Well Hi There!
How are you now? It's all good over here. Look, I guess I just didn't have a lot to say lately. Well ok that's probably not true but I got a little busy, and well, things got in the way of the old blogeroni. I'm sure it was devastating for dozens, if not SINGLES of people, right?
Anyhoodles, after breakfast this morning, well, I guess I felt a blog post coming on-so here we are. Today's post was inspired BY breakfast, a satisfying serving of Chocolate Protein Oatmeal. Seemed like a few people were intrigued, so I thought I'd share my 'recipe'. Blink & you'll miss it, it's that short & simple.
But first, let's talk about oatmeal. Are you eating the instant stuff? You know the kind- comes in those cute little brown envelopes in a box, usually made by a company that starts with 'Q'? Apple & Cinnamon, or Brown Sugar, or whatever? Here's a tip; go to the store, where the Cereal Aisle is, and there's this red box of cereal with a toucan on the front and multicoloured circles. Buy it, bring it home, and fill your boots with it; it has just about the same nutritional value as Instant Oatmeal, and your kids will think you're WAY cooler when you come home with it....that's the deal with instant, mkay? GarBAGGGGGiiioooo(that's me with my fancy Italian accent on the end of 'garbage')
Don't get me wrong, that stuff takes great, kind of like candy. But there aren't too many other ways it is able to redeem itself. And quick oats are only marginally better. You need Old Fashioned Oats or better yet, Steel Cut oats. Yes, they take a little longer to prepare, but that's part of it; they take longer for your body to break down, also known as a 'slow digesting' form of carbohydrate and have a lower glycemic index. They have a decent amount of fibre and help fill you up. I added some protein to them so I'd feel more satisfied & fuller for LONGER. Because nothing says 'lame breakfast' like feeling hungry 10 minutes after you ate it. Plus, if you are exercising, particularly with a resistance component (weights) on a regular basis, you need to feed your muscles protein to see results. There's no two ways around that.
Chocolate Protein Breakfast Oats:
- 1/4 cup Steel Cut Oats
-1/2 cup water
-1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder (look for one that is naturally sweetened, as opposed to with Sucralose)
-Splash of Chocolate Almond Milk (I'm LOVING Silk True Almond Dark Chocolate right now)
Directions:
1. Cook oats according to label's directions. Steel Cut Oats usually take about a 1/2 hr, maybe a tiny bit less.
2. When oats are cooked, place in a bowl, add a scoop of protein powder, and a little splash of the almond (or other) milk to dissolve the powder. Eat up!
3. If you wanted to add anything else at this point to fancy it up, that's up to you; cacao nibs, cinammon, banana, chia seeds or some ground flax....but what you see above is the basic recipe.
Note: You all know I'm not a nutritionist at all. Just a hungry girl with a lot of opinions about how I like to eat. So with that said I'm not really in a position to recommend a specific protein powder. I've tried all sorts; Vegan, Vegetarian, Whey. These days I'm back on Whey. Sorry, but the unsweetened sprouted brown rice Vegan powder tasted like the end of the world when the cockroaches inherit it, so I gave it up. The one I take now literally tastes like a chocolate milkshake, is natural, made locally, and sweetened with Stevia, so I'm all over it. Check out the supplement section of your grocery store or try a supplement store (like GNC) and ask the staff for their recommendations, and some samples.
Don't get me wrong, I still love to fill up on a big glass of Green Juice most days. But as the weather gets colder, sometimes it's nice to have something a little heartier first thing in the morning. This will be my go-to choice on the days I feel like I need a bigger breakfast.
I hope you give it a try and let me know if you have any ways to make it better, or what you thought about it!
Take care, talk at you next time!
xoMelissa
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
I'm all about the Bulgogi, baby....a grilled supper recipe
Hello There Friends!
How's your summer treating you so far? Ours is just about to begin. I just KNOW the rain will stop soon!
So this post is all about grilling. We had an EPIC, I mean completely out of this world supper the other night and it inspired me to pass it along. I kid you not, as we sat down at the table together, The Bean looked at her plate, took her first bite and said: "I feel like we're in a RESTAURANT!" Yeah baby. That's what I'm talking about...It was easy, tasty & pretty healthy actually so keep reading if that sounds like it's up your alley.
As you know we eat pretty veg-heavy round this house, but not exclusively. So I don't want people getting all turned off that this is a vegetarian supper. Trust me, I'm not totally veg or healthy all the time either. In fact, last weekend at the local fair I ate a burger and fries (ok, all of my fries and the Bean's too) like the future of the planet was on the line. "You mean the world WON'T explode if I eat all of this?! Ok then!" But maybe you'll consider a night or two a week that doesn't revolve around meat. It feels good, trust me.
The inspiration for the first part of the meal came from the newest edition of Vegetarian Times, love that magazine. HEY! Don't stop reading! It's good, I promise!
Have you ever had a dish called Bulgogi? It's a Korean barbecued beef dish that is literally one of the tastiest things you can ever eat, if you eat beef. Thinly sliced steak marinated in a soy sauce-brown- sugar-garlic-ginger concoction and then lightly grilled, melts in your mouth. So when I saw in Veg Times a recipe for Seitan Bulgogi' I was pretty stoked to try it. Now listen, don't get all uppity about eating tofu. We have only recently become converts chez nous, and if you prepare it right, it's amazing; not mushy-yucky-poopoo tasting, I promise. To be clear, this isn't like the Beef Bulgogi of my dreams. Tofu isn't beef, so that's stretching it. But it's a damn fine stand in, and totally delish. True Story: I slapped the Beans Hands away from the plate of Tofu Bulgogi the other night when she tried to grab a 7th slice of the stuff. Back off kid! Mama needs Bulgogi!
I made a few changes to the VT recipe, namely because I didn't have any Seitan(not a huge fan yet), but I did have a brick of firm tofu so I used that instead.
Tofu Bulgogi
Ingredients:
-1 Brick of Firm Tofu (not silken!)
-1/4 cup low sodium veggie broth
-2 TBS Agave (or brown sugar)
-1 TBS Sesame Oil
-1 TBS Rice Vinegar
-1 TBS Grated fresh ginger (I buy the bottled stuff, but you can peel & grate to your heart's content)
-4 TBS Minced garlic
-Ground Black pepper to taste
-2 Green onions, chopped
Directions:
1.Set your brick of tofu on it's long edge & slice it along the narrow edge, slices should be about 1/4 inch thick. Place on a paper towel, and another paper towel over top to drain a bit.
2.Combine all the other ingredients and whisk together.
3.Set tofu in a baking dish in a single layer and pour the marinade over it. Marinate as long as you can- 2 hrs or more, and flip the slices over every once in a while to make sure they soak up as much of that heavenly sauce as possible.
4.Light the barbecue and when it's good and hot, clean off the grate & oil the grill. Don't want to lose any tofu to the grill. Reduce the heat a bit so you don't burn the food.
5.Place the tofu slices on the grill and brush with a bit of the marinade. Cook a couple minutes on one side and flip, brush with marinade again. Let them cook a couple more minutes, or more depending on your barby. The finished tofu should be firm, a little crispy on the outside, and the marinade carmelizing a bit...heaven...
So with that fine dish we also enjoyed grilled sliced sweet potatoes, asparagus, and red pepper, as well as a couple of beets roasted in foil in the oven and topped with goat cheese right before serving. A bit eclectic, but whatevs. I just threw the veggies (not the beets) into a zippie with some garlic-balsamic-evoo-pepper-rosemary marinade and then threw them on the grill. No, not in the bag, sheesh.
The beets were simple but amazing: scrubbed too large beets (peeling beets is for suckas. And people who like pink-stained fingers), placed in foil, drizzled with evoo & a bit of pepper/salt, wrapped them up and baked them at 400 for an hour. They're also the gift that keep on giving; I just ate the last half of one of those bad boys on bed of baby arugula and topped with goat cheese for lunch.
If beets aren't something you're used to eating, I might pass along a little piece of advice. How can I put this delicately? Let's just say after eating beats, the next day or whatever, if you have a bit of a shock in the restroom, fear not, you do NOT have internal bleeding. It's just that the beets are really, er, red. Ok? Nuff said.
And moving right along! That's all for now. Hope you like this little menu and I'll be back again another time, hopefully in the not to distant future. Have a great weekend!
xoMelissa
How's your summer treating you so far? Ours is just about to begin. I just KNOW the rain will stop soon!
So this post is all about grilling. We had an EPIC, I mean completely out of this world supper the other night and it inspired me to pass it along. I kid you not, as we sat down at the table together, The Bean looked at her plate, took her first bite and said: "I feel like we're in a RESTAURANT!" Yeah baby. That's what I'm talking about...It was easy, tasty & pretty healthy actually so keep reading if that sounds like it's up your alley.
As you know we eat pretty veg-heavy round this house, but not exclusively. So I don't want people getting all turned off that this is a vegetarian supper. Trust me, I'm not totally veg or healthy all the time either. In fact, last weekend at the local fair I ate a burger and fries (ok, all of my fries and the Bean's too) like the future of the planet was on the line. "You mean the world WON'T explode if I eat all of this?! Ok then!" But maybe you'll consider a night or two a week that doesn't revolve around meat. It feels good, trust me.
The inspiration for the first part of the meal came from the newest edition of Vegetarian Times, love that magazine. HEY! Don't stop reading! It's good, I promise!
Have you ever had a dish called Bulgogi? It's a Korean barbecued beef dish that is literally one of the tastiest things you can ever eat, if you eat beef. Thinly sliced steak marinated in a soy sauce-brown- sugar-garlic-ginger concoction and then lightly grilled, melts in your mouth. So when I saw in Veg Times a recipe for Seitan Bulgogi' I was pretty stoked to try it. Now listen, don't get all uppity about eating tofu. We have only recently become converts chez nous, and if you prepare it right, it's amazing; not mushy-yucky-poopoo tasting, I promise. To be clear, this isn't like the Beef Bulgogi of my dreams. Tofu isn't beef, so that's stretching it. But it's a damn fine stand in, and totally delish. True Story: I slapped the Beans Hands away from the plate of Tofu Bulgogi the other night when she tried to grab a 7th slice of the stuff. Back off kid! Mama needs Bulgogi!
I made a few changes to the VT recipe, namely because I didn't have any Seitan(not a huge fan yet), but I did have a brick of firm tofu so I used that instead.
Tofu Bulgogi
Ingredients:
-1 Brick of Firm Tofu (not silken!)
-1/4 cup low sodium veggie broth
-2 TBS Agave (or brown sugar)
-1 TBS Sesame Oil
-1 TBS Rice Vinegar
-1 TBS Grated fresh ginger (I buy the bottled stuff, but you can peel & grate to your heart's content)
-4 TBS Minced garlic
-Ground Black pepper to taste
-2 Green onions, chopped
Directions:
1.Set your brick of tofu on it's long edge & slice it along the narrow edge, slices should be about 1/4 inch thick. Place on a paper towel, and another paper towel over top to drain a bit.
2.Combine all the other ingredients and whisk together.
3.Set tofu in a baking dish in a single layer and pour the marinade over it. Marinate as long as you can- 2 hrs or more, and flip the slices over every once in a while to make sure they soak up as much of that heavenly sauce as possible.
4.Light the barbecue and when it's good and hot, clean off the grate & oil the grill. Don't want to lose any tofu to the grill. Reduce the heat a bit so you don't burn the food.
5.Place the tofu slices on the grill and brush with a bit of the marinade. Cook a couple minutes on one side and flip, brush with marinade again. Let them cook a couple more minutes, or more depending on your barby. The finished tofu should be firm, a little crispy on the outside, and the marinade carmelizing a bit...heaven...
So with that fine dish we also enjoyed grilled sliced sweet potatoes, asparagus, and red pepper, as well as a couple of beets roasted in foil in the oven and topped with goat cheese right before serving. A bit eclectic, but whatevs. I just threw the veggies (not the beets) into a zippie with some garlic-balsamic-evoo-pepper-rosemary marinade and then threw them on the grill. No, not in the bag, sheesh.
The beets were simple but amazing: scrubbed too large beets (peeling beets is for suckas. And people who like pink-stained fingers), placed in foil, drizzled with evoo & a bit of pepper/salt, wrapped them up and baked them at 400 for an hour. They're also the gift that keep on giving; I just ate the last half of one of those bad boys on bed of baby arugula and topped with goat cheese for lunch.
If beets aren't something you're used to eating, I might pass along a little piece of advice. How can I put this delicately? Let's just say after eating beats, the next day or whatever, if you have a bit of a shock in the restroom, fear not, you do NOT have internal bleeding. It's just that the beets are really, er, red. Ok? Nuff said.
And moving right along! That's all for now. Hope you like this little menu and I'll be back again another time, hopefully in the not to distant future. Have a great weekend!
xoMelissa
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
If You Already Love Your Abs & Glutes, then just ignore this post...
Well Hi There!
Remembah me? I barely remember myself! In fact, it's been SO long since I wrote a post that I actually had to try 5 times to sign in because I couldn't remember my password. Ahem. Bad 'Blogger'! I can barely even call myself a Blogger for all the action around this site, sheesh. Sorry about that! But even so, I am back today and wanted to put out an exercise post this time.
So the areas I get requests to 'work extra hard' with clients & class participants is often the core area, as well as the glutes. I don't often hear them referred to in such diplomatic terms, but I could hardly call this the Mummy Tummy & Ghetto Onion Workout, right? You call it what you want, but let's get started. For this little series, you'll need your exercise mat (or towel), 2 facecloths, and a slippery floor- hardwood, laminate, linoleum, that sort of thing. Carpet not recommended, no way.
Before you get started, BE ABSOLUTELY SURE that you've had a little warmup- 10-15 minutes to get your heart rate up a bit (and a light sweat going), get your joints moving, blood circulating, and your muscles warm. Follow that with a stretch, paying particular attention to your shoulders, chest, quads, hamstrings. Since I am a blogging dork and still don't upload pictures, I would recommend an Internet search of difference stretches, if you don't already know a few.
So the first exercise if for your core- all your abdominal bits! Please do both of these exercises with your running shoes on, ok? Lay out your mat on the slippery floor, and kneel at the top of it, so that there are only a few inches between your knees, and where the mat ends. Then:
-Place your hands (palms down) on the two facecloths, which are laid out on the slippery floor.
-Slide your hands forward (away from you), keep your back flat/straight, and your bum down, and slide just until you feel your core muscles tense up a bit, or become 'engaged'.
-Now, extend one hand forward with a straight arm, about 6 inches (or more, depending on your current core strength) and draw it back towards your body. As the first hand comes back towards you, start extending the other hand out, repeating the same motion. Alternate hands like this for a complete set; start with 2 on each side and work upwards from there. Don't forget to breathe. Did you feel your core working? If not, do more reps, and try sliding the hands further away from the body.
Exercise #2: Glutes!
-Sit on your mat, with your bum at the end of the mat, and your legs on the slippery floor.
-Place a facecloth under each heel this time, and lie back so that your body, from the lower back up, is on the mat.
-Bend your knees, and draw your heels towards your body so that while you are in this recumbent position, your heels are up at the edge of the mat, behind your bum, with your knees bent.
-Lift your hips UP! Way up! It should be a straight line from your lower back, all the way up to your knees; your feet are still on the ground, on the facecloths. Squeeze your glutes.
-Next, slide one foot away from your body on the slipper floor & facecloth, and extend until it is straight. Now bring that foot & leg back to the starting position. As you bring the first foot back, start extending the other foot in the same motion, and continue to alternate the slide outs for a full set.
-Again, start with a set of 4 and move up from there, depending on your current ability. Don't you feel that in your glutes & hamstrings?
Try doing a set of the hand slide outs, followed by a set of the glute slide outs back to back and repeat for two sets of each. And of course, be sure to stretch afterwards. Let me know how you make out with them!
So there you have it! I feel weird that I said the word BUM so many times, but whatever. My American friends, that's just how we roll up here, not so much the word 'butt'. Hope you enjoyed the post, and let me know your feedback or if you have any questions!
Gotta run for now, back soon with a recipe next time!
xoM
Remembah me? I barely remember myself! In fact, it's been SO long since I wrote a post that I actually had to try 5 times to sign in because I couldn't remember my password. Ahem. Bad 'Blogger'! I can barely even call myself a Blogger for all the action around this site, sheesh. Sorry about that! But even so, I am back today and wanted to put out an exercise post this time.
So the areas I get requests to 'work extra hard' with clients & class participants is often the core area, as well as the glutes. I don't often hear them referred to in such diplomatic terms, but I could hardly call this the Mummy Tummy & Ghetto Onion Workout, right? You call it what you want, but let's get started. For this little series, you'll need your exercise mat (or towel), 2 facecloths, and a slippery floor- hardwood, laminate, linoleum, that sort of thing. Carpet not recommended, no way.
Before you get started, BE ABSOLUTELY SURE that you've had a little warmup- 10-15 minutes to get your heart rate up a bit (and a light sweat going), get your joints moving, blood circulating, and your muscles warm. Follow that with a stretch, paying particular attention to your shoulders, chest, quads, hamstrings. Since I am a blogging dork and still don't upload pictures, I would recommend an Internet search of difference stretches, if you don't already know a few.
So the first exercise if for your core- all your abdominal bits! Please do both of these exercises with your running shoes on, ok? Lay out your mat on the slippery floor, and kneel at the top of it, so that there are only a few inches between your knees, and where the mat ends. Then:
-Place your hands (palms down) on the two facecloths, which are laid out on the slippery floor.
-Slide your hands forward (away from you), keep your back flat/straight, and your bum down, and slide just until you feel your core muscles tense up a bit, or become 'engaged'.
-Now, extend one hand forward with a straight arm, about 6 inches (or more, depending on your current core strength) and draw it back towards your body. As the first hand comes back towards you, start extending the other hand out, repeating the same motion. Alternate hands like this for a complete set; start with 2 on each side and work upwards from there. Don't forget to breathe. Did you feel your core working? If not, do more reps, and try sliding the hands further away from the body.
Exercise #2: Glutes!
-Sit on your mat, with your bum at the end of the mat, and your legs on the slippery floor.
-Place a facecloth under each heel this time, and lie back so that your body, from the lower back up, is on the mat.
-Bend your knees, and draw your heels towards your body so that while you are in this recumbent position, your heels are up at the edge of the mat, behind your bum, with your knees bent.
-Lift your hips UP! Way up! It should be a straight line from your lower back, all the way up to your knees; your feet are still on the ground, on the facecloths. Squeeze your glutes.
-Next, slide one foot away from your body on the slipper floor & facecloth, and extend until it is straight. Now bring that foot & leg back to the starting position. As you bring the first foot back, start extending the other foot in the same motion, and continue to alternate the slide outs for a full set.
-Again, start with a set of 4 and move up from there, depending on your current ability. Don't you feel that in your glutes & hamstrings?
Try doing a set of the hand slide outs, followed by a set of the glute slide outs back to back and repeat for two sets of each. And of course, be sure to stretch afterwards. Let me know how you make out with them!
So there you have it! I feel weird that I said the word BUM so many times, but whatever. My American friends, that's just how we roll up here, not so much the word 'butt'. Hope you enjoyed the post, and let me know your feedback or if you have any questions!
Gotta run for now, back soon with a recipe next time!
xoM
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
A Guest Post! And a flatbread recipe to die for!
Good Morning! Happy Wednesday! How are ya?
I'm writing today with a special guest post from a good friend of mine, Erin. This is a lady who is not only one of my dearest friends, but a constant source of inspiration to me. She is the mother of 3 boys under the age of 7; she homeschools, she is a fiend in the kitchen; a superb wife to a hardworking husband; a supportive friend to so many....and still, somehow, finds time to fit exercise into her life. And no, she doesn't sleep. Enjoy her post below, and try out the recipe for her flatbread. You won't go wrong with it!
Erin:When I was a little girl, my dad would bundle up in his big fluffy coat, warm hat, large gloves and head out into the cold Ontario winter nights with the garden hose in hand. He'd set out into the frosty air, without a complaint to flood the rink he worked so hard to create for my brother and sisters and me. As a girl I felt so sorry for him, being out there in the dark, frigid night, and would ask him why he did it. He'd reply in his loving tone, that was his time alone to think, pray and be in peace and quiet. There were four of us, born in just three and a half years, and to say it was a busy household was an understatement!
At the time his reasoning baffled me, but now as a mother of three young boys, I can relate to that desire more than I ever thought possible. Now though, I base and juggle my life in order to get those few precious moments of time alone. I wake up as early as I can, trying to be oh, so quiet while the rest of our family sleeps, to start working out. Some days it works out, other mornings I am joined before 5 with a little buddy watching me and drinking his warmed up milk from the couch. Others, I have a participant that eagerly tries to do push-ups and bicep curls with me. I balance my time between teaching my kids, baking bread and household chores with a mid-day run (laps around our circular driveway!) bundling up against the onshore winds, and loving the challenge of completing it. I love to run, not just to get in a bit of cardio, but I love that it's my time alone. I may be joined with helpers while weight lifting, but my run time is my own. I understand fully what my father was thinking when he'd get all bundled up and head out into the Ontario winter; a few moments of me, and only me.
I used to find it so hard to justify spending the time on myself, rather than on the kids or our home. I felt guilty somehow, that these couple of hours a week would be detremental to my family. But rather I found the opposite thing happen. I am a much happier, nicer and altogether better Mommy, wife, and person after I've had to time to re-connect with myself. It gives me the time to think about my day, prepare my mind and focus on what's truly important to me. Oh, there are days, that life gets in my way of my alone time, but knowing that I can count on trying again the next day is a comforting thought. I know these days we are in the midst of are crazy, but cherish the path we are on as well. As I know that one day, all too soon, our house will become less busy, less noisy and less chaotic and my time will be my own and I will miss these days of not knowing when I'll get a shower let alone a run.
One of our favorite family treats during the winter months, is homemade flatbread. It's super easy, doesn't require a lot of skill, is fun for kids to be involved in, and serves well as bread, pizza, and perfect with dips! This recipe is from a farm in England called River Cottage, so the recipe measurments are in metric.
River Cottage Flatbread
500g plain white flour
500g strong white bread flour ( I use the whole white flour from Speerville)
10g quick active yeast
20g fine sea salt
325 ml warm water
325 ml natural yoghurt, warmed
2 tbsp good olive oil
The easiest way to make this is to use a stand mixer: fit the dough hook and add flours, yeast, salt, water, and yoghurt to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until combined, then add the oil and leave to knead for 10 minutes, until smooth and silky. (To knead by hand: mix flours, yeast, salt, water and yoghurt in a bowl to form a sticky dough. Add the oil, mix it in, then turn the dough out onto a clean work area and knead until smooth and silky.)
Shape the dough into a round, and place in a clean bowl. Leave to rise, covered with a towel and left in a warm spot (I use my oven, turned off) until doubled in size. Deflate the dough and if you have time, let it rise a second, third, even a fourth time as this improves the dough, but is by no means essential.
Tear off pieces the size of lemons, and one at a time shape into a round, then roll out to 3 mm thickness and leave to rest while rolling out the others. Leaving the dough for 5 mintues after rolling dramatically improves the finished bread.
Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy based-based frying pan over the highest heat and set the broiler to maximum. When the pan is super-hot, lay the first bread in it. After a minute the bread should be puffy and starting to char on the bottom. Slide the pan under the hot broiler, a good 15cm from the heat and watch your creation bloom magnificently. Remove your bread when it begins to char on the top. And let cool. Repeat until all dough has been used.
Enjoy!
I'm writing today with a special guest post from a good friend of mine, Erin. This is a lady who is not only one of my dearest friends, but a constant source of inspiration to me. She is the mother of 3 boys under the age of 7; she homeschools, she is a fiend in the kitchen; a superb wife to a hardworking husband; a supportive friend to so many....and still, somehow, finds time to fit exercise into her life. And no, she doesn't sleep. Enjoy her post below, and try out the recipe for her flatbread. You won't go wrong with it!
Erin:When I was a little girl, my dad would bundle up in his big fluffy coat, warm hat, large gloves and head out into the cold Ontario winter nights with the garden hose in hand. He'd set out into the frosty air, without a complaint to flood the rink he worked so hard to create for my brother and sisters and me. As a girl I felt so sorry for him, being out there in the dark, frigid night, and would ask him why he did it. He'd reply in his loving tone, that was his time alone to think, pray and be in peace and quiet. There were four of us, born in just three and a half years, and to say it was a busy household was an understatement!
At the time his reasoning baffled me, but now as a mother of three young boys, I can relate to that desire more than I ever thought possible. Now though, I base and juggle my life in order to get those few precious moments of time alone. I wake up as early as I can, trying to be oh, so quiet while the rest of our family sleeps, to start working out. Some days it works out, other mornings I am joined before 5 with a little buddy watching me and drinking his warmed up milk from the couch. Others, I have a participant that eagerly tries to do push-ups and bicep curls with me. I balance my time between teaching my kids, baking bread and household chores with a mid-day run (laps around our circular driveway!) bundling up against the onshore winds, and loving the challenge of completing it. I love to run, not just to get in a bit of cardio, but I love that it's my time alone. I may be joined with helpers while weight lifting, but my run time is my own. I understand fully what my father was thinking when he'd get all bundled up and head out into the Ontario winter; a few moments of me, and only me.
I used to find it so hard to justify spending the time on myself, rather than on the kids or our home. I felt guilty somehow, that these couple of hours a week would be detremental to my family. But rather I found the opposite thing happen. I am a much happier, nicer and altogether better Mommy, wife, and person after I've had to time to re-connect with myself. It gives me the time to think about my day, prepare my mind and focus on what's truly important to me. Oh, there are days, that life gets in my way of my alone time, but knowing that I can count on trying again the next day is a comforting thought. I know these days we are in the midst of are crazy, but cherish the path we are on as well. As I know that one day, all too soon, our house will become less busy, less noisy and less chaotic and my time will be my own and I will miss these days of not knowing when I'll get a shower let alone a run.
One of our favorite family treats during the winter months, is homemade flatbread. It's super easy, doesn't require a lot of skill, is fun for kids to be involved in, and serves well as bread, pizza, and perfect with dips! This recipe is from a farm in England called River Cottage, so the recipe measurments are in metric.
River Cottage Flatbread
500g plain white flour
500g strong white bread flour ( I use the whole white flour from Speerville)
10g quick active yeast
20g fine sea salt
325 ml warm water
325 ml natural yoghurt, warmed
2 tbsp good olive oil
The easiest way to make this is to use a stand mixer: fit the dough hook and add flours, yeast, salt, water, and yoghurt to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until combined, then add the oil and leave to knead for 10 minutes, until smooth and silky. (To knead by hand: mix flours, yeast, salt, water and yoghurt in a bowl to form a sticky dough. Add the oil, mix it in, then turn the dough out onto a clean work area and knead until smooth and silky.)
Shape the dough into a round, and place in a clean bowl. Leave to rise, covered with a towel and left in a warm spot (I use my oven, turned off) until doubled in size. Deflate the dough and if you have time, let it rise a second, third, even a fourth time as this improves the dough, but is by no means essential.
Tear off pieces the size of lemons, and one at a time shape into a round, then roll out to 3 mm thickness and leave to rest while rolling out the others. Leaving the dough for 5 mintues after rolling dramatically improves the finished bread.
Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy based-based frying pan over the highest heat and set the broiler to maximum. When the pan is super-hot, lay the first bread in it. After a minute the bread should be puffy and starting to char on the bottom. Slide the pan under the hot broiler, a good 15cm from the heat and watch your creation bloom magnificently. Remove your bread when it begins to char on the top. And let cool. Repeat until all dough has been used.
Enjoy!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
BINGO! Wings, that is....
Happy Weekend Everyone!
Hope you're having a great day, and doing something you enjoy, and hopefully you have the day off from a paid job? I'm having a pretty perfect day. Spent the morning with some of the most hardworking clients ever, I am inspired by them every single time I am with them. Not to sound like a pollyana, but how did I ever get so lucky? Like, how many people get to say that they truly adore their 'job' and are chomping at the bit every day to do it? I feel so blessed this way.
So now I'm home, baking with The Bean, and doing a little prep for (breakfast)dinner tonight- eggs with fresh tomato & bean refritos, alongside goat cheese Ezekiel quesadillas- yum, yo! And what breakfast (I mean dinner) would be complete without a little Las Moras Chardonnay, hmmmm? That'll be for later....As I sautee the beans, tomatoes, cumin, onion & cayenne, The Bean alternates between balancing on my new Bosu Ball and having her polly pockets attempt death defying feats off of it, way to go Bean for getting fitness into the Polly's shallow little rubber lives...
Alright, so I wanted to post a little excercise sumthin sumthin for ya's today. It's a little move I like to call the Bingo Wing Blaster. Don't know what a Bingo Wing is? Raise your arm overhead vigorously and shout: "BIINNNGGGGOOOO!" like you've just won a round of the game. Oh! What's that? What is that loose skin flapping around on the underside of your upper arm? Those, my friends, are your Tricep muscles, known by all of us, referred to by some of us as The Bingo Wing. Here's one way to wrassle those little chickies into tip top shape as tank top season draws near.
Tricep Pushups:
- Lie on your side in a straight line, preferably on a carpet or padded yoga mat. Rest your head on the ground, and stack your legs and feet one on top of the other. You should have one arm free along the upper edge of your body, the other parallel to your body on the floor.
-Take that bottom arm and wrap it around your waist area, giving yourself a little 'hug'. Cozy, right? Enjoy it while you can, the fun is about to start.
-Take your 'top' arm, bend at the elbow, and place that hand in the vicinity of your face/shoulder region, palm flat on the ground. Your elbow should be pointing towards your feet.
-Now, push UP! And come back down. This pushup manoevre activates the tricep muscles. You'll know it when they start to quiver. Start with 1,3, 5 or 10- whatever your ability is. Here's the thing: by the end of each 'set' it shouldn't feel like the back of your arm is going to spontaneously explode. It should feel fatigued and quivery (note scientific physical fitness term), so however many it takes to get to that point, that's how many you should be doing- whether it's 1 or 20. Take a break then flip over and do it on the other side. Try for two sets on each side.
-Here's how to stretch out those triceps after completing the excercise: in a seated or standing position, reach one arm directly overhead. Bend at the elbow and reach your forearm down behind your head & neck. Use the other hand to gently press down on the bent elbos until you feel a gentle stretch. Repeat on the other side.
Ok well I hope you enjoy the excercise and that your weekend is an outstanding one! The next post, I am excited to announce will be a Guest Post from a dear friend of mine who somehow, I don't know how, manages to do it all- mother of three boys under 7, homeschool them, manage the household, chef it up like a pro, be a loving & supportive wife to a hardwoking husband AND make time for excercise most days of the week. She'll be joining me to talk about why excercise is so important to her, and a delish recipe for her home-made flat bread, which I may or may not have been known to eat like a little piglet, it's so good. Stay tuned!
Later!
xoMG
Hope you're having a great day, and doing something you enjoy, and hopefully you have the day off from a paid job? I'm having a pretty perfect day. Spent the morning with some of the most hardworking clients ever, I am inspired by them every single time I am with them. Not to sound like a pollyana, but how did I ever get so lucky? Like, how many people get to say that they truly adore their 'job' and are chomping at the bit every day to do it? I feel so blessed this way.
So now I'm home, baking with The Bean, and doing a little prep for (breakfast)dinner tonight- eggs with fresh tomato & bean refritos, alongside goat cheese Ezekiel quesadillas- yum, yo! And what breakfast (I mean dinner) would be complete without a little Las Moras Chardonnay, hmmmm? That'll be for later....As I sautee the beans, tomatoes, cumin, onion & cayenne, The Bean alternates between balancing on my new Bosu Ball and having her polly pockets attempt death defying feats off of it, way to go Bean for getting fitness into the Polly's shallow little rubber lives...
Alright, so I wanted to post a little excercise sumthin sumthin for ya's today. It's a little move I like to call the Bingo Wing Blaster. Don't know what a Bingo Wing is? Raise your arm overhead vigorously and shout: "BIINNNGGGGOOOO!" like you've just won a round of the game. Oh! What's that? What is that loose skin flapping around on the underside of your upper arm? Those, my friends, are your Tricep muscles, known by all of us, referred to by some of us as The Bingo Wing. Here's one way to wrassle those little chickies into tip top shape as tank top season draws near.
Tricep Pushups:
- Lie on your side in a straight line, preferably on a carpet or padded yoga mat. Rest your head on the ground, and stack your legs and feet one on top of the other. You should have one arm free along the upper edge of your body, the other parallel to your body on the floor.
-Take that bottom arm and wrap it around your waist area, giving yourself a little 'hug'. Cozy, right? Enjoy it while you can, the fun is about to start.
-Take your 'top' arm, bend at the elbow, and place that hand in the vicinity of your face/shoulder region, palm flat on the ground. Your elbow should be pointing towards your feet.
-Now, push UP! And come back down. This pushup manoevre activates the tricep muscles. You'll know it when they start to quiver. Start with 1,3, 5 or 10- whatever your ability is. Here's the thing: by the end of each 'set' it shouldn't feel like the back of your arm is going to spontaneously explode. It should feel fatigued and quivery (note scientific physical fitness term), so however many it takes to get to that point, that's how many you should be doing- whether it's 1 or 20. Take a break then flip over and do it on the other side. Try for two sets on each side.
-Here's how to stretch out those triceps after completing the excercise: in a seated or standing position, reach one arm directly overhead. Bend at the elbow and reach your forearm down behind your head & neck. Use the other hand to gently press down on the bent elbos until you feel a gentle stretch. Repeat on the other side.
Ok well I hope you enjoy the excercise and that your weekend is an outstanding one! The next post, I am excited to announce will be a Guest Post from a dear friend of mine who somehow, I don't know how, manages to do it all- mother of three boys under 7, homeschool them, manage the household, chef it up like a pro, be a loving & supportive wife to a hardwoking husband AND make time for excercise most days of the week. She'll be joining me to talk about why excercise is so important to her, and a delish recipe for her home-made flat bread, which I may or may not have been known to eat like a little piglet, it's so good. Stay tuned!
Later!
xoMG
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Slow Cooker Italian Veggie Stew
Hey There!
How are ya now? I am working this afternoon on a bunch of excercise plans for clients, but wanted to take a quick break to put up a post with a recipe that got rave reviews chez nous this week. I'd like to post again with an excercise too- did anyone try the ab thingy? How did you make out with it? Next up: the Bingo Wing Blaster...stay tuned....
So, some nights around here are a little hairy, especially when I teach my evening classes. Those are the days I like to haul out the slow cooker and throw something in it in the morning, that everyone can enjoy for supper, even if our mealtimes are a bit staggered. I do love the slow cooker and I feel it's pretty hard to go wrong with it; you simmer anything for 8 hrs and chances are, it's going to taste pretty good.
A word about the recipe though...I feel a bit sheepish because it uses a premade spice mix, which contains corn starch & maltodextrin (which is made from corn starch too). Kinda lame, I know, but you know what? I personally don't feel like it's the end of the world. You can decide for yourself whether you want to try it. Meantime, I will wait with Bated Breath to see if the Corn Starch Police come knocking on my door.
Italian Vegetable Slow Cooker Stew:
Ingredients
-1 Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into chunks about the size of golf balls. Cept more square
-1 large onion, chopped
-2 Large Red Peppers, seeded & chopped into thick slices
-1 Can White Kidney Beans, drained & rinsed
-1 Large Can Stewed Tomatoes of your Choice (I used organic with basil)
-1 Cup Vegetable Stock
-1 Envelope McCormick Slow Cooker Italian Herb Chicken Seasoning
Directions:
Throw all ingredients into a large slow cooker. Stir to combine and break up any spice clumps. Set slow cooker on 'low' for 8 hrs, cover with the lid, and get on with the rest of your day. The real directions on the package call for Chicken (we're still only seeing each other casually so I decided to NOT use chicken for this stew) as well as mushrooms, which I would rather bleed from the eyes than eat, but you can pop some into the stew if they're your bag.
I enjoyed this stew topped with a bit of fresh parm & a slice of crusty country-style bread spread with a bit of soy-free Earth Balance. Yum. The Bean gave it two thumbs up too....
Alright, I'm out. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, ours is off to a great start so I know we will! See you next time...
xoM
How are ya now? I am working this afternoon on a bunch of excercise plans for clients, but wanted to take a quick break to put up a post with a recipe that got rave reviews chez nous this week. I'd like to post again with an excercise too- did anyone try the ab thingy? How did you make out with it? Next up: the Bingo Wing Blaster...stay tuned....
So, some nights around here are a little hairy, especially when I teach my evening classes. Those are the days I like to haul out the slow cooker and throw something in it in the morning, that everyone can enjoy for supper, even if our mealtimes are a bit staggered. I do love the slow cooker and I feel it's pretty hard to go wrong with it; you simmer anything for 8 hrs and chances are, it's going to taste pretty good.
A word about the recipe though...I feel a bit sheepish because it uses a premade spice mix, which contains corn starch & maltodextrin (which is made from corn starch too). Kinda lame, I know, but you know what? I personally don't feel like it's the end of the world. You can decide for yourself whether you want to try it. Meantime, I will wait with Bated Breath to see if the Corn Starch Police come knocking on my door.
Italian Vegetable Slow Cooker Stew:
Ingredients
-1 Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into chunks about the size of golf balls. Cept more square
-1 large onion, chopped
-2 Large Red Peppers, seeded & chopped into thick slices
-1 Can White Kidney Beans, drained & rinsed
-1 Large Can Stewed Tomatoes of your Choice (I used organic with basil)
-1 Cup Vegetable Stock
-1 Envelope McCormick Slow Cooker Italian Herb Chicken Seasoning
Directions:
Throw all ingredients into a large slow cooker. Stir to combine and break up any spice clumps. Set slow cooker on 'low' for 8 hrs, cover with the lid, and get on with the rest of your day. The real directions on the package call for Chicken (we're still only seeing each other casually so I decided to NOT use chicken for this stew) as well as mushrooms, which I would rather bleed from the eyes than eat, but you can pop some into the stew if they're your bag.
I enjoyed this stew topped with a bit of fresh parm & a slice of crusty country-style bread spread with a bit of soy-free Earth Balance. Yum. The Bean gave it two thumbs up too....
Alright, I'm out. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, ours is off to a great start so I know we will! See you next time...
xoM
Friday, March 11, 2011
Hey, Your Transverse Abdominus is Showing! Try This Move To Work Your Lower Belly...
Happy Friday Everyone!
Hope your weekend is off to a grand start?! I'm ending a busy week by...looking forward to a busy weekend, and it's all good! Excercising with great people (clients) for a living? It barely even feels like work. I feel so fortunate to love my jay oh bee....I foresee some family time on Sunday too. I may or may not be showcasing my prowess (note sarcasm) in the bowling department with the Bean and Brad so that could be fun!
Ok so one question I am perennially asked by clients & participants is how to target the lower area of the abdominal region. I don't need to get into all the spectacularly negative names we give our lower bellies, you know them already. So we'll call it what it really is: your Transverse Abdominus. This core muscle of the abdomen plays a key role in keeping you upright, and works to keep your gut 'in' by acting like your body's natural girdle. And on a more aesthetic note, it's the trouble area that so many of us struggle with trying to tone, strengthen & whip into shape for bathing suit season. So here is a simple excercise you can do at home anytime to target that particular area.
Execution:
1)Sit on a carpeted area, or preferably a padded yoga mat.
2)Lower yourself into a lying-down (supine), face up position.
3)Gently press your lower back into the floor so that it is comfortable and your back is not arched way up.
4)Raise your legs up, then bend at the knees so that your thighs extend upwards, but your shins are parallel to the ground; like a table.
5)Now, place both hands on your thighs, just below the knees. You're in the right position, and the real work begins.
6)Once you are properly in place, you will PUSH on your thighs with all of your might. BUT, you must use counterforce so that your legs don't actually move from the pushing from your hands.
7)By activating your TA or lower belly, you remain in that static position. How long can you hold this? Try 10, 15 or 20 seconds, depending on your core strength. Remember to breathe throughout the excercise.
8)Release, take a quick break, 1-2minutes, then repeat a couple more times. If you are completing the excercise properly, you'll feel that tension in your lower ab area right away when you start pushing with your hands, and using counterforce to keep your legs from budging...
I'm not saying that completing this manoevre on it's own is going to give you that lean, flat belly that we all want...but it is one way to work towards that goal. Eating clean, getting regular cardio & completing other ab excercises are all part of the deal too. But giver a go and tell me what you think mkay?
Gotta run. Hope you all have a super weekend, see you next time!
xoMelissa
Hope your weekend is off to a grand start?! I'm ending a busy week by...looking forward to a busy weekend, and it's all good! Excercising with great people (clients) for a living? It barely even feels like work. I feel so fortunate to love my jay oh bee....I foresee some family time on Sunday too. I may or may not be showcasing my prowess (note sarcasm) in the bowling department with the Bean and Brad so that could be fun!
Ok so one question I am perennially asked by clients & participants is how to target the lower area of the abdominal region. I don't need to get into all the spectacularly negative names we give our lower bellies, you know them already. So we'll call it what it really is: your Transverse Abdominus. This core muscle of the abdomen plays a key role in keeping you upright, and works to keep your gut 'in' by acting like your body's natural girdle. And on a more aesthetic note, it's the trouble area that so many of us struggle with trying to tone, strengthen & whip into shape for bathing suit season. So here is a simple excercise you can do at home anytime to target that particular area.
Execution:
1)Sit on a carpeted area, or preferably a padded yoga mat.
2)Lower yourself into a lying-down (supine), face up position.
3)Gently press your lower back into the floor so that it is comfortable and your back is not arched way up.
4)Raise your legs up, then bend at the knees so that your thighs extend upwards, but your shins are parallel to the ground; like a table.
5)Now, place both hands on your thighs, just below the knees. You're in the right position, and the real work begins.
6)Once you are properly in place, you will PUSH on your thighs with all of your might. BUT, you must use counterforce so that your legs don't actually move from the pushing from your hands.
7)By activating your TA or lower belly, you remain in that static position. How long can you hold this? Try 10, 15 or 20 seconds, depending on your core strength. Remember to breathe throughout the excercise.
8)Release, take a quick break, 1-2minutes, then repeat a couple more times. If you are completing the excercise properly, you'll feel that tension in your lower ab area right away when you start pushing with your hands, and using counterforce to keep your legs from budging...
I'm not saying that completing this manoevre on it's own is going to give you that lean, flat belly that we all want...but it is one way to work towards that goal. Eating clean, getting regular cardio & completing other ab excercises are all part of the deal too. But giver a go and tell me what you think mkay?
Gotta run. Hope you all have a super weekend, see you next time!
xoMelissa
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
What Happens In Vegas & Roasted Chickpeas
Halllloooo!
Am I the WORST blogger ever?! Like, who has a blog and updates it once every MONTH?! That would be me...sorry everyone...time seemed to get away from me over the last few weeks. There were a few trips to the States for work & family visits- Vegas, DC; a certain six year-old's birthday, Spring Break, and then kapow on top of it all my bidness has spiked and I've been running with it! So here I am, and I will endeavour to write more often from here on in....
So you know what they say about Vegas & what stays in Vegas. You ever been to Vegas with a 5 year old? Here's what happens in that strange yet overwhelmingly fun town: you try not to burst an ab laughing when she points up at a 3 storey tall billboard with a photo of Holly Madison in her 'burlesque' show when she says: "Mummy, that lady is dressed like Little Bo Peep". Uh huh. Holly's Bo Peep getup, in it's entirety, could not have been bigger than a single kleenex. Charming. The other thing that 'stayed' in Vegas was the Bean's first lost tooth. Which she lost on the Strip, in the middle of the afternoon, in front of a gobsmacked Hello Kitty impersonator. Don't worry, the tooth didn't really stay there, we have it with us...but suffice it to say the Nevada Tooth Fairy was er, particularly...generous to my little girl. I hope she doesn't get used to this $5 a tooth nonsense, I'll need to start training a WHOLE lot more clients to make that fly.
So summer is just around the corner and it's exciting to hear & see so many people who are making positive changes in their activity levels. Must be the thought of all those shorts, tank tops and bikinis...or Bo Peep outfits as the case may be, that is lighting a fire under people to get fit & shed a few pounds. All the power to them! I love it! What about you? Anyone starting a new physical activity program? Have you started tightening up your eating? Remember, the 'moving' part is critical to your progress, no doubt about it. But it's what you put into your mouth that makes the most difference! As one of my favorite mentors always says: "I can make em sweat & burn calories, but I can't go home with them and sit on their forks!"
With that said, here is a recipe for a healthy, super flavourful, protein & fibre packed snack that I experimented with recently and really enjoyed. Savory Roasted Chickpeas- you can also call them Pois Chiches Epicee if you want to get fancy & amaze your friends....
Roasted Chickpeas with Cajun Spices
Ingredients:
-1 Can Chickpeas, drained, rinsed & gently patted dry
-2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Cajun Seasoning (or other spice blend) to taste
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray or brush with a bit of olive oil.
-In a bowl, combine the chickpeas with the 2TBS of oil & spices, toss to coat completely.
-Spread prepared chickpeas on the sheet and into the oven they go. Give them a shake every 15 minutes or so so they cook evenly on all sides. Roast for 50-60 minutes, but keep an eye on them because there's a fine line between roasted, crispy, toasty goodness and little black Pellets of Death...
Try them instead of a greasy bag of potato chips when you're chiling in front of the tube, as part of lunch (I just had a 1/4 cup alongside some goat cheese, Mary's Crackers, & a mountain of raw veg) or on top of a salad for a little texture & flavour. Enjoy! Let me know what you think!
Alrighty then. I must away to some client work & Mt Laundry (the amount I have to get through could be considered a cardio & resistance workout, or at least endurance, yeesh) before the afternoon is all gone. Hope you are all well, and comment anytime- I love to hear from you!
xoMG
Am I the WORST blogger ever?! Like, who has a blog and updates it once every MONTH?! That would be me...sorry everyone...time seemed to get away from me over the last few weeks. There were a few trips to the States for work & family visits- Vegas, DC; a certain six year-old's birthday, Spring Break, and then kapow on top of it all my bidness has spiked and I've been running with it! So here I am, and I will endeavour to write more often from here on in....
So you know what they say about Vegas & what stays in Vegas. You ever been to Vegas with a 5 year old? Here's what happens in that strange yet overwhelmingly fun town: you try not to burst an ab laughing when she points up at a 3 storey tall billboard with a photo of Holly Madison in her 'burlesque' show when she says: "Mummy, that lady is dressed like Little Bo Peep". Uh huh. Holly's Bo Peep getup, in it's entirety, could not have been bigger than a single kleenex. Charming. The other thing that 'stayed' in Vegas was the Bean's first lost tooth. Which she lost on the Strip, in the middle of the afternoon, in front of a gobsmacked Hello Kitty impersonator. Don't worry, the tooth didn't really stay there, we have it with us...but suffice it to say the Nevada Tooth Fairy was er, particularly...generous to my little girl. I hope she doesn't get used to this $5 a tooth nonsense, I'll need to start training a WHOLE lot more clients to make that fly.
So summer is just around the corner and it's exciting to hear & see so many people who are making positive changes in their activity levels. Must be the thought of all those shorts, tank tops and bikinis...or Bo Peep outfits as the case may be, that is lighting a fire under people to get fit & shed a few pounds. All the power to them! I love it! What about you? Anyone starting a new physical activity program? Have you started tightening up your eating? Remember, the 'moving' part is critical to your progress, no doubt about it. But it's what you put into your mouth that makes the most difference! As one of my favorite mentors always says: "I can make em sweat & burn calories, but I can't go home with them and sit on their forks!"
With that said, here is a recipe for a healthy, super flavourful, protein & fibre packed snack that I experimented with recently and really enjoyed. Savory Roasted Chickpeas- you can also call them Pois Chiches Epicee if you want to get fancy & amaze your friends....
Roasted Chickpeas with Cajun Spices
Ingredients:
-1 Can Chickpeas, drained, rinsed & gently patted dry
-2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Cajun Seasoning (or other spice blend) to taste
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray or brush with a bit of olive oil.
-In a bowl, combine the chickpeas with the 2TBS of oil & spices, toss to coat completely.
-Spread prepared chickpeas on the sheet and into the oven they go. Give them a shake every 15 minutes or so so they cook evenly on all sides. Roast for 50-60 minutes, but keep an eye on them because there's a fine line between roasted, crispy, toasty goodness and little black Pellets of Death...
Try them instead of a greasy bag of potato chips when you're chiling in front of the tube, as part of lunch (I just had a 1/4 cup alongside some goat cheese, Mary's Crackers, & a mountain of raw veg) or on top of a salad for a little texture & flavour. Enjoy! Let me know what you think!
Alrighty then. I must away to some client work & Mt Laundry (the amount I have to get through could be considered a cardio & resistance workout, or at least endurance, yeesh) before the afternoon is all gone. Hope you are all well, and comment anytime- I love to hear from you!
xoMG
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Shweddy Balls- You Know You Want 'Em
Halllloooo Everybody!
How YOU doin'? I'm great. I am really feeling the love! Let me just say, in regards to my last post; thank you so very much for reading it, and for all of the overwhelming support on it. The comments were wonderful, but the extraordinary number of private emails I received about it were truly touching. Like they made me cry. Thank you for sharing your own stories- not all of them were identical to my own experience, but just went to show that we all seem to have our 'thing' that we've been through, or are working through, or that push us to be better and work harder. I was worried about making my readers feel icky about my backstory, and stressed about whether I should post it. Thank you for making me feel like it was a positive thing. You guys rock!
Ok so a lot of the blogs I frequent have been all about protein ball recipes. Little nuggets of yummy goodness that make a great pre or post workout snack or anytime really. So I am jumping on the bandwagon and have created....my own SHWEDDY BALL recipe. If you think I'm just being a weirdo, please go to YouTube and search for the Alec Baldwin SNL skit from years ago about his 'shweddy balls'. You'll get an ab workout laughing so hard.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
-4 scoops protein powder of your choice (I use sprouted brown rice vanilla flavoured)
-2 TBS Almond Butter (or nut butter of your choice)
-2 TBS (heaping)Coconut Flour
-2 TBS Coconut Oil
-5 or 6 honey (or other) pitted dates
-splash of vanilla extract
-sploosh of agave, honey or maple syrup
-Chocolate chips to taste (I am a graduate of the 'don't measure chocolate chips school of thought'- like WHO would only add a TBS of chocolate chips?! Unless you don't care for chocolate, in which case I'll shut my trap now)
Directions:
In a food processor, buzz the dates till they're chopped up. Add in the protein, Almond butter, flour, oil, vanilla and process again. At this point it'll probably still be a little dry, so add in a bit of syrup. If it's STILL really dry, a splash of water to moisten it up a bit- you don't want it to be runny, but moist enough that you could form the dough into balls. At this point things are starting to get a little Shweddy. Stir in your chocolate chips, and form the dough into balls the size of golf balls. Store in the fridge. At my house, the 10 or so balls I made were gone within 12 hours. These taste like a firmer version of cookie dough, we really enjoyed them and they're bound to become a staple chez nous.
Let me know what you think! You could switch things up here; add in oats or ground flax or a combo instead of the coconut flour, or add in raisins or goji berries or something instead of chocolate chips- it's your call based on what you like. In a shweddy ball.
I'm working on a couple of other recipes that I am hoping to post too...but I need to do a little focus group testing tonight on Brad and the Bean before they're ready for primetime. Hopefully I'll have another post coming soon with said recipes!
I'm out for now, thanks for reading & for all your bloglove- the feeling is mutual!
xoMelissa
How YOU doin'? I'm great. I am really feeling the love! Let me just say, in regards to my last post; thank you so very much for reading it, and for all of the overwhelming support on it. The comments were wonderful, but the extraordinary number of private emails I received about it were truly touching. Like they made me cry. Thank you for sharing your own stories- not all of them were identical to my own experience, but just went to show that we all seem to have our 'thing' that we've been through, or are working through, or that push us to be better and work harder. I was worried about making my readers feel icky about my backstory, and stressed about whether I should post it. Thank you for making me feel like it was a positive thing. You guys rock!
Ok so a lot of the blogs I frequent have been all about protein ball recipes. Little nuggets of yummy goodness that make a great pre or post workout snack or anytime really. So I am jumping on the bandwagon and have created....my own SHWEDDY BALL recipe. If you think I'm just being a weirdo, please go to YouTube and search for the Alec Baldwin SNL skit from years ago about his 'shweddy balls'. You'll get an ab workout laughing so hard.
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
-4 scoops protein powder of your choice (I use sprouted brown rice vanilla flavoured)
-2 TBS Almond Butter (or nut butter of your choice)
-2 TBS (heaping)Coconut Flour
-2 TBS Coconut Oil
-5 or 6 honey (or other) pitted dates
-splash of vanilla extract
-sploosh of agave, honey or maple syrup
-Chocolate chips to taste (I am a graduate of the 'don't measure chocolate chips school of thought'- like WHO would only add a TBS of chocolate chips?! Unless you don't care for chocolate, in which case I'll shut my trap now)
Directions:
In a food processor, buzz the dates till they're chopped up. Add in the protein, Almond butter, flour, oil, vanilla and process again. At this point it'll probably still be a little dry, so add in a bit of syrup. If it's STILL really dry, a splash of water to moisten it up a bit- you don't want it to be runny, but moist enough that you could form the dough into balls. At this point things are starting to get a little Shweddy. Stir in your chocolate chips, and form the dough into balls the size of golf balls. Store in the fridge. At my house, the 10 or so balls I made were gone within 12 hours. These taste like a firmer version of cookie dough, we really enjoyed them and they're bound to become a staple chez nous.
Let me know what you think! You could switch things up here; add in oats or ground flax or a combo instead of the coconut flour, or add in raisins or goji berries or something instead of chocolate chips- it's your call based on what you like. In a shweddy ball.
I'm working on a couple of other recipes that I am hoping to post too...but I need to do a little focus group testing tonight on Brad and the Bean before they're ready for primetime. Hopefully I'll have another post coming soon with said recipes!
I'm out for now, thanks for reading & for all your bloglove- the feeling is mutual!
xoMelissa
Sunday, January 16, 2011
I Aimed For STRONG, Not Skinny....
Hey Everyone What's Shakin?
Let me first just say that this post may be the teensiest bit more heartfelt for me- my apologies if this is your first visit and you kinda wonder what you're reading. But fear not! I am usually WAAAAYYY more full of beans than this, so please do keep reading!
I feel like for some reason, I wanted to share with you all why excercise is so very very important in my life, a bit of a backstory. Maybe you'll feel like this post speaks to your own experience, or something that's going on in your life, even if our stories aren't identical- I hope it resonates with you on some level if you have stuff going on that is difficult.
So the truth is, my story isn't one about how I was once obese and worked hard to lose a lot of weight and overcome adversity (this of course notwithstanding the 65 pound weight gain I enjoyed while pregnant with the Bean, but I chalk that up to a strict Kraft Dinner & chocolate diet during my pregnancy. No comment ok?) I am inspired DAILY by people who this is true for. I think it's extraordinary and I am humbled by it. But that isn't me.
After the Bean was born, we really wanted to make a sibling for her. Or two, to be exact. Apparently, the Universe had other plans for me. To make a long story short(ish), I had no problem conceiving, I just couldn't seem to stay that way. This happened more than a couple of times, and every time it happened, it really took a dangerous toll on me physically and more significantly, emotionally. It got to a point a couple of years ago, where I was really angry & dissapointed with myself- my own body, to be truthful. I felt, physically, like a failure; like my body failed me. I LOATHED by body. I wasn't clinically depressed, but there were times when I didn't want to get out of bed; I was so profoundly sad and I wondered if I could ever possibly feel better about my situation and myself. I felt like my body was sabotaging my plans and it was all my fault. I felt weak, trapped in a body that wasn't doing what I wanted it to. I could barely stand myself, and I know it was hard for the people around me too. I am fortunate to have such an amazing support system of family & friends though, they held me up on so many levels.
But what happened was, in the midst of all this overwhelming sadness, an idea came into my head. When I was at my absolute lowest, this voice in my head said: "If I can just get to the gym. If I can just get there, and start getting physically strong, everything will be ok." I know it's hokey, but it's the truth. So as soon as my doc gave me the go-ahead, I was there. I started at 2, 3, and then 4 days a week. I hired a trainer. I was shy about being in a place where there were so many strong, beautiful bodies, where I didn't 'belong' with my sad face, soft, half-pregnant looking physique. But I sweated my a*s off, started doing pushups and lifting weights. The more often I went, the stronger I felt & looked, and the better I felt about myself. I was transformed.
So even though I DON'T necessarily know what it feels like to feel trapped in a body that is bigger than I would like, I know what it feels like to hate your body and feel like a prisoner in it or like you're not the one calling the shots. And although some people may turn to their Faith, or support groups, or booze or medications or whatever to heal what ails them, I turned to fitness. And it saved me. Becoming STRONG saved me. Yes, I am on the 'leaner' side, I won't lie- but that was a side effect of working hard and making changes to the way I eat so I would FEEL stronger & more energized. These days, working out is as much a part of my life as breathing, eating healthfully (at least 90% of the time), drinking wheatgrass and well, you know, enjoying a little vino when I feel like I want to. I'm not obsessed with excercising to burn calories or be skinny or anything- it's about feeling strong. Because I've lived through the alternative and have no desire to go back there.
Becoming a personal trainer & fitness instructor was the next step for me. As cheesy as it might sound, I wanted to help other people- particularly women- feel as good about themselves as I managed too, by incorporating physical activity into their lives.
Let me be clear: I am certainly not a doctor and I'm not advising anyone to go off medication and hit the elliptical to cure themselves. All I'm saying is that in my particular case, improving my fitness & strength helped heal my body, my mind and improved my self esteem, mkay? Just sayin.
This isn't a pity party I'm trying to start here. I'm just trying to give my own example of how aiming to get strong, rather than just skinny, lifted me out of the worst time of my life. Maybe the same will be true for you.
OOOFFF! That's heavy, yo! I'm done! Have a great day, and rest assured my next post will be full of the regular shenanigans and a healthy yumptious recipe a'ight?
Later!
xoMelissa
Let me first just say that this post may be the teensiest bit more heartfelt for me- my apologies if this is your first visit and you kinda wonder what you're reading. But fear not! I am usually WAAAAYYY more full of beans than this, so please do keep reading!
I feel like for some reason, I wanted to share with you all why excercise is so very very important in my life, a bit of a backstory. Maybe you'll feel like this post speaks to your own experience, or something that's going on in your life, even if our stories aren't identical- I hope it resonates with you on some level if you have stuff going on that is difficult.
So the truth is, my story isn't one about how I was once obese and worked hard to lose a lot of weight and overcome adversity (this of course notwithstanding the 65 pound weight gain I enjoyed while pregnant with the Bean, but I chalk that up to a strict Kraft Dinner & chocolate diet during my pregnancy. No comment ok?) I am inspired DAILY by people who this is true for. I think it's extraordinary and I am humbled by it. But that isn't me.
After the Bean was born, we really wanted to make a sibling for her. Or two, to be exact. Apparently, the Universe had other plans for me. To make a long story short(ish), I had no problem conceiving, I just couldn't seem to stay that way. This happened more than a couple of times, and every time it happened, it really took a dangerous toll on me physically and more significantly, emotionally. It got to a point a couple of years ago, where I was really angry & dissapointed with myself- my own body, to be truthful. I felt, physically, like a failure; like my body failed me. I LOATHED by body. I wasn't clinically depressed, but there were times when I didn't want to get out of bed; I was so profoundly sad and I wondered if I could ever possibly feel better about my situation and myself. I felt like my body was sabotaging my plans and it was all my fault. I felt weak, trapped in a body that wasn't doing what I wanted it to. I could barely stand myself, and I know it was hard for the people around me too. I am fortunate to have such an amazing support system of family & friends though, they held me up on so many levels.
But what happened was, in the midst of all this overwhelming sadness, an idea came into my head. When I was at my absolute lowest, this voice in my head said: "If I can just get to the gym. If I can just get there, and start getting physically strong, everything will be ok." I know it's hokey, but it's the truth. So as soon as my doc gave me the go-ahead, I was there. I started at 2, 3, and then 4 days a week. I hired a trainer. I was shy about being in a place where there were so many strong, beautiful bodies, where I didn't 'belong' with my sad face, soft, half-pregnant looking physique. But I sweated my a*s off, started doing pushups and lifting weights. The more often I went, the stronger I felt & looked, and the better I felt about myself. I was transformed.
So even though I DON'T necessarily know what it feels like to feel trapped in a body that is bigger than I would like, I know what it feels like to hate your body and feel like a prisoner in it or like you're not the one calling the shots. And although some people may turn to their Faith, or support groups, or booze or medications or whatever to heal what ails them, I turned to fitness. And it saved me. Becoming STRONG saved me. Yes, I am on the 'leaner' side, I won't lie- but that was a side effect of working hard and making changes to the way I eat so I would FEEL stronger & more energized. These days, working out is as much a part of my life as breathing, eating healthfully (at least 90% of the time), drinking wheatgrass and well, you know, enjoying a little vino when I feel like I want to. I'm not obsessed with excercising to burn calories or be skinny or anything- it's about feeling strong. Because I've lived through the alternative and have no desire to go back there.
Becoming a personal trainer & fitness instructor was the next step for me. As cheesy as it might sound, I wanted to help other people- particularly women- feel as good about themselves as I managed too, by incorporating physical activity into their lives.
Let me be clear: I am certainly not a doctor and I'm not advising anyone to go off medication and hit the elliptical to cure themselves. All I'm saying is that in my particular case, improving my fitness & strength helped heal my body, my mind and improved my self esteem, mkay? Just sayin.
This isn't a pity party I'm trying to start here. I'm just trying to give my own example of how aiming to get strong, rather than just skinny, lifted me out of the worst time of my life. Maybe the same will be true for you.
OOOFFF! That's heavy, yo! I'm done! Have a great day, and rest assured my next post will be full of the regular shenanigans and a healthy yumptious recipe a'ight?
Later!
xoMelissa
Friday, January 14, 2011
You Know What They Say About A Girl With Big Feet....
Hey Everyone, how goes your Friday? Sorry it's been a while since I had anything to talk at ya about, but things were a bit hectic as I settled into my new routine. I've started teaching aerobics classes, and have been taking on new personal training clients, while still doing the everyday Mommy/life stuff and my own excercise regime, so it's taking a bit of adjustment, in a good way. Today I decided to take the day off, especially from excercise, as it's been a pretty large physical activity week for me. A rest day never hurt anyone, right? By tomorrow I'll be chomping at the bit I'm sure!
So speaking of excercise, I've been in the market for a new pair of sneaks. Whatever, right? Get down to Sportcheck or Foot Locker just and buy some, right? Yeah not so much. Because some of us don't just have feet. We have pontoons. Those of you who know me personally know it- I'm like a frickin' sasquatch, and you can see my feet coming around a corner before you see the rest of me. It's brutal. You also know that one of the highest compliments you can give me is: "Wow, those shoes/boots/pedicure/etc make your feet look so SMALL!".
This is nothing new. I was fitting into my Mom's dainty size 8s in the 6th grade. Uncles used to encourage me to really get into barefoot waterskiing before I even hit my teens. I think I was supposed to be taller, but oh well. I could go on and on with anecdotes like this, but I think you're probably starting to get the point.
You know what they say about a girl with big feet...we need big shoes. And that can be a tricky proposition when you're rockin' a set of size 10-11 feet. So for that reason, shoe shopping- particularly running shoe shopping- ranks somewhere lower on the list than Bikini Shopping and Bra Shopping. Too much info. Sorry. Just sayin'. Lady readers, that might resonate with ya's.
So wish me luck in my search eh. And if you have any tips for where us particularly Pediendowed folks can get a pair of quality sneaks that don't make us look like Ronald McDonald.
Meantime, how about a recipe for something super easy that sounds fancy? Behold: Miso Glazed Baked Salmon. Great anytime, takes just a few minutes to make, can even be served for a dinner party. If you don't have Miso in your life yet, give it a go. It will satisfy your 'Salt Tooth' in a healthy way. Miso is a fermented soy bean paste (please, don't stop reading, it really is good!) that's got B12 vitamins,and trace minerals zinc, manganese & copper. Plus it's high in protein. Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 TBS grapeseed or vegetable/canola oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
1/2 cup red miso paste
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 TBS brown rice vinegar
hot pepper sesame oil to taste (or sesame oil & dried red pepper flakes if you can't find it)
Directions:
Heat oil in a small saucepan over med heat. Add garlic and 5 spice powder and cook for about 30 seconds or til it becomes fragrant. Whisk in the remaining ingredients (except sesame oil & pepper flakes),bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly for about 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Season to taste with hot pepper sesame oil. Let the sauce cool & thicken further before using.
I like to drizzle this sauce over baked or barbecued salmon portions. But if you're not feeling the fish love then drizzle over steamed/roasted veggies or protein of your choice. It's delish.
Alrighty, hope your weekend gets off to a good start! Mine is bound to; I'm training a client first thing tomorrow morning then getting ready for a bootcamp with Tommy Europe from the television shows 'The Last 10 lbs Bootcamp' and 'Bulging Brides'. I hope he doesn't make me cry. We'll see. So if it's cool I'll post after the weekend with those shenanigans.
Have a great one, thanks for reading!
xoMelissa
So speaking of excercise, I've been in the market for a new pair of sneaks. Whatever, right? Get down to Sportcheck or Foot Locker just and buy some, right? Yeah not so much. Because some of us don't just have feet. We have pontoons. Those of you who know me personally know it- I'm like a frickin' sasquatch, and you can see my feet coming around a corner before you see the rest of me. It's brutal. You also know that one of the highest compliments you can give me is: "Wow, those shoes/boots/pedicure/etc make your feet look so SMALL!".
This is nothing new. I was fitting into my Mom's dainty size 8s in the 6th grade. Uncles used to encourage me to really get into barefoot waterskiing before I even hit my teens. I think I was supposed to be taller, but oh well. I could go on and on with anecdotes like this, but I think you're probably starting to get the point.
You know what they say about a girl with big feet...we need big shoes. And that can be a tricky proposition when you're rockin' a set of size 10-11 feet. So for that reason, shoe shopping- particularly running shoe shopping- ranks somewhere lower on the list than Bikini Shopping and Bra Shopping. Too much info. Sorry. Just sayin'. Lady readers, that might resonate with ya's.
So wish me luck in my search eh. And if you have any tips for where us particularly Pediendowed folks can get a pair of quality sneaks that don't make us look like Ronald McDonald.
Meantime, how about a recipe for something super easy that sounds fancy? Behold: Miso Glazed Baked Salmon. Great anytime, takes just a few minutes to make, can even be served for a dinner party. If you don't have Miso in your life yet, give it a go. It will satisfy your 'Salt Tooth' in a healthy way. Miso is a fermented soy bean paste (please, don't stop reading, it really is good!) that's got B12 vitamins,and trace minerals zinc, manganese & copper. Plus it's high in protein. Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 TBS grapeseed or vegetable/canola oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
1/2 cup red miso paste
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 TBS brown rice vinegar
hot pepper sesame oil to taste (or sesame oil & dried red pepper flakes if you can't find it)
Directions:
Heat oil in a small saucepan over med heat. Add garlic and 5 spice powder and cook for about 30 seconds or til it becomes fragrant. Whisk in the remaining ingredients (except sesame oil & pepper flakes),bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly for about 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Season to taste with hot pepper sesame oil. Let the sauce cool & thicken further before using.
I like to drizzle this sauce over baked or barbecued salmon portions. But if you're not feeling the fish love then drizzle over steamed/roasted veggies or protein of your choice. It's delish.
Alrighty, hope your weekend gets off to a good start! Mine is bound to; I'm training a client first thing tomorrow morning then getting ready for a bootcamp with Tommy Europe from the television shows 'The Last 10 lbs Bootcamp' and 'Bulging Brides'. I hope he doesn't make me cry. We'll see. So if it's cool I'll post after the weekend with those shenanigans.
Have a great one, thanks for reading!
xoMelissa
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Am I Losing My Touch?! And a Taco Salad Recipe
Hey Everyone! How's it going? Is January getting started on the right foot for you? It is for me, fo sho! After a magical but low key Christmas & New Years will my little family of 3, we're back in the swing of things. Bean's back at school, I am back at the gym with a vengeance & an eye to achieving some fresh goals (one of which involves a bicep curl & a 35 lb dumbbell, we'll see how that goes, ahem), new personal training clients signing up AND...my aerobics classes starting on Monday out in my little village. I am nervous & excited, can't wait for people to show up and hopefully feel like they're getting something out of it!
What are your goals as far as fitness for this year? Any changes on the horizon?
So the gym is hopping, as I'm sure you can imagine. Lots of newbies, great to see them working hard to change something in their lives. I love it. What I don't love? One of the 'oldies' whose still kicking around the place. He's this guy, a real pain the butt, lurks around the place making googly eyes at all the ladies, innapropriate comments, touchy-feely, very icky. I've complained to management about him, and said a few things to him to head him off, and it works....for a little while. But then he's right back at it within a few weeks, drives me nuts. At my gym I'm usually one of the only girls in the weight room, which can sometimes be intimidating enough- do I really need this douchebag there to make it uncomfortable?
And the worst part is, I think I might be losing my touch. My touch with the Look of Death (aka Beotch Face) that is. I mean, this look has been known to fell a man at 20 paces- just ask Brad (don't worry, he's ok now). They wither as soon as I bust it out, sometimes even curl into fetal position on the floor, it's never failed me. So I tried it on Mr Douchey yesterday and it appears he is my Kryptonite. Didn't even phase him. Googly eyes just got bigger and inane comments presented....haallllp! What do I do? Any thoughts? Advice?
Alright, enough yakking. How about a recipe? Taco Salad is a real standbye in this house. The Bean absolutely ADORES it, and so do we. It makes a huge amount of food, which is great for leftovers. And it is superb for entertaining too because the platter is pretty impressive looking. I think it's pretty healthy, especially if you use extra lean ground beef or even better, ground turkey or chicken. This was our New Year's Supper, a nice fresh, clean way to start the New Year. Here it is:
Ingredients:
1 pound extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 onion, minced
2 TBS minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 can EACH of black beans,kidney beans, & corn niblets, drained and rinsed
1 head Romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces
1 - 2 tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces (or halved cherry tomatoes)
1 cuke, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper (colour of your choice), chopped into chunks
1/2 cup sliced green onions
Chopped cilantro to taste (optional)
1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)
1 or 2 avocados, sliced or guacamole
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Salsa, Sour Cream, Tabasco
Directions:
On a LARGE platter, arrange the lettuce as a base, like a bed. Spread kidney beans over lettuce, then black beans, then corn. Scatter chopped peppers, cukes & tomatoes around the perimeter of the salad base (so the platter doesn't turn into a mountain). When you're almost ready to serve, fry ground beef or turkey with chopped onion & garlic, add chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper and fry together till meat is cooked through and fragrant from the spices. Top salad platter with meat, then green onions, olives, then cheese & cilantro. You can either buy a vinnaigrette of your choice to go with it, or make one with Olive Oil, Lime Juice, Salt, pepper, agave/honey, garlic. To be honest, there are so many flavours going on here that lately we haven't even been using a dressing. Serve with salsa, sour cream, tabasco (I put that s%$t on everything!) and guac. I also like to make nachos (with baked chips instead of fried) OR quesadillas made with Ezekiel wraps....Enjoy!
Alright guys I gotta scoot so bye for now. Thank you for reading. I appreciate it immensely and look forward to your feedback. For reals....
xoMelissa
What are your goals as far as fitness for this year? Any changes on the horizon?
So the gym is hopping, as I'm sure you can imagine. Lots of newbies, great to see them working hard to change something in their lives. I love it. What I don't love? One of the 'oldies' whose still kicking around the place. He's this guy, a real pain the butt, lurks around the place making googly eyes at all the ladies, innapropriate comments, touchy-feely, very icky. I've complained to management about him, and said a few things to him to head him off, and it works....for a little while. But then he's right back at it within a few weeks, drives me nuts. At my gym I'm usually one of the only girls in the weight room, which can sometimes be intimidating enough- do I really need this douchebag there to make it uncomfortable?
And the worst part is, I think I might be losing my touch. My touch with the Look of Death (aka Beotch Face) that is. I mean, this look has been known to fell a man at 20 paces- just ask Brad (don't worry, he's ok now). They wither as soon as I bust it out, sometimes even curl into fetal position on the floor, it's never failed me. So I tried it on Mr Douchey yesterday and it appears he is my Kryptonite. Didn't even phase him. Googly eyes just got bigger and inane comments presented....haallllp! What do I do? Any thoughts? Advice?
Alright, enough yakking. How about a recipe? Taco Salad is a real standbye in this house. The Bean absolutely ADORES it, and so do we. It makes a huge amount of food, which is great for leftovers. And it is superb for entertaining too because the platter is pretty impressive looking. I think it's pretty healthy, especially if you use extra lean ground beef or even better, ground turkey or chicken. This was our New Year's Supper, a nice fresh, clean way to start the New Year. Here it is:
Ingredients:
1 pound extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 onion, minced
2 TBS minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 can EACH of black beans,kidney beans, & corn niblets, drained and rinsed
1 head Romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces
1 - 2 tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces (or halved cherry tomatoes)
1 cuke, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper (colour of your choice), chopped into chunks
1/2 cup sliced green onions
Chopped cilantro to taste (optional)
1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)
1 or 2 avocados, sliced or guacamole
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Salsa, Sour Cream, Tabasco
Directions:
On a LARGE platter, arrange the lettuce as a base, like a bed. Spread kidney beans over lettuce, then black beans, then corn. Scatter chopped peppers, cukes & tomatoes around the perimeter of the salad base (so the platter doesn't turn into a mountain). When you're almost ready to serve, fry ground beef or turkey with chopped onion & garlic, add chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper and fry together till meat is cooked through and fragrant from the spices. Top salad platter with meat, then green onions, olives, then cheese & cilantro. You can either buy a vinnaigrette of your choice to go with it, or make one with Olive Oil, Lime Juice, Salt, pepper, agave/honey, garlic. To be honest, there are so many flavours going on here that lately we haven't even been using a dressing. Serve with salsa, sour cream, tabasco (I put that s%$t on everything!) and guac. I also like to make nachos (with baked chips instead of fried) OR quesadillas made with Ezekiel wraps....Enjoy!
Alright guys I gotta scoot so bye for now. Thank you for reading. I appreciate it immensely and look forward to your feedback. For reals....
xoMelissa
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