
3c chicken stock or water
4Tbsp olive oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
sea salt
1-2Tbsp butter
1c diced onion
2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium chunks (@3-4 cups)
1.5Tbsp minced fresh ginger root
4c green or red kale, torn into pieces
1/2c grated raw cheese

Preparation:
1. Heat skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2Tbsp of the olive oil and swirl to coat bottom of pan. Add chicken and a pinch of salt. Saute' until pieces have slightly browned. Remove chicken from pan w/ a slotted spoon and reserve on plate.
2. Add remaining olive oil and butter to pan. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add sweet potato, ginger root, and pinch of salt.
3. Saute' sweet potato for 3-5 min, until browned. Add 1/4c stock and stir while scraping brown bits from pan. When almost al liquid is gone, add another 1/4c of stock. Continue to add liquid after the previous addition has evaporated until sweet potato is almost tender. With last addition of liquid, add the cooked chicken, stirring together.
4. Cook until sweet potato has a little bite but is not mushy. Remove from heat, add kale and mix well. Top w/ cheese (optional) and serve.

2010-11-05T21:24:00.001-07:00

EAT-CLEAN EGG SALAD
Serve on greens or on toasted ezekiel bread (or both!)
Ingredients:

1/4c fat-free cottage cheese
1Tbsp milk
1tsp mustard
4 hard boiled egg whites
1 hard boiled yolk
2Tbsp chopped green onion
2Tbsp chopped celery
Dash curry powder
1/4tsp sea salt

Preparation:

1. Whip cottage cheese and milk until smooth in medium-sized mixing bowl.
2. Blend remaining ingredients except egg whites w/ cottage cheese mixture.
3. Add diced egg whites and mix well.

Makes (3-4) 1/2 cup servings

Nutritional info/serving:
170 cal, 3.5g fat, 1g sat. fat, 18 carbs, 3.5g fiber, 528mg sodium, 106mg cholest, 17g protein

2010-11-04T19:49:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
1/4c oatmeal w/ blueberries, 1/2 banana. 1/3c greek yogurt & cinnamon. 1/2Tbsp sliced almonds

Lunch:
Minestrone soup & greek salad at Picassos

Snack:
1/2 banana, 1tsp peanut butter. Bite of cottage cheese.

fun size almond joy & kit kat. I caved. I found a TON of candy in the back of my car- I took two pieces and threw the rest out. That was hard for me. Funny, right? But the boys have had a ton -mostly my oldest boy (read husband) so I was doing everyone a favor. :)

Workout: Strength wkout.

Dinner:
Tofu, bok choy, onion, red & green bell pepper w/ peanut sauce and ginger. (too much ginger tho) + 1/4c quinoa

2010-11-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

Strength Workout

Breakfast:
3 eggwhites, onion, sweet red pepper, 1c broccoli, salsa. 1/4c oatmeal and cinnamon & 1/4c blueberries

Lunch:
Tofu veggie wrap, 12 almonds

Snack:
1/2c cottage cheese, cinnamon and sliced apple
20 pistachios

Dinner:
2 Chicken tenders, 1/4c quinoa, roasted butternut squash, eggplant and swiss chard

(this wasn't a favorite. Usually I like swiss chard....)

2010-11-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

JERK-SPICED TILAPIA
(w/green beans & quinoa pilaf)

Ingredients

• 1 tsp / 5 ml thyme
• 1 tsp / 5 ml chili powder
• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp / 5 ml ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp / 2 1/2 ml nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp / 2 1/2 ml cinnamon
• 1 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 tsp / 5 ml freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml lime juice
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml olive oil
• 1/2 tsp / 2 1/2 ml ground cloves
• 4 tilapia fillets

Preparation (15min.) Cook time (20 min.)

Combine herbs and spices in a small bowl and mix well.
Coat tilapia fillets with olive oil & lime juice. Pat both sides with spices. Top w/ chopped jalapeno
Sauté each fillet until just cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Do not overcook! (I actually baked my fillets for 20 min. @ 400) mmmmmm! SO GOOD!

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrients Per Serving Cal: 160, Pro: 20g, Carb: 0g, Fiber: 1g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sod: 242 mg, Chol: 50 mg

2010-11-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

Workout:
Spinning class

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, mushroom, onion, sweet red pepper, 1c broccoli, salsa. 1/3c cooked steel-cut oats w/ cinnamon & 1/4c blueberries

Lunch:
1/2c cottage cheese w/ cinnamon and apple sliced up.

Snack: (for the afternoon)

2 pb 'cookies', 1g soy crisps, 1c cantaloupe

Dinner:

Tilapia (YUM - great rub), green beans w/ mushroom and sliced almonds, quinoa pilaf (w/ onion, red pepper, broccoli & jalapeno....so proud -made it up) I'll post the recipe(s) & pics when I get more than 5 min!

2010-10-31T18:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Breakfast:

3 egg whites, onion, sweet red pepper, 1c broccoli, 1/4c oatmeal w/ cinnamon

Snack:

1/4 whole wheat waffle

Lunch:

Some leftovers from last night (1/2c). 1/2c cottage cheese, cinnamon, 10 almonds, 1 small apple (slices)

Dinner:

1/2c leftovers. Open-faced egg salad sandwich (1/2c) on red lettuce over slice of ezekiel toast.

2 pb 'cookies' - I will post recipe!

3c popcorn. (popped on stove)

(estimating today was @1500 calories)

2010-10-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
1/2c oatmeal, cinnamon, 1/4c blueberries

Workout:
Spinning class, strength workout (got through 3/4 of it before I had to go)

Snack:
1/2c cottage cheese

Lunch:
Butternut Squash Salad at Wild Flower Bread Co. (yummy)

Snack:
1/2c greek yogurt, small banana, cinnamon, 1Tbsp pumpkin & sunflower seeds

Dinner:
2c Spiced Sweet Potato Risotto w/ Chicken & Kale (YUM)

Dessert: apple and pear slices w/ 1Tbsp goat cheese

NO CANDY today! Feeling goooooooood. Glad I decided to 'pass'.

2010-10-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
3 eggwhites, 1c broccoli, 2 mushrooms, 2slices of onion, 1/4 sweet red pepper, 1/4 avocado. 1/4c oatmeal w/ cinnamon. MMM.

Lunch:
1c Lima bean cabbage soup + 1c chopped spinach. 1/2c cottage cheese, small apple. Mini box of raisins

Snack: (this is embarrassing. but i am being honest)

Popped some popcorn on the stove. Had 5 cups. (2 Tbsp kernels) That sounds like sooo much!? I enjoyed it- especially since it's not 'heavy' in my tummy.

Dinner: open egg salad sand. (3 hard-boiled egg whites, 1/2 yolk, mustard on slice of ezekiel bread). 1 small banana + 1/2Tbsp peanut butter

Making a plan for the weekend and going to STICK TO IT! (why? b/c I really dislike the self-loathing and feeling CRAPPY. And, mostly, I've been working really hard.) So here's my plan. Allowing myself 2 pieces of (fun size) candy a day. (for a total of six). Believe me, I've done the no-restraint thing too many times. Doesn't work for me. Wyatt came up and asked me to try a candy and I said no-thanks, and then a bit later he came back w/ another one and I took a tiny bite and he asked me, Love it? :) he's a cute kid. That happened three times- I'm counting that as 1 piece. Later I had a fun size snickers. Hmm. Surprisingly not all that. We'll see what I do tomorrow. . .

Is there a candy you just CAN NOT resist???

2010-10-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, onion, sweet red pepper, spinach. Topped w/ salsa. 1/4c oatmeal w/ cinn. and 1/4c blueberries

Workout:
New Strength Workout. It kicked my butt. You know it's a good one when you keep dreading the next exercise.

Lunch:
Bed of spinach, 3 oz chicken breast, 1 apple cut in chunks, 1/4c cottage cheese, 1tsp s.f. vinaigrette, pepper.

Snack:
1/4 c oatmeal; mini box of raisins; 12 almonds; 1/2 Tbsp PB & 1/4 banana (throughout the afternoon)

Dinner:
5 Crispy Chicken bites. w/ 2tsp. honey mustard.

Water- so far 50+oz.

Went to a shower tonight. Had grapes, strawberries, pineapple, broccoli & carrots.

Probably will make myself a protein shake (protein + water) before bed. over out.

2010-10-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

Workout:
Spinning

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, 1/2 sweet red pepper, 2 mushrooms, 1.5c spinach, chopped. Topped w/ 1/4c homemade salsa & 1/4 avocado. 1/4c oatmeal w/ cinnamon, 1/4c blueberries.

Lunch:
1c Lima Bean Cabbage Soup + 1.5c spinach, chopped + 2 oz of chicken breast.

Snack:
1/2c cottage cheese, cinnamon, small apple, 10 almonds.

Dinner:
Quesadilla: refried beans (1/8c), chicken (1/8c), 1/8 avocado, 1/8c cheese.

Went to halloween party. Had some cherry hot cocoa. I think the sugar level was HIGH. Feeling it!

2010-10-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
1/3c oatmeal, 2tsp pb, 1/4c blueberries, 10 almonds, 1/4c soy milk

Lunch:
1c lima bean cabbage soup, piece of ezekiel bread, 1/2c g yogurt w/ cinnamon, raisins & pumpkin seeds.

Snack:
1/4c cottage cheese, small apple (got these braeburn/gala mix at Sam's club- they're 'kid-size' and sooooooo tasty!!!)

Dinner:
Bed of spinach, 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 stalk of celery chopped, 1/2c salsa, 1/4c cottage cheese, 1 small apple.
1 ant on a log (celery stalk w/ pb & raisins)

Workout:
45 min. weights
45 min. on stair climber

2010-10-25T07:41:00.000-07:00

Let my hair down this weekend....(read: too many chips and salsa, pb cookie bar and candy corn (made a craft w/ them) Gearing up for this weekend! I'm still trying to decide how many pieces of candy is acceptable...five?? I don't know that I could only do one....the choices! Hmmm.

Workout:
Spinning, some arms, core

Breakfast: 1/2apple, 1Tbsp almond butter, 3 egg whites, red & yellow pepper, spinach, salsa. 1/4c oatmeal & cinnamon.

Lunch: 3/4c cottage cheese, cinnamon, 1 apple

Snack: 1/4c brown rice

Dinner: 1 slice ezekiel bread, 1c lima bean cabbage soup, salad- red leaf lettuce & spinach, hard boiled egg (minus most the yolk), cucumber slices, 1/2c homemade salsa.

2010-10-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

Country Lima-Bean Soup

(Sounds gross, but it is super yummy- my kids love it)

In a crockpot:
-1 bag of baby lima beans
-5 cans of chicken broth (14oz)
-1 head of green cabbage chopped
-1/2 - 1 onion, chopped
-1 1/2 tsp. cumin
-1 tsp. marjorum
-few shakes of cayenne pepper
(you can also add
I usually cook it on high for 3-4 hours and then turn it to low for another 4 or 5 -until beans are tender and mushy.

2010-10-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Um. Pretty sure it doesn't get much better than this!

Ingredients:

-3 egg whites
-2 slices of onion, chopped
-1/2c zucchini or gray squash, chopped
-1/4 avocado, sliced
-2Tbsp salsa
-1/4c greek yogurt
-cinnamon (i like it, just in case you couldn't tell)
-1/3c frozen/fresh blueberries

Directions:
-In a small pan, saute onion and squash until transparent.
-Add egg whites, and stir until done.
-Plate. Top w/ avocado and salsa. Adorn w/ yogurt, cinnamon & berries!

2010-10-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

Curried Coconut Lentil Soup (w/ cilantro and spinach)
Ingredients/Directions:

Saute in soup pot 2-3 min:
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-2-3 cloves of garlic
-1 onion, diced

Add, cook until fragrant:
-1/2 tsp turmeric
-1 tsp garam masala
-1/2 tsp chili powder
-1 tsp cumin

Add:
-2 cans of diced tomatoes (or 1 large 28oz)
-1c red lentils (I add some green too)
-2tsp lemon juice
-2.5c vegetable broth
-1 can (lite) coconut milk

Bring to boil, turn down and let simmer for 30 min., till lentils are tender.

Add:
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bunch of spinach, chopped

*It's also really yummy to add cubed chicken

2010-10-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

Banana

Workout: Spinning & core

Breakfast: 3 egg whites, onion, sweet red pepper, 1c broccoli, 1/3c cooked oat bran (like smooth oatmeal) w/ cinnamon & blueberries. 1/2 small pear.

Snack: dried apples w/ cinnamon

Lunch: 1c coconut curried lentil soup w/ 2 chopped chicken tenderloins, 1c chopped spinach.

Perfect -It's cold outside!

Snack: 4 spice bran cookies (this batch made 45, so I figured 4 cookies =208 calories. (they're small) NOT BAD!)
also had 1/2c cottage cheese w/ cinn. and 1/2 apple.

Dinner: Chinese chicken & rice. (I added some more veggies for color here -namely bok choy & sweet red peppers) 1c veggies, 1/4c short-grain brown rice.

2010-10-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

I've run out of room in my journal.... need a new one.... so I'm going to be doing my food journal on-line again.

Breakfast: 1c kale & veggie salad (it's a warm salad), 3 egg whites w/ onion, salsa. Slice of ezekial bread
Snack: Apple
Lunch: 1c coconut curried lentil soup w/ 3/4c spinach, 1 tortilla/wrap
Snack: 1/2c cottage cheese, cinnamon, 10 almonds, apple
(tsp. of peanut butter, bite of kid's cheese crisp.)

Workout: Mega Fit (last class!) I'd love to do the next session- but don't really feel like committing to evening workouts for another 6wks. I like to get my workouts done EARLY in the day.

Dinner: 1.5c kale & veggie salad (veggies are: roasted red & yellow peppers, yam & golden beet w/ basil, sliced almonds) 1 scoop of protein powder w/ 1/2c soy milk + water.

2010-10-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

ROASTED SQUASH AND KALE SALAD

(My bad, I used bok choy- but thought it was really good!) :) I'll have to try it again w/ kale.

Find the recipe HERE!

2010-10-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

GREEK PASTA SALAD
Ingredients:
-4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
-2 medium cucumbers, cut into chunks
-1 small purple onion, chopped
-2Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
-4oz low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
-2 cloves of garlic, (press)
-2Tbsp dried oregano
-2Tbsp fresh lemon juice
-1Tbsp olive oil
-2/3c pitted black olives
-Brown rice penne pasta

Directions:
Cook pasta per package directions. Drain, rinse in cold water and place in bowl.
Add first 6 ingredients to pasta. Rub oregano between fingers and sprinkle over the vegetables. Drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over the salad. Add olives and toss gently. Makes 8 servings

Nutritional Value per serving (w/out pasta)

Cal: 96, Pro: 4g, Carbs: 7g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 3g, Fat: 5g, Sodium: 305mg

2010-10-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

I have so many new, yummy recipes to share!!!

A few that are coming soon:

-Coconut Curried Lentil Soup

-Zucchini Chicken Soba w/ homemade pesto

-Greek salad

2010-10-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

My weekly workout schedule has been pretty much the same for the last few weeks.
Here it is:

Monday: Spinning + Strength Workout
Tuesday: Mega Fit (a 6week class I signed up for)
Wednesday: Usually a 5-6mi run outside or yoga
Thursday: Mega Fit
Friday: Off -or something light
Saturday: Spinning + Strength Workout
Sunday: Off

Strength Workout: this was given to me by a friend and I have LOVED it. It kicks my butt every time, although I am getting stronger!

Go through each group 3 times and then do the 2 min. cardio blast.

Group #1

Seated Cable row 70 lbs. (on machine) – 12 reps

Tricep, Bicep, Overhead shoulder press with 2 x 8 lb. DB’s – 12 reps (alternating legs lunging forward)

Romanian Dead Lift with squat bar – 12 reps

Ab crunch on pulley cable 80 lbs. – 12 reps (use pad on knees)

CARDIO BLAST : Step ups on box with 2 x 12lb DB’s holding a fast pace for 1 minute (30 seconds each leg leading) and butt kickers for 1 minute

Group #2

UFC’s – 12 reps

Bend down pick up weight and put on shelf – 15 lb. red ball with handle – 12 each side

Walking lunges with twist with 15 lb ball full length of room, then on the way back put ball up over head and down to chest on each lunge

Knee-ins on white ball – 12 reps

CARDIO BLAST: Mountain Climbers for 1 minute and burpees with 15 lb red ball for 1 minute

Group #3

Squats with 2 x 17 lb DB’s – 12 reps

Plank with upward rows using 2 x 17lb. DB’s - 12 reps each arm for 24 total

Tricep dips on bench – 12 reps

Weighted crunch using 10 lb DB – 12 reps

CARDIO BLAST: Jump squats 1 minute, jack push ups 1 minute (alternating 5 jacks with feet, 5 push ups)

COOL DOWN AND STRETCH

2010-10-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

SPICED BRAN COOKIE
A perfect fall cookie. LOVE how hearty it tastes.
Ingredients:
-1c flour (called for white- I'll have to try it with whole wheat too)
-2c Unprocessed Wheat Bran (Hodgson Mill)
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1tsp ginger
-1tsp cinnamon
-1/2tsp cloves
-1/4c sugar
-2 eggs
-1/2c molasses
-1/2c milk
1/2c butter, melted

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400'F, line baking sheet w/ parchment paper or foil.
-In bowl, combine eggs, milk, molasses & butter. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add to wet mixture.
-Drop by tspfuls onto baking sheet 2" apart. (mine were about 1/2 TBSP) Bake for 8-10 min. Yields about 30-36 cookies, +/-72 calories each! (between 66 and 79)

2010-10-02T15:32:00.000-07:00

Crispy Chicken Bites
from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids
Ingredients:
-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. (I used 6-7 tenders)
-1/4c oat bran
-1/4c wheat germ
-1TBSP coursely ground flax seed
-1/4c coursely ground almonds
-1/2 tsp sea salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-pinch of garlic
-1/2c water or low-sod. chicken stock
-1 large egg white, beaten slightly

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400'F. Line baking sheet w/ parchment paper or foil.
-Cut chicken into nugget-sized pieces, set aside.
-Combine all ingredients in a large container w/ lid. Mix or shake well.
-Combine water & egg in medium bowl. Dip chicken and then place in coating mixture.
-Place on baking sheet, bake for 15-20 min. or until golden.

For a 'clean' dipping sauce: mix 1.5tsp honey & 1 TBSP of dijon mustard.

Nutrition: (3-4 nuggets) My kids each had 2 servings worth!
100 cal, 3.5g fat, 7 carbs, 370mg sodium, 2g fiber, 0mg chol, ? sugar. (sauce: 13cal, 3 carbs for 3/4tsp)

Ingredients for the coating- (It took forever to find the wheat germ-should be in the cereal section); Getting ready to go in the oven

HAPPY kiddos. It will be a hit, promise!

2010-10-01T20:42:00.000-07:00

CHINESE CHICKEN & RICE
Ingredients:
- 3 chicken breasts, cut into julienne strips
- 2C water
- 1c brown rice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2TBSP olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2C broccoli florets
- 1C mushrooms, sliced
- 1 can water chestnuts, sliced (1/2c)
- 1C sliced carrots
- 2 bunches green onions, sliced

Marinade:
- 2TBSP olive oil
- 1TBSP minced ginger root
- 2tsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
Combine marinade ingredients. Place chicken in marinade and let stand for at least 1 hr. in refrigerator.
Pre-heat oven to 350'F. Spray casserole dish, add rice, water and salt. Cover and cook for 40-60 min. or until liquid is absorbed.
When you have about 30 min. till your rice is done, chop all your veggies.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet and gently saute' garlic until just fragrant. Add sliced chicken and saute' until no longer pink. Add chopped veggies and cook until just soft. Remove from heat. Add the cooked vegetable mixture to the rice when it is finished baking and serve! Makes 6 1C servings. (We had about 2 C left over from my family of 5).

Nutrition: 269 cal, 6g fat, 30 carbs, 380mg sodium, 3g fiber, 12g sugar, 21g protein

I give this dish **** (4 stars). It was easy to cook and really tasty in a light way. I loved the fresh ginger in it. My boys added extra sauce though and I'm ok w/ that- they all came back for seconds!!

2010-09-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

The Veggie Wrap
totally satisfying!
Ingredients:
-1 whole grain soft wrap. I use THESE
-1 TBSP hummus (roasted red pepper my fav)
-1.5c spinach
-1/3 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
-1/2 bell pepper - any color
-1/2 tomato, sliced

Directions:
Spread hummus onto wrap, place veggies, and roll up. Cut in half diagonally. Serve with a side of beans!

Nutrition: (wrap only -doesn't include beans)
196 cal, 10g fat, 489mg sod, 26 carb, 17g fiber, 6g sugar, 15g protein
(no, the SEVENTEEN grams of fiber is not a typo!!!)

2010-09-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

Mid-Afternoon Snack
apples + cheese
Ingredients:

-1/2c low-fat cottage cheese
-1 small apple, cut up into chunks
-cinnamon (to taste)
-sliced almonds (15g) -roughly 1.5 TBSP

Directions:
Scoop your cottage cheese into a bowl. Sprinkle a hefty amount of cinnamon. Top with apple chunks and sliced almonds. Enjoy a crunchy salty/sweet treat!

Nutrition:
221 calories, 7g fat, 4g chol, 451g sod, 21 carbs, 5g fiber, 15g sugar, 17g protein

2010-09-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

Seared Ahi Tacos w/ Cabbage Relish & Green Salsa

Ingredients:

-Corn Tortillas
-Fresh Ahi Tuna (our friend brought us some of his spoils) -You can substitute any fish you'd like...
-1/4 head of red cabbage
-1 orange, peeled and chopped
-1/2 head of cilantro, chopped
-2 tomatoes, chopped

Green Salsa (from Eating Well Recipe) SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!! (I actually made it again w/out the avocado and liked it better)

8 ounces tomatillos
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 jalapeño pepper
1/4 cup sliced white onion
1/2 ripe avocado, diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

To prepare salsa: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cook the tomatillos in the boiling water until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Toast garlic cloves, jalapeño and onion in a dry medium skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned, fragrant and soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic. Remove the jalapeño stem and remove seeds if desired. Combine the tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño, onion and avocado in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Stir in cilantro, salt and pepper. Set aside for topping the tacos.

For the tacos, put 1-2 tbsp. olive oil in pan on high heat- let the pan get hot. Salt and Pepper Ahi and place in the hot pan, for about 2-3 min. each side (inside will still be pink/raw) take off heat and let cool. Chop the cabbage, orange and cilantro and mix together in a bowl. (lime juice & honey can also be added - but I actually liked it better plain w/ this taco) Cut meat into slices about 1/4" thick. Place in warm corn tortilla, add cabbage garnish & top with salsa & diced tomatoes. MMMMMM!

When using tilapia or another mild fish, I usually cut a jalapeno in half and cook it in some olive oil and then add my fillets along with some lemon juice, salt & pepper and shred it as it cooks.

Serve with a side of beans! (Shown are a mix of red & pink beans)

2010-09-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

Quinoa w/ Red Cabbage, Edamame & Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients:

- 1/2c Quinoa
- 2c Edamame
- 1-1.5c chopped red cabbage
- 15-20 cherry tomatoes

Directions:
Cook Quinoa & Edamame per package instructions. (both fast- about 5-10 min boiling time) Meanwhile Chop cabbage and cut cherry tomatoes in half. Drain Edamame, combine all ingredients into a bowl. Sprinkle w/ salt. Makes (4) 1.5 cup servings (give or take)

Nutrition:
170 calories, 4g fat, 23g sodium, 26 carbs, 6g fiber, 6g sugar, 11g protein

2010-09-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

BEAN AND BUTTERNUT TACOS W/ GREEN SAUCE

Find the recipe HERE

This was a tasty Sunday dinner.
(I also added chicken b/c I had some in the fridge)

(oh, and the green salsa is YUMMY... i added a whole avocado though to mine)

I am also in love with the butternut squash...the flavors! Mmmm.
This would be wonderful as a side dish as well. I need to go buy some more!

(what it looked like going into the oven.)

2010-09-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

Workout:
-Spinning
-New strength training routine (will post soon)

* The hubby has now had to have something sweet 2 days in a row and has indulged himself and the boys. I let myself feel sorry for myself for about 2 seconds and moved on. I was completely satisfied from dinner and just wanted to keep a good thing going and not mess it up with a bloated tummy and then regret. Besides, I know I have little to no self-control in these matters. :) Sometimes it's just better not to go 'there'.

2010-09-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

EGG CON CORN TORTILLA
any time of day is good for this. :)
Ingredients:

- 3 egg whites
- 2 slices of onion, chopped
- 1.5c spinach- chopped
- 2 TBSP salsa
- 2 corn tortillas
- 1/4 avocado

- 1/4c plain greek yogurt
- cinnamon
- 1 TBSP sliced almonds

Directions:
In a small skillet, (spray w/ pam) cooked onion till transparent. Add egg whites. When almost cooked, add chopped spinach and stir around until wilted. Warm tortillas, spread avocado on both and then transfer egg mixture onto each tortilla.

Nutrition:
340 calories, 13g fat, 468g sodium, 15 carbs, 8g fiber, 8g sugar, 25g protein

Eliminating the almonds and avocado will bring these numbers down to:
207 calories, 2g fat, 465g sodium, 9 carbs, 4g fiber, 8g sugar, 21g protein

2010-09-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

BREAKFAST TWO WAYS
this would be a great snack too!

Ingredients:

- 1/4 c rolled oats

-1/3 c plain greek yogurt* (I use Oikos or Chobani)
- 1 TBSP sliced almonds
- 2-3 strawberries
- 1/4 c blueberries (frozen or fresh)
- cinnamon & splenda to taste (1/2 tsp. ea)

Directions:
Cook your oats w/ cinnamon & water, then plate and add the rest of the ingredients (top pic). or, just throw everything into a bowl! :) (bottom pic)

The uncooked version also has frozen blueberries, which makes the yogurt kinda freeze up around it.
Both very yummy!

*You could also substitute w/ cottage cheese!!!!

Nutrition:
218 calories, 8g fat, 33g sod, 27 carbs, 5g fiber, 10g sugar, 13g protein

2010-09-18T19:31:00.000-07:00

THE BOCA BURGER
this is great for dinner or lunch in a HURRY.
Ingredients:

- 1 boca burger patty
- 1/2c spinach
- 1/4 avocado
- 1 whole wheat sandwich round
- 1/2 TBSP ketchup

side:
cucumber, carrots & 1 TBSP roasted red pepper hummus

Directions:
Cook your boca in the microwave or on your griddle/grill. Spread avocado on each side of sandwich thin. Add spinach, top with boca and then ketchup. Also LOVE it w/ iceburg lettuce, tomato & onion.

Nutrition: (burger & side)
300 cal, 8g fat, 903mg sodium, 52 carbs, 16g fiber, 12g sugar, 29g protein

This is about 1/2 my daily allotted sodium total!

2010-09-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

I signed up for a 6 week class, MEGAFIT, to mix things up in my workout routine. Classes are 2x a week. The first class was good, but I was wanting a bit 'more'. The 2nd class (last night) was awesome and kicked my butt, so I am looking forward to the next 5 weeks. There's a lot of jumping/plyometrics, lunging/squatting, constantly moving & work w/ weights (lighter but fast paced, never ending reps) ...Whole body toning.
This morning I was guided through a workout by a gal who is helping me with my food choices. Holy crap. My body is whipped. I almost felt like I was on the biggest looser. :) I was happy when the workout was over but it felt really good too.
I am expecting good things over the next 5 weeks with the continuation of stellar food choices. I am trying to find the balance of a livable lifestyle and deprivation (or that feeling)... "but I WANT that cookie" :) So far (in the last 2 weeks) I've had a bowl of ice cream. And it was great. I was able to have it, leave it and move on. Not sure when the next time will be, but I almost think that is the beauty of it. If something comes up, or I am having a killer craving, take care of it and move one. I think when I tell myself I can have sweets once a week - I obsess the entire week about what *several* things I am going to have or what I am not having... and then it all just seems so messed up when I o.d. The last two weeks have been kinda freeing. Somehow I realized that I have the choice of what I'm going to fuel my body with, and that I don't want food to control me. (I think Trainer Momma said something like that) -b/c oh boy how it has! I want to be done with that.

I'm not the only one like this am I???

2010-09-09T16:48:00.000-07:00

Left over salad, steamed veggies, cottage cheese, cinn. & almond slices.

This NEVER gets old.
3 egg whites, onion, spinach, topped w/ salsa. 1/4c oatmeal & cinn. 1/4c greek yogurt w/ cinnamon and 2-3 strawberries.

Chicken wrap on a whole grain tortilla (only 100 cal, 12g fiber) w/ roasted red pepper hummus, spinach and red pepper slices.

2010-08-31T14:28:00.000-07:00

yummy goodness!!!! Been eating a lot of eggs, oatmeal, cottage cheese & greek yogurt lately. Note! Not all greek yogurt is created equally! Make sure you check the nutrition info. Happy eating!

Kid you not. This dish below is only 220 calories, 22g protein, and so satisfying.
3 egg whites, 1/4c zucchini, 2 slices onion, 3/4c spinach topped w/ homemade salsa. 1/4c oatmeal cooked w/ cinnamon. 1/4c greek yogurt w/ cinnamon & splenda. 2 large strawberries.

Left over Thai- Red curry w/ 1/3c brown rice. I added 1 c chopped spinach

Mahi Mahi w/ green beans, yellow & gray squash, onion, fresh tomatoes. Greek yogurt w/ lemon for dipping.

Ground turkey w/ onion, yellow squash, red & green bell peppers. Yam w/ greek yogurt.

Lettuce wraps! This fed the whole family and we had leftovers. Made w/ turkey. Kinda hot. I'll have to find the recipe to post.... soy sauce, hoisen, chili paste, garlic, ginger, water chestnuts, green onion.... something like that. :)

2010-07-22T18:23:00.000-07:00

I know these two look similar.... Pretty much the same summer veggies- the first one I just cut some corn off the cob. Yum. And it's w/ chicken tenders. The second is Tilapia.

Bed of spinach, 2 chicken tenders, strawberries, sugar snap peas, balsamic vinagrette & 1/4c of quinoa.

Tilapia fillet, red potato, broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas.

2010-06-02T23:08:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
1 egg, 1 egg white (low on eggs), onion, red pepper, 1C chopped spinach, salsa. Corn tortilla (put my egg mixture in) 3 strawberries, 1/4C blackberries.

Cal: 186. Fat: 6g. Carb: 23. Fiber: 4. Sugars: 6. Protein: 13.

Snack: Protein Shake (262 calories)

Lunch: Peanut Butter Think Thin Bar, handful of sugar snap peas (280 cal.)

Snack: 12 almonds (48 cal)

Dinner:
Boca Burger (again. wasn't supposed to be- but sounded good.) + grapes. mmm.

Then I also had some frosted mini-wheats big bites...They are calorie DENSE! (360 for 10 bites.) But I had it to spare.

Total calories:1410, 25g fat, 219 carbs, 36g fiber, 67g sugar, 103g protein.

Workout: (+/- 540 cal.)
20 min. run @ 6.8 w/ 2.0 incline every-other 5 min.

YOGA. (ahhhhhhhhhhh)

2010-06-01T22:11:00.001-07:00

I have many pics to post. My life has been somewhat consumed lately. But I will be ready to commit to blogging my daily romance w/ food in 2 weeks time...

I had the BEST dinner- The Boca burger, on Nature's own bread (50 cal/slice) w/ a heap of iceburg lettuce, onion, tomato, pepper, 1 TBSP ketchup and some mustard. YUM.

All for a whopping 233 calories! Pretty nuts.
Especially considering one of my meals today was an apple, string cheese & 12 almonds equaling 205 calories... almost the same as a huge 'burger'.

Also had: 3 egg whites w/ onion & spinach & a banana (158 calories)

And: Go Lean Kashi cereal, milk, graham crackers & a fudgsicle (538 calories)

I also had some tea crackers, probably 80 cal. worth.

Workout:
Treadmill for 30 min. at 4.0 incline, 4.3 speed

Extreme conditioning class. -45 min. It's been YEARS (6) since I've been. It was good.

Yesterday had a great arm workout and run on the treadmill.

For 30 min. repeat:
4 min. 7.0
1 min. 10.0

2010-05-29T22:47:00.000-07:00

Kashi Go Lean Cereal w/ blueberries and almond milk. Turkey Keilbasa w/ cooked/steamed zucchini, asparagus, onion, orange bell pepper, corn cut from the cob, tomato chunks.

Typ. breakfast, Corn tortilla w/ blended black beans, spinach, tomato, onion.

3 eggwhites, 2 slices of onion-chopped, 1C broccoli topped w/ salsa. Watermelon. Tofu w/ hot 'n sour swiss chard & spinach.

Typ. w/ orange. Open faced boca burger on a sandwich thin w/ LTO. Watermelon

3 egg whites, yellow bell pepper topped w/ salsa. Steamed asparagus, mango & blackberries. Bed of Spinach, 1/2 chopped chicken breast, strawberries, 1C steamed asparagus w/ 1 TBSP olive oil balsamic dressing. yummy.

2010-05-18T22:06:00.001-07:00

Today was a BUST.

Had a great workout (weights & rotating stairs)
Had a great breakfast (usual egg whites & broccoli...)

And then ate cereal the rest. of. the. day. Not sure how many bowls...

Don't even ask how many calories I consumed...Not sure, but it can't be pretty.

over. out.

2010-05-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, onion, 1C broccoli, salsa, orange. (1/2 apple earlier)

calories: 185

Snack: 11 almonds, 1C watermelon

calories: 94

Lunch:
Swiss Chard, Spinach, onion & Tofu w/ hot 'n sour sauce. Totally bummed the sauce turned out to be 113 calories (used too much. grrrrr.)

Calories: 243

Snacks: 3 graham crackers, 1C of dry LIFE cereal, Think Thin Bar

Calories: 570

Dinner:
Took the boys to Taco Bell after swimming at the Aquaplex. Had a fresca chicken soft taco for 170 calories. NOT a fan. I'm too used to corn tortillas. And it just tasted "fast food". Then I came home and ate a Boca burger - just the patty - we had to run out the door to a softball game.

Calories: 270

Totals: cal: 1359, fat: 28g, crb: 201, fib:33g, sug:74g, pro:94g

Workout: (estimated 957 cal. burned)
Spinning class
20min. on treadmill, hill setting, level 15 @ 4.3
Rode Bodie to school and picked him up (+/- 4 miles)

2010-05-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

I pretty much eat the same things....
3 egg whites, w/ broccoli or spinach topped w/ salsa in the mornings is just about a given...

We have discovered the BOCA burger- um. We LOVE them!!!!!! You can have a filling 'burger' -w/ lettuce, onion, tomato, ketchup & mustard for 250cal!! Pretty cool. I like to use the orowheat sandwich thins- 100cal per bun. (sometimes I'll use 1/2 for an 'open' burger)

Gorgeous, no?! Love the mango & blackberries.

Breakfast options- oatmeal/egg pancake w/ fruit(+/- 160 cal). Cottage cheese, fruit & almonds

Really like asparagus.... Behold the fish taco!!! yummmmmmmy.

2010-05-07T22:28:00.000-07:00

Oh man- I am already getting behind!! :)

I have PRETTY pictures to upload!

Happy, healthy eating....

2010-05-05T20:48:00.000-07:00

Today was an on the run day....

TOTALS:

1299 calories, 22g fat, 187 carbs, 32g fiber, 65g sugar, 107g protein

Workout:

Killer spin class + 4 miles riding my son to and from his school (morn. & afternoon)

est. calories burned: 1037.

It was a pretty active day. I could tell - I was hungry. :) I am excited for the "maintain" point in my life -which is several weeks out if I stay DILIGENT and loose what I'd like. My sister keeps reminding me that "slow and steady wins the race" :) So true- and I know that already. Last year I lost 14 lbs. (really 10 in all actuality) And it took me pretty much the entire year to do it. This go around I am really focusing on refining my self. Counting calories is somewhat tedious. There are no "free" days when counting calories (like I had been having)...I am hyper-aware of the 'damage' I can do in one setting...I'd much rather have a plateful of yummy food than 1 cookie. (which in all reality turns into 5+) With that said- I still work sweets into my day- I just really limit it b/c it's not worth all the calories. I think once I'm in the maintain stage it will be easier b/c I'm not trying to have such a deficit.... We'll see.

BUT -the oatmeal egg pancakes are SAVING me- yum- they are such a treat!!!! :)

2010-05-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

TOTALS:

1423 calories (I had cake today!)

36g fat

188 carbs

36g fiber

60g sugar

115g protein

Workout: (did the circuit machines)

3 rounds:

(12) squat press @ 120#

(12) hamstring curls @ 40#

(12) quad machine @ 60#

(15) calf raises @ 120#

(24) alt. step ups w/ back leg lift on 30#

(12) ea. leg standing quad extensions @ 20#

(12) standing calf raises @ 120#

30 min. on arc trainer

2010-05-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:

3 egg whites, onion, salsa, 1 C asparagus, mango & blackberries. (1/2 apple earlier)

179cal, 0g fat, 30 carbs, 9g fiber 20g sugar, 16g protein

Lunch:

Protein shake (my usual) & 10 almonds

315 cal, 5g fat, 38 carbs, 7g fiber, 19g sugar, 29g protein

Dinner:

2C (this was like 1.5hr apart) of fall tortilla soup, 1 slice of Ezekiel Bread.

260 cal, 4g fat, 41 carbs, 10g fiber, 7g sugar, 18g protein

Snacks throughout the day:

(3) oatmeal/egg pancakes, orange, 3 jelly bellies (all my boy would give me!), 5 chips w/ guac.

348 cal, 15g fat, 43carbs, 8g fiber, 15g sugar, 14g protein

Totals:

1102 cal, 24g fat, 152 carbs, 34g fiber 61g sugar, 77g protein

Workout: (est. 899 cal burned)

10 min. on treadmill @ 7.0

Spinning class

Weights: Arms

2010-05-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

Catching up on food. Yum. Yum. Yummy. (I love salsa, can you tell?)

So, my sister was up for my b-day party (she started this whole: taking pictures of food bidness) and she introduced me to a NEW version of the oatmeal/egg pancake! (pictured at bottom left)

Here is the recipe:

Mix together:
-1C cooked oats (1/2C dry)
-6 egg whites, 1 egg
-cinnamon- 2 tsp.
-splenda -2tsp. (guessing)
Makes 8-9 cakes (using 1/4C full of batter)

for 1 cake:
38calories
1g fat, 26g chol
45g sodium
3 carbs
0 fat
0 sugar
4 g protein

2010-04-30T11:43:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
3 eggwhites, onion, red pepper, salsa, asparagus, 1/2 mango, 10 almonds

185 cal, 3g fat, 18 carbs, 5g fiber, 7g sugar, 21g protein

Snack: Protein Shake (1.5-2C spinach, 1 sm banana, 1/4C froz. strawberries, 1/4C blueberries, 1 scoop protein powder.
262 cal, 1 fat, 36 carbs, 6g fiber, 19 sugar, 27g protein

Lunch: 10 tortilla chips and salsa
+
Dinner: 1.5 fish tacos w/ salsa & toppings and 10 chips, 2 bites of cake. Oh, I wish I had a picture of this!!! It was gorgeous.

677cal, 27g fat, 81 carbs, 8g fiber, 11g sugar, 31g protein (1/2 the calories came from CHIPS- wow, they are a big no, no!) :)

Workout:

Spinning Class: +/- 700 calories burned
30 min. on treadmill: 317 calories burned
-15 min. @ 7.0
-5 min. @ 4.3 w/ 5.0 incline
-10 min. @ 7.0 (faster at end)

(not to mention all day cleaning)

Wow. My legs were tired tonight.

2010-04-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

Calories: 1173. -Kinda guessing. I was at 973 and had 3/4C of soup (Dene' -your fall tortilla soup) I guessed MAX it was 200- which is pretty generous I think.

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, onion, salsa, asparagus, raw almonds (10

Snack: Protein shake

Lunch:

Dinner:

Workout:

3 rounds:

-(20) jump ups (onto step w/ 5 inserts)
-(20) wall balls w/ 13lb. ball
-(15) push ups
-(12) pull-ups
-(12) dumbbell shoulder presses w/ 17#'s
-(24) alternating bicep curls w/ 17#'s
-(12) overhead tricep presses w/ 20# dumbbell
-(12) ea. leg side squat w/ side leg lift w/ 15#bar (it's confusing) (@ 300 cal)

45 min. arc trainer - 517 calories.

I'm not sure that was an 800+ workout though- Wish I had a bodybugg to see how much I burned during the weights!

2010-04-28T21:00:00.001-07:00

I am back to COUNTING CALORIES. Plain and simple, it's just what WORKS! :) I have a few pounds to loose b/c I have been binging on sweets. :( Boo hoo me! (I am totally an emotional eater and had a rough week last week- and it caught up to me. Well, lets be honest. I went a little crazy over Easter and haven't quite recovered from that. I've "filled out" and am not liking it so much. If only it would all go to my chest! ;)

I am excited about my food again. Today the total was 1149...

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, 1 C broccoli 2 slices of onion, chopped, 3/4C asparagus, 1/2 grapefruit

Calorie total: 151, 0g fat, 23 carb, 6g fiber, 13g sugar, 17g protein

Snack:
Protein shake: 1 scoop of Gold Standard whey protein, water, 2C spinach, 1 banana, 1/2C fros. blueberries, 1/2C froz. strawberries
Calorie total: 289, 1g fat, 44 carb, 8g fiber, 24g sugar, 29g protein

Lunch:
4 strawberries, 2TBSP red pepper roasted hummus, 10 baby carrots, 2 sm. stalks celery

+
Snack:
Think Thin Protein Bar (Brownie crunch) - I haven't typed in the exact amount for this bar (I just used the smooth PB one for now) BUT they have 20g protein & NO sugar. Pretty sweet. :)

Calorie total: 360, 11g fat, 46 carb, 9g fiber, 10g sugar, 24g protein (this is for lunch & bar)

Dinner:
2C spinach, 1 C chicken breast chunks, 1/4 avocado, 1/2 grapefruit, balsamic vinaigrette, s.f. fudgsicle.

Calorie total: 349, 10g fat, 28 carb, 6g fiber, 10g sugar, 28g protein

Workout:
Spinning class (it was a doozy!) hardcore the WHOLE HOUR. (estim. 700 calories burned)
20 min. treadmill @4.3 & 4.0 incline (130cal. burned)

2010-04-20T23:25:00.000-07:00

Today....phew.

Started out with whole wheat blueberry pancakes- Thank goodness b/c I needed the energy!

Scouted out hikes for girls camp with a friend today. We biked and ran for 4 hrs. today... TIRED legs. My cell phone dropped out of my jacket while we were running and we went back to look for it. I have a good friend. No luck... Frustrating when you're already dog tired and tack on another 2.5 miles or so of ROUGH terrain. :I

No real "meal" today, but this is what I remember eating:

1/2 banana, almonds
apple slices, sesame crackers, honey & almond butter sand. on wheat
cashew butter (yum) & graham crackers
avocado and bread
prob. a pretty high calorie day...

2010-04-19T23:24:00.000-07:00

Workout:

Spinning + 20 min. running

(I'll have to post food pics later)

2010-04-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, 1 egg, broccoli, yellow pepper, mushrooms, cilantro, salsa, almonds, 1/2 grapefruit

Lunch:
Piece of ezekiel bread w/ almond butter and cut up banana

Dinner:
In pan: saute onion, mushrooms, yellow pepper, shredded yam. Add water, garlic powder & some lemon juice. Add spinach - Put on corn tortilla w/ cheese and cook. Top w/ avocado. Side of blueberries.

Then I had some oreos. FIVE. One of my little monkeys put them in the cart today and I didn't put them back... :I It was one of those days.

Workout:

5 exercise circuit intermixed w/ 1 min. treadmill interval.

REPEAT 3 TIMES:

-Treadmill @8.5, 1min
- (12) dumbbell shoulder press w/ 17#'s
-Treadmill @8.5, 1min
-(24) alternating bicep curls w/ 17#'s
-Treadmill @8.5, 1min
-(12) pull ups
-Treadmill @8.5, 1min
-(15) push ups
-Treadmill @8.5, 1min
-(12) Overhead tricep extension w/ 17#

After the 3 rounds, I ended w/ another min. @8.5 and then went through just the 5 exercises one more time.

I have to say it seemed easier this time around focusing on arms rather than legs!!

2010-04-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
2 'pancakes' (6 eggwhites, 1 egg, 1C oats, 1/4C blueberries- blend & pour onto griddle. Makes 6-7)

Snack: Apple w/ almond butter, protein & water

Lunch: Bed of greens, chicken, strawberries, avocado, hard boiled egg white, balsamic vinaigrette.

Dinner:
Chicken fajitas! In pan: olive oil, onion, peppers, chili powder & lemon juice - add chicken (mine was already cooked). Put into corn tortilla(s) w/ 1/4 avocado. Blueberries.

Workout:
Spinning Class

2010-04-14T20:56:00.000-07:00

Breakfast/Pre-workout
banana, almond butter, 1 scoop protein/water

[early] Lunch:
3 egg whites, 1 egg, broccoli, red pepper, mushrooms, salsa on corn tortilla, orange

Snack/lunch:
Apple, almond butter, 1 hard boiled egg, piece of Ezekiel toast- dry

Dinner:
Bed of greens, grilled chicken, strawberries, avocado, balsamic vinaigrette.

Workout:
-30 min. rotating stairs
-45 min. arc trainer

2010-04-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
4 egg whites, mushroom, red pepper, spinach, cilantro, 1/2 grapefruit, blackberries, almonds

Snack: grapes, crackers

Lunch:
Bed of greens, grilled chicken strips, strawberries, avocado, almonds w/ balsamic vinagrette.

Snack: graham crackers & glass of milk. (why do I even go here?)

Dinner:
Protein & water.

Workout:

5 min. warm-up on treadmill

3 rounds of:

(12) flat bench dumbbell flies
(12) dumbbell bench press (rotate dumbbell 180' when arms are fully extended)
(24) walking lunges w/ 15#dumbbells
(12) pull-ups
(12) supine pull ups
(20) kettlebell overhead swing (20#dumbbell)
(12-15) standing calf raises on 120#
(12) standing overhead tricep press/extension
(25) tummy exercise

ab work on the mat

2010-04-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:

4 egg whites, onion, broccoli, mushrooms, sweet red pepper, topped w/ salsa. 1/2 grapefruit, almonds.

Lunch:

Protein shake w/ handful of spinach, blueberries, banana, strawberries

Snack: Chex mix

Dinner:

Grilled mushroom, onion & wilted spinach on ezekiel bread, red pepper strips, blueberries

Workout:

Spinning Class, 2.25 mi. on the treadmill

2010-04-09T22:54:00.000-07:00

Hot & Sour (& sweet) Swiss Chard
(Jen Caputo)

2 T. apple cider vinegar (I used red wine)
2 T. raw organic honey or agave
1 T. tomato paste
¼ to ½ t. red chile flakes (or chili paste) – adjust to taste (ha- ya, no wonder mine was pretty hot...I used at least a tsp...I liked it though!)
1 t. olive oil
1 med shallot, finely diced (didn't have this- need to try it next time)
1 bunch swiss chard, chopped
Sea salt
Ground pepper

In small bowl, mix together first four ingredients.

Heat large sauté pan over med-high heat. Add oil and shallot and sauté for 1 minute. Add chard and sauté for several minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pour into bowl.

Return pan to heat and pour vinegar mixture into pan. (Caution: vinegar will boil, resulting in strong fumes). Stir well and allow liquid to reduce for about 30 to 60 seconds so that it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.

Serve immediately.

Nutrients per 2/3 cup serving: 69 calories, 1 gram fat, 14 grams carbs, 1 gram fiber, 9.5 grams sugar, 1.5 grams protein

*You can also make this a meal w/ chicken.

I put some olive oil in my pan, added onion and garlic and then cooked my chicken breast. (I also add water throughout this process) When it was almost done, I added the sauce mixture and cooked for a few minutes, then added chopped swiss chard and spinach and let wilt. It was so yummy- Everything soaked up the flavor of the sauce.

2010-04-09T22:28:00.000-07:00

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, onion, yellow pepper, broccoli, topped w/ salsa. (YUM) w/ 1 slice of Ezekial toast w/ almond butter, 1/2 orange.

Snack: banana, protein & water

Lunch: Almonds, banana, rest of orange from breakfast, lunch meat, crackers. (snack turned lunch)

Dinner:
Onion, asparagus, eggplant, swiss chard (2 C), protein powder & water, almonds. (I was too lazy/in a hurry to cook chicken or fish!)

Directions:
Saute onions in a bit (1-2 tsp) of olive oil, add quartered eggplant & cut asparagus- add some water to steam. Add sweet & sour sauce: (Combine: 1-2T of tomato paste, 1-2tsp. chili paste, 1-2T agave, 2T red wine vinegar & some squirts of lemon juice) Let cook and add 3-4 leaves of swiss chard - Let wilt. YUMMY! -I will put up the "real" recipe for the sauce... this was just what I did from memory tonight.
This FULL plate was under 200 calories.

Workout:
Ended up taking a brisk walk up Mars Hill - I won't lie, my butt and hamstrings are feeling it from yesterdays workout! Wanted to do arms today, but wasn't able to get to the gym. - I did do a ton of arm circles/pumps (who knows what they're called) while walking... :)

2010-04-08T14:43:00.001-07:00

Breakfast:
Kashi cereal w/ banana & almond milk

Lunch:

3 egg whites, yellow bell pepper, broccoli & cilantro on a corn tortilla, topped with salsa. Raw almonds

Snack:
Cup of Bear Naked cereal & almond milk

Dinner:

Grilled veggies (onion, broccoli, carrots, snow peas, asparagus cooked in water, lemon juice and garlic powder...saute the onion first!) 1/4c plain yogurt, strawberries and frozen blueberries, 12 almonds. protein & water.

Workout: (not for the weak of heart! It's a good one.)
p.s. I LOVE having a workout partner!

So - we are rockstars b/c we were only going to try this for 20 min, but decided to go for 3 rounds. It lasted us 45 min.

REPEAT 3 TIMES:

-1 min. treadmill @ 8.0
-(24) jumping lunges
-1 min. treadmill @ 8.5
-(24) alt. step-ups w/ 25-30#'s
-1 min. treadmill @ 8.5
-(24) straight leg deadlifts w/ 20# dumbbells
-1 min. treadmill @ 8.5
-(24) alt. side lunges w/ bicep curl (8# dumbbells)
-1 min. treadmill @ 8.5
-(40) speed skaters

2010-04-08T14:27:00.001-07:00

Yummy! :)

3 egg whits w/ cilantro and salsa on a corn tortilla w/ sauteed swiss chard, spinach and asparagus in lemon & red wine vinegar.

Dinner:

(3) leaves of swiss chard, chopped. Handful of spinach, chopped - Cook in olive oil -(1.5tsp) and then add some lemon juice and red wine vinegar. YUMMY. Side of strawberries and blueberries.

Breakfast... Usual suspect.

Oatmeal w/ strawberries, blueberries, banana, almond milk

Dinner

Did my own take on the grilled veggie salad at Pita Jungle. In a pan, heat some olive oil (2 tsp.) and add garlic, chopped onion, then add asparagus, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower and a little water to let it steam. I also added lemon juice and red wine vinegar. Add tomatoes and top over a bed of romaine lettuce.

Breakfast:

1 egg, 2 eggwhites, w/ onion. Top w/ salsa. Asparagus. (I cook in pan w/ about 1/4C water and squirt lemon juice over it - yummy.)

Breakfast:

3 egg whites w/ broccoli and mushrooms. Top w/ salsa. Side or blueberries and cutie orange.

Steel Cut Oats w/ cinnamon, strawberries, banana, almonds - no milk.

2010-02-28T20:25:00.000-08:00

Some more food lately!

This is Lima Bean Cabbage soup. Very tasty! (Looks can be deceiving!)

Left over Salmon on bed of greens, tomatoes, cucumber -balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

2010-02-18T13:27:00.000-08:00

Breakfast:
oatmeal w/ cinnamon & blueberries.

Snack:
apple

Lunch:
1/2 pb&j (kiddos)

Dinner:
Brown rice, lentils (I cook them together), stir fry & tofu

Workout:
3 rounds of the following sets:

(12) supine pull ups
(12) ea. leg front lunge/back lunge combo w/ dumbbell shoulder press on back lunge (switch to bicep curls when doing other side)

(20) hamstring curls w/ exercise ball
(15) push ups

(50) speed skaters (NEW FAVORITE)
(30) box jumps

(12) standing calf raises on 120
(20) knees to elbows (on dip stand)

2010-02-14T18:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!
We had 'heart' wholewheat blueberry pancakes and fruit. Yum.

Here is some food from the last little while. I have loved getting back on the challenge. It really seems silly to me that I need something like that to stay on track. Maybe someday I will 'grow up' and be a big girl that can do it all by herself! :)

3 egg whites w/ veggies. Strawberries & blueberries.

Spinach salad w/ olive oil & vinegar dressing, apple.

Tostada w/ homemade chips and guac.

Brown rice and stir fry. (this veggie mix is from sam's)

Oatmeal w/ cinnamon, blueberries & raisins.

Wholewheat waffles w/ banana and blueberries

3 egg whites & veggie scramble.

Beef stew compliments my m-i-l. with a side of snap peas. Yum! I ate this everyday for awhile.

This is a must try!!!!! Got it from my music partner....
In a pan, saute your onion, garlic, & mushroom in some olive oil. (You could also add zucchini & yellow squash) Grate 1/2 a yam and put in the pan. Add a little water (she uses vegetable broth) and then some cumin. Let cook, stir around for a few min. Then add a large handful of spinach and let wilt. Then put your tortilla on the grill and sprinkle w/ some cheese (I like to use mozzarella) and then put your veggie mix on there and top w/ another tortilla. Yummy.

I have also had some great workouts this past week but time to record them hasn't happened...