bumblebeatrice

Why I Became a Beachbody Coach

2012-10-13T21:39:00.001-07:00

It took me a long time to make this leap.

But I finally did it!

I became a coach to help other people achieve the results that I have achieved consistently with each new program, over the course of a decade.

If you know me, you know I'm passionate about fitness and health.

I grew up in jazz and ballet, played little kid baseball, and ran cross country. I never considered myself athletic because I never liked sports or gym games or events without tutus or teams without bus rides with cute boys. As sixth grade Catholic schoolgirls, my friends and I attended my mom's step and circuit classes at the fitness studio in our small town, then scarfed pizza next door. I "forgot my gym clothes" most days.

I never worried much about it. My mom made up step routines in our basement, "Funky Town" on volume ten. It wasn't my thing. I was thin. I ate whatever.

Then my senior year, I got involved in a program that allowed me to leave campus for lunch, and my friends and I became Arby's regulars. My weight jumped from 113 to 125 pretty quickly, and I couldn't think of anything to do about it except hate myself. (Mind you, my NORMAL non-pregnancy weight is about 120, and this is why the scale DOESN'T matter--back then, I wore a size 7, and these days I wear a 2-4 at a similar weight. Muscle makes a difference!) I suppose I still wasn't overweight, but I definitely had some fluff that hadn't been there months before. The thing is, nothing I did worked. The tools I now have weren't in my universe back then. I walked and ran and starved, but none of the above did the trick.

1. Senior Photo 2. At 20 years old. 3. On my wedding day.

After graduation, I skipped out on my falling-apart family and moved in with my boyfriend, three hours away and back in my hometown. I started school and worked full-time, and life was good for a year--which back then equaled an eon. Late one night, I saw a commercial for Slim in 6 and I ordered it. I'd gotten SO SICK of the way I felt about my body and was desperate for something I could stick to. And it worked! The reason: Beachbody programs take the guesswork out of everything. I ate the way the program told me to, took the supplements, and worked out from a calendar. BOOM--the scale, in six weeks, read 112, and my thighs were itty-bitty. All those squats and lunges gifted me with a new and improved attitude--until "life got in the way." (I hate that phrase, by the way.)

My dad called to say he'd been fired and my mom planned to divorce him. My sister and brother were back home, in limbo, while I played house. Emotional turmoil took over when I made some decisions I probably shouldn't have, and broke the trust of the one person who'd stood by me and held my hair back and made me feel important. Food became some blase' necessity that cigarettes could take the place of. Within months, I looked like a skeleton at 20 pounds less than the low weight I'd recently achieved. For the record, this has happened several times, and I'm not going to be ashamed anymore to admit it: I am the opposite of the stereotypical emotional eater. I am the emotional starver instead.

Until I met my husband (and even during the time we were dating), I was a ridiculously immature and angry little girl, although I didn't see it that way. Since, I have learned to take responsibility for the numerous quagmires I dug myself into. In between bouts of bad relationships and stress-induced mono and running for my life, I went back to fitness, and always with a Beachbody program. Fitness was the good boyfriend I'd given up: reliable, something rewarding to work for, a salve and a temporary amnesiac from the world outside my window or in my mind. Unlike with writing (which was and still is my other passion), I didn't have to conduct conversations with my sick brain. I could forget, and focus on something positive.

Life with my husband (then my fiance) settled me down. It took a while, and he dealt with me through all of my issues. When I met him, I weighed 105 and looked like a bag of bones; when we got married one year later, I'd used Turbo Fire and Slim Series to add lean muscle--I was 125 and fit into the same clothes, but looked and felt a thousand times better, and I've been on the upswing since.

When I was 24, I got pregnant and miscarried at ten weeks. At 26, I got pregnant with my daughter Reese. In between, I worked out with Turbo Fire, Chalean Extreme, Brazil Butt Lift, P90X, Insanity, and Yoga Booty Ballet. I assumed, since I'd gotten into great shape, that pregnancy would be easy, but I had another thing coming. A neck injury and migraines kept me away from my workouts (and just about everything else) my entire first trimester. The second trimester, I exercised again and pushed myself too hard to make up for the first; and the third I resembled a flotation device because of massive water retention. I gained 43 pounds and felt miserable every second.

1. 6 weeks postpartum 2. 11 weeks postpartum 3. 17 weeks postpartum

Of course, Reese was worth every discomfort. And I felt OKAY about the weight because this time I knew what to do. I completed a hybrid of Chalean Extreme and Turbo Fire, then Rev Abs, then P90X2, and drank Shakeology.

The proof is in the pudding: at 17% body fat 17 weeks after giving birth, I was the absolute fittest I have ever been in my life. And not only that: I was also the happiest. My daughter gave me the ultimate reason to pursue my passions and handle my struggles in more constructive ways. Fitness, and specifically Beachbody, saved my life and gave me a structured way to learn about fitness and health.

In the last year, my husband and I have gotten into nutrition and health, and my library bursts with texts about clean eating. I found myself sharing what I knew with anyone who would listen, and was surprised that so many people (like me, years ago) have searched desperately for a solution to their weight or health problems and have met several dead ends. Obviously, there's no end to the amount of "quick fix" products on the market and I'd be lying if I told you I haven't purchased a few of them myself during my own low points. I GET the frustration; I get the need for guidance and support and a real answer.

Not a quick fix. Shakeology is the real deal when it comes to a nutritional power-house bang for your buck.

I became a coach because I have BEEN THERE.

The programs work because

they are structured and take the guesswork out of working out. Follow the calendar, drink a shake once a day if you want to amp up your nutrition, use the online support, and utilize your free coach. This is precisely why I have gotten consistent results.

The coach network is kind of a genius thing. I used to think it must be a pyramid scheme, so I took my time doing my research, and I found a team focused on personal development and truly making a difference through fitness. The coach mission is to end the trend of obesity. We coach for free and truly are in this to share what we have learned, and are learning. Because I KNOW the programs and nutritionals work, I feel 100% comfortable recommending them to other people. I believe in everything Beachbody stands for.

My ultimate dream is to love what I do for a living, to make a difference, to be an example for my children. I never, ever, ever want my little girl to endure some of the things I have, although I can certainly say I am finding the light at the end of the tunnel by learning to channel what I love into a career choice.

You can, too!

Please feel free to visit my Facebook page for daily fitness and wellness tips, and be sure to message me if you need guidance through fitness--or, of course, if you'd like information on how to become a coach yourself.

It is not a "job" or a "scheme," but a LIFESTYLE--and one I'm proud to live!

Lindsey.

Mid to Late Pregnancy

2012-10-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

25 weeks pregnant. Feeling great! Still doing Chalean Extreme, and venturing into veganism.

26 weeks. Virtually no pregnancy cravings, no weight gain, no difficulty with my workouts, and lots of energy. Before you put a hex on me, rest assured my first pregnancy was absolutely atrocious.

27 weeks. Not the most flattering photo, but Reese and I were lounging around. This is when my guilt about her not being my only baby kicked in. My mom says it's normal ;)

28 weeks. Really popping out! Although not NEARLY as much as I did with Reese, and NO SWELLING this time! The nurse assures me I still have time to turn into a pufferfish, but I refuse to believe her.

29 weeks. No complaints. This little lovey keeps me way too busy to remember that I'm pregnant most of the time.

30 weeks. The belly button (or in Reese-speak, "bully-butty") is popping out. It didn't with Reese even though I was 800 times bigger than this. I hope this little boy has the same serene personality on the OUTSIDE.

31.5 weeks. Still going strong. Starting my Beachbody business, working full time at the newspaper, keeping up with Reese, finishing novel revisions, still taking my workout time (I need it!) and attempting to keep a semi-inhabitable home are giving me a run for my money.

Hence, the weekly photos sort of stopped.

Weeks bled into weeks, and when people asked how far along I was I didn't even know.

I will take this as a blessing.

With Reese, I was counting every single second. (And she was still--fashionably--late.)

Family photo before Ben's 10 year high school reunion. 32-ish weeks, maybe? I don't know, it's all a blur. I wore heels without pitting edema.

37 weeks already! Only within the last two weeks have things been getting icky, and I am sure most of it is self-induced. I've taken on a lot in the last two months, and the fatigue has officially begun. I stopped my hardcore exercise at about 35-ish weeks--because (holy hell!) I am already dilating, and unlike last time, I am NOT exactly hoping for an early baby.

Hip pain? Check.

Pelvic pain? Check-check.

Back pain? Check.

Cramps? Check.

Headaches? Occasional check.

Contractions? Hell yes check.

Life is good. I'm thrilled to meet my baby boy and begin a new and improved life.

It feels strange to know that when he arrives, my time at the paper will be at its end, and I will once again be a college student (at 27!). I look forward to diving headfirst into learning about business, and starting a new little career in fitness, and doing something with that damn novel. My husband is hella nervous, and rightfully so, but I have learned after too many times of NOT LISTENING to it that my GUT is always right. And that (big baby-bellied) gut is telling me that the time to live is NOW.

Lindsey.

Risotto Stuffed Acorn Squash

2012-10-06T06:03:00.000-07:00

Risotto-Stuffed Acorn Squash

I found this in a "note" on my Facebook page, from 2010. I'd just gotten back from a Chicago trip with my girlfriends and had eaten this marvelous spectacle of a squash in Wicker Park. Upon my return home, I tried to recreate it but as usual came up with something entirely different.

Yesterday was our work potluck lunch (and, as it turned out, my surprise baby shower!) I made the squash and the rice the night before, and rushed home before lunch to stuff the squash and stick under the broiler with some rosemary and figs. My coworkers loved their autumnal taste, but also the presentation. Who doesn't like pretty food? For me, it's a way to exercise some artistry in my every day life. Do you feel that way? Ever since I started looking at food as an art form with nutrition as its main medium, I have enjoyed cooking more, and this recipe was the catalyst for that way of thinking.

Here's the original note (from right after the infamous two-days-of-no-sleep and missed-the-bus-home trip, immediately after which I took a pregnancy test that marked the beginning of my Reese Marceline, and I thereby became interested in things like Food Network-style cooking and crafts because I no longer had my youthful, rebellious distractions to keep me from honing my interests in tamer things).

Lindsey.

(If you're not following me on Facebook and are interested in a healthy lifestyle and nutrition/fitness tips, click here and hit "Like." I'd love to meet you!)

by Lindsey Smith Forche on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 8:47pm ·I combined a few recipes that I found on the Internet in an attempt to semi-recreate the fabulous stuffed squash I had at a Mexican restaurant in Chicago. In typical Lindsey fashion, I went down an entirely different road as I was cooking, and the ensuing result was nothing like the Mexican place, and nothing like the Internet recipes, but--ask my mom--it was freakin' delicious. And it smells like fall :)

Risotto-stuffed Acorn Squash

(4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 acorn squash, about 1 pound each.

drizzle of honey

pinch of brown sugar

a few sprinkles of nutmeg

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

a dash of dried sage (can you tell I never measure anything?)

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups arborio rice

1/4 white onion, diced (I used about a 16th of an onion because I'm not a fan)

4 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

about 1/2 cup GOOD aged cheddar (not the kind that comes in a bag!)

I tried to cut the acorn squash in half, because apparently it's possible. But because I don't have superhuman strength, I nuked them in the microwave for eight minutes, and was able to cut them open easily. I scooped out the icky seeds and guts, and hollowed out the insides. Then I placed a pat of butter in each, which immediately melted so I was able to pour some over the tops of the squash. I sprinkled all four squash halves with nutmeg, a tiny drizzle of honey, and a pinch of brown sugar, then stuck them in a 400* oven for about an hour. (They looked done long before they were.) Meanwhile, I prepared the filling. I thought I'd be done long before the squash was, but arborio rice is a pain in the ass--albeit a yummy one.

First, I warmed up the stock in a separate sauce pan. In a larger pan, I sauteed the onions in about 1 tbsp. butter for about 5 minutes, then added the rice and stirred for two minutes. I added the stock in increments of one cup, each time letting the rice soak up the liquid before adding more. On my last cup of stock, I also added the heavy cream, and salt, pepper, sage, and nutmeg. This took a lifetime to cook, and once it was al dente, I added small cubes of aged-2-years sharp cheddar, and slowly stirred, then covered the pot to let the cheese melt.

I pulled the squash out of the oven, stuffed them with rice, then put a sprig of fresh rosemary in each and returned them to the oven for five minutes. I realized the rosemary dried out easily and was about to catch my kitchen on fire, so I removed it--but it made my house smell like a pine grove autumn heaven, and did leave a detectable taste in the rice. Finally, I broiled the squash for five more minutes, until the cheese was bubbly and browning on top.

I took it over to my parents' house when I realized it was brilliant and mind-blowingly delicious. Can you tell I'm proud of myself? I rediscovered the freakin' joy of cooking.

My Recent Recipe Concoctions-early fall '12

2012-10-03T19:03:00.002-07:00

I get asked about my food and recipes quite a bit, and I am super-flattered. I try to always eat clean and vegan and am always inventing new food ideas to give myself a sense of culinary adventure. Like I have mentioned in previous posts, this hasn't always been the case. My husband and I are moderately obsessed "foodies" and to prevent us from dropping dollars at swanky restaurants on the regular, I get creative in my kitchen!

Here are some clean, vegan recipes I posted this month on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/lindseyforchefitnesswellness, if you happen to be interested.

SPROUT & HUMMUS SANDWICH

I make my own hummus. It isn't difficult; it requires basic ingredients and a food processor. Mine is spicy, just the way we like it at our house! The secret=Marzetti's roasted red peppers + Frontera roasted red pepper hot sauce + a pinch of cayenne and red pepper flakes.

Ingredients:

2 slices sesame Ezekiel bread, toasted

thick smear of hummus

roasted red pepper slices

baby spinach

Daiya vegan cheddar, if desired

handful of alfalfa sprouts

julienned carrots

splash of balsamic vinegar (optional and definitely immediately before consuming)

TRUFFLED WHOLE GRAIN PASTA WITH ARUGULA, PORTOBELLA, & STEAMED VEGETABLES

First, cook up a serving of whole grain pasta. Toss with a little extra virgin, some sea salt and pepper.

Next, steam some mixed veggies. I used broccoli and baby carrots.

Then, preferably in cast iron, sautee sliced portobellas with a little EVOO and red pepper flakes. Let the arugula steam on top when almost done.

Toss it all together and drizzle with black truffle oil.

STOPLIGHT SALAD

Love these colors!

Toss arugula, pineapple, peppadew peppers, sunflower seeds and raspberry balsamic vinegar in a bowl. I use Fustini's vinegar, which is local to me and life-changing.

WHOLE WHEAT FLATBREAD WITH HUMMUS, ZATAAR, ROASTED PEPPERS AND OLIVES

A little Mediterranean flair!

I put the flatbreads in a 350 degree oven for a minute or two, then spread with homemade hummus.

I topped with pine nuts and zataar (this is a Mediterranean spice blend that is WELL WORTH seeking out. Hummus is not the same without this magic sprinkled on top.)

Then I added a little oregano, roasted red peppers (Marzetti is my favorite brand) and quality green olives.

I baked at a low temp for about 30 minutes. I also added fat free feta to the one I made for my BFF, and added a side of Alexia's sweet potato fries (baked in the toaster oven.)

TRUFFLED RICE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH & ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

A lot of people like chips for their addictive saltiness. I love roasted cauliflower. Cut into florets, pop into an oven at 400 for about 30 minutes after drizzling with olive oil, sea salt, pepper and garlic--and...HEAVEN!

Acorn squash is my pick of the squashes, the creme de le creme of fall. I poke holes in mine (important to not blow the microwave up!), and microwave for 5-7 minutes until pretty tender and easy to slice in half lengthwise. This makes it take much less time in the oven, and I am impatient. Scoop the seeds and guts out, and drizzle with olive oil, a little raw honey, some salt and pepper, and any autumnal spice you've got on hand, like rosemary, thyme, sage, and nutmeg (I do all of these in small amounts). Roast at 400 for about 30 minutes. I did these on my Pampered Chef stoneware with the cauliflower. Multitask!

Cook rice according to package directions. You can make instant rice; I just make huge batches of dry brown rice so I can save a bunch in the fridge for other things throughout the week. When it's done, I added a mix of carrots, peas and corn--but feel free to improvise with what you've got. I stirred in some black truffle oil, which just makes everything taste like a 5-star meal, then stuffed it into the squash. If you like cheese, I suggest a sharp cheddar blended into the rice--a little bit goes a long way. Asparagus would also compliment this dish. Get creative and add a squirt of real lemon or some lemon zest or vegetable stock. And if you try it, let me know what worked!

Lindsey.

My "Why"

2012-10-02T04:36:00.000-07:00

"From now on, start with why." -Simon Sinek

Here's mine:

I am 27 and since the birth of my daughter and pregnancy with my son, life has begun to present me with bigger questions, like: what kind of legacy will I leave? What will I teach my children about passion and success? How will I SHOW them that living an abundant life is entirely possible, in a world where so many people claim not to have enough?

For the past three years I have worked forty hours per week as an office manager. All of my jobs and roles in life, whether I loved them or loathed them, have provided me with valuable lessons and a paycheck; but what I have learned since having children is that life is about more than a paycheck, and that once the lessons have been digested, it's time to move forward. In those three years I finished and revised a novel and refined my passion for fitness and natural nutrition, started a blog, and worked through many issues still lingering from my past. My husband and I are renovating our century-old home and would like to finish it at some point within the forseeable future. We also dream of taking our kids on once-in-a-lifetime trips. We don't long to live in a McMansion; we just want to live where we are, debt-free, so that we can give our children the experiences that will serve them throughout their lives.

My dreams: seeing my book in print, building a meaningful business, continuing my education, and most of all helping other people achieve their own versions of success. My why: my children, the health of my family, and to live the way I believe we are supposed to live--not chained to a desk keeping busy for the sake of hours logged, but efficiently and with profundity and passion and purpose.

I decided to become a Beachbody coach because I have had enormous success with their programs for almost ten years, and truly believe in the company's mission to end the trend of obesity. The coach network's focus on helping other people and on personal development just works with my own philosophies, and are what I was doing on my own anyway. Now I have an army of people with me who are doing the same for their own communities and families. What could ever be better than joining forces with a group of people who lift you higher, who believe they can use themselves to make the world healthier? Count me in.

Funny how a good workout mimics life at large--hustle and give it your all in a short period of time, concentrate on your muscle groups and how they work, visualize your results, and in a period of weeks or months, and especially years, success comes and stays.

<-----This little 80s girl believed anything was possible, and I am going to prove her RIGHT! ;)

Dream-doubting. Hit your bottom already, so you can climb.

2012-10-01T21:06:00.001-07:00

A few months ago, my sister and I sat at my kitchen table and talked about nutritional yeast and her college mission trips and my unconfirmed decisions about what to do once baby number two arrived. I felt that I wanted to go back to school. Contrary to my earlier existence as a free spirit, I discovered in recent years a penchant for business and development. The idea of making the leap from one kid plus full time job to two kids plus full time school plus somehow contributing financially to my family was still in an embryonic stage.

Dana is eight years younger than me, but there is something about being nineteen that makes one wise. I weighed the options of staying at my locationally convenient, camraderie-filled, low-paying job. It was, after all, something safe...except it wasn't because I couldn't afford a babysitter for one child, and more frequent emergencies were bound to emerge with two. Dana said something along the lines of,"You're scrappy. You always make things work. So if you take a leap of faith, you'll make things work. And if you play it safe, you'll stay where you are." Which is in dream mode: of continuing my education, publishing my novel, starting a fitness business, changing the world. Changing the world is hard to do from a desk.

So I read and researched and made lists and had one-sided conversations with my skeptical husband who nonetheless supports my lofty goals. He knows I am a worker bee when I'm passionate about something, and that seems to be the point: living with passion. What the hell else is there? Submission is pure torture for me and I refuse to play it safe anymore for the sake of false comfort.

I put in my notice. It wasn't easy. I like my coworkers. I am used to my routin. But I LOVE my role as a mom and I love learning and I love fitness and I love writing. And I think it's bullshit to tell your kids to reach for their dreams when you've spent all your precious time taking cover from your own.

Change is scary. If it weren't, nobody would stay stuck the way most of us do. I am pledging here and now, for Ben and Reese and Declan and myself and the world, that I will live with purpose. The only chance I will ever regret is the one I didn't take.

Dana, you're right. When you just jump, you have no choice but to learn to fly.

September Ramble: happiness is a choice

2012-09-26T20:24:00.001-07:00

Happiness is a choice.

Nothing fancy today. No catchy DIY projects or bourgeois vegan recipes...just me getting my thoughts out, and sometimes that's important.

I have learned a tremendous deal about myself in the past year. Becoming a mother, maybe, does that to a woman. You stop thinking in terms of "me" and more in terms of "us." You start considering the legacy you're going to leave.

I used to be immature. I used to be insecure. I used to be the kind of girl who allowed the fear of rejection to inhibit my ability to TRY. Like so many others, I went through a rough time in my life, a time of fear and pain and rebuilding my life and building the Great Wall of China around myself. Not many people know about that time. Then again, in past years, not many people knew ANYthing about me. I thought I liked it that way, until one day I broke down in the Sears parking lot on my cell phone, to my husband. I'd just moved for the umpteenth time, this time in with him, to a foreign little town where people used a weird thing called "two-way" and everyone was on some volunteer fire department or another and middle-aged women needed the fashion police. I broke down and broke down and broke down. Over and over. I'd managed for a considerable amount of time to hold it together, and then I just couldn't anymore.

The thing is, in the span of four years I'd fled my tumultuous homestead for my original hometown and a boyfriend I was convinced at 18 would save me from my penchant for reckless abandon, got a house with him and two dogs plus eight strays plus furniture, got myself into trouble, got another house with him in hopes we could "fix it," tried to be the mediator for my parents' divorce three hours away during my dad's job loss and my mom's immediate move into some other guy's house, battled an eating disorder, watched my dad battle cancer, quit school twice, drank too much, met a charming but ultimately abusive new boyfriend who threatened to kill me on numerous occasions and stole all my worldly possessions, left my life to move in with my mom and her new boyfriend where my ex boyfriend stalked me and half my life was spent in court or the sheriff's department, worked several horrid jobs, met another abusive boyfriend, met the third abusive boyfriend, etc. Amazing, because during that time, nothing felt so awful.

Then I moved in with my best friend, became a manager for my company, started writing the novel I'd dreamt of penning since age six, became spiritual, found a passion for health and fitness, and met my husband who is a wonderful man with a work ethic from the stars. So WHY in heaven's name did I crash and burn when things were good? I'm sure there are all kinds of psychological reasons for this kind of thing, but I think once life SLOWED DOWN I didn't know how to handle it. When things were smooth, I sabotaged them. I saw red and took it out on people who were NOT the people who caused me to see red. I was basically a little bitch. I knew no other emotion but rage. If you've never felt rage, consider yourself lucky. It's disgusting.

In the past year, I made a commitment to get happy and help people. My friend Ashley is a therapist who must have been sent from GOD to find me and make me realize all kinds of insightful and life-changing things about myself. The first time I divulged all the sordid details to her and cried, it hit me that I hadn't CRIED in who knows how long. It hit me that I wasn't angry, I was SAD. I decided to embark on this great journey to fix myself. Really, it came out of what I'd always loved doing: writing and fitness. Along the way, nutrition came into play. I got crafty. I became a mom to the sweetest thing ever. I started connecting with people again and realizing it felt like ice on a black eye instead of an invasion. I came to the conclusion that happiness is a choice. Trust me, I know many people don't see it that way, and I certainly didn't either, but THINK about it: we CHOOSE who we surround ourselves with, we CHOOSE the dreams we go after and the dreams we don't, we CHOOSE to stay in bad situations out of fear or greed, we CHOOSE to react with a chip on our shoulder, we CHOOSE to say shitty things about other people. Likewise, we CHOOSE to find the lesson in every hardship, we CHOOSE to go outside of our comfort zone, we CHOOSE to work on our personal development, we CHOOSE to give a compliment or a donation or an offer of assistance, we CHOOSE to live our lives with grace despite our fear of the unknown.

I want to be the kind of woman my daughter is proud of. I want her to grow up knowing that everything is possible with kindness and good karma and hustle and love. I want to be healthy and make choices that are based on providing myself and my family with a life comprised primarily of joy. I CHOOSE to wake up grateful for a day many people don't get to have.

I was sparked to write this because I noticed something recently: the more self-assured I become, the more people come out of the woodwork to tear me apart. More people tell me, "Oh, but it's just easy for you. It's not that way for ME." And it came to me that I used to be THAT PERSON. Maybe not out loud. But in my head, I told myself I just wasn't good enough to be as fit or as rich or as happy as so-and-so. And it felt better to be mean.

Au contraire, I have also met so many INCREDIBLY supportive people who have found their own contentedness or passion and are very happy to pass on the bug to everyone they meet, including me. I have chosen to spend more time with THESE people, and less time with the vampires. And to all you sweet and passionate and caring people, thank you--not just from me, but from ALL of the people who you inspire and don't even know you're inspiring.

I don't look down on mean people. I understand their sadness. And I want to help them ditch the excuses and move past the enormity of their pain and realize they DESERVE to live a life bursting with incredible revelations.

Nobody can make that choice but you.

"I'm so full of confetti I could give birth to paper dolls."
-Zelda Fitzgerald

All about the Avocado!

2012-08-31T19:55:00.001-07:00

We at the Forche house adore avocados. Actually, avocado was Reese's first solid food (and is a great source of healthy fat for babies and adults alike). The first time I purchased an avocado, I couldn't stick a knife through it and couldn't figure out how the heck it was meant to be consumed. That was back when I thought Campbell's vegetable soup was a health food, so I've learned a thing or two.

People notice how much we eat them. Also, they notice that I make a hell of a guac. I get lots of questions about this gorgeous green fruit and about making guacamole, so I thought I'd share some tips about avocado--from sitting on display to getting mashed with a fork!

AT THE STORE: When choosing an avocado, don't pick the pretty green ones unless you won't be using them for a while. They aren't ripe yet. (You can ripen an avocado faster by setting it in a bowl with a ripe banana.) Also, don't pick the smooth-skinned blackish fruits either. These are past their prime, and are mushy and discolored inside. (I am shocked that grocery stores continue to sell these, fruit flies and all!) Look for avocados that are just starting to change color (from emerald to dark green), and that are firm but not brick-like. Here's a trick:

See that little nubbin of a stem? Flick it off.

See how this one is starting to brown beneath the stem? It's probably got some bruising and discoloration inside. It's just starting to get overripe. However, the skin still has the bumpy green ridges, so while I would NOT buy this in a store, I would cut it up for use at home. (I've had it about 6 days.)

A perfect avocado will retain a greenish tint beneath that stem. I am the weirdo lady picking off stems in the produce aisle. So what?

STORAGE: I keep avocados in my fruit bowl. If they are with other ripe fruits or veggies, they tend to ripen faster. If you want them to remain a little unripened a while longer, refrigerate them.

PREP: Once you cut them open, they act like apples and oxidize. This isn't harmful or even untasty, but sort of unattractive, so guac isn't a dish to make ahead. If you're cutting up an avocado as a burger topping, chop immediately before serving. And if using on a salad, serve on individual portions and don't save in the fridge; the slices will brown and you won't want to revisit the salad.

Ways to make guacamole or avocado slices last longer include squeezing lemon juice on top, coating with olive oil, or leaving the pit in with the fruit. Also, seal a bowl of guac with TIGHT plastic wrap and refrigerate immediately; serve as needed so a huge gnarly-looking bowl isn't left out on the counter. I recently made a batch of guacamole for my friend Brittany's bridal shower, and I brought it to her in a cooler, with the pit still in the bowl, liberal amounts of lemon juice mixed into the dip and a spare lemon thrown in the cooler for "touch-ups" (SO high-maintenance!), olive oil to seal the surface, and a tight spread of Saran wrap.

USES: Avocado makes great baby food, and can be mashed instead of pureed (so you don't have to wash your Baby Bullet another. frickin. time. It also creates a luscious ice-cream-like dessert when processed with a ripe banana and frozen. You can even make mousse with it! It is excellent on top of a black bean burger, or thrown into a Southwest salad. I've even tried it broiled with Parmesan and hot sauce.

But obviously, the best use for avocado is guacamole! I'm not against the store-bought kind, but once you surpass the brief learning curve of guac-making, it's SUPER easy, and cheap, to do yourself. Here's what I do: slice an avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh onto a cutting board. I mash it with a fork and throw in some garlic, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon or lime (or both). If I'm feeling ambitious, I may throw in chopped tomatoes or cilantro or red onion. It takes maybe two minutes and is unfailingly a hit.

(Yeah, and forgive my scary chipping mod-pink nail polish in the photos above. I have better things to do than remove my nail lacquer. Like blogging about an avocado.)

Lindsey.

Tips for Cutting Costs while Eating Clean

2012-08-14T19:14:00.000-07:00

This is part of my pantry. It isn't glamorous, but it's semi-organized.

On these shelves are some of my best tips for cutting costs while still eating clean.

I've always had an interest in healthy eating, and practiced it more or less (the less being CHEESE!) But now that we've got kids to think about, we have really decided to kick ourselves in the ass and create even better habits. The myth is that to eat a healthy, whole-foods, non-processed diet, you have to spend exorbitant amounts of cash. Lucky for you (but not so lucky for your excuses), this myth is just that--a myth.

True, the start-up costs of healthy living can be heftier than the usual generic boxed garbage. There are always coupons and mark-downs on garbage, and rarely on produce or items in the natural foods section. Just remember this: YOU VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLAR. If you're willing to spend a little more at first and commit to buying quality food, you are promoting health with your money and your choices. The more people who do this, the less the good stuff will eventually cost, and the less demand for garbage there will eventually be. Simple. Maybe I'm idealistic. Maybe I should live in Ann Arbor. (I wish!) But I believe it's possible to change things, and I believe that every person is a cog in the wheel. I also believe that we will see a shift to a more natural approach to life, as diseases caused by diet and lifestyle continue to rise and healthcare continues to get more cray-zay.

SOME TIPS TO EATING CHEAP & CLEAN

(and they don't involve extreme couponing!)

1. Make your own marinara sauce. You can find recipes just about anywhere, but the premise is simple: garlic sauteed in 1 tbsp. olive oil, a can of crushed tomatoes, & spices. I use fresh basil and marsala cooking wine and crushed red pepper, but anything goes. The longer you simmer, the better it gets. But the best part is that it's a fraction of the cost of quality jarred sauce, especially if you stock up on tomatoes when they're on sale. The other ingredients only cost you the first time, then they're on hand for a while. Minced garlic can even be purchased in little glass jars that keep in the fridge for years. The lycopene and nutrient content of canned tomatoes can be even better than fresh, especially in the off-season, but there's no reason you can't use freshly crushed tomatoes instead! The cheap jarred sauce, BTW, is loaded with sugar and shit-tons of ingredients, and IS NOT healthy. If you are used to this trash, you may find that your homemade sauce tastes a little unsweet to you. Keep experimenting with ingredients, and remember that your tastebuds adapt.

2. Stock up on stock! I use low-sodium organic vegetable broth in a myriad of recipes. It can replace lots of fattening stuff. You can make your own, too, with veggie scraps, for even more of a bargain, but I'm a little lazy about it. Use the Red Laser app on your phone to compare prices in different stores, or buy in bulk. Soups are easy and cheap, and can be frozen, so this is a great pantry staple.

3. Buy dried beans. My local Kroger store has bins in the natural foods aisle, with beans and rice and nuts and even dried cereals. These are a fraction of the cost of canned, as you aren't paying for packaging. They take longer to prepare, as they need to soak, but if you make a big batch you will have them on-hand for meals in a pinch.

4. Invest in some Tupperware or BPA-free containers for beans, legumes, seeds, nuts, rice, etc. This will enable you to forgo the packaging and buy the bulk/bin stuff, and store it nicely. The more you can buy this way, the less you will spend in the long run. On average, I spend about 1.29 for a can of beans that will last one meal; for 3 pounds of dried (which will yield approx. 3 times as much once soaked, and will last many meals), I spend about $5.00. The savings is even bigger for other items, like brown rice or granola.

5. Stock up on cheap pantry "meal bases." If you do this strategically, buy on sale or in bulk, etc., you should mainly only be doing your weekly shopping for fresh produce. For instance, pasta, rice, beans, stock, canned tomatoes, potatoes (no, they're not the freakin' devil unless you eat them daily or fried), even sweet potatoes--these are relatively cheap and can be sold in large portions. They can be the basis for any meal. Bread can be bought in bulk on sale, and frozen (or home-made!).

6. On weekends or off days, make up a few batches of the above staples and put them in the fridge. If you have some whole grain pasta or brown rice already made up, you will be more likely to grab it and toss it with some veggies and herbs for a healthy meal, than to run to Toxic Hell when you're pinched for time. This will lessen your excuses for spending on fast food meals and later dumping your rotten produce because you "didn't have time" to use it.

7. Buy the off-brands of freezer and sandwich bags, and paper towels. The only thing I buy namebrand is cling wrap, because I always waste my generic roll when it sticks together, and the namebrand generally doesn't stick. I like my food to be of the highest quality, but I could care less what brand of sandwich bag I use. If eating healthy is expensive for you, think of the things you can do without. Another trick is that if you use a bag for half a cucumber for one day in the fridge, and then you use the cucumber but have half an onion to store, use the same bag. I even go so far as to rinse and dry my bags that haven't been soiled by their contents, and reuse them. I'm not a complete psychotic cheapo, and I do this more for the environment than for saving money, but hey--every penny counts!

8. Make bigger batches of meals and store leftovers in the fridge or freezer. I used to always throw out leftovers. Now I take them for lunch or repurpose them (for instance, stir fry can go into the next night's fajitas).

9. Plan your shopping trip before you go. I am a list-a-holic, I know--but I think it's really helpful to divide my list into the sections of the store, and only put on my list what I am going to use that week. I sit down with my recipe books and get a rough idea of what I want to make; then I look at what needs used up, what I have on hand, and what I'll need. When I go to the store I try my damndest to stick to my list, and I don't traverse aisles in which I don't need anything.

10. Find out which stores have which products for the best prices, and plan your trips accordingly. For instance, my beloved frozen Cascadian Farms squash can be found at many stores in the town where I usually shop, but is cheapest at Meijer in another town. I don't get it unless I'm at Meijer, nor do I make a special trip. (I used to, though!) If I'm at Meijer, it's an item I specifically seek out to stock up on. I generally know where I will find my favorite items for the best price, so if there's a major difference, I won't buy it except in that store. (I've never been a haggler, although all you hagglers out there might be able to try price-matching!) Red Laser, again, is a good app for comparing prices. Lately I have been going to the Kroger that has another (more health-oriented) market just across the street. I get my cheapies at Kroger, and the other stuff across the street, and I don't have to make two trips.

11. Make friends with the farmers market. Seriously! My biggest surprise in this journey is that local, organic produce sold at the farmers market is not only affordable, it's usually downright CHEAP. Not to mention it tastes better, is better for you, AND is better for the environment. Just this weekend I visited a local market and bought two heirloom tomatoes, a bunch of swiss chard, a bunch of kale, two zucchini, one summer squash, two eggplants, and a dozen peppers for seven dollars. The people selling their wares are so excited about what they've grown, and like to answer your questions and give you tips and recipes. Much better than buying junk off a truck from God knows where in the produce department, with no clue how long it's been sitting there or what chemicals it's been doused in.

12. Freeze your produce. I am SO doing this this year, especially because we have some major life changes coming up and I'm unsure what our new budget will be like in the winter. There are tips online for how to do this. (For instance, veggies should be blanched first.) This way, you're not spending a fortune on out-of-season produce, or having to resort to something nasty in a can. Frozen vegetables at the store are actually very healthy, as long as the vegetables are the only ingredient--but once again, you're paying for packaging. Buying local and freezing reduces all of those extra costs.

13. Plant a garden. This is another one I am serious about doing next year. In my reading, I've come across many statistics that show families with moderate-sized gardens save $700-$900 per year on groceries. Not only that, but you'll also be doing your part for the environment. I am looking forward to teaching Reese (and myself!) to appreciate the beauty of nature, and what better way to do this than to grow our own produce?

14. Take a cooler. My husband is the champion of this, because he works long hours in an ambulance. He doesn't use this as an excuse to subsist on junk food, and you shouldn't either. The last time we went on vacation with a long car ride ahead, we packed hummus and veggies and canteens of water. You will be less tempted to stop at a roadside restaurant or rest stop for junk food to "refuel." We rationalize by treating ourselves to a quality restaurant or two on vacation, and save our money by packing the rest of our meals.

Remember, generic sugary fake food may be cheap in the short run, but PLEASE consider the cost to your health. It may be difficult to think long-term enough to get past the fast food cravings, but if you can hold out for a while and give it an honest try, you'll be SHOCKED how much better you will feel, how much your cravings will subside, and how compassionate for yourself, for your kids, for others, and for nature you can become.

My best advice is this: Be creative. Do your research. Don't dismiss your health on the false pretext that health is unaffordable. Can you afford to lose it?

Any tips of your own?

Lindsey.

On a Green Smoothie Kick!

2012-08-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Because I don't own a juicer (although I really WANT to own a juicer. Pretty please, Ben? Christmas present? Hint: Vitamix. Or at the very least, a good Breville?), I have been concocting the next best thing: smoothies. I make them in my little Ninja food processor.

If you need a good reason to juice/smooth, read some inspirational, hilarious wisdom by Kris Carr, or watch the jaw-dropping documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead. Learn about the INSANE amount of nutrition you can pack into a 16-ounce glass, how you can get your fruits & (mostly) veggies without having to really taste the less appealing ones, and what this can do for your overall quality of life. One interesting factoid: the bioavailability of many foods is actually quite low; in other words, when eating a salad, we're not always reaping every nutrient. That's because most of us don't chew long enough to break down the food enough for our bodies to use it. Juicing eliminates this problem. The juicer not only makes all those green leafies easier to swallow, it also helps extract more nutrients for our consumption.

If you, like me, sadly do not own a juicer, or even a food processor, you can use a blender or some sort of smoothie-maker.

I have been doing this just about every morning for breakfast, and I cannot even describe how much better I feel when I start my day with a powerhouse glass of nutrients, as opposed to a bowl of cereal or something. There are a million varieties, and generally you can use the produce you have on hand--just be sure to include some greens! To cut the veggie taste, always throw in a bit of fruit, but never more fruit than vegetables. Here's my current breakfast!

Lindsey's Green Smoothie

1/2 peeled cucumber, sliced

1/2 avocado

1/2 banana

1/2 loose cup mung bean sprouts

1.5 tbsp. chia seeds

liberal amount of cinnamon

dash of agave

handfuls of greens: spinach, romaine, arugula, kale, chard, or a mixture of whatever I have.

1/2 c. coconut milk, unsweetened

Blend all ingredients! Serve immediately.

TIP: If you have a small food processor (like I do), you may want to blend the greens and milk first, and then add in other ingredients and blend again.

Look at that pretty sage color!

If you juice or make smoothies of your own, I would really love to see your best tips and recipes! I'm new to this, after all :)

Lindsey.

Acorn Squash Pizza with Portobella, Arugula, and Hazelnuts

2012-08-12T17:16:00.002-07:00

I am seriously impressed with myself.

For months, I've been meaning to make Tosca Reno's Eat-Clean pizza along the same vein, from her newish vegetarian cookbook. It calls for caramelized onions, and I didn't have onions, though hardly anything tastes more savory and delightful and autumnal as a caramelized onion, especially with fresh thyme and balsamic reduction. Her recipe also uses a thing called "yogurt cheese," which she concocts with cheesecloth and a sieve and plain yogurt, but I'm not eating yogurt these days--and soy yogurt is not exactly my cup of tea. And there are some other differences, like spices I didn't have on hand, and the fact that I refuse to wait an hour for the squash to cook in the oven when it's just going to be pureed anyway, annnnd come to think of it I believe her version uses butternut squash. I like butternut squash, but I LOVE acorn squash, and my lone little orange-&-green acorn squash was growing sad on the counter.

So, in a way, my recipe is almost entirely different from Tosca's, but she was the inspiration behind it. (And if you are interested in living a clean lifestyle, you should check her out! The link above will take you to her inspiring site.)

Acorn Squash Pizza with Portobella, Arugula, and Hazelnuts

Ingredients:

pre-made or store-bought whole wheat pizza crust

1 acorn squash

about 3 handfuls fresh arugula, also known some places as rocket

about 5 large portobella mushroom slices (prepackaged at the grocery store), chopped into bite-size peices

extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic

thyme

nutmeg

herbes de provence

1/4 c. raw hazelnuts, chopped or run through a food processor

sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven according to package directions.

Microwave the squash for about 5 minutes, after you've poked a few fork holes in the flesh. You should be able to stick a utensil easily through the squash when it's done. Remove, cool a bit, cut in half, and scoop out the seeds and guts.

Scoop squash from skin, and run through a food processor with a drizzle of EVOO, garlic, and liberal amounts of thyme, nutmeg, and pepper, with a dash of salt.

Sautee mushrooms in EVOO with herbes de provence (and some rosemary, if you have it!), about 5 minutes, preferably in an iron skillet. (Everything comes out better in an iron skillet, plus you get a little dose of iron in your meal!) Turn heat off, and pile arugula on top of mushrooms. Let sit about 30 seconds, to slightly wilt.

Spread pureed squash onto pizza crust. Top with mushrooms and arugula, then chopped hazelnuts.

Bake according to the directions on the pizza package, or until crust begins to brown.

Not only does this pizza taste pretty decadent, it also gets some points in the looks department!

If you're not a vegan, feel free to add a little Parmesano Reggiano on top. I think mozzarella would be overkill. (So says the former Cheese Queen.)

And remember, the caramelized onions can only make a good thing even better! Another addition I might try in the future is a sprinkle of chopped kalamata olives, or some roasted zucchini or eggplant. Remember to use what you have on hand; with a little creativity, you'll find yourself having more fun in the kitchen and making less trips to the store for (unnecessary) ingredients.

Bon Appetit!

Lindsey.

What I Learned When I Was Nineteen

2012-08-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

I was formatting my 5-years-in-progress novel last night, and I felt agonized by the whole process. Some nights (like two nights before last) it goes smooth as silk. Others, I want to toss this whole unpaid writer shebang out the window. Hence, the 5-years-in-progress thing.

I started outlining and writing the story in 2007, when I lived with my best friend and had a hot pink bedroom full of tossed-off bar outfits and booze bottles. I started living it long before; at about age nineteen I experienced a very different life from the domestic cupcake who now pens this healthy, hippie, happy blog. (Yes, I'm exaggerating, kind of. I will never really be that girl.) I think everyone comes of age at a certain time, and that it's a different number for different people, and for me it was certainly nineteen. My headspace back then was (cloudy and) creative, filled with lust for every little thing, and recklessly, horrifically fun, amidst quite a bit of tumult, which I think back then I harbored quite an addiction to.

Anyhow, the book was born of a million things and people and ideas, and of living in a midwestern post-factory town and in bars, and of being--or becoming--an enlightened fuck-up.

After I moved to Blissfield (oh, what an accurate name in so many ways) with Ben, it took me a couple of years to find my footing. I didn't touch the manuscript for a long time. It made me too sad. I stopped working at the bookstore and worked for a little while as a bank teller. If you know me personally, you'd attest that the last sentence is evidence of a total identity crisis on my part. I truly felt lost, but not in the good purple-haze way of yore.

Somehow, I found my way back to the book. And it sort of saved me, and maybe in a way that's why it's hard for me to be done with it. Allowing somebody to scrutinize something so deeply personal feels really scary. Over the years I have grown attached to all of my characters and to my little made-up Midwestern world.

Tonight, I felt inspired to look through a few things from the year I became me, the year where I started looking around and mentally scrapbooking snippets of life for later words in sentences in chapters in this mess of a thing I call a novel.

Here are pages of my '04 journal:

"It's okay to think you're fabulous."

-advice from a hedonistic young adult

....................................................

I wish I had done this every year, written out my yearly lessons and mantras. Maybe I will, from now on. In comparison, here are some things I learned (or believed) when I was 27:

-"You are not in the world. The world is in you." -Deepak Chopra

-You should be a constant learner. Learn about every passing curiosity. Learn how things are made, how things work, how things are, how you wish they were, and how you can change them. Knowledge really IS power.

-Going to college straight out of high school doesn't work for everybody, and sometimes you are better off waiting to go back until you have real reasons for being there in the first place, even if you're pregnant with your second child in 17 months and working full time and are married and have bills to pay.

-The busier you are, the more productive you will generally be or become.

-"Leading with your heart" is not always sound advice. Sometimes you gotta chuck that heart out of a rolled-down window and move the eff on.

-Fitness and nutrition are sexy. People who party too hard for too long are not sexy. Moderation!

-People generally don't judge you as much as you fear they do.

-Learning to say no to things that don't align with your top priorities makes life a bajillion times simpler.

-Becoming a mother is truly the most astounding experience. You realize your potential for being an unselfish person. You also see the world through brand new eyes.

-Whatever you think most about, you become.

-Anything is possible with a positive attitude.

-It's never as scary as you think it's going to be. Your mind contorts things out of your fear. Good news: you control your mind. Practice!

-Unfortunate events occur from time to time. You are always strong enough to handle them. You are, after all, a pillar of self-sufficiency. If looked at in the right light, all of these events are opportunities to discover who you really are.

-At the risk of sounding new-agey, there is a silent place in all of us that is infinitely wise and calm. Sometimes we have to shut up to find it.

-Regret is pointless. Move forward. Great advice from my cousin Jamie: "Remember, you did the best with what you had at the time." Isn't that so true? Hindsight's 20/20. Living in the present is, like, 20/500, but it's way more fun!

-You are only as old as you think you are. It is NEVER TOO LATE to be exactly who you want to be. My sister's freshman classes at Cleveland State were peppered with students of all ages, including seniors (as in citizens). My mother is 50 and teaches aerobics, spinning and linebacker classes. Take care of yourself, keep learning, and the world is your oyster.

-You never know when your kind word or your piece of advice or your shared story is exactly what someone else needs to hear. Be genuine. Share what you know.

-Wake up every day and go to sleep every night with gratitude. No matter how shitty things seem, there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for, and the more you appreciate what you have, the more you'll have to appreciate.

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

MY PLAYLIST AT 19:

Saves the Day (Rocks Tonic Juice Magic)

The Get Up Kids (I'll Catch You)

Hole (Miss World)

Death Cab for Cutie (Title Track)

Death Cab for Cutie (Residential State Street)

Ben Kweller (Family Tree)

Modest Mouse (Bukowski)

Audio Learning Center (Hand Me Downs)

Armchair Martian (Jessica's Suicide)

Bright Eyes (Haligh, Haligh, a Lie, Haligh)

Pedro the Lion (When They Really Get to Know You, They Will Run)

Pedro the Lion (Options)

Tori Amos (Icicle)

Tori Amos (Northern Lad)

Logh (Yellow Lights Mean Slow Down, Not Speed Up)

Broken Social Scene (Anthems for a 17 Year Old Girl)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Rich)

The Stills (Gender Bombs)

The Stills (Still in Love Song)

Cursive (The Recluse)

The Shins (Girl Inform Me)

The Shins (So Says I)

The Shins (Pink Bullets)

Metric (Succexy)

Cat Power (Speak for Me)

Liz Phair (Flower)

Interpol (Stella was a Diver and She was Always Down)

MY PLAYLIST AT 27:

All of the above, plus a million others, including

Great Lake Swimmers (A Merge, a Vessel, a Harbor)

Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos (Jen's Bringin' the Drugs)

Pedro the Lion (Criticism as Inspiration)

Smith Westerns (Be My Girl)

Friendly Fires (Hurting)

Bon Iver (Skinny Love)

Metric (The Gates)

Nadia Ali/Sultan& Ned Shepard (Call My Name)

Mutemath (Spotlight)

Real Estate (Green Aisles)

Wild Nothings (Live in Dreams)

Doves (M62 Song)

Atlas Sound (Recent Bedroom)

Stateless (Bloodstream)

The Xx (Crystalised)

Lana del Rey (Without You)

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

Money can't make you rich like experience can.

-penniless, experience-full 19 year old Lindsey Smith.

Clean, Mean Banana Ice Cream

2012-08-07T11:59:00.001-07:00

I've heard a lot about this trend in the past year, but never got it right until now. You can seriously make an ice cream-esque dessert with nothing but a frozen banana. Talk about clean eating!

I've attempted this before, with a dull little blender. This time, my Ninja worked wonderfully (and it's cheap!)

Freeze 1.5 bananas in chunks, overnight. Then place in a food processor and blend with a small amount of liquid. I used coconut milk from a can-yum! You can also blend in some chocolate chips, almond or vanilla or mint extract, nuts, etc.

I think the key is the double bladed food processor or a good blender that can really make the bananas smooth, AND the coconut milk, which makes everything super-creamy.

I love that I can now satisfy my ice cream cravings with a piece of fruit! Annnnnd the whole concoction is vegan. Winning!

Easy Low Calorie Meals & Snacks Part II

2012-07-28T16:52:00.001-07:00

Here are a few more of my favorite easy meals and snacks. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be an elaborate science. Yes, it does take a little planning, or at least more planning than hitting up the drive-through for a McCoronary—but preparing your own food gives you many benefits, like:

-knowing everything that’s in it. No hidden ingredients! YOU get to control the amount of any ingredient, and even change it up a bit to scale down on sugar, or gluten, or sodium.

-feeling empowered. Your kitchen, your rules. And if whatever you made kicks major ass, you can take all the credit for it.

-continuing your knowledge about food and health. I’ve learned more about being healthy by cooking my own food, than by any other practice or research.

Here are some fun foods to try:

Black Beans & Brown Rice with Cilantro, Lime &Avocado—such a complete meal! Cilantro and lime make everything sparkle. I tend to make a big batch of brown rice, and Tupperware leftovers in the fridge forreally quick meal-making during the week. And FYI: avocados have fat, but the “good kind.” They will not make you fat; low-fat, sugar-free, fake food WILL.

Brown Rice with Sauteed Veggies & Sunflower Seeds—I take all the vegetables in my kitchen that are looking a little sad and will spoil in the next couple of days, and lightly sautee them in a splash of olive oil.If you’re using greens, add them last and just let them steam on top of the other vegetables. I just learned this little factoid, too: the longer yousautee or steam a vegetable, the more nutrients leach out and become unavailable to you (hence all the hype surrounding macrobiotic and raw diets),so it’s best to leave a little crunch. I am currently loving sunflower seeds mixed into my rice. Play with this dish! Don’t always use the same veggie medley, and mix up the seasonings. Rosemary is particularly wonderful; basil always keeps things fresh-tasting; Emeril’s Essence is good for garlic and spice; Spike seasoning makes it savory. I also love a sprinkle of Daiya vegan cheddar cheese, made with arrowroot instead of soy. It melts and (dare I sayit?) tastes just as good, if not better than, the real thing.

Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad—So yummy, especially after chilling in the fridge for a day! Mix 1 c. cooked wheat berries (and if you haven’t tried this delectable whole grain, do), 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp.honey, 1 chopped apple, 1/3 c. Greek or soy plain yogurt, 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and some raisins. I think I got this originally from the back of thewheat berry package. I use Nature’s Earthly Choice brand. You can also add celery, but truth be told, good old celery is the only vegetable I loathe.

Wheat Berry Chickpea Salad—mix a can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed) with a couple of cups of cooked wheat berries, and chopped zucchini, bell pepper, tomato, spinach and parsley. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Add any crunchy veggies in your arsenal! Steamed pea pods or lightly cooked broccoli would do well.

Spicy Sweet Potato & Black Barley—I don’t remember whereI got the basis for this recipe, but I think it called for lentils. Black barley can be found in the freezer aisle of some healthier stores, like Anderson’s Market in Toledo, and probably Whole Foods, and it worked SO well that I’ve made this several times and batched it up into individual portions for work lunches. In a 400 degree oven, roast 3-6 cubed sweet potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, cumin, Spanish paprika, and sea salt, until they meet your level of done-ness (I like mine almost charred, but I’m weird like that).Mix with ¾ cup prepared black barley, or more if you desire—your kitchen, your rules! Add some red wine vinegar, and maybe some fat free feta if you’ve got it, and even some greens—arugula is especially wonderful. Seriously, I don’t know who wouldn’t love this dish! It's so savory; a must-try.

Marinated Olives—I did this when I had that annoying amount of olives left in the can after using about 10 for a recipe. Pour them into a container, add olive or grapeseed oil and any spices you care to use, put a lid on it, and shake. Then store them overnight in the fridge and let them soak up the flavor. I used garlic, sea salt, black pepper, oregano and thyme. These would be great served with crackers and cashew cheese.

Tomato, Avocado and Quinoa Salad with Cilantro-LimeDressing-- I threw this together about a week ago, and my husband just loved it.(See? Take stock of what you have in your kitchen, and just start throwing stuff together! Once you start cooking more, you learn what tastes good together, and you’ll be able to whip something up in no time. I used to think applesauce and cottage cheese were food groups, okay? Practice makes almost-perfect!) Chop up a few tomatoes (heirloom or beefsteak are incredible),red onion, and avocado. Stir in some cooked quinoa, and dress with fresh lemon and lime juices, a little olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh cilantro, and salt and pepper. Garlic would work, as well.

Cannellini Bean & Heirloom Tomato Panzanella—Another easy-peas ythrown-together dish that made several lunches! Throw one can of cannelli beans (drained and rinsed) into a large mixing bowl. Add chopped heirloom tomatoes, chopped cucumber, diced red onion, green olives, and any other light, refreshing vegetable you have on hand. Tear some chunks of sorta-stale whole wheat bread (the real kind, that you bake yourself or buy from a bakery—nothing pre-sliced!) or toast fresher bread, and then tear. Add the bread, and mix in a little olive oil and red wine vinegar, along with torn fresh basil, salt, pepper, and garlic. I know the whole soaked-bread thing seems kind of icky, but really it’swonderful, and the crustier the bread you use, the better it will hold up.

PB Banana Roll-Up—The quickest breakfast! Spread some nut butter on a whole wheat wrap, and envelop a whole banana in it! Instead of the wrap, you can also use big leaves of romaine lettuce. I also use a pinch of cinnamon.

As always, there are plenty more recipes where these camefrom. Ben’s loving my sudden cooking itch, and even told me, “You might deserve a brand new kitchen!” Of course, this massive project will be the last in our crazy reno-house, but nevertheless, I’m excited.

For another blog post: I’ve been officially vegan for six days, and am LOVING LOVING LOVING it! Me, the cheese queen, loving veganism—imagine. If anything, it’s made me more creative. I’ve come across no shortage ofyumminess, including Tempt hemp milk ice cream (yeah, not the healthiest of vegan fare, but OMG. Definitely good enough to keep me on track the rest of the time.) I just feel better and brighter and more…clear, kind of. It’s hard to explain, but amazing.

And for another blog post: I’m already 26 weeks pregnant. It’s going so fast this time. Too fast. Ahhh!

And for aNOTHER blog post: I am renovating not only my house, but my life. Major life decisions are currently underway. Scary, but I am ready for my family to live an inspired, healthy, creative, productive life.The time will go by anyway. I’m gonna make it worthwhile. There! I wrote it, and it’s out there in the universe, and not only in my head where it can easilyget tromped on by the spiked stilettos of my every day routine. I am CHANGING MY LIFE.

Change yours, too! (Unless of course it’s already fabulous.) And start by eating healthy, because the cleaner you eat, the more energy you have for every other area of your life.

Lindsey.

Simple Tips for Healthier Eating

2012-07-21T21:47:00.002-07:00

Simple Tips for Healthier Eating

Don’t try to do it all at once. Start with a simple task, such as incorporating more vegetables into your diet, adopting a “Meatless Monday,” going whole grain, or trying a new healthy recipe once a week. As you get comfortable, keep taking those baby steps. They add up. Burn-out sucks, so don’t try to overhaul your lifestyle in a single weekend.

Read everything you can get your hot little hands on about nutrition. Subscribe to health, fitness, and light cooking magazines. Read blogs. Keep up on the latest research. “Like” fitness pages on Facebook for regular updates.

Watch documentaries. Sometimes it’s difficult for people to make time to read a book (although I am ALL FOR BOOKS, and I think that apps like IBooks give us no excuse not to read when we come across surprise downtime), and a good nutrition documentary like Forks Over Knives, or even some DVRd episodes of Dr. Oz, can keep us on the up and up about nutrition.

Make a list of your current ailments and what you’d like to change. Perhaps you want to lose 30 pounds. Maybe you don’t want to be dependent on insulin or a blood sugar pill for the rest of your days. Maybe you’re bothered that the meat on your plate meant something was slaughtered, but you aren’t sure what the heck else to eat. Perhaps you want better skin, less cellulite, a deflated spare tire. Go from here. You cannot formulate a plan until you know what you want to change.

Decide how badly you want, or need, to change. Maybe you’re within a healthy weight range and BMI, and 30 pounds isn’t maintainable if you ever want to eat anything ever again; in that case, maybe go for 10 instead. If you are overweight or obese, decide what small steps you can manage to start with. After all, every journey begins with a single step and all that jazz. I know many heavy people who complain about their weight but are TOTALLY unwilling to give up the Fritos or get off the couch—I’m not judging their choices, but I AM judging their complaints. If you’re unhappy, decide to change. If the change you think you want isn’t really doable, rethink your priorities. If you aren’t willing to change your bad habits, don’t bitch about them, and be prepared to accept the often-ugly consequences.

Decide: maybe spend a little extra now on fresh produce and whole foods (and maybe some workout DVDs, equipment, running shoes, or a gym membership), or a lot extra in medical bills later. You are not exempt from health issues.

Understand that food can be an addiction as real as any other. Case in point: remember how not that far back I was singing the praises of cheese and blogging about that lovely aged gouda and how it’s the one vice I won’t give up? Guess what? I’m giving it up. Once I did my research and learned the effects of dairy on the human body, the animals of our planet, and our planet in general—and also once I realized that the casein in cheese does all kinds of shenanigans to the chemical receptors in our brains—I came to the conclusion that I don’t need it. It doesn’t make me feel good. It’s lardy and fatty. It’s cholesterol-inducing. And it’s addictive! I don’t want to be addicted to anything; call it my Emery stubbornness. Chances are you may have a food addiction; it’s real and it can be broken. Like any withdrawal, you may experience some ugly symptoms and cravings, but guess what? You can handle it.

Have a very visual goal in mind, and think about it often. Do you want to fit into that bikini from two years ago? Keep it where you can see it. Daydream about how frickin’ fab you’ll look in it in a few months. Do you want to be able to run a 5k? Visit race websites, cut out photos from running magazines, subscribe to related blogs—and imagine yourself running, down to the very sports bra or brand of shoe or scenery. A fantastic way to keep track of all your inspirations and revisit them often is to create a pin board on Pinterest.

Think of food as fuel. Sure, some of us love to eat during celebrations and some of us love to eat to soothe our frustrations, but that’s really not the point. We can still DO these things, with better choices (kefir or almond milk “ice cream” rather than a pint of triple fudge chunk; a veggie quesadilla with fresh salsa instead of a heaping pile of nachos), but for the majority of us, when we visualize our ideal body and our ideal workout performance, see someone who resembles an athlete or a person who at the very least takes care of themselves—and regular ice cream jaunts and nacho pig-outs do not an athlete make.

Judge a food by how you feel after you eat it. My husband has gone down to one meat meal per day, if that, and I have started really cooking—from scratch—the majority of our food. We focus on plants, plants, and more plants. He says he feels way better after a whole-food, non-processed meal than the stuff he used to eat. My pregnancy, this time around, has been a gazillion times easier, and my weight gain has been perfect and steady. When we were eating out more, and consuming more animal products, we felt sluggish, bloated, and full. It is easier to stick to your guns when you feel stellar.

Organize your kitchen. Splurge or save up for some really kick-ass tools, like a food processor or juicer or amazing chef’s knife, to enjoy your time in the kitchen a little more. We recently installed a dishwasher, and it makes me want to cook more elaborate meals, because clean-up is so much faster. Buy new BPA-free, dishwasher-safe Tupperware to bring your healthy meals and snacks with you on the go, and to organize the nuts, seeds, grains, and pastas in your pantry. You will reach for healthy food more often when it’s easy to reach and prepare. Another time saver: cut up and/or wash fruits and veggies all at once, to save prep time when you’re in a pinch. My downfall used to be reaching for my husband’s junky snack food when I got into famished-mode, because peeling and dicing and cooking vegetables would take too long to catch up to my sugar crash.

Always have a fruit bowl on the counter. It looks so pretty, you’ll be more likely to grab an apple or orange. On the flipside, keep junk food in hard-to-reach places if you find you just can’t control yourself. If you have to get on a stepstool to reach the Chips Ahoy, chances are you’ll have a few seconds to think twice.

And speaking of Chips Ahoy…have a treat now and again. Decide in advance what your favorite splurge is. An example: I am not a big fan of chocolate cake, but I love blueberry pie. If I’m really in the mood for a treat, and blueberry pie happens to be there, it’ll be worth the splurge because I’ll enjoy it. Chocolate cake, not so much. A few bites will suffice, if I’ve got a sweet tooth, but I always have 75-90% dark chocolate on hand, and a square or two will usually calm cravings.

If you can’t kick a craving, try to find something a little better for you that will still curb it. Want French fries? Have a baked potato, or some baked sweet potato fries, or at the very least, make oven “fries” instead of getting out the deep fryer. On that note, don’t even own a deep fryer. What’s the point, aside from tempting yourself and making your house smell like stale McDonald’s?

Don’t buy shitty food. You’re less likely to make a special trip to buy junk food when you’re in the mood for it if it isn’t already on hand, and if you do run out to the corner store for corn chips, you’ll have a drive in the car to contend with yourself.

Use seasonings, and not of the salt variety. Studies show they can help you consume less. Making your food savory might satisfy you sooner. The first bite is always the best bite. When it stops tasting delicious, stop eating it.

Get over the “clean your plate” thing. Whether it goes in your belly or the garbage disposal, a starving child in China is still not eating it. If you truly aren’t hungry (remember, it takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you’re full, so slow down and put down your fork!) , there is no shame in boxing up, Tupperware-ing up, giving to your dining companion, or otherwise disposing of the rest.

Eat from smaller plates. I like to use salad plates. In America, the circumference of our dinner plate has drastically blown up in recent decades—along with our waistlines. And remember that a restaurant portion is usually especially blown out of proportion, so stretch your budget to save your gut by asking for a to-go box, or share with the people at your table.

Eat low-calorie, high-density foods. Allow your plate to overflow with all the goodness nature has to offer, and skimp on the heavy, caloric stuff. Fill the majority of your plate with veggies. You’ll trick yourself into thinking you’re consuming more than you really are.

Don’t, for the love of God, drink your calories. Okay, sometimes—in the case of an amazing glass of vino, or a green juice you juiced yourself or a meal-replacement shake of high nutrient density, like Shakeology. Don’t drink soda. Don’t drink a ton of fake juice or powdered lemonade or aspartame energy drinks. A lot of us forget that these calories count, too. Get yourself in the habit of drinking water and real tea.

Drink a ton of water. The amount will vary per individual and activity level, but on average I would say I drink about three liters of water a day. The smallest bit of dehydration leads to migraines on my part. Plus, many times we misjudge our hunger—we aren’t hungry, we’re thirsty. For water. Add lemon, add cucumber, add a tea bag (green tea is great for metabolism), add whatever (and I don’t mean powdered drink mix with fake sugar) helps you drink it down. And carry a canteen or a water bottle wherever you go.

Collect recipes. They make eating healthy way more fun. I barely ever follow a recipe to a tee, and I never measure anything, but a recipe gives me a base to get creative. (Then when I make something incredible, I have no idea how to replicate it! ;)

Visit a farmer’s market or a health food store, or plant a garden. Not to get all flowery (no pun intended), but seeing Earth’s beautiful bounty in the form of all that colorful produce just strengthens my resolve to nourish myself with what sprung from the soil and didn’t hurt anything or anyone to get here. I like to support local farmers, and I also like knowing that my tomato came from down the street and not from Argentina. Local means more nutrients and a reduced carbon footprint.

2Check ingredient labels. Many times, foods that look healthy simply aren’t. Michael Pollan advises in “Food Rules” not to buy anything with health claims on the package. If you can avoid MOST things in packages in the first place, you won’t have to worry so much. My rule is that if the food has a list of ingredients too long to clog up the aisle to bother to read, or if it has ingredients that remind me of chemistry class, I put it back on the shelf.

Shop (mostly) the perimeter of the store. Whole grains and salsas and oils and such will be in the aisles, but once you stock up on the staples, you will mostly shop in the produce section the majority of the time you’re in the store. Bonus! Most of the items here don’t have labels and include one ingredient, simplifying your plight to decipher what’s healthy or not…

BUT…there are some plants (and many processed, packaged items) that are genetically modified (or contain genetically modified ingredients). I won’t go into all the science of why this isn’t a good thing, but I will advise you to do some research on this subject. There are even apps for your phone that can show you, in a pinch, which brands and items to steer clear of.

. Designate one day a week for grocery shopping (or market shopping). If you’re going a few weeks without buying groceries, you’re probably not consuming the freshest, healthiest food.

Don’t be afraid to stick to your guns. People won’t like you less because you’re vegetarian, or vegan, or cutting out sugar or gluten or whatever. If they do, there’s something wrong, and it goes further than a dietary choice. Some people close to you may feel threatened when you decide to get healthy. It causes them to examine their own choices. You don’t owe it to anybody to be unhealthy or to eat things that make you squirm just so that everyone else is comfortable. I’ve been a vegetarian most of my life, and am going mostly vegan. At gatherings, I just offer to bring a dish. At restaurants, I find something (or create something) on the menu that I can eat. I don’t make a big deal out of it, so other people don’t usually feel the need to, either. If all else fails, keep a bag of nuts or a Clif bar or an apple in your purse or glove compartment, or eat before you go!

Live by example. Prove to yourself, first and foremost, that you can feel, look, and be better by choosing health over the processed standard American diet. When you embody confidence in your choice, your enthusiasm is contagious. I had no idea my food/fitness blog posts inspired people, until I got e-mails thanking me for putting them up. In turns out a lot of us are interested in bettering ourselves, our communities, and our planet through the single most influential action: changing our diet. Remember that you’re NOT depriving yourself of the “good stuff” in life by eating clean. Quite the contrary. The stuff most of us claim to want (health, fitness, vitality for life, a long-lasting sex life, a lit-from-within glow, a hot body) stem from this very practice. Try it yourself, give it your all, and be astounded.

Here are some resources I have found super-helpful in my quest for great health. Check them out!

Cooking Light magazine

Women’s Health magazine

Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet

Beachbody

Chalene Johnson

Veganomicon cookbook

The Food Revolution by John Robbins

Food Rules by Michael Pollan

Meet Your Meat (PETA)

Forks Over Knives

Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels

Center for Safety’s True Food app for iPhone

Leaping Bunny’s Cruelty Free app for iPhone

Urbanspoon app for iPhone (to read menus before we stop somewhere on the road)

MyFitnessPal app for iPhone (to track calories and goals)

Livestrong.com

Main Street Vegan by Victoria Moran

Pinterest (for recipes!)

Kris Carr

Lindsey.

Vegetable Flatbread with Lemon Chard

2012-07-18T08:53:00.001-07:00

Last night I toasted some whole wheat flatbread from the market, and topped it with some EVOO, fresh garlic, and my homemade marinara sauce, then sautéed the veggies I had on hand: local zucchini, Roma tomatoes, red bell pepper, and red onion. I topped the flatbread with veggies and oregano and a tiny sprinkle of Parmesan, and popped in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. I love this kind of dish because it's versatile. Not only can you use up what you've got in the fridge, but you can also choose to sautée, roast, or even grill your toppings. So easy!

I served this with rainbow chard. Ben and I had a kale and chard salad the other day, with pumpkin seeds and green onions, and I had a ton of chard left, do I decided to learn how to cook it! I cooked the stalks (so pretty!) in a little olive oil for five minutes, then added the leaves and sautéed another five minutes. I used salt, pepper, red pepper, and fresh lemon. Yummier than I expected! And so healthy, which is the important part.

Cheers to eating new vegetables!
Lindsey.

Weekend Craftiness

2012-07-16T19:10:00.001-07:00

Luxurious Weekend (sort of)

Things I did this weekend, in random order:

Made a monogram with a wooden letter from Hobby Lobby & a lot of saved-up corks, for the boring bare space above my stove. Ben put a dishwasher in, & a little extra counter space, so right now I am loooooving my kitchen. I was going to hang this thing tonight, but couldn't find a hammer, & Ben is all about everything being perfectly level...so he can do it! (Although he thinks the whole project is sort of stupid. Men.)

Made cashew cheese. You know, the stuff vegans eat! And it's actually really good, & husband-approved. It's not real cheese, just has a cheesy texture. We ate it as a spread on Kashi Roasted Vegetable crackers.

It's just cashews, garlic, water, & a little salt & pepper in the food processor.

Fed my kid delish plant food. She is such a good eater. This is banana, organic whole grain waffle, fresh blueberries from the local market we visited, & quinoa. I'm still trying to research the milk-for-toddlers thing, & want a good replacement for cow's milk. The more I know, the more animal products are getting the boot from my kitchen!

Made peach cobbler with whole wheat flour, which made it way dense & not like the cobbler I remember. It tasted amazing, but just didn't look as crazy-fluffy-yum. Reese & I went to the market & bought whole wheat pastry flour, for future endeavors. I figured out why I suck at baking: I try to make everything healthy, & a lot of "healthy" ingredients don't bake the same as their nutrient-devoid counterparts. I'm getting there!

Breakfast for the family: a casserole of quinoa, organic eggs (which will probably soon become all but eliminated from my diet), fresh basil & thyme, & local squash, beefsteak tomatoes, shallots, & red pepper. I will be making this again! The recipe is from Cooking Light, but I see it hasn't been posted yet on their website.

Played with my little loves. I had to give Reese a lesson about "gentle." (Or "dental," in her language.)

Made flowers out of vintage sewing patterns. I've had these pretty things forever, & thought they'd make cute centerpieces for a someday-soiree.

Chalkboards out of ceramic Hobby Lobby frames! I spray-painted them Pistachio, & then used chalkboard paint over the glass. These will also hang in the kitchen.

And watched fireworks at the River Raisin Festival. Reese said, "Wowwwww!"

This morning it was back to work. Though I did get my new John Robbins book, which has proven to be a major distraction...but a good kind.

Lindsey.

Marvelous Garland

2012-07-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

Oh so marvelous!

I lust after garland.

It can be made out of anything!

My sister & I made several strands for my mom's & daughter's joint birthday party.

The first kind: large perfect circles cut with a large craft hole punch, using cardstock in the colors we chose for the party.

The second kind: flags made of felt and burlap (I LOVE these! Burlap with light pink & brown is divine.)

The third kind: assorted ribbon tied to rope, in different twists, ties and bows. The messier the prettier.

The fourth kind: paperclipped (if we could've found clothespins we would have used those) pictures, new and old, of the birthday girl--my mom! (This was quite the conversation piece, as it hung above the food banquet, a little more at eye level beneath the other strands.)

We used burlap & twine, and a single hole punch for threading. I like the combination of bright colors with rustic materials.

I want to hang these everywhere. Maybe I can come up with a foresty-looking garland for the new baby's nursery?

Lindsey.

Between Me An'Jello: Baby wipes

2012-07-09T20:01:00.001-07:00

ATTENTION INDIE PARENTS: My friend Holland recently posted a recipe for homemade baby wipes! Genius & cheap. I will definitely try this one; check it out :)

Between Me An'Jello: Baby wipes

Black Truffle Rigatoni with Gruyere, Fontina, and Kale

2012-07-09T19:50:00.002-07:00

This is one of those thrown-together experiments that I am absolutely loving right now. You can bulk up on the kale and eat less pasta to lighten things up, but I wouldn't substitute the heavenly gruyere and fontina for anything "light." Even I have my limits!

Ingredients (makes 2 servings):

2 servings whole wheat or whole grain rigatoni, cooked al dente

1/4 c. (more or less) diced gruyere

1/4 c. (more or less) diced fontina

2 tbsp. flour (I used brown rice flour)

3 tbsp. milk (I used almond milk)

sea salt & pepper, to taste

crushed red pepper, to taste

2-3 large curly kale leaves, torn

splash of olive oil, for sauteeing (cooking spray or water work fine)

drizzle black truffle oil

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, and drain.

In the meantime, heat sautee pan over medium and lightly sautee kale with red pepper (and a dash of parmesan, if desired) for 2 minutes.

Toss cheese, flour, and milk into hot pan with pasta, and stir. It should get delightfully gooey. Add salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve topped with kale, drizzled with truffle oil.

Yum!

I have been making this as a quick dish on my lunch break, and eating a small portion (it's filling, believe you me!) with a nice side salad.

(My current favorite salad includes mixed leaf lettuce and baby spinach, kalamata olives, cucumber, sundried tomato, fat free feta, extra virgin olive oil, and red wine vinegar.)

Kale is probably my biggest pregnancy craving this time around. (I know, I know...I'm not normal.) Funny, I just read somewhere that people who start to eat "clean" diets will begin craving things like kale. I'm all for a good kale chip, but this red pepper sautee is truly amazing. I pair it with everything.

Fun Kale Facts

(~~because I'm a listaholic nerd~~):

-repairs cellular damage and slows down/prevents cancer

-great source of vitamins C, K, beta carotene, and calcium

-is in the cabbage family

-steamed kale can help lower cholesterol (whfoods.com)

-natural anti-inflammatory

Back in my heyday, I never, EVER would have believed I'd be singing the praises of something in the cabbage family. What the eff has becoming a mom done to me? ;)

Lindsey.

(PS: On another note, because I've mentioned this previously: my mom had surgery today to remove precancerous cells in her breast. Her mother (my beautiful, lovely grandma, who is, to this day, one of my biggest inspirations) died at 59 years old of breast cancer--it spread to her bones and her brain. One of the BIG pieces of advice to my mom from her doctor is to LAY OFF the Diet Coke. My grandmother, too, was a constant drinker of diet pop. Of course, maybe it's just a coincidence, and I know heredity/genetic disposition plays a part. But I used to drink Diet Coke constantly, and this gives me another reason to feel great about not drinking it! My mom, too, has been working to give up the Diet ~~Crack~~ Coke.

I love you, Momma!)

Easy Low-Calorie Meals & Snacks

2012-07-07T07:24:00.001-07:00

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Michael Pollan.

High-volume, low-calorie meals and snacks are my number one weight loss/maintenance trick. I really focused on this after having Reese. I’m a person who likes to see a lot of variety on my plate, but I want to be able to feel satiated without consuming too much. I’ve found that what works for me is to eat a lot…of low-calorie, REAL food. One typical protein bar contains upwards of 200 calories, and I find it to have the same effect on me as a candy bar: sugar high, sugar crash, starvation mode. Not to mention most of those bars have more chemicals and unpronounceable ingredients than even a Snickers. If I don’t know what it is or can’t imagine where it grows, I probably shouldn’t eat it.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve found and created some SIMPLE dishes that have become my stand-bys for quick and healthy food. Here are some examples of meals and snacks I make regularly:

Feta Zesti: a dish I had at a restaurant in California and can’t stop making! It works well on whole wheat pasta, pita, or—the lowest calorie option—on its own. Chop Roma tomatoes (or any type of tomato, really) and place on a foiled baking sheet spritzed with extra virgin olive oil. Top the tomatoes with a little more oil, sea salt, fat free feta cheese, and oregano. Place under the broiler until the cheese browns.

Ricotta-Stuffed Wax Peppers: exactly as they sound. Lena’s, the Italian restaurant in our town, used to have these and they were super-delish and probably way more complicated. I make a very simple version. Slice Hungarian hot wax peppers lengthwise and chop ends; remove seeds. Fill with light ricotta, salt and pepper. Top with fat free feta and oregano, and place under the broiler.

Lemon Dijon Asparagus: When I was pregnant with Reese, this is all I wanted to eat. I had never liked asparagus before my pregnancy! Must’ve been all the folate. Rinse fresh asparagus (I like the skinny kind) and snap woody stems. Place on foiled baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil, and bake at 400, 25 minutes or so, until they meet your standard of doneness. (I like everything overcooked. Most people don’t.) In the meantime, make the lemon Dijon vinaigrette: ½ c. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard, juice and zest of one lemon, sea salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together. Pour onto hot asparagus.

Mashed Parmesan & Rosemary Cannellini Beans: so simple, and sometimes I just crave this all on its own. Rinse canned cannellini beans and cook with one cup low-sodium vegetable stock (or chicken stock, if you prefer) on medium-high until beans are soft. Mash with a fork. Season with sea salt, pepper and rosemary. Stir in parmesan. Obviously, if you’re trying to watch your weight, you can garnish with parmesan instead of incorporating bucketfuls into the mix, as I’m always tempted to do. This is like mashed potatoes on fiber-crack!

Truffled Cauliflower Puree: see recipe. You can make this without all the cheese! Just garnish with some parmesan, or hold it altogether and use spices, like sage or rosemary, to dress it up.

Hot Roasted Pepper Hummus: Store bought is fine. Homemade is FABULOUS. I promise I will post my recipe, and my secret life-changing ingredient, because it deserves its own post.

Cucumber, Dill, Feta, and Yogurt: My old standby snack. I keep this in the fridge at work. It’s packed with protein, and is cool and refreshing and very light. Mix plain 0% Greek yogurt (Fage is my fave, and hormone-free!) with a little fat free feta, sea salt, pepper, and dill. Mix the yogurt with chopped cucumbers—as many as you like; they are low-calorie and fill you up!

Mediterranean Veggies with Pasta: Here’s the trick: If you’re like me and lust after pasta, but you’re trying to cut calories and lighten up your meals while still finding said meals filling enough to not make you break open your husband’s box of Nutty Bars that you don’t even like but that are staring at you from the top shelf of the cabinet and driving you crazy and making you think just ONE little bite wouldn’t hurt…then you need to change your ratios. You can still have the pasta (100% whole wheat, that is), BUT only a small serving. And the only way that’s gonna work is by conning your brain and your tummy into feeling full on less. My solution is to load up on veggies, and lighten up on the pasta. And the veggies are so good, you won’t notice the difference. I lightly sautee julienned bell peppers, Greek peppers, mushrooms, broiled tomatoes, squash, baby spinach, and anything else I have in my fridge, then top with extra virgin olive oil, oregano and fat free feta.

Strawberries & Balsamic Reduction: This can be served over greens as a salad, or on its own as a dessert. To make a balsamic reduction, pour a generous amount of balsamic vinegar into a saucepan, and simmer on low until it is the consistency of syrup. It reduces to about a fourth of its volume, and turns rich and sweet. Drizzle over sliced strawberries, with some slivered almonds. Blue cheese is also excellent on top, but fat free feta can be substituted, or cheese can be omitted altogether.

Berry & Banana Blend with Frozen Yogurt: A new favorite dessert. Recently I’ve been reading up on veganism, and I may forgo the fro-yo eventually, along with ice cream, but in the meantime I really love this. The frozen yogurt can be substituted with a soy ice cream, which I’ve never tried, or with frozen kefir—which is tangy and delicious and MUCH more nutritious. Anyway, whichever frozen treat you use, it’s the same idea: pour some frozen berries into a bowl and microwave until warm and juicy. Add sliced bananas, and top with frozen yogurt (or substitute) and cinnamon. Almost tastes like cobbler!

Tofu Salad: I originally got this idea from Bethenny Frankel’s book, Naturally Thin. It sounds kind of icky, and I’ve never been one for real egg salad anyway, but—oh em gee!—it’s addicting! And you can make enough for a couple of days, and store in the fridge for easy lunches. I like to put this on toasted sesame Ezekiel bread, or pita: Mix diced firm tofu with low-fat mayo (or, in my case, Fage 0% Greek yogurt), Dijon mustard, and either salt and pepper or Spike seasoning (which is, for the record, INCREDIBLE, and salt-free!). Way, way, way better than it sounds, and a good way to introduce yourself to tofu if it scares you!

More ideas and recipes to come! Comments welcome :)

Lindsey.

What Lurks in my Kitchen (healthier processed/packaged options)

2012-07-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

Ben and I just got done watching the eye-opening documentary Forks Over Knives. I have been, at least for the last 5 years, a very conscientious eater, and since I've worked some magic on him (and because he is a paramedic and sees all variety of disease and disorder caused by poor diet and lifestyle), Ben has made many dietary changes as well. I like to use My Fitness Pal to track my calorie intake, and he has also been utilizing the iPhone app--and has lost a couple of pounds. (My big pregnant ass is jealous. Right now I am focusing more on nutrients than calories. But I can't wait until after baby, when I can return to my normal routine!)

Anyway. I've been a vegetarian since the age of 8. No, I was not raised in a hippie commune; in fact, my entire family eats meat. I could never get into the taste or texture, and the killing-animals thing realllllly bothered me as a kid (and still does, to be honest). The documentary really shed a lot of light on things I'd long suspected to be true about meat and dairy. For instance, the livestock industry emits more of a harmful carbon footprint than does all of transportation. Cows raised for meat or milk are fed so much grain, it could easily solve the world's hunger crisis. And in countries where meat and dairy make up a small portion of overall food intake and fast/processed food is barely consumed, many of the diseases America suffers from DO NOT EVEN EXIST.

I really believe our Westernized diet is the culprit of so many of our ailments. We were inspired to watch the film because a smattering of close family members currently suffer from things like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer, and precancerous breast cancer cells. Most of them put a large focus on foods like meat, butter, processed cheese, non-organic milk, sugar-free processed snacks, drive-through meals, and diet soda.

I'm not a nutritionist (Ben thinks I am missing my calling), but I AM highly passionate about diet, nutrition, and fitness. Because of my own lifestyle, I get asked a lot of questions. The favorite among people finding out about my lifelong vegetarianism is, "What do you EAT?!" The second favorite is, "Where do you get your protein?"

First off, I highly recommend watching Forks Over Knives, for answers to the protein thing. You CAN get adequate protein from a plant-based, whole foods diet. Secondly, I do not have a perfect diet; my downfall is cheese, and I do consume dairy, though this film and other research has inspired me to cut my intake. I think small changes make a big difference in the long run, and over the years I have continued to add in the good and take out the bad. I like to eat what gives me energy and fuels my workouts. I also have been diagnosed with adult ADD, and I decided to make dietary changes instead of taking medication--it HAS helped my focus, tremendously. I lost my baby weight with Reese and then some (gained 43, lost 50), in about 2.5 months, with weight-based exercise and a healthy diet. I do allow myself to have a "treat" now and then, and because I eat well most of the time, I don't feel guilty about it anymore, and I don't see the effects of it on my weight. I used to eat anything sugar-free and fat-free and diet, thinking I could trim my weight with the absence of calories; it worked when I was 19, and backfired when I hit 24. Now I eat REAL food, and enjoy the REAL benefits of it.

The majority of our diet at home is truly made up of produce. (You will never see a family of 3 who goes through bananas so fast!) I make sure each meal is centered around fresh food with lots of nutrients. When I can't get fresh, I get organic frozen produce without additives.

Sometimes, though, we really need to rely on processed or packaged foods. I have narrowed down my kitchen staples over the years to include the brands I feel most comfortable with, and these are some of the things you will find in our kitchen:

1. PB2 is a delicious powdered peanut butter that you mix with water before serving. I use this a lot in shakes. It cuts out most of the fat and calories of regular peanut butter. I also eat natural peanut butter, which IS good for you in SMALL amounts. Because I love it, I can't trust myself to stick to one serving size, so PB2 is my solution. The chocolate flavor is made with real cocoa and is yummy.

2. Fage Greek Yogurt is what I use in any recipe calling for yogurt, cream cheese, or sour cream. Ben loves it as a substitute in things like taco dip, and it makes a mean tzadziki sauce. I also eat it as a mid-morning snack with fruit and cinnamon. Packs a big protein punch.

3. Bolthouse Farms juices are Ben's new favorite thing. I've loved them for a long time, and we give a splash to Reese in her water bottles. Of course, they are calorie-dense and have sugar (albeit from natural sources) and should be used sparingly. They are great for when you're in a rush and need something quick and nutritious.

4. San Marzano canned crushed or whole tomatoes are what I use to make marinara sauce. First off, it's a fraction of the cost of jarred sauce. Secondly, most people aren't aware that most jarred or canned sauces are FULL of SUGAR. No thanks! I love homemade sauce. We add our own basil, and freeze leftovers in single portion sizes.

5. Reese loves mac & cheese, and so do I. I prefer the homemade stuff, but Annie's Organic is a good substitute, and is made with whole wheat pasta. I mix a little with veggies for her lunch.

6. She also loves puffs. She calls them "Wiggles." I got these organic puffs from Target; they have 1/2 the sugar and include greens like spinach, collards, and kale. She eats them just as she would the sugary stuff.

7. Truvia is what I use in iced tea. You only need the teensiest bit to make it sweet. I am very wary of aspartame anymore, so have switched to natural sweeteners. This also includes natural applesauce, blue agave nectar (pictured), and pure maple syrup. But I have also trained my taste buds to not need things to be very sweet, so I'm fine most of the time with totally unsweetened food and drinks. This IS possible, the training your taste buds thing. I used to put sugar and salt on everything! Now it takes us YEARS to go through a tiny salt shaker.

8. Farro and other whole grains (like quinoa, brown rice, wheat berries, etc) all contain protein. Pair them with beans or legumes for a complete protein. To most people, these grains look kind of scary. I promise there are enough recipes out there on the internet that you can find something you love made with whole grains. They are complex carbs, and are essential for energy. Unlike white bread and pasta, they will not put you into psycho-sugar mode.

9. Coconut oil is not only good for cooking, but great for your skin! I use it to grease pans.

10. Almond milk--I just plain love it. I have never liked the taste of dairy milk, and this stuff has twice the calcium and way less calories. Even Ben says it's really good on his cereal, and he is a milk drinker. I still give Reese cow's milk--organic 2%--because I am not sure if almond milk is okay for her to drink, but I am currently researching this, and if anyone has any insight, I'm interested in hearing it!

Here are some frozen foods we eat here at the Forche house. I LOVE Amy's bowls and Reese really digs these Sonoma burgers from the same company. They are dairy free, and made with veggies and quinoa. Kashi makes great frozen entrees you can feel okay about eating; these are wonderful on workdays when I don't have anything fresh to take along.

Reese is loving these do-it-yourself mish mash things I got in a 4-pack at Target. They are perfect for on-the-go.

I adore shakes and smoothies for when I'm in a time crunch, or just don't feel awake enough for breakfast but know I need to jump-start my metabolism. This one is made with:

-1 scoop chocolate Shakeology (Beachbody is one of my absolute favorite companies. I use all of their workouts, and have always been more than impressed with their products, including this AMAZING shake. It now comes in Vegan, too!)

-1/4 c. oats

-1 kale leaf

-1/2 c. mixed berries

-1 tsp. cinnamon

-almond milk and ice

My other obsession: Tazo green tea. Here is my daily batch of iced tea. I boil the tea and steep the tea bags first, then throw over ice and cold filtered water, with a little Truvia. Green tea is fabulous for metabolism, and in my opinion tastes divine. I can't get enough.

When it comes to diet and nutrition, I think the key is to reflect on how food makes you feel after you eat it, When you eat something fatty and calorie-laden for "comfort," you usually feel awful and sluggish afterwards. I know for a fact that when I eat any type of candy bar, I have a massive crash an hour and a half later, and will eat everything in sight to keep from fainting. My brother, sister and I all have sensitive blood sugar. When I crave something heavy and full of fat, I let myself have the "better" version of it in a small portion, and fill the rest of my plate with veggies--the veggies fill me up, and then I don't need to eat a gigantic portion of macaroni and cheese!

I used to drink Diet Coke by the case; even though it's "diet," I gained weight and felt horrible and had migraines--with or without it. My mother is going through constant biopsies right now because of lumps and precancerous cells in her breasts; her doctor told her that many of her cysts are caused by none other than diet soda. I am trying to get her to switch over to iced tea. Now, I drink at least 2-3 liters of water every day, and have nixed my own soda habit. My skin looks better and my energy levels are up, and as far as I'm concerned, diet pop is poison.

Any health tips of your own? Products that you love and want to share? Success stories?

I'd love to hear them!

Lindsey.

Berry Banana Baked Oatmeal

2012-07-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

This is super-yummy, and is great for a breakfast crowd or for having something quick in the fridge. Reese loved it because it includes her favorite ingredient, "nanas." I'm always looking for meals that have a good balance of complex carbs, lean protein, and fruit or vegetables. They keep me full and satisfied, and they fit the nutritional bill for me--and my family.

Berry Banana Baked Oatmeal

Preheat oven to 375 f.

Grease baking dish.

In bowl 1, mix the following:
-2 c. steel cut oats
-1 tsp. baking powder
-2 tsp. ground cinnamon
-pinch of sea salt
-handful of chopped nuts (optional)

In bowl 2, mix well:
-1/4 c. pure maple syrup
-2 tbsp. agave nectar
-2 c. almond milk
-2 eggs, beaten
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 tsp. almond extract

Later in bottom of greased pan:
-3 bananas, sliced
-1 c. berries of your choice
-contents of bowl 1
-contents of bowl 2
-1 c. additional berries
-dusting of brown or turbinado sugar

Additional optional ingredients:
-smattering of dark chocolate chips, for decadence
-a bit of cooked quinoa, for a nutritional boost

Bake 40 min, or until lightly browned.

Serving suggestion: add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt with a dusting of cinnamon.

DIY Photo Album

2012-07-01T04:31:00.001-07:00

I was at Target yesterday, browsing photo albums for all the Snapfish prints I'd just gotten back. I'm very particular about albums, and over the years my preferences have changed 6,000 times. Lately I've been buying these huge 350 photo, 5 to a page, horizontal and vertical photo slot books. My problem is that my photos are not always the same size, because I take them with all means of camera (cell phone, Sony Bloggie, Nikon...), and I also don't like that I can't add in some memorabilia here and there unless it measures 4x6. I used to scrapbook, but I just do not have the time or patience for it anymore. So, while Reese got impatient and kicked around in the red card, I made a decision to grab not a typical photo album, but a 3-ring binder, and various forms of photo book refills. I bought the binder for around $10, and the refill pages for $5 per pack.

Assembling my photos.

The basic supplies: a 3-ring binder, and various refill pages. The best part is that you can always add to it later!

Gift tags, scrapbook stuff and memorabilia can be added right to the binder. Here, I placed a tag with our last name before page 1. I can always go back and add more to each page.

A section of photo sleeves will track my belly photos week by week. I can add to the section depending on the amount of photos, and I don't have to screw up the composition of the album as a whole.

I've added the front yard sign from Reese's birthday party in sleeves, in the section of photos of the same party.

Sleeved section of party photos. Good for sections where there are a lot of photos.

Unsleeved section, with some stickers. I will probably go back and give it more of a "scrapbook" effect later. It's nice to be able to add some detail about the day the photos were taken. Regular albums just don't have that appeal.

Here are my grievances about the regular old photo album:

-pictures have to be one size, or risk floating around looking stupid in their sleeve.

-some photos have to be flipped, if you don't have the perfect ratio of horizontal and vertical pictures.

-sometimes the amount of photos you want to include in one book exceed the amount of room in the album.

-sometimes you're ready to move on to a new chapter of your life and would like to start a new album, but you then have to leave a quarter of an album unfilled.

-memorabilia/ "scraps"/ stickers don't always fit in an album with sleeves.

When I bought the binder, I realized I could mix up pages with sleeves and pages without, and also scrapbook pages, and just general papercraft. I can add or eliminate pages without changing the overall composition of the album, and it will be "full" whenever I choose for it to be, without leaving all those sad blank pages at the end.

Maybe not everyone is as OCD about their albums, but for me, this is the perfect solution! Nothing like a fussy toddler to put you into creative overdrive so you can get the eff out of the store!

What do you think? Any great album tips to share?

Lindsey.

Pregnancy Weeks 19-21

2012-06-29T19:48:00.004-07:00

Okay. NOW I'm starting to feel it! I remember my second trimester with Reese being the only comfortable one of the three; I had energy galore, the headaches let up, and my belly wasn't yet back-breaking.

This little boy (yes, BOY!) has different ideas from his sister. He's more chillaxed in his uterine home, and hopefully will be on the outside, too. And it took a little longer for him to make his little momma obviously pregnant, unlike Reese who bulged out of me as soon as the test dried. But all of the sudden, although I am in general smaller and weigh less than with Reese, my belly is HUGE and ROUND and HARD. A bowling ball of epic proportions! And oh, the heartburn. And oh, the sore ankles. And oh, the sloooooooow digestive system that renders me simultaneously famished and unable to eat without feeling like a hippo.

Also...truth be told, we were hoping for a boy. You know: one girl, one boy, done. But both of us were a little shocked when we saw that brazen little dingaling on the 3D ultrasound. Reese babbled next to me and yelled, "Bay-bay! Bay-bay!" And I realized I had really subconsciously believed she'd be a sister to a sister. And quite frankly, I'm a little freaked out that there's something with a penis growing inside of me! It makes me giggle, and then I think of him peeing all over me when I change his diaper, and the fact that he'll need to be circumcised. And that I've changed a mere TWO boy diapers in my life, both on ONE occasion. Not to mention I don't like sports. I don't like boy stuff. I don't like boy clothes. Can he be a ballerino? (Something tells me Ben will object.)

I know it will be fine.

But...eeeeeeeek!

My weight: it's been on the incline. Damn it. Between weeks 17 and 21 I gained four-ish pounds. (I say "ish" because my weight on my own scale in the morning sans clothes is different from my weight at 4 in the afternoon at the doctor's office--where I SWEAR the nurses take great pleasure in sliding that tiny metal bar just a liiiiittle to the heavy side--with a dress and a necklace and ten bracelets and earrings and sandals and hairspray.)

My cravings: ICED TEA! Lots of unsweetened Earl Grey and Tazo green tea. I make a big pitcher every day. And that delicious frozen winter squash from Cascadian Farms, over any kind of whole wheat pasta. And kale, lightly sauteed with red pepper flakes. So, nothing crazy and nothing unhealthy. Yet.

My workouts: I have been doing the PUSH phase of Chalene Extreme. That's heavy lifting 3 days a week, but I only go up to ten pounds now that I have an altered center of gravity, and right now ten pounds in each hand feels heavy. The rest of the day, I just lift a 22 pound weight called Reese. I also try to get in varied forms of cardio: long walks, short low-impact (as of this week) HIIT workouts, and some low-weight intervals. I find that even though I aim for 5 good workouts a week, I've been doing 3 days on/3 days off. I just get so tired, and even though I like to push myself, I know overdoing it would NOT be good, since not only am I carrying a child in my body, I'm carrying around a one year old outside my body.

My overall wellbeing: I just want to cry. About everything. Everyone makes me mad. I don't want to hear even their mild comments, and I'm bracing myself for the extraordinarily rude ones to come (i.g., "Looks like someone's been eating a lot of fast food lately!") Let me tell you...I'm not one to hold back, and this time, WATCH OUT. Something about it being my last pregnancy really gives me license to unleash holy terror on all the unassuming morons with their cutesy, disgusting commentary about my stomach or my choice of names or what I eat. With Reese, I feel like I tried way too hard to just be nice.

Other stuff: I don't think this child will have a name. Boy names are hard :/

Lindsey.