21 Days of Fasting.. check! I enjoyed the time of fellowship with the ladies and extended quite time with the Lord. I decided to stay off the coffee, I have been feeling more alert, sleeping better and not having energy highs and lows throughout the day. So coffee, good bye, you have been a big part of my life for a long time :( I now enjoy some ginger tea in the mornings, just chop up some ginger and boil for about 5 minutes. Great for digestion and cleansing. I think too that from here on out that wine will be the occasional treat, not the norm 3-4 nights a week. So some big changes here and I think that overall a lot of the ladies made some big changes throughout this fast that they will incorporate into their regular diets. Which is great, making lifestyle changes and not diets for a temporary weight loss is a much better program to be on. So good job ladies! We are all cleansed and glowing from the inside out!
A full week of no coffee, and now that the headaches have gone, i am able to enjoy the benefits of a clearer head and more energy throughout the entire day! Can't say i dont miss the ritual in the mornings! I had surgery a week ago and have not been able to work out (which for me is really on the verge of devestating!) but For me personally on this fast, I also cut out all flours, breads, all carbs but vegetables, and with no wine either, I have luckily not put on a pound during this downtime! I hope that during this time, that all the ladies will enjoy the benefits of cutting out certain unhealthy foods from their diets and want to continue this way after the fast has ended!
I am embarking on a mission with some ladies from my church to participate in a 21 day period of prayer and fasting. This fast includes cutting out meats, dairy, refined sugars, processed flours, well any flours with levening, no alcohol, no caffeine...so this is kind of my diet already, but cutting caffeine and alcohol will be a pretty big deal for me!
i'm already on day 4 with no coffee and so far i haven't noticed too much of a difference, slight headaches, but i also just had surgery, so that is probably my arm screaming at me! This time is to be a time to focus on prayer anyways, and the food cleanse will be a side benefit!
When I cut back to only eating fruits and veggies I see it in my skin almost instantly! I can almost guarantee to lose a few lbs, even if i'm eating ALL DAY! but I'm eating calories that are used properly in my body. So I dont feel starved, which i suppose is not my idea of a fast..but thats why I say we're focusing on the prayer and a time of hearing from the Holy Spirit! For the next few weeks and hopefully thereafter Christ will be my pickmeupper in the mornings! I'll keep you posted..
i'm already on day 4 with no coffee and so far i haven't noticed too much of a difference, slight headaches, but i also just had surgery, so that is probably my arm screaming at me! This time is to be a time to focus on prayer anyways, and the food cleanse will be a side benefit!
When I cut back to only eating fruits and veggies I see it in my skin almost instantly! I can almost guarantee to lose a few lbs, even if i'm eating ALL DAY! but I'm eating calories that are used properly in my body. So I dont feel starved, which i suppose is not my idea of a fast..but thats why I say we're focusing on the prayer and a time of hearing from the Holy Spirit! For the next few weeks and hopefully thereafter Christ will be my pickmeupper in the mornings! I'll keep you posted..
After much anticipation and a lot of tension around Truckee, I think that summer is finally here! One of my favorite summer activities (besides Mtn biking of course!) is packing up the jeep and heading to some remote lake or river, pitching the tent, hanging out in nature and of course the great camp foods. Doesn't everything always taste better when camping?! Why is that, well I think because I have some great camping recipes! I wanted to share just a few with you here.
HoboPies: chop all of these ingredients beforehand and put into Tupperware, and don't forget your tinfoil!
chop mushrooms, garlic, onion, half a yam or red potato, half a zucchini, a tomato (to keep everything moist) and one gardenburger.
sprinkle with some garlic powder, cumin, and an all purposes spice like ms. dash or Tony Chacheres (my fav!) than when your sitting by your fire, put your mix into the middle of a 8 -10 inch strip of foil, wrap and than continue to wrap with layers of foil until its in about 4 layers, than put on the fire, preferably in the hot coals and let cook, rotating every 5 min for about 20 min. open up and enjoy!
Banana Pancakes:
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (you can use 1/2 white flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar or agave
1 banana
1 1/2 cup milk alternative (soy, rice, almond)
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix all flour ingredients, mash banana separately than mix all ingredients together. Add more milk if you prefer thinner pancakes. spoon 1/3 cup into skillet over medium heat, until lightly brown. Top with fruit or maple syrup. makes 8.
other great ideas: canned beans, corn on the cob, premade veggie skewers
HoboPies: chop all of these ingredients beforehand and put into Tupperware, and don't forget your tinfoil!
chop mushrooms, garlic, onion, half a yam or red potato, half a zucchini, a tomato (to keep everything moist) and one gardenburger.
sprinkle with some garlic powder, cumin, and an all purposes spice like ms. dash or Tony Chacheres (my fav!) than when your sitting by your fire, put your mix into the middle of a 8 -10 inch strip of foil, wrap and than continue to wrap with layers of foil until its in about 4 layers, than put on the fire, preferably in the hot coals and let cook, rotating every 5 min for about 20 min. open up and enjoy!
Banana Pancakes:
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (you can use 1/2 white flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar or agave
1 banana
1 1/2 cup milk alternative (soy, rice, almond)
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix all flour ingredients, mash banana separately than mix all ingredients together. Add more milk if you prefer thinner pancakes. spoon 1/3 cup into skillet over medium heat, until lightly brown. Top with fruit or maple syrup. makes 8.
other great ideas: canned beans, corn on the cob, premade veggie skewers
Its trying in Truckee, and I'm probably more anxious for it to come than I ever have in the past! Perhaps because I got a little taste of summer in Hawaii and came back to snow, maybe its looking at the jeep and the camping gear in the garage, or my bikes that are just waiting for dirt! either way, its warming up and i got inspired to make my own ice cream today. This was so simple and came out so amazing I shocked myself!
one frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/4-1/2 cup of soy milk
put everything in food processor and mix until the consistancy of ice cream! can add more or less milk. i also threw in about 1 tblsp of fresh chopped ginger, and added such a yummy kick!
one frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/4-1/2 cup of soy milk
put everything in food processor and mix until the consistancy of ice cream! can add more or less milk. i also threw in about 1 tblsp of fresh chopped ginger, and added such a yummy kick!
Eat Smart-ER!
Most of us know we should be eating more produce each day, but it also seems that we are creatures of habit and tend to stick to the same produce day in and day out. According to a recent study based on government nutritional data, we're coming up short in terms of eating a variety of fruit and vegetable colors. here's the stats
69% of Americans don't eat enough green (Kiwi, avocado, broccoli, asparagus, foods that contain cancer fighting phytochemicals)
78% don't get enough red (berries, cherries, helps protect individual cells from free radical, fight heart disease, maintain cognitive function and slow down aging)
86% don't get enough white (onions, shallots, garlic, cauliflower, foods associated with reduced heart disease risk and increased immune function.)
88% don't get enough purple/blue (Grapes, purple cabbage, protect cells from oxidative stress and slows signs of aging)
79% don't get enough yellow/orange (oranges, papayas, lemons, pineapples, pears, nutrients that help boost immune, protect against free radical damage and help heal and protect skin from sun damage)
this skew toward bland means we're missing out on a lot more than just good tasting food. There are unique phytochemical (plant nutrients) that vary from color to color. These various compounds all do different things to protect your health. If you're eating only bananas and apples, your going to be limited as far as health benefits because your not getting all these other colors. We don't just need "an apple a day" to keep the doc away, but "we need the full spectrum" I love this poster, that shows all the different colors of the rainbow that we should be getting. And I'm so grateful for my juice plus, because I know that i am getting a huge variety (17 in fact, plus the purple 7 more = 24!) of fruits and veggies everyday! I know I'm taking action now to protect my health in the future, have a lower risk of (78% in fact!) cancers and diseases, plus I'm slowing down aging, right, who doesn't want that!!
Most of us know we should be eating more produce each day, but it also seems that we are creatures of habit and tend to stick to the same produce day in and day out. According to a recent study based on government nutritional data, we're coming up short in terms of eating a variety of fruit and vegetable colors. here's the stats
69% of Americans don't eat enough green (Kiwi, avocado, broccoli, asparagus, foods that contain cancer fighting phytochemicals)
78% don't get enough red (berries, cherries, helps protect individual cells from free radical, fight heart disease, maintain cognitive function and slow down aging)
86% don't get enough white (onions, shallots, garlic, cauliflower, foods associated with reduced heart disease risk and increased immune function.)
88% don't get enough purple/blue (Grapes, purple cabbage, protect cells from oxidative stress and slows signs of aging)
79% don't get enough yellow/orange (oranges, papayas, lemons, pineapples, pears, nutrients that help boost immune, protect against free radical damage and help heal and protect skin from sun damage)
this skew toward bland means we're missing out on a lot more than just good tasting food. There are unique phytochemical (plant nutrients) that vary from color to color. These various compounds all do different things to protect your health. If you're eating only bananas and apples, your going to be limited as far as health benefits because your not getting all these other colors. We don't just need "an apple a day" to keep the doc away, but "we need the full spectrum" I love this poster, that shows all the different colors of the rainbow that we should be getting. And I'm so grateful for my juice plus, because I know that i am getting a huge variety (17 in fact, plus the purple 7 more = 24!) of fruits and veggies everyday! I know I'm taking action now to protect my health in the future, have a lower risk of (78% in fact!) cancers and diseases, plus I'm slowing down aging, right, who doesn't want that!!
My dad just emailed me and said he made the easiest, no fail, loaf of bread last night, and it was so good that him and my mom almost polished off the entire thing. The secret: Watch this video where a Minimalist, shares a recipe on how to make no-knead bread where the secret is letting the time do the work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU
you can also add whole garlic cloves, olives, maybe some rosemary and substitute some of the white flour for whole wheat.
I am writing this in honor of my roommate Kelly, but know it is a struggle for many so I would like to share it with everyone.
Its awesome that she recently started working out and is on the right track to improving her health, but like a lot of people she thinks working out alone will make her healthy, fit, and feeling good, but without changing her diet and fueling her body properly, she is only dealing with half the battle and can only improve so much.
When she reached for a bowl of sugar cereal after working out last night, I had to say something….there is more than one thing wrong with this picture (other than eating breakfast for dinner!) . But, let me give you a few that may not be that obvious. The body needs to be refueled after burning so many free radicals, and in order for it to repair worked muscles and tissues, it needs antioxidants and protein. These are found in fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, and lean meats. Processed sugars are known as “empty calories” meaning they are not and can not be recognized by the body as food, and so they are stored as fat, not energy (which would actually help burn even more fat!) This would also explain why she said, she also feels she needs to start eating more throughout the day! Its not that she needs to eat more, but better, empty calories will not make her full or help her reenergize after or before a workout. I looked at the ingredients, and not to my surprise the first three ingredients, were Sugar, Corn Syrup, Processed Enriched white flour… The box claims “contains fruit and fat free” on the front, to which neither are true! I believe it’s a common misconception at which no one is to blame except for the companies and their desceptive marketing schemes, but we must look at ingredients to not only boxes, but ingredients to what our body needs!
With that being said, I want to help Kelly and others, to become more aware of what “is” considered food and to remember that food is fuel for your bodies gas tank! The more natural the state of food is, the more it makes sense that God made it for us and it has not been processed by man, so it must be better for us, right! I love it that Kelly is trying to learn, and its just a matter of education, not ignorance, she even asked me to make her a grocery list and so I am going to make her a short and sweet easy check list that anyone can go by. If you are trying to lose weight, I would suggest cutting out dairy all together (no milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, etc). No Sodas..diet or regular, EVER! No Candy or packaged processed goods, and always eat breakfast! Glad to say, she did put the cereal back and opted for a healthier meal!
Breakfast:
-Oats, preferably not the prepackaged kind as they can be loaded with sugars. Add nuts, fruit, ginger, dried fruit or cinnamon to keep it from getting boring
-Whole Grains (Cereals and breads)- always check the ingredients in any packaged item and make sure it does NOT include any of the following (Sugar, Corn Syrup, Partially hydrogenated Oils, enriched flours) first ingredient should be Whole Wheat flour.
-fruit is especially great if you are working out, and don’t want a big meal beforehand. Bananas have extra potassium and iron which give extra energy.
-smoothies with frozen fruit, and juice (check to make sure it is from fruit, not from concentrate) or nondairy milk (soy, almond, rice). You can also add kale or red chard
-Eggs, but not cooked in butter or oil, use an oil spray sparingly.
Lunch:
-Salads- I put so many different beans, veggies, grains, whatever leftovers I may have lying around, to keep it exciting. Kidney. Black, garbanzo beans, are great additions. Tomatos, cucumbers, sprouts, carrots, beets, avocados, basil, quinoa. So many tasty things I don’t need dressing, maybe some balsamic vinegar and lemon.
-Whole Wheat Pita, wraps or bread- and I made the salad list so long, so that you can use the same ingredients in a sandwhich or wrap. Add Hummus for a great mayo alternative
Snacks-baby carrots, chopped broccoli/ cauliflower, whole grain crackers, or baked chips dipped in hummus or salsa.
-sliced apples, grapes, oranges, kiwis,
-dried fruit or trail mix (check for NO added sugars or sulfer dioxide) Trader Joes has great ones
-nut or almond butters on whole wheat crackers
Dinner-salads, can also try quinoa salads (cook quinoa add basil, avocado, lemon)
-beans- so many great ways to have beans. I start with sauting a little garlic and onion in water. Than add beans, with one or more of the following (chopped carrots, diced celery, broccoli, tomatoes, cumin (great seasoning in beans!) and for a little thicker, more soup like dish add brown rice or quinoa.
-steamed veggies, slice carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and add some seasoning
-baked squashes or yams.- spaghetti, acorn, butternaut squashes, just slice in half, put in about 1 inch of water in a casserole dish and bake for about 35-45 mins. Yams, put in tinfoil and bake
-whole grain pasta dishes with tomatos and added veggies
-brown or wild rice with steamed veggies, and seasonings such as Braggs
-fish on the grill, put in tinfoil with some lemon and seasoninings. Veggies on the grill, asparagus, zucchini, squash
These are all simple dishes that can be made with ingredients that should be stocked in the cabinet and fridge.
Quickie shopping list- find at Trader Joes at a competitive price!
*Snacks, Dried Fruit, Trail Mixes, Nuts
Baked Blue Tortilla Chips Whole Grain Rice Cakes
Fruit Leathers Dried Fruit
Lightly Salted or Raw Nuts and Seeds Popcorn
Whole grain Pretzels Hummus, salsas
Raw nuts
*Fruits and Veggies
spinach or red leaf lettuce yams or squashes for baking or grilling
Packs of chopped broccoli/ cauliflower and baby carrots (for dipping)
Tomatos, onions, garlic, cilantro, mushrroms, cucumbers, carrots (for salads and bean)
Bags of frozen veggies- great for stirfrys and pastas
Bags of frozen fruit- great for smoothies and to add to oatmeal
Cans of beans- black, kidney, white cannelli, garbanzo
Cans of tomatoes of pasta sauce- check the ingredients and make sure NO Partially Hydrogenated anything
*Breads, Crackers cereals
whole wheat pizza dough
box or bulk oats (check Winco)
Barbara’s cereals TJ’s Rich Golden Rounds (like Ritz)
Ezekiel Sprouted Seven Grain Bread TJ’s Woven Wheats Wafers (like Triscuits)
Whole Wheat French Bread TJ’s Brand crackers, similar to Wheat Thins
Whole Wheat Tortillas Whole Wheat Hamburger and Hotdog Buns
Sprouted Breads, Bagels, Tortillas Whole Wheat Pretzels
Some randoms- cage free eggs, milk alternative, wild free range chicken and fish
Its awesome that she recently started working out and is on the right track to improving her health, but like a lot of people she thinks working out alone will make her healthy, fit, and feeling good, but without changing her diet and fueling her body properly, she is only dealing with half the battle and can only improve so much.
When she reached for a bowl of sugar cereal after working out last night, I had to say something….there is more than one thing wrong with this picture (other than eating breakfast for dinner!) . But, let me give you a few that may not be that obvious. The body needs to be refueled after burning so many free radicals, and in order for it to repair worked muscles and tissues, it needs antioxidants and protein. These are found in fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, and lean meats. Processed sugars are known as “empty calories” meaning they are not and can not be recognized by the body as food, and so they are stored as fat, not energy (which would actually help burn even more fat!) This would also explain why she said, she also feels she needs to start eating more throughout the day! Its not that she needs to eat more, but better, empty calories will not make her full or help her reenergize after or before a workout. I looked at the ingredients, and not to my surprise the first three ingredients, were Sugar, Corn Syrup, Processed Enriched white flour… The box claims “contains fruit and fat free” on the front, to which neither are true! I believe it’s a common misconception at which no one is to blame except for the companies and their desceptive marketing schemes, but we must look at ingredients to not only boxes, but ingredients to what our body needs!
With that being said, I want to help Kelly and others, to become more aware of what “is” considered food and to remember that food is fuel for your bodies gas tank! The more natural the state of food is, the more it makes sense that God made it for us and it has not been processed by man, so it must be better for us, right! I love it that Kelly is trying to learn, and its just a matter of education, not ignorance, she even asked me to make her a grocery list and so I am going to make her a short and sweet easy check list that anyone can go by. If you are trying to lose weight, I would suggest cutting out dairy all together (no milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, etc). No Sodas..diet or regular, EVER! No Candy or packaged processed goods, and always eat breakfast! Glad to say, she did put the cereal back and opted for a healthier meal!
Breakfast:
-Oats, preferably not the prepackaged kind as they can be loaded with sugars. Add nuts, fruit, ginger, dried fruit or cinnamon to keep it from getting boring
-Whole Grains (Cereals and breads)- always check the ingredients in any packaged item and make sure it does NOT include any of the following (Sugar, Corn Syrup, Partially hydrogenated Oils, enriched flours) first ingredient should be Whole Wheat flour.
-fruit is especially great if you are working out, and don’t want a big meal beforehand. Bananas have extra potassium and iron which give extra energy.
-smoothies with frozen fruit, and juice (check to make sure it is from fruit, not from concentrate) or nondairy milk (soy, almond, rice). You can also add kale or red chard
-Eggs, but not cooked in butter or oil, use an oil spray sparingly.
Lunch:
-Salads- I put so many different beans, veggies, grains, whatever leftovers I may have lying around, to keep it exciting. Kidney. Black, garbanzo beans, are great additions. Tomatos, cucumbers, sprouts, carrots, beets, avocados, basil, quinoa. So many tasty things I don’t need dressing, maybe some balsamic vinegar and lemon.
-Whole Wheat Pita, wraps or bread- and I made the salad list so long, so that you can use the same ingredients in a sandwhich or wrap. Add Hummus for a great mayo alternative
Snacks-baby carrots, chopped broccoli/ cauliflower, whole grain crackers, or baked chips dipped in hummus or salsa.
-sliced apples, grapes, oranges, kiwis,
-dried fruit or trail mix (check for NO added sugars or sulfer dioxide) Trader Joes has great ones
-nut or almond butters on whole wheat crackers
Dinner-salads, can also try quinoa salads (cook quinoa add basil, avocado, lemon)
-beans- so many great ways to have beans. I start with sauting a little garlic and onion in water. Than add beans, with one or more of the following (chopped carrots, diced celery, broccoli, tomatoes, cumin (great seasoning in beans!) and for a little thicker, more soup like dish add brown rice or quinoa.
-steamed veggies, slice carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and add some seasoning
-baked squashes or yams.- spaghetti, acorn, butternaut squashes, just slice in half, put in about 1 inch of water in a casserole dish and bake for about 35-45 mins. Yams, put in tinfoil and bake
-whole grain pasta dishes with tomatos and added veggies
-brown or wild rice with steamed veggies, and seasonings such as Braggs
-fish on the grill, put in tinfoil with some lemon and seasoninings. Veggies on the grill, asparagus, zucchini, squash
These are all simple dishes that can be made with ingredients that should be stocked in the cabinet and fridge.
Quickie shopping list- find at Trader Joes at a competitive price!
*Snacks, Dried Fruit, Trail Mixes, Nuts
Baked Blue Tortilla Chips Whole Grain Rice Cakes
Fruit Leathers Dried Fruit
Lightly Salted or Raw Nuts and Seeds Popcorn
Whole grain Pretzels Hummus, salsas
Raw nuts
*Fruits and Veggies
spinach or red leaf lettuce yams or squashes for baking or grilling
Packs of chopped broccoli/ cauliflower and baby carrots (for dipping)
Tomatos, onions, garlic, cilantro, mushrroms, cucumbers, carrots (for salads and bean)
Bags of frozen veggies- great for stirfrys and pastas
Bags of frozen fruit- great for smoothies and to add to oatmeal
Cans of beans- black, kidney, white cannelli, garbanzo
Cans of tomatoes of pasta sauce- check the ingredients and make sure NO Partially Hydrogenated anything
*Breads, Crackers cereals
whole wheat pizza dough
box or bulk oats (check Winco)
Barbara’s cereals TJ’s Rich Golden Rounds (like Ritz)
Ezekiel Sprouted Seven Grain Bread TJ’s Woven Wheats Wafers (like Triscuits)
Whole Wheat French Bread TJ’s Brand crackers, similar to Wheat Thins
Whole Wheat Tortillas Whole Wheat Hamburger and Hotdog Buns
Sprouted Breads, Bagels, Tortillas Whole Wheat Pretzels
Some randoms- cage free eggs, milk alternative, wild free range chicken and fish