A Little Something Different

Last week was rough.  But good.  And now it's over.  I'm happy about this.  My least favorite part about starting a new job (or a new semester when I was a student) is the first week.  Remember the stress of figuring out where you were supposed to be and what you are supposed to be doing?  I hate that.  Unfortunately, it looks like it will be another few weeks of that.  My new work is renovating a room for my new job and my office is not finished yet.  Hopefully it will be soon so I don't spend all my time this summer walking across campus in the 90F+ heat everyday.  I cannot wait to get settled in...and to have a coffee maker in my office.  Oh, yes, coffee will be needed mid-day with this job!

For the most part, I met my fitness goals for last week.  To recap, go here.  Here's what actually happened:

Sunday:  6.38 mile walk

Monday:  Level 1 (38mins) of Jillian Michael's Extreme Shed and Shred (AM)

Tuesday:  Rest

Wednesday:  Levels 1 & 2 (80 mins) Shed and Shred (AM); 3 mile walk (PM)

Thursday:  Rest

Friday:  Levels 1 & 2 (80 mins) Shed and Shred (AM)

Saturday:  Rest

That adds up to exceeding my morning workout goals (min of 30 minutes, three mornings), falling short of my evening workout goal (2 nights), and not quite meeting my total workouts goal (5 days/week).  I'm going to cut myself a little slack on this one.  I'm actually surprised and very proud that I accomplished what I did.  Let's face it, I actually got up at 4:45am three mornings to workout on my first week of work.  Of course, I was ready for bed at 7:30pm every night.  I was not expecting to be so tired at night.  I think 'non-functional' would have been a good description for how I felt at night and on Saturday.

I'm still dragging today but I need to get things done.  I need to clean and get a good workout in because I feel like it's important to start my week out strong.  I'm going to leave my workout goals the same for this week.  I'll likely refine this schedule as I start getting a better feel for how my weeks will go as time goes on but this works for now.  I need to cook today too! 

This morning, I made this egg bake.  I need something different in the morning.  I am a little burnt out on oatmeal and yogurt for breakfast, so eggs were on the menu.  I made a four-serving egg bake to cover this morning and three breakfasts during the week.  It's very low in calories, so I can add in a fruit or pumpkin smoothie to round out the meal.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this bake but it was very, very good.  Next time, I might add a couple extra eggs (I only had 6 on hand).  I would think that adding cheese would be very good but I have a hard time digesting eggs and cheese together.  Kalamata olives and feta would be excellent add ins!

Mediterranean Egg Bake

Serves 4; 140 calories per serving

Ingredients:
3 large leaves of kale, chopped
5 portabella mushrooms, chopped
2 scallions, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk of choice (soy, cow, almond, coconut, etc.)
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

On the stovetop, sweat out the kale, mushrooms, and scallions until slightly wilted.  Add in 1/4 cup of water and continue cooking until the water evaporates (note: this helps reduce the bitterness of the kale); let this mixture cool for about 5 minutes.  In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, and spices until well combined.  When the kale mixture has cooled, add it to the eggs and stir to combine.  Transfer to a small baking dish.  Top the eggs with the slices of tomatoes and add a small amount of salt to the top of the tomatoes.  Bake at 350F for 35 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes, slice, and serve!

Pineapple Pancakes

Looking for something a little different for breakfast?  Do you have summer-fever and/or the Monday blues?  Then this breakfast may be just what you are looking for!

Whole pineapples were on sale for $1.99 on Friday and I just couldn't pass it up!  However, I hate cleaning them up and I ended up leaving it on the counter until it developed a soft spot.  I cut it up this morning and was going to throw some in my yogurt this morning but decided to make pancakes instead!  I am attempting to use up as many pantry items as possible over the next month and a half before I move so getting rid of pancake mix was on my mind.

Therefore, I present to you:

Pineapple Pancakes with Coconut Greek Yogurt

Makes 5 medium-sized pancakes, enough for about 1.5 large servings
Ingredients:
Pancakes:
1/2 cup (~100g) fresh or frozen/thawed pineapple, chopped
1.5 servings pancake mix (I used a combo of Bisquick GF and Bob's Red Mills GF)
1 egg white
1/3 cup milk of choice
1/8 cup rolled oats
Cinnamon (optional)

Topping:
2 oz plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp honey
1 Tbsp unsweetened coconut

Preheat skillet over medium-low.  Meanwhile, mix the pancake ingredients, the batter will be thin and lumpy.  Pour batter into hot skillet in 1/4 cup servings.  Cook on the first side until the edges are dry.  Flip.  Cook for another couple minutes (until golden brown).  Mix all topping ingredients together and top the pancakes with the coconut-yogurt mixture.  Enjoy your trip to the tropics!

Homemade Larabars and HM Training Updates

Good evening and happy Easter!  I have been traveling so much lately that I decided not to head up to my parent's house for Easter this year so my super awesome parents came down to see me! 


After eating out, my parents were good sports and climbed up the "M" (i.e. the world's largest M painted on a hillside that is located at the edge of the town I live in):

When you get to the top, you are rewarded with a great view of SW Wisconsin:

And your mom makes you pose for photos:

As you can see, it was very windy!  My feet were blown out from under me quite a few times! 

Moving along, my half training has been going pretty well and I walked a 12.1-miler yesterday in 2 hours, 39 mins, 17 seconds.  I have 6 weeks until my Half so I would say that I'm in pretty good shape!  :)

I purposely trained early for several reasons.  First, I wanted the extra time in case I got sick or injured.  Second, I wanted the extra time in case it took a little longer for me personally to work up to the distance.  Third, I wanted to be confident that I could complete the distance relatively easily.  And finally, fourth, this spring is absolutely insane.  There's no other way to put it.  It's crazy. 

I can't disclose all the details yet (hopefully soon!), but let's just say that I don't want to worry about intense training when I stressed to the max.  Some things I can share are: the week before my half, I am moving.  The night of my half, I am flying to Denver to join in on teaching a field course that will already be 2 days underway.  A few days after my half, I have every plan to hike a good distance at Arches NP, Zion NP, and then down and then back up the Grand Canyon.  This will be followed up by many hikes throughout the nearly three weeks of the field course.  Oh yes, I will do it!  Hopefully.  :)

Needless to say, building endurance, sleep, and proper nutrition will be needed over the next 6 weeks which is why I'm so grateful to be this far along in my half training!

While earlier today, thanks to having the stomach flu this weekend (or dehydration followed by water logging - still not sure which), I didn't feel like cooking.  I am feeling much better tonight and decided to work on the nutrition part!  First, I made Super Granola to help me fuel up!  I have a tendency to take the easy way out and just eat raw oatmeal on my yogurt in the morning (try it - it is so good!  Just don't use instant or steel-cut oats).  However, I like the benefits that the quinoa, flax, and chias provide.

I also thought I'd try my hand at homemade Lara Bars!  I enjoy these bars but to be honest, they are pretty pricey and many of them are made with almonds (I'm allergic).  I found this recipe that helped me get a good idea of where to start.  I decided to make a few small changes - including swapping out cashews for the almonds.  As this is my first time making these, I went with the banana bread flavor first and then decided to make the chocolate coconut chew!  I have found a huge amount of recipes (just Google 'homemade larabars' and you'll see what I mean) that I am itching to try.  Should have boughten more dates...

Homemade Mini-Banana Larabars

Makes 8 bars, 98 calories each
Ingredients:
1 banana, sliced and dehydrated or baked for 2 hours on 200F in the oven, flipping half way through* 
6 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup raw cashews
Cinnamon

Combine banana chips, dates, and cinnamon in a food processor and grind until finely chopped.  Remove and empty into a bowl.  Add cashews to food processor and grind until finely chopped.  Add to the date mixture.  Mix thoroughly and press into bars.  Wrap individually and refrigerate.

*As per the recipe I based this off of, make sure you place the bananas on parchment paper or at least spray the pan before baking to avoid major sticking!


Homemade Mini-Chocolate Coconut Larabar

Makes 10 balls, 95 calories each
Ingredients:
5 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup raw cashews

Combine dates, coconut, and cocoa powder in a food processor and process until finely ground.  Empty into a bowl.  Add the cashews to the food processor and process until finely chopped.  Add to the date mixture.  Stir well and press into 10 balls.  Wrap and refrigerate.
__

Note - these are not the cutest of foods but both had an intensely amazing flavor!  On the downside, they are very high in calories and I made a colossal mess out of my kitchen making the chocolate-coconut ones (I think I needed more dates to hold the coconut and cocoa powder together better and/or a regular sized food processor - not the baby one that I got for $7 at Target - thus why these are balls instead of bars).  The chocolate ones will be headed to the freezer to eat on special occasions or chocolate cravings!  The banana mini's are headed to the fridge for after work/preworkout snacks.

Zucchini Pizza and a New Camera

Good evening folks!  Two really great things happened today:  1. my new camera arrived; and 2. I made zucchini pizzas.  But first:

I thought I had killed my orchid, but it is looking like it might produce flowers again!  Maybe I don't have as brown of a thumb as I thought!

Back to the real purpose of this post.  After having issues for about a year and a half with my old Canon Rebel, I decided to splurge for my 30th bday and buy a new DSLR.  After all the issues I have had with my old Canon and looking at the prices on Nikons, I decided to listen to all the recommendations that my friends and coworkers have been giving me and I bought a Sony a35.  I decided that since I tend to be hard on my cameras, I didn't want to go the high end route and went with an entry-level camera to avoid the complete devastation that tends to come with getting sand in the electronics or dropping it in a river.

The box came tonight and I ripped it open immediately to get the battery on the charger!  I was super impatient though and decided to try out my new camera before the battery was fully charged.  This camera is amazing.  Of course, this is based on about an hour of use, but I am very, very impressed with this little guy.  He is so lightweight and small and is very easy to use.  I can finally take photos again!  This is a very good thing because I have another 3-week field course coming up at the end of May!

With a long workout after work and the excitement of my new camera, I didn't end up making supper until about 8pm.  I needed something simple and decided to make mushroom pizzas...except that I didn't have any whole mushrooms.  I did have a large zucchini though so I though I would try to make a zucchini pizza.  I think I liked these better than mushroom pizzas!  Very quick and very good (oh, and healthy too!).

Zucchini Pizza
Serves one
Ingredients:
1 medium zucchini
1/4 cups marinara sauce
1/4 cup reduced fat cheese (I only had sharp cheddar and parm, but I am an equal opportunity cheese eater so I was cool with that combo)

Step one:  cut zucchini on an angle and hollow out the centers of each piece.  Spray lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350.

Step 2:  fill in the hollow areas with the sauce and then add the cheese.  Bake for another 5-10 minutes to melt the cheese.

Step 3:  Eat!  (Note - I cooked these on foil as it was getting late - I do realize the issues associated with eating on foil - and I didn't want to fool around with dishes.  I also did not care about presentation...it's late.)

Time for bed!

Enchiladas and Slow Cooker Lentil Tacos

Happy Saturday!  Life has been crazy busy and it looks like it will continue to be for the next week.  But then, it's spring break and I have really earned the "break" this semester!  I'll have prep work but at least I'll have a little time away from the daily grind and nights and weekends working.  My birthday is also over spring break...the big 3-0! Craziness.

I feel like lately I'm barely keeping my head above water and have been slacking a little on my half training.  I'm hoping to take a quick break from work this afternoon to get some miles in today though.  It's windy and since I'm exhausted, I'm not worried about time today.  At this point, I'm just hoping to get the miles in!

Earlier this week, I had a major craving for enchiladas.  I usually am not one to cook fussy things that involve multiple dishes and rolling, stuffing, and excessive cook times.  I typically am cooking for myself only so all that work just doesn't like it's worth it.  These were totally worth the work and time though and I wish I would have made a bigger batch.  I'm starting to look at buying a new camera within the next few weeks so hopefully photos will return soon!

Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas
Technically serves 3.5, unless you're really hungry like I was.  Then the servings are 2.  :)
85 calories per enchilada roll

Ingredients:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, shredded
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup black beans
7 small corn tortillas
Enchilada Sauce (I used Frontera's)

In a skillet, sweat onion, zucchini, corn, and beans until soft.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Wet a paper or kitchen towel and wrap it around the tortillas.  Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minutes.  Divide the filling (veggies) and fill the tortillas with equal amounts, roll the tortillas, and place seam side down in a small baking pan.  Cover completely with enchilada sauce.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Eat up!
*

I also made slow cooker lentil tacos yesterday to avoid having to cook.  They were so good and I have tons of leftovers for the lunches and suppers this week when I know I won't have time to cook.

Slow Cooker Lentil Tacos
45 calories per 1/4 cup filling

Ingredients:
1 cup lentils of any sort
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
3/4 cup black beans
1 cup salsa
3 cups water
Seasonings to taste:  cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, S&P, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, cilantro

Place all ingredients into the slow cooker and mix.  Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.  Cook for longer for softer lentils (I like a little bite to them).  Serve on tortillas with salsa, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. 

Good Eats & Challenge/Training Updates

Sunday again?  My, how fast a week goes!  Last week I posted that I was embarking on my Eat for Fuel Challenge.  So, to update as it has been a full week, I have been working very hard and am making better choices but I haven't been hitting 100%.  I ate much better this week.  I have been choosing veggies and fruit over chips but I have been over in calories every day of the past week except yesterday.  I did lose a pound last week though so I'm not worried about being over in calories.  I have been so hungry and I am trying to listen to my body over trying to hit a number goal.  It obviously worked last week, so I think I am on the right track!  The Challenge continues!

As far as my half training, I have been backing off training a bit the last 2-3 weeks.  I needed a mental and physical break in the beginning and then work got in the way.  This past week, I was scheduled for a 10-mile walk and it ended up snowing 5-6" the night before so the sidewalks were too icy.  Never-the-less, I plan to get my 10 miles in today!  I will say that breaking the double digit barrier is a little daunting.  Here's hoping everything goes well!  I am fueling up with baked oatmeal this morning (recipe below).

As mentioned before, my camera is officially dead, so no photos of the good eats below.  I actually attempted to take pictures with my ol' trusty point and shoot but, well, they were not good.  My bday is in less than a month and since this is a big one and I never buy myself anything (never go out to eat or the movies, no extras...) I am planning to give myself a pretty good gift this year.  I need a new camera.  However, I want a Garmin watch for training and a Fitbit.  Decisions, decisions!  Suggestions on a new camera are welcome!  Also, if you have a Garmin watch of any sort or a Fitbit, I'd love to hear about these products!  I know I can't swing all three so a decision must be made soon!

Now for the good eats.  Every now and then I want oatmeal.  Before Celiac, I ate oatmeal almost every morning (the microwave/instant kind).  While gluten-free instant varieties are available, they are way out of my regular price range.  I typically do not have the time on a work morning to make stove-top oatmeal so baked oatmeal is a perfect compromise.  I make it on the weekend and have it all week!

I have also been experimenting with an alternative to a potato pancake.  My parents make the best potato pancakes but I tend to not want all the carbs and calories associated with potatoes.  Plus, I hate how long potatoes take to shred and cook.  Too much work.  I have been working with spaghetti squash as a substitute for potatoes and I guess the third time is a charm since my spaghetti squash pancakes last night tasted just like my parent's potato pancakes - oniony and crispy.  Delicious!

Baked Oatmeal
Based off of this recipe
Makes 4 servings or 6 small side dish servings

1 cup gluten-free steel cut oats (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 cup milk (any variety will work - almond, soy, cow's)
1 cup water
40 g gluten free pancake mix (or one serving, I use Bob's Red Mill again)
Cinnamon to taste
Fresh fruit of your choice (I prefer blueberries or a chopped apple)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour into a 1/2 casserole dish (I like my glass pyrex for this).  Bake at 350F for 45 minutes, or until the oatmeal is soft.  The top may be wet but that is okay.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.  Top with brown sugar or agave syrup.

Spaghetti Squash Pancakes

Makes 2 servings

1/2 of cooked and shredded spaghetti squash*

15 g flour (I used garbanzo bean flour)

1/3 of a medium onion, grated

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat a skillet on medium high on the stove top.  Mix all ingredients together and shape into pancakes.  Spray the skillet with a small amount of olive oil.  Cook the pancakes until golden brown on both sides.  Eat up!  I like these with ketchup but I know my mom will be shaking her head and saying that butter + salt is best!

*There is a variety of ways to cook spaghetti squash however I find the microwave to be most efficient.  Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Wrap the cut-side of the squash in a wet paper towel and place cut-side down on a microwavable plate.  Microwave for 15 minutes (or until the entire squash is soft).  Allow to cool to be able to handle and then use a fork to pull out the shreds of the squash.  You can also bake the squash in the oven (without the paper towel).

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Morning!  Looks like the horrifying snow armageddon that everyone had been warning me about all week completely missed us and it's going to be a beautifully sunny February day!  To celebrate being able to workout outside yet again today, I decided to make Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins.  I have the baking bug lately!

This recipe is based off of the SkinnyTaste.com's Petite Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Loaves recipe.  While this recipe is already low in calories, fairly healthy, and (best of all) portion controlled, I decided to tailor it to be gluten free and a little more Alisa-healthy.

Keep in mind, most good bakers will mix the wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine.  I, however, do not ever have the patience to do that.  I just put everything in a bowl and mix.  I also do not own a mixer, so I stir everything hand.  Do whichever methods makes you feel best about the outcome of the muffins.

One word for these - awesomely delicious!  Okay, that's two...but it deserves two!

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Makes 15 muffins, 94 calories per muffin

Ingredients
3 small to medium ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup pureed pumpkin
1 + 1/4 cups garbanzo bean flour (I used Bob's Red Mill...so much higher in fiber and protein and lower in calories than most other GF flours that I have found)
1 Tbsp ground chia seeds
2 Tbsp ground flax meal
1/3 cup agave nectar
2 egg whites
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
50 grams mini chocolate chips (about 3.5 Tbsp)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and fill lined muffin tins about 2/3 full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.  Enjoy!

Super Granola

I make regular granola and I make quinoa granola (quinoa, flax, agave, and cinnamon - bake for 10 mins).  This morning I woke up and wondered why I've never combined these two ideas.  So...I present to you: 

Super Granola

116 calories per 1/4 cup serving (or 58 calories for a small 1/8 cup serving); high in fiber, protein, and Omega-3; and very easy to make.  A perfect addition to a breakfast of plain Greek yogurt with a little honey mixed in and blueberries.

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill's GF Oats)
1 cup raw quinoa (I used red, regular would work just fine)
2 Tbsp raw chia seeds
5 Tbsp flax seed meal
1/3 cup agave nectar
Cinnamon, Pumpkin Pie Spice, and Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together and bake on a silicon baking mat for 25-35 mins at 350F.  Stir after 10 mins, 15 mins, 20 mins, and 25 mins, always stirring the outsides inward to prevent burning.  Enjoy!

For the Veggie Lovers

It's that time of year when really, really good and fresh produce is getting harder to find and more expensive.  I had to go to three stores to find kale this week.  It was well worth it to eat this last night.  Drum roll please................................................................

Winter Veggie Heaven

In the giant skillet:  2 big chopped kale leaves, leftover butternut squash (baked with smoked paprika, s, and p), handful of sliced portabella mushrooms, sliced small white onion, 1/2 cup cooked blackeye peas, 1 tsp garlic oil, 1/2 cup water.  Cook for 20 mins or until kale is cooked to your liking.  Enjoy the giant plate of food as this serves one for only 288 calories!

I love meals like this - healthy, full of nutrients, and so colorful and pretty!  Hm...I see this in my future for lunch today!

Recipe-palooza

Happy snow day folks!  It's a cold one out there!  Photos through my windows because A) I'm not going outside unless it's an emergency and B) my doors and windows are currently frozen shut:

 
I've been promising people recipes but have been pretty busy this week getting settled back into my apartment (was out of town for four weeks), getting ready for the semester, and getting my butt to the gym.  So, here we go - recipe-palooza.

Black Bean Soup
What a better way to warm up on a snowy day than a hot and spicy bowl of black bean soup!  I was super happy to have one last bowl of this soup left in my fridge for lunch today!

Serves 5; 130 calories per serving
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium or 2 small carrots, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp vinegar (I used rice vinegar because it was all I had on hand)
3 cups water
Juice of one lime
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
(note - you can likely substitute chili powder if you don't have chipotle chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika)

In a large soup pot, sweat out onion, carrot, and bell pepper until soft, about 7-10 minutes.  Add in the wine and allow the liquid to evaporate out.  Add the beans, water, vinegar, spices, and salt and pepper.  Allow to simmer 10 minutes to combine the flavors.  Use an immersion blender to blend the soup - I leave it a little chunky.  You can also use a regular blender but be sure to let the soup cool first and only fill the blender 1/2 way to avoid having to clean soup off your ceiling.  Place the blended soup back on the stove and simmer for 5 more minutes.  Stir in the lime juice and enjoy!


Blackeye Pea Stir Fry
Sorry - no pictures here (I was super hungry and ate it before taking any!).  This recipe was inspired by Amy's bowls.  So good!

Serves one
Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen black eye peas, prepared according to package directions (usually boil for 40 mins)
1 tsp oil
1 small carrot, cut into julian strips
1/2 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 cup green beans, chopped
Any other veggies you like - chopped or sliced
1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated -OR- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp soy sauce or gluten-free tamari, depending on your needs
1/2 tsp garlic powder

In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil and add in the veggies, cooking until desired tenderness is reached.  Add in the ginger, soy sauce, black eye peas, and garlic.  Stir and cook another few minutes.  Serve over brown rice.

Chocolate Greek Frozen Yogurt
One word - yum!  I highly recommend storing homemade frozen yogurt in single serve containers as it will freeze rock hard in the freezer and can be hard to break apart.  Also - it will keep you from eating it all at once!

Makes 8 half cup servings, 118 calories per serving
Ingredients
4 cups fat free plain Greek yogurt
4 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup agave nectar
5 tsp stevia
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Add to your ice cream maker according to your manufacturer's instructions. 

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
I've saved the best for last!  After the success of the chocolate frozen yogurt, I thought I'd try something with fruit.  I do not like big chunks of frozen fruit in my ice cream or froyo, so this is more strawberry flavored than chunky.  By all means, make it with chunks if you like it that way.  This recipe made a little too much to fit into my 1.5 quart ice cream maker so I froze it in two batches.  You could just decrease the recipe by 3/4 and it would fit perfectly.  It may be a little eccentric to make froyo in the middle of a snowstorm but I was in the mood for something sweet and had nothing in my house.

Makes 9 half cup servings, 92 calories per serving.
Ingredients
4 cups fat free plain Greek yogurt
1 lb frozen strawberries (no sugar added)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup agave nectar
5 tsp stevia
1 tsp vanilla

In a small pot, combine the strawberries and lemon juice and cook until the strawberries are soft.  If you don't want a lot of chunks, use a potato masher to break up the strawberries. 

Continue cooking to reduce the liquid by half.  Transfer the strawberries to a bowl and let cool completely.

Combine all the rest of the ingredients and the cooled strawberries.  Add to your ice cream maker and freeze according to your manufacturer's instructions.

This was so good and pretty that I was literally eating it out of the top of the ice cream maker while it was still churning!

Stay warm out there!

Baking Fail

Happy March!  Oh wait, you say it's January?  Who would know based on the temperatures we've had here lately.  It was mid-40's yesterday and I went for a nice 5-mile walk with my parent's dog, Copper.  She's a springer spaniel and I can apparently outlast her.  It's always my goal to wear out a springer when I go for walks outside at my parent's house.  She has a lot of energy.

I've been hitting all my 2012 (short term) goals this week!  I "worked" (i.e. did stuff) every day (all day) this week and have worked out 4 days this week so far.  I'll get out for a walk or something yet today, which will bring me up to 5 days this week.  I have also been trying to be careful with what I am eating and am back to my pre-holiday weight already.  I tried to be careful over the holidays but, well, that didn't pan out completely.  I think if I wouldn't have worked out so much, I would be facing having to re-losing a bit more weight.  I love being on break (who doesn't?) but I am looking forward to getting back into a routine.

Now for my baking fail.  Last week, in an attempt to get back to healthful eating, I made Chia Muffins (as per this recipe from the Dr. Oz show with some alterations, see below).  The muffins were very good and my mom and I ended up eating the whole batch within a few days.  Chia seeds (if you are thinking "ch-ch-ch-chia!" you are on the right track, these seeds are the same as what is used to grow a chia pet) are extremely nutritious (high in Omega-3, fiber, and protein) and - here's the best part - expand up to 9x's in your stomach after you eat them.  This means you are fuller much longer.  I have been adding these little seeds to my breakfast and it has been so helpful in me not being hungry during the day.

So, back to the story, my mom asked me to make a double batch this weekend and I wanted them for breakfast so I went for it this morning.  A double batch makes 34-36 muffins.  I made the first 24 and when they came out, there was obviously something wrong.  I forgot the baking soda and salt!  I added baking soda to the rest of the batter and baked them (still forgot the salt).  They seem fine.  I'm guessing you can tell which is which:

Yup, baking fail.  Never-the-less, when these muffins are made properly, they are so good and so healthy!  As mentioned above, the original recipe came from the Dr. Oz show, but I made some alterations, so here is my version of the muffins:

Chia Muffins
Makes ~17 muffins, 102 calories each

Ingredients:
1 tbsp ground chia seeds (we use a coffee grinder)
2 tbsp ground flax seed
1 1/2 cup brown rice flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 cup pureed sweet potato
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
Zest of one small lemon
Juice of one small lemon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Mix everything together and fill lined muffin tins 2/3 of the way full.  Bake 20-25 minutes at 350F or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Muffins will be very moist.  Enjoy!

Maybe next time I'll actually follow my own recipe.  :)

Pumpkin Tea Lattes

Happy Friday all!  It's been a long week, but it's finally the weekend. 

So, if I haven't mentioned it before, I'm a bit of a coffee addict.  Specifically, I love pumpkin coffee this time of the year.  I look forward to it every morning and used to drink a minimum of 2 cups in the morning and perhaps another in the afternoon.  I've weaned myself down to 1 cup in the morning, most mornings of the week, and another in the afternoon if I have to work at night or it's just been a super long day and I need to work out yet.

I recently saw a drink called a Cinnamon WarmUp the Door County Coffee & Tea's Facebook page.  It looked good and had cinnamon tea, vanilla syrup, and whole milk.  I decided to recreate this to be a bit healthier using apple cinnamon tea and frothed vanilla soy milk.  It was pretty good but it also got me thinking that it would be a whole lot better with pumpkin tea!

Enter this morning.  I didn't have to be to work early so I had a little extra time to play around with making a pumpkin tea latte this morning.  In the end, it was fabulous (though I was missing my caffeine kick this morning)!  It would be a perfect holiday drink for those looking for healthy alternatives as there is no alcohol or caffeine in it.  I bet adding a tablespoon of pumpkin coffee creamer would make this extra special on Thanksgiving!

Making a Pumpkin Tea Latte is super simple:

Heat 8 oz of water.  I have a Cuisinart Single Serve Brewing System (basically a fancy Keurig) that can spit out water for tea in 1-2 minutes so this is definitely something I could do every morning.

Steep pumpkin spice tea (I used Bigelow) for 5-10 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea.  I like strong tea in general and you'll want it a little stronger than normal because you'll add milk to it.  I let it go for 10 minutes.  Remove tea bag.

Measure out 1/3 cup milk of your choice - place in a narrow bottomed cup.  I used vanilla soy milk.  Microwave for 30-45 seconds.  Using a milk frother (I have an inexpensive BonJour frother that works well), froth the milk for 10-15 seconds.  Note - if you have a way to steam milk, use that!  I'm sure that would be better!

Add frothed milk to the tea, sprinkle on a little cinnamon, and drink up! 

The next week is going to be crazy, so if I'm not back to post again, Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Risotto

Although it is technically still fall, we woke up to this last Wednesday:

I love snow.  Well, it's a love-hate relationship.  I love watching it fall from my nice, comfy couch, all curled up with my kitty.  I hate, hate, hate driving in it.  I didn't use to be so bad.  Two years in Tennessee for grad school turned me into a wimpy driver!  On the upside this year, I walk to work, so no daily winter driving required.  On the downside, I am a total klutz, so I'm not sure this is any better.  Let's all cross our fingers and knock on wood that I don't slip and break a bone this winter!  :/

The weather has turned around and, happily, I was able to get out for some good walks this weekend, which I was sorely in need of!  I trekked 4.2 miles yesterday in 57 minutes, which is my fastest time ever!  Today, I was super achy and only managed 3.7 miles, which I did not time, but felt super slow.  Oh well, going for a slightly slower walk is better than no walk at all!  I see a rheumatologist during Thanksgiving week, so hopefully, we can figure out what's causing all this crazy achiness!

Since it was a bit warmer (and not at all snowy) today, I decided to make my favorite fall supper: pumpkin risotto!  This recipe is based off of a Rachael Ray recipe, but I make it risotto style because it's less work and it cuts down on calories and fat considerably while still giving you that creamy, pasta-y taste that made the original dish so good.

People always say that risotto is so hard to make.  It's actually very simple, you just have to have a little patience and stay near the stove for a while.  I have no interest in standing over a stove all day and I have no patience and even I can make this!  So easy.  So good.

Some general tips that I have found that create good, creamy, and healthier risotto:

1. Toast your Arborio rice before adding liquid.
2. Use unsalted stock!  Since you are concentrating the flavor of the liquids you are adding, I recommend using unsalted stock.  Salted stock could make your risotto super salty.  It's smarter to just salt it to taste.  I will usually use 3 cups of stock and then water after that if the rice needs more liquid (and it usually will).
3. Wait until the rice has fully absorbed the previous addition of liquid before adding more.  Patience pays off!
4. Stir, stir, stir.  Be sure to fully stir the rice every time you add more liquid.  Go back and stir at least once between additions of liquid.  Stirring is what makes it creamy without the cream!
5. Instead of melting and mixing cheese in, sprinkle a little bit on top.  You get the same cheesy bite without all the calories.

When I make this for my mom, I will typically add 2 links of turkey sausage.  I like it both with and without it, so when I make it just for myself, I don't go through the trouble of breaking out the meat and instead add mushrooms.

Pumpkin Risotto

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 small onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup portabella mushrooms, chopped, -OR- 2 links turkey sausage, browned, drained, and set aside

3/4 cup Arborio rice

1/3 cup dry white wine

3 cups chicken -or- vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

1 tsp dried sage

Nutmeg

3/4 cup pureed pumpkin

Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms (if using) to a pan and sauté on medium heat until soft. 

Add Arborio rice and let toast for a few minutes.  When you start to smell the rice and see that the grains are slightly browned, add in the wine.  Note:  I only had a sweet white and red on hand, so I had to use this, which makes the risotto a little sweet, but still delicious:

Let the wine cook out completely and then add 1ish cup stock.  Add bay leaves, sage, salt, pepper, and browned sausage (if using).  Stir thoroughly.  Allow the stock to cook out.  Once the stock is absorbed, add another cup of stock and stir.  Make sure you go back and stir at least once between each addition of liquid.  Continue this process (using water or additional stock as needed) until the rice is soft and creamy.

Wait until liquid is absorbed before adding more!

Remove bay leaves and add pumpkin and a small amount of water to keep the risotto from becoming too thick.  Add a few sprinkles of nutmeg and additional salt and pepper, if needed. 

Cook for 2-3 minutes and serve!  Top with Parmesan cheese for an extra kick of flavor.

Enjoy the last few weeks of fall!

Food Rules

Good chilly evening to you!  Over the weekend, I picked up the newest copy of Michael Pollan's Food Rules: An Eater's Manual.  Now, I love Michael Pollan.  If you've seen Food, Inc., you probably know who this guy is.  He also wrote The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defence of Food, both of which I highly recommend reading if you are interested in where your food comes from.  I'm about 3/4 of the way through Food Rules and it has really gotten me thinking about how I have been slipping on eating healthfully.  Food Rules gives you easy rules of thumb for healthy eating under three categories:  "What should I eat?," "What kind of foods should I eat?," and "How much should I eat?"  Most of this stuff we probably already know, but having it in short, memorable phrases makes it easier to remember in my daily life.

I have been focusing way too much on how many calories I am eating and not enough on the quality of foods I am consuming.  While I am still eating plenty of fruits and veggies and have been cutting back on chicken and turkey, I am (was?) still eating more than my fair share of candy (Reeses are my weakness), chips, etc. 

So, I am working on cutting back on the unnatural "foodlike substances," as Pollan calls these types of foods, and replacing the "foodlike substances" with whole and natural foods.  This is really not that hard, I just need to be more diligent.  In fact, instead of being hard, it is very tasty.  My new favorite snack is olives with tomatoes and cheese (see below)!  Tonight, I also made a "taco" and rice plate (I really need to come up with better names here....).

My "Mediterranean Fix" Snack

Perfect bite!

I'm slightly obsessed with my local pizza place's Mediterranean Gluten Free pizza.  It is so good but I really can't eat like that very often.  I had their Greek salad last night, which is what inspired this snack today.  This is just mini-heirloom tomatoes cut in half, kalamata olives, and fresh mozzarella.  So good and satisfied my salty tooth today.  Plus, a handful of tomatoes + 1 oz mozzarella + 7ish Kalamata olives = 95 calories.  Score!

"Taco" and Rice Plate

As a way to eat less meat on the times when I actually want to eat something meat-like, I add in tons of veggies to fill out a dish.  So, in the pot, I had a small zucchini, 1/2 an onion, a small carrot, 1 can of drained and rinsed black beans, and 3 servings of extra-lean ground turkey.  Once all of this cooked and was softened, I seasoned the mixture with salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, chili powder, cumin, and cilantro.  Such a good mixture - better than packaged taco seasoning!  I split this into 4 portions.  I also made 2 servings of brown rice to go with the turkey and veggie mixture.  I tend to only eat a 1/2 serving of rice with dishes like these.  Topping this with salsa and sour cream really jazzed it up.  The best part?  Lunch leftovers for three days!

Stay warm (and healthy!) tonight!