Eating well on the move.

I've been moving this week into a great new home. Meal planning is a little off-that's life, just learn how to balance! I ate sushi last night-smoked salmon. Today, I made some ground meat with cumin and chili powder for a little southwestern kick, chopped up a tomato, green onions, cilantro and the juice of 1 key lime-all things I bought from the farmer's market this past weekend. I mixed it all together once the meat had cooled and it was delicious. A heavier dinner, but I need the nutrition since I was so on the go today, and the past few days. I'll post the recipe although really its just a little bit of this and that. I'll have leftovers for tomorrow and I'll have to make a new frittata since I've eaten all of the last one-4 servings, 4 breakfasts. I have a late morning so I'll have the time. FYI, working legs (workout) when you are doing a move that requires a flight of stairs with heavy boxes is less than ideal. I do not know what possessed me. No bueno. 

You'll know you've made healthy eating your LIFESTYLE when you eat the same way on Saturday that you do on Monday.

Moderation & Balance.

Food Marketing Translations

Instead of buying products with reduced, enriched, no sugar, or non-fat ingredients buy the full fat or sugar "original" version. The chemicals that make it "reduced" will eventually deplete your body and make you hold onto weight. Go for the "raw" ingredients and learn how to moderate. It's harder, but it is so much more sustainable and healthier in the long run. 

Source: Raw for Beauty 

Sorry for the spelling error in it, but the content was too good to pass up. 

Swiss Chard & Garlic Frittata

Here it goes with meal planning. I was a little lazy today and I only made tomorrow morning's breakfast and tea. But I'll be off of work early so I can make a little more of this week's food from my post eating clean on a budget. With the Swiss Chard and free-range eggs I purchased, I made a frittata. I already had a single-serving pack of cottage cheese, the shaved & grated cheese in my fridge, as well as the garlic because they are staples that I always have. With the mint that I bought, I added it to the green tea I prepped for tomorrow. Make sure to tear the leaves after you wash them so the mint really infuses the tea. I'll be making another Summer Tomato Salad with the tomatoes and basil I bought and tomorrow's water will be infused with the cute key limes. Tomorrow for dinner (and Tuesday's lunch) I think I'll do something with the grass-fed beef in my freezer and the fennel I bought. With the goat's milk, I'm thinking I may try to make some ice cream this week. I've taken dairy milk (except for hard cheeses, the occasional cottage cheese for frittatas and sour cream from time to time) out of my diet and it has made a big difference for me (for the reduction of inflammation & sugar-which is inflammatory). I haven't experimented with raw milk, which they have at the farmer's market but eventually I will. So here's the recipe, pretty much the same frittata with a little variation. It's a great base recipe that you can get creative with. 

• 4-5 large leaves of rainbow swiss chard, sliced into thin ribbons
• 1 clove of sliced garlic
• 1/4 cup of cottage cheese
• 2 oz. of shaved parmesan, grated romano & asiago
• 3 whole eggs 
• 3 egg whites
• A pinch of sea salt & fresh ground pepper

1. Heat a medium pan on medium heat, add a small amount of Kerrygold butter
2. Saute the garlic until browned
3. Whip 3 whole eggs, 3 eggs whites, and cottage cheese together
4. Add the egg mixture to the garlic in the heated pan 
5. Turn oven on broil
6. Set the bottom of the frittata, 3-5 minutes
7. Add raw swiss chard ribbons to the pan, allow to sink into egg mixture
8. Add the cheese on top and allow for it to be absorbed by the egg mixture
9. Place entire pan into oven 
10. Broil for 2-3 minutes to set the frittata and brown the top
11. Remove with an oven mitt
12. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then cut open and enjoy!

You should be able to slice this into 4 servings, so you have breakfast for the next few days!! 

Eating Clean on a Budget

One of the biggest complaints I hear is that eating healthy is too expensive. I beg to disagree. I shop at the Farmer's Market every week for grass-fed, organic, antibiotic-free beef; free-range, grain-fed chicken & eggs; fresh, in season, organic fruits & veggies; organic cheeses & butter; organic spices without artificial food dyes or fillers; non-GMO grains, herbs, and spices; goat's milk; and a ton of other things. You really don't need more than that, as far as food prep goes. I even buy great knives from the Amish co-op! The trick, I think, is to meal plan so you are using all of your ingredients and nothing goes to waste. It's a little more European than American in approach to food. But it works fabulously for your budget & your waistline. I love roaming around getting inspiration from all of the beautiful, fresh ingredients and being outside! It's so much more natural, don't you think? Here's my latest bounty from today's trip to the market.

Lemongrass, Key Lime, mint, fennel, tomatoes, rainbow chard, chives, cilantro, green onion, basil, and goat's milk. All for less than $20. Now does that sound unreasonable to you? I'll post the meals I prep with these ingredients this week. Happy meal prepping! 

An old graphic from the USDA. Old wisdom that still rings true today. I often heard this saying from my depression era grandparents: "Use it up, wear it out. Make it do, or do without.". How many of us do this today? Food for thought! ;)

WINO

Well, I told you I love Cuvaison Chardonnay. It seems they don't carry it here in TN. Just when I thought I was going to have to visit the local catholic church for a decent bottle of wine, I found this:

Butternut Chardonnay

Butternut is a bottle offered by BNA Wine Group, a local Nashville company. I cannot say enough about it. So here is the website description: 

TASTING NOTES:

 Aromas of peach, hazelnut and spiced candied apple. Round, creamy notes of fig, butterscotch and sweet oak.

All that for $17.99. Give me a case. Summer, day 1. Sooo many more to go.

The "8" Rules

{I'll expand upon each of these in separate articles.}

Rest {hibernate}

Sleep between the hours of 10 pm and 6 pm. The hours slept before 12 are the most important. When you stay awake late, especially after 12 you will become a more efficient fat storer (increasing fat storage by 30-40%). Also, you will tend to get hungry and eat to stay awake-FOOD IS FUEL and your body  needs it stay awake (energy). The food eaten at this time will primarily work itself into fat stores. Drink water instead, if you find yourself up at late hours. This is one of the few times I will encourage you to make yourself go hungry. There is no biological reason you need to eat to stay awake, unless you are a college student or a caveman. 

*8 hours of sleep, especially before 12. 

Drink Water {hydrate} 

Keep a glass of water everywhere-in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, studio, office, purse. Every time you pass by take a few sips-or the whole glass-and refill it for the next time you pass. Start your day with a full glass of water before anything else and end with one before bed.

*8-10 glasses of water all throughout your day, not all at once, for proper hydration. 

The Rule of Half {moderate}

1. Look at your plate.
2. Eat half.
3. Rest, talk, drink.

*Repeat if hungry, up to 2 times

This will give your brain and stomach time to communicate-hunger receptors. You'll avoid overeating, since you are eating more slowly, and you'll never eat the whole plate. This accomplishes mindfulness, pacing, and portion control all at once-3 key factors in eating. I don't care if the last bite left on your plate is literally 1 bite, or large crumbs. Train yourself NOT to be a member of the clean plate club. 

*1/8 left on your plate.

Print this out and post on your fridge. Keep a copy on you in your purse or at your office. Retrain your brain how you should eat, sleep, and drink (or hibern8, hydr8, and moder8).  

Summer Tomato Salad

This is a super easy dish you can make ahead or in a pinch. I love keeping plenty of tomatoes and basil on hand during the summer. A winter tomato just doesn't pass muster-disappointing at best. Make sure to keep parmesan, romano, and asiago on hand also-I like to buy a block and grate it fresh myself. This way I know what it contains (no sawdust!), and it tastes infinitely better. This can serve as a salad before dinner, a side for any dish, or as a great snack. I love fresh, summer tomatoes. Their ripe flesh is so deep red in color and the smell and taste are intoxicating. Add a little basil, italian cheeses, and high quality sea salt and you have the perfect little dish! This tastes great with a little buttery chardonnay. I love Cuvaison Chardonnay. And yes, I drink wine. 1-2 moderate size glasses a day. 

• 1 large ripe tomato
• 1-2 oz shaved parmesan, grated romano & asiago (prep a lot ahead of time, that way it's always ready!)
• 1-2 fresh basil leaves
• A pinch of high quality sea salt
• Optional: Crushed red pepper for a kick

1. Cut up the tomato and arrange on plate
2. Sprinkle cheese, basil, salt, and pepper on top
3. Enjoy!

Eating with Momma

So, the older I have gotten the more it has become apparent that my mom has saved me a lot of trouble in life. Most importantly, in eating patterns and approach to food. People always think I must diet like crazy or want to know what diet I follow. I don't. Period. As I've stated before, Diet is a four letter word (this is my mantra-among others like: If momma ain't happy, nobody's happy). I L-O-V-E FOOD. I eat deliciously, indulgently, without restriction, with moderation. Confused? So are most. 

I've noticed that most people have trouble with moderation. Not just with food, but with pretty much everything. We are a society of extremists: I'll do it all the way or not at all. Instead of moderating, they would rather cut it out or avoid it like a disease, or purge endlessly on it. I cannot for the life of me understand this. Moderation and balance are key for almost everything, but never so important in life as food. 

When I was growing up, we were taught portion control in a very sneaky way. Honestly, I don't know if my mother realized she was doing it either. I noticed my grandmother was the same way and I'm sure that her mother did the same and so on and so forth. Let me give you an example. When we were allowed a mid-day snack after school, we were to take the bag of chips (because there was only one at a time!) from the pantry. We then poured out a handful of chips on a napkin or plate. We then wrapped the bag of chips back up and put it back into the pantry. Then, we could sit down at the table and eat our chips. We were NEVER allowed to sit down with the bag on the table or, MY GOD!, eat from the bag (dirty, gross). We had to sit down and enjoy our small portion of salty potatoes, and it made us eat slowly because we wanted to savor every last bite, since there were no seconds-ever. Even later in the day, if we wanted chips, mom would say, "You already had chips. Eat something else. Or go drink some water (we always had a glass of water on the table)." It made us into very mindful eaters-really thinking about the food we were eating. To this day, my sister and I still eat this way-portioned out, sitting down, eating mindfully. And we have never had to worry about our weight, it has always been kept in check. 

Don't get me wrong, this drove us nuts when we were growing up. And we definitely didn't eat this way when we were over at other people's houses. But it is what we've reflexively gone back to, especially as mothers. Because it works. And all of our children are very athletic and active, with bodies to match. There is no extra weight on any of them. I feel that this is an accomplishment when so many are struggling with weight battles with themselves and their children. Childhood is the time that eating patterns are set. We can do our children a huge favor if we adhere to healthy patterns and can then teach it to our children in words and action. 

So think about it. How did you grow up, with relation to food? What were your parents like?  What did they teach you? You may have to reprogram yourself and redevelop a healthier relationship with food. 

More on this later, just a little food for thought!

This is from Karen Le Billon of French Kids Eat Everything. Nutrition and our relationship to food starts in childhood. This is so important for parents to "get". Read this book! 

Is Yoga Supposed to Kick Your Butt?

Because, first and foremost, I am a #yogagirl. 

Great article on the benefits that yoga can bring to any workout routine. #balance #flexibility #strength

http://www.acefitness.org/blog/3364/is-yoga-supposed-to-kick-your-butt/

Falling off the {food} wagon...

Sorry for my absence. To say that life has been challenging lately is an understatement. And to say that my diet is less than ideal is an even bigger understatement. C'est la vie. Life is life, right?

The one advantage is that once I've eaten the "bad" food, it's done. I still won't buy "junk" to keep in my house. I force myself to have to go out and get it, every single time. It is an inconvenience to eat badly, so most of the time it passes and I move on. 

I stopped by a Sonic today and got an order of tater tots. And ate them all by myself. I'm not sorry. But I did confess to a friend, "Forgive me, Veronica, for I have sinned. I partook of the forbidden food.". I felt I needed to tell someone to keep myself accountable. She laughed, of course, but I know she will steer me in the right direction tomorrow when we are at the Farmer's Market (kind of hard to eat badly at a Farmer's Market. Of course, there are those homemade doughnuts the size of one's head and the pulled pork and the bread and the "flavored" popcorn.). You should always have someone you can talk to about your food struggles and who can guide you back to the light (no pun intended). Because we all struggle sometimes-we're human. And if you restrict too heavily (I don't encourage it), the fall is much more pronounced. 

So going back to the tater tots. I know I eat well. I know I take good care of myself. So one time is not anything to beat myself up about. It is rather fodder for a good laugh-I'm so stressed that.... I will not be doing it again anytime in the near future (I am most decidedly not an all-or-nothing type of person-I think it is unsustainable.). I'm only sharing it now because I want you to give yourself the permission to fall off of the food wagon, and get right back on. It doesn't have to be a slippery slope where you slide all the way down. It can be one time and be done with it. And by the way, if you are going to cheat, cheat well. My tater tots may not seem significant to you but they are epic to me. At least until the stomach ache hits (because it is not something that jives with my detoxed body anymore and then I really don't want to eat it again. Not. Worth. It.). So don't go for a Snickers, go for a deluxe artisinal chocolate like Vosges. Make it a really enjoyable experience so you can really soak up the deliciousness, eat slowly and enjoy the whole experience, and move on. And be done. 

And get back on the wagon. Wheeeee!!

Photo via Food Navigator

Wilted Spinach Salad

This is a great boost of iron into your diet. I like to add a sunny-side up egg or steak for extra protein/iron. The leaves should be wilted, not limp and soggy so this one will need your attention for 5 minutes max. For me, this is a perfect dinner free from starchy/sugary carbs. I always wake up feeling amazing the next day and it enhances any development from a good work out. Bon appetit!

• 1 bunch of organic spinach
• 1 clove of organic garlic
• A healthy pinch of sea salt & pepper
• 1 tsp EVOO
• optional: lemon

1. Wash & drain spinach very well. Allow to dry thoroughly.
2. Heat large pan to medium. 
3. Add 1 tsp EVOO and warm. 
4. Stir in thinly sliced garlic & saute until soft. 
5. Add spinach on top, tossing regularly with EVOO & garlic.
6. Add sea salt & fresh pepper. 
7. This should take less than 5 minutes. You want the leaves a deep green, with shape to the leaves still. 
8. You may want to garnish with a light spritz of freshly squeezed lemon. 

*Excellent as a side to the Lemon Butter Steak (will post soon!)