Restrictive Diets

I recently read a book by Dr. Andrew Weil called Spontaneous Healing.  It is about osteopathic medicine; which is using treatments that support the mind-body connection in health and healing.  Instead of treating each symptom and medicating to suppress the symptom, it tries to find the root cause of the problem and fix it.  It is not Eastern medicine or homeopathic... it is a combination of some Eastern type theories, but used in conjunction with Western medicine. It uses hands-on healing, cranial manipulations, nutrition and supplements, among other things.  It's very fascinating.


I have found an Osteopathic clinic here that is covered under my insurance and I have had appointments with two docs.  One that specializes in the hands-on and breathing therapies - I'm learning how to relax and breathe properly.  Something that us folks with anxiety don't do very well.  Of course, we breathe, but we breathe very shallowly.  I have learned a breathing technique that allows me to breath more full, relaxed breaths from my diaphragm.  I'm finding it very helpful so far.


The other doc specializes in the nutrition aspect of it.  Besides upping a few of my vitamin dosages, she has me on an "elimination diet".  Most of which is pretty easy to follow since I already follow my "eat clean diet", but there have been a few difficulties (for me).  One is dairy - I like my eggs and yogurt.  The other is gluten - which I don't eat alot of because I don't eat processed food, but I do love my whole grains.  Chocolate is the other thing that I can't have.  I like a few dark chocolate chips in my yogurt as a dessert sometimes.  The funny thing is that I don't eat these things every day, but all of a sudden, when I'm told that I can't have them... it's a big deal!  It's a mental thing.  I've realized that I don't like being told what I can't have.  When I read something like my eat clean diet books and make up my own mind that I want change or eliminate a food, I'm fine; but being told what not to eat has been really difficult for me!


I keep telling myself that I can do it.  It's only for 3 weeks and I have actually discovered that I really like almond milk and coconut milk, so I might keep that in my fridge after the elimination diet is over.  Mental difficulties aside, I have actually been doing pretty well on this diet.  I find the most difficult meal to keep to it is dinner.  I wonder how effective it is if I still use a few of the restricted items in cooking?


How do you cope on such diets?  Do you find yourself wanting what you can't have?  Do replacements work to satisfy you?

Eat Clean Morning Glory Muffins

This is another favorite recipe from Tosca Reno.

Dry Ingredients
3/4 cup whole wheat flour or Power Flour (I used Power Flour; which is a combination  of 5 different whole grain flours.)
3/4 cup oat bran cereal (I couldn't find oat bran cereal, so I used a 10 grain cereal that I found in the bulk section of WinCo.  I imagine one could use just oat bran, but I was looking specifically for "cereal".)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp apple pie spice (which is made by combining 1t cinnamon, 1/2t nutmeg, 1/4t allspice, 1/4t cardamom.  I just used pumpkin pie spice.)
1/2 cup Sucanat or rapadura sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt

Wet Ingredients
1 banana, mashed
1/2 cup plain kefir (I had to buy this at the co-op.  It is kind of like a runny yogurt, but thicker than buttermilk.)
1 egg white and 1 whole egg, well beaten
2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped natural walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. Prepare muffin tins by lining with silicon or paper liners, or by greasing with cooking spray. 
3. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well.
4. Combine all wet ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mix well.
5. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until just combined. Do not over mix or your muffins will come out flat and rubbery.
6. Spoon batter into muffin cups until 3/4 full. Place in hot oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire cooling rack.

Put a shallow pan of water in the oven.  It helps the muffins rise better.

Makes 12 muffins. 

Nutritional value for one muffin:
Calories 187, Protein 7g, Total Fat 5g, Fiber 4g, Sodium 168 mg 

Protein Bars

I have a few favorites - all from Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet.

High-Energy Mocha Protein Bars

Dry Ingredients:

½ tsp. sea salt

4 scoops chocolate or vanilla protein powder

2 tsp. orange zest

3 C oats

2 Tbsp. instant coffee granules

¼ C ground flaxseed

¼ C wheat germ

1 C dried fruits - I used raisins, apricots (chopped up), blueberries and cranberries

½ C sliced almonds

½ C unsalted sunflower seeds

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Wet Ingredients:

½ C apple butter

½ C unsweetened applesauce

1/3 C coconut butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper

3. Combine all dry ingredients in one large bowl.

4. Combine all wet ingredients in a smaller bow.

5. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix together until well combined.  If your mixture is too dry, add some unsweetened applesauce to improve it.

6. Spread the mixture into the pan.  I pressed it down too.

7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (golden on top).

8. Let cool.  I lift the parchment paper up & place on a cutting board.  Then cut into bars.

Lifestyle Bars (one of my absolute favorite bars)


Ingredients:
½ C raw, unsalted slivered almonds
½ C pecans
¼ C coconut butter
½ C almond butter
2 Tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. honey
pinch sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules
¼ C sesame seeds
½ C goji berries
½ C dried apple slices, chopped


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper
3. Arrange pecans and almonds on the sheet in an even layer.
4. Toast nuts in oven until just golden (about 8 minutes).  Give them a shake or stir to ensure even browning while baking.  Remove from oven and let cool.
5. Transfer nuts to food processor (I just used my manual chopper) and process until they are coarsely chopped. Set aside.
6.  In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut butter, almond butter, molasses, honey and sea salt.  It helps to heat this mixture just enough to soften.  Mix well.
7.  Add vanilla, coffee granules, chopped nuts and ground sesame seeds to butter mixture.  Combine well.
8.  Add goji berries and chopped dried apple.  Mix well.
9.  Press into an 8x4 baking pan (I don't have one, so I used 8x8).  
10.  Let the dough set in the refrigerator for half an hour.
11.  Cut into bars.  Keep in fridge or freezer until ready to eat.



No-Bake Nut Butter Energy Bars (my husband & son's favorite)

Ingredients:½ C agave nectar
2 tbsp coconut butter
1½ C nut butter (I used peanut butter from Winco - the stuff you grind yourself there at the store)
3 cups oats
2 scoops all natural vanilla whey powder
½ C dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apple) I used all 3 equaling ½ C total
½ C slivered almonds
½ C sunflower seeds

Directions:
1.  Warm agave, coconut butter and nut butter in microwave until soft enough to combine easily. 

2.  Add oats & protein powder. Mix well. Then add dried fruit, almonds & seeds.  Mix well.

3.  Press into 9" parchment lined square pan.  (I didn't have one, so I used my 9x13 pan).  Let cool in fridge & cut into squares.

Does the time change affect you?

I am on my P90X Plus Recovery Week; which in Plus isn't much of a "recovery", because in Plus you do a regular P90X workout!  So, here's my battle this week... the time change really throws me for a loop.  I am sooooo tired!  I am draggen' this week!


So, rather than fight it, I have allowed myself some rest from my Plus/P90X/Recovery workouts and I'm only doing my run/walk on my scheduled days.  Everyone deserves some rest once in a while!  The only problem with this is my anxiety has been extremely high.  Every morning when I'm trying to kind of sleep in/lounge in bed and rest, my anxiety won't let me relax.  Grrrr!!  I get so anxious and overwhelmed that I have to just get up.  I know, I know... boo-hoo, right?  But, I want to just be lazy this week!  :)  

How does the time change affect you?  


Running Update

I'm very proud to post that I am still rockin' my 3-day a week run/walk schedule.  I'm still not able to run for a full 3 minutes, but I haven't given up!  Yayyy, me!  This is my 3rd week.

Running

I have always had this private little thought in my head that I would like to run a marathon someday. I'm not sure that I've ever shared that little tid-bit with anyone, but it has been this secret little desire that usually crops up when I hear of someone - anyone - training for or completing a marathon or race.

There's only one problem... as fit as I am, I am not a runner. I've tried to take it up on a couple different occasions throughout my life, but I have just never found my groove and I give it up (usually after about a week). In the past, I've had knee issues and hip issues (throbbing pain after and sometimes during the run). I even bought a knee brace to see if that would help during one of my afore mentioned trials, but ultimately, I never stick with it.

Recently, I found out that one of my friend's from church is training for a couple different races this summer and I was, once again, inspired to try my hand at running. So, I started asking her questions about when, where and how long she runs. She invited me to run with her, but since I'm just a beginner, I was worried about being able to keep up with her. I didn't want to mess up her training waiting on me, but I did want someone to teach me what to do/how to breath/how to find a stride/etc.

My friend uses the "Galloway Method" for running because she has an old injury that just never gets better. She said that she runs for 3 minutes and walks for 1 minute. This helps to prevent injury. So, I Googled it and found Jeff Galloway's website: http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/beginners.html

As you know, if you follow my blog, I workout everyday to P90X, but I decided to just add this training to my normal week. It is my goal to work my way up to be able to run with my friend. She runs Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. She runs 3 to 4 miles on the weekdays and does 5 miles and (I think) 10 miles every other Sunday. I started last Tuesday. The weather was beautiful here, so it was easy to get started.

I decided that I would just start by walking, since it has been a long winter and I haven't been on a plain ol' walk since last Fall. It's amazing how, even though you're 'in shape', just walking uses different muscles. I could feel in my legs and rear that I hadn't been on a good walk for ever. I followed Galloway's beginner instructions. I walked for 30 minutes and just threw in a few 'jogs' every once in a while. I did the same thing on Thursday and then Sunday the whole family went on an hour long walk. I was so glad that I didn't just jump in and try to run with my friend. It would've been horrible... for both of us.

I found an app for my phone that times the 3 and 1 minute intervals and boy, do I have some work to do! I can barely run for 3 minutes straight and I need more than a minute to recover. But, I am actually having fun tracking and timing all this. I found another app that will track my little jonts (using GPS); it tells me how far I went and how fast I went. These little tools are great for me - I like to compete with myself from one day to the next - it's nice to see actual improvement.

This is only my second week and yesterday it poured rain and snow all day, so I walked on my tread-climber instead of braving the weather.

I feel really positive because I have a plan (the Galloway site provided this for me) and I can track my progress (thanks to technology) and I have a short-term goal (to be able to run with Dawna). I also have a long-term goal... I want to be able to run a marathon (hopefully, with my best friend from high school, Gwen) in 3 years. As I continue to get better at this and I find a groove and actually enjoy myself, I hope to start signing up for little runs/races. I want to keep this up and the 3 year goal will hopefully keep me working at it.

My Workout Drink Conundrum

You know that I'm on an "eat clean" journey, which just means that I try to eliminate or use less processed foods, white sugar & flour, etc. I cook/prepare whole/homemade food from scratch and I try to be more conscious of what I'm putting into my body (and that of my family). I read ingredients lists and I try to know what everything is and what it's used for, etc. I don't drink soda or pop or buy high calorie coffee drinks; but, I do use (up until 2 weeks ago) a "pre-workout" drink and sometimes an "In-Training" (during workout) drink for energy/stamina/drive. I've even written about them in one of my first posts, but I have recently been feeling increasingly guilty for using them because they are loaded with caffeine and so many other things that I don't fully understand - their "proprietary blend" of herbs/supplements. I like the energy and focus they give me. I know I work harder when I use them. I go off them for several weeks at a time; but, ultimately, I go back to them.

So, in wrestling with this guilt, I asked my coach (through Beachbody) what he and others in his team use if anything. He, too, has used some such products, but has opted to "keep it simple" and just use a whey protein isolate drink prior to his workout. So, I decided to give that a try. I've been doing that for 2 weeks now and my conscience is faring very well.

I'm cheating just a little by mixing it with plain ol' fashioned coffee for that bump of caffeine (which isn't actually a no-no for clean eating) and I'm doing ok with it. I don't have the energy and focus that I do when I use the other products, but I still get a decent workout and I feel better about the choice.

We'll see how it goes from here.

Anxiety!

OK, so I’ve not been great at writing to my blog so far this year. I’ve been struggling lately and haven’t felt like sharing. But, today it struck me that I should start journaling again and maybe I should share some of my struggles on my blog. Maybe other people struggle with the same or similar issues. Even though this is a food and fitness blog – part of being fit is being emotionally and mentally healthy too… so, here goes…

I struggle with anxiety (& depression – but that’s a story for another day). Sometimes are worse than others. I take medication daily for it and I go through long glorious periods where I don’t ever feel any anxiety - even through the usually stressful times, like the holidays - I sailed through without any issues. Now, Bam! I’ve come around this corner where I feel anxiety almost daily… for no apparent reason… nothing I can put my finger on… completely, seemingly unprovoked and without reason or warrant.

It’s this choking, uncomfortable and sometimes physically painful feeling. I can’t eat, I can’t sit still, and I can’t relax. I get so exhausted that all I want to do is sleep. But, when I do just sit around or go back to bed or just try to be still, I get worse… It seems like I’d feel better if I just kept moving, but I am so tired that I want to lie on the couch and veg.

There’s no amount of relief or assistance to be gained by telling me to ‘calm down’ or ‘everything will be ok’… I “know” that already, but it doesn’t matter. My system goes into this panic/fight or flight zone.

The funny thing is that I tend to hide it pretty well from most people. I share it with my husband, because there is something cathartic about fessing up that I’m feeling it. But, to most people… from the outside… you can’t tell that I’m a bundle of nerves on the inside.

So, we've discovered that this time of year really seems to be difficult for me; after the holidays - after all the hustle and bussle - this in between phase, before Spring.

BRING ON SPRING!

Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I have never liked these little things, but this recipe was absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Brussels sprouts

3 Tbsp. EVOO

1 tsp. Sea Salt

1 tsp. Black Pepper

1/4 C. walnuts (optional) - but I can't tell you how yummy these were, so I will always add them.

1/4 C. sliced mushrooms (optional) - again, yum!

Preparation:

Place Brussels sprouts in a bowl of cold water with ice cubes. Sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 20 minutes. (I let them sit longer because I was busy doing other things). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400.

Place a clean kitchen towel on the counter. One by one remove the Brussels sprouts and trim the hard end off the bottom. Trim off any loose or yellowed leaves. Make a small cross in the bottom of each sprout. Cut any large sprouts in half lengthwise. When all the sprouts have been cleaned and trimmed, place them in a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, walnuts and mushrooms. Toss lightly until all sprouts are well coated.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (I never use to use this stuff, but it has been so nice having it as a staple in my kitchen) and gently transfer the sprouts to the baking sheet. Place any halved sprouts cut side down. Place in oven and bake until lightly browned for about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

My husband, 9-year old son and 2 1/2 year old niece gobbled these up. Everyone loved them!

Chicken Szechuanese

INGREDIENTS:

Safflower or olive oil

1 lb/ 454g lean, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips, OR

1 lb/454g well drained firm tofu, cut into strips, OR combination of both to equal 1 lb (I just used chicken)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup red pepper, cut into strips

½ cup firm green or yellow zucchini, cut into strips

1/3 cup purple onion, cut into strips

1/3 cup snow peas, trimmed

2 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp potato flour or quinoa flour (I didn't have either of these, so I just used whole wheat flour & it worked fine. I have since found quinoa flour, so I'll be making it again with that.)

3 tsp low-sodium soy sauce or gluten-free tamari (I used Tamari)

3 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp organic honey

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth or water (I used a combo of both)

SAUCE PREPARATION

1. Mix all dry ingredients in small bowl.

2. Add liquid ingredients and mix well. Ensure there are no lumps.

PREPARATION

1. Place some of the oil in a nonstick skillet or wok. Brown chicken or tofu strips in batches over

medium-high heat. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Remove from skillet or wok and

transfer to a serving bowl.

2. In same skillet with a little more oil, stir-fry vegetables and garlic and ginger until just done,

but still bright in color. Add sauce mixture to skillet. Bring to a boil and stir constantly. Add

chicken or tofu or both if using. Heat through. Serve over brown rice.

Chinese Chicken & Rice

1 hour & 25 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

Ingredients

1lb boneless, skinless Chicken Breast, cut into julienne strips

2 C Water

1 C brown rice

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1.5 C Broccoli florets (I used more than this)
1 C sliced Mushrooms
1 small can sliced Waterchestnuts (drained)
1 C Carrots, sliced (I used frozen, already sliced, thawed)

3 or more chopped Green onion

Marinade:
2 Tbsp EVOO

1 Tbsp Ginger Root (I used powdered ginger)
2 tsp low sodium tamari or soy sauce

Dash hot pepper sauce (I didn't have any, so I used red pepper flakes)

Directions

Number of Servings: 6

1. Combine all marinade ingredients. Place chicken in marinade and let stand for 1 hour in fridge. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 6 Qt (I used a smaller one) covered casserole dish with cooking spray. Add rice, water and salt and bake for 40 min or until liquid is absorbed. (I had to cook this for 1 hour and I upped the temp to 420 degrees for the last 30 minutes.)

2. Meanwhile, 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. Serve piping hot over the rice.

Moroccan Chicken & Lentils

Total Preparation Time: 15 to 30 minutes

Actual Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

8 cups Water 3 tsp Sea salt divided 1lb Dried lentils, (Rinsed drained and picked over)

1 cup Plus 2 tbsp exta virgin olive oil 1/2 cup Red wine vinegar 3 tbsp Ground cumin, divided 2 tbsp Plus 2 tsp chili powder 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 Large onion, peeled and chopped 2lbs Skinless boneless chicken breast or turkey breast (thinly sliced) 1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon 1 cup Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Preparation

1. Combine water and 1 tsp salt in stock pot over high heat. Add lentils. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 -25 minutes. Drain well. Rinse under cold water. Place in large bowl and set aside.

2. In small bowl, mix 1 cup olive oil (I felt like this was way too much oil, so I'd cut it back - maybe by half - next time), vinegar, 2tbsp cumin,2 tbsp chilli powder, garlic and 1 tsp salt. Pour this dressing over lentils. Toss gently and let cool.

3. In large skillet heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add onion and saute until well cooked, about 5 min. onion should appear dark and soft. Add chicken or turkey and saute 2 min more. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tbp cumin, 2tsp chilli powder,and cinnamon. Saute until poultry is cooked through.

4. Arrange lentils on a large serving platter. Place sliced chicken on top of lentils. Use remaining dressing and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve at room temperature.

Great to freeze.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 391 ; Total Fat: 20g ; Carbohydrates: 25g ; Protein: 28g ; Sodium: 564mg ; Fiber: 5g

Split Pea Soup - Yummo!!!

2 hours to Prepare and Cook

Ingredients

2 cups dried split peas
12 cups water
4 bay leaves
sea salt
1tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion
4 ribs celery, trimmed and chopped
3 thick carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
6 cups water
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1.5 cups cubed roasted turkey (if vegetarian remove turkey breast)

Directions

1. Put dried peas in large saucepan and cover with 12 cups of water. And 2 bay leaves and sea salt and bring to boil. Let cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In a Dutch oven (I just used my big cooking pot), place olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Saute for 8 minutes until onion begins to turn translucent.
3. Add chicken broth or preferred cooking liquid and 6 cups water. Add 2 more bay leaves, peas, and thyme and bring to boil. Add roasted turkey breast. Reduce heat and cover. Let simmer for an hour. The peas need to be soft. Check the pot now and then, since the peas have a tendency settle to the bottom and burn. You'll have to break them apart by stirring them.
4. Remove the bay leaves and season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve hot.

Number of Servings: 10

New Post

Hello to all my family and friends who've been following my blog and asking where my posts have been. Thanks for noticing and missing my posts!

I was in a 'workout rut' and I took about a month off from my normal P90X routine. That was a welcomed reprieve. I was able to hit the ground running again on a new round. I am feeling renewed and rejuvenated in my workouts - the break was just what I needed.

The hubby and I have been doing all kinds of Fall/Winter projects around the house - feeling inspired by all our friends who were fixing up their homes to prepare to put them on the market - I thought what a shame to do all that work, getting their house in beautiful condition and then not be able to enjoy it, so we set out to just do all those same things to our home, but just for us to enjoy and keep - no plans to leave any time soon! It's been fun... painting, cleaning and fixing all those little things that pile up. And... my house is looking gorgeous for the holidays! Bonus!

I've also been cooking - trying out all kinds of 'Clean Eating' recipes. I have a few to share that have been our favorites! I'll try to get those posted this weekend. If they're not there, please check back in a day or so.

It's a busy time of year for everyone. Don't forget to enjoy the Season and remember what's it's all about.

Merry Christmas!

Snack Time

Here are some great snack ideas!

http://teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/188#72091502

Muscle Soreness

So, I don't know about you, but I get incredibly sore from my workouts. I especially feel it in my back, shoulders and neck area - mostly because they are my weakest areas and the pull ups are killer, but I also experience some pain from a condition I have called Sjogren's Syndrome. Among other things, Sjogren's can cause muscle & joint pain & fatigue, so while exercise actually helps my condition, I can over-train, which kind of exacerbates my already sensitive system.

Most of my pain management comes from stretching (ballistic & static & yoga), but also nutrition, plenty of water (is critical) and yes, I have to take my daily prescriptions. But, I manage it.

It always helps my muscle soreness to get those (sore) muscles warm again... especially if I've been sitting at my desk all day... boy, do I get stiff. I make myself get up, walk around and do some ballistic bouncers, neck stretches, shoulder rolls, any of those kinds of things that correlate to your specific muscle group that's screaming at you that day.

I have also used those muscle creams and salves. I've tried them all. I like one called BioFreeze. I get it from my chiropractor. It is a gel and it is fast heat, then cool and it doesn't smell after it dries. I also like Tiger Balm & those Icy Hot patches work pretty well too, but they tend to be really... shall we say... fragrant.

I also have found these bath salts that are really great for soaking sore muscles. Village Naturals Therapy Mineral Bath Soak. I get the one for Aches & Pains. It has Eucalyptus in it. I buy it at WalMart down the bubble bath aisle. They have a few different kinds to choose from. I find them very soothing.

Finally, I have a good massager. And, don't discount the benefits of ice. Sometimes after I rub my shoulders (ok, so usually I get my hubby to rub my shoulders) with the massager, putting ice packs on the area really cuts down on my soreness the next day.

What do you do to treat sore muscles?

Freezer Meals

Recently, I was asked about some good recipes to make ahead and freeze - to make dinner time easier. I think just about anything you make can be frozen and heated up or thawed later. The Eat Clean Diet recipes usually make a ton and I have to freeze half because it usually makes way too much for the 3 of us. Especially if its one of Tosca's soups.

I actually freeze alot of my leftovers, so we aren't eating it for 2 weeks straight! You can freeze just about anything, including cheese. I have a friend who buys me a block of this really good sharp white cheddar every time he travels near this cheese factory. We don't eat very much cheese, so I freeze it. Then, when I know I'm gonna need it, I pull it out of the freezer, cut off what I need and throw it back in the freezer.

If I have too much of a homemade salad dressing or fixins to a big salad (like beans, beats, hard boiled egg, little corns, water chestnuts, etc.) I freeze them and when I need them again, I just let them thaw either on the counter or in the fridge. I'm not sure there is anything that you can't freeze. I make extra oatmeal, quinoa, protein bars, cookies, etc., etc. and I freeze them all.

The cookies and protein bars are actually really yummy to eat frozen in the summertime! A cool treat!

One more thought: Just today, I had two bananas left over from last week, so

when I got home from the store, I put the fresh bunch

in the hammock and I peeled the other two and put them in my freezer. I will use them in my protein shake or oatmeal next week. If you have any fruit that is on the "ultra" ripe side, cut it in half (& pit it or peel it, if necessary) and pop it in the freezer. No more wasted fruit! You can toss it into a shake or smoothie for extra flavor & coldness without the ice!

The key to freezing your meals/leftovers is to actually use it later; which I'm pretty good at doing; however, I am really bad at labeling the containers, so I have to remember what stuff is and sometimes we have a little surprise when it thaws cuz it wasn't what I thought it was!

Keep checking my Recipes page for more ideas. There is a sensational Chicken Parmigian recipe by Guy Fieri that is not "clean", but man, is it good for a splurge. I'll try to get some stuff like that added to my page in the next couple of days.

In the meantime, just take your favorite recipes and double it - freeze half - and enjoy it later.

An Excellent Article for Eating Clean!

This is from the Beachbody Newsletter. It is good information and really explains why processed foods and low fat/no fat foods are not a great option. Check it out -

http://teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/184#68207360

New Recipe Posted

Please check out my Recipes Page for the Whole Wheat Flax Cookies - Yummmmmm!!!

Sweet Tooth

So, I have a confession to make. I have a huge sweet tooth. I love desserts and candy, so having lots of fresh fruits and healthy sweet alternatives in the house is a life saver for me. Now, don't get me wrong, we do occasionally buy candy as a splurge for like... movie night, but I definitely don't keep any in the house because I have zero will power when it comes to that stuff.

The same is true for chips and crackers. If they are in the house, it is so easy to snack on them instead of eating something better for me. Even the so called "healthy" crackers are still processed foods. I feel so proud of myself when I grab some fruit, or almonds, or some celery with some nut butter as a snack instead of processed crackers. I keep a container of prepared carrots and celery in the fridge so they are easy to grab. Here's a tip: I put cold water in the bottom of the container and then include just a touch of carbonated flavored water (the zero sugar kind at WalMart). It keeps the carrots and celery crisp longer. I will replace the water and do it again halfway through the week if the water is getting murky or slimey from being in the fridge too long. My veggies stay fresh & crispy all week long.

Anyway, once you get use to not having the excess sugar in your diet, your taste buds change. At least ours have changed. When I first started cooking and eating clean, I was worried that my son wouldn't like the things I cooked, but slowly and surely as he tried each new recipe, even he came around. The first time I made a bean soup recipe, he didn't like it, but the next time I made the same recipe... he liked it - go figure! He even likes the Quinoa dessert (which his friends didn't), but oh well! It's yummy! I don't care what they say.

A happy by-product of cleaning up our diet has been that my son has just naturally slimmed down without even knowing that it was happening - by only having healthy snacks and eliminating the processed foods, refined sugars and flours and replacing them with yummy healthier alternatives, he has slimmed down and he's noticed the change.

Hopefully, we are modeling a behavior and lifestyle that he will continue throughout his life. It would be nice if he would never have to struggle with weight issues again.

Favorite Recipes

OK, so I've been meaning to write more about the actual inspiration for my blog... FOOD! I have some favorites to share with you from Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet.

Clean-Eating Power Protein Bars on page 303 of The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook. This recipe actually has the most ingredients I think I've seen in her recipes, but it is still soooo easy and good! My husband and son love them too!

The next one I want to mention has to be her Grandmother's Favorite Oatmeal Cookies! OMG! These are sooooo good! These are husband and son approved as well, not to mention others that I've shared with - though I try to be stingy because I have a sweet tooth. This recipe is on page 249 of the book.

Her Low-Fat Almond Date Biscotti are fabulous with your morning coffee!

And, the absolute most fabulous dessert I think I've ever had is her Tofu Chocolate Mousse! Yes, tofu... I'm not a big fan of the stuff, but this is to die for. You have to try this one!

Ok, so that's my favorites so far in the sweet category. Let me tell you a few in the savory category.

Her Adobo-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Black-Bean Pico DeGallo is at the top of the list. It is on page 200 of the book. The Stellar Legume Soup on page 238 and the Hearty White Bean Chili on page 245 also top notch and well loved in my household.

I'm still working through the cookbook, so I'll keep you in the loop as I try new recipes! In the meantime, give a few a try yourself! It is actually yummy to eat clean! Her books are also at the local library, check them out.

Check my Recipes page for my favorites.

Breaking Through a Rut!

I've been working out to Beachbody products for over 2 years now. Most of my first year was spent solely on P90X, then I moved on to P90X Plus, so I hadn't really gotten bored with my workouts until just recently, this summer.

I found myself not really applying myself anymore. Feeling bored with the workouts, I decided I needed something new, so until I could purchase my latest workout (Brazil Butt Lift), I decided to change up my existing routine. I started by alternating between the two programs I already had - regular P90X and the Plus. Instead of doing the 90 day program straight through on one or the other, I would do one week on schedule with regular P90X and then switch the next week

to the Plus schedule.

I would also reverse the order of my workout. Instead of starting at the top of the workout sheet, I would start with the last exercise and move up the sheet in reverse. That may seem really simple, but it made a big difference. Doing that was a really great way to confuse my body and break up the monotony of my workouts. It's amazing how you get so use to doing the workout in the same order each time. I found that I could do alot more reps (or weight) than before when I was doing these excercises at the end of my workout - doing them at the beginning, when I was fresh and rested.

I also use music as a motivator. I love music, so I have found that it really helps me to apply myself more. Especially, on workouts that aren't my faves, like Plyo. If I can get lost in some great music, I find that the exercise is over before I know it and I'm dripping sweat.

Another thing to remember, that can be very effective, is to maybe just take a good long break. I do something easy, like walking (quickly) on a treadmill. Sometimes it's nice to just do a brisk walk on the ol' treadclimber, getting lost in a magazine or book or music while I walk/climb.

Or here's a novel idea... sometimes, I just... sleep in!!! Whaaattt?! I give my body a rest - I don't allow myself to feel guilty - and I come back in a week (or more) revived and renewed in my commitment to workout.

What does it mean to "Eat Clean" anyway?

So, last year I came across an article in a fitness magazine about The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno. She has a book by the same name (& several subsequent recipe books). The article was interesting. I liked what she had to say, so I bought the book and actually read it cover to cover.

I learned about sugar intake, sodium, good fats & bad fats (i.e. trans fats) and I learned how to really read labels (I never really knew what to look for before). What an eye-opener!

I found out that eating clean is more about simplifying the way we eat/what we eat; and cutting out the "processed" foods (think lunch meats, snack crackers, salad dressings, sweeteners, frozen prepared meals, etc., etc.) and getting back to the whole, fresh foods of the past.

Eating clean is not about counting calories. In fact, she doesn't pay too much attention to calories, but about minimizing processed foods and cutting refined sugars and reducing sodium intake. Did you know that when something says "light" or "reduced fat/calorie" or "diet" it will often times have extra sodium in it?

Now, I am nowhere near being as clean-eating as she is; and I don't even know if I want to aspire to be that dedicated to it, but I did take the information she gave and gleaned what I could from it and applied what made sense to me to my lifestyle. Every little bit of knowledge helps and pretty soon, a year later, I look back and can see that I've incorporated quite a bit from her books into my life and it was pretty painless. I took small steps as I learned and little by little, recipe by recipe, small changes happened here and there.

Also, I love her recipes because they are simple. They have a handful of ingredients and just a few steps. I like to cook, but I don't like complicated recipes with extensive ingredients lists and hours in the kitchen.

Take a look at her book. It has helped me so much in my fitness journey. My husband read somewhere that "you can't out train a bad diet" and trying to eat clean has really helped in that department.