Spaghetti Squash

Today is Day 3 of Cooler 1 and I am feeling a little light headed, but not that hungry... mostly I have been really thirsty and have not had a difficult time drinking a gallon of distilled water each day. In addition, I am drinking 4 cups of dandelion tea per day. Dandelion tea is a natural detoxifier and diuretic and will help me with shedding water weight before I take my "after" pictures this weekend!

I have been doing a lot of reading on Contest prep and the different ways that people manipulate their diets and workouts prior to a competition. The plans are completely varied and it seems that what works to "pump up" the muscles of one person may leave another person "flat". The plans vary from carbohydrate depleting then increasing to a "high fat" day prior to the competition to eating sugar right before stepping on stage.

What to do? Well, here is my plan: I am sticking to Cooler 1 for the week and trying to get all of my carbs (oatmeal/quinoa, sweet potato and pear) into Meals 1-4 (I work out between Meals 4 and 5), I am especially concentrating on doing this near the end of the week. Also, I will start to deplete my water intake on Wednesday and increase my intake of dandelion tea. On Friday, the only liquid that I will consume is dandelion tea.

I will take pictures on Saturday morning after having a regular Cooler 1 day on Friday. The pictures will be taken before I eat or drink ANYTHING. Then I will have a regular Cooler 2 day on Saturday (5 veggies and 1 fruit) to add back in some more complex carbs/fats and take another set of pictures in the AM on Sunday. Then I can compare the two sets of photos to see if there is a difference in my pictures. Any suggestions?

I am also going to Mystic Tan twice this week (once on Wednesday and another time on Friday) to help get a coveted bronze glow on photo day. I am hoping that my new bikini's will show up before I take my pictures so that I do not have to wear a suit that is too big for me.

Here are my planned Cooler 1 eats for the day:

Meal 1 - 1/4 c oatmeal (dry) + 2 tbsp chia seeds + 2 tbsp wheat germ cooked in 1 c water + 3/4 cup egg whites + spinach + chicken sausage

Meal 2 - pear + 3 egg whites (one of my egg whites was water logged, so I didn't get to eat all 4 that I had planned to eat)

Meal 3 - spaghetti squash + tomatoes + tomato paste + extra-lean grass-fed beef (rinsed with boiling water) + fresh basil + oregano + chives

Meal 4 - Cooler 1 quinoa broccoli frittata + raw salad: cucumber + tomato + chives + sprouts + red lettuce + mescaline mix + fresh mint + lemon juice + balsamic vinegar

Meal 5 - brown rice protein powder + amazing grass greens + spinach + 1 tsp maca + 2 tbsp flax

Meal 6 - lemon thyme pepper chicken + sweet potato + green beans

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

My bestie, Jennifer, is in town from Duluth for a few days and last night, accompanied by her boyfriend, Ben, joined us for supper. It has been a long time since we have been together in the same room and it was great to be able to actually see her. There is something special about physically being in the same room with someone that you love rather than phone calls, texts and facebook chats.

We dined on grilled bison and lean grass-fed beef burgers along with grilled zucchini and whole wheat buns. Allan was our chef on the grill and he did a great job. The burgers were moist and the zucchini was grilled to perfection.

Todays Eats Will Be:

Meal 1: egg whites + chicken sausage + 1/2 of (1/4 cup dry rolled oats + 1 tbsp chia seeds + 1 tbsp ground flax seed + 2 tbsp wheat germ + pumpkin pie spice + vanilla + 1 1/4 cup water)

Meal 2: 1 cup strained nonfat plain yogurt + frozen mango/blueberries, thawed + 1/2 of oats from Meal 1

Meal 3: seared tuna + lettuce + balsamic

Meal 4: 1/2 pita + banana + 1 tbsp peanut butter + 1 tbsp raw almond butter

Meal 5: chicken + broccoli + lettuce

I noticed that I forgot to announce my Cooler 1 results from last week. As of Friday morning, I lost 1.5 pounds... and that was on a rest week! I was really proud of myself for keeping the timing of my eats in check and also for drinking a gallon of water every day! I would really like to keep up my water drinking, as I think that it helps keep the chronic headaches that I used to get at bay and keeps my eats in check (especially carbs).

Sweet Potatoes are Yummy!

Day 2 of Cooler 1 was just about as good as Day 1 of Cooler 1. I feel like Cooler 1 is definitely manageable as long as you are extremely prepared and have enough good eats on hand to keep yourself from boredom or grabbing for something that is not in the plan.

Yesterday, someone asked me how I like to prepare my sweet potatoes. I usually prepare sweet potatoes in one of the following ways:

1. Bake them like a white potato

I wash and dry each sweet potato and then cut each one into 4 pieces (once in half, then in half again). I then place each piece of sweet potato in tin foil. I cook the sweet potatoes in one of two ways:

A. Bake in the oven at 350˚ F for 35 - 45 minutes. I check them at 35 minutes to see how soft they are. If they are not done, I let them keep baking until they are soft.

B. I place them on a the shelf of a hot grill until they are soft, about 25 - 35 minutes.

2. Make them into Sweet Potato Fries using one of the many recipes that I have in Tosca's books and the CE magazines.

3. Buy frozen sweet potato cubes and steam them until they are warm and ready to be mashed.

I love sweet foods, so I always top my sweet potato with a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Allan prefers his sweet potatoes with Ketchup, BBQ sauce or butter + salt & pepper. 

I have also heard of people using greek yogurt as a topping for sweet potatoes or mixing them into a smoothie with protein powder to make a yummy treat. Try mixing things up and trying out new ways to spice up an old favorite. What is your favorite way to prepare a sweet potato?

Here are my eats for the day:

Meal 1: egg whites + chicken sausage + 1/2 serving red pepper + 1/2 oats serving cooked with 3 tbsp flax + 2 tbsp wheat germ

Meal 2: egg bake (1 egg serving + 1/2 veggie serving) + 1/2 serving sweet potato

Meal 3: Cooler 1 Protein Bar muffins

Meal 4: bison + 1.5 servings of green beans + apple

Meal 5: chicken + lettuce + 1/2 serving english cucumber + balsamic vinegar

Meal 6: egg whites + chicken sausage + broccoli + 1/2 serving sweet potato fries (seasoned with chili powder and cayenne pepper)

Cooler 1 Chocolate Oats

I regret not taking a picture of this... No, it was not a pretty site, but it was delicious!!!

Cooler 1 Chocolate Oats

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup water

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

1/4 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk (can use water instead)

1 tbsp chia seeds

Cook oats in water, according to directions on box (stove top or microwave works).

Place cooked oats, almond milk and chocolate protein powder in a Vita-Mix or blender, loosen the top to let the steam escape or pressure will build up. Blend until mixed. (Note: DO NOT use your Magic Bullet for this step).

Place chia seeds in a bowl and pour oat mixture over the top. Stir until combined. Let sit for 30 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken.

If desired, reheat bowl in microwave for 30 seconds to warm up the mixture.

This was one of the most amazing tasting bowls of oats EVER!!! YUMM-O!!! If I was not on Cooler 1, I would top this with some almond butter and cocoa bliss.

Cooler 1 Menu: May 4th

Good Evening!

Today was a fabulous day! It was definitely the best first day of cooler 1 that I have had so far. I think that my 5 day Cooler 1 challenge is going to be much easier than I originally anticipated. I was extremely surprised that I really did not get that hungry today and was easily able to go 3 hours between each meal. Meal 6 (supper) ended up being a little late tonight because the grill started acting up. It took twice as long as normal to cook supper. Oh well... things like that will always happen and I am not going to let it get in my way. 

The fridge is stocked with planned leftovers: grilled chicken, grilled bison, english cucumbers, steamed broccoli, steamed green beans, romaine lettuce, baby spinach, apples, baked sweet potatoes, and egg bake (with 20 egg whites, mushrooms, red onion, jalapeno pepper, red pepper, and spinach). Next time that I make an egg bake, I would like to add sundried tomatoes!

I am sitting here with Allan in the living room enjoying a nice cup of Passion Fruit Tulsi Tea, relaxing before bed feeling quite proud of myself for my accomplishment with Cooler 1 today! :) 

Here are my eats for today:

Meal 1: egg whites + chicken sausage + 1/2 serving red pepper + 1/2 oats serving cooked with 3 tbsp flax + 2 tbsp wheat germ

Meal 2: egg bake (1 egg serving + 1/2 veggie serving) + 1/2 serving broccoli

Meal 3: chicken + romaine lettuce + 1/2 serving english cucumber + balsamic vinegar/lime juice + 1/2 sweet potato

Meal 4: chicken + broccoli + apple

Meal 5: Cooler 1 Chocolate Oats

Meal 6: bison + green beans + 1/2 sweet potato

P.S. I received my copy of the Eat-Clean Diet for Men today. I have not had a chance to open it up and start to read it, but am very excited to take a look when I have time tomorrow or Wednesday!!!

Kicked My Butt

Allan and I went on a nice long bike ride along the Mississippi River. We started our adventure at Hidden Falls Park in St. Paul and biked through downtown St. Paul, stopped at Golden's Deli for lunch, up Summit Hill, down Crocus Hill, to Shepherd Road and back to Hidden Falls Park. Being that the bike path runs along the river bluffs, there were lots of hills mostly uphill on our way to downtown and then a few downhills on the way back. However, on the way back we biked into the wind the entire time, and let me tell you, that was not as easy task! By the end of the ride my quads were burning!!!

Today I plan on making Cooler 1 Protein Muffins for my Cooler 1 challenge next week and 2 pans of Chocolate Protein Bars for Allan. Because the Chocolate Protein Bars are difficult to mix, I am going to try using the food processor's dough blade to blend the dough together.

Allan and I have been really loving these Raw Organic Food Bars lately and I would love to find a good recipe that is similar, because they are expensive.

We have tried a few different varieties and have decided that the Chocolate Coconut flavor is definitely the best flavor. We love to throw them into Allan's Twin Six crumpler bag and enjoy them on a beach along the river (which we have done twice in the last week). 

Speaking of Raw Food, pop on over to Gina's blog, where she is giving away a spiralizer.

Change is Coming...

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
                                                           ―Mahatma Gandhi

This was today's "quote of the day" and I really felt like it expressed the way that I am feeling this morning. I want to strive to emulate the vision that I have for the world around me - faith, health, values, etc. 

I had a great choir rehearsal last night, including an hour long rehearsal of songs that I am singing on Sunday. What a beautiful way to spend an evening... meditating in praise and worship to God!!!

"The LORD your God is with you,
        he is mighty to save.
        He will take great delight in you,
        he will quiet you with his love,
        he will rejoice over you with singing."
                                           - Zephaniah 3:17

For the last two weeks, I have hit a plateau in my weight loss - this happens every few months. Whenever it does happen, I keep my chin up and switch things up from Cooler 2 to Cooler 1. Usually, I stay on Cooler 1 for 4 or 5 days, which shakes up my metabolism a bit, and regular weight loss follows. I plan on starting Cooler 1 on Monday.

Does anyone want to join me? If you will join me, I will commit to posting my eats every day next week.

To prepare for next week's Cooler 1 challenge, I will print out my Cooler 1 Checklist and Food Journal to plan every meal that I eat next week. Then, from my Food Journal I will make a Grocery List for tomorrow's trip to Valley Natural Foods and a list of the items that I need to prep this weekend (like Cooler 1 Protein Bars, which I plan on making into muffins). I may also make an egg bake with the veggies that I pick up at the Farmer's Market on Saturday.

On to some exciting news! I just received an email from Amazon that my pre-ordered copy of The Eat-Clean Diet for Men shipped last night!!! I am super excited to read this with Allan. I love reading any new information that I can find on eating Clean, Healthy, Real Foods.

Quinoa Broccoli Frittata

Tonight I made the Quinoa Broccoli Frittata from the latest Oxygen Magazine. It was one of the most amazing things that I have had lately. 

Anyways, back to the Frittata. I made it with a couple changes to suit my taste buds. I added 2 additional egg whites, used fresh steamed broccoli instead of frozen and added some seasonings.

Please find my version of the recipe below...

This would be a fabulous recipe to make when on Cooler 1!

Here is the recipe (with my above edits)

Quinoa Broccoli Frittata, inspired by Oxygen Magazine Recipe

1 whole egg

4 egg whites

1/2 cup milk - skim milk, unsweetened soy milk, or unsweetened vanilla almond milk, unsweetened rice milk

4 oz low-fat cheddar cheese, grated and divided

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp grill seasoning blend

1 tsp veggie seasoning blend

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked
14 oz broccoli, lightly steamed

Mist a large oven-safe skillet with olive oil and set aside. Preheat your oven's broiler.

In a medium bowl whisk together egg and egg whites. Add milk and 2 oz cheese and spices. Whisk until combined.

Combine quinoa and broccoli in the prepared skillet. Pour egg mixture over quinoa and broccoli and combine all ingredients, pressing them down into the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 2 oz of cheese over the frittata.

Cook the frittata mixture in the skillet on the stovetop at medium-high heat until the edges begin to brown. Place the skillet under the broiler until the middle sets up and begins to brown.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Information

Calories 257; Fat 9, Saturated Fat 3; Carbohydrate 21, Fiber 5, Sugar 4; Protein 24.

Tip

Always look at the Ingredients of any seasoning blends that you purchase... some have unclean fats, sugars and preservatives added.

Food Journal: Companion to Checklists

I love how much easier the Cooler Checklists make it to plan my food intake and ensure that I am eating strictly Cooler 1 or Cooler 2. However, I found that I still wanted to write down the food that I was planning on eating in addition to checking the boxes on the checklists - so I always used the blank back of the checklist to jot down my planned eats for the day. 

Unfortunately, doing it that way made for a disorganized list of food and sometimes when packing my Cooler in the morning I would forget to bring food that I was planning on eating during the day. So, I decided to make a supporting resource to the Cooler Checklists - Food Journal.

To save paper, I print the Food Journal on the back of the Cooler Checklist.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions to improve the Food Journal page.

Food Journal

Food Journal

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Cooler 1 Checklist
Cooler 1 Checklist - 2B Landscape

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Cooler 2 Checklist
Cooler 2 Checklist - 2B

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Cooler 1 Egg Bake

Cooler 1 Egg Bake



16 egg whites (or 2 cups pre-packaged egg whites)
2 cupped handfuls yellow zucchini, diced
2 cupped handfuls scallions, diced
2 cupped handfuls spinach
2 cupped handfuls red pepper, diced

dash salt and pepper, to taste

Customizable Seasonings:

• dash grill seasoning, to taste
  
• dash frank's red hot (cayenne pepper sauce), to taste
  
• dash italian seasoning, to taste
• dash cajun/creole seasoning, to taste

Customizable Cooler 1 fillings (substitute for any of the vegetables in the original recipe):

• Diced tomatoes, drained
  
• Broccoli 
  
• Mushrooms
  
• Celery
  
• Cucumbers
  
• 1/2 - 1 cup cooked ground bison, turkey, or tofu
  
• Cooler 1 low-fat Chicken sausages

Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Lightly mist a glass baking dish or casserole with oil.

Whisk the egg whites to make them fluffy.

Gently stir in your vegetables of choice.

Pour in the egg white and vegetable mixture into prepared pan.

Bake 30 - 40 minutes. The baking time will depend on the width/depth of your baking dish. Check how the egg bake is progressing after 25 minutes. Bake until golden brown on top and cooked through.

Serving size: 1/4 of baked mixture

Portions: 1 lean protein, 1 vegetable

*Sorry for the fuzzy pic - my husband took the digital camera with him to work and I am using my phone's camera to take pictures this week.

Cooler 1 Baked Oatmeal

Here is the recipe for... 

Cooler 1 Baked Oatmeal

2 cups rolled oats

2 tsp cinnamon

5  single serving (5 gram) pkgs of Organic Zero

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

2 apples, cored and cubed

1/2 tbsp vanilla

2 cups water (if desired, can substitute 1 cup almond milk and 1 cup water)

Preheat over to 400˚ F. Lightly mist a medium sized casserole or baking dish with olive oil. 

In a large bowl combine rolled oats, cinnamon, organic zero, wheat germ, and flaxseed. In a separate bowl combine apple, vanilla, and water. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until moistened.

Spread mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 35 - 40 minutes until edges begin to brown and mixture is set up.

Serving Size: 1/4 Baked Mixture

Portions: 1 Grain, 1/2 Apple, 2 TB Flax, 2 TB Wheat Germ

Cooler 1: Day 1

Here are my eats so far today:

Meal 1 - 16 oz water, 4 hard boiled egg whites, 1 serving cooler 1 oatmeal bake, Coffee

Meal 2 - 16 oz water, 1 serving egg bake, 16 oz water

Meal 3 - 1 serving chicken breast, on 1 serving spinach with 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, 16 oz water

Meal 4 - 1 serving protein powder, 1 serving almond milk, 1/2 apple serving, 1 serving broccoli

Meal 5 - 1 serving spaghetti squash, 1 serving cooler 1 vita-mix marinara, 1 serving bison

To make Cooler 1 easier, I have listed modifications for many of my recipes to make them Cooler 1 friendly. I have also listed the Portions for each recipe. Remember to use your hand as your measurement tool to figure out your personal serving size for each recipe. You can find all posts that pertain to Cooler 1 by looking for the Cooler 1 label.

The following are Cooler 1 Recipes:

• Vita-Mix Marinara Sauce with lean ground meat and spaghetti squash
• Egg Bake (version 1 and version 2)
• Tortilla Soup
• Cooler 1 Protein Bars
• Clean Protein Hot Chocolate
• Cooler 1 Baked Oatmeal

Cooler 1

For the next four days I will be doing Cooler 1, so my posts will focus on the foods that I am making and eating.

To get ready I am making an egg bake and baked oatmeal tonight. I already have some hard boiled eggs in the fridge which really helps to reduce my prep work tonight.

Today's egg bake includes one serving of the following veggies:

• Spinach
• Yellow Zucchini
• Red Pepper
• Scallions

I also used 2 cups of egg whites in the egg bake recipe so that I would get 4 servings of protein along with 4 servings of veggies to make it easy to divide up the servings.

Later tonight or tomorrow morning I will post pics of the finished egg bake and my recipe for Cooler 1 Oatmeal Bake.

Clean Protein Hot Chocolate

There are times in my life that I have a nostalgic craving for Hot Chocolate. Unfortunately, traditional Hot Chocolate Mixes are crammed full of sugar, fat, artificial flavors, fillers, and preservatives. To indulge my craving, I came up with the recipe for a yummy hot chocolate recipe that can be enjoyed guilt free.

Clean Protein Hot Chocolate

1/2 C Almond Milk (can substitute Skim or Unsweetened Soy Milk)

1/2 C Water

1 tsp Vanilla

1 scoop Protein Powder (vanilla or chocolate works)

2 TB unsweetened, dark Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Organic Zero sweetener (can substitute any CE approved sweetener)

Mix Milk and Water together in a microwave safe dish and microwave until hot. Add the vanilla and set aside.

Mix Protein Powder, Cocoa Powder, and Organic Zero together in a Magic Bullet cup. Add Milk mixture. Blend in Magic Bullet until frothy. Pour into a mug and enjoy!

If you do not have a Magic Bullet, you can use your blender, a shaker cup, or a spoon.

Cooler 1 Substitutions:

• Substitute Water for the Milk
• Use Chocolate Protein Powder instead of Vanilla
• Use less Cocoa Powder
• Portion: 1 serving Protein Powder

Cooler 1 and 2 Checklists

With the help of my forum friend, Ms. Tracey, I have been working on perfecting my Cooler 1 and Cooler 2 Checklists. Without further procrastination I present to you my Checklists! 

I would also like to Thank Laura for helping me to convert my files to .jpg's so that I could post the pics here for you!

When you click on the Link above the Preview window you will be brought to a screen that will show you a preview of the document. In the document viewer, above the preview, you will see tabs - one of those tabs is Download (3rd from the right) - if you click here you can opt to download a PDF of the Checklist and save it on your computer. Otherwise, you can Send the document to a friend (or yourself) or Share it on your Facebook or Blog. YOu can also use the iPaper drop down to complete many of the same actions.

Please let me know if you have any questions or problems downloading the documents.

Cooler 1 Checklist
Cooler 1 Checklist - 2B Landscape

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Cooler 2 Checklist
Cooler 2 Checklist - 2B

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Cooler 1 Protein Bars

Good Morning, Bloggers!

Did anyone watch American Idol last night? Why did they do an elimination last night and then another one tonight. I am slightly confused... are the contestants performing again tonight. Aaahhh... the drama. And why did Tatiana Del Toro get moved to the next round? I really dislike the drama that she brings to the show. Also, I was very surprised to see that Leneshe was kicked off. I actually liked her. And the show goes on... oh well.

Tomorrow I will be at Methodist Hospital all day. My mom's surgery is at 7:40 AM. She should be released on Saturday and I will spend next week working from my parent's house helping to take care of her while dad is at work. I love my mom so much, she is my very best friend. She is sweet, loving and understanding - she gets me like no one else (other than my husband). Please say a prayer for her today and tomorrow morning. 

There is an overstated note of apprehension and stress associated with her surgery because my uncle passed away in December after he developed an infection post-surgery. Also, when mom had her lower back surgery 9 years ago she had a tear in her spinal cord and the surgeon had to place her nerves back into the cord and fix the tear. I know that she will be fine - some surgeons do this surgery outpatient! :)

This week on the forum, there are many women doing a Cooler 1 Challenge - I was thinking about joining, but did not because we were out of town last weekend and was not able to get to the grocery store, also with mom's surgery this week I will be away from a fridge for long periods of time. However, Tacey, one of the members of the forum posted a very delicious recipe for a Cooler 1 version of the Nutty Maple Cinnamon Protein bars that I love so much. I made a couple modifications to the recipe and made 3 Chocolate Cooler 1 Protein bars and 3 Cinnamon Cranberry Protein bars last night. Here is the recipe:

Cooler 1 Protein Bars

Protein Bar Base:
1 cup oats, divided
3 TB ground flax seeds
4 scoops protein powder 
1 TB Agave (see below for Cooler 1 substitute)
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp vanilla
2 TB water

Possible Flavor Variations/Mix Ins:

• Cooler 2 : 1 tsp Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg, Vanilla Protein Powder, ¼ cup cranberries
  
• Cooler 1: 1 tsp Cinnamon, Vanilla Protein Powder, 1/2 c apple, diced
• Cooler 1: 1 ½ TB Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder, Chocolate Protein Powder
• Cooler 1: Replace the Agave Nectar with the comparable amount of Organic Zero, as I don't use Stevia due to possible side effects

Method:

Preheat oven to 350˚.

Make oat flower with 1/2 C oats by grinding in food processor or magic bullet. Choose a Flavor Variation. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together (both Protein Bar base and Flavor Variation). In another bowl mix all liquid ingredients together (both Protein Bar base and Flavor Variation). Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and combine.

Spray 6 tin foil trays with olive oil spray 1/6 of mixture in each one.

Bake in oven for 16-18 minutes.

Two bars count as ONE serving.

For the Cooler Plans, one serving counts as one serving of protein powder, 1 fruit serving or 1/2 apple, a flax serving and a bit under the oats serving (1/3 C instead of 1/2 C).

Tortilla Soup and Ice Cream

I have been diligently working on a user-friendly version of my Cooler 1 and Cooler 2 checklists so that I can post them for everyone to use. I finally finished them tonight and will hopefully post them in the morning. Today's eats were very clean and I am proud of myself!

Meal 1 - 1/2 c egg whites, 2 Tb red peppers, 1 chicken sausage, 1 slice of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel Bread

Meal 2 - Vita-mix of 1/2 c Kefir, 2 TB hemp protein powder, 2 cupped handfuls spinach, 1 cupped handful strawberries/mango, 1 date, water and ice

Meal 3 - leftover Turkey and Veggies from Sunday night

Meal 4 - Protein Bars inspired by Tracey's Cooler 1 Protein Bars from the forum (I will be posting my version of this recipe later tonight or tomorrow morning)

Meal 5 - My own version of Tortilla Soup (inspired by the Tortilla Soup recipe from the winter '08 issue of Clean Eating Magazine)

Here is the recipe for my Tortilla Soup:

Tortilla Soup

1 TB Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced

3 Carrots, diced

2 stalks Celery, diced

8 cups of homemade Turkey Broth (from CE Mag, using bones from Sunday night)

3 cups Turkey Breast, shredded

1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 tsp Parsley

2 tsp Oregano

1 TB Cumin

1 TB Chili Powder

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

dash of Salt

dash of Pepper

Juice of 1 lime

Pre-heat olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven. Add garlic and onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add carrots and celery and saute another 3 to 4 minutes. Add Turkey Broth, Turkey, Tomatoes, and Spices. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.

Top with lime juice and serve. 

Possible Toppings:

Dash of Green Tobasco

Clean Whole Grain Chips (You can make these in the oven with WW Tortillas)

Cooler 1 Substitutions:

• Substitute additional Celery for the Carrots in this recipe to make it Cooler 1 approved
• Portion: 1 Vegetable Serving and 1 Lean Meat Serving

One of my biggest downfalls is that I LOVE sweets. Every night I get cravings for yummy desserts. Some nights a cup of Tazo Passion tea will do, but other nights that is not the case. Many times I end up reaching for a small square of Endangered Species 88% cocoa chocolate. Tonight I made my own Strawberry Banana "Ice Cream" in the Vita-Mix, here is the recipe

Strawberry Banana Ice Cream

2 cupped handfuls Strawberries, frozen

1 cupped handful Banana, frozen

2 Dates

1/2 C Kefir

1/4 C Almond Milk

Splash of Orange Juice

2 handfuls ice

Put all ingredients into the Vita-Mix container in the order listed and secure lid with tamper. Set the Vita-Mix to VARIABLE speed #1 and turn on the machine. Quickly increase speed to #10 and turn to HIGH. Use tamper to push ingredients into the blades until all ingredients have been mixed together. YUMM-O!

And another one bites the dust... (Egg Bake Recipe)

This has to be one of my favorite LOL cats that I received from my aunt... how impossibly funny is that cat? The heft of the Macy's Day balloon cat reminds me of Piggie, my cat... however, Piggie is orange with orange spot/stripes. I love him to pieces. As a matter of fact, right now he is laying on the couch using my leg to prop himself up. I love cats - let me rephrase that - I love Mr. Piggie. :)

I did Interval Training today on my treadmill. I found that when I first started doing interval training I was pushing myself too hard. It was getting to the point that after completing 30 minutes on the treadmill (only 20 minutes of that consist of intervals) I was completely exhausted and did not have energy for the rest of the day. I have decided to back off and only do 10 minutes of speed intervals (1 minute running, 2 minutes recovery) and then doing incline intervals at a fast walk for 10 minutes (1 minute high incline and 2 minutes lower incline recovery). This seems to help with the exhaustion, but still give me an intense workout. By the time I am finished I am dripping in sweat. :)

My eats were pretty clean today, other than my two cheats: a POM-Champagne drink with dinner and a small square of very dark chocolate (88%) for dessert. I don't know why I wanted them - probably had to do with my husband coming home and opening a beer. It just sounded good.

The rest of my meals were as follows:

Meal 1 - 1/2 C scrambled egg whites, chicken sausage, 1 slice Ezekiel bread

Meal 2 - Vita-Mix: 1/2 handful strawberries, 1/2 handful mango, 2 cupped handfuls spinach, 4 TB hemp protein, 1 TB each flax, wheat germ, and bee pollen, 1/2 C kefir, water, ice

Meal 3 - 4 hard boiled egg whites and 1/4 C Steel Cut Oats with 1 TB each flax and wheat germ, 6 dried cranberries, cinnamon, vanilla cooked in 3/4 C water, and a banana

Meal 4 - 1/2 Egg Bake recipe from Dr. Karin  - it was a little bit of a modified version - and 1 apple (this was split up apple before workout, egg bake after workout), 4 slices of organic dried mango

Meal 5 - 1 palm sized portion of Roasted Buffalo Chicken breast (with Frank's Hot Sauce),  2 cupped handfuls lightly steamed green beans, 1 handful of sweet potatoes with pumpkin pie seasoning and 1/4 tsp olive oil butter (which I made myself in the Vita-Mix with 1/2 butter and 1/2 olive oil and drizzle of honey), POM-Champagne cocktail

Meal 6 - 1 square organic dark chocolate (88%)

This is a recipe that I found on Tosca Reno's Eat Clean forum. If you have not checked it out, you should! It is a fantastic resource where you can get tips, recipes, and advice from fellow clean eaters and fitness minded women (and a couple men). You can access the Forum from Tosca's Site.

Egg Bake, Inspired by Dr. Karin's Egg Bake Recipe

10 egg whites (or 3/4 C + 2 TB pre-packaged egg whites)

1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 cupped handfuls of finely diced yellow zucchini
1 cupped handful broccoli

1 cupped handful spinach

1 scant handful onion

1 scant handful red pepper

Other ideas from Karin's and other members of the forum of other fillings:

- Diced tomatoes, drained

- Mushrooms

- Celery

- Cucumbers
- 1/2 cup cooked ground bison, turkey, or tofu

- CLEAN low-fat Chicken sausages
- top with 1/2 cup seasoned homemade Ez. bread crumbs

Whisk the egg whites and soy milk to make them fluffy.

Spray a medium sized glass baking dish or casserole with olive oil and pour in the egg whites. 

Gently stir in your vegetables.

If using, sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top. 

Bake at 400˚ F for 25 - 30 minutes. The baking time will depend on the width/depth of your baking dish. Check how the egg bake is progressing after 20 minutes. Bake until golden brown on top.

Here is a picture that "Traweaver" posted on the forum of her finished masterpiece:

Monday Morning (Super Bowl Turkey Burgers)

And the kitty strikes again!!!

This one made both my husband and I laugh hysterically. I am still laughing now. :)

The Super Bowl was definitely worth watching last night - those last few minutes were intense! Congratulations, Steelers!!! 

The night was bittersweet because it was such a fun game, but on the other hand, it signals the end of Football Season - which is something that I look forward to with excitement and anticipation every year - even though I know that my beloved Vikings will always let me down. :(

Last night's Turkey Burgers were fabulous! They stayed very moist and tasted delish! Here is the recipe that I used:

Super Bowl Turkey Burgers

1 1/4 lb ground turkey breast

1/2 c whole wheat breadcrumbs

2 TB flax seed

3 TB chicken bouillon

1/2 c water

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste

1 TB natural low-sodium tamari (soy sauce) - watch out for preservatives in some soy sauces

Dash worcestershire sauce

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together with your hands until the ingredients comes together - do not over mix. Gently form into 5 patties. Spray a grill pan with olive oil and preheat to medium. Grill for 5 - 6 minutes per side, until no longer pink in the middle.

Serve with sprouted wheat buns and your favorite toppings. 

Tip: Heat tinfoil wrapped Sprouted Wheat buns in a 350° oven for 5 - 6 minutes, they will be crusty on the outside and soft in the middle.

Toping Options:

- Organic Ketchup (or homemade ketchup from the Eat-Clean Diet Family and Kids Book)

- Organic Pickles (regular ones usually have preservatives and dyes)

- Tomato slices

- Lettuce

- Hummus

- Mustard (yellow or Dijon)

Cooler 1 Substitutions:

• Substitute rolled oats for the whole wheat bread crumbs
• Eliminate the bun, soy sauce and worcestershire sauce
• Eat with a fork and enjoy!
• Portions: 1 Protein, 1/4 Grain serving

Clean and Bright (Vita-Mix Marinara Sauce)

• "Better keep yourself clean and bright. You are the window through which you must see the world." - George Bernard Shaw
  

I receive daily inspirational quotes from Real Simple and this was today's. I thought that it was fitting.

Yesterday's meals were very clean. This week I am making sure to follow a strict Cooler 2 plan from Tosca Reno's Eat-Clean Diet. I made myself a check list that I use every night when planning the next day's meals. It helps me to make sure that I am getting enough of the right food. I am bummed that I did not have time for a workout last night - I didn't get home from my color/cut until 7 PM and then after making dinner and eating with my husband, it was already 8 PM.

Here are my eats for yesterday:

Meal 1 - 1/2 C Egg Whites, 1 Organic Chicken Sausage, 1 Slice of Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Meal 2 - 1/2 of a Vita-Mix Protein Shake: 1 Orange, 1 palm full of strawberries and mango, 2 palms full of spinach, 1 date,1 Serving Vanilla Protein Powder, 1 TB wheat germ, 1 TB ground flax, 1 TB bee pollen, 1 tsp vanilla extract

Meal 3 - 1 1/2 cups of Lentil Stew (from the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook) with turkey breast and 1/2 of the Vita-Mix Protein Shake from Meal 2

Meal 4 - 1 C Organic Low-Fat Plain Yogurt and 4 egg whites

Meal 5 - Baked Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Vita-Mix Marinara Sauce and ground Turkey Breast and Skim Mozzarella Cheese melted on top (1/2 C noodles and 1 1/2 C Marinara Sauce)

I also made Lara Bars last night while the Spaghetti baked. I found a recipe on Enlightened Cooking. I used almonds and unsweetened cranberries and added some vanilla protein powder to the final mixture. I have yet to try them, but will let you know what I think. 

Here is the recipe for the Marinara Sauce that I made:

Vita-Mix Marinara Sauce with Ground Turkey Breast

Extra Virgin Olive Oil spray

1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey breast

1/2 small onion

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1 medium carrot, washed and cut in half 1 stalk of celery, washed and cut in half

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 medium cloves garlic, peeled

2 small onions, peeled and quartered

2 pounds roma tomatoes, quartered

1 teaspoon dried crushed oregano

1 teaspoon dried crushed basil

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 bay leaf Whole Wheat Noodles 1/4 C Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Spray a dutch over with extra virgin olive oil spray and pre-heat to Medium heat. Place turkey breast and 1/2 onion in skillet and brown until turkey breast is cooked through and no longer pink. Drain fat from pan. Place all vegetables, olive oil, and spices - except bay leaf - in a Vita-Mix container (or a Food Processor) in the order listed. Secure the lid. Select Variable, speed #1. Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #5 or #6. Run for 30 seconds, until all items have been chopped and the mixture is as chunky/smoothe as you would like. Pour into the dutch oven with the turkey breast mixture. Add the bay leaf and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350° F. While the sauce simmers, prepare your favorite variety of Whole Wheat Noodles according to the package directions.  Combine Sauce and Al Dente Noodles in an oven proof casserole dish and top with Mozzarella cheese. Bake covered until mixture becomes bubbly. Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes. Cooler 1 Substitution: Make without the carrot, olive oil, and mozzarella cheese Substitute Spaghetti Squash for the Whole Wheat Noodles Portion: 2 Vegetables (Marinara + Spaghetti Squash) and 1 Lean Meat