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.

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!

Yummy Sunday Dinner and Dessert

Hello and happy Sunday!! I made some delicious meatballs today for dinner and I wanted to share them with you. Bradon and I love them! Super healthy for you too.

MEATBALLS:

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 T. bread crumbs (you can use quinoa instead if you want)
• 3 T. Wildtree's Spaghetti blend*** (You could also use spaghetti seasoning packets)
• 3 T. parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Mix all together in a bowl (I use my clean hands to squish it all into 1-2 inch meatballs). Cook at 350 for about 20 min or until golden brown on a cookie sheet. Top your spaghetti with the meatballs and spaghetti sauce. For our dinner I mixed whole wheat spaghetti with spaghetti squash and topped with four meatballs and sauce! Paired it up with a small side salad and some broccoli. 

***I love Wildtree! I used to be a sales rep for them so I have everything in the catalogue :) Wildtree is a food company that makes quick and easy seasonings and food items that are all natural and very healthy for you! All the spices and mixes are already combined so all you do is add it to your meat or pasta and walla, dinner is ready! If you want to know more about it visit the website and check it out. I have many recipes and suggestions! All their items have less sugar, sodium, and fat then most store bought items. The Alfredo Extraordinare is excellent! Directions come right on the bottle..or on the website.

KOMBUCHA

While I was making dinner I sipped on some Synergy Kombucha. I have fallen in love with this stuff. It is a fermented tea that helps balance out your bodies pH, regulates digestion, suppresses your appetite, strengthens your immune system, gives your body the good bacteria it needs, etc. I have definitely seen a difference in my appetite and regularity if you know what I mean :). I sometimes drink half a bottle a day and save the other half for another day. It has a fizz to it that is a natural efferecense. Beware....it has natural floating healthy bacteria in it that is the "mushroom". You can buy them at any health food store! It is an acquired taste, smells like vinegar....I like the guava, mango, or trilogy for trying it your first time.

Bradon and I chef up our own ice cream mixture at home, it is our own Cold Stone...It is delicious and not at all healthy, but that's ok! When it comes to desserts I don't like healthy ones. They don't hit the spot for me. You need to splurge once in a while! 

We get a tub of natural chocolate ice cream and mix in a lot of peanut butter, peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, and half of a oreo pie crust from the store. Then we refreeze it. It is the best ice cream EVER! It is so rich that I do not need a lot to be satisfied! The oreo crust is the secret ingredient that makes this ice cream so irresistible. Mix it in at the end so it doesn't get too smashed up!

HAVE A WONDERFUL SUNDAY!

Pizza Calzone

I made these pizza calzones tonight! They were delicious! I used some ideas from the Meals and Moves blog, and came up with a yummy creation. They were pretty easy to make, and didn't require rising or extensive kneading. 

Here is the recipe for the crust of the calzone:

2 3/4 cup spelt flour (or whole wheat)

1 tsp. salt

1 cup warm water (110 degrees about)

1 package dry yeast

1 T. olive oil

In mixture or food processor, mix 2 cups flour and salt together and mix together. Add yeast to warm water and let it sit for about 5 minutes until bubbly and frothy. Add olive oil to yeast mixture and mix. Pour yeast mixture slowly into flour and begin to mix. Add another 1/4-1 cup flour (1/4 cup at a time) until dough stops sticking to sides. Let it mix for about 5 minutes. Or take it out and knead it for a few minutes on a floured surface. Split into 7 balls and roll out each one to about 7 inches (on floured surface of course). Add topping inside and fold over. Crimp sides with a fork. Brush each calzone with egg white wash or olive oil to help make the top crisp. Place on cookie sheet. Cook on lowest rack in the oven for 15-17 minutes @ 400 degrees. 

For the filling I added: 

• Cooked seasoned chicken, cubed or shredded
• Pizza sauce
• Artichoke hearts and olives
• Caramelized onions, green peppers, and mushrooms
• Cheese (for mine I used half of a string cheese, for Bradon I used mozzarella and cheddar)
• Salt and pepper

DELICIOUS!!! I paired them up with steamed veggies! A side salad would have been good too.

You can also use this recipe to make 2 thin, 12 inch pizzas. 

Other filling ideas:

• Pesto, chicken, cooked spinach, caramelized onions, mozzarella, mushrooms

OR

• BBQ sauce, mozzarella, BBQ chicken, cooked red onions

Wine & Tomato Braised Chicken

This meal is very yummy and you can prepare the night before, put in the fridge and turn the crock pot on in the morning! Walaa! Dinner is ready when you get home at night!

info: 5 Servings, 3 hrs high/6 hrs. low

• 2 slices of bacon
• 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (can use 1/2 cup chicken stock + 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice)
• 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 5 chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

• Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble when cool
• Drain off almost all of the fat from the pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until soft (3-6 min). Add garlic, thyme, fennel, pepper, and bay leaf and cook, stirring for 1 min.
• Add wie, bring to a boil for 2 min, stirring. Add tomatoes and their juice and salt; stir well
• Place chicken in 4 qt. crock pot (or larger). Sprinkle the bacon over chicken. Pour mixture over as well. Cover and cook until it is tender. Remove bay leaf. Serve sprinkled with parsley