Bountiful Baskets

So...this Saturday I did my first food co-op and picked up a big basket of fruit and veggies. Go to this website to check out a co-op that is close to you. It was only $15.00 for a big basket of goods.

You don't know what you are getting when you sign up which is the negative part, but you get so much produce for $15! I got cantaloupe, mangos, bananas, pineapple, plums, cucumbers, yellow potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, apples, and kiwis! That is a lot of stuff! Most of it is local produce and minimum pesticides! You can pay $5 more dollars for organic! Go to the website and sign up for a basket in your area! You have to sign up on Monday @ 10 am to get a basket. It fills up quickly so sign up fast!

Spinach Addict

Spinach is so good for you, so I always try to incorporate it into my meals. 

Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, steamed, or quickly boiled. It is a rich source of vitamin A (and especially high in lutein), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, folate, betaine,iron, vitamin B₂, calcium, potassium, vitamin B₆, folic acid, copper, protein, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. Recently, opioid peptides called rubiscolins have also been found in spinach.

IT IS FULL OF VITAMINS AND ANTIOXIDANTS FOR BEING SO LOW IN CALORIE CONTENT!

 So I found this recipe a long time ago, and decided to try it out. It was delicious, and tasted like something you would get at an Italian restaurant. It is called:

TUSCAN CHICKEN WITH WHITE BEANS AND SPINACH

2 tsp. olive oil, divided

5 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless

Sea salt

Cracked black pepper

Dried Basil

Garlic Powder

1/2 yellow onion, chopped (I only had a red onion)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups spinach

1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes, drained

1 15 oz. can white beans, drained & rinsed

Add 1 tsp. of oil to skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of chicken with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and basil. Add chicken to skillet. Cook about 5-6 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Remove from pan and cover with tin foil tent, set aside.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan. Add onion and cook for 4-5 min, or until cooked through. Add garlic and stir continuously for 1 minute. Add drained tomatoes and beans. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add spinach. Season with salt, pepper, and basil to taste. Cook until spinach is wilted. Lade mixture onto serving dish and top with chicken. Serve immediately

I served mine with rice and steamed veggies. You could also do a baked potato and couscous! It was delicious and Bradon loved it as well! If you try it, let me know how you liked it!

FAKE CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM WITH MINI OREOS

1/2 cup vanilla soy milk (or any milk)

1 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein powder

Stevia

1/2 tsp. xanthum gum (thickens)

1/2 tsp. guar gum (creamy)

1 T. cocoa powder (optional)

6-7 ice cubes

Some mini oreos (or other toppings you may like)

Blend together until smooth! My Vitamix make ice cream perfectly! Some blenders may not do as well. Try it out! 

I then took my doggies for a walk and decided to snap some pictures. They actually walk me because they pull so hard. Taking my dogs on a walk is really relaxing for me and allows me time to think. I usually put in my earphones and listen to Pandora's alternative radio mix. 

Ute and Chester leading the way! Ute always has to be on the left and chester always has to be on the right. Sounds like they have some OCD qualities like their mother! haha. 

Bradon and I found this canal that they love to run around! We let them off their leash and they just run. They chase birds, dig in the dirt, and drink the dirty canal water! They are exhausted by the end!

The other day Ute fell in the canal and could not swim! Bradon had to jump in after him. It was pretty funny! (Not that Ute was drowning, but that Bradon got soaked saving our dog :))

ABS/SHOULDER/CARDIO WORKOUT

I had a great workout today that I would like to share. It kicked my butt and I loved it!

I started out with a 5 minute warmup on the elliptical

Then did this weight lifting circuit 3 times:

1. upright row with a barbell x 15

2. Supermans, alternating x 20

3. lateral raises with dumbbells x 15

4. front raises with dumbbells x 15

5. Hands overhead, crunches on stability ball x 50

6. Should Press with barbell x 15

7. side bridge x 60 seconds per side

30 minutes cardio on the stair stepper machine. Alternating 2 minutes moderate effort (8-10) with 1 minute intense effort (15-17).  (These are the levels on my machine at the gym)

This will be 10 intervals. 

5 minute cool down with stretching! It was great! Try it out!

After the gym today I put together this yummy smoothie bowl! I like eating it from a bowl because it is thick and creamy! It doesn't look good because of the spinach! I promise, it is tasty! If you have kids that don't like spinach (or husbands like mine) this is a great way to hide it in their food! They will never taste it!

SPINACH BERRY VANILLA PROTEIN SMOOTHIE BOWL

1/2 cup coconut milk (or any milk)
1/2 cup water
1 scoop vanilla protein
1/2 frozen banana
2-3 big frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen berries
1/2 tsp. xanthum gum (this is optional, it just thickens it)
1 big handful of spinach
1/4 cup plain oatmeal
3-4 ice cubes
Blend together until smooth and creamy! Very filling! You can buy xantham gum at a health food store.

Timp Trail Half Marathon

I ended up running the half marathon I signed up for and it was the hardest thing I have done in my life! I was not going to run it due to the rain and mud, but it ended up being a sunny, dry day! The hard part about it was all the hills and trails, half the the race was straight up hiking. It took me 2 hrs and 42 minutes to complete with no rest (well except for one pee break, yep, I had to stop in some bushes and squat! haha.). I was for sure not competing in this race and just wanted to cross the finish line. 

 The first part was extremely muddy! I had about an inch of mud caked on my shoes, which weighed me down big time! I was going to turn around about three miles into it because of the mud, but it ended up getting a lot better!

 In all, it was one of the best 1/2 marathons I have ran, because of the scenic views and being up in the mountains! it made time fly by!

I wanted to take a picture of the straight up trails! I kept wondering when it was going to end. The last 4 miles were down hill, which ended up killing my knees in the end. 

 I honestly think I ate all day after the race, I was starving all day! I don't think my body was ready for the shock it went through! haha. 

It was a beautiful day! Got plenty of nice tan lines! Capri tan lines are the best!

Eat Clean Tips

I am currently reading this book The Eat Clean Diet...Recharged, it isn't necessarily a diet but a change of lifestyle. I have been trying to eat whole foods lately, and trying to take out the processed, sugar-loaded crap. Don't get me wrong, I still have my sweets everyday, but I am trying to spruce up my meals with whole foods, meat, veggies, etc... Here are a few tips that I would like to share with you from the book:

• Tomatoes accelerate your metabolism. They have natural acids that help flush more water through your kidneys and prompt them to filter out large amounts of fatty deposits. It is also has lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant
• Garlic and onions break down fatty deposits in your body and speed up your metabolism also. Garlic is natural detoxifier
• A fat-burning metabolism is like money in the bank earning interest. Your metabolism works for you all the time even when you aren't working out. You get a fat-burning metabolism from weight training programs. It also depends on how you treat your body right now and in the past. 
• If you have dieted for years, gaining and losing the same weight over and over again interferes with your metabolism. It makes it more difficult to lose weight. Start weight training today!
• Eating sprouted grains is a great substitute for whole wheat. They release more nutrients, and they help foster the growth of good bacteria in your gut. This helps you stay away from cancer and digestion. They are also digested more quickly, and are loaded with fiber, protein, and vitamins. 
• It is the cooked wheat that causes mucus congestion, allergic reactions, constipation, and bowel irritability. When wheat is sprouted, it has no negative effects on the digestive tract (unless your gluten intolerant). 
• "Clean eating is not about eliminating every tasty item from your diet or being hungry. You need to recognize that some "foods' you are currently eating are things I would rather call "anti-foods" and you must work hard to avoid these, since they are destructive to both excellent health and stunning form." Try to eliminate 1 or 2 things from your diet at a time.

• Things like white flour and sugar, chemically charged, preservatives, artificial sugars, artificial foods, trans fat, sugar-loaded beverages, alcohol, calorie-dense foods containing no nutritional value, and super-sizing your meals.
• Eat more-six small meals/day, eat breakfast, eat a combo of protein & complex carbs at each meal, eat healthy fats (2-3 servings/day), drink a lot of water, carry a cooler with clean food, depend of fresh fruits and vegetables for vitamins, adhere to proper protein sizes.

MORE CLEAN EATING TIPS TO COME..........

                              

Egg muffin & the best cookies ever!

                           Iknow it sounds funny....an egg muffin? It is yummy. It reminds me of German Pancakes, but a much easier version and a bit healthier. 

 

I got this idea from Smoothie Girls Blog.........
Ingredients:

• 2 Egg whites or 1/2 cup liquid eggs
• 1/4 cup pumpkin (3 T applesauce works well too, or yogurt, or smashed banana)
• 2 T peanut flour(1 T also works, can also use coconut flour)-if using whole wheat flour it wont be as moist but it works!
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• stevia or other granular sweetener to taste
• 1 T. cocoa powder (Hershey's Special dark cocoa is best!)-OPTIONAL-(did not add it to mine)

Method: 

Spray a soup bowl with a very light layer of oil to prevent sticking (not even necessary but makes cleaning up a bit easier).
Mix ingredients well with fork, whisk or spatula
Microwave for 2:30-4+ min on High


I added peanut butter and sugar-free syrup on top! SO DELICIOUS and FILLING!!!

MONSTER COOKIES RECIPE

• Cream together:
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup soft butter
• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• Add:
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. agave or honey (it calls for Karo syrup but I used agave)
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3 cups oatmeal
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips
• 1 medium bag M&Ms (optional, I did not add)
• Mix together and put on cookie sheet with small ice cream scoop. Can use a large ice cream scoop to make BIG ones, but I like smaller ones because I can never eat half of a cookie! :)
• Cook at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until edges are brown.

These cookies are not too unhealthy, except of course the sugar (but you could sub the white sugar for stevia because it cooks the same). It doesn't have flour and it doesn't have much butter, it uses a ton of peanut butter which is much better for you! Healthy fats and oats in a delicious cookie! Who cares about the sugar! haha. I love these cookies, and they are so rich and soft you only need one! 

My motto..."If you are going to eat a dessert...go for the decadent ones in moderation...you will be satisfies with less".

How many of you have eaten tons of sugar-free treats or fat-free frozen yogurt and have not felt satisfied? I know when I lived in the Delta Gamma house we would get sugar-free everything to try to be "healthy" but we would end up eating so much of it and still wanting more. I've learned to eat the most fattiest, sugariest treats and I feel much more satisfied with less. Sugar-free and fat free desserts are full of artificial ingredients and preservatives. Unless you are diabetic, don't always go for the sugar free options.

FOOD RULES #28-32

• Rule #28: If you have the space, buy a freezer:
• If you find a good price on grass-fed, natural meat stock up!
• Freeze fruit or veggies when they are cheap and in season.
• Rule #29: Eat like an omnivore:
• The greater the diversity of species you eat (plant, fungi, seeds, wheat, soy, beans, etc..) the more likely you are to cover all your nutritional bases
• Rule #30: Eat well-grown foods from healthy soil:
• "organic" doesn't mean it's the choice to choose. "organic" soda is still full of empty sugar calories. But choosing organic produce and meats is a good idea if you can afford it.
• Foods that are "organic" are grown in healthier soil and produce more nutritious foods.
• The longer it sits in a truck the faster it loses its nutrients. So go for local and organic. Farmers markets are the way to go during season!
• Rule #31: Eat wild foods when you can
• Rule #32: Don't overlook the oily fishes:
• Wild fishes are among the healthiest you can eat.

Workout Burnout

So...over the last few months I have been extremely bored with my workouts and have had no drive to get off my butt and want to workout. I decided to sign up for a half marathon a little while ago to get me going, but  my hip has given me major issues which has limited me on my training. I know I will be able to finish, but it may be a struggle! Anyway.....I also got on the p90X bandwagon, but found myself unsatisfied with the workouts. I didn't like how I had to workout 6 times a week for 1 hr. 15 min and not feel like I got a good workout in. Don't get me wrong, it isn't an easy workout at all, but I don't have all the equipment to get the full benefit. Ab Ripper X is amazing! It is so challenging! My abs were ridiculously sore afterward.

So, I decided I needed a solid plan! Workout Box and www.bodybuilding.com are great places that I could find already designed workouts and most of them are free! The one that I am going to start is this one. It is the fat burning elite program that is 26 weeks long. I am pretty excited to have my workout planned for 26 weeks so we will see how that goes! I will keep you updated.

I love these websites because you can tailor your workouts to fit yours needs and goals! I also found MuscleBuilding, Women age 20-29 that would be a good 3-6 week plan. If your looking for a plan and you find one you like on these websites let me know!!

On Friday, Bradon and I babysat my nephews Gabe and James. I made these yummy Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas. I got this recipe from Janetha off her blog. I love her meals! Bradon and I loved them, and so did the kiddos! They are SO easy and nutritious!

I also put together this salad on Saturday. I was craving a huge salad, so I topped it with those pre-cooked chicken breasts from Costco that I blogged about a few posts back. I steamed a sweet potato on the side and topped it with spray butter and cinnamon! Yum!

My new favorite veggie to top my salad with are sprouts! They are so refreshing and add a different texture!

Food Rules Continued

I have not wrote about the food rules for a while, so here are a few more from that book..... 

These rules are Part II of the book titled, What Kind of Food Should I eat?

Rule #22: Eat mostly plants, especially leaves:

Vegetarians are notably healthier then carnivores; and they live longer. The more veggies you eat, the less risk you have for the Western diseases we suffer from.  This means less cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc... Sounds good to me! It also helps you take in less calories.

Rule #23: Treat meat as a flavoring or special food occasion (FYI...this author is all for vegetarianism!) So if you love meat...just eat it in moderation like everything else! He says that people who eat meat a few times a week are healthy like vegetarians. The more meat (especially red meat) you take in, the higher risk for heart disease and cancer. Why? They don't know for sure, it may just be pushing veggies off the plate to make room for out 12 oz. steaks :) Try to limit it to 4 oz. serving sizes, or the palm of your hand.

Rule #24: Eating what stands on one leg (mushrooms, plants) is better than what stands on two legs (fowl), and is better then eating what stands on four legs (cows, pigs, etc)...

This is my favorite rule! It is a great way to remember. Fish is great for you too and it doesn't stand on any legs! haha. 

Rule #25: Eat your colors:

The many different colors of foods represents the many different antioxidants and vitamins that they contain. They all work in different ways so eat up a wide variety. They will protect against disease!

Rule #26: Drink the spinach water:

The water your veggies are steamed in contain a lot of the vitamins. Add it to soup or drink it up! (I have never heard of this but sounds like a good idea)

Rule #27: Eat animals that have themselves eaten well:

The industries goal is to produce a vast amount of cheap animal protein. This has damaged their healthfulness that they contain. They feed them high amounts of grain to grow faster, and pump them full of antibiotics. When animals eat grass like they are supposed to, they end up with much better meat and eggs. It is pretty pricy to buy grass fed, natural meat, but it is worth it in the long run for our bodies.

Thats enough until next time! I hope these rules help you with your  daily food choices!

Do any of you have good workout plans? Post links/comments or email me your plans if you have any!!


What are your thoughts on these rules? 

Two Delicious Dinners!

Hello and happy Monday!! Over the weekend I made these yummy meals. Quick and easy, and great for leftovers!

The first thing I made was Southwest Turkey Tacos that I found out of a Prevention magazine a long time ago.  It has been one of our favorite taco recipes! It makes enough for about four people to have a couple tacos each. Or, you can put it over rice like I have pictured below. The first night we had it on tacos with lettuce, tomatoes, plain greek yogurt (or sour cream), cheese, and whole wheat tortillas from Costco. These tortillas are my favorite!!!  Plain greek yogurt tastes exactly like sour cream! Try it sometime!

 These tortillas are loaded with fiber and don't seem to be loaded with too many preservatives. They come in a huge pack for about 5.99. I also LOVE this turkey breast. Its 99% fat free, and if you look, it is actually turkey breast and not just ground turkey like most of them. It is pretty pricey so I always look for it on sale. If it isn't on sale then I go for the 93% fat free ground turkey.

SOUTHWEST TURKEY TACOS

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1/2 cup (small) yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cups salsa
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (doing this helps remove a lot of the sodium!)
• I can yellow corn, drained and rinsed (same reason)
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Heat a medium skillet on med-high heat and cook onion and turkey until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper while cooking. Place all ingredients in a greased crock pot and stir. Cook on low for about 5-7 hrs. Place on tortillas with lettuce, greek yogurt (or sour cream), tomatoes, and avocados. These are so delicious! You can also top some brown rice as pictured below another night like we did!

I cannot give myself credit for the dinner we had tonight. I was at costco today and spotted these yummy chicken burgers. They are already pre-cooked, all natural, gluten free, and amazing! They are about eleven dollars for ten patties. That is like buying a burger at McDonalds! haha.

I found fresh corn at the store today and was super excited! Summer is almost here and corn on the cob is delicious this time of year! I cooked some corn, heated up a few patties and leftover brown rice from the other dinner, steamed some broccoli and walla! They were so delicious, they have gouda cheese and red peppers mixed in them! They spoil pretty fast so you can freeze them for up to 6 months if you are not going to eat them quickly. The faster they spoil, the better they are for you! That is my motto! Less preservatives! (I should seriously be a sales rep for Costco products...haha, but seriously Costco has some pretty healthy stuff for cheap!)

 Bradon put his patties on the sandwich thins. He couldn't eat a patty without a bun! That is just weird according to him! haha. His looked really yummy as well! I will do that tomorrow for lunch! (He told me he is a great hand model :) He should do this for a living. What a dork.

TRY THESE OUT AND LET ME KNOW HOW YOU LIKE THEM!