Tag Archives: healthy cooking

Rotation Diet-Day 4

Posted in Food and Drinks, Health by

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Last night I did not sleep as well as I have the last 2 nights. It was more like a usual night for me where I wake up multiple times and cant seem to stay asleep. Overall I think Day 3 has been my hardest so far. I felt hungry and un-satisfied for most of the day. It was either the food I ate or the combination of them that left my stomach grumbly and off. All of this combined leads me to say I am glad today is my last day on rotation! I know you are supposed to do these type of diets for at least 6 weeks to really get a good base line and to see how your body responds to a new program. For me this will be the end of it. I am so excited to get back to regular programming tomorrow!

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This morning I started my day with a 4 1/2 mile run followed by an hour of body pump. Usually when I do this combo on Thursday’s it is a breeze. Today was really hard. My body felt weak and tired. I am not sure if it is from what I ate yesterday, or from this week, or just an off day. Either way I am hoping tomorrow will be better.  Breakfast today consisted of a massive amount of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon. I am finding the fruit with more water in them fill me up a lot more then some of the other types.

Breakfast

  • 2 cups of Watermelon
  • 1 cup of Cantaloupe
  • 1 cup of Honeydew melon
  • 1 cup of coffee with steamed almond milk

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By lunch time I was craving protein. I had made acorn squash, but grabbed some salmon lox at the breakfast bar to eat along with it. Actually lunch ended up hitting the spot and I have felt satisfied all day! I didn’t even need an afternoon pick me up, which lately is un-heard of.

Lunch

  • 4 oz of Lox Salmon
  • 1/2 baked acorn squash with brown sugar and salt
  • 2 small beets
  • 1/2 cup grilled summer squash
  • 3 glazed pecans for dessert

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For dinner it was all about Salmon and squash again. I have to say dinner totally hit the spot! Today my body felt really good with the food choices. I have been content and happy all day. After every meal I felt full, I did not crave snacks, and I was able to sustain energy.

Dinner

  • 4oz of Atlantic Salmon with sea salt and a drizzle of maple
  • 1 large summer squash made into spaghetti with a little olive oil and garlic salt
  • 8 Okra pods baked
  • 2 oz of sake

All in all here is what I liked and disliked about the rotation diet.

I liked that I was able to eat different things every day. It was nice to see what foods my body responded well to and which ones it struggled with. It was good to stop my snacking habit and focus on full satisfying meals. It was also nice to cut out processed foods and emphasize protein, veggies, and fruit. I also was happy with the added sleep from the week.

What I disliked was all of the food prep. There was a lot of thought and energy that went into every night with planning meals for the next day. It was also expensive. Since I could  not eat leftovers I had to buy a lot of different food to last throughout the week. Even with stocking up at the farmers market on Sunday it did not sustain all my meals.  Lastly it was hard to tell myself no to something healthy I was craving, aka like grapes and greek yogurt, because it was not the right day.

What I am taking away from this experience is it is good to force myself to vary my food more often. Even if it is just alternating breakfast every other day. I also like knowing what foods pair well together, which I can try and be mindful of when making meal choices going forward. Would I do this again, absolutely. Am I glad it is done tomorrow and I can go to happy hour to enjoy whatever healthy meal I want. Yep, I cant wait! I see wine, cheese, and bread in my near future.

Rotation Diet-Day 3

Posted in Food and Drinks, Health by

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This morning I woke up again to another amazing night of sleep! In the future I really need to remind myself how every time I go to have a late night snack it is going to affect me for the rest of the night. Because let me say, after sleeping well for two nights in a row it makes a huge difference to your day. I did wake up hungry, which is not typical for me. However I am not a fan of eating before working out, so I waited to eat breakfast till after my Barre class when I had made my way into the office.  I did start the morning cheating again with coffee from my favorite coffee shop Philz. Although I did make sure to use almond milk instead of dairy, so I am giving myself credit there. Today breakfast consisted of fruit and roasted sweet potatoes. I felt satisfied, but was definitely ready for lunch by noon.

 Breakfast

  • 1 cup of pineapple
  • 1 plum
  • 1 medium roasted sweet potato with salt and a little brown sugar

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After preparing not only dinner last night, but also the sweet potatoes for this morning I had no energy to make something else for lunch. I was able to find a 3 bean salad at the grocery store and went to the salad bar at work and through together some tofu and beans for another snack. All in all it tasted pretty good and I did manage to feel full by the end of it. But by early afternoon my stomach was upset and gurgling for the rest of the day. Not sure if it was from what I ate or just the combination of foods.

Lunch

  • 1/2 cup 3 bean salad from Molli Stones (consisted of red onion, green beans, garbanzo beans, and kidney beans)
  • 1 cup of firm tofu, garbanzo beans, black beans, kidney beans, and red onion with salt and pepper

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By afternoon I was in need of a snack. I grabbed a few almonds and ate a pluot along with some pineapple. However my mouth started to feel the acidity from the fruit and I was not able to eat it all. I ended up having to grab an afternoon coffee for a pick me up to make it through the rest of the day.

Snack

  • 1/2 cup of pineapple
  • 1 pluot
  • 8 almonds

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For dinner I ended up cheating again with a small glass of wine. However I figure I have been 100% on with the food, so a cheat drink is ok. After a long day of work happy hour was in order. I did make a delicious dinner of fish, asparagus, and had the rest of my leftover sweet potato. It was yummy, filling, and left me feeling completely content. Now I am getting ready to have half a glass of almond milk and a piece of dark chocolate for dessert. Only 1 more day to go!

Dinner

  • 4 oz of Sole baked with salt and pepper
  • 8 spears of Asparagus with salt and garlic powder
  • 1 medium baked sweet potato

Rotation Diet- Day 2

Posted in Food and Drinks, Health by

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Today was hard. I thought it was going to be the easiest day out of the four days because a lot of the foods I usually eat are options for day 2. However all day long I felt like I was hungry and battling cravings. The day started well. I woke up after the best night of sleep I have had in a long time, which I am contributing to my clean eating yesterday.  I went to spinning class and then made my way to work. I did grab a cup of coffee with almond milk, which is not approved on rotation day 2. However I decided coffee is my one non-negotiable. Breakfast consisted of the below and did fill me up. I used to eat oatmeal and apples everyday for breakfast for years. So I know this is a good go to for my body.

Breakfast

  • 1 cup Steel Cut Oatmeal with a tablespoon of brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg
  • 1 Large Gala Apple
  • 1 cup of coffee with steamed almond milk

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By lunchtime I was starving and ready to eat. I made an open faced sandwich and paired it with one of my favorites an asian pear. This meal totally hit the spot craving wise. The turkey was salty and mixed with the creamy avocado tasted very decadent. The pear was a perfect sweet add on and since it was from the farmers market this weekend it was delicious to say the least.

Lunch

  • 2 Toasted Slices of Flax Seed Bread. I used the Alvarado type which is 100 calories for 2 slices
  • 1/4 an avocado
  • 3 oz smokey turkey deli meat
  • 1 Asian Pear

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However only a short while later I was starving and craving something sweet. Of course it took all my restriction to not eat the danish in our work area, so I walked myself over to the market and bought some fresh berries. I proceeded to eat the entire container throughout the rest of the day.  By the time 5:00 hit I was again starving and could not wait to get home. Of course traffic was a nightmare so by the time I walked into my house I had to eat something immediately. Now usually I would go to one of my favorite snacks grapes with a handful of crackers and cheese, but since these foods were not on my approved list today I restricted myself, which of course then made me annoyed. Instead I grabbed some hazelnuts and started to prep dinner along with meals for tomorrow.

Snacks

  • 8 oz of Strawberries, Blueberries, and Raspberries
  • 8 Hazelnuts

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Dinner consisted of chicken, millet, and cauliflower. I ate a pretty good sized portion, actually way more than I usually eat and by the end of it I still felt not quite satisfied. All I wanted was to have a piece of the homemade pumpkin bread that was calling my name from the fridge. Again I reminded myself I could commit to this for 4 days and that it will not be forever.  Fingers crossed tomorrow is an easier day for hunger and cravings.

Dinner

  • 4 oz of baked chicken with tumeric, salt, and oregano
  • 1/2 cup cooked millet
  • 1/2 head of cauliflower
  • 1/4 of Avocado

 

Rotation Diet- Day 1

Posted in Health, Recipes by

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I don’t know about you, but every now and again I find myself in a situation where I have indulged more than I would have wanted to. It is one party or event after another and no matter how good I usually am I find yourself continuing to have a couple of drinks, a piece of dessert, or that late night slice of pizza. Since I eat healthy most of the time I can really feel it when I have eaten poorly too often and frequently. I start to feel lethargic, bloated, and it even affects how I sleep. After this last weekend celebrating the marriage of my best friend and binge eating more then I have in months, I decided I needed a re-boot.

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One of the benefits of having your boyfriend as a personal trainer, is your home is filled with interesting books on fitness and health. On a bored night a couple of weeks ago I picked up  the book “How to Eat, Move, and Be Healthy” by Paul Chek. Dustin raves about this book, so I thought why not take a look. In the very back of the book Paul describes a rotation diet, which was the first I had ever heard of this type of diet. Since I read so many books on nutrition I was surprised there was something completely new to me.

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The premise of a rotation diet is  you alternate the foods you eat daily for 4 days in order to help identify food intolerance’s, detoxify your body, help your digestive system get back on track, and can even help to lose weight. “To follow the rotation diet, eat only the foods listed on that particular day. You may have those foods as many times as you like on that particular day, but then you should not consume any of those foods.” Foods are grouped together based on  their food families and because they share similar protein structures and are therefore digested similarly by our bodies.

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The link here provides a good explanation of the Rotation Diet along with how each day breaks out in terms of food. I decided I can at least try this out for 1 full rotation, aka 4 days, and see how it goes. Today was day 1 for me. I have to say the hardest part so far has been the meal prep. Yesterday I had to go to the farmers market and then the grocery store to stock up on enough various fruits, veggies, and meats. Last night also required cooking meals in advance for today. Overall though I have to say so far so good. I have felt full and satisfied after each meal without that urge to snack out of control, which is something I always struggle with. I almost never eat red meat so eating it tonight tasted amazing and just what my body needed. I am excited to see how I sleep tonight and how I feel tomorrow morning. So I am sure you are wondering what  my meals consisted of today, well below breaks it all down. However I do want to note I am a grazer so there may have been some grapes or cherry tomatoes popped throughout the day outside of what I listed below.

Breakfast

  • 1 small banana
  • 1/2 cup of grapes
  • 1/2 cup of mango
  • Coffee with cream

Lunch

  • Half of an Eggplant baked with tomato sauce and mozzarella
  • 2 small red potatoes and eggplant baked with dill
  • 1 pan fried plantain

Snack

  • 1/2 cup of grapes
  • 1/2 cup of mango
  • 1 oz of cheese

Dinner

  • 5 oz Ground beef, bell pepper, lettuce tacos
  • 1 sliced tomato with sprinkled sea salt

Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 9/7/14

Posted in Books and Articles by

A Call for a Low-Carb Diet That Embraces Fat– “By the end of the yearlong trial, people in the low-carbohydrate group had lost about eight pounds more on average than those in the low-fat group. They had significantly greater reductions in body fat than the low-fat group, and improvements in lean muscle mass — even though neither group changed their levels of physical activity. While the low-fat group did lose weight, they appeared to lose more muscle than fat.”

Train Your Brain to Choose Fruit Salad Over French Fries– This is a short article that talks about new research which suggests how we can change how our brain responds to healthy foods as rewards. Researchers did MRI’s before and after on patients starting a new weight loss program and found their brains responded differently to healthy and unhealthy foods before and after. More research needs to be done, but it is a great starting point.

Five Ways to Build Mental Toughness– This article talks about how working out and fitness is just as much mental as it is physical. It is important to work and hone your mental skills for not only success inside the gym, but also outside of it as well. Here are the 5 mental tools listed out, Humility, Confidence, Focus, Integrity, and Passion. The article goes into depth on each of them.

The Age Of Aspartame May Be Coming To An End As More Health Risks Are Confirmed– “In a new study observing over 60,000 women, diet drinks containing aspartame consumed at 2 or more per day increased the risk of heart related illness by 50%. This is added to the list of studies that have shown aspartame causes fast paced kidney decline, brain and neurological damage, and is linked to increased rates of leukaemia and lymphoma and more.”

The NFL Dodges on Brain Injuries– With Football season just kicking off, I thought it only fitting to include an article I found in the Atlantic. I am sure many know about the class action lawsuit against the NFL league, however what this article focuses on is how the outcome will  not only affect the NFL, but it is also a matter of public health and could potentially have a significant public cost.

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Photo from Huff Post

Curry Shrimp Recipe

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Let me say, I love curry! Indian and Thai food are always some of my favorite take out dishes on a cold winter night. Something about the warm dish mixed with full bodied spices creates a very comforting feeling. Now although I have to say I crave curry more in the winter, it can also be a great summer dinner as well.

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Yesterday my mom and I went to see The Hundred Foot Journey with Helen Mirren. What does this have to do with curry? Well the movie is all about food, with an emphasis on Indian cuisine. The food dishes were visually impact-full and stunning. It made you leave with your mouth watering and a strong desire for some good Indian Food.

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This lead me to want to make my easy curry shrimp recipe and share it with all of you. This dish is a lot lighter then most curry fare you find out, but hits the spot all the same. It is easy, filling, and delicious. You can add in other vegetables then what I have mentioned below, this just happened to be what I had on hand.  Hope you enjoy!

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Curry Shrimp Recipe

1 lbs of Green Beans Trimmed

1 pound cooked shrimp

1 Can Water Chestnut’s

1/2 Onion Chopped

1 cup light coconut milk from a can

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Curry Powder

1 Tablespoon Cumin

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the green beans and cook until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool; transfer to a serving bowl.

2.  In a large skillet add olive oil and onion. Cook until slightly brown. Add in coconut milk and all of the spices. Next add the shrimp and green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat

3. Ready to serve! I added mine on top of brown rice

 

Easy Turkey Potato Salad Recipe

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Over the 4th of July weekend Dustin and I went up to Shasta Trinity National Forrest  to go camping with some of our closest friends for the weekend. Over the trip a debate started with the group on whether or not our generation still eat’s potato salad. I mean yes, if potato salad is at a picnic we will eat it. However if there was going to be a pot luck or party would this be a dish we would think to bring? In a generation where we are being over saturated with new grains like quiona, farro, barley and trendy leafy greens like Kale, have we forgotten about a classic dish like potato salad? After discussing this topic the only solution I could come up with was I was craving potato salad and decided I needed to make a healthy version at home. This recipe was not from a cookbook or found online, I simply made it up. So feel free to tweak and add to suit your liking.

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Ingredients

  • 2-3 Large Carrots diced
  • 2-3 Large Celery Sticks diced
  • 1/2 Chopped Onion diced
  • 1 Large Bell Pepper diced
  • 1 1/2 Cups of grapes
  • 2 Medium potatoes cooked (also can use 5-6 small russet potatoes)
  • 1 Cup diced turkey (I used the Trader Joes pre-cut version)
  • 1 Cup Non-Fat Greek Yogurt (Fage is my favorite)
  • 2 Tablespoons of honey mustard
  • Splash of salt, pepper, and garlic salt
  • Option to add a tablespoon of curry

Makes about 6 servings. Mix everything together and enjoy!

Vegetable Cornmeal Crust Quiche Recipe

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Lately eggs have become a big staple in our home. Every morning when I come back from the gym I walk into a warm apartment filled with the fragrant smell of eggs sizzling and crackling as my boyfriend makes his daily breakfast. This new ritual has now become a very comforting way to start my day and something I look forward to. Since I do not have time during the work week to make eggs for myself for breakfast I decided to make a cornmeal quiche instead so I could also get my egg on during the week. Quiches are great because you can eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

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I had some extra cornmeal round the house so I decided I would make a cornmeal crust for my quiche and then I used the vegetables I had in the fridge so I did not have to go to the grocery store. I love it when you can cook from what you have! First I made the crust. I used my 9″ glass Pyrex pie dish and sprayed the inside with some cooking spray to get started. For the crust I used the below ingredients:

Cornmeal Crust Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
  • 2 Tbs Butter ( I used Harvest Award Canola Oil butter as 1 Tablespoon is about 80 calories vs 100 in regular butter. This also makes it vegan)
  • 1 Tsp Agave Nectar or Honey
  • 4 Tbs Ice Water

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For preparing the crust I first melted the butter and then combined it with the cornmeal in a mixing bowl. After they were fully mixed together I added in the agave and gradually poured in the ice water. Make sure not to actually add the ice in when you do this. Once everything was mixed together fully l I poured the cornmeal into the 9″ pie pan and pressed the dough together creating a crust form. I then put the crust in the oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes and then removed and set aside.

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Next I prepared the filling for the quiche. Using a whisk I mixed together the below ingredients a separate bowl and then poured into the baked crust. Next I took the whole quiche and put it into the oven at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes. Check on it at about 45 minutes to make sure it is not over cooking, you can always pull it out of the oven if the top is starting to brown too much.

Filling Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Eggs substitute ( I used 1 1/2 cups egg whites and 2 full eggs)
  • 1/2 1% Milk ( I used Almond Milk)
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper
  • 1 Half an Onion
  • Half a head of Broccoli
  • 1 Tsp of Salt
  • 1 Tsp of Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbs Dried Rosemary

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Overall the quiche was really yummy! I used Bob’s Red Mill medium grind cornmeal since that is what I had at home and it ended up being too course. So make sure you use s finer cornmeal grain. You can also you different vegetables then what I used. Next time I want to make this with butternut squash and goat cheese. You can also use this crust for a sweeter pie version and fill with apples, blueberries, or any other fruit in season right now. I would love to hear if anyone try’s this and makes a different, but delicious version!

 

Quick and Easy Pizza Recipe, Yes Please!

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The last thing anyone wants to do after a long day of working is to run to the grocery store, pick up ingredients, and come home to make dinner. This is where I have become the Queen of making something out of what you have already at home. One of my go to easy meals is homemade pizza. I would love to say I am ambitious enough after work to make my own pizza crust, but let’s be real. I use the pre-made crusts you can find at pretty much any grocery store. My favorite kind is from Whole Foods in their 365 Everyday Value Brand. It is easy to keep the crust in the freezer and just grab out one morning when you know you are going to want to have a quick and easy dinner.

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Now what goes on the pizza is where my creativity gets to come out. Instead of buying specific pizza toppings I like to use what I can find around the house. I have tried almost every type of vegetable, meat, and even various fruits, potatoes, and eggs. I have to say I have made some delicious concoctions. This last week I made two pizza’s, one savory and one sweet.

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For the savory pizza I used marina sauce, 1 red bell pepper, mushrooms, and beyond meatless chicken which is just a soy protein meat alternative. In order to make this pizza pop I added some garlic salt, a little cumin, a pinch of sea salt, and basil. Now you might notice there is one key ingredient missing from my pizza that most people find is a pretty integral part, cheese. I typically tend to pass on adding cheese to homemade pizza. Although I love cheese and I eat it quite often, I find pizza tastes just as good without it and saves a ton of calories. In order to save time I buy a lot of my vegetables pre-cut from trader joes, this makes throwing something together even faster and easier.

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For the sweet pizza I skipped the sauce and sprayed the pizza with some olive oil to start. Next I sliced up a red pear, added sliced mushrooms, beyond meatless chicken, and arugula. I drizzled some balsalmic vinegar over the top, added a splash of salt, and some rosemary.  For both Pizza’s I put in the oven for about 10 minutes and everything was cooked perfectly. If you are cooking thicker vegetables like squash, cauliflower, or broccoli I recommend cooking them a little first before adding them on the pizza. I will roast those types of veggies for about 10 minutes before putting onto the pizza and then cooking for an additional 10 minutes. Of the two pizza’s this sweeter one ended up being my favorite!

The Whole Foods pizza crust clocks in at 160 calories a serving with 8 servings in a total pizza. I typically will cut my slices into smaller slices so it feels like I am eating more. I find I am typically satisfied with about 3 small slices (about 2 actual servings according to the food label) as long as I am eating it with a giant salad. Partnering pizza with a bunch of veggies is a great way to balance the indulgence with something nutritious.  Also by getting full on greens first you end up eating less pizza, but you still feel like you have not had to deprive yourself. If you mainly use vegetables and fruit for your pizza and avoid cheese you are looking at around 200 calories a slice, not too shabby!

 

Healthy Banana Oat Cookie Recipe

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One of my favorite quick and easy desserts to bring to social gathering’s is my healthy banana oat cookie recipe. This recipe came my way from a co-worker after she brought these Delicious treats to celebrate my birthday at work this year. The beauty of this dessert is it is not really a dessert at all. It can be a quick grab and go snack or even a breakfast staple. It does not require a lot of ingredients and is simple and easy to make. I have made a few modifications to the recipe which I have listed below. Usually I find people cannot stop with just one. In fact I had a group of 3 men eat an entire 2 dozen in 15 minutes. Enjoy!

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Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup dates, pitted and chopped (I substituted chocolate chips, but you can also use coconut, or nuts.)

1/3 cup vegetable oil (I substituted this for unsweetened apple sauce! These cookies still taste amazing and It also saves on calories)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional:

I added in one tsp of cinnamon

You can also use 1 Tbsp of honey or 1 tbsp of cocoa powder

Directions:

Pre-heat Oven to 350 degree’s F

In a large bowl mash the banana’s, stir in oats, oil or applesauce, dates (or whatever you chose), and vanilla

Mix well and allow to sit for 15 minutes

Once ready drop about a teaspoon size amount onto a greased cookie sheet

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown

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