The chickpea.

Who likes chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)?!

 If you don't then we can't be friends, sorry! JUST KIDDING... kind of.

Up until a couple months ago, the only thing I knew about chickpeas was they're used in hummus. Which was totally cool because I love me some hummus! My cousin posted a recipe online one time for sweet potato hummus- OHH EMM GEEE. Bake a sweet potato, blend with chickpeas, tahini, & add seasonings and viola. I'm salivating just thinking about it, and I happen to have a leftover sweet potato in my fridge from the other night, I see that in my future....Anyways I'm getting crazy distracted...back to the point. I'm learning the true versatility of chickpeas now that I'm experimenting with new vegan recipes. If you've never roasted chickpeas...it's a must try. Toss them in a little oil, salt, & pepper, or honey and cinnamon, whatever, and munch away. Awesome snack. I roasted the chickpeas for this upcoming recipe and my 2 year old wouldn't stop eating them, so I threw some in a bowl for her and let her go to town. Then I threw the rest in my salad recipe posted below for lunch and got my delicious dose of protein. 

Peach-mango chickpea salad

Ingredients:

3-4 c Romain lettuce- chopped

1 cucumber-seeded, diced

1/4 c banana peppers

1 red pepper- chopped

1 mango- diced

2 peaches

1/2 onion-chopped

3 Tbsp cilantro- chopped

2 cups chickpeas-drained & rinsed

a touch of oil, 1 clove minced garlic, salt, pepper, and chili powder

Directions:

Toss olive oil, salt, pepper, and chili powder evenly over chickpeas, and roast on a baking sheet for about 35-45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes or so.

While your chickpeas are roasting, chop up all your remaining fruits and veggies (except peaches) and toss in bowl. De-seed the peaches, throw in a blender and puree. Once chickpeas are done, toss them in with the salad and evenly coat the salad with your peach puree. THAT'S IT!!! 

I added a little salt, pepper, and chili powder on top (my chili powder is a couple months old and losing it's boldness which is why I added a little more, roasting the chickpeas in a little Cayenne pepper would do the trick too). 

This was yesterdays amazing lunch, so fresh, and sweet, with a touch of spice. MMM. Yesterday was my husbands birthday and he requested fish tacos for dinner (obviously he hasn't caught on to the vegan lifestyle, but he's a good sport and doesn't complain when I make my vegan meals for dinner- mostly because there is nothing to complain about because they're delicious). So we made him his tacos and I had leftover chickpea salad on a whole wheat tortilla for dinner. It was just as good the second time around!!

Chickpea benefits:   1 cup of chickpeas contain 29% of recommended daily value of protein. They are one of the best sources of molybdenum, fiber, manganese, and folate. And don't forget the copper, zinc, phosphorus, and iron that they carry. That all sounds good but what does that mean? Their high fiber content aids in digestion, regulates insulin secretion and blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol, and keeps you satisfied longer. Molybdenum is a trace mineral that is needed in chemical processes within the body like to detoxify sulfites (a common preservative), iron utilization, etc. Manganese, folate, iron, phosphorus, copper etc all work together to help keep our bones, muscles, and brain healthy and strong. 

Summer extravaganza!

I know, I know, I disappeared yet again. Ooof, life, tis' a whirl wind. I have actually been hesitant to post because, well, I've been reading a new book called "The China Study" which has actually majorly altered a lot of my nutritional values. It's like thinking the world is flat your entire life and then finding out that it's actually round. Yeah, that major. I'll explain.

When I was 16 I went vegetarian, partially because of animal rights, partially because of the health benefits that I had researched, and partially because, well I wanted to be different. It didn't last terribly long however, because I wasn't fully invested, and I really didn't know what I was talking about. My scarce research wasn't enough to sustain my erratic naive decision. Twinkies are a vegetarian food, but that doesn't make them good for you...I was too uneducated. When I did decide to start eating meat again, I made a choice to only eat lean meats, aka chicken and turkey. And that decision stayed with me, up until now. BUT NOW, oh man, I'm switching it all up. Doing something I've never done, because I've learned something that I never knew, and most of America doesn't know. I'm going Vegan.

RIGHT?!?!?!? NIKKI ARE YOU LOSING YOUR MIND??? I ask myself this frequently, however, I feel very confident in my educated decision. At least you can understand why I've been reluctant to blog. This is new to even myself, how do I continue to blog on nutrition when what I was taught about healthy eating is now being proven to be a major part of the growing cancer rates in our society. "The China Study" is one of the most comprehensive & thorough nutritional research studies done to date, an entire 27 year long research project headed up by Dr. Campbell. Ironically enough, it has some of the most provocative results. To get real solutions, you need real research, using reasonable statistics, funded by un-biased sources, and time. That's exactly what was done. It has been shown repetitively that 'case-in', the protein that is predominantly found in animal products, has the ability to literally turn on and off the growth of cancer. We aren't talking about consuming astronomical amounts of case-in, we are talking about just consuming 20% of  your caloric intake from animal products can create the on switch for extreme cancer growth. Did you know that Americans are easily consuming more that 20% daily? And when they tested high amounts of plant based protein they have NO cancer growth. I'm just barely scraping the surface of what the book entails, and the type of research that has been done. I highly advise reading it if you want more thorough answers. He left no rock unturned in my eyes, but feel free to read it for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Dr. Campbell was raised on an animal farm, consuming high amounts of fresh animal by-products daily, and grew up with the same understanding that I had, that animal protein is complete and necessary for proper growth and nutrition. If what I am saying is true, and everything we have learned about drinking our milk and eating our meat is fallacy, wouldn't you want to know the facts? You can find out more about The China Study here.

Whew, anyways..now that you guys are all ready to send me hate mail and unsubscribe, let me prove to you that Vegan food can be scrumptious and still simple. Even if you have no intention of ever going vegan there are still recipes on here for you (perhaps just making a meatless Monday, to reduce your carbon footprint and amount of casein consumed, would work for you), and I will show you ways of getting adequate amounts of plant based and complete protein. This blog will still be loaded with fun applicable nutritional facts, motivation, and exercises!

 We just got back from a little summer vacation to the grand canyon. OHH, EMMM, GEEEEE, was it INCREDIBLE! My little darlings LOVED camping, and I LOVED hiking and exploring such an enormous and flawless geographical landmark. I don't think I ever fully understood the term "breathtaking" until now.

 I mean who wouldn't LOVE to run along the rim while the sun is rising, or a yoga session in the woods completely surrounded by natures goodness (deer and elk were everywhere, they walked right up to our campsites- so cool)!

While camping I indulged in vegan hot dogs over the open fire, vegan oatmeal bake in the dutch oven (almond milk, vanilla, honey, bananas, blueberries, and oats), vegan approved homemade granola for our hikes, and lots of fruits and PB & J! Life was good...I didn't ever want to leave. But reality must return. Needless to say this vacation really got me in the summer mood. What better way to celebrate summer than with a summer squash pasta dish?! Plus, I had a box of quinoa based pasta I was dying to try.

Summer Squash Pasta

Ingredients:

4 summer squash, sliced thin

1/2 medium onion, sliced

2 TBSP of minced garlic

2 tomatoes, diced

3 TBSP olive oil

1 8 oz box of pasta of choice (I used the Quinoa Rotelle pasta as pictured above)

Parsley, basil, oregano, salt, & pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil pasta according to package. 

Saute squash, onions, and garlic in oil, in pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add tomatoes, and seasonings, and cook for an additional 5 minutes or so until tomatoes are heated and soft, and squash and onions are translucent. Toss in drained cooked pasta, add additional oil and seasonings to taste if needed.

Simple enough, right? Enjoy!

Fun facts about summer squash: 1 cup of squash is only about 30 calories, contains relatively no fat or cholesterol, but is rich in protein, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. It also contains magnesium, fiber, vitamin A, iron, copper, riboflavin, folate, and phosphorus. What does that mean? It means it promotes a healthy heart, healthy eyes, strong bones, and strong immunity. Oh and it's particularly rich in potassium too which keeps your fluid levels balanced and provides energy to muscles. 

How are you processing all of this? Let me know what you think! Feedback always welcome!

Exercise on a time CRUNCH!

As many of you know my husband is away working in Indiana for the summer. We do not get to join him until my son gets out of school in May. So it's a nice 7 week stretch of single-momming it. We have survived 2 weeks so far, and the only reason we've survived is because I've learned some serious time management skills. Confession: I am very much addicted to exercise. I NEED MY ENDORPHIN FIX ON THE DAILY (or else I am a serious grump- my husband can attest to this). But now, with my husband gone I have some time and vehicle restrictions because my husband has my car out in IN. This means I have to work around my parents schedule when I need a car to get to the gym, or my son to school, ect. Yeah, that part blows. I got to thinking...I am sure I am not the only mother out there who struggles to find the time to exercise, period- let alone make it to the gym. I'm going to share my two ways of getting in that worth while workout with out getting in the way of my schedule...and really many of these tips are beneficial to those who do have the time. I firmly believe that if it's important to you, you will find a way...if it's not you'll find an excuse. My health and happiness is most definitely important to me so I have found a way. NO EXCUSES PEOPLE!!!!

First, I've been running outside more again since my husband left. I had picked up my strength training at the gym lately and toned down my long distance running just slightly since I have no big races coming up. But, I've really missed those longer runs. There are some serious benefits to running. The best one is it's free! Next, is you can do it any time of day- before or after work (or spouses work schedule), and there is no travel time involved unless there is a particular trail or course you want to hit up. A more physical benefit is that weight baring exercises- or exercises done on your feet (walking, running, elliptical, ect) BURN MORE CALORIES! And, out of all of those weight baring exercises, running burns the most calories in the shortest amount of time. I'm all about efficiency. And because I am still aiming to strength train and build muscle mass while decreasing body fat percentage I have been hitting those hills harder, and including sprint intervals into my runs. Important note with sprint intervals- the key is to pick up your pace for a designated amount of time depending on skill level, and then dropping it down and allowing your heart rate (HR) to RECOVER. If you are still panting and unable to talk relatively easily after 30s-1min recover time DON'T start again until can carry on a conversation. Start timing how long it takes for your HR to recover- and then watch that time improve the more you run. Short recovery time is a sign of a strong heart!

Some of you might be saying "but I'm not a runner"...NO EXCUSES PEOPLE! Even if you are not a runner you can totally walk it out (burst into song here). Remember from my first blog entry- I was never a runner either. I thought I didn't have the "build" to be a runner- my short stumpy legs were never going to carry me farther than 2 minutes down the road. I thought wrong. Start with a 10-20 minute brisk walk every day (if you have kids and have no one to watch them, bring them with) get that heart pumping regularly and then build up pace and endurance from there, and don't forget to add in some of those hills when you're ready. Another thing, don't think you can't incorporate sprint intervals. Just pick up the pace for 30 seconds at a time, then recover- it's all relative to your abilities. The couch to 5k apps work pretty well for a lot of people. JUST STAY CONSISTENT AND PLEASE DON'T QUIT!

Next, CIRCUIT TRAINING!!!!! My ABSOLUTE favorite style of training. I use this style of training with probably 90% of my clients (mind you 90% are weight loss clients). Why? Because it's affective. What is it? It is rotating through exercises using different muscle groups with minimal rest in between. HUH?! Here is a simple example:

20 squats (legs)

20 jumping jacks (cardio)

15 push ups (arms)

1 minute plank (core)

20 walking lunges (legs)

30 sec jump rope (cardio)

20 tricep dips (arms)

30 bicycles (core)

Rest for 2 minutes then repeat 2-3 more times.

(naturally, you would have a 5-10 minute warm up and cool down before and after a routine like this)

In this example you're targeting your upper, lower, core, and cardio with 2 different exercises per muscle group each. Rotating through them with little to no rest in between until you've done 1 set of each...then you take a short rest just long enough for your HR to recover and your body to produce more energy to cycle through it again. Remember, this is just a sample- feel free to use it or switch it up and fill in your favorite exercises. The important factor here is this method. If you wanted to do an entire lower body circuit one day you could do so by isolating each muscle (example: isolate quads, hamstrings, inner thigh aka adductors, outer thigh aka abductors, glutes, calves, rest, repeat). Let me explain why it's so beneficial... Traditional strength training methods have you do your 20 squats, rest, 20 squats, rest, 20 squats, rest. That rest is necessary because you're using the same muscles back to back. By the time you have completed all 3 sets you have spent 3 minutes resting and maybe 1 minute working. Circuit training reverses that, you spend 5 minutes continuously working, 2 minutes resting per set. You are switching up the muscle groups being used so your arms are resting while those legs are working. This keeps your heart rate up longer and keeps those muscles safely working which enables you to burn more calories in a shorter amount of time. Your EPOC (or metabolic rate post workout) is higher when circuit training practices are applied as well. Burn more calories during 30 minutes of exercise and continue to burn more calories post workout- not a bad deal, right?! And the nice thing is there are THOUSANDS of exercises you can do from home. Kids napping? Do a 30 minute circuit then go finish the remainder of nap time with them. Get up a few minutes earlier in the morning or do it after the kids are in bed. My kids find it fun to try and do whatever it is I'm doing, so they generally will do my squats and push ups with me. Find what works for you.  NO EXCUSES PEOPLE!!!!

Now, I still like to hit the weights or cycling class at the gym a couple times a week so I usually have my parents watch the kids and I'll get up early and do my thing. It jump starts my day and I never regret it when I'm done. Make a sacrifice and commitment and you'll succeed. As my blog continues I will go further into depth into a broad array of beneficial exercises themselves so, as always, stay tuned for more. 

GET UP AND GET MOVING!

NO EXCUSES PEOPLE!

During that EPOC (post workout metabolic rate) time frame I discussed earlier is the most important time to eat. Your body needs to replenish the carbs spent and it needs protein to repair those torn muscle fibers. Here is a high protein smoothie to try. Best if consumed within 30 minutes of working out.

Choco-nana-nut smoothie

1 scoop of chocolate protein of choice (I use a muscle milk whey protein from costco or hemp protein)

1 c milk of choice (I used vanilla almond milk)

2 TBSP of plain greek yogurt

1 small banana

1 TBSP of your favorite nut butter

8-10 ice cubes