Starting Week 3....or Week 2 Again

I have a few thoughts that I figured, since I'm here, updating my blog after being missing for...months, I might as well say what I want to say.  I feel off the wagon.  Not hard, but enough to have a little bump, and I think it's completely ok.  Here's the deal, being dedicated 100% of the time is ideal, but the average person (who I have classified as someone who doesn't work as a trainer, or own a gym, or has a part time job, or a stay at home job, or a significant other, or who doesn't have a passion for good food or drinking with friends) will find it very difficult, almost impossible to be 100% perfect with their eating habits. This is a totally fine concept, and realistically, being mentally strong is part of this dedication.  I also think its a poor excuse to say everything that I've said above - but finally, I think that there is an absolutely sound and reasonable happy medium.  I live, currently in that medium.  I understand the need to have indulgences, but I also understand the need to pick and choose, to not over-indulge and to listen to what you're body is telling you (for the most part; if your body is screaming that you need cheese fries every day, tell it to STFU). I also know my triggers and I think that this is a HUGE piece of understanding food and fitness and how to have a "healthy" relationship with food.  I know that a lot of wheat gives me migraines, I know that dairy makes my stomach sad.  I know that while I love fruit, too much of it keeps me from the fitness goals I want and that I should reach for veggies instead.

So here it is, I feel off the wagon a bit...and it was worth it. The weather in Chicago finally hit that temperature and feeling that keeps people living in Chicago.  And while during my Whole 30, alcohol is a no no, who can turn down a drink in a beer garden and some appetizers? Mmmm, not I said the fly.  So there I sat, with a beer, and then half a tequila drink - and some deliciously fresh chips, salsa and tacos at Big Star.  Here's the part where I tell you how I chose - I chose the chips, so I sacrificed the tortillas of the taco.  Small cheat - totally ok.  That's the point of this post - to let people know that as important as it is to be dedicated, it is just as important to be realistic and be true to your expectations. More so, it's important to know what your triggers are, and that if you are challenged with being able to say no to something, or restrict yourself to smaller portions - stay away from it until you have gained that relationship. As a result, I'm counting this as my second week and have added another week to my 30 days.  I think I owe it to myself to actually challenge myself instead of making excuses where I see it fit.

Finally - a few tips on eating paleo, primal, following a whole 30esq program - be realistic with recipes also. I've done this before.  I did it once where I didn't really call it paleo - I looked at more so as low-carb, low alcohol and low fat.  Doing it this way didn't even make me really deviate from my normal cooking much, just changed what my expectations were of meals.  I would make Steve, rice, and I would load up on veggies.  The difference then? I had a wedding dress and very expensive alterations to fit into - so I was really cautious.  The one time I went "paleo" and was "strict" about it, and I spent all this money on arrowroot powder and different "flours", sauces - things that were gluten free.  This is challenging. The portions of a lot of these items are small and they're expensive, and most recipes have so many of these ingredients as an attempt to make the recipes taste like they were made with non-paleo approved ingredients.  This time around, I'm realizing that its all about KISS - keep it simple, sucker.  Here's my tip and my last thought - just keep it simple.  Eat real meat and real veggies, and let that be your paleo way. Determine the few things that you really cant live without, and find some paleo recipes for that - but have them as a treat versus a daily thing.

Enjoy, eat well, live well - be well!

Nearly Paleo "Golumbki" - AKA Stuffed Cabbage

I have great childhood memories of my mom's stuffed cabbage.  She'd cook it in this old dutch oven, sprinkled with white specks where it was once black and worn down.  It might be so old that it might have been my great grandma's but I'm not so sure.  My mom made plenty of dishes in that pot - roasted chicken and gravy, roasts with veggies browned from the meat drippings, meatloaf (not a fan of ever, sorry ma) and my favorite, stuffed cabbage.  My mom would always make plain meatballs, not wrapped in the cabbage in case one of us four kids didn't like the cabbage, and then extra pieces of cabbage for those of us (me, me!) who loved the cabbage.  The sauce always was thick and delicious, and I loved to top my rice with the sauce and the extra cabbage.  It's one of those things that my mom didn't make often because it was always best for a cold, winter day and not everyone in the family liked the cabbage (my dad was more interested in stuffed peppers, which I think the rest of us could have done without). 


As I mentioned before, I have this organic share and like Forest Gump's box of chocolate, "ya never know whatcha gonna get".  This week, I got cabbage.  Cabbage is one of those veggies that I enjoy, but that I have to truly craft to get Steve to enjoy it as much as I do.  The idea popped into my head - stuffed cabbage! But oh, shit, I'm grain free - ohhh the disappointment! Then the idea came to me. I've used cauliflower as a rice substitute before, why not do it this time too? So I went to work and I will say, I think it was pretttty successful.  I did make ONE mistake though, and I've corrected it in the recipe but will tell you here what that mistake was - I reached out to my mom to determine what she used as sauce, and she mentioned she either used tomato soup or tomato puree.  Wanting to keep this as organic and natural and paleo as possible, I opted for Trader Joe's Organic Creamy Tomato Soup - while this soup is fantastic, and tasty and was great with the stuffed cabbage, it wasn't the right kind of soup.  When my mom uses soup, she means condensed soup, not something with all of the extra liquid added! In the end, my base ended up too soupy and less saucy like I remembered as a kid.  While I did not make it this way, I put this substitute into my recipe below.  

Almost Paleo Stuffed Cabbage

1 lb ground beef (80/100)

1 head green cabbage

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 1/2 c riced cauliflower 

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp tomato paste (save the rest in case you need it for thickening later)

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp salt 

2 c tomato sauce or condensed tomato soup (this is your non-paleo part unless you puree yourself)

Chop off stem of cauliflower and add to large stockpot of water.  Allow to boil slightly, with the goal being to allow the cabbage leave to me moldable, gently release them from the head of cabbage with a spoon as it continues to boil. Remove from water and allow to cool.  

Meanwhile, in medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, onion, riced cauliflower, basil, sage, oregano, tomato paste, salt and egg.  

Form oblong shaped meatballs and roll in cabbage leaves. 

 Leave some unwrapped if you do not have cabbage lovers.  Add to crockpot and pour tomato puree or soup over. Add extra, large pieces of cabbage. Allow to cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.  Serve over cauliflower rice or brown rice. 

I will say, Steve had told me before he ate this that he did not like cabbage. And like so many meals before this, I proved him wrong. He enjoyed the meatballs, liked them with the cabbage and even took a fully wrapped one for his second helping! There were barely leftovers as I was planning for - score! 

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Quiche - Without the fillers

This summer, Steve and I are involved in an organic "share" where we pick up a box of veggies from local farmers every other week.  You basically get whatever their highest growing crop is for the particular week, so it's a little unpredictable.  I try and use everything we get, even though some things are unique or not to our normal taste. We've had some unique veggies that I don't think I would have ever tried on my own - and we've enjoyed them quite a bit, all while supporting local farmers.  One can only do so much with swiss chard, and I usually get a LOT of it, so what better to do than add it into a grain free quiche? Ya'll know how much I love quiche.  It's easy, easy to make paleo and great for leftovers. 


I recently got a Costco membership.  That's a story for another day...I could easily spend hours in that place, combing through all the unique options and sampling all the free food.  They literally have everything and anything one could want, it's semi-insane but also amazingly, awesome.  All that aside, my primary objective of going there was to get some non-gmo, all natural chicken sausage and some turkey burgers.  I try to be superwife, but it gets challenging to balance that and the house, and the dog and cooking, and my fitness goals - so I wanted an option of things I could cook up for Steve instead of making chicken meatballs every week.  I left satisfied, full and wanting more.  I decided to combine my Swiss chard with the chicken sausage to make a delicious, grain free, dairy free (if you want to eliminate it) quiche. 

Filler Free Fancy Quiche

2 c swiss chard

3 sweet italian chicken sausages, chopped

1 small sweet onion, diced

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 - 1/2 c grape tomatoes, diced

1/4 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

4 eggs

4 egg whites

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic, more to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  To a medium fry pan, add 2 tbsp olive oil, onion and Italian sausage. Cook until onions have softened and begun to caramelize and the chicken sausage is browned. Add in Swiss chard and allow to cook down (chard will cook similarly to spinach). In separate bowl, combine eggs, egg whites, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese, beat lightly. Add diced grape tomatoes and sausage mixture.  Grease 9 inch pie dish (I used glass). Pour mixture into the dish, cook for 35 minutes or until the middle is set. 

Bread-less BLAT and Cauliflower "Rice"

I'm week one into my Whole30 challenge and I think I'm doing pretty well. I'm not going to lie, I've cheated a little bit (and by cheated I mean, literally just a bite).  I do not encourage this, I truly believe that one has to be strict and stick to things - however - I'm going to justify my minor cheats in two ways 1.) I already eat really well, I'm just trying to push my limits and since I'm not a crazy snacker or craver, these little bites here and there are not going to ruin this for me, I'm still 98% dedicated and 2.) the premise of a whole 30 progam isn't necessarily just about weight loss or eliminating things from one's diet just to do it, it's to eliminate irritants from one's gut and get them back to a more balanced and detoxified state.  I know my triggers, I cannot do too much dairy, and certain times, I have to watch just how much wheat intake I have. Grains do not affect me negatively, and I also feel that one should not completely deprive themselves, because if you do - you're in for a scary awakening when the program is over.

Overall - I feel great - I already feel leaner and my clothes are fitting looser (woo hoo!).  I did not do a good job of taking measurements/pics so unfortunately, those will most likely be a week into the program versus at the very beginning.

So now, onto eating - it's pretty silly of me to share the "recipe" for my BLATs - but I guess I can at least let you in on the secret of what the "A" stands for...avocado! Also, in order to keep it "healthier" I used Boar's Head bacon which is all natural, naturally "processed" and nitrate free.  Take it another step and do turkey bacon, as long as you pan fry it, it's still delicious! I used red leafed lettuce as my base and campari tomatoes (these take me back to Italy, they're always perfectly red,  ripe, juicy and tender) and then added the avocado slices (1/2 avocado will get you plenty for two wraps).

Now, onto the good stuff. I barely missed the rice (although I did add JUST a little for texture and to make sure that my hubby was filled up enough) - but it was completely unnecessary to the deliciousness of the dish.  I'll be making this to share for a healthy potluck at work tomorrow - hopefully I win for tastiest, healthy dish!

Here's the deal - you can "rice" your cauliflower a few different ways.  Have a Ninja or a Food Processor? Good for you, you're in luck - because this is the EASIEST way to rice it. Remove medium florets from the cauliflower head, throw into food processor or ninja and just pulse until small "grains" are created.  Be careful not to over do it and make it too small. In other words, if you  have some bigger pieces hanging out, you're better off removing those and trying them on their own than trying to make the rest of it too small.  Don't have one of those lovely electronics? You aren't out of luck - you can either knife dice them into small pieces, or use your cheese grater!

Sauteed Onion Cauliflower "Rice"

2 TBSP Bacon grease (you could also add bacon and use olive oil plus the bacon fat)

1/2 medium sweet onion, diced

1/2 - 3/4 c cooked brown rice - optional

1 1/2 C "riced"cauliflower (I used a yellow cauliflower, the taste might be slightly more mild)

salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Heat bacon grease (or olive oil).  Add the onions and cook down until translucent and softened.  Add salt and pepper. Add in brown rice and allow to heat and being to crisp. If you are not adding this, just add the cauliflower.  Cook the cauliflower about 5-7 minutes, or until slightly softened with still a bit of a crunch.  Season with garlic and any additional salt and/or pepper. 

Crockpot Paleo Creamy "Pasta"

I know that eating Whole 30 and challenging isn't the right kind of forever lifestyle for me, but I think it's great to do 85-90% of the time, especially once you've been dedicated for a set amount of time.  I know what you're thinking - "isn't this pretty 'crash diet' focused?", "shouldn't changing eating habits be a lifestyle change, not just a quick fix?", "aren't you all about everything in moderation?".  Yes.  The answer to all of  your concerns and judgment is, yes.  I do think, however, that there are times that one needs a re-calibration of what is realistic for their lifestyle and eating habits and eating whatever one wants and working out and maintaining weight, isn't always the best thing because your body adjusts and prevents one from getting further in their fitness goals.

Image from Steamy Kitchen

All that said - it is so hard to go from eating in moderation anything you want...and then cutting it all out cold turkey. It doesn't work, it won't happen and you will fail.  I decided that there is a moment of ease in this - and with that I eased in with something that completely followed the rules, but didn't taste like it did. I realized that coconut milk...is a God send.  I immediately looked for uses for it and was amazed at what I found. Ok, enough about the food, lets get to it!

Creamy Tomato Spaghetti Squash

Adapted from Stir It Up

2 small spaghetti squash or one medium one

1.5 lbs chicken breast or thighs (I used thighs as I felt they'd give the rich flavor I was looking for) 

1 - 8oz can low sodium chicken broth

1 package all natural chicken sausage (I use Aidell which is all natural and comes in an organic version. I used the chicken and apple but there are a lot of fantastic flavors!)

1/2 c canned coconut milk (this should be thick, not like the coconut milk to drink)

1 can tomato sauce

1/4 c tomato paste for thickening if necessary

1/2 c fire roasted tomatoes 

1 1/2 c fresh spinach

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

 1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp oregano

1-2 tsp fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp oregano

1 1/2 tsp finely grated sea salt, more to taste

Pepper to taste

In crockpot, add chicken and chicken  broth.  Cook on high 3-4 hours, remove chicken and shred, adding back to the crockpot with coconut milk, tomato sauce, tomaot paste, fire roasted tomatoes and seasonings.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees, cut off both the top and bottom of the spaghetti squash and then slice down the middle (hot dog bun way). Lightly brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place flesh down onto cookie sheet. Roast 30-40 minutes or until flesh can easily been scraped into "noodles" (you can do this ahead of time and just save the cooked/shredded squash in the fridge.  Once cooked, add the spaghetti squash and spinach to the crockpot allowing to cook on low several minutes.  If you are adding the chicken sausage, slice thin and fry up - then add to the crockpot and serve! 

Plain Egg Whites and Black Coffee - Straight Up

I'll post before and after pics and measurements later,  but since I usually leave before Steve in the morning it was hard to actually get someone to take pictures. Unfortunately, they will be 4 days in.  I thought I'd share my meals and workouts this week (or at least a general idea) as well as a recipe that I really recommend for a clean eater who is too busy to make meals every day or have a huge prep day.  No food pics, sorry - I can't do everything :).

This week's workouts:

• Sunday - Jaime Eason's LiveFit Day 4 Shoulder Workout+ high pulls + Chest Incline Press
• A note on this Jaime Eason workout - she is ridiculous.  Steve and I did this together and it was challenging, quick, and effective.  We both were pretty wiped out and sore afterward!
• You can access her whole program HERE - I plan on following a few of her workouts throughout my whole 30 challenge
• Monday - Running program - 10 minute run at increasing intervals starting 6.3 and ending at 6.8. 15 minute of sprint/walk intervals changing pace every minute, increasing sprints up to 11mph. 5 minute jog at 6.3 mph, cool down
• Leg Daaaay! Started with a pyramid: 20 squats, 30 lunges, 40 toe touches, 50 second wall sit, 100 jumping jacks, and then back up (we just did the down so we could lift too)
• Leg curl - 25x1, 15x3
• Squats - 15x3
• Sumo Squats - 15x3
• Straight Leg Deadlifts - 15x3
• Leg Extensions - 25x1, 15x3
• Tuesday - "Rest" Day - 2 mile walk, 1 hour of softball
• Wednesday - Power Spin - Angel's class is INSANE.  We completely fogged up the studio halfway through. He structures it so that we do power sprint intervals and never take down the resistance.  This is certainly no ride in the park and I love it
• Thursday - Bis and Tris + Cardio
• TRX Trainer Bicep Curls
• TRX Trainer Tricep Extension
• Bicep and Tricep circuit with abs
• Incline Terrain - 25 minutes
• Friday - Full Rest Day - went shopping instead :)
• Saturday - planning on doing interval sprints for 30-35 minutes plus Back and Chest followed by a massage 

I'll keep the food basic with some general meals and snacks unless there were deviations:

• Breakfast - as the title suggests, I ditched my splenda, my truvia, my almond/coconut milk..my everything and went full on black coffee to pair with my egg whites.  In the beginning of the week I eased into blandness and had egg whites with sauteed onion, green pepper, mushroom and tomatoes and added one packet of splenda and a splash of almond and coconut milk to my coffee
• Snacks - smoked salmon on cucumber slices, all natural chicken sausage (sometimes added to egg whites), small apple, fruits and veggies as I had them and needed them, cashews, almonds, pistachios
• Dinner - protein and veggies is all you realllly need to know, BUT I'm going to be sharing a recipe for Creamy Tomato Spaghetti Squash that I had for dinner one night.  I also had a breakfast skillet of sweet potatoes topped with poached egg and had a salad from Potbellys and egg white breakfast one day for lunch

Enjoy! TBC....

Whole 30 Challenge - Days 1 and 2

I decided to embark on a Whole 30 challenge - AKA Paleo lifestyle for at least the next 30 days.  I'm a pure glutton for bad weekend binges and one too many calories from beer and decided that if I wanted to truly challenge myself, that I would have to be strict and realistic.  I have done Paleo before, but also bent the rules as I saw fit.  Before my wedding, my diet was mostly starch free and fast, fried food free, alcohol free- the whole gamete. I figured, why not see if I can push myself to my limits and embark on both a mental and physical challenge.

I had been asked several times in the past few months if I had ever considered competing in a figure competition.  The questions intrigued me and got me curious as if I could put myself through such a strenuous and strict routine.  Based on when I would want to compete and our heavy wedding season, I deemed it unrealistic for this year and decided to at least see where I could go being almost as strict as if I were competing.  The concept started in which I was going to do the 21 day Beach Body Challenge.  After research and looking at what restrictions there were, I came to the conclusion that the 21 day challenge mostly eliminated things that I already avoid for the most part.  Enter the Whole 30 Challenge.  In this capacity I will be restricting the following for 30 days (I have already scheduled one day, a friend's bachelorette party, that I MIGHT have a glass of wine):

• No Alcohol
• No White Starches
• No Grains (not even ancient grains, i.e. quinoa)
• No Legumes or beans (with the exception of sugar snap peas and green beans)
• No Sugar (I am to avoid even artificial, for the first week I'm trying to just put a little in my coffee and then hopefully eliminating from there)
• No Fast Food/Processed food
• No Dairy (bye cheese, I'll miss you!)

So what exactly am I going to be eating? Meats, veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts - cavewoman style.  I'm on day two - I had kind of a rough day yesterday and wanted just a little bit of comfort, so I had ONE tortilla chip - i couldn't help it.  I've been eating egg white with veggies for breakfast the past few days, I had a chicken breast and fruit for lunch and then this great crockpot, spaghetti squash dish which had chicken, tomato sauce, coconut milk, spinach and spaghetti squash.  I topped it with a poached egg and it was pretty tasty - that's my lunch today and tonight we'll be having lettuce wrap tacos and something on the side, not sure what yet though! I've been snacking on cashews, apples and smoked salmon with cucumber (sooo yummy!) 

TBC....

IOU

I owe a bunch of recipes.  I've been writing them down and trying to take pictures when I remember, but somehow, life got really busy and I haven't been able to dedicate the time here that I want! I hosted Mother's Day Brunch again this year and made an awesome breakfast pizza of sorts with bacon, ricotta cheese and apricot jam.  It was super easy and I'll post a recipe for that soon. Here is a list of recipes to come (provided I can find where in my scattered mind I put the recipes...):

*Homemade carbonara
*Better than Take Out Chicken and Broccoli
*Sweet and Savory Breakfast Pizza
*Breakfast Waffle Sandwich
*Goat Cheese and Sausage Orzo
*Fiesta Rice Salad
*Easy Sausage and Broccoli Casserole
*Crockpot Taco Soup
*Puppy Chow Bars

Ciao for now! IOU

Orzo with Sausage, Spinach and Goat Cheese

I had some leftover orzo in the fridge that I knew I'd get to and make something yummy with.  I mean, its orzo, how could anyone go wrong cooking with it? I opted for an Italian inspired side to go with the lemon chicken I was marinating for Steve and myself for dinner tonight.  This is great for a quick side, double the recipe to feed more than two :).

I have a love hate relationship with goat cheese.  Sometimes it totally weird's me out and other times its like the best things I've set me...buds on? This recipe calls for just enough goat cheese to give you the flavor without overpowering.  If you are a goat cheese fan, by all means - carpe diem, throw in some more!

Orzo w/ Sausage, Spinach & Goat Cheese

1 1/2 C Cooked Orzo

1 TBSP Butter

1 Italian Sausage with Peppers and Provolone

1/2 C Sweet Onion, diced

1/2 C Fresh Spinach, chopped

1 TBSP Fresh Goat Cheese Crumbles

Saute the sausage until browned, chop and crumble. Add butter and onions.  Allow to cook down, until onions become slightly translucent.  Add in spinach and allow to reduce.  Add orzo, mix well to combine and lower heat to low. Add in goat cheese and combine, allowing the goat cheese to melt and coat the pasta.  Season with garlic and salt. Serve immediately. 

Loaded Baked Potato Soup - Warming up Chiberia

I think to date, Chicago has officially entered one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record in decades. So far, in this winter alone, Chicago has accumulated almost 40 inches of snow. Early last week we were released early from work because of such severe weather alerts! That can only result in one solution - some homemade soup and fresh flowers to cheer up the gloomy day. The hubby loves soup of any kind - and while chicken noodle is a crowd favorite, I always like to see if I can create a new favorite. This time around I opted for Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Who doesn't love loaded anything? It has bacon, creaminess, cheese - cheesy, carby goodness.  #Winner.  

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

4 Large Red Potatoes, skin on, diced

1 Onion, chopped

8 - 10 Strips Bacon, cooked and chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

4 TBSP Butter

1/3 C All Purpose Flour

1 C Half and Half 

1 C Skim Milk

3 C Vegetable or Chicken Broth

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1/3 C Sour Cream

1 C Shredded Sharp Cheddar + Garnish

Green onions - garnish

Microwave or quick boil potatoes to cut down on cook time. 

 Saute onion, bacon (less 2 slices for garnish) and garlic in large stockpot until onions are browned and bacon is crisp. Remove and set aside.  Melt butter in stockpot on medium heat and whisk in flour, creating a roux. Add milk and half and half and whisk together, cook several minutes and allow to thicken.  Add in broth, potatoes, bacon, onion, salt and pepper. Cook on low at least 40 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender and base has thickened.  Stir in sour cream and 1 c cheese. Serve with extra bacon, cheese and green onions. 

Bodybuildin' Banana Bread

I always tell the story of how when the twins were younger, since they had a lot of ear infections and were slightly delayed in speech that my mom took them for and evaluation (don't worry, they're fine). What sticks out about the evaluation wasn't that they were completely normal (although living with them almost their entire lives, "normal" is a relative term) but what they did with the bananas. The psychologist had them each in separate rooms and allowed them to just play while she observed. At the conclusion she came to my mom and said, "Mrs. Shirahama, the boys are developing just fine. Although I do have to say there was something that struck me as a bit odd. They both took the bananas and put them in the freezer. I've never seen such a thing."  To my moms embarrassment, she was always putting whole bananas in the freezer once they started to brown. Those did, after all, make the best banana bread. So there you have it folks. Want good banana bread? Freeze the bananas. 

I told a lady at work this secret and she scoffed saying how disgusting bananas are when you've frozen them and then try and revive them, their skin nearly disintegrating as you try and peel them. She had one bit of my banana bread, made with browned, frozen bananas and she was singing a different tune. 

So as you all know, I'm eating like a meathead (I don't hate it) and Steve would prefer that I abstain from my baking a bit and I'm left feeling...empty? And yes - the same mind of empty that I felt when we completed all seasons of "Breaking Bad" and again at the conclusion of "Sons of Anarchy". So to my kitchenaid I went, ipad in hand, superb google skills at bay and searched for something to make with those brown, frozen bananas that were starting to overtake my freezer door. I stumbled upon, ok fine, on bodybuilder.com (insert hand slapping forehead and shaking in shame), a banana bread recipe that had no flour, no sugar and...no taste? No, all joke aside, the components made sense and I could see this turning into something beautiful, or at least tasty. 

BODYBUILDIN BANANA BREAD
Adapted from Bodybuilding.com

2 medium-sized ripe Bananas
3/4 cup rolled Oats
3 Whole Eggs plus 2 Egg Whites (beaten)
1 tsp raw honey
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 cup light vanilla almond Milk
1 tsp Baking Powder

2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (I used Nectar by Syntrex, next time I'll try the Usana)

                                                   1/4 c dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. If using frozen bananas, allow to thaw and mash thoroughly. If using overripe bananas, just mash. Add in almond milk and eggs, mix to combine. Add honey and vanilla and mix until combined.  Add dry ingredients, blending until a batter forms. This batter will be somewhat thin if you use the Nectar protein powder as it is a whey isolate. I would imagine with a thicker powder, usual get a thicker batter. If using chocolate chips, fold in now. Pour into greased loaf pan and cook 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Whaaat? Puppy Chow Bars?

I did something bad today. And by bad, I mean dangerous.  And by dangerous, I mean delicious, oh dear God so delicious and decadent...and EASY.  I made puppy chow...bars.  Did your mind just get blown? I wanted to make a little something sweet but also wanted to save the cookies for Valentine's Day (which I didn't make...) and wanted something quick since I was traveling this week. OH. EM. GEE.  These are the best of both worlds when it comes to bars and puppy chow.  Everyone loves puppy chow, but no one loves the powdered-sugar coated fingers that they experience from digging in, time after time, after time. Problem solved. Bar form = clean hands without the delicious flavor sacrifice.  

The only downside? When there is cup after cup of puppy chow, no one really notices when you eat a huge handful here, a huge handful there - but when you've got them in a 9 x 9 inch pan...its pretty obvious when you've devoured the whole pan before you could share it.  Simple solution? Cut them up...plate them, and indulge without anyone knowing :). 

Puppy Chow Bars

Makes 16 Bars

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

6 Large, Jet-puffed Marshmallows

1 1/2 c Chocolate Chips

3/4 C Chunky Peanut Butter

1/2 C Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

4 C Chex Cereal (I used rice but you can use any grain you wish)

Powdered Sugar

In large, microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate, mashmallows, peanut butter, and peanut butter chips. Melt for 45 seconds, remove and stir and continue to melt in 15 second increments until melted, being careful not to scorch the chocolate. Add the cereal and stir to combine, crushing the cereal roughly as you go. NOTE: you want the cereal to blend but not be finely crushed.  Think kind of half and half - half crushed roughly, half full cereal. Once fully combined, pour into lightly greased 9x9 inch pan.  Press down ensuring bars are tightly pressed.  Dust with powdered sugar and allow to cool completely before cutting.  Cut, serve, say "Mmmm". 

The Good, the Bad and the Healthy

We hosted the Superbowl this year.  As usual, I made way too much food because I suffer from Notenoughaphobia - the fear of not having enough food at a party (don't look it up, it's not a real phobia, I'm only a Psychologist per undergrad degree, take nothing from me as gospel). I opted to crockpot it up to keep things simple - I love hosting parties, but on a Sunday, the last thing I want to do is spend my entire weekend cooking.  The menu included: Lime Tequila Chicken Tacos, Enchilada Shredded Beef Tacos, Chili Cheese Dip, Buffalo Chicken Dip, Quesadillas - you get the point.

Needless to say, there were leftovers and since I'm eating relatively bland these days, Steve reaped the benefit of the leftovers revamped.

Enchilada Shredded Beef

Adapted From Becoming Betty

2-3 Lb. Chuck or Pot Roast

1 C Red Enchilada Sauce

1 C Brown Sugar

1 C Coke

2 Cans Roasted Green Chilies

1 TBS Chipotle in Adobo Sauce - use the sauce for medium heat, chop one pepper for hot

Trim large quantities of fat off of roast. Add all ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 8 hours. Remove meat and shred, add back to crockpot and allow to continue to cook another hour or until beef is tender and has soaked in flavor.  Serve in corn or flour tortillas. 

Beef Chimichangas 

4 Large Flour Tortillas

1/2 Can Refried Beans

1 1/2 - 2 C Shredded Beef (use recipe above)

1 C Cooking Oil 

2 C Shredded Mexican Cheese (combination of Monterey Jack, Mild Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla and Asadero)

Salsa 

Sour Cream

Warm refried beans and meat (if leftover from the previous day).  Place tortillas in dishtowel and microwave 45 seconds to warm and make tortillas pliable. Add 2 TBS refried beans, spread throughout tortilla. 

 Add 1/3 c shredded beef on one side ensuring that majority of the juice is drained.  Fold tortilla on two sides, rolling from the third to create a burrito.  

Tuck ends in tightly, using toothpicks if necessary to keep everything in, set aside and continue with remainder of beans and beef.

 Heat oil to fill frypan midway (think enough to cover half of the chimichanga).  Once oil is heated, add filled burritos.  Heat each side until browned, approximately 4 minutes on each side.  Turn down heat, add cheese over top of chimichangas and cover.  Allow cheese to melt - remove from heat, serve with sour cream, salsa and any other desired toppings. 

So why "The Good, the Bad and the Healthy"? His and hers - while Steve enjoyed this indulgent meal complete with Chile lime roasted corn and lime cilantro rice...I had this:

The Healthy

I know, this looks like a #cookingwithbae - quinoa, sauteed chicken and pan seared veggies.

The Bad 

The cold weather has Rosie dumpster diving, ripping up mail, jumping on furniture...

A Little Advice - Choosing the Right Sports Bra

This obviously has nothing to do with food, but part of my goal within this blog is to offer my journey through life as I see it: food, fitness, fun and travel.  That being said, with my new fitness routine, I've traded my intense running for high intensity walking...which means my ability to people watch while at the gym has increased.  As I stared at the blank tv screen on the treadmill in front of me (my gym is...how do I say...jenky) and only some of the TVs actually work with the mic input, I suddenly felt the urge to entertain myself.  I looked to my left and observed something frightening - a poor choice for a sports bra.  Now I've been there before in my "barely B's" - where I completely regret my bra decision as I look in the mirror at the gym and realize it looks like I have oddly shaped, medication induced, man boobs.  But here's the thing - when boobs are barely there, one can kind of get away without support - but if you're going to run with those things, you need a good over the shoulder boulder holder. 

I watched as this poor girl ran mile after mile, boobs-a-flapping every which way.  I couldn't help but think of how incredibly painful that must be...and how incredibly horrific that sight was. Strap 'em in ladies - here's a guide. 

http://www.jogging101.com/jogging-bra.html

Sports bras, like regular bras, actually come in different types depending on the function or appearance you are looking to get.  They come in typically, three categories: Max Support, High Support and Medium Support.  Sometimes you will see these in a combination such as Low to Medium Support etc. 

Max Support/High Impact (What my treadmill friend could have used versus the yoga s*** she was wearing)

Best used for high intensity sports: running, basketball, aerobics, mountain biking - think anything that you are doing a lot of  bumpin', jumpin' or high intensity activities. 

High Support/Medium ImpactProvides enough support to control bounce for cross training - think hiking, tennis, crossfit.  In my own personal experience, if you are not very...endowed, these will work just fine for running - but I would opt for more max support for sprints. 

Medium Support/Low Impact
These types of bras are best for coverage and low support.  They are typically best for weight training, yoga, walking - they usually are a little thinner in nature and don't have much shaping or extra pads to them. 

There are also other types of sports bras.  You have your compression versus your encapsulation bras.  These are both used to minimize breast movement during your activities (which again, my treadmill friend, did not choose wisely here, ouch!) Typically, compression bras are best suited for A and B cups. These usually come in racerback or scoop back, with racerback being better suited for your medium impact/high support type fitness situations. 

Compression/Encapsulation bras are better suited for your C and D cups and offer the restriction of compression but also offer movement - because of this, they offer more support than compression alone. 

Encapsulation bras are like your every day bra, but in a sports bra form. These are best suited for  D and DD cups.  They house two separate cups and offer no compression at all. 

LIFE OF A SPORTS BRA
Sports bras should be replaced every 6 months or so and typically will hold up best if hand washed.  I typically wash mine with my other gym clothes on a delicate cycle and no heat drying.  For the sports bras that have had a hard day, I add vinegar to the wash cycle to eliminate any stink. 

Check out some of the best sports bras HERE.

Meatless Monday - Caprese Quinoa Bake

This was probably one of my favorite, easy, Meatless Monday meals.  Now that we've been eating more "clean" and "primal", Meatless Monday is a bit of the past, but I will definitely save this as a cheat meal in the future. This dish is classic comfort food meets healthy new lifestyles and does it damn good.  It's another one of those simple, make ahead dishes that is even better the next day and is great served with a side salad or some roasted veggies.  For all you meatetarians out there, try with with some grilled chicken marinated in Italian Dressing, you won't regret it. 

Caprese Quinoa Bake

Adapted from Half Baked Harvest

2 Cups Cooked Quinoa

1 C Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce 

2 TBSP Tomato Paste

1/3 C Half and Half

1/3 C Fresh Parmesan Cheese

1 C Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1 C Grape Tomatoes, halved

1 C Fresh Basil, cut into strips

1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

Rounds of Fresh Mozzarella 

Balsamic Vinaigrette Reduction 

Not the best picture, just trust that I'm not a photographer and the taste is amazing.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat tomato sauce and tomato paste on low heat in saucepan. Once warmed through, add in half and half cream, parmesan, crushed red pepper, salt and paper. Allow to cook until warmed through.  Remove from heat and stir in quinoa. Fold in half of the mozzarella, half the tomatoes and half of the basil. Grease a 9 x 9 baking dish and pour in mixture.  Top with remaining mozzarella as well as round of fresh mozzarella and remainder of tomatoes.  Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes, then turn on broiler for a few minutes until browned and bubbly, carefully watching to ensure it does not over brown.  Top with basil and allow to set 5 minutes before serving.  Serve with balsamic vinagrette reduction drizzled. 

Primal Sweet Potato Hash

I love hash. Ok, that sounded bad. Let me try again, I love food hash (I don't know that that's any better ,but oh well). Corned beef hash, sweet potato hash, sausage hash, hash with eggs, hash with cheese, hash in a skillet.  In an effort to keep things simple and interesting while dabbling in more primal eating, I opted for a Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Eggs for dinner one night.  I liked this dish because the hash itself could be made ahead of time, and reheated in a skillet when ready to be served.  I served Steve's with scrambled eggs, which are usually my egg of choice as well, but opted for a fried egg for myself.  Breaking the yolk into the hash really adds to the flavor and texture and I would highly recommend serving with the latter.  

Sweet Potato Hash 

2 TBSP Coconut Oil

2 Fresco Buffalo Chicken Sausages, skin removed and crumbled

6 Pieces of Bacon, chopped

2 Small Orange Peppers

1 Medium Onion, diced

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes or 3 cups, peeled and diced small

1/4 tsp Chili Powder

Garlic, salt and pepper to taste

In large fry pan, melt coconut oil on medium heat.  Add in onions, bacon, sausage and orange peppers. Once bacon is crisp and sausage is cooked all the way through, add sweet potatoes allowing to cook on one side for several minutes until softened and browned, and then flipping to brown the other side.  Season with garlic, salt, pepper and chili powder.  

Remove from heat, cook eggs as desired and serve.