the Non-Dairy Queen

Taking time in the kitchen...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Don't forget to enter the NuNaturals giveaway!

How did it turn into Thursday already? This week has been a crazy mess. I'm not complaining though, since great things are happening for me, but it's going to take me a bit of time to get settled. I am now on double time to get my Personal Training Certification, so writing here may be a little on the scarce side for the next couple of months. I have to stay focused and on task. This is not always easy for me, so I am officially practicing the arts of being focused and staying on task. Suggestions are always welcome. I am not on pinterest at this point due to the fact that I know it will be a time suck, but I swear I've considered getting on it just to see new ways to get organized (read pretty ways to motivate me to get organized).

I was lucky enough to spend some time in the kitchen on Monday. People always assume that I eat healthy because it's easy for me. Well, I have a ritual day too of getting myself organized for healthy eating throughout the week. I finally had some time and made some lentil quinoa burgers to load up the freezer! I am so bad at making a batch and then just eating that for the rest of the week as my protein. Not this time, I made a huge batch and have restrained myself from bean burger burnout. I also sadly have a huge batch of chickpeas in the fridge waiting to be made into this and this, but I have not had time to make either. Also, I've been eating them on my salads like crazy this week. Oh well, at least I've been prepared. I will get around to making these treats soon! Luckily I have another bag of chickpeas in the pantry just in case I eat this whole bag. Good thing I stock up on my beans.

The great thing about bean burgers is that you can use them to clean out the fridge, which is exactly what I did! I got a little excited with my new membership to Costco and purchased a 5lb bag of spinach (I think it was anyway-it may have been more-, Tony calls it the "big ass" bag). People, we ate that in a week! I don't know if I should be proud or embarrassed? I'm going with proud since my boys are now eating spinach salads! Their dad is a genius since he was the one to convince them to do so. I love all the veggie eating these guys are doing here these days even when I'm not here to cook!

Anyway, the burgers were really good. The original version is my favorite bean burger or bean ball, but I rarely take the time to make them. I added spinach and simplified the process a bit so these were easier and more veggie loaded. Oh and the side of home fries and ketchup definitely made this meal complete for me!

Quinoa Lentil Balls or Burgers

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (make sure you rinse quinoa really well!)
1 cup uncooked lentils (rinsed and drained)
4 cups water or vegetable broth

Put all of this in a pot and boil for an hour or until the lentils are done. The quinoa will officially be over cooked, but that helps the mixture come together. There should be no more liquid in the pot. If there is, drain it off.

1/2 cup salsa
3 cups fresh spinach
2 cups chopped mushrooms

Put all of this in a food processor and process until small, but still chunky.

1 TBSP salt
2 TBSP flax meal
fresh ground pepper

Add all of this and half of the hot quinoa lentil mixture to the food processor. Process until the mixture comes together. Still a little chunky. Make sure the quinoa lentil mixture is still hot so it will activate the flax.

2 cups quick oats (or whole oats slightly processed)

Next, add the oats and the processed mixture to the remaining quinoa lentil mixture in the pot. Stir it all together and put in the fridge 4 hours to over night.

When completely cooled, line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

With wet hands scoop out a tablespoon worth of quinoa lentil mixture. (Wet hands keep the mixture from sticking to your hands) I used a small cookie scoop. Line them up on the sheet pans. I used 5 scoops for the burgers. I got 27 balls and 8 burgers. Bake the balls for 30 minutes. Bake the burgers 20 minutes on each side (flipping half way between).

NuNaturals Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

So, you all know how much I love NuNaturals Stevia, right? Well, it's all I use when it comes to alternative sweeteners.

Some of my favorites...

Corn dog muffins!

Applesauce Cobbler!

Mini Coconut or Vanilla Cream Pies!

Seven Minute Icing!

Pumpkin Muffins!

Peanut Butter Fudge Topping and Chia Jam!

It is my favorite of all of the alternative sweeteners out there! Well, the kind folks at NuNaturals have offered to share some of the sweet stuff with 4 of my readers!

Four lucky winners will recieve 1 box of NuStevia Packets, 50 count and 1 bottle of NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Liquid (my favorite and I use it in everything)!

All you have to do is leave a comment here telling me if you use NuNaturals, and if so how you use it or what you will do with it when you get to try it!

You can put in a second entry by "Liking" NuNaturals on Facebook. Leave a comment here telling me you did.

Also, for those that want to go ahead and give NuNaturals a try, they offer a free sample to all of you! All you have to do is send a self addressed, stamped, #10 envelope to:

NuNaturals, INC
2220 West 2nd Ave., #1
Eugene, OR 97402

Plus, NuNaturals is offering special discounts to my readers! When you checkout at their website, enter the code BLG0612 and you will receive free shipping on all orders totaling $35, and over, after the discount. This offer ends June 30, 2012.

Only Continental US residents are eligible for this giveaway and the free samples. Entries will end at 12:00pm EST on Thursday, February 23rd. Giveaway winner will be announce Friday February 24th.

Planters Peanut Giveaway Winner...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:21:00 +0000

Paige from Running Around Normal!

Congratulations Paige, I'm emailing you now for your address!

11 Random Things Times 2

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:22:00 +0000

*** I have no idea why my site is not right, but I'm looking into it.

Things are about to change around here for me soon and I'm really excited! More time to cook and bake, as well as more time to work! For now though, since there was not a whole lot of baking or cooking going on and I was tagged two more times by Jessica and Christin for 11 random things, I figured I would share my answers with you for some Friday Fun Facts. If you want my first random post, you can find it here.

Rules 1. Post these rules. 2. You must post 11 random things about yourself. 3. Answer the questions the person who tagged you set for you in their post. 4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer. 5. Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them. 6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

Since this is my second time around, I won't tag people (I'm a rule breaker and most bloggers have done this already), but give me some random stuff on you! I've really enjoyed reading about others with these random posts.

Jessica's Questions
1. Why did you start blogging? I wanted to share my experiences with going dairy free in hopes of connecting with others to help them too. Definitely a support system. Honestly, I have found an incredible support system in bloggers and am so thankful Tony talked me into it!

2. What is one food you could NEVER live without? Oatmeal! I HAVE to have my oats!

3. What’s your biggest fear? Losing Tony and the boys. They are my world and it would end without them.

4. Name 3 things always in your purse. Phone, wallet and chapstick

5. Favorite flower. Gerber Daisy

6. Favorite ethnic food. Mexican. I love pico!

7. 3 bloggers you would love to meet in person. That is so hard! I have too many! Honestly, any one that comments here regularly are considered great friends of mine and I want to meet them all. My list is way more than three!

8. Something we would never know about you. This will not be happy, but I'm going to share it since I think it's important for others to know they aren't alone and I've been thinking about it a lot lately as I read about it happening to others. Tony and I had a hard time having a baby after we had Jay. I miscarried twice between Jay and Max. Once at 12 weeks pregnant and once at 6 weeks pregnant. This was one of the most mentally crippling times in our lives. I, at the time, had no idea this could happen and I felt so alone (as a woman, not from Tony). Since then, while I stay pretty private about it, I feel like it's important to share. It brings back horrible feelings and I will never forget the babies that could have been, but I know there are others that experience these same feelings and they aren't alone. I, luckily, had an incredible doctor that tested my hormones to find that I had no progesterone to sustain a pregnancy. Now we have Max!

9. If you could spend 1 month anywhere where would it be. Greece. I want to go so badly and see where my great grandparents are from!

10. If you could name a nail polish color, what color would it be, and what would you name it? Black and I would call it Rockstar since that's how I feel when I paint my nails black...that reminds me, I need to make time to paint my nails.

11. Favorite recipe you have found on someone else’s blog? Anything Heather cooks. She makes me hungry every time I read about her meals.

Christin's Questions
1. Do you remember your dreams? Not normally. Unless, it's bad and oddly, I remember that it's bad, but not really the details. It's always weird to wake up with a feeling of fear or anger and not know why.

2. When did you last laugh? Last night! I live with three boys! I laugh all the time. There are so many fart and "that's what she said" jokes going on regularly. Seriously, my life is a comedy act!

3. What band/album are you most smitten with right now? That's so hard because I don't really keep up with the latest trends on anything. Adele is probably the one that I can listen to over and over that's a newer album. I refer to Melissa for most of my new music. As for anything older, I'm a huge Sarah McLachlan fan. I also love Mumford and Sons, Dido, Iron and Wine and Damien Rice if I am feeling really sad. My music is really all over the place. We listen to a lot of Journey, Queen, Red Hot Chilie Peppers, oh and the sound track to The Fountain is my zen music. If you need some good relaxing music, listen to that album.

4. What would you do first if you won the lottery? Buy a farm and live off the land in a modern cabin that Tony and I have designed. Then save for the kids' college and travel EVERYWHERE when they are out of the house!

5. What is the last book you read? I'm reading The Help and love it. I've seen the movie, but I wanted to know more about the characters. Does my Nutrition Course Book Count? Oh and I'm currently reading my Personal Training Course Book. Yeah, I'm all over the place with reading too...

6. What is the closest item to your left hand right now (other than your keyboard)? My iPhone

7. Who is your favorite comedian? I would say Bill Cosby. I have Bill Cosby Himself in our Netflix Queue now to show the boys. I remember watching that as a kid and loving it!

8. Do you have any tattoos? Yes, I have a four leaf clover on my right ankle. I am definitely getting another one on my wrist this year! It's in the plan!

9. Do you like your middle name? Originally, Killette.

10. What is your favorite animal? Cats for home, cows otherwise. They just have the sweetest faces and I love how their heads bob up and down when they walk.

11. What is the worst food you’ve ever eaten? Well, last night I made an oatmeal and protein powder concoction that was like concrete. That was unpleasant. I would probably say the worst was liver though. It smells and taste awful.

Ok, enough about me! Now you answer some!

Have a great Friday!

***Don't forget to enter the Planters Peanut Give Away!

Anybody Want A Peanut?!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Sorry for the movie reference, I just couldn't help myself. Oh and please tell me you can name the movie! We are huge fans of peanuts here! Needless to say, when the nice folks at Planters offered to share a few of their nut varieties with us, I couldn't pass it up! The funny part is that we already had the Dry Roasted and Unsalted Dry Roasted jars in our pantry. They are a standard pantry item here for snacks!

Planters peanuts contain 6 vitamins and minerals, are a good source of protein with a nice mix of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. The unsalted variety only has 5mg of sodium and is perfect for making homemade peanut butter or for a less salty snack!

Planters peanuts contain Thiamin and Niacin which help convert food into energy! They are also a source of dietary fiber which helps support a healthy digestive system.

The Planters NUT-rition Bone Health Mix combines the delicious flavors of almonds, granola clusters, yogurt-covered raisins, peaches, raspberries & cashews. The mix provides a good source of calcium and magnesium, which help support bone health.

Sadly, Tony and I could not eat this variety since it has dairy and wheat in it, but the boys loved it! I'm always on the hunt for healthy snacks for them to take on the go and this one is a perfect mix of salty and sweet.

So, would you like to enjoy some nuts too? Planters is offering to give one lucky winner 2 jars of Planters Unsalted Dry Roasted Peanuts, 2 jars of Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts and 2 jars of Planters NUT-rition Bone Health Mix.

All you have to do is tell me if you like peanuts and what is your favorite way to use them (or if you like them as a snack all on their own).

For an additional entry, you can tweet, post the giveaway on facebook or blog about it. Maximum of two entries per person.

The contest closes on Sunday, February 19th at midnight. I will announce the winner on Monday, February 20th.

***Disclaimer: I did receive samples of this product, but my statements and reviews are my own.

Max Turned 11!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:51:00 +0000

There are moments in life that you really just want to stand still. I feel like we run around so often to then stop long enough to be sad thinking that those times have passed. I used to be a stay at home mom. I was one of those people that was so happy to be here. I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to be here for moments with my little guys. It was never in the plan, but it just happened that way due to crazy unplanned life circumstances. Tony and I actually went back and forth on the stay at home tasks. He loved his turns working from home too with them!

This is what happened on my watch...

This is what happened on Tony's watch....

(yes, he ate a yellow crayon and we have no idea what Jay is doing in the background)

(jumping of a rope swing at Tony's parent's place)

Obviously times with dad are more adventuresome and fun!

Lately, I've realized how grown up they are and I'm really missing these days..

(photo courtesy of Nayoung)

The goofiness is changing from these things...

to "that's what she said" jokes. Sadly, I don't get most of them, but at least Tony is amused. That's part of being out numbered by boys too I guess.

Max turned 11 on Sunday. I remember going to the hospital to have him like it was yesterday.

(6+5=11)

If you've been around long enough, you know that Max doesn't do cake for his birthday.

Tollhouse pie made with whole wheat flour, stevia for the plain sugar and a graham cracker crust.

Fish tacos for lunch with corn salsa and lettuce per the birthday boy's request.

(Not pizza or burgers cause that would be too normal)

Mine were egg white tacos with fresh peppers and corn salsa.

This is the boys while bowling on Sunday. My how things have changed!

Happy birthday Max! Thank you for 11 years of memories!

Oh and Happy Valentines Day to all! We don't celebrate here since we show appreciation for each other everyday. If you celebrate, I hope you have an incredible day with the ones you love!

Chia Jam Addiction...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

My brain is officially closing out for the weekend! I have a hair appointment at 9:30 and a new me will emerge. I'm not nervous about getting my hair cut, but I'm a little nervous about going so short. I'm doing it though. I've always wanted to try super short and now is my chance! So, I'm going to leave you all with a little sunshine from yesterday. The chia jam addiction continues...

I wanted figs, but I could not get my hands on any so this was created...

Strawberry Clementine Ginger Chia Jam
(makes 2 cups)

5 oz Clementines or 2 whole, peeled and sections cut in half
8 oz strawberries chopped
3/4 cup water
1/4 - 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 TBSP chia seeds
3 oz strawberries diced
10 drops vanilla stevia (I used NuNaturals) or 1 TBSP sweetener

In a sauce pan, combine the clementines, strawberries, water and ginger. Cook on a medium high temperature for 10 minutes or until the fruit is softened and cooked. Remove the mixture from the heat, add the chia, chopped fresh strawberries and sweetener. Stir and allow to cool. Then refrigerate and serve when chilled.

Workout Overload!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:54:00 +0000

I feel kind of bad because I'm really just using my site as a regular everyday journal lately. The recipes are few and far between because I pretty much cook and eat eat everything fast. Which is not good, but I don't have a lot of experimenting time or picture taking time. Also, the interesting foods are pretty scarce too. Seriously, how many times do you want to see egg white omelets with some sort of vegetable and baked potatoes covered in nutritional yeast? I mean, the meal doesn't bore me, but I'm pretty sure the pictures bore the heck out of all of you.

Lately, the focus has been workouts. Fuel too, but my brain is definitely in exercise mode. I think this is due to my studies being focused on exercising. I worked out on Tuesday morning with an interval workout and then strength training. Then on Tuesday night, I worked out with my friend that's studying for her personal training certification too. I LOVE her workouts. We workout differently, but I love the challenge she brings to my workouts. I won't go into the whole workout because it's hers and I don't feel right doing that. She designed it. I will tell you that it started out with a 1 mile run. She is training for a triathlon and running is a breeze for her. She knows I'm working on it. I will tell you, for some this won't mean much, but I ran an 11 minute mile and didn't hate it! No walking! I also ran another mile through the course of the workout, but it was broken up with strength moves, which I really liked. Made it seem a little easier. When we were done, I showed her some Core Fusion moves that she didn't know about. I've never been a heavy weight lifter (not because I'm scared of getting bulky ), but I've found that doing strength training like Core Fusion helps me build up the smaller less worked muscles and helps with my joints. I feel more in control of my movements after I do those types of workouts oh and I love the long lean muscles of dancers. So, it's been fun changing things up and I love sharing things with someone else that has a deep interest in exercise.

Oh then Wednesday was a gym workout morning with the boys. They begged me to go even though I was going to call it a rest day. I had to take them. So, I ran another mile and a half with Jay (a run walk with our 5k trainer), then did a HIIT round with Max (also taught him how to hit the punching bag) and then I helped the boys with some strength moves. It was fun showing them some stuff even though the last thing I wanted to do was workout.

This morning I did a super light dance cardio with the Star Trainers. It was fun and loosened me up. Now, my brain needs to change over to study and work mode.

I am so ready for tomorrow. My hair is coming off first thing in the morning! I am going to feel so light with all this hair gone. I will post pictures at some point. Tony is going to work some photoshop magic so I can make sure I'm getting the cut I want. Fingers crossed it turns out well. I love short hair, but it's been a while...

Have a great Thursday!

When Me Becomes We...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

I won't lie to you, last week left me exhausted...really over the top warn out. Tony and I actually went to sleep Friday night at 8:30pm. I don't remember the last time we did that. I love that the boys are old enough to stay up and watch a movie while their old fart parents have to go to bed though. Oh and it didn't help that I had to work Saturday. So, early to bed, early to rise...

Sunday was a very productive day for me. I wanted to workout, but instead I cleaned the house from top to bottom. With the way I've been running around lately, a good house cleaner I have definitely not been. So, the house is clean for now and the laundry is done...unfortunately only for now. We also enjoyed an incredible linner with friends. Definitely a great day!

Monday, I was pretty much flying high after my workout in the morning. I got up at 5:50am with two workout buddies. People, I think my "me" time has become "we" time. Jay (13 1/2) is serious about running - this is a new thing. Max (11 this week) is serious about muscle toning - this is a new thing. I offered to workout with them after school yesterday, but they wanted to get up with me and workout in the morning. Since it's too dark to workout outside at 6am, I took them to the gym so Jay could run on the treadmill. I should make it clear to all those that don't like kids at the gym, I work at a small gym that is actually a good place for families to go. My kids are respectful of others at the gym and they clean the equipment better than most of the adults that go there. There were only 4 people at the gym when we got there so it worked out pretty well.

Anyway, Jay needed a treadmill and since there were only 2 left, Max and I did two rounds of HIIT cardio and then I ran a mile with Jay when the treadmills cleared out. People, I did not HATE it. I pulled out my New Balance 760 and they felt a lot easier on the run. I also took my friend Heather's advice and went with a smaller stride and I felt a lot better about how I was running. I'm going to read up on it a little more too. I think Jay would benefit from some information too. He's talking about being interested in track next year when he gets into high school (where has the time gone?). Here's the thing. I don't ever think I will be a runner, but it always feels better working out with someone, especially in the beginning. Jay loves it and I want to be there for him as a partner so he's not at it alone.

The workout was incredible and left me feeling really great yesterday. The kids were on the ball and things ran smoothly in the morning. You can't beat that! Not only that, they want more! I'm totally loving this! Tony slept...not acceptable!

Now for a highlight meal as of late...

fluffy gluten free peanut butter and grape chia jam pancakes!

Making jams with chia seeds has become an addiction for me. No fruit is safe! This one turned out more like a sauce since I didn't cook it, but it was such a perfect sauce for these pancakes!

The pancakes were not only fluffy when made, but they actually remained fluffy for three days afterwards when Max ate the last two for breakfast reheated. We all loved this recipe! I took my nutmeg muffins, took out the sugar and played with a few things and they turned out exactly how I wanted them to be! Light, fluffy and a little doughy!

Fluffy Gluten Free Pancakes

(makes 15 small)

1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar

1 1/2 cup Almond Milk

1 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1 cup Brown Rice Flour ( I used Bob's Red Mill)

1 TBSP baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 cup egg whites

20 drops vanilla stevia (I used NuNaturals) or 2 TBSP sugar

Combine the apple cider vinegar and almond milk; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the flours through the xanthan gum. Next add the milk mixture, egg whites and stevia to the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Cook 1/4 cup at a time on a nonstick skillet until cooked on both sides.

Grape Chia Jam

(makes 1 3/4 cups)

3 cups red grapes

2 TBSP chia seeds (I used Bob's Red Mill - but they are not gluten free)

Process in a food processor until completely mixed well. Allow to sit in the fridge overnight.

I'm sharing these on Simply Sugar and Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Facts Friday...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:59:00 +0000

This week has left me seriously exhausted. It has been go, go, go all week! A lot of good things going on, a little lack of sleep, a lot of crazy schedule shifts, some serious work and a few workout change ups have left little time for anything else. I'm glad the week is ending even if I do have to work tomorrow. I'm gonna take tomorrow as a serious focus day and really work on studying. Back to the grind!

In the mean time, Nicole from Making Good Choices answered the 11 Random Facts questions and when I commented, she asked me to do one. So, I took the cheater approach and came up with some random facts and since I didn't answer any specific questions, I gave you a couple of extra facts.

Before we get to the facts, I would like to acknowledge Nicole has done an incredible job changing careers in the last year and great things are happening for her. She truly is an inspiration! Congratulations, Nicole, and you know I wish you so much success!

Random Facts...

1. I hate spending money. So badly that it can really look like I'm a cheapskate. Even taking the leap to get another certification was such a hard decision for me. The trip we took to NY for Christmas with the boys was a practice in me letting things go. I think I'm doing better...

2. I love getting up in the morning to workout. Well, it's not that I love waking up early, but I love starting my day with an accomplishment. At that point, nothing can get in the way of at least one thing getting done for me during the day.

3. Live classical music makes me tear up. I don't know why but the sound of the instruments makes me overwhelmingly emotional.

4. I want to get another tattoo so badly. I have it all planned out and I want to get it on my left wrist. Now I just need my artist husband to design it for me!

5. I am a complete and total klutz. Seriously, I walk into walls, trip up stairs, burn myself on a regular basis. This is a concern for me starting to run. Tony actually told me to be careful and not fall the other day when I left. It's that bad. It's also a good thing I have a pretty high pain threshold or I would be in pain all the time. I almost burned my hair the other day too and it was even up in a ponytail. Yeah, it's time to chop it off now!

6. I am part owner in my husbands illustration business. Yes, between working at the gym, getting my nutrition certification, starting to study for my personal training certification and working towards building my own business, I'm supposed to be working with him on his book keeping stuff/marketing...oh yeah, that's why I'm always warn out.

7. I don't feed most people the way I eat. Don't get me wrong, I always cook with health in mind, but I don't know that people would fully appreciate my nutritional yeast and Marmite concoctions. Tony and the boys are getting more and more into my strange eats, but others would flip out. I love making sneaky healthy treats though and having people think they are more sinful than they are. Dessert at my house is always a healthier treat and people love finding that out after they feel a little guilty about eating them.

8. I'm a volume eater. Most people can't believe how much food I can eat. The thing is, when you eat fresh vegetables, fruits and lean proteins you can eat so much more! I'm a sneaky sweets eater too! I love my peanut flour peanut butter fudge! There's always room for dessert!

9. I want to live on a small farm some day. I really do want chickens and goats. I want to be more self sufficient and way more off the grid.

10. I love hearing about what people eat. I normally don't talk about my food unless someone asks me. I love hearing about how people fuel themselves and what they love to eat. I think food provokes a certain feeling in people and I love hearing about old family favorites that peoples' relatives used to make for them. Little Granny's biscuits will forever have a place in my heart even if neither one if us can eat them anymore.

11. It drives me crazy when people refer to vegetarian food with meat names. They are NOT tofu ribs...it's tofu in a strange shape with bbq sauce on it. Or chk'n wings...really, it's just annoying. Besides, if you don't eat meat, so you really want to relate what your eating to meat products? No!

12. I am what holds me back. I realize now that I'm the one that keeps me from achieving things I have wanted for years. My own insecurities have done me no good all my life. I do think having a strong support system with my husband and boys has helped me see that it's ok to be me and do my thing. So, thanks to them...I'm doing my own thing!

13. I rarely drink alcohol. No, I'm not a prude and I don't think there's anything wrong with it. If you know myself and my husband, you know that. I just never acquired much of a taste for the stuff. I grew up being aloud to have drinks too, so the "getting away with something" factor was completely taken away from me. I make a good designated driver though! Also, my family is not known for their restraint from the stuff, so I choose to be obsessive compulsive with other things...like, oatmeal (I know, lame but true), cooking in general, working out and nutrition. I wish I was more into cleaning and laundry...those would be some better obsessive compulsive traits or at least I'm sure my husband would appreciate that more, maybe not more, but he would prefer a little of that.

Ok, give me some fun facts!

I'm Not A Runner...Help!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

I got this in the mail yesterday, which made me super excited!

And I finally signed up for my personal training certification course! This is something I've wanted to do for way longer than I even want to think about. I am so excited!

I also went on my first official outside intentional run. Truth be told, I woke up an hour late on Tuesday morning. That NEVER happens. I guess I turned the alarm off and mentally decided to get some extra sleep. So, in my sleepy state, I told the boys that since it was so pretty out (almost 70 degrees) that I would start training for a 5k with them. What in the world was I thinking???

I should tell you that I work out in the morning because that is my most energized time. It works for me. Even in my groggy state, I can wake up in a snap when I start going. When the evening rolls around, the last thing I want to do is workout. The boys were my motivation yesterday. They wanted to go out running so badly...how could I let them down?! So, we walked to the park for our warm up and walk ran according to my couch to 5k running app. I really liked the app. It took us on intervals and it's definitely a good way to get you going. However, I'm afraid that I really just don't know how to run properly. I'm not a runner by any means and really, I don't want the bug. I'm far too infatuated with other types of workouts. I do think that becoming a trainer makes it my responsibility to be able to coach someone if they do want to run. So, I'm going to learn to like it or at least learn to not run like a freak. One or the other will happen.

I'm going to go to a running shop to check out how I run and get some shoes thanks to my good friend, Heather's, suggestion. I'm also going to start reading up on running too.

So, to my running friends...give me some information. What do you like, what do you not like, any books to read or other resources?

By the way, how is it already February 1st? Where in the world did January go?

Breakfast Of Champions!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Build a jar...

jar

1/4 cup peanut flour

mixed with a little water and a little stevia

buckwheat

cooked

almond milk (and bubbles)

strawberry and blueberry chia jam

READY!

Strawberry and Blueberry Chia Jam

1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup water

1 TBSP chia seeds

Combine the berries and water in a sauce pan. Heat and stir until the berries are softened. Take off the heat and add the chia seeds. Stir well to combine. Allow to cool and serve up.

I eat out of jars a lot these days. They are perfect for taking eats on the go. This one was a definite winner. I am so addicted to chia jam.

Today is going to be a crazy one, so I had to get some good fuel in! My workout is done, eats are made and now it's time to get to some recipe development! Best part of my job!

Have a great Monday!

Dress It Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Hello Friday! I am soooo glad you are here finally. I'm hoping for some sleep in time this weekend! Speaking of sleep, we got this pillow top thing for the bed...Tony's plan, not really mine and I'm having the hardest time sleeping with it. It's like sleeping on marshmallow for me. We have a heavy comforter on top and the marshmallow think on the bottom...I'm getting lost in all this fluff and can't turn over. The worst part, Tony is sleeping better with it. Ugh, finding the bedding balance after being married for almost 17 years...

Anyway, as for the title of this post, let's dress up some salad! Truth be told, I normally go for mustard, hot sauce, over easy eggs or hummus when it comes to dressing. Well, I finally purchased a jar of Marmite a few weeks ago and I started playing with it. I love the stuff straight up, but I wanted to make something a little different to go with my salad and socca this time.

Marmite is no joke when it comes to flavor and texture.

Think thick molasses texture with a bite like worsteshire sauce. I think that's a good way to describe it. In other words...AMAZING! Oh and super loaded with B vitamins! Bonus! Heather, Lindsay, Kristina and Christin, you ladies know what I'm talking about!

I've been taking shots of apple cider vinegar thanks to the suggestions from my favorite twins, but I figured if I could make the stuff taste better by using it in my dressing, why not?!

Tomato Dressing

(1 serving)

1/3 cup tomato sauce

1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

1/4 - 1/2 tsp marmite

dash of garlic powder

dash of onion powder

Shake it all up!

Naked...

Dressed up!

This dressing is really creamy and a little bit salty with a tang. YUM!

These days, I go for some socca on the side toasted up for my croutons. I love it! I changed this one up a bit by adding oatmeal and I loved the crunch and the slight whole grain sweetness. It definitely complemented the tangy dressing on my salad!

Socca Flatbread

(makes one)

1/2 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1/4 cup quick oats or oat flour (make sure it's gluten free)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)

1/4 tsp onion powder (optional

3/4 cup warm water

pepper and salt for the top

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a 9 inch cake pan coated with olive oil (I use the olive oil spray). Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top. Bake for 15-55 minutes depending on how crispy you want it. Remove from pan.

Have a great Friday!

Tabata And Some Realizations...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Tabata...

I had never heard of this before until last Friday. If you talk workouts with me and I don't know what you're talking about, I will spend hours upon hours of researching it. I HAD to know what this was...

Basically it is a 3-5 minute warm up followed by 8 intervals of super high intensity for 20 seconds and then rest for ten seconds then a 3-5 minute cool down....

We did this 8 times last night. OH MY GOSH! My legs hate me, but I love it! I downloaded the Tabata timer on my iPhone last night and it worked like a charm and it was free!

Our workout was designed by my friend Marie (who is studying to be a Personal Trainer through the course I'm about to take with ISSA).

What we did (or as I would like to call it HELL, but in the kindest way possible)...

3 minute warm up of jumping jacks and squat thrusts

Kettlebell Swings

Air Squats (oh goodness these are evil)

Burpees

Pushups

Planks

Jumping Jacks (it's so silly, but I love jumping jacks)

Upright Rows with Kettlebells

Cool down and stretching (I was actually a good girl and stretched well!)

We rotated this with one move being done twice for 8 rounds. After each round, we took a 30 second break. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

This was not a pre-planned workout for me, so it was actually my second workout of the day. I did an interval workout at 6am and when I got the text to see if I wanted to try Tabata with Marie after work, I couldn't pass it up. I was worried all day though that she would kick my butt, I would throw up and she would run circles around me. Don't get me wrong, she totally kicked my butt, but I think I held my own. I felt so accomplished after this. I only did girl pushups for one round!

I guess all of this is to say that I felt accomplished. I realized that I can do more than I think I can. I may have been the one holding me back all along, but let's not put the blame all on me just yet. This time in my life is really the first time that I am just being me. I don't worry about what people think about me. I don't worry about what people say about me. I am not perfect. I know this, but I am trying really hard to just do my best and it feels so good.

No one has everything easy, don't assume that they do. Everything is relative and we all have our own obstacles to overcome. My drive to do what I'm doing now with nutrition and personal training is to share that with others. It is so easy to give in and feel defeated. Trust me, I've been there. I wanted to give up on my body so many times, it's not good, it's not right, but it's what I have. Really though, in the end, giving up would only hurt me more. I'm worth more than that and I can do so much more than I thought I ever could, even with my limitations.

In the end, you have to find you and realize what you want. You don't have to be the strongest person, the fastest person, the smartest person, the funniest person, the most artistic person or the skinniest person, you just have to find who you want to be and make it the best.

Never mind that I can't walk up the stairs today without looking like a 120 year old woman...those kettle swings and air squats are vicious little suckers!

Homemade Chinese Takeout!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Yesterday was such a great day for me. I got my CPR/AED certification even though I was terrified of the situation. I found a company to give me the course one on one and the boys had me scared out of my mind that I was going to get my certification out of a van. I found the company off the American Heart Associations website and when I called, they said they could give me the class on Monday morning. So, since I wanted to get my nutrition certification in my hand, I had to take it. The boys picked on me all weekend about how creepy the certification situation sounded. So, with the eery rain in the morning and the office in the back of the building, I walked in with my guard up. Luckily, it was all good and I loved getting the class one on one. If anyone in Atlanta needs the course, I highly recommend them! Just drop me a line and I will pass on the information. All I'm asking now, is that I don't have to use this information. I love knowing it, but ugh, I don't want to use it.

After my course was complete and I got my certification card, I made my way home for some lunch with my main squeeze. I made my soy free fried rice the night before so I was excited for these leftovers!

Even though our fried rice is loaded with protein from the eggs and bean sprouts, I wanted to make sure I got a little extra protein in there so I fried up 2 more egg whites, then added some fried rice to reheat it, served it over crisp iceberg lettuce and smothered it in coconut aminos (love this instead of soy sauce!)...

and rooster sauce (I like things hot)!

This totally hit the spot!

I'm really focusing on getting some extra protein these days. Ever since I started studying nutrition I've completely changed how I eat. I used to think I didn't need as much protein and I do believe that everyone's needs are different. However, I do workout regularly and I feel like my body had gotten pretty stagnant when it came to changing with my workouts. I also felt like there were things that I should be strong enough to do and it was just not happening. After focusing on my protein sources for the past 2 months (eggs, peanut flour, nuts, beans and nutritional yeast), I have seen and felt a complete change in my energy and physique. I think about food from a completely different stand point nowadays. I used to think about my veggies and fruits first (cause I'm a true lover of them), now I think about my protein source first and build my meals from there.

Speaking of protein...

I fried up some chicken for the boys to go with the fried rice we had on Sunday night.

I got the idea from Jessica at How Sweet Eats when she made this and she got it from Rebecca off of Tasty Kitchen. Tony is a General Tso's expert. The man loves his General Tso's and he loved this dish! I don't fry food often, but it was Sunday and it was treat day. So, we had a fun family interactive meal by making fried rice and General Tso's lettuce wraps!

So, tell me, what are your favorite sources of protein? I'm always looking for more vegetarian ideas. Any protein powder recommendations would be really helpful too!

Enchiladas!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

My weekend festivities started off with doing my first tour of a grocery store. It was actually The Natural Food Warehouse close to my house and the store is amazing! I met someone at the gym that wants help with finding natural foods and learning how to use them! Obviously, as you all know, that is so my thing! Nothing like using that education right away! Anyway, it was so much fun talking to someone face to face that really wanted to learn more about good natural food! I'm looking forward to our cooking session soon now!

This weekend went faster than normal since I had to work on Saturday. I did not have to cook since Tony had made a huge crockpot of ham and black eyed peas for him and the boys Thursday, so when I got home, it was all about rest and relaxation. I opted for some leftovers overs my own though.

You see, we had a visitor arrive last week from Stuft Mama...

it only seemed right to make a meal that would make Flat Kitty feel welcome! Keep Your Hands Off Mama's Spicy Spinach and Chicken (and Peppers) Enchiladas were on the menu. These are so good and easy to make! Seriously, you have to make them! I was so happy the boys LOVED them too! I grilled orange peppers and chicken for ours since mine were spinach and peppers. The changes I made were adding grilled peppers (to both the chicken and vegetarian varieties), cheese to the boys (not the yogurt dip - I did not have any) and I used a mix of tomato sauce and fresh salsa for the sauce (I did not have the soup that Mama calls for). I was so nervous the boys would not like them since I was bold and went with the spinach and peppers, but they devoured them! They've already asked them to be in the rotation of eats! Thanks Stuft Mama for sharing your super awesome kitty and your super awesome enchiladas!

I covered mine in jalapenos, nutritional yeast and an over easy egg. I had to get my Bs! Loved the egg over it. Since there was no cheese, this gave me that creamy topping that I was missing!

In all seriousness about the Flat Kitty, this cat is a so awesome...a semi hairless cat! Tony wants the real one so badly! Thank you Kristin for sharing him with us!

Today is a mad dash to class for me. I get to make out with a dummy and I'm not referring to Tony either. CPR and AED class for my certification to be complete! Have a great one Monday!

Peanut Chocolate Fudge Topping!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you for your comments yesterday. Seriously, you made my day and then I got the email...I PASSED! HELL YEAH, excuse my French, but that felt so good! After hours of calls and research, I finally found a place that does the CPR/AED certification for $50...sold to the lady that just passed her Fitness Nutrition Certification. Monday afternoon, I will be done!

I finally looked around the house to find what I have been ignoring for the past couple of months and well, I'm ashamed. Observations...

1. The boys have asked me for socks/shirts/jeans every day before going to school. This means that the pile of laundry sitting in the laundry room is not only scary in height, but desperately NEEDS to be washed and put away (the latter is the key or I will have to iron and really that's just a joke). Tony does wash clothes, but his folding skills are less that desirable and really, he works harder than I do, so this is not a dig at my husband...he is the best!

2. The boys bathroom smells and look like a war zone. UGH, I'm sure there is something growing in the trash can and we all know it's not a plant. I would like to just throw a bomb in it and call it a night. I may need to be in full biohazard gear to clean that sucker.

3. Oh speaking of the plant that's in said bathroom...yeah, not so much a plant anymore, but a stick in sand. Sorry Mr. Plant...you put up a good fight.

4. Groceries...there are no eggs, bread or milk in the house. If it snowed tomorrow, we would starve, right? Luckily we live in Georgia and that's not gonna happen. Crisis averted, well, that is if I find my way to the store soon.

5. Most of you know that I'm an apple girl through and through...there are two bags of apples that have been sitting on the counter for 2 weeks that need to be cooked (not fit for my eating, yeah, I'm an apple snob). In my defense, they were given to me, but still...two weeks.

6. My email has been messed up for at least 3 days (the fact that I don't know why or how long this has been going on is proof that I have not been good about checking it...or responding to people).

7. My hair is too long! Remember when I told you I was going to donate it? It looked like this...

it is still on my head! I am getting it cut in the next two weeks. It goes to my butt and that is just too long for me.

8. I'm sure there is more, but that's all I've noticed so far...time to catch up!

I will go ahead and apologize for the quality of these pictures, but I've really been loving my night time treats lately and I wanted to share this with you! I've been baking my peanut butter oats and topping them with my version of a peanut butter chocolate fudge! This is low fat, high fiber and high protein! Oh and delicious!

Peanut Butter Baked Oats

(serves 2 or one hungry gal)

3/4 cup quick oats

1/2 cup peanut flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

a shake of salt

1 TBSP Stevia Blend for Baking or sugar

1/4 cup egg whites/egg substitute or 1 egg

1/4 cup almond milk

1 cup water

3 droppers vanilla stevia

Mix it all together and pour into an oil coated bowl or dish (I use a pyrex 4 cup bowl).

Bake at 375 degrees 40-50 minutes.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge Topping

(serves 1)

3 TBSP peanut flour

1 TBSP cocoa powder

1-2 droppers vanilla or cocoa stevia

1-3 TBSP water or almond milk

Put the flour and cocoa powder in a bowl. Then add the stevia and 2 tablespoons of the water or milk (add more as needed). I don't like to mix it too much so I can get a good swirl in it. The more liquid you add, the more it turns into a frosting or a pudding!

As you can see, I'm loving some peanut protein these days. I love the texture of this peanut butter oat cake. It's not mushy at all and it's a really tasty treat after a long day!

Truth be told, this is a recycled picture, but I had these oats with apple cranberry chia jam (inspired by Stuft Mama) and peanut fudge for dinner again last night too. I need quick protein options some times and this totally hits the spot!

So, what have you neglected lately?

Case Study Complete, Now We Wait...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Well, I finished the course...

It is the weirdest feeling to complete something that you work so hard for and then wait...

I shut down completely yesterday and focused completely on my case study. I think it kind of freaked Tony out since he kept checking on me. I was so quiet and focused. I had to give it everything I had and I really think I did.

Now I have to get my CPR/AED certification. I had no idea it was so expensive. Yes, I'm cheap and while I have no problem putting money towards my education, when it comes down to spending $100 for a one day study, that kind of overwhelms me. I have no choice though or I don't get my certification. So, I have to suck it up and pay the price!

All of this kind of led me to thinking about something today. When I finally finished my case study and pushed the send button, I realized that I have one of the most important parts of the reason I want to help others with nutrition and health...I have you guys, an incredible support system.

I'm bringing this up because I really do believe that having people around you to support you in your path is so important for success. Negativity will only hold us back and I am so guilty of letting people that don't support me make me believe that I am less than I am or that I don't deserve great things. I realize now that I am worth it and I while I may not be perfect and things may not come out as planned, at least I tried and learned along the way.

Over the past year, I have learned so much about people. I have met some amazing people (online and in person) and (luckily) I already knew some amazing people. Being another year older and hopefully wiser, I am going to focus on surrounding myself with these good people. I've had enough thinking about the bad people and wishing they were more or allowing them to control my thoughts. It's a waste of time and energy for me. Thank you to all of you that stand by me and support me. You really do make a difference!

Now it's time to work on a business plan...

Weekend Treats! Cake, Icing and Pie Oh My...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Weekend of treats...

We started it off by going to our friends' house to have dinner on Friday night. That was such a great time. They had a baby 3 months ago and with all the holiday stuff and colds we had going on before the first of the year, this was our first opportunity to meet the new little guy. He is such an angel. I got me some sweet baby cuddle time in and now I'm set for a little while. It just happened to be mine and our friend Chris' birthday on Saturday so I baked my gluten free angel food cake and took some seven minute icing (and strawberries) for a little celebration.

I woke up to this card Saturday morning...

I love being married to my best friend! Tony LOVES that I am 1 month and 10 days older than him. He says I'm a cougar for that month. It cracks me up every time. Oh and what died...was my youth. Love that card. Makes me giggle every time I look at it.

We rolled the dice and went out to linner (lunch and dinner at once). We went to P.F. Changs which the kids love and it was a treat. Tony and I have been sick since we walked out of the place. I will spare you the details, but food allergies and intolerances are no fun when risking going out. Oh well, at least I was showered with love and had tons of fun with my boys! The day ended with us watching one of my all time favorite movies, Stand By Me. What a great day!

Tony and I did wake up with that same nasty feeling so, instead my usual oats, I went with a savory egg white omelet with sauteed kale, peppers and onions topped with nutritional yeast and hot sauce.

I think I need to have this more often. Wow, what a great combination!

We also each had a shot of apple cider vinegar. That actually did help. I highly recommend it to everyone. Tony was shocked that it seemed to help him pretty quickly too!

I did not end up having a birthday cake on my birthday, but I did start craving some birthday crustless pumpkin pie on Sunday afternoon...

with some seven minute icing of course! I didn't have any whipped cream so I lightened up my seven minute icing and it came out so light and fluffy! It was the perfect topping for my birthday treat!

Extra Light and Fluffy Seven Minute Icing

(makes about 3 cups)

3 large egg whites or 9 TBSP

2/3 cup sugar

1 dropper vanilla NuNatural stevia

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp cream of tarter

In a large stainless-steel bowl, combine the egg whites with the sugar, salt and cream of tartar. Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of boiling water. Beat the egg whites at high speed until stiff and glossy, about 7 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat, add the vanilla stevia and continue to beat at high speed until the frosting is cool to the touch, about 5 minutes longer. Use the frosting immediately. It will store covered in the fridge for a couple of days, but it will stiffen up a bit.

It was dark when we finally ate the pie, so no picture of the final treat. Between the four of us, it's almost gone! Besides the funky feeling in the guts (that's the PG version) and the lack of getting anything worthwhile done, it was a pretty great birthday weekend with my guys.

So, it's Monday and that means getting to business! Have a great one!

Not Wordless Wednesday...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:07:00 +0000

I wish I could say this was a wordless Wednesday, but it has been the complete opposite for me. Things are beyond crazy for me right this minute. I ran around taking care of have tos today (gotta love the DMV) and I am really getting behind on things (yeah, we had no food in the house...oops). I am almost done with my certification. I have to complete my essay and my case study...then I will be done. So, that is my focus for the rest of the week. I'm ready to be done! This monkey is getting off my back this week!

Kale Chips and Wings

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Oh Monday, we meet again. I miss my sleeping in already. I got my rear out of bed today at 5:45am to workout which felt pretty wrong after sleeping in until 8am on Saturday and 9am on Sunday. What a treat it was to actually sleep that late! Today...not so much...

Speaking of the weekend, it was full of cleaning, resting, documentaries (I'll share more on those later) and family time. I wish I had a little more time to do a little bit more, but really I'm always looking for more time. I really don't ever think there is enough. We did have our fun family dinner night on Friday...

Kale chips are to me what hot wings are to Tony...

I love the crunchy mess they are to eat. It gets everywhere! Max and I have been waiting all week for our snack night dinner so when Friday night came, it was time for kale chips!

I sprinkled these with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.

Max and I ate the whole batch in one sitting! I have no shame...

I also roasted peppers and carrots and served all of this with socca crackers, fresh mozzarella (nutritional yeast for me) and roasted chicken for the guys. It's been too long since our hors d' oeurves dinner. So much fun and so delicious!

Tony got his wings on Saturday. We rarely go out for dinner, but we decided that after cleaning the house all day and doing other odds and ends that a treat out was just what we all needed. It was a blast with the boys. I also scored some great workout clothes at TJMaxx! Love that place for great prices on workout clothes (which also happen to be work clothes).

I'm not especially looking forward to this week...I have to get my driver's license renewed and I have to get my car tags renewed. Yeah, be jealous now. I also threw a fit like a two year old because the online system told me that I can't renew my license online and that I have to go to the customer service facility. Now that sounds like fun, right! I will try to put my positive foot forward and hope to at least get some good people watching out of it.

Are you looking forward to anything this week? Give me something good!

Chia Jam!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

New addiction...

can you see it?

look closer...

Chia Seeds!

This was still warm and completely incredible! The amazing Stuft Mama posted a brilliant idea the other day for fruit chia jam. Since I've been making chia puddings like it's my job these days, I knew right away I had to try this too!

I cooked 1/2 cup rolled oats with 1 1/2 cups water on 50% power for four minutes. I let it sit in the microwave while I made my jam...

Then I stirred my oats, topped it with 1/4 cup almond milk and then put my warm apple cranberry chia jam on top...

then I topped the whole thing with my peanut butter "fudge" (peanut flour, cocoa stevia, pinch of salt and a little water)!

This was the perfect mix of warm, gooey, sweet and tart!

Apple Cranberry Chia Jam

inspired by Stuft Mama and Kasey

1 large apple, diced

1/2 cup fresh cranberries

1/4 cup water

1 TBSP chia seeds

1 dropper NuNaturals vanilla stevia

Cook the apples, cranberries and water on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally. The cranberries should pop and the apples should be soft, but not mush. When the fruits are cooked, remove from the heat and add the chia and stevia. Allow to rest for a few minutes or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Here's some information on chia seeds for those that are interested. I've really been focused on getting my omega fats in and this is a really delicious way to do just that. Chia seeds are a great source of amino acids too, which are extraordinarily important for our health. Also, I think they are so cute and look like tiny dinosaur eggs.

Have you tried chia or can you not get past the chia pets?

Black Beans, Millet and Variations On A Theme...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

I will eventually get into some details of my studies and do a review of the course I'm taking but for now you get some quickie tips on eating well in a hurry since that seems to be all I do now.

Do you see a theme...

Black beans, millet, fresh yellow peppers, fresh tomatoes, cilantro and apple cider vinegar

tupperware everywhere...

Black beans, millet, slightly steamed broccoli, fresh tomato, nutritional yeast and apple cider vinegar

I'm constantly throwing odds and ends in a tupperware, shaking it up and throwing it in a cooler bag for later. After many bummer meals in the beginning of studying and work, I realized that the easiest thing for me to do for quick, healthy complete meals is to cook a few good protein choices along with a couple of complimenting grains (I am all over this subject these days - food combining has become a bit of an obsession for me, more on that later) and to have some fresh herbs and vegetables to throw in the mix for variety! My shot of apple cider vinegar is my acid of choice to brighten the flavors and dinner is served!

This saves so much time and frustration when there is nothing to eat around the house. Being able to pick and choose my added flavors is like going to a salad bar with all my favorite foods! Who doesn't love that?

What's your favorite salad mix? I need ideas!

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:26:00 +0000

Well, hello friends! Long time no talk. I guess you've heard by now...it's a new year. We brought in the new year with friends and it was such a great time. The food was amazing and the good times even better!

My friend Nayoung always puts out a great spread of food! We also had vegetarian chili and beef stew!

I brought some of my gluten free angel food cake with seven minute icing for late night treats!

I will tell you that the crazy xbox dance party we had until 4am left me a little on the exhausted side on Sunday. While we did not take the tree down, we did have our traditional New Years dinner. That is a must no matter how tired we are. I seared and roasted pork tenderloin served with black eyed peas and steamed cabbage. I always find it interesting to hear about others' traditions for holidays and since I grew up with the pork, beans and greens tradition, I am happy to pass it on to my boys. We all look forward to this meal! Do you have a traditional New Years meal or New Years eve dish you have to have?

To tell you the truth, I'm pretty excited about 2012. I've had my good years and I've had my bad. 2011 was definitely an odd year for me and sadly not good for some of my close friends. I had my share of lows this year, but I really tried to see through those and grow from them. That's definitely a hard thing for me to do, especially when it comes to personal pain, but I would like to think I grew from those experiences (which I consider my good for the year). I had to make some really hard decisions, but they were my decisions and I'm standing by them.

Professionally, I feel like I've really grown and am continuing to grow it! I'm working on some pretty great things for me right now. I'm doing my case study for my Specialist in Fitness Nutrition Certification and then I will be done with that course (cross your fingers all will be good on that end). I hit my goal of finishing the course before the new year, now I'm giving myself one more week to complete everything. I've also decided to go for my Personal Training Certification right after that. I know, crazy. My brain is like a sponge right now! I have a feeling getting certifications is gonna be a crazy addiction for me...but a good one for sure. I want to combine my career as a chef with those certifications to really put my focus on helping other's achieve there health goals. The kitchen seems to be such an intimidating part of changing peoples' health and it happens to be my favorite part! I want to write more and I want to be in the kitchen more. I really miss my kitchen lately, but I know me not being in it so much right now is a good thing. I guess working on being more patient is something I need to work on too.

Speaking of which, do you do resolutions? I HATE resolutions. I feel like I'm setting myself up for failure with resolutions. I'm a goal person, but I like making specific goals that are things I can actually achieve with a plan. Making unrealistic resolutions with no plan of action sets me up for failure fast. I have a lot of plans for change this year. I will go into detail once I take the time to figure out how to achieve these changes. I'm really excited though! For now, I have to focus on my course and then I can put my plan into action!

To all of you out there (my friends), I really appreciate your support and encouragement this past year. I look forward to a great year with all of you! I wish you all an incredibly health and happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:07:00 +0000

It had to happen...we had to leave New York behind. It was definitely a completely different experience going with kids and actually doing family stuff. It was a trip of a lifetime and we all had such an incredible time.

These were just some of my favorite shots. The last one being the icing on the cake...Max passed out in the taxi on the way to our flight home.

I know most of you are gone and off to be with family. We will be doing the same soon if only for a short time. I want to wish you all a very Happy Holiday! Please travel safe and I look forward to hearing all about your holiday adventures!