My Food: My Food Staples

Let me start by saying that I am not one of those people who eats the same thing every day.  I try to maintain a consistently healthy lifestyle, but I also enjoy variety.  That being said, there are a few items that I always keep in stock in our home.

Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Gala Apples
Apples have an incredibly high antioxidant concentration.  They have been proven to help reduce cholesterol, decrease risk of diabetes, and protect against Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and some cancers.  They also help to regulate digestion, control your weight, detoxify your liver, and boost your immune system.  Honestly, I like most varieties of apples, but these three are my favorite.

Spinach Leaves
We eat spinach all the time… we’ll add it to a sandwich, throw it in a salad, or cook it in an omelet.  These dark leafy greens are a great source cal­cium and are high in fiber.  They have powerful antioxidants and lots of Vitamin A, which is great for the skin. Just remem­ber when you’re mak­ing a salad, the deeper the green, the richer the nutrients.

Bone­less Skin­less Chicken Breasts
Baked, grilled, or sautéed, chicken is our go-to meat when cooking.  I usually cook more than I need, because chicken makes great leftovers.  You can add it to a sandwich, slice it up and toss it with a salad, or add rice and vegetables.  Chicken is a great source of protein and also has Vitamins B (for energy) and B6 (for cardiovascular health).  I like to marinate mine in light Italian dressing and/or low sodium soy sauce for added taste. 

Strawberries
Not only are strawberries juicy, summery and delicious, they’re a bona fide superfood, too.  Strawberries are nutrient rich and packed with antioxidants (like Vitamin C).  They promote eye heath, fight bad cholesterol, and regulate blood pressure.  We use them in salads, at breakfast, and for a healthy dessert, we’ll mix them with bananas and blueberries.

Sweet Pota­toes
Sweet potatoes taste great AND they are packed with all sorts of great nutrients (Beta Carotene, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, iron, magnesium, and potassium, to name a few).  I could have this as my side dish every night and never get sick of it.  They are naturally sweet tasting, and their sugars are released slowly into the bloodstream (helping prevent blood spikes that lead to fatigue and weight gain).  Plus, they are sweet potatoes readily available, inexpensive, and delicious

Nat­ural Peanut Butter
I love peanut butter.  As a kid, I would sit with the tub of peanut butter and eat it with a spoon.  The problem is, most peanut butters have a lot of preservatives (i.e. Peter Pan, JIF).  I look for all-natural peanut butters.  For sandwiches, we’ll add a little honey to sweeten it, and it tastes great on apples (one of my other favorite foods).  The best option is to buy your peanut but­ter from a store that will let you grind your own. How­ever, if that is not avail­able in your area, I like: Nat­u­rally More or The Peanut Butter Company.

Broc­coli
Broccoli's noteworthy nutrients include vitamin C, vitamin A (mostly as beta-carotene), folic acid, calcium, and fiber. When I’m attempt­ing to eat my health­i­est, I try to make fresh veg­eta­bles take up half of my plate. I prefer steamed broc­coli. If you pre­fer to dip veg­gies in ranch dress­ing, I highly rec­om­mend buy­ing the ranch dress­ing pow­dered mix and “sea­son­ing” raw veg­gies with the pow­der instead of dip­ping them in dress­ing.

Shake­ol­ogy
My health­i­est & eas­i­est meal of the day. As a chocolate lover, this is my biggest secret to fight­ing off sweet crav­ings. At the same time, I’m also giv­ing myself the most nutrient-dense 140 calo­ries avail­able on the mar­ket today. I like to pop it in the blender with ice, almond milk, and just pop it in the blender with ice, almond milk & powdered peanut butter, and I feel like I’m indulging.  I also love the vegan strawberry, which I mix with ice, coconut milk, and a banana.

Hum­mus
I love hummus.  Chickpeas (a main ingredient in hummus) are high-protein legumes that have been proven to prevent the build-up of cholesterol and help maintain blood sugar levels.  Hummus also contains plenty of omega-3s which are great for heart health.  I’ll stir it in with brown rice for a side dish, use it (sparingly) as a dip for veggies, and spread it on wraps in place of mayo.

Blue­ber­ries
Blue­ber­ries are another one of my absolute favorites.  They are super-high in antiox­i­dants and they taste great. I use them the same way we use strawberries (above).  Sometimes, I’ll also fill a snack size Ziploc bag with blue­ber­ries and stick them in the freezer for a healthy dessert.

Egg Whites
Eggs are per­haps a great source of pro­tein. I use egg whites in omelets with spinach, bell peppers, and tomatoes.  I also like to hard boil the eggs (and rip out the yolk) as a great snack and to add to salads.

Brown (or Whole Grain) Rice
This is a great source of whole grain and something we like to eat as a side with chicken. I also like to add in a few teaspoons of hummus. The difference between brown rice and white rice is not just color... a whole grain of rice has several layers. Only the outermost layer, the hull, is removed to produce what we call brown rice. This process is the least damaging to the nutritional value of the rice and avoids the unnecessary loss of nutrients that occurs with further processing.

My Food: Blueberry-Banana Morning Smoothie

Love this blueberry-banana morning smoothie.  I got this recipe from Jessica Meyer’s ATX Gluten Free Website.  I know you’ll love it!

Yields: 1 serving

 

Ingredients:

2 cups almond milk (or milk of choice)

1 medium ripe banana

2 tablespoons cashew butter (or nut butter of choice)

2/3 cup frozen blueberries

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 packet stevia (optional)

2 tablespoons ground chia seeds

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend to combine. Serve chilled.

My Food: Balsamic Chicken Pasta

I tried this recipe for the first time last night.  I found a similar recipe on a friend’s blog but made a few modifications to it.  It is super-filling (we couldn’t finish our bowls).

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¾  package whole wheat penne pasta
1 package (8 oz) fresh sliced mushrooms
1 package (8 oz) fresh cherry or grape tomatoes
Feta or parmesan cheese
Cavender’s Greek seasoning
¼ bottle Kraft Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1 package Steamers frozen vegetables (broccoli & cauliflower mix or your favorite)

Directions:
(Note: I perform the first three steps at the exact same time using three different pans, which takes about 10-15 minutes total)

1. Cut chicken breasts into 1" sqaures and cook on medium heat in a large skil­let. Sea­son lightly with Cavender’s Greek sea­son­ing.

2. Combine mush­rooms, toma­toes, a light coating of vinai­grette dress­ing (I use about ¼ of the bottle) in a large skil­let. Season lightly with Cavender’s Greek seasoning.  Cook on low to medium heat until veg­gies are ten­der.

3. Cook pasta to pack­age direc­tions.

4. Cook steamed vegetables according to package directions and sprinkle lightly with Cavender’s Greek Seasoning.

5. Divide pasta, chicken, and tomato/mushroom mix among four bowls. Sprinkle feta or parmesan cheese on each bowl.  Serve with a side of steamed vegetables.

Note: we forgot about the cheese last night and the recipe was great without it.

My Fitness: TurboJam Workout Review

Turbo Jam: I love these workouts. 

Update: I’m currently going through Turbo Jam again at almost 6 months pregnant.  (This is NOT a pregnancy workout – it is intense – and you should definitely talk to your doctor before beginning any intense workout. I do the modified versions of the workout and was already in good shape prior to beginning this series.)

Originally, this was my third Beachbody workout to try.  If you order from their website, you’ll receive six DVDs, sculpting gloves, flash cards, on-line support, a guide book, a meal plan, and other informational brochures. The DVD currently retails for $59.85 on the Beachbody website.  How it works: there are two suggested rotations – one for beginners and one for advanced.  During pregnancy, I use the beginner calendar.

Whether you are a beginner or advanced, the calendar recommends working out 4-5 times per week.  The calendar rotates between the five main DVDs:

1. Learn & Burn (30 minutes) – a 10-minute guide through the “Elite 11” (most commonly used) moves followed by a 20-minute workout. The great thing about this is that for people who usually struggle with step aerobics or dance-type moves can spend time learning the basic moves that she uses throughout the rest of the DVDs.
2. Turbo Sculpt (40 minutes) – this DVD targets all of your problem areas and will really sculpt your muscles… you’ll wake up sore the next day.
3. 20-Minute Workout (20 minutes) – a quick, full-body workout
4. Cardio Party (45 minutes) – high intensity, mostly low-impact, combines dance and kickboxing for a really great sweat
5. Ab Jam (20 minutes) – includes a standing ab routine

All of the DVDs have the countdown at the bottom of the screen and Chalene is accompanied by both men and women (though these workouts do seem to be more geared toward females).

Things I liked about Chalene: she is super-friendly, upbeat, and positive throughout the workouts.  I found her to be motivational, but she also pushes and encourages.  I appreciate her focus on form, especially with the Learn portion of the DVD, which eliminates possible joint pain from incorrectly performing the exercise.  The dance-party music is great... it's modern and the high energy beat gives me energy while I'm working out.  I love that the workouts come with a nutritional guide/meal plan, and that Beachbody offers on-line support and a coach. For what you are getting, I find the price to be more than reasonable.  I also love that the DVDs are rotational, so you’re not doing the same workout every day.  Plus - the workouts are fun, and I actually look forward to doing them every day.  The things I don’t care for: None.  Honestly, these workouts are great.  I highly recommend them to anyone.

My Family: Our First Date

I love my husband.  He is amazing.  That being said, it is a miracle that we are even together right now.  Truly – only by God’s grace.

When Phil asked me out, I had not been on a date in over four months (see my blog on “Dating & Waiting”).  I was excited, but also confused as to whether or not it was really a date.  After all, he asked me to go to a local HS basketball game (and it wasn’t like he and I were really even friends).  I was serving with the youth at our church and he was a Youth Minister, so I honestly thought that maybe it was some sort of ministry outreach or something… I just couldn’t be sure.

I wanted to look CUTE… so I packed a change of clothes and headed to work (the game was right after work).  My plan was to go shopping at lunch for some black boots to match my outfit.  I went to DSW and tried on a pair of super-cute Jessica Simpson boots when all of the sudden I felt a sharp prick in my heel.  A nail from the boots had lodged into my foot.  Ouch!  (FYI – the store was so gracious with me and really took care of me that day).  Well, I left without the boots and headed to the doctor for a tetanus shot!

That night, when Phil came to pick me up, he had a sweet gift bag – Band-Aids, gauze, and a “Get Well Soon” card.  I was so nervous on the way to the game that I couldn’t stop talking. I made EVERY rookie mistake you can make in a date.  During the car ride, I’d ask him questions about himself and his family and then interrupt him because all I could think about was what to say next.  He got lost on the way to the high school, and I made fun of him – to the extreme.  During the game, I over-shared.  I talked about my entire dating history, my ex-boyfriends, my prior eating disorder, my sin struggles – everything that can and should be off-limits first-date material was in my monologue (trust me – he barely had a chance to speak!). 

As Phil was dropping me off that night, I felt that strong, sickening sense of “this guy is never going to call me again…” And he didn’t.  For a week.  An entire five days. I waited, and he did not call.  (It turns out he had been praying hard about whether or not to see me again, but I didn’t know that at the time.)  I saw him at church that Saturday night and avoided him.  He called me that very night and asked why I had run out of church so quickly.  We ended up talking for about an hour on the phone and scheduled our next date.  It was equally as awkward, as was the third.  During Phil’s proposal (see “The Proposal” blog), he read me a journal he had been keeping since we first met.  In it, he discusses those first three dates and his questions/prayers to God of “is this really the girl I am supposed to date?” 

Here’s why I share my story with you… in the past, I would have tried to manipulate my dating situation – I would have figured out an excuse to reach out to Phil when he wasn’t calling, or would have done everything in my power to try and force my own agenda.  But this time, I didn’t.  After each of our dates, I went home and prayed that if this was the man I was supposed to date, that God would show me and show him.  And I knew that if Phil kept asking me out, it was entirely because he was led to do so by the Lord and not because of anything that I had done. In fact, in my own power, I had done everything wrong.  Fortunately, after our first three dates, everything went amazingly well.  We fell in love, and I am so thankful to God for my amazing husband! 

My Food: Shakeology Recipes

It's no secret that I love Shakeology. In the past, I have been resistant to try meal replacements. Because of my past history with food, I don’t believe in low-calorie, restricted diets and quite frankly, I’ve never found a meal replacement shake that I enjoy.

I want to be healthy, but I don’t want to digest anything that tastes like cardboard. The great news is – Shakeology doesn’t taste like cardboard. It is so great and so nutritionally dense that my body actually craves it each day! Honestly, it's in a meal replacement category all on it's own. (To learn more about the many benefits of Shakeology, click here.)

For me, I want my Shakeology to be more like a smoothie or a milkshake. I want to drink mine through a straw and I want it to taste great. That’s why I don’t use the shaker cup. Instead, I make my Shakeology with a blender. You’ll have to experiment with the amounts of ice and liquid before you find a consistencey that works for you, but I promise, it's worth it!

While Shakeology is good by itself, it is great when you combine it with a few other nutrient rich ingredients. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Vegan Strawberry:

Tropical Delight
Ice
1 scoop Strawberry Shakeology
1/2 cup fruit (blueberries, banana, strawberries, peaches, or pineapple)
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water

Strawberry Lemonade
Ice
1 scoop Strawberry Shakeology
1/2 cup Mango Chunks
1 freshly squeezed lemon
1 cup water

Fruit Basket Turnover
Ice
1 scoop Strawberry Shakeology
1 cup pomegranate Juice
1.5 cups water
1/2 cup fruit (either bananas and strawberries or pineapple)

Chocolate or Vegan Chocolate

Chocolate Mocha
Ice
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 cup cold coffee (cool the brewed coffee over ice first)
1/2 cup water; or nonfat milk; soy, rice, or almond milk
Add cinnamon and nutmeg for a cappuccino-flavored shake!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Ice
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 cup water
3/4 cup sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen) (can also substitute Banana)

Reeses Peanut Butter Shake
Ice
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 cup water
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice)
1 TBSP peanut butter, almond butter, or PB2

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie
Ice
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 package lower sugar maple & brown sugar oatmeal
1/2 cup almond milk
1.5 cups water

Butterfinger Blizzard
Ice
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 TBSP dry sugar free fat free butterscotch pudding mix
1 TBSP natural peanut butter
1/2 cup skim milk
1.5 cups water

Greenberry

Tarty Twist
Ice
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
2 cups unsweetened green tea
1 lemon, squeezed
1 lime, squeezed

Honey Almond Paradise
Ice
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tsp honey
1 TBSP natural peanut butter

Strawberry Peach Surprise
Ice
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup peaches
1 cup skim milk
1 cup water

Lemonana
Ice
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
3/4 cup organic lemonade
1/4 cup organic rice milk
1/2 banana

To order your bag of Shakeology, visit my website by clicking here. If you're interested in how you could save up to 25% off on your purchase, contact me for more information.

My Food: Travel Snacks

Those of you who know me well know that I have spent quite a bit of time travelling for work.  In fact, the past two years, I’ve travelled about 50%.  A lot of people get off track of their fitness and nutrition goals while traveling. Mainly, I think it has more to do with a lack of preparation rather than a lack of discipline.

For that reason, I always pack snacks for my trips to ensure that I always have healthy options available. This is especially critical during my 4-hour flights to New York or Toronto. Here are some of the snacks that I like to pack.

Planters NUT-rition Wholesome Nut Mix & Heart Healthy Mix

These are the perfect for travelling. I love the individual packs when traveling simply for the convenience factor. The wholesome nut mix has 200 calories and the Heart Healthy mix has 250 calories. These will keep you full for quite a while, because the nuts in both of these packs are good sources of healthy fat and protein. I always throw a few packets in my travel bag.

Larabars

The fewer the ingredients on a label, the healthier the item. These bars all have 6 ingredients or less, and they really are filling! I love the chocolate chip brownie and chocolate chip cookie dough. My only caution on these is that they can melt, so don’t leave them in the car on a warm day (yes, I’ve learned this lesson from experience).

Peanut Butter & Company - TheBee’s Knees or Smooth Operator Squeeze Packs (Individual Packs)

I love this brand of peanut butter.  It’s all natural – the only ingredients are peanuts, cane juice, and salt. I love that it comes in individual packs for travelling.  Peanut butter and almond butter are staples in our house, but it's not always easy to find natural versions when traveling. I'll take one of these packs and an apple for a great afternoon snack.

Shakeology

My travel breakfast of choice and vacation lunch of choice!  When I'm travelling for work, the last thing I want to do is pay $15 at the hotel for breakfast. I'd much rather have something quick and healthy.  And when I’m on vacation at the beach, the last thing I want is a hot lunch – I’d rather have ice cream or a smoothie.  That's where Shakeology comes in. I get the taste of a milkshake (chocolate, greenberry or tropical strawberry) and the nutritional benefit of the salad bar! Shakeology keeps me full for less calories...which will allow me to splurge on a few vacation meals without any added guilt.

My Fitness: Encouraging Scripture References

My Fitness Journey: Encouraging Scripture References

The following scriptures remind me that keeping my heart and body healthy is living in obedience to God’s Word.  These are a few scriptures that encourage me on days when I want to throw in the towel.

·         Proverbs 31:17 (ESV) She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.

·         Isaiah 40:29-31 (NLT) He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

·         Daniel 1:10-16 (ESV) And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

·         Romans 12:1-2 (ESV) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

·         1 Corinthians 6:12 (ESV) “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything.

·         1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

·         1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

·         Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) For we are all God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

·         Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV) Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

·         Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as for the Lord and not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

·         1 Timothy 4:7-9 (NLT) Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. This is true and everyone should accept it.

·         Hebrews 12:11 (ESV) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.