The Merry Wife

Easy Broccoli Soup

2013-05-30T17:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight's Dinner: Broccoli Soup and a Big Hunk of Salmon

After listening to the rain patter on the windows all day long while being stuck inside at work, the weather turned absolutely beautiful right as I was walking out to my car this afternoon. I quickly chomped on a handful of baby carrots when I got home, and then the hubby and I took a long walk through the nearby neighborhoods. With a slight breeze and the sun shining, it was a perfect day to get outside and get some fresh air. It gave me the burst of energy I needed to make something tasty, healthy and new for dinner!

We buy giant bags of frozen organic broccoli from Costco ($5.99 for a four pound bag!) on a weekly basis, and I was looking for a new way to eat it tonight. Normally, I just boil some water, throw in the broccoli for about 10 minutes, drain, then serve with salt, pepper and butter. Tonight, though, I was feeling adventurous! Why not blend it up into a liquid palatable not only to people with teeth, but also people without??! Why not, indeed!!

This recipe is ridiculously easy with only six ingredients. And it actually tastes good. If you like broccoli, you're going to like it. BAM!

Broccoli Soup
16 oz frozen broccoli
1 tsp ghee
2-3 cups of bone broth
1 dash of garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Add all of the above to a medium sized pan. Bring to a boil. Once the broccoli is tender, transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, returning to the heat if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 3 servings.

Paleo Pumpkin Muffins

2013-05-29T16:34:00.000-07:00

So warm and buttery!

So it has been quite a while since I've blogged. Somehow, these past few months have completely flown by. I'm having a hard time believing this weekend is the beginning of June! I've been experimenting A TON for the past few months -- trying new recipes, eating new vegetables (and figuring out how to make them taste good!), and continuing on my fitness journey, hitting the weights and doing pullups (I can do 4 in a row, now, success!!).

After completing Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer in January, I had a lot of muscle, but was suffering from a few digestive issues. After experimenting with cutting out grains and gluten from my diet for the past few months, I'm feeling 100%. I eat a ton of vegetables, meat, sweet potatoes, nuts and include coconut oil, butter, eggs and some dairy. I also throw some fruit in there every once in a while. It has been about three months since I made this change, and I can't see going back. The difference is incredible!

Here is one recipe we eat for breakfast on a regular basis. It's not very sweet, so sometimes I put a little Stevia on top if the mood hits me, then add a pat of grass-fed butter. These make a quick, easy snack that keep you full. All I had for breakfast this morning was one of these, and I was set until my mid-morning snack.

Paleo Pumpkin Muffins

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
6 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbs honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the coconut flour, almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder together. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted coconut oil, eggs, honey and vanilla until blended. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together, then fold in the pumpkin until completely combined. Scoop batter into a a 12 muffin tin and bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.

Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer - Completed!!

2013-01-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

Before: October 2012

After: January 2013

My goal at the end of 2012 was to complete Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer by my 27th birthday. COMPLETED!!!!! I was so excited to take "after" pictures, I decided to take them right after my last work out on the plan today. I also took measurements at the beginning -- I trimmed 1.5'' off my waist and more than .5'' off my thighs. I consider those numbers a huge WIN!

Here's a quick overview of the plan:

The LiveFit Trainer plan is a 12 week plan that consists of three phases:

Phase One: Build Muscle
1) Lift heavy 4 times per week the first two weeks
2) Life heavy 5 times per week the next two weeks
3) Stick to the meal plan, no counting calories
4) No cardio

Phase Two: Maintain Muscle and Lose Fat
1) Lift 6 times per week, 4 days of cardio for the first two weeks
2) Lift 6 times per week, 3 days of cardio for the next two weeks
3) Stick to the meal plan, remove carbs from evening meals, start counting calories in week 7

Phase Three: Lean Out
1) Lift 6 times per week, 4 days of sprints for the first week
2) Lift 6 times per week, 4 days of sprints and carb cycling for the second week
3) Lift 5 times per week, 5 days of cardio and carb cycling for the third and fourth week

My goal was to complete the LiveFit Trainer by my 27th birthday, January 8th, 2013. I had been lifting consistently since earlier in the year (starting in February), but felt like I needed a goal to push myself harder to become stronger and more fit. The LiveFit Trainer provides daily work outs and a specific eating plan that make it impossible to just coast. Exactly what I needed!

It wasn't easy. After getting home from work, some days I just didn't want to go to the gym - but I did. I was spending an hour and a half at the gym in Phase 2. It's a commitment. But I did it.

I didn't miss one work out until week 10, when a knee injury forced me to lighten up on the sprints. Even with an injury, though, I was able to stick to the lifting plan and eating plan. Nothing was going to stop me!

Eating Plan:
Jamie has a very specific list of foods to stick to. Plenty of protein, veggies and complex carbs round out the list, and it also includes protein shakes and a few dairy products (cottage cheese, greek yogurt). The turkey meatloaf and various protein bars (recipes are included in the plan) became weekly staples. I also used my crock pot on a weekly basis to cook up huge amounts of chicken. That was a life saver. After coming home from the gym starving, it was so easy to heat up chicken in the microwave for dinner. My husband also got used to eating this way -- and he should be taking "after" pictures himself! He looks great.

Carb cycling the last three weeks, especially over Christmas, was a challenge. But, luckily, with supportive in-laws and parents, I was able to adjust the Christmas meals to fit into the plan. Substituting spinach and vegetables for cheesy potatoes and casseroles was an easy fix, and with meat or chicken as the main course, it wasn't hard to meet my protein needs. Staying away from desserts took will power, but I just kept the main goal in mind. No dessert was worth forfeiting my "after"!

Conclusion:
After 12 weeks, I feel really, really good. My jeans are looser, I've got visible muscle, and I can do push ups and pull ups! I'm very proud of myself for completing the trainer, as it's something I set my mind to and didn't give up. It's the beginning of a new phase of my life, starting with my 27th birthday. I'm going to keep up the weightlifting and keep eating clean, and will start with Phase 1 again to build up more muscle. I've come this far-- now there's no turning back!!!

Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html

Clean Eating Egg Nog

2012-12-09T13:30:00.002-08:00

It isn't the holidays without egg nog. Just the smell of the cinnamon and nutmeg puts me in the holiday spirit. Whether I'm wrapping presents or writing Christmas cards, I need some in my hand to make it truly feel like the holidays. Regular egg nog, though, is full of sugar, high in fat and has chemicals and preservatives added to it. Not what I want to be drinking!

The recipe below starts with almond milk, which gives it the nice creamy color of traditional egg nog. With all clean ingredients, it's delicious and healthy. I absolutely loved it! And I'm drinking some right now. :) It also fits into Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer program eating plan. Perfect!

This recipe is adapted from the Gracious Pantry web site, a wonderful web site with clean eating recipes and meal ideas. I recommend checking it out.

Clean Egg Nog

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
1.5 egg whites (I used egg beater whites -- about 5 tablespoons)
2 tbls plus 2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 2 minutes.
2. Pour the eggnog into a pot and warm over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Whisk constantly to prevent it from simmering.
3. Remove from heat and chill overnight.
4. Whisk when ready to drink to redistribute the spices and top with a touch of nutmeg. Enjoy!

Per serving:
Calories: 124
Carbs: 28
Protein: 2
Fat: 1.25

Cinnamon Protein Bars

2012-11-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

We eat these up so quickly, half the pan was almost gone before I could get a picture!

Today is the end of Phase 1 of the Jamie Eason LiveFit Trainer for me. I've completed every work out and followed the meal plan exactly. It hasn't been nearly as difficult as I expected! Lifting weights five days a week and cooking a giant amount of food on Sundays has become routine.

I start Phase 2 on Monday and am looking forward to a couple of changes: adding in cardio four times per week, lifting weights six days a week instead of five, and cutting out some of the starchy carbs later in the day. I'm looking forward to it!

Once I complete Phase 3 in the beginning of January, I'll post before and after photos. After four weeks, I've already seen a lot of positive changes, so after twelve I'm expecting even more visible results. Only 8 weeks to go!

As part of the meal plan, I've been trying out new recipes to keep things interesting. My new favorite is the below recipe for Cinnamon Protein Bars. The original recipe was from Jamie Eason, but I made a few tweaks that I think made it cook a little more evenly and made it a little fluffier. Hope you enjoy!

Cinnamon Protein Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Stevia
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups oat flour (grind up quick oats)
2 scoops vanilla whey protein
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Spray 8x8 pan with olive oil
3) Mix together all ingredients together in a medium bowl until everything is evenly incorporated
4) Pour in pan
5) Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes (my oven cooks them perfectly at 27 minutes)
6) Once cooled, sprinkle with extra Stevia (optional - it's for looks!) and cut into 16 squares

Makes 8 servings (2 bars per serving)

Macros per serving:
Calories: 97
Protein: 9 g
Carbs: 14 g

Salsa Crock Pot Chicken

2012-10-12T16:07:00.001-07:00

Salsa Crock Pot Chicken

I'm kicking it into high gear and starting a new weight lifting program on Monday (Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer), so I've been prepping foods this weekend to get ready. I searched for recipes, hit the store and then started cooking up a storm today. This recipe will serve as lunch for the entire upcoming week. I'm ready to go!

I found this recipe on www.HeandSheeatclean.com, a wonderful resource for healthy recipes and the "eat clean" lifestyle. Higher in protein and with less carbs than my current lunch menu (peanut butter or roast beef sandwich), this will be an excellent change. I also made nine cups of brown rice with chopped cilantro to serve as a side dish throughout the week.

The chicken and rice made for an excellent meal tonight, and I'm looking forward to having it many more times this week!

Ingredients:
3-4 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups of your favorite salsa
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
2. Once cooked, shred the chicken in the crock pot and let it cool before placing it in a container. I also drained off most of the liquid, as it was too runny.

6 oz serving:
Calories: 160
Fat: 2g
Carbs: 2g
Protein: 36g

No Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars

2012-08-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

I've been experimenting with a lot with protein powder in the kitchen lately. I've baked cookies, cake, mug brownies, and honestly, have only found a handful of actually good tasting results (most of which are on this blog already!).

One of the disappointing attempts includes a batch of protein powder peanut butter cookies that was so inedible I even tried to resurrect them by slicing them in half and filling them full of more peanut butter to improve the taste -- which still didn't help. Another failed attempt consisted of a chocolate mug brownie made with chocolate protein powder that somehow with one bite was able to suck every drop of moisture from my mouth, causing me to cough and choke like I'd just eaten a scoop of dust out of the vacuum bag. It wasn't good.

Finally, though, I've found another recipe that I actually enjoy eating. This No Bake Protein Bars recipe came from Oxygen Magazine, my favorite magazine at the moment. I've only received three of the magazines in the mail so far, but I've read each one about thirty times. And it's recipes like this that keep me coming back.

Ingredients:
2 cups quick cook oats
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
4 scoops vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup water
Agave syrup

1. Line a dish with parchment paper. ((I used a 9 x7 glass dish)
2. Using clean hands, kneed all ingredients in a large prep bowl.
3. Spread dough into the pan, pressing down to flatten. Spray a spatula with olive oil, then use it smooth out the surface. Drizzle agave syrup over the top, if desired (I recommend it!)
4. Freeze for 30 minutes. Cut into twelve bars. Serve and refrigerate the rest. Stays good for a week.

Makes 12 bars

Per serving:
Calories: 155
Total Carbohydrates: 14 g
Protein: 11 g

Low Carb Chicken Pizza

2012-07-31T17:10:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a staple in our house. My husband and I limit our carb intake and try to maximize the amount of protein we take in each day, and this recipe fits into our plan perfectly. It has 40 grams of protein and only 29 grams of carbs while still offering a satisfyingly crunchy "crust."

This pizza takes just a few minutes to throw together and tastes so much better than those frozen pizzas full of preservatives and chemicals. Healthy is easy!

Ingredients:
1 spinach tortilla (I like Trader Joe's Spinach Tortillas)
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 jalepeno, sliced
1 1/2 slices mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cooked chicken, chopped
1 tablespoon sun dried tomatoes, chopped
pizza sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place tortilla on a non stick cookie sheet. Top the tortilla with the pizza sauce, chicken, red pepper, jalapeno and sun dried tomatoes. Then rip up the mozzarella cheese into little pieces and layer over the the top. Bake in the oven for 12-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and tortilla is light brown and crispy.

1 Serving
Calories: 430
Protein: 40 grams
Carbs: 29 grams

Clean Quinoa Crackers

2012-07-28T20:41:00.000-07:00

Chips and crackers are my down fall. Salty, crunchy, and addicting, I have a hard time eating just a couple. I like to compare it to cocaine. No, I don't sniff them, but given the chance, I would probably try.

In order to quell this addiction and yet still eat healthily, I decided to make my own crackers with only healthy ingredients. No, they don't taste like Wheat Thins. But they are healthy and have that salty crunch, so they make an excellent substitution.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, uncooked, then prepare per directions on box

1 cup brown rice, uncooked, then prepare per directions on box

2 tablespoons dried rosemary

1 teaspoon pepper

Sea salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 365 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put rice into a food processor, and chop for about 30 seconds until the grains are no longer visible. Add the quinoa and pulse for about another 10 seconds until mixed. You might have to do in two batches, like I did, doing only half of each at a time.

Add the rice and quinoa mixture to a medium bowl. Add in the rosemary, pepper and salt. Stir to combine.

Spray a metal non stick cookie sheet (I used an 17.25 x 11.5) and a spatulata with olive oil or Pam until coated. Using the sprayed spatula, spread the mixture into a thin layer completely covering the cookie sheet. I covered a 1 cup measuring cup with plastic wrap and used that to even out the mixture into a thin layer.

Sprinkle with more sea salt and pepper if desired.

Pop in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. When done, it will be light brown and crispy. I used a pizza cutter to cut it up into squares about 20 minutes in to the cooking time to let the middle pieces get extra crispy.

This is what it looked like after I spread it into the pan.

The finished product! This is only about half of what the recipe actually made, but my husband and I ate a bunch of these right when they came out of the oven. We topped them with mozzarella cheese and washed it all down with some Pinot Noir. YUM!

Grilled Veggie Packets

2012-07-08T11:59:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Finecooking.com

My best friend from college came for a visit this weekend and shared this simple, easy and healthy side for grilled entrees. With little preparation time and few ingredients, it makes a perfect addition to a Saturday grilled meal.

Servings: 3 hefty sides

Ingredients:
6 yukon potatoes
2 cups baby carrots
1 yellow onion
flavored olive oil (we used Tuscan Herb)
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
Salt
Pepper

Tin foil
Olive oil spray

Wash and peel potatoes. Slice thinly. Cut baby carrots into 1/4 inch slices. Chop onion to desired size. Spray one side of 6 same size sheets of tin foil with spray, then place a third of the veggies onto 3 of the sprayed side pieces of foil. (Each person will get their own individual packet of veggies). Toss one clove of smashed garlic on top of each one, and drizzle with the flavored olive oil. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper. Top the veggies with another piece of foil, sprayed side facing the veggies, and roll up the edges tightly to form a packet (should be about 8 inches x 8 inches).

Grill on medium for 20-25 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes. Stab with a fork to test the hardness of potatoes if needed.

Throw next to a tasty burger on a plate, and eat up!

Light Ramen Salad

2012-06-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

Light Ramen Salad

This is my absolute favorite item to bring to potlucks, food days at work, and family dinners. It's light, quick to whip up, and is a great side to go with grilled chicken and burgers. Slightly tangy and a little bit sweet, it's a perfect summer food. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 bag of coleslaw
2 packages of chicken Ramen Noodles
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 bunch chopped green onions, stems and all

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup vinegar (I added a splash more)
1/2 cup Truvia
2 seasoning packets from the Ramen

Crush Ramen Noodles in the packages. Remove seasoning packets. Mix coleslaw, almonds, ramen noodles and onions in a medium bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, Truvia and seasoning packets to a separate small bowl. Whisk until blended. Pour over coleslaw mixture and stir to combine.

I recommend letting the dressing sit on the mixture for about 2 hours before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Chocolate Protein Bars

2012-04-26T18:32:00.001-07:00

Holy cow. These bars are delicious. And healthy. How often does that happen? I would dare to even call them brownies. They're that good!

This is another one of Jamie Eason's brilliant recipes -- and I highly recommend trying them. You won't be disappointed! Packed full of protein, low in calories, and you get to eat two bars per serving. Go crazy!

Ingredients:

1 cup Oat Flour (or put 1 cup of quick cooking oats into a Cuisinart and grind to a powder)

4 Egg Whites

2 scoops Vanilla Whey Protein Powder

½ cup Truvia

½ tsp Baking Soda

¼ tsp Salt

8oz Berry flavored Baby Food (I used two 4 ounce jars of apple and blueberry medley)

3 tbsp Baking Cocoa

4oz Water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix dry ingredients (oat flour, vanilla whey protein, baking soda, salt, baking cocoa) together in a large bowl.

3. Mix wet ingredients (egg whites, Truvia, berry flavored baby food, water) together in a medium sized bowl.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together with a whisk.

5. Spray cooking dish with a non stick spray and add batter to dish.

6. Bake 25-30 minutes in oven, or until middle is set.

Makes 16 squares, serving size is 2 bars.

Per Serving:

Calories: 96

Fat: 1.4 grams

Carbs: 12 grams

Protein: 10 grams

Almond and Orange Salad

2012-04-09T16:44:00.001-07:00

Photo Courtesy of Allrecipes.com

When I think of Easter, I think of little white bunnies, orange and turquoise colored eggs and various animal-shaped chocolates. I also think of Spring, sunshine and light, fresh and summery foods. This salad definitely hits the mark.

This salad is sweet, light and has a bit of a tanginess, thanks to the apple cider vinegar. It's also a great recipe to bring to a potluck, as the dressing and sugared almonds can be made ahead of time and everything can just be thrown together on site. I do recommend waiting to dress the salad until pretty close to dinner time, as the moisture in the oranges will make it wilt if it sits too long.

Ingredients

The Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar

The Salad

2 bags romaine lettuce
1 green onion, chopped
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 avocado, peeled and cubed

The Topper

1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

Combine the oil, vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, parsley, salt and pepper in a small tupperware container.
In a small saucepan over medium low heat, add the other 2 tablespoons of sugar. Leave the sugar in the pan without stirring, until the sugar melts (about 12-14 minutes). Remove from heat, toss in the almonds and stir quickly to coat. Spread out on a sheet of wax paper. Break apart into small pieces once dry.
When ready to serve, grab a big bowl and toss together the lettuce, onions, oranges, and dressing until evenly coated. Top with the sugared almonds.

Carrot Cake Protein Bars

2012-04-01T18:36:00.001-07:00

I recently discovered Jamie Eason, an amazing fitness and weightlifting model. She has a bunch of articles on Bodybuilding.com, including a fitness and diet plan. She's seriously ripped. I stumbled upon one of her recipes for Carrot Cake Protein Bars and decided to give them a try.

I made a few tweaks to this recipe. The original called for oat flour, which I didn't have, and I used an egg beaters product instead of separating 4 eggs. The result was amazing. My husband and I gobbled these bars down. With only 94 calories and 10 grams of protein for 2 bars, these are a healthy and delicious treat. Finally, a sweet snack full of protein! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat flour
2 scoops vanilla whey protein
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
12 tbs. liquid egg whites (like Egg beaters 100% Egg Whites)
3/4 cup Truvia
8 oz baby food carrots
4 oz water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, whey protein, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
Mix egg white substitute, Truvia, baby food carrots and water in a bowl.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.
Spray glass pyrex dish with non-stick butter spray.
Pour ingredients into dish.
Bake 30 minutes.

Makes 16 squares, 2 squares per serving.

Calories: 94
Fats: 1.25 grams
Carbs: 10 grams
Protein: 10 grams

Light Buffalo Chicken Dip

2012-03-30T17:52:00.001-07:00

Photo Courtesy of Food.com

This dip is addictive. It's incredibly easy to make and has a creamy and cheesy texture with a bit of a kick. I promise this dip will be gone in a matter of minutes. With only five ingredients, it's fast and cheap to make. You can't go wrong.

To help make it a little healthier, I used light cream cheese, light cheddar cheese and light Ranch dressing as compared to the original recipe. And be sure to eat with veggies!

Ingredients:
2 (10 oz) cans chunk chicken, drained
2 (8 oz) packages light cream cheese
2/3 cup light Ranch dressing
2/3 cup hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot works great)
1 cup low fat cheddar cheese
Celery
Carrots
Cauliflower

Heat the chicken and hot sauce in a medium pan until hot. Add cream cheese and ranch. Stir to combine until heated through. Mix in half of the cheddar cheese and transfer to a crock pot. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, then cover and cook on low until hot. Serve with celery and crackers.

Easy Quinoa Summer Salad

2012-03-18T07:38:00.000-07:00

This salad combines the freshness of cilantro with the tang of lemon to create a summery, healthy and light salad. Perfect for a main dish or a side to fish or chicken, this salad will make you feel healthier after the first bite.

It has a limited number of ingredients, takes about 20 minutes to make from start to finish, and tastes like it takes a lot longer. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 cucumber,diced
1 tomato,diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 mini can corn, drained
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt
pepper

Put the quinoa and water into a medium pot. Turn on the heat to high. Once it boils, turn the heat to low and simmer covered for 15 minutes until soft. Remove from heat and cool.

In a medium bowl, add the diced cucumber, tomato, red pepper, drained can of corn, and cilantro. Add cooled quinoa. Stir to combine.

Cut lemon in half. Squeeze juice from both halves into a small bowl. Add the olive oil, some salt and pepper to the bowl, then whisk to combine.

Pour dressing over quinoa and veggie mixture, stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Eat!!

Panchero's - Healthiest Options

2012-03-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

Photo Courtesy of Yelp.com

Quick, tasty and fresh, Panchero's is a great place to go for a treat every few weeks. Like many restaurants, though, sometimes it's hard to pick out the healthiest options while standing in line. Here's some guidance.

Best beans to choose? Black or Pinto?
Pinto. This is a close one. Pinto beans have about 11 calories more than black beans (152 calories vs. 141 calories per serving), but they have 2 more grams of fiber (7 grams) and 3 more grams of protein (11 grams). Definitely worth those 11 extra calories.

Best meat to choose for protein and calorie content?
Chicken. The single serving of chicken has 121 calories and 18 grams of protein. A great amount of protein for only 121 calories.

Best option for lowest calories?
Veggies. The veggie option only has 23 calories total. If you're looking for the lowest calories possible, this is the way to go.

Best choice for lowest amount of carbs?
Burrito Bowl or Salad. Here's Why:
Cilantro Lime Rice - 196 calories, 5 grams fat, 35 grams carbs
Tortilla (Burrito) - 315 calories, 9 grams fat, 50 grams carbs
Tortilla (2 Tacos) - 134 calories, 4 grams of fat, 22 grams carbs

Load It Up With These Toppers:
Pico De Gallo - 12 calories, 0 grams fat
Ancho Salsa (the mild one) - 2 calories, 0 grams fat
Tomatillo Salsa (the hot one) - 21 calories, 1 gram fat
Cheese - 77 calories, 6 grams of fat
Lettuce - 1 calorie, 0 fat

What to Skip:
Chips (1 bag) - 560 calories, 32 grams of fat
Sour Cream - 113 calories, 9 grams of fat
Queso Sauce - 175 calories, 14 grams of fat

Make Your Own Oatmeals-To-Go

2012-03-05T17:21:00.000-08:00

I eat oatmeal every single day during the week. I bring it with me to work, then eat my breakfast at my desk while checking all the emails that piled up since yesterday. It's warm, easy to make, filling and healthy. Can't beat it!

Up until recently, we've been buying the Quaker Instant Oatmeal packets. Each packet contains somewhere between 12-15 grams of sugar. For reference, 13 grams of sugar is a tablespoon of sugar. In each packet. Way more than you might've thought, eh?

Below is the easiest way to save money and make your breakfast even healthier.

Ingredients (per packet):
1/2 cup Quick cooking oats
1 tsp. Truvia
1 tsp. Cinnamon, or to taste

Add ingredients to a sandwich baggie. When ready to eat, add packet to bowl. Just cover oatmeal with water. Put bowl in microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Then put back in for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, watching to make sure it doesn't bubble over the edge. Voila!

Then save and reuse your baggies. Brilliant!

Delicious Variations:
Add wet ingredients right before popping in the microwave

Pumpkin Pie:
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pumpkin Puree

Choco Banana:
Cocoa Powder
Sliced Banana

Peanut Butter Pie:
Vanilla Extract
Peanut Butter
Splash of Milk

Strawberry Banana:
Sliced Strawberries
Sliced Bananas
Strawberry Preserves

Fall Maple Apple:
Grated Apple
Maple Syrup
Cinnamon
Chopped Walnuts

More Add-in Ideas

Walnuts
Slivered almonds
Nutmeg
Raisins
Fruit Preserves
Craisins
Vanilla Extract
Dried Dates
Strawberries
Flax Seeds
Peanut Butter
Banana
Cocoa Powder
Grated Apple
Maple Syrup
Pumpkin Puree
Blueberries
Wheat Germ
Honey

Healthy Homemade Wheat Bread

2012-03-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever looked at the ingredients on packaged bread? It's ridiculous the number of excess preservatives and additives that are thrown in to make it shelf stable.

Bread is simple -- this recipe only has eight ingredients. It does take a little time, mostly just letting bread rise a few times, but if you're at home doing other things, it's pretty easy to mix up and let sit while you go about your weekend.

This is the first time I've ever made homemade wheat bread, and it turned out great. Beginners or pros, this recipe is for you!

4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup honey
4 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoons butter
2 1/4 cups warm water (110-120 degrees)
1 tablespoon salt
6 cups whole wheat flour, plus another possible 1/2 cup
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 whole egg, lightly beaten

1) In a microwave safe medium bowl combine 4 tablespoons butter and the honey. Microwave until the butter is melted. Add melted butter and honey to a large bowl.

2) Add warm water to the bowl.

3) Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water honey mixture and mix to combine. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

4) In a different large bowl combine the salt and 3 cups whole wheat flour.

5) Add the yeast mixture to the wheat flour mixture. Stir together until the liquid is absorbed (about 2 minutes). Be sure to scrape down the sides periodically.

6) Add the egg and one cup of whole wheat flour. Blend together until the egg is incorporated, then stir for another 2 minutes.

7) Add the oats and 2 cups whole wheat flour. Mix until it's smooth and elastic. Use your hands toward the end. Use up to one more cup of flour if needed to prevent the dough from being sticky. I used an additional 1/2 cup flour.

8) Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a large bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Add the dough to the warm bowl.

9) Cover and let the dough rise in a warm location for about 1 hour or until double in size. Punch the dough down and turn onto a floured surface.

10) Cut the dough in half and shape each into a loaf. Place the loaves in two greased 9x5 inch loaf pans covered with a towel and let rise in a warm place for another hour.

11) Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Allow to completely cool on cooling rack.

Wheat Pizza Crust

2012-02-29T17:27:00.000-08:00

Mozzarella, Turkey Pepperoni and Jalapenos - MMMmmm

My husband and I decided to look at the ingredients on the popular brand of Boboli pizza crusts at Target during our weekly store run. Check this out:

Ingredients: Whole wheat flour, water, palm oil, polydextrose, yeast, wheat gluten, molasses, milk casein, salt, mozzarella cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt and enzymes), sugar, preservatives (calcium propionate, sorbic acid), fumaric acid, modified food starch, sodium phosphate, whey, monoglycerides, lactic acid, natural flavor, garlic, artificial color.

Twenty-two ingredients!!!!! It costs around $3.50 and really doesn't taste that great. It also includes all of those above preservatives and other unnecessary additives. That was enough for us to come up with our own healthy recipe.

The below recipe has wheat flour and very few ingredients, all which are healthy and natural. And it's very easy. We made it tonight and could barely stop ourselves from eating the entire pizza (three pieces left!). It's just as good, if not better, than delivery pizza, with health benefits to boot. Be sure to stretch the crust nice and thin if you want it to be a little crispy.

Oh yeah, and it takes 10 minutes. Worth it!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400'F.

1) Add flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a big bowl.

2) Make a well in the center and add the water and oil. Combine by stirring with a spoon. Add more water if necessary (I added water a couple times)

3)Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead it for 2 minutes.

4) After kneading, use a floured rolling pin to flatten the dough to desired thickness.

5) Spray your pizza pan with olive oil (or put some on a paper towel and use it to coat the pan). Place dough on pan.

6) Place your pizza sauce on the dough and then cover with your favorite toppings.

5) Put it into the preheated oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cheese and Tomato Toasts

2012-02-26T12:31:00.001-08:00

Courtesy of Myrecipes.com

Ingredients

5 to 6 oz. light cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 loaf (about 8 oz.) Italian bread or wheat baguette
1 clove garlic, halved

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, stir together cream cheese and pepper until thoroughly combined. In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and parsley.
Slice off and discard ends of bread. Slice loaf diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices and place on a baking sheet. Toast in oven until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Rub 1 side of each toast slice with cut side of garlic.
Spread toast slices with cheese mixture and top with tomato mixture.

I'm always on the look out for easy, tasty appetizers. With only eight ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand, this recipe is a great option for dinner parties and drop in guests who need something to munch on. The original recipe calls for mild goat cheese, but light cream cheese serves as a cheaper and lighter option.

This recipe made about 16 toasts, and I topped the remaining toasts I had left over with the cream cheese mixture and a sliced, spicy dill spear. They were a hit! The combination of the creamy cheese and the fresh tomatoes makes a delectable, albeit messy (serve with appetizer plates -- those little tomato bits have a tendency to jump off the toast!), pre-dinner snack.

Ode to the Vodka Tonic

2012-02-19T11:03:00.000-08:00

Vodka Tonic

1 ounce vodka

1.5 ounces diet tonic

1/2 lime, cut into wedges

Pour vodka and tonic into a glass with ice. Squeeze lime wedges into drink, then toss in. Stir. 95 calories.

Nothing says Saturday night sitting on the couch watching Dateline like a vodka tonic. Light, refreshing and bubbly, this low calorie drink has it all. Class. Ease. Non-staining if dropped. Quick to the blood stream. It can't be beat.

The vodka tonic combination is quite amazing. Somehow the combination of two terrible tasting items, vodka (ew) and diet tonic water (gross) mixed together become amazing. A little like stray dogs and sweet and sour sauce. I can't explain it. And I don't want to.

And my husband found this out yesterday.

"Can I take a drink of this?" He asked, picking up the bottle of diet tonic water off the counter. "I don't think I've ever had it."

"Um. Sure...but you're not going to like it," I said.

He unscrews the lid, takes a swig, then makes a face as he chokes it down. "That's disgusting!"

"Um, yeah. I told you you wouldn't like it," I told him, chuckling.

He then proceeded to try to wash the taste of his mouth out with scotch. It didn't help. He learned his lesson: Tonic without vodka is like a Lifetime movie without a love triangle between a stalker, an inappropriate masseuse and Eddie Cibrian. It just doesn't work.

The Gym Rats

2012-02-12T12:53:00.000-08:00

After joining a gym, I can't help but notice the people working out around me. No matter what day it is, these people are always there. And I can't help but stare.

1) The Rhinoceros: This guy is always at the gym. Tall, muscular and with that blank look always behind his eyes, he takes up about half of the weight lifting room with this Rhinoceros-like body. Constantly talking about his glorious college football playing days ("I was so much better than Tim Tebow. And my receivers were half as good as his!") while swinging ridiculously huge dumbbells around to "warm up," this guy makes me wish I went to an all female gym. Being that I've never actually seen him do any actual weight lifting, this leads me to believe he just hangs out there, then heads home to shoot up some kind of steroid. I can't prove it. Yet.

2) The Sweater: This guy is also always at the gym. Medium height and build, he always looks like he just climbed out of a pool full of sweat. Dripping from his curly hair down to his soaked socks, he is all over the gym, doing 10 sets of this, 20 sets of that, leaving a trail of sticky, damp handles in his wake. I purposely try to avoid looking at what machines he's using, otherwise I'd never be able to use those machines again. He's the reason Purell bottles are all over the place. Two words: home gym. Trust me on this.

3) The Buddha: This guy is my favorite. Consistently at the gym, this Buddha-shaped exerciser only does abdominal exercises. Laying on the floor, he does crunch after crunch after crunch, taking breaks in between sets. It's like watching a cat swing at a foam piece of cheese on a string, expecting to bite into some gourmet brie if he just keeps trying. I don't get it. But, he doesn't sweat all over everything, so I let him crunch away as he pleases.

4) The Spandex Queen: Spandex is an okay material for clothing. But it should be illegal to make spandex clothing in any color other than black. As proven by the Spandex Queen on a daily basis, grey and white spandex shows sweat. Everywhere.

Now this is just a sampling of the regular crowd. There are so many more I haven't had the opportunity to analyze yet.

People talk about needing motivation to go work out. I've got mine.

Beef and Vegetable Soup and Other Healthy Recipes

2012-02-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of Betty Crocker

Beef and Vegetable Soup
Heat oil in big soup pot on stove; brown meat, then drain fat and return meat to pot
1 pound beef stew meat
1 tbls. olive oil

Add below to pot, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 1 hour:
32 ounces beef stock
4 cups of water
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram, crushed
1/4 tsp. black pepper (or more)

Then add below, bring back to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes more:
1 can stewed tomatoes, chopped (with juice)
1 16 oz package mixed frozen vegetables
2 cups new potatoes, halved
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 cup pearl onions, peeled (boil for 3 minutes, then rinse in cold water, cut off root end and squeeze from the other end)

Salt to taste. Eat! This makes 8 servings, about 235 calories each.

Tuna With Lemon and Relish
1 can tuna
2 tbs. dill pickle relish
Juice from 1/2 lemon

Mix and Eat. 20 grams of protein and just a little over 100 calories.

Sludge
1 scoop vanilla casein protein powder
1 tbs. peanut butter
Little bit of water

Mix the casein powder and peanut butter together. Slowly add a little bit of water at a time until it becomes thick and creamy. Freeze for at least 30 minutes. The colder the better.

Above are a few of the recipes we've tried this weekend. When my husband and I get onto healthy kicks, we go all out. It's all or nothing in our house. So when we decided about three weeks ago that we were going to get back into "pre-dating" shape, we meant it.

"Pre-dating" shape refers to before we met eat other, when we both were hitting the gym six to seven days a week, eating clean and drinking protein shakes, and being in pretty great overall health. Once we starting dating, we were going out to eat three to four times a week (Seafood! Sushi! Mexican! Indian!), drinking bottles of wine, scarfing thigh-size pieces of french silk pie and skipping workouts left and right.

Those days are over. Granted, the Sludge recipe above is not like eating ice cream, pudding or french silk pie for that matter, but it's reasonably eatable and is very filling. It basically tastes like really thick, cold peanut butter, with a slightly pasty aftertaste. But don't let that discourage you. It has a lot of protein and makes a great snack after dinner when you need something to hold you over until morning.

The soup recipe hit the spot yesterday while we watched six inches of snow fall outside. A perfect snowy Saturday meal. It made enough for us for lunch, a big tupperware to put into the freezer, then two more smaller tupperwares full to put in the fridge. And it was pretty low effort to make. Perfect! Enjoy!

Love the Lentils

2012-01-31T19:18:00.000-08:00

Green Lentils

Favorite Middle Eastern Lentils

8 ounces of green lentils

½ white onion, minced

3 whole carrots, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. cumin (and more to taste)

2 tsp. salt (and more to taste)

1 tbsp. pepper (and more to taste)

Plain yogurt

Rinse lentils, then add to large pot. Cover lentils with water and turn heat to high. Add carrots, onion and garlic to pot. Then add cumin, salt and pepper. Once the water boils, turn down the heat to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils and carrots are tender, stirring occasionally. Add more salt, pepper and cumin to taste.

If the lentils are not soft after 30 minutes, add more water and let it cook until soft.

Serve with yogurt.

We’ve stopped buying any kind of crunchy, salty snacks, also known as “cupboard crack” because neither of us has the self control to not eat an entire bag while watching Brian Williams. We also completely avoid the entire aisle that has sugary snacks at the store, to avoid being tempted by nutter butters and oatmeal pies. The lentil recipe above has become a staple in our weekly meal plan.

After eating healthier, avoiding going out to eat and really sticking to our eating plan, we’ve both been mocked on a daily basis by our bathroom scale. It literally taunts me by showing my goal weight, then showing an error, and once I step off and get back on, shows my actual weight. It’s quite bad for my mental health. I step on, my eyes light up as I see my goal, then my hopes are crashed as the evil little machine forged in the depths of hell laughs in my face and “Erroor”’s out on me.

It also doesn’t help when the person across from my desk at work brings in some kind of unhealthy food twice a week. Friday, it was a giant barrel full of cheese balls. Today, it was a Tupperware full of red velvet cupcakes. Normally, I don’t have a problem ignoring treats at work. But when you’ve got a trail of people popping over every half hour, talking about how good they are, and how they “Just need one more!” while licking cream cheese frosting off their fingers, it becomes a bit much to handle.

How do I combat this, you ask? Unhealthy amounts of sugar free mints. I’m quite confident I’m ingesting the same level of mints they used to test on monkeys who then starting having seizures.

But I didn’t eat a cupcake. Mission accomplished.