Here are some more recipes, that we have made. I try to cook with all the kids since they are more likely to try it of they have helped to make it.
Zuchinni Pancakes
2-3 zuchinnis shredded
low fat cheese
a few tablespoons of whole wheat flour
olive oil
salt and pepper
scoop of flax and wheat germ
2 eggs
You can really make this with lots of veggies and sweet potatoes, summer squash, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, ect.
Shred the zucchinis and press out extra moisture, mix with flour, cheese, salt and pepper, flour, flax and wheat germ and eggs, mix all together. In a pan on medium high heat, put is a swirl of olive oil, they do not need to deep fry. Form small pancakes and fry on either side until brown.
Easy sauce that is good for dipping meat, veggies and pancakes in.
Plain greek yogurt
Fresh basil
Fresh minced garlic
Lemon juice
salt and pepper
Chop basil and minced garlic and mix with a few scoops of greek yogurt to make a delicious side sauce.
You can also substitute herbs, for example if you grill peaches or pineapple for a dessert you could mix with fresh mint and a squirt of honey instead for a delicious topping.
Crunchy Chicken
Chicken tenders
Whole Wheat Panko Crumbs
Eggs
Whole Wheat Flour
salt and pepper
Set up the dipping station, fill one container with whole wheat Flour seasoned with salt and pepper, one with two beaten eggs and one with panko crumbs
Take eat chicken tender and dip in the flour to coat, then the egg, then the panko crumbs. The kids love to do this!!!
Then bake on a sheet in a 375 oven for 20-30 minutes and you have crunchy chicken!!
Sliders
The possibilities are endless for sliders, you can use ground bison, beef, sirloin, chicken or turkey. You can add spinach, onions, peppers, cheeses, tomatoes, shredded broccoli, really anything. This is what we made and they were delicious!
Ground beef 90%
scoop of wheat germ and flax
1 egg
low fat shredded cheddar
spinach
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and using a slider make press the tiny burgers into shape. Then grill on a grill pan and serve, easy, simple and yummy.
Get creative!
Home made Mac and Cheese
Cooked whole wheat pasta of your choice.
small pat of kates butter
low fat shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
nutmeg
skim milk
Put the cooked pasta in a baking dish and preheat oven to 375.
In a saucepan, melt the butter, cheese and milk together and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. When all melted together pour over the pasta, you can top with panko crumbs for a crunchy top and bake for 20 minutes.
Spinach salad and grilled shrimp
shrimp
seasoning of choice, some ideas, old bay, cajun, salt and peppper, ect.
lemon
Spinach
walnuts
dried cranberries
red onions
garlic
olive oil
balsamic
Coast the shrimp in seasoning of choice and grill in a grill pan until cooked and then squeeze fresh lemon juice at the end.
Toss spinach leaves, walnuts, diced red onion and dried cranberries with minced garlic, olive oil and balsamic. Top with the grilled shrimp and enjoy!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Recipies
Some friends have been asking me for recipes. Where have I been getting them and can I post them. I have to admit that I have loved cooking and food for a long time. I just never realized that I had been eating the wrong way and that it had been hurting me and my family. I love to cook, but have always had an infant or toddler calling, I often did not from pure exhaustion and lack of being an octopus. I have been reading cookbooks and watching food tv for year, so I kind of have a rough idea of lots of recipes in my head. I have to mention that much like my fave chef Rachael Ray, I do not measure so please forgive me when I say a bit of that and a bunch of this or a squirt of that.
I have leaned a lot in the past few weeks. I have learned that my kitchen was so ill equipped for regular cooking. I had no mixing bowls, no storage containers, not enough cooking pans, so I have been shopping a lot the past few weeks, but as I told , my husband, I have not ordered out breakfast or lunch or take out in 3 weeks, that is a huge savings! Anyway, let's go meal by meal with the recipes I have made so far.
A few things I have learned this week, I have to go to the supermarket several times a week. I have to plan my meals so I do not overspend and waste. I need to shop at multiple supermarkets to maximize savings.
I have also learned that every meal needs to be a balance between complex carbs, veggies, fruit, protein and dairy. So for example don't just eat a fried egg, eat it on wheat toast with mushrooms and light cheese with strawberries.
Breakfast
For the kids.
Gabe loves oatmeal, I have been buying the organic microwave packs although my goal is to switch to heating all natural on the stove, I have been adding flax and wheat germ.
Gabe and Bella's love yogurt parfaits. We take Stoneyfield yogurt in a bowl add fresh fruit, flax and wheat germ and top with granola.
Bella and Amelia love egg sandwiches. I take one egg and fry it with Pam and toast a whole wheat English muffin and a slice of organic cheddar cheese and serve.
They also love cheerios and the bunnies organic cereal with fresh fruit.
We have also been making smoothies everyday.
Fresh bananas, vanilla greek yogurt, skim milk, flax and wheat germ and frozen pineapples, blueberries, strawberries have been the faves so far.
For me for breakfast, I have been doing a slice of Ezekiel toast with one egg and one egg white with veggies of some sort, spinach, mushrooms tomatoes, salsa and gucac. So yummy and keeps me full all morning.
Snacks
We have been snacking on fresh fruit, yogurt, seeds, nuts, dried fruit and fresh veggies, will also add popcorn popped plain to the mix.
Lunch
For the kids, it has often been peanut butter and nutella on whole wheat or grilled cheese or english muffin pizzas or dinner leftovers with fresh fruit and yogurt.
For me, I love greek yogurt so I have been doing greek yogurt with fresh fruit and flax and wheat germ and some fresh veggies.
Sometimes, I do leftover dinner.
I have also made a chicken salad and tuna salad to have for quick pitas with tomato and spinach.
Chicken salad
Fresh chicken grilled or roasted and cut into cubes.
Diced celery
Halved red grapes
salt and pepper to taste
herb of choice, basil, thyme, tarragon, chives
Greek yogurt
green apples diced
Sliced almonds or walnuts
Lemon juice
Mix all ingredients to taste. Refrigerate and serve, yummy!
Tuna salad
Same as the above, but with tuna packed in water and add a dash of olive oil and also hot sauce.
Salmon salad
Canned salmon and same as above
Dinner
Waldorf salad side
Diced green apples and red grapes
chives chopped
salt and pepper,
lemon juice
sliced almonds or walnuts
greek yogurt
Mix all together and yum for a week
Greek pasta salad
While wheat spaghetti cooked
Olive oil
salt and pepper
basil
feta cheese
grape tomatoes halved
cucumber diced
feta cheese
green olives
diced red onion
diced walnuts
spinach
dried cranberries
Vinaigrette
oven roasted garlic cloves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar
Toss everything together and enjoy!
Yummiest Pizza
Whole foods whole grain dough
Spinach
walnuts
cranberries
diced red onions
caramelized onions
oven roasted garlic
shredded goat cheese
Bake crust for 15 minutes in 400 oven
Add all ingredients
Bake for 20 more minutes, yum
More to come
I have leaned a lot in the past few weeks. I have learned that my kitchen was so ill equipped for regular cooking. I had no mixing bowls, no storage containers, not enough cooking pans, so I have been shopping a lot the past few weeks, but as I told , my husband, I have not ordered out breakfast or lunch or take out in 3 weeks, that is a huge savings! Anyway, let's go meal by meal with the recipes I have made so far.
A few things I have learned this week, I have to go to the supermarket several times a week. I have to plan my meals so I do not overspend and waste. I need to shop at multiple supermarkets to maximize savings.
I have also learned that every meal needs to be a balance between complex carbs, veggies, fruit, protein and dairy. So for example don't just eat a fried egg, eat it on wheat toast with mushrooms and light cheese with strawberries.
Breakfast
For the kids.
Gabe loves oatmeal, I have been buying the organic microwave packs although my goal is to switch to heating all natural on the stove, I have been adding flax and wheat germ.
Gabe and Bella's love yogurt parfaits. We take Stoneyfield yogurt in a bowl add fresh fruit, flax and wheat germ and top with granola.
Bella and Amelia love egg sandwiches. I take one egg and fry it with Pam and toast a whole wheat English muffin and a slice of organic cheddar cheese and serve.
They also love cheerios and the bunnies organic cereal with fresh fruit.
We have also been making smoothies everyday.
Fresh bananas, vanilla greek yogurt, skim milk, flax and wheat germ and frozen pineapples, blueberries, strawberries have been the faves so far.
For me for breakfast, I have been doing a slice of Ezekiel toast with one egg and one egg white with veggies of some sort, spinach, mushrooms tomatoes, salsa and gucac. So yummy and keeps me full all morning.
Snacks
We have been snacking on fresh fruit, yogurt, seeds, nuts, dried fruit and fresh veggies, will also add popcorn popped plain to the mix.
Lunch
For the kids, it has often been peanut butter and nutella on whole wheat or grilled cheese or english muffin pizzas or dinner leftovers with fresh fruit and yogurt.
For me, I love greek yogurt so I have been doing greek yogurt with fresh fruit and flax and wheat germ and some fresh veggies.
Sometimes, I do leftover dinner.
I have also made a chicken salad and tuna salad to have for quick pitas with tomato and spinach.
Chicken salad
Fresh chicken grilled or roasted and cut into cubes.
Diced celery
Halved red grapes
salt and pepper to taste
herb of choice, basil, thyme, tarragon, chives
Greek yogurt
green apples diced
Sliced almonds or walnuts
Lemon juice
Mix all ingredients to taste. Refrigerate and serve, yummy!
Tuna salad
Same as the above, but with tuna packed in water and add a dash of olive oil and also hot sauce.
Salmon salad
Canned salmon and same as above
Dinner
Waldorf salad side
Diced green apples and red grapes
chives chopped
salt and pepper,
lemon juice
sliced almonds or walnuts
greek yogurt
Mix all together and yum for a week
Greek pasta salad
While wheat spaghetti cooked
Olive oil
salt and pepper
basil
feta cheese
grape tomatoes halved
cucumber diced
feta cheese
green olives
diced red onion
diced walnuts
spinach
dried cranberries
Vinaigrette
oven roasted garlic cloves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar
Toss everything together and enjoy!
Yummiest Pizza
Whole foods whole grain dough
Spinach
walnuts
cranberries
diced red onions
caramelized onions
oven roasted garlic
shredded goat cheese
Bake crust for 15 minutes in 400 oven
Add all ingredients
Bake for 20 more minutes, yum
More to come
Monday, May 17, 2010
The first shot at the Revolution
How do you start a Food Revolution for your family?
First you have to empower yourself with knowledge. My empowerment had started with Jamie Oliver and with the Juice Plus presentation. Next, you have to resolve yourself to change. I hear so many people saying, "Oh, I don't have time" or "Oh it is too much work" and I understand, I used to be like that. However, our children don't have a voice or the power to make the change, they are told to eat what we serve them and we usually do not give them a choice. I decided that I needed to work harder to make those choices real food and healthy options for them.
It has not been easy so far, but it has been rewarding. My kids are enjoying cooking and trying new foods they never have before. Yes, there has been a lot of whining about McDonald's and such, but I have told them we will make our own healthy version of a McDonald's happy meal together!
How did I actually go through the process in my house?
I went to the book store looking for some books about nutrition and cooking books for healthy whole food eating and I found The Eating Clean Diet by Tosca Rena. This book has become an incredible resource for me on everything from supplements, to ideas for feeding your family, to what to put in your pantry. It provides shopping lists and recipe ideas and motivation. I have also found her web pages and facebook pages and she is providing the fresh ideas and support you need to change.
The concept is simple, you eat food. Not processed food, not prepackaged food, not chemical filled, food dyed and colored food, just food. Ok, I hear the groans, "that is impossible right"? Not really. "Oh, it is way more expensive, we can't afford that!" You can with planning. I used to go out and shop and then never plan and throw away tons of food that went bad before I had a chance to cook it. Now I am planning my meals and making more trips to the grocery store and buying only what we need, not what I think we need.
I will be honest there was a bit of an expense getting started. I had to buy some new cooking pans and storage containers from Marshalls and I have been slowly replacing my pantry items. However, this is being offset by the fact that last week we did not order out food three nights like we used too. I did not stop for an egg and cheese sandwich five days a week, I made my own. I also fed the kids lunch at home and packed their lunches. With those changes, I think I paid it off.
We will still go out to eat. This past Saturday we went to the Barnacle and it was very easy to eat clean for me. I let the kids order off the kids menu and have a dessert as treat, I have told them that when we are out to dinner or at friends houses they can make their own choices. Hopefully by eating 99% of the time at home, they will eventually start to make the right choices when out. Anyway, I had steamed crab legs for an appetizer, no butter, I squeezed fresh lemon instead and for an entree I had grilled salmon over greens with balsamic vinegar.
Back to the process. I started by going through my pantry and removing anything that had ingredients that included corn syrup, fructose, words I did not understand, food coloring, white flour, trans fats, and anything partially hydrogenated. I FILLED UP 8 BAGS!!! You would not believe what corn syrup is in!
Ritz crackers
microwave popcorn
pretzels
ketchup
BBQ sauce
granola bars
cake mixes
frostings
apple sauce
peanut butter
Jelly
bread
kids smoothies and yogurts
Just to name a few things, before you pay $$$ for something in a store, READ THE INGREDIENTS!!!
I spent a few hours in Trader Joes and Whole Foods, looking for healthier replacement options. For example, I replaced Ritz crackers with Whole Foods brand made with whole wheat flour. My kids did not notice the difference! The kids were so used to seeing certain labels and boxes, so I bought a bunch of clear containers to store the food, so they just see the food, not the packaging.
I replaced our mustards and ketchups and some marinades, I found new healthier replacement options for most items and bought whole wheat pasta and bread and wheat flour.
The most important resource so far has been sharing this journey with friends on facebook, because I have been learning from other people who have gone through this and our living healthier lives.
More to come....
I found
First you have to empower yourself with knowledge. My empowerment had started with Jamie Oliver and with the Juice Plus presentation. Next, you have to resolve yourself to change. I hear so many people saying, "Oh, I don't have time" or "Oh it is too much work" and I understand, I used to be like that. However, our children don't have a voice or the power to make the change, they are told to eat what we serve them and we usually do not give them a choice. I decided that I needed to work harder to make those choices real food and healthy options for them.
It has not been easy so far, but it has been rewarding. My kids are enjoying cooking and trying new foods they never have before. Yes, there has been a lot of whining about McDonald's and such, but I have told them we will make our own healthy version of a McDonald's happy meal together!
How did I actually go through the process in my house?
I went to the book store looking for some books about nutrition and cooking books for healthy whole food eating and I found The Eating Clean Diet by Tosca Rena. This book has become an incredible resource for me on everything from supplements, to ideas for feeding your family, to what to put in your pantry. It provides shopping lists and recipe ideas and motivation. I have also found her web pages and facebook pages and she is providing the fresh ideas and support you need to change.
The concept is simple, you eat food. Not processed food, not prepackaged food, not chemical filled, food dyed and colored food, just food. Ok, I hear the groans, "that is impossible right"? Not really. "Oh, it is way more expensive, we can't afford that!" You can with planning. I used to go out and shop and then never plan and throw away tons of food that went bad before I had a chance to cook it. Now I am planning my meals and making more trips to the grocery store and buying only what we need, not what I think we need.
I will be honest there was a bit of an expense getting started. I had to buy some new cooking pans and storage containers from Marshalls and I have been slowly replacing my pantry items. However, this is being offset by the fact that last week we did not order out food three nights like we used too. I did not stop for an egg and cheese sandwich five days a week, I made my own. I also fed the kids lunch at home and packed their lunches. With those changes, I think I paid it off.
We will still go out to eat. This past Saturday we went to the Barnacle and it was very easy to eat clean for me. I let the kids order off the kids menu and have a dessert as treat, I have told them that when we are out to dinner or at friends houses they can make their own choices. Hopefully by eating 99% of the time at home, they will eventually start to make the right choices when out. Anyway, I had steamed crab legs for an appetizer, no butter, I squeezed fresh lemon instead and for an entree I had grilled salmon over greens with balsamic vinegar.
Back to the process. I started by going through my pantry and removing anything that had ingredients that included corn syrup, fructose, words I did not understand, food coloring, white flour, trans fats, and anything partially hydrogenated. I FILLED UP 8 BAGS!!! You would not believe what corn syrup is in!
Ritz crackers
microwave popcorn
pretzels
ketchup
BBQ sauce
granola bars
cake mixes
frostings
apple sauce
peanut butter
Jelly
bread
kids smoothies and yogurts
Just to name a few things, before you pay $$$ for something in a store, READ THE INGREDIENTS!!!
I spent a few hours in Trader Joes and Whole Foods, looking for healthier replacement options. For example, I replaced Ritz crackers with Whole Foods brand made with whole wheat flour. My kids did not notice the difference! The kids were so used to seeing certain labels and boxes, so I bought a bunch of clear containers to store the food, so they just see the food, not the packaging.
I replaced our mustards and ketchups and some marinades, I found new healthier replacement options for most items and bought whole wheat pasta and bread and wheat flour.
The most important resource so far has been sharing this journey with friends on facebook, because I have been learning from other people who have gone through this and our living healthier lives.
More to come....
I found
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Food Revolution
April 2009, I learned I was clinically obese, 100 pounds overweight. I had been a college athlete, a field hockey national team member in my teens, how could this happen? I had let the stress and the demands of having four young children, one with a severe disability and a husband who works in a demanding career overshadow my health. I had let myself go and suddenly I was told by my doctor how serious a problem this was.
I had a choice to make. Do I continue on this path of self destruction and obesity leading me to diabetes, heart disease and cancer and a promise of an early death? Or, do I dig down deep, fight hard to lose weight and get fit?
I Chose the fight. That is when I registered for the Disney 1/2 marathon, joined the most incredible and supportive running team, Team Allears and began to exercise and run.
April 2010, one 1/2 marathon, one full marathon and several 5k's, a 10k and other races later, I went back to see my Doctor for my yearly physical. I felt fit and wonderful, but recognized the little voice on my shoulder that had been nagging at me mile 18 to 26.2 during the Boston Marathon. The voice had been saying in an annoyingly naggy voice similar to the way mothers say, "I told you so". "You are carrying all this extra weight and it is slowing you down because you did not eat properly"
I had worked out frequently the past year, changed my eating habits slightly, but had not lost a significant amount of weight. If I was lighter, I would run faster, it would be easier, I would be healthier. In my mind I thought I had lost around 40 pounds and was slapped in the face when I realized I had only lost 20 pounds.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????
How could this be possible? I run hard 3-4 times a week, I run for hours at a time. My doctor was proud of me and told me not to give up and to keep working, he told me, "You have the exercise part down, now you need to work on the diet. He told me to really think about what I was feeding my body. Keep fighting.
I walked out of the office and starting thinking about what I eat. I usually ate scrambled eggs with cheese and coffee for breakfast, a sandwich of some some sort for lunch, and for dinner takeout, often. I really had not been eating well or making smart choices, I would eat off the kids plates, I would regularly eat chips and salsa, Chinese food at night or pizza with my husband was typical.
On a side note he never gains weight. GRRRRRRRR
Ok focus back to me.
A friend of mine had been telling me about Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution after I had inquired online about what the school lunch Maxi Cheese Stick was all about. I started watching his show and it changed the way I look at food. As a family we have not been eating food, we have been eating processed crap. We have been drinking milk with hormones, we have been eating meat and eggs treated with hormones and antibiotics, we eat too much sugar, too little food.
A few nights later, I attended a presentation given by Juice Plus. A supplement you can take as adults and give to your children. They pick the fruits and vegetables straight from the vine and flash freeze and compound them and put them into gummies for the children and capsules for the adults. When you take them it ensures that you and your children are getting the 7 servings of fruits and vegetables daily that your body requires. It is FDA approved and endorsed by Dr. Sears and countless others.
A few things stuck in my head as I listened to this presentation.
1. I have not only been doing this to myself, I have been feeding my children in an inappropriate way, by serving processed food at home with too much sugar and corn syrup. I though we had been eating healthy since they did not have sugar cereals and pop tarts, but you would not believe what corn syrup is in.
2. This present generation of children have a shorter length life expectancy due to improper nutrition resulting in earlier onset of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
3. The number of Young children being diagnosed with Diabetes under age 10 and obesity by age 12 is alarming.
4. An enormous amount of money is spent every year trying to find ways to cure cancer when in fact the only way to really cure cancer is to work on prevention.
5. I learned that corn syrup is a processed form of sugar that is dangerous to the body and that since the body does not know how to digest it, it stores it as fat. White flour has no nutritional value. Anything with hydrogenated and trans fat is unhealthy.
I decided at that point that I needed to start my own personal food revolution. It is no wonder why I have not lost more weight, I had been exercising, but that is only one small part 80% of weight loss is what you feed your body, your nutrition.
When I decide to do something I usually go hard core, I came back that night determined to make some serious lifestyle changes.
I had a choice to make. Do I continue on this path of self destruction and obesity leading me to diabetes, heart disease and cancer and a promise of an early death? Or, do I dig down deep, fight hard to lose weight and get fit?
I Chose the fight. That is when I registered for the Disney 1/2 marathon, joined the most incredible and supportive running team, Team Allears and began to exercise and run.
April 2010, one 1/2 marathon, one full marathon and several 5k's, a 10k and other races later, I went back to see my Doctor for my yearly physical. I felt fit and wonderful, but recognized the little voice on my shoulder that had been nagging at me mile 18 to 26.2 during the Boston Marathon. The voice had been saying in an annoyingly naggy voice similar to the way mothers say, "I told you so". "You are carrying all this extra weight and it is slowing you down because you did not eat properly"
I had worked out frequently the past year, changed my eating habits slightly, but had not lost a significant amount of weight. If I was lighter, I would run faster, it would be easier, I would be healthier. In my mind I thought I had lost around 40 pounds and was slapped in the face when I realized I had only lost 20 pounds.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????
How could this be possible? I run hard 3-4 times a week, I run for hours at a time. My doctor was proud of me and told me not to give up and to keep working, he told me, "You have the exercise part down, now you need to work on the diet. He told me to really think about what I was feeding my body. Keep fighting.
I walked out of the office and starting thinking about what I eat. I usually ate scrambled eggs with cheese and coffee for breakfast, a sandwich of some some sort for lunch, and for dinner takeout, often. I really had not been eating well or making smart choices, I would eat off the kids plates, I would regularly eat chips and salsa, Chinese food at night or pizza with my husband was typical.
On a side note he never gains weight. GRRRRRRRR
Ok focus back to me.
A friend of mine had been telling me about Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution after I had inquired online about what the school lunch Maxi Cheese Stick was all about. I started watching his show and it changed the way I look at food. As a family we have not been eating food, we have been eating processed crap. We have been drinking milk with hormones, we have been eating meat and eggs treated with hormones and antibiotics, we eat too much sugar, too little food.
A few nights later, I attended a presentation given by Juice Plus. A supplement you can take as adults and give to your children. They pick the fruits and vegetables straight from the vine and flash freeze and compound them and put them into gummies for the children and capsules for the adults. When you take them it ensures that you and your children are getting the 7 servings of fruits and vegetables daily that your body requires. It is FDA approved and endorsed by Dr. Sears and countless others.
A few things stuck in my head as I listened to this presentation.
1. I have not only been doing this to myself, I have been feeding my children in an inappropriate way, by serving processed food at home with too much sugar and corn syrup. I though we had been eating healthy since they did not have sugar cereals and pop tarts, but you would not believe what corn syrup is in.
2. This present generation of children have a shorter length life expectancy due to improper nutrition resulting in earlier onset of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
3. The number of Young children being diagnosed with Diabetes under age 10 and obesity by age 12 is alarming.
4. An enormous amount of money is spent every year trying to find ways to cure cancer when in fact the only way to really cure cancer is to work on prevention.
5. I learned that corn syrup is a processed form of sugar that is dangerous to the body and that since the body does not know how to digest it, it stores it as fat. White flour has no nutritional value. Anything with hydrogenated and trans fat is unhealthy.
I decided at that point that I needed to start my own personal food revolution. It is no wonder why I have not lost more weight, I had been exercising, but that is only one small part 80% of weight loss is what you feed your body, your nutrition.
When I decide to do something I usually go hard core, I came back that night determined to make some serious lifestyle changes.
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