I may or may not be back......

 

So it's been awhile. Had a baby, broke my foot, lived a little, got addicted to candy crush, but I'm still obsessed with food and still love anything that's clean and real. Writing all about it has been on my mind a. lot. lately. So, here's a recipe that I'm in love with.... And since I do not live by a Trader Joes, it has really come in handy....ENJOY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My version of Trader Joes Kale and Broccoli Slaw Salad with a Sweet and Spicy Vinaigrette.

Package of broccoli slaw (by the packaged lettuce and salad kits)
Kale, chopped really small

Sunflower seeds

craisins

shredded rotisserie chicken

 

Dressing:

2 TB apple cider vinegar

2 tsp sugar (or honey)

1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper (depends on how spicy you want it)

1/2 teas paprika

1/2 cup mayo (or use greek yogurt)

 

My latest Obsessions

THIS WEBSITE. I can't get enough of it. I feel like she's my twin...somewhere out there. And craziest thing. She kind of is. Her name is Jamie, and her husbands name is Brian...just like me....really. For real. Her about page describes myself completely. But then...her food. I have a long way to go...she has INCREDIBLE recipes. She gives you the easy version...but she always would rather use her own real way of making things homemade. I love it...I love her...and I love her food. Also...her website is just...pretty. How are so many people so very talented???

Also, if you haven't heard of Crio. You've got to get with it. I discovered when I ran my 1st half marathon in Park City in October. I think it was made for me. If not for religious purposes..I know I would be addicted to coffee. I think that's why I was so drawn to this new thing. Crio is a lot like coffee...but so much better, and so much better for you. It's ground roasted cocoa beans. You brew it just like coffee but instead of nasty side effects that comes with coffee addiction....you get all the benefits of Crio. It has lots of antioxidants, it low in calories (think 10), and it has a natural stimulant called Theobromine which for me gives me energy. It's hard to find is the only thing. And it's expensive...which is why I'm considering becoming a distributor. There whole mission is to hear...Coffee, tea..or Crio????? I LOVE IT!

GMO and NON-GMO

pic found here

Have you heard the term "Non-GMO" yet? If you haven't yet, you will. You'll start hearing it all over actually. And you need to educate yourself on what it means. Why? Because you eat food. Do you care what you put into your body? I hope so. Do you know what you're really eating? You better find out.

I first learned about GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) when I read the book In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan....again, I highly suggest you read it. It's really educational in a non-scare-tactic sort of way. It just makes you aware of whats really going on. Anyways, back to GMOs....here's a great link to give you all the faq's about it. Basically, GMO's are science projects. Certain people (pretty much the government) are trying to find cheaper, faster ways of making our food by genetically engineering in labs their own species of plant, animal, viral, and bacterial that DO NOT occur naturally in our world. How does this make you feel?

Promise, you'll start noticing food that is labeled..."NON-GMO" and I promise you will feel really good about buying it....if you do your research.

Oh and some quick statistics for ya in case you don't want to click on that link up there...According to the USDA, in 2009, 93% of soy, 93% of cotton, and 86% of corn grown in the U.S. were GMO. It is estimated that over 90% of canola grown is GMO, and there are also commercially produced GM varieties of sugar beets, squash and Hawaiian Papaya. As a result, it is estimated that GMOs are now present in more than 80% of packaged products in the average U.S. or Canadian grocery store.

And also, most other countries ban the production of GMO's....hello America....why can't we be the cool trendsetters...I mean seriously it's not hard to see why we are the unhealthiest country....oh if only I could shout on top of the roof and have it heard all over our country....

Okay, so which would you rather eat? Produce that was grown in your local farmers garden (or your own) out in the sun by a seed (a non-GMO one) that he (or you) planted, or one that was grown by a man in a white lab coat under lights in a warehouse...that maybe got to see some sunlight in it's life....
I don't know about you....but I much prefer the "old-fashioned" way....nature is so much more beautiful..and romantic....and delicious....and natural. AND I want it to stay that way. I love gardens and fields and cute old farmers. I love sweating while I work in my own garden. And I love nothing more than harvesting my own fresh crops, or buying them from someone who has done just that.
NO THANK YOU USDA OR FDA...I can handle it myself!

To find more about Non-GMO retailers and any other information...GO HERE.

A new favorite thing

I saw this at my Costco and wanted to try. Look at the ingredients first to see how real it is!! Filtered water, 100% whole grain steel cut oats, vermont maple syrup, brown sugar, sea salt. Sounds awesome to me!!
You find them in the freezer section. At Costco they came in an 8 pack. 4 Vermont Maple and 4 Fruit and Berries.
Not only do they take 3 1/2 minutes to make...they are SUPER DELICIOUS. Very mild flavor so you can add your own favorite toppings. I like honey and cinnamon in mine!
I love companies like this that are finding ways to make real food real simple for us!
2 Thumbs up for Good Food Made Simple's Steel Cut Oatmeal.

USDA launches new MYPLATE program

So this is what is now replacing the food pyramid. Hmmm. Study it for a minute and let me know your thoughts. I'll tell you mine. First of all, it doesn't state how much, how often. And having a protein, grain, fruit, vegetable and dairy at every meal is too much food. Also, where's the fat? Fat is actually really really important in our diet, I'm talking the good fats, like olive oil, nuts, and avocadoes.
I just wanted to post this, because this is what your children will be learning in school. So, educate yourself...and teach your children at home.

Strengthen and Nourish

"Strengthen from the outside in, nourish from the inside out." ~David Kirsch (clients include Heidi Klum, Anne Hathaway, Liv Tyler, and Ellen Barkin)

By shaping and toning your body on the outside, your inner core and internal self will become stronger. And by properly enriching your body with whole foods and key supplements, your inner health will appear externally. It's the yin and the yang. Be conscious. Transform your life.


LOVE THIS.

Mango Chicken Tacos

This meal comes in a close second to my favorite of all meals. Mango Chicken tacos, introduced to me by my sister, Julie! And as a bonus...it's SUPER easy to make.

Mango Chicken Tacos

corn tortillas

favorite Mango salsa recipe (i buy mine from Costco-even easier)

2-3 chicken breasts

fresh cilantro (my favorite topping)

sour cream

any other favorite toppings:

I did fresh tomatos and avocado this time

Put Mango salsa and chicken breasts in crockpot, turn on low, cook at least 4 hours. Shred chicken, return to crockpot and stir. Serve warm on warm corn tortillas!

The Challenge

So, the other day I made the most SINFUL dessert ever. WHY? Because I'm starting a 5 week eating-clean challenge and so I thought I'd treat myself to SUGAR before I did so. (You know because I think Sugar is my friend until I date him, and I then realize how much I hate him) This is what I made, but don't click on the link...it's not worth it. Seriously I won't lie, it was delicious. But I did have this thought: Why does my brain think it's so wonderful? When really the only wonderful part is that 5 seconds that my taste buds rejoice....after it's over I'm left with a headache, a sick stomach, and then there's the guilt and regret too. But that goes away in a couple hours and I crave those 5 second bites all over again. So then, here's what gets me. Good, clean food really tastes SOOO good. AND it makes you feel SOOO great. So, why is it harder to eat clean than to eat crappy? Maybe it's just because it's what life is all about. You have to work hard to be able to enjoy. You can't taste the sweet without the bitter. What you put in...you get out. Really think about it. Everything you LOVE in life that's worth it, requires work in some way. That's why I love to eat clean and real, because it's a challenge that makes me feel great. There's only good things that come from eating this way.

Homemade Ranch--The Real Thing

So...I'm reading another book...called The Omnivore's Dilemma...by Michael Pollan, who also wrote In Defense of Food that I read and loved. I'm learning how corn is seriously taking over the world....well at least in the food industry. Most foods found in the grocery store when following their food chain...start out on a corn farm. And guess what I found when looking at the label on my ranch mix.........FIRST INGREDIENT: MALTODEXTRIN (processed corn). Also, I buy Wild Coyote Ranch, and read the label on that...not only did it include Maltodextrin...but a handful of other "ingredients" that I did not recognize...or that I did recognize and was really sad it was listed. Ranch is our family's favorite condiment...so...luckily my sweet friend bought me Pioneer Woman's cookbook...and it had a homemade ranch recipe! SOOO EXCITED!

Not to mention that there are 3 things in life I wished I loved...and I try to so hard to eat them, but I just can't choke them down...they are Shrimp, Sushi, and Bleu Cheese (on a wedge). When I see people eating these...oh...it is sooooo sexy...and I want to be sexy...but my taste buds do NOT allow it. So...not only was the recipe for Homemade Ranch there...but it was actually titled: Homemade Ranch with Iceberg Wedge.....that is sexy. I can now cross Bleu Cheese wedge off my "Keep Trying To Love" list!!!! This is a great replacement. And although Ranch may not be the very healthiest....I'd rather eat it clean and real then filled with fake additives.

HOMEMADE RANCH WITH ICEBERG WEDGE
from Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman Cooks Cookbook

1/4 teas kosher salt

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 cup real mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 tp 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk, depending on how thick you want the dressing

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 Tb chopped fresh chives

2 Tb chopped fresh dill

1/2 teas distilled white vinegar

1/2 teas Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teas cayenne pepper

1/4 teas paprika

1/2 teas black pepper

dash of hot sauce (optional-which i did not add because of the cayenne pepper, which was the perfect amount of kick for me and my kiddos)

2 heads of iceberg lettuce
1. sprinkle salt over garlic, mashing with fork to make a paste. The finer...the better

2. add all ingredients in bowl together, stirring gently, and adjust seasonings as needed

3. chill for at least 2 hours

4. wash and dry iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges, and drizzle ranch on top

5. (my fave) Be GENEROUS with the dressing...since it needs to reach all the lettuce in the wedge!

Can you tell I A) Loved it and B) followed #5 like a champ...I was very generous with my dressing!

Protein Cookies

Made these this weekend for a treat....DELICIOUS...and you will DIE when you hear the ingredients, and then you'll DIE again when you make them and try them....THEY ARE GOOD!

Protein Cookies

4 cups old fashioned oats

3 scoops Vanilla protein powder (I use 100% WHEY from Costco)

3/4 cup Organic Peanut Butter (or any kind without sugar--you want the real thing)

1/2 cup honey

splash of milk, muscle milk, or almond milk

your choice of dark chocolate chips, raisins, raw coconut, nuts...etc.

Mix all together and press in 9X13 pan and cook for 15 min at 350^.

My husband also crumbled some up after they were cooked and had it as cereal! He's obsessed!!

You will be too!

Got this recipe from my Trainer's facebook page: HOT TOPIC FITNESS