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
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