Quinoa

I made quinoa (keen-wah) for the first time today. It was pretty good! This is a super healthy recipe. Low-calorie and low-fat. It looks kinda like barf, but it tastes good. If that's not a great endorsement, I don't know what is. Quinoa and Black Beans 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper salt and pepper to taste 1 cup frozen corn kernels 1 or 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained (I THINK ONE CAN IS ENOUGH) 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro Directions: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro. BEST SERVED COLD.

Just do it.

Have you ever thought about the Nike slogan? So simple, yet it's exactly what we all need to hear. Quit complaining and just do it. I'm talking to myself here. I am done with this whole "I'm super lazy and eat whatever I want" thing. I'm over it. It's tough because I feel so free when I allow myself to eat anything and everything, but it's just not worth it because my clothes are getting tighter by the second. Not cool.

Summer is coming soon (ish?) and I don't want to spend another summer avoiding my swimsuit like the plague. I want to enjoy life and feel confident. I know what I need to do. I just need to actually do it. And I will.




In other news, Jessica Biel is awesome.

Ugh.

That pretty much sums it up. The Sugar Fast was a big failure. I'm just so... blah lately. I don't even have words for it. So that's my update. Anyday now I'm gonna be motivated again. Wait for it...

The Great Sugar Fast!!

Have you heard of it? No, you haven't because I just made it up. Ok, so here's the problem: I eat way too much sugary stuff. I eat healthy meals all day long and then at night I crave sweets (ie. cookies and ice cream) like a crazy person.

So what if I just said, NO!? That's what I'm gonna do. For 2 whole weeks. That's like eternity in my mind, just so you know. I've never done anything like this. I just feel like I need a break from the over-consumption of crap.

The only sweet stuff I will be eating is fruit. Wish me luck. Oh, does anyone want to join me? I didn't think so.

Starting... NOW!!

Losin' weight... la la la

Update:

On January 2nd I got really serious about eating clean and exercising. I started working out 5 days a week (running/walking, weight lifting, and pilates). I lost 6 pounds in about 2 weeks. I felt awesome! But sadly, I've started wavering in my dedication this past week or so. It sucks. I have a really hard time sticking to my healthy goals. I just lose my focus really easily. Well anyway, here is how I looked 10 days ago:

I've gained a couple pounds back since then, but I won't let that get me down. I have big plans, folks. Big plans! Get excited about my next post. :) I'm totally psyching myself up for this.

Delicious CLEAN recipe

Wow, I am surprised how good these are!! Ground turkey is a healthier choice than beef. I just got some at Costco a couple days ago and I can't wait to try new recipes. These meatloaf muffins are only 80 calories each and so tasty! HERE is a video on how to make them. Super easy.

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

2 lbs ground turkey (or chicken)
3 egg whites
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dry yellow mustard
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chipotle pepper spice
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp garlic powder (2 cloves minced)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
2 celery stalks (finely chopped)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray muffin pan with canola or olive oil.
Mix all your ingredients together in one large bowl.
Roll the mixture into balls and place in muffin pan. Muffins should be about the size of a racquetball.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins. Serving Size: 2 muffins

This is how mine looked...

If you're real fancy you could put spinach and mashed potatoes on top. But if you're eating clean, sweet potatoes are a better option than regular potatoes.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

Did anyone else watch Ren and Stimpy when they were little? No? Ok, then you don't get the title of this post. Anyway, here's what's new...


For the past 10 days or so, I've been really diligent about eating clean and working out almost everyday and I feel grrreat!

At the gym I either speed-walk at an incline or jog for 30 minutes, and then I do about 45 minutes of weights and toning exercises. I am seeing changes already and it's the best feeling.

Eating clean is not easy. Actually it's pretty difficult. "Clean" foods are so different from the things most of us are used to eating, (ie. processed foods, lots of sugar and fat, large portions, etc.). Eating clean means eating natural, unprocessed foods like fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, you know... the healthy stuff that God made for us.

I'm not trying to force everyone to eat clean, but I just want you to know that it's the only way to find real happiness in life. Ha ha ha. But really, it's a great way to eat and it makes me happy. I know I've talked about it many times before, but here are the clean eating basics, if you're interested:

EATING CLEAN:

Eat small meals, five to six times a day. This will help satisfy hunger, plus leave room for another small meal in two to three hours. Your metabolism will be on high all day! As a tip, try to keep each meal between 300 and 400 calories and read nutrition labels to give you a hand.

Combine right. Eat lean protein (e.g., fish, chicken, turkey, egg whites, etc.) and complex carbohydrates (e.g., whole grains, fruits, vegetables) together at every meal. This super-charged combination keeps metabolism balanced and insulin levels in check.

Portion control. The golden rule: Getting clean food is just part of the full clean eating picture – you have to apply the basic principles of serving sizes, too. A protein serving should be the size of your palm; complex carbs from whole grains and starches is the amount you can hold in a cupped hand; and complex carbohydrates from fruits and veggies is the amount you can hold in two hands cupped together.

Drink lots of water. It keeps everything running smoothly and you just feel good when you're well hydrated.