Eating on the Go

Like most of you, I am on the go most of the time.  If I am not prepared, fast food or a big cookie from the coffee shop are very tempting. 
Today I am out all day so I packed a few snacks in my cooler.  This is what a typical snack bag looks like.

     I have my Vega protein powder in my blender bottle, yogurt, Laughing Cow cheese, walnuts, Ancient Grains crackers, a granola bar, boiled eggs, lean ham, and a variety of raw fruits and vegetables. I pack it all into a soft cooler with a few water bottles and I'm ready to go.  I did not pack a meal since I will be eating lunch out. 
    This is typically how I pack when I have a long car trip, lots of errands, or several clients in a row and I know I will not be able to get a healthy snack.  I always make sure I have plenty of proteins, fats (banana and walnuts today), some raw crunchy fruits and veggies,  and some good carbs.

   If I know I am not going to be able to stop and pick up a meal, then I pack meals from my food prep that week.  I usually just pack some containers in a soft sided cooler, but this Iso Bag is a big want of mine!

This model comes with enough room to hold 6 meals. It comes with six containers and ice packs to keep your meals cold.  There are also side pockets for your water bottles. This is perfect for work or traveling.

I hope this is helpful to you and you can incorporate these ideas into your healthy eating plan.

Spinach Carbonara Featuring Brown Rice Pasta

This is one of my family's favorite meals. It is an updated, fresh version of the classic carbonara.   I add spinach to the egg sauce and substitute ham for the bacon. This is a good meal for when your body is in need of some carbs (because I eat carbs..I don't care what anybody says) or you just want a nice filling dinner that everyone in the house will love. This is also a great 'cheat meal' for people who do watch their carbs.

My pasta of choice is Tinkyada brown rice pasta. We really enjoy the flavor and the texture of it. We are not a gluten free family, we just really really like the mouth feel of this pasta. 

The ingredients are pretty simple:
1 Package of Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta Shells
1 8 oz Package of Spinach
2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 lean ham steak, cubed
Black Pepper to taste

Boil pasta according to the directions.  While pasta is cooking, saute the spinach and garlic in a small amount of olive or coconut oil until the spinach is wilted.   Turn off heat. When the spinach has cooled, add it to a blender with the milk, eggs, and cheese.  Blend until smooth.

In the same pan, brown the ham.  Turn down the heat to low and slowly add the spinach mixture to the ham so that the eggs do not cook like scrambled eggs.  Cook on medium -low while stirring until the mixture thickens.  Add the cooked and drained pasta and stir until coated.  Add black pepper to taste.  I usually don't feel like it needs any extra sauce since the ham adds enough salt to the whole dish.
Hope that your family enjoys this dish as much as we do.

Healthy School Lunch Ideas

Last school year I did a blog post on school lunches your kids can pack themselves.  This started out great. The kids loved making choices and I loved that, except for a sandwich, I didn't have to 'make' lunches.  After awhile, I discovered a few problems with our system.  1) The kids got bored with the choices. 2) Buying pre-packaged snacks got pricey and wasteful. 3) I always felt guilty that they were not eating enough fresh foods in their lunches.  A few months into this system, I went to bento box type lunches for the kids. They loved them, but it was very time consuming each night.

This year I'm changing things up a bit. It's basically the same idea I posted last year, but with fresh choices. This takes a little more prep time (about an hour), but it's worth it knowing my kids are eating healthier options that they like.

I am still using lunch bins that they can choose from. I take them out every morning and choose what they want from each bin.
Main Course (Bin 1)
This week, for the "main course" I made wraps and froze them.  I pop one in each lunch box before school, and by lunchtime, they are thawed.  I have 3 kids so I made 15 wraps.

For other main courses I plan on making a variety of sandwiches and subs, pasta salads with added protein, chicken salad, and sometimes dinner leftovers of their favorite dinners.
I bought these containers on Amazon for $13.99 for 40 for non-sandwich items.  They are 8 oz deli containers. Perfect size for a lunch.  I like these because they are re-usable, but if a kid accidentally throws one away, it's not that big of a deal.

Fruits and Veggies (Bin 2)
I make them choose 2 out of this bin.  This week I have cut broccoli, mini-carrots, strawberries, apple slices, and yogurt.  To keep the apples fresh, I soak them in pineapple juice before bagging them.  This tastes better than lemon juice. The yogurt can be used as a dip for the fruit.

Other items I plan on putting in this bin are : string cheese, various berries, orange slices, grapes, melons, sliced peppers, sugar snap peas, and celery.

 I made veggie dip out of Greek yogurt and used smaller containers that I also purchased on Amazon. I have to tell them to take only one because my daughter would take SIX.

 

Treat Bin (Bin 3)

This last bin contains treats that they like. This week they have mini-cheddar rice cakes, peanut butter filled pretzels, whole wheat fig newtons, and fudge stripe cookies. I have them take only one of these, because they would take ALL of them.  I know I would. My lunch would be all Fudge Stripes.

My other plans for this bin include: beef jerky, trail mix, cookies, yogurt covered raisins, dried fruit, brownies, tortilla chips and salsa, etc...

I make only 15 of the main course.The other two bins will have extras so they can have a snack for sports and other after school activities.  The kids really enjoy choosing their own lunches and I feel better about giving them healthier choices.  If you have some ideas I could add to my bins, please let me know in the comments.

How to Wake Up Early for a Workout

In the past, I tried to save my workouts for the evenings.   My day would be packed with work, errands, kids' practices, and rehearsals and I would put everyone else and their needs before mine. All day long I would tell myself over and over "I'll workout tonight. I'll workout tonight". Evening would roll around and there would be dinner, homework, clean-up, and getting ready for the next busy day.  By the time all of the kids were in bed I was too exhausted to work out and I'd tell myself "I'll do it tomorrow night", but of course I never did.
I decided that if I wanted to exercise, I would have to start getting up early. I'd sacrifice some sleep to make room for something I love.
It's not always easy to lose some of that delicious sleep, but here are some things I do to get my butt out the door:

1) Prep the night before. The night before I will lay out all of my workout clothes, socks, and shoes. I will fill my water bottle and put it in my gym bag with all of my other needs and put my gym bag right by the front door.  Lastly, I will set the coffee pot and lay out my breakfast so it's all ready to go when my feet hit the floor.

2) Put your alarm clock/phone across the room. If I have to walk across the room to shut it off, then I am less likely to hit snooze.  I put mine right next to my gym clothes as a reminder of why I am up so dang early.

3) Go to sleep early. It's hard to stop everything and go to sleep earlier at first, but after a few mornings of waking up early, your body will naturally want to sleep earlier.  Avoid having electronics on for at least 30 minutes before bed. I also avoid caffeine or exercise after 4 pm.

4) Be accountable. Set up a date with a friend to work out.  If I know someone is counting on me, I won't leave them hanging. I have made a lot of friends at my gym. When someone who comes regularly, we notice and make sure they know we missed them.

5) Do something you LOVE! Make sure you pick an activity that you love. If you don't love running, then you sure aren't going to get out of bed early to do it. I LOVE my current training schedule or Krav Maga classes and conditioning for KM, so I get excited about getting up to do it.  Find what you love and schedule time for that!

Easy Weeknight Curry Recipe

You know those nights that you have nothing planned for dinner and you don't feel like cooking? You are tired, you have nothing thawed from the freezer, and if your anything like me, you stall until a kid complains that they are "soooooooooo hungry". Then you panic a little and consider feeding them pancakes for dinner...again. 
I have been working hard at coming up with some very easy, but still healthy recipes for nights like this.

My family loves this brand of Curry Powder. They also love coconut milk, so I threw together this easy and somewhat healthy recipe that everyone enjoyed.
I cook large portions so that we have them for lunch during the week instead of grabbing something less healthy. Go ahead and cut the recipe in half if you need to.

Ingredients:

 2 lbs ground turkey or lean ground beef
-1 large chopped apple
1 medium chopped onion
1 14 oz bag of frozen peas
salt and pepper

Sauce:
1 can coconut milk
juice of 1 lime
cilantro (optional)
2 tablespoons curry powder (adjust for your taste)


In a large pan, brown the ground meat. Drain if you need to. Add apple, onions, peas, salt, and pepper.  Cook until onions are soft. The apples should still be a bit crisp.
Add the coconut milk, lime, cilantro, and curry powder.  Stir together and bring to a simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Serve over rice, brown rice, quinoa, or your favorite grain.

This is very quick and easy. If you cook this for your family, I'd love to hear back from you in the comments.
Enjoy!

 

Why Try Airrosti? {Part One}

     I was plagued with chronic and sometimes debilitating neck pain for most of my adult years.  There were times that I could not lift myself out of bed and each step I took resulted in a painful shock throughout my entire body. I saw chiropractors, doctors, Emergency Rooms...I was treated with neck braces, electric pulses, and neck braces. These treatments would temporarily ease the pain, but the pain always returned as soon as any stress entered my life. I was sick of it. Sick of the pain. Sick of missing work. Sick of the feeling that the pain killers gave me. Sick of not being able to play with my kids or work out.  Sick of it all.
     Since I was part of a large fitness community, I had heard over and over again about Airrosti.  Friends kept telling me how it helped them.  I was doubtful.  Like most of you, I am a pretty simple girl. Airrosti sounded like a fancy schmancy new gimmick to me. I don't do fancy schmancy. I was also doubtful that my insurance would cover it since it covered so little of my chiropractic care. I filed the idea of Airrosti away in the back of my mind.
     One morning, during my husbands deployment, I woke up and found that I couldn't move.  I could not get out of bed. Just breathing hurt my neck and upper back. Once I had my children help me out of bed, I made my way to the chiropractor where I learned that I would need to come for 5 visits a week, for 6 weeks, at $70 per visit....with my 3 children in tow!!! That was not going to work for me.
     I called Airrosti Rehab Centers and was able to get in that same day.  After getting my info, the very helpful service person on the phone told me that most people in my same situation felt better after just 3 visits.  Better yet, my insurance covered it and all I had to pay was my regular co-pay.
    The appointments are broken up into two parts. For the first 30 minutes, the patient meets with the doctor. S/he will discuss the  issue and then a soft tissue/skeletal muscle manipulation is applied.  I compare it to a deep tissue massage, but with a lot more pressure. After the doctor is seen, the patient works with the physical therapist to perform easy exercises to manage and prevent pain. Finally, they might apply the kinesiology tape that has quickly become my best friend when I have a sports related injury.  It is a huge help!

Both the doctor and the therapist try their best to make sure they educate their patient.  After my visits for my neck, I went home with tools and exercises to prevent that pain from happening again.  I can happily say that I have not had that type of neck pain in years. When I feel twinges of it start to creep up on me, I use what I was taught during my treatment and it goes away.  I feel that the doctors there honestly want to help you with your issues and do their best to treat your issue and not just temporarily cover up your symptoms.
     So...now that I went through all of that, you might still be wondering: What the heck is Airrosti???
In my words it is a way to fix and heal skeletal muscles and connective tissue using deep tissue manipulation followed by a short and easy physical therapy.

 

"But I'm not an athlete! I don't work out.  Isn't Airrosti only for athletes?"

No way.  Airrosti is helpful with many issues people face daily. I have been for neck pain (that had nothing to do with my workouts), tennis elbow, and a sprained ankle.

" Is it expensive? "

 Airrost has saved me tons of money.  I only pay a regular co-pay per visit compared to all the money I was spending on my neck pain in the past. It may possibly help you avoid any unnecessary surgery that might be recommended by other types of interventions.

 

If you are suffering with physical pain, I would recommend Airrosti a thousand times.  If they can't fix you, they work hard to find someone who can.  Tomorrow I will post about my visit to the very cool Airrosti headquarters and the exercises that I learned to help with lower back pain that plagues many people.   

Healthy Traveling Snacks

It's that time of year again...time to hit the road.  That time of year when families  travel to great destinations to spend some quality time together. The beach, the forest, the mountains, campfires,  Disney, "Are we there yet", "I have to go potty", "You're stuff is on MY side", "QUIT looking at me" and the never ending "Mom, I'm hungry" (insert whine).

Most gas stations carry things like pork rinds, chips, cookies, and candy.  That's fun, at first, but after awhile my stomach starts to rumble with queasiness and I can feel the pimples growing on my face.

Here is a list of some of my favorite foods for the car:

Proteins:
beef/turkey jerky
cheese cubes
pumpkin seeds
almonds
nut butter on crackers
hummus
protein bars
turkey and cheese roll ups
hard boiled eggs (but they make the car smell...gross)
trail mix

Fruits/Veggies:
grapes
apple slices with peanut butter
berries
bananas
cherry tomatoes
baby carrots
sliced cucumbers
sliced bell peppers
sugar snap peas
sliced zucchini
orange slices

Grains:
mini-bagles
whole grain crackers
banana or zucchini bread
any of those rolled, no bake energy balls

Most importantly,  stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water!

Have fun on you vacations and stay safe.  I'll be back in a few days with workouts you can do on the road using just your body weight.

It's time to get DIRRRTY...(Dirty Girl Mud Run)

I LOVE all kinds of races and physical events...endurance races, road races, mud runs, yoga workshops, zumba marathons...I love them all. One of my favorite non-competitive events is the DIRTY GIRL Mud Run. I am happy to announce that I am one of the many blog ambassadors for the Dirty Girl this year! Yay!!!! Not only does the Dirty Girl support women with cancer, but it is a fun an fulfilling event. There is no competition..just fun, sisterhood and support.  I wrote about my experience with my team last year.


I highly encourage every woman to participate.  All of the women there are encouraging and help each other through the obstacles.  If you don't want to do a certain obstacle, no problem...go around it. If you can't run, walk and enjoy it with your friends.  You will leave feeling accomplished, empowered, and loved.

I know you want to do it. What's stopping you??? To sweeten your temptation to join in the fun, I have a discount code for you!!! Sign up here and use the code: DGSANANTONIO  I really hope I see you there.  If you see me, come introduce yourself to me and give me a hug! Can't wait to meet you!

Pre-Workout Energy

A big question for many people is "What do I eat before I workout"?  Each person is different...some people can barely stomach a sip of water before a workout and some people need a larger amount of food before a workout.  I fall into the latter category most of the time.

I have complied a list of pre-workout snacks and meals to fuel your workout.

One of my favorites is a slice of whole wheat toast with peanut butter and sliced banana. This is a great mix of simple and complex carbs that will release steady energy to your body during your workout. The bananas and the toast are easy to digest so you don't get that sick feeling.

If I only need a small snack before a workout, I will mix greek yogurt, walnuts, berries, honey, and a few chia seeds. The yogurt is easy on your digestive system while the chia seeds and and berries give you that nice steady energy. The nuts provide essential fats and keep your blood sugar levels steady while you train.

If I'm in a big hurry, I'll blend up a quick smoothie.  My favorite: spinach, berries, almond milk, a handful of uncooked oats, and a scoop of protein powder.  This typically isn't enough for a long, hard workout, but holds me through a shorter less intense training session.

A delicious treat before workout is a small sweet potato. I microwave it until soft and mix in a bit of almond butter and cinnamon.  It's almost like a sweet potato pie.  So good!

For a more savory pre-workout meal, I will make a quick egg white scramble.  Sometimes I add veggies and a tiny bit of cheese.  Other times I will add black beans, avocado, and salsa.  You really can't mess this up.  I'll have a piece of whole wheat toast with this to be sure I get enough carbs.  This meals gets me through the days I have a longer workout or heavier lifting.

Of course, you can't go wrong with the old standards like oatmeal, apple slices with almond butter,  sliced chicken breast with rice, or a turkey sandwich.  There are so many good combinations for pre-workout fuel.

A good rule of thumb is to remember that:
1) A pre-workout meal should be eaten about 2 hours before your workout.
2) A pre-workout snack can be eaten 30-60 minutes before you train.
3)You want a 5 to 1.6 gram carb to protein ratio.  That basically means eat a tiny bit more carbs than protein.
4) Hydrate

The carb thing is always controversial ...some people think that you should avoid carbs before a workout, but I think they are essential.  I'll be back soon with post-workout nutrition tips and a give away! 

Got Granny Flaps?

Granny Flaps. Bat Wings. English Teacher Arms. Water Wings. Whatever you want to call them, nobody wants jiggly triceps, yet they seem to be one of the most neglected body parts for many women.  I get it...they are boring to work. A tricep workout  can be difficult and painful. It's easy to skip the tricep in your workout routine because it seems like a small and unimportant muscle and tend to focus more on the bicep.
 Guess what? The tricep is made up of 3 muscles and makes up 2/3rds of your arm. 

What do you use the tricep muscles for? The triceps are 3 muscles that connect at the elbow.  They extend your elbow and also stabilize your elbow when using your hand and forearm.  Strong triceps aid in pushing. As a woman, being able to push with your arms is important. We push shopping carts, baby strollers, kids on swings, wheelbarrows. Strong triceps can help you fend off an assailant if you need to push him away. Strong triceps are important...and also sexy.

Here are some tricep exercises you can do with a link to each one:

One of my favorites is Chaturanga or Yoga Push up.

I also love Bench Dips.  You can do these at home with your heels on the floor using the bottom step, a stool, or a sturdy coffee table.  Just keep your butt close to the bench and make sure you are moving your body up and down using your triceps and not your thighs. For added resistance, you can put a weight in your lap.

Skull Crushers are a favorite of mine. You don't have to go too heavy on the weight until you get used to the movement.  You can use dumbbells or a barbell.  I prefer a barbell because I can get my hands closer together.  Remember to not let your elbows flare out to the side and don't drop the weight on your head. Ouch.

Overhead tricep extensions and tricep kickbacks are also very effective. I like to go heavy with these.

Exercise alone won't get those arms toned.  Balanced and healthy nutrition plays a huge role in being fit.  I know I say it all the time, but you can't exercise your way out of bad nutrition.

These are some of my favorite tricep exercises that you can do at home. Now go get yourself some strong, sexy arms!

The "Packing a School Lunch" Conundrum

For 7 years, packing school lunches was daily source of stress for me.  I know #suburbanmomproblems ...whaaa!  It was taking forever, there was always a fight, and nobody would know what they wanted.  There was also the issue of running out of things for school lunches and they would end up with things like "trail mix" made up from the bits of cereal left in the bottom of each cereal bag,  the protein bars from my gym bag, or even Halloween candy. Last year I finally got smart and came up with a way that made everyone happy, gave the kids choices, and made me feel better that they had at least one healthy item in their lunch box.

For their "main course" I have them make their own sandwich.  I lay out the bread, meats, veggies, and condiments before they wake up, and they make the sandwich to their liking.  I also make a big batch of a pasta salad filled with a protein and vegetables that they can choose instead of a sandwich.

For their snacks I fill three rubbermaid type bins with lids. I fill one bin for salty foods, one for sweets, and one for fruits.  I try to make it a mix between healthy and what the kids would consider 'fun' foods. I trust them to make good choices, and they always seem to balance healthy and fun in the same lunch. I can live with that. They pick one item from each bin and put it into their lunch box.  Easy.
  Sometimes, I make a big trip to Costco and fill it with pre-packaged foods and other times I will put large containers of foods and have them fill their reusable lunchbox each morning.  Other times I have foods like popcorn, muffins, and protein bars that I made at home...but that's only when I'm feeling super motivated.  It does not happen often.

These 3 bins are only for school and only get taken out in the mornings while they pack their lunch.  They have other snacks to choose from in the pantry.  This keeps us from realizing we are out of snacks during the morning rush and prevents me from adding cereal, Halloween candy, or a candy cane for their snack...not that they would mind.  Each bin lasts about 4 weeks between my three kids.

Here is what is in the bins this month:

Fruit bin: Go-go Squeeze Apple Sauce, Crunchy Pak Organic Apple slices from Costco (the fresh fruit changes weekly), and Clif Kid Z Fruit Rope.

Salty Bin: Quaker Popped Rice Crackers (in 3 flavors), Annie's Cheddar Bunnies, and Pringles

Sweet Bin:  Annie's Chocolate Bunnies,  Annie's Graham Bunnies, , Nature Valley Trail Mix bar,  Rice Krispie Treat, Fudge Stripes.

The bins vary depending what is on sale at Costco or what is on sale in bulk at our local grocery store HEB.  It also depends on my schedule and what I have time to make.

Since starting this way of packing lunches, the kids and I are much happier in the mornings.  They get choices that they like, they learn the responsibility of packing their own lunches,  we don't run out of snacks last minute because they ate them for an after school snack, and I'm not putting random crap in their lunches anymore.  If you do something like this, I'd love to see a link to your ideas! Please post your ideas here on on my FB page : https://www.facebook.com/BloodSweatandMinivans

My Home Gym {San Antonio Personal Trainer}

Hey Everyone! This year we finally had enough equipment in my home gym so that I could quit the gym.   I loved going to the gym to workout, but there were so many times that I only had time to workout from home.  I found myself working out from home more often than going to the big gym, that I decided to stop paying for the membership. Between the equipment I have at home, great running trails, and a nearby HS track I feel like I have everything I need to work out from home.  There are still things I want to add, but what we have is good enough for us.


This space is supposed to be our dining room, but our kitchen is big enough to fit a large table, so we decided to turn the dining room space into a gym instead.  It's pretty small and often I have to spill out into the hall to complete workouts, but it's great! We didn't get all of this at once. It took years to build up.

We have our elliptical, weight bench, weights, Olympic bar, EZ Bar, dumbells from 5-45 lbs (we'll add on later), plates, Bosu ball, Med balls, stability ball, and pull up bar.  The weight bench also acts as a squat rack, leg curl, and leg extension 'machine'.

Oh. Since we are friends, I left the dog hair in the photo for you.

The picture walls might be my favorite part of my gym. One wall includes photos of Josh and I in our first races, our race numbers, and some of our medals.  The other wall has pictures of our family having fun. It's motivating to me to see these while I work out.

Like I said, it has taken us years to build up our equipment. If you want to start your own home gym, the most important and useful equipment that will get you started are a heavy and light set of dumbbells , a stability ball, a jump rope, and a resistance band. With those you can work every body part and modify any gym exercise to work with that equipment.  Please feel free to share links to pictures of your home gym.  I'd love to see where you work out! You can post them on my FB page : https://www.facebook.com/BloodSweatandMinivans

Lower Body Toning...without Squats

So here it is...my first exercise video ever. I'm afraid to show it, but I will. I'm totally awkward on video and as I watched this all I could see was my bad form and 2 weeks of hot dogs, tater tots, and Starbucks I have consumed (totally worth it). ;)

I'll try to post these videos more often and we can get back in shape together!

I got a question from a reader in Arizona who wants to tone her lower body, but has bad knees. So, here we go...late at night, stuttering, tripping over my words, and looking like I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. Be kind...

Please follow me on Facebook at : https://www.facebook.com/BloodSweatandMinivans where I also post recipes, workouts, and random thought ;)

Healthy Shopping at Costco

Many people are under the impression that you cannot buy healthy foods at Costco. While there are a lot of less healthy choices there, I buy a majority of my healthy foods there. This is what my list consists of on most trips.

*For the past two years we have bought half of an organic cow, so I only buy beef at Costco if we run out. During spring and summer I have a lot of spinach and mixed lettuce (which is super easy to grow) in my garden, so those are things I depend on Costco for in the winter.  If you do not have some of these items in your Costco, ask the manager. They may be able to stock it if there is enough requests. It's couldn't hurt to ask. Hope this list helps!

Always Hungry?

A few friends of mine have recently kicked up their workouts a notch and now always feel hungry, even if they have just finished a meal.  I used to struggle with this myself, but I think I have got it worked out now.  I realized that it was all about eating the right foods at the right time.

I know that in order to keep myself full, healthy, energetic, and NOT cranky, I have to maintain a good balance of proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats.  For me that means 40% of my calories come from protein, 40% from complex carbs, and 40% from healthy fat.  For my body, age, and activity level, that means about 150-170g of protein, 100-150g of carbs, and 35-40g of healthy fats.  My Fitness Pal can help you figure out whats right for you.I also make sure that I drink plenty of water throughout the day.  Some days its almost a gallon.

It's  very important to eat within 30 minutes after completing a workout. The  body is still burning calories and is looking for ways to restore and repair those muscles that were used during your workout.  For this meal, it is suggested that you get a good balance of complex carbs and protein. If the timing is right, this is when I usually eat my biggest meal of the day. Today it was a turkey burger (no bun), a sweet potato, raw asparagus, and yogurt dip.

Healthy fats play a very important rule in keeping you full.  When I find myself hungry, it's usually because I have not had enough fats that day. I'll grab a handful of almonds or a portion of avocado dressed with salt and lime.

The fiber from raw veggies also help keep me full, so  I like to eat a lot of raw veggies with this yogurt dip.  

Speaking of yogurt, I have found that adding a moderate amount of dairy (I don't consume a lot of dairy) keeps me full.  I like Chiobani yogurt or any low fat cottage cheese.  Be careful when eating yogurt.  Try to choose brands that do not have a lot of sugar.

I find that if I am craving sugar, I did not have enough carbs that day.  I will usually have a piece of Ezekiel toast with a natural nut butter or a sweet potato with a tablespoon of nut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Here is a list of staples I keep in my kitchen broken down into categories.  I hope you find it helpful:

*I am not a certified nutritionist. I am simply sharing what works for me.  Please consult a certified nutritionist before changing your diet.

Plastic Surgery...My thoughts

A reader wrote in to ask me a question about plastic surgery.  I answered.  This is in no way meant to offend anyone who has had plastic surgery.

Go Ahead and Suffer

Beef Coconut Curry

This recipe is a family favorite...even the kids LOVE it and somewhat 'clean' and very very easy.  A good source of protein and healthy fats.
What you need:

1 lb of lean ground beef, turkey,  or bison
1 onion chopped
1 apple chopped
1/2 bag frozen peas
2-3 TBS curry powder (I get mine at World Market)
13 oz can of LIGHT coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper ( I really like black pepper)

Brown the meat.  Add apples and onion and sautee until the onions are translucent.  Add peas and cook until thawed.  Add coconut milk.  Simmer until warm.  Serve on quinoa or brown rice.

Don't forget to follow me on FB https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blood-Sweat-and-Minivans/240639366014884 for more recipes and workouts.

Facebook

I am so blog illiterate...I do not know how to add a FB button on here...so please, if you haven't already, follow me on FB since sometimes I am too busy lazy to post recipes or workouts here

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blood-Sweat-and-Minivans/240639366014884

XOXOXO and Thank you!

Addicting Veggie Dip

I made a Greek yogurt dip to eat with raw veggies and am addicted.  I cannot stop eating it and love that it helps me meet my protein needs for the day. My kids love it too.
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper (because I like pepper, you can use less)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoon lemon juice

Just mix it all together and eat it with raw veggies or some whole wheat crackers.

Crappy iPhone pic: