January 2013 -

Overnight Chia Berry Kefir Bowl

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 31, 2013
Post category:Breakfast / Dinners / Health / Home Life / Recipes / Snacks / Workouts
Post comments:4 Comments

It’s Thursday! Happy day to you. 🙂

Yesterday I rolled out of bed (I literally do roll out of bed btw) at 5:30 and hit the treadmill for a very leisure 45 minute walk while reading a book and drinking a cup of coffee. Doesn’t that sound nice? It really was. It would be even nicer it I were outside on the beach with the warm sun on my back…ahh less than one month.

Wednesday was day two of my personal “get creative with breakfast” movement. The evening before last, I combined kefir, frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries, chia seeds, chocolate egg white protein powder, and a touch of honey. I gave it a good stir, covered it, and let it sit in the fridge overnight. In the morning I had a refreshingly sweet yet slightly tart chia berry kefir bowl!

For those of you new to kefir, join the club. This is my first week of experimenting with it. Kefir is a fermented milk product. It has the consistency of really thin yogurt and has a tangy flavor. It is a probiotic which has been show to help improve intestinal health by creating a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut and can improve digestion. I bought the plain version to try out but they have flavored versions at the stores now too.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am all about natural ways to stay and get healthy, and after talking about the possibility of adding fermented foods to my diet with my chiropractor, I decided to give it a go. Here’s a link to more info if you are interested: kefir info.

It is 99% lactose free and gluten-free, a good source of vitamin D and calcium, has 12 grams of protein per cup, and only natural sugars. Sold.

Lunch was a hodge-podge of all things—chicken with marinara and cheese, sugar snap peas, carrots, and an apple. I had an afternoon snack of a banana and a clementine.

For dinner I was not in a cooking mood at all but was getting pretty hungry. We were running low on veggies so that was making my dinner decision even more challenging. Then I spotted the sweet potato on the counter that I had bought last weekend and the decision was made. I wanted to experiment with it to see how my body reacted to a more “starchy” vegetable and I really do like sweet potatoes.

I made it the cheater way in the microwave. After scrubbing it down, I poked a bunch of holes into it, placed it on a microwave safe plate and cooked it for 3 minutes on one side, and then 3 minutes on the other. This was a monster of a sweet potato, so I cut it in half and saved one half for another day.

I added cinnamon, honey, peanut butter and raisins, and dug right in.

It was a nice change of pace and I really enjoyed my sweet dinner. I didn’t notice any negative symptoms from it either, but I do want to experiment with it one more time before introducing it more often. Potatoes are a no-no on the SCD but they they may be okay on my Melanie’s moderated diet (MMD), and I want to find out for myself. 🙂

I broiled the second half of the sweet potato in wedges to crisp them up, and refrigerated them for another day. I also finished cooking the bone broth–it needs to simmer for 24 hours to leach the maximum amount of calcium from the bones into the broth.

For a snack later in the evening I ate a few dates and had a couple small handfuls of cashews.

Dana and I sealed the grout lines in the tile in the laundry room last night. Once it was dry we moved the washer and dryer back into place. We haven’t been able to do laundry since last week and I haven’t miss it at all.

It is so exciting seeing the room come together. Next we will be finishing painting the shelves, assembling them, and moving storage bins in! We’re coming along! Don’t forget, once it’s ALL finished I will be sharing photos.

Have a happy day friends! xoxo!

Question of the day: What are your thoughts/experiences on kefir and other fermented foods?

Banana Almond Bread (Gluten-Free)

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 30, 2013
Post category:Breakfast / Dinners / Lunch / Recipes / Workouts
Post comments:6 Comments

Howdy howdy howdy haaa…HAPPY WEDNESDAY! We are halfway through the standard work week! I hope everyone is having a good week so far.

In an effort to amp up my breakfast creativity, I have called on a little challenge with myself to limit my usual banana with peanut butter breakfast to every other day or less often. I love my pb and banana so much but am eating it so frequently in the morning that even I am getting bored of it. I am always up for a good challenge—so there you have it.

I switched it up yesterday and made myself a smoothie.

This is a kefir (first time trying kefir btw), egg white protein powder, strawberry, banana, and kale smoothie. The verdict on kefir? It made for a slightly tart yet sweet smoothie and I really liked it. I’m on the kefir train.

I ate my smoothie in a bowl with a spoon like soup. It makes the moment last longer than drinking it through a straw, and since I truly enjoy the eating experience, it’s a good way to prolong the enjoyment. If I’m in a hurry or running out the door though, it goes straight into a cup with a straw.

Who says you can’t have a cold smoothie in the dead of winter?

For lunch I ate a bunch of sugar snap peas and carrots, followed by leftover chicken salad from the night before with peas…

An apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter…

And I finished lunch with a small handful of cashews and a bite of applesauce. Very random and very satisfying.

After work I headed to the gym and snacked on two clementines. I am lovin’ those little cuties these days. I wasn’t feel super great at the gym which made for a quick trip. I fought my way through 20 minutes on the elliptical and then called it quits. Besides not feeling good, the gym was PACKED, and I just wasn’t feeling the ambiance at all.

At home I completed the rest of my workout which was the 30 Day Abs Challenge circuit.

Next up…dinner. I made a veggie scramble made of red onion, black beans, kale, one egg, cheese, cilantro, salsa, and avocado. It rocked my socks.

For “dessert” I had two dates and a small handful of raisins.

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Banana Almond Bread–back tracking

Back on Friday, I threw together a mean gluten-free, SCD-friendly banana almond bread. I’ve been meaning to share it with you since I first mentioned it, but kept having other things I needed to share! Well now’s the time.

I realize now that I didn’t do a very good job of snapping a photo of the finished banana bread product. All I really have to show for it is this…

It didn’t get the photo recognition that it deserves because it did turn out great! Here is that recipe for you finally.

Banana Almond Bread

Gluten-free; SCD

Ingredients

2 cups almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup apple sauce
2 cups ripe bananas (about 3 small bananas)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spritz a standard bread loaf pan with oil. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
In a medium bowl combine remaining ingredients and beat until thoroughly combined.
Slowly add in dry ingredients into wet, and mix until completely combined.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool before slicing. It will continue to set after it is removed from oven.

I enjoyed the bread plain, or with a little smear of peanut butter, almond butter, or with a little bit of butter. It’s best to store it in the refrigerator and lasts for about one week.

I hope you have time to get fun in the kitchen! Have a HAPPY day.

Question of the day: What is your favorite homemade bread?

My Holistic Approach to Digestive Health

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 29, 2013
Post category:Dinners / Health / Home Life / Misc. / Workouts
Post comments:5 Comments

Happy Tuesday, Happy Tuesday, Happy Tuesday, Tuesday to you.

I had quite the productive Monday morning. It started with a chiropractor visit. I realize I haven’t yet mentioned that I am seeing a chiropractor. And you can really learn more from them. I started having back pain this summer and denied/ignored it for a while before going to seek help. The first chiropractor I found was in my network and in my neighborhood and I began seeing her a couple of times a week. I felt better within a few weeks but as we started to space out our visits the discomfort came back.

I wasn’t ready to give up on chiropractors quite yet, but I wanted a second opinion. I found another chiropractor who uses the Gonstead method in his practice.

Interestingly enough after examining my x-rays, he found that there are three vertebrae and their related nerves which are causing the discomfort. The one that most intrigues me is lumbar five, whose nerve directly functions with gastrointestinal health. You can click to see that if the vertebrae are not aligned correctly therefore the nerve in between is being pinched which causes can disable the body from functioning at it’s highest capacity. Could there be a relation to the ulcerative colitis and my back? Quite possibly!

The chiropractor I am working with has a doctorate of chiropractic and is also a certified chiropractic wellness physician, so not only are we working together to fix my back problems, we are also working together on holistic healing through nutrition and supplements (like naturligt testosteron tillskott för män). He does a great job of answering my questions, offering suggestions, and guiding me towards my ultimate health.

There have been many changes in my diet in the past couple of weeks. This was partly due to my own research, being inspired by others, and the icing on the cake was talking it over with my chiropractor.

My Holistic Approach:

Supplements: I truly believe that if you are eating healthy, and are completely 100% healthy, that you may not need to take a supplement, but for those of us with compromised health, it can be a very good option.
- I am currently taking cod liver oil, a multivitamin, calcium plus vitamin D3, and a probiotic.
Diet: I have eliminated processed sugars and most processed foods.
- I am eating whole foods like fruits, veggies, meat, beans, eggs, nuts, and oils.
- I have begun incorporating coconut oil into baking and cooking as it has been shown to help heal the gut lining.
- I am in the process of incorporating fermented foods like kefir and saurkraut because they can aid in gut healing as well.
- I am beginning to implement homemade bone broth which is an excellent source of calcium, and again, can help heal the digestive tract (do you see a pattern here?).
- I am limiting dairy products.

Physical Activity and Energy Level

In just the short amount of time that I have been living this wholesome lifestyle, I am shocked at the difference I feel already. I am remaining very active. My body feels lighter yet stronger and changes are beginning to show very quickly.
I have found that I function best when I eat 4-5 small meals throughout the day versus 3 big meals in order to maintain my energy level. It is a fun and new challenge to find healthy snacks and meals using natural ingredients.

I’m not perfect

I do my best at maintaining optimal nutrition, but I will ABSOLUTELY allow myself fun foods now and then. I figure if I can go 90/10, favoring the healthy choices, it will be a lifestyle that I will easily be able to maintain.
I WILL be eating my treats now and again, just not as frequently as I was before, but more than likely I will be waiting on those treats until I am completely healed.

I continue to take medicine prescribed by my doctor at west palm beach rehab but will eventually be eliminating it all together and will no longer need it. I am thrilled to say that the combination of the supplements, seeing the chiro, and working with my GI doc, that I am significantly seeing and feeling improvements with the Ulcerative Colitis. I can’t wait for the day when I can say I am finally in remission. That day will be soon.

I am just so amazed by our bodies and what they can do if they are treated kindly. Remember, we are all different and react differently to foods and exercise, so finding the perfect balance for ourselves is the ultimate goal. What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa.

I realize everyone has their own opinion in regards to choosing a chiropractor, physical therapist, doctor, etc., and I have decided to try this route, and so far I am very happy with the progress we have made.

Disclaimer: Before you make any changes to your diet or start any supplements, PLEASE contact your physician or dietitian.

Anyway….after my chiro appointment I had a few errands to run including a tune up to my car. While I waited, I walked over to a nearby Starbucks and ordered tea with honey. I was glad I packed snacks because I was HUNGRY. Besides the homemade trail mix you see below, I also munched on a bag of sugar snap peas and an apple.

After the car appointment, it was home again home again jiggity jag. I got the chicken going in the crockpot so I can put together the bone broth in the next couple of days, I snacked on some dates with peanut butter, then a piece of banana bread, and then got my workout on (in my new workout tee from mom and dad).

I started on the treadmill with a 5 minute walk warm-up. Then I ran 1 mile at 6.0 speed, recovery walk for 2 minutes, 1 more mile at 6.5 speed, recovery walk, and then one last mile at 6.7, followed by a 5 minute cool down walk. Whew!

Next, I worked out the legs. I completed this workout that I found on Pinterest that I’ve done before. Bring on the squats baby. I finished with a 1 minute plank.

This little guy kept me company during the wall-sit portion of the leg workout. Such a good boy ~~sometimes~~.

It was sloppy and slushy yesterday but I took advantage of the warm weather and threw the ball to Moose in the yard. He was loving life. These poor dogs become slightly exercise deprived in the winter when the days become super cold like they were this past week. He is definitely antsy and has been starved for attention lately.

For dinner, chicken salad made with avocado, lemon juice, coconut oil, cilantro, salt and pepper.

And some snacks later on…

Have a great day! xoxo.

Salmon on Sunday

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 28, 2013
Post category:Dinners / Home Life / Recipes / Workouts
Post comments:4 Comments

Happy snowy day here from Minnesota! It is gorgeous outside. Finally, we have snow on the ground again and it feels so right. I just hope the roads are okay because I have a bunch of running around to do today.

So how was everyone’s weekend? Mine was spent working on the laundry room which is really coming along. The walls are painted, and the tile is down. Next will be to seal the cracks of the tile, finish painting a few shelves, and then begin to organize all of our storage bins in there! I’m still really excited about it if you can’t tell!

We are now on to the final week of the 30 Day Abs Challenge which means there is a new workout posted. Here is the final workout circuits. Circuit 5 is a doozy I tell ya. Yikes! I still can’t believe we are coming down to the end of January.

Once we were all finished with the laundry room yesterday, I cleaned myself up and got into cozies. I was sitting in the living room enjoying watching the snowfall, I decided there was one thing missing to really complete the cozy atmosphere…a fire in the fireplace.

Soon enough, Dana had the fire a-blazin’ and I was one happy girl.

Poor Moose really doesn’t appreciate fires like I do. This was way too close for comfort for him.

In the late afternoon I started marinading salmon with a honey, lime, ginger, and garlic powder mixture. It was salmon night again.

Remember how I mentioned that I don’t love salmon but I really wish I did because it is so gosh darn good for you? I made a deal with myself that I was going to eat it once a week in hopes that I will teach myself to like it. I’m getting closer, but still not quite there.

We cooked the salmon on a grill pan on the stove to get the feeling of grilling outside. 🙂 I took the advice from Shannon and lit two vanilla candles while cooking the salmon to try to eliminate some of the odor from the fish. We also opened up two windows and go the fan going above this stove. I think it all really worked! There was only a very faint smell lingering.

I topped the salmon with a pineapple salsa simply made from chopped pineapple, cilantro, red onion, a small pinch of salt, and garlic powder.

I still enjoyed the dinner greatly, just not as much as I typically do. I will get there! I will continue the once a week salmon challenge. 🙂

Alrighty, I am out. Have a wonderful day my friends. Catch up with you soon.

Question of the day: Is there a food that you don’t like that you wish you did?!

Tex Mex Plans Turned Thai

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 27, 2013
Post category:Breakfast / Dinners / Restaurants
Post comments:0 Comments

Sunday mornings in the wintertime are so darn cozy I just love them. I was out of bed by 8:00 am this morning, made my way to the kitchen, put on a pot of coffee, and toasted up a piece of banana almond bread.

Such a great way to start the day.

Next on the agenda is grocery shopping. I can’t believe how fast we go through fruit and veggies around here. Just one week ago our fridge looked like this, now it is practically empty!

*************

Last night Dana and I had planned on going out for a casual date night. We had a gift card to Baja Sol, a Tex Mex restaurant, and decided it would be a perfect night to use it. So we cleaned up and got ready to go.

The restaurant was about 20 minutes away and when we pulled up we realized that it was more of a super casual dining restaurant, like Chipotle style, where you place your order in front, and they bring you your food. On any other day this would have been just fine and we would have gone in and enjoyed our very casual Tex Mex meal, but I had my mind-set on a sit-down restaurant, where the servers come and take your order and bring you your food.

So we continued our date night journey and wound up at a Thai restaurant called…

Tum Rup Thai is located in Minneapolis. I had eaten there before but it had been years, but I remembered how stinkin’ good the food was, and I wanted Dana to try it.

We started with an order of the salad rolls which were loaded with carrots, cucumber, cilantro, chicken, shrimp, some rice noodles I think, and who knows what else. The rolls by themselves were full of flavor but they were also served with an incredible peanut oil dipping sauce and they turned from absolutely delicious to incredibly outstanding.

We also ordered the chicken satay appetizer which again, tasted wonderful by itself but paired with these insane dipping sauces, took them to another level. There was a peanutty dipping sauce and a sweet cucumber sauce. They were both rock stars.

For dinner we split an order of broccoli and spinach with chicken in a sweet and spicy peanut sauce. That’s a lot of peanut sauce, right? Of course it’s right up my alley. I got full very quickly which isn’t a surprise considering the amount of protein I was consuming.

When we ordered the entrée the waitress asked us how spicy we liked our food on a scale of 1-5. I immediately said “1” because I can’t handle much spice, and I am SO glad I did because even the 1 had a bit of a kick.

My favorite was definitely the salad rolls, go figure, but I really enjoyed it all. So although we had planned on Tex Mex, Thai ended up winning over our tummies and I’m so glad it did. Delightful!

On the drive home we passed a White Castle and Dana pointed out the sign. I tried snapping a photo but it was too bright. It said: Valentine’s Day Reservations and then provided the phone number of the restaurant.

I couldn’t help but chuckle and feel bad at the same time. White Castle for Valentine’s just doesn’t sound very romantic, but again, to each their own.

Date night with my honey was wonderful as always.

(BTW if you are noticing random color changes in the background of the blog it’s because I am trying to decide on a new color, so bear with me!)

What did YOU do last night?

Baked Vegetable Marinara

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 26, 2013
Post category:Breakfast / Dinners / Home Life / Recipes / Snacks / Workouts
Post comments:1 Comment

Well hello again ya’ll! Did everyone have a fantabulous Friday? Mine was pretty great and very productive.

It started out with a couple of errands and appointments. I made myself a green smoothie super loaded with kale, egg white protein powder, almond milk, and a banana to begin fueling the fire (aka breaking the fast, getting the metabolism revved up).

Dana and I made a trip to Starbucks while we were out. I decided on a light roast with a splash of half and half and a shot of hazelnut flavor. This really got me “revved up.”

On the way home from our errands I was starving. I am always prepared with food in my purse and had a delicious apple turnover Uberbar calling out to me, so I dug right in.

LARABAR, marry me? I love these things.

Within another couple of hours I was hungry again, but was planning on getting my workout in at that point, so I made myself a small snack plate to tide me over yet not fill me up too much.

Turkey breast with avocado, and sugar snap peas and hummus.

Next on the agenda: the treadmill. I did the same combo as the other day alternating between running on the treadmill and the ab challenge circuits. I was feeling very fatigued yesterday so ran at a very easy pace. I was nice and sweaty by the time I was done.

Enter another snack: microwaved apple with cinnamon and coconut oil:

Followed by a spoonful of almond butter. Then it was time to change into my painting clothes and get to work on the laundry room. That is where you found Dana and I for a good 3-4 hours. Jammin’ out to music and painting the laundry room. It is amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to a room. I am so anxious to see it when it is all finished. Tiling the floor is on the agenda today!

Dinner

I was SO glad I had prepared our meal the day before and had it waiting in the fridge to go into the oven, because by the time dinner rolled around we were both exhausted.

I created a concoction I am going to call Baked Vegetable Marinara. I can’t figure out why I haven’t thought of this creation until now, because it was stellar.

I began by roasting my chopped veggies in the oven for about 20 minutes. I chose to use broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and garlic. I spritzed them with olive oil and sprinkled them with a little salt and pepper before they went into the oven.

Roasting the vegetables before baking them in the dish helps to remove some moisture from the vegetables so that you don’t end up with a watery dish.

While the veggies were roasting, I made the cheesy topping. I combined shredded Monterey jack, parmesan, almond flour, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper and gave it a good stir.

One the veggies were done roasting, I added two big handfuls of baby kale. Next, I poured the veggies into a bowl and added about 2/3 of a jar of no sugar added Ragu marinara sauce and stirred together.

I poured the veggies into a lightly sprayed 9 x 9 baking dish.

And then topped them with the cheesy mixture.

I baked it in a 400ºF, oven covered with aluminum foil for about 40 minutes (cooking time will vary!). I then removed the foil, and broiled on low until cheese melted and turned slightly golden brown.

Please, please, do me a favor and make this dish. It is so unbelievable tasty and comforting. Dana and I and our ravenous appetites finished this whole dish except for about four bites. MMMMmmmm.

And more MMmmmmm….I made banana almond bread. Oh yes I did. It was the perfect bedtime snack. I WILL be sharing this recipe with you all soon. I am very excited about it. I had a hard time keeping my animal paws off of it last night.

Off I go to another productive day! I hope you all have a beautiful Saturday.

Baked Vegetable Marinara

(these are not “exact” measurements, but they are pretty darn close!)

Ingredients

4-5 cups roasted vegetables–broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, onion, garlic, zucchini
2 cups baby kale or chopped kale
2/3 jar of marinara sauce
1/2 cup grated monterey jack cheese or mozzarella
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 TBSP almond flour
1/8 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp basil
sprinkle of garlic powder
salt and pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9 x 9 baking dish with olive oil.
In a medium bowl combine roasted veggies, kale, and marinara sauce. Pour into prepared dish.
In a small bowl mix together the cheeses, flour, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese mixture over vegetables evenly.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Uncover and broil on low for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
Serve and enjoy!

Question of the day: What are your favorite dishes to make in the winter?

How to Make Almond Butter

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 24, 2013
Post category:Breakfast / Dinners / Home Life / Recipes
Post comments:7 Comments

Happy Thursday and happy National Peanut Butter Day! This week has gone by fast but the days have gone by slow. Does that make sense? I’m just happy we are almost to the weekend!

Dana and I have some major laundry room renovation plans this weekend. Tonight we are going to prime the walls, tomorrow we are hoping to paint, and then this weekend we are hoping to tile the floors!

The color we picked out for the walls is called fresh air and it is a very light subtle blue. I would show you the paint sample but to be perfectly honest I am just too lazy to go downstairs and get it. You will see it eventually. It will brighten up the room a lot. We will be painting the shelves white.

Okay, I wasn’t going to do this but how about I give you a quick snap of the laundry room before just to show you how much work it really needs.

Can I get a womp womppp? I’ll spare you the rest of the before photos until the end of the project, then I will compare before and after photos and stun you all. 😉

It just needs some TLC, and that is what we are giving it. Imagine light blue walls, tan tile, white shelves, and a clean dust-free room! I am pretty pumped about this if you can’t tell! Oh how we change. I never would have imagined five years ago being so excited about revamping a laundry room.

I don’t have much to share on the food front from yesterday. For breakfast I got real crazy and had a banana with almond butter (NOT peanut butter–can you believe it?!).

To make homemade almond butter:

I use unsalted raw almonds from Costco which I roast in the oven myself. Once they are 100% completely cooled, I pour 2-3 cups of almonds into the food processor.
I cover the processor and let it go for 15 minutes, stopping 3-4 times in the process to scrape off the sides.
1. If I want to sweeten the almond butter, I will add 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1-2 tablespoons of honey about half way through the processing.

3. For best results, I let the almond butter sit in the food processor for a couple of hours to allow to cool again completely. After it’s cooled I process it again for 5 minutes, or until it has a smooth spreadable consistency.

4. I then pour it into a canning jar or covered Tupperware, and use it on bananas, dates, almond bread, celery, etc!

I am really loving having it around the house. I really haven’t met a nut butter I haven’t liked! Cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, peanut butter, almond butter. It’s all good.

Skipping ahead to dinner…I was NOT feeling creative in the least bit. I was starving though and knew my body was craving nutrients, so although it didn’t sound amazing to me at the moment, I threw together a big salad.

And what do you know, it tasted great. My body thanked me. I snacked on a handful of dates with almond butter a couple of hours later, then hit the hay around 9:00.

Have a great day!

Question of the day: What is your favorite nut butter? Have you made any of your own?

What’s Inside My Fridge

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 23, 2013
Post category:Dinners / Home Life / Misc. / Snacks / Workouts
Post comments:1 Comment

Haaaapy Hump Day! I hope everyone is having a good week and staying cozy and warm if at all possible.

Yesterday I kicked off the morning with a sweaty workout but first I ate a banana with almond butter and drank a cup of coffee while working on the blog and catching up on emails. Then I made my way downstairs to get m-o-v-i-n-g. I incorporated week 4 of the Abs Challenge with running spurts on the treadmill. It went like this:

1 mile run
circuit (which takes 13 minutes or so)
1 mile run
circuit
1 mile run
5 minute walk

It was the perfect way to warm me up on what was such a cold morning. Sweat PINK!

For lunch I made a smoothie with Jay Robb chocolate egg white protein powder, banana, almond milk, kale, and peanut butter. I always think of Shannon when I make this one because she was the one who recommended it. Yummy in my tummy.

I packed some snacks for the afternoon for work: sugar snap peas, carrots, and an apple.

For dinner I made tilapia with a light breading made of almond flour, italian seasoning, a little salt and pepper, and garlic powder. I first dipped the filet into egg whites, then into the flour drudge, and then onto the pan to lightly fry.

Our side dish was a cucumber salad with tomatoes, red onion, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, dried dill, and a sprinkle of onion powder.

For my “appetizer” I snacked on hummus and broccoli. We don’t mess around with our veggies in this house. Check out the Costco size bag of broccoli on the right. What we usually end up doing is eating about 3/4 of it raw, and then freezing the last 1/4 of it before it goes bad.

Oh how I miss my natural light in the evenings for photos. Soon enough!

Throughout the rest of the evening I continued a snacking brigade: pistachios, a glass of wine, dates…then it was off to bed I went.

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Fridge Talk

Is anyone else guilty of glancing into other grocery shopper’s carts while shopping? I am totally 100% guilty. It may be because I am a dietitian, and have a passion for health and nutritious food, or I may just be nosey?

I am just in amazement as I see what some people load into their carts. Just the other day I saw in one cart: multiple breakfast pastries, the most sugary cereal you can think of, chips, soda, pizza. I was flabbergasted and all I wanted to do was go replace each and every one of those items with a healthy option. But, to each their own. Of course there was no way I would do that. Everyone has a right to eat what they please. It just tugs at my heart strings a little.

After our weekly grocery trip on Sunday, I decided it might be fun for you all to get a peek into my cart and furthermore, into my refrigerator and cabinets. I am not touting that everything in my household is healthy, but I remind you that it is all about finding the perfect balance of healthy eats and treats.

Let’s take a look!

(FYI: The salmon is usually in the freezer but since I buy it at Costco and it comes in two long filets, I had yet to cut it into serving sizes and bag them up and freeze them)

Sweet and Nutty Bites recipe here!

There you have it. Have a warm and fuzzy day friends! xoxo.

What are some staples that YOU always have on hand?

Catching Up on Weekend Eats

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 22, 2013
Post category:Dinners / Home Life / Lunch / Recipes / Workouts
Post comments:3 Comments

Happy Tuesday!

Since I kind of dove deep yesterday into the topic of curbing my sweet tooth, I didn’t get the chance to share the rest of my kitchen adventures with you from the weekend. Even though it’s already Tuesday, I still want to catch up. There’s no better time than right now!

My Weekend Eats

On Saturday I broke out the food dehydrator. I sliced up fresh bananas which I rolled in melted coconut oil, and frozen strawberries which I thawed in the microwave and sliced thin, and placed them on the dehydrator trays. I let them go for 7 hours.

The bananas came out great as they always do, but the strawberries were just kind of ‘meh’ to me. They are good, just not goooooood. I still enjoy them though!

For dinner Saturday night I had not a clue what I was going to make. After taking inventory in the fridge and freezer, I pulled out a bunch of veggies and got chopping. First I sliced a whole lot of brussels sprouts into shreds. I sprayed them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roasted them for about 20 minutes in the oven.

In the mean time, I sautéed carrots, onion, mushrooms, and one garlic clove. In a separate pan, I cooked two strips of turkey bacon.

Once the veggies were nearly done on the stove top, I added pre-cooked brown lentils to them, added a pinch of savory seasoning, salt, and pepper, and gave it a good stir.

Once the brussels sprouts were done roasting and the lentils were warmed through, I began plating. First, the lentils and sautéed veggies, next the roasted brussels sprouts, and finally, the icing on the cake, the turkey bacon cut into confetti pieces.

This dish was outstanding! There was so much flavor, it was very hearty, and it was full of stick to your ribs soluble fiber. I LOVED it. Dana gave it two thumbs up as well.

Sunday

I already showed you my breakfast in yesterday’s post, so moving on to lunch. After running our normal Target and Costco errands, and grabbing a few nummy samples along the way, I wasn’t that hungry for lunch, but since Dana and I still had more errands to run, I knew I had to eat something to hold me over.

I threw together a salad made of mixed dark greens, blueberries, feta cheese, and almonds.

I more than likely ate some dates for dessert. In the afternoon I made homemade cinnamon honey almond butter and you better believe I had to be taste-testing along the way. 😉

Sunday evening dinner was sesame soy salmon. I marinated the salmon in a mixture of low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, dried ginger, one minced garlic clove, and honey for about one hour. We grilled it on the stove top inside, about 4-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through. I cranked the windows open, turned the vents on high above the stove, and still wound up with a house that smelled like sesame salmon. I’m anxious for the weather to warm up just even slightly so we can grill outside again.

The marinade gave a nice crispy crust to the salmon which was what I was hoping for. Salmon is one of those foods that I hope grows on me. I’m just not a huge fan…yet. The plan is to eat salmon once a week, in hopes that I will start liking it more and more. It is just so darn healthy and I don’t want to be missing out on that! I didn’t like red wine at first, but I kept trying it and now I love it so I’m hoping for the same effect. We shall see.

We began a very exciting project around our house on Sunday. We are “remodeling” our laundry room. I use the term loosely because technically in order to remodel something it has to already be modeled, right? Well ours isn’t. Ours wasn’t even fully sheet-rocked yet. It needs a lot of TLC and that is exactly what we’re giving it.

We will be painting the walls, tiling the floor, putting sheet rock up on the necessary walls, and we will be reorganizing. Our basement is completely unfinished except for the bathroom which we completed last year (whoops except I still need to decorate one wall in there).

This is one more step in the right direction in finishing that basement and I am ecstatic about it. Once we have the laundry room completed, I will be sure to show you before and after photos. Mission laundry room!

One last thing. Since it is now the 4th week of January, that means that there is a new workout posted in the 30 Day Abs Challenge. Here it is!

I can’t believe it is the 4th week in January already. Did this month even happen? I say that every month! I am still keeping up with this challenge and am feeling very good. I will be sure to update you on any progress I made throughout the month once the challenge comes to an end. 🙂

Have a fabulous day!

Questions of the day: What health goals have you made recently? What are your goals for future months?

I am thinking I may need to find another fitness challenge for the month of February. I love how these monthly challenges motivate me and I enjoy the support of other people partaking in the challenge. I like to set goals and reach those goals!

My Sweetened Taste Buds: Regaining Control

Post author:Melanie
Post published:January 21, 2013
Post category:Breakfast / Health / Misc. / Sweet Treats
Post comments:0 Comments

Where or where do I begin? I feel like I have so much to share with you. I may end up all over the place so just bear with me please.

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETSY!! Love you peanut!

Second of all, it is -11°F outside right now but feels like -34°F. Is that not insane? I wish I didn’t have to go anywhere today but unfortunately that isn’t so. It’s a good thing I have all of the appropriate winter weather gear–thermal insulated coat from this page, insulated boots, hat, gloves, scarves. I’ll be needing it today.

This weekend we didn’t have too many plans except for Friday night’s birthday celebration, so I took the liberty of getting creative in the kitchen.

A quick snap shot of breakfast yesterday: FAGE Greek yogurt honey with blackberries, strawberries, and homemade granola (recipe below).

I am on a mission-get-rid-of-sugars around my house, but wanted to have something sweet and fun in the cupboards, so I got bakin’. The product: Sweet and Nutty Bites.

In a bowl I mixed together chopped pistachios, almonds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, dried cranberries, and chopped dates. In a small saucepan I melted together 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil and 1/4 cup (or so) of honey. Once melted, I mixed the honey mix into the nuts and then pressed it into a 9 x 9 baking dish. I baked these gems for about 20 minutes. I let them cool on the counter for a good hour or two, and then attempted to cut them into bite size pieces but they were too sticky so they just turned into misshapen bites.

These are not low-calorie or low-fat by any means, but they do provide healthy fats from the nuts and the only sugar in the recipe is natural sugar from the honey, so I do feel better feeding my body this dessert than I do say two handfuls of chocolate (that’s okay some days too though!). Just a bite does a great job of satisfying my sweet cravings.

I wasn’t going to go in this direction today, but since I am already on track for it, I’m going to go for it. It’s time to talk about my “sweetened taste buds” and my mission to eliminate added sugars to my diet.

I can comfortably admit that I have a large sweet tooth.

Everyone has their “thing” and that is mine. I love sweets. I always have and I always will. Growing up I would ask my mom if we could make cookies together only to wind up leaving her in the dust after the dough was made (sorry mom!). I didn’t do it on purpose, but I loved the dough and then got tired when it came to rolling the dough balls. To this day, I enjoy licking the mixers when making brownies, and helping myself to a few bites of cookie dough in the cookie baking process.

I am okay with having a sweet tooth, but ever since the holidays rolled around, my sweet tooth has spiraled out of control after one-too-many cookies. It’s time to regain control. I noticed that my gut didn’t appreciate the added sweets either, and this is something that I was fully aware of. Every day I would say I’m going to cut out the chocolate and the sweets, but sure enough another piece would present itself in front of me and I would cave. Okay, tomorrow I’ll start that shenanigans.

After reminding myself of my education, motivating myself by reading up on holistic living, and whole-heartedly knowing exactly what I needed to do if I wanted to feel well, I cleared all of the chocolates and candies out of the house. I wanted and needed to curb this sweet tooth. I got my husband on board too which helps immensely.

The hardest part of “cleaning up my act” wasn’t the chocolate, but my coffee creamer. I adore a cup of coffee in the morning with hazelnut creamer and stevia. Sweet on sweet. It had to go. I don’t like the ingredients on the label, and never have, but talked myself into using it just for a short while longer. No more my friends, no more. It’s gone.

If I do want to use a little sweetener it is going to be stevia which is a natural sweetener from the stevia plant. However, I am hoping to wean myself off of sweeteners all together.

Some may ask why I don’t just switch to regular sugar because that’s natural too, and they’re right it is, but the thing about sugars (carbohydrates included) is they are not digested well by the body. A lot of the starch from the sugar gets trapped inside of the intestines causing gas, bloating and irritability, and for someone who deals with irritable bowel, this isn’t a good option.

So how is the sugar wean going?

To be perfectly honest, NOT BAD at all. The first couple of days I could have gone for a piece of chocolate, but I had other options in the house like dates, berries, and the sweet and nutty bites mentioned above, and they have really helped the process and satisfied my cravings. Another thing that helps is having a cup of tea with a touch of honey. I am now on day 4 of “no sugars added” lifestyle, and I have no sweet cravings. This may sound like a small fete but it is something I am very proud of.

My morning coffee…

At first I had told myself that I was just going to give up coffee because I really don’t enjoy coffee without cream, but I have gone back on that statement. I bought a product called Sweet Drops by Sweet Leaf. It is a natural sweetener made from the stevia plant that adds a subtle sweetness to your coffee, tea, or other beverages. This is what I am using in my coffee now along with a tablespoon of coconut milk.

Do I really think I can keep up with this lifestyle? Am I cutting out sugars forever?

Yes and no. I am learning more and more about my body, the science of food and digestion, and know ways I can help to keep myself in tip-top shape. Cutting down on sugars will help me in so many ways and it is a lifestyle that I want to adapt for the health of myself.

I am NOT saying that I am cutting out sugars forever, but for now, I HAVE GOT to get this colitis under control. This has been going on for way too long. Needless to say there are other things going on with my health that may be contributing to this current “flare” but knowing that I can possibly help the situation through diet encourages me to maintain this lifestyle forever. I WILL be eating chocolate again once I get my health under control, but I will be moderate in my intake; one small piece of dark chocolate a day, a piece of birthday cake on special occasions, etc.

Some other natural remedies I am trying…

I am also taking a multivitamin in the morning along with probiotics. In the evening I am taking calcium plus vitamin D. I am incorporating coconut oil into my daily routine because studies have shown it can help heal the gut and sooth IBD symptoms.

Wow, I really opened up a can of worms with this one, huh?

As a Registered Dietitian it is sometimes hard to admit that I have “sweetened taste buds” and that I need to regain control of the issue. Shouldn’t a dietitian know what to do? It’s hard because I know exactly what I need to do in order to control it, but my stubborn self fought back for so long along with every excuse in the book. None of us are perfect, so why is it so hard for us to share our weaknesses?

Even though it has only been four days without “sweets” I already feel better. I have control already. I just feel better all around.

This turned from me sharing a recipe into divulging a weakness. The important thing to remember: we are given one body, and we have control over what goes into it, the activity it gets, and the decisions we make for it. Take care of your body and remember, no two people are the same, so do what’s best for YOU.

I have much more to share but it’s going to have to wait! Have a GREAT day my friends. xoxoxo

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