Broccoli salad...but better!

I never cared much for broccoli as a youngin'...I didn't hate the stuff but I didn't go out of my way to consume it. As my taste buds have matured and changed during my clean eating overhaul I have grown to really love those "baby trees" as my kids call them. Not only have my taste buds. changed but my cooking abilities have developed as well so I know how to cook it just the way I like it! I like to throw broccoli in soups and salads. It always works great in my crock pot casseroles or steamed with homemade clean cheese sauce. Broccoli salad has become a top pick broccoli dish of mine! But wait... Broccoli salad? Isn't that loaded with mayo and greasy bacon? Not Nikki's...it doesn't need any of that to be absolutely delightful summer dish! So I started creating this dish as just a broccoli salad but I wanted it to be more of a main dish opposed to a side dish so I threw some quinoa in a pot and tossed it in to give it more substance. Then paired this dish with my simple honey mustard grilled chicken. Perfection!

Broccoli & Quinoa salad

Ingredients:
1 c plain non fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp of honey
2 tbsp of Dijon mustard
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
5 c chopped broccoli
2 c halved green grapes
1/2 c diced onions
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c craisins
1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans
1 c uncooked quinoa
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Rinse quinoa, then cook quinoa according to directions of package (which is typically 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa over medium heat for 15-20 minutes). Set aside and let cool. Do this a couple hours before serving time .

Chop, dice, and shred everything about an hour before serving time. For the dressing whisk together yogurt, honey, mustard, garlic, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Toss remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss until evenly coated.

Lastly, gently fold in the cooked and cooled quinoa, then cover and chill at least 30 minutes (feel free to chill longer). Serve and enjoy.

This recipe easily serves about 6 people so it's ideal for a summer BBQ or large group gathering. Feel free to adjust portions or make substitutions to satisfy your taste buds. You could even reduce the amount of dressing a little and leave out the quinoa for a typical broccoli salad. Diced apples, raisins, grated carrots, crumbled turkey bacon, other cheeses would all be great add-ins. I'm a big taste as you go and adjust accordingly type chef;-)




What makes broccoli so great? Well for starters a cup of broccoli is only 35 calories. The high fiber content aids in digestion, the high potassium levels maintain a healthy nervous system and brain function, magnesium & calcium regulate blood pressure, vitamin K along with the calcium keeps bones strong, then that good ol' vitamin C, beta-carotene, zinc, & selenium all protect and boost our immune system; fighting cancers and ridding the body of free radicals. Talk about a run on sentence- that's a lot of awesome goodness! All the more reason to eat your broccoli folks.

Stay tuned for more on living an active lifestyle next time!:)

SPINACH SPINACH SPINACH

I LOVE SPINACH. It is probably my favorite green...it's hard to say for sure because, well I love anything green, but spinach is high up on my favorites list for sure. Whether it be a fruit, nut, and spinach salad, or a fruit and spinach smoothie, I will devour it. To make it even better, it is one the most nutrient dense veggies out there. YAY!

Firstly, 1 cup of spinach has 20% of your daily fiber needs. Fiber as always, aids in digestion (preventing constipation), maintains low blood sugar levels, and curbs that appetite reducing the likelihood of overeating. Spinach is also loaded with flavonoids which acts as an anti-cancer! Got arthritis, achy muscles or joints? The neoxanthin and violaxanthin, found in large amounts in spinach, acts as an anti-inflammatory. Now for the Antioxidants that keep our immune systems happy and healthy. Spinach holds vitamin C, & E, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc, selenium, lutein, & zeaxanthin (lutein & zeaxanthin protect the eye specifically). Not only that but spinach is super rich in vitamin A which specifically fights infection, maintains healthy skin, and protects and strengthens mucus membranes, respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. Lastly, don't forget the vitamin K that keeps our bones strong and contributes GREATLY to maintaining a healthy nervous system and active brain function.

Last year my husband embarked on the goal to run the Boston Marathon (unofficially). So he trained and trained and we flew our little family of 4 out to big bad Boston last April. Boston was a BLAST! I loved every second of that week long vacation. Such a beautiful place with so much to do and see! My husband, Adam, has family out there who put us up for the week, and fed our faces with a lot of delicious food. His aunt is quite the cook! I was just starting to get big into cooking and eating clean so I absorbed as much as I could. This recipe was adapted from the meal she fed us the night before the marathon- CARB LOAD TIME!

Chicken Andouille Sausage, Spinach, & Goat Cheese Penne

Ingredients:

1/2 c diced onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 bag of baby spinach

1 package of 4 chicken or turkey sausage (I used Trader Joes chicken andouille sausage for a little spice but I have substituted chicken/mozzarella sausage and others before)

1 package of organic whole wheat penne

4-8 oz of goat cheese (can use feta or other white crumbled cheese)

2 tbsp of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

This is my favorite type of sausage to use because it adds just a touch of spice, but the nearest Trader Joes is 2 hours away in Vegas so we stock up while we are down there but use other types when we are out of this type.

Directions: Boil pasta according to directions on box. While penne is boiling throw olive oil, onion, and garlic over medium heat.

Cook about 3 minutes until onions are barely translucent then add your sliced up sausage and spinach to the pan and cook until meat is warmed all the way through and spinach is withered. Then toss in your cooked wheat penne and crumble in your goat cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. If you feel it's a little dry now is the time to toss in a little extra oil.

This dish is simple and versatile. I make it with spinach most frequently but I have also substituted Kale or Chard for the spinach. I've added halved cherry tomatoes. Used feta cheese instead of goat cheese, whole wheat elbows instead of penne, tried multiple types of sausages. Possibilities are endless and the dish has always come out Divine!

ENJOY! And a special thanks to Holly for the recipe!

Ch-ch-ch-chia!

Remember chia pets???? Nostalgia right?! I think we had a sheep or maybe a dog when I was a child...who knows, but I know we had a blast growing them! Little did I know that those tiny seedlings were edible and extremely nutritious!


So wayyyy back in the day Aztek and Mayan hunter-gatherers used to consume chia seeds for endurance purposes when hunting. Well why would they do a thing like that? Turns out, chia seeds absorb and retain water super easily- we're talking they can hold 9-10 times their weight in water- which leads to prolonged hydration and retention of those much needed electrolytes. Perfect for endurance athletes today, just as it was for those hunters from way back when! Oh, BUT WAIT, there is SOOO much more! These bad boys contain 22% protein, 35% of healthy fats (omega 3's and 6's) and 25% dietary fiber and then they are rich in calcium, potassium, and iron...Craziness right! 

These seeds are commonly used as relief from arthritis, healthy fats have a way of reducing inflammation which helps with those achy joints! These seeds can absorb sugar which has been known to help those with diabetes. It also can be helpful in decreasing blood pressure, reducing acid reflux and IBS symptoms (by absorbing extra acid), and improving general heart health. They are safe for consumption for those with celiac disease because they are gluten free.
Are you trying to lose weight? Possibly trying a juice cleanse as I talked about earlier this week? Chia seeds are also great for that too...because they form a gel when wet and are also loaded with fiber which cleanses the colon and binds with toxins and properly disposes of them, if you know what I mean;-)

Because it is known for lowering blood pressure, if you already have low blood pressure then it is not safe to consume Chia seeds in excess. A healthy dose of chia seeds a day is generally 1 tablespoon. These chia seeds are extremely bland and flavorless so they are easy to toss on or in just about ANYTHING. Really, you can toss them in your glass of water or juice if you want- you might feel them when swallowing but you wont taste them. I put them in mine and my kids oatmeal, sprinkle them on their peanut butter banana whole wheat sandwiches, sprinkle it on fruit or in salads..anything goes! 


Tomorrow I am traveling alone with my two kids to Florida, and our flight leaves at 7 am...so we have to get up at the butt-crack of dawn and won't have time for much of a breakfast so today I made my famous super moist chia seed muffins, tossed them in a baggie and we will scarf them down on the way to the airport!

Sweet potato chia muffins

Ingredients:

1 tbsp of ground chia seeds (you can toss them in the blender for a few seconds to achieve this)

1 1/2 C whole wheat flower

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 large roasted sweet potato (or about 1 c sweet potato puree)

1 c unsweetened applesauce

 2 egg whites

1/2 c agave nectar or honey

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 c craisins

Directions: 

Roast your sweet potato by wrapping it in aluminum and throwing it in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. I usually do this the day before or a couple hours before I am going to make them. Or use store bought sweet potato puree about 1 cup.

If you are using a roasted sweet potato, take off peel and put in bowl, mash well then fold in remaining ingredients. Put into 12 greased muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

These are extremely moist and delicious. My kids and I LOVE them! Enjoy!

Snack time!

I like to munch. Frequently. My mouth likes to stay busy. I am very aware that I am not alone in this. When people think of snacking it's generally thought of as a negative thing...not necessarily! To keep your metabolism continuously working at a quick pace it actually needs to be fed frequently! SCORE for us snackers! How often is appropriate? You shouldn't go more than 3 hours or so without some sort of fuel. This equates to about 6 meals a day so have your 3 main healthy clean meals and then work to incorporate a mid morning, mid afternoon, and post workout or evening snack. If you make it a priority to eat small frequent meals you will not only find that weight loss comes easier, you'll be less hungry and less likely to over eat, AND you will have a more sustained level of energy throughout your day! Triple SCORE! Your blood sugar levels stay nice and even with minimal spiking and dropping which gives you that sustainable energy and even speedy metabolism.

Keep in mind that the type of snacking I am talking about does NOT involve Cheetos, Doritos, or any other type of O's. Ideally these snacks should be under 300 calories, low in sugar, high in fiber. For those on a lower calorie diet than stick to about 200 calories snacks. My top choice of snack is fresh fruits and veggies of all varieties (apples, oranges, grapes, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, ect) often dipped in Greek yogurt or hummus. Dried fruit and nuts, small salads, smoothies, homemade granola and granola bars top my list as well. All of which are relatively quick and convenient to grab and go and all of which are appropriate for kids to snack on too! I have tried several organic, vegetable, and black bean chips from the health food store that have been great but they still need to be consumed in moderation along with any other snacks you might not be able live without. 

Here are some sample snacks I am known to keep on hand.

Sliced up some kiwi, strawberries, bananas, and tossed in some raisins and chia seeds. Glass of almond milk on the side.

I like to slice a variety of fruit, I was out of blueberries so I threw in some raisins and topped it all with a few chia seeds. A glass of almond milk or yogurt on the side.

To curb my sweet tooth I go for a banana with raw almond butter, raw honey, and again with the chia seeds. This on a slice of whole wheat toast, or replacing the banana with thinly sliced apples, are yummy alternatives too!

These are a few of my favorites I like to make weekly and keep handy. They are easy to grab and go and I feel like I am eating something naughty but in reality it's guilt-free! They are also fiber-ful, protein punched, and filling! On the left is a PB&J bar, and to the right are energy balls!


PB&J bar throw 8 oz of unsalted peanuts, 8 oz of pitted dates, and 2 tablespoons of no sugar added strawberry jam in a food processor, then roll and shape into saran wrap and refrigerate for an hour. If you don't have a food processor you can put nuts into a blender first, then once crumbly add dates (you might have to stop the blender a few times to stir until dates are chopped and sticky), then scoop mixture out and spoon in your jam then form into bars as stated above.

Energy bars: THANK YOU PINTEREST FOR THIS ONE! 1 cup oatmeal, 1/2 c peanut butter, 1/3 c honey, 1 c unsweetened coconut flakes, 1/2 c ground flax seed, 1 tsp vanilla, (1/2 c choco chips is optional)...combine ingredients, roll into balls and refrigerate in Tupperware.

Juicy Juice

The day I watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead on netflix was the day I was converted to power of juicing. Did I think I needed to strictly juice, no! Just supplement. I'm not a fan of store bought juice, at all. My kids drink a lot of water...so once I began supplementing with juice religiously they were so excited- as was I because they're getting raw juice filled with enzymes and an abundance of nutrients from both fruits and vegetables! Parker LOVES his carrot apple juice! 
Juice is so wonderful because it is loaded with goodness and is quickly absorbed. Think about it...it takes at least 4 large carrots, 1 large apple, and 1/4 a lemon to make enough juice for a single person...that's a lot of nutrients in a single glass. Our bodies are able to completely absorb that and put it to work within 15 minutes! Imagine how healing that can be for our bodies. I have read stories about people who juiced for a 2 weeks period and were able to completely heal cysts and ulcers, and rid all symptoms of IBS. And Joe from Fat, Sick, and Nearly dead was able to completely heal his autoimmune disease and come off all medication.

So as I begun my research on raw foods as I discussed in my last post I realized that perhaps a 3 day detox would be a good idea. I fed my body nothing but junk for 21 years of my life...Our bodies have natural ways of ridding itself of toxins but as a society we put SO many toxins in our bodies daily that it is near impossible for it to completely cleanse itself of these. So what does it do with it? Well, it stores them. The average American has 5-10 pounds of toxins stored. THAT IS GROSS! Although I have been eating clean for 2 years, that doesn't necessarily mean that my body has been able to thoroughly rid those stored toxins. That's what made me decide to try a detox- I knew it wouldn't be fun but I was pretty convinced of it's benefits. So a couple of months ago I embarked on my first detox. I juiced a variety of juices 3-4 times a day, and munched on the occasional raw whole fruit or vegetable as a snack for 72 hours. I lost 5 pounds in 3 days- taking me from 110 to 105. My mother who I dragged along with me lost 8 pounds by the end of day 2! AWESOME!

Here was our experience...I will not sugar coat it..it is not exactly enjoyable at all times. The first day and a half my mom and I both were dragging, and suffering from a mild headache. Not to mention the bazaar bowel movements. All I wanted to do was chow down on my oatmeal, and peanut butter, and honey, and chicken, and wheat toast, and you get the idea. But I stayed strong and munched on my apples and celery when I needed to chew on something and guzzled down my juices as well as LOTS of water. By the end of day 2 though, the fatigue and headache subsided. Day 3 was filled with energy and a sense of lightness. I felt clean, new, and refreshed. It was fantastic! 

I wanted to ensure that I avoided a gorge on day 4 and 5 so that I didn't undo all my hard work and sacrifice so I slowly started to introduce more raw whole foods and clean sources of protein. And I still regularly drink juices and smoothies along with my diet. I also decided that I would do this again on a quarterly bases so that I don't accrue toxic waste. Here are a few of the concoctions I created.

By day 2 I was sick of drinking juice so I got creative and made a Tomato soup juice and tricked my mind by eating it with a spoon instead of drinking it. IT WORKED!
2 tomatoes, 1 stick of celery, 1 nappa cabbage leaf, 1/4 of a bell pepper, 1 large carrot, 1/8 of an onion, 1 clove of garlic, parsley and cilantro.

Beet juice...it was quite pretty and a great post workout juice because ginger works great as a natural anti-inflammatory! 1 beet, 1 carrot, 1 apple, 1/4 lemon, 1/4 inch of ginger root.

Cucumber melon! This was a favorite! 1 cucumber, 1/2 canary melon (honey dew or cantaloupe would work great too), and some soaked chia seeds.

Strictly juicing is quite extreme and not an easy thing to endure but in my opinion it is worth it. If you don't think you could do it I would advise incorporating more of these detoxing juices into your regular diet and continuing to eat as clean and organic as possible to avoid over consumption of toxins!

Here are a list of a few foods that really help aid in the detoxifying process so they're important to add into your juices.

-Cilantro: Removes heavy metals from body
-Parsley & wheatgrass: Detoxifies the kidneys by flushing out toxins and boosting cell regeneration
-Lemon: Flushed toxins and burns fat naturally
-Celery: Stimulates digestion and removes excess fluids from the body
-Ginger & tumeric: Anti inflammatory
-Apples: Cleansing for the colon and binds with heavy metals and toxins
-Other green leafy vegetables that are rich in chlorophyll all aid in the cleansing process as well! Fruits and cucumbers work great as a base for juice due to their high water content which assists in flushing the bad stuff out.
DON'T FORGET TO DRINK A LOT OF WATER!!!

RAWsome facts!

I get so excited for Saturday mornings. Why? Because I get my produce basket, and each week holds new adventures and recipes to try depending on what pops up in the basket! I am very aware that this makes me a dork:) So on my way home from the gym this morning I was dreaming of the endless possibilities of post workout smoothies I would create when I got home to see what was in my basket. This weeks basket was pretty exciting, we got artichokes (I love artichokes- and I have several ideas zooming through my brain as to what I will be doing with those bad boys), beets, beautiful head of romaine lettuce, potatoes,tomatoes, strawberries, mangoes, apples, pineapples, limes, coconut, mint, and more.  So this mornings smoothie consisted of 8 strawberries, 1 mango, 1 large leaf of kale, 1 c almond milk, 1 tsp of stevia, 1 tbsp of chia seeds, as well as a spoonful of spirulina (a high-protein highly nutritious powder derived from a Hawaiian blue-green algae). Both kids devoured this successful kale concoction, which makes this mama one happy camper. I feel great knowing the health benefits my kids are getting when they consume raw whole foods. Raw food aka uncooked, unheated, unprocessed foods, are an extremely important part of healthy living and eating clean. Don't get me wrong I LOVE to cook which is why I could never go 100% raw but I do try to incorporate something raw in every meal, and probably 60-70% of what I eat in a day is raw. We juice a lot, obviously make smoothies a lot, eat a lot of salads, and snack on a lot of whole fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds! They are just easy simple ways to get all that rawsome goodness in your body.

Well, what is so good about raw food? First and foremost the enzymes! Enzymes are naturally found in all living food, from plant derived foods to animal meats...the catch is that enzymes can not withstand heat above 116-118 degrees. They die completely. Well shucks, why do we even need enzymes anyways? Enzymes are our bodies handy helpers, they assist in multiple processes throughout the body, most commonly however they help us digest food and absorb nutrients. Let me attempt to explain, our bodies are capable of creating their own enzymes when they aren't consumed. When we eat cooked foods, our bodies break that down (using enzymes), once broken down our body can then use that food to create more enzymes. Simple enough, so why do we have to eat enzymes if our bodies can make their own? Well, this process is complex and lengthy...especially when eating excessive processed foods. Your body is continuously trying to produce enough enzymes to keep your body digesting this so-called "food" that is so loaded with preservatives so that it WON'T break down. If we overeat cooked food then our bodies are forced to work harder by constantly making more enzymes that it's unable to properly heal and maintain the rest of your bodily functions. This, over time, can lead to serious digestive problems, nutrient deficiency, accelerated aging, and weight gain. Giving your body those enzymes via raw food allows those enzymes to go straight to work speeding up that digestive process significantly which essentially boosts your metabolism, and allows for proper absorption of nutrients, keeping you feeling and looking better!

There is a lot of people who say raw food gets boring. NOT SO. First off, there are thousands of fruits, veggie, and nut options. But also, you can prepare a broad array of different dishes and desserts that can be made without over heating. Foods can be blended together and dehydrated at a low heat to create breads, snacks, granola type bars. Cheeses and milks can be made using nuts and herbs. There are recipes everywhere for raw foods. 

We went to Southern California a couple months ago and ventured into a restaurant called 118 degrees. If you can't tell already by the name, it's a completely raw restaurant! It was such a great experience that I immediately went home and got a couple books from the library and read them within days. And then a couple weeks ago we returned to Cali for spring break and it was on our list of MUST DO's! This is some of the fantastic foods we tried! 

Pineapple avocado sandwich with berry drizzle.

My sister with her California kale sandwich

Curry wraps

My son scarfed down his banana honey crepes in no time. 

You can't tell me that doesn't look good! It was all great. A few others we've tried have been strawberry roll ups, Irristable nachos, smoothies, salads, soups, apple pie?! Yeahh FANTASTIC! So throw that idea out of your head that raw foods can be boring. 

I highly advise making an effort to incorporate more raw foods into your diet one way or another. Snacking on fresh fruit, crunching some celery stick, munching on nuts and dried fruits, tossing up some salads, blending up some smoothies, squeezing up some juice, or whipping up some raw recipes...find what works for you. You'll feel great. 

Here is a recipe for RAWsome Lemon coconut melt aways to get you started!

1.5 c almond flour (can make your own by grounding up almonds in blender or food processor)
1.5 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 c coconut flour
Pinch of salt
(combine these dry ingredients)
6 tbsp agave nectar
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
A touch of lemon zest
(combine these wet ingredients then mix with dry ingredients)
Once combined beat in 1/4 c & 1 tbsp of slightly melted coconut oil until thickened. Roll into balls, refrigerator for an hour, eat & enjoy!

These got gobbled up quickly!

Often times, people interested in introducing more raw foods will start with a juice and raw foods detox to rid there body of toxins that are stored. I have done a 3 day cleanse a couple months ago and am currently doing the detox again right now. Stay tuned for more details on this, along with some juice recipes tomorrow that you can incorporate into your life.

The importance of protein!

Your diet, what and how much of what you consume, plays a vital role in your health, appearance, energy, performance, as well as what type of results you get from exercise. The bulk of ones diet can be categorized as the following macronutrients: Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fat. All of which are necessary in ones diet. Today I am going to discuss the first macronutrient, Protein. Understanding protein is important, for everyone who cares about their health, to understand. Whether you're trying to live healthier, lose weight, build muscle, this post is for you. Hopefully by the end of this entry you will have a better grasp on it's important role and the general guidelines of protein consumption.  Most of the information I am relaying is what I learned while obtaining my NASM Personal training certification. 

Let's get started. 

What is the role of protein? It primarily builds and repairs the body's tissues and structures, however, it also assists in the synthesis & regulation of hormones and enzymes in the body, as well as acting as a source of energy when calories or carbs are too low. 

So there are 20 amino acids that the body uses. These are then broken down further into essential- or amino acids that the body can NOT manufacture on it's own, and nonessential- or amino acids that the body is able to produce on it's own. The body arranges these in different sequences in order to make the different types of proteins used in the body. For example, when it's arranged one way it creates the protein in our muscles like actin, then it rearranges the order and BAM now it's the proteins that make up the lenses in our eye balls! Our bodies are seriously cool.  So it is important that we consuming the proper essential amino acids so that our bodies are able to produce enough protein to get the jobs done. Animal meats, quinoa, whey, and soy proteins are all examples of complete proteins that contain all the essential amino acids. Rice is an incomplete protein but when paired with beans it then contains all the essentials. 

If we are on a diet that restricts our caloric or carbohydrate intake then our body has the ability to use these amino acids as energy. Now, on the other hand, as with anything, if we consume too much protein then our bodies store what they can't immediately use as potential energy aka big bad ugly fat.  On that same token, too much protein intake can also lead to heart disease, overworked kidneys, low calcium, and even dehydration. Yikes, so how do we find that happy medium? The general recommendations for the less active is .8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. For regular exercisers and athletes like myself, or those on a low calorie or carb diet, it is important that we increase that to anywhere from 1-2 grams per kilogram of weight. This ratio generally falls between 15-30% of our calorie intake coming from protein. Here is a website that allows you to calculate your weight in Kilo's so that you can calculate how many grams of protein needed a day. I weigh 47 Kilograms, and I am very active so I generally aim to consume about 90 grams of protein a day. 1 gram of protein is 4 calories so that's about 360 calories in protein a day which falls right in between 15-30% of my 1400-1500 calories consumed daily. 

I have to consume 90 grams of protein a day but I CAN NOT consume that all in one meal- nor should I. Our bodies can not efficiently digest or utilize more than about 30 grams of protein in a single sitting. So I generally split that 90 grams up over 4-6 meals a day, so rarely do I consume more than 20 grams in a single sitting. 

Another benefit of protein- besides the fact that it repairs and heals the trauma I constantly place on my body when running and exercising but it helps keep you satiated longer. It's been shown in tests that if you eat protein in sufficient amounts regularly throughout your day then you are less likely to feel hungry for several hours after a meal and that's because it takes a while for our bodies to completely digest protein compared to the other macronutrients. This is another reason why it's important to consume adequate portions when trying to lose weight, it keeps that metabolism working and wont leave you feeling hungry! For the exercisers out there, because it takes so long for our bodies to breakdown and digest protein it is important to consume protein in a liquid form (such as milk) directly after working out because it's the quickest absorbed form of protein. That protein can get right in there and get to work. Your body's metabolism is in overdrive for about 30-90 minutes after exercise so that is the most efficient time to drink a protein drink. The liquid protein supplements I use and find most effective are hemp or whey protein powders mixed with milk, water, or in a smoothie during that 30-90 minute metabolic time frame.

I know that's a lot of information to absorb in a single sitting so I will leave it at that for now. Feel free to comment below with any questions or clarity you might need. Here is an excellent source of protein for dinner: honey mustard grilled chicken recipe that our family LOVES, side it with anything from corn on the cob, to sweet potatoes, to quinoa or brown rice! Endless options...Enjoy!

HONEY MUSTARD GRILLED CHICKEN

Marinade 4 chicken breasts for at least an hour in this:

                                                                   1/2 c whole grain ground mustard

1/2 c honey 

Juice from half a lemon

1 garlic clove minced

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp Paprika

Grill. Either on the BBQ or on the stove top with a little olive oil.

Make sure you set a couple tablespoons of marinade aside to drizzle on top after chicken is fully cooked, and don't forget to let the chicken "rest" 5 minutes or so before sinking your teeth into it's juicy sweet and spiciness!

Everything there is to know about Mangoes

My Dad grew up in the Panama Canal and my brother, David, just recently spent 2 years in Panama as well. They tell stories about how readily available fruit is there. Mango trees everywhere you go, David's friend with a fruit farm that gave away barrels of ripe pineapples, mangoes, and other tropical fruits. I think I would die and go to heaven to live in such a tropical climate where there is a mango tree infestation. Granted I was born and raised in Florida where oranges and strawberries can be found locally practically all year round, which was pretty fantastic...but sometimes a girl just needs a mango!


Mango is widely accepted as a superfood for endless reasons. I'll tell you what it has in it (all the large unpronounceable words), then I will tell you what it does (that's my favorite part).

• Phytochemicals and nutrients include: pre-boitic dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B6, folate, other B vitamins, potassium, copper, iron, amino acids, flavonoids like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene,and beta-cryptoxanthin and omega-3's & 6's. That is just in the pulp of the fruit, the peel of the fruit comes with it's own set of special powers.

What on earth does all that mean?! 

• Naturally, as with any high antioxidant food, especially those high in vitamin C, it helps prevent cancer, heart disease, and boosts immune system.
• Those suffering from acidity can gain relief by eating mangoes thanks it's awesome combination of enzymes. 
• The combination of vitamin A and flavonoids are essential for vision. Vitamin A is also known to maintain healthy mucus membranes and skin. Got a cold, eat a mango! Want to clear up that skin? Eat a mango, or slice it and put it on your fave for 10- 15 minutes, then rinse. 
• If you suffer from anemia, the high iron content in mangoes can help.
• Potassium helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure. 
• The pre-biotic soluble fiber helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL)
• According to healthmango.com mangoes contain glutamine acid and can help boost memory and keep cells active in children with concentration troubles. 
• And lastly, that vitamin E can spruce up your sex drive ;-)

A couple weeks ago we ordered a case of mangoes with our Saturday produce. I experimented with multiple smoothies and recipes, and I will share with you my favorite smoothie of them all. And I am feeling particularly generous this morning so I am also going to share the recipe for the mango salsa and clean cinnamon & "sugar" chips I made yesterday afternoon! LUCKY YOU!

Note the case of mangoes on the right (oh and that bag of navels from a produce stand on the side of the road was incredible too-made some bomb orange juice)! YUMM!

COCONUT MANGO SMOOTHIE

Next time you feel a cold coming on, give this smoothie a go to give you the ultimate Vitamin C boost!

2 Mangoes, 2 oranges, 1 banana, coconut flesh to taste, 1 c almond milk, and about 10 ice cubes. Blend until smooth. GULP GULP GULP!

NOW- LO AND BEHOLD:

MANGO STRAWBERRY SALSA WITH CINNAMON AND SUGAR CHIPS

Here is what you will need:

For the chips:

3 100% whole wheat tortillas

2 tsp of cinnamon

2 TBSP of granulated Stevia in the Raw

canola oil spray

For the salsa:

1 mango

about 7-8 medium strawberries

1/4 a bunch of cilantro

1/6 of a medium red onion

2 tsp of minced garlic

juice from 1 lime

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.  Slice your 3 tortilla's into 8ths. Spray both sides with canola oil spray and lay on baking sheet. Combine stevia and cinnamon in bowl then sprinkle on both sides of oiled tortilla, then spray both sides again lightly with oil. Pop in oven for 12 minutes until lightly brown and crispy.

While your chips are in the oven start dicing up your strawberries, mango, onions, and cilantro. If you've never diced a mango here is how I did it.

Toss all diced ingredient in bowl, then add your lime juice, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Stick in the fridge to marinate while chips finish up. Once chips are done BON APATITE! This would also work great as a topper to some honey marinated grilled chicken!

Do you have a favorite mango recipe? I'd love to hear it!

Abs are made in the kitchen.

I woke up at 3 am to a thirsty and scared little girl, I got her a drink and comforted her back to bed. I closed my eyes to return to a sleeping state again...and nothing. What do you do at 3 am when you can't sleep and the gym doesn't open until 5...well, blog of course! Today is a cardio day for me, cycling here I come but I always throw in a good 20 minutes of ab work in as well...but wait, Nikki, you just said abs are made in the kitchen! I know, I know let me explain. There is a common misconception that if you isolate and exercise your problem areas (abs, thigh, whatever) enough then they will become lean and sexy. You absolutely will grow and develop and tone the muscles in that area...but it does not isolate and burn off the fat in that particular area. You can do crunches all day everyday but if you have yet to clean out that pantry, the stomach fat will still be there so you will be unable to see that super strong sleek six pack you've been working so hard on. See, the basic formula for weight loss is simple...use more energy than consumed (energy being food). Once your body uses all it's consumed energy it goes into back up mode and fuels off it's reserved fat stores. Our bodies gain and lose weight proportionally to our different body shapes. Example, some people are pear shaped (small on top, bulky on bottom), or visa-versa, then others are rounder more like an apple and get it everywhere. Wherever your body stores fat, is where it will lose fat, it will not just drop in the tummy area because you are doing exsessive crunches. If you want a 6 pack, you have to drop that body fat percentage WHILE strengthening training those core muscles. WEIGHT LOSS IS 80% DIET, 20% EXERCISE. Lets break it down a touch further.

DIET:

Dropping body fat as stated above requires you to spend more calories than consumed- common sense will tell you that you need to eat fewer calories. But don't let that deter you food lovers. Less can be more...a 300 calorie meal could be a monster sized spinach salad or it could be 2 Reese's pb cups, which will keep you fuller longer? Chose your calories wisely. Fill those calories with protein, fiber, fruits, and vegetables...this will fill you up, keep you satisfied longer, and will give you a smaller caloric intake than a high sugar and fat meal. Eating clean has a natural way of lessening caloric intake without altering portion sizes...because you're taking out those empty calories. And as my blog is here to show you, eating clean doesn't have to be bland and boring- no need to sacrifice taste! It still enables you to indulge sensibly, but remember clean sweets can get up there in calories so you'll want to eat those in moderation to your goals.

Now with that said, you never want to create too large of a calorie deficit because your body will start fueling off of it's lean muscle mass as well instead of just your fat stores. Consuming enough protein and exercising regularly will help reduce the likelihood of that occurring. 

How do we get our bodies burning the most amount of calories per day without decreasing or depriving ourselves of too many calories? Calculate your BMR (or your resting metabolic state). HERE is a BMR calculator. Now whatever number it spits out, that's how many calories your body burns internally, at rest, without movement. Now add activity to that and you're burning even more daily. I never recommend consuming less that 500 calories than your resting metabolic rate, for moderate weight loss consuming 100-200 calories less than that BMR and adding exercise will easily give you a healthy 1-2 pounds of weight loss a week. If you lose too much more than that, odds are you're losing that lean muscle mass.

EXERCISE: 

Most people are familiar with crunches and sit ups and do them for days. Yes, they can be effective when performed properly, the problem is if that's all you are doing you are not strengthening all your core muscles. The rectus abdominis is the main centered abs that you see when admiring someones 6 pack and are the primary muscles used in your typical sit up. However, that's not all the muscles that make up the core. Balance is important or else you're asking for injury. There are hundreds of small stabilizing muscles through out your core that support your spine that need to be strengthened to carry you, with proper posture and control, through your daily life. These stabilizers are also needed to properly assist those larger prime movers through other exercises. So my advice is always start with stabilizing exercises then move onto the bigger exercises that target those prime movers. It's important not to leave out those back muscles and obliques as well. 80% of Americans suffer from chronic back pain, do not impose this on yourself by being sedentary or even more dangerously, by over working certain muscles but under working those back and other supportive muscles. Here are a few exercises to get you started. 

I tried to have my 5 year old son take a few photos of me completing these exercises. 1 out of 6 pictures turned out, so here are some strangers from the Internet you can admire. 

Most of you are familiar with the plank, it is an excellent stabilizing work out and there are many variations.  For those of you who are just starting out aim for 3-4 sets of holding it for 30 seconds at a time with forearms on the floor. Those more experienced hold it longer or advance to an elevated feet position or onto the stability ball as shown below.

For those back muscles, particularly the erector spinae (which is the muscle that runs directly along the spine) and the lower traps, try the cobra as pictured below. Be sure to lead with the chest NOT THE NECK, stare at the floor to ensure the neck stays in neutral! 3-4 sets of 15 for starters but hold the position at the top for 2-4 seconds before releasing back down each time.

Lastly, Lying oblique twists work wonders for the obliques as pictured below.

 3-4 sets of 12-15 (on each side) for starters, as you advance begin to straighten out those legs doing the same full range motion, or put a weighted medicine ball between the knees.  

Include your sit ups, crunches, or bicycles as usual! You could circuit through these few exercises back to back 1 set of each exercise with no rest, then take a 2 minute break and begin set 2 as described in my blog about circuit training for a more intense workout.

Questions, comments?! Hope this helps! Good luck readers!

Getting around picky eaters.

I wasn't kidding the other day when I said I LOVE breakfast! Yesterday my children at about 11 decided they were hungry again. I asked them what they'd like to eat for lunch and my son started asking for waffles...for lunch. Some abnormal easy-going-ness came over me and I said, OK! Parker's jaw dropped for a split second until he started to jump up and down and shout for joy! Over and over and over! Confession: Usually I'm a little more by the book and a little less spontaneous, as you probably gathered by my sons reaction.

So I pulled out the waffle iron and went to work. This was my end result.

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

2 tbsp stevia

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 oil of choice

1 egg

1 1/2 c luke-warm milk

2 tsp vanilla

Combine wet ingredients in one bowl, dry ingredients in another bowl then combine wet with dry. Blend well then cook in waffle iron until golden brown.

It's the topping creations that make it so much fun. Our fridge is loaded with strawberries currently because we have been making jam. So I topped my whole wheat waffle with raw maple almond butter and a few fresh strawberry slices and homemade clean strawberry syrup. Strawberry syrup can be made by slicing and boiling down the berries with a touch of water in a pot and adding agave nectar, honey, or stevia until you find the sweetness you desire. You can also make a raw uncooked berry purée by throwing the same ingredients in a food processor or blender. Yummmy!

My daughter went the peanut butter, banana, and honey route on her waffle, while my son skipped the nut butter all together and just wanted the strawberry syrup and slices. Blueberry or raspberry syrup would be pretty bomb too! Get creative with the fruit topping!

Best part is I didn't feel in any way guilty treating my kids to this for lunch. They got a healthy whole foods meal which included grains, fiber, protein, and antioxidant loaded fruit using zero table sugar or refined flour- so why should I feel guilty?! This brightened there day which always brightens Mommy's day! 

So all you Mommy's with picky children (or husbands for that matter), get creative, get sneaky, do something out of the ordinary and when they scarf it down without hesitation: that's the time to do some educating. For kids, talk about how big and strong they're going to grow because of the healthy food they're eating. Explain that fruit helps prevent them from getting sick. It's kind of like positive reinforcement. Get excited when they eat healthily...and I mean get over exaggeratedly loud and jump and dance and sing ridiculous happy songs kind of excited. That excitement for healthy eating will rub off.  Parker used to be that picky eater...if it wasn't gummies, Cheetos, or mac and cheese he didn't want it. Now he'll at least nibble on foods he doesn't particularly care for without a fight because he wants to be strong and healthy (he's also terrified of the doctors, so I kind of used the whole "you don't want to get sick and go to the doctors do you.." to my benefit when we first started our healthy eating adventure). Stay consistent..if other unhealthy options are readily available then naturally they'll opt for those choices. They'll over time adapt to the newly introduced tastes and they'll be a lot healthier and happier- as will you, because no mother likes a grumpy sickly child, or a sugar crashing meltdown. My son is now known for opting out of that piece of candy or cupcake completely on his own...the less sugar they consume the less they crave it. Proof that in time it does pay off. That's just a few of my own tips that have worked for my kids, let me know what worked for your children! Stay tuned for a blog in the not so distant future on some of the snack alternatives we use around here to keep snack time healthy and fun!

FUN FACTS ABOUT STRAWBERRIES:

Strawberries are loaded with fiber and antioxidants (particularly vitamin C) which boosts immune system, regulates digestion, and blood pressure. Strawberries are a natural anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory (which can work wonders for those with ailments such as arthritis). Then to top it off they also contain maganese, potassium, vitamin K, and magnesium which all promote bone health as well. Moral of the story: Eat your strawberries!